SANIAH BATES: Hey guys, my name is Saniah Bates and I’m your host from the Minnesota Daily. Right now you’re listening to In The Know, a podcast dedicated to the University of Minnesota by students, for students. 

Whenever you visit Dinkytown, what do you think of? Is it the stores? The restaurants? The students? What if you considered all of those factors? The stores, the restaurants and the students? Well, Dinkytown’s culture is like that of no other, acting as the center of Minneapolis student life here at the University of Minnesota. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t attend the U, you may just find yourself exploring this bustling college town.

With a mix of small clothing stores, cafes and casual bars, Dinkytown has become a staple in the lives of those who attend the University, live near it or visit frequently. Its close proximity to several of the Gopher’s sporting arenas such as Williams Arena and 3M Arena at Mariucci has also fostered a place for Gopher sports lovers to congregate before and after games. Bringing in people from all walks of life, Dinkytown undoubtedly has a community worth talking about.

Everyone and everything in Dinky is connected in one way or another. Whether it’s where you go to get your coffee every morning, or who might be serving you a nice warm cookie! Lance Kociemba, one of the managers at Insomnia Cookies, is always eager to give away cookies, as they bring a different kind of joy to his daily life. 

LANCE KOCIEMBA: Cookies bring joy to people, and I love giving away free cookies. I love giving those to customers because a free cookie makes someone’s day. And just to see people smile is just I love customer service, but like, you know, Walmart and all those places, people are a lot less happy. And so many people are always just happy because, you know, we got delicious cookies. They’re just happy to be here. So, definitely giving people a smile every day and just being in a really happy environment.

BATES: While Insomnia gives out free cookies to customers every now and then, say, when someone breaks their newly bought cookie or the managing staff are feeling generous, they also give away cookies to those who are in need. According to Kociemba, Dinkytown Insomnia often gives away free cookies to Halfway Houses, which are community based rehabilitation facilities that aid recently incarcerated individuals in returning to society. 

KOCIEMBA: Halfway houses are, they’re stepping into a society where it’s like, maybe in between jail and like in between like real life where it’s like, they need the most support right then and there. So like, you know, cookies. They always come in and tell us how much they love our cookies. We give them a lot of free cookies. And so that’s also something I love doing. Just, you know, giving free cookies to the halfway house because those guys always, all those guys appreciate it.

BATES: Once again, Dinkytown is a perfect example of your classic college town. Unlike other towns around Minnesota, the average age in Dinkytown is  usually somewhere between 18 and 22, making the college town, well, a college town! The youth in Dinky keeps its bustling streets packed at all times, whether it’s 8 a.m. or 2 a.m., there’ll always be kids out on the town. And that’s something that makes running a cookie shop in a college town so unique in comparison to running one in another town elsewhere.

KOCIEMBA: I think, it sounds bad, but like the youth. Like everyone just, I mean I used to live up north, you know, average age 73, you know, there’s a lot of old people. But here it’s like, you look around, there’s young, youthful people, happy. And you know, nothing wrong with old people. I like, you know, there’s no, you know, it’s just nice to see people my own age compared to up north.

BATES: Speaking of a college town being like none other, there’s a unique trading system within Dinkytown that we’re sure not everyone is aware of. That’s right, the different restaurants in Dinky give goods and services to each other, just as they do to you, the everyday customer. Cherry Bailey, one of the managers at Jimmy John’s right next door to Insomnia says that the two restaurants enjoy trading, but like to keep their transactions lowkey.

CHERRY BAILEY: We just do it because sometimes the employees want to eat something different. So that’s our way of treating our employees to different type of food other than eating our food here. We kind of just like, hey, you want to trade our food off like that. But we kind of stirred not to doing trade like that because it kind of messes up the inventory with the food. 

Yeah, we try to can kind of keep the trade kind of minimum as far as like, hey, you can trade just your sandwich. Don’t trade a whole like Party platter or something like that. Party platter worth which is like 60 worth for food. So we try not to do that versus just $10. Keep it minimal.

KOCIEMBA: Cruncheese and us also have a partnership where we always give each other free food, even if we’re not trading, just if they walk in there they get free cookies here and we just get, I don’t know, we just do a lot of trades. That’s about it, that’s about it, but I guess Blarney’s also, we get to cut the line at Blarney’s, but that’s, I can’t really think of what else with other community, other stores.

BATES: But of course, these lovely businesses love serving you just as much as they love serving each other. Both Insomnia Cookies and Jimmy John’s are food joints that stay open pretty late. Loads of different people make their way through the both of them, especially rowdy college kids after a night of drinking or coming from a big game!

BAILEY:  Like, once the, like, Spring Jam happens, those are my fun times working here. The games are pretty much fun. Dealing with all the drunk kids is fun for me. I don’t know, but some people don’t like working when it’s busy, but I, me, personally, I love working when there’s a big rush here. 

Late night bar rushes are very fun. You get to see all the kids on their drunk hours just walking around, eating their sandwiches in weird ways. Like I’ve seen some just eat it upside down. Yeah, I’ve seen weird ways on how they eat their sandwich when they’re drunk and how they act when they’re drunk. So yeah, the night rushes will be fun.

BATES: Alongside all of the workers having a blast getting to collaborate with each other and serve in a college community, there are also students within these establishments who are getting the Dinkytown insider experience, too. Sifaan Biru, an employee at Cruncheese, has gotten to experience all of Dinkytown’s ins and outs being both a student attending the U and someone working within the Dinky business scene.

