The Little Free Library organization began in 2009 when Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin built a miniature model of a one room schoolhouse, filled it with books, and installed it in his front yard, inviting neighbors to take a book or leave a book.
The organization became a registered non-profit in 2012, spreading the idea of sharing free books by way of tiny front yard libraries across the country and then globally. Today, the organization is headquartered in Saint Paul, and it estimates that more than 150,000 Little Free Libraries have been installed in about 120 countries world-wide.
Reporter Rob McGinley Myers first noticed the free libraries when he began taking daily walks around his Como Park neighborhood in Saint Paul. He loved looking through the books on offer, but he began to wonder about the people who ran the libraries out of their front yards. So Rob started knocking on doors, asking the little library owners to tell him what inspired them to install their own library and how it had changed their relationship to the neighborhood.
The oral histories, prophecies, and traditions of the Mandans are presented by an authentic waxikena, or Turtle Priest. This conversation focuses on one specific aspect of Mandan life; the fast, sweat lodge, sun dance, and Okipa ceremony are discussed thoroughly. Cedric Red Feather offers an open and honest (humorous) account of his own personal spiritual journey, coming to terms with his birthright as a Mandan waxikena.
Health Notes airs Mondays – 7:00-8:00pm
KFAI Donors, Members, Volunteers, and Staff raised just over $57,000.00. While we came up just a little shy of the goal, we have several incredible things in store just on the horizon that are likely to grow our membership numbers and attract new community partners!
Here’s a snapshot: live Election Day from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (11/5/2024), a special day of programming celebrating Turtle Island (11/11/2024), an extra-extra-extra special FUNKraiser starting with an open house, followed by a roller party, followed by a concert on Give to the Max Day (11/21/2024) that may give us the extra edge to meet our fundraising goals for this year.
We’re still looking for our Development Manager who will collaborate cross-departmentally to ensure we meet our philanthropic revenue goals. If you’re a relationship builder who knows the high value of community media, apply! If you’re passionate about continuous learning to bridge cross-cultural understanding, enhance resource sharing, and create opportunities for social growth that benefit the entire community, please apply!
We’re also collecting nominations for the KFAI Board of Directors right now! If you are a relationship builder with local, regional, and national contacts who can help us locate and connect with mission-aligned individuals, foundations, corporations, and businesses to secure financial support, please apply!
Are you seeing how it’s all connecting? Our community-built, -powered, and -funded organization is through the hard work and dedication of all of its parts. If you missed the opportunity to donate during the Fall Membership Drive and feel inspired to do your part, you can take care of business right now.
Thank you so so so much; it’s such a tremendous honor to be here with you!
In 2025, KFAI will join a small cohort of community and public radio and TV stations selected to participate in the Poynter Institute’s Digital Transformation Program, supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Participating organizations achieved significant audience growth, revenue outcomes, and “digital firsts”—generating new digital revenue and membership, accessing digital analytics, and launching digital products.
Building on that success, CPB is accelerating its efforts to make digital transformation more widespread in public media by supporting Phase 2 of the Digital Transformation Program, developed and delivered by the Poynter Institute. The new program is scaled to help more general managers and staff build and increase their digital competencies, develop and share best practices for achieving audience and revenue growth, and engage in cross-collaboration and mutual support.
Phase 2 of the Digital Transformation Program can accommodate up to 225 public media station leaders and their staff over the next three years. The new program is divided into two tracks: Fundamentals and Advanced.
Fundamentals Track
The nine-month virtual Fundamentals track will be offered to 150 stations, 50 each year for three years, that have yet to participate in a previous digital transformation program.
Advanced Track
A new six-month virtual Advanced track will be offered for 75 stations, 25 each year for three years. The Advanced track will be provided for “alumni” stations and personnel who previously completed a similar program (e.g., the first phase of the Digital Transformation Program, the Digital Culture Accelerator program, or Poynter’s Table Stakes).
This program is unique because it is tailored to the [participating] organization’s mission, vision, and values. The learning opportunity begins after they’ve assessed the existing tools, needs, and goals, instead of the all-too-common model that starts out telling us what we need to do, which always includes undervaluing our service to the community, underestimating our ability to work collaboratively, and stresses the ease of uniformity, conformity, or whatever—if you’re just tuning in, that’s not me, and that’s most certainly not KFAI.
KFAI was selected for the Fundamentals Track!
The following people will join me in this opportunity: Program Director Miguel Vargas, MinneCulture Managing Editor Julie Censullo, Volunteer Coordinator Ellie Zimmerman, Board Member and Program Host Christopher Robin Zimmerman (CRZ), Strategic Planning Consultant and Program Host DA Bullock, the new Development Manager… and you!
I’ll do my best to keep you up-to-date. Until then, let’s revel in our greatness and stay focused on closing out the final months of 2024 with strength together.
Our members and top-notch volunteers make KFAI possible. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to bringing the best art, entertainment, and information to the Twin Cities and beyond.
Here are the opportunity links once more:
With much love, thanks, and gratitude, Nora
For the last two decades, an innovative program called SOLO has offered dancers the opportunity to commission a choreographer to create a piece of work expressly for the individual dancer.
In 2024, the program celebrated 20 years of supporting the craft. KFAI’s Sheila Regan attended the 20th anniversary performance.
This week, Sam and Charlene are joined by Dr. Humphreville. She is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School as well as a transplant surgeon! We discuss all things Organ Transplants! To get on our email list, weekly show updates, or to provide feedback or guest suggestions, email us at [email protected]!
Erik talks with web serial novelist D.D. Webb – author of The Gods are Bastards, Only Villains Do That, and Hoard – about serialized fiction, writing on the internet, and mental health.
KFAI’s Celebrating Latindad with 24 hours of special programming took place on Tuesday, October 1st, and if you missed it, or want to revisit some excellent programming from that day, you can hear it on our Soundcloud and Mixcloud archives!
Fresh Air, Incorporated is looking for qualified candidates to serve on its Board of Directors. The Board is tasked with envisioning the future of KFAI while working closely with the General Manager to see that vision is realized. It has a major role in fundraising, approving budgets and developing governance policies. It works to ensure that KFAI is inclusive, relevant, and financially secure. We are especially interested in motivated individuals with experience in fundraising, grantwriting, finance, marketing and technology.
If you are passionate about KFAI and the idea of community radio and have the time and skills to contribute, fill out the online application form at www.kfai.org/elections. You can also download a printable application there, or you can pick one up at the station.
This is a two-year commitment; the term starts in January next year.
The deadline to submit applications to be included on the ballot is 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 30.
To submit a nomination, please fill out the Google Form which can be found here.
More information can be found at KFAI.org/elections.
Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Gandhi, and the Buddha all had brains built essentially like anyone else’s, yet they were able to harness their thoughts and shape their patterns of thinking in ways that changed history. With new breakthroughs in modern neuroscience and the wisdom of thousands of years of contemplative practice, it is possible for us to shape our own thoughts in a similar way for greater happiness, love, compassion, and wisdom.
Health Notes airs Mondays – 7:00-8:00pm
