St. Paul - Learning from Place: Little Mekong Cultural District
2026-09-10 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | XIA Books & Cafe, 422 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN, 55103, United States
St. Paul’s Little Mekong Cultural District invites participants into a vibrant Southeast Asian cultural corridor shaped by migration, resilience, and entrepreneurship along University Avenue. The experience begins at XIA Books & Cafe, where community leader Va-Megn Thoj welcomes participants and grounds the journey in the story of the Mekong River and its connection to identity, history, and place. From there, participants walk through a neighborhood alive with murals, shops, and community stories. Along the way, elders from Vietnamese Social Services share reflections of pride, gratitude, and courage, including stories from those who came to the United States as refugees of war. At the Hmong Cultural Center, participants deepen their understanding of the importance, and the difficulty, of preserving oral-based histories. If scheduling permits, they may also have the opportunity to hear the sound of the qeej, a traditional Hmong instrument whose breath, rhythm, and movement carry ancestral voice and ceremony. The journey continues through local restaurants, where dishes such as somlaw kao kou, a savory Cambodian soup with green papaya, eggplant, and pumpkin, evoke memories of family, tradition, and foodways across generations and borders. The experience closes with group reflection, inviting participants to connect these sensory and human experiences to a deeper understanding of community, culture, and belonging.
K-12 Educators will receive 3 clock hours upon completion of the event.
This experience is presented in collaboration with Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA), a non-profit organization whose mission is to create economic and cultural opportunities for Twin Cities Asian American.
Registration
To ensure that cost is not a barrier, we have a limited number of complimentary spaces available for Minnesota residents. If you would like to receive a complimentary spot, please register with the discount code FEEWAIVER.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Register Now

St. Paul – Learning Through Play: An Ojibwe Games Workshop for Educators
2026-09-14 17:00 - 19:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center and Tony Drews of Nashke Native Games for an interactive professional development experience exploring how Ojibwe games can be used in K–12 classrooms. Through hands-on participation, educators will experience culturally grounded games and consider how they can support engagement, retention, and classroom learning.
Research on game-based learning shows that thoughtfully designed games can increase student engagement and support deeper understanding of academic content.
Throughout this event, educators will explore Nashke Native Games and practical strategies for integrating Ojibwe language, history, and culture into instruction. Discussions will highlight how games can support engagement, inquiry, and connections to Indigenous learning.
Participants will be introduced to Minnesota Humanities Center resources, including the Native American Lives biography series, educator guides, and newly developed lesson plans designed for Indigenous Peoples Day and year-round classroom use. These materials are aligned with Minnesota’s Indigenous Education for All state requirements, which support the inclusion of Indigenous histories, cultures, and perspectives across K–12 curriculum.
The evening begins with a light dinner and conversation, followed by gameplay, resource sharing, and opportunities to connect with fellow educators. Participants will also have a chance to win educational resources and games through a raffle.
Whether you teach elementary, middle, or high school students, you’ll leave with practical classroom ideas and new ways to engage students with Indigenous histories and experiences. Each participant will also receive an Ojibwe game to use with students in their classroom or educational setting.
Following the workshop, Nashke Native Games will have additional games and educational resources available for purchase.
K-12 Educators will receive 2 clock hours upon completion of the event.
Registration
Complimentary registrations are available to help ensure cost is not a barrier. Use discount code FEEWAIVER when registering.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | Cancellation Policy
Register Now

St. Paul - Learning from Place: Bdote
2026-09-19 08:30 - 14:30 | Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, MN, 55111, United States
Learning from Place: Bdote is a place-based experience led by Dakota community members at sites of deep significance in the Twin Cities. Participants engage with Dakota history and contemporary perspectives through story, observation, and shared reflection.
This experience is open to the general public and is particularly beneficial for educators and others seeking to deepen their understanding of Minnesota history and Dakota perspectives. Due to the nature of the content and the length of the day, this experience is not recommended for young children.
For more information, visit the Learning from Place: Bdote program page.

