This year, we were everywhere around the Twin Cities to capture stories that matter to our community, starting with the homeless encampment eviction in Minneapolis. We also learned that there is a Hmong homeless tent city in Saint Paul.

Being able to actually see people’s emotions, what they are going through, and capturing that for our audience at Sahan Journal is incredibly rewarding. 

Although multimedia journalist Dymanh Chhoun has been in the news business for over 10 years now, there is always something to learn and something new to see.

This was his first full year at Sahan Journal, after being a television photojournalist. He recalls being a little scared of the technical challenge of shooting video vertically rather than horizontally. But now, he says, “shooting vertically is all I do, and most of the time I am using my iPhone to do so.”

Unlike Dymanh, digital producer Alberto Villafan is still relatively new to the news industry. He joined Sahan Journal in the middle of the year. While making social media content for a news publication might seem silly to some, he says, it’s actually very important to reach potential readers.

“Videos like the ones we make are how we will reach new audiences and how we will continue to grow Sahan.” he says.

Here are 2024’s top five video stories:

1. Minneapolis evicts a second homeless encampment this month

@sahanjournal The city of Minneapolis evicted Tracy Gomez and other residents of the Camp Nenookaasi homeless encampment on January 4. On January 30, the city evicted Gomez a second time when it cleared a new camp located two blocks away that was comprised of former Camp Nenookaasi residents. #Minneapolis #HomelessEncampment #NativeAmerican #CampNenookaasi ♬ original sound – Sahan Journal

The year began with coverage of a complex issue that is very hard to fix, the homeless encampment in South Minneapolis. Dymanh grew up in South Minneapolis, and finds it hard to imagine that in 2024 homelessness would be an issue in the United States. It was rare around Minneapolis in 1993, he recalls.

There may have been one or two tents along the railroad tracks, but nothing in plain sight, as there is now. The story hits close to home for Dymanh because it is occurring where he grew up, and where he got his first job courtesy of the Jump Start program in Minneapolis. 

2. ‘You live day by day’: Language, cultural stigma add to barriers for unhoused Hmong

@sahanjournal Volunteers from Hmong Haven of Minnesota visit a homeless encampment on St. Paul East Side every week with food and are also looking for winter donations. Reporting by Katelyn Vue. Video by Dymanh Chhoun. To learn more about this story, use the link in our bio. #hmong #eastside #stpaul #homelessness ♬ original sound – Sahan Journal

Not everyone might know that Dymanh is a Cambodian American, who loves visiting – and sampling the food at Hmongtown Marketplace and Hmong Village in Saint Paul. Especially the hot spicy sauce! But even Dymanh didn’t know that there is also a homeless encampment called Hmong Homeless Tent City in Saint Paul. Visiting with Sahan Journal reporter Katelyn Vu was an eye-opener.

Dymanh was not used to seeing homeless Asian people. A conversation with Ge Her provided a true understanding of his experience of being homeless and how he got out of it.

“This is why I love this job so much! I seem to keep learning while doing my job, and there are more stories out there that we don’t know about,” says Dymanh.

3. One man shares lessons from his troubled youth

@sahanjournal Holy Var believes in the power of change, regardless of your age. He spent time living in California and Minnesota throughout his youth. His grandparents, who lived in California, visited Cambodia during the summer, necessitating that he stay with his aunt on the St. Paul’s East Side. He joined a gang in his early years and learned many lessons throughout his life. Now, he aims to use those experiences to guide young teenagers away from making the same mistakes he did, encouraging them to make better choices. #TeenChallenge #EastSideStPaul #DaytonsBluff ♬ original sound – Sahan Journal

Dymanh: Holy Var has known me since I was in grade school with his little brother, Tino. However, I didn’t know who Holy Var was until the early 2020s, when I met him at the Cambodian temple in Hampton, Minnesota.

This year, he messaged me on Facebook about doing a story about him and his life experiences. I kept delaying until August. I had time to go and interview him at his old house, where he grew up and experienced a lot of things like someone actually driving by and shooting at him, and even little things like getting into fights.

Now, he’s a changed man, working for his family and volunteering for organizations like Teen Challenge.

4. Black Entrepreneur Fair Devastation

@sahanjournal Vendors at Minnesota's Black Entrepreneur State Fair cleaned up on Tuesday after a severe storm swept through the Twin Cities, destroying many stalls. This is the event's fifth year, and its first at Cabooze Plaza on Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis. Organizers say they plan to reopen Wednesday at 11 a.m. The fair runs through Saturday. #Minnespolis #blackbusiness #blackentrepreneurstatefair ♬ original sound – Sahan Journal

While a lot of attention was on the Minnesota State Fair, a smaller Black-focused fair was taking place in Minneapolis. During the second week of the fair, a sudden thunderstorm devastated the smaller fair. Our video captured the significance of the Black Entrepreneur Fair, and drew attention to an experience that many people overlooked. This is one of the things Sahan Journal does best. We provide a platform and give a voice to often- overlooked people. While most Minnesotans were caught up in the excitement of the bigger fair, we identified and called attention to the problems of the Entrepreneur fair. 

Having business reporter Alfonzo Galvan on camera in plain clothes highlights that our reporters are community members, too. We talk with people who have something they need to say. Having Alfonzo on camera, getting intimate with interviewees, shows the weight of our reporting and the stories we share.

5. Highway History

@sahanjournal MnDOT continues to plan its reconstruction of I-94 between the Twin Cities' downtowns. Minneapolis leaders say the project can't include expanding the interstate, and should consider removing it. Reported by Andrew Hazzard. Produced by @Dymann Narrated by @Alberto Gomez #minnesota #minnesotanews #i94 #highways #minneapolis #highway ♬ original sound – Sahan Journal

Alberto’s first video with Dymanh is an indication of what they plan to do in the future: create more dynamic video with more frequency and a consistent voice. 

This video took a topic that, while compelling, is heavy on explanation, and found a way to make it entertaining. 

Alberto says the drone shots, multiple camera angles, and the backdrop make the story feel so much more alive than his previous work.