Insight News ::: 1.24.11

JANUARY 29TH A young immigrant woman’s struggle and ordeal adjusting between traditional marriage and fulfilling her dreams. A film

by Mesfen Sinke & Issayas Tsegay.

St. Anthony Main Theater 1115 Main Street SE, Minneapolis 1:30 PM and 4:15 PM For more information: 763.250.8589, eccmcomm@gmail.com

INSIGHT NEWS January 24 - January 30, 2011 • MN Metro Vol. 37 No. 4 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

Above: Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Top right: Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar.

Right: CeLois Steele, MFHA and Governor Mark Dayton.

Photos: Suluki Fardan

Continue the dream through service

By H. Everett Colbert While much of the dream of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been achieved, there is still plenty of work to be done.

That was the message of Newark Mayor, Cory Booker, who delivered the keynote address during this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast. The breakfast, held Monday at

the Minneapolis Convention Center, and in observance of the national holiday to honor the slain civil rights leader was attended by nearly 2,000 people including newly elected governor, Mark Dayton, mayors of both Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as both of the state’s senators.

While praising the progresses in achieving racial equality, Booker stressed there is work still to be done. “You’ve

got to stand-up,” Booker said.

“Don’t complain about what is, but keep working for what can be. We celebrate his [King’s] words, but it was his work that got us where we are today.”

Furthering the call for involvement, Booker said it is up to all of us to improve conditions plaguing the African American community. “Too many people think democracy is a spectator sport, but the credit belongs to the man who

is in the arena,” said the mayor, who added that we can all be leaders.

Booker emerged as a prominent figure on the political landscape when his 2002 run for mayor was chronicled in the documentary, Street Fight. The film earned an Academy Award nomination in 2005. Though defeated in his initial campaign for Newark’s top job, Booker ran again in 2006 where he won the nod. He

was re-elected in 2010.

A strong proponent for quality public education, Booker has been able to secure millions of dollars for the Newark Public School Dist., including a donation of $100 million from Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg.

Dr. Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) echoed Booker’s message of community

involvement. Addressing gaps in educational achievement, Lomax said everyone must do their part.

“Education reform is too important to be left to educators alone,” said Lomax.

In acknowledging the racial diversity of the attendees, both Booker and Lomax agreed, Minneapolis serves as an example of King’s vision.

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Honoring King through service

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer Americans honored Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy by participating in service projects across the country on the 25th MLK National Day of Service— projects that meet the needs of our local communities and that address our nation’s toughest challenges.

Dr. King challenged us to make a better America. Recent

jumps in volunteering, and the continuation of breaking down racial barriers, indicates that we as a nation are getting closer to achieving his dreams of service and unity. Dr. King’s legacy is manifested in giving back to our community every day.

President Barack Obama’s national call to service, ‘United We Serve,’ helps to meet America’s growing social needs that are resulting from the economic downturn.

Ordinary people can achieve

extraordinary things when given the proper tools.

President Obama is asking us to come together to help lay a new foundation of bringing people together. This initiative aims to both expand the impact of existing organizations by engaging new volunteers in their work and encourage all of us to develop our own projects. Economic recovery is as much about what we are doing in our communities as what the government is doing. It is going to take

all of us working together.

The Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Melody Barnes, said, “The President and First Lady [Michelle Obama] exemplify service as a way of life. Dr King’s spirit is alive today in all of us when we give back to our communities… We need to think of the MLK Holiday as a day on instead of a day off.”

The Domestic Policy Council coordinates the domestic

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Rep. Rena Moran honors Vang Pao

Rep. Keith Ellison meets with constituents

Global Market meeting honors Arizona victims

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General Vang Pao

State Rep. Rena Moran (DFL – St. Paul) delivered the following speech on the Minnesota House floor on Thursday, January 13th to honor the memory of General Vang Pao, who recently passed away at the age of 81.

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Rep. Rena Moran

Business

Minor tasks and major decisions: Set a deadline

PAGE 2

Aesthetics

Interview: Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart

PAGE 5

Suluki Fardan

MN House of Representatives

US Rep. Keith Ellison (DMN) held a special “Congress on Your Corner” constituent meeting last Friday in honor of US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and the other victims of the shooting in Tucson, AZ. Giffords was holding a “Congress on Your Corner” constituent event at a supermarket in Tuscon when she and 19 others were shot on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011.

Ellison’s constituent

Profile

Cindy Nelson Kaigama’s healing virtue

PAGE 8

event, like his frequent past constituent meetings and forums, provided opportunities for constituents to speak with the Congressman or consult with his staff on casework issues. Ellison also provided books for Minnesotans to write messages of condolence and well wishes to the victims and their families that he will deliver to Giffords’ office in Washington.

Sports

Gophers earning their stripes

PAGE 11

Page 2 • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Insight News

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BUSINESS Novel business plan for Twin Cities Mayor Chris Coleman (Saint Paul) and Mayor R.T. Rybak (Minneapolis), last month, gave a presentation on ‘metropolitan business planning’ in the Twin Cities metro area at the Brookings Institute’s Global Metro Summit in Chicago.

Global Metro Summit is an initiative sponsored by the Brookings Institute’s Metropolitan Policy Program, the London School of Economics, the Alfred Herrhausen Society and Time Magazine to promote efforts across the globe that position metropolitan areas as innovative engines of economic growth.

Mayors Coleman and

Rybak discussed the concept of metropolitan business planning, an approach borrowed from the private sector and recently applied to economic development aimed helping metropolitan areas lead the U.S. economy by four key measures— expansion of exports, finding low-carbon solutions to meet consumer preference, innovation and creating opportunities through higher wages, education and skill levels for all residents.

“From the Regional Council of Mayors to the Itasca Project, we are seeing conversations on regional development take place across the Minneapolis– Saint Paul metro. By unifying

the efforts of public and private partners to promote our region, we will not only create economic growth in Saint Paul, but in every city throughout the region,” Mayor Coleman said.

At the Summit, Mayors Coleman and Rybak highlighted five regional strategies that will be vital in fostering this new economy— An Entrepreneurship Accelerator that strategically invests in start-up projects.

Providing entrepreneurs with the support they need to turn good ideas into reality.

The Corridors of Opportunity Initiative, designed to improve access to regional opportunities by advancing

transit systems and maximizing community benefits along the Central Corridor through a new public/private model.

The Regional Economic Development Partnership (REDP), a private-public initiative that will integrate the activities of forty regional economic-development organizations to provide a more effective model for recruiting, retaining and growing business.

Thinc.GreenMSP, a greenpurchasing and job-creation partnership: will create greenbuilding standards and attract green manufacturers while branding Minneapolis–Saint Paul as great places to develop or grow green businesses.

The Regional Competitiveness Project, a collaborative initiative of Urban Land Institute (ULI) Minnesota/Regional Council of Mayors, the University’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the with BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota to establish a network within the medical sector.

“This is the first time a business plan for a region has been written,” said Caren Dewar, executive director of Urban Land Institute Minnesota. “These efforts are the result of the incredible

partnerships already in place among regional mayors who are committed to this nonpartisan collaboration with the business community to create growth.”

“We’re thrilled that both the private and public sectors are on the same page at the same time and are stepping up financially to support a regional economic development initiative,” said Kathy Schmidlkofer of the Itasca Project.

Mayor Rybak’s comments on metro business planning is accessible via webcast at www.brookings.edu/ e v e n t s / 2 0 1 0 / 1 2 0 8 _ m e t ro _ summit.aspx.

Minor tasks and major decisions: Set a deadline Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Over twelve weeks, my friend Robin is journeying through six rounds of chemotherapy.

She knows clearly the day and date of that last treatment.

She knows what percentage is completed and how many treatments remain. And she understands her responsibility in the process; one bad cold can throw that deadline out the window if it delays a scheduled treatment.

Jason’s unemployment ends exactly twenty six weeks after it began. That end date is emblazoned on his mind. By then, Jason wants to be sitting behind a computer somewhere, earning a paycheck.

He knows without thinking about it exactly how much time

remains and what he needs to accomplish before that deadline.

Robin and Jason are living with deadlines that were created for them and that they accept because not doing so can have dire consequences. Even if life, death and livelihood are not on the line, by setting deadlines in all areas of life people can accomplish more and become powerful decision makers.

Little things really add up.

Deadlines should always be applied to minor tasks, and the to-do list set up in order of date due. End-of-day is a legitimate cutoff. By saying, I can’t leave until I make this call, you create urgency and get the call out of the way. Tasks that can wait will fall on tomorrow’s list, or next week’s. More pressing items then rise to the top and get your attention. Amazing how quickly deadlines can declutter a to-do list.

Deadlines drive better decisions, too. On big choices (a car or home purchase, a new job, quitting a job, getting

stock.xchng (iotdfi)

engaged), name a Decision Date. This is the date on

which you will commit to one selection. Knowing you do not have to lock in yet, you are free to not decide. You are free to research, to hear others’ opinions, and to waver. You might think you have decided.

You can live with the choice

and if, after a day or so, you do a 180, you have time to live with a different choice.

Where will you attend school?

Which team will you sign for? If anyone asks, you can comfortably answer, I haven’t decided… yet.

Julie Desmond is Contract Specialist for Specialized Recruiting Group in Minneapolis, MN. Write to julie@insightnews.com.

Are you in job jail?

The phenomenon of underemployment affects nearly twice as many Americans as unemployment, and the underemployment rate for Americans has leapt from just under 10% in 2007 to nearly 18% in 2010. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, underemployment is a category that includes, but is not limited to, people who are unemployed, or who have a job but still cannot make ends meet.

Now Audrey LeGrand, a human resource expert has authored guide called How To Get Out of Job Jail: Eight Ways To Have The Career You’ve Always Wanted. (www. audreylegrand.com).

LeGrand believes the resume is the first line of defense for preventing being incarcerated in the “job jail” of underemployment. “Your resume could be landing in the recycle bin across corporate

America because it was not thought out, laid-out, or carried out correctly,” she says.

