TCMC 40 Year Learning ARC 1976- 2016 Action- Reflection - Celebration

Welcome to the TCMC Blogging experience.  Tom Weaver here, co chair with John Ruud of the 40th year committee that is meeting for the first time, Valentine's Sunday the 14th of Feb, 10 AM at Common Roots Cafe'.  I am grateful for the 40 years of men's work, rooted in South Minneapolis, since Oct 1976 and the honor to reflect on the expanding circle of men influenced by Minnesota men, here and around the world. 

Here is our Men Talk banner 10 years ago with our old logo. 

My goal is to bring evocative stories with photos from each of the 4 decades and post them here and when we find a communications intern  from the U of M (thanks Damon Starks for the inspiration) to connect us though social media like Twitter...we can be more present to those who understand the digit and world in the cloud!  

 

 

 Banner in our spring color from the 39th year......

And from the most recent MEN TALK - the iconic Robert Bly is honored for his service as a Minnesota activist poet and writer, who so much lit a fire for men around the world.

At last nights TCMC Board Meeting at our current 3239 Hennepin Ave location, group of us committed to being the journey of creating a year of "Celebration and Renewal" geared toward a fun community celebration on Oct 22 2016, which is the 40th year of our incorporation.  As Posted on our tcmc.org website "The Men's Center is an incorporated, educational non-profit 501(c)3, volunteer organization which began in 1976 as an outgrowth of the Men's Awareness Network in the Twin Cities in 1973. TCMC published the large-format Men's Survival Resource Book in 1979.
TCMC began these projects which each became new Twin Cities organizations: Men in Violent Relationships in 1977 (now the Domestic Abuse Project), HTLV-lll (HIV) support groups in 1985 (now the Minnesota AIDS Project), and Fathers and Sons support groups in 1990 (now the Father's Resource Center). TCMC sponsored the Twin Cities exhibition of Judy Chicago's Birth Project in 1989. The first annual Men's Leadership/Wingspan conference was hosted by TCMC in 1990."

The Men's Center's Mission and Values

Our mission:
The Men's Center provides resources for men seeking to grow in body, mind and spirit, and from that foundation advocates for healthier family and community relationships.
Our values:

1. We believe men can and should support each other through times of personal challenge and change.

2. We believe in authenticity, which means acknowledging to ourselves and each other our hopes, fears, strengths and weaknesses as men seeking to grow.

3. We believe in honesty among men, which means men freely expressing themselves
emotionally, socially, intellectually and spiritually in ways true to their own growth and masculinities.

4. We believe in respecting diversity and mutuality in our support groups, workshops,
conferences and outreach activities which means supporting and empowering all men.

5. We believe in the equality of men and women.

6. We believe in recognizing and appreciating our similarities and differences as humans of all races and national origins, and in the process fostering mutual respect and brotherhood for us all.

7. We believe in the power of our common humanity, which means regardless of our
sexual orientations, gender identities, or other issues that separate us, what we have in common transcends our differences

Look for a change in our ON LINE PRESENCE in the weeks and months ahead.

Best regards,

Tom W

Vice Chair TCMC board

And Co Chair with John Ruud

TCMC 40^Th Anniversary ARC Committee