Untangled Roots celebrates the culture and history of diverse communities across Minnesota and unpacks the issues and events that have impact. This signature podcast of the MPR News North Star Journey project unearths novel angles on familiar topics, hidden stories and fresh voices.
Latest episodes
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16 min
Ep. 15 Living your Black life in Minnesota
We spoke to dozens of Black residents who told us what they think about living in Minnesota. Some lamented the lack of Black cultural spaces and the prevalence of a form of ‘nicene…
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12 min
Ep. 14 Do we have a thing?
This episode of Untangled Roots was inspired by a conversation between co-hosts Brandt Williams and Jonathan Rabb. If you had a friend coming to town and they said “I want to do th…
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11 min
Ep. 13 Black on the job in Minnesota
Minnesota is home to Fortune 500 companies that hire top Black talent. However, those employers often struggle to retain African American workers. Too often, Black professionals, e…
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12 min
Ep. 12 In a state of disconnection
Civil rights icon Josie Johnson says it's important for African Americans in Minnesota to connect with each other. However, that can be particularly tough for African Americans new…
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15 min
Ep. 11 What it means to be Black in Minnesota
Co-hosts Brandt Williams and Jonathan Rabb, who both grew up in Minneapolis, talk about how the city they call home became the center of worldwide attention in 2020. The killing of…
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14 min
Ep. 10 The future of ethnic enclaves
Economist Bruce Corrie discusses ways that cities can help secure the viability of these vital community assets. He says incubators and cross-cultural collaborations are possible o…
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18 min
Ep. 9 The economics of ethnic enclaves
Va-Megn Thoj of the Asian Economic Development Association, says some immigrants and refugees who start their own businesses, do so out of necessity, not because they want to be th…
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14 min
Ep. 8 Role of enclaves in building communities
Enclaves like Little Mekong are more than just areas with great places to taste cuisines from around the world. Places of worship, culturally specific service providers and other b…
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16 min
Ep. 7 Making a way
Immigrants and refugees from Southeast Asia in a section of St. Paul, known as ‘Little Mekong’ have overcome hurdles and restrictions to create this unique enclave. In this episode…
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16 min
Ep. 6 Enclaves as pathways to cultural connections
Ethnic enclaves often both benefit members of the communities as well as the wider community. In this episode, Untangled Roots explores the synergy between enclaves and surrounding…
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24 min
Ep. 5 'How do you make it right?'
One of the great losses caused by the highway expansion through Rondo was the loss of generational wealth for the residents. For decades, Rondo has struggled to keep pace with othe…
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19 min
Ep. 3: 'Everybody was fighting the same racism'
Rondo became a place where Black people found ways to provide services for themselves when they were denied by others outside of the neighborhood. But sometimes when progress happe…
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24 min
Ep. 4: 'These were resilient people'
Rondo was forever changed by the highway expansion. But why was Rondo chosen? What happened after the highway physically divided the neighborhood? And how did the sons and daughter…
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14 min
Ep. 2: 'Such a rich community'
Rondo was a working class neighborhood that was home to new immigrants from troubled parts of the world, as well as African Americans who fled oppression in their own country. Whil…
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18 min
Ep. 1: The people left Rondo, but Rondo didn't leave them
St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood still embodies the values of a community torn asunder by the construction of Interstate 94. In this first episode we look at how the Rondo neighborhoo…
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30 sec
Introducing Untangled Roots
Untangled Roots celebrates the culture and history of diverse communities across Minnesota and unpacks the issues and events that have impact. This signature podcast of the MPR New…