20 Under 40 Awards 2020

20 UNDER 40 Judges’ note

More than 150 nominations received for 2020 contest

By Christa Lawler clawler@duluthnews.com

It’s fair to say that this year, maybe more than ever, the picks for 20 Under 40 winners really reflect the past year: many medical professionals — like Harmony Tyner, of St. Luke’s hospital, who works in infectious diseases, and Charity Reynolds, medical director at Fond du Lac Human Services — and many activists — like Daniel Oyinloye, whose documentary “I Can’t Breathe” is a gorgeous and sobering look at race in Duluth, and Breanna Ellison, of TakeAction Minnesota.

In past years, the judges have gathered in the News Tribune conference room for hours and hours of paper shuffling, deep contemplation and debate. This year, our crew, which included past winners Moira Villiard, Cameron Kruger and Brittany Lind, and reporters Samantha Erkkila, Melinda Lavine and me, met over Zoom.

It was, dare I say, a year of easy choices. From the more than 150 nominations, we had 20 solid picks in record time.

For the first time in the history of this event, we took portraits and conducted video interviews with 19 of the winners outside. We were able to chat from a distance and were rewarded with bonus photographs of winners in masks. In past years, we have had a large event to coincide with the publication of this special section. This year, because of COVID-19, we aren’t even attempting it.

Meanwhile, keep your eyes open for the U-40 do-gooders you encounter. Submissions for this annual award will open again in the summer of 2021.

CHRISTA LAWLER

MELINDA LAVINE

CAMERON KRUGER

SAMANTHA ERKKILA

MOIRA VILLIARD

BRITTANY LIND

TOPHER DAVIS

36, HERMANTOWN

amazing natural beauty and I love the competitive challenge of the game of golf.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

I am an attorney and owner of Lake Superior Law, PLLC, a law firm that I started in 2018 after several years of practice with two established law firms in Duluth.

I also have become active in education. Beginning with the spring semester of 2019, I have had the opportunity to teach Civil Procedure and Personal Injury Litigation at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. This has been a tremendous experience where I can only see my passion for education growing.

I have had a wonderful time taking part in “The Northland’s Sports Page” radio show broadcast on Saturday mornings on Northland Fan 106.5 FM/AM 560 with hosts Brian Prudhomme and Dave Cook. Being able to chat about sports and real-life issues with two tremendous individuals has been an absolute honor. It’s great being on the radio with Brian and Dave, but even better calling them both friends.

For the last handful of high school hockey seasons I have

also been an analyst for high school hockey broadcasts for both girls and boys hockey on The Fan. I have also been lucky enough to be the public address announcer at Hermantown Arena for the Hermantown boys high school hockey and the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage girls high school hockey teams for the past five seasons. It’s a true honor to be the “Voice of the Hawks.”

In addition to that, I have served on the board of the Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce for the past five years and had the honor to serve as the board president in 2018.

I have also been on the board of the NorthShore Inline Marathon for five years and have been proud to serve such a great organization that puts on the largest inline marathon in North America.

How do you spend your free time?

When I am lucky enough to find some free time I thoroughly enjoy getting out on the golf course on a sunny day. The Duluth area is blessed with

Aside from golf in the summer and being around hockey arenas in the winter — and when there is not a worldwide pandemic — spending time with my family in the area including my parents, one of my two sisters (the other is in beautiful Oregon with her two great kids) and my nephews and niece. Most of all, I enjoy planning our next adventure with my wonderful girlfriend. Tell us about an influential person in your life.

There have been so many influential people in my life through all different stages of my life. I would start with my parents who always have supported me through whatever crazy adventure that comes along. Also, former Hermantown high school hockey head coach Bruce Plante has been very influential, probably more than he even knows. From my days playing for him to the life lessons that go far beyond the rink. I owe a lot to him.

In the legal world, I have been blessed to work with some great attorneys, but I learned so much from J.D. Feriancek and later from Steve Overom.

Finally, Dylan Malagrino, a

former law professor of mine, has influenced my passion for teaching and has been a constant mentor in that area of my life.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Well, just a little up the hill from Duluth, my favorite place in the Northland is Hermantown and probably those outdoor rinks in the winter. Hermantown is a beautiful place to live with wonderful wilderness and close enough to the great city of Duluth and all that it has to offer.

In Duluth, I would have to say Park Point for some beautiful days along Lake Superior or enjoying the beautiful scenery of Ridgeview Country Club.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

This time during the pandemic has certainly changed so much in everyone’s life. But, for me, I would say the biggest lesson is to really value the time that we are able to spend together. It has been difficult to be apart and not enjoy the fun group activities that we all know and love.

This isn’t fun for anyone, so all we can do is be respectful and have some grace for everyone. We’re all in this together.

CHELSEA GRANDMAISON 35, DULUTH

cards and artwork for friends. Since COVID has left me with a bit more free time, binging on Netflix has been a welcomed distraction.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

For my full-time job, I am part of the dynamic team at Wheeler Associates, a family-owned financial and employee benefits firm in Duluth. As client services manager, I spend my time helping organizations and their employees manage and understand their employee benefits.

I’m also part of the amazing group of instructors at Duluth Yoga. This is my “bucket-filler” job that allows me to pursue my passion of sharing health, wellness and movement with others.

I currently serve on the board of directors for The Hills Youth and Family Services, a nonprofit organization providing programming for at-risk youth and their families. I’m also part of the board of directors at The Duluth Bethel, a Duluth nonprofit that provides life-changing help and guidance through drug and alcohol treatment and community corrections programs.

How do you spend your free time?

I like to spend my free time adventuring outdoors — biking, hiking, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. You can also find me getting lost in a good book (shoutout to the LGA Book Club), appreciating the slower pace of life out at the cabin and testing out my baking skills with a new Pinterest recipe. I’ve also been known to get pretty crafty, creating hand-designed

Hands-down, my niece and official pen pal, Allie Lu. This soon-to-be 8-year-old is already an animal rights advocate, a confident performer no matter the stage and has an insatiable thirst for knowledge. She reminds me to stay curious and ask questions, to stand up for what you are passionate about and proudly march to the beat of your own drum. She inspires me to be kind, to use my words for good in which to promote change and to love without boundaries.

