When a nonprofit organization has been around for 45 years, it can be a task to find a way to host an Annual Meeting that can both convey some of the important activities of the recent past and to instill the momentum going for the year ahead. With the skills and talents of many Alley Newspaper and community friends and volunteers, we were able to do both! Here is a sampling of what attendees experienced on November 8th:
Ӣ We were moved by the words of Phillips Community spoken word artist, Amjed Yusef and our spirits nurtured by the music of Siama Matuzungidi and Dallas Johnson with Tim OӪKeefe, SiamaӪs Congo Music.
”¢ Tom O”™Connell, historian, organizer, professor, and author (including “It”™s Up to Us”) inspired us with a dynamic talk about community leadership.
Ӣ Media Mike Hazard shared a few words about his poetry & photos project at Peace House Community which is also a new feature in The Alley as of 2019.
”¢ Phillips resident and Alley cartoonist, Dave Moore read the lyrics from one of his “Spirit of Phillips” poems.
”¢ Josie Adkins, who recently received her undergraduate degree in graphic design, presented her “Phillips Finder” senior project and wayfinding display.
Ӣ Roberta Barnes, from the Cultural Wellness CenterӪs Backyard Health Hub help us to experience the connection to community in a matter of a few short minutes!
”¢ Three students from HECUA”“Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs kicked off their project to produce a short documentary about The Alley Newspaper. Stay tuned!
Ӣ Many folks won a great prize through a wonderful raffle made possible by local businesses and Alley Board members
Ӣ Several of The Alley Newspapers educational and promotional displays constructed through the years were portrayed. These included enlarged cardboard Spirit of Phillips cartoons, cartoon greeting cards, boards showing the front pages of past years and much more!
”¢ Gift of the book “Wendell Phillips: Social Justice and the Power of the Past” presented to two teachers from Trinity First School. The last chapter of this book, “Phillips Community of Minneapolis: Historical Memory and the Quest for Social Justice” is co-authored by Dave Moore, Susan Gust, and Harvey Winje.
