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Key DEI Events

 

This is a collection of what is deemed to be events having impacts on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  

 

See the Diversity Beam for notable DEI projects. 

 

Start Date Title Description Tags
Oct 29, 2024 02:00 PM Free Speech vs. Hate Speech: Understanding the Boundaries and Building Resilient Communities Cohosts: Winona State, RCTC: This timely event will feature two key sessions aimed at exploring the balance between free speech and hate speech, as well as the impacts of hate on marginalized communities. We will be moderating the discussions. ('diversity', 'civic engagement')
Oct 26, 2024 01:00 PM Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery MN African American History ('diversity',)
Oct 22, 2024 12:30 PM Cradle to Career: High School Graduation Network Check-in, Announcements and Updates, Workgroups, Share, Checkout ('youth', 'c2c', 'education', 'key')
Oct 18, 2024 04:00 PM Asian Pacific Minnesotans Leadership Awards Dinner We the People: 40 Years of empowering Asian Pacific Minnesotans ('diversity', 'Asian')
Oct 17, 2024 12:00 PM Vision 2050 at Kiwanis Club of Rochester 20 minutes session with Kiwanis Day Makers: Introduction and Conversations to obtain inputs ('Kiwanis', 'vision', 'key')
Oct 15, 2024 09:00 AM Vision 2050 at Kiwanis Day Makers 20 minutes session with Kiwanis Day Makers: Introduction and Conversations to obtain inputs ('Kiwanis', 'openbeam', 'key')
Oct 14, 2024 12:00 PM Indigenous Peoples Day ('diversity',)
Oct 11, 2024 10:00 AM Oct 11, 2024 Community Co-design Setting Context: Equitable engagement and collaboration (Wafa & Chao) 15 minutes  Forms of equity  Co-design is not beginning or end of any project  Role of co-design in equity and systems approaches What ways have you seen co-design meet the semi-explicit and implicit levels of change? Describe how. What criteria/principles must be followed to ensure equity? o What ways have you seen co-design not practiced in equitable ways? What specifically was missed in that opportunity? o What strategies, approaches, and/or tools (other than co-design) help us meet the semi-explicit and implicit levels ('CMRC', 'key')
Oct 09, 2024 12:00 PM Equity Alliance Equity Series Equity Eats: Reviving Roots, Restoring Ecosystem Economies Through Indigenous Foodways In this episode we will delve into the transformative mission of the mnfoodrescue.org Equity Eats initiatives that are at the forefront of restoring and promoting regenerative food systems across Minnesota. We explore how the initiatives revive Indigenous foodways, grounded in food web design, while also honoring the rich Indigenous history in Minnesota and the First Nations' right to food sovereignty. By ('DMC', 'Diversity', 'latino', 'Entrepreneurship')
Oct 09, 2024 10:00 AM October, 2024 Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Alliance: Real Estate Stats Quarterly Real Estate Updates; West 90 Partners; Upcoming Events/Announcements ('RAF', 'housing', 'openbeam', 'key')
Oct 09, 2024 09:00 AM Cradle 2 Career Annual Education Summit (Live, reflect, connect) Learn, reflect, and connect with us at this free event as we come together to support children and youth from cradle to career. Power in Partnership: Our Collective Impact ('c2c', 'Education', 'openbeam', 'key')
Oct 08, 2024 10:00 AM RPS October 2024 Family Engagement Meeting: Literacy, the Read Act, and Family Engagement This session will focus on Literacy, the Read Act, and Family Engagement, featuring a presentation by Heather Klavetter, RPS Director of Academics for Elementary Education. We'll explore how these topics impact K-12 families and share updates on RPS Literacy Initiatives. ('RPS', 'education', 'key')
Oct 07, 2024 04:00 PM SBDC: Hispanic Heritage Month Community Celebration The celebration will consist of: The first networking event for Spanish speaking small business owners Resource tables/Spanish speaking representatives from organizations in town that provide resources for Spanish speaking small business owners An introduction to the organizations that made the event possible An introduction to the instructors and their affiliations (SBDC, ACHLA Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans) and the SBA) Certificates awarded to the small business owners who participated in our workshops ('diversity', 'community engagement', 'Entrepreneurship')
Oct 04, 2024 07:00 PM ICAM: Garba & DANDIA Night For the First Time in Rochester - ICAM presents Eight Person Music Band from Gujarat to get you dancing the night away at the Garba and Dandiya Dance Festival of India! Garba is a dance that honors, worships, and celebrates the feminine form of divinity. ('Culture', 'Diversity', 'community')
Oct 04, 2024 05:30 PM 2024 IMAA Presents Pearl Gala Celebrate IMAA’s 40th anniversary and support our mission. Become a Partner in Empowering, Advancing & Redefining Lives by joining us at our annual fundraising event. Be a part of the inspiring journey, where together, we create a future of empowerment, beauty, and value for all. ('diversity', 'imaa', 'community', 'immigrant', 'CMRC')
Document Actions

