Prosperity | Pillsbury United Communities

Joe Eichele

August 28, 2023

“Our Stories Our Lake Street” Showcase

On Friday, August 18th, seven of our youth interns voiced their concerns and advocated for change in their community during the “Our Stories Our Lake Street” Showcase at Urban Ventures in Minneapolis. The event was a partnership between Pillsbury United Communities and the Minnesota Humanities Center to celebrate youth voices from in and around East Lake Street.

Our youth interns put in time and effort over the summer to research issues in their community, interview locals, and craft speeches and to create a final film that encapsulated their perspectives. With the mentorship of their youth leader, Kay Carvajal Moran, they created a piece of work that reflected their beliefs and findings. The efforts of their work were on full display during the event.

The evening started with a social hour as party-goers chatted with the numerous vendors in attendance. Tables were set up for jewelry, fruit, artwork, and more. A food truck occupied the street right outside of the entrance. One of the wildest attractions of the showcase were two piñatas just outside of the building. Both were quickly raided for their sweet treats by the children in an exciting frenzy.

After all the fun festivities, the crowd gathered at the stage to welcome the interns who were ready to present their work. Each intern began with a prepared speech that talked about the different issues citizens face on and around Lake Street. To cater to the audience, a mix of English and Spanish were used. The issues they spoke on ranged from drug and alcohol abuse, housing insecurity, food access, education, etc. It was clear that their time spent on these topics either taught them new things or reinforced what they already felt.

Following their powerful words was what had originally been a set time to screen their film. Due to unforeseen technical issues, the attendees were not able to complete their screening. In lieu of this, however, members of the audience were invited to the stage to share their own words, speeches, or poetry in a moment of impromptu magic. Everyone in attendance left the event feeling assured with the future of Minneapolis being in these students’ hands.

Joe Eichele

August 12, 2023

The Natural Hair Care Institute

Continuing its mission to co-creates enduring change toward a just society, Pillsbury United Communities began a partnership with Natural Hair Care Institute (NHCI) this summer. This organization is the first natural hair training program and trade school in the Twin Cities. Founded in September 2022, the NHCI aspires to be the premier provider of dynamic and innovative programs of natural hair care education and services in Minneapolis.

The NHCI helps train people to care for a career in natural hair care and braiding. They do this by providing up-to-date training with all types of hair textures in their state-of-the-art facilities. Upon completing the 8-week training program, students earn a Minnesota Office of Higher Education-recognized certificate. Techniques taught during the program include extending, locking or braiding of hair by hand and much more.

In order to help cover the cost of attending the program, PUC is offering financial assistance to through its Youth Employment Program. People between the ages of 16-24 and who qualify for various criteria can receive aid to help put them through this program. The NHCI just began its most recent cohort on July 18th and students will be hard at work studying to make the most out of their education. The next cohort does not begin until November 13th of this year and applications are now open for that period.

Through Pillsbury United Communities, students will ultimately receive case management services from a Career Counselor including: goal-setting, support services, gift card incentives and job placement.

Here are some resources

In July, PUC’s Community Voice Intern, Alanee sat down with NHCI’s Founder Kemi to discuss the school and the program’s curriculum.

Natural Hair Care Institute Multimedia Campaign

Additionally, Kemi joined KRSM’s Andrea Pierre on her show ‘The Narrative’ to discuss the program and the upcoming cohort. Watch the video below.

Joe Eichele

August 11, 2023

The 2023 PUC Summer Youth Showcase

Rather than enjoying time by the lake or playing video games inside, this summer was spent by our youth interns working vigorously at various social enterprises of Pillsbury United Communities. These students spent a large part of their time working as journalists, theater tech interns, radio hosts, film crews, fashion designers, and horticulture workers. To celebrate the work they’ve done, PUC held a very special celebration at Pillsbury House + Theatre on Thursday, August 3rd with the culmination of these interns’ work on display.

The event began just outside the venue where “inside out cars” were on display thanks to the creative theater tech interns. Inside was a booth with a spectacular sound system set up by KRSM Radio. The KRSM interns maintained a live broadcast of the event throughout the night where people of all ages could go live on the air and give a shout out at the event.

