Bemidji - Winter Rural Indian Education Gathering
2025-02-12 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Beltrami Electric Cooperative Inc., 4111 Technology Dr NW, Bemidji, MN, 56601, United States
Join us for the American Indian Education Networking Winter Gathering hosted by Bemidji Area Schools. District leadership teams, Site leadership teams, School leadership teams, and leaders regarding American Indian and Indigenous Education are encouraged to attend. Lunch will be served onsite. Please register by Wednesday, January 29, 2025, so we can plan accordingly for space and meals.
If you have questions, please contact Sonia Wadena at sonia_wadena@isd31.net.
About the American Indian Education Networking Group
Purpose: Bringing American Indian and Indigenous Education school leaders together to provide opportunities for collaboration and support.
The American Indian Education Networking group is made up of rural statewide and regional American Indian Directors, School Leaders and Educators that come together on a monthly basis to share ideas and discuss challenges while celebrating successes. We create a space for networking and access to practitioners in the field who can help navigate district roles and responsibilities with Tribal partnerships governing American Indian Education programs.
We are also seeking your feedback on the types of professional development and community of practice opportunities you’d like to see from the AIE Networking Group in the future. Please fill out our survey to inform our future programming.
CEUs will be provided.
Registration
Registration is now closed and event is full.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

St. Paul -What's In Your Brand Toolkit
2025-02-15 11:00 - 13:00 | OMG Studios, 550 Vandalia Street Suite 220, St. Paul, 55102, United States
Commemorate Black History & Culture with OMG Studio’s Art, Music & Literature Exhibition 2025. Branding and marketing for small businesses, includes intro to podcasting. FREE Media Courses Offered to the Beloved Community – registration required; space is limited.
Registration
Registration Questions: monique@omgmediasolutions.com
Register Now

St. Paul - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Tia-Simone Gardner and Erin Sharkey
2025-02-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Join us for a conversation at the intersection of artwork, images, and writing based upon the catalogue “A Nation Takes Place: Navigating Race and Water in Contemporary Art.” Edited by Tia-Simone Gardner and Shana M. griffin, the book is a companion to the art exhibit “A Nation Takes Place,” currently on view at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona (through March 2, 2025).
Editor and exhibit curator Tia-Simone Gardner will be in conversation with contributing writer and author Erin Sharkey, navigating through the themes and meanings that surface when considering water, place-making and place-taking, the maritime world, and how it relates to race, colonization, dispossession, rebirth, and creation.
Following the discussion, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session, enjoy light refreshments, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “A Nation Takes Place” will be available for purchase at the event and the evening will finish with a book signing.
This event is presented in partnership with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, which engages visitors and the community with great art inspired by water, and is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. While the event is free, registration is required to reserve your spot. Register by Thursday, February 20 for a chance to receive 2 complimentary admission tickets to MMAM. Drawing for the tickets will take place at the event. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore a text that brings together both writing and art!
About the Book
Neither the metaphorical birth of a nation nor its actual violent formation is a one-time event. It is a process. A process of erasing, naming, and unnaming. Settling and unsettling. Extracting, dispossessing, and disappearing—a process of taking and placemaking. It is a tool of conquest, unthinkable without waterways, voyages, slave ships, and hemispheric maps of colonial and imperial demarcation. A companion to the exhibition A Nation Takes Place at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, this catalog examines how artists bring critical attention to the “liquid fantasies” of the sea and navigate race and the violent silences, voids, ruptures, breaks, and counterworld formations unattended by the visuality of traditional maritime art, pushing the boundaries of what marine art is and can become. (University of Minnesota Press)
About the Speakers
Tia-Simone Gardner is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and undisciplined Black feminist geographer, committed to understanding relationships between Blackness and landscape. She is a 2023–24 McKnight Visual Artist Fellow and a 2024 Anonymous was a Woman Grantee. Her photography and moving image work has shown both nationally and internationally, and her co-curated exhibition, “A Nation Takes Place,” is currently on view at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona. Gardner is an Assistant Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at Macalester College in Saint Paul.
Erin Sharkey is a writer, arts and abolition organizer, cultural worker, and film producer based in Minneapolis. She is the co-founder, with Junauda Petrus, of an experimental arts collective called Free Black Dirt and is the producer of film projects including Sweetness of Wild, an episodic web film project, and Small Business Revolution, which explored challenges and opportunities for Black-owned businesses in the Twin Cities in the summer of 2021.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Cloud - Minnesota Civics Summit: Civics Organizations and Civics Education Professionals
2025-02-22 09:00 - 11:00 | Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud University, 720 4th Ave. South, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Come join us to showcase your civics program or offering, with a goal to provide a comprehensive directory of civics resources for teachers to engage 11th -12th grade students in their learning. Can’t attend? Email information about your civics offering for our statewide directory of civics resources to civics@lwvmn.org.

