About Us
The xChange is a collaborative effort to engage employers and community organizations in creating more equitable and more numerous employment opportunities for residents of the East Side of St. Paul.
Our Team
We are working to end employment disparities on the East Side of St. Paul by collaborating across organizations. As a staff, we organize with our partners to collectively govern the xChange.
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Luke Weisberg, Staff Coordinator
luke@xchange.mnSonni DuMarce, Data Specialist sonni@xchange.mn
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Alexis Walstad
Karen Organization of Minnesota
awalstad@mnkaren.orgDaniel Rodriguez
Merrick Community Services
drodriguez@merrickcs.orgEh Tah Khu
Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM)
ekhu@mnkaren.orgHayley Ball
Urban Roots
hayleyball@urbanrootsmn.orgHenry Jiménez
Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC)
henry@ledcmn.orgJim Durdle
Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota
jdurdle@gesmn.orgJodi Bantley
Metro State University
jodi.bantley@metrostate.eduJulie Brekke
Hired
julie.brekke@hired.orgKaren Reid
Neighborhood Development Alliance (NEDA)
kreid@nedahome.orgLing Becker
Ramsey County Workforce Solutions
ling.becker@co.ramsey.mn.usMay yer Thao
Hmong American Partnership (HAP)
mayyert@hmong.orgRachel McCaffrey
American Indian Family Center (AIFC)
rachel.mccaffrey@aifcmn.orgRuby Lee
Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES)
rlee@clues.orgSheila Olson
Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota
solson@gesmn.orgSteve Kaari
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
steve.kaari@lssmn.orgVanessa Young
30,000 ft
vanessayoung@30kft.art -
xChange is a collaborative effort of 14 partner organizations. As a collaborative, we engage community partners, employers and organizations to create more equitable and more numerous employment opportunities for residents of the East Side of St. Paul.
Partner Directory
Our History
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1930s
The East Side was once the industrial muscle of St. Paul where companies such as 3M, Hamm's Brewery, and Seeger/ Whirlpool employed thousands, and working-class neighborhoods flourished.
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1960s
By the late 1960's, industrial jobs that had sustained many were slipping away due to outsourcing and automation. The region was shifting toward high-tech work, but those jobs required education and access to transportation beyond the reach of most residents.
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1980-90s
As warehouses were abandoned and dis-investments in the community were incentivized, resources and access to opportunities on the East Side constricted.
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2010s
In the early 2010's East Side partners were organized through the East Side Prosperity Campaign (ESPC).
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Today
Nearing the mid-2010's, with the dissolvement of the ESPC, Nexus Community Partners breathed new life through the East Side Economic Growth Initiative (ESEGI) which had a focus on employment. That focus was the seed that planted the idea of what we now call the xChange.
East Side Employment Insights
Throughout our history, the xChange has gathered insights from East Side residents, organizations and employers to strengthen employment opportunities in the community.
View our initiatives and findings below.
Asset Map (2015)
Since December 2015, twelve organizations came together as the East Side Employment & Workforce Collaborative (ESEWC) under the East Side Economic Growth Initiative (ESEGI) to address employment disparities on the East side of St. Paul. They created an "asset map" of workforce services, laying the groundwork for the East Side Employment xChange, connecting residents with employers across the metro.
Talking Circles Report (2018)
Between November 2017 and April 2018, the East Side Employment xChange held Talking Circles and interviews with over 60 East Side residents about how employment does, or does not, support them and the things they value most. From the multitude of experiences that were shared, here are interrelated themes that shape many East Siders’ experiences with work (available within the PDF).
Dreams Pursued (2021)
Ramsey County, the City of St. Paul, and the East Side Employment xChange collaborated on the “East Side Dreams Pursued” project, gathering insights from residents about their career aspirations through online surveys, discussions with job counselors, and various community locations. Input from over 400 respondents shaped training programs, strengthened employer partnerships, and informed external partners to better align resources for job seekers.
The information is now utilized by Ramsey County and the City of St. Paul for business attraction and retention on the East Side, while the xChange shares it with employer partners to influence employment opportunities and build relationships, engaging the community and stakeholders in the process.
Learn and Share
Would you like to learn more about the xChange and help us spread the word? Download our one-pager to share information about our initiatives.
For Job Seekers
Do you live on the East Side? Are you interested in opportunities to grow your career? Download our PDF to learn more and share.
For Employers
We facilitate meaningful connections between employers and East Side job seekers. Download our PDF to learn more and share.