Minnesota Now for Oct. 18, 2022; Happy Birthday edition

[MUSIC PLAYING] CATHY WURZER: It's Minnesota Now. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Reaction continues to negative comments about campus diversity from a member of a University of Minnesota Board of Regents. We'll talk with a student leader about next steps. And the local award-winning author Bao Phi's children's book is now a theatrical production.

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Election day is November 8, and two leaders in the state's Black communities speak on the issues they care most about and how they're getting out the vote. Today, this show turns one year old. We're celebrating with some highlights from the past year, fantastic poetry from listeners, and a conversation with one of my favorite guests. All of that plus a special song of the day, and of course, the Minnesota Music Minute. All of that comes your way right after the news.

LAKSHMI SING: Live from NPR News in Washington. I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Biden says the stakes on abortion rights are high, as Democrats in favor of abortion rights compete with anti-abortion rights Republicans to expand their ranks in Congress. At a major speech in Washington, D.C. a short time ago, Biden spoke directly to young people voting at an especially pivotal time in history.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: There's so much change happening technologically, politically, and socially that the decisions we make now are going to determine the future of our nation and the future of your generation for the next 30 or more years.

LAKSHMI SING: Many Republican voters opposed to abortion rights are energized by the Roe v. Wade decision heading into the midterm elections. The Los Angeles City Council is meeting this hour to select a new president. Erin Stone of member station KPCC reports, former council president Nury Martinez was pressured to give up her leadership spot and resigned from the Council after audio recording surfaced last week of her making racist remarks.

ERIN STONE: Martinez resigned last week amid mounting public pressure. Among other racist comments, she called a fellow council member's young Black son a little monkey while discussing redistricting with three other Latino officials. Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo, the two other council members involved in the racist conversation, have yet to give up their seats.

Ron Herrera, an LA labor leader also in the recording, has since resigned his position. De Leon and Cedillo won't be at today's meeting to vote in a new council president. Remaining council members are also expected to consider motions to create an independent redistricting commission and add more council seats. For NPR News, I'm Erin Stone.

LAKSHMI SING: Russia's long-range airstrikes, including drones, are targeting heating and electricity plants Ukrainians will need this winter. Most, if not all, of the targets are civilian, not military. NPR'S Greg Myre reports on how Ukraine's air defenses are performing against the Iranian-made drones, which are noisy and fly at relatively low altitudes in speeds of just over 100 miles per hour.

GREG MYRE: Ukraine's air defenses, which have exceeded expectations throughout the war, are having success in shooting many of them down. Ukraine said it shot down 37 of 43 drones on Monday. But when dozens of drones are coming in, a few get through and cause damage and deaths. Four people were reported killed on Monday.

Now, Ukraine has been pleading for more air defense systems throughout the war. The US and other NATO countries are now promising to send some, including some very advanced systems, but they're not there yet.

LAKSHMI SING: NPR'S Greg Myre reporting. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 237 points, more than 3/4 of a percent, at 30,424. From Washington, this is NPR News.

ANNOUNCER: Support for NPR comes from NPR stations. Other contributors include Mathnasium, committed to boosting students' confidence, critical thinking, and math grades and scores with in-person or online instruction. Each student follows a customized learning plan. More at mathnasium.com.

CATHY WURZER: Around Minnesota right now skies are sunny. It is chilly. Highs today will be in the mid-30s and lower 40s. At noon at the Duluth Harbor, it's sunny and 34. It's 31 in Rochester. And outside the Pickled Loon Saloon in downtown Emily, Minnesota, it's sunny and 33. I'm Cathy Wurzer with Minnesota news headlines.

Hennepin County's chief public defender has resigned amid a reported investigation into alleged tax evasion. Matt Sepic reports.

MATT SEPIC: Cassius Benson says in an email to state public defender Bill Ward that he's stepping down, quote, "due to personal issues involving matters outside my position." Citing a search warrant affidavit, The Star Tribune reported in August that federal authorities are investigating whether Benson failed to pay taxes for employees at his private law firm.

The allegations pre-date his time as Hennepin County's chief public defender. Authorities have not filed criminal charges or a civil case against Benson. In an email to NPR News, Bill Ward says he's "personally sad to see him resign, but I completely respect his resolve." Benson's resignation is effective next week. But he says he's taking personal time off until then. I'm Matt Sepic, Minneapolis.

CATHY WURZER: There's a televised debate tonight between Governor Tim Walz and his Republican challenger, former state Senator Scott Jensen. It'll be the first time they'll debate since an event in August. It'll be their only televised debate, and it will be on a handful of TV stations in greater Minnesota.

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CATHY WURZER: Our top story, University of Minnesota Regent Steve Sviggum continues to be under fire for comments he made recently about the makeup of the University of Minnesota Morris student body. Speaking about declining enrollment at a committee discussion last week, Sviggum, who is a former Speaker of the Minnesota House, asked whether it's possible UM Morris has become "too diverse."

He added that he's received letters from friends whose children, in his words, didn't feel comfortable attending the university. In response, Morris' student body president Dylan Young wrote a letter that ended by inviting Regent Sviggum to dinner on campus with him and other student leaders and members of marginalized groups. He joins me now for an update. Hey, Dylan. How are you?

DYLAN YOUNG: I'm doing pretty good. How are you doing?

CATHY WURZER: Good. I'm fine. You know, Dylan, something not all listeners might know about the U of M Morris campus is it's on the site of a former boarding school for native children. It's also become one of the most diverse campuses in the state, thanks in no small part to free tuition for Native American students as a result of that painful history. And I'm wondering, what were your first thoughts when you heard about Regents Sviggum's comments?

DYLAN YOUNG: My first thought when I heard Regent Sviggum's comments was simply to question, what is he talking about? I don't understand what too diverse means. I don't understand why the question is being asked. What percentage of the student body do we reach for us to decide, this is the number? This is what too diverse is. This is when we went too far. What are you talking about, Regent Sviggum?

CATHY WURZER: What do you think he was trying to get at by wondering if there's too much diversity on campus?

DYLAN YOUNG: He was saying that because we have such a high enrollment of BIPOC students, white students are not going to feel as comfortable as they usually would coming to Morris.

CATHY WURZER: I know Morris is on a break right now. Have you had a chance to talk with the student leaders about this?

