Kingfield Neighborhood Association

  • Home
  • About KFNA
    • About KFNA
    • KFNA Board and Staff
    • Bylaws Changes 2021
    • NRP Plan Modifications 2021
    • 2020 Year in Review
  • Projects
    • Art Connecting Kingfield
    • Crime Prevention and Safety
      • Safety and Health for All Neighbors
    • Election Education 2021
    • Gardens
    • GOTV & the 2020 Census
    • Green Team
    • Little Free Library Map
    • Neighborhoods 2020
    • Redevelopment and Transportation
    • Safe Streets
    • Sewists Unite! Face Masks for Health Care Workers
    • Youth and Family
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Empty Bowls
    • KFNA Annual Meeting
    • Kingfield Garden Tour
    • Kingfield Rummage Sale
    • National Night Out
    • Nicollet Open Streets
    • PorchFest
    • Past Events
  • Connect
    • Kingfield Neighborhood Survey – 2021
    • Connect with KFNA
    • South Nicollet Newsletters
    • Weekly E-news Subscription
  • Donate

Day 9: Minneapolis Teachers are still on the Strike Line

March 18, 2022 By Sarah

Learn more about the ESP’s they are also fighting for in this article by MPR News.

Article by: Elizabeth Shockman, March 18, 2022, 

…The majority of Minneapolis’ ESPs are people of color and work as special education assistants, associate educators, school success program assistants and child care assistants, among other roles. The starting wage for the lowest paid of these positions is $24,000 per year. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers is asking the district to raise the starting wage to $35,000 per year. Over half of Minneapolis ESPs have second or third jobs, according to the union.

The district agrees it needs to raise ESP wages, but it is still millions of dollars apart in negotiations from what the union wants. As of Wednesday, the union was asking for a 23 to 44 percent wage bump for ESPs over two years. The district was sticking to a 9 percent wage increase over two years. *(Editor’s NOTE: a large difference in this wage request would be the movement of ESP to full-time salary employees vs the part-time status they currently have. To see details of the MFT/MSP negotiation requests visit the MFT Safe and Stable School site here.

…The Minneapolis NAACP supports the union’s push for higher ESP wages.

“This is unacceptable,” said Minneapolis NAACP president Cynthia Wilson. “Our ESPs need to be paid and our Black teachers need to be retained. Period.”

—Multiple studies have shown that educators of color can improve students’ performance. Black students see academic and graduation gains when paired with Black teachers.

In Minneapolis Public Schools, 63 percent of students are kids of color — closer to the percentage of Minneapolis ESPs than classroom teachers, nearly 80 percent of whom are white.

… The NAACP has a demand for the union, too:  The association wants more protections from layoffs for teachers of color written in the contract.

Share this:

  • Tweet

Filed Under: Equity, Equity & Outreach, health and wellness, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), Youth and Family

Childcare Resources During the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) Strike

March 8, 2022 By Sarah

Tuesday March 8th, 2022 is the first day that the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) and Educational Support Specialists (ESP) Strike in Minneapolis.  

All preK-12 classes are now canceled and families should plan for child care.

MPS will provide emergency child supervision on an extremely limited basis to families with young children for whom child care presents a significant hardship. Beginning on the first day of the strike, families should reach out to their schools for more information if they need emergency child supervision. Pre-registration is not possible and schools do not currently have the information you need – but will if a strike starts.

  • Leonardo’s Basement:
Registration is open for workshops for Minneapolis and Saint Paul families on Tuesday, March 8. All-day (9:30 AM – 3:00 PM) workshops will be offered throughout the strike(s). You will need to register for each day separately, with registration open as soon as we know that schools will not be open the following day. The fee is $85/child/day, and less for families eligible for free and reduced-fee lunch ($30/child/day).
  • Blaisdell YMCA:
The Blaisdell YMCA is offering full-day care, 7am-5:30pm, each day during the strike. They have space for up to 40 children – https://www.ymcanorth.org/child_care__preschool/school_age_care/locations/blaisdell_ymca/school_release_days. $45 per day. So far, care is available for this week through 3/11. If the strike extends, registration will open Thursday after noon for the following week of full-day care needed.
  • Minneapolis Parks

Ten Minneapolis Parks are serving as Hubs and are offering extended hours and services IF a strike happens. 12-3 PM will be for registered participants K-8 grade, and 3-9 PM will be drop in for all youth. The closest parks with this additional programming to Kingfield & Lyndale residents is Bryant Square and Whittier Recreation Centers. Other sites will retain their 3-9 PM programming including YouthLine workers for teen engagement.

Additional Resources:
  • A meal will be provided by Minneapolis Public Schools with one breakfast and one lunch beginning Wednesday March 9 and can be picked up at your school every day the strike continues.
  • School based clinics and mental health services will continue to be available at your school for youth.
  • Varsity athletics will continue but all other after school activities will cease.

Share this:

  • Tweet

Filed Under: Communication, Equity, health and wellness, Minneapolis Park and Rec, Youth and Family

Kingfield SOUPer Bowl Sunday was Super Because of You!

