Join us to discuss The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

If you'd like to read ahead, choose a mystery by Ian Rankin. We’ll read and discuss an assortment at our December book chat. Have a book suggestion for the Book Chat? Email Marsha Blumenthal.

No registration required. MCC members can find the Zoom link here.

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.

Attendance Policy: A minimum of 3 registrants are required for this program to run. If there are less than 3 registrations 24 hours prior to the start of the program, the following will occur:

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your registration less than 24 hours before this program is scheduled to take place, you will be charged for attendance. To avoid being charged, please cancel your registration at least 24 hours prior to the program start time.

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

Women Connect Chat 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. This month’s topic: Feed Me! Bring your favorite easy recipes. Seafood. Pasta. Beef. Veggie. Chicken. Something saucy. Something cheesy. Something spicy. Something easy. Join us if you are seeking new ideas and if you’ve got something yummy to share.

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

Virtual via Zoom: LivingWisely LegacyJourney® Workshop

Over the past 6 months our ‘normal lives’ (before Covid-19) were put on hold. Things we took for granted one day, suddenly vanished the next. For many of us, adjusting to our ‘new normal’ has resulted in a lot of reflection time. Thinking about what’s really important to us as we cope with getting through this difficult time. If you would like an opportunity to experience a sampling of ways to document what you’ve been reflecting on, this program will be of interest to you.

Our LegacyJourney® pathways provide the foundation for creating engaging and transformational personal experiences. The program will inspire you to create meaningful documents to share your values, life lessons, insights, wisdom, hopes for the future and generosity. Barry Baines leads this hands-on workshop that will explore the three LegacyJourney® pathways, described below, and include writing exercises for you to begin the process of creating your own LegacyJourney® documents.

Discover the insights, life lessons and nuggets of wisdom gained from your unique experiences, culture and history. Live more intentionally going forward, deepen family relationships, and provide loved ones with meaningful examples to help guide them along their life journeys. Life Reflection Stories are typically comprised of a continuum of short reflective narratives or master stories written any time during your lifetime and shared along the way.

An Ethical Will or Legacy Letter helps you share your values, faith, beliefs, life lessons, hopes for the future, gratitude, love and forgiveness with family, friends, and community. They are often referred to as the voice of our heart as they provide personal insights to help inform our life decisions, align our values and wishes along each stage of our journey, and share what matters most in our life.

A Making a Difference Plan is an intentional document to clarify your what you are passionate about and help you positively impact the people and causes you care most about by focusing your time, talents and resources. It can help you go beyond being charitable and create a legacy of generosity by aligning your actions with your passions and vision. And when shared, it can teach and inspire your loved ones to live compassionately as you serve as a role model, engage in memorable activities together, and achieve tangible, beneficial results.

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

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

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.

Melanie Ebertz is probably the best unpaid, unofficial Minneapolis Concierge you can meet. She will warm your heart and put a smile on your face with her rich stories about life as an advocate for the arts, the farmer’s market, indigenous cultures and her connections to many MCC members. For many years, she has greeted thousands of people at the Mill City Farmers Market and formed friendships over the incredible Peruvian hand-loomed rugs that she sells. When she initially connected with Peruvian artists, she became aware of their needs for nutrition information and early childhood education. This led her to establish a foundation and connect many Twin Cities residents with local artisans in Peru thru hosted tourism. The foundation’s hard work and the rising level of living in Peru eventually concluded the foundation’s work. Melanie is joining us to share reflections on pivoting during the time of COVID - a time when we may actually have more disadvantaged community needs in Minnesota than the Peruvian artisans.

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

It's caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC and guests! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going. This week's conversation will be led by Ron Vantine. Please come with one book recommendation, of any genre, to share with the group. Given the stresses of COVID-19, we’d especially like to hear about books of good humor or wit, as well as off-beat stories. Each person will have 2 minutes to describe his book recommendation.

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

Water Works, part of the 30 year RiverFirst initiative, is a 6-acre project within the Mill Ruins Park that will bring new historic, cultural, and recreational amenities to Minneapolis’ iconic riverfront. The project sits just upstream from the Stone Arch Bridge along the Mississippi river to Third Avenue. A cornerstone of the project includes Owamni--a new restaurant concept created by Sioux Chef--an organization dedicated to reviving indigenous ingredients and educating native American communities on how to bring back healthy, local food. Join us as Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation and Dana Thompson, Co-Owner of Sioux Chef, provide an update on this exciting project which is sure to be a favorite destination for riverfront residents and visitors.

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

The Philippines has had a special relationship with the United States since the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States after the Spanish-American War at the end of the 19th century. However, since the election of Rodrigo Duterte, the country has pivoted more toward China, and away from the U.S. Duterte has also launched a large-scale war on drugs that many criticize for its brutality. What does the future hold for U.S, relations with the Philippines? Duncan McCampbell will be our speaker.

MCC Great Decisions members sign up here. The Zoom link will be emailed to participants.

Through discussion we will explore ways of building a just community, equitably including all citizens. This month: Level up! Deconstruct Racism!

In the final Tuesday morning MCC Racial Justice Discussion of 2020 we will discuss methods of deconstructing racism. After 400 years of creating, supporting, enduring or wanting to eliminate a caste-like system within our American society:

In preparation for contributing to the discussion, please view this Ted Talk here.

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

The Tell Me A Story program will be taking a break in November and December. We hope to bring the program back in 2021—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 need ONE MORE storyteller in order to run a January program.

It’s simple! Each monthly program consists of three storytellers who each get 5-15 minutes to tell/read their story, followed by brief Q&A from the audience.

When crafting a story or mining one in your archive you may consider the following:

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

Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. 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 Will Craig shares that civil rights leader Josie Johnson presented for the University of Minnesota Retirees Association recently on how racial injustice and systemic racism have affected African Americans since their forced importation into what is now America. The program recording can be viewed here.

MCC member Patty Canney shares that California Dreamin' is happening online this year starting November 6. Visit artists' studios and shop from the comfort of your home. Click here to learn more.

MCC member Bill Van Essendelft recommends Nixta Minneapolis for takeout. He and his family have been regularly enjoying picking up family dinners for 2-4 people. If you go on line you can view weekly menus and place your order for pick up. It is a slick system and the food has been unique and delicious each week, especially their homemade tortillas. What about you? Do you have other restaurant recommendations that offer curbside pick up? We'd love to know and share in an upcoming Musings. Email us with your recommendations.

MCC members, you're invited to a “Bushel and a Peck” of fun with a sing along version of the lively show Guys and Dolls on November 20 at 1:30 pm! Fedoras and mink stoles optional – bedroom slippers encouraged for this living room performance. To begin, we’ll take 30 minutes to introduce you to some of the background and notable aspects of the show “Guys & Dolls”, then invite you to join us as MacPhail Teaching Artists Joey Clark, Andrea Leap, Jerry Rubino, Vicky Mountain and Sheridan Zuther lead us through the hits. (Song sheets will be emailed prior to the event.) Participants will be muted, so you can choose to lip-sync or belt out the tunes as you see fit – we’ll never know! In any case, you’re in for a musical adventure with these vocal guides. To participate: Simply email Kristyn Rupp at Rupp.Kristyn@macphail.org to receive a lyric sheet prior to the program. Then, join this zoom link on November 20. This program is free for MCC members, thanks to MacPhail Center for Music.

For a quarter-century, from the end of Watergate to the aftermath of the Cold War, no Republican won the presidency without his help or ran the White House without his advice. James Addison Baker III was the indispensable man for four presidents because he understood better than anyone how to make Washington work at a time when America was shaping events around the world. His story is a case study of power in late 20th century America and the story of Washington and the world in the modern era. Join a virtual conversation with journalist-author duo Peter Baker of The New York Times and Susan Glasser of The New Yorker for a closer look at their new book about James A. Baker III. Click here to register.

When you look up at the night sky, do you ever wonder how different it would look under really dark skies? What do others across the state see compared to the view in your town? What actions can you take to protect our night skies or help scientists understand the effects of light pollution? Each evening of FREE events kicks off with a keynote talk from a night sky expert at 7 pm, followed by presentations and digital views streamed from telescopes across the state, facilitated by astronomy experts who will lead you on a tour of stars, planets, and other astronomical objects. Join a community of people across Minnesota and beyond to observe and celebrate our night skies! Click here to register.

The final speaker of the fall series is Eddie Glaude, Jr., discussing "James Baldwin's Lessons on Race in America." Eddie Glaude Jr. is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University and chair of the Department of African American Studies. He is the former president of the American Academy of Religion, the largest professional organization of scholars of religion in the world. Click here to learn more.

What effect does choice and chance play when entire groups of people are displaced by socio-historical moments beyond their control? Two authors whose new books center on refugee experiences will be taking part in an online discussion. In Somewhere in the Unknown World, author Kao Kalia Yang presents a collective memoir of refugee experiences, individuals who found the strength and courage to rebuild after leaving all they hold dear. Jessica Goudeau’s After the Last Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America situates a dramatic, character-driven story within a larger history—the evolution of modern refugee resettlement in the United States, beginning with World War II and ending with current closed-door policies. Click here to register.

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