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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260520T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260520T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T135714Z
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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
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ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
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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/
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="Civic Renewal":MAILTO:civics@mnhum.org
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-remembering-together-with-michael-bazzett/
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/
CATEGORIES:America 250,Books, Poetry, & Literature,Civic Renewal,Free,Voices Forward
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ORGANIZER;CN="Civic Renewal":MAILTO:civics@mnhum.org
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-storied-objects-and-ekphrasis-with-lester-batiste/
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/
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="Civic Renewal":MAILTO:civics@mnhum.org
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-what-we-carry-forward-from-memory-collage-to-tanka-with-tarik-dobbs/
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/
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="Civic Renewal":MAILTO:civics@mnhum.org
LOCATION:https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-the-poetics-of-freedom-dreaming-with-amanda-rosas/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260804T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260804T160000
DTSTAMP:20260728T203516Z
CREATED:20260728T203516Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T203516Z
UID:10000715-1785848400-1785859200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul - First Annual Oromo Literature Festival
DESCRIPTION:African Light Book and Coffee Shop and author Teferi Tafa are pleased to announce the first annual Oromo Literature Festival\, a community-centered literary event dedicated to celebrating Oromo literature\, language\, storytelling\, and intellectual achievement. \nThe Oromo Literature Festival seeks to promote Oromo books and authors to the wider public\, connect writers directly with readers and community members\, create opportunities for literary dialogue and intellectual exchange\, encourage reading and creative writing among youth and adults\, celebrate excellence in Oromo literature through awards and recognition\, strengthen the Oromo literary community and support local publishers\, and to reserve and promote Oromo language\, culture\, and storytelling traditions. \nThe festival will include talks and presentations by authors\, a live original poetry competition\, recognition of the most outstanding Oromo book of 2025\, a community book fair\, and a networking opportunity for collaboration among writers\, publishers\, educators\, students\, researchers\, and cultural organizations working to advance Oromo literature. \nRegistration\nThis event is free. All are welcome. Registration not required.
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-paul-first-annual-oromo-literature-festival/
LOCATION:Minnesota Humanities Event Center\, 987 Ivy Avenue East\, Saint Paul\, MN\, 55106\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Twin Cities Metro
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/event_oromo_literature_festival_2026_2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260820T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260820T200000
DTSTAMP:20260803T215421Z
CREATED:20260803T215421Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260803T215421Z
UID:10000717-1787248800-1787256000@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul - Voices Forward: Teen Poets Imagine the Future
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an evening of teen poetry with Voices Forward at the Bell Museum. Voices Forward is a poetry and public humanities project for emerging poets (ages 13-19) from across Minnesota. Through mentorship and workshops with acclaimed Minnesota poets\, teen poets spent the summer crafting poetry that explores the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s themes around the 250th anniversary of the country: Remembering Together\, Harmonizing Together\, Moving Together\, and Building Together. \nAt this showcase\, students will read their poetry that imagines futures for themselves\, their communities\, and the nation—in their own words! The evening will also include reflections from the poetry mentors: Michael Bazzett\, Lester Batiste\, Tarik Dobbs\, and Amanda Rosas. The reading and reflections will be set against the backdrop of the Imagine the Future gallery\, grounding us in a space that invites us to work together\, uphold community\, think big\, wonder\, and boldly ask — what futures can we imagine? When you join us early\, you can explore this gallery and dive into writing and reflect prompts to try some writing of your own. \nSchedule\n6:00 p.m. – Doors open.