Elevating Equity Through a Welcoming Public Realm

Although Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, are known for incredible parks, the public realm in majority-Black and -brown neighborhoods has historically been unimaginative and underfunded. A coalition in the Twin Cities will pilot a design justice studio to heal generational harms and create welcoming, diverse public spaces by transforming the spaces themselves and the process of actualizing them. With significant public capital investments afoot, a diverse mix of community members and organizations is co-creating public realm solutions to realize a vibrant Black commercial corridor near a future light rail line; a safe and economically resilient district in a diverse, working-class neighborhood where a major roadway reconstruction is planned; a neighborhood cultural and commercial district; and the redevelopment of police stations into true civic assets.