The Civil Rights marches of the 1950s and early 1960s and the anti-war protests of the late 1960s and early 1970s may have been more dramatic, but a quieter kind of citizen activism in the Linden Hills neighborhood during the 1970s caused residents to band together to make their voices heard by city and county governments. 

A panel of local residents, led by Linda Lounsbury, will talk about how they “fought City Hall” and how they won or lost their causes. 

• Carol Vaubel, one of the founders of the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council, organized meetings to get residents involved in changes to parks and streets.
• Mike Miller, a past PTA president, advocated saving the Lake Harriet School.
• Don Hawkinson, a local business owner, was president of the Linden Hills Business Association and active in other causes.
• Tom Neiman, founder of the Southwest Community Education Program, grew up in a family that initiated numerous activities and organizations to improve their community.

Their commitment to community participation and causes helped make Linden Hills what it is today.