It’s time to shine!
Join Us for the Annual Way to Grow
Shine Celebration
Join us for an evening of celebration, connection, and purpose! Enjoy a delicious dinner, spirited entertainment, heartfelt stories, and the excitement of live and silent auctions. Our 2025 theme, The Head & the Heart: Together We Shine, reflects the powerful balance at the core of Way to Grow’s work: pairing measurable impact with meaningful relationships. Rooted in the real-life experiences of the families we serve, this night honors the strength of parents, the power of early learning, and the community that surrounds each child with care. Together, we’ll raise a glass to brighter futures for all.
REGISTRATION
CLOSED
For questions, changes to your registration, or guest updates, please email events@mplswaytogrow.org!
See you there!
WHEN
Friday, October 3, 2025
5:30–10:00 pm
Semi-formal and cocktail attire
WHERE
The Depot
225 3rd Avenue South,
Minneapolis, MN 55401
KEYNOTE
SPONSORED by THE SEIDL FOUNDATION
Kao Kalia Yang
Kao Kalia Yang is a Hmong-American writer, filmmaker, and teacher. Her work crosses audiences and genres and has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Chautauqua Prize, the PEN USA literary awards, the Dayton’s Literary Peace Prize, Kirkus Best Books of the Year, the Heartland Bookseller’s Award, and has garnered four Minnesota Book Awards.
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Kalia was born in the refugee camps of Thailand to a family that escaped the genocide of the Secret War in Laos. She came to America at the age of six, and her first book, The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir, reflects upon this move. A review by Publishers Weekly praises Kalia, “Yang tells her family’s story with grace; she narrates their struggles, beautifully weaving in Hmong folklore and culture.” The Latehomecomer was the winner of two Minnesota Book Awards, a finalist for the PEN USA Award, and earned a NEA Big Read title. It is the first Hmong-authored book to gain national distribution from a literary press.
Her other memoirs include, The Song Poet: A Memoir of My Father, which won the 2016 Minnesota Book Award, and was a finalist for the Dayton’s Literary Peace Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Chautauqua Prize, and the PEN USA Award; Somewhere in the Unknown World; and her latest, Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life.
Kalia is also the author of the children’s books A Map Into the World, The Most Beautiful Thing, The Shared Room, Yang Warriors, From the Tops of the Trees, and The Rock in My Throat, which center around Hmong children who live in our world, who dream and hurt and hope in it. She is the co-editor of a ground-breaking collection titled What God is Honored Here?: Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss By and For Native Women and Women of Color. For her work, Kalia has been the recipient of McKnight, Soros, and Guggenheim Fellowships.
When she’s not in front of an audience inspiring social change and awareness, Kalia raises a daughter and twin sons who keep her and her husband busy at their home in St. Paul.
FEATURED SPEAKER
Arthur J. Rolnick, Ph.D.
Arthur J. Rolnick is a Professor of Economics at the University of Minnesota. He previously served at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis as a senior vice president and director of research and as an associate economist with the Federal Open Market Committee. Rolnick is working to advance multidisciplinary research on child development and social policy.
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His essays on public policy issues have gained national attention; his research interests include banking and financial economics, monetary policy, monetary history, the economics of federalism, and the economics of education.
His work on early childhood development has garnered numerous awards, including those from the National Council on Family Relations Distinguished Service to Families Award and the Minnesotan of the Year by Minnesota Monthly magazine, both in 2005; the George Lucas Educational Foundation in 2007; the Nancy Latimer Award from the Start Early Funders Coalition in 2010; and the WEM Foundation Outstanding Educator Award for Excellence in Education in 2018.
A native of Michigan, Rolnick has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in economics from Wayne State University, Detroit; and a doctorate in economics from the University of Minnesota.
Entertainment
SHAPESHIFT
Founded in 2013 Minneapolis-based SHAPESHIFT Dance, is a storytelling dance collective that uses a fusion of dance styles to create powerful theatrical productions, tackling issues of social injustice, loss, love, and human emotions. SHAPESHIFT productions are beautifully told through interwoven vignettes combined with acting, dance and popular and old school music.
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Performances include: 22 shows at the Kennedy Center in 2017 and 2025, Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, and the Indiana Repertory in Indianapolis, and other venues in the Twin Cities, including cities in Wisconsin and Minnesota. SS engages in community outreach and has partnered with many non-profit and for-profit organizations such as General Mills, The Sanneh Foundation, and Social Enterprise Minneapolis.
Additional performances include Prince’s Tribute Concert in front of 20,000 strong, 5-time performers for the International We Day Concert tour, including a dance challenge with icon Paula Abdul, and DirectTV Now’s Jennifer Lopez campaign during Super Bowl LII.
SHAPESHIFT has been the Cover Feature of Lavender Magazine, the spotlight feature on TPT Originals/PBS, as well featured in Mpls.St. Paul Magazine!
Members: Ashley Selmer, Gabriel Blackburn, Alan Mure, Sophia Meza, Hannah Herrig, Nate Crash
The Leslie Vincent Quintet
Leslie Vincent is a prolific jazz vocalist and songwriter whose warm tone and magnetic stage presence have made her a standout in the Midwest music scene. Inspired by Sarah Vaughan, Diana Krall, and Norah Jones, Leslie blends timeless standards with charming originals, creating a sound that’s all her own.
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Leslie performs across Minnesota (Dakota, Crooners) and the East Coast (Deer Head Inn, Chelsea Table & Stage) and has released two full-length albums, with a third on the way. Her work has been featured in DownBeat Magazine, and her original tune “Icetown Blues” was named “One of the Best Songs of 2023” by Jazz.88. AmericanaUK praised her voice as “Amy Winehouse had she gone full-tilt jazz.”
Beyond the stage, Leslie is a passionate advocate for the arts and a frequent collaborator. Her performances often feature cross-genre interpretations and a welcoming energy that makes audiences feel right at home.
Learn more at lesliedellavincent.com
Leslie Vincent, Vocals
Patrick Adkins, Piano
Matt McIntyre, Bass
Ben Ehrlich, Drums
Mitch Van Laar, Trumpet
T. Mychael Rambo
T. Mychael Rambo is a 3-time Mid-West Emmy Award winning actor, vocalist, arts educator author, community organizer, and public speaker, who has made an indelible mark here in the Twin Cities performing principal roles at such theaters as: the Guthrie, Penumbra, Ten Thousand Things, the Ordway, Illusion, Mixed Blood, Park Square, Children’s and Minnesota Opera to name but a few.
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Nationally and internationally his stage credits include Carnegie Hall and performances abroad in Africa, Europe and South America. He has appeared in local and national television commercials, feature films, HBO mini-series and other television programming.
A recipient of numerous other awards, artistic/community driven grants and accolades T. Mychael has embarked on a new project. His most recent endeavor has been a collaboration with New York Times Best Selling Author, Resmaa Menakem to co-author, a companion children’s book to Mr. Menakem’s book “My Grandmother’s Hands” entitled “The Stories from My Grandmother’s Hands;” now available both on-line and in bookstores, nationally.
Rambo, is also an accomplished auctioneer/emcee, recording artist, residency artist and affiliate professor in the College of Liberal Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance at the University of Minnesota. As a public speaker Mr. Rambo shares his motivational skill set by lacing together his many other talents with spirited anecdotal storytelling, insightful observations, levity and song that makes for a thought-provoking, transformative and truly enriching interactive presentation. Some of his clients include Thrivent, Best Buy, Andersen Corporation, Ameriprise, St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation, Bush Foundation, University of Minnesota and some of Minnesota’s other top philanthropic, academic and corporate leaders.
Location
ADDRESS
The Depot
225 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis
PARKING
The Depot parking is accessible from 5th Avenue.
Enter the event through the Pavilion main entrance.
Centrally located in the Mill District, The Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot is in the former Milwaukee Road Depot building and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
WE’D LIKE to THANK our GENEROUS SPONSORS
Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsorship is more than a check—it’s an investment in our shared future.
Will you join us?