Two types of event information being shared in the following:

1. A list of Beam aware upcoming community events of all types. 

2. A list of noteworthy past events that have one or more of the following contents: presentation slides, video recordings as well as takeaways. 

Upcoming Events
MN Paid Leave Jun 04, 2026 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM — Rochester Cultural Center 1515 US-14, Rochester, MN 55904
Braver Angels Minnesota: Common Ground Workshop Jun 06, 2026 01:00 PM - 05:00 PM — Rochester Public Library
Co-Design as Civic Infrastructure Jun 10, 2026 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM — Zoom
Jun 2026 Coming to the Table Jun 10, 2026 05:30 PM - 07:00 PM — Rochester Public Libery
2Q 2026 County Health Assessment and Planning Partnership (HAPP) Jun 11, 2026 07:30 AM - 09:00 AM — Olmsted Medical Center (OMC)’s hospital (1650 4th St SE, Rochester, MN, 55904)
Livingworks Asist Jun 11, 2026 - Jun 12, 2026 — Rochester Area Foundation- 12 Elton Hills Drive
Rochester's Sister City - German Trip Jun 12, 2026 - Jun 22, 2026
Preparing for a loan - Spanish Language Jun 13, 2026 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM — Rochester Cultural Center 1515 US-14, Rochester, MN 55904
NAACP: Juneteenth Celebration Jun 13, 2026 12:00 PM - 05:00 PM — Soldiers Field Memorial Park
2026 Juneteenth Community Celebration Jun 13, 2026 12:00 PM - 05:00 PM — Soldier's Field Memorial Park
Upcoming events…
Community News

This panel displays the latest community news. For a standalone view please click this LINK.



Sherman Mixed Housing Mayo Civic Center Parking Lot

May 2026 DMCC Board Meeting: Status Update

June 3, 2024 City Council Meeting 

Council action is requested to continue development negotiations with Sherman Associates and conditionally approve development assistance of up to $13,000,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) assistance and up to $3,000,000 in DMC General State Infrastructure Aid.  

Last Updated May 24, 2026



Mayflower mixed housing project

May 2026:DMCC Board Meeting, Mayflower Project Update

Jul 2025 Mayflower mixed housing project summary; North side of Second Street Southwest across the street from Ronald McDonald House.

Feb 2025 DMCC Board Meeting 2nd Street Public Realm and Mayflower

Last Updated May 24, 2026



United Way Studies of Financial Hardship

2025 ALICE Info: United Way 2025 Study

2024 ALICE Info: Post Bulletin Reporting; United Way 2024 ALICE  (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report 

Last Updated May 24, 2026



West Transit Village Housing Development

May 2026 DMCC Board Update

April 1 2026 AEON Affordable Housing Townhall

May 2025 DMCC Board Meeting Report

Feb 2025 DMCC Board Meeting Memo

PB reporting re Jan 6 City Council Meeting

"A final plan for dividing a 14.1-acre Mayo Clinic parking lot into developable sections is expected to be reviewed Monday by the Rochester City Council. The site, being dubbed “West Transit Village,” sits between Second Street Southwest and Cascade Lake. It is currently used as a Mayo Clinic employee shuttle lot, and Mayo Clinic plans to construct a 2,500-stall parking structure."

