North Star Journey
North Star Journey is a journal that explores the history and culture of Minnesota communities. Each episode brings stories that highlight the people, places, and traditions that shape the state. The podcast aims to document and share the diverse narratives found across Minnesota. Listeners can also contribute story ideas through the provided contact. It is produced by MPR News.
Episodes
'We stay the course.' Minnesota historians react to the push to patriotize history
Last March, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”It mandated a shift in how American history is portrayed in federal institutions, with a goal of eliminating “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology.”Instead, according to the executive order, the focus should be on a more “patriotic” narrative. And to ensure that hap
'For such a time as this': Faith leaders reflect on the federal immigration surge
When federal agents surged into Minnesota in January, communities didn’t just face a legal issue. They faced a moral one. Faith leaders showed up. Churches became distribution hubs for food and diapers. Nonprofits organized ride shares and distributed rent money. Clergy mobilized to protest, sing, champion and, in some cases, face arrest. “Our faith compels us,” was the common refrain.
Mistaken: Minnesota’s Korean adoptees grapple with confessed systemic corruption
Earlier this year, South Korea’s government admitted that widespread corruption had tainted hundreds of thousands of adoptions from its country. Babies who were thought to be orphaned had living parents. Some children were trafficked. Paperwork was falsified. Records were destroyed.Korean adoptees worldwide were left reeling, including here in Minnesota, home to the largest population of
From Budweiser to kimchi, a new book tells the stories behind immigrant and community recipes
While holding a can of Budweiser and tending to chicken thighs on a backyard grill, Natalia Mendez talks about their grandfather.“This is like a smell of my childhood,” Mendez says.Mendez occasionally pours some beer on the chicken, making it sizzle and smoke, tempering the flames caused by fat dripping on coals. “My grandpa, when he taught my dad this recipe, said it has to be Budweiser,
North Star Journey Live: Is college still worth it?
Traditionally, a college degree has been seen as a ticket to a secure future.But not today. Thanks to soaring tuition costs and weighty student loans, many people are questioning the value of college. A 2025 Pew Research poll found that only one in four U.S. adults says it’s “extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree” to get a well-paying job. And many young Americans
Meet the poet laureate of Minneapolis: Junauda Petrus
MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the power of poetry with Junauda Petrus, the poet laureate for the city of Minneapolis. Junauda says poetry is “soul medicine” that can unite us in our shared humanity. Angela also hears from poet and performer, Tish Jones, about what poetry means to her.Guests:Junauda Petrus is the poet laureate for the city of Minneapolis. She is an author, playwri
How yoga and mindfulness can reduce the stress in your life
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a Twin Cities rapper and mindfulness instructor who says yoga saved his life.
Cartoons, culture and care: Latino artist creates bilingual mental health universe
Artist Rocky Casillas Aguirre has created a mental health universe populated by a ragtag cast of characters.Twitch is the protagonist. He’s bright orange, with big cartoon eyes and very cute.“He’s a little campfire flame, and he represents the kid in all of us who sees the world with curious eyes and has lots of questions,” Casillas Aguirre says.Then there’s his best friend and mentor, My
Building community through boxing: Inside Element Gym with Dalton Outlaw
Across Minnesota, there are people working every day to strengthen their communities. Sometimes it starts with a small business. Sometimes, with a personal passion — and sometimes, with a gym. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Dalton Outlaw — someone who combined all three. He’s an entrepreneur, a boxer and a community leader based in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. Guest:Dalton O
A traditional gift: Mother and daughter share a bond through crafting star quilts
82-year-old Ruby Leith Minkel and her daughter Carrie Minkel-Johnson live in the Lower Sioux Indian Community in southwest Minnesota. Together, they make star quilts as gifts for people both within and outside of the community.“I love making the quilts, and it's just something that I appreciate,” Leith Minkel said.When they are not at home in their personal sewing rooms, the two utilize t
Power Pair: Sportscaster Lea B. Olsen and filmmaker Daniel Bergin
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a brother and sister who are both award-winning storytellers. They talk about their work and how they support each other as part of our MPR News Power Pairs series.Guests: Daniel Bergin is a filmmaker, executive producer and director of history at Twin Cities PBS, where he was hired more than 30 years ago as a production assistant. He has won more tha
St. Paul's new superintendent on the challenges in public education
Like most school districts in Minnesota, St. Paul Public Schools is facing a complicated set of challenges. Enrollment is up a bit this year, but the small increase follows years of decline. The district faces a budget shortfall, has already made deep cuts and plans to ask voters this fall to approve a tax increase to support schools. At the same time, student performance is stuck where
