From Vision to Bloom: How Women in Placemaking Brought Fremont Park to Life
April 10th, 2026
The Origins of Women in Placemaking
Since 2017, Women in Placemaking has quietly shaped Midtown as a powerful, collaborative force. Spearheaded by Midtown Association‘s Executive Director Emily Baime Michaels, this initiative began as a way to bring together women across disciplines, from communications and public space design to public administration, development, and beyond. The foundation of Women in Placemaking is to reimagine how Midtown’s public spaces could serve and inspire the community.
What started as a conversation quickly became action. One of the earliest outcomes of this collaboration was the activation of the corner of 24th and K streets, where thoughtful lighting and programming transformed the space into a vibrant destination. This effort was led by a dedicated group including Nikky Mohanna of Mohanna Development and Meghan Phillips of Honey Agency, alongside other creative contributors.
Introducing Fremont Park Bloom
Building on that momentum, a new chapter began in 2023. Emily convened another group of leaders under a fresh concept, at the time called, Fremont Bloom. The vision was simple yet ambitious: to create an immersive floral experience in Fremont Park that would invite visitors to connect with the space in a new, sensory-rich way.
To bring this vision to life, key partners stepped forward. Jackie Beecham, Director of the City of Sacramento‘s Youth, Parks & Community Enrichment Department, and Danielle Foster, Executive Director of the Capital Area Development Authority (CADA), joined forces with Midtown Association. Together, their organizations provided the seed funding and foundational support needed to move the project forward.
From Concept to Reality
By 2025, the project took a major step toward realization when Kim Garza of Atlas Lab was brought on to develop the installation concept. Around the same time, a valuable partnership was formed through Michelle O’Dell of Kaiser Permanente, helping to expand the project’s reach and impact. In 2026, artist Gina Rossi was selected to bring the Fremont Bloom installation to life. Her work represents the culmination of years of collaboration, creativity, and share vision.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of women played essential roles in shaping the project. Brenna Castro Carlson of Atlas Lab led project management efforts, while Megan Van Voorhis of the City of Sacramento’s Convention and Cultural Services provided critical support for the art installation. Contributions from Amanda Sawasy, Bailey Wineland, Kelly Greenfield, and Tawny Hendrix of Midtown Association, collectively continue to breath energy into the project and bring Fremont Park fully into bloom.
Women in Placemaking centers women’s leadership, while valued partners and allies continue to strengthen and support the initiative. Specials thanks go to Jay Robinson of Kaiser Permanente and Jameson Parker of Midtown Association for their contributions throughout.
Continuing a Legacy of Creative Placemaking
Fremont Park Bloom stands as a testament to what’s possible when creativity, collaboration, and community come together. It’s a reflection of Midtown’s creative spirit and the people who continue to shape it. The new art installation builds on Midtown Association’s growing portfolio of immersive, district-wide activations. A recent example, the Urban Dreams Art Experience, turned Midtown into an open-air gallery with a dozen interactive installations.
Urban Dreams invited visitors to explore Midtown in new ways while celebrating local artists and its vibrant cultural identity. Explore the full Urban Dreams Art Experience case study here and learn more about the project in the video below:
Want to learn more about the artist behind Fremont Park Bloom? Dive into this artist feature on Gina Rossi. Discover more about Fremont Park Bloom’s events and activations in May and June 2026 here. Learn more about Fremont Park Bloom here.