\n6:00–7:00 p.m. – Participants can explore the gallery Imagine the Future\, with writing and reflection prompts. The Bell’s Curiosity Shop will be open.\n7:00 p.m. –  Program participants will read their work.\n7:45 p.m. – Program ends. \nAbout Voices Forward\nVoices Forward is part of By the People: Conversations Beyond 250\, a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils across the United States\, its territories\, and the District of Columbia in collaboration with local partners. Together\, these programs explore 250 years of the nation’s cultural life and imagine its shared future. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage as a complement to the 2026 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. \nRegistration\nThis experience is free and open to all\, however registration is required. \nAccessibility Note: The Bell Museum is fully committed to creating an inclusive environment. We are proud to offer multiple services or resources. For additional information or to request an accommodation\, please contact the accessibility office at 612-625-4511 or bellaccess@umn.edu. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-paul-voices-forward-teen-poets-imagine-the-future/
LOCATION:Bell Museum\, 2088 Larpenteur Ave W\, St. Paul\, 55113\, United States
CATEGORIES:America 250,Books, Poetry, & Literature,Civic Renewal,Free,Kid Friendly,Twin Cities Metro,Voices Forward
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/event_voices_forward_showcase_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Civic Renewal":MAILTO:civics@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="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260917T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260917T193000
DTSTAMP:20260916T200544Z
CREATED:20260810T195826Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T200544Z
UID:10000725-1789668000-1789673400@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Lanesboro - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Thomas Maltman
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an engaging evening with Thomas Maltman and his newest novel\, Ashes to Ashes\, winner of the 2026 Minnesota Book Award for Novel/Short Story. Unfolding over the course of Lent\, and against a background of rural ministry and ancient mythology\, the novel tells the story of three teenagers in small town Minnesota\, each dealing with their own personal trials. Maltman will be joined in conversation by fellow writer and Minnesota Book Award winner Mubanga Kalimamukwento\, on what about Minnesota inspires authors\, and in particular how Vikings\, magical realism\, and mysticism make for gripping storytelling. 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 Ashes to Ashes will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nThomas Maltman’s first novel\, The Night Birds\, won an Alex Award\, a Spur Award\, and the Friends of American Writers Literary Award. In 2009\, the American Library Association chose The Night Birds as an “Outstanding Book for the College Bound.” Little Wolves\, his second novel\, won the All Iowa Reads selection in 2014. His third novel\, The Land\, was published in 2020. In July of 2025\, Soho Press published his fourth novel\, Ashes to Ashes\, which was the winner of the 2026 MN Book Awards for Novel/Short Story. He teaches at Normandale Community College and lives in the Twin Cities area with his wife\, a Lutheran pastor\, and his three daughters. \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. Her book\, Obligations to the Wounded\, was the winner of the 2025 Minnesota Book Awards for Novel/Short Story\, amongst other honors. 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. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Garden Party Books\, an independent bookstore in Rochester\, Minnesota\, that celebrates reading\, books\, and the community. \nThis 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 has been postponed.
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/lanesboro-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-thomas-maltman/
LOCATION:Sons of Norway – Heimbygda Lodge\, 200 Parkway Ave S\, Lanesboro\, 55949\, 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/2026/08/event_mn_writers_thomas_maltman-scaled.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260919T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260919T160000
DTSTAMP:20260904T182300Z
CREATED:20260904T182300Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260904T182300Z
UID:10000762-1789815600-1789833600@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Red Wing – Minnesota Children’s Book Festival
DESCRIPTION:The 27th annual Minnesota Children’s Book Festival will be held on Saturday\, September 19\, 2026 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\, facepainting\, 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/red-wing-minnesota-childrens-book-festival-2026/
LOCATION:Anderson Center at Tower View\, 163 Tower View Drive\, Red Wing\, MN\, 55066\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Greater Minnesota,Kid Friendly,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/event_mn_childrens_book_festival_2025.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261005T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261005T200000
