Minnesota Humanities Center

Fosston - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-10-18 17:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Firefly Center of Art and Wellbeing, 102 S Kaiser Ave, Fosston, 56542, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and Firefly Center of Art and Wellbeing for the Sketches of Minnesota civic improv comedy tour! These free events use laughter and comedy to celebrate Minnesota communities, promote dialogue, bridge divides, and help find ways to work constructively across differences in today’s political environment.
Beginning with a catered meal, these gatherings invite audience members to share what makes their town great, what they think people get wrong about it, what local divisions concern them, and what future they imagine. An improv comedy troupe listens in on the conversations, takes everything they heard from residents, and brings it to life on stage through entirely unscripted improv comedy theater.

5:00–6:00 PM: Doors open / Community hour
6:00–7:15 PM: Dinner
7:15–8:00 PM: Performances
8:00–8:30 PM: Talkback

Host Partner: Firefly Center of Art and Wellbeing
The work of the Minnesota Humanities Center is to create a stronger Minnesota by increasing our understanding of the beauty, wisdom, and stories of its people. Through partnerships, we facilitate the spaces, like Sketches of Minnesota, that seek to build connections and deepen understanding of ourselves and our communities in pursuit of a more just society.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Ottertail - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-10-27 17:00 - 20:30 | Thumper Pond Resort, 300 Thumper Lodge Rd, Ottertail, MN, 56571, United States
“Otter Tail County: Bring out your inner otter in the land of 1,048 lakes”
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and New York Mills Arts Retreat and Regional Cultural Center for the Sketches of Minnesota civic improv comedy tour! These free events use laughter and comedy to celebrate Minnesota communities, promote dialogue, bridge divides, and help find ways to work constructively across differences in today’s political environment.
Beginning with a catered meal, these gatherings invite audience members to share what makes their town great, what they think people get wrong about it, what local divisions concern them, and what future they imagine. An improv comedy troupe listens in on the conversations, takes everything they heard from residents, and brings it to life on stage through entirely unscripted improv comedy theater.

5:00–6:00 PM: Doors open / Community hour
6:00–7:15 PM: Dinner
7:15–8:00 PM: Performances
8:00–8:30 PM: Talkback

Host Partner: New York Mills Arts Retreat and Regional Cultural Center
The work of the Minnesota Humanities Center is to create a stronger Minnesota by increasing our understanding of the beauty, wisdom, and stories of its people. Through partnerships, we facilitate the spaces, like Sketches of Minnesota, that seek to build connections and deepen understanding of ourselves and our communities in pursuit of a more just society.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Register Now

