Whittier Alliance
  • Neighborhood
    • Welcome to Whittier
    • History of Whittier
    • Whittier Solidarity Network
    • Whittier Dining Guide
    • Bike/Transit
    • Green Spaces
    • Neighborhood Volunteer Hub
  • Resources
    • Renters >
      • Repairs, Maintenance, and Energy Efficiency
      • Financial Assistance
      • Legal & Mediation Services
      • Twin Cities Landlord Search
      • Housing and Household Resources
    • Home / Property Owners >
      • Repairs, Maintenance, and Energy Efficiency
      • Financial Assistance
      • Legal & Mediation Services
      • Participation in Housing Choice Voucher Program
    • Businesses >
      • Training & Coaching Resources
      • Financial Assistance
      • Department of Labor Compliance Resources
    • Housing Search Assistance
    • Housing Emergency Support Services
    • Basic Essentials
    • Health and Wellness Support
  • Get Involved
    • Whittier Annual Meeting 2023
    • Upcoming Events
    • Voter Registration
    • Current Committees & Task Forces >
      • Housing and Land Use Committee >
        • Current Projects & Goals
        • Meeting Minutes
      • Community Engagement Committee >
        • Current Projects & Goals
        • 2017-2022 Meeting Minutes
        • 2015-2016 Meeting Minutes
    • Neighborhood Involvement Form
    • Call for Whittier Artists
    • WA Meeting Minutes & Board Packet Access
    • City of Mpls Public Hearings
  • Community Development
    • Project Tracker
    • Kmart, Lake & Nicollet
    • 2116 Nicollet Ave Development
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • About Us
    • What is the Whittier Alliance?
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Guiding Documents
    • WA Bylaws Revisions Project
    • Job & Internship Openings
    • Contact

Neighborhood Association Blog

Whittier Community Preparations for the Trial of Derek Chauvin

3/7/2021

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Whittier neighbors,
As you likely know, the trial of former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin begins in Downtown Minneapolis today with the start of jury selection. The Whittier Alliance will be doing everything we can to support our community throughout the process and in the pursuit of justice being served. We have included some key information below to help our neighbors and small businesses prepare.

Relevant Dates
Monday, March 8th - Jury selection begins
March 29th - Trial opening arguments begin (trial duration is variable)

The entire trial will be livestreamed on multiple local and national media outlets, including Court TV.

Community Care and Safety Connections
The Whittier neighborhood came together in unprecedented ways last year at the onset of COVID-19 and the uprising in June to take care of one another. The time ahead will undoubtedly revive and exacerbate the collective trauma our community endured, and we encourage our neighbors to find ways to practice self care and check in regularly on your neighbors to be sure they have the support they need.

Whittier Solidarity Network
If you are someone who utilizes smartphone apps, we encourage you to download "Discord," create an account, then email info@whittieralliance.org to receive a secure link invitation to join the Whittier Solidarity Network. Instructions about how to navigate the app and interact with others on it is available on the network's landing page. Having a direct line of communication to your neighbors will be critical in supporting each other and dispelling any misinformation. Whittier Alliance's social media channels will disseminate information as much as possible.

We also encourage you to review these helpful tips compiled by our friends at Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association on how to prepare your home, your family, and your neighborhood for a community emergency, including family preparedness, Covid-19 considerations, and coordination with your nearby neighbors. 

Small Business Preparedness

Whittier Business Organizing & Communication

Many of Whittier’s small business owners continue to work together to establish a shared plan for securing properties and maintaining lines of communication with one another. If you are a business owner or nonprofit rep who would like to get connected with this group, email Nick Nelson from Nelson’s Green Garage directly at nick@nelsonsrepair.com.

City of Minneapolis Recommendations:

The City encourages businesses to have an emergency preparedness plan; find resources for different plans here. Additionally businesses may reach out to the City at SmallBusiness@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-2499 with questions about preparation and general information about regulations and resources. 
Some considerations might include:
  • Adding physical security measures, such as boarding or permanent security gates
  • Checking in with your insurance company and make sure your policy is up to date
  • Uploading electronic copies of important documents and records to an online cloud service (for example: Dropbox, Google Drive) and/or bring physical copies to an off-site location
  • Continuing to build connections with your neighbors and sharing contact information so that it’s ready if you need it
  • If you want additional security personnel and choose to go with a security company, please fully protect yourself and property by only hiring licensed security personnel. These are the people who will carry their own insurance and have training.

