Minnesota
Across the north star: a Minnesota journey
Honey, I know, I know, I know times are changin’…
(“Purple Rain,” Prince)
When I first arrived in Minnesota, I did not know which was the greater loss—the pain of remembering or the pain of forgetting. My memory walk in Kazakhstan had once shown me faces of Russians and Kazakhs offering flowers to their heroes’ monument, tears falling as the eternal flame burnt in the park.
Years later, standing in the Minnesota Veterans’ Park, I felt the same solemnity. Rows of names carved in stone—each representing a life once vibrant, now eternal—reminded me that wars never truly end. They leave behind silence, grief, and monuments. Behind every hero’s name lies a story of struggle, frustration, and unfinished dreams.
At that moment, I remembered being young and asking, “Where is Vietnam, and why did so many soldiers die there?” Years later, I would find myself walking its streets, tracing the echoes of those names.
A farewell and a welcome
That reflection deepened during the retirement rites of Ms. Ginger Hedstrom, honoured by the Minnesota governor for her lifelong work in social justice. Her parting words—“Thank you all for what you are, for what you bring, and for what you do”—felt like both a farewell to her generation of changemakers and a quiet welcome to mine.
The gift of being a visiting fellow in Minnesota was access to a tapestry of lives—meeting senators and social workers, community organisers and artists—each one treated as equal. Every Sunday, I joined a different congregation: Lebanese, Mexican, African, Karen, Hmong, and Syrian. I watched how faith, in its many tongues, carries the same longing for belonging.
Prince once sang, “You say you want a leader, but you can’t seem to make up your mind.” I realised then that leadership is not about power—it is about compassion.
The mirror of aging
Visiting a home for the aged in St. Paul reminded me of my mother in the Philippines. The residents were tenderly cared for—hair styled, nails painted, rooms decorated like home—but still, something was missing: family.
Their loneliness echoed the ache my mother feels when I am away. Ageing, I saw, is not merely frailty—it is longing. Longing for time, attention, and love. I began to dream of an extension programme where students visit older persons like my mother, not to perform charity but to offer companionship. Because many elderly people do not need grand programmes—they simply need to be noticed, hugged, and heard.
How can you just leave me standing, alone in a world so cold?
(“When Doves Cry,” Prince)
Living in Minnesota also meant confronting its contradictions. On bus rides across Minneapolis, I noticed silent lines of separation—white passengers hesitant to sit beside Black passengers, and vice versa.
America, I realised, still wrestles with the ghosts of racism.
At a Lutheran church’s Circle of Peace, I listened as Black Americans shared stories of inherited pain—traumas carried like heirlooms across generations. Racism, I learnt, is not a closed chapter of history but a living story still being written.
As a brown Asian woman, I felt both an outsider and an ally. The idea of white supremacy must end, because healing requires all of us. To respect people’s histories is to honour their survival. When doves cry, the world must listen.
A song of home
At a Christmas gathering with the Philippine Study Group of Minnesota, we sang Lupang Hinirang—our national anthem. Singing it abroad felt different; every line carried weight and memory. It was sung not out of routine, but out of love.
That night, laughter mingled with nostalgia as Filipinos from different islands shared food and stories. I met my foster family because of Tita Elsa and Tito Addi, whom I have met during the Humphrey opening fellowship programme. Many Filipinos I met in America confessed that though they were thriving, they still longed for home.
Prince once sang, “Nothing compares, nothing compares to you.” And I realised that though I had travelled far, nothing compared to the warmth of my own country.
The coldest night
Not every day was kind. For a time, I rented a room from a woman who had been divorced three times and struggled with mental illness. One night, a small misunderstanding spiralled into hours of shouting and fear. I stayed awake, silent, waiting for morning.
It was then I learnt from fellow volunteers that many Americans live quietly with mental health struggles. That night taught me empathy in its most uncomfortable form. Sometimes, compassion is not spoken—it is chosen in silence.
The river and the rain
Joy returned in unexpected places. I chanted “Let’s Go Wild!” at my first hockey game, feeling the crowd’s energy pulse through me. On weekends, I wandered through the Minnesota Zoo, where animals moved freely—a living metaphor for care and freedom. These things are possible because I have met a Canadian friend who was also visiting Minnesota, and he was a professor in Canada. He was very generous to me and most of the time he invited me to visit the jazz bar and treat me with red wine while listening to the music of Minnesota.