February 14, 2022 By Sarah

Thank you to the neighbors that cooked, cleaned, organized, shoveled, greeted, and ATE SOUP! It was an amazing day in and outside of Butter Bakery, raising funds to support youth and affordable housing!

Thank you restaurants for sharing your amazing food that fed so many people and helped raise funds for even more!

Thank you volunteers for your time and commitment and flexibility as we figured out the cold, a new set up and location, volunteers being out sick leaving gaps, AND cold technology!

 

Thank you neighbors for coming and supporting this event, supporting youth at Nicollet Square, and supporting KFNA!

Preliminary numbers are good with 260 people taking food to go from outside and 61 dining indoors for a total of 321 tickets. Donations appear to be tracking at that amount which is impressive for the three hour event!

If you have any questions (or tips on what could have been handled better, smoother, more clearly!) feel free to email KFNA directly at


Share this:

  • Tweet

Filed Under: 3700 nicollet, Active, affordable housing, Art Connecting Kingfield, businesses, Communication, Connect, Empty Bowls, Equity, event, health and wellness

Guide on How To Tackle Hunger on ‘SOUPer Bowl Sunday’ (a pregame event!)

February 8, 2022 By Sarah

Sunday February 13, 11 AM – 2 PM, Butter Bakery Café, 3700 Nicollet

Bring on Your Best Team (and your proof of COVID-19 vaccination) to Tackle Hunger and support Kingfield Empty Bowls!

  • Step 1: Bundle up and go to Butter Bakery, 3700 Nicollet, on Sunday Feb 13 from 11 AM to 2 PM.
  • Step 2: Visit the Outdoor Bowl Tent and select a beautiful artist-created, pottery bowl to take home!
  • Step 3: Move to the Donation Table and make a donation (suggested at $25 per person) to support Nicollet Square & KFNA as we fight hunger in your community.
  • Step 4: Decide if you want to dine at Butter or take soup home for later.

Those opting to take soup-to-go will choose one quart of any of the three delicious varieties donated by Simpls; packaged with bread and cookies to travel (plus a coupon for another quart in the future!)

Those opting to dine on site (indoors or out!) can share their proof of vaccination and enjoy soup from either Victor’s 1959 Café, Clancey’s Meats, or Butter Bakery themselves. This will be served with crusty, fresh bread from Sun Street and Great Harvest, and a choice of delicious dessert from The Lowbrow, Royal Grounds, or Metro Meals on Wheels and Open Arms!

Want to Volunteer? Visit here!

Questions or want to support the event as a sponsor? ">Contact Sarah Linnes-Robinson, KFNA Executive Director

Share this:

  • Tweet

Filed Under: 3700 nicollet, affordable housing, Building Bridges, businesses, Connect, Empty Bowls, Equity, event, Fundraising, health and wellness, Volunteers

Community & Developer Conversation About the Development of 3030 Nicollet (former Wells Fargo site)

December 5, 2021 By Sarah

Hosted by the Lyndale Housing Committee and open for all interested neighbors.

Monday December 6, 7-8 PM,

on Zoom (Contact to get a link)

Please join us for a conversation about 3030 Nicollet, a proposed development by Project for Pride in Living at the site of the former Wells Fargo that includes 110 units of affordable housing over a rebuilt Wells Fargo branch bank and commercial condos. At this meeting we will share information about several items, including:

  • The proposed site, pocket park and exterior design

  • The shared parking lot entrance on Nicollet used by the former Wells Fargo and the businesses at One West Lake (the blue 4-story building at the SW corner of Lake and Nicollet)

  • The vision for 31st Street between Nicollet to Blaisdell

  • Commercial condo RFP targeted at local BIPOC-owned businesses

  • PPL Community Room and potential community uses

  • Sustainability features

  • Project funding and timeline

  • Any questions you have

Questions should be directed to ">Project Manager Faith Cabel Kumon.

Share this:

  • Tweet

Filed Under: affordable housing, Building Bridges, businesses, Equity, Green Team, health and wellness, Redevelopment and Transportation

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Connect with KFNA

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Upcoming Events

  • There are no upcoming events.

Weekly E-newsletter Sign up

Donate to KFNA

Do you like what KFNA does? Please consider donating to support your totally local non-profit and the work we do to address community issues and implement community solutions.

South Nicollet Newsletters

2022

  • June
  • May

Kingfield Instagram Gallery

kingfield_kfna

Save the date! Come celebrate National Farmer’s Save the date! Come celebrate National Farmer’s Market week at Kingfield’s farmers’ market on Sunday, August 7th, from 8:30am-1pm (@MLK Park, 4055 Nicollet)! Marking the second Nicollet pop-off event, the farmer’s market, Neighborhood Roots, will be celebrating in partnership with the Lyndale and Kingfield Neighborhood Associations and the City of Minneapolis’ Great Streets Program. A variety of fun events will take place: from 8:30-9:30am, come enjoy marketplace yoga; from 10am-12pm, enjoy music by local band Sweet Armadillo, and from 10am-12pm enjoy a live cooking demo from locally acclaimed Young Man Chef. Simultaneously get your shopping for the week done and support local vendors! All activities are free. Questions? Contact mara@neighborhoodrootsmn.org or call 612-824-9402.
NNO is coming August 2nd… do you know where your NNO is coming August 2nd… do you know where your ice cream is? Bringing back the traditional of Kingfield Neighborhood Association biking to block parties to connect with neighbors and deliver Nicollet Pothole Ice Cream, developed in collaboration with our very own Kingfield Commissary, Sebastian Joe’s!, the KFNA Board will be working their way across Kingfield  on Tuesday August 2nd. 

