Love Letters for the Midway

In the autumn season nearing winter, I don’t often think about planting or new beauty popping up in yards. Yet, here at the Hamline Midway Coalition (HMC), trees are being rooted in yards and a poem has been planted throughout the Midway. I hope you have had a chance to read all 100 lines of artist and poet Hawona Sullivan Janzen’s Love Letters for the Midway. If not, take a stroll through our neighborhood and read the crowd-sourced poem dreamed and created by Hawona for our community. In addition to the lawn signs, the project also built and distributed six new Little Free Libraries; these libraries will host loving keepsakes, each crafted by one of several local artists. This project was made possible through partnership with Hawona Sullivan Janzen, the Hamline Midway Coalition, seven local artists, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.
HMC’s Environment Committee is also showing love for our neighborhood. Our dedicated volunteer committee, along with Frogtown Green, Forestry Corps, and a handful of Midway volunteers, together planted 24 free trees for Midway residents. This is a great step in tree equity and support of the Midway urban forest canopy. This Free Tree Planting initiative is made possible thanks to Mississippi Park Connection, Saint Paul Forestry Department, U.S. Forest Service, AmeriCorps, and Tree Trust.
These projects are just a couple of examples of the power of people coming together to create a lasting legacy. At HMC we work with the community to take a seed of an idea, plant it, and help it grow into an action and make a positive impact in the place that we live, work, and play.
Now more than ever we need more voices engaged in our work so that we have the full power of our community working to serve the needs of the Midway. HMC plays an important and special role in representing the Midway in the city of Saint Paul. We don’t just respond to the city’s needs or react to problems – we work hard to collaborate with community members, organizations, and businesses to help them achieve their goals. HMC empowers neighbors. We problem solve and work together through challenges. And we need your voice in these conversations.
We invite any and all who share a love and passion for the Midway to connect with the Hamline Midway Coalition. If there is something you see missing in our neighborhood or something you think could be done better, now is the time to take action and get involved. Apply to be a board member; the application is now open and can be found at www.hamlinemidway.org. Join one of our flourishing committees (Development, Environment, Transportation), or get involved with our Neighborhood Plan (we need help with outreach to underserved community members and reviewers with a keen eye to help review the plan.)
Or, if you want to take one small step in getting involved in your community, I encourage you to join us for HMC’s Annual Meeting which will be held Thursday, Nov. 18 from 6-8 p.m. in person at Hamline University, in the Klas Center’s Kay Fredericks Room (delicious food from local restaurants will be served!) and virtually (Zoom link is found on our website calendar www.hamlinemidway.org).
Help build a better future for the Midway by working together today.