September 23, 1996 - MPR’s John Rabe speaks with Rochester resident Yascin Mohamed, an 18 year old who came to the city in 1994. Mohamed speaks about the discrimination and racism he has experienced in the city and his high school.
June 30, 1997 - Minnesota's population of people from Somalia is small but growing fast. The number has more than doubled in the past two years to about 8000. The attraction is the state's booming economy. But unlike some other economic migrants many of the Somali's arrive as refugees with no money and little English. What they find is a climate and culture vastly different from their homeland.
July 8, 1999 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman reports on how Somali immigrants are adjusting and taking on the many challenges in creating a new home in the United States. Nyman speaks with local Somali residents about adapting while keeping culture and tradition intact.
April 4, 2001 - MPR’s Erin Galbally reports on the growing Somali immigrant population in Owatonna and the reflection of that number in the 2000 census. She speaks with Abdul Aziz Ahmed a cultural liaison at Owatonna High School who moved to the city in 1997. He speaks on the potential inaccuracy of the 2000 census in reflecting true numbers of Somali residents. Some Somali families are hesitant to respond to the census due to distrust of the government, large family sizes which may break housing code, or may respond inaccurately.
November 15, 2001 - A collection of reports from the MPR special series "The Color of Justice," which investigates the racial disparity in Minnesota’s criminal justice system. This Midday program includes reports by MPR’s Dan Olson, Brandt Williams, and Elizabeth Stawicki, as well as various interviews and commentary of officials, academics, and community members.
September 9, 2002 - MPR’s Mary Losure speaks with local Somali residents about their experience in the cities after 9/11. They speak on fear of Minnesotans retaliating toward them based on their Muslim religion, experiences of racism, how immigration interviews were canceled and not rescheduled, and how money wiring services were shut down.
August 30, 2006 - In the third installment of our ethnic music series, "Notes From Home," MPR's Chris Roberts visits a Somali mall in South Minneapolis to learn more about the music Somalis' generally keep to themselves. Roberts gets a guided tour from a Somali music fan and talks with a local music store owner.
April 24, 2009 - MPR’s Laura Yuen profiles Somali activist Omar Jamal, who has both supporters and detractors inside his own community. Yuen tracks Jamal's media footprint and has this profile.
May 29, 2009 - MPR’s Laura Yuen reports on the multiple killings of young Somali men in the Twin Cities, and the fight to stop the violence. The slayings represent a tragic irony for a community that escaped the bloodshed and clan warfare of its home country.
November 6, 2009 - As part of MPR's Youth Radio Series, Youth Radio reporter Sadiya Mohamed tells tells her story as a young Somali American, adjusting to a new home and language in Minnesota.