“For generations in the Redwood area, two very distinct world views have existed in the people who call it home.” — Troy Krause, Redwood Falls Gazette Last month, residents of the Lower Sioux and Redwood area communities came together to talk, listen and plan for a brighter future — one where collaboration and mutual respect …
“Minnesota has arrived at that proverbial fork in the path,” said Growth & Justice President Dane Smith in Sunday’s Star Tribune. In his article on Minnesota’s “equity agenda,” he talks of a low road, pocked with envy, enmity and suspicion between rural and urban Minnesotans, and a high road, “marked by a rural optimism and …
What does a welcoming rural community look like? Is it the shower of smiles you get while walking down main street? The sign at the town’s entrance shouting WELCOME in all CAPS? Or the local cafe where the many faces of the community come together for coffee? Creating a welcoming community, for newcomers and for existing residents, is …
It’s a different time, said Blandin Foundation president Dr. Kathy Annette during an interview with Ampers‘ Melissa Townsend on work happening in Bemidji around racial disparities. During the interview, Dr. Annette relived her experience walking into the Bemijigamaag Powwow, held at the Bemidji’s Sanford Center, with her 81-year-old aunt. Head in April, this first-of-its-kind event encouraged all community …
Today we welcome Amy Gauthier, member of Lift One; Lift All: Freeborn County Beyond Poverty – a group born out of our Leaders Partnering to End Poverty program. Lift One; Lift All members traveled to Homeless Day on the Hill last month to push legislation to benefit the homeless in their county. This is Amy’s …
A catalyst for learning. An opportunity to give voice to a seldom-heard community group. A chance to follow a community conversation, aligning energy and resources toward a goal in which numerous partners could see themselves and their roles. As with much of Northern Community Radio’s (NCR) work, the Bemijigamaag Powwow, held this past weekend at …
You need to go slow to go fast. This mantra reverberates off Ethan Seaberg’s lips as he recounts the genesis story (as he calls it) of Red Wing’s community branding work. He heard the phrase while attending Blandin Foundation’s Academy of Community Engagement (ACE) in 2014 and it stuck. The ACE program built on Ethan’s …
It’s your story. It’s my story. It’s our story. Yet, it’s a story few of us know. For eight months now, community members throughout Itasca County have been exploring their shared history and filling in knowledge gaps about the promises made between American Indians and the United States that have shaped Minnesota’s past, present and …
A recent Lake County News Chronicle story featured a Blandin Community Broadband Program that partnered seniors (older folks) with seniors (from Two Harbors high school) to “help get them online, offering training and support.” Chris Langenbrunner, Community Education Director, said, “We had heartwarming interactions and personalized learning occurring in our media center all night. It …
Hope springs eternal. These uplifting words were spoken by our president, Kathy Annette, in a recent MNSights article. While this message pertained to a specific instance in Kathy’s life, it could be said that MNSights, a publication of the Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, showcases stories that spring eternal hope – stories about energizing kids’ creativity to stimulate …