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The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats The first American picture book featuring an African-American child debuts at Stages Theatre Company Starts Jan. 15 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts For tickets and info call (952) 979-1111 or visit www.stagestheatre.org Photo by Bruce Challgren
January 11 - January 17, 2010 • MN Metro Vol. 36 No. 2 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
Ray Robinson celebrates 90th birthday By Rhonda Groll Some said he was “speechless.” A first at work. Others said he had tears rolling down his cheeks. Another first. What was clear to everyone present was that Ray Robinson was obviously surprised and touched by the outpouring of love from his co-workers at the Sam’s Club in St. Louis Park. For Dad, Saturday, January 2 started off like every other work day; having a cup of tea or orange juice at home, grabbing his newspaper off the porch, and arriving to work early in order to get his favorite parking space. For his co-workers, it was anything but an ordinary work day. After weeks of planning, Shauna, Helen, Lori, and others were anxiously awaiting his arrival. At his demo table was a birthday
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Minneapolis area Edina Realty offices Dress for Success drop-off sites
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Ray Robinson
Percy Sutton, a true hero By Nayaba Arinde Special to the NNPA from the Amsterdam News NEW YORK (NNPA) - A dapper, debonair don if ever there was one, Percy Sutton was more than a pioneer. He was a beautiful man who embraced his community by providing services and resources for that community. The outpouring has been incredible and thorough for the Tuskegee Airman who became an attorney, entrepreneur, civic leader and civil rights activist. The head of the prominent Sutton family and former Manhattan Borough President died in his sleep aged 89, on Saturday December 26, in New York. In 1971, Sutton and fellow African American investors founded 1190 WLIB and 107.5 WBLS, subsidiaries of the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (ICBC). ICBC’s WLIB is New York’s first Black-owned radio station, and WBLS is New York’s only Black-owned FM radio station.
“Percy Sutton was the essential African American of the 20th century because he excelled in politics, business, media, civil rights, all at same time,” the Rev. Al Sharpton told the AmNews. “I don’t know anyone else who mastered so many different fields and excelled in each one. He opened new doors.” Sharpton said that when he was 16-years-old, it was Sutton “who paid for me to go to the National Black Political Convention, 1972, in Gary, IN, because he thought it was important that I be there. He was the one who supported Shirley Chisholm’s presidential run in 1972 and Rev. Jesse Jackson’s presidential runs in 1984 and 1988, and my presidential run in 2003. He led the Black empowerment movement that led to a Barack Obama. “During the Tawana Brawley/Steven Pagones defamation case, Percy called me, and he said that because I was a struggling activist with two children, he would pay my $65,000. That’s the kind of man he was.
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Ogletree: Stimulus must
guarantee needed jobs By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – As 2009 ended with Black unemployment rates at 15.6 percent - more than twice the rate of a decade ago , a dramatic five points more than a year ago, and twice the white unemployment rate - civil rights leaders are calling on President Obama to pointedly use his ‘bully pulpit’ on behalf of African Americans. “I think there’s a need for an additional stimulus package and the president needs to use his bully pulpit to make sure that not only is the money provided, but that governors, mayors and local officials actually spend it on the most vulnerable communities in our cities and states,” says Harvard Professor Charles Ogletree, director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice. In an interview with the NNPA News Service, Ogletree said special attention must be focused on “getting jobs to people, who are not just skilled or semi-skilled, but even the
law.harvard.edu
Charles Ogletree
unskilled workers. That will be an important component of the stimulus packet as early as this spring.” Ogletree was referring to President Obama’s contemplation of yet another stimulus package as a second shot to the economy that would be more pointed toward jobs rather than bailouts of banks, big business and lending institutions. Moving headlong into 2010, jobs appear to be foremost on the agendas of civil rights spokespersons even as the
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Kowouvi Togni chosen Metropolitan State outstanding student
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Rebecca Rom
Suluki Fardan
Part 2 in a series
Land Bank: An unprecedented response By Al McFarlane, Editor, Insight News, and Nghi Huynh, Publisher, Asian American Press Rebecca Rom remembers the wealth of culture, continuity and community that characterized life where she grew up in Ely,
MN. And she is convinced that the proper restoration and renovation of Twin Cities neighborhoods will mean reestablishing, reasserting the appreciation and respect for people who live in them. Whether they own or rent, she says, they must see themselves and must be seen as sovereigns
of space they occupy. “I want to create neighborhoods. I think back about what it was like when I was as a child. I was in the 3rd generation family actually living on the same block in my small town,” said Rom. Rom, president of the
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insisted on a “pause” to pray, because in the title of her book, Love Letters To Him, God is the one to whom the letters are being written. And these letters, meant to inspire intimacy with Him, take shape in the form of very candid, sometimes intense, poems and essays that explore our faith in God, as it relates to our physical and spiritual longing for true love and oneness with another. Accompanying each “love letter” are reflection questions, designed to help the reader dig deeper to uncover relevant spiritual and practical applications. Although written from a Christian perspective, like me, you may be surprised at how vividly and unapologetically Ford puts it all out there-even the topics that we “Christians” sometimes prefer not to broach: incest, rape, homosexuality, and mental health, to name a few; the things that supposedly make us unworthy of receiving or giving love. Yet the book’s message is clear: despite our
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Introducing Sheila Ford and Love Letters To Him When I heard about the new book that Sheila Ford had written, Love Letters to Him, I knew that I had to share it with our readers. Not only does this book expose our common struggle to find the true meaning of love and intimacy, it also provides helpful tools to help gain freedom from love’s counterfeits. I met Ford on a chilly, sunny Sunday morning at a local Bryn Mawr coffee shop to hear more about Love Letters to Him and the journey that inspired the book. After ordering my decaf, I greeted her with a hug, sat down and turned on my voice recorder to begin the interview. I got just a couple words out, before Ford abruptly said, “Pause.” “Why?” I asked. She responded, “(let’s) pray.” Ford asked God to be with us during our conversation, and to be with those who would ultimately be empowered by having read this inspired work. To that I said “Amen!” and our dialogue began. I wasn’t surprised that Ford
Chiwetel Ejiofor
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Sheila Ford brokenness, repeated failings, insecurities, and sin, God still loves us more than we can ever imagine and His love continues to draw us toward Him. He wants us to present ourselves the way a bride presents herself to her groom, naked and without reservation, so that we can be truly free to experience the depth of love, unity, and deep satisfaction found only in a secure relationship with Him. When I asked Sheila Ford if she
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The Gophers weather the storm well
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BUSINESS What’s your (online) name? Consistency helps streamline profile online Plan your career
By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com I like to help job seekers by doing a quick internet search on their names and showing them what employers are learning about them online. Here is what one person called, “a
completely weird question” regarding finding oneself online: “When you printed out your online search for my name, Sandra B., nothing popped up specific to me. However, when I type in Sandra H.B. or Sandy B., I get lots of information about myself. So, do you think I should change my name on my resume?” This is a provocative question, and not completely weird, when you realize that most employers will, at some point in the hire or promotion process (or just on a slow
business day) do an online search to discover more about who you are online. You have two options. You can change your name on your resume to Sandy H.B., which is a quick and easy way to connect your current name to your online presence. Or, go with Sandy B. as your professional name, which I will tell you is easy to remember and easier to spell correctly than H.B., and force your information to turn up. In the long run, a name that is memorable, easy to spell and easy to file could turn out to be
a benefit to you. Forcing your information to the top of an online search is not complicated, but it helps to understand how online searches work. One of the ways Google, for example, evaluates which results to show in a search is by gauging how many links there are to a web page from other pages, and the rating the quality of the linked sites. Thus, the more often your name appears in or is linked to established (commonly used and useful) websites, the more likely it is to come out on top in a web search.
