Sahan Journal

Minnesotans rallied across Minneapolis and St. Paul Friday evening in support of abortion rights. They gathered several hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across the country. The court’s decision removes abortion from protection under the U.S. Constitution.

Sahan Journal reporter Hibah Ansari received the Young Journalist of the Year Award at the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Page One Awards ceremony Thursday evening. In a ceremony at St. Paul’s Como Lakeside Pavilion, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) awarded Sahan Journal a total...

A popular singer-songwriter emerging on Somalia’s entertainment scene brings his musical talent to Minneapolis this month, where he’ll perform two concerts and mentor local youth. Sharmarke Abdinasir Mohamed, better known by his stage name Sharma Boy, arrived earlier this week to participate in an annual summer festival that...

In a stunning but anticipated move, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across the country. The court’s decision removes abortion from protection under the federal constitution, and allows each state to determine whether abortion is legal in their respective jurisdictions.

Renters seeking financial assistance have until noon on June 28 to get on a waiting list for federal Section 8 vouchers that help pay for housing. The Housing Choice Voucher Program in Minnesota rarely opens up applications for its waiting list, because demand is much higher than the amount of Section 8 housing vouchers available. The last two times the program opened applications was in 2019 and 2015.

Growing up in Argentina, Gustavo Rosso played soccer in the streets like almost every other kid. There were no barriers: It didn’t require money or a parent to sign you up or drop you off. It didn’t even require special cleats. All that was needed was a ball.

Minnesota’s most diverse age group is finally eligible for COVID vaccines. Following approval last week from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), children from ages 6 months to 4 years old can now get vaccinated against COVID. Both agencies gave the vaccines emergency authorization, which means they can be administered during a public health emergency.

The walk wasn’t scheduled to begin for another 25 minutes, but at 8:05 a.m., Monica Bryand was already out counting birds. Seven cedar waxwings, four catbirds, and a handful of pigeons were among just some of her finds on a recent Sunday morning at Wakáŋ Tipi, a sacred Dakota site in St. Paul restored and maintained by the Lower Phalen Creek Project (LPCP).

Ibrahim Mohamed made history two years ago as the first person of color elected to the Shakopee school board. Now, he hopes to set a new milestone. Ibrahim is running for Scott County commissioner this fall. If he wins, he will be the first person of color to ever serve on the Scott County board. He would also be the first Somali American county commissioner in Minnesota, according to the Association of Minnesota Counties. He hopes to claim a seat at the table for Shakopee’s increasingly diverse population.

While working as a high school principal in Togo, Komi Afoutou won the Visa lottery. So, the recently married 32-year-old and his wife packed their bags. When they immigrated to the United States, however, it was in 2008 during the depths of the Great Recession. “We wanted to seek something...

Workers at Amazon’s warehouse in Shakopee rallied Friday afternoon, demanding a pay bump and criticizing the company for its handling of vacation time for Muslim employees. Workers asked the e-commerce giant for a $3-an-hour raise and chided the company for not giving Muslim employees time off to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. They also asked Amazon to take worker health and welfare more seriously.

When construction worker Pedro Carbajal didn’t get paid for his labor, he went to a Minneapolis-based workers’ rights group for help. Experiencing wage theft left him vulnerable and nearly fractured his family. “It’s a sense of security–it’s a plate of food on the table,” Carbajal said of his...

Abdirahman Warsame co-founded the nonprofit Generation Hope three years ago to destigmatize substance abuse in East African communities, and is now publishing a poetry book that chronicles his journey to recovery. Abdirahman, 24, wrote “From Addict to Advocate” for the same reason he co-founded Generation Hope: to save lives in...

The University of Minnesota told faculty and staff in 2021 that it fully expected to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday in 2022. But that didn’t happen. Instead, faculty and staff were given a floating holiday this year that could be used to observe the relatively new federal holiday, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.

The Minnesota Senate ethics subcommittee voted unanimously Wednesday to move forward with an investigation into first-term Senator Omar Fateh, and announced plans to subpoena his former Senate aide. The vote followed an ethics hearing where Omar, a Democrat representing parts of south Minneapolis, and his lawyer, Kristin Hendrick, denied allegations...

Researchers at the University of Minnesota uncovered more housing documents that for decades excluded people of color from owning or occupying at least 2,400 homes across Ramsey County. The findings from the Mapping Prejudice project add to more than 24,000 similar racial covenants the group found across Hennepin County in...

Minnesota travel agent Abdullahi Warsame has been camping out at the Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia for nearly three weeks from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. looking for answers. The Saudi government recently imposed a lottery system that limits the number of people from across the world who can make the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. The move effectively shuttered Abdullahi’s 14-year-old travel agency, Mina Hajj and Umra, in Minneapolis. Abdullahi relied heavily on organizing group trips to Mecca for Minnesotan Muslims.

The healthcare providers at People’s Center Clinics & Services want you to stay safe by getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Luckily, we have testing, vaccines, and treatments to help us prevent and heal from the illness. The best way to stay healthy and safe is to get your vaccine and boosters as they become available. While reporting from the Minnesota Department of Health indicates 70% of Minnesotans have had at least one dose of the vaccine, only 43% are up to date with vaccine doses. 40% of kids under 18 have at least one dose but still need to get their second dose and booster. We still have a long way to go!

This story comes to you from the Star Tribune, a partner with Sahan Journal. We will be sharing stories between Sahan Journal and Star Tribune. They were considered America’s secret weapon in the war against Japan. But decades later, their secrets — and the stories of their sacrifice —...

Nearly 600 Afghan families face a housing crisis after six months living in Minnesota. The federal government provides Afghan refugees six months of rent. Refugees are required to make their own rental payments after that, but many face hurdles obtaining employment due to language barriers, unfamiliarity with job searches, and lack of transportation.