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Insight News March 5 - March 11, 2018
Vol. 45 No. 10• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Numbers don’t lie TURN TO PAGE 3
Black-owned businesses receive just 0.5 percent of the $4.63 billion spending from the seven reporting agencies in an African American Leadership Forum survey. African American Leadership Forum
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I know firsthand the trauma of gun violence Commentary By Sen. Jeff Hayden I’ve seen gun violence through a very different lens since July 23, 2016 – the day my sister Taylor Hayden, an innocent bystander, became a victim of senseless gun violence. Even today, I find myself confronting the painful memories that bubble up when a loved one is taken from you in such a violent, unanticipated way. I see the echoes of that familiar pain on the faces and hear it in the voices of the courageous Marjory Stoneman
Douglas students. I hear the infectious fear the gun violence evokes in our dauntless Twin Cities students as they marched for their lives and raise their voices. My family found support in one another after Taylor was taken from us. Those of us who needed it were not afraid to bring in help to address our trauma. But not every family is so privileged to have access to support in the aftermath of gun violence and sudden loss. In fact, there is very little data showing the larger community effects of gun violence and its subsequent trauma. That’s why I’m authoring a bill that is very
Courtesy Jeffrey Hayden
(Left to right) Peter Hayden, father, with daughter Taylor Hayden and son, Sen. Jeff Hayden.
near to my heart, to create a pilot program in Minnesota to study gun violence informed trauma. Years ago, the Minnesota legislature and the federal government made tangible investments in similar programs to better understand and support veterans experiencing posttraumatic stress. This bill is an opportunity for us to emulate those pioneering studies, to help survivors and victims’ families come to terms with their grief, to understand the triggers of their trauma, and to build the resiliency tools to cope with experiences brought on by gun violence. This effort goes hand-in-hand with a bill
named in honor of my sister, the Taylor Hayden Gun Violence Prevention Act. Taylor’s bill will support community organizations that are working to reduce gun violence by creating a competitive grant program to advance their work. We have a lot of work to do to improve gun safety. The time for excuses and inaction is long past. I vow to be part of the solution. Passing these two bills would be positive first steps in this long process, if you agree, please join the conversation and push your legislator to act this session. Our children’s lives depend on it.
TRANSFORMATION: From concept to reality By Randall Bradley Architect
Let 2018 be year-one of the transformations of North Minneapolis into the most desirable place to live. Let 2038 be the result of a 20-year action plan to see an economically vibrant, diverse, middle-income community with housing density, retail and commercial viability and other urban amenities that are not yet identified. Let us think of more new construction projects that will lead us to an economically vibrant future. The fourth floor of Thor’s World Headquarters building has been constructed. All of the previous construction methodologies and procedures have been undertaken and completed to the required level of satisfaction. The column, beam, and slab formwork erection, the rebar fabrication and installation, the temporary heating, the poly
enclosures, the concrete pours, the hydraulic tensioning, the insulated blanketing, the curing process and the blanket and poly stripping have been completed through this fourth floor. The columns are being erected for the roof pour. As this project progresses and the building takes shape, some of the exterior walls are being erected. The building is beginning to be realized as shown in the architectural renderings that have been previously published. The building was designed as an office building and a parking ramp with retail shops at the first floor along Plymouth Avenue North. The store front glazing (windows) has been installed on the exterior corridor of the retail stores. There are five separate retail stores along this corridor of various sizes to accommodate a variety of tenants. Imagine, you can come to a small, cozy, shop to meet and visit with your neighbors and share a cup of coffee and a croissant. Keep in mind, while this may
be imaginary, it may also soon become a reality. While it is unknown to this writer the exact profile of the tenants here, know that the last time anyone was able to step on this site for coffee and a meal was in 1996. This coffee shop, whether real or imagined, will be the direct result of the economic development, risk, a gamble and business activity brought to this community by Thor Construction. More construction needs to occur. The roof and the exterior facades will soon be seen. Once these are completed the interior construction will begin. Keep looking upon this building expectantly and embrace the transformation of this vacant lot into a viable and long-awaited asset to our community. Since July of 2017, architect Randall Bradley has been writing a multi-part series on the construction of the new development at the corners of Penn Avenue North and Plymouth Avenue North in Minneapolis.
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The main floor windows have been installed at the soon-to-be Thor Companies corporate headquarters and retail building at the corner of Penn and Plymouth Avenues North in Minneapolis.