Located on the second floor was a hot sauce competition led by the Growing Good interns which, as many could attest, was incredibly spicy. Beside them was a strategically placed cucumber water stand to help combat the heat of the contest. In addition to that was a free produce table where community members received free vegetables grown by the Food Systems interns. North News and the East Lake Street Cohort had displays across from them with storyboards and photos of the amazing work they had done this summer.

Finally, a film screening was projected in the theater. The films were directed, shot, and edited entirely by the students and focused on some of the harsher aspects of life in Minneapolis. Following the film screenings was a fashion show put on by interns at Sisterhood Boutique. Unlike some fashion shows, the models walking were the interns themselves who had designed and crafted pieces of clothes using up-cycled materials as a commentary on the fast fashion industry.

Many thanks to the wonderful community members who came and supported our youth interns. An additional thanks to our parters Best Buy Teen Tech Center and the University of Minnesota. This night was a showcase in how investing in our youth can lead to monumental change for a just society.

Becca Tripp

April 10, 2023

Cinnamon Pelly Named President and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, APRIL 10, 2023 — The Pillsbury United Communities Board of Directors announced today that Cinnamon Pelly has been named the President and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities. Ms. Pelly comes to the agency from Cincinnati, Ohio where she has most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer for the Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio.

Pelly is an experienced executive with diverse leadership experience spanning community development, education, health and human services, banking and philanthropy. As COO of the Urban League, she oversaw significant renovations to the Cincinnati and Dayton offices during the COVID-19 pandemic which kept the doors open and allowed staff to serve 40,000 in the community. She led negotiations for a 10-year, multi-million-dollar real estate contract for the new Holloman Center for Social Justice. The Cincinnati Enquirer called her an “African American emerging leader to watch,” and she’s been honored with several professional awards for her transformational leadership.

“I am deeply honored to lead Pillsbury United Communities as its next president and CEO. I am fortunate to join a team of incredibly talented and caring executives, staff, volunteers, trustees, and donors who have prioritized a bold vision for justice, equity, and prosperity. Together, we will build on our rich legacy of co-creating enduring change that positions people and communities to reach their full potential.” said Pelly.

Pelly’s first official day at the agency will be April 17, 2023.

“Pillsbury United Communities has been the quiet achiever, fighting for social justice and equity in our communities for over 140 years. The team has been preparing for the next chapter and selecting this new leader was a serious undertaking. We had some wonderful candidates, and we actively involved the entire organization. In the end, Cinnamon didn’t only bring an incredible breadth of skills and experience, but her ability to genuinely connect with people at all levels was amazing. Uniting people is the key to our future. With game-changing directives in play that will positively impact so many parts of the community, the Board is excited to welcome Cinnamon to help begin PUC’s next chapter.” said Heath Rudduck, Chair of the Board of Directors.

“I’m so pleased to have Cinnamon join Pillsbury United. Her breadth of experience, coupled with her commitment to strengthening communities and racial equity are a beautiful combination of talent and passion that align with our agency’s values. I am thrilled to work closely with her in coming months to welcome her to the PUC family and introduce her to our community,” said Pillsbury United Interim CEO Brenna Brelie.

The Pillsbury United Board of Directors retained BroadView Talent Partners to conduct the CEO search in the fall of 2022. “Midwestern born and raised, Cinnamon brings an amazing blend of progressively responsible corporate, non-profit, and community development leadership coupled with exceptional relationship management and fundraising capabilities to the PUC CEO role. Cinnamon will fast-adapt to Minneapolis and the constituent communities served by PUC’s mission and social enterprises. We envision that she will be the perfect catalyst for PUC’s next phase of growth and maturity,” said Tracy McMillan, CEO & Managing Partner of BroadView Talent Partners.

