The Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) fellows began training in October, and are well on their way to becoming placed on city boards and commissions in the Twin Cities (four are already seated). The fellows will work to ensure that the rights of people of color and underrepresented communities are honored through policies made at the local level. As LeMoine LaPointe said, the fellows will not be changing this region alone, and we recognize that the BCLI is only one strategy being implemented in the racial equity movement in the Twin Cities.
As part of the BCLI Thursday Night Issue Series, Nexus partners with local organizations and leaders to highlight other strategies and initiatives in the local equity movement. This month we are highlighting the use of cooperatives in building wealth in communities of color in the Twin Cities.
Join us this Thursday to hear how these four leaders of color are using the cooperative business model as a strategy to advance equity in our communities:
- Pakou Hang (Hmong American Farmers Association)
- Nieeta Presley (Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation)
- LaDonna Redmond (Seward Co-op)
- Jaime Villalaz (Latino Economic Development Center)
We hope to see you this Thursday to explore this one strategy of community wealth building, and look forward to learning together as we move forward!
All Thursday Night Issue Series are free and open to the public. This event is being held this Thursday, December 5, 2013, from 5:30-8pm at Hope Community Inc – RSVP here.
For more information about the event or the BCLI, contact the program associate, Ms. Angie Brown, at abrown@nexuscp.org, or the program director, Ms. Terri Thao, at tthao@nexuscp.org.