DTSTAMP:20260918T194653Z
CREATED:20260916T191048Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T194653Z
UID:10000771-1791225000-1791230400@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Paul - In Our Words: MN BIPOC Writers Series Launch with David Mura & Carolyn Holbrook
DESCRIPTION:Image by SpiritFolk \nJoin us for an engaging evening with Carolyn Holbrook and David Mura\, celebrating their new radio series\, In Our Words: MN BIPOC Writers\, with guests Danez Smith and Anthony Ceballos. \nFollowing the panel discussion between the authors\, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session with the featured speakers. Light refreshments will be provided\, copies of books from all authors featured in the In Our Words: MN BIPOC Writers series will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with book signings. \nThis event is presented in partnership with AMPERS and the University of Minnesota Press. SubText Bookstore will be on site selling books from all featured authors in this series. \nIn Our Words: MN BIPOC Writers is a new radio series highlighting Minnesota’s Black\, Indigenous and people of color authors\, thinkers and activists\, hosted by Carolyn Holbrook and David Mura. In conversations with authors across genre\, region\, and career\, Carolyn and David explore these writers’ lasting legacy and emerging work\, and how they’ve bent the arc of justice in Minnesota and across the country. In Our Words is produced by AMPERS\, with support from the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. \nAuthors featured in the first season of In Our Words: MN BIPOC Writers are: Alexs Pate\, Anthony Ceballos\, Bao Phi\, Carl Gawboy\, Crown Sheperd\, Heid Erdrich\, Danez Smith\, Jokeda “JoJo” Bell\, Kennedy Gisege\, Marcie Rendon\, Marian Hassan\, Rebecca Nichloson\, Sarah Warren\, Sun Yung Shin\, and Swati Avasthi. \nThe Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (AMPERS) is the largest statewide association of community radio stations in the United States. AMPERS supports 17 stations through revenue generation\, training\, member convenings\, and original news\, arts\, and culture programming\, such as In Our Words. \n\nView Carolyn Holbrook’s Bio\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \nCarolyn Holbrook is founder and Director of More Than a Single Story. Her memoir in essays\, Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify (U of M Press\, 2020)\, won the 2021 Minnesota Book Award for Memoir and Creative Nonfiction. She is co-editor with David Mura of the anthology\, We Are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World (U of M Press & More Than a Single Story 2021)\, and is co-author with Arleta Little of Minnesota civil rights icon\, Dr. Josie R. Johnson’s memoir\, Hope In the Struggle (University of Minnesota Press\, 2019). She was a Contributing Editor for Water~Stone Review (Vol. 24\, 2021-2022 Hamline University). She has taught at Hamline University\, Minneapolis College\, The Loft Literary Center and other community venues. Her awards include the Minnesota Book Awards Kay Sexton Award\, 2010; Hamline University Exemplary Teacher\, 2014; 50 over 50\, 2017; Celebrate the Sistas\, 2020; Flowers Now!\, 2024. She was the 2025 McKnight Distinguished Artist. \n\n\n\n  \n\nView David Mura’s Bio\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDavid Mura was well into his twenties before he began to explore his Asian American identity. His Japanese American parents had been incarcerated in internment camps during World War II\, and in response to their traumatic experience\, they abandoned their Japanese roots to try to assimilate into white\, middle-class America. When the Ordway Theater in St. Paul\, Minnesota\, staged a presentation of Miss Saigon in 1992\, Mura published “Secrets and Anger” in Mother Jones\, a scathing critique of the play’s racist undertones. In response\, Mura was ostracized from the local\, dominantly white writing community\, yet in its place he found a deeper connection with other BIPOC writers and eventually started an Asian American arts organization in the Twin Cities. Mura’s upcoming book\, Exit\, Miss Saigon\, is a clear-eyed examination of a variety of issues affecting Asian Americans: anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic\, affirmative action\, racial and sexual stereotypes in the media\, interracial relationships and raising mixed-race children\, the legacy of Japanese American internment\, and the shortfalls of therapy in addressing race. It will be released on October 6\, 2026. \n\n\n\n  \n\nView Danez Smith’s Bio\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDanez Smith is the author of four collections including Don’t Call Us Dead\, Homie\, and most recently Bluff\, a finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. They are also the curator of Blues In Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes. For their work\, Danez won the Forward Prize for Best Collection\, the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry\, the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry\, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award\, a