Last Updated May 24, 2026



Loom Apartments (Onward)

May 2026 DMCC Board Meeting: Status Update

Dec 2025 DMCC Board Meeting: Request for Extension Authorize an extension of the $4 million GSIA allocation to this project until August 15, 2026.

May 2025 DMCC Board Meeting

Last Updated May 24, 2026



DMC Interim Wayfinding

May 2026 DMCC Board Meeting

Last Updated May 23, 2026



Discovery Square Biolbab In Rochester

May 2026 DMCC Board Meeting: Biolabs Status

December 2025 DMCC Board Meeting:

  • Request for Action Memo
  • Business Development Quarterly Review about Biolabs

Last Updated May 22, 2026



University of Minnesota Expansion Funding Considerations

May 2026: UMR DMC: Funding Request to contribute to Talent Development Infrastructure

Apr 27, 2026: UMR discussion at City Council Study Session Sales Tax Request

Last Updated May 22, 2026



Discovery Walk

May 2026 DMCC Board Meeting Discovery Walk Update - Completion

March 2021 DMCC approval for Bid

Last Updated May 22, 2026



DMC STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL

May 2026: Consider a recommendation to approve up to $3 million in DMC General State Infrastructure Aid (GSIA)

Last Updated May 22, 2026



Healthy Home Helpers

City of Rochester Launches “Healthy Home Helpers” Program to Support Healthier, More Efficient Homes

Last Updated May 22, 2026



RPS 2030 Strategic Plan Reviews

May 19. 2026 RPS Board Voting

Apr 12, 2026 RPS Board Meeting: High School 

Mar 17, 2026 RPS Board Meeting: Middle School

Mar 3, 2026 RPS Board Meeting: Elementary School & Early Childhood 

Last Updated May 20, 2026



Does Rochester need a new entertainment venue?

A feasibility study is underway for a performing arts center, but what does the city already have?

Last Updated May 18, 2026



Age-Friendly Olmsted County (AFOC) Update

May 2026 AFOC 2023-2025 Action Plan  Report Report

Apr 2025 Aging in Place Action Update

Last Updated May 12, 2026



Ambassadors for Equity and Belonging Program

Rochester Area Foundation is piloting a new type of cohort centered around the concept of “belonging” as a strategic framework,

Last Updated April 29, 2026



Any Path Home push against homelessness

Apr 23, 2026 In the City for Good Forum; Mar 11, 2026 Rochester Area Housing Alliance Discussion

Feb 5, 2025 Post Bulletin Reporting Abstract; Mar 10, 2024 City Council Study Session Update

 

Last Updated April 27, 2026



RCTC Sports Facilities

Apr 27, 2026 City Council Study Session Community Engagement Rochester Regional Sports Center, Stadium & Sports Fields

Last Updated April 26, 2026



Graham Park Exhibition Center Groundbreaking

Apr 24, 2026: Oak View Group to run exhibition center.

Aug 2025: Groundbreaking Construction began Wednesday on a $48.7 million project at Graham Park, Rochester. The centerpiece is an 80,000-square-foot exhibition center with a performance arena seating 1,500 people.

Last Updated April 24, 2026



Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex

Apr 24 PB Reporting: Bill on sports complex 

City Council Discussions:

  • Dec 8, 2025 City Council Meeting
  • Oct 6, 2025 City Council Meeting
  • July 28, 2025 City Council Study Session 

PB Summary; Sample of community feedbacks on Facebook

Last Updated April 24, 2026



America's City for Health (ACH)

DMC University Trademark Handling :The DMCC holds several DMC-related trademarks, including “Destination Medical Center,” “Discovery Square,” and “America’s City for Health.” 

Reimagine what can be done to fulfill the vision of ACH info LINKS

 

Last Updated April 23, 2026