If it is true that stormy clouds may contain silver linings, North Minneapolis may be witnessing a golden lining in the wake of its most horrific tornado cloud experience.Golden in the sense of the unprecedented level of compassionate, principled cooperation and sharing of resources, work, responsibility and credit.
Golden in the sense of reflecting a higher standard of accountability and transparency, including the willingness to admit and correct missteps in the rush to respond to people in need.
Golden in the sense of being a community that is conscious and conscientious in clearly describing the situation and challenges in ways that render the situation analyzable and the challenges surmountable.
Golden in the sense of revealing a determination, an insistence, on cultural competence, inclusion, equity and fairness in the solution side of the natural disaster equation.
Ten minutes or so, Sunday afternoon, May 22, Nature delivered destruction and mayhem in tornados that changed the look and feel of North Minneapolis. Every minute thereafter, North Minneapolis responded with shared selflessness equal to, and most likely, greater than the storm’s impact.
That was evident again last Tuesday afternoon when representatives of legacy community service agencies, and city and county government, and businesses in North Minneapolis, announced that nearly 60 organizations ranging from nonprofits to faith-based groups are involved in the recovery effort to rebuild the area. Many have vowed to participate for three years to ensure needs are met.
“Nothing of this magnitude has ever happened in North Minneapolis,” said Louis King, president and CEO of Summit Academy OIC and member of the core team leading this effort. “We have gotten through the initial emergency phase and now we are in the business of rebuilding and ensuring there is continuity of care for residents who need it.”
“Our sole purpose is to respond to the needs of North Minneapolis. Our commitment is to stay with this work until the last nail is driven in the last home that needs repair for damage suffered in the tornado,” said King.
Saying the number of agencies and organizations was too large to praise individually, King called the community response heroic, compassionate, expansive and consistent. He said public officials, including the council members from Ward 3, Ward 4 and Ward 5 deserve particular ovation, as do other legislative and county officials, and Minneapolis Mayor R.T.
Rybak, for rallying public and community resources and volunteerism to respond to the crisis. King said the entire region responded, and encouraged all to remain committed to Northside’s restoration.
“Don’t forget about our community,” he said addressing the region via television news, “because this is not a sprint, this is a marathon.”
Chad Schwitters, executive director of Urban Homeworks, agreed.
“Our mission is to understand the catastrophe and the community. We are committed to keeping the economics of the response, repair and restoration localized in ways that utilize and support Northside businesses, agencies, and residents,” Schwitters said.
Urban Homeworks, a community development organization that rebuilds homes and is based in North Minneapolis, was instrumental in coordinating the initial debris cleanup on behalf of the City of Minneapolis. Urban Homeworks estimates that 3,000 volunteers conducted debris assessments and cleanup at more than 3,500 homes in North Minneapolis during the first week after the tornado.
“The grassroots convergence of leaders from the faith community and neighborhood organizations has been an amazing thing to be a part of,” said Schwitters, a member of the core team leading the effort. “We are a team of many, working together to understand and meet the needs of the people while making sure the economic exchange in this recovery stays and benefits the people and businesses of North Minneapolis.”
“This collaboration is unique and exciting. Yes, there are ups and downs when it comes to mobilizing people and resources. But we have very positive momentum and a unified approach guiding our work.
The Northside Community Response Team (NCRT) plans to assist individuals in several key areas including housing, human needs, employment and business revitalization, as well as fund raising to support the efforts. Many tasks have already taken place including developing and providing a list of approved contractors from the area that can offer assistance to homeowners, landlords, renters and business owners.
NCRT has vowed to work to ensure the money that is allocated to the rebuilding effort benefits the area.
“We plan to utilize businesses in our community as well as local assets including faith-based organizations,” King said. “We can’t predict the future, but we can stand up and act responsibly, and ask our neighbors and friends to join us in this venture.”
In addition to King and Schwitters, the following individuals are part of the core NCRT team: Scott Gray, president of Minneapolis Urban League; Sondra Samuels, chief executive officer of Northside Achievement Zone; and Rev. Richard Coleman, executive director of the Sanctuary CDC.
