Community conversations around equitable investment begin this week in North Minneapolis.
As part of its commitment to regional equity in Thrive MSP 2040, the Council is convening community partners around strategic investment in the region. The Council is coordinating with the Equity in Place coalition (pdf), a diverse group of partners from place-based, housing, and advocacy organizations, working to assure that the voices of low-income individuals and people of color are influential in helping shape the future of the region.
The effort grew out of the Council’s Choice, Place, and Opportunity report, which identified low-wealth areas that have concentrations of poverty and at least half of residents are people of color. Together, community partners have worked with the Council to identify specific areas throughout the region to create plans for equity-driven investments and policies. The goal is shared problem-solving among residents and policy-makers that prioritizes the wisdom of low-income communities and communities of color in shaping their communities.
Local organizing partners will be helping the Council convene meetings in eight different areas throughout the region, including neighborhoods in north Minneapolis, south Minneapolis, throughout Saint Paul (East Side, West Side, Rondo, Frogtown), Brooklyn Park/Brooklyn Center, and Richfield.
A key goal of the conversations is to pair residents and local officials together to share experiences and solutions for their communities, and create a plan.
More information
The first series of conversations – focused on housing needs in North Minneapolis – will take place Sept. 22, Oct. 20, and Nov. 17 at the Urban League, 2100 Plymouth Avenue North.