Author: Ryan Hellenbrand

A copper statue sits atop a large rotunda against a blue sky.

Essays

(Dis)Placement of German Heritage in New Ulm, Minnesota

From the high vantage point of the “Hermann the German” statue in New Ulm, Minnesota, Ryan Hellenbrand and Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand explore the settler stories inscribed on stolen Dakota homeland, casting a thought-provoking spotlight on the intricate tapestry of history and belonging in the region.

Two people stand in front of a giant statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox.

Essays

Paul Bunyan and Settler Nostalgia in the Northwoods

Kasey Keeler and Ryan Hellenbrand think beyond tourism to show how logging and forestry have impacted a tribal nation in Minnesota—and how storytelling and placemaking can be tools of both colonialism and Indigenous resistance.