Minnesota Humanities Center

Hampton - Learning from Place: Watt Munisotaram (Cambodian Temple)
2025-07-25 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Watt Munisotaram, 2925 220th St E, Empire, 55031, United States
Join us for an immersive cultural learning experience at Watt Munisotaram, the largest Cambodian Buddhist temple in the United States, located in the serene countryside of Hampton, Minnesota. Hosted in collaboration with the Cambodian American Partnership of Minnesota, this event offers a rare opportunity to explore the intersection of history, spirituality, and community within one of Minnesota’s most vibrant cultural landmarks.

Event Highlights

Historical Context: Gain insight into Cambodia’s complex history, including the impact of the Khmer Rouge genocide and the Vietnam War, which led many Cambodians to seek refuge in Minnesota.
Temple Origins & Architecture: Discover the origins of Watt Munisotaram and explore its stunning architecture. Learn how the temple was established and how it continues to serve as a spiritual and cultural anchor for the Cambodian American community.
Guided Tour: Walk the temple grounds with community members who will share their knowledge and experiences, offering a deeper understanding of the site’s cultural and religious significance.
Community Voices: Listen to personal stories from Cambodian Americans and hear directly from temple monks about their spiritual practices and daily lives.
Cambodian Cuisine: Enjoy a tasting of traditional Cambodian treats—an essential part of the cultural experience.

Minnesota is home to the fifth-largest Cambodian population in the United States, with approximately 12,000 Cambodian Americans—most residing in the Twin Cities metro area.

This event offers a powerful way to engage with community while learning about Cambodian history, culture, and spirituality in a welcoming and enriching environment.

Learn about Watt Munisotaram in the first segment on Buddhism from Prayers on the Prairie: Asian-Pacific Minnesota Religious Practices, an educational video produced in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans.

K-12 educators will receive 3 clock hours

Registration
REGISTRATION FOR THIS IS CLOSED. JOIN OUR WAITLIST.

Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

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Staples - K-8 Social Studies Standards Workshop
2025-07-29 09:00 - 15:00 | 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.
For more information and to register, visit the Sourcewell event listing.

St. Paul - Summer on the Lawn: Outdoor Movie Night!
2025-08-01 21:00 - 23:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center’s 2025 Summer on the Lawn continues with a special movie screening under the stars! In partnership with TriLingua Cinema, MHC presents the early aughts classic, “Holes.” Based on the acclaimed young adult novel by Louis Sachar, “Holes” follows the trials and misadventures of Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LaBoeuf), who is sent to a juvenile detention camp in the Texas desert after a wrongful conviction. The cruel camp staff force inmates to spend their days digging holes in search of a historic outlaw’s lost treasure. Through the efforts of Stanley and his companions, the mystery of the treasure and the history of the campgrounds are revealed, and injustices are brought to light in this comedy drama featuring performances by Sigourney Weaver, Eartha Kitt, Tim Blake Nelson, and Khleo Thomas.
This film is rated PG and runs for 111 minutes. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to consult Common Sense Media for more information on film content.
Showtime begins right after sunset (approximately 9:00 p.m.). Light refreshments will be provided by TriLingua Cinema and MHC. Picnics, lawn chairs, and blankets are welcome. Note that the screening is in an open field with minimal shade. Please plan accordingly. Restrooms will be available for use at the Minnesota Humanities Event Center. In case of inclement weather, the screening will be moved indoors to the Minnesota Humanities Event Center.
This event is part of MHC’s 2025 summer “Summer on the Lawn” series.
About TriLingua Cinema
TriLingua Cinema is a nonprofit traveling cinema with the mission of utilizing films to build community among the diverse residents of Saint Paul’s East Side. Their ultimate goal is to open a brick-and-mortar movie theater in Payne-Phalen or Dayton’s Bluff.
Registration
Registration is encouraged but not required. There is no cost to attend.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Learning for Sovereign Futures: Native Education for All Institute
2025-08-04 08:00 - 2025-08-08 16:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) is excited to share an upcoming professional learning opportunity in collaboration with the Tribal Nations Education Committee, Minnesota Department of Education’s Office of American Indian Education, and the Minnesota Humanities Center.
Applications for the NIEA’s Learning for Sovereign Futures: Native Education for All Institute are now open! This free, five-day workshop, taking place from August 4-8, 2025, in the Twin Cities, is designed for educators, leaders, and advocates focused on supporting Indigenous Education for All (IEFA) in K-12 classrooms.
This opportunity is open to any educators or leaders working in or with a Minnesota K-12 school or district and ideal for those who plan professional development activities in their roles.
Apply Now
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED

St. Paul - Native American Lives Series Book Launch
2025-08-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Come help us celebrate the launch of the first four books in the Native American Lives Series! Written for middle grade readers, this biography series features Dakota and Ojibwe leaders and changemakers pivotal to both Minnesota and the United States, such as Charles Albert Bender, a World-series winning pitcher, and the first Minnesotan to join the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
During the launch event, meet the editors and authors, enjoy live readings, connect with community partners, and be among the first to get your hands on these inspiring books. If you are an educator, we will share about upcoming opportunities to bring the books into classrooms, including book giveaways, mini-grants, and professional development. Visit the Native American Lives Series program page to learn about all 12 titles in the series.
This event is free to attend, and light refreshments will be served. The first 30 guests who register in advance will receive a free book from the series and the first 30 educators to register will receive four free books for their classroom! You must be in attendance to receive a free book and bring a school ID to receive the four classroom books. Complimentary books will also be available for a $10 donation to the Minnesota Humanities Center at the event, and the evening will end with a book signing.
Whether you are an educator, parent, librarian, or lifelong learner, this is your chance to discover a new series that honors Indigenous histories and futures, and to celebrate Native storytelling at its very best. All are welcome!
Published by Lerner Publishing Group, the series is supported by the Minnesota Humanities Center, generously funded through the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) through its Understand Native Minnesota campaign, also funded in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
About the Speakers
Heid 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, and a co-editor of the Native American Lives Series
Diane Wilson is a Dakota author, educator, and bog steward. Her novel, The Seed Keeper (2021) and her memoir, Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota Past (2006), won the Minnesota Book Awards in 2022 and 2007. She has also published a nonfiction book, Beloved Child; and co-authored a picture book—Where We Come From. Her essays have appeared in anthologies including: Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations (2021); We Are Meant to Rise (2021); and A Good Time for the Truth (2016). She is the former Executive Director for Dream of Wild Health and the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance. In addition to this book, she authored the first in the series, Ella Cara Deloria: Dakota Language Protector. Wilson is a Mdewakanton descendant, enrolled on the Rosebud Reservation.
Gwen 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.
Jessica Engelking is the daughter of an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She grew up in Warroad, Minnesota, with her parents and younger sister. After high school, she attended the University of Minnesota–Morris, making use of their American Indian Tuition Waiver. She graduated with a BA in philosophy and went on to study philosophy at the graduate level. She received her MA in philosophy from the University of Iowa. She currently resides in Minnetonka and is isolating in Elkader, Iowa, with her boyfriend, David, and dog, Walden. She is working from home as the social media manager for the Great Plains Action Society, a Native nonprofit. Jessica enjoys running with her dog, spending time on the water, reading, and she’s trying to get better at beading.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
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Duluth - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Michelle Filkins, Margret Aldrich, Julie Gard, Jennifer Hopkins & Leslie Miller
2025-08-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Wussow’s Concert Cafe, 324 N Central Ave, Duluth, MN, 55807, United States
