St. Louis Park Community Education

Join fellow film fans in the Little Theater at Lenox to watch and discuss engaging and thought-provoking foreign films. We'll view the movie and then have time for focused discussion led by Lisa Kjellander from the SLP Library. Sponsored by Friends of the St. Louis Park Library.September 25, Gloria, 2014 (Chilean): A story about a middle aged woman who gets caught up in a passionate whirlwind romance with a retired naval officer, whom she meets at a dance club for singles. But when she discovers the truth of their relationship, she takes matters into her own hands and sets forth to change her life.October 2, Our Little Sister, 2016 (Japanese): Three sisters, Sachi, Yoshino and Chika, live together in the city of Kamakura, Japan. When their father, absent from the family home for the last fifteen years, dies, they travel to the countryside for his funeral and meet their shy, teenage half sister. Bonding quickly with the orphaned Suzu, they invite her to live with them. Suzu eagerly agrees and a new life of joyful discovery begins for the four siblings.October 9, The Flat, 2013 (Israeli): Filmmaker Arnon Goldfinger travels to Tel Aviv to clean out the apartment of his recently-deceased German-born Jewish grandmother. Goldfinger begins an unsettling journey into his family's history and discovers that knowing the truth can be a terrible burden.October 23, Tsotsi, 2016 (South Africa): A young man running with a criminal gang on the streets of Johannesburg, Tsotsi - a nickname meaning thug - is immersed in a world of violence that seems to leave him unaffected, until he discovers an infant in the backseat of a car he has stolen.January 22, The Brand New Testament, 2017 (French): God lives in human form as a cynical writer with his young opinionated daughter in present day Brussels, Belgium. She concludes that her dad is doing a terrible job and decides to rewrite the world, which leaves God angry, powerless and adamant to get his power back.January 29, Strawberry and Chocolate, 1993 (Cuba): When we first see David, he seems a rather naïve and straight-laced college student moping over the loss of his fiancée. But a chance conversation with Diego over differing tastes in ice cream develops into an unlikely friendship. Diego is an openly gay artist at a time in Cuba when that could get him thrown in jail. Despite their many differences, Diego mentors David, introducing him to poetry, literature, music and a new world of ideas.February 5, Himalaya, 2002 (Nepal): The story of a generational struggle for the leadership of a tiny mountain village between its proud old chief and a headstrong young caravanner. The balance of power shifts uneasily as they make their annual salt trek across the Himalayas.February 12, A Separation, 2012 (Iran): A married couple are faced with a difficult decision -- to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer's disease.

Heart of the Matter Community Discussion is a new series created and sponsored by the Community Education Advisory Council (CEAC). We will facilitate a community discussion on different topics each fall, winter and spring. This winter we are partnering with STEP.Food Insecurity is defined as a lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy life. One in ten Minnesotans experience food insecurity and 13.8% of children in Minnesota are food insecure. This is a reality faced by many families living below the poverty line as well as those with above poverty incomes. As many people must spend higher portions of their income on housing, transportation, childcare, and healthcare, temporary or on-going shortfalls cause people to cut expenses wherever they can, including food.We will have a panel discussion with people who are on the front lines of this issue in St. Louis Park and Minnesota. Learn the root causes, barriers to accessing healthy food, and how to advocate for and help neighbors.Panelists will include:Julie Lapointe, LISW, STEP Program ManagerSharon Lehrman, RDN, LD, SLP SEEDSHunger Impact PartnersSt. Louis Park Bridfeeder studentsCEAC advises Community Education staff on its programs and is a space where people work together on community needs. Get involved. Network. Partner. Share your ideas. Join us and find out more!Call Lisa Greene at 952-928- 6063 or email greene.lisa@slpschools.org

