State Representative Kari Dziedzic, posthumously
Minnesota State Senator Kari Dziedzic entered eternal life surrounded by her family on December 27, 2024. The eldest daughter of Walter and Patricia Dziedzic, she followed in her father's footsteps into community service.   

A lifelong "Nordeaster," Kari Dziedzic graduated from Edison High School and the University of Minnesota. She served as executive assistant to U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone and in several roles for Hennepin County. Kari was elected to represent her community in Senate District 60 in January 2012. She was later elected Senate Majority Leader, serving from January 2023 until she stepped down in February 2024 to focus on her cancer treatment.

Born and raised in Northeast Minneapolis, as a Minnesota State Senator, Kari stayed close to her local community and the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. She attended the Arts District art events and social gatherings and was extremely approachable. She remained a lifelong advocate for the Northeast Minneapolis community.  Kari will be remembered by her family and those she served for her enthusiastic and humble leadership, which inspired all who knew her. Like her father, she was fearless, even as she entered her battle with an ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2023 while serving as Senate Majority Leader.

Many currently know Marko Fields for Mojo Coffee, which opened in 2014 in the California Building. This distinctive Arts District establishment is the brainchild of Marko Fields,  a nationally renowned ceramicist, entrepreneur, and musician whose multifaceted talents have left an indelible mark on the local community. Featuring works from over 50 artists, this establishment is a testament to Marko Fields's multidimensional talents. 

Marko Fields, BFA, University of Kansas, MFA, Kansas State University, was a professor and Resident Artist at Concordia University. Fields is a McKnight Fellow (2008) and the recipient of the Kansas Art Fellowship, a lifetime achievement award. His work has been featured in more than 25 books. He worked as Publications Director for the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), serving as Publisher & Art Director. 

Fields' work can be seen at The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, and many others. Marko describes his work as a storyteller through ceramics.

Nicholas Harper (Nick) opened his first gallery on New Year's Eve 1999 on Hennepin Ave NE. In 2005, he moved Rogue Buddha Gallery to 13th Avenue NE in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. The gallery became an Arts District fixture as an artist-run gallery. Nick surmised that he has featured over 200 shows and 250 performances/recitals by musicians, writers, actors, and dancers.

As Nick immerses himself in the dark arts, he has been well-known for hosting The Death Cafes for the past eight years with his friend Christen. Stating:" My purpose of holding this Death Cafe is to destigmatize conversations around death and help people make the most of their finite lives." 

Nick's dedication to showcasing the undercurrent artists and giving them a platform to express themselves is one of the great gifts he has shared in his journey as an artist and a gallerist.

Jonathan Query is a builder, designer, and community advocate rooted in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. With a background in philosophy, economics, and architecture, his work bridges ideas and craft, translating thoughtful concepts and creative problem-solving into tangible, functional objects and spaces, from homes and furniture to public and personal environments that blend utility with imagination.

In 1989 he founded III AD, a creative, arts-based design/build studio known for its thoughtful integration of art and architecture. III AD projects have been featured in Architecture Minnesota and Minneapolis Monthly, spanning the Twin Cities, Montana, and the Caribbean.

As the owner of the Q.arma Building, one of the Arts District studio buildings for working artists,, Query, and his partner, artist Katayoun Amjadi, have cultivated a vibrant hub for artists, providing 26 studios and three informal galleries. Query believes Q.arma Building  has had around 200-225 artists tenants since 2003, when he bought the building. Together, Query and Amjadi co-curate exhibitions that support and elevate emerging voices. The couple hosts quarterly dinner parties and open studios aligned with the solstice and equinox, celebrating the idea that community gathers like a family around the table.

Peyton holds a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has worked as a professional artist and arts educator for over 40 years. His passion for graffiti began in 1984 after watching Style Wars, the documentary that introduced him to the art form. Since then, Peyton has dedicated his career to advancing graffiti as a legitimate and teachable fine art. He is the founder of SPRAYFiNGER®, an organization focused on educating communities, developing youth programming, and promoting a deeper understanding of graffiti culture and its artistic value. 

Peyton works primarily out of the Casket Arts Factory building – home of NE Sculpture | Gallery Factory. During the time of George Floyd's murder and protests, Peyton harnessed the pain and fury of the moment, making a portrait of George Floyd. Featured on PBS News, "One of the most recognizable images of Floyd sits just above the spot where he drew his last breath – at the corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in South Minneapolis. It's a haunting, 12-foot mural of Floyd, painted in black and white by Minneapolis-based artist Peyton Scott Russell." This image of Russell's work has been a mainstay in newspapers and magazines throughout the world. The piece became a 'ubiquitous icon'

Dyani White Hawk (Sičáŋǧu Lakota) is a multidisciplinary artist based in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District in Minneapolis.  Dyani White Hawk was featured in the 2022 Whitney Biennial and has received support from the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and over twenty others. Dyani’s artwork can be seen in over twenty prestigious collections, including the Guggenheim, Brooklyn Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, MoMA, NY, Walker Art Center, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Dyani White Hawk focuses on her Lakota community and speaks to Indigenous value systems:  In Honor and Nurture, White Hawk uplifts family, ancestors, and community. Dyani’s artwork and commitment to her community is the embodiment of what the Vision Award is meant to celebrate.