When Minnesota was a new state, thousands of settlers arrived, many of them from Europe. But in recent decades, the state has attracted large numbers of Hmong and Somali refugees. There are also thousands of people from India, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Mexico and the People’s Republic of China living in Minnesota.
The state has become more racially diverse in the last 10 years, and demographers said that's especially true among children. About 83 percent of Minnesotans were white, non-Hispanic for the 2010 census, compared to 88 percent in 2000.
September 30, 2005 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann talks with Abdisalam Adam, a community specialist with the St. Paul Public School district, about a group of teachers, librarians, parents and social service providers meeting to discuss some alternative curriculums that would more closely reflect the culture of the students in the room.
October 6, 2005 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on first mayoral debate between candidates Mayor R.T. Rybak and Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin since the September 13th primary. The two candidates sparred over city spending, public transportation, and crime. The candidates also fielded questions from residents of the high rises along Cedar Avenue where the debate took place.
October 7, 2005 - Race is playing a contentious role in a campaign for a Minneapolis city council seat. The two candidates are both African American. Natalie Johnson Lee and Don Samuels are competing to represent the 5th ward in North Minneapolis. The campaign is a vigorous competition between the candidates on who would be best to serve the ward. But it has also become an occasionally ugly battle over which is the best black leader to sit in City Hall. This story contains language that some may find offensive. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
November 7, 2005 - Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck has been covering the Minneapolis mayor's race and has been talking to citizens for a couple of months about the city's future. We asked him to open up his reporter's notebook and give us a sense of what some of the voters have been saying about their city. Here's his report.
November 7, 2005 - Many programs aimed at helping homeless people and new immigrants are focused on getting housing. But finding shelter isn't the end of their struggle. With no cooking utensils how will they make their meals? Where will they sit? How can children excel in school if they're sleeping on the floor? A Bloomington-based non-profit is filling the void left when people find a place to live but have nothing to furnish a household. Minnesota Public Radio's Greta Cunningham reports.
November 14, 2005 - Some commercial tax preparers have faced a barrage of lawsuits over so-called Rapid Refund programs. Rapid Refunds are short-term loans based on an expected tax refund. In Minnesota, those loans on average carry annual interest rates of more than 200%. Several non-profits say some tax preparers have taken advantage of the poor with those loans. But instead of going to court, one tax group is taking a different approach. It's setting up its own Rapid Refund program for low-wage workers.
November 23, 2005 - MPR’s Toni Randolph looks at Newgate Education and Training Center, a Minneapolis technical school that teaches people how to fix cars. The program pays for itself by selling the cars the students repair. For some students, the Newgate Center is a free education…for others, it's a route out of poverty.
December 1, 2005 - While some of the finest paintings in the world can be found on display in museums, there are many that reside in private collections, decorating people's homes and offices, available only to the eyes of friends and colleagues. This weekend the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is opening an exhibition of paintings that until this year, have never been seen together in public. They all belong to one Minneapolis native who has a passion - and a talent - for collecting. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs reports.
December 7, 2005 - First Avenue in Minneapolis has long been viewed as the epicenter of the Twin Cities music scene. Over the decades it's also become a nationally known music destination. To celebrate its 35th anniversary the nightclub has released a compilation of bootleg recordings of some of the more famous and infamous artists who've graced its stage. More from Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts.
December 12, 2005 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham reports on Andover’s TLC Toys, and the efforts of making wooden presents for needy children at Christmas time.