July 14, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m.
East Phillips Park Cultural & Community
Center, 2307 17th Ave S.
EPIC web address: eastphillips-epic.com
Office: 2536 18th Avenue S.,
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone:
(612) -280-8418
Board
Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Shawna Dillon, Mary Gonsior, Kristin Hanks, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol
Pass.
Board
Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Laura Dale, Shawna Dillon, Mary Gonsior, Kristin Hanks, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega,
Carol Pass, Rosie Cruz
Board
Members Not Present:
Members: Brad Pass,
Margaret Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth H., Lupe Castillo, No Start No Finish, Britt
Hower, Ashley Hicks
Guests: Shirley Heyer, Aisha Gomez, Mohamed Cali, Sofia Hernandez, Thalia Garcia, Aracely Garcia, Heidi Hafermann
Guests: Shirley Heyer, Aisha Gomez, Mohamed Cali, Sofia Hernandez, Thalia Garcia, Aracely Garcia, Heidi Hafermann
6:40 Introductions:
·
Greetings and Introductions: What country is
celebrating independence day today, and why is this important to us? France; their
independence helped America gain independence from England.
·
Approval of Agenda: Approved by consensus.
Approval of Minutes
from June 9th, 2016, JB, CP, Approved.
6:45 Announcements:
- Houses for sale…Strong Home Buyer' help. Potential $40,000 write down on new home.
- First Annual Pan-African Arts and Cultures Fair, July 23rd, 11am-6pm Peavey Park, Chicago & 22ndSt East, Food, Music
- Celebrate the new Downtown City Commons, July 26, Thursday, 11:30-1:00, a short program with City officials plus performances by Asian Dance Team. The event will also feature food trucks, free yoga by Core Power Yoga.
·
National Night Out is on Tuesday, August 2nd.
Register soon to avoid hefty fees. Each registered block may request
reimbursement of eligible expenses up to $100.
· Next EPIC Board Meeting will be
August 6th, Saturday at the Park 10:00 am to 12:00 am
·
Suggesting August Community meeting be cancelled. (No one agreed).
·
SummerFest: see the article in the Alley.
·
MN Legislative Manuals (available free).
·
CM Cano is teaming up with CM Glidden and CM
Gordon to create a space to come together where CM’s can listen to people
express feelings and needs with respect to recent violence in this city.
Tuesday, July 26th from 6-8pm at Plaza Verde. There will be food and
snacks.
7:00 Presentation from the Native Youth Arts
Collective, the CIF Grant recipients. Come and support Little Earth's budding
artists.
Aracely, Thalia, Sophia and Ashley visited on behalf
of the Youth Arts Collective and shared why this program is important to them.
The students visited MIA and Walker art center, creating crafts and learning
different methods of creating art. At MIA created art and explored the diverse
cultures on display at MIA. They saw a lot of different cultures using similar
motifs in different ways. Observed different expressions of religion and
spirituality. Had an opportunity to express their feelings in front
of them. They commented that it was like a form of
meditation. The student’s work is still on display, and is free all day,
everyday. Contact Whit Siasoco (works with youth programming at MIA.)
They participated with a large feminist group (Guerrilla
Girls), and could relate to the activism but the youth are more focused on
different issues. Worked with a videographer to write out their concerns into a
video story, which was shown at the Walker and downtown. Invited into a
print-making facility to explore different printing methods. Youth have had a
lot of opportunities to partner with local organizations. Youth have had
opportunity to form relationships with these organizations.
Will continue the program this fall and the Walker
Art Center has offered a special internship for this youth collective. Heidi
and Joe have really done a good job of stretching the dollars, and are seeking
another grant to keep the program going, and talking with community partners.
Youth would like the program to continue on. The
program is affirming of the gifts the youth have, and confidence to overcome
the “inner critic.” They believed it was a way to do something productive
instead of falling into trouble; and said they could gain a sense of responsibility
and strengthen mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally. They saw you
can make anything into art.
They want the program to go forward and be there in
the future - an opportunity for their younger brothers and sisters. Since joining
the program they said they have learned to love art and have become passionate
about it.
There is a Facebook page: Little Earth Arts
Collective. They told us “But don’t just sit and look at social media – get out
there and see it in person!” People applauded and it deemed very affirming.
Heidi used a lap top to show us pictures of their work. Everyone wanted to meet
again.
7:55 Update
on commercial building on 2701 Bloomington Ave.
Owners received all the variants needed and
construction will begin.
7:57 Discussion of meeting
with Greg Goeke about the Roof Depot site. History of our commitment to the
area. Future vision. Where do we go from here?
GCP gave a brief history of EPIC’s involvement with
this property, pollution concerns and the recent purchase by City of
Minneapolis, which was in planning for over 10 years without telling the
community. EPIC’s goal is to clean up pollutants, and create a space that adds positive
benefits rather than negative costs to the community. We asked the city to save
half the building for the community to build an urban farm, and wrote a
proposal which we sent to the state, requesting $3M to begin funding the
proposal. We haven’t given up on this,
but it is currently stalled.
The city purchased the property, and when the city
authorized staff to make the purchase, they directed staff to work with
neighborhood residents to identify opportunities for creating space for
community space. CM Cano worked to try to limit the space used for municipal
purposes, but most of the council was opposed.
City will offer a request for proposal for a
designer for the building. CM Cano has a call scheduled for Goeke tomorrow to
discuss RFP.
The meeting on Monday: Goeke was at the meeting to
negotiate between the city and the neighborhood. His staff will do the interviews and recommend
one team to the city council, and the neighborhood will have an opportunity to
comment after the architect team is chosen.
Actions:
MOTION: Whereas EPIC wishes to remind the city of their commitment
and duty stated in the City’s Core Principles of Community Engagement (adopted
by the Mpls. City Council, December, 2007). EPIC is
to have a:
Right to
be involved – Public participation is based on the belief
that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the
decision-making process. and,
Whereas
East Phillips residents have been left out of the planning and decision-making
process since it started more than 10 years ago,
Therefore, the neighborhood demands that the city
provide a voice to the community in identifying qualifications and requirements
for the RFP to hire the planning team for the roof depot site. Qualifications
the community insists to be included in the RFP are (1) competency on
Environmental Justice, and (2) that the position they hire be divided into two positions:one,
an industrial designer with expertise in environmental justice issues, and two, a person who is an urban community designer*. BP, MO, Passed unanimously.
*EPIC will verify this is the proper name for the
type of architect/designer desired here.
Alondra requested that this motion be sent to CM
Cano/Alondra on Friday morning (ASAP.)
MOTION:
Whereas EPIC objects to the introduction of major additional
traffic, pollution and noise into our residential neighborhood, and
whereas current traffic has already reached epidemic
proportions on E. 26th, E. 28th Streets, and Cedar Avenue, resulting
in increased chronic traffic jams, serious accidents, and is at present risking
the safety and lives of thousands of child and adult pedestrians and cyclists,
Therefore, EPIC demands that an exit and entry way be
created from Highway 55 to provide access to the property at 1850 28th
St E and 2717 Longfellow Ave., commonly referred to as the “roof depot
properties” via the Highway 55 side of the current Public Works facility. MG,
RC. Approved.
See Diagram
8:45 Clean Sweep T-Shirt Design Contest
13 entries and the selection committee chose the
first place, and runner up winners. The winner will receive an award, $50 and
have their art featured on the T-Shirt.
8:47 Announcement: Mohamed Cali
Somalia-American radio will broadcast all over
Minneapolis, and wants to partner with EPIC to promote activities of EPIC
through the station. Requesting time on the agenda next month, if possible.
8:55 Adjourn
