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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September 12, 2023 4:00 AM

Bars as safe spaces for people of color in Minneapolis

Safe social space for people of color in America — and Minnesota — can still feel rare. Bars and restaurants are an important part of providing that space.

by Mecca Bos

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September 8, 2023 5:55 AM

Black developers revitalize Lake Street landmark torched after Floyd murder

More than three years after George Floyd’s murder, a group of Black entrepreneurs is renovating the historic Coliseum Building on Lake Street in Minneapolis that was nearly lost to arson in 2020.

by Matt Sepic

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September 7, 2023 7:00 AM

As Al Quie is laid to rest, another family remembers enduring bond of faith, friendship

Al Quie was a Minnesota governor and longtime member of Congress. But it was in his role as a church committeeman, a lifetime ago, that he reached out to a stranger — and formed an unexpected family bond that endures to this day.

by Tim Nelson

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August 31, 2023 11:58 AM

Minnesota THC beverage company co-founder sees Black ownership in the marijuana business as social justice issue

Twin Cities-based Plift makes a THC beverage to compete with similar drinks sold by alcohol companies.

by Mecca Bos

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August 31, 2023 11:32 AM

Growing diversity: The changing face of Minnesota farming

Don’t miss this special North Star Journey Live conversation recorded at the Minnesota State Fair about emerging farmers. What’s being done in our state to encourage more diversity in agriculture?

by Angela Davis and Kelly Gordon

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August 28, 2023 1:38 PM

How to build a legacy: The late artist Jim Denomie at Mia and beyond

Jim Denomie, an Ojibwe painter who died in 2022, was originally planning a mid-career exhibit with the Minneapolis Institute of Art; his work primarily focused on social injustices and Native communities, and the posthumous exhibit has now become a comprehensive tribute to his legacy.

by Alex V. Cipolle

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August 22, 2023 11:20 AM

Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year: 'Make students feel like they matter'

After years of coaching, teaching and building trust with his students and fellow educators, Michael Houston was named Minnesota’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. Here’s what this award means to the St. Paul Harding High teacher and what’s next in his future.

by Angela Davis and Matthew Alvarez

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August 15, 2023 4:00 AM

Long before latest push to bring high tech to north Minneapolis there was Microtron

There’s a new push to bring high tech businesses and jobs to north Minneapolis. However, 35 years ago a pioneering Black business owner named Beck Horton — and his now defunct company Microtron — did just that.

by Jae Bryson

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July 12, 2023 4:00 AM

'The uniqueness of who we are': Minnesota’s Asian American art renaissance

The Asian American Renaissance (AAR), a significant pan-Asian arts organization in Minnesota that operated from 1992 to 2005, played an essential role in supporting Asian American artists and promoting social justice, leaving a lasting impact on the community despite its closure.

by Jacob Aloi

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July 12, 2023 4:00 AM

Hastings natives create graphic novel from difficult hometown history

A difficult chapter of Minnesota history is now being told in a graphic novel. “Hate Stings” lays out what happened to the author’s African American family in 1800s Hastings. Visitors at the recent Minnesota Con in Minneapolis got a preview.

by Mecca Bos

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