News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Sunday July 28th 2024
Young Leaders”' Program
Young Leaders Carmen Salviidar (left) and Sami Pineda (right) painting a mural in the 2800 alley between 14th and 15th Avenues during Summer of 2010”'s Young Leaders”' program.
The Young Leaders program was begun in 2006 by St. Paul”'s Lutheran on 15th Ave and 28th Street. After talking with hundreds of people in the area, one of the issues that rose to the top was the lack of programs for youth in the critical ages of 11 to 15. Based on successful programs in Milwaukee and Philadelphia, St. Paul”'s designed the program as a way to build job and leadership skills in youth. Each youth goes through an application, interview and probation process that is similar to the real world of work. If accepted, they are placed in a career team that does work to benefit the community, for which youth receive a stipend. They also receive training in such skills as interview techniques, oral and written reports and workplace safety, and make career day visits to workers in different fields. This summer”'s career days included discussions with Becky George of Mercado Central and Inspector Lucy Gerold of the 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police Department.
The Young Leaders”' work will be on display at the third annual “A Taste of Phillips” at St.… Read the rest “Young Leaders”' Program”
The Power of Story in the Backyard
by Janice Barbee, Cultural Wellness Center
Throughout the process of bringing together residents to work together to improve health in the Backyard area, we are constantly reminded of the importance of story. When the Cultural Wellness Center first convened residents to hear about plans for the Backyard Initiative, residents told many stories ”“ stories about the history of the community, about residents”' relationships with Allina and other organizations, about people”'s hardships as well as hopes.
“I see a lot. I see street level negative activity. I see garbage everywhere. I see people struggling. I see people on street corners, standing off the freeway. I see prostitutes. I see people going to work. I see people like Carol and Shirley and Miss Phoebe, people with conviction.”
“I see more diverse businesses, more activity up and down Lake Street coming back. I own a business. There are so many smaller, family owned businesses, which is great because they tend to grow and develop the community. I”'ve also seen a lot of manufacturing leave the area, which needs to come back.”
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Pull Together
By Peter Molenaar
Given the unprecedented economic, political and military power of the U.S. ruling class, it may seem like a pipedream to believe that we “ordinary” folks can advance socially even by small increments. But when the foundations of this colossal power are examined, definite weaknesses are revealed.
First, the system of corporate-capitalism is malfunctioning big time. Witness: the Wall Street meltdown, massive unemployment, stagnant wages, fruitless wars, and the developing life-threatening environmental crisis.
Second, only 1% of the population now owns over half of all stocks and bonds and the richest 5% holds 60% of all our country”'s wealth. In reality, there are a few thousand families with hundreds of billions in assets who control the main financial, manufacturing, extraction, media, communications, transport, aerospace and real estate corporations. Clearly, the wealth behind the power is concentrated in the hands of an extremely tiny group.
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