Kevin Ehrman-Solberg

He had such an impact on all around him; he was never complacent, always passionate about people and so so creative...I'm fortunate to have known Kevin.

Elizabeth Glidden

He was an incredibly passionate person and over the years I was amazed by his work with Mapping Prejudice. The world is a sadder place without him in it.

Courtney Blake

Kevin's light, love and humor shone through to everyone he met, no matter how briefly. He will be sorely missed and the world is a better place for him being here.

Lily Lamb

About Kevin

The force known as Kevin Ehrman-Solberg (aka Old Man Kevin, Ducky, and Cowboy Dan) was born on November 20, 1987. He passed unexpectedly of unknown causes on June 12th, 2021. He lived in Minneapolis his entire life, attending Minnetonka High School, Augsburg University and the University of Minnesota. Kevin double majored in History and English at Augsburg. While completing his master’s in Geographic Information Science, he co-founded Mapping Prejudice, a ground breaking project showing the extent of racial covenants in property deeds in the Twin Cities and around the country. He continued this work in conjunction with the University of Minnesota Libraries using GIS skills while working on his PhD in Geography.

Kevin was nationally known for his articulate and passionate presentations on the history of systemic racism in our community. He was a deeply committed social activist, a firebrand who always questioned the status quo and worked with a focused vision for radical change. During and after the unrest following the George Floyd murder, he and his fiancée, Maggie Mills, worked tirelessly to protect the unhoused, helping to move them into the former Sheraton Hotel and later providing support at encampments.

Kevin loved to travel, although he was more likely to be found exploring underground in a new city than viewing the sights popular with other tourists. With his fellow urban explorers, he visited caves, sewers, abandoned buildings; anywhere he might find old bottles, posters, bricks. Old things always interested him much more than anything new. Kevin developed serious mechanical skills in the course of remodeling his recently purchased duplex. He and Maggie scoured the wild places they visited for old building materials to create their home.

Kevin struggled with many personal challenges in his life, but he faced down the demons within himself and went on to heroically challenge the demons within our society. He was a shooting star, shedding a brilliant light as he burned through this dimension. His life was too short, but he packed more into his few years than most people do in a longer lifetime. He was a beloved son, brother, fiancé, friend, colleague, and champion of a brighter world.

Kevin is survived by his beloved partner and fiancée Maggie Mills, his mother Virginia Ehrman, his father Kenneth Solberg, his step-mother Jacque Wiersma, his sister Bridget Ehrman-Solberg and his step-brothers Jacob and Raphael Wilson. An article about him appeared in the special obituary section of the Minneapolis StarTribune on Friday, June 18, 2021.