Through Drapkin’s efforts, the Richmond Chamber of
Commerce has experienced an uptick in new membership.
“I have brought in like nine new members within the
last month,” she said. In addition to her work with the
chamber, Drapkin is also a counselor with the Contra Costa
Small Business Development Center, SBDC. “This is an
underutilized resource,” she stated. “I work with merchants
to help them access information on lending options,
marketing, and even help with bookkeeping.”
The Richmond end of 23rd Street is Drapkin’s current
project, Calle 23. “As a Latina, I take a special interest
in Latin neighborhoods,” she expressed. “23rd Street is
predominately a Latino neighborhood and I have been
doing work to steer the available resources the city has to
23rd Street to create vitality for this commercial corridor.”
Through a comprehensive, multipronged approach of
bringing business owners, police, and the city together,
Drapkin has been able to make strides in improving 23rd
Street.
“Through our efforts, the city has installed what are called
treasure box trash cans and we’re now going to be getting an
update on the streetscape plan,” she explained. “The corridor
will start looking a lot nicer, which means we are closer.”
While the beautification of 23rd Street through the future
additions of new street lights, pedestrian-friendly lighting,
and new greenery will be appealing to potential shoppers
and residence, Drapkin wants to be clear that there is still a
ways to go. “I wish I could tell you things happen overnight,
but it is very small incremental steps,” she admitted. “You
celebrate every incremental step though and I am in it for
the long haul.” Drapkin has extended an open invitation to
residents and other community members who would like to
become a part of this ongoing neighborhood project,
She continues to work with the approximately 160
merchants on 23rd Street in the improvement of their
individual storefronts and to increase their involvement
not just with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce
but also with the police department through merchant
watch meetings that address safety issues. “We have had
a tremendous response this year at the merchant watch
meetings,” she said. “So the merchants are listening to how
we make our community better.”
Through her decades of experience in urban revitalization,
Drapkin stated that this type of work becomes a chain
reaction. “Once you start improving one building—one
block—other merchants start doing it too. It is a domino
effect.”
Through urban redevelopment not only do shoppers and
business owners benefit, according to Drapkin, but so too
do cities. “This is what I love about the work I am doing,”
she said. “Once it takes off, it generates revenue for the city
of Richmond. When small businesses succeed they generate
sales tax revenue.” This tax revenue, as Drapkin sees it, helps
the city to fulfill the service needs of communities. “I will
know I am successful when small businesses want to come
to this area.”
Darlene Rios Drapkin
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