Communication Channels to Follow

Trial Information from the Judicial Branch:
  • Sign up to receive updates.
  • ​Follow along on the trial webpage.

Joint Information System (JIS): The City of Minneapolis has established a JIS to disseminate information not covered by the State of Minnesota’s Joint Information Center, including trial updates, transit service changes, avenues to report suspicious activity, and resource links for various stakeholder groups.

City of Minneapolis Newsletter Updates

Metro Transit Rider Alerts

Joint Information Center (JIC): The State of Minnesota has established a unified command structure between MPD and partnering law enforcement agencies that will manage public safety information development and message distribution. 

Operation Safety Net: The National Guard will be mobilized during the trial and have a visible presence in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Other local and state law enforcement agencies will be assisting MPD during the trial and will be operating under a unified command called Operation Safety Net. For updates and information from Operation Safety Net follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The stated mission of Operation Safety Net: “Preserve and protect lawful First Amendment non-violent protests and demonstrations; Prevent large scale violent civil disturbances, assaultive actions, property damage, fires, and looting to government buildings, businesses, and critical infrastructure.”

Cultural Radio Programs
Tune in to one of the City's four radio programs for ongoing updates on the trial and City preparedness plans:
  • KMOJ 89.9 FM (English),
  • La Raza 95.7 FM (Spanish) 
  • KALY 101.7 FM (Somali)
  • WIXK AM 1590 (Hmong)

Whittier Alliance staff and members of the Board will do our best to assist with community needs as they arise during the coming days and weeks. Reach out to info@whittieralliance.org or 612-871-7756 to connect with someone from our team, as needed.
​

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Whittier Alliance is hiring!

3/4/2021

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Whittier Alliance is seeking a part-time Communications and Admin Associate (CAA) to join our team at 20 hrs/week. Reporting to the Executive Director, this person will take a lead role in drafting, maintaining, and disseminating digital communications to stakeholders across multiple platforms. They will ensure delivery of timely, consistent, and transparent information including public meeting minutes, agendas, and opportunities to engage at the City, County, and State levels. The CAA will work with staff and board members to increase the effectiveness of our engagement efforts through accurate and strategic database, social media, and website management.

Check out the full position posting and instructions for submitting an application here!

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Community Members Vote to Adopt Proposed Revisions to the Whittier Alliance Neighborhood Association Bylaws

1/23/2021

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The Whittier Alliance Board of Directors is proud to announce that community members voted to approve new changes to the organization’s Bylaws. These changes to the Bylaws were proposed to remove barriers to participation, instill principles of equity and inclusion into the core documents of the organization, and support organizational sustainability.
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With 77% of eligible votes cast in support of these changes, the new Bylaws went into effect yesterday, 1/22/21, upon tabulation and certification of the vote results by city staff and can be read in full here.

These new Bylaws will allow the organization to better pursue the priorities outlined in our 2019-2024 strategic plan, particularly with regard to community engagement and organizational sustainability. By removing barriers to participation, including removing the photo ID requirement and establishing more accessible voting procedures, the Whittier Alliance will be able to engage more community members in matters of the neighborhood. Structural changes to the organization, including added flexibility to Acting Committee work and a clear, transparent process for filling board vacancies, will allow both staff and community members to better maintain the important work of the organization on behalf of the neighborhood. 

These changes have been informed by relationships and conversations with business owners, residents, and property owners through formal and informal meetings, events, and one-on-one conversations over the past three years. Board and Task Force members engaged in numerous deep, complex, and thoughtful discussions; they conducted comparisons with other neighborhood organizations’ Bylaws; and they sought a number of consultations with the neighborhood organization lawyer and City staff. You can view the project timeline, including the voting process and Task Force members here.

Beyond the Board's commitment to meeting community demands for removing barriers to participation, the City of Minneapolis’ newly-approved funding and program structure will include a review of our Bylaws beginning in April 2021; these changes ensure Whittier Alliance can continue to qualify for City funding. For example, neighborhood organizations must allow for Board candidate nominations to be taken from the floor of an annual meeting, and they must accept non-photo ID options for membership verification. 