Five years after George Floyd: The healing and rebuilding that still need to happen
It was Memorial Day weekend, five years ago, when George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Bystanders recorded the nine-plus minutes that Chauvin calmly kneeled on Floyd’s neck, as the Black man pleaded for help and air. That video rocketed from phone to phone, from media to media and sparked worldwide protests against police brutality.But for the Black communi
From inside, out: Rebuilding a life after incarceration
About 4,500 people are released from Minnesota prisons each year. Many of them have spent years, if not decades, behind bars, separated from friends, family and community.What happens when they finally return? How do they rebuild their lives during this complex and often precarious transition?That was the topic at a collaborative Sahan Community Live and North Star Journey Live event reco
Former police chief reflects on five years after George Floyd's murder
George Floyd's murder in 2020 led to calls to end police violence and racism. Five years later, advocates say not enough has changed. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Medaria Arradondo, the retired Minneapolis police chief, about his book, “Chief Rondo: Securing Justice for the Murder of George Floyd.”Guest: Medaria Arradondo is the former police chief for the city of Minneapolis. He
Creating work community with Alex West Steinman
When the norms and expectations of the workplace aren’t working for you, what do you do? If you’re Alex West Steinman, you create your own workplace. In 2017, West Steinman left a career in advertising and communications and joined three colleagues to found The Coven. Eight years later, The Coven has two coworking sites in the Twin Cities and another five franchise locations in Minnesot
Minnesota baseball lovers make a pitch to honor bygone ballpark, 2 historic St. Paul teams
Sitting on a frontage road perched above the interstate, hemmed by roads and nondescript government buildings near the Capitol, 12th and Robert streets in St. Paul isn’t much to look at. But in 1903, this was the place to be if you loved baseball. There, the St. Paul Saints and the St. Paul Colored Gophers — two of the city’s historic baseball teams — played at the Pillbox, sometimes call
Representing immigrants in a time of policy changes
The Trump administration has proposed new executive orders and policies that are changing the lives of millions of immigrants. Dozens of international students have had their visas cancelled, birthright citizenship is being challenged and non-citizens — including those with authorization to work in the U.S. — have been removed quickly from the country without a court hearing. MPR News hos
Going backwards? Health care equity in Minnesota, five years after COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated disparities within Minnesota's health care system that have existed for decades. Black, brown and Native Minnesotans died at a higher rate from the virus than their white neighbors, and it took them longer to get vaccinated. As a result, health care and community leaders promised to renew their efforts to help all Minnesotans get access to quality, affor
Cross-cultural concert series blends Somali memory with soul music's joy
In a Minneapolis rehearsal room, a group of Somali musicians gathers in a circle, playing music rooted in the cafés of Mogadishu. The sound is emotional, rhythmic and steeped in memory. It’s called “Somali blues.”“The lyrics are just showing you what it means,” says Ahmed Ismail Yusuf, the group’s leader. The style is similar to what you might have heard in Somalia before the civil war.“I
Two Ojibwe artists practice culture and tradition with birchbark
Patrick Kruse is a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a descendant of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. He lives and works along the shore of Mille Lacs Lake and has been creating birchbark art since the late ‘80s. As a young adult, he says his mother had a dream where he worked with birchbark. “My mom, kind of, not scolded, but warned me of the cultural significanc
In St. Cloud, leaders of color aim to fill community's housing need
On a corner in the center of St. Cloud, next to a former Wells Fargo bank, Abdikadir Bashir can view bustling cultural malls in three directions.There’s a restaurant, a cafe, retail shops, a halal market, a health clinic — all started by East African immigrants who now call St. Cloud home.This busy hub is the heart of the recently arrived immigrant community in St. Cloud. Bashir, executiv
Native communities keep maple syrup traditions going, even in urban areas
In south Minneapolis, the sound of cars driving by is like white noise. Blue bags hang from maple trees that line the sides of city streets. The Native American Community Development Institute, or NACDI, has been busy collecting sap from neighborhood trees in recent weeks for the purpose of sugar bushing.Sugar bushing is the process of collecting and boiling down sap into syrup or even p
Investing in women and girls to ensure their safety, health and success
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the president and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota about investing in women and girls to ensure their safety, health and economic success.
