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Deep Rest for Resistance: Celebrate ROOT on Oct. 9!

Fred

This year, we’ve been gathering online and in person to celebrate our 20th anniversary, highlighting the people and programs that make Nexus’ work possible. Our celebration continues with our newest program: ROOT (Reclaiming Our Own Time)! Mark your calendar for Deep Rest for Resistance on Thursday, Oct. 9, 10 am – 12 pm CT on Zoom.

As we live in times of extremism, fear and despair, carving out thoughtful, recurring space to refill our cups, protect our peace, and build communal care together is essential to our future and our safety.

ROOT puts rest and restoration at the heart of movement building. With innovative sabbatical programs, our Reimagine Rest event series for community members, and our Heal the Healers series to fortify our own community healers, we are giving BIPOC leaders unique opportunities to center rest and reconnect with ancestral wisdom.

Join us to learn about our rest ecosystem work, get grounded with a meditation activity, and hear deep reflections on reclaiming our rest by our thought partners. Register below!

Reclaiming Our Own Time: Deep Rest for Resistance. Oct. 9, 10 am to 12 pm CT, Zoom. An illustration of people resting outside.

Building a just world is a marathon, not a sprint. Cultivating rest, spaciousness, and creativity isn’t just good practice; it’s a strategy for survival and radical renewal, giving us the freedom to dream, invent, and build the world we deserve.

Join us online Thursday, Oct. 9, 10 am – 12 pm CT to learn about ROOT, practice rest, and hear from a panel of our rest-practitioner partners.

As an added bonus, we'll have a prize drawing during the event!*

Two winners will receive a Nexus 20th anniversary glass, a Joyful & Abundant Nexus print, and one of the following:

- A free night's stay at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront 
  Where we've hosted gatherings for our ROOT Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship!

- A signed poster and book from local artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales 
  One of our ROOT Sabbatical Design Committee members!

*You must be registered, attend the session in its entirety, and be present to win. Thank you
to the InterContinental Saint Paul and Ricardo Levins Morales for donating these prizes!












Contact Information

 

If you applied to the Open Road Fund this year, we invite you to join our final Community Care Call on Sept. 18, from 6-8 pm CT. We understand that many intense emotions can be stirred by the Open Road Fund application questions, especially those concerning our shared ancestry. And we also know that not being chosen for a gift from the Fund can trigger feelings of grief or despair.

The Zoom session will be hosted by three Black mental health practitioners—Dr. Aja King, Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, and Dr. Cedric Weatherspoon—to provide a healing space and practices that may help guide you through what you are feeling. Please join us!

Register here

 

Will our Shared Ownership Center crew see you at the Regional Rendezvous?

Hosted by MadWorC, Regional Rendezvous 2025: The Nature of Cooperatives is a midwest conference for worker co-ops running Sept. 19-20 in Madison, WI. Nexus Program Manager Diana and Cooperative Developer Christina will present “Dispatch from the Twin Cities Cooperative Scene”! Check out the summary below, and learn more and register on MadWorC’s website!

Dispatch from the Twin Cities Cooperative Scene

What’s cooking in Minnesota’s Twin Cities? In the last five years, amidst a global pandemic, uprising, and political instability, the cooperative scene in Minneapolis and Saint Paul has expanded. In response to land speculators, retail vacancies, shifting work conditions, and a strong desire for better, less exploitative workplaces, more people are turning to cooperatives to improve their work-life conditions. With support from community development financial institutions, nonprofit cooperative developers, local government, and dedicated community members, a growing worker-owned cooperative and real estate investment cooperative movement is surging across the metro. Cooperative principles don’t stop at co-ops–they also influence how groups are organizing, sharing resources, and building community wealth. Hear from various cooperators on what they’re most excited about in the Twin Cities cooperative and collectivist scene!

If you want to make a change, you have to step up and see yourself as a leader. You have to lead a campaign for yourself or for others. You have to have the courage to form a team, build a coalition, and execute a vision for your community. Join the Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) on Thursday, Sept. 11, as we dive into the nuts and bolts of running for public office!

