Nominations are now open for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s Second Annual Best of Black Business Awards. Submit your favorites across five categories through June 30, 2026, with winners celebrated at a live ceremony on Nov. 7.
St Paul
Posted inSports
 From Rondo to Cooperstown: St. Paul Honors David Winfield With BronzeÂ
A bronze statue of Baseball Hall of Famer David Winfield now stands at Toni Stone Field in St. Paul, honoring the Rondo native and 22-year MLB veteran who credits his upbringing in the heart of St. Paul’s Black community as the foundation for everything that followed.
Posted inEducation
Professors reflect on Black progress, and what the next decade demands
Black academics Dr. Walter Greason and Dr. Artika Tyner offer a sobering, nuanced and at times hopeful assessment of where Black communities in Minnesota and across the country stand today and where they are headed over the next decade.
Posted inOn the Radar
iLLism: The South Minneapolis Duo Building a Creative LegacyÂ
Twin Cities hip-hop duo iLLism, consisting of husband-and-wife creators Fancy and Emmanuel Duncan, have evolved from a successful musical act into powerful community builders. Through CRWN Media, the Legacy Building, and the Soul of the Southside festival, they are actively rewriting the narrative for local creatives.
Posted inDigital Editions
MSR Digital Edition 43 for May 28 – June 3, 2026
The MSR Digital Edition 43 for May 28 – June 3, 2026 is now live. Explore community news, sports, arts, and events. Edition 43, Volume 92.
Posted inEducation
Rising to the Bar: Minnesota’s Next Generation of Black Lawyers Won’t Back Down
Seven Black law graduates from the University of Minnesota, Mitchell Hamline and St. Thomas are entering the legal profession with purpose, carrying lived experience and a commitment to representing communities that have historically gone without.
Posted inOpinion
Policy shifts are reshaping Black and immigrant business economy
Procurement expert R. Lynn Pingol argues that Minnesota’s small businesses are facing a perfect storm of federal shocks, from DEI restrictions to DBE rollbacks and SBA delays, landing hardest on Black, immigrant and BIPOC-owned firms with the least margin for disruption.
Posted inFood
What the potlikker broth holds
Chef Lachelle Cunningham writes about potlikker, her Uncle Moe Burton’s legacy as a community organizer and cooperative grocer, and the unbroken line between feeding people, organizing people and building community power.
Posted inYouth
ReConnect Rondo Is Looking for Young Leaders to Shape the Future of Their Community
ReConnect Rondo is accepting applications for its Youth Ambassador Initiative, a six-month paid cohort for young people ages 16 to 24 with a connection to the Rondo neighborhood, running August through January.
Posted inLet them Rise
Joy of educating Black boys
Richard D. Terrell, assistant principal with Saint Paul Public Schools, writes about the joy of educating Black boys, calling on schools, families and communities to celebrate their brilliance, nurture their gifts and speak life into their futures.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Lynx veteran Nia Coffey is her father’s daughter
Nia Coffey, St. Paul native and nine-year WNBA veteran, is back home with the Minnesota Lynx, bringing a decade of professional experience and a commitment to pouring into younger players on a roster that is 71% new this season.
Posted inJobs & Notices
Now Hiring: Digital Editor | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is hiring a Digital Editor to oversee day-to-day digital output, manage the editorial calendar and help shape community-driven journalism at a 92-year-old Black media institution. Full-time and part-time options available.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
50th Annual Winfield Awards to Be Held
The 50th Annual Winfield Awards will honor 20 St. Paul student-athletes of color on Sunday, May 31, at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel, with Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Paul Central alum Dave Winfield as keynote speaker.
Posted inOn the Radar
Caring through art: How ‘artivist’ Esther Callahan cultivates Black creative spaces
Twin Cities artivist and curator Esther Callahan shares how she transformed personal trauma into a lifelong mission of healing, launching The BLK Collectors to uplift Black artists and investors.
Posted inDigital Editions
MSR Digital Edition 42 for May 21 -May 27, 2026
The MSR Digital Edition 42 for May 21 – May 27, 2026 is now live. Explore community news, sports, arts, and events. Edition 42, Volume 92.
Posted inEducation
Damenica Ellis – 2026 MSR Grad
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder congratulates staff writer and On the Radar host Damenica Ellis on her graduation from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Media, Journalism and Film.
Posted inLocal & State
Minnesota Adds $59 Million in Opioid Settlement Funds as Gaps Remain
Minnesota will receive an additional $59 million in opioid settlement funding from Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, but community organizations serving Black Minnesotans say questions remain about whether funds are reaching the communities most impacted.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Black-led Arise Community Credit Union works to expand financial access for all
Black Business Spotlight: Arise Community Credit Union, founded through the Association for Black Economic Power in response to George Floyd’s murder, is building a community-rooted financial institution designed to serve residents historically excluded from traditional banking.
Posted inSports
Playworks brings 1,000 young leaders to Saints Park for End-of-Year Celebration
Nearly 1,000 Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota elementary school students gathered at the St. Paul Saints ballpark to celebrate their participation in the Playworks Minnesota Youth Leadership Program, which serves more than 25,000 students statewide.
Posted inEvents
Minnesota Selected to Host the 2028 NFL Draft
Minnesota has been selected to host the 2028 NFL Draft, bringing one of the biggest events in sports to downtown Minneapolis and U.S. Bank Stadium in partnership with the Minnesota Vikings and local community partners.