The Blueprint for Equitable Engagement was adopted by the
City Council in May 2016 and is a five year plan to ensure an innovative and
equitable engagement system for the City of Minneapolis. NCR is driven by the
philosophy that “when residents are informed, connected to their community and
feel represented in City government; they are empowered to influence decisions
that impact their lives” and uses the plan as a road-map to better achieve our
goals and exemplify this philosophy.
The Blueprint Dashboard is the result of a data driven
approach to track NCR’s progress towards the five strategies outlined in the Blueprint.
The data highlights the accomplishments of some of the department’s key
projects and programs, while also identifying areas of opportunity. The Dashboard
will be updated periodically and continue to evolve as measurements are
developed and refined.
You can view the full Blueprint for Equitable Engagement
Dashboard on our department website.
NCR is pleased to announce the 2017
Community Connections Learning Lab Series.
The Community Connections Learning
Lab Series is a set of eight classes with the following learning
objectives:
- Expand participants' understanding of equitable community engagement. Discover best practices
to avoid common pitfalls. Learn techniques that follow the City of
Minneapolis’ Core Principles of Community Engagement based on the
International Association of Public Participation (IAP2).
- Expand participants' understanding of several of the
many cultural communities in Minneapolis. Learn historical beginnings,
cultural norms and community contacts; all to enhance your engagement
effectiveness in those communities.
The learning labs are offered in two series. Series one will offer 90 minute labs in the afternoon at a
City owned location from July through October. Series two will offer 90 minute
labs in the evenings from July through December at a community location. This
format will give participants maximum flexibility to fit busy and highly
demanding schedules. Participants can pick and choose which classes to attend.
Those who choose to complete the Community Connections Learning Lab series
will be invited to attend a recognition program and will receive a Community
Connector Certificate.
Classes are open to City employees, neighborhood and community organization board members, staff
and volunteers. Classes are filling up quickly. Sign up now via the NCR Training Page.
 The 6th annual Community Connections
Conference was a large success with a record breaking attendance of 540. This year's conference also saw a 10% increase in representation of people of color (40%), compared to 2016 (30%).
The conference theme in 2017 was "Your Voice, Your City, CommUnity" and emphasized bringing people together to build power and unity
across cultures and communities. This was accomplished
through a strong program of influential speakers, robust
conversations, interactive exhibits, and best-practices to
impact policies and community-based issues.
You can learn more about the 2017 Community
Connections Conference and read the full report on the departments website.
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 My name is Kalyn McConnell and I am a returning Urban Scholar. I attend
Augsburg University studying Social Work with a minor in Psychology. This
summer I will be working on community engagement and board recruitment. I will
also be helping with the Neighborhoods 2020 project and 2017 Annual Report with
the NCR department.
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My name is Guillermo
Pérez, I'm a first-generation immigrant from Mexico studying political science
and Chicano studies at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. I'm very
passionate about issues facing my community and I am applying those passions to
my work at NCR. As an Urban Scholar at NCR, I go out to different community
events to talk about how people can be more engaged in their communities. I also
work on various spreadsheets and will help with creating our annual report.
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 NCR had a great meeting in late May with several East African City employees and various members of the East African community. The meeting was round-table style and a lot of good recommendations came out of this dialogue. Community members shared unique ways of informing them about City programs and services such as: at the Mosque on Saturday and Sunday; through short 3 minute videos, through social media such as Facebook, and live question and answer sessions.
The City staff shared their priority information with the community. Examples are: having a workshop for East African developers so they can understand permitting, zoning, etc. Working with the community on crime prevention and reporting, alternative financing for loans, recruiting for boards and commissions and much more.
For more information on East African community engagement, please contact Abdirashid Ahmed at Abdirashid.Ahmed@minneapolismn.gov or call 612-673-3958
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The City of Minneapolis has proudly partaken in the
Minnesota Somali community's largest event of the year: Somali Independence Day
on July 1, 2017 held in Minneapolis. The celebration is part of
a week-long series of events including the 57th annual Somali Independence Day
Festival, Cup of Nations, Xasuuso (Remember) 1960, weaving classes and more. Events take place at various locations in the city from Saturday, July 1, 2017 through
Saturday, July 8, 2017. This year’s theme for the Somali Week is “Promoting
Diversity through Unity and Inclusion.” This theme is in line with the City of
Minneapolis’ efforts to promote diversity, and empower communities to
influence decisions that impact them directly and indirectly, and have an equal
voice.
Abdirashid Ahmed, NCR's East African Community Specialist, coordinated the City’s
participation at the Somali Week. City Department’s including,
Neighborhood & Community Relations, Community Planning & Economic
Development, Human Resources, Civil Rights, and Regulatory Services interacted with community members and shared useful information to
the community. The Minneapolis 2040 team also gathered community input into
the City's comprehensive plan.
