GIA Day of Learning Recap
A Voyage Between the Twin Cities
Some of the GIA board and team in St. Paul, MN at the GIA Arts Reception at Diane’s Place
Grantmakers in the Arts staff and board members reunited in Minneapolis, MN on July 18 - 19, 2024 for a day of learning and informational sharing at our annual Summer board meeting.
Join us by reading along our recollection of discoveries, learnings, and expansion of the GIA vision and mission.
All My Relations Arts
Our day of learning began with a visit to All My Relations Gallery located in Minneapolis, MN. On display was AL•TER-NA-TIVE, a solo exhibition featuring a collection of paintings and sculptures from artist Frank Buffalo Hyde (Onondaga/Niimíipuu (Nez Perce). The gallery was adorned with vivid and pop-culture-saturated works that reflect on the commodification of American Indian culture. The guided tour was led by Arts Director, Angela Two Stars, Development Director, John Williams, and Programs Coordinator, Juleana Enright.
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“My mission is, “Be a good relative.” That is our Highest property. Everyone who comes into this space is a relative and we want them to feel good. Our community is reflected in the work here.”
“All of our collaborations are intentional to help people be seen - and artists need to pay bills! We always consider how can we elevate artists in our programs so they can work outside the box, in place making, in public spaces.”
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“The American Indian Blueprint, is a broadly envisioned community document; we are ahead of many of the other cultural corridors controlling about 70% of the land. We say, ‘if you control the land you control your destiny.’ There are 40-50 Native tribes and property holders in this area of Minneapolis."
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"Frank is pushing the boundaries of contemporary Native art, and what is 'expected.' He says, "The feathers are implied."
Some of the GIA board and local GIA members tour AL•TER-NA-TIVE at All My Relations Gallery .
Minneapolis American Indian Center & Gatherings Café
GIA board members entering the newly renovated Minneapolis American Indian Center.
The Minneapolis American Indian Center is the heart and soul of the community, with most events beginning and ending along the cultural corridor. The GIA group explored the grand facilities which include a Boys and Girls Club, co-working offices, workout facilities, an art gallery, and more.
The Center is active in many initiatives that help advance the greater Minneapolis community:
Indian Child Welfare Act Services (ICWA): The staff works diligently to ensure that children are placed with Native families. The Court Monitor attends court hearings to observe and monitor for Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) law violations. They also provide training to judges, attorneys, and social workers on the act. The goal of the program is to increase ICWA compliance. The project provides a widely distributed ICWA Court Monitor Newsletter to state and national stakeholders.
Metropolitan Urban-Indian Directors (MUD): Organizes the Center so that we are not fighting with other local organizations over the very small amount of dollars available to our communities or competing programming. This organization acts as an intermediary allowing a collaborative and asset-based approach so that each of us can do well, together.
Cultural Language Arts Network (CLAN): This network utilizes American Indian culture as a prevention tool. American Indian youth, adults, and families participate in cultural activities allowing them to learn and practice our cultural traditions and language.
Intermediaries are mission-driven organizations that aim to more effectively link donors (individuals, foundations, and corporations) with organizations and individuals delivering charitable services.
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Intermediaries are mission-driven organizations that aim to more effectively link donors (individuals, foundations, and corporations) with organizations and individuals delivering charitable services. 〰️
“For us, having our tribal leaders here is important to us and the community.”
Pillsbury House & Theater
Signe V. Harriday, Senior Artistic Producing Director, guided our group through the Theatre House, Full Cycle, and Halvey’s body shop, an auto shop converted into a scene shop in December of 2022.
The Pillsbury House + Theatre offers a Youth Training Program where young people are encourage and provided the resources to learn the back end events of theater. Catalytic opportunities are always a part of the mission.
“Access, attachment, agency - arts and culture in a community can really drive the connections to these three principles to “the soul of community” (referencing the Knight Foundation report) - Mike Hoyt, Creative Community Director
GIA board and Staff gathered outside of Pillsbury House + Theater before a facility tour.
A Pilgrimage through George Floyd Square
Rise & Remember’s mission is to remember the past, empower the future, and contribute to a more equitable world. Pilgrimage journeys at George Floyd Square (GFS) offer guided experiences for visitors to grieve, pay respect, and be inspired to pursue racial justice. Community members act as pilgrimage guides, sharing their experiences and the stories behind GFS to deepen guests’ understanding of its significance and the ongoing fight for racial justice. These pilgrimages, tailored to the group's backgrounds and intentions, encourage participants to engage in the protest work of remembrance and inspire them to pursue racial justice in their own lives.
Some of GIA’s board and staff were led through George Floyd Square by Executive Director of Rise & Remember, Jeanelle Austin, who gave opening remarks establishing context before handing it off to pilgrimage guides Georgio Wright and Jennie Leenay. Jennie and Georgio are both dedicated members of the Minneapolis community and dedicated to multiple projects approximate to George Floyd Square including The People’s Closet, 612 MASH, and the Rise & Remember Festival, to name a few.
Photo Credit: David Samuels
“Rise & Remember navigates directly to the action that supports and centers black artists in their ability to create positive change and inspiration throughout the community. The work made possible by Rise & Remember is unmeasurably valuable to our collective justice and honest narrative.”
GIA Arts Reception at Diane’s Place
GIA Board member, Kathy Mouachepao, introducing Chef Diane to the attendees of the GIA Arts Reception.
To end the Day of Learning — GIA board, staff, community leaders, and staff from Jerome Foundation, gathered at Diane’s Place, a Hmong American full-service restaurant which opened in April of 2024. It is located in Northeast Minneapolis and brings together Chef Diane’s incredible talents in pastry and the comfort recipes of her Hmong heritage in an exceptional culinary experience.
Chef Diane spoke on the history behind opening the communal space in the kitchen, “After COVID, while deciding whether to open a bakery or not, I realized that what I was missing going back to my roots. I learned from some of the best chefs in the city. I’m the first child to be born in the U.S. — my name was given by the sponsor who hosted my parents in the U.S. Diane is actually a tribute to honor my parents, to honor why they came here, [our ancestors, what freedom is, who we are]… When you come here and eat, it’s a reflection of ‘how my parents made it and what I grew up on.’ Going back to my roots, [I asked myself] who am I? What am I?”
Diane welcomes all members of the community to experience and embrace the magic of cultural significance in culinary creation.
