Minnesota Humanities Center

Duluth - Take Me Where There Is Life: Open Studio & Closing Reception
2024-10-03 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-10-04 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Duluth Art Institute Lincoln Park Building, 2229 W 2nd St, Duluth, MN, 55806, United States
Throughout August and September, the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) has partnered with the Duluth Art Institute (DAI) to host a first-of-its-kind artist residency in Minnesota. “Take Me Where There Is Life” is an art project and workshop with Spanish artist Carmen La Griega that connects, facilitates, and co-creates with community members through art therapy and artistic practice with a focus on those experiencing memory loss. Workshop participants are people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and their caregivers. Carmen’s instruction and approach to the workshop uses lessons that she learned and developed while creating art with her father, who lived with Alzheimer’s in the later stages of his life.
On Thursday, October 3 and Friday, October 4, Carmen, DAI, and MHC will host an open studio and closing reception, where attendees can learn more about the project, see an exhibition of paintings and drawings created by the workshop participants, and hear from Carmen about her experiences as an instructor and artist-in-residence.
The Open Studio will be on Thursday, October 3, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., featuring an exhibition tour and artist discussion with Carmen and DAI staff member Madeline Kayser. The Closing Reception will be on Friday, October 4, from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Hopkins - 2024 Passport to the Humanities: The Humanities Showcase
2024-10-05 | Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN, 55343, United States
Join us for our Annual Celebration where stories will unfold, hearts will connect, and minds will expand!
Highlighting the profound impact of the humanities in our lives, the Humanities Showcase will feature storytelling and unique performances of emotion, art, and the human connection. Miss Shannan Paul, a multi-dimensional storyteller, will weave the event performances together, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience for all.
Miss Shannan Paul, acclaimed for her engaging and relatable comedy, captivates many audiences, from business professionals to sci-fi fans, with her unique blend of humor and storytelling. Beyond her stand-up comedy, she has made significant contributions as a TV host, executive producer of “Miss Shannan’s Comedy Through The Chaos,” and an active board member for organizations like the Pacer Center and the Autism Society of Minnesota. Her diverse background, including roles in marketing, radio, and television, and her commitment to diversity and inclusion, makes her an influential figure in various fields and a respected voice on cultural sensitivity and workplace dynamics.
This event invites our Minnesota communities to join us, get curious, and explore new ways of thinking that help us better understand ourselves and the world around us.
Schedule of Events
Spend your Saturday night with us starting at the VIP Pre-Show Reception, enjoy the Humanities Showcase, and stay for the Encore Reception with networking, desserts, cash bar and entertainment!
VIP Pre-Show Reception: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Hosted Bar & Heavy Hors d’oeuvres)
General Admission: 6:00 PM (Cash Bar & Light Hors d’oeuvres)
Not attending the VIP Pre-Show Reception? Find local restaurants.
Showcase: 6:30 –7:30 PM
Encore Reception: 7:30 – 9:00 PM (Entertainment, Cash Bar, & Dessert Reception)
Attire: Business Cocktail
If you have any questions about the event or sponsorship, please reach out to Ann Mayers, Development Director, at ann@mnhum.org or 651-772-4262.
Registration
VIP Admission (Pre-Show Reception, Humanities Showcase, and Encore) – $125;
General Admission (Humanities Showcase and Encore) – $75
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Latino Poetry: “Places We Call Home”
2024-10-07 18:30 - 20:00 | Riverview Library, 1 E George St, St. Paul, MN, 55107, United States
What does Latino poetry reveal about America? How might it help us imagine a more just, joyful, and hopeful future? Taking place at the St. Paul Public Library – Riverview, poets Ray Gonzalez and Lupe Castillo share readings from Places We Call Home, an anthology that celebrates and explores the multifaceted legacy of Latino poetry. Presented with Minnesota Humanities Center.
Ray Gonzalez is the author of fifteen books of poetry, including The Heat of Arrivals, winner of the PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Book Award; Cabato Sentora, a Minnesota Book Award Finalist; The Hawk Temple at Tierra Grande, winner of the 2003 Minnesota Book Award; Consideration of the Guitar: New & Selected Poems; Cool Auditor: Prose Poems; and Beautiful Wall, also a Minnesota Book Award winner. Gonzalez is also the author of three collections of essays, two collections of short stories, and the editor of twelve anthologies. Gonzalez is a professor in the MFA Creative Writing Program at the University of Minnesota.
Lupe Castillo is the creator of HeartSpeaks: Voices of Cultura Healing & Writing Circles and a self-identified XicanaIndia from the Southern lands. As a Culture Bearer, HeartSpeaks provides activated radical collaborations in writing and spoken word artistry. Lupe facilitates writing circles and poetry workshops in community groups, high schools, and universities. Lupe’s recent poetry is documented in the Northside Green “Our Urban Canopy” Art/Coloring Book. An upcoming co-authored poetry book will be published in 2025.
About Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home seeks to foster nationwide conversation on this vital form of literature through a groundbreaking new anthology edited by Rigoberto González, events around the country, an online media archive, and a wealth of library resources meant to spur in-depth reflection and discussion on key figures and themes.
This program is presented as part of Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home, a major public humanities initiative taking place across the nation in 2024 and 2025, directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.
Registration
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Minneapolis - Reckoning With Slavery: MN African American History Film Screening & “Where Do We Go From Here?” Community Talk
2024-10-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Capri Theater, 2027 W Broadway, Minneapolis, 55411, United States
Award-Winning MN African American History Film Announces Fall 2024 Tour
“Best Short Documentary” (Santa Barbara International Movie Awards) and “Best Producer” (Hollywood Discovery Awards) film, Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery: MN African American History, announces a 5-city tour happening this Fall.
About the Film
This documentary challenges our understanding of slavery, its impact on Minnesota, and how we reconcile our past by taking viewers on a present-day journey to Ghana, to the quarters of Harriet and Dred Scott at Fort Snelling, and into conversations with current and future scholars about where we go from here.
Co-produced by: OMG Studios and Minnesota Humanities Center Featuring: King Odeneho Kwafo Akoto, III & Queen Mother Nana Afrakoma, II (Akwamu Traditional Area, Ghana, AF); Melvin Carter, III (Mayor, St. Paul); Kevin Lindsey (CEO, Minnesota Humanities Center); Dr. Christopher Lehman (Ethnic Studies Chair, Ethnic, Gender, and Women’s Studies, St. Cloud State University); T. Mychael Rambo; Thomasina Petrus; and Voices from Black Youth Healing Arts Center
About OMG Studios
OMG Studios is a multidisciplinary media and production studio located in the Raymond-University district of Saint Paul. Our mission is to build cultural sustainability and community, where music and art are essential to human survival and development. We are driven by love for humanity and a desire to empower, nurture, and improve the health and wellness of youth and families in under-invested communities.
About Minnesota Humanities Center
The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) collaborates with individuals, organizations, and communities to bring transformational humanities programming into the lives of Minnesotans throughout the state.
Registration
Admission fee is required to attend the Twin Cities Black Film Festival.
Register Now

