2010

The Five Remembrances

1.) I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2.) I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health.
3.) I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4.) All that is dear to me and everyone that I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5.) My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

These five remembrances are something that Buddhist Monks say three times each day. While I am a follower of Christ, I think relevance could be found in these "rembrances." I don't deserve long life or prosperity any more than thousands of children who starve each day. I don't have more ownership nor am I entitled to God's love more than the next person. I want to live well, I want to live intentionally. I want to love others fully. I am given a life.

This past year brought a lot to reflect on and be thankful for. Some things I am SO glad are over, and I look to 2010 with anticipation and an inkling of hope.


I am glad that my friend Sarah's Mom is now cancer free.
I continue to grieve with two different friends. One lost her mother in August to a long battle with cancer. ( This is my 5th friend from college to have a parent or sibling pass away in the last 4 years.) Another friend recently found out that his Mom's cancer came back.

Their are multiple stories I hear of each day either globally, or dealing with people who I know well. These situations are messy and in need of healing and restoration.

Yet, 2009 also brought forth gratitude.
My arm is fully healed with a crazy scar!
My oldest brother is doing much better after his near-death bike accident in August.

I fall deeper in love with the community I am apart of each day. They have blessed my life beyond measure. ( friends, family, neighbors, church, DinoMights)

I was hired at the school where I did my student teaching. I look to that with anticipation and hope.

In June I am venturing to Kampala, Uganda until August. It has been my dream to do some type of educational work in the continent of Africa for quite awhile.

"GOD SPEAKS TO EACH OF US AS HE MAKES US, THEN WALKS WITH US SILENTLY OUT OF THE NIGHT. THESE ARE THE WORDS WE DIMLY HEAR: YOU SENT OUT BEYOND YOUR RECALL, GO TO THE LIMITS OF YOUR LONGING. EMBODY ME. FLARE UP LIKE FLAME AND MAKE BIG SHADOWS I CAN MOVE IN. LET EVERYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU: BEAUTY AND TERROR. JUST KEEP GOING. NO FEELING IS FINAL. DON'T LET YOURSELF LOSE ME. NEARBY IS THE COUNTRY CALLED LIFE. YOU WILL KNOW IT BY ITS SERIOUSNESS. GIVE ME YOUR HAND" -RILKE

Grace

I am a bit of a grinch when it comes to Christmas gifts. I enjoy the music, being with family, and I do like the holiday treats. I have not even started shopping yet. I might make gifts for my family, who knows....

As a culture we have desecrated a holiday that is meant for a humble baby born in a manger offering love to this world.

The U.S. spends over 5 billion dollars on gifts. People across the world lack food, clean water, and basic needs.

This baby boy, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger came for all of us. He was a human being who roamed this earth.

Last week at school one of the girls in the class came with a gift for me. She lives in a homeless shelter with her Mom and three siblings. The woman who runs the shelter gave each kid a bag with a few games, and little trinkets. This little girl came into school with her bag, and held onto it all day saying she would show me what was in it later. At the end of the day, she pulled me aside and said "this is for you, 'Merry Christmas.' " As a seven year old child taught me more about grace, and accepting a beautiful gift in my grinch-like state, may we all remember to love one another... To love amidst the stress, and consumption of our culture. May we remember to see people, to hear people, and to be among each other.

3rd annual community Thanksgiving

The most famous recorded Thanksgiving took place in 1621. This ‘festival’, which lasted three days, included the participation of nearly one hundred Native Americans. Governor William Bradford had invited the natives to show them appreciation, for helping his colony survive through the harsh weather conditions. Long before the Europeans celerbated Thanksgiving the Cherokee people held harvest festivals, and corn dances. Thanksgiving stands as a holiday to look at life with gratitude. It is a time to celebrate with family and friends.

The Oakland house held its 3rd annual community Thanksgiving this past Saturday. 35 beautiful faces surrounded the banquet table. 5 children under the age of 5. 9 people under the age of 18, and 21 people over the age of 18. Each person that sat around the table has a story. While our Thanksgiving may not go down in the history books as famous, it truly is a time to acknowledge the amazing relationships in our lives.