At the Mississippi River, I watched the water flow beneath the bridges of Minneapolis. Its rhythm—sometimes calm, sometimes wild—mirrored life itself.
At Lake Superior in Duluth, the icy wind brushed my face as waves crashed against rocks. Standing before that endless horizon, I realised that peace is not the absence of struggle—it is the understanding of it.
The wisdom of the first people
During a Native American cultural festival, I witnessed a sacred ceremony of drumming, chanting, and dancing. One Indigenous woman told me, “Modern society is too busy to feel. We compartmentalise our lives until we forget our connection to the earth.”
Her words became a lesson. To heal the world, we must first learn to listen to the land, to each other, and to the stories we inherit. Social work, I realised, begins with that kind of listening.
Since you’ve been gone I can do whatever I want… but nothing compares to you.
(“Nothing Compares 2 U,” Prince)
Teaching was another transformative part of my stay. I gave lectures at St. Catherine University, the University of Minnesota Duluth, and the University of Wisconsin–Superior.
In a Brown Bag Lecture on Gender and Displacement in Mindanao, I shared the stories of families displaced by conflict in the Philippines. Education, I learnt, is a bridge of empathy that connects voices across borders.
Working with WISE (Women’s Initiative for Self-Empowerment) was equally profound. Refugee girls and foreign-trained doctors shared their dreams and struggles. Many of the doctors—Somali, Egyptian, Iraqi, and Burmese—drove taxis or worked in stores to survive.
“We just want to serve,” one Ethiopian doctor said. Together, they made a pact to call each other “Doctor”—not as a title of privilege but as an act of self-affirmation and hope.
Finding light in the Purple City
Minnesota was not only reflection—it was rhythm. One night, I sat in a jazz bar in downtown Minneapolis, the trumpet’s golden notes melting into the dark. Another evening, laughter filled a comedy club—proof that humour, too, heals.
And yet, one regret lingered: Prince had already left this world before I arrived. As I walked past murals of his purple silhouette, I imagined the city when Purple Rain still echoed in every corner. Though I never saw him perform, his spirit was alive in the streets—a reminder that art, like social work, transcends time.
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.
(“Let’s Go Crazy,” Prince)
As my fellowship ended, I carried both joy and sorrow—the death of my best friend Joel (he passed away the day I left my country for the USA), the ache of leaving home, and the warmth of new friendships.
Minnesota taught me that life is both privilege and purpose. The people I met—refugees, elders, students, dreamers—showed me that home is not always a place. Sometimes it is a connection, a shared humanity, a song sung under the same purple sky.
There will always be losses and gains, pain and healing, crises and kairos moments. But if we breathe, we can still choose compassion.
And for that, I remain deeply grateful—to life, to people, and to the journey itself.
Note: The article is dedicated to all Community Solutions Fellows under the International Research Exchange Program, which ended this year.
REDWOOD FALLS
— The 64-year-old Redwood Falls man
killed in a rollover crash Saturday in Redwood County
was fleeing police in his vehicle at the time, according to information from the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office.
Francis Albert Rohlik was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at approximately 7:22 p.m. on June 27. He was northbound on Redwood County Road 7 north of
Belview
when his vehicle left the roadway and rolled at the intersection with 400th Street in Kintire Township, according to
an accident report
by the
Minnesota State Patrol.
Rohlik was not wearing a seat belt, the State Patrol reported. According to the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office, he was ejected from the vehicle during the crash.
Shortly before the crash, at approximately 7:19 p.m. Saturday, law enforcement officers attempted to stop his vehicle for traffic violations on County Road 7 near Belview. The driver accelerated away from deputies and a brief pursuit ensued. After approximately three miles, the vehicle lost control and rolled over near the intersection with 400th Street, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies immediately administered medical aid to the driver. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Rohlik was the only occupant in the vehicle.
Assisting agencies included the Minnesota State Patrol, the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office, Belview Fire Department, Belview First Responders, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, CentraCare Ambulance, and North Memorial AirCare. The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the crash.
