North Star Journey

North Star Journey is a celebration of communities in Minnesota and the champions who are doing the work that we should be bringing a voice to. We hope to bring new understandings of our state and what brought us to today. About | Credits

MPR News also hosts North Star Journey Live, an event series discussing topics about what Minnesota’s diverse communities need to thrive. Check it out here.

🎧 Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via RSS link

March 22, 2023 2:04 PM

'Reconnecting with the human': Minnesota podcast tackles humanity, womanhood and Islam

As Ramadan approaches, observers ready themselves to pray, reflect and spend time with loved ones. The Digital Sisterhood podcast created in Woodbury, Minn., hopes to do just that.

by Cathy Wurzer, Alanna Elder and Amy Felegy

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March 20, 2023 4:00 AM

‘Support is huge’: Twin Cities program pairs LGBTQ youth with mentors like them

QUEERSPACE collective is one of only a few mentorship programs in the country specifically for queer and transgender youth.

by Grace Birnstengel

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March 15, 2023 11:27 AM

Two Minnesota children's book authors on getting and giving a sense of belonging

Growing up is tough enough, but even more so when you feel like you don’t fit in. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two Minnesotans of color about their paths to knowing and loving themselves and how to teach that to kids. They’ve both written children’s books to help other kids feel like they belong and that they have a voice.

by Angela Davis and Danelle Cloutier

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March 14, 2023 3:23 PM

The city of St. Paul opens Rondo Inheritance Fund

The Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, once a lively and vibrant epicenter, was divided into two by the construction of I-94 in the 1950s. Hundreds lost their homes and were displaced. Decades later, the city of St. Paul is looking to make amends.

by Catharine Richert and Ngoc Bui

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March 9, 2023 11:56 AM

Black railworkers were instrumental in the early 1900s. A new exhibit tells their stories

The people who helped not only build the railroads but attended to the needs of passengers were Black. The Minnesota Transportation Museum is telling that story with a new exhibit opening in March.

by Cathy Wurzer and Alanna Elder

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March 8, 2023 11:46 AM

Many immigrant and refugee women in Minnesota are struggling with their mental health. Here's what their community is doing to help.

We spoke to two guests confronting obstacles in the way of immigrant and refugee women taking care of their mental health.

by Cathy Wurzer and Alanna Elder

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March 8, 2023 4:46 AM

Lives of Hastings’ first Black residents source of inspiration for descendants

The first Black families who settled, worked and started businesses in Hastings, Minn., are an example of the city’s rich Black history. Many were barbers, farmers and mill workers. This history also exemplifies the triumph — not just the trauma — residents experienced.

by Sarah Thamer

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March 3, 2023 2:54 PM

Appetites: Eric Pham of the Quang Restaurant legacy forges his own path

Eric Pham’s mother Khue Pham and her relatives were the family behind Quang, a Vietnamese restaurant that's become an institution in Minneapolis. Now, he’s looking to forge his own way by building on their legacy.

by Tom Crann and Ngoc Bui

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March 2, 2023 4:50 PM

How young leaders are learning to address 'wicked problems' like the climate crisis

The climate crisis and economic inequality can keep us up at night. MPR News Host Angela Davis talks with Dean Nisha Botchwey of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs about training young leaders to address these intense problems head on.

by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom