On Saturday night 40-year old Justine Damond called 911 to report a possible assault. When Minneapolis police showed up and met Justine in the alley it ended with her being shot and killed by Mohamed Noor a Black, Somali-American police officer. The aftermath of the tragedy has many struggling to make sense of the situation.… Continue reading Are we listening now?
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Want a Better Minneapolis? Support $15 Now
The fight for $15 Now is getting more and more heated. This morning the Star Tribune ran this opinion piece by landlord and former city council member Steve Minn. In it he positions owning 1,000 units as being a small business owner which is hard to fathom as I sit at Maeves Coffee Shop, a… Continue reading Want a Better Minneapolis? Support $15 Now
Today a Terrorist Was Set Free: Philando Castile, Whiteness and Terrorism
White folks, a terrorist was set free today and it is our fault. This is not hyperbole nor a rhetorical device. I mean it in the most literal and concrete sense. Today, when Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted and absolved of all accountability for his actions the day he stole Philando Castile’s life, a terrorist walked… Continue reading Today a Terrorist Was Set Free: Philando Castile, Whiteness and Terrorism
“Scaffold” at the Sculpture Garden Should Not Open
I must have been in the 3rd or 4th grade and was just learning how to cuss. My parents had heard me and washed my mouth out with soap. I must have really internalized their lesson because a couple days later I cussed again and didn’t even wait for them; I washed my own mouth… Continue reading “Scaffold” at the Sculpture Garden Should Not Open
Keeping History Alive and Making America Great Again
This last weekend I was in Kansas City at the White Privilege Conference. I spent the weekend building relationships and sharpening the tools necessary for combating white supremacy. Much of the work involves confronting the ignorance we white folks possess when it comes to the manifestations and impact of race, racism, whiteness, and white supremacy.… Continue reading Keeping History Alive and Making America Great Again
The Cool Teacher Ain’t Really All That Cool
“Y’all doing the most!” “Yup, I know. Do you know why? Because we know you can do it. What support do you need from me?” At that point the conversation typically takes a whole new tone. Instead of accusatory, defensive and afraid it becomes one of concern, support, and loving accountability. I know the student… Continue reading The Cool Teacher Ain’t Really All That Cool
“Women Make the World Go ‘Round”: reflections and gratitude on Day Without a Woman
We used to joke that my Mom couldn’t catch a break, even the dog was a boy. There was a lot of testosterone in my house. Today, as many are celebrating International Women’s Day by participating in Day Without a Woman, I find myself reflecting on the women in my life and the ways they… Continue reading “Women Make the World Go ‘Round”: reflections and gratitude on Day Without a Woman
