Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: Rainy (possibly stormy)
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This weekend, we're recognizing Infertility Awareness Week – you'll find the stories of several local women who have experienced infertility. You'll also find a look at a new way the county is helping folks connect with community resources, as well as a Q&A with the Mayor's Youth Council member who spoke during the State of the City address. Plus, catch the usual bout of Super Simplified Stories and stuff you might've missed earlier in the week.
And now, news:
HEALTH
Sioux Falls women share their journeys with infertility
Content note: This story contains discussion of infertility and miscarriage.
Simplified: It's Infertility Awareness Week, and in recognition of this common, but often undiscussed experience, Sioux Falls Simplified reached out to some local women to hear their stories.
Why it matters
- About 1 in 5 women will experience infertility – defined as an inability to get pregnant after one year of trying by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- It's worth noting no two infertility journeys are exactly alike. The hope, though, is in sharing some of them, it can bring greater understanding to those who haven't experienced infertility and solidarity to those who have.
- A common refrain from the women we spoke to was a sense of isolation – sometimes even within their own marriage – as well as a sense of feeling betrayed by their bodies.
"For the people who have or will experienced infertility, know that it's not uncommon," said Kelly Everding. "They're not alone. And that's not to minimize their experience but to know that there are others who can relate and hold space for that."
Hear more from Everding and others who experienced infertility
GET SMART
Get smart about civic engagement with Siyanne Redda
Siyanne Redda is an 18-year-old senior at Washington High School and in her second year of serving on the Mayor's Youth Council. She also recently took to the podium at Mayor Paul TenHaken's State of the City address, where she talked about the importance of voting in local elections. She sat down this week with Sioux Falls Simplified to revisit that conversation ahead of the run-off election Tuesday.
Answers are edited for length and clarity. Responses are direct quotes from Redda.
Let's start by getting to know more about you. How did you get involved with the Mayor's Youth Council?
I just saw the flyer in the bathroom at school (two years ago), and I was like, OK, this seems kind of cool.
Obviously, when you're not 18, you don't have very much of a say in local governments or local politics.
- The voice of the youth is muted at times, and I'm looking for ways to unmute myself.
I did (the youth council) junior year, and I reapplied because I had so much fun doing it. We get to put our input in stuff that we wouldn't have otherwise gotten the opportunity.
We're all about simplicity here. Why is civic engagement important to you in a sentence?
In society, many people can be silenced – I want to give their voice back.
See the full interview here
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
How BibiSol is treating corn as sacred with elevated Mexican cuisine
This is a paid piece from BibiSol Bodega and Provisions.
Simplified: A new restaurant concept from the owners of Salas Salsas will bring a new appreciation for corn to downtown Sioux Falls. Here's what you need to know about BibiSol Bodega and Provisions' nixtamal menu.
Tell me more
Marcela Salas and her mother Patricia Burbine began selling their salsa at the Brandon Farmers Market in 2020, later expanding to the Salas Salsas food truck and retail brand.
Their dream has long been to start a restaurant, and that dream is coming true with BibiSol, located in the former Mrs. Murphy's location on Phillips Avenue downtown. And the mother-daughter duo is hoping BibiSol can someday boast a decades-long legacy much like Mrs. Murphy's.
"My hope when I moved here to the USA, in my brain I thought, 'oh maybe one day I'll open a small restaurant or something," Burbine said. "But the years passed, and (I thought) no, ok, it's not possible ... but now I know it's possible."
What is nixtamalization?
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- The recycling robots have names. Millennium Recycling announced the winners of their competition to name the robots that help with the recycling process. Winning names out of more than 200 submissions were (drumroll) SPUD and Sorta Picky.
- New bus routes coming. Sioux Area Metro's new ownership is looking to rework the entire system with new routes and citywide on-demand busing in August. There's more details and more opportunities for public feedback to come, but for now, you can check out the proposed routes (and offer feedback) here.
- Get ready to run. Mayor Paul TenHaken is kicking off his annual 100 miles, 100 days fitness challenge on Saturday. The goal is to move at least 1 mile daily for 100 days. You can learn more, find some good walking paths and log your miles here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this weekend
- A boutique rebrand moment
- Blitz
- Getting out the vote, babyyyy
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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