‘Commentary’ Archives
Call for Dialog and Mediation
Letter to the Editor By STEVE SANDBERG I am writing to call for support of a formal, transparent dialogue and mediation process between the board of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) and the Community Advisory Council. Recent termination of staff positions and subsequent staff resignations have led to concerns about the EPNI board’s commitment to community governance and ownership. Such a commitment, over the past many years, was an essential part of the success and financial support that has brought the project within reach of a purchase agreement for the southern half of the Roof Depot property. As a result of the upheaval surrounding this rapid loss of EPNI staff, financial backers are taking a wait-and-see approach. This puts the entire project in jeopardy. Community involvement in the decisions being made is essential. Community stakeholders have offered mediation services, and the board of EPNI needs to accept and thereby [...]
Honor Efforts of the Past and Work Together
Toward Future EPNI Success By JOAN VANHALA Statement read at October EPNI Community Meeting. Too many times, in the past, I have witnessed Phillips neighborhood folks attack each other when the money starts to land. Now is not the time for pointing fingers, but it is the time to honor the efforts of the past and work together for success. I am a 35 year East Phillips resident and am a strong supporter of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute’s (EPNI) efforts over the years. I have also made a commitment to be on the EPNI Community Advisory Committee. Many, many people, neighbors, and organizations, including Little Earth, have supported EPNI in powerful ways and led, against all odds, to successful achievements. Without this broad support we would never have been able to achieve what we [...]
ABOARD the TIME-SHIP
from Raise Your Voice.... Peter Molenaar By PETER MOLENAAR Please note: The following is a patchwork piece which reflects a local story in conjunction with a scholarly article published originally in the June 26 issue of the Monthly Review magazine, purchased from Mayday Books (301 Cedar Ave. S.) Let’s step into a future we can all thrive in! So read the call to an UNIDOS event held on 9/26/2026 at the All Nations Indian Church (1515 E 23rd St.). Indeed, the space provided a time-ship experience with flashing lights and other such delights, all of which served to invoke an ancient indigenous code: plan ahead now for the seven generations yet to come! But why was this labor of love attended mostly by members of the “boomer” generation? Was there also an AI Robot whispering: you have now entered the Anthropocene!? Hey, the emergence of a new historical epoch, dubbed the Anthropocene in the late 1940s and ‘50s marked a historical shift, as humanity became the [...]
