By Christina Killion Valdez
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"There are so many different groups working on different things," said Lucky Rosenbloom, a paralegal based in St. Paul and chairman of the Rochester Committee. "I think that's good that groups are working on different areas, but it's also good to have them all come together."
Helping agencies work together can be one role of the committee, which formed June 9 to focus on race relations in Rochester in response to the beating death of Muhidin Mumin, a 42-year-old Somali man whose body was found in a downtown alley on Oct. 2. Two white men, Joshua Dean Lee and Adam Brandrup, face charges of second-degree unintentional murder in connection with Mumin's death, which has been classified as a bias crime.
An issue like this can tear a community apart, Rosenbloom said. "We want to be a conduit by which we bring people together," he said.
The stakeholders group, which will be formed Thursday and meet quarterly starting in November, will be made up of elected officials, organizations and community members, he said.
While the entities would work together as stakeholders, they could also continue to work on individual issues, he said. However, being a part of the stakeholders group is only one option.
"If there are entities that do not want to be a part of stakeholders, we will ask how can we assist you as a state entity?" Rosenbloom said. "We do have the eyes and use of the Attorney General's Office."
The council was formed by the Minnesota Legislature in 1980 to ensure that people of African heritage equitably benefit from Minnesota's political, social and economic resources, policies and procedures.
"Whatever we do, we do not want it to be the typical response and actions," Rosenbloom said. "How can we be unique, yet have immediate, concise and competent action."