726 Prentice Street

In early 2018, the building at 726 Prentice Street, Granite Falls, MN, now known as The YES! House, was donated to the Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) by a local family. In the past, we have referred to this building as being "vacant" prior to our acceptance of ownership. We have come to realize that the word "vacant" can be harmful as it further perpetuates negative narratives of deficit and decline in rural areas. It also does not accurately articulate the fact that this building was wanted by local community members, and it had alternative possibilities to the one it serves today. With that understanding, we do not see ourselves as owners of this donated building, but as stewards of a space for community ideas to thrive. 

We recognize that our organization has inherent privileges with a white Executive Director and is part of a deeply flawed sexist, ableist, and racist nonprofit system. We have benefited, and continue to benefit, from that system in our access to resources and relationships. In the fall of 2022, DoPT will launched The YES! House Futures (YHF) Committee to guide the future operations and stewardship of The YES! House through a community-led process. We also implemented a series of community connectivity actions in the Granite Falls area, which you can read about here. We recognize that these are just a few steps in an ongoing journey; we continue to move slowly and intentionally to be considerate and thoughtful in our actions. Our goal as stewards is to be transparent and inclusive as we transform this building; and to be humble and generous neighbors, learning with community and working to give back to community.

Background: The Granite Area Arts Council (GAAC) operated as the fiscal sponsor in the transition of the building title prior to DoPT receiving 501(c)(3) status. While DoPT was officially incorporated in 2018,  the organization’s work is built on a deep foundation of rural arts practice and a ten-year relationship between our Executive Director and Southwestern Minnesota communities, including Granite Falls. After acquiring the building, DoPT wanted to continue to design, prototype, and implement many of our programs in and with the Southwestern Minnesota region because it is where the foundation of the organization emerged.

This is a work in progress, and we invite you to follow along on the journey.