Social Issues

A barbershop of their own: St. Olaf students bring diverse barbers to campus
A group of student athletes at St. Olaf College — many of whom are people of color — decided that instead of traveling outside of Northfield to find barbers who specialize in cutting different hair textures, they would bring the barbers to campus.
CAIR-MN responds to vandalism of NE Minneapolis Islamic center
The Dar Al Qalam Cultural Center in northeast Minneapolis was vandalized Sunday morning when a man ripped security cameras from its walls and smashed them. Jaylani Hussein of CAIR-MN spoke with host Cathy Wurzuer about how this incident relates to a wave of hate crimes against Muslims.
Adoptees express their fear, anger and insight on race during social unrest
Raised, in many cases, by parents of a different race and nationality, adoptees have unique perspectives on race and racism in America that aren't heard often. In honor of National Adoption Month, NPR asked transracial and transnational adoptees to share their thoughts.
Protesters in Minneapolis, other cities condemn Rittenhouse acquittal
Protesters rallied and marched in downtown Minneapolis — and other cities across the country — on Saturday to speak out against Friday's acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse.
Jury finds Rittenhouse not guilty in Kenosha shootings
Kyle Rittenhouse has been acquitted of all charges after pleading self-defense in the deadly Kenosha, Wis., shootings that became a flashpoint in the nation’s debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice.
U.S. overdose deaths topped 100,000 in one year, officials say
U.S. health officials say an estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in one year. That's a total the nation has never seen. Experts say it's tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and a more dangerous drug supply.
How a right-wing provocateur is using race to reach Gen Z
Right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk has built a well-funded and growing organization aimed at reaching the next generation of conservatives. Now he's on a tour of college towns, attacking critical race theory in terms that are confrontational and, some say, dangerous. Yet he is drawing large crowds and legions of online fans, as he also develops a curriculum for parents who homeschool their children.
'1619 Project' journalist says Black people shouldn't be an asterisk in U.S. history
Nikole Hannah-Jones says the contributions of Black people are often left out of the American story. Her mission is to reframe U.S. history through the lens of slavery.