Rochester - Headscarf Story Circle Series
2025-11-15 12:00 - 14:30 | Rochester Area Economic Development Inc (RAEDI), 221 1st Ave SW, Suite 600, Rochester, 55902, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) is excited to host Headscarf Story Circle – a series of offerings that recognize the strength and resiliency of women. Join us for our first of three offerings in Rochester as we gather together through the shared connection of the headscarf and its complexity. “Women Balancing Entrepreneurship and their own Wellness” is the theme.
This event is co-hosted by Rochester Women Magazine with Tawonda Burk, Publisher/Owner and features inspiring speakers from the Rochester community.
The Host Partner: Tawonda Burks, ABD, MBA is an educator, entrepreneur, and community leader dedicated to advancing economic opportunity and equity. She is the owner and publisher of Rochester Women Magazine, founder of the Minority Owned Business Foundation, and CEO of ELOCINA. Through her work, Tawonda champions entrepreneurship, leadership, and wealth-building across Southeast Minnesota.
The Keynote Speaker: Psalms T. Frye is the Founder and Owner of Peace and Compassion Birth Services, LLC and an advocate for black maternal health justice. Psalms has been a DONA certified birth doula for 5 years and is also a certified lactation counselor (CLC). She holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Theological Studies from Liberty University. She is married to Sidney Frye I and is a homeschool mom to their six children. Psalms enjoys hiking at National Parks with her family, reading books on parenting, and learning new things about birth that she can share with her clients to help them have an empowered birth experience.
Speaker: Manal Abbadi is a Senior Program Coordinator at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she assists with the development and implementation of evidence-based, community-informed strategies aimed at advancing cancer education, prevention, and research participation among populations across the Midwest. With a background in legal advocacy and a strong foundation in community-based programming, she specializes in stakeholder engagement, health equity, and project management. Her work focuses on building sustainable, trust-based partnerships that address cancer disparities and ensure community voices are embedded throughout the research continuum. Manal is a mother to young children, who keep her active and engaged in their daily activities.
Speaker: Asha Aden is a Rochester resident committed to equity, love, and justice. She graduated from Luther College in 2020 with degrees in political science and religion. As an engaged member of the Rochester community, Asha is passionate about intersectional and interfaith work, which form the foundation of her activism and personal belief. She is committed to continuous learning and unlearning.
Guests are encouraged to wear a headscarf or head dress that is symbolic of anything from a fashion statement, cultural identity, health related, or memories, and beliefs.
Learn More About Headscarf Story Circles
Learn more about Headscarf Story Circles program in this video produced by the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Staples - K-8 Social Studies Standards Workshop
2025-11-18 08:30 - 14:30 | Sourcewell, 202 12th Street NE, Staples, MN, 56479, United States
We invite K-8 social studies educators to a workshop that will provide an overview of the new 2021 Minnesota social studies standards. This workshop includes time for teachers to work together to bundle benchmarks into cohesive, interdisciplinary instructional units. Participants will also have work time to start aligning these units with existing resources and primary sources.
A collaboration between Sourcewell and the Minnesota Humanities Center, this workshop will be led by Sourcewell education consultant Jen McLachlan and will feature Brittany Rawson Haeg, Social Studies Content Lead for the Minnesota Department of Education.
Workshop Leader
Jen McLachlan serves as an education consultant at Sourcewell, lending her expertise to programs such as ElevatePD, New Teacher Academy, and the Social Studies Network. With a background as a middle-level educator in both math and social studies, as well as serving on a school board, she is deeply passionate about empowering teachers to become innovators and catalysts for change.
Workshop Presenter
Brittany Rawson Haeg is the Social Studies Content Specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education. She began her teaching career as a high school social studies teacher in Brooklyn, New York. She taught middle and high school social studies in the Twin Cities. Prior to teaching, she was a staff assistant in the New York City Department of Education Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She believes in the power of social studies education to help students develop greater empathy and understanding.
Registration
$60 per participant from districts in the five-county service area and partner schools; Comprehensive Package pricing: $6 per participant; $80 per participant from all other schools; Lunch provided.
For more information and to register, visit the Sourcewell event listing.

Winona - Third Thursday MMAM and the Native American Lives Series - George Morrison: Modern Artist
2026-01-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Drive, Winona, 55987, United States
Join us at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum for a Third Thursday book event, featuring the Native American Lives Series title, “George Morrison: Modern Artist.” Author Staci Drouillard and illustrator Tashia Hart will share their stories about how this book project was created as well as shed light on the incredible career of George Morrison, Grand Portage Anishinaabe artist, the subject of a major solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Native American Lives Series, a joint publishing effort between the Minnesota Humanities Center and Lerner publishing, shares real life stories of Dakota and Ojibwe leaders, artists, activists, and elders who have been influential for their communities and have shaped Minnesota and national history. The series co-editors, Heid E. Erdrich and Gwen Nell Westerman share that “These children’s books are by, for, and about Dakota and Ojibwe people and will help Dakota, Ojibwe, and other Native American children imagine their own potential and help them see their cultures represented alongside biographies of American leaders in our society.”
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
Registration
Registration through the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Students may attend for free, however registration is still required.
Registration Questions: hello@mmam.org
Register Now
