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culture & community
Protecting the living while serving the dead, Hmong funerals adapt to COVID-19 times
Multi-day ceremonies can draw hundreds for traditional rituals filled with feasting and song. To prevent coronavirus spread, community leaders and Minnesota health authorities have adopted streamlined funeral rites.
Remembering Minnesotans lost to COVID-19
COVID-19 claims life of Hmong American leader and Secret War veteran.
Tou-Fu Vang is remembered not only for his wartime service but in helping refugees resettle the United States.
CHANGING THE NARRATIVE
Getting Hmong men to open up about something many would rather not discuss: A culture of ‘toxic masculinity’
When Sheeso Moua met Mai Thao, he thought she might help develop his line of men’s apparel. But she challenged him to think bigger, and they ended up launching the Hmong Men Talk Podcast.
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‘We’re not settling for breadcrumbs’: Biden has promised to restore the DACA immigration program. Some of Minnesota’s 5,000-plus Dreamers want more.
In a year of pain, recalling the excitement of past Hmong New Year festivals. And preparing for better times ahead.
There will be no public pageantry, no costumes and no vendors at the end of this year of pandemic. Hmong families look back at what they’ll miss most about the annual celebration, and explain how they’ll mark the event at home.
The ultimate 2020 Thanksgiving menu is a turkey sambusa with cranberry dip, delivered free to our health care workers
We Nurish, the Minneapolis food nonprofit, will prepare 1,000 free meals for hospital workers. Over the river and through the woods, to Abbott Northwestern we go!
COVID-19 is devastating Minnesota’s Latino communities. Here’s what that looks like for one family.
Emilia Gonzalez Avalos, executive director of Unidos MN, spends her days watching her father in his ICU bed through an iPad. “During the weekend we thought he wasn’t going to make it,” she said.
LATEST NEWS
What you need to know about Muslim prayer apps and data privacy
The creator of Muslim Directory explains what happened at Muslim Pro and how to know what apps you can trust.
Northfield has long called itself the town of ‘cows, colleges, and contentment.’ After Election Day, it’s becoming something else: a model for rising Latino power in rural Minnesota.
“We all belong the same way in this community”: Mexican Americans won seats for the first time on the Northfield school board and city council.
Fighting disinformation, Facebook decides it doesn’t ‘like’ Twin Cities companies that support refugees and clean-water projects
Mohamed Malim was a refugee himself. He wants to use his business to help others. But Facebook’s new ad policy is hurting him at the worst possible time.
Access to medicine, food and supportive care: A clinic serving immigrant communities focuses on keys to getting people through the COVID-19 surge.
Elsewhere, nightlife and informal gatherings spread the virus. For patients at a Ventura Village clinic, it’s crowded living conditions and the workplace.
Somali health activist uses public storytelling to address private health problems
“We don’t have open communication with our youth”: Abdurrahman Mahmud and Mixed Blood Theatre use traditional communication to break down the stigma around mental health, sexual health, and substance abuse.
Minnesota’s 2020 Teacher of the Year read her class a picture book to help them understand the George Floyd killing. Minnesota’s largest police association didn’t like it.
Students, parents, and educators rallied behind Qorsho Hassan, and her dedication to teaching about racism. As for her south metro school district? They’re looking into it.
Uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 forces new restrictions on Minnesota restaurants, bars, gyms
Governor Tim Walz rolls out new curbs Wednesday aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19, including limiting bars and restaurants to takeout-only. Gyms and fitness centers will also be closed.
Excerpt: Sisters on the Other Side of the River, from ‘Somewhere in the Unknown World: A Collective Refugee Memoir’
The latest book from St. Paul author Kao Kalia Yang shares the stories of her friends and family from Laos, Liberia , Bosnia, and Syria—and how their life journeys brought them to Minnesota.
Remembering Abdulkadir Mohamed Mursal, a giant figure in modern Somali journalism, who died this fall from COVID-19
A political cartoonist and radio technician, Abdulkadir Mohamed Mursal established radio stations and mentored journalists across East Africa, North America, and Europe.
In just four years, Trump destroyed refugee admissions to Minnesota. Can a Biden administration open the doors again?
‘‘It’s not just numbers of people. It’s somebody’s mom or somebody’s children”: Refugees and advocates describe the damage of the Trump years—and their hopes for families in Minnesota.
The temple is empty, the Zoom room is full: Minnesota Hindus light up the dark days of COVID-19 with Diwali celebrations at home
Minnesota’s 50,000 Hindus pull back from huge Diwali celebrations at a community temple in Maple Grove; holding a “huge family call” instead.
Minnesota Latinos ask for timely coronavirus information in Spanish—then get referrals to Google Translate.
Minnesota Spanish speakers looking for the latest public health data on COVID-19 infections say they’ve been calling friends for translations.
Somali American educator Ibrahim Mohamed brings diversity to school board as Shakopee’s first Black member
An immigrant from Somalia, Ibrahim brings training in accounting and school psychology to a school district under budget stress.
‘People with disabilities aren’t told they can be leaders’: Disability rights advocate and parks board leader wins city council seat in Maplewood
Nikki Villavicencio organized to help Minnesotans with disabilities get involved with political door-knocking. She just door-knocked for her own city council campaign—and won.
Meet the Latina and Hmong candidates who won school-board seats in Minnesota’s three biggest cities.
Jim Vue, Jess Garcia, and Adriana Cerrillo promise to prioritize the needs of underrepresented families in St. Paul, Rochester, and Minneapolis.
MORE STORIES
Oballa Oballa, a refugee from Ethiopia, wins historic city council election in Austin; becomes city’s first Black elected official.
Soon after moving to Austin, Minnesota, Oballa Oballa walked into the mayor’s office and asked if there was anything he could do for the city. He just became Austin’s first Black city council member.
Abdullahi Abdulle becomes the first Somali elected to New Brighton City Council
The suburb’s first Black and first Muslim council member will focus on public safety, affordable housing, and access to services.
Community connector. Humanitarian of the year. Now Amáda Márquez Simula will become Minnesota’s second Latina mayor.
Community super-volunteer—and newly elected mayor—Amáda Márquez Simula wants everyone to feel welcome in Columbia Heights. And she means EVERYONE.
Amir Malik knocked on a lot of doors and emphasized bread-and-butter issues in an increasingly purple Blaine district. It wasn’t enough.
The Republican incumbent in the Minnesota House had a history of racist comments. Malik energized Muslim voters and reached out to other immigrant groups. He lost, anyhow.
Unprecedented numbers of immigrants and new American candidates appeared on the ballot yesterday in Minnesota. Here are their election 2020 results.
We’re following races across the Cities, the suburbs, and the state. Check in here for updates.
We asked immigrant voters in Minnesota what they hope happens on Election Day—and what outcome they fear most.
After an election squeaker in 2016, new voters from Minnesota’s immigrant communities may determine the outcome in the 2020 presidential race. How do they feel going into Election Day? We asked.
Latinos could make up America’s largest voting group of color. Organizers in Minnesota have invested hugely to make it happen in 2020.
Groups like Unidos and COPAL have spent months trying to drive Latino voters to the polls in Minnesota. Why vote this time? “Many of our lives depend on it.”
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The pandemic and political atmosphere are making life tough. Voting is still safe and easy.
Minnesota Secretary of State says there are a few new wrinkles, but they shouldn’t stop immigrants from voting.
They’re young. Their families are immigrants. And they’re really eager to cast their first vote for president.
Youthful voters from Minnesota immigrant families cite concerns including immigration, the pandemic, health care, race relations, and climate change.