DYLAN YOUNG: Yeah. The evening that Regent Sviggum talked about it, I was able to reach out to our Black Student Union, Circle of Nations Indigenous Association, Union Latinx, and Asian Student Association, the diverse student organizations on campus. They actually co-signed the letter that we sent to Regent Sviggum on Monday morning.

CATHY WURZER: NPR News talked with Regent Sviggum yesterday, and he was asked whether he regretted asking the question. And now here's how he responded.

REGENT SVIGGUM: I don't regret asking questions at all, Tom. I think we need to ask questions in public policy to make sure that the policy is addressing our concerns, our goals. Besides just a question of diversity, I ask questions about the competition amongst higher education institutions, certainly the number of market forces that are out there, how many graduating seniors do we have.

CATHY WURZER: So you wrote him a letter, as you say that, ended with an invitation to dinner. What are you hoping to hear from him when you meet?

DYLAN YOUNG: Well, I'm hoping that he could come to our campus and actually learn about what the diversity looks like here on the ground, rather than hearing it from a letter, because that's a whole different experience. And I'm hoping that by the end of our time together, he backs down from what he said, that he apologizes, and realizes, even if you have the right to ask that question, it's a stupid question. Right?

If you go to the University of Minnesota Morris campus, you will learn that diversity is not even in the list of the top 100 problems at the University of Minnesota Morris for students.

CATHY WURZER: And that diversity is a strength.

DYLAN YOUNG: Yes, exactly. In the letter, I say that diversity is not part of the problem. I think it's going to be part of the solution. We have such a growing BIPOC population around the nation, but especially in Minnesota. Why shouldn't Morris tap into that, right?

CATHY WURZER: By the way, what was the regent's response to your letter? Have you heard from him?

DYLAN YOUNG: Yeah, I heard from him shortly after sending it. He thanked me for the letter, and then said that he will begin planning his trip to Morris.

CATHY WURZER: OK. Getting back to what he said his friends said-- that the kids didn't feel-- the white kids didn't feel comfortable attending Morris because of how diverse it is. Now, in contrast, you described the discomfort you have felt as a Native student on campus. What has led you to feel uncomfortable at times at Morris?

DYLAN YOUNG: I think it's very simple. And I think it's very universal to every BIPOC student. Not just at Morris, but every higher education institution in the United States. I face many financial barriers to continue in my education. I faced mental health struggles. I faced discrimination within the classroom and on campus.

And you look at what's causing these problems, all of them lead to one simple fact, and that's the fact that BIPOC students, queer students, students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation students, higher education was not made for us to succeed, much less feel included. So you get into these structural barriers that are keeping us from graduating.

And that's sort of been part of my discomfort at the university. One of the bright parts of that experience has been being a part of the Native American community on campus. Being able to be a part of a community of people who come from a similar background as me, are going through the same educational journey, has been incredibly healing and powerful to be a part of. And it's one of the reasons why I chose Morris.

And I think that's what you're going to find among a lot of our BIPOC community. We chose Morris because of this. Like I said, it's not a subtraction to Morris. It's an addition. It's a plus.

CATHY WURZER: Can I ask, what are campus administrators-- we have about a minute left in our conversation. What are campus administrators doing to make BIPOC students feel more comfortable on campus?

DYLAN YOUNG: I think acting chancellor Janet Schrunk Eriksen has done a lot of work in the past year to interact with our BIPOC students and make them feel welcome here at Morris. Like she had said during the moments Regent Sviggum made those comments, she had just met with the Black Student Union that week. And I think that's fantastic.

CATHY WURZER: before you go, I have to ask you this. Do you think Regent Sviggum should step down from the Board of Regents or be removed?

DYLAN YOUNG: Here's what I think. I think that anyone who oversees a college who believes diversity is what's causing these ailments, these enrollment struggles, should not be in the position that they are. By inviting Steve Sviggum to campus, we're giving him a chance to learn, a chance to develop, and a chance to apologize and rescind his comments. By the end of the night, if he doesn't do that, then the boot fits.

CATHY WURZER: All right. Dylan Young, I'm going to leave it right there. Thank you for your time this morning.

DYLAN YOUNG: Yeah, of course. Thank you.

CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Dylan Young. Dylan is the student body president at the University of Minnesota Morris.

[MUSIC - PAPA MBYE, "PASSENGER]

(SINGING) I can't be waiting for you now. Ain't buying father time, it's out. Wake up, waste time another day. Ask why, we'll never understand. OK, if I could conversate with you tonight about a thing? I don't know what the [MUTED] to say. I don't know. I don't know.

CATHY WURZER: It is our Minnesota Music Minute. This is Papa Mbye with "Passenger," a song he released earlier this year. The Minneapolis musician is playing the 7th Street entry this Friday, October 21. We did a fun interview with him on the show back in June. Go to nprnews.org to listen to it.

[MUSIC - PAPA MBYE, "PASSENGER] (SINGING) Take out, take out your rocket now. Fake all, fake all your passion now. Wipe down, windows, sit passenger.

CATHY WURZER: It's 12:15 here on Minnesota Now from NPR News. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Now, you know that every family has traditions. One Minneapolis family's tradition included a minnow bucket, a fishing pole, a pond, and a father and son. Bao Phi turned his memory of early morning fishing trips to the local pond into his 2017 picture book called A Different Pond, a story that has now been adapted for theater and is currently playing at Stages Theater in Hopkins.

Bao Phi's on the line. Welcome to the program, Bao.

BAO PHI: Thank you so much for having me.

CATHY WURZER: It's great to have you here. Say, I don't know the story behind the story. What inspired you to write A Different Pond?

BAO PHI: That's a great question. So the short answer of it is, I had a kid. The longer version of it is, I've been a spoken word poet for a very long time, since the South High school speech team in the early 90s. Fast forward to having a kid and wanting our kid to be exposed to the stories of many different families and people.

So certainly Black, Native American, Latinx, queer families, single parent families, families where people have disabilities, working class families. All of that, right? You want your child to know that the world is a big place full of a lot of different people. And then so doing, there wasn't a whole lot of books about working class Southeast Asian refugees. In particular, working class Vietnamese refugees like my parents, my parents' generation.

