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North Star Stories

Aims to address the significant need for coverage of the communities and experiences currently absent from the state’s news ecosystem.

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The Impact of Special Olympics in Minnesota

The Special Olympics Minnesota State Poly Hockey and Powerlifting Competition was held on March 8 and 9, 2025 at Stillwater High School, and it showcased the talents of Special Olympics athletes from across the state. Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, Special Olympics has grown into the largest sports program globally, empowering over 4.5 million athletes with intellectual disabilities. This state tournament celebrated not just competition but friendship and good sportsmanship. Athletes Ann and Trent emphasize the joy of being in community, and Minnesota Special Olympics senior program manager Emily Carr discusses the many benefits of sports. Looking ahead, Minnesota will host the Special Olympics USA Games in June 2026, attracting 4,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, and 10,000 volunteers, shining a light on the strengths of individuals with intellectual disabilities. [Read Transcript...]

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Minneapolis Theater Secures Collective Bargaining Agreement for Production and Backstage Staff

Production and backstage workers at Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) got their first union contract after a vote from the Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 13. This marks a local milestone for these types of workers in the theater industry, and it sets an example for theater unions across the nation. North Star Stories talks with a CTC administrator and a union representative about the process gains and next steps for the workers. [Read Transcript...]

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Generations of Storytelling with the Bois Forte Heritage Center

This Women’s History Month, we hear from three women stewarding culture through storytelling: Tracey Dagen, Jess Anderson Ojala, and Dani Pieratos have all made thoughtful contributions to the past & future iterations of the Vermilion Lake Oral History Project, an effort to preserve stories from Elders for future generations. Full transcripts of Mary Anderson’s interview and more interviews with Bois Forte elders are accessible on the Bois Forte Heritage Center’s website. [Read Transcript...]

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