Black and Funny Improv Festival looking for community support to continue opening doors
"It's kind of a way to carve out space, specifically for black performers and audience members, to see themselves represented on stage," said Jada Pulley.
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"It's kind of a way to carve out space, specifically for black performers and audience members, to see themselves represented on stage," said Jada Pulley.
Jaylen Smith was 18 years old when he was sworn into office as mayor or Earle, Arkansas, a town of 2,000 people.
During this Black History Month, a history maker is sharing his inspiring story here in the Twin Cities. Jaylen Smith is recognized globally as the youngest African American Mayor in U.S. history. WCCO's Reg Chapman explains how he's trying to inspire the next generation of leaders.
The Black and Funny Improv Festival looks to uplift black voices, while breaking down barriers of improvisational comedy, but organizers say they need a little help to make sure they're around for years to come. Our Jason Rantala has the story.
![Jamecia Bennett playing the role of Sister Rosetta Tharpe played the guitar during a play dress rehearsal of Marie and Rosetta, the story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe at the Park Square Wednesday November 20, 2018 in St. Paul, MN.] Jerry Holt • Jerry.ho](https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/02/22/69a1fd48-5f06-472d-a528-c655c6abd303/thumbnail/640x360/f88a24a770eec6bb62d5f46a3e02cf44/gettyimages-1156602088.jpg#)
Bennett was just 16 when Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis helped her develop live music skills. Her studies continued under Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness founder Gary Hines, but the legacy started even earlier, with family.
The keys to unlocking the doors of Black history may not rest in the pages of school history books, but rather in segregated schools made for Black children.
Born into slavery in Mississippi, Frederick McGhee's family escaped with union soldiers to Tennessee where he got a law degree.
It's a success story even local historians have trouble comprehending. Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield introduces us to a Minnesota leader who shattered every barrier imaginable.
Some St. Paul students had the opportunity to go bring history to life by peering through the lens of their school's namesake, St. Paul's own Gordon Parks. WCCO’s Ubah Ali takes us inside his exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and speaks with a high school student on Parks' lasting impact.
Gordon Parks High School students had the opportunity to bring history to life by peering through the lens of their school's namesake, legendary St. Paul artist Gordon Parks.
They've talked to the president of a building group, a high school ESL teacher, and a man who runs a grill company. They are talking with Black men, but they hope another demographic is listening.
You may think, for a pastor, Sunday is always the big day, but Pastor Jerry McAfee says the days in between matter too.
At New Salem Baptist in North Minneapolis, McAfee’s pulpit is indoors, but he’s proven his ministry is outdoors.
Bringing healing and wellness to people of color is a year-round mission for Carter. That mission is lived out through her two businesses, The Zen Bin wellness studio and Heal, a plant-based café.
You may not know his name but if you've ever been to St. Paul, you've likely seen his work. Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield has the story of a deeply talented architect who defied all odds. It's part of our on-going celebration of Black History Month.
Eig unearthed transformative firsts about Dr. King – many via newly-released government documents. His book reveals, and it debunks.
Patton always dreamed of bringing the music that comes from his heart to the big stage in his hometown, and now that dream is a reality.
The Minnesota History Center's newest exhibit hopes to show Black Americans' fight for racial equity and full citizenship in the years following the Civil War.
For the past 18 years, a local barber has dedicated his talent and time to people experiencing homelessness.
Seena Hodges, founder and CEO of The Woke Coach, visits WCCO to talk about her new book, "From Ally to Accomplice,” and the opportunities we have this holiday season to tackle tough topics with family members.
This month marks 60 years since KKK members bombed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama – killing four Black girls and injuring at least 20 people. A group of Minnesotans has just returned from Birmingham where they contributed to a conference commemorating that terrorist attack. Kevin Lindsey, CEO of the Minnesota Humanities Center, joined us Thursday with more.
"There would be more challenges today with [Dr. King's] speech than there was back then," said Dr. Henry Morris. "It has become alright again to be a public bigot."
The new book "Can't Nobody Make a Sweet Potato Pie like Our Mama" shares a story about family and love that will feel familiar to many Minnesotans.
Seena Hodges, founder and CEO of anti-racism training consultant The Woke Coach, is releasing her debut book, “From Ally to Accomplice: How to Lead as a Fierce Antiracist.” She joined WCCO to talk about the steps we can take to understand our privilege and power and learn to use it for the benefit of others.
