Opinion | Southwest Connector

What we're doing: Du Nord Foundation Community Market and Eat for Equity

The past two years have sparked a renewed interest in mutual aid across the country as the pandemic and the George Floyd Uprising have exposed the many systemic flaws in our society. In Minneapolis, … more

By Jae Yates, volunteer@dunordfoundation.org | 10/28/21

THIS IS WHAT I SEE

Art by Sarajea “Star” Martin, George Floyd Square community member, foundbysara@gmail.com featuring Jay Webb, aka The Gardener. more

Sarajea 'Star' Martin | 10/1/21

Lessons from the drought

We may be getting some rain, and the temperature is turning cooler, but make no mistake we’re still in a drought. Our Environmental Services division monitors the impact of the drought on … more

by Charlie Zelle, Met Council Chair | 10/1/21

Still holding space at George Floyd Square

America needs peace and jutice right now, more and more. There's people who have been meeting at the Square – it's been 15 months – who are holding space, and we're reimagining community … more

9/2/21

Living in America under Trump’s era while being black, Muslim, and a new immigrant

Coming to America has always been my dream, but I never expected to come to America at a time where everything started going in the wrong direction.Since I was young, I dreamed one day I would get to … more

By Safiyo Mohamed Minneapolis Public School Adult Education, South Campus | 5/26/21

Haven’t you heard? Newspapers are thriving

Newspapers are dying. Thousands of newspapers have closed. No one reads the newspapers anymore. Only old people read newspapers. Newspaper ad effectiveness is uncertain. Newspaper ads underperform … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN, Owner & Editor | 4/27/21

You're missing key points about crime at GFS

Recent media coverage about police incidents and calls to open the memorial site at George Floyd Square (38th and Chicago) to traffic are missing some key points about the Square and fail to answer … more

3/24/21

2020: The Year of the Pivot

2020 might become known as the year of the pivot.In the newspaper business, we’ve been zig-zagging for years now, since the Internet changed the business we knew. In some ways, that prepared us … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN, Owner & Editor Tesha@LongfellowNokomisMessenger.com | 11/25/20

How might public safety be transformed if we work together?

A few weeks after the murder of George Floyd, I joined over 100 of my Seward neighbors at Matthews Park for an event sponsored by Boneshaker Books. We gathered to remember those killed by police and … more

By MICHELE BRALEY Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Michele@SLRJ.org | 11/2/20

Poor governance to bring new toxicity to the ‘Arsenic Triangle’

In the heart of Minneapolis’ Southside Green Zone, in an area nicknamed the “Arsenic Triangle,” East Phillips community members have vied – so far to no avail – … more

By Erin Niehoff | 10/2/20

Voices against violence: mired in the courts

Editor's note: Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, this column by a local resident is being run anonymously. Like most people who have experienced intimate partner violence, I was not … more

10/2/20

#PressIsNotTheEnemy - so why are the police acting like it?

Over 148 journalists were attacked by police in the United States between May 28 and June 4, 2020. Yes. I said 148. Yes, by the police. Yes, in the United States. … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN, Owner & Editor Tesha@LongfellowNokomisMessenger.com | 7/29/20

We can feel both-and: Support protests and grieve loss of local businesses

There was a saying that was repeated so often when I was in graduate school that we all used to groan when our professors would say it. It was a deceptively simple … more

By Amy Pass | 6/25/20

Thanks, Nokomis East neighbors

Jerome Evans NENA Board President By JEROME EVANS Dear Nokomis East Community: this is a letter of gratitude. In case we haven’t met, my name is Jerome Evans and I chair the board of directors for … more

6/25/20

A city moved

Jill Boogren After watching in horror the widely circulated video showing George Floyd being killed by a Minneapolis police officer outside of Cup Foods at 38th St. and Chicago Ave. on May 25, … more

By JILL BOOGREN | 6/25/20

Thanks for supporting your local newspaper

Tesha Christensen, editor and owner Newspapers have your back. We really do. Now more than ever, local is important. Who is open? Who is sick? Who is helping others? Who can you turn to for … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN, Owner & Editor Tesha@LongfellowNokomisMessenger.com | 5/26/20

Hope for the Heartbroken

Angela Woosley of Inspired Journeys Over the past month, the Coronavirus pandemic has upended our lives, and many of us are struggling to adjust to the new normal. Unemployment, job insecurity, … more

By Angela Woosley, 651-300-0119 www.inspiredjourneysmn.com | 5/4/20

Go ahead: Let some things go and break a few house rules

Amy Pass I don’t really know what to tell you. Every person is so different, and what you need right now, in this time of pandemic, is different from what someone else might need. And some … more

By AMY PASS | 5/4/20

What we've learned: Highlights from Intimate Partner Homicide Report

DIVING DEEPER Now in its 30th edition, the Femicide Report has a new name: the Intimate Partner Homicide Report coinciding with the renaming of the Minnesota Battered Women's Coalition to Violence … more

2/11/20