North Star Stories

Reporter Andrea Duarte-Alonso shares her family’s journey to finding a home in Worthington, Minnesota, a small town that has undergone significant demographic and cultural changes over the past few d…

Highland Popcorn, a small popcorn shop in St. Paul, has made a significant impact on its community in just one year by providing meaningful job opportunities for individuals with developmental and ph…

What is a "third place," and why are they key to maintaining strong communities in rural Minnesota and beyond? Sampaguita is a multidisciplinary art space in Aitkin, Minnesota, that was created to gi…

Trauma is common within the Native community in Minnesota. New therapies are helping to treat trauma.
 Producer: Deanna StandingCloud.

After 25 years, Lisa Cullen retired from military service. She was only in her 40s and wanted to make a career in the civilian world. But doing what? She and her wife Holly Boeckman decided to follow…

Young actress Antonisia (Nisi) Collins takes the stage as part of the main cast for the world premiere of Milo Imagines the World, a production by the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC). Collins earned…

Big changes are happening at Minnesota libraries — some bringing new protections, while others raise concerns for communities and schools. North Star Stories’ Emma Needham talks with Brainerd Public …

Vincent Moniz explores the problems Indigenous American students face, the new challenges from recent policy changes, and the role of culturally responsive teaching and community support in their suc…

Minnesota’s first Kenyan born legislator talks about her election, her first weeks in office, her aspirations, immigration, and the American dream.
 Producer: Victor Palomino.

Twice a month, Saint Paul’s Adaptive Recreation Music Night brings together individuals with developmental and physical disabilities, their families, and support staff for an evening of joyful singin…

Minnesota, and neighboring Wisconsin, are hotspots for folk schools, boasting 10 to 15 percent of all such institutions in the United States. These folk schools serve communities by preserving tradit…

The MN state’s Department of Human Services is partnering with grassroots organizations to ensure that non-English speaking communities receive vital, culturally relevant information about the opioid…

Located in the heart of Minneapolis, Karmel Mall has become a venue where Somali speaking business owners can fulfill their dreams with a whole community behind them. In this segment, North Star Stor…

For part two of our ongoing commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, North Star Stories spoke with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) about the state …

Northern Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range is known for more than iron ore. It has its own unique culinary traditions brought here by immigrants with some 40 different national identities who poured into…

North Star Stories's Victor Palomino spoke with Ellie Krug, a writer, inclusivity workshop presenter, and one of the few trans women radio hosts in the nation. Ellie shares her thoughts on what it me…

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, a landmark federal law that established health-based standards for contaminants in drinking water. At North Star Stories, we’re co…

Conor O'Meara, a young man with autism, has turned his lifelong dream into reality through his sports radio show, "Conor's Corner," broadcasted on WFNU Frogtown Radio in St. Paul. Over the past four …

Last October, the state of Minnesota launched the "Driver’s License for All" program. This achievement followed nearly two decades of persistent advocacy by community leaders and organizations. North…

For the past two years, Minnesota has experienced a decline in winter snow accumulation, leading to significant changes in events and traditions that are vital to the culture, economy, and even scien…