During the January 14th, 2021 virtual meeting, which kicked off the seven day voting period, community members shared their thoughts and asked questions about the proposed bylaws. One community member noted “I’m loving how much work went into this, and how these Bylaws were written with the hope of representing folks who make up our neighborhood that haven’t been invited to the table, rather than a misplaced fear or excluding folks who already have power and influence.” Another said “It's clear that passion for community building towards a better future is present and thriving.” 

Thank you to everyone who weighed in throughout this process in different ways. Whittier is fortunate to have passionate community members who care about the well-being of this organization, even if they don’t always agree on how best to reach that goal. We believe Bylaws should be a living document, reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that we are operating in a way that supports our mission and the changing realities around us. All comments and questions submitted during the virtual meeting are available for review in the official meeting minutes. There you will also find comments from submitted ballots, compiled anonymously, expanding on the reasoning behind members’ votes and suggestions for the Whittier Alliance. (Note: If you indicated you would like to be followed up with by a staff or board member on your submission, we will ensure this happens in the next month.)

We are so grateful you are part of our neighborhood and community, and thank you to those of you who participated in this process. We are motivated and committed to continue on this journey of Whittier Alliance becoming a more equitable, more just organization that supports and connects members of our Whittier community, with a focus on those most often excluded in our society. We hope you’ll join us!

With gratitude, 

The Whittier Alliance Board of Directors
Abigail Speller
Aldona Martinka
Brigid Higgins
Cyndi Hovey
Daniel Perez
Erin Sjoquist
Katie Heimer
Nate Broadbridge
Nate Rastetter
Shinjan Sengupta
Stephanie Brown

For more information about this process, the proposal, and the special meeting is available on the Special Meeting page.
Special Meeting Minutes, 1.14.21
File Size: 504 kb
File Type: pdf
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Bylaws Review Task Force Timeline & Voting Process
File Size: 56 kb
File Type: pdf
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Public Safety Project: 1st Ave and Blaisdell

9/11/2020

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City of Minneapolis – Public Works held an Open House on the traffic safety project at 1st Ave and Blaisdell. The open house included a 30 minute presentation and 30 minutes of Q&A. A recording of the open house and slides from the presentation are below. The department is available to share information and speak with businesses, particularly those along 28th Street. Contact info@whittieralliance.org to set up a meeting or for more information.
TrafficSafetyProject1st&BlaisdellPresentationSlides.pdf
File Size: 3605 kb
File Type: pdf
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Whittier Alliance Activities & Resources for COVID-19 Outbreak

8/7/2020

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The team at Whittier Alliance has been closely monitoring the guidance put forth by the Minnesota Department of Health and leaders at the City of Minneapolis. The current outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in our community calls upon each of us to do our part in keeping one another safe and to support the extraordinary workers in the health care and related sectors on the front lines caring for those in need. We want to take a moment to share how Whittier Alliance will support these goals and to provide some resources for how to stay connected with your neighbors during this time of uncertainty and isolation for many. 

More Updates from Minnesota Department Of Revenue

Minnesota Department of Revenue is providing additional time until July 15, 2020, for taxpayers to file and pay 2019 Minnesota Individual Income Tax without any penalty and interest.
Minnesota Department of Health is leading the statewide response 
​Click Here to know more information.
Emergency program through Hennepin county, to get more information click here
Whittier Alliance internal operations: WA staff will continue working normal hours, however we will be staggering our coverage of the WA office in order to maintain the ability to assist community members in need who many be calling the office phone line. We will close the doors to in-person interaction and include a door sign with instructions to call or email. One staff person will be in the office per day, 9:30am--5:30 pm. If you do need assistance, you may reach us at (612) 871-7756 or via email at info@whittieralliance.org.
Whittier Alliance public meetings and events: Until further notice, all in-person public meetings and events facilitated by WA are either cancelled or postponed, including the Annual Meeting which was previously set to take place on Thursday, April 9th. Our leadership team is currently exploring options for online meeting platforms as a way to support ongoing small group work on the committee level and regular board operations if possible. Stay tuned to our social media platforms, additional email communications, and the WA website for new information about ways to continue engaging.

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Save the Date! Whittier Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 9th.

8/3/2020

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Mark your calendars for the largest formal gathering of Whittier neighbors throughout the year! Enjoy complimentary food and drinks from some amazing Whittier restaurants, make a new friend, and weigh in on some key decisions for Whittier Alliance this year.

