I’m what’s known as a “Minnesota transplant.” I crossed the river and headed north as soon as I accidentally got accepted into the University of Minnesota. I call it a happy accident because I didn’t intend to apply to the Big 10 school in the big, cold city, but boy howdy — am I ever glad I did. All I knew was that I needed to escape a family that would not accept or love my bisexual, genderqueer self, and the tuition reciprocity program between Minnesota and Wisconsin looked like the most promising path. After growing up in a tiny, rural town, I figured it’d be best to apply to Mankato or Duluth: places that didn’t seem like quite as big of a culture shock and were also conveniently located near natural landscapes I love. Fortunately, my guidance counselor either made a mistake or had a better idea, and my acceptance letter from the Twin Cities campus became my golden ticket to freedom, a life I truly love, and a new chosen family.

Minneapolis provided me a soft and warm space to land following a childhood of trauma, and I know it’s done the same for thousands of refugees. Likewise, this place has been a refuge for my trans siblings seeking sanctuary, since this city put protections on the books back in the 70s. The community here taught me what real love looks like in practice, and how powerful it is. It also taught me how to protest injustice while keeping the sweetness of love on the tips of our tongues, because for all its wonders and beauty, this city is not paradise quite yet. Still, I believe we’ll get closer as we continue protecting immigrant communities and defending human rights and dignity. After all, no human being is illegal on stolen land. When we do finally run ICE out of town, out of Minnesota, and out of existence, I know we will grieve and care for one another.

FIND POETRY AND PROSE BELOW THE AD! 👇🏼

Kajabi was built for people with earned expertise. Coaches, educators, practitioners, and creators who developed their wisdom through real work and real outcomes.

In a world drowning in AI-generated noise, trust is the new currency. Trust requires proof, credibility, and a system that amplifies your impact.

Kajabi Heroes have generated more than $10 billion in revenue. Not through gimmicks or hype, but through a unified platform designed to scale human expertise.

One place for your products, brand, audience, payments, and marketing. One system that helps you know what to do next.

Turn your experience into real income. Build a business with clarity and confidence.

Kajabi is where real experts grow.

Start Your Free Trial

Beloved, we are entering our third month of violent occupation. One of the more pathetic “leaders” was sent packing in disgrace, but the streets still teem with aggressive federal agents who are so terrified of accountability they hide their faces and names. Clad in bulletproof vests and the douchiest sunglasses available, they swarm around the state in convoys of rented vehicles — targeting day cares, homes, hospitals, parks, and schools in their ongoing ethnic cleansing and terror campaign. Meanwhile, community members continue to bear witness, observing their lawless disregard for decency and humanity as the helicopters circle like vultures, watching for the next fatal encounter.

In Minneapolis, we are still grieving the loss of our neighbors: Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and all whose lives were stolen by the fascist goon squad whose members still lurk around grocers and restaurant parking lots. Waking up with eyes and lungs stinging, we rise with fury about the chemical weapons being deployed against neighbors and families in our streets. We also ride, sing, and sled — using our many arts to fortify our resistance as we prepare for what looks like a long haul. If you feel so moved to help us, please call upon leaders across the land to demand the safe return of our neighbors and the total abolishment of ICE and the DHS. Let’s impeach the president while we’re at it, and repeal The Hague Invasion Act. Oh, and reserve seats for the racist revenge force, because when we finally expel them, Nuremberg Round II will be a doozy.

If you aren’t familiar with the poem Junauda Petrus shared on January 30, 2025, when she was announced as the 2025/26 City of Minneapolis Poet Laureate, get ready for a prescient love letter to our neighborhoods. Our occupiers still don’t understand us, and they clearly don’t share our values or the warmth in our hearts. In the midst of these hard moments, I’m grateful for all the sensations and sweetness her words elicit in me, reminding me why I’m so proud and thankful to be a member of this community.

READ HER BOOK: THE STARS AND THE BLACKNESS BETWEEN THEM
_{Winner: 2020 Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award | Love stronger than hatred, prison, death}

These bars express a lot of the emotions I’m feeling lately:

Want to work with an experienced editor, multimedia producer, and writer who is accurate, responsive, and won’t leak confidential material to tech companies? Leave a message below or contact me on LinkedIn to get in touch! I’m happy to provide timeline estimates and quotes for a variety of projects, as well as sliding scale rates.

For an intro to my background and what I’m working on now, check out these posts:

Until next time,

February 2026 - Word Nerdery and Sundry