Novelist Ann Bauer recounts how political activism and public shaming at CorePower Yoga forced her family to leave Minneapolis and start fresh in Covington

Novelist Ann Bauer, once a proud resident of Minneapolis, has opened up about how the city she loved slowly transformed into a place she could no longer recognize.

In a recent essay for the Free Press, Bauer recounted her experience watching politically charged activism morph into public shaming campaigns, often targeting ordinary citizens for expressing opinions that didn’t align with prevailing progressive ideals.

For Bauer, it wasn’t one single incident that pushed her to leave—it was the cumulative effect of years of tension, performative outrage, and community division.

From CorePower to Chaos: The Incident That Sparked Conversations

A viral video from a CorePower Yoga studio in Northeast Minneapolis recently brought national attention to the city’s ongoing culture wars.

On February 1, a group of patrons confronted front desk staff over the removal of a sign condemning ICE, prompting heated exchanges that lasted several minutes.

Bauer, who once attended that very studio, wasn’t shocked.

“I’ve seen scenes like this before, and it’s not a surprise anymore,” she wrote.

What began as a personal grievance escalated quickly: the class participants were suspended for 90 days, and the ringleader, Heather Anderson, was banned from the studio for life.

For Bauer, it was a reminder of the escalating social tensions she had witnessed firsthand in Minneapolis.

A City of Paradoxes: Minneapolis Through Bauer’s Eyes

Bauer and her husband, John Gateley, relocated from Boston to Minneapolis in 2014.

Initially, the move felt like a homecoming—Minneapolis had been her hometown, and the couple was thrilled to be back.

“The city was close to perfect,” Bauer admitted, “but there were contradictions everywhere.”

While white communities often celebrated social justice, the city still struggled with systemic inequities affecting Black residents, particularly in education, income, homeownership, and public safety.

Tragic events, such as the 2016 shooting of Philando Castile, brought these disparities into sharp relief.

Bauer, though outraged by the injustice, felt the aftermath exposed a performative streak among some activists—a focus on public outrage rather than meaningful change.

When Politics Took Over Daily Life

Bauer’s discomfort deepened after Donald Trump’s election.

Politics seemed to dominate every conversation, leaving little room for nuance or personal reflection.

The pandemic further strained her connection to the city: her disagreements with Governor Tim Walz’s policies on school closures and vaccine mandates reportedly cost her her clients as a brand consultant.

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 marked another turning point.

Riots, looting, and widespread unrest shook Minneapolis, leaving Bauer with the impression that even the loudest advocates for justice were insulated by private security in their own neighborhoods.

Returning to CorePower after Covid restrictions lifted did not restore her sense of normalcy; classes became politicized, and instructors treated her as an outsider for raising concerns.

Finding Peace: A Fresh Start in Kentucky

By late 2025, Bauer and Gateley decided to leave Minneapolis for good, settling in Covington, Kentucky.

There, they launched a new publishing platform, Storyalíz, aiming to combine creativity with community engagement.

Covington’s political climate—a mix of moderation and pragmatism—felt like a welcome reprieve from the unrelenting intensity Bauer had endured in Minneapolis.

Nestled on the Kentucky-Ohio border, Covington offers scenic views of Cincinnati and a slower, more balanced pace of life.

For Bauer, it represented the chance to live in a community where civic engagement didn’t have to come with public shaming or performative virtue signaling.

What’s Next?

Bauer plans to grow Storyalíz into a hub for writers and readers seeking thoughtful dialogue without political grandstanding.

She also hopes to spark broader conversations about the social dynamics that drove her and others from Minneapolis, raising questions about how activism can remain meaningful without fostering division or fear.

Meanwhile, debates continue nationwide about how communities balance free expression with calls for social accountability—a discussion that shows no signs of fading anytime soon.

Summary

Ann Bauer’s journey from Minneapolis to Covington highlights the personal toll of extreme performative activism and political polarization.

Once drawn back to her hometown, Bauer grew disillusioned by public shaming campaigns, politicized spaces, and the city’s inability to reconcile its ideals with systemic realities.

Today, in Kentucky, she has found a more moderate, welcoming environment where she can focus on her family, her work, and her community—proving that sometimes the “perfect city” is the one that lets you breathe again.