IWith the successful celebration on October 15th, the Men’s Center now enters its 4th decade of public service to the Twin Cities community. More than 35 people attended including these guests: David Grocott, center director of the ManKind Project Minnesota, Tania Jajewski from Chrysalis, and Minneapolis council member Cam Gordon. The past 3 decades we’ve travelled neatly divide the phases of our development. What has remained true over all that time is that the Men’s Center is an umbrella organization providing incubation to leading-edge activity in different areas of men’s work.

The highlights of our accomplishments and challenges over the years define the three-legged stool of the Men’s Center:

• Drop-in Support Groups
• Outreach/Men’s Resources
• Workshops/Conferences/Classes.

In the first decade, 1976 - 1986

From its beginnings at U of Minnesota Lutheran Student Center, in 1973, the Men’s Center evolved from consciousness-raising men’s groups (of students), and incorporated as 501(c)3 non-profit in 1976. It moved locations 6 times.

Greatest lasting accomplishments:

• drop-in, peer support groups
• producing the Men’s Survival Resource Book, 1978.

Overarching Theme: men catching up with the women’s movement

• began support groups: divorce, gay issues, general men’s issues
• began the Men In Violent Relationships support groups (became Domestic Abuse Project) ,
  HTLV-III (HIV) support groups (became Minnesota AIDS Project)
• began Midwest Regional Men’s Conferences: 1978, ‘80, ‘83, ‘85, ‘87, ‘89, ‘92.

In the second decade, 1986 - 1996

The Men’s Center moved to permanent location at 33rd & Hennepin in uptown Minneapolis—a suite of meeting rooms. Membership peaked in 1989 coincident with the most program activity: the Birth Project, Earnie Larsen Workshop, 8th Midwest Regional Men’s Conference, an evening with Robert Bly and Michael Meade.

Greatest lasting accomplishments:

• Wednesday Workshop Presentations
• Consistent publication of Men Talk as quarterly journal;
• join fabric of TC Social Service community for referrals
• creating a library of over 400 men’s movement & human potential books.

Overarching Theme: regular program & outreach

• led the development of generic spirituality-based men’s work in Heartland North America
• focus on affirming what is right about men.
• Active role of serving as men’s resources clearinghouse in Twin Cities
• Integration of these men’s work factions: pro-feminist men, men’s rights men, gay rights men, mythopoetic men, new warrior men, etc.
• began fathers & sons groups (became Fathers Resource Center, now Resource Center for Fathers & Families)

In the third decade, 1996 - 2006

The Men’s Center has just experienced its most successful decade providing a consistent level of services. The TCMC website was launched in 1995 with a complete Men’s Resource Directory. Men Talk was published on time for 60 consecutive issues. Most notable is the creation of our Men Helping Men with Anger Management classes which are given 12 times per year and now serve the wider community.

Greatest lasting accomplishments:

• TCMC website: <http://www.tcmc.org/> with Resource Directory
• Men Helping Men With Anger Management Program
• Re-invention of Men Talk as bi-monthly newsletter.
• Creating a Values Statement

Overarching Theme: Consciousness of Mission; Creation of relevant programs of service to Twin Cities Community

• Consistent participation in Twin Cities Pride Festival
• Hosting non-Men’s Center programs/events; partnering with the ManKind Project Minnesota
• Produced and organized the first regional 2001 Men’s Health & Wellbeing Symposium in the United States
• Began many more support groups: Emotional Abuse Survivors, Sexual Abuse Survivors, 20-Something GLBT, Retirement, Anger Management, Transition, Addiction Busters, Two-Spirited Spirituality, etc.

Looking forward, 2006 - 2016

Our most significant contribution to the Twin Cities region has been the continuing process of defining masculinities (plural) counter to the larger culture’s single definition.

In the future:

• Look for us to vastly increase our networking with “like” organizations such as Interfaith Church Council.
• We will emphasize services for “20-something” Younger Men to support them in their relationship challenges with women, men and parents.
• We shall also expand opportunities for adult men to provide Youth Mentoring, perhaps working with city council member Cam Gordon.

Andy Mickel is a long-time Men's Center member, former editor of Men Talk, current board member, and unofficial historian of The Men's Center.