Untangled Roots

We spoke to dozens of Black residents who told us what they think about living in Minnesota.  Some lamented the lack of Black cultural spaces and the prevalence of a form of ‘niceness’ that isn’t act…

This episode of Untangled Roots was inspired by a conversation between co-hosts Brandt Williams and Jonathan Rabb. If you had a friend coming to town and they said “I want to do the Black ‘thing’ in …

Minnesota is home to Fortune 500 companies that hire top Black talent.  However, those employers often struggle to retain African American workers. Too often, Black professionals, especially those re…

Co-hosts Brandt Williams and Jonathan Rabb, who both grew up in Minneapolis, talk about how the city they call home became the center of worldwide attention in 2020.  The killing of George Floyd by a…

Economist Bruce Corrie discusses ways that cities can help secure the viability of these vital community assets. He says incubators and cross-cultural collaborations are possible options. Corrie also…

Va-Megn Thoj of the Asian Economic Development Association, says some immigrants and refugees who start their own businesses, do so out of necessity, not because they want to be their own boss. He sa…

Enclaves like Little Mekong are more than just areas with great places to taste cuisines from around the world.  Places of worship, culturally specific service providers and other businesses are also…

Immigrants and refugees from Southeast Asia in a section of St. Paul, known as ‘Little Mekong’ have overcome hurdles and restrictions to create this unique enclave.  In this episode of Untangled Root…

Ethnic enclaves often both benefit members of the communities as well as the wider community. In this episode, Untangled Roots explores the synergy between enclaves and surrounding areas.

Untangled Ro…

One of the great losses caused by the highway expansion through Rondo was the loss of generational wealth for the residents. For decades, Rondo has struggled to keep pace with other areas of St. Paul…

Rondo was forever changed by the highway expansion. But why was Rondo chosen? What happened after the highway physically divided the neighborhood? And how did the sons and daughters of Rondo stay com…

Rondo became a place where Black people found ways to provide services for themselves when they were denied by others outside of the neighborhood. But sometimes when progress happens for Black people…

Rondo was a working class neighborhood that was home to new immigrants from troubled parts of the world, as well as African Americans who fled oppression in their own country. While many came to Ron…

St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood still embodies the values of a community torn asunder by the construction of Interstate 94. In this first episode we look at how the Rondo neighborhood keeps going and h…