Sen. Champion calls on state House to pass ‘sensible’ gun laws State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-59A) urged legislators to get serious about protecting children in Minnesota schools by passing sensible gun regulations in Minnesota. “How many children need to die in this country before politicians have the courage to make sensible changes to our lax gun laws,” said Champion. “I’m appalled House and Senate Republican leaders said they won›t take up reasonable gun safety legislation, even in the light of the senseless and horrible shooting tragedies happening at schools across the nation.” Champion said he supports a package of legislation to stem the tide of violence while recognizing the importance of responsible gun ownership. Some of the bills include creating a system of universal background checks for all gun sales between private parties, including internet sales and sales across state lines, prohibiting people who have certain types of restraining orders against them, or pose a significant risk of harming others, from possessing firearms, banning “bump stocks,” devices that increase how fast a gun can fire bullets, effectively making firearms into machine guns, allowing people with mental health issues to voluntarily add themselves to a registry that would prohibit them from purchasing guns and providing $100,000 to study and reduce trauma caused by firearms with a pilot program housed in the Minnesota Department of Health. “Over the years, I have authored a number of bills to enact universal background checks, to close the loophole on background checks when purchasing guns, and mental health funding to identify those who could be a risk. This package of bills, if enacted, would be the first step in making
State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-59A) our citizens – and especially our children safer,” said Champion. “The sad reality is that partisan gridlock and fear of the NRA is the reason we can’t pass sensible gun control legislation. This year, more than any other, I was hopeful there would be potential for an attitude change because of the many students from across the country are
standing up, marching and making their voices heard. Sadly, Republican politicians in St. Paul seem to have turned a deaf ear. I urge every single person in our district to contact the Republican leadership in the House and Senate and demand that sensible gun bills be given a hearing this session.”
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Insight News • March 5 - March 11, 2018 • Page 3
aesthetically speaking
Aesthetically It!: Events, concerts, venues in the Twin Cities
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Insight News March 5 - March 11, 2018
Vol. 45 No. 10• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Of $4.63 billion spent with seven reporting agencies, Black-owned businesses got just $23 million
Black-owned businesses not receiving fair share of public contracts By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor @HarryColbertJr A picture is worth a thousand words, and the picture on the cover of this week’s edition of Insight News tells a shocking tale. In 2016, African American Leadership Forum’s (AALF) executive director, Jeffrey Hassan, and Minneapolis Urban League executive director, Steven Belton, met with public, private and philanthropic leaders to determine investments in the Twin Cities African-American community. While they found some progress was being made in employment, legislative initiatives, and philanthropic investment, there was no progress being made in government spending with Black-owned businesses. From the data collected from agencies willing to respond to Hassan and Belton’s
request to disaggregate data based on specific ethnicity – the State of Minnesota, University of Minnesota, cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council, and Metropolitan Airport Commission – the picture the numbers paint is by no means a Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherald, Andy Worhol, Renoir nor Picasso. While many agencies were touting there spends with what are categorized as disadvantaged businesses (businesses that are either minority or women owned), when the numbers were ferreted out, it showed the devil was in the details. According to the responding agencies, more than $4.63 billion was spent among the agencies in 2016. Of that, ethnic minority and womenowned businesses received $420,760,611 or just a little above 9 percent of the total spend. But Black-owned businesses only received $23,202,347 or about 0.5 percent. The largest of the disadvantaged business
spend went to white women, whose businesses received $278,352,762 or 6.01 percent; which means of the more than $4.63 billion spent in 2016 nearly $4.49 billion of it was spent with white-owned businesses; just under 97 percent. “I think all of us knew the numbers were bad, but we didn’t know they were that bad,” said Hassan. “They couldn’t do any worse if they were doing it intentionally.” Hassan stopped short of saying the paltry spending with Black-owned businesses was intentional, but he did say it was a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” “That’s why it’s so important to have this data disaggregated and in black and white, so to speak. AALF has to be sort of the watchdog to make sure this spending issue is front and center.” Hassan did point out some good news. He said while the spending with Black-owned businesses is not nearly what it should be, the agencies who
participated in the survey increased spending by about $2 million as a whole and indicated a willingness to do more. Much of that increase came from the State of Minnesota. In 2015 the state only spent about $135,000 with Black-owned businesses. That number jumped to $1.5 million in 2016, keeping in mind the state spent about $2 billion that year. The state’s chief inclusion officer, James Burroughs addressed the numbers during African Heritage Day at the Capitol; an event presented by the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage. “In 2015 we spent $135,000 with Black-owned businesses and that’s ridiculous,” said Burroughs. “This past year (2016) we spent $1.5 million and that’s a significant increase, but that’s still not enough.” While the numbers AALF and the Minneapolis Urban League were able to collect are glaring, Hassan is fearful the numbers from agencies that declined to participate in
Jeffrey Hassaan, executive director African Amercian Leadership Forum the survey may be even worse than those that were provided. According to Hassan, entities such as Osseo School District and Brooklyn Center School District chose not to provide any of their spending data even though more than 50 percent
of Osseo and 75 percent of Brooklyn Center students are students of color. AALF will bring further light to this issue of spending
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Timothy Warren is working to diversify the DNR By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor @HarryColbertJr
Photos by David Bradley
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter
James Burroughs, chief inclusion officer for the state of Minnesota.
