Despite federal rollbacks, police accountability isn’t dead. Experts say the real work is happening in local courts and communities—far from Washington.
News
Timely national, state, and local articles, including profile stories from an African American perspective.
Posted inLocal & State
AG Ellison Sues Trump Administration Over Attempt to Defund Planned Parenthood
AG Keith Ellison has joined 23 states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop Medicaid funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, protecting $9M in health care access for Minnesotans.
Posted inLocal & State
These doulas are working to end lonely, unsupported births in prison
The Minnesota Prison Doula Project recently hosted a national training in Minneapolis to help doulas expand their support for incarcerated parents. The program is changing lives and restoring dignity to birth behind bars.
Posted inLocal & State
MPD under fire for promoting officer who killed Amir Locke
Amir Locke’s family and local activists are condemning MPD’s decision to name Sgt. Mark Hanneman, the officer who killed Locke in a 2022 raid, as a training instructor. The appointment has sparked citywide backlash and renewed calls for reform.
Posted inNational
A sentence, finally, but still no justice for Breonna Taylor
A federal judge rejected a one-day sentencing request from Trump’s DOJ for former Louisville officer Brett Hankison and imposed a nearly three-year prison sentence for his role in the 2020 raid that killed Breonna Taylor. Taylor’s family says the ruling offers a start — but not full justice.
Posted inBusiness
Minnesota’s Black Business Week blooms at 38th and Chicago
Minneapolis Black Business Week kicked off at the historic 38th and Chicago intersection, now a vibrant hub of Black entrepreneurship. With five new businesses since 2020 and a powerful panel of local leaders, the week highlights a growing movement rooted in legacy, ownership, and transformation.
Posted inNational
How prison affects Black men’s mental health long after they’ve been released
New research sheds light on the long-term mental health struggles Black men face after incarceration, from PTSD to isolation and economic hardship.
Posted inLocal & State
New Champlin studio makes podcasting more accessible
Former Fox 9 anchor Dawn Stevens and husband Landen have opened Minnesota Podcast & Content Studio in Champlin, a new space designed to help entrepreneurs and creatives produce high-quality content.
Posted inPolitics
Independent media next on Trump’s chopping block
The Senate has voted to eliminate $1.1 billion in public broadcasting funding. The bill now heads to the House, threatening the future of NPR, PBS, and local stations nationwide.
Posted inLocal & State
Chanda Smith Baker to head Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
Chanda Smith Baker will become CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation on August 25. The longtime civic and philanthropic leader brings decades of experience rooted in community, equity, and systems change.
Posted inLocal & State
Cop who killed Amir Locke now teaching use-of-force tactics
Civil rights leader Nekima Levy Armstrong is demanding the removal of Sgt. Mark Hanneman from his MPD training role. Hanneman fatally shot Amir Locke during a no-knock raid in 2022.
Posted inEvents
V-Fest brings healthy good times to St. Paul
St. Paul’s V-Fest returns July 26 with a free day of music, movement, wellness, and cultural healing. This community-powered celebration blends joy and justice in one of the summer’s most uplifting events.
Posted inLocal & State
Rondo Days 2025 a vibrant celebration of community, history and resilience
Rondo Days 2025 honored the legacy of a historic Black neighborhood in St. Paul with music, food, and multigenerational joy. It’s more than a celebration—it’s a tradition of resilience.
Posted inLocal & State
St. Paul grocer sees health and wealth in good food
Storehouse Grocer & Coffee on St. Paul’s East Side is more than a store—it’s a food justice movement led by Pastor Carl Johnson. From culturally relevant staples to worker ownership, it’s a powerful model for what community-centered food access can look like.
Posted inNational
IN MEMORIAM: Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Beloved Star of “The Cosby Show,” Dies at 54
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor known for playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died at 54. His legacy as an actor, artist, and advocate made him a powerful cultural figure across generations.
Posted inNational
Dr. King’s ‘Papers’ reveal surprising details
A new volume in “The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr.” archive reveals powerful insights into King’s relentless work and the everyday people—like Mother Pollard—who helped shape the Civil Rights Movement.
Posted inLocal & State
HCMC faces allegations of racial bias, harassment, discrimination
Civil rights attorneys and health care advocates are urging the Hennepin County Board to launch a third-party investigation into HCMC following allegations of racial and gender discrimination, retaliation, and institutional harm.
Posted inPolitics
Trump’s massive bill turns America into a police state
President Trump’s sweeping new spending bill slashes Medicaid and the ACA while funneling billions into ICE’s enforcement budget — including the creation of a centralized citizenship registry. Critics call it a dangerous move toward a surveillance state.
Posted inPolitics
The Big Beautiful Bill ‘greenlights pollution’
Signed on July 4, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program, slashes grant funding, and rolls back air and water protections. Lawsuits are underway, but the future of climate justice remains uncertain.
Posted inPolitics
Local leaders condemn GOP’s ‘Big Ugly’ budget bill
Minnesota leaders gathered at Sabathani Community Center to condemn a newly passed Republican federal budget that slashes Medicaid, SNAP, and education funding while boosting ICE enforcement and tax breaks for the wealthy. Rep. Ilhan Omar, Irene Fernando, Omar Fateh, Sydney Jordan, and others are urging the public to take action.