6 years of vanlife documenting human rights as a photojournalist, my trusty 12v cooler is ready for retirement. I’m aiming to upgrade to a fridge-freezer to triple my food capacity. I’m hustling on new gig work to cover the $600 cost, Venmo: jon_stegenga Patreon: patreon.com/HumanizingThroughStory

Today, July 4th, a mass funeral was held for the 52 people who have died in ICE detention under the Trump Administration. Hundreds of people rallied and carried caskets, one for each of the 52 people.

Hundreds of members of the #KKK are marching through downtown DC today, some carrying Confederate flags. That's exactly what this #PatriotFront is... They've just rebranded themselves but the ideology is the same thing. And these people are emboldened by this administration and trump's racism.

Funeral processions for the 51 people who have died in ICE detention. These are recorded deaths and there could be more. Happened this morning on July 4th, in Minneapolis. @sunrisemvmt.bsky.social @mn50501.bsky.social

100 years ago.

Moments form Twin Cities pride parade. More images on IG and will have a full photo album on Substack and Patreon in the following days. Stay tuned! #pride #twincities #LGBTQA+ @minneapolismn.gov @mn50501.bsky.social @twincitiespride.bsky.social @timwalzparody.bsky.social @ltgovflanagan.mn.gov

Anyone got some expiring hotel points that they aren't going to be able to use? Trying to escape this heat for a few days and get me in the cat out of the van.

Attended and documented my first pride event today in Minneapolis! 🏳️‍🌈😊 Happy pride everyone! You are loved! This is one of my favorite photos from today! Exited to go through then share all the photos from today. Will be posted on Substack! 🫶🏼

The 9th annual Wedge Live Cat Tour happened this Wednesday, June 24 with over 45 homes participating and thousands of people coming to look at cats! 😸🐈 @wedge.live

Young indigenous community organizer, Isa Lopez, stands outside the courtroom where her case has finished up. After being arrested last June on 5 federal charges She walks out with a misdemeanor and no additional charges, probation, or jail time. More on our Instagram

In breaking news the bill to redistrict South Carolina before the midterms has died today, May 26. The same day that early voting has started here in South Carolina 12 Republicans joined all the Democrats to block the procedural motion to advance the bill.

We are now on Substack. Follow and support! Thanks substack.com/@humanizingt...

May 21, demonstrators gathered outside the South Carolina State House in Columbia, in mid 90° weather, to protest ongoing redistricting efforts taking place within the Senate chambers.

Let's be very clear what's happening across Southern States, in this new gerrymandering, is extremely racist... This is white supremacy playing out and a new era of Jim Crow. Also, Virginia supreme Court just overturned the voices of the Virginia voter.

My home on wheels is about to get a major repair on the front-end suspension! The MN winter, following ICE around the cities & driving 1000s of miles really did a number on the van 😫... I've got a chance to do these repairs basically for the cost of parts here in SC!

Today, May 5, is #MMIR awareness Day. Missing and murdered indigenous relatives. 4 in 5 Indigenous women face abuse in their lifetime. On May 2nd in Cherokee NC Qualla Boundary MMIW hosted their 7th annual Memorial Walk honoring the lives and families of MMIR. 66 Cases in their County alone.

For anyone that uses #TikTok be warned that it automatically allows for AI to remix your content and you have to go to each individual video under privacy settings to turn it off...

Demand the Walz administration and DNR to cancel the lease! Call Sarah Strommen (DNR commissioner) 651-259-5555. #bwca #protecttheBoundaryWaters

Protect the Boundary Waters.. Call Now! ❗

PLEASE call your Senators and save the Boundary Waters!! #bwca #hjr104

Community members were swept from their places of living this morning, April 13, near E Franklin and Cedar Ave. The operation was led by Metro Transit. Some shared that w/o warning people were forced to leave. Some said they were not given time to gather belongings before tents were bulldozed.

Haven Watch continuing to show up for our immigrant community day and night, rain or shine. Offering care, safety, and and comfort to those being released out of Whipple. From this morning 04/11/26 #havenwatch #minnesota #iceoutw

The newest Patreon post is up which includes a brief summary of HEFAT in Chicago and an excerpt from a larger article being curated for the website about the Mni Owe Sni Prayer Camp and a few other small update.

Within the first hour of the Stuffies Drive by Haven Watch today, 04/04, next to Whipple over a hundred stuffed animals had been dropped off. Haven Watch will be donating these directly to immigrants families entering Whipple for court cases, being released by ICE.

Haven Watch Stuffie Drive 04/04

No Kings Rally in St. Paul draws an estimated 200,000 people, with 8 million rallying worldwide. 03/28

#NoKings Rally in St. Paul draws an estimated 200,000 people, with 8 million rallying worldwide.

