Hello from Minnesota

These are some crazy days, right? The dramatic things happening here in Minneapolis have been augmented by the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics (and Lindsey Vonn’s tragic crash), to make it a very newsy time.

I haven’t posted in a while. The reasons are many and varied. I lost momentum on regular posting (again) due to being busy and a little over-committed. I’ve been playing a LOT of pickleball and it’s just not that thrilling to write about (though it’s thrilling to play!). Plus I’ve been working on launching a rather epic personal project.

And, finally, I’ve been very caught up in what’s happening in my state. I’m sure you’ve heard about it unless you live under a rock!

I don’t need to rehash it. You’re quite capable of watching your preferred news source and coming to your own conclusions about the ICE operation in Minnesota, as well as the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents.

But I will say that I unequivocally support our peaceful protestors. I refer to the ICE operation here as a siege. We know families that have been torn apart. We have seen children stolen from parents, and have seen report after report of people being assaulted, arrested or detained, even though they are here legally — all while the rhetoric is that this ICE mission is all about removing “the worst of the worst” criminals from our streets.

Bullshit.

Our communities are being terrorized. I know people who have lived here and have run businesses and paid taxes and have done everything they can to clear the hurdles to citizenship for years and years… and now have been violently ripped from their families, who are then left without a provider and are too afraid to leave their homes.

I have close friends and family members that have adult kids they adopted as babies from Central and South American countries and they fear for their kids’ safety every single day. The “kids” live and work in Minneapolis where thousands of ICE agents have been raiding businesses, breaking into homes without an arrest warrant, and pulling people out of their cars due to their ethnic appearance. They are not safe, simply because of their skin color. It is a travesty, and to me it is completely sick, horribly wrong and un-American.

On the positive side, I believe this episode in history is powerful. Our community has shown up in droves to peacefully resist, to protest the abuses and the civil rights violations, and show the world that it’s possible for people to band together, have a voice and make a difference.

Last night my husband and I went into Minneapolis for the annual Luminary Loppet Festival. This is an amazing event under any circumstances, but it was especially poignant this year. Thousands upon thousands of people attend this event. We stroll on the frozen Lake of the Isles, guided by ice luminaries.

There are multiple features along the course. I’ll share a few!

I have to start with the memorial to Renee Good and Alex Pretti. These two people lost their lives by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They posed no threat whatsoever, and yet were shot dead.

The rest I provide without much commentary. It is quite a powerful experience to be strolling in the snow by the glow of thousands of candles glimmering in ice luminaries.

Pics of me and my husband, posing with ice features for size perspective!

And of course we had to take a selfie as well.

As you can see, we were layered up for warmth.

Here are additional pictures of the different luminaries

Some of my favorite areas have hanging luminaries. They create a magical forest that you can walk through. It is so beautiful and uplifting!

Well, I should wind this down. Thanks for reading. I do know that not everyone feels the same way about standing up to ICE operations. But from my perspective, our society is more beautiful, more interesting, far stronger, and certainly better when we have the influences, ideas and foods of multiple cultures. May we one day return to sanity and to a world where diversity is celebrated.

Photo credits: All of the photos in this post were taken by me and belong to me, unless otherwise noted.

My bio: I am a fiction writer and photographer based in Minnesota. I have had a lifelong love of fiction writing. I am earned my MFA in writing from the University of New Hampshire. My short stories go de have appeared in a range of literary journals and anthologies, and my first short story collection, Somewhere in Minnesota is available on Amazon US as well as international Amazon sites., Barnes & Noble or from the publisher.

Want to know what I'm publishing and where? Visit my website, www.jaynalocke.com, or follow me on X, aka Twitter, at www.twitter.com/@jaynatweets or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/authorjaynalocke.

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