Insight News ::: 3.30.09

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MINNEAPOLIS MN PERMIT NO. 32468

McCoy Tyner Quartet Thursday Apr 30, 2009 7:30PM at Orchestra Hall

March 30- April 5, 2009 • MN Metro Vol. 34 No. 13 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

NUL asks for specific actions

Roy Lewis

President Barack Obama chats with former Nixon White House staffer Bob Brown and Insight News Editor, Al McFarlane, at left.

Black Publishers met with Michelle and Barack Obama March 20th in the White House.

Self-actualization -Moving beyond potential

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief al@insightnews.com I think Michelle Obama was talking about all of us when she described her husband, the President: "Every day when I see

his calm, his composure, his commitment to his staff, his ability to connect to so many communities in this time of crisis, I am more confident than ever that I would not want anybody else in this house in this seat at this moment in time than my husband, President Obama."

Dr. Josie Johnson

truths of the past. Use your power in the marketplace of ideas and action. Trust your own sense of decency and challenge indecency in any quarter: in the family, the neighborhood, City Hall, the State House or the

OBAMA TURN TO 2

STATE TURN TO 6

www.aaalmn.org

Dr. Josie Robinson Johnson

about the contributions of Queen Nzingha from Angola. They learned that she fought for the freedom of her country against the Portuguese for over 40 years. She was a fierce warrior queen, who put the interest

JOHNSON TURN TO 10

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – A historic delegation of 50 Black publishers and their guests, who recently met at the White House to present a Black Press Week award to President Barack Obama and his family, received equal praise from the First Family for the work of the Black Press of America.

The delegation, representing the 200-member National Newspaper Publishers Association, honored America’s first Black President as the NNPA Newsmaker of the Year by awarding him with a book of front pages of Black newspaper from his historic November 4, 2008 election.

“The reason that I’ve been able, and Michelle has been able, to do what we’re doing is because of the extraordinary support and

PAGE

2

John Hope Franklin democratized American history

PAGE

6

The 50 Million Pound Challenge announces onemillionth member

PAGE

Troy Parker

Barbara Johnson

But Johnson prevails

Parker posts impressive 4th Ward challenge of the city as well.

Though he did not win the endorsement of the 4th Ward DFL Convention, by all estimates, Troy Parker's strong challenge to City Council President Barb Johnson, still may qualify as an upset.

Parker came within 20 votes of the incumbent, who squeaked across the endorsement threshold of 60% of delegates present on the 10th ballot,

WARD 4 TURN TO

6

WASHINGTON, DC —- On the heels of the public launch of the Madison Avenue Project, and a recent study that exposed pervasive racial bias in America’s advertising industry, the NAACP has sent a letter to Procter & Gamble Co. Chairman of the Board/CEO A.G. Lafley asking the big budget advertiser require their advertising agencies to use diverse teams in creative and account management positions. In addition to Procter & Gamble, which spent $5.2 billion on advertising in 2007, the NAACP has also issued letters to AT&T, Verizon Communications, General Motors Corp., Time Warner, Ford Motor Company, GlaxoSmith Kline, Johnson & Johnson, Walt Disney Co., Unilever, Sprint Nextel Corp., General Electric Co., Toyota Motor Corp., Chrysler, Sony Corp., L’Oreal, Sears Holding Company, Kraft Foods, Bank of

8

Carole Geary

President Barack Obama address publishers of the National Newspaper Publishers Association at the White House.

NAACP challenges advertising industry to end business bias

North Minneapolis can be counted on to deliver upset and surprise in the political season that is ramping up for November elections. While Near Northside voters expect intense challenges and neighborhood drama, the activists contagiousness appears to be taking root in the far North end

winners exhort Black Press to hold friends and enemies

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief

PRESS TURN TO 3

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief al@insightnews.com

NNPA award

Obamas give and receive honors during White House Black Press Week celebration

On frontline in the fight for civil and human rights During the 2008-09 school year, WE WIN Institute has been working with an incredible group of girls at Cooper High School in Robbinsdale. The Afterschool mentoring program is called, Rites of Passage, Sisters of the Ankh, “Women of Distinction.”

Junior and senior students mentor freshmen girls. The gender specific program has mentors assisting mentees with their academics. They also work together to learn about African and African American history and culture.

For Women’s History Month, the girls have been studying the contributions of powerful women of African descent. They have learned

I say all of us in the sense that the President is demonstrating that the true fighting spirit is calm and engaging, a pathway that recognizes and elevates human dignity.

So what is the message?

Be bold. Take responsibility for the present, respecting the

The National Urban League is calling on President Barack Obama to specifically address Black unemployment, foreclosures, education and health care.

According to the annual "State of Black America" issued last week, the Urban League charged that Blacks are twice as likely to be unemployed, three times as likely to live in poverty and more than six times as likely to be incarcerated.

Obama has said that by improving education, employment and health care for all Americans, Blacks people will benefit too.

"We have to be more specific," counters Marc Morial, president and CEO National Urban League."

"Our index shows African American status is about 71 percent that of white Americans," in indicators across the board.

Morial vowed the organization would not rest until there is no gap between Blacks and Whites in quality of life indexes.

The 288-page report presents 31 specific recommendations including: • Ensure that the stimulus

America, Nissan Motor Co., Macy’s, Anheuser Busch InBev, Honda Motor Co., Viacom and Berkshire, as the 25 highest budget advertisers in 2007.

Together, these 25 firms spent $52.6 billion on advertising in 2007.

The letter, from NAACP Interim General Counsel Angela Ciccolo, requests that Procter & Gamble, and each company, identify a senior executive to serve as a point of contact on the issue of racial bias in the advertising industry and to meet promptly with the NAACP. It states, “The initial emphasis in the Madison Avenue Project is the Big Four holding companies that dominate the industry — Omnicon, WPP, Interpublic and Publicis…[We] seek your support as the NAACP works to fight discrimination in the advertising industry.”

Drawing upon the Madison Avenue Project study, “Research

Perspectives on Race and Employment in the Advertising Industry,” which found dramatic levels of racial discrimination throughout the industry against African American professionals within pay, hiring, promotions, assignments, and other areas, the NAACP letter states: “African Americans have worked in advertising since the modern American advertising industry emerged more than 100 years ago. Yet, as employment discrimination has sharply diminished across the American labor market over recent decades, systemic barriers to equal opportunity in this $31 billion a year industry have remained largely intact. Racial discrimination is 38 percent worse in the advertising industry than in the overall U.S. labor market, and that ‘discrimination divide’ between advertising and

ADS TURN TO 3

The time for spring cleaning is upon us

PAGE 9

Summer Enrichment Fair at the Blake School in Minneapolis

PAGE 11

Page 2 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com

Black Press must hold friends and enemies accountable

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, giving four top awards during its annual Newsmaker of the Year Awards Gala, was told by those same honorees that its contributions to justice in America is yet untold.

“We have not adequately evaluated the stature of the Black Press and what it has meant to this country,” said civil rights dean the Rev. Joseph Lowery, who was honored as the Black Press of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in the March 19 gala.

He recalled how “immediately

following the 1963 March on Washington, the white press’ initial report was that we had about 50,000 people. But Black radio and other Black media personalities challenged that and talked about a half million people. And then the white Press then came back with 250,000 people,” he recounted. “But, had it not been for Black media, I’m certain they never would have reported the truth. We have yet to uncover all the ways that we have been served all the ways that we have been positively impacted by the Black Press.”

Lowery was introduced by Harry Alford, president of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, as a “giant” among giants, who during the pains of Jim Crow and segregation, “didn’t kneel

to Pharaoh; they didn’t bend over to Caesar, they made the world change for the better.” Furthermore, because of the election of President Barack Obama as a result of the work of those like Lowery, “Today, AfricanAmericans are the envy of the world,” he said.

Lowery received a standing ovation as he made his way to the podium. His 87-year-old frame appeared strong despite a brief illness that caused him to pass out after a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church March 15.

Like Lowery, the Rev. Al Sharpton and Xernona Clayton, also responded to their NorthStar Community Service Awards with praise and encouragement for the Black Press.

“I am honored beyond words to

Carole Geary

From 1 White House.

Invest the best of yourself in the work of perfecting democracy in our nation and the world.

Most publishers came to the White House by motor coach from ceremonies at Howard University School of Journalism and Mass Communications where legendary newspaper industry leaders had been enshrined, remembered for their service to our people and our nation.

I greeted my colleagues when they arrived. Having arrived early, I met and became instant friends with Bob Brown, who in the 15-minute wait before we were joined by the larger group and escorted to our meeting with the President and First Lady, gave me PhD level instruction in the affairs of the White House and the wielding of power by Black men within those hallowed halls.

Bob Brown said he worked in

the White House for four plus years in the Nixon Administration. He worked alongside the likes of H.R. Haldeman and John Erlichman, the guardians of the Nixon juggernaut.

Brown shared personal and intriguing recollections of events and conversations he participated in that helped shape Black business development and opportunity under Nixon's Black Capitalism initiatives, and that further desegregated communities that still maintained de facto segregation, denying service to U.S. military personnel outside military bases, despite that fact that such discrimination was already illegal.

Brown said he got wind of a commercial strip outside a major military installation that had certain nightclubs and public accommodation facilities that would not allow entrance to Black servicemen. Here were servicemen willing and ready to die for our country, still being denied the use of public accommodations.

He said he made a surprise visit to the installation, notified

AWARDS TURN TO 3

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, (D-SC), Xernona Clayton, Rev. Joseph Lowery at pre-gala reception

Roy Lewis

Roy Lewis

NNPA Publishers heading for White House gates.

First Lady Michelle Obama addresses NNPA publishers before President Obama speaks.

Future

receive this award because of who it comes from,” said Sharpton. “If it had not been for your work and your newspapers, so many of the things that we fought and so many of the battles that were won would not have happened.”

The threat is now beyond the Civil Rights movement as some claim America is now in a “post racial” society after the election of President Barack Obama, Sharpton pointed out.

“If they can make us buy into this whole rhetoric of ‘post-racial America’, they will say we no longer need Civil Rights, they will say we no longer need the Black Press.”

Sharpton, initially a New Yorkbased Black activist, whose

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford

Al McFarlane (far right) and Black Press owners at the White House security gates. the commanding officers of his presence then proceeded to lead a delegation of top military brass to the commercial strip. He pointed out a nightclub that he wanted to enter. The base commander tried to redirect his attention to another establishment, that was known as the place Black servicemen were allowed. Brown said he insisted, only to be told by the management of the facility that the nightclub was for "whites only."

"I've seen enough," Brown said he told the commander. Then he promised the commander and the town that if every vestige of discrimination were not dismantled within 24 hours, there would be a Presidential Order banning all military personnel from the strip. It would have meant sudden death for those businesses, he said.

By the next night, all the businesses adopted a new policy eliminating any restrictions based on race and nationality….in other words, following the law the land, he said.

Brown's stories were

instructive. I am sure that as I reflect on his rich eyewitness recollections of power at work, even greater clarity will emerge.

Hearing those stories, and being in the White House, for me, intensified the exhilaration of seeing President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama connect with us, as they are connecting with the American people and, actually, the world, with a sense of courage, conviction, clarity and intent.

The President and the First Lady invited us to present them with our National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation's News Maker Family of the Year Award in the Lincoln Room.

They welcomed us, and thanked us from a Presidential podium planted beneath the portrait visage of President Abraham Lincoln.

The scene demanded solemn reflection.

"The reason that I've been able and Michelle has been able to do what we're doing is because of the extraordinary support and thoughtfulness with which you've covered our campaigns

Roy Lewis

and our activities and so I am very thankful to you," President Obama said.

"You are welcome in this house, The People's House, and we are looking forward to continuing to spread, not just our stories, but the stories of struggle and hope and hardships that so many people are going through right now, making those stories real and putting a face to the numbers and statistics because that's how we end up being able to inspire the country as a whole to make the kind of forward progress that we need."

"This is such a special award," Michelle Obama said.

"When you're in the middle of the news making, you don't realize how much news you made until it's over. But, this is very special coming from this organization, this membership, because you've followed us through this journey. And to honor us as a family is what makes it special because you recognize that we have been going through this as a family, as a community and all of you know the ins and outs that come along with this."

Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Elliot Stewart-Franzen Web Design & Content Associate Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Brenda Colston Julie Desmond Marcia Humphrey Mehgaan Jones Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Ryan T. Scott Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Mpls., 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.

http://insightnews.com

Insight News • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Page 3

Markey, Inslee, McCollum & dozens of members urge Obama to defend Arctic from threats WASHINGTON, DC - Twenty years ago, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, blackening the Alaskan coast with nearly 11 million gallons of oil, killing wildlife and covering clear Pacific waters with sludge. Last week, Congressional leaders identified the new threats to America's northern waters, sending a letter to President Obama asking him to protect America's Arctic region against the looming threat of global warming and ill-planned industrial activity. For the last eight years, the Bush administration pursued a reckless energy strategy in America's arctic that sought to rush oil and gas leasing while disregarding climate

science and protections for iconic species like the polar bear.

US Reps. Betty McCollum (MN-4), Edward J. Markey (MA-7) and Jay Inslee (WA-1) last week were joined by dozens of their colleagues calling upon the president and his administration to take several actions to protect the Arctic, which is endangered by global warming and oil and gas exploration. The letter commends the Interior Department for its plans to prepare a comprehensive offshore energy strategy, and issues the following recommendations: • Support the strongest level of protection for the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and

protect vital habitats of Teshekpuk Lake, both in Alaska.

• Establish an interagency task force to develop a science-based comprehensive conservation and energy plan for the Arctic.

• Suspend the expansion of all industrial activities in the region until such a plan may be completed.

"Our country must adopt a comprehensive energy policy that is based on sound science and meets the needs of America's economy and our ever fragile environment including the Arctic. President Obama is committed to protecting our environment and I will be working closely with his administration to enact responsible

policies to promote investments in clean energy, while preserving our environment and natural treasures for generations to come," said McCollum.

"Two decades have passed since the Valdez ran aground, and we are still cleaning up that mess," said Markey, who chairs key energy and climate panels in the House and this January re-introduced the UdallEisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39) to designate the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness with permanent protections. "Twenty years from now, we can't look back and think 'what should we have done to save the Arctic?' The time to create

a comprehensive plan to fight global warming and create sane energy policies is now, for the future of the Arctic and for us all."

"The Arctic is melting, and it's not doing so on Al Gore's timeline -Mother Nature is calling the shots here," said Inslee. "We should pause to ensure we're making informed decisions on the use of this land before expanding industrial activity in the area. These lands belong to all Americans, and we should make sure they're used for the benefit of the people -- instead of the enrichment of business and industry."

The lawmakers' letter notes the increasing threats of global warming

on the Arctic region, saying that "no place on Earth is being more rapidly or radically impacted by climate change." The impacts on the Arcticsea ice loss, risk to wildlife-are potentially exacerbated by development of oil and gas, both by the pollution the fuels cause, and by the potential danger from accidents like oil spills.

The full text of the letter, and a list of the 67 total signers, can be found by going to http://globalwarming.house.gov/tool s/3q08materials/files/0128.pdf.

Press

the State Dining Room March 20.

“You are welcome in this house, the people’s house, and we are looking forward to continuing to spread, not just our stories, but the stories of struggle and hope and hardships that so many people are going through right now. Making those stories real and putting a face to the numbers and statistics is how

we end up being able to inspire the country as a whole to make the kind of forward progress that we need.”

It was a light-hearted atmosphere for the president and First Lady Michelle Obama, dealing with dire issues, as well as for the publishers whose daily lives are focused on the long-held

mission of equal justice for African American people. In remarks interrupted several times with cheers and applause, Obama and First Lady Michelle appeared genuinely touched by the magazine-styled book awarded to them, by NNPA Foundation Chair Dorothy R. Leavell, publisher of the Chicago and Gary Crusader

newspapers. NNPA’s Newsmaker of the Year is the highest annual honor bestowed during Black Press Week, the March, 16, 1827, birthday of the Black Press, now in its 182nd year.

“We are so happy to be here and to also congratulate you … and to let you know that we’ve got your back,” said Leavell as the room

erupted with cheers and applause from the publishers. Leavell then gave the President and First Lady the 80-paged document titled, The Black Press Committed to the Cause.

On the back of the book of Black Press front pages are the words of Richard Hatcher’s song, “Feelin’ Good“ as a reflection of

CEO of the Trumpet Awards, said her respect for the Black Press is entrenched in the every day running of her business and personal life.

“Every time I go into the airport or I go into the news store, I ask for the Black paper of that community,” she told the audience. “And I do it because I kind of know they don’t have it, but I have to do it for me ... I want to let them know that I’m expecting to see the Black paper. I have enormous respect, indescribable respect for the Black Press,” said Clayton. She added that she once fired a public relations person who eliminated the Black Press from top coverage of the Trumpet Awards.

The petite Clayton is a powerhouse among Civil Rights leaders. In his introduction of her, Los Angeles Sentinel Publisher Danny Bakewell said she had

distinguished herself in so many ways that when he first met her, he expected her to “come flying in or walking on water or doing something that has been described to me about this little five-foot woman who has uncharacteristically done things that most people wouldn’t even dream of, let alone do.”

Among those things, he said, was her successfull campaign to reverse deep segregation within hospitals in Atlanta and once convincing a grand dragon to denounce the Ku Klux Klan.

But, her life has been spent given accolades to others. Bakewell described the Trumpet awards as “one of the most magnificent and one of the most acclaimed awards presentations in this country, really in the world.”

The audience of publishers, Civil Rights stalwarts and other

friends of the Black Press cheered and applauded each award winner.

They also included a special “Political Leadership” award to U. S. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), now majority whip of the U. S. House of Representatives; he’s the highest ranking African American in Congress.

Political issues on the horizon are crucial to be addressed by the Black Press, said NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous, who also attended the dinner.

“There are some big fights coming up in this town,” said Jealous. He listed the Employee Free Choice Act pertaining to the advantages of Unions to Black people; the No Child Left Behind, legislation and whether it will demand higher “standards without money” as just a couple of battles before Congress that will need Black

Press input. He also listed the AntiRacial Profiling Act and the Law Enforcement Integrity Act as needed legislations against the epidemic of controversial police shootings of Black people around the nation.

In obvious reference to Black Press support of Clyburn and NNPA

Newsmaker award winner President Barack Obama, Jealous warned the Black Press to not lose sight of the fourth estate’s (media’s) job to hold government accountable.

He said, “These are times to be vigilant, to be supportive of friends, but also to hold them to account.”

Black managers or professionals;

•Black college graduates working in advertising earn $.80

•About 16 percent of large advertising firms employ no

“The behavior documented in the [report] is likely illegal, and we are sure that [specific company] would not wish to be associated in any way with such behavior. ... The report, for example, shows that the advertising industry has racial employment problems more than one-third larger than the nation’s overall labor market. Further, the report indicates that the advertising industry is steadily falling even further behind peer

industries,” the letter states.

The Madison Avenue Project is led by the NAACP and attorney Cyrus Mehri, of Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, who has won several multi-million dollar discrimination settlements against such corporations as The Coca-Cola Company, Morgan Stanley and Texaco Inc.; with the cooperation of Sanford Moore, a former advertising executive, current New York City talk radio co-host, and longtime advocate

for racial parity in advertising.

The study, entitled “Research Perspectives on Race and Employment in the Advertising Industry,” was conducted by a leading research firm, Bendick and Egan Economic Consultants.

The letter further cites specific findings including:

for every dollar earned by their equally qualified white counterparts; based on national demographic data, 9.6 percent of advertising managers and professionals would be expected to be African Americans. The actual percentage in 2008 was 5.3 percent, representing a difference of 7,200 executivelevel jobs;

From 1 thoughtfulness with which you’ve covered our campaigns and our activities and so I am very thankful to you,” President Obama told the publishers during the ceremony in

Awards From 2 popularity and influence is now entrenched across America, listed issues that are reflective of a lack of racial growth.

“The reason we need Black Press in 2009 is the same reason we needed it in 1889,” he said. “Tonight Blacks are still doubly unemployed to whites in America, tonight we still have health disparities, tonight one of the reasons we’re dealing with educational inequities is because the achievement gaps between Blacks and whites today is the same as it was during 1954 when we had Brown v. Board of Education. If we do not have the vehicles to talk about that, it will not address itself.”

Clayton, founder, president and

Ads From 1 other U.S. industries is more than twice as large today as it was 30 years ago.”

•Black managers and professionals in the industry are only one-tenth as likely as their white counterparts to earn $100,000 a year; •Blacks are only 62 percent as likely as their white counterparts to work in the powerful “creative” and “client contact” functions in advertising agencies.

Rev. Al Sharpton

Roy Lewis

Roy Lewis

Denise Rolark Barnes

The full text of the letter and other information can be found at: www.madisonavenueproject.com.

Page 4 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com

COMMENTARY We must also focus on ways to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS Guest Commentary

By State Rep. Jeff Hayden (61B) The growing global economic crisis has exacerbated the HIV/AIDS epidemic across the globe, in Minnesota and in our communities. That’s why in seeking solutions to our economic crisis, we must also focus on ways to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. In the State Legislature, there are several ways we can help win this fight in Minnesota.

Last year, we learned that an estimated 56,000 Americans

become infected with the HIV virus every year. This number is alarming because it represents a 40% higher figure that had previously been estimated.

More troubling is the fact that people of color, African Americans in particular, continue to make up a disproportionate share of those who become infected. Though we only represent 30% of the U.S. population, people of color represent 65% of new AIDS diagnoses and over 60% of new HIV infections. In Minnesota, a new case of HIV infection is reported every day and that doesn’t count the estimated 2,500 Minnesotans believed to be unknowingly living with HIV. 40% of all new infections come from people living in Minneapolis.

Many of the reasons why African Americans are

disproportionally affected by HIV and AIDS stem from a lack of quality health care. That’s why we must continue working to reform our broken health care system. African Americans are nine times more likely to die than Caucasians from HIV/AIDS because they often lack adequate health care and are diagnosed much later. This inequity is simply unacceptable. Access to quality health care should not be a privilege, it should be a right. I am co-author to the Minnesota Health Plan, which would provide affordable, quality health care to every Minnesotan. Due to the severe budget deficit, this legislation will not be up for a vote this year. Nevertheless, we need to keep pressing for transformational health care reform.

Another leading factor to the spread of HIV/AIDS is the lack of information and educational materials readily available to Minnesotans. Every time someone is infected with HIV/AIDS they are contracting a preventable disease. We need to pursue a broad strategy in our communities that emphasizes education, prevention and awareness.

I have introduced HF 681 in the Minnesota House of Representatives, a bill that would establish a statewide HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign to educate the public about HIV transmission and prevention. As part of my bill, the campaign would direct specific, community-based messages to culturally specific communities along with broadly directed messages to the Minnesota populations as a

whole. In doing so, we can target specific message strategies in specific areas of the state to enhance the effectiveness of the campaign.

The campaign would include a toll-free resource line and website to provide valuable information to Minnesotans.

For those who don’t have health care insurance, this can be an important resource for information about HIV/AIDS prevention as well as alert people of serious signs that would signal the need to receive testing or medical care.

President Barack Obama has said that “combating AIDS demands combating the disparities in our society —if we leave people without hope or help, we will not turn the corner against this epidemic.”

Here in Minnesota I am hopeful that together we can continue

the fight against the HIV/AIDS in a strategic, common sense way that improves our communities and saves lives.

In working to address the important legislative issues this session, I’d ask my constituents in District 61B to take the time to fill out my online legislative survey at http://www.house.leg.state.mn. us/survey/61B.asp.

I also want to encourage everyone to mark Saturday, April 25th, 10:00 a.m. – Noon on your calendar. I will be cohosting a Gun Violence Prevention Town Hall meeting at the Sharon Sayles Belton Center, Minneapolis Urban League, 411 38th Avenue South and would appreciate your involvement.

Does it silence or support the Black church?

NNPA Special Commentary

Dr. Barbara Williams Skinner (NNPA) - The February 5 announcement by President Barack Obama of the White House Office of Faith Based Initiative and Neighborhood Partnerships offers potential hope for real change, especially for the Black Church.

Despite President Obama’s incredible national and global popularity, Black Church leaders may do well to ask a critical question. Will President Obama’s Faith Based Office seek to silence outspoken Black Church

leaders through the enticement of social service grants? Or, will the President fund high quality service programs of even those Black clergy leaders who may at times disagree publicly with policy positions of his Administration.

A few clues into the scope of changes in President Obama’s Faith Based Initiative have already been revealed. A first area of change is in the broadening of the mission to include four key policy areas: (1) Reducing poverty as part of the economic recovery; (2) Reducing the need for abortion; (3) Supporting fathers who stand by their families; (4) Encouraging and fostering interfaith dialogue around the world.

Another major change is that faith groups are being encouraged to engage both in providing critical social services and in helping to shape policies

as true partners of the Administration.

The change in the name of the office to the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships reflects this focus. It is the same spirit of partnership that we have seen when President Obama appointed three Republicans to his cabinet and when he conducted several meetings with Republican congressional leaders in seeking to pass the Stimulus Package.

There are two other important signs that the Obama Faith-Based Office will reflect real “change that we can believe in.”

First, the executive order expands the scope of the office to establish an Interfaith Council comprised of up to 25 faith and secular leaders with 15 having been announced. Of the four African American Council

members on the Council, both AME Bishop Vashti Mckenzie and Civil Rights Movement icon the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., are well known for their progressive politics.

The African American Church community can be confident just knowing that no amount of grant funds for social service program will silence these two prophetic voices.

A second important signal of the kind of White House Faith Based office will emerge is in the appointment of the new director, the Rev. Joshua Dubois, a 26year-old former Pentecostal pastor who headed religious affairs during the Obama campaign.

Dubois, who represents a new generation of clergy leaders, has a reputation of fairness and integrity. He has repeatedly affirmed his commitment to reach out to both faith and

secular leaders in addressing serious human needs now facing American communities.

Despite the positive changes in the Obama White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnership from the office in the past, one question still remains.

What about the ability of Black Church leaders to use faith as a criteria for hiring employees in serving broken communities in need of both spiritual and physical transformation?

President Obama, a strong supporter of the separation of Church and State, sidestepped potential political and legal battles on this issue by agreeing to refer problem cases concerning religious hiring to the White House Counsel.

Finally, how should the Black Church judge the overall success of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood

Partnerships? Success should be based on such factors as genuine efforts to provide technical assistance that equips the Black Church to effectively receive and manage social service grants.

It should be based, as well, on inclusion of additional African American females and younger clergy leaders on the Interfaith Council. But ultimately, success will be based on whether progressive African- American clergy leaders feel the freedom to respectfully and publicly voice their concerns about Administration policies even as they secure and manage federal grants that address pressing human needs. This is change we can believe in.

Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner is president of Skinner Leadership Institute and contributor to the Black Women’s Roundtable.

It is time for these lenders to be held accountable NNPA Special Commentary

By Ben Jealous (NNPA) - Mrs. Amara Weaver is a dedicated mother and grandmother living in Milwaukee, WI. She worked hard all her life and bought a home for her family.

About 10 years ago, the house next door turned into a drug house; a source of violence and instability in her neighborhood.

Mrs. Weaver took action. She

decided to buy the home for her son and rid the community of a source of tragedy. Like most of us, Mrs. Weaver trusted her broker who assured her that because of her good credit and her home ownership, she would get a “good deal” for the new house. The interest rate for her own home was 6.25 percent.

But after she signed the papers, she realized – too late she had been tricked.

Her punishment for trying to clean up her community was an 11 percent undeserved interest rate, $350 more a month than she should have paid. Mrs. Weaver is like hundreds of thousands of people, disproportionately African American, who had decent credit, owned their homes and were tricked into a predatory loan.

The scourge of subprime lending in our communities has been called in one study, the greatest loss of wealth from the Black community. We all know what that looks like: boarded up homes, shattered families and shuttered communities as foreclosures sweep through the country.

The Center for Responsible Lending reported in 2006 that loans to African Americans were 60 percent more likely to contain a pre-payment penalty. On adjustable rate mortgages, Blacks were 15 percent more likely to get a higher rate. Even upper income African Americans are more than twice as likely to receive higher cost loans as their lower income white counterparts. In Boston in 2005 73 percent of African

Americans making between $92,000 and $152,000 were given sub-prime loans.

Studies show that overall, Blacks received sub-prime loans 54 percent of the time; compared to 23 percent for similarly situated Whites.

It is time for these lenders to be held accountable. This month we filed two separate federal lawsuits against Wells Fargo and HSBC - two of the country’s largest lenders - alleging systematic, institutionalized racism in sub-prime home mortgage lending. That filing follows our historic action against 12 other lenders in July 2007.

African American homeowners who received sub-prime mortgage loans from lenders named in the suit were more than 30 percent

more likely to be issued a higher rate loan than Caucasian borrowers with the same qualifications.

The goal is to fix the problem.

The remedies we demand include measures for increased accountability, transparency in the lending process, training and internal controls at financial institutions, greater oversight of mortgage brokers and widespread community-based financial literacy training so no one can fall victim to such tactics.

We are happy to announce that some of the banks have agreed to go into mediation with us. And the rest, who attempted to get this suit dismissed, were rebuffed by a federal judge who denied the banks’ request to drop the suit.

There is nothing more precious to

a family than working hard, buying a house and being secure in their home—knowing they can pass that home down to their children. It is an integral part of the American dream that is being stolen by unscrupulous brokers and banks.

As Dr. King exhorted us, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Our lawsuit is a powerful voice that breaks the silence over racist and predatory lending. It reflects the chorus of hundreds of thousands of victims who are joining us to shout no more.

Benjamin Todd Jealous is president and CEO of the NAACP.

I have access to hundreds of foreclosed properties in Minneapolis-St.Paul and surrounding suburbs. Let me help you take advantage of this real estate market.

http://insightnews.com

Insight News • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Page 5

Ellison applauds White House Liberian extension WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) welcomed President Obama’s recent decision to extend Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status by 12 months to Liberians residing legally in the United States. There are approximately 3,600 Liberians in the United States on a temporary status including more than 1,000 Minnesotans.

“I am grateful that President Obama has granted our Liberian neighbors extended DED status,” Ellison said. “This was the right thing to do to keep families together and it embraces the fundamental foundation of an immigrant nation.”

Liberians have lived and

worked in Minnesota since 1991 when their country was wracked by civil war which first made them eligible for temporary protected status.

Liberians have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) under President Clinton and President Bush.

The Liberians are currently under DED status, which was set to expire on March 31, 2009.

This past December, Congressman Ellison sent a letter to then President-Elect Obama along with 31 other Members of the House calling on the new Administration to extend DED status for all Liberians residing in the United

States. In 110th Congress, Ellison authored legislation with Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) to allow Liberian Americans who were brought here under TPS to apply for citizenship.

Ellison reintroduces Universal Default Prohibition Act Ellison also reintroduced important legislation to curb a harmful practice employed by credit card companies called universal default.

Under universal default provisions, credit card companies can raise the rate on a credit card to the default rate based on a late payment on another credit card, loan or mortgage. Consequently, other

credit card companies can raise their interest rates on a card holder even if he or she has never made a late payment on

Under this procedure, if you’re late or miss a payment on one card, you’re counted as late on all of them. That is

“I AM GRATEFUL THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS GRANTED OUR LIBERIAN NEIGHBORS EXTENDED DED STATUS,” their particular credit card.

“For years now, we have heard endless stories of the harmful and deceptive practices of some credit card companies,” Ellison said. “These practices include exorbitant interest rates, and hidden fees. One of the worst practices is universal default.

highly predatory and needs to end,” Ellison stated.

Although some private lenders have already voluntarily ended this practice, Congressional action is necessary in order to level the playing field for all credit card companies and prevent the return of the practice.

Press

“You know our story. Our images, our journey our path are not foreign to you. And we are reminded of that when we read our story in your stories. It feels different. I often say I finally recognize myself when I read your papers,” she said to applause.

“On behalf of the Obama family, the girls and Grandma (her mother, Marian Robinson, who lives with the family), we thank you so much.”

NNPA has approximately 215 members, but the White House limited the delegation to only 50 due to available space. Before greeting and shaking hands with each member of the delegation, the President drew laughter and applause during remarks in which he reflected on his three-time win of the award.

“I just want to thank all of you for this extraordinary honor of being a newsmaker three times. I will try to be a little more low-key for the next four years. I don’t want to be like a seven-time (loud laughter) ... because other people will feel left out,” he said.

Obama said the award was “especially gratifying” because the whole family was being honored this time, including their daughters, Sasha, seven, and Malia, 10. He praised his wife for her part in helping the historic

From 3 how musical themes flowed throughout the campaign. ‘’We want to honor you…We hope you will enjoy looking at them,” Leavell said.

“Well, that’s beautiful,” the President responded, flipping through the book as he asked First Lady Michelle to speak first.

“This is such a special award,” she began. “When you’re in the middle of the news making, you don’t realize how much news you made until it’s over. But, this is very special coming from this organization, this membership because you’ve followed us through this journey. And to honor us as a family is what makes it special because you recognize that we have been going through this as a family, as a community and all of you know the ins and outs that come along with this.”

This is the third Newsmaker award for President Obama. In 2005, he received it as a junior U. S. Senator and rising star in Black America. He received it again last year as a leading presidential candidate, poised to make history.

Because he could not attend the annual gala due to Senate votes last year, he promised to receive the award at the White House if he won the election. Both his win and the award are now a part of historic record.

Returning the honor, Michelle Obama stressed that the historic record of the plight of African Americans have been kept all along in Black newspapers across America.

In the 110th Congress, this bill was incorporated into the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008 (H.R. 5244), which overwhelmingly passed the House 312-112.

“We hope to have it included in the comprehensive credit card reform package that the Financial Services Committee will mark up in the coming weeks,” the 5th District Congressman stated.

“The Universal Default Prohibition Act of 2009 (H.R. 1637) is an important piece of the economic fairness puzzle and one of many reforms I intend to introduce in a much broader push toward consumer justice,” Ellison concluded.

election to come to fruition.

“I could not have done this without Michelle, who is the foundation stump of our family and who each and every day makes me realize how lucky I am to be married to her,” he said.

He added that the children bring light moments to his life that take the edge off of the daily grind of tough issues.

“After you’ve had a bad day, there’s nothing like coming home to Malia and Sasha and them telling you all kinds of strange things and you laugh and this makes you appreciate why we do what we do,” he said. “It’s for the next generation and we couldn’t have done this without my motherin-law. She keeps Michelle calm.

And there’s that old saying, ‘When Mama’s happy, everybody’s happy,’ he said as the publishers chimed in with the popular quote.

“And so we try to keep Mama happy,” he said.

The First Lady’s happiness is not only personal, but for the nation. She said: “Every day when I see his calm, his composure, his commitment to his staff, his ability to connect to so many communities in this time of crisis, I am more confident than ever that I would not want anybody else in this house in this seat at this moment in time than my husband, President

Page 6 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com

Master artists reflect on healing power of Afro-Cuban music

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief al@insightnews.com Wain talked with Juan De Marcos Gonzales, leader of the Afro-Cuban All Stars following their phenomenal performance at the Minneapolis Orchestra Hall. Wain told de Marcos Gonzales about their music providing him a bridge to ancestral realms and a soundscape for his exploration of separate realities.

Wain was describing his journey to other worlds while he lay in a medically-induced coma at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, MN. He was there for a routine check up on the successful recent kidney transplant he had undergone.

But the examination revealed cancer in the liver had become aggressive requiring immediate replacement. They moved him to the top of the waiting list and within a day, he was in surgery for a liver transplant. His body rejected the liver, however. Doctors kept him in a coma while they waited for a new liver.

A second organ was considered and passed on. By Saturday, he had been “under” four days already. He had 48-hours to live without a functioning liver.

Ray and I drove down to visit.

The room was full of machines and monitors, tubes and

bandages...emergency gear of all types. Like in the movies. But this was serious. It was no joke.

We were comforted by the massive amount of technology, and the huge amount of medical learning and science, and the excellent care and compassion of expert health workers, all organized to support and sustain life. But something was missing.

There were beeps and buzzes.

Bells and public address announcements. The occasional siren wailed faintly in distances beyond the hospital walls. The sound of the room was the ambient signature of the business of life...and death.

Wain McFarlane’s life is music.

Wain is music. I asked if it would be ok to get a boom box or cd player and play music for Wain. They said yes and ordered a boom box from the hospital library. I had Afro-Cuban All Stars cd “Distinto, Differente” in my car. I got it and dropped it in the cd player and plugged in the box on a ledge just above Wain’s head.

Nurses said Wain might be aware of what was going on in the room, but they were not sure. He could hear, but he could not speak, due to the sedation. And they were not sure exactly how much he would actually hear or comprehend or remember.

So I talked to Wain. I rubbed his forehead. Then I walked to the other end of the bed and I rubbed his feet.

I said “This is a gift, Wain. So have

no fear. You are being given the opportunity to examine this world and others from distinct and different points of view. So, Go! See! Remember all that you can! You will be able to cross vast amounts of space and time in blink of an eye.

You can fly and stop at will, suspended in any space you choose.

Let this music guide you and connect you to our Ancestors.”

Wain arose three days later speaking Spanish, Portuguese and other languages he did not know. He had visited what appeared to be construction sites. He said, on closer examination, he recognized that he was watching people building the Great Pyramid. He visited the Andes and Southern Mexico and experienced ancient Toltec culture.

Beings from that world followed him back to this world. As he drifted toward ordinary consciousness he could still perceive energy bodies that had tracked him, two to defend him, one to destroy him.

Wain shared this story with Juan De Marcos Gonzales and with our mutual friend Victor Valens, another Twin Cities-based Cuban, who visits Cuba regularly. De Marcos Gonzales, eyebrow raised and gaze fixed on Wain’s words, smiled deeply, understandingly. He was experiencing the story stereophonically...from Wain eye to eye directly in front of him, from me on one side, telling my part of the story in English and in Spanish, and

Juan De Marcos Gonzales (L) and Wain McFarlane disbanding of Sierra Maestra, the group with whom he had attracted global attention since 1978.

Musicians in the Afro-Cuban All Stars, including pianist Ruben Gonzalez and trumpet player Yanko Pisaco, represent the cream of Cuba’s instrumentalists.”

One of the people in the audience, who is a Cuban now living in Twin Cities, and who got special recognition from De Marcos Gonzales was Gloria Rivera. After the reception backstage following the concert, Gloria, Wain, Victor and I sat for coffee at a late nite bistro

across the street from Orchestra Hall.

Gloria, who sings with Wain from time to time, told me in Spanish, that her father was the object of celebration in the Afro-Cuban All Stars song “Tributo al Nino Rivera.”

Wain had felt the meaning of the song in his coma. He remembered.

And he asked De Marcos Gonzales about that song in particular.

Gloria Rivera, the daughter of the song, was in his life already, unbeknownst to him. This night connected and extended the gift of life.

John Hope Franklin democratized American history

Sesame Street helps military families cope Sesame Street , is producing, in association with David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants Incorporated and Lookalike Productions, a new PBS primetime special, Coming Home: Military Families Cope With Change, featuring Queen Latifah, John Mayer, Elmo and Rosita. This half-hour HD special tells stories of service members who return home with injuries, visible and invisible, and explores the heroic struggles their families face in discovering a new way of finding a “new normal.” The special will air on PBS <http://www.pbs.org/> on April 1, 2009 at 8PM (check local listings)

from Victor, reinterpreting what he had heard from me and from Wain, purely in Spanish.

There was one song, Wain said, about being a Jamaican but living in Cuba. Yes, de Marcos said, it paid homage to a great Cuban singer Nino Rivera, who, like many, went to Cuba to find work and to live.

And there was another song on that album that no doubt affected you, he said to Wain. “Warariansa” is a song from my father’s religion, he said, an African religion that retained its expression in Afro-Cuba. His father was the Pope of that religion, he said. The music’s mission is to protect and grow the culture by looking back to the ancestors and playing a pathway to the future.

In preparing this observation I found the following liner notes about the Afro-Cuban All Stars: “A multi-generational big band, with members ranging in age from 13 to 81, the Afro-Cuban All Stars incorporate the full spectrum of Latin dance music, including mambo, cha cha, salsa, rumba, son montuno, timba, guajira, danzón, abakuá, and bolero. During a late’90s interview, Gonzalez explained, ‘We have to use all the heritage of Cuban music to create a sound of the future.’ Gonzalez, who holds a doctorate in hydraulic engineering and Russian and has worked as a consulate at the Agronomic Science Institute in Havana, formed the AfroCuban All Stars shortly after the

Queen Latifah and John Mayer in conjunction with April as the “Month of the Military Child.” <http://www.sesamestreet.org/> Credit: © 2009 Sesame Workshop.

“Sesame Street” and its logo are trademarks of Sesame Workshop.

All rights reserved. Photo by Richard Termine.

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous noting the death of historian and activist John Hope Franklin, said, "America has lost a real treasure with the death of John Hope Franklin. He was a pioneer in democratizing American history, giving Black Americans a proper place in the development of the United States. His magnificent work, From Slavery to Freedom, insures people of color will not be forgotten when the American story is told. He was more than America's most prominent historian - his civic activism set a high standard for academics, marching in Selma, serving on numerous commissions and advising presidents.

Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi called Franklin one of our nation's most distinguished scholars. She said: "His academic and civic contributions helped integrate the

African American narrative into American history - reflecting one of our nation's most cherished goals of creating a stronger and more united America.

"Professor Franklin chaired the history departments at Brooklyn College and the University of Chicago, before becoming James B. Duke Professor of History at Duke University," she said. "The John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies and the Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke remain as permanent monuments to his contributions in academia and public policy.

"John Hope Franklin successfully bridged the gap between theory and practice. That was never more evident than his scholarly work on President Bill Clinton's Task Force on Race - for which he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, his invaluable

work on the history of African Americans, and his seminal research used in the landmark case, Brown v.

Board of Education," she said.

John Hope Franklin was the 1995 recipient of the NAACP Spingarn Medal, the Association's highest honor, given for distinguished merit and achievement among Americans of African descent.

State

and placement for disadvantaged workers.

•Guarantee full-day schooling for all 3- and 4-year-olds.

•Expand the school day to account for working parents and families without nearby relatives to help with after-school care.

•Fund mortgage counseling and education programs for minorities.

•Implement universal health care and a "comprehensive" system to provide blacks with health education, prevention and intervention.

it meant ACORN PAC activists understand that he is "committed to the residents and will work to combat the foreclosure crisis that we are facing."

ACORN PAC's support, however, generated contentious wrangling over literature alleging Johnson had received "major campaign contributions from banks, mortgage lenders and housing developers". The one sheet paper posed the question: "What did these lobbyists and Wall Street banks get in return for their money?"

The flyer alleged that in "2003 Council Member Johnson opposed an Anti-Predatory Lending Ordinance that would have put restrictions on banks and lenders, leaving thousands of Northside homebuyers at risk of being steered into high-cost, sub-prime mortgages that are now dragging down our

economy and neighborhoods with foreclosures".

It charged that in "2008 Council Member Johnson, voted against a resolution calling for a 3 month foreclosure moratorium, which could have helped hundreds of her constituents stay in their homes while renegotiating their mortgages".

Parker charges that Convention Chair, Rick Stafford gave Barb Johnson the opportunity to respond to the literature. He said Johnson called the allegations "lies" noting that receiving campaign contributions from corporations is illegal.

"She denied receiving any monies from any of the banks that were listed. She accused me and my volunteers of going to any length to win the endorsement," Parker said.

"I began to walk up to the microphone to respond. Rick Stafford made his position obvious by signaling me to sit down. He immediately "froze" (no delegates of leave or enter during voting) the floor and took another vote while delegates began to question my character under the belief that I circulated the literature," he said.

"While I was not responsible for the literature or the claims, I did however, fact check the literature after the convention using the sources listed on the materials that had been circulated. I found that Ellen McInnis (Registered Lobbyist # 8608 and Association # 0664) for Wells Fargo & Company, James Demay (Registered Lobbyist # 4113 and Association # 5081) for Citigroup Management Corp., TCF Voluntary Political Contribution Plan, which does not seem to have registered with the State of Minnesota that year as a Political Action Committee, Don Gerberding (Master Development) were campaign contributors," Parker said.

Upon questioning, Parker went to lengths to tell Insight News that such contributions are perfectly legal contributions of individuals, not companies or groups. "But who contributors work for is worth looking at," he said.

The Minneapolis City Council Minutes of January 18th, 2008 page 48, indicate Johnson did vote against a "Resolution Calling For a Voluntary Moratorium on Foreclosures by Subprime Mortgage Lenders" Resolution2008R-023, Parker said.

From 1 package's green job creation includes poor urban communities.

•Increase funding for job training

Ward 4 From 1 some seven hours into the Saturday, March 21, 2009 4th Ward DFL convention.

The endorsement did not happen in the five ballots as provided for in the Rules of the convention and the convention should have concluded without endorsing a candidate, Parker said. Because of what he called "the unfair treatment and slander of my character, I have decided to continue on in the campaign and to fight for my community and Ward."

Parker said he was proud of his endorsement by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now Political Action Committee, (ACORN PAC) because

media.commercialappeal.com

John Hope Franklin

http://insightnews.com

Insight News • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Page 7

AESTHETICS Hearts embrace musical messages

By Alaina L. Lewis Part 2 of 2 IN: Have you been with the production since the beginning?

SJ: I’ve been with it since the beginning of the tour show. I originated Harpo on the road. It’s been two years. Felicia and I have been working together for over two years now. It’s a blessing. I’ve learned. I’ve grown. We’ve beat each other up. [Laughs] It’s been a cool thing.

FF: Yeah, it’s been all right.

[Laughs] IN: So how did you guys find yourself blessed to be apart of The Color Purple?

SJ: You know I’m from Georgia, so I get the story. When I heard they were doing a film of The Color Purple, I was like, “Hmm, I would love to play Harpo.’’When I saw the film, it was a different visual look. I read the book a little different visually, but the spirit- I’ve connected with the spirit and it’s energy and who he is. I was hoping that that’s the thing that could shine through, so they could see that, so I could get this gig and I did. 2 years, and going on 2 and half years later it’s still moving.

IN: How much longer do you think you are going to do this?

SJ: Yeah, I don’t really want to say, but I’m contracted through out the end of this year, and through the beginning of January and we’ll see where we are at that time.

IN: I know you have a music career you’re working on.

SJ: Yes, and it’s kind of hard to do that being on the road. I at least have a CD I want to finish, that’s all. I just have a CD I’ve got to finish of my own purpose of setting a goal and accomplishing that goal. When I get back to LA, we have a little time off after St. Paul, and I’m going to do a little work on it. Put some of these songs down that I’ve written and see what happens.

IN: A lot of African American productions aren’t received with such open arms and acclaim from critics across the board like The Color Purple is, what does it mean to either one of you to be apart of such an important piece of our history?

FF: It’s a very important thing to me. I’ve worked twenty-something years in this business. Every time I look into the house it’s white people.

I don’t mean that as a derogatory thing, but as an African American growing up in an African American environment, wanting to be apart of theatre and never seeing African Americans in theatre in abundance, it can be a downer. I’ve done Carousel, Hello Dolly, Guys and Dolls and things of that nature, but to be apart of an all African American cast, not only that is a musical, but one that definitely has messages of great importance to the communities, to individuals, to males as well as females, it’s a story of hope and resilience it’s a story that teaches people that they can rise above of their obstacles whatever they are, it gives you hope. It gives you a sense of ‘I can do better’. If Celie can survive some of these things that are going on with her, than certainly I can. The best part of the show for me at night is the curtain call. The curtain call allows you to break the fourth wall and then become an observer of the people who’ve been observing you. Now I get a chance to see what gratitude they feel from the two and half hour journey that they’ve just been on.

Whenever I see African Americans in the audience it’s a thrill for me.

When I tell you that pretty much when you work in theater it’s a sea of white people you’re looking at, that’s how those percentages work for the most part. This is not like anything else, it’s not like taking a part of something that’s been done before. This is something that people didn’t think would happen.

You’re going to turn Color Purple into a musical? Yeah right, that’s an oxy moron. But, to be able to make it happen, and make it good, has been great.

SJ: I agree with her. It’s a blessing first of all, but also a responsibility. I think even from the male perspective, we have to realize, that when you saw the film that the redemption value wasn’t as alive in the film, they just kind of brushed over it. In the stage play, right now, you actually see that redemption there where they no better. Once you go through the process because nobodies perfect, we learn, we get the lesson and we do better.

Knowing better, you’re allowed to do better. That redemption value meaning; wanting to be forgiven, so that you can take it to the next level

and improve your life and make those in your life happy. That’s important to us. There is a sense of hope and redemption. Hope and inspiration in doing better.

Redeeming ourselves as a man. A lot of times people think it’s a man bashing show, and that’s not the case. It shows that men are significant in this story as well as we are in life. We’re apart of the process.

FF: There is a very important lesson from the lineage of the men from Old Mister to Mister to Harpo.

There’s such an important lineage lesson there. You don’t have to be stuck like Old Mister was in his day when it was acceptable to treat women a certain way. That’s what he taught his son to do, who was going to keep the party going and that’s when they ran into the obstacle of Harpo, who decided that he was going to break the cycle.

SJ: That’s interesting, because I wouldn’t say obstacle, I would say “the light of Harpo” because intuitively when I read the book it never felt right to him. Intuitively, when I was reading it, it would never feel right for him to treat women that way or behave in that way. This is what he sees, this is what he’s see has historically been done so this is what he thinks he’s supposed to do, but that’s not the case. I think he learns this when he gets to that place where he’s not looking for validation from other people, but from within himself, to step up to the cause and say “You know what, I can be my own man and make my own decisions, I know better, so I’m going to do better and so I’m going to be an example, and be a quote on quote renaissance man and make a change and different choice to treat people differently, to treat my wife and family differently.

Break that cycle of abuse and feeling as though I have to talk down to women in order to feel good or feel right.”

FF: It’s also empowering to women to be able to have that voice.

IN: How do you think your character compares to men nowadays and how they treat their

Stu James and Felicia P. Fields women?

SJ: Well, I think Harpo, is as Alice Walker calls him in her interviews, she calls him “the new man,” which is the quote on quote Renaissance man. I think a lot of men are stepping up to the plate and realizing that they don’t have to be abusive or condescending or talk down to women because it doesn’t prove anything. I think a lot of men are getting to that place where we feel comfortable in our skin where we do better and can treat women like queens. For Felicia I do certain things because I see the joy that it brings her. I don’t even know how it even originated with me going into her dressing room going in her trunk and taking out certain things. I just like to fix it up for her, real simple.

She has some little leopard prints, and leopard clothes that she packs in her trunk, and next thing I know one day I was in there and she was doing something, so I kind of just laid it out for her and made it real nice and neat. I’m like a neat freak anyway.

FF: Yes he is.

SJ: So when she comes in, you know, it’s all set up.

FF: Last night I came in, and it was already set up.

SJ: It’s easy. It’s nothing difficult.

It’s those simple things that make people smile and make them happy

StudioTobechi

that are very important. I think if we as men accept that and learn to do that it can put a smile on someone’s face. Just simple things can create a different energy in the relationship.

FF: Yes, and Harpo and Sophia are a couple that has to have a connection.

A believable connection. That’s why it works for us, because we care about each other off stage as well as on stage. The things that we do off stage we translate on stage.

IN: Do you find it hard to keep the chemistry on stage going night after night?

SJ: No. I don’t. I know she’s crazy and I am too, so we need each other.

[Laughs] We love each other, we respect each other, and we take care of each other on the road. It’s been a wonderful journey.

FF: Well he takes care of me more than I take care of him.

IN: That’s kind of the roles you both play in the play also, so that only makes sense.

[Laughs] SJ: [Laughs] She gives me a hard time sometimes.

FF: I give him a hard time all the time. [Laughs] SJ: But, I can handle it. [Laughs]

PURPLE TURN TO 9

Page 8 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com

HEALTH The 50 Million Pound Challenge announces one-millionth member In just under two years, The 50 Million Pound Challenge has rallied more than a million Americans to come together to ‘Give up the pounds, not the fight.’ In doing so, those individuals have improved their lives and health and logged more than 3.8 million pounds lost at 50millionpounds.com.

“The number one health crisis facing all Americans is being overweight,” said physician and Challenge founder Dr. Ian Smith. “Weight loss is an epidemic that touches

all races and ethnicities and The Challenge is devoted to each and every American who is struggling with weight loss.”

The Challenge offers consumers a free, easy to use online solution that truly works.

All resources and tools, including a 30-day customizable diet plan, online journal, personal weight and activity trackers and Challenge teams make fitness easier and more fun, and are free thanks to sponsor State Farm®.

Online community support

is key. In fact, a study in the February 2009 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that group support and community is a key factor in a successful weight-loss plan.

Among the study of several weight-loss programs, attendance at group sessions was positively associated with weight loss. In a separate study, 66% of adults (ages 35-44) agree that an online weight-loss community could provide just as much or more support to individuals trying to lose

weight. Challenge statistics also show that registrants who have joined one of more than 26,000 teams on the site are losing an average of 23% more weight than those who have not teamed up.

Following on the heels of the one-millionth registrant milestone and to help address the growing attention cities are paying to the health of their citizens due to correlated health care costs, Dr. Ian Smith has announced he is working with the mayors of several cities

across the country to stage The 50 Million Pound Challenge Annual Walks. On May 16, 2009, people across the country will join together in their individual communities to take part in the walks and take the symbolic steps signifying their journey to a healthier lifestyle.

For more details on The 50 Million Pound Challenge, visit 50millionpounds.com. radiofacts.com

Dr. Ian Smith

John McEnroe’s new public-education initiative:

Take the ‘50 Over 50 Prostate Health Challenge’ Three-time Wimbledon and fourtime US Open Champion John McEnroe has teamed up with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) to create a public-education initiative entitled the “50 Over 50 Prostate Health Challenge.”

Fifty percent of men over 50 years of age have an enlarging prostate; if left untreated it can lead to worsening urinary symptoms and even prostaterelated surgery.

“I just celebrated my 50th birthday, and while I’m still as active as ever, I know there are certain health issues I need to

stay on top of, including my prostate health,” said McEnroe.

“Now I’m asking other men to take the ‘50 Over 50 Prostate Health Challenge.’ It’s all about talking to your doctor and getting serious about your prostate health.”

As a part of the campaign, an interactive web site, www.50over50challenge.com, has been created where men can start the “Prostate Health Challenge.” The challenge is to take three easy steps to get serious about prostate health: a brief online prostate health

assessment; seeing a doctor for a prostate-health exam; and knowing your PSA (Prostatespecific antigen) level. PSA level, obtained from a simple blood test, is a protein marker that can rise when a prostate condition is present.

McEnroe will also be featured in public education video messages that will appear throughout the year on network television, internet sites and at 50over50challenge.com. The first video vignette will air on April 4 in between the first and second games of the men’s

college basketball semi final on CBS. There will also be national print messages in March and April running in such publications as USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek. \ ”Prostate health can be awkward to talk about, so we’ve created a series of hopefully memorable, vignettes to help get men talking. I am hoping my involvement will be motivational and encourage men to take the Challenge and take control of their prostate health,” added McEnroe.

sportsblog.projo.com/mcenroe0815.jpg

John McEnroe

To save 30-90%, Americans are heading abroad for hospital, dental care One in six Americans had no health insurance even before the U.S. economy fell into crisis. Now with unemployment soaring, the number of uninsured Americans is exploding because along with their jobs, Americans are losing employer-provided medical insurance.

No wonder medical bills remain the No. 1 cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States, despite the alarming increase in home foreclosures.

U.S. President Barack Obama this month launched an effort to reform the U.S. healthcare system, with the goal

of providing affordable healthcare to all Americans.

But change won’t come quickly, if at all.

So how to cope? If you have no or inadequate health insurance, yet need surgery or other expensive hospital care, must you simply live with a life-threatening or very painful

health problem until Washington reforms the system?

Some Americans have hit upon an immediate solution.

They travel to other countries where the cost of hospital and dental care is 30-90 percent less.

The United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world. So by going elsewhere, Americans can save a personal fortune when major medical and dental care is needed.

“Done right, you can find treatment at facilities that are on par with the finest hospitals and dental clinics in the United States, staffed by doctors and dentists who speak English fluently and trained at top U.S. medical centers,” said Robin Elsham, managing director of Patients With Passports Corp., a Twin Cities company that arranges medical care abroad for Americans.

Last year an estimated 750,000 Americans traveled abroad for healthcare, mostly to countries in Latin America (Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama) or in Asia (Singapore, Thailand or India).

“If you don’t have health insurance, heart bypass surgery costs $125,000 in a U.S. hospital. The same surgery costs $19,000 in Singapore — and just $8,500 in India,” said Elsham. “Dental implants, which cost $2,400 a tooth here, cost 30 to 50 percent less in Latin America.”

Traveling abroad for treatment is certainly not always an option. The most

suitable procedures require single episodes of care, over a short time, and have low complication rates.

Joint replacement surgery — both hip and knee — is the most common surgery performed on American medical value travelers, according to the Medical Travel Association in Florida. Other common

medical value and scientific legitimacy of these treatments is often controversial.

An industry exists to help Americans who want to go abroad for medical care, and to do so safely and easily.

Medical concierge companies like Patients With Passports make all arrangements. They gather a patient’s medical

“IF YOU DON’T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, HEART BYPASS SURGERY COSTS $125,000 IN A U.S. HOSPITAL. THE SAME SURGERY COSTS $19,000 IN SINGAPORE — AND JUST $8,500 IN INDIA,” treatments include cardiac care (angiography, angioplasty and inserting cardiac stents, pacemakers and defibrillators), spinal surgery, and many types of general surgery (ACL repair, hernia repair, hysterectomies, gall bladder removal.)

Also common are procedures that U.S. insurers won’t pay for (weight-loss surgery, infertility or assisted conception treatment, cosmetic surgery,) and dental work (implants, crowns, root canals, dentures).

Some Americans go abroad for treatments which are not FDA-approved here. Stem cell therapies are commercially available in some countries, to treat conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), spinal paralysis and cancer. The

records, send them to the foreign hospital or dental clinic, oversee the planning and scheduling of treatment, and make airline, hotel and other travel arrangements. Bilingual local guides are often provided to personally look after American patients throughout their entire time abroad.

“For anyone without health insurance, or with very inadequate insurance, traveling abroad might be their only way to get hospital care at a price that doesn’t bankrupt them,” said Jonathan Edelheit, president of the Medical Travel Association. “For people with no health insurance, this option can spell the difference between getting essential hospital care, and getting no treatment at all.”

http://insightnews.com

Insight News • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Page 9

LIFESTYLE Spring is the perfect season to celebrate creation’s renewal process Style on a dime

By Marcia Humphrey Psst! Psst! The word on the street is that spring has actually come, but keep it quiet. If winter hears about it, she may come back. Since the weather does appear to be breaking, it’s time for… You guessed itSpring Cleaning! So you know what to do; take five minutes to grab three boxes to assist in the purging process and let’s get to work!

Stow Away…

First, gather all of your winter gearlike heavy sweaters, boots, coats, blankets, winter sports gear, and any Christmas lights that might be hanging around your house- and clean it, or wipe it down. Next find a home for every item. Try to use what you already have for storage; old suitcases, duffle bags, or large plastic bins with covers. Find outof-the-way storage spots. Locate a corner in your basement or garage; just make sure it is not in the way.

Throw Away…

Now I know this can be the hardest part of spring cleaning. Yet, it is necessary to take an honest look at what really needs to go. If it’s broken, has missing parts, has stains that won’t come out, and it’s not fit to be donated- toss it. The truth is that once you get rid of junk and rubbish, your mind will feel clearer. Let go of all the excuses that keep you bound to your junk, including feeling guilty because it was gift from your favorite aunt.

Give Away…

Go through all of the closets in your home. Pull out the things you have not worn in a year and place them in the box marked “Donations” Clothes that are too small (or too big) should no longer take up space in drawers and closets. Repeat this process in your children’s rooms, and don’t forget the toys and books that they have also outgrown. This will make it easier for you and your kiddos to keep bedrooms clean.

Before you change your mind, take your donations to your local thrift shop. A few organizations like Disabled American Veterans and the Lupus Foundation have neighborhood pick-ups available in some areas... Another option, www.freecycle.com provides an online opportunity to advertise your items for free.

Purple

certainly welcomed this version.

SJ: But, were you disappointed?

From 7

IN: I was happy because I think there was an important message in the book that should have been followed through to the film.

SJ: The book was a bit edgier anyway.

IN: Do people find your portrayal of the relationship in the play to be too racy? Do people ever give you any negative feedback?

SJ: No, never any negative feedback.

FF: Just my family. They talk a lot.

They’re always saying, “Come on yall, please.”

SJ: Have you seen the show?

IN: Oh yeah, I saw it last night.

You’re quite affectionate. But since you’re a married couple in the play, I think people will understand that.

SJ: There are certain moments where they would be affectionate to each other, but I try not to always be all on her. [Laughs] IN: Well, she’s an amazing woman, so I could see how you’d want to be.

SJ: Ain’t she though. Just look at her eyes. She puts on this little blue stuff on her eyes during the Juke Joint scene, and it’s always so funny because we’ll be up on each other dancing and I’ll ask her when the mics are down, ‘Where my eyes at?’

She’ll flutter her eyes at me. I love it.

That’s what keeps its fresh. I even notice when her hair is different or out of place. A husband wants his wife to look good. She can’t come all up in here looking crazy.

[Laughs] It’s about trust. We have a natural trust with each other.

Chemistry has that foundation of having trust and feeling safe around that person. That’s very important.

IN: How do you think people are dealing with the fact that it follows the book more than it does the movie?

FF: It was written that way.

SJ: I don’t think they expect it. I think they come in expecting, “God is trying to tell you something.”[Singing] but they have the film to see that. We are staying true to the book. I think them not knowing, coming and trying to expect that and then they don’t get it, but still walk out and feel that breath of fresh air.

IN: I didn’t expect it myself, but I

Sell on EBay… For valuable furnishings, antiques, designer clothes, purses, etc, that are no longer in use, consider selling them and pocketing the cash. Besides www.ebay.com, another favorite is www.craigslist.com. EBay charges a small percent of the purchase price, but Craigslist offers free services and listings by location, making it easier to sell/buy and arrange local pick-up for large items. I have used both sites (buying and selling coats, shoes, toys, and appliances), and highly recommend them. If you are not sure if your item will sell, first start by visiting the sites and check out the current inventory and prices for similar things.

There is a time, place, and a season for everything and spring is the perfect season to celebrate creation’s renewal process. Take the time to get your place in order and make it more conducive to the productive life that I know you (and I) are striving to have. In honor of spring, make a commitment to a fresh start by reducing or eliminating clutter in your surroundings. Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at a low cost. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.

i.ivillage.com/momtourage_vertical/home/clean_woman_310.jpg

IN: It was, wasn’t it. I think when the film came out in it’s day, they didn’t want to show it.

SJ: They weren’t ready for it.

IN: I think with the generation we’re in now, people have accepted it more, and can appreciate it for it’s art and the beauty within it’s message.

SJ: Isn’t that interesting. I feel like Ms. Shug was a lady before her time anyway. To be singing about “that” in a Juke Joint during those days. To stand out way ahead of your time, you know what I mean? When I read that in the book I was like, “Whoa, she’s talking about that and in those days?”

IN: Felicia, how does it feel to have the opportunity to step into a role that Oprah Winfrey made famous?

Do you feel a responsibility to the cast and the audience to be more like Oprah, or are you able to maintain your own voice in this production?

FF: Well, first of all, the characters have to be different. Hers is a movie and mine is a musical. She doesn’t sing. What happens is that, people tend to compare you or tend to come in with an expectation that I’ll be just like Oprah. When you get into the show, and you see how the show is going you’ll see that there’s no comparison. We’re doing two different kinds of things. She can stop and retake, we’re doing live theatre and singing. Everyday it’s a fresh take on everything that goes on. So, it’s impossible to compare us. A lot of times people say, “Oh, God you did so good you showed Oprah,” but in essence like I said, there is no comparison. When we were in Chicago, we were in rehearsal, and Oprah came in while I was jumping around being silly and she saw me and was like, “Wait a minute, that fool is going to be doing my part.” But when she came

Stu James and Felicia P. Fields up and heard me sing, Hell No, she jumped out of her chair and screamed, “Yes!” I knew then that I had confirmation that she was going to be very supportive. She’s a great woman.

IN: What has been the most memorable experience that you have had on the tour so far?

SJ: There’s so many, but for me meeting Oprah on the opening night in Chicago was quite amazing and then the next week or so being able to go to her TV Show. For me it was being able to interact with her.

Seeing her on opening night, her energy, and seeing her on stage, I was like, “Wow, this woman has so much light.” She’s real personable.

She gave me some aspirations.

When I get older I want to be the male Oprah [Laughs]. Make that money. [Laughs] She’s uplifting.

She’s always figuring out ways how to give back. That’s so important.

Connecting with her, meeting her, has definitely been an impact for me.

StudioTobechi

IN: Are there any last words you want to share with the readers of Insight News which is the #1 Black Newspaper for the people in the Twin Cities?

FF: This is a piece that you can merge your soul with. It’s a piece that gives you the freedom to except and embrace impossible situations and situations that came to be possible. Just know, that whoever you are, if you’re a timid person or a strong person you’ll find yourself.

SJ: Life is a journey not a destination. I say that because, if I can do this coming from corporate America, with a degree from Morehouse in Finance, but it was my passion to step out and make this happen. Being apart of this was a dream for me. I say to the brothers, don’t be afraid to come out and support this project. It’s inspiration and hope and redemption for us as well.

Presenting...

Marvelous Mondays at What A Cut Starring

“Barber Extraordinaire”

DARIUS KNIGHT CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT

SHOP: (612) 377-2358 CELL: (612) 414 - 9696

1535 Glenwood Ave. Minneapolis, MN

Check out travellingbarber.com for deals and updates

Page 10 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com

COMMUNITY Public meetings to design a new community market and event space at Hawthorn Crossings February 7 was the first of three public meetings for the West Broadway Community Development Expo. About 140 people turned out for the event, and there was a lot of excitement for the many projects on display which will

contribute to building an improved West Broadway in North Minneapolis. One of the highlighted projects was a proposed brand new public plaza at Hawthorn Crossings Shopping Center. The idea is to carve out a distinctive, eye-

catching, and unique public space along West Broadway in the shopping center parking lot that will be programmed with a regularly-scheduled community market along with hosting other community events.

The second of three

Johnson

Minnesota’s own, the remarkable Dr. Josie Robinson Johnson. They learned how she grew up in Texas and even as a teenager she was in the forefront fighting for civil rights along side her father; by fighting a poll tax that was used to prevent African Americans from voting.

Johnson earned a B.A. in Sociology at Fisk University in Nashville, TN, and an M.A. and Ed.D at the University of MassachusettsAmherst.

In the1960s, Johnson lobbied for the passage of bills concerning issues such as fair housing and employment opportunities. In 1964, she traveled from Minneapolis to Mississippi with a mixed race group of women who took part in the

struggle for freedom. After visiting an open-air freedom school where African Americans were organizing, she learned the school had been bombed later that same day. Johnson became a community organizer for Project ENABLE, a pioneering effort in developing parenting skills and strengthening family life. As a member of the Minneapolis Urban League, she served as its director from 1967 - 1968.

Johnson worked with elected officials throughout the years. In 1968, she was an aide to the Mayor of Minneapolis during a time when African Americans fought openly for freedom and justice; sometimes it lead to violence.

Johnson became the executive assistant to the lieutenant governor of Colorado from 1975 to 1978. In 1980, she served as deputy campaign manager for the Jimmy Carter presidential campaign in Tennessee, who then became president of the United States.

From 1971-1973, Johnson served on the University’s Board of Regents. The University of Minnesota offered her a senior fellowship in 1987. Johnson directed its All-University Forum as Diversity Director from 1990-1992.

From 1 of her people in front of all else.

They learned about the mighty Ida B. Wells, who fought against the massive lynching of African American men in the south. With her mighty pen, she exposed the atrocities against Black people.

Because of her powerful editorials, she was run out of Memphis, TN; but they couldn’t silence her voice. She moved to Chicago, IL and established one of the first Black newspapers.

Students also studied one of

opportunities to participate in designing this new public space is on Tuesday night, March 31, when the project will be on display at the Plymouth Christian Youth Center school at 2210 Oliver Ave North. The event is 6:30- 8:30 pm with a

Dr. Josie Johnson

Tuesday, May 19 to give input on a single proposed design for the site.

For more information, contact Thomas Leighton, Principal Planner, City of Minneapolis at 612-673-3853.

From left: Adijah Long, Stephanie Anthunes, Anthonette Sims, Latrea Martin and Brianna Barber (sitting)

WE WIN Institute

That same year she became responsible for Minority Affairs and Diversity at the University as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. The University of Minnesota established the annual

Josie Robinson Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award in her honor.

Students at Cooper were so impressed to learn about this living legend, Dr. Josie Johnson, that they

dedicated a poem in her honor and drew a picture to acknowledge the greatness of this magnificent African American she-roe who is an example of Black Excellence.

Thank You Josie Robinson Johnson

She is Great Full of Experience Wisdom and Influence

Josie Robinson Johnson Has proven Herself Worthy Still, she Rises!

Above all Segregation Black Humiliation And Most Importantly She has Risen to see a Black President In Her Honor We Say Thank you You are a Phenomenal Woman Phenomenally Made!

By Adijah Long

Stephanie Anthunes

half hour presentation at 7 pm..

The design team has moved ahead with the design of the plaza, and will present a number of scenarios for community consideration.

A third and final public meeting will happen on

Josie Robinson Johnson Born in 1930.

She gives us hope.

Hope for Education Equal Rights Black Excellence

Josie Robinson Johnson's Presence In the Black Community Has showed our young Brothers and Sisters That Failure Does Not Exist That we can Conquer Anything If we put our Minds to it

Josie Robinson Johnson Has inspired us to be Strong To Love what's Black

As Maya Angelou said, "Still I Rise"

http://insightnews.com

Insight News • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Page 11

EDUCATION Summer Enrichment Fair at the Blake School in Minneapolis Over the summer break, many low-income students fall behind.

Admission Possible high school juniors recently attended a summer enrichment fair to help prevent this problem. On Saturday, March 7, nearly 200 Admission Possible students attended the Summer Enrichment Fair at the Blake School in Minneapolis. This is the second year Admission Possible has joined with LearningWorks at Blake and Minnesota Minority Education Partnership in hosting the event. The fair offered Admission Possible students access to summer programs that will keep them learning throughout the summer.

“It’s important for all students and critical for low-income students to continue learning throughout the summer,” said Jim McCorkell, founder and CEO of Admission Possible, “Summer enrichment programs give lowincome students the chance to gain more knowledge about future careers, more knowledge about themselves and ultimately better access to the types of

Admission Possible

Admission Possible student, Wa Yang, of Harding High School, speaks with a representative at a fair. experiences colleges look for.”

According to a paper authored by the Hamilton Project, a research and policy institute out of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., low-income students are especially susceptible to the effects of the “faucet theory.”

When the faucet of learning is on

during the school year, achievement rises for all students; over the summer, the faucet is turned off for lowerincome students, but left on for students in higher income households, who often continue to participate in some form of activity, either at home or in an organized activity away form

home.

Representatives from 19 summer enrichment programs actively recruited students at the fair. The programs ranged from business, law and education sectors. Students heard from Admission Possible student, Brenda Xiong, a senior at Harding High School in St. Paul and LearningWorks participant, Tin Tran, a senior at Blaine High School. Brenda spoke about her opportunities with St. Kate’s First Step Summer Institute, while Tin elaborated on serving as a teacher to younger students in the summer LearningWorks program. Both reported that investing in an intensive summer program was well worth the effort.

Admission Possible’s twoyear curriculum includes the requirement that juniors apply to at least one summer enrichment opportunity to remain in the program. Many students enjoyed the fair and found at least one program they plan to apply for.

LearningWorks at Blake works with middle school

SPPS approves 2009 summer school changes In an effort to accentuate programs and classes that increase proficiency and credit recovery, Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) has approved changes to the 2009 summer school schedule. The schedule also increases time for students to take advantage of summer enrichment opportunities offered through SPPS, the City and other providers.

At the March 17 Board of Education meeting, school officials approved a revised summer school schedule with fewer school days and more education time built into each day. The new schedule will have students in summer school for six hours per day over three weeks.

In the past, the summer school schedule included four hours per day over five weeks.

Changes to the summer school calendar increase enrichment opportunities for students and are more consist with a regular school day. “Students will receive the same amount of academic instruction as in years past but their days will be similar to the regular school year with more enrichment opportunities,” said Valeria Silva, SPPS Chief Academic Officer.

Highlights of the revised schedule include: Students at the secondary level completing credit recovery could receive three credits through a standards focused curriculum, whereas in previous years students could only receive two credits.

There is an additional threeweek high school session at Gordon Parks High School where

students can earn an additional three credits. If a high school student is enrolled in both summer sessions, they could earn up to six credits.

The condensed schedule reduces scheduling conflicts for families seeking summer enrichment opportunities for their children.

The 2009 summer school schedule runs from June 22 through July 14 at 41 sites including 28 elementary, six middle, and seven high schools. There will be no school on July 3. An additional high school session is scheduled from July 20 through August 7 at Gordon Parks High School.

Special education students with documented needs for Extended School Year on their Individual

Education Plans (IEPs), are scheduled for summer school at seven sites from June 22 through July 24 (no school on July 3), for four hours per day. Based on needs documented on a students’ IEP, additional services are also being provided at the general education summer school sites. The OnTrack program, for middle school students, is four hours per day from June 22 through July 17 (no school July 3) at Harding Senior High School.

Letters will be mailed home the week of April 20 for any student needing to attend summer school.

Additional information is available at SPPS schools or online, www.spps.org/SummerSchoolInfo. html.

students who will need to find another high quality summer enrichment opportunity when they reach high school. “There are many terrific summer enrichment opportunities for students in the Twin Cities and across the state,” said LearningWorks Executive Director, Scott Flemming, “but there are not many events like this that offer students a chance to meet representatives from

these programs and find out firsthand what they have to offer.”

“The opportunities at the fair will be good for resumes and college applications,” said Admission Possible student, Jonathon ‘J.T.’ Weedor, a junior at Cooper High School in Robbinsdale. “The fair helped me learn about careers I might be interested in.”

Page 12 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com

What the government's stimulus bill means to you

By Jason Alderman The 2009 economic stimulus bill President Barack Obama signed into law on February 17, 2009, is a whopper, not only in cost ($787 billion) and length (1,070 pages), but also in terms of the vast number of spending and tax-relief programs it touches - everything from multibillion dollar infrastructure investments to business tax cuts to small increases in unemployment benefits.

Some provisions will take years to trickle down; others take effect almost immediately. Here are highlights of a few programs that

could impact you directly: Payroll tax credit. Workers will receive $400 tax credits for both 2009 and 2010 ($800 for married couples, filing jointly). Unlike last year's tax rebates that were distributed in lump sums, these credits will probably appear as reduced tax withholding on paychecks, starting around June.

Credits gradually phase out for individuals with annual adjusted gross income (AGI) over $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples).

Self-employed people can claim their credit when filing 2009 tax returns; but in the meantime they can reduce remaining 2009 estimated tax payments accordingly.

Tax credit for retirees. Those

receiving Social Security, railroad retirement benefits, veteran's benefits and government retiree benefits will get one-time $250 payments, beginning in May. Unemployment relief.

Unemployment insurance benefits increase by $25 a week and eligibility is extended to 46 weeks.

The first $2,400 in 2009 benefits is not subject to federal income tax.

Also, food stamp payments to lowincome families are increasing by 13.6 percent.

Health insurance. For those laid off between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009, who retain their former employer's health insurance plan through COBRA, the government will pay 65 percent of

the cost for up to nine months. Don't worry if you didn't elect COBRA before the bill passed; your former employer must notify you of your eligibility and you'll then have up to 60 days to enroll for coverage that will take effect as of March 1, 2009.

Home purchases. First-time homebuyers qualify for a tax credit of up to $8,000 on homes purchased between January 1, 2009, and December 1, 2009 (note: not December 31), gradually phasing out for those with AGI over $75,000 ($150,000/married). Unlike last year's homebuyer credit, this one doesn't have to be repaid over 15 years, although you will forfeit the credit and have to pay it back if you sell your home within three years.

New car buyers. If you buy a new (not used) car, light truck, RV or motorcycle between February 17, 2009, and December 31, 2009, you can deduct state and local sales and excise taxes on up to the first $49,500 of purchase price. This "above-the-line" deduction (meaning you can take it even if you don't itemize deductions) gradually phases out for AGI over $125,000 ($250,000/married).

Child tax credit. The income threshold to qualify for claiming the child tax credit on federal income taxes is being lowered in 2009 and 2010 from $8,500 to $3,000. This will allow more lower-income families to claim the credit, which is worth up to $1,000 per child.

Energy-efficient home improvements. The tax credit for making certain energy-efficient improvements to existing homes (such as central air conditioning, furnaces, windows, water heaters) increases from 10 percent to 30 percent for 2009 and 2010, up to a maximum of $1,500.

It's probably a good idea to consult with your tax preparer or a financial advisor to make sure you're taking full advantage of these new tax breaks.

Jason Alderman directs Visa's financial education programs. To participate in a free, online Financial Literacy and Education Summit go to www.practicalmoneyskills.com/sum mit2009.

Roundy's "Doing Our Part" reusable bag program expanded Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc. launched "Doing Our Part," a new reusable bag program at Pick 'n Save, Copps, Rainbow and Metro Market stores throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota. Through "Doing Our Part," customers will receive a 5-cent credit for each Roundy's reusable bag brought

in during their shopping trip and used to pack their groceries. The program has been expanded to include more reusable bags Under the new program, customers shopping with the following reusable bags are eligible for a 5 cent credit per bag used to pack their groceries:

• All Roundy's Reusable Bags • Similarly constructed reusable bags from other retailers or entities • Canvas Bags • Market Baskets The 5-cent credit does not apply to paper or plastic retail bags.

"We take our cues from our customers," said Robert Mariano, Roundy's chairman and CEO. "Many of them who have long made a practice of shopping with reusable bags asked if those bags could be included in our new program.

We considered their requests and decided to update our

program."

Roundy's long standing recycling program remains in place. Customers still can bring back their paper or plastic bags, drop them in the recycling bins at any Pick 'n Save, Copps, Rainbow or Metro Market and we, in turn, will make sure those bags are recycled.

Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc. is a leading grocer in the Midwest with nearly $4 billion in sales and 20,000 employees.

For more information about Roundy's, visit the company website at www.roundys.com.

Minneapolis libraries change to Hennepin County library's 952- area code As part of the ongoing consolidation of the Minneapolis Public and Hennepin County library systems, phone numbers for Minneapolis libraries will change to Hennepin County Library's 952-847-#### numbers this year.

On March 30, Roosevelt Library's phone number will be the first to be changed.

Roosevelt's new main phone number will be 952-847-2700.

Customers who dial the old phone number will automatically be forwarded to the new number.

The order of the changeover will be smallest library to largest.

After Roosevelt, the order will be: Southeast, Webber Park, Northeast, Nokomis, Linden Hills, Pierre Bottineau, Washburn,

Sumner, Walker, East Lake, Hosmer, Franklin, North Regional, and Central. New phone numbers will be announced as they become active.

The merger of the two library systems has provided opportunities to reduce overall operating costs and increase efficiencies by eliminating duplicate technology systems,

such as the two websites, which converged into one on Jan. 1, 2009. Work on merging the two public catalogs continues and is scheduled to be completed later this year. With one phone system, customers will be able to call one number and be transferred anywhere in the 41-library system. Customers can expect to hear standardized voice

TEACHER K-12 Teachers-All Subjects/Grade Levels for West Metro Education Program. Visit www.wmep.k12.mn.us for job postings/application forms. Persons of color and/or from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. EOE.

Updated 1-2 Bedroom Apts. in Whittier Clean,quiet,secure, Parking available, Near bus Whittier Community Apartments 6 1 2 - 8 7 0 - R E N T ( 7 3 6 8 ) "equal housing opportunity provider"

FREE Spring Turkey Dinner Gift Basket!

Bring this ad in when you apply to be eligible for this fabulous drawing. Winner will be announced Saturday April 4. $200 off the 1st month's rent! Call for other move in specials 1 & 2 Bedroom apartment homes available NOW. Park Plaza Apartments, 525 Humboldt Ave N, Minneapolis MN 55405 612-377-3650 Equal Housing Opportunity

ATTENTION: MBE/WBE CONSTRUCTION SUBCONTRACTORS We are requesting quotations for the following project: Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant Liquids Improvements Phase 1, Shakopee, Minnesota Owner: Metropolitan Council Environmental Services. Bids are due in our office no later than: April 22, 2009, 2:00 p.m. If you are interested in bidding this project or need assistance in preparing your bids, please contact our office: Madsen-Johnson Corporation, General Contractors, PO Box 486, Hudson, WI 54016 715-386-8201 / 715-386-5950 Fax An EEO Employer

Assumed Name Ads ~ 2 wks $70 ~ CALL US 612.588.1313

•WEB •PRINT •RADIO •E-NEWSLETTER McFarlane Media, publisher of Insight News offers a variety of multimedia advertising options for your business or institution

Call 612-588-1313 McFarlane Media | 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis MN | Fax: 612-588-2031

messaging at the libraries and staff will be able to communicate more easily with each other.

There will be other improvements to libraries in Minneapolis as the network consolidation continues, including: black-and-white public printers will be replaced with color printers, as is standard in most Hennepin County libraries,

and Roosevelt and Webber Park libraries will receive self checkout machines. Pierre Bottineau Library's self checkout machine will be replaced.

For more www.hclib.org.

information:

http://insightnews.com

Insight News • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Page 13

SPORTS

If you play sports, go to college…please!

Mr T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com As the basketball season comes to a close, so does the slow march to the end of the school year. The end of the school year means the beginning of your adult life if you are a high school senior. Knowing how absolutely un-adult that most sensible human beings are, and should be, at the age of 18, colleges and universities just might be the

greatest invention in the history of mankind. The next greatest invention was collegiate sports for dummies like me to get the last remnants of “I’m going to be a professional football player” out of my system. Fortunately I saw more people in college who wanted to be nuclear scientists, lawyers, and teachers rather than professional athletes.

Many times it takes the college environment to help convert the

the teeth with that reality, you also get to transform into your adult body and enjoy the high intensity competition of collegiate sports.

Participating in high school sports was a blast, but collegiate sports introduces you to the notion that sports, and “makeyou-wanna-cry” hard work actually go together. For the little prima-donna track star that I was, it was a great wake-up call

THERE SEEMS TO BE AS MANY COLLEGES IN MINNESOTA AS THERE ARE LAKES average jock into a person who can comprehend the math and reality that says making it in professional sports is about as likely as giving birth to octuplets. Fortunately at the same time that you get kicked in

to have my teammates laugh at me because of how out of shape I was. Between that and taking classes which actually seemed to make me smarter (high school classes do, but like most kids I didn’t pay attention), college put me on a much faster track to success…not to mention simply making me a better person.

I mention all of this because this area of the country strikes me as a goldmine for kids who are halfway good at sports, wanna keep playing sports for a few more years, and don’t want to be 18 with a 40 hour per week job. College isn’t for everyone, but I’m glad I had a five-year break between high school graduation and a real job. That script worked out real well.

The college scene in Southern California was about as confusing, competitive, and impersonal as 5 o’clock traffic in downtown Minneapolis. Thus, the good-natured communications I had with schools in the Midwest made me want to seek these more inviting pastures.

There seems to be as many colleges in Minnesota as there are lakes. For young athletes there are so many talented sports programs, and genuinely helpful athletic departments at those schools, that the path to college in Minnesota can be about as smooth as it comes.

Minnesota has a history of being a place where higher

education is celebrated and highly encouraged. For that reason it is pretty much unacceptable for a young person in Minnesota to not take advantage of the many gold mines that sit before them. For young athletes it is even more unacceptable because the minute that you contact a college coach and tell them you are a decent athlete and are interested in their school, is the same minute that you will have someone at that school who will find some scholarships, grants, waivers, loans, or rich uncles to pay for you to play at their school. Can’t find a school in Minnesota? The same wealth of genuinely cool schools is available in every state that Minnesota touches, and that is perfect for kids who want to leave home, but be close enough to come home and eat when you get sick of dorm food.

Considering the general lack of interest, for most people, at the thought of living in places like Iowa or South Dakota, you can guess how many strings they will pull to get a child of color to step foot on their college campuses.

With President Obama in office, there should be a renaissance in our communities that stresses higher education like never before. The process seems scary to some, but for those kids with a little wiggle to their dribble on the court, or shake to their bake on the field, you have a special leg up in getting there. Look up the school, look up the coach, pick up the phone. It’s as simple as that.

From now until the end of the school year this column will focus heavily on stories about young athletes going to college.

We will speak with athletes and coaches from both the high school side, as well as the collegiate side. Please make sure to pass the articles on to all ages of youth…even just in passing on our neighborhood street corners.

Nolan Cramer

The North High 2009 Lady Polars Basketball team

Nolan Cramer

Front left: Chelsey McGee. Back: L to R Allina Starr, Tyseanna Johnson, Sade Chatman, Talayiah Rich

North High Girls basketball

By Nolan Cramer The North High Girls Basketball team brought to their school and community far more than the Class AAA second place trophy. No team in the state’s history has courted a starting lineup of three eighth graders plus two on the roster. The dedication and commitment of the entire team and coaching added to their outstanding efforts and brought victory over Grand Rapids in the first round, 61-33. This game was followed by a high-intensity game which yielded a win over New Prague, 44-43 –the game was decided with 00.7 seconds remaining on a Trojans missed free throw. A hard surge by St. Michael-Albertville in the final moments of the game against the Lady Polars gave them a 63-50 edge and earned them the state the title and North High second place.

With hope and expectation, North High School Athletic Director Jess Buszta promised the student body at a rally four more years of outstanding achievement. Coach Faith Patterson, noting the swell of reporters after each tournament game, was faced with a common question about the uniqueness of this team in her history at North. She said that in every dimension of their time together, both on and off the court, that the team functioned like a family more than any other with a swell of support shown by parents and many fans from the community throughout the tournament.

North High School principal Ellen Stewart was compelled to add another unmatched fact in tournament history which could only be claimed by Faith and John Patterson. Under their leadership, the Polars are the only team to have made nine trips to the Girls State High School Basketball Tournament play.

Page 14 • March 30 - April 5, 2009 • Insight News

http://insightnews.com We accept these credit & debit cards

SAVE UP TO $ 86.00

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

APRIL

APRIL

APRIL

APRIL

30

1

2

3

4

29

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

31

PRICES EFFECTIVE: SUNDAY, MARCH 29 THROUGH SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2009

Join us for an Easter Egg HunT Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 7:30 AM

E

RCHASE THES

WHEN YOU PU

ADVERTISED

FRIDAY

MARCH MARCH MARCH

SPECIALS

See store for our

sale

YESTERYEAR PRICES Prices Effective Sunday, March 29 through Saturday, April 4, 2009.

LIMIT 4 WITH THIS COUPON

Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1

Low Fat or Light Yogurt

Regular or Family Pack

SAVE UP TO

$2.50 LB.

99

Perdue Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts SAVE UP TO $2.50 LB.

SAVE UP TO

$1.48 ON 4

lb.

249 lb.

4/

1

Selected 6 Oz. Varieties

LIMIT

One coupon per family. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive sale price. No reproductions accepted.

Available only at Rainbow Food Stores.

Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero

#00000-HAACHg

And Other Selected 24 Pack 12 Oz. Can Varieties

SAVE UP TO

$5.40 ON 2

9

2/ 98

WHEN YOU BUY TWO 12 PACK 12 OZ. CANS LIMIT 2 ALL OTHER PURCHASES $6.49

Sargento Shredded Cheese

6

Selected 16 Oz. Varieties

2/

SAVE UP TO $7.98 ON 2

Large Eggs

98 1 Dozen Large

SAVE UP TO

41¢

¢

LIMIT 2

12

Selected 13.1-29.5 Oz. Varieties

$5.97 ON 3

3/

Hills Bros or MJB Coffee

5

Selected 23-39 Oz. Varieties

SAVE UP TO

$3.66

99

Chilean Green or Black Seedless Grapes

$1.50 LB.

99

¢ lb.

Quarter Pork Loin Chops

PRODUCT OF U.S.A.

SAVE UP TO

$1.50 LB.

FREE MILK

2 Rib End, 2 Loin, 2 Center Rib and 2 Sirloin

1

4

99

lb.

Jumbo Cantaloupe

4

2/

SAVE UP TO $2.98 ON 2

Patrick Cudahy Sliced Bacon

5

Selected 14-16 Oz. Varieties

2/

SAVE UP TO $3.78 ON 2 LIMIT 2

LIMIT 2

SAVE UP TO

Also Available Frozen in 2 Lb. Bags for $9.98

SAVE UP TO $3.00 LB.

Tombstone Pizza SAVE UP TO

Roundy's 61-70 Ct. Size Cooked Cocktail Shrimp

49

lb.

SENSATIONAL CEREAL SAVINGS!

Roundy's Select Ice Cream

6

Selected 56 Oz. Varieties

2/

SAVE UP TO $4.38 ON 2

Roundy's Premium Orange Juice Selected 64 Oz. Not From Concentrate Varieties

4

2/

SAVE UP TO $2.78 ON 2 LIMIT 2

ONE FREE Gallon of Milk With purchase of

3 Boxes of any Kellogg's Cereal At Regular Price

TWO FREE Gallons of Milk

(up to $3.50 off) On your next visit with coupon printed at register

With purchase of

5 Boxes of any Kellogg's Cereal At Regular Price

THREE FREE Gallons of Milk With purchase of

7 Boxes of any Kellogg's Cereal OFFER VALID: SUNDAY, MARCH 29 THROUGH SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2009 ON CEREAL 12 OZ. OR LARGER

At Regular Price

We reserve the right to limit quantities and correct all printed errors. Not all varieties available at all locations. Prices subject to state and local taxes, if applicable. No sales to dealers.

Purchase requirements exclude discounts, coupons, gift cards, lottery tickets and bus passes. Check out our website at: www.rainbowfoods.com *Free promotion will be applied to item of least value.