SWAE Mpls
@swaempls.bsky.social
1.2K followers 510 following 39 posts
The Southwest Alliance for Equity (SWAE) is a group of SW Minneapolis residents taking individual and collective anti-racist action for a more equitable city. linktr.ee/swaempls
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Join us next Thursday, October 23rd, at 5pm to help spread the word across Southwest about our great candidates for Mayor: @jazzformayor.bsky.social, @omarfatehmn.com, and @dewayneforminneapolis.com!

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/october-sw...
Southwest Alliance for Equity 
Joint doorknock: Rank 3 for Change
Join DeWayne, Jazz and Omar for a joint doorknock in Southwest Minneapolis, followed by a pizza party
Thursday, October 23rd
100 W. 46th Street
5-7 pm Doorknock 
7 pm Debrief with candidates

With all 3 candidates, elected officials, and lots of neighbors! 12 days to go!
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
if you want non-terrible RCV advice, watch josh on the @wedge.live podcast today

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISAe...
Join us next Thursday, October 23rd, at 5pm to help spread the word across Southwest about our great candidates for Mayor: @jazzformayor.bsky.social, @omarfatehmn.com, and @dewayneforminneapolis.com!

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/october-sw...
Southwest Alliance for Equity 
Joint doorknock: Rank 3 for Change
Join DeWayne, Jazz and Omar for a joint doorknock in Southwest Minneapolis, followed by a pizza party
Thursday, October 23rd
100 W. 46th Street
5-7 pm Doorknock 
7 pm Debrief with candidates

With all 3 candidates, elected officials, and lots of neighbors! 12 days to go!
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
The committee forwarded a legislative directive asking for an update from MPD on their internal review of the mishandling of Moturi's case and what has changed since. Moturi noted that MPD was reported in April to have conducted a "thorough review" and begun implementing changes.

Legislative Directive By Wonsley and Chavez
Pursuant to City Charter Section 7.1(h)(2), the Minneapolis City Council, in support of its official legislative, policymaking, and oversight functions, does request from the Mayor an update on the internal review made by MPD regarding the shooting of Davis Moturi, including any internal operational or policy changes taken by MPD in response to the review.
Present the requested information to be received and filed to the Public Health & Safety Committee, no later than October 29, 2026.
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
Davis Moturi email to city council, read aloud by CM Wonsley Wednesday. Sees similarity between his case & Mariah Samuels: "A black person in fear for their lives, and a department who can't be bothered to forward a case for consideration of charges in our time of greatest need."
Hi Council Members,
My name is Davis Moturi. In October 2024, I was shot in the neck by my neighbor John Sawchak after dozens of attempts to get help from MPD the year prior.
I'm writing to you today to ask that the City of Minneapolis make public, the results of MPD's review of the Department's handling of my case and any changes they have made to their
procedures based on the results of their review.
In an MPR article by Cari Spencer in April a spokesperson from MPD revealed that "MPD has conducted a thorough review of the violent incident." They also shared that the Department is "committed to implementing necessary changes, procedures and partnerships to address any identified gaps when these reviews are concluded."
If they have made changes based on the results of their internal review, the public should know 
If they have made changes based on the results of their internal review, the public should know what changes they've made and what specifically from their handling of the case led them to make those changes. If they are not making any changes based on their review, the public should know why they won't begin that process if, by their own admission, there are "necessary changes" that need to be implemented. I recently learned of the murder of Mariah Samuels, and noticed that both of our cases are eerily similar. A black person in fear for their lives, and a
department who can't be bothered to forward a case for consideration of charges in our time of greatest need. The community and I deserve answers- and accountability.
I look forward to your response.
Davis Moturi
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
Join me tonight for this conversation hosted by the Southwest Alliance for Equity @swaempls.bsky.social!

I’ll be leading a communal art making / banner-painting workshop.

Grateful to SWAE and @momsdemand.bsky.social for their organizing work on this. Together, we can end gun violence in Minnesota.
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
I’m going to try and be there to represent Kenny neighborhood voices!
Tonight! 7-9pm

Join us for a community conversation about what we all can do to help prevent gun violence with elected officials, policy experts, and special guests.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/sept-swae-...
Southwest Alliance for Equity
Gun Violence Prevention in Minnesota: An Update and Community Conversation 
Thursday, September 25th
100 W 46th Street 
7-9pm

A photo on the right shows people marching holding signs that say We can end gun violence.
Tonight! 7-9pm

Join us for a community conversation about what we all can do to help prevent gun violence with elected officials, policy experts, and special guests.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/sept-swae-...
Southwest Alliance for Equity
Gun Violence Prevention in Minnesota: An Update and Community Conversation 
Thursday, September 25th
100 W 46th Street 
7-9pm

A photo on the right shows people marching holding signs that say We can end gun violence.
The East Phillips Urban Farm project is once again at due to the action and inaction of Mayor Frey.