Waite Park - Reckoning With Slavery: MN African American History Film Screening & “Where Do We Go From Here?” Community Talk
2024-10-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Marcus Parkwood Cinema, 1533 Frontage Rd N, Waite Park, MN, 56387, United States
Award-Winning MN African American History Film Announces Fall 2024 Tour
“Best Short Documentary” (Santa Barbara International Movie Awards) and “Best Producer” (Hollywood Discovery Awards) film, Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery: MN African American History, announces a 5-city tour happening this Fall.
About the Film
This documentary challenges our understanding of slavery, its impact on Minnesota, and how we reconcile our past by taking viewers on a present-day journey to Ghana, to the quarters of Harriet and Dred Scott at Fort Snelling, and into conversations with current and future scholars about where we go from here.
Co-produced by: OMG Studios and Minnesota Humanities Center Featuring: King Odeneho Kwafo Akoto, III & Queen Mother Nana Afrakoma, II (Akwamu Traditional Area, Ghana, AF); Melvin Carter, III (Mayor, St. Paul); Kevin Lindsey (CEO, Minnesota Humanities Center); Dr. Christopher Lehman (Ethnic Studies Chair, Ethnic, Gender, and Women’s Studies, St. Cloud State University); T. Mychael Rambo; Thomasina Petrus; and Voices from Black Youth Healing Arts Center
About OMG Studios
OMG Studios is a multidisciplinary media and production studio located in the Raymond-University district of Saint Paul. Our mission is to build cultural sustainability and community, where music and art are essential to human survival and development. We are driven by love for humanity and a desire to empower, nurture, and improve the health and wellness of youth and families in under-invested communities.
About Minnesota Humanities Center
The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) collaborates with individuals, organizations, and communities to bring transformational humanities programming into the lives of Minnesotans throughout the state.
Registration
Admission is free. This screening features a post-screening discussion with appearances by those featured in the film.
Register Now