And I was seeing a disconnect, not just in the books, but also in the curriculum of the schools as my child got older. And the Minnesota children's book community has been so supportive. They were like, you should write a children's book! You should write a children's book! And I thought that was a great idea, but I didn't know what to write about. And after thinking about it for a long time and writing poems--

CATHY WURZER: You always write what you know.

BAO PHI: Yeah. Right. Right. Right. I decided on the story about fishing with my dad for food, not for fun. And the short version of the story is that that turned into a different pond. Yeah.

CATHY WURZER: Because you went to Minneapolis South, I'm wondering where the fishing pond was with your dad.

BAO PHI: That's a really great question. So some of the places I remember, like the first fish I ever caught was off the dock at Nokomis. But a lot of the places that my dad would take me to that A Different Pond is based on were places where I'm not even sure they had names. It was when I was very young, we would pull up by the side of a highway or into a little leafy area, and we'd walk out to this dark place, or this river.

And sometimes there would be other people there, sometimes not. And so I'm not even sure those places really had names, other than maybe nicknames that locals had for them, if that makes sense.

CATHY WURZER: Yes. Of course, it does make sense to me. And as you say, this was not for fun. It was for food.

BAO PHI: Yes. Yes, it was.

CATHY WURZER: In 20--

BAO PHI: I come from-- I was born in Saigon shortly before forced exodus that landed me and my family in Minnesota in the Phillips neighborhood. And we were a big, poor, working class refugee family. And my parents, tribute to them and their hard work. They did whatever they could to help us survive.

CATHY WURZER: I love the fact that A Different Pond became a Caldecott Medal honor book in 2018. That is an amazing honor, obviously. I'm wondering, then, how did an award like that change the playing field for an author like you?

BAO PHI: I mean, it just opens up so many doors, because I think anything that helps get these stories and these books into the hands of children who need them, or want them, or could learn something from them, is-- I've been an author and a writer for a very long time. And I know how rare that is, to receive that type of help and that type of recognition to get your work out there.

And so I think that it just really-- people pay attention. And that's really all you can really ask for, if that makes sense.

CATHY WURZER: It does. What's it like seeing your book adapted for the stage?

BAO PHI: It's wonderful. I think Jessica Lou Pelletier did a wonderful job really giving different characters a little bit more heft and drawing out elements of the story. And I'll say that I had the privilege of doing a talk-back to the audience with Jessica. And there were some Vietnamese families in the audience.

And what I loved hearing from them is saying-- a lot of the Vietnamese families who went said-- there are all these little details in the play which other people might not recognize, but when Vietnamese people see it, they're like, oh my gosh. That reminds me of my life and my childhood. And I think that that's just point to what a terrific job Jessica did, as well as Stages Theater, Theater Mu, and the entire cast, the set design. They just did a really wonderful job adapting the play.

CATHY WURZER: Have members of your family had the opportunity to see the play?

BAO PHI: Yes and no. My parents are quite old. Even for a short, one-hour play-- I am trying to get them to go see it, but I don't know if I can make it happen. I think I have to kind of let my ego aside and really put what's best for my family in front. I think the best thing that I can do is that, really, this wouldn't be possible without them. And my job is to make sure that they know that.

CATHY WURZER: All writers have something that they're always working on. So what are you working on right now?

BAO PHI: Well, thank you for asking. My fourth children's book just came out. It's called You Are Life. It's also published by Capstone, which is a wonderful Minnesota company that published all four of my children's books to date. And it's a book that I wrote having so many emotions during the pandemic, in particular, but not limited to, all the anti-Asian violence which had a exponential resurgence during that time.

And as a human being, as a parent, as an Asian-American, parent just the fear, the anger, the resentment, the sorrow, the depression, the rage-- I just needed to do something with all of those feelings. And so I came up with a children's book. It's very different for me in terms of my children's books. It's actually a poem instead of a story, and it's illustrated by Hannah Lee.

And I think she did a wonderful job with the illustrations. And I'm just grateful that I can put something positive in the world at a time when things are just so difficult.

CATHY WURZER: We are grateful, Bao, to you, for your talent and what you're putting out in the world. Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk with you.

BAO PHI: Well, thank you for your time. I really appreciate this.

CATHY WURZER: Bao Phi has been with us. Bao is a fantastic author. As I mentioned, his book called A Different Pond has been adapted for theater, currently playing at Stages Theater in Hopkins.

SPEAKER: Programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by Concordia College in Moorhead. Rooted in a deep commitment to provide transformational experience to each student through learning, working, and leadership. More information at concordiacollege.edu.

Programming is supported by Alight, whose humanitarian teams are working to prevent famine in East Africa. Learn how you can provide emergency food rations for one family for one month at wearealight.org.

CATHY WURZER: Well, to celebrate our birthday, I asked you to send me a haiku. Now, if you're not familiar, haiku is a poem with three lines. The first line has five syllables. The second has seven. The third has five syllables. So five, seven, five. And you are rising to the occasion. I have to say, I just love NPR listeners.

Here's a haiku from Ann Hobie. I believe that's Ann. That's your last name. I'm on the freeway. Cathy's cornucopia always enlightens. Oh, Ann. That's nice. Ann's a trainer, educator, and writer/author of a children's book called Monarch Butterflies. Explore the life journey of one of the winged wonders of the world. She loves the show. And you are kind. Thank you.

Eric Callahan sent a whole slew of haikus. Here are a couple of my favorites. A darkening world made bright by the sound Minnesota Now. Oh, it's on again. Sorry, kids. No music now. Minnesota Now. And world of dimming hope, surprisingly lit with sound, Minnesota Now. Thank you, Eric. By the way, Eric says he lives in Bemidji. He's a single dad to three daughters, Scarlet, Olive, and Bridget. Hello, Scarlet, Olive, and Bridget.

He takes aerial photos and videos with his drone for work. Thank you, Eric, for taking the time to write some haikus. And one from Sarah Veblen Mortensen in Saint Paul. Now I walk with you to each other, connect us our stories. [? Hughes ?] voices now. Sarah says she listens to the show during walks in Como Park at her noontime break. Oh, Sarah.