Oldest Minneapolis cemetery designated Underground Railroad site
Through the hard work of Minnesota genealogists, Minneapolis’ oldest cemetery has a new designation by the National Park Service. Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery, located just southeast of downtown, is now considered part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The new designation comes after the discovery of three African American Freedom Seekers and one African America
My family's immigration story — and yours
How did your family end up in Minnesota? Do you know the story of your ancestors’ journey? In the 1800s, immigrants to our region primarily came from Scandinavia and Germany. More recently, major populations have come to Minnesota from Laos, Somalia, Mexico, Liberia, Ecuador, Afghanistan and India. In fact, almost 500,000 people who live in Minnesota today were born outside of the United
Holy Land deli imports 26 varieties of dates to make Muslims feel ‘at home’ during Ramadan
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts on Friday. During this time, Muslims observe a strict fast from dawn until sunset. That means the breaking of the fast at sunset, known as iftar, is a special event. The fast is usually broken with dates and a drink, depending on the culture. Since August, Muslim deli Holy Land in northeast Minneapolis has been prepping for an influx of customers.
The power of poetry: Junauda Petrus, the new Poet Laureate of Minneapolis
MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the power of poetry with Junauda Petrus, the newly appointed Poet Laureate for the city of Minneapolis. She says poetry is “soul medicine” that can unite us in our shared humanity. Guest:Junauda Petrus is the recently appointed Poet Laureate for the city of Minneapolis. She is an author, playwright, filmmaker and co-founder of the experimental artist
Twin Cities Green Book sites were touchstones for Black travelers in the segregation era
During the era of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation, 87 locations in Minnesota were listed in the Green Book, a guidebook that helped Black travelers find lodgings, businesses and gas stations that would serve them. But less than a quarter of these sites in Minnesota remain standing today. Most of the state’s Green Book sites were in the Twin Cities and many were demolished to make way
83 years after mass incarceration, Japanese Americans warn it could happen again
On Feb. 19, 1942, shortly after Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order that enabled the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in camps located mostly in the western United States.Many were citizens. Those camps closed a few years later and those who were detained resettled around the country. Vinicius Taguchi, president of the loca
Route 1 helps farmers of color put down roots
Despite the freezing temperatures, the farmers at Route 1 Farms are already deep into harvesting lettuce and herbs this winter. They are growing food through a new creative way of indoor farming. The organization specifically focuses on supporting emerging farmers of color in the state. Route 1 Farm's executive director Marcus Carpenter joined Minnesota Now to talk about the project.
From territory to today: Mapping Minnesota’s Black history
In celebration of Black History Month in February, MPR News is highlighting Black history throughout the state. From a fur trader believed to be one of the first African descendants in territory that is now Minnesota, to streets and parks renamed in 2024 after Black community leaders, these sites span the state and the centuries. Click to explore Black history sites throughout the stateSo
Minneapolis to Montgomery: The Police and Black Men Project
MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests continue the conversation about the Minneapolis Police Department and an ambitious effort led by the Police and Black Men Project.
