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.

This coverage is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

🎧 Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via RSS link

March 14, 2022 1:17 PM

MPR News launches North Star Journey, a journal exploring the history and culture of Minnesota communities

Our new reporting project, North Star Journey, is a close look at the history and culture that make up diverse communities across our state.

by Brandt Williams and Cathy Wurzer

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March 14, 2022 12:00 PM

Minnesota names reveal our connections, struggles for inclusion

In the first installment of MPR News’ series North Star Journey, editor Brandt Williams considers the power of changing and saying names from Bde Maka Ska to George Floyd.

by Brandt Williams

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March 4, 2022 12:00 PM

How well do you know LGBTQ+ terms?

The term LGBTQ+, with plus meaning that it’s ever-expanding, encompasses lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer and more.

by Jiwon Choi

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February 3, 2022 4:00 AM

‘This is how they see the world’: Mille Lacs launches Rosetta Stone program to teach Ojibwe

The reality that skills and knowledge were in danger of being lost has brought a new sense of urgency to the band’s ongoing efforts to preserve the language.

by Kirsti Marohn

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December 16, 2021 11:00 AM

In Focus: BIPOC businesses’ inclusion in Minnesota's economy

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, many corporations promised spending, investment, mentorship and all forms of additional support for BIPOC entrepreneurs, but only a portion of the pledges had materialized.

by Angela Davis and MPR News Staff

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October 28, 2021 12:10 PM

In Focus: Sustainability in Indian Country

Sustainability is a way of life for Indigenous communities in Minnesota — and beyond. In partnership with We Are Still Here Minnesota, MPR News presents In Focus: Sustainability in Indian Country, a conversation led by community leaders and moderated by Twila Dang.

by Twila Dang

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September 9, 2021 3:42 PM

In Focus: Learning in the time of COVID

A challenging school year lies ahead in Minnesota, a state that ranks as one of the country’s worst when it comes to inequality in educational outcomes. Join us as host Angela Davis moderates a conversation with parents, teachers and advocates about the ongoing toll of the pandemic on our educational system.

by Angela Davis

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August 20, 2021 4:00 AM

Stacey Danner wavered on the vaccine, friends hope his story sways others to get shots

Stacey Danner was an ardent cheerleader and advocate for his north Minneapolis neighborhood, for Black entrepreneurs and for his wide circle of friends from all walks of life. But this spring, he wavered on getting a vaccine and fell gravely ill with COVID-19. His story illustrates that vaccine hesitancy in Minnesota’s Black community is complex.

by Catharine Richert

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August 11, 2021 2:45 PM

Survey: Black Minnesotans have far less trust in police than white residents do

A survey by APM Research Lab, which is owned by MPR News’ parent company American Public Media, found that only one in five Black Minnesotans trust the police to do what’s right, compared to more than 70 percent of white Minnesotans.

by Jon Collins

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May 7, 2021 12:12 PM

In Focus: George Floyd's legacy and impact

A year and a day after George Floyd’s murder, host Angela Davis led a conversation with community leaders, memory keepers and activists working to maintain his legacy in our communities and beyond.

by Angela Davis, Rachel Yang and MPR News Staff

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