“My mom would say, be home by dinner, and we’d head outside all day. I really was enchanted with ladybugs and finding salamanders and turtles, and frogs and snakes and butterflies and dragonflies, and just, you know, laying in the grass, looking at the sky, climbing the trees… just exploring and just enjoying it. …So this is how I escaped, you know, the, the politics of being a girl, and being a young, black female.”
– Phyllis Chatham, community elder and storyteller.
“It was the 64 Olympics. I remember watching a black and white TV in a living room on a TV tray table… I had no idea how I would ever get to ski or anything like that. I just wanted to do it. We moved that next year to this neighborhood and we went to this old ski shop and bought me my first pair of boots and skis. I’d walk the snowbanks down Highway 55 with my skis and boots on to ride the tow ropes at Wirth Park.”
– David Samuels, ski industry professional, father to members of NCAA Division I Ski Teams and US Ski and Snowboard Team.
About Stories of Connection
The Loppet is working on an exciting new transformative project funded by LCCMR that’s rooted in community and part of an ongoing journey of healing:
Stories of Connection (SOC): Collecting and sharing stories from North Mpls & BIPOC communities about their connections to the outdoors, nature and Theodore Wirth Park, and using these stories to create educational artwork, nature-based programming and healing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.
“The Stories of Connection Project emerged from crucial conversations with Black community elders in North Minneapolis. Despite the park’s proximity to diverse neighborhoods, it has historically been utilized predominantly by white, high-income communities. The project aims to understand and address this disparity through storytelling and community engagement.” (Excerpt from our project partners at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA)).
Happening Now:
- Call For Artists: Indoor exhibit (see detail below)
- Environmental Education Lead Job – Apply Details Here
- Environmental Education Interns – Apply Details Here
Coming Soon:
- Northside Nature Storytelling & Feedback Event on Sunday April 13th from 3pm – 6pm
- Indoor Art Exhibit Grand Opening Event on Saturday July 12th from 3pm – 5pm
- Request for Proposal (RFP): Graphic/Digital Designer for the Stories Project
- Engaging Videographer to create SOC documentary & more
- An interactive StoryMap website
- Story based nature programming for North Mpls & Community Partners
Coming Next Year:
- Free Nature Education Stations located in and around Theo Wirth Park
- Call For Artist (CFA) for Outdoor Art Installations located at Theo Wirth Park & surrounding areas in North Mpls
- More story based nature programming for North Mpls & Community Partners
Call for Artists
The Loppet Call for Artists: Stories of Connection Project
Artist Info Session:
Virtual: Monday, February 24th, 2025, 7pm – 8pm (Google Meet Link)
In-person at the Trailhead: Wednesday February 19th, 2025 12pm – 1pm
We are looking to connect with BIPOC artists based in and/or who have significant ties to North Mpls for this community art project!
News and Updates
Stories of Connection Project Awarded State LCCMR Grant! (July 1, 2024)
Loppet’s Stories of Connection Project was one of twenty-two environmental education projects funded in 2024 by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The funding runs through 2026 and will help Loppet and community partners tell these stories of connection to nature through art, media, signage, programming, and events throughout the community. Currently 40% of net Minnesota State Lottery proceeds are dedicated to growing the Trust Fund and ensuring future benefits for Minnesota’s environment and natural resources. A huge thank you to all the partners who supported this grant application, including Black Storyteller’s Alliance, NatureWerks, UMN Urban Research Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC), UMN Institute on the Environment (IonE), Hall STEM Academy, and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB)!
Charles Caldwell as featured artist in The Gallery at The Trailhead. (June 9, 2024)
Longtime North Minneapolis artist Charles Caldwell shared his talents at the recent North Side Nature Storytelling event on March 3 in partnership with partnership with Black Storytellers Alliance and Melanin in Motion. Charles’ piece painted at the Storytelling event will be one of the featured pieces in The Gallery. The exhibit opening is free and open to the public. You can enjoy Charles’ art until mid-July. View more on Art at the Loppet here.
With Black Storyteller’s Alliance, Loppet Hosts Northside Nature Event (March 3, 2024)
In partnership with Black Storytellers Alliance, Melanin in Motion, and live mural artist Charles Caldwell, The Loppet Foundation hosted an afternoon of storytelling at the Trailhead community gathering center in Theodore Wirth Park. The event featured local food, both traditional and contemporary nature stories, a panel where local leaders shared stories of the park, and a workshop/open mic for participants to refine their personal stories. Catering to families, a breakout session empowered youth to tell their stories through art and games. View more here!
Stories Project Preview Featured in Loppet Cup Spectator Guide (February 17, 2024)
With the eyes of the national and international nordic ski community focused on Theodore Wirth Park, Loppet highlighted a summary of some of the stories collected so far. Click here for a small taste of what’s to come.
View Loppet Cup Spectator Guide Here – Stories Project article is on pg 37-42
Kris Nelson Community-Based Research (September 1, 2023)
We are excited to welcome Neama Elsayed to the stories team thanks to the Kris Nelson Community-Based Research Program through University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). Neama is a social scientist and Ph.D. student in education and human development at UMN and previously worked as the Senior Programs Officer for the Economic Research Forum in Cairo, Egypt. Neama will be gathering stories through interviews and participatory story cultivation events. She will also help lead analysis and summarization of Northside stories, including key themes and illustrative details. The Kris Nelson program connects leaders with University resources to expand community research capacity and explore innovative ideas for closing racial and economic disparities around the region. View more on Kris’s community-based research program here.
Stories Project Made Possible By:
