October 27, 2015 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on the disparity of people of color in state legislature. When Peggy Flanagan, executive director of the Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota wins election to the Minnesota House, she'll join an exclusive club. A member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Flanagan will become one of only a handful of legislators of color at the Capitol.
November 6, 2015 - MPR’s Marianne Combs profiles a group of six Black women Minnesota writers Carolyn Holbrook, Lori Young-Williams, Andrea Jenkins, Shannon Gibney, Tish Jones, and Mary Moore Easter. They gathered at the The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis for a reading series called “More Than a Single Story.” Series was created by Carolyn Holbrook.
December 4, 2015 - All Things Considered presents an MPR Special Report on the shooting of Jamar Clark in Minneapolis. Segment includes a chronology of shooting, history of Minneapolis police shootings, community reaction, and the many questions that have followed in Clark’s death.
February 29, 2016 - MPR’s Marianne Combs reports on Penumbra Theatre’s opening run of The Dutchman and The Owl Answers - two surreal one-act plays that explore race relations, sexual politics and biracial identity.
April 18, 2016 - As part of MPR News series “Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic,” MPR’s Jon Collins talks with Dave Baker, Minnesota state representative (R-Willmar), about the addiction and overdose death of his son, Dan Baker.
April 19, 2016 - As part of MPR News series “Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic,” MPR’s Jon Collins profiles Rita Rogers, a mother from White Earth who lost her pregnant daughter Tiffany to heroin overdose.
April 19, 2016 - As part of MPR News series “Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic,” MPR’s Jon Collins profiles Lexi Reed Holtum and her legislative efforts against opioid epidemic after the death of her fiance, Steve Rummler. The two were engaged when Rummler died from a heroin overdose of in 2011.
April 20, 2016 - As part of MPR News series “Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic,” MPR’s Jon Collins profiles Lee Hertel, a Minneapolis activist who hands out clean needles and medicine that can reverse overdoses. Hertel says he's trying to save the lives of people he believes society has forgot.
April 20, 2016 - As part of MPR News series “Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic,” MPR’s Jon Collins talks with Nick Leclair, a young man from Elk River who discuss the struggle of drug addiction and the loss of his best friend, Dylan Pearson, to a heroin overdose.
April 21, 2016 - As part of MPR News series “Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic,” MPR’s Jon Collins profiles James Cross, a former drug dealer who is now helping addicts in the Native American community he once sold drugs to.