2022 Community Impact Report

Dear Allies,

2022 was a year that stretched our capabilities to a breaking point. With Crimson House locations operating in 4 locations spanning two nations, our Collective was stretched thin - an untenable state of operations that corroded the culture of our organization, unduly burdening our Collective members to a point of exhaustion and burnout.

We grew too fast.

So too did our bills. FInally as the clock struck midnight to chime in the year 2023, Crimson House closed its doors and vacated its location in Louisiana. This effectively kicked off Mike’s year of living on the streets and improvising the means to return up north to his home state of Ohio.

Mike’s Journey North

Along the way, Mike discovered Lafayette, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi, prior to spending the summer months in New Orleans. From there, Mike boarded Amtrak’s famed “City of New Orleans” train to return northbound, hitting Chicago, Cleveland, Galion, and Mansfield, before finally arriving “home” in Columbus, Ohio.

Despite the heartbreaking loss of our Louisiana location, Mike’s experience living on the streets and engaging with the homeless community informed him of some of the practical needs and opportunities throughout our cities, giving rise to Streetsquad, an organization devoted to improving the safety, helping restore dignity, and empowering them along the oft-difficult journey ahead.

Streetsquad

Streetsquad seeks to make streets and urban spaces safer, friendlier, and more accessible for pedestrians and local residents, while nurturing a transit-friendly culture of safety, efficiency, and comfort.

We aim to combat the stigmas around transit and car ownership - to make public transport “cool” for the population at large to embrace with confidence in their everyday lives.

Additionally, we seek to assist those along the front lines of poverty, joblessness, homelessness, and substance abuse. Many of the folks who are on the streets are longtime natives in their communities with an intimate knowledge of the area. There is value in the collective wisdom of these folks, and we seek ways to leverage their insights into ways that produce value in their communities, and restore some dignity to these individuals as they climb out of some devastating loss

WANDA

WANDA was created by Mike in order to improve his safety and visibility while traversing the streets of Alexandria, many of which did not have sidewalks or crosswalks available for pedestrians, as well as to assist in transporting groceries and other household items purchased throughout town. WANDA not only helped its users stand out among surrounding drivers to avoid deadly accidents, but it also sustains an immersive, magical experience filled with joy, expression, and my eclectic collection of music.

Over time, WANDA evolved into a sort of political creed - a firm rejection of our nation’s stubborn addiction to its cars. It served as a way to instigate a change in our culture that prioritizes pedestrian safety and improves access for residents to more parts of their city.

Let's Work Together!

We are looking to reboot the organization with a fresh vision for 2024 and beyond. During this time, we are taking extra care to listen in - to resist the impulse of responding rashly without taking the time to examine and understand prior to dismantling it.

We’re keenly interested in teaming up with organizations in Columbus and even around our past locations, with whom we could share resources and pursue aligning business objectives, in order to produce high-quality, impactful events and activities that enrich and empower our respective communities.

Join us as we shape a whole new foundation for Crimson Rouge Studios - defining its vision, mission, and purpose in our community. We invite you to join the conversation.

Mike George

Executive Director
Crimson Rouge Studios, Inc.