SIFAAN BIRU: There’s a really nice community in Dinkytown. I work with a friend and it’s really nice getting to see her and able to like, you know, work and talk between the slow hours. I’ve gotten like close with my other coworkers. It’s like close knit community. I don’t feel like I’m scared to like ask for like days off or anything compared to like my other jobs. I feel more relaxed.

Just like bonding with all my coworkers because we all like have We’re all students, so we just bond over like, teacher trauma, or like, weird roommates, and just like, be able to like, talk with each other, and like, just feel a little bit, like, free within our shift. It feels like more than the family, more than like just, you know, just a bunch of businesses that are separate.

BATES: So, the next time you take a trip to Dinkytown, take some time to think about your surroundings— you just might discover that you’re part of something much bigger than just a little college town!

This episode was written by Saniah Bates and produced by Kaylie Sirovy. As always, we appreciate you listening in and feel free to leave us an email at podcasting@mndaily.com with comments, questions or concerns. I’m Saniah, and this is In The Know.

SANIAH BATES: Hey guys, my name is Saniah Bates and I’m your host from the Minnesota Daily! Right now you’re listening to In The Know, a podcast dedicated to the University of Minnesota by students, for students. 

As the fall and winter sports season comes to a close, several of our student athletes find themselves going into the off season. Other student athletes find themselves saying goodbye to their teammates, program and coaches— senior athletes in particular. This year, our Golden Gopher gymnastics team is saying goodbye to their five seniors, Mya Hooten, Gianna Gerdes, Emily Koch, Kate Horak and Ella Sirjord.

Each of these Gophers have left an incredible mark on both the gymnastics program here at the U and on Gopher Athletics as a whole. Some were four year contributors to the team, others were walk-ons, but every single athlete left behind a legacy that Gopher Athletics will never forget. When it comes to how these women have left an impact, the word “team” cannot be left behind, according to Gianna Gerdes, an all-around senior from Delaware, Ohio.

GIANNA GERDES: I’d say, like, in my head, this team is my family, like, almost more so than my family back home, because I get to spend so much time with them, at least during this time. So definitely family at the center of everything. Like, everything that I do is for the team and everything that they do is for me and it’s very reciprocated and very strong in our foundation. 

Supporting each other, holding each other accountable and just putting our energy into each person competing or each person outside of the gym and being there in so many different ways. And these girls are, I can come to them with anything and I hope that they can come to me with anything and they’re just my best friends. 

BATES: Even with their final home meet now a memory, the women are far from finished. They’re still on the road doing meets across the country until the very end of their season. Right now, they’re moving into their postseason, competing at regionals and nationals in the next few weeks. 

Fresh from the Big Ten Championship held in East Lansing, Michigan, they secured the second spot, narrowly trailing behind Michigan State as runners-up. With a score of 197.500, they fell just shy of Michigan State’s 197.600. Reflecting on this memorable feat, Ella Sirjord reminisces about her four-year journey and her second year as an all-around competitor.

ELLA SIRJORD: I’m just really excited for these next couple weeks. We’re going into postseason which is regionals, nationals. And I feel like this team, we have it, we’ve put it all together, but I still don’t think we’ve peaked, which I think is super exciting, just to see where we can go still this season. 

Like, it is not over until it is over, so I think we’re all really fired up after Big Tens. We were super close to winning. So every single day we’re thinking about that 1/10, how we can all get 1/10 better and bring it into postseason.

BATES: Whether they’re in the gym or outside of it, these Gopher gymnasts will always have each other’s backs. With the seniors on their way out, it has been crucial for them to keep their team motivated and pushing until the very end. 

SIRJORD: Every day in the gym, every single person, whether that’s cheering a little louder, working 1/10 better, we’re always pushing each other to be the best athletes we can be in and out of the gym, too. Like, we are all incredible students, incredible people. So yeah, I would definitely say just always pushing each other and having fun while we’re doing it, too. It’s super fun with this team and it’s just been a blast these four years.

BATES: Throughout their careers, each of these gymnasts have changed in more ways than one. They’ve become better athletes, teammates and individuals overall. After several seasons filled with mental, physical and emotional growth, these women have undergone remarkable transformation, emerging stronger and better than ever!

Several things have changed quite a bit for Gerdes. She talked about how her gymnastics career evolved as she transitioned into college after doing gymnastics throughout her life.

GERDES: I definitely want to encourage everybody to, at least on the team and those to come after, to just be themselves and also allow themselves to enjoy what they’re doing. I feel like as we grow up in gymnastics, there’s so much focus on doing certain things and just performing at your best and being perfect.

But then you get to college and it’s less focused on your individual performance and like just doing well. And it’s more about the experience and the team and just being the best version of yourself in any aspect. So that’s something that I’ll take away, but also I hope I can sort of reflect through who I am, but in the gym and outside of the gym.

BATES: Speaking of growth, Gerdes also gave her younger self a bit of advice regarding balancing her heavy load of gymnastics, academics and personal care. 

GERDES: I’d say to like prioritize myself as well, or like listen to what I need as a person because gymnastics isn’t forever, even though it seems like it is forever. So when you get to college, you kind of change that perspective to just, like I said before, being the best version of yourself in all aspects, and that will reflect into your gymnastics and your school and to like social things. 

And I feel like growing up, I was more just gymnastics this, gymnastics that, and everything revolved around gymnastics when everything in the grand scheme of things should be collective and will be collective. So just listening to what you need as a person and enjoying the experience because it flies by. 