One of the members of the Oakland house had her three high school girls set the table with white table cloths, name cards for each guest, and place settings. Two neighborhood high school boys acted as waiters, taking orders for juice or milk. One of our neighbors made her famous macaroni and cheese. Another guest from Lithuania, had never made sweet potatoes and one boy in attendance said they were better than his Mama's!

Life was shared, bellies were filled, and laughter permeated the air. As people sat around the banquet table, something beautiful, and sacred occured. It was a true Thanksgiving.

Thanks again to YouthWorks! for helping us make this meal happen.

Breaking Free

I began writing this two weeks ago. With student teaching, I had to come back to it this afternoon.

On Wednesday I drove up to my block and noticed a woman passed out on the front steps across the street. We will call her Mary. My friend and her husband recently moved into the house where this woman was. I tried to call my friend to check if she was home. Mary eventually got up and left the premises. I also left to run some errands. As I arrived home, my friend also pulled up to her house. I alerted her about Mary, who works the corners of our neighborhood. I walked into my house, and one of my housemates told me about a conversation she had with Mary earlier in the day. I ended up calling my friend who lives across the street to make sure everything was alright. She told me that Mary was now sitting on the couch in her front porch. I went over with one of my housemates and we all talked with Mary. She was quite intoxicated, and told us that the couch just seemed like a nice place to rest. She talked with us for awhile. She told us that she grew up a few blocks away. She said she just needed some rest.

I do not know the circumstances of her life. I have no idea what has caused her to work the streets. Their are countless unknowns. I know that so much in this life will not make sense. Their will not be easy answers. Space is needed for doubt. Space is needed for cynicism, and for hope.

The next morning I woke up and saw Mary again walking down Lake street. I thought of the students I work with. The kids in my classroom have different factors influencing their lives. They are small, they are so incredibly impressionable. I have no idea what will happen to these kids in the next 15 years of their lives. They will be 21. They will face some difficult choices. I see a lot of light in them. When I worked for DinoMights I was able to spend time with kids at the park, and take them out for ice cream. I pray that they have people in their lives outside of school loving on them, empowering them, and recognizing their strengths. I don't know what will come of their lives. The stories of these children are just beginning to unfold. One girl's father is in jail. He is one of the highest ranking gang members in the city. One little boy falls asleep nearly every day because he does not have a bedtime at home. Two girls in the class live at the same shelter, a few doors down from each other. They cannot control their environment. They are talented, they are bright. I pray for them, I pray for their future. Sometimes it seems that is all I can do.....


A fact that is worth reading: A popular ratio among youth workers used to be 1-7. If you--as one mentor--had seven students in your life that you were investing time into, you were a successful youth worker. However, the Search Institute did some studies recently and decided that the ratio needs to be flipped. To make the greatest impact, the real ratio should be 7 caring adults for every 1 student.

lessons & legacies

Last week I attended Sunday school at church. The theme is lessons & legacies. The question was :who has gone before us, to teach us life lessons? Who has left a legacy?
What kind of legacy do we want to leave?

We have so much to learn from inter generational community. How can we allow for relationships to form in this way?

Education & Expectations.

I am doing my clinical practice( fancy new education word for student teaching)in a first grade classroom. Today the school had an assembly to watch the President give an address on education. The Star Tribune, and quite a few other media outlets were present at this event. Our school was featured in the paper!

One particular student in my class is quite defiant. He has had to go to the behavior room on several occasions during the first week of school. He was taken out of his home last year by child protective services. He is six years old and has already been dealt some rough cards. This same kid is at grade level in reading and can count to 100.

My neighbor began kindergarten last week. He missed the first day because he wasn't registered. Last night I got home around 10 p.m. and he was still up. He peered his little nose through the screen window and said he couldn't fall asleep because his Mom and her boyfiend were fighting. This morning the doorbell rang and this five year old boy was standing there with his older sister asking if I could give him a ride to school. I had to leave for work in 10 minutes. I couldn't give him a ride. He missed his bus. This is only his 3rd day of kindergarten. His Mom gave him a ride, and he got to school two hours late.

My good friend works at a high school in North Minneapolis. One of her students was in a pretty serious fight today. She sat him down and they talked about what happened. He is pretty high up in the world of gangs. He shared with her the struggles he faces each day.

