in the process of this project, we read a lot. we read about the project, the anti-displacement efforts, and other literature provided by the metro blue line extension. however, we also came across a ‘people's history of the homewood neighborhood,’ an oral history project conducted by the university of minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) in partnership with the Northside Residents Redevelopment Council (NRCC). before we wrote the proposal, we read and listened to these interviews. at times, the participants' words overlapped; at others, their individual experiences and history in the neighborhood were uncovered. some had only been in the community a short while; others had grown up and seen the landscape shift. one remembered when their milk was delivered by horse and buggy. that image resonated throughout the project. most of our participants were youth, ranging from middle school to high school, and so their memories centered on places such as the waterpark at north commons park or community gardens scattered about. we had the chance to visit many of the places they spoke about and, in some ways, understand their significance in this neighborhood. not only that but waterparks and gardens are also moments of joy and memories of my own childhood. yet the image of a horse and buggy milk delivery feels foreign. it’s moving because it captures the essence of a shifting landscape. in imagining the future or the past, there is drama to these changes, but they are not so shocking in the present. the movement of a landscape changing is gradual for periods and sudden in moments.
the presence and importance of community in this neighborhood seemed an emblem. the imagery of hands, gardens, and food seeks to capture the stories we were told. the way in which the community holds each and itself.
wheels indicate a movement - a shift of the landscape itself. but also the movement that the blue line rail extension will allow.