CEC WEEKLY TIES – Landscapes of Hope is now a searchable map!
January 26, 2021
Dear colleagues,
I am excited to share that Landscapes of Hope is now a searchable map! Landscapes of Hope is a collection of over 200 stories from buildings and places in the Twin Cities where protests occurred following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. The stories elaborate on how the design of the built environment can pave the way for social and racial justice, equality, freedom, and global citizenship.
You can view the stories by navigating the map or searching by building type or neighborhood.
In creating healthy and connected communities in which everyone can thrive,
the answers we are looking for are right here, in front of our eyes, if we know where to look.
These stories of Black-owned, immigrant-owned, family-owned, and women-owned businesses alongside major pharmacy chains, grocery stores, and affordable housing providers that serve neighborhoods of communities of color demonstrate how to move forward:
- Coming together–from federal, state, and local governments to public safety officials, educators, health providers, businesses, faith leaders, city planners, architects, designers, and citizen advocates–to denounce exclusion, injustice, and marginalization in all forms.
- Eliminating disparities related to health, income, education, death, and incarceration.
- Investing in relationship-building and dialogues.
Let us know if you have more stories we can feature.
Tasoulla Hadjiyanni, Editor
[email protected]
Selected stories from Landscapes of Hope
Carving spaces for dialogue will be an instrumental step toward eliminating disparities and building a world grounded on social and racial justice. A promising study by Broockman & Kalla (2016) showed the power of dialogue in reducing prejudice for at least three months. Housing agencies, such as Model Cities, which provides supportive housing for those considered chronically homeless is behind BROWNstone lofts at 839 University Ave W, St Paul.
Art piece by Witt Siasoco.
Amidst the rubble of what remained from Mama Safia’s Kitchen on the ground floor of the Coliseum (2700 E Lake St, Minneapolis), Saida Hassan found the sign she made for her mother when the restaurant first opened. It read, “Mama Safia’s Kitchen. Seasoned with Love,” “Because she always cooks with love.” Safia Munye, a Somali immigrant, opened the restaurant in 2018 with her retirement savings, adding another example of Somali entrepreneurship in Minnesota, particularly for women.
Ananya Dance Theater uses dance as a pioneering force to advocate for social justice. Located on 1197 University Avenue in St. Paul, where Rondo, Little Mekong, and Little Africa neighborhoods blend, Ananya exemplifies how to move from the “I” to the “We.” In their words: “In dancing stories where the lives and dreams of women of color occupy the center, we engage audiences, empower artistic voices, shift the landscape of mainstream culture, build community, and move toward equity and beauty.”
In response to the national conversation about racial inequality, Sephora (3001 Hennepin Av., Minneapolis) will dedicate 15% of its stores‘ shelf space to the products of Black-owned companies, becoming the first major retailer in the United States to take the “15% pledge.” In fact, the few products created for people of color were typically relegated to a small “ethnic beauty” section in stores until in 2013, Tristan Walker founded Walker & Company Brands with the mission to meet the health and beauty needs of people of color on a global scale.
