Events

Over the past 50 years, the Hmong community has transformed from newly arrived refugees to an integral part of Minnesota’s cultural, economic, and civic life. In this talk, Ka Vang shares personal stories, community milestones, and hard-earned lessons about adaptation, identity, and what it means to become American while preserving culture and tradition. The presentation will highlight both the struggles and successes of the Hmong experience—from survival and sacrifice to leadership and innovation. Most importantly, it will look ahead to the next generation and explore what the future of the Hmong community can contribute to Minnesota and the nation.

Ka Vang is a Hmong American writer, poet, playwright, and social justice champion born in Long Cheng, Laos, at the send of the Vietnam and Secret War. After immigrating to the United States in 1980, she settled in Minnesota, where she became one of the first Hmong American journalists, writing for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Chicago Tribune before taking a senior leadership position with Minnesota Public Radio | American Public Media.

She is best known for preserving and sharing Hmong stories and folklore through her writing, including her award-nominated children’s book, Shoua and the Northern Lights Dragon. Her work explores themes of bicultural identity, diaspora, and the experiences of Hmong women.

Vang currently serves as Vice President of Equity and Community Impact at Meet Minneapolis. And she is also a contributing columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune. In 2024, she was recognized by the Twin Cities Business as one of the region’s Top 100 Business Leaders and leading BIPOC executives for her impact in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Join us for a high-energy, feel-good morning as we recognize the people who made it all happen—and send the year off in style with great food and even better company.

Join us for a spectacular Italian dinner with beloved opera selections performed between courses by internationally acclaimed artists. Reserve your tickets now for one of the most beautiful nights of the year — an evening at an amazing venue, designed for good conversation, great food and breathtaking voices.

Get Your Tickets!

• Early bird: $95 per person
• After May 28: $105 per person
• Premier reserved tables for eight (available until May 15): $900

Wednesday, June 17
5:30 p.m. Social Hour • 6:30 Dinner

Hosted at the historic Minneapolis Club by Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary
729 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis

Free parking on site. Everyone welcome!

No meeting this Wednesday. Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Commodore of the Aquatennial, Marie Carrell, will speak on the event's Lakeside concerts, neighborhood markets, the Torchlight Parade, fireworks over downtown — Aquatennial is nine days of summer in Minneapolis.

Start the new Rotary Year with an inspiring and practcal message from District 5950 Governor Leif Hagen. 

Leif Hagen grew up in Stevens Point and graduated from St. Olaf College in 1988 with a BA in German and French. His early career included teaching languages in Zug, Switzerland, and high school English in Gero, Japan. In 1992, he entered the financial services field as a financial planner with Lutheran Brotherhood, later joining LPL Financial in 2002. He now owns Achievement Financial in Eagan, Minnesota, offering financial planning and Medicare supplemental insurance services.

Leif has held multiple leadership roles within Rotary, including two terms as President of the Eagan Rotary Club and serving as the two-year charter president of the MN Pride Rotary Club. His Rotary involvement includes leading a GSE team to Bangalore, India hosting GSE visitors from Finland and Brazil, serving as District Conference co-chair, Assistant Governor for Area 2, and currently serving on the District Foundation grant committee. He is a Paul Harris Society member, a Major Donor, and has attended Rotary International conventions in Birmingham, New Orleans, Bangkok, and Hamburg. He will serve as Rotary District 5950 Governor for 2026–2027.

Leif lives in Eagan with his partner, Valdir Oliveira, and has three daughters — Kajsa, Svea, and Britta. He enjoys foreign languages, international travel, collecting art, and attending art shows.

As our new Presiden, Brian Kimmes shares inspiring moments from the Rotary International Convention in Taipei and how the global energy, ideas, and connections will shape his vision and priorities for an impactful year ahead.

Connect with young artists and experience a glorious campus!

The address for MCAD is: 2501 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

For parking, there is a small lot on the south side of the main building. There is ample street parking as well. 

