Daily Archives: October 3, 2021

(WXYZ) Our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month continues in tonight's 7 UpFront report as we honor local leaders who are making a difference in their community.

We're being joined by the Executive Director of Congress of Communities Maria Salinas to talk about it.

You can see the full interview in the video player above.

"I was born and raised in southwest Detroit and my vision was pretty much to help to start a youth trendline, a council. And so I founded an organization called Congress of Communities and through that organization, I've been able to, actually, be intentional on building leadership development for our young people through a youth council that now is 11-years-old," Salinas says. "We run 15 kids, young people, through a really intense one-year program and it's really not just teaching them to be leaders, but giving them experiences, like taking them kayaking, snowboarding, different activities so that they get out of the neighborhood. What they've been able to do which is really great 11 years into it our intention is to get them in and out of college. And so we've been really successful, we now have an alumni, think about 11 years, 15 kids a year, we now have an alumni that has taken on a lot of the work. This is a LatinX-only youth council. It's the only one in the metro area that's only for Latino young people and it really is about creating a platform where they can talk about their history, their challenges. We had a lot of DACA young people at the beginning, not as many anymore. We are actually in the middle of building a youth-driven community center in southwest Detroit that was the idea of the young people. They've done all the plans. They are actually part of the design, helping to raise the money. They actually do projects every year. They go to a program called youth dialog at the University of Michigan and they come out with a project. So they've done things like murals, podcasting, and the youth-driven house is on the projects that, three years ago the young people came up with that idea and we were able to raise this money. Thank you to Kresge and some of the funders who have helped us to get this house going."

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Examining efforts to make a difference in Hispanic communities - WXYZ

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted some of the social disparities in health care and risk among the nation's various demographics.

In Maine, the CDC has been working to address some of those disparities during the pandemic, but it's hoping to make a bigger impact with its new Office of Population Health Equity.

Ian Yaffe (manomaine.org photo)

It's led by Ian Yaffe, who spent years working on behalf of farm laborers and migrants who support Maine's agricultural industries such as blueberries Down East.

Maine Public's Jennifer Mitchell spoke with Yaffe about his new role and what's on his agenda.

This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Mitchell: So Ian, the Office of Population Health Equity, what's the idea behind that, and is it the first time we've done this or not?

Yaffe: So at the core, the Office of Population Health Equity is built around the idea that the health care system is designed around the needs of the majority. And this can produce disparities within specific communities, intentional or unintentional. This office used to exist in Maine CDC and was called the Office of Minority Health. And so establishing the office again, as the Office of Population Health Equity means that we'll be focusing on a broader set of concerns and disparities and working with community leaders, including racial and ethnic populations, but also women LGBTQIA+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and really any other group of people that we see disparities in health outcomes for.

So did the pandemic just make these disparities more obvious to more people? Are there any lessons from the pandemic that can inform the work going forward?

So some of the things that we've learned are that COVID-19-related health disparities are inextricably linked to complex and widespread health and social inequities that put many communities, including racial and ethnic groups, and people living in rural communities, at higher risk of infection, exposure, hospitalization and mortality from COVID. And so at the very basic level, we believe that we have to strive for the highest possible standard of health for all people, and make sure that there's special attention to the needs of those who are at greatest risk of poor health based on social conditions.

How are you going to go about setting priorities for the office? It's a wide number of demographics that you're wanting to serve and look into do you even know what the priorities are yet?

Our goal here is really to center communities that are directly affected. So whatever it is that we're alternately working on here, it's not about what my vision is, or what I see the needs are, there isn't going to be one set way of doing this, mostly because we know that communities are unique. Relying on there to be one strategy is one of the things that helps produce disparities in the first place, because it ignores the unique needs that community members face.

So lots of stakeholder participation. And you'd also told me earlier that a website is planned as well so that individuals can also participate. What about the barriers? What are some of the barriers that are perhaps keeping some populations at a disadvantage? How did we get here?

There are a ton of reasons how we get where we are right now. I think, at a very basic level, our goal through this office is to examine more of the impact of policies, rather than focusing on the intent. And so we know that sometimes in policy and in systems design, there may be unintended consequences, there may be disparate impacts that were not intended, and that are unique to specific communities. And so through that lens, we might need to look at filling gaps. Our most important priority is to look at those root causes, especially those root causes that are related to race, class, ethnicity, and gender, and to prevent gaps from occurring in the future.

What about climate and the environment? You know, one of the emerging discussions across the country seems to be about the role that environment and climate are playing in these issues of disparity and demographics and health. Is that likely to be part of the discussion at all?

I imagine that will be something that comes up in our conversations with community leaders. We know that there are both longstanding impacts of environmental-related emergencies among the communities that we're talking about, particularly with people of color. I would expect that that would come up because all of these things connect together. You can't really look at health care, separate from environment, separate from social conditions, separate from race, class, ethnicity and gender. And so our goal is to be able to have that conversation in a way that is much more proactive than anything that we've done before.

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Here's how Maine is trying to tackle health disparities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic - Maine Public

Dear Friend,

This week, negotiations over important legislation focusing on infrastructure, budget reconciliation, raising the debt ceiling and continuing to fund the government continued to occupy much of my time, and I was asked for my impressions of where things are heading by local reporters and on national television. As I write, several things remain in flux. Also this week, I spoke at the Judiciary Committee markup of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act and voted to advance it to the House floor; voted to suspend the nations debt limit until December 2022; voted to avert a government shutdown; introduced the PAST Act to prevent intentional injury to horses; notified constituents of Medicare Open Enrollment beginning October 15; voted in the Judiciary Committee to advance the CROWN Act to the House floor; voted to pass the EQUAL Act to reform sentencing in cocaine cases; applauded the National Institutes of Healths change in guidance about monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 patients; announced major grants to Memphis-area community health centers; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see what Im doing as it happens.

Hoping to Pass a Major Infrastructure Bill that is Good for Memphis

Advancing Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act

Voting to Suspend the Debt Ceiling until December 2022

Voting to Extend Government Spending and Avert a Government Shutdown

Introducing the PAST Act to Prohibit Intentional Injury to Horses

Notifying Constituents that Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15

Advancing the CROWN Act

Voting to Pass the EQUAL Act on Cocaine Sentencing Reform

Applauding Update in NIH Guidance on Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

Announcing $2.3 Million in Community Health Center Grants

Weekly Health Tip

Quote of the Week

Hoping to Pass a Major Infrastructure Bill that is Good for Memphis

As I write this Friday afternoon, its unclear when we will be voting on major infrastructure, budget reconciliation and debt ceiling legislation under negotiation on Capitol Hill. President Biden came to the Capitol this afternoon to help spur action. I have been saying that the $1.2 trillion bill underwriting our physical infrastructure would be good for the country and good for Memphis, Americas distribution center. I also want to vote for the Build Back Better bill that would expand and strengthen our social safety net. Right now, these matters are unresolved but I will keep you apprised of progress. See my interviews on these matters with CNNs Erica Hill here and with MSNBCs Chuck Todd here.

Advancing Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act

Congressman Cohen at the MORE Act markup Thursday.

On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee on which I serve as a senior member, debated, marked up and voted to advance the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act to the House floor for a vote. The reform measure takes cannabis off the federal schedule of controlled substances, invests in communities harmed by the war on drugs and allows federal court records of marijuana convictions to be expunged. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation. See my release here.

Voting to Suspend the Debt Ceiling until December 2022

On Wednesday, I joined my House colleagues in extending the federal governments borrowing authority beyond the next election cycle to prevent what should never have become a partisan issue from creating a catastrophic financial issue. As I write, Senate Republicans are still playing games with the countrys duty to meet its financial obligations. See my release here.

Voting to Extend Government Spending and Avert a Government Shutdown

On Thursday afternoon, I did the responsible thing and voted to keep the federal government open beyond the looming Thursday night fiscal year deadline.

Introducing the PAST Act to Prohibit Intentional Injury to Horses

Earlier today, I was joined by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Vern Buchanan of Florida, and 209 other House members, bringing total sponsorship to 213, in introducing the Preventing All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, prohibiting the inhumane and intentional injury of horses for enhanced performance. See our release here.

Notifying Constituents that Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15

Medicare Open Enrollment begins on October 15 and ends on December 7. During this time, people eligible for Medicare can compare 2022 coverage options between Original Medicare, and Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. CMS updated the Medicare Plan Finder with the 2022 Medicare health and prescription drug plan information today, October 1. Medicare beneficiaries can visit Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact the Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 1-877-801-0044 for information and assistance. Anyone who wants to keep their current Medicare coverage does not need to re-enroll.

