A Practicum at the State Capitol
My favorite part of going to the Minnesota State Capitol is seeing the big, gold horses and feeling their vaunting presence. I was glad for the sunny, blue skies on a warm September day as we gathered beneath the horses on the big white steps.
As we entered the building, the feeling of pure awe at the details in the building immediately struck me, no matter how many times I've seen it. Looking around the other Fellows, I could spot similar feelings appearing on their faces. Once we settled into our conference room, George and I, being in charge of practicum for the day, decided to send the Fellows on a casual tour of the building to feel what it is like to be there, notice the history, and gaze at those who are also in the space. A nice bonus was that shortly after we were able to join a tour of the building by a fabulous tour guide.
This is where the horses come back, I learned they represent Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. Their forward motion indicates growth for Minnesota. This tour had such serendipitous ties to the heart of our practicum as we were seeking to better understand how people interact at the State level. The symbols all over the building were great storytellers of how Minnesotans interact and the values we carry.
As the tour concluded, we filed back into the room and settled in for a simulation exercise designed by George. Fellows were tasked to take on various roles in seeking a state-funded summer school program. Once being assigned a role, the fellows got into those groups and created power maps to assess their pathways to bringing an opportunity to the state-level. Our goal in this activity was to encourage Fellows to look at a problem from a different perspective, discuss the power differences, and notice the assets to communities.
To top off the day, we were able to speak with Jamie Long, who serves in the Minnesota House of Representatives. We were even able to talk to him while sitting on the House floor, what a special treat! Representative Long was able to give us some great concrete examples of bridging on the house floor that gave us some practical tips for our own bridging endeavor. The Fellows asked some really interesting questions that I think were of highlight for the day. One thing is for sure, value-based communication goes a long way!
Overall, I am glad to have been able to kick off this year's practicums with George at such a beautiful place. I’m very excited to learn from the first-year Fellows as we continue our monthly time together.
