Mni Owe Sni Prayer Camp

The land here holds much history—pain, resistance, growth, and healing. It holds a history of gatherings of Indigenous people from all tribes, offering a sacred space and a place of peace for all who came there. But it also holds deep pain: in the 1800s, white settlers and colonizers built a concentration camp nearby at Fort Snelling, where hundreds of Dakota people were killed and starved. This space also has a history of resistance, from tree sits to save ancient oaks to Water and Land Protector camps guarding the springs. Once again, in 2026, it became a space of gathering at this prayer camp. People came to find healing, to reconnect to their culture and spiritual practices.

JON STEGENGAMay 7, 2026Comment

Holding the Weight of New Traction

Less than a week ago, I shared a story about a man who ran up to the Broadview ICE facility after his wife was taken while they were inside the courthouse. He wasn’t given any information and had to track her down through her phone. That post blew up, reaching millions of views, and it has been a lot to sit with.

The past few weeks have been intense and heavy. A story I shared about a man whose wife was taken by ICE outside a courthouse has reached millions, and it has brought with it a mix of grief, responsibility, and reflection.

JON STEGENGANovember 17, 2025Comment