Advancing the CROWN Act

On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee on which I serve as senior member marked up and sent to the House floor the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural (CROWN) Hair Act, prohibiting discrimination against people with natural hair styles and textures. I have been a leader on this legislation and am proud to again cosponsor this important civil rights bill. See my release here.

Voting to Pass the EQUAL Act on Cocaine Sentencing Reform

On Tuesday, the House passed legislation I have spent decades advocating to end the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine convictions. See that release here.

Applauding Update in NIH Guidance on Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

Last week, I wrote to President Biden and the National Institutes of Health asking that they consider adjusting the protocol for administering monoclonal antibody therapy to those with COVID-19. I was pleased to see the NIH swiftly make that change in its guidance. See more about my intervention in this rather complicated issue here.

Announcing $2.3 Million in Community Health Center Grants

I was pleased this week to announce major infrastructure support grants for Christ Community, Memphis Health and Tri-South Health community centers. See my release here.

Weekly Health Tip

Vaccines are currently available for everyone 12 and older. If you need a ride to a vaccination site, you can call 901-RIDE901 (901-743-3901) to coordinate the best transportation option for you. The City of Memphis is also now coordinating with organizations, congregations, community groups, and businesses to host coronavirus vaccinations. The Pipkin Building at the old Mid-South Fairgrounds is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. 1 p.m., and will remain a vaccination site through December 31. No appointments needed. To find the latest information about vaccination sites, to request a vaccination appointment for a homebound individual, or to set up a community coronavirus vaccination event, visit https://covid19.memphistn.gov/

Quote of the Week

I have one life and one chance to make it count for something... My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. Former President Jimmy Carter who turned 97 today.

As always, I remain.Most sincerely,

Steve CohenMember of Congress

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Hoping to Pass a Major Infrastructure Bill that is Good for Memphis - Congressman Steve Cohen

by: David KlemowSep 29, 2021

With the breakneck pace of how life moves online, it was only a matter of time before social media had to evolve in favor of creators. Between a perennial need for a never-ending content stream to capture fans attention, the toxicity of the often dispiriting comments section, and moving target algorithms that seem to cut deeper and deeper into post reach, it was inevitable that eventually creator-anchored social platforms would arise. And thats to say nothing of poor monetization models that most often leave creators feeling like theyre making pennies on the dollar. Then, digital spaces like Patreon and OnlyFans began springing up around the mid-2010s, attracting the most dedicated fans with paid content deemed premium. Now, these platforms are far from novel and well established in the mainstream. And while mediums of auditory and visual art have fared well across these newer creator-first platforms, typically the communities that have gathered in these performer-oriented spaces have yet to address many of the same issues that plagued the original social media trailblazers.

At the same time, across much of the internet, and specifically within the dance music space, conversations around mental health awareness and personal wellness began to pick up steam, largely overhauling the way many people related to the stigmas associated with these conversations. And while social media has certainly helped catalyze important discourse around these topics, theres no denying that the platforms and their next-gen counterparts have had broad, and often negative impacts on the mental health of users for more than a decade and a half. Somewhere along the way, cyberbullying became a cyber-normality that somehow managed to stick as social media began to evolve.

But then, in 2018, in response to some of the older vestiges of social medias baser tendencies, came Vibely. The brainchild of co-founders Teri Yu and Theresa Lee, Vibely set out to foster next-gen communities with one focus in mindpositivity. Though, Vibely stands not just in dedication to relentless and unwavering positivism, but also against harassment, bullying, shaming, and the distribution of explicit or graphic content. As Yu herself describes it, Vibely is an all-in-one place where creatives can monetize their vibrant communities, adding, its all protected by our commitment to positivity, called our Vibe Check.

Earlier this summer, as OnlyFans reckoned with the backlash of deciding to ban sexually explicit content from the platform, which had amassed more than 130 million users as of the summer of 2021, Dancing Astronaut linked with Teri Yu to learn more about Vibely, the untapped potential for the platforms crossover with dance music, and what differentiates this burgeoning online space from the rest of the community-driven competitors that have alreadyfor better or worsemade a name for themselves.

Before COVID-19 brought life to a screeching halt in 2020, Vibely was tailor-made for digital communion. Vibely founders even worked with the team from Netflixs Social Dilemma to help create a set of comprehensive guidelines for the platform, and primarily, the overarching Vibe Check. So last year when the masses flocked to online spaces as tours and festivals began dropping off the calendar by the day, Yu, a Taiwanese-American USC graduate from Arizona, could already see the untapped potential for DJs and producers on the platform. It could be the center of the DJs universe, where you can integrate a constellation of events, livestreams, virtual listening parties, host challenges, and have fan resources available, says Yu. In terms of COVID-19s impact, the San Francisco-based CEO elaborated further,

For music in particular theres a lot of energy that has been suppressed by the pandemic in a way. You love music, you listen to it, and you want to talk to people who get your love for music, and thats been missing with shows and events being cancelled. But thankfully the world is opening back up little by little. But even beyond the in person events, people can still connect around their interests on a continuous basis.

For the children of the internet, content is king but continuity is key. As people crave and seek out what they deem to be authentic content online, the need for continuity is paramount as attention spans wane down to the span of TikTok videos. Yu likens the typical social media experience to a high, describing the nature of the internets ephemera as, a quick hit of dopamine. Yu continues, Our society is so focused on that addictive experience of being online that theres this element of detoxing that needs to happen. Its like fast food. Enjoyable in the moment, but then you unplug and you realize, I dont feel any happier. Its almost like a drug at this point.

Additionally, social media can often feel like the needle moves too fast, and many times, older artists opt to forgo a social media presence altogether, rather than face an unending pool of competition for eyeballs or shares. Yu envisions a more intentional sense of connectivity between creators and their communities within Vibely, with a creator acting more as a factotum or a face for a larger community bound by likemindedness and shared goals, rather than just the pursuit of content. The way that we interact with people is so short that theres almost no sense of continuity. With artists, they might struggle to find a place where theres true loyalty, adding that, with Vibely an artist can have a deeper level of engagement that they create themselves, which leads to more meaningful, profound conversations. People on Vibely are talking with each other as opposed to just talking past each other.

Again, the core of the platforms mission circles back to the user terms and conditions of the Vibe Check. Thats why our focus is so different. With the Vibe Check we want to make sure everyone is having a good, fulfilling experience. No harassment, no bullying, no shaming, no self-promotion, no nudity, all based on the idea that we treat each other with respect and kindness. Which sounds so radical, but its how we should treat each other in real life, right?

Radical indeed. As Vibely continues to challenge the social media status quo, giving artists and creators an additional revenue driving tool has been a remarkably empowering experience for Yu and her team. Most importantly though is scalability. While other next-gen digital communities have already given content creators the ability to directly monetize their fanbases, the key differentiator for Yu was the ability to grow and scale a community. Says Yu,

Whats good about [platforms like Patreon and OnlyFans] is they allow for recurring revenue, which is important. Vibely does that part, plus it allows you to scale over time. It is more about how can you help your community scale over time by helping each other and interacting [together], and you being more the face or the leader of that community. I can imagine things like shuffle challenges or glovingI dont even know if people still do thator even challenges for personal growth like, 10 days of mixing or 10 days of learning Ableton, so theres a lot of opportunity to participate with each other beyond just consuming new content.

Now a space where total integration is possible, the platform allows creators to agglomerate e-commerce spaces, event calendars, social media links, and more, making Vibely a sort of digital Swiss Army knife for the modern creative with bigger aspirations than just content generation. Its all meant to be super inspirational, says Yu of the platforms underlying ethos. For many who have felt hindered or disconnected, bullied or harassed online, or as though the space within a comment section or Tweet thread simply wasnt safe enough to speak up in, Yu and her team are working to foster a more meaningful brand of connectivity. And similarly, for the those that have feel like social media platforms just wind up being dark, depressing voids of misinformation, having a place to link with likeminded individuals to meet, discuss, and achieve together may just be what the doctor ordered.

There was a point where cyberbullying and the lack of attention to mental health became so commonplace online that the terms to describe the phenomenon simply began to disappear. Vibely is setting out to bring connectivity back to the internet, and with thousands of users and counting, perhaps the positivity is starting to catch on.

Tags: content, covid-19, interview, monetization, online, Teri Yu, Vibely

Categories: Features

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Positivity, continuity, and connectionhow Vibely is aiming be the next haven for DJs and creator-driven communities [Interview] - Dancing Astronaut

Publish Date: September 30, 2021 4:02 pmAuthor: Texas AFT

After several days of public and invited testimony, the Senate Redistricting Committee approved maps for the State Board of Education (SBOE) and state Senate districts this Tuesday. The committee approved the SBOE map unanimously, but the Senate district map was approved by a 12 to 2 margin after being amended by the committee. Both maps will likely see changes before they are finally approved by both houses of the Legislature and sent to Gov. Greg Abbott to be signed.