Minnesota
David Doty, Minnesota federal judge who oversaw NFL’s labor disputes for decades, dies at 96
A Minnesota federal judge noted for presiding over “several landmark disputes involving the National Football League” has died at 96, the U.S. District Court announced Monday.
David Doty died Saturday, just three days before his 97th birthday, the court said.
“Judge Doty devoted his entire professional life to serving others — as a Marine, as a lawyer who served not only clients but his community in many ways, and as a U.S. District Judge for nearly four decades,” Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz said. “Despite his remarkable accomplishments, he was a genuinely humble man. He treated everyone — from the guy who shined his shoes to Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court — the same way: with kindness and compassion and a sincere interest in their lives.”
Former President Ronald Reagan appointed Doty to Minnesota’s district court in 1987, and the court said he “continued to maintain a significant caseload until just a few months before his death.”
Doty grew up in Minneapolis and earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota. Before becoming a judge, he practiced law for more than a quarter-century. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years.
Doty’s ruling in an antitrust case involving the NFL in the early ’90s led to the creation of the free agency system the league still uses. He oversaw decades of NFL labor matters, including a 2011 case that preceded a brief lockout. So influential was Doty in NFL labor matters that owners tried to get him removed from cases on multiple occasions, according to the Associated Press.
The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared a statement from the league on Doty’s death: “Judge Doty devoted his life to public service and the law, presiding over NFL-related litigation for many years during his distinguished career. We express our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”
Jayden Kurtz, Teddy Lechner and KJ Sauer were three Minnesotans taken in the 2026 NHL Draft. Wyatt Cullen (USA Hockey)
Once again Minnesota led the way with the number of drafted players compared to other states around the U.S.
A total of 53 players from the United States were drafted Friday and Saturday in Buffalo. There were seven rounds and 224 overall picks, except for the 63rd overall pick which was forefeited by the Vegas Knights for media violations.
Minnesota had 12 players chosen by NHL teams, four more than any other state in the country. Michigan finished with eight picks and California finished with seven. Massachussetts and Pennsylvania each finished with five. In total, 16 states were represented in the draft, including Alaska, Texas, North Carolina and Idaho.
| Round/Pick | NHL Team | Player | Position | Team | League | Hometown | High School | GP-G-A-PTS | College | ||||
| 1/10 | Nashville | Wyatt Cullen | LW | USA U-18 | NTDP-USHL | Moorhead | Moorhead | 34-12-22-34 | Minnesota | ||||
| 2/45 | Anaheim | Jayden Kurtz | D | Rogers | MSHSL | Rogers | Rogers | 26-13-25-38 | Wisconsin | ||||
| 2/47 | Detroit | Victor Plante | LW | USA U-18 | NTDP-USHL | Hermantown | Hermantown | 50-19-21-40 | UMD | ||||
| 4/105 | Carolina | Mikey Berchild | LW | USA U-18 | NTDP-USHL | Excelsior | Shattuck | 52-19-27-46 | Denver | ||||
| 4/116 | Winniepg | Zach Wooten | LW | Green Bay | USHL | Apple Valley | Eastview | 61-35-27-62 | Wisconsin | ||||
| 5/136 | Philadelphia | KJ Sauer | C | Andover | MSHSL | Andover | Andover | 15-8-17-25 | Uncommitted | ||||
| 5/148 | Seattle | Hawke Huff | D | Cedar Rapids | USHL | Wayzata | Wayzata | 63-3-36-39 | St. Thomas | ||||
| 5/152 | Colorado | Teddy Lechner | D | Holy Angels | MSHSL | Bloomington | Holy Angels | 23-7-31-38 | Augustana | ||||
| 6/164 | Calgary | Bode Laylin | D | Tri City | USHL | St. Michael | Northstar Academy | 55-11-27-38 | St. Thomas | ||||
| 6/189 | Montreal | Parker Trottier | LW | USA U-18 | NTDP-USHL | Edina | Shattuck | 54-11-13-24 | Notre Dame | ||||
| 7/205 | NY Islanders | Bobby Cowan | RW | Western Michigan | NCHC | Edina | Edina | 39-5-19-24 | Western Michigan | ||||
| 7/210 | Anaheim | Jimmy Rieber | D | Waterloo | USHL | Woodbury | Chicago AAA | 60-2-9-11 | Miami OH | ||||
Wyatt Cullen – Moorhead – USNTDP – Round 1 – 10th overall – Nashville Predators
Wyatt Cullen was the top Minnesotan chosen and the lone first round pick, going 10th overall to the Nashville Predators. Cullen is a Moorhead native and played at Moorhead through bantams before joining the USNTDP where he excelled for two seasons, this being a top 10 pick.