St. Louis Park - Reckoning With Slavery: MN African American History Film Screening & “Where Do We Go From Here?” Community Talk
2024-10-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Edina Mann Theatre, 3911 W. 5th St., Edina, MN, 55424, United States
Award-Winning MN African American History Film Announces Fall 2024 Tour
“Best Short Documentary” (Santa Barbara International Movie Awards) and “Best Producer” (Hollywood Discovery Awards) film, Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery: MN African American History, announces a 5-city tour happening this Fall.
About the Film
This documentary challenges our understanding of slavery, its impact on Minnesota, and how we reconcile our past by taking viewers on a present-day journey to Ghana, to the quarters of Harriet and Dred Scott at Fort Snelling, and into conversations with current and future scholars about where we go from here.
Co-produced by: OMG Studios and Minnesota Humanities Center Featuring: King Odeneho Kwafo Akoto, III & Queen Mother Nana Afrakoma, II (Akwamu Traditional Area, Ghana, AF); Melvin Carter, III (Mayor, St. Paul); Kevin Lindsey (CEO, Minnesota Humanities Center); Dr. Christopher Lehman (Ethnic Studies Chair, Ethnic, Gender, and Women’s Studies, St. Cloud State University); T. Mychael Rambo; Thomasina Petrus; and Voices from Black Youth Healing Arts Center
About OMG Studios
OMG Studios is a multidisciplinary media and production studio located in the Raymond-University district of Saint Paul. Our mission is to build cultural sustainability and community, where music and art are essential to human survival and development. We are driven by love for humanity and a desire to empower, nurture, and improve the health and wellness of youth and families in under-invested communities.
About Minnesota Humanities Center
The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) collaborates with individuals, organizations, and communities to bring transformational humanities programming into the lives of Minnesotans throughout the state.
Registration
Admission fee is required to attend the Twin Cities Film Festival.
Register Now

St. Paul - Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Latine Joy
2024-10-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Savory entrees and delectable desserts will again fill the tables at the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) as we commemorate Latine Cultural Heritage Month through food and the beloved stories behind them that bring community joy. Cuisine and entertainment will be showcased by some of the Twin Cities’ finest chefs and musicians.
Featured Chef: Manuel Gonzalez
Manuel Gonzalez is from Mexico City. He moved to the United States In 1982, after finishing culinary school in Mexico. Having always dreamed of opening his own business, he applied and was chosen as one of the first restaurants to be part of the Latine Business Development Project, opening in their first restaurant in 1999. He invited his sister Victoria, to participate in this adventure, because she has a background in hospitality management and business consulting experience. Together they run Manny’s Tortas inside the Midtown Global Market and a booth in the food building at the Minnesota State Fair. Manny is frequently a guest speaker for economic development programs, and a guest chef at locations such as Macy’s Department Store and Midtown Global Market. He also teaches cooking classes for different events.
Featured Musician: Jesus Guzman
Born in Vargas, Venezuela, Jesus began to study violin at the age of 7 in the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela, also known as El Sistema. He has studied in the Latin American Violin Academy in Caracas with the violin master, Francisco Del Castillo. In addition, Jesus has participated in masterclasses with violin virtuosos, Guy Braunstein, Thibault Vieux, and Alexis Cardenas. Jesus has an extensive performing career, notably the five years he spent as member of 1st Violin of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela under conductors Gustavo Dudamel and Diego Matheuz. In 2022 He won an award in the Z-film Festival in Minneapolis, MN, for his composition and video edition as a best original song of “Añoranza” Lastly, He is part of the staff of teachers for GTCYS (Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies) working as a violin teacher in the Harmony program in Riverview West School of Excellence – St. Paul (MN), and teaching around the Twin cities.
Program Emcee: Melissa Gonzalez Vazquez
Melissa Gonzalez Vazquez is Communications and Community Engagement Manager at LatinoLEAD. Drawing from her firsthand encounters with the transformative impact of Latine-focused nonprofits, Melissa is dedicated to enhancing our community’s access, visibility, and success through purposeful programming, cross-sector partnerships, impactful narratives, and cross-cultural coalition building efforts. She believes that Minnesota is an excellent hub to foster Latine leadership infrastructure and strategies. She is dedicated to connecting emerging vanguards across industries and highlighting our Latine community’s assets. Her background in congressional campaign communications and designing nationwide Latine leadership programming reinforced her passion for aligning Latine efforts and amplifying its collective influence through narrative writing, digital marketing and graphic design.
Registration
Registration is required for this free event.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

International Falls - Sketches of Minnesota
2024-10-23 17:30 - 20:00 | Minnesota North College – Rainy River Campus, 1501 Highway 71, International Falls, MN, 56649, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, Danger Boat Productions, and local host partners for the inaugural Sketches of Minnesota civic improv comedy tour! These free events will 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 will 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 will listen in on the conversations, taking everything they heard from residents and bringing it to life on stage through entirely unscripted improv comedy theater.
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.
If you have questions about accessibility or childcare for this event, please email Kristi Huffaker at kristi.huffaker@minnesotanorth.edu.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Register Now
