The Neighborhood and Community Relations Department invites you to the 8th annual Community Connections Conference. The conference is a free event meant to build connections and foster collaboration between communities, neighborhoods and government, focusing on best practices for community engagement. The conference features interactive workshops, speakers, panel discussions, and a delicious catered lunch. The theme of this year’s conference is Together: Mobilizing for a Better Minneapolis.

The schedule for the day:

• Registration and breakfast: 8:00 a.m.
• Opening panel: 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
• Morning workshops: 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
• Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Afternoon workshops: 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Closing forum with Mayor Frey and Council members: 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This year’s Community Connections Conference will feature:

• An opening panel with community leaders, Connecting Activism to Change.
• An exhibit hall with over 100 exhibitors from healthcare and tenants’ rights organizations to sustainability and public schools. View exhibitor list here…
• A legal clinic on immigration, family and housing law courtesy of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and The Advocates for Human Rights. Read more here…
• Give your input to City departments on topics like the Transportation Action Plan, Vision Zero and the neighborhood organization system and the City of Minneapolis’s community engagement policy.
• Interactive workshops. Preview workshop list here…
• An opportunity to learn about and apply for City appointed boards and commissions. View open seats here…
• A community round table with Mayor Frey and Minneapolis City Council members about the City of Minneapolis’s racial equity action plan. Read more here…
• Free food. View caterers here…

Accessibility and Inclusion

On-site captioning and interpreters for American Sign Language, Spanish, Somali, Hmong and Oromo are available throughout the day. Request interpreter service at registration.

The Minneapolis Convention Center offers information on locations of accessible entrances, restrooms and transportation. Learn more at Minneapolis Convention Center and Accessibility.

We will provide a link to download a free Metro Transit pass for your transportation to the conference the week before the conference.

For further reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department at 612-673-3737 or [email protected]. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157.