Social Issues

Minneapolis honors Bernadette Anderson with commemorative street on city‘s north side
A north Minneapolis street will bear the name of Bernadette Anderson, an outspoken advocate for civil rights for African Americans. Anderson also had a reputation for offering tough love and for keeping an open door to young people who need help, including an upstart musician who went by the name Prince.
Minnesota‘s oldest Black newspaper celebrates 90 years in print
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder turns 90 this week. We spoke with one of their veteran reporters about how the paper has changed since he began working there over 30 years ago.
Breaking community defends b-girl Raygun and is hopeful for return to Olympic program
In a show of support on Sunday, the head judge of the breaking competition said 36-year-old university professor Rachael Gunn was just trying to be original. And the breaking federation says it has offered mental health support in the wake of online criticism.
In an era of cutbacks and decline, how can journalists themselves reinvent the way they do their jobs? This is part two in a wide-ranging discussion about the state of local news in Minnesota from an event MPR News hosted with Report for America.
How Springfield, Ohio, took center stage in the election immigration debate
Springfield, Ohio's migrant surge sparks heated debate. Critics, including Trump's VP pick JD Vance, see the city as a cautionary tale of unchecked immigration. Supporters argue for economic benefits.
Leaders celebrate completion of public housing sprinkler installations
Nearly five years ago, a fire at a Minneapolis public housing high-rise killed six people. On Monday, officials said they’ve met their goal of installing fire suppression systems in every public housing complex.
How to create sustainable newsrooms for the future
MPR News host Angela Davis recently moderated two panels about the state of local news in Minnesota. The first is with funders who are pushing for new models to reinvigorate newsrooms across the state and the country. The second brings the conversation to news leaders across Minnesota.
As a new semester looms, students and colleges brace for more protests
The Israel-Hamas war has prompted some of the most volatile campus protests in decades. This summer, student organizers are rethinking strategies, as are counter-protesters and college administrators.
Local groups mobilize to support immigrant access to the polls  
Local organizations are working to ensure voters in Latino, Somali, African diaspora and Hmong communities have the information and support they need to register to vote in the upcoming primary election.