Minnesotans of African heritage gather at “the people’s house”
Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage host day at the Capitol By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor @HarryColbertJr The Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage welcomed more than a hundred people to the Capitol for African Heritage Day. More than just coming to the Capitol, those in attendance were reminded that they were not guests … this is their house. “The Capitol is truly the people’s house … not just today, but every day,” said James Burroughs, chief inclusion officer for the state. “This is your house, so make a commitment to
come back.” Coming back means holding state law makers and policymakers accountable, according to Nasser Musa, board president of the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage. “When they (law makers) see you, you hold them accountable and you keep them from making laws that negatively affect you,” said Musa. Musa said one of the council’s primary focuses is working with legislators to address inequalities in economic opportunity, jobs, housing and education that exist in the state. He said the inequity is not an
Business Insight 2 Health Simple Despite test Unequal provides early Treatment, Black detection Women WillofRise colorectal cancer
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ethnic issue, but a human issue. “To see the economic inequity in Minnesota you don’t have to be Black; you don’t have to be white. To see the inequity, you just have to be human,” said Musa. “It’s about all of us doing well together. As long as your neighbor is not doing well then you are not doing well. We do well together.” The head of another of one of the people’s houses, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter reminded those in the Capitol rotunda the importance of speaking out and being heard. Carter said the issues facing people of African heritage in Minnesota require continued action. “When there is injustice,
we step forward. When the legislature tries to pass a bill outlawing protesting, we step forward,” said Carter. “But too often in our community, as (former Massachusetts Gov.) Deval Patrick says, ‘We yell our anger, but we whisper our agreement.’ So, when the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage proposes policy and does work that is beneficial to us we need to step forward.” Carter also called for more people of African heritage to seek public office. “Too often when we talk
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Find it in nature. Visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) jobs website and those are words boldly out front … find it in nature. That “it” is one of 3,000-plus jobs statewide, as DNR is one of the largest state agencies in Minnesota. After all, this is the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Traditionally, people of color have not been the beneficiaries of these 3,000-plus careers, but the department has taken active steps to diversify its ranks. One of the first steps was to hire Timothy Warren. Warren is the department’s first ever diversity coordinator, charged with recruiting and retaining a diverse pool of workers. Warren said one of the first challenges he faced came before he was offered the job. “I was like ‘DNR?’ I didn’t really think of anyone of color working here,” said Warren. “But that’s not the case at all.” While the image of a park ranger may come to mind when thinking about the DNR, Warren said careers within DNR are wide-ranging. “We offer careers in accounting, information technology, HR, legal, investigations … there are more opportunities than you would think,” said Warren. “We employ everyone from the
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Minnesota Don’t complain, activate asked musicians to submit music to Hennepin County Library
5 PAGE 7
Loveon War covers opioids a hurts sickle cell of multitude disease faults patients
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Timothy Warren commissioner down to someone who inspects the boats in our many lakes.” In attracting a more diverse workforce, Warren said part of his job with DNR is to make sure new workers are walking into a welcoming environment. “While DNR has shown itself to be very progressive, let’s keep in mind, many people have been here for 20-plus years and are used to things a certain way; but everyone has been embracing change. In my few months here, we’ve been having training on cultural competency, institutional racism, microaggressions and micro-assaults and things of that nature,” said Warren, who said DNR’s goal is to have 20 percent of its workforce people
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Commentary AS
Healing The Chronicles through of Miss Freedom Fighter, baseball Esquire: Ending mass incarceration
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Insight 2 Health
Area community clinic promotes awareness during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Simple test provides early detection of colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of death from cancer. People age 50 and older have the highest risk of colorectal cancer along with African-Americans, smokers, and people with a family history of the disease. The good news is that early detection is possible through an easy screening tool called the Fecal Immunochemical Test or “FIT” test. “The FIT test is the first step in checking for colorectal cancer,” said Heidi Titze, nurse practitioner at Southside Community Health Services (Southside). “It’s quick, simple, and really can save lives.” As part of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, Southside, 4243 4th Ave. S., Minneapolis, encourages community members to talk to a doctor about colorectal cancer and its risk factors. Regular screening, beginning at age 50, is the key to preventing colorectal cancer. People at higher risk of developing colorectal cancer should begin screening at a younger age, and may need to be tested more frequently. The decision to be screened after age 75 should be made on an individual basis. The FIT tests should be done once a year. FIT test kits are available through Southside’s Medical Department for clinic patients. The test can be
done at home and mailed to a designated laboratory. The test comes with a selfaddressed envelope. Results will be sent to Southside. “The convenience of the FIT test makes them more comfortable for people,” stated Titze. “This can be done in the comfort and privacy of your own home which means more people are likely to do the test if they know about it. That’s where awareness comes in and why it’s so important for us to be talking about this.” Risk factors for colorectal cancer include diet, lifestyle, physical inactivity and population groups. Studies suggest that high consumption of red meat and/or processed meat increases the risk of both colon and rectal cancer; low fruit and vegetable intake are also a risk. Obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption are all considered risks. For example, individuals who have a lifetime average of two to four alcoholic drinks per day have a 23 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer than those who consume less than one drink per day. African-Americans have higher rates than other population groups. While colorectal cancer screening guidelines still recommend regular screening beginning at age 50, anyone with high risk factors or other concerns should talk to their doctor about earlier screening.
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Southside Community Health Services is encouraging those 50 years of age and older and those in high risk groups to get an annual colorectal exam.
Mental Health Day at the Capitol set for March 15 Mental health advocates will gather for Mental Health Day at the Capitol on March 15. Key issues this year include school-linked mental health services, housing and employment programs, health insurance parity for mental illnesses, funding for children’s and adults’ residential services, along with other concerns. An issues briefing session will be held at the Cedar Street Armory, 600 Cedar St., St. Paul, at 9:30 a.m., followed by a rally in the Capitol Rotunda from 11:15 a.m. to noon. Visits are being scheduled with legislators for after the rally. The event is sponsored by the Mental Health Legislative Network, a coalition of nearly 40 organizations working to
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Key issues this year include schoollinked mental health services, housing and employment programs, health insurance parity for mental illnesses, funding for children’s and adults’ residential services, along with other concerns.
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direct correlation to the fact that the people at the top don’t look like us,” said Carter, St. Paul’s first African-American mayor. “Officials who know the community are invested in its success.” The council presented its 2018 legislative agenda, which
includes advocating for projects that promote equitable hiring and contracting practices, increasing the number of teachers of color, restoring voting rights to some 57,000 former convicted felons and boosting civic engagement among those of African heritage.
of color, women, LGBT and military veterans. “We’re having the hard conversations at DNR and DNR is welcoming these talks. You don’t want to bring
people here and have them be uncomfortable. The DNR has a lot to offer statewide and we want to be inclusive at every turn.”
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Insight News • March 5 - March 11, 2018 • Page 5
By ByMel Julianne and Pearl Malveaux Shaw
Page 6 •March 5 - March 11, 2018 • Insight News
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A Federal Court has ordered R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Philip Morris USA, Altria, and Lorillard to make this statement about the health effects of secondhand smoke.
• Secondhand smoke kills over 38,000 Americans each year. • Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer and coronary heart disease in adults who do not smoke. • Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, severe asthma, and reduced lung function. • There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
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Call for businesses to make a difference in North Minneapolis air quality Locally, poor air quality affects Minnesotans by triggering a range of health problems, from itchy throats to asthma attacks. It also contributes to smog and acid rain, leading to the contamination of water bodies. That’s why the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) is teaming up with the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) and the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition, to work with businesses in North Minneapolis to reduce hazardous air pollutants and chemicals, increase worker safety, and improve the air. Last summer, an intern from MnTAP worked with auto shops in South Minneapolis’ Phillips
Communities to promote adoption of less toxic, lower-emission degreasing
According to MnTAP, the project reduced air emissions by approximately
local auto repair shops and other businesses to identify the safest products
a free assessment of their current products, samples for testing safer products,
According to MnTAP, the project reduced air emissions by approximately 3,000 pounds per year.
solvents, which are commonly used to clean or degrease machinery and automotive parts.
3,000 pounds per year. This spring and summer, MnTAP will be working in North Minneapolis with
available that still get the job done. Shops interested in taking advantage of this opportunity receive
and if they choose to make a change, some free product to get started. Owners or employees of
an auto repair shop or other business that uses cleaners and degreasers seeking to involve themselves in this project can do so by calling Michelle Gage at (612) 624-4619 or by visiting w w w. m n t a p . u m n . e d u . Choosing safer products is not easy. The major challenge is finding safer products, since many look similar, but contain different ingredients with a wide range of impacts on health and the environment. Some tips to choose safer products include looking for products that are nonchlorinated and low VOC, 50 state compliant or nonchlorinated. Stay away from chlorinated or nonflammable brake cleaners and find products that can be sold in bulk and invest in refillable cans.
Minnesota musicians asked to submit music to Hennepin County Library From the Andrews Sisters to Atmosphere, from Bob Dylan to Prince, from Cantus to Dessa, and Bobby Vee to the Minnesota Orchestra, many great musicians have launched from Minnesota to the world. Hennepin County Library is in search of Minnesota musicians to feature on MnSpin, an online music streaming and download resource that has been introducing local artists to new audiences since its launch last year. Minnesota musicians and bands of all genres are encouraged to submit one song for consideration before March 28. A panel of local music experts and library staff
will review all submissions and invite selected artists to make one album available through the online platform. Artists will sign a license agreement and receive $200. The library plans to continue expanding this pilot project to offer additional submission opportunities. Thanks to a grant from the Friends of the Hennepin County Library, music lovers will be able to connect to this new collection through www.hclib.org/arts-culture. Anyone can stream from the platform, and Hennepin County Library cardholders can download songs for free. “Minnesota is such an incubator for musical artists,” said Hennepin County
Library Director Lois Langer Thompson. “MnSpin is an opportunity for the music community to have its music heard and for all music lovers to have access to the rich talents of local musicians.” Hennepin County Library strives to create a collection that reflects the diversity of our community. Music featured on MnSpin will follow the same genre guidelines as in the general collection – Americana, bluegrass and country, blues, jazz and soul, classical, Christian and gospel, folk, ethnic and world, pop and rock, rap, hip-hop and R&B and children’s.
Alex King
The group KING is just one of many musical treasures with roots in Minnesota. The Hennepin County Library is looking for other native Minnesota artists for an anticipated new album.
