the alley Newspaper | News & Views of Phillips Since 1976

Servant of the People, Gentle Giant, Drum Major, Foot Soldier, Peaceful Warrior, The Epitome of Service

Written by editor on 27 January 2013

By Trudy White, best friend and neighbor

The epitome of service.

A gentle giant, a peaceful warrior.

After moving into her beautiful old Victorian home on Portland Avenue, Muriel decided to focus her attention on the culture of the neighborhood.Â Not pleased with what she found she decided to focus her attention into the Community.

The streets and housing of West Phillips had deteriorated and become sick and wounded due to irresponsible building tenants, selfish landlords along with drug trafficking that caused crime to breed in the neighborhoods like the plaque.Â Unlike most of the area residents that were intimidated and fearful most of the time, Muriel Simmons decided to use her concerns and people skills to release the burden of fear in the Community and take back the streets of Phillips West!

The task of making the Phillips Community better was an uphill battle but Muriel Simmons forged ahead with door knocking, phone calls, passing out flyers, thinking, praying, recruiting volunteers, tracking to meeting after meeting and talking to anyone who would listen along the way.Â Muriel had the faith that would transform the Phillips Neighborhood back into a vital place to live, work, play and raise children.

As a result of Muriel”'s continuous service of connecting people to people, organizing and confronting problems head on, building on relationships the Phillips Neighborhood slowly began to transition back to the vital Community it is today!Â … Read the rest “Servant of the People, Gentle Giant, Drum Major, Foot Soldier, Peaceful Warrior, The Epitome of Service”

Make MayDay Happen!

Written by editor on 27 January 2013

MayDay COMMUNITY MEETING
February 12 is our community meeting, 7 PM at the Avalon Theater (1500 E. Lake Street), for sharing ideas, images, and themes for this year”'s MayDay. Please come. You can help In the Heart of the Beast continue this tradition for you and your community. Photo by Liz Welch

Challenges of MayDay

Need Your Ideas and Your Support

By Sandy Spieler

Dear Neighbors,

I”'m writing about the MayDay Parade and Festival, specifically the situation for MayDay this year and into the future.

I”'m the artistic director of In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, one of the founders of MayDay, and one of the midwives of this event”'s artistic and community development for 39 years. It has been my great joy to work with so many wonderful people for so many years!Â Thank you!

This year has me worried, though. As we crafted our theatre”'s finances for 2013, our executive director Loren Niemi suggested we not “do MayDay” this year; our budget would not support it. ”¦What? Not do MayDay?! After much discussion, our Board and staff agreed instead to do MayDay with a budget 33% less than previous years, while making a commitment to build a broader base of public fiscal support for this very public event.… Read the rest “Make MayDay Happen!”

“IT”'S UP TO US!” May Day

Written by editor on 27 January 2013

By Sandy Spieler

The Economics of MayDay:Â

MayDay has miraculously thrived in somewhat of a “gift economy”””a mixture of monetary donations from individuals, combined with labor and vision donations from many, many volunteers, along with a cadre of artists and organizers hired for MayDay who blend countless hours of volunteer labor within their honorariums fees.

Some questions you might have:

Who Produces MayDay?

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre is responsible for the production of Mayday. It is a year-round process for our staff””fundraising, organizing, training artists, securing permits, with addressing logistical and creative questions that take all of our skills to support the community in producing the final event.

: ”¢ Does the City of Minneapolis sponsor MayDay? No. The city lauds MayDay as a glorious example of a community art event. However, we get no financial support from the City. We pay for all the police services ($3,100), street permits, and expenses. photo by Amy Wurdock