MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN – Continuing to ensure that all are welcome at Target Field, the Minnesota Twins, in partnership with Treasure Island Resort & Casino and the Prairie Island Indian Community, will open their next homestand by celebrating Diversity Day (Monday, August 15) and Native American Heritage Night (Tuesday, August 16). Both will feature several in-ballpark activations before and during each night’s Twins vs. Kansas City Royals game; tickets for both games (6:40 p.m. start each night) are available now at twinsbaseball.com.

The Twins will also hold a first-of-its-kind auction featuring exclusive, autographed player t-shirts, hats, baseballs and bats adorned with a custom “Mni Sota” logo, as designed by the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino. “Mni Sota” represents the Dakota name for Minnesota and means "the land where the waters reflect the skies." The auction runs from Friday, August 19 through Monday, August 22 at twinsbaseball.com, with proceeds benefitting the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. This unique event is held in association with the Prairie Island Indian Community which, as a proud partner of the Minnesota Twins for more than two decades, has donated more than $1.5 million to the Twins Community Fund since its inception in 1991. The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC) is a nonprofit social and mental health services organization committed to traditional ways of being and support of Native women and their families.

“The Minnesota Twins are proud to stand with all communities, as together we celebrate our region’s wonderful diversity – not just on our 162 game days, but 365 days a year,” said Miguel Ramos, the Twins’ senior director, diversity & inclusion strategy. “We are thrilled to join our partners at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, the Prairie Island Indian Community and throughout Twins Territory to again show that all are recognized, all are accepted, and all are empowered at Target Field.”

"Our tribe is proud to be active and engaged in Minnesota, and giving back is at the core of who we are as Dakota people," said Johnny Johnson, Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council President. "Our partnership with the Twins gives us a platform to share our story and celebrate our culture with the community. We are proud sponsors of Diversity Day and sincerely thank the Twins for allowing us the opportunity to engage our community on Native American Heritage Night."

Details on the Twins’ 2022 Diversity Day and Native American Heritage Night celebrations at Target Field are below.

DIVERSITY DAY; MONDAY, AUG. 15 (Twins vs. Royals at 6:40 p.m.; gates at 5:00 p.m.)

The Twins’ annual Diversity Day brings our region’s many cultures and communities together at Target Field in a celebration of our individual and collective power to create positive change.

Gate Giveaway presented by Treasure Island Resort & Casino: The first 10,000 fans will receive a Twins t-shirt with the phrase “You Decide the Legacy You Leave” in lettering inspired by Target Field’s “All Are Welcome Here” glass mosaic, which was installed and unveiled earlier this season.

Pregame performances by:

• Community School of Excellence Dance Team: Under the guidance of Ms. Mintshis Vang, girls and boys from third to eighth grades celebrate the Hmong culture through dance.
• Drummers and Dancers from the Prairie Island Indian Community, celebrating the heritage and tradition of the Indigenous Bdewakantunwan who have lived in southeastern Minnesota for countless generations.
• Mexico Azteca, which will bring a beat of Mexico to the ballpark through a combination of ballet and folkloric techniques displaying Mexico’s beauty, while maintaining the essence of its heritage.

National Anthem performed by: Known MPLS, a Twin Cities community youth choir that, under the direction of Courtland Pickens, utilizes performance-based music education to galvanize youth between the ages of 12-25 as agents of change by promoting self-esteem, leadership skills, cultural awareness, discipline and a commitment to excellence.

Ceremonial first pitches by:

• Michael Childs Jr., a proud husband and father currently serving his second term on the Prairie Island Tribal Council; as the largest employer in Goodhue County, the Prairie Island Indian Community plays an important role in the economic strength and success of the region.
• Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, who, as the CEO of Rae Mackenzie Group, founder of PeopleOfColorCareers.com and author of Colorful: Competitive Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent of Color, is leading the charge to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in corporate America.
• The Twins’ 2022 Game Changers, with presenting partner Mauer Auto Group and broadcast partner Bally Sports North, which highlights small, minority-owned businesses making a big difference by giving back:
• Design by Melo, a St. Louis Park-based architecture firm guided by principal architect Damaris Hollingsworth’s belief that the built environment needs to speak to the values of global engagement, cultural competency, inclusion, sustainability and human performance. With this vision, each Design by Melo project delivers social, environmental and economic impacts.
• Epimonia, whose founder and creative director, University of St. Thomas graduate Mohamed Malim, is empowering fellow refugees through sustainable fashion. Upcycling material from life jackets worn by refugees on the Mediterranean Sea, and discarded upon arrival in Greece, into bracelets and apparel, Minneapolis-based Epimonia provides employment, housing, scholarships and more.
• PUSH Fitness Studio, a boutique fitness center located in St. Paul’s Midway area whose mission is to make fitness accessible to all. Led by the vision of owner and instructor Connie Sheehan, PUSH welcomes every size, shape and color of individual into their fitness community.

In-game entertainment by: Nunnabove, a renowned Twin Cities positive alternative pop band consisting of siblings Cadence, Mattie, Bennett and Wisdom. The quartet will perform between innings.

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE NIGHT; TUESDAY, AUG. 16 (Twins vs. Royals at 6:40 p.m.; gates at 5:00 p.m.)

The Twins’ annual Native American Heritage Night includes festivities celebrating the Bdewakantunwan of the Prairie Island Indian Community, a Sovereign Nation of Dakota people in southeastern Minnesota and a proud partner of the Minnesota Twins.

Gate Giveaway presented by Prairie Island Indian Community: The first 5,000 fans will receive a Dakota-inspired, red “TC” hat co-branded with the Prairie Island Indian Community.

Pregame performance by: Drummers and Dancers from the Prairie Island Indian Community, celebrating the heritage and tradition of the Indigenous Bdewakantunwan who have lived in southeastern Minnesota for countless generations.

National Anthem performed by: Tasha Campbell, a proud member of the Prairie Island Bdewakantunwan Sioux Community. At a young age, she discovered a love for singing and acting and has since won many awards for both, including being honored as the Singer of the Year at the International Presentation of Performers.

Ceremonial first pitch by: Cody Whitebear, a proud father serving his first term as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer of the Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council. As a Tribal leader, he hopes to encourage a new generation of young leaders to emerge and help shape the Tribe’s future, while elevating Tribal voices in the broader community.

Online auction: The Twins will hold a first-of-its-kind auction featuring exclusive, autographed player t-shirts, hats, baseballs and bats adorned with a custom “Mni Sota” logo, as designed by the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino. “Mni Sota” represents the Dakota name for Minnesota and means "the land where the waters reflect the skies.". The auction runs from Friday, August 19 to Monday, August 22 at twinsbaseball.com, with proceeds benefitting the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. This unique event is held in association with the Prairie Island Indian Community which, as a proud partner of the Minnesota Twins for more than two decades, has donated more than $1.5 million to the Twins Community Fund since its inception in 1991. The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC) is a nonprofit social and mental health services organization committed to traditional ways of being and support of Native women and their families.