At each Annual Meeting, a new term of Directors are elected to the Whittier Alliance Board by residents and property owners (you!), so come support your neighbors who are stepping up to serve! This year we also have a task force of current board members who have been hard at work developing suggested revisions to our organization's By-laws and working with community members to collect feedback on them. Because residents, property owners, and business owners are our membership base, that voting body holds the final say in our organization's governing documents. We need you to come cast your vote!

Proposed revisions are posted below for community review leading up to the April 9th meeting, and a summary doc will be included soon, as well. Feel free to reach out with any questions on the proposed revisions at any time; we welcome your thoughts! Additional meeting information including documentation required to become a registered Whittier voter is detailed on the flyers below.

See you on April 9th at MCAD (2501 Stevens Ave, Auditorium 150)!
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current_whittier_alliance_by-laws_-_updated_jan_12_2015.pdf
File Size: 66 kb
File Type: pdf
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wa_bylaws__2020-03-03_forvote.pdf
File Size: 306 kb
File Type: pdf
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2020 At-Large Board of Directors Candidate Application Period is Now Open!

8/3/2020

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The Whittier neighborhood is on a steady path toward realizing its goal of fostering a welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and sustainable community. To achieve this important vision, we need the help of residents who are committed to the neighborhood, invested in seeing progress and improvements and are willing to share their talent and perspectives as Whittier Alliance board members. 

Each year at the Annual Meeting the Whittier Alliance membership elects 5 at-large, volunteer board members to serve a 3 year term. The 5 board members join 10 other board members elected from the neighborhood by fellow residents and property owners, up to 5 business and nonprofit community representatives, and additional elected standing committee chairpersons (all elected by peers, as well). 

Serving on a neighborhood board is civic involvement at its most grassroots and most impactful level. The annual Eat Street Festival, the youth-led mural down the street, and even the Whittier International Elementary School itself are examples of Whittier Alliance Board involvement, organizing, and decision-making. 

Are you interested in sharing your time and talents with our organization and with your neighbors? Are you looking for a way to meet new people in Whittier and learn something new? This opportunity could be for you!

Check out the full application and Board of Directors job description in the PDF link below, and reach out to kaley@whittieralliance.org with any questions. Completed applications must be submitted in person by 5pm on Friday, March 6th, 2020 at the Whittier Alliance office (10 E 25th St., Minneapolis, MN 55404).
​

2020_board_candidate_application.pdf
File Size: 132 kb
File Type: pdf
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Whittier Alliance
10 East 25th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Tel: (612) 871-7756
Fax: (612) 871-0650
  • Neighborhood
    • Welcome to Whittier
    • History of Whittier
    • Whittier Solidarity Network
    • Whittier Dining Guide
    • Bike/Transit
    • Green Spaces
    • Neighborhood Volunteer Hub
  • Resources
    • Renters >
      • Repairs, Maintenance, and Energy Efficiency
      • Financial Assistance
      • Legal & Mediation Services
      • Twin Cities Landlord Search
      • Housing and Household Resources
    • Home / Property Owners >
      • Repairs, Maintenance, and Energy Efficiency
      • Financial Assistance
      • Legal & Mediation Services
      • Participation in Housing Choice Voucher Program
    • Businesses >
      • Training & Coaching Resources
      • Financial Assistance
      • Department of Labor Compliance Resources
    • Housing Search Assistance
    • Housing Emergency Support Services
    • Basic Essentials
    • Health and Wellness Support
  • Get Involved
    • Whittier Annual Meeting 2023
    • Upcoming Events
    • Voter Registration
    • Current Committees & Task Forces >
      • Housing and Land Use Committee >
        • Current Projects & Goals
        • Meeting Minutes
      • Community Engagement Committee >
        • Current Projects & Goals
        • 2017-2022 Meeting Minutes
        • 2015-2016 Meeting Minutes
    • Neighborhood Involvement Form
    • Call for Whittier Artists
    • WA Meeting Minutes & Board Packet Access
    • City of Mpls Public Hearings
  • Community Development
    • Project Tracker
    • Kmart, Lake & Nicollet
    • 2116 Nicollet Ave Development
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • About Us
    • What is the Whittier Alliance?
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Guiding Documents
    • WA Bylaws Revisions Project
    • Job & Internship Openings
    • Contact