11:30am – Lunch & Networking
9:00am – Coffee, Bagels, and Networking
9:30am – Welcome – MN Representative Dean Urdahl (Ret) and Senator Steve Cwodsinski Introduction to MN Civics Summit Civics and Program Sharing by All
11:00am – Wrap-Up and break before lunch

Register for this morning session to gather and help get our directory of civics resources started!
Sponsored by: MINNESOTA CIVICS SUMMIT – A new, collaborative effort to jumpstart the new civics standards for 11th and 12th graders in Minnesota, to support teachers in their engagement of students in civics and voting. Organizing partners include the Minnesota Humanities Center, MN Department of Education, League of Women Voters of MN, YMCA Center for Youth Voice, Federal Bar Association, MN Council on the Social Studies, TeachingCivics.org, and other interested teachers, community members and civics organizations. More information at lwvmn.org/civics.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required. Please register by Friday, February 14, 2025.
Register Now

St. Cloud - Minnesota Civics Summit: Pre-Conference Professional Development
2025-02-22 11:30 - 15:00 | Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud University, 720 4th Ave. South, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
What does it look like to build a classroom where students have productive discussions on challenging topics? A key evidence-based practice in civics education is the discussion of current events and controversial issues, but in today’s polarized political climate, many students are experiencing fewer opportunities to engage in these kinds of essential discussions in their classrooms. Spend the first half of the session exploring a method for building student capacity for civic discussion in ways that allow them to cultivate empathy and develop their own voice. Then, share your thoughts and needs about the resources and support you need to teach the new Academic Standards in Social Studies, and meet the new legislative requirement that students take a course for credit in citizenship and government in 11th or 12th grade.

11:30am – Lunch & Networking
12:00pm – Welcome & Introduction to MN Civics Summit
12:15pm – Professional Development Workshopon Respectful Conversations in Schools™ A highly interactive workshop where educators will learn about and practice a strategy for having challenging, respectful conversations in class about important, sometimes divisive, issues. Led by Amy Anderson, YMCA Center for Youth Voice.
1:45pm – Short Break
2:00pm – Listening & Sharing Session to Support Teachers in Implementing Anchor Standards Small and large group discussions on current tools being used, existing gaps, needed supports, and new efforts to help teachers. Led by Brittany Rawson-Haeg, MN Department of Education.
2:45pm – Large group report out, wrap-up, summary and adjourn by 3:00pm

Sponsored by: MINNESOTA CIVICS SUMMIT – A new, collaborative effort to jumpstart the new civics standards for 11th and 12th graders in Minnesota, to support teachers in their engagement of students in civics and voting. Organizing partners include the Minnesota Humanities Center, MN Department of Education, League of Women Voters of MN, YMCA Center for Youth Voice, Federal Bar Association, MN Council on the Social Studies, TeachingCivics.org, and other interested teachers, community members and civics organizations. More information at lwvmn.org/civics.
CEUs will be provided.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required. Please register by Friday, February 14, 2025.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul -“Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery: MN African American History” Film Screening
2025-02-22 13:00 - 14:30 | Historic Fort Snelling, 200 Tower Rd, St. Paul, 55111, United States
Commemorate Black History & Culture with OMG Studio’s Art, Music & Literature Exhibition 2025. Join us to watch this 40-minute film with a Q & A session to follow. Co-produced by OMG Studios and the Minnesota Humanities Center, 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, and into conversations with current and future scholars.
This event is free with regular site admission.
Learn More
Questions
For more information on this event, please visit the link above or email ftsnelling@mnhs.org.

