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WORKING TO MAKE

A BETTER LOVE A benefit concert for the Dignity Center 8pm, April 24 at Hennepin Church, 511 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis.

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April 5 - April 11, 2010 • MN Metro Vol. 36 No. 14 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

MACY’S FLOWER SHOW

“Spring is in the air” S

Health care is a fundamental right: No repeal

ee the amazing transformation of the 8th floor auditorium into a wonderland of spectacular gardens where magic reaches new heights and floral fantasies take flight.

Added to the show this year is a special area where you can have a professional photo taken and look like you floated in a hot air balloon.

A Flower Show Market & Cafe located directly across the hall from the show, you'll find an array of fresh sandwiches, salads, cookies and more. You can also pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers, gourmet foods or candy to brighten your day.

In Cosmetics on 1st floor, you'll be amazed by the over-the-top floral creations

by Bachman's master designers.

The show will be held through Sunday, April 11 in the Downtown store. There is no admission charge. Hours are: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Mondays - Saturdays and 12 Noon - 6 p.m. Sundays.

and replace

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Bone Thugs-NHarmony Transcendental HipHop masters

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Photo Courtesy of Macy's - Photographer Adam Bettcher

Minnesota’s idea of Angels

Rob poor; help rich

By Al McFarlane and B.P. Ford, The Editors State Reps. Bobby ChampionDFL 58B and Jeff Hayden-DFL 61B, the Black Caucus in Minnesota's State Legislature, are furious that even so called progressives --policy makers known for defending the rights and interests of the poor and disenfranchised-- have turned their backs on moral and practical principles of fairness, inclusion and equity.

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Courtesy Dave Puente Photography

Chanda Baker Smith

Clockwise from top left: Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL 60A), Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL 60B), Rep. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL 58B), and Rep. Jeff Hayden (DFL 61B).

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Baker-Smith seeks MPS Board seat

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer

Chanda Smith Baker is one of a handful of candidates seeking the Democratic-Farm-Labor endorsement for the two open atlarge seats on the Minneapolis School Board.

In 2008, voters in Minneapolis enacted several changes to the Minneapolis School Board and how its members are elected. Currently, there are seven board members that were elected at-large across the city.

Their terms are staggered, with three or four members being elected every other year in order to maintain continuity and a history within the School Board. When the changes are complete in 2012, there will be six school districts within Minneapolis that coincide with the six Minneapolis Park Board Districts. Each will elect a school board member, plus three members that will be elected at-large, for a total of nine members.

Starting with the general election this November, School

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PROJECT READY: Hosts Annual HBCU Tour

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Northside HQ for MPS? Ellison cosponsors

legislation addressing the Alzheimer crisis

By William English Co-Chair, CBC/AALS Recently, the Minneapolis Public School Board heard from its administrative staff regarding construction of a new headquarters site. The current office at 807 Broadway NE is likely to require millions of dollars in rehabilitation construction if operations remain in that building. The building is more than 100-years-old with substantial operating expenses including heating and air conditioning. This is the underpinning of the decision to ask the board to build a new site.

The sites under consideration are the current site of the Broadway School at 1225 West Broadway,

File Photos

Rev. Jerry McAfee (left) and Rev. Randolph Staten conversion of the old Valspar Paint building near the Guthrie Theatre off Washington Avenue SE and renovation of the current facility.

Administration staff told the

board that the most cost effective option is to build a new building on the site of the Broadway School for several reasons: 1) The first is MPS TURN TO 11

US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)has cosponsored both the "Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act" {S. 1492/ H.R. 3286} and the "National Alzheimer's Project Act," {S. 3036/H.R. 4689) to support 5 million people nationwide and the 97,760 According to advocates, the bills mark a significant step in the fight against the disease and offer great promise for someday having a world without Alzheimer's.

With an aging baby boomer population soon to be at the epicenter of an escalating Alzheimer crisis, the

disease will become the country's b i g g e s t , broadest and most expensive problem - to individuals, families, and the File Photo healthcare Rep. Keith s y s t e m .

According to Ellison (D-MN) the Alzheimer's ELLISON TURN TO 9

Stay in School or get paid?

Tubby Smiths of the world focus on developing young men

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Page 2 • April 5 - April 11, 2010 • Insight News

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Health care is a fundamental right: No repeal and replace

By Rev. Jesse Jackson "Repeal and replace" has become the battle cry of Sarah Palin and the bulk of Republican Senators after the passage of comprehensive health care reform. They're rousing fears, threatening those with health insurance that their costs and taxes will go up. As if everyone would keep their insurance at the same costs if there were no reform.

Think again. Health care costs went up 131% over the last decade; general inflation was only 28%. If they stay on the same trajectory, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, they'll go up another 166% over the next 10 years. As the costs go up, working families lucky enough to have insurance pay higher co-pays and get less coverage.

And, not surprisingly, the number of Americans without health insurance is growing at an unprecedented pace - as insurance company monopolies combine with the Great Recession to leave more and more Americans uninsured.

In 2007, the Census Bureau reported that 46 million Americans went without health insurance. A study by the North Carolina

Rev. Jesse Jackson Institute for Medicine shows that in January 2009, 52 million were uninsured. That's a 13% jump in two years - and would be far worse today as the recession hit its bottom in 2009.

What's staggering is how little

Photo by Eric Guo

political leaders seem to care. In Palin's Alaska, 20% of the population went uninsured in 2009.

Since seniors have Medicare, the single payer system that conservatives rely on but hate, that means over one in four working

people goes without health insurance. Health reform would insure those folks - unless Palin's tea party succeeds in repealing it.

Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor of Arkansas voted against the reconciliation. But like Alaska, Arizona has 20% of its population uninsured, an increase in 6% over 2007 and 2008 alone.

Texas Senator John Cronyn, head of the Republican Senate Campaign Committee, led the assault on reform, accusing Democrats of creating a "health care gulag." In Texas, over 6 million residents are uninsured, a staggering 28% of the entire population, up 10% over 20072009.

Marco Rubio, the conservative darling running for the Senate in Florida, signed the Republican petition calling for repeal of health care reform. In Florida, nearly 4 million people go without insurance, fully 25% of the population, up over 500,000 since 2007.

Given that its elderly residents are covered by Medicare and its poor by Medicaid, that makes it likely that most of the working people Rubio addresses are unlikely to have health insurance.

Health insurance reform was passed in the face of unified

Republican obstruction and entrenched insurance company and drug company opposition. The industry spent literally millions lobbying against passage, and working to weaken the bill in every conceivable way. The result is a bill that is weaker than it should be.

There is no public option - a plan like Medicare that could compete with the private insurance companies and keep them honest.

The obscene prohibition on Medicare from negotiating bulk prices for prescription drugs remains in place. (That's right, in a provision that costs literally hundreds of billions and help make US prescription drug prices the highest in the world, the Republican Congress under Tom DeLay passed a provision that prohibits Medicare from negotiating bulk price discounts.

And the drug lobby succeeded in keeping that provision in place in the current reform.

Palin, the Republican repealers and the Tea Party folks got this wrong. Our current system is broken.

Costs are soaring; staggering numbers are added to the uninsured. We spend 50% more per person than other industrial nations and cover a far smaller percentage of our population. The wealthy can afford

great care, but the country as a whole has lower life expectancy and worse indices on health generally than other industrial nations.

Many of the Tea Party people are angry at a government that serves Wall Street and not Main Street, big banks not small business. They are sensibly irate at the backroom deals that went into health care. But the answer isn't repealing the bill; the answer is to expose the money and the lobbies that stand in the way, and to improve the bill by setting up a public option, by ending the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, by ending the goofy ban on Medicare saving money on prescription drugs.

The crisis of working families is real, not invented. Wages are stagnant. Jobs are scarce. Rising health care costs are burdening businesses and families. College costs are soaring. Those that are calling for repealing a reform that will provide affordable insurance for millions of Americans should take a look around. The elderly and the poor are covered by Medicare and Medicaid. This is a reform for working families and small businesses.

They should be respected, not repealed.

State legislators and physicians discuss Obama healthcare

By Abdullah Jones Men’s Health Network The day before policymakers voted on President Barack Obama's controversial, but historical health care bill, members of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) and the National Medical Association (NMA) met in Virginia for the first day of a series of panel discussions between state legislators, physicians and other health care professionals at the Eleventh National Colloquium on AfricanAmerican Health (NCAAH).

This year's affair was held March 20 thru 23 at the Westin Arlington Gateway hotel in Arlington, VA. The forum began with a discussion that addressed whether or not the stimulus program made a

difference in state health care delivery.

"Yes, it has worked. It has benefited our state government," said State Rep. Benjamin Swan (MA).

During Swans presentation he said that Massachusetts received about $16 billion from the stimulus program. A portion of that money went towards health-care education, technology and hospital construction.

Even though a significant number of people were affected by America's failing economy, the stimulus program prevented a lot of other people from ending up jobless.

"Healthcare in Massachusetts has worked and is still working," said Swan. "In fact, [the stimulus program] will be helping us with our 2011 budget that we are considering now because there will be funds made available as well."

During a phone call with Swan on Friday, he said that he wanted everyone to understand that the stimulus program benefited all fields, not just health care.

