News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Sunday January 11th 2026
Tim Springer Reflects on 18 “Bridging” years at the MGC
Tim Springer, Executive Director through June 3, 2011
By Tim Springer, Executive Director through June 3, 2011
The Midtown Greenway rocks.
I love to be on the Greenway when it”'s full of commuters, joggers, and joy-riders of all stripes. I feel very fortunate to have been on the team that made it happen. Thank you to the collective Midtown Greenway Coalition community for giving me that opportunity.
This job has been extremely rewarding, but also extremely demanding. I decided to move on so that I could slow my pace, smell more roses, and try my hand at some new things. Many people have asked me what”'s next. Two possibilities that excite me are rehabbing old buildings and bicycle transportation consulting.
This change will be great for me as well as the Midtown Greenway Coalition. By me stepping aside, the Coalition can more easily empower a broader set of leaders with more ideas in ways that provide greater organizational depth and sustainability. This is timely as the Coalition launches a new board-defined initiative. Chapter One of the Coalition”'s history was about getting the trails built and well-used by all. Chapter Two will be about engaging communities to guide the way rail transit fits alongside the trails, the way Minneapolis grows up along the Greenway”'s edges, and the pursuit of vibrant outdoor spaces within and connecting to the Greenway.… Read the rest “Tim Springer Reflects on 18 “Bridging” years at the MGC”
Making Connections in Community
By Diane Long, for Out in the Backyard CHAT
On Tuesday, June 16, 2011, a little over 30 people gathered at the Cultural Wellness Center to share dinner and watch the film “Bullied.” It told the story of a young man named Jamie Nabozny, who was bullied in middle school and high school for being gay. The event was sponsored by Out in the Backyard, the LGBT Queer and Allied (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) CHAT.
People are bullied for all kinds of reasons ”“ because of sexuality, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, physical ability, size, etc. This film addressed bullying based on sexual orientation and showed how prejudice and stereotypes are used to justify discrimination.
Young LGBT people are especially at-risk for bullying, harassment, physical assault, and suicide. In 2009, the National School Climate Survey found that:
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80% of LGBT students had been verbally harassed at school
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40% had been physically harassed at school
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60% felt unsafe at school
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1 in 5 had been the victim of a physical assault at school (www.stopbullying.gov)
Feeling uncomfortable at school leads 25% of gay and lesbian youth to drop out. They may also feel rejected by family members. Gay and lesbian youth comprise 25% of all youth who are homeless and 30% of suicides (Health Concerns of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community, 2nd Ed).… Read the rest “Making Connections in Community”
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