I never realized how deeply love for a place can fill you up until I tried to leave. I never understood how love for place can carry you through the difficult times until I needed this place to help keep me together. I never knew that love of place is reciprocated by the place itself until I made this place my work. I'm forever grateful to be of and from South Minneapolis, a place so filled with love and determination and smiling faces. That gratefulness manifests in me again and again at unexpected moments, but I carry it with me always. #dakotacountry #uncededland #indiancountry #minneapolis #minnestagram #midwestisbest #franklinave #hometownlove #gradschoollife #homesweethome #indigenousresistance #indigenousstudies #publicart (at Minneapolis, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpAFDnng9wW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sk1gkss9pi7q

The views were obviously the star of the show, but the award for supporting (no pun intended) actor was the collection of cold steel and pain-chipped wood that made up this grand staircase. Winding back and forth, 100 feet into the sky; it was a great day. #exploremore #captureminnesota #upnorth #exploremn #minnestagram #northcountryco #stayandwander #adventureculture #lookouttower #venturenorth #donorth #millelacs #createandcapture #justgoshoot #travelgrams #livefolk #wander #canont5i #sigma1750 (at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park)

Why, thank you very much Mr. Wu. This grey day is pretty great. 👍🏽 👟 #greatsbrand #sneakers #brooklyn #bittenbythesneakerbug #minnestagram #matchymatch #preorder #fallcolors (at Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Some of my favorite finds from the other week. Can't wait for the next hunt. ____________________________________ #latergram #upnorth #northshore #agatehunting #agates #lakesuperior #northshore #lovewhereyoulive #minnestagram #igdaily #sunshine #takemeback #caseofthemondays #wannabeoutside #nature #wanderlust #liveauthentic #explore #wildernessculture #exploreminnesota #optoutside

One of my favorite events at the Washington County Fair is @ridemn mega jump show. It is great watching local kids killing it on the ramp. My boys loved it, definitely hit the merch tent today. #ridemn #megajump #bmx #extremesports #bigair #minnesota #onlyinmn #washingtoncofair #washingtoncountyfair #minnstagram #minnestagramers #ramp (at Washington County Fair)

Being a part of the creation of this exhibition has been so incredible and is by far some of the most rewarding work I've ever done. I'm grateful to have such opportunities, to be able to center community in conversations, and to be part of larger discussions about mass incarceration. Ps. Pick up a postcard at Powwow Grounds, the Minneapolis Indian Center, Birchbark Books, and various other locations in the Twin Cities (including the U)! #abolishprisons #endmassincarceration #resist #gradschoollife #minneapolis #stpaul #minnestagram #communityvoices #statesofincarceration #publichistory https://www.instagram.com/p/BqNswxrFGW9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=37ykz3mbyj8j

“Out there's a a world that calls for me, girl; headin' out into the unknown. Well if there are strangers, and all kinds of danger, please don't say I'm going alone.” - Lord Huron #northcountryco #upnorth #captureminnesota #exploremn #venturenorth #stayandwander #wife #marriage #portraitmood #postthepeople #portraitlife #centralminnesota #cabinlife #pnwvibes #optoutside #stateology #minnestagram #artofvisuals #adventureculture #canont5i #sigma1750 (at Minnesota)

It makes me happy when I see monarchs in my pollinator garden. This one is enjoying some joe pye weed. #plant4pollinators #pollinators #pollinatorgarden #monarchs #monarch #butterfly #flowers #flower #minnesota #nature #savethemonarchs #minnstagram #minnestagramers #igersgarden #backyardnature (at Stillwater, Minnesota)

#minneapolis #resist #minnestagram #abolishprisons #endmassincarceration #oyatehotanin https://www.instagram.com/p/BqKw1R4F2Ks/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1fwhj2y5cujrn

Traveling back from Montreal with photos of snow, I had a feeling the dusting wouldn't stick around for my return. It didn't. Not complaining. I can always use more fall. #falldays #midwestisbest #minnestagram #appleorchard #latergram #besttimeofyear #autumnaltints https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo7dx5kg8_v/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pw2gy4pbv46h

#cityscape #minneapolis #minnestagram #smashfascism

Yes, it's finally spring in Minnesota. #minnestagram #minneapolis #spring #urbanfarming #naturegram #plants #nofilter

I'm glad to be home. #minneapolis #minnestagram #latergram (at University of Minnesota)

Future Home of the Living God is out y'all! Pick up or order from #birchbarkbooks! #bookstagram #nativewomen #nativewriters #louiseerdrich #minneapolis #minnestagram

“This is the intense love of land, of family, and of our nations that has always been the spine of Indigenous resistance. The fact that I am here today is a miracle, because it means my family, like every Indigenous family, did whatever they could do to ensure that I survived the past four hundred years of violence.” Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, As We Have Always Done.

I have to acknowledge how incredibly lucky I am to work at Birchbark. It’s the kind of job I remember fantasizing about my senior of high school when I would make a few trips a year. It’s definitely the kind of place I craved a year after when, as an 18-soon-to-be-19 year old, I would go well out of my way to attend readings at the deli next door (which sadly is no more) and to puruse the shelves of the bookstore owned by beloved Ojibwe author, Louise Erdrich. And now, my fifth year as a PhD student, I go to this space 2-3 times a week to work. I am so grateful I get to have this space. I am so grateful to have a bit of non-academic separation in the form of my community with my coworkers. I won’t say having a third (almost 4th) job is self-care, but sometimes it certainly feels that way. ( Yesterday's program from Talking Volumes with Sherman Alexie ) #minneapolis #minnestagram #midwestisbest #birchbarkbooks #independentbookstore #indigenousstudent #gradschool #shermanalexie #louiseerdrich #nativewriters #nativespaces #ndnland