About

Hi. I’m Lori Imsdahl, a writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I became interested in places as a child. My parents prioritized travel — forgoing cable TV, a second car, and a larger house — in order to take my sisters and me on road trips across the continental United States.

My desire to see new places prompted me to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point. After graduating, I served for five years as an Army officer. While on active duty, I deployed to Afghanistan for fifteen months.

For me, Afghanistan was a pivotal place.

Afghanistan solidified my commitment to public service. Afghanistan gave me a greater appreciation for my material comforts and democratic freedoms. Afghanistan captivated me with her beauty. Afghanistan inspired me to get outside my comfort zone and try to understand the people within places.

At night in Afghanistan, I pored over Lonely Planet guidebooks. I bookmarked cities and began putting money into a travel fund. In 2010, after completing my Army obligation, I embarked upon a five-month backpacking trip through Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Now living in Minneapolis, I work as a public health writer and a freelance writer. I’ve continued to travel through Minnesota and the Midwest while I save money for more international travel.

I believe that place-based writing can be a form of public service, a way to break barriers and promote understanding. In this way, a place becomes pivotal, for it has altered our perception of the world.

Read more here.