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.

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November 10, 2023 6:20 PM

White Earth group has been quietly rewriting wrongs, correcting Native veterans headstones

Families visiting cemeteries on the White Earth reservation to honor and remember loved ones this Veterans Day might notice 12 new headstones. They were updated this summer because the names on the old ones were wrong. And this was a common problem for many serving in the Civil War who couldn't read or write — Native Americans, as well as non-native Americans.

by Nina Moini and Megan Burks

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November 3, 2023 2:13 PM

Moorhead unveils monument to Black civil war veteran

A new monument in Moorhead honors a Black civil war veteran who settled in the new community after the war, raised a family and worked as a barber.

by Dan Gunderson

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October 31, 2023 1:33 PM

A show 'For the People': New Guthrie play focuses on Minneapolis’ Native Community

The Guthrie Theater premiered a play titled “For the People,” highlighting the Twin Cities Native American community. Written by Larissa FastHorse and Ty Defoe, the play was inspired by stories from the local Native community, especially around Franklin Avenue, a hub of Native American arts and culture.

by Jacob Aloi

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October 18, 2023 4:00 AM

After surviving heart attack, Angela Conley seeks to raise risk awareness among Black women

Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley survived a heart attack at just 45 years old and wants to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, which affects a disproportionately high number of Black women.

by Nina Moini

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October 12, 2023 4:30 PM

'In the North' – Minnesota’s first independent Indigenous museum opens in an 'ironic' location

The former Enbridge-occupied building in Park Rapids, Minn., where activists once protested the Line 3 pipeline, has been transformed into Giiwedinong, an independent museum highlighting Indigenous perspectives on treaty rights and environmental justice.

by Alex V. Cipolle

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October 6, 2023 4:00 AM

Owners of first of its kind bodega in Apple Valley didn’t give up on their dreams

The owners of Bodega 42, who hail from Mexico and El Salvador, say the journey has been long and the work has been hard. The end result is a nearly 22,000-square foot marketplace which also includes a butcher, deli and restaurant that offers authentic tastes of Latin America.

by Sarah Thamer

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September 22, 2023 11:05 AM

Dance as Archive — a new exhibition honors a north Minneapolis dance school

Artist and curator Za’Nia Coleman presents an archival exhibition at the Public Functionary gallery in northeast Minneapolis, celebrating the history and community impact of the Hollywood Studio of Dance in north Minneapolis.

by Alex V. Cipolle

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September 18, 2023 2:41 PM

Sewing thread lifeline: Weekly gatherings help Afghan refugees build community in Minnesota

Hundreds of Afghan refugees have made their way to Minnesota since the fall of Kabul two years ago. It can be a tough transition, but efforts to help them build a community here now include a cultural touchstone for many Afghans: sewing.

by Tim Nelson

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September 15, 2023 4:00 AM

Hmong immigrants put down roots on Dakota County farmland

The Hmong American Farmers Association closed on farmland just south of the Twin Cities in Dakota County last year. The more than 150 acres are home base for the organization and 20 families of Hmong farmers.

by Jon Collins

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September 12, 2023 11:30 AM

Lachelle Cunningham: Improvising on Black American roots in the kitchen

Twin Cities chef Lachelle Cunningham is known for drawing inspiration from Black American culinary traditions. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Cunningham about cooking with the fall harvest and training a new generation of food entrepreneurs through her Healthy Roots Initiative.

by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

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