The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) has announced the winners of its Ethnic Media Grants, part of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment funding. The grants, totaling $472,500, will support media organizations in Minnesota to create video content in a language other than English, helping communities share stories and perspectives with broader audiences. The grants were funded through the Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, which is supported by a portion of Minnesota’s sales tax dedicated to arts, culture, and heritage.
Mshale was among the organizations that applied for the grant, proposing a project focused on Kiswahili (Swahili). Kiswahili is one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa and the world, with over 200 million speakers. It is a vital tool of communication and integration across East, Central, and Southern Africa and serves as an official language of the African Union (AU). The United Nations officially recognizes Kiswahili with an international day celebrated annually on July 7, making it the first and only African language honored in this way.
The selected awardees are:
- Hmong Broadcasting Company LLC — $68,000
- Native Roots Radio with FS Native American Community Development Institute — $68,200
- Oromia 11 — $69,300
- Oromia Media Network — $60,000
- Santamaria Broadcasting, LLC — $68,000
- Somali TV of MN — $74,000
- Xidig TV LLC — $64,980
Three of the seven awardees will produce Somali-language content, while two will focus on Oromo-language programming. The remaining grants will support Spanish-language programming through Santamaria Broadcasting, Hmong-language content from Hmong Broadcasting Company, and Native American language content through Native Roots Radio.
“This past year was an important point in time not only for Minnesota but for the entire country,” stated MHC CEO Kevin Lindsey. “The funding provided by the Legislature was incredibly timely and will ensure that several communities throughout Minnesota will be able to share their understanding with future generations of what occurred during this unique moment in time.”
In total, MHC received 68 applications requesting nearly $4 million in proposed projects. Forty-one percent of applicants were outside of the seven-county Twin Cities metro area, with an average grant request of $58,655.40.
The Minnesota Humanities Center, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, was founded in 1971 and works to strengthen society by promoting the humanities and increasing shared understanding of Minnesota’s diverse pasts.
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