“Job Jail is a particularly sneaky trap, because many of us land in it without ever realizing it. Whether our hours have been shaved from full time to part time, or we’ve struggled just to get two low-paying jobs to replace the one higherpaying job we once had, it can be almost impossible to escape once you’ve been locked in that cell”.

The first thing to do is to take a new look at the resume.

LeGrand’s tips for resume health include: Appearance: Check for typos, grammatical errors. Use spell check and ask someone else to read it. Human resources professionals will many times summarily dismiss a qualified candidate because their resumes were rife with simple grammar

and spelling errors. Take extra care to be articulate and informative.

Size: Don’t use difficult to read font size. If the background is big, fill the two pages wisely.

Ethics: Don’t fudge dates of employments, degrees earned or career accomplishments.

Target your audience: Don’t just email your resume to every electronically posted position.

Narrow your search for exactly what you want and what you’re qualified for.

Tell them why you are the best choice: Don’t just copy your current job description. Show what you have accomplished in your previous position and why you are more qualified than the competition for the positions you are seeking.

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Insight News • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Page 3

Uganda’s Baha’i temple a symbol of unity, progress

By Baha’i World News Service KAMPALA, Uganda — At a ceremony to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Baha’i House of Worship, Uganda’s Chief Justice praised the temple’s continuing contribution to the unity of religion and social transformation.

“It is a reminder of what is to be put in place for a better future,” the Honorable Mr. Benjamin J. Odoki told some 1000 visitors who gathered in Kampala last Saturday for festivities to mark the temple’s golden jubilee.

“Celebrations such as this are a gracious reminder to us to count our blessings, to put God at the center of our lives, and to look at civilization as basically spiritual in nature,” said Chief Justice Odoki, who was guest of honor at the event.

The first Baha’i House of Worship on the continent – known as the “Mother Temple of Africa” – was built between 1957 and 1960 on Kikaya Hill, three miles north of Kampala.

Chief Justice Odoki, who recalled that he was a student in the city when the temple opened, said that the House of Worship has had a “discernible impact on the lives of those who have been associated with it and those who have visited it.”

“It has attracted, and brought in through its doors,

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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 Ben Williams Production Intern Andrew Notsch Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlane Bobby Rankin Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Technology Reporters Shanice Brown Ivan B. Phifer Christopher Toliver Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Brenda Colston Julie Desmond S. Himie 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.

the diversity of the kindred of the earth who have found spirituality inside it,” he said.

A spiritual and social purpose On 15 January, participants from some 18 countries – including a dozen African nations – gathered for a program of prayers and choral singing inside the House of Worship to mark the anniversary. Outside, visitors were given a taste of the various community building activities that the Baha’i community today offers.

“It is the combination of social welfare and acts of service that will regenerate the world,” remarked Chief Justice Odoki, acknowledging the foundation of Baha’i schools “based on moral principles where children of different races and backgrounds have cultivated lasting relationships based on the principle of oneness of humanity.”

The concept of the Baha’i House of Worship, as envisaged by Baha’u’llah, not only incorporates a central meeting place for prayer and meditation but, in time, a range of facilities to serve the social and educational needs of the surrounding population.

“Areas of education are very important,” said the Chief Justice. “They are the foundation for development.

This is a very important social obligation of the religious groups, to be able to uplift the people because of the abject poverty the communities face, including ignorance and disease.”

The House of Worship provides a range of educational programs in its grounds including study circles for adults and youth, as well as several children’s classes every Sunday.

“These are for everyone,” remarked Aqsan Woldu, who lives close to the temple and often serves there. “One of the things the children learn in these classes is the presence of God. We have stories about the Messengers of God and what the attributes of God are and what we should develop. And beyond that we have songs, because music is food for the soul and everyone should sing and learn.”

“In the future, I think the House of Worship will be the central point, the pivot,” said Mr. Woldu, “and the surroundings will be these schools, a hospital, and so on. People will come up and say prayers at the House of Worship and then go back to their duties. This is a beautiful thing.”

Religious unity Robert Byenkya – another Ugandan attending the golden jubilee – noted how people of all ages benefit from the temple’s programs. “They are welcome to enter and worship at their convenient time,” he said. “Children, junior youth, the aged, people who are mature, they can come to be together.”

When people of different faiths - Christians, Muslims and Baha’is among them pray together at the House of Worship, there is a special atmosphere, added Mr. Woldu.

“The temple plays a big role in that people who had some kind of prejudice towards other religions, when they come here, they see that we’re all saying prayers from different Holy Scriptures. Once you are inside the House of Worship we are one in the name of God. And that just brings us together.”

For the last fifty years, the temple’s expansive gardens have also proven to be a popular place for visitors to rest and contemplate. “When its school time, you find a lot of students on the hill, reading,” said Brenda Amonyin, who lives in Kampala. “Some people come and pray. They say their private prayers in the temple during the week days when the temple is open.

Others come on Sundays.”

Chief Justice Odoki

MLK From 1 “King dreamed to transform our neighborhoods into brotherhoods,” said Booker.

Lomax added, “Like Dr. King, I’m a native of Atlanta, but my favorite [King Holiday] celebrations are here in the cities: Minneapolis and St. Paul.”

Navy petty officer, Chris Penn, said he believes King’s dream of equality has been reached.

Photos: Baha’i World News Service

Around 1000 people from 18 countries attended the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of the inauguration of the Baha’i House of Worship in Kampala, Uganda. On the evening of 15 January, the outer paths encircling the temple were lined with candles and visitors entered for an impromptu prayer gathering, during which spontaneous group singing broke out.

Celebratory dances in the grounds of the Baha’i House of Worship, Kampala, Uganda, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the inauguration of the temple in January 1961. “What stood out was the love from those who attended from all the countries,” remarked Lawrence Alobi, who travelled from Nigeria to attend the festivities. “You could see the spiritual joy, the enthusiasm, the affection...”

Children taking part in activities on the grounds of Kampala’s Baha’i temple, marking the fiftieth anniversary of its inauguration in January 1961. “It’s my first time to come to the Mother Temple of Africa and it’s very special.” said Isaac, a visitor from Angola. “It’s very beautiful to see the friends from all over the continent and different countries because it’s uniting friends from all walks of life.”

Fifty years on, Uganda’s Baha’i temple stands as a symbol of unity and progress. particularly thanked the Baha’i community for maintaining the gardens. “They represent the spiritual purity to unite the world,” he said.

“New heights of service” In further comments, the Chief Justice expressed that he found it remarkable that the “Mother Temple of Africa” was built in Uganda.

“I am informed that the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith referred to Uganda as the spiritual heart of Africa,” said Chief Justice Odoki. “This is very striking given that the heart is the vital organ that pumps blood to all other parts of the body.”

“We should try to comprehend the significance

of the institution of the temple and why it is a bounty to the African community in general,” he said. “We should think about the world that is in turmoil and the role justice has to play in putting the affairs of the world in order and the importance of the role of the Baha’is in community building.”

“It is my sincere expectation that you continue to exercise a positive influence on all those who come under this shadow,” he told the gathering, “and guide humankind to new heights of service to the cause of unity and peace.”

For the Baha’i World News Service home page, go to: http://news.bahai.org/

“For the most part, we have equal opportunities in America,” said Penn, an African American who was attending a diversity job fair at the Convention Center. Penn added that while things are not perfect when it comes to racial progress, he feels African Americans have the same access to opportunities as their white counterparts.

Velma Korbel, Minneapolis’ director of the Department of Civil Rights feels the dream of King has not yet been fully realized.

“I think just like the theme

of this year’s celebration (Rejoice, Reclaim, Renew Community), we need to take back our community and take ownership and responsibility for some of our problems,” said Korbel. “A lot of times we’re waiting on other people to do for us.”

Korbel credits Minneapolis as being a pioneer in civil rights, stating that the department she heads has been used as a model for similar departments throughout the nation. According to Korbel, the city’s civil rights department even predates the

United States Department of Justice’s civil rights division, which was formed in 1957.

In addition to honoring the legacy of King, the event honored several local individuals, including Brandon Hill, a straight-A senior at Eden Prairie high school, who was elected governor of Minnesota Boys State and co-founded a group to mentor other students of color. Through the course of a year, that group was able to raise its cumulative grade point average a full letter grade.

The celebration included a moving tribute by children

of the SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development. That tribute was in honor of the four African American girls killed in the 1963 racially motivated bombing of a Birmingham church.

Former American Idol finalist, Paris Bennett sang several numbers including the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and Stevie Wonder’s version of “Happy Birthday.”

The event was sponsored by the UNCF and the General Mills Foundation.

Page 4 • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Insight News

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Courtesy of the 14th Annual Wall Street Economic Summit

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Lalah Hathaway

(l-r) Rev. Al Sharpton, Lalah Hathaway, and Rev. Jesse Jackson

Rainbow PUSH Wall Street economic summit

By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer Every year around the week of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and his organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC), hold their annual Wall Street economic summit.

This year marked their 14th anniversary.

The conference, which always draws a large number of

participants, was held in New York City from January 11 – 14th with a theme aptly titled, “A More Perfect Union: Time to Rebuild America.”

With the unemployment rates and lack of available jobs, the summit came at an appropriate hour. The objective of the event was to incite change and promote new beginnings in the lives of those oppressed by economic injustice.

“So many qualified people just cannot get jobs. Unless

they put our faces there, then joblessness becomes a statistic,” Jackson said. “When it came to refusing to sit in the back of the bus, we boycotted and acted. We must put faces on things to make it real. It is time to begin to mobilize resumes and enter these streets demanding jobs and justice.”

In addition to addressing unemployment and job creation, the summit covered a range of other subjects like foreclosures, international affairs, labor, civil rights, women and wealth, as well as economic and education

opportunities. By highlighting these issues, Jackson hopes the playing field will be evened.

“It’s not an even playing field. Take a look at the sports industry where the playing field is level. When the rules are public, the goals are clear and the playing field is even, we all win. It becomes a fair game. Nobody knew how good baseball, basketball, football, golf or tennis could be until everybody could play. We all became better once the doors of inclusion opened to include all talented players. We need to do the same in business,” said

Jackson.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, James Reynolds Jr., the CEO of Loop Capital Markets, Emmett Vaughn of Exelon, Natara Holloway, the NFL Director of Corporate Development gave profound knowledge on subjects ranging from funding a small business to the housing crisis.

