Eighth Ward City Councilmember Elizabeth Glidden announces 2013 Eighth Ward Community Leader Awards

Editor's Note: The following is an announcement from the office of City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden (Ward 8)

On January 25th, 2013; Eighth Ward City Councilmember, Elizabeth Glidden presented her 7th annual Community Leadership Awards at the Turtle Bread Company located at 48th and Chicago. Each year since she has been in office Councilmember Glidden has sought nominations from community members to identify outstanding leaders in the Eighth.

Individual community leader: Betty Tisel.  From leading efforts to bring back Minneapolis’ community singing history, to building stronger relationships between neighbors of all races and cultures, to her pivotal role in organizing support to defeat the anti-marriage and anti-voting constitutional amendments, Betty’s up-beat leadership, original

Community Leader Project: The Building Bridges Book Club. Founded by two residentsbuild understanding across cultures and generations.  These monthly public gatherings include neighbors of different races, ages, and neighborhoods engaged in challenging and intimate discussions about race.
Book club co-founder Lynda McDonnel states, “I think it has been a great way to cometogether as neighbors to read books that make the world bigger-by reading booksthat encourage difficult conversations." Co-chair and co-founder Doris Christopher agreed:  " It has been a fun year and a half, meeting new people, hosting authors and the diversity of
conversation. The whole thing about learning about different cultures and meeting people from the otherside of 35W has been very enlightening.”

Community Leader Business: Steven Be Yarn Garage.  For Steven Be’s Yarn Garage,model.  Located in a converted 1890 fire station at 35th and Chicago, the Yarn Garage is an active neighborhood partner.  From ensuring that customers experience food catered fromtopromise
 
Youth leader and recipient of the Stephanie Ball Bailey Award: Hashep Seka. As an eleven year volunteer and now employee of the Youth Farm and Market Project in Powderhorn/Central, Hashep is a 
cityactivities around healthy food.  She is a model for true community leadership – passionate, effective, caring and responsible.