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.
May 3, 2007 - MPR’s Toni Randolph reports on Graves Desecration Reconciliation Working Group, a St. Paul group that is working with U.S. diplomatic officials in Thailand to resolve an issue that has angered members of Minnesota's Hmong community. They're trying to figure out what to do with the disinterred remains of some of their relatives once buried near a Buddhist temple in Thailand.
May 7, 2007 - Members of a House and Senate conference committee are expected to agree on a higher education spending bill that adds 325-million dollars to current spending on colleges and universities. Legislators are still working on the details of the 2.75-billion dollar spending plan, but some major parts of the bill have been approved. The bill does not contain a provision to allow children of illegal residents to pay in-state tuition, a provision that Governor Pawlenty said would lead him to veto the bill. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
May 9, 2007 - The Minnesota House and Senate approved a $3.2-billion higher education funding bill that now goes on to face Gov. Pawlenty's veto. DFL supporters of the bill contend it sticks to basics and makes up for past underfunding of the state's colleges and universities. Pawlenty calls it uninspiring and devoid of any reform with a ballooning price tag in outlying years. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
May 10, 2007 - Storytelling is an important part of Somali family life. Now, a play by Steppingstone Theater in St. Paul will showcase Somali stories in a new way. Minnesota Public Radio's Roseanne Pereira reports on how the stories have transformed as they've traveled.
May 14, 2007 - As Minnesota's population becomes more diverse, the state's schools are educating more students learning English as a second language. One Twin Cities charter school serves mostly immigrant children, many of them from Muslim countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy in Inver Grove Heights has focused on teaching English language learners to read. As a result, the school's reading test scores are among the highest in the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
May 15, 2007 - MPR's Brandt Williams reports on construction on the new Minnesota Twins ballpark begins in coming week when crews will begin ripping up asphalt from the old Rapid Park site in downtown Minneapolis. The Twins are scheduled to move in to their new home in 2010, leaving the Metrodome behind.
May 18, 2007 - Nearly 50-thousand African immigrants representing 45 different nationalities now call Minnesota home, and the population continues to grow. Despite living in close proximity, these communities rarely interact and are isolated not only from each other but from mainstream Minnesota. A Minneapolis group is hoping to break down some of those barriers by organizing the area's first Pan-African music and art festival. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts has more.
May 18, 2007 - MPR's Karl Gehrke reports that the personal stories of several Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity homeowners have been turned into songs for Minnesota Chorale "Sing Me a Home" concert. The performance is part of the chorale's outreach program called "Bridges."
May 21, 2007 - A man who feared for his life in his native Afghanistan fled that country and made his home in Minnesota for 17 years. But just over a month ago the Department of Homeland Security deported him because of an old drug conviction. The man claims he's innocent. And he says once the Taliban find out he's back in Afghanistan they may try to harm him. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
May 21, 2007 - Rochester has one of the largest Somali refugee populations in the state. In the city's public high schools many Somali students struggle to find their way. Refugees arriving in the last five years frequently come with little education. Teachers and the kids try to make it work. But Minnesota Public Radio's Sea Stachura reports the results are mixed.