Welcome to our weekly newsletter. On Fridays we share things we've published and things to do for the weekend.  

Here's a roundup of what we published this week

I published an article about the unique bond between the teacher and education support professional union chapters. The story is also a look into the daily life of an ESP, and why their working conditions directly impact the students they work with.

Charlie stopped by the picket line this week and talked with educators from Whittier International Elementary. His interviews are collected in our "MFT 59 Strike" Instagram highlight.

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Urban Skillet has been busy since its doors opened on Valentine's Day. Abdi Mohamed explains why Minneapolis's newest halal burger spot is resonating with the community. 🍔

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Charlie interviewed two of our state representatives this week. Charlie spoke with State Rep. Frank Hornstein about his work as the chair of the state's House Transportation Committee, his dedication to investing in transit, how bus rapid transit will transform the city, Southwest Light Rail, and his thoughts on public safety.

State Rep. Emma Greenman, whose new district will stretch into Tangletown, Windom, and Armatage shared a number of thoughts about how the legislature should support the Minneapolis Public Schools and the people that work in them, as well as her work as a voting rights lawyer and how that's guiding some of her priorities this session.

If you have questions about anything related to our state reps, please text or email us. We'd love to pass along the questions and we continue talking with our elected officials.

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Two MPS students,  Louis and Eleanor Walker, wrote to us about the importance of funding school meals for their peers. We published the letter with some updates on how the state may handle free meals after federal funding runs out in June.

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Alicia Gibson wrote about the importance of supporting people in Ukraine. "For those of us on the other side of the world, with our own personal and collective struggles (and as we begin to understand our “new normal” in a COVID-19 world), it may be hard to understand why this war matters to us," Gibson writes.

OUT & ABOUT 🛵

Our events calendar is filled with unique events happening around town. You can submit events to be added to our calendar here. If you subscribe to the calendar, the events go straight to your personal calendar. 🤯

Friday
The Innocent Band is playing at Pimento tonight, followed by a DJ set by Effa that goes past Charlie's bedtime.

Saturday
The Kingfield Neighborhood Association is hosting one more all-day sap boil at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Bring your tree sap to boil or swing by to learn more about the process.
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Join the Holi celebration at Midtown Global Market from noon-3 p.m.  Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is an ancient Hindu celebration held in the spring that signifies the arrival of spring.
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It's the last weekend of the Neighborhood Roots Outdoor Winter Market. It's open from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
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Prince Jabba and High Grade Reggae Band are playing at Pimento. DJ Fujun will spin records until very late.

Sunday
Lakes & Legends is hosting another round of Dog Days, which is your chance to play with dogs of all ages. Healing Hearts Rescue will supply the dogs, you supply the love and donations. You can learn about fostering and adopting dogs through the rescue as well.
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The Civic Orchestra of Minnesota is performing uplifting Scandinavian music starting at 3 p.m. The concert is free.