The last handful of weeks have been filled with tension in our community regarding the deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana, Philando Castille right here in the Twin Cities and five police officers in Dallas. There seems to be a divide and an unspoken expectation that people must choose “a side”. This division has personally impacted by family, altered relationships, and in general put a veil of sadness over us. So, I was very excited to hear about a neighbor’s amazing idea to pull all of us back together! Morgan Koth introduced me to her idea, “Good Neighbor Lemonade”, which is essentially an initiative to bring people together, grassroots style, to get neighbors to meet each other, start a conversation, and help build empathy in this trying time. And who doesn’t want free lemonade and a sweet treat?
WIFE IN THE CITIES: What is "Good Neighbor Lemonade"?
MORGAN: Good Neighbor Lemonade is a free lemonade stand with the intent to build the community around it. Come by for a free glass of lemonade and a cookie, meet your neighbors, and stay for the conversation and the art.
WIFE IN THE CITIES: What prompted you to start "Good Neighbor Lemonade"?
MORGAN: In the wake of the tragedies and realities that touched our TV screens and our communities, we are finding ourselves divided, knowing less and less of our neighbors and our communities. Now more than ever, it's important for us to come together, meet each other where we are at, and sometimes, have those tough conversations about race, prejudice and how it affects our community. I have had the discussions and I've spoken up when I've heard or seen inequities - but it hit me hard recently, that the social justice I wished for, I wasn't working for. Good Neighborhood Lemonade is the start.
WIFE IN THE CITIES: What do you hope our neighbors in Corcoran will get from visiting the Lemonade stand on August 6th between 8:00a.m and 1:00 pm at 3148 22nd Ave. South?
MORGAN: First and foremost, I hope that our neighbors come for the lemonade, meet some new friends, and have fun. For those that want to dive a little deeper, we will have trained social workers and counselors volunteering to navigate the difficult conversations that are so vitally needed to bring about change. I have hope that the more we can bring our community together, the less divided we will be and the stronger we will stand together.
Please come out to the first ever “Good Neighbor Lemonade” conversation to enjoy a snack and reconnect with your neighbors on August 6th. The event will run from 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m., which is the same time as the Farmers Market. The event will be hosted just down the street from the Farmers Market at 3148 22nd Ave. South. We really look forward to seeing you there! Let’s connect, have some fun as a community, enjoy lemonade and possibly bridge the gap along the way!
This column is your go to for community events, food, fashion, and finds for the home! Wife in the Cities is a lifestyle column that features fashion forward individuals from Minneapolis and beyond, reviews of the greatest new restaurants and businesses in our amazing city, and some scores in the home décor and repair department. Essentially…your go to for living fabulously in Minneapolis. Check us out on Facebook for even more articles.
