Social Issues

No clear path forward as Minneapolis park workers remain on strike
A special meeting of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on Monday produced no clear path forward amid an ongoing contract impasse with park workers. The strike is set to end Thursday — though union officials said workers could extend the walkout if necessary.
Fargoans find safety, community in homeless encampment under First Avenue bridge
“None of us are where we want to be right now, you know what I mean?” James “Wax” Chloupek said. “So why would you want to push us away?" The city of Fargo is exploring options to address the camps.
Overlooked: Who suffers the most from the opioid epidemic in Minnesota?
A lack of public health data has masked huge racial disparities in overdose deaths from fentanyl and other opioids. Sahan Journal examined more than 240,000 death records to get a clear and startling picture of the epidemic’s toll.
After controversial court rulings, a Voting Rights Act lawsuit takes an unusual turn
Civil rights groups decided not to ask the Supreme Court to review a court ruling that could help end a key way of enforcing the Voting Rights Act, raising questions about the landmark law’s future.
Minnesota stylists now required to learn how to work with textured hair
A new law went into effect this week that requires Minnesota cosmetologists to be trained in cutting and styling textured hair. Minnesota is the fourth state to enact such a law.
‘Tangled’: Madison Rubenstein paints what it feels like to live with invisible illness
Madison Rubenstein, a painter and visual artist from Bloomington, creates large-format paintings in their Minneapolis studio, drawing on experiences of chronic illness and disability.
How will Minneapolis respond to homelessness after SCOTUS says sleeping outside can be a crime?
In Minnesota’s largest city, public camping is illegal — but it doesn’t come with criminal consequences. Enrique Velázquez, Minneapolis director of regulatory services who oversees the city’s response to homeless encampments, says that is not likely to change.
In Ely, an experiment to improve political conversations has come with ups and downs
The community of Ely has lots of issues dividing people there. So late last year, residents embarked on an experiment to have more productive conversations about contentious issues. Today, two participants say they’ve started doing things differently in their own lives to reduce polarization.