mhc_fy25_annual_report - Flipbook - Page 23
Power of Storytelling
MHC works to elevate
storytellers, authors,
poets, and editors to guide
us through past, present, and
future with words written or
spoken and recorded for
future generations.
MHC worked to enhance the state’s
vibrant literary ecosystem through
the MN Writers Off the Page series,
providing emerging storytellers the
opportunity to gather in local libraries,
bookstores, and community spaces to
read, answer questions, and amplify
their stories to new audiences.
can inspire a kinder,
“ Writers
fairer, more beautiful world, or
incite selfishness, stereotyping,
and violence. Writers can unite
people or divide them.”
M A RY P I P H E R
In honor of National Poetry Month in April,
MHC collaborated with the Minnesota
Poet Laureate, several city (Minneapolis,
Northfield, Rochester) Poet Laureates,
and other award winning poets to expose
Minnesotans from all walks of life and
corners of the state to different types of
poetry and to actively involve them in
writing and creating poetry.
Resistance, Voice, & Verse: A Latino Poetry
Reading provided Rochester students with
an opportunity to read personal poems and
poems from “Latino Poetry: The Library of
America Anthology,” in an event emceed
by City of Rochester Poet Laureate,
Jean Prokott. Latino Poetry was created
with generous support from the
Emerson Collective.
American clinical psychologist and best-selling author
Many Fronts Poetry and Memorials at the Capitol Mall provided
Veterans and civilians the chance to reflect upon military experience,
monuments, and memorials on the Minnesota State Capitol Mall as
well as space to create ekphrastic poems, vivid descriptions of works
of art that they know and have appreciated in a new way.
Let’s Animate!— A Poetry Craft Talk and
Workshop allowed individuals to enjoy
poetry and also gave them an opportunity
to create poetry and other writings upon
receiving a prompt from Poet Laureate of
Minneapolis Heid E. Erdrich’s book
“Verb Animate: Poems and Prompts
from Collaborative Acts.”
Learn more about how MHC is showcasing storytelling, writing, and poetry to encourage
personal reflection and greater understanding at mnhum.org/what-we-do/public-programming.
Threads of Tanka: A Reading and Poetry
Writing Event welcomed the Poet Laureate
of Northfield, Russ Paladin, and Minnesota
Poet Laureate, Gwen Nell Westerman, for
an evening that took guests deep into
preserving and appreciating the Japanese
“short song” poetry genre of tanka that
focuses on nature, emotions, or
personal experiences.
