Arts Access
The Peoples Cook will collaborate with May Lee-Yang, Joua Lee, and the Hmong Elder Center to engage elders in creating stories that nourish future generations and perform an original multimedia piece called Letters to Our Grandchildren.
Ardell Brede: Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet: Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Wendy Dayton: Arts and community leader and philanthopist.; Sean Dowse: Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.; David Glenn, Executive director of the Minnesota Project, ceramic artist; Benjamin Klipfel: Board member, Minnesota State Arts Board. Executive Director, Alexandria Area Arts Association, Inc. Director and arts educator.; Ellen McInnis: Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist; Anton Treuer: Professor of Ojibwe, Bemidji State University.
Michele Coppin: Painter and instructor, including work with seniors and genocide survivors; Katherine Dodge: Executive director, Itasca Orchestra and Strings program; board chair, Grand Rapids Arts and Culture Commission; Venessa Fuentes: Philanthropy writer at Project for Pride in Living; poet; Robert Hybben: Instructor, Hamline University; writer; Irna Landrum: Executive director, Summit-University Planning Council; community organizer and leadership developer; MaryLynn Pulscher: Environmental Education Coordinator, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board; Patricia Rall: Staff writer, Bemidji Pioneer; board member, Region Two Arts Council; Summer Scharringhausen: Board chair and former gallery director, Altered Esthetics; painter and multimedia artist; Robert Weisenfeld: Assistant vice president, corporate and foundation relations, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter
ACHF Arts Access
Hmong elders will gain the confidence and skills to create, perform, and participate in the multimedia project Letters to Our Grandchildren. Elders will have the confidence and skills to perform their stories for a live audience and the video. Documentation of the final performance and post-show video interviews with each participating elder and their family will help evaluate our success. 2: We will be partnering with the Hmong Elder Center who has as a clientele of 100 elders to do theater workshops and create original work together. To ensure the elders feel fully invested in our process, we will visit the center periodically to receive feedback through trust circles, and do monthly check-in meetings with the Hmong Elder Center director to gauge the elders' satisfaction with the project.
Hmong Elders gained confidence, skills to create, perform, tour the multimedia project and participated in a documentary that featured their journey and parts of their performances. 2: We worked with 100 elders - did theater workshops, games, and created original work.