She says, during my walk I often put my right hand on my heart and tell myself what I am pleased about myself that day and how I can share that with others. You may remember, Dr. Joy suggests that we put our hand over our heart, which is kind of do some self-care. Sarah, thank you. Thanks for sharing. I hope your walk's going well today, although it's a little cool out there. More haiku coming up. First, let's get a news update from John Wanamaker.

JOHN WANAMAKER: Cathy, President Biden is expected to promise today that the first bill he sends to Congress next year will be one that codifies Roe v. Wade. But there's a catch. That's if Democrats control enough seats after midterms. This is the first time Biden has prioritized abortion legislation ahead of the November elections.

Republicans are widely projected to gain control of at least the House. Abortion rights have been a key motivating factor for Democrats this year, although the economy and inflation still rank as chief concern for most voters. A senior Ukrainian official says Russian attacks have damaged more than 400 infrastructure targets across Ukraine since early last week.

The minister for Communities and Territories development of Ukraine, Oleksiy Chernyshov, said today that Russian missiles and Iranian-made drones have struck 408 Ukrainian targets since October '10. The targets include 45 energy facilities. He said that more than 180 civilian buildings were also struck.

Federal authorities say they're trying to rescue more than 100 migrants stranded on an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico during a human smuggling operation. The nationality of the migrants awaiting help on Mona island was not immediately known, although officials believe the majority are Haitian, that according to a spokesman for the US Customs and Border Protection Agency.

In the group are 60 women, 38 men, and 5 children ranging in age from 5 to 13 years old. That's according to a different official. Mona Island is located in the waters between Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and has long been a dropping-off point for human smugglers promising to ferry Haitian and Dominican migrants to US territory.

And are you one of those people convinced that mosquitoes are more attracted to you than others? Well, new research suggests you may be right, and it could be because of how you smell. A study published today finds that people who are mosquito magnets have high levels of certain chemicals on the skin that are tied to odor.

Scientists pitted people's smells against each other in the lab and saw that the bugs swarm to the same host over time. And the bad news if you're a mosquito magnet, it is hard to change your skin acid levels. But some scientists hope the new research can help think up new ways to fight off bites. My mom always said, it's just because I was so sweet. This is NPR News.

CATHY WURZER: This is Minnesota Now on NPR News. I'm Cathy Wurzer. The midterms are less than a month away. In the next few weeks, we're going to check in on community leaders across the state about what they're hearing in their communities about the candidates and the issues for this midterm election. Joining us right now is Classie Dudley and Adair Moseley.

Classie Dudley is the president of the Duluth NAACP. Adair Moseley has been the leader at the nonprofit Pillsbury United communities, but has just taken the top job at the statewide African-American Leadership Forum. Adair, congratulations and welcome back.

ADAIR MOSELEY: Thank you. Glad to be back. Thanks for having me.

CATHY WURZER: And Classie, welcome.

CLASSIE DUDLEY: Yes, thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

CATHY WURZER: Nice to have you here. Well, let's talk about the election. Now, as you both know, polls are indicating that some of the key issues in voters' minds include dealing with crime, protecting abortion rights, dealing with inflation. Are these the issues that are resonating in the communities where you live and work? Classie, I'm going to start with you.

CLASSIE DUDLEY: Yeah. I would say that there's hot topic issues and single voter issues that we've always had in our community. I would say, based on our demographic that we have in Duluth specifically, that we're mostly a blue city. So our issues here are finding out more specifically of local politics, how it affects us personally, how the tax levy affects us, how they interact with our nurses and our social workers.

So it's a little more personal than just the hot topic buttons that we see across the country. It's definitely pinpointing more issues that focus on the citizen directly.

CATHY WURZER: Adair?

ADAIR MOSELEY: Absolutely. I would agree with that, and I'd say the dialogue, I think, will continue to be centered on public safety measures and a holistic approach, and ensuring kind of a broad spectrum of solutions are brought to the front. Our communities are seeking both economic justice, whether that's investments in small business, workforce development strategies, ensuring that we can create the pipelines for Black enterprises.

We're not myopic in our view. There are things that are more proximate to us in terms of public safety and economics.

CATHY WURZER: What are other issues that need to be on the radar but are not, Adair?

ADAIR MOSELEY: I would say most of our communities are really strongly looking for public safety efforts, increasing access to jobs and employment for Black Minnesotans, supporting re-entry efforts. In our view of holistic approaches, increasing out-of-school time program and activities, and then improving police interactions.

Coupled with that, we certainly need to be thinking about economic revitalization and development. Are we making sure that dollars are flowing to Main Street to support Black enterprises and businesses, as well?

CATHY WURZER: Classie, what are the other issues that need to be on the radar but are not in this election cycle?

CLASSIE DUDLEY: You hit a lot of things that we're working on locally, as well. I believe that the issues that we aren't talking about that could be really impactful in this upcoming election is our social determinants of health. So we don't hear a lot about talking about solution-based efforts in our community. We know the issues. We know the statistics. We know the data. We can see it affecting our community. But what is the solution? And I haven't seen a lot of candidates or a lot of rhetoric around that.

CATHY WURZER: what races are you both paying the most attention to? Classie?

CLASSIE DUDLEY: Local elections. I can't stress that enough. In our community, the greatest impact that we see is with our city council. It's with our state representatives. And of course, we're watching very closely the Pete Stauber and Jennifer Schultz election candidacy, as well.

CATHY WURZER: And that would be in the 8th congressional district. Adair Mosley, what races are you paying the most attention to?

ADAIR MOSELEY: Yeah. Certainly, the governor's race is heating up. And we know that women's rights and economic prosperity and education are on the ballot. The attorney general's office, will it continue to protect the most vulnerable? And I would also say the Secretary of State. It's oftentimes perhaps something that's overlooked.

But if we are to be a state that ensures fair and free elections remain at the heart of democracy, we have to be able to protect this seat. There are some hyper-local in terms of the Hennepin County Attorney. And there's a divide in ideology a little bit there. And so that's a race that I'm paying close attention to, as well.

CATHY WURZER: Say, here in the Twin Cities, there's this effort spearheaded by Twin Cities media personality Sheletta Brundidge where she asked 20 pastors at Black churches in the Metro to not yield the pulpit to politicians who don't buy ads in Black-owned news outlets. And she feels that politicians are taking the Black vote for granted, that they'll glad hand for votes, but then there's little follow-up. Do Black voters feel the connection with lawmakers outside of the election season? Adair?

