Insight News ::: 04.27.15

THROUGH THE FIRE

Cinematographer Mychal Fisher rebuilds after Northside blaze MORE ON PAGE 10

Insight News April 27 - May 3, 2015

Vol. 42 No. 17 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Business as usual for NOC despite fire News

Insights

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer

Calls for sanctions after Republican lawmaker makes offensive remark

Just a few hours after a threealarm blaze raged in the building Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC) called home, the group assisted in a protest supporting raising the minimum wage.

NOC may have been left without a home when an early morning April 15 fire gutted the West Broadway building NOC once occupied, but the organization and workers were not left without purpose. NOC and its employees, who have been at the forefront of voting and workers’ rights, continued to press on, assisting others when they may have been the ones most in need. Now that the fire has passed and the building at 911 West Broadway is uninhabitable, NOC, which has come to the aid of others,

NOC TURN TO 3

Batala McFarlane

911 West Broadway building

Community, businesses, residents still searching for answers following West Broadway fire

Mike Rumppe, fire inspector with the Minneapolis Fire Department, addresses concerned citizens affected by the April 15 West Broadway fire.

Just a little more than a week after the devastating fire that changed the landscape of West Broadway, the community, affected businesses and residents are still without answers.

The April 15 three-alarm blaze raged for nearly seven hours – days

later firefighters were on the scene putting out “hot spots” – and when the fire was finally contained a stretch of businesses and residences along the 900 block of West Broadway Avenue were destroyed.

FIRE TURN TO 3

Black women face pay gap

By Freddie Allen NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Black women working full time earned just 64 cents for every dollar White men made in 2013, according to a new report by the Center for American Progress (CAP).

Researchers with CAP, a nonpartisan education and policy group, released the issue brief that reported that even though the types of jobs and the number of hours that women worked can affect the wage gap, “structural and economic realities that limit women’s abilities to compete with men in the labor force” also contribute to the pay disparities. It noted that Black women working several parttime jobs to make ends meet may be falling further behind.

Gov. Mark D a y t o n and other law makers are calling on state Republican leaders to Rep. Jim sanction one Newbeger of its own.

(R-Becker) During an April 21 debate on the House Omnibus Transportation bill, Rep. Jim Newbeger (R-Becker) made offensive comments about the mostly AfricanAmerican residents of north Minneapolis. The debate was on an amendment to study the extension of the North Star line to Saint Cloud. Newberger remarked, “Boy, wouldn’t that be convenient to have that rail line going from the prison (in Saint Cloud) to north Minneapolis.”

After objections from his colleagues, Newberger attempted to clarify his remarks by stating that is “what came into my mind.

It doesn’t matter, it could be any part of the city. But if you’re going to connect a large metro to a prison, there’s going to be some concerns. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t.”

Dayton has called the comment highly inflammatory and called on Republicans to take action. Also angered by Newberger’s comment was Rep. Raymond Dehn (DFLMinneapolis), who represents a portion of north Minneapolis has called for sanctions and an apology.

“Not only was the comment highly offensive, it appears to be based on woefully inaccurate stereotypes about the type of people living in north Minneapolis,” said Dehn. “I represent a diverse group of people in north Minneapolis.

Many are largely successful and many others are working hard to get ahead and help their families. It’s exactly these types of prejudices that make it so easy for the GOP to target the hard working people in one part of one city in Minnesota. At a minimum, Rep. Newberger should apologize on the House Floor.”

Adaobi Okolue named executive director of the Twin Cities Daily Planet (From the Twin Cities Daily Planet) After more than a decade of working to give voice to underrepresented communities, Jeremy Iggers will be stepping down as executive director of the Twin Cities Media Alliance

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Women Leading Change

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Africans continue domination of Boston Marathon

By Tom Gitaa, Publisher, Mshale Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia has won the Boston marathon men’s race again with an unofficial time of 2:09:17 improving on his win in 2013 which was marred by the marathon bombing that happened then. He gave his 2013 medal he won to the City of Boston. In 2013 he won with a time of 2:10:22.

In the women’s race, Caroline Rotich won a close race by outkicking his closest competitor at the last 500 metres. She won with a time of 2:24:55. This is her first Boston marathon win. She said at the finish line “I have been waiting for this and training and training.”

Lelisa Desisa

Caroline Rotich

Navy Petty Officer Vu Phung of Brooklyn Park serves aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) SOUTH CHINA SEA (April 18, 2015) Operations Specialist 1st Class Vu Phung, Brooklyn Park, Minn., fires a 9mm service pistol during a live-fire drill on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62). Fitzgerald is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the IndoAsia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Patrick Dionne/Released)

Insights From 1 (TCMA) on May 6.

Leading the organization through its next stage of development will be board member Adaobi Okolue, who will cede her board voting position and step in as executive director effective May 7. A writer and marketing strategist, Okolue is also the founder and owner of Coloring Circles, a marketing studio in Minneapolis that works with organizations and small businesses. Before setting out on her own, Adaobi held communication roles at the Page Education Foundation, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) and Best Buy, Inc. Okolue has served on countless nonprofit committees, including MCN’s Leadership Award Selection, MCN’s Technology & Communications Conference and International Association of Business Communications Bronze Quill Awards. She has also served on the board for Young Nonprofit Professionals

Gap From 1 Although White women working full time also earned less than White men (78 cents for every dollar), women of color often earned because they were stuck in low-paying jobs, worked fewer hours and had greater responsibilities as the primary caregiver in their households.

More than half of all Black children grow up in singleparent homes with their mothers.

Black men raise children alone in 9 percent of single-parent households.

Black women are also less likely to graduate from high school or attend college than White women.

“This places African American and Hispanic women at a disadvantage from the moment they enter the workforce, creating major structural barriers to entering top-earning professional fields,” stated the report.

Nearly 60 percent of Black women worked in either the service industry, sales or office jobs.

“Jobs in industries such as food service—where women of color are concentrated— are often hourly jobs in which many workers are part time and schedules are subject to cancellation or alteration on short notice,” stated the CAP report.

A recent report on the effects of irregular work schedules by the Economic Policy Institute

NetworkTwin Cities, and is a G i v e n s Foundation Black Writers Fellow Alum.

A founder Adaobi Okolue of the organization and its flagship local news website, the Twin Cities Daily Planet, Iggers helped grow the organization from a training ground for citizen journalists to a hub for media classes and trainings for individuals, nonprofits and small businesses.

Black Chamber host golf tournament The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) will host its sixth annual golf tournament on Monday, June 8 at the Heritage Links Golf Club in Lakeville.

The tournament is to raise funds in support of its college scholars education fund and program initiative. Golfers and non-golfers are encouraged to support the chamber’s event by coming out to enjoy a fun filled

(EPI), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank focused on low- and middle-income workers, noted that employers in the retail and wholesale trade and services industries, such as hospitality and leisure, professional and business services are more likely to hire part-time workers and adjust their schedules without warning to meet immediate customer demands.

“Moreover, because precarious employment is concentrated among relatively lower-income earners, it not only exacerbates growing income inequality stifling potential economic expansion and underutilizing potential available labor input, but takes a toll on the wellbeing of working families,” the report explained.

Workers who made less than $22,500 annually were more likely to work irregular schedules than workers who earned more.

The EPI report said that, “For workers with significant caregiving or financial commitments, having weeks with as few as zero hours and days when there may be either no work or short notice to arrive at work, may make balancing work with life stressful, intolerable, or even impossible, forcing them to choose between participating in the paid labor force, unemployment, or withdrawal from the labor force.”

Just 35 percent of Black women were employed in higher-paying management, professional and related jobs compared to 48 percent of Asian women and 43 percent of White women, according to the CAP

day of golf, celebrity appearances, a barbeque buffet, and games and prizes. Student golfers will be paired with business leaders to demonstrate their skills as golfers and practice networking.

The purpose of the fund program is to close the postsecondary achievement gap and make young people the centerpiece of the business community’s priorities. The MBCC program plan includes mentoring, internship, tutoring and financial assistance targeting students that are interested in careers in business and entrepreneurship.

This fall the chamber will award its second round of scholarships to three deserving students.

For more information visit www. minnesotabcc.org.

First Lady to address 2015 graduating seniors WASHINGTON, D.C. – This year, as part of her Reach Higher initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver commencement addresses at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala, Oberlin College in Oberlin,

report.

