Six months ago, important business corridors in the Twin Cities were damaged by civil unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd. One of the areas most affected was Lake Street in Minneapolis. Many of these damaged businesses were owned by immigrants and people of color. Some of them were completely burned to the ground, others experienced lesser damage.
More than half of the Lake Street businesses that were damaged have been reopened, but a lot of work remains. What are the challenges confronted by business owners trying to rebuild? At 11 a.m. Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis hears stories of both rebuilding success and frustrating roadblocks.
We want to hear from our listeners. Are you a business owner or a resident of Lake Street, Midway in St. Paul, north Minneapolis or another area that was damaged during May’s civil unrest? What have the past six months been like? Call 651-227-6000 during the 11 a.m. hour or tweet @AngelaDavisMPR to join the conversation.
Guests:
Nina Moini is an MPR News reporter who covered the aftermath of May’s civil unrest.
Allison Sharkey is the executive director of Lake Street Council. The nonprofit raised $5.5 million to distribute to Lake Street business owners whose properties were damaged.
Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News.
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