Nashe Micto (Our City): Ukrainian influences on Minneapolis

Minnesota is currently home to the largest number of Ukrainian refugees in the US, and this is no surprise. For decades, our local community has been at the forefront of raising political awareness, preserving ancient traditions, and welcoming Ukrainian new-comers

Differences in the transportation systems, vernacular built form, and government structures can present difficulties for recently arrived refugees as they try to adapt to life in the United States. As planners entrusted with serving the good of the public, there are gaps between the built environment and community access to housing, transportation, and social infrastructure. What can we learn from structures and neighborhoods developed and inhabited by previous generations of Ukrainian immigrants? How can we leverage the cultural continuity of our diaspora groups to better support recent and future arrivals?

This tour will showcase the history of Minneapolis's Ukrainian community through our architecture and cultural institutions, as well as highlight state and local programs designed to build capacity for refugees to engage with the local transportation system, participate in the planning process, and find culturally sensitive and accessible housing options.