[Minnesota Rising Dispatch] July 2015

[#mnrising Dispatch] July 2015 Tonight's rare blue moon gives us pause and an opportunity to reflect on the special things July brought: this month, we hosted an ice cream social at Izzy's for our Sounding Board Session focused on being #MinnesotaBrave, started planning for half-day events this fall for LOCUS (on identity-driven leadership) and #mnrising (our next IDEA GENERATION), and facilitated an "Improving Social Inclusion" breakout conversation at the GREATER MSP Makers session. If you'd still like to come out and play with us this summer, we invite you to be hosted in a cascading conversation and/or to join us at our August Sounding Board Session, which in addition to being a potluck dinner, will serve as a focus group to gather insights for our Greater Minnesota Rising project. Thanks for your support and here's hoping you enjoy this special season in the sun! RSDP Happenings Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships   Last year the Partnerships, in collaboration with the Page family and friends, created the Mary Page Community-University Partnership Fund. The fund honors the memory and continues Mary Page's legacy as a trailblazing leader of RSDP and Greater Minnesota. This summer, the Page Fund is supporting a student who will study how Northwestern Minnesota communities could better retain and attract young professionals. Humphrey School of Public Affairs student Brooke McManigal is working with Minnesota Rising, a group of millennial generation leaders, to outline the region's assets and challenges related to workforce needs and community vitality. [Read more.] Native Nation Builders Program Bush Foundation Join the nation-building movement - apply to be a Native Nation Rebuilder! The Native Nation Rebuilders Program brings together Native leaders so they may be instrumental in moving their nations, in cooperation with their elected leadership, toward realization of their tribes' unique goals. The Bush Foundation seeks candidates for a seventh cohort of Rebuilders who will help ensure that elected tribal leaders and the tribes they serve will have a cadre of skilled and courageous individuals dedicated to strengthening their nations. [Read more.] Nonprofit Board Recruitment Fair Board Repair Are you a person of color interested in making an impact in the nonprofit sector by joining a board of directors? Register for the upcoming Board Repair Nonprofit Board Recruitment Fair on August 3rd! The mission of Board Repair is to support underrepresented groups on nonprofit boards and committees in the Twin Cities. More than 100 local nonprofit with board openings will have staff or board members at the event who will meet with attendees for meaningful discussions about joining boards and committees.  [Read more.] Accepting Applications: NLP Cohort Wilder Foundation Our six-month Neighborhood Leadership Program is an in-depth program for leaders engaged - or planning to engage - in the community. Participants in this program are eager to connect with a diverse learning community to explore community involvement and develop leadership skills to take effective action. This program typically brings together 30 people from a wide diversity of ages, cultural backgrounds, and levels of experience. Participants come from a variety of formal and informal community-based organizations. Volunteer Community Coaches are paired with each NLP participant to share their six-month journey as attentive listeners, sounding boards, and reflective companions. [Read more.] Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend News from the Network Updates and events with our esteemed partners and collaborators! August Sounding Board Session #mnrising Monday, August 3 5:30pm - 7:30pm Potluck at Ruth's (RSVPfor details) Little Mekong Night Market Asian Economic Development Association Friday and Saturday, August 6-7 6:00pm - Midnight; 4:00pm - Midnight University Avenue and Western Avenue "Speaking for Ourselves: A Study with Immigrant and Refugee Communities in the Twin Cities" Twin Cities Research Group Wednesday, August 12 12:00pm - 1:00pm Wilder Foundation #81 Brewing Up Buzz for Beer SMBMSP Friday, August 14 8:00am - 10:00am The Freehouse "A Living Changing River" featuring Ben Weaver River City Revenue Friday, August 21 7:00pm - 9:00pm City House Scattershot Cafe YNPN Twin Cities Saturday, August 22 10:00am - 12:00pm Multiple locations   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 © 2015 Minnesota Rising, All rights reserved.

Accepting Applications: Wilder Foundation Neighborhood Leadership Program

Wilder Foundation is recruiting applicants for the next Neighborhood Leadership Program cohort. If you live, work, or play in Saint Paul, consider taking part in this opportunity to develop your skills and enhance your ability to act on important community issues. Learn more below and consider applying by the September 9th deadline!

Challenge yourself . . . Enhance your leadership skills . . .

Learn how history can inform actions of today.

Help make the goals & dreams of your community a reality!

