Between his work as a U.S. Ambassador in Sierra Leone and being McNally Smith College of Music's hip-hop program department chair, local rapper Toki Wright is taking time for community outreach in southeastern Minnesota. Wright will give two days of public workshops, including a free show, this month in Winona area schools.

The Mid West Music Fest is held in Winona every summer, and their new "Sounds Like School" initiative brings music and musicians directly into schools for high school and college students. This month, the Sounds Like School guest is Wright, whose series of performances and workshops are between Oct. 21-23 at Cotter Schools, Riverway Learning Community and Winona State University.

Last month, Sounds Like School hosted performances from local prog-rock group Circle of Heat and St. Mary's jam band the Weathered Heads, and Winona's homecoming parade featured jam band Beet Root Stew. The Dang Ol' Trio'ole, the Land of Blood and Sunshine, and White Noise will also play this month as part of Sounds Like School.

As part of the residency, Wright will play a free show Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at Winona State's East Hall of the Kryzko Commons.

Grace Birnstengel is a senior at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is the editor-in-chief of The Wake Student Magazine and also contributes to The Riveter Magazine andStereogum. Find her on Twitter @grace__.