By Annamary Herther
“For the sake of the people and the land…set aside the ways of the colonist and become Indigenous to place.”
–Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of “Braiding Sweetgrass”
In my family’s mythology, there is a question: Where has Annamary wandered off to this time? And even though I’m now happily rooted in the North End/North Como neighborhood of Saint Paul, on occasion I wander over to St. Anthony Park to join the inspiring work of Transition Town—ASAP. (You’re mighty welcoming folks!)
Reading Braiding Sweetgrass helped me to understand what it means to become Indigenous to the natural world underneath and around me. As a consumer and homeowner—attending Transition Your Money (TYM) meetings continues to help me learn how I might become further invested locally. In the face of climate change, these deep roots can help us weather the storms.
The people involved with Transition Your Money are always looking into ways to make St. Paul stronger. The group is curious and open, seeking new ways to put money to work meaningfully, meeting human needs closer to home and giving a platform to entrepreneurs, those who are BIPOC—Black, Indigenous or People of Color.
And so I’d like to ask, “What are you doing on the second Saturday evening of June?”
June 11 meetup: LION up for this one!
Come join in on Transition Your Money’s first Local Investing Opportunity Network (LION). You might be an idea person or a small business owner looking to expand. Maybe you’re an investor with deep or not-so-deep pockets. Or you might simply want to support an economy for a more humane, livable future.
Drop by and mingle with other forward thinkers in a fun, innovative setting. (And if you’re not much of a mingler—just stop by and pick up some of our printed information.)
What? LION Meetup: Local Investing Opportunity Network
When? Saturday, June 11, 6-8 p.m.
Where? Outdoors at The Lab taproom and brewery, 767 North Eustis St., southeast corner of the Case Building. Ample car and bike parking. Short walk from the Green Line and bus routes (63, 67, 87) on University Avenue.
What else? The Black Business Is Beautiful Market will be in swing outside The Lab that day with food trucks on site from 2 to 7 p.m.
Why? Let’s steal a Paul Wellstone line: We all do better when we all do better. And we all do better when we’re caring for the things we care about.
Bring a friend! In my part of St. Paul, I’m one of the “galleys”— the gals who live on the alley. I’m planning to invite a few galleys to meander through the market, grab a bite and a brew and meet informally with other St. Paulites.
There are many ways to invest in our community, whatever our income. Some might lend money to fund a start-up or help expand an existing business. Others can lend expertise or help grow a customer base. Being a good neighbor, shopping local, putting down roots—these are equally important investment opportunities. n
Annamary Herther is originally from northern Minnesota, though she wandered the globe before finding her home in St. Paul. Now a retired school secretary of the Friends School of Minnesota, Annamary teaches her grandchildren how to garden, ride buses, talk to strangers and color outside the lines.
Transition Your Money: Investing in local resilience
If you want to dig deeper, once a month the Transition Your Money group gathers on Zoom to share ideas for a more resilient local economy. Guest speakers have sparked ideas for investing in farm co-ops, community solar arrays, local enterprises and more. We discuss tools for moving our money from Wall Street to Main Street.
The group meets on the third Wednesday of most months, 7-8:30 p.m., and all are welcome. For the Zoom link, email info@TransitionASAP.org. Learn more at TransitionASAP.org.
The first Local Investment Opportunity Network outdoor meetup will happen at The Lab, 767 North Eustis St., on Saturday, June 11, from 6-8 p.m. Photo by Mindy Keskinen.
