Protest and resistance as I age in place

Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.

MY NO KINGS FRONT YARD PROTEST
It’s Oct. 18. No Kings protest day. A few days earlier I knew I wanted to do something. It was unlikely I could make it to one of the formally announced protests. So I texted my longtime nextdoor neighbor Julie. I asked if she or her husband Barry or son Lucas would support me in pulling off my own front yard No Kings protest. I proposed creating a No Kings pumpkin and a No Kings sign. Turns out that everyone was on board wanting to help out especially Barry who is an artist with his own south Minneapolis studio.
The photo I have submitted with this column is one of me sitting on my walker’s seat between a No Kings pumpkin carved by Barry along with the sign he created. Barry took the photo. So there I was sitting with my pumpkin and my sign not knowing what would happen. What did happen over the course of three hours is cars would drive by on 46th Ave. and the drivers would honk if they recognized the protest. Or, as they walked by pedestrians would stop to voice their approval and engage in conversation creating a short-lived sense of community.
I was doing what I was physically able to do to be part of the No Kings protest with help from my neighbors. How cool is that! And if you have read this far you have taken the plunge into the river(flow) of life experiences that is Stories and Journeys.

RESISTANCE TO WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Going back to my high school years on the north side of Des Moines, a Methodist minister made me aware of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. Since that time to one degree or another I have been a supporter. Today on the inside door of my house I have a sticker that reads, “You Gotta Keep ‘Em Separated.” There is an image of the Statue of Liberty with arms extended between an image of the United States Capitol and image of a church steeple.
As part of my membership in Americans United I receive the publication called Church & State. The theme of the October 2025 edition is Resisting White Christian Nationalism. At least two articles caught my attention. One is entitled “Understanding and resisting politicized, patriarchal white Christian Nationalism by Bruce Gourley" and "Viewpoint: Katrina Mikiah: Jesus doesn’t belong to Christian Nationalism."
What does this have to do with life in south Minneapolis? I’m not aware that resistance to white Christian Nationalism is anyone’s concern. It is to me, but what about you dear reader? Tell yourself, tell others or tell me in writing via tesha@tmcpub.com

RESISTING THE NOISE IN MY LIFE
I find the world to be a noisy place. So one of the things I crave besides chicken noodle soup and chocolate chip cookies is quiet. The kind of quiet I need the second week of each month to write Stories and Journeys.

THIS IS THE LAST COLUMN FOR YEAR FOUR OF STORIES AND JOURNEYS
I want to acknowledge two people who have made my life possible in 2025 and year four. First there is Gilbert from the technology support program of Senior Community Services. When he comes to my house my list of technology problems get resolved. My life is made more possible when Gilbert shows up. Currently he is helping me with a much-needed cell phone upgrade.
Then there is Nick who applied his handyman skills to restore my “tear down” garage. He tore out all the rotting wood and replaced it with new wood. He did scraping and painting. Considering its age, the garage looks like new to Nick and myself anyway.
A shout out to Lucas, son of my next door neighbor Julie. He helped me grow and manage the sweet potatoes in my double-high raised garden beds. He mowed my lawn this summer and he did lawn raking and leaf bagging this fall. He helps me to age in place.

ELDER VOICES(TELLING OUR STORIES/SHARING OUR JOURNEYS)
The next meet up is the last Friday of November the day after Thanksgiving, 10 to 11 a.m. officially at Turtle Bread, 4205-E.34th St. Look for the table with the Elder Voices sign.
And now I can sense I am done writing this column because I can sense I’m starting to write the first one for year five.
In gratitude.
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice Board of Directors.