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.
Minneapolis
Posted inJames on Jazz
Monk, Blue Note, and vibrations of legacy
This month’s jazz roundup features new releases from Paul Cornish and Eric Scott Reed, with tributes to legends like Sonny Clark and Geri Allen. Plus, don’t miss Jane Monheit and Rebirth Brass Band live in Minneapolis.
Posted inAnother View
Gophers mourn the loss of Sue Jackson and Kevin Smith
Sue Jackson and Kevin Smith, two unforgettable Gopher athletes, passed away this summer. We reflect on their legacy in maroon and gold.
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 inBlack Business Spotlight
Cornel Beard is building legacy through design
Cornel Beard, founder of Charizma Agency, built his Minneapolis-based creative studio around the idea that design should do more than look good — it should move people. Read how his journey from Army service to art school led to a culturally rooted firm helping organizations tell meaningful stories.
Posted inPhoto Galleries
Protest at Minneapolis City Hall Condemns Officer’s Promotion in Amir Locke Killing
A protest at Minneapolis City Hall on July 22 condemned MPD’s promotion of Sgt. Mark Hanneman, who fatally shot Amir Locke during a 2022 no-knock raid. Activists and community leaders say the decision erodes public trust and demands urgent accountability.
Posted inPhoto Galleries
Minneapolis Black Business Week 2025 Opens at Historic 38th & Chicago
Minneapolis Black Business Week launched with a celebration of Black ownership, legacy, and community at 38th and Chicago. Photo gallery captures the day’s highlights.
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 inBlacklight On Sports
Steven Davis Jr. on Life After the Game
Steven Davis Jr. went from Golden Gophers football captain to life coach and founder of Strive Higher After Sports. In this episode of Blacklight On Sports, he joins Hallman and McDonald to discuss mental health, identity, and helping Black athletes find meaning beyond the game.
Supported
Posted inHelp Is Here
Fremont Fun Fest fosters connection, and saves lives
Fremont Fun Fest returns August 5 with food, music, and health resources for the North Minneapolis community. Hosted by Neighborhood HealthSource, this free event offers on-site HIV/STI testing, Narcan training, and support services in a celebration of care and connection.
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 inAnother View
Players, coaches show their stuff at NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League gave Minnesota natives Jamison Battle, Dawson Garcia, and Curtis Jones the chance to prove they belong in the league. Coaches used the event to level up, too.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Cancer survivor becomes a doula for others on the journey
2025 Bush Fellow Talaya Dendy is a 14-year cancer survivor who now supports others as a cancer doula through her organization On the Other Side. Her work focuses on health equity, emotional care, and breaking systemic barriers in cancer support.
Posted inBusiness
MN PROMISE Act offers small businesses ‘life-changing capital’
The PROMISE Act has expanded. Minnesota small business owners in North and South Minneapolis and South St. Paul can now access up to $1.5 million in financing for commercial property, refinance unfair contracts, and get one-on-one business support from MEDA.
Posted inPhoto Galleries
Honoring a Hometown Legend: Dave Winfield Celebration at Toni Stone Field
A photo gallery honoring MLB legend Dave Winfield at Toni Stone Field in St. Paul. The day included a statue announcement, tributes, and memories of legacy and leadership.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
The Birth Revolution
Nadine Ashby is creating a radical shift in birth work. The Birth Revolution centers Black, queer, and trans birthing people through affirming training, support, and joy-filled community care.
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 inThe Prep Scene
Dave Winfield honored in St. Paul
Dave Winfield’s statue is coming to St. Paul. For journalist Mitchell Palmer McDonald, the celebration brought back a memory of a promise Winfield kept to a young reporter, one that changed everything.
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.