Podcasts about Minneapolis Police Department

Minnesota, United States law enforcement agency

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Minneapolis Police Department

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Best podcasts about Minneapolis Police Department

Latest podcast episodes about Minneapolis Police Department

Minnesota Now
As police leadership shifts, Minneapolis council seeks information on future of department

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2026 9:57


Leadership is in limbo at the Minneapolis Police Department after the abrupt resignation of former Chief Brian O'Hara. On Tuesday, city council members asked Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for more information on the direction of the department. Council member Robin Wonsley is the lead author of the request to the mayor about MPD's path during this period of change. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about it.After Council member Wonsley spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini live on the air, Mayor Jacob Frey announced that the city aims to select a new chief within the next 16 weeks, after engaging with community members and city leaders, and that a search firm will conduct a nationwide search and consider internal applicants.

Minnesota Now
Minnesota Now: June 23, 2026

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2026 54:06


A group of Minneapolis City Council members is asking the mayor's office to share its plans for the Minneapolis Police Department, after Chief Brian O'Hara resigned amid misconduct allegations. MPR News host Nina Moini talked with council member Robin Wonsley ahead of Tuesday's meeting.Minnesota-born journalist Justin Ellis is out with a new book exploring the history of racism in his home state, a place known for being nice.Native Americans are working to reclaim tribal tobacco while addressing the harms of the commercial kind. A conference focused on this work is happening this week in Minneapolis.The Special Olympics USA Games kicked off in Minneapolis this week. We met a coach for Minnesota bocce ball to talk about the competition.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Gunflint Lake” by Maygen and the Birdwatcher, and our Song of the Day was “The Envelope” by Funk N Spuds.

Minnesota Now
'I'm not comfortable with where things are:' State leader on lack of progress in Minneapolis police reforms

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 9:39


A new progress report finds the Minneapolis Police Department is falling behind on court-enforced reforms. It's the fourth report over two years from the independent evaluator, Effective Law Enforcement for All. Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero helped create the court agreement and walked MPR News host through it.

Minnesota Now
Minnesota Now: June 16, 2026

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 54:53


On Tuesday morning, federal prosecutors announced charges against 15 anti-ICE protestors. Reporter Matt Sepic joined us with details. A new report finds progress is stalling on the Minneapolis Police Department's court-ordered reforms. Federal loan programs for higher education are going through some major changes starting July 1. We heard what this means for students, especially those going into nursing and other healthcare professions. A dispute over a big solar project in southwestern Minnesota is closer to resolution. We found out how the case fits into the state's energy landscape. Saturday Nigh Live cast member Tommy Brennan is coming back home to Minnesota to help open a new venue in Shakopee.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Here Comes the Sun” by Motion City Soundtrack, and our Song of the Day was "Luna" by Thomas and the Rain and Studio Z.

