Remembering for My Father

By MARY ELLEN KALUZA

My father’s family lived on the Iron Range – my grandfather worked in the mines. The family lived in a “location”, a small community of mining families that were frequently uprooted and moved when the mining company wanted to mine the land under them. Eventually they were moved to Chisholm, which had become a permanent settlement.

Dad would be 104 years old now. He was born in 1922 and died in 1978 at 56 years old. At 13 yrs old, his mother died and he was shipped down to the Twin Cities to stay with his mother’s sister. His 3 older brothers stayed on the Range, two of whom had physical or developmental disabilities from childhood diseases that are now easily avoidable with vaccines.

My dad’s aunt lived in South Minneapolis off of Franklin on Pleasant or Pillsbury Avenue, or thereabouts. He was enrolled in Wendell Phillips Junior High, just across the street from where I’ve lived for 51 years. Dad stayed in Minneapolis to attend trade school.… Read the rest “Remembering for My Father”

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.

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. This is not an abstract fear. It follows us home.

The Somali community felt the shift quickly. Conversations that once centered on work, school, and family began to carry quiet warnings: avoid crowds, take different routes, stay alert, or stay home if possible.… Read the rest “Minnesota Is Home”

Joe Hyser: South High’s Newest Inductee to the Wall of Honor

By ANNIKA LARA WALEN, News & Sports Editor for The Southerner

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 2024.

Hyser grew up in Minneapolis and has lived in the city his entire life, attending DeLaSalle High School – where he played basketball and baseball – and graduating from the University of Minnesota.… Read the rest “Joe Hyser: South High’s Newest Inductee to the Wall of Honor”