After a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd, calls for justice were loud and urgent. 

Some community leaders began asking: How do we make real, lasting change — especially when it comes to racial and economic justice? 

That question sparked the creation of the Groundbreak Coalition — a multibillion-dollar effort to close the racial wealth gap by rethinking how we invest in homes, businesses, and communities. 

Listen to a conversation moderated by MPR News host Angela Davis about how a moment of crisis inspired a long-term strategy to build Black wealth — and why economic justice is essential to racial justice. 

The discussion was recorded at a national conference in Minneapolis organized by the Council on Foundations.

Panelists:

• Tonya Allen is president of the McKnight Foundation whose leadership has helped shape a philanthropic vision rooted in equity and systemic change. She is also the chair of the Groundbreak Coalition. 
• R.T. Rybak is the CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation and former mayor of Minneapolis. 
• David Mortenson is the chairman of M.A. Mortenson Company — one of the nation’s leading construction and real estate development firms. He also serves on the board of directors for the Mortenson Family Foundation. 

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.     

Many of us have an intuitive sense that spending some time outside is good for us — and in recent years, science is backing that up.  

Whether it’s going on a walk down a tree-lined street, splashing in a lake or just eating outside with a view of a garden, spending time in a natural setting can boost our mood.  

And that’s not all.

Growing research shows that spending time in nature can lower blood pressure, improve attention and reduce symptoms of ADHD, prevent near sightedness and strengthen the immune system.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a health researcher and the director of a nature center about the healing power of the outdoors and ways to incorporate more nature into your summer.

Guests:

• Cathy Jordan is a pediatric neuropsychologist and a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Her research interests focus on how environments, especially natural environments, shape children’s physical and mental development and health. She is also a consulting research director for the Children & Nature Network based in St. Paul.
• Colleen Foehrenbacher is the executive director of Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro. The center is situated in 250 acres of restored prairie and mixed hardwood forest and runs a nature-based preschool, field trips for and other outdoor education programs for children, families and adults.  

Partisan polarization has long been a fact of political life in the United States. And it seems like politics is everywhere these days — at the dinner table, in the classroom and on every screen.

That raises some big questions for parents. How do we talk to our kids about what’s going on without passing along fear or cynicism? How do we raise thoughtful, respectful people amid divisive rhetoric?

MPR News host Catharine Richert and her guests explore how parents can talk with their kids about politics without anger, divisive rhetoric and polarization. 

Guests:  

• Lindsay Cormack is an associate professor of political science at the Stevens Institute of Technology. She is also the author of, “How to Raise a Citizen (And Why it’s Up to You to Do It)”  
• Bill Doherty is a professor emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. He is also co-founder of Braver Angels, a nonprofit that seeks to restore trust, respect and goodwill in American politics.

The way younger people get their news looks a lot different than it did a generation ago.  

For many millennials and Gen Z, it’s not about watching the 6 o’clock news or reading the headlines in the Sunday paper. 

Instead, it might be watching a quick video on TikTok, spotting a trending post on Instagram or listening to a favorite podcast on a commute. 

MPR News host Catharine Richert and her guests talk about what’s shaping the way young people stay informed, what holds their attention, what doesn’t, and why it matters for the future. 

Guests:

• Anne Guttridge is a video producer for MPR News and part of Reverb — an MPR News initiative and reporting team focused on serving younger Minnesotans.
• Olivia Cordova Kramer is a high school student at the Breck School in Golden Valley. She was a newsroom intern at the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Lately, it seems like no matter where you drive in Minnesota, you run into road construction — lane closures, detours, backed-up traffic and a lot of orange cones. 

If you’re wondering, “Why now? Why so many projects all at once?” — you’re not alone. 

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests take a closer look at what’s behind this busy construction season. 

Guests:

• Anne Meyer is the media relations coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.  
• Charles Carlson is with the Metropolitan Council. He serves as the executive director of Metropolitan Transportation Services. 

Have you been thinking about what your life might look like with less alcohol?

Whether it's for health, mental clarity or out of just plain curiosity, more people are choosing to rethink why they drink alcohol.

MPR News host Angela Davis explores what it means to be “sober curious.”

Guests:

• Alexandra Zauner is the owner of Lucille’s Bottle Shop, a St. Paul business that sells non-alcoholic drinks and organizes alcohol-free events for the sober and “sober curious.” 
• Alyssa Heim stopped drinking five years ago at age 25 and now runs the Instagram page talkthemock where she shares non-alcoholic drink recipes and promotes a sober lifestyle.  

Teachers often talk about the summer slide — the setback many students experience in reading skills during the summer months.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with three children’s book authors for recommendations on great books to read this summer to keep kids’ reading skills up and their imaginations alive.

Guests:

• Shannon Gibney is an author and professor of English at Minneapolis College. The children’s books she’s written include “Sam and the Incredible African and American Food Fight” and “We Miss You, George Floyd.” She is also the co-author of “Where We Come From.” And she’s written novels and young adult fiction, including “The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption,” “See No Color” and “Dream Country,” both of which won Minnesota Book Awards. 
• Jessie Taken Alive-Rencountre is a Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She was a school counselor for 15 years and now works full time as an author and presenter. She received the Great Plains Emerging Tribal Writer’s Award for her first children’s book, “Pet’a Shows Misun the Light.” And she is the author of six other children’s books, including “Thunder’s Hair” and “We Are All Related.” 
• Sarah Warren is an award-winning children's book author who worked as an early childhood educator for over 17 years. Her picture books include “Beyoncé: Shine Your Light,” “Stacey Abrams: Lift Every Voice,” “Everything a Drum” and “Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers.” Sarah is also co-founder of Picture Book Parade, an organization that promotes literacy and diverse local authors.

Angela’s guests and listeners recommended some of their favorite books: 

“Baby Monkey Private Eye” by Brian Selznick and David Serlin  

“Llama Llama book series” by Anna Dewdney 

“The $66 Summer” by John Armistead 

“Humphrey Series” by Betty G. Birney 

“Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls 

“Time of Wonder” and “Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey 

“Go, Dog. Go!“ by P.D. Eastman

“Where the Wild Things Are“ by Maurice Sendak

“Sisters,” “Smile,“ “Guts,“ graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier 

“How Full Is Your Bucket“ by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer 

“The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir“ and children’s books by Kao Kalia Yang 

“Click Clack Moo“ by Doreen Cronin 

“Charlotte’s Web“ by E.B. White

“One Little Lot: The 1-2-3s of an Urban Garden“ by Diane C. Mullen 

Mindy Kim Book Series by Lyla Lee 

“Front Desk“ by Kelly Yang 

“Looking for Lucy“ by Emrys Current 

“The Rithmatist“ by Brandon Sanderson 

Young adults who recently graduated from college are facing a tough job market.

The national unemployment rate among people age 22 to 27 with a degree is almost 6 percent, which is the highest it’s been since the pandemic. Joblessness among young workers is also worse than the overall unemployment rate of around 4 percent. And, many young graduates are working in jobs that do not require a college degree.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks about reasons why the job market is particularly hard right now for recent grads and what it takes to get a job if you’re new to the workforce.

Guests:

• Katie Jolicoeur is director of Career Services at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
• Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.  

Summer is a great time for birdwatching. With longer days and warmer weather, it's the perfect season to step outside and see what’s fluttering in your neighborhood, park, or along the shoreline.

And whether you’re a seasoned “birder” or a curious newcomer, birdwatching is an increasingly popular way to connect with nature.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Sharon Stiteler, also known as “the Birdchick,” about summer birdwatching — what to look for, where to go, and why this season is more active than you might think.

Guest:

Sharon Stiteler, also known as “the Birdchick,” fell in love with birds at age seven when someone gave her a Peterson Field Guide to Birds. She’s now an avid bird watcher and author of several books, including “North American Bird Watching for Beginners: Field Notes on 150 Species to Start Your Birding Adventures.” 

For more information about birding, Sharon recommends allaboutbirds.org. A good resource for younger birders is mybirdclub.org.

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. 

Progress has been made in raising awareness about mental health, but many people are still not getting the support they need.

Listen to a conversation hosted by MPR News host Angela Davis about barriers to mental health care. Three women who lead Minnesota nonprofits talk about mental health needs in communities and families, the disparities in mental health care systems and how resources can support people.

The discussion was recorded on May 28 at an event at the Ameriprise Financial Headquarters in Minneapolis that was organized by CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a national nonprofit based in Alexandria, Virginia, in partnership with UCare and Medica Foundation.

Panelists:

• Kimberly Spates is the chief executive officer of NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, a federally qualified health center serving residents in North Minneapolis and Hennepin County.
• Sue Abderholden has served as executive director for NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) since 2001. She is also a community faculty member for the University of Minnesota School of Social Work where she teaches health and mental health policy.  
• Jessica Gourneau is the clinical director at the American Indian Family Center in St. Paul, where she oversees mental health, chemical dependency, and women’s health programming. She is a doctorate-level psychologist and an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.