KPFA - APEX Express
APEX Express – 6.4.26 – Food Justice

KPFA - APEX Express

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2026 59:57


A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight's APEX Express show is focused on food justice and Asian America. First, Host Miko Lee talks with artist Macy Tran about their work on food as a form of resistance, and then she speaks with researcher Dr. Milkie Vu around her work on food insecurity and Asian American communities.   Show TRANSCRIPT [00:00:00] Opening: Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   [00:00:30] Miko Lee: Welcome to Apex Express. I'm your host, Miko Lee, and tonight we're talking about food justice and Asian America. First, we talk with artist Macy Tran about their work on food as a form of resistance, and then we speak with researcher Dr. Milkie Vu around her work on food insecurity and Asian American communities. Join us tonight as we delve into food justice. Welcome to Apex Express, Macy Tran, I'm so happy to meet you.    [00:01:03] Macy Tran: I'm happy to meet you as well, Miko. Thanks for having me.   [00:01:06] Miko Lee: I just wanna start with the question I ask all of my guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?    [00:01:13] Macy Tran: I come from a legacy of powerful Vietnamese people who were born and raised in Vietnam and now are part of the diaspora in Minnesota. I come from food peoples and healers and chefs and creatives of all sorts who have learned how to make ends meet and to adapt and to work with what they have. I come from a long line of people who have loved through food and who have used food as a means of cultural preservation and education and survival, which has now been passed on to me. There's so much to say about who I come from. My grandparents have stories of survival and resilience throughout the American War in Vietnam. And it's only because of just their love and the decisions they've made on behalf of their love that I am here today. My parents own a restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Vietnamese restaurant called Pho 79/Caravelle That has a 40 plus year legacy of serving Chinese and Vietnamese food to the Minneapolis community. It started with my grandma's brother, and then it passed down to my grandma. And now my grandma has since passed and has passed it down to my father and my mother. And so I like to say that it's restaurant people who raised me. I grew up sleeping in the booths and all of the aunties, even though they weren't blood aunties were my aunties. Because our survival was just so foundationally just predicated on food and what we served and shared with others, and also what we ate at home and the celebrations that we would have both at the restaurant and at home. This is really what makes me.    [00:03:20] Miko Lee: Thank you for sharing. Do you wanna talk more about the legacy part?   [00:03:24] Macy Tran: I carry a legacy of peoples who really know the importance of food and the way we use food to care and support each other. Even in the most hard of times when my family was. On a boat with 200 other people and didn't know if they were going to survive when they kind of landed abroad. The shores of Indonesia, food has been with them throughout it all, and it is how I was raised to love and care for people. I see the ways that food is not just a means for sustenance, but also as joy, as creativity, as love, and I carry all of those, decisions and skills with me.    [00:04:19] Miko Lee: Thank you so much. I learned first about your book when I read a piece that you wrote for 18 million Rising, and I'm wondering if you could just talk about how that piece around food as a form of resistance, how did that come about?   [00:04:33] Macy Tran: I have a friend who works with 18 million Rising, and since the federal occupation in Minneapolis, I've been doing a lot of food justice organizing here. And it has been a way in which I have seen and expressed just the skills and love that I give to my community. I was just feeling compelled to give food. That was what I knew. In the past two months as my friends have been going out on the streets following ICE agents around legally observing, I have felt that my role in this movement is to feed frontline folks who are out doing the work and also feeding our community during a time in which it's very scary and difficult to leave your home without fear of being abducted. In Minneapolis we have created systems of, food resource sharing that have been really powerful to witness and experience and to get engaged with. And so one way that I've been doing it is I've been cooking community meals most Sundays, sometimes Saturdays that feed 200 plus people.   [00:05:47] I am providing delicious food for my friends who are out on the streets and coming home and hungry and cold. And I also helped facilitate and organize a food distribution at my parents' restaurant after the murder of Alex Preti I really wanted to not just be involved in like acting and responding to what was happening but as an artist, as a creative, I felt the need for also remembering and preserving and reflecting about what's been going on in Minneapolis. I kept being pulled in all these different directions and was organizing over here and supporting this community and doing this. And then when my friend reached out to me at 18 million Rising,. It was such a great opportunity for me to really reflect on my practice of food as resistance and food as justice. I've been a food writer in the Twin Cities for about the past three years. Food, events, I mostly cover restaurant stories and festivals and theater and all that sort of stuff in the BIPOC community here in the Twin Cities. And I realized writing this piece that this was the first time in a while, that I had written something actually for myself from my heart that was in my voice. Without an editor saying, no, you have to say it this way. No, we have to cut that part out. No, you use too many words here, and so I really took this piece as an opportunity to share what my life was like here in my own words and my own experiences. And just use it as a moment to really reflect and share the things that I'm learning and the way that I am practicing and using food as a bridge to healing and transformation during this time in which we are ripe for needing that.   [00:07:47] Miko Lee: Can you roll back a little bit and talk to me about how you got started as an organizer? What, when you first learned about social justice work and what pulled you in?   [00:07:56] Macy Tran: It definitely wasn't the way that I was raised. I was born in the us my parents were born in Vietnam and then came over to the US and they really raised me with the mentality of you just put your head down and you work hard and you don't really get involved. And like, yeah, you care for others, but mostly you care for your family. I was actually someone who was always butting heads with my family because I was like, do you not see all of these issues that are happening in the world? Like the issue, the systems that were implicated in. We have to care beyond just ourselves, and we would always butt heads about that.   [00:08:33] Miko Lee: At what age did that start?    [00:08:35] Macy Tran: Oh, probably when I was a teenager. around that time I was finding my voice. and it wasn't until college that I really started putting words and frameworks and theory into what I have already witnessed in my family and my community, which is just community care and the ways that facilitates justice and transformation I would say since college that I really started actively organizing primarily on campus. I went to a smaller liberal arts school. So organizing and just getting involved in our community in that way was pretty easy. And like after I graduated college, I spent five years in Southeast Asia, one year in Vietnam, and then four years in Thailand where I was primarily working at the intersections of education and refugee justice and environmental justice. I got to meet all sorts of organizers and activists from across the region who have taught me. Really everything, a lot of what I know about organizing and what it means to show up specifically within a Southeast Asian context and how to use kind of my feet in both worlds, both my American political identity and my Southeast Asian political identity.   [00:09:59] And to merge those for the better and for my community. So I would say that. I've always had a big heart ever since I was little. And actually my parents were always like, you are too trusting. You people are gonna take advantage of you in the world. And I was like, I just wanna live in this world with so much love. And the way that they taught me to do that was. Through food and through reliability and just what it means to show up consistently for my people. And so in some ways it was all baked into me, even though they might not see that and they might not have raised me in that way. I see the ways in which they have sacrificed for love and nourished their families through food and made incredibly scary risks for the freedom of their family and for their people, and for a new life. And I just feel like I'm walking in their footsteps, doing the same even if they might not feel that way.    [00:11:09] Miko Lee: So did you have to talk your family and the restaurant into getting involved in the food support work for activists in Minnesota?   [00:11:18] Macy Tran: it wasn't a challenging conversation to have and I was surprised by that.    [00:11:22] Miko Lee: Oh, great.    [00:11:23] Macy Tran: Um, yeah, my parents have been, actually, this is the most politically active and vocal I have seen them. It's really incredible. I would say that for a lot of actually the Vietnamese community that I've been witnessing in Minneapolis, like they're saying things that I never thought that they would say. They're putting analysis like what together? The Vietnamese community is, I would say, skews at least the older generation, I should say. The older generation of Viet folks skews pretty right wing, conservative Republican, Trump supporting. And I'm just seeing dissent for the first time. It's not always like that explicit, but it is, I would say in the past what I've seen is just like. When kind of rightwing or more Republican opinions come up, if people disagree with that, it's just like you're just quiet. But now I'm seeing a way in which like people are responding, commenting on social media, like posting publicly about it. It's just been really, really powerful. When I first started organizing in response to the federal occupation, my parents were really quite worried and they did not want me to get involved. And they didn't really understand why I felt compelled to do this. And then when Alex Prety was murdered, I. It was actually my auntie, my mom's youngest sister that brought up the idea of a food distribution because she was feeling like I just wanna do something and like, what is an avenue in which we can do something? Well, we have this restaurant. Mm-hmm. And so she proposed it to my parents first, which Oh    [00:13:05] Miko Lee: wow.   [00:13:06] Macy Tran: Love, shout out to her because    [00:13:09] Miko Lee: Thank you, auntie.    [00:13:10] Macy Tran: She did right. She did the hard work for me. I think I would've been a little more hesitant or would've taken a little bit more time to just process, like how to go about asking them, because there's just a different power dynamic there. Sure. But because my auntie is more of a peer mm-hmm. And she had this idea and she has also worked at the restaurant mm-hmm. For many, many years of her life. I think it really spoke to my parents and I think it really was a moment for them to connect the ways that this restaurant is so important to not only our family and how we show up in community, but also to our community in Minneapolis. Mm-hmm. I have traveled all across the world and have met people who have eaten at Pho 79 and have told me stories of getting engaged there, of getting a tattoo of the, like restaurant on their, on their arm. The, the logo. Yeah, the logo. It's crazy, you know, like people, and I've also heard generations of families like growing up on my parents' food. Mm-hmm. As we share food with people and they support our business, it's only because of our community that we've been able to survive this far you know?. My parents came to Minnesota with nothing, and it's only because of the kindness of other Minnesotans and other Vietnamese Minnesotans that we were able to get anywhere.   [00:14:35] In this moment they saw that and they saw that. We can, we have these resources. This won't be hard for us. We have everything here that we need. This is the channel in which we can work in. And yeah, they were just ready to do it. I think also my parents were ready to take a risk because the business was not doing well, we weren't, there were not people coming out to eat. Everyone was scared to go out to eat. People were not really spending money. And this was really ever since the pandemic and the way that has impacted the restaurant industry and particularly immigrant businesses, and then also the George Floyd uprisings and the way that just the, violence and also the transformation that happened to the street that we were on Eat Street. It just really changed the ways people saw that corridor, that business corridor. And it was a really big business impact. And so my dad was just, I think, in a place where he was really willing to take a risk and a stand for what he believed in. And my mom as well. As a way to also just like. Really be present in community and show that, hey, like we are out here and we believe in loving our community and seeing the ways that people are showing up for our community as and for our business as well. And honestly, since the food distribution business has been steady and I think. My parents are, I mean, they're definitely feeling relieved, but I'm just feeling so grateful that they stood on their values, you know, and they stood grounded in that. And as a result, like the community is reciprocating. and that is such a beautiful thing that I don't, I think my dad took a risk not knowing what would happen, because more exposure is not always good. And I've been telling him that, you know, especially with the Vietnamese community being, of, of his genera generation being more right wing and more conservative. He recognizes that and he recognizes that we had to do something. So I feel so proud of them for just being really chill and okay, and actually impassioned and compelled to do something.   [00:16:57] Miko Lee: It sounds like it brought you a little bit closer with your family too.    [00:17:00] Macy Tran: Definitely. Definitely did. Yeah. I feel like me and my family have never really been able to sit at a table and talk about politics and what's going on in the world without one of us just like getting activated or feeling defensive or not seeing each other. It is a terrible thing what has happened and what continues to happen in our city, under federal occupation and so much beauty and creativity and love has come from it. And I even feel that at the most micro scale between me and my parents.    [00:17:39] Miko Lee: Can you, share with us that are not located in Minnesota, what the experience is like of this federal occupation on a day to day? Like, we're talking today on March 2nd, and I say that because our world, everything's changing every day and this is gonna air on a separate day. So I wanna name that. So right now, what is it like when you're just walking through the streets in downtown Minneapolis ?   [00:18:01] Macy Tran: Yeah. It's interesting because when you ask me this, I think about my experience like a month ago and how different it was and it felt to walk around a month ago compared to now. A month ago. It. I was seeing a neighbor on every corner of major streets, like looking for ice. You know, I was seeing car caravans, honking and following ICE agents. It's interesting 'cause like I actually just had a friend visit from Milwaukee and. She was nervous about ice. She's Asian American as well, and she was like, should I be scared? What's actually going on? And I told her, actually, yes, what's going on is scary and violent. And I feel so safe because I am meeting neighbors I have never met before. I'm making small talk with people who are just. Out on the streets walking their dog in a way that they would not normally, I'm talking to business owners, we're talking about the impacts of this occupation. Everywhere I go, there were eyes and that felt really powerful and strong. And now that operation Metro Surge is technically over they are supposed to be withdrawing ICE agents from the city. I would say there is definitely a decrease in the number of ICE agents in our city. Activity is much slower. However I would say out in the suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, they are seeing action and enforcement from ICE agents. That is. Either at the, kind of the same amount that we were receiving or escalated. The concentration is higher out in the suburbs And so even though things were quieter in the city, they were elsewhere. And    [00:19:57] Miko Lee: yeah, I just saw videos this morning of protesters that were peacefully marching that just got tackled. Actually by Minnesota Sheriff's department working in conjunction with ice. I know every state in every region is a little bit different. But I thought that was something that Governor Waltz was working on right?    [00:20:15] Macy Tran: So actually the city ordinance that you are talking about is actually on a Minneapolis City level. So that was a decision made by Mayor Fray. Oh, that's only city. So it's only MPD, Minneapolis Police Department, who is not supposed to assist in, federal and right. Federal enforcement. However, on a county level, that's different. I see. So sheriffs might be working with, I know it's like, so complic, what a mess complicated. I    [00:20:41] Miko Lee: know. This is the same, I mean, this is the same everywhere, right? Mm-hmm. It's all broken down. Okay. So, so I think I hear you saying that ICE has kind of moved on with the targeted big city approach and they're going out into the suburbs instead. Is that right?    [00:20:57] Macy Tran: Yes. There are still protestors, and observers going every day to the Whipple building. The Whipple building is where ICE agents are coming from, and so they have definitely recorded a decrease in the number of ICE vehicles. So the volume isn't as high, but the cars are still coming and we're still seeing enforcement and violence in our neighborhoods. Just the other day, just a few streets down, a person was abducted in our neighborhood in Minneapolis. And because the volume isn't as high, they're not as easily able to track. And so they're working a lot more under the radar. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And their tactics have become just a lot more. Under the radar as well. In the early days in January, it was really easy to identify ICE out-of-state license plate, tinted windows. Big vehicles like super easy. Nowadays they're putting like coexist bumper stickers and little things on their dashboards and like, you know, driving little sedans and it's definitely not as easy and they're moving a lot more covertly. And because Operation Metro Surge has technically decreased and because many of our frontline activists have been working at this for months and are getting tired. Mm-hmm. There is a really interesting transition period happening here. Mm-hmm. Where I think we're all trying to align on what is the next.   [00:22:31] What's the next step? Mm-hmm. How? How are we, what is the best way to move given that this is the way that ICE is operating now? Yeah,    [00:22:40] Miko Lee: right. Just    [00:22:41] Macy Tran: under reflection. Mm-hmm.    [00:22:42] Miko Lee: Under such sneaky circumstances, like what they recently did in New York at Columbia, showing up at Columbia University with a missing child picture of a little kid. And that's how they got entry into the dorms, which is so wrong to terrible get a student. So that's actually illegal to like misrepresent being a police officer when they're not, they're a nice officer and    [00:23:05] Macy Tran: mm-hmm.    [00:23:06] Miko Lee: Showing a photo, I mean, it's so awful.    [00:23:08] Macy Tran: Mm-hmm.    [00:23:09] Miko Lee: I'm wondering how people that don't live in Minnesota can get involved.   [00:23:14] Macy Tran: Hmm. The, greatest frontier currently that is in need of support is rent support. There are, probably hundreds of maybe thousands of people who are likely at risk of eviction in the Twin Cities, because they have not been able to work for the past two months without fear of being abducted. We're calling on Governor Waltz for an eviction moratorium, which would prevent folks from being evicted. Governor Waltz is the only person who really has jurisdiction to implement an immediate rental moratorium, and he's done that before during the pandemic, and so we're trying to make arguments that this is. A state of emergency people are like not able, they weren't able to work. Like people are going to get evicted putting calls to his office, sending emails. So that's one way to get involved from abroad, uh, or not abroad outside of Minnesota, but also abroad if you're abroad And listening to this. The other way was, is that there's a lot of hyper-local organizing that is happening within Minneapolis that I can speak to every. Neighborhood and corner, I feel like, of Minneapolis is being accounted for usually by a team of just volunteer mutual aid groups who are fundraising for rent, who are fundraising for groceries who are fundraising for utilities.   [00:24:45] And these are all like live fundraising pages on the internet. And if you have even just 10, $20 to spare to help a Minneapolis resident, um, not get evicted in the next month. Um, every dollar matters. In this moment, rent is due. Soon, we're just at the beginning of March. And if folks aren't able to pay rent now and they haven't been able to pay rent in the last couple of months, like this is only going to have a snowball effect. We cannot risk vulnerable neighbors migrants, immigrants being, like more of them being unhoused at this moment. We already in our city have so many unhoused people who are not being cared for by our city officials, who are having their encampments being taken down and who are already not receiving adequate support. Our system cannot handle an influx of more unhoused people and we can prevent this. I would say that is kind of the biggest frontier at the moment in terms of what I'm seeing organizing on the ground.    [00:26:01] Miko Lee: Would you have links that you could share with us definitely for rent support. That would be really great if, and I'll definitely, I'll add them to the Apex Express show notes so folks that wanna get involved can contribute and help support community. You wrote in your piece about books, lovely books and podcasts and things that inspired you, which I always love hearing about those things. And one of the books you wrote about was Rice and Baguette, A History of Food in Vietnam. Can you talk a little bit about it, how it deepened your understanding of food legacies and resistance?    [00:26:33] Macy Tran: Mm So I read that book while I was living in Vietnam actually. So it was really cool for me to, what I love about that book, it's a little like academic. I will say that it is a food history like you are reading history, you know, it's a little bit like dense at some points, um, for    [00:26:49] Miko Lee: the real foodie audience.    [00:26:51] Macy Tran: For real. I'm like, if, yeah, exactly. And luckily that's me. I was into it. What I loved about it were, the legends, like there were some what I, so in Vietnam when I was living there, something that I loved and was learning more was that like Vietnamese people have so many legends about folk legends about food, like the origins of the watermelon,, the origins of our bunte cake, which is the cake that we eat, the sticky rice cake we eat during, lunar New Year. There are so many Food origin stories that I just did not grow up being raised on. And so, this book talked about some of like, how did pho even get started, you know, is pho even truly Vietnamese? It's, that's a debate I'm not gonna have right now. But. I loved just hearing the greater context in which all of this existed, especially not growing up with those stories and being,    [00:27:55] Miko Lee: Hey, wait, what is the origin of watermelon?    [00:27:58] Macy Tran: So it's this like funny little. Story where, this prince essentially gets banished to an island with his wife. And then on this random island, he finds this like incredible fruit, the watermelon, and he's like, whoa, this is so delicious. I want I must show this to the people back at home, but they won't have me because I'm banished. And then he basically floats the watermelon back to the mainland and they find it and they're like, oh my gosh, this is so incredible. We must, invite this man back to the mainland.    [00:28:38] Miko Lee: How did they know it was from him? Did he like carve his name in the watermelon?    [00:28:43] Macy Tran: I don't know. It's actually been a while since I've heard this story, so I could be just like. You know, I don't know all the details. That's    [00:28:50] Miko Lee: okay. That's always better anyway.   [00:28:53] Macy Tran: just stories like that. I love to hear them. I also learned about what it was like to eat and cook during foreign occupation when, oh, you know, the French were colonizers mm-hmm. When the Chinese were colonizers. Mm-hmm. And just the incredible Vietnamese food ways that emerged from those periods of colonization. Mm-hmm. They were both brutal and violent and also full of adaptation and creativity and survival foods. And so the book just talked about all of that, and I just love knowing those stories that help me know the ways in which our people have been able to survive for this long and are now free under, foreign  occupation.    [00:29:40] Miko Lee: Speaking of, you mentioned creativity and adaptability, and you are a multihyphenate person, as an artist, as an organizer, as a writer, as a visual artist, collage maker, I'm wondering how your artistry impacts your organizing and vice versa. How do they speak to each other? How do they influence each other?    [00:30:01] Macy Tran: Hmm. I am someone who, when there is an issue or a problem that arises, I'm often just confronting it with what can I do? What can I like feasibly do? How can I show up? And I think my artistic practices actually help me slow down. Even the ways that I can show up in community and do things in community, I'm very responsive. I'm always like, okay let's do a thing. Let's organize it. Let's get our hands dirty. I am out there, I am organizing people, you know, like tangibly. And I think the ways that my artistic practices partner with that is that my artistic practices help me reflect and remember and deepen and find spiritual grounding and purpose. my art is a way that I bridge conversations with my ancestors and I bridge what it means to know myself and be a person, a community member, a Vietnamese American daughter in this moment, right? And it reminds me of the skills that I have and wanna bring to the world. It also helps me create different narratives for understanding what's happening and. For finding creative solutions and for collaborating with others. So I think I would honestly be so burnt out and exhausted and sad if it were not for my artistic practices. I think it's because of my artistic practices that I find energy, that I find belonging, that I find meaning in the work that I'm doing.    [00:31:51] Miko Lee: I love that answer. Can you share, because you brought this up, can you share about a conversation or an interaction you've had with an ancestor and how that's influenced you recently?   [00:32:03] Macy Tran: Hmm. That's such a great question. I'm going to tie this answer into Lunar New Year because, lunar New Year is a time in which our material world and the spiritual world really can converge in a meaningful way, at least for me. And every year when I celebrate Lunar New Year, I will do something different. I deepen my practices. I just kind of deepen what I know about. Folk tradition and ancestor worship. And every year I learned new things and I wanna try new things. And so this year was the first year that I built a public altar space in my living room. Usually I just have it in my bedroom or in a small corner of my home somewhere that's like usually private. But I built like. It wasn't like a tiny little altar, like it was big, you know, like I had photos of all my relatives on there. I had flowers, I had five kinds of fruits. I had, you know, little, every time I ate a meal, I was putting a meal aside for my family to eat with me. And, Some cultures you don't eat the food that you leave on the altar, but in my family we do. And the reason for that is because we get to become one with our ancestors. We get to embody what our ancestors are and eat as well and their spirits, and so this past Lunar New Year, I actually threw a, I had celebrations on both sides of the family. And then I organized a new year party for my chosen family who came from all walks of life. And the prompt for the party, it was a potluck. The prompt for the potluck was cook something or bring something that your ancestors would be just delighted to eat on the altar. And so we    [00:34:00] Miko Lee: love that.    [00:34:01] Macy Tran: Oh yeah. It was so sweet. People came out with their best work, I should say, like the food was fantastic. Our ancestors were eating well, and I was sitting there. And this altar was full of tiny little plates of food, beautiful flowers. I also asked people to bring pictures, photos of their ancestors or people that they wanna honor. Incense were lit. The room was filled with incense smoke, and I was just, there was a moment where I was just, kinda in the corner of the room just watching, you know, and I had a feeling like, wow, all of our ancestors are hanging out right now. Not only are me and my chosen family, you know, building a community and belonging for ourselves but also like. I could have never, and probably they could have never predicted that my friend's like Jewish grandpa was hanging out with my Vietnamese grandmother and grandfather, you know, or yeah, my friends like grandparents from Antigua are now hanging out with like my family members and it's, it was just a moment where I just felt not just the joy.   [00:35:16] And love in the space of connecting with my real, like my friends in that moment. But also just the miraculousness of what it meant to hold all of our ancestors in that space. And so, after that I ended up writing a piece on my substack, actually as a letter to my ancestors. I, I kept the altar up for a week, a week and a half. And on the last day I was ready to take it down and move it back upstairs into my room. But on the last day, I thought, I'm gonna light the incense one more time. And have my ancestors in the space as I write this piece to them. There were so many things I wanted to say to them. And also at the same time, I felt like as I was writing, they were saying things to me, this is what I have to teach you in this moment, is kind of what they were saying to me. This is like, this is what it's like to celebrate that under occupation. This is what it was like when we thought it wasn't even possible to celebrate Tet. Like we had literally nothing but rice and water and yet we still did, and my grandma recently passed a I mean, it's not so recent anymore, but it's been just over a year now. And she was like, One of the first like major deaths of the elder generation in my family. And Tet was the time that I could commune with her and share love with her. And, I could just feel her presence in the space and I would even, memories felt like a way that she was talking to me. The memory of just the crackle of her sesame balls, like she made the best sesame balls. They were like. Thin and crispy and fluffy, but also like so like they were not skimping on the mung bean on the inside. It was fantastic. So I'm just like, I haven't had a sesame ball from her in over a year, but I can remember how it tastes and feels, and my mouth and that memory itself is a message from her. To remember what has fed me through so many years, and how important it is to just remember the, not only just the foods that we eat, but the people that have loved that food into existence. And now me, you know,    [00:37:38] Miko Lee: have you made it the dish, the sesame balls.    [00:37:43] Macy Tran: I actually have her recipe books, so I planned to I just didn't have time, this past Tet, but me and my brother were going to, and then I think we decided we wanted to do it on just like on a lower key day, like instead of like in the midst of just like so much family celebration, there was so much to prepare and we were like, let's just plan a low key weekend where it's just me and you and there's no timeline and we don't have to get this anywhere and they don't have to be perfect. Like    [00:38:14] Miko Lee: that sounds lovely. So it's personal and it's family and Exactly. And if for a one year anniversary, death anniversary is coming up, that might be a great time to honor her.    [00:38:22] Macy Tran: Exactly. Exactly.    [00:38:24] Miko Lee: I'm wondering what was like some standout dishes from that lovely event to you?    [00:38:29] Macy Tran: Ooh. I mean, I will talk about the dish I made.   [00:38:33] Miko Lee: Okay.    [00:38:36] Macy Tran: Which I thought was fantastic and I think my friends also thought were delicious. Was delicious. Um, but a dish that is commonly eaten during the lunar new year for Vietnamese people is a tit ka, which is a caramelized, braised pork belly. This caramelized, braised pork was stewing for probably three hours. Wow. And so, yeah, and I used coconut water with it. I didn't like, straight up coconut water and it    [00:39:04] Miko Lee: no Coca-Cola.    [00:39:06] Macy Tran: No Coca-Cola not in this one. And I just made a huge, huge pot and it was basically almost all gone by the end of the night. So that was like a really good feeling. Um, my brother made an incredible duck heart lap. He works at Diane's Place, actually, it's a famous Hmong restaurant in Minneapolis. And they processed duck on the menu. And so he had like access to all these duck organs and he made an incredible loup that he brought to the party. And my, one of my little sisters, Iris, she's Puerto Rican and she made like tostones, like fried plantains and then she also made Puerto Rican rice, and she, she made like three or four dishes. So like, people really went above and beyond for their ancestors. I could really, I mean, it was probably like 20 people who came to this party, so there were so many dishes and they were all. So good. So I, I don't wanna, once I get into it, I'm gonna go into it, so I'm not gonna chat your ear off.    [00:40:13] Miko Lee: Sounds lovely. Sounds yummy. Mm-hmm. And my last question is, I'm wondering what manifestation for the year of the horse you have for yourself.    [00:40:23] Macy Tran: The 18 million rising essay that I wrote came, it was right before the lunar new year that it got published. And it came during a time where I was already thinking a lot about my creative practice and how in, in relationship my creative practice in relationship with also the ways that I organize and the ways that I cook and, organize around food. And when this opportunity for this essay emerged and just the way it has been received has been such an honor, like, because I haven't written for myself, you know, in so long and like really with my own voice I just didn't realize that people were going to resonate with it so much and find like an invitation to engage in food justice themselves and their own ancestry. And also the ways that it made them think about food and their relationship to food. And it was such a blessing for me to receive that resonance from people, you know, and to receive, just the stories that I've heard and the way it spoke to them. And I felt like that has been a blessing for me to just really expand my creative practice and be more public with it. I'm like, dang, if this little thing that I wrote impacted people in the way that they think about the world, like. I have so many more ideas I wanna share and like be in partnership with others about.   [00:41:57] And I just launched my Substack, right after the Lunar New Year and I was like, all right, you're the fire horse. Let's freaking go. I am ready, I am running. So, I just wanna be creating so much and like act manifesting and actualizing a lot of the dreams that I have, my creative dreams that I have continued to put on the back burner. Things about hosting supper clubs and doing more work around my parents' restaurant, like helping them create narrative around the restaurant and sharing our restaurant story with people. And just using my words and experiences as a way to connect with the world and also be open to the ways that people wanna connect with me. So that's kind of the ways that I'm, I'm seeing this year unfold already, and it's already started with a bang. I also wanna add that year of the fire horse for me is just a lot about movement and progress. And so in this sense movement, I think of social movements and the ways that social this particular social movement against ICE in our city will fundamentally. Impact us for the next lunar year. It happened right at the beginning of the lunar New Year and it's going to have deep effects into the year, and we will forever be changed by this. And I am so excited to see the ways in which we harness this energy for transformation, for care into something that's really meaningful.   [00:43:37] Miko Lee: Thank you so much for joining us on Apex Express. It was a delight to talk with you.    [00:43:42] Macy Tran: Thank you, Miko. This was so great. Thanks for having me.   [00:43:45] Miko Lee: Next up, listen to researcher professor, Dr. Milkie Vu, speak on her exploration on Asian Americans and food insecurities. Welcome, Dr. Milkie Vu, assistant professor at Northwestern. Welcome so much to Apex Express.    [00:44:04] Dr. Milkie Vu: Thank you. I'm delighted to be here.    [00:44:07] Miko Lee: Dr. Milkie is a mixed methods researcher focusing on community engagement and health issues, and I'm excited to talk with you today. I wanna start by first asking the question that I ask all of my guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   [00:44:24] Dr. Milkie Vu: My people are the Vietnamese community, and when I think of my people, the first word that comes to my mind is resilience. I was raised in Vietnam. I speak Vietnamese fluently and I embrace my culture very deeply. I carry the memory of my parents and grandparents who have lived to colonization multiple world. And the challenge of post-war poverty and the ability to, endure all these hardship is the legacy that I bring with me and in my day to day life it acts as a personal life of hope for me and then professionally in the. Work that I do is really a foundation and it drives my dedication and commitment to working on health solution with Asian American and immigrant communities who have similar stories of hardship, but also perseverance.   [00:45:19] Miko Lee: Thank you so much. I really appreciate how your background has informed the work that you're doing, and I wonder if you could talk a little bit more about this study, this scoping review on food insecurity among Asian Americans. Can you one first start off by breaking down what a scoping review is.   [00:45:37] Dr. Milkie Vu: Yeah, I'm happy to talk about that. So a scoping review is essentially a methodology that we use to be able to summarize existing scientific literature and try to understand how this literature. Answer research questions that we have.   [00:45:56] Miko Lee: Can you tell me what inspired this study?    [00:45:59] Dr. Milkie Vu: I've done community engaged research with, Asian American population for over a decade. In doing so, I have come to realize , as an anecdotal evidence, how food insecurity is a issue in the community. And yet that's very little that has been, done in terms of research or policy that target this problem., So for example, the US Department of Agriculture, will publish annually a report on food insecurity in America and it will include several, racial and ethnic populations, but Asian Americans are frequently ommitted from that report. So, you know, at the national level, that data doesn't exist, which then, makes it very difficult to understand what is the severity of the problem and what are some of the solutions that could be done to address them. So that's why we were interested in doing a deeper dive into summarizing the literature too be able to see what has been done about this problem and what are some of the barriers that exist, towards food security for community members, and what are some of the literature gaps? Our review was published in 2024 was the first scientific review of the literature on food insecurity among Asian Americans.    [00:47:27] Miko Lee: And what did your study uncover?    [00:47:31] Dr. Milkie Vu: We documented several important findings. There is a lack of existing data on this problem. Due to this myth of Asian Americans being the model minority. Assuming that Asian Americans are uniformly successful socioeconomically and thus not experiencing, any challenge including food insecurity. One of the things that we found is the importance of data disaggregation and looking at food insecurity in different Asian origin groups. We found that food insecurity really varied. So for example, if you look at some groups like Japanese Americans, we found the prevalence of between two to 11% of the population reporting food insecurity. But then if you look at some of the Southeast Asian groups, for example, Filipinos or Hmong American or Vietnamese, the rates are much higher. So the studies that we found report, between eight to 41% of food insecurity and among Filipino population. Close to 48% for more Hmong American, and then between 14 or 28% for Vietnamese Americans, so much higher than the rates for other groups.   [00:48:48] Data Dion is important and there shouldn't be this grouping of different Asian groups in research because then it really erased like the struggles specific communities with food insecurity. I think the other finding that was really important is looking at more systemic or structural barriers that prevent people from being food secure. Our review found that limited English proficiency is a important driver of food insecurity. The lack of appropriate language services, whether that's food pantry or for things like snap navigation. These could be important target point infusion policy or interventions that could help address food insecurity, community members. We also look at a couple of qualitative studies that found really interesting things. So for example, even when Asian American community members do use food assistance programs like snap, the benefits are often not sufficient. And they have a negative experience. There's also fear of how that might negatively impact the immigration status or application. Those are important barriers that should be acknowledge.   [00:50:08] Miko Lee: Some of these numbers are so high. You mentioned 48% with Hmong folks with, it's just so surprising, and I wonder if there's a sense of the why some of these communities have a higher food insecurity than others.    [00:50:21] Dr. Milkie Vu: Yeah, one of the things that we did point out in the conclusion was the need for just more studies focusing on these, smaller Asian groups or smaller Asian population that are done in like the appropriate language to be. From some of the experience I've had, part of it is probably shaped by, the historical conditions to which some of these, communities might have come to the us. For example, thinking about my community Vietnamese, coming to America as refugees, fleeing persecution or free fleeing war and how that, historical conditions might create structural and socioeconomic challenge in Britain, in the community. I am also curious about is the availability of service and program that are linguistically appropriate or, providing culturally relevant food for these communities. So those are important points that we can hypothesize, but obviously more research is needed to understand, the root cause of these challenge and how to address them.   [00:51:28] Miko Lee: And were you focused on specific regions or this was national?    [00:51:34] Dr. Milkie Vu: I'm really glad that you asked about this. So the review itself is, summarizing all published literature focusing on Asian Americans. All of the studies take place in the us. A lot of the, studies probably focus on data that are from the coast. So either on Asian American, on the east coast or the west coast. , But we looked at the study like from a nationwide angle and I'm also happy to talk about some of the new committee organizations in Chicago looking at food insecurity and community-based solutions to address that among Asian Americans. Part of the motivation for the follow-up study was just thinking about the lack of data focusing on the Midwest or Chicago where I live.    [00:52:20] Miko Lee: Please, I'd love to hear more about that . [00:52:23] Dr. Milkie Vu: The COVID pandemic, had brought a lot challenges for food insecurity. For people nationwide in general, but then for Asian American, there's also this, so what I call like the double, almost like a double pandemic, like the waves of entire Asian violence and hate crimes. And so thinking about how that impact food insecurity in general among, Asian American community members. About two years ago, we interviewed around, 13 organizations in Chicago. All of them are either community based organizations, social services or food pantry, working with, primarily with Asian American community members, from diverse groups: korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, south Asian, Mongolian, et cetera throughout Chicago. And the question that we asked them was, thinking about what programs they have offered during the COVID pandemic that aim at reducing food insecurity among community members. How did they implement this program? Who are some of the vulnerable populations served by the program? How did the pandemic as far as anti-Asian racism impact the program organization? That was the first study that looked at how community organization in Chicago help address this issue of insecurity on this, the COVID pandemic.   [00:53:57] Miko Lee: And so what is the next step for this study or what is the next piece that you're working on as connected to this?    [00:54:05] Dr. Milkie Vu: Yeah. Think about the role of the community organization as grassroots organizations that work from the ground up , as opposed to more top down program structure. They're doing a lot of the heavy lifting to help community members address food insecurity, because they know the community very well. They are able to provide the in language service that community members need. They're also trusted by community members. So a lot of the time,, certain populations especially say if those with limited their English proficiency or, more newly arrived immigrants, might feel more comfortable going here as opposed to going to this organization as opposed to, another one that are more generic and don't have the staff that speak the right language. I think the other thing is, staff with the similar cultural backgrounds are able to understand. There was one quote from the study that I did in Chicago. That stuck with me. When we tell them you could go to the food bank, the American food is not quite tailored to their taste. So they will get a big chunk of cheese and they will be like, what is this? Nobody wants to eat this. Again, thinking about the role of committee organization as so important in knowing the language, knowing the cultural preferences. And then just thinking of ways that we can further support, the programs and operations that they do. This is a really challenging time for nonprofits, social service organization, both in terms of providing food as well as other social service to Asian American and immigrant communities. How can research from a place like, researchers, from academia like me, are able to partner with them to further the service that they do and be able to find the funding that support them and community members. I think that's the important step for me.   [00:56:02] Miko Lee: Dr. Vu, how can folks find out more about your work?    [00:56:06] Dr. Milkie Vu: Yeah, In order to understand more about the work that we do, so we have a website, for our lab that frequently include, you know, like our current projects as well as publications. So you can go to site, so SI ts.northwestern.edu/vu group. and you'll be able to find more information about the research that we published. We've also recently, in the beginning of the year start, to find ways to disseminate research on social media. So we also have a Facebook group for our lab that disseminates our research findings as well as include information about the community members and partners Other trainees in the lab that make this work possible. The labs Facebook group is at facebook.com/maybe give research. and then you can always reach out to me via my email milkie.vu@northwestern.edu So I'm glad to connect with people who have similar research interests or would like to learn more about the work that we do.   [00:57:06] Miko Lee: Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your information about your important work that you're doing on research with Asian American community. Appreciate hearing from you.    [00:57:15] Dr. Milkie Vu: Thank you so much.   [00:57:18] Miko Lee: Please check out our website, kpfa.org/program/apexexpress to find out more about our show and our guests tonight. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preti Mangala-Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's show was produced by me Miko Lee, and edited by Ayame Keane-Lee. Have a great night.   The post APEX Express – 6.4.26 – Food Justice appeared first on KPFA.

