I have so many questions about this brand new initiative "The Minneapolis Civil Rights Museum Project that aims to build on the site of the third precinct. @mplscivilrights

The project was conceived on June 11 and is already soliciting donations to build this civil rights museum. What groundwork have you laid with existing community organizations for collaboration or support?

For example, we should be supporting existing organizations like The Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery which has already been doing interpretation work in the community.

The vision statement says "this landmark museum will become an everlasting reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice, and serve as a space that immortalizes all victims of racism, segregation, and police brutality."

but what does the community want? How could the community be served by this project? Do we really need to be reminded of the struggle for racial justice that we live everyday? Couldn't the site be better used as a community resource site?

The first thing the project did was to solicit architectural renderings before any community input was solicited. This is not the way to create a proper memorial/remembrance/community museum. Any design should be born out of the community's needs.

You ask for community input and voices on your site but it's all framed as "how can you help us?" "How do you want to volunteer for us" "What organizational support can you lend us?".

You should be serving the community and asking "How can @mplscivilrights help others?"

Does your project hinge on getting access to build on the Third Precinct site? What other organizations or groups have expressed interest in reuse of this site? Do you still want to build a civil rights museum if you can't have this site?

Your 3 board members all work in business marketing and branding. Are you bringing anyone on your board who does interpretation work? Community work? Are you going to pay them for their expertise, knowledge, and labor? Or just ask them to volunteer?

What substance are you bringing to the local conversation right now? Because it seems like so far it's a lot of buzzwords, fancy marketing, and architectural renderings. THIS WORK TAKES EFFORT. IT TAKES COMMUNITY TRUST. IT TAKES LONG-LASTING PARTNERSHIPS.

Your site states that you got to work "selecting members for the initial Board of Directors". Who conceived of this project? What are their motives?

Like I'm happy y'all are passionate but you need to take a step back and ask yourselves if you are the right people to be undertaking this work. Or maybe you should utilize your skills in marketing and branding and your connections to lift up existing community based projects.