MPR News to Broadcast "Austin at a Crossroads: 25 Years After the Hormel Strike" August 9-11 on All Things Considered

Jul 21, 2010

(St. Paul, Minn.) -- July 21, 2010 -- In a three-part series, Minnesota Public Radio News reporter Liz Baier revisits some of the crucial moments following the historic 1985 Hormel labor strike-- to air on All Things Considered August 9-11, 2010. The series will also appear on MPRNewsQ.org, with historical and current photos of Austin, video, and extended audio interviews.

In the series, Baier will explore the strike's role in transforming the demographic landscape of Austin, Minnesota. As Americans debate immigration policy, Austin is living the everyday reality of a dysfunctional immigration system and the competing interests behind one of the biggest demographic shifts in U.S. history.

"Austin at a Crossroads" schedule: * Monday, Aug. 9: A look back at how the strike shook up Austin, the state and the country. * Tuesday, Aug. 10: Baier reports that Austin, like other Midwest cities that until recently had relatively few minorities, is struggling to adapt to big changes. * Wednesday, Aug. 11: How small-town nostalgia can sometimes collide with the daily bump-and-grind of making diversity work in rural Minnesota.

Tune in: "Austin at a Crossroads" will broadcast during All Things Considered, 3-6 p.m. on all Minnesota Public Radio News stations, including Rochester KZSE 90.7 FM, Austin KNSE 90.1 FM, and Twin Cities 91.1 KNOW.