Minneapolis - Sketches of Minnesota: A Civic Community Comedy Tour
2025-02-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Dudley Riggs Theater, 824 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55403, United States
This one-hour scripted show is based on the acclaimed Sketches of Minnesota Civic-Improv Tour, and reflects the everyday lives and laugh-out-loud stories of Minnesota communities from Austin to International Falls. Thanks to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Amendment, it’s also FREE! Join MHC and the cast of Danger Boat Productions for this entirely unique, quirkily insightful, and seriously funny performance.
Registration
Registration for this event has SOLD OUT.
Join the Waitlist

Carlton – Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium
2025-03-03 08:00 - 2025-03-04 16:00 | Black Bear Resort and Casino, 1785 Highway 210, Carlton, MN, 55718, United States
The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council’s Language Revitalization Working Group, partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center, is hosting the 4th Annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium. This year the symposium will be held on Monday, March 3rd and Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton, MN. The goal of the symposium is to bring people working in Dakota and Ojibwe language revitalization together. We will use this time to celebrate successes, highlight the current state of the field, shape future language revitalization efforts, and elevate the visibility of Indigenous languages throughout the state of Minnesota. By bringing people together, we hope this symposium serves as an opportunity for individuals to network with other Dakota and Ojibwe language professionals.
Breakfast and lunch are included for those attending in person. Participants are responsible for booking their own overnight accommodations. Participants are responsible for booking their own overnight accommodations if needed and can call Black Bear Casino Resort at 1-888-771-0777 or book online.
CEUs will be available for educators attending the symposium.
If you have any questions, please email Skyler Kuczaboski at skyler.kuczaboski@state.mn.us or call/text 651-304-4149.
Registration
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED
Please contact Jessica Rust at jessica@mnhum.org with any registration questions.
Exhibitor Application
Spots for tabling at the Symposium are now full.
Please note: No sales will be allowed at symposium. This application is meant for informational/educational booths that are handing out free information and literature, not selling items.
If you have any questions, please email skyler.kuczaboski@state.mn.us or call/text 651-304-4149.

Rochester - Headscarf Story Circle Gathering
2025-03-08 11:00 - 14:00 | Griot Arts, 115 N Broadway Ave, Rochester, MN, 55906, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center often hosts Headscarf Story Circles – a series of offerings that recognize the strength and resiliency of women. Our community of Rochester is pleased to announce that on Saturday March 8, 2025, we will gather through shared connections of the headscarf and its complexity. 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.
The community event host is Tawonda Burks, Founder and Executive Director of ELOCINA.
Learn More About Headscarf Story Circles
Learn more about Headscarf Story Circles program in this video produced by the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Registration
Registration for this event is closed. To be added to the waitlist, please contact Jessica Rust at jessica@mnhum.org.

Ortonville - We Are Water MN
2025-03-15 - 2025-04-21 | Ortonville High School, 200 Trojan Dr, Ortonville, MN, 56278, 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: Big Stone Arts Council
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

Ortonville - Spring Expo and Water Bar
2025-03-15 10:00 - 17:00 | Ortonville High School, 200 Trojan Dr, Ortonville, MN, 56278, United States
Visit the nationally acclaimed We Are Water MN traveling exhibit in the Ortonville High School Commons! Then head downstairs to the Spring Expo (formerly Sports and Leisure Show), where you can chat with local exhibit hosts, get your well water tested for nitrates, and refresh yourself at the Water Bar (where “water is all we have”).
Host Partner: Big Stone Arts Council
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

Erskine - National History Day Educator Workshop
2025-03-17 10:00 - 15:00 | Garden Valley Technologies, 206 Vance Ave. S., Erskine, 56535, United States
Curious about National History Day and how to present historical content in ways that honor and respect diverse communities? Join the Minnesota Humanities Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society, for a workshop designed for 6-12th grade educators. Hosted by the Northwest Service Cooperative, this session will spotlight Minnesota’s Indigenous communities, featuring an update from the Minnesota Department of Education on the recently passed Indigenous Education for All legislation, a presentation from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition on the history and legacy of residential boarding schools, an introduction to National History Day by the Minnesota Historical Society, and a curated overview of high-quality educator resources. Educators will gain practical strategies and resources to guide students in creating projects with honor, respect, and cultural sensitivity.
Educators will receive 4.5 clock hours and a $75 stipend following their participation in the workshop.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Prior Lake - Teaching American Indian Content to All - MIEA Conference
2025-03-20 09:00 - 17:00 | Mystic Lake Center, 2400 Mystic Lake Boulevard NW, Prior Lake, MN, 55372, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center at the 41st Annual Minnesota Indian Education Association (MIEA) Conference on Thursday, March 20! MHC will be presenting the session “Teaching American Indian Content to All” from 9:15–10:15 and tabling in the vendor area throughout the day. Stop by our table to view MHC’s educator resources and learn more about our work with educators.
Please Note: The full MIEA Conference runs from March 18-21. Registration and payment through MIEA for the full conference are required to attend.
Learn More
About MIEA
The primary goal of MIEA is to create and uphold a robust communication network while fostering quality education and unity among American Indians. This objective serves to ensure the continuous flow of information and heightened awareness regarding both local and statewide educational endeavors. Specifically, MIEA is dedicated to persistent awareness and proactive efforts that cater to the distinct educational and culturally specific needs of American Indian students across the state. Through these concerted actions, MIEA aims to significantly contribute to the educational and cultural enrichment of American Indian communities.

Minneapolis - Headscarf Story Circle Gathering
2025-03-30 14:00 - 16:00 | The Legends Apartments Great Room, 3700 Huset Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55421, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center often hosts Headscarf Story Circles – a series of offerings that recognize the strength and resiliency of women. Our Twin Cities community is pleased to announce that we will gather through shared connections of the headscarf and its complexity. 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.
The community event host is Julia Freeman, Director of Community Engagement, Voices for Racial Justice.
Learn More About Headscarf Story Circles
Learn more about Headscarf Story Circles program in this video produced by the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Registration
This event is free but registration is required. For registration questions, please contact Julia Freeman at freeman@voicesforracialjustice.org.
Register Now

Rochester - Resistance, Voice, and Verse: A Latino Poetry Reading
2025-04-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Rochester Public Library, 101 2nd St SE, Rochester, 55904, United States
Join us for a special Poetry Month celebration of Latino poetry at the Rochester Public Library! This engaging event will feature readings of powerful poems, and opportunities for discussion and reflection. Students from Rochester Public Schools will read poems from the recently released anthology, “Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology” as well as their original work, and the event will be emceed by City of Rochester Poet Laureate, Jean Prokott.
Attendees will have a chance to win a copy of “Latino Poetry: Library of America Anthology” – come celebrate the rich tradition of Latino poetry, connect with fellow poetry lovers, and share in the beauty of language and storytelling. Free to attend, light refreshments provided. All are welcome!
Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home is a major public humanities initiative, planned for 2024–25, that celebrates and explores the multifaceted legacy of Latino poetry. It is directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.
Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home es una iniciativa de gran alcance en el campo de las humanidades públicas que celebra el legado multifacético de la poesía latina. Esta iniciativa de realiza bajo el auspicio de Library of America con el generoso financiamiento del Fondo Nacional para las Humanidades y Emerson Collective.

