The Northside Policy Action Coalition
Together, we can…
- Establish youth violence as a public health issue;
- Create opportunities for ex-offenders to re-integrate into positive citizenship;
- Increase resources for economic development.
Northside Policy Action Coalition (NPAC) mobilizes community-members to access the legislative process and influence policy that impacts the Northside.
Our objective is to increase awareness and motivate the African American community and other disenfranchised individuals and communities to realize their political power.
Urban and Suburban … Young and Old … Neighbors and Business Leaders …
all coming together with a shared intent to put those legislative issues which will make a difference for the Northside … and the State … front and center with the people who hold power.
Why the Northside?
Minnesota continues to be one of the most prosperous states in the nation. But, unfortunately, not all of Minnesota benefits from this prosperity. Communities throughout the state face issues of increasing rates of poverty, inadequate employment, increases in youth and gun violence, and a skyrocketing foreclosure rate. But, the Northside of Minneapolis is disproportionately impacted by these issues, exacerbated by pronounced race and class disparities.
Here’s what we know:
- In 2006, Minnesota had 120 murders. North Minneapolis—within six square miles—had 29 murders, more than 25% of the state’s total.
- Although car accidents are the leading cause of death for youth ages 15-24 in Minnesota, homicides are the leading cause of death for youth in that same age range in Minneapolis.
- The vast majority of those murders occurred on the Northside.
- While 11, 200 foreclosures happened statewide in 2006, over 3,000 occurred in Hennepin County alone with 50% of Minneapolis foreclosures located on the Northside.
A State and National Crisis
As stated in a new Children’s Defense Fund report, “The Cradle to Prison Pipeline” there is an urgent national crisis at the intersection of race and poverty that puts “Black boys born in 2001 at a one in three lifetime risk of going to prison, and Latino Boys a one in six lifetime risk. Tens of thousands of children are sucked into the Pipeline each year.” If we don’t take preventive action now, between now and 2030, Minnesota will need to build a new prison for 1,000 inmates every two years and the number of African Americans arrested will nearly double. Nowhere in Minnesota does this Pipeline run wider than in North Minneapolis. We need to work together to dismantle the pipeline—for the sake of our youth and families in the Northside of Minneapolis, the State and the Nation.
Current members of NPAC include PEACE Foundation*, Northway Community Trust, West Broadway Coalition, Minneapolis Urban League, NorthPoint Health & Wellness Inc., Turning Point, Emerge Community Development, and KMOJ.
*PEACE Foundation serves as fiscal and managing partner.
