Tracks in the Snow is the third phase of the Minnesota Muslim Experience project produced by Islamic Resource Group (IRG) through generous support from the Minnesota Historical Society Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF).
Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment mandates that a portion of the ACHF be used “to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage” (Minnesota Constitution, Article XI, Sec. 15). The traveling exhibit is designed to expose Minnesotans to the untold narratives of Minnesota Muslims, a deep-rooted and growing part of the state’s community.
Contrary to popular belief, Minnesota Muslims come from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds like the broader Muslim American population. This exhibit provides a unique perspective about a community that is little known and widely misunderstood due to popular misinformation and misconceptions.
To build bridges within the greater Minnesota community, IRG interviewed 40 Muslim Minnesotans in 2010-11 to share their portraits and stories. In the second phase of our Minnesota Muslim Experience project, we created a book and DVDs to distribute the interviews widely. Now, we are proud to introduce the third phase, a traveling exhibit that provides viewers with clues to help piece together the evolution that the Minnesota Muslim community has undergone.