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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250410T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250410T190000
DTSTAMP:20250418T143531Z
CREATED:20250307T193502Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250418T143531Z
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SUMMARY:Rochester - Resistance\, Voice\, and Verse: A Latino Poetry Reading
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special Poetry Month celebration of Latino poetry at the Rochester Public Library! This engaging event will feature readings of powerful poems\, and opportunities for discussion and reflection. Students from Rochester Public Schools will read poems from the recently released anthology\, “Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology” as well as their original work\, and the event will be emceed by City of Rochester Poet Laureate\, Jean Prokott. \nAttendees will have a chance to win a copy of “Latino Poetry: Library of America Anthology” – come celebrate the rich tradition of Latino poetry\, connect with fellow poetry lovers\, and share in the beauty of language and storytelling. Free to attend\, light refreshments provided. All are welcome! \nLatino Poetry: Places We Call Home is a major public humanities initiative\, planned for 2024–25\, that celebrates and explores the multifaceted legacy of Latino poetry. It is directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective. \nLatino Poetry: Places We Call Home es una iniciativa de gran alcance en el campo de las humanidades públicas que celebra el legado multifacético de la poesía latina. Esta iniciativa de realiza bajo el auspicio de Library of America con el generoso financiamiento del Fondo Nacional para las Humanidades y Emerson Collective.
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/rochester-resistance-voice-and-verse-a-latino-poetry-reading/
LOCATION:Rochester Public Library\, 101 2nd St SE\, Rochester\, 55904\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Greater Minnesota,Public Programming,Public Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/event_resistan_voice_verse_latino_poetry.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250416T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250416T201500
DTSTAMP:20250418T143549Z
CREATED:20250307T193511Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250418T143549Z
UID:10000488-1744830000-1744834500@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Online - Let’s Animate! Poetry Craft Talk and Workshop with Heid E. Erdrich
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an engaging and interactive online poetry craft talk and workshop! Featuring her most recent collection\, “Verb Animate\,” this workshop will be led by esteemed writer and the first poet laureate of the City of Minneapolis\, Heid E. Erdrich. \nIn this session\, participants will dip into creative activities using poems and prompts from “Verb Animate.” Heid will also read poems from this collection and share more about its creation; each poem included arose from a collaborative act with another poet or artist. Whether you are a seasoned poet or just beginning\, don’t miss this opportunity to write and learn more about community centered\, collaborative poetry. \nAbout the Poet\nHeid E. Erdrich is the author of a dozen books in both poetry and prose. She grew up in North Dakota and is Ojibwe\, enrolled at Turtle Mountain. She curates art exhibits\, teaches\, researches\, and collaborates with other artists. In 2024\, Heid served as the Inaugural Minneapolis Poet Laureate. She is the 2025 James Welch Visiting Writer at University of Montana Missoula. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Trio House Press\, publisher of “Verb Animate” and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum\, which engages visitors and the community with great art inspired by water; don’t miss the opportunity to see their current exhibit “Once Upon A Shore\,” curated by Heid E. Erdrich. \nRegistration\nRegistration cost includes a copy of “Verb Animate.” Please register by April 9\, 2025 to allow time to mail a book to you — you won’t want to miss this great opportunity! By registering you’ll also have a chance to receive two (2) complimentary admission tickets to the MN Marine Art Museum\, compliments of Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Drawing for the tickets will take place during the workshop. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org \nREGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-lets-animate-poetry-craft-talk-and-workshop-with-heid-e-erdrich/
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-lets-animate-poetry-craft-talk-and-workshop-with-heid-e-erdrich/
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Online,Public Programming,Public Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/event_verb_animate.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250423T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250423T200000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135423Z
CREATED:20250307T193443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135423Z
UID:10000492-1745431200-1745438400@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Minneapolis - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Tarik Dobbs
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special Poetry Month event featuring poet Tarik Dobbs in conversation with Sagirah Shahid\, discussing Dobbs’ powerful collection\, “Nazar Boy.” This thought-provoking work explores themes of identity\, surveillance\, and the complexities of Arab American life through sharp\, evocative verse. \nFollowing the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session\, enjoy light refreshments\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “Nazar Boy” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nAbout the Author\nTarik Dobbs (b. 1997\, Dearborn\, MI) is a writer\, artist\, and Poetry Foundation Ruth Lilly & Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellow. Dobbs holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Minnesota and an M.F.A. in art\, theory\, practice from Northwestern University. Dobbs is assistant professor of English in creative writing (poetry) at Southwest Minnesota State University. The debut poetry collections by Dobbs\, Nazar Boy (2024) and Dearbornistan (2026)\, are from Haymarket Books. \nAbout the Moderator\nSagirah Shahid is an African American Muslim poet\, editor\, arts administrator\, and performance artist from Minneapolis\, MN. She is a recipient of awards\, fellowship\, and residencies from the Loft Literary Center\, Minnesota Center for Book Arts\, Twin Cities Media Alliance\, Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art and Muslim Advocates\, Strive Publishing\, Wisdom Ways\, Nicollet Lanterns\, and 826 MSP. Sagirah’s prose and poetry have been published by Mizna\, The Drinking Gourd\, Insight News\, Winter Tangerine\, Pollen\, Blue Minaret\, Puerto Del Sol\, Paper Darts\, Juked\, Walker Art Center\, About Place Journal\, the Saint Paul Almanac\, and elsewhere. \nThis event is presented in partnership with New Arab American Theater Works\, a Minnesota based collective of SWANA (Southwest Asian/North African) playwrights\, musicians\, and performing artists\, and is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to you. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/minneapolis-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-tarik-dobbs/