Seeing the world through her unfiltered eyes encourages me to find the opportunities that exist in each day.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Stoney Point on a calm summer night.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I’ve learned that it’s easier to adapt to, rather than resist change. Change can present new and exciting opportunities if you stop digging your heels in.

I never thought that I would say this, but, I’ve learned that I may actually be a hugger. I’ll have to test my theory when it’s safe to embrace on the other side of this thing.

Finally, while working from home I’ve learned that sweatpants are totally acceptable work attire. As long as you don’t stand up during a Zoom meeting, no one will ever know.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

Community relations officer for the city of Duluth. This role in the mayor’s office is a definite dream role, of heart work. And by dream, I mean that’s actually how I imagine it’s supposed to be — that belonging, the ability to feel like you’re not stepping outside some boundary. It’s not like, “Do I belong here?” No, this is where I’m supposed to be. And it sheds a different light on how things could be.

That same relentless determination for a healthy, connected and thriving community, is what leads me to serve as a Core Council leader of the KwePack (Kwe means “woman” in Anishinaabe), a collective of Indigenous endurance athletes. That’s why I takes pride in working for the city of Duluth and running with the KwePack — people like me, with stories like mine — both platforms gift me the ability to advocate with and for, to empower, and create space for others to tell their own stories and run, speak, listen and lead in a heartway. In the way that I was taught, our ancestral homelands are the “center of all good things.”

Everyone deserves to exist and absorb all that goodness — to be visible, be heard, to belong, and thrive here in Duluth. That also means we have a responsibility to take care of this place and each other.

ALICIA KOZLOWSKI

OZAAWAA ANAKWAADOOKWE (YELLOW CLOUD WOMAN) 32, MISAABEKONG (DULUTH)

How do you spend your free time?

As a super-proud multiracial Latina (Mexican)-Anishinaabe-Ojibwe, I’m obsessed with all things community and culture. You can find me out there sporting fanny packs, playing soccer, broomball, ultrarunning and repping blazers (#blazernation).

Honestly, you can most likely catch me with the KwePack because it’s so much more than a running group. KwePack is comprised of incredibly resilient and strong women. There are lawyers, educators, social workers, entrepreneurs, mothers and aunties, and public servants. We’re out here shifting narratives and showing the world that Indigenous women do run. As Indigenous People, we often feel we don’t belong in space, take up too much space, but kwepack reminds us that we are not invisible, we are the space.

Even amidst a global pandemic, we’re still out here running, socially distant but heartway connected, being victorious, being strong. That’s too who we are, and that’s what we want people to see. We are all leaders, with gifts to share in our own ways. We are becoming the new ancestors.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

To share with you who I am, that requires me to tell you who I come from: my sisters, aunties and grandmothers. Being raised and mentored

by super-fierce women who just figured out a way to adapt and thrive despite some pretty serious, challenging barriers is what helped me to get to where I’m at today.

I was primarily raised by her grandmother, Clara Kozlowski, who was part of a group of esteemed Native matriarchs (including Nora Hakala, Geraldine Kozlowski and Ruth Meyers) known as the “Big 4” in Indian Country, American Indian education and government spaces for their advocacy efforts. These women would show up at meetings concerning community issues to ensure Native voices were represented and heard. They taught so many how to carve out a space to exist, to belong, to use your own voice. To empower others and to create a wake in the gap for those coming behind to all rise together. My fiercely Ojibwe grandmother showed me that you can be gentle and soft — powerful and strong — all at the same time.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

That’s a tough one since I’m a total fangirl of all things Misaabekong (Ojibwe meaning “the place of the giants”), aka Duluth. I’m a forever Lincoln Park or the friendly West End kind of person. So, it has to be Lincoln Park, the park and the Superior Hiking Trail section that cuts through the neighborhood. Growing up in this neighborhood, I didn’t even know any runners — that trails even existed — and certainly didn’t dream up that I’d run ultra-races on them with other Indigenous runners.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

Pre-pandemic, a brilliant bawse shared: “’It’s really, really, really important for leaders to share how scary and difficult leadership can be. Leadership is a progression. It’s a reflection of you. It changes you.”

The thing about running is the same with leadership: You’re forced to feel everything. Seriously, that’s true — the “brutiful” and beautiful. The “brutiful” is the living. A mentor of mine often says: “We’re out here walking on uneven ground ... and we’re here for a finite amount of time, so we just need to keep. on going. together.” We need to go home to ourselves: to remember who we are and why we’re here. Know that we’re not alone. Leading from your heart means from your strength and power. The teaching to be so authentically you that others will respond with their full, authentic, and powerful selves. As Indigenous and two spirit people, we have endured some of the darkest chapters in history and emerged knowing who we are, where we come from, and what we stand for.

I believe we can envision and regenerate a world where healing, justice and even ground for everyone are within reach, for us, and all those coming behind us. We’ve inherited a vision so audacious, that celebrates beauty, defiance and resilience. I’m calling this phase the reclamation chapter; we’re learning how to dream up big dreams, perhaps that we didn’t even know we had, as we walk each other home.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

Director of facilities at Essentia Health providing the leadership and oversight on construction projects. My main focus has been the replacement hospital project currently being constructed in downtown Duluth. How do you spend your free time?

I love spending time with my family, either chasing the kids around the house, searching for velociraptors in the yard, and going on many adventures to see what kind of trouble we can get into with mommy. We also enjoy camping at our many state parks, hiking and spending time outside. I also enjoy many hobbies, including woodworking and small house remodeling projects.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

This is a difficult question as I have had the privilege of having many influential people in my life. I do have to say that both my parents have been and continue to be the most influential.

I look up to my dad in many ways, as he has taught me to work hard and do my best in all that I can. He is creative and someone who can make anything that he puts his mind to. Additionally, he has taught me to try new things and if you fail, to get back up and try again. He doesn’t take things for granted and

DANIEL CEBELINSKI

39, ESKO

appreciates the things he has.

My mother is a strong leader, who is also very compassionate and caring. Her passion is to help others and put their needs above her own. She has instilled the values that I have and helped me understand what it truly means to be a servant leader. She has also taught me that it is never too late to learn, as she is always learning and trying something new.