Online - Cultivating Cultural Understanding: Dakota & Ojibwe Educator Resources
2025-04-11 10:00 - 12:00 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-cultivating-cultural-understanding-dakota-ojibwe-educator-resources/
Join us for an engaging session highlighting the Minnesota Humanities Center’s impactful work supporting educators across the state. Learn about the meaningful Dakota and Ojibwe resources available to help teachers and schools deepen cultural understanding in the classroom. Participants will also explore a standards-aligned lesson focused on the “Why Treaties Matter” initiative, offering valuable insights for integrating Indigenous perspectives into teaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and bring these important narratives into your classroom, school, and district!
This session will be hosted by Resource Training & Solutions, one of nine Minnesota Service Cooperatives.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED

Online - Let’s Animate! Poetry Craft Talk and Workshop with Heid E. Erdrich
2025-04-16 19:00 - 20:15 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-lets-animate-poetry-craft-talk-and-workshop-with-heid-e-erdrich/
Join us for an engaging and interactive online poetry craft talk and workshop! Featuring her most recent collection, “Verb Animate,” this workshop will be led by esteemed writer and the first poet laureate of the City of Minneapolis, Heid E. Erdrich.
In this session, participants will dip into creative activities using poems and prompts from “Verb Animate.” Heid will also read poems from this collection and share more about its creation; each poem included arose from a collaborative act with another poet or artist. Whether you are a seasoned poet or just beginning, don’t miss this opportunity to write and learn more about community centered, collaborative poetry.
About the Poet
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.
This event is presented in partnership with Trio House Press, publisher of “Verb Animate” and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, which engages visitors and the community with great art inspired by water; don’t miss the opportunity to see their current exhibit “Once Upon A Shore,” curated by Heid E. Erdrich.
Registration
Registration cost includes a copy of “Verb Animate.” Please register by April 9, 2025 to allow time to mail a book to you — you won’t want to miss this great opportunity! By registering you’ll also have a chance to receive two (2) complimentary admission tickets to the MN Marine Art Museum, compliments of Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Drawing for the tickets will take place during the workshop.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED

St. Paul - Many Fronts: Poetry and Memorials at the Capitol Mall
2025-04-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Veterans Service Building, 20 West 12th St, St. Paul, MN, 55155, United States
Many Fronts: Poetry and Memorials at the Capitol Mall provides participants an opportunity to reflect on the experiences and perspectives of service members, Veterans, and civilians in how we understand the nature of military conflicts, and how the public remembers and interprets the experience of war and service through memorials, monuments, and ekphrastic poetry. The program will include an interactive writing activity and participants will have the opportunity to share their stories and experiences. Facilitators will guide participants through the writing activity and there will be time for group discussion about monuments and memorials on the Minnesota State Capitol Mall.
Participants will meet in the Veterans Service Building and then walk to the Lower Capitol Mall, where most of the program will occur. Most of this event will take place outdoors, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, the program will be conducted indoors at the Veterans Service Building.
About the Facilitators
Jessi M. Atherton is a mother, healer, Veteran, poet, lover of scrabble and charcuterie. Her writing touches on lived experiences and themes of motherhood, military, mental health, grief, healing, and humanity. Jessi is a Minnesota Humanities Center 2019 Veterans Voices awardee, a member and facilitator of Warrior Writers, a board member of the League of Minnesota Poets, and the Minnesota Assistant Counsel for Veterans. She is a 2023 Pat Tillman Scholar and US Army Veteran who served in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jessi’s work has been published throughout the years with Nodin Press, The Cuddy Foundation, Iliad Press, McGregor Publishing, the International Library of Poetry, and Middle West Press. Her first full collection, “The Time War Takes,” came out in April 2023 and received honorable mention in Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole Inaugural Biennial Award for Distinguished Book in Veterans Studies, 2024 and made Community of Literary Magazines and Presses must read for Women’s History Month, 2024. Jessi is the mom to three amazing daughters, a mental health nurse, and recently graduated as a Psychiatric Mental Health nurse practitioner.
Paul Van Dyke holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. He is an Army Infantry Veteran of Iraq, and a recipient of the Purple Heart. His work has appeared in journals such as Water-Stone Review, Upstreet, Hippocampus, O-Dark-Thirty, “War, Literature & the Arts,” and Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Paul is the founder and lead instructor of Veterans Telling Stories, an arts nonprofit which teaches free creative writing courses to Veterans and their family members.
This event is presented in partnership with Veterans Telling Stories – a Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to teaching creative writing to military Veterans and their family members – and Warrior Writers – a national nonprofit whose mission is to create a culture that articulates Veterans’ experiences, build a collaborative community for artistic expression, and bear witness to war and the full range of military experiences.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required. K-12 educators can receive 2 clock hours for attending.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Spring Metro Indian Education Gathering
2025-04-22 11:00 - 13:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Join us for the Spring Metro American Indian Education Gathering hosted at the Minnesota Humanities Center. Anyone connected to American Indian Education and/or American Indian students are welcome to attend. Lunch will be served potluck style. A main dish will be provided. Please register so we can plan accordingly and bring a side dish or dessert to share!
Agenda