How sports can empower youth
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with retired professional soccer player, Tony Sanneh, about the programs his foundation has developed to empower young people to become the best version of themselves. Guest: Tony Sanneh is a retired professional soccer player and the founder and CEO of The Sanneh Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul that aims to create positive social ch
Book to recognize 50 years of Hmong contribution to Minnesota culture
2025 marks 50 years since Hmong people started immigrating to Minnesota. Today, the state is home to a vibrant community of at least 95,000 Hmong Minnesotans. Through the Minnesota Historical Society and the state Legislature, the Hmong Cultural Center in St. Paul and the Hmong Studies Journal received a grant of nearly $25,000 to publish a special issue of the journal that will commemor
‘I felt like things were missing’: Minnesota podcaster aims to make true crime more victim-centered
A Pew Research study finds that 34 percent of U.S. adults who listen to podcasts say they regularly listen true crime podcasts. A Minnesota-made podcast is taking that genre in a different direction. Minnesota high school debate coach and wedding photographer Celisia Stanton noticed many wildly popular true crime podcasts seemed to ignore some of the systemic issues plaguing the criminal
After 100 years of waiting, a Latino Museum is proposed for St. Paul
Traducción Léelo en español A coalition of Minnesota Latino organizations called the Minnesota Latino Leadership Alliance held a press conference at the capitol Jan. 14. The group was advocating for initiatives for the upcoming legislative session, one of which is the proposed Minnesota Latino Museum, which would be a center for Latino arts, culture and h
‘Spreading joy through two ropes’: Rondo Double Dutch shares skills with new generation
“Strawberry shortcake, blueberry pie. Rondo Double Dutch got a team, and we know why,” a group of young voices chant on a track the St. Paul organization made with artist Bionik.Rondo Double Dutch is the brainchild of Mercedes Yarbrough, an educator who wanted to bring Double Dutch to a new generation in her community. She joined up with Jelahn Prentiss, who goes by Coach Twist, to expand
St. Paul City Council reflects on a historic year: ‘Ten toes down, shoulder to shoulder’
One year ago, St. Paul made history when it became the first major city in the U.S. to install an all-female city council.Just as remarkable: This group also makes up the youngest and most racially diverse council since St. Paul incorporated in 1854. Six of its seven members are women of color. All are 40 or younger. Related Links From Talking Sense: Two St. Paul coun
‘More than just a haircut’: Twin Cities teacher celebrates Black barbershops in new book
A new children’s book by a Twin Cities author is out Tuesday. It’s called “Saturday Morning at the ‘Shop” and it’s the debut book for Keenan Jones, who is a middle school English teacher in the metro. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the book and how it came to be.Jones has several book launch events coming up, including one Jan. 11 in downtown Minneapolis and another Jan.
How mindfulness can reduce stress
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a Twin Cities rapper and mindfulness instructor who says yoga saved his life.
Power Pair: Brothers David Treuer and Anton Treuer on writing and Ojibwe culture
MPR News host Angela Davis revisits a conversation with brothers Anton Treuer and David Treuer about their latest books, reclaiming Ojibwe culture and growing up together on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota.
Power Pair: This mother-daughter duo builds community in Golden Valley and beyond
We revisit a conversation with Rose McGee, president and founder of the Sweet Potato Comfort Pie organization, and her daughter, Roslyn Harmon, the mayor of Golden Valley, Minn.
Family is the secret to success at Cecil’s Deli after 75 years
The first night of Hanukkah is on Dec. 25, which means Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul will fry up thousands of latkes in the next couple of weeks. The Jewish institution is Minnesota’s oldest deli and this year it is celebrating 75 years in business.MPR News host Nina Moini talks with two people who are part of the family business that spans four generations: Becca Kvasnik, the granddaughter of
Minnesota gospel group The Steeles to play 40th, final Christmas concert
The weekend of Dec. 21-22 will be Minnesota’s last chance to experience the longstanding and beloved holiday show, A Christmas Celebration with The Steeles.After 40 years, the Minnesota gospel group is wrapping up their run of Christmas concerts. Siblings J.D., Fred, Jearlyn, Jevetta and Billy Steele have brought their joyful holiday harmonies to Minnesota audiences since 1984 and plan to