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.
About the Speakers
Michelle 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.
Margret 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.
Julie 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.
Jennifer 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.
Leslie 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.
This 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.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Summer on the Lawn: Puppets & Performance
2025-08-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
MHC concludes its 2025 “Summer on the Lawn” series with a fun-filled, festive, family friendly music and puppetry double feature! The event begins with a children’s concert by local favorites Rose Lani and The Rosie Posies, who will lead the audience in singalongs and games through musical storytelling. After that, Open Eye Theatre’s Driveway Tour performers will present “The Adventures of Juan Bobo,” a puppet show inspired by Puerto Rican folk stories. Open Eye performers will remain after the show to give curious kids and adults a behind the scenes peek and a closer look at the featured puppets.
Please note that this event will be outdoors, weather permitting. MHC will provide light refreshments during the event. Picnics, lawn chairs, and blankets are welcome. Both performances will be in an area with some shading, but audience members should expect exposure to the sun. Please plan accordingly. Restrooms will be available for use at the Minnesota Humanities Event Center. In case of inclement weather, the performances will be moved indoors to the Minnesota Humanities Event Center.
This event is part of MHC’s 2025 summer “Summer on the Lawn” series.
About Open Eye Theatre
Open Eye Theatre is nationally recognized for bringing a visual feast of evocative figure theater to the stage. The company’s whimsical yet profound work surprises and delights whether experienced in the company’s historic jewel box theater in Minneapolis or in neighborhoods throughout the Twin Cities with the Driveway Tour. From experimental object works to puppet shows in backyards to community pageants to miniature spectacles, Open Eye consistently creates a unique, contagious exchange between artists and audiences.
About Rose Lani and The Rosies Posies
Rose Lani is a children’s musician who combines her love for music & literacy with children of all ages! She delights kids and families with her ‘ukulele and fun, original songs which promote learning, positivity, and community.
Musician friends Caitlin Halmrast Lucic and Miz Kathleen are The Rosie Posies, who bring on the energetic beat! Caitlin (on drums and percussion) is a longtime music educator and musician in the Twin Cities and beyond. Miz Kathleen (on electric bass) is a Saint Paul librarian who performs music in libraries and other venues.
With upbeat and positive original songs, plus new spins on traditional tunes, Rose Lani and The Rosie Posies can’t wait to music-a-long with you!
Registration
Registration is encouraged but not required. There is no cost to attend.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Leading Elementary Social Studies Inquiry Institute
2025-08-12 08:00 - 2025-08-14 15:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Learn how to do more with less! In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education, the Minnesota Humanities Center proudly presents the Leading Elementary Social Studies Inquiry (LESSI) Institute. This innovative program equips K-5 curriculum and instruction leaders across Minnesota to integrate English Language Arts and Social Studies Standards into cohesive, interdisciplinary lessons that maximize impact with limited resources and time.
Designed for curriculum and instruction leaders, this six-session Institute empowers participants to develop inquiry-based lessons that seamlessly integrate disciplinary literacy and social studies. Learn effective bundling of curriculum elements, create engaging model lessons, and gain skills to design high-quality professional development within districts.
Goals:

Support districts in implementing standards-based disciplinary literacy instruction.
Provide hands-on training in bundling standards for interdisciplinary teaching.
Develop and share adaptable, inquiry-based model lessons.
Establish a train-the-trainer approach for sustainable district-wide impact.

Key Details:

Participation requires attendance on all six dates.
Participants will leave with model K-5 social studies lessons integrating ELA elements.
Expect preparation between sessions for resource identification and lesson development.
Due to limited space, interested curriculum and instruction leaders must complete a short application. Final selections will prioritize geographic diversity and statewide reach.

Dates/Agenda:

June 25-27: Orientation, Bundling Foundations, Inquiry Lesson Development.
August 12-14: Model Lesson Construction, Presentation & Feedback, Train-the-Trainer Setup, Program Evaluation & Reflection.

Speakers:

Kristin Bauck, ELA Specialist, MDE
Mychi Nguyen, K-8 Ethnic Studies Integration Specialist, MDE
Brittany Rawson-Haeg, Social Studies Specialist, MDE

Provided:

Light breakfast and lunch
BOSA clock hours available
Lodging – a limited number of overnight rooms will be available for those traveling from outside of the Metro area.

Join this cohort to collaborate, gain expertise, and drive meaningful change in K-5 education across Minnesota. Learn to deliver high-quality, standards-aligned instruction efficiently and effectively by focusing on how to “do more with less.”
Registration
While intended for educators who have influence in their buildings and districts, K-5 classroom teachers are welcome to register.
The registration deadline is Friday, June 13.
Note: You must commit to attending all six sessions to participate.
Register Now

Braham - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-08-12 17:00 - 20:30 | Braham Event Center, 655 8th St SW, Braham, MN, 55006, United States
“Braham, MN: Dynamic. Friendly. Engaged!”
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and Arc Retreat Community 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: Arc Retreat Community
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
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Henderson - We Are Water MN
2025-08-14 - 2025-10-06 | Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson, MN, 56044, United States
The We Are Water MN traveling exhibit examines water issues statewide and in local communities through personal stories, histories, and scientific information. It strengthens Minnesotans’ relationships with water, exposes visitors to new perspectives, and increases participation in water stewardship activities.
Host Partner: Ney Nature Center
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

St. Paul - History Fest
2025-08-14 08:30 - 15:30 | Minnesota History Center, 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Get ready for the 2025-2026 school year with a choice of educator-led sessions focusing on state, national and world history, as well as assessments, primary sources, and more. Connect with your history peers from around the state! This workshop has sessions for elementary, middle, and high school levels. The Minnesota Humanities Center will be tabling in the vendor area – stop by to view MHC’s educator resources and learn more about our work with educators.
Registration
History Fest is organized by the Minnesota History Center. Registration and payment through MNHS for the full conference are required to attend.
Registration Questions: Email Jessica McMahon at jessica.mcmahon@mnhs.org.
Register Now

New Ulm - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-08-14 17:00 - 20:30 | New Ulm Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, MN, 56073, United States
“New Ulm: Come See What’s Brewing”
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and New Ulm Turner Hall 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 Ulm Turner Hall
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
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Maplewood - Feeding Our Soul: The Essence of Asian Joy
2025-08-22 17:30 - 20:00 | Pan Asian Center, 3001 White Bear Ave, Maplewood, 55109, United States
As part of our Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Cultural Joy series, the Minnesota Humanities Center invites you to an engaging Night Market Pop-Up experience celebrating the stories, sounds, and street foods that bring communities and neighborhoods together.
Night markets can be traced back to China, where they provided locals with quick meals and joyful entertainment after a long day’s work, similar to a cultural “happy hour.” From Asia to the Americas, these nocturnal bazaars offer goods, stories, traditions, and flavors deeply rooted in local identity.
Join us for a curated program featuring Asian food, music, live performance, and laughter featuring Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay and Eve Vang. You’ll also hear personal reflections from a beloved food truck chef.
Guests will have the opportunity to write and share short reflections or spoken word inspired by their favorite street food memories, with a chance to win prizes provided by our venue host, Pan Asian Center.
Come hungry, food truck meals and beverages will be available for purchase.
Come for the food, stay for the laughter and feed your soul.
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Food Trucks Open
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Performances and Open Mic
Registration
So that we can deliver the best event experience, registration is encouraged.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Rochester - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-08-28 17:00 - 20:30 | Rochester Art Center, 30 Civic Drive SE Ste 120, Rochester, MN, 55904, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and Rochester Art 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: Rochester Art 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
Sketches of Minnesota on August 28 is at capacity. Please join our waitlist. If a spot becomes available, we will contact you in the order received.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Join the Waitlist

Minnesota State Fair - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-08-29 11:30 - 12:30 | MPR Stage (Minnesota State Fair), Judson Ave and Nelson St, St. Paul, 55108-3003, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and MPR for a special State Fair edition of Sketches of Minnesota civic improv comedy tour! These 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. This performance will be held at the MPR Stage at the corner of Judson and Nelson.
Host Partner: MPR
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.
This performance is free however paid admission to the Minnesota State Fair is required.

Minneapolis - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-09-06 11:00 - 14:30 | Center for Performing Arts, 3754 Pleasant Ave S, Minneapolis, 55409, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and Kingfield Neighborhood Association 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.

