A special thanks to Mille Lacs-area friends and partners who joined us on Tuesday, June 3, for a community conversation at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum & Trading Post. A special thanks to Minnesota Historical Society board members for their engaging conversations and to site staff for making us feel welcome and connected. We enjoyed visiting with everyone in the room and appreciated the opportunity to highlight the many ways local governments, businesses and nonprofits can plug into our partner-powered mission to build a thriving economy, vibrant communities and a lasting culture of generosity. Thanks to Virgil Wind, chief executive for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, for welcoming us and encouraging deeper connections; to Tearza Jones of Pearl Crisis Center for sharing impactful stories; to Initiators Fellow Wanetta Thompson for building cultural connections through Maadaoonidiwag (Bear Paws Cultural Arts); and to Beth Gruber of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures for highlighting partnerships to advance small business development within the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy. Our next stop is July 24 in partnership with the Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce. Visit our landing page to learn more and to register: https://ifound.org/about/engagement-tour/ (fb)

Bear Paws Cultural Art (Maadaoonidiwag), founded by Wanetta Thompson in 2023, is revitalizing Ojibwe traditions through free art classes called Maada’oonidiwag—meaning “sharing knowledge” in Ojibwe. Held in Aitkin, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties, these classes teach participants to create cultural items like jingle dresses, beadwork and moccasins. With support from the Initiative Foundation, Bear Paws is building bridges of understanding. Wanetta is also a Fellow in the 2024-2025 cohort of the Initiators Fellowship. Learn more about the program: fellows.greaterminnesota.net. The application for the 2026-2027 cohort of the Initiators Fellowship closes on June 16. Read the full story in the spring edition of IQ Magazine: ifound.org/iq-magazine/issues/supply-and-demand/bear-paws-cultural-art/ (fb)