February 14, 2002 - MPR’s Marianne Combs profiles acclaimed playwright Lee Blessing's new play Thief River, which portrays two gay men growing up in rural Minnesota who choose very different paths in life. Over the next fifty years they remain in contact; their experiences reflect the changing attitudes toward homosexuality in America.
March 12, 2002 - Ahmed Samatar, director of the International Studies Program at Macalester College and native of Somalia; and Omar Jamal, spokesman for the Somali Justice Advocate Center, discuss some of the challenges and problems facing Somalis in the Twin Cities.
March 14, 2002 - Minnesota Public Radio presents "Voices of Minnesota." In this month's edition, we'll hear two accounts of American Indian children growing up under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Also, a heartwarming account about Chisholm's eight Valentini brothers - the most members of a Minnesota family to serve in World War II.
March 25, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports on push for bill focused on addressing mental health crisis incidents. The mayor of Minneapolis joined state lawmakers and mental health advocates at the Capitol to support a bill to make it easier for police officers to commit someone having a mental health crisis. They say the bill will help prevent tragedies. Two weeks ago, an apparently delusional Minneapolis man was shot and killed after confronting police with a machete. Some in the mental health field say with funds dwindling, there's no place to bring people in crisis. Report includes comments from Mindy Greiling, state representative and author of bill; R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis; Greg Hestness, Minneapolis deputy police chief; John Trepp, member of Friends of Barbara Schneider; and Sue Aberholden, executive director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
March 29, 2002 - The March edition of MPR's "Voices of Minnesota" series, featuring Amal Yusuf of the Somalian Women's Association, Sister Gabrielle Herber and Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman.
April 1, 2002 - American RadioWorks’ John Biewen presents “Corrections, Inc.,” a documentary that examines the business and financial aspects of imprisonment, and how some of those with vested interests help to shape who gets locked up and for how long.
April 3, 2002 - MPR's Brandt Williams looks at the life of Minnesota civil rights pioneer Nellie Stone Johnson, who passed away on April 2nd, 2002. Johnson spent the majority of her life fighting for social causes, especially those focused on the rights of labor unions, African Americans, and women. Those who knew her say that her activism was a testament to her passion for equality.
April 23, 2002 - Polygamy is illegal in Minnesota, yet activists in some immigrant groups in the Twin Cities say, while the practice is kept under wraps, it is relatively common. MPR’s Kaomi Goetz reports that younger members of the Hmong community are now trying to get the issue out into the open.
April 25, 2002 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports that the Minnesota Senate passed a bill that would require students to recite the pledge of allegiance in school at least once a week. Supporters say the bill would help teach patriotism to children, but opponents say the state shouldn't force students to recite the pledge.
April 26, 2002 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Pastor Anita Hill about the year since being ordained by St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church. Hill is a lesbian woman in a committed relationship, and that puts the church out of line with the ELCA. Reverend Hill has continued ministering to her congregation despite the debate around her ordination.