Jul 4-6: Redefining Independence + Reweaving Belonging: a retreat for multicultural folks from rural spaces

What:  Redefining Independence + Reweaving Belonging: a retreat for multicultural folks with rural experiences

When:  Friday, July 4-Sunday, July 6, 2025 

Where:  Episcopal House of Prayer, Collegeville, MN

As multi-cultural* folks from rural settings on Turtle Island, we are immersed in a narrative of independence that isolates and weakens instead of making us strong. Out of necessity, many of us understood belonging as fitting in with low amounts of safety, comfort, and autonomy.

In this retreat, we take a step in redefining independence and reweaving belonging by sharing our stories, singing together, and dreaming our way towards a different way of being. We’ll practice belonging to self, while supporting each other’s growth as we practice becoming an interdependent community.

Year End BnR Fundraising Gratitude & S T R E T C H!

This update is about a month overdue. Partly because of shock (we made our initial goal! What what?!?) and partly because it's a pretty busy time for church musicians everywhere.

We feel so appreciative of all our donors. The ones who gave $2,500 and those who gave $10. You're all the same to us. We're feeling the love and support for the Biracial & Rural community and the Freeing Stuck Refrains project at Points of Light Music pretty strongly. Thank you.

With four days left in the calendar year, we're putting out a stretch goal of $5,000. We'll only $605 short of that now. Those funds will go toward creating an in-person gathering of Freeing Refrains.

  

Can you help us reach this goal?  Donate here.

Nov 17: Give to the Max Day for Biracial & Rural projects

It's the Great Mni'sota Give Together, Give To the Max Day today! Points of Light Music (polimu) is participating with two projects: Biracial & Rural and Freeing Stuck Refrains.

Please read on to learn more about what we're dreaming for 2023... (or just hop over to this link to make a donation)...

***

Biracial & Rural continues to grow a community of care for mixed race and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in predominantly white spaces. Over the last year we have continued to connect with folks who are yearning for kindred places to gather, share our stories, and do the healing work of shedding the ways we've internalized oppressive systems.

And there is more connection and healing to do.

In 2023, we want to hold six Freeing Stuck Refrains gatherings and invite 10 folks into a Biracial & Rural retreat space.

Would you help us connect, tell stories, and create arts-based healing spaces?

** 

Meet Anne!

Points of Light Music is excited to introduce you to the new folks on the Biracial & Rural (BnR) leadership team! Here's our second interview with Anne Gerber.

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Points of Light Music (polimu):  Tell us about your relationship to Biracial & Rural. How did it begin and when? 

Anne Gerber (ag):  In February of 2022, in my search for other BIPOC healers to collaborate

Meet Kali!

Points of Light Music is excited to introduce you to the new folks on the Biracial & Rural (BnR) leadership team!  Here's our first interview with Kali Higgins.  

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Points of Light Music (polimu):  Tell us about your relationship to Biracial & Rural. How did it begin and when? 

Kali Higgins (kh): I first learned of Biracial & Rural when I met Conie in August of 2021. We found each other on a local BIPOC facebook group

Meet Conie!

Points of Light Music has introduced the new additions to Biracial & Rural leadership recently.  Click these links to meet Kali and Anne.  We also thought it would be good to have Conie answer those interview questions, so here it goes!

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Points of Light Music (polimu):  Tell us about your relationship to Biracial & Rural. How did it begin and when?

clb:  Oof.  This is a long labyrinthine story with lots of twists and turns.  How much time do we have?  

(laughs)

Fundraising for Biracial & Rural 2022!

Please check out the [Give to the Max Day / Giving Tuesday / Year End] fundraising campaign we have going for Biracial & Rural at https://www.givemn.org/story/Biracialandrural21-22.  

As of 11p CT on Sunday, November 21, 2021, we've raised $1,300 of a $6,000 goal.  We are thrilled at this most excellent start.  

Follow us at Instagram for more updates. <3

Nov 19: Give to the Max Day for "Biracial & Rural"

Even though Biracial & Rural was shelved in 2020 doesn't mean the work is over. Far from it! Fundraising is still needed to make it happen. Would you join us for the ...

Great MN Give Together!

Nov 14: Support "Biracial & Rural" on Give to the Max Day!

Thursday, November 14, 2019 is Give to the Max Day in Minnesota! 

It's the Great MN Give Together! 

I have a personal storytelling project that I've been wanting to share for a few years now. It's called Biracial & Rural. And it's time to bring it to the fore. 

More details about what it is and why I feel so compelled to do it are at https://www.givemn.org/story/Biracialandrural. 

We hope you are excited to support Biracial & Rural on Give to the Max Day.  

Please give generously on Nov 14! 

You can contribute to the project at the GiveMN.org link or the giving widget on the right side of this page.  

Points Of Light Music (PLM) is a fiscally sponsored project of Springboard for the Arts. What that means is that Springboard for the Arts has a legal contract with PLM to allow us to use their non-profit status to do fundraising.  When you make a contribution to Biracial and Rural, technically you're donating to Springboard for the Arts and then they regrant the funds to us (after taking a 5-7% administration fee*).  

On Give to the Max Day, Springboard is waiving their 5% administration fee on GiveMN.org transactions to encourage giving.  Translation:  Thu, Nov 14, 2019** is the best day to contribute to Biracial and Rural.

Isn't that awesome?!?  If you'd like to support Springboard and their mission for supporting artists (and communities) with resources to make a living and a life, go to https://givemn.org/organization/Springboard-For-The-Arts. 

Thank you for supporting Biracial & Rural on Nov. 14!

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* Why the 5-7% fee?  Springboard takes 5% for GiveMN.org transactions and 7% for all other contributions via cash or check***.  GiveMN.org charges 6.9% per transaction and so Springboard lowers their admin fee to 5% for GiveMN.org donations to help artists retain more of your contribution.  On Give to the Max Day (11/14/19), Springboard is waiving their admin fee all together, so this is the best day to give!

** Unfortunately, this does not apply to donations placed in the preceding days where GiveMN.org allows folks to schedule their giving.

*** If you'd like to contribute by check, make it out to "Springboard for the Arts" with "Points of Light Music" in the memo line, then mail it to "Points of Light Music, P.O. Box 11791, St. Paul, MN 55111."