This was one of the toughest stories I've ever written. I originally proposed it to my publisher after reading the local news and learning about possible redevelopment plans in Mendota, a city close to where I live. The nuance: what does it mean to build Native-American land? Mendota is a sacred place for the Dakota community as it is situated at the intersection of the Mississippi River and the Minnesota River, a historically important place for the community. With this lens in mind, I pitched the story and wrote a draft that included information from the city council meeting, the city clerk and mayor, a professor of genocide studies at the University of Minnesota, and a potential contractor who was interested in building on the land. The Native-American lens did not please my publisher as he believed the angle was a "stretch." I edited the story down, but I still feel that it is missing valuable information about a community directly affected by possible development decisions. I felt frustrated once it finally reached print, but I understood that I needed to follow the assignment, not my own desires. This was my first experience outside of student journalism of needed to significantly alter a story I had written, which made me realize how lucky I have been to work on a publication that values the writer's ideas for the story as well as the editor's. The story isn't great and I considered not including it. But, behind it, there are hours of interviews, research and phone calls behind that make it factually accurate and informative which I am proud of.