Board of Directors Voting Guide
Mark Ware
1. What position are you applying to?
Chair
2. How are you connected to the SS-LH neighborhood?
Live and work in the community
3. Have you participated in SSCO activities such as committees, events, clean-ups, Block Patrol, gardens, etc., please describe.
To serve the community and help it grow
4. Why do you want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors?
Leadership experience and community experience
5. How do you see yourself contributing to the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood as an SSCO Board member? *
Leadership experience and community experience
6. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Stevens Square-Loring Heights?
Live in peace
7. What do you understand your main responsibilities as Chair to be?
Provide direction and accountability
8. Do you have previous experience leading and facilitating meetings? If so, describe your experience, and if you do not have such experience, describe how you intend to develop your skills for the position you are running for.
I have served as the safety committee chair and as a board member in this community in the past. I have served as an American Legion commander and post chaplain as well as commander of the Honor Guard and Chaplain. I have owned a business and managed commercial property, I have retail management experience overseeing personnel, inventory and property. I intend to give that knowledge and experience to help guide the community organization.
Lulavet Arnow (she/her)
1. What position are you applying to?
Secretary
2. How are you connected to the SS-LH neighborhood?
Resident for 7 years
3. Have you participated in SSCO activities such as committees, events, clean-ups, Block Patrol, gardens, etc., please describe.
Have staffed several events in the beforetimes - movie screenings, art festivals, cleanups - and also I've been an appointed board member for 1 year and then secretary of the board for the last 2 years
4. Why do you want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors?
I live here. I want to keep living here. I want to see good things for the people who live here, regardless of or in spite of whether they own property. I want to help work, on a very local level, for a kinder & more compassionate future.
5. How do you see yourself contributing to the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood as an SSCO Board member? *
I take detailed notes on meetings which I attend, relieving staff to focus on advancing the agenda. I am a voice on the board in favor of community actions that seek to fulfill people's needs, and against community actions that seek peace-which-is-the-absence-of-justice.
6. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Stevens Square-Loring Heights?
I met my spouse out front of the Boiler Room; when it's nice out and also not a pandemic, I like to chat with people I find there.
7. What do you understand your main responsibilities as Secretary to be?
To record the minutes of meetings of the board & executive committee and, at my leisure, of other committees. To help set the board's agenda each month and address issues as a member of the executive committee.
8. Do you have previous experience serving as a scribe, minute taker for recording minutes? If so, describe your experience, and if you do not have such experience, describe how you intend to develop your skills for the position you are running for.
I have been secretary of the board for 2 years, and have had increasing responsibility over that time in terms of notetaking & executive decisionmaking. I regularly ask clarifying questions during meetings to ensure that I have factual phrasing correct and, additionally, that other meeting attendees know what's happening even if they don't have the social context
Katherine Shuberg (she/her)
1. What position are you applying to?
Secretary
2. How are you connected to the SS-LH neighborhood?
I am a resident. I am also part of block patrol.
3. Have you participated in SSCO activities such as committees, events, clean-ups, Block Patrol, gardens, etc., please describe.
I have participated in block patrol. I have also volunteered at other community events such as red hot art festival national night out.
4. Why do you want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors?
I want to immerse my self in thr community. I want to learn from the community and have the community learn and participate in new ideas and come together. I want to meet more of the community and see where they think the neighborhood should go on community outreach and programs that let adults and teens participate in the community.
5. How do you see yourself contributing to the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood as an SSCO Board member?
I have held positions with the city and state along with a law firm. In these jobs I did with step-up I was a part of the program from the age of 15-21 I held jobs as interns where I filed. I created documents. I put together presentations. I also compiled data and worked with many employees with implementing changes to their positions. I also learned a lot of secretarial work when I held these positions.
6. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Stevens Square-Loring Heights?
I love working with block patrol and walking around the neighborhood and meeting community members. I also like to hang out at thr park and read a book and hang with my dog (thor).
7. What do you understand your main responsibilities as Secretary to be?
I understand it is to keep board members up to date on meetings. I also understand its to let the community know of public meetings so they can participate in the good of the community. I also understand its to write down talking points of meetings and have a draft of what is going to be talked about at the meeting.
8. Do you have previous experience serving as a scribe, minute taker for recording minutes? If so, describe your experience, and if you do not have such experience, describe how you intend to develop your skills for the position you are running for.
I interned at community planning and economic development, I also interned at minnesota business and management, I have also interned at nilan Johnson and lewis pa. My main jobs at these organizations/businesses was to go to meetings and write down what was all said. I also put together presentations for my bosses to present at the meetings. There is a lot to learn and I want to broaden my skills. I also want to learn more about my community and i think this would be a great opportunity.
Cristina Florencia Castro (she/her)
1. What position are you applying to?
At Large position (2 year term) - 3 open seats
2. How are you connected to the SS-LH neighborhood?
Resident
3. Have you participated in SSCO activities such as committees, events, clean-ups, Block Patrol, gardens, etc., please describe.
