New here and kind of new to Minneapolis

[little_owl]

i just found this site and excited that there is a message board about squatting.

A little about me: I moved to Minneapolis from Pittsburgh/W.V. a couple months ago, I've been looking for work since first getting here and found nothing which is depressing and thinking about how I will have to start squatting most likely in a couple weeks. I would rather stay in Minneapolis rather than going back to W.V. where I'm originally from. I spent seven months in Pittsburgh before moving here. I hated W.V. and Pittsburgh, especially Pittsburgh, such a racist and conservative place.

I've never squatted before and was thinking I would just be homeless until I started thinking about how I might be able to squat a place. I am really comfortable with just getting by with whatever I have so I don't think it will be too scary but then I've never lived in a place that someone else owns. I've lived briefly in a place that probably should have been torn down and I helped fix it up to be live-able and that place was so bad that any place I find will most likely be a thousand times better. I wish I had people to do this with, I'm still kind of new to Minneapolis and don't have any friends yet but hopefully it will be okay.

And with my interests, I'm into technical theatre, anti-authoritarianism, riding my bike, loving fall, getting involved with local activist groups, and bunches of other things.

:crew:

 

[logan714]

why do it in the cold?

l

 

[little_owl]

I would rather not. I'm still curious to see just how cold it gets here. Seems like it gets extremely bad from what people have told me and I'm expecting it to just be insanely cold.

 

[SpaceCadet]

I'm from Pittsburgh and I've been to WV before and coming from WV, you think Pittsburgh is more racist and conservative? I mean, come on, I've been to Fayetteville and at a bar, there was a sign that said "No N***ers Allowed". You won't see that in Pittsburgh.

On topic: Minneapolis is cold, as is Pittsburgh and West Virginia. I suggest not being new to squatting or being homeless and trying it out right before winter.

 

[little_owl]

I was surprised how Pittsburgh was more racist than the part of W.V. that I was in. I was in the northern part of W.V. Moundsville is really racist but Pittsburgh just felt warped with how I heard racist stuff at least every day or two and people being referred to as "savages" way too many times. And too many middle class liberals using the term "low income" instead "black" and thinking that made them seem less racist while describing areas that they think are really scary just because there are african-americans there. I've never been to Fayetteville and not surprised though and W.V. is really racist but I still never heard the n word as much as I did in Pittsburgh and some other terms that I never even heard before to describe people.

And I'm not sure what I'm doing yet, I am a bit scared about staying warm this winter.

 

[SpaceCadet]

Huh? I lived there for 23 years and never heard someone call a black person a "savage". Are you sure we are talking about the same Pittsburgh. I mean, every place has it's racists but for you to say Pittsburgh is more racist than WV, you must be smoking crack. What part of Pittsburgh did you stay in?

 

[little_owl]

I'm sorry I encountered more racism while there than you but yes, multiple times from different people the word "savages" came up. I remember one person who used that term and they said they didn't think they were even racist. I worked at a place in which black people were fired very easily, management would even set some up, co-workers coats would be searched for stealing when they didn't, customers were accused of stealing when they had nothing. There was a place that had a special night called "Wetback Wednesdays" and had a sign out front. Someone telling me how people are called "Mondays". Mondays because no one likes Mondays. People who thought of themselves as liberals/progressive who were scared to death to be in certain neighborhoods that they knew nothing about other than that they were not predominantly white. I lived in Garfield, worked in Northside, hung out kind of all over.

W.V. is very racist too but I was only in the northern panhandle part most of my life and did not come across racism to the extent that I did in Pittsburgh for the seven months that I was there.

 

[Livingpastense]

that sucks you experienced so much racism i was in Pittsburgh and loved the place. as for squatting in the cold it sucks.

 

[little_owl]

I hope the cold is okay to deal with, I've been in places that were really cold but I'm expecting it to be so much worse here. It should be fun.

 

[owlfrog]

Hey lil owl! Lets hook up I've squatted Mpls all seasons. Need a new squat myself. I used to squat gold metal before they declared it a landmark and ruined it.

 

[owlfrog]

U won't find that racist shit here there are plenty of racist bastard But mpls prides it's self diversity. We are one of the top destinations. 4 refugees. If anything people don't like how "p c" we r.

 

[Earth]

Being cold is not fun and its the ultimate test of your survival skills.
Keep in mind I kayak all year round and the winters out here are no joke but I dress for it and am warm even though my kayaks encased with ice.

 

[Earth]

As for racism, I accept that this is a racist nation as a whole.
Doesn't mean I like it, just acknowledging what I see, and its on all levels too.
That's something you've got to deal with on your own terms and take action when you see fit.
I do it all the time with the mide eastern community as they are good people who have been given a bad name because of the actions of a few...
God be with you

 

[Earth]

*middle

 

[scatwomb]

Minneapolis is cold as all fuck-out in the wintertime. We have experienced -100 windchill here, which is really really really fucking cold.

If you squat, you'll have to find a place with a woodstove or install one yourself. You really do need that extra warmth. Also, get one of those extreme cold military sleeping bags if you can afford it. A lot of supplies can be found at Harris Warehouse Canvas and Camping, near the University of Minnesota (it's near the United Crushers grain elevators by the football stadium - there are a few "squats" in that area as well).

A lot of out-of-staters come here and arrogantly think they will be able handle the winter as a squater. You really have to put serious effort into staying warm if you are planning to squat. Plan ahead - things take longer and are much more difficult when there are two feet of snow on the ground and it's -20. Also, it can stay cold and snow until the end of May. If you're resourceful, however, you'll make it through fine

If you're into theater stuff, check out Bedlam or Heart of the Beast - both seem up your alley.

If you have questions or need suggestions, send me a message.

EDIT: Holy shit, this is from two years ago. Great.

 

[owlfrog]

Oh ha little owl probably flew the coupe. Thanx Scatwomb for pointing out she started this awhile ago! You dead on about Bedlam theater and the heart of the beast troupe and I'll add on barebones too.
But I'm new to the board and thought this would be a good place to meet some locals.

 

[whaleofashrimp]

minniapolis is my favorate city in the world...but i wouldint live a winter there unless i had a place and an income..speaking of which if anyone knows anyone who can hook me up with work up there thatll be awsome..im comeing in march and im going to try and settle