One of the primary points of controversy in the newly proposed map was its treatment of Senate District 10, represented by Sen. Beverly Powell. The district, currently situated firmly in Tarrant County, was redrawn to contain more conservative voters from surrounding counties. Sen. Powell stated the proposed map would be a direct assault on the voting rights of minority citizens in Senate District 10 and, if adopted, it would be an act of intentional discrimination.

In response to the proposed Senate map, the Texas Civil Rights Project stated: In keeping with the Texas record of drawing discriminatory maps, the proposed [Senate] map does not give new representation to the exploding communities of color in Ft. Bend, Brazoria, Tarrant, & Collin Counties. Instead, it violently rips apart these communities to decrease their representation.

The proposed State Board of Education map, which is made up of 15 districts, did not make any significant changes to the current racial majority breakdown of the districts, but did make significant changes to the partisan breakdown. According to an analysis by the Texas Tribune, Seven of the 15 (SBOE) districts went to Biden during the 2020 general election, but if the new proposal were in place, it would have lowered that number to five.

This week proposed maps for U.S. congressional districts and Texas House districts were released by Republicans Sen. Joan Huffman and Rep. Todd Hunter. The congressional map adds two new districts, bringing the total number to 38 after Texas was reapportioned two new congressional seats due to population increases in the state.

Despite the fact that 95% of the states population growth over the past 10 years came from communities of color, the proposed maps would reduce the amount of House districts in which people of color are the majority. This is the first time since the Voting Rights Act was first passed in 1965 that the Texas Legislature was allowed to redistrict without first getting federal approval.

Governor adds increased penalties for voting mistakes to special session agenda

Although Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in the previous special sessionSB 1that reduced penalties for illegal voting, he nevertheless has added to this special sessions agenda the call to increase them.

Abbott apparently is not content with the Legislatures move that decreased the penalty from a second-degree felony (punishable for up to 20 years in prison) to a Class A Misdemeanor (punishable up to 1 year in jail). The intent was to allow flexibility in punishment for voters who make honest mistakessuch as not realizing they are ineligible to vote.

House Speaker Dade Phelan, however, tweeted yesterday that he didnt want to revisit the issue. Instead, the House will remain focused on its constitutional obligation to pass redistricting maps, and members look forward to fulfilling this critical task.

Read the rest here:

Texas AFT :Legislative wrap: Redistricting continues as state Senate/SBOE maps move forward; Gov. wants illegal voting penalties increased - Texas AFT

NEWFANE For months, community members have been debating the need for the municipality to commit to anti-bias training.

Carol Hatcher of Newfane suggested the term anti-bias training could benefit from a change, because it might have an unwelcoming effect.

Personally, I think having biases is part of being human, she said. They can be helpful to our safety and prosperity, as long as you are not ignorant as to what they are, but have thoroughly identified them to be based on kindness, caring and helpfulness. It is when those biases, and we all have them, are not even known to us because of our ignorance, then we should follow Ciceros advice. We all need to confess that we do not know everything about our personal biases or racism that is based on ignorance, fear, hatred, cruelty and is generally hurtful.

Theres no community in the United States that doesnt have an issue with racism, said Maia Segura of South Newfane, who built a marketing business with her husband by taking on projects designed to foster diversity, inclusion and empowerment within communities.

Our founding principles are unfortunately built upon a racist and classist colonial system that was intended to benefit the few, she said. Racism and bias are so deeply imbedded in our culture and language that it can be difficult for most white people to pick out and understand, largely because they are not directly affected by it. I believe that most people dont intend to be racist and dont believe that they have bought into racist principles until they are forced to examine them in a different light.

Segura pointed to graffiti found on Route 30 in Newfane last summer, which said BLM [Black Lives Matter] is racist, as an intentional example of racism. She said it was clearly aimed to intimidate and make people of color feel unwelcome in the community.

After the graffiti, the Select Board adopted a statement condemning hate and endorsing inclusion, but not without some contentious debate. Some have argued that the community is welcoming and not racist.

One of the reasons its so hard to explain structural racism to people who resist the idea is because it doesnt impact them directly, said Apple Gifford of Newfane, a member of the West River Valley Mutual Aids anti-racist working group. If they havent experienced it personally and they cant see it, they often believe it doesnt exist.

Structural racism, Gifford said, is not exactly invisible, but it can be hard to see, especially if youre not actively looking for it and not talking to people who experience it every day.

Segura said she believes everyone would be served by anti-bias training.

Racism and bias are so complex, and so many acts of racism have become a part of the norm that they are invisible to most people, she said. We can all learn more, do better, and call bias what it is.

Segura attributes much of the division and tension in the community and across the country to the way things are discussed.

Because we use different words to describe what is happening, we literally cannot understand each other, she said. Making a dent in racism is not going to happen until we develop a common lexicon. Anti-bias training, like what is proposed for Newfane, is a good place to start.

Tom Abbotts of Newfane suggested the whole community vote on whether the town offer the training.

This is a subject that is very political, he said at a Select Board meeting in June. This anti-bias training, Ive seen it in other places. It tends to divide people. It doesnt bring people together.

Last week, the Select Board declined to vote on formally committing to a further exploration of offering anti-bias training to staff and volunteers. Board Chairwoman Angela Sanborn said the board will consider input and return to the subject.

Knowledge is power, and you can only learn more, and thats my personal feeling, she said.

Board Vice Chairwoman Ann Golob said she will personally commit to the project next year.

I honestly dont have the time to delve into this, to interview other potential teachers or courses, etc., Golob said in response to a request from WRVMAs anti-racism working group. But I do agree this is an ongoing issue of importance to, I would say, our world, and I would be happy to come back to this next year and look at it again, and take some time to interview some of the people who you recommended.

Board members shared their thoughts on a Vermont League of Cities and Towns training recently offered at the town office to employees, volunteers and elected officials. Some board members agreed to participate in training previously when the mutual aid group requested the town find appropriate training and suggested setting up sessions for the community at large.

This training was OK, but it is not for the general public in any way, shape or form, board member Katy Johnson-Alpin said. It is specifically for people who are writing legislation or reviewing legislation. Regular residents will gain nothing, and most people in the town government, all 13 of them, will get nothing from it. It would just be us who might get something interesting in it.

Board member Shelly Huber, who along with several residents has opposed the training, said board members attend trainings all the time and dont report back.

It doesnt really matter because were not required to do it, and I dont think its a necessary report that we need to hear for the town of Newfane, she said. Its not a requirement. Its a personal decision, and I think it needs to be let alone.

Not seeing the training as necessary, Huber said, Its just common sense: Treat others the way you would like to be treated, and thats the end of it.

Planning Commission Chairman Ken Estey said the training could help with the commissions work.

I think from the Planning Commission perspective, it was very, very useful, particularly from the point of view of things we might consider building into the structure of Newfane, Estey said. There are ideas to address some of the questions weve been working on over time.

A letter from the anti-racism working group of WRVMA urged the board to make anti-bias training available to town employees, volunteers and elected officials on an ongoing basis. That doesnt mean the board agrees with everything, but it shows a commitment to seeking to understand others perspective, the letter states.

After describing how she would be open to exploring training opportunities next year, Golob said shes curious to see what comes down from the state in terms of resources or programs. Juliette Carr of South Newfane, one of the co-founders of the local mutual aid group, said a commitment for next year would be consistent with her groups request. She acknowledged that the board has a lot going on with cleanup from recent storm damage and budgeting ahead of annual Town Meeting in March.

Burt Picard, resident, told the board he supports the letter and would hope the town takes up the issue in the future. Likewise, Thomas Ely of Newfane said he wants the town to go further with this. It is not outside your realm of work as our elected leaders in the town of Newfane.

Im happy to commit my time to doing some of this research and doing some background conversations, then returning back to the Select Board, but I do need a break from delving into some of the work thats been going on, Golob said.

Huber encouraged residents to consider running for Select Board and participating in future meetings, so the board could get a better sense of what the community feels is needed for the town.

Kate Gehring, a member of the Planning Commission and mutual aid group, urged the board to make a motion after Golob and Sanborn voiced support for more research. Sanborn said a new board will be in office in March, and Golob said she didnt think a vote was necessary because she made a personal commitment.