About Pillsbury United Communities

Pillsbury United Communities is one of Minnesota’s most well-established organizations with 140+ years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond. Pillsbury United Communities has an annual operating budget of $16M (including affiliates) and 150 change agents. We are community builders co-creating enduring change toward a just society where every person has personal, social, and economic power. Our united system of programs, neighborhood centers, social enterprises, and partnerships connects individuals and their families across the region. More information about Pillsbury United Communities is available at www.pillsburyunited.org

Contact: Kenzie O’Keefe, Head of Mobilization & Narrative Strategy
651.245.2647
KenzieO@pillsburyunited.org

MonicaM

September 9, 2022

Codifying community wisdom for educational equity

The murder of George Floyd demanded that Minnesota, and the country, reckon with the violent systemic racism in American policing. The pandemic has made similar demands of our education system. The past couple of years were supposed to be a watershed moment of transformative change. Unfortunately, there now exists a narrative (and for the most part, a reality) that little progress has been made.

It has become clear that our systems are unlikely and unable to lead change at the scale of what is needed. The Minnesota State Legislature adjourned with billions left on the table this year. While community groups continue to demand a special session to move critical legislation forward to meet the urgent needs of students across the state, it remains doubtful that the legislature will substantially reconvene and pass an education bill.

At Pillsbury United Communities and our Office of Public Charter Schools, we are not waiting for the political posturing and an election cycle to conclude to move forward with transformational change. We are acting now. The primarily Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income students, and families we serve deserve an educational accountability system that is built for and designed by them.

Pillsbury United has been a community-driven charter school authorizer since 2007. We intentionally authorize schools that serve students who have historically been served poorly in traditional district settings, enduring chronic educational disparities for decades. We come to the work with an investment and a track record of attacking the institutional racism that plagues education.

In 2021 our team set out to redesign our accountability system for the schools in our portfolio to align with our values as an organization and the assets in our schools. Our goal has been to develop an accountability system that celebrates schools’ innovative, anti-racist, student-centered, and community-responsive practices, while also calling all of us to be better and do better.

No longer could we accept a narrative that our students were failing. Our students, families, and communities are incredible assets that bring infinite wisdom to our education system – if only we really listen to them and act.

In our structures, we have codified community wisdom into an accountability framework that is relevant and responsive to our students and not reliant on racist, white normative measurements of assessments. Our Equity Framework, developed in partnership with Future Focused Education, is the highlight of this work and will be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for approval to ensure our schools report outcomes using our new system for the 2022-2023 school year.

This is the work our students, families, and communities have called for and it has been our mission to deliver.

Read the full framework here

MonicaM

August 16, 2022

Adair Mosley, CEO & President, Departing Pillsbury United Communities

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, AUGUST 16, 2022—Pillsbury United Communities Board of Directors announced today that Adair Mosley will transition out of his role as President and CEO. He will leave September 30 and will step into the role of CEO of the African American Leadership Forum in October.

Mosley has been President and CEO for the past five years and has been with the organization for 11. His time as agency leader has spanned philanthropic and community shifts, devastating tragedies, a global pandemic, and an uprising for social justice. Throughout it all, he has been a champion of meeting the moment with transformative innovation and investment. During his tenure, the agency’s budget grew from $12 million to $16 million. His accomplishments include:

- Opening North Market, a full-service grocery store in North Minneapolis
- Establishing Justice Built Communities, an economic development initiative with $20M in starting capital that will build equity in land, labor, entrepreneurship, and capital for Black Minnesotans.
- Receiving a $1.5 million state appropriation to launch a career and early college program.
- Securing a $750,000 investment from the Kresge Foundation to launch a policy and mobilization department and $1 million from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota to focus on social determinants of health through cross sector partnership.
- Raising $1 million to give every member of the North High graduating class of 2022 a post-secondary scholarship

“When I took over this role, I promised to lead ‘change at the speed of community.’ Today, I leave an organization that is fiscally healthy and even more committed to dismantling systems of oppression,” said Mosley. “I am so proud of all that we have accomplished together. I look forward to my next chapter galvanizing policy makers, philanthropy, and corporate partners in pursuit of community’s agenda, and I look forward to doing it in ongoing relationship with Pillsbury United.”

“Thanks to Adair and his leadership team, the tireless staff, extraordinarily generous donors and supporters, PUC is in an exceptionally strong position,” said Heath Rudduck, chair of the board of directors. “We’ll miss Adair tremendously, but he has helped prepare us for the next chapter of the organization’s growth and its steadfast commitment to the prosperity of the communities, people and places we serve.”