Power Pair: The Hardeman twins and their shared commitment to equity
Rachel Hardeman and Simone Hardeman-Jones are identical twins who share more than DNA. They also share a commitment to addressing racial inequities.Rachel Hardeman is a professor at the University of Minnesota whose research is used nationally to show how racism affects health. Her work illuminates the disparities between the experiences of Black mothers during pregnancy and childbirth an
U of M neuroscience assistant professor inspires Black scientists, named to Forbes 30 under 30
Every year Forbes comes out with its prestigious 30 under 30 list. It highlights people making a change across various industries who are under the age of 30. In total, 30 people are selected across 20 industries. This year’s list includes Caitlin Clark and singer Noah Kahan. And it also includes a Minnesotan.Angeline Dukes, an assistant professor in neuroscience at the University of Minn
North Star Journey Live: Lessons on belonging from the international student potluck
Newcomers to America — be they immigrants, refugees or even international students — have access to a variety of social services to help them begin a new life.But do they feel like they belong?That was the topic of discussion at the North Star Journey Live conversation recorded in Moorhead, Minn., on Nov. 21. MPR News senior reporter Sarah Thamer traveled to Concordia College for the inte
New book traces life from a Somali orchard to running a nonprofit in Minnesota
A Minnesota author has put out a new book about her life with pieces from her grandparents’ orchard in Somalia, her teen years in a refugee camp and her adulthood in the U.S. and Minnesota. In “My Dear Loving Sisters: Tea and Stories from an Audacious Life,” Fatoun Ali lays out how she survived poverty and abuse to raise four children and start a nonprofit. Ali created the piece in a work
How philanthropy can support housing stability and racial justice
The Pohlad family announced last month that they were looking to sell the Minnesota Twins after owning the team for 40 years. Well, for almost that long, the Pohlads also have had a private family foundation. It gives away millions of dollars every year to nonprofit organizations around the Twin Cities. In recent years the foundation has focused on two priorities — giving money to ease
FRONDO bringing together Hmong and Black cultures of Frogtown and Rondo
An initiative in St. Paul is connecting and celebrating two of its largest minority populations, Hmong and Black. Aptly named “FRONDO,” the initiative is bringing together the Frogtown neighborhood which has a large Hmong population and the historically Black Rondo neighborhood in a way that’s never been done before.May Lee-Yang and Nicole M. Smith are the organizers behind the project. L
Longtime south Minneapolis resident brings deep experience to historic panel
It was a Friday night in 1964, recalls Greg McMoore. A line of men stretched out the Young Brothers barbershop on Fourth Avenue in south Minneapolis. McMoore was just a kid then, but he could tell they were there for more than just haircuts.He remembers seeing a group head to the backroom and begging his father to let him sneak a glimpse. “It was all in fun,” he reminisced with a laugh. “
Be the first: Success stories from Minnesota's trailblazers
For immigrants to America, so much is new. New culture, new language, new systems, new opportunities.The learning curve is steep. But eventually, someone pushes through to a new level and becomes the first in their community to achieve a goal. Maybe they become the first in their family to graduate from college, or the first to start a small business. Maybe they are the first to purchase
Minneapolis, St. Paul birders drop 'Audubon' from chapter names
The St. Paul and Minneapolis Audubon chapters have dropped the contentious naturalist’s namesake from their titles, rebranding their organizations as the St. Paul Bird Alliance and Land of Lakes Bird Alliance, respectively. It follows an evolving, countrywide trend after the National Audubon Society leadership voted down removing the association with John James Audubon from its name last
Bush Fellows draw on their heritage to lead in a more diverse Minnesota
One of the greatest gifts you can give any leader is the time and money to become even more effective at the change they want to make in the world. That idea is at the heart of the Bush Fellowship.Every year, up to 30 people across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and in 23 Native nations receive this prestigious fellowship from the Bush Foundation, along with grants of up to $150,0
Early childhood champion Carolyn Smallwood on nurturing young children
What happens to us when we’re very young children can set us up for life. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the CEO of the nonprofit Way to Grow about what we can do to nurture kids’ development.
