Our Writing for Social Change project will have a lasting impact on MN's literary arts and multicultural education. We will equip African Americans to write their own stories as a manifestation of cultural resilience. Inspired by the African proverb until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the Hunter,the community will become the lions (leaders) who shape their own destiny through the transformative power of storytelling and cultural preservation.
The Writing for Justice and Cultural Preservation project creates space for the Somali diaspora, other African communities, and African Americans to create, re-imagine, and build a more just and inclusive world through the transformative power of storytelling and book publishing.
This project will provide a writer's cohort that will advance the work of twelve Black writers working in multiple genres. The goals are to 1) deepen individual vision and artistic development; 2) create a cohesive community of writers to support and encourage each other's work; 3) enrich communities of writers and readers with access to personal and cultural perspectives that will foster artistic growth, empathy, and collaboration.
The WW1 America exhibit will be a new traveling exhibit created by Minnesota History Center staff and focused on America during the World War I era, 1914-1919. The 5,000-square-foot exhibit will depict the era as a dramatic time in American history when the nation grappled with massive upheavals brought on by social movements, mobility and modernity at home, while exerting its growing military, industrial and cultural influence abroad. Visitors will gain a better understanding of this often-overlooked period in U.S. history.
To offer a new exhibit in the fair’s conservation building on 4-H and paint a mural related to the new exhibit. The Yellow Medicine County Fair has purchased display cases for their new 4-H exhibit. The exhibit consists of 4-H items from the past and present and the mural provides a history of county fairs.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to carry out the Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL) in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota has an abundance of lakes and river reaches, many of which will require a TMDL study. In an effort to expedite the completion of TMDL projects, the MPCA has decided to construct watershed models. These models have the potential to support the simultaneous development of TMDL studies for multiple listings within a cataloging unit or 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watershed.
This project will monitor four lakes and 18 stream sites within the Yellow Medicine River Watershed to collect surface water quality data to determine the health of the watershed's streams and lakes and if they are in need of restoration or protection strategies. The sites will be monitored according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) Water Monitoring Standard Operating Procedures.
The Yellow Medicine River Watershed District will contract with the Water Resource Center at the Minnesota State University - Mankato to complete a Geographic Information System (GIS) terrain analysis for the watershed using recently completed LIDAR data in southern Minnesota. Analysis will concentrate on the impaired reaches of the Yellow Medicine River Watershed and its tributaries. This inventory will utilize the State of Minnesota LiDAR elevation datasets to create many datasets through the analysis of this elevation data.
Over the years, the landscape of the Yellow Medicine Watershed has changed through drainage and loss of wetland areas. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine counties work cooperatively with the Yellow Medicine River Watershed District to oversee implementation of conservation practices in this watershed. Based on previous Clean Water Partnership diagnostic studies, it is known the river is receiving an excessive loading of nutrients, phosphorus and suspended solids. These conditions have led to declining dissolved oxygen levels as a result.
Youth Energy Summit (YES!) expands its successful model to improve local waterways by mobilizing over 20 youth-led teams in Minnesota communities to complete water quality related projects, moni-toring and reporting.
YES! (Youth Eco Solutions) will empower 300 Minnesota youth to connect with natural resource experts, identify ecological challenges in over 50 communities, and TAKE ACTION to complete 80+ innovative projects.
Students from YES! teams in over 20 communities will help fill the urgent need for citizen participation to protect and clean-up Minnesota waters through hands-on youth-led water related action projects
Minnesota Youth in Government (YIG) is a youth-led experience that engages middle and high school youth in democratic governing leadership. Students learn about government process and gain an understanding of local, state, national and international concerns. They research and debate, participate in model Assemblies, United Nations, Youth Conferences on National Affairs, retreats and trainings, and National Judicial Competition, and gain an appreciation of diverse viewpoints in respectful ways.
