Woodbury for JUstice & EQuality's Past Projects

On March 19, Walter, Pat & Katie participated in a facilitated discussion with local leaders on how to ensure Woodbury is a welcoming community where all feel included and valued.  Leaders included Mayor Anne Burt, Police Commander Jason Posel, ISD 833 Superintendent Julie Nielsen, ISD 833 School Board Members Sharon Van Leer & Melinda Dols, ISD 834 Superintendent Malinda Lansfeldt, ISD 834 School Board Member Katie Hockert, a team from the city of Woodbury, representatives from the League of Women Voters Woodbury Cottage Grove Area, YMCA board members, Washington County Public Heatlh and Woodbury Foundation board members.  Over 30+ individuals participated in the discussion facilitated by Shawn Sorrell and Christine Densen.  

The discussion focused on sharing successes and challenges in recent equity work around Woodbury.  The W4J&E march and vigil for George Floyd was mentioned (twice) as a success in increasing visibility and awareness toward racial injustice.  

Participants then went through an activity to identify the top priorities to focus equity work.  Affordable housing rose as the top priority, with social media, voting rights, and organizing community events as the runners up.  The Woodbury Foundation is now creating a steering committee around these new priorities. 

W4J&E was honored to be part of this conversation and we left with new ideas for areas of concern in our community as well as connections with local leaders. 

On January 13, the W4J&E Education Committee met virtually with Steve Sandell to help us better understand educational equity efforts at the state level.  Sandell represents Woodbury in the Minnesota State Legislature.  As a former educator, his perspective and honest dialogue with us was invaluable as we strategize our own future initiatives.  He encouraged us to continue our work in supporting equity minded school board candidates in future elections.  We so appreciate him sharing his evening with us. 

In Fall 2021, the W4J&E Education Committee conducted an equity minded survey of the ISD 833 candidates for school board.  There are 9 candidates running for the 4 open ISD 833 school board positions in the election on November 2, 2021.  Woodbury for Justice and Equality sent a survey question to all candidates. Four of the nine responded. Their answers were featured on this website. 

On Oct 16, 2021, the W4J&E Education Committee hosting a candidate meet and greet at Edgewater Park.  Visitors brought their questions and voiced support for equity minded policies and programs.  Patricia Driscoll, Sharon Van Leer and Katie Schwartz were able to attend. 

All three candidates supported by W4J&E won and are currently seated on the ISD 833 school board.  Congrats to each of them for a strong race and their continued leadership. 

On April 11, 2021, 20 year old Daunte Wright was fatally shot by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, MN during a traffic stop.  This tragic event happened while the Chauvin Trial was underway in Minneapolis.  Tensions are understandably high as protests again erupted across the Twin Cities.  

Woodbury for Justice and Equality wanted to respond in support of those in our community.  On Friday, April 16, we held a vigil for Daunte Wright on the corner of Radio Dr and Valley Creek Rd. It was attended by over fifty community members of all ages.  At 6pm, we raised 30 balloons to represent the estimated 30 people killed by police thus far in 2021.  Each balloon had the name and year of one of the victims of police violence from Minnesota and across the country. We appreciate everyone who came out to stand with us yet again.  

In November, W4J&E collected winter clothing for SoWashCo Cares.  By early December, we dropped off a donation of new winter coats, gloves, snow pants, and boots to support three local children this winter.  

SoWashCo Cares is sponsored by South Washington County Schools Education Foundation, which is a 501c3, serving all or parts of the communities of Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Afton, Denmark and Grey Cloud Island - Eastern suburbs of St. Paul,
Minnesota.   Their mission is give where you live.

The Woodbury Community Foundation (WCF) has selected Woodbury for Justice & Equality to receive a 2020 WCF Community Grant for $1,500! We are proud to have received one of the 2020 Community Grants that demonstrates our work to foster inclusiveness, and address racial and economic disparities in our four strategic focus areas of concern in Woodbury:

⦁ Improve community health and well-being 

⦁ Reduce hunger, especially for underserved local families  

⦁ Increase public safety 

⦁ Expand youth development

In the weeks after the formation of Woodbury for Justice and Equality, the leadership conducted a survey of the group on the Nextdoor.  The survey consisted of 5 questions to give us guidance in how to best serve the community.  We had a 30% response rate among our 278 members at the time. 

The results showed the following top priorities among our members: Schools were #1 in urgency followed by #2 Identify local political candidates, #3 Support local BIPOC businesses, #4 Affordable housing, #5 Police reform.   (Q3)

The survey also revealed that our members are interested in taking action, not just learning about inequity in the community. (Q1, 2 & 3). They also acknowledge that systemic racism exists in our community and nation (Q2). They are less interested in online discussions for personal growth but seem to use the Nextdoor group as a resource for activities (Q3).  Members are already somewhat educated about where our community needs to act (Q3).  

On June 4, 2020 a group of about two hundred residents, joined by a police bicycle patrol, marched from Colby Lake Park to City Hall, where speakers called for Woodbury to address racial

inequity.  Residents brought signs and created a memorial at Woodbury City Hall, then listened to speakers eulogize George Floyd.  

While the march and memorial started the work towards racial justice and equality, group members recognize the need and community desire to organize and continue this mission for the foreseeable future.