EPI researchers also reported that 43 percent of workers may have less than a week’s advanced notice of their hours.

Another 8 percent indicated that they knew their work schedules one to two weeks in advance had and 6 percent had two to four weeks.

“Employees who work irregular shift times, in contrast with those with more standard, regular shift times, experience greater work-family conflict, and sometimes experience greater work stress, stated the report and that work-family conflict is in turn associated with lower job and life satisfaction,” the EPI study said.

The CAP report on the race and gender wage gap said that expanding policies like paid family, medical leave and paid sick days, and strengthening equal pay laws would help women of color remain in the labor market and protect them from racial and gender discrimination.

Milia Fisher, a research associate with the Women’s Initiative at CAP and the author of the report, wrote that public policy alone will not close the gender wage gap for women of color.

Fisher concluded: “The United States needs to address both the structural drivers behind the pay gap and the persistent cultural biases against women and people of color if it wants to truly affect change for these populations.”

Ohio and the (Rev.) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Preparatory High School (King College Prep) in Chicago. A statement from the White House said all of these institutions are doing their part to answer President Barack Obama’s call to ensure that America once again has the

highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

According to the White House, Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at Tuskegee University because of its legacy as one of America’s top historically Black universities. She will deliver remarks at Oberlin College and

King College Prep because of their video submissions to two commencement challenges issued by the First Lady last October. Oberlin is the first college in the U.S. to admit African-Americans and the first college to grant bachelor’s degrees to women.

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Page 3

HEALTH Asthma discovery may lead to new therapeutic approach lung diseases, then we may have an exciting new therapeutic target,” says Y.S. Prakash, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist, physiologist, and co-senior author of the study. “Calcilytics are small molecules and so they could be readily delivered by inhalation, thus limiting potential systemic side effects.”

Co-authors include Alecia Stewart, Venkatachalem Sathish, Rodney Britt Jr., Ph.D., Michael Thompson, Michelle Freeman, Bharathi Aravamudan, Ph.D., Hirohito Kita, M.D., and Christina Pabelick, M.D., of Mayo Clinic; Polina Yarova, Ph.D., Sarah Brennan, Ph.D., Martin Schepelmann, Ph.D., Thomas Davies, Sun Yung, Ph.D., Paul Kemp, Ph.D., Alexander Lowe,

By Bob Nellis Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have discovered a key cellular mechanism that contributes to bronchoconstriction and inflammation in asthma.

Their studies may lead to a novel, effective asthma therapy for patients. The findings appear in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The team of researchers from Mayo Clinic,Cardiff University in Wales, King’s College London, the University of Manchester and theOpen University in the United Kingdom, as well as the University of California San Francisco, showed that elevated extracellular calcium as well as other internal chemicals released in asthma can activate a “calcium-sensing receptor” (CaSR) on airway cells. The researchers found that CaSR expression is increased in asthma, and contributes to enhanced bronchoconstriction and inflammation that is typically seen in asthma. Importantly, they found that the effects of CaSR can be reversed by CaSR antagonists, also called calcilytics.

Asthma is a growing concern

NOC From 1 is finding plenty of people willing to come to aid of the organization.

Several turned out for a recent Sunday fundraiser at the SEIU Local 26 headquarters offering monetary and resource donations.

Artists including Maria Isa and Toki Wright were on hand to support the organization. The workers for NOC say they are committed to the group’s cause and had a message for all – NOC is homeless, but not hopeless.

“We’re not a building, we’re a movement,” said Octavia Adams, an organizer with NOC.

Fire From 1 Gone are a payday lending store – UnBank, where the fire originated – a neighborhood grocery store, the offices of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC) and several second floor apartments.

While there was no loss of life, there were four reported injuries – all said to be minor – due to the fire and a dollar amount is still being calculated as to the economic loss.

Many questions remain, including how did the fire start and why did it take so long for firefighters to get the blaze under control. Mike Rumppe, fire inspector with the Minneapolis Fire Department, said answers are not as easy as they make it seem on television.

“Most people think it’s like ‘CSI’ and we make a determination just like that.

That’s not the case,” said Rumppe, who said it could be weeks before a cause is determined.

As for why the fire burned so hot and for so long, Rumppe attributed it to natural gas lines fueling the flames. The inspector said the gas to the entire street had to be shut off, but once the lines were shut firefighters were able to control the blaze within about 10 minutes.

