Volunteers build understanding and deep relationships through learning community events.
Volunteers get to know one another, learn from nationally renowned speakers, engage in interfaith dialogue, and develop strategies to engage others in the work of creating real, systemic change in Greater Saint Paul.
Upcoming 2020-2021 Learning Community Events
November 19
December 10
January 21
February 11
March 18
April 15
May 20
June 17
July 17
Materials from 2020–2021 Learning Community Events
October 13, 2020: Racism in Education – Looking back and forward
Gaye Adams Massey, CEO YWCA Saint Paul, and Deena Zubulake, Director of Programs, YWCA Saint Paul, discussed highlights of the history of racism in American education, history’s impact on today’s racial disparities in Minnesota (and the nation), and strategies and tools for effective engagement with young learners affected by this history. Interfaith text study leader was Mark Berkson, Hamline University.
Webinar of Discussion | School to Prison Pipeline video | Teaching Tolerance to Young Children video | Racism in Education PDF | Buddhist Texts on Anatman
September 17, 2020: Opportunity Saint Paul Program Year Kick-off
Webinar
2019–2020 Learning Community Events
August 20, 2020: Introduction to Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices
Dr. Raj Sethuraju, Metropolitan State University, discussed how to bring those harmed by offenses or conflict and those responsible for the harm into communication to repair harm. Webinar
July 23, 2020: Challenging Inequality: The Six Degrees of Segregation – Dr. Yohuru Williams, University of St. Thomas
Dr. Williams explored the history of racial inequality in America from the end of the Civil War through the murder of George Floyd. Webinar; PowerPoint; Suggested Reading List
May 21, 2020: Daniel Karpowitz – College in Prison
Assistant Commissioner MN Department of Corrections Daniel Karpowitz joined with Zelda Roland, Director of the Yale Prison Education Initiative at Dwight Hall. Webinar
January 16, 2020: Transportation History in Saint Paul
MN Rep. Frank Hornstein discussed how access to transportation is not equally distributed and how we can approach future projects with a greater sense of equity and justice. Video: Rep. Frank Hornstein; Video: Text Study
December 12, 2019: Immigrant Patterns in Saint Paul
Peter Rachleff, co-founder of the East Side Freedom Library, shared insights into immigrant patterns in Saint Paul. Video: Peter Rachleff; Video: Text Study
October 17, 2019: Housing
Margaret Kaplan, president of the Housing Justice Center, led a discussion about the history of redlining, racially restrictive covenants, and other deliberate policies that led to disparities in housing ownership by race. Video: Margaret Kaplan; Video: Text Study; Redlining PowerPoint
2018–2019 Learning Community Events
Learn more, download resources and watch videos from 2018-2019 here.