The Alley Media Social, the Annual Gathering of the Alley Communications, nonprofit, community-governed publisher of The Alley Newspaper, was held Friday, Nov. 16. A great time was had by the 75 or so folks who attended the event. A huge part of the night”'s success was the result of the ongoing collaboration of Alley Communications and the Backyard Initiative.

Several key collaborators from the Backyard Initiative took part in the evening”'s activities and helped the evening demonstrate the amazing talents and resources that exist within the community. The Backyard Initiative”'s (BYI) Growing the Backyard CHAT catered the wonderful food for the event. Members of the BYI”'s Teen Project were hired by Growing the Backyard CHAT to help with the food preparation. Amged Yusef, spoken word artist and leader of the BYI Project S.E.L.F. CHAT were one of the very special performers for that night.

The contact people lead members of the BYI Communications CHAT, Harvey Winje and Susan Gust, are also volunteers with Alley Communications and assist in the production of The Alley Newspaper each month. This partnership between the BYI Communications CHAT and Alley Communications has helped to deepen and broaden The Alley”'s mission to “inform and engage”. The purpose of the BYI Communications CHAT is: “work to lessen or eliminate the divide between people who have information and those who don”'t so that everyone has the opportunity to be engaged in a healthy community”.

In the words of Phillips neighbor and Alley supporter, Jana Metge: “thanks for all the spoken word, music, food. Fabulous nite! How blest we are to live here amongst all this talent, wit, art, intelligence and spirit of social justice!!”

If you would like to learn more about the BYI Communications CHAT or to get involved, please call Susan Gust, 612-724-5753 or email sgustsrc@aol.com.

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