North Star Journey

The 43rd annual Hmong New Year festival returns to St. Paul RiverCentre on Nov. 25 and 26. At its center is the Miss Hmong Minnesota pageant, which is rooted in pageants from the Vietnam War in Laos.

Karen and Hmong parents in Minnesota say they are alarmed by the growing problem of substance abuse they see in their kids. But fixing it is difficult due to historical trauma, generational differences and a lack of access to health care. This North Star Journey Live discussion, done in partnership with Sahan Journal, looks at the issues and the solutions.

Leslie Barlow, an artist and community educator passionate about science fiction, founded ConFluence, a pop culture convention centered on people of color, in response to the lack of Black and brown representation at traditional sci-fi events.

Minnesota is the land of more than 10,000 lakes and many more distinct stories and ideas which deserve a closer look. Introducing Untangled Roots, a new podcast from the MPR News North Star Journey project. MPR journalist Brandt Williams and media entrepreneur Jonathan Rabb unpack the untold stories of communities of color.

MPR News is dedicated to telling stories for Minnesota communities, by Minnesota communities. Have you seen something missing in our coverage? Have thoughts on how we should be approaching certain stories? We want to pass you the mic.

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.

Durante siglos, la comida y la alimentación han ayudado a conectar vidas y culturas. Como parte del proyecto North Star Journey, MPR News se puso en contacto con la escritora gastronómica de las Ciudades Gemelas, Mecca Bos, para que compartiera algunas historias sobre platos culturales emblemáticos y sobre cómo los rituales de elaboración y consumo de alimentos pueden unir a las personas.

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.

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.

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.