BATES: Gymnastics may not be forever in terms of person to person careers, but the legacy behind the sport is. This team has already made history within the program with Mya Hooten leaving Gopher Athletics as one of the most decorated gymnasts that the program has ever seen. Alongside their individual accomplishments, this year’s senior class has left an impact that will never be forgotten.

SIRJORD: I feel like it’s not even that I want people to remember myself, but I just want to look back and know that I made an impact on every single one of my teammates and knew that we push each other to make it as far as we could and be just the best team we could be every single year. 

And every single year is different with like a different team. So I would say that’s the main thing is just knowing I left everything out there and gave it my all. 

GERDES: But I’d say not necessarily focusing on the end goals or like the performance goals. As a team, we like to kind of center that focus into staying in the moment and loving the battle in the process. 

So we set like process goals and things that we’re going to do right now to help us get to those performance goals. And that also, that helps us perform better, but it also kind of changes that perspective to allow you to enjoy this experience. And I feel like that’s very prominent in the culture of Gopher Gymnastics because we’ve had alumni come and talk to us.

And we notice a lot of similarities in the like relationships that they’ve made with people on their team, but also seeing the relationship that we have with them. So the impact that I want to have is like establishing how important relationships are, not only with your team, but the people that are in this program like the alumni and maybe people that come after you. 

BATES: All in all, these women have really made an impression on the program, and to top it off, this year was the Gopher gymnastics program’s 50 year anniversary. 

Whenever you attend one of their home meets, you’ll experience Sirjord’s own creation: an intro video that places emphasis on forging history and paying tribute to the gymnasts who paved the way for the current team. For the seniors, this year being both their last and the program’s 50 year anniversary makes this season that much more meaningful and memorable. 

GERDES: I think it’s changed the perspective a little bit, like seeing how gymnastics as a whole in college, but also our program has changed from beginning until now. It’s really not only inspiring to see the women that came before us and how they lay this foundation for us, but kind of established that gratitude a little bit, or re-established that gratitude in me and also the other girls. 

And just soaking it all in and loving every moment because this is an opportunity that not everybody gets. But also female gymnasts didn’t get that opportunity or get the things that we do now. 

SIRJORD: I would say it just kind of makes it that much sweeter. I feel like we’re all kind of just soaking in that this is, this program is a legacy and 50 years is a big deal. And I’m actually sitting. In our like athlete village where we can study and stuff. And I’m looking at our new facility, like right out this window. 

And it’s so cool just to see these like super big things happening this year for us because this team just deserves it so much. Everything, the coaching, all the staff, the support staff, like we deserve it. And it’s so cool to be that part. So I just say we really are soaking in every moment. 

BATES: And according to these athletes, there’s nothing like Gopher’s Gymnastics!

This episode was written by Saniah Bates and produced by Kaylie Sirovy. As always, we appreciate you listening in and feel free to leave us an email at podcasting@mndaily.com with comments, questions or concerns. I’m Saniah, and this is In The Know.

SANIAH BATES: Hey guys, my name is Saniah Bates and I’m your host from the Minnesota Daily. Right now you’re listening to In The Know, a podcast dedicated to the University of Minnesota by students, for students.

The media has always been a huge conversation among those within the industry as well as outside it. Whether you like the media or not, it’s always going to be here. But let’s say you’re interested in the media industry and want to get into it. Where should you start, you may ask? 

Why not take a look at SPEAK MPLS, a member-powered media center reimagining the future of media in Minneapolis, according to Rebecca Smith, director and founder of SPEAK MPLS. According to SPEAK’s mission statement, those who are involved are able to activate community connections and creative opportunities with two studios, classes, equipment and a year-round youth program.

According to Smith, members are able to amplify their voices on SPEAK MPLS TV: the home of Minneapolis public access TV channels 16, 17 (798 HD), and 75 on Comcast Xfinity, and streaming online 24/7 at speakmpls.com. I also spoke with Destiny Roberts, a producer who has been working with SPEAK for a few months now. She says that SPEAK acts as a safe haven for creatives here in the greater Minneapolis area.

DESTINY ROBERTS: It’s a place that just naturally holds this sense of community, like in an almost family way. To me, like, public access is like, it’s such a rare, a missed opportunity for people. Cause like, when you come here, the possibilities are endless, you know? When you come here, you can have a vision, and then not only have the space, but have the tools, the equipment to help bring that vision and that story to life. 

It’s a place where you can get help. It’s a place where you won’t feel like because you don’t know something, you’re, you’re less than or inadequate. Like they walk with you right where you’re at. They take your hand and they’re there every step of the journey. Rather, you have a lot of experience or you don’t. 

It’s literally public access. It’s like access to the public. You know what I mean? Like, so, I don’t know. It’s everything. It’s everything that the community needs and I’m just excited to watch, you know, the community really catch on to what this is and just see what flourishes.

BATES: SPEAK MPLS is a company under BFRESH Productions, a television company created by Smith that broke into the public access television industry in 2020. Shortly after, Smith alongside her team created SPEAK MPLS in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic on August 1. SPEAK was launched as the new steward of public access TV, which has been around for 40 years according to Smith.

The newly created broadcast station was meant to act as a new community center where those in the community could have their voices amplified, as  the mainstream doesn’t tend to include everyone. Whether they have music, a tv show, a podcast or any production project they’d like to share, SPEAK is the place to kick start those endeavors.

ROBERTS: Being in connection with SPEAK Minneapolis, if you just have a vision, or if you are seeking to create stories, or capture stories, or document events, or document important things in your life, learn how to use cameras, this is the place to be.