11:00–12:00 PM: Doors open / Community hour
12:00–1:15 PM: Lunch
1:15–2:00 PM: Performances
2:00–2:30 PM: Talkback

Host Partner: Kingfield Neighborhood Association
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 | MHC Cancellation Policy
Register Now

Online Content Session - Era One: Indigenous Histories
2025-09-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Explore the histories of America’s first peoples before European contact and connect them to the lived experiences of Indigenous communities today. Led by Dr. Brenda Child and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Brenda Child’s Bio

Brenda J. Child is Northrop Professor of American Studies and former chair of the Departments of American Studies (2016-19) and the Department of American Indian Studies (2009-12).

She is the author of award-winning books of American Indian history, including Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940, (1998), which won the North American Indian Prose Award; Holding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community, (2012); Indian Subjects: Hemispheric Perspectives on the History of Indigenous Education (with Brian Klopotek, 2014). Her 2014 book My Grandfather’s Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation won the American Indian Book Award and the Best Book in Midwestern History. Child’s book for children, Bowwow Powwow (2018), won the American Indian Youth Literature Award for best picture book.

Child served as a member of the board of trustees of the National Museum of the American Indian-Smithsonian and was President (2017-2018) of the Native American & Indigenous Studies Association. She was born on the Red Lake Ojibwe Reservation in northern Minnesota where she served as a member of a committee writing a new constitution for the 12,000-member nation.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration

Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Mubanga Kalimamukwento
2025-09-10 18:30 - 20:30 | Black Garnet Books, 1319 University Ave W, St. Paul, 55104, United States
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.
About the Speakers
Mubanga 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.
Mona 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.
Mona is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋna Dakhóta). She was born and raised in Chicago and now lives in Minneapolis.
This 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.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
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St. Paul – Learning from Place: Bdote
2025-09-13 08:30 - 14:30 | Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, MN, 55111, United States
Learning from Place: Bdote is an immersive experience that brings participants to sites of great significance to Dakota people in the Twin Cities. Participants will learn from Dakota community members through stories and histories that have often been left out of our state’s history. This experience is open to the public and is particularly beneficial for educators who want to include new perspectives in their history curriculum.
Learning from Place: Bdote will begin at Fort Snelling State Park (parking permit is required). After a break for “lunch on your own,” we will meet at Wicaḣapi (pronounced we-CHA-ha-pee; formerly Indian Mounds Regional Park), followed by a visit to the Oȟéyawahe/Pilot Knob Preservation Site (pronounced oh-HAY-ya-wa-hee). We will be outside the entire time. Participants need to provide their own transportation, lunch, snacks, and beverages.
There will be about 1.5 miles of walking throughout the day, sometimes on unpaved paths, as well as standing for periods of time. We will provide audio headsets for amplification of the tour guides. For specific inquiries about accessibility, please contact Eden Bart at eden@mnhum.org or 651-772-4261.
Your co-leads: Ramona Kitto Stately and Fern Naomi Renville
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, currently serves as 2023’s Indigenous Elder in Residence for Carleton College, and McKnight Culture Bearers Award Recipient in March 2023.
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.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Registration for this event has SOLD OUT.
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Want to know more about Learning from Place: Bdote?
Learn more about the Learning from Place: Bdote offering.

Learn More
Watch Learning from Place: Bdote, a video produced to celebrate 10 years of this powerful program.
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Red Wing – Minnesota Children’s Book Festival
2025-09-13 11:00 - 16:00 | Anderson Center at Tower View, 163 Tower View Drive, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
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.
Throughout 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.
This event is FREE and all ages are welcome!
The 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!
For a complete schedule of events, please visit the Anderson Center website.
Schedule of Events

