Town Hall event aims to tell story of Minneapolis' north side

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - As a longtime resident of north Minneapolis, 62-year-old Kevin Jenkins loves to share his stories--and what better opportunity that Thursday night's "Northside Story" event at the Minneapolis Urban League.

At the event, elders like Jenkins shared their perspectives on how policy shaped the Plymouth/Penn Avenue corridor from the early 1900s through today, with the hope that both artists and city officials will be able to use those stories as inspiration for future projects.

"We had bands, we had fashion shows, we had sports teams, we had car shows, you name it we had it in our community," he said. "[Recent years have been] wonderful for all the redevelopment they’re putting on the north side here, but where are the people?"

The venture is a collaboration between 4000 More Creative, a group of local artistic professionals, and the City of Minneapolis. With a focus on shifting systems away from racism, oppression and disparities, "Northside Story" aims to establish confidence between city leaders and the people of the neighborhood.

"The elders are why we're as a community, and if we’re going to have any hope moving forward we have to understand, 'How did we get here?'" said Pierre Fulford, a youth development coordinator for 4000 More Creative.

More recording sessions are scheduled for July 10 and 11. You can register for those events by calling 612-673-6102 or texting the word STORY to 484848.