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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
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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
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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: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
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