Dan Barreiro
Wemby Fans Ok?/Chief Blair Anderson - Bumper to Bumper 5/27/26 Hour One

Dan Barreiro

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 46:17 Transcription Available


Dan Barreiro opens the show wondering if Wemby fans are going to be ok now that the "future of the NBA" has hit a rough patch in the Western Conference Finals. Former St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson joins with his reaction the the resignation of Brian O'Hara from the Minneapolis Police Department.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan Barreiro
Wemby Fans Ok?/Chief Blair Anderson - Bumper to Bumper 5/27/26 Hour One

Dan Barreiro

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 46:17 Transcription Available


Dan Barreiro opens the show wondering if Wemby fans are going to be ok now that the "future of the NBA" has hit a rough patch in the Western Conference Finals. Former St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson joins with his reaction the the resignation of Brian O'Hara from the Minneapolis Police Department.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drivetime with DeRusha
Wednesday Hour 3: what's next for the Minneapolis Police Department after O'Hara's resignation? And what have you had ENOUGH of?

Drivetime with DeRusha

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 34:10


Wednesday 5pm Hour: Jason talks about the biggest story of the day - the resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara. What comes next for the interim Chief? The Mayor? The City? Then it's time to vent our collective spleens as Jason and listeners share what they've had ENOUGH of this week.

The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar
Brian O'Hara is out as Police Chief in Minneapolis-Reaction from the Minneapolis City Council.

The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 11:11


Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley who is a frequent critic of the department and Ward 3 Council Member Michael Rainville joined Vineeta for an in depth discussion on why the city is in search of another police chief.

The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar
Brian O'Hara is out as Police Chief in Minneapolis-Reaction from the Minneapolis City Council.

The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 11:11


Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley who is a frequent critic of the department and Ward 3 Council Member Michael Rainville joined Vineeta for an in depth discussion on why the city is in search of another police chief.

Minnesota Now
Native community gathers for annual conference on sexual assault amid cuts and turmoil

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 14:01


Community members and advocates from Native communities across the state and country wrapped up a three-day conference on ending sexual violence Thursday. The “Restoring the Sacred Trails of Our Grandmothers Conference” is hosted annually by the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition. Nicole Matthews, chief executive officer of the coalition, said this year's event comes at a particularly difficult time with funding cuts and heightened need. It also takes place just as an audit into the police response and investigation of Allison Lussier's death was released. Lussier was an Indigenous woman who was found dead in her home in 2024. Police reports show Lussier had experienced intimate partner violence. The report is critical of the Minneapolis Police Department in its handling of Lussier's case as well as the shooting of Davis Moturi, who was shot by a neighbor. Matthews shared more about the gathering and her reaction to the findings of the report with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini.

Minnesota Now
Black Visions launches effort to redistribute money raised following George Floyd's murder

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2026 8:05


An effort is underway to redistribute $500,000 of funds raised following the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. In total, Black Visions — along with an off-shoot organization Reclaim the Block — received some $30 million following the killing of George Floyd. Black Visions said more than $9 million have been redistributed already to other Black-led efforts across the state.Now, Black Visions is creating a new grant to share more of that money. Working in partnership with Headwaters Foundation for Justice, the goal is to provide immediate cash relief to Black Minnesotans facing hardship. Individuals can apply for one-time funding of $1,500, $2,000 or $5,000. Black Visions formed in August 2017 and was at the center of an effort to replace the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Tiffany Dykes, director of development at Black Visions, shared more about the fund.

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover
Policing a city on ICE: Minneapolis PD Chief Brian O'Hara

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2026 39:37


Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara returns to “Firing Line” to talk about the impact of the federal immigration enforcement surge in his city and the protests against it.He addresses the Trump administration's announcement that 700 federal officers will be leaving Minnesota and responds to comments President Trump made this week about the surge and about crime in Minneapolis.O'Hara, who reformed the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd's murder, explains why the actions of ICE are putting the progress he has made at risk and how his understaffed department is responding to the crisis.He discusses the relationship between local and federal law enforcement, the importance of accountability, and his assessment of the tactics used by protesters. He also comments on Trump's threats to invoke the Insurrection Act.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

S2 Underground
The Wire - February 3, 2026

S2 Underground

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2026 4:40


//The Wire//2300Z February 3, 2026////ROUTINE////BLUF: US NAVY SHOOTS DOWN IRANIAN DRONE NEAR THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN CSG. IRANIAN FORCES ATTEMPT TO HIJACK STRATEGIC AMERICAN OIL TANKER. CHINESE BIOLAB RAIDED AT RESIDENCE IN LAS VEGAS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: This afternoon the US Navy shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the USS Abraham Lincoln CSG, as it was conducting maneuvers off the coast of Oman. No further details have been provided on the shootdown, though Iranian forces have continued drone surveillance of American forces in the region.Earlier this morning, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) reported an incident in the Strait of Hormuz, involving unidentified forces in small boats hailing a commercial vessel in an attempt to persuade the vessel to stop. This vessel was later identified as the M/T *STENA IMPERATIVE*, and the ship was escorted through the Strait by an American warship.Analyst Comment: Iranian forces hijacking ships is an extremely common occurrence throughout the region, but trying to snatch the STENA IMPERATIVE was a bold move. This is not just any random oil tanker, this vessel is one of the main ships in the US Navy's Tanker Security Program, serving as one of the main vessels transporting fuel and oil around the world for the US Navy. As such, the Iranians attempting to target a strategic military resource, on the same day that negotiations began regarding their nuclear program, is probably not a wise move when it comes to avoiding American airstrikes.-HomeFront-Minnesota: The checkpoints that were established over the weekend in south Minneapolis were dismantled by the Minneapolis Police Department yesterday evening. No arrests were made at the scene.Throughout the Twin Cities intelligence collection efforts continue, as ICEWatch activists remain observant for ICE activity. More direct crimes are also being committed as well, as activists have begun lasing Border Patrol aircraft, continuing a tactic that has been used in other far-left strongholds throughout the nation. Nevada: Yesterday, details came to light regarding a raid that was conducted by the FBI at a residential address in Las Vegas on Saturday. During the raid, centrifuges and freezers allegedly containing samples of infectious diseases were found at this location, along with approximately 1,000 dead mice. One individual, Ori Solomon, was arrested at the scene, and is assessed to be the property manager for this facility.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The kingpin involved in the Nevada biolab appears to be David He, also known as Jiabei "Jesse" Zhu...the same individual presently indicted for setting up similar biological facilities in Reedley, California back in 2022. During that initial investigation, Jessie was indicted for allegedly selling fake COVID test kits. However, after the story went viral, it eventually became clear that a number of suspects were not actually making fake medical devices (as they were initially charged with)...they were actually running a clandestine biological weapons facility. The Reedley Lab was investigated by multiple entities, to include a Congressional Committee that was stood up to investigate this location.The Reedley Biolab was found to be running multiple illegal biological research projects, all of which appeared to be weaponizing diseases such as tuberculosis, Ebola, and agricultural blight, for release within the United States. As this 2022 case is still being prosecuted, not many details have been made public, beyond the initial DoJ notice on the arrests. At the time of this earlier case, the CDC famously did not cooperate with the investigation, did not test all samples, and tried to cover up the incident altogether (as indicated by the Congressional report, at least). Perhaps the most

S2 Underground
The Wire - February 2, 2026

S2 Underground

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 3:09


//The Wire//2300Z February 2, 2026////ROUTINE////BLUF: ACTIVIST GROUPS CONTINUE PROJECTING FORCE IN MANY AMERICAN CITIES. TRUMP SAYS NO FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR RIOT CONTROL UNLESS STATES ASK FOR IT. EPSTEIN FILE RELEASE CONTINUES TO IMPLICATE HIGH-RANKING POLITICIANS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------HomeFront-Minnesota: Demonstrations and protests continued over the weekend, with intensification on some fronts. In South Minneapolis, ICEWatch Vehicle Checkpoints have been established on Cedar Avenue, creating another "Autonomous Zone" running along Cedar, from 32nd to 34th Street. These checkpoints are checking identity documents and running license plates through their own ICEWatch license plate databases to check if a vehicle/person is affiliated with ICE. Of note, the Minneapolis Police Department has addressed these individuals manning this illegal checkpoint, however after the initial warning was given, no follow-up contact has been made.Analyst Comment: For additional geospatial context, one block to the south of the most southern checkpoint is another site to be aware of, the headquarters for the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization. The headquarters for this NGO serves as a Center of Gravity (CoG) for anti-ICE organization throughout the local area. As such, this site is likely serving as a static Observation Post spotting vehicles for these checkpoints.Washington D.C. - President Trump issued guidance regarding the growing riot season throughout the United States, which will remove federal resources from responding to riots unless the city/state explicitly asks for federal assistance. Otherwise, federal forces will be deployed to protect federal buildings and installations in more kinetic cities, as the violence continues to escalate.Analyst Comment: On paper, this is really how it's always been since federal resources are not usually activated unless the state requests it first. However this messaging conveys that the overall plan is to let liberal cities burn due to their own policies, so it seems. As such, for any innocent people caught in the crossfire, it would be wise to prepare for an intensification of riot activity nationwide moving into the spring/summer months, now that the one entity that rioters are actually scared of (federal forces) are publicly taking a reduced role.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In addition to the chaos unfolding around the nation, the recent release of Epstein Files has swept the internet as many people comb through the records to potentially identify perpetrators involved in Epstein's extremely large network.Regardless of being able to make sense of all of this at the present time, the real-world effects have already begun concerning this latest document release. In the United Kingdom, Lord Mandelson has resigned from the Labour Party after getting caught with his pants down in the files, and (former) Prince Andrew is likewise in even more hot water than he already was due to his association with Epstein. In Norway, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has apologized publicly for her relationship with Epstein, which the latest round of emails suggest was extremely personal and graphic. Otherwise, a general trend is emerging regarding the other few thousand people who's emails to Epstein got released, which usually involves some colorful email or post on social media defecting from their involvement with Epstein. As such, a lot of "I'm sorry for being friends with Epstein" emails are being sent out right now from a lot of influential and powerful people.Analyst: S2A1Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2undergroundDisclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.//END REPORT//

