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Allyship: 6 Ways to Get Started

by BadCat | August 23, 2022 | Action Steps, Community | 0 Comments

This May marked the two-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. And recently, our country experienced more racial violence with a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, which was declared a hate crime. Fighting racial violence and injustice requires all of us to...

Bystander Intervention | The Five Ds

by BadCat | August 18, 2022 | Action Steps, Community, Speaking & Training | 0 Comments

When you see someone being bullied or harassed, remember the Five Ds of bystander intervention: Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct. These five strategies can help you protect and support victims, as well as set a positive example for others by standing up...

Compassionate Change Agent

by Natalie Copeland | September 7, 2021 | Action Steps, Central MN Stories, Community, Immigrants, Religion | 0 Comments

– Author – Marissa This process of identifying our own privileges and conversely the consequences of being without it is the first step in becoming anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic activists. Most of the work I try to do seems to occur within the...

I Don’t Hate Like You

by Natalie Copeland | August 31, 2021 | Action Steps, Appearance, Black, Central MN Stories, Community, Immigrants, Somali | 0 Comments

– Author – Caroline It is hard when someone assumes that you are an ally in their disrespect and hateful comments just because of the color of your skin. I was at a small social gathering and someone made the comment, “I wish I could go to Aldi without...

Be Willing to Talk

by Natalie Copeland | August 18, 2021 | Action Steps, Appearance, Black, Central MN Stories, Community, Education | 0 Comments

– Author – Abdirizak Last week, a couple of friends and I went to a department store in St. Cloud around 8pm. The store was mostly empty of customers at this time so it was easy to notice a woman following us around. I didn’t notice it at first,...

Partner Highlight – Pathways 4 Youth

by Natalie Copeland | August 10, 2021 | Action Steps, Central MN Stories, Class, Community, Homeless | 0 Comments

After entering the Pathways 4 Youth building you will read the following sentence, printed on a staircase: “Every journey begins with a single step.” No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’ve likely had to remind yourself that this is true. Overwhelmed with...

Consentimiento

by Liz | April 9, 2021 | Action Steps, Gender | 0 Comments

Abril es el Mes de Conciencia sobre la Agresión Sexual… Entonces, vamos a hablar sobre el consentimiento. ¿Qué significa y cómo nos afecta? El consentimiento es un acuerdo dado entre dos o más participantes para participar en actividades sexuales. Aceptar algo debido...

Consent

by Liz | April 9, 2021 | Action Steps, Community, Gender | 0 Comments

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month… So, let us talk about consent. What does it mean and how does it affect us? Consent is an agreement given between two or more participants to engage in sexual activity. Agreeing to something because of a threat, pressure, or...

Identity and Representation

by Pedro dos Santos | March 12, 2021 | Action Steps, Appearance, Black, Central MN Stories, Community, Gender, Immigrants, Politics, Race | 0 Comments

Everyone has multiple identities that help define “who we are.” I am 6’9” and you would be surprised how much being tall is part of my identity, both how I see myself and how others see me. I am also an immigrant from Brazil. My own experience leaving the country I...

It’s Not About You

by Natalie Copeland | March 15, 2022 | Appearance, Black, Class, Community, Gender, Homeless, Immigrants, LGBTQIA, Race, Religion | 1 Comment

“I’m fine with gay people, but there are only 2 genders.” It’s not about you. “I am fine with a woman being on this board, but I’m not fine with it all of the sudden being all women.” It’s not about you. ‘I’m...

Compassionate Change Agent

by Natalie Copeland | September 7, 2021 | Action Steps, Central MN Stories, Community, Immigrants, Religion | 0 Comments

No Weapons Found

by Hedy Tripp | March 12, 2021 | Community, Race, Religion | 0 Comments

No Weapons Found Black and blue figures burst in Guns ready to blast Tear apart my brother’s room and home Whirlwind of chaos and trauma Yet No Weapons Found They killed my brother Truth may never be known We are Muslims and We are Black That is our crime Even...