The board of directors is in the process of initiating a national search for the agency’s next leader. In the interim, Brenna Brelie, head of operations, will serve as CEO. Brelie has been with the agency for eight years and played a key role in the leadership transition between Mosley and his predecessor, Chanda Smith Baker.

“I’m grateful to have worked alongside Adair for the past eight years. His visionary leadership has changed the trajectory of this organization, and he will definitely be missed,” said Brelie. “However, I am confident our board of directors will find the next passionate leader to continue this legacy at Pillsbury United Communities.”

About Pillsbury United Communities

Becca Tripp

June 7, 2022

PUC FANS 2022

“PUC FANS Race 2022,” 5 Eyewitness News, 6/5/22

Becca Tripp

April 15, 2022

Pillsbury United announces $1M raised for North High Class of 2022

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn (April 15, 2022) – Pillsbury United Communities (Pillsbury United), an agency with a 140-year legacy of recognizing and amplifying the assets and aspirations of the communities living in historically underinvested neighborhoods across Minneapolis, announced $1M in scholarship funds raised for the Minneapolis North High Class of 2022 at 3pm on Friday, April 15.

Every senior who graduates this year will receive up to $10,000 for post-secondary education.

Leaders at Pillsbury United envisioned the North High Scholarship Fund in early 2022 as a force to counteract the extreme difficulties this year’s graduating class has uniquely and intersectionally faced during their high school years: the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, the Minneapolis Public Schools’ educator strike, and disproportionate experiences of community-based violence, most recently the murder of their beloved classmate Deshaun Hill Jr.

“This is a moment for sowing hope into those who have been profoundly affected by the events and losses of the past few years and ongoing entrenched inequities. We believe direct investments in young people are powerful. This fund will meaningfully support students in actualizing the futures of their wildest dreams. We are following transformative models across the country and aim to have a generational impact on prosperity,” said Pillsbury United CEO & President, Adair Mosley.

Roughly 100 students are on track to graduate in spring 2022. Upon successful graduation, each senior will earn up to $10,000 for post-secondary career training or college. Pillsbury United will hold the funds and remit them directly to the educational institutions of students choosing.

Students who do not have an immediate plan will have up to one year to determine their plans. Pillsbury United will make its college and career counselors available during summer hours to support the students through this process. Our counselors are hired from the community, providing students with trusted adults that have similar life experiences.

The North High Scholarship Fund is made possible by the generous contributions from the following foundations and corporations: The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund at the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Cargill Foundation, General Mills, McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota Twins, Target and the U.S. Bank Foundation.

Pillsbury United welcomes additional contributions to the fund and plans to explore how to continue and expand it in the years to come. Donate here. Media inquiries can be directed to kenzieo@pillsburyunited.org, 651.245.2647.

About Pillsbury United Communities: Pillsbury United Communities is one of Minnesota’s most well-established organizations with 140 years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond. Our mission is to co-create enduring change toward a just society where every person has personal, social, and economic power. We build systems of interconnected programs, neighborhood centers, social enterprises, and partnerships that work together to address complex issues by breaking down barriers and building pathways for people to achieve greater personal health and well-being, places to exist where cultural understanding creates social connections, and prosperity to be shared through equitable education and employment .

About North Community High School: Established in Minneapolis’ Near North neighborhood in 1888, North Community High School is a college-preparatory school where students are equipped to succeed in post-secondary institutions; lead constructive change in their communities; and build ethical careers in a global, competitive marketplace.

Becca Tripp

April 11, 2022

Sisterhood Boutique celebrates its 10-year anniversary

We can’t believe that we’ve been here this long. We have been working hard to change lives for the many young women who have been a part of our program. And now it’s time to celebrate!

In 2012, a group of East African girls began discussing the gaps they were seeing in their community—they wanted the same opportunities as the boys! With support from the youth development team at the Pillsbury United Communities Brian Coyle Center, these entrepreneurial young women developed the concept for a resale clothing store and launched the Sisterhood Boutique in 2014. For the past eight years, the Sisterhood Boutique has been providing a safe place for East African girls to learn and grow while providing a valuable service to the community.