Type your names into a search engine and notice where your information comes up, especially on recognizable sites. Edit your profile where possible so your name appears as Sandy B. Continue your search and click on any sites related to you, editing where possible. If you have good press, an award or an Olympic World Record, for example, under an alternate name, you can connect it to your chosen name by adding a link to it from your primary profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other
sites. Finally, if you want to be sure people who are looking for your portfolio will find it, simply tell them where to look by providing actual links. By consistently using Sandy B., you will gradually develop a presence on the web as Sandy B. Julie Desmond is Director of Career Planning Resources at Help Wanted! Workshop. Write to julie@insightnews.com.
Minneapolis area Edina Realty partners with Dress for Success Edina Realty’s Minneapolis offices, located downtown at 226 Washington Ave. N., in Uptown at 3270 West Lake Street and in South Minneapolis at 5318 S. Lyndale Avenue, are three of the 30 Edina Realty metro-area
offices that will serve as Dress for Success clothing donation dropoff sites, beginning January 2010. Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of
disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools to help women thrive at work and in life. Dress for Success Twin Cities is the second Dress for Success affiliate
in Minnesota and joins more than 95 affiliates around the globe. The goal of Dress for Success Twin Cities is to help women achieve economic independence. The non-profit organization provides disadvantaged women with business-appropriate clothing as well as a network of support and professional development tools. An affiliate of Dress for Success Worldwide that has served more than 500,000 women internationally since 1997, Dress for Success Twin Cities expects to serve approximately 1,000 women in its first year of operation. “We are pleased to help Dress for Success make an impact on women in our community,” said Barb Jandric, Edina Realty general sales manager. Dress for Success accepts new or clean, gently-used clothing on hangers that are contemporary and interview-appropriate, including skirt and pant suits, blouses, blazers, dress coats, professional shoes and accessories. Largersized suits and apparel are especially needed. Women come to Dress for Success Twin Cities by referral after they have obtained a job interview through a social service agency. Organizations in the process of becoming referral
Bank From 1 new Twin Cities Community Land Bank, recalled the connectedness of families and their neighborhoods in an interview with leaders of Minnesota Multicultural Media Coalition last month at the open house event launching the Land Bank into its new headquarters in Northeast Minneapolis. “The families who lived across the alley were the same families that lived there when my father grew up. My father
Edina Realty
agencies for Dress for Success Twin Cities include Jeremiah Program, RS Eden, Twin Cities Rise, PRIDE, Pillsbury United Communities and the Minneapolis Urban League. Each client meets with an image coach who helps her select one interviewappropriate outfit on her first visit. After she finds work, she comes back to Dress for Success and receives an additional week’s worth of work attire, access to
employment retention programs and ongoing support. For participating Edina Realty offices, hours and information, visit www.edinarealty.com. For more information about making clothing or monetary donations to Dress for Success, visit www.dressforsuccess.org/twincities.
was born across the alley in the house my grandfather built. We had a business. My father built his store on the plot of land that had been my grandmother’s vegetable garden and where she kept her chickens and pigs. We lived in the apartment over the store,” Rom said. “I loved that concept and the whole way the community functioned. We had a little garden next to our store. We were eating the fresh fruits and vegetables carrying on the tradition. We were very ethnic. My family was Slovenian. Ely was divided with the Slovenians here and the Finns over here. We each carried on our family and cultural traditions which became
the fabric of our life.” “Here in Twin Cities you see communities evolving in many different ways. Communities develop around church, around school, around where you work and where you live, and communities may emerge around block clubs and organizations.” The Land Bank has amassed $30 million to acquire distressed properties in neighborhoods ravished by the mortgage meltdown and crisis economy. The Land Bank is the creation of a consortium of public and private entities joined at the intersection of business opportunity and civic good. Like Rom, the principle players, are similarly guided by internal roadmaps whose signposts are values of equity and diversity, cultural and environment justice, and health and wellness. Shawn Huckleby leads the Land Bank outreach initiatives. “We have a very strategic and intentional way to develop capacity within communities of color. We are working with existing and emerging organizations that say, ‘We want to build capacity to do this work ourselves.’” So for the Land Bank, Huckleby said, the mission is about sustainability and transformation. “If we can support in a very strategic way, communities engaged in solving their own problems and if we can provide the kind of support that is necessary so that organizations can be successful long-term then our work is really going to be transformative, because these organizations will be able to continue on as self sustaining assets for their community.” Huckleby said the Land Bank’s $30 million dollar capitalization comes from a variety of sources. “It comes from philanthropic sources at the national level; it comes from state resources like the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. But what we’re looking for is patient money… money that is in there for an extended period of time that will allow us to do our work.” Rom said the Land Bank sees itself as a key venue for the execution of federal stimulus and recovery initiatives. “We’re using the national policy as our road map. We’re designing our services and our products to
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EDUCATION Kowouvi Togni chosen Metropolitan State outstanding student Kowouvi Togni, of St. Paul, has been selected an outstanding student at Metropolitan State University. Chosen fall semester as an outstanding undergraduate student in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, Tongi was among 920 students receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees during Metropolitan State’s 85th commencement exercises on December 15. Togni, a native of Togo, Africa, has made significant strides since arriving in the United States in June 2007. Then, he barely spoke English, had difficulty finding a job and had
no friends or relatives in the Twin Cities. “When I first came here, it was pretty scary and at times I wanted to give up because there was a lot of pressure and responsibility on me,”
“When I first came here, it was pretty scary and at times I wanted to give up, because there was a lot of pressure and responsibility on me,” he said. “But I learned the language and got immersed in the culture.” He also landed a needed job. Togni is now helping other immigrants, particularly Myanmar
Sutton From 1 “He started WLIB and formed the model Black radio, which told us about cases like Abner Louima and Howard Beech, and it helped us to mobilize. He made Black radio Black radio. He made it the drum of Black America. He made WBLS the number one commercial radio station in the country. He formed a cable TV station with Time Warner, and in 1981, he bought the Apollo, when the only things sitting in there were the rats. He brought back the center of Black culture,” said Sharpton. James Brown stood outside the famed building in tears, Sharpton recalled, “saying that he owed so much to Percy for bringing him back to the Apollo. Percy Sutton did so much in his 89 years. He came in the time of greatness, and he was the greatest of the greatest.” “Percy Sutton was a true hero to African Americans in New York City and around the country,” said President Barack Obama. “We will remember him for his service to the country as a Tuskegee Airman, to New York State as a state assemblyman, to New York City as Manhattan Borough President, and to the community of Harlem in leading the effort to revitalize the world-renowned Apollo Theater. His life-long dedication to the fight for civil rights and his career as an
natives, become culturally assimilated. “I feel like I’m helping the community and giving something back for what I received,” he said. Togni, who works part time as a printer and operator for an Eagan
Percy Sutton entrepreneur and public servant made the rise of countless young African Americans possible. Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to his family on this sad day.” “Percy Sutton was more than a dear friend,” U. S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) told the AmNews. “He was a mentor and inspiration to me and to generations Americans, young and old, in and out of our village of Harlem. Throughout his life, Percy defied stereotypes and limits that others attempted to place on him, thus serving as an example to other Black people. When recruiters in his home state of Texas barred him from volunteering for military service in WWII, he moved to New York and successfully signed up for the famed Tuskegee Airmen.” Rangel continued, “At a time when few African Americans went
photo lab, has an associate’s degree in computer technology from Universite de Lome in Togo. He remains a member of a computer network association in his native into the law, Sutton opened up his own practice that aggressively defended civil and human rights activists in New York and elsewhere around the country. At a time when African-Americans were virtually ignored by the media, Percy applied his business instincts to found and build Inner City Broadcasting into an important national chain of radio stations. And when the famed Apollo Theater was threatened with permanent closure, he gathered the resources needed not just to rescue it from financial ruin, but to lead a second renaissance that lasts until this very day. “Percy Sutton’s story is one that could only happen in America. The son of slave, he never stopped fighting for our rights and building community, especially in his beloved Harlem. Public service was always his calling, whether it was in the courtroom, in the political arena as a state assemblyman and a borough president or as a businessman. “My heart goes out to all those who loved him, particularly his wife, Leatrice; his son, Pierre; and daughter, Cheryl. Percy Sutton wrote his own story, and in doing so, he leaves behind a remarkable legacy of achievement and social justice that will serve as an example and inspiration for generations of leaders, now and forever.” Governor David Paterson was among the first to issue a statement: “Governor Paterson released the following statement on the passing of Percy Sutton: “Tonight, we say
country. At his Togo high school, Togni graduated as the top student in physics. He eventually would like to pursue graduate school and teach statistics at the college level. Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, provides high-quality, affordable education programs for adults seeking bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It is the only state university in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
farewell to one of New York’s and this nation’s most influential African-American leaders – a man whom I am proud to have called a friend and mentor throughout my entire career.” The governor continued, “Percy Sutton was a trailblazer. He began his career as a prominent lawyer for Malcolm X and then took Harlem by storm as a leader of the Harlem Clubhouse where he launched not only his own successful political career but, as a member of the Gang of Four, spawned the successful careers of so many other AfricanAmerican leaders. It was Percy Sutton who talked me into running for office and who has continued to serve as one of my most valued advisors ever since. “The youngest of fifteen children, Percy dreamt big and exceeded even the highest of expectations. His success did not end simply with legal triumph or elective office – both of which he attained. Beyond those achievements, it was his entrepreneurial spirit that led to some of his greatest accomplishments – the rebirth of the Apollo Theater, the stewardship of a growing media empire and more. “Thank you, Percy, for your friendship and for all that you have contributed to our State and our Nation. On behalf of Michelle, the Paterson Family and all New Yorkers, our prayers are with your family.”