State Rep. Joe Armstrong (TN), who served as the moderator for this discussion, agreed that the stimulus program worked.

However, some states moved programs that reoccurred appropriations in the state's budget into a category for programs that do not reoccur appropriations so that the state's budget could fund them.

The stimulus program is set to end December 2010. If it does, programs that were moved into a non-reoccurring appropriations category will no longer receive funding. Many of those programs were implemented to assist minorities.

In addition, Armstrong told physicians that they need to

develop a relationship with their state legislators in order for policy makers to articulate their concerns when structuring policy.

But what can policy makers do to help educate the minority community about what's happening in health care, and what they should be doing in order to live longer lives?

"We must promote minority presence and participation in health planning and policy formation," said State Rep. Laura Hall (AL). "Our legislative Black caucus has made one of its number one issues for every board, every task force and every planning committee that is organized to have minority participation."

According to Alphonso Gibbs, a social worker and advisor for

Men's Health Network (MHN), a Men's Health Office needs to be established in state health departments - like in Georgia, Florida, Illinois and Louisiana - in order to educate men so that they can put positive lifestyles for their families into practice.

He said that "if you start a family off with a healthy male…a healthy male will make healthy decisions and choices in the lives of both himself and his family."

Also, legislators should encourage men to adopt healthy behaviors by developing working groups that consist of other policy makers, religious leaders and organizations like the NMA, MHN and key women's groups in order to educate and reduce the AfricanAmerican mortality rate from

diseases that are preventable and treatable.

Furthermore, policy makers were encouraged to hold hearings and invite hospitals, neighborhood health centers and primary care providers in order to increase knowledge of programs that get implemented into minority communities.

Men's Health Network (MHN) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation.

For more information: menshealthnetwork.org

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Insight News • April 5 - April 11 • Page 3

COMMENTARY NAACP issues call for civility in gang database discourse

By NAACP St. Paul Chapter #4052 The Saint Paul Branch of the NAACP, the Minneapolis Branch and the Minnesota/Dakota State Conference, conveyed their disappointment at what looks like a breakdown of respectful relations between the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office and guardians for civil rights.

In a letter to the Pioneer Press editor, the two organizations shared their dismay in the antagonistic content of the March 1h article, "Ramsey County sheriff fights to save gang-member database that bill would eliminate."

In the article, undersheriff Nick O'Hara is quoted as stating that the

author of gang database reform legislation, State Sen. Mee Moua DFL-67, "must have some kind of a perverse support' of gang members".

Sheriff Bob Fletcher is quoted as calling the bill "reckless" and exaggerated that it would "force investigators to revert to an archaic system" of handwritten notes. The NAACP local chapter and state conference said these statements lack the civility, respect, and thoughtfulness they had come to expect from leading law enforcement officials. They also consider the article an attempt to "smokescreen the real issue" of holding Minnesota law enforcement agencies accountable in their collection of secretive and subjective information on individuals as young as 14 years.

Last year a report, "Evaluation

File Photo

State Sen. Mee Moua

of Gang Databases in Minnesota & Recommendations for Change," was published in which the findings reveal that ranking members of some local law enforcement agencies agreed that flaws exist and began making some

transformations. In fact, the Ramsey County Sheriff's office announced purging 6,000 people from their database, reducing time on the list to five years, and initiating parental notification.

While it was a great start, an institutionalized system of oversight is the only way to guarantee a reasonable balance between public safety and a Minnesota citizen's individual right to privacy, constitutional due process, and equal treatment under the law.

The bill authored by Moua will ensure that the institutions and individuals who already have broad discretionary power over issues of public safety and punishment are accountable for objectivity, impartiality and accuracy at the most basic level of collecting and sharing information about people.

Haiti’s restavèk children: The child servitude crisis

By Marian Wright Edelman The recent earthquake in Haiti gave the rest of the world a glimpse of a form of child suffering that often goes unseen. When a group of American missionaries were accused of child trafficking, many people were confused by the story that unfolded. How could parents have been desperate enough to agree to simply give their children away to strangers? Sadly, this wasn't just an isolated event that only happened because of the earthquake. Thousands of poor Haitian parents send their children away to live with strangers every year, desperately entrusting them to people who tell the parents they will help provide their children with a better life. But not all of these children are transferred to wellmeaning caregivers who plan to give them an education or help them find adoptive families. Instead, many poor Haitian children end up trapped in child servitude.

Many Americans watching media coverage of the earthquake were moved by the poverty in Portau-Prince, but the images from Haiti's capital actually overlooked a devastating reality: the level of poverty in the nation's rural areas is even worse. Almost half of Haiti's population is under age 18, so

As Beyond Borders explains, "Even before the quake, roughly one in ten [about 300,000] Haitian children, mostly girls, were living apart from their parents in unpaid domestic servitude-working endlessly, without the opportunity to attend school or play. Some were orphans, but many more were sent

The name for these children in Haiti is restavèk, a Creole word that comes from the French reste avec, "stay with," but has evolved to become a general slur meaning worthless. children are hit very hard by the country's deep poverty, and rural children and families are especially vulnerable.

The American organization Beyond Borders has been working to serve the needs of the poor in Haiti for almost twenty years, and the child servitude crisis, which they call a "brutal form of modern slavery," preys on rural families and is one of their main concerns.

by their parents in poor rural communities to live with urban families who falsely promised to feed, clothe, and educate them.

Desperate and destitute, these parents thought they were giving their children a brighter future.

Instead, those boys and girls endured-and continue to endureunimaginable humiliation and physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Because the Haitian

government has had no system in place for protecting or even registering these children who live apart from their parents, they have been absolutely defenseless."

The name for these children in Haiti is restavèk, a Creole word that comes from the French reste avec, "stay with," but has evolved to become a general slur meaning worthless. Some of these restavèk children may have been among the traumatized boys and girls we saw on our television screens after the earthquake-now more alone and afraid than ever. What can be done to help them? Beyond Borders is one of the organizations fighting for them on several fronts.

First, they try to stop and reverse the flow of children into servitude. One key step is conducting campaigns to educate rural parents about the real risks of sending their children away.

Another is making education available for rural children. Beyond Borders notes that right now, fewer than half of Haiti's rural children HAITI TURN TO 9

Specifically, the bill focuses on two covert databases generated by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office.

"We are one hundred percent behind Senator Moua on this bill," said NAACP state conference president Duane Reed. So, how do civil rights advocates move forward now that trust has been eroded?

Saint Paul chapter president Nathaniel Khaliq is clear about that: "We expect an apology from the sheriff's department so we can get past this irrational fear and continue

to work together towards a more objective, reliable, and effective public safety tool that does not infringe on our civil rights."

The Saint Paul Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a membership organization that has worked to eliminate discrimination based on race, gender, religion, age, disability or culture since 1913. In doing so, the NAACP improves economic, social and physical wellbeing for all of Saint Paul's residents.

Page 4 • April 5 - April 11, 2010 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Minneapolis Urban League's PROJECT READY hosts Annual HBCU Tour

Photos Courtesy MUL

HBCU update, this year, six students on the Minneapolis Urban League Historically Black College & University Tour applied, interviewed and were accepted to Morgan State University.

Left to right, Shankina Kidd, Donveyea Watson, Diashawna Lawson, Daria Granison, Brittney Franklin and Andre Owens (kneeling) will be attending MSU in the fall. Additionally, students applied to Howard University and received waivers on their application fees. Those students were Shakia McDavid, Linda Blair, Donveyea Watson, Diashawna Lawson and Daria Granison.

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Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Elliot Stewart-Franzen Web Design & Content Associate Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Brenda Colston Julie Desmond Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Ryan T. Scott Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. MinneAPOlis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC) Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI) National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

Robbed From 1 Their caustic charges describe what they say is a disturbing pattern of trying to fix the broken state economy and broken state government on the backs of the poor.

At issue is the second jobs bill passed by the legislature and signed into law last week Thursday by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The House passed the bill

112-20 and the Senate 58-3.

Pawlenty told House leaders he would sign the bill primarily because it included the angel investor tax credit he has wanted.

"While I continue to believe we must do much more to make Minnesota attractive to job creators, this bill is at least a step in the right direction," Pawlenty wrote, adding that he still would like to trim business taxes.

Champion and Hayden said they support the idea of investment for innovation and job creation, but they said it's grossly disingenuous to take the $30

HBCU update, this year, six students on the Minneapolis Urban League Historically Black College & University Tour applied, interviewed and were accepted to Morgan State University. Left to right, Shankina Kidd, Donveyea Watson, Diashawna Lawson, Daria Granison, Brittney Franklin and Andre Owens (kneeling) will be attending MSU in the fall.

Additionally, students applied to Howard University and received waivers on their application fees. Those students were Shakia McDavid, Linda Blair, Donveyea Watson, Diashawna Lawson and Daria Granison.

Minneapolis Urban League's PROJECT READY hosts Annual Historically Black College Tour Helping at-risk youth-for whom college often is not a considerationrealize their dream of going to college and having the doors of opportunity open for them is the main reason the Minneapolis Urban League has been hosting its Historically Black College Tour for more than two decades. Since its inception in the 1980s, more than 600 students have participated in the tour.

