Jane (Hammerstrom) Hoffman’s journey began on the streets of White Bear Lake, but her path quickly expanded beyond city limits — across states, continents and causes. A former high school track star turned author, activist and single parent, Hoffman has lived a life shaped by both triumph and profound loss.
In her latest book, “The Birth of Strangers: Minnesota Grown to International Citizen,” Hoffman weaves together personal history, global experience and spiritual reflection. Press Publications sat down with Hoffman to learn more about her roots, what drives her writing, and how a small-town upbringing helped shape a worldview committed to justice, faith and connection.
Q. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to White Bear Lake.
A. I grew up in White Bear Lake from ages 3-17 and graduated from White Bear Mariner High School. I lived there later from 1994-1998 on and off. It was an enriched childhood of church, music and sports. I had good catechism teachers and was connected to social justice at a young age. My pastors preached about the Vietnam war.
I ran cross-country and track my junior/senior year. I went from fifth on the team to fifth in the state in under 16 months. Our team, led by Lyle Helke, brought us to the state meet in 1976, where we placed fourth. My twin sister and I led the team to first place in 1977, our senior year. In track, I was ninth in the mile my junior year at the state track meet, the indoor state mile champion at the Gold Country Classic my senior year and fifth in the state 2-mile. I received five scholarships. Having success in my hometown enhanced a strong belief system in myself and perpetuated to pursue global issues.
Q. Is this your first published book?
A. No, I wrote a novel in 1985, “Back Pages of Norfolk,” and I am modifying the content to sell on Amazon. I wrote a published screenplay in 2021 called the “Milwaukee 14” in which I interviewed 10 of 14 men of clergy (seven priests) who raided the Milwaukee draft board office in 1968 and burned 10,000 1A draft files across the street. Each spent one year in prison. They surrendered voluntarily. I have since written a fourth book this year in 2025 called “Falling from the Limb.” I also had a theatrical play produced on cable.
Q. What inspired you to write “The Birth of Strangers: Minnesota Grown to International citizen?”
A. My favorite writer, Carson McCullers, always said to write from the heart of your own experiences. I was inspired to write an autobiography because I had trials many people don’t face that often measured up to my world view of martyrdom and sacrifice. My first child, Alexis, died of a failed heart transplant on Christmas Day in 1992 at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis hospital. At 37, I had another child who was autistic, and I raised him alone as a single parent. I also had many stimulating experiences — for example, my Native American Play was on cable TV in 1990 and I got to work at the LA Times in the pre-internet days.
Q. What do you hope readers take away from this book?
A. That personal struggles can sometimes overwhelm a person if they are not prepared. I later talk in the book about my gambling addiction that got worse when I returned to Minnesota in 2012 after many years in Los Angeles. It is also about the journey of faith and setting better priorities.
Q: Any advice for local readers who may not have had the chance to travel but want to become more global-minded?
A. Whether locally or globally, we can all participate in universal goals to better the world no matter where we are. My current hero is Greta Thunberg, who basically spoke up about climate change and challenged older generations to listen to her. She is now fighting genocide in Gaza. As a teenager, I was fearless about reducing racism between African Americans and whites, and I set out to live among predominantly Black people in North Carolina. Things like world hunger can also drive people to be globally involved.
Q. Where can people find your book?
A. At Lake Country Booksellers in White Bear Lake and Amazon under Jane Hammerstrom Hoffman. I used my maiden name to publicize my name when I lived in White Bear Lake.
A. I am a struggling empty nester. I am now deeply into learning about Catholic monasticism and read about the journey of Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk of Cistercian order, who lived at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. He wrote 61 books. I want to take a one-year hiatus and serve at an NGO (non-governmental organization) in Europe to help the needy through an organization like Oxfam. I am currently working on building my social media to be an advocate for peace and separation of church and state.
— Compiled by Shannon Granholm
