Counter Stories

Counter Stories cofounder and cohost Donald Eubanks unexpectedly passed away in March. He was laid to rest next to his mother in the traditional Ojibwe way on the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians reservation. On April 13, 2024, the Counter Stories crew was honored to cohost a Celebration of Life event in the Twin Cities. Today, we bring you some of the stories shared at the event. 

Last legislative sessions' Education Finance Bill included creating a group focused on streamlining computer science education. This year, Representative Liz Lee has proposed a new bill that would put recommendations from that group into action. Alongside Rep. Lee are community organizations that are hoping to expose more urban, BIPOC, and young women to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). Rep. Lee and Vanessa Young, co-founder of 30,000 Feet, an organization that exposes youth to the many tech fields available to them, joins the crew to talk about how to STEAM forward. 

In recognition of Women's History Month, we'll be joined all month by powerful and inspirational women. This week, that person is Sagal Ali. She joins us to talk about the Muslim holiday, Ramadan. Sagal shares her journey of rediscovering her faith and envisioning her path forward to work on issues that matter to her most. 

We wrap up our celebration of Black History Month with a conversation with James Burroughs, whose worn many hats within community. As the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Children's Hospital, he is challenging systemic racism within the healthcare industry, both in-facing and out-facing. James is also a founding member of the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity, a group that looks at philanthropy, employment, business development, and public safety. He also provides the crew with some simple ways to celebrate Black history outside the month of February. Guest: James Burroughs, Children's Hospital, Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity   

As we look at Black History Month, we need to also look to the future. How do Black Minnesotans imagine the future through innovative, Black-centered design and connecting to each other through intentional conversation? Our guest, innovation strategist Gabrielle Grier fills the crew in on how this initiative is already underway.  Guest:  Gabrielle Grier, African American Leadership Forum  

As we dig deeper in Black History Month, the crew is joined by Sweet Potato Comfort Pie founder Rose McGee. Digging deeper beyond the surface of culture involves going beyond reading a history book. The history of our people is best told by our people. And sometimes, that's through food. Every community have their own cultural and comfort food, and when we share it with each other, we connect on a deeper level than just filling our stomachs. 

All together once again, the crew talks Black history. From George Bunga, a Black-Indigenous fur trader from the 1890s to sundown towns, the crew shares what they know and learn a bunch in return. We also talk about Ethel Ray Nance, a Black stenographer for the state of Minnesota; Biddy Mason, a former slave who became an influential L.A. landowner; Toni Stone, an American female professional baseball player; the role Black athletes played in the NHL; the Green Book; Black Beauty; and more.    

As we enter Black History Month, the crew talk about its history, and how they were exposed to Black history growing up. In this Grab Bag show, the crew also talk about a new lawsuit against the Fearless Fund, for providing funding for Black women entrepreneurs and the murder charge brought up against Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan for the shooting and killing of Ricky Cobb II. 

Minnesota's historic tenant protection laws took effect on January 1, 2024, ensuring safe, stable, and affordable housing. Representative Ester Agbaje joins the crew to talk about the new comprehensive laws that provide tenants with the tools and resources to thrive. Guest: Rep. Esther AgbajeLegislation information: https://www.house.mn.gov/hinfo/leginfo/01012024NewLaws.pdf 

What started as a show about self-care during the holiday season, turned into a group therapy session with Dr. Aisha Mgeni. She reassures the crew that having needs doesn't make you needy, it makes you human; and needs can often masquerade as wants and, especially for BIPOC folks, unmasking to get to those needs is often difficult.  Guest: Dr. Aisha Mgeni, Therapeace Counseling 

The crew invited back artist and designer Adrienne Benjamin to enlighten us about the Jingle Dress. Including its origin (and how it's different where you go), its meaning, and how some things are just for the community it's made for and not to be sold to outsiders (and that's ok!). Guest: Adrienne Benjamin [https://www.yoadrienneb.net/] 

When recreational cannabis became legal to possess and sell (with licenses) on August 1, 2023, the Red Lake Nation was ready. Having already been growing for medicinal use, Red Lake's legal counsel, Joe Plumer, worked alongside legislators to help pass the new law with a focus on tribal provisions.  Joe joins the crew to shed some light on the new law and how Red Lake and other tribes have been and continue to navigate through it 

When the cost of child care continues to climb, families, especially low-income families, are often left with few options. When this happens, it affects many other parts of our community, including work force and mental health. This year, in order to give some relief, the legislature passed the Child Care Stabilization Grant Program, meant to help families with young children access child care and programs designed to prepare them to begin school. Guest: Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega  

Beginning in 2026, Minnesota will be the 12th state in the union to offer paid family and medical leave for all Minnesotans working in the state. This means Minnesotans will be eligible for up to 20 weeks paid leave for a serious medical condition or to care for a loved one or newborn. With 75% of Minnesota's workforce unable to access paid leave benefits, this new change is welcomed by Minnesota's working class, but doesn't come without tribulations. Author of the bill in the Senate, Alice Mann, joins the crew to talk about the benefits and challenges of the law. 

This session, Minnesota joined a growing list of states enacting the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful & Open World for Natural Hair). This amendment to the Minnesota Human Rights Act protects individuals from discrimination due to their natural hair. This comes as more and more stories emerge of BIPOC, specially Black, athletes having to cut their hair to participate and the long running concept that natural hair is “unprofessional.” For our conversation on this form of forced assimilation, we welcome two guest co-hosts: Katya Zepeda and Stephanie Williams. Guest: Rep. Ester AgbajeOne pager on The CROWN Act: https://mn.gov/mdhr/assets/Preventing-Hair-Discrimination-FactSheet_tcm1061-562859.pdf

Several acts passed into law this session focused on reproductive health. The PRO Act established a fundamental right to abortion access and reproductive care, including maternity care, family planning and contraception, among others. The Trans Refuge and Reproductive Freedom Acts makes Minnesota a safe haven for out-of-state people seeking abortions and gender-affirming care for minors, among others. Former House Representative and current CEO of Planned Parenthood, Ruth Richardson, joins the crew to talk through these acts and how they effect communities of color, especially the health disparities when it comes to access, women's decisions on their bodies and the birthing death disparities seen in the African American and Indigenous communities. Guest: Ruth Richardson, Planned Parenthood

New public safety and gun control measures have been put in place in Minnesota with the goal of keeping everyone safe. This includes what some call the “red flag” law, allowing people to petition a court to suspend someone's access to guns if they are a danger to themselves or someone else. Additionally, this move expands background checks to private gun transfers. A gun owner herself, Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn invited the crew to her café, Makwa Coffee, to talk about these changes and the complexities of legislative packages. Guest: Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn

Taking a break from our Legislative Wrap Up, the crew gathers to celebrate joys in our latest Grab Bag show. We celebrate the recent accomplishments of many Black athletes, Asian NY Fashion Week, land back, and accessibility to sports for youth.  

In our second installment, the crew discusses the community impact of the new law giving those who have left prison the right to vote. This action brings humanity and civic engagement back to those who had this right taken away from them. Community organizer Jason Sole joins the crew to talk about how felonies can follow a person throughout many aspects of their lives, and how getting their voting right back is a big step toward being an ordinary citizen. Guest: Jason Sole

As many as 55,000 Minnesotans are regaining their right to cast a ballot with the passing of the Restore the Vote bill. The new law means restoring voting rights to Minnesotans who have left prison. Former Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter joins the small crew this week to talk about just how important this bill is. Guests: Former Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter 

After more than two decades, Minnesota passed a law in 2023 allowing anyone in the state to get a driver's license no matter their immigration status. A big win for the more than 80,000 undocumented immigrants in the state to finally be able to obtain a legal license to drive. Guest: Emilia Avalos Gonzalez, Unidos MN

In this year's Legislative Wrap Up, the crew discusses the 100% Carbon-Free Electricity by 2040 requiring utilities offer customers 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. The discussion includes equity in climate change efforts, opportunities for Minnesotans to incorporate clean energy in their everyday life, and how more education of these topics is needed in our community Dr. Brenda Casselius and Anjali Bains, Fresh Energy

The Crew digs into what makes a gather an authentic gathering, what foods are present? They talk about the commercialization of foods from their communities, how making traditional foods have changed, and what's ours. 

The crew discusses what grief looks like for themselves. Having all lost loved ones fairly recently, and not having an outlet to discuss it (as it is often seen as an inappropriate topic for social conversations), the crew talk about death, memories, shared grief, and joy. 

Our latest Grab Bag is covered in SCOTUS rulings. The crew discuss the ups and downs of recent rulings, how these ruling affect our communities, the importance of remembering our history, and more. 

The crew is joined by the St. Paul Parks & Rec Director, a BIPOC hometown boy, to talk about the importance of rec centers and staying active. They reminisce about using rec centers as kids and discuss recent advances in accessibility and safety. Andy Rodriguez, St. Paul Parks & Rec

Juneteenth is now a federal and state (Minnesota) holiday. With celebrations throughout the state, the crew is joined by Lee Jordan, the Midwest and State Director for the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, to talk about the history of and how people celebrate the holiday. Lee Jordan, Juneteenth Speaks 

It's time we checked in with the crew. Spring is finally here and the crew takes a glance at what they're looking forward to this summer. From frolicking to camping, the crew discusses what they're weary of when making summer plans as well as how they best relax as themselves. 

The crew is joined by local author David Mura, whose most recent book is “The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself: Racial Myths and our American Narratives." The book takes a deep look at White/BIPOC relations in America. For example, Lincoln was a good American and a racist. We can't forget the racism that happened hundreds of years ago in America, because it continues to exist today, even in the most progressive people. Guest: David Mura, https://davidmura.com/

What is the truth when it comes the University of Minnesota and its history with the Indigenous peoples of this area? Members of all 11 Minnesota reservations worked together with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and the U of M to answer that question with The TRUTH Report. The results? Not surprising. There has been and continues to be persistent and systemic mistreatment of Indigenous peoples by the U of M for centuries, including land grabs throughout the state through unfair treaties and empty promises. Guests: Misty Blue, Audrianna Goodwin and Laurie Harper; https://mn.gov/indian-affairs/truth-project/ 

March Madness is behind us, but one story remains. That of a Black athlete making a gesture toward a White player who came under fire by sports professionals and social media; even though that same White player made that same gesture just days before. The crew unpacks this (racial and sexist) double standard that doesn't only exist in sports. 

On this Grab Bag episode, we talk about book bans and other brans coming out of Florida. The crew ask and attempt to answer several questions, including: Why are these bans happening? Is this in response to the browning of America? How can we get away from talking points and focus on what's happening on the ground? We also had yet another school shooting and check in with our hosts. 

Cohost Anthony Galloway recently traveled to Israel and Palestine with a group of religious leaders, artists and educators. Duluth-based Indigenous artist Moira Villiard, who was among the group, joins the crew this week. They share their experience with the complex political issues in the area, what surprised them most, and what they took away from the trip. Guest: Moira Villiard 

On this special episode, Hlee Lee is joined by three strong women making change in community. The group discuss what it's like to a proud woman of color, identity crises, and how there's still a lot of work to be done for justice. Guests: Beverly Bushyhead, Minnesota Peacebuilding  Leadership Institute Deanna Reder, Dabinoo'lgan Emergency Domestic Violence Shelter Sagal Ali, Ayada Leads 

The last few years have been hard on everyone, especially our young people. The loss of connection to community may be part of why we've seen so much violence among young people as of late. How do we, as adults, learn the new rhythm of young people to understand a community code? How can young people work with and in societies that are not trauma-informed? If we've learned anything from the recent violent crimes among young people, it's that we need all hands on deck to create a restorative society. Guest: Chauntyll Allen, Saint Paul Public School Board President 

Minnesota's Hmong population lost a Secret War Veteran this month after Saint Paul Police shot and killed him in his apartment complex. The man, Yia Xiong, who only spoke Hmong and was hard-of-hearing, died when he did not respond to commands made by police. The crew finds themselves, yet again, talking about the unnecessary loss of a BIPOC person at the hands of the police, and are joined by community organizer Marsha Allen as the community continues to demand answers and action. Guest: Marsha Allen, Justice for Yia Xiong

“Pretendians” is a term new to many of us. Really, it's another term for fraud and cultural appropriation, specific to the Indigenous communities. From academia to the arts, non-Native peoples are faking their cultural background in order to gain recognition and work. Pretendians and cultural frauds cause more harm to the communities they appropriate than just taking away work opportunities. Guests: Guest co-host Emilia Gonzales Avalos, guest Graci Horne of the Mnisota Native Artists Alliance

On this special episode of Counter Stories, producer Hlee Lee is joined by members of the Asian-Pacific Islander community to talk about Lunar New Year and how it's celebrated differently throughout the world. They also collectively process the recent mass shootings that involved members of the California API community. Guests: May Esperanza Losloso, Kai Hsu, Maryanne Quiroz, and Kurt Rakim 

*trigger warning* With recent shootings in Minnesota (at Washington Tech School, Jerry Lee Rec Center, Mall of America), the crew discusses how these incidents are impacting our lives and our views on what's happening in community. We ask why people are so willing to kill and how we can, if we can find and make change, while also understanding our own trauma.  

On this special episode, we bring you the keynote speech at the Duluth Martin Luther King Jr Day celebration by none other than Counter Stories' co-host Anthony Galloway. The day's celebration included joining the annual national MLK Breakfast (virtually), a march and rally, and speeches and panels featuring community members. Special thanks to the NAACP Duluth chapter.  

The crew talks Hollywood and what movies are on their must-see list, some dating as far back as the 1920s. Movies that make a statement, are inclusive of our communities, resonates with us, and open conversations between communities. Some of our communities have seen Hollywood success, while others are just now being made. 

Is it possible to be your full, unapologetic, authentic self while being a creditable person in your community? The crew talks about what it looks like when people within (and outside) your community look at you as a leader or changemaker while you are simultaneously discovering yourself and how you fit into society.