Blog

Can Truth and Reconciliation Work in Minneapolis?

Joy Marsh Stephens, Director, Division of Race and Equity in the City of Minneapolis Joy Marsh Stephens talks about the Minneapolis Truth and Reconciliation process. We know the statistics. There are opportunity gaps in education. By the fourth grade, 50% of all Minnesota children reach reading proficiency, only 31% of Black children are reading proficiently….

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The Most Powerful, Invisible Position in the State, with De’Vonna Pittman

De’Vonna Pittman Want to be an antiracist voter? Do your homework, and then vote all the way down the ballot. Who is your County Commissioner? Go ahead. Think about it. I’ll wait.   There’s a good chance that you have no idea who your county commissioner is. And yet, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, the county commission controls a $2.5-billion-dollar budget.  …

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Your Voting Rights, with Jorge Vasquez, Advancement Project

Jorge Vasquez, Advancement Project Voting should be safe, simple, and exercised by every citizen. But, what happens when it is not? Pop quiz! When is the 2020 US election? If you said, Tuesday, November 3rd, ding, ding, ding, you’re right. I would have also accepted the answer, today, September 18, or any day between September…

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A Solution to Undocumented Immigration, with Laz Ayala, Illegal the Project

Laz Ayala, Illegal the Project We don’t have an illegal immigration problem. We have a systemic illegal employment problem. Picture this. It’s June 16, 2015. Lazaro “Laz” Ayala is standing in his living room. The speaker on the television is saying “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re bringing drugs. They’re…

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Racial Wealth Inequality and Black Asset Poverty, with Dr. Lori Latrice Martin

Dr. Lori Latrice Martin The term systemic racism is redundant. Racism is systemic. It is a multi-level, multi-dimensional system of oppression. On average, White families have a net worth of $171,000. The average Black family’s net worth is about one tenth of that, or $17,150. White families tend to have more assets, which can unlock opportunities…

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If We Want Better, We Have to Vote for Better, With Alberder Gillespie, Candidate Congressional District MN-04

For Alberder Gillespie, the time is now. Alberder Gillespie is running for a seat in Congress, representing Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District. She’s been involved with the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) party for more than 17 years. “It was my job to get more Democrats elected,” Alberder explains. “I can say now that there are Democrats in the…

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In Minneapolis, Police Training Wasn’t Enough, with Jesse Jannetta, Urban Institute

Jesse Jannetta, Urban Institute Without accountability, trust is impossible. Picture it: A police department that dedicates itself to trust-building reforms. They partner with the best thought leaders in the country. They train all sworn officers in procedural justice. Procedural justice is the way police interact with the public, and how those interactions shape the public’s…

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Husniyah Dent Bradley, Candidate, MN House District 63B

Husniyah Dent Bradley, Candidate, MN House District 63B Husniyah Dent Bradley was raised in South Minneapolis, in Minnesota House District 63B. She went to Minneapolis Public Schools – Standish Elementary School, Bancroft Elementary School, Folwell Junior High School, and North Community High School. Husniyah graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, with a B.S. degree…

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How to Move Beyond Allyship, with Dawn Johnson, White Elephant Consulting

Dawn Johnson, White Elephant Consulting Awareness of racism is the first step. Dawn Johnson helps White women to move from awareness, to ally, to an accomplice, to activist. Dawn Johnson describes herself as a leader, speaker, coach, motivator, and “a dope-ass black woman entrepreneur.” Through her company “White Elephant Consulting,” she works with White women…

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How to Reform the Police, with Seth W. Stoughton

Seth W. Stoughton, Associate Professor, University of South Carolina School of Law We have an opportunity to make policing better. But the window is closing fast. After every tragic death at the hands of the police, America rings her collective hands. Speeches are made. Policies are proposed, debated, and defeated. New leadership is appointed. Wash….

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