This year nearly the MULsponsored Black College Tour took 28 students through seven cities, including Baltimore, MD, Washington, D.C., Cary, Raleigh and Durham, N.C., and Hampton and Petersburgh, VA. They students toured Coppin State and Morgan State Universities in Maryland; Howard University in D.C.; St.

Augustine College and North Carolina Central University, and finally Virginia to visit Virginia State and Hampton Universities. Along the way the group visited the Black Wax Museum, took a tour of the U.S. Capitol, and enjoyed some relaxation and fun at Virginia Beach and the Busch Gardens. The tour left on Friday, March 26 and returned to Minneapolis on Saturday, April 3.

"Motivating young people to choose college is what this tour is all about," said Scott Gray, president/CEO of the Minneapolis Urban League.

Each year the Minneapolis Urban League offers youth in grades 9-12 from Minneapolis-area high schools the opportunity to visit predominantly Black colleges and universities during spring break as a way to inspire them to prepare for college and experience life on a college campus. What's significant about the Urban League's Historically Black College Tour is that it encourages students who aren't thinking of going to college to change their minds.

Marsha Matthews took the Project Ready/HBCU Tour twice - in 2005 and 2006. "Not only was the tour an educational experience, but it was also exciting to see that there are institutions where Black college kids can feel 'at home.' The meetings every week and the fundraisers we participated in as a part of the Project Ready program were essential preparation for entering college. I appreciate everything the Urban League has done for me because I wouldn't be at Alabama State

University without the staff and teachers keeping us on our toes," said Mattews who is currently studying Criminal Justice, with a minor in sociology, at Alabama State. She will graduate in May 2011.

More than being a casual opportunity, this tour prepares students for success. Project Ready, an initiative designed to prepare 9th, 10th and 11th grade students to navigate college options, enrolls participants in an eightweek curriculum. Over this eight-week period, students learn how to prepare for the PSAT and ACT tests and develop an individual college development plan (ICDP). In addition, students research each school on the tour and develop a portfolio containing transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal letters to present to each college/university they will visit.

New this year, students used their cell phones to blog about their experiences, sending updates and photos back to the Minneapolis Urban League, giving their perspective on each stop along the tour in real time.

"No other program prepares students as well as we do," said John Ross, the director of the MUL's College Readiness/Career Development Intersection and the Principal of the UL Academy High School. "Of the 35 students who participated last year, 17 were accepted on the spot to more than one college." Ross manages the tour each year, with the assistance this year of nine adult chaperones.

million to fund the program for wealthy investors from the mouths of Minnesota's poor.

Champion and Hayden rallied against the removal of the Minnesota low income fuel tax credit program, and redirecting the funds to Minnesota's wealthy.

Enacted by the Legislature last year, the low income fuel tax credit provide up to $25 in a tax credit for up to 1.2 low income Minnesotans. The credit was created to offset the debilitating impact of astronomical increase in gas prices and gas taxes in the past couple of years. The credit was

designed to help poor Minnesotans afford gasoline tax increases.

The money has not yet gone out to poor people who want to claim the credit. They will make their claims in the current state tax return filings.

What the Legislature did, buckling to pressure from Pawlenty, was eliminate the credit in the upcoming budget. Instead, the $30 million budgeted for relief for Minnesota's poor will fund what is being called an Angel Investor Tax Credit.

Champion said eliminating the credit means breaking a promise to the poor to help the wealthy.

"It is balancing the budget on the backs of the poor. It is wrong.

It is unconscionable," Champion told fellow legislators on the House Floor.

While hostility toward Minnesota's poor and minority residents has been a defining characteristic of the Pawlenty Republican administration, Champion's ire is directed as much toward leaders in his own party.

Frank Hornstein-DFL 60B, who represents South Minneapolis, said supporting the bill delivered to the House by the Senate "wouldn't have been my first choice. I supported the low income fuel credit. But the loss of the credit," he said, "is due to insider politics that the public doesn't always see."

Like many bills, he said, there was a House position and a Senate position. The Senate bill proposed taking away the low income fuel tax credit on the strength that a deal had been reached with the

administration that meant the Governor would sign such a bill.

"I made a decision based on 6,000 jobs the Angel Tax Credit is supposed to create. Many of those jobs will be in Minneapolis and St. Paul's urban neighborhoods where jobs are needed. It was a question of 4 gallons of gas for a poor person, or getting 6,000 jobs," Hornstein said.

He said despite Champion's eloquent and passionate arguments opposing taking the tax credits away from the poor, "I made the decision to fall on the side of jobs."

He said the bill that passed included funding to save 750 jobs at the Ford Plant in St. Paul and had some items to increase employment at Mall of America.

But, said Champion, that line of reasoning can only be palatable when guarantees are in place to ensure that residents of communities of color, and the poor, get their fair share of jobs that might be created. And, if current experience is any measure, the state continues to fail miserably in making and meeting commitment to reach goals for minority and women hiring and DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) contracting goals.

Hornstein said he would be willing to work with Champion and Hayden to amend the bill to include HIRE-MN sponsored language to ensure inclusion.

The leader of the DFL controlled House of Representatives, Margaret Anderson Kelliher-DFL 60A, who is a leading candidate for the DFL nomination for governor in the

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Insight News • April 5 - April 11 • Page 5

AESTHETICS

Shane of Necessary Exposure

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Trancendental Hip-Hop masters

By Alaina Lewis With arms raised to the sky and an endless sea of heads bobbing to the beat like waves crashing against a levy, the main room at First Avenue Night Club was moving in sync with Bones Thugs-N-Harmony.

The group reminded us why real Hip Hop transcends decades and levels any change in seasons.

Kicking off their latest tour with the first stop on their multi-city ticket being in Minneapolis, the hit makers, who were short Bizzy Bone (a founding member) Bones ThugsN-Harmony took to the stage with a bevy of classic tracks and a celebration of new beginnings, by offering the crowd a seamless show that had everyone in the room wishing that they could freeze time and remain in the Crossroads of their infamous live music catalog.

Throughout their set, the group paid homage to some of music's fallen greats by blessing the mic with tributes to 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Michael Jackson, and of course Eazy E, the former NWA member who lost his battle with AIDS right after helping BTNH

Steeles From 1 The Steeles, international recording artists and Twin Cities residents will bring their unique gospel and blues sound to Hennepin Church at 8:00 PM on the evening of April 24.

General Admission Tickets are

jumpstart their career in entertainment. They also wowed the crowd with some of the songs that bookended their success: The Crossroads, Thuggish Ruggish Bone, East 1999, 1st of tha Month, I Tried, and their new hit Meet Me in the Sky and Rebirth.

The Cleveland natives, who for the past 19 years have seen an onslaught of victories that were never faded by the troublesome cloud that hung lightly over them through portions of their career, are reunited with all five founding members, Krayzie Bone, Flesh-nBone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone and Layzie Bone in celebration of their long awaited return with the album Uni5: The World's Enemy.

BTNH's music, although immersed in the heart of their own daring adventures and haunting stories of street life, are recognized for their uplifting messages and the rawness of their content upon the impact of each touted hook and catchy anthem. But over the double decade span of their successful career, current musical styles have changed immensely and the radio has spun a new flock of artists who may or may not be celebrated for the purity in their lyrics and the

only $30. The concert, "Working to Make a Better Love" will benefit The Dignity Center, an outreach ministry of Hennepin church. The mission of the Dignity Center -standing between charity and justice -- is to provide support, opportunity and resources for people in transition as they regain stability in their lives and move towards self-

potency in their affirmations of street life and survival, quite like the Quintet have always been known for.

The levels of musical acceptance have changed and no longer are artists spouting out songs about mourning the death of their fallen street soldiers, rather radio is being overtaken by the celebration of superficial ditties and world renowned club anthems that make the listener wish to do all but reevaluate their circumstances and make a change for the better. "Even when we first came out, we didn't mix with anyone as far as style was concerned. We were doing something totally different and everyone else came on board and started doing what we're doing.

We're coming at it the same time around this time too," Krayzie Bone told Insight News.

For a group like BTNH, who pioneered areas of the Hip Hop genre' and have heavily influenced their protege's, they see opportunity rather than fear of needing to ride with the times. They are taking their rightful titles back of being known as a musical force to reckon with, by reminding us that they're like a four-leaf clover in an open

sufficiency. The Dignity Center helps people in poverty by providing a welcoming environment for everyone, meeting one to one to understand each individual, supporting each person's stabilization goals.

More information about the Steeles can be found on their website: thesteelesmusic.com

field; beautifully rare and intrinsically moving.

With Flesh out of prison after a 10 year stint, and all give gents arching their bow for a successful new and noticeably mature start to

the current battle for worthwhile Hip Hop Music, it's only a matter of time before their luck of taking over the musical airwaves strikes twice in one lifetime, like lightening carving a continued path towards

honor and greatness.

For more information on the tour and to find out when the new album drops please visit www.BoneThugsNHarmony.com

Down on Broadway Dennis Spears records Broadway hits live at the Capri Theater!

7 p.m. Saturday, April 17, 2010 3 p.m. Sunday, April 18, 2010 Sanford Moore, piano; Jay Young, bass Daryl Boudreaux, percussion; Steven Jennings, drums

Buy single tickets at thecapritheater.org or call OvationTix at 866-811-4111 Single tickets: $25 Saturday, $20 Sunday $5 off ticket price for groups of 10 or more!

