The city of Edina will host its second community dialogue on race and equity early next month.
The second of two meetings will take place from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4 at South View Middle School, 4725 South View Lane. Enter the school through Door No. 3 in the back parking lot off Concord Avenue.
Both residents and those who work in or visit Edina are welcome to attend, city officials said in a news release.
Organizers say they hope to draw many participants, "From those who haven't witnessed discrimination in Edina to those who have experienced it firsthand."
The meetings are held by the city's Race & Equity Task Force, which is examining government policies and operations to understand how city practices may contribute to unequal treatment of citizens. Recommendations are expected by mid-2018.
Edina High School has been the focus of some turmoil in recent months. A Veterans Day observance sparked complaints when about 10 students stayed seated when the national anthem was played at the event. Over the weekend, members of the Edina Youth Conservatives Club (YCC) used the group-messaging app GroupMe to trade disparaging comments about students, which included some Somali-Americans. In response, a video from a YouTube user called "Antifa EHS" featured a masked and hooded speaker reading a list of demands to the Edina YCC. It called for the removal of racist students from the club and asked them to "apologize for fostering racism in your official GroupMe."
On Nov. 3, Edina High School authorities said they were investigating a racist photo and message shared through social media by a student earlier that week.
Last month, an article by a conservative think tank publication alleging political "indoctrination" in the Edina School District drew strong reaction from students, parents and school board candidates.
Edina High's student body is about 79 percent white, 9 percent Asian, 7 percent black and 4 percent Hispanic, according to the Minnesota Report Card. The school's Black Student Union has about 50 members. For more information or to fill out a short online survey, visit EdinaMN.gov/Race-Equity or contact Project Coordinator MJ Lamon at (952) 826-0360.
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