Plaza Frida, a Beautiful Cultural and Commercial Effort
También puedes leer este artículo en español, Plaza Frida, bello esfuerzo cultural y comercial.
Before the Little Rock plaza, there were only bushes and stones. Now it is a Latino commercial center with beautiful architecture that offers opportunities for entertainment, culture, and sports.
Why is it named after one of the most emblematic artists of the hemisphere and the world, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)?
“Similar to the woman, Plaza Frida is a combination of beautiful things,” says coordinator Jamie Taylor, “she was an artist, and Plaza Frida is a piece of art in itself. Constructed and adorned artistically, it represents the freedom of individuality, pride in cultural heritage, and the importance of connection between people.”
Businesses that have found a home in Plaza Frida are Casa de Cambio, Dulcería Clarissa, Hospital de Celulares, Latino’s Barbershop, PromoPrint and Signs, and Tienda Guatelinda.
Aside from the businesses, the plaza has an open-air center for community events, receptions, and celebrations, as well as two soccer fields. The Little Rock Rangers soccer team has committed to bringing players ages 18 months to 18 years old to the field.
“No one person had all the ideas that created the Plaza,” Taylor says, “it has been the culmination of ideas through a team of people, with all actions done out of love and support for the community.”
“The goal was to create a space for the Hispanic community that would provide opportunities for the connection between cultures and the city,” she explains.
The meetings to create the square began between December 2019 and the first months of 2020, she says. The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath slowed progress, but community events at the Plaza began in 2021. Completion of the first phase and opening of the first businesses took place on April 15, 2023.
Since then, Plaza Frida has offered events and it hopes to create a soccer league. The summer plan is to offer a movie night whose admission will be a donation to the neighboring Arkansas Food Bank.
“Now we are open, and we are not just referring to the commercial premises, but we are also open to ideas, suggestions and contributions from the community”, says Taylor.
