DURANT NIGHT MARKET

The Durant Night Market initiative is an on-going joint project by Telegraph for People (TFP) and the Telegraph Business Improvement District (TBID) to transform and rebrand the group of restaurants colloquially called the "Asian Ghetto" on the 2500 block of Durant Avenue. We aim not only to move past this derogatory name, but to turn the area into a vibrant public gathering place that builds on the history of the space. A thoughtful exploration of the area’s culture and strengths will create a new public identity that compliments the thriving food scene while empowering and uplifting the small businesses at its center. The main component of the project will be a large public parklet for outdoor dining on the street in front of the future Durant Night Market space.

In May 2022, TFP and TBID were awarded a generous $5,000 grant by the UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund to make this project possible. This is a partnership between the business community, the university, and students. Since students are the primary users of this space, it only makes sense for them to shape its future. 

Applications have now closed. We accepted applications for five students to be part of this exciting placemaking initiative. Each student will receive a $1,000 stipend, and will be expected to work on the project throughout the Spring 2023 semester.

There are five positions available. For descriptions of the positions and to apply, see the form at the bottom of this page.

1) Project Manager: Manage the team of students working on the project, in addition to meeting and coordinating with representatives from Telegraph for People, the Telegraph Business Improvement District, and UC Berkeley as needed. Set meeting times, ensure deadlines are met, and facilitate discussions and meetings between members of the team. 

2) Community Engagement Leader: Coordinate directly between merchants and patrons to continue the work conducted by graduate city planning students in Fall 2022 (see background information below). Maintain connections with merchants and patrons and involve them in the visioning process for the design and marketing strategies for the Durant Night Market.

3) Market Research Analyst: Develop a marketing strategy for the rollout of the Durant Night Market. Coordinate direclty with university and community partners to develop a comprehensive plan for how to transform the community's vision of the space currently known as the "Asian Ghetto" as it is transformed into the Durant Night Market. Create a strategy to ensure that future generations of students use new language rather than the derogatory language used today to refer to the site.

4) Graphic Designer: Create digital assets and a cohesive brand identity for the Durant Night Market for use by the Telegraph Business Improvement District and other community partners during the rollout of the initiative. Assets and projects may include a logo, website, and design scheme to be used on digital and physical printed materials.

5) Artistic Conceptual Designer: Create illustrations, plan diagrams, and other artistic renderings of the imagined site. The goal of this position is to turn our ideas into a vision people can see and imagine themselves in. You will create visual representations of the Durant Night Market that make it feel alive and invite people to join our vision to create a vibrant public space on Durant.