Register for the "New Metropolis Minnesota" forum
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 3:44PM 
All invited to a regional conversation on March 30, 2011
“New Metropolis Minnesota: Growing Together as a Region” is a community forum taking place March 30 based on a ground-breaking documentary airing nationwide called The New Metropolis. The New Metropolis has been used successfully in other regions across the country, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland, to spark cross-stakeholder conversations about how public institutions can respond to demographic and fiscal changes. All are welcome to participate in the forum at the Bloomington Center for the Arts on Wed., March 30, 2011.
New Metropolis Minnesota event details
Date: Wed., March 30, 2011
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (note the new start time!) Reception to follow.
Location: Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN. Click here for map. Accessible by bus; plan your trip.
Registration: Register online here. Event is free and open to the public but registration is required.
The forum is an opportunity to engage new voices in Minnesota in a conversation about the Twin Cities’ older suburbs at a time of pivotal leadership transition at the state and regional levels. Forum participants will view portions of The New Metropolis, watch clips of local community conversations about Twin Cities challenges, hear from two panels of public officials and citizen representatives, and have the opportunity to pose their own questions to each panel.
The event will include two panel discussions, each beginning with an excerpt of one of the New Metropolis episodes. Both panels will be hosted by Terri Thao of Nexus Community Partners.
The first panel will respond to “The New Neighbors” episode, which focuses on how suburbs adapt as they become increasingly racially diverse. Panelists include Eden Prairie Somali community advocate Ahmed Jama, Eden Prairie School Superintendent Melissa Krull, Chris Stewart formerly of the Minneapolis School Board, and Rodolfo Gutierrez of HACER (Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research) in Minneapolis.
The second panel will address the themes of suburban fiscal strain in “A Crack in the Pavement.” The new Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh will participate, as will Richfield City Manager Steve Devich, Gary Cunningham of the Northwest Area Foundation, and Colleen Carey of The Cornerstone Group.
Each panel will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience.
The entire forum will be taped to air on Twin Cities Public Television later in spring 2011 (air dates to be announced in April).
Project partners include the Surdna, Ford and McKnight foundations, Torrice Productions, Twin Cities Public Television and 1000 Friends of Minnesota. Advisory organizations include the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, Housing Preservation Project, Institute on Race & Poverty, ISAIAH, Metro Cities, Metropolitan Council, University of Minnesota, and Urban Land Institute/Regional Council of Mayors.
For further information about the event, please contact Jill Mazullo at 651-312-1000 ext. 204 or jmazullo@envisionmn.org.
Reader Comments (1)
Sounds like a forum that is vital to the development of Minnesota as we grow as a community. Platforms like this allow citizens to voice their opinions and question our leaders on topics that make a difference to our cities and communities. Used Cars Minnesota