Rumppe was on hand for a meeting of affected residents and business owners called by the West Broadway Coalition.

The meeting took place April 17 at the Cookie Cart on West Broadway.

In addition to wanting to know the cause of the fire, many were in search of answers as to how to find relief due to losses suffered because of the fire.

Officials from Minneapolis’ Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) said several resources are in place for residents and businesses affected by the tragedy.

“Based on the terrible situation we had with the tornado (of a few years ago) the city has some experience with this,” said Beth Grosen of CPED. Grosen said those affected may qualify for provisional, unsecured loans of up to $5,000, provided certain criteria are met.

Residents displaced by the fire can seek assistance at Emerge, a community-based service organization. Emerge, located at 1101 West Broadway Ave., is assisting tenants with housing relocation and legal aid,

worldwide, with over 235 million people diagnosed according to the World Health Organization, and the largest chronic disease among children. WHO says over

80 percent of asthma-related deaths occur in the underdeveloped countries.

“Our findings point to an entirely novel pathophysiological

mechanism in asthma. As our studies proceed, if we can show that calcilytics can target multiple cell types and mechanisms that contribute to asthma or even other

“We don’t need anything but a pen, paper and a computer to do our work. And seeing all the support we have empowers me even more. I love my job. I love West Broadway and I love NOC.” While the fire that took more than seven hours to control was still raging, organizers from NOC were offered temporary accommodations at Juxtaposition Arts, 2007 Emerson Ave., just a block away from the blaze.

During that time workers organized an online funding campaign not for NOC, but for the residents displaced by the fire. According to NOC officials the one-day campaign raised nearly $20,000.

“Our immediate concern

was what are we going to do to support our neighbors,” said Brittany Lynch, an executive and administrative coordinator for NOC. Lynch said to a person, the workers at NOC thought about the work they had to do for others and pressed on as if the fire was of little concern.

“It just so happened that day NOC was working on the 15 Now! protest (a campaign in partnership with SEIU to increase the state minimum wage to $15 an hour). We took two to three hours to breathe and make decisions and we decided to keep our commitment and we did it hours after the fire started,” said Lynch. “So the work we do doesn’t stop. We’re going to keep

working in some capacity.”

Several organizations and political leaders have offered the group assistance and SEIU has offered space in its North Loop location for the organization as a temporary home.

“We’ve received a ton of inquiries from people asking how they can support us and help us move on,” said Lynch.

“SEIU told us that day (of the fire) that they were throwing us a fundraiser, and we’re just grateful. To me, that’s what community is all about. When one of us loses something we all lose something.”

NOC has set up a funding campaign on its website, www. mnnoc.org, to assist with its fire recovery efforts.

and the Red Cross has set up shop inside Emerge to further assist affected residents.

According to Casey Dzieweczynski of CPED, the losses suffered are far greater than monetary.

“Ultimately, the loss is a lot more than the real estate value of the property that has been lost,” said Dzieweczynski.

And while an official determination has not been stated, most conclude the current structure suffered too extensive damage to remain and will have

to be torn down. Dzieweczynski said the fire presents an opportunity for growth.

“It’s sad to see the building come down if it has to, but I think there’s an opportunity to rebuild,” said Dzieweczynski, who said if in fact the buildings affected have to be razed, any new building would have to fit within certain guidelines such as being a two-story structure. “We will work with the developer and the community to see that the needs of the community are met.”

Zakky Cholisoh, Emma Kidd, Ph.D., William Ford, Ph.D., Kenneth Broadly, Ph.D., and Daniela Ricardi, Ph.D., of Cardiff University; Katja Rietdorf, Ph.D., The Open University; Wenhan Chang, Ph.D., University of California-SF; Mohamed Bin Khayat and Donald Ward, Ph.D., University of Manchester; and Christopher Corrigan, Ph.D., and Jeremy Ward, Ph.D., King’s College London.

Funding for the research came from Asthma UK, the Cardiff Partnership Fund, the Marie Curie Initial Training Network, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and the U. S. National Institutes of Health.

You belong.

The health plan with you in mind.

At Medica, you’re not just part of a health plan.

You’re part of a community that believes in better health for all.

Learn more at medica.com

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90AE0336, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.