New businesses and entrepreneurs are taking up space in a place that was once hard to access.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued another air quality alert on Saturday. The alert is in effect through Monday and is expected to impact the eastern and central parts of the state.
Target said it received 23 reports of the sandal's pearls falling off the shoe.
Under the threat of at least 15 burning fires in and around the Boundary Waters, local authorities are closing roads. As smoke filled the air over the area this week, heroics played out on the water.
The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating after a 16-year-old suffered life-threatening injuries in a motorcycle crash on Wednesday.
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota, are investigating a fatal shooting in the city's Frongtown neighborhood.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued another air quality alert on Saturday. The alert is in effect through Monday and is expected to impact the eastern and central parts of the state.
The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating after a 16-year-old suffered life-threatening injuries in a motorcycle crash on Wednesday.
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota, are investigating a fatal shooting in the city's Frongtown neighborhood.
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is expected to bring thousands upon thousands each day to Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul between Friday and Sunday.
St. Paul officials are temporarily pausing many streetlight repairs after spending millions of dollars responding to copper theft vandalism. The decision comes as business owners along Payne Avenue say dark streets have become an everyday reality, affecting customers and safety.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued another air quality alert on Saturday. The alert is in effect through Monday and is expected to impact the eastern and central parts of the state.
Under the threat of at least 15 burning fires in and around the Boundary Waters, local authorities are closing roads. As smoke filled the air over the area this week, heroics played out on the water.
Officials in northern Minnesota say the death of a woman whose body was found in a ditch Thursday is being investigated as suspicious.
A central Minnesota driver faces a felony charge after authorities allege she hit a man walking his dog, killing the animal and leaving the owner with multiple injuries.
Crews are working to keep wildfires burning across northern Minnesota from reaching public and private infrastructure, officials said in a news conference Friday afternoon.
For 66 years, the Lumberjack World Championships have brought the world's best to Hayward, Wisconsin.
Three people who died after a pontoon overturned on Lake Pepin over the weekend have been identified.
Two of the decedents were members of the Wabasha Fire Department, the chief confirmed.
A Wisconsin family lost their ten-month-old daughter after she swallowed a water bead. They blame Target and the water bead manufacturer for her death.
Francesca Hong has not backed away from calls to defund and abolish the police, raise taxes on the wealthy, and create a state-owned bank — positions now facing voters in a state Trump has carried twice.
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, is taking a stand and closing encampments amid growing concerns.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
Tucked away in the Midway neighborhood in St. Paul is a community treasure many have come to love and respect.
What started as a small fundraiser following one of Joe's surgeries at Gillette Children's has grown into a community tradition that has raised nearly $100,000 for the hospital.
A trip to the video store was once a weekly ritual, and now one Minnesota movie lover is trying to bring that experience back.
The Justice Department determined this week a federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies to the social video app.
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her Democratic primary campaign for Wisconsin governor Friday, citing financial problems she said would distract from an election Democrats need to win.
In a primetime address, President Trump took to the airwaves to allege interference in the 2020 election from China — an accusation that Beijing and U.S. intelligence agencies have contradicted.
President Trump delivered a speech on election security Thursday night at the White House. Here are the facts behind some of his claims.
In this week's Talking Points, some warn that this endorsement could destroy the GOP's chances of winning up and down the ballot, including among Republicans.
The lawsuit accuses Loon of using "kid-friendly characters" to promote its vapes in flavors such as Cotton Candy, Strawberry Popsicle, Banana Taffy and Blue Razz Slushy.
A Wisconsin family lost their ten-month-old daughter after she swallowed a water bead. They blame Target and the water bead manufacturer for her death.
For many Minnesotans, the road to the Fourth of July starts with a short drive across the St. Croix River to Wisconsin to stock up on fireworks. The kinds of pyrotechnics that can be legally ignited in Minnesota might be surprising.
Insurance experts say hail damage claims that once averaged $10,000–$15,000 now routinely reach $40,000–$60,000, even as many policies have shifted away from full replacement coverage.
Hundreds of workers, employed by Delaware North Company to serve food and drinks, say they are fighting for livable wages and healthcare benefits.
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota, are investigating a fatal shooting in the city's Frongtown neighborhood.
St. Paul officials are temporarily pausing many streetlight repairs after spending millions of dollars responding to copper theft vandalism. The decision comes as business owners along Payne Avenue say dark streets have become an everyday reality, affecting customers and safety.
Forty-two-year-old Abdikerm Eidleh appeared in federal court in St. Paul on Friday, just weeks after he was arrested in Mogadishu.