BATES: Although SPEAK has been around for about four years now, it’s still fairly new in the media scene here in Minneapolis. It’s always a bit intimidating to walk into a place you’ve never been and talk to people you’ve never met. But with the staff members at SPEAK, they’ll try to make you  feel right at home upon meeting them at either of their two studio spaces. Vageesha Dharmadasa, SPEAK’s community media specialist and a U of M alum, says that he, alongside his colleagues at SPEAK, are always welcoming to those who are interested in their program.

VAGEESHA DHARMADASA: I’m always, I’m usually there. So I love, you know, whenever someone drops in and it’s always exciting to kind of be able to show them like all the stuff that we have. It usually, you know, it blows people away sometimes just because, you know, you hear the term public access and you’re like, oh, like that’s, you know, between two firms or, you know, the Eric Andre show. That’s what you think of, right? 

But it’s really like, I mean, it’s just so much more, at least at SPEAK, you know. Where you come in and you’re like, oh shit, like this is like a full blown studio, you know? And then you show them like the inventory and you’re like, oh, like they have like all the stuff I would really, really need realistically speaking to film something. And, you know, it’s just, I just recommend just coming in and checking it out and seeing if you would be interested.

BATES: Speaking of filming, you see what I did there with “SPEAK”? Anyways, speaking of filming and creating different content, SPEAK MPLS is based in two different locations here in Minneapolis. They have one studio in South Minneapolis and another in North Eastern Minneapolis. 

ROBERTS: There’s two different spaces. We have a podcast space and a production like a studio space. So, it’s literally for anybody who doesn’t know where to start.

DHARMADASA: So Northeast is a lot more based around just filming, you know, film, TV show, whatever you’d want to do just in that like visual kind of medium. So you got like a green screen while you got a ton of space, you got set walls that you can move around. You got a lighting grid, you know, aperture lights, all this stuff. So, and all our inventories there too. So it’s a lot easier to like, you know, set up a more, let’s say elaborate production at Northeast. Whereas South would be, is purely specialized in podcasting. Like it’s got a control room, an audio mixer. It’s got all the, you know, really nice, like mics, so it’s all set up that way purely for podcasting. And it’s very much just like, you know, you come in, it’s a lot more plug and play there.

BATES: But SPEAK isn’t just about the community, it’s about building the strengths of those who are on the SPEAK team. The team is pretty small, consisting of no more than ten people. Within that team, SPEAK has been able to impact not only the media industry in Minneapolis, but their own personal media journeys as well. Crystal Colbert, SPEAK’s community engagement manager has been able to get experience in the media industry in areas that she’s new to.

CRYSTAL COLBERT: This is a different aspect of media for me. So, I was, had been contracting with the Minnesota Women’s Press. So, of course that’s like print publication and this platform  is different for me. And so again, you know, the part that speaks to me is, has always been storytelling because my background is in social work. So, even at the Press, the idea of first person storytelling is central to that publication. And I feel essential in the work at SPEAK because, you know, public access allows members of the community to create content that we do not edit. 

And so I think that’s just huge in terms of people being able to get their voice out there. And then also just for media in terms of me in the learning curve and learning how to use equipment and edit and do all of that. I’m really excited. I, there are a lot of ways in which I want to use my voice and so even also as a community member, I feel like that’s going to help me like further my own platform personally and what I want to do for the community.

BATES: So far we know SPEAK works with its team as well as the community to change the narrative of the media industry out here in Minneapolis, right? They do even more than that with their youth program RYSE. 

RYSE, or Representing Youth Stories and Experiences in Minneapolis, is a year-round media and technology training program for high school students. This program allows students to amplify their own voices through creating a story that will be aired on SPEAK MPLS TV. Throughout this program, the SPEAK team has been able to hear some amazing stories from the youth that they’ve gotten to mentor so far.

COLBERT: I really love the RYSE program. Actually, that was also my intersection with SPEAK is that I was sitting in the Minnesota Women’s Press offices and it’s on Broadway. And the summer crew was walking by and getting footage and they asked if they could interview me. So, even before I worked at SPEAK, that was really fun because then I took my kids to the screening for that and that was about like public safety. So, then as an employee again, like seeing the finished products from the RYSE cohort was really, really exciting.

ROBERTS: Like there are youth that go through this program that come in not ever touching a camera that leave the program feeling confident in wanting a career in doing media production. So, that speaks a lot of volumes of the testimonies that the kids have given over the years being through this program, even if they just went through one cohort. 

So I would highly, highly recommend any youth that is of high school age to join this program if you want to get started. And then once you join this program, you will get a glimpse of the possibilities. And then after you’re done with this program, you can choose to do as you please.

DHARMADASA: All the rise cohorts, especially this last most recent one. Those are just all great memories just being able to be around those students and seeing how creative they are and then doing like that screening that we do at the end of all the RYSE things, you know. Being able to see all the work they put in on the big screen is just so awesome.

BATES: This episode was written by Saniah Bates and produced by Kaylie Sirovy. As always, we appreciate you listening in and feel free to leave us an email at podcasting@mndaily.com with comments, questions or concerns. I’m Saniah, and this is In The Know.

SANIAH BATES: Hey guys, my name is Saniah Bates and I’m your host from the Minnesota Daily. Right now you’re listening to In The Know, a podcast dedicated to the University of Minnesota by students, for students.

The media has always been a huge conversation among those within the industry as well as outside it. Whether you like the media or not, it’s always going to be here. But let’s say you’re interested in the media industry and want to get into it. Where should you start, you may ask? 

