‘Community Journalism’ Archives
Why are There Tent Cities in Minneapolis? Housing in Phillips
By LINH STOEBNER I lived through a time when I did not have shelter or food. Growing up in Vietnam through war and after the war, human needs were never met. I immigrated to America in the hope of a better future. Phillips Community was the first place I landed when I arrived in the United States. Phillips was my Community for eight years. I moved away over fifteen years ago, and many things have changed, but the housing situation hasn’t seemed to have improved. The data shows us: many Phillips Community residents struggle with high rent prices and housing instability, impacting their quality of life and economic security. According to data from Minnesota Compass, from 2018-2022, 38.5% of the Community live below the poverty level. At the same time, housing is more expensive than ever. I believe that to address housing gaps, we need to address the supply of affordable housing, implement policies to protect current residents, and ensure that housing development is [...]
Gamechanger: Eliminating HERC Could Benefit Youth Athletics
By LEXIE PETRICK, LIZ ROSEN Signs outside of the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center. PHOTO: Cirien Saadeh The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) increases air pollution in Minneapolis. It may be leading to an increase in asthma rates in the Phillips Community because of the dangerous toxins being released from the trash that HERC burns. Eliminating the HERC, and diminishing a major cause of air pollution in the Community, is essential for youth participation in athletics. Asthma is a major barrier to participation in athletics - and youth athletes benefit from greater physical and mental health because of their participation. The website for the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) shares many stories about community members who have suffered from the high pollution impacting Phillips. “In the wintertime, my granddaughter was prescribed albuterol for asthma. She’s three years old. I have to hold her down so even if she’s screaming and crying, she breathes [...]
Letter from Journalism of Color Training Center
Dear Phillips Community - My name is Cirien Saadeh and I am a community journalist and community journalism educator. I am also the founder of the Journalism of Color Training Center (JCTC). At the JCTC, we teach community journalism and we work with community outlets, like the alley, to make community journalism education accessible to folks at the community level. The insert you’re about to read is a publication culminating after nearly 18 months of planning and conducting community journalism training workshops. We are SO excited for you to read it. This project came together through a partnership between the Phillips West Neighborhood Organization (PWNO), the official neighborhood organization for the Phillips West Neighborhood and community partner Alley Communications, the nonprofit and community-governed publisher of the alley, as well as JCTC.I want to let you know what to expect. The “community journalists-in-training” who published with us came from all walks [...]
