East Side Freedom Library

Labor and Equity: ESFL's Labor and Equity programs unite community members, organizations, and allies to address housing inequity, environmental injustice, and social harms in St. Paul. Key initiatives include: Labor: The ESFL Labor Advisory Group fosters collaboration with the labor movement, supporting local labor issues, education, and engagement through panel discussions, the Annual Labor Solidarity Picnic, and Solidarity Awards. East Side Housing Justice: Advocates for housing equity via coalition work, public education, and advocacy. East Side Environmental Justice Group: Focuses on improving environmental health through advocacy on clean air, water, food, and green jobs. East Side Unified: A journal highlighting community developments, organizing efforts, and social justice work, connecting past and present.

Housing Justice: The Housing Justice Program advances housing equity through: Community-Led Exhibits: Documenting housing activism history in St. Paul to inspire future advocacy. Educational Workshops: Exploring housing justice issues through racial equity and related struggles. Collaborative Spaces: Hosting the Housing Justice Coalition to support advocacy, grassroots organizing, and community education. Equitable Development: Promoting policies that prevent displacement and reduce disparities. Cooperatives and Community Ownership: Supporting neighborhood self-determination through the East Side Community Investment Cooperative.

Teaching and Learning: ESFL combines education with community scholarship, offering access to its extensive collections, artifacts, and programs. Through mentoring for National History Day, classroom visits, tours, special presentations, and author events, ESFL supports students, educators, and researchers. It manages over 35,000 books and materials and provides a digital repository for research.