Northland Tour of Ojibwe Places

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Join MCF, WASH-MN, and your peers in philanthropy to learn about the Native communities located near the end of Lake Superior, which in French is called “Fond du Lac.” The tour will include visits to sites within the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa community as well as Tribal locations in the Duluth area. Together, we’ll learn about the culture and community including tour stops that will focus on history, climate/environment, education/culture, and economic opportunities.

Our tour will be guided by Lyz Jaakola, an enrolled Tribal member of the Fond du Lac band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, and a musician, educator, and Native Nation Rebuilder.

Agenda At-A-Glance

• 9:00 - 9:30: Please arrive in time to load the bus before departure.
• 9:30: Bus departs promptly from Black Bear Casino Resort, Carlton.
• Morning: Visit the Native nonprofit, AICHO, in Duluth, which includes learning about their housing and supportive services to Native families and individuals, urban gardens, cultural events, solar installations, children's programs, and food sovereignty.
• 12:00 - 1:00: Lunch and philanthropy conversation
  • LuAnn Robinson, Grants Program Officer, Blandin Foundation
  • Jo-Anne Stately, Senior Vice President of Impact, Minneapolis Foundation
  • Michelle Ufford, Vice President of Grantmaking, Northland Foundation
• Afternoon: Visit various locations around the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Planned stops include:
  • Fond du Lac Cultural Center & Veterans Museum (Cloquet); 
  • Biomass Heating and Community Center (Brookston); 
  • Native Wise Buffalo Farm (Sawyer); and
  • Fond du Lac Agriculture Program which emphasizes environmental stewardship, food sovereignty, and a resilient, community-centered food system. (Exact stops are subject to change.)
• 5:00: Bus arrives at Black Bear Casino Resort.

This program is offered by MCF in collaboration with We Are Still Here – Minnesota and with support from the Minneapolis Foundation.

We Are Still Here - Minnesota (WASH-MN) is a collaboration fiscally sponsored by Indigenous Roots, an arts organization that supports a coalition of people, organizations, and small businesses dedicated to the Reclaiming Native Truth research and its findings. 

What to Bring

• Feel free to bring your morning beverage, morning snack, and a refillable water bottle. Lunch and an afternoon snack will be provided (including GF, dairy-free, and vegetarian options).
• Dress for the weather. Check the forecast for the possibility of rain. We recommend wearing layers in case you're feeling too warm or too cool.
• The tour will include significant time sitting, standing, and walking. Wear comfortable clothing and good walking/standing shoes.
• Bring a readiness to listen, hear, and see. Various communities will be welcoming us into their spaces. We're grateful for their generosity of time and connection. 

Additional Tour Details

• The tour registration includes round-trip transportation starting and ending at the Black Bear Casino Resort. The tour bus will load and unload under the main canopy at the entrance to the Casino Resort.
• Please inquire about options for arranging carpools from your place of origin. 
• Health policies for in-person events: MCF takes seriously the health of staff, members and other stakeholders. Please see the public health measures that we've instituted for in-person programming. 
• Due to the nature of planning a tour of this nature, refunds will be limited to public health and emergency cancelations, as described above.
• Lunch will be provided. Please update your online MCF profile with any dietary restrictions or notify Khin Oo, [email protected]. We will attempt to accommodate all requests made at least one week prior to the event. 
• Lodging on your own is available at the Black Bear Casino Resort.
• Parking is available in the main parking area at the Casino Resort.
• For additional information, please reach out to Paul Masiarchin, [email protected]. 
• If you would like to receive an auto-generated invoice to pay later, please log in to your account before registering.

Pick Your Discount Offer

Choose between two ways to save.

Group Rate: Bring your team. Buy 2 registrations and get the 3rd for ½ price. Available only for registrants from the same organization.

Two Tour Rate: Join MCF on two tours this year. Pay full price for the higher-cost tour and get the second event for ½ price. Cannot be split between two people. 

• Wednesday, July 16 - Honoring 50 Years: A Learning from Place Tour of Hmong St. Paul
• Thursday, September 4 - Northland Tour of Ojibwe Places

Each registrant may only take advantage of one discount option. Email Khin Oo at [email protected] if you'd like to participate.

_{Photo credit: Flickr photo, Brett Whaley, some rights reserved}