Legends at the Capri Theater

Dennis Spears, Artistic Director

Final concert of the 2009-2010 season: Debbie Duncan and The Great American Songbook

The Capri Theater is located at 2027 West Broadway in North Minneapolis, just one block east of Penn Ave.

7 p.m. Friday, June 4 Tickets onsale now!

Page 6 • April 5 - April 11, 2010 • Insight News

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HEALTH Body & Soul Initiative helps Black churches reduce health disparities RICHMOND, VA-- In conjunction with National Minority Health Month, The Balm In Gilead announced last week that it has added a major program to its repertoire of national faith-based initiatives that address health disparities among African Americans.

Body & Soul is an evidence-based wellness program that was originally developed for African American congregations and piloted by the National Cancer Institute, The American Cancer Society, and researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Emory University in Atlanta, GA. The

program promotes a healthy diet along with an active lifestyle as a means for decreasing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer among African Americans.

According to Dr. Pernessa Seele, Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Body & Soul connects perfectly with The Balm In Gilead's mission to prevent diseases and improve the health status of people of the African Diaspora by providing support to faith institutions to strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities.

"We are delighted that the National Cancer Institute has entrusted us with the dissemination and technical support of this vital program that has been proven to be effective," said

Seele.

Body & Soul helps congregation members learn to take care of their bodies as well as their spirits by combining pastoral leadership and educational activities in a faith-based environment that supports healthy eating, and peer counseling. The Balm In Gilead will begin its Body & Soul training program this summer.

"Health disparities are a major problem in African American communities," said Daphne WalkerThoth, program director at The Balm In Gilead. The most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services Office on Minority Health reveal that in 2005, the death rate for African Americans was higher than Whites for heart diseases, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homicide. "Often, our faith institutions are ready and willing to assist, but sometimes don't know how or where to start. Body & Soul represents a good starting place for their Health Ministries," said WalkerThoth.

The Balm In Gilead is a not-forprofit, non-governmental 501(c) (3) that was established in 1989. It

provides education, training, technical and capacity-building assistance to faith institutions throughout the United States and Tanzania in Africa. In addition, it serves as a capacitybuilding assistance provider in the area of HIV/AIDS for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For information about participating in the Body & Soul training for faith institutions, contact Daphne Walker-Thoth, director of programs, at The Balm In Gilead at (804) 644-2256 or dwalkerthoth@balmingilead.org.

Let’s Move: Fighting childhood obesity Children’s Defense Fund

By Marian Wright Edelman When First Lady Michelle Obama decided to launch the "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity, she brought much needed attention to a crisis facing millions of children. It's a special concern for children of color because new research shows Black and Hispanic children are disproportionally at risk for nearly a dozen factors that increase their chances to be obese. But children of color are far from the only ones in danger. Experts estimate one-third of American children are currently overweight or obese, and these rates have tripled among children ages 12 to 19 since 1980. Some adults may see a heavy child as a sign of a healthy eater, or think that for children, extra weight is mainly just a cosmetic issue. But serious risks for overweight children go far beyond appearance.

Diseases once associated only with adults, like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure,

are on the rise at younger and younger ages. Overweight children are at greatly increased risk of being overweight adults, so for many children, this may be more than just a "chubby" phase they'll someday outgrow. As many as 80% of overweight children may be set up for a lifetime of increased health risks that come with being overweight. The most pressing risk, cardiovascular disease, remains the leading killer in America. If childhood obesity trends continue, experts predict they could cut two to five years off the lifespan of the average child in America-making this the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Right now our country spends $150 billion a year treating obesity-related diseasesnearly 10 percent of all medical spending. Many experts label the current level of childhood obesity an epidemic that threatens our future national health, productivity, and security unless something can be done to stop and reverse the trend.

There are many reasons childhood obesity is on the rise. American children have been immersed in the same "supersized" culture that snares adults, surrounded by high-calorie, high-fat food that's plentiful, cheap, and often served in unrealistically big portions. And today's children and teenagers are much less likely than past generations to spend free time running around outdoors and much more likely to spend it on the couch watching TV, playing video games, or

White House Portrait

First Lady Michelle Obama

surfing the Web, often with snacks and sodas right next to them. Very few children get the 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week recommended by the Surgeon General.

Even schools have become part of the problem. Many districts have cut back on gym time and recess, often as a tradeoff for more instructional time to prepare for state testing. The quality of school meals and easy availability of snacks and sugary drinks in many school vending machines were some of the first targets in the war on child obesity, and there's been progress.

Some major school food suppliers are making improvements in response to Mrs. Obama's campaign. Advocates for better nutrition hope that as more people become aware of the risks to children's health, more industries, schools, restaurants, and communities will make a big difference for America's children.

As these kinds of changes occur in a range of child environments,

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Michelle Obama and others stress the biggest influence in children's eating habits will come from home. It has been parents who have told their children to eat their vegetables or go outside and get some fresh air. Mrs. Obama has shared some of the simple changes she and the President have made in their own family's lifestyle, including watching portion sizes, packing more fruits and water in their daughters' lunches, limiting TV time, and, famously, starting a vegetable garden at home. We know our beautiful children come in all shapes and sizes. But by being aware of the serious health risks many overweight children face and of the long-term value of a balanced diet, and of regular exercise for all children, we can help make sure all our children grow up to be as healthy as possible. Making healthy food and exercise part of family life is the right place to start, and will be good for many adults too!

Teaching good habits to children early can have lifelong consequences, and someday our children-and grandchildren-will thank us.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children's Defense Fund whose Leave No Child BehindÂŽ mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org.

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Insight News • April 5 - April 11 • Page 7

BUSINESS Secure Waiting Space: Men in transition Plan your career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com This morning, people all over America woke up in a bed, hit the snooze on the alarm, and eventually dragged themselves through a shower routine and out the door.

They might have thought, "this is going to be a great day," or they might have thought, "I hope I don't get fired today." The challenges of

getting a job and keeping it are daunting enough. For the homeless, reporting to work or school every day is a challenge that must seem insurmountable.

Add, I hope I can find a place to shower, to the morning thoughts list, and having a great day takes on a completely different meaning. Fortunately, for homeless men in the Twin Cities, a place called Secure Waiting Space makes the morning routine possible.

In a two story building just outside the shadow of the new Twins Stadium, 125 men wake up every morning on mats on the main floor of Secure Waiting. They were served an evening meal, will be given something for breakfast and have the opportunity to shower before going on their way in the morning.

Upstairs, another 125 men wake up in bunks which they rent for $6 per night.

They store their belongings in lockers and head out to work or school. The $6 investment adds up quickly and goes further than that bunk and that locker, though. The fabulous leadership team at Secure Waiting keeps the money on account. When someone is ready to move on to more permanent housing, the total amount he invested is available to use toward a damage deposit and other housing expenses.

Secure Waiting serves men who have little or no resources. And it's not a small group. According to Robert Elfstrand, Senior Leadership Giving Officer for Catholic Charities, which operates this program, Secure Waiting served

3,500 different men last year alone.

These men had a place to call home, a place to sleep and a place to dress and shave in the morning.

Although Secure Waiting does not have a family shelter, hundreds of families do use the food shelf in the basement, operated in partnership with the Basilica of St. Mary. Thanks to Secure Waiting, 1000 Currie Avenue North, men who never expected to be homeless can get back on their feet and into housing of their own without interrupting job interviews, school and work.

Julie Desmond is Director of Help Wanted! Workshop in Minneapolis.

Write to Julie@insightnews.com.

2010 "Power and Possibilities" leadership conference Burnsville Mayor and St. Kate's alumna Elizabeth Kautz will headline the 2010 "Power and Possibilities" leadership conference at St. Catherine University Wednesday, April 21, 3-5:30 pm in Rauenhorst Ballroom in Coeur de Catherine on the University's St. Paul campus, 2004 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, 55105.

Kautz is currently serving her sixth term as mayor of Burnsville, MN and is president of the United States Conference of Mayors and chairperson of the Suburban Transit Association, as well as co-chair and co-founder of the Minnesota Regional Council of Mayors. She received her master's degree in

counseling psychology from the Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago and bachelor's in theology with a focus on psychology from St. Kate's.

She was one of the first women to serve as a professional minister within the Catholic Church, as pastoral minister at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savage, MN. In its third year, the conference offers women the chance to get a better understanding of leadership practices and to learn how to apply them in their personal and professional lives. "A lot of people come to connect and reconnect, and learn from women leaders from all over the Twin Cities," said Mary

Elizabeth Kautz Angela Baker, director of Continuing Education/Leadership Institute at St. Catherine University.

The event, presented by St. Kate's Leadership Institute, typically draws women from different industries and sectors-corporate, nonprofit, education and government. Small-business owners and those toying with the idea of

starting their own companies are also among the participants. It is sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio and Honoring Women Worldwide.

In her keynote address "Courage, Commitment and Implementation," Kautz will discuss the important stages of turning a vision into concrete results and share her philosophy on leadership-highlighting the three areas that have shaped her as a leader: business, politics and ministry.

"She is an inspiring and authentic leader," said Baker. "She is passionate about what she does and passionate about giving back."

An "authentic" leader, adds Baker, is someone who leads from the heart and stays true to her or his values.

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Page 8 • April 5 - April 11, 2010 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE Eating your fruits and veggies just got easier Style on a dime

By Marcia Humphrey Last week while seeking inspiration for my upcoming article, I asked my ten-year-old daughter, Arianna, for help.

"What should I write about, Ari?" Arianna, who takes great pride in her overflowing arsenal of knowledge, gave her usual quick response, "I know mommy! You should write about the delicious smoothies you make us!"

For a split second, I was really impressed with my girl; a few weeks earlier, I had been thinking of writing about smoothies, but apparently the thought had wiggled its way out of my mind. I responded, "That's a great idea, baby, but do you really think the smoothies are delicious?"

"Well, yes…sometimes," she responded. Leave it to my girl Arianna to tell it exactly how she sees it! Now I'm going to tell you how I see it; it doesn't have to be a battle --or expensive-- to get healthy foods into your children's body (or your body). You just have to learn a few simple

strategies involving a blender, and you are on your way to serving up tasty drinks made from fresh fruits and veggies.

Pull out the blender You probably have one in the back of your cupboard that you haven't used for years. If you don't have one, around $15 to $30 dollars can get you the popular compact blenders. What I like about these newer, smaller ones is that the blending jar doubles as a drinking glass, which means fewer dishes to clean!

Fresh fruits To keep your costs low, buy fruits that are in season and on sale.

Most stores will match competitors' pricing. When that is not an option, head to the grocer's freezer section and pick up bagged fruit --no added sugar. If you are new to juicing, start off with combinations you enjoy eating in your fruit salad: apples, pineapples, grapes, strawberries, oranges and bananas all taste great together. Dump the fruit and crushed ice into the blender (and a few tablespoons of low fat yogurt if desired) and you have a refreshing treat in minutes.

Instead of bacon and eggs for breakfast, try having a tall smoothie and see how energized you feel. If you want to sweeten your creation, simply add more ripe bananas or pears. Finally, if you see that you bought more fruit

than you can eat right away, just cut it up and freeze it. That way you can use it as needed.

Fresh veggies Some of my friends call me crazy when they see me drink carrot and spinach juice on the regular, but I believe I am taking good care of my body. For my children, I usually make a fresh carrot-apple juice. I even combine a few carrots in their fruit smoothies, and they usually don't know the difference. Lately, I have been using my blender to juice the spinach and then add it to recipes.

Even Ari doesn't realize that she's been eating spinach meatloaf and spinach spaghetti and tomato sauce. I even recently sampled some homemade sorbet with spinach in it-I'll make that one for the kids soon. If your diet consists mainly of processed foods, consider trying slowly adding fresh, whole foods to your diet.

Challenge yourself to have a fruit

Robbed From 4 upcoming primary elections, agreed with Champion and Hornstein.

She said Pawlenty's administration has been consistently hostile toward poor people; "I've never seen anything like it," she said. "Never have I seen such complete lack of

Photos courtesy of http://www.thebestjuicerreviews.com/image-files/magic-bullet-juice.jpg and http://ahealthykitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/mango-spinach-smoothie2.jpg

Whenever I set a smoothie in front of my children, they never know what to expect. Often it is a cold, yummy treat which they gulp down and then request a refill. At other times, they would describe it as a necessary evil, that they are forced to consume before the three-minute timer buzzes!

It's funny, Arianna's approach to smoothie drinking is pretty

consistent; the less she likes it, the faster she drinks it! Either way, I always remind my three children that our lifestyle goal is to consume mostly nutritious and delicious foods to keep our bodies strong and healthy. After all, the Bible says that our bodies are the temples of God. Let's all become more intentional about honoring our temple, by keeping it in good working order (you know you only get one; at least in this life).

That way, instead of leaving behind the curse of high blood

pressure and diabetes brought on by poor eating habits, our children will benefit from a legacy of healthful habits that begin with whole fruits and vegetables.

Enjoy!

interest, and such unwillingness to compromise.

Change of administration does matter and I hope we'll have that in November." If not, she said, "It could get worse."

Kelliher said she and House DFLers preferred using revenues from tax compliance to fund the Angel Investment Tax Credit.

"The wealthy pay more, and people pay what they owe."

That provision created an impasse, she said. The Governor

changed his mind and said he would sign a bill with the Angel Investment Tax Credit that takes the money from the low income fuel tax credit. That's what the Senate and the Administration brought to us," she said.

The angel provision offers a 25-percent income tax credit for investments in high-tech or "green" companies with fewer than 25 employees.

She said many House leaders didn't like the bill, and didn't like

being forced to make the decision they finally made.

"This Governor has had a pattern of going after communities of color. He repeatedly vetoed the Asian American Cultural Center and the African American Museum project.

"In his Health and Human Services budget proposal he is even taking away another $203 per month from poor families," she said.

smoothie once daily for a week and let your body decide if it's a good idea.

Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at low costs.

A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.

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Insight News • April 5 - April 11 • Page 9

Secretary of Agriculture promises improvements in civil rights, fair share in advertising

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has promised Black newspaper publishers that the department, with its long history of documented race discrimination, will do better at civil rights and the fair dissemination of advertising dollars in coming months and years.

Speaking to publishers of the National Newspaper Publishers Association during Black Press Week in mid-March, Vilsack reflected on what he described as "the unfortunate history that this department has had in civil rights" which has now prompted "the most comprehensive commitment to civil rights that … the USDA has needed for a substantial amount of time."

He said among the first things he did upon appointment by President Barack Obama was to visit with a number of former secretaries of agriculture. "One of the things that the secretaries would comment on was the poor record of civil rights," he said.

"Agriculture took three significant steps in order to try to close that chapter."

Vilsack outlined the steps as follows: • To work aggressively to close the class action suit filed by Black farmers because of gross race discrimination.

"We're close on the Black Farmer case," Vilsack said. "We need Congress to appropriate $1.15 billion that will then be distributed to

Ellison From 1 Association's 2010 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report, total healthcare costs are more than three times higher for people with Alzheimer's and other dementias than for other people the same age without the disease. For the last several years, federal funding for Alzheimer research has declined in real terms. In fact, for every $25,000 the government spends on care for people with Alzheimer's and dementia, it spends only $100 for Alzheimer research. The Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act authorizes a significant increase in funding for Alzheimer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $2 billion to increase momentum in the

thousands of farmers who were not treated fairly by USDA years ago."

• The Second thing is to "do a better job internally in terms of promotions and hiring in order to make sure we are reflective of the diversity in America and specifically the diversity we find in rural America," Vilsack said. He asked the publishers to help by getting the word out about internships that are available for college students who might be interested in long-term jobs at the USDA. • The third and final thing was to "order an external review of all the programs that have previously been a part of the problem in creating these discrimination claims." He said a specialized firm "is in the process of reviewing all the activities in 14 states where most of the problems and issues occurred" and it will bring back recommendations in a year or so "to make sure these programs are not continuing to create claims of discrimination."

He promised an in depth review:"Is it a training issue? Is it a personnel issue? Is it a program issue?

Is it a lack of understanding about the application process issue? Or what precisely is it?"

Vilsack fielded strong questions from the audience of publishers who were not only concerned about how Black people will learn about the many economic and nutrition programs of the Department of Agriculture, but also concerned about the Black Press being overlooked as a means to that end.

NNPA Chairman Danny Bakewell told the Secretary that spending pursuit of better diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Today there is no one government entity whose sole purpose is to mount a full campaign against Alzheimer's disease. The National Alzheimer's Project Act would make strides in confronting the crisis. Building on the recommendations offered by the Alzheimer's Study Group (ASG), an independent, bipartisan panel created to evaluate the government's current efforts to combat the disease, this legislation creates a National Alzheimer's Project Office at the Department of Health and Human Services and an inter-agency Advisory Council that is responsible for creating a national plan to confront the escalating crisis.

Drawing on the expertise residing in various government agencies as well

Photo by Roy Lewis

NNPA Publishers pose with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack after breakfast conversation. Vilsack stands in center between NNPA Chairman Danny Bakewell and NNPAF Chair Dorothy Leavell. advertising dollars with Black newspapers could get the word to the audience he intends to reach. "We talk to 20 million Black people every week. We believe that we represent a significant market place and we want to make sure that we participate in the budgets and in the resources that are available," Bakewell said.

Vilsack said although Agriculture works every day to fund small and Black businesses development, he was unaware of how much money is spent by the Department with Black newspapers: "Your issue is not one that I have focused on and I wouldn't be able to tell you today how well or how poorly we're doing. But, I appreciate you bringing it up and Chris we really need to think about the

reallocation of our resources to make sure it's fairly distributed," he told a staff member.

Continuing to nail the issue, Richmond Free Press Editor/Publisher Ray Boone told Vilsack, "The greatest indicator of commitment is how you spend your money. I can look at your check book and tell whether you are serious," Quoting civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer and Black farmers leader, John Boyd, Boone asked, "Where are your values?"

Vilsack said he would not pretend to know where every dollar has gone from the Department, but he said he has established a new Office of Outreach and Advocacy to make sure resources, including dollars and

as individuals living with the disease, caregivers, providers and other stakeholders, this office would provide strategic planning and coordination for the fight against Alzheimer's across the federal government as a whole.

