Three community organizations are getting a boost to help farmers financially. The Twin Cities queer community is stepping up to show support for trans athletes targeted by legislative efforts to ban them from sports. Plus, the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau recognized 77 farms that are 100 years old.
Transcript
HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR: In today's segment, we hear about how three community organizations are getting a boost to help farmers financially, we continue the conversation about transgender athletes in the state and an incredible achievement for some Minnesota family farms. I'm Gracie J.
Three community organizations are getting a boost to help Farmers financially. African economic development solutions will use its grant to create loan products for farmers. Hmong American partnership wants to offer loan readiness workshops. And the Latino Economic Development Center will amplify an already existing agricultural lending program with its grant. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture awarded the grants. This is a new program for the department aimed at helping the state's farming communities.
Next, in our third report on transgender participation in sports, reporter Mik Finnegan brings reactions to a recent bill that narrowly failed in the state legislature.
[sound element: Donald Trump speaking, “In a few moments, I'll sign a historic Executive Order to ban men from competing in women's sports. About time.”]
Mik Finnegan: President Trump has gotten national attention for his efforts to prevent transgender athletes here in Minnesota. Peggy Scott, a Republican representing the Twin Cities suburb of Andover, tried to do the same her preserving girls in sports bill failed by one vote. Jillian Hiscock, the owner of A Bar of Their Own, Minnesota's first women's sports bar, says they're actively working to support trans athletes.
Jillian Hiscock: My stance, and I think the stance of a lot of our employees, is to do what we can to make sure that we're doubling down on making this space a safe space for all folks, and particularly at this time for trans folks, this community is not going to back down to the hateful work that's being done out there.
Mik Finnegan: Camden Daneck co-founded the Twin Cities Queer Hockey Association in 2022 with the goal of creating a safe and joyful space for queer people to play hockey in the Twin Cities. Camden says the Twin Cities queer community has really stepped up to show support.
Camden Daneck: We have Gray Duck Soccer. That's a queer soccer association. We have Good times Softball League. And there’s more out there. And I'm always willing to step up and help. Like, if people want to understand how it is to organize an association, there's a way to make a space.
Mik Finnegan: Camden is especially concerned about the impact on younger athletes.
Camden Daneck: It was so hard to think of some of the kids that have come to us already. Our first one came his mom never thought he'd play hockey again. The smile on his face when he got out there and Mom was crying in the stands, pure trans joy. When I heard about that bill coming up, you're just taking away a childhood experience. There is no advantage that kid was just a good player.
Mik Finnegan: In 2023, Governor Walz signed a law declaring Minnesota a Trans Refuge state. But that doesn't prevent future state officials from passing new restrictions on the trans community. Even so, there's been an influx of queer people that have moved to Minnesota as several states are becoming increasingly unwelcome for trans folks. Jillian has seen this firsthand.
Jillian Hiscock: A couple of weeks ago, we had a mom and her daughter in and they were moving up from the south. Afterwards, I got an email from the mom that said, you don't know this, but my daughter's in the process of transitioning, and we're looking for a place that she's going to feel safe. And it was really important for me to have her know that there's places like yours that exist.
Mik Finnegan: The future of trans athletes in Minnesota remains uncertain. While the Preserving Girls in Sports bill failed, 66 House members voted in favor of the bill. Many of those lawmakers and their constituents want to restrict athletic competition and participation based on the gender assigned at birth. At the same time, Jillian, Camden and others say that they will continue their efforts to keep trans athletes on the fields, rinks and courts. This is Mik Finnegan for North Star stories.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories. Celebrating 100 years in business is quite an accomplishment. The Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau recently recognized seventy-seven farms for doing just that. To qualify, the farms had to be fifty acres or more and owned by the same family for at least a century. Since the program began in 1976, it has recognized more than 11,000 Minnesota farms as century farms. The oldest family farm recognized among the 77 was established in 1866 and is located in Good Thunder, which is just outside of Mankato.
HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.