Join the Neighborhood Leadership Program

If you live, volunteer or work in a Saint Paul neighborhood, and want to connect with others who make a difference in their community, then this opportunity is for you!  NLP is an in-depth program bringing together diverse leaders from across the community to develop skills and promote effective action.

Program runs September 2015–February 2016

Session Topics Include:

• Understanding Your Leadership Style

• Working Inclusively in Neighborhoods

• Navigating Systems

• Networking for Effective Action

• Drawing on Community History to Inform Your Current Work

The NLP staff would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Please contact us at NLP@wilder.org or by calling Chalonne Wilson at 651-280-2653. You can also learn more by visiting our website at www.wilder.org/nlp.html.

[Recommended reading] University, millennials collaborate for talent research in Greater Minnesota counties

We're excited that our Greater Minnesota Rising project continues to gain traction and interest across the state. Check out the latest coverage in the Walker Pilot-Independent to learn more about the effort to attract and retain next generation leaders in northwestern Minnesota!

University, millennials collaborate for talent research in Greater Minnesota counties

Posted: Saturday, July 18, 2015 7:00 am

staff reports pilotnews@pilotindependent.com

ST. PAUL — Minnesota Rising, a group of millennial generation leaders, and the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) are supporting a project to study how North Central and West Central Minnesota communities might better attract and retain young professionals.

The project, dubbed Greater Minnesota Rising, won a grant from the Mary J. Page Community-University Partnership Fund, which is advised by RSDP, to support Humphrey School of Public Affairs student Brooke McManigal, who will research the region’s assets and challenges related to workforce needs and community vitality.

“Minnesota Rising is a network of emerging leaders working to build relationships, trust, and a shared vision for the future,” said Diane Tran, the organization’s founder. “We’re excited to partner with these communities in Greater Minnesota to help ensure shared prosperity for all Minnesotans.”

The project is based on the hopeful work of University of Minnesota Extension researcher Ben Winchester, who showed that, despite a net migration of recent high school graduates from rural areas, some parts of Greater Minnesota have recently experienced a “brain gain” of people between the ages of 30-49.

That work makes sense to Minnesota Rising member Chet Bodin, a state labor analyst who moved to Nisswa a year ago and helped organize Greater Minnesota Rising. “To many folks, our part of the state carries a lot of sentimental value, summertime on the lakes, family vacations, and so on,” he said. “But the level of innovation and economic ingenuity is also remarkable; our region is not only a fun place to visit, but a fine area to make a life.”

The project will involve communities and people in Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, Wadena, Morrison, Clay, Becker, Wilkin, Otter Tail, Grant, Douglas, Stevens, Pope, and Traverse counties through November and develop recommendations for engaging local emerging leaders and community organizations around future workforce needs, broadening of the tax base, and talent attraction in light of the area’s changing demographics.

“The next generation of leaders in Greater Minnesota will be asked to step up in new ways — to care for an aging population, to lead civic life, and to help their communities to transition in the new economy,” said Bodin. “This project will engage emerging leaders in a space and process to unpack how we can prepare for the opportunities and challenges quickly approaching our communities.”

The Greater Minnesota Rising project is the second to be supported by the Mary Page Community-University Partnership Fund, established by family and friends of former Olivia Mayor, Renville County Commissioner, and University of Minnesota Regent Mary Page (1934-2013). It is being conducted in collaboration with Raising The Bar LLC, with additional support from Central RSDP, the West Central Initiative Foundation, and the Initiative Foundation of Little Falls, MN, and UMN Community Assistance Program (CURA/CAP), which matches student researchers with Greater Minnesota communities and organizations, and administers student support.

“The Greater Minnesota Rising project is a great example of how the University can connect to vital community needs,” said CRSDP Executive Director Molly Zins of Pequot Lakes. “We look forward to the project’s findings for our region and what they might mean for demographic challenges throughout Greater Minnesota.”

Accepting Applications: Native Nation Rebuilders Program

The Bush Foundation is recruiting applicants for the seventh cohort of its Native Nation Rebuilders Program. Developed for citizens of the 23 Native nations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, the program engages 30 "Rebuilders" to participate in a two-year program. Learn more below and consider applying by the August 27th deadline!