Pushcart Prize and was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award\, the National Book Critics Circle Award\, and the National Book Award. Danez lives in the Twin Cities and teaches at the Randolph College MFA program Their fifth collection of poems\, Love Time\, will be published in September 2027. \n\n\n\n  \n\nView Anthony Ceballos’ Bio\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnthony Ceballos lives and writes in Minneapolis\, where he can be found penning staff recommendations at Birchbark Books & Native Arts\, a small\, independent\, Native owned bookstore in the Kenwood Neighborhood. In 2022 he was selected to be a participant in the inaugural Indigenous Nations Poets retreat in Washington DC\, as well as their 2024 retreat in the Twin Cities and their 2026 retreat in Arizona. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing from Hamline University in St. Paul\, Minnesota\, and his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Randolph College in Virginia. He is a first-generation descendant of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Glassful of Prayer is his first poetry collection. \n\n\n\n  \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nQuestions: programs@mnhum.org \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-paul-in-our-words-mn-bipoc-writers-series-launch/
LOCATION:Minnesota Humanities Event Center\, 987 Ivy Avenue East\, Saint Paul\, MN\, 55106\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Public Programming,Twin Cities Metro
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ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261029T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261029T203000
DTSTAMP:20260918T191229Z
CREATED:20260918T191229Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T191229Z
UID:10000774-1793300400-1793305800@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Minneapolis - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Jessica Lopez Lyman
DESCRIPTION:Join Minnesota Writers Off the Page for an evening with Jessica Lopez Lyman and her book Place-Keepers: Latina/x Art\, Performance\, and Organizing in the Twin Cities. As an author\, artist\, and professor\, Jessica explores the powerful intersections of art\, place\, resistance\, and social movements—and the Latina/x artists and organizers who have helped shape the cultural and political landscape of the Twin Cities. Join Jessica for an engaging conversation with Maria Cristina Tavera as they dig into the creative practices\, performances\, and acts of organizing that have left their mark—both literally and figuratively—on the Cities. Discover the stories behind the art and the people who have transformed the Twin Cities through creativity\, community\, and collective action. \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 Place-Keepers will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nJessica Lopez Lyman\, Ph.D.\, is an interdisciplinary performance artist\, McKnight Land-Grant Professor\, and Associate Professor of Chicano and Latino Studies at the University of Minnesota. She is the author of Place-Keepers: Latina/x Art\, Performance\, and Organizing in the Twin Cities (2025) and is currently writing a book on Operation Metro Surge. Her scholarship and creative writing have appeared in “Chicana/Latina Studies\,” “American Studies\,” “The Black Scholar\,” and other publications. As a performance artist\, her work includes the multimedia piece 141 Mednik Avenue\, created as a 2017 Naked Stages Fellow at Pillsbury House Theatre\, which explores memory\, displacement\, and longing through the story of her grandfather. She has performed at venues including First Avenue\, Intermedia Arts\, and Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA)\, and is the creator of La Luchadora\, a mobile screen-print cart that brings social justice art into public spaces. Lopez Lyman has consulted on the documentary films Profe (TPT) and Nuestro Norte (MN Humanities Center and Latino Lead) and serves as the Board Chair for Serpentina Arts.  \nMaria Cristina Tavera is a multidisciplinary artist who investigates the constructions of racial\, ethnic\, gender\, national and cultural identity via numerous mediums including printmaking\, installation\, and public art. Tavera holds a Master of Leadership with emphasis in the Arts from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota. She has received fellowships and grants: ‘23 U.S. Latinx Artist Fellowship\, ‘20 McKnight Visual Artist Fellowship\, Bush Leadership Fellowship\, Shannon Leadership Institute\, Smithsonian Latino Museum Studies program\, Museum of Modern Art-New York\, Forecast Public Art\, Minnesota State Arts Board\, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC)\, and Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME). Tavera has exhibited nationally and internationally\, and artwork can be found in numerous collections including: the City of Minneapolis Public Art\, National Museum of Mexican Art\, Museum of Fine Arts-Boston\, Oglethorpe Museum-Atlanta\, Fargo Plains Museum\, Tweed Museum of Art\, Minnesota History Center\, and the Biblioteca Central de Cantabria\, Santander\, Spain. Tavera is founder and Director of Serpentina Arts\, a collective of Minnesota Latinx artists with a mission to foster creative and professional development. \nThis event is presented in partnership with Moon Palace Books an independent neighborhood bookstore in Minneapolis. 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/minneapolis-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-jessica-lopez-lyman/
