PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
To Subscribe Scan Here
Inside this Edition...
Read about HBO’s ‘South to Black Power’ on page 7.
January 18 - 24, 2024
Vol. 90
No. 25
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
Finalists make the case to become the MPD watchdog By MSR News Staff
ment agreement between the Jensen Hughes—independent decision about which firm is city and the Minnesota Depart- evaluator firms, two of which chosen will ultimately be made arlier this month in various ment of Human Rights (MDHR), have had experience in moni- by a panel of city officials, who public forums, community as well as who will monitor the toring police departments in have remained anonymous— members met the three Department of Justice (DOJ) other cities operating under a concern for many residents. The final decision is expected finalists that will ultimately de- consent decree with the city. consent decrees. The finalists include EffecWhile the independent eval- to come before the start of cide whether the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is tive Law Enforcement for All uators fielded questions from the March 9 contract, and apin compliance with the settle- (ELEFA), Relman Colfax, and residents and activists, the proved by the city council.
Out-of-state firms vie to oversee Minneapolis police reform By Abdi Mohamed Contributing Writer
MGN
Who should monitor the MPD consent decrees? By Cole Miska Contributing Writer
Department of Human Rights with CUAPB over the compa(MDHR) and Department of ny’s handling of the assessment Justice (DOJ) consent decrees. of the city and MPD’s response A third candidate, Jensen to the civil unrest following the inneapolis resiTwo organizations that are candidates to Hughes Inc., was not invited murder of George Floyd. dents had the opmonitor the Minneapo- because of political differences portunity to hear ■ See MONITORS on page 5 directly from the three finalists lis Police Department under in the search for an indepenthe consent decrees—Effecdent evaluator who will overtive Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA) and Relman Colfax— participated in a presentation to residents hosted by Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB) on January 8. The organization selected will be responsible for monitoring the Minneapolis Police Depart- (l-r) Arlinda Westbrook, former New Orleans internal affairs (l-r) Reed Colfax of Relman Colfax; Sydney Roberts and fellow Jensen Hughes team member; ment’s progress in meeting the chief; Michael Harrison, former New Orleans police chief; and Photo by Cole Miska and ELEFA’s Michael Harrison and David Douglass Photos by Abdi Mohamed terms of both the Minnesota David Douglass, president of ELEFA see the settlement agreement The first was held at the Hubetween the city and the Min- bert Humphrey School of Pubnesota Department of Human lic Affairs on January 9. The Rights (MDHR) and monitor second took place the next day the city’s compliance with the at Plymouth Congregational DOJ consent decree. Church just south of downThe candidates officially town Minneapolis. made their case to community ■ See POLICE REFORM CANDIDATES on page 5 members at separate forums.
Reconnect Rondo leading land restoration movement By Abdi Mohamed Contributing Writer
once-bustling community. rican American Cultural En- will go toward creating an en- helps lead Reconnect Rondo “Rondo had over 400 Black- terprise District through the vironmental impact analysis, to establish a clearer path to owned businesses,” she said. construction of a land bridge community engagement initia- establishing the land bridge, r. Artika Tyner grew “Today we’re trying to restore over I-94. tives, and neighborhood traffic Baker is turning to other comIn recent years, Reconnect analysis and modeling. up in Rondo long af- roughly about a dozen on Selby munities across the country The organization estimates that are seeking to reconnect ter I-94 had sliced Avenue alone. So, when we’re Rondo has made headway in through St. Paul’s historically thinking about those pieces, their goal to bring restorative that the land bridge project will their neighborhoods. In October, Reconnect RonBlack neighborhood, yet she clearly the freeway brought justice to Rondo’s descendants cost nearly $500 million. About and rebuild what was lost in 80 percent of that cost will be do held a three-day conference still recalls her neighborhood about harm.” While Minnesota is well the construction of I-94. They covered by bipartisan infra- in St. Paul as part of the inauguholding strongly to its sense of documented in having dispari- received millions of dollars structure money coming from ral Reconnecting Communities community. “My memories were of a vi- ties in economic opportunity from state and federal funds the state, according to Keith Summit to bring together the brant Selby Avenue. I remem- and education between White for pre-development planning Baker, executive director of Re- communities divided by the highway infrastructure system. ber walking down the street, and Black residents, Tyner said and research on the land bridge connect Rondo. The summit was sponsored living on the same block with that there should be more project, including $1.5 million by the Conference of MinorTiger Jack and talking to com- emphasis as to the roots of to build a net zero-emissions Reconnect Rondo leading munity elders, going to