A central Minnesota driver faces a felony charge after authorities allege she hit a man walking his dog, killing the animal and leaving the owner with multiple injuries.
An argument escalated into a shooting around 10:40 p.m. Thursday near Cedar and 17th avenues, the Minneapolis Police Department said.
Taylor Farms said none of its branded salads or kits contain the iceberg lettuce associated with the outbreak.
The advice is to stay inside when air quality turns hazardous, but that's not an option for many outdoor workers.
A lettuce supplier to fast-food giant Taco Bell has been linked to a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, the CDC said.
The Target USA Cup, the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, is suspended Thursday in the Twin Cities due to hazardous air quality from northern wildfires.
A state law passed last year directed the state Department of Health to create materials on "recognizing the signs of physical abuse in infants and how to report suspected physical abuse of infants" and make them available online.
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is expected to bring thousands upon thousands each day to Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul between Friday and Sunday.
There's so much to do this weekend in Minnesota, from festivals to art fairs.
Three Minnesota ice cream shops are in the running for a national title this summer.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill, known for "Jurassic Park" and "The Piano," died Monday at 78, his family says.
A St. Paul, Minnesota, neighborhood that has struggled to keep businesses might be turning a corner.
Ryan Jeffers hit a go-ahead three-run homer, Bailey Ober struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings and the surging Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Friday night.
LeBron James, the NBA's career scoring king and current free agent, remains undecided about where he'll play this season.
The Target USA Cup, the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, is suspended Thursday in the Twin Cities due to hazardous air quality from northern wildfires.
Kayla McBride scored 24 for her fifth straight 20-point performance, Courtney Williams added 19 points, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Los Angeles Sparks 96-87 for their fourth straight victory.
Defending World Cup champion Argentina rallied to edge England 2-1 to advance to Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium, where they will face Spain.
There's less than a month to go before the Aug. 11 primary, and one of the most watched and competitive races is the DFL race for the nomination for U.S. Senate between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig.
New campaign finance numbers are expected out later this week in federal races, including Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, where a flood of ads is evidence of a highly competitive race.
Minnesota Republicans head into an August primary shaped by a president who has lost the state three times but still commands outsized loyalty from its conservative base.
Minnesota Republicans head into an August primary shaped by a president who has lost the state three times but still commands outsized loyalty from its conservative base.
Mike Lindell, who leads the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary at 27%, is proposing conditional non-resident visas for undocumented immigrants with no criminal record — a position that differs from the Trump administration's approach.
There's a scenic, nearly century-old spot in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where right now you'll find thousands of flowers in bloom.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
It's a lake cruise in the middle of town, and there's more than pelicans on the Pelican Breeze tour in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Currie, Minnesota, is truly small-town America. The population hovers at just over 200. But on the northern outskirts, you'll happen upon a place with plenty of bells and whistles: End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum
School's out, summer's here, and if you're heading to the lake on Highway 10, you may just stumble upon hidden treasure.
When you get home from work in the evening, your first thought may be dinner. You might fire up the stove or oven, you could also start a load of laundry. Not long after that, you're running the dishwasher. You may think you're being efficient, but your house during this heat wave disagrees.
It's one of Minnesota's rules of the road in which two is better than one. But Jodi from Lakeville emailed WCCO saying a lot of drivers don't seem to care about the law.
Catching a flight with just a carry-on can make travel feel easy. No need to check a bag and all your belongings stay with you. But quite often, that suddenly changes before boarding.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be sitting on your plate.
There's no doubt your air conditioning unit is working overtime this week as oppressive heat blankets Minnesota.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued another air quality alert on Saturday. The alert is in effect through Monday and is expected to impact the eastern and central parts of the state.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Another round of smoke is on the way for parts of Minnesota. Cooler temperatures are inbound too. NEXT Weather Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso shows us where the air quality will be impacted the most.
Thick wildfire smoke could return to northern Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon and to parts of eastern Minnesota by Sunday morning, NEXT Weather meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says.
High temperatures in the Twin Cities will be around 90 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Mike Augustyniak.
Hundreds take to the soccer pitch in Blaine.
Heroics play out on the water up north as wildfires rage.
Ever wondered what Minnesota looked like millions of years ago? The Bell Museum can answer that through Minnesota Unearthed.
Headed to the Hopkins Raspberry Festival? Here's what you can expect this year.
Beret Leone updates on the news of the day.