"The Alzheimer's Association commends Rep. Keith Ellison for his recognition of the growing threat of Alzheimer's," said Mary Birchard, Executive Director of the Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter.

"Supporting the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act and the National Alzheimer's Project Act, Rep. Ellison signals his understanding of the grave threat Alzheimer's poses to the nation. With 5.3 million people living with the disease and 11 million people caring for them - nearly 17 million people touched by Alzheimer's - it only underscores the urgency for action."

Haiti From 3 attend school, most of those who do never finish elementary school, and fewer than four in one hundred graduate from high school. But many parents wouldn't consider sending their children away if an education were available for them at home, so Beyond Borders is working to improve the quality of rural schools and provide scholarships for rural children. They are also investing in rural development overall, providing hope for families who live in these areas.

For children who are already caught up in the child servitude system, Beyond Borders is raising

information, are getting to communities that need it most.

This writer asked Vilsack when First Lady Michelle Obama would speak directly to Black newspapers with her new "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity. A White House press briefing with the First Lady and about a dozen publications early this year omitted Black newspapers.

Vilsack explained, "The First lady is introducing the obesity program to the country as a whole first. And then there will be targeted efforts over the next 12 to 24 months focused on specific communities." He added, "I can promise you that we can take this message back to the 'Let's Move' initiative and make sure the First Lady

awareness of children's rights and developing a grassroots movement to demand that government, civic leaders, and citizens do more to protect children from exploitation, abuse, and neglect. They are helping train Haitian police to enforce existing laws protecting children, and training adult survivors of child servitude to become the core of a new abolitionist movement speaking out against the practice. In the wake of the earthquake, there was an outpouring of international compassion for Haiti's children and a new urgency focused on creating a system to ensure children in need were properly documented and safely cared for until they could be reunited with family members or safe caregivers. Beyond Borders is now working with the government, UNICEF, Save the Children, and

understands the need to reach out - not just to the Black Community and the Black Press - but actually in Spanishspeaking publications as well. This is a serious issue with minority kids. And so, there needs to be a targeted strategy. We will convey that message.

I'm sure they're aware of it. I'm sure they've got some thoughts about this … We will convey this message today."

NNPA Foundation Chair Dorothy Leavell stressed that NNPA is not looking for one-time hit or miss strategies, but a long-term commitment.

"What I want is a real partnership with the Department of Agriculture," Leavell told Vilsack. "Sometimes in the grand scope of things, we think we're reaching everybody when we're on TV. We think we're reaching everybody when we're on the radio.

We think we're reaching all of these people, but our people need to know that you're talking to us. You're not talking to us when you're on TV. You're talking to us when you're in our publications…If we don't get to the people that you are trying to reach; then we will have spent all of this money all of this time and we will still have the same problems."

Vilsack sought to assure the publishers that he is serious about his respect for the Black Press: "Within rural America and in USDA, we get a much bigger bang for our buck - not with the News Weeks and the Times and the major publications. We get it with the regional and local publications. My view is that people read those local publications."

others to seize this moment of care and concern and fight for the same protections for all of the country's vulnerable children. I am so grateful to Beyond Borders and all those like them committed to keeping children safe, ensuring each one a childhood, and making sure no child believes he or she is worthless.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children's Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org.

Page 10 • April 5 - April 11, 2010 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY Volunteers, students activate super powers to fight hunger On Thursday, March 25, 2009, students and staff from JJ Hill Montessori School and Hallie Q. Brown Community Center staff and Board Members ducked into phone booths, changed into capes or masks and faster than a speeding bullet, delivered food from JJ Hill to the Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf as a part of a month-long campaign against the “forces of hunger.”

The effort was the creation of Brande Kraft, a Saint Paul Public Schools Discovery Club group leader at JJ Hill and her students, working with Hannah Ellis, Manager of Volunteerism and Quality Assurance for Hallie Q. Brown. Kraft and her group of students (third thought sixth graders) adopted the Food Shelf in 2009 as part of their school service learning project. Their goal was to show young people that they can make a difference in the world. So motivated were Kraft and her students that they were able to get the entire school involved for the month of March.

With help from a few “Superfriends” along the way, Mississippi Market donated 500 recyclable/reusable bags for collecting and transporting food; Pizza Luce donated food to the class collecting the most items and Minnesota FoodShare (MFS) matched

Calendar of Events Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, ben@insightnews.com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 5881313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Free or low cost events preferred.

Naked Stages - Mar. 31 to Apr. 17 Weds., Mar. 31 to Saturday, Apr. 17 at Pillsbury House Theatre, 3501 Chicago Ave S. Mpls. (612) 825-0459. www.pillsburyhousetheatre.org Classic Black films at VOA Park Elder Center - Ongoing First and third Mondays of each month, 11 am - 12:15 pm. These films are free of charge and the public is invited. Popcorn, hotdogs and drinks are provided for a suggested donation of $1. VOA Park ElderCenter, 1505 Park Ave. Mpls. 612339-7581, parkcenter@voamn.org

Suluki Fardan

Students and staff from JJ Hill Montessori School and Hallie Q. Brown Community Center staff and Board Members ducked into phone booths, don capes or masks and faster than a speeding bullet, delivered food from JJ Hill to the Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf. each pound and dollar raised as part of their March Campaign.

Donations are accepted year round at the Center and all those made by April 9, 2010 count in MFS’ March Campaign

matching.

Founded in 1929, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Inc. is a private, nonprofit social service agency serving the Summit University area of Saint Paul,

Minnesota and is the administrative body of the Martin Luther King Center, which houses our partners offering specialized services and programs, including the nationally recognized Penumbra Theatre

Company. Hallie Q. Brown also operates branch service centers at Oxford and Laurel and Skyline Towers, where we meet the emergency food and clothing needs of community residents.

you compete. (612) 207-7991, www.soapboxing.com

Sabathani Senior Center to offer assistance in filing Homestead Property Tax / Renters Rebate

Screening of Food, Inc – Apr. 8 Tues., Apr. 8, 6 pm at School of Environmental Studies, 12155 Johnny Cake Road, Apple Valley. Free, with donations to the School of Environmental Studies Education Foundation encouraged.

952-891-1212, #239. www.valleynaturalfoods.com

Get to NOMI Home Tour - Apr. 11 Meet & greet at 42nd Avenue Station 11am-1pm. Homes open until 3pm.

Email: mynewneighbor@gmail.com

Conversation Circles - Apr. 5 to May 10 Mondays, April 5-May 10, 6:15 p.m. at Augsburg Park Library. Non-native English speakers: practice your English and make new friends in an informal, volunteer-led setting, and learn about the library, too. Call 612-630-6069 for more information in English or, in Hmong, 952847-8845; in Somali, 952-847-8756; in Spanish, 952-847-8510.

Concordia Cafe - Apr. 7 Weds., April 7, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Concordia University, Buenger Education Center, 312 Hamline Ave., St. Paul (I-94 and Hamline Ave.) A free information session for adults exploring accelerated undergraduate or graduate degree programs. www.csp.edu/concordiacafe. con’tro’VERSE’ial: Spoken Word Event - Apr. 7 Weds., April 7 from 7-10 p.m. at Hamline University - Bush Student Center, Ballroom, 1551 Hewitt Avenue, St. Paul.

Career and Community Resource Fair – Apr. 7 Northwest Hennepin Career and Community Resource Fair at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park. 10a3p.

MCASA Holds 4th Aware Event – Apr. 7 The Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault will hold its 4th annual AWARE celebration at the Kelly Inn, 161 St. Anthony Ave., St. Paul. The event is an opportunity to educate the community about sexual violence, acknowledge individuals and organizations that have Soap Boxing Poetry Slam – Apr. 5 played a key role in working to end sexual Every 1st Monday - at the Artists’ Quarter violence, and also a fundraiser for in Downtown St. Paul. Doors open at 7 pm MNCASA’s ongoing public policy efforts.

- Slam begins at 8 pm. $5 cover - free if Wed., Apr. 7, 2010, 4:30pm to 7:30pm Suggested Donation: $10 Hallie Q. Brown Community Center World Language Storytime: Vietnamese - Apr. 3 to 24 Saturdays, April 3 - 24, 11 a.m. at Augsburg Park Library, 7100 Nicollet Ave., Richfield, 952-847-5300. For children age 2 and up. Experience the world in other languages.

Sabathani Senior Center in collaboration with AARP will offer assistance to community seniors in filing their homestead property tax or renter rebate tax forms.

According to Georgia MarinkovOmorean, Sabathani Senior Center Program Director, the service will be available to people 50 and older on April 15 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Center, 310 E. 38th St. in Minneapolis, Room 106.

There is no fee for the program but participants must sign-up in advance by calling (612) 821-2306.

“I encourage all seniors to take advantage of the tax rebate program, which will return money to taxpayers,” Marinkov-Omorean said. “Even if an individual has not yet received a property tax statement, we can look it up. Renters should bring their document supplied by their landlord.”

Cuban Movie Festival 2010 – Now to Apr. 8 Regular hours: 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Mar. 4 – Apr. 8. St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main Street, SE, Mpls. www.stanthonymaintheatre.com. Free parking in ramp at 2nd Street SE and 2nd Avenue SE. Admission: $6; 4 for $20.

