[Minnesota Rising Dispatch] February 2014

[#mnrising Dispatch] February 2014 Today is the official end of meteorological winter, but even for the heartiest of Minnesotans, it's hard after a winter like this one (read: if not freezing, it was snowing) to believe that the end is in sight. To ensure we're offering options for energizing evenings in the great indoors, Minnesota Rising invites you to two events in March: The first of 6 monthly Sounding Board sessions as we invite your input on our core purpose and communications; and the "Minnesota Rising Story Lab: Our Story, Our Future" in partnership with Torch Community. Find more details below and consider joining us in these exciting conversations as we wait for the thaw!  Minnesota Rising Sounding Board Session Monday, March 3, 2014 6:00pm - 8:00pm Grassroots Solutions RSVPs appreciated to minnesotarising[at]gmail.com Minnesota Rising Story Lab: Our Story, Our Future Torch Community   In the face of partisan politics and technological divides, Torch Community and Minnesota Rising invite you to engage our individual stories toward cultivating a shared sense of identity, commonly-held values, and a collective narrative. In this interactive Story Lab, Minnesota Rising aims to emphasize the importance of welcoming a multitude of perspectives; provide emerging leaders with the opportunity to practice deep listening and storytelling with one another; and to reveal a larger future-focused narrative for Minnesota while sharing methods for how emerging leaders can write their own roles into the story of our state! Join us on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 from 5:30pm - 8:30pm at Open Book in the Target Performance Hall. [Read more.]   Accepting Applications: Community Innovation Grants Bush Foundation   The Bush Foundation is once again accepting applications for Community Innovation Grants. Last year, they provided more than $4 million to support 34 organizations working to create or implement a breakthrough in addressing a community need across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. Nonprofit organizations and government entities of all sizes are eligible to apply for Community Innovation Grants ranging from $10,000 up to $200,000. The grants support communities to use problem-solving processes that lead to more effective, equitable and sustainable solutions. We think of this as civic R&D, allowing communities to develop and test new solutions to community challenges. Applications will be accepted through March 13, 2014. [Read more.]   MPLS Shapers Applications Open! Minneapolis Hub of the Global Shapers Community Are you passionate about social change and interested in joining the Global Shapers Community? Applications for the Minneapolis Hub can be accessed here and are being accepted through March 7, 2014. We're looking for more passionate people to join us: young leaders who are ready to challenge themselves and commit to taking action locally on global issues by dedicating 15 hours per month to Hub projects. We want to expand and strenthen our Hub's capacity as we grow as a team. We seek to diversify our group with new members that offer a variety of backgrounds, identities, and areas of expertise. The Twin Cities has a wealth of creative energy; we're on the hunt for the young energizers who are ready to start solving our community's greatest challenges. [Read more.] Adding some fun to the after-school routine Chad Kampe, YEP-TC Extra Credit Blog   Have you heard of the 6,000 hour learning gap? By the time a student that was born into poverty is in sixth grade, he or she is likely behind their peers by 6,000 hours in enrichment time. This includes tutoring, extra-curriculars, pre-school summer learning and field trips. That is a lot of critical time that has been lost. Students come to Rock Star Supply Co. for free homework help, one-on-one tutoring or creative writing workshops. Each day, 15-20 students come to the Rock Star Supply Co. Homework Headquarters for direct service. "Whoa!" is often the response we get when students first enter our space. Our Homework Headquarters is the furthest thing from a typical tutoring room or school setting. [Read more.] Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend News from the Network Updates and events with our esteemed network partners and collaborators! relaunch party bfresh productions Saturday, March 1, 2014 7:00pm Public Functionary "Meet the Shapers" Social Hour Minneapolis Hub of Global Shapers Community Tuesday, March 4, 2014 6:30pm - 8:00pm Republic 7 Corners March Networking & Happy Hour Minnesota Young Food Professionals March 5, 2014 8:00pm Red Stag Supperclub Financing Great Places ULI Minnesota Young Leaders Group Thursday, March 6, 2014 4:30pm - 7:30pm Minneapolis Central Library, Pohlad Hall Leading from the Emerging Future Community Conversation Saturday, March 8, 2014 3:00pm - 5:00pm Roseville Library PhilanthroFair The LEAD Project Wednesday, March 12, 2014 5:00pm - 7:00pm Kieran's - The Titanic Room btb #9: Love It or Hate It Break the Bubble Friday, March 14, 2014 7:00pm - 10:00pm Honey Mpls   Making Our #MNRising Mark! Don't forget to tag your upcoming emerging leader events, thoughts, musings, and more,#mnrising, on Twitter and Facebook. Let's aggregate and organize ourselves for increased interaction and potential for collaboration!  Copyright © 2014 Minnesota Rising, All rights reserved.