Due to staffing changes at KFNA, we can’t promise to get to every registered block party, but we will try! If you have issues or concerns that your block is dealing with and to make sure we hear your voices and concerns please email sarah@kingfield.org and put “Neighborhood Concern” in the subject line. Please tell us your name, your block, and the issue you are dealing with. If we can’t make it to your block party, we will follow up directly later in the month. Hope to see you out on the block on August 2nd!
A reminder that THIS coming Saturday, July 30th fr A reminder that THIS coming Saturday, July 30th from 6-8pm, there will be an outdoor movie night at Painter Park (620 W 34th St)! Movie will start at dusk, showing Bend it Like Beckham. Before the movie starts, bouncy houses, face painters, food trucks, naturalists, and art projects will be present! All activities are FREE and food trucks set at their own prices. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and bug spray! Questions? Email organizer@lyndale.org or call 612-824-9402. Can't wait to see you there!
The third Nicollet pop-off event is already happen The third Nicollet pop-off event is already happening! Local artist Hibaaq Ibrahim from Moon Juice Arts is partnering with the Kingfield and Lyndale Neighborhood Associations, along with the Fortune Relief and Youth Empowerment Organization, FRAYEO, to paint a new mural outside of Twisted Hare (3401 Nicollet, on north side of building)! On August afternoons 11th-13th, Hibaaq and youth involved in FRAEYO’s local peacebuilding trainings will be painting the mural. Then, on Saturday August 13th in the afternoon, there will be a community celebration involving food, music, hair braiding, Kubb playing, a mini farmer’s market and more! All neighbors are invited to stop by during the painting process and more information will be provided closer to the Saturday celebration! Questions? Contact director@lyndale.org.
Are you a business owner? An aspiring entrepreneur Are you a business owner? An aspiring entrepreneur? Want to share your passion with the Minneapolis business community?

Join Mayor Frey, Council Pres. Jenkins and business community leaders for the City’s second Black Business Week program and Kick Off Summit on Monday, July 25, 5:00 -8:00 p.m., at Sabathani Community Center, 2nd Floor Gym and Banquet Room located at 310 E 38th Street.

The Kick Off Summit is open to all, and will provide the opportunity for business owners and community members alike to access resources to help them launch, sustain, and grow their local business. Additionally, there will be a chance to hear from local leaders on a policy roundtable discussion focused on economic recovery and small business support, as well as network and support a variety of black organizations, businesses, and vendors. Please pre-register for the event using the following link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/2098d064264f47f2ad52fc152fb0380d.

Speakers for the policy roundtable will include:
Erik Hansen, City of Minneapolis – CPED, Dir. of Economic Policy
Kareem Murphy, Hennepin County Gov’t Relations Director
Commissioner Steve Grove, MN DEED
Tawanna Black, CEO of Center for Economic Inclusion
Tabitha Montgomery, Executive Director of the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association
Moderator: PJ Hill, Financial Advisor, Entrepreneur and Community leader
Representative of the African American Leadership Forum’s Black Business Support Collective
 
The Summit Kick Off is just one of a series of events the City is hosting to celebrate Black Business Week. Learn more about events taking place during Black Business Week and how to participate.

Questions? For any questions regarding the event please reach out to Deebaa Sirdar or Zoe Bourgerie at deebaa.sirdar@minneapolismn.gov and/or zoe.bourgerie@minneapolismn.gov.
Save the date! Nicollet Pop-Off #2: Sustainably Sm Save the date! Nicollet Pop-Off #2: Sustainably Small @40th with the Kingfield Farmers Market / Sunday August 7th, 8:30am-1pm / Kingfield Farmers Market, 4055 Nicollet

Come celebrate National Farmer’s Market week at the Kingfield Farmers’ Market; find us in the parking lot of MLK Park!

This second Nicollet pop-off event of the summer features a variety of fun events including: 
-Marketplace yoga (8:30-9:30 AM);
-live music by a Kingfield PorchFest local duo, Sweet Armadillo;
-a cooking demo from locally acclaimed Young Man Chef;
-a kid’s scavenger hunt with fun prizes;
-and a chance to share your hopes and challenges with KFNA about Nicollet Avenues culture, traffic, and new opportunities due to the eventual moving of Kmart!

Simultaneously get your shopping for the week done and support local vendors! All activities are free.

Questions? Contact mara@neighborhoodrootsmn.org or call 612-824-9402.
[View More...] Follow on Instagram