LOCATION:The Loft at Open Book\, 1011 Washington Ave S\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming,Public Programs,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/event_mn_writer_off_page_dobbs.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250426T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250426T123000
DTSTAMP:20250307T193434Z
CREATED:20250307T193434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250307T193434Z
UID:10000493-1745665200-1745670600@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Northfield - Threads of Tanka: A Reading and Poetry Writing Event
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate National Poetry Month this April with the Poet Laureate of Northfield\, Russ Paladin\, and the Minnesota Poet Laureate\, Gwen Nell Westerman! Russ and Gwen will come together for an interactive event that includes poetry readings\, a conversation on craft and inspiration\, and writing – with a focus on the poetic form of tanka. \nAs part of the event\, participants will have the chance to dive deeper into the art of tanka with a short\, guided writing activity—an opportunity to create your own verse\, no matter your level of experience. We’ll have also have light refreshments and each participant will receive a complimentary copy of “Songs\, Blood Deep” to take home. \nWhether you’re a seasoned poetry lover or simply curious about exploring this unique art form\, come celebrate the power of words with the laureates! \nAbout the Poets\nUnder his pen name Russ Paladin\, Russel Boyington has published work in The Brasilia Review\, DISTURBED Digest\, and Medusa’s Laugh Press. His novel SOUND OF DARKNESS was runner-up for the Joanna Catherine Scott Novel Excerpt Prize. When not slaving over one pencil sketch or another\, practicing piano\, or directing middle school or community theater\, he supervises the Before/After School Care program at Prairie Creek Community School. Northfield\, Minnesota\, located in the Upper Mississppi River Valley\, has been his home for 10 years. Russel is the current Northfield Poet Laureate. \nGwen Nell Westerman is a poet\, visual artist\, and scholar. Her roots are deep in the landscape of the tallgrass prairie and reveal themselves in her art and writing. She is an enrolled citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate\, and her father’s family is from the Heipa District. Her mother’s family is from the Flint District of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Neither of her parents spoke English when they were sent as small children to boarding schools in Oklahoma and South Dakota. Singing and writing for as long as she can remember\, Gwen understands from experience the important ways language and the land shape who we are. She was appointed as the Poet Laureate of Minnesota by Governor Tim Walz in 2021. \nRegistration\nThis event is free to attend\, however registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited so register soon! \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/northfield-threads-of-tanka-a-reading-and-poetry-writing-event/
LOCATION:Northfield Public Library\, 210 Washington St\, Northfield\, MN\, 55057\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota's Poet Laureate,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/event_threads_tanka.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250807T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250807T203000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135444Z
CREATED:20250611T212457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135444Z
UID:10000516-1754591400-1754598600@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Duluth - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Michelle Filkins\, Margret Aldrich\, Julie Gard\, Jennifer Hopkins & Leslie Miller
DESCRIPTION:What can we discover when we reclaim the term ‘locker room talk’ and the intimate conversations between women in personal spaces? The Minnesota Book Award winning anthology\, “Locker Room Talk: Women in Private Spaces\,” lays bare some of these conversations shared by women from Minnesota and beyond\, demonstrating how women show up and care for each other\, and the power of women to create safe and supportive spaces. Join us for a discussion with editors Michelle Filkins and Margret Aldrich\, and contributing author and Duluth resident Julie Gard and contributing authors Jennifer Hopkins and Leslie Miller for readings and a conversation about the book. Following the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. The café will be open during the event with food and drink available to buy. Copies of “Locker Room Talk: Women in Private Spaces” will available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nAbout the Speakers\nMichelle Filkins is a founding editor of Spout Press and a contributing author to “The Evolution of Human Cooperation and Community Development” (Lexington Books)\, and “Creating a Transformational Community: The Fundamentals of Stewardship Activities” (Lexington Books). She is a Little Free Library steward and one of the Daunte Wright Memorial caretakers. Currently she is a professor and reference and instruction librarian at Metro State University in St. Paul. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two teenage sons. \nMargret Aldrich is the author of “The Little Free Library Book” (Coffee House Press)\, a ten-year veteran of the publishing industry\, recipient of an Innovator Award from the Book Industry Study Group\, and former Princeton University writing fellow. She has published her work with The Atlantic\, Utne Reader\, Huffington Post\, Book Riot\, and others. Today Margret is the director of communications and media relations at the Little Free Library nonprofit organization. \nJulie Gard’s most recent prose poetry collection\, “I Think I Know You\,” won the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award and was a finalist for the INDIES Book of the Year Award. “Home Studies” (New Rivers Press) was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award\, and additional publications include “Scrap: On Louise Nevelson” (Ravenna Press) and two chapbooks. She lives in Duluth\, Minnesota and is a Professor of Writing at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. \nJennifer Hopkins has a spectacular cast of characters in the story of her life. Her hope is that anyone reading her story is reminded to build communities of love\, strength\, and laughter. Jennifer has been in love with the ying to her yang for over twenty years\, and they raised a son together. Both men impress her daily with their integrity\, devotion\, and comedic timing. \nLeslie Adrienne Miller’s collections of poetry include “Y\,” “The Resurrection Trade\,” and “Eat Quite Everything You See” from Graywolf Press\, and “Yesterday Had a Man In It\,” “Ungodliness\,” and “Staying Up For Love” from Carnegie Mellon University Press. Professor of English at the University of St. Thomas\, she holds degrees in creative writing and literature from Stephens College\, University of Missouri\, Iowa Writers Workshop\, and University of Houston. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Wussow’s Concert Cafe\, an inclusive and supportive home for local artists\, musicians\, writers\, and everyone in between\, and Spout Press\, a small\, all-volunteer\, non-profit literary publisher that publishes and promotes the finest in contemporary experimental writing — mentoring young writers and bringing new and/or under-appreciated voices to the attention of a larger audience. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s writers directly to readers. \nRegistration\nThis event is free but registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/duluth-minnesota-writers-off-the-page/
LOCATION:Wussow’s Concert Cafe\, 324 N Central Ave\, Duluth\, MN\, 55807\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Greater Minnesota,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/event_mn_writers_duluth_2025.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250910T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250910T203000
DTSTAMP:20260728T141340Z
CREATED:20250709T155706Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T141340Z
UID:10000526-1757529000-1757536200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Mubanga Kalimamukwento
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special evening with Mubanga Kalimamukwento\, author of “Obligations to the Wounded\,” winner of this year’s Minnesota Book Award for novel/short story. Mubanga will be in conversation with Mona Susan Power\, and along with readings from the book\, their discussion will explore creative writing\, the short story craft\, family\, culture\, emigration\, and more. Audience members will be invited to participate in a Q&A session\, enjoy light refreshments\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “Obligations to the Wounded” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nAbout the Speakers\nMubanga Kalimamukwento was born in Lusaka\, Zambia. Her creative work has appeared or is forthcoming in adda\, Aster(ix)\, Contemporary Verse 2\, Kweli\, Overland\, The Ex-Puritan\, Menelique\, on Netflix\, and elsewhere\, and her editorial work can be found or is forthcoming in Shenandoah\, the Water~Stone Review\, Doek! Literary Magazine\, and Safundi. She founded Ubwali Literary Magazine and co-founded the Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing or editing\, Mubanga serves as a Mentor at the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop. She is a PhD student in the Department of Gender\, Women & Sexuality Studies at the University of Minnesota (Twin-Cities)\, where she is also an Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC) Scholar. Mubanga lives in Minnesota with her husband and their two children. \nMona Susan Power is the author of four books of fiction and has written short stories and essays that have appeared in publications and anthologies such as The Atlantic\, The Paris Review\, Ploughshares\, and Granta. She received a bachelor’s degree and JD from Harvard University and earned an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her first novel\, “The Grass Dancer\,” was published in 1994.\nMona is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋna Dakhóta). She was born and raised in Chicago and now lives in Minneapolis. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Black Garnet Books\, an independent bookstore in Saint Paul\, MN that offers a curated selection of books and art by authors and illustrators of color in an environment that encourages learning\, joyful interaction\, and communal care for everyone who visits. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. \nRegistration\nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/minnesota-writers-off-the-page-mubanga-kalimamukwento/
LOCATION:Black Garnet Books\, 1319 University Ave W\, St. Paul\, 55104\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/event_mn_writers_mubanga_kalimamukwento.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250913T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250913T160000
DTSTAMP:20250818T134616Z
CREATED:20250818T133433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250818T134616Z
UID:10000561-1757761200-1757779200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Red Wing – Minnesota Children’s Book Festival
DESCRIPTION:The Anderson Center at Tower View is pleased to announce that the 26th annual Minnesota Children’s Book Festival will be held on Saturday\, September 13\, 2025 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. This beloved event features presentations of new books by award-winning authors and illustrators writing for young readers through middle grade. Taking place at the Anderson Center’s beautiful\, historic Tower View campus\, the Children’s Book Festival is an ideal opportunity for families to connect\, learn\, and play. \nThroughout the afternoon\, each author or illustrator presents their work\, reads from their book\, and participates in a meet & greet and book signing booth. Taking place outdoors\, the event also features hands-on activities that engage the mind\, body\, and imagination. With balloons\, face painting\, art-making\, kid-friendly food trucks\, and more\, there’s something to delight the inner child in all of us.  \nThis event is FREE and all ages are welcome! \nThe Minnesota Humanities Center will be tabling throughout the day — stop by to say hello\, learn more about our book projects\, and let us know you saw the event on our website to win a prize! \nFor a complete schedule of events\, please visit the Anderson Center website. \nSchedule of Events
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/minnesota-childrens-book-festival/
LOCATION:Anderson Center at Tower View\, 163 Tower View Drive\, Red Wing\, MN\, 55066\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Kid Friendly,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/event_mn_childrens_book_festival_2025.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250919T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250919T210000
DTSTAMP:20250731T204858Z
CREATED:20250731T204858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250731T204858Z
