(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — When Antonio “Toni” Heckstall arrived at Gallaudet University as a freshman in 2016, he quickly realized the transition would be challenging. The word “turbulent” best described his experience as he adjusted to the dynamics of a predominantly Deaf university. As a hard-of-hearing student with partial hearing loss, he was transitioning from mainstream […]
racial disparities
Posted inNews
Hennepin County joins shift away from ‘pretextual’ enforcement
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the county will stop prosecuting charges from pretextual traffic stops—expired tabs, window tint, and similar low-level violations—starting Oct. 15. Officials say the move reduces racial disparities and frees resources for violent crime; skeptics warn about losing an enforcement tool. The shift mirrors Ramsey County’s 2021 policy and Minneapolis’ consent-decree limits on stops.
Posted inOpinion
Trump order would reshape school discipline
Trump’s new executive order aims to reduce federal influence over school discipline, while also promoting “American values and traditional virtues” and evaluating past federal civil rights investigations and funding for organizations promoting equity-based approaches.
Supported
Posted inHelp Is Here
One more ugly disparity for Minnesota
Indigenous and Black Minnesotans are 15 and three times more likely to die from opioid overdoses than white Minnesotans, respectively, highlighting the need for more equitable health care responses to the opioid epidemic.
Posted inEducation
Parents must stay informed about artificial intelligence in education
Parents must engage in the conversation surrounding the use of AI in education to ensure that the technology is used in a way that does not perpetuate racial and socioeconomic disparities, and that educators are properly trained to recognize and counter biases in AI-driven tools.
Posted inCommunity Voices
MN’s racial disparities best addressed through financial stability, home ownership
CAPI USA, a nonprofit organization in Brooklyn Center, is working to address racial disparities in homeownership in Minnesota by providing financial counseling, homeownership education, and advocating for policies and initiatives that promote equitable access to homeownership.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
The corporate war against breastfeeding
A new grant from the CDC will help Minneapolis expand breastfeeding and lactation services, focusing on improving health outcomes for communities of color, and also addressing corporate lobbying efforts that may impact local breastfeeding practices.
Posted inEducation
Black Students Face Disproportionate Discipline, Widening the Achievement Gap
Black students are facing harsher disciplinary measures than their White peers, contributing to long-term psychological and academic setbacks, and systemic reforms are necessary to create a safe and supportive learning environment for Black children.
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Posted inHelp Is Here
Cultural representation improves addiction recovery
Ivan Nelson, executive director of African American Survivor Services, is working to address systemic disparities in addiction and recovery for African Americans, providing culturally competent care and addressing generational trauma.
Posted inLocal & State
Minnesota Extends Continuous Medicaid Coverage for Children Under 6
Minnesota is implementing a new policy to provide uninterrupted Medicaid coverage for eligible children under 6, aiming to eliminate gaps in healthcare coverage and reduce racial health disparities.
Posted inNews
Minneapolis seeks approval for speed enforcement cameras
Minneapolis is seeking state approval to install traffic enforcement cameras to reduce speeding and red-light running, which is a leading cause of deadly crashes in the city, but advocates are concerned that the program will further fuel racial disparities.
Posted inNews
Twin Cities icon speaks on impact of son’s death
Lucas Bellamy’s family has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit due to the medical-related death of his son.
Posted inOpinion
Closing economic opportunity gaps
The Federal Reserve proposal could worsen economic disparities for marginalized communities.
Posted inNews
Black men struggle with obstacles to health and longevity
Black men in Minnesota face racial disparities in life expectancy due to socioeconomic status and educational inequalities, which can be further compounded by healthcare-related habits.
Posted inNews
Report reveals that racial disparities in incarceration persist, despite progress
While one in three Black men born in 1981 faced the prospect of imprisonment, the figure has now dropped to one in five for those born in 2001.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Building trust in vaccines with communities of color
Racial disparities in immunizations also exist with basic, essential childhood vaccines such as measles and whooping cough.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Panel explores Minnesota’s glaring racial inequities
‘This disinvestment in Black communities is not just historic, it’s current. It’s still happening.’
Posted inOpinion
MN DEED doing its part to promote an equitable workforce
At the MN DEED, we have been changing our systems and making improvements to increase opportunities for workforce development training and career pathways for people who have been systematically excluded.
Posted inCOVID-19, Local & State, National, News
Time to act on COVID vaccination racial disparities
In the states that do report, White people get vaccinated at a much higher rate than Black Americans.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Will the COVID vaccine be fairly distributed?
A Pew Research survey earlier this month, before the new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines received U.S. emergency-use approvals, found that Blacks are less likely than others to get the vaccine.