ADAIR MOSELEY: In this election cycle, people are going to be holding those that assume office more accountable, saying, you just can't show up during the election cycle. And are you delivering on the platform that you promised in order to gain our vote?

CATHY WURZER: What do you think, Classie?

CLASSIE DUDLEY: I believe a lot of our election efforts this cycle is just to get people out to vote. You see the resilience in voting rights and the conversations that surround it. But when they're in office, we often don't see them representing us as we would like, or we don't see any representation at all.

So it's been a huge impact in our community, and not just getting the Black vote out, but getting the youth vote out, as well, to really find candidates to support us.

CATHY WURZER: Vise President Harris has been traveling to historically Black colleges and universities to energize Black young voters. And on National Voter Registration Day, Black women leaders of advocacy organizations were out with campaigns geared toward mobilizing Black women voters. Classie, you do you see those efforts making a difference?

CLASSIE DUDLEY: In my community, I haven't seen it. Yes, we need to get candidates out there. We need to get more candidates of color. We need to see more representation, because we're just not seeing it. But we also need to see representation that is impactful to the Black community.

I can have a Black elected official here that doesn't support the Black issues. I can have Indigenous efforts here that aren't transferring over into what we're seeing in our elections. So it's not just showing up. It's also being accountable to what you're showing up and to who you're showing up for. It might not always be the popular thing to do, but we need it.

CATHY WURZER: Say, Adair, I know that you've just started this new job. But going back to your role at Pillsbury United, what efforts are being made to mobilize Black voters?

ADAIR MOSELEY: A significant amount of efforts are being activated to ensure that our communities are both well-informed and knowledgeable of the candidates and their policy priorities. And this is from get out the vote measures registering individuals to vote, re-education around the election process. And this is just not a one-time thing.

I think both the African-American Leadership Forum and Pillsbury United communities have taken this as ongoing efforts because we know that we need to constantly be talking to our communities. And so I think that that's where the power lies.

CATHY WURZER: OK. Both of you have done this work in the past. I'm curious. Classie, what do you think voter turnout is going to be like here next month?

CLASSIE DUDLEY: Well, I'm really hopeful that we'll get a good voter turnout this year.

CATHY WURZER: And Adair?

ADAIR MOSELEY: Yeah. Hope has to be and optimism has to be at the center of this conversation, certainly, because I think given the polarization that's happening in politics, so much at stake in terms of getting our civil liberties, that each and every election becomes more consequential.

CLASSIE DUDLEY: Yeah. And I am hopeful, but I'd also say, my people are tired. They're exhausted. We're often expected to be the voice for a lot of different issues, not just the Black issues, and not just the BIPOC issues. When we do show up, we're often not heard. So while I want to be optimistic, it is a realization that we have a long way to go if we really want voter turnout. And we need to show up on the off years of election cycles.

ADAIR MOSELEY: I completely agree with that. And man, we're just tired of being tired. So Classie, thank you for lifting that up. But I want to make sure and ensure that apathy doesn't win. Frankly, I think we need to continue to tap into this and harness this energy that things can be better, that our communities can be better, when we're fully represented.

CATHY WURZER: It was a good conversation. Thank you both for your time today.

CLASSIE DUDLEY: Yeah, thanks for having me.

ADAIR MOSELEY: Thank you.

CATHY WURZER: That was Classie Dudley and Adair Mosley. Classie is the president of the Duluth NAACP. Adair is the new CEO of the African-American Leadership Forum.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CATHY WURZER: Hey, we've been talking about our year anniversary here today. Yes, we've been on the air one whole year as of today. I wanted to talk to someone who's been with us since the very beginning. Isaac Yanta has been one of the DJs from outstate Minnesota who sends us a song of the day just about every week. And he is here with us right now. Hey, Isaac. How are you?

ISAAC YANTA: I'm very good, Cathy. Thanks for having me on.

CATHY WURZER: Good. I always thought it was great that you joined us when you were a student at Winona State. And there's always a story behind those of us who got into radio. So how did you manage to slide into the radio station at Winona State?

ISAAC YANTA: Well, my friend was doing a show, and it was always something that interests me. And so I joined her on her show, and then had a real lot of fun just playing music, and decided to take on a shift every week, and then kept on getting into it from there. I worked as the production director, and then the program director. And now I'm graduated in the big leagues, so to say.

CATHY WURZER: What do you like about radio?

ISAAC YANTA: Well, I love the music. I'm a musician here in Winona. And the radio has been a real catalyst for getting to know other musicians and being able to go out and talk with people. It was really, honestly, something fun to do every week, but then it turned into a way to be like, hey, can I go backstage and talk to these musicians that I respect a lot, and get to know them, and air their stuff? So it's become just such a part of how I've gotten into the community that I'm into.

CATHY WURZER: You graduated last May. You transitioned pretty fast into a job, which is always impressive in this business. How did that happen?

ISAAC YANTA: Yeah. My friend worked at Leighton Broadcasting here in Winona. They have five stations in the Winona area. And so he works over there. So I asked him if they were hiring, and he put in a good word for me, and got over there in June.

CATHY WURZER: And you're on from 1:00 until 6:00.

ISAAC YANTA: Yeah. 1:00 to 6:00 in the afternoons.

CATHY WURZER: I got to listen to you on the live stream. What's that?

ISAAC YANTA: It's 101.1 the River. So theriverwinona.com, you can listen live.

CATHY WURZER: this makes more sense to me because I thought, gosh, this guy knows a lot about local music. So it makes sense that you're a musician. Where do you see your music going? Because I'm sure you've learned a lot from other musicians as you've interviewed them.

ISAAC YANTA: And just becoming friends. It's been so valuable to make such great friends in the music community. And then, thank you for this opportunity to send in a song every week, because then I get to play my friends' music for other people to hear, which is a really cool thing.

CATHY WURZER: Nice. Say, what about the listeners? When you're in radio, you have an intimate relationship with your listeners, in a sense. Have you experienced that yet?

ISAAC YANTA: Absolutely, yeah. Yeah. And I've only been on the River for a couple of months now. But there are some people who listen just all day, every day. And I'll give a shout out to Brenna, who calls in to my show every single day requesting songs, and just telling me what she's doing. I think that's a good example of, you're living people's days with them, which is cool.

CATHY WURZER: Exactly. It is a very cool thing. By the way, Brenna, hello. Nice to have you listening here.

ISAAC YANTA: Yeah.

CATHY WURZER: Because you've been so kind and you've been with us since the very beginning-- thank you, by the way. Do you have a song picked for us today?

ISAAC YANTA: I do. Yeah. I've played this band before for you guys, but they just were in Winona this past weekend for their album release show. They just came out with their first full-length album. They're from Winona originally, and then some members live in Minneapolis now. And the band is Sleeping Jesus. And I've sent you "Calm Down, It's Morning" off their newest album today.

CATHY WURZER: All right. Isaac, I wish you all the best. Thank you again for being with us since the beginning and starting this new thing with us. We really appreciate you and your talents.

ISAAC YANTA: Thank you so much, Cathy. I'm loving it.

[MUSIC - SLEEPING JESUS, "CALM DOWN, IT'S MORNING]

(SINGING) It just gets harder to calm down, it's morning. They only want to get you down, give up, give in. Nobody wins anyway. Out there, it's calling. A sea out on the interstate. Unravel me, make me feel the way--

CATHY WURZER: Isaac Yanta is at 101.1 FM the River in Winona.

SPEAKER: Support comes from Eden Prairie Nissan. Eden Prairie Nissan now has a large selection of vehicles available for immediate delivery, including the all-new 2022 Rogue and Pathfinder. Learn more at edenprairienissab.com.

CATHY WURZER: Support comes from the singers and conductor Matthew Culliton, presenting a more hopeful tomorrow, with music by Damien Jeter and poems from spoken word artists from True Art Speaks on October 22. Tickets at singersmca.org.

Glad you're with me. This is Minnesota Now on MPR News. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Well, today is a big day. Today, this show, Minnesota Now, turns one year old. So we wanted to reconnect with a few of the people we talked to over the past year. And one of our favorite interviews was with a senior at Minneapolis Edison High School. Her name, Nari Miller.

Last spring, Nari became the first girls wrestling champion in the 152 pounds division in Minnesota's first girls high school wrestling championship. In our conversation last year, I asked Nari if there was a match that was a turning point for her.

NARI MILLER: I was a freshman, and I was wrestling in a varsity match. I remember I was at North Saint Paul, the team tournament. And I go out there, and I think I lost every match that day. And I got off the mat and I was like, no. I'm like, I'm done losing. So ever since then, I've really been putting in all the effort I can.

CATHY WURZER: Nari I had wrestled all four years of high school against girls and boys. And she said, a lot of boys had refused to wrestle her. How do you feel about those sorts of instances, where they clearly don't want to wrestle you?

NARI MILLER: It's a slap in the face, because that night I didn't get a match at all. And so it's like, I'm putting in all this work. I diet. I make weight. I run in the mornings. I lift in the mornings. I go to practice after practice. There's very few people I feel that outwork me. And so just to be denied off my gender alone after I just did all of this work in preparation for this match is wild.

CATHY WURZER: Well, Nari graduated, and she's now wrestling at Texas Women's University under Olympic Bronze medalist Randy Miller. Nari promised to keep in touch. So Nari Miller is back. Nari, welcome back to the program. It's good to hear your voice.

NARI MILLER: Thank you for having me. How are you doing?

CATHY WURZER: we're doing great. We're having a good day. It's our it's our birthday, as I mentioned. I can't tell you, Nari, how many people thought you were just so delightful when you and I talked about you winning the title, and you were talking about how you wanted to open a candy store when you came back home. So let's tell people where you are right now. You're in your first year of college. How's it going?

NARI MILLER: It's going great. I was kind of nervous about college, but everything that I kind of had a fear about, I'm really flourishing here.

CATHY WURZER: Now, what were you most worried about.

NARI MILLER: Just the academic portion of everything. Sometimes I just wasn't thinking I was cut out to be a college student. I'm a first-gen university student, so I was just a little nervous to go. And just having good habits and everything has pulled me through, and I just got to keep on working on that.

CATHY WURZER: What's been the biggest surprise for you?

NARI MILLER: The bugs. There's so many bugs out here. I didn't know that.

CATHY WURZER: Bugs. You are so funny. OK.

NARI MILLER: Yeah.

CATHY WURZER: I've never been to Texas, so you're the expert here.

NARI MILLER: They have roaches that fly everywhere. And then they have these grasshoppers that, like, they jump on you. And they'll jump on your shoulder. They have, like, a 100-inch vertical or something. It's crazy.

CATHY WURZER: Don't you wish you were back in Minnesota with the snow? So bugs or snow. So I understand that this is Texas Women's University's first ever wrestling season, which is tremendous. How is it going?

NARI MILLER: It's going really great. My coach is everything that I thought she was going to be. I'm really excited to be training under her, and I get a lot of opportunities and stuff. She definitely has the key to success, and I'm happy to be a part of this team.

CATHY WURZER: Now, if I'm not mistaken, isn't she Randy Miller? Isn't she the first Black woman to win an Olympic wrestling medal? Is that right? I think she won bronze.

NARI MILLER: Yeah, she was a bronze medalist.

CATHY WURZER: So why do you like her so much?

NARI MILLER: She's just one of those people who empower you when you're around her. Your energy, you can't not match her energy when you're around her. She believes in you more than you believe in yourself. And that's something I used to struggle with a lot, and so it's important to have someone who's around you every day who says, I believe that you'll be able to do this.

I believe that you can win college nationals. I believe that you could go to the Olympics.

CATHY WURZER: Because it's an all-women's college you wrestle for, I remember the last time we talked, you mentioned that a lot of people were surprised when you as a woman came out onto the wrestling mat. So does it feel more normalized, more normal to be a woman wrestler at your school?

NARI MILLER: So with wrestling being a first-year program here, I don't think it's like-- I think just the sport in general that we do is not really normalized. But everyone is excited for us, which they don't really know what they're talking about, but I love it. I love the spirit, the energy. There's people I could be in the gym or something like, oh, are you a wrestler? And they walk up to me like, oh, when is your season? Or something like that.

CATHY WURZER: So what do people say-- by the way, because in high school, for folks who didn't listen to our first conversation, you weren't only a wrestler. You played defensive tackle on the Edison High School football team, which when you told me that, I about fell out of my chair. I did, that day that you and I talked. And of course, you ran track and field. When people find that out about you, what do they say?

NARI MILLER: So my athletic director does not let me go anywhere without a million people hearing the story. She tells the story to everyone. And she's like, oh, she played football. She was a triathlete, and she did all of this stuff. So it's a lot of love coming from here. But at the same time, I have teammates who, they were doing the same thing as me, just in different states. So it's really awesome that I get a chance to meet people who are just like me.

CATHY WURZER: At the beginning of our conversation, you mentioned that you were a little bit worried about the academics, but you're doing fine. And when you're in college, as you're going to find out, there are all kinds of new experiences and new subjects in school that are going to pop up. Have you have you discovered anything new, new subject areas that you're interested in since starting college?

NARI MILLER: Yeah. We have this class called gender social change. So as a women's school, we're required to take women's studies. And we're reading this book that's called Women In Culture. And it goes back, like, to the 1800s of women who were in literature, and they were writing and everything. And we get to have discussions on it every single day, every day that we go to class. It's probably my favorite class to date right now.

CATHY WURZER: Isn't it an eye-opener to learn about what women went through way back in the day?

NARI MILLER: Yeah, because when you covered things like first-wave feminism, second-wave feminism, the suffrage movement, it's certain things I didn't know. I didn't know that Sojourner Truth went to court to win her son, and she won. you know what I mean? And it's small stuff like that don't really notice until somebody actually decides to bring it out, or regular history would just graze over it.

CATHY WURZER: Have you decided to switch your major? Weren't you going to go for business?

NARI MILLER: Yeah, I'm still a business major.

CATHY WURZER: OK, because I remember the last time we talked-- and that's what everyone-- everyone loved the fact that you wanted to open a candy store in Northeast Minneapolis when you came back home. Is that still a dream of yours?

NARI MILLER: Yeah, that's still the plan. I don't think I'll ever stop dreaming about that, because it's so Northeast. It's so Northeast. Imagine Northeast without a candy shop.

CATHY WURZER: I can't.

NARI MILLER: Exactly.

CATHY WURZER: As I told you before, Nari, when you open that candy store., I am telling you, there's going to be a line of people waiting to get in after listening to you on the air here. Absolutely.

NARI MILLER: I'm hoping so.

CATHY WURZER: Yeah. Are you coming back home to Minnesota anytime soon?

NARI MILLER: School lets out on the 16th of December. I'll be up at Edison, probably wrestling with the guys, giving back to my team.

CATHY WURZER: OK, I'm looking forward to having you back home. I'm sure your family and your friends are, too. I know you're busy, because you got things to do there at college. So thank you for stopping and taking some time out and talking to us again.

NARI MILLER: Yeah, of course. Thanks for having me.

CATHY WURZER: That was Nari Miller, Minnesota's first ever high school champion of the girls 152-pound wrestling title and one of our favorite guests. Well, one year ago today, Minnesota Now went on the air. In that time, we've had more than 700 conversations about what's happening in Minnesota now. Wow.

So the producers and I wanted to take just a few minutes to highlight a few of our favorite moments. Not all 700, of course, but just a few laughs and some heartfelt moments.

[MUSIC - NUR-D, "TAKE MY PICTURE"]

(SINGING) Yeah, I don't got a catch phrase yet. Still don't, I don't. This is what they're talking about. I don't. This is what they're talking about. Still don't. I don't.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, you recognize that song, don't you? It's one of Minneapolis-based hip hop artists, Nur-D's famous tracks called "Take My Picture."

You still listening to 80s hair metal bands?

NUR-D: Oh, you know I am. You know I got stuck. I throw on Sister Christian at least once a-- once a two days.

[MUSIC - NIGHT RANGER, "SISTER CHRISTIAN"] You're motoring. What's your price for flight?

NUR-D: That's the best song in the world. I don't care what anybody says. Sister Christian, you can mark me on this-- is the best song that's ever been written.

CATHY WURZER: And you're one of the only people who understands really the allure of professional wrestling, because I'm a pro wrestling fan myself. I'll admit that.

NUR-D: You see that MJF promo just the other day?

CATHY WURZER: Yes. What did you think?

As you know, there are hundreds of competitions at the Minnesota State Fair. For bakers, the one big one is being named the supreme baker of the fair. That's the person who wins the most top prize ribbons in the 94 different baking competitions. That's a lot of dessert. This year, there was a tie for supreme baker-- or so they thought. Chad O'Leary and Kimberly Mayes both were named the supreme bakers for this year.

But then, in a sad twist, competition organizers realized they made a mistake. Here with more on that is Chad O'Leary. Welcome to Minnesota Now, Chad.

CHAD O'LEARY: Thanks, Cathy. Here's what happened. There was a missed counting of points, and I ended up losing by one yellow ribbon.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, you are kidding?

CATHY WURZER: Yes. And so I am second best. I am the runner-up.

CATHY WURZER: So what? You are the runner-up. You are runner-up to supreme baker of Minnesota. I still think that that's a good thing.

CHAD O'LEARY: Oh, definitely.

CATHY WURZER: What's the highest compliment you've ever been paid for something you've made?

CHAD O'LEARY: Oh, I think that the highest compliment came when my grandmother was still alive. I made a carrot cake for Easter. And it was before she started to go downhill mentally. And she had commented that this is the best cake she's ever had. And so that, to me, means far more than any title at the state fairs.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, I love that. I love that. OK, I'm going to be hoping, then, that next year, I'll get to talk to you as the supreme baker of the state fair. That's my hope for you.

CHAD O'LEARY: Pressure's on, but I'll take that challenge, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: You know, I mentioned that you are a healer. What perspectives do you have on this time in our history, and the healing that we need to move forward?

SUBJECT: Oh, yeah, Cathy, really great question. Before I even answer it, it reminds me to just take a pause. So many heavy things that have happened. And it's like, whoa. I could go into just regurgitating a whole bunch of stuff, but I'm like, let me just take a minute and pause.

OK. So what I'm going to invite you to do is to take your right hand and just place it over your heart. Just pause for a moment. And you'll begin to feel your entire central nervous system start to calm down. Just feel that.

