Speaking Out Collective

SPEAKING OUT COLLECTIVE USES STORYTELLING AND STORY-MAKING TO SPARK THE CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION OF CHILDREN, EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITIES. WE CREATE TAILORED CURRICULA, PRODUCE LIVE PERFORMANCES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS, AND OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT USING A TOOLBOX OF TECHNIQUES THAT INCORPORATE PUPPETS, POETRY, MUSIC, DANCE, ART AND MORE. WE CELEBRATE AND CREATE A CULTURE WHERE STORIES AND QUESTIONS UPLIFT YOUNG TO OLD IN BECOMING AGENTS OF CHANGE ON TOPICS SUCH AS FAIRNESS AND ETHICS, RACE, IDENTITY, EQUITY, COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION AND MORE.

OUR TRUTH TELLING SERIES UPLIFTS BIPOC VOICES AND UNTOLD HISTORIES. STORIES IN THIS INAUGURAL INSTALLMENT WERE COLLECTED THROUGH ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIGENOUS ELDERS, SCHOLARS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS. STORIES ARE TRANSFORMED INTO PREK-6 CURRICULUM AND INCLUDE LESSON PLANS, VIDEOS, CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND MORE. COMPLETE MINNESOTA STANDARDS ALIGN WITH THE FIRST IN THIS SERIES: DAKOTA AND ANISHINAABE NARRATIVES. THIS FURTHER INCREASES OUR CURRICULA OFFERINGS AND CONNECTS US STRONGER WITH COMMUNITY WHILE SHOWCASING THE TRUTH ABOUT SILENCED NARRATIVES. WE MUST KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE PAST TO CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

IN OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMMING, WE CONTINUE TO WORK IN AND WITH COMMUNITY TO CREATE MURALS THAT PROMOTE HEALING AND CONVERSATION. WE CONTINUED WORKING WITH LOCAL MURALISTS TO PAINT ART ON BUILDING WALLS TO UPLIFT THE AYEEYO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMATIZED BY VIOLENCE AND RACISM IN MINNEAPOLIS. AND WE AGAIN OFFERED PUPPET MAKING AND SCREEN PRINTING AT LOCAL EVENTS AS WELL AS A SUMMER PUPPET SHOW TOUR THAT FOCUSED ON OUR YOUNGEST POPULATION OF CHILDREN (PREK). WE WROTE AND PRODUCED "PATIENCE THE LION'S WHISKER" WHICH TAKES PLACE IN SOMALI. THE STORY EXPLORES THEMES AROUND WHAT TO DO WHEN FAMILY STRUCTURES CHANGE. WE WERE THRILLED TO ADD YET ANOTHER CULTURAL TALE TO OUR COLLECTION.

OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF OUR LARGEST PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH EARNED AND CONTRIBUTED REVENUE. THESE 15 WEEK RESIDENCIES MADE UP OF NINETY MINUTES SESSIONS, ARE OFTEN IN MULTIPLE CLASSROOMS. WE SERVED TWELVE METRO SCHOOLS, IN ADDITION TO MULTIPLE EARLY LEARNING CENTERS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS. IN ADDITION, OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WAS OFFERED TO K-8 SCHOOL TEACHERS AND AT PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR CONFERENCES STATEWIDE. WE TEACH CRITICAL LITERACY FUNDAMENTALS TO EDUCATORS THAT RESULT IN IMPROVED STUDENT SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM. WE ALSO OFFERED NEW TRAINING ON OUR TRUTH TELLING, DAKOTA & ANISHINAABE CURRICULA.