After president Obama's speech we asked the first graders what they would want to tell the President. We also asked what they are supposed to do in school, and what the speech was about. The students said they would like to tell the President he is "handome, brave, smart, kind, he has nice hair, and that he has a beautiful family." While I am sure older students may have had opinions on what the Presidnet should do for; education, immigration, health care, and the array of issues, the answer that had the greatest impact was that he is "brave." President Obama talked about the challenges he faced growing up, and how hard he had to try to succeed. He had to show courage. So many students in our schools have external factors beyond their control. They have had to be "brave", and their audacity amazes me every day.

You can read an excerpt from the President's speech below. The full speech can be viewed here.

' Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when tI was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.
So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.
But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.
Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right."

here on earth

In brokeness, in suffering, in joy, in the spectrum, God's kingdom can be found here on earth.

I ran across this quote today and really liked it.

The kingdom of God
is justice and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Come, Lord, and open in us
the gates of your kingdom.

- Hymn from Taizé,

an ecumenical monastic community in France

lookin' up to you....

Lacy (4th gr/9 years old) 2007


Lacy now




Last week the DinoMights had their annual academic Powercamp.

We had 18 new students attend the camp. Often when we recruit kids, if their siblings are in elementary school we invite them to join as well. One of the new kids had an older 4th grade sister who decided to join DinoMights. The other 4th grade girls were not being very inclusive during game time. They all attend the same school, and this girl does not.

I have hope for these 4th grade girls.....

I began tutoring/mentoring Lacy when she was in 4th grade. She is now going into 7th grade. This past week at camp she asked this new 4th grade DinoMight to play a game with her. I observed this interaction and welled up with emotion. Throughout the week she continually included this girl. Lacy has 3 younger siblings looking up to her, but also many other eyes watching and admiring her actions. She is such a beautiful girl and I am continually grateful to have her in my ife.

neurobics

Little did I know that doing routine tasks with your non-dominant hand helps with brain development. Yes, it seems like common sense that it would help stiumulate the brain in different ways. Apparently this is called neurobics., which is essentially doing things you normally do but done differently. Like brushing your teeth with the other hand, taking a shower with your eyes closed, writing with the opposite hand, taking a different route to work, etc.
Writing a paragraph a day with your non-dominant hand supposedly will make you ambidextrous over time.

What happens in your brain while you’re doing this becomes a brain exercise because different, underused nerve pathways and connections get activated. This stimulates the growth of new brain cells and brain connections.

I have been attending physical therapy twice a week. Yesterday I showed up with a list of questions.. While it is difficult each day to come to terms with parts of my independence being taken away, I am learning a great deal.I may not be able to drive until mid to late August. Since the break was so bad, I will have some type of splint/brace until October. I will be able to student teach and I will be able to write with my right hand starting mid-August. Each day it gets a little better.



The most difficult parts about this experience are:
-learning to ask for help/having to rely on other people
-figuring out how to do activities that seem so natural with your dominant hand
-certain tasks taking 3X as long as usual
-not being able to quickly get somewhere biking or driving

Things I am thankful for:
-phenomenal friends
-amazing family
-understanding professors & co-workers
-that this has strangely taught me A TON

4th o' July

On Saturday our house had a bbq & a small fireworks display.
It was a lovely evening. At first the kids who live below us, and our friend Angel's kids were all sitting together on a blanket watching the fiery display. Then, some little neighborhood kids began to watch through the fence. We invited them in to join the group. 9 kids who had never met each other were dancing around the backyard with their sparklers. Native American, African-American, and Latino kids enjoying the moment. Children are our greatest teachers and examples of beauty.

summer lovin...

Now that got your attention with that title, or I got you singing the hit from "Grease."

I recently broke my arm rollerblading. I was listening to one of my favorite Lauryn Hill songs on a beautiful summer afternoon and three miles into my workout I was on the ground. I keep replaying the accident in my head and cannot piece it all together. I can say that I am grateful to God for the Andersons. They were driving along, also enjoying the beautiful day and witnessed the accident. This beautiful couple, whom I had never met brought me to the ER. The doctor on call at the U of M was a hand surgeon which is pretty fortunate! I ended up getting a compound fracture, and needing surgery/hospitalization.