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Love covers a multitude of faults Man Talk
By Timothy Houston We all need love, because no matter how hard we try, there will be times that we fail. The problem is, no one wants their failures to show. To get to wholeness, we need a covering for our faults and failure, and that covering is love. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of faults,� (1 Peter 4:8). Love brings about life. Love heals. It is patient and kind. Love is a prevailing force that endures all things without fail. Love leads to wholeness because love is the higher
AALF From 3
standard. Real standards come from things outside of us. Because God is love, he commands us to love one another. This standard comes from him, and it is the basis for demonstrating we know him because God is love. The love of God is the safe ground that a person needs to expose their hurt for healing. When a person knows unconditional love is available, they no longer have to suer in silence. Love leads to wholeness because love is internal. It is an inward positive emotion that produces an outward positive response. Only a person who is whole inwardly can be a covering for those who are hurting outwardly. Parents cover their children, and spouses cover each other with love. The greater the person’s faults are inwardly, the greater the amount of love outwardly is needed to
cover it. Unconditional love is the most powerful form of love because it is not based
generated when things move from negative to positive. In a car battery, power is produced when electrons move from
unconditional love, empower others to move their live from negative to positive, we empower them to produce
solely on your goodness. It loves you through your faults and failures. Real power is
the negative terminal to the positive one. The same is true in life. When we, through
the internal power needed for wholeness. Love is not just an
– or lack of – during its 4th Annual Public Forum, held this coming Saturday (March 10), at the Humphrey School of Public Aairs on the University of
Minnesota campus. In addition to discussing the issue of government spending, the forum will address topics of education and health. The education
session will feature a special report from Commissioner Kevin Lindsey of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, whose oďŹƒce recently cited 43
school districts for discipline disparities. The health breakout, led by Gene Nichols and Stella Whitney-West, executive director, Northpoint Health &
Love is not just an emotion, it is an environment.
emotion, it is an environment. It serves as the positive, healthy, surroundings we all need for permanent healing to take place. If our physical hospital must be clean and sterile of unhealthy contaminates, then our spiritual and emotional atmospheres must be healthy as well. Although you will never see your spiritual hospital with the naked eye, it exists in the form of unconditional love. Whether giving or receiving love, it is always there as a covering, allowing emotional and spiritual wholeness to take place. Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.
Wellness Center, will launch the Trauma-Informed Survey developed by Dr. Reba Peoples and Adeya Richmond.
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Associate Editor Culture and Education Dr. Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang
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Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Abeni Hill Contributing Writers Nadvia Davis Fred Easter Timothy Houston Michelle Mitchum Artika Tyner Toki Wright Photography David Bradley V. Rivera Garcia Uchechukwu Iroegbu Rebecca Rabb Artist Donald Walker Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
Page 10 •March 5 - March 11, 2018 • Insight News
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Vince Staples
Ty Dolla $ign
Monday, March 5 HIP-HOP Vince Staples First Avenue 701 N 1st Ave., Minneapolis 6 p.m. All ages $30 advance, $35 door Inglewood’s Vince Staples hits the stage in a return performance at First Ave.
Tuesday, March 6 FUNK/R&B
March 5 March 18, 2018
JB & the Routine Minnesota Music Café 499 Payne Ave., St. Paul 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. 21-plus Expect to hear some great R&B and funk renditions at the Minnesota Music Café with JB & the Routine.
Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking. Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com
Wednesday, March 7
CELEBRATION Speaking Youth to Power Nomad World Pub 501 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 5 p.m. “When young people are at the table, we can develop creative and progressive solutions to fight the huge challenges we face as a generation.” Join Minnesota Youth Collective for the launch of its new program.
Friday, March 9 COMEDY/SPOKEN WORD Topshelf Comedy and Spoken Word Competition The Pourhouse 10 5th St. S., Minneapolis 7 p.m. 21-plus $10 Comedians and poets compete for $500 and a plasma television at the Pourhouse.
Saturday, March 10
R&B/POP
BLUES/FOLK
Ty Dolla $ign w/ Marc E. Bassy First Avenue 701 N. 1st Ave., Minneapolis 7 p.m. 18-plus $29.50 advance, $35 door
Andrea Gibson with Chastity Brown The Cedar Cultural Center 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 7 p.m.
Taylor Gang’s Ty Dolla $ign has been on a roll for the past few years bringing soulful party jams. For this show he plays with opener Marc E. Bassy for this show at First Ave.
Tennessee to Minnesota transplant Chastity Brown has been traveling the globe with her unique sound. Catch her tonight opening for Andrea Gibson. You might have to scalp a ticket, as this show is sold out.
Thursday, March 8
Sunday, March 11 TEA/FUNDRAISER The Finer Womanhood Tea Sibley Park 1900 E. 40th St., Minneapolis 2:30 p.m. In celebration of Finer Womanhood month, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Zeta Zeta Chapter presents, the Finer Womanhood Tea. Come celebrate community and support education by raising funds some outstanding young women.
Monday, March 12 POP MUSIC P!NK Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul 199 Kellogg Blvd. W. 8 p.m. All ages $62.95 and up L.A. Reid and Babyface have always had great eyes for talent and saw P!NK was the breakout star of her original group, Choice. Since signing with LaFace in 1995, P!NK has grown to become one of the biggest names in pop music. Her stirring at the Xcel is sure to delight.
Tuesday, March 13 SOUL Lean on Me: José James celebrates Bill Withers Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m.
$30-$45
Friday, March 16
Jazz and hip-hop vocalist Jose James was born in Minneapolis but relocated to New York before signing to Blue Note Records. See a special set of Bill Withers classics Tuesday and Wednesday at the Dakota.
Wednesday, March 14 WORLD Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita The Cedar Cultural Center 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m. All ages $28 advance, $30 door “Transparent Water Trio” is the new CD and concert collaboration between seventime Grammy-nominated pianist/composer/bandleader, Omar Sosa and U.K.-based Senegalese kora master and singer, Seckou Keita, featuring folkloric Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles.
COMEDY/RELATIONSHIPS Minneapolis Love Hour and Comedy Show University of Minnesota 100 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. 21-plus $30-$50 The Love Hour is a live discussion on love, relationships and happiness. The discussion is followed by a clean comedy show featuring Tony Baker, Tahir Moor and Kevin Fredericks.
Saturday, March 17 WRITING Black Lines Matter | Where Black Writers Meet Open Book 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Black Table Arts presents a night for Black writers.
Thursday, March 15
Sunday, March 18
OPEN MIC
FUNK
Exposure Open Mic Lee’s Liquor Lounge 101 Glenwood Ave., Minneapolis 8 p.m. 18-plus $5 ($3 with college I.D.)
Earth, Wind & Fire Treasure Island Resort & Casino 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd., Welch 7 p.m. 21-plus $70-$90
Test your performance chops at Lee’s.
The legends of funk, soul, and R&B hit Minnesota at Treasure Island.
Healing through baseball Afrodescendientes
By Carmen Robles Neither snow nor sleet nor icy roads could keep Puerto Ricans blown into Minnesota by Hurricane Maria winds from getting to the batting cages on Rice Street in St. Paul on Feb. 24. Puerto Ricans are baseball fanatics. Not even an looming snow storm alert could deter these warriors from playing the game they love … base-a-bowl. That Saturday afternoon yielded six inches of new snow on top of the earlier four inches. Still, more than a dozen kids between the ages of 9 and 69 and five coaches were swinging bats at the Rice Street Batting Cages, thanks to the hearts of many, most especially to Marisol Chiclana-Ayala and Steve Winfield. The event was sponsored by Jovenes de Salud, (JdeS) a peerto-peer mentor organization led by board chair Rafael Alvarez. Among the JdeS mentor supporters were the Ramsey County Sherriff’s office, whose informational giveaways were educational and fun; their
colorful books on safety grabbed the attention of both kids and adults. While English may be challenging for these families, it was refreshing to see the Ramsey County Sheriff’s materials. Comic books so interesting language did not stop anyone from pouring over them. It was refreshing and empowering to see the “officer friendly” concept taking root within this new community. Officers engaged in neighborhood development from the inside out, getting to know the people in the neighborhood they serve and building trust. Same thing over at the Ramsey County Public Health table. JdeS mentor and co-founder, Patricia Baker, manned the table of giveaways, connecting Ramsey County Public Health Resources to families. Bilingual health resources readily available, helping to ensure these new immigrants have access to and are receiving the services they need. My chemo buddy Nancy Cummings brought in baked treats she makes for her girls, the Minnesota Lynx. Her husband, Michael Cummings, a triple treat with his thought provoking take on literature, the arts and expertise on Puerto Rican cuisine, made him the home run of the day, resulting in an upcoming mofongo challenge.
livinginpuertorico.com
For young Puerto Ricans relocated to Minnesota, a day at the batting cages provided a bit of relief after being uprooted due to Hurricane Maria. This image is of a young child playing baseball in Puerto Rico. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican specialty made with platanos (plantains.) Rick Aguilar, publisher of Latino American Today and
godfather to JdeS, rode in on his sled to say hello to these brave new Minnesotan families. Extending an invitation to the 22nd Annual Multicultural
Conference, March 22 held at the Neighborhood House, 179 Robie St. E., St. Paul. Visit www.aguilarproductions.com or call (651) 665-0633 for more
information on the event. Watching the energy among the children and the way the coaches bilingually shared the rules of the game setting the foundation of team spirit was heartwarming. Mirroring the title of Frank White’s phenomenal historical account of Black baseball players in Minnesota in his book “They Played for the Love of the Game,” that’s exactly what was happening here. Kids were playing for the love of the game. Eye contact pivotal in this game of chess like moves. “Keep your eye on the ball. Don’t stand behind a player holding a bat,” bellowed coach Steve Winfield at least 50 million times … maybe not that many, but I lost count. “Miren la pelota. No se paren detras del pelotero,” echoed coaches Edgardo Hernandez and Kenneth Ortiz. Their Spanish translation was more for the parents than it was for these dual language kids. For a few hours that snowy Saturday afternoon the children, survivors of Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria, did not have to think about the reality of their world turned upside-down. For those couple of hours, they were spared the agony of watching the toll this crisis is taking on their families. For a few hours they were kids, even the parents were kids; all enjoying what they enjoy most … baseball.
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Insight News • March 5 - March 11, 2018 • Page 11
State parks provide great place to see national bird in the wild
DNR EagleCam features one of best ‘nature shows’ around By Harland Hiemstra Minnesota DNR It’s a cross between reality television and something you might see on Animal Planet; a live, as-it-happens close-up on one of America’s most beloved species. And you don’t even have to pay for cable to watch it. Just direct your computer or smartphone to www.mndnr.gov/ eaglecam to tune in to what’s become one of Minnesota’s favorite shows. Since its launch in January 2013, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) EagleCam has provided a live video stream from an active bald eagle nest in St. Paul. Over the past five years, close to a million people from all 50 states and more than 150 countries around the world have watched as a pair of adult eagles annually nest, lay eggs, hatch them and raise the chicks. In all, 10 young eagles have fledged and flown the nest, all caught on camera. Once pushed to the brink of extinction, bald eagles have made a remarkable comeback, with more than 10,000 breeding pairs in the lower 48 states now. That’s largely the result of a ban on the pesticide DDT and special protections given eagles by laws such as the Endangered Species Act. Programs like the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program, which provides the EagleCam, also have helped the bird’s recovery. One legend has it that the bald eagle became America’s national symbol because, at an early battle in the Revolutionary War, the noise of the struggle drove the big birds from their nests to circle over the fight, screeching all the while – leading one patriot to claim they were “shrieking for freedom.” What’s known for sure is that the bald eagle made its first official appearance on the seal of the
United States in 1782, and it has continued to serve as a national emblem ever since. Part of the bald eagle’s majestic appeal stems from its size and flying talents. An adult female bald eagle can weigh 10 to 15 pounds, with a head-totail length of about three feet, and a wingspan stretching six to seven feet or more. Males are about three-quarters the size of a female. The birds are powerful flyers, riding thermal updrafts to heights of 10,000 feet and soaring for hours. They can fly at 30 to 40 miles per hour, reaching speeds up to 100 mph when diving, and sometimes engage in aerobatic stunts, tumbling and twirling through the air as part of courtship rituals. Bald eagles usually mate for life, using the same nest for many years. Watchers know for sure that the female appearing on the DNR EagleCam has starred in her leading role for the past six seasons, because she has a leg band that identifies her. But this year there’s a new male, leading many watchers to wonder what happened to her partner of years past. Eagles can live 20-25 years in the wild, although 70-80 percent of them don’t make it to the age of five, when they are considered adults and are able to reproduce. Common causes of death include being struck by vehicles, disease, electrocution and lead poisoning. Bald eagles build bigger nests than any other birds, averaging about 4 or 5 feet in diameter. One bald eagle nest in Florida was measured at nearly 10 feet across, with an estimated weight of more than two tons. The female eagle lays two or three eggs and both parents share incubation duties. The eggs hatch after about 35 days. This year, the first egg in the EagleCam nest was laid on Feb. 19. Both parents take turns bringing food into the nest, tearing pieces off and feeding them to the hungry eaglets.
These bald eagles can be seen via live-stream on the Department of Natural Resources EagleCam. Common food items seen on the EagleCam include fish from a nearby spring-fed pond and small rodents, such as squirrels and rabbits. An eagle can carry prey weighing up to about onethird of its own body weight, meaning stories about them soaring off with cats and dogs in their talons are unlikely (unless it’s a very small dog or cat). After about 10 to 14 weeks in the nest, the young eagles “fledge,” meaning they’ve grown the
feathers they need to fly. The EagleCam and associated technology are paid for and maintained by the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program, which is largely supported by voluntary contributions people make at tax time. Line 21 of Minnesota’s income tax form gives people an opportunity to donate to the program, which works to help thousands of species of Minnesota wildlife thrive through habitat restorations,
surveys and monitoring, technical guidance, and outreach and education – critters such as bees, butterflies, songbirds, loons, frogs, turtles and bats, as well as eagles. Donations to the Nongame Wildlife program are tax-deductible. With more bald eagles than any state except Alaska, Minnesota is also a great place to get outdoors and see the magnificent raptors in the wild. State parks in the Twin Cities area where you have a
good chance of seeing eagles include Afton and Fort Snelling. South of St. Paul about an hour, Frontenac State Park near Red Wing offers excellent eagle watching opportunities from bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. And north of the Cities, Wild River State Park includes an active eagles’ nest near a trail, with likely sightings along the St. Croix River as well.
Event features a panel discussion and showing of the film, “The Rape of Recy Taylor”
Ujamaa Place Black History and Culture Day honors Recy Taylor garnered media support from Black journalists around the nation. The Alabama Committee for Equal Justice pressured Gov. Chauncey Sparks to investigate the case, which garnered national headlines because of Parks’ activism. Although Taylor never received justice, the committee was successful in empowering Black women to report acts of sexual violence. Taylor’s case was a significant catalyst in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Civil Rights Movement that followed in Montgomery, in
the mid-1950s through 1968. In 2011, the Alabama State Legislature apologized to Recy Taylor on Mother’s Day at the Pentecostal Church (presently known as Abbeville Memorial Church of God), where Taylor was leaving the night of the rape in 1944. In the letter the lawmakers called the decision not to prosecute her assailants “morally abhorrent and repugnant.” President Barack Obama invited Taylor to visit the White House and attend a forum on Rosa Parks at the National Press Club in 2011. In
January 2018, Oprah Winfrey spotlighted Taylor at the Golden Globe Awards, declaring “their time is up,” a reference to the men who hunted and raped Recy Taylor. Winfrey stated, “she hoped Taylor died knowing that her truth, like the truth of so many other women who were tormented in those years and even now, goes marching on.” Recy Taylor died in her sleep on Dec. 28. On March 24 from 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. the community is invited to join Ujamaa Place at Commemorate Black History
and Culture Day hosted by the University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul, honoring the courage and strength of Recy Taylor. The screening of “The Rape of Recy Taylor,” directed by Nancy Buirski, will be followed by a panel discussion of Taylor’s human rights advocacy and the role of media in social justice. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Artika Tyner, vice president of Diversity & Inclusion at the University of St. Thomas.
SOULFUL JAZZ AND HIP-HOP A screening of “The Rape of Recy Taylor” takes place March 24 at University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul. On the night of Sept. 3, 1944, 24-year-old Recy Taylor left church in Abbeville, Ala. walking home with family friend, Fannie Daniels, and her teenage son, West Daniels, when seven men – armed with a knife and gun – forced Taylor into their car. Through a confession, the sheriff learned that six men actually committed the crime, the seventh man did not touch Taylor because he said he knew her. The rapists disparaged Taylor’s character by saying they paid her for sex. Danielle McGuire’s book, “At the Dark End of the Street,” was pivotal in highlighting the many rape cases in the Jim Crow South, where Black women were targeted by white men who believed Black women were their property. This act of terrorism included threats of death to the victims and their families if they told anyone. Recy Taylor courageously told everyone with whom she came in contact. Rosa Parks’ grandparents (the McCauleys) lived in Abbeville. On many occasions when Parks traveled to Abbeville to speak to Taylor, Parks was threatened, tormented and physically assaulted by
sheriff’s deputies. Taylor’s home was firebombed. The family was afraid and did everything possible to protect Taylor. For example, her father, Benny Corbitt, guarded the family home with a rifle by sitting in a tree all night. The children were not allowed to play in the front yard and Taylor did not venture outside their family home for months after the rape. Eventually to keep her safe, Parks moved Taylor and her family to Montgomery. Parks had already been “a force to be reckoned with” as a human rights activist when she was assigned as the lead investigator for the NAACP. Parks’ previous activism included her defense of the Scottsboro Boys, fighting the Klu Klux Klan and advocating for voter rights. She garnered support from E.D. Nixon, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, Rufus Lewis, Alabama State University football coach and funeral director and E. G. Jackson, editor of the Alabama Tribune. Together they founded the Alabama Committee for Equal Justice, with the goal of protecting the rights of Black women against sexual violence and rape. The campaign
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Page 12 •March 5 - March 11, 2018 • Insight News
Fans of the Children’s Theatre Company and Penumbra Theatre’s production of “The Wiz” were presented with a special treat when members of the cast stopped by H. White Men’s Room in North Minneapolis this past Tuesday (Feb. 27).
Playing to sold out shows nightly, the play has been extended to run through March 25 at the Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 3rd Ave. S. But on the rare off day for the cast, cast members Paris Bennett (Dorothy), Rudolph Searles, III (Lion) and Rajané Katurah
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(ensemble and understudy, Dorothy and Addaperle) took pictures with their young fans, talked showbiz and even offered up a couple of numbers from the show. Here are a few photos from the event.
Harry Colbert, Jr.
(Left to right) Reagan Henderson, Children’s Theatre Company corporate sales manager, with cast members from “The Wiz,” Paris Bennett, Rudolph Searles, III and Rajané Katurah.
Ron Richards
Proprietor of H. White Men’s Room and founder of Black Excellence Clothing, Houston White.
Enjoying a donut, Zeia Alexander and her mom, Trishelle Evans.
Mawusi Ahelegbe with 5-year-old daughter, Selom Ahelegbe.
Three-year-old Reginald McKeever, III watching a monster trucks video on his mother’s phone.
MNHS.ORG
612.377.2224 guthrietheater.org
Indecent Now – March 24
by PAULA VOGEL directed by WENDY C. GOLDBERG
Marines taking a break while on patrol, Vietnam, about 1969. Photographer Gary Moss. MNHS collections.
MNHS: HISTORY FOR ALL
Familiar
March 10 – April 14 by DANAI GURIRA directed by TAIBI MAGAR Sponsored by
African American soldiers have been fighting to protect freedom and liberty throughout our country’s history, even when they did not enjoy these freedoms at home. By the time the Vietnam War started, the military was fully integrated and African Americans comprised nearly 11% of the whole. But African American soldiers continued to face discrimination while in uniform. From receiving unfair punishments to being assigned menial responsibilities, America’s African American soldiers were not allowed to demonstrate that they were as capable as any of their white counterparts. This discrimination in the military reflected the experience of African Americans throughout the country as the civil rights movement continued to march into 1968.
voices for peace who spoke against the war, and who called for America’s men to come home. While the war continued abroad, men and women of all races continued to take to the streets to demand equality and justice for all. From the civil rights movement to the women’s movement to the American Indian Movement, Americans were no longer satisfied with the hypocrisy displayed by a country that fought to make the world safe for democracy while denying its own citizens those same basic rights. The 1968 Exhibit is on view now at the Minnesota History Center. Learn more about the exhibit and 1968-related events at mnhs.org/1968.
MELANIE ADAMS
Solo Emerging Artist Celebration Feb 24 – March 11 featuring ANTONIO DUKE, A.P. LOOZE and IFRAH MANSOUR
MNHS reflects on the events of this turbulent year in the powerful and relevant 1968 exhibit. The 1968 Exhibit examines the Vietnam War from a variety of perspectives, starting with the men who fought in the conflict. In addition to soldiers’ perspectives, the exhibit also explores the
Melanie Adams, PhD, is the senior director of Guest Experience and Educational Services at the Minnesota Historical Society. In this role she oversees MNHS programs, exhibits, and historic sites located throughout the state, which serve one million people per year.