Author and historian Colin Mustful has published four novels related to the complicated and tragic period of Minnesota history that culminated in the hanging of thirty-eight Dakota men in Mankato on December 26, 1862. In his newest novel, Reclaiming Mni Sota, Mustful takes a new approach to history—an alternate view that asks the question, “What if Minnesota were Mni Sota Makoce, a Native held and governed land? In this presentation, Mustful will talk about the value of turning history around while explaining how doing so helps readers see the direct connection between the past and the present. Mustful will talk about his journey to discovering the power of storytelling, the importance of diverse narratives, and the literary diversity initiative he’s launched in order to confront those issues.