SUBJECT 2: I have a lot of different ranges of deaf. Some deaf people can hear. Some deaf people can hear out of one ear. Some people can hear a lot of different levels. So a lot of people love music.

CATHY WURZER: Now, is it true that as a youngster, you were jamming to National Public Radio?

SUBJECT 2: When I was young-- again I'm from Duluth-- and we'd drive. And I'd always ask my mom, can you turn up the music? Turn it all the way up so I can feel the music. And my mom would turn it all the way up, but it was hard. It hurt her ears. She was like, OK, I'm going to buy a better sound system. So she installed a nice sound system in the car with a subwoofer.

And sure enough, I could feel the bass. And I wasn't bothering my mom, and the windows were shaking, and I had a blast. It felt good. So one day, we went to a store, and we parked. And I wasn't interested in going in the store, so I stayed in the car. And my mom went into the store. And I was bored, and I realized we just got this new sound system.

So I turned it on, and I turned it up. And I turned it louder, and I was having a blast. It felt so good. I was dancing. And then a stranger pulled up next to me. And it was a man. And he rolled down the window, and he looked at me really weird. And I just thought, he must be impressed! He must be thinking I have a great sound system in the car, and it's a great song.

And I was just like, yes! And I danced to this. Man, it felt so good. And I wondered, what is this song? And when my mother came out of the store, she looked at me and started laughing. And she sat down next to me. And I was like, what is the music I'm listening to? She said, you're listening to NPR talk radio.

CATHY WURZER: That is a great story. The first wave of runners in the 126th Boston Marathon crossed the starting line at 9:02 this morning. And among the runners is Saint Cloud resident Val Rogosheske. Val first ran this race in 1972. That was the first year that women could officially enter the race.

VAl ROGOSHESKE: And so I thought, wow. The only race I've ever heard of is the Boston Marathon. And I know that women have been hiding in the bushes and jumping out, and then running the race. And boy, that sounds like fun. I think I'll do that, too.

CATHY WURZER: Not jumping on the bushes and running, but actually being at the start line and running.

VAl ROGOSHESKE: No, I wanted to jump out of the bushes and run because--

CATHY WURZER: Jorge Sanchez joins us right now to share the details of the event. He is the president of the North Star Gay Rodeo Association. Welcome to the program.

JORJE SANCHEZ: Hi, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: Jorje, mainstream rodeo world is thought of as pretty conservative, macho, homophobic, perhaps. Tell me about the queer rodeo world.

JORJE SANCHEZ: The great thing about us is we accept everybody. Also, you can compete at anything. So like the straight rodeo, women can only do horse events. At ours, if you want to be a bull rider, you go ahead and you get on that bull, and you're a bull rider.

CATHY WURZER: What are you most looking forward to this weekend?

JORJE SANCHEZ: Goat dressing. So you put underwear on a goat. Whoever can do it the best, the fastest time-- so you got two teams coming down. You run down. Whoever throws that underwear on and runs back the fastest, you win! So like, I love the--

CATHY WURZER: The 2022 John Beargrease sled dog marathon is officially over. To talk about this year's race and the trail conditions, I'm joined by Colleen Wallin, a musher from the Two Harbors area, who came in third at this year's marathon, which is a very respectable finish. Colleen, congratulations.

COLLEEN WALLIN Oh, well, hi, Cathy. Thanks for having me on, and thanks for the congrats.

CATHY WURZER: Your 19-year-old son Eero competed this year, which is great. And last night, he crossed the finish line shortly after you did. He finished in fourth.

COLLEEN WALLIN: Yeah. Eero has been working really hard. He was on Christmas break from St. Paul State University, where he's playing baseball, carrying an 18-credit load, and he came home and he trained dogs. He has a bond with those dogs like no other. And so when we left each other 19 seconds apart from Mineral Center to the finish line, several people asked, are you going to let him pass you and let him finish ahead of you?

And I'm like, no, this is a life lesson. And incidentally, when he was five, I never let him win at Candyland. So I'm not going to start now.

CATHY WURZER: Dick, welcome to Minnesota Now. How are the fish biting?

SUBJECT 3: Well, not too bad. In fact, one of my guide clients, Mark Knisley from Pine City, Minnesota just had a fish on. And I'll tell you a quick story here. But hold on here, I just got a-- I got a fish on.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, no.

SUBJECT 3: I had my rod sitting down. And honest to God, I about pulled it--

CATHY WURZER: I heard your rod in the background.

SUBJECT 3: Yeah! Oh, it's a nice sized northern pike.

CATHY WURZER: Do you want to just put the phone down and try to get the fish in the boat? Would that be helpful?

SUBJECT 3: No, Mark did it for me.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CATHY WURZER: From mushers to musicians to meditation, it's been one heck of a year. And of course, we had all the conversations with Newsmakers where we try to get to the bottom of important events and issues of the day. It's been quite a ride. We asked you to share in the celebration with us. We asked you to write a haiku about the show. Three lines, of course. You responded in fine fashion.

Amy Clark in Maple Grove, she wrote one called mid-day pause. Stories unfolded, tales of bright joy told in sound, GIFs shared with Cathy. Oh, I love that. I like that an awful lot. Valerie Argenbright. Val, says Minnesota Now, not on the well-trodden path becomes a heartbeat. And one from our favorite pedaling pastor, Travis Norvell, who was a guest on the show. Noontime news and wit, Cathy shares North Star stories. Catch your breath and smile.

Thanks, everybody, for listening to Minnesota Now. And of course, we couldn't have done this show, really, without help from a lot of people, including our friends at True Stone Financial. Support for Minnesota Now comes from True Stone Financial, which is a full-service credit union working to improve the financial well-being of its neighbors since 1939.

Serving individuals and businesses at 23 locations and online at truestone.org. Equal housing opportunity insured by NCUA. True Stone's been there since day one. Thank you from our friends, to our friends at True Stone Financial. Oh, take a deep breath here. What do we have in terms of weather? Well, it's sunny. That's nice. And 35. A little cool.

High today, yeah, maybe 42 if we're lucky. 48 for a high tomorrow. Lower 50s Thursday. Friday, lower 60s. The weekend looks fantastic, by the way. Saturday, upper 60s. Sunday, 72 degrees. Coming up on 1:00.