Dining on a Bridge: Minneapolis’s Unique Approach to Community Engagement

After days and days of gray and rain, the clouds parted and the sun came out over Minneapolis’ Franklin Steele Park just as a diverse swath of residents, government officials, construction workers, and more sat down to a free community dinner. Rather than overlooking pristine nature or the city’s skyline, the event’s vista centered on something that most consider unsightly and avoid at all costs: the intersection of two highways near downtown Minneapolis.

No, Minneapolis doesn’t have the worst, most inexperienced event planners ever. Not only was the construction backdrop intentional, it was the impetus for the meal itself. The event was the result of a collaboration between the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) and Eat for Equity, a local organization that hosts community feasts to bring people together.

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