Summit Academy’s mission is to assist individuals in developing their ability to earn and to become contributing citizens in their community. Their fundamental belief is the best social service program in the world is a job. Join us as President & CEO Louis J. King II shares Summit’s vision and the many success stories and contributions it has made to the North Minneapolis Community. You can visit their website here.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Music is powerful. It has the ability to transport us to a specific time and place as well as influence our mood instantly. Music can enhance the function of neural networks, slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce levels of stress hormones and inflammatory cytokines. In fact, scientists have found that music stimulates more parts of the brain than any other human function. Join us for an interesting evening as MacPhail Music for Life Teaching Artist Andrea Leap gives us a deeper look at the health benefits that music can provide. We will also learn about opportunities offered through the Music for Life program for adults 55+ at MacPhail Center for Music.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Are you new to meditation or have you been practicing a while? Either way, attending this class is a wonderful act of self-care. Enjoy an hour of guided meditation including body scans, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and heartfelt discussion/reflection. Give yourself time to pause on worries and the never-ending to-do list and enjoy the company of fellow MCC members who are seeking a more mindful and relaxed state of being. This course has been surprisingly impactful, even on Zoom. Leader: Terry Pearson will provide guided meditation via zoom.

Fee: An additional fee of $10.25 is required for this class to cover instructor costs. Please see the full description online for the attendance/cancellation policy.

MCC members sign up here. Registered members will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, MCC Member and retired physician Michael Brennan is keeping a close watch on all medical and health developments put forth by the CDC, NIH and MN Department of Public Health. Join us for this every-other-week meeting where Michael will share the most recent information available, his perspective of how to keep ourselves safe and healthy, and answer questions.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

During these strange times when we are more-or-less house-bound, many members are sorting through decades of photos. Others say they are writing about incidents that happened in their lives. Join us as three members - Lynette Lamb, Hart Nelsen and Peter Lefferts - share unique experiences in their lives that had some staying power with each of them over the years. It will be a time to ponder whether you can relate to their stories, or perhaps, be prompted to write one of your own.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Join us to discuss The Library Book by Susan Orlean. In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the 1986 Los Angeles Public Library fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives. She delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity while re-examining the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago. Along the way, Orlean introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters from libraries past and present.

It's caffeine and camaraderie for members of MCC and guests! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going. Please register by the Monday prior to Men's Coffee and Conversation. This week, MCC member Will Craig will discuss his current project. Will thinks awards can make a difference. He is drafting a nomination for Hennepin County to receive a "Freedom of Information" award for opening its data to the Mapping Prejudice project. His nomination is due February 8.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Women Connect is doing something new! We’ve added an additional meeting on the first Thursday of each month. This is a less formal, shorter, more intimate group chat. We’ll catch up on fun topics and share ideas in 45 minutes to an hour.

Everybody’s got a favorite artifact or heirloom nestled happily in her home. Whether it’s that one-of-a-kind chartreuse ceramic from Cousin Sarah or that gnarly looking hunk of wood from Uncle Ed, we want to hear about it. Bring an item that you’ll be able to hold up to your device camera so that we can all get a glimpse and then regale us with its tale of wonder.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

When Scott Carpenter moved from Minnesota to Paris, he did not expect the dramas that awaited: scheming neighbors, police denunciations, surly demonstrators, cooking disasters, medical mishaps―not to mention all those lectures about cheese! It turns out that nothing in the City of Light can be taken for granted, where even trips to the grocery store lead to adventure. Join us as Christina Selander Bouzouina, Executive Director of the Alliance Française Mpls/St.Paul, interviews Scott Dominic Carpenter about his hilarious new bestselling memoir, French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris. If you would like to read the book prior to the program, books can be purchased at Magers & Quinn or on Amazon.

Scott Dominic Carpenter teaches literature and creative writing at Carleton College (MN). Winner of a Mark Twain House Royal Nonesuch Prize (2018) and a Minnesota State Arts Board grant, he’s the author of Theory of Remainders: A Novel (named to Kirkus Reviews’ “Best Books of 2013”) and of This Jealous Earth: Stories. His shorter work has appeared in a wide variety of venues, including South Dakota Review, The Rumpus, Silk Road, Catapult, and various anthologies. His website is https://sdcarpenter.com/.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Through discussion we will explore ways of building a just community, equitably including all citizens.

Topic this month: “Reducing Bias”. Participants are asked to prepare for this discussion by viewing Verna Myers’ Ted talk “How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them.”

Verna Myers describes biases as made up stories. Where do your biases originate and what is their impact?

How are safety, success and being white connected?

Amanda Gorman’s Inauguration Poem “The Hill We Climb”.

The Aeolians Virtual Choir “We Shall Overcome”.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Richard Painter, UMN law professor and top ethics scholar who worked as George W. Bush’s chief ethics lawyer, returns to MCC for a lively discussion on current politics, thoughts on Trump’s future (emoluments and other criminal charges) and what we should keep in mind for the Biden/Harris presidency.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

The Tell Me A Story program is back—but we need YOU! Since June, members have been sharing high points, low points, and intriguing and uplifting stories from their lives to enthusiastic response from members. Help us continue this great zoom program that helps us get to know one another a little bit better, especially when we can’t be together in person. There’s no limit to what you might tell – or read. What facet of your life would help us know you better if we heard your story? We would like to find storytellers for March and beyond.

Email Bethany Boom to sign up for a March story slot, or suggest a month that would work for you.

Click here for the Zoom link.

Drop in and join your friends and neighbors for a morning chat over Zoom. Click here for the Zoom link.

Click here for the Zoom link.

MCC member Peggy Lucas shares that it is not too late to register for "The Future of Cities" virtual event scheduled for January 28 from 10:00-11:00 am. Richard Florida, renowned urbanist and thought leader on the sustainability of America’s cities, will share his expertise on the opportunities and difficult choices ahead for the country. To purchase a ticket, click here. You can use code FUTURE25 for 25% off the ticket price.

If you’re looking to support the restaurant industry, the nonprofit Give Hope MN was started by a local chef. He’s converted one of his restaurants into a food pantry and also offers stipends to unemployed industry personnel. They’re selling a chefs calendar with 100% of proceeds going to both efforts. MCC member Amy Rosenthal has a few extra calendars and she’ll hand deliver one to you if you make a donation of $25 or more. You can contact Amy here.

MCC member Peg Kavaney recommends listening to this inspiring rendition of We Shall Overcome that she found on Choral Stream.

Through an integrated network of community organizations and health systems, Juniper has made research-proven programs available to people throughout the state. Juniper offers small group classes, live online, that will help you stay active, independent and feeling your best. Classes are offered in three categories: Live Well, Get Fit and Prevent Falls. Classes include Walk with Ease, Living Well with Chronic Conditions, Tai Ji Quan and more. Learn more here.

Are you looking for a one-time volunteer opportunity to work on before Valentine's Day? A Herd for Hugs is looking for volunteers to create a craft for children in foster care or adults in care centers. Download a basic pattern and materials list and follow along with online videos to complete the project. For more information and to sign up for the opportunity, click here.

Do you have questions about Medicare or other issues that would help you live your best life? The Senior LinkAge Line® has answers, and they're ready to help. If you currently have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have an opportunity to make a change during the Medicare Advantage Enrollment Period, now through March 31. Senior LinkAge Line can work with you in the following ways:

Join Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson as she discusses "Climate Science, Policy, and Justice." Described as “the most influential marine biologist of our time,” she works at the intersection of climate, policy, and race. Click here to learn more.

This festival seeks to celebrate our cold, creative winters through ten days of diverse programming that invigorate mind and body. In an era of changing climate that threatens our signature season, we seek to create community, inspire action, and share the resilient spirit of the North with the world. Click here for a full list of events.

Enjoy a socially-distanced bird watching snowshoe trek along the North Mississippi Regional Park's prairie, woodland and river trails with a naturalist guide. For information and to register, click here.

This course examines the process of reparations in response to institutionalized racism, xenophobia, and antisemitism. Four vulnerable minority groups are considered: Jews during the Holocaust, Black Americans, Native Americans, and Japanese Americans interned during World War II. The course addresses the challenges of providing reparations: by whom, to whom, how, and what form reparations take in terms of amends for slavery, genocide, and injustice. To learn more and register, click here.

Mill City Times is a local website devoted specifically to our neighborhood and a place to go to find out what's happening, whether it's a new restaurant opening, a local event, proposed construction, volunteer opportunities and more.

Elise Linehan, Executive Director, eliselinehan@millcitycommons.org

Mary Texidor, Business and Member Services Admin, marytexidor@millcitycommons.org

Bethany Boom, Program and Events Manager, bethanyboom@millcitycommons.org