Dr. Artika Tyner offers practical strategies for parents and caregivers to prevent summer slide and keep children reading and learning throughout the summer months.
education
Posted inEducation
Minneapolis parents, teachers demand ICE leave after targeting schools
ICE at Minneapolis schools has prompted educators and families to demand federal agents leave the city after the killing of Renee Good.
Posted inEducation
Rondo elder urges action on literacy
Rondo community elder Mary K. Boyd has dedicated her life to education and child development, drawing on decades of experience as a teacher, administrator and community advocate. Born and raised in the historic Rondo neighborhood, Boyd built a career shaped by connection, mentorship and a belief that every adult has the power to help children […]
Posted inOpinion
What Black women want and what Virginia needs
All skinfolk ain’t kinfolk. This admonishment came from novelist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, one of the most prolific Black literary figures of the 20th century. Tracy Chiles McGhee, a Zora Neale Hurston biographer, shares context, noting this reference is loosely drawn from Hurston’s 1942 autobiography, “Dust Tracks on a Road.” Zora unapologetically leaned into […]
Posted inLocal & State
Cuts threaten federal support for children with disabilities
The U.S. Department of Education is exploring relocating its special education programs, weeks after the Trump administration laid off nearly all staff in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), according to a department spokesperson. In a brief statement sent to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s media partner Word in Black, Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for […]
Posted inPolitics
House candidate wants to care for the village that cared for her
Registered nurse, educator, and entrepreneur Lyna Nyamwaya of New Hope has announced her run for Minnesota House District 43A, pledging to focus on health care, education, equity, and local business growth.
Posted inLocal & State
Foundation honors five MN leaders for advancing race equity
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation named five 2025 Facing Race Award honorees—Alexs Pate, Nate Smith, Kathy Sublett, Sai Thao, and Patricia Torres Ray—recognizing statewide leadership that challenges harmful narratives on race and builds inclusive solutions. Livestream Oct 16; details inside.
Posted inEducation
Constructing bridges: What educators wish parents knew at the start of a new school year
The first day of preschool or kindergarten is a milestone for both children and parents, a moment filled with excitement, nervous energy, and lots of questions. While families pack backpacks and label water bottles to ensure their children return home with their belongings, early childhood educators quietly wish to share a few heart-to-heart truths with […]
Posted inPolitics
A Mayoral Forum for Minneapolis’ Future to Center Community Voices and Black Leadership
The African American Leadership Forum will host a community-driven mayoral forum on Oct. 15 at the Capri Theater, centering accountability, care, and collective leadership. Confirmed participants include Mayor Jacob Frey, State Sen. Omar Fateh, Brenda Short, and Rev. Dewayne Davis. Free; registration encouraged.
Posted inCommunity Voices
Ujamaa Place helps Black men achieve holistic wellness
Ujamaa Place guides young African American men through a culturally grounded Theory of Transformation. Participants receive individualized coaching, mental health support, fitness and nutrition, and access to 37+ services that lead to housing, education, work, strong family ties, and no justice-system involvement. A digital music program with Walker West Music deepens healing and connection.
Posted inEducation
International students still stuck in Trump limbo
The Trump administration’s policy on international students is changing rapidly, with a federal judge hearing arguments on Monday that the administration’s lawyers did not know what the new policy was, while an attorney representing international students argued that there was a lack of clarity regarding the policy.
Posted inEvents
Beloved author Jason Reynolds coming to the Guthrie for a powerful afternoon of storytelling and youth voices
Jason Reynolds, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, will be visiting the Twin Cities for a dynamic afternoon of conversation, storytelling, and intergenerational dialogue on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the Guthrie Theater’s Wurtele Thrust Stage.
Posted inOpinion
Why Trump loves the poorly educated
The current President’s proposed cuts to the Department of Education could have a negative impact on the education of marginalized students, including those with disabilities, as well as the overall quality of education in the country.
Posted inLocal & State
Grassroots programs cushion Trump attack on civil rights
President Trump’s executive orders have sparked controversy over the Department of Education’s DEI programs, but local organizations like the Black Family Blueprint and NdCAD are working to empower Black families with education, emotional healing, and support.
Posted inEvents
Hennepin County to host opioid symposium focused on the Black community
The African American Community-Focused Opioid Symposium will be held on April 7 at Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis, where attendees can learn about available services and connect with local partners working to address the opioid crisis through culturally specific and trauma-informed care.
Posted inEducation
Without Diversity and Inclusion Safeguards, More Black Students Risk Misclassification and Being Underserved
Black students are disproportionately represented in special education programs, often due to punitive measures rather than supportive ones, and are at risk of misclassification and inadequate support as the Department of Education faces potential dismantling.
Posted inPolitics
Trump Formally Moves to Shutdown Education Department
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, which would cut the department’s workforce in half and significantly scale back its functions, potentially putting millions of students’ education and civil rights at risk.
Posted inWomen’s History Month
Dr. Josie R. Johnson: A legacy of activism and education
Dr. Josie R. Johnson has dedicated her life to education, civil rights, and social justice, earning numerous awards and recognition for her contributions to the movement, including a University of Minnesota award and a Minnesota Secretary of State’s award.
Posted inPolitics
Schools, Colleges Face Threats of Being Defunded
The U.S. Department of Education has issued a directive requiring schools and universities to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal funding, sparking a legal battle on the horizon.
Posted inPolitics
Will Teaching Black History Be the Next Target? McMahon Refuses to Clarify Stance Under Trump Order
Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for secretary of education, declined to clarify whether Black history classes would be allowed under Trump’s executive order against so-called “radical indoctrination,” leaving educators and students in a state of uncertainty.