Social Issues

Sarah Lancaster is first Asian/Pacific Islander educator to win MN Teacher of the Year
One of 15 children of a Filipino immigrant mother and a much older American father, Sarah Lancaster understands better than most trauma, isolation, and the way schools can serve as a haven. She teaches at Onamia Public Schools, which she attended, to provide that haven for a new generation.
The LA Riots, 30 years later
Since Los Angeles exploded three decades ago, some things have changed and so much remains the same.
Key takeaways from MN Human Rights investigation of MPD
The investigation found a history of race-based policing and toxic paramilitary culture with the Minnesota Police Department.
How the tobacco industry targeted Black Americans with menthol smokes
The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to ban menthol cigarettes, which the tobacco industry has aggressively marketed toward African Americans since 1964.
Racial split on COVID-19 endures as restrictions ease in U.S.
Black and Hispanic Americans remain far more cautious in their approach to the COVID-19 pandemic than white Americans. That's according to recent polls that reflect diverging preferences on how to deal with the pandemic as federal, state and local restrictions decline.
Derek Chauvin appeals his conviction for George Floyd's murder
A year after his conviction, the former Minneapolis police officer is asking a state court to send his case back to Hennepin County; order a new trial elsewhere; or order him to be resentenced.
Native women work to break the cycle of poverty, prison in Minnesota
American Indian women make up less than 1 percent of Minnesota’s population but are 20 percent of the state's female prison inmates. Incarceration creates huge consequences for families and communities. A new effort to break the cycle, led by Native women, shows promise, but the challenges remain steep.