Charles Frempong-longdon
eq·ui·ty
ˈekwədē/
noun
1.
the quality of being fair and impartial.
We can use equity in a sentence… “Here at___we strive to achieve equity for all citizens”, but what does that mean? What does it weigh? How can we as people go about defining fairness in relatively complex world? The question of equity is at the forefront of the conversation when it comes to Minneapolis’ East Phillips neighborhood. Located at the intersection of the Midtown Greenway and the Blue Line Light Rail the East Phillips neighborhood draws upon one of the most racially diverse communities in Minneapolis.
The area is home to substantial populations of East African and Hispanic immigrants and is the core of the city’s Native American population. East Phillips is a small, densely populated, low income southside neighborhood and like many marginalized communities is home to years of disenfranchisement and environmental inequality. Children in Philips and the Near Northside neighborhoods suffer from the highest rates of asthma hospitalizations and lead poisoning in the state of Minnesota.
This is no coincide, as East Phillips has long been host to high concentrations of air pollution and a small strip of land aptly named “The Arsenic Triangle”. The East Phillips neighborhood has often been hailed as a magnet for industrial work and blue collar opportunities due to its relatively accessible positioning amongst major city roads. This “advantage” has historically been exploited with a disregard to those that live in the area, which is composed of the 3rd highest concentration of People of Color in Minneapolis. Nevertheless, through persistent action by engaged citizens and City Council Rep Alondra Cano’s support, the community was able to help active the Green Zone initiative, aimed at improving health and supporting economic development using environmentally conscious means. The Green Zone initiative was meant to finally address cases of Environmental Racism and work towards rectifying the damage caused to low income neighborhoods around the city.
Putting Equity in Action
The East Phillips Urban Farm plan was developed with the intention of fitting into the Green Zones. Designed to provide green jobs, training opportunities in aquaponics and lower tech organic gardening, a coffee shop, cafe and farm store in which local artists will display and sell their art, a bike repair and bike building facility, 28 affordable family housing units, and with sustainability at the forefront, the plan would provide a cultural and economic hub for a vibrant neighborhood.
As with many plans however, it is not without controversy. The proposed location of this urban farm, the former Roof Depot site which is directly across from the asphalt foundry, is currently under ownership of the city and is zoned for Public Works use. Minneapolis Public Works is seeking to expand their existing Hiawatha Campus in order to consolidate Public Works efforts. Their proposed expansion includes provisions for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) approved design. City Officials have also pledged to cut emissions on vehicles, but this does not address the heart of community concerns: the desire to realize the East Phillips Urban Farm vision of sustainable, good paying jobs and affordable housing.
In order for this vision to be realized a minimum of 3 acres of the current Public Works site must be allocated for the communities’ vision. Representatives from the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute or (EPNI) have drafted formal plans and schematics for the possible Urban Farm project with community participation at the center of the planning process. This plan however cannot move forward if the city is not willing to broker a compromise between the two parties. This is by no means a simple issue. There are questions on both sides and components to be ironed out as more information presents itself but at the core of the dilemma is the question of equity. For too long communities of color and areas suffering from income inequality have also been forced to bear the weight of environmental injustice. This injustice has been systematically implemented by failing to acknowledge the voices of those at risk.
The Roof Depot site provides an opportunity for the city to learn from past mistakes. We have the opportunity to extend equity to a community that has often been ignored. If we are to genuinely work towards the establishment of “Green Zones” in our city, this is an important first step. The Green Zones were envisioned as an opportunity for those most affected by environmental racism.
How is the Sierra Club North Star Chapter involved?
The Sierra Club was invited by Council Member Cano to support a campaign to ensure the needed acreage is made available to achieve the communities vision. At the Sierra Club we have committed to:
- Better serving our mission and our members by becoming an intercultural, anti-racist organization that is committed to partnering with communities and organizations to eradicate all forms of oppression;
- Reflecting in our issue priorities the environmental concerns of all communities that call our state home;
The East Phillips Urban Farm project is an incredible opportunity, and we are proud to put our commitment to equity into action by supporting this project.
The Sierra Club is the country’s leading grassroot environmental organization with 3.5 million supporters nationally and with 17,000 supporters in Minneapolis alone. We aim to put this grassroots power to work by bringing our supporters – your - voices to City Council to ask them to direct the Public Works Department to allocate the needed three acres.
Equity strives to be in balance, a principle in which actions encouraging progress are evenly distributed to benefit us all. We are bound by our truest principles to uphold this idea, that we can build and live in a better world together as one.