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Newfane grapples again with anti-bias training; 'I think it needs to be let alone,' says one board member - Brattleboro Reformer

All nine Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) commissioner seats are up for election after the board first permitted then prohibited large homeless encampments in parks across the city amid last summer's civil unrest. Activists clashed with the board over what they described as inadequate services, and neighbors complained of numerous safety problems, including discarded needles and sexual assault. Four incumbents are stepping down, while 23 candidates are vying for office. Early voting began Sept. 17 and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

The Star Tribune asked each candidate for the Park Board questions on top issues:

Voters will also select two new members for the Board of Estimate & Taxation (BET) this fall. The two will work with other elected officials on a six-member board to set the maximum tax rates for most city funds and play a key role in managing the city's debt. Four candidates filed to run for the board this year.

The responses below are the candidates' own words, lightly edited for clarity.

At-large commissioners do not represent a specific district.

Homeless encampments

During the 2020 summer pandemic, via the Governor's Executive Orders of no evictions, homeless encampments were allowed through a permitting process. Parks are not a safe or appropriate place to reside, but during last year's crisis, MPRB managed the situation using available resources. The impacts of homelessness are a growing challenge in the park system and Minneapolis, and I will work collaboratively with those resourced to address homelessness. It will take a collective effort at all levels of governmentMPRB, city, county, stateto solve this problem so that individuals experiencing homelessness are able to find the shelter they deserve.

I am proud of our outreach staff who are doing an amazing job in connecting with Hennepin County staff whose wheelhouse it is and tapping their resources. And, therefore, this year, no encampments have been established in our parks. Staff is swift to respond with appropriate resources.We found out all too well that we are not in the housing business.

In 2020, I was personally involved on the advisory board of Project Back to Home with the permitted encampment at Lake Harriet. We were successful in placing each person in resource specific housing. The needs and resources are varied and complex. I am grateful for tireless advocates like Michelle Smith, who was the permit holder. Partnering with those who are professionals in the field is essential.

Expanding access

My goal is to enhance our park assets by breaking the barriers that exclude some from the use and enjoyment of our park system. Equity in our city is critical for it to grow and all to prosper. In my short two terms, we have added over 20 acres of strategic parkland to our system and targeted access gaps in underserved areasparticularly along the banks of our Mississippi River in North and Northeast Minneapolis. We have increased from 94% to 98% that every resident is within a 10-minute walk of a park. Now that the entire city has been park master-planned, policies and practices can be enacted for long-term development and improvements.

Connections to these new park spaces is critical for underserved areas of our city. Universal park access promotes social, racial, gender, and economic equity. My past and future work is to increase accessibility above the falls of the Mississippi (adding more park acreage), along the Midtown Greenway (adding several parcels adjacent to the corridor), Bassett Creek Redevelopment (promise for more parkland developed in the Harrison neighborhood), securing of the rail bridge across the Mississippi (creating connections from the north side) and completing the Ox Cart Trail/protected bikeway along Marshall Street as well as the Grand Rounds Missing Link (providing more connections to parks in Northeast). Continued cooperation with the City to implement the use of Park Dedication Funds to grow parks in newly developed areas ensures access as our city continues to develop.

Youth programming

The recent uptick in violence, especially youth violence, poses a major challenge to our entire city, but I believe that our park system can be a catalyst for change. Our number one priority in our 2022 budget will be to invest in programming for youth by fostering youth employment that creates life-skills to acquire sustainable jobs, to develop expertise toward stewardship of our environment and to prevent youth violence through building relationships.

Our park superintendent is addressing the gap in funding for our youth with the support of our board as well as our mayor. The programming options for youth activities are a priority. An additional $2.6 million dollars over the next five years is being requested in the 2022 budget to address the issue. Our proposed budget includes bringing on 22 full-time youth-staff.

The funding will be used for youth-violence-prevention targeted at ages 17-22 who have low-level offenses on their records; innovation grant funding for youth ages 13-18 in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood; seven full-time dedicated professionals to program Creation Spaces; expanding hiring for our Teen Teamworks program and green jobs to develop a diverse group of community leaders through deliberate offerings that provide career exploration and pathways to full-time employment as well as actually increasing youth employment via Teen Teamworks (43 teens); increase StreetReach staffing; free RecPlus at Webber Park; and three full-time dedicated professionals to enhance intergenerational and nature-based community programs.

Greatest need

I am a lead commissioner in creating our Climate Resiliency Initiative. Parks are natural sequesters of carbon. Parkland and waters provide the opportunity to mitigate stormwater runoff, air pollution and heat islands via best practices, to continue investments in trees, which are still our best weapon against global warming with carbon sequestration and to accelerate implementation of resiliency projects for parkland being impacted by climate change.

An emergency Minneapolis tree levy is expiring at the end of 2021. The first part of this Initiative is to begin the creation of the first ever in Minnesota certified carbon-offset-credit program that will create necessary revenue to grow Minneapolis green space, to support climate and environmental resiliency. With new funding, increased tree planting can be initiated in 2022 with minimal project start-up. Our project scope is 7,000 trees planted over a one-year period including street trees and park trees, focusing on heat islands in North Minneapolis where the largest are located and other environmentally disadvantaged areas. The Tree Levy that is expiring removed over 40,000 Ash trees and replaced them over eight years. Yet, the canopy hasn't expanded in numbers. To do so, our existing trees must be preserved and also new trees need to be planted at a greater rate. This is a 20 year campaign to plant and maintain 200,000 additional trees on City streets and parkland, leveraging and expanding MPRB Urban Forestry capabilities. This is just one of many actions being researched and developed.

Homeless encampment

Growing up I was taught by my family and my community in Fargo, ND, to help people in need. Now as an adult living in Minneapolis one of my first memories of homelessness was while I was at work eating a meal and the family of four at the table next to me was very overwhelmed with sadness. One child was crying, one child asking his mom why can't we go to grandma's house, the man's face was lost in deep thought, and the lady was crying while trying to talk on the phone to a family member. This family was going to experience homelessness that evening because the shelters were full and their family could not assist them with money for a hotel room. I started to cry because I did not have the money, resources, or experience to assist them with housing. After my own personal experience of watching this family struggle, and now most recently watching MPRB struggle to house homeless people on their property. I believe that MPRB is not set up to house people with disabilities andor special needs. This is best left to the professional nonprofits and the city. My final thought is that instead of housing the homeless encampments, my suggestion is that the MPRB could partner with the city and local nonprofits to assist with things such as food, showers, and work.

Expanding access

MPRB should find ways to provide access for all without having the price tag to participate stand in the way. We look at our revenue and our expenses. Additionally, we should look at the health and wellbeing of our community, and in doing so we could offer more items for free and/or reduced prices. My thought is we need the MPRB to look at expenses, revenue, and add another category such as free and reduced passes (etc.) to see how our organization is performing in times of plenty and times of need. I am proud to say that the MPRB offers assistance for youth sports. Along with amazing free music and movies. Yet, I do think we could do more for our community as a whole by offering other items for free or at discounted prices. These items could come in the form of a bus pass to and from our parks, free or reduced bike rental pass, and free or reduced prices on rentals of items such as canoe, kayak and standing boards (etc.).

Youth programming

What a great question from a human resource (HR) perspective. This question places the candidate on the spot by asking for just one specific way. So, for me this answer starts with me asking the Minneapolis community, you the voters, to please vote in a new candidate(s) for Park Board Commissioners At- Large because the pandemic is changing how humans live, work and play which means we need to be adaptable with our thinking for Minneapolis Parks and Rec youth programing . We need new perspectives using creative thinking and critical thinking. Next, I want you to know that my son is currently playing Park and Rec Sports. He just started the fall soccer season. In the winter he participates in basketball. And spring is baseball through MPRB. I am a soccer and basketball mother. And this past season for baseball I was an assistant coach. When my son is playing sports I check out the parks where we practice and play games. While at these events I see how other families and children use youth programming in the form of child care, computer labs, indoor and outdoor play. I see how the MPRB staff interact and assist children, community members, coaches, families, and volunteers. After seeing the whole picture as an MPRB parent I would be honored to recommend that we enhance parent and volunteer involvement in our youth programs. As examples this could be creating more training videos, everyone reads the MPRB ethics, and we seek volunteers from local high schools and colleges.