Prior to this accident life was going "as normal." I had recently gotten back from a vacation to Seattle. I went with my good friend Laura to spend time with a mutual friend, Brea. At work we had just finished our summer "hockey in the hood camp" with 18 new DinoMights!




This situation has been entirely humbling. I would say I can be pretty stubborn and independent. I have had to rely on others for some of the most basic things we take for granted. I am becoming quite skilled with the left hand. I will keep you posted on my journey to ambidexterity.

Prior to this accident I had been really stewing in my brain, and having conversations with people about entitlement. This has made me think all the more about it. What are we entitled to here on earth? Especially if we consider ourselves followers of Jesus. He came to this earth demonstrating love, and desiring that we "love him with all our mind, heart, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourself." We make it complicated. We fail. We say it's hard... But what if each day that was what we actually did? What if we attempted to love well with our whole being.

In my group of friends from college 3 friends have had parents die at a young age. Four friends have had parents battle cancer. 1 friend lost her brother at the age of 21. I think of those instances and my heart grieves. I think of the many broken, unjust things of this world and have trouble making sense of it all. The beatitudes were written as a promise of God's kingdom to everyone, regardless of status, circumstances, or condition. God comes alongside people and somehow displays his mercy, justice, and comfort.

I am only in a cast for 6 weeks. I will learn to ride the city bus (kelsey, maybe you can give me a tutorial...) I did an entire math assignment with my left hand today. 6 weeks is just a teeny, tiny fragment of my entire life.

We belong to each other. Yet, in American/Western culture we often say "I deserve this, or I want this for my family or friends." I admit that I think these things. Meaningful, life giving experiences are something everyone desires and needs. Yet, their is too often an imbalance. Some kids get too much attention. Some kids are neglected and crying out for love. Some families go on summer vacations, some parents wonder where their next meal will come from.

What would happen if we recognized how much we need each other? What if we recognized people's gifts and skills and used them in beautiful ways?

My friends are not ultimately mine, neither is my community, nor my church, or my family. We are all on this earth passing through. We do belong to each other, but more importantly we belong to God. How are we going to love well on this earth each day? Even when its hard, even when things don't make sense, even when we feel like we failed the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time? I can tell you personally that it will continue to be hard to do, but that is our first and greatest commandment we have been given... TO LOVE.

I am from

For the past two years while in grad school I have worked part-time @ DinoMights. I also occasionally subbed in the Minneapolis school district. Each day subbing was an adventure. I learned a lot about how I would like my classroom to be someday.

At one of my favorite schools the 5th graders were writing "I am from" poems as part of an ancestry unit. The assignment was really powerful for many of the students. The classroom was diverse socioeconomically and culturally. Some students in the class were adopted, some were recent immigrants to the U.S. Through this unit they really began to appreciate who they are and what has shaped them.

I decided to write my own "I am from" poem.

I am from books upon books lining the shelves in the living room
From golden retrievers and long walks around the neighborhood

I am from 1002 Westview Drive, the house where the road begins to curve
I am from waking up to public radio and my Dad grinding coffee
I am from the block where neighbors became like siblings

I’m from malt-o-meal and sports
And a green vegetable at every meal
From Ken, Carol, Dan, and Dave
I’m from favorite meals on birthdays and trips up north
And from canoeing until the sun sets

I’m from “never, never, give up”
And “May the Lord bless you and keep you, may his face shine upon you, and give you peace”
I’m from a first generation high school graduate
I’m from Ireland, Germany, Poland, England, France, and I am Cherokee.
From a Dad who read with me every summer
Instilling the value of always learning
And a Mom who taught me to swim and to love deeply

I am from family that insists on living with passion and intention.
I am from my ancestors who have gone before me.
I am from stories upon stories and so many idiosyncrasies.

Dino girls weekend.

Amy ( one of the girls coaches ) & I took a group of 8 DinoMights to the cabin this weekend for a retreat. We had 4 sets of sisters! It was such a wonderful weekend. we went to a waterfall, played lots of apples to apples, and came away with some fun stories.

day by day.

Rich Mullins once said " each day we must find opportunities to be reborn."

