Gary Hines and Sounds of Blackness stay on mission for more than 50 years
July 25, 2022
Sounds of Blackness is more than a band, it's a cultural institution. That, says the group's longtime director Gary Hines, was the mission given to them by a mentor at Macalester College in St. Paul, where the group was founded more than 50 years ago.
- North Star Journey Celebrating Minnesota communities
- Music The 'People's Station' KMOJ pushes forward
Build the ultimate road trip playlist
July 22, 2022
It’s all about the journey, so sit back and enjoy the road-tested favorites of touring musicians and hosts at The Current.
This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days of Summer series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.
State government’s vax-or-test rule quietly expires
July 21, 2022
The policy that required state employees to prove vaccination or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing if they worked on site is no more. But other vaccination-related policies are still a source of friction.
- Related U.S. debates a summer booster for people under 50
- COVID shot for adults CDC endorses more traditional Novavax
Talking Volumes 2022 season guide
July 20, 2022
Minnesota Public Radio and the Star Tribune are proud to announce the 23rd season of Talking Volumes!
Talking Volumes is an event discussion series with notable authors from across the world, hosted by award-winning journalist and MPR News host Kerri Miller. The discussions return to the Fitzgerald Theater this fall with four great authors: Karen Armstrong, Celeste Ng, Dani Shapiro, and Ross Gay.
- Season information
- Tickets
Number of Latino farmers small, but growing
July 19, 2022
According to the agricultural census, Minnesota is home to about 112,000 farmers. Of those, 650 identify as Hispanic or Latino. That number is growing.
- North Star Journey Celebrating Minnesota communities
- Food Foraged plants form a connection to the earth
- Previously Minnesota's Black farmers working to reconnect to land
The Come-Up: 16 scorching Minnesota hip-hop projects for summer
July 18, 2022
Jeffrey Bissoy-Mattis shares “…some new heat to keep you cool during these blazing months.”
Find videos and online streaming of his musical picks.
YourClassical Adventures: Gimmie More Mallets
July 17, 2022
The percussion instrument family is massive. Most people are familiar with the xylophone, but did you know that it has siblings? In this episode of YourClassical Adventures, you’ll meet more mallet instruments within the percussion family.
Editor’s Note: MPR News Source Diversity Tracker brings promising insights into equitable coverage
July 15, 2022
“In the past few months, MPR News has partnered with the APM Research Lab on collecting and examining the newsroom’s source data.
The MPR News Diversity Source Tracker is a significant step toward keeping our journalism honest and accountable to all the communities we cover.”
- MPR News: Read more from Sarah Glover, MPR News managing editor.
- APM Research Lab: MPR News Source Diversity Report February 2021 - April 2022
Program helps educators accurately teach Native American content in classrooms
July 15, 2022
Most Minnesota K-12 educators say they lack access to resources they need to accurately teach lessons which include Native American content. But one teacher training program is trying to change that.
North Star Journey from MPR News is a celebration of communities in Minnesota and the champions who are doing the work that we should be bringing a voice to. We hope to bring new understandings of our state and what brought us to today. About | Credits
Sleepy Eye theater revives, diversifies, with 'West Side Story'
July 14, 2022
After a six-year hiatus and the pandemic, Sleepy Eye Community Theater is reviving with a production of “West Side Story.” With the re-opening, reaching into new diverse audiences and actors is a priority for the theater group.
- Worthington Fast-growing communities of color see economic gains but little political power. Yet.
- From stage to street How theaters are changing after years of racial reckoning and COVID