Minneapolis is holding its first citywide elections since the murder of George Floyd. One of the most closely watched and hotly debated items on the ballot is Question 2, which would eliminate the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a new Department of Public Safety. Join Twin Cities Diversity in Practice for an engaging discussion with legal experts analyzing this important question.  Our panelists have each studied public safety and racial equity. Together they will provide an objective overview of the ballot question, the different positions arising around it, and potential outcomes should it pass or not. Whether you live in Minneapolis and still have questions before you vote, or are simply interested in learning more on the subject, please join us. This program is open to the public. Please invite your friends and colleagues!

Join the Minnesota Coalition of Bar Associations of Color (MN-CBAC) for the second annual Twin Cities Legal D&I Data Project Reveal to share and discuss the results of MN-CBAC's study of the representation of women and racial/ethnic group members in large law firms and corporate law departments in Minnesota. After the data reveal, LaToya Burrell (Executive Director, The Anderson Foundation & Zinpro Corporation's DEI Champion) will provide a keynote address and lead a distinguished panel in a discussion addressing DEI initiatives and best practices for improving both recruitment and retention of diverse individuals. The panelists are: Dotun Obadina (Partner, Jones Day), Don Liu (Executive VP and Chief Legal and Risk Officer, Target), and Maggie Dalton (Partner, Stoel Rives). For more information or to register, please click here.

Join for a conversation about reimagining public safety as Asian Americans. There will be discussions around Asian Americans' relationships with policing, the issues we face around keeping each other safe, and take an opportunity to reimagine what safe communities look like. There will also learn more about the opportunity in Minneapolis to vote for a new department for public safety. There will be art, food, and real conversations with community members building real systems of safety in our communities. For COVID-19 precautions, this is an outdoor event. For more information or to register, please click here.

This event is organized by the Asian Minnesotan Alliance for Justice, a coalition of Asian Minnesotan organizations fighting for solidarity and justice in Minnesota.

The Japan America Society of Minnesota and Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson P.C. (HSML) will be hosting a corporate roundtable to discuss the changing role of U.S. intellectual property for Japanese entities. Topics include insights on the challenges in establishing and growing business relationships in Japan in the service sector from a Midwest base, and the gap of business culture between the U.S. and Japan. For more information or to register, please click here.

The Minority Women Lawyers' Association (MWLA) and Minnesota Women Lawyers (MWL) are co-sponsoring an outdoor patio happy hour at Brit's rooftop for an opportunity to connect with minority women lawyers in an informal setting before the cold weather hits. Light appetizers and beverages will be provided (on a first-come basis). Additional refreshments will be available "on your own." For more information or to register, please click here.

As reports of hate crimes and hate-fueled incidents against Asian Americans continue to rise, NAPABA and the AAPI legal community are being called upon to respond to victims and complainants. This program will teach critical skills such as how to recognize trauma, how to build trust with victims, and how to speak with hate crime victims, hate incident victims, and witnesses in a compassionate, sensitive, and culturally appropriate manner. This webinar will be led by experts in their fields: Katharine Manning, who advised the U.S. Justice Department on its most challenging victim issues; and Professor Sherry Wang, who teaches graduate courses in multicultural counseling, developmental counseling, etc. For more information or to register, please click here.

Finance & Commerce and Minnesota Lawyer recognize the ICONs in the legal and business community who have years of experience and a list of achievements, not to mention the keen ability to lead, succeed in the courtroom or in a conference room, and empower others.

Finance & Commerce also honors the Rising Young Professionals in Minnesota's business community who have demonstrated leadership, contributed to their community and successfully achieved positive outcomes early in their career. 

The Asian Media Access is holding a Commemoration and Appreciation Night on the 20th anniversary of September 11 to acknowledge and commensurate communal losses and appreciate frontline heroes. Ticket proceeds will be donated to the Frontline Families Fund, which provides financial support and educational scholarships to the families of healthcare workers who have lost their lives to COVID-19.

This black-tie event will take place at the St. Paul Union Depot, and feature Pan-Asian cultural and festivity themes. For more information or to purchase a ticket, please email Lily Do, Program Coordinator, at lily.do@amamedia.org. 

Join the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Minnesota Chapter for a session with Dr. Richard Lee as part of NAAAP MN's Break the Cycle Professional Development Series. Dr. Lee is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Morse-Alumni Distinguished University Teaching Professor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota.

In this session, Dr. Lee will discuss how Asian Americans navigate their ethnic and racial experiences in the family, in the workplace, and in public spaces. He will focus on Asian American identity developing, coping with racism and discrimination, race relations, and the impact of anti-Asian hate on mental health. To register, please click here. For more information, please contact William Cheng, william.cheng@naaap.org, 763-784-8848.