February 14th is, among other things, Statehood Day in Arizona. This means that someone, somewhere, will publish the inevitable “greatest Arizonans who ever lived” or “people/events that changed Arizona” lists in newspapers or blogs. The results of these lists are predictable. They nearly always, for instance, include Barry Goldwater. I have nothing against Goldwater’s inclusion, but the late Senator is a little like the Beatles; yeah they were great; yes, things are different because of what they did, but that does not mean that they are not over-rated.

So I am making my own list. This list will not include easy choices like Goldwater, Kino and Poston, names which should already be familiar to most readers. Instead, I take this opportunity to highlight some of the individuals whose names should be familiar, but have instead slipped into relative obscurity despite their role in shaping the Arizona we all know and love.

My standards in making this list are fairly simple. First, the named individual must no longer be alive and must have no institutions, streets, towns, parks, or substantial monuments named for them. Naturally, the individual must have made a lasting, positive contribution to Arizona during their lifetime regardless of the length of their residency in the state. This last one is, of course, highly subjective, and I will have to admit not only to my geographic bias as a Tucsonan but also my political bias as a Democrat. Anyone who has an issue with one of my choices, or someone I did not choose, should feel free to make these views known.

You’ll have to check out his blog for the descriptions of each person, but here is the list:

1. Antonio Siraumea
2. General José Cosme Urrea
3. The Great Western
4. Manuelito
5. Colonel Edward Ephraim Cross
6. Elizabeth Josephine Brawley Hughes
7. Governor Louis Cameron Hughes
8. Wenceslao “Three-Fingered Jack” Loustaunau
9. Father Bonaventure Oblasser, O.F.M.
10. Governor Samuel Pearson “Sam” Goddard Jr.

Speaking of irony, isn’t it rad that an Ambassador for Downtown Phoenix sends people away from the heart of our city to Scottsdale and Tempe? That’s right, Steffin Newman said in a recent USA Today article that those are the places he recommends to tourists looking for night life because Downtown Phoenix is a “ghost town”. Just to recap, it is Steffin’s job to serve as an Ambassador for local businesses operating downtown. Awesome.

Tyler already offered up some comments – and an email to Downtown Phoenix Partnership CEO, David Roderique – so I’ll keep mine relatively short.

There is plenty to do downtown. Period. I named this blog Deserted After Dark with my tongue firmly in my cheek with the hope that I could help dispel a stigma two decades old – and entirely false. I’m not the only one invested in that work, either. Jacqui and Dave do a great job over at CenPho TV highlighting awesome happenings on a weekly basis. In addition, there is the Downtown Phoenix Journal, the Downtown Voices Coalition, the Copper Square website (which has a calendar of the 327 events happening downtown over the Holidays), and a whole slew of others that all do a fantastic job bringing attention to what’s going on in Downtown Phoenix. If you know of any other resources, I would be happy to hear about them in the comments section.

I’ll be at the Public Market tomorrow morning, which happens to be downtown. Weird.

I did the math, and if only 14 of you give $10 we can completely fund this project. According to FeedBurner, there are at least 45 of you that read this blog on a daily basis. Sounds pretty easy to me. Click this link or take a look at the widget over in the sidebar. Either way, you are making a lasting impact on the lives of students. But don’t take my word for it:

If you’re somewhere in or around Phoenix, don’t forget that tonight is another edition of the First Friday Artwalk. I’ll be checking out the new Ed Weston exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum, and then probably meandering my way through all the street vendors and ad hoc artists, towards a watering hole later in the evening.

Don’t forget the film screening tomorrow night. In the meantime, enjoy this:

Next Saturday, September 6, No Festival Required and Space 55 will be showing “The Axe in the Attic”, a documentary on the Diaspora of New Orleans. The trailer looks stunning (caution: language not edited), and if Steve says it’s good I’m taking his word for it. Tickets are $7, or a dollar less with student (read: ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus) ID. The film runs at 7PM and 9PM.

My new home, Taylor Place, is full of people. The energy is great, and the food surprisingly delicious.

School is just around the corner, and I can’t be more excited. All of my general classes are out of the way, and I can start digging my teeth into what I’m really here for: Nonprofit Leadership & Management. Class lineup as follows:

Professional Development Seminar (American Humanics Workshop)

Inclusive Community Development

Sustainable Communities

Fundraising

Marketing For Nonprofit Organizations

So, I’m pretty stoked. I’m off to a take a tour of all the restaurants in Copper Square to show the Freshman that Downtown Phoenix is a decent place to be. Maybe Adam should join us, the Good News of Downtown needs to be shared with him…

If you’re reading this in a reader, come check out the site. I did a little work to the sidebar, new buttons courtesy of Joe Rib. And that’s pretty much all I got for now. Looking forward to being behind the keyboard a little bit more now that I’m all settled in the new digs. So until next time I remain,

And with heat like this in our little concrete jungle, it’s nice to know that there are people working hard to create spaces where it’s comfortable to hang out in this heat. Spaces like the Downtown Civic Space Park, which will serve as the Downtown Phoenix Campus student union. The entire project is funded by a city bond that you (if you live here) voted for in 2006, so the space is open to everyone, not just ASU students.

The park will be finished in the spring of ‘09, but until then you can track construction progress with a “Dean’s Eye View.” We installed a webcam here on the 6th floor to get a good look at the park. Besides a live feed, the camera also takes a still shot every fifteen (15) seconds, so when it’s all finished, we’ll have a nifty little time-lapse movie put together.

The City of Phoenix also has a camera, but they only take a still shot every half hour. Not nearly as fun, but the different angle is worth a look. And if you want to see a mock up of what it will look like finished, check out these mock ups.

Hey, speaking of parks, the voters of Phoenix recently passed (overwhelmingly) a thirty (30) year extension of the Phoenix Parks and Preserves Initiative. It’s only a one-tenth of one percent ($.001) sales tax allocation, but that little bugger has raised over $200 million to construct and refurbish the parks of Phoenix. This is all important because the City now wants to hear what you have to say about it before they make any final decisions in regards to where the money goes. They are holding a series of public meetings to hear from residents. For more information, call 602-262-6862.

Enjoy your weekend. It’s supposed to get down to eighty (80) the next few nights. Break out the cashmere…