Minnesota Rising Story Lab: A recap in reading recommendations

The Minnesota Rising Story Lab: Our Story, Our Future on "Recognizing and Valuing Diversity" took place on Thursday, February 5th at Hamline University Minneapolis. Participants came from a variety of sectors, including: city and state government, nonprofit organizations, business development consulting, and arts and culture.

Introducing themselves, their interest in coming together to explore issues of race and privilege, and their favorite books, we generated a healthy list of reading recommendations (thoughtfully compiled by Angie Hugen) which can be found at the bottom of this post.

As captured on the flipchart notes below in words and images, participants then reflected on the value of stories to define and communicate who we are, as well as to connect with others whose stories may be different than our own.

One attendee commented on the theme of unity, sharing that despite our differences, we also have commonalities. "We share things: we all blink; all have beating hearts."

Considering the importance of ensuring that multiple experiences, perspectives, and identities are heard on the individual and systemic level, participants indicated it was important to recognize privilege, question singular views, and create safe places to share and listen openly.

Individual: The word dialectic means that two things can be true simultaneously. Just because one perspective is viewed as right doesn't mean that the other perspective is wrong. If we can hear each other's stories and think of it as a dialectic, it allows for validation of all feelings and emotions, which is the foundation from which you can begin to engage in frank, difficult, and transformative conversation and work. 

Systemic: Be aware of implicit bias, in the workplace, and elsewhere. Recognize that today's race-based disparities are the legacies of economic and policy structures and practices historically privileging white Americans over other groups, particularly African Americans. Reading recommendations:

• "Hiring Bias Against the Unemployed: Should There Be a Law?" by Jeffrey Stinson. August 25, 2014
• "Study shows gender bias in science is real. Here's why it matters." by Ilana Yurkiewicz.  September 23, 2012
• "For black men, a permanent recession" by Reniqua Allen. October 9, 2014
• "He Dropped One Letter In His Name While Applying For Jobs, And The Responses Rolled In" by Cate Matthews. September 2, 2014
• "The Case for Reparations" by Ta-Nehisi Coates. June 2014.

At the conclusion of the morning, participants reported out about new insights and their (re)new(ed) commitments to crafting and sharing their and Minnesota's story in effort to initiate vulnerability, bridge gaps, and strengthen our shared narrative by including previously missing perspectives.

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Additional Resources

• Minnesota Humanities Center http://mnhum.org/
• Absent Narratives
• Veterans Voices
• Reading Together Project
• Lee and Low Books https://www.leeandlow.com/
• Independent publisher of multicultural literature for young readers.

Upcoming Events

• Both/And/All: Building Racial Equity Into the Intersections | An Evening with Rinku Sen, Author & Racial Justice Activist
• April 7, 2015 at 6:30pm
• 2015 Saint Paul Foundation Facing Race Ambassador Awards
• April 28, 2015 at 6:00pm

Favorite Books

• Candide by Voltaire  (Free eBook on Amazon)
• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery  ($.99 eBook on Amazon)
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane & The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman  (under $7 eBooks on Amazon)
• Jim the Boy by Tony Earley  ($9.99 eBook on Amazon)
• Your Blues Ain't Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell  ($7.99 paperback on Amazon)
• Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard  ($1.99 eBook on Amazon)
•  The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros  ($5.99 eBook on Amazon)
• Tortoise & Hare fable by Play Tales ($.99 eBook on Amazon)
•  The Hunger Games trilogy & Gregor the Overlander (5 books series) by Suzanne Collins  ($17.99 series eBook on Amazon)
• We the Living by Ayn Rand ($5.99 eBook on Amazon)
• Uncle Wiggily's Adventures by Howard Roger Garis (Free eBook on Amazon)
• Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet ($4.99 eBook on Amazon + 980 pages long!)
• The Bible  (Many Free eBook versions on Amazon)
• Makes Me Wanna Holler by Nathan McCall  ($9.99 eBook on Amazon)
• Talking to the Ground & Cities of Gold by Douglas Preston ($5.99+ in Hardcover only)
• The Golly Sisters series by Betsey Cromar Byars ($3.99 paperback only)
• Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand ($4.99 eBook on Amazon)

Accepting Applications: MCN 2015 Combined Conference Workshop RFP

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits invites you to submit your session proposals for the upcoming year of conference programming all at once through the 2015 Combined Conference Request for Workshop Proposals! Following the link below, you can apply to share your insights, research, and skills with other leaders in the nonprofit sector at either the 2015 Leadership Conference, Fundraising Conference, or MCN Annual Conference. Minnesota Rising especially encourages newer and emerging voices to broaden the approaches and perspectives shared at these exciting and important events!