Today, the Sisterhood is a thriving youth development program that helps East African young women ages 14-23 develop life and work readiness skills with hands-on experience in the operation of a fully functioning retail business.

OUR MISSION: We encourage East African young women to connect and evolve as leaders and entrepreneurs by creating space to explore, express, and educate each other and their community. Because, we believe the future is for all women.

We are so thankful for the longevity of the organization so far and we are so grateful for the people and donors that have worked along with us throughout the past 10 years!

Sisterhood – Wrapping Women in Confidence

samd@pillsburyunited.org

August 26, 2021

A look back at summer 2021

Young women displaying their summer work at Brian Coyle Center

For Pillsbury United Communities, 2021 was a summer to remember! After last year’s summer programs were forced to operate remotely due to COVID-19, we were so pleased to reconnect with our young folks in-person for summer 2021.

This year, 145 young people in middle school and high school completed paid summer internships through Pillsbury United programs—our largest ever class of interns! Our young folks explored new opportunities in technology, business, media production, and more. (For photos from some of our summer activities, take a look at a couple of recent albums on our Facebook page.)

Read on to learn more about our summer internship cohorts—and the dedicated youth program leaders who made it all possible.

Amplified Youth Storytelling at Brian Coyle Center

Emery

Jose

Our Amplified Youth Storytelling cohort was based out of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center at Brian Coyle Center. Under the guidance of our experienced youth mentors, 16 interns learned audio production and podcasting skills. Special thanks to The Clubhouse Network and the city of Minneapolis’ Step Up program for partnering with us to offer this unique opportunity.

This cohort was led by Emery and Jose. Emery recently completed his term with Public Allies Twin Cities, through which he served as Content Specialist at the Teen Tech Center. Jose also works with our Coyle youth programs as our Pathways Coordinator, helping young people plan for college and a career.

Arts & Agriculture at Waite House

Angelica and Ebony, summer cohort leaders

Angelica (left) and Ebony (right)

Our Arts & Agriculture youth group at Waite House led 12 interns in exploring the intersections of food, art, culture, and social justice—connecting to the land by working hands-on at our Pillsbury United Farms, and sharing their experience through the visual and performing arts.

Our cohort leaders were Angelica and Ebony—both artists and activists. Angelica is a performance artist who has previously led our youth spoken-word and tutoring groups. Ebony is a visual artist and an alumna of our youth programs, returning to Pillsbury United this summer after graduating from Clark Atlanta University.

Cinematography & Business at Brian Coyle Center

Sisco

Gonkama

Based out of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center at Brian Coyle Center, our Cinematography & Business cohort provided opportunities for 16 interns to explore filmmaking, editing, scoring, and sound design—while also learning to make a business plan to support their activities as independent artists and creators. The cohort also participated in a site-visit to the Institute of Production and Recording to learn from working professionals in the field of media production.

The cohort was led by Gonkama and Sisco, two youth leaders who are deeply rooted in the Cedar Riverside community. Gonkama is a seasoned youth worker and recent IT grad with experience in hip-hop production. Sisco is a graduate of our Coyle youth programs and a professional filmmaker and photographer.

Cyber Seniors at Brian Coyle Center

Kenya

Hassan

This unique cohort focused on intergenerational engagement between young folks and community elders living in Cedar Riverside. Our six youth interns partnered with volunteers from Best Buy to work with Cedar Riverside community elders and assist them with technical support. Through twice-weekly clinics at Currie Park in English, Somali, and Oromo, these young folks stepped up—helping our elders install apps, configure webcams, and other essential tools to stay connected in the post-COVID world.

Our cohort was led by Hassan and Kenya, two very talented undergrads. Hassan joined us this summer after many years of participation in youth programs at Brian Coyle Center. Kenya was brought on through the ServeMinnesota emergency response program.

