Mshale

Dozens of Brooklyn Park residents last evening crammed into city council chambers to witness history being made in Minnesota’s sixth largest city, the swearing in of the city's first black council member, Wynfred Russell, who was born and raised in Liberia. Russell, a former instructor at the University of Minnesota, defeated former council member Bob Mata by garnering a convincing...

New enrollments of international students fell by 6.6 percent at American universities in academic year 2017-18 compared to the year before, marking the second straight year in declines in new enrollments, according to new data from the annual Open Doors survey. New enrollments fell 6.3 percent at the undergraduate level, 5.5 percent at the graduate level and 9.7 percent at the nondegree level from...

When Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi announced in November that Kenyan citizens abroad were on course to set a record in the amount of money they sent home in 2025, many saw it as a cause for celebration. “This figure has actually hit a trillion ,” he announced jubilantly. That is approximately $7.7 billion, a tremendous increase from the $5.04 billion...

On December 4, during a White House cabinet meeting, President Trump launched into a hateful, racist rant against Congressional Black Caucus member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). “Those Somalians should be out of here. They’ve destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her – she’s always talking about ‘the constitution provides me with uhhhh,’” Trump...

The Twin Cities performing art scene will receive a dose of African cultural brilliance through music, dance, and storytelling on Dec. 20, when three trailblazing performers take the stage at The Cedar Cultural Center. The three, Carolyne Naomi, DiaToti, and Korma Aguh-Stuckmayer of Afrocontigbo, will be  participating in Festive Beats of Afrika an event that organizers hope will become an...

As President Trump brings his immigration raids to Minnesota, specifically targeting the Somali community, in what the Department of Homeland Security is calling Operation Metro Surge, Congresswomen Betty McCollum and Ilhan Omar have published “Know Your Rights” guides on their official congressional pages to help constituents affected know their rights, and how to exercise them. Mshale is republishing the information...

A new statue in St. Paul will honor photographer, author, filmmaker and activist Gordon Parks. State Rep. Samakab Hussein and state Sen. Foung Hawj – both Democrats representing St. Paul - announced Sunday during a press conference at the Landmark Center that they had succeeded in securing a $250,000 appropriation for the commemoration. The funding was part of the 2025...

By Rebecca Santana WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is pausing all immigration applications such as requests for green cards for people from 19 countries banned from travel earlier this year, as part of sweeping immigration changes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard troops. The changes were outlined in a policy memo posted Tuesday on the website...

Mental health experts have urged members of the African immigrant community to break the silence about trauma, substance abuse, and mental illness if they want to curb rising cases of suicide. The experts were speaking at the Mental Health Forum, a convention of community and religious leaders, and mental health practitioners held recently in Brooklyn Park by the ladies’ ministry...

Sponsored Content from Equity Bank For Kenyans living abroad, staying connected to home is more than a desire - it is a lifeline, a commitment, and a dream. Equity Bank understands this deeply. That is why its dedication to the diaspora community is built on trust, understanding, and a shared vision of progress. Across continents, Equity continues to strengthen its bond...

In Wolof, tukki means journey, which is what the audience at The Cedar went on with Senegalese musician Alune Wade and his band on Wednesday evening. Our trip started with viewing a portion of TUKKI: From the Roots to the Bayou, a film that the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) awarded Best International Documentary earlier this year. As our eyes...

New international student enrollment for fall 2025 in U.S. institutions fell by 17%, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE), a New York based nonprofit that has tracked such data for the last 75 years. The IIE report released on Monday surveyed 825 colleges and universities, and more than 96% of them reported visa application concerns by prospective students...

Nehemiah Garley of Brooklyn Park has entered the race for Minnesota Senate District 38, launching a campaign focused on supporting small business, infrastructure, education, and affordable housing. He will challenge incumbent Senator Susan Pha in the 2026 DFL primary. The district leans heavily DFL, and the incumbent Pha is serving her first term in the Minnesota Senate. She was the...