‘Cover Stories’ Archives
Minnesota Is Home
By MARIAN HASSAN Editor’s note: Permission for reprinting comes from Minnesota Women’s Press. You can find more stories at womenspress.org. Marian Hassan, the author of this article. PHOTO COURTESY: Minnesota Women's Press I am Somali. I am a woman, a mother, a teacher, and a writer. I am Muslim. I am a proud Minnesotan. These identities do not exist separately. They shape how I see this moment and bear witness to what happens around us. Like many Somalis in Minnesota, I am trying to understand how fear has entered ordinary spaces: schools, stores, gas stations, and the streets we have walked for years. I think about what this fear means for our children, our elders, and our sense of belonging. What I see unsettles me. How did we get here? When did this become normal? Many of us waited years to arrive in a country we believed would offer safety and protection under the law. The distance between that promise and the reality we face now feels impossible to ignore. [...]
Joe Hyser: South High’s Newest Inductee to the Wall of Honor
By ANNIKA LARA WALEN, News & Sports Editor for The Southerner Coach Joe Hyser, a fixture of South’s basketball program and Machine Tech teacher here at South, stands proudly with his newest honor, a spot on South High’s Wall of Fame. PHOTO: Caroline Gladbach Editor’s note: This article first appeared on The Southerner’s website December 2025. We are honored to have permission to reprint this inspiring tribute to a much loved coach and teacher. Joe Hyser, the newest inductee to the South High Wall of Honor, celebrated his induction on October 8. He received this award for his dedication and contributions to the South community, working as a teacher and coach for the past 33 years. Over the years, he has achieved many milestones as a coach, most notably winning the Class 3AAA Coach of the Year award in 2024 and being a four-time recipient of the Minneapolis City Coach of the Year award. Additionally, he led his team to two state appearances in 1992 and [...]
Mayday Parade, Tree of Life Ceremony, and Festival coming to Minneapolis this May
By MAYDAY MINNEAPOLIS Participants in previous May Day parade in south Minneapolis. IMAGE: Mayday Minneapolis The Mayday Parade, Tree of Life Ceremony, and Festival to celebrate the return of spring and to help us heal from our cold and ICE-Y winter will continue on Sunday, May 3, 2026, down Bloomington Avenue and into Powderhorn Park. The Parade starts at noon, and the Tree of Life Ceremony follows the parade around 3 pm. The community is invited to volunteer, apply for paid positions, donate funds, and attend to support this extravaganza of creativity, art, and love, for each other and the planet. Visit our website to sign up for our newsletter and learn details on how to get involved: http://www.maydaympls.org. Going forward, Mayday will be a community-organized event managed by Mayday Minneapolis, which is operated by a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Peer Education Health Resources (PEHR) DBA Mayday Minneapolis. The mission of Mayday Minneapolis is to enliven the [...]
