Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels will take the lead on the city council to ensure that a community benefits agreement (CBA) will be part of any public subsidy project in the Bassett Creek Valley on the near Northside. Samuels declared his leadership support for the large economic development in front of 300 people organized by ISAIAH at Redeemer Lutheran Church on May 29.
Jeannie Sur, a member of Harrison Neighborhood where the development will occur and member of Redeemer Lutheran, outlined the history of racism in the area. She used a map of Minneapolis from 1935 showing the area of Harrison and its surroundings labeled “Negro Section.” In many ways racism still exists there with poverty, she said, in that residents have “still not been invited to the table” to offer their hopes for this development.
The scriptural image of Jesus’ invitation for all to sit at the table for the banquet recurred throughout the night. Michelle Dibblee, chair of ISAIAH’s Minneapolis-Richfield caucus and member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, began the public meeting by telling of her own struggle when she was confronted with racism six years ago and then when ISAIAH started to walk the journey a year ago. “I could’ve run away again,” she said, “and I’m glad I didn’t. Our community needs healing; I need healing.”
Other issues engaged by the churches that night included health care and education. Liz Andress, co-chair of the health team in ISAIAH and a member of Grace Lutheran Church, spoke of the past year’s accomplishments in bringing the faith community and unions together and hearing many stories from people of all colors about their experience without proper or any health care. Her team asked State Rep. Erin Murphy and DFL-endorsed candidate Bobby Jo Champion of Dist. 58B if they would work together with ISAIAH and other community groups and legislators in the 2009 legislative session. They agreed, as did current Rep. Willy Domingues.
During the meeting, Phil Rose, also a member of St. John’s Episcopal, said that Minnesota has the highest percentage graduation gap between students of color and whites. “If racism causes a gap in graduation, shouldn’t we see what causes racism?” he asked. A Hopkins High School student, Meka, spoke of her desire for kids “to go to a school where they fit in and still learn to the best of their ability.” Chris Stewart, a Minneapolis School Board member, said we need to “bring people to the table that do tough reflection,” and with three other school board members agreed to meet with ISAIAH members to make that happen.
Along with the 300 attendees were 15 public officials. ISAIAH is a faith-based organization of 90 churches in the Twin Cities metro area and St. Cloud that strives to build healthy communities and work for racial justice. This event, one of several that happened this spring, was organized by the Minneapolis-Richfield Caucus in preparation for an ISAIAH-wide assembly on October 12 at the Excel Center in St. Paul.