Submit Your Session Proposals for Three MCN Conferences in One Place! The new year may just be under way, but the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) is already hard at work preparing three amazing conferences for the second half of 2015. Did we mention that we want to hear your ideas? For the first time ever, MCN, along with our various co-hosts, invites you to submit your breakout session ideas—for one or more of these conferences—all in one convenient RFP! Please use this form if you'd like to submit a proposal for a workshop for: Nonprofit Leadership Conference, June 24, 2015, Minneapolis - Co-hosted by the Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center (PNLC) at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Nonprofit Fundraising Conference, July 23, 2015, Brooklyn Center - Co-hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Minnesota Chapter (AFP). MCN Annual Conference, October 1 - 2, 2015, Saint Paul - Co-hosted in collaboration with the Minnesota Community Action Partnership (MinnCAP).   As you complete the form, you will be asked to identify whether you're willing to present at one or more of the conferences. You may choose to submit a proposal for a single conference or for more than one conference. However, please note that any single workshop will not be selected for more than one conference. As always, MCN seeks dynamic workshops that include valuable insights from nonprofit and public sector leaders. Workshop proposals from our allies in for-profit companies are also welcome. However, significant preference will be given to sessions that demonstrate active involvement of nonprofit professionals as session presenters or co-presenters. The deadline for submitting your proposals for any or all of the above-mentioned conferences is 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2015. Submit an Online Proposal Now! Copyright © 2015 Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, All rights reserved.

Accepting Applications: 2015 Minneapolis Urban Scholars

Urban Scholars is currently seeking diverse leaders to shape Minnesota's future! Read below for more about the 12-week leadership development program and summer internship designed to cultivate the best and brightest community leaders. The application deadline is fast-approaching, so don't delay and apply today!

  

Mission

Provide students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds with a distinctive professional experience focused on gaining essential leadership skills and creating career pathways to positions of influence.

Vision

To be the most innovative and effective leadership development program and professional experience in which students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are inspired to participate.  

2015 Urban Scholars Overview 

 

Urban Scholars is a 12-week leadership development summer internship that runs from May 26, 2015 to August 14, 2015. The program is designed to:

• provide leadership development training that will help Urban Scholars grow into positions of influence. 
• create opportunities that will provide high-quality resume building work experience. 
• Develop opportunities to create valuable professional networks.   

Learn more about Urban Scholars by following the Urban Scholars Tumblr page!

For future updates, also follow us on Facebook or Twitter. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact us at: urban.scholars@minneapolismn.gov

Selected participants will have the opportunity to work full-time in one of the departments of the following participating organizations: 

City of Minneapolis

Metropolitan Council

Minneapolis Public Schools

Minneapolis Parks and Recreation

PCL Construction

Greater Twin Cities United Way

State of Minnesota

 Urban Scholars Leadership Institute

Urban Scholars will participate in leadership development events & activities in addition to their summer internship placement. The events and activities include: 

• Leadership development training and self-discovery workshops facilitated by experts in the field
• Public speaking and effective communication skills training
• Professional development workshops (e.g. financial literacy, resume writing, etc.) 
• Roundtables and other networking events with high-level organizational leaders 
• Community engagement group projects  

 2015 Urban Scholars Application Process

Eligibility requirements:

• Must be enrolled and in good standing at an accredited 2- or 4- year college, university, graduate program, or law school; or,  
• Must be a recent graduate with a degree conferred between December 2014 and May 2015.
• Must have completed first year of post-secondary education. 
• Must be authorized to work in the United States. 
• Must be prepared to participate on a full-time basis (40 hours per week) for 12 weeks.   

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions before applying to the program. This will provide some additional program details about Urban Scholars.

• If you are interested in applying to Metropolitan Council, please click here to apply.
• If you are interested in applying to all other partner organizations, please click hereto apply.   

Applications are due by midnight CST on February 20, 2015.

If you have any specific program questions, do not hesitate to contact us at:urban.scholars@minneapolismn.gov

For technical assistance with the online application, contact NEOGOV customer support at 1-855-524-5627 between 8 AM and 8 PM CST, Monday - Friday.   

Being yourself

Copyright: / 123RF Stock Photo 

"You change the world by being yourself." 

 -Yoko Ono

You're Invited: February 19 Social Enterprise Round Table Discussion

SEA Twin Cities invites you to coffee and conversation at its first Round Table Discussion next week. The event will feature discussion topics led by experienced members of the social enterprise community, door prizes from select local social enterprises, and an opportunity to stay afterward and co-work from the newly open Minnesota Social Impact Center. Just as with the triple-bottom line, it's a win-win-win!

You are invited to the following event: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS: FEBRUARY 19TH, 2015                                                            Event to be held at the following time, date, and location: Thursday, February 19, 2015 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM (CST) Social Impact Center 250 North 3rd Avenue Suite 550 Minneapolis, MN 55401 View Map Attend Event                                     Share this event:                                                            Social Enterprise Round Table Discussions   Join us for some coffee and conversation at our first ever Round Table event on Thursday, February 19th, 2015 from 9:00am to 10:30am.   SEA Twin Cities will be hosting three conversations on various topics led by experienced members of the local Social Enterprise community.   You will also have the opportunity to bring your own suggestions or... Share this event on Facebook and Twitter We hope you can make it! Cheers, SEA Twin Cities