Co-Leads (click to expand/collapse)
Ramona Kitto Stately is an enrolled member of the Santee Sioux Dakhóta Nation. She has a BA in Dakota Art and Culture and a MAE in Teacher Leadership. She is Project Director for We Are Still Here Minnesota and serves as chairperson of the Minnesota Indian Education Association. Ramona was the recipient of the 2021 Ron McKinley Award from Minnesota Education Equity Partnership and the 2023 McKnight Culture Bearers Award. She currently serves on the Indigenous Elder Advisory Board for Carleton College.
Fern Naomi Renville is an artist, storyteller, enrolled citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and seventh-generation descendant of Chief Gabriel Renville. Born on the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota, Fern currently lives and works in Saint Paul as an educator sharing music, story, and land-based learning to promote greater understanding and knowledge of Dakota people.

What to Expect (click to expand/collapse)

You will visit Bdote (Fort Snelling State Park)* in the morning and Wic̣aḣapi** in the afternoon, with a break for lunch on your own.

A Minnesota state park vehicle permit is required for Fort Snelling State Park. [Day passes can be purchased in advance.]
You will walk up to one mile over mostly flat terrain with periods of standing. You are welcome to bring a small folding or camping chair for comfort.
The experience takes place outdoors; please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.
Some of the content may bring up strong emotions.

*Fort Snelling State Park: 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul – access is via Post Road, near the Mpls.-St. Paul Airport
**Wic̣aḣapi: Mounds Blvd and Earl St., St. Paul

Accessibility (click to expand/collapse)
For information about accessibility and physical considerations, please visit the FAQ section of the Learning from Place: Bdote program page. If you have additional questions or would like to discuss your needs, contact Eden Bart.

Registration
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours. Participants provide their own transportation, lunch, snacks, and beverages.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | Cancellation Policy
Register Now

Minneapolis - Learning from Place: Somali Cedar Riverside
2026-10-02 09:00 - 11:45 | Brian Coyle Neighborhood Center, 420 South 15th Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, United States
Cedar Riverside is the heart of the East African community in Minneapolis and home to one of the largest Somali populations in the United States. Over time, Somali Minnesotans have shaped the neighborhood into a vibrant cultural corridor filled with businesses, mosques, and gathering spaces where community life unfolds each day.
Participants will begin at Brian Coyle Community Center and hear from respected community leader Halimo Ainte, who will share reflections on Somali migration, community building, and the transformation of Cedar Riverside into a thriving East African neighborhood. Participants will also visit neighborhood spaces such as a local mosque and nearby businesses that serve as everyday gathering places.
The experience includes a Somali coffee ceremony that reflects the tradition of roasting spices as a vehicle for welcome, conversation, and connection. The learning tour concludes with Somali food samples and reflections.
K-12 Educators will receive 3 clock hours upon completion of the event.
This experience is curated by Yusra Mohamud, as a longtime connector within South Minneapolis’s East African community, Yusra brings a rare combination of deep cultural roots and a gift for storytelling that transforms corridors into living narratives of resilience, identity, and belonging.
Registration
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.

St. Paul - Learning from Place: Little Africa Plaza
2026-10-02 12:00 - 13:30 | Little Africa Plaza, 678 Snelling Ave N, St. Paul, 55104, United States
Minnesota is home to a vibrant and growing African diaspora representing many countries, languages, and cultural traditions. In St. Paul, Little Africa has emerged as a cultural corridor where this diversity is expressed and rooted through entrepreneurship, community leadership, art, and food.
Participants will gather at Little Africa Plaza and hear from community leaders and culture bearers about the vision behind the new development and the role of African entrepreneurs in shaping the corridor. The experience will include a cooking demonstration featuring injera, the traditional Ethiopian flatbread and food samples. Through this experience, participants will learn how food traditions carry stories of family, culture, and community.
Participants will also visit the African Museum, Art and Culture Center, where they will learn about ongoing efforts to elevate African art within the Little Africa cultural corridor and explore opportunities to support this vision through volunteer and event participation.
K-12 Educators will receive 3 clock hours upon completion of the event.
This experience is presented in collaboration with African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS), a non-profit organization that supports African immigrant entrepreneurs and has helped advance the vision for Little Africa Plaza and the surrounding cultural corridor.
Registration
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