I am grateful for what my parents have taught me and cannot thank them enough for believing in me.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

It’s hard to pick just one place in the Duluth/Superior area that is my favorite. If I narrow it down to just one, I would have to say the beachfront of Canal Park. It is peaceful sitting on the shore watching the waves come in, the kids throwing rocks, and watching ships come into the harbor. There is just something about the lake that draws me in.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

This has been an extremely difficult time with unknowns. What to expect or do has proven challenging for everyone. We have been forced to make difficult decisions, become adaptable and adjust for change rapidly, and give up things that give us comfort. For example, we realize we do not need all the stuff that we

may have sitting around our desks. We were forced to make drastic changes to the way we conduct our business by going online with limited resources in the confines of our homes either in an office, on our beds, or kitchen tables.

As I transitioned the way I work, I continue to find myself asking, do I really need this or do I really need to print this off and find alternative ways of managing work. It is very enlightening to realize how much stuff we can reduce by the choices we make. I have also learned that it is OK not to always have someplace

to go. It’s OK to stay home and not travel from place to place. We have been privileged by being able to just pick up and go.

Today, we have to think about our travel and plan things out in detail, including making sure you have a mask, are kids allowed, or is the store even open as expected. For some, it can be stressful going out, even as basic of a trip as going to Target or the grocery store.

What I have found by staying home more is that I have gained back time in my day to spend with family and enjoy the little things in life.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

I am a full-spectrum family medicine physician and the medical director for Fond du Lac Human Services Division. I am a member of the NAACP Duluth branch and a board member

CHARITY REYNOLDS

of the Oldenburg Arts and Culture Community Board. I am a part of Mahtowa Covenant Church as well.

How do you spend your free time?

I enjoy being with my husband, our 9-month-old daughter and our 3-year-old Newfie. We like to spend time outdoors, hiking, biking and camping.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

My mother was a selfless, loving and brave woman. She taught me how to put others before my own needs and how to live a life with purpose doing God’s will. She taught me about the importance of identifying with

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

Employed at PAVSA (Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault) as a sexual assault nurse examiner program coordinator; firstyear law student at Mitchell Hamline School of Law; board member of Lake Superior Community Health Center; Duluth Community Garden Program; Lake Superior Sustainable

Farming Association; commissioner on City of Duluth Parking Commission

How do you spend your free time?

Getting outdoors. I love camping, hiking, paddling, hammocking and mountain biking. I also enjoy reading, getting sucked into a binge-worthy TV series, and spending time out in the garden.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

I would say the most influential person in my life is my mom. I get my work ethic, resilience and sense of humor from her. No matter the pursuit, my mom has supported me 100% as I have chased my dreams. I have a lot of gratitude to her for being such a stable and loving presence throughout my life.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

The Sucker River. It’s such a gem. There are

one’s own roots and heritage. I hope to teach my daughter about her diverse heritage from Mexico, Ireland and Scotland.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Va Bene’s outside deck overlooking Lake Superior.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I have learned the importance of making time to be with family. In the past I have put off trips to visit family due to being busy. As soon as it is safe to travel more readily, we are going to take the time and energy to go to Mexico, Arizona and wherever else our family has settled.

EM WESTERLUND

34, CLOQUET 27, DULUTH

a lot of sweet little spots along the river to spend an afternoon reading, swimming and enjoying the solitude.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I’m more of an introvert than I thought. Perks include extra time with my partner and her kids in our “pod” and working from home has been an unexpected but nice change of pace.

I’m more aware than ever that we are blessed to live in such a beautiful place. There are so many trails to get out on when the pandemic stress gets too big to hold. The solace of Lake Superior is also something I’ve appreciated through all of the time we’ve spent hunkered down.

I’m grateful that despite COVID, the seasons continue to change and nature goes on its consistent way without interruption. There is something so comforting about that — a promise that our lives will also someday resume some semblance of normalcy.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

Day job: I help lead Minnesota Power’s business retention, expansion and recruitment efforts across northeastern and central Minnesota.

Night job: I serve as an at large member of the Duluth City Council, as well as on the boards of the Northspan Group, Community Action Duluth, Greater Downtown Council, 1200 Fund, Laurentian Chamber of Commerce and various other committees and task forces.

How do you spend your free time?

Our family loves taking family hikes on the Superior Hiking Trail, playing in our yard, and loading up in the van after dinner for ice cream.

I’m also quietly a big fantasy football nerd and have run a league with my high school and college friends for 14 years. I haven’t won the title in nine years, but it’s a fun way to stay in touch with the type of lifelong friends who will go out of their way to keep a guy humble.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

I’ve been really blessed to have supportive mentors, role models and family in my life. My work ethic and drive come from my mom and dad, who have always pushed me. I’ve also worked for seven bosses in my career, including six amazing women.

One of those women is Nancy Norr. She is an incredibly community-minded leader

ARIK FORSMAN

32, DULUTH

who has pushed me to further my personal growth and development. Her mentorship, compassion and encouragement have been deeply impactful for me over the past five years. Even when I told her I was thinking about applying to serve on the City Council, an idea that may send other bosses running in the other direction, she took a deep breath and was fully supportive.

Nancy is known nationally in her profession of economic development as a leader who has mastered her craft. I feel lucky to get to learn from someone who expects the best of herself every day and has taught me invaluable lessons about building relationships, trust, and making an impact in my own career.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

This is like being asked to pick which child is your favorite. An impossible choice. But if forced to choose, going to Amsoil Arena for a hockey game with my family is at the top of my list. My wife, Jessica, and I went to University of Minnesota Duluth games together in college when we were dating and now we love sharing the experience with our two young kids. We are such diehards that we road-tripped as a family to Buffalo, New York, to watch them win the national championship in 2019. Go Bulldogs!

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

How much my dog actually sleeps during the day, how privileged I am to have a career that allows me to temporarily work from home, and that sometimes it’s OK to slow down a little. In “normal” times, I’m usually at full throttle and attending many events and meetings throughout the week (both before and after working hours).

The pandemic has definitely forced a slower pace that has allowed for more family time and “quiet” moments with my kids. But COVID-19 has also deeply exposed cracks in our systems that show how much our society depends on essential workers, many of whom struggle to make ends meet and who don’t have the luxury of working from home through a high-speed broadband connection. We’ve got a lot of work to do to make our economy more equitable and durable as we move into a post-pandemic world (hopefully sooner than later). As a city, we must continue to work on issues like child care, housing, and growing more good-paying jobs to set our current and future families up for success. Duluth has so much potential, and I’m excited to be a small part of our city’s present and future along with these other talented 20 Under 40 leaders in our community.

