Victoria McWane-Creek and Alicia "Fayomi" Rufus share how Onyx Collective celebrates rural Blackness and builds community
Ellen talks with Victoria McWane-Creek and Alicia "Fayomi" Rufus about Onyx Collective, a network that creates space for Black Minnesotans in rural spaces and small towns to build community, share resources, and support each other. Black communities have long moved between rural, small-town, and urban places, creating connections, relationships, and opportunities that continue to shape communities today.
Victoria McWane-Creek is a storyteller, social architect, performance improvement specialist, word crafter, organizational effectiveness expert, spoken word artist, and curriculum developer whose work is rooted in lineage, liberation, and community care. She activates from a foundation shaped by her family and by practices of rest, presence, and connection. Her creative and structural work builds environments that support belonging and collective flourishing. Victoria leads two interconnected entities that extend her artistic and design practice into systems and community life. Through Organization 4 Full Participation, she aligns people, policies, and strategies to advance access and enable results that are predictable and do not vary. Through Onyx Collective, she supports the creation of cultural connection and well-being infrastructure for Black rural Minnesotans. Her artistry and activation work together to transform potential into inspired action and expand what becomes possible for community.
Alicia "Fayomi" Rufus is a Community Health Worker, advocate, and Ọmọ Awo based in rural Central Minnesota. With a background in family advocacy and community health, she brings a relationship-centered approach to building partnerships, addressing systemic barriers, and connecting individuals and families with essential resources. As a member of Onyx Collective and a Project REACH Fellow, Alicia advocates for health equity, cultural belonging, and opportunities for Black individuals and families in rural Minnesota. She is also pursuing doula training and completing her Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. Her work is guided by a commitment to lifelong learning, community empowerment, and creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.
Victoria McWane-Creek is a storyteller, social architect, performance improvement specialist, word crafter, organizational effectiveness expert, spoken word artist, and curriculum developer whose work is rooted in lineage, liberation, and community care. She activates from a foundation shaped by her family and by practices of rest, presence, and connection. Her creative and structural work builds environments that support belonging and collective flourishing. Victoria leads two interconnected entities that extend her artistic and design practice into systems and community life. Through Organization 4 Full Participation, she aligns people, policies, and strategies to advance access and enable results that are predictable and do not vary. Through Onyx Collective, she supports the creation of cultural connection and well-being infrastructure for Black rural Minnesotans. Her artistry and activation work together to transform potential into inspired action and expand what becomes possible for community.
Alicia "Fayomi" Rufus is a Community Health Worker, advocate, and Ọmọ Awo based in rural Central Minnesota. With a background in family advocacy and community health, she brings a relationship-centered approach to building partnerships, addressing systemic barriers, and connecting individuals and families with essential resources. As a member of Onyx Collective and a Project REACH Fellow, Alicia advocates for health equity, cultural belonging, and opportunities for Black individuals and families in rural Minnesota. She is also pursuing doula training and completing her Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. Her work is guided by a commitment to lifelong learning, community empowerment, and creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.
More Information:
https://sites.google.com/view/onyxcollective/home/who-we-are
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:9449a564-2ee8-47a0-85f8-a5b9291058be
https://extension.umn.edu/about/our-stories/news/rsdp-happenings/onyx-collective-black-well-and-whole-in-greater-minnesota
Episode Highlights:
04:39 Mission and Firefly Metaphor
07:21 Origins of Onyx Collective
17:09 Mycelium Network in Action
20:04 Hypervisible Yet Invisible
30:52 Choosing To Stay Rural
33:59 Missing Black History
40:35 Reclaiming The Outdoors
50:28 Medicine Of Connection
Additional Resources:
https://www.pbs.org/video/prince-of-fergus-falls-7946/
https://www.womenspress.com/commentary-compulsory-safety-what-black-rural-families-need/
https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2026/mandated/260088.pdf
https://mn.gov/admin/assets/greater-mn-refined-and-revisited-msdc-jan2017_tcm36-273216.pdf
https://mn.gov/admin/assets/greater-mn-refined-and-revisited-msdc-jan2017_tcm36-273216.pdf
Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu.