UID:10000540-1758304800-1758315600@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Winona - Shorelines and Storylines: An Artist Gathering
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special evening of reflection\, story\, and shared warmth around the fire (weather permitting). This gathering offers an opportunity to connect with the artists of Once Upon A Shore through a special panel conversation moderated by guest exhibition curator\, Heid E. Erdrich. Enjoy passed appetizers\, and purchase drinks from Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM)’s Water Bar Cafe & Provisions. The Minnesota Humanities Center is excited to partner with MMAM to highlight artists Gwen Nell Westerman\, Tashia Hart\, and Cole Redhorse Taylor who have contributed to the Native American Lives Series\, books by and about Dakota and Ojibwe Minnesotans\, for middle grade readers. Guests are also invited to purchase a variety of books created by exhibition artists\, including the newest publications Ella Cara Deloria: Dakota Language Protector\, Charles Albert Bender: National Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher\, Peggy Flanagan: Lieutenant Governor\, and Carrie Cavender Schommer: Dakota Language Teacher\, and have your copy signed and personalized. \nRegistration\nShorelines and Storylines is organized by the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Registration through the Minnesota Marine Art Museum is required to attend. \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/winona-shorelines-and-storylines-an-artist-gathering/
LOCATION:Minnesota Marine Art Museum\, 800 Riverview Drive\, Winona\, 55987\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Greater Minnesota,Native American Lives Series,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/event_once_upon_a_shore_2025.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251009T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251009T203000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135535Z
CREATED:20250709T160104Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135535Z
UID:10000527-1760034600-1760041800@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul & Online - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Bronson Lemer
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an engaging reading and discussion exploring the collection of contemplative essays that form “The Lonely Veteran’s Guide to Companionship” by Bronson Lemer. Bronson will be joined by poet and Veteran Jessi Atherton as they consider how the book chronicles a journey for a sense of self\, community\, and belonging\, Bronson’s experiences of serving in the military\, gaining awareness of his sexual orientation\, and living abroad as a gay man. Following the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session\, enjoy light refreshments\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “The Lonely Veteran’s Guide to Companionship” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. This is a hybrid event; participants can join in-person or online. \nAbout the Speakers\nBronson Lemer served as a carpenter in the Army National Guard for six years\, including deployments to Kosovo in 2000 and Iraq in 2003. Besides “The Lonely Veteran’s Guide to Companionship\,” he is the author of “The Last Deployment: How a Gay\, Hammer-Swinging Twentysomething Survived a Year in Iraq” (University of Wisconsin Press\, 2011). In 2019\, he was named a McKnight Writing Fellow. He lives in St. Paul and teaches writing at the University of Minnesota\, Rochester. \nJessi Atherton is a mother\, healer\, Veteran\, poet\, lover of scrabble and charcuterie. Her writing touches on lived experiences and themes of motherhood\, military\, mental health\, grief\, healing\, and humanity. Jessi is a Minnesota Humanities Center 2019 Veterans Voices awardee\, a member and facilitator of Warrior Writers\, a board member of the League of Minnesota Poets\, and the Minnesota Assistant Counsel for Veterans. She is a 2023 Pat Tillman Scholar and US Army Veteran who served in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jessi’s work has been published throughout the years with Nodin Press\, The Cuddy Foundation\, Iliad Press\, McGregor Publishing\, the International Library of Poetry\, and Middle West Press. Her first full collection\, “The Time War Takes\,” came out in April 2023 and received honorable mention in Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole Inaugural Biennial Award for Distinguished Book in Veterans Studies\, 2024 and made Community of Literary Magazines and Presses must read for Women’s History Month\, 2024. Jessi is the mom to three amazing daughters\, a mental health nurse\, and works as a Psychiatric Mental Health nurse practitioner. \nThis event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. This event is presented in partnership with Quatrefoil Library; based in Minneapolis\, Quatrefoil Library collects\, maintains\, documents and circulates gay\, lesbian\, bisexual\, transgender and queer materials and information in a safe and accessible space\, in order to promote understanding\, an appreciation of diversity and history\, and the value of communities. \nRegistration\nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/minnesota-writers-off-the-page-bronson-lemer/
LOCATION:Minnesota Humanities Event Center\, 987 Ivy Avenue East\, Saint Paul\, MN\, 55106\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/event_mn_writers_bronson_lemer.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260321T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260321T150000
DTSTAMP:20260514T183547Z
CREATED:20260302T222654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T183547Z
UID:10000633-1774087200-1774105200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul - Meet the Finalists of the 2026 Minnesota Book Awards
DESCRIPTION:The Minnesota Humanities Center is proud to sponsor the 2026 Minnesota Books Awards category of Novel/Short Story. Join us to meet the finalists for this year’s award at a Meet the Finalists event\, hosted by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. \nThis year’s finalists in the Novel/Short Story category are: \n\n“Ashes to Ashes” by Thomas Maltman\n“If the Dead Belong Here: A Novel” by Carson Faust\n“Lucky Tomorrow: Stories” by Deborah Jiang-Stein\n“The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore” by Anika Fajardo\n\nMinnesota Book Award finalist authors from all nine awards categories will participate in readings\, panel discussions\, and other activities about their books and their work at this special event. Events will take place in different rooms of the library throughout the day. Come for one or stay for all! It’s your choice. Attendees can also buy finalist books and enjoy library activities. \nRegistration\nRegistration for this free event is through The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-paul-meet-the-finalists-of-the-2026-minnesota-book-awards/