MPR News with Angela Davis
Redefining community safety in Minneapolis

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 46:47


Over the past month, federal immigration enforcement has focused on the city of Minneapolis. Their presence and aggressive tactics have forced city leaders to navigate complex questions about authority, cooperation, and the role of local government.  At the center of that conversation is the city's community safety commissioner, Todd Barnette.He oversees the Minneapolis Police Department along with the city's fire department, 911 services, emergency management and neighborhood safety programs — with the goal of improving communication, accountability, equity, and service delivery.MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Barnette about leadership, reform, and the path forward.Guest:Todd Barnette is the community safety commissioner for the city of Minneapolis. Before his current role, he served 17 years as a judge in the Hennepin County District Court, including terms as presiding judge of drug court, presiding judge of the criminal division, and chief judge, where he was the first person of color to hold the position. He is also an adjunct faculty member and mentor at the University of St. Thomas Law School. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Above The Noise
Episode 72: Jim Copple: The Radical Idea That Fasting Could Heal a Divided Nation

Above The Noise

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 46:52 Transcription Available


Send us a Text Message about the podcastWhat if the antidote to polarization isn't a louder argument, but a quieter practice of showing up, listening, and serving together? Grantley sits down with Jim Koppel—educator, coalition-builder, and cofounder of Strategic Applications International and Servant Forge—whose career stretches from late-night ride-alongs with a gang unit to shaping national prevention policy and facilitating 21st century policing reforms. The thread through it all: proximity changes outcomes. When people meet face to face, when training centers de-escalation and culture, and when youth have real jobs and mentors, communities get safer.We unpack the five protective factors that keep young people on track—hope, caring adults, skills, control, and altruism—and why employment quietly powers them all. Jim shares what 20,000 listening-session voices taught his team about fear, bias, and structural gaps like language access that distort incident reports and deepen mistrust. We also examine how the Minneapolis Police Department reframed training around the sanctity of life, showing how policy and practice can diverge across agencies and why curriculum quality matters as much as length.Then we pivot to the Freedom Fast, a civic invitation rooted in American history and embraced across faiths and the nonreligious alike: six monthly fasts on the fourth leading to July 4. Fasting here is broad—food, social media, or anything that creates room to reflect. The aim is simple and demanding: pause, relate, and serve beyond the headlines. As states consider resolutions and communities pilot models, we make the case that a more perfect union is built in small, repeatable acts—on front porches, in plazas, at the mailbox.If this resonates, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review to help others find the show. Ready to take the next step? Join the Freedom Fast at thefreedomfast.us, send us a text from the show notes, and tell us how you'll show up this month.#thefreedomfast#fastingLeave reviewFollow and ShareSend Text Message New WebsiteBuy Me A Coffee Support the show#abovethenoise24# faith#reconciliation#race#racialreconciliationWe appreciate your support: Buy Me A CoffeeStay in touch: Email us at: abovethenoise24@gmail.com Facebook: @abovethenoise24 Instagram: abovethenoise24 Podcast art by Mario Christie.

S2 Underground
The Wire - January 27, 2026

S2 Underground

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2026 4:07


//The Wire//2300Z January 27, 2026////ROUTINE////BLUF: UNREST CONTINUES IN MINNESOTA. FEDERAL AGENTS CONDUCT WIDESPREAD RAIDS IN ARIZONA. ANTI-ICE ACTIVISTS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP INTELLIGENCE NETWORKS IN MAINE, AS DIRECTED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------HomeFront-Minnesota: Riots continued overnight as activists remained steady in the targeting of Minneapolis hotels suspected of hosting ICE agents. Last night, the SpringHill Suites in Maple Grove was targeted due to suspicions that senior Border Patrol leadership was staying at the location. At this hotel, rioters gathered at the main entrance and attempted to breach the facility, however the state of unrest was quickly put down by Maple Grove Police who turned out in force.Analyst Comment: Maple Grove is technically not within the City Limits of Minneapolis, and therefore has a different Mayor. The Minneapolis Police Department was not involved in this crowd control effort whatsoever, as it fell outside of their jurisdiction. Most of the officers who responded were from the Maple Grove Police Department and supplemented by State Police. As such, this particular response is very likely not correlated with any change in policy within the city of Minneapolis itself.Maine: Anti-ICE demonstrations continue as before, as local government officials begin entrenching resistance measures. Attorney General Aaron Frey has established a state-sponsored informant tipline for the purposes of tracking ICE agents, which coordinates intelligence reports regarding the activities of ICE agents throughout the state. Residents of Maine can email in reports of ICE sightings, and other intelligence reports directly to the Attorney General's office.Arizona: Yesterday afternoon, multiple sites throughout the state were raided by Homeland Security investigators, and most of the targeted sites were Zipp's Sports Grill establishments. At the time of the raids (which targeted about 15x sites around the state) the reason for the raids was not known. However ICEWatch spotters, seeing green uniforms, assumed this was some sort of immigration policing effort. However, this appears to pertain to a different investigation concerning a large-scale criminal enterprise involving drugs, identity theft, fraud, and other crimes.Analyst Comment: Activist intelligence networks still showed up suspiciously quickly to the scene of all raids, turning out in numbers to carry out disruption operations for what they thought was an immigration enforcement operation. ICE personnel were observed on scene at a few sites to arrest any illegals that were incidentally discovered during the raids, and they were harassed by the mob as the operation was ongoing.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: On the political front in Minneapolis, several developments are underway, which will affect the situation on the ground. Following President Trump's phone call with Gov. Walz yesterday afternoon, rumors have been circulating widely regarding what the next steps are in this campaign. Whispers of everything from an abandonment of the mission, to key personnel shifts circulated yesterday evening, most of which have been hard to verify and probably mostly false. However, based on President Trumps verbatim statements, the general atmospherics are a de-escalation from the Federal side, while no similar de-escalation has been given in return amongst activist groups that are openly being run by government officials personally.When it comes to civil unrest, perception is reality, and if these moves are perceived (by the rioters) as being a capitulation, this will embolden resistance within the city. Far-left groups do not care about 4D chess; they see a *perceived* weakness (regardless of if it's a true weakness), and they will double-down to target it. Failing to arrest and charge every single activist who rai

Things Police See: First Hand Accounts
30-Year Minneapolis Cop Tells INSANE Stories + George Floyd Case Insights

Things Police See: First Hand Accounts

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 54:51


Listen to raw, unfiltered police stories from a 30-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department! Retired Lieutenant Scott Zierden shares his firsthand accounts of bizarre calls, intense fights, terrifying moments, and heartwarming rescues during his career in patrol, training, criminal investigations, and internal affairs. Contact Steve - steve@thingspolicesee.com Support the TPS show by joining the Patreon community today! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=27353055  

MPR News with Angela Davis
How to cope with stress, fear and anger during uncertain times

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 47:32


Increased immigration enforcement and Wednesday's fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent have left some Minnesotans feeling frightened, angry or overwhelmed.MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how to manage fear, anxiety and emotional overload during stressful times.Guests:Corey Yeager is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has a doctorate in family social science. He has worked for Minneapolis Public Schools and with the Minneapolis Police Department. He was a psychotherapist for the Detroit Pistons and he is the author of “How Am I Doing? 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself.” Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.

MPR News Update
Minneapolis executive order prohibits using city-owned spaces for ICE operations

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2025 5:00


Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says President Donald Trump is acting in “flat-out, un-American” fashion by targeting Somali Americans and referring to them as “garbage.” Frey has signed an executive order prohibiting federal, state and local agencies from using city-owned parking lots, ramps, garages or vacant lots to stage civil immigration enforcement operations.The Minneapolis Police Department is reminding people it will not ask them about their citizenship status if they call the police. The department also says residents can call 911 to verify a responding officer is who they say they are.A man faces federal charges for ramming his car into the vehicle of an ICE agent last week in St. Paul. The man was released from jail to home detention after pleading not guilty to assaulting an officer.

Minnesota Now
Minnesota Now: Nov. 18, 2025

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 57:23


Federal agents clashed with protesters in an industrial area of St. Paul Tuesday morning. We had the latest on that developing story. One of the state's largest health insurers is shutting down. We found out what that means for 300,000 people in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Minneapolis Police Department is facing criticism for its handling of three high-profile cases. The most recent is the killing of a woman who made multiple reports of domestic violence. We talked to a Star Tribune reporter who investigated her case. Three philanthropy groups are putting up $20 million to help people find and keep affordable housing. We learned more about the project. Plus, we talked to renowned chef Sean Sherman about his new cookbook.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Frybread” by Keith Secola and our Song of the Day was “None of my Hands” by Hiahli.

Minnesota Now
Minneapolis police criticized after handling three high-profile cases

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 11:10


The Minneapolis Police Department is facing criticism for how it handled three cases involving people of color who made multiple reports of violence to police. The city auditor is looking into the response in the cases of Davis Moturi and Allison Lussier in 2024. Last month, auditor Robert Timmerman publicly criticized MPD for missing meetings and slowing down the review. In response, assistant chief Katie Blackwell told officers to cooperate in an order reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Chief Brian O'Hara has also ordered an internal review of the police response to reports of domestic violence by a woman named Mariah Samuels. She was fatally shot in September and her ex-boyfriend is charged in her killing. The Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Liz Sawyer published an investigation of Samuels' case and has been covering the others, along with her colleagues. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain.

Panic: Queer True Crime
A Serial Killer in the Suburbs of Paris, The Death of a Small Town Legend, Domestic Violence in Harlem, A Repeat Offender, and a Black Trans State of Emergency

Panic: Queer True Crime

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2025 11:24


A Serial Killer in the Suburbs of Paris The first victim was spotted by a passerby on August 13, 2025, as officials fished the body out of the Seine in a suburb of Paris near a known gay cruising spot. Divers searching the area found another body, then another, then another. As investigators search for answers and other possible victims, speculation swirls about the motive for the murders.   The Murder of Ryan Godbey: A Family Seeks Justice Ryan Godbey, a beloved member of Canton's LGBTQ+ community, whose a disappearance and murder shocked the Canton, Ohio area in 2025. The arrest and charging of the ex-boyfriends answered some questions, leaving others wide open.  If you or anyone you know is the subject of violence, please use the resources below.  The Brutal Murder of Jacob Zieben-Hood? On August 1, 2025, 34-year-old Jacob Zieben-Hood was found stabbed to death in the Harlem apartment he shared with his husband, Donald Zieben-Hood. Behind their social media image of happiness was a history of domestic violence, protective orders, and escalating threats. From alleged strangulation in February to a knife threat in June, the abuse intensified. On July 31, Jacob called his father during another violent altercation. Hours later, he was dead. Donald was found with self-inflicted wounds and arrested for violating a protective order. Christopher Hunnisett: Vicar's Murderer Freed to Kill Again When the dismembered body of a Reverend Glazebrook was found, his lodger, Christopher Hunnisett, was arrested and put on trial, and found guilty. Acquitted of the vicar's murder, Hunnisett went on a crusade to kill as many "pedos" as he could. Studying investigative techniques, Hunnisett followed a tip to 57-year-old Peter Bick, whom he assumed was an abuser. Pretending to be a date, Hunnisett went to Bick's flat and murdered him. The details of this case are unusual, but in some ways they align with what I've been exploring in the next episode, which is the origins and legacy of the provocation defense. A State of Emergency. Three trans women of color, three cities, all lost to unsolved murderous violence. In Boston, Rita Hester's 1998 murder inspired the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Decades later, her name lives on with a dedicated green space, but justice was never served. Boston Police Department's Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470. You can also submit information anonymously by calling the Boston Police CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463). In Minneapolis, Ra'Lasia Wright, a beloved mentor, was found shot outside a home in 2024. Her loved ones still seek answers, and her case remains open. If you have information regarding the murder of Ra'Lasia Wright in Minneapolis, you can contact the police through several channels: Minneapolis Police Department tipline:  Email tips to policetips@minneapolismn.gov or leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845. In Detroit, Karmin Wells, cherished in the ballroom scene, was killed during what police call a setup date in 2025. Her killer hasn't been caught. CrimeStoppers (anonymous tips): Call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit information online at CrimeStoppersMN.org.  Tips leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a reward Detroit Police Dept: 313‑596‑2212 Crime Stoppers: 1‑800‑SPEAK‑UP Their lives and their senseless murders deserve justice. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE National Domestic Violence Hotline Phone: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Text: Text "START" to 88788 Live Chat & Information: thehotline.org Services are available 24/7, confidential, and support all individuals regardless of identity or background. If you or someone you know is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately. Additional Inclusive National and LGBTQ+-Specific Resources The Trevor Project Phone: 866-488-7386 Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24. LGBT National Hotline Phone: 888-843-4564 Confidential peer support, information, and resources for the LGBTQ+ community. Trans Lifeline Phone: 877-565-8860 Peer support and crisis intervention for trans and non-binary individuals. NYC Anti-Violence Project Phone: 212-714-1141 (24/7) Bilingual support for those affected by violence in the LGBTQ+ and HIV+ communities. loveisrespect (National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline) Phone: 1-866-331-9474, Text “LOVEIS” to 22522, or chat on loveisrespect.org Specifically for youth and young adults, including LGBTQ+. DomesticShelters.org Searchable directory covering shelters and services with LGBTQ+-inclusive filters. International and Specialized Resources Thank you, Mystic Magazine Global Resource Guide https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/  

Drivetime with DeRusha
What does Minneapolis City Council Member Linea Palmisano say about how MPD handled the shooting at Annunciation Church?