CONGRATUL ATIONS

Under 40” award recipient Arik’s passion for public service is a powerful force for helping communities thrive. We’re so proud he’s part of our team.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

I’m the advocacy coordinator and systems advocate at the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault in Duluth. I manage their sexual assault advocacy program as well as work to decrease barriers and increase accessibility for the communities we work with.

I also created in 2015 and manage a website called Justice for Native Women (justiceforna-

MAK MARS

34, DULUTH

tivewomen.com) that researches and profiles Missing, Murdered and Unidentified Indigenous women in the United States and Canada. I’ve been asked to consult with the University of Arizona, the Minnesota State MMIW taskforce and the Presidential Taskforce on MMIW due to my work.

How do you spend your free time?

I spend a lot of time gaming; photographing; playing with my pet conure, Mabel; and doing at-home projects with my four children.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

When I was in college a close friend introduced me to Steve O’Neil and Angie Miller, as I had recently lost housing. They took me in and I lived with them for two years until I finished my degree. They both taught me a lot about what it means to be community involved, to do work that is hard and for the greater good, and to dare to not always assume that prob-

lems in our community are someone else’s problem to solve.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

My favorite place is Wisconsin Point. My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was Chief Osaugie and the foundation for my great-grandmother’s house still stands in those woods. The Indigenous burial ground at the end of the beach belongs to my relatives. It’s a place for contemplation and beautiful wildlife in addition to a place to connect with my ancestors.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

One of the most important things in a situation like this is to give yourself things to look forward to. Your favorite TV show coming on, an order coming in the mail, fun projects to do with your family. It can be hard to have those things when the rest of the world is closed down, so it’s important to try and make them for yourself.

CIARRA SANTODONATO

27, DULUTH

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

I work at Miller Hill Subaru.

How do you spend your free time?

I like to spend it with my friends and family. I also love photography and going around Duluth to capture everyone’s beauty.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

My grandparents have been the most influential people in my life. I grew up spending every weekend, summer and break with them since I’ve been born. They have taught me so much and shown me what family really looks like and never left my side.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

My favorite places are Canal Park and Park Point.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I’ve learned to just stay in the present and don’t worry about the next day. To enjoy the time you have for today because things can change in seconds. I’ve learned not to rush and realized what’s really important and what’s not.

We work here. We live here.

This is a place like no other. And there’s no place we’d rather call home.

Careers here come with great benefits: purpose, community and possibility.

Supporting the Northland's next generation through our Young Leaders Fund.

LAURA BELLAMY SARAH CROWELL

29,

DULUTH 39, DULUTH

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

I work for the National Institutes of Health, where I lead a group that does business optimization research. Because my job is remote, it has been important for me to find ways to contribute to Duluth. To this end, I have worked and volunteered with several community organizations since moving here five years ago, including the Junior League of Duluth, University of Wisconsin-Superior, Northland Human Resource Association, WDSE/WRPT, Hartley Nature Center and St. Luke’s.

How do you spend your free time?

I enjoy spending free time with my spouse and our two kids, as well as finding creative ways to connect with extended family and friends. Before COVID, I also enjoyed exploring Duluth’s creative arts scene, including Zenith City Horror, Duluth Playhouse, Zeitgeist and Renegade productions,

Wise Fool Theater, and Superior Ballroom classes.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

My parents. My dad was the kind of inspirational preacher that made you want to jump out of the seat and say “Amen!” He was a great organizational leader, too. My mom is a pioneer, a woman who has become a leading legal ethicist, in addition to being a great mom. I learned a lot about the importance of family and servant leadership from their example.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Any spot that connects me to Lake Superior. I especially like Brighton Beach.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

The importance of flexibility and resiliency.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

I am the associate head coach of the University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team. In the job, I am fortunate to manage and lead a group of 23 young women for whom I have great respect and adoration. In the community, I am involved with the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, most recently serving on a scholarship subcommittee. The upcoming election will be my first serving as an election judge.

How do you spend your free time?

Cycling is my newest hobby. Currently trying to learn how to become a better photographer. Also enjoy reading, vegetarian cooking, playing tennis and Duluth favorites: hiking and frequenting the local breweries.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

Fellow Duluthian Angie Francisco is a mentor of mine and someone I will always hold in high regard. She coached me when I was in high school and encouraged me to take a close look at her alma mater, Harvard. She gave me the confidence that there was a place for me there and I am indebted to her for that, as it was a decision that changed my life forever.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Too many to choose. Among them: Brighton Beach, Tischer Creek, Ursa Minor, Duluth Coffee Company, Amsoil Arena.

Bellamy a tremendous ambassador for Bulldogs, hometown

By Matt Wellens mwellens@duluthnews.com

When Maura Crowell convinced Laura Bellamy to return home in 2015 and join her staff at the University of Minnesota Duluth, the new Bulldogs women’s head hockey coach not only gained one of the top up-and-coming assistant coaches in the sport, but also a tremendous ambassador for the program and community.

“Lu is a great teacher of our history and our past,” Crowell, a previous “20 Under 40” honoree, said. “And when it comes time to talk about what Duluth is like, she is the one we want to talk about it — born and raised.”

Despite being the program’s head coach, Crowell has gotten used to playing second fiddle when out and about in the Twin Ports with Bellamy, who was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach prior to the 201920 season. And Crowell is OK with that after everything the hometown hero had accomplished by age 29.

“Duluth should really be proud of everything she’s done from her childhood up to now,” Crowell said.

A 2009 graduate of Duluth Denfeld, Bellamy was a standout starting pitcher for the Hunters’ softball program and all-star goaltender for the Duluth Northern Stars hockey co-op. She went on to backstop the Harvard women’s hockey team for four seasons in goal — with Crowell as one of her assistant coaches for three of those four seasons — before spending two seasons with Crowell as an assistant coach on Katey Stone’s Crimson staff.

When Crowell was hired to take over the Bulldogs in 2015, Bellamy was primed to become Stone’s new top lieutenant despite being just three years removed from her playing days at Harvard.

