‘Miscellany’ Archives
For the Native youth of Phillips “there are a lot of possibilities out there…to be a part of”¦”
I See Generations Photo by Jaime Martinez BY COCO VILLALUZ with LINDSEY FENNER The eastern wall of the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC) at 1530 E. Franklin Avenue has been turned into a 3,306 square foot canvas. Guided by Native youth, mural artists Gregg Deal and Votan have created a stunning new mural alongside George Morrison”'s wood collage on the MAIC that showcases the wealth of Native public art in the Phillips Community. This new mural acts as an entrance to the American Indian cultural corridor along Franklin Avenue. The MAIC mural was a collaboration between ClearWay Minnesota, a non-profit working to reduce commercial tobacco usage; the Native Youth Alliance of Minnesota; and community organizer Charlie Thayer. The project was further supported by Mary LaGarde, Executive Director of MAIC, and Frank Downwind and Ozzie Snowdon from Little Earth of United Tribes. In February 2015, ClearWay Minnesota hosted two community dialogues in the urban [...]
A Bridge over Hiawatha Ave?
BY HARVEY WINJE Build a bridge over Hiawatha Avenue for Greenway traffic? Impossible! Challenges: the space between the LRT wires and power lines are too short for bridge beams and there is no space beneath for bridge columns between highway lanes. The passageway is too high for an accessible ramp. Mission accomplished! Elongated ramps were designed within the land limits and the roadbed was supported by cables instead of typical hefty columns. Appropriateness of this bridge being named after Martin Olav Sabo: Sabo”'s astuteness knowing when and how to “pull strings” Sabo”'s ability to appreciate the importance of compromise. Sabo”'s civility that embellished negotiating. Sabo”'s savvy to seek expert advice on details. Sabo”'s compassion for the people he represented and their causes. Sabo”'s patience, diligence, and ingenuity that enhanced the stature of social justice causes and the reputations of his [...]
The SABO Center for Democracy and Citizenship: Bridging the Citizen-Government
By Harry C Boyte Martin Olav Sabo, who served as a Democratic Congressman from Minneapolis for 28 years and became chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee and died on March 16 from respiratory ailments, is well known as a masterful legislative leader and craftsman. But it was his wider vision, as bridging the gap between government and citizens, which led to the merger of his center at Augsburg with our Center for Democracy and Citizenship, for many years at the University of Minnesota. I first met Martin Sabo when I was beginning the Reinventing Citizenship initiative in 1993 with the White House Domestic Policy Council, just after Bill Clinton had become president. Barb Rohde, Washington liaison from the University of Minnesota”'s Humphrey Institute where I directed civic engagement efforts, took me around to meet the Minnesota Congressional delegation. I was excited about the meeting. The Reinventing Citizenship effort built on Bill Clinton”'s campaign [...]
