Social Issues

The Minnesota Department of Education surveys students across the state each year about issues ranging from smoking to dating to suicide. Here are the most recent responses about suicide from Red Lake ninth graders.
A growing number of American Indian teens see suicide as a solution. The story of one Red Lake Nation teen reflects reality for many in Indian Country.
Keyse Jama is a man without a country. The U.S. wants to deport him, but Somalia refuses to accept him. Jama remains in the Washington County jail as he and thousands of other deportable Somalis wait for a resolution to his case.
Do small towns have a future? Lots of people have fled the cities seeking quieter, slower lifestyles. But are small towns around Minnesota and the region thriving as result? Who will take the place of the older population of citizens in small towns along the Great Plains?
American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino has sold more than a million copies of her new CD, which includes a controversial tribute to young unwed mothers called "Baby Mama." Does the song glorify unplanned pregnancy, or is it just a reflection of reality?
Neighborhoods can be more than a collection of apartments or houses. An expert on revitalizing neighborhoods talks about the reasons why some communities serve the people who live there, and others don't.
Mainstream hip-hop music can offer a view of the world that's about drugs and violence, and it's not very nice to women, either. But there are some people who say it doesn't have to be that way. They call themselves B-girls, and they're coming out to play in Minneapolis this weekend.
Allegiance to one's country carries different meanings for different people in the inter-connected global world. We explore how family relationships, jobs and political perspective factor into our allegiances.