Each day the spectrum of joy and pain is present in our lives.

Something so incredibly beautiful happened this week to a family I know. They moved up here from Chicago in the fall with the intent of building a new life for themselves. They have been living in a homeless shelter for the past 7 months. One of my friends has been advocating for them for quite awhile, and has built an amazing relationship with them. Just yesterday, they got to move into a home! A mom, and her 5 children now have a place to call home with a yard to play in and a kitchen to make meals...

Love > Fear

In the past week I have been asked the question "do you ever feel afraid?" more than usual. The question is usually asked by a friend or family member who means well, but doesn't completely understand where I live.

People often fear what they do not know. They make assumptions about what they think they know.. Our news channels are often slanted, and depict the city as a crime ridden place where no sane person would raise a family. That is absolutely bogus.

I cannot change people.. I did not come to the city to do so.. If that were my intent, I should have left on the first day.

I can acknowledge daily that where I live is a beautiful place... My liberation is bound up with those around me. We all have a story, we all belong to each other.

Yes, it isn't always clean. Yes, I do hear gunshots on occasion. Yes, my neighbor did get arrested for dealing drugs... I am not blind to these things.

Yet, the richness of life that surrounds me each day is something I see most often.. My neighborhood has an amazing marketplace where almost every culture is representing selling clothes, jewelry, food, and other goods. I live within walking distance of an amazing park where a community parade will take place this weekend. This park is a place where I can walk with the neighborhood kids, and they have the freedom to play in a wide open space. I live two blocks from one of the many Youth Farms that exist in the city. The youth farm provides jobs for kids, and shows kids where food comes from, how to grow it, and the impact they can have on the local food system. Many of the people who live on my street are friends, families that I've broken bread together with. Families that I've gone to birthday parties for, or have seen their first child enter the world. Our doorbell rings on a daily basis with kids wanting to hang out.. Many of these kids are now teenagers, and I've seen them grow up . I work 4 blocks from home, and am within biking distance of so many places. Their are several bus lines close to my house that can connect to anywhere in Minneapolis. I could write an endless list of reasons I love where I live...

At first when people were making comments like "aren't you afraid," or "why would you choose to live there," I felt like I needed to defend myself, defend my neighbors, and set people straight. Typically as this question was presented, I ended up having some amazing conversations... It was strange getting so many comments in the past week, when I have lived here for 5 years.

I am grateful to live in such an incredible place. It's not always comfortable. Our lives inevitably collide. Yet, it is a place where beauty can be found in the most remarkable ways.

St. Martin's table.

Last Wednesday I volunteered as a waitress at St. Martin's table in Minneapolis.
This was honestly one of the most life giving experiences I have had in months.
The overall presence of this oasis in the city reminded me so much of my time at the Schloss retreat center when I studied abroad in college. People from all life stations coming together over a shared meal.


St. Martin's Table serves vegetarian meals with and emphasis on locally grown and organic food.

All of the tips at St. Martin's go towards program organizations working towards alleviating hunger in the global community.

The restaurant/bookstore was named for five Martins who have been models of change, truth and resistance in the Christian faith:

-Martin Luther, the 16th century reformer who taught the theology of the cross
-Martin Luther King, Jr., for his leadership in nonviolent protest to end racism and injustice
-Martin of Tours, a fourth century Roman soldier turned pacifist
-Martin de Porres, a Spanish-Indian healer who served the poor of Peru in the 1600s
-Martin Niemoeller, a German pastor imprisoned for his nonviolent resistance to the Nazis during World War II

I am planning to volunteer at St. Martin's twice per month. I just happened to bike to this unassuming place last week with a friend for lunch. It is a place where justice is sought and individuals come together of all ages to share life.

The day that I volunteered I couldn't get the African-American spiritual out of my mind; Let us break bread together on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us break bread together on our knees. (on our knees)
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us drink wine together on our knees. (on our knees)
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us praise God together on our knees. (on our knees)
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me

10

One of my favorite parts about being in this neighborhood is living life alongside kids while they grow up. I met some of the kids from our block while in college. Many of them were 8-10 years old, and are now in high school!




