There are at least 23 cultural communities in Minnesota numbering 10,000+ (https://www.mncompass.org/cultural-communities), including Hmong, Somali, African American, Latinx/e, and Indigenous communities. Yet how well do we know these communities and interact with them? The Minnesota Humanities Center has been offering place-based immersive experiences for over a decade, amplifying voices and places of significance for these communities. In this session, we will share what we have learned about place as a lens to talk about race, identity, and belonging. We will provide an overview of the concept of place – how place is something we all hold in common but can be used to keep us separated and isolated from each other. There will be several group discussions and an introduction of a web resource developed by economist and cultural entrepreneur Dr. Bruce Corrie – www.culturaldestinations.org, which highlights cultural malls and destinations specific to Minnesota as well as others nationwide. The session will conclude with a presentation on creative place-making by Dr. Gene Gelgelu, the CEO and founder of Little Africa in St. Paul.