Why not take a look at SPEAK MPLS, a member-powered media center reimagining the future of media in Minneapolis, according to Rebecca Smith, director and founder of SPEAK MPLS. According to SPEAK’s mission statement, those who are involved are able to activate community connections and creative opportunities with two studios, classes, equipment and a year-round youth program.

According to Smith, members are able to amplify their voices on SPEAK MPLS TV: the home of Minneapolis public access TV channels 16, 17 (798 HD), and 75 on Comcast Xfinity, and streaming online 24/7 at speakmpls.com. I also spoke with Destiny Roberts, a producer who has been working with SPEAK for a few months now. She says that SPEAK acts as a safe haven for creatives here in the greater Minneapolis area.

DESTINY ROBERTS: It’s a place that just naturally holds this sense of community, like in an almost family way. To me, like, public access is like, it’s such a rare, a missed opportunity for people. Cause like, when you come here, the possibilities are endless, you know? When you come here, you can have a vision, and then not only have the space, but have the tools, the equipment to help bring that vision and that story to life. 

It’s a place where you can get help. It’s a place where you won’t feel like because you don’t know something, you’re, you’re less than or inadequate. Like they walk with you right where you’re at. They take your hand and they’re there every step of the journey. Rather, you have a lot of experience or you don’t. 

It’s literally public access. It’s like access to the public. You know what I mean? Like, so, I don’t know. It’s everything. It’s everything that the community needs and I’m just excited to watch, you know, the community really catch on to what this is and just see what flourishes.

BATES: SPEAK MPLS is a company under BFRESH Productions, a television company created by Smith that broke into the public access television industry in 2020. Shortly after, Smith alongside her team created SPEAK MPLS in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic on August 1. SPEAK was launched as the new steward of public access TV, which has been around for 40 years according to Smith.

The newly created broadcast station was meant to act as a new community center where those in the community could have their voices amplified, as  the mainstream doesn’t tend to include everyone. Whether they have music, a tv show, a podcast or any production project they’d like to share, SPEAK is the place to kick start those endeavors.

ROBERTS: Being in connection with SPEAK Minneapolis, if you just have a vision, or if you are seeking to create stories, or capture stories, or document events, or document important things in your life, learn how to use cameras, this is the place to be.

BATES: Although SPEAK has been around for about four years now, it’s still fairly new in the media scene here in Minneapolis. It’s always a bit intimidating to walk into a place you’ve never been and talk to people you’ve never met. But with the staff members at SPEAK, they’ll try to make you  feel right at home upon meeting them at either of their two studio spaces. Vageesha Dharmadasa, SPEAK’s community media specialist and a U of M alum, says that he, alongside his colleagues at SPEAK, are always welcoming to those who are interested in their program.

VAGEESHA DHARMADASA: I’m always, I’m usually there. So I love, you know, whenever someone drops in and it’s always exciting to kind of be able to show them like all the stuff that we have. It usually, you know, it blows people away sometimes just because, you know, you hear the term public access and you’re like, oh, like that’s, you know, between two firms or, you know, the Eric Andre show. That’s what you think of, right? 

But it’s really like, I mean, it’s just so much more, at least at SPEAK, you know. Where you come in and you’re like, oh shit, like this is like a full blown studio, you know? And then you show them like the inventory and you’re like, oh, like they have like all the stuff I would really, really need realistically speaking to film something. And, you know, it’s just, I just recommend just coming in and checking it out and seeing if you would be interested.

BATES: Speaking of filming, you see what I did there with “SPEAK”? Anyways, speaking of filming and creating different content, SPEAK MPLS is based in two different locations here in Minneapolis. They have one studio in South Minneapolis and another in North Eastern Minneapolis. 

ROBERTS: There’s two different spaces. We have a podcast space and a production like a studio space. So, it’s literally for anybody who doesn’t know where to start.

DHARMADASA: So Northeast is a lot more based around just filming, you know, film, TV show, whatever you’d want to do just in that like visual kind of medium. So you got like a green screen while you got a ton of space, you got set walls that you can move around. You got a lighting grid, you know, aperture lights, all this stuff. So, and all our inventories there too. So it’s a lot easier to like, you know, set up a more, let’s say elaborate production at Northeast. Whereas South would be, is purely specialized in podcasting. Like it’s got a control room, an audio mixer. It’s got all the, you know, really nice, like mics, so it’s all set up that way purely for podcasting. And it’s very much just like, you know, you come in, it’s a lot more plug and play there.

BATES: But SPEAK isn’t just about the community, it’s about building the strengths of those who are on the SPEAK team. The team is pretty small, consisting of no more than ten people. Within that team, SPEAK has been able to impact not only the media industry in Minneapolis, but their own personal media journeys as well. Crystal Colbert, SPEAK’s community engagement manager has been able to get experience in the media industry in areas that she’s new to.

CRYSTAL COLBERT: This is a different aspect of media for me. So, I was, had been contracting with the Minnesota Women’s Press. So, of course that’s like print publication and this platform  is different for me. And so again, you know, the part that speaks to me is, has always been storytelling because my background is in social work. So, even at the Press, the idea of first person storytelling is central to that publication. And I feel essential in the work at SPEAK because, you know, public access allows members of the community to create content that we do not edit. 

And so I think that’s just huge in terms of people being able to get their voice out there. And then also just for media in terms of me in the learning curve and learning how to use equipment and edit and do all of that. I’m really excited. I, there are a lot of ways in which I want to use my voice and so even also as a community member, I feel like that’s going to help me like further my own platform personally and what I want to do for the community.

BATES: So far we know SPEAK works with its team as well as the community to change the narrative of the media industry out here in Minneapolis, right? They do even more than that with their youth program RYSE. 

