The Beam is designed to keep you up to date and in the loop on North Minneapolis partnerships, programs and people.    This monthly “quick read” provides current news briefs from NorthWay Community Trust and its partners.
   Above: Brian Mogren serves as Master of Ceremonies at Gospel & Jazz on the Lawn where much healing and forgiveness took place.
   A gallery of photos from this amazing event is at www.northwaycom.org/galleries/gospeljazz.
In 1993, 16-year-old Marlon Green (now Oshea Israel) shot Mary Johnson’s only child, Laramuin Byrd, during a house party. Mary Johnson hugged the boy’s mother during Green’s sentencing and told Green that she forgave him. All these years later Johnson founded a support group, From Death to Life: Two Mothers Coming Together for Healing. She counsels mothers whose children had been killed and encouraged them to reach out to families of their murderers, who are victims of another kind. “Hurt is hurt, it doesn’t matter what side you are on,” Johnson said. In addition to healing groups, From Death to Life sponsors an annual prayer walk, community gatherings that celebrate life, including an event at St. Jane House, Gospel & Jazz on the Lawn. Here, on Saturday, August 28th, victim, mother and murderer forgave and were forgiven.
“Early childhood providers, Minneapolis Public Schools and Hennepin County are all coming together in an historic convening with one agenda: to ensure that every child in the Zone receives quality early childhood education and experience to prepare them for college starting in the womb.”
Thanks to key seed funder, NorthWay Community Trust.
Louis Dachis, Vice President of VB Properties, LLC announced that they are in the final stages of façade redesign for 700 West Broadway Avenue. This improvement to the exterior of the storefront will match the significant work that has been done on the interior and increases the greenspace on the property. This plan also adds lighting and bike racks and will include a service center for activities that require more space than currently allocated. VB Properties are excited about the project and its beneficial impact on West Broadway Avenue. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to telephone Louis Dachis at 612.387.7875.
The Hawthorne Neighborhood Council now owns the building that has long housed their offices at 2944 Emerson Avenue North. The house was originally a church building. It was the parsonage until 1958 . Then, for the next thirty years, Bethel Lutheran Church held Sunday school there and used it as office space. Shortly after 1958, the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council (then the Hawthorne Area Community Council) began renting office space from Bethel. Hawthorne Neighborhood Council will begin improving the property, adding a new roof and refurbished windows, as well as landscaping changes. The purchase of their own office space is an indication of the importance of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council’s contribution to the community, and their viability as an organization. The surrounding residents are delighted to have them in the neighborhood.
Hawthorne neighbors have set their sights on turning around the intersection of 31st Avenue North and 6th Street North. This is a main intersection of several blocks beset by foreclosures, vacant houses, and violent crime. At one point, these blocks were described by many as the worst area in the city. A $500,000 grant from the Home Depot Foundation and the four square block area designated as the EcoVillage received “cluster” status from the city of Minneapolis and Northside Home Fund.
Hawthorne Neighborhood and Project for Pride in Living broke ground on the first new LEED-certified home in January of this year. The site has been selected as one of the 2010 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Northway’s own, Wesley Walker, is a member of the board of directors of Twin Cities Habitat For Humanity and was a member of the local Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Wesley will be working on one of the northside projects Up to ten homes in and around the EcoVillage will be built, rehabbed and sold, or have existing residents as recipients of rehab work.
The 27th annual work project will be held from October 4th through the 8th. Hawthorne needs plenty of volunteers to help with outreach, coordination, and rehab work leading up to the festivities in October. They will also need help during that week and some post-event activities as well.
Contact Alexandra Jasicki at the Hawthorne office if you’d like to assist.
Star Model Management Modeling, Mentoring & Talent is teaming up with ZEF for “Back to School Charity Bash” 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday to help provide orphan and underprivleged children. Tickets are $10 or $35 for a group of four. Children under 10 can attend free. Order tickets at back2schoolcharitybash.eventbrite.com. Single tickets for the third of the Legends series at the Capri Theater are now on sale. Programs are: 7 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Single tickets are priced at $25 and $20 for groups of 10 or more at OvationTix online or 866.811.4111. Save $5 per show by ordering a three-concert season ticket for $60. Singers Nancy Harms, Katie Gearty and Rachel Holder take center stage at the Capri in “Blue: Songs on the Indigo Side.”
Shows are at:
7 p.m. Saturday, October 9, 2010
3 p.m. Sunday, October 10, 2010
NorthWay Community Trust creates wealth through programs and services that improve the quality of life for the people of North Minneapolis.
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Wesley Walker, Executive Director
1200 West Broadway Avenue, Suite 210
Minneapolis, MN 55411