Race: Conversations around race and racial justice

Here are the latest on the fight against racism, voices calling for racial justice and in-depth stories on communities of color and other racial issues from MPR News.

Voices of Minnesota Calls for change across the state

Protests and pain The killing of George Floyd

Call To Mind Spotlight on black trauma and policing

Amplifying voices Share your experiences and hopes for the future

November 12, 2021 2:47 PM

Why a St. Paul church is making reparations for racial inequality

A century ago, Pilgrim Lutheran Church was founded in Mac-Groveland, a white neighborhood of St. Paul, less than a mile from the home of a Black couple facing racist harassment and threats for moving to the neighborhood. Today, Pilgrim Lutheran is undertaking a reparations project. A parishioner told Cathy Wurzer why.

by Cathy Wurzer and Alex Cheng

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November 12, 2021 10:45 AM

Black-owned media outlets pressure large companies to fulfill commitments

After the murder of George Floyd, some big corporations — like Target, General Mills, Nestle and DoorDash — made pledges to invest in Black-owned media companies. Now those corporations are under pressure to make good on the promise. Black media makers like Sheletta Brundidge are concerned the promises won’t materialize.

by Cathy Wurzer and Ariana Rosas

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November 12, 2021 5:59 AM

Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee says she was pepper-sprayed in racist attack

In an interview with PopSugar, the St. Paul gymnast said that she was waiting for a ride with her friends, all of Asian descent, when a group sped by in a car yelling racial slurs. One person in the car pepper-sprayed her on the arm, she said. Suni Lee is currently in Los Angeles for the latest season of "Dancing with the Stars."

by Nancy Yang

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November 12, 2021 4:00 AM

A bill to study reparations for slavery had momentum in Congress, but still no vote

Legislation to create a commission to study reparations faces steep odds in the evenly divided Congress. Advocates say they want the House take up the bill, or for President Joe Biden to act on his own.

by Juana Summers

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November 12, 2021 4:00 AM

Low blood supply hampers sickle cell treatment efforts

The Red Cross is trying to triple the number of African American blood donors over the next five years. Donated blood is particularly crucial to those who have sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder which disproportionately affects people of African descent.

by Sarah Gelbard

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November 11, 2021 2:25 PM

Racist video brings calls for action at Prior Lake High School

A video that targeted a Black 14-year-old freshman includes racial slurs and urges the girl kill herself. The police chief of Savage called the video “horrific, hateful, racist” and said an investigation is underway.

by Tim Nelson, Elizabeth Shockman and Matt Sepic

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November 10, 2021 1:16 PM

Defense calls for mistrial as Kyle Rittenhouse takes the stand in his homicide trial

Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old who shot and killed two demonstrators at a racial justice protest last year in Kenosha, Wis., took the stand in his highly-watched homicide trial to say he feared for his life when he fired his rifle.

by Becky Sullivan

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November 9, 2021 5:36 PM

New podcast examines racial inequality on the North Shore

"It Happens Here," a new podcast from Grand Marais community radio station WTIP, seeks to uncover the roots of racial inequality on the North Shore. The producers of the podcast, Staci Drouillard and Leah Lemm, joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to discuss the project and share the first episode.

by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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November 8, 2021 3:58 PM

A study links facing discrimination at a young age with future mental health issues

And the risks may be cumulative. UCLA researchers found that those who faced more incidents of discrimination had an even higher risk of future health problems.

by Joe Hernandez

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November 8, 2021 1:15 PM

RISE for Youth works to address racial disparities for young people

RISE for Youth, a new collaboration between Mayo Clinic and the Rochester, Minn., branch of the NAACP, is working to create equitable pathways for Black and underrepresented students.

by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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