ZeHabesha newspaper emerged as a vital news source for the Ethiopian-American community in Minnesota. This publication addresses topics important to this demographic, providing news in their native language.
The Genesis of ZeHabesha
His purchase of that Toshiba laptop was the first step toward establishing a news outlet in Minnesota - home to thousands of Ethiopian-Americans who arrived in the 2000s as political refugees - for and about his native country. After securing a computer, all that Degfu needed to do was to report, write and put together an entire newspaper. And in December of 2008, that’s exactly what he did, publishing the first issue of ZeHabesha, a 24-page monthly newspaper featuring articles that are important to the Ethiopian-American community.
“I started publishing 4,000 copies each month,” said Degfu, 34, who serves as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. “It was very hard to do it on my own, but I knew people were hungry for news that is told in their language; and as a journalist, I felt I have a responsibility to provide that.”
The Immigration History of the United States
A Brief History of Ethiopians in Minnesota
Ethiopians started coming to the United States in the 1960s, mostly as students pursuing higher education or professionals who were sent here for career development. That small group was later joined by larger groups, many escaping civil war and ethnic tensions - complicated by drought and famine - during the 1970s and 1980s.
In Minnesota, that diversity is reflected in the state’s growing Ethiopian-American community. Fasika Restaurant, located along Snelling Avenue in St. “We’re almost everywhere,” Degfu said. “But we’ve fallen off the radar; you don’t hear many people talking about Ethiopian-Americans in Minnesota.”
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Giving Community a Voice
Aside from the print newspaper, ZeHabesha has a frequently updated online version that’s tailored to a worldwide audience. It focuses on the political unrest in Ethiopia and gives marginalized communities a platform to voice their concerns and share their stories. The newspaper, which is distributed at Ethiopian-owned businesses for free, receives most of its revenue from advertising. “For me, the newspaper gives me that.
Challenges and Advocacy
At the time he left Ethiopia in 2005, Degfu faced 12 different court cases after the government sued him for defamation. Such accusations, he said, have long been a tactic for government officials to intimidate or silence journalists in Ethiopia. Degfu’s friend and mentor, Eskinder Nega, was sentenced in 2012 to 18 years in prison after writing a column that criticized the government for suppressing freedom of speech and detaining journalists under the country’s anti-terrorism laws.
“They shut down his newspaper,” Degfu said. “Then he started blogging about freedom of speech stuff. But the government doesn’t like that.” Gashaw has been closely following the government’s efforts to crack down on journalists. “Ethiopia is hell for journalists,” he said.
Current Focus and Reach
Today, from Minnesota, ZeHabesha Newspaper covers news stories and opinion pieces in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. In its most recent editions, the newspaper has focused on President Trump’s immigration order and its effects on the community, as well as the recent hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. Currently the only Amharic-language news source in Minnesota, ZeHabesha has doubled its circulation in recent years - from 4,000 copies a month to 9,000 - with readers in the Twin Cities metro area, Rochester, Worthington and South Dakota and Chicago.
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