WOMENS ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE AT AMADOR HILL
15715 RIVER ROAD, NORTH BRANCH, MN 55056 www.w-e-i.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: "THE WOMEN'S ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE (WEI) IS A PLACE FOR WOMEN AND ALLIES TO RENEW, LEARN AND ORGANIZE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE." WEI AT AMADOR HILL IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, RENEWAL AND RETREAT CENTER DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON FARMING, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND POLICIES RELEVANT TO WOMEN, CHILDREN AND IDENTIFIED COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY IMPACTED BY ECONOMIC, RACIAL, AND GENDER DISPARITIES - BOTH URBAN AND RURAL.

WEI'S 2019 FARM PROGRAM MAINTAINED ITS FARM GOAL THIS YEAR BY PROVIDING ORGANICALLY CERTIFIED PRODUCE DISTRIBUTED TO CSA SHAREHOLDERS AND TO FARMER'S MARKETS AND COOPS, AND FOOD SHELVES. MANY PARTICIPANTS BENEFITED FROM WEI'S ORGANICALLY CERTIFIED FARM WHICH PROVIDES INFORMAL VISITOR EDUCATION FOR VOLUNTEERS, WORK-SHARE PARTICIPANTS, PRACTICUM OPPORTUNITIES, FARM CREW TRAINING, AND FARM TOURS FOR STUDENT GROUPS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND OTHER GROUPS VISITING THE WEI FARM CAMPUS. WEI CONTINUED TO DEVELOP ITS REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM, NORTH CIRCLE ON-LINE FARMERS MARKET, PROVIDED BY A GROUP OF LOCAL FARMERS AND PRODUCERS COMMITTED TO ORGANIC AND PRACTICES. THE NORTH CIRCLE PROJECT, NOW IN ITS 5TH YEAR OF WEI ADMINISTRATION, CONTINUES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HEALTHY EATING AND THE BENEFITS IN SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FAMILY FARMS IN OUR AREA. IN 2019 WEI WITH SUPPORT FROM FAIRVIEW EAST CREATED A NORTH CIRCLE VEGGIE RX PROGRAM THAT DELIVERED TWICE A MONTH FARM-FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUITS TO TWO LOCAL CLINICS FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION TO CLIENTS AND PATIENTS. OUR FARM WAS ALSO DEDICATED TO PROVIDING PRODUCE FOR FAMILY PATHWAYS FOOD SHELVES IN OUR AREA AND REMAINS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING REGULAR WORKDAY HOURS. THE FACILITY AND FARM LAND ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS, INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS ALLIED WITH OUR MISSION. HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS WERE DEDICATED TO OUR FARM, OUR EDUCATION WORK AND PUBLIC EVENTS. ANOTHER WEEK-LONG EVENT, CO-HOSTED BY WEI, WAS THE DANZA DE LA LUNA AYOTLMEZTLI, ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS OVER A FOUR-DAY GATHERING. WEI IS GAINING RECOGNITION AS A COMMUNITY EVENT SPACE AND A DEMONSTRATION AND TEACHING FARM FOR FOUR-SEASON SUSTAINABLE REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE. WITH THE HELP OF A VOLUNTEER FARM MANAGER AND INTERN FARM CREW, REVENUE FROM THE FARM WAS INVESTED IN COVERING THE COSTS OF FARM PRODUCTION, FARM CREW WAGES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR FARM-RELATED EDUCATION PROGRAM.

