MPR News with Angela Davis

How do you connect with someone who disagrees with you? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how to navigate conflict despite differences in beliefs, life experiences and you guessed it...politics.

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about Tuesday night’s vice-presidential debate. It may be the only debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz before election day.

At the 1948 Democratic National Convention, Minneapolis Mayor Hubert Humphrey demanded his party “walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.” Southern Democrats defected, creating their own Dixiecrat Party. But President Harry Truman ran for re-election as the candidate of civil rights, and his dramatic victory set the stage for the landmark civil rights laws of the 1960s.

What happens to us when we’re very young children can set us up for life. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the CEO of the nonprofit Way to Grow about what we can do to nurture kids’ development.

At the 1948 Democratic National Convention, Minneapolis Mayor Hubert Humphrey demanded his party “walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.” Southern Democrats defected, creating their own Dixiecrat Party. But President Harry Truman ran for re-election as the candidate of civil rights, and his dramatic victory set the stage for the landmark civil rights laws of the 1960s.

How many concussions are too many? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about what we know about how repeated concussions affect us and how to treat them.

According to the latest MPR News/KARE 11/Star Tribune Minnesota Poll, nearly 80 percent of voters surveyed have high to moderate confidence of an accurate vote count. However, despite that confidence, only half believe voting by mail-in absentee ballot in Minnesota has adequate protections against significant levels of fraud. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with her guests about how elections officials keep our elections secure and what they do to engage voters of all ages.

In the news, we hear about people who are killed by gunfire, but what about the people who survive? MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the toll of surviving and witnessing gun violence.

Immigration is a hot topic this election year, and many Minnesota communities are asking questions about how to face the challenges and opportunities immigrants bring. That’s why MPR News host Kerri Miller traveled to Worthington for the final Rural Voice town hall of the 2024 season. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Nobles County, where Worthington is located, is Minnesota’s most rapidly diversifying county. In 2020, the county’s population was 43 percent people of color, up from two-thirds white in 2010. Much of that diversity comes from immigrants who move to southwest Minnesota for job opportunities. And while there have been setbacks, Worthington has worked hard to incorporate the new residents into their community. Rural Voice in Worthington What have Worthington residents learned? How can other rural communities ensure everyone thrives as immigrants put down roots? That was the topic of lively discussion at the Rural Voice town hall, held at Forbidden Barrel Brewing Company on Thursday night. Leaders from Worthington’s various immigrant communities shared what’s worked — and what hasn’t. And longtime Worthington residents discussed how the community has made conscious efforts to be welcoming and inclusive — while admitting they still have work to do. Rural Voice in Worthington If you missed any of the other Rural Voice discussions, you can find them all on the MPR News website. The season kicked off at the State Fair, where rural community leaders pondered the challenges and rewards of living in rural Minnesota. Miller then traveled to Red Wing to talk about how to grow civic-minded communities and to Detroit Lakes to discuss conservation-driven agriculture. The season finished in Worthington.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Tonya Allen, the president of the McKnight Foundation. The Minnesota-based family foundation grants approximately $100 million dollars every year and is focused on advancing climate action and racial equity — two deeply connected issues. Find out what’s driving the foundation’s priorities, how Allen shifted from working on education policy to climate change and racial justice and how she aims to center people who are farthest from power.

If you spent the summer tending to your garden and have more produce than you know what to do with, join a conversation about what to do with what you grew. MPR News host Emily Bright dives into ways to preserve, store and cook what came out of your garden or is abundant in farmers markets. Whether you’re a gardening pro or just trying your hand at it this season, Emily’s guests walk you through the best practices for harvesting and what you can do to prepare your garden for next spring.

Have you been sneezing or wheezing, maybe feeling a bit tired? You might be reacting to ragweed pollen in the air and suffering from seasonal allergies. Or, maybe your symptoms are the beginning of a viral infection, even COVID. As we head into fall, it can be a bit hard to tell. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two doctors about respiratory health — what’s causing symptoms and how to address them. They talk about why this third week in September is known as “peak asthma week,” who should get the new COVID vaccine and how to diagnose and treat environmental allergies.

Farming is a bedrock industry in Minnesota. While the number of farms has been falling for decades, partly due to consolidation and partly due to crop shifts, Minnesota remains sixth in the nation when it comes to agriculture production. Could rural Minnesota communities also lead the way when it comes to conservation farming? MPR News host Kerri Miller brought that topic to Buck Mills Brewery in Detroit Lakes on Monday, Sept. 9, for a Rural Voice town hall discussion. Farmers, biologists, agriculture leaders and community members gathered to talk about what’s already being done and what potential remains. Rural Voice in Detroit Lakes They discussed everything from how to cultivate a mindset shift in farmers to how to incentivize regenerative practices. They also addressed how consumers around the state can play a role in helping Minnesota farms be good stewards of the land. This is the third Rural Voice town hall of the 2024 season. Past discussions include the launch at the State Fair and a conversation held in Red Wing about building civic-minded communities. Rural Voice: Cultivating Conservation-Driven Agriculture The final town hall will be in Worthington on Thursday, Sept. 19, when Miller will host a dialogue about the interplay between rural Minnesota communities and the newest wave of immigrants who are making homes there.

