Magnet

2020 Winter Magnet Revealed!

We are experiencing great changes in our community and country and planet. Our ancestors are calling to us to act. Now is our time to RISE!  We rise with our roots in the earth and our arms fiercely sending our dreams to the sky. We hold our shared histories close to our ears for guidance. 

We are determined that social justice roots will keep a stronghold on Lake Street during this crucial time in our local and national history. We ask you to join us! Now is the time to rise in renewed relevance. We have been preparing. 

We are committed to you, our community.   

We ask for your support during a time when your contribution is more important than ever. 

We invite you to be part of this wave of change and RISE with us! 

Click here to donate OR mail a check to HOBT, 1500 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55407.

Zephyr Image For Web_cropped

About the Artist: Zephyr Sheedy 

Zephyr (she/they) is a queer, funny, Quaker-ish artist and interdisciplinary storyteller from Virginia. Her work combines surreal experiences with offbeat humor that often asks why people love people. In 2019, Zephyr received their BFA in filmmaking from VCUarts in Richmond, Virginia where they focused on lighting for film, writing, and directing.

Website: zephyrsheedy.com

The Story Behind HOBT's Magnets

In many South Minneapolis homes, if you take a closer look at the refrigerator, you might find small rectangular magnets, with bright colors and bold words: Journey, Persist, Dream. Even long-time friends and fans of HOBT wonder, where did these magnets come from? 

Their story begins in 1997, when the MayDay Festival theme emerged as "May Abundant Blessings Flow" in recognition of the Everyday Blessings that build community wellness. During the month leading up to MayDay, we asked hundreds of people who participated in the parade-building workshops what they most valued in their lives. We then distilled the multitude of answers into simple words for printed flag designs. 

During the MayDay Ceremony, as we raised the Tree of Life, these blessing flags were sent out into the audience. For the past 18 years, Sandy Spieler has taken those original abundant blessings and used them to design our annual end of the year magnet. Now, as HOBT enters a news season of transformation and rising, we are continuing this legacy of naming and celebrating what we hold dear by welcoming and lifting new artistic voices to create these year-end "fridge essentials."

Graphics by Sandy Spieler