Pollen

04/03/2024

We have an update to share with all of you. Over the next few months, the Pollen board and staff are preparing to sunset Pollen and intentionally phase out its programming.

We’ve been thinking about how to do this in a way that brings more healing and hope amongst the sadness this loss will bring. True to our nature-inspired name, Pollen is exceptionally talented at embracing an evolutionary process — trying to be continually fluid and responsive — even when that means coming to an end.

Pollen changed a lot of our lives. While this news is sure to bring a lot of sadness, it is written from a place of deep gratitude and pride that we got to be a part of this crucial soul-building work.

As we prepare to sunset Pollen and intentionally phase out its programming, we’ve been thinking about how to do it in a way that brings more healing and hope amongst the sadness this loss will bring. True to our nature-inspired name, Pollen is exceptionally talented at embracing an evolutionary pr...

02/26/2024

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Rise and Hive last month! Join us for the next one! 7:30am—9am March 7th at The Briar

riseandhiveMar24.eventbrite.com

02/13/2024

For months, the remaining team at Pollen has been imagining a more healing and restorative response beyond the examples we experience or expect. Before we moved forward by sharing more programming and stories, we knew it mattered to close this chapter properly — that’s what Ruby deserves after her many contributions to the work we’re all proud of from the last three years at Pollen.

Ruby first joined our team in 2020 as Pollen Studio Manager after being chosen from a pool of 300+ applicants, she later became the Director of Narrative Change and was eventually promoted to Executive Director. In her piece, she offers resources that have provided clarity for her about what more can be done to prevent an all too common outcome for too many Black leaders. She ends with gratitude for her time with the Pollen team, our community of artists, and all of you who attend our events and read our stories.

This won’t fix everything or heal everyone but that’s not the goal of hiring Ruby to share what she wants to be shared. The goal is to invite more imagination for what’s possible. We know from social justice movements that when we center the most marginalized, everyone gets free. In fact, it was Ruby who first taught us to imagine more for our own freedom. The collective story of her time at Pollen is what we want to end on — not why she left or how — so before we start our next chapter, please take a moment to read Ruby’s last word.

Imagination is the gift and ability that marginalized leaders have to offer. It is also what we must protect most fiercely.

01/10/2024

Join us Wednesday, January 31st at The Briar for the return of Rise & Hive — a free event that has served as a space to connect with the Pollen community over the years. Stop by anytime between 7:30am—9am to meet fellow Pollenites, cross-pollinate your network, and connect with Pollen staff. House coffee will be provided. Specialty drinks and breakfast options are available for purchase. Please see event details for Covid safety considerations.

Join us Wednesday, January 31st at The Briar for the return of Rise & Hive

11/16/2023

Though Pollen has evolved over the years, we are what we’ve always been — an organization that uses stories to help create a more kind, just, and loving world. This year has been a difficult one for us, but we’re facing that difficulty the only way we know how — by sharing more of our story, and inviting you in new ways to be a part of it.

Let’s imagine 2024. Get your own copy of our wall calendar, the first of many new ways that we will bring our art and storytelling to you. We’re excited for you to join us in reflecting on Pollen’s past while we dream of who we want to be in the future.

10/03/2023

After the murder of George Floyd and through the ensuing civil unrest, Zedé encountered a flood of social media posts by people who were worried for their families.

That’s why this mother of two founded Seeds Worth Sowing, a mutual aid-based nonprofit intended to nourish and stabilize the lives of parents, caregivers, and their families.

It’s all in an effort to take care of the people who, according to Zedé, are “taking care of our future — our little ones, who depend entirely on us as financial providers, health care providers, and mental health stabilizers.”

Seeds Worth Sowing has mobilized hundreds of volunteers and distributed countless valuable resources, work that gives Zedé hope for the future of Minneapolis. “We can absolutely mobilize and strategize and create these paths together on our road to liberation,” she says.

Seeds Worth Sowing By Cecilia Johnson Zedé Harut doesn’t see parenthood as just one of her many roles in life. She sees it as a sacred calling. That’s why this mother of two founded and directs Seeds Worth Sowing, a mutual aid-based nonprofit intended to nourish and stabilize the lives of paren...

09/26/2023

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Here is MPLS honoree Walter Cortina witnessed how young people were hit hard as a workforce, and that their age prevented them from accessing unemployment benefits. In response, Walter and his team built a campaign to expand unemployment benefits to eligible students. The successful legislative effort led to a new state law, and provided $33 million dollars to over 20,000 youth.

Walter sees that campaign now as a testament to the power of community, and as a challenge to adults to consider young people in their decisions. But he knows that young people shouldn’t rely on others to create the future they want to see.

“Youth are capable of massive change.” says Walter, “We don’t have to wait to begin creating change, or to make an impact, or be a part of society.”

His listening, caring and support has shaped the programming at Bridgemakers, the organization he co-founded. Bridgemakers offers mentoring, economic and career building opportunities to young people, in an effort to help them find the agency to shape the solutions they see fit for themselves.

Walter CortinaStory By Cynthia J. Zapata & Art by Anh Tran In Mexico, the colibri, or hummingbird, represents that better times are nearing the horizon; they also symbolize that ancestors are near and protecting us. These winged creatures are diligent as they bring joy, protection, and luck into the...

09/19/2023

09/19/2023

In a housing system that often endorses individual responsibility over mutual aid, Here is MPLS honoree Zahnia Harut proposes an alternative—shelter as community work.

As the executive director and director of nursing for Affinity Residential Care, Zahnia provides healthcare, residential care, housing stabilization services, and positive behavioral supports for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and individuals dealing with homelessness.

“What does a meaningful life mean to you?” This is often the first question Zahnia asks when someone new joins her community — a question that reflects central tenets of her work.

“My community is the Black and Brown disability community. I do this work for them,” she says. “And that is what a meaningful life means to me: to be surrounded by the people I love and who love me, building something together.”

Zahnia Harut Story By Julie ZhouArt by Anh Tran “What does a meaningful life mean to you?” This is the first question that Zahnia Harut asks when someone new joins her community. It is a question that reflects central tenets of Zahnia’s work: witness and testimony as modes of care, autonomy as...

09/19/2023

KRSM - 98.9 FM is a low-power radio station with a high-powered vision: reflecting the stories, songs, and hopes of Southside Minneapolis’ diverse communities. KRSM hit the air in 2017 at 98.9 FM, and has been focused every day since on lifting the voices of community members who don’t often get their perspectives shared.

“The vibe is about having the heart and the passion, and wanting to really connect with people on air,” says station manager Andrea Pierre. “To tell a different story.”

This core value has led to a schedule that includes programming in six languages, Indigenous news broadcasts, and youth led shows. The station tagline “Radio for All” isn’t just a catchphrase — it’s a perspective that makes KRSM more than a resource for storytelling. It’s an activation point for engagement.

Story By Mair AllenArt by Genessis Lopez & Anh Tran  KRSM There’s nothing like driving down Lake Street on a hot summer day, windows rolled down, while the radio plays a deep-cut Anne Peebles track. Then, instead of a commercial break, you hear the voice of a local artist, like Ricardo Levins Mor...