We are all MLK

Jonathan Mason, a Minneapolis native, has dedicated over 15 years to advocating for criminal justice reform and driving civil activism. As a key leader in the George Floyd movement, he has worked tirelessly to address police brutality and advance racial justice, particularly in marginalized communities.

Jonathan is also the founder of a consulting firm, specializing in cultural competency and cultural diversity in the business sector, helping organizations foster inclusive practices and create equitable environments.

Jeong Eun Park (zie/zir, he/his) is a non-binary Asian activist, writer, parent, and unapologetic, hyper-intelligent queer. A trailblazer in mental health advocacy, Zie co-facilitated the first queer-centered peer support group with NAMI MN, which became a model nationally. For ten years, Jeong trained facilitators across Minnesota to provide hope and support in their communities.

As an In Our Own Voice speaker and trainer, Jeong shares personal experiences of living with mental illness, working to dismantle stigma and promote recovery.

Currently a doctoral candidate in Education with a focus on Diversity and Equity at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Jeong holds degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and Sex Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Zie is board-certified as an AAMFT supervisor and licensed in MFT, LPC, and LPCC in Minnesota, as well as an AASECT-certified sex therapist. Jeong is a licensed LMFT at Edges Wellness Center, specializing in queer/trans/Two-Spirit clients, trauma, grief, polyamory, kink communities, sex workers, and sex therapy.

Outside of clinical work, Jeong is the producer/director of Transcendence Cabaret, a BIPOC-focused, trans/non-binary troupe, and founder of SlutWalk Twin Cities, advocating against rape culture and for sexual violence survivors. Honored as "Saint Walk of No Shame" by The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Jeong's community work pushes for radical change and healing.

Above all, Jeong is a proud parent of two sons, numerous chosen children, and Zaza to the grandbabies of zir heart, spoiling zir six cats and being spoiled by zir partner of 15 years.

Michelle N. Phillips is the Director of Civil Rights for the City of Minneapolis, a role she assumed in July 2024. She ensures the protection of civil and human rights for residents, addressing issues like discrimination, wage theft, labor violations, and police misconduct. Prior to this, she was the inaugural Inspector General for the City of Oakland, where she established the first independent civilian Office of the Inspector General, overseeing Oakland Police Department compliance with legal agreements and policies.

Ms. Phillips also served as Deputy Inspector General for Investigations for the City of Baltimore, where she led investigations into fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer resources. She has a long history of advocating for public service, accountability, equity, and transparency, including work with the National Police Foundation (now the National Policing Institute) on police research, policy, and after-action reports for critical incidents.

A dedicated advocate for civil rights and government accountability, Ms. Phillips is committed to integrity, ethics, and collaboration with both community and government partners to achieve shared goals. She holds a B.S. from Coppin State University and an M.S. from the University of Baltimore.

James White is the Executive Vice President of the Center for Social Impact at YMCA of the North in Minneapolis, with 20 years in the YMCA movement. He is a Senior Fellow for the Sagamore Institute, a global think tank focused on shaping policy and transforming communities. James has  consulted for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations using a narrative approach to explore culture and race. With over 30 years of experience, he has led diversity and community-building sessions for numerous groups.

An adjunct professor, James teaches social justice and race courses and is . He is a published writer on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In 2017, he was appointed by the governor as chairman of the North Carolina Dr. Martin Luther King Commission. James holds a B.A Sociology with a Political Science minor from East Carolina University, attended International Christian Graduate University, (School of Theology) and earned a Certificate of Completion from The Communication Center.

Lyneal Carothers is the CEO of Men in Black De-escalation Inc, a violence prevention organization with over 20 years in violence prevention across the twin cities. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Metro State University. Carothers is credited with creating the de-escalation approach of Men in Black to counteract any perceived over-aggression from prior methods. 

With 25 years in security, Carothers has honed a broad skill set, and his work has been featured on KSTP and FOX News.

He is the organizer and creator of Urban Scouts of America, a program designed to provide structure and support for at-risk youth and he developed an internal de-escalation training program for employees to manage community engagement effectively. 

Carothers holds certifications as a CPR, active shooter, Myers-Briggs, Narcan, and de-escalation instructor, offering free training to the community. In his spare time, he volunteers on local community projects.

Personifying Beloved Community Virtual Event

Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 11 a.m. 

To reflect on King’s life-long dedication to equality and the mid-century civil rights movement he led, this virtual event featured Minneapolis College President Sharon Pierce and Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon.

It also showcased winning scholarship entries from students’ essays on King’s work and how it paved the way for overcoming today’s barriers to equity and justice. It connects youth from various communities with the ideologies of this incredible leader whose work is equally as relevant today as it was during the peak of the movement he led.

View the MLK Event Video

Join our Town Hall with Raymond Wise, Ph.D, Professor of Practice, African American and African Diaspora Studies, Director, African American Choral Ensemble and Associate Director, African American Arts Institute at Indiana University. Please register to attend.

View the Town Hall Meeting Video

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION 2021

To reflect on King’s life-long dedication to equality and the mid-century civil rights movement he led, this virtual event featured Minneapolis College President Sharon Pierce and Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. It also showcased winning scholarship entries from 5 students’ essays on King’s work and how it paved the way for overcoming today’s barriers to equity and justice. It connected youth from various communities with the ideologies of this incredible leader whose work is equally as relevant today as it was during the peak of the movement he led.

The event included an unveiling of Minneapolis College's Bridging the Equity Gap Initiative, a showcase reading and closing reflection by award-winning poet and author, Claudia Rankine, including a short reading from her book, Just Us: An American Conversation.

View the Event Video

The virtual Town Hall Meeting focused on social justice and racial healing. The conversation, facilitated by Rankine and Pierce, will reflect on a video presentation and reading on Rankine’s work. The event will conclude with questions from attendees.

View the Town Hall Meeting Video

Consider a self-guided journey through Minneapolis to reflect on the struggle for justice, change, equity and hope.

Woven Together in the Struggle for Justice, Change, Equity and Hope

Vigil: a period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep; a vigil, meaning wakefulness, is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching or observance.

“One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change...but today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.

EXPLORE. SOUL SEARCH. COMMIT TO ACT.

Chicago Avenue and Thirty-Eighth Street (For Justice)

• While journeying to the location, ask yourself—what is the meaning of justice, and how are its causes advanced in my family or personal life?
• Upon arrival to the site, breathe in the experience of this location (for 8 minutes and 46 seconds), while asking yourself—how is my view of justice transformed by the solemnity of this place?
• After departure from the landmark, ask yourself—what concrete steps will I take to increase fairness of treatment and racial healing?

East Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue (For Change)

• While journeying to the location, ask yourself—what does it mean to protect with courage and serve with compassion; how do I ensure that law enforcement is accountable for the public safety of neighbors more than those dwelling next door?
• Upon arrival to the site, breathe in the experience of this location (for 8 minutes and 46 seconds), while asking yourself—how is my view of civil disobedience and effective protest transformed by the gravity of this place?
• After departure from the landmark, ask yourself—what concrete steps will I take to calm social unrest and renew confidence in the collaborative work of public safety?

North Fifteenth Ave and Irving Avenue North (For Equity)

• While journeying to the location, ask yourself—what is the meaning of equity in distinction to equality, and why might treating everyone the same produce an unfair outcome?
• Upon arrival to the site, breathe in the experience of this location (for 8 minutes and 46 seconds), while asking yourself—how is my view of an equitable learning environment transformed by the accessibility and architecture of this place?
• After departure from the landmark, ask yourself—what concrete steps will I take to dismantle systems that perpetuate educational disparities and disadvantage the students we serve?

Hennepin Avenue between Lake and Thirty-First Streets (For Hope)

• While journeying to the location, ask yourself—what is my daydream for a tomorrow united by our collective diversity, and what are causes to hope the reality of my vision for the future?
• Upon arrival to the site, breathe in the experience of this location (for 8 minutes and 46 seconds), while asking yourself—how is my view of the future transformed by the culture and artistry of this place?
• After departure from the landmark, ask yourself—what concrete steps will I take to build bridges or relations of trust that hasten the dawn of our more perfect union?

JUSTICE • CHANGE • EQUITY • HOPE