LOCATION:Moon Palace Books\, 3032 Minnehaha Ave\, Minneapolis\, 55406\, 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/2026/09/event_mn_writers_jessica_lopez_lyman_2026.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261118T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261118T193000
DTSTAMP:20260924T210311Z
CREATED:20260924T210311Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260924T210311Z
UID:10000778-1795024800-1795030200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:St. Peter - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Thomas Maltman
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an engaging evening with Thomas Maltman and his newest novel\, Ashes to Ashes\, winner of the 2026 Minnesota Book Award for Novel/Short Story. Unfolding over the course of Lent\, and against a background of rural ministry and ancient mythology\, the novel tells the story of three teenagers in small town Minnesota\, each dealing with their own personal trials. Maltman will be joined in conversation by fellow writer and Minnesota Book Award winner Mubanga Kalimamukwento\, on what about Minnesota inspires authors\, and in particular how Vikings\, magical realism\, and mysticism make for gripping storytelling. 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 Ashes to Ashes will be available for purchase\, and the evening will finish with a book signing. \nThomas Maltman’s first novel\, The Night Birds\, won an Alex Award\, a Spur Award\, and the Friends of American Writers Literary Award. In 2009\, the American Library Association chose The Night Birds as an “Outstanding Book for the College Bound.” Little Wolves\, his second novel\, won the All Iowa Reads selection in 2014. His third novel\, The Land\, was published in 2020. In July of 2025\, Soho Press published his fourth novel\, Ashes to Ashes\, which was the winner of the 2026 MN Book Awards for Novel/Short Story. He teaches at Normandale Community College and lives in the Twin Cities area with his wife\, a Lutheran pastor\, and his three daughters. \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. Her book\, Obligations to the Wounded\, was the winner of the 2025 Minnesota Book Awards for Novel/Short Story\, amongst other honors. 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. \nThis event is presented in partnership with the Arts Center of Saint Peter\, a community arts hub that supports artists and artistic activity throughout Southern Minnesota\, and with Garden Party Books\, an independent bookstore in Rochester\, Minnesota\, that celebrates reading\, books\, and the community. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nRegistration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-peter-minnesota-writers-off-the-page-thomas-maltman/
LOCATION:Art Center of Saint Peter\, 315 S. Minnesota Ave\, St. Peter\, 56082\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Greater Minnesota,Minnesota Writers Off the Page,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/event_mn_writers_thomas_maltman-scaled.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261121T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261121T123000
DTSTAMP:20260921T174501Z
CREATED:20260918T160420Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T174501Z
UID:10000773-1795258800-1795264200@www.mnhum.org
SUMMARY:Moorhead - Rising Voices: Celebrating Minnesota’s Youth Poets
DESCRIPTION:What does it mean to find your voice as a young poet? \nHear from two members of Minnesota’s inaugural Youth Poet Laureate cohort — Youth Poet Laureate Sienna Lee and Emerging Voice poet Isabel Baumgart — as they share their original work and talk about what inspires their writing. \nRochester Poet Laureate Jean Prokott will join the young poets for a conversation about poetry\, creativity\, and their experiences as members of Minnesota’s first Youth Poet Laureate cohort. \nCome listen\, meet the poets\, and hear what this next generation of Minnesota poets has to say. \nLight refreshments will be provided. \nRegistration\nThis event is free\, however registration is required. \nQuestions: programs@mnhum.org  \nRegister Now
URL:https://www.mnhum.org/event/moorhead-rising-voices-celebrating-minnesotas-youth-poets/
LOCATION:Moorhead Public Library\, 450 Center Ave\, Moorhead\, 56560\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books, Poetry, & Literature,Free,Greater Minnesota,Kid Friendly,Minnesota Youth Poet Laureate,Public Programming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mnhum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/event_mn_youth_poet_laureate.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Public Programming":MAILTO:programs@mnhum.org
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