A journal exploring the history and culture of Minnesota communities. Inform these stories: mprnews.org/nsj
North Star Journey
Claim This Podcastby MPR News
5.0(4 reviews)
170 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
55
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality79
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YouTube0
Engagement76
Podcast Overview
A journal exploring the history and culture of Minnesota communities. Inform these stories: mprnews.org/nsj
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/4/2023
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55
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality79
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Engagement76
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Recent Episodes
May 19, 2026
'We stay the course.' Minnesota historians react to the push to patriotize history
<p>Last March, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/" class="default">Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History</a>.”</p><br/><p>It mandated a shift in how American history is portrayed in federal institutions, with a goal of eliminating “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology.”</p><br/><p>Instead, according to the executive order, the focus should be on a more “patriotic” narrative. And to ensure that happens, funding was cut for anything that “degrades shared American values” or “divides Americans by race.”</p><br/><p>This order applied largely to federal institutions, like the Smithsonian museums and the National Parks System.</p><br/><p>But here in Minnesota, the funding restrictions and shifts in ideology were felt immediately. History museum directors and curators — the people who collect and keep Minnesota history — were alarmed at what might be coming their way.</p><br/><p>So what happened? Were their fears realized?</p><br/><p>North Star Journey Live went to Mankato to find out. At the annual conference for the <a href="https://www.mnhistoryalliance.org/" class="default">Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums</a>, Angela Davis hosted a live discussion to talk about the ramifications of the federal order in Minnesota. </p><br/><p><strong>Guests:</strong> </p><br/><ul><li>Jessica Potter, executive director of the <a href="https://blueearthcountyhistory.com/" class="default">Blue Earth County Historical Society</a></li><li>Dave Nichols, executive director of the <a href="https://rchistory.org/" class="default">Rice County Historical Society</a></li><li>Mai Vang Huizel, founder and director of the <a href="https://www.hmongmuseummn.org/" class="default">Hmong Museum</a></li><li><a href="https://hss.mnsu.edu/academic-programs/history/faculty-and-staff/kyle-ward/" class="default">Kyle Ward</a>, director of the social studies education program at Minnesota State University Mankato</li></ul><br/><br/><p><strong>Subscribe to MPR News with Angela Davis on </strong><strong><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mpr-news-with-angela-davis/id1445601454" class="apm-link default">Apple Podcasts</a></strong><strong>, </strong><strong><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7fVFs4Izmen2xrNROtQdh7" class="apm-link default">Spotify</a></strong><strong> or </strong><strong><a href="https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/mpr-news-with-angela-davis" class="apm-link default">RSS</a></strong><strong>.</strong></p>
March 31, 2026
'For such a time as this': Faith leaders reflect on the federal immigration surge
<p>When federal agents surged into Minnesota in January, communities didn’t just face a legal issue. They faced a moral one. </p><br/><p>Faith leaders showed up. Churches became distribution hubs for food and diapers. Nonprofits organized ride shares and distributed rent money. Clergy mobilized to protest, sing, champion and, in some cases, face arrest. “Our faith compels us,” was the common refrain. </p><br/><p>“Operation Metro Surge” is over now. But churches, mosques, synagogues and faith-based nonprofits say their work is just ramping up. </p><br/><p>A group of faith leaders joined MPR News host Angela Davis for a North Star Journey Live event at our studios in downtown St. Paul on Thursday, March 26, to talk about what they experienced on the front lines of the immigration enforcement surge and how their faith both compelled and comforted them. They also shared gifts from their own faith traditions to help Minnesotans process our collective moral injury.</p><br/><div class="apm-gallery"><br/> <div class="apm-gallery-title">For such a time as this</div><br/> <ul class="apm-gallery-slides"><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> <li class="apm-slide"><br/> <br/> </li><br/> </ul><br/></div><br/><br/><p><strong>Guests:</strong> </p><br/><ul><li>JaNaé Bates Imari is a minister and the co-executive director of <a href="https://www.isaiahmn.org/" class="default">ISAIAH</a>, a multi-racial, multi-faith, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities in Minnesota.</li><li><a href="https://www.sanpablostpaul.org/meet-pastor-hierald.html" class="default">Rev. Hierald Osorto</a> is senior pastor of St. Paul's-San Pablo Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, a multicultural, multilingual, inclusive Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregation.</li><li><a href="https://shirtikvahmn.org/staff" class="default">Rabbi Arielle Lekach Rosenberg</a> is lead rabbi at Shir Tikvah Synagogue, a reform congregation in south Minneapolis.</li><li>Imam Mowlid Ali serves as an imam and youth counselor at <a href="https://abuubakar.org/" class="default">Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center</a> in Minneapolis.</li></ul><br/><br/><p><strong>Subscribe to MPR News with Angela Davis on </strong><strong><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mpr-news-with-angela-davis/id1445601454" class="default">Apple Podcasts</a></strong><strong>, </strong><strong><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7fVFs4Izmen2xrNROtQdh7" class="default">Spotify</a></strong><strong> or </strong><strong><a href="https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/mpr-news-with-angela-davis" class="default">RSS</a></strong><strong>.</strong> </p>
November 26, 2025
Mistaken: Minnesota’s Korean adoptees grapple with confessed systemic corruption
<p>Earlier this year, South Korea’s government admitted that widespread <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/nx-s1-5341514/after-complaints-south-korea-admits-that-it-mishandled-adoptions" class="default">corruption had tainted hundreds of thousands of adoptions</a> from its country. Babies who were thought to be orphaned had living parents. Some children were trafficked. Paperwork was falsified. Records were destroyed.</p><br/><p>Korean adoptees worldwide were left reeling, including here in Minnesota, home to the largest population of Korean adoptees in the U.S. Many had already wrestled with questions of identity and racial and cultural belonging. Now even the small bits of information they had about their past could no longer be trusted.</p><br/><p>How are Korean adoptees who call Minnesota home responding to this foundational earthquake? Earlier this month, MPR News’ North Star Journey Live project hosted a gathering of adoptees who are deeply invested in the search for truth about their origin stories at <a href="https://www.arbeiterbrewing.com/" class="default">Arbeiter Brewing</a> in Minneapolis. </p><br/><p>Moderated by Twin Cities PBS reporter Kaomi Lee, who is herself an adoptee, the panel shared their personal histories and how the work they do today is moving the narrative forward. </p><br/><p><strong>Guests:</strong> </p><br/><ul><li><strong>Kaomi Lee</strong> is a <a href="https://www.tpt.org/post/connecting-minnesota-one-story-time/" class="default">reporter at Twin Cities PBS</a>. She is also the host of <a href="https://adaptedpodcast.com/" class="default">Adapted</a>, one of the longest running Korean adoptee podcasts.</li><li><strong>Ami Nafzger</strong> has been working on behalf of Korean adoptees for decades as the founder of the Korean-based <a href="https://goal.or.kr/" class="default">GOAL</a> (Global Overseas Adoptees’ Link) and the newer Minnesota-based <a href="https://www.adopteehub.org/aboutus" class="default">Adoptee Hub</a>. </li><li><strong>Matt McNiff</strong> is the board president and director at <a href="https://campchoson.org/" class="default">Camp Choson</a>, one of many Korean culture camps started in the Upper Midwest in response to the wave of adoptions from Korea. </li><li><strong>Cam Lee Small</strong> is a <a href="https://therapyredeemed.com/" class="default">licensed clinical therapist</a> who specializes in <a href="https://www.adoptionliteracy.com/" class="default">adoption literacy</a>, working both here in the Twin Cities and online. He’s also the author of “<a href="https://therapyredeemed.com/ivp-book-release/" class="default">The Adoptee’s Journey</a>.”</li><li><strong>Mary Niedermeyer</strong> is the CEO of <a href="https://www.capiusa.org/" class="default">Communities Advocating Prosperity for Immigrants</a>, also known as CAPI, a Minnesota-based nonprofit.</li></ul><br/><br/><p>Find a resource guide to learn more <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2025/11/26/mistaken-minnesotas-korean-adoptees-grapple-with-confessed-systemic-corruption" class="default">about this topic at MPRnews.org</a>.</p>
170 total episodes available
Recent guests on North Star Journey
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Dalton Outlaw
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Ruby Leith Minkel
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Carrie Minkel-Johnson
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Lea B Olsen
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Daniel Bergin
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Stacie Stanley
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Angela Harrelson
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Anthony Taylor
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Jeanelle Austin
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Jerome Richardson
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Signe Harriday
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Tabitha Montgomery
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This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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