But after being such an important resource for her during UMD’s hiring process, Crowell knew Bellamy could be an even greater asset to the Bulldogs. So she lured the West Duluth

native home.

While not an alumnus of the UMD program, Bellamy grew up watching the Bulldogs win national championships as a young fan in Duluth. She had personal connections with many of the program’s legends. Bellamy said it was inspiring to watch pioneers of women’s hockey pioneers, such as Caroline Ouellette, lead the Bulldogs to the first three NCAA titles.

“It’s special for me. You grow up watching all these teams and their players are your heroes,” said Bellamy, who was 10 years old when UMD won the first of three straight national titles in 2001. “To come back and work with those same kids is an unbelievable opportunity and I feel so fortunate.”

Bellamy’s ties to the Duluth community are also rich. Those same former teachers and coaches who come up to say “hi” to Bellamy when she and the coaching staff are out at a local brewery are who the former Hunter and North Star turns to when the program wants to get involved in the community, such as reading in schools or helping with youth hockey.

Bellamy is involved with the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. After helping the organization with its Young Leaders Fund, she is now part of the organization’s scholarship subcommittee reading essays written by students.

It wasn’t too long ago that Bellamy was the one submitting an essay to the foundation, which awarded her a scholarship after she graduated from Denfeld. Since Ivy League schools like Harvard don’t award athletic scholarships, Bellamy said the aid from the foundation helped her “immensely” and is why she was able to attend Harvard.

“One thing that’s so fulfilling about coaching is giving back to your community,” Bellamy said. “The fact that I’ve been able to do that at the place I went to school and then come back and do it at the place I grew up, I feel really fortunate.”

Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com

Laura Bellamy, a Duluth Denfeld graduate and associate head coach of the Minnesota Duluth women's hockey program, is one of the 20 under 40 award winners in 2020.

JAYLAH WILLIS BREANNA ELLISON

18, DULUTH 24, DULUTH

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

I’m an organizer with TakeAction Minnesota. I do both community and political organizing both in Duluth and statewide. Outside of organizing, I serve on the Community Development Committee with the city of Duluth, and I play broomball with Twin Ports Broomball.

How do you spend your free time?

I really enjoy hanging out and spending time with other people. I’m an extrovert so I really flourish being able to joke, laugh and build with others. I’ve also gotten into mountain biking in the past few years and really appreciate the trail system we have in Duluth. I like to spend time playing music when I’m feeling creative as well.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

It’s really hard to pick just one person because my life has been impacted by so many people. My parents have been super influential in who I am and how I express myself and move through the world. My dad taught me to think critically and question everything. My mom taught me to use my voice unapologetically.

In Duluth specifically, I’m inspired by other strong BIPOC community leaders who are getting into the “good trouble,” especially Terresa and Jordon Moses, Daniel and Sandra Oyinloye, and Alicia Kozlowski. They are the people I look to for an example of how to consistently give back to and improve our community.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

This is a tough one! I’d have to say that my favorite place in the Twin Ports is on the shores of Lake Superior at sunrise. There is something so beautiful and centering about starting a day watching the sun rise over the greatest great lake.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

In terms of literal things learned, I’ve become a better baker. I’ve learned how to overcome the barriers that COVID has created to still be able to connect and build relationships with others across the community, even though digital meetings are inherently more awkward than in-person ones. A bigger takeaway: Value today, even the tedious parts, because you never know if tomorrow will bring a life-changing pandemic.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

I’m an activist.

How do you spend your free time?

I’m a creative; I like to draw, paint, listen to music and spend time with family.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Canal Park is my favorite place — probably everyone’s favorite place as well.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

How important communication is.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

I am an associate professor and the director of graduate studies in the Department of Social Work at the University of Minnesota Duluth. In my role as a faculty member at UMD, I teach courses in social work at the undergraduate and graduate levels, conduct research and participate in many, many meetings. I know it is cool to say you despise meetings, but I actually like many of them because I like working collaboratively with my colleagues. But don’t tell anyone I said that, or I might get invited to more.

I have taught a number of courses, but my favorites are Social Welfare Policy and field seminars for social work students interning at social service agencies. Policy is such a fantastic challenge to teach, because a lot of students come into it not really being excited about policy or seeing the connection to real world direct practice. But by the end, I think most students find something that really clicks for them because there are so many issues they care about deeply and they see where the gaps are and where we can do better.

Fortunately, there are a lot of great opportunities to engage with policy in our area because we have such a politically engaged community, so there are a lot of ways

that students can get out into the community and see policy advocacy in action. Last year, many of my students volunteered on local campaigns or helped to register people to vote. I love to facilitate those types of experiences in my teaching because I think that kind of hands-on learning is something they’ll remember and take with them throughout their lives.

Most of my research focuses broadly on sexual violence and I primarily partner with community organizations to answer questions they identify as experienced practitioners and to evaluate programs and practice. That way, the research is directly useful to the individuals and organizations doing the work every day and can also inform the broader knowledge base.

I am also on the board of directors at Hartley Nature Center. I adore everything about Hartley and it is a pleasure to support the dedicated staff and mission of a place that plays such a vital role in our community in so many ways. My family and I spend a lot of time there and I’m fairly sure my youngest son is responsible for eating most of the raspberries in the park this summer.

My other job is being a mom. I have two kids; they are 8 and 4 and they are the most wonderful and exhausting thing ever.

WENDY ANDERSON 39,

How do you spend your free time?

What is “free time”? I’m joking, but I think the way that I think of free time has changed so much since having kids, working, and now trying to do both at the same time at home with the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, free time doesn’t really exist in the same way that it used to, because I rarely have a chunk of time or a day where I can just do whatever I want to.

Most of the time my family and I are exploring outside, either at

DULUTH

one of the beaches, or out on a trail in the woods somewhere. No matter how many times we’ve gone somewhere, we always find something new. My kids are at the age where they are very active and curious, so that is the perfect combination to keep exploring this extraordinary place we live in. When I can get away on my own, I’ve been able to get into running most of the year. I have never considered myself a runner, but in

ANDERSON: Page18

the last few years I’ve trained for a few half-marathons and other shorter races with some really good friends. This past year I ran with a local training group, which was such a fantastic and motivating experience. I’m definitely not very fast and probably won’t try for anything longer than a half, but I love running outside and being part of a supportive community of people who are there to challenge themselves for lots of different reasons.