RYSE, or Representing Youth Stories and Experiences in Minneapolis, is a year-round media and technology training program for high school students. This program allows students to amplify their own voices through creating a story that will be aired on SPEAK MPLS TV. Throughout this program, the SPEAK team has been able to hear some amazing stories from the youth that they’ve gotten to mentor so far.

COLBERT: I really love the RYSE program. Actually, that was also my intersection with SPEAK is that I was sitting in the Minnesota Women’s Press offices and it’s on Broadway. And the summer crew was walking by and getting footage and they asked if they could interview me. So, even before I worked at SPEAK, that was really fun because then I took my kids to the screening for that and that was about like public safety. So, then as an employee again, like seeing the finished products from the RYSE cohort was really, really exciting.

ROBERTS: Like there are youth that go through this program that come in not ever touching a camera that leave the program feeling confident in wanting a career in doing media production. So, that speaks a lot of volumes of the testimonies that the kids have given over the years being through this program, even if they just went through one cohort. 

So I would highly, highly recommend any youth that is of high school age to join this program if you want to get started. And then once you join this program, you will get a glimpse of the possibilities. And then after you’re done with this program, you can choose to do as you please.

DHARMADASA: All the rise cohorts, especially this last most recent one. Those are just all great memories just being able to be around those students and seeing how creative they are and then doing like that screening that we do at the end of all the RYSE things, you know. Being able to see all the work they put in on the big screen is just so awesome.

BATES: This episode was written by Saniah Bates and produced by Kaylie Sirovy. As always, we appreciate you listening in and feel free to leave us an email at podcasting@mndaily.com with comments, questions or concerns. I’m Saniah, and this is In The Know.

After being underutilized for decades, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MBRB) is working to bring people back to one of West Bank’s oldest parks. 

The Bohemian Flats were a residential area during the 1860s before the city of Minneapolis began evicting residents a century later to make room for coal storage and shipping operations. The area was converted into a park in the 1980s, adding biking and walking paths, as well as a garden while maintaining its storage capabilities. 

Despite the park’s changes, limited accessibility and a lack of planning have left the park underused by the surrounding community, according to a master plan to renovate the park. 

Daniel Elias, a design project manager for the MPRB, said the plan aims to invite more people to the park by adding new amenities such as a new play area, wading pool, basketball courts and creating paths to make it easier for people to reach the park, which sits at the bottom of a steep slope near the Mississippi River. 

“All the work is very much in line with the overall overarching master plan for the area,” Elias said.

New amenities, in the roughly $1.7 million project, include a new play area, wading pool, volleyball and basketball courts, lighting, seating areas, paths, the clearing of overgrown vegetation and planting of new plants and trees, according to the plan.

Construction on the project is scheduled to finish in winter 2024. Elias said he expects more amenities to be added in the future. 

Although the Flats are visible for University of Minnesota students crossing the Washington Avenue Bridge, some said the park remains disconnected from campus below the bridge’s view. 

Kenneth Ejiofor, a second-year student at the University, said he frequently overlooks the Flats while crossing to West Bank for classes but has never visited them in person.

“I like looking over the edge to see the river and have noticed the Flats numerous times,” Ejiofor said. “I wouldn’t mind going down there to see what it’s about, I’d just need a few friends who would want to check it out with me.” 

The lack of student interaction with the area is something MPRB hopes to change to revitalize the area, according to Tyler Pederson, another design project manager with MPRB.

Pederson, who is the project manager overseeing the Flats project, said MPRB is emphasizing reintroducing nature into the park to reverse the industrialization that has affected the area for decades.  

“It’s really just kind of turning about five acres of parkland back over to what it might have been, you know, 200 years ago.” Pederson said. 

With the plan of restoring the original nature of the Flats, several oak trees, wildflowers and grasses will be added back to the landscape, Pederson said.

Once the board gets more funding, outdoor entertainment areas are a future inclusion to the Flats, according to Pederson.

“Eventually, when we do have more funding, then we would kind of turn that into more of a kind of performance-based amphitheater type thing,” Pederson said.

Although students said their personal attendance is low, Pederson said new amenities that have already been installed are already making an impact on park attendance. 

“We’ve seen a huge uptick and usage of the park just with the volleyball courts and the picnic shelters,” Pederson said. 

Pederson acknowledged low attendance has turned the Flats into a “dead spot” in recent years, and said with the renovation project and future improvements, the park has the potential to regain its charm for students. 

“It’s going to attract more people just to kind of hang out,” Pederson said. “It’ll feel a little bit more like you’re in nature rather than just kind of sitting on a big green lawn.”

After renovations to Marcy Park created the city’s first dog park in a decade, pet owners near the University of Minnesota have a new place to bring their companions.

The park’s renovations began in July 2022 as part of the city’s 20-year Neighborhood Park Plan, which closed the park until construction finished in June. The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA) celebrated the park’s upgrades on Saturday, which included newly planted trees, a basketball court and a dog park for local pets to have a safe space to play. 

Pets are an important part of Marcy-Holmes, according to MHNA President Vic Thorstenson, who said the new space will allow pets and their owners to be more included in the community.

“The park is just meant to be a place to let your dog run around or shoot a few hoops or lay on a hammock or just sit in the grass and read a book,” Thorstenson said.

MHNA has also been working to change the name of Marcy Park due to its namesake, William Marcy, being a prominent politician and slavery advocate during the 1800s, according to Thorstenson. Thorstenson said they will collect names and then forward the one the association picks “to the Park Board.”

