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

February 6, 2023 6:38 PM

Future of Us: What's next for education in Minnesota?

Minnesota’s 2020 Teacher of the Year, Qorsho Hassan, on how the pandemic and the murder of George Floyd reshaped shaped her vision for education to center student voice and leadership.

by Tom Crann and Ngoc Bui

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February 3, 2023 4:00 AM

Columbia Heights students mark World Hijab Day

A group of students at Columbia Heights High School came up with a unique way to mark World Hijab Day, giving their peers a chance to ask questions about the traditional head covering or even try one on.

by Elizabeth Shockman

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February 2, 2023 12:17 PM

Can $50 million close the racial wealth gap in Minnesota and the Dakotas?

Generational wealth is real— and so is the wealth gap between white and Black households. Danielle Mkali is Senior Director at Nexus Community Partners and they have $50 million to help. She speaks with host Cathy Wurzer.

by Cathy Wurzer and Alanna Elder

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February 1, 2023 12:37 PM

Documentary series traces history of racial injustice, resistance in Twin Cities

Twin Cities Public Television released a documentary called Jim Crow of the North in 2019. A new series by the same name explores more stories about resistance to racial discrimination in the Twin Cities region. It hinges on this question: Why is Minneapolis the epicenter of a global racial reckoning?

by Cathy Wurzer and Ellen Finn

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February 1, 2023 4:00 AM

Snow sisters: Team Kwe, the only all-women Indigenous snow sculpture team in the U.S.

On a freezing January weekend, an all-woman Indigenous snow carving team makes its mark in a physically demanding art form.

by Alex V. Cipolle

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January 31, 2023 1:02 PM

Meet four local arts leaders giving a voice to underrepresented communities

Guest host Jacob Aloi heads into the studios of artists of color, a queer filmmaker and a curator of Latin American Art. They’re all making the art world more inclusive.

by Jacob Aloi, Danelle Cloutier and Nicole Johnson

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January 19, 2023 9:34 AM

'We need each other': Prairie Island, Red Wing start 'Honoring Dakota' mural

The effort is about much more than art itself; it touches on improving indigenous representation in Red Wing, Minn., confronting historical trauma and promoting mental health.

by Cathy Wurzer and Alanna Elder

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January 16, 2023 4:00 PM

Alan Page brings back 'Testify' exhibit to spark conversations on race

Alan Page is again sharing his popular and provocative exhibit of African American art and artifacts with the public. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the former Minnesota Supreme Court justice and his daughter about the importance of remembering America’s painful racist history.

by Angela Davis, Maja Beckstrom and Nicole Johnson

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January 16, 2023 3:17 PM

Future of Us: Creating a new roadmap for justice in the wake of George Floyd

Long-time activist and attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong reflects on how the murder of George Floyd, global protests, and a high-profile conviction have transformed the ways we understand and advocate for justice.

by Tom Crann and Ngoc Bui