Someday I think it would be cool to read a book in a hammock all day. Maybe I’ll do that in about 10 years.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

My dad. He was a scholar on world religion and spent his life engaged in service to the community, both in his profession and in his free time. He was deeply concerned about social justice issues and often engaged us in discussions about issues and took me to events in the community, so that obviously influenced my career path. He really was a true intellectual and loved to read and write.

After he retired, he could often be found reading, highlighting passages in books on science and religion and climate change. He had several ideas for books he wanted to write. He was incredibly patient and had a very kind and gentle demeanor.

He battled Parkinson’s disease for the last 11 years of his life, but he still retained all of his core qualities even when the disease progressed, and his body and mind didn’t allow him to outwardly express himself as easily. My mom was the love of his life and that was so apparent in the way they cared for each other. They would have been married for 50 years in 2018, the year he died.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

I can’t choose one. Hartley is probably my favorite place for trails and woods. And Lake Superior, really anywhere next to, on, or in it. Lake Superior is a big part of what drew us to this area. I lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a few years growing up and ever since then, I’ve felt a deep sense of connection to the lake and have always longed to be close to it again.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I’ve learned that I am at my best when I can have some sort of separation between my work and home life. And I’m sure most people would say that, but I’ve always tried really hard to balance and create space for the two separately. And obviously the pandemic has made that impossible. Working families are being crushed right now because we already didn’t have enough support in place to allow parents to be able to prioritize the health and safety of themselves or their kids.

And that’s, of course, much worse for families who are working in front-line jobs, jobs where they can’t afford to take time off or have benefits, or who lost their jobs. And there are so many who are just struggling so deeply and I don’t think we even know the true extent of that right now.

This pandemic is only uncovering the existing gaps in our systems to really support people at the most basic level and especially the ways in which systemic racism affords privilege to white folks over Black, Indigenous and communities of color. And over time, all of this has a cumulative effect and contributes to preexisting chronic health conditions.

That’s why we are seeing such disproportionate negative impact on communities of color and I think as a society we’re going to continue to grapple with the deep effects of this for a very long time.

DANIEL OLUWASEYI OYINLOYE

33, DULUTH

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

Co-founder of DanSan Creatives.

How do you spend your free time?

With family and when given the chance to be alone with music.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

Jesus is a character that has been my grounding influence.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Hard to say. All nature takes the award, yet, if I was to write something in stone, it wouldn’t be anywhere but where I spend the most time: our home.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

That I’m so grateful and so in love with life. How fragile, complicated and wonderfully made we are as a people.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

Mayor of the city of Superior.

How do you spend your free time?

I live for the outdoors. Swimming, canoeing and camping in the summer, skiing (cross-country and downhill) in the winter. Running all year long. I also love to read, travel and ride my motorcycle.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

Former Douglas County Board Chair Doug Finn. He brought me into politics at a time when I felt pushed out. He taught me the value of relationships, compromise and working together. I wouldn’t have this job without him.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

As a local community development leader with Local Initiatives Support Corp. Duluth, I help bring together citizen groups, nonprofit organizations and private partnerships in collaboration. I come from the world of field organizing, or getting folks ready and motivated to get out and vote on Election Day.

I’m the current chair of the 8th Congressional District DFL board and volunteer to help candidates with their campaigns.

JIM PAINE EMILY NYGREN

How do you spend your free time?

39, SUPERIOR 28, DULUTH

COVID has allowed me to fulfill my not-so-secret desire to never leave the house. The free time I have is spent with friends playing board games or reading with our two cats. When I do leave the house, I enjoy hiking Duluth trails or up the shore.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

My grandma Katie saw the world in bold, bright colors. She played piano and sang with her friends (which was anyone who stopped by) until she died at 92. I started piano lessons a little over a year ago and it’s been a wonderful experience to learn something new again.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Wherever I find a quiet place on the beach to stick my toes in. Preferably past Park Point or down along the St. Louis River.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

Social connections can be strengthened without in-person contact. You can find opportunities to stay connected and show people you care even from far away. Also, there really is an art to writing a letter — and I haven’t mastered it yet.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Girl Scout Point, technically called “Second Point” in Billings Park, commands an incredible view of the St. Louis River expanding into the bay. It’s also relatively unknown, so the spot stays private. And, of course, Wisconsin Point is easily Superior’s greatest place.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I’ve tried to use the time to “restart” the work of the city and explore opportunities to come back stronger from the pandemic. It’s a strange crisis that gives you more free time than less, so it presents a priceless opportunity to read, learn and grow.

Congratulations to Emily Nygren for being honored as one of Duluth’s 20 Under 40!

Pam, Lars, Tina & our Local Advisory Board Members

Mars’ website a resource for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

By Christa Lawler clawler@duluthnews.com

The first name Mak Mars added to his website Justice for Native Women in 2015 was Sheila St. Clair, a Duluth woman who was last seen in mid-August of that year. St. Clair had planned to go to the White Earth Reservation in western Minnesota, and then she was gone.

“People I knew were affected by it,” Mars said. “I wanted her to be first.”

Since then, Mars has collected more than 2,400 names, photos and circumstances surrounding cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The website, with an eye toward respectfully reporting all available information, gets an estimated 10,000 hits per month and Mars has become a go-to for related task forces and is co-author of an Arizona-based study that uses his data.

By day, Mars works as an advocacy supervisor at Program to Aid Victims of Sexual Assault, and is one of this year’s 20 Under 40 award winners. Nominator Mary Faulkner said on

the nomination form: “For his entire professional career, Mak has worked to empower those who have experienced violence or other crises in their lives” and also “Mak has introduced the PAVSA staff to K-Pop.”

Mars’ background is in Ojibwe language and cultural education. Among the facts of his life: He’s a descendant of Ojibwe Chief Joseph Osaugie, who was the head of a band from Fond du Lac who lived on Wisconsin Point — a place they were forced to move away from in 1918. Even the graves were relocated to a church cemetery in Superior, according to a story in the News Tribune. Descendants gather annually for a reunion on the land.

He came to the website by way of a career in social work and a mysterious death in the family. His grandmother’s cause of death indicated that she had had an epileptic seizure, hitting her head on a rock 40 times before she died.

