Keep citizen journalism alive in Phillips
Mixed Bag
by Peter Molenaar
Unlike the esteemed guru who, it is said, once transcended all earthly attachments, the rest of us are bound to the spiritual ups and downs which reflect the satisfactions and irritations of our existence.
St. Paul’s Church, 11-11-11…
It was in conjunction with the 200th birthday of Wendell Phillips, renowned opponent of all forms of oppression, that this paper celebrated its 36 years. The evening unfolded as a high pinnacle event for the activist community of this neighborhood.
There was as well a high-point moment for this writer. Despite his many years of socialist rantings in the space of this column, there was a warm ovation from an audience which included small business people. So, let it be said: The Welnas and Ingebretsens will have their place well into the future.
Backyard Initiative Update Harvesting Learning from the Dakota Language Revitalization Citizen Health Action Team
By Janice Barbee and Madeline Gardner, Cultural Wellness Center
Residents of seven neighborhoods in south Minneapolis (in the area around Allina Health System’s headquarters) have been implementing their ideas for health improvement for the past year with the support of Allina and the Cultural Wellness Center. The Dakota Language Revitalization Citizen Health Action Team (CHAT) was the first project to be approved by the Community Commission on Health and the members of this CHAT (made up primarily of Dakota community residents) have been going through a reflection or harvesting process to pull out their learning from their experiences and share it with the Commission, with other CHATs, and with the community.
The Dakota Language Revitalization CHAT was formed out of the recognition that the health of a culture is essential to the health of a people and language is how culture and world view are transmitted. The Dakota language is at a crisis point right now; one CHAT member estimates there are only five fluent Dakota speakers left in the state of MN. The vision of the CHAT was that Dakota children learn their language at an early age, and their strategy was to start a day care for young children where they would be immersed in the Dakota language.
The CHAT members learned a lot about the regulations, licensing and challenges of setting up early childhood care facility. A teacher was hired for the immersion program, one of the few Dakota speakers under 40 years old. Due to the challenges in setting up a licensed day care in a house, the strategy changed to setting up a part-time Dakota language childhood immersion program within an existing day care, with the help of Wicoie Nandigikendon, the CHAT’s fiscal agent and incubator. Up to six children attended. CHAT members also hosted a weekly or biweekly moccasin making class for about 50 community members from February to May of 2011.
Besides the challenges around regulations and licensing, the CHAT found it difficult making the program affordable and getting Dakota children into the program. Leadership also emerged as a challenge – people dropped out of the CHAT, tasks were not completed, and the teacher brought in was under the impression he was an employee in a program, not a member of a CHAT. A shift of administration and responsibility occurred from the CHAT to Wicoie over the course of the year, as there was little transfer of information about the CHAT with changes in leadership at Wicoie. People also had different ideas about whether teachers should be Dakota and whether the program should be combined with Ojibwa language immersion.
Wendell Phillips HUMANITY’S HERO “We came into this world to give truth a little jog onward and to help our neighbor’s rights.” …Wendell Phillips 1811-1884 200th Birthday Party for Phillips in Phillips 11-11-11
Click here to download a PDF of the November 2011 Alley
“To Catch the Glow”
By Wendell Phillips Stafford, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, from 1911 Centennial Speech
“…Not many men deserve to be remembered on their hundredth birthday; but Wendell Phillips’s second centennial may be better observed than his first. …”
“…The battle has moved onward; there are fighters in the field. It is not an hour for curse or lamentation. It is an hour for consecration of knighthood, for vigil, and for vow. We do not come to praise you, Wendell Phillips; you have received already your eternal great reward. We have come to catch the glow of your great spirit and resolve to make our lives like yours. Here, where a century ago your life began, we are gathered to celebrate your coming with deep thanksgiving and with solemn joy, pledging ourselves anew to the grand purpose to which your life was devoted–a war against all oppression, for the liberty of all!”
* Excerpts of 30 Pg speech Nov.28th at Park St. Church, Boston
Why is the Phillips Neighborhood Named “Phillips?” Why Should We Care? 11-11-11
Wendell Phillips
By Jim Stewart
In the September Alley Newspaper we learned that our neighborhood was named after Wendell Phillips, a spectacular, inspiring fighter for social, economic and racial justice who lived in Boston over 150 years ago. (1811-1884)
We learned that he hated slavery and racism, fought for workers’ rights, demanded equality for women and insisted that Native Peoples be left to live peacefully in their own lands.