Other guests included actor Danny Glover, songstress Lalah Hathaway, the Rev. Al Sharpton, South African Minister Michael Mabuyakhulu, and a host of others who were seeking

knowledge and direction on how this country can better serve its minorities economically.

Since 1996, Jackson and the RPC have had a successful run of advocating for progress, peace and equal opportunities within a multiracial community.

Although we still have a long way to go, through the power of dialogue and challenging the situation, the RPC and the Economic Summit are hoping that their efforts will incite change and promote new beginnings in the lives of those effected by injustice.

Bennie Pearl Brown memorial fund supports Black women in film, Glory Days project Bennie Pearl Brown was born April 4, 1925 in Peachtree, Alabama to the union of Benny Portis and Mamie Williams, who preceded her in death. Bennie

Pearl attended elementary school in Fulton, Alabama. She left high school before finishing to marry Fletcher Wright. When they separated, she moved to Georgia.

After 1947, Bennie Pearl relocated to Chicago where her sisters Rosa Nell Rutledge and Aquilla Pinkston resided, both of whom preceded her in death.

There she met M.T. Walton and together they had a child, Reece Rene (Wright) Bell. In 1951, she married Edward McClaurin, with whom she had two children, Irma Pearl and Edward, Jr., the latter who recently passed. In 1959, she and Wilbur Brice Perkins together had a child, Rory McClaurin. She finished her high school degree in 1969, while working as a cashier. She later worked at the Chicago Lung Association alongside her sister Rosa Nell until the 1980s.

Bennie was married for a time to Clarence Wilson.

Late in life, she met the love of her life, Navy D. Brown; they married on June 18, 1995. Until his death in 2001, they shared their passion for gardening, fishing, singing in the choir visiting children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and reading scriptures.

Bennie Pearl Brown In 2005, Bennie relocated to Minneapolis under the care of her daughter Reece. She attended Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, and was recently made a member. After a long struggle with the effects of dementia and pneumonia, Bennie Pearl Brown answered God’s call to home on January 14, 2011.

Those who will miss her joy and her love of music, especially Luther Vandross, and her joking spirit are two daughters, Reece Rene Bell (Ralph) and Irma Pearl McClaurin, one son Rory McClaurin (Diana); eight grandchildren, Vincent Wright (Angie), Antonio

Allen, Kimberly Bell, Zena Allen, Michael McClaurin, Eric McClaurin, Jordan Grace, and Angela Renee; and two great grandchildren, Justin and Sydney Wright.

In lieu of flowers and in celebration of the life of Bennie Pearl Brown, the family requests donations be made in support of “Glory Days: A Tradition of Achievement,” a documentary film history of Black Women in development for public television. Tax deductible contributions made payable to “Glory Days the Film” with “Bennie Pearl Brown Legacy Fund” on the memo line can be sent to: “Honor Thy Mother” Bennie Pearl Brown Legacy Fund, c/o New York Women in Film & Television, 6 East 39th St, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016. For information on the film, email GloryDays@JanusAdams. com; for questions on the fund, email Irma McClaurin: mcclaurinsolutions@ gmail.com. You may also contribute to the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 2600 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406 in memory of Bennie Pearl Brown.

Suluki Fardan

Minnesotans marched from St. Paul Central High School to Concordia University as a part of Minnesota’s Annual Statewide Celebration in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Service From 1 policy-making process and offers advice to the President.

The agency also supervises the execution of these policies and represents the President’s priorities to Congress.

Before joining the White House, Barnes served as the Senior Domestic Policy Advisor to President Obama’s

campaign. She was also the Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, served as Chief Counsel to US Sen. Edward M Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, as Director of Legislative Affairs for the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and assistant counsel to the US House of Reps. Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights.

Leading President Obama’s

‘United We Serve’ initiative is the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The CNCS is a federal agency that engages Americans in service through the Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.

In Feb. 2010, President Barack Obama chose Patrick Corvington to be the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS.

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Insight News • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Page 5

AESTHETICS Interview: Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart

By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer Years ago back in 1997, the poetic prose of musician Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart, was known as one half of the music duo Floetry; the other side of the coin belonged to her long time friend Marsha Ambrosius.

After garnering worldwide exposure with singles like “Say Yes”, “Getting Late”, and “Lay Down”, from their two hit albums, not unlike evolution, or embarking upon the inevitable fork within any hero’s journey; the duo’s music began to take on new and different forms, so a choice had to be made to either compromise their sound, or separate their legacies.

The latter became the choice that sparked a remarkable freedom for Stewart, who had begun to feel a muffling cloud hanging over her personal contribution to the future of the Floetry sound.

Now, with a new solo album in stores entitled, “The Floacist presents: Floetic Soul”, Stewart has returned to her original voice and created a masterpiece of hypnotic flows, and soulful rhythms that have listeners giving the LP a unanimous applause. The first single, “Forever”, a duet with Musiq Soulchild, is merely a reflection of how this entire body of work harnesses an unrestricted love

affair through, poetry, honesty, emotion and soulful art.

Insight News sat down with Stewart to learn more about her debut album, and what the future holds for the industry’s newest solo artist.

Insight News: What was the journey like after you decided to go out on your own as a solo artist and what have you been doing since you made that decision that has prepared you for this album?

The Floacist: You know, I didn’t decide to go solo. I decided to not go against the ethos of what Floetry is all about, which is, to create poetry with musical intent with the ethos of love and solution and inspiration. J. Irving and Marsha wanted to go in a different direction which was more, “mainstream”. More like hip-hop-gangsta rap kind of route. So the end of Floetry didn’t come from me wanting to go solo, it came from me not wanting to go other than what Floetry was intended to be. After 2006 Marsha chose to go with the management and she ceased communication with me. The hardest part of it was how I felt about the relationship that was being created with the audience.

I didn’t get into this business to be in the music business. I was invited in, divinely invited in, in the sense of stating a certain message and to connect to the audience. My heart was broken

Natalie Stewart in the fact that the audience was being let down. Marsha put out a “Neo Soul is Dead”, and then did the Floetry remix tour that I had nothing to do with, and I tried my hardest to stop it from going where it was going. I say all that to say, that led to a calling for some stillness.

After all when things begin to get chaotic from the outside, sometimes the best thing to do is to be still. And that stillness was a question to many things.

It was a question to, “do I believe in my blessing?” It was a question to, “do I respect and understand what the purpose is and why I’ve been called to do what I do, and if so, can I show that bravery and honesty

Photo courtesy of the artist

in knowing that right now is the time to be still, and not to be trying or scrounging around trying to be in the industry, but to be still. That led to many affirmations, many thoughts, many processes, living real life at home with my son and my husband—allowing my walk to go as it went—me being away most of the time. All of these things, all of these alignments, all of these affirmations and mantras actually came into me the last year when I tried to put a Floetry tour together and Marsha didn’t want to do it. This year, I kinda, it was at the top of the year, sat in the house and my son lay across my lap, just kinda chilling. And I realized

that I was really grateful for all the things I’ve done and that I was okay and that I didn’t really need to just jump on back in. And quite often when you submit in that way, the universe has other plans for you. And so as soon as I said that I was at peace. Then an opportunity came across. came along to offer a partnership and we got on in it. That was in June, July the record was recorded, August the first singles video was shot and here we are. November the album is out. And I’ll be jumping on the road February 2011. It’s not so much about the decisions made in the music industry. It’s really been more than that. It’s been more personal, and more spiritual.

It’s about growth, you know?

IN: And growing, you have. For the people who appreciate neosoul music and just the art and the craft of what you are doing, it’s a breath of fresh air to see you being yourself, and not being so concerned with being mainstream.

TF: It’s interesting though, you know, because there are two ways to become mainstream.

One is to try, you know, to be mainstream and possibly be successful at it. And the other way is just to produce a quality piece of product. So it depends on where the spirit is and where the heart is and what one’s trying to do. When I make

music I make poetic music. I don’t want to do it a different way. It’s such a beautiful thing to share. And what you get to share with your audience is a worldly spirit that will never leave.

IN: What did you want the audience to take from this album as far as the overall message and the story you were trying to tell?

TF: I wanted the audience to deal with the responsibility of one’s own happiness or one’s own state. I wanted to get out of the way of myself and do all that I am capable doing, which meant I had to break the habits of being within a group: you try to make space for each other, you know? There were a lot of things I wasn’t doing.

I was writing the singing parts but I wasn’t necessarily singing in Floetry, although I’m a singer. With this album I was broadening myself and also really embracing—what I think was an attempt to put in my path a real challenge and really embracing it so that for whatever anyone may think, when they hear this record they can see that change can be a good thing. It can be evolutionary. So I definitely wanted it to resonate and put the peace that I was in on the record, and to share some of those things that have helped to get me here.

From materialism to meditation Interview

By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com Russell Wendell Simmons was born in Queens, New York on October 4, 1957, the middle of three sons to bless the marriage of Daniel and Evelyn Simmons, a public school administrator and NYC parks administrator, respectively. Russell and Rick Rubin co-founded Def Jam Records, the legendary hip-hop label, in 1984.

Russell parlayed his success in music into several fashion lines, most notably, Phat Farm and Baby Phat. Meanwhile, as Chairman and CEO of his umbrella organization, Rush Communications, he also ran an ad agency, produced movies and TV shows, and published a magazine.

Forbes Magazine recently named Simmons one of “Hollywood’s Most Influential Celebrities.” And USA Today dubbed him one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People of the Past 25 Years,” calling him a “hip-hop pioneer” for his groundbreaking

vision that has influenced music, fashion, jewelry, finance, television and film, as well as the face of modern philanthropy.

From creating his seminal Def Jam Recordings to writing his New York Times best-seller, Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success, Russell is recognized globally for his influence and entrepreneurial approach to both business and philanthropy.

Since giving back is of primary importance to him in all aspects of life, he has consistently leveraged his influence in the recording industry, fashion, television, financial services, and jewelry sectors to advance the interests of a host of charitable causes.