Advancing climate action and racial equity
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Tonya Allen, the president of the McKnight Foundation. The Minnesota-based family foundation grants approximately $100 million dollars every year and is focused on advancing climate action and racial equity — two deeply connected issues.Find out what’s driving the foundation’s priorities, how Allen shifted from working on education policy to climate c
Minnesota executive Carla Vernón on leading and inspiring the next generation
Carla Vernón didn’t think she’d go into business.She was inspired to do good in the world by a father who emigrated from Panama to become a college math professor and by her mother who was one of the real-life “Hidden Figures,” the Black women mathematicians who helped develop the U.S. space program.After studying ecology and biology at Princeton, she worked for a nature conservation nonp
Minneapolis street named after community leader Bernadette Anderson
Bernadette Anderson — a community leader, an outspoken advocate for African American civil rights in Minnesota, and a tough-love mother to many northside youth — was honored Friday afternoon with a renamed street in north Minneapolis.Bernadette Anderson Way now runs along Russell Avenue North between Plymouth Avenue North and 12th Avenue North. Anderson, who died in 2003, lived in the 120
Minnesota’s oldest Black-owned newspaper celebrates 90 years
In August 1934, Cecil E. Newman founded the Minneapolis Spokesman in the midst of the Great Depression and 30 years before the Civil Rights Act. A few years later, he founded a second newspaper called the St. Paul Recorder. He used his role as a newspaper publisher to fight racial discrimination and earned the attention of every major politician, including Hubert H. Humphrey.The two paper
The ’Deeper Blues’ of Minneapolis music legend Cornbread Harris
Join Angela Davis at the Minnesota State Fair for a North Star Journey Live recording to celebrate the music, the man and the mischief of James “Cornbread” Harris. Cornbread is now 97 years old, which means he’s been playing his beloved piano at gigs all over the Twin Cities for more than 70 years. Music journalist Andrea Swensson recently released a book chronicling Cornbread’s remarkabl
This Minneapolis Indigenous Design Camp for teens is the first of its kind in the U.S.
A group of teens cuts cardboard with X-ACTO Knives. They will soon shape this cardboard into architectural models of their bedrooms. Behind them in a classroom at the Dunwoody College of Technology, large windows frame the Minneapolis cityscape — a sampling of building types through the ages, from the early 20th-century Basilica of St. Mary to the IDS skyscraper built in 1973.“It’s my fir
‘Spike Moss Way’: Minneapolis names section of Plymouth Avenue after civil rights champion
Community activist Harry “Spike” Moss, 78, and Plymouth Avenue North share a historic connection in the struggle for civil rights of African Americans in Minneapolis. When Plymouth Avenue erupted in turmoil in the late 1960s, Moss was there to decry the racial oppression and discrimination that sparked the flames. Moss was also heavily involved with The Way and an alternative school calle
Heavy rains and climate change challenge Minnesota agriculture, farmers of color
After two years of drought-dried fields, Minnesota farmers are facing the opposite problem — extremely soggy soil and flooding following several inches of rainfall that washed out roads and continue to push up river levels this week. “All I’ll say is uffdah,” Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen said. “A lot of the crop in Minnesota didn’t get planted [yet]. We’ll get some of
V3 Sports aquatic, recreation center looks to bridge racial gap in north Minneapolis
V3 Sports will hold its grand opening on Saturday. The aquatics and recreation center is one of the largest private investments ever in north Minneapolis at $126 million.MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke to the executive director of V3 Sports, Malik Rucker, and Ayanna Rakhu, who planned all of the swimming programming.
North Star Journey Live: What Happened in Alabama?
In many ways, Lee Hawkins’ childhood in Maplewood was typical for families in the 1980s. He rode bikes, spent hours exploring the landscape, played rudimentary video football games. He and his sisters were raised by two loving parents and spent hours at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church each week. But in other ways, Hawkins’ experience was unique. His family was Black in a mostly white suburb, pa
Kevin Lindsey on Juneteenth and the importance of remembering our stories
Some people call Juneteenth our nation’s second Independence Day. It marks the date on June 19, 1865, when enslaved Black Americans in Texas finally learned of their freedom, after the Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation. The day became a federal holiday in 2021, but Americans are still grappling with how to commemorate it. MPR News guest host Nina Moini talks with Kevin Lindsey, C
From Verona to Nogales with a Latino adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’
“Romeo and Juliet” has been reimagined countless times. The musical “West Side Story” relocated the tale to blue-collar Manhattan, while director Baz Luhrmann colorfully stylized and modernized the play in his 1996 film “Romeo + Juliet.” Twin Cities theater company Teatro del Pueblo’s adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” goes beyond changing the location and period. Called “Romeo and Juliet:
Catholic Charities CEO Michael Goar on the importance of home
For more than 20 years Micronesians have made Milan their home
Tuesdays and Fridays are special days for a small group of students from Lac qui Parle Valley Schools near Milan. That’s when the Milan Kids Club is in session at the former Milan Public School building.Rosalia Iowanes and Justleen Ponun, two teens employed by the program, have set up the volleyball net in the gym. Some students play barefoot. The sport is immensely popular in the Microne
Inside Hmong Cornhole, the largest cornhole club in Minnesota
It’s Monday night at the National Guard Armory in northeast Minneapolis, which means it’s time for Hmong Cornhole. A few dozen folks throw little bean bags into holes in rows of glossy wooden boards. They chat and fist bump and update scores on digital tablets. Kids occasionally run weaving through the boards, sometimes squirreling away bags from their parents.This definitely has strength
Lee Hawkins unpacks family history and intergenerational trauma in new podcast
Journalist Lee Hawkins grew up in Maplewood, Minn., but Alabama has always haunted his family.In a new podcast, Hawkins uncovers his family history, his father’s painful nightmares and the long-lasting impacts of Jim Crow far beyond segregation.What Happened in Alabama? is a long-form limited series podcast about the intergenerational ripple effect of slavery and his efforts to heal.MPR N
The universal love language of postpartum cultural dishes
Mother’s Day celebrates a special human bond. Food plays an integral role in most mother-child relationships, especially in the very first days after birth as a mother recovers. Cultures around the world celebrate this special time in different ways. This Mother’s Day, we explore how three cultures focus on the mother during postpartum recovery and how their foods reflect wisdom and lesso
Renovated Minneapolis American Indian Center reflects urban Indigenous identity
The Minneapolis American Indian Center's two-year renovation is now complete. The redesign reflects both a sense of belonging and history and showcases ways the Minneapolis Indigenous community embraces its future. The happy chatter of excited visitors filled a large rotunda inside the center as executive director Mary LaGarde walked through the crowd to greet guests at a soft opening hel
‘I wanted to see stories about our experience’: For 25 years Mizna has helped artists make cultural connections
At a dance studio in Minneapolis recently, Leila Awadallah reflected on what Mizna means to her. “When I found Mizna, that’s when I unlocked this portal into this beautiful world of Arab Americans and of stories from countries that I longed to know deeper,” Awadallah said. The choreographer and dancer is half white, half Palestinian and grew up in South Dakota. She’s one of the many artis
Trailblazer Reatha Clark King on her journey from chemistry to philanthropy
As a child in Georgia, Reatha Clark King picked cotton for $6 a day to help her family make ends meet. Then, buoyed on the hopes and expectations of her family and church, she blazed a trail from a one-room schoolhouse in the segregated South to college. She pushed past gender and racial barriers as a Black woman to become a research chemist in the 1960s, contributing to NASA’s moon land
A modern spin on a Korean tradition: Kimjang in south Minneapolis
In Korea, people often get together for kimjang, a gathering to make large batches of kimchi, the traditional spicy fermented cabbage delicacy. Recently, I joined about a dozen people gathered for kimjang at a house in south Minneapolis. Unlike traditional kimjang, most of the participants were complete strangers, albeit with a shared interest in kimchi. We rolled up our sleeves, pulled o
Power Pair: The mother-daughter duo working to better Golden Valley and beyond
As parents, we teach our children how to move through the world. But as our children grow older, we learn from them, too.That relationship can grow into a real partnership and friendship — and a positive support system pushing each other to be better and do better.Our next Power Pair is a good example of that transition: Mother-daughter duo Rose McGee and Roslyn Harmon. It’s part of our n
St. Paul’s Cherise Ayers on returning to lead Central High School
Cherise Ayers was president of the student council at Central High School in St. Paul in the late 1990s. Two years ago, the St. Paul native returned to Central in a very different leadership role: as principal.Central is the oldest high school in Minnesota, founded in 1866. Known for strong academics, it was one of the first schools in the state to offer an international baccalaureate dip
A wide lens: Ethnic studies in Minnesota classrooms
Ethnic studies will roll out to Minnesota K-12 classrooms in 2026. The content area was added to the state social studies standards this winter, joining history, geography, economics and government as major themes.The Minnesota Department of Education is still working on a final framework to guide curriculum. But some districts aren’t waiting.In 2022, both St. Paul and Minneapolis public
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