North Star Journey Live

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Minnesota has suffered from persistent racial disparities for years. This we know. But what can be done?

North Star Journey Live (formerly known as In Focus) is a live event series and reoccurring topic on MPR News with Angela Davis centered around what Minnesota’s diverse communities need to thrive. Join us!

The isolation and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impacted teenagers struggling with mental health issues. Three experts share approaches on what adults, parents and school counselors can do to help kids dealing with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.
The pandemic made learning harder for many students, but we see evidence that it accelerated learning loss for students who were behind in school before we knew about COVID-19. What is being done to help kids catch up? Listen in.
How do you motivate people who have never voted before to show up at the polls? For this special In Focus discussion, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Secretary of State Steve Simon and two young organizers working to inform and encourage new voters to participate in democracy.
Research shows that people of color are far less likely to engage in nature-based outdoor recreation activities than their white peers. During this In Focus discussion from the Minnesota State Fair, host Twila Dang discusses the so-called nature gap and what to do about it, with outdoor equity experts Anthony Taylor and Asha Shoffner.
Income inequality is deepening in America. Economic gains in recent decades have been unevenly dispersed, with the vast majority of the wealth going to those already on top. Part of that discrepancy is rooted in the inability to buy property.
Watch, “In Focus: How housing can shrink the racial wealth gap,” a virtual discussion that tackles the racial wealth gap in Minnesota with panelists from across the state.
Lenders more likely to deny home loans to people of color in the Twin Cities
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis shows that the denial rate for home loans is higher for people of color than it is for White applicants. The starkest gap was between Black applicants at 4.3% and White applicants at 1.7%. MPR News host Tom Crann spoke with Alene Tchourumoff, Senior Vice President of Community Development and Engagement at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, for more on the findings.
In Focus insight on intersectionality, sustainability and BIPOC-owned businesses
MPR News host Angela Davis revisits some of the perspectives shared through In Focus conversations about intersectionality, sustainability and BIPOC-owned businesses.
How to get involved in environmental justice efforts in Minnesota
MPR News hosted In Focus: Environmental justice and Minnesota’s climate future on April 27. And our MPR community engagement team held three Story Circles on April 15 on the same topic. We put together a toolkit with stories and resources on environmental justice in Minnesota.