Culture

Kurdish American tells his story in ‘My Journey to America’

June 22nd, 2017

Newzad Brifki’s journey to America began in Kurdistan and led him through a refugee camp in Turkey and eventually to Fargo-Moorhead. Currently, this Moorhead resident is focusing on work with the organization he created, the Kurdish Community of America, and publicizing his new book My Journey to America: A Kurdish AmericanStory.

Brifki came here in 1992 when he was seven years old: “I fled Kurdistan in 1988 and we lived in refugee camps in Turkey until we came to the U.S. in…

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​Blocking and tackling

June 21st, 2017

Well, blocking anyway...The new headline reads: “Google plans to clean up the web with Chrome ad blocker next year.”

For those of you who have ever tried to read news stories on Google or many other news sources, you have run into multiple ads that vie for your attention. It is really very annoying, especially for those who may not have a very fast Internet connection.

They pop up at various different times during your reading depending on the speed of your connection and the speed…

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​Serving up your bias at the Bias Bar

June 21st, 2017

By Mrisha Sharma

An unusual bar is serving up biases and its patrons are sending their own biases right back.

The bar is the Bias Bar, an interactive exhibit at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway. It shares space on the first floor with Detours, an exhibition about people who find themselves forcibly displaced from their homes. It is a floor below Hope Over Fear, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize exhibition that presents a strong portrait of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and…

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Transgender healthcare panel

June 21st, 2017

The Community Uplift Program (CUP), a local nonprofit, is hosting a discussion about Transgender Healthcare at the Fargo-Moorhead Unitarian Universalist Church (121 9th St S Fargo), June 27th, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. This event is open to the public and will provide water, coffee, snacks to those who attend.

I’ll be a speaker at this panel, as trans healthcare is something I research, teach, and keep close to heart. I had the honor to talk to CUP President Cody Severson about his reason…

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​Angels run (and push) for a good cause

June 21st, 2017

Do you have what it takes to be an angel? In this case, I am referring to donating your time, money, and physical endurance to raise money for running chairs for special needs adults and children.

You can be an “Angel Runner” and push an “Athlete Rider” through a 5K race or donate to someone who participates. The Ainsley’s Angels Power to Push Kick-Off and Sunrise 5K event is July 1 at 7am, at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Moorhead.

Everyone is welcome to run, walk or roll…

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​Fargo native heads for the Burning Hills Singers

June 14th, 2017

“”You’re really just grinding to get the show on. I think that’s the hard part -- learning how to coordinate and remember everything in a short amount of time.” says Alyssa Scott, Fargo Native and cast member of the Medora Musical. She adds ”Everybody works together and really brings it together.”

Scott cut her singing and dancing teeth as a student at West Fargo High School. She was a member of Just for Kicks dance line, was active in choir, and participated in theater.…

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​An old soul’s guide to Medora

June 14th, 2017

“I had a group of travel agents from 32 countries come through, so I asked them, when you go home--what do people want to see?,” says Rick Thompson, executive director of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHOF). “They basically said this is what people want to see...the cowboy.”

The streets of Medora are rife with history and western culture, whether it be the smiling, singing cowboy-hat bedecked Burning Hills Singer of the Medora Musical or the faces and stories that line…

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​Snack, sip, shop and stroll Medora

June 14th, 2017

The quaint little western hamlet of Medora, bordered by the rugged badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, attracts history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts from around the globe. But you definitely don’t have to be a scholar or the active type to enjoy this gorgeous corner of North Dakota. Medora is a compact, walkable town with plenty of hidden gems and unexpected surprises for foodies and shoppers. And it’s small enough that you don’t need a map (but you’ll find them all…

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The gender maze

June 7th, 2017

Last week I talked about Transgender Cultural Competency Training and the benefits associated with getting it for any organization within the sectors of healthcare, business, government, outreach, and education.

This is training that I offer at a sliding scale and this week I’ll be going more in depth into the topics that are covered in it. If someone would like to schedule a training, they may contact me via email!

The presentation I give is on Prezi and called “The Gender Maze.”…

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​Homeward Animal Shelter: adoptable dogs

June 7th, 2017

This Saturday, Homeward Animal Shelter will be teaming up with Prairie Brothers Brewing Company for Biscuits & Brews, a fundraiser and meet-and-greet for adoptable dogs. One dollar from every pint of craft beer will be donated to the shelter, while the dogs get some much-needed exposure that will increase their chances of finding their forever homes.

The dogs currently at the shelter include Declan, a mix of Labrador retriever, Australian cattle dog, and blue heeler; and Brahms, a mix of…

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