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Kowouvi Togni with Metropolitan State University President Sue K. Hammersmith
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Robinson From 1 “crown”, a button declaring it was his 90th birthday, balloons, and a cake. However, it wasn’t “just” a cake; it was a sheet cake with little number 90’s on each square. And, it was the first of four cakes provided for customers and friends who stopped by wish him well. Dad called Mother and me, shocked and excited by what was going on; telling us “you have to get here, you have to see this!” My mother and I were at Sam’s Club for a couple of hours and couldn’t believe the number of friends/coworkers who stopped by offering best wishes and stopping by to sign his cards. After almost seven years at Sam’s, my dad has met people from all walks of life and from all over the world. Last week, George called from Liberia to wish him a Happy Birthday. Michael, from Kenya, brought his whole family to the store to meet my dad. Another gentleman stops in to talk about the latest cruise he and his wife have taken and the next one they have planned. Some people said they stop by Sam’s
Ogletree From 1 long-awaited health care bill makes its final hurdles toward the White House. In NNPA interviews, leaders expressed clearly their readiness to take action for economic progress in the trenches. “Banks got billions of dollars of interest-free money. When we watered the leaves, the water did not come down to the roots,” said the Rev. Jesse Jackson who hosts his annual Wall Street Project Economic
INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Elliot Stewart-Franzen Web Design & Content Associate Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Brenda Colston Julie Desmond Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Ryan T. Scott Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. MinneAPOlis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC) Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI) National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
Friends and coworkers help Ray Robinson celebrate his 90th birthday Club to visit with Ray and end up purchasing items they didn’t know they needed. And, those are just the customers. His co-workers call him “dad” and “grandpa.” They treat with him with a respect and love that is palpable; not
only can you see it, you can feel it. Many of them spoke of the impact he’s had on their lives; whether it be with his never ending nuggets of wisdom garnered from a life well-lived, or from his gentle words of encouragement. In this time of
recession and limited resources, it touched him greatly that they came together to buy him a gift, presented him a card signed with endearments, and cash totaling well over $100. Knowing my dad, he will probably end up giving some of
the money back to those who he knows really need it. Later that evening, when I teased my dad and told him I heard he had tears rolling down his cheeks, this strong, “gentle man”, a child of the Depression, proud WWII vet,
husband, father, grandfather, and friend of many, modestly said he was so touched by their generosity and love that “I may have teared up a bit.”
Summit January 13-15 at the New York Sheraton Hotel. “At the roots we are losing with home foreclosures, church foreclosures, credit card scams, and net loss in jobs. So poverty is rising and small business failures are rising because of the lack of access to capital. We now need to reconstruct the economy from bottom up.” The Wall Street conference agenda at www.wallstreetproject.org is heavy with representatives from the Obama administration, including people from the departments of Commerce, Treasury , Small Business Administration, Agriculture and FDIC (Federal Department Insurance Corporation).
Members of Congress, as well as other civil rights leaders, including the National Urban League’s Marc Morial and NNPA’s Danny Bakewell will also be in attendance to discuss issues of economic reciprocity, Jackson said. “This will be our Black business community discussing where did the stimulus money go and who got it?” A point of action, he says, will be the insistence that the Department of Justice enforce civil rights laws such as Title 6, created for the purpose of fair contracting and racial inclusion. Banks got billions “without honoring fair housing laws, fair lending laws and the community re-investment act.
They got stimulus money and did not have to honor EEOC,” Jackson said. “The result is that money came down by the billions in virtually exclusionary patterns.” Of course, employment discrimination and joblessness among Blacks are not new on the civil rights agenda. It’s just that with the disastrous economy and a newly elected Black president, Black leaders thought there would be a greater level of sensitivity and specificity from the White House to deal with the problem in the Black community. But, when President Obama said last spring that a “rising tide lifts all boats”, dissatisfaction grew swiftly and appears to be reaching a tipping point as 2010 begins – even by some who have been slow to criticize the Obama Administration. “The economic condition of Black people is of grave concern,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton. “There are those that
are saying that we’ve been seeing about Main Street. I’m saying Blacks are not even on Main Street. We’re in our own part of town. And if Main Street hasn’t gotten any bailout, then we haven’t even gotten the rumor.” Sharpton said he will continue to work with the White House on educational inequities in order to close the racial achievement gaps that lead to economic inequality. “Clearly, any number of studies show that people that are less educated are the higher unemployed. So, we face the race gap and the educational gap that is also brought on by the race gap,” Sharpton said. Regardless of the strategy, it will have to include a specific focus on African Americans, Sharpton agrees. “We must specifically address the inequality based on race – even in the lower and middle class,” he said. “You’ve got to remember that the fact of the matter is that if you raised
everything as is, it would still be double Black unemployment and we would still have double the problems even though we would be better than we were, we would still be unequal. We’re looking for equality. We’re not looking for a better form of oppression.” Half the battle will be keeping the crucial issues of health care and Black economic equality in the public’s eye said Dr. Dorothy Height, president emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women. “We have to keep our issues out in a forum,” said Height. She said that activists must also remember that Obama was inaugurated in the midst of the economic crisis. “We have to look at the complexity in the world that he inherited and where he is,” she said. “The president didn’t make the unemployment, but he’s doing his best to fix it.”