Drivetime with DeRusha

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2025 11:47


Jason talks with Minneapolis City Council Member Linea Palmisano about how they're stepping up in the community, having a small town feel, reservations from parents, being restricted by certain laws, Minneapolis Police Department's response, and more.

TODAY
Special Report: Active Shooter Contained at Minneapolis Church

TODAY

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 10:17


The Minneapolis Police Department confirmed that an active shooter allegedly opened fire at a church on the south side of Minneapolis – the city said there is no active threat at this time.

Chad Hartman
Jacob Frey on differing mentalities within the Democratic Party, dangerous rhetoric and working with Wolves/Lynx new ownership

Chad Hartman

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2025 19:01


Then, a conversation with the Mayor of Minneapolis Jacob Frey. They begin discussing Mayor Frey's newborn at home and how amazing his wife has been. They quickly change subjects and wade into the stripping of Omar Fateh's DFL endorsement in the upcoming Minneapolis Mayoral race. Chad asks Mayor Frey if he thinks this could backfire on his campaign and the DFL as public mistrust grows in the electoral process and party establishments. Chad asks Mayor Frey about the Target Center and talks he's had with their new ownership group. They also touch on the Minneapolis Police Department.

The Trail Went Cold
The Trail Went Cold - Episode 441 - The Klein Brothers

The Trail Went Cold

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2025 61:06


November 10, 1951. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Three brothers from the Klein family – eight-year old Kenneth, six-year old David and four-year old Danny – leave their residence to go play in nearby Farview Park, but they never return home. When a search effort is launched, the brothers' scents are tracked to a bank of the Mississippi River about a mile away. After two woollen caps are found on a layer of ice, the Minneapolis Police Department concludes that all three boys fell into the water and drowned. However, there are a number of suspicious details to make the boys' family suspect they were kidnapped and harmed, but even though the case is reinvestigated decades later, no trace of the Kenneth, David or Danny is ever found. On this week's episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unsolved disappearance of the Klein brothers, a rare case where three siblings went missing simultaneously. Special thanks to listener to Thomas Crow for narrating the opening of this episode. If you happen to have any information about this case, please contact the Minneapolis Police Department tip line at 612-692-TIPS (8477). Additional Reading: "The Lost Brothers: A Family's Decades-Long Search" by Jack El-Hai "Long Lost: An Investigative History Series" Podcast by Twin Cities PBS https://charleyproject.org/case/kenneth-thomas-klein-jr https://charleyproject.org/case/daniel-james-klein https://charleyproject.org/case/david-john-klein https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/the-lost-brothers-jack-el-hai/ https://racketmn.com/klein-brothers-missing-minnesota-cold-case https://www.inforum.com/news/the-vault/minnesotas-oldest-listed-missing-persons-case-what-happened-to-the-three-klein-brothers https://www.the-sun.com/news/us-news/7929332/missing-klein-brothers-murdered-detective/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

Meeting of Minds Podcast
Oklahoma Treasurer Todd Russ' Speech to Lululemon: Stop Partnering With Activist Organizations

Meeting of Minds Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 2:04


Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ gave this speech at Lululemon's annual meeting of shareholders recently, defending a shareholder proposal urging the company to back away from partnering with non-fiduciary corporate activist groups like the Human Rights Campaign, and take seriously the controversy caused by the company's previous donations to radical organizations like Black Lives Matter & Reclaim the Block (which called for the defunding of the Minneapolis Police Department). We present Treasurer Russ' speech here for our listeners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minnesota Now
1 dead, 5 injured by gunfire at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 10:15


A shooting at Boom Island Park near downtown Minneapolis left one woman dead and six injured Sunday night. Of those six, five people were shot. The Minneapolis Police Department said that the shooting happened at a gathering of more than a hundred people at the popular park. Sunday night's events prompted the city of Minneapolis to announce the launch of what it's calling ‘Operation Safe Summer' to curb the uptick in violence the city sees during the warmer months. Police Chief Brian O'Hara joined Minnesota Now to explain.

MPR News Update
DOJ lawsuit, federal consent decree with Minneapolis Police Department dismissed

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 4:53


Countermelody
Episode 362. No More Slavery Chains

Countermelody

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 73:31


Five years ago, I awoke to the horrifying news of the murder of George Floyd by a member of the Minneapolis Police Department. I had been working on cobbling together an episode on French Glamour, which quickly gave way instead to an impromptu episode of protest music through the ages which remains one of the Countermelody episodes of which I am most proud. Yesterday was the five-year commemoration of that horrific event, which sparked worldwide protests and which, for a while, seemed as if it might lead to systemic change. Five years later, we find ourselves in a true global nightmare. Almost everything that has changed has been for the worse, but my feelings about the system that has produced such calamity remains exactly the same as it has always been. For that reason, I am republishing that episode from five long years ago, in which I sought to “defer to those on the front lines to speak of their own experience and truth” in a program of protest music from the early twentieth century to the recent past. Nina Simone's song of rage “Mississippi Goddam” was a guiding force as I put the episode together, but we hear from a wide range of singers, from Donny Hathaway, Micki Grant, Pete Seeger, Mahalia Jackson, Odetta, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, to Joan Baez, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Paul Robeson, and Marlene Dietrich. If you don't want to hear a political program, for goddess's sake, keep away, but if you do want to be infuriated, engaged, and ultimately uplifted, please listen in. Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel's lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody's core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody's Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.

Minnesota Now
Report reviews one year of Minneapolis' progress in court-ordered police reform

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 11:15


The court-ordered reform process within the city of Minneapolis and its police department has reached a new phase. After George Floyd's murder, the state Department of Human Rights found that the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department engaged in patterns and practices of racial discrimination. It led to a court-ordered agreement, that now is being enforced by an independent monitor. On Tuesday, that monitor released a report that looks at the progress made in one full year of the agreement. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights commissioner Rebecca Lucero joined Minnesota Now to explain where things stand one year in.

Minnesota Now
Minnesota Now: May 20, 2025

Minnesota Now

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 55:09


The murder of George Floyd five years ago led to a court order that requires the Minneapolis Police Department and the city to fix a pattern of racial discrimination in policing. A new report outlines the reforms made so far, where progress has been slow and what's next. Minneapolis Council member Andrea Jenkins' district includes the block where Floyd was killed. We talked to her about George Floyd Square and why five years later, its future is still unclear. A Minnesota author grew up near an immigration detention center in California. His new book imagines the stories of Chinese immigrants who were there 100 years ago. Minnesota sports teams are racking up wins, but how far can they go? We got the latest from our sports contributors.Our Minnesota Music Minute was "This Joy" by VocalEssence and our Song of the Day was "Sweet Willow Tree" by The Nunnery.

Criminology
Nicki Lenway

Criminology

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 54:23


In 2022, Nicki Lenway was thirty-three years old and working as a crime scene investigator with the Minneapolis Police Department. She had a five-year-old son named Callahan with her ex-boyfriend, Tim Amacher. On April 20th, 2022, Nicki was shot multiple times while she was waiting in her car outside of a scheduled visitation between Tim and her son. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the case of Nicki Lenway. One of the gunshots hit Nicki in the neck and, even though she had a cell phone to call 911, she was unable to speak at all. Luckily, a stranger came to her aid. The issues between Nicki and Tim caused Tim to be a suspect from the beginning. There was one problem, though: he was inside visiting with his son when Nicky was shot. This gave him an airtight alibi. You can help support the show at patreon.com/criminology   An Emash Digital production

The Vault
Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots | PART 5

The Vault

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 17:06


In the final part of this series, we learn what the Minneapolis Police Department told Joli Truelson's family in a recent meeting -- and we learn the fate of her investigation.    For more information on Joli Truelson, including photos, visit: https://www.inforum.com/people/joli-truelson   For more information on Jon Keith Miller, visit: https://www.inforum.com/topics/true-crime   To contact Trisha Taurinskas, email ttaurinskas@forumcomm.com    Want to support The Vault? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Positive reviews help generate search visibility, which means more awareness for the cases we cover. 

MPR News Update
Minnesota soybean farmers nervous about trade war following increased tariffs on China

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 5:15


Be ready for the annual statewide tornado drill today in Minnesota. There will be two drills Thursday — the first at 1:45 p.m. That's aimed at people in schools, offices, stores and other businesses. The second drill is at 6:45 p.m. and aimed at people who are home, along with second-shift workers.The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says a lack of federal funding is forcing it to cancel plans to spray for invasive moths in parts of Minnesota this year.Minnesota veterans rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday, urging lawmakers to boost property tax relief for disabled veterans.A Ramsey County judge has dismissed a defamation claim from a Minneapolis Police Department leader who sued a conservative news outlet. Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell alleged Alpha News and content creator Liz Collin defamed her in a book and a video. Blackwell argued the video uses “deceptive framing and editing” to lie about her testimony in the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin.

MPR News Update
Police response at UnitedHealthcare in Minnetonka; Scanner listeners will no longer have access to live MPD communications

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 3:57


Minnetonka police say a person is in custody and there's no ongoing threat to the public, following a large police response to the United Healthcare corporate campus today.Starting tonight, the Minneapolis Police Department is encrypting its radio communications, making them inaccessible to scanner listeners. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

MPR News Update
Minnesota's revenue is up, but officials warn of unpredictable future

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 5:29


Be ready for the annual statewide tornado drill today in Minnesota. There will be two drills Thursday — the first at 1:45 p.m. That's aimed at people in schools, offices, stores and other businesses. The second drill is at 6:45 p.m. and aimed at people who are home, along with second-shift workers.The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says a lack of federal funding is forcing it to cancel plans to spray for invasive moths in parts of Minnesota this year.Minnesota veterans rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday, urging lawmakers to boost property tax relief for disabled veterans.A Ramsey County judge has dismissed a defamation claim from a Minneapolis Police Department leader who sued a conservative news outlet. Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell alleged Alpha News and content creator Liz Collin defamed her in a book and a video. Blackwell argued the video uses “deceptive framing and editing” to lie about her testimony in the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin.

MPR News Update
Annual statewide tornado drill in Minnesota at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 5:10


Be ready for the annual statewide tornado drill today in Minnesota. There will be two drills Thursday — the first at 1:45 p.m. That's aimed at people in schools, offices, stores and other businesses. The second drill is at 6:45 p.m. and aimed at people who are home, along with second-shift workers.The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says a lack of federal funding is forcing it to cancel plans to spray for invasive moths in parts of Minnesota this year.Minnesota veterans rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday, urging lawmakers to boost property tax relief for disabled veterans.A Ramsey County judge has dismissed a defamation claim from a Minneapolis Police Department leader who sued a conservative news outlet. Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell alleged Alpha News and content creator Liz Collin defamed her in a book and a video. Blackwell argued the video uses “deceptive framing and editing” to lie about her testimony in the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin.