Girls & Femmes in STEM at Brian Coyle Center

Fardowza

Idil

Our Girls & Femmes in STEM cohort at Brian Coyle Center offered a unique eight-week course in a variety of science and technology-related topics, including astronomy, coding, biodiversity, food science, medicine, and digital art. Our cohort members also took part in a biodiversity field trip to Cedar Creek with a University of Minnesota professor, tested the new flight simulator at the Best Buy Teen Center, and participated in Scrubs Camp at Augsburg University.

The cohort was led by Idil and Fardowza, both of whom are studying STEM fields at the University of Minnesota. Idil is a Page Scholar, and she is currently majoring in microbiology and cell biology. Fardowza is a graduate of Sisterhood Boutique, majoring in computer science.

Healthy Living at Waite House

Ivonne

Young folks in our summer Healthy Living cohort at Waite House enjoyed a wide range of activities to support their physical and mental health. This included cycling and bike maintenance with Bici Xicas, a local biking collective; group therapy sessions, in partnership with counselors at Tubman; and tennis at Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center at Fort Snelling.

This cohort was led by Ivonne, a senior at Augsburg University studying political science and an alumna of our youth programs at Pillsbury House + Theatre. Ivonne also managed our 22 off-site interns, including partnerships with Roots for the Home Team and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Growing Good program.

KRSM Radio

Michel.Be

Our biggest cohort of the summer was at KRSM Radio, broadcasting out of Waite House in the Phillips community. Our interns explored on-air hosting, radio DJing, journalism, and audio production in our brand new youth recording studio. KRSM also partnered with ThreeSixty Journalism, MPR News and MIGIZI to plan and engage BIPOC youth for MPR’s Radio Camp. Click here to see some of their finished projects.

Our cohort was led by Michel.Be, a professional DJ, our agency-wide youth media manager, and a longtime alum of our youth programs at Pillsbury House + Theatre. They were supported by Minneapolis Community Education, who offered a full-time staff coordinator to assist with facilitating this summer’s internships—our thanks to KJ for their invaluable assistance!

Sisterhood Boutique

Ugbad, Kidist, Zikki, youth program leaders

Ugbad (left), Kidist (center), Zikki (right)

Based out of the Cedar Riverside community, our team at Sisterhood Boutique led a cohort of 24 young women—giving them direct experience in managing a fashion consignment boutique, plus ongoing development of their business and leadership skills. Highlights include a site-visit to local apparel brand sota clothing, as well as a week at Augsburg University Scrubs Camp.

The cohort was led by a trio of long-time Sisterhood Boutique leaders and alumni. Zikki is a co-founder of Sisterhood from its very first class, and Kidist is a former Sisterhood intern; both are now leading programs at Sisterhood. Ugbad is a Sisterhood grad and currently an undergrad in phlebotomy at the U of M—a passion she discovered on a Sisterhood field trip.

samd@pillsburyunited.org

July 13, 2021

Our impact in 2020

2020 was not normal. Two pandemics bore down on our community, bringing hardship we could hardly have imagined. One was a virus that isolated, sickened, and killed. The other was the plague of systemic racism, embodied in the horrendous murder of George Floyd and the anguished fury it unleashed.

These tragedies shook our community to its core and hit many of us painfully close to home. Some lost livelihoods. Some lost loved ones. Others lost trust in institutions that were supposed to protect them. Many were retraumatized by continued examples of systemic racism.

The pain continues to reverberate. We will be picking up the pieces for years.

Although no one saw the trials of 2020 coming, Pillsbury United was prepared to rise to the moment. Across our agency, staff moved quickly and fearlessly to ease suffering, rebuild, and respond to the crisis with compassion, imagination, and hope.

In 2020, we…

Distributed over one million pounds of food and household essentials via our Brian Coyle Center and Waite House food shelves.
Disbursed $540,828 in housing relief to neighbors impacted by COVID-19.
Provided 121 young people with paid, virtual internships at our neighborhood centers and social enterprises.
Supported 160 immigrant women with advocacy services via the Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Program.
Connected 341 unhoused young people with housing, employment, and other services via Full Cycle.

And that’s only a snapshot of the work we accomplished last year. Out of a crisis, a more just society can emerge. This is what justice looks like.

Learn more about the magnitude of our impact in 2020—and the broad community support that made it possible—by viewing our 2020 annual report.