LOCATION:George Latimer Central Library\, 90 W. Fourth Street\, St. Paul\, 55102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/event_mn_book_awards_2026.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260324T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260324T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135552Z
CREATED:20251209T220554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135552Z
UID:10000605-1774375200-1774380600@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Roseville - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Carson Faust
DESCRIPTION:Minnesota Writers Off the Page and Makwa Coffee’s Native Author Book Club are joining forces for a special evening with Carson Faust\, author of “If the Dead Belong Here\,” which has just been shortlisted for the Minnesota Book Awards in the Novel/Short Story category!  For this intergenerational\, supernatural thriller\, Faust will be in discussion with author Dennis E. Staples\, and along with readings from the book\, they will discuss ghosts\, hauntings\, the craft of horror/thriller\, and how their Indigenous backgrounds inform their writing. Following the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Light refreshments will be available for purchase through the cafe. Copies of “If the Dead Belong Here” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nAbout the Speakers\nCarson Faust is two-spirit and an enrolled member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He is the recipient of artist fellowships from the McKnight Foundation and the Jerome Foundation. His fiction has appeared in TriQuarterly\, ANMLY\, and Waxwing\, among other journals\, and has been anthologized in “Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology.” He lives in Minnesota\, where he works in philanthropy. \nDennis E. Staples is an Ojibwe writer from Bemidji\, Minnesota\, and the author of “This Town Sleeps” and “Passing Through a Prairie Country.” He holds an MFA in fiction from the Institute of American Indian Arts and is a graduate of the 2018 Clarion West Writers Workshop and a recipient of the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship. His work has appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction and Nightmare magazine. He is a member of the Red Lake Nation. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Makwa Coffee\, a community centered craft coffee shop in Roseville\, MN. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/roseville-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-carson-faust/
LOCATION:Autumn Grove Park\, 1365 Lydia Avenue W\, Roseville\, 55113\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/event_mn_writers_carson_faust_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T191500
DTSTAMP:20260728T135648Z
CREATED:20260112T213419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135648Z
UID:10000615-1774459800-1774466100@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Shoreview - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Debra J. Stone
DESCRIPTION:To celebrate Women’s History Month\, Off the Page is pleased to feature author Debra J. Stone and her new book\, “The House on Rondo\,” which has been shortlisted for the MN Book Awards in the category of Middle Grade Literature. Debra will be in conversation with Terresa Hardaway\, discussing the history of the Rondo neighborhood\, what it means to be a writer\, and their hopes for the future of Rondo. Following the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “The House on Rondo” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nDebra J. Stone is a 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Arts Fellow in Literature\, essay\, poet and novel author. More of her work has been published by Blue Earth Review\, Indiana Review\, Green Mountains Review\, Under the Gum Tree\, and other literary journals. In 2021 her poem\, “year-of- staying–in place\,” was nominated Best of Net and Pushcart nominated. She is a board member of the Hennepin History Museum. Debra is married and resides in Minneapolis. \nTerresa Hardaway\, Ph.D.\, is an abolitionist\, design researcher\, author\, anti-racist facilitator\, creative director\, organizer\, and educator based in Minneapolis. She is Creative Director of Blackbird Revolt— a social justice-based design studio; an Associate Professor of Graphic Design; McKnight Presidential Fellow; the Director of Design Justice at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design; and the owner of Black Garnet Books. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Black Garnet Books\, an independent bookstore in Saint Paul\, MN\, that offers a curated selection of books and art by authors and illustrators of color in an environment that encourages learning\, joyful interaction\, and communal care for everyone who visits. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. This edition of Minnesota Writers Off the Page will be held at Emmet D. Williams Elementary School in Shoreview. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/shoreview-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-debra-j-stone/
LOCATION:Emmet D. Williams Elementary School\, 955 W County Rd D\, Shoreview\, 55126\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/event_mn_writers_debra_stone.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260404T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260404T160000
DTSTAMP:20260514T184603Z
CREATED:20260323T210843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T184603Z
UID:10000641-1775311200-1775318400@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul - Hope is a Force
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate National Poetry Month at the Minnesota Humanities Center! In partnership with the East Side Arts Council\, this free community gathering brings together a vibrant lineup of local poets sharing original work shaped by a range of perspectives and ways of seeing the world. Poets reading include: \n\nJoe Alfano\nJan Borofka\nColleen Callahan\nDiane Jarvenpa\nMarla Kennedy\nDiane Brady Leighton\nMem Lloyd\nSheila OKeefe\nRomi Slowiak\nLeslie Thomas\nRoslye Ultan\nCarol Wichers\n\nThrough an inspiring showcase of readings\, this afternoon will highlight the richness of our local literary community. Poetry invites us to pause\, listen\, and connect. Light refreshments will be available—come enjoy an afternoon of words that resonate. \nThis event is held in partnership with East Side Arts Council (ESAC)\, a community arts organization offering accessible\, low-cost\, or free arts programs led by accomplished professional artists. ESAC celebrates the diversity of its neighborhood and builds appreciation of the arts. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-paul-hope-is-a-force/