We learned that he was incredibly rich, but gave away his fortune to people seeking justice and equality. We learned that he was a fabulous public speaker who developed a huge influence on public opinion to finally abolish slavery and advance the rights of people of color.
How right it is that the part of Minneapolis that is the least wealthy, that contains the most people of color, that suffers most from multiple discrimination and that is most exploited economically is named after this guy! He is our historical champion–He is our inspiring gift from the past!
- Here are some of the injustices that Wendell Phillips spoke out against:
- Federal laws that excluded Asian people from immigrating to the United States.
- Racist politicians in Boston who forced African American children to attend inferior, segregated schools.
- Wealthy business interests who (over)worked their employees 12 hours a day, six days a week.
- U.S military expeditions against the Native people of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
- Racist politicians in Massachusetts who passed laws prohibiting people of different skin colors from marrying.
- White Americans who owned, bought, sold and abused 4,000,000 black people before the Civil War (1861-65).
Here are the kinds of things Wendell Phillips became famous for saying:
- Write on my gravestone: ‘Infidel, Traitor.”, infidel to every church that compromises with wrong; traitor to every government that oppresses the people.’ ”
- “Governments exist to protect the rights of minorities. The loved and the rich need no protection: they have many friends and few enemies.”
- “The Labor movement is the noble protest of the American people against incorporated wealth.”
- “The rights of the poor and of those of darker colors will be vindicated– peacefully if possible– but with justice however it’s done.”
What a powerful spokesman for the citizens of the Phillips Neighborhood today!!!—Come celebrate his 200th birthday with us!! November 11!!
Phillips’ 200th Birthday Party & 36 Years of the Alley Newspaper
Attend the
ALLEY COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Annual Meeting and Fundraiser
with an exciting celebration of
*Wendell Phillips’s 200th Birthday
and 36 YEARS of
The Alley Newspaper !!!
11-11-11
(November 11, 2011)
6:00- 8:00 pm
St. Paul’s Church
East 28th Street and 15th Ave. South in Minneapolis
*Nov 29th is the 200th Birthday of Boston-born, Wendell Phillips, for whom the Phillips Community is named.
Phillips was one of our nation’s greatest human rights activists and outspoken anti-slavery advocates-fighting for the rights of women, workers, Native Americans, and African Americans.
“The Queen” will make an appearance with her dog, Ginger, and declare a Proclamation honoring the memory of Wendell Phillips.
Stories about Wendell by James Stewart, Professor at Macalester College and biographer of Wendell Phillips
Stories! Food! Entertainment!
Dinner Provided: Boston Clam-FREE Chowder, Boston Baked Beans, Salad, Boston Cream Pie and more
Suggested Fundraiser Donation: $ 20.00 or more! Kids free! No one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. Pay As You Can.
If you would like to help with this fun event by providing food or volunteer help, please call Harvey at 612-990-4022 or email editor@alleynews.org
What’s on your mind? What makes you optimistic about life in the neighborhood? What makes you angry. Tell Wendell Phillips on 11-11-11
Phillips Community is named after Wendell Phillips an extraordinary champion of racial and economic justice. Just how cool is that? The community’s name announces to the world that the people of Phillips stand for equality for each of us and justice for all of us!
Phillips was born 200 years ago in Boston, Massachusetts. He became famous across the USA for hating slavery, condemning racial prejudice, demanding women’s rights and defending Indigenous peoples from land-hungry white people and the US Army.
Everything he demanded back then is just as important to the people of Phillips today.
What if Wendell Phillips came back to life today? What would he say about the continuing abuse of immigrants, the continuing spread of poverty, police brutality, and violence against women, gang violence and white racism? What advice would he give the people of Phillips?
Why Phillips? Why Care?
By James Brewer Stewart
Why is the Phillips Neighborhood named Phillips?–Who was “Phillips”?–Why should anyone care?
Simply because this “Phillips” stands for a real person–Wendell Phillips–one of the world’s most admired fighters for human rights and for equality for everybody– No Exceptions–women and men, young and old, all colors, all backgrounds, all cultures..
That’s right—“Phillips” stands for racial and gender equality, workers’ rights and social justice. It means standing strong for personal dignity. It means looking to the future with eyes full of hope. It means exposing and condemning racism, sexism and economic exploitation. It means treating everyone with respect.
How perfect a name for Minneapolis’s most culturally diverse, most heavily discriminated against, most economically exploited neighborhood!
How perfect a name for the endlessly resourceful, ambitious, hard working people who make Phillips their home.
O.K., who was this guy?
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