MinneCulture, Author at KFAI - Minneapolis + St. Paul

MinneCulture | The Tiny City that Almost Wasn’t

In the mid-century, Minnesota’s metro area condensed. Smaller townships incorporated and then were annexed by larger cities. The patchwork of farms and country were filled in with real estate and businesses, creating the cities, suburbs, and exurbs we know today. But in Columbia Heights. one tiny town popped up and got in the way of this smooth transition – and they almost got erased for it.

KFAI's MinneCulture · The Tiny City That Almost Wasn't

KFAI’s Matthew Schneeman tells the story of how one mobile home park became and remained the town of Hilltop, Minnesota.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | A Sharp New Skill

Recreational ax throwing spaces have been popping up across the Twin Cities. An activity historically reserved for frontiersmen and lumberjacks, ax throwing is now available to all. Getting the ax to stick in the target isn’t always easy, but at Bad Axe Throwing in Minneapolis, site lead Ollie and ax throwing coach Tomia will teach anyone who wants to learn.

KFAI's MinneCulture · A Sharp New Skill

KFAI’s Dixie Treichel explores ax throwing and the efforts to make it more accessible in today’s story.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | If You Knew All I Could Tell You

Archives tell an important story. The people in them—and the people left out—say a lot about our politics, culture, and consciousness. In the 20th century, it wasn’t uncommon for archivists to choose which artifacts made it into the official record based on what they thought defined our history. This means that a lot of people—especially queer people—were left out of the archives. Their lives were erased.

But over the last few decades, historians are uncovering those queer lives. In this episode of MinneCulture, KFAI’s Kira Schukar takes us into the Minnesota Historical Society archives to share a story about love, letters, and resilience. Spanning almost 100 years, this narrative follows a first lady, a philanthropist, and the queer activists who wanted their story to be told.

KFAI's MinneCulture · If You Knew All I Could Tell You

Listen to the MinneCulture podcast wherever you get your podcast, or right here on KFAI!

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | Becoming Claire

Claire Zachary Swenson is a local multi-disciplinary artist and creative. She is a visual artist, a musician, and the host of the online radio show “Zeecsart.” She also infuses her bartending and serving work at Palmer’s, the Hook and Ladder, and the Weinery with her creative style and infectious sense of humor.

Claire is continually exploring her gender fluidity in her fashion, art, work, and life. KFAI’s Cyn Collins had the opportunity to talk to Claire about how she’s grown more comfortable with her own self-expression — and how she hopes to inspire others to do the same.

KFAI's MinneCulture · Becoming Claire

You can hear Claire’s radio shows featuring eclectic mixes of music at: https://zeecsart.mixlr.com/

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | Doc Ames and Mr. Hyde

Today on MinneCulture, we’re headed all the way back to 1900, when Minneapolis was a very different place than it is now. As the mill capital of the world, Minneapolis was packed to the brim with seasonal workers, thriving brothels, and scheming card sharks. But to Mayor Albert Alonzo Ames, it was just a piggy bank waiting to be smashed open. Over the course of a year and a half, Ames turned the Minneapolis Police Department into the most powerful crime ring the city had ever seen.

KFAI’s MinneCulture · Doc Ames and Mr. Hyde

In the newest episode of the MinneCulture podcast, Tony Williams tells the story of the rise and fall of Mayor Ames. Listen to MinneCulture wherever you get your podcasts or right here on KFAI.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | A More Humane Society

The history of the Animal Humane Society offers a jaw-dropping glimpse into Minneapolis life in the late 1800s. This was a time when horses struggled to pull loads up Lowry Hill and dogs at the pound were drowned in the Mississippi River. As part of a national movement, the humane society formed to prosecute cruelty to animals — and they prosecuted cruelty to children too. Investigating hundreds of cases, humane agents became the state’s first social workers and probation officers.

KFAI's MinneCulture · A More Humane Society

This episode of the MinneCulture podcast from Michelle Bruch traces Minnesota’s relationship to animals, from the workhorse era to the pandemic-puppy era. Photo courtesy of the Animal Humane Society.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | Tattooing Beyond the Binary

M Nijiya (they/them) is a tattoo artist and owner of Jackalope Tattoo. Jackalope is an all non-binary, trans, queer and female-identifying tattoo shop in South Minneapolis. M’s specialties include black and gray portraits, gender-confirming tattoo work, scar cover-ups for mastectomies and trans top surgery, as well as 3D nipple tattooing.

KFAI's MinneCulture · Tattooing Beyond the Binary

M and the other artists at the shop hope to provide a non-intimidating space where workers and clients can be themselves. In this piece, KFAI’s Dixie Treichel learns more.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

MinneCulture | The African American Cultural Center: A History of Collaboration and Connection in Minnesota

New MinneCulture podcast episode just dropped! Ta-Coumba Aiken and Seitu Jones are two Twin Cities-based artists that have international reputations. Forty years ago, the two were part of the vibrant African American Cultural Center, a place where Black Art was being nurtured, rediscovered, and celebrated.

KFAI's MinneCulture · African American Cultural Center_final with lede

In today’s episode of MinneCulture, Sheila Regan explores the Center’s history and its continued legacy in the Twin Cities and beyond. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or right here on KFAI.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

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