Just two seasons ago Wyatt Cullen (7) led Moorhead to the Bantam AA state title. He ventured off to the USNTDP where he excelled and was chosen 10th overall Friday by Nashville. (LPH PHOTO)
Cullen is the 10th Minnesotan to be chosen in the top 10, but the first to the “10th” pick. He is the highest pick for a Minnesota player since Casey Mittelstadt was chosen 8th overall by Buffalo in 2017. Cullen is also the son of former Minnesota Wild player and 3-time Stanley Cup Champion Matt Cullen. The elder Cullen was a 2nd round pick and 35thoverall in 1996 by Anaheim. Wyatt is committed to the University of Minnesota where his father was recently hired as the Director of Player Development.
Jayden Kurtz – Rogers – Rogers HS – Round 2 – 45th overall – Anaheim Ducks
Two Minnesotans were chosen in Round 2. Jayden Kurtz’s combination of size and skill was enough for Anaheim to nab him with the 45th overall pick. Kurtz had a 38-point season and was the top high school player taken in the draft. Kurtz is an excellent skater and a strong physical presence on the blue line. He also played with the Chicago Steel of the USHL and is committed to play at the University of Wisconsin.
Jayden Kurtz went in the second round and 45th overall to Anaheim. LPH PHOTOVictor Plante – Hermantown – USNTDP – Round 2 – 47th overall – Detroit Red Wings
Victor PlanteHermantown’s Victor Plante was selected two picks later at 47th overall by Detroit. Ironically, Victor’s older brother Max was also selected by the Red Wings with the 47th overall pick in 2024. Vitor is the third Plante sibling to be drafted with Zam going in the 5th round of the 20-22 draft to Pittsburgh. Their father, Derek, was an 8th round pick in 1989 and played 450 games in the NHL. Victor will join his brothers at Minnesota-Duluth.
Mikey Berchild
Mikey Berchild – Excelsior – USNTDP – Round 4 – 105th overall – Carolina Hurricanes
Excelsior native Mikey Berchild was selected in the fourth round (105th overall) by Carolina. Berchild has bene a natural goal scorer oin his career at both Shattuck-St, Mary’s and with the USNTDP. Last season he notched 35 goals and the year prior scored 52. Carolina is coming off a Stanley Cup win with the help of another Minnesota player they took in the fourth round in 2021- Jackson Blake. Berchild is headed to Denver University.
Zach Wooten- Apple Valley/Estview HS – Green Bay (USHL) – Round 4 – 116th overall – Winnipeg Jets
Apple Valley native Zach Wooten was chosen in the fourth round (116th overall) after a breakout season with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL last season. The 2024 Eastview grad scored 35 goals and had 62 points in 61 games. His size, 200-foot game, and as a bit of a late bloomer, his continued upward trend as a player was enough for Winnipeg to grab him in the fourth round. Wooten is headed to the University of Wisconsin, who is coming off a trip to the national title game.
Zach Wooten raised eyebrows after a stellar season in the USHL where he scored 35 goals and was named a First-Team All-Star. PHOTO COURTESY OF GREEN BAY GAMBLERSK.J. Sauer – Andover- Andover HS – Round 5 – 136th overall – Philadelphia Flyers
The fifth round saw three Minnesota players drafted. Andover’s KJ Sauer was the first off the board at No. 136 by Philadelphia. After an injury-plagued senior year, he returned for the team’s final 15 games and was a driving force in them earning a return trip to state. He had 25 points in those 15 games. His size and athleticism and strong hockey pedigree make him a solid prospect as a potential power forward. His father, Kent, was a Division I player and played professionally. His uncles Mike and Kurt both played in the NHL. KJ is still uncommitted as far as we know, but is slated to play in the Western Hockey League for the Edmonton Oil Kings next season.