Update from MDE American Indian Education
Presentation from Gimiwan Dustin Burnette – Executive Director, Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network
Networking

If you have a topic you would like to add to the agenda please contact Robin Nelson at rnelson4@isd622.org.
About the Metro Indian Education Gathering
The Metro Indian Education Gathering is a group of urban American Indian Educators that come together on a regular basis, 2-3 times a year to share ideas and discuss challenges while celebrating successes. We create a space for networking and access to people who can help navigate the rules and regulations governing American Indian Education programs. This group has been meeting since January 2013.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Minneapolis - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Tarik Dobbs
2025-04-23 18:00 - 20:00 | The Loft at Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, United States
Join us for a special Poetry Month event featuring poet Tarik Dobbs in conversation with Sagirah Shahid, discussing Dobbs’ powerful collection, “Nazar Boy.” This thought-provoking work explores themes of identity, surveillance, and the complexities of Arab American life through sharp, evocative verse.
Following the discussion, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session, enjoy light refreshments, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “Nazar Boy” will be available for purchase, and the evening will finish with a book signing.
About the Author
Tarik Dobbs (b. 1997, Dearborn, MI) is a writer, artist, and Poetry Foundation Ruth Lilly & Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellow. Dobbs holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Minnesota and an M.F.A. in art, theory, practice from Northwestern University. Dobbs is assistant professor of English in creative writing (poetry) at Southwest Minnesota State University. The debut poetry collections by Dobbs, Nazar Boy (2024) and Dearbornistan (2026), are from Haymarket Books.
About the Moderator
Sagirah Shahid is an African American Muslim poet, editor, arts administrator, and performance artist from Minneapolis, MN. She is a recipient of awards, fellowship, and residencies from the Loft Literary Center, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Twin Cities Media Alliance, Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art and Muslim Advocates, Strive Publishing, Wisdom Ways, Nicollet Lanterns, and 826 MSP. Sagirah’s prose and poetry have been published by Mizna, The Drinking Gourd, Insight News, Winter Tangerine, Pollen, Blue Minaret, Puerto Del Sol, Paper Darts, Juked, Walker Art Center, About Place Journal, the Saint Paul Almanac, and elsewhere.
This event is presented in partnership with New Arab American Theater Works, a Minnesota based collective of SWANA (Southwest Asian/North African) playwrights, musicians, and performing artists, and is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to you.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Ely - We Are Water MN
2025-04-24 - 2025-06-16 | Ely Area Community Hub, 760 Miners Drive E, Ely, MN, 55731, 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: Ely Folk School
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

