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| Arleta Little | |
Arleta Little has been named the new executive director of the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, Minn., succeeding Britt Udesen, who served six years as the organization's most recent executive director and ended her tenure last May. Managing director Beth Schoeppler will continue serving as interim director on a part-time basis until Little begins full-time in March 2022.
Little joins the Loft after serving as an arts & culture program officer and the director of artist fellowships at the McKnight Foundation. Prior to her time at McKnight, she was the executive director of the Givens Foundation for African American Literature and worked for more than 15 years as an organizational development consultant providing strategic planning, program evaluation and grant writing services to Minnesota organizations. She is a poet and writer.
After a comprehensive national search process, the board said it had chosen Little "based on her leadership experience and advocacy for the literary arts, her track record advancing racial equity and justice, her strategic and skillful approach to organizational development, and her integrity in forging partnerships."
"We were introduced to extraordinary candidates throughout the search process--and we couldn't be more thrilled to choose Arleta," said Eric Roberts, lead for the Loft's search committee. "She has incredible community connections, a fierce commitment to local writers and artists, and a strong vision for taking the Loft into its next chapter."
Board chair Mike Meyer commented: "The Loft is committed to doing the deep work of becoming an antiracist organization and leader in Minnesota and the country--Arleta is the strong and compassionate leader to get us there. Her strategic vision, which includes strengthening our programming and connecting with new communities, is crucial to acting on that promise."