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AESTHETICS
Chewing the Fat with Golden Globe-Nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com Chiwetel Ejiofor was born in London on July 10, 1977 to Nigerian immigrants, Arinze, a doctor, and Obiajulu Ejiofor, a pharmacist. By the age of 13, he was already appearing in numerous school and National Youth Theatre productions, and he subsequently attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, as well as Dulwich College. In 1996, the versatile stage thespian caught the attention of Stephen Spielberg who cast him in Amistad. Chiwetel returned to the stage before making another big splash onscreen in the criticallyacclaimed thriller Dirty Pretty Things. He went on to co-star in Love Actually, Slow Burn, She Hate Me and Melinda and Melinda. His more recent film credits include 2012, American Gangster, Talk to Me, Kinky Boots, Four Brothers, Inside Man, Redbelt and Children of Men. Here, he talks about his life, his career, and his powerful performance in Endgame, for which he just landed a Golden Globe nomination. Kam Williams: Hi Chewitel, thanks for the time. What brings you to New York? Chiwetel Ejiofor: I’m just finishing up shooting Salt. KW: Let me start by congratulating you on the Golden Globe nomination for Endgame. CE: Thank you very much. KW: What interested you in the film? CE: There were a number of things that excited me, starting with the historical context of what was happening in South Africa at the time. I remember being very affected by what was going on there towards the end of Apartheid. And the subject is still very pertinent, politically, to what’s happening around the world today, in terms of negotiating peace talks. I had always been interested in this period of change in South Africa, generally, for a variety of reasons. And I specifically became fascinated by Endgame’s taking you behind the curtain, and telling the story of the behind the scenes machinations between Thabo Mbeki and the Afrikaner government. That was incredibly eye-opening, and a story that I hadn’t heard before. And Mbeki himself is such an interesting character. He played an instrumental role in changing the direction of the country, in putting the ANC [African National Congress] in a position to effectively govern. KW: How did you like working with Pete Travis as a director? I loved his super-realistic docudrama Omagh about a terrorist bombing in a town in Northern Ireland. CE: Great! He’s a very engaging guy to work with. He has an amazing b.s. detector. His style is very different from anything I’ve ever done before. He really pushes for authenticity. He’s very keen to get to the essence and the truth of
the matter. KW: Three of your films have made my Top 10 Lists: Dirty Pretty Things (2002), Love Actually (2003) and Kinky Boots (2005). What is it about your acting style that enables you to help elevate a project to be among the best? CE: I don’t know. When I read a script, I try to get right down to what I feel is the heart of it. In a sense, it doesn’t matter what the subject is, and it doesn’t have to be universal, as long as the story has something meaningful to say. Conversely, I’ve often had the fortune to work on projects with a small theme I find very interesting enough to pursue and to be passionate about in the context of the story, then it may turn out there’s a universality about my character which still resonates with many people as well. KW: Aspiring actor, Tommy Russell asks: Did your success as an actor build on itself, or has it been one thing here, one thing there and then boom you were suddenly getting good, consistent work? CE: That’s a good question. I started working as an actor, semiprofessionally, when I was 16, and got my first professional gig at 19. I guess I’ve kind of worked pretty consistently since then. I started off doing plays as a theater actor. But I never thought of it in terms of it leading anywhere. I was just trying to be the best actor that I could be in the context of what I was doing. KW: Laz Lyles asks, if you have one genre that you have a special affinity for? CE: Well, I do like sci-fi. When I was a kid, I was always sort of locked into sci-fi stories. So, sci-fi has always had a special place in my heart. KW: Is that what drew you to do 2012? CE: I suppose so. I found a role in the movie, and was excited about the spectacle of the visual style envisioned for it by director Roland Emmerich. KW: Speaking of directors, documentary filmmaker Hisani DuBose asks: How did you become an insider who constantly works? CE: I’ve always enjoyed doing a huge variety of roles, which I think helps, instead of settling for the things I might be most comfortable with. KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read? CE: The very last book was a John Coltrane biography by Lewis Porter. KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on your iPod? CE: My music tastes are often 20 years behind. KW: Me too, I was listening to Annie Lennox’s Diva this morning. CE: That’s a great album! I’m constantly discovering things. Like Bobby Bland. Right now I suppose I’m into the Eighties, which turned
Chiwetel Ejiofor
KW: The Laz Alonso question: How can your fans help you? CE: [Laughs] I don’t know. By just continuing to enjoy the movies. I feel that audiences are very sophisticated, and part of my challenge is to keep them engaged because they are so complex.
CE: I’m slightly obsessed with making sure everything matches at the moment, because I’m working on this movie, and there’s been a bit of a gap in the shooting. So, I’m constantly looking to see whether I look the same as I did earlier, whether I’ve put on or lost any weight. So, right now the mirror is movie-related.
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish
out to be a great musical period.
someone would? CE: Interesting, I was just thinking about that today, because reporters tend to launch on what seems to be the clearest, most stark aspects of someone’s life in terms of an
i.current.com interview. And in my case, a lot of people ask me about my father’s passing when I was young, which I’m never comfortable with. I
EJIOFOR TURN TO
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Page 6 • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Insight News
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HEALTH A mother desperately needs gift of life By Frederick Alexander Meade NNPA Special Correspondent (NNPA) All was well for Jennifer Jones Austin and her family in the recent months leading into the holiday season. Suddenly, her
life depends on a gift from a possible stranger. Jen — as she is often referred to by those close to her — the 41-year-old wife of Shawn Austin and mother to a daughter 12 and son eight, has garnered great contentment in numerous areas of her life. The daughter of a
prominent minister, the late Dr. William Augustus Jones, not only developed a fulfilling family life but a satisfying and purposeful professional existence as well. As an attorney for nearly 20 years, Jennifer Jones Austin has advocated for disenfranchised children and families within New York State and abroad. The native New Yorker, Jones Austin has served the needs of the less fortunate in a multitude of capacities both within the public and private sector. Jones Austin served as New York City’s first Family Services Coordinator, a position to which she was appointed by Mayor Bloomberg after serving four years as a Deputy Commissioner in the City’s Administration for Children’s Services. As Family Services Coordinator, Jones Austin was responsible for leading multiple interagency initiatives for children and families of the city. Her services would further be called upon as she played a key role in helping to coordinate and advance the Mayor’s antipoverty initiatives. Jones Austin also held the position of Civil Rights Deputy Bureau Chief for Policy, Legislation and Public Outreach for then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Within the realm of advocacy for the education rights of children, Jones Austin served as the Vice President of Development for LearnNow/Edison Schools Inc. In 2008 the accomplished attorney accepted a position with the United Way of New York City as the Senior Vice President of Community Investment, thus further establishing her record as an inspired and committed leader in the service of those in the greatest need of support. In recent weeks however, her life has undergone
considerable upheaval. A fever requiring the hospitalization of the active mother would serve as a precursor to an ultimate diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Such a medical diagnosis requires that Jones Austin receive a bone marrow transplant in the immediate future if her life is to be extended. Individuals in need of a bone marrow transplant essentially require a donor of the same ethnicity, as a transplant may only occur between parties in possession of matching genetic tissue. This reality, however, functions to present a challenge for most individuals of African descent, as this group is dramatically underrepresented within national and international bone marrow registries. In the face of this reality, Jones Austin and others of African ancestry must often rely on the will of the immediate public if they are to identify a life saving match. Her fellow activists, including the National Action Network’s the Rev. Al Sharpton, have launched drives in attempt to save her life. Her father, the late Rev. Jones, was a spiritual mentor to Sharpton. Scheduled bone marrow drives have emerged throughout the country in an effort to not only save the life of this community activist but also those who require the same medical procedure as well. Due to considerable advances in medicine, the process by which one is determined a match for a needy recipient is as simple as placing a swab along the inside of the potential donor’s cheek. Additionally, if an individual is identified as a match for a patient, a bone marrow transplant generally only requires the donor give blood. Jennifer Jones Austin has
Courtesy of the author
Jennifer Jones Austin and her family, 12 year old daughter, eight year old son and husband, Shawn Austin. dedicated her life to protecting the natural rights of those whom society has very often marginalized and seemingly cast aside. A stalwart agent in working to procure greater measures of social and economic justice for the least of these within our society, Jennifer now requires the public she has served for almost two decades to assist in helping her to survive. When recently interviewed on a NBC New York Local News broadcast and asked of her hopes with respect to her unsettling circumstance, true to form, she simply stated she felt encouraged that not only would she find a match, but through the public’s efforts in assisting in this endeavor, many others in need of a similar transplant would also receive help.
