The Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934 History Discussion with Local Artist and Designer, Keith Christensen

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Keith Christensen and Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds at George Floyd Square, September, 2021

The Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934 was a pivotal event in both local and national labor history. Commemorative events around the 90th anniversary are in the planning stages. We spoke to Keith Christensen a Minneapolis artist and designer, about the history around the strike and a new exhibit “In Union, Native Engagements” which highlights the role of Native Americans in the 1934 strike and many other social change movements. 

Q: The 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters Strike made international headlines and showed other unions the way forward for decades to come. Could you please give our readers a synopsis of the strike and outcomes?

A: In 1934 a cloud enveloped the country during the Great Depression. Poverty, hunger, and fear blanketed the most vulnerable. Many were unemployed and those who did have jobs suffered with very meager wages. The haze created hopelessness, and many felt powerless. There wasn’t a path out of the gloom. Tension was in the air. Class resentment was growing.

In 1934 Minneapolis was under the control of the Citizens’ Alliance, an employers’ group that effectively banned unions. The city was an open-shop system; employers would not recognize unions. Workers were fired on whims and for any effort to organize when they tried to negotiate for better conditions. However, the General Drivers Local 574 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) organized workers of the trucking industry into an industrial union. This was a trade union that combined all workers, both skilled and unskilled, in the transportation industry. 

Do Not Dance, Nature Calls, (design for print) inkjet on canvas, 3’x 7’, 2022 Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds and Keith ChristensenWhen employers refused to recognize the union, its leaders called a strike. The details of the strike are complex as well as dramatic. The strikers endured a brutal police force, a hostile press, and resistance from the parent union. They published their own strike newspaper The Organizer to inform the public of the strike’s aims and to keep workers informed of developments. They gained the support of other unions and cultivated favorable public opinion. The strike had a contingent called the Women’s Auxiliary that helped feed strikers and nurse the injured. After the police violently attacked the strikers, the women marched on City Hall to protest the brutality. Thousands attended the funeral procession of strike martyr Henry Ness. 

The police and the National Guard were called in to guard trucks driven by scabs. The Citizens’ Alliance activated their local militia. The strikers countered with effective picketing and stoppage of commerce. Conflict escalated daily throughout May and reached a peak late in the month at the city market, where strikers clashed with police, who were trying to break the strike. Hundreds were involved in the battle that raged on violently for two days. Many were injured and several were killed. It was called the “Battle of Deputies Run” because the police and deputies were forced to flee. However, things changed when on July 20, 1934 police staged a revenge ambush, where scores of strikers were shot and two died from their wounds. The day became known as Bloody Friday. The strike continued even with the leaders arrested and imprisoned by the National Guard. It finally ended because of the strikers’ persistence, compelling President Franklin Roosevelt to step in and stop the turmoil. The President’s representatives pressured the banks by threatening to call in federal loans and so forced the employers to agree to a settlement. The strike ended on August 21, 1934. Minneapolis became a union town. The Truckers’ Strike marked a turning point in state and national labor history, opening the way for enactment of laws acknowledging and protecting workers’ rights.

Q:  How did the Teamsters Union break the strong anti-union Citizen’s Alliance? 

A:  They fought like hell. They knew what they were up against: an entrenched system that brutally suppressed workers. They won by having a strong, disciplined leadership and an amazing solidarity of the rank-and-file union members. They used tactics such as having school boys ride motorcycles throughout the city on the lookout for scab drivers trying to break the strike. They gained support of farmers by allowing them to sell produce during the shutdown. Local historian Bill Milikan has written a great book on this: Union Against Unions, The Minneapolis Citizens Alliance and Its Fight Against Organized Labor, 1903–1947. It’s the first book-length study of the Citizens Alliance, a union of Minneapolis business owners, detailing their use of financial and political power, as well as propaganda and brute force, in their campaign against organized labor.

Q:  What commemorative events are planned for the 90th anniversary? 

A:  The 90th anniversary will be in 2024. I’m sure there will be a street festival with music and speakers as well as a picnic. It will be a time to celebrate the success of the strike but just as importantly to relate to the present. As in the past there will be representatives speaking from union organizing campaigns and social justice groups. Descendants of the strike will be there to honor their relatives. It will take place in an election year and so there will be heightened interest in dealing with political issues and advocating for beneficial policies. The group Remember 1934 is a collective that advocates for equity as well as democracy. The problems of the world, starting with climate change, need to be addressed through a process of engagement by workers and all people.  

Q:  Can you tell us more about In Union, Native Engagements? How were Native Americans involved in the 1934 strike? Will the exhibit come to Minneapolis? 

A:  In Union, Native Engagements is an exhibition and book project that affirms the value of Native roles in social change. It has three components: the past, personal and present. The collaborative artwork is connected to family and the fight for rights. The book provides the facts of Native engagement in the historic Minneapolis Truckers’ Strike, a family’s participation in a union and the water protectors, an Indigenous-led environmental movement. The intention is to show a larger meaning of solidarity. We believe that the political problems need collective action as a solution in order for all people to survive.

Rebellion Leader Emanuel (Hap) Holstein, (design for print) inkjet on canvas, 3’x 7’, 2022 Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds and Keith ChristensenEdgar (Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds) and I have known each other since meeting in NYC in the mid 80’s and working together on various projects. I’m lucky to know him, he is an amazing person and artist. He was aware of my ongoing involvement with the Remember 1934 collective and the game project I created about the strike called Game Turn. I shared with him that at least two participants were Natives. He thought that was remarkable and felt that Natives have been so marginalized that they weren’t “a part of anything”. Edgar created monoprints that used expressive, personal letterforms. It included the names of the two strikers, Emanuel Gustav “Hap” Holstein and Ray Rainbolt. He also provided his word art about his union member father Charles Heap of Birds and a piece about protests. I created portraits and images that related to his work. We then had banners printed that combined our images.

This project is an attempt to use artistic means to convey the stories of individuals who were more than figures of a dead history. Its purpose is to connect the past to the present, demonstrating, as one point to another, that Natives were engaged in social change then and are doing so now. Indigenous people fought collectively before as they do today.

The IAM Union in Wichita, Kansas provided some meaningful support for a Cheyenne-Arapaho family in a time of estrangement and stress. It also was the means for connecting with other workers and the way to share power. The personal and granular view of a union household is recalled by Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds. 

Mike Alewitz knew some of the participants in the 1934 strike and shares his perspective on what the strike means today and going forward. 

The water protectors are changing the world. The pipeline protests in tribal lands in Minnesota are a recent manifestation of an intense political, social, and cultural activism. They have been led by Indigenous groups that include the Honor the Earth organization co-founded by Winona LaDuke. She contributes her views asserting that Native values are needed to transform the ecosystem. Filmmaker Keri Pickett shares her understanding of the issues with photographs of the protests. Macalaster professor and artist John Kim writes about the participants’ messaging and how it relates to international cultural action. And art historian Yates McKee makes connections between the artists’ work, the historical context, and the ongoing movement.

We plan on exhibiting the project at the Open Source Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, from February 11-March 24th. Edgar and I will attend the opening on February 11th and plan on participating in a podcast that will be broadcast shortly thereafter. We do hope that this exhibition and book project will be presented in this area soon. It is tied very directly to Minnesota and I know many here would like to see it because of its relevance.

Q:  How may we learn more and stay up to date with news around the 1934 Strike? 

A:  The Remember 1934 collective has established a website called Handing History Onward that will provide information about the strike commemoration.

See more on the IN UNION exhibition here.

The book, IN UNION, is available on Amazon.com.

Welcome Back the Herons Event - March 18 at Marshall Terrace Park

Saturday March 18 / 11:00am – 1:00pm

Great blue herons start returning to their rookery on the Mississippi River toward the end of March. Join Mississippi Park Connection and Ranger Will at Marshall Terrace Park, 2740 Marshall Street NE in Minneapolis to watch them rebuild nests and do a little flirting. If you're lucky, you might see the resident peregrine falcons fly over, as well as migrating ducks like buffleheads and goldeneye.

• The even takes place on the banks of the Mississippi River, weather permitting. Prepare for some mud or ice.
• Binoculars and cameras are encouraged - there will be a few spotting scopes to aid viewing the birds.
• This event is free, but registration is required to help with crowd control.
• A ranger or volunteer will greet you on the walking path near the trail that leads to the river bank.
• The walking path is fully accessible, but the trail that leads down to the river bank is not. The heron rookery is still visible from the walking path. Please ask a park ranger or volunteer for assistance.
• Free parking can be reliably found on the street adjacent to the park, Marshall Street SE. Please allow heron-viewers with mobility needs to use the park's smaller parking lot.

Registration  *  Facebook Event

Non-profit Leader: Patty Healy Janssen, Executive Director, Jeremiah Program

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Patty Healy JanssenFounded in 1993, Jeremiah Program is headquartered in Minneapolis with nine campuses across the country. Their work with single mothers is innovative and proven effective in breaking the cycle of poverty. We talked to Patty Healy Janssen, Executive Director, to learn more about this game changing non-profit and how we can assist their efforts.

Q:  Please tell us about the history and mission of Jeremiah Program. 

A:  Jeremiah Program (JP) is a nonprofit organization helping single mothers invest in themselves so they can thrive and take steps toward economic mobility. Our programs empower single mothers to gain ongoing access to higher education, affordable childcare, housing and the training they need to further their professional development.

Q:  It's so commendable that the Jeremiah Program is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children. In your 30th year, what outcomes have you seen in this goal? What is the return on investment that you've documented after 30 years of your program offerings?

A:  While JP was founded in 1993, the current model we use today with physical campuses and housing didn’t begin until the first building opened in Minneapolis in 1998, so this year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary! Today, JP is a national thought leader on generational poverty and the systemic barriers facing single-parent families. Our success lies in our commitment to meeting the moment, addressing structural inequities, and following the leadership of women most proximate to the issues of early childhood education, college access, income inequality and affordable housing. In 2022, our Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses served the highest number of families in our history, impacting 657 lives. Our family coaches delivered over 2,500 hours of coaching support to our moms as they navigated their college success journeys. Our teachers provided education and developmental support to 66 children from ages 0-5.

Over 25 years, we’ve supported nearly 200 single mother college graduates in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro. Additionally, we’ve created a 529 college savings plan match program to jumpstart their children’s college going futures.

Q:  What type of volunteer opportunities are available here in Minneapolis?

A:  In 2022, JP launched the Career Volunteer Mentor Program (CVMP), a 4-week program that pairs JP Moms with career professionals. This program is available to all JP locations and due to the virtual nature of the program, our career volunteer mentors join from across the nation. By the end of the year, three sessions of the program were hosted during the months of February, June, and October, and over 100 JP moms and career volunteer mentors participated.

Participating JP moms learn to leverage their experiences to create powerful career profiles on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, with the guidance of the paired career volunteer mentor and their professional insights. However, the larger goal of this program is empowerment. Empowering our moms to own their stories in an advantageous way that highlights their transferrable skills and empowering our career volunteer mentors to experience the success of coaching while simultaneously gaining a better understanding the systemic challenges single mothers face that impede economic mobility.

Q:  What programs and services are offered to your participants?

A:  The JP experience provides resources and support for moms to author life-changing opportunities for their families and their children. This is achieved through our five core pillars, which are anchored by personalized coaching to form a two-generational model. Our moms have access to support for career-track college education, quality early childhood education, safe and affordable housing, empowerment and leadership training, and a supportive community.

Q:  How does a single mother qualify to enter the program?

A:  To become a JP mom, you must be a single mother to at least one child and hold a high school diploma or GED. You also have to be ready to start or go back to college within 6 months of acceptance and must attend our virtual Empowerment and Leadership course weekly for 12 consecutive weeks. For Minneapolis mothers, we also require at least one child to be under the age of 5 and if you are applying for housing, all children must be under the age of 7.

Q:  Please tell us about the Empowerment course.

A:  JP’s signature Empowerment and Leadership course (E&L) is based on the premise that our moms are the experts of their lives and their families. Empowerment training is a 12-week course held virtually that is an admissions requirement for our program. In E&L, moms reflect on the arcane narratives placed on low-income women, especially women of color and mothers, and reassert their role as experts in their own lives and leaders in their communities. They begin exploring new possibilities and goals for themselves within a supportive community of other single mothers, including attending workshops to build capacity in career exploration, financial literacy, positive parenting, healthy living and more.

Q:  How may we support your efforts? Do you need donations of household items, in addition to cash?

A:  To learn more about how to support JP and our moms, check out our website. Encourage anyone in your network who can benefit from our program and community to apply, or consider giving a monetary donation to help support our work.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  Check out our website. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Editor's Note:

Chef Gavin Kaysen is welcoming Chefs Nancy Silverton, Kristen Kish, Daniel Humm and John Shields to Minneapolis and the Spoon and Stable kitchen for the 6th annual Synergy Series. This year, the collaborative dinner and dialogue series will benefit the Jeremiah Program!

Local Food and Culture Luminaries Launch Nonprofit, BIPOC Foodways Alliance

Chef / Writer Mecca Bos and Chef Sean Sherman recently founded BIPOC Foodways Alliance with a mission to document and share underrepresented food stories.

Launch event / fundraiser slated for Feb 28 at Glass House

Mecca Bos has been a food writer and chef for the past 25 years, working extensively around Black Foodways specifically, but also with BIPOC communities in the Twin Cities and beyond. Her partner, Sean Sherman, is the co-owner of award-winning restaurant Owamni, and nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS). Together they have launched BIPOC Foodways Alliance, with a diverse group of board members who are hosting a ticketed launch event and fundraiser on February 28th.

While everyone has a food story, not everyone has a restaurant. The group’s main focus will be convening small events built around a community member and their story. The series is called the BIPOC Foodways Alliance Table (BFAT). The Table will provide a platform for those stories, intentionally inviting a diverse group of guests to have a seat at the table, to promote cross-cultural understanding and sharing through the universally spoken language of food. The organization intends to share stories across the Table itself, but also with the broader community using multiple forms of media: print, video, audio, and beyond. The Tables serve as both the core program of the organization and as a place to preserve, uplift, and protect the stories of BIPOC communities.

With the generous pro bono support of law firm Faegre Drinker, the organization is slated to reach 501c3 status by the end of 2023, and the fundraiser seeks to keep the project alive and well until that time.

The launch party will take place Tuesday, February 28 at Glass House, 145 Holden Street N, from 6pm to 10pm. It will feature entertainment by Cornbread Harris, DJ Tricky Miki, food by Sean Sherman, plus a presentation by Mecca Bos and members of the board, including Chef Yia Vang. A cash bar will feature BIPOC-created cocktails.

Sliding scale tickets are available via Eventbrite.

Must See Art Exhibit: Astroturf at Gamut Gallery

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Ranchero Mirage by Nicole Mueller

Cassie GarnerNot everyone in Minnesota can travel to Palm Springs during the winter months. However, we all can visit Gamut Gallery, 717 10th Street S, for a SoCal experience. Astroturf is the gallery’s first exhibit of 2023. We asked Cassie Garner, Gallery Director, to give us a preview of what we’ll see in the multi-media exhibit, along with the coming months of the year. Here's way she had to say:

We all need a trip to Palm Springs as we enter the peak of winter - save the travel time and head just blocks away to Gamut Gallery in Elliot Park! Gamut Gallery’s first show of 2023, Astroturf, plays with the idea of appearances vs. authenticity through the iconic influence of SoCal architecture, pop art and post-painterly abstraction. Astroturf peers over the neighbor’s hedge to sneak a peek of how the Joneses really live.

Lily Yellow by Genie Castro Gamut’s multimedia exhibit, in collaboration with Blu Dot, features local Minnesota artists, Genie Castro and Nicole Mueller, along with returning SoCal artists, Human Shaped Animal and Neal Breton. Astroturf embraces bold and vivid colors, hard-edge lines and geometry, this selection of work celebrates the resurgence and influence of the mid-century movement and pop-culture Southern California suburbia.

Astroturf features larger-than-life abstract monoprints, an oasis of pools, plants, serene places within paintings and photography and tropical foliage with post-painterly abstraction to produce sculptural, yet functional, wall fixtures that incorporate living plants.

Pink Moment by Neal Breton

Astroturf kicks off Gamut's 2023 calendar year. We have a lot planned for the year and welcome you to each exhibit! Expect artworks from the @kaleidoskullart duo, @montymontgomery and @tony_philippou. The party continues into the Summer, as we will be switching things up this year by hosting our annual group exhibit, Call for Work (#C4W) exhibit while the sunshine is upon us. As Fall approaches, @chucku_art will lend his hand not only as an artist, but curating his first group exhibit this September! We are honored after 5 years of working alongside @emilyquandahlart, we will host the first solo exhibit of her career here in the Twin Cities this October. Finally, we will wrap up the year with a spark of wintery inspiration with our 12th Annual Raging Art On (#RAO) Holiday Sale featuring all MN artists.

As always, each of our events will feature bonus art talks, music, and festivities. Check out website and social media to stay up to date – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

Great River Coalition Announces Annual Earth Day 5K Bee Run/Walk/River Cleanup at Boom Island Park, April 22

The Great River Coalition has announced their annual Earth Day 5K Bee Run/Walk/River Cleanup at Boom Island Park, 724 Sibley Street NE, will take place Saturday, April 22 from 9am to 12pm. The event features a family and dog-friendly fun run/walk, river cleanup, and Earth Day festivities to protect pollinators and their habitat. Learn more and register at greatrivercoalition.com/2023-beerunwalkcleanup.

Since 2017, the Great River Coalition has been raising funds for pollinator plantings along the Mississippi River and building awareness about the importance of protecting and saving our pollinators due to climate and environmental changes. Native pollinators, including the federally endangered Rusty-patched bumble bee and other wild bees, need our help more than ever.

The Earth Day 5K Bee Run/Walk/River Cleanup is hosted by the Great River Coalition, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the National Park Service, St. Catherine University, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and Mill City Running/St. City Running.

The 5K course traverses through the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area - the only national park offering scenic views of the Mississippi River. Following the 5K, participants will be able to take part in an organized river cleanup and enjoy festivities including live music and entertainment, prizes, games for kids, demonstrations, and more. Photo ops will include a bee-themed selfie station, notable appearances, and mascots. Bee and pollinator themed costumes are highly encouraged! All are encouraged to participate in the event to help save our bees and other pollinators.

Rusty-patched bumble bee“Great River Coalition is working to expand the habitat for our pollinators,” said Board President Diane Hofstede. “If you walk along our Minneapolis riverfront, or travel around the state, you’ll see the limited food resources that sustain our pollinators as they travel along the Mississippi River. The erosion created by the lack of grasslands contributes to soil and water pollution, and encourages invasive species. The Rusty-patched bumble bee, Minnesota’s state bumble bee, is now listed as critically endangered. They have lost 95% of their range, and experienced a 90% decrease in abundance. We aim to bring awareness to the vital role pollinators play in the health of our riverfront communities.”

Event Details:

The cost is $40 in advance, $45 on Race Day. Free for kids race (ages 6 and under) and River Clean Up. Includes family-friendly activities and a celebration of Earth Day.

The 5K will start promptly at 9am. A free kids race, with goodie bags, will be held at 8:30am - children must be age 6 or under and must be registered before the event, either online or in-person.

River Clean Up volunteers should also register online before the event. This activity is free.

Coming Soon to the Mill District - Milly’s Wine Bar

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Brandon WitzelSomething great is coming to 1129 Washington Avenue S - Milly’s Wine Bar! We talked to co-owner, Brandon Witzel (who also serves as onsite manager and designer) about the plans for the wine bar and the wonderful community events to be hosted in the space. I think I’m a Level 2 wine enthusiast - how about you?

Q:  Why will the business be named Milly's Wine Bar?

A:  It's a play off the Mill District neighborhood name, but all three of us knew a Milly in some capacity - Aunt, friend, or in my case, a dog.

Q:  How did the team conceive of Milly’s?

A:  It was all pure chance, honestly, we found the building before we thought of a wine bar! A partner spotted a small for sale sign in the window of 1129 Washington Avenue S while driving home one day. We met the owner, who was waiting for the right buyer, and a few weeks later we closed on the building (he even held a key blessing for us!). It's been a long time in the works, but we're beyond excited to bring Milly’s to the neighborhood! We've got a few phases to work through, but we're hoping the next phases will be driven by our customers' feedback.

First floor concept

Q:  Why is it important to you to bring old buildings back to life? What other buildings have you rehabbed?

A:  An old building just has charm and a story that can't be recreated. In a neighborhood that's modern, having something original just feels inviting. Milly's used to be a bottle company in its origin, a few revamps in between before it was an architecture firm.

We have another building on Eat Street which is a coworking boutique location (Flockmpls.com) and is on the historical registry! It's a really fun space to collaborate, hold a meeting, or just get out of the house. 

Q:  As a wine bar, will you help beginners choose wine and food pairings? 

A:  Absolutely, wine is great but getting the right snack with your glass or bottle only enhances your experience. Our vision for this is four-fold:

Level 1: The Aficionado The level based on my partners - they know wine, they've traveled the world and can tell you about wineries, regions, vintages, etc.

Level 2: The Intermediate Based on my experience - I know the style of wine I like, I know certain areas I like, but I don't know enough of all areas to speak extensively on it.

Level 3: The Beginner Based on our families - they love Stella Rose, Franzia, Barefoot, etc., which is great, but they are unsure of themselves when they go into a restaurant if they don't know a wine by name. Our goal here isn't to push them into something, but ultimately have them leave Milly’s saying, "I didn't know I'd like that, where can I buy this?" or "That was really fun, I'd like to go back and try more."

Level 4: The 'I don't drink wine' Based on some of my clients - wine isn't their jam, I get it. But we've found some wine that sips like a bourbon and we're developing our wine cocktails (espresso martini, Negroni, etc., which are WINE-focused!). We think we will be able to please Level 4 patrons, too.

We're also working on our non-alcoholic selections. Although it's not as vast, everyone's taste levels are included!

Q:  You have said on earlier occasions that you'll serve gigantic cheese boards - please tell us more about your ideas.

A:  Hahaha, well we've expanded this idea. We're having a 'nibbles' section where you can do a cheese, cracker and a dip for one person. From there, we're going to simplify it where you choose your own adventure. You can do a cheese board (3 standard house cheeses) served with crackers and jam with the option to add in one or two rotating cheeses that may be in for the day, the week, or the month (trying new cheeses should be fun!). You'll also have the option to add in meats, jams, fruits, etc. 

Not your style? We're currently workshopping 3 different food boards, so if you're like me and coming in for a chat, you can order a bottle of wine and graze on different items to your heart's content.

Impressive wall covering comprised of wine bottle corks.

Q:  What type of events do you envision for Milly's? 

A:  We see small, intimate wedding receptions, condo resident gatherings and wine tastings, but once we're open I think the space and community will tell us what we need and want. We truly want this to be a 'neighborhood' wine bar that's going to grow and change with the neighborhood.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  For right now, please follow us on Instagram.

Minneapolis Central City Tunnel Project Update - February 17

Via a February 17 e-announcement from the City of Minneapolis:

Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis Public Works Department is constructing a new parallel storm tunnel, enlarging a portion of the existing storm tunnel, and constructing a new tunnel access in Downtown Minneapolis. This project is anticipated to be completed summer 2023.

The new tunnel is being constructed parallel to the existing tunnel located under Washington Ave S between Nicollet Mall and Chicago Ave. The existing tunnel under Chicago Ave between Washington Ave S and the Mississippi River is being expanded to handle the increased stormwater capacity. The purpose of this project is to reduce pressure in the existing tunnel, provide more room for future growth, and to reduce the need for future repairs and tunnel failures.

Project Map

Latest Project News

Mississippi River Portal

• Crews continue enlarging the existing storm tunnel at the Mississippi River and have begun lining the tunnel with concrete.

 2nd Ave

• Crews continue tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave from the new tunnel access shaft in the southbound lanes of 2nd Ave S, just north of the Washington Ave intersection and have begun lining the tunnel with concrete.

 Portland Ave

• Crews continue tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave from the existing tunnel access shaft at the northeast corner of the Washington Ave and Portland Ave intersection and have begun lining the tunnel with concrete.

Tunneling Progress

In February, the project reached 77% completion with excavation. Crews have removed approximately 55,500 tons of material to date. As noted in the infographic above, 55,500 tons is equal to the weight of more than five Eiffel Towers.

Lining Progress

In February, crews continued to work on the concrete tunnel lining. To date,1,400 cubic yards of concrete have been poured. As noted in the infographic above, 1,400 cubic yards is equal to about two fifths the volume of an Olympic swimming pool. This process is approximately 10.5% complete.

Long-term closures/restrictions

• The north westbound lane, bike lane, and parking lane remains closed on Washington Ave between Portland Ave and Park Ave. These closures will remain in place until the project is completed. This is necessary for the contractor to utilize the existing shaft to connect the existing tunnel to the new tunnel.
  • During this closure, pedestrians can still use the sidewalks along Washington Ave.
  • Crosswalks across Washington Ave and Portland Ave will remain open.
  • Bicyclists will share the traffic lane.
  • The existing left turn lane on Washington Ave at the Portland Ave intersection will temporarily become a left turn and through lane.

• The north sidewalk along Washington Ave remains restricted between Hennepin Ave and Nicollet Mall. The contractor will resume tunneling from the existing tunnel to the new tunnel at a later date.
  • During these restrictions, pedestrians share the bike lane on Washington Ave.
  • The crosswalks at the Washington Ave intersections of Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Ave remains open.

• The sidewalk on the east side of 4th Ave S remains restricted through the end of the project. The dewatering well and pumps are installed in this area.
  • Pedestrians can use the sidewalk on the west side of 4th Ave S.
  • The crosswalk at the Washington Ave and 4th Ave intersection remains open.
  • Access to driveways off 4th Ave S remains open.

• The west sidewalk of Portland Ave south of Washington Ave will remain restricted to pedestrians around the dewatering well and pumps until the project is completed.

• The parking lot and trail near Mill Runs Park will remain closed until spring 2023.

• 2nd Ave S remains a single lane in each direction using the northbound lanes between Washington Ave and 1st St S. Access will be restricted until the project is completed.
  • Access to driveways off 2nd Ave S remain open. There may be short-term access delays while crews move equipment and materials around.

Stay Connected

There are multiple ways to get information including email updates and ongoing stakeholder meetings. Visit the project website for more information and to sign up for project updates.

Email the project team: info@mplscentralcitytunnel.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-888-9418

The Beauty & The Beast Immersive Cocktail Experience is Coming to Stilheart Distillery & Cocktail Lounge

An immersive cocktail adventure is coming to Stilheart Distillery & Cocktail Lounge, 124 N 3rd Avenue! It will  run from February 22nd until May 21st. This enchanting experience is brought to you by the interactive team behind The Wizard’s Den, Neverland Bar and The Alice: An Immersive Cocktail Experience. Come along on a 90-minute journey (based on the Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont fairytale) and step into the enchanted and cursed world of Beauty & The Beast.

Partake in an elegant, Victorian cocktail party (dress-ups encouraged!). You’ll be invited to dance, sample from the Castle’s finest delights (of the alcoholic and edible variety), but be careful not to overstay your welcome to take anything that’s not yours - or you may not get home at all! Will you be able to lift the curse that has been put upon Beast and his servants so they can live happily ever after?

You can look forward to a theatrical, alternate reality experience that will take you into a world of madness and talking clocks! Across 90 minutes you will create two bespoke-themed cocktails, solve riddles and challenges to lift the curse, and more! Tickets are $47 per person, including entry, theatrics and two bespoke cocktails included.

Meet Valéria Piccoli, Mia’s First-ever Curator of Latin American Art

Article by Becky Fillinger, photo provided

Welcome to Minneapolis, Dr. Valéria Piccoli! She is one of Mia’s latest hires and is the Chair of the Arts of the Americas and the Curator of Latin American Art. This is Mia’s first-ever curator of Latin American art. We talked to Dr. Piccoli about collaborating with other art institutions, Latino businesses and communities.  

Valéria PiccoliQ:  Congratulations on your appointment at Mia as the Ken and Linda Cutler Chair of the Arts of the Americas and Curator of Latin American Art! It is exciting news and has been reported by many local and national news outlets. One thing that you mention is that in addition to getting to know Mia's collection of Latin American art, you'll get to know the local community. I want to delve a bit deeper into how you will connect and collaborate with the local community. I know you've only started your role in November but let's see what you're thinking about that goal at this time. Will you collaborate with other art institutions?

A:  Thank you! I definitely intend to collaborate. It is fundamental to bring Mia to the network of museums and institutions that hold important collections of Latin American art, as well as to create spaces for debate around scholarship that has been advancing research in this field. And it is also fundamental to highlight Mia's pioneerism in terms of creating a department for Latin American art that is integrated with the art produced in the U.S. (Indigenous and non-Indigenous). We are talking about the Americas, from a hemispheric perspective. It is a very ambitious project. 

Q:  The Twin Cities has a very diverse Latino population. The largest group is Mexican immigrants, followed by Puerto Ricans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Ecuadorians, Cubans and Colombian Minnesotans. Is it important to your role to reflect the changing Latino community in the Twin Cities? How will you go about learning more about the Twin Cities’ Latino communities? 

A:  Of course! It would be a mistake to consider the Latino community as a monolithic thing. It is important to my role to understand how the museum can better represent the diversity of cultures that come together in this place. I strongly believe in the social role of museums. Museums serve communities and need to be ready to listen to them. That is, to create experiences and connections that are meaningful to them. At Mia, we are creating strategies to reach out to the Latino communities in a fruitful way.

Q:  We have a Latino Chamber of Commerce in Minnesota. Could you envision working with Latino businesses? Non-profit groups?

A:  I didn't know that. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I surely envision working with anyone who wants to come on board and help Mia build something that will be cherished and admired for generations to come.

Q:  Will you seek out upcoming Latino artists? 

A:  Well, I think it is important to highlight that the Arts of the Americas department is responsible for building a collection and a program for artworks made until 1970. Everything that was produced after that, and this encompasses contemporary and emerging artists, is under the umbrella of the Global Contemporary Art department, led by my colleague Casey Riley. We will for sure work in collaboration around art from Latin America as a whole. 

Q:  Almost two-thirds of Latino Minnesotans live in the Twin Cities metro area counties of Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka and Washington, but Latinos have made their home in all 87 counties. Do you see Mia connecting with communities outside the Twin Cities with large numbers of Latino residents?  

A:  I believe that the main connections to be established, at least in the first moment, will be with the local communities. This is a long-term project and I am sure that in time it can unfold to other formats and proposals. 

Q:  How may we stay current with your news?  

A:  Stay tuned to Mia's website. The first exhibition of our department, called ReVisión, will open in July 2023. It was produced by the Denver Art Museum (our first institutional collaboration) and presents works from Latin America since pre-contact with Europeans, including colonial and contemporary art. It is an exhibition that speaks to enduring questions of identity, of relationship to the land and many different themes that mark the history and culture of Latin America.

Theatre in the Round's Eurydice Opens March 10

Theatre in the Round Presents Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl

March 10 to April 2, 2023

Theatre in the Round Players (TRP) continues its 71st season with a visually stunning retelling of the classic myth of Orpheus.

Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.

Sophie Peyton directs the 10-member cast with movement direction by Kelly Nelson, sets designed by Crist Ballas, costumes by Sarah Christenson, lighting by Dietrich Poppen, props by Holly Kottke, and sound by Robert Hoffman.

Eurydice runs March 10 to April 2. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2pm with a Pay What you Can Performance on Monday, March 20 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25. For information, call the theatre’s box office at 612-333-3010 or purchase online.

Must-See Exhibition: A Tender Spirit, A Vital Form: Arlene Burke-Morgan & Clarence Morgan

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

A delightful new exhibit is open at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Regis Center for Art at the University of Minnesota. A Tender Spirit, A Vital Form: Arlene Burke-Morgan & Clarence Morgan exhibition will be on display until March 18. We asked Howard Oransky, Director of the gallery, about why we should we all should make the time to view the exhibit.  He gave us five excellent reasons.

Arlene Burke-Morgan and Clarence Morgan in residence at the Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC. Courtesy of the Morgan Family.

Reason #1: It is a story of art, love, and devotion.

This exhibition tells the story of an artist-couple whose life together was itself a work of art. The exhibition consists of 100 paintings, drawings, sculptures, and related ephemera. Arlene Burke-Morgan (1950-2017) and Clarence Morgan (b. 1950) epitomized the artist-couple: in love with each other and devoted not only to their art but also to their family and faith, and to the wider community of students and artists. Originally from Philadelphia, they moved to Minneapolis in 1992 when Clarence Morgan joined the faculty in the Department of Art at the University of Minnesota. Arlene Burke-Morgan also taught as a lecturer in the Department of Art from 1992 to 1996. Clarence Morgan retired his position as Professor of Art at the end of 2021.

Arlene Burke-Morgan, untitled, undated, ceramic sculpture, 14 x 13 x 9 in. Courtesy of the Morgan Family.

Reason #2: Arlene Burke-Morgan was an amazing artist.

Arlene Burke-Morgan (1950, Philadelphia; 2017, Minneapolis) earned a B.F.A. from the Moore College of Art and an M.F.A. from East Carolina University, School of Art. Her work has been exhibited nationally, including presentations at the National Academy of Design (NY), The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (NC), the Alternative Museum (NY), the Nexus Center for Contemporary Art (GA), and the Columbia Museum of Art (SC). She received numerous awards, including the Julius Hallgarten Award for Painting at the National Academy of Design, the North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship, and the McKnight Foundation Fellowship in the Visual Arts.

Clarence Morgan, Medieval Remnants, 2011 Mixed-media collage-drawing on 3M Scotchcal film, 10.5 x 10.5 in. Courtesy of the Morgan Family

Reason #3: Clarence Morgan is an amazing artist.

Clarence Morgan (1950, Philadelphia) earned a Certificate-Diploma from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and an M.F.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, Weitzman School of Design. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including presentations at Ze Zhong Gallery and Dax Art Space, Beijing, Rosenberg+Kaufman Fine Art and Reeves Contemporary (NY), the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Walker Art Center and the Weisman Art Museum (MN), Galerie Resche, Paris, and the Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans. He has received numerous awards, including the North Carolina Arts Council Visual Artist Fellowship, the Art Matters Individual Artist Grant, and the Bush Foundation Individual Artist fellowship.

Exhibition catalogue cover. Courtesy of the Katherine E. Nash Gallery.

Reason #4: The exhibition catalogue is beautiful.

The Katherine E. Nash Gallery has published A Tender Spirit, A Vital Form, the catalogue to accompany the exhibition. The catalogue includes 100 full-page color images of artworks by Arlene Burke-Morgan and Clarence Morgan and original essays by Robert Cozzolino, Tia-Simone Gardner, Bill Gaskins, and Nyeema Morgan. The catalogue is distributed worldwide by the University of Minnesota Press and is available at the University of Minnesota Bookstore.

Howard Oransky, Director, Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota

Reason #5: You are welcome here!

The exhibition is open to the public and admission is free! The Gallery is located in the Regis Center for Art, East Building, 405 21st Avenue S, Minneapolis. This is in the Arts Quarter area of the West Bank campus. Open: Tuesday and Friday, 11 am – 5 pm; Wednesday and Thursday, 11 am – 7 pm; Saturday, 11 am – 3 pm. Closed: Sunday and Monday. Please call the gallery or check the website for the most current COVID access information: 612-624-7530, nash.umn.edu.

There is metered parking nearby on the street, and paid parking available at the 21st Avenue parking garage and the 5th Street surface lot. There are bus and light rail stops nearby. Come visit us! 

The City of Minneapolis Requests Your Feedback on Proposed Land Use Rezoning

Minneapolis 2040 went into effect on January 1, 2020, following over two years of engagement with the people of Minneapolis. The plan guides growth and change with fourteen goals in mind, including eliminating racial disparities, slowing climate change, and increasing access to jobs and housing.

As required by state law, the City is updating its zoning rules to match the development guidelines that the City Council already approved with Minneapolis 2040. Since 2020, the City has worked to meet this requirement by adopting inclusionary zoning, eliminating single-family exclusive zoning, adopting new built form districts and regulations, and eliminating minimum parking requirements. The Land Use Rezoning Study is the next major update to zoning regulations that will create consistency between the zoning code and the comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan’s 12 Future Land Use categories will guide the development of new land use regulations, governing issues such as:

• Uses allowed in each zoning district
• Development standards that apply to uses allowed by zoning district (size of individual uses, where retail mixed-use is required, etc.)
• Creation and mapping of new zoning districts to be consistent with the Future Land Use Map in Minneapolis 2040

This amendment also provides the opportunity to make the zoning ordinance easier for users to navigate, and easier for staff to administer. Special attention will be paid to the structure of the ordinance with an eye toward making it a more user-friendly tool.

The City wants your feedback on the proposed changes to the code! You can do this by clicking on the survey link.

Local Artist Spotlight: Willard Malebear, Jr.

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Willard Malebear, Jr.

Multi-talented Indigenous artist Willard Malebear, Jr. has many projects in the works – designing park signage for the Mississippi Park Connection, opening a community arts collective that offers free resources to heal social crises, and a new Indigenous tattoo shop. His story is one of resilience, gratitude and giving back. Oh, his father was pretty inspirational, too!

Q:  You created the beautiful artwork for signage at Crosby Farm Regional Park for a project highlighting climate change in the floodplains of the Mississippi River. How did you come to be involved in the partnership between the University of Minnesota, U.S. Forest Service, City of St. Paul, National Park Service, and Mississippi Park Connection? 

A: I was attending NHCC (North Hennepin Community College) to get my associates degree in graphic design and I was invited to be a part of a program called the Xperience Project that links students with local businesses for graphic design internships. I was interviewed by several companies and organizations, and I felt a deep connection to the Indigenous cultural aspects of the design project presented by the Mississippi Park Connection, Lower Phalen Creek Project and their partners.

I am an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and after learning of the indigenous roots of the project I felt spiritual aligned with the mission and was very happy to hear that they chose me to be their intern. I can't possibly say thank you enough to Heather Olson, Jason Schoch and Leslie McDougall (Graphic design staff of NHCC) for their amazing support and guidance.

Above and below, Willard's artwork featured on signage at Crosby Farm Regional Park. The design and interpretive messages were developed in partnership with Lower Phalen Creek Project, a Dakota-led organization based on the east side of Saint Paul.

Q:  What do you hope visitors experience and learn when they view the signs you created for the park?

A:  My hopes are that visitors to the Crosby Farm Regional Park can learn more about the efforts to stop the destruction of the Emerald Ash Borer while also being educated on the Indigenous names and historical importance of the trees studied in the project. I also hope that the artwork and colors used in the designs can lure curious hikers to the park.

Q:  Will you do other work with these organizations to educate the public on Indigenous forest upkeep techniques and Dakota naming conventions? 

A:  Since this project, I have continued to work with Lower Phalen Creek Project, an affiliate of the Crosby Farm project, to design a poster and now have a contract to design their new logo and letter head.  I welcome more projects like these!

Q:  Your website, willardcustomart.com, states that your passion, aside from creating art, is cultivating creative drive in my community. What does that mean to you? 

A:  My passion for cultivating creativity in my community is based in my belief that art and creativity saved my life. I have had many struggles in my life and art/creativity has always been my resource for positivity and spiritual connection. I am currently 5 years sober and I have managed to crawl myself out of a grave with the help of art. After experiencing, witnessing and researching the wellness benefits of art and creativity, I chose to make it my life mission to cultivate and enable creativity in my community. This is actually the basis of my new company called Unified Theory Collective (UTC) located at 3507 Hennepin Avenue (around the back of the building) in South Minneapolis. At UTC we will provide free art supplies and creative space to the community on behalf of our collective members. UTC members are comprised of responsible businesses in the community that chose to "Enable Creativity to Combat Social Crisis."

I am also opening up a tattoo shop in the same building called Iktomi Tattoo, which is an Indigenous themed eco-mindful business. You can check out both businesses online: www.unifiedtheorycollective.com,  

Instagram,  Facebook,  www.iktomitattoo.com  and @iktomitattoominneapolis on Instagram and Facebook.

Q:  On an unrelated note, but I’m curious - your father, Willard Malebear, Sr., began the Dakota Remembrance Run in 1986 to commemorate the 1862 hanging of 38 Dakota men in Mankato, the largest mass hanging in U.S. history. Is the run still held? Are you involved with the run or any other events around the annual recognition of the executions?

A:  The run to commemorate the Dakota 38 is still being held, and in fact this year I had the pleasure to co-organize the run. Šišókaduta, a Dakota language instructor at the UMN Twin Cities campus has been organizing the run for several years and asked me to take over the role of organizer, which is a huge honor. There is actually an entire team of amazing individuals who volunteer their time and energy every year to help make the run possible - there are fire keepers, drivers and volunteers that work behind the scenes. I want to take this opportunity to say a BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE! The “run” is in fact better viewed as a ceremony, as we are in prayer the entire duration of event. I grew up hearing about the events surrounding the Dakota conflict and the hangings of 1862, my father always spread awareness of the injustices and I am super excited to continue his legacy. If anyone is interested in helping, volunteering or even running next year, please send me an email to w@willardcustomart.com.

Q:  Thank you for speaking with us – best of luck with Iktomi Tattoo and Unified Theory Collective!

A:  Before we end, I also want to say thank you to all my friends and family for their continual support and love, without them nothing I do would ever be possible! Pilamaya Mitakuye Oyasin (thank you to all my relatives).  

June 4th Amazing Urban Adventure to support Hennepin Healthcare

Teams of Two Solve Clues, Complete Challenges, Capture Photos, and Create Memories. Come Join the Fun! Sunday, June 4

Hennepin Healthcare Foundation introduces Adventurama, an urban experience in downtown Minneapolis. This fundraiser invites teams of two adults to complete challenges within a three-mile radius of Hennepin Healthcare. Starting at The Commons (across from US Bank Stadium), teams will earn points by solving clues and completing challenges at 12 pit stops while creating memories, capturing photos, and updating their perception of downtown.

More Info

MacPhail's February 25 Spotlight Series: Translucent Beauty

MacPhail Center for Music's Spotlight Series explores diverse musical themes performed by MacPhail Center for Music faculty and special guests – showcasing some of the finest musicians and artists in the Twin Cities. The next concert of the Spotlight Series is Musical Explorations in Spectral Colors, Translucent Beauty.

Eyenga Bokamba

In this multi-sensory artistic feast of sorts, Twin Cities visual artist and designer Eyenga Bokamba will use illumination, projection and short films to engage the audience. Her esteemed musical colleagues from MacPhail will create a musical landscape from Bach to improvisations and electronic soundscapes on keyboard, providing a variety of sounds within genre and time period. This performance will feature MacPhail’s own Mike Alexander on Horn with Miryana Moteva on piano, Rebecca Merblum on cello, and Michael Cain on piano. Together, these talented Twin Cities artists are sure to lure the community out of hibernation and into the warm glow of Antonello Hall.

Translucent Beauty takes place Saturday, February 25 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (ages 55 and older) and youth (ages 6 through 18).

Agate Housing and Services to Partipate in the 2023 Coldest Night of the Year Event with a 2.5k or 5k Walk, February 25

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Agate's Coldest Night of the Year Event will start and finish at Agate Housing and Services' Food Centre, 714 Park Avenue S, by Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC)

Living unhoused in the winter, when temperatures or wind chill can cause frostbite or death in a short time, is a harsh reality for many members of our community. Join Agate Housing and Services for a community walk to raise awareness and funding for housing and shelter for the most vulnerable among us. We talked to Anna Cisewski, Agate's Event Director, about the history of the event and all the different ways you may participate.

Anna Cisewski

Q:  Please tell us the history of The Coldest Night of The Year. 

A:  This is Agate's first year doing Coldest Night of the Year and only the second that the event has been held in the United States. It has been held in Canada for the last 15 years. The goal of CNOY is to raise awareness of the harsh realities of living unhoused and unsheltered during the winter.  

Every night, hundreds of people in our state sleep outside, in tents or on shelter beds that are not their own. Coldest Night of the Year will give walkers a chance to feel just how cold it is for our unhoused neighbors. Without first-hand experience, we can truly never understand the fear and trauma of living unhoused, but we can get a feel for just how cold it is.

The walk will be either 2.5k or 5k through downtown, starting and ending in our recently re-opened Food Centre and walking past three of Agate's housing and shelter locations.    

Q:  How may I participate locally - are there teams or may I walk as an individual? 

A: Community members can join the Agate team or register to be a team captain and recruit family, neighbors or coworkers to join their team and fundraise! We've also had a few teams sign up to walk virtually or organize an event in their residential housing building or office. Lots of options! And the Agate team would be happy to help organize any iteration of this event!

Q:  Is there a schedule of events happening around the walk? 

A:  All walks throughout the US follow the same schedule on February 25: 

• 4:00 pm: Meet - Check-in opens

• 5:00 pm: Move - Opening remarks + send-off

• 6:00 pm: Munch - Light meal served

• 7:00 pm: Mosey - Goodbye + Go Home

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In addition to this general schedule, we will also be spending time talking and learning together about the realities of being unhoused and unsheltered. The Educators from our A Day in the Life program will also be in attendance, giving presentations and joining us on the walk.

Q:  I really like the program: Meet, Move, Munch and Mosey!  Will I receive a map of the walk? 

A:  Yes! A map is of the route is currently available on the event page and we will have printed maps available on the day of the event. It's a simple loop in downtown Minneapolis and it will be well-marked with volunteers at every turn cheering our walkers on!

Q:  How may I follow news of the walk and your organization?  

A:  Interested community members can follow us on our social media platforms or sign up for our email list (at the bottom of our website) to receive updates for all things Coldest Night and Agate!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgateServicesMN

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgateServicesMN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agateservicesmn/

We are excited for this event and the chance to connect better with our community and provide education and clarity on the harsh realities of living unhoused and unsheltered in our city. Agate works every day to end homelessness and hunger and this event is just part of that work.

Individuals can sign up to walk, join a team, or start a team here: https://cnoy.com/location/minneapolis.

Free Talk of Stacks with Charlayne Hunter-Gault, February 16, at Central Library

Talk of the Stacks with Charlayne Hunter-Gault

Free in-person + virtual event, February 16, 6:30p (Doors open 6p)

On Thursday, February 16, Emmy Award-winning journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault kicks off the return to in-person Talk of the Stacks events at Minneapolis Central Library in Pohlad Hall. Join at the library or online to experience an enthralling conversation between Hunter-Gault and seasoned radio and podcast host Lissa Jones. 

Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, and school desegregation pioneer. For more than five decades, this dedicated reporter has charted a course through some of the world’s most respected journalistic institutions, including The New Yorker and The New York Times, where she was often the only Black woman in the newsroom. Throughout her storied career, Charlayne has chronicled the lives of Black people in America—shining a light on their experiences and giving a glimpse into their community as never before.

Throughout her storied career, Charlayne has chronicled the lives of Black people in America—shining a light on their experiences and giving a glimpse into their community as never before. My People: Five Decades of Writing about Black Lives is a collection of ground-breaking reportage highlighting her experiences from across fifty years. 

In Person Registration  Virtual Registration

Pandia Health Offers Stress-free Birth Control Services via Telemedicine

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Sophia Yen, MD, MPHA discussion with Pandia Health CEO and Co-Founder, Sophia Yen, MD, MPH

Pandia Health is the only women-founded, women-led and doctor-led birth control delivery service and their services are now available to Minnesotans. Pandia is on a mission to make women’s lives easier by bringing birth control to women wherever they have access to the internet and a mailbox. We talked to Sophia Yen, MD, MPH, co-founder and CEO, to learn more about the start-up and how to avail ourselves of their services.

Q:  Your webpage states that you have a passion for “making women’s lives easier.” What led you to this mission?

A:  I gave a talk to physicians on how to prescribe birth control and the question came up, "Why don’t women take their birth control?”. One of the top reasons why women don’t take their birth control is they don’t have it on hand. They don’t have time to run to the pharmacy every month for 30 years non-stop to get the medication. I coined the term “pill anxiety,” which is the subliminal worry in the back of your head each month that you need to get to the pharmacy and get your birth control pills before you run out and the fear/stress of the risk of pregnancy or bleeding when you don’t want to bleed.

My friend, Perla Ni, and I thought, “We can solve this. We’ll just ship women birth control and keep shipping it until they tell us to stop.” Some of our mottos are: “Never run out of birth control on our watch,” "Set it and forget it. Let Pandia Health worry, so you don’t have to.” and “Get Pandia Health peace of mind."

Then, we ran ads for “free birth control delivery.” 60% of those who responded didn’t have a prescription. Since I’m a doctor, I already write prescriptions, so we added synchronous telemedicine to serve those people.

Q:  Did you observe inequities or burdens on women in your healthcare practice?

A:  Yes. Women subliminally suffer from “pill anxiety” described earlier. Women are stuck to their pharmacy each month by prescribers that don’t realize you can write a year’s supply and the pharmacy can restrict what they dispense to whatever the insurance allows but the pharmacy cannot expand the prescription. Meaning, if you write for one pack with 12 refills, the patient has to go to the pharmacy each month. We need to teach prescribers to write for 13 packs or 17 packs (if you are skipping the bleeding weeks).

Q:  Why the name Pandia Health?

A:  Pandia is the Greek Goddess of healing, light, and full moon. We are about women’s empowerment, thus a goddess was a perfect fit for a name. Pandia also means Pan = every, día = day. So, we’ve got you covered every day.

Dr. Yen pitches Pandia Health startup at 2018 University of California Entrepreneurship Showcase.

Q:  Pandia Health has raised a whopping $6.7 million to date from investors. Please tell us your business model and why you believe investors are attracted to your startup?

A:  We make money just like other pharmacies. The difference between what the insurance pays and what we can get the medication for, minus our overhead. We also have telemedicine and have the potential for affiliate income and “marketing the box.” We have a box going to women aged 18-50’s mailbox each month. Any Consumer-Packaged Goods company would be smart to partner with us to get in front of our audience with our recession-proof subscriptions.

Telemedicine 1.0 was cheap and fast. Telemedicine 2.0 will be about quality, expertise, and trust. As the only doctor-led, the only women-founded and women-led birth control delivery company, we are building “The Online Health Brand Women Trust" - starting with birth control and acne. We’re just getting started!

Investors are attracted because I built this business for the long game and they see the benefit of better care by better doctors. We want to be your friend from your first period throughout your life.

Using my MIT, UCSF and Stanford brain, I came up with an algorithm to minimize the chance of side effects when a woman starts the birth control pill. We have an 82% retention at a year vs. 55% for new birth control users. Our doctors are trained on how to tailor their birth control prescription to minimize side effects.

Q:  Has Pandia Health faced any backlash from conservative politicians who may not believe in stress-free access to birth control?

A:  No. Birth control prevents unplanned pregnancies and thus abortion. Birth control is used to treat painful or heavy periods, which is the number one cause of missed school and work for those with uteri under the age of 25.

Q:  Will you have a business location in Minnesota, or are all healthcare appointments conducted via teleconference?

A:  All our services are currently via asynchronous telemedicine. In the future, we may expand to video/phone. There are no plans to go brick-and-mortar at this time. Both our patients and doctors enjoy the flexibility of telemedicine. “Skip the trip” to the doctor’s office. Take the appointment from wherever you have internet. Fill out the health questionnaire 24/7 whenever you have time to do it and on your terms.

Q:  Can you describe what process was completed by Pandia to do business in Minnesota?

A:  Sure, here is the process we used: 

• We had to get our doctors licensed in Minnesota.

• We had to get our medical group, professional corporation recognized by the State of MN.

• We had to secure a registered agent.

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Q:  How may we invest in Pandia Health?

A:  We have an AngelList Roll Up Vehicle for those accredited investors starting at $1,000. For those who can invest $500,000 or more, reach out to me directly! You can also invest via a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), a tax-deductible mechanism.

Otherwise, we ask that you follow us on social and spread the word!  

TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

History and Science Come Together for STEM Day at Mill City Museum, Feb 25

The museum hosts a day of family activities featuring guest presentations

Science, technology, engineering, and math aren’t confined to the classroom. Families will have a chance to learn how the STEM fields are intertwined with history and how they continue to have an important impact today.

On February 25, 11 am–3 pm, Mill City Museum will hold STEM Family Day to showcase how science is all around us in the Twin Cities. The day’s program features interactive power and hydroelectricity tables, a flour dust explosion demonstration, and a free concert at 11:30 am with Petite Concerts, who will help make small instruments to demonstrate the science of music afterward.

Other highlights include:

• Live animals from the U of M Raptor Center and the MN Herpetological Society
• Fire safety from the Minneapolis Fire Department
• Wheat’s journey from Farm to Table by the General Mills Grain and Flour Quality Lab (in the baking lab, requires museum admission)
• Interacting with scientists and engineers from the U of M St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
• Inventing a boat with the National Park Service
• Learning about electricity with the Bakken Museum

Cost: Free, baking lab activity requires museum admission

For more information and a complete list of guest presenters, click here.