FOLH Partners with UMN First -Year Writers in WRIT 1401 with Kris Cory

In fall 2024 a section of the first-year writing course at the University of Minnesota (WRIT 1401 taught by Kris Cory) partnered with Friends of Lake Hiawatha (led by Sean Connaughty) to provide a community-engaged learning experience to first-year writers.  As part of their first year writing experience, over the course of the semester, students explored issues and developed research questions related to Lake Hiawatha's past, present and future.  The multimodal projects shared here showcase some of the work students did to raise public awareness about the tensions, challenges and opportunities they explored. 

Below: Student Project by Maiah Riedel 2024

Below: Student project by Aria Erhardt 2024

Below: Student project by Rain Yang 2024 website project

Lake Hiawatha and the Dakota People

- A Historical and Cultural Reflection

Lake Hiawatha, located in the heart of Minneapolis, holds deep historical and spiritual significance for the Dakota people. For centuries, the Dakota have maintained a close connection to this space. However, as colonization and urbanization came with the wheels of history, this relationship with the lake was abruptly disrupted. This website will explore the historical and cultural importance of Lake Hiawatha to the Dakota, focusing on the lake's role as a sacred site and examining modern efforts to reclaim Indigenous spaces.

Student Project by Alexis Maximo 2024

Alexis created a painting and a website documenting her process based on visiting and researching Lake Hiawatha

Below: Angelina Emberson Student Project 2024 Podcast
This is a audio project highlighting the volunteers and their restoration work at Lake Hiawatha Bde Psin

Below: Student Project by Amal Abdulkader 2024 video

Student Project by Winifred Gerald-Ugwu 2024
This video project summarizes the various stakeholder concerns and environmental issues that led to the creation and passage of the Hiawatha Plan