Let’s broaden our perspectives for fair and just state, country, world

“How different would perspectives be had we all been taught about Tulsa in 1921, even as early as the fifth grade?” - Tom Hanks

Hello Monitor readers,
Yes, how different would our perspectives be if we would had been taught true history? How different would we treat each other and the environment?
Although, we can’t go back in time, we can continue our current path of learning from the past and having tough and courageous conversations and dialogues. We have a long, long scroll of re-learning, restoring, and reconciling the errors and injustices in our Land of the Free Country! It will take decades to repair the shameful and dehumanizing centuries of intentional and unconscious White Superiority and BIPOC Internalize Oppression; however, we can do it and we are doing it! We just have to keep breathing and stretching our comfort zone perspectives and stop participating in toxic thinking and acting!
This month, I’m inviting two of my friends who can assist us in broadening our perspectives and imaginations for a fair and just state, country, and world.

Speak Change - Postcards on Policing
Speak Change - Postcards on Policing is a project of Gita Ghei, local artists, and activists of the neighborhoods of Rondo, the North End and Frogtown. The project is to provide a safe space engagement for sharing community experience and hopes for change with policing. The project is funded by the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Community Peace Celebration.
I asked Gita to share information about three events that community members can participate in the Speak Change - Postcards on Policing project:
At each of our three engagements, we will have postcards, labels for people to choose which lawmaker to send their ideas and experience to, and 25 vouchers for groups of up to 10 to visit the RACE Exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota in downtown St. Paul. This Race Exhibit explores the social ramifications of the idea of race, racism, in education, healthcare, the criminal justice system and policing. Biologically, “race” isn’t real. But the lived experience of racism is as real as it gets. “Race: Are we so different?” is presented in partnership with the American Anthropological Association. The idea that we can group people into “races” is only a few hundred years old. It was, and is, tied to power and hierarchy. Today, scientists have disproved the idea of race and its notions of biological superiority. But the idea of race continues to shape our lives. How did we get here? And how can we do better?
Three engagements opportunities!
First: Northern Spark, is a collective late-night art festival that lights up the Twin Cities. This is the 10th year and on June 12, 2021 Northern Spark invites people to come together in safe, creative, unconventional ways, by engaging with artist projects at small in-person events in St. Paul over a span of two weeks from June 12 – 27.
You Change Me by Lelis Brito is one of these events, a dance through Rondo/Frogtown neighborhoods, beginning at Victoria Theater Arts Center (VTAC). Local artists will host the postcard project table at VTAC, 825 University Ave. W., in the outdoor plaza from 8-10 p.m.
Second: The Community Peace Celebration (CPC) is a beloved community event, this year celebrating its 25th year on June 18, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The mission of the CPC is to cultivate healthy community and cultural values, advance messages of Peace, and create a shared vision of cooperative relationships within Community - locally and globally. The Peace Celebration is a grassroots effort, organized by community members of the Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoods and allies for the benefit of all people in the community. Local artists will be hosting a table with other artist organizers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Celebration’s outdoor location at Western Sculpture Park.
Third: The third engagement will be on July 21 at the arcade outside of the Rondo Community Library from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Please remember, on each half hour of the engagement events, we will have a limited number of Science Museum entrance vouchers that are good for up to 10 visitors in a group. Visits will need to be scheduled in advance. Our engagements are for uplifting public voices, delivering spoken energy - experiences and ideas from We The People about the future of policing in our communities. Lawmakers such as city council members, county commissioners, the mayor and the governor, need to hear from us. We will have pre-printed labels for you to use. We hope to see you, hear from you, and to make sure that your voice is heard. Thank you, Gita.

‘No More Pipeline Blues’
Musician and Artist Larry Long recently wrote and produced the song “No More Pipeline Blues (On This Land Where We Belong).” He graciously agreed to share a little about the creation of this powerful song, which is a meaningful call to action of re-learning, restoring, and reconciling our current errors and injustices based on miseducation and greed, in particularly, regarding Pipeline 3:
Line 3 is owned by the Canadian multi-national, Enbridge, Inc., and dissects the heart of Anishinaabe territories and the most pristine and complex watersheds and ecosystems in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, including Lake Superior. I composed, produced and recorded “No More Pipeline Blues (On This Land Where We Belong)” to give support to Water Protectors standing against highly polluting tar sands oil pipeline crossing 200 water bodies – including the Mississippi River twice – a drinking source for millions. All net proceeds going to Honor the Earth and #StopLine3.
The audio single, along with a supporting music video by award-winning filmmaker and photographer Keri Pickett, was released on Earth Day. Both the audio single and documentary music video are a clear call to action. Besides encouraging people to sign and share the petition for President Biden to #StopLine3, it is letting people know that by sharing, downloading, streaming and adding “No More Pipeline Blues” to their playlists they are making a difference. The more we share and stream, the greater difference is made through raising both awareness and funds to #StopLine3.
As Winona LaDuke speaks with the song, “This is the same water that was here when dinosaurs were here. There is no new water. This is the only water we will ever know. This is the same water my great ancestors drank from and harvested our wild rice upon. This water is sacred, because without water there’s no life. You cannot drink oil.”
For more information about “No More Pipeline Blues (On This Land Where We Belong)” and Larry Long, please visit: www.larrylong.org.

June 18 Peace Celebration
June is a great month, particularly for farmers, gardeners, and fans of our beautiful planet. I suggest when you have time, please take six minutes to check out the YouTube video called the Gardener’s Tale, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktj4jGmUs6Y.
I also want to share about the 25th Peace Celebration & the 1st Sweet Potato Comfort Pie Juneteenth Jubilee on June 18. Frogtown Radio will be broadcasting it Live again and we are zooming and FB-Live again, too. The event represents a new crossing the river Partnership that acknowledges the Annual Third Friday in June as the St. Paul Community Peace Celebration and the Annual Third Saturday in June as the Minneapolis Juneteenth Celebration/Festival!
Thank you; have a wonderful start to our excellent Minnesota summertime!
May Peace Be In the Rondo, Frogtown, Hamline/Midway, Como, & Surrounding Communities...
May Peace Be In Our Homes & Communities…
May Peace Prevail On Earth MPPOE)!!!!
BE SMART! DO YOUR PART! Get Your Vaccination Shots!!!