A devoted yogi, Russell also leads the non-profit division of his empire, Rush Community Affairs, and its ongoing commitment to empowering at-risk youth through education, the arts, and social engagement. Furthermore, he serves as UN Goodwill Ambassador for The Permanent Memorial to Honor the Victims of Slavery and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Here, he talks about his new book, Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All, a how-to tome which champions meditation over materialism as the path to true wealth.

Kam Williams: Hey Russell, thanks for the time. I don’t know if you remember me, but we met at that party you threw for Soledad O’Brien. I came over and told you I’d been trying to interview you for years. Thanks for finally hooking me up.

Russell Simmons: My man! Of course I remember you. I felt bad.

How was that possible?

KW: A lot of publicists have never heard of me.

RS: Well, it’s great to talk to you.

What’s going on, baby?

KW: I didn’t get to tell you that I grew up in the same neck of the woods, in St. Albans, which is right next to Hollis.

RS: Yeah, same thing.

KW: What gave you the idea to write the book?

RS: Well, the last time I wrote a book (Do You!), I got a chance to pull together all these teachings and frame them in such a way that I could share them with other people. But honestly, I can look back on it, and admit that my motivation was a little bit selfish, because I needed to do this for my own evolution. It was a sort of a cleansing process. I expected that I could get the stuff out of me, and frame it, so I could understand it.

But I didn’t appreciate the book’s potential to touch the lives of others until Oprah praised it. She was my first interview after it came out, and made it go to the top of the best-seller list. After that, people would come up to me and say that the book changed their lives. What could be more gratifying? So, that inspired me to write this book, with a little more selfless intention. This book is about remembering to remember, and the mantra to be a good giver.

Good givers are great getters, and I just wanted to share that with people in a way that they could really digest it.

KW: I told my readers I was going to be speaking with you and they sent in plenty of questions. The first is from Attorney Bernadette Beekman, who gives you a big shout out as a girl from Hollis!

She says: many people are so busy working they do not have time to breathe deeply or be present on a daily basis. In fact, I was speaking to a friend who is a yoga teacherin-training yesterday and she said quite often, when she is at her full-time job at a nonprofit, she realizes that a whole day has gone by without her having breathed deeply. Russell, how, from a practical perspective, can people with worries and everyday jobs still seek a higher path?

RS: The whole book is about being conscious, and is filled with practices to bring you to presence. The book is dedicated to that mantra, that state of consciousness. We wish we could live in a state of nirvana, or a state of Christ consciousness, or

Russell Simmons a state of yoga, or Samadhi. All of them are one and the same: to be awake, to be present. That idea of Heaven on Earth is what I mean by Super Rich, and the ease that comes with needing nothing.

Yoga can be defined as a state of needing nothing, and that’s what we’re looking for. So, this book is about moving towards that enlightenment.

KW: I learned a long time ago that happiness doesn’t come from the accumulation of material things.

RS: You can only sit your ass in one seat at a time.

KW: FSU grad Laz Lyles asks: What experience prompted the transformation of your personal ideas about wealth and got you on a spiritual path?

RS: We all want to operate in order. Sometimes we have to go through struggle to realize that.

Your birth in the physical form is to teach you to operate in order.

I think that’s the experience.

Struggle is your great teacher.

I’m an older person. I was a drug dealer. I was a gang member and a lot of other things. My evolution has been gradual.

When I first started practicing yoga, I remember feeling really free of anxiety momentarily. So, my journey began when I found the easing of anxiety through the physical practice of yoga.

Then, the yogi scripture taught me things that I knew in my heart were true, because the study of the scripture is really the study of the self. Then I saw that what’s in the yogi scripture is also in the Bible, the Koran and the Torah, and that these practices do bring us to a more easy place. Yoga is defined as a state of needing nothing. And union with God happens, when the noise is gone.

KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks: When you were growing up what did you want to do?

RS: I didn’t know what I wanted to be. Remember The Message by Grandmaster Flash? [Sings] “You see the drug dealers counting

Gerald Janssen

twenties and tens, and you want to grow up to be just like them.” I saw people hanging on the corner.

I didn’t know any better. I was lucky enough to go to college and start to feel differently.

There, I developed the courage to do something original that I was passionate about, which was music and hip-hop. I started throwing parties, and became an entrepreneur of sorts. It just kinda evolved. I didn’t have a drive to be anything in particular until I found a passion; which is what this book is about—finding a dharma; a way to really give. But I wasn’t fortunate enough to have something I wanted to be all my life, until I started to achieve it.

KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles says: Jerry Lewis used to sing a song that said, “Money isn’t everything ... unless you’re very poor.” How ‘easy’ is it to give this kind of spiritual advice when you’re rolling in dough?

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HEALTH Program offers communities a hand up Emergency & Community Health Outreach (ECHO) takes steps to educate individuals about their local Community Action Agency and how it can make a difference in their lives with the services it offers.

“Community Action provides so many services that it can be difficult to get the people we serve to see that we can be a one-stopshop for the kind of assistance Courtesy of The Family Partnership

Dianne Haulcy

Family service agencies merge Minneapolis’ two strongest nonprofit human services, The Family Partnership (formerly Family & Children’s Service) and Reuben Lindh Family Services (RLFS), have officially merged January 1, 2011.

The new organization is called The Family Partnership.

Molly Greenman is President and CEO, which was her position prior to the merger and Dianne Haulcy, Executive Director of RLFS, is its Chief Operating Officer.

This merger brings together two organizations with long and strong traditions of creating better futures for children and families living in poverty.

The Family Partnership is a 132-year-old organization whose mission is ‘building strong families, vital communities, and capable children’. Through counseling, education programs, and advocacy, it helps over 20,000 families in need and empowers them to solve problems.

Rueben Lindh Family Services is 41 years old and

offers therapeutic preschools, in-home parenting, and other support services for children and families living in extreme poverty.

“Together, we will offer a diverse and comprehensive set of services to support families in their most important role: raising children,” Molly Greenman said.

“We changed our name to The Family Partnership intentionally.

This merger will help each organization meet their strategic objectives faster with more community partners and enhance our ability to serve all age groups within a greater geographically service area.”

Dianne Haulcy agreed and said, “Program participants will benefit from enhanced multicultural competency and greater staff expertise. Children and families will benefit from an organization that brings and leverages greater voice and visibility for families living in poverty.”

For more information visit: www.EveryFamilyMatters.org

that can help to lift people out of poverty,” says Arnie Anderson, Executive Director of Minnesota Community Action Partnership.

The statewide broadcast promises information on Minnesota’s 28 Community Action agencies and the services they provide including: Head Start, energy assistance, weatherization, affordable housing, food

support, senior services, financial fitness training, tax preparation, and job training.

To reach these groups, ECHO has produced 30 minute shows in four languages, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, and low-literacy English that will air on Twin Cities Public Television.

All programs are available anytime in multiple languages with English captions for the deaf

and hard of hearing at www. echominnesota.org Lillian McDonald, Executive Director, ECHO states, “Community Action provides a wealth of information and services for all communities across the state.

It’s important that people know what they can expect from their local agency and ECHO is playing a big role in making that happen.”

Hennepin program targeting youth tobacco use in communities of color loses funding Tobacco-related disease is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 1,200 Americans every day and 5,000 Minnesotans each year.

The implications related to tobacco use continue to be a huge concern, especially in terms of health care costs. According to the 2010 Healthcare Costs and Smoking report, smoking was responsible for $2.87 billion in excess medical care in Minnesota in 2007—a per capita cost of $554 for every man, woman and child in the state. $2.87 billion could buy our state five brand new Target Fields or pay four years of tuition for 57,000 students.

Despite these humongous figures staring at us, the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council (NWHHSC) recently received notification that its Tobacco-Free Youth (TFY)Start Noticing program will not receive funding in 2011, ending a program that has worked since 2007 to prevent youth tobacco use by countering tobacco industry tactics to hook kids.

Currently, 8 out of 10 youth

in our communities do not use tobacco. However, 90% of smokers begin before the age of 18.

A concentrated youth tobacco prevention program helps reduce tobacco use rates among youth.

Without adequate prevention funding, tobacco control professionals predict that youth rates may tick back up, reflecting rates of 10 years ago.

For a decade now, NWHHSC has conducted regional tobacco prevention and control research, planning and coordination in member cities in northwest Hennepin County through various programs.

TFY-Start Noticing was a community-based, culturally diverse youth leadership program working to counter the negative influences of tobacco. The program worked with youth, parents, local community leaders and retailers to educate people to ‘start noticing’ the tobacco advertising in our communities and its effect on youth.

The program partnered with three community organizations in 2010: the Minnesota African Women’s Association, the Center

MI Dept. of Corrections

of Hope and Compassion and the Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota. Fifty youth from these organizations worked in collaboration with traditionally adult-led sectors to accomplish program goals while gaining leadership skills.

No other program in northwest Hennepin County has provided

equivalent tobacco prevention and control services to the region as NWHHSC has. While the TFY-Start Noticing program has come to an end, community members are encouraged to ‘start noticing’ tobacco advertising and its influence on youth.

For more information, please visit www.StartNoticing.org.

Einstein’s equation and weight management Popular diets highlight carbohydrate, protein or fat as the best way to lose weight.

However, a 2009 Harvard School of Public Health report reveals that a comparison of overweight participants assigned to four different diets over a twoyear period showed that reducing

calories achieved weight loss regardless of which of the three nutrients was emphasized.

This confirms the observation in the National Academy of Sciences 2005 Dietary Reference Intake manual that a certain amount of calories are required for a person to maintain a certain

weight.

Extending this idea Michael Stephen Dow in his book, The Pen and Paper Diet, says that consuming more calories than one can burn will result in weight gain, and viceversa also is true. He applies Einstein’s equation E=mc2 to

make his point.

‘Dividing both sides by mass produces E/m=c2. Simply, this means Energy divided by mass equals the speed of light squared.

The speed of light being constant means E/m=a constant value.

