AUGUST
DULUTH SUPERIOR PRIDE:
55+ COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
DATE
August 29, 2025
TIME
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
LOCATION
Zeitgeist Atrium
222 W Superior St. Duluth MN
COST
FREE
HOST
MN Leadership Council on Aging
SUMMARY
Calling all LGBTQIA+ friends, allies and caregivers ages 55+...let's get caffeinated for Pride! Come celebrate with others who’ve paved the way, lived the history, and continue to shape the future.
Connect with community, learn about and share resources, and celebrate Duluth Superior Pride with a lightly facilitated conversation over a cup (or several) of coffee.
AUDIENCE
LGBTQIA+ friends, allies and caregivers ages 55+
CONTACT
SEPTEMBER
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS -
THE COURAGE TO LEAD: ADVANCING EQUITY IN TIMES OF BACKLASH
DATE
September 9, 2025
TIME
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
LOCATION
Virtual
COST
FREE
HOST
MN Leadership Council on Aging
SUMMARY
In this session, Allison Johnson Heist will explore what it means to lead with courage when the political and legal climate is working against equity. As public commitments to racial justice face backlash, nonprofit and public sector leaders are left wondering if they should back down, stay the course, or find brave new ways forward. Allison will share insights from her recent work supporting organizations navigating legal and political threats to race-conscious programming in her role with the MN LEAD Initiative. Allison will offer reflections on what it takes to lead in a time of fear and uncertainty, and invite participants to consider how they, too, might lead with clarity, courage, and their values at the center.
AUDIENCE
All are welcome
CONTACT
PREVENTING FALLS BY
CREATING SAFER SPACES:
STRATEGIES FOR HOME AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTS
DATE
September 11, 2025
TIME
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION
Virtual
COST
FREE
HOST
Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging in partnership with Kara Welke of Home Therapy Solutions
SUMMARY
Falls are one of the leading causes of injury for older adults, but many are preventable. In this engaging and practical session, we’ll explore how to identify and address environmental risk factors both at home and in public spaces. You’ll learn simple, cost- effective strategies to make everyday environment safer, reduce fall risks, and promote confidence in daily activities. This webinar will include real-world examples, resources, and tools that participants can use right away to support themselves, loved ones, or clients.
AUDIENCE
All are welcome
CONTACT
AGING REIMAGINED:
CREATING COMMUNITIES FOR ALL GENERATIONS
DATE
September 16, 2025
TIME
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
LOCATION
Cambridge Public Library - Great Northern Room, 111 Dellwood Street N, Cambridge, MN 55008
COST
FREE
HOSTS
Central Minnesota Council on Aging and AllinaHealth Cambridge Medical Center
SUMMARY
As we age, we are reshaping what it means to live fully in our communities. However, outdated ageist narratives persist, maintaining outdated policies and practices. Research from the National Center to Reframe Aging shows that expanding public understanding of aging can improve societal attitudes, value people at all ages, and support systems change. Training Objectives:
- Understand the impact of ageism on individuals and communities.
- Learn about age-friendly initiatives that promote inclusivity.
- Explore strategies for reframing aging and eliminating ageism.
AUDIENCE
All are welcome
CONTACT
OCTOBER
REFRAME AGING MINNESOTA -
SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
DATE
October 3, 2025
TIME
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
LOCATION
Virtual
COST
FREE
HOSTS
MN Leadership Council on Aging and UMN Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation
SUMMARY
Reframe Aging Minnesota is a free, virtual series of one-hour conversations where you can expand your thinking and build the capacity of fellow Framers from around the state. We collectively understand this is a learning experience and seek to create a space that explores a diverity of experiences and perspectives.
In this session, we will explore three powerful communications frames that can be used to enhance your messaging: 1) collective responsibility, 2) what surrounds us shapes us, and 3) problems can be solved.
AUDIENCE
All are welcome
CONTACT
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS -
BEYOND SURVEYS: PSYCHOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF EQUITABLE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
DATE
October 14, 2025
TIME
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
LOCATION
Virtual
COST
FREE
HOST
MN Leadership Council on Aging
SUMMARY
This workshop with Dr. Alvin P. Akibar will transform how you see your workplace by teaching you to read the psychological signals that reveal whether equity truly exists beyond what surveys capture. You'll learn to decode the subtle patterns of communication, energy, and behavior that indicate whether people feel genuinely safe to be authentic, take risks, and bring their full selves to work. Through practical observation techniques, you'll discover how to spot the invisible signs of stress, code-switching, and emotional labor that marginalized employees often carry silently. By the end of this session, you'll have a new lens for assessing organizational climate. We'll go beyond demographic data to reveal the lived psychological experiences that either foster belonging or perpetuate exclusion. Armed with these insights, you'll be equipped to create more targeted, effective interventions that address the root causes of inequity rather than just its surface symptoms.
AUDIENCE
All are welcome
CONTACT
NOVEMBER
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS - BEYOND BELONGING: HOW EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS CAN DRIVE EQUITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
DATE
November 18, 2025
TIME
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
LOCATION
Virtual
COST
FREE
HOST
MN Leadership Council on Aging
SUMMARY
This workshop with Der Yang recognizes that Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are often seen as spaces for community and connection, but their potential goes far beyond that. In this Catalyst Conversation, we’ll explore how ERGs can be powerful drivers of equity, inclusion, and structural change within aging organizations. Through real-world examples and candid dialogue, we’ll examine strategies for aligning ERG efforts with broader organizational goals, including securing leadership support, and measuring impact. Whether you're a senior leader, ERG member, or ally, join us for this conversation about how the aging sector can transform ERGs from affinity spaces into engines of equity.
AUDIENCE
All are welcome
CONTACT
Do you have an Age-Friendly event to add to the calendar? Share the details in our event submission form and we'll post it!
Do you have questions about Age-Friendly technical assistance events? Contact Lydia Morken.
To learn more about the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council's work, including our grants and priorities, visit our full website.
