• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Truce Center: A safe haven for youth in St. Paul 

by Abdi Mohamed
March 30, 2022
71
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn
Photo by Abdi Mohamed Miki Frost

Boots On the Ground: This is the first in an ongoing series featuring organizations working on the frontlines to de-escalate street violence and serve as a bridge between community members and law enforcement.

It might be hard for some to envision a community advocate, businessman, and political candidate as a past troublemaker, but St. Paul native Miki Frost will tell you himself that he didn’t always have his head on straight. 

“Coming up as a kid I bumped my head a few times,” he said. “I kind of got involved with the wrong crowd as a kid and did things that I wasn’t proud of.”

At 25, Frost decided to turn his life around and become a positive force for change in his St. Paul community. He organized events such as back-to-school clothing drives, donated turkeys on Thanksgiving, and mentored youth for years to build on that sense of community.

Related Story: Agape applies unconditional love to the wounds of violence

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Now, nearly 25 years later, Frost has focused that momentum toward what he’s created at the Truce Center, a place where youth can learn about their culture; receive help with homework; learn about mental health, including depression and suicide prevention; and develop leadership and conflict resolution skills. 

Roughly four years ago, Frost opened his first Truce Center on the corner of Lexington and Selby. The space had been vacant for years, and after discussing his plans with the building’s owner, Frost was able to secure the spot. 

Photo by Abdi Mohamed The Truce Center on 175 Lexington Pkwy

On the frontlines

Frost’s approach is to help those who are off track to get back on, and those who are on track to continue their trajectory. He usually starts each morning going through downtown St. Paul with local law enforcement to help monitor the skyways. 

In the early afternoon, he heads over to a few local high schools to check in with administrators and see if there have been any fights or conflicts he can help address. Once school is out by 3 pm, Frost is back at the center where he helps facilitate breakout sessions and tutoring for homework help.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Deandre Brown is a program director at the Truce Center and leads the after-school sessions. He facilitates conversations between the youth on topics ranging from relationships to conflict resolution. Brown heard about the center’s work from Frost, who is his uncle.

He expressed remorse for not having a place like the center growing up, which could have helped him navigate some of the hurdles as a teen. “I didn’t have the skills, the knowledge, or anything to even think how to take a violent situation and take it to a nonviolent situation,” Brown said.

Outside of his work at the center, Brown coaches AAU basketball at East Side Athletics. Many of the students and others in the community refer to him as Coach Dre.

Expanding to meet the community’s needs

Frost decided it was time to open a second Truce Center location on the corner of Case Avenue East and Payne Avenue in East St. Paul since the area has come under a wave of violence in recent years. The new center provides the same programming as the original. 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Asia Walker has been bringing her son to the East Side Truce Center since they attended its open house last year. She’s been happy to see her son become more active and productive with the help of the center.

“When I pick my son up, his homework is done,” she said. “That’s something that we struggled with before. I guess you have to do your homework before you do the fun part, and that’s definitely huge for me.”

“It’s not that school is hard. School sometimes is like a fashion show,” Brown said about his conversations with students. He works to convince students that their outer appearance and belongings don’t determine their worth though they might get bullied for not having the latest fashion.

To cultivate a sense of self-worth in the students, the center has African sculptures at its entrance and photos of African American icons on its walls.

Photo by Abdi Mohamed A mural inside the East Side Truce Center

Measuring success

- ADVERTISEMENT -

There are a few ways that Frost likes to measure the impact of the center’s work. First, he works to get them off of law enforcement’s radar when it comes to criminal activity. He noted that the center was responsible for getting 10 guns off of the street last year. 

Frost also gauges success by the number of participants who receive certificates through his program and how many of them go on to become instructors once they graduate from the program. 

The center awards diplomas of various levels to participants in courses related to leadership, hygiene, and community building. Once they complete the first level, youth can become teacher’s aides and then go on to lead a course. 

According to Brown, the aim is to impart long-lasting lessons to the youth. “Mostly when you have a center or a spot like this, children will come in to do their programming and they’ll go home and leave that stuff at the door,” Brown said. “If we can change a kid’s lifestyle, we can change their life.”

Nearly all of the work that the organization does is self-funded aside from a few small grants. Through selling cars, Frost has been able to provide youth participants with the programming and resources they need to participate at no cost to their parents. This has been welcomed by parents like Walker, who have had to pay high costs for programming in the past. 

“I remember my son when he was a little younger, we had to pay for that. It was probably $200 a week. For them to keep them busy after school is a blessing,” Walker said.

Though support has been limited, the center has gotten donations through its website. Frost encouraged anyone looking to fund their work to donate to their organization directly. 

To learn more about Truce Center, go to 8218trucecenter.org.

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Biden signs Emmett Till anti-lynching bill into law

Next Post

Black women prominent roles in ‘immersive’ Final Four TV experience

Abdi Mohamed

Abdi Mohamed is a contributing writer at the MN Spokesman-Recorder. He can be reached at amohamed@spokesman-recorder.com.

You Might Also Like

Metro Transit looks to improve safety and conditions on light rail system
Local

Metro Transit looks to improve safety and conditions on light rail system

Directors sought for St. Paul parks/recreation, safety/inspections
Bulletin

St. Paul Audit Committee invites public input on City services 

Transcripts of Yia Xiong deadly encounter with St. Paul police raise more questions
Local

Transcripts of Yia Xiong deadly encounter with St. Paul police raise more questions

St. Paul’s Highland Park High School celebrated iftar during Ramadan  
Local

St. Paul’s Highland Park High School celebrated iftar during Ramadan  

Outstanding players in Minneapolis and St. Paul
Sports

Outstanding players in Minneapolis and St. Paul

Seven Black leaders selected for self-care grants
Local

Seven Black leaders selected for self-care grants

Next Post
Black women prominent roles in ‘immersive’ Final Four TV experience

Black women prominent roles in ‘immersive’ Final Four TV experience

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

The Latest News

Summer Guide: June 1-7 events

2023 Summer Guide: June 8-14

Outspoken public defender faces ‘star chamber’ reappointment (updated)

The case for juvenile justice reform 

A Night With The River marks the end of annual all-night arts festival

A Night With The River marks the end of annual all-night arts festival

7 ways to celebrate Prince’s enduring legacy 

7 ways to celebrate Prince’s enduring legacy 

Congratulations! Kylee J. Jackman: Class of 2023-Bloomington Kennedy Senior High School

Congratulations! Kylee J. Jackman: Class of 2023-Bloomington Kennedy Senior High School

Metro Transit looks to improve safety and conditions on light rail system

Metro Transit looks to improve safety and conditions on light rail system

Minneapolis
◉
77°
Fair
5:26 am8:56 pm CDT
ThuFriSatSunMon
82/59°F
86/64°F
79/57°F
73/54°F
79/61°F
Weather forecast Minneapolis, Minnesota ▸
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Apr 13
April 13 @ 7:30 pm-June 10 @ 9:00 pm Recurring

Wit by Margaret Edson

Apr 14
April 14 @ 9:00 am-August 12 @ 5:00 pm

Paper Is People: Decolonizing Global Paper Cultures

Jun 8
10:00 am-4:00 pm Recurring

Preserving Nature Photos by Walter Griffin: REFLECTIONS

Jun 8
2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Juneteenth Business Forum

View Calendar

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...