An invitation from Northspan…

We are thrilled to announce that registration for the Third Annual Equity Summit, Belonging in Northeast Minnesota, on October 4 is now open! The event will be hosted by Northspan in collaboration with regional and statewide partners. It provides a platform to discuss themes of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, paving the way for a more inclusive future in the Northland. Everyone is invited to attend, including community leaders, businesses, educators, artists, workforce and economic development, government, healthcare, philanthropists, and YOU!

The summit will be held in-person on October 4 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia, Minnesota. There is a non-refundable cost of $20 per person before August 31, or $40 until registration closes on September 20.

Learn More & Register

Northspan helps local businesses and communities grow. The summit is part of their Welcoming Community Program, which brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds in a spirit of humility and curiosity to explore intercultural differences and find ways to adapt to the challenges that can emerge from them. With support from Blandin Foundation, the Welcoming Program has spearheaded efforts to improve digital equity in the region. Part of that is bringing technology to a wider audience and part is widening the community as a whole – using technology to open the door to new partnerships and bring together new cohorts.

This has been a multiyear effort that has included information gathering, community building and outreach to folks who have felt excluded and programming. The Welcoming Program partnered with other organizations and registered as a Digital Connection Committee to serve as a regional voice in providing input for the State of MN digital equity plan. They know that efforts will continue, and their goal is to strengthen intercultural and technology competencies.

The Welcoming Community Program could serve as a model to other communities that want to improve digital equity. It seems Minnesota’s Digital Opportunity Planning Process might help such organizations and therefore I thought it might be helpful to share the Welcoming Community Programs’ roadmap…

• Northspan hosted Welcoming conversations with 60 community members across the region to inform the design of the Welcoming Community programming.
• Northspan gathered broadband access and equity data from across the region, and examined possibilities for initiatives that could fill gaps.
  • In 2023 Northspan registered as a Digital Connection Committee to serve as a regional voice in providing input for the State of MN digital equity plan.
• Northspan hosted the first NE MN Virtual Equity Summit in October 2021
  • 366 registrants, and over 220 participants
  • 286 individuals indicated interest in continued learning around equity
• Northspan hosted the 2^nd Annual Equity Summit, Belonging in Northeast Minnesota in November of 2022
  • In person at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia, MN
  • Over 120 attendees
• Monthly newsletter around equity themes with continued connection to regional organizations and resources began in January 2022 to present day with a contact list that has grown from 283 to 450 individuals.
• Inclusion Learning Cohorts were facilitated in two communities in rural areas of the region
  • Partnership with University of MN Extension Center for Community Vitality to provide inclusion readiness assessments and action planning sessions to determine unique learning needs of each community prior to the workshops
  • Goals to:
    • Build relationships across difference
    • Learn inclusive community practices
    • Discuss areas of need in the community in relation to inclusion
    • Decide on a community inclusion project to move forward together
  • Cloquet Area Inclusion Learning Cohort
    • 58 community members participated over the series of seven workshops
    • Currently pursuing two community inclusion projects
  • Cook County Area Inclusion Learning Cohort
    • 34 community members participated over the series of seven workshops
    • Currently determining community inclusion projects to move forward
  • Other project accomplishments include:
    • Established the Duluth Lyceum, with a goal of broadening community participation in facilitated discussions related to various topics
      • Over 100 community members impacted
      • Provided guidance in the establishment of the Itasca Lyceum
    • Shared the model, learnings, successes, and challenges of the Welcoming Community program at invited speaking opportunities across the region.
    • Relationship building with local BIPOC stakeholders
    • Continuation of Welcoming Community Advisory Committee
    • Gathering data on regional Welcoming needs
    • Expanding partnerships among regional college campuses