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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 broadcast, a Lower Sioux teen baseball player gets national recognition. Then, after federal cuts, an important hotline for vulnerable communities goes silent. And, Northland Arboretum brings space for conservation and recreation.
I'm Gracie J.
A Minnesota high schooler is among the top 50 Native baseball players in the country. Maxim Dillon is a member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community and is a rising senior at Redwood Valley Senior High in southwestern Minnesota. As one of the athletes chosen for the fourth annual all-star showcase hosted by the Atlanta Braves, Dillon took part in a pro-level workout and played in front of college and professional scouts. The full roster included athletes from 31 tribes across 22 states.
Ahead, a specialized Suicide and Crisis Hotline for LGBTQ+ Youth will end this summer. Mik Finnegan talks to experts about what this means for Minnesotans.
988 phone line: You've reached the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. To connect to support for LGBTQI plus youth and young adults, press three
Mik Finnegan: For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth who called the 988 Suicide Prevention Line, option three has been a lifesaving service. The White House is eliminating option three.
Brooks Wilson: So I'm a crisis counselor for the 988 program option three. That's the LGBTQ option.
Mik Finnegan: Brooks Wilson works for the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention among LGBTQIA plus youth. The organization fielded half of the calls to option three last year.
Brooks Wilson: The Trevor Project itself has been around for a very long time, and the work that they do with 988 has been a big part of that. But they also run their own hotline as well, and that's still gonna be around.
Mik Finnegan: While 988 and the Trevor Project services will continue, eliminating the funding for option three has several big impacts for queer youth in crisis. It means no longer having access to crisis counselors specifically trained to work within the queer community. And for folks like Brooks, it means looking for new work.
Brooks Wilson: My job is going away. So unfortunately, I'm getting laid off. All of my coworkers are going to be directly affected by this.
Mik Finnegan: Kat Rhon is the executive director for OutFront, Minnesota's largest LGBTQ advocacy group.
Kat Rhon: The closure of federal support for 988 services really means that a population that is already experiencing a lot of harms is going to experience more with fewer accessible supports.
Mik Finnegan: Part of OutFront's services is running an LGBTQ domestic and sexual violence and crisis counseling hotline.
Kat Rhon: A couple years ago what we saw was a broadening of a safety net that was really necessary for folks, and now we're seeing sort of the reverse as those investments and those partnerships contract.
Mik Finnegan: The shift away from option three is expected to increase call volumes to other crisis lines like the one OutFront provides.
Kat Rhon: The disinvestment in LGBTQ-specific youth services is going to mean that those youth are reaching out to other services that are either maybe not as competent in the specific needs of this community, or just aren't able to handle the increases in volume.
Mik Finnegan: Brooks and Kat emphasized that since the 2024 election, there has been more stress on queer resources like theirs, and a change like this will continue that trend.
Kat Rhon: That's obviously a challenge in the current environment where we're already above our baseline capacity.
Mik Finnegan: Kat says the current administration is continuing what many consider an attack on LGBTQ rights.
Kat Rhon: What's unique and new about this particular moment is that the level of rhetoric that we're seeing from leaders is this shift to actively targeting and harming youth, I think, is really harmful in a way that we haven't yet grappled with.
Mik Finnegan: Anyone considering suicide or having a mental health crisis is still encouraged to call or text 988, a free 24/7 lifeline. Minnesota has shown its commitment to continuing this resource with Minnesota-specific crisis counselors and state funding. Those operating the crisis line say skilled, caring, culturally competent counselors are available around the clock. This is Mik Finnegan for North Star Stories.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
The Northland Arboretum, which has locations in Brainerd and Baxter in Northern Minnesota, is taking steps to expand recreational opportunities while protecting its natural spaces. The Crow Wing County Board recently approved the Arboretum's new master plan, which includes an ice skating trail, a disc golf course, and expanded prairie restoration. The 413-acre property aims to balance conservation with public use. Arboretum leaders are now applying for regional park designation, supported by community input from surveys and public meetings. Most of the land will remain preserved, with new strategies in place to protect its natural features.
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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.