December 20, 2001 - Mainstreet Radios Bob Reha reports on 40 of Sudan's “Lost Boys” that now call Fargo home. They are refugees from years of civil war plaguing their North African country. An estimated two million people have died in the conflict. The Fargo Lost Boys trekked from Sudan through Ethiopia to Kenya. They now are facing the challenges of adapting to a new culture, all while dreaming of returning home.
December 27, 2001 - Like all American families, Hmong immigrants place hopes for the future on their youth, but school truancy remains a problem for some Asian American kids. MPR’s Kaomi Goetz looks into the issue and how some are addressing it.
August 14, 2002 - It's tough to break into farming nowadays, and even tougher if you're an immigrant. MPR’s Rob Schmitz reports on Minnesota Food Association, which assists immigrant farmers in areas like production techniques, marketing, and management skills. Unfortunately, federal budget cuts have had a negative impact on program.
August 15, 2002 - In Fairbault, Gregg Bongard, a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee, is making a special effort to reach out to Minnesota's growing immigrant population. In the second part of his series on immigrant farmers, MPR’s Rob Schmitz reports that Bongard thinks he's discovered a new approach to farming that could change the face of agriculture in the United States.
August 21, 2002 - MPR’s Marissa Helms reports that Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood is home to a growing international community. Though the area grew by just one percent over the past 10 years, U.S. census figures show a significant quadrupling of immigrant populations.
August 27, 2002 - MPR’s Andrew Haeg looks into homeownership among immigrant groups. Real estate experts say immigrants are an increasingly important part of the real estate market and lenders are taking steps to accommodate them.
September 17, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports on data from the U.S. Census that show the state's Asian population is economically well-off compared to other minority populations in the state. While the 90's were a prosperous time for Minnesota as a whole, the numbers show many minority groups did not prosper as much as their white neighbors.
September 23, 2002 - Children of immigrants often have trouble fitting into North American culture. Language is at the heart of the problem. Some children of immigrants reject their native language and culture in hopes of fitting in. Parents are concerned that different generations in the family may not be able to speak to each other. They are left with a balancing act of preserving language, while joining the the American melting pot.
September 25, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports that rankings by the U.S. Census Bureau show members of some immigrant groups in Minnesota remain mired in poverty. While all minorities improved economically during the 1990s, Minnesota has one of the highest percentages of Asians in poverty when compared to other states. The ranking also confirms the widely held belief that there are more Somalis in Minnesota than anywhere else in the US.
January 23, 2003 - Last fall Olmsted County launched "Somali Meals on Wheels". The Rochester-based program's a spin-off of the traditional Meals on Wheels program, which provides free lunch for those who meet state and federal qualifications. The new version is considered the first of its kind. It offers the same nutrition packed meal but incorporates the distinctive flavors of East African cooking.