Becky Z. Dernbach, Author at Sahan Journal

As a teen, J.P. Der Boghossian didn’t know any queer Armenians. Finally, in his 30s, he found them in books—and started his own library.

by Becky Z. Dernbach December 3, 2020December 3, 2020

The Queer Armenian Library collects literature, film, music, and art—and breaks a long cultural silence

The ultimate 2020 Thanksgiving menu is a turkey sambusa with cranberry dip, delivered free to our health care workers

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 25, 2020November 27, 2020

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.

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 23, 2020November 23, 2020

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.

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 18, 2020November 18, 2020

Somali American educator Ibrahim Mohamed brings diversity to school board as Shakopee’s first Black member

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 10, 2020November 9, 2020

Meet the Latina and Hmong candidates who won school-board seats in Minnesota’s three biggest cities.

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 5, 2020November 10, 2020

Community connector. Humanitarian of the year. Now Amáda Márquez Simula will become Minnesota’s second Latina mayor.

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 4, 2020November 4, 2020

We asked immigrant voters in Minnesota what they hope happens on Election Day—and what outcome they fear most.

by Joey Peters, Hibah Ansari and Becky Z. Dernbach November 3, 2020November 3, 2020

The pandemic and political atmosphere are making life tough. Voting is still safe and easy.

by Becky Z. Dernbach October 30, 2020October 30, 2020

Never so much engagement. Never so much division. Hmong voters are becoming a new swing constituency.

by Becky Z. Dernbach October 29, 2020October 29, 2020

In the race for a southwest Minneapolis school board seat, candidates share competing visions for making schools equitable during—and after—the pandemic

by Becky Z. Dernbach October 22, 2020November 20, 2020

North Minneapolis school board candidates talk about running the schools through COVID-19—and what comes after.

by Becky Z. Dernbach October 21, 2020October 22, 2020

Cast your vote: Which candidate should you support for the Minneapolis school board at-large seat?

by Becky Z. Dernbach October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

‘You cannot stop our vote.’ Minnesota faith leaders say efforts to discourage Muslim voters will fail.

by Becky Z. Dernbach October 2, 2020October 3, 2020

Omar Jamal, key source of Project Veritas election fraud video, backtracks on cash-for-ballots allegation.

by Mukhtar M. Ibrahim and Becky Z. Dernbach October 1, 2020October 1, 2020

How did an August primary election in Minneapolis turn into a national right-wing disinformation campaign against absentee ballots?

by Becky Z. Dernbach, Hibah Ansari and Joey Peters September 28, 2020September 29, 2020

Longer hours and less face time: Overextended teachers try to preserve a human connection in an era of distance learning

by Becky Z. Dernbach September 28, 2020September 28, 2020

Mastering the mute button, treating nosebleeds over Zoom, Minneapolis students and teachers go back to school—at home.

by Becky Z. Dernbach September 9, 2020September 10, 2020

Minnesota school districts say they want to fill classrooms with talented teachers of color. Then they lay them off.

by Becky Z. Dernbach September 4, 2020September 4, 2020

‘Stop killing Black people’: Concerned about Black lives, worried about their jobs, immigrant workers find themselves caught in the middle of Minneapolis unrest.

by Becky Z. Dernbach and Joey Peters August 27, 2020August 27, 2020

Surprised that political newcomer Esther Agbaje unseated a longtime DFL legislator? Her childhood friends aren’t.

by Becky Z. Dernbach August 26, 2020August 26, 2020

Should kids go back to the classroom during the pandemic? We asked them. And their answers surprised us.

by Becky Z. Dernbach August 21, 2020August 21, 2020

In the August primary, diverse millennial candidates in Minneapolis drove new voters to the polls. What lesson will the DFL take into November?

by Becky Z. Dernbach August 17, 2020August 19, 2020

‘Ready for a new generation’: With election night lead, Esther Agbaje hopes to bring ‘sense of urgency’ to the Capitol

by Becky Z. Dernbach August 11, 2020August 12, 2020

A Tibetan scarf, a Khmer video, exploding the ‘model minority’ myth: how Minnesota’s Asian communities are reckoning George Floyd’s death

by Becky Z. Dernbach August 10, 2020August 9, 2020

Somali American educator Qorsho Hassan wins Minnesota Teacher of the Year award

by Becky Z. Dernbach August 6, 2020August 7, 2020

‘Umbrella Man’ blocked a Cambodian photojournalist’s camera. By chance, he still got footage.

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 31, 2020July 31, 2020

We crammed Governor Tim Walz’s entire COVID-19 back-to-school plan into one cheat sheet. (The test comes this fall.)

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 31, 2020July 31, 2020

‘I can’t teach if I’m dead’: Minnesota teachers of color say distance learning is best option for fall

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 28, 2020July 28, 2020

Hungry kids, empty fridge? You may be missing out on free boxes of healthy food and benefits for Minnesota residents during the COVID-19 crisis.

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 21, 2020July 21, 2020

ICE to international students: Remember that rule change we proposed? Never mind.

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 14, 2020July 14, 2020

Minnesota-based TV network burglarized in midst of Oromo protests

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 13, 2020July 20, 2020

Race divides Minnesota parents’ views on schools reopening

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 10, 2020July 10, 2020

What happens when you lose your job—and the government won’t help?

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 9, 2020July 10, 2020

What you need to know about ICE’s troublesome rules for international students–and Minnesota’s plans to stop them

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 8, 2020July 14, 2020

As students, they never had Somali teachers. Now they’re Minnesota’s first Somali public school principals.

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 6, 2020July 6, 2020

Muslim woman who found ‘ISIS’ written on her Target Starbucks cup speaks out: ‘I felt humiliated, I felt enraged, I felt belittled.’

by Becky Z. Dernbach July 5, 2020July 6, 2020

Minnesota’s Oromo community demands justice after musician and activist Hachalu Hundessa is killed in Ethiopia

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 30, 2020July 4, 2020

Push to defund University of Minnesota police started with chemical irritant at Somali Night

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 26, 2020June 26, 2020

St. Paul school board votes police out of schools after pressure from students of color

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 23, 2020June 24, 2020

Students of color press St. Paul district to cut ties with Police Department

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 22, 2020June 22, 2020

These East African students were told they couldn’t go to high school. They just graduated.

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 16, 2020June 16, 2020

‘Always a leader’: friends, family remember Marny Xiong as a trailblazer who put others first

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 11, 2020June 23, 2020

‘Dreams coming true’: Cristo Rey students celebrate their hard-earned high school graduation

by Becky Z. Dernbach and Jaida Grey Eagle June 8, 2020June 12, 2020

‘Urgent call to action’: Huda Ahmed to lead collaboration on reforming Minnesota’s criminal justice, dismantling inequities

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 5, 2020June 12, 2020

With police absent, Lake Street business owners form their own night patrols

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 5, 2020June 5, 2020

This south-central Minnesota school district has one black board member. He was left out of the board’s group photo.

by Becky Z. Dernbach June 3, 2020June 12, 2020

Hijabs for patients and medical staff: St. Louis Park hospital makes health care history

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 14, 2019April 1, 2020

Youth, diversity take the reins of power at St. Paul City Hall

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 14, 2019April 1, 2020

With floral candles, Hmong sisters honor parents’ farming legacy

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 8, 2019April 1, 2020

‘My voice is needed’: History made as Nadia Mohamed wins a seat on St. Louis Park City Council

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 5, 2019April 1, 2020

Minneapolis East African shops boost security after vandalism

by Becky Z. Dernbach November 1, 2019April 1, 2020