Accepting Applications: 2014 Tri-College NEW Leadership Institute

The Tri-College NEW Leadership Institute welcomes applications for their 2014 cohort of women leaders from across the Upper Midwest region. Learn more about this incredible 5-day intensive training institute and apply today for the opportunity of a lifetime. As they say: whether or not you view yourself as a leader now, if you desire to create positive change in your community, YOU should apply!

Tri-College University NEW Leadership Development Institute

NEW Leadership Development Institute:

...empowering a new generation of women leaders.

May 28 - June 1, 2014 - hosted at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MN)

• Intensive 5-day residential program

• Limited to 50 participants

• No costs for participation and possible scholarships for childcare and travel

• Applicants who are interested in politics, leadership, public service, or community service, and have a desire to develop their own leadership skills are encouraged to apply.

Whether or not you view yourself as a leader now, if you desire to create positive change in your community, YOU should apply!

You're Invited: MYPEG Happy Hour at the Red Stag!

MYPEG is reprising its happy hour series and invites you down to the Red Stag for some drinks, dining, and discussion about topics environmental and otherwise. Click below to RSVP and come out for a fun time!

Catch up, have a drink, and meet environmental colleagues and friends! Join us for our monthly happy hour where awesome people gather around great food and drinks to discuss interesting environmental issues and opportunities. This month we are going to be at the Red Stag Supperclub, a local leader in composting, energy conservation, as well as the first LEED certified restaurant in MN. There will be drink specials, delicious food, and great conversation with fellow environmentally minded people - what more could you ask for? Come on down to meet your peers and network with other environmentally-minded young professionals! We hope to see you there! February 27th, 4:30-6:30pm RSVP Today! What: MYPEG February Happy Hour When: February 27th, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Where: Red Stag Supperclub              509 1st Avenue NE              Minneapolis, MN 55413                            Save your spot by signing up on our Facebook event! Get Involved! Want to get involved in helping put together events, speakers, or trainings with MYPEG? Drop us a line with how you'd like to get involved, and we'll plug you in! What is MYPEG? We're a group formed to provide opportunities for young, environmentally-minded professionals to get together, network, and have a good time. Join us at our monthly events where environmentally-conscious and passionate people gather to discuss various environmental subjects and hear from colleagues and friends about their work. Together we work to further the issues we care about. We also aim to have a good time while doing it.

You're Invited: Real World Insights Event

Hamline University and the Twin Cities Peer Network invite you to an evening focused on public leadership and local networking. Real World Insights event topics broadly seem to reference food and include:

• The Public Good of Peanut M&Ms
• Executive Turnover and Emerging Leadership Needs in the Nonprofit Sector
• Pickles and the Jarring Forces Facing Firms

Register today to hear more about real-time and real world insights!

Real World Insights Hamline University and The Twin Cities Business Peer Network are proud to host an evening of Real World Insights from accomplished Hamline faculty. Thursday, February 27, 2014 6-8 p.m. at Hamline's Minneapolis campus, located at the intersection of I-394 and Highway 100, 1600 Utica Ave., St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Free covered parking. Located on the 7th floor. Enjoy delicious food and network with your peers. Engage in small-group discussions. Featuring professors from Hamline's master's degree programs in business, nonprofit management, and public administration. RSVP For This Event Learn more about this event at The Twin Cities Business Peer Network LinkedIn page. Speakers Rob Routhieaux Rob Routhieaux is associate professor of leadership and management and director of Nonprofit Management programs in the Hamline School of Business. He has taught a wide variety of courses, including Nonprofit Governance, Finance and Law, and Entrepreneurship. His research focuses on nonprofit collaborations and leadership. Topic: "Executive Turnover and Emerging Leadership Needs in the Nonprofit Sector" Kris Norman-Major Kris Norman-Major is director of Public Administration programs in the Hamline School of Business and co-director of Hamline's Center for Public Administration and Leadership. Her research and scholarship focus on social policy and issues of social equity and cultural competency. Topic: "The Public Good of Peanut M&Ms" Dave Berg Dave Berg focuses on the dynamics of industry globalization and the nature of global competition. His research explores the adaptation and reaction with regard to globalization, and the ways in which firms from different national backgrounds are prepared for global competition. He teaches strategies management and international business/management at both the undergraduate and MBA levels. Topic: "Pickles and the Jarring Forces Facing Firms" RSVP For This Event