Please join us in contacting @mayorjacobfrey.bsky.social to request that he follow through on his past commitments to environmental justice and schedule a meeting with @epni-urbanfarm.bsky.social.
The Mayor’s office canceled a meeting with EPNI on 8/25 about a change to the Roof Depot purchase agreement, which EPNI proposed on 6/27.

The Mayor holds the power to negotiate a fair deal for East Phillips & each day that passes without reply deepens a long legacy of neglect in this neighborhood.
An update* on EPNI’s 
canceled meeting 
with the mayor
Over the weekend, the Mayor’s office canceled a meeting with EPNI scheduled for 8/25 about a change to the purchase agreement for the Roof Depot site, which EPNI proposed on 6/27.

“It’s deeply disappointing given we are a mere three weeks away from the original closing date in the purchase agreement. After waiting two long months, we were looking forward to finally hearing the Mayor’s intentions around the future of the Roof Depot site.” 
- Karen Clark, former State Legislator and EPNI board member
*EPNI’s full statement linked in our bio When the Mayor canceled our meeting, he cited discomfort with a protest planned by the Climate Justice Committee for 8/28 outside of his residence related to the purchase negotiations - an event that EPNI didn’t organize nor endorse, which has since changed in scope, and been moved to a new location. 

EPNI made our offer on 6/27, right after losing pledged legislative funding because we, and the mayor, know well that a purchase this big and complex takes months to finalize.

The Mayor holds the power to negotiate a fair deal and just future for East Phillips. Every day that passes deepens a decades-long legacy of municipal neglect in this neighborhood. After stopping demolition in 2023, EPNI agreed to a purchase price of $15.9 million for the Roof Depot site, 4x higher than the site’s appraised value of $3.7 million. At the time, the State Legislature committed to subsidizing $12.2 mil of the cost, and EPNI was asked to secure $3.7 mil, which we did. 

The state agreed to subsidize that purchase, and pay back money that the city spent on its plan for the Roof Depot site – a plan which had record-breaking public backlash – because state legislators saw how the neighborhood’s vision for the site will bring tax revenue, a strengthened local food system, overdue healing, and countless other benefits to ripple through and beyond East Phillips.

In 2023, legislators did allocate $6.5 million. 
Due to federal funding cuts in 2025, they 
failed to deliver the remaining $5.7 million 
pledged for this year. “Since 2023, EPNI has raised more than $2 million to build a community-owned rooftop solar array with Cooperative Energy Futures, start an environmental remediation process, and construct an outdoor farm on the site’s parking lot. Despite having to navigate massive obstacles and funding losses, we pulled together $10.2 mil for the Roof Depot purchase while making progress toward the community’s vision every day.”
- Daniel Colten-Schmidt, EPNI’s Finance and Fundraising Director

EPNI is as committed as ever to continuing to build this neighborhood’s community-owned urban farm and resiliency hub, to bring fresh food, good jobs and overdue healing to this site. 

We look forward to speaking with the Mayor soon.
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
The Mayor’s office canceled a meeting with EPNI on 8/25 about a change to the Roof Depot purchase agreement, which EPNI proposed on 6/27.

The Mayor holds the power to negotiate a fair deal for East Phillips & each day that passes without reply deepens a long legacy of neglect in this neighborhood.
An update* on EPNI’s 
canceled meeting 
with the mayor
Over the weekend, the Mayor’s office canceled a meeting with EPNI scheduled for 8/25 about a change to the purchase agreement for the Roof Depot site, which EPNI proposed on 6/27.

“It’s deeply disappointing given we are a mere three weeks away from the original closing date in the purchase agreement. After waiting two long months, we were looking forward to finally hearing the Mayor’s intentions around the future of the Roof Depot site.” 
- Karen Clark, former State Legislator and EPNI board member
*EPNI’s full statement linked in our bio When the Mayor canceled our meeting, he cited discomfort with a protest planned by the Climate Justice Committee for 8/28 outside of his residence related to the purchase negotiations - an event that EPNI didn’t organize nor endorse, which has since changed in scope, and been moved to a new location. 

EPNI made our offer on 6/27, right after losing pledged legislative funding because we, and the mayor, know well that a purchase this big and complex takes months to finalize.

The Mayor holds the power to negotiate a fair deal and just future for East Phillips. Every day that passes deepens a decades-long legacy of municipal neglect in this neighborhood. After stopping demolition in 2023, EPNI agreed to a purchase price of $15.9 million for the Roof Depot site, 4x higher than the site’s appraised value of $3.7 million. At the time, the State Legislature committed to subsidizing $12.2 mil of the cost, and EPNI was asked to secure $3.7 mil, which we did. 