Greatest need

My simple answer is shelter for both questions. If we improved on this one theme we could provide: Shelter from the sun, shelter from the storm, shelter from the pandemic, and shelter from food insecurity to name a few. I ask myself these questions and so should you. Questions to ask yourself: Do we need more trees? Yes. Do we need buildings that do not leak every time it rains? Yes. Did we all know someone who worked from home during the pandemic, and could we not offer them a special spot to work outdoors moving forward? Yes. Did we all see children in the MPLS school system and around the country struggle with distance learning? Yes. Could we create a shelter for teachers to teach their students outside? Yes. Do we need shelter for history? Yes. Do we need shelter for the game of golf at Hiawatha Golf Course? Yes. Did you not ask yourself what could we do in the park system to help, to assist all of these needs? Yes. Could we supply shelter in the form of community gardens for people that need access to healthy food? Yes. All of these questions and answers are exactly why I have such a big passion for MPRB! This is why I am running for Minneapolis Park board commissioner At-Large because I am being called to take a great system already in place and make that system work in a way that will delight all park visitors and staff, and cause everyone to walk away with new found joys for our park system in this generation and for future generations.

Homeless encampments

The MPRB should serve all people who come into our parks, including those experiencing homelessness. However, they should not serve or make policy to allow encampments on MPRB property. We learned last year that tents in parks aren't safe for anyone - not the daytime patrons nor the unhoused. In addition, access to what people need to live- water, electricity, heat, security- is limited on parkland, and it's beyond the parks' mission to provide that on a large scale. We all need parks to be parks, not housing.

That said, the MPRB did gain valuable experience in the only year in its history officially permitting encampments. Park Street Reach Teams had already been established, and I support their continued funding, staffing and training. Street Reach staff have been working to approach unhoused people this summer with dignity to ask what they need, and to offer choices besides camping in a Minneapolis park. MPRB staff and volunteers also learned new ways to connect unhoused people with organizations and resources they need during the day, and they collaborated more with organizations that have a history of work with homelessness - Hennepin County, the City and numerous nonprofits - to find shelter and affordable housing overnight and long-term.

Expanding access

The MRPB and city collaborated in 2016 to fund NPP20 - a steady investment for 20 years in capital expenditures in all of our neighborhood parks. The Equity Matrix was established at the same time as a necessary part of that collaboration, which provided data to prioritize historically and racially marginalized areas for first investments. This is a unique advancement, which I support fully. High quality parks are now built or being planned in most marginalized areas. The next step is to provide high quality programming and sufficient staff in these new parks. The MRPB staff has identified a $2 million dollar gap in youth program funding to simply maintain what it already offers. I am heartened that filling this gap seems to be a priority in 2022 budget discussions, and I will push for that in December and beyond if elected. I will look for additional ways to fund high quality programs and to lift up program leaders. Another important step is to work with communities to solve how kids, families and seniors will feel safe going to and coming from their local park, as well as during activities. I will seek park police historical knowledge and collaborate with neighborhoods and community members to create safe, welcoming park environments.

Youth programming

Youth programming is dear to my heart and a big reason why I decided to run for the Park Board. A specific way the MPRB could enhance it is by clearly defining, with the Minneapolis School Board and with park-using clubs and sports organizations, who is responsible for each program that currently serves teens, especially middle school-aged kids, aged 11-15. After assessing and defining the gaps, the next step would be to create, staff and publicize more individualized teen programs where needed that are fun, active, outdoors and challenging.

Greatest need

There are 180 parks in our system, 102 miles of walking and biking trails, and 49 recreation centers. Everyone notices more about the park closest to them than other parks, so I posed this question to someone who had the perspective of seeing all of them in a short time. Glen Varns is an active volunteer and park user who challenged himself to bike to all 180 parks in 2 days last spring. He told me that he was surprised to find that the trails and amenities around our lakes were in the worst condition of all the parks and trails he encountered, especially around Nokomis and Bde Maka Ska. If Minneapolis is the City Of Lakes, and host to a Regional Park System gem that is visited by more tourists than any other State Park, that is not acceptable, so I name that our greatest need.

Homeless encampments

Our entire nation is in a housing crisis, and every governing body and community must do what they can to break the cycle of homelessness. I see it as the Park Board's role to help provide a stable place for our unhoused neighbors while we work with the city and county to provide more permanent housing solutions and other needed resources. We have seen a marked improvement over last summer thanks in part to the federal aid from the American Rescue Plan. We will have to maintain the pressure on the city, county, and state governments to continue providing the needed housing and resources into the future. This past legislative session I watched several hours of testimony from experts and people who are experiencing homelessness. The number one thing that perpetuates homelessness and costs our society an incredible amount financially is continued displacement and instability. Encampments aren't pretty, but kicking people around continues the cycle that contributes to our homeless crisis while costing our society more money. So while I may not be 'pro' encampment, I am absolutely anti-displacement and anti-perpetuation of a failed system. If we experience an influx of homeless encampments like we saw in 2020 under my term I will base my decisions off of a philosophy of valuing the humanity and individuality of each neighbor, and will work to provide land for encampments on city, county, and potentially MPRB land with the city and county taking the lead on administrative duties.

Expanding access

There are a few strategies that MPRB should take to improve access to our high quality of parks throughout the city. The first step we should take is to analyze and adjust our current outreach methods and communication accessibility to ensure we are reaching as many residents as possible regarding MPRB services and events. Far too many voters have told me that there is a communication disconnect that results in reduced participation. We have to fund efforts to actively increase engagement and community buy-in across the city so we can maximize the service we already provide. I will also push to complete the unfinished vision of Theodore Wirth by completing connections to the Mississippi for North and Northeast, and finish the missing link of the Grand Rounds. Lastly, I would like to work with the city government to convert certain underused side streets to create mid-block playgrounds and parks. This will accomplish several important things, including the creation of easily accessible and safe parks, reduction of the devastating heat island effect, and the ability to create high quality parks in every neighborhood.

Youth programming

I have a few different ideas to improve youth programming but they all fall under increasing funding. That's the quick and easy answer, but here is how we can accomplish this and a couple thoughts I have about how we should spend these increased funds. First, we have to push for stronger levy increases so we can keep up with the rising costs of running programming across the city. Youth programming is a great way to spend our collective funds as it pays dividends and is always sound fiscal investment. In a similar vein I will utilize my legislative experience to push for higher investments from the state. Second, I believe that the MPRB should take a hard look at certain new capital projects and consider if the funds to create these projects (and the subsequent maintenance costs) would not be better spent on our youth. While new capital projects can be a great boon for our city (like connecting North/Northeast to the river), building up our community through youth development can be just as, if not more, important. This is the type of consideration I will make as your commissioner to ensure we are getting the most out of every penny in our budget. With these additional funds I will invest in a revitalized work pathway program that will create a direct pipeline between our youth and well paying middle class jobs, and I will create new innovative programs that the next generation truly want.

Greatest need

It is difficult to pick one systemwide issue that should take precedence over all others. However, to put it broadly, I think our greatest park need is to ensure that the land and facilities we currently control are used and maintained optimally. While our park system is not perfect, it does lead the world in quality and the services it provides. But, this will not continue to be the case if we fail to do a couple things. First, we must increase and catch up on maintenance across our park system. Every neighbor I've spoken to has a broken down basketball court, crumbling path, or dilapidated rec center they can point to as a barrier between them and full use and enjoyment of our parks. We have to focus on maintaining what we have at a higher level so everyone can get the full use out of every park. Second, we have to continue to adapt to changing tastes, demographics, and generational desires. This means building more skateparks, basketball courts, pickleball courts, soccer fields, and non-athletic amenities like spaces, for gardening, art, pollinator friendly habitat, and intentional community building. For example if you look at a Google Earth image of Minneapolis you will see clearly that far too much of our park land is given to underused spaces that have lost popularity decades ago. It is time to reappropriate underused land to meet modern demand or else we will see a decline in use of our wonderful parks.

Age: 58 Lives in: Willard-HayOccupation: Firefighter and EMT, Minneapolis Fire Department

Homeless encampments

As a 21-year veteran of the Minneapolis Fire Department both as a firefighter and E.M.T., I've seen firsthand the conditions our residents dwell in at the parks. The conditions are unacceptable and dangerous for them and for our park users. We need a real solution for our unsheltered brothers and sisters, right now. However, using the Parks for housing should not be the solution.

I believe the encampments have been a deterrent for many who would like to participate in our parks. This is unacceptable and unsafe for not only our temporary guests but for any users of those affected parks. We must do better as a city.

I support greater expansion of affordable housing funding by our developers both for profit and non-profit and even strategies such as tiny housing developments for the current unsheltered populations.MPRB must stay with its responsibility of providing a place for all users including our unsheltered brothers and sisters to stay healthy through recreation and community bonding. We must stay true to our mission "permanently preserve, protect, maintain, improve, and enhance its natural resources, parkland, and recreational opportunities for current and future generations."

Expanding access

First, it starts with a belief that our parks in our communities deserve to be the best for all users. Too many times, red tape and even simple personal spats get in the way of progress and partnerships.We must collectively invest our time, talent and treasure into all of our parks. It is a blessing to have this resource and we must all support it.

I support and will continue to promote the current policy that prioritizes parks and communities that have been traditionally left behind. However, I believe we must do more. I will work with my partners to expand new sources of resource, human and fiscal and work to develop stronger partnerships with community agencies and programs to expand the communities programming.

Youth programming

As we come out of the challenges for the past two years, we must reimagine how we program our parks for all youth and families. As a 25+ year coach with the Police Activities (Athletic) League and Hospitality House, I have a great appreciation for the struggles to develop and maintain these programs. In fact, I developed a program with teachers, mentors and parents to support the development of the whole child during my time coaching to ensure our their success as well-rounded young people and had the best shot to succeed as an adult.

WE (Parks, Agencies, Community) MUST WORK TOGETHER! Within my first few months, we convene a PAC conference to begin the process of developing stronger collective efforts.

There are so many great agencies and programs across Minneapolis. The solution is right before us. Note - our suburban communities coordinate their community education, schools and other agencies into one system ensuring all kids regardless of skill level can participate at the level they so choose and builds their abilities and confidence. This one concept would improve programming opportunities for parents while enhancing efficiency and effectiveness for our community agencies.

I will personally work to promote and develop that system with the park leadership and staff, community users, agencies and business owners in effort to create the most impactful programming for us all.

Greatest need

Safety and relevant programming. What good is a beautiful park if people don't feel safe to get there or feel safe once they get there?

As we are blessed with a remarkable system, unfortunately many potential users will not experience it because they do not feel safe or see activities that speak and empower them. Our city has grown and changed over the past decade. However, the programming is still rooted in our past. I believe the 20 year master planning process led but MPRB across the city will provide better clarity for the system, many young people, families and communities still believe the facilities and programs are irrelevant and unsafe.

We must find unique ways to rethink and expand how to keep our users and guests safe. As we feel safe, we can do great things if we work together for our children and families at the parks.

Through the PAC process I will set the table and engage as many who feel left out of the process. We WILL commit to engaging ALL users in real time and work to see our collective success within each other. Once we do that, our kids will feel safe and increase their activities, in turn creating a safer, more just community.

Homeless encampments

Homeless encampments being permitted on to the MPRB property is not truly a permission that a person experiencing homelessness typically asks for. Usually, space is taken as people seek safety and solace during difficult times in their lives. Now, if this question is asking me should we provide permitting in the way of written approval my answer is no. It is my personal belief that people should not be unhoused, especially if they desire housing in the traditional terms. Certainly our parks are not the place for encampments as it encroaches on all of our ability to truly enjoy the parks and it encroaches on the people who are unhoused as well. The parks certainly may serve as a conveying partner/resource for supporting the unhoused by partnering with other governmental and social service agencies. We may bring the resources into our parks and provide them directly to and for the people, especially given the proximity and ability to do so in real time. We may offer laundry support, personal hygiene resources or even access to technology to search for jobs, housing etc We certainly have a role to play in supporting the unhoused and we must be creative and humane in the process because if our parks are truly for all we must not exclude anyone based on their housing status.

Expanding access

We must consider programs and resources that promote partnership with other agencies that may support families in these marginalized communities. What I mean by this is that we must include the folks who are dealing with housing, education and economic development, we should not act as separated and isolated experts, but should be fully integrated as much as possible to fully address the entirety of the communities issues. It has been proven that belonging to a community is one of the effective factors in creating the sense of community and the way that you do that is convening a space where people may socialize, access resources and feel invested in with dignity and care. We must also provide space for these simple yet important actions to happen, while creating space for communities to have some ownership in what is happening from a programming perspective to amenities creating a long term investment in the upkeep and success of the parks. There has to be an installation of those nice tennis courts, basketball courts or water parks in areas that have been completely overlooked and we must invest in the upkeep of those parks at a rate that may be different than others areas. We must not forget that these communities have been disregarded by every aspect of our system so we have to build trust in order to be truly effective. It takes time and effort to get to this level of trust/investment with the people for the greatest change.

Youth programming

One way that MPRB is able to expand youth programming is to solicit youth voice, youth choice in the type of programs they would like to see happening inside the parks in which they frequent. The very basic concept of youth voice and youth choice isn't revolutionary but it can feel that way when you have not practice this type of youth work before; I believe that we haven't flexed this muscle in a while, we should be able to implement this easily across all of our parks and give each community the diversity in programming that they would like to have offered based on who anyone specific park primary users maybe. We also need to adapt and offer programs that promote building skills and competencies that allow young people to function and contribute in their daily lives, ensuring skills that lead to productive adults. Every program offering must include at the base operations and functionality for the youth to develop self-confidence, optimism, and initiative. This is how we expand our youth programming. We must also ensure that our staff are properly trained and supported to facilitate high quality and effective programming and ensure that we hire a staff that is reflective of the community it is serving!

Greatest need

The greatest park-related need system-wide is for our parks to actually live up to and fulfill our promise and truly be a park for all no matter what your economic and racial background may be. Parks are a powerful community tool that play a huge role in the socio-economic and physical wellbeing of our city. We need to truly serve our communities by providing greater access to recreational opportunities for all. By offering intergenerational programming and cutting edge creative programs uniquely crafted to a community. We must modernize our park infrastructure and increase public safety in our parks so that families in all neighborhoods feel safe in our parks again. Parks must truly become the center of our neighborhoods! During this global pandemic we have seen the dramatic rise for safe social connections and the restorative effects of nature in our parks so it's critical that we provide to everyone fulfilling our promise to have parks within a half-mile or six blocks of city residents.

Did not participate: Londel French

District 1 includes northeast Minneapolis east of the Mississippi River, including the Nicollet Island and Boom Island regional parks.

Did not participate: Billy Menz

District 2, located in north Minneapolis west of the Mississippi River, is the home of Theodore Wirth Park and North Commons.

Homeless encampments

While individuals are seeking shelter in our parks we should continue to work with them to help them locate more permanent shelter, and provide resources to them such as water and food. Affordable housing is a major crisis that the MPRB cannot solve alone, and any of our neighbors that are seeking assistance should be helped.

Expanding access

The MPRB has a number of programs and activities that only exist in select spaces and these can easily be replicated in other areas of the city. Additionally partnering with Metro Transit we can make sure that our parks have sufficient transportation options. No park space should be more than a few minutes walk from a bus or train line.

Youth programming

Right now most of the rec centers are park facilities are closed and don't carry or have rec programming for youth. By establishing staffed rec programs at these facilities we can provide both good paying careers to teenagers and activities for youth of all ages all days of the week, including meals during summers and weekends.

Greatest need

Youth related programming and activities is the biggest need in North Minneapolis right now, as well as teenage employment. City-wide the MPRB needs to improve its communications, both in making residents aware of programming and activities but also in its website and digital communication.

Age: 48 Lives in: Lind-BohanonOccupation: Employment recruiter, Twin Cities Rise; executive director, Heritage Youth Sports Foundation

Homeless encampments

As an agency and community leader and a coach, the sight of our fellow residents in challenging conditions is difficult to witness especially for our kids they play within feet of some encampments should be a challenge for us all. This is unacceptable in the 21st century for a community that prides itself of caring for all of us. However, we must not use the Parks for housing.

These encampments have been a deterrent for many who would like to join a program or just even walk around our parks. This too is unacceptable. We must do better as a city solve this issue as one community.

As my citywide partner in the race, Charles Rucker, pointed out we must support greater expansion of affordable housing funding, encourage more developers to build more affordable units and create unique housing solutions to ensure everyone has a place to call home. With that said, MPRB must stay with its responsibility and use its resources provided by our taxpayer a place for all users, including our unsheltered brothers and sisters, to stay healthy through recreation and create opportunities community bonding. If we use our limited and focused resources to shoulder the housing load, our abilities to serve our residents and staff will suffer even more.

I will work with efforts like Heading Home Hennepin and other elected officials from our federal, state, and local governmental partners and our community non-profit partners to find real short and long-team solutions to improve the lives of our fellow residents.

Expanding access

I have been working on this issue for most of my professional career and we are building huge momentum on the Northside and we must continue to build upon our latest successes.

Too often, the news is always bad from our side of town. However, the latest run of activities led by a 60+ community coalition of youth serving, civic engagement, health enrichment, artistic social and service development organizations that I am proud to be a major partner through Heritage Youth Sports Foundation has begun to turn the tide over North.

