‘Cover Stories’ Archives
City Council and Staffs opposing plan ”“ Phillips seeks jobs, food & housing that are green and community-guided
Brief Background by The Alley Newspaper Land and buildings in every sector of Phillips have been challenged by large institutions, smaller non-profits, businesses, public schools, parks, and the City and County since the City was founded. The colonizing of this land and its people centuries ago seems to have set a pattern that is extremely difficult to overcome. Phillips has suffered many losses throughout the large, 21,000 population neighborhood, but the southeast corner of Phillips has had an unequal amount of threats and (a few successes) like the 12-year-long Garbage Transfer Station struggle (with HN County and the City of Mpls.) and a second Incinerator threat (with a private enterprise having “complicated” ownership) a few years later. An arsenic superfund site existed on land connected to the Roof Depot site. The defeat of building a Garbage Transfer Station avoided 750 garbage compactor trucks driving through Phillips every day. Now the City with a different [...]
A Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Midtown Global Market
By J. MARIE FIEGER & MEGAN BENEDICT This Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, January 18. 2020 was a free public event featuring live music, a traditional Chinese Lion dance by Ha-Family Entertainment, Chinese Heritage Foundation activities, a free kid”™s craft table making dragons, specially staged, decorative photographs and performance by the Minnesota Chinese Opera. The Lunar New Year is the largest and most important holiday in Chinese culture. During this 15-day celebration, families and friends unite to decorate their homes, watch fireworks and spend time together. In the Chinese Zodiac, 2020 is the Year of the Rat. Those born in the Year of the Rat are said to be instinctive, alert in nature, sophisticated and filled with spirit, wit, vitality and flexibility. Trung Pham and his family, owners of Pham”™s Rice Bowl at the Midtown Global Market, were sponsors of this annual community event. COURTESY OF MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKETAs the [...]
Manhood rites of passage ceremony celebrates 15 Black male initiates
By ELDER ATUM AZZAHIR AND MINKARA TEZET, CULTURAL WELLNESS CENTER Cultural Wellness Center Manhood Rites of Passage Initiates: Jamal Williams, Christian McCleary, Corey Byrd, Jamir Williams, DJ Brooks, Trea Edwards, Sha-suAdili, Jaleel Simpson, Monte Moldonada, Jaron Major, Darrin Lofton, Quadree Drakeford On Dec. 11, 2019, the Council for Black Male Success and the Cultural Wellness Center held a Manhood Rites of Passage ceremony at the Minnesota Historical Society. The men, who ranged from 11 to 27 years old, completed an 11-week cultural self-study curriculum designed by the Cultural Wellness Center. The curriculum and the Rites of Passage ceremony stem from the Cultural Wellness Center”™s research into African people, traditions and rituals since ancient times. “In order for black men to move ahead and become leaders””to become the backbone of their community””they need to recover the culturally grounded manhood that was lost during [...]