Ely - We Are Water MN Opening Celebration
2025-04-24 17:30 - 20:00 | Ely Area Community Hub, 760 Miners Drive E, Ely, MN, 55731, United States
Celebrate the opening night of the We Are Water MN exhibit at the Ely Area Community Hub by joining the Ely Folk School and Reflections Dance Company for this interactive performance! The exhibit will be open for guests to peruse and enjoy and will feature a “Water Bar” for folks to sample different drinking water from our area. After a brief introduction to the exhibit, Reflections Dance Company will perform several dances that will be featured in their August summer showcase; Water 2.0. Dancers will then lead interested participants in a brief movement exercise in understanding how dancers emulate and understand the movement of water in their performances.
Host Partner: Ely Folk School
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

Northfield - Threads of Tanka: A Reading and Poetry Writing Event
2025-04-26 11:00 - 12:30 | Northfield Public Library, 210 Washington St, Northfield, MN, 55057, United States
Celebrate National Poetry Month this April with the Poet Laureate of Northfield, Russ Paladin, and the Minnesota Poet Laureate, Gwen Nell Westerman! Russ and Gwen will come together for an interactive event that includes poetry readings, a conversation on craft and inspiration, and writing – with a focus on the poetic form of tanka.
As part of the event, participants will have the chance to dive deeper into the art of tanka with a short, guided writing activity—an opportunity to create your own verse, no matter your level of experience. We’ll have also have light refreshments and each participant will receive a complimentary copy of “Songs, Blood Deep” to take home.
Whether you’re a seasoned poetry lover or simply curious about exploring this unique art form, come celebrate the power of words with the laureates!
About the Poets
Under his pen name Russ Paladin, Russel Boyington has published work in The Brasilia Review, DISTURBED Digest, and Medusa’s Laugh Press. His novel SOUND OF DARKNESS was runner-up for the Joanna Catherine Scott Novel Excerpt Prize. When not slaving over one pencil sketch or another, practicing piano, or directing middle school or community theater, he supervises the Before/After School Care program at Prairie Creek Community School. Northfield, Minnesota, located in the Upper Mississppi River Valley, has been his home for 10 years. Russel is the current Northfield Poet Laureate.
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.
Registration
This event is free to attend, however registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited so register soon!
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

St. Paul - Health & Humanities: UST-Third Annual Whole Person Health Summit
2025-04-30 08:30 - 16:00 | Anderson Student Center, Woulfe Hall, UST, 2115 Summit Ave, St. Paul, 55105, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center is excited to participate in the Third Annual Whole Person Health Summit at the University of St. Thomas. This is a continuation of our collaboration with UST Morrison Family College of Health in examining health care through the humanities.
The Whole Person Health Summit aims to bring together health care leaders, health professionals, policy makers, students, faculty, and community members to share learnings, co-create new ideas, and identify opportunities to collaborate on strategies to advance health equity through culturally responsive, whole-person, collaborative care. Sessions include “Navigating today’s uncertainties: Ensuring access to culturally responsive services.”
Registration
Registration and logistics are managed through University of St. Thomas. All refunds are available up to 48 hours prior to the event. For questions, comments, or order status, email coh@stthomas.edu and reference your order number.
Registration Questions: Melanie Ferris – wholepersonhealth@stthomas.edu
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Marshall - The Power of Poetry: A Social Studies Bundling Workshop
2025-05-09 10:00 - 14:00 | Southwest West Central Service Cooperative, 1420 East College Drive, Marshall, MN, 56258, United States
Are you interested in teaching poetry to your students? Would you like to learn more about aligning poetry to academic standards and benchmarks? If so, this workshop is for you! The first part of this workshop will include an overview of two poetry programs, Poetry Sparks!, intended for K-8th grades, developed by the Minnesota Poet Laureate, Gwen Nell Westerman, and the Latino Poetry Anthology, intended for 6-12th grades, published by the Library of America. The overview will also include viewing some of the primary sources associated with each program.
In the second half of the workshop, Brittany Rawson-Haeg, Social Studies Specialist with MDE, will walk participants through interdisciplinary bundling, what bundling is, and how both the poetry writing process and individual poems can be used to create a bundle for use with students in the classroom. Standards across Social Studies will be addressed.
This workshop is best suited for elementary generalists, social studies classroom teachers, or anyone working in curriculum instruction supporting social studies. Lunch will be provided, and all participants will receive a complimentary copy of “Songs, Blood Deep” by Minnesota Poet Laureate Gwen Nell Westerman, or the Latino Poetry Anthology.
Pending funding, educators who participate in this workshop will have first access to the Poetry Pathways Programs for the 2025-2026 academic year. Poetry Pathways is a mini-grant opportunity that brings poets and teaching artists directly into classrooms to work with students to foster creativity and writing and exposes them to the power of poetry, using their voices for expression.
About Poetry Pathways
Poetry Pathways is a collaboration between the Minnesota Humanities Center, and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library as the Minnesota Center for the Book. Vital to Minnesota communities, poetry is a powerful medium for cultural expression, community building, and drawing attention to important stories and issues, while also providing a space for healing and reflection. It plays a crucial role in education and youth engagement, enriching the social fabric of the state.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required. Lunch will be provided, and all participants will receive a complimentary copy of “Songs, Blood Deep” by Minnesota Poet Laureate Gwen Nell Westerman, or the Latino Poetry Anthology. K-12 Educators will receive 4 clock hours.
Registration Questions: Dawn.Christensen@swwc.org
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS CLOSED

