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A couple of boys playing
chessdraughts (checkers) using found objects, mostly rocks and twigs, outside the Brian Coyle Center in Minneapolis. -
Reflections of New Minnesotans: Celebrating this year's Nobel Peace Prize to three women
Its wonderful to see the Nobel Peace Prize committee acknowledge the work of women during conflict. This year’s laureates were Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, a pro-democracy campaigner. It is a victory in many ways: only one…
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![A prayer ceremony led by traditional drum groups and dancers of the North America, and Meshikas of Mexico and Central and South America at the Hennepin Govt Center, now known as the People’s Plaza by OccupyMn protesters.
“Indigenous peoples of North and South America [were at the People’s Plaza] to reoccupy our sacred Mother Earth. We will join together as one on this day of national mourning of the genocide of 120 million indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, as American and the world celebrates the pirate Columbus.”
See more photos here.](http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt0eaiFOtn1qa6ljpo1_500.jpg)
A prayer ceremony led by traditional drum groups and dancers of the North America, and Meshikas of Mexico and Central and South America at the Hennepin Govt Center, now known as the People’s Plaza by OccupyMn protesters.
“Indigenous peoples of North and South America [were at the People’s Plaza] to reoccupy our sacred Mother Earth. We will join together as one on this day of national mourning of the genocide of 120 million indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, as American and the world celebrates the pirate Columbus.”
See more photos here.
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Images from Minnesota’s first day of “Occupy” protests at the “People’s Plaza.”
I was in downtown Minneapolis for most of the day and took close to 500 photos! Click here to get a glimpse of some of them.
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Reflections of New Minnesotans: Arab American super heroine fights for justice; with olive oil
Kathryn Haddad’s Zafira the Olive Oil Warrior looks at what would happen if Arab and Muslim Americans were held in internment camps just as Japanese Americans were in the ’40s. In this haunting play, school teacher Vicki, played by Taous Khazem, is emboldened by her alter-ego, Zafira. I interview…
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A warmer welcome in a colder state
The Economist makes the case for Minnesota Nice in immigration:
The difference may be partly because, when it comes to immigration, Minnesota is more like Canada than the rest of the United States. Being far removed from Latin America, the main source of immigrants to the country in general, Minnesota has little cause to worry about unauthorised migration.
But it is also a matter of policy. The state has been a national leader in refugee resettlement programmes since the 1980s, and its main metropolis, the twinned cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, has adopted a series of initiatives aimed at supporting refugees of all kinds as well as regular migrants.
Both are sanctuary cities, for example, meaning that police are barred from asking about migration status during the normal course of business. They have also spent money on integration. Mr Samatar’s centre, for example, specialises in helping African immigrants who want to start small businesses.
Click through title to read the article in its entirety.
-Nekessa
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For Kenyan émigré, Minnesota has become home, but his heart and energy remain focused 8,000 miles away
I haven’t met Timon Bondo, but I have heard a lot about him from many older Kenyans who live here in the cities. Perhaps, it is time I gave him a visit. The Strib’s Curt Brown writes a heartwarming piece about this how Mr. Bondo came to the states and continued to live here while building two schools in his hometown on the shores of Lake Victoria in western Kenya.
(click through the title to read the profile)
-Nekessa
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Amplifying the stories of newest Minnesotans
Finding my Minnesota identity: the Star Tribune’s Curt Brown writes a nice profile of my work on his weekly column My Minnesota.
(click through title to read the story)
-Nekessa
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This. Yes, this. Dear Minnesota, I hope we beat the marriage amendment in 2012. And here’s New York to encourage us right along.
-Nekessa
photo via wr3n:
I-35W Pride
In honor of Pride weekend, the I-35W bridge lighting will be rainbow colors this weekend. Click thru to view large on Flickr.
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Hard Times. Today, I met Patrick at the Hard Times Cafe in Minneapolis. As irony would have it, he has fallen on hard times and has been selling flowers for the past two years on the West Bank. Turns out he is a Nigerian immigrant with a masters degree in pharmacy; and lost his job two years ago. He insisted on buying me one of his roses. Pink for friendship, he said.
-Nekessa