You’ll hear from a panel of experienced leaders who have run for or helped others run for elected office:

  • State Representative Fue Lee
  • Organizer Wintana Melekin
  • St. Paul School Board Member (and BCLI Alum) Erica Valliant

Stepping Up to Serve: Running for Elected Office

Join the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) at its next public learning event, The Issue Series! 


Thursday, September 11

6:00 - 7:00 pm CDT

Zoom (virtual)


How can you affect policies that touch all aspects of the daily life of you, your friends, family and neighbors? From changing policies on land use to helping to direct funds for public health, elected officials at all levels of government determine so many policies that affect us all. 


Please RSVP and join us as we hear from a panel of experienced leaders who have run for or helped others run for elected office. 


Register now to receive the Zoom invitation!













Contact Information

In an era of rising authoritarianism, staying grounded, informed, and resilient is not just necessary—it is survival, and it is revolution.

How do we think clearly and act effectively if we are not in the business of radical self-care while navigating these unprecedented times of stress, uncertainty, and oppression? How do we organize and lead in a way in which we are calm, our communities are safe, and we can all remain powerful in these times? When a regime’s entire strategy is to overwhelm us, how do we see and work through the noise to keep democracy alive?

Join our Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute and guest presenter Noel Nix on Aug. 14 to learn how we continue to fight to maintain our republic and the spirit of equality.

Self-Care, Resistance and Resilience: Defense Against The Political Dark Arts

Join the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) at its next public learning event, The Issue Series! 


Thursday, August 14

6:00 - 7:00 pm CDT

Zoom (virtual)


We live in extremely uncertain times, with new federal directives attacking our rights at every turn, literally every day. How can we thrive in these uncertain political times?


Register now to receive the Zoom invitation!













Contact Information

About Noel Nix

Originally from Michigan, Noel has spent most of his life in Minnesota, where he’s developed a deep appreciation for both the vibrancy and challenges in our community. After seeing and experiencing the struggles faced by those working in community over the course of his career with the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County, Noel embarked on a new journey in mental health to extend compassionate care to individuals and couples seeking healing and growth.

Noel’s approach to counseling is rooted in person-centered, multicultural, feminist, and radical healing perspectives. As a Black, heterosexual, cisgender man, he is dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive space where clients can explore thoughts and emotions without judgment or bias. While Noel supports individuals of all professional backgrounds, he is particularly interested in supporting people working in government, education, first response, health care, community organizing, social work, and other community-based work.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota, and a Master of Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas.

Join us for a very special collaboration between TruArtSpeaks and Nexus Community Partners at Re-Verb Open Mic! Advancing ROOT‘s Reimagine Rest Series and our long-term partnership, we are proud to invite culture worker and wellness practitioner, Felicia Perry, to lead attendees through guided wellness work centering rest, restoration, and your creative practice. That’s not all: Perry’s “Hustle & Harmony” journal will be available for distribution, and the mic will be hotter than ever! The list goes out at 5:45 pm sharp, and you may want to wear your comfy, movement-friendly clothes for this one!

  • Thursday, July 31
  • 6-8 pm CT
  • Flava Coffee & Cafe, 623 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN 55104

Learn more

We invite you to join our next Open Road Fund Community Care Call! The Care Calls are a series of three healing and learning sessions about African ancestry hosted by three Black mental health practitioners: Dr. Aja King, Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, and Dr. Cedric Weatherspoon.

As folks descended from African people who were enslaved, we understand that the questions about ancestry in our application, though necessary, can bring up a variety of feelings—some of us may experience uncertainty and not-knowing. We are offering these sessions as a way to help process and explore these emotions. Our intention is to hold a space where our people can heal from the sense of personal shame, sadness, and anger about our origins.

Our second call will be held Thursday, July 10, 6-8 pm CT on Zoom. We hope to see you there!