Come On In, Let Me Help

by Dawn Holler | September 11, 2020 | Action Steps, Central MN Stories, Community, Homeless, Religion | 0 Comments

Many, many years ago, when I first began working my job at my church, a young man came into the building very early in the morning. He carried only an old backpack and was just kind of wandering the hallways. He looked lost and alone. I remember being a bit fearful of...

Similarity Across Difference

by Kelly Bonde | January 27, 2020 | Central MN Stories, Community, Muslim, Religion | 0 Comments

Many years back I went to see an author present at St. Ben’s campus on a Wednesday night. Before the event my significant other at the time and I walked through St. Joseph after we had dinner. A couple of boys sped by on their bikes, jumping the curb. I heard one of...

Hope for Change

by Natalie Copeland | August 27, 2019 | Central MN Stories, Community, Muslim, Religion, Somali | 7 Comments

A while ago, my friend and I were talking about the 2016 mall stabbing that happened in St. Cloud. I recalled praying that the suspect was not Muslim, especially not Somali, because I was scared of the backlash the Somali community might get. When it was confirmed...

The Darkness of Islamophobia

by Kelly | August 19, 2019 | Central MN Stories, Community, Muslim, Religion, Somali | 5 Comments

The issue of Islamophobia is very real in MN. In the last four years, I have attended events where speakers purport that “one day all Muslims will rise up and behead your children and grandchildren.” When my Muslim friends participate in community meetings or...

Church Sponsored Hate?

by Amanda Falk | August 2, 2019 | Central MN Stories, Community, Religion | 1 Comment

As I’m sure most of you were, I was deeply saddened and angered by the New York Times article and the brutal concerns our city faces. As I read the article, my first reaction was to confront every single person mentioned in the article. I sent emails to the two...

Beauty in a Syrian refugee camp

by jeremy.ringsmuth | June 11, 2019 | Education, Know Your Neighbor, Muslim, Race, Refugee, Religion | 1 Comment

I returned to St. Cloud this week after spending 11 days in the beautiful country of Lebanon. It’s hard to process all that I’ve experience during this trip. Before I left for the Middle East, I had many people ask why I would ever want to go there. Most...

School Activities

by BadCat | September 6, 2022 | Community, Education | 0 Comments

Being involved in school activities significantly influenced my journey throughout grades K-12. It really helped me build my character and allowed me to pursue my interests. In 5th grade, I saw a poster on the wall titled “Run to represent the People,” and I was...

Allyship: 6 Ways to Get Started

by BadCat | August 23, 2022 | Action Steps, Community | 0 Comments

Bystander Intervention | The Five Ds

by BadCat | August 18, 2022 | Action Steps, Community, Speaking & Training | 0 Comments

My Journey to St. Cloud

by BadCat | July 28, 2022 | Central MN Stories, Community, Immigrants | 0 Comments

St. Cloud, Minnesota, has been my home for the past few years, but my journey started in Somalia. As a young child, I was raised by loving parents and surrounded by a family living in peace. The “peace” didn’t last long; the ongoing Somali Civil War caught up with us,...

It’s Not About You

by Natalie Copeland | March 15, 2022 | Appearance, Black, Class, Community, Gender, Homeless, Immigrants, LGBTQIA, Race, Religion | 1 Comment

Benefits of a More Diverse Workplace

by Harshi Dhingra | January 10, 2022 | Black, Community, Education, Immigrants | 0 Comments

In the era of globalization and technology, many companies, large and small, are putting forth the effort to improve cultural diversity in the workplace. As a result of this change, there are numerous benefits to the company, employees, and the local community. Keep...

Partner Highlight: Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota

by Michelle Henderson | September 21, 2021 | Central MN Stories, Community, Education, Immigrants, Immigration, Refugee | 0 Comments

Where do you call home? Is it defined by where you were born? Where your family lives? Where you’ve spent most of your life? If you’ve read my first blog post or know me personally, you may know I constantly question how identities are connected and transformed by...

Compassionate Change Agent

by Natalie Copeland | September 7, 2021 | Action Steps, Central MN Stories, Community, Immigrants, Religion | 0 Comments

I Don’t Hate Like You

by Natalie Copeland | August 31, 2021 | Action Steps, Appearance, Black, Central MN Stories, Community, Immigrants, Somali | 0 Comments

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