The Power of One

Hi everyone! It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been with you, and I’m glad to be back. In these last weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about power.  Who has it, how can it be used to advance good, and what is our responsibility with the power we have… I’m compelled by this idea that each of us has real power, within our areas of responsibility – big or small. Look around. We know lots of things or situations that need to change. But most of the time, we can feel powerless to do anything about any of it. The issues are just too big. I am convinced that we do have the power to make a difference. In fact, we have a ton of power to create change, and we can do so every day.  That personal power can have a ripple effect and lead to real systems change as it spreads.
 
Each of us can author change, with the power – or agency – we have in our lives right now.  And we don’t need to have a title or money to do so. In my small world, here are some things I do with very specific intentionality:

• I invite new friends to dinner at my home. And I introduce them to one another.
• I meet with a new company, its owner navigating funding for a project, and I introduce him/her to 3 people within my network who could help.
• I work hard to manage both my thought life and the words I use when I’m talking about a situation, a person, or a challenge I’m wrestling with.
• I can actually stop to help my neighbor rather than rushing into the garage and hoping she doesn’t see me (this one is a “stretch goal” for me…).
• At a meeting or networking event, I intentionally invest my time with the person I’m sitting with. I want to learn something new, and make a real connection.
• When asked, I’m willing to share my personal or professional story with people. And I am as candid as possible, hard though that is.

 
To my mind, real change, revolution even, happens one person, one situation at a time. The Power of One. I bet you could think of just one thing for yourself, as well. I’d love to hear about it.
 
 See you in the trenches.
B

• Ex-Minneapolis cops head to trial for aiding George Floyd’s killing. Already convicted on federal counts of violating Floyd’s civil rights, this trial is on state aiding and abetting counts.
• Sheriff sounds alarm as Ramsey County jail populations climbs. Attributed to several factors, including: state court backlog due to the pandemic; more people being held on murder or attempted murder charges; more people waiting for court-ordered evaluations for mental illness. ​

• Big News: MN launches $100M effort to help new small businesses. Check out the new online hub that bills itself as a one-stop shop for "everything you need to know about DEED's resources for small businesses."
• Chris Farrell: As recession looks more likely, there are steps to prepare for the worst. A Bloomberg Economic model projection has a U.S. recession "effectively certain in the next 12 months." The Wall Street Journal's latest survey of economists reports the odds of recession over the next 12 months at 63%. Fitch, the credit rating service, expects the U.S. will enter "genuine recession territory" next year. Remember, these are forecasts; and they’ve been premature – or overshot – more than once in recent months.  

• Minnesota reports small increase in unemployment September: up to 2%. And our job growth continues, despite the ongoing tight labor market.
• The Fed is set to raise rates by 75 basis points next month – the fourth meeting in a row.

State

• Minnesota Election 2022. The Pioneer Press annual voters guide, as well as help finding your polling place. 
• Battle to control Minnesota Legislature hinges on the suburbs (and likely in fewer than two dozen competitive districts).
• News coverage on Sunday’s debates:  Star Tribune, MPR, 5 Eyewitness News.

 
Regional

• St. Paul City Council decides tenant appeals of Dominium rent increases. The developer demonstrated that prices are up more than 9%; City Council capped it at 6.1%. 
• Earlier this month in St. Paul: St. Paul City Council has voted to continue to work with a coalition of nonprofits (“the Sherburne Collective”) intent on developing 6 units of deeply affordable housing at 652 Sherburne Ave in St. Paul. Such an engagement likely will entail $1M in future city funding.

 
Election season is ramping up. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates!
 
Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news.

• Build a network to last the rest of your career. Join the LSP Class of 2023.  Registration is open!
• Lunch With Leaders, Economic Development Update: Nov 9, 11:30am – 1:00pm. Register here!
• Our Equity Summit V, Inspiring Human-Centered Leadership, is here: Nov 15, 8:00am – 2:00pm. Register here!
• Please join us at St. Paul’s Holiday party – the Chamber’s annual Holiday Open House: Tuesday, Dec 6, 5:00 – 7:00pm. Register here!
• And be sure to come out for the GLOW Holiday Festival, that will be at CHS Field this year, Nov 23 – Jan 1, 2023!

• Want to lure remote workers back? Here’s the best incentive to offer. Hint: some include 4-day workweek, more paid time off, workplace safety and cleanliness.
• Your Chamber was honored to execute on the first annual Career Connect Day, on Oct 18, at St. Paul’s RiverCentre. Nearly 2000 high school students participated, all free of charge due to funding from 3M, Medtronic, and the Workforce Innovation Board of Ramsey County. Look forward to this event in 2023, adding more schools/businesses and a second day for adult career exploration opportunities and resources. ​​

• St. Paul tech companies join forces to help build employee engagement in a world of remote work: more on the Augeo acquisition of Structural announced earlier this month.
• St. Paul nonprofit leaders are recipients of the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation’s 2022 Facing Race Awards: Angela Hooks, founder and ED of Black on Black Development and Entertainment, Txhongpao Lee, ED of the Hmong Cultural Center (the other 2 recipients are: Classie Dudley, President of Duluth NAACP,/ED of Community Action Duluth; and Lulete Mola, co-founder and President of the MN Black Collective Foundation in Mpls).

• Twin Cities-based jobs website – Twinist - aims to connect immigrants with employers.

• Sears site: what’s the plan? Seritage Growth Properties is working with the St. Paul office of real estate consultants Kimley-Horn and New York-based S9 Architecture to effectively cut up and redraw St. Paul’s long vacant Sears site, which spans more than 17 acres of land. The vision, so far, calls for eight or nine five-to-seven story buildings of mostly market-rate housing, presumably apartments, spanning 600-800 housing units. (Courtesy of Seritage Growth Properties).
• The Twin Cities office market: sees rise in sublease availability. According to CBRE, this trend has been ongoing since 2020. These are the largest office building in the Twin Cities, ranked by square footage. And last week, Saint Paul BOMA released their annual Market Report.
• Construction officially begins on Gold Line BRT linking St. Paul and Woodbury. This BRT project is the first of its kind in the region to primarily use dedicated bus lanes.