Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Nick Kor, of the Asian Minnesotan Alliance for Justice, said, “A fundamental belief of our alliance is that we have to name the racism against Asian Americans. We must be clear and we must speak up.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Asian Minnesotan leaders name the racism

In the wake of a shooting spree in Georgia that left six Asian Americans dead last month, the Asian Minnesotan Alliance for Justice is encouraging the community to name the racism.Nick Kor is a … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 4/14/21

A PATH FORWARD

Ramsey County doesn’t want to return to the status quo.While 2020 was a hard year with unemployment spiking at 11% last May, it brought ongoing workforce disparities to the forefront, and the … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 4/14/21

Minnesota’s First Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion Plan implemented in Ramsey County

On March 23, the Center for Economic Inclusion (the Center) joined its peer consultants Fourth Economy, NEOO Partners, MZ Strategies, and Urban3 to present the first-ever Economic Competitiveness and … more

4/14/21

Transforming Systems Together

Activist and orator Danny Givens has been chosen as the first director of Transforming Systems Together (TST) – an initiative to improve, rethink, and reshape services and programs to be more … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 4/14/21

Lexington Station denied

Lexington Station and its 288 apartments won’t be built near Lexington Parkway and University Avenue. On a 4-3 vote April 7, 2021, the St. Paul City Council rejected an appeal by developer … more

By Jane McClure | 4/14/21

Trent Bowman is the president of NAREB, a coalition of Black real estate professionals. He said, “Throughout history, people of color have been left out of the homeownership game. It’s about leaving a legacy. It’s about building wealth in our communities. We have to understand the history of housing discrimination, so we can work in the present to leave something for our kids in the future.” (Photo courtesy of NAREB)

Part II: The Twin Cities housing market

In last month’s article about the Twin Cities housing market during COVID-19, real estate professionals characterized the market as “frenzied.” A picture emerged of Minneapolis and … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 4/14/21

Victoria Theater Arts Center establishes a Community Trauma Response Program

All summer of 2020 Victoria Theater Arts Center (VTAC) made a commitment to the Frogtown and Rondo community to help process the trauma in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and other Black … more

4/14/21

Let’s go far together instead of going fast alone

If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.” - An African Proverb Happy Spring Monitor readers,This is such a refreshing time of the year with the return of the sweet … more

By Melvin Giles peacebubbles@q.com | 4/14/21

Frog Food April 2021

Z Akhmetova | 4/14/21

Alatus project sparks debate on definition of ‘affordable housing’, gentrification

Developer Alatus’ Lexington Station mixed-use project is in the hands of the St. Paul City Council, with a public hearing and likely vote March 17 on its site plan. The Minneapolis-based … more

By Jane McClure | 3/10/21

Is Round Two coming?

Minneapolis and St. Paul are braced for civil unrest as the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin commences. City councils in both cities have been receiving updates on plans to … more

By JANE McCLURE | 3/10/21

People find common ground when they come together over a meal and conversation, according to Russel Balenger, who leads The Circle of Peace gatherings in order to promote racial healing and stop violence. (Photo submitted)

The Circle of Peace story

It began as a conversation among neighbors. Russel Balenger remembers when his sons were younger and in a row with a couple of families. “I went to the heads of the families and said we had to … more

By JAN WILLMS | 3/10/21

{ Monitor in a Minute } March 2021

Midway Center site of fireMidway Center at 1544 university Ave., which was extensively damaged during civil unrest in May 2020, again had a fire Feb. 15. The St. Paul Fire Department was called to … more

By JANE McCLURE | 3/10/21

Keep stretching your comfort zone into new learning zones

What is the hardest thing of all?That which seems the easiestFor your eyes to seeThat which lies before your eyes.- Goethe Hello, Monitor readers,Spring freshness is in the air and COVID-19 … more

By Melvin Giles peacebubbles@q.com | 3/10/21

Frog Food March 2021

Z Akhmetova | 3/10/21

Frog Food February 2021

Z Akhmetova | 2/11/21

Set your own special days and intentions

Hello, Monitor readers,Happy Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, and Happy American Heart Month, Black History Month, National Bird Feeding Month, … more

2/11/21

Kali Terry owns a duplex that provides him a home and also generates income. (Photos submitted)

‘It’s a gamechanger’

Not having access to homeownership can mean missing out on decades of opportunity to grow family wealth through equity. When Kali Terry became the first person in his family to own a home, he flipped … more

By AMANDA WELLIVER NEIGHBORWORKS | 2/11/21

Milan Dennie, owner of King Milan’s Barbershop said, “We’re a standout small business in the neighborhood because we stand for something positive.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

King Milan’s Barbershop keeps up annual tradition

Milan Dennie owns and operates King Milan’s Barbershop in the Frogtown neighborhood. He has continued a tradition there for years that he started in his hometown of Gary, Ind.: offering free … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 2/11/21

St. Paul COAST Unit members include (left to right) officer Lori Goulet, social worker Sally Vanerstrom, and officer Jen Hale. They respond to mental health calls, as well other crises. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Police officers, social workers ride together on crisis calls

While communities everywhere are calling for a changed model of policing, a small unit within the Saint Paul Police Department has been taking a different approach for almost three years. In March of … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/14/21