LOCATION:Minnesota Humanities Event Center\, 987 Ivy Avenue East\, Saint Paul\, MN\, 55106\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/event_hope_is_a_force_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260417T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260417T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135702Z
CREATED:20260311T170611Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135702Z
UID:10000637-1776448800-1776454200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Cloud - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Joyce Sutphen
DESCRIPTION:To celebrate National Poetry Month\, MHC’s Off the Page is bringing together two of Minnesota’s Poet Laureates\, Joyce Sutphen and Gwen Nell Westerman. Sutphen will be reading from her most recent collection\, “Paper Camera: Poems\, Poets\, and Poetry\,” which examines the many facets of poetry itself; reading\, memorizing\, writing\, and what poetry can do for us. She will be joined in discussion by the current Poet Laureate\, Gwen Nell Westerman. Following the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session\, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Light refreshments will be provided\, copies of “Paper Camera: Poems\, Poets\, and Poetry” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nAbout the Speakers\nJoyce Sutphen grew up on a farm near St. Joseph\, Minnesota\, and currently lives in Chaska. She has degrees from the University of Minnesota\, including a Ph.D. in Renaissance Drama. Her first book\, “Straight Out of View\,” won the Barnard New Women’s Poets Prize (Beacon Press\, 1995\, republished by Holy Cow! Press in 2001). “Coming Back to the Body” (Holy Cow! Press\, 2000) was a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award\, and “Naming the Stars” (Holy Cow! Press\, 2004) won the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry. In 2005\, Red Dragonfly Press published “Fourteen Sonnets” in a letterpress edition\, and in 2006 Sutphen co-edited the award-winning anthology “To Sing Along the Way: Minnesota Women Poets from Pre-Territorial Days to the Present” (New Rivers Press). Her poems have appeared in “Poetry\,” “American Poetry Review\,” “Atlanta Review\,” “Minnesota Monthly\,” “Water-Stone\,” and many other journals\, and she has had work featured in Ted Kooser’s “American Life in Poetry\,” and on “The Writer’s Almanac.” She has also been a guest on A Prairie Home Companion\, hosted by Garrison Keillor. In 2011 she was named the second Minnesota Poet Laureate by Governor Mark Dayton\, following the tenure of Robert Bly. Her newest collection is “Paper Camera: Poems\, Poets\, and Poetry\,” published by Nodin Press\, 2025. \nGwen Nell Westerman is a poet\, visual artist\, and scholar. Her roots are deep in the landscape of the tallgrass prairie and reveal themselves in her art and writing. She is an enrolled citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate\, and her father’s family is from the Heipa District. Her mother’s family is from the Flint District of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Neither of her parents spoke English when they were sent as small children to boarding schools in Oklahoma and South Dakota. Singing and writing for as long as she can remember\, Gwen understands from experience the important ways language and the land shape who we are. She was appointed as the Poet Laureate of Minnesota by Governor Tim Walz in 2021. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Paramount Center for the Arts\, a multidisciplinary community arts facility whose mission is to engage\, educate\, enrich\, and entertain through inspiring arts experiences. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-cloud-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-joyce-sutphen/
LOCATION:Paramount Center for the Arts\, 913 W. Saint Germain St.\, St. Cloud\, 56301\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Greater Minnesota,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/event_mn_writers_joyce_sutphen_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260520T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260520T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135714Z
CREATED:20260415T170609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135714Z
UID:10000658-1779300000-1779305400@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Hopkins - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Kristin Collier
DESCRIPTION:In her striking new memoir\, “What Debt Demands: Family\, Betrayal\, and Precarity in a Broken System\,” Grand Central Publishing (2025). Kristin Collier recounts the moment she discovered she owed $200\,000—not from debt she incurred\, but from loans her mother had taken out in her name without her knowledge. She reflects on the emotional and financial toll of this betrayal\, and the lasting impact it has had on her life. Collier’s story also broadens into a powerful exploration of the collective burden of debt in today’s society. She will be joined in conversation by fellow writer Jennifer Eli Bowen\, author of “The Book of Kin: On Absence\, Love\, and Being There.”  \nFollowing the discussion\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Light refreshments will be provided\, copies of “What Debt Demands: Family\, Betrayal\, and Precarity in a Broken System” will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nAbout the Author\nKristin Collier is the author of “What Debt Demands: Family\, Betrayal\, and Precarity in a Broken System\,” Grand Central Publishing (2025). She has received funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board\, a Jack Hazard fellowship\, and a Yaddo artist residency. Her writing has been published in journals such as the Los Angeles Review of Books\, Oprah Daily\, and Longreads. She is an organizer with the Debt Collective and a visiting scholar and TREC community engagement fellow at Metro State University. \nAbout the Moderator\nJennifer Eli Bowen is a writer\, arts instructor\, and editor\, whose most recent essay collection “The Book of Kin: On Absence\, Love\, and Being There\,” Milkweed Press (2025) has been shortlisted for the MN Book Awards in the Memoir/Creative Non-fiction category. Her work has received a Pushcart Prize\, The Arts and Letters Prize\, The Tim McGinnis Award\, and has appeared in The Sun\, The Iowa Review\, Orion\, and Kenyon Review\, among others. Jennifer is the Founding Artist Director of the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop. She teaches creative writing in prisons across the state of Minnesota\, and occasionally at local colleges. She also edits creative prose and conducts interviews. Jen lives in St. Paul\, a block in any direction from sidewalk poetry and snow. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Cream & Amber\, a unique book store where reading and beer come together and people can connect with each other. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series\, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/hopkins-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-kristin-collier/