The University is not pet-friendly for students living near campus, according to Josh Archambault, a student dog owner at the University. Archambault said whether people own pets for support or companionship, there are not enough places for their dogs to go.

Archambault said he frequently takes his two-year-old dog to Marcy Park because it is one of the few pet-friendly parks.

“I usually take him off the leash and let him run around in the little dog park that just opened up,” Archambault said. “It’s a really good addition to the park. There wasn’t a whole lot there before so it’s nice to have an actual dog park available for pet owners.”

Archambault said he previously brought his dog to Marcy Park before renovations were completed and recommended others avoid dealing with the lack of open space for pets by leaving them at home.

“I actually wouldn’t encourage it,” Archambault said. “My dog doesn’t get to run around as much as he should be able to because he’s so active.” 

Jasmine Christianson, another pet owner on campus, said she did not bring her dog to the University due to the lack of open space for dogs to go on walks, take bathroom breaks and play.

“Where would I bring my dog?” Christianson said. “In all honesty, there’s nothing as convenient as having a dog park like Marcy does.”

Although, Christianson said not bringing her pet to campus was best for her pet as the campus does not provide enough space for active pets.

“I’d love to have my dog here,” Christianson said. “Marcy Park sounds like a great place to take him, but this campus just isn’t made for active pets.”

Correction: The original version misstated the naming process for the park. It will be through the MHNA and the Park Board.

After Erin DuPree stepped down as director of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCB) in September, local providers are pushing for better leadership for Minnesota’s cannabis regulation.

Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) appointed DuPree to the position on Sept. 21 to oversee the state’s new cannabis regulation office following its legalization in the state in August. Although DuPree was meant to begin her new role on Monday, she stepped down a day after being appointed following allegations of her cannabis business in Apple Valley selling products significantly over the legal limit. 

Being Minnesota’s first OCB director, DuPree hurt local dispensaries trying to navigate changing laws. Cody James Prybilla, an employee at the Rec Centers Dispensary in Dinkytown, said DuPree’s misconduct sets a bad precedent for businesses trying to distribute cannabis products safely and lawfully.

“It can make it extremely challenging for businesses such as ours that do try to follow the rules, when there are plenty of places out there that are not,” Prybilla said.

Walz’s appointment of DuPree and her subsequent departure left many businesses affected by a decision they had no involvement in making, which can continue to negatively hurt the cannabis industry as a whole, according to Prybilla.

Laura Ringen, another employee at the Rec Centers Dispensary, said state leaders must involve community members and businesses when appointing people to regulate the cannabis industry.

“It was a really big missed opportunity and I’m hoping that they’ll correct it by listening to the community, listening to people who really know cannabis who have been doing this for a long time,” Ringen said.

Ringen added decisions like DuPree’s appointment not only affect businesses’ ability to sell products, but customers who may be uncertain of what they are allowed to purchase.

“It’s very important to talk to the community about what they’re looking for versus just appointing someone who is going to have such positional power over how new cannabis laws are going to affect sales and how it’s going to affect how people use cannabis,” Ringen said.

State leaders must uphold cannabis regulations on local businesses instead of “making an example” out of holding large businesses accountable for cannabis misconduct, according to Prybilla.

Brown Chitlinz is the owner of CHITLINZ, a local pop-up shop that provides different cannabis products. According to Chitlinz, transparency from leadership will lead to better collaboration between cannabis regulators and providers moving forward.

“By fostering transparency and involving a diverse range of voices, we can work towards regulations that benefit everyone,” Chitlinz said.

Other cannabis providers near the University of Minnesota shared similar concerns regarding the cannabis regulations and oversight. Campus Market Deli & Tobacco, also located in Dinkytown, recently began offering new cannabis products for recreational use.

Katie Maki, an employee at Campus Market, applauded how well Minnesota handled the legalization of recreational cannabis but acknowledged improvements must be made from leaders and regulators as cannabis continues to become accessible in the state. 

“We just obviously have done a good job, but some things are falling through the cracks and we have to pay attention and find people that are trustworthy and can make sure we do a good job with rolling everything out,” Maki said.

The Minneapolis City Council approved an agreement with the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) on Sept. 7 to allow the group to purchase the former Roof Depot site, bringing a decade-long fight with the city to a close. 

The city planned to demolish the Roof Depot building and turn the 7.5-acre site into a consolidated public works facility. However, many East Phillips residents pushed back on the project due to fears of potential pollution demolition would cause, as the building sits on high levels of arsenic from a manufacturing plant that leaked chemicals into the neighborhood for decades. 

East Phillips has already been affected by high pollution levels and low air quality. In comparison to other neighboring areas, East Phillips experienced much higher levels of air pollution, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. This led to a high number of deaths and illnesses related to air pollution such as asthma, according to a 2021 City Council analysis.

With the City Council approving EPNI’s purchase of the area, residents no longer have to worry about further air pollution from the site’s demolition, according to Joe Vital, an EPNI organizer and former East Phillips resident.

“The first worry of the neighborhood was the demolition of the site,” Vital said. “People were very mad and up in arms to stop something like that from happening, especially community members who have lost family members to environmental-related deaths.”

The main goal with the purchase of this site was to create an urban farm in place of the Roof Depot site, according to EPNI’s website. 

The urban farm will include a number of different amenities such as affordable housing, training centers and a solar energy hub.

Previously, EPNI had been raising money for the project in a number of ways, including a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $600,000 from individual donations alone since 2020, according to Vital.

Additionally, EPNI recently received several donations from other neighborhood organizations including Lake Street Council and the Minneapolis Foundation, Vital said.

