Social Issues

St. Paul teachers voted to authorize a strike. Here’s what that means
St. Paul teachers and support staff have voted to authorize a strike. They could set a strike date as soon as next week. As mediation talks continue, here are the basics on where things stand.
New Twin Cities clinics focus on health for women 65 and older
Herself Health launched in 2022 with a vision to offer health care focused mainly on the specific health issues women over 65 face. Their newest clinic opens in south Minneapolis next week.
How to have good conversations across political divides
During what promises to be a divisive election year, MPR News and the nonprofit organization Braver Angels are partnering to bring Minnesotans Talking Sense, an online and in-person platform to help people have hard conversations better.
Events, marches held across Minnesota to remember missing and murdered Indigenous loved ones
The annual event comes as the state’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office works to make reward money and other resources available to help find missing loved ones.
Crisis nurseries ready to help support parents in tight spot
Not every parent has a support system to help when life gets in the way, especially in an emergency. That’s where crisis nurseries can step in to bridge gaps in the child care ecosystem. Minnesota has different models helping bring relief in times of need. 
In Minnesota, jail deaths spiked last year despite new protections
Last year, 20 people died while in custody of Minnesota county jails. Justice advocates have called for more scrutiny of those deaths. A state official says mental health and addiction issues are key factors.
Wealth disparities by race grew during the pandemic, despite income gains, report shows
A strong performance in financial markets, particularly an outsize gain for the stock market in 2021, helped entrench existing trends of wealth inequality during the pandemic, new data released this week show.
Finding meaning in George Floyd’s death through protest art left at his murder site
For months after George Floyd was killed by police in May 2020, people from around the world traveled to the site of his murder in Minneapolis and left signs, paintings and poems. Now hundreds of those artifacts are being displayed at an exhibit at the Arizona State University Art Museum. It’s the first time the work is on public display outside of Minnesota.