Residents on dozens of Brooklyn Park streets set out folding tables, shared homemade food, greeted newcomers and spent an evening getting to know the people who live just beyond their front doors during this year’s National Night Out.
Held each year on the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out encourages neighbors to gather while fostering stronger relationships with one another and with local law enforcement.
Brooklyn Park has become one of the country’s top participating communities. In 2025, the city ranked third nationally among midsize cities with populations between 50,000 and 100,000, trailing only neighboring Maple Grove and Gloucester Township, New Jersey.
This year, 135 block parties were registered across the city, according to Communications Specialist Teri Iverson. Mayor Hollies Winston, police leaders and other city officials spent the evening visiting neighborhood gatherings across the city.
Mshale visited celebrations in the Brookdale Park and Trinity Gardens neighborhoods, where residents described National Night Out as one of the few opportunities each year to slow down, reconnect and strengthen the sense of community that makes neighborhoods safer.
Brookdale Park
On a quiet cul-de-sac in Brookdale Park, longtime resident Sheila Weber greeted neighbors much as she has for the past two decades.
“It means a lot to our neighborhood,” said Weber, who has lived on 78th Avenue North for decades and has organized her block’s National Night Out gathering for the past 20 years. “It gives us a chance to meet newcomers to our neighborhood.”
Nearby, retired banker Emily Solstad reflected on how busy life has become.
“I always look forward to this day because it’s really the only time you can see, for an extended time, some of the younger and very busy professionals in our neighborhood,” Solstad said.
Neighbors filled tables with homemade dishes alongside pizza, while one dessert quickly became a favorite — chocoflan, a popular Mexican cake. Across the cul-de-sac, children rode bicycles while Hugo Cruz tossed a ball with his two sons. His wife, Gabby, was the baker behind the much-talked-about chocoflan.
“We always look forward to it because we get to meet others,” Cruz said.
Mayor Winston and Brooklyn Park Deputy Police Chief Elliot Faust also stopped by the gathering, chatting with residents about neighborhood concerns while others caught up over food and refreshments.
Trinity Gardens
Across town in the Trinity Gardens neighborhood, Corey and Bobbie Jacques welcomed neighbors to another cul-de-sac celebration.
The couple, who have lived on Kings Terrace North for nearly a decade, took over organizing the annual gathering three years ago after a neighbor moved away.
By the time Mshale arrived, most of the food had disappeared, but conversations were still going strong as Council Members Shelle Page and Nichole Klonowski joined state Rep. Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley in talking with residents.
Jacques, who works in trade and logistics, joked that his role as organizer began after losing a bean bag toss competition to Brooklyn Park police officers.
“The reason I’m the organizer is because I lost a bean bag toss competition to these guys, and this became my punishment,” he said with a laugh.
As adults continued their conversations, young Tori Swanson walked the family dog, Remington, through the gathering. The friendly dog made frequent stops near the food table, sniffing hopefully for leftovers.
Across Brooklyn Park, scenes like these played out at more than a hundred neighborhood gatherings. While every block party had its own personality, they shared a common purpose: giving neighbors a chance to know one another a little better before the next emergency, celebration or ordinary day brings them together again.
Author
About Tom Gitaa, Editor-in-Chief
Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the board of the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association. An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.
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