Celebrate With Song Somali Independence Day

Saturday, June 27, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Parish Hall, Unity Church, 733 Portland Avenue, St. Paul, and on Zoom The Unity Church Unitarian Indigenous Justice Team would like to extend an invitation to an interactive event featuring Mark Charles on Saturday, June 27, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mark Charles’s weekend visit to Minnesota is being co-hosted by the Minnesota Repair Communities for Makoce Ikikcupi and a working group of Community Outreach Teams at Unity Church. The Central Minnesota Repair Community, hosted by New Journey UCC and River of Hope ECLA, is offering a full day of events with Mark Charles in Hutchinson on Sunday, June 28. Mark R. Charles is a Native American activist, public speaker, author, and former independent U.S. presidential candidate known for confronting systemic racism and the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery. A dual citizen of the U.S. and Navajo Nation, he has served as a journalist, pastor, and consultant, advocating for truth-telling, and reconciliation. Charles co-authored Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery with Soong-Chan Rah. 

Friday, June 26, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m .; Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd, St Paul Join Mukwa and other Indigenous organizations and leaders on June 26 for a rally in front of the Minnesota Capitol, where they will be presenting the "Mother Earth vs. Big Tech Petition." This petition advocates for a two-year moratorium on the construction of hyperscale data centers. The group's goal is to deliver this important message directly to the office of the Governor of Minnesota. RSVP is encouraged. 

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Friday, June 26, 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.; The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul Come together with an audience of all ages for an inspiring performance of "Kumbayah: The Juneteenth Story." Written by Rose McGee and produced by the Sweet Potato Comfort Pie organization, this play examines the historical events surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation and has grown into an annual celebration and family affair for the actors, production team, and audiences alike. This 30th anniversary performance will feature special guest appearances from former cast members who gather in celebration of the play’s legacy. This event is free, but registration is required.

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Thursday, June 18, 8:45 - 11:00 a.m.; Quincy Hall, 1325 Quincy Street NE, Minneapolis Join the Minnesota Humanities Center at its annual Juneteenth Brunch, this year featuring poet and #1 New York Times bestselling author Clint Smith, who will examine how we can connect the history of Juneteenth to the broader American story of how freedom has been defined and delayed – and how we can work together to educate our neighbors and make good on the promise to afford full citizenship to African Americans. Spend the morning enjoying a meal and conversation, and receive a complimentary copy of Clint Smith’s book, How the Word is Passed: Remembering Slavery and How It Shaped America. Full tables (10 seats) are $700; half tables (5 seats) are $350; individual tickets are $75. Nonprofit tables (10 seats) are $600, and nonprofit half tables (5 seats) are $300. 

Wednesday, May 27, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.); The Main Cinema, 115 SE Main Street, Minneapolis The Niagara Foundation invites MnMN members to a special one-night screening of Gazelle in Minneapolis. Set in New York, Gazelle follows Yakup, a Turkish music teacher navigating the asylum process while trying to reunite with his family. The film is a deeply human story about exile, identity, waiting, and the cost of starting over. The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival, where it received the Vanguard Audience Award, and later screened at the Chicago International Film Festival and Dances With Films New York, where it won the Industry Choice Award. To view the trailer: https://youtu.be/bxYSDF8XoRQ?si=XctDJtvtWkIaaNgN 

Thursday, May 28, 5:50 – 7:30 p.m.; Kirk Parlor, House of Hope Presbyterian Church, 797 Summit Avenue, St Paul The Minnesota Multifaith Network invites you to join us to celebrate recent book publications by two of our long-standing members. Ben Connelly's book Inside the Flower Garland Sutra: Huayan Buddhism and the Modern World (Wisdom Publications, 2025) explores the teachings of an ancient Buddhist tradition that helps us to care for ourselves while working to end harms that include ecological devastation, poverty, militarism, and exploitation. Anantanand Rambachan's book, The Way of the Sant: Virtues for All Humanity (Albion-Andalus Books, 2026) is an invitation to consider the virtues of Sant, an exemplar and embodiment of goodness in many of the traditions of India. The Way of the Sant teaches how we could cultivate empathy, resist injustice without hate, honor the dignity of all beings, and become an instrument of healing in our world. Join the authors for an evening of discussion, conversation with our authors, and book signing. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Saturday, May 23 - Monday, May 25 This is the 6th annual festival of remembrance following the murder of George Floyd. If you want to volunteer for the rembrance, go to riseandremember.org/festival/festival-organizer .