This series is taught by Dr. Elizabeth Rowan Keith, a professor of Native American Studies. We will watch a film about each topic and have a discussion on how these pieces of our past have created the world we know today. Each session qualifies for 3.0 hours General CEU’s, certificates available at class. Sponsored by the Dept. of Teaching and Learning with St. Louis Park Public Schools.Monday, January 14, Aleut Story: Learn the little known story of the Aleuts of Alaska during World War II as they were separated from family, relocated into internment camps and forced into indentured servitude. Inadequately protected by the U.S., some were captured by the Japanese military.Thursday, January 31, Broken Rainbow: Follow the Dine (Navajo) and Hopi people as they struggle with U.S. Government and corporate demands for their land and lives. This award-winning documentary captures the Native cultures and the determination to maintain sacred practices in the face of staggering adversity.Monday, February 11, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: Taken from a portion of the book by the same title, this film explores the life of Ohiye Sa, Dr. Charles Eastman, a Dakota physician who battles for the rights and welfare of his people as they are forced onto reservations. Discussion includes the Dawes Act, Ghost Dancing and the Agency System.Thursday, February 28, A Seat at the Drum: We will explore the history and adjustments to the Urban Indian Relocation Program as it began in the 1950s, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of Native people and their neighbors.Monday, March 11, Incident at Oglala: Learn about the 1975 conflict at Pine Ridge and the deaths of two FBI agents resulting in the conviction and incarceration of Leonard Pettier. We will discuss details of the case, why it is important today among Native people, how the circumstances are viewed internationally and how it continues to affect U.S./foreign relations.Thursday, March 28,Trudell: Learn about the insights and perspectives of poet, musician and lifelong activist for Native rights, John Trudell. We will look into how the actions he followed as well as the results and repercussions along the way.Monday, April 8, Seed - the Untold Story: Explore the role of indigenous people around the world as biotechnology companies take control of our food production and availability. Harrowing and hopeful stories demonstrate the impacts and efforts of the movement to rekindle our waning connection to the Earth and food.Thursday, April 25, First Daughter and the Black Snake: Winona La Duke is a Minnesota Anishinaabe force in protecting indigenous resources and providing education on environmental impact of corporate expansion. Interpreting ancient prophecy, she moves into action to protect Native land and water from damage cause by the oil industry.Monday, May 13, Music from Painted Cave: Robert Mirabal, musician, songwriter, choreographer and singer combines traditional aboriginal music and dance with modern choreography and song to create a contemporary production like no other. His vision comes to life on stage. Thursday, May 30, Older than America: Inspired by true events, a young woman of the Fon du Lac in Northeastern Minnesota is prompted by visions to investigate her family history, uncover truths and heal her community.

We will be viewing archived Town Hall Forums put on by Westminster. These forums provide unique opportunities to explore key issues of our day from an ethical perspective.November 13, Richard Stengel: Mandela’s Way: Lessons for An Uncertain AgeRichard Stengel is a journalist, author, and former managing editor of Time. He collaborated with Nelson Mandela on Mandela’s autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, he was a producer of the documentary film Mandela and he is the author of the book Mandela’s Way.November 27, Branford Marsalis: Down the Mississippi to New OrleansBranford Marsalis is a renowned jazz and classical saxophonist, three-time Grammy winner, and a member of one of America’s most distinguished musical families. He is the founder of the Branford Marsalis Quartet and Marsalis Music, a company he created to record the music of promising new artists and long-time jazz musicians.December 4, Joan Chittister: American Women and the Women of the World: No Woman Left BehindJoan Chittister is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA and author of more than 40 books. She is co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, a partner organization of the U.N., which facilitates a worldwide network of women peace builders.December 11, Eddie Glaude Jr.: Racism and the Soul of AmericaEddie Glaude Jr. is the William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University and Chair of the Department of African American Studies.February 26, Mona Hanna-Attisha: What we can Learn from Flint, MichiganMona Hanna-Attisha is an associate professor of pediatrics at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and a pediatrician at Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint, Michigan. She has been acclaimed internationally for her research that exposed elevated levels of lead in the blood of the children of Flint.March 5, Anna Lappe: Building Real Food CommunitiesAnna Lappe leads the Real Food Media Project, a collaborative movement which works for sustainable food and farming across the U. S. With her mother, Frances Moore Lappe, she co-founded the Small Planet Institute, which researches and provides education on the root causes of hunger and poverty around the globe.March 19, Andrew Zimmern: Around the Table: Food, Culture and CommunityAs the creator, executive producer, and host of the popular series Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, he has traveled the globe, exploring the ways that food shapes and reflects the lives and cultures of people around the world.April 4, Tavis Smiley: No One Left Out: Creating Communities of JusticeTavis Smiley is an author, publisher, social justice advocate, and host of the late-night PBS television talk show, Tavis Smiley, and the public radio program, The Tavis Smiley Show.April 11, Eboo Patel: The Struggle for the Soul of a GenerationEboo Patel is Founder and Executive Director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based nonprofit committed to building mutual respect and understanding among religiously diverse young people.April 18, Honey Thaljieh: Global Sports: Inclusion, Equity and Human RightsHoney Thaljieh is known internationally for promoting the role of sports in empowering women and girls in the Arab world and beyond. She is a co-founder of women’s football (soccer) in Palestine, and she served as the first captain of the Palestinian national football team.Here's what participants had to say:"Wonderful Presentation & excellent follow up discussion.""Engaging discussion about building community and not being defensive when talking with people you don't agree with."