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Bridging the Gap

Minneapolis is sometimes described as a city of neighborhoods. While the names of our neighborhoods may not be as recognizable as those found in cities such as Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York, ours still embody the same rich diversity, civic pride, and authenticity that define who we are.

Some of Minneapolis’ most iconic neighborhoods are on our southside. Minneapolis cultural districts like Franklin Avenue East, East Lake Street and 38th Street encompass some of these neighborhoods. Meet Minneapolis intentionally works to raise the profile of these great neighborhoods, as we authentically tell our story.

The recently held 5th annual Southside Summit helped to bring more aspects of the rich stories of multiple southside neighborhoods to the forefront.

  • The Southside Summit attracted over 120 South Minneapolis community leaders who are enthusiastic about the present and future of South Minneapolis.
  • Attendees represented southside neighborhood organizations, theatre companies, direct service agencies, and elected leaders from the City and County.
  • This year, the summit was dedicated to an emerging initiative called One South. This work aims to define and embrace changes in neighborhood organizational structures that unlock new degrees of efficacy, efficiency, and sustainability in how community-centered civic engagement helps enliven South Minneapolis over the next few decades.

The event took place at The Historic Coliseum Building. This building sustained considerable damage following the murder of George Floyd. However, a $30 million investment has now created a community hub focusing on business incubation, entertainment, and overall community-building.

Tabitha Montgomery serves as the executive director of the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association (PPNA), the largest of the multiple southside neighborhood associations that came together at the summit. Tabitha is also the incoming chair of the Meet Minneapolis board.

Her dual roles allow her the opportunity to bridge the geographic and understanding gap between the southside and other parts of our city.

In 2025, as Meet Minneapolis chair, Tabitha will also lead the initial implementation of our soon-to-be-launched Destination Master Plan (DMP). The plan’s vision is as follows:

In Minneapolis, rich history and dynamic communities meet stunning natural features.
We honor our roots, amplify culture, celebrate growth, and embrace all as a top-tier travel and events destination.

With one hat, Tabitha will lead the efforts to rethink how to position and represent the Southside in a cohesive manner. With her other hat, she will champion the implementation of Minneapolis’ DMP to further solidify and broaden the way we tell our authentic story.