As has always been the case, Jones Austin’s thoughts remain on the people. To learn how you may be able to help Jen as well as others in securing a life saving match go to: www.savejen.com Follow the link to view a short video regarding Jennifer Jones Austin’s circumstance. http://www.webcastr.com/video s/news/jennifer-jones-austinneeds-a-marrow-match.html Frederick Alexander Meade is an educator and journalist providing analysis on social and political matters. His works appear in news magazines and publications across the country. Meade may be contacted at: Meade1900@yahoo.com
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Insight News • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Page 7
Obesity may have adverse role in HIV treatment By Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American (NNPA) - The immune systems of HIV patients who are obese does not respond to antiretroviral therapy as well as do those of people of normal weight, according to a study
Bank From 2 support and enhance the policies the federal government has designed. She said both federal stimulus bills that are bringing money into the Twin City neighborhood recovery provide funding to establish an operating land bank. “We are working with government partners that are receiving these funds. We’re using our funding to leverage their dollars, so their dollars can go further. For example, in Minneapolis a federal funding
conducted by researchers from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). The findings were based on data collected by the USU’s Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program (IDCRP) from participants in the U.S. Military Natural History Study, which includes 1,119 people with documented dates of HIV infection
between 1986 and 2008. It was presented recently at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “Obese patients were found to regain fewer CD4-positive T cells after they start therapy than do people with normal weight,” said presenter, Dr. Nancy CrumCianflone. “These findings don’t
align with some of the earlier studies done prior to the advent of modern highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), when patients who were obese did better than those of normal or below-normal weight,” she said. Crum-Cianflone said this recent data may imply that obesity, which has known ill effects, poses an additional risk to people with
subsidy of about $25,000 per housing units can be matched by our money to make the subsidy $75,000 in that unit. So we are working very carefully to make sure we are enhancing each other’s efforts,” Rom said. The Land Bank’s goal in acquiring distressed properties is preservation of ownership opportunity for people who presently live in distress communities, and who may be displaced by the economic crisis unless there is some sort of organized intervention on their behalf. On the one hand, the Land Bank initiative provides a hedge against unrestrained speculation in the marketplace,
where hawkish investors pick up property on the cheap when homeowners default on their mortgages. On the other hand, said Rom, the Land Bank nudges the market toward more responsible solutions to the housing crisis. “I think we are working with the market forces. For example, Minneapolis is projecting 3,000 foreclosed houses per year. The Land Bank working in conjunction with the city will acquire about 600 of those. We’re not taking over the natural market forces, but we’re trying to provide enough resources to break a cycle that was bad for the community,” she said.
“The competition to buy houses as they go on the market is not by folks in our community; it’s from folks outside of our community. These are sometimes syndicates of folks who are around the world that are buying this product as quickly as they can. They are not making this investment in order to build the community,” Rom said. “We’re trying to have enough impact so that we have a core of sustainable ownership and sustainable rental so that we are breaking the cycle that seems to be occurring in distress communities,” she said.
HIV. “The irony is that in the past we have been concerned that patients with HIV infection were losing too much weight,” said Captain (Dr.) Greg Martin, director of the IDCRP. “Yet this research is showing that there needs to be more of a focus on maintaining a balanced weight without going to the other extreme.”
Crum-Cianflone said it is not clear why obesity should have such an effect. One possibility might be that standard drug dosing set in clinical trials may not be enough for obese patients, or there may be something about the extra weight that limits the effects of medications.
Shawn Huckleby
Suluki Fardan
Page 8 • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Insight News
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It only takes 15 minutes to change your life Style on a dime
By Marcia Humphrey If you are at all like me, you have probably said to yourself, “There is just not enough time in the day for me to accomplish all the things that I have to/need to accomplish. All of the demands of life compete for my attention, my energy, and my money,
so one of my goals in 2010 is to discover practical ways to continually simplify my life and redeem my time. Inspired by a website I introduced to you last week, www.flylady.com, I have started using bite-sized chunks of time throughout the day to accomplish small, yet important goals. I am already seeing some savings; more time, less headaches and frustration, more family unity. The trick to making this strategy work is to actually use a timer-it can be the one on your cell phone, your watch, your stove, microwave, etcjust make sure you use it. I even have my kids using this method and it is working! Below is a list of 15-
minute good-for-the-soul actions that are guaranteed to create some type of savings in your life. Grab your timer. Ready, set, start! Talk to your spouse (or your baby’s mama/daddy) Respectful communication is the key to any healthy relationship. If you are married, agree to set the timer for 15 minutes of chat-time just before bed or in the morning. And while you are at it, exchange gentle touches (simple, but very effective). If you and your child’s daddy/mama are no longer together, do your best to make effective communication a high priority. Continually work on building or maintaining a stable
relationship where regular two-way communication occurs. Your kids will thank you later. Savings: More emotional security within your marriage and less fighting. Savings (if parents aren’t together); less stress and discomfort during those special school activities and milestones where both parents will to attend (and did I mention less fighting?). Play with your kids If you want to build strong family ties that bind you together for years to come, take the time to play around with those babies-no matter how old they are. Set the timer and play a card game together-spades or go fish, read, or dance to your favorite
(and their favorite) tunes. We often do this just before bed as a way to reconnect. Savings: Fewer calls from the teacher Meditate-Pray Everyone in the family benefits when you take an opportunity to unwind at the end of a long day. A great way to achieve this is by praying or meditating for only 15 minutes. Believe it or not, the time you spend in reflective prayer helps you to refocus and rejuvenate, making you even more effective in your day. Be sure to keep your pen and paper handy for the inspirational thoughts that are sure to come. Savings:
More sanity, less craziness. Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it? Yet by using your timer and working the 15-minute strategy you will find yourself less worried, less stressed, and more intune with the people and the goals that matter most. Go ahead and take the challenge to change your life in 15 minutes and then let me hear from you! Enjoy! Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at low costs. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.
African Americans more likely to care for older loved ones By Pharoh Martin NNPA National Correspondent There’s an adage that tells us that we are once an adult but twice a child. That is because many in their “golden years” will be spent in the care of others. In fact, a new study suggests that almost a third of the country’s adult population play a caregiver role to somebody over the age of 50, a disparate number of those caregivers being African American. Kiona Daniels is one such individual. She has cared - not just
Ford From 1 set out to write this book to help other women, she explained that these poems actually started out as entries in her bedside journal. “Within this past year, (during times
for one - but for two grandmothers. “I had to learn at a very young age how to manage things that kids my age had nothing to do with,” said Daniels, who is 35. The study, published by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, found that a significant majority of the nation’s 65.7 million caregivers are working women and that African Americans are almost twice as likely to be a caregiver than other ethnicity. They are also more likely to be single and have an annual household income of less than $50,000, adding an extra hardship in tough economic
times. So while other young adults were figuring out what classes to take, Daniels, then living in her hometown of Mobile, AL, was trying to figure out a care plan for her elderly grandmother - while still picking her classes. When Daniel was 16 and her mother died in a horrific car accident, she was left with the responsibility of caring for Arline Boyd, her 91-year-old great grandmother. Daniels cared for her nine years until she passed in 2002. Then she began caring for her grandmother. Both situations exemplify the life of a caregiver.
In addition to being a full-time student and caregiver Daniels has had to work three part-time jobs in order to make ends meet. Her week day, while caring for Boyd, would start at four in the morning. Boyd was bed-ridden, due to medical problems, so Daniels would have to bathe and feed her, in addition to changing her under garments and dealing with her wounds from bed sores that she developed from being constantly hospitalized. If Daniels had to run an errand such as pay a bill or do some grocery shopping she would have a friend watch her great
of meditation and prayer) poems would start coming to me…sometimes three or four right behind one another.” Ford revealed that for many years she had lived with a deep and unresolved longing to be held and loved, that she believes stemmed from her first year of life as an orphan. In writing these poems and essays, Ford says that she
began to experience emotional and spiritual healing. In addition, she felt a newfound freedom and sensed God’s love in an entirely new way, far beyond anything that could be satisfied by a mere physical touch. Ford says, “I thought, wow, maybe someone else could be helped, by being free…I read some of the poems to friends of mine…and they believed it would impact other women.” After prayerful contemplation Ford set out to make her self-published book a reality. Love Letters To Him is already positively influencing our
community; it is being used in an after-school program as an empowerment tool for 600 high school girls. In addition, a local organization which helps rescue women from prostitution has started incorporating the book into their program. This type of healthy, honest dialogue; with God, yourself, and others helps toward the journey of wholeness. Accepting the challenge of being transparent can bring about the kind of transformation that gives you the confidence to feel that you are worthy of love right now and the courage to fulfill your destiny. Love Letters To Him is currently
CARE TURN TO
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Kiona Daniels available for $15 at two locations; www.amazon.com and www.missiontomobilization.com This impactful book would be ideal for a book club, women’s group, or a casual gathering of friends desiring meaningful discussion. For individual study, this 52-week guide of poems, essays and reflection questions are arranged in a way that allows for a year-long study of God’s passionate love for all of His children. Finally, I am pleased to announce that Sheila Ford will be a featured guest on the KFAI radio program, “Conversations with Al
McFarlane,” in the near future to further discuss Love Letters To Him and read excerpts (visit www.kfai.org for more details) from the book. She will also be answering your related email questions that are sent in advance of the show’s airing. Make sure to send your questions today, as they will be answered in the order they are received. Simply email them to marcia@insightnews.com. We will try to answer as many questions as time allows.