I've participated in Red Hot Art the past 5 years and attended a few board meetings. I lived in Whittier prior to SS-LH, and there I was a committee member of the Housing Justice Committee.
4. Why do you want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors?
To engage with and more importantly learn from my neighbors. Stevens Square- Loring Heights is bustling with vibrant people and businesses who contribute so much to our neighborhood. Being a board memeber is a commitment to community and I would like take this opportunity to grow as a resident & a true neighbor. To listen and learn from our community members is incredibly important to me, and as a board memeber I would strive to make sure my participation is a reflection of the voices of the neighborhood.
5. How do you see yourself contributing to the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood as an SSCO Board member? *
In my work as a member of the Whittier Housing Justice Committee & as a teaching artist & advocate for Upstream Arts, a nonprofit that uses the arts to amplify the voice and choice of individuals with disabilities, I am naturally focused on accessibilty, in all areas. I've been an artist in the Twin Cities for 14 years and I bring creative curiosity to any situation. As a young woman of color who has struggled with identity and self-acceptance in the Midwest, I feel my experiences make me more sensitive to issues that effect others. As a member of the Board, I see myself asking tough questions, getting to the heart of an issue, and speaking up against obstacles to access for our community members.
6. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Stevens Square-Loring Heights?
Sitting on the stoop of my building with my neighbors with some Lakes & Legends beer, making epic veggie dinners with my farmers market haul, and seeing the sunshine on the Van Dusen!
photo by Rhea Pappas
Emily Wade (she/her)
1. What position are you applying to?
At Large position (2 year term) - 3 open seats
2. How are you connected to the SS-LH neighborhood? *
I've lived in Stevens Square for a total of four years between fall 2014 through today. During that time I've lived in three different buildings in the neighborhood. I love the diversity, walkability, and lively, creative energy of Stevens Square.
3. Have you participated in SSCO activities such as committees, events, clean-ups, Block Patrol, gardens, etc., please describe.
I am currently serving as a Board member filling the end of a vacant seat's term. I chose to step into this roll after listening in to several Board meetings since March of this year. In the past few months I volunteered at Red Hot Art, attended Safety and Neighborhood Development committee meetings, and worked with staff and Board members on SSCO's little free pantry project which will be installed soon.
4. Why do you want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors? *
I want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors because I believe everyone in our neighborhood should have a voice in the future of Stevens Square, and our city. Right now we are in the midst of a pandemic, racial justice uprising, and climate crisis. Each of these intersecting emergencies leave those most vulnerable in our community even worse off. It will take the creativity, knowledge, and lived experiences of everyone in our community to create new systems of keeping each other safe from all types of violence, including police violence. Yet neighborhood organizations in Minneapolis have a long history of serving some groups better than others. I plan to work with SSCO staff and Board members to make our organization more accessible to all residents and more representative of the rich diversity of our neighborhood.
5. How do you see yourself contributing to the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood as an SSCO Board member?
For my day job I work as a nonprofit fundraiser. I see myself working with the staff and Board to improve the long-term financial sustainability of our neighborhood organization. Just as importantly, I see myself working within the organization to make it more representative of the neighborhood. To me, this means that both our staff and Board should reflect the racial, income, and gender diversity of our neighborhood and include robust representation from renters.
6. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Stevens Square-Loring Heights?
My favorite thing to do in the neighborhood is get a coffee from Boiler Room & hang out in the park with friends or a book.
Winona Honey (she/her)
1. What position are you applying to?
At Large position (1 year term)
2. How are you connected to the SS-LH neighborhood? *
I am a new resident
3. Have you participated in SSCO activities such as committees, events, clean-ups, Block Patrol, gardens, etc., please describe.
I have gone to the farmer's market, and am excited to participate in future clean ups and Red Hot Art events! As a recent resident of Stevens Square I'm looking forward to the many opportunities to serve the community SSCO provides
4. Why do you want to serve on the SSCO Board of Directors? *
I want to be more active as a member of my community, and I want to use this opportunity with SSCO to serve my neighbors to the best of my ability. I feel a responsibility to learn from fellow board members, residents, and others at meetings and committees. I want to find ways to create and maintain methods of community support, and amplify the voices and needs of the people around me. I love Stevens Square, and have felt welcomed and at home here. I have a lot to give back.
5. How do you see yourself contributing to the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood as an SSCO Board member?
I believe my experience as an arts administrator will lend itself to the practical aspects of the position, and my lived experiences as a low-income trans woman will help bring in more perspectives and points of view on community issues. I believe that the Board should be as diverse and inclusive as Stevens Square and Loring Heights are, and I would use my position to amplify the voices of residents and fight to make sure our neighborhood is safe and accessible.
6. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Stevens Square-Loring Heights?
I love to stop by the Farmer's Market whenever I get a chance, or just walking through the neighborhood to get out of my house for a bit