Join the Nation-Building Movement Apply to Be a Native Nation Rebuilder    Applications Open  Tuesday, July 21 through Thursday, August 27, noon Central (11 a.m. Mountain)  The Native Nation Rebuilders Program brings together Native leaders so they may be instrumental in moving their nations, in cooperation with their elected leadership, toward realization of their tribes' unique goals. "Going through the Rebuilders program did wonders for me. I had a totally different outlook on my tribe. It just opened my eyes to so many different things about what other tribes are doing and some of the successes that they're having. When you get out of your day-to-day work, and you go through these sessions with the Rebuilders program, it's reviving. It re-energizes you." -LeRoy Staples Fairbanks III, Tribal Councilman, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe   We seek candidates for a seventh cohort of Rebuilders who will help ensure that elected tribal leaders and the tribes they serve will have a cadre of skilled and courageous individuals dedicated to strengthening their nations. Learn more about the Native Nation Rebuilders Program. www.bushfoundation.org

The beholder

Copyright: busurman / 123RF Stock Photo

“People often say that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder." 

-Salma Hayek

You're Invited: Board Repair Board Recruitment Fair

Organized by and for people of color, Board Repair's mission is to create a more effective nonprofit sector by increasing participation of people of color on boards. To advance their mission, they're hosting a Board Recruitment Fair at Hamline University next month and are seeking nonprofits interested in diversifying their boards as well as people of color interested in joining local boards. Learn more by registering as an individual or as a nonprofit organization!

Are you a person of color interested in making an impact in the nonprofit sector by joining a board of directors? Is your nonprofit interested in diversifying its board? Come to the first ever Board Recruitment Fair, August 3, 6-8pm at Hamline University. We hope to have 100 organizations and a few hundred people of color seeking to join boards.  Spaces for organizations and individuals are still available!  Please pre-register for this free event so we are prepared for you! More details in rsvp links: For individual registration: http://tinyurl.com/BRfairrsvp For organizations: http://tinyurl.com/boardfairrsvp We hope to see you there! Please share widely! ********************** This event is organized by Board Repair, a network of people of color supporting people of color on non-profit boards and committees in the Twin Cities. We achieve our mission by collaborating with others to host gatherings, trainings, and group mentorship. For this event, we are pleased to have assistance in outreach and event staffing from Charities Review Council, GiveMN, Greater MSP, MAP for Nonprofits, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Minnesota Council on Foundations, Nonprofits Assistance Fund, Springboard for the Arts, The Soap Factory and others. Space generously provided by Hamline University. Hospitality generously provided by The McKnight Foundation. Board Repair is: Jun-Li Wang and Lisa Marie Brimmer, Amelia Brown, Antonio Cardona, Marisa Carr, Christina Chang, Valerie Deus, Venessa Fuentes, Lori Greene, Daniel Le, Tou SaiKo Lee, Bekka Merrill, Anne Jin Soo Preston, Carissa Samaniego, Nicole Smith, Erik Takeshita

You're Invited | 40 & Forward: Southeast Asian Americans Rooted & Rising

The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) invites you to the "40 & Forward: Southeast Asian Americans Rooted & Rising" reception. The event will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first arrivals of Southeast Asian American refugees and immigrants to Minnesota. Learn more about this unique part of our state's history and celebrate the vibrant Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, and Vietnamese communities in Minnesota today!

About SEARAC | Donate  You're Invited! 40 & Forward reception in Minnesota! Thursday, July 30th 5.30 - 8.00 pm McNamara Alumni Center University of Minnesota 200 Oak Street S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455  For more information, visit 40andforward.org Courtesy of Wing Young Huie   Frogtown: Photographs and Conversations in an Urban Neighborhood (1993 - 1995)   Please join the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) on July 30th in Minneapolis, MN, for a reception to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Southeast Asian American experience, and the vitality of Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, and Vietnamese communities in Minnesota today. Minnesota is home to the fourth largest Southeast Asian Americans community in the United States, with a population of 125,000. Emerging resilient from a shared refugee experience, our communities have been enriching the Minnesotan economy and culture for 40 years. Get your tickets now! Program MC: Chanida Phaengdara Potter Performance by Light from Heaven Interactive art installation by Ashaley Yang Lao master story teller Banlang Phommasouvanh Honoring MayKao Hang & Senator Foung Hawj Spoken word performance by Bao Phi The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) is a national organization that advances the interests of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans by empowering communities through advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building to create a socially just and equitable society. Find out more at www.searac.org.

