Insight News ::: 4.13.09

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

AUTHOR AND FILMMAKER NELSON GEORGE, FINDS SUCCESS WITH LATEST WORK: CITY KID: A WRITER'S MEMOIR OF GHETTO LIFE AND POST-SOUL SUCCESS PAGE 6

April 13 - April 19, 2009 • MN Metro Vol. 35 No. 15 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

A season of change

Spirited challenges afoot in 4th & 5th Ward contests

PZI Jeans launches the premiere Skinny Jeans Collection for Curvy Women

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Analysis by Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief al@insightnews.com The Kenya McKnight campaign for 5th Ward City Council seat and the Troy Parker campaign for 4th Ward City Council seat both signal rising confidence and energizing enthusiasm that likely will remake North Minneapolis and give North Minneapolis residents a greater say in their communities and in the city at large. McKnight’s challenge to incumbent Don Samuels at the DFL 5th Ward Endorsing Convention at North Commons Park Building March 28th, and Parker’s spirited challenge a week earlier to the reign of the Rainville clan, show the line of division separating on the one hand residents who operate with a sense of entitlement and on the other hand, the ever growing body of residents who feel marginalized, left out, disregarded and disrespected by the relatively small group of power players and power

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Weekly previews for movies opening April 17

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Kenya McKnight

StudioTobechi

Troy Parker

Build green economy By Batala-Ra McFarlane Publisher Batalara@insightnews.com

nymag.com

(L-R) Barack Obama, Sarah Brown, Michelle Obama, and Gordon Brown

Michelle Obama wows Londoners By Dorothy Rowley Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspapers (NNPA) - Stylish hair, clothes and shoes. Buffed arms and an unmistakable air of grace, beauty and poise. They’re all synonymous with first lady Michelle Obama who continues to wow crowds everywhere she goes - and her recent trip to the United Kingdom along with President Barack Obama has been no different. While the president dove right into the serious business of the G20 economic summit, the first lady was becoming the toast of the town, cosying up with the Queen of England, sitting for tea,

visiting an inner city all-girls school, and touring a cancer ward. “She’s a real breath of fresh air,” CBS anchor Katie Couric was quoted as saying by phone on Thursday from London. Meredith Vieira from NBC’s “Today” show gushed that “Everybody in Europe is enthralled with her.” Both women, no doubt, were echoing the sentiments of many who said Mrs. Obama had acquired a powerful presence in London. During her visit to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School which enrolls about 1,000 girls ages 11-17, the students were in awe. “The amazement and

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In advance of Earth Day, Van Jones, Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), hosted a tele-conference with members of the Black press last week April 8. Prior to joining the CEQ, Jones served as the CEO for Green for All, an Oakland, CA based non-profit organization focused on developing and educating individuals about opportunities in emerging green industries. President Barack Obama has made the development of green jobs a formal plank in his comprehensive economic recovery plan through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This unprecedented legislation is designed to address America’s

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economic crisis by putting Americans back to work. According to the Department of Labor, since the recession started in 2007, 5.1 million jobs have been lost, with almost two-thirds (3.3 million) of the decrease occurring in the last five months. Jones, a lawyer, has been internationally-recognized for his advocacy work in underserved communities. This work is centered around promoting green-collar jobs and opportunities for disadvantaged communities. “The African American community has been hit twice as hard during this recession,” said Jones. African Americans and other communities of color are disproportionately unemployed; 13.3% compared to 7.9% for white men. Green jobs, said Jones is one way to get Americans back to work. To fix the unemployment crisis, said Jones, rungs need to be placed on a ladder “and those are green rungs;

Boredom-busters for kids this summer

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MN House of Representatives DFL Caucus

Van Jones

the president understands this. In reality, Obama is the first green president,” he said Under Recovery Act, specific funds have been allocated for the development of and training

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Ida B. Wells helped pave the way

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NATO allies back Obama’s Afghan initiative By Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American (NNPA) - President Obama has won commitments from NATO allies for an additional 5,000 troops, trainers and mentors in Afghanistan, according to wire reports. The president expressed satisfaction with the result, even though the promises don’t come close to matching the planned

addition of 21,000 U.S. troops. Obama also won a strong endorsement for his new policy in Afghanistan, which is focused on rooting out al-Qaeda from the border with Pakistan, stepping up training for Afghan military and police forces, and working closely with Afghanistan’s neighbors, according to the Associated Press. The president called pledges from Britain, France, Germany and others to help in Afghanistan “the kinds of commitments that historically you don’t see at a

conference like this,’’ adding, “What was pledged here today was significant.’’ NATO officials said more than 10 countries had promised additional troops, trainers or money. ‘’Many of us have stepped up to the plate this morning,’’ said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. “When it comes to Afghanistan, this summit and this alliance have delivered.’’ French President Nicolas

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Metrodome or bust!

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