PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
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EVENTS Find out about Black History Month Events on page 10.
THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934
February 23 - March 1, 2023
Vol. 89
No. 30
Phone: 612-827-4021
www.spokesman-recorder.com
Roof Depot demolition controversy heats up By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer
East Phillips activists say City’s plan threatens their health
facturer and was declared a superfund site in 2007. Located southeast of he City of Minneapolis is downtown Minneapolis, East close to demolishing an Phillips is already one of the abandoned warehouse most polluted neighborhoods at the southern end of in the city. The 2022 Minnethe East Phillips neighsota Department of Health’s borhood to expand and conLife and Breath report found solidate the existing water and 102.6 per 100,000 people in sewer maintenance facilities. the zip code encompassing The plan faces opposition from the Roof Depot site died from neighbors and environmental particulate matter pollution, justice advocates who want the city’s third-highest zip to use the warehouse for an code area after Kingfield and urban farm and cooperatively the University of Minnesota. owned business incubator. “I’m tired of us being On January 26, the Minneoverlooked because we’re apolis City Council approved poor, because we’re Native, the demolition, awarding because we don’t have the a contract worth an estisame resources that a lot of mated $1.6 million to Rachel the rich White people do,” Contracting of St. Michael. said Vinny Dion at a FebruExpansion of the public works ary 6 protest at the Hennepin facility would include build- Abandoned Roof Depot warehouse slated for demolition Photo courtesy of H. Jiahong Pan County Government Center ing parking for an additional organized by the East PhilThe plan to demolish the it intersects with the Midtown after a report recommended bought the warehouse site, lips Neighborhood Initiative 360 vehicles with space split between City-owned vehicles abandoned Roof Depot ware- Greenway, has been in the the City consolidate its water which sits on land occupied (EPNI). “So [rich people] look and worker-owned vehicles. house on E. 28th Street, where works since the early 1990s, operations. In 2015, the City by a former pesticide manu- ■ See DEMOLITION on page 5
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Clearing the hurdles to achieving Black wealth Panel explores Minnesota’s glaring inequities in employment, education, health
New state senator champions women’s rights Family leave, child care, gun violence and public education are also on her agenda By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer
Last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated innesota now has one the Constitutional right to of the strongest and abortion. After the ruling, most comprehensive the Center for Reproductive reproductive protection laws Rights said that the Court’s in the nation, says Sen. Erin decision would likely lead Maye Quade (DFL). The first- to many state legislatures term state senator from Apple around the country pushing Valley was one of the co- for stronger restrictions on authors of the Protect Repro- women’s reproductive rights. ductive Options Act (PRO Act), At the time, the national orgasigned into law late last month nization predicted that at least by Gov. Tim Walz. half of all U.S. states would “I was proud to cast my “immediately take action to vote,” said Quade in a Janu- ban abortion outright.” ary 28 statement following With the PRO Act, Minthe passage of the PRO Act. nesota stands out among its “Our state is one step closer neighboring states in that it to providing ironclad pro- has not banned abortions tections for abortion access, or stopped providing reprocontraception, fertility servic- ductive care. Senator Quade es, and other important forms recently talked to the MSR ■ See QUADE on page 5 of reproductive health.”
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(l-r) Tiffany Daniels (MBCRE); Adair Mosley (AALF); U.S. Senator Tina Smith; Damon Jenkins (First Independence Bank); Warren McLean (NEON); and Andriel Dees (Minnesota State Colleges and Universities) Photo courtesy of Senator Tina Smith By Abdi Mohamed Contributing Writer
In recognition of the interconnected role community organizations and elected officials have in providing a solution, he racial disparities between U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) faciliMinnesota’s Black and White tated a panel on “Building Black Wealth” residents have been widely with local Black leaders in the banking, reported and discussed, espe- education, and community organizing cially in recent years following the murder sectors serving the Twin Cities and greatof George Floyd and the civil unrest that er Minnesota. The panel discussion took place on followed in the wake of his death. Homeownership, education, employment and February 10 at Metro State Univerhealth outcomes are just a few areas in sity. Among the panel participants were which Black Minnesotans experience Northside Economic Opportunity Netlarge disparities compared to their White work (NEON) President Warren McLean; Vice Chancellor of Equity and Inclusion counterparts. While many organizations and gov- for Minnesota State Colleges and Uniernment agencies have highlighted the versities Andriel Dees; Senior Vice Presidisenfranchisement of Black Minneso- dent of First Independence Bank Damon tans and put forth solutions to tackle the Jenkins; Managing Director of Minnesystemic racism that contributes to the sota Business Coalition for Racial Equity disparities, many of these conversations (MBCRE) Tiffani Daniels; and African American Leadership Forum (AALF) CEO have occurred in silos.
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Adair Mosley. Senator Smith’s office released a press advisory ahead of the panel highlighting some of the challenges that Minnesota’s Black community is facing broadly. Only 25 percent of Black households in Minnesota own their home compared to 76 percent of White households. She cosponsored the “Fair Access to Financial Services Act,” the “Choice in Affordable Housing Act,” and has led a bill to support Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to address gaps in economic opportunity. Additionally, she made recommendations to ensure systemic exclusion of communities of color is addressed through enhanced data collection and other measures in updating regulations in the Community Reinvestment Act. In her opening remarks, Senator Smith ■ See WEALTH on page 5
Apple Valley’s Senator Erin Maye Quade
Submitted photo