Minnesota now: Millennials, leadership, and the information economy

                            

Diane Tran is founder of Minnesota Rising, project manager at Grassroots Solutions, and current board chair of the Citizens League. Eriks Dunens is the Alumni Program and Cohort Coordinator for Leadership and Civic Engagement programs at University of Minnesota Extension.

Ever had that strange feeling that people are talking about you while you are in the room? We did while at Minnesota Compass' Annual Meeting "Minnesota next: Millennials, leadership, and the information economy." We were amongst 13% of the self-identified Millennial population in the room. Having served on the core team for the Minnesota Rising Cascading Conversations Tour over the past two years, we had a particular interest in data and trends related to the rising generation in our state. Minnesota Rising is a network of emerging leaders in Minnesota focused on building relationships, trust, and a shared vision, and seeks to develop the collective capacity of the rising generation to impact Minnesota's future. Recognizing that the Millennial voice was not fully represented in the room that day, MN Compass thoughtfully invited us to reflect on and consider how emerging leaders would use data differently.

Much has been made of the demographic shifts Minnesota is currently experiencing and will continue to undergo in the coming years. The State Demographer indicates that by 2025, Baby Boomers will hit age 80 en masse, the time in their life when health care costs will be at their highest, and the labor force growth rate will dip to 0.1%. Further, Minnesota is growing increasingly diverse at a rapid rate: from 2005 to 2035, the white population is projected to grow nine percent, compared to 112 percent for the total minority population. While these demographic shifts have been clear for decades, there has been limited interest in their implications and minimal action to identify paths forward until recently.

While the charts depicting how Minnesota will look quite different in 10 years' time provides a great deal of shock value and certainly induces a sense of urgency for galvanizing action around the topic, it is also entirely overwhelming. What is any one of us able to do to tackle such a long-standing and structural challenge? Here are a few ideas:

1. Use data to identify and encourage ways to act

Large-scale trends and indicators have, by definition, a massive scope. One unintended consequence is that individuals can feel powerless to impact them. Data that shows trends and identifies problems but is not presented with ideas for action is missing a key element. We have attended numerous events in recent years featuring presentations on demographic trends and been left, more than once, feeling helpless or uncertain about a path forward. Lacking a clear and unified plan for addressing all segments of our current demographic challenges can be disempowering to our communities. While data is largely perceived as neutral and merely subject to the agendas of those who interpret and relay it, there must be a recognition that data should inform trends, identify opportunities for remedying challenges, and offer real opportunities for changing otherwise dismal outcomes. These opportunities for impacting said challenges must exist on individual, organizational, community, and societal levels.

One group for instance, the Citizens League, is Taking On 2025 with plans to promote economic prosperity, enhance the value and decrease the cost of public services, and rebuild Minnesota's infrastructure. Using their civic policy making model, the League will engage community members as policymakers in their homes, schools, workplaces, places of worship, and more. 

2. Use data to focus on assets and provide context

When we use phrases like the "achievement gap" or "opportunity gap," we unconsciously reinforce stigma and may inadvertently cause those affected by these challenges to appear as the causes of these problems. The way we often talk about data can make it seem that we view groups as "the problem" that needs to be fixed. This is not done on purpose, but can result from following the norms of the dominant culture responsible for producing and sharing this data. Language is important and the ability for it and data to be "other"ing should be taken seriously. How can we instead focus on leveraging the diversified assets our community brings to bear in order to compete in a global economy?

We saw a great example of this at the Annual Meeting. Marilee Grant and Allison Liuzzi shared a series of facts about the state of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in Minnesota. The state projects significant growth within the STEM job market. However, only one-third of Minnesota high school graduates are college-ready for STEM-related coursework, and those are predominantly white and non-Hispanic. How can we cultivate homegrown talent to satisfy increasing demand while addressing racial gaps? Marilee and Allison shared a plan, a cradle-to-career STEM framework, to ensure we are preparing our future workforce. The development team built the model from key measures that informed important points along students' developmental path. Some of these indicators - that students of color express similar or greater interest in STEM than other students do - form the basis for where and how to focus efforts. Positive data was incorporated into the framework to guide suggested actions while implying that there is hope for improving the overall situation.

Millennials are learning from MN Compass and myriad others who have compiled, interpreted, and acted on research for many years. Minnesota Rising's hope is that we can emulate the best of what data has provided to our communities in the past and that all generations impacted by this data can continue to have a place in this conversation. At this time where we are on the precipice of significant transition in our communities, we can either watch as demographic changes continue unfolding or we can leverage data to envision and create a future state that embraces all of our assets. 

You're invited:Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans 2014 Open House

Having recently had an amazing opportunity to publish a children's book through the Reading Together Project, I'm excited to spread the word about the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans (CAPM) 2014 Open House! Join CAPM staff, board members, and supporters to learn about their exciting work in the year ahead. Enjoy light refreshments and a fun opportunity to mix and mingle with those connected to this Minnesota state agency!

You are invited to the following event: Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans 2014 Open House Event to be held at the following time, date, and location: Monday, February 24, 2014 from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM (CST) CAPM Office 658 Cedar Steet, Suite 160 St. Paul, MN 55155 View Map Attend Event Share this event: Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans invites you to join us at our 2014 Open House Come meet our staff and board of directors! Monday, February 24, 2014 2:30PM to 5:30PM 658 Cedar Street, Suite 160 St. Paul, MN 55155 We look forward to meeting you! (light refreshment provided) Share this event on Facebook and Twitter We hope you can make it! Cheers, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans

You're Invited | Capitol Code: An Open Data Jam

Ready to put your ideation, coding, or problem-solving skills to use for a better Minnesota? Secretary of State Mark Ritchie invites you to Capitol Code: An Open Data Jam this weekend for a collaborative, idea-sharing event inviting community members to use publicly-accessible datasets to create new technology solutions. Learn more below and register to join the jam!

Secretary of State’s Capitol Code Event Kicks Off Initiative for Citizen-Driven Solutions Using Existing Public Data

SAINT PAUL, Minnesota — Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced his office will host Capitol Code: An Open Data Jam on Saturday, February 22, a collaborative, idea-sharing event for citizens to use accessible public datasets to create new technology solutions that can stimulate business ideas — such as smartphone applications or websites.

The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State will provide public datasets for the event related to voting and elections (such as polling place information and election results), as well as business filings, official documents (proclamations, extraditions, oaths), and more. Public datasets from the Minnesota State Demographic Center, U.S. Census Bureau and other state agencies will also be available.

“Public data is a tremendous resource for Minnesotans, and I’m excited to see the innovation, new business and employment opportunities that can be generated by using this information,” says Ritchie.

Open data initiatives by government entities in the Twin Cities and in other parts of the country have resulted in technology solutions to address challenges relevant to communities:

• In the Twin Cities, open data from Metro Transit led to the development of a smartphone application that provides bus arrival and scheduling information: http://omgtransit.com/

• In New Orleans, residents can look up abandoned properties to see if they are available for purchase: http://blightstatus.nola.gov/

• In Boston, the “Adopt-a-Hydrant” program allows citizens to “adopt” nearby fire hydrants and receive reminders to clear them after snowstorms: http://commons.codeforamerica.org/apps/adopt-hydrant

Capitol Code is open to citizens, analysts, business and community leaders, designers, government officials, media, software programmers and other interested parties. Participants may register at http://capitolcode.mn.gov/. Subsequent to the event, applications developed by participants will be posted and presented online.

Capitol Code is the first step in the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State’s efforts to provide additional public datasets in a direct, immediate and accessible format to engage the public, and make government more transparent and accountable.

The event will be held at CoCo in Uptown Minneapolis; the co-working space is sponsoring the event through its Google for Entrepreneurs program. Capitol Code partners include the state’s lead technology agency, MN.IT, E-Democracy.org, the Minnesota State Demographic Center, and community technology groups such as Open Twin Cities.