Ladan Yusuf speaking to attendees of exhibit.

Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition project manager, Ladan Yusuf, speaking with attendees of the exhibition.

About the project

Racial Justice
Activism
Housing
Community
BIPOC
Oral History
Exhibition

Minnesota Transform supported Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition (DG&PHC), a group of activists and residents of Glendale Public Housing, through the creation of the 70th Anniversary Exhibit of Glendale Public Housing Townhomes.

Statement on the exhibit from DG&PHC:

"Creating the 70th Anniversary Exhibit of Glendale Public Housing Townhomes was a rewarding experience for current and former Glendale residents that led this project. As a community-led project, we learned so much about the beautiful hidden history of Glendale and the amazing people that kept this public housing community together for decades.

Even though Minneapolis's political and public systems are rooted in institutional racism and are anti-public housing, we persevered, resisted, jumped over barriers, and created a great exhibit of our history and people, which has never been done before.

Interviews of current and former residents came through word of mouth. Residents donated photos of their families and children to the exhibit. We collected stories that have never been heard or documented; there is more to collect.

In addition, residents and interns made regular visits to the Hennepin County Library Special Collections in downtown Minneapolis. Here we found boxes of newspaper articles, reports, letters, and photos about Glendale, undigitized and donated in the past by residents and neighbors. We sifted through and organized the research in a visual digestible way for the public.

Even though this took a lot of time and patience, we were grateful for the experience. We told our story in a beautiful exhibit with an opening and celebration in Glendale Townhomes on Saturday, May 13th, 2023."

View the digital exhibit at their website, or view the video created as part of the exhibition below.

Partners and collaborators

GLENDALE EXHIBIT TEAM

Project Manager: Ladan Yusuf, Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition

Project Manager: Denise Pike, MN Transform, U of M

Graphic Designer: Blackbird Revolt

Illustrator: Ly Fastner

Photographer/Videographer: Kyra Nygard

Website Design: Erica Lee & Jasmine Baxter, MN Transform U of M

Support & Research Intern: Samira Ali,

Video Editing: Sebastian Alfonzo, MN Transform U of M

Internship Coordinator: Michelle Garvey, Ph.D. MN Transform U of M

Display Fabrication: ThreeSeven, LLC

Model Fabrication: Dani Cramer, Research Intern

CONTRIBUTORS

Kenterial Motley, Glendale Resident

Edward Barber, Former Glendale Resident

Duane Whittaker, Former Glendale Resident

Kaaha Kaahiye, Glendale Resident

Ann Munt, Retired Glendale Social Worker

Jerriane Cuff, Ruby Barber’s Family Member

Samira Abdi, Former Glendale Resident

Shanta Mayweather, Former Glendale Resident

Clifton Foster, Former Glendale Resident

Amir Khadar, Artist and Graphic Designer

Glendale resident and exhibition contributor Kenterial Montley at teh exhibit.