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.

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March 12, 2024 3:37 PM

Lakota vinyl collector revitalizes Indigenous music, language one record at a time

Justis Brokenrope’s vinyl collection of Native artists is bringing generations of music to new audiences on social media. The collection he’s built over the last decade includes about 300 records by Indigenous artists from various genres — mostly country, folk, rock from the 1960s through the late 1980s.

by Melissa Olson

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February 26, 2024 4:00 AM

Kurdish language class bridges generations and cultures in a Moorhead classroom

A new class at Moorhead High School teaches Kurdish students about their language, culture and history. The Kurdish language is spoken in the homes of hundreds of Moorhead students.

by Dan Gunderson

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February 22, 2024 11:30 AM

Josie Johnson, iconic Minnesota civil rights activist, on hope and her legacy

A new documentary “Hope in the Struggle” tells the story of civil rights activist Josie Johnson, chief lobbyist for Minnesota’s fair housing law and the first Black member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

by Angela Davis, Maja Beckstrom and Gretchen Brown

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February 20, 2024 9:00 AM

Beyond the Border: The immigration crisis, up close

Immigration is a hot topic this election year. But the issue isn’t just political. It’s personal. MPR News host Angela Davis co-hosted a North Star Journey Live conversation with experts who gave us an intimate look at how the border crisis is impacting Minnesota’s immigrant families.

by Angela Davis and Kelly Gordon

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February 9, 2024 4:00 AM

New financial assistance effort aimed at reducing Minnesota's stark homeownership racial gap

Thousands of Minnesota families long shut out of home ownership stand to benefit from a new program aimed at building generational wealth. Advocates hope the help will reduce Minnesota’s stark racial home ownership gap.

by Mark Zdechlik

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February 1, 2024 5:40 AM

Phyllis Wheatley center, once a Green Book haven for Black students and artists, turns 100

Providing kids the chance to explore the outdoors, listen to the sounds of nature and take a dip in a lake had been a high priority for the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center. It began summer camp programs in 1932. The mission of “the Wheatley,” as many refer to the center, has always been service to the community.

by Regina Medina

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February 1, 2024 4:00 AM

‘Dreaming’ big: Minnesota exhibit explores connections and rich history of Indigenous painters

An exhibition at the University of Minnesota curated by Brenda J. Child inaugurates the George Morrison Center for Indigenous Arts.

by Alex V. Cipolle

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January 25, 2024 4:00 AM

Native-led EV initiative launches by distributing millions of dollars worth of vehicles to tribal communities

Native-led renewable energy program startup Electric Nation is sending millions of dollars worth of electric vehicles to two tribal communities in Minnesota and North Dakota.

by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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January 23, 2024 4:00 AM

Ramsey County Board weighs possible name change for Savage Lake in Little Canada

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday on the proposal to rename the lake that includes a derogatory term used to describe Native Americans.

by Regina Medina

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January 15, 2024 4:00 AM

Martin Luther King Jr.'s visits to Minnesota more than 50 years ago still resonate

On what would have been King’s 95th birthday, many are celebrating the civil rights leader, while also reflecting on what his words reveal about the march for justice still ahead.

by Jacob Aloi

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