Southeast Asia Resource Action Center | 1628 16th St. NW | Washington | DC | 20009

You're Invited | Visibility & Voice: The Power of Unity

The Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) are building a path forward to ensure Asian Minnesotans are thriving. Join them this Saturday to hear about what their education and economics working groups have been learning and to help determine the path forward. Register today to learn, connect, and act alongside CAAL!

Let's Build the Future Today  Join CAAL on Saturday, July 25 from 9am - Noon LOCATION Northwest Area Foundation Saint Paul, Minnesota Continental breakfast provided RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY The event is free, but you must register. Register Now Building a path forward to ensure Asian Minnesotans are thriving In 2014, CAAL launched and engaged over 300 Asian Minnesotan leaders to inform and prioritize the common issues that you believe Asian Americans could work on together for the good of the whole community. You helped us prioritize the issues and selected education and economics. Since then, a smaller Circle of Leaders have been coming together to learn more about the issues. Join us on Saturday, July 25th to hear what the working groups have learned, and what they recommend on the issues of education and economics. Together we will come to agreement and discuss how to further engage communities and strategic partners in order to develop actions for moving forward together. You'll also learn how to navigate and use the CAAL on-line social network map to connect and act together. LEARN * CONNECT * ACT    Our VISION: CAAL envisions a State where all Minnesotans, regardless of background, are actively engaged and can achieve prosperity. Our MISSION: Harnessing our collective power to advance equity by connecting, learning, and acting together to improve lives.  Copyright © 2015 Coalition of Asian American Leaders, All rights reserved.

You're Invited: VoteRunLead Self Care & Leadership Training

VoteRunLead understands that in order to be courageous and lead from a place of strength, one must invest in self-care. Join Dr. LG Shanklin-Flowers for a day-long workshop for women leaders who are passionate about creating change in their communities. See below for more event details and be sure to save your seat today!

Self Care & Leadership Training with Dr. LG Shanklin-Flowers

African Development Center, Minneapolis, MN

7/25/15, 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT

Join VoteRunLead in Minneapolis for a day-long training with women who are passionate about creating positive change in their communities and have aspirations of stepping into leadership roles. 

See familiar faces or meet new ones. Step into a space that is dedicated to uplifting and encouraging women’s community and political leadership! Participants will walk away with a deeper understanding of self-care and tools for implementing new self-care practices in daily life. This Self-Care and Leadership workshop is being presented by VoteRunLead and will feature Dr. LG Shanklin-Flowers from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  

Logistics

The training will start at 10am and end at 4pm at the African Development Center of Minnesota in Minneapolis.  Lunch is included and will be provided by Afro Deli.

Need a scholarship?

We have a very limited number of scholarships available for registration only. Contact Liz at liz[at]voterunlead.org for more information.

About Dr. LG Shanklin-Flowers

Dr. Shanklin-Flowers is the founder and principal consultant of InReach where she provides consultation and workshops in the areas of women-centered self-care, leadership development, diversity management, inclusion/cultural competency, anti-oppression and building alliances..  She is a former Executive Director of Public Allies Milwaukee, an AmeriCorps apprenticeship program committed to advancing new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation. Prior to that she served as a Program officer at the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee where she oversaw their social justice grant making program, worked closely with the women of color constituent funds and founded the Women of Color Fundraisers Network. Additionally, she has lent her talents to Cardinal Stritch University’s Leadership Center, the city-wide Black Infant Mortality Project, Life Course Initiative for Healthy Families, the Reproductive Justice Collective, and the YWCA’s Everytown Youth Leadership Camp. Known for her pioneering efforts within the developing field of cultural diversity, Dr. Shanklin-Flowers has led organizations and hundred of groups through the sensitive areas of organizational change, intercultural understanding, and diversity management. She was recognized for her diligent and courageous promotion of racial justice when she became a recipient of the YWCA of SE Wisconsin Racial Justice Award. In 2011, she received their Empowering Women Award. She was also a United to End Racism (UER) NGO delegate to the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Xenophobia and Other Intolerances in Durban, South Africa and then led the UER delegations at three White Privilege Conferences in the Midwest.  Dr. Shanklin-Flowers received her doctorate in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning & Service from Cardinal Stritch University and wrote her dissertation on The Self-Care Perceptions and Practices of Contemporary Black Women Leaders.