On Sunday Kathy turned 10. I remember meeting her when she was 8 and in the second grade. I began tutoring with DinoMights, and moved into an apartment 3 blocks from her house. I remember taking her to the park with two of her sisters and having them over to play UNO. Over time Kathy has become a consistent part of my life. She has an amazing support network that surrounds her. She is so bright, and full of irrepressible life. In the past few months some life circumstances have become more difficult for her. I have been in awe of her ability to grasp what is happening in a healthy way. She is the youngest of 5 and is the family organizer. All of her siblings have been in the DinoMights program. As the youngest she has had to learn a great deal of patience. Kathy has watched each of her siblings go to camp, or have different experiences and she continually has had to wait until she is "old enough." This summer she finally got to go to an overnight camp that all of her sisters and her one brother have been to. She loved it so much...




I have confidence that I will see her graduate from college in 10-11 years and become some type of event planner. Happy Birthday Kathy! I wish you well. I am beyond grateful you are in my life...

nature.

Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams . John Muir

Their is something to be said for being in the splendor of creation. I am drawn to the city and the rich diversity that lies within it. Yet, the wilderness to me is a place of solitude, discovery, and rest. Whenever I have had the opportunity to bring kids from an urban setting camping or to the "woods" the experience has been both liberating and therapeutic. God has created this vast spread of beautiful landscape for each of us to discover.. Even kids who may not like being outdoors learn about themselves through seeing new animals, hearing different sounds, and looking up at a sky full of stars.

I love living in the city and being within walking distance of a pretty amazing park. It doesn't necessarily take a roadtrip for us to have opportunities to play in the outdoors.

This year I have been trying to appreciate Minnesota Winters more by making the most of them. I have XC skied more than any other year, gone skating, sledding, and have taken part in a few other shennanigans.

A few weeks ago Minneapolis did not have school so I took some DinoMights sledding.



I also went XC skiing with my brother Dan at a park in MPLS, with a view of the skyline.

In less than a month I am hitting the open road with a friend.. We are going camping and hiking out West. In and among creation is where my heart is set free. I am looking forward to this time of discovery and being in the wild.

Dinos in the Star Tribune!

The DinoMights were featured in the Star Tribune on Monday!
I also just got back from the Hockey in the hood tournament in Detroit which was fantastic!


The article is below, but I will also include the Star Tribune link which has a photo gallery of the kids.


Inner-city kids get a shot at playing hockey thanks to the nonprofit DinoMights organization.

By JOY PETERSEN, Star Tribune


The alarm rings early Wednesday mornings for 11-year-old Hector Ramirez.

Just a day before he was to leave last week for the Hockey in the Hood Tournament in Detroit, he was catching a ride to an early-morning practice at the Augsburg Ice Arena. Arriving at the brightly lit rink, he was greeted with upraised arms and an eager welcome by his coach, Scott Harman.

"Hector! Glad to see you, buddy!"

Red duffel bags were piled in a heap next to the lockerroom door. One was marked specifically for Hector. All the gear inside -- helmet, pads and skates -- had been donated.

Hector, along with 94 other boys and girls ages 5 to 18, is part of DinoMights, a Minneapolis program that gives inner-city kids access to a sport not commonly played by minority children.

The National Hockey League in 1995 began the NHL Diversity Task Force, now known as the "Hockey is for Everyone" initiative. It offers children of all backgrounds the opportunity to play hockey.

That same year, a team was organized in Minneapolis by John Foley, a preacher's son who started the program as an outreach effort from his father's church, Faith Covenant. That early enterprise today has grown into DinoMights, a nonprofit organization with three paid staff members and 40 volunteers who work with children from the Central, Powderhorn Park and Phillips neighborhoods.

The organization holds an annual fundraiser, receives grants and accepts donations from local businesses. While it asks for $50 from each participant per year to defray costs, those unable to pay are not turned away.

DinoMights also provides tutoring, mentoring, social interaction and faith-based education to the players.

Harman, who is also executive director of the program, said the 40 volunteers pick up and drop off the players. Because most participants are dependent on rides, Harman said it teaches the kids responsibility because they have to set an alarm and be on time.

The volunteers bring the kids to the Augsburg Ice Arena for their 6:15 a.m. practices each Wednesday during hockey season.

