Welcoming Week events planned for Owatonna

OWATONNA, Minn. (KTTC) – The Owatonna Human Rights Commission is planning several events to celebrate Welcoming Week September 19 through 23.

The events are being planned under the theme of Where We Belong initiated by Welcoming America, a nonprofit organization leading a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs.

For additional information, visit Owatonna.gov.

Schedule of events:

Monday, September 19 at 4:30 p.m.

Dedication of the new mural on the concrete panels along the City Parks Trail near Hoffman Drive NW and West Rose Street. The mural’s design promotes and reflects Owatonna’s rich cultural diversity. Following the dedication will be a Welcome Walk and exhibitor fair featuring local businesses and nonprofit organizations along Walnut Avenue from the mural site and ending at Bridge Street. Food trucks will be on site by Casper’s Friendly Food Trailer and El Rey Del Taco with various options available to purchase. Mineral Springs Brewery will be open.

Tuesday, September 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Roundtable discussion at the Steele County History Center regarding language barriers in the workplace with the following participants: SEMCAC, Owatonna Public Utilities, Mayo Clinic Health Systems, Community Education, Allina, Health Finders, Mn Prairie County Alliance, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Sperion, Metroplains Management, Owatonna Public Library, Lakeside and Viracon. Co-hosted by the Austin Human Rights Commission.

Thursday, September 22 from 8:15 a.m. until 4:15 p.m.

Judge Karen Duncan presents Promoting Peace 2022 - The Intersection of Race, Justice and Peace. The presentation is designed so participants may attend all day or part of the day. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite.com. Trinity Lutheran Church, 609 Lincoln Avenue, will host this non-denominational event.

Thursday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m.

When Home Won’t Let You Stay, a poignant traveling photography exhibition and community conversation series about refugees in America by St. Paul, MN-based documentary artist James A. Bowey at the Owatonna Public Library. It provides a new perspective on the often-hidden lives and compelling experiences of refugees in American communities. The number of globally displaced people has risen dramatically in recent years and is expected to continue to rise. The traveling exhibition consists of contemporary color portraits accompanied by first-person stories highlighting the plight and resiliency of refugees working to make a new home in this country. James A. Bowey is a documentary artist who explores issues of human rights and social connection. He has spent his career covering a wide range of global and national stories. His photography and writing have been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine and the Associated Press as well as in numerous exhibitions. Bowey is also an educator and researcher focused on designing media and interactions to bridge social division.

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