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Commissioners spotlight student art contest, volunteers and Black maternal health efforts
Summary
Commissioners used communications time to highlight a student art contest at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, National Volunteer Week and Hennepin County efforts on Black maternal health, including a new Birth Justice Community Advisory Board launched in March 2026.
During the communications portion of the April 7 meeting, commissioners highlighted recent county outreach and community programs.
Commissioner Heather Edelson said 35 finalists from the county student art contest are on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art through April 26 and praised the range of student work as ‘‘incredibly inspiring.’’
Commissioner Hottel marked National Volunteer Week (April 19–25) and reported that 4,081 community volunteers contributed more than 80,000 hours of service last year; volunteers support county programs across libraries, parks, courts and service centers, Hottel said.
Commissioner Angela Conley reviewed the county’s maternal health initiative, which launched in 2021, and announced a Birth Justice Community Advisory Board launched in March 2026 with 11 members to advise on maternal health equity. Conley said the initiative reached more than 5,800 participants through perinatal visits between 2022 and 2025 and trained over 3,700 health professionals in trauma‑informed and infant mental‑health approaches.
All items were informational; no board action was required.
