Who We Are

Our shared goal

Vision

A community that values and honors the richness of its diversity creating a place where everyone believes they belong.

 

Mission

The mission of Many Faces, a collaboration of organizations from the greater White Bear Lake Area, is to strengthen community by providing opportunities to listen, learn, reflect and engage in conversations and actions that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.

 

Making connections

Many Faces is recognized as a place where connections can be made with others who share similar goals, and we encourage connections with additional community groups. Through our monthly meetings and as we jointly develop programming ideas, we learn from each other and discover ways to increase our reach into the broader community.

Community events

Community members are invited to join Many Faces partners at events so we can work together to ensure everyone feels like they belong here.

History

Many Faces was formed in 2018 by six community organizations as a collaborative effort to offer the community opportunities to learn about the many populations who have inhabited our area during our history. Our work was preceded by community conversations in both White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi on the book A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, sponsored by their respective school districts and the City of White Bear Lake.

The original 3 programs

The content of these programs was captured in a 2020 publication, funded with a Legacy grant from the Minnesota Historical Society.

The Original People: Dakota & Ojibwe

The Original People: Dakota & Ojibwe

Changing Tradition: European Settlers; and Shifting Demographics

Changing Tradition: European Settlers; and Shifting Demographics

Baby Boom & Migration

Baby Boom & Migration

Now more than 30 programs

We have now done more than 30 programs. Here are some examples.

Thi Bui

Author of The Best We Could Do, discussing her memoir of the journey from war-torn Vietnam.

Equity Alliance

Equity Alliance led a workshop on Racial Definitions 101

Michael Rios

Led two workshops: Understanding Bias and Its Impacts and Power, Privilege and Identity.

What You Always Wanted to Know About Islam & Muslims

A look at what Islam teaches and Muslims practice.

Book Club

A book club discussed Claudia Rankine’s book, Citizen: An American Lyric.

The Art of the Bandolier Bag

The Art of the Bandolier Bag celebrated beaded bags made by the Ojibwe.

30 organizations collectively working together

Today the collaborative includes 30 organizations that collectively work to build community by connecting the many stories of our area through events that invite personal reflection, a broadened understanding of the community, and neighborly interactions. Workshops, art exhibits and demonstrations, book club discussions, community conversations, and interactive experiences are among the ways in which Many Faces and its partners carry out our goal of providing opportunities for community members to listen, educate themselves, and engage in conversations on equity, diversity, and inclusion, to learn about different cultures, and to better understand the role each of us plays in creating a community where everyone believes they belong.

Many Faces Event