The mission of Austin nonprofit Raasin in the Sun is to transform the east side through art, environmental restoration and community engagement. Founder Raasin McIntosh saw how many of the neighborhood homes, alleys and communal green spaces were falling into disrepair. She was determined to fix the problem.
"We started with neighborhood cleanups initially," McIntosh said. "When we first began, we would go from door to door asking neighbors to join us. It was usually met with eagerness to participate but not always. We got a lot of weird looks."
McIntosh, a former track and field Olympian who competed in the 2012 London games, became an environmental advocate and officially established the organization in 2018. Her vision was to uplift underserved neighborhoods while preserving the area's cultural identity. She was inspired by her time in West Africa in 2010 and 2012 and her artistic father.
"African countries like Ghana and Liberia have so many open spaces," she said. "It was impossible not to see the potential in turning them into activity spaces like soccer fields or tracks but surrounded by a lot of natural vegetation."
She quickly realized that she needed to bring similar strategies back home to Austin and serve the community that embraced her as a student at the University of Texas.
For the last six years, Raasin in the Sun has implemented initiatives that unite residents, beautify neglected spaces and inspire collective action through the arts.
Beautification through murals
One of the nonprofit's most visible contributions is its mural work, which has brought vibrant imagery and cultural storytelling to East Austin.
The colorful San Marcos Street mural showcases twin girls of Hispanic and African heritage within the newly developed Plaza Saltillo community. Though it appears deceptively modest, the piece, led by local muralists Carmen Rangel and Kimie Flores, rises 10 feet tall and stretches nearly 100 feet wide, featuring 20 built-in windows.
Other notable projects include the Angela Davis mural on East 11th Street, which was painted by native Texan Dwight White.
Inspired by the quote, “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept,” Angela Davis was a prominent civil rights-era writer, educator and activist. She championed the fight against racial oppression in the United States.
Mika Spence, the owner of Charm School Vintage, where the mural is located, was honored to be included in the collaborative discussions about the project.
“We’ve had so many people come in and ask who the image is of,” Spence said. “People stop and take pictures and pop into the store to talk about it. My employees and I have had great conversations about her and what she did for the Civil Rights Movement.”
The most recent project is on the side of the Healthcare Alliance for Austin Musicians building on South First Street.
Austin artist and musician Wiley Ross was selected to design and paint the piece.
"I look at the whole world as a canvas," Ross said, "so I was excited and proud to be asked to create the HAAM mural and have my name associated with such an impactful foundation."
Urban restoration
In addition to murals, the organization engages in urban restoration projects that address neglected and underutilized areas.
"Our efforts center on community beautification projects that blend artistic expression with environmental care," McIntosh said. "We don't only clean neglected greenspaces or alleys, though. We also beautify the homes and lawns of our senior community leaders, like we did for the Delcos."
Wilhelmina and Exalton Delco are prominent members of the Austin community. She served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1975 to 1995, and he was the first African American to receive a Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology from UT. The Delco Activity Center is named in their honor.
The organization's efforts, which reflect its commitment to environmental stewardship, include urban gardening and the incorporation of native plants.
McIntosh, who is also the vice president of Urban Activation at the Downtown Austin Alliance, has a vision for the organization that goes beyond aesthetics—she aims to build connections among residents and empower them to take an active role in shaping their environment.
"These projects require the community to come together, but more importantly, to speak up about the future of their neighborhoods," she said. "As the older people pass the torch to the younger generations, they have to raise their voices, show up and fight for their neighborhoods. It's the only way to slow the tide of gentrification that's taking over the east side."
Through social media endeavors, newsletters and door-knocking, the nonprofit is involving the community in every step of its projects, from collaborative design to execution. The intent is to ensure that the work is meaningful and lasting to the residents.
"I may have used my first name when naming the organization, but I hope that 'Raasin' can be replaced with anyone's name," McIntosh said. "It can be 'Julie in the Sun' or 'Lolita in the Sun.' The sun is the biggest light source we have; we have to use it to shine light on these initiatives."
"Our efforts center on community beautification projects that blend artistic expression with environmental care. We also beautify the homes and lawns of our senior community leaders, like we did for the Delcos."
Learn more about Raasin in the Sun's projects and how to get involved at raasininthesun.org.