American Refugee Committee speaks on Haiti - Apr. 8 Thurs., April 8, 7 PM at the Parish Community of St. Joseph, 8701-36th Avenue N., New Hope (corner of Boone and 36th.) All are welcome at this informative program about ARC’s ongoing humanitarian work; for more information, Pat Helin, 763-542-1966.

POSITION SUMMARY: Coordinates the day to day affairs of Executive Management for the agency. Key responsibilities include: Executive support, office administration; human resources program coordination, customer relations, employee records management and regulatory compliance support.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Supports the overall leadership for the Agency.

2. Provides administrative support for the Executive Director, including but not limited to: Taking projects from start to finish including troubleshooting, problem solving and providing updates as necessary; anticipating and proactively supporting the administrative needs of Executive Director including conducting research and analysis, preparation of correspondence, reports and charts, managing calendar and schedule. Maintains files and records as appropriate.

3. Assists Executive Management with Board meeting logistics and details, including scheduling and administratively supporting the production of Board meeting information packets, etc.

4. Supports the Director of Finance and Operations in the coordination of the human resources function, including maintaining personnel files and appropriate agency documentation to support compliance requirements; documents the HR activities, actions and processes related to hiring.

5. Develops reports and budget information as needed.

6. Provides general office support to Executive Management.

7. Professionally represents HQB in various community engagement activities and meetings, as appropriate.

8. Acts as a liaison between general public, partners, organizations and other key constituents and Hallie Q. Brown Executive Management.

9. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: Education and Work Experience: Bachelors Degree with 2-3 years of administrative experience, Associates Degree with 3-5 years of administrative experience or the equivalent required.

Other Requirements: • Ability to deal with confidential information • Ability to handle tight deadlines • Exceptional computer skills • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • Excellent customer service skills • Organized and detail oriented • Ability to work effectively with employees, colleagues and manager • Agree to mandated child abuse reporting guidelines • Ability to relate to people from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds • Dealing with unfavorable weather conditions To apply, send a cover letter, resume, salary requirements and references to: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center ATTN: Human Resources 270 N. Kent Street Saint Paul, MN 55102 651-224-7074-Fax hr@hallieqbrown.org

“The House of Bernarda Alba” by Federico García Lorca - Apr. 9 to 25 All shows at 7:30 p.m. at the SteppingStone Theatre, 55 Victoria Street North. Tix: $15 General Admission / $12 Students & Seniors. 612-203-1088, www.PangeaWorldTheater.org Lutheran Social Service adoption information meeting - Apr. 10 Sat., Apr. 10, from 10 a.m. – 12:00 noon at the Center for Changing Lives (Room 182), located at 2400 Park Ave., Mpls. Call Lynne Haggar at (612) 879-5230 or visit www.minnesotaadoption.org to register.

Teacher(s) Excell Academy for Higher Learning Charter School, located in Brooklyn Park, MN has the following job position openings for 2010-2011 School Year: Lower/Upper Licensed Elementary Classroom Teacher(s). Grades 6-8 Licensed Science Teacher. Please submit letter of intent and resume to careers@excellacademy.org. For full job description visit website at Excell Academy.org.

Evening Maintenance and Security Worker JOB LOCATION: Twin Cities Metro SALARY: $10-$13/hour TYPE: Part Time / 20 hours DEADLINE: Open Until Filled

Executive Coordinator DEPT: Administration SUPERVISED BY: Director of Finance and Operations & Executive Director TITLES SUPERVISED: N/A FLSA: Exempt SALARY GRADE: $25,000 - $33,000

Beatles Sing-Along - Apr. 9 A Fundraiser for Music Scholarships at Camden Music School. Fri., April 9, 7pm at Capri Theater, 2027 West Broadway, Mpls, MN. Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. www.camdenmusicschool.com.

612-529-2317.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Hallie Q. Brown Community Center Substitute Teacher DEPT: Early Learning Center SUPERVISED BY: Youth Program Manager TITLES SUPERVISED: N/A FLSA: Non-Exempt SALARY GRADE: $10-13/hour POSITION SUMMARY: This is a substitute position designed to fill in as needed on a short or long term basis for permanent teaching staff. Substitute Teacher participates in long and short range activities for students in accordance with curriculum objectives and engages students in developmentally appropriate activities.

Assists with ensuring that the classroom is appropriately staffed and maintained to provide a safe and secure environment for each child.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.

Works with teaching staff to implement program curriculum and coordinate students activities.

2.

Plans and supervises the arrangement of the classroom environment in accordance to program goals and philosophy.

3.

Maintains a safe and healthy environment, including safely managing developmental activities for the participants.

4.

Keeps all appropriate records such as records, attendance, time sheets and accident reports.

5.

Maintains open communication with parents/guardians of the program participants regarding the developmental needs of the participants.

QUALIFICATIONS: Education: Associates degree or equivalent in early childhood development. B.S. in Early childhood Development preferred.

Licensing and Certifications: CPR and Meet all applicable licensing regulations. Valid Driver's License and proof of insurance. Minnesota Teachers' License (preferred).

Work Experience: 5 years of Child Care Center or related experience required.

Other Requirements: • Dealing with confidential information.

• Tight deadlines.

• Dealing with unfavorable weather conditions.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively with employees, colleagues and manager.

• Agree to mandated child abuse reporting guidelines.

• Ability to relate to children from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, salary requirements and references to: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center ATTN: Human Resources 270 N. Kent Street Saint Paul, MN 55102 651-224-7074-Fax hr@hallieqbrown.org

POSITION SUMMARY: Responsible for providing light maintenance and general security for HQB during the late afternoon through evening hours of operation with occasional weekends. Key responsibilities include: end of daily operations visitor control and general facility security, light maintenance and general janitorial duties.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Responsible for locking all internal and external doors at the end of the facility's operating hours.

2. Ensures that all users of the facility safely conclude their business and appropriately exit the facility on a timely basis.

3. Maintains close monitoring of operations and visitor control, securing St. Paul Police assistance, as appropriate.

4. Provides light maintenance, including changing light bulbs, monitoring HVAC operations, minor equipment repair, painting and checking mechanical operations.

5. Sets-up rooms for use, as directed.

6. Janitorial duties may include but are not limited to: vacuuming floors and furnishings, mopping hard surface floors, cleaning, dusting and polishing furniture, cleaning walls and windows, cleaning and disinfecting kitchen and bathroom, emptying and sanitizing waste baskets.

5. Perform errands and special projects as requested by supervisor.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: Education: High School degree or equivalent.

Vocational training in building maintenance and specialized training in the areas of HVAC, plumbing and electrical repair not required but highly preferred.

Work Experience: 3+ years of general building janitorial, maintenance and repair experience.

Other Requirements: Physical ability to moderately strenuous work safely. Customer service skills Ability to work effectively with employees, colleagues and manager. Agree to mandated child abuse reporting guidelines HOW TO APPLY: Submit Resume and Cover Letter or Application available on our website to: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Inc. ATTN: Human Resources 270 North Kent Street St. Paul, MN 55102 651-224-7074-Fax www.hallieqbrown.org hr@hallieqbrown.org

Come celebrate with your neighbors Apr. 11 If you live between Penn and Vincent and between Golden Valley Road and Broadway, Come join in for: fun, food and connection. Bring the kids, share a meal and get to know and/or deepen your connection with your neighbors and local businesses. Sun., April 11 at 5:00pm True Vine Missionary Baptist Church 2630 Thomas Ave. N, Mpls, MN. Nettie Smith 612-588-4935.

ABA

Minnesota Blizzards Basketball The Minnesota Blizzards ABA Basketball Team is announcing a program for college Internships for the fall and winter. The program will consist of five teams of 5 interns each in the following areas: (1) Sales, (2) Basketball Operations. (3) Marketing (4) Public Relations (5) Business administration. Each team will have a leader and be given challenging assignments.

We are looking for college students majoring in Sports Management, Business, Public Relations, Marketing Sales, Broadcasting and Event Planning. We need 20 or 25 interns working with us for a (minimum of 8 hours a week) on a part-time basis. Interns will gain valuable experience, and in most cases college credits. Interested Parties please send resume to: The Minnesota ABA Team Attn: Internship Program 10125 Crosstown Circle #200 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952-829-1250 Fax: 952-829-1040 www.minnesotablizzards.com

Amendment to Certificate of Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Passion Playhouze 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 2731 Fillmore St NE #3, Minneapolis, MN 55418 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Alina Rae Muellerleile, 2731 Fillmore St NE #3, Minneapolis, MN 55418 4. This certificate is an amendment of Certificate of Assumed name number 3312815-2 originally filed on May 6th, 2009 under the name (List the previous name only if you are amending that name) 5. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Alina Rae Owner/Operator Date Filed: 3/15/2010

Muellerleile

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Insight News 3/29/2010, 4/5/2010

Amendment to Certificate of Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Northern Sun Energy 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 3554 Polk St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Michael John Muellerleile, 3554 Polk St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 4. This certificate is an amendment of Certificate of Assumed name number 2332441-2 originally filed on May 1st, 2007 under the name (List the previous name only if you are amending that name) 5. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Michael John Muellerleile Owner /Operator Date Filed: 3/15/2010 Insight News 3/29/2010, 4/5/2010

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Insight News • April 5 - April 11 • Page 11

SPORTS Stay in school, or get paid?