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Page 4 • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Insight News

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Four questions to aid you in discovering the leader within Women Leading Change

By Dr. Artika Tyner Leaders are lead problem solvers. A leader’s vision moves beyond the limitations of a problem to a vision for creating change. Evangeline M. Mitchell, founder of the National PreLaw Diversity Initiatives, Inc., is a lead problem solver who is promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. For over a decade, she has committed her work to creating a pipeline for aspiring law students from diverse backgrounds to not only strive to reach their dreams of becoming an attorney but to thrive. Her publications, conferences, and summits provide students with the tools to work effectively, think critically, and advance social justice.

1. What does leadership mean to you?

Mitchell defines leadership as an action-oriented process.

“Leadership is the ability to see a

problem and then seek a solution and ACT - without sitting back and hoping and waiting for someone else to tackle it.” The process of leadership does not end here with discover of your individual sense of agency. The next step is connecting with others and building new partnerships.

Mitchell recognizes the importance of empowering others to lead. Her favorite leadership quote captures the essence of participatory leadership where each person plays an integral role in advancing a collective vision of change: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams 2. What is your passion?

Mitchell’s area of passion is the law school diversity pipeline.

Her fire and passion comes from personal experience. She is a firstgeneration college and law school graduate. She recalls experiencing a lot of the same pitfalls as other diverse law students who are from first-generation and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

According to Mitchell: “The process of trying to become a lawyer was a very painful process – and when you don’t have the information and mentorship, you

Seventh-Day Adventist Church Glendale

“If there is something you care about, make a commitment to do something now- starting with today.” - Evangeline Mitchell

can feel blindsided. It was all overwhelming – from navigating the admissions process alone to the academic demands to not knowing how to process racial issues in law school and in legal work environments. My experiences and feeling very alone and alienated in them at a young age made me extremely sensitive to the issues that others from similar backgrounds face.”

Her work disrupts this cycle of pain and frustration by providing the next generation with the tools to succeed in law school and beyond in their future careers. She made a promise and pledged a commitment to herself to make the sacrifices and do the

necessary work to help others cross those hurdles through giving them early access to good insider information, resources and networking opportunities so they would fully understand what they were getting themselves into – and then if it was still something they wanted to do, they would have the tools and contacts needed to help them persist and succeed.

3. Why wait?

It is tempting to see an issue (like increasing diversity in the Bar) and rationalize why you cannot make an impact. It could be that you believe the magnitude of this problem is too large or maybe you feel that you are not experienced

enough to make a difference.

Mitchell moved beyond excuses to strategic action. As a law student, Mrs. Mitchell began serving as a leader and social entrepreneur. In her second year of law school, she began working on a book for African Americans interested in law school. This book has blossomed into a series of books which serve as a practical guide for law school success and additional books are in the works.

She also has hosted and organized major national conferences for aspiring lawyers and several other efforts. By planting these small seeds, she has reaped a harvest with the founding of a non-profit dedicated to the diversity pipeline called National Pre-Law Diversity Initiatives, Inc. 4. If not now, when?

Now is the time to create change.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. warned: “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.” Mitchell recognized that she could not wait idly for someone else to create a diverse pipeline. Time would be wasted and more students would experience the sense of despair that she had earlier experienced.

Instead, she decided to take action through small steps as she built

a comprehensive approach for empowering diverse students to succeed academically and professionally. “Do what you can.

Just do something. We all have a role to play.” She challenges you to contribute your time, talent or treasure to those causes that are important to you.

Mitchell offers these words of encouragement: “If there is something you care about, make a commitment to do something now- starting with today. And choose to live a meaningful and purpose-driven life where you care about people and issues that are much greater than yourself.”

Leaders unveil the power in the power in their hands by serving as lead problem solvers. They recognize that no problem is too big to solve if you have the creativity to envision possible solutions and courage to take action. This is the type of leadership needed to address the social justice challenges of our time. Evangeline Mitchell is building a new pipeline of diverse talent and training the next generation of leaders.

Dr. Artika R. Tyner is an assistant professor at the University of St. Thomas College of Education, Leadership, and Counseling.

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Insight News • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Page 5

BUSINESS

Five compelling questions to ask when interviewing for a fundraising job FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw You’ve been selected to interview for a fundraising position.