The Vault
Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots | PART 2

The Vault

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 21:48


This is part 2 in the series, "Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots," which examines the devastating impact of a flawed investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department into the 1972 slaying of 16-year-old Joli Truelson – and her family's renewed fight for answers in the wake of a killer's confession.    Joli Truelson was picked up on the evening of July 3, 1972 in Uptown Minneapolis by a man driving a newer model, gold-colored, two-door vehicle. Her body was discovered 15 hours later in Minnehaha Creek, four miles away. She died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head, insinuating that she was running away from her attacker. Critical evidence was thrown away, including the possible murder weapon. Since then, her case has gone cold.    Joli Truelson's brother, though, always thought her death could be linked to a similar crime: the death of 25-year-old Mary Schlais in 1974.    On Nov. 7, 2024, Jon K Miller, 84, confessed to picking up Mary Schlais while she was hitchhiking in Minneapolis. When she refused to have sex with him, he stabbed her 15 times. He drove to Dunn County, Wisconsin – roughly 90 miles away – and dumped her body in a ditch.    An eyewitness saw it all – and called it in to authorities. He described the man as being in his mid-30s with mid-length brown hair. He described the vehicle as a newer model, gold-colored, two-door car. The killer went more than 50 years without being caught, until advancements in DNA led authorities to Jon K Miller's rural Minnesota assisted living facility door. When confronted with evidence, he confessed.     With the help of Joli Truelson's family, this series digs deep into the life and criminal history of Jon K Miller, attempting to answer the question: Did he murder Joli Truelson?    Jon K Miller has been questioned in Joli Truelson's murder investigation, but has not been charged with any crimes related to her death.    The Vault is a Forum Communications podcast.    This episode is hosted by investigative reporter Trisha Taurinksas. To reach Trisha, email her at ttaurinskas@forumcomm.com   For more information on this case, visit https://www.inforum.com/people/joli-truelson

The Vault
Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots | PART 1

The Vault

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 24:19


This series examines the devastating impact of a flawed investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department into the 1972 slaying of 16-year-old Joli Truelson – and her family's renewed fight for answers in the wake of a killer's confession.    Joli Truelson was picked up on the evening of July 3, 1972 in Uptown Minneapolis by a man driving a newer model, gold-colored, two-door vehicle. Her body was discovered 15 hours later in Minnehaha Creek, four miles away. She died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head, insinuating that she was running away from her attacker. Critical evidence was thrown away, including the possible murder weapon. Since then, her case has gone cold.    Joli Truelson's brother, though, always thought her death could be linked to a similar crime: the death of 25-year-old Mary Schlais in 1974.    On Nov. 7, 2024, Jon K Miller, 84, confessed to picking up Mary Schlais while she was hitchhiking in Minneapolis. When she refused to have sex with him, he stabbed her 15 times. He drove to Dunn County, Wisconsin – roughly 90 miles away – and dumped her body in a ditch.    An eyewitness saw it all – and called it in to authorities. He described the man as being in his mid-30s with mid-length brown hair. He described the vehicle as a newer model, gold-colored, two-door car. The killer went more than 50 years without being caught, until advancements in DNA led authorities to Jon K Miller's rural Minnesota assisted living facility door. When confronted with evidence, he confessed.     With the help of Joli Truelson's family, this series digs deep into the life and criminal history of Jon K Miller, attempting to answer the question: Did he murder Joli Truelson?    Jon K Miller has been questioned in Joli Truelson's murder investigation, but has not been charged with any crimes related to her death.    The Vault is a Forum Communications podcast.    This episode is hosted by investigative reporter Trisha Taurinksas.    For more information on this case, visit https://www.inforum.com/people/joli-truelson  

MPR News with Angela Davis
Minneapolis to Montgomery: The Police and Black Men Project

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 46:35


MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests continue the conversation about the Minneapolis Police Department and an ambitious effort led by the Police and Black Men Project.

MPR News with Angela Davis
Minneapolis to Montgomery: The Police and Black Men Project

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 46:35


Wednesday on this program, we aired an audio documentary about a group of Minneapolis police officers and community members, who recently took a trip to Montgomery, Alabama to tour museums and historical sites. MPR News host Angela Davis was invited to go along with them and record their discussions about what they saw and learned. This hour, Angela and her guests continue the conversation about the Minneapolis Police Department and an ambitious effort led by the Police and Black Men Project. Guests:Bill Doherty is a professor emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota and expert on marriage and family therapy. Bill is a co-founder of the Police and Black Men Project. Guy Bowling is a fatherhood leader and speaker, the former director of the FATHER Project in the Twin Cities and a 2020 Bush Fellow. He is also a co-founder of the Police and Black Men Project.  Charles Adams is an inspector for Minneapolis Police Department's Fourth Precinct. He's been with MPD since 1987 and is a member of the Police and Black Men Project.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

MPR News with Angela Davis
Reporter's notebook: Minneapolis police, Black men find common ground in Alabama's past

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 53:42


Editor's note: This story includes a racial slur.I'm often asked about my favorite stories I've covered as a reporter. That's a hard question to answer after spending 35 years working in journalism, most of them as a local television reporter.Rarely does anyone ask about my hardest moments. That question brings to mind a very vivid memory. In December 2015, I stood in the middle of Plymouth Avenue in north Minneapolis facing the Minneapolis Police Department's 4th Precinct building, watching angry officers and defiant community members clash.Days earlier, police had shot and killed Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man, during a confrontation. Community members wanted answers. Protesters blockaded the entrance to the 4th Precinct and the street outside.In front of me stood armed officers in riot helmets telling the crowd to disperse, and protesters screaming back and holding their ground. I saw the handcuffs come out and arrests happen. Police pulled down a “Black Lives Matter” banner from the building as they cleared out a spreading encampment. I could feel the distrust and rage between the mostly Black residents and mostly white officers.The shooting and its aftermath pushed Minnesota to the center of a painful national debate over police, people of color and deadly force. Months later, the Twin Cities would be torn again by another police shooting of a Black man, Philando Castile. In 2020 came George Floyd, killed by a Minneapolis police officer as he lay handcuffed and face down in the street, pleading that he couldn't breathe.‘You want me to go where? With who?'Nine years after witnessing the battle for the 4th Precinct, I got a message from a manager at MPR News, where I host a morning talk show. The bosses wanted me to travel to Montgomery, Ala., a city at the center of the slave trade and the Civil Rights Movement, with a contingent that included 4th Precinct officers. Reading the message, remembering what I witnessed in 2015 and the department's history of dysfunction and accusations of violence, I thought, “You want me to go where? With who? Why?” Turns out there was a good reason for the ask. Emerging from the killings of Clark and Castile, a small group, the Police and Black Men Project, had formed to talk about the roots of their distrust. They included Minneapolis police officers, Black and white, along with Black community members, leaders of nonprofits, government agencies and private businesses. Some were once incarcerated. All have strong opinions about law enforcement. Group members have met regularly the past eight years.They went to Montgomery in 2023 to tour museums and historical sites. They wanted to do something bigger in 2024, to go back to Alabama with a larger group and wider audience. They called MPR News.Nine years after Jamar Clark's killing, I was called again to witness police and Black men but in a very different way.We were invited to go along in December and record the group's private discussions as they processed what they had seen and heard at each of the tour stops. Our team included editor and producer Stephen Smith and freelance photographer Desmon Williams, who goes by “Dolo.”In their conversations, this group explored a significant part of American history, one many people still struggle to discuss and understand or even acknowledge.400 years of racial terror: Inside The Legacy MuseumWe arrived in Montgomery on a Tuesday afternoon after flying from Minneapolis to Atlanta and then renting SUVs for the two-hour drive. The weather was terrible. Torrential rain and dangerous driving conditions. I wondered if it was some sort of sign of what's to come. We gathered with the group — all men — for dinner, the first of many meals these men would share. I discovered some of them have known each other for years and others are still getting to know each other.  The next morning, the officers and community members filed out of a hotel in downtown Montgomery, all dressed the same — hooded sweatshirts with artwork on the back and the words “Black Men and Police Project” and “Peace” and “Alabama 2024.” On the back, there's an image of a handshake between a black and a white hand with the downtown Minneapolis skyline in the background.The design was created by teenagers in a life-skills mentoring program run by group member Jamil Jackson. It's called Change Equals Opportunity. Jackson is also head basketball coach at Minneapolis Camden High School and one of the founders of Freedom Fighters, which focuses on public safety.Throughout the next few days these sweatshirts would turn heads. Passersby would ask them questions about the Police and Black Men Project as the group walked down the street and waited in lines at restaurants and museums.On this day, our first stop is The Legacy Museum. This is a place to learn about 400 years of American history involving slavery, racial terrorism, legalized segregation and mass incarceration in a way that pulls you into the past. The museum sits on the site of a cotton warehouse where enslaved Black people were forced to work when the cotton economy drove American slavery. I can't bring my microphone in for what seems to me an excellent reason — to respect the solemnity of a museum dedicated to the memory of a national atrocity.Organized evilMoments after stepping into the first area of the exhibit space, you find yourself in darkness, standing in what looks, feels and sounds like the bottom of the ocean. You're introduced to the terrifying expanse of the Atlantic Ocean that more than 13 million Africans were forced to cross in slave ships. Nearly 2 million of them died in this Middle Passage.You're surrounded by underwater sculptures of human bodies, looking at what appears to be the heads, shoulders and arms of enslaved Africans who died after being chained together and then forced onto ships during the transatlantic slave trade. Many of them died from illnesses on the ships due to the horrific conditions. Their bodies were thrown in the ocean. The facial expressions portray horror and despair. As you look at them or try not to, you're hearing the sounds of waves.Later in the day in small group discussions, I listened to the officers and community members discuss what it was like to walk through this display. Several described the experience of feeling shook to the core as they took in this particular scene at the start of the tour. George Warzinik, a sergeant in the Minneapolis 4th Precinct, said later he was shocked by the organized evil of lynching.“My image was always this mob stormed the police station or something, the officers are overwhelmed or whatever, looked away. But there was a headline that said there's a lynching scheduled for tomorrow at 5 o'clock. This is cold calculated. This is, it's booked, it's scheduled, and the governor said he couldn't do anything about it. The governor!” said Warzinik.“We're not talking about the local police guy down there with two, two deputies who's overwhelmed. So, the kind of organizational part of it, you know, that's just really struck me.”As we continue to walk through the exhibit spaces, we move into a section about mass incarceration. You can sit down on a stool and pick up a phone and watch a video that depicts a prisoner welcoming your visit. Each person tells you about the conditions inside the prison and declares their innocence in a crime that landed them behind bars. These are stories told by real incarcerated people.It was after sitting through these video testimonials that I needed a break and went and sat in the women's restroom for a few minutes.‘Not a glimmer of hope'Later in the museum cafeteria filled with students, we met for lunch over delicious soul food to talk about what we've seen. Moving into small groups in a private room, I heard the men share their thoughts about what they'd seen.Like Warzinik, group leader Bill Doherty was struck by the banal efficiency of enslaving and terrorizing people. A retired University of Minnesota professor, his family foundation helped pay for the trip in 2024.“One of the things I got this time is that it takes organization and big systems to do this kind of evil. It's not just in the hearts of individuals,” he said. “I never knew how much the banking system was involved in, in slavery and the slave trade, but slaves were collateral for loans. So the banks were supporting the system by saying, ‘Yeah, you got 12 slaves. I'll lend you this money.' Oh my goodness,” he said.Sherman Patterson, vice president of a Minneapolis nonprofit called Lights On!, noted a quote on the wall about the loss of hope: “I was taught that there was hope after the grave. I lost all hope after I was sold to the South.”“Just think about that, what that's saying,” said Patterson. “That's just, not a glimmer of hope. That's just pure hell. And then the woman who was raped several times and had the kid by her master and she defended herself and killed him and then the justice system said you have no right to defend yourself,” said Patterson, one of the elders in this group.“I grew up in Savannah, Georgia,” he added. “I grew up in true segregation as a kid up until 1975 and saw those things. My grandmother was born in 1919 and sitting on a porch watching her be calling the nigger and all of this here. We could not go downtown in certain places because we were taught you can't, you better not, and this is what you do. So there is anger, but being with this group, this is why we're here. There's hope. There is hope and we're moving forward.”We stop next at the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. It's a 17-acre site overlooking the Alabama River and the city of Montgomery. On this river, tens of thousands of enslaved people were transported in chains to the slave market. Many, many thousands toiled in fields and factories up and down the Alabama River. And Montgomery was one of the largest slave-trading centers in the United States.‘One heart, and it bleeds the same color'On Day 2, we went to First Baptist Church on the edge of downtown Montgomery. It's a handsome red brick building with a bell tower and a large, round stained glass window. First Baptist was founded in 1867. It is one of the first Black churches in the Montgomery area and became one of the largest Black churches in the South. It played a huge role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a close friend and associate of Martin Luther King Jr., was pastor.In the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and 1956, First Baptist was a community organizing center. During the Freedom Rides of 1961, this church was besieged for a time by a huge white mob threatening to burn it down.I'd been looking forward to this visit. I grew up in Black Baptist churches in rural communities in southern Virginia. My grandparents raised me, and my grandfather was the pastor of several churches when I was a child. We were greeted in the parking lot by an older Black man, Deacon Emeritus Howard Davis, who reminded me of my grandfather. Davis, 81, was baptized at the church and spent his entire life there as an active member and leader. He greeted each of the men in the group with a smile and a handshake. He shared a bit of the history of the church and the role the building and the people who sat inside it played during the Civil Rights Movement.He described how his family taught him to stay away from white people, particularly white women and girls, and how to this day white women make him nervous. He understands the flip side of that and how white children were told to stay away from Black people and fear them, and how that affects how many of them view Black people today.He also spoke of the modern day challenges that Black people face. He took questions from men in the group and didn't hesitate to shake his head at times and admit he didn't have the answer. At one point one of the group members asked him to pray for them, and he did.Our next stop was Montgomery's former Greyhound Bus Station, now the Freedom Rides Museum. In 1961, teams of volunteers from the North and South challenged the Jim Crow practice of racially-segregated travel on buses and trains in the South. The Freedom Riders were mostly young people, Black and white. They were arrested for violating state and local segregation laws by riding together and ignoring the segregated seating. Local police in many southern towns let the Ku Klux Klan and other mobs attack them.Here, I recorded audio of an interview with community member Brantley Johnson. He reflected on what he saw and how he felt about going on this trip. Johnson said he ran with a gang in Minneapolis and ended up in prison. “When I got out, I promised my kids that I would never leave them again.” He's been part of regular meetings around the 4th Precinct and has been trying to work on ways to build trust between police officers and residents.“We have to meet them at their hardest moments, just like they have to meet us at our hardest moments,” he said of the police. “Because at the end of the day, we all have one heart, and it bleeds the same color, no matter what.”Later, we head to the Rosa Parks Museum on the campus of Troy University. Parks played a pivotal role in the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott. She refused to give up her seat in the so-called “colored section” so that a white woman could have it. Parks was arrested for violating the local bus segregation law. In response, Montgomery's Black community boycotted the bus system for more than a year. The protest brought King, then a local pastor, to national prominence and led eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court declaring bus segregation unconstitutional.Our last two stops on this trip are a walking tour of downtown Montgomery and then the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It's a profoundly moving 6-acre site in downtown Montgomery. Out of respect for the solemnity of this space, we've been asked not to record audio during the visit. The group splits into smaller groups and scatters in different directions. I follow a group up a hill to what's known as the lynching memorial. I've been there before. A year ago while attending a conference in Birmingham, my husband and I drove to Montgomery to visit The Legacy Museum and the memorial.  I found a monument with the name of a city very close to where I grew up, Danville, Va. The first name on the monument was of a man whose last name was Davis and I took a picture of it. Edward Davis, 11.03.1883. That's when he was lynched. I wonder if we're related.Courage to say ‘No'We return to Minneapolis, where the temperature is in single digits, a little colder than the 50s in Alabama.Not only is the weather different, the men appear different than they were when we gathered at the gate to board our flight days earlier.  That morning they were relaxed, even joking around with one another. Now the mood is more somber and the facial expressions appear to be more reflective. I sense a new confidence in them. To me they look like they are ready to approach future interactions with more knowledge and understanding, more empathy.At different points of the trip, many of the men said they were surprised by how much of the history of this country is not taught in schools. Some seemed troubled by how much they didn't know.The group disperses at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. I can tell everyone's eager to go home. I know I am. I want to be alone with my thoughts and there's a lot to think about.Like, how does one person change things? How does a small group bring change to a whole police department? How does a small group of community members bring change to a whole city?When I get home, I immediately start to unpack. Most of my souvenirs are clothes, including the navy blue T-shirt I bought at the Rosa Parks Museum. It has a small drawing of her face on the right sleeve and on the front there's one word followed by a period.It simply says “No.”Rosa Parks became famous for the moment in time when she'd had enough of racial segregation, injustice and violence. She said no. When I saw that shirt hanging on a wall in the museum gift shop I screamed “Yes!” I searched for my size and bought it.Back at home in St. Paul, I'm wondering why that shirt speaks to my heart in such a profound way? I think it's because it represents a response from a Black woman living at a time when America was at a breaking point. Much like I feel we are today. And the answer to the problem on that day on the bus for Rosa Parks, was a bold refusal to continue on the same path.It takes courage to say no when it's easier and safer to say yes.What I saw in each of the men I spent four days with in Montgomery was a bold refusal to continue on the same path.  Angela Davis' behind-the-scenes photos from Alabama Each brought curiosity to every site we visited. Each brought an understanding they have a lot to learn. Each sought a way to take something they learned in Montgomery back to Minneapolis and put it to work, taking law enforcement and community relations in a different direction.History has shown us where racial segregation and abuse of power lead. My question is this: What will you say when presented with circumstances that don't feel fair and equitable? What will you do when you are encouraged to go along to get along, even if those actions reinforce racism and division? Will you say “No”?Angela Davis hosts MPR News with Angela Davis, a weekday talk show that airs at 9 a.m. She's been a journalist for more than 30 years in the Twin Cities and across the country.

