‘Environment’ Archives
Southside Roots: Student Led and Community Grown
Illustration: Jake Ryan By OLIVE GRABE and LUCY JARMAN Do you live in the East Phillips, Corcoran, or Powderhorn neighborhood of Minneapolis? Are you interested in workshops and resources centered around keeping food cultural, local, and healthy? If so, you should check out Southside Roots. We are led by South High students and co-led by Michelle Shaw of Minneapolis Edible Boulevards. We prioritize making food healthy and accessible, and connecting with youth and families to make sure everyone has the opportunity to explore urban agriculture. Our program is based around food justice, gardening, outdoor education, and community building. So far our team has planted an edible mushroom bed, three fruit trees, and a community boulevard garden at South High School, and helped plant edible boulevard gardens in our students’ own communities throughout Minneapolis. We have also co-hosted a seed sowing event together with Corcoran Neighborhood Organization and Minneapolis Edible [...]
Cumulative Impact Laws Ignored in East Phillips
The MPCA lacks a sense of urgency in addressing high levels of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and other negative impacts in East Phillips By KAREN CLARK AND H. LYNN ADELSMAN Jolene Jones directed anger and frustration towards a panel of officials from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at a community meeting in November. Photo: DAVID PIERINI As community members continue to demand Smith Foundry be shut down due to toxic emissions and continue to show up at meetings where the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says it’s listening and cares, the strong odor continues. On its website, the MPCA states: “The MPCA continues to focus on improving air quality in overburdened communities and to work toward environmental justice.” However, in February 2024, Círculo de Amigos staff called to report the exposure of children at the child care center to a strong odor of toxic emissions, but no one from the MPCA responded with a site visit. There is no clear [...]
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Welcomes Barry Hand as Program Director
By OWÁMNIYOMNI OKHÓDAYAPI Owámniyomni Okhódayapi (formerly Friends of the Falls), a project rooted in the revitalization of Dakota culture and restoring connections to the River, proudly welcomes Barry Hand as its newest team member. With a rich background in teaching Dakota language and an impressive portfolio of community development initiatives, Hand brings a wealth of experience to the role of program director. We introduce Hand to the community by delving into his background, his recent contributions at Tinta Wita (Prairie Island), and his early visions for programming at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls). Barry Hand’s journey is one marked by a deep commitment to language preservation and community development. Hand’s roots growing up in a Lakota language-speaking household laid the foundation for his career. He has taught Dakota language for the past 15 years and, armed with a degree in public policy with a focus on sustainability, has collaborated on program [...]