LOCATION:Cream & Amber\, 1605 Mainstreet\, Hopkins\, MN\, 55343\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/event_mn_writers_kristin_collier_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Corey China":MAILTO:corey@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260708T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260708T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135145Z
CREATED:20260702T203815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135145Z
UID:10000698-1783533600-1783539000@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Online - Remembering Together with Michael Bazzett
DESCRIPTION:In this online workshop for youth ages 13-19\, students will read a half dozen poems by Lucille Clifton\, Maggie Smith\, Tracy K. Smith\, Joy Harjo\, Walt Whitman\, Langston Hughes\, and Natalie Diaz. In keeping with the Voices Forward theme of “Remembering Together\,” each of the chosen poems reckons with how & what we remember\, collectively and individually –– keeping in mind that the word re-member is the etymological opposite of dis-member\, and thus remembering can be a move toward healing and becoming whole. \nEach of the poems uses a variety of different formal approaches & techniques\, (lineation\, extended metaphor\, erasure\, abecedarian\, etc.) stretching and bending the language while doing so. After deepening our understanding of how the poems achieve their effect through reading and discussion\, we will then emulate and play with some of these techniques\, seeing which ones might “fit” in each young writers’ toolbox to be put to future use in their own work. \nMichael Bazzett is the author of five collections of poetry\, including The Echo Chamber (Milkweed Editions\, 2021) and Cloudwatcher (Copper Canyon\, 2026) winner of the Stern Prize from The American Poetry Review. His verse translation of the creation epic of the Maya\, The Popol Vuh (Milkweed\, 2018) was named by the NY Times as one of the best poetry books of 2018. The recipient of National Endowment for the Arts fellowships in both poetry and translation\, his writing has recently appeared in Poetry Magazine\, GRANTA\, The Nation\, The Paris Review\, The London Magazine\, and The Sun. A longtime teacher at The Blake School\, he lives in Minneapolis. \nThis workshop is part of Voices Forward\, a poetry and public humanities initiative for emerging youth poets (ages 13-19) from across Minnesota. Poets will explore the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s themes: Remembering Together\, Harmonizing Together\, Moving Together\, and Building Together. \nBy the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-remembering-together-with-michael-bazzett/
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-remembering-together-with-michael-bazzett/
CATEGORIES:America 250,Books, Poetry, & Literature,Civic Renewal,Free,Voices Forward
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/event_voices_forward_michael_bazzett.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Rachel Busse-Aswar":MAILTO:rachel@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260716T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260716T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135156Z
CREATED:20260702T203809Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135156Z
UID:10000699-1784224800-1784230200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Online - Storied Objects and Ekphrasis with Lester Batiste
DESCRIPTION:This online workshop for youth poets (ages 13-19) will introduce students to the Ekphrastic poetic idea which will help us reflect on\, harmonize\, remember\, and move through particular points of American history centering visual objects. By exploring the poetry of Nikki Finney\, Sasha Pimentel\, Kimberly Reyes\, and John Keats\, students will get a taste of different types of ekphrasis based on pictures\, paintings\, sculptures\, short films\, and other forms of visual art.  This workshop will culminate in poets creating their own ekphrastic pieces based on the Smithsonian Folklife Festival of Sacred Object Collection. Students will provide a narrative for their visual artworks in order to turn the visual into the verbal or create a poem. \nLester A. Batiste is a savage writer in living color who writes for political\, social\, economic change and Black futures. Born in Chicago\, IL\, he holds an MFA from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast writing program\, and an M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. Influenced by Gwendolyn Brooks\, Carl Sandburg\, and Toni Morrison\, Lester strives to weave traditional forms and techniques with the vibrancy of African American experience and speech. Rich details are enhanced by the musical tones from Lester’s childhood on the Southside of Chicago to his present on the Northside of Minneapolis. Lester’s work has appeared in print in The Stone House Anthology (2014)\, the Southern Griot Journal (2012)\, Tulane Review (2017)\, A Garden of Black Joy (2020)\, and digitally in the Brushfire Literary and Arts Journal (2020)\, Hidden Peak Press (2022)\, The Indianapolis Review (2023)\, and The Bitchin’ Kitsch (2023). In 2025\, he received the BIPOC Emerging Writer award from Blue Earth Review. Lester’s debut poetry collection\, Angel and Night’s Youngest\, is forthcoming with the Black Spring Press Group (UK). \nThis workshop is part of Voices Forward\, a poetry and public humanities initiative for emerging youth poets (ages 13-19) from across Minnesota. Poets will explore the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s themes: Remembering Together\, Harmonizing Together\, Moving Together\, and Building Together. \nBy the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-storied-objects-and-ekphrasis-with-lester-batiste/
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-storied-objects-and-ekphrasis-with-lester-batiste/
CATEGORIES:America 250,Books, Poetry, & Literature,Civic Renewal,Free,Voices Forward
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/event_voices_forward_lester_batiste.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Rachel Busse-Aswar":MAILTO:rachel@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T183000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135209Z
CREATED:20260702T203803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135209Z
UID:10000700-1784739600-1784745000@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Online - What We Carry Forward: From Memory Collage to Tanka with Tarik Dobbs
