Black Minnesota Statewide Conference
The Council on Black Minnesotans and the Humanities Center will coordinate a Cultural Relations Summit for Minnesotans of Africans descent. The summit will celebrate culture traditions through instructional demonstrations, guided tours, and visual arts; plan for cultural institutions’ sustainability; and strengthen cultural connections through DNA technology. A web-based cultural portal and a video documentary on the contributions of Minnesotans of African will discover and preserve cultural traditions and enhance relations in Minnesota.
Councils of Color. $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year are for competitive grants to the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, the Council on Black Minnesotans, the Indian Affairs Council, and the Chicano Latino Affairs Council. Grants are for programs and cooperation between the Minnesota Humanities Center and the grant recipients for community events and programs that celebrate and preserve artistic, historical, and cultural heritage.
The outcomes to be achieved from the summit are improved cultural awareness between the various African ethnic cultures and African-Americans, deepening mutual understanding between the two communities within black Minnesota, elevate the pride of all Minnesotans through highlighting the achievements of Black Minnesotans, creating a platform of continuing dialogue and collaboration between Black Minnesotans, and ultimately the positioning of COBM as a cultural guide and resource to other ethnic communities in Minnesota with a special focus to be a resource to educators.
• Over 200 people attended the Summit on Friday and Saturday, and over 400 people attended on Sunday
• 35 spiritual leaders, community leaders, and artist presented workshops and presented at a family picnic during the 3-day-long Summit
• The Council built their capacity to convene, inform, and ensure full representation of Minnesotans of African descent.
• A feature-length film documentary was produced by interviewing over 70 individuals who told the stories of the historic neighborhoods, noted leaders, and significant events for Minnesotans of African descent.
• A web portal was created to help Black Minnesotans find events and organizations and to serve as a tool to mobilize, inform, and engage with Black living in Minnesota.
• A Black Artist issue discussion was held during the Summit as well as Black Artistic performances.
• A Legacy Arts Committee was formed and has developed legislative recommendation that will establish a foundation for enhancing Black Arts in Minnesota and can be reviewed at http://mn.gov/cobm/.