While the youngest kids get help suiting up, the older kids take the ice. At 6:45 a.m., after the skates have been tightened and the mouth guards put in place, the volunteers huddle up the younger children for a morning prayer. Then a one-hour practice begins.

Hector said the hardest part for him was learning how to skate -- he'd never skated before he joined DinoMights. For the littlest ones, tumbles on the ice are common. Some fly into the side boards and hit hard. But they pick themselves up and dust themselves off.

After practice, the kids eat breakfast together as a team and then the volunteers take them to school.

Team members practice and play in games and tournaments against squads from around the metro area. The DinoMights also played during intermission at Saturday's Minnesota Wild game. Last fall, Willie O'Ree, the first black NHL player, visited the team.

Hector was one of 10 DinoMights who participated in Detroit's fifth annual Hockey in the Hood Tournament Friday through Sunday. The event hosted teams from 11 cities, including Chicago, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and smaller cities such as Windsor, Ontario, and Wasilla, Alaska.

Hector was looking forward to the trip. "I'm excited about all the teams we're going to play."

Leonard Silbernagle, 24, grew up in the Longfellow neighborhood and joined DinoMights in 1999 at a time when he said he was "struggling with school." While some in his neighborhood turned to gangs, Silbernagle said the program was a way for him "to get out of the community."

After graduating from high school and taking some time off, he rejoined DinoMights this year as a volunteer coach.

And he loves working with the kids. "It's great to see their faces."

Joy Petersen is a University of Minnesota journalism student on assignment for the Star Tribune.

Dreams

For Black History month at work we are having the kids look at poets from various cultural backgrounds. One of the poets that the kids read about yesterday was Langston Hughes.

"DREAMS"
by Langston Hughes
Hold onto dreams
For if dreams die
Life is like a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

What gives a child regardless of socioeconomic factors the ability to dream?

What holds a child back from achieving their dreams?

Who influences an individual to follow through on dreams they had as a child?

Why do some dreams die?

How does one individual "make it" in this world and another not, even if these two people come from the same circumstances?

How do we keep from failing our youth? What more can be done? How do we
( as a society) keep them from being lost in the system, or failed by the system?

I have been wrestling with these questions and so many more recently.
I have come to some of my own conclusions or opinions . Yet, I would love to hear a variety of perspectives.

cookies for Dr. King.

At The Dr. King soul food dinner 1/19/09



Life is full of redemptive moments.
On Saturday I was at my old apartment which is the same place we store the DinoMights equipment. I lived in this building 2.5 yrs. ago. The year I lived at the 4 plex honestly was one of the most stretching years of my life in so many ways.

5 beautiful girls lived below me, and moved to a nearby suburb 6 months into my stay at the apartment. we lost track of one another through phone numbers changing, and I thought I would never see them again. WELL, this Saturday I saw some familar faces walking down the street. They moved back to the 4 plex 2.5 years later! The oldest is now 12. When I lived at the 4 plex the youngest ( LaShanti) was 3, now she is 6 and in Kindergarten! They invited me up to their apartment, and I got to spend some time with their Mom. The place was super clean, and their Mom is going back to school. LaShanti is the cousin of the 4 girls. Sadly, she stays at a homeless shelter with her Mom & younger brother. Arteshia, the oldest of the bunch had a birthday yesterday. She asked if we could make cookies on Monday for Dr. King. The girls ended up coming over to make cookies, attend a soul food dinner at my church, and a service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We also watched the " I have a dream" speech in my living room.

As LaShanti ( the youngest) saw this middle age African American man enter the balcony at church she said " LEAH, LEAH! Is that Dr. King right there?" I am not sure if anyone had ever explained to her that he is no longer living. As the kids were given rides home, and their bellies were full of greens, macaroni, potato salad, and fried chicken their voices bellowed the words to "We shall overcome." Children are our hope, and as one man at church told them this evening they are the future...

BELOW: FALL 2006

Ominee a.k.a "Diva" ( age 7) & LaShanti ( age 3)

L to R: Zikia(age 6),Arteshia (age 10), Ominee(7), and Lanaya( age 5)


BELOW: Making "Dr. King" cookies 1/19/09


LaShanti ( age 6) & Lanaya ( age 7)


Zikia ( age 8), Arteshia ( age 12) & Lanaya (age 7)

Better People

I am without a doubt an extrovert, but I am not a verbal processor. Many times I find myself daydreaming, or stuck in my own head...

Often, I am struck by the hope that lies in humanity... I am also continually in awe of how much our lives intersect..

My friend Marta moved here from Poland a little over a year ago. A few weeks ago she shared dinner with her husband, her sister & her boyfriend, a few Muslim individuals from Yemen, a Hindu couple, and a few other people. She was expressing to me how much can happen through conversation and the sharing of food. All of the cultures surrounding the table were drastically different, some even from countries fighting wars with one another...

On Saturday I ended up getting in a long conversation with an individual in my neighborhood regarding public schools, social work, and justice. This individual was so refreshing to talk to because he was not afraid to ask REALLY tough questions. Our conversation sparked something within, and I haven't been able to stop processing it.

Then today at church I was once again influenced by the crazy interconnectedness of our lives. During the offering portion of the service our pastor always explains that our lives are meant as an offering.. It is a time where we share moments of pain, petition, and protest before the congregation. The church I attend is diverse both culturally and generation ally. After the service the church always provides a drop-in meal to the homeless. Lately, a way larger number of the homeless have been attending the church service. During the offering people shared concerns for friends they know in Palestine dealing with the issues in Gaza, others shared personal tragedies within their own family, some shared moments of joy announcing they were expecting their first child, some shared that they are seekign employment, one woman shared that she has been sober for 5 months ... Today, we also had communion. Our pastor always randomly chooses 2 people from the congregation to serve communion together. He seems to choose individuals who would appear quite different from one another. Today, he chose an African American man in his late 30's who is homeless, and myself. This was a humbling experience... As Christ's body was broken for each of us, and his blood shed for us... As we approach a year of new beginnings... May we live in the hope that is found in Christ.. A man who came to this earth to LOVE, not to divide... May we continually recognize our stories are woven together into a beautiful tapestry and we cannot forget that we belong to each other.

India Arie says it best...


"Better People"

Yeah Yeah!
Yeah Yeah!


I wish there was a video game
to teach you your ancestors name
I wish there was a phone number

like 1-800-Save-Your-Brother
I'm thankful for the radio station
Not afraid to put the truth in rotation

there are skirts of information
That you can only get in conversation when...

[Chorus:]
Young People, who talk to
Old People, it would make us
Better People, all around...
(Yes it would)

And if Old People would talk to
Young People, it would make us
Better People, all around....
(Yes it would)

[Verse 2:]
We went from radio to TV
Now we're going from LP to CD
Don't be afraid

To try something new
I can help you with the brand new technology
Help me with the age old philosophy
Together there's so much we can do when

[Chorus:]
Young People, who talk to
Old People, it would make us
Better People, all around...

And if Old People would talk to
Young People, it would make us
Better People, all around....

They say that every
Generation gets worse
They call it a generational curse

These problems don't just drop out the sky (yeah)
Listen to Mahatma Ghandi's words
Be the change you want to see in the world
Start with yourself and healing will multiply
AAAAAAH, that's what happens When..

[Chorus:]
Young People, who talk to
Old People, it would make us
Better People, all around...

If Old People would talk to
Young People, it would.....
Better People, all around....

If black people
Would talk to white people
It would make us
Better People
All Around....

If Republican people would
Talk to Democratic people
It would make us diplomatic people
[laugh] All Around.....

2009...shine.

2008 is old... 2009 is new. Happy New Year!
I thank God for another year.. full of many changes, struggles, joys, and all that is in between.

We took the DinoMights to Feed my Starving Children again this year.. We had 35 youth partcipate, with 10 adult volunteers.


Yesterday I went to the pow-wow to watch three of my neighbors dance.



Overall I am looking forward to 09. I am not really into resolutions..( more into life goals/dreams) Some exciting things are coming up though:
-finishing my last semester of classes for grad school
-taking voice lessons ( many of you know I DO NOT sing.. )
-cabin weekend with the friends
-January 20th...! ( Gobama)
...and many other shennanigans.