Increase (or decrease) Energy, the mass correspondingly

Simmons

act in accordance with these laws, then God will take care of you.

The second one said, “Operate from abundance if you can.” So, the anxiety-filled followers were able to pay their taxes by listening to Jesus. But His disciples only needed to put their all into service.

I have so many illustrative stories I could relate, like Puffy’s, who on the way up wanted to make sure he was doing everybody’s job. He enjoyed the work, but not because he was going to get this or that.

That’s the real rap.

anxiety-filled and worried about living on ramen, he will make headway. And in no case will he starve. What is he looking for?

chase people down with your idea; you have to turn it into equity first.

From 5 RS: Well, there’s a story in the book about a guy who lives in a shanty house. He knows he’s got to find some bread and water each day; yet his mind’s at ease. God always provides, and he lived to be 100. Then, by contrast, there’s the anxiety-prone billionaire who’s always worried about the stock market and ends up dying in his fifties. So, you have to ask yourself, “What do we want money for? What does it do for us?” If you say money makes us happy, then examine that. Is it the toys? Is it the simplicity, the ease that money can provide? That’s not the ease that we’re seeking. It has to be to calm the mind. I say this because, when you need nothing, you can operate from abundance.

Jesus taught two sermons. One for the masses, which said, if you

KW: Larry Greenberg asks: Do you have any advice for an aspiring film maker living on ramen?

RS: Larry, stay on your hustle.

You ain’t gonna starve no matter what happens. Living on ramen!

My guess is he’s most likely overweight. We suffer from neediness, when in fact we already have everything: if he’s focused on being a filmmaker, and not

KW: Filmmaker/Author/ Professor Hisani Dubose asks: What is the most effective way to raise money for indie movie projects in 2011. What does someone like him look for before investing?

RS: Big buzz. Shoot a good little pilot to get it off the ground.

Everything requires that you do the work. And if you do good enough work that people start to be inspired by it; then they join on. No one signs on just because you have an idea.

You have to keep building any business, to make it attractive.

If you throw a record out the window and it don’t stick, you gotta keep pushing it. Then, one day, it’s on the radio, listeners start requesting it, and people come looking for you. You can’t

KW: Kristopher Seals asks: What are some ways a person can start up a business with little available capital? What are some of the biggest obstacles facing minorities looking to enter the business arena?

RS: I can tell you that there’s something about black culture that’s infectious, that crosses all boundaries, that gives you an edge. If he’s open to integrate, then give him a job. No company that markets any product can operate without input from black people. There’s a void, a white space. Fill that. Don’t carry the burden. A lot of time black people only speak to each other instead of to the whole room. We gotta get out of that habit.

SIMMONS TURN TO 9

increases (or decreases) so that the constant value is maintained.

‘When calories are burnt during physical activity, there is a decrease in overall energy and consequently a decrease in mass. Some people exercise a lot but don’t lose weight, this is because they are consuming

Pao From 1 “My heartfelt condolences go out to the Hmong American community and to Hmong all over the world. The passing of General Vang Pao is an immeasurable loss to all of us, Hmong or non-Hmong, well versed in the story of the secret war in Laos, or new to the Hmong American community.

General Vang Pao and the Hmong fighters he commanded, fought bravely as allies of the United States, during the conflict in Southeast Asia in the sixties and seventies. The gallantry of the Hmong fighters saved uncountable American lives.

more calories, thus energy balance is maintained and there is no weight loss. Exercising is important in increasing one’s health, but weight is determined by calories consumed.’

(The above quote has been paraphrased.) More at thepenandpaperdiet.com.

Thousands of Hmong soldiers and civilians paid the ultimate price for their valor.

Vang Pao led a Hmong community in Laos and America that shared the American loves of freedom and independence. He was a man of principle, a military and visionary leader, who loved his people and made the courageous decision for the Hmong to leave Laos and move to the United States.

Once here, he helped the community continue its fight for the rights that we hold dear as Americans.

In honor of his service and dedication to democracy, let us view the General’s passing not as the end but as the turning of a page in the story of our shared pursuit of liberty.”

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Insight News • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Page 7

Little known history of five Afro-Cuban martyrs

By Patricia Grogg Under the spreading shade of a wild fig tree in Old Havana, a small plaque now recalls the sacrifice made by five AfroCubans, “anonymous Abakuá who died trying to save medical students” shot by firing squad, when this island was still a Spanish colony.

The anonymous heroes belonged to a secret society called Abakuá, a religious brotherhood brought to Cuba by slaves from West Africa that has been misrepresented and discriminated against in Cuba for over a century.

National history books provide abundant accounts of the Nov 27, 1871 summary execution of eight medical students on the unsubstantiated charge of desecrating a Spanish military officer’s grave. Every year, Cuban students march to the monument that honors these young men, who died swearing their innocence.

But the deaths of the five Abakuá who died protesting the executions has been ignored by official histories, complained Tato Quiñones, the coordinator of the Nov 27 ceremony organized since 2006 by the

Haydée Santamaría Critical Thought and Emerging Cultures Collective and the Cofradía de la Negritud, an association of black people aimed at raising awareness of discrimination.

The two forums are associated with the Critical Observatory, a civil society network.

“Thirteen young men, black and white, died that day,” Quiñones said.

“Therefore we also took time to visit the university students’ monument as well as the plaque [commemorating the five Abakuá], to honor all the victims.

“The tribute is a modest one, a matter of setting the historical record straight, because [the memorials] are still segregated,” he said.

In the view of Quiñones and other experts, history will be made whole only when a single ceremony can be held to pay tribute jointly to the medical students and the five young black men.

The plaque was put up on Nov 27 this year in a ceremony that included poems, songs, dances and drumming. Dozens of Havana residents took part, before walking to the nearby monument commemorating the students shot by firing squad in 1871.

Old Havana, Cuba Some 250 people joined the procession, including Abakuá members from different parts of Havana, intellectuals, and well-informed local people. The parade was led by two Iremes— small devils representing the spirits of the ancestors—who danced to the music of an Abakuá coro de clave (rhythm chorus).

“These five Abakuá were an example of the indomitable Cuban character. They sacrificed

their lives in an attempt to save the students, even though they knew they could not succeed. It goes to show that even in those days, there were Black Cuban people with such a strong sense of identity and humanity that they were willing to die for it,” said Anthropologist María Ileana Faguada.

According to Esteban Morales, a race studies scholar, the reason the five Abakuá were largely forgotten may be the

Angelo Lucia

historical prejudices against religions of African origin and their practitioners, in spite of the fact that many who fought for Cuba’s independence were black practitioners of these religions.

The Abakuá brotherhood was brought to Cuba by slaves taken from the West African region of Calabar, between the east bank of the Niger river and what is now Cameroon.

Only men are admitted, and the

mysteries underlying its beliefs are still shrouded in secrecy.

According to Quiñones, the Abakuá society was first recorded in 1906, in the book Los Negros Brujos (Black Witchcraft) by Fernando Ortiz, an ethno-anthropologist renowned as one of the discoverers of the African roots of Cuban culture.

The brotherhood is, among other things, a mutual aid society. Its members adhere to a strict code of values, Orlando Gutiérrez, a doctor who advocates a general recognition of the role of the five Abakuá in the historical event, informed.

He said an Abakuá priest allowed white men into the society for the first time in 1863, making it the first ‘integrationist’ organization in Cuba.

“There was brotherhood between blacks and whites. It is said that one of the students facing the firing squad may have been an Abakuá society member,” Gutiérrez said.

Among the Abakuá, the events of Nov 27, 1871 have been passed down in oral history as part of a treasured legacy of rebellion. “We want this commemoration to be an act of emancipation, vindication and historical justice,” Quiñones added.

A national tragedy and my apology Opinion

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist My cellphone pinged on Saturday to say I had a message.

I was in the middle of lunch and chose to ignore it. When I picked it up a couple of hours later, I felt the same sickness that millions did, learning that Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in an assassination attempt.

Television news bubbled over with the news, with fact, spin, and interpretation. Would all 435 members of Congress need ramped up security? Was hate speech the basis of this shooting? I even saw Neil Boortz, the peripatetic Atlanta lawyer and talk show host suggest that President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama had been guilty of some of the same hate speech that the right has been accused of. Please.

The talk about hate speech, however, is important and I’m going to own my part of it, and apologize. A bazillion years ago (actually in 1992) I made a wisecrack about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Anyone who knows me would see it as a wisecrack, but those who don’t, saw it as hate speech. Here’s the background.

Thomas said he would live to be 120 to stay on the court to frustrate liberals. I replied that the average Black man had a life expectancy of about 65, and that if his wife fed him lots of butter and eggs (if her recent call to Anita Hill is any indication she isn’t cooking much these days), ingredients for high cholesterol and heart trouble, he’d die an early death.

Conservatives called it a death wish. Death by breakfast, I responded, still in jest. As if someone were standing over Thomas with an Uzi forcing

him to eat that butter and eggs. The wisecrack has to be taken even less seriously if Justice Thomas’ purported commitment to physical fitness and working out is taken into consideration.

No matter and no excuses.

My comment about Thomas, my wisecrack, was in poor taste. Out of line. Out of order. I am sorry if the words I spoke at all contributed to the climate in which we live, to the vitriol that has poisoned the atmosphere.

My apology does not mitigate or reduce my contempt for Clarence Thomas and for his arrogant dismissal of liberals and for the African American community. If I could do it all

over, I’d have wished him the bacon and eggs, or simply made reference to the Black male life expectancy rate and his own hubris, but left out the comment about his early death. The fact is that none of us should joke about death. It just isn’t funny.

To be sure, the right has had a great time distorting my words, and they’ve disseminated them widely. And, anytime a liberal makes an inappropriate comment they take their media machine and work it overtime.

These conservatives invoke free speech when pastors pray for President Obama’s death from their pulpits (if it were any other president, that pastor might have been looking the

FBI in the face). These same conservatives say they aren’t racist when they use images of apes to describe the First Family. These conservatives have both fingerprints and footprints in the poisoned language that poses as free speech. Yet it is true that it takes sticks and twigs, not just logs and trees, to build a fire. Was my comment one of the twigs?

