mhc_fy25_annual_report - Flipbook - Page 12
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Comedy Building Bridges
Comedy can be a powerful tool that helps
people create shared joy, bridge cultural
divides, and reduce social barriers. When
we laugh together, we create a sense of
belonging and allow ourselves to see the
world from a different perspective.
MHC, to combat increasing polarization within society, sought
the help of the improvisational comedians of Danger Boat
Productions (Danger Boat) to create a unique civic engagement
effort known as Sketches of Minnesota. Danger Boat, like MHC,
seeks to illuminate ideas, lift people up, and educate and
engage people on complex issues.
“ You have a gift for
opening up dialogue in
people who normally
wouldn’t share. We
learned a lot about the
community and some
of its needs.”
PA M E L A M A R KO
2025 Sketches of Minnesota Host Site Planning Team
Sketches of Minnesota is a unique civic engagement project
created to enhance respectful dialogue across ideological
differences to build trust between neighbors. The concept is
relatively straightforward. Find a trusted organization that can
ask neighbors with different viewpoints to come to dinner so
they can talk with their neighbors and enjoy a night of comedy.
Several improvisational comedians from Danger Boat and MHC
staff facilitated conversations over dinner with four questions
about their community and its future. Utilizing what they heard
from community members, Danger Boat comedians would
create comedic improvisational skits highlighting the best,
the challenges, and the hope of the community.
After the half-hour of comedy, MHC and Danger Boat would
facilitate a conversation about what was revealed during the
comedy show.
Community organizations, foundations, and political leaders so
greatly appreciated the night of comedy and the opportunity to
build bridges that MHC and Danger Boat will bring Sketches of
Minnesota for a 2026 comedy tour. We thank our wonderful local
2025 host partners in Braham, New Ulm, Rochester, Minneapolis,
Fergus Falls, Rosemount, Bigfork, Fosston, and Otter Tail County.
Learn more about how the Sketches of Minnesota program fosters
understanding and highlights the threads that make up the fabric of
Minnesota at mnhum.org/program/sketches-of-minnesota.
2025
Sketches of MN
locations
Learn more about how the Sketches of
Minnesota program fosters understanding
and highlights the threads that make up the
fabric of Minnesota at https://www.mnhum.
org/program/sketches-of-minnesota/.
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| Minnesota Humanities Center |