WEI'S 2019 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM INTRODUCED A LARGE ARRAY OF NEW CLASSES, INCLUDING CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, AND WORKSHOPS WHICH WERE AIMED AT DEVELOPING FARMING SKILLS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES. OUR COURSE OFFERINGS INCLUDED YEAR-ROUND EDUCATION ON ORGANIC FARMING, BEEKEEPING, ORCHARD CARE, AQUAPONICS AND PRACTICAL SUSTAINABILITY ARTS AND CRAFTS. THESE CLASSES, ALONG FARMER TRAINING, WERE SUPPORTED IN PART BY A SCHOLARSHIP FUND PROVIDED BY DONATIONS. AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM CULMINATED IN OUR ANNUAL GROWING POWER FARMER-TRAINING WEEKEND. APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THESE PARTICIPANTS, FROM LOW INCOME AND POVERTY COMMUNITIES, WERE PROVIDED WITH SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THIS LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THIS EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE FOR TWO DAYS OF WORKSHOPS AND PRACTICAL FARMER TRAINING. IN 2019, WEI HOSTED ECO-RETREATS FOR SEVERAL VISITING COLLEGE CLASSES, HIGH SCHOOL AND CHURCH GROUPS. WEI ALSO PROVIDED A PRACTICAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR OUR 2019 FARM CREW AND AN ON-SITE ADVISOR FOR STUDENTS WORKING ON GRADUATE-LEVEL PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS AT THEIR LOCAL COLLEGES. VOLUNTEERS AND VISITORS, WHO LOGGED IN HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS AT WEI, ALSO ENJOYED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND GUIDED TRAINING IN FARM SKILLS AND OPERATING PROCEDURES ON OUR FARM AN ONGOING HANDS-ON COMPONENT OF OUR EDUCATION MISSION.

WHILE WEI CONTINUED TO SUPPORT OUR URBAN FARMING PARTNERS--INCLUDING MASHKIIKII GITGIGAN, LITTLE EARTH OF UNITED TRIBES URBAN FARM, AND THE EAST PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD INSTITUTE'S (EPNI) INDOOR URBAN FARM PROJECT AT THE FORMER "ROOF DEPOT" WAREHOUSE SITE--WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR ADVOCACY WORK TO INCLUDE A PERI-URBAN SUBURB COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECT WITH THE WHITE BEAR AREA NEIGHBORHOOD'S CONCERNED CITIZENS GROUP. WE ALSO DEEPENED OUR COMMITMENT TO PHILLIP'S NEIGHBORHOOD'S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STRUGGLE. MASHKIIKII GIGITAN'S 2019 FARM SEASON PRODUCTION WAS LESS ORGANIZED THAN PREVIOUSLY BUT NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS THRIVED AND TWO OF THEIR THREE SITES PARTICIPATED IN THE 4 SISTERS FARMERS MARKETS AND IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ON TOXIC LEAD SOIL REMEDIATION WITH THE U OF MN. LITTLE EARTH OF UNITED TRIBES URBAN FARM YOUTH ATTENDED WEI'S ANNUAL WILL ALLEN FARMER TRAINING AND ARE SEEKING ON-GOING RESOURCES. THE EPNI "ROOF DEPOT" INDOOR URBAN FARM PROJECT CONTINUES IT'S DETERMINATION TO DEVELOP IT'S COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVE TO THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS' DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH WOULD DEMOLISH THE FORMER SEARS WAREHOUSE (ROOF DEPOT) AND BRING IN NUMEROUS PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES AND PROJECTS WHICH WILL GREATLY INCREASE TOXIC AIR-POLLUTION AND RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THIS RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY. INSTEAD, EPNI WANTS TO CONVERT THE SITE INTO A GREEN JOBS AND JOB-TRAINING DEVELOPMENT WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR AQUAPONIC FISH AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, CULTURAL MARKETS, A YOUTH-RUN CAFE, BIKE SHOP, COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, LOW-INCOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPACES FOR SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. WEI IS HELPING ADVOCATE FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED ALTERNATIVE. IN 2019 WEI ALSO PROVIDED POLICY AND STRATEGY GUIDANCE TO THE WHITE BEAR AREA NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNED CITIZEN'S GROUP AT THEIR REQUEST. WEI ASSISTED THEIR EFFORTS TO GAIN STRONGER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS FOR THEIR RESIDENTS FROM A NEARBY COMPANY THAT HAS LONG BEEN POLLUTING THE AREA'S AIR WITH A HIGHLY TOXIC CHEMICAL, TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE). IN NOVEMBER, 2019, WEI HELPED UNEARTH A PUBLICLY FUNDED GREEN ZONE HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT (HIA)A 4 YEAR UNPUBLISHED STUDY DONE BY FIVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAPPED OUT PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD'S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROFILE AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE. LED BY LITTLE EARTH COMMUNITY AND EPNI, THE EVIDENCE CAN NOW BE USED FOR LEGAL CHALLENGES AND OFFICIAL PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY.

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