“That’s really unusual. Also, my grandmother was not epileptic,” he said.

Mars’ research includes

unsolved cases dating back more than 70 years. Louise Lorraine Laderoute, a Canadian woman, disappeared in 1950. Jacqueline White Cloud is a Minnesota woman, a veteran of the U.S. Army, who has been missing since 2017. He adds as much information as he can find to each profile. Sometimes there is a lot: St. Clair’s has links to news reports. Some-

times there isn’t even a photo or name. Consider the case of a Jane Doe from Belew’s Creek, North Carolina. A dog found a skull and not even an age could be determined. And he does it with respect.

“I want to present the information in a way that honors the person that they were,” he said. “I also want to do it in a way that’s not further harmful.”

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

I am an anthropologist of law and an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth.

How do you spend your free time?

I’m a big fan of running Duluth’s great hills and family dance parties.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

Kathryn Dudley is an anthropologist who wrote “Debt and Dispossession,” a book about the 1980s farm crisis. My parents lost their farm when I was 5, and it was something we could never talk about as a family because there was so much grief around it. I read “Debt and Dispossession” in my 20s, and to have someone explain something that was so structurally complex and so deeply personal was like turning on a light bulb.

Because of that book, I believe that really good anthropology makes sense of politi-

MICHELE STATZ

37, DULUTH

cal and economic forces that matter to the heart. It’s what motivates me every day.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

It’s not really a place, but the Misaabekong Ojibwe Language Immersion Program is easily my favorite part of being in Duluth. My daughter is enrolled in Misaabekong, and I can’t describe how meaningful her education has been to her or to our entire family. It is an incredible curriculum and a really amazing, committed community.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I don’t have a lot of time to reflect these days, but one thing that’s been hammered home is how much we all belong to each other. We all see how political and institutional forces try to deny this fact, but somehow that has made it even more humbling to observe how many people still express a sense of belonging or care.

It’s also been an interesting time to be a parent. Anytime I see someone scramble to be socially distant on a trail or call out “hello” from behind a mask, I have a really stark opportunity to talk to our kids about caring for and honoring our neighbors — because that’s what people are doing for us. It’s a good antidote to so much fear and cynicism.

CONGRATULATIONS, Michele Statz PhD

,

on being recognized as one of the 2020 20 Under 40 Recipients! Thank you for being a champion in addressing access to justice in our rural & Native American communities.

What do you do?

(job, community involvement)

I’m an infectious disease physician at St. Luke’s hospital. I treat people with infections of all kinds, in the hospital and out of the hospital. This includes viruses such as COVID and HIV, parasite infections and bacterial infections — or as my husband calls them, “all of the creepy crawlies.”

I’m also involved in problem-solving for the homeless and unstably housed in Duluth with the Bob Tavani Medical Respite House, which combines things that are important to me including my church, CHUM, Loaves and Fishes, and health care and homelessness. This year I’ve been working with the Centers for Disease Control on a multi-center study studying the epidemiology of COVID-19. I’ve been leading the study site at St. Luke’s hospital to answer questions about how many people have the infection with or without symptoms, and how many times people can get COVID-19.

HARMONY TYNER

39, DULUTH

How do you spend your free time?

I love running and backpacking. I think I’m truly happiest when I’m hiking or participating in some endurance activity. I will participate in any non-motorized activity that involves being in the woods or on the water. I also enjoy reading and trying to witness plants grow. I have ended up with a collection of growing things that my husband refers to as my “plant hospice”; we will call it marginally successful. When I must be indoors, I love our wood-burning sauna and renovating our home.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

Dr. Charles Rohren believed in me before I believed in myself. In addition to being an exemplary physician, he turned every interaction into an opportunity to lift me up and propel me forward. Dr. Rizwan Sohail has modeled what it looks like to allow your faith to influence your life’s decisions in a way I hope to emulate, and Dr. Arne Vainio (and his wife, Ivy) have shown me a generosity of spirit that continues to have a significant, positive impact on me.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

The incomparable Superior Hiking Trail, and every place where Lake Superior touches the land. Seriously, that lake never gets old.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

On a personal level, before COVID-19, we filled our lives with so many activities and meetings and things, in an effort to not miss out on living life to its fullest. When we stopped and stood still, we discovered that life is actually lived to its fullest in the quiet moments when we deepen the relationships with the ones we love. Time at home during the pandemic also gave me the opportunity to think in depth about how to answer questions about the epidemiology of COVID-19, and gave me time to design an epidemiological study to answer the important questions about this virus and how it spreads, and how our bodies respond to it that would inform our decisions and policies.

NATHAN HOLST 36,

DULUTH

a theology of redemption for white men in this time.

the land and water is one of the highest for me.

What do you do? (job, community involvement)

I come alive at the intersection of song, spirituality and movement justice work. My primary work is as the faith formation minister at Peace United Church of Christ, which is a justice-focused, progressive Christian community in the Central Hillside. My role there includes a variety of things, including working with youth, small groups, planning events and adult education.

My other primary work in the community is through Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), a local chapter of a national group that organizes white folks to support larger multiracial justice work. It often takes a conversation or two for people to understand the work of SURJ (and understandably so given the history of organizing white folks in this country), but our primary mission is to change systems by doing the long-term work of culture shift in our white communities and supporting movement leaders and organizations led by folks of color by being in relationships of accountability.

One reason I’m grateful to be doing the work that I am is that there is often a lot of overlap between the justice

work I do at Peace Church and what I do in SURJ.

How do you spend your free time?

Much of my free time is with my lovely family, my partner and my toddler. We’re often on walks in our neighborhood or just playing in our backyard or garden.

When I’m able, I love to cross-country ski in the winter and mountain bike in the summer. It’s been a few years, but one of my favorite places to go is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to enjoy the beauty of the northwoods with canoeing and camping.

Because music and song is so core to who I am, I’m often singing and writing in the gaps in between whatever I’m doing, so I suppose I’d say I sing in my free time as well.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

This last year I had a chance to spend a weekend in Washington, D.C. with Ruby Sales, who is an amazing Black theologian and long-distance runner for justice. She invited a group of 20 white Christian men from around the country to come and create together

It was a challenging weekend, and she pushed us to take a hard look at what she calls the “spiritual malformation” of white men; to look at our wounds (in ourselves and what we have inflicted on others); to ask the question “Where does it hurt?”; and then to do the transformation work to create a new culture and offer an alternative to the current reality of what white men can be, offering hope of truly living in communities where everyone can thrive and we all can live into our best possibilities.