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Ejiofor From 5 invariably move around that subject. KW: Would you like to share a little about your father’s life in celebration instead? CE: My father, Arinze Ejiofor , was a musician and a doctor. Nobody’s ever asked me about that combination and what growing up in that environment was like. KW: So, what was it like? CE: [Laughs] It was great! It was great! We had a very solid, practical scientific upbringing. Yet because he was a fairly famous guitarist in Nigeria, we also had a palpable sense of a creative and cultural synthesis. Working in this industry, I do feel that science and creativity turned out to be a very useful combination for me. KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid? CE: Yeah, I think fear is a very healthy motivator. KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy? CE: Yes! Everyone has their days, but overall I’m very happy. KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a
Care From 8 grandmother or pay a neighbor to do so. “I really don’t know how I did it. I was very stressed for a really long time. I was one of the most stressed out 20-year-olds you’ve probably ever would’ve met,” said Daniels, a resident of Suitland, MD. Taking care of Boyd was 80 percent of her day and work and everything else was secondary to that. When Boyd finally passed, Daniels said she didn’t know what do with herself because she didn’t know who she was outside of being a caregiver. When that responsibility was gone Daniels said she went into a deep depression. Her grieving was compounded by the fact that she
Insight News • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Page 9 good laugh? CE: Yesterday I had a couple of good chuckles. There’s always something ridiculous happening on the set, especially when people get so tired because of the long days. We were doing a shot in a very cramped space, feeling very cooped up. If you’re there for 10 hours, a kind of gallows humor develops. A certain hysterical humor as well. I don’t know if it was a good laugh in the sense of reckless abandon and joy, but it certainly brought tears to our eyes. KW: Who were you shooting the scene with? CE: I was with Angelina Jolie and a camera crew in a very cramped space. KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest memory? CE: It’s from Christmas, of 1982, I think. Maybe because I was smaller, or maybe because it used to snow more back then, but all I remember is watching from the window of the first house I ever lived in as the snow seemed to completely swallow our car, a Honda Accord. It was parked outside the house in front of a very large tree. KW: The Mike Pittman question: Who was your best friend as a child? CE: We moved when I was eight, but I’ve been very fortunate to have made a number of close
felt lost. She had long dreaded the possibility of this feeling. “It has an emotional impact on you watching someone you love get older and wonder what type of impact that that’s going to have on yourself,” Daniels said. She didn’t have much time to dwell on herself because, like her great grandmother, her grandmother Ella Daniels was in need of care assistance. Daniels moved to the Washington, D.C. area to care for her grandmother, who is now 94 - and to work on Capitol Hill as a staffer for a congressman. Fortunately, Daniel’s grandmother is still mobile and in better health, so she doesn’t have to perform the same medical and physical-related tasks that she had to perform with her great grandmother. But because of her age she’s slowing down considerably. For now, she
friends I’ve known ever since. They’re still my closest friends. KW: What is your favorite dish to cook? CE: My favorite thing to cook is anything that comes out okay. I’m very fond of certain pastas and sauces that I can just about cook from scratch. So those are what I like to cook, as well as roasted potatoes and chicken. Anything that tastes alright. KW: Which is your favorite of all your movies? CE: I like all of them, and for different reasons. I know that sounds trite, but I do. But I have to say that when I was shooting one of the films that you liked, Dirty Pretty Things, I did have an amazing time. That was my first time playing a film lead, and my first exposure to a director [Stephen Frears] who paid attention in such incredible detail, and my first experience doing a project of that scale. KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for? CE: That global poverty would end. That people would be able to eat. It’s the worst shame in the world that people go hungry. KW: Uduak Oduok asks, how do you see Africa as affecting American culture? CE: I think Africa will have a
handles her grandmother’s day-today needs and her financial matters. She also has full power of attorney. But there is very little outside help for people in Daniels’ position. “There is really no built-in assistance for a caregiver who is single unless the [care recipient] invested in some sort of insurance prior to them aging,” Daniels said. “For somebody like myself that is something I will definitely do when I get into my fifties because that’s a policy that could help care for me at my older age.” Still, being a caregiver has taken a tremendous toll on Daniel’s personal life. Every decision that she’s made since she was 16, including where she went to college, hinged on how it would affect her responsibility to her grandmothers. She’s given up scholarships and left a job at CNN
crisper impact on Europe, as it has traditionally, and then that will filter into the American cultural psyche, in the way that India has. Look at how Slumdog Millionaire had to come out of England, even though it was ultimately wellreceived in America. KW: Uduak also asks, who is your favorite clothes designer? CE: Good question. I’m not really a clothes horse, but I’ve really enjoyed wearing a lot of Dunhill lately. Their suits are quite chic and elegant without being button-down conservative. KW: Tommy Russell has a couple of political questions. Do you think America should adopt the Copenhagen Accords on global warming? CE: I can’t answer that. I don’t know enough about it. I’m aware that it’s a green issue and that Obama was over there trying to broker a deal. My instinct is that it should pass, but I haven’t paid close enough attention to all the specific details to comment. I’m in favor of anything that promotes greener solutions. KW: Let’s see if you can answer Tommy’s other one: Do you think the healthcare bill will pass and prove to be one of the best pieces of legislation in a generation? Or will this cornerstone of Obama’s domestic agenda prove to be his Achilles heel, on par with the
because she wasn’t able to care for her grandmother as needed. “It wasn’t an option to leave them. It was to either put them in a nursing home and live my life independently or go home to support them and be their caregiver,” Daniels said. The financial burden is very difficult, especially now that Daniels is unemployed. While her grandmother receives Social Security, Daniels also has household expenses and her own financial obligations, such as a mortgage for a home that she still owns in Alabama. Like much of America, she simply struggles to make ends meet. “We’ve been very blessed in the fact that I’m able to kind of pay my bills the best way that I can even though I’m not working.”
Vietnam War for LBJ? CE: As much as everyone wants sweeping changes, the truth is that the healthcare bill and the concessions that have been made simply reflect how government and politics work. It seems that there’s only so much you can change with the system as it is, if you don’t have the requisite number of senators’ and congressmen’ votes. KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps? CE: I think the crucial thing about being an actor is to be doing it. I believe people instinctively know that about writing, yet people get
confused about that when it comes to acting. The only way to be an actor is to find ways to work as an actor, even if that means doing a one-man show by a river. KW: How do you want to be remembered? CE: I don’t know. I’m not going to think about that. I’ll have to get back to you in a few decades. KW: Thanks again, Chiwetel, best of luck at the Golden Globes, and I look forward to speaking with you again down the line. CE: Great, thank you.
Page 10 • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Insight News
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, ben@insightnews.com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Free or low cost events preferred.
all; Certificate of Attendance; Roseann, 612.823.8205; Mary, claudemaryparadis@comcast.net Location: SJA Church Hospitality Hall, Door 1, 4537 Third Av S, Minneapolis; www.stjoan.com/mimfr.htm Technology for Girls: My Messy Little Experiments - Jan 12 A free workshop for middleschool girls with disabilities. Tuesday, Jan. 12, 6 to 8 p.m., at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, Minn. Advance registration is required. To register, call PACER at 952838-9000 or 952-838-0190 (TTY) or visit PACER.org.
Events
treehugger.com
Wanted: Community-minded book lovers - Ongoing One in seven U.S. adults lack the literacy skills necessary to enjoy great books, help their children with homework, or understand medication labels. But you can change this by volunteering with the Minnesota Literacy Council. With only two or three hours a week, your love of reading can create a stronger community. Tutor an adult learner, assist in an adult classroom, or teach a basic English or GED class. We have locations throughout the Twin Cities area, flexible scheduling and training to help you get started. Contact Allison at volunteer@themlc.org or 651-6452277, Ext 219 or visit us on the web at www.themlc.org. ‘Sienna Saturdays’ - Ongoing Saturdays during the month of January 2010 (Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30), 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Wellsfargo Winter Skate Rink, Landmark Plaza (downtown Saint Paul). Free hot chocolate and skate rentals (while supplies last) courtesy of Toyota, The Local Toyota Dealerships and the 2010 Sienna Minivan. www.stpaul.gov/parks Hungry Planet: What the World Eats – Now thru May 9 Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612-624-7083. Register: 612-624-9050. From Hybrid Corn to Honeycrisps: University Agricultural Success Stories by Photographer David – Now thru May 9 Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612-624-7083. Register: 612-624-9050. St. Joan of Arc MIM – Jan 11 Mon, Jan 11, 5:45—8:15pm; St. Joan of Arc Church Mental Illness Ministry; 5:45: Light meal provided; 7—8:15: Topic: Suicide; Speaker: Mary McGuire and Panel, SAVE; Free/open to
Capoeira Kids – Jan 12, 13 Children ages 5-10 will experience the movements of Capoeira including cartwheels, kicks and defenses, and the rhythmic ginga or mobile guard. They will also have the opportunity to play the music of Capoeira on instruments like the pandeiro, agogo, and atabaque. Tuesday 6-7 PM Starts Jan. 12 or Weds. 5-6 PM Starts January 13. Enrollment for the 8 week term is $60. Siblings receive a 15% discount, total being $102. E-mail abcapoeira@gmail.com to reserve a spot. Open House – Jan 14 6:00 p.m. Pasta dinner gathering and open house, 7:00 p.m. Dr. David Walsh, Sullivan Auditorium. Anishinabe Academy and Sullivan Community School, 3100 East 28th St., Mpls. Proposals for MPS New Schools to be presented at community meeting – Jan 14 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center (UROC), 2001 Plymouth Ave. N., Mpls. School leaders will also address questions from the public. Please call (612) 668-0230 to reserve a space. Walkabout: Food From Field to Fork: Global Food Systems – Jan 14 Thurs., 5:30 p.m. Free with museum admission. Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612624-7083. Register: 612-6249050. NAMC Monthly meeting – Jan 14 2:30 – 3:30 Voting Member Meeting, 3:30 – 4:30 Open Meeting. Heritage Park Community Center, 1000 Olson Memorial Parkway, Mpls. Machinery Hill and Brass Messengers – Jan. 14 Capri Theater, 2027 West Broadway, Mpls. Music starts at 7:30p. Minneapolis in the 20th Century with Iric Nathanson – Jan 14 Jan. 14, 7 p.m. at the Mill City Museum, 704 South Second Street, Mpls. For more info: 612341-7555, www.millcitymuseum.org. Free.
Celebrate the Dream 2010 - Jan 15 Friday, Jan 15, 7pm at Basilica St. Mary, in Minneapolis. www.minneapolis.edu On Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend: Foreclose the War, Not People’s Homes! – Jan 16 1:00 p.m. Meet at 38th Street and Park Avenue South, Mpls, for protest and bannering in front of the home of Leslie Parks, Minneapolis resident fighting to save her home from foreclosure. 1:30 p.m. Travel to an indoor program at St. Joan of Arc Church, 4537 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and program starts at 1:45 p.m. FFI: Call the Anti-War Committee, 612-379-3899; Twin Cities Peace Campaign, 612-5221861; or WAMM, 612-827-5364. Two mothers and two dads healing group – Jan. 16 For parents whose child has murdered or been murdered. 10 a11:30 a at the St. Jane House, 1403 Emerson Avenue N. MCTC 2nd annual power of giving MLK day of service - Jan 16 Saturday, Jan 16, 8 am - 1 pm. www.minneapolis.edu New Year’s Tea Brunch & Bible Fellowship – Jan 16 Saturday, January 16, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM at Dennis Ministries (located in the Dymanyk Electric Bldg), 1919 Broadway NE, Mpls. R.S.V.P by: January 12. 763-9512288, dennisministries@yahoo.com. The Puggles— A Platypus Adventure – Jan. 16, 17 Sat., Jan. 16, 7:00 pm. Sun., Jan. 17, 1:30 and 4:00 pm. Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, 1500 E. Lake Street, Mpls. 612.721.2535, www.hobt.org. For reservations, call 612-721-2535 or visit www.hobt.org. HBCU COLLEGE FAIR – Jan. 18 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM at St. Peter’s AME Church, 401 E. 41st Street, Mpls. For more information call Arnise Roberson (612) 455-1566, email: aroberson@achievempls.org. or visit www.achievempls.org. Activate the Dream II: Home Ownership – Jan 18 January 18, 6pm - 8pm at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, Business Division, 1201 West Broadway Ave., Mpls. Free. Learn about the home buying process and the tax credit for homebuyers - up to $8,000. For more information: Call Joseph Dillard at 612-251-6593, email: jdillard3723@msn.com Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Holiday Breakfast - Jan 18 January 18, 7:00 am at the MPLS Convention Center. www.mlkbreakfast.org for tickets and information. History HiJinx Craft Program: I Have A Dream Luminaries Jan 18
Jan. 18, Noon to 4 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul. For more info and ticket information: www.minnesotahistorycenter.org, 651-259-3000.
Northside Community Tour with Council Member Don Samuels – Jan. 23 10a - 12p starts at the Cookie Cart, 1119 West Broadway, Mpls. Reservations Required.
Café Scientifique: Human Evolution and the Cooking of Food – Jan. 19 Tuesday, 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Bryan-Lake Bowl Theater. Tickets $5-$12. Call 612-8258949 for reservations. African Dance / Afro Modern Ongoing African Dance: Every Wednesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm. Live drumming by Fode Bangoura & Dan Handeen. Afro Modern: Every Thursday 5:30pm - 7:00pm. Zenon Dance Company and School, 528 Hennepin Ave. #400 Mpls. Visit http://www.zenondance.org/news. asp?news_id=503 for details & registration. Hamline University Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration – Jan 19 Tues., January 19, 4 p.m. in Sundin Music Hall, located at 1531 Hewitt Avenue in Saint Paul. MLK Week at MCTC Ongoing Wednesday, January 20, 6:30 p.m.—MCTC Campus - Gourmet Dining Room, T.1000, Panel Discussion, “An Oral History of African-American Race Relations in the Twin Cities” Thursday, January 21 Noon to 1:30 p.m., MCTC Campus Gourmet Dining Room, T.1000 Chaplain and Colonel Wally G. Vaughn, “Reflections on Our Pastor: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 1954-1960” and “The Selma Campaign, 1963-1965: The Decisive Battle of the Civil Rights Movement.” Friday, January 22, Noon to 1:30 p.m., MCTC Campus - Helland Student Center Open microphone event. Students will share and perform pieces that speak to what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy means to them.