Sunday those disparities, and that in- mixed-use building, which restorative charge ity Transportation Officials and school, going to the Hallie Q. dividuals such as herself are would include spaces for housWith an 18-year career at the American Association of Brown Center. All those pieces obligated to utilize communi- ing, offices and nonprofits. the Minnesota Department of State and Highway Transportaof a strong community and so- ty-centric strategies to create In 2023, Reconnect Rondo Transportation, Baker’s profes- tion Officials. Policy makers, community cial fabric. I still remember that,” change, using data, research was one of just four nonprofits sional experience has given him in the nation to receive funding insight into how to finance the members, and stakeholders and documentation, she said. “We have to understand from the U.S. Department of land bridge project. Reconnect from 20 different cities such as Dr. Tyner, founder of Planting People Growing Justice, a from which we’ve come to Transportation in their Recon- Rondo has established a 4P Austin, Detroit, Baltimore and nonprofit leadership institute, be able to know where we’re necting Communities Pilot Pro- funding and project develop- New Orleans gathered to share recalled that her mother and headed. And so, part of that is gram. The initiative awarded ment model with the inclusion information and strategies to grandparents lived in Rondo at telling our stories with histori- $185 million to 45 projects out of public and private funding, reunite their communities. The idea for the summit a time when there was a higher cal accuracy,” Tyner said. of 500 applicants with the goal along with philanthropic and came in 2022, shortly after Jurate of homeownership and more opportunities for Black neteenth. Baker said that with social enterprises. Reconnect Rondo’s goals in Now, nearly 70 years after line with so many other comthe passing of the Federal Aidmunities across the country, Highway Act of 1956, commuit would be best for them to work together and advocate nities across the country decifor a larger solution rather than mated by the interstate highway operate in their silos. He said system are beginning to receive that since their organization resources dedicated to restorawas farther along than many tion and revitalization. in its effort to restore the comRoughly one million Americans, mostly people of color, munity, they could share their lost their homes in the decades progress and help other cities that followed the federal highreach their goals. “We’ve been planning for way act. About 700 homes quite some time, thinking were lost in the Rondo area through the resources and tryalone due to the construction of I-94 in the 1960s, leading to ing to figure out how best to the loss of 48 percent of home- Rendering of Rondo land bridge streetscape Courtesy of HGA ready ourselves to leverage those resources. And I think ownership in the area and of rejoining communities “cut individual donations. other cities are trying to do the about $157 million in home Restoring communities disoff from opportunity and burBaker stated that leverag- same,” he said. equity value for homeowners rupted by infrastructure According to Baker, the sumdisplaced by the freeway. That community-centric mindset dened by past transportation ing resources from the very Dr. Tyner also referred to the and approach is what helped infrastructure decisions.” institutions that led to the mit gave participants the ability loss of businesses in the neigh- forge Reconnect Rondo, a The City of St. Paul and divide of Black communities to dig deeper into their thinking borhood since the construc- nonprofit organization found- Reconnect Rondo were co- across the country is a natural and consider what it means to ention of I-94, creating a lasting ed in 2017, with the aim of applicants for the grant and solution, getting to the heart gage the community and consider impact on the ecosystem of a creating Minnesota’s first Af- received $2 million. The money of restorative justice. As he how resources might be used.
A collaborative approach Mychael Wright believes that it’s important to bring the least knowledgeable people along in this process and create what he calls “a fiber of understanding” to have the best consensus on the project. Having spent 58 of his 65 years living in Rondo, Wright has seen the community decline over time. However, he believes the success of the land project will be a shining example of what can be done across the country.
“We have to make sure that we are sustainable into the distant future and make sure our grandkids understand and learn the relevancies of how to negotiate the system of things that man has created.” As the former owner of Golden Thyme, Wright opened up a space for Baker to hold informational meetings for community members about the land bridge project. He stated that Baker was looking for ways to strengthen his argument for the land bridge by speaking directly to community members about their needs. “We have to bring others who are on the outside of the idea and educate them and understand the pushback and have the discussions with them, hopefully making them understand,” he said. In Wright’s view, the land bridge project would go beyond the transactional nature of reparations—as part of restorative justice efforts—by creating change for generations. “We have to make sure that ■ See RONDO on page 5