The City of Minneapolis is proud to work with community
leaders and event organizers for the Somali Independence Day Celebrations.
 The annual Juneteenth celebration took place on Saturday,
June 17 at the North Mississippi Regional Park. Juneteenth is
the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery for African Americans.
Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union Soldiers, led by
Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, TX with news that the war
had ended and that all slaves were now free.
NCR, CPED, Regulatory Services, Civil Rights & 311
represented the City of Minneapolis. The event was a family fun occasion that
included a parade, live music, food vendors and much more!
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The Hmong Freedom Celebration
is an annual event started by the late General Vang Pao. During the
Vietnam War, the United States recruited, trained, supplied and directed
General Vang Pao and his Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) against communist
movements in Laos for strategic military operations, including cutting off
communist re-enforcement's to fight American troops in South Vietnam. After
the end of the Vietnam War, General Vang Pao was forced to leave Laos.
Many Hmong families and individuals followed him for resettlement as political
refugees in the United States.
In the United States, the
Hmong community thrives economically, socially and spiritually. People
prospered and contributed in many ways to society including as business owners,
doctors and lawyers, teachers and police officers, policy makers, service men
and women in the United States Armed Forces, and enjoy religious freedom. To show deep appreciation to the people of the United States for welcoming the
Hmong to America and to inspire the Hmong people to stand firm with freedom and
democracy, General Vang Pao initiated the Hmong Freedom Celebration in
connection with the United States’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence
on July 4, 1776. The event has been celebrated on the 4th of
July weekend for the past 37 years drawing families, friends and
participants from all over the world including China, Laos, Thailand, France,
Canada and Australia.
Through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) the United States of America committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. In celebration of the act turning 27 and to reaffirm our commitment to inclusion and rights for all, the Minnesota Disability Rights March and Rally will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 26.
Orientation will begin at 1 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, in the Education wing. The march will begin at 1:30 p.m. to the Minnesota State Capitol. A disability rights rally will be held from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Come for some or all of the events:
- 1:00: Gathering & orientation at the MN History Center
- 1:30: Disability Rights March to the Capitol
- 2:30: Disability Rights Rally in the Capitol Rotunda
- Featured speakers and entertainment
 Space is still available in several Preserve Minneapolis walking
tours. These tours highlight Minneapolis neighborhoods
and architecture and shed new light on the city’s history, culture,
and urban design. New tours this year include Prince's Side of the Street and
Neighborhood Movie Theaters. Tours last 90 minutes to 2 hours. Tickets are $10, and advance
registration is required.
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 National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. It's a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family. For more information, see the Minneapolis NNO mission statement.
As with many past National Night Outs, Minneapolis was ranked #1 among all U.S. cities over 250,000 population in 2016. Over 1,500 events were registered in 2016. Was yours one of them? We hope so! And save the date for this year: NNO is set for August 1, 2017.
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 The Harrison
Neighborhood Association (HNA) is hiring a full-time Program Manager. HNA is committed to creating a prosperous
and peaceful community that equitably benefits all of
Harrison neighborhood’s diverse racial, cultural, and economic groups. The
Program Manager will lead the organization’s engagement initiatives,
including, working with neighborhood residents and partner organizations building grassroots leadership.
This is a
full-time position. Application packets
should include cover letter, resume and three references, and be emailed to dave@hnampls.org. The position will be posted until filled.
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 The Linden
Hills Neighborhood Council (LHINC) seeks a Neighborhood Coordinator. The LHiNC Coordinator’s primary
responsibilities are to support the board chairs, the board and committees,
increase community involvement, and be the main contact point for the
organization. The position requires motivated, independent work, strong
initiative and business judgment and a good sense of working with and reaching
out to groups and individuals throughout the neighborhood and beyond. The
position benefits from having a detail-oriented person with a high degree of
follow through, reliability, and interpersonal skills.
This is a 20-25 hour per week
position. Please submit your cover
letter and résumé, including contact information for three professional
references, to info@lindenhills.org
or LHiNC - P.O. Box 24049,
Minneapolis, MN 55424. The position will
remain open until filled.
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 The Tangletown
Neighborhood Association (TNA) seeks an energetic, self-motivated Executive
Director to help lead its 11-member board and neighborhood into the
future. TNA is beginning a strategic planning process this summer to
ensure that resources and efforts are aligned with neighborhood
priorities. The Executive Director will participate in visioning along
with board members and its Strategic Planning consultant, and oversee execution
of the neighborhood’s strategic plan.
This is a 20-30 hour per week flexible position. Please
submit your application along with professional references, and 2-3 writing
samples to president@tangletown.org.
TNA is currently reviewing applications, but applications will be accepted
until the position is filled.
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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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