Fort Snelling - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-09-13 13:00 - 14:30 | Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, MN, 55111, United States
To understand the challenges African Americans still face in being seen as full citizens in America today, it is important for us to understand the origin story of the path of formerly enslaved people becoming citizens. The past is not dead; it is not even really the past.
This film, created with our movie production partner OMG Studios, features Federal Minnesota District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, author of Just Mercy and prominent civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Macalester University Professor Duchess Harris, and a cameo by Minnesota’s First Lady of Civil Rights, Dr. Josie Johnson.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: ftsnelling@mnhs.org
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St. Paul - Headscarf Story Circle Gathering
2025-09-13 13:00 - 15:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, 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 fourth offering as we gather together through the shared connection of the headscarf and its complexity. “Women Balancing Entrepreneurship and their own Wellness” is the theme. Well known community business advisor and consultant, Mariam Mohamed serves as the MHC partner and co-designer of this event. 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
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Online Pedagogy Session – Foundations and Framework
2025-09-18 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
This opening pedagogy session will provide a brief overview of the new Minnesota K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, followed by an introduction to the structure and goals of the Navigating U.S. History Eras pedagogy sessions. Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg will guide participants in understanding how the series is designed to support inquiry-based, standards-aligned approaches to teaching U.S. History.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
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This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Winona - Shorelines and Storylines: An Artist Gathering
2025-09-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Drive, Winona, 55987, United States
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.
Registration
Shorelines and Storylines is organized by the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Registration through the Minnesota Marine Art Museum is required to attend.
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St. Paul - Learning from Place: Bdote for Educators
2025-09-20 08:30 - 15:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
This special session, offered in partnership with Saint Paul Public Schools, is designed for 4th–7th grade teachers and district administrators. Space is limited.
Learning from Place: Bdote is an immersive, place-based learning experience that brings participants to sites of deep significance to Dakota people in the Twin Cities. Through stories shared by Dakota community members, educators will engage with histories and perspectives that are often absent from our state’s narrative.
Sites visited:

Fort Snelling State Park
Wicaḣapi (we-CHA-ha-pee; formerly Indian Mounds Regional Park)
Oȟéyawahe/Pilot Knob Preservation Site (oh-HAY-ya-wa-hee)

Coach bus transportation will be provided, beginning and ending at the Minnesota Humanities Center. Participants need to bring their own lunch, beverages, and snacks.
The day will take place entirely outdoors and includes approximately 1.5 miles of walking, sometimes on unpaved paths, and standing for extended periods. Audio headsets will be provided for clear listening. For questions about accessibility, please contact Eden Bart at eden@mnhum.org or 651-772-4261.
Your co-leads: Ramona Kitto Stately and Fern Naomi Renville
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, currently serves as 2023’s Indigenous Elder in Residence for Carleton College, and McKnight Culture Bearers Award Recipient in March 2023.
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.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Register Now

Rosemount - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-09-21 17:00 - 20:30 | Rosemount Steeple Center, 14375 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN, 55068, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and City of Rosemount 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: City of Rosemount
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

St. Paul - Learning from Place: 100 Years of Mexican American Culture on St. Paul’s West Side
2025-09-27 13:00 - 16:00 | Neighborhood House/The Wellstone Center, 179 Robie St E, St. Paul, 55107, United States
Discover the stories, history, and vibrant culture of St. Paul’s West Side—the heart of Minnesota’s Latino community. This immersive experience focuses on The Flats and the Latino Cultural District, a neighborhood shaped by generations of Mexican Americans, and now home to the future Minnesota Latino Museum.
Minnesota is home to more than 400,000 residents of Mexican and Latino heritage, two-thirds of whom trace their roots to Mexico. Since 2000, Minnesota’s Latino population has grown by 288%, contributing to the state’s cultural, economic, and civic life in countless ways. During this program, participants will learn directly from Latino community members and leaders, exploring the past, present, and future of this important neighborhood.
Offered in collaboration with the Minnesota Latino Museum.
Event Highlights

Historical overview of St. Paul’s West Side
Personal stories from West Side residents and business owners
Visit to a local business in the community
Visit to Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island exhibit on Raspberry Island (on view June 1–Oct 26)
Introduction to plans for the Minnesota Latino Museum
Sampling of Mexican cuisine