Margot Dedrick
Elemental: New paintings by Margot Dedrick – Jan 23 Opening Reception, Sat., 7:00 to 10:00 pm. ELEMENTAL will be on view January 23 - February 21, 2010. SSCA Gallery is located at: 1905 Third Avenue S., Mpls. Maaza Mengiste reads from her novel Beneath the Lion’s Gaze – Jan 24 5:00pm, Sunday, January 24, at Magers & Quinn Booksellers (3038 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis; 612/822-4611. GLBT Host Home Program information sessions – Jan. 26, 28 Attend Tues., Jan. 26, 6-8pm, Midtown YWCA (Conference Room), 2121 East Lake St., Mpls. www.ywca-minneapolis.org; or Thurs., Jan. 28, 6-8pm at Common Roots Café (Meeting Room), 2558 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. www.commonrootscafe.com West Broadway Business and Area Coalition presentation – Jan. 28 10 things businesses need to know at tax time. 8:30a at the Cookie Cart, 1119 West Broadway, Mpls. Interlochen Dance Faculty to Hold Audition at James Sewell Ballet - Jan. 31 Sunday, at 528 Hennepin Ave. Ste. 205, James Sewell Ballet, Mpls, MN 55403. Registration is at 1 p.m. with the audition being held from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Minneapolis is one of 14 stops on Interlochen’s nationwide dance audition tour. www.interlochen.org/dance. Independent Media Potluck – Jan 31 3 pm – 6 pm, MAY DAY BOOKS, 301 Cedar Ave. S. (basement HUB Bicycle),West Bank, Minneapolis 612-3334719.
Grey Nayman
Saint Paul Winter Carnival January 21 - 31, 2010 For more information, visit www.winter-carnival.com Dissecting Dinner – Jan 21 Thursday, 7 p.m. Free with museum admission. Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612-624-7083. Register: 612-624-9050.
Nature Tots: Nature Scents – Feb. 4 Thurs., 10 a.m. Free with museum admission. Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612624-7083. Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612624-7083. Register: 612-6249050. 5th Annual Twin Cities Snowshoe Shuffle - Feb. 6
10:00am 5K/10K Race/Walk Kids Fun Run, Long Lake Regional Park, 1500 Old Highway 8, New Brighton. $35 adults, $20 students, Kids Fun Run free. Proceeds benefit Camp Bovey, a summer camp youth program of East Side Neighborhood Services. www.snowshoeshuffle.org, 612787-4000. MayDay Community Meeting – Feb. 9 Tuesday, February 9, 7pm-9pm, No reservation necessary. IN THE HEART OF THE BEAST PUPPET AND MASK THEATRE, 1500 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis. 612.721.2535. www.hobt.org Iran: What Lies Ahead – Feb 11 7 PM at the Parish Community of St. Joseph, 8701-36th Avenue N., New Hope, at the corner of Boone and 36th; a discussion will follow. Speaker: William O. Beeman, Professor and Chair of the Anthropology Department at the University of Minnesota for additional information contact Eileen Moran, 763-545-2296. Pilobolus Family Fungi Fest – Feb. 13 Sat., 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612-624-7083. Register: 612-6249050. An Alternative for your Sweetheart: Sock Puppet Serenade – Feb. 13, 14 February 13, 7pm, February 14, 4 pm and 7 pm. At THE HEART OF THE BEAST PUPPET AND MASK THEATRE, 1500 E. Lake Street, Mpls. Tickets are $10 and available at www.hobt.org or 612721-2535. HandsOn Twin Cities Volunteer Expo – Feb. 20 Saturday, Feb 20, Mall of America, Best Buy Rotunda, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Visit www.handsontwincities.org for more information. Tour the University of Minnesota’s Dairy Barns – Feb 27 Saturday, 9 a.m. at the University of Minnesota Dairy Barn, St. Paul Campus. Cost: $9; $7 members; $5 children under 12 Registration required. Bell Museum of Natural History, 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Free admission on Sundays. Info: 612624-7083. Register: 612-6249050. ‘Soap Boxing’ poetry slam – Ongoing Monday’s at the Artist’s Quarter, 408 St Peter Street, St. Paul. (Under Great Water’s Brewery) $5 cover (free if you compete in the Slam) 18+. Doors @ 7 pm. Slam @ 8:00. FFI: 612-207-7991, w w w. s o a p - b o x i n g . c o m , www.myspace.com/soapboxingsl am
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Insight News • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Page 11
SPORTS
The Gophers weather the storm Mr T’s Sports Report
By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com The Gopher Men’s Basketball team recently played for a shot at the top of the Big 10 Conference when they played the #4 ranked Purdue University Boilermakers. Commentator Steve Lavin referred to the game as a “classic Big Ten match-up,” and that is exactly what the product on the court showed. Both
teams had that stout Big-10 defensive approach, and the complimentary methodical offense. But while the Gophers looked like they belonged on the same court as the #4 team in the country, it just seemed as
services of three strong recruits. Royce White, of Hopkins, and Trevor Mbakwe, are both excellent players missing due to potential off-the-court indiscretions. During this game with Purdue, the Gopher’s were
Al Nolen Jr. is very savvy as the Junior point guard. though something was missing for the Gophers; something in addition to the 19 points needed to even the score at the end of the game. The Gophers ended up short 19 points (though it was a 10 point gap during most of the game), and it goes to figure since they were short the
also short of Ralph Sampson III due to an injury. Basketball teams can fall apart from personal difficulties such as this, but fortunately for the Gophers they are led by Coach Tubby Smith. If you are a real watcher of sports, then you can recognize a personality in the way that a
cache.daylife.com/.../0eJgdeb5fC7tw/610x.jpg
University of Minnesota guard Al Nolen (0) goes up for a shot against University of Texas guard Varez Ward (50) as University of Minnesota forward/center Ralph Sampson III (50) looks on.
team plays, which is rooted in the coach’s influence. With Coach Smith it is always the defensive rotations and spacing that strike me as being exceptionally fluid. Commentator Lavin commented that Smith “adapts and adjusts”. Whatever you call it, it is good looking basketball. But even with all this good looking basketball, the Gopher’s couldn’t get over the hump against Purdue for two reasons: the aforementioned player losses, and the simple fact that Purdue was bigger. The Gopher’s looked like the better team, and the Boilermakers looked like the bigger team…and the bigger team won. The Gophers have gotten bigger due to the physical and mental growth of center’s Colton Iversen and Ralph Sampson III, as well as the muscular development of most other players on the team. Yet, in Smith’s third year the team is still slightly lacking in the Size and Athleticism Departments, though they are much improved. Perhaps the roster difficulties have an influence. If you’re not going to be bigger, or as big as your competitor, you’d better be all over them like mosquitoes. The Gopher’s exhibit mosquito tendencies, but seem to lack a strong enough stinger to give somebody one of those swollen, quarter-sized mosquito bites (No mosquitoes is something positive about the below zero Minnesota temperatures, by the way). That metaphorical stinger comes from either consistently sending many waves of talented players on the court, or by putting one or two of those bigger, faster, higher-fliers out there. Several players have shown flashes of being able to provide a consistent, major athletic presence for the
Gophers. Forward Paul Carter, a junior, has shown flashes of what an athletic, 6’8” 203lb frame can do when flying around the basket. Everyone is hoping that Sampson will shake off a little more of his youthful shyness, and start dunking on folks, but knee injuries don’t tend to help someone’s aggressive attitude on a basketball court. Hopefully, someone emerges as the physical force necessary to propel the team to success greater than the previous year, but fortunately there are several bankable key positions securely in place. Al Nolen Jr. is savvy and unshakeable as a Junior point
guard; Lawrence Westbrook is the offensive minded tank/sparkplug; Blake Hoffarber is the consistently improving, dependable sharpshooter; and anytime you can have two talented 7ft (6’10” and 6’11” technically, but I’m guessing you look up to them, too) centers, you can pose an immediate problem for any adversary. The Gopher Men’s Hoop squad needs a spark, but Gopher fans can definitely hold on to strong hopes of a memorable February and March campaign with this good group of young men taking the gym floor.
Page 12 • January 11 - January 17, 2010 • Insight News
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