Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities
17 Unique Stations from Border to Border
17 Unique Stations from Border to Border
What started as something called the “Brainerd Lakes Area Anti-Racism Conversations” morphed into an anti-racism book club in the Brainerd area that has its members taking a deep dive into racism and its history in the United States and beyond. Club members Lowell Johnson and Erin Wilmot joined the morning show to discuss how the books they’ve studied so far have impacted their lives and they also shared how this unique book club is designed for safe vulnerability and intimate conversations. It’s all come to be in response to the killing of George Floyd. Over the course of one year, members have realized there is much about race and race relations they were not taught in school.
Ina Park, MD is a sex-positive STI enthusiast on a mission to normalize conversation around STDs in an effort to break down stigmas associated with them so that people can live healthier, happier lives. Her book Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History and Surprising Secrets of STDs is a helpful tool for her quest. In this Area Voices segment, she discusses her book, the omnipresence of STDs, the cancer fighting benefit of HPV vaccinations and ways to navigate herpes, HPV, HIV, and gonorrhea.
Tejano is a word that means “Texan” in Spanish. Tejano is also the name of a music genre fusing US American and Mexican musical traditions, plus a hint of German flavor. The band Grupo Mio brings that Tex-Mex sound to Minnesotan audiences, adding flavors of cumbia, rock, conjunto, pop and more. KFAI’s Mason Butler filed this audio portrait.
Support for MinneCulture on KFAI comes from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
When Thomas Bruce is touched by a song, he wants to sing it to others. He shares some great ones via recordings and live performances. One of Thomas’ early influences was Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life.” He told Phil Nusbaum of his inspiration to sing the song.
Reggie LeFlore is a muralist with street art and graffiti influences. His first solo gallery exhibition takes place at Gamut Gallery in downtown Minneapolis May 29 – June 26. He shares personal work about his life, work, and identity. KFAI’s Sheila Regan filed this report. Support for MinneCulture on KFAI comes from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Stephanie Hemphill is a freelance journalist and co-editor of Agate Magazine, an online magazine about nature, science, and conservation in Minnesota and the surrounding Great Lakes Region. Ann spoke with Stephanie about an article she wrote about microplastics in Lake Superior in a recent edition of Agate.
In today’s instalment of the Untold Stories of Central Minnesota, we turn our attention towards the power of one particular song. Joining Arts & Cultural Heritage Producer Jeff Carmack is Tyler “Smokey” Lydeen, his daughter Halle, Alex Mejia from A1 Sound Productions, and Athlos Academy Music Teacher Jenna Scheevel as they discuss Tyler’s song Pretty. In a collaborative partnership involving Athlos middle-schoolers, there’s an accompanying video that drives home the “cleverly simple” positive message of Pretty. It can be found on Smokey’s Youtube channel right here!
