Historical Perspectives

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"An archive of media showing the different perspectives over the years of Latino community members in Northfield."

Explore a range of photos, art, broadcasts, and

newspaper clippings

This section contains digitally scanned newspaper clippings that were revisited during initial investigations at the Northfield History Center. There are mentions of the Northfield Police Department, the military, Northfield leaders, and real estate practices, highlighting Latinos’ presence in this city’s history. The earliest article is dated 1980, and with further investigation, we hope to continue expanding this section.

Photos

Art

Latino presence in Northfield is also manifested through different forms of art. We have displayed a mural, poetry, handmade goods, and art that either describes or visualizes the Latin experience. These pieces express themes of daily life, cuisine, and cultural affirmation.

Juana

This is a picture of Juana with her beautiful granny squares, which were made as part of an upcoming project, facilitated by Mercado Local, to decorate Bridge Square with vibrancy! She volunteers for Mercado Local as well and brings jewelry from Mexico to sell through the non-profit alongside her sister, Maria, who crochets beautiful keychains!

"What do you see when we say 'Northfield'?"

This was the prompt given to the attendees, who then painted images of flowers, wildlife, even school logos! This depicts the various perspectives of what Northfield means to people.

"Limpiando Frijoles"

This depicts a simple task: cleaning beans, a staple of certain Latino cuisines and childhoods.

Novedades Blanca

Here is one of many stores that Mercado Local hosts; this vendor sells candles, keychains, dolls, jewelry, and more from Mexico and Guatemala.

"Seguimos Caminando"

A St. Olaf alum and resident of Northfield, Ashley Marcial Rodriguez, created this poem, describing the experience of being an immigrant and the prejudice that follows being labeled a foreigner.

Broadcasts

El Super Barrio Latino is a radio program conducted by the Latinx community of Northfield that has been running since 2017. Their talks focus on current news, music, and interviews.

Adapted from the Barrio Latino page

Hablemos De La Diabetes

Date of episode: July 14, 2024

Mar sits down with the show’s friend, Mr. Mijares, and discuss a variety of issues related to diabetes. They go over family history and their personal relationships with diabetes, but discuss general nutrition problems in today’s society with the growth of fast cuisine, bigger portion sizes, and the decline of organic foods as a whole.

La Calidad del Agua en Northfield y en Un Rancho en México

Date of episode: April 13th, 2026

This episode talks about the difference between drinkable water in Northfield and a ranch in Mexico, and how that might be a cultural shock.

El Problema de Las Armas y Nuevos Pasos en Viking

Date of episode: July 10th, 2022

Mar sits down with co-host Lucy Gonzalez-Miron to discuss the impact of gun violence on Latino communities across the U.S., especially how youths are more exposed to gun violence than ever before. In the second hour, Mar and Lucy discuss the continuing issues with Viking Terrace regarding the rent increase, restrictive policy, and how to continue advocating for change.

Programa Especial: Proteger Nuestra Salud Mental (Entrevista Con Terapeuta)

Date of episode: February 8, 2026

The interview with the therapist was at a time when many families were trapped in their homes because of the ICE occupation. It discussed how to tell your children about the situation in a realistic and more normal way. It also had advice on what to do with all the time to not be bored, like reading books and having some sort of routine.