Cam Gordon | The UpTake

Can These Stories Help Eliminate Structural Racism?

By Video by Bill Sorem, text by Michael McIntee | May 22, 2015

It takes more than a law to eliminate structural racism. According to Minneapolis City Council Member Cam Gordon it also takes people speaking up and telling their stories. Listen to some of them.

Video Replay-Public Weighs In On Repeal Of “New Jim Crow” Laws In Minneapolis

By Text By Michael McIntee, Video By Bill Sorem | May 20, 2015

Council member Cam Gordon said that repealing the laws won’t change structural racism, but telling stories like was done at today’s hearing will. Watch the video to hear those stories.

How Minneapolis Police Use “Lurking” Laws To Harass Blacks

By Text By Michael McIntee, Video By Bill Sorem | May 15, 2015

Do Minneapolis police use “lurking” laws to harass blacks? Yes, said many people who attended a community meeting about repealing the laws; several had personally experienced the harassment.

Video Replay – Dismantling The “New Jim Crow” Laws

By Text By Michael McIntee, Video By Bill Sorem | May 14, 2015

Thursday night, Minneapolis City Council members and groups concerned about laws that police may be abusing to harass the public held a discussion about repealing some of those laws -called the “New Jim Crow” laws because police use them disproportionately against minorities.

The discussion at Mathews Park in Minneapolis was live streamed on The UpTake.

Labor/Unions

Police Harassment, Workers Rights Issues Getting Minneapolis Leaders Attention

By Bill Sorem | April 5, 2015

Neighborhoods Organizing For Change Field (NOC) Organizer Mike Griffin led a “people’s state of the union” presentation at Minneapolis City Hall that outlined systemic labor issues for low-wage workers and how certain city laws are being abused by police to harass minorities.

Housing

Redlining: Banks Still Restricting Home Loans In “Non-White” Areas

By Sheila Regan | April 15, 2014

A new report shows that from 2009 to2012, people in predominantly non-white Minneapolis neighborhoods such as Near North and Camden were three times more likely to be denied loans – – regardless of what race the person was who applied for the loan. “The lack of access to credit continues to plague communities of color in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area,” says Myron Orfield from the Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity. (More…)

Minneapolis

New Members Take Seats On Minneapolis Council; Mayor Vows To End Racial Gaps

By Sheila Regan | January 6, 2014

A new era in Minneapolis and Minnesota politics began Monday (Jan. 6) as seven new City Council members — including the first Latina, the first Somali and the first Hmong-American to be elected to the 13-member body — were sworn in and new Mayor Betsy Hodges called for an end to the “gaps” between white people and people of color in the city.

Economy/Jobs

Stadium Anger Confronts City Council President

By Bill Sorem | May 25, 2012

Minneapolis City Council President Barbara Johnson is the target of anger over how a new Vikings stadium has been financed at the expense of other needs in Minneapolis.

Minnesota

Minneapolis City Council Upholds Occupy’s Right to Protest

By Jacob Wheeler | April 14, 2012

The Minneapolis City Council voted down a resolution by Council President Barbara Johnson that would have banned Occupy protesters from gathering in public spaces without permits and given police more power to crack down on them.