Laura Yuen
Columnist
Minnesota LifeBefore joining the Star Tribune, Yuen spent 13 years at MPR News, most recently as editor of a team of reporters who covered race, class, communities and education. She also reported for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader. Laura lives with her husband and two young sons. But if you met her over an icebreaker, she'd probably tell you about the time her car was struck by lightning.
Latest from Laura Yuen
Yuen: Asian pop culture is having its moment in Minnesota
Viral sensations like Labubu blind boxes and Korean skin care have created a market for Asian trends throughout the Twin Cities.
July 3, 2025
Yuen: Rediscover table tennis — and prepare to be humbled
Pingpong tends to be just a casual bar game in the U.S., but the Twin Cities area has a thriving scene of diehards, fueled in part by immigrants and their children.
June 30, 2025
Yuen: Capitol reporters grieve loss of their dean, Bill Salisbury
For about half a century, Salisbury developed a reputation for accurate and fair reporting that earned him respect from politicians across the aisle.
June 25, 2025
Yuen: What a Minnesota Vikings legend taught me about becoming a cabin owner
Alan Page was initially hesitant about cabin culture, but now he’s a convert. Here’s his advice.
June 23, 2025
![Many of the cabins at Burntside Lodge, a family-owned resort in Ely, Minn., hug Burntside Lake. [by Kerri Westenberg]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/DMYBPKCLGKNG6MNRYI6D26RYQQ.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
Yuen: Could the new wave of claw machines get kids hooked on gambling?
Much like slot machines, the latest generation of claw machines are bright, noisy and dole out “intermittent rewards.”
June 19, 2025
Yuen: Telling your immigration story is dangerous today
An honest revelation by Rep. Kaohly Vang Her was intended to stir empathy for undocumented immigrants. It backfired big time.
June 13, 2025
Yuen: Identical twins finish high school as valedictorian and salutatorian
Only 0.013 of a point separated the GPAs of twins Adriana and Ruby Mathiason, who graduated from Richfield High School at the very top of their class.
June 12, 2025
Yuen: How success has pushed Minnesotans off sidelines in trans athlete debate
When a girl who is reportedly transgender excels in a sport she loves, it raises the stakes on the debate over fairness and inclusion.
June 6, 2025
Yuen: Could the new wave of claw machines get kids hooked on gambling?
Much like slot machines, the latest generation of claw machines are bright, noisy and dole out “intermittent rewards.”
June 19, 2025
Yuen: Telling your immigration story is dangerous today
An honest revelation by Rep. Kaohly Vang Her was intended to stir empathy for undocumented immigrants. It backfired big time.
June 13, 2025
Yuen: Identical twins finish high school as valedictorian and salutatorian
Only 0.013 of a point separated the GPAs of twins Adriana and Ruby Mathiason, who graduated from Richfield High School at the very top of their class.
June 12, 2025
Yuen: How success has pushed Minnesotans off sidelines in trans athlete debate
When a girl who is reportedly transgender excels in a sport she loves, it raises the stakes on the debate over fairness and inclusion.
June 6, 2025