This year I took part in organizing the Free Democracy Summit. The week-long event had many great moments. The purpose of FDS is to educate people and motivate them to make a difference in politics and in their everyday lives. The Summit started on Sunday April 25 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation building with a reading of the play Habitat. It was a very emotional reading of the play written about homelessness in Duluth. The Summit ended with a busy Saturday. We had breakfast at the Radisson and ended the day with a picnic at the Central Hillside Community Center. For the people that came to almost all the events, the highlight of the week was seeing the San Marco video entitled No Losers. San Marco is a facility, which houses people who have struggled with chronic alcoholism or chronic homelessness. After the video, we had a panel discussion with a few residents, staff and the Central Hillside Community Officer Barry Midthun.
For the first time, FDS offered week-long series called Lunch with a Councilor. All the councilors picked great places to eat. The highlight of the series was the last lunch at Pizza Luce, which drew a crowd of 27 people and included discussion on zoning issues including the 300 foot rule and keeping Duluth safe and beautiful.
FDS included 23 events and was funded by MPIRG [Minnesota Public Interest Research Group], Community Action Duluth and the Duluth Central Labor Body. We had a very diverse crowd for most of the events and that is the best part to me. One of my personal highlights of the week was at the Friday Poetry slam and open mic. My wife wrote a very nice poem about Twin Ports Action Coalition and she read it at the event.
Scott Yeazle is active in many community-based organizations. He is the chair of TPAC, a board member of Duluth Neighborhood Housing Services, vice-president of the Hillsider board, treasurer of the Central Hillside Community Club, serves on the Human Rights Commission, and is active in many other committees working to eradicate poverty and injustice.
For the first time, FDS offered week-long series called Lunch with a Councilor. All the councilors picked great places to eat. The highlight of the series was the last lunch at Pizza Luce, which drew a crowd of 27 people and included discussion on zoning issues including the 300 foot rule and keeping Duluth safe and beautiful.
FDS included 23 events and was funded by MPIRG [Minnesota Public Interest Research Group], Community Action Duluth and the Duluth Central Labor Body. We had a very diverse crowd for most of the events and that is the best part to me. One of my personal highlights of the week was at the Friday Poetry slam and open mic. My wife wrote a very nice poem about Twin Ports Action Coalition and she read it at the event.
Scott Yeazle is active in many community-based organizations. He is the chair of TPAC, a board member of Duluth Neighborhood Housing Services, vice-president of the Hillsider board, treasurer of the Central Hillside Community Club, serves on the Human Rights Commission, and is active in many other committees working to eradicate poverty and injustice.
