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Summer Heat Safety
Summertime is event time in Summit-University! We want you to stay safe and healthy at these community events. Stop by our booth this summer to say hi and grab a free hand fan to help keep you cool. Climate change has made it challenging for the community to hold outdoor events in the summer. From extra-hot days with added humidity to wildfire smoke that causes dangerous air pollution levels, there are real risks involved in planning outdoor events. Please keep in mind that there are degrees of danger when it comes to heat or air quality. People with health conditions, elders, and young children are more at risk. Inclusive events keep in mind that it may not be safe for all to attend. We would like to encourage anyone planning an event to have a weather plan that includes an indoor backup option!
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Community Events Spotlight
Local June Celebrations Click here to learn about some of the many events and celebrations in Saint Paul this June. We hope to see you there!
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Central Village Park Day
Central Village Park is a hidden gem located in the historic Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul, MN. Former Mayor Melvin Carter gave a proclamation for July 13th as Central Village Park Day. This day is to honor the history of the park and land being designated to the Black community after the destruction of Interstate 94, and the evolution of immigrant neighbors who migrated to the community in the late 1970's. Our community was uniquely designed and has been a space where people from across the world have made their home. This event is all about spreading LOVE, Peace, and Unity and embracing our neighborhood we all share and call home in RONDO!
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Frank White: Baseball as a Culture
Learn about many of the untold stories of Black ballplayers in Minnesota from Frank White, author of They Played for the Love of the Game. Frank White is an author, historian, and community leader dedicated to preserving the history of African American baseball and youth recreation in Minnesota. This event is the first of Rondo Legacies: Through the Generations, a series presented by Rondo Community Library and the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, running June through November 2026. Join us for one session or all six.
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I-94 Updates and Thoughts
By Rob Huffman Note: This is an opinion piece and does not reflect the viewpoint of SUPC as an organization. In mid-April Our Streets hosted a dinner and discussion with members of the Rondo community, the Summit-University neighborhood, and the St. Paul Reparations Commission at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. To promote the event I posted a flyer and got a reply typical of social media, from someone outside the community: “It was 60 years ago. Get over it!” A few days before, I was facilitating a discussion with 8th graders at a neighborhood school to help them design posters about various racial slurs and why not to use them, beyond simply being hurtful. One of the big takeaways they expressed was that these words carry the weight of their histories for the people they target, and that pain is still felt when they are used today. What that commenter failed to realize is that it isn’t just words that hurt; it’s also when people dismiss the pain that marginalized groups still feel from past harms, whether it’s from outright hostility or simple indifference.
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Is it Snowing in May?
By Phil Hague The summer snowflakes blanketing the neighborhood lately are seeds from Eastern Cottonwood Trees (Populus deltoides). The fluffy seeds seem to be everywhere! This year brings an unusually heavy crop, which the trees usually generate the year after stressful conditions like drought. Cottonwoods are among the fastest-growing trees in North America, capable of adding six feet or more in height per year. They can grow into massive trees, with beautiful, deeply textured bark. Over 200 wildlife species rely on the trees for food and shelter. and they were historically used by Indigenous peoples for food, medicine, and fuel. Only female cottonwoods produce the cotton-like seeds. A single tree can release 20 million seeds in one season, Each seed is attached to a silky filament that carries it up to a mile in the breeze. They are tiny but mighty. If one lands on moist soil, it can sprout within hours. So be ready for lots of little trees to appear in the coming weeks. Beware that the seeds will clog your air conditioning condenser, but they can be easily removed with a gentle hose rinse on the outside of the unit.
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