[ Falcon Heights - Lauderdale - Little Canada - Maplewood - Roseville ]

Perhaps you saw it—an editorial page cartoon by Steve Sack in the Star Tribune in the summer of 2020—two houses, two neighbors chatting over the fence, and two signs in one yard. The signs say “Black Lives Matter” and “We Support Our Local Police.” One man is saying to the other man “If you think they conflict maybe it’s you with the problem.” It struck a chord.

I can see why they are so often thought to be orthogonal today. It needn’t be the case.

Perhaps the crux of the conflict comes in the intent behind “support.” For me, support means willingly paying taxes; endorsing a respectful, living wage for all public employees; backing good training for all public safety employees, both before and throughout employment; treating those public safety employees with whom I come into contact with respect, courtesy, and thanks as the situation warrants; and acknowledging the value of the job and the risks it entails.

All LWV members are invited to Council of Metropolitan Area Leagues of Women Voters (CMAL) January 15 Quarterly Meeting where Mindy Greiling will present the report from the hard working study committee on county government. Proposed consensus questions will be reviewed at this meeting, adjusting them where appropriate. (Don’t be dissuaded by the length. The gist of the study is less than ten pages.) The report includes the proposed consensus questions and can be view here.

LWV member as well as "Equitable Representation" study member, Megan Gunnar Dahlberg, was interviewed in November by Dana Healy for the NineNorthMedia televised podcast. Through answering a variety of questions, Megan had the opportunity to expand on specific details of the study and its eventual presentation. Link to the televised podcast.  https://ninenorth.org/videos/cities-speak-ep-89-megan-gunnar/

Representation in City Governance.  The changing demographics of our communities means that elected and appointed leaders are provided with great opportunities and also some challenges. Join the League of Women Voters Roseville Area (LWVRA) on Thursday, January 20 at 6:30 p.m. as we continue our focus on diversity in local governance in conversations with the mayors of Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Little Canada, Maplewood and Roseville.

English, English, English. It is the language of common parlance in the United States and is traditionally considered beneficial for economic success worldwide. But there is another aspect for immigrant families. When learning English comes at the cost of not learning the language of your parents and grandparents, there is profound loss. Loss of connection to elders, culture, identity, history, community…

In Europe it is not uncommon for people to be bilingual, or multi-lingual. English is often the second or third language. It does not erase the other languages, nor does speaking German, French, or Czech as a first language prevent the learning of English. In Africa many people speak multiple languages, a mix of local and colonial. It is not an inherent limitation of the human brain to speak or understand only one form of communication. What is it about the United States that makes bilingualism so difficult to sustain?

The latest issue of the CMAL newsletter includes information on the County Government Study Committee which is on schedule to produce its written report and proposed consensus questions, board meeting highlights from June - September, as well as the 2021- 2022 program schedule. You can view the newsletter here.

If you missed this program or would like to watch it again, the Ramsey County Library has provided a link to the recording: https://my.nicheacademy.com/rcladult/course/38660

Neighbors change over time. When new neighbors also bring a new heritage, bridging cultural differences can be challenging. Longtime residents may be anxious that they may say or do the "wrong" thing. The panel for this program will tackle practical strategies to become welcoming neighbors and building strong and diverse neighborhoods.