Register here

Space for these sessions is limited to 100 people on a first–come, first–served basis. If you already feel knowledgeable about your ancestry, please make space for folks seeking to learn. 

 

Since April, our Shared Ownership Center has been hosting business-planning webinars that break down the key components in running a successful business. From concept to plan, we’ve gone over structure, finances, and fundraising, with a focus on creating and transitioning to a worker-owner cooperative business. Thank you to everyone who’s been along for the journey!

Missed a session? Check out the recordings here!

Our final webinar, Application for the LOCAL Fund, is Thursday, June 26, 3-4:30 pm CT. Now that you know the business planning basics, it’s time to learn how the LOCAL Fund can help! We’ll review the parts, process, and timeline for the application. Fill out the form below to register!

Business Planning Webinar Series 
Session 7: How to Apply for the LOCAL Fund  

Thank you for your interest in the Shared Ownership Center's Business Planning Webinar Series. Registration for this session is now closed. 

 

To learn more about the LOCAL Fund, go to: https://nexuscp.org/program/shared-ownership-center-at-nexus/local-fund/

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP1612 awarded to Nexus Community Partners by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Join us Wednesday, June 18, 3-4:30 pm CT to learn the Five C’s of Cooperative Credit, how to shop around for the right loan, and go over a sample loan application!

Each session in our Business Planning Webinar Series builds upon the last and is aligned with the LOCAL Fund application. By the end of the series, if the LOCAL Fund is a good fit for you and your team, you will be ready to apply!

Fill out the form below to register for Session 6: Access to Capital.

Business Planning Webinar Series 
Session 6: Access to Capital 

Thank you for your interest in the Shared Ownership Center's Business Planning Webinar Series. Registration for this session is now closed. 

 

To learn more about the LOCAL Fund, go to: https://nexuscp.org/program/shared-ownership-center-at-nexus/local-fund/

 

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP1612 awarded to Nexus Community Partners by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Want to learn more about the Open Road Fund? Watch the recording of our June 4 information session or come to our next live webinar on June 25! We will talk about the Fund, the 2025 application process, and answer your questions. The 2025 Open Road Fund launches on Juneteenth (June 19)!

RSVP: Info Session 2, June 25, 12-1:30 pm

During these sessions, we:

  • Introduce the Open Road Fund (ORF) and the Open Road team
  • Show participants how to apply, including a live walkthrough of the application
  • Explain how the Open Road Fund selects grantees, and answer any questions you may have
  • Discuss what wealth-building grant awards can be used for

ORF info sessions are free, virtual, and open to the community. Watch our replay below!

Join our fifth Business Planning Webinar on Thursday, June 5, 3-4:30 pm CT! We’ll cover everything you need to know about startup costs, revenue, expenses and more.

Each webinar builds upon the last and is aligned with the LOCAL Fund application. By the end of the series, if the LOCAL Fund is a good fit for you and your team, you will be ready to apply! Missed a session? Find the recordings here.

Fill out the form below to register for Session 5: Projections, Sources & Uses.

Business Planning Webinar Series 
Session 5: Projections, Sources & Uses 

Thank you for your interest in the Shared Ownership Center's Business Planning Webinar Series. Registration for this session is now closed. 

To learn more about the LOCAL Fund, go to: https://nexuscp.org/program/shared-ownership-center-at-nexus/local-fund/ 

 

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP1612 awarded to Nexus Community Partners by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The Open Road Fund will be hosting our first Community Care Call for the 2025 giftmaking season! These calls are set up to address the uncertainty and potential discomfort around filling out the Open Road Fund application and answering questions about your ancestry. Sessions are facilitated by three Black mental health practitioners: Dr. Aja King, Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, and Dr. Cedric Weatherspoon. Our first call will be held Thursday, May 29, 6-8 pm CT on Zoom. We hope to see you there!

Register here

Space for these sessions is limited to 100 people on a first–come, first–served basis. If you already feel knowledgeable about your ancestry, please make space for folks seeking to learn.