Cultural Expression

Anthony Adah: Adah is a professor of film studies at Minnesota State University Moorhead. His areas of focus are African cinemas and Indigenous filmmaking in Australia, Canada, and Aotearoa/New Zealand. His creative work includes performing on stage in the 2000s with AfriCan Theatre Ensemble in Toronto and in the feature film, Sleeping Dogs (2006). Adah is a regular juror for the Fargo Film Festival. He's published in the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific (2000), Post Script, Film Criticism, Intellectbook's Journal of Media and Cultural Politics, and has a forthcoming book, Personhood and the Environment in Indigenous Cinemas (2025). In 2021, Adah was a U. S. Fulbright Scholar to Nigeria, and in 2023, a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow at Dominican University, Ibadan, Nigeria.; Lauren Brueberg: Brue is a former artist and believes in the value of artistic expression. She stands for cultural diversity and inclusion for all. This is evident in her previous work as a volunteer for art projects throughout Minnesota. She is also an entrepreneur, having started a company using her creative talents to help people become more mobile and feel better physically as a licensed physical therapist assistant, creatively finding new ways to heal the body organically utilizing stretching exercises. ; Kija Deer: Deer is a Cherokee, Ojibwe, and Mexican woman living in Minneapolis. She is a student at Red Lake Nation College and has experience working with various Native American nonprofits as an artist?Indigenous People's Task Force, New Native Theatre, and Migizi Communications. She is currently working at Migizi as an assistant to the media instructor. Her responsibilities include developing a curriculum focusing on Native culture while teaching the youth photography, videography, audio engineering, and graphic design. ; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Gaalswyk-Pomerenke is currently a web editor for the University of Minnesota Extension. Before this, she served as the 4-H extension educator in Martin County for eight years, developing and facilitating arts programming for youth locally and statewide. While in this role, she received the Minnesota Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals' Excellence in Communication and Expressive Arts award in 2018 and 2021. She has a BA in theater arts and journalism from the University of Minnesota. She worked in the education department at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts for four years. While there, Gaalswyk-Pomerenke coordinated in-school artist residencies, assisted in managing school performances, and codeveloped a musical theater camp. She previously served as a volunteer board member for the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, Martin County Area Foundation, and the Fairmont Opera House. ; Daniel Gjelten: Gjelten is retired, but remains active by writing, playing guitar, and serving on the Weisman Art Museum Colleagues Advisory Board and on committees for Friends of the Mississippi River. He worked in libraries for nearly 45 years, including 30 as director of the University of St. Thomas Libraries. He has an undergraduate degree in English from Luther College, a master's degree in library science from the University of Minnesota, and a master's degree in English from the University of St. Thomas.; Sarah Lindner: Lindner serves as the director of advancement for DARTS, a nonprofit with a mission to create connections to enrich aging. She earned her bachelor's degree in communication studies from Northwestern University. Sarah brings more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit, healthcare, and marketing communications industries. Before joining DARTS, she was the director of philanthropy and community relations at United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha, and Pierce Counties. ; Angela McLaughlin: McLaughlin is the community giving manager for Minnesota Housing Partnership, where she works to strengthen relationships with and secure funding for the organization. She was previously the individual giving manager at People Serving People and the development director at Minnesota Fringe. She graduated from Hamline University with a master's degree in nonprofit management and serves as a volunteer board member for the Three Rivers Park District Foundation and Corporate Volunteerism Council?Twin Cities. ; Elayna Waxse: Waxse (she/they) is a choreographer, dancer, dance educator, and arts administrative professional. She has danced professionally in the Twin Cities and nationally since 2006. Waxse is a faculty member of the Department of Theater and Dance at Carleton College. Previously, she was the interim artistic director of the Minnesota Dance Theatre.