Tubby Smiths of the world focus on developing young men Mr T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com The best topics for sports articles, besides the kids, come from everyday discussions with the homies. So naturally when a college basketball conversation kicked-off with an official Philly sports fan - Philadelphia is always in the conversation for "Home of the most passionate sports fans" you know there had to be some passionate perspective that came out of that exchange.

This year March Madness has been something beyond anyone's expectations, yet perhaps if we really think about it, we're merely watching a common sense experiment come to fruition. The current rule of the NBA allows young basketball players to play one year of college basketball, and then enter their name for NBA consideration. Previously there was no rule and players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Wilt Chamberlain could come directly to the NBA. Enter the "One & Done" college basketball player.

Superstar, physically advanced college basketball players now come to college and go through the motions with the "school thing", though they do seem to take a fairly

MPS From 1 the district owns the West Broadway site and they believe the 807 site is the most valuable piece of property the district owns and would sell at a premium price. The Superintendent's staff has recommended to the board that they approve construction of a new building on the land at 1250 West Broadway.

As a part of the request for proposals, the district insisted that any wining proposal demonstrate a significant social and economic impact on the community. The entire Board supported this criterion and proposals were evaluated on

Schools From 1 Districts 1, 3, and 5 will each elect a board member and two members will be elected at-large. With the three board members who are completing their terms, there will be eight members total. In the 2012 general election, School Districts 2, 4, and 6 will each elect a school board member and one member will be elected at-large. Minneapolis School Board members are elected for three-year terms.

Baker has a long history of active involvement in the community and working with children. She ran a home-day care in North Minneapolis, worked for the Greater Minneapolis Day Care

serious run at being successful on the court. Chicago Bull's guard Derrick Rose was a One & Done player for the University of Memphis. The University of Memphis is now facing sanctions from the NCAA because of Rose's unqualified SAT scores. The school had to vacate a record 38-win season --which resulted in a runnerup placing at the NCAA tournament. They also had to forfeit more than $600,000 in revenues. In the meantime, the coach of that team has gone on to greener pastures and bigger paychecks himself. Coach and player must be slappin' five for that successful racket.

Actually I made reference to said coach in the recent article about the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's initiative to highlight student graduation rates.

John Calipari is that coach, and the greener pastures encompass the University of Kentucky - heralded as one of the crown college coaching jobs. The Kentucky teams' graduation rate is below 40%. As far as that conversation goes check out the article titled "Observing collegiate graduation rates‌" and research the people and sources mentioned.

My conversation with Minnesota's Greatest Philly Fan dealt more with the quality of basketball due to these rule nuances. I was very interested in the Kentucky team this year because they were led by a couple of suspected One & Done players by the name of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. I don't think professional teams can buy championships, and I don't think

collegiate teams can engineer championships with uncommitted 18-year-olds. I thought Kentucky was susceptible --Philly Fan knew this-- and sure enough the ultratalented team lost to an experienced West Virginia team just as Memphis lost to an experienced Kansas team in 2008.

It was pretty easy to see the lack of discipline that Kentucky's young team had. That's what players learn in college: discipline.

That is if they stay and learn, and have an objective to learn.

Otherwise what these "looseygoosey" young fellas do is commit to the NBA, get bossed around on the court by some grown men, and never reach their potential because they are always playing catch-up.

Not to mention how it makes the quality of the NBA much poorer because so many teams have players trying to learn how to play "grown man basketball".

There are exceptions, and of course every talented young fella thinks that he is the exception. I suppose it just goes with being young. It's like mosquitoes going head first into the light without truly evaluating whether it's a bulb or a zapper. Unfortunately when these players are zapped, they are likely zapped of their full potential, which could mean the loss of a Hall of Fame career (and that's where the long term money really is). My

advice to those young fellas: You get what you pay for. In this case the currency is in the form of practice before getting paid. I mean, let a one & done doctor operate on you and see what happens.

And then there's the coach and the agents who use these players.

Here's to the Tubby Smith's of the World -grown men who actually focus on developing young men.

that criteria amid other factors including the financial capacity and experience of the developer and the economic benefits to the district.

The three proposals advanced to the Board for further consideration were a proposal submitted by a team consisting of Mortenson Development and Legacy Management, an African American development company owned by the well-known Givens family.

Additionally, the MortensonLegacy team includes Thor Construction, one of the largest African American-owned construction firms in the United States. The other development proposals include Ryan Construction, a Minneapolis-based firm that proposes to totally revamp

the current Northeast site at 807 Broadway, and a Texas firms' proposal to use the Valspar paint building site off Washington Avenue near the new Guthrie Theatre.

The West Broadway garnered support from the African American community because of the huge impact it could have on the redevelopment of West Broadway.

"Over the past several years North Minneapolis has lost more schools than any other area of the city and choosing the West Broadway site will go a long way in recognizing that our community is deserving of the district's headquarters," said the Rev. Jerry McAfee, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church and president of the Minnesota State Baptist Convention. "Moreover the team of

Mortenson, Legacy and Thor Construction gives the district the opportunity to make sure many of the dollars spent in constructing the new building will end up in North Minneapolis," MacAfee said.

"The school district, unlike MnDOT and the City of Minneapolis included a social impact requirement as a significant part of the criteria that developers had to meet. This was designed to maximize employment and participation by people of color in any construction of the new building," said McAfee who applauded the school board and administration for including this criterion in the requirements.

Northside business owner and well-known dentist Dr. John Williams said, "I have always

maintained my business in North Minneapolis because this is a community that has a great future. I strongly support the MortensonLegacy proposal for the Minneapolis school administration facility to be built at 1250 West Broadway." Williams is also a member of the Metropolitan Airports Commission governing body.

The Rev. Randolph Staten, cochair of Coalition of Black Churches/African American Leadership Summit, echoed McAfee's support of the proposed West Broadway location. "We join with the West Broadway Business Association and Black-owned businesses there in supporting that site as the best place for a new district administration building,"

Staten said. "We believe West Broadway offers the district a family friendly location, an opportunity to have significant economic impact on our community and to advance the redevelopment of West Broadway as an anchor tenant."

On April 6, 2010, the School Board will have a discussion meeting and weigh the merits of all three proposals. The community is urged to attend, listen and comment on the merits of all the proposals. The board plans to vote up or down on the proposal on April 13 with a public engagement meeting on April 9, 2010. All Minneapolis residents and interested parties are invited to attend all or any one of these meetings.

Association, at St. David's Center for Child and Family Development, and at Little People Day Care. Baker has also worked on early education and after-school programs and researched a Hennepin county respite program . She's worked for Sabathani Community Center in South Minneapolis providing resources to new immigrant families to learn English and to take citizenship classes. Baker is currently the Chief Learning Officer at Pillsbury Community Services.

She is a married mother of five children.

Baker grew up in a family with a strong appreciation for the importance of community. Her uncle was the late Richard Green, former superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools. Baker was raised with the value that a

successful community is dependent upon the ability of everyone sharing accountability, accepting responsibility and recognizing accomplishment, especially when it comes to children.

Baker's decision to run for the Minneapolis School Board grew out of her commitment to the community, her belief that all children can reach their potential if given the proper learning environment and her frustration with the stagnation of student achievement.

There are many things that impact the school system and Baker was "hesitant at first because it's a big job and I wondered, 'Can I really make a change?'" However, people kept asking her to run and Baker realized that there are numerous issues that need to be addressed. "It's

time for me to run because people are becoming more receptive to exploring new ideas of how to make things work better," Baker said.

Baker hopes to build on the momentum from the outgoing School Board. She was impressed with their authorizations for more charter schools and allowing for new models of schools that could be independently run, even by the teachers themselves. "This allows new schools to pilot different methods of education‌and offers new possibilities of how to manage a school outside of the traditional methods. It gives us a chance to explore new directions that we don't normally go," she said. Baker is also excited about working collaboratively with the incoming Superintendent whom she feels strongly understands the issues.

Baker hopes to ensure that every student has the support he or she needs to be successful. She is impressed with the Minneapolis Public School's decision to start parenting classes. "I want to create a continuum of engagement for parents. Some parents are extremely involved and there are some who are unable to be," Baker said. The question of "Who's at fault?" only divides the responsibility between teachers, parents, and students.

Sometimes parents cannot be available all of the time for their children so parents and teachers need to reinforce one another in a child's education. "Both parents and students need a community of support; we all need to come together. When the kids lose, we all lose," she said.

If elected, Baker hopes to

explore the issues of increasing student retention and graduation rates both district-wide and at individual schools. "One major issue is high-mobility families. We need to work at stabilizing families at one school because every time they move the child has to get used to a new school environment. So much shifting affects performance," she said.

Through her personal and professional activities, Baker has learned that Minneapolis residents want more input and authority in the educational process. She also understands the value of researchbased innovation to support student learning. "I want to hear from the community. I have my own experience but I won't have all the answers," Baker said.

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Page 12 • April 5 - April 11, 2010 • Insight News

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