It has taken me nearly two decades and an attempted assassination to understand the damage that my wisecrack might have caused, not to Justice Thomas, but to the public discourse. I hope it

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Courtesy of Cindy Nelson Kaigama

Left: Megan Krejny with Cindy Nelson-Kaigama, before. Right: After.

Nelson-Kaigama’s healing virtue

By Marcia Humphrey Contributing Writer Are you in need of a style boost for the New Year and unsure of how or where to start? If so, please allow me to introduce you to personal development consultant, Cindy NelsonKaigama and her passion for people, which she has successfully transformed into her own small business. Called

Healing Virtue www.healingvirtue.com, Nelson-Kaigama’s business is all about helping individuals and companies to navigate the journey that brings out their personal best.

It’s what Nelson-Kaigama likes to refer to as “revealing your magnificence.”

This latest chapter in Nelson-Kaigama’s own journey towards revealing her magnificence began when she, as a young, educated

professional from Detroit, realized that her promising position at one of the twin cities’ top Fortune 500 companies had left her feeling stifled and unhappy. After much prayer and family encouragement, Nelson-Kaigama says she took the leap of faith, resigned from her position, and stepped into her true calling-a holistic approach to helping others become empowered to reflect strength, confidence, beauty, and wholeness, both inside and out. Even her company name, Healing Virtue, she explains, speaks to her mission of facilitating a type of renewed vitality in her clients’ personal and business lives.

You may be asking, “What exactly does Cindy NelsonKaigama do to achieve such success?” A better question might be “what doesn’t Nelson-Kaigama do?” As a trained educator and personal development consultant, Nelson-Kaigama says that keen listening skills are a key component in her all-inclusive approach, which includes assisting clients in creating and executing personal, professional, and life goals,

the area of nutrition and meal planning (Be on the lookout for the healthy-alternative cookbook she’s currently writing).

Client, Megan Krejny, got to see, first-hand, Nelson-Kaigama in action.

As a recent grad, Krejny enlisted the services of NelsonKaigama to help transform her from student to professional.

Their ‘before and after day’ included a shopping trip, hair and makeup restyling-as well as maintenance strategies, and a hands-on, nutritious cooking session.

Professional individuals and corporate clients are not the only groups with which

Megan Tamke

Cindy Nelson Kaigama

promoting self-confidence by refining communication and business etiquette skills, and providing expertise as a certified hair, makeup, and wardrobe stylist. As a result of successfully managing her own pre-diabetic condition, she now offers clients consultation in

Nelson-Kaigama works. She creates and conducts courses geared toward building positive self-image in youth, especially those from urban areas. In addition, she volunteers a significant amount of time to organizations who share a similar passion, including the American Diabetes Association of Minnesota.

If you desire expert assistance in tapping into your personal best, inside and out, contact Cindy Nelson-Kaigama and experience the professional, customized services of Healing Virtue at 612.275.8788 or by email at cindy@healing-virtue. com or healingvirtue@live.com.

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Insight News • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Page 9

Merrick Community Services names new executive director Merrick Community Services (MCS) has named Daniel A. Rodriguez as its new executive director.

Rodriguez succeeds Francis Ivory, who is retiring after serving MCS for 15 years.

Rodriguez joined MCS on January 10th, and will lead MCS into its next chapter as the organization works to provide social services to people living in St. Paul’s increasingly diverse East Side. “I’m very excited to be associated with an organization that is so aligned with my values and principles,” said Rodriguez. “The more I learn about the organization and meet people, who have a connection to it, the more impressed I become.”

Rodriguez, who most recently held the position of director of community relations with the Saint Paul Public Schools, has experience as a corporate lobbyist and a congressional aide and once studied for the priesthood. He sits on the board of the Charities Review Council and has served as board chair of Neighborhood House, a Saint Paul-based social service provider.

MCS’ Board President Matthew Warzala cited Rodriguez’s long history with Saint Paul Public Schools as one of many reasons for his hire. “Daniel has a solid understanding of Saint Paul and knows the East Side community,” said Warzala. “He’s dedicated to fulfilling the mission of MCS and has a passion for community, which

John Erwin

Photos: mprb

Brad Bourn

Courtesy of Merrick Community Services

Daniel A. Rodriguez

will serve him well in his position as executive director.”

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Rodriguez has resided in the east metro area for over 13 years.

“I am eager to help make great things happen on the East Side and in Saint Paul. Establishing Merrick as the premier social service agency not only on the East Side but beyond is possible,” said Rodriguez, “if we work hard and pull together.”

Bob Fine

Carol Kummer

Park Board Officers, Committees, Representatives for 2011 The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board at their annual meeting on Monday, Jan. 3, elected officers for 2011—John

Erwin as President, Annie Young as Vice President, Karen Robinson as Secretary to the Board, and Brian Rice as General Counsel.

President Erwin appointed the Commissioners to serve on Standing Committees of the Board (one-year terms). Park Board

Service From 4 Corvington’s leadership of CNCS is guided by four principles: targeting resources to make service a solution to major national challenges; expanding opportunities for more people of all ages and backgrounds to serve; building the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to use service as a lasting solution; and embracing innovation.

“There is not a problem that cannot be solved by people coming together. We are increasingly turning to our neighbors for help. Life’s most important question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Corvington said.

He encourages people to use their passions to bring people together in service. Giving back to your community is as simple as “tutoring school children, volunteering at a food shelter, or cleaning up a

Jon Olson commissioners and three citizens were also appointed to serve on the external boards, commissions and panels.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meets at 5 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month for regular meetings.

MPRB Board meetings are broadcast live from 5–9 p.m. on

local park,” Corvington said.

Corvington encourages all of us to recognize the “unsung heroes, and the everyday activities, that make our country great and a difference in our communities.” The MLK Holiday is an opportunity to take a look around us and gather our neighbors to solve a problem. Teaching the importance of community service, and bringing people together to resolve conflicts, also is a crucial aspect of a child’s education. Volunteering as classroom support at your local school, and encouraging the students to also give back to their communities, teaches them the reality of coming together to solve problems.

Corvington has devoted his life to serving others and empowering communities.

He began his career as a case manager working with migrant farm workers. Corvington served as director of a group shelter home for adjudicated youth, worked as a patient advocate in a communitybased HIV/AIDS clinic,

Anita Tabb

and served at the ‘Annie E Casey Foundation’ as a Senior Associate focused on issues related to leadership development and capacity building. He was also the Exec. Director of Innovation Network, a nonprofit agency devoted to building the evaluation capacity of the non-profit sector.

Patrick Corvington conducted policy research at ‘The Urban Institute’ and also worked to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations abroad.

The Corporation for National and Community Service aims to create better access, increased ability, and more opportunities to help people in our communities.

The agency developed a website, Serve.gov, as a federal online resource for finding volunteer opportunities in your community, and for creating your own. For more information on service activities specific to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, visit MLKDay.gov.

Scott Vreeland

the Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online on the Channel 79 webpage.

Meeting agendas and related information are posted on www. minneapolisparks.org usually two business days prior to each meeting.

Annie Young

Liz Wielinski

Reduce rent option offers more affordable housing to older adults

Sue McLilly

Simmons From 6 KW: Dante Lee, author of Black Business Secrets, asks: What was your most fatal business decision? And what is the biggest business lesson you’ve learned?

RS: I learn from every bad decision, so none of them are my worst. When I lost the Beastie Boys, I learned that you have to have patience when you’re developing artists.

KW: Ola Jackson asks: “How does your spirituality and belief in Buddhism conflict with the opulent lifestyle of selfindulgence and materialism associated with rap music.

RS: I think rappers are truthtellers. I don’t think mainstream American culture is any closer to the simplicity that I’m advocating. I’m not a Buddhist, by the way. Long before there was a Buddhist faith, there were the Yoga Sutras.

Those teachings are more prescriptions for happiness, than religious dogma. As you know, I’m not a religious man, although I do work promoting dialogue among all religions as Chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.

KW: Legist/Editor Patricia Turnier says: In the past, we saw more rap songs about

Malveaux From 7 won’t take our nation two more decades to understand and embrace the notion of speech civility, even for, no, especially for, political opponents. Every day, and in every way, I tell my students, faculty, and staff that I value civility. Yet, my comment about Clarence Thomas was not only uncivil, it was ugly and unnecessary. And, it really wasn’t that funny. I regret it. I apologize for it. I wish I could take it back.

A dynamic young Congresswoman is fighting for her life, and I am among those who will fall to my knees in prayer for her each day. The assassin who shot her also took

Photo courtesy Augustana Care

socially-conscious themes, such as MC Lyte’s Eyes Are the Soul, Tupac’s Brenda’s Got a Baby and Queen Latifah’s Ladies First. What needs to be done to bring back this type of hip-hop?

RS: Well, I think the climate changes in society. Themes come and go, and rappers are only reflections of that.

Right now, we’re very fearful, because the economy is very bad… People are struggling… and that’s fertile ground for some of the negativity that you’re hearing on some of the records.

KW: Professor Mia Mask asks: Isn’t there a contradiction between the messages in your book and the messages in rap music?

RS: Why does she think I’m an ambassador for rap? Jesus hung out with the wine bibbers, but his message wasn’t advocating getting drunk. I have one foot in pop culture and one foot in the real world, which is spiritual. I know what’s real, and I know that pop culture can be frivolous.

But I think American culture, in general, is frivolous. And I certainly don’t think that rap culture is any more frivolous than mainstream American culture. I don’t think hip-hop is as unconscious either. Rappers may say things that shock you, but I think they are poets who hold a higher moral ground

out a federal judge, a 9-yearold girl, a Congressional aide, and others. A dozen more were wounded. Scores of lives will never be the same. Even as we pray for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, we need to fight to restrict easy access to guns. And, we all need to be

A new reduced rent program allows elders who cannot afford market-rate rentals access to one-bedroom apartments at Augustana Apartments, an independent and assisted living community for people age 55+ in Elliot Park. Individuals must qualify for this program according to their incomes and Augustana Care provides a worksheet which helps people determine if they qualify.

“It can be difficult for those on fixed incomes with little to no assets to find affordable housing,” says Julianne Holt, marketing director at the apartments in Minneapolis.

“Yet we know many people would like to take advantage of the convenience and programs they can find here.”

Augustana Care offer falls between subsidized and market rate to meet the needs of elders

whose incomes do not qualify for subsidized or public housing yet cannot afford market rates.

Currently there are openings for reduced rent one-bedroom apartments with beautiful residential and downtown views and access to optional residential home care.

Residents can avail multiple amenities: a bustling ’Main Street‘ with a coffee shop, grocery store, pharmacy, clinic

and hair salon; a fitness center with equipment especially geared to older adults; a library with Internet access, cozy conversation nooks, worship services, and community outings including theater at the Guthrie, neighborhood walks around area lakes and more.

For more information on this program contact Julianne Holt at jmholt@augustanacare. org or 612.238.5255.

than the rest of American society. That’s my opinion.

Just because Kanye West said “George Bush doesn’t like black people,” doesn’t mean it’s true, but it does mean that a lot of people shared that thought.

more and more often the more I meditate, practice yoga, and live by these principles.

And I’ve been listening to a lot of Public Enemy.

Those things are important to me.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

RS: I like to put spinach on top of olive oil, and just let it wilt for a second. And then put vegan chicken nuggets on top of it. I’m not a big chef.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

RS: Keep your head down and put one foot in front of the other. That’s how I got where I got.

KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer?

RS: It still is Tommy Hilfiger, even though he’s not hot right now. He still inspires me the most.

KW: The Cornel West question: What price are you willing to pay for a cause that’s bigger than your own self interests?

RS: I’m not sure. I should say my life, but I don’t know. I can’t say my life right now.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

RS: No, I just go to work every day, and I try to give and be a servant, although I might forget at times. But I know my mission. Through meditation and prayer, I find myself present, awake and giving for some part of the day. The most I can hope for is to become a better servant.

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

RS: That’s a good question.

I’m not quite sure: different things at different times.

KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?

RS: Yes, I guess I’m afraid sometimes. But I generally rid myself of it. I don’t carry a lot of fear around with me.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

RS: Yeah, I can say I’m mostly happy. Compared to what? Am I eternally blissful? No. But do I find moments when I’m ecstatic about being alive? Yes! And I have those moments

reminded to tone it down.

Julianne Malveaux is the 15th President of Bennett College for Women. Her most recent book, Surviving and Thriving, 365 Facts in Black Economic History, can be purchased at www.lastwordprod.com.

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

RS: A few minutes ago being interviewed by Sean Hannity.

He says such things. You have to learn to laugh all the time.

It’s a practice of life. It’s a practice of happiness. In yoga, you smile and breathe in every pose.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

RS: I’m on a liquid diet, but I’m going to have some popcorn at the movies.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

RS: An Offering of Leaves

by Lady Ruth, who is a yoga teacher. I also read Soledad O’Brien’s book, and Decoded.

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on your iPod? RS: Krishna Das’ Greatest Hits.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

RS: World peace in spirit.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

RS: I don’t know. I don’t have one.

KW: The Flex Alexander question: How do you get through the tough times?

RS: I don’t miss my prayers and I don’t miss my yoga.

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

RS: As a philanthropist, as a giver.

KW: Well thanks for the interview, Russell. I really appreciate it.

RS: It’s been a real pleasure speaking with you. You have my number now, Kam, don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.

Page 10 • January 24, 2010 - January 30, 2011 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY

Black History Month events at the Minnesota History Center Visit the Minnesota History Center during Black History Month in February, and join in festivities that celebrate the proud heritage of Black Minnesotans.

Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators who fought in World War II, while exploring the exhibit “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation.”

On the last three weekends of the month, Feb. 12–13, 19–20 and 26–27, families can take part in a History HiJinx craft activity and make a model glider to take home. Kids can also try on a parachute pack and listen to stories about the Tuskegee Airmen.

On Sundays, Feb. 13, 20 and 27, History Player Frederick McKinley Jones will perform on the hour from 1 to 4 p.m. Jones was an African American race car driver and inventor whose refrigeration system for trucks changed the way we eat.

On Saturday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m., join Thomasina Petrus for a tribute to Black History Month at the Global Hotdish Variety Show. Petrus will lead a rousing 90-minute show for families that includes step dancing with DeLaSouljah Steppers; hip hop and spoken word with artists Sha’Cage and Youth Amplified; hambone body percussionist Daryl Boudreaux; and the jazz and blues sounds of Mick laBriola and Congo Lion.

For more information on times and prices visit www. minnesotahistorycenter.org.

African-American History Resources The Minnesota History Center has available, any time of the year,

a number of resources for visitors wanting in learning more about Black Minnesotans. The Society’s library gives visitors access to collections of artifacts, papers, stories, images and oral histories created by or about Black Minnesotans.

Students looking to get started with their research online can visit the History Topics section of the website at http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/ history_topics for information on Dred Scott, the Duluth lynching of 1920, NAACP leader and St. Paul native Roy Wilkins, engineer and inventor Frederick McKinley Jones, the Rondo neighborhood and its disappearance due to the construction of Interstate Highway 94, and the African American civil rights movement. All of the pages offer secondary sources for further study. Many of these topics are also featured in the exhibit “MN150” at the Minnesota History Center.

The Society also offers a school curriculum kit titled “African American Stories in Minnesota” that is available for download at www.mnhs.org/school/ classroom/africam.

The Society is a treasure trove for family history researchers. A good starting place for any researcher is to look through birth and death records, census data, probate records, business and city directories, hospital records and military archives. Additional resources for researching Black family history include records of Black churches in Minnesota, including a number of A.M.E. and Baptist churches; the Freedman’s Bureau records; archives of the Appeal (Western Appeal),

Classifieds / Events Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, andrew@insightnews. com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Andrew Notsch. Free or low cost events preferred.

Events Beyond the Pure - Color Theory for the 21st Century - Jan 25 — Readings

by Writers of Color, Featuring: Stephani Maari Booker, Shannon Gibney, Madame MiMi, Saymoukda Vongsay, Lori Young-Williams, and Robert Karimi. Tue., Jan. 25 7pm at Intermedia Arts. $5 suggested donation.

Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave South, Minneapolis, MN, 55408 For more information, call (612) 871-4444 or email Info@IntermediaArts.org WomanVenture - Jan 25-27 — For further information and to register, visit womenventure.org or call 651-6463808. 2324 University Ave. W., Suite 120, St. Paul, MN 55114.

• Career & Employment Transition Group for Women. Tue. Jan. 25 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM at WomenVenture, Free. Walk-in group for women to make connections, get support and receive job-seeking advice.

• Career & Employment Transition Group for Women. Sept. 27 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at WomenVenture, Free.

Walk-in group for women to make

MN History Center

Frederick McKinley Jones

The Black Archives of Mid-America

Tuskegee Airmen from class 42I posing in front of an airplane.

Minneapolis Spokesman and Saint Paul Recorder newspapers; oral histories; organizational records of the Credjafawn Social Club and Prince Hall Grand Lodge; and photographs, railroad records and slave narratives. Library staff can help guide new researchers while genealogical specialists are available for a fee.

The Minnesota Historical Society Press has published numerous books about African American history and Black Minnesotans including “African Americans in Minnesota,” by David Vassar Taylor; “A Peculiar Imbalance:

PHONE: 612.588.1313

connections, get support and receive job-seeking advice.

Rep. Hayden and Rep. Champion Host Town Hall Meeting - Jan 26 — State Rep. Jeff Hayden and State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion have invited their constituents and members of the public to attend a town hall meeting to discuss the state budget and other important legislative issues on Wednesday January 26th. Wed. Jan. 26 6:30–8:30pm. U of M Urban Research and Outreach Center 2001 Plymouth Ave N, Mpls.

Second Chance Day on the Hill 2011 Jan 26 — We believe in people’s ability to change. We believe in accountability and that our communities are safer when people get a second chance. We believe that a good job and the right to vote are critical pieces of a full and productive life. Join hundreds of community members as we share this message at the Second Chance Day on the Hill at the Minnesota State Capitol on Wed., Jan. 26 at 10am. A criminal record doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Let’s offer individuals a second chance.

Bringing Birthfathers Out of the Shadows into Adoption - Jan 26 — Adoptees Have Answers (AHA) is pleased to offer the webinar presented by Minnesota Adoption Resource Network Executive Director, Mary Martin Mason. Mason explores the value of including birthfathers in adoption practice and search efforts, the impact to adoptees if they aren’t and the current research

The Fall and Rise of Racial Equality in Early Minnesota,” by William D. Green; “Cap Wiggington: An Architectural Legacy in Ice and Snow,” by David Vassar Taylor and Paul Clifford Larson; “Days of Rondo,” by Evelyn Fairbanks; “Dred and Harriet Scott” by Gwenyth Swain; and “Frederick L. McGhee: A Life on the Color Line,” by Paul D. Nelson.

For more information about the Minnesota Historical Society and all its events, programs and resources, visit www.mnhs.org.

FAX: 612.588.2031

that supports birthfather presence.

Wed., Jan. 26, 1-2:00pm. $15/person.

Registration details: Contact Anne Johnson, 612-746-5122, ajohnson@ mnadopt.org Growing Home: Ending Youth Homelessness - Jan 27 — A new community-based art exhibit designed to raise awareness about the issue of youth homelessness in the Twin Cities features the work of celebrated photographer Wing Young Huie. The exhibit opens on Thur, Jan. 27 5:308pm with a community event at The Center for Changing Lives 2400 Park Ave S. Mpls.

‘Winta’ Film Showing - Jan 29 — A young immigrant woman’s struggle and ordeal adjusting between traditional marriage and fulfilling her dreams. An Eritrean Film with English Subtitles.