Prior to the approval of the purchase, EPNI was required to have $3.7 million raised by Sept. 7 in order to fulfill the purchase agreement’s requirements. This was the original purchase agreement, meaning Minneapolis and EPNI had to agree on a deadline for EPNI to be ready to put down the money needed for the purchase.

After meeting with the city in August, EPNI was given this deadline and was concerned about the quick turnaround, according to Vital. Further discussion led to a two-month extension to Nov. 8.

The extension comes after the city refused to allow EPNI members into the Roof Depot building to inspect it and evaluate renovation costs that would impact the purchase price, according to EPNI Board President Dean Dovolis. 

Local community members and businesses such as Abdirahman Kahin, owner of Afro Deli, have come forward to collectively fund the $3.7 million, Dovolis said. Although the money has potentially been raised, EPNI is working to finalize pledges with donors to show its necessary proof of finances before its November deadline. 

The state already allocated $6.5 million toward purchasing the building and paying for the city to build its public works facility elsewhere, approving an additional $5.7 million next year that is contingent on EPNI raising its agreed-upon amount, according to Dovolis.

Members of EPNI are still concerned about waiting months for their Roof Depot purchase to be finalized. The organization is currently pushing to change the current agreement to receive the additional state funding without the requirement of community fundraising, Vital said. 

“We definitely trust our state partners to come through but the caveat is that the deed will be in our hands until 2024,” Vital said. “We can still work and start developing things, but the remaining $5.7 million is deposited to the city from the state.”

Despite the hurdles, Dovolis expressed his gratitude for the opportunity EPNI has been given.

“It’s a whole project envisioned sitting in my head that’s slowly now being realized,” Dovolis said. “Every community member contributed to that vision that now is becoming one unified vision of what we’re going forward with.” 

All the visions he had with this project are now being shared, bringing the community even closer together than they were previously, Dovolis said. 

According to Madeline Sowers, a second-year student at the University of Minnesota studying environmental geosciences, air pollution and environmental advocacy like EPNI’s not only protects residents in East Phillips but also works to prevent environmental harm to several Minneapolis communities, including the University.

“If the Roof Depot site was torn down, it wouldn’t just harm the plant life, it would harm the animal life, it would harm human lives,” Sowers said. “Increasing the air pollution will do a lot of damage to the surrounding environments, including the University.”

The Como neighborhood is celebrating the milestone of 20 years of its signature cookout, after first debuting in fall 2003.

Despite not taking place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Como Cookout has been running steadily since 2021 and will return on Saturday in Van Cleve Park to feature food, activities and performances.

The cookout has been a staple in the neighborhood for two decades, as its fun-filled atmosphere has become something the Como community cherishes each year, according to Kendre Turonie, program director for Off-Campus Living at the University of Minnesota.

Turonie began working two weeks after the first cookout in 2003 and said the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) partners with the University to use the event to strengthen the community.

“[The University] wanted to host an outdoor barbecue to get neighbors together and try to engage people to get students and neighbors talking,” Turonie said.

Although the organizations had low expectations for the cookout early on, roughly 100 people attended the first cookout, according to Turonie. The following year, the cookout grew to see roughly 300 people and added resource fairs featuring community organizations, live music and activities for kids.

Turonie said SECIA was thrilled to see the cookout grow so quickly in such a short time. Although the cookout has not changed drastically since its first party in the park 20 years ago, Turonie added the new additions continue to help the cookout grow.

This year, one of the live performances will be from the on-campus K-Pop dance team K-Move.

Romy Luong, K-Move’s president, performed at the Como Cookout last year. K-Move, who has previously performed at the cookout, said they were excited to perform once again this year.

“We performed on the summit in front of the stage and it was an intimate kind of performance, but it was really cool to get to interact with all of the people who live in Como and get to just show off K-pop to those who don’t always get to see it,” Luong said.

Apart from the performances, there will be several other events for the community to look forward to.

Lesley Moore, SECIA’s executive director, has been working for the past year after coming in with both SECIA members and volunteers to ensure the “backyard party” goes as smoothly as it has for over two decades.

“This is my first cookout with organizations and I’m looking forward to it,” Moore said.

Anyone is welcome at the fair, especially students, Moore said. Whether someone is in the park, performing or participating in the cookout’s resource fair, there is something for everyone at the event.

“People consider it a welcome-back event for students to welcome them back into the neighborhood,” Turonie said. “They are a vital part of the neighborhood.”

Como is a diverse neighborhood, according to Turonie, filled with families, senior citizens, upcoming professionals and students.

“We do have a great diverse community and we’d like to celebrate that and really showcase how fabulous it is in Minneapolis,” Turonie said.

The Como Cookout will take place this Saturday, Sep. 23 at Van Cleve Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon in Manhattan and charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents. He pleaded not guilty.

Trump, the only ex-president in history to be charged with a crime, was indicted on Thursday. Trump surrendered and was put under arrest on Tuesday, shortly before his arraignment began.   

All charges involve alleged hush money payments that occurred during the former president’s 2016 campaign.

Being indicted does not prevent Trump from running or serving as president in 2024, nor would a conviction. 

Prosecutors alleged the hush money payments, made in the form of several checks, involved Trump and his lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen attempting to suppress negative information that could’ve tainted his campaign.

The alleged payments came to $310,000 in three separate incidents. The prosecution is alleging Trump ordered these payments to suppress said negative information, such as extramarital sexual encounters during his 2016 campaign.

Trump has denied all past affairs with the women involved in the case as well as the payments made to cover up the allegations.

According to the charging documents, Trump “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”