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<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Good afternoon from Michigan Humanities!<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">As many of you likely know, our National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding was cut by DOGE in April. Due to the termination of critical funds, several of our
grant opportunities and programs have been paused. <b>Thanks to ongoing private support, the
</b></span></span><a href="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/great-michigan-read/"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">2025–26 Great Michigan Read program</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">—featuring
Curtis Chin’s <i>Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant</i>—is set to launch this fall in late October and conclude in late August 2026.</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> Online registration
opened last week, and we have a new partner structure that will help us maximize our program resources.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">There are two ways to be a 2025–26 GMR partner organization:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Lending organizations</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> will receive a book
kit at the time of program launch in October. Each kit will come in a GMR tote bag and include copies of <i>Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant</i>, conversation starters, promotional materials, and a partner guide with links to digital
resources. The materials will be yours to use and distribute throughout the program period—late October 2025 through late August 2026. During that time frame, kits should largely be available for check-out by other local community partners. We are leaning
on our lending partners to help us make the most of the printed books we have access to this year and build community awareness for the program. If you’re interested, please complete our </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span><a href="https://forms.gle/KDszTiCRFA5K2LDu9" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">online
form</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> by September 30, 2025. Then, I’ll be in touch with next steps for you to register as a lending partner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If you are interested in reading <i>Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant</i> in your local community and prefer
<u>not</u> to serve as a lending partner, we invite you to register through our </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span><a href="https://www.grantinterface.com/sl/pSI6vC" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">online
form</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> as a <b>participating partner</b>. Once lending partner locations are established, you will receive information about
locations in your part of the state where you can check out a book kit. It is our goal to establish lending partnerships in every county to ensure continued statewide access to the GMR program.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Both participating and lending partners will have an opportunity to express interest in co-hosting a GMR author event with Curtis Chin. Curtis will be traveling to
approximately 10 locations across Michigan in the fall and spring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I’m sure that many of you have questions about the partnership logistics and other program details. We’re hosting a GMR program information session tomorrow<b>,</b>
<b>September 3 at 10 a.m. ET. </b>There’s still time to </span></span><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/pAHRpoFWRpyeNi45tLBmzA" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">register here.</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
A recording will be sent out afterward to info session registrants. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">You can learn more about other recent Michigan Humanities developments via
</span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxNF5TcDsuI"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">our recent info session recording</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
and </span></span><a href="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/toolkit/neh-advocacy-resources/"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">resource page</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">,
and further information about national funding news via </span></span><a href="https://www.statehumanities.org/federal-funding-update-humanities-councils/"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">this article</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
from the Federation of State Humanities Councils. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">We appreciate your patience as we developed an updated plan for the upcoming GMR program and look forward to working with you this year!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Katie<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;background:white"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Katie Wittenauer
</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">(she/her)</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;background:white"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Director of Programs
</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">|
</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span><a href="mailto:kwittenauer@mihumanities.org"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#467886;mso-ligatures:none">kwittenauer@mihumanities.org</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
<span lang="EN">| </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewittenauer/"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#467886;mso-ligatures:none">LinkedIn</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><u><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#467886;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;background:white"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Connecting, Sharing, Growing</span></i></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;background:white"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163565381"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Mission: Bringing people together
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