Minneapolis community leaders and civil rights advocates gathered at the Hennepin County Government Center to condemn a joke about George Floyd made during Netflix’s Roast of Kevin Hart and demand accountability from the comedian, Hart and Netflix.
Minnesota
Posted inFirst Educator
Preventing summer reading loss at home
Dr. Artika Tyner offers practical strategies for parents and caregivers to prevent summer slide and keep children reading and learning throughout the summer months.
Posted inPerspectives From Within
What are the ripple effects of harsh conditions at Rush City prison
Rush City prison inmate Keith Hapana Crow writes about deteriorating conditions following the closure of Stillwater prison, including restricted recreation, mental health neglect and practices he argues violate restorative justice principles.
Posted inGeorge Floyd Square
Agape Movement Recommended as Development Partner for the People’s Way Project in South Minneapolis
Agape Movement has been recommended as the development partner for the People’s Way project in South Minneapolis, marking a significant milestone in a years-long community effort to shape the future of one of the city’s most historically significant spaces.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Residents Rally Behind HCMC, Which Finds State Funding Days Before End of Legislative Session
HCMC went from facing closure to securing a promised $205 million in state funding after a legislative deal brokered by Gov. Tim Walz, as residents and health care leaders rallied at a public forum hosted by Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Posted inLocal & State
Judge Orders Trump Administration to Hand Over Unredacted Documents in Case Against 39 Activists
A federal judge ordered prosecutors to turn over unredacted discovery documents in the case against the 39, as defense attorneys argued nearly every name of law enforcement officers and witnesses had been redacted, making a legal defense functionally impossible.
Posted inOn the Radar
Kprecia Ambers uses digital art to foster representation and connection
North Minneapolis native Kprecia Ambers is transforming the world of digital illustration. Through her brand, KP Inspires, she creates soulful artwork designed to foster representation, celebrate Black beauty, and bring warmth into everyday home spaces.
Posted inTwins/MLB
LaTroy Hawkins: From the Mound to the Dugout
LaTroy Hawkins, now in his first season as the Minnesota Twins’ bullpen coach, is the franchise’s first Black bullpen coach in history and the first Black pitching coach since 2018, bringing a 21-year playing career and a hard-earned college degree to his new role.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Erick Goodlow on Golf, Legacy, and Leaving Corporate After 30 Years at Medtronic
On this episode of Blacklight on Sports, host Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald sits down with Erick Goodlow, co-founder of Fairway Foundation and architectural firm Formula, whose two lives span 25 years of youth golf access and building the only fully Black-owned architecture firm in the Midwest.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
The nurses you don’t see are often the ones who help you avoid a bigger health crisis
Medica’s Andrew Marshall writes that some of the most important nursing work happens outside hospital walls, where nurses coordinate care, prevent costly breakdowns and help people stay healthier at home.
Posted inWhat's Hot
MSR What’s Hot This Weekend | May 15–17
MSR’s What’s Hot roundup for May 15-17 includes the Mainstreet Day Arts and Craft Fair in Hopkins, a 90s junk journal workshop, a llama trek with wine and morning yoga at Saint Croix Vineyards.
Posted inOn the Radar
Emmy Award-Winning Artist PaviElle French Is Rooted in Rondo and Building for the Future
On the Radar host Damenica Ellis sits down with Emmy-winning Rondo native PaviElle French for a deep conversation about grief, sovereignty, community, and decades of creative work rooted in the heart of Black Minnesota.
Posted inBusiness
Golden Thyme marks one year under new stewardship, carrying Rondo’s legacy forward
Golden Thyme Restaurant and Bar on Selby Avenue marked one year under new leadership with a community celebration that brought generations of Rondo residents together for food, music and reflection.
Posted inDigital Editions
MSR Digital Edition 41 for May 14 -May 20, 2026
The MSR Digital Edition 41 for May 14 – May 20, 2026 is now live. Explore community news, sports, arts, and events. Edition 41, Volume 92.
Posted inPolitics
Civil rights groups fight back as Trump policies target Black voters, Muslim communities
CAIR-Minnesota hosted Somali American Solidarity Day at the State Capitol as the organization announced it is representing a Minnesota labor organizer whose phone and books were seized by federal agents, while the NAACP fights Tennessee’s gerrymandered congressional map in court.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Urban Lights Music continues legacy as one of the Twin Cities’ last Black-owned record stores
Urban Lights Music, one of the last Black-owned record stores in the Twin Cities, has survived 32 years on University Avenue in St. Paul through industry shifts, the pandemic, civil unrest and construction by staying rooted in community and culture.
Posted inEducation
Minnesota schools breaking law on free college program
More than two-thirds of Minnesota public schools are violating state law by failing to provide students and families with required information about the free Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program, according to a new report.
Posted inOn the Radar
From Maya Angelou to the Emmy Stage, The Interdisciplinary Life of PaviElle French
From performing for Maya Angelou at age 10 to winning an Emmy for her documentary, Rondo native PaviElle French has spent her life refining a craft that blends soul, theater, and community activism
Posted inOdds and Ends
Softball in color
MSR sports columnist Charles Hallman covers the 2026 Summit League Softball Championship at the University of Minnesota, spotlighting the Black players who stood out, including Omaha’s Bailey Sample and St. Thomas sophomores Zoe Trotter and Miley Wichman.
Posted inLocal & State
St. Paul publisher named to national list of top solo entrepreneurs
Dr. Artika R. Tyner, founder of Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore in St. Paul, has been named a 2026 Zoom Solopreneur 50 honoree, selected from nearly 2,800 applicants across 48 states.