SPEAC (Sustainable Progress through Engaging Active Citizens)

SPEAC Mission Statement

SPEAC provides a means of cultivating and channeling the power of citizens in the Twin Cities. Through Hope Community, SPEAC promotes effective models of community organizing and leadership.

Projects

Peavey Park Civic Action Project
SPEAC gives youth leaders knowledge and confidence to contribute to civic revitalization and change. Because Hope Community’s mission is focused in the Phillips area of South Minneapolis, SPEAC leaders chose Peavey Park (just two blocks from Hope) as their civic action project. The park has a troubled history, very limited facilities, and few resources. In 2008, the attention SPEAC brought to the issue of facilities for youth in the Phillips community helped to convince the Park Board to staff the building formerly occupied by the Boys and Girls Club in the community. SPEAC leaders continue to work on the issue. In 2009 SPEAC leaders unveiled over 2 years of research about Peavey Park. View photo gallery from Repair the Broken Promise Event.

Youth Arts in Action
Youth In Arts and Action (YIAA) is a youth-directed program that sprung out of the SPEAC organizing group. The primary goal of YIAA is to create forms of public art that voices youth concerns about Peavey park, a local park just two blocks from Hope with very limited facilities and resources.

Youth Listening Project 2007-2008
Hope staff began the listening project in 2007. The project involved engaging partner youth organizations who gathered groups of youth to participate. The SPEAC youth participated and then organized and ran the last 10 of 20 sessions. They built partnerships with participating organizations, planned and implemented the listening session and recorded the input. The SPEAC group compiled all the input, developed themes and wrote a report which was published. They also organized a “report back” meeting attended by 125 youth and adults who had participated in the project. View the Hope Community Youth Listening Project Report on our Publications page.

Questions? Contact Chaka Mkali, Lead Organizer at cmkali@hope-community.org or call (612) 435-1677.