Diversity and inclusion inspire local server to make a difference

Emily Johnston lives in the West 7th neighborhood of St. Paul and works part-time as a server at the nearby restaurant A-Side Public House. From the first day she walked into the establishment for a quick lunch, she felt a special connection and knew she wanted to be part of it all.

“When I see an accessible restaurant with a diverse staff and non-gender specific restrooms, I know it’s a place I want to support,” she said. “A-Side fit the bill, and after one lunch visit, I filled out an application, because I couldn’t get enough.”

Emily describes the restaurant owner Travis Temke and manager Brad Rowe as kind and benevolent and she appreciates how they have created an inclusive and safe space for all. And even though the former fire station turned restaurant has only been open for a few months, Emily said it already has established a strong following of local customers.

October 11th was recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day and Emily felt compelled to do something that would mark the occasion and make a difference in the community. She believes it’s crucial work to raise awareness and provide support for underserved communities.
She asked Travis and Brad if she could inform tables of her intention to donate 100 percent of her tips that day to support local Indigenous youth programs.

Every single table Emily served was touched by the idea, and the customers dug deep to give generously. What was perhaps most notable for Emily, no one asked for proof. There was a trust between strangers that what she was doing was real, and that the money would reach the right hands.

“I believe we all need these moments during trying times, to remind us of the good in humanity,” she said.

At the end of the day Emily earned $400 in tips and donated it to MIGIZI, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, that provides a strong circle of support that nurtures the educational, social, economic and cultural development of American Indian youth.

During the riots that followed the death of George Floyd, the building that housed MIGIZI was destroyed by a fire. According to Abby Lundquist, a development associate at MIGIZI, support poured in from both the local community and around the world enabling the organization to find a temporary space and continue its programming.

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, MIGIZI is launching a capital campaign and is looking to rebuild a new site on East Lake Street. Slated to be completed in June 2022, Lundquist said the new space will be dedicated to American Indian youth.

“From a technology and media room to share our languages, cultures, and perspectives to a green energy workshop where students will explore and learn about renewable energy, this will be an environment dedicated to sparking curiosity and honoring the Earth,” she said. “MIGIZI will be a community gathering place focused on nourishment, creativity, sharing, and learning.”

Emily’s donation will go toward helping MIGIZI to rebuild and continue its work in the community, but the story doesn’t end there. A-Side manager Brad told Emily that the restaurant was going to match her $400 donation. Then A-Side owner Travis personally added another $400 to make the total donation to MIGIZI $1,200. Emily was shocked.

“I mostly felt elated that I work for such a caring individual and company, that they would match my donation not just as a company, but personally themselves,” she said.

Going full circle
For the past eight years, Emily’s full-time job has been working as a high school science teacher at Minnesota Connections Academy, a statewide, public virtual school. As a teacher in a virtual classroom, Emily says she interacts with incredible students each day and has the privilege of working with some of the most talented teachers and leaders.

For Emily, the most rewarding part of working at Minnesota Connections Academy, is the school improvement activities that include equity, diversity, and inclusion training. She says these opportunities have changed how she thinks and interacts.

MNCA has brought Equity Alliance MN on board for those professional development sessions. She has also been participating on a team at the online school that works on the school improvement plan to incorporate EDI practices. Emily said she has learned through the school’s Indigenous coordinator that the school will be partnering with MIGIZI in the near future.