‘Miscellany’ Archives
Navigation Center: Collaboration, safe housing, new beginnings
This article is reprinted courtesy of the blog at www.simpsonhousing.org. The Navigation Center is a Native-led, collaborative community response. Red Lake Nation, Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors, Hennepin County, the State of Minnesota, shelter providers in the Minneapolis shelter collaborative, including Simpson Housing Services, and several other organizations united to provide outreach to the primarily Native American community living at the Franklin-Hiawatha encampment and develop plans for the Navigation Center. Sam Strong, Director of the Red Lake Planning and Economic Development Department commends the approach of this planning group and their success in creating effective and compassionate change for people experiencing homelessness: “It”™s about partnership ”” building trust to start making a dent in homelessness, finding best practices to get people off the street.” Designed as a low-barrier and service-rich temporary [...]
Semilla summer arts explosion
The Semilla Center for Healing and the Arts at St. Paul”™s Lutheran (2742 15th Ave S.) believes that transforming the neighborhood visually can transform the community”™s power and spirit. Summer at Semilla is full of activities, around the theme “This Sacred Land,” including:.  ”¢ Day camp for children, ages 3-11: June 10-14, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visual arts, puppetry, writing, gardening, games, and a field trip. ”¢ Young Leaders for youth ages 11-15: earn money while learning to be a leader.  ”¢ Building the Garden of Peace: mosaics and found art for our Peace Garden on 28th Street. Free mosaic workshops. E-mail semillacetner@gmail.com for information. ”¢ Summer Solstice: Indigo Caroling and lantern event, June 21 at dusk. ”¢ Block Party: July 20, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ”¢ Poetry workshops for youth and adults, youth photography project, lantern making, music and who knows what else?
Closing the Circle: MniSotaMakoce (Land where the water reflects the sky) ”“ Dakota Land
Doctrine of Discovery Task Force proposes symbolic compensation for land loss By MICHAEL MILLER The Doctrine of Discovery Task Force is the result of a number of factors ”“ including conversations with Native leaders and a number of people with an intense interest in justice for the Native people of Minnesota. Â In addition, some members have involvements with Native organizations going back 45 years, and one taught Native American Studies at South High School. Â All of this led to the decision to form a task force that would focus on educating the public on the history and current effects of the Doctrine of Discovery and on advocacy for measures that might make a difference in the lives of Native people. This has resulted in the Closing the Circle proposal and the effort to get it enacted into state law. The purpose of the proposal is to provide a measure of compensation for the land that was taken from the Dakota, Ojibwe and other Native groups in [...]