St. Cloud - Headscarf Story Circle Gathering
2025-05-16 16:00 - 19:00 | St. Cloud Multicultural Mall, 3123 Roosevelt Rd., St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center Headscarf Story Circles is a series of offerings that recognize the strength and resiliency of women. Our St. Cloud community will gather through shared connections of the headscarf and engage in conversations around health and wellness. 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. This event is hosted by Hodan Omar, Executive Director of Hooyo Hour.
Learn More About Headscarf Story Circles
Learn more about Headscarf Story Circles program in this video produced by the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Registration
This event is free but registration is required.
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St. Paul – Learning from Place: Bdote
2025-05-17 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 Indian Mounds Regional Park, followed by a visit to the Pilot Knob Preservation Site. We will be outside the entire time. Participants need to provide their own transportation, lunch, snacks, and beverages.
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.
There will be about one mile 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.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
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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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Minneapolis - Remembrance Day - Commemorating George Floyd
2025-05-23 08:00 - 20:00
Join Minnesota Humanities Center for the second annual Day of Remembrance (DOR)—a community-centered event dedicated to honoring the legacy of George Floyd, five years after his tragic murder, and recognizing the global movement it ignited.
Marking five years since that pivotal moment, DOR is a full day of reflection, healing, and unity. The event includes four key components:
8:00am Interfaith Prayer Gathering at Minneapolis City Hall
9:00am Remembrance Brunch (sold out ticketed event) – panel discussion facilitated by MHC’s CEO, Kevin Lindsey
12:30pm Moment of Silence at George Floyd Square
5:00pm Art Highlights, Art Heals, Art Activates at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
For complete details, please visit the Win Back website.

St. Paul – Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Juneteenth Joy with Dr. Jessica B. Harris
2025-06-18 17:15 - 20:00 | Minnesota History Center, 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Culinary historian, author of 15 books, including the New York Times bestseller High on the Hog, winner of two NAACP Image Awards, a Peabody Award, and James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement award winner Dr. Jessica B. Harris will be in conversation with MHC CEO Kevin Lindsey about the role food plays in shaping our identities and understandings of cultural heritage.

After the program, guests will be invited to mingle and taste samples of several local chefs’ signature dishes.

Featured Chefs

Chef Lutunji Abram – Lutunji’s Palate
Chef Jamal Hashi – Lux Catering
Chef James Johnson – Cooks of Hope
Chef Mateo Mackbee – Krewe Restaurant
Chef Rayo Odedina – Jokky Catering Services
Chef Robert Taylor – Dreamland Culinary Heritage

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services will be available at this event.

Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

Register Now

Thank you to our sponsors!

Minneapolis - We Are Water MN
2025-06-19 - 2025-08-11 | Nicollet Mall, 809 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN, 55402, 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: Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
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