The EcoVillage Snowman

Post and photo by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

While the connection might seem tenuous at first, this picture of a snowman in the Hawthorne EcoVillage was the most inspiring sign of neighborhood progress I've seen in quite some time.  Telling the whole story from start to finish would take far too long.  For the sake of people new to NoMi, here's a 3-sentence history lesson:

The EcoVillage area, with 31st Ave N and 6th St N at its center, was once among the most crime-ridden parts of the entire city.  Only a few years ago one resident said, "It wasn't a matter of if we were going to get shot, it was only when."  Now the development area is thriving.

So I was driving through an intersection that was once an epicenter of violent crime.  The formerly vacant house that was on the corner was frequently broken open, used for all sorts of unsavory activities, and eventually driven quite literally into the ground.  After its demolition, PPL built a home that is certified by Minnesota Green Communities and a whole host of other environmental and health organizations.  And the home was built by Mitchell Construction, a locally- and minority-owned business.

But I knew all of this already, so why did the EcoVillage snowman represent such progress?

Kris Nelson of CURA Passed Away

Post by the Hawthorne Hawkman, photo from the University of Minnesota.

Today I was deeply saddened to receive a phone call from a colleague at CURA, telling me that Kris Nelson passed away in his sleep last night.  Kris had touched community organizations and people's lives in countless ways.  I began working with him during my first summer on the job at Hawthorne, as we studied the pattern of "predatory investors" or speculators and slumlords who bought cheap properties throughout north Minneapolis and caused a large percentage of our foreclosures.

Kris taught me how to examine data that affected our community in real ways.  I learned how to frame questions and how to avoid jumping to the wrong conclusions.  We later worked together on studying how effective NCRC was in our foreclosure prevention outreach work in north.  The strategies that coalition employs are a direct result of Kris sharing his knowledge and leadership. 

Kris also understood that there are many things that neighbors intuitively know about our own community, but when the University of Minnesota puts is official stamp on research about those things, we can use that credibility to bring about true change.  Kris Nelson was "the real deal;" a leader, a servant, a mentor to many, and a genuine friend to communities across the Twin Cities.  He will be missed.

Totally Awesome Girls Organize Hmong in NoMi

Post by the Hawthorne Hawkman, photo from Jay Clark.

Over the past several days, Minnesota Public Radio has run two stories on Hmong organizing in NoMi (primarily in Hawthorne).  The first explains what I've come to dub "stealth organizing" around common events such as soccer or Halloween parties.  Calling people up or showing up at their door out of the blue and organizing them around issues such as housing or public safety can be difficult at best.  Throw in language and cultural barriers and the task becomes even more daunting.  But when parents and kids are gathering around a soccer game, bringing up community concerns in a casual setting becomes far easier.

One such issue that has been consistently raised is the desire to get a Hmong-speaking police officer on the day shift in the fourth precinct.  We know this wouldn't solve every communication difficulty between the Hmong, Hmong-Thai, 911 dispatchers, and the fine officers of our precinct, but it would go a long way towards building a stronger relationship throughout these groups.  In this MPR story, a group of kids Jay Clark of CURA calls "The Totally Awesome Girls" talk about their experiences and why such a move is needed in our community.

I've had the distinction of meeting these kids, and they are, as advertised, indeed Totally Awesome.

I have to take issue with one thing that the police spokesperson Jesse Garcia said, that they cannot assign officers based on race.  That's not what the Hmong in the fourth precinct are asking.  They are asking that officers be assigned based on an intersection of the precinct's needs and the officers' abilities.  From another community meeting, we know that the police officers' union contract explicitly allows for such assignments.

Conversely, putting one (or even several) Hmong officers on the day shift is not going to be some kind of magical elixir that will resolve all facets of this sometimes thorny issue.  The MPD rightly has their own criteria used to determine which officers respond to what calls and how quickly.  And Hmong and other Southeast Asian residents must also become more comfortable calling in to 911 and 311.  I hope that I can be a part of bridging this gap, either with my individual efforts or through my work with the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council.