Event Recordings
Find recordings of some of our virtual and hybrid events here. For photos of in-person events, see the Media Gallery page.
Building MN’s Powerful Arts Community: How We Got Here
March 18, 2023
How does community start? And how does it germinate in order to empower people and authentic voices? How do you build on the movements that came before you? The Loft and More Than a Single Story invited a panel of seasoned BIPOC writers and arts activists to share the trials and triumphs they faced while building the powerful arts community we are all benefitting from today.
Panelists: Daniel Pierce Bergin, Juanita Corbine Espinosa, Kathryn Haddad, Carolyn Holbrook, Alberto Justiniano, and David Mura.
Moderator: Vickie Benson.
Opening Poem: Louis Alemayehu.
Food in Cultural Celebrations
December 6, 2022
Despite the challenges of the last few years, our communities have always found reasons to celebrate. Join notable chefs and food writers Sean Sherman, Yia Vang, Mecca Bos and Natalia Mendez in a conversation about their communities and the historical and contemporary ways food serves as a backdrop for cultural celebrations.
Moderator: Tess Montgomery.
Opening poem: Zenobia L. Silas Carson.
Embracing Our Roots: Joshua Gillespie (Brotha Ase) and Nthoando & Vusumusi Zulu
October 15, 2022
Up and coming drummer and storyteller, Joshua Gillespie (Brotha Ase’) joins his grandparents, the master storytellers, Nothando and Vusumusi Zulu, in a conversation about the power of storytelling to lift our people up, and about the Black Storytellers Alliance in Minnesota, of which Nothando and Vusi are co-founding members.
Writer to Writer: Marcie Rendon & Leya Hale
September 13, 2022
Author and playwright Marcie Rendon (White Earth Nation) and documentary producer Leya Hale (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota and Diné Nations) discuss issues that affect their Indigenous communities.
TEDx Talk: Carolyn Holbrook
In her TEDx talk, Carolyn Holbrook speaks on how she is a legacy of where she comes from and her personal belief that we live our legacy everyday.
Embracing Our Roots: T. Mychael Rambo & Jasmine McBride
June 14, 2022
Up and coming journalist, podcaster and spoken word artist, Jasmine McBride joins Emmy award winning actor, vocalist and educator, T. Mychael Rambo in a conversation about Mr. Rambo’s celebrated career here in Minnesota and beyond. They also reflect on Ms. McBride’s growing career.
Our Stories, Ourselves: Home & Exile
May 22, 2022
Somali author Ayaan Adan, Uruguayan author Tessa Bridal, genderqueer Afghani writer and professor of Global Studies Ahmad Qais Munhazim, and Hmong community leader Terri Thao have a discussion on what home and exile means to them.
Writer to Writer: Ed Bok Lee & Kevin Yang
May 4th, 2022
Writers Ed Bok Lee and Kevin Yang reflect on their identities as Asian American artists living in Minnesota and creating art for themselves vs. creating art for their communities and explore writing in different languages.
We Are Meant to Rise: The Poetry of Social Movements
April 30, 2022
Presented by TruArtSpeaks in collaboration with More Than A Single Story, this performance and panel discussion closed out poetry month with an invitation to “be a menace” for all things good, through the power of the written and spoken word.
Embracing Our Roots: Conversation with Genesia Williams and Mary Moore Easter
Mar. 17, 2022
Mary Moore Easter, author of four poetry books and Founder/Director of Carleton College’s dance program shares her experiences with Genesia Williams, a creative social change leader, writer and designer.
Embracing Our Roots: Conversation with John Wright and Brittany Delaney
Feb. 17, 2022
Spoken Word Artist/Arts Educator, Brittany Delaney joined Distinguished Professor Emeritus John S. Wright in a conversation about Dr. Wright’s storied career.
We Are Meant to Rise Reading
February 15, 2022
Reading from We Are Meant to Rise by Mary Moore Easter, Anika Fajardo, Ezekiel Joubert III & Mona Susan Power. This event was part of the Soul Bone Literary Festival from Maharishi International University’s MFA program in creative writing.
History Revealed: We Are Meant to Rise
January 13, 2022
This panel discussion highlights co-editors Carolyn Holbrook and David Mura alongside writers Marcie Rendon, Suleiman Adan and Kevin Yang as they talk about the book and their experiences as BIPOC writers.
We Are Meant to Rise: Book Launch Event
November 29, 2021
Our book launch for our new anthology We Are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World. We hear from our co-editors Carolyn Holbrook and David Mura as well as writers Douglas Kearney, Kao Kalia Yang, Melissa Olson and Said Shaiye.
Embracing Our Roots: Alanna Morris-Van Tassel in conversation with Arleta Little and Elena Schoop
October 20, 2021
The Suitcases We Carry: An Afternoon With Haitian Women Writers
October 10, 2021.
Featuring Haitian authors Beaudelaine Pierre, Gabrielle Civil, Valerie Deus, Marie Cerat and Jaira Placide on the themes in Pierre’s new book “You May Have the Suitcase Now,” a collection of essays that explores home and exile, and all that we carry with us in our physical and psychological “suitcases.”
Moderator: Professor Zenzele Isoke.