She offered a kind of love and hope that I had not experienced, and I am deeply grateful for her work and mentorship.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

There are so many places I love in this area and I first want to say I’m especially grateful to the Indigenous caretakers of this land, the Ojibwe, for all they have done and continue to do to make this place what it is. I love going up to Hawk Ridge to see the birds and look over Lake Superior. I have always loved Hartley Park, and have many sacred places I visit to keep me connected and sustained. I learned how to cross-country ski at Lester, and have many fond memories of that beautiful place.

When I think about some of the major reasons I love being here in Duluth, the beauty of

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

Like for many of us, the pandemic has been a hard, challenging time for me and my family. I’m grateful for many friends and colleagues here locally and around the country that have helped me learn some lessons in this pandemic time. One of the biggest ones for me is how to thrive in the face of struggle. It includes a lot of acceptance and letting go, but it also has included a lot of reframing, shifting how I’m looking at my experience. Instead of simply being angry or sad at what has been taken from me or that things are not going the way I want, I have learned to ask questions like, “What is this particular experience teaching me about what it means to be human?” “Are there things I do have control over that I can invest energy into, to thrive in a different way?” “How can I remember what it’s like to feel powerless and increase my empathy for other people when they are having a similar experience in their lives?”

These are not easy lessons to learn and can take a lot of emotional energy to digest and accept, but I do believe I have slowly become more empathetic and even more fully human in the process.

Nathan Holst (right), a licensed pastor at Duluth’s Peace Church, leads a youth program in a tent at the church Sept. 9. In addition to his duties with youths, he’s involved with racial justice issues in the Twin Ports with SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice) and on the Dismantling Racism Team and Creation Justice Team for the church.

Duluth minister makes racial justice his life’s work

By Melinda Lavine mlavine@duluthnews.com

Sitting under a big yellow canopy outside Peace United Church of Christ, Nathan Holst talks with his hands. He taps his foot to an internal beat as he tells stories, and when he tries to recall names or details, his palms touch briefly and he closes his eyes, as if in prayer.

The church’s faith formation minister has become a leader in his religious community and in the greater Twin Ports.

Along with working with the church’s local youths, and in climate justice, peer ministry and dismantling racism teams, Holst is also a lead organizer of Standing Up for Racial Justice, a local chapter of a national organization of white people aimed at ending white supremacy and systemic racism in collaboration with people of color.

His many efforts are at an intersection of pastoral care, relationship-building and love. “I’m committed for life,” Holst said of this work. Holst grew up in Duluth, where he connected with his Lutheran youth group and had early opportunities for leadership and inspirational examples of mentorship.

As he explored evangelical Christianity during his freshman year of college, he began to reject the religion. Holst later explored universal-

ism, Quakers, Buddhism and pluralistic traditions.

With this exploration, along with mentorship, guidance and exposure to more examples of Christianity, Holst began to “reclaim” Christianity, feeling grounded in his roots.

“I grew up in liberal, white communities that talked about the concept of color blindness, essentially of treating people well, and we’ll all be good,” he said.

His understanding expanded his junior year of college, when he participated in an urban studies program in Chicago that introduced him to institutional oppression and how narratives are spun around racial discrimination.

It was a hard but exciting process, he said: “I can’t change that history now, but I can start doing that now and write a new story.”

He was further challenged to grow when he pursued his graduate degree in social work in Portland, Oregon. There he worked at the Sisters of the Road Cafe, an affordable shop that mostly served the city’s homeless. The cafe shaped him and how he views political work.

Holst was also introduced to a group of young organizers while in Oregon, which led him to spearhead a Portland chapter of SURJ.

We can support ourselves and help our white community see that their own liberation and humanity is tied up in this, he said.

“I’m not doing the work for communities of color,” he said. “That’s pretty much a white savior thing to do. I’m doing it because I care about the people in my life, and Indigenous folks and people of color. I’m doing it because I want to be more human, and whiteness makes you less human, right? Being connected to that history of enslavement and genocide, that does something to your soul, and I want to reject that and transform that in myself into systems.”

This takes a lot of time, energy and cultural humility. That’s why a lot of white folks get defensive when you talk about whiteness, he said, “because you’re confronted with a system that doesn’t match the image of you who you think you are, and that’s a painful process, a necessary process.”

The work, that is at the intersection of faith and social justice, is deeply spiritual.

It’s easy to run from, so you have to be connected to “serious spiritual tools.”

But confronting this leads to transformation and wholeness. “I feel so much more human. My own liberation as a white person is tied to it,” he said.

Holst and his partner, Sarah, moved to Duluth six years ago. He met with leaders of color and launched the Duluth chapter of SURJ. (The group’s numbers, along with

the local NAACP, have been on the rise since the death of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis.)

Holst was selected by nationally recognized human rights activist and educator Ruby Sales to join a group of white men in discussing what it means to be a white man in the U.S., the theology of redemption and creating a new narrative.

Holst is a product of community, relationships and his mentors, including Ruby Sales.

“She sustains me,” he said.

And his work at Peace Church, with its justice-oriented and accepting values, makes for a perfect fit.

“Their creed is love,” he said.

For white people looking to step in racial justice work, don’t let guilt or your feelings of ignorance stop you.

Acknowledge where you are, be honest and let’s talk, he said. Also build relationships with supportive people.

Looking ahead, Holst said there’s work to do from the white community, but he hopes Duluth can one day be thought of as a racial justice city.

“I want us to be known not as a city that in 1920 lynched three men, but as a city that has done its transformational work and is known for the opposite,” he said. “The way we’ll know that is when Indigenous folks and folks of color all say that it is.”

For more information about the Duluth chapter of Standing Up for Racial Justice, visit surjnorthland.org.

Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com

News Tribune file Nathan Holst gives high-fives to younger participants in the 2019 MLK Tribute March to keep their energy up.

Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com Nathan Holst tosses out pieces of candy to students after a writing exercise on the topic of belief.