We will begin at Neighborhood House in the Wellstone Center, then travel together by bus to Raspberry Island and The Flats.
Registration
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Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
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Fergus Falls - Reconstruction Destructed Film & Community Conversation
2025-10-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Westridge Theater, 2001 West Lincoln Ave, Fergus Falls, 56537, United States
To understand the challenges African Americans still face in being seen as full citizens in America today, it is important for us to understand the origin story of the path of formerly enslaved people becoming citizens. The past is not dead; it is not even really the past.
This film, created with our movie production partner OMG Studios, features Federal Minnesota District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, author of Just Mercy and prominent civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Macalester University Professor Duchess Harris, and a cameo by Minnesota’s First Lady of Civil Rights, Dr. Josie Johnson.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Fergus Falls - Sketches of Minnesota
2025-10-03 17:00 - 20:30 | A Center for the Arts, 124 W Lincoln Ave, Fergus Falls, MN, 56537, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and Otter Tail Lakes Country 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 at The Gathering Place (202 W Lincoln Ave. Fergus Falls)
6:00–7:15 PM: Dinner Catered by Union Eatery
7:15–8:00 PM: Performance at A Center for the Arts (124 W Lincoln Ave. Fergus Falls)
8:00–8:30 PM: Talkback

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.
Host Partner: Fergus Falls Events Council
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Minneapolis – Feeding Our Souls the Essence of Unity
2025-10-06 18:00 - 20:30 | Lynette, 3753 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Feeding Our Souls the Essence of Unity explores the themes of connecting and joy through food and community. Our host and feature partner is BIPOC Foodways Alliance (BFA) – a nonprofit organization that seeks to break down barriers between cultural communities using food as a tool. Through its program Immigrant Kitchen, BFA provides a platform for women of color and women of lived immigration and refugee experience to tell their stories through the lens of home cooking. They seek to uplift, share, and archive important cultural legacy stories and histories that mainstream food media may have a tendency to overlook or ignore. The evening’s host is Mecca Bos, Founder of BIPOC Foodways Alliance. Featured “home cook” chefs are Vivian Mims, Phonn Sann, Safa Abualreesh, and Christina Arias Acosta.
Mecca Bos is a Culinary Storyteller who has been working as a food writer and chef for more than 20 years. She worked as a staff writer for Insight News, food editor of the former publications Metro Magazine and City Pages, and has written for many local and national publications including Taste, Civil Eats, and The New York Times. She is a regular contributor to Minnesota Public Radio and is about to embark on a book that will be published by the University of Minnesota Press, Finding Our Tribe, exploring the biracial experience in America through the lens of food. She has worked as a chef, sous chef, and cook in many professional kitchens from casual to fine, including dinners at Platform by the James Beard Foundation in New York City.
Vivian Mims is a lifelong Rondo Community resident who learned to cook from her 94-year-old matriarch Juanell Mims. Vivian remembers extended, fried chicken dinners served by her mother every single Sunday. Vivian picked up the family tradition from her mother and is a skilled Soul Food cook. Vivian and her brother Davvie are currently working on a sprawling teleplay script that follows the trajectory of their family since they arrived in St. Paul during The Great Migration.
Phonn Sann is a Cambodian refugee who survived starvation in Thai Refugee camps during Cambodia’s devastating and brutal Civil War. She and her husband, Soreth Phann, were forced into an arranged marriage in that camp, and went on to have a large family who feel their family’s love through her mother’s cooking prowess. Phonn cooks Cambodian cuisine like a pro and keeps her family connected to their culture through this practice.
Safa Abulareesh moved to Minneapolis more than 30 years ago to join her husband who had business here. Like many Palestinians, she was born in Jordan after her grandparents were forced out of their home in Palestine during the 1948 “Nakba,” the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during and after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Like many of those Palestinians, Safa is still deeply rooted to her culture and cooks her traditional food as both a way to stay tethered to that culture, as well as an act of resistance.
Christina Arias Acosta is from Mexico City and was Sean Sherman’s first hire at the Indigenous Food Lab in Minneapolis. She helps with everything, including making staff meals for the entire team. She learned to cook from her grandparents and plans to make a green mole that her grandmother learned from her grandmother. Sean says Christina is the “resident elder” at IFL. Christina’s daughter and granddaughter also work for the organization, carrying on the tradition of mothers learning to cook from their mothers.
Registration
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