Lyndale Walking Bus Founder Honored

Friday morning, City Councilmember Elizabeth Glidden honored several constituents for their leadership in the community.

Longtime human rights activist Doris Christopher topped the list of recipients for her role in helping lead the Building bridges group and in bringing author and NPR reporter Michelle Noris to speak as part of One Minneapolis, One Read. The 83-year-old Central resident also got plaudits for organizing a monthly multi-cultural book club at the Hosmer Library.

Business leader Evette McCarthy was awarded for her neighborhood leadership. One nominator described her as a “kind and thoughtful person who treats everyone with respect and when faced with challenging neighborhood concerns, handles them with dignity and grace.”

Glidden also honored Kingfield resident Scott Borden for the many hours he put in—and still puts in—to create, lead, and promote the Lyndale Community School's "walking bus" program. The program, many Lyndale parents say, has helped strengthen the school, improved neighborhood support for the school, and helped promote students' health, respect for the environment, and academic achievement.

Lastly, Glidden recognized a group of Minneapolis citizens who organized commemorations of the Lee family, the first black family to move to the Field neighborhood 80 years ago last year. The family was infamously the target of a large race riot shortly after buying their house in 1931. In July of 2011, 550 neighbors attended a ceremony that included a presentation of the Lee family’s story, a march to their home at 4600 Columbus Ave, and dedication of a sculpture at that location honoring the family.