Green Card Voices exhibit coming to Ridgewater and Hutchinson Health
August 23, 2021
HUTCHINSON and WILLMAR, MN – Central Minnesota Green Card Voices is a state immigrant and refugee awareness exhibit that will be on display throughout September at Ridgewater College, both Hutchinson and Willmar campuses, and Hutchinson Health.
The public is invited to experience the stories of 18 St. Cloud area immigrants and refugees, thanks to a partnership with UniteCloud. The central Minnesota organization provides community education and outreach to foster empathetic communities. This exhibit is part of a national movement with more than 2,000 stories from Minnesota alone. The large banners share images and written stories, while scannable QR codes offer an additional interactive experience to more fully hear and see the personal stories on viewers’ smart phones.
Exhibit Schedule
- September 1-9: Ridgewater College – Hutchinson Campus Commons
- September 10-17: Hutchinson Health – 1095 Highway 15 S, Hutchinson
- September 20-30: Ridgewater College – Willmar Campus Cafeteria
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Ridgewater is closed September 6 for Labor Day
“We recognize and value the rich stories present in our diverse student body and our local multicultural communities,” said Ridgewater President Dr. Craig Johnson. “The Green Card Voices exhibit is a great reminder of the very different life experiences and paths of the students on our campuses and members of our communities. We all benefit from a diverse environment and a better understanding of everyone’s life journey.”
One of the first-generation immigrant stories about people from 12 different countries is Ulises Ayala. “In times of change and personal evolution, it is good to know how we became a nation – a nation of immigrants,” said the Central MN Green Card Voices storyteller.
Hutchinson Health’s Anna Harvala, Human Relations and Education Services, said Hutchinson Health is honored to co-host the exhibit for its patients and staff. Due to their facility visitor restrictions during COVID, however, the general public in the Hutchinson region is encouraged to visit the exhibit at Ridgewater’s Hutchinson campus, right across the street from Hutchinson Health.
Do you have a story to share? Inspired by #GreenCardVoices, Ridgewater College is seeking your story of culture, history, and heritage. Culture is in people’s food, music, artifacts, and beliefs. Culture can be passed down through customs and traditions and can evolve as communities grow together. Ridgewater wants to hear your story. Submit your story at: https://bit.ly/2me0Pu5
To learn and see more, go to https://unitecloud.org/green-card-voices/.