 Minneapolis celebrates Gay Pride for more
than a full week each June (June 19 to June 26 in 2016), in part to honor a
seminal moment in the history of lesbian and gay rights, New York City's
Stonewall Riots. In the Twin Cities, Pride celebrations center around a series of events held around
the last week of June, culminating with two major events, the Pride Festival,
and the Pride Parade.
In 1975, Minneapolis became the first city in the
country to pass an ordinance preventing discrimination based on gender identity.
Despite this, disparities still exist in virtually all areas including
employment, health care, safety, housing and access to public spaces.
In 2014, the City of Minneapolis Transgender Issues
Work Group was established to look at transgender disparities, engage the
broader community and make policy recommendations for the City to improve the
lives of transgender residents. It is now managed by the City Coordinator’s
Office.
The Minneapolis City Council took the next step and approved
a resolution on May 27th supporting efforts to further transgender
equity in Minneapolis. This includes supporting efforts in other cities, as
well as at the state level and nationally.
Minneapolis now joins cities including Austin, Texas;
Baltimore; Miami; New York; San Francisco and Seattle in support of transgender
equity.
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 The U.S.
Embassy in Sweden invited and paid for NCR’s East African community specialist
to meet with City leaders and community representatives in four Swedish cities
– Malmo, Eslov, Lund and Vaxjo – in May. Ahmed shared Minneapolis’ successful
engagement model with Swedish city officials and Somali community leaders.
Swedish officials invited the City to share its best practices around community
engagement in order to learn how it positively engages immigrant communities in
their new country.
At the
conference and meetings in Sweden, Ahmed described how NCR works to connect
with the Somali community. Some of the tactics include community dialogues
where Somali community leaders meet and learn directly about specific issues from
City staff. The Somali leaders then share this information with their
communities. For a large or complex issue, Ahmed meets first with Somali community
leaders to make sure they understand the issue, and then invites the larger
Somali community to learn directly from City staff while he acts as a liaison.
Ahmed also invites community leaders to City Hall and government offices to see
how the City works and to meet with department heads and elected officials.
Somalis are
integrating well in Minneapolis and have their own shopping malls, restaurants,
grocery stores, gas stations, transportation companies, real estate, local
banks, charter and private schools, and mosques.
Minnesota has
the second highest Somali population in the world after Somalia, and Sweden has
the third. The highest concentration of Minnesota’s Somali population is in
Minneapolis. Somalis in Minnesota have significant political, economic and
cultural presence with $500 million in buying power and pay $75 million in
local and state taxes annually. Other U.S. cities with high Somali populations
include Columbus, Ohio; Houston; Phoenix; San Diego and Seattle.
In 2015, Ahmed
participated in a panel discussion at the American Swedish
Institute that compared and contrasted the experience of Somalis in Sweden and
Minnesota.
 On May 15th
community members gathered at the State Capitol to pay tribute to the Hmong Special
Guerrilla Units (SGU) and to honor to the
military service of the Hmong SGU veterans - both deceased and alive - as
America’s Secret Army in Laos during the Vietnam War.
The Hmong SGU were
recruited, trained, paid for, supplied, and directed by the U.S. Central
Intelligence Agency to collect intelligence, cut off communist military supplies to fight American troops in South Vietnam, rescue downed American pilots behind
enemy lines, and protect U.S. radar installations for air operations against
communist movements in Southeast Asia. More than 35,000 Hmong lost their
lives and many more were seriously injured, disabled, or continue to be missing
in action in the defense of America’s interests in Southeast Asia. The
U.S. pulled of out of Laos in May 1975.
A video of the day's song and dance dedicated to General Vang Pao and all Hmong veterans is available from Hmong TV.
 On May 24, the
Bottineau neighborhood Association (BNA) hosted a community discussion with Dr.
Hamdy El-Sawaf, local mosque leader and U of MN professor, and Jaylani Hussein,
executive director of the MN Council on American-Islamic Relations (MN-CAIR).
This discussion was an attempt to foster better understanding of local Muslim
residents, their culture and religion.
Dr. El-Sawaf presented a short primer on Islam, followed by an hour of questions
and answers. Questions ranged from how to acquire an English-language copy of
the Qur’an (free copies are available through CAIR’s Share the Qur’an website), to the history behind certain
customs to the best way to show support and camaraderie
to Muslim neighbors. A transcript including all of the evening’s questions and
answers is available
on BNA’s
website.
 The Hennepin County Library recently acquired hundreds of
photographs (negatives) taken by a Minneapolis photographer, John Glanton.
These photos date from the late 1940s and principally concern the
African-American community in Minneapolis and (occasionally) St. Paul.
HCL is asking for help in identifying the people, locales and
events depicted in these photos. The photos have been loaded them on to a Google
drive site. You can add information about each photo using the
"Comment" function. Instructions are included with each series of
photos.
Any questions should
be directed to Ted Hathaway, HCL Manager of Special
Collections, Preservation & Digitization, at 612-543-8203.
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The Minneapolis Resident Satisfaction Survey is a key way the City engages
people in City government. The City conducts surveys of its residents on a
regular basis to get their perspectives about the quality of service the City
provides.
This year Wilder Research will conduct the survey. While only a very small number of randomly selected households will receive the survey, it will
produce statistically representative data about Minneapolis residents at
the City and community planning district levels. Special care is being taken to
ensure that the opinions of selected cultural and geographic communities are
included.
Watch for survey results this fall.
Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission elections set for June 16
 This year, Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC) seats from neighborhood districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 are up for election through the neighborhood election process. Elections will be held Thursday, June 16. Neighborhoods should notify NCR of their electors by Wednesday, June 8.
Visit the website for additional details, including the election process and voter guide.
 Mayoral Appointee (Hodges and Rybak)
Term: 2nd - Not
seeking reappointment due to being appointed to Metropolitan Council’s Equity
Advisory Committee April 2016
Ward: 5
Neighborhood: Willard-Hay
Sub-committees: One Minneapolis Fund Committee, Community Innovation Fund Committee, City Department Engagement Committee
How long have you been active
in your community and what made you get involved in community work?
I got involved with my neighborhood board around the year 2000. My first
development project was a new construction on a city owned vacant lot which
required that the plans receive neighborhood approval. The process was frustrating, unaccommodating
and did not seem to welcome my desire to improve my community. I had recently
moved from the Longfellow neighborhood to north Minneapolis to live amongst
African Americans. The neighborhood board did not seem to reflect the ethnic
composition of the community so I made my mind up to get involved and learn why
African Americans were not participating in these decision-making
processes. Years later I became the
board chair and later part of the management team.
What do you like most about
your neighborhood or community?
Both the history and the potential of building a more livable community
are attractive. Coupled with the vast
number of African American professionals and elders who remain members of the
community and are always supportive of initiatives that move the community
forward.
Are there other boards and
committees you are or have been on?
I’ve served in numerous capacities.
My neighborhood board was my first opportunity to serve on a board.
Since then I’ve worked to unify community members through organizational
involvement. Northside Transportation
Network; Northside Neighborhoods Council; Penn Avenue Implementation Committee;
Blue Line Coalition; Community Engagement Steering Committee and most recently
I was appointed by Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck to serve on its
Equity Advisory Committee. It is
bittersweet news that this new appointment requires that I tender my
resignation from the NCEC.
Do you have any tips for
residents interested in running for neighborhood boards and/or City boards and
commissions?
Follow your passions and don’t let naysayers distract you from rolling up
your sleeves and getting involved. Nothing worthy of accomplishing has been
easy for me, resident engagement and advocacy is no different. It is frustrating, hard work but rewarding if
you stay committed and stay focused on the goal. Change begins with us one person at a time.
***
The “Meet a Commissioner” series of the monthly Minneapolis Connects newsletter is intended for readers to get to know representatives of the Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC). The NCEC is a 16 member board that advises the Mayor and City Council on a wide range of community engagement issues.
The NCEC is responsible for developing guidelines for the City’s principal neighborhood funding program, the Community Participation Program, as well as the One Minneapolis Fund and the Community Innovation Fund. The Commission also works to broaden participation on advisory boards and commissions and develops recommendations for improving the City’s public participation process.
The Commission meets every 4th Tuesday of the month at 5:00p.m. Learn more about the Commission.
 The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association is seeking an
Executive Director. The Executive Director reports
to the board of directors, and is responsible for the organization's consistent
achievement of its mission, to improve and enhance the quality of life for the
residents of the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, and its annual programmatic and
financial objectives. The association has 600+ members and is a 501(c)3.
The position is part-time, with a minimum of 28 hours per
week. The office
staff includes a half-time coordinator in addition to the Executive Director,
and MHNA contracts with a bookkeeper for its financial tracking and reporting.
Applications are due no later than June 10, and should
include a full resume and a cover letter addressing how your background and
experience relate to the position qualifications.
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 The Central Area
Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO) is seeking an Economic
Development Organizer. The Central neighborhood is one of the most
diverse, historic neighborhoods in Minneapolis. CANDO is looking for an
individual who wants to be involved in the developmental rethinking and
implementation of sustainable homeownership and preservation ideas and
programs, as well as helping economic development and a strengthening of businesses
along the Central neighborhood’s business corridors. CANDO wants to help
safeguard some of the heritage of the city by preserving some of the
architectural, cultural and historic aspects of the neighborhood.
The ability to communicate in Spanish is desirable
but not required; skills in other languages are also desirable, including
Somali and Hmong. This full-time
position is open until filled.
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 The Cleveland Neighborhood Association (CNA)
is hiring an Executive Director. The Executive Director provides leadership,
vision, direction, and administration for CNA in fulfilling its mission. The
Executive Director is the primary representative of the agency in the community
and is directly responsible for its success. This is a full-time, exempt
position reporting to the Board of Directors. This position is open until filled.
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The Heritage Park Neighborhood Association is hiring a Director. Responsibilities include directing finance and fundraising, providing leadership that mobilizes the neighborhood, supporting the board of directors, managing the organization and coordinating stakeholder relationships. This part time position is open until filled.
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The Neighborhood and Community Relations Department (NCR) invites you to comment on the draft 2017-19 Community Participation
Program (CPP) Guidelines for review and comment. These guidelines will
direct how at least $3,000,000 each year will be allocated to recognized
Minneapolis neighborhood organizations for community participation activities.
Written comments must be received no later than 4:30
p.m. on Monday, June 20, 2016. Please submit comments in an electronic format
if possible to ncr@minneapolismn.gov.
Comments should be in text format (such as a Word document, a readable pdf, or
via email) so that NCR can provide ADA accessible documents. If it is not
possible to submit comments electronically, mail written comments to:
Neighborhood and Community
Relations
Crown Roller Mill, Suite 425
105 5th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
The City of Minneapolis invites and encourages participation by every resident to each program, service and event within our city. Should you require an accommodation in order for you to fully participate, or should you require this document in an alternative format, please let us know by contacting 612-673-3737.
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