Premiering at St. Anthony Main Theater 115 Main St. SE, Mpls. 1st show: 1:30pm 2nd show: 4:15pm. Adults $15 Students $12 - (763) 250-8589 or eccmcomm@gmail.com Women’s Human Rights Film Series: Playground - Jan 31 — The Women’s Human Rights Film Series, presented

by The Advocates for Human Rights and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, screens Playground, Libby Spears’ sensitive investigation into the world-wide issue of the sexual exploitation of children. Mon., Jan. 31 6:30pm Highland Park Library, Hillcrest Auditorium 1974 Ford Pkwy St. Paul Community C a t a l y s t Networking Event - Feb 1

— The purpose of Community C a t a l y s t meetings is

Thomasina Petrus

File photo

EMAIL: andrew@insightnews.com

to foster collaboration for positive change in the Central neighborhood area of South Minneapolis. Theme will be Sustainable Food Networks. Tue. Feb. 1 7-8:30am. Park Avenue United Methodist Church 3400 Park Ave. Mpls.

Toastmaster’s for Women With a Mission - Feb 5 — Do you want to improve your public speaking skills or just learn to be more comfortable speaking in groups?

Come to Women with a Mission’s Toastmasters Club Open House and discover a fun, supportive place to do just that. Sat., Feb. 5 at 10:30am in the Goodwill Industries building at 533 Fairview Ave. N. Mpls. For more information call Judy at 651-295-1413 or Seanne at 651-230-4070.

Never Again For Anyone - Feb 8 — Hajo Meyer, a Holocaust survivor, physicist, violin maker, and author, will share the lesson of his experience in the Holocaust with a speech called “Never Again for Anyone.” He will be joined by Osama Abu Irshaid, founder and editor of the newspaper Al Mezan, and Coya White Hat-Artichoker, a Dakota woman and indigenous rights activist. Feb. 8, 7pm at the John B. Davis Lecture Hall, Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105. For more information about the tour and the speakers, go to www. neveragainforanyone.com. Suggested donation: $5 - $20.

Adrift on the Mississippi - Feb 1027 — The powerful true story of Reverend Robert Hickman, who led a group of slaves out of Missouri, up the Mississippi River on a raft in search of freedom. Feb. 10-27. Thur. and Fri. at 10am and 7:30pm; Sat. at 7:30pm; Sun. at 2pm. Adults: $25-30 Seniors: $22-28 Students with college ID: $15 Children: $10. Concordia University, St. Paul

E.M. Pearson Theatre 312 Hamline Ave. N. St. Paul, MN 55104 The Playwright’s Center - Call for Applications - Feb 11 — Inviting writers of color residing in Minnesota to apply for a Many Voices playwriting fellowship. Two beginning playwrights will receive a $1000 stipend, $250 in development funds, and a structured curriculum of playwriting instruction and dramaturgical support. Three emerging playwrights will receive a $3600 stipend, $1000 of development funding, and dramaturgical support. For information on how to apply, visit: www. pwcenter.org/files/ManyVoicesApp2011-12. pdf Come and See Weekend with the Visitation Sisters - Feb 11-12 — Are you a faith-filled woman interested in working towards social justice? Are you being called to an urban monastic experience? Explore life at an urban monestary with the Visitation Sisters of Minneapolis, Mn. Women ages 18-45 are invited to join. Fri, Feb 11 6pm thru.

Sat, Feb 12 at 1527 Fremont Ave. N. Mpls. Contact: Sister Katherine Mullin at mullinkf@aol.com MultiCultural Diversity Resource EXPO - Feb 13 — Education; Employment; Health Care; Immigration; and Housing Exhibits & Quinceañera Products/Services Vendor Exhibits. Sun. Feb. 13 - 11am-5pm @ Neighborhood House at Wellstone Center 179 Robie St. E. St. Paul.

Minnesota’s Third Annual World Affairs Challenge - Mar 5 — An

academic competition focused on this year’s central theme: Food: Feeding the World Sustainably in the 21st Century. Sat., Mar. 5 – 9am-4:30pm at Macalester College 1600 Grand Ave. St. Paul. For more information, contact kk@worldsavvy.org or visit www. worldsavvy.org.

Calendar Clerk (Temporary – 5-month assignment)

The Clerk’s Office of the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, is seeking a Calendar Clerk in Minneapolis for U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. This is a short-term (approx. mid-February – early August) temporary assignment. The incumbent manages the judge’s caseload and provides courtroom and other assistance through scheduling trials, hearings, and other activities, attending court proceedings, drafting and entering orders and judgments, and compiling minutes and statistical reports. The candidate must have an understanding of the litigation process, good judgment, excellent communication skills (including strong writing ability), and knowledge of or a willingness to learn the policies and procedures of the court, including how other processes in the Clerk’s Office relate to his or her position. The candidate must also be well organized and extremely careful and accurate in his or her work. Three years of specialized experience is required. A BA/Paralegal degree preferred; applications from those with a JD degree welcome. Starting salary $48,663 - $60,827. Position range to $79,073. For the detailed description visit our web site at: www.mnd.uscourts.gov. Submit cover letter and resume to HR Manager, U.S. District Court, 202 U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. 4th St., Minneapolis, MN 55415. E-mail: hr-usdc@mnd.uscourts.gov.

Application deadline is Monday, January 31st at 5:00 PM. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident seeking U.S. citizenship.

Non-citizens must execute an affidavit indicating their intent to apply for citizenship when they become eligible to do so. All employees are subject to a background check. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

Administrative Assistant to the Chief Deputy

The Clerk’s Office of the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, is seeking an administrative assistant to the Chief Deputy, to be located in Minneapolis. The individual is responsible for scheduling meetings, taking meeting minutes, drafting correspondence, conducting research, organizing the daily work, copying and filing. The individual schedules and pays contract court reporters and interpreters. The ideal candidate possesses excellent skills in problem solving, oral and written communications, attention to detail, organization, and must be flexible and self-motivated. Applicants must have at least 3 years of specialized experience and be proficient with word processing and spreadsheets. BA/Paralegal degree preferred. Future regular and promotional vacancies may be filled by internal or temporary employees.

Starting salary - $44,275 to $55,365. Position range to $71,999. More complete job description: www.mnd.uscourts.gov. Submit cover letter and resume to HR Manager, U.S. District Court, 202 U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. 4th St., Minneapolis, MN 55415. E-mail: hr-usdc@mnd.uscourts.gov. Application deadline is Monday, January 31st at 5:00 PM. Applicants must be U.S. citizen or a permanent resident seeking U.S. citizenship. Non-citizens must execute an affidavit indicating their intent to apply for citizenship when they become eligible to do so. All employees are subject to a background check. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

CHIEF OF SECURITY & SAFETY

Oversee day to day operations, development & administration of Security & Safety programs. Hire & train staff. Serve as liaison with local fire & police representatives. Bethel University is an institution of higher education committed to integrate the evangelical Christian faith into every area of life. For more information visit our website at www.bethel.edu/human-resources/employment-staff.html

Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: gifted compositions 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 4242 Sheridan Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55412 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name OR if an entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or Limited Partnership name and registered office address. Attach additional sheet(s) if necessary: Sean James, 4242 Sheridan Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55412 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Sean James, owner Date Filed: 10/26/2010 Insight News 1/24/2011, 1/31/2011

insightnews.com

Insight News • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Page 11

SPORTS

Gophers earning their stripes Coach Smith seems to relish in the depth of talent that his recruiting over the past 4years is currently demonstrating. The majority of the time coaches don’t make substitutions of all five players on the court at one time. This is a major sign of growth for the Gophers that Smith is able to make those types of wholesale changes on the court, and as they enter the second half of the season that added energy from depth could

Mr. T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Though head coach Tubby Smith’s championship collegiate basketball development program takes greater foothold on success by the day, the Gopher men’s basketball team is still taking their lumps through the first half of the season’s schedule.

A recent loss to #2 nationally ranked conference opponent Ohio State showed the Gopher’s ability to hang with the best that the country has to offer. The team has done this increasingly well over the last four years. Many may remember the Gophers big regular season victory over #9 ranked Louisville in 2008. The Gophers were well led that day in 2008 by then sophomore point guard Al Nolen Jr. That well developed leadership almost led to an even more shocking 18point comeback victory over Ohio State just recently. Nolen’s path over the last few years is indicative of the Gophers overall fortunes for the last couple years with both academic and injury related challenges. If breakthrough comes from the endurance of challenges, then it seems the Gopher’s should have a day in the sun sometime very soon…perhaps just in time for March Madness.

This year’s addition of forward Trevor Mbakwe seemed to be just what the team needed, as a symbol of putting a few indiscretions by recruits in the rear view mirror. Unfortunately young men occasionally have a tough time working through the entirety of life’s troubles, particularly the troubles that extend from success. Mbakwe

Tubby Smith, Head Coach, Gophers Basketball re-stirred the small pot of drama that the program is working through, when in a moment of apparent comfort he chose to reach out to someone for closure, but miscalculated the timing of a restraining order.

I think many can empathize with the efforts to try and end a bad personal relationship on a positive note. Mbakwe’s

response following the matter seemed very genuine, but the matter will be in a judge’s hands to decide. Thus far Mbakwe has lost his starting position, but it will be interesting to see his effort and mind set as the matter draws to a close somehow.

Adding to the Mbakwe troubles have been injuries and the abrupt departure of

“Tubby’s able to substitute full line-ups due to the teams depth”

Minnesota Gophers

developing young guard Davoe Joseph. Al Nolen Jr. was temporarily sidelined during the middle part of the season with an ankle injury, but his play overall for the year seems to have that senior year type of intensity.

This consistency of intensity seems to be running through the entire team, and thus through the many troubles the Gophers have had, even national pundits seem to be unphased in their positive thoughts about the team.

Coming into the season, the comeback of Mbakwe meant that the Gophers have the most formidable group of frontline players (forwards and centers) in the Big Ten Conference.

become useful as other teams wear down. Hopefully the Gophers are as worn down as they are going to get for the year, with the recent defections and social mishaps. The schedule lays out well for the team to rack up solid victories moving forward to the February and March tournaments. Watching this team’s progress has quietly been one of the most interesting stories in Minnesota sports for 4 years running.

Page 12 • January 24 - January 30, 2011 • Insight News

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