For two months, the Minnesota Family Project traveled across the state, sparking a state-wide dialogue on immigration. The Minnesota Family Project was a public art project with three parts: a photography exhibit, an interactive story-and portrait project, and an oral history of the West Side of St. Paul.

The Photos

Photography Exhibit: A view into the homes, churches and workplaces of eight Minnesota families taken by documentary photographer Quito Ziegler. The exhibit included selections from “Tenomos un Sueño: Latino Youth and the American Dream,” a portrait project in Montgomery, Minnesota, a project documenting workers who were unjustly fired from their jobs as office cleaners, and “American Family: Stories behind the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride.”

The photos were then displayed on the outside of a 24’ truck, which traveled to county fairs, community festivals, and churches across Minnesota. When it was not traveling, the exhibit was on 24-hour display at La Placita marketplace, next to El Burrito in the West Side of St. Paul.

The Stories
Where are we from?
What is your story? Where is your family from? Why did they come to Minnesota?

The inside of the truck was converted into a moving portrait gallery of visitors to the exhibit. Visitors had their portraits taken and instantly printed out. They were then be asked to contribute their families’ stories to the gallery walls. As the truck progressed across the state, the walls became filled with stories of Minnesota’s families.

The West Side
Oral history of the West Side: Given its rich history as an immigrant gateway community, the West Side of St. Paul was chosen as a focal point of the project. Two interns worked to capture the stories of long-time neighborhood residents, who were then photographed as part of the interactive exhibit. The interns were apprentices in WSCO’s Youth Apprenticeship Project, which brought together 25 youth leaders from the neighborhood. The entire class participated in group activities with the truck exhibit, including conducting additional interviews. Kick-off and conclusion celebrations were held at the Youth Farm’s La Placita Marketplace and emphasized the exhibit’s connection to the neighborhood.