Well y'all my #DJI Mini 2 ate it today. Some mid-flight issue (didn't see what happened) and it just plummeted onto the concrete and exploded. 😵😆😭 RIP mini. One day I'll get a replacement but not in the budget for now. Was flying it at today's No Kings March in St. Paul.

Thousands have already started to gather for the #noKings March in St. Paul. People will be converging at three different locations across the city in marching to the state capital. Millions more will be joined across the country and beyond. 03/28/26

Large presence of ICE in South Minneapolis this morning, 03/26. Stay alert, stay safe.

ICE try to desensitize people to their presence by handing out water in airports is wild. Also wild is seeing them give water to people in security lines who are about to have to dump it out anyway. AND getting paid to stand around as propaganda while actual TSA workers aren’t getting paid is WILD.

4x6 “postcard” print presale Venmo (@Jon_Stegenga) or Givebutter givebutter.com/YourStoryMat... $5 per print Any additional amount helps sustain the work 🙏🏼 Note “postcard” + include contact info (or DM/email me) for shipping Larger prints coming soon to the website!

The Indigenous Tipi Prayer Camp was set up on February 9 at Coldwater Spring (Mni Owe Sni), across the road from the Whipple Federal Building. Tonight, March 15, in the falling snow, the final tipi came down after four days of ceremony and fasting to close out the camp.

Wow, we made it past the 1/4th mark of my monthly goal of $2k a month through #patreon 🫶🏼 You all are so special! 💓 These funds help make documentation possible! www.patreon.com/HumanizingTh... or make a one time donation (gas/train ticket to Chicago for HEFAT) givebutter.com/YourStoryMat...

Does anyone know grants or organizations that help repair or replace gear for independent journalist? On Feb 24 ,while covering the brutality of ICE right after Alex was murdered, my secondary camera got the viewfinder smashed. It's making it really hard to use this camera 😞

March 8 Women's Day March in Powderhorn Park South Minneapolis

Big Bend needs our help! Trump administration wants to build border walls over a hundred miles along the river access through #BigBend National Park and State Park. This will be absolutely devastating to this sacred, vital landscape. Get involved here: www.no-al-muro.com/links

@friendsbwcaw at MN state capitol on Feb 25, 2026 to defend the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from proposed copper sulfide mining Water is life and it must be protected! Help protect these sacred spaces: Call your reps! www.friends-bwca.org www.savetheboundarywaters.org

Friends of the Boundary Waters filled the rotundra in the Minnesota State Capitol today, 02/25 to speak up for and protect the Boundary Waters from copper mining. www.friends-bwca.org

Join a paid tier on my Patreon by the end of February and you will be entered to win one of several beautiful prints by a Minnesota artist. www.patreon.com/HumanizingTh... Thank you for supporting independent journalism and helping make this work sustainable!!

Yesterday, Feb. 22, people gathered at the corner of Robert and Hurley in West St. Paul to protest the continued presence of ICE in Minnesota and beyond. From there, they marched down Robert St., an area with a high concentration of immigrant run businesses, to show support and solidarity.

US citizen, Ruben Ray Martinez killed March 25, 2025 by ICE... The same rhetoric used to justify the murders of Renee and Alex is being used against Ruben, but in his case there is, unfortunately, no publicly released video to challenge ICE’S version of events www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/...

@ilhanmn.bsky.social and @repangiecraig.bsky.social speak with press after conducting oversight of the ICE processing facility within the Whipple Federal Building.

Some of the 500 reported ice agent still in Minnesota entering an exiting the federal Whipple building today this February 20, 2026.

Two people stand in orange vests on a cold, snowy evening in Minnesota outside the Whipple Federal Building, holding a blanket and waiting to offer aid. Havenwatch.org is offering immediate care, support, comfort, and more to those being let go by ICE the gates of the Fed Whipple building in MN.

A woman was released from Whipple on the evening of Feb 18. Family members waited for her near the barricades. Volunteers with Haven Watch, in orange vests, walked her across the street offering blankets, water, and hugs as she reunited with her loved ones.

This works depends on suport from you. www.patreon.com/HumanizingTh... or givebutter.com/YourStoryMat... Anyone who joins Patreon at any paid level through the end of February will be entered to win one of several resistance themed art pieces and prints created by Minnesota artists.

Scenes from Northeast Minneapolis form the MIRAC led protest today, Feb. 15, 2026. Demanding ICE out and no collaboration between ICE and state government. Tom Homan said there was "unprecedented cooperation agreements with the state."

This Morning, Feb 13th, agents are still constantly flowing in and out of the Whipple building here in Minnesota. Yesterday Border Czar, Tom Homan, announced that operation Metro Surge was ending.

Oceti Sakowin Tipi camp sent up at Mni Owe Sni/ Cold River springs directly across the road form the Whipple federal building. Holding space at a sacred site offering prayers to those held in Whipple. 02/10/26