DESCRIPTION:In this generative online workshop\, youth poets (ages 13-19) will write from memory\, Minnesota\, and the objects or images that carry personal and/or collective history. Students will begin by drafting a short memory-collage poem\, then revise part of that material into a tanka\, a short Japanese poetic form rooted in image and correspondence. Together\, we will read Matsuo Basho’s “Kasane Tanka\,” Paul Violi’s “Tanka\,” and George Abraham’s “Tanka as Firework” while exploring how short poems can move from private memory into public voice. Students will leave with two connected drafts\, a revision plan\, and possibilities for future sharing through mentorship. \nPlease bring one small object\, image\, phrase\, or remembered detail connected to home\, family\, movement\, place\, or Minnesota — examples could include a family photograph\, a favorite song\, or a newspaper clipping\, among other things! Shared prompts will be available for anyone who does not bring something. \nTarik Dobbs is a writer and artist. Dobbs runs poetry.onl and is assistant professor of English in creative writing (poetry) at Southwest Minnesota State University. Dobbs’s poems have appeared in American Poetry Review\, Poem-a-Day\, and Poetry Magazine\, among others. Dobbs is the author of Nazar Boy (2024)\, winner of the 2026 GLCA New Writers Award in Poetry\, and Dearbornistan (forthcoming)\, both from Haymarket Books. \nThis workshop is part of Voices Forward\, a poetry and public humanities initiative for emerging youth poets (ages 13-19) from across Minnesota. Poets will explore the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s themes: Remembering Together\, Harmonizing Together\, Moving Together\, and Building Together. \nBy the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-what-we-carry-forward-from-memory-collage-to-tanka-with-tarik-dobbs/
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-what-we-carry-forward-from-memory-collage-to-tanka-with-tarik-dobbs/
CATEGORIES:America 250,Books, Poetry, & Literature,Civic Renewal,Free,Voices Forward
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/event_voices_forward_tarik_dobbs.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Rachel Busse-Aswar":MAILTO:rachel@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260728T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260728T183000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135109Z
CREATED:20260702T203758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T135109Z
UID:10000701-1785258000-1785263400@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Online - The Poetics of Freedom Dreaming with Amanda Rosas
DESCRIPTION:In this online workshop for youth poets (ages 13-19)\, students will practice Freedom Dreaming. Freedom Dreaming brings us to a place where we can imagine the world we want to live in\, where our identities thrive\, where poetry can meet pain\, sacrifice\, joy and hope and always feel surrounded by courage and belonging. Where our words paint our portrait which in turn becomes a reflection of our world. \nThrough understanding and embracing Freedom Dreaming\, youth poets write into existence the worlds they wish to inhabit\, a world that believes in the fullness of story and the extravagant power of our individual and collective identities. Additionally\, we will explore poetic translanguaging as a unique and empowering technique to capture the magnitude of expression that exists in the many languages and cultures within us. \nPoets and poems we will study include: \n\nJake Skeets\, “America”\nRichard Blanco\, “One Today” (excerpts)\nJosé Olivarez “i loved the world so i married it”\nElizabeth Acevedo\, “Hair”\n\nAmanda Rosas is a mother\, veteran educator and Pushcart Prize Nominated poet. She draws spirit\, beauty\, strength and creativity from the Latina women in her family and from her husband and three young daughters. Originally from San Antonio\, TX\, Amanda writes to preserve and honor the memories and stories of her Mexican ancestors. Her poems have been published by the Latino Book Review\, CALYX\, among others\, and her personal narratives as an educator can be read online at Edsurge. Amanda lives in Golden Valley\, MN\, and loves running\, reading and watching Gilmore Girls with her three “Rorys.” \nThis workshop is part of Voices Forward\, a poetry and public humanities initiative for emerging youth poets (ages 13-19) from across Minnesota. Poets will explore the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s themes: Remembering Together\, Harmonizing Together\, Moving Together\, and Building Together. \nBy the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-the-poetics-of-freedom-dreaming-with-amanda-rosas/
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-the-poetics-of-freedom-dreaming-with-amanda-rosas/
CATEGORIES:America 250,Books, Poetry, & Literature,Civic Renewal,Free,Voices Forward
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/event_voices_forward_amanda_rosas.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Rachel Busse-Aswar":MAILTO:rachel@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260822T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260822T170000
DTSTAMP:20260727T224811Z
CREATED:20260727T224811Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260727T224811Z
UID:10000714-1787400000-1787418000@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Minneapolis - Midwest Black Book Fair
DESCRIPTION:The inaugural Midwest Black Book Fair\, which honors stories of the resistance and uplifting intersectional narratives of Blackness\, is a community-engaged event that honors Black stories and invites people from across the Midwest to participate. \nThis family friendly event will feature Black book vendors\, Black authors\, book signings/readings\, panel conversations\, writing and publishing workshops\, Black food vendors\, and more! Held during Black August\, the fair contributes to this month-long commemoration dedicated to honoring Black abolitionists\, freedom fighters\, and political prisoners. We are the stewards of these stories. \nBlack Garnet Books is leading this initiative\, partnering with local Black literary partners to advise on event production including: Strive Publishing & Bookstore\, Babycake’s Book Stack\, In Black Ink\, Griot Arts\, The Givens Collection\, More Than a Single Story\, Saint Paul Almanac\, Planting People Growing Justice\, Mind’s Eye Comics\, Uhuru Bookstore\, Network for the Development of Children of African Descent (NdCAD)\, and the MN Black Authors Expo. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration with Black Garnet Books is required. \nRegistration Questions: Contact Black Garnet Books  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/minneapolis-midwest-black-book-fair/
LOCATION:Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC)\, 2001 Plymouth Avenue\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55411\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/event_midwest_black_book_fair_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Angie Lynch":MAILTO:angie@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR