Snapshots
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Snapshots finds interesting, everyday people from all around the Twin Cities and collects a short snippet of their life. Interested in producing your own Snapshot, or have an idea Continue Reading
Urban photography: Highlights from Wing Young Huie’s TCMA workshop
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Last month, Twin Cities’ award-winning photographer Wing Young Huie took 19 local photographers down Lake Street to help them develop their skills behind the camera and overcome their inhibitions to photograph intimate subjects.The exercise was part of the Twin Cities Media Alliance’s workshops that aim to provide local residents access to media skills trainings and help them better produce and participate in today’s modern media environment.The photographers hit the streets of South Minneapolis on June 28 with cameras in hand and the results are pretty fantastic. Scroll down to check out some highlights from their afternoon outing. Photographs by Amy BergquistPhotographs by Jeremy KleiderPhotograph by Journey KillingworthPhotographs by Michael RostancePhotographs by Monica NilssonPhotograph by Nancy RosenbaumPhotographs by Robert JersakPhotographs by Lisa ArnoldIf you like what you see here or you’re interested in signing up for one of our classes, check out the classes section on our website. Continue Reading
20 years later, bisexuals still feel left out
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Co-founder Victor Raymond remembers that they almost canceled the first BECAUSE conference when they realized the night before that only 12 people had signed up. They decided to follow through, and the next day over 120 participants showed up to register.That was back in 1992. Now the BECAUSE conference, which stands for Bisexual Empowerment Conference, A Uniting Supportive Experience, draws more than 200 participants from all over the United States every year. The conference, sponsored by local nonprofit Bisexual Organizing Project, aims to bring higher visibility to the sexual orientation, which advocates claim is mostly ignored in mainstream society. The event also provides a forum for support and activism for the bisexual movement. Continue Reading
University of Minnesota, Teach for America seek partnership approval, plan would create Minnesota’s first alternative teacher licensing program
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Minnesota’s first alternative teacher licensing program could begin as soon as June, pending Minnesota Board of Teaching approval of the University of Minnesota’s proposed partnership with Teach for America.
MUSIC REVIEW | Poliça’s Channy Leaneagh delivers an empowering show at Mill City Nights
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The two sold-out Poliça shows at Mill City Nights on November 29-30, with opener Marijuana Deathsquads, testify to the collaborative wonders of the Minneapolis music scene as well as the fervent reception of Poliça’s sophomore album Shulamith, which dropped just last month.Despite the thorny details surrounding the album’s inspiration, frontwoman Channy Leaneagh had no problem delivering two incendiary performances that evoked not despair or destitution but rather independence, self-love and flat-out empowerment.Surprisingly, much of Poliça’s new album comes in a lighter, dancier package than Give You the Ghost (something you may have noticed when they released their almost-indie-pop single, “Chain My Name”), but these differences translated well to Leaneagh’s performances over the weekend. Sporting a black wig—think Uma Thurman from Pulp Fiction—and torn up, black tights that revealed her bare hips, Leaneagh danced sprightly, even flirtatiously about the stage as the band opened their second night with their darkly dance-synth number, “Spilling Lines.” Its metallic overtones cooed repetitively as light cast a giant dancing shadow of Leaneagh on the checkered wall beside her.The band went through some old favorites such as “Lay Your Cards Out,” “Dark Star,” and “Amongster.” However, the most powerful aspects of the shows weren’t the energetic, rhythm-heavy pieces we’ve come to expect from Poliça, but the empowering moments during the album’s slower songs that Leaneagh chose to showcase her vocals as a true lead singer.Songs like “Tiff” (which features Justin Vernon on the album), and “Warrior Lord” came off especially strong, where Leaneagh’s voice broke free from the heavy digital layering that sometimes pushes her voice into the background. It was during these songs that she reminded us that her voice isn’t just interestingly manipulated atmosphere, but powerful and singular—an independent voice coming just from her (appropriately symbolic, considering the album title’s origin). Continue Reading
Live blogging CityCamp MN 2013: Twin Cities holds 2nd unconference for technology-enhanced civic ideas, solutions
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This story is live coverage on the November 9 CityCamp MN 2013 unconference. Check back in throughout the day for updates, down below.If you type “unconference” into a text message or into your Facebook status, chances are your autocorrect will suggest you change it. That’s because unconference is still a relatively new idea—one that emphasizes informal exchanges, unhindered ideas, and a breakdown in hierarchy and convention.This year, the Twin Cities Daily Planet attended CityCamp Minnesota’s second unconference at the University of St. Thomas Minneapolis on November 9 to discuss a menagerie of topics ranging anywhere from data transparency, to city engagement, to open source technology. The theme? Continue Reading
Minnesota celebrates same-sex marriage with third annual Big Gay Race
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Gray skies and cold rain didn’t stop more than 1,900 participants from running in the Big Gay Race 5K in Minneapolis on September 28. The race, now in its third year, was originally started by Minnesotans United to raise awareness and garner support against anti-gay legislation. This year the race was a celebration after Minnesota legalized same-sex marriage earlier in May.”Today, the Big Gay Race is about supporting Minnesotans United and the legislators who voted yes on marriage in 2013,” said Maria de la Cruz of Minnesotans United. “This is a celebration and an opportunity to raise some money to support our legislators who bravely voted yes.”Last year with the Vote No campaign, over 7,000 Minnesotans turned out for the race, according to de la Cruz. This year, with nothing at stake, organizers were hoping to get around 2,000 participants, said de la Cruz, and they’re happy with the turnout.While the name suggests competition, the event is really just a fun run, said de la Cruz. Continue Reading
Egyptian-Minnesotans rally against violence in Egypt
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Around 50 Egyptian-Minnesotans rallied in Peavey Park in Minneapolis August 23 to raise local awareness of the recent upsurge of violence in Egypt. More than 900 protesters have been killed and many more injured and imprisoned in and after the August 14 crackdown by Egypt’s military.”Hey Minnesota, make some noise! Egypt, Egypt, hear my voice!” the crowd chanted, many holding signs denouncing the violence. “No more killing, no more fights! Continue Reading
Minnesota’s big gay wedding day
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UPDATED 8/1: The weddings began at midnight! Just last year, Minnesota found itself caught up in a heated debate over whether or not to include a ban on same-sex marriage in our state’s constitution. Little did we know, not even a year later, we’d become just the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage. The UpTake provided live video coverage (below), starting at 8 p.m. when the wedding guests and those who brought about the change in Minnesota’s law celebrated at the Minneapolis Wilde Roast Cafe. Governor Mark Dayton spoke at City Hall around 11:15 p.m. , followed by Mayor Rybak. And then the weddings began …We want to hear, see and read about it! Continue Reading
Q&A | Founding member Jewelean Jackson talks about Twin Cities Juneteenth
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Minnesota’s 25th Juneteenth celebration, though dampened again by rainfall, was a success for thousands gathered on June 15 at North Mississippi Regional Park.If you haven’t heard about Juneteenth yet, then the reason for celebrating this holiday may be more poignant than you realize. Juneteenth celebrates the proclamation of the abolition of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865. While the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, neither the news nor freedom arrived in Texas until the end of the Civil War. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980, and has spread throughout the country, now being celebrated in over 200 cities in 40 states.Jewelean Jackson, one of the founding mothers of the festival here in Minnesota explained what Juneteenth means to her community, why it’s important and what she wants people to learn from it.What is Juneteenth about?Juneteenth is a celebration of when all of the rest of the slaves finally got word that Abraham Lincoln had in fact put forth the Emancipation Proclamation. There were certain places in the south where they didn’t tell them that the Emancipation Proclamation had at least given them their freedom on paper. Continue Reading