KJ Sauer was selected in the 5th round by Philadelphia. LPH PHOTO
Hawke Huff – Wayzata- Cedar Rapids (USHL) – Round 5 – 148th overall – Seattle Kraken
Next off the board in the fifth round was former Wayzata standout defenseman Hawke Huff. Like Wooten, Huff had a breakout season in the USHL where he was named a First-team All-Star. He notched 36 assists and was a solid +17 on the season. Like most D-man selected, he possesses size and strength at 6’3” and 200 pounds. Seattle took him with the 148thoverall pick. Huff also played a stint in the NAHL with the Minnesota Wilderness and is committed to the University fop St. Thomas.
Hawke Huff starred at Wayzata before becoming an all-star in the USHL. LPH PHOTO
Teddy Lechner – Bloomington – Academy of Holy Angels – Round 5 – 152nd overall – Colorado Avalanche
High school junior Teddy Lechner was next off the board at No. 152 by Colorado. Lechner finished his junior season at Academy of Holy Angels where he had seven goals and 31 assists in 23 games for the Stars. He also played three games with the U17s in the USNTDP and played 35 games with Muskegon in the USHL. It is unclear where he will play next season, but he is committed to Augustana University.
Teddy Lechner still has a year of high school eligibility left and was chosen in the fifth round by Colorado. LPH PHOTO Bode Laylin (Tri City/USHL)
Bode Laylin – St Michael – Tri City (USHL) – Round 6 – 164th overall – Calgary Flames
Defenseman Bode Laylin was chosen in the sixth round by Calgary. The 5’11” blueliner from St. Michael played last season at Tri City in the USHL and notched 38 points in 55 games, including 11 goals. Although undersized compared to most defenseman chosen, he is a highly skilled skater and a steady presence on the blueline. He was a Third-Team All-Star in the USHL this past season and will play next season for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL before heading to the University of St Thomas.
Parker Trottier (USNTDP)
Parker Trottier – Edina – USNTDP – Round 6 – 189th overall – Montreal Canadiens
Edina native Parker Trottier was taken in the sixth round and 189th overall by Montreal. Trottier played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s beforte joing the USNTDP for his age 16 and 17 seasons. Last year he played 61 games with the U18s and scored 11 goals and added 16 assists. He is the grandson of NHL Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier. Parker is committed to the University of Notre Dame.
Bobby Cowan – Edina – Western Michigan – Round 7 – 205th overall – NY Islanders
Two players rounded out the draft in the seventh round. Edina native Bobby Cowan was chosen 205th overall by the New York Islanders. Cowan played last season at Western Michigan University and had 24 points in 39 games.
Bobby Cowan played high school hockey at Edina and last season for Western Michigan. LPH PHOTO Jimmy Rieber (USHL)
Jimmy Rieber – Woodbury – Waterloo (USHL) – Round 7 – 210th overall – Anaheim Ducks
Jimmy Rieber of Woodbury was selected with the 210th overall pick by Anaheim. Rieber is a bit of an unknown in Minnesota because he ventured to Chicago to play throughout his later youth hockey years. Rieber played 60 games last season with Waterloo in the USHL and is slated to return to the USHL for one more season. He is committed to Miami (Ohio).
-
Business2 minutes agoComcast is spinning off NBCUniversal media and entertainment assets
-
Entertainment7 minutes agoAlannah Keyser is latest fired ‘Love Island USA’ contestant to apologize for using a racist slur
-
Lifestyle14 minutes agoChanel’s Bruno Pavlovsky on Reengineering an Iconic Brand
-
Politics17 minutes agoSupreme Court limits police use of cellphone data to find crime suspects
-
Sports29 minutes agoTeoscar Hernández returns, and Dodgers unleash 17-hit barrage in win over Athletics
-
World37 minutes agoDR Congo says 1,307 Ebola cases confirmed, including 377 deaths
-
News1 hour agoMichigan governor threatens to pull troops from D.C. if used for Trump task force
-
New York2 hours agoMetropolitan Diary Challenge Day 2: How to Write Your N.Y. Story
