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North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live is a daily, five-minute newscast that shines a spotlight on the stories and perspectives of Minnesota’s diverse communities, including Black, Latine, Asian American, East African individuals, people living with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ residents, laborers, veterans, and those from Greater Minnesota.
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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, Congress tries to provide schools in Northern Minnesota with a helping hand. Then, we celebrate Christmas Caribbean style with Minnesota's Puerto Rican community. And, how you can check out artifacts from the Vatican without having to travel to Rome.
I'm Gracie J.
Congress is clearing the way for some schools in Northern Minnesota to get critical funding. The Secure Rural Schools Act provides funding to schools and counties that house large areas of tax-exempt forest and federal lands. The funds fill a void created by the fact that local government can't tax that land. While some form of the program has been around for more than a century, recent legal challenges have prevented the schools from getting funds this year. Last year, the program provided Minnesota schools with about seven million dollars.
In today's main story: Christmas is much more than trees and presents. The holiday is celebrated differently by various cultures. Jose Ozoria takes us to a community center in St. Paul that ensures anyone with Puerto Rican ties to the holiday can still connect with their rich cultural traditions even here in Minnesota.
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Kenneth Ortiz: Puerto Rico has actually the longest Christmas celebrated in the world
Jose Ozoria: Kenneth Ortiz is the Board Co-Chair for the Boriken Cultural Center.
Kenneth Ortiz: We put all that celebration into one day: La Parranda Boricua. What it is is a big party, where we invite the whole community, it's a free event. We are able to demonstrate some of the culture and what is the typical Christmas celebration in Puerto Rico.
Jose Ozoria: The Boriken Cultural Center on the Westside of St. Paul seeks to foster community through Puerto Rican traditions, while open to all.
Marisol Chiclana-Ayala: That's B-O-R-I-K-E-N, which is the original Taíno name of the Island of Puerto Rico. It means the land of the lord.
Jose Ozoria: Marisol Chiclana-Ayala is Executive Director and Board Co-Chair of the cultural center.
Marisol Chiclana-Ayala: In 2017 we received a lot of new families to Minnesota after the Hurricanes Irma and Maria. And we united Boricuas, and we decided let's just welcome them, to make sure they feel a sense of belonging.
Jose Ozoria: Marisol explains how with this influx of Puerto Ricans to Minnesota came a very specific longing.
Marisol Chiclana-Ayala: They really wanted to find a place where they could say this is my place, this is my cultura. They gave us direct feedback as to what they needed. That was a cultural center.
Jose Ozoria: Today Puerto Ricans constitute the second largest Latino group in Minnesota. The Boriken Cultural Center operates out of various locations, often using the Academia Cesar Chavez in St. Paul for their youth programs, while also hosting events in Shoreview for bigger gatherings.
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Kenneth Ortiz: We don't just serve the Puerto Rican we serve everyone who is interested. They are all invited to any of our particular events, and to be able to be part of this rich culture.
Jose Ozoria: And each winter, la parranda boricua is one of the ways the center welcomes in all community members
Marisol Chiclana-Ayala: We have live music. We also do a tradition from Puerto Rico where you visit your friends and bring music. The Reyes Magos make an appearance, and they bring candy for the kids and gifts. The Reyes Magos or Three Kings Day (Día de Reyes) is the culmination of Christmas in some Latino cultures
For North Star Stories. I am Jose Ozoria
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
The largest collection of papal artifacts outside of Rome will soon be on display in the Twin Cities. The Mall of America will host the Vatican Unveiled exhibit from January tenth through February first. The exhibit marks the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese and the recent election of the first pope from North America. A Catholic priest from Duluth helped to curate the collection. You can find more information about the exhibit on the Mall of America's website.
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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.