Category Archives: Community Engagement

2016 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest

Contest Details:

The Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights, Minneapolis City Council, and the Minneapolis Mayor are pleased to present the 2016 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest. This contest is open to all Minneapolis students in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades.

The topic for this year’s contest is: Dr. King’s vision is alive and well through the work of current civil rights activists. What kind of impacts are these activists making on the current political and social landscape, and how do you see their work influencing the future?

Provide and properly cite all direct quotes from at least two current leaders/activists in your essay, and give their contact information for verification purposes. You can use information gathering techniques such as interviews, reaching out to organizations/houses of worship doing civil rights work, attending community meetings, and much more. Essays may be from one to three pages in length and address the selected topic. Completed entry forms with parent’s signature must be attached to the back of the essay. All submissions are due by November 16th, 2015.

Teachers can request a member of the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights to visit their classroom and to assist students with the essay topic. To request a visit, please contact the commissioner listed at the bottom of this letter.

Additional packets can be found on the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights website, here.

All contest winners will be notified in January, 2016. There will be three winners chosen from each grade level.

The contest winners will receive a gift card to be awarded at a ceremony before the Minneapolis City Council in January 2016, in the following amounts:

First Place $ 300.00
Second Place $ 200.00
Third Place $ 100.00

There will be a reception after the award ceremony to honor the winners. Teachers, parents, educators and others are invited to attend. Students will have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights members, Minneapolis City Council members and Mayor Hodges. Interviews may be requested by the media. The first place winners will have an opportunity to read a portion of their essay at the awards ceremony

Completed Essays should be returned no later than Monday November 16th, 2015 to:

Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights
Attention: Christian Taylor, MCCR Liaison
350 South 5th Street, Room 239
Minneapolis, MN 55415
[email protected]

MLK Essay Contest photo

Call for Art: Northeast Art Calendar

The deadline for art submissions for the 5th Annual Northeast Arts Calendar is October 8th at 6 PM. The calendar is produced and distributed by the Northeast Community Development Corporation (NECDC). Artists should send in works that represent one or more of the 14 Northeast Neighborhoods with an address or clearly defined location that inspired the work. (See map at bottom). Neighborhoods include:  St. Anthony West, St. Anthony East, Beltrami, Mid-City Industrial, Northeast Park, Logan Park, Sheridan, Bottineau, Holland, Windom Park, Audubon Park, Waite Park, Columbia Park, and Marshall Terrace.

Artists will be paid $50.00 per each work selected and the artist’s work that is chosen for the calendar’s cover will be paid $250.00. Artwork must be formatted in 300 dpi and submitted electronically to [email protected]. Click here for a printable flyer (pdf).

New this year:  Northeast Neighborhood residents, artists and business owners are encouraged to attend the art selection open house at East Side Neighborhood Services (1700 2nd St NE) on October 15th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM.  Highest ranked artworks will be used in the calendar. Snacks and beverages provided.

Call 612-801-7834 regarding submissions for event.

Northeast map - NECDC

RecQwest Community Advisory Committee

The City of Minneapolis’ demographics are changing rapidly, and it is more important than ever to ensure that the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is meeting the needs of its diverse stakeholders. Therefore, the MPRB has embarked on a critical effort to develop a plan – RecQuest – for the next generation of recreation centers in Minneapolis.  And you can be a part of it!

Applications are now being accepted for potential members of the RecQuest Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to be appointed by the MPRB Board of Commissioners.  The charge of this CAC is to:

  • Work collaboratively and provide input toward final project recommendations for approval by the Board of Commissioners.
  • Become knowledgeable about the project and its scope and advise MPRB staff and consultants throughout the planning process.
  • Contribute to broad community outreach and engagement by enhancing the project’s interaction with a wide range of stakeholders.
  • Understand and represent the needs of all community members.
  • Apply equity principles in decision-making based on training provided by staff and project consultants
  • Report back to appointers or appointing bodies, as requested, on the plan process, information presented, and possible recommendations.
  • Evaluate potential scenarios and deliver a preferred, actionable alternative for recreation centers and programs to the Board of Commissioners.

Application deadline is Friday, July 31 at 4pm.

More information can be found here.  Online application can be found here.

MPD Community Engagement

Minneapolis Police Department | Community Engagement Team

Click here to read CET’s March 2015 newsletter

From their Website:

The Community Engagement Team is tasked with building ties with the various ethnic communities in our city. They work to build trust and strong relationships with members of these communities.

CET is also tasked with educating the community and the MPD on issues related to terrorism and overall police/community concerns. They can answer questions about Homeland Security issues from both officers and community members.

CET Officers can assist other officers in more complex cases such as those in which there is a language barrier. Community members can contact CET officers to offer information if and when they feel reluctant to speak to a regular officers or investigators.

They welcome your calls and questions.

Types of services offered by the Community Engagement Team:

  • Citizen academies
  • Youth academies
  • Attending Public Forums
  • Community lectures
  • Community focus group
  • Training programs (Violent Extremism)
  • Recruit youth to participate in the Police Activities League
  • Recruit youth to participate in the Police Explorers Program
  • Develop and implement mentorship opportunities for youth
  • Assist recruitment officers with diversity recruit for police officer and community service officer positions
  • Develop and deliver training programs to raise awareness of violent extremism
  • Oversee the See Something, Say Something program

For more, including contacts, visit their website: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/police/about/WCMS1P-120613

 

Creative Engagement and Action Using Arts and Placemaking

NONconferencelogo_original

Saturday, March 21st
9:00am – 3:00pm
Minneapolis Convention Center

(Click here to register)

Why a nonConference?

Organizers have dubbed this year’s event a “nonconference” due to its highly interactive nature. Participants will learn by seeing and doing rather than sitting and listening to presentations. They will be immersed in experiences that will give them the skills and strategies to take creative placemaking techniques back to their own communities.

  • You’ll be challenged and interested: You will be learning by seeing and doing rather than sitting and listening to presentations.
  • You determine your own schedule: Come and go as you please during the times of 9:00am – 3:00pm.
  • There will be engaging Learning Labs: Learning labs replace the typical workshops, there are only 8 of them and they rotate throughout the day so you can attend the ones you like.
  • Interaction is key: This is the meat and potatoes of the conference. The Village Square is where you get to meet other participants and interact.
  • Everyone can participate: Language is often a barrier for participation from members of cultural communities in Minneapolis. Having many visual interactions allows for everyone to feel welcome.
  • The conference is family friendly: If not having a babysitter is preventing you from attending, you can bring your kids with you. We won’t have formal child care, but we will have a few family friendly activities in the Village Square.

Register for an Exhibit Table in the Village Square!

Present your ideas, experiences and knowledge as an exhibitor at the conference. The registration and payment deadline is Friday, March 6.

  • Exhibitor tables are an excellent way to promote your services or work, launch a new idea, or simply network with a wide range of participants.
  • As an exhibitor, you will be featured in the Community Connections Conference program that is provided to each conference participant.
  • Hosting an exhibitor table exposes you to a large group of active residents and neighborhood organizations who are looking for information, ideas and assistance to help them further their work.

The cost for an exhibitor space is free to neighborhood organizations and nonprofits with operating budgets of $250,000 or less. The cost is $100 for government, for-profit and large nonprofit agencies. More information on exhibitor registration is available on the City website.