Heather is a safety professional with 30 years of experience in aviation, dedicated to enhancing safety and fostering a strong safety culture across the industry. She spent 17 years as an air traffic control specialist before transitioning to academia, and now serves as an Assistant Professor in the Aviation Department at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she teaches Flight Instructor, Human Factors, and Air Traffic Control courses to the university's 1,000+ aviation students. She holds a B.S. in Aeronautics from the University of North Dakota, where she is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Aerospace, and an M.S. in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, graduating with distinction. A three-time NAFI Master Aviation Educator, she has logged over 1,100 flight hours across 61 aircraft types and has trained thousands of pilots through her FAA safety seminars, including her Operation Raincheck program, which has reached over 2,700 participants — work that has earned her the FAA Administrator's Safety Award and District FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year award. Alongside her teaching and research, she also works as a Flight Test Engineer on a NASA-funded project developing a protein dispenser for use in microgravity.

Please join us as COLRC member, Sandy Christensen, shares photos and reflections of her recent WWII History and Normandy Tour.

Jenny Kedward is a wasted food prevention specialist for Hennepin County. She has been talking trash professionally for two decades and is passionate about waste management and consumption. After many years of focusing on recycling and composting, she now gets to focus her work on preventing food waste and feeding people. She chose to get her bachelor’s degree in Biology to fully understand the world she wanted to protect. Kedward is trained in social marketing and behavior change and uses her enthusiasm to educate residents on using the food they have and buying the food they’ll eat. Through changing consumption habits and developing a more mindful system, she believes we can protect our air, water, and land for future generations.

Scott Swenson joins us to build excitement for the upcoming Rotary International Convention in Barcelona. A Rotarian since 1989 (Eagan Rotary, twice President), he's now District 5950 Governor Nominee and a Rotary Foundation Bequest Donor. He helped found the Eagan Kick Start Club and Interact Club, and has served on District Membership and Foundation Committees. Retired after 45 years in banking.

Evening Event:  Come to a live, behind-the-scenes Behavioral Grooves podcast experience, “Resilience in Our Uncertain Times” instead of a morning  meeting. Get your tickets here 

https://portal.clubrunner.ca/3082/Events/resilience-in-our-uncertain-times-community-forum

Dave Snider brings a powerful story of transformation and purpose. After being sentenced in federal court in 2009 as a career offender, Dave spent over 14 years in prison—an experience that ultimately became a turning point in his life. While incarcerated at FMC Rochester, he served in the inmate hospice program, supporting
men at the end of their lives and gaining a deep appreciation for service, accountability, and the value of each life.

During his time inside, Dave also spent seven years speaking to high school and college students about the impact of life choices, learning to turn his past into a tool for growth and education. He is trained in Restorative Justice and advocates for its broader application in communities.

Dave helped shape the founding mission of the Redemption Project through his insights on reentry and was part of its first cohort. Today, he continues to invest in the program’s growth, using his journey to inspire change and help others break cycles of harm and build meaningful futures.

What does a city council member actually do? Who runs the city from day to day, and why can a decision that sounds simple become surprisingly complicated? Longtime Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club member and past president Brock Ray will offer an inside look at his first year serving on the New Hope City Council. Brock will share how he went from interested resident to appointed council member, explain how New Hope’s council-manager form of government works, and describe what happens beyond the meetings residents see on television.

Brock will also discuss some of the major questions facing cities like New Hope, including affordability, redevelopment, city services, public safety, privacy, and planning for the community’s future. Along the way, he’ll reflect on what has surprised him, what he has learned about making decisions as part of a five-member council, and what campaigning for local office has taught him about his neighbors. Bring your questions for a candid and nonpartisan conversation about the work, responsibilities, and unexpected realities of serving in local government.

Sylvia Strobel serves as the President and CEO of Twin Cities PBS (TPT), bringing over 30 years of experience as an executive and attorney in the public broadcasting sector. Throughout her career—including leadership roles at American Public Media Group, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Ideastream Public Media—she has navigated major industry shifts, digital expansions, and evolving audience habits. Today, as public media adapts to historic structural changes and shifting funding models, Sylvia offers invaluable insight into how local broadcasting organizations are innovating, diversifying revenue, and reinforcing their commitment to community education and trusted local storytelling.

Join us and celebrate our club members who receive the COL Heart of Rotary Award, Emerging Leadership Award, Dick DeVore and Paul Harris Fellow Foundation Awards. We'll also celebrate a non-profit leader in our commuity for creating lasting impact with our Hope Award and philanthropic gift.