Minnesota Humanities Center Public Humanities

Work supported includes:

• Design and development of a Somali-youth anthology, “Crossroads: An Anthology of Resilience and Hope by Young Somali Writers”. Crossroads is an anthology of writing by youth and young adult Somali Minnesotans. Edited by author and educator Marian Hassan, this first-of-its-kind collection includes poetry and prose that explore themes of navigating childhood and adulthood, Somali and American culture, their own expectations versus the world’s, and more.
• How Can We Breathe, a four-part community engagement initiative to amplify the voices of African Americans and make meaning of the Minnesota we’re living in now.
• Virtual reading of Amoke Kubat’s “Angry Black Woman & Well-Intentioned White Girl”; following a reading of an excerpt of the play, attendees participate in a mediated conversation strengthening intercultural understanding and communications.
• True Crime: Why We Are So Obsessed, exploring the fascination with stories of real life crime with panelists and discussing how judges, juries, and forensic science come together, or not, to ensure justice is served.
• Humanities To Go virtual event series: ongoing conversations that illuminate what the humanities are, from many different perspectives and experiences for a general public. HTG champions, shares, and supports humanities work by humanities practitioners and creatives from all corners of Minnesota. Programming features multicultural perspectives on emergent news items, cultural heritage months, holidays, commemorations/anniversaries, and recognitions of Minnesotans for outstanding humanities accomplishments.
• MHC’s pilot annual event, Envision A Just Minnesota: celebrating the humanities and envision a just Minnesota that is connected, curious, and compassionate. Minnesota’s most creative thought leaders muse, inspire, and reflect on what a just society means and requires through the humanities.

Work supported includes: 

• Design and development of a Somali-youth anthology, “Crossroads: An Anthology of Resilience and Hope by Young Somali Writers”. Crossroads is an anthology of writing by youth and young adult Somali Minnesotans. Edited by author and educator Marian Hassan, this first-of-its-kind collection includes poetry and prose that explore themes of navigating childhood and adulthood, Somali and American culture, their own expectations versus the world’s, and more.
• Community Input and Conversation convenings across the state (in Duluth, Ely, Grand Rapids, Granite Falls, Moorhead, Red Wing, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Winona) in which participants consider how the humanities could support solutions to community needs, issues, and opportunities.
• The Truth and Transformation in Media conference in partnership with Minnesota Public Radio: a partnership aimed to change problematic racial narratives and their representation in local news media by helping news professionals uncover their own biases and assumptions, and amplifying community solutions to narrative change.
• Financial and program support through re-grants and funding opportunties to more than 50 humanities projects in communities across the state including the Twin Cities, St. Peter, Cloquet, Luverne, Duluth, St. Cloud, Sandstone, Houston, and St. James.

Work supported includes: 

• Design and development of a Somali-youth anthology, “Crossroads: An Anthology of Resilience and Hope by Young Somali Writers”. Crossroads is an anthology of writing by youth and young adult Somali Minnesotans. Edited by author and educator Marian Hassan, this first-of-its-kind collection includes poetry and prose that explore themes of navigating childhood and adulthood, Somali and American culture, their own expectations versus the world’s, and more.
• Community Input and Conversation convenings across the state (in Duluth, Ely, Grand Rapids, Granite Falls, Moorhead, Red Wing, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Winona) in which participants consider how the humanities could support solutions to community needs, issues, and opportunities.
• The Truth and Transformation in Media conference in partnership with Minnesota Public Radio: a partnership aimed to change problematic racial narratives and their representation in local news media by helping news professionals uncover their own biases and assumptions, and amplifying community solutions to narrative change.
• Financial and program support through re-grants and funding opportunties to more than 50 humanities projects in communities across the state including the Twin Cities, St. Peter, Cloquet, Luverne, Duluth, St. Cloud, Sandstone, Houston, and St. James.