• Ten Things Unique to Minnesota (Pt. 2)

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    About a week and half-ish ago, we talked about the first five things that make Minnesota a special place. Now we’re back with the remaining five. 6. Hot Dish. AKA casserole. At least that’s what most of us who are not from Minnesota call this. (Although apparently, while every hotdish is a casserole, not every casserole is a hot dish.) Whatever. Your basic dish...

    March 18, 2017
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    Reflections

  • Ten Things Unique to Minnesota (Pt. 1)

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    Over the years, we and many of our fellow transplant Blackasotans have noticed some of the things that make Minnesota…unique. After talking it over, we decided to speak on just ten of these things. You know how they say, “Keep Portland weird?” Well, these things must be part of some hidden conversation about “keeping Minnesota weird AF.” You can’t just have regular bikes. OK....

    March 6, 2017
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    Reflections
  • Michael Kleber-Diggs at July 13, 2016 Black Poets Speak Out event [credit: Tom Baker, MPR News, 2016]

    Saint Paul Morning

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    By Michael Kleber-Diggs The author originally read this piece on July 13, 2016 at the Black Poets Speak Out event held in response to the shooting death of Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, MN. Learn more and listen to an excerpt from his reading on the MPR website.  Morning, walking my neighborhood I come upon a colony of ants busy at work. I take care not...

    August 20, 2016
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    Poetry, Race & Politics, Writing
  • Snelling Avenue Green Line Station in St. Paul

    30 Years A Minnesotan

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    by Walt Jacobs In the summer of 1986, I started an engineering internship at 3M. I was a kid from Atlanta spending the summer in the Twin Cities on my way to college in the fall. I grew up in mostly Black neighborhoods in the south so spending three months in the predominantly White Minnesota cities was quite an adjustment. In fact, the first...

    June 15, 2016
    Comment 1
    Race & Politics, Reflections