Carla Vernón didn’t think she’d go into business. She was inspired to do good in the world by a father who emigrated from Panama to become a college math professor and by her mother who was one of the real-life “Hidden Figures,” the Black women mathematicians who helped develop the U.S. space program. After studying ecology and biology at Princeton, she worked for a nature conservation nonprofit organization and as a U.S. Senate staffer. Then, she decided she could have a bigger impact from within corporate America. Today, she’s CEO of The Honest Company, which sells baby, skincare, bath and beauty products. And she’s one of the first Afro-Latina chief executives of a publicly traded company. Before that, she was a vice president at Amazon and spent more than two decades at General Mills, rising to division president of its natural and organic business. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Vernón about the experiences that shaped her and what it means to be a corporate leader while staying true to yourself. Guest: Carla Vernón has been CEO of The Honest Company since January 2023. She previously spent two years as the vice president of Consumables Categories at Amazon. Before that, she spent more than two decades in various leadership positions at General Mills, most recently serving as the operating unit president of the Natural and Organic Division. She holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton and a master’s degree in business administration from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. This show was previously scheduled to air in July, but was rescheduled due to breaking news. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

In August 1934, Cecil E. Newman founded the Minneapolis Spokesman in the midst of the Great Depression and 30 years before the Civil Rights Act. A few years later, he founded a second newspaper called the St. Paul Recorder. He used his role as a newspaper publisher to fight racial discrimination and earned the attention of every major politician, including Hubert H. Humphrey. The two papers merged about 25 years ago. And last month, the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder celebrated its 90th anniversary. It’s the longest running Black-owned and family-owned news outlet in the state. Guests: Tracey Williams-Dillard is publisher and CEO of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, founded in 1934 by Cecil E. Newman. She is the granddaughter of the late Cecil and Launa Newman. Al Brown is the assignment editor at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for their first — and possibly only — debate in Philadelphia, less than two months before election day. While it was the second presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, it was Harris’ first. She became the democratic nominee for president after President Biden ended his reelection bid following his June debate performance. Polls show an incredibly tight race with just five percent of voters undecided. And while 90 percent of voters in a recent The New York Times/Siena College poll said they know just about everything they need to know about Trump, only 71 percent said they know everything they need to know about Harris. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about the issues the candidates debated and what policies voters learned more about.

How do we restore trust in civic institutions and nurture a renewed sense of possibility in a shared future? That was the central question animating the Rural Voice community discussion MPR News host Kerri Miller led at the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing on Thursday. She was joined by political scientist and Minnesota native Brian Klaas, who set the stage by describing the bleak realities of the political landscape in America right now. People feel disempowered and divided. Trust in institutions is low. Democracy feels fragile. But the citizens of Red Wing believe there is hope. They shared stories from their own community of how real problems have been solved, despite political differences. They talked through some of the obstacles, like how to be more inclusive and how to deal with the constant drumbeat of negativity in online spaces. And Klaas gave examples of how citizen assemblies — a relatively new process to this country — can break through the partisan gridlock. Rural Voice: How to Build More Civic-Minded Communities This is the second Rural Voice conversation of the 2024 season, which launched at the Minnesota State Fair. Rural Voice is a series of town halls hosted by Miller about the rewards and challenges of making a home in rural America.

Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a law that requires all school districts and charter schools in Minnesota to implement a student cell phone policy by the middle of next March. As districts work to develop student cell phone policies, there are different ideas about what’s the best approach. Should schools ban cell phones completely during the academic day? Or, should they say students are not allowed to use them in classrooms or while classes are in session, but they can use them during passing times and while at lunch? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talked about how best to handle cell phones in schools.

Have you ever felt like you had to choose between your political convictions and a friendship? Or that you had to hide what you really believe to protect your marriage or other family ties? Talking Sense is an MPR News election year project to help Minnesotans maintain their relationships and have those hard political conversations better. MPR News reporter and Talking Sense lead correspondent Catharine Richert explores how people can stay connected with family and friends, even when they disagree about politics. Richert talks with two therapists and a married couple who have worked hard to stay curious, respectful and loving after they voted for different presidential candidates in the 2020 election. Guests: Bill Doherty is co-founder of Braver Angels, a nonprofit that seeks to restore trust, respect and goodwill in American politics. He’s also a marriage and family therapist and professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota. Corey Yeager is a marriage and family therapist with a doctorate in family social science. After spending five years as a therapist for the Detroit Pistons, Yeager now runs his own therapy and consulting business, Harmony Road. He also continues to work as a life coach and therapist with professional athletes. Barbara Thomas is a retired diplomat and CEO of Braver Angels and serves as Braver Angels ambassador in Minnesota. She is in a politically mixed marriage with Rick Hotchner. Rick Hotchner is a retired CIA executive manager and operations officer, who grew up in northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. In addition to his work as a Braver Angels ambassador, he serves on the advisory boards of two companies and does pro bono work for a variety of other causes. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Being a parent has always been a mix of joy and worry. But these days, it’s the worries that seem to be growing. Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling attention to the dangerous levels of stress facing parents and others who care for young children. He called the state of their mental health a public health concern. Almost half of parents with children age 18 or younger in a recent study from the American Psychological Association say that on most days their stress is completely overwhelming. A quarter of adults who don’t have children under age 18 report daily overwhelming stress. Money and time demands have been a strain on previous generations of parents. But today’s parents are also trying to protect kids from increased violence, the downsides of social media, a youth mental health crisis and what Murthy has called an “epidemic of loneliness.” MPR News host Angela Davis talked about why the stress has ratcheted up for parents and what can be done by individuals and through policies to better support families.