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Social Issues

Blackduck company recruits Latino workers to fill labor gap

Anderson Fabrics in northern Minnesota, is the largest maker of custom drapery products in the country. It's located in the small town of Blackduck, a half-hour north of Bemidji. Because of its geographic isolation, the company has struggled to find the skilled workers it needs. Company officials think they may have found a solution in the Twin Cities Latino community.

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Caution: children at work

Every day, more than 200 million children around the world go to work instead of school. What role do children play in the global economy? And is it necessarily in their best interest to abolish child labor completely?

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Twin Cities has few minority partners in law firms

There are more than 1,200 legal partners at the major law firms in the Twin Cities. But a recent survey shows that little more than two percent of those partners are minorities.

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A former criminal teaches that crime doesn't pay

There are many organizations in Minnesota designed to alleviate socio-economic factors that some blame for the prevalence of crime in black communities. Then there are people like Winfred Payne. He uses his life experiences to set an example to young African Americans. He says making bad choices can lead to big trouble. For Winfred Payne, his choices led him to spend nearly half his life behind bars.

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Mandela: An Audio History

A decade ago, Nelson Mandela became president in South Africa's first multi-racial democratic election. Mandela's journey, from freedom fighter to president, capped a dramatic half-century long struggle against white rule and the institution of apartheid. Using rare sound recordings and interviews with people on both sides of the struggle, this American RadioWorks documentary tells his story.

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In memory of a sister

So far this year in Minnesota, 104 people have died because they were homeless. One of them is Janice Bradley, who was struck and killed by a car. She was remembered Thursday night in Minneapolis as part of a memorial event for all homeless people.

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Home stretch

Finding affordable housing near jobs and public transportation isn't easy. The incoming director of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity says the lack of a suitable building space is a challenge for the nonprofit homebuilding organization.

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Rainbow reverses course on food donations

The company that owns Rainbow Foods says Rainbow will resume its donations to area food shelves. Rainbow had stopped allowing food banks and others to pick up baked goods and produce it was clearing off its shelves. The chain's owner, Roundy's, now says baked goods will be available again starting Friday, and produce donations should resume within a few weeks. CEO Rob Mariano spoke with MPR's Jeff Horwich.

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Community leaders discouraged by immigrant study

A panel of Twin Cities community leaders say they're discouraged by the attitudes of Minnesotans who are fed up with immigrants. The panelists were brought together by the Minnesota Community Project to debunk misperceptions about immigrants.

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Rainbow curbs food shelf donations

This month, food shelves around the Twin Cities find themselves short thousands of pounds of fruits, vegetables, and bread they had expected. Rainbow Foods, one of the state's largest grocery chains, abruptly stopped donating its leftover produce and day-old baked goods.

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