I believe we can duplicate this energy and structure across the city. For a little background, we came together in response to the pandemic and stayed together after George Floyd's murder. Through our collective work, we have provided high-quality meaningful programming with our park partners and distributed 28,000+ PPE, meals to community members and first responders, hosted the community summer games for our youth and provided some their first jobs in effort to build a better community.

Our effort demonstrates what can happen when organizations and individuals can put away egos and stay commit to building high-quality programs even in the face of social unrest.

This was possible because MPRB join the community table and built the process with our community coalition. If elected, I will help our communities create their own coalition in partnership with the park board.

Youth programming

Our coalition beings with one question, "So how are the children?" As we come out of the challenges for the past two years, we must reimagine how we program our parks for all youth and families. As an agency leader with Heritage and 20+ year coach with North, Henry and Park Center High Schools, I understand the challenges to develop and maintain programs.

There is nothing new under the sun. In my 20+ years of service to our community, I have seen amazing solutions to enhance programming across the region. The question is 'are we ready for that change?'

If elected I will provide leadership for the communities to implement a system that coordinates our youth servicing organizations and work with public and private partners to streamline our collective activities starting with North Minneapolis and building a comprehensive process throughout the system and ensure all kids regardless of skill level and interest can participate in our parks. This will encourage greater collaboration support the best our communities and our youth's dreams regardless of their abilities.

Greatest need

Safety and relevant programming. As encampments are a challenge across the system, getting to the park safely at times is equally difficult in North Minneapolis. That coupled with irrelevant programing reduces the energy for our people to visit our parks. Further, our community has changed greatly even in the past decade.

The rest is here:

A guide to the 2021 Minneapolis Park Board and Board of Estimate & Taxation candidates - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Each one of us, says David Viafora, can be a kalyana mitra, or spiritual friend. Heres how.

Borderline personality disorder, 2018. Drawing by Moonassi.

One day, Ananda and the Buddha were sitting alone on a hill together, overlooking the plains of the Ganges. Having served as the Buddhas attendant for many years, Ananda often shared his reflections and insights with him. This afternoon, Ananda spoke. Dear Respected Teacher, Ananda said. It seems to me that half of the spiritual life is good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship. I imagine that Ananda said this with some level of confidence for praising the merits of spiritual friendship. But the Buddha quickly corrected him: Not so, Ananda! Not so, Ananda! Ouch! Probably Ananda wasnt expecting such a stern rebuke. But the Buddha was offering a powerful teaching. He continued, This is the entire spiritual life, Ananda, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship. When a monk has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, it is to be expected that he will develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path.

Some of early Buddhisms most powerful teachings resulted from when someone, often Ananda, stuck their neck out only to be corrected or admonished by the Buddha. In this case, the Buddha skillfully removed Anandas idea that the sangha and the dharma are separate. One is not half of the other; the sangha is not merely helpful in realizing the path. The sangha is the path. Spiritual friendship is the path.

The practice of sangha-building may be considered one long story of spiritual friendship. Strong communities depend on the personal relationships between its members, like a quilt that is woven together of various threads and seams. By strengthening each individual friendship, we strengthen the entire fabric. For anyone who wants to build a happy and thriving sangha, the key is growing beloved friendships.

In Sanskirt, kalyana mitra means spiritual friend. Kalyana may be translated as good, true, virtuous, upright, or beneficial, and mitra is the root word for maitri, which means kindness. A kalyana mitra is not just any pal you hang out with to hit the clubs or go bar-hopping. A kalyana mitra is someone who helps you realize your deeper aspirations, one who uplifts your path to a higher level of ethical and spiritual well-being. In comparison, the word friendship stems from the Old English freon, meaning to love, and freo, meaning free. So at its roots, friendship means to love freely. Thus both words point a selfless kindness toward others.

Many people, presented with so many teachings praising the practice of meditation and solitude, think Buddhism is a practice for loners. But the Buddhas encouragements to practice in solitude were balanced with an ardent emphasis on cultivating worthy friendships. Throughout his teaching career, the Buddha spoke again and again about the pivotal importance of kalyana mitras in order to succeed in ones practice, stating that there is no other factor so conducive to the arising of the noble eightfold path as good friendship. Just as the dawn is the forerunner of the sunrise, so good friendship is the forerunner for the arising of the noble eightfold path, the Buddha stated. The Discourse on Happiness, which extols thirty-two blessings of a happy life, begins with To avoid foolish persons and to live in the company of wise people, this is the greatest happiness.

There is no factor in our environment so influential to our lives as our closest friends. The Buddhas emphasis on the profound impact of friendship is similarly captured by Joseph Rubanos poem, Friend by Friend:

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Who is my mother,Who my father,When I am being created friend by friend?I dont remember who I was without you.

Whether during times of crisis or peace, whether on momentous occasions or very subtly, wherever we live, those around us are impacting our life and consciousness at every moment.

While living at Deer Park Monastery in California, I once overheard a retreatant asking Thay Phap Dung, the abbot and one of Thich Nhat Hanhs most senior dharma teachers, how to build a sangha in his hometown. Phap Dung replied,

The most important thing is the core friendships you create together. Thats everything. You practice every day by yourself, and you share the fruits of your daily practice with the closest members, those who are the core of your groupyou know who they are. You offer your freshness, joy, and deep listening to them, and help those friendships to bloom. You cant fake that kind of thing; people will know whether you have it or not. So build that core community, and when people come to your sangha, those friendships will radiate out. People will see it, and theyll gravitate to that energy.

Phap Dung likened the sangha to a solar system, in which the core friendships are the bright sun at the center. Those core friendships radiate out warmth, light, and gravitational pull for everyone else to orbit around. Some people will be drawn right into the suns center, beaming bright with kindness and affection. Some will orbit very closely, like Mercury and Venus, while others will come less regularly, like Saturn or Neptune. Still others, like Pluto or Halleys Comet, may visit your sangha only once in a long while. But they all will feel the magnetic draw and nourishment of the suns strength, warmth, and light.

When I visit sanghas, I pay close attention to the quality of their friendships. Do people look at each other with eyes of affection and ease? Do they look at each other at all? Do they spend time hanging out after gathering times or at other times of the week? How do they speak about others when they are together, or more importantly, when they are not together? These are just a few signs of how people express their depth of connection and harmony. What do you observe in your own community? Are you manifesting the depth of companionship together that you yearn for?

Many sanghas strive to serve as many people as possible. Our society consistently promotes messages that bigger is better, more is superior, and that size validates our self-worth. This habit energy of super-sizing can dilute and distract from the sanghas deeper purpose and power. A sanghas true power lies in its depth of spiritual friendship and harmony, rather than its number of followers. Friendships that embody safety, intimacy, and compassion are what people everywhere in our ailing world are so hungry forthey are what we need to heal. There is nothing wrong with growing ones community and sharing the blessings of meditation practice more widely. But are the roots of connection dug deep into your sanghas soil, and the trunk of your togetherness strong enough, to withstand the storms? Deep roots of friendship will nourish the sangha no matter how tall and wide your community grows into the future.

I have witnessed young adult sanghas display some of the most creative and sophisticated means of friendship-building. I have spent time, for example, with Wake Up London, a young adult sangha that masterfully combines practice with the art of play, joy, and service. After their Saturday meditation practice downtown, they often go out for pizza or hang out in St. James Park with tea and snacks among the trees. Once or twice a year, they organize a music concert where all are invited, as well as encouraged, to share music, poems, skits, or any creative offering. During the pandemic, a large group of friends went camping on the coast for several days, keeping the flames of joy and companionship burning bright even during the dark times. Many of them have chosen to share flats together, living in mini-sangha houses, sharing all domains of daily life. They spend time together not merely to get ahead in their practice but because they like it!

Kareem and Jasmine, a couple who have been practicing in this community for several years, recently said to me with a bright smile, Our sangha friends have become our best friends now! They frequently host sangha weekends at their house outside the city, with time for meditation practice as well as hiking in the woods. They invest themselves in each other, and it yields high returns for their communitys happiness.

The tight-knit circles of companionship in Wake Up London have brought Thich Nhat Hanhs legacy of socially engaged practice into the streets of London. They have organized numerous sitting and walking meditation events in public spaces, as well as offered their compassionate and collective presence to peaceful protests for environmental and humanitarian causes such as Extinction Rebellion. One of Wake Up Londons founders, Joe Holtaway, shared, I believe that our Plum Villageinspired activism has bonded us in action.

Having profound exchanges through meditation and dharma sharing circles is important, yet thats only one dimension of building friendship. To see the full sphere of someones world requires different types of conversations, socially engaged projects, and some good old hangout time. Especially after steeping in meditation together, the atmosphere is ripe for meaningful connection and joyful service.

The pandemic has provided many of us with ample time, hunger, and encouragement to assess the quality of our closest friendships. Times of isolation, loneliness, and craving for connection are opportunities to reflect on ones capacity to be a friend to others. The safest way to make good friends is to strengthen ones own gifts of friendship. It can be so easy for me to blame or feel dependent upon others willingness to reach out. But if I really want to grow the friendship, then its crucial for me to examine what Im offering. I have heard Thich Nhat Hanh share with us countless timesbut especially when a conflict arose in the sanghaBrotherhood and sisterhood always begin with oneself. (These days, we like to say, Siblinghood always begins with oneself, to include those of diverse gender identities.) Shel Silverstein also beautifully captures this truth with childlike wisdom:

How many slices in a bread?Depends on how thin you cut it.How much good inside a day?Depends how good you live em.How much love inside a friend?Depends how much you give em.

How can one cultivate such a spirit of friendship? In his teachings to a young layman in the Sigalaka Sutra, the Buddha named specific traits of a worthy friend, traits one can cultivate as a practice. As youre reading about these four types of companions, each with four esteemed qualities, consider which friends in your community embody these virtues. Also recognize which qualities you see in yourself and which ones you feel called to further develop.First is what the Buddha calls the helpful friend. This friend protects you when you are careless, looks after your property when you are forgetful, is a refuge when you are frightened, and when some need arises, she gives you twice the wealth required. This is quite a friend! Have you ever given someone twice what they asked for, or didnt even ask for? This generous companion helps those around her feel safe and protected, crucial states of well-being for ones healing and transformation.

Second is the friend who shares ones happiness and suffering. This kind of friend reveals their secrets to you but guards your secrets. They would not abandon you when you are in trouble; rather, they would even sacrifice their life for your sake. This friend seems right out of a dramatic action movie, where the heroism of trust and friendship prevail. These faithful companions are much needed in our tumultuous and traumatized world.Third is the friend who points out what is good. This is a wise friend who discourages you from doing evil or harmful things; instead, he enjoins you in doing good things. He informs you what you have not heard and points out the path of love and compassion. These friends may first appear as saints, helping us to walk the higher path of compassion and service. But in fact, they are real people like you and me who are helping bring the dharma to life. They may be your mentor, teacher, or any friend whose ethical integrity illumines your path and understanding of virtuous actions.

Last is the sympathetic friend. This beloved friend does not rejoice in your misfortune but rather rejoices in your good fortune. She stops those who speak poorly of you and commends those who speak praise of you. This friend embodies trust and empathy whether you are physically present or not, truly a precious ally when living in community where relationship challenges and conflict often occur. Many times, I have witnessed community members speaking poorly about others in their absence, unskillfully trying to relieve themselves of their anger, resentment, or jealousy. This habit is one of the most pervasive sources of corrosion in a spiritual community. Thus, having a trustworthy friend who does not speak poorly of others, even among others criticism, is as valuable to a sangha as gold nuggets in your hand.

Friends who embody all sixteen of these qualities are like rare gems found on distant mountaintops. If you come across one, hold onto them! Even if you have just one friend who embodies one of these qualities, this is also a great blessing. Of the four types of good friends outlined above, which one do you feel most attracted to befriending? And which of these types of friends do you aspire to embody yourself?

A few decades ago at Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh invented a sangha-building practice called the second body system. Whether you live in a monastery, reside in a lay community, or practice regularly in a local sangha, the second body practice is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to strengthen relationships in your community and help everyone to feel more connected to the sangha itself.

Many years ago, when I was a novice at Plum Village, I became ill and needed to stay in my room for several days, apart from the rest of the sangha. I was feeling lonely and cut off from the community, so it was a total surprise and joy for me when my second body delivered hot oatmeal and fruit to my room. I slept right through breakfast and woke up to find the caring gift on my nightstand. Every meal thereafter, three times a day like clockwork, my second body came with a bowl of hot soup, or steamed vegetables and rice, and most importantly, his caring presence! He often stayed to eat with me, enjoying the simple meal in silence as if I was sitting together with the whole sangha. We stared out of the glass doors to the lush forest outside, content with each others presence without words. Since I was alone all day, his presence helped me feel seen, cared about, and loved. Even though he was the only one coming to visit, he was like an ambassador of the whole sangha, helping me feel a sense of belonging.

Throughout the pandemic, when so many people have felt isolated, and starved for human connection, the second body practice has helped connect every member of our sangha to the whole. In this practice, everyone looks after themselves first; we care for and attend to ourselves as our own first body. Then, those who wish to participate are assigned someone else as their second bodyan intentional, caring friendship for a period of time. Each participant has both someone whom they are caring for and someone who is caring for them. Thus, the entire sangha is tied together in a circular chain of intentional friendships.

We approach this practice with lightness. Were not trying to be someones therapist or guru. We are simply keeping friendships alive and growing the circle of our community. One of the intentions of this practice is to pull us out of our habitual forces of self-interest, busyness, and isolation from others, and gently pull us into a spirit of more openness and connection. Focusing on ones second body each week extends peoples attention outward; it encourages everyone to expand beyond their typical and most frequent connections. This practice is powerful for the whole community, as you dont need to improve your relationships with everyone in order for friendships to bloom across the sangha. When you care for one person, you care for the whole.

At MorningSun Community in New Hampshire, we started our second body practice last summer, during the pandemic. It was amazing to see people given permission and encouragement to have fun with people with whom they normally didnt spend time one-on-one. For example, Joaquin accompanied Mary Beth on a ten-mile bike adventure around Lake Warren during her typical weekday ride. Candace, who was a second body toward me, invited me to plant tomato and sweet potato seedlings on Saturday afternoons. I treated Fern, my second body, to some dark chocolate and tea during my lunch break. This stimulated some great conversation, as Fern shared about her familys newfound interest of playing Dungeons and Dragons together. Without our second body practice, I would have never learned (or dreamed) that Fern, our senior dharma teacher and a former nun, enjoys Dungeons and Dragons so much!

Several months later, we were all assigned a different second body. I asked Aurora, my new second body, to go for a walk and have some tea together. She wrote back, No thanks, but how about you go for a run with me? I groaned, realizing that I was paired up with an ultramarathon runner! It had been a while since Id been running regularly, but that all changed with my new second body. She was doing a multi-marathon training that month, so I started running alongside her for as long as I could a few times per week. But instead of a chore, running with Aurora for even a fraction of her epic adventures became quite fun. After several weeks, I was able to run with her for two and a half hours one dayI would have never gotten that strong so quickly without my second body. But more importantly, our friendship became stronger than ever.

Our MorningSun sangha found that its helpful to have a minimum amount of time each week or month that everyone agrees to spend with their second body. We decided that spending about thirty minutes each week, or one hour every two weeks, is reasonable. Sometimes the second body relationships connect very easily, and other times they dont really click. Relationships are always shifting and changing, and one never knows how spending time with a random person in the sangha will be. But thats part of the fun and edge for growth. It is also helpful to have a clear end date, so that people can find closure. Knowing the ending date also keeps the reality of relationship impermanence alive, so that the time doesnt go by without meaningful experience together.

It is up to each second body pairing how they wish to connect. Aside from the half-hour weekly commitment, people may like to offer other forms of friendship, such as bringing fresh flowers to brighten their day, a card full of genuine appreciations, or simply getting together to meditate. Most important is to be creative and make this practice your own. Similarly, every sangha can choose how to uniquely implement it based on its needs. Its a bold experiment in building friendships in the heart of your community. No one will do it perfectly, and people are bound to make mistakes. But see what you may learn about others, offer the fruits of your daily practice to one another, and watch the sangha bloom with cross-pollination in front of your eyes.

If it was easy to succeed on the path without the guidance, compassion, and joy of good friends, then kalyana mitras wouldnt be so precious. Walking the path alone can be a confusing, lonely, and difficult journey. Voyaging with poor friends is like sailing across the ocean with your anchor dragging on the floorno matter which direction you try to go, you are always pulled downward.

Good friendships are like rays of a spring dawn pouring beams of warmth and light onto the frozen forest floor. Every part of the forest is brought to life by its brightness and vitality. The practice of kalyana mitra is learning to breathe new life into every relationship, beginning with ourselves and then expanding to our closest relationships and beyond. Each one of us has a kalyana mitra inside, ready to step forward. We can start by cultivating just one quality of good friendship, with one person in front of us, in one moment. We can even start right now.

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Spiritual Friendship Is the Path - Lion's Roar