West Side Citizens Organization

THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SUSTAINS THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE TO BUILD COMMUNITY POWER AND TO ADVANCE MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY. WSCO ALSO SERVES AS THE PLANNING COUNCIL FOR ST. PAUL'S DISTRICT 3 (ZIP CODE 55107). WSCO ENVISIONS A JUST, UNITED, SELF-RELIANT WEST SIDE WHERE ALL OF OUR PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED, SAFE, HEALTHY, AND SUCCESSFUL.

SEE SCHEDULE O.WEST SIDE VOICES & HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: WSCO ORGANIZED THE WEST SIDE VOICES FORUM, A MONTHLY NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WHERE NEIGHBORS PLAN AND TAKE ACTION IN FIVE ACTION CIRCLES (HOUSING JUSTICE, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, LAND USE AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY CARE). THE VOICES FORUM REGULARLY WELCOMED COMMUNITY PRESENTERS FROM PLACES LIKE THE RIVERVIEW PUBLIC LIBRARY, RAMSEY COUNTY, AND MORE. THE COMMUNITY CARE ACTION CIRCLE HELD SEVERAL PUBLIC EVENTS INCLUDING BEATS AND SEEDS, AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION TRAINING, AND CALL FOR PEACE. WSCO ALSO CO-HOSTED THE WEST SIDE TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY MONTHLY GATHERINGS. WSCO ORGANIZED THE WEST SIDE BEST SIDE ART FAIR AND CULTURAL MARKET FEATURING LOCAL ARTISTS, VENDORS, AND MUSICIANS REPRESENTING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: WSCO ORGANIZED THE FOOD JUSTICE PROJECT, GROWS: GROWING RESILIENCE ON THE WEST SIDE; CO-CREATED THE CAPITOL VIEW COMMUNAL GARDEN OUT OF A VACANT LOT; AND PARTICIPATED IN THE WEST SIDE FREE FARM STAND, A WEEKLY SPACE IN THE FALL FOR NEIGHBORS TO EXCHANGE FREE PRODUCE GROWN IN THEIR GARDENS AND COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY. WSCO ALSO HELD A SERIES OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF A NEW INCINERATOR PLANNED NEAR THE WEST SIDE, AND WSCO ORGANIZED A COMMUNITY GATHERING, RECREATION AS RESISTANCE, CENTERING JOYFUL ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS FOR BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ON THE WEST SIDE. EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT:EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT SCORECARD: WSCO RECRUITED NEW MEMBERS TO THE SCORECARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO INTERFACE WITH DEVELOPERS IN VETTING NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING TO THE WEST SIDE, CENTERING THE QUESTION OF "WHO BENEFITS?" WHEN DEVELOPMENT COMES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WSCO HIRED ITS FIRST EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO LEAD THIS WORK, AND HELD THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL FORUMS, VISIONS FOR OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE, TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON HOW TO SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT BENEFITS THE WEST SIDE. WSCO ALSO HELD SEVERAL COMMUNITY FORUMS FOR NEIGHBORS TO LEARN ABOUT AND SHARE INPUT ON PROPOSED NEW DEVELOPMENTS. WSCO ALSO CREATED AND EXHIBITED THE STORIES FROM THE FLATS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND INTERVIEWS WITH WEST SIDE ELDERS IMPACTED BY FORCED DISPLACEMENT FROM THE FLATS IN THE 1950S. HOUSING JUSTICE/TENANT ORGANIZING: WSCO CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING JUSTICE BY ORGANIZING RENTERS ON THE WEST SIDE THROUGH DOOR KNOCKING, NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, AND LAUNCHING THE WEST SIDE TENANTS UNION. WSCO ALSO EDUCATED RENTERS ON KNOWING THEIR RIGHTS FOLLOWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ST. PAUL'S RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE, AND PARTICIPATED IN MAYOR CARTER'S RENT STABILIZATION TASK FORCE.