2018
September | Celebrating the East End Development!
A joint business forum with the mpls downtown council celebrating the transformative East End mixed-use project bringing new housing, hotel, expanded commercial space, and a Trader Joe’s grocery store, the first of its kind in downtown!
October | The Joys and Burdens of Starting and Building a Business in Minneapolis
This forum will explore the contours, threats and opportunities of entrepreneurialism in the City of Minneapolis through the unfolding experience of a premier and growing business in East Town. Jeff Sommers, Co-owner of Izzy’s Ice Cream, will be the feature presenter.
November | What is the Difference Between Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?
A panel of economic, social enterprise, and policy leaders will be discussing the important field of investment in the growth of human capital at all levels of business.
December | Downtown Demographics: Who Are We Becoming?
The downtown residential population continues to surge year over year. This shared forum with the mpls downtown council will feature the State of Minnesota Demographer and residential development professionals exploring who we are becoming together.
2019
January | Car Lanes, Bus Lanes, Bike Lanes—Oh My!
Figuratively speaking it seems that modes of transportation do not always get along. This forum will feature a panel of transportation design experts talking frankly about downtown street design, emerging trends in multi-modalism and potential disruptive technologies such as autonomous vehicles.
February | Ways the Social Determinants of Health are Transforming Institutions
The World Health Organization defines the social determinants of health as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age.” In this forum East Town and Hennepin Healthcare’s Upstream Health Innovation Team will discuss cutting edge research, measurements, and health care programs that are changing the very nature of health care itself.
March | The Economic Opportunities of Engaging Homelessness
Downtown Minneapolis is home to nationally recognized thinkers and organizations that work to end homelessness. This joint forum with the mpls downtown council will feature People Serving People CEO Daniel Gumnit moderating a panel focusing on where economic innovations meet human need.
April (Annual Meeting) | Advancing Arts and Entertainment in East Town
East Town is known for the Guthrie Theater, MacPhail Center for Music, and the US Bank Stadium. Are you also familiar with Gamut Gallery, Good Arts Collective, Armory Event Center, and neighborhood art venues? This season’s Annual Meeting will feature our growing arts and entertainment scene!
May | Crime and Safety, Sentencing and Restorative Justice
This forum will feature a candid panel conversation about the intersection of downtown crime, modern policing, sentencing, incarceration, and restorative justice.
June | Toward an Inclusive Downtown
This joint forum with the mpls downtown council will unveil the results from the yearlong “Inclusive Downtown Think Tank” co-sponsored with the YMCA that set out to cast a bold new vision for an increasingly welcoming downtown.