MPR News with Angela Davis
Minneapolis police, Black men find common ground in Alabama's past

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 53:42


The Minneapolis Police Department has spent a lot of time in the national spotlight for all the wrong reasons.It's operating under a court-ordered agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights after investigators in 2022 found a pattern of racism in Minneapolis policing that violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act.In late December, MPD and the U.S. Justice Department reached an agreement on a federal consent decree that would mandate additional changes. It still needs the approval of a federal judge, who has not set a timeline for considering it.Going forward, how can Minneapolis build trust between police and community members?MPR News host Angela Davis presents an audio documentary about her experiences traveling to Montgomery, Ala., with a group of Minneapolis police officers and Black community members working to bridge the divide.They're part of an ambitious effort called the Police and Black Men Project. Eight years ago, following the police killing of Philando Castile in a Twin Cities suburb, the group started meeting regularly to talk about repairing and building relationships between police and the people they serve.On the Alabama trip, they toured museums and historical sites telling the story of slavery, racial segregation and mass incarceration in America. Then they sat down in small groups and talked about what they'd seen and heard.The goal was to connect the past to the present, create a better understanding of the distrust that exists today and learn how to talk about it. They invited Angela and producer Stephen Smith to tag along, observe and record their intimate discussions.Listen to Angela's Alabama scrapbook and check out her reporter's notebook story online that's filled with insights and photos from the trip.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full audio documentary.     

MPR News Update
Minneapolis Police Department clarifies policy on questioning immigration status. St. Paul clears encampment

MPR News Update

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 5:56


With days to go before president-elect Donald Trump returns to office with mass deportation plans, the Minneapolis Police Department has clarified its policy on questioning immigration status. Police Chief Brian O'Hara has said MPD has a longstanding policy of not enforcing immigration law.Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday rolled out his proposed 2025 budget. He says it would curb the growth of costs for transportation for special education and for waivers for in-home services for people with disabilities. And St. Paul on Thursday closed a homeless encampment where more than 40 people were living in tents near the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. City outreach teams and volunteers had been on site helping people move. City officials say some of the residents are moving into temporary or permanent housing. This is a MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.Find these headlines and more at mprnews.org.Walz unveils slimmer Minnesota budget, pitches sales tax cutSt. Paul clears encampment near Mississippi RiverRead the latest edition of the Minnesota Today newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Up First
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform

Up First

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 13:16


Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he is resigning, only 15 detainees remain at the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay and the Minneapolis Police Department is now under federal oversight, nearly five years after the murder of George Floyd. For more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Nick Spicer, Barrie Hardymon, Cheryl Corley, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Ben Abrams. We get engineering support from David Greenberg, and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Majority Report with Sam Seder
2389 -Minneapolis Policing; Fight For Public Renewables w/ Michelle S. Phelps, Gabriel Hetland

The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2024 75:43


It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! She speaks with Michelle Phelps, professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota, to discuss her recent book The Minneapolis Reckoning: Race, Violence, and the Politics of Policing in America. Then she speaks with Gabriel Hetland, associate professor of Latin American, Caribbean & Latino studies at SUNY Albany, to discuss his recent piece on the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) published in The Nation entitled "This Solar Panel Kills Fascists." First, Emma runs through updates on Biden's lame duck action, AOC's bid for Dem lead on Congressional oversight, Meta's Trump donation, Fetterman's support for Trump's cabinet, Manchin-Sinema hand the NLRB to Trump, Trump's ICE reform, the Albertsons-Kroger lawsuit, LA's new minimum wage policy, the NYT Tech Guild, and the UK's puberty blocker ban, also watching Joy Reid and Elizabeth Warren unpack the dangers of the GOP's attack on the CFPB. Professor Michelle Phelps then joins, diving right into the start of her research on Minneapolis' relationship with policing at the first peak of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2016, originally wrapping up in 2019 before the murder of George Floyd – and the global (and Minneapolis-based) abolitionist movement that followed – brought this topic back to the fore of her research, as she unpacks the direct correlation between communities being at heightened risk of police violence also being the ones most at risk of the community violence said police are supposed to prevent, creating a complicated relationship between being the community most in need of public safety reform AND the community most in need of public safety systems writ large. As she walks through Minneapolis' reaction and overwhelming abolitionist organizing effort in response to the murder of George Floyd, Professor Phelps explores the amorphous relationship between police and crime, and the relationship race and poverty have to both, which puts marginalized communities in such a tight bind when it comes to mitigating all violence, and the ultimate need to rethink where to investment to most benefit public safety. Expanding on the story in Minneapolis, Michelle and Emma unpack the evolution of the political establishment pushback to the abolitionist movement, tackling the relationship between Mayor Frye and the Minneapolis Police Department and the economic incentive of being an entertainment destination for suburbanites, before wrapping up with the ultimate sentencing of killer Cop Derek Chauvin and the minimal reciprocity it provided. Professor Gabriel Hetland then walks Emma through the genuinely incredible “New York State Build Public Renewables Act,” unpacking its plan for a green energy transition and the creation and maintenance of a robust clean energy grid bolstered by union labor, an investment in low and moderate-income workers, and an emphasis on public input and ownership. Expanding on this, Professor Hetland tackles New York's growing problem of skyrocketing energy costs and the fundamental fact of renewable energy's lack of profitability, wrapping up by emphasizing the importance of a shift away from private- and profit-driven energy systems. And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Matt Binder as they watch Jesse Watters gleefully call for the abuse of UnitedHealth CEO killer Luigi Mangione, Jake from Dallas calls in to discuss Texas education, and Tyler from Cleveland tackles divesting from Israel. They also reflect on an incredibly inspirational congressional tenure from Cori Bush and the danger of letting right-wing money invade Democratic primaries, Ben Shapiro goes to war with his audience over the Healthcare CEO killer and Bill Burr, and Andrew Ferguson's dangerous blueprint for his FTC chairmanship comes out – and gives important insight into what “right-wing populism” actually entails. Plus, your calls and IMs! Check out Michelle's book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691245980/the-minneapolis-reckoning Follow Gabriel on Twitter here: https://x.com/gabrielhetland Check out Gabriel's piece here: https://www.thenation.com/article/environment/build-public-renewable-act-draft-strategic-plan/ Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com: https://fans.fm/majority/join Follow us on TikTok here!: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here!: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here!: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here!: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Join Sam on the Nation Magazine Cruise! 7 days in December 2024!!: https://nationcruise.com/mr/ Check out StrikeAid here!; https://strikeaid.com/ Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: http://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 20% off your purchase! Check out today's sponsors: Tushy:  Give the gift of practical luxury that benefits everyone in your household.  Go to https://HelloTushy.com/TMR now to grab your deal before it's gone!  Don't forget to give us a shout out while you're there and let them know we sent you. Henson Shaving:  It's time to say no to subscriptions and yes to a razor that'll last you a lifetime. Visit https://hensonshaving.com/sam to pick the razor for you and use code SAM to get a free shave cream with your razor–just make sure to add it to your cart. Sunset Lake CBD: Sunsetlakecbd is a majority employee owned farm in Vermont, producing 100% pesticide free CBD products. Use code Leftisbest and get 20% off at http://www.sunsetlakecbd.com. Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BradKAlsop Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder - https://majorityreportradio.com/

Failure To Stop
627. BREAKDOWN: Deadly Ambush of Officer Jamal Mitchell

Failure To Stop

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 56:38


Former Raleigh Police officer Eric breaks down the body-worn camera video released by Minneapolis Police Department which captured the May 30th shooting that left one officer dead, as well as the man who ambushed him. Officer Jamal Mitchell was taken by surprise by a man who was pretending to be injure, but who instead opened fire on his would-be rescuer. The hearts of Minneapolis bleed little for this officer cut down in the line of duty-- make no mistake about it, for them not all lives matter. There were no marches or movements or riots for a man who decided to spend his career in service to his community and a man who laid down his life trying to help another. In Minneapolis, you're only worthy of fiery outrage if die after you're stopped from trying to pass a fake check while high on fentanyl-- then you go down as a martyr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices