Orion Associates, in partnership with Headwaters Relief Organization, recently organized an art installation showcasing people from the Minneapolis Somali-American community, their personalities, sacrifices, creativity, hard work, and patriotism. Inspired by the global Inside Out Project, the installation features 100 large format portraits temporally affixed on a three-story building at 133 1st Avenue North in downtown Minneapolis.

With the goal of breaking down barriers and bringing light to the diversity of our Somali community – the largest in the United States — Minneapolis Somali-American Community Inside Out Project Group Action makes a bold public statement about our community and our country. The Inside Out Project is a global platform for people to share their stories and transform their messages into works of public art. Over 260,000 people in 129 countries – from Ecuador and Nepal to Mexico and Palestine – have participated in Inside Out, inspiring group action on themes such as hope, diversity and climate change.

By bringing Inside Out to Minneapolis, residents will gain a new understanding of the Somali-American identity. These stories are not framed through the lens of political news or immigration discussions; instead, they are personal and intimate portraits that highlight our shared humanity.

Inside Out is a large-scale participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work. Everyone is challenged to use black and white photographic portraits to discover, reveal and share the untold stories and images of people around the world. These digitally uploaded images are made into posters and sent back to the projectʼs co-creators, for them to exhibit in their own communities. These exhibitions will be documented, archived and be made available online at Inside Out Project. Orion Associates, in partnership with Headwaters Relief Organization, independently organized the Minneapolis Somali-American Community Inside Out Project Group Action. Headwaters Relief Organization participated previously in a group action campaign focused on refugee children and access to education.

View Fox 9 News video of the project HERE.

View photos of the project HERE.

For more information about Headwaters Relief Organization please click HERE.

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