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

Lawmakers leverage defense bill to address police reform, racial injustice
Congress will vote next week on the annual defense bill. After failing to pass police reform, some lawmakers see a chance to revive the debate about discrimination, but a presidential veto looms.
Raccoon nailed near Black Lives Matter sign in Roseville; police investigating
Authorities are investigating a number of instances in which Black Lives Matter signs were stolen or damaged in Roseville. But police became even more concerned when someone nailed a raccoon up to a post near one of those signs.
Moorhead Mayor Johnathan Judd: Welcoming tough conversations about race
Johnathan Judd was elected in 2018, the first Black mayor of Moorhead. He's one of a relatively few Black community leaders across the state. Since the killing of George Floyd, he's been vocal about the need to talk about racism, and he's engaging his community in that conversation.
Defense Secretary Esper announces actions to address discrimination in U.S. military
Esper called the actions "a necessary first step," but said he has "no illusions" that these initial changes will fully address the concerns he has heard from many service members.
A teenager didn’t do her online schoolwork. So a judge sent her to juvenile detention.
A 15-year-old in Michigan was incarcerated during the coronavirus pandemic after a judge ruled that not completing her schoolwork violated her probation. “It just doesn’t make any sense,” said the girl’s mother.
In Duluth, confronting racism with a 'Hello'
As one of the few Black employees at the St. Louis County courthouse in Duluth, John Staine felt he was being singled out — and he was sick of it. So, he took an unconventional approach to confronting the bias.
Minnesotans cheer Washington team's name change
Native American activists and their allies in Minnesota have played a critical role in the pressure campaign to change the name of Washington’s NFL franchise. On Monday, they were able to claim victory.
CDC employees call out agency's 'toxic culture of racial aggression'
Pointing to the coronavirus's disproportionate impact on people of color, 1,007 workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call on the agency to declare racism a public health threat.
Rebroadcast: Robin DiAngelo on why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism
A rebroadcast of Kerri Miller’s conversation with Robin DiAngelo, author of the book “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism.”