The state agreed to subsidize that purchase, and pay back money that the city spent on its plan for the Roof Depot site – a plan which had record-breaking public backlash – because state legislators saw how the neighborhood’s vision for the site will bring tax revenue, a strengthened local food system, overdue healing, and countless other benefits to ripple through and beyond East Phillips.

In 2023, legislators did allocate $6.5 million. 
Due to federal funding cuts in 2025, they 
failed to deliver the remaining $5.7 million 
pledged for this year. “Since 2023, EPNI has raised more than $2 million to build a community-owned rooftop solar array with Cooperative Energy Futures, start an environmental remediation process, and construct an outdoor farm on the site’s parking lot. Despite having to navigate massive obstacles and funding losses, we pulled together $10.2 mil for the Roof Depot purchase while making progress toward the community’s vision every day.”
- Daniel Colten-Schmidt, EPNI’s Finance and Fundraising Director

EPNI is as committed as ever to continuing to build this neighborhood’s community-owned urban farm and resiliency hub, to bring fresh food, good jobs and overdue healing to this site. 

We look forward to speaking with the Mayor soon.
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
‼️Testimony Opportunity ‼️ Come to City Hall and let your voice be heard on immigration enforcement in Minneapolis on August 5th at 1:30pm.
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
Kicking off our event at the International Institute of MN, creating Welcome Kits for new arrivals to the US (co-sponsored with @swaempls.bsky.social )
Some volunteers learning about IIMN
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
TWIN CITIES PEOPLE, COME THROUGH!!!! THIS THURSDAY NIGHT! A lovely evening with some of my favorite neighborhood organizers in the world.
Thurs, 7/24, 7pm: join us for a conversation with @garrettbucks.bsky.social on how to organize for a better world in this political moment.

With his success organizing moderate communities for progressive change, Garrett always brings great insights & hope.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/july-swae-...
July SWAE Gathering-Garrett Bucks
Garrett Bucks analyzes this political moment, how to fight against authoritarianism, and how to build a better world through organizing.
www.eventbrite.com
Thurs, 7/24, 7pm: join us for a conversation with @garrettbucks.bsky.social on how to organize for a better world in this political moment.

With his success organizing moderate communities for progressive change, Garrett always brings great insights & hope.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/july-swae-...
July SWAE Gathering-Garrett Bucks
Garrett Bucks analyzes this political moment, how to fight against authoritarianism, and how to build a better world through organizing.
www.eventbrite.com
Tonight!

Can't make it? You can still support the Urban Farm by donating and contacting @mayorjacobfrey.bsky.social and your Council Member to urge them to keep negotiating with EPNI!

Donate: actionnetwork.org/fundraising/...

Background & proposed script: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
It was great to join @swaempls.bsky.social at their recent event, The Mayor’s Record. Community members heard directly from current and former city staff, as well as community leaders, about how the Mayor has failed to build an equitable city for all residents over his eight-year tenure.
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
What gives me hope about Minneapolis is people at the @swaempls.bsky.social saying the status quo isn't working, and we want a better, just community. @dewayneforminneapolis.com
Thank you to the amazing breakout leaders assisting us tonight ✊
Some amazing community leaders ♥️
After @kristen-ingle.bsky.social kicks things off, neighbors hear from board member @hsilsbee.bsky.social about Mayor Frey's record.
Kristen Simmons Ingle kicks things off. Heather Silsbee describes the mayor's record.
Getting ready to start our program on Mayor Frey's record!
Audience at Meraki Community Center Audience at Meraki Community Center
Tomorrow! Come learn about Mayor Jacob Frey's record on key issues and discuss your thoughts and questions with your neighbors and expert community leaders.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/june-swae-...
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
Part of this event (Thurs, 6/26) will be me presenting *a lot* of research I've done into Mayor Frey's record. The other half will be breakout groups facilitated by some amazing community leaders for you to ask questions & share your experiences with Frey's administration. You'll want to be there!!
Join us next Thursday, 6/26, for our June meet-up on the Mayor's Record!

We'll have an educational presentation reviewing Mayor Frey's campaign promises against his actions as Mayor, followed by deeper breakout conversations with community leaders.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/june-swae-...
Reposted by SWAE Mpls
Helping put together events focused on serving immigrants and refugees ⤵️

getinvolved.acslaw.org/component/ev...

Co-sponsored by @swaempls.bsky.social -- space is limited
📦 Join us July 28 for a hands-on kit build + tour at the International Institute of MN! Help assemble welcome kits for immigrant and refugee students. 💛

🕕 6–8PM | 📍St. Paul

RSVP: getinvolved.acslaw.org/component/ev...

This is part of our #Inalienable series of events focused on #ImmigrantJustice
Welcome Kit Build & Tour at the International Institute of Minnesota
Join us for a meaningful evening of community, creativity, and impact at the International Institute of Minnesota (IIMN)!
getinvolved.acslaw.org