You’ve read the job description; researched the organization online; you’ve even talked with people who have been involved with the nonprofit over the years.

You feel it inside: “this could be my dream job.” Yes, it could.

But, it could also be a nightmare.

Careful interview preparation can help inform your career path and save you some frustration.

Listen to your heart, but take the time to develop and ask a few

specific questions. This is your opportunity to find out whether or not you will be able to be succeed in the position you are interviewing for. Reflect on past experiences – what made your positions exciting and which made going to work a drudgery.

Develop a few questions that you believe will uncover the information you need to make an informed decision.

Here are five to consider.

1.

How is fundraising success measured within this organization? How do you intend to evaluate my work?

Beyond meeting the fundraising goal, what are the factors that determine success or failure? If the interviewer doesn’t know these, it may be hard for you to “meet the mark.”

2. What resources will the

Careful interview preparation can help inform your career path and save you some frustration.

organization provide to ensure my success? For example, what percentage of time does the executive director allocate to fundraising on a regular basis? How are board members involved in fundraising, beyond

oversight and policy approval?

Will I be allowed to contact board members directly? No matter how talented you are you already know that you cannot succeed without leadership’s full engagement.

3. Is the organization working from a fundraising plan? If selected for a second interview, can arrangements be made for me to review the plan before that interview? Is your current fundraising volunteer led or is it staff led? Again, if the interviewer doesn’t know that should be a red flag.

4. Did the organization meet its annual fundraising goal last year? Were there any “extraordinary” gifts that impacted the final numbers?

Related questions can include: what was the annual goal? Was it meaningfully larger or smaller than the prior year? Was the annual goal met in the prior year? How is the annual goal determined, and by whom? These questions will reveal the extent to which the interviewer knows and understands fundraising.

5. Please share with me the specific fundraising skills and experience you expect from the person you hire. Answers to this question can quickly reveal if your experience is a fit.

Here’s the bottom line: if you are reporting to someone who doesn’t know fundraising it may be a challenge for you to be successful. It’s better to know before you start a new position.

Copyright 2015– Mel and Pearl Shaw

Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success. For help with your fundraising visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Reference checking myths that can cost you the job Don’t let incorrect assumptions about references ruin your employment prospects.

As basic as the need for a good job reference is, many candidates take little time or effort to assure that their references are portraying them in the best possible light.

Oftentimes, this oversight occurs because of incorrect assumptions about how references (and reference checking) work.

How are references conducted? What are employers allowed to say? And are yours working for, or against you?

Reference Checking Myth No. 1: Companies are not allowed to say anything negative about a former employee during a documented reference check.

The Truth: While many companies may have policies that dictate only title, dates of employment and eligibility for

rehire can be discussed, reference persons frequently violate those rules in providing bad references about former employees despite company policies.

Think about the boss with whom you had philosophical differences...or the supervisor who sexually harassed you. Can that person be trusted to maintain a professional standard?

In many cases the answer is no; approximately half of Allison & Taylor clients receive a bad reference, despite the fact that many companies have strict policies in place prohibiting negative references.

Resources professionals will follow proper protocol during reference checks. However, in addition to WHAT is said, reference checkers also evaluate HOW something is said. In other words, they listen to tone of voice and note the HR staffer’s willingness to respond to their questions. Both are critical factors in reference checks - how will your employment be reflected in their responses?

(On a related note, Human Resources is generally allowed to divulge whether a person is eligible for re-hire. What will they say about you?)

Reference Checking Myth No. 2: Former employers direct all reference checks to their Human Resources departments, and those people won’t say anything negative about me.

The Truth: Most Human

Reference Checking Myth No. 3: It’s best to have my employment references listed on my resume and distribute them together.

The Truth: Your references should be treated carefully and with respect;

MACY’S FRIENDS & FAMILY NOW – MON, MAY 4

you don’t need companies that may or may not have a real interest in hiring you pestering your employment references. Keep your references separate from your resume, and only provide them when requested. Better still, have a list of your references readily available (in the same format/font as your resume) to be given to a prospective employer.

When offered (for example) at the conclusion of an interview – in a highly professional format – it can create a very proactive (and favorable) ending impression.

Reference Checking Myth No. 4: Once a company hires me, my job references really do not matter anymore.

The Truth: Not all companies finish background and/or reference checks before you are hired. Many employment agreements and contracts include a stipulation that

says the employer can hire you with a 90-day probation period.

During this time, they will not only evaluate your job performance but, in some instances, will do background and reference checks.

During this time, if the results are unsatisfactory, they have the legal right to fire you.

Reference Checking Myth No. 5: I sued my former company and according to job reference laws, they are now not allowed to say anything.

The Truth: Job reference laws can be bypassed and may not entirely protect you. Under job reference laws your former employer may not be able to say anything definitive, but do not put it past them to carefully take a shot at you while still in accordance with the law.

As an example, a former boss or an HR staffer may

say “Hold on a minute while I get the legal file to see what I am allowed to say about Mr. Smith.” Although not allowed to “divulge anything” as stated by job reference laws, they just indicated there were legal issues surrounding your employment.

This implication can torpedo your job prospects.

Many people discover the error of their assumptions the hard way - by losing out on the perfect job because of reference issues.

Check your own references before you provide them to employers to ensure you can address potential problems before they cost you the job.

For more information on reference checking, and what to do if a negative reference is impeding your chances for a new job, please visit www.

AllisonTaylor.com.

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Page 6 • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Insight News

COMMENTARY

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Star Tribune declares open season on Black leaders AALF

By Jeffrey A. Hassan, Executive Director African American Leadership Forum In a series of sustained and unrelenting attacks, the Minneapolis StarTribune newspaper has declared an Open Season on Black Leaders.

Beginning with a series of articles appearing last fall (2014) against African American Senators Bobby Joe Champion and Jeff Hayden, the newspaper has engaged in a non-stop series of

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles

L-R: State Senator Bobby Joe Champion, State Senator Jeff Hayden, Louis King, Scott Gray, Peter Hayden, and Al McFarlane character attacks, questioning the integrity and credibility of longestablished African American leaders, like Louis King, CEO of Summit Academy OIC, and now Scott Gray, CEO & President of the Minneapolis Urban League, Peter Hayden, CEO of Turning Point, Inc. and Al McFarlane, Editor in Chief of Insight News.

A recurrent theme in each of the articles, if read closely, is the undercurrent of references to Senators Champion and Hayden,

and their role in either lobbying for or passing legislation to fund African American organizations or initiatives. Take your pick: Community Standards Initiative (CSI), Summit Academy OIC, and now the Minneapolis Urban League.

In an interesting paradox, all of the articles are about how the African American organizations haven’t fulfilled their promises – yet, in each and every instance, what these organizations have

been called upon to do, is to repair the damage done by the failings of our public and private institutions.

Whether it’s the failure of our public education system or failure of our public and private employment systems, Minnesota’s institutions have failed to educate African American children and failed to employ African American workers in the same manner as it has done for its White citizens.

It is beyond dispute that that Minnesota has one of the

worst Black/White educational achievement gaps in the entire United States; and, it has been documented by the StarTribune itself that Minneapolis has the worst Black/White employment gap in the entire country. So, when African American organizations are metaphorically called upon to revive the dying patient, they take the blame when the patient dies!!

To date, in none of the articles published by the StarTribune, has there been any proof of wrongdoing or impropriety by any of these leaders. In the cases of Senators Champion and Hayden, there has been no proof of wrongdoing despite repeated Republican-led, politically motivated, legislative hearings, during which numerous witnesses have been called to testify.

Despite the lack of evidence, the drum beat goes on, putting forth nothing more than a series of hearsay allegations and innuendos, all of which have the obvious intent of damaging the character and reputation of Senators Champion and Hayden.

And, the real damage is that the general public believes the insinuations and innuendos, despite the lack of proof. They are being unilaterally condemned in the court of public opinion. And to whom do they submit their rebuttal? To the same (StarTribune) news media that is accusing them in the first place?

The most recent article appearing on Monday, April 13,

2015 is entitled, “Minneapolis Urban League accused of potential double billing,” casts aspersions upon the Minneapolis Urban League and its CEO & President Scott Gray concerning its educational programs the 13th Grade and Urban League Academy.

If one simply examines the title, red flags should immediately be raised! How can an organization be accused of “potential” impropriety or wrongdoing - there is no such thing as “potential” wrongