Ground Level®: Amplifying Community Voices

Your story is powerful. The stories you share with others honor the complexity of our communities while forging a more equitable and vibrant future.

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June 19, 2020 4:42 PM

Minnesota's salons and barbershops have been open, but how's it going?

Three weeks after state officials said they could reopen, some salons are experiencing long lines and hours-long waits. Others are having a hard time luring back their customers.

by Angela Davis and Karen Zamora

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June 19, 2020 4:00 AM

A ‘profoundly different’ Juneteenth in Minnesota

The annual celebration of Juneteenth is taking on new meaning this year in Minnesota and across the country as people are energized to fight for racial justice in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. And while the pandemic has curtailed larger celebrations, smaller outdoor events are planned throughout the weekend.

by Riham Feshir

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June 18, 2020 6:02 PM

The history of Juneteenth and how we should commemorate it today

Friday is Juneteenth, and across Minnesota and the country, events are being held to recognize the end of slavery in the United States.

by Angela Davis, Kelly Gordon and Kryssy Pease

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June 18, 2020 10:33 AM

What should happen to the murals and other street art honoring George Floyd?

Since the police killing of George Floyd, artists have painted murals and built installations around the Twin Cities and elsewhere, in many cases on plywood that’s destined to come down.

by Phil Picardi

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June 17, 2020 4:00 AM

For some Minneapolis residents, dismantling the police isn’t far-fetched

During the unrest in the days following the police killing of George Floyd, some residents banded together to defend themselves. They say those lessons can help reimagine a community-led public safety program that’s organized and ready to protect their neighborhoods.

by Riham Feshir

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June 16, 2020 11:14 AM

Call to Mind: Spotlight on parenting during coronavirus

The pandemic is having a major impact on all our lives and the lives of our families. How can we better manage our own mental well-being, so we can better support our loved ones?

by Angela Davis and Katie Moritz

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June 15, 2020 12:55 PM

When ‘Minnesota Nice’ … isn’t (part 2)

Is a culture of politeness preventing us from solving Minnesota’s deep problems? This is the second half of our discussion about how Minnesota Nice might play into the stark racial disparities present in our state.

by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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June 15, 2020 5:17 AM

‘She saw me in George Floyd’: The trauma of watching another black person die

The mental anguish of George Floyd’s killing doesn’t go away, even after the officers are charged and many of the protesters have gone home. One recent study said police shootings can affect people’s mental health for three months or more.

by Alisa Roth

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June 15, 2020 5:08 AM

The Duluth lynching, 100 years later

On June 15, 1920, three black men wrongfully accused of a crime were lynched by a mob in Duluth. One hundred years later, the city's residents are remembering the killings of Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie — even though a large event marking the somber anniversary had to be canceled because of the pandemic. This is an MPR News morning update for Monday, June 15, 2020. Hosted by Phil Picardi. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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June 11, 2020 11:44 AM

The power of music in protest

One of music’s superpowers is it can serve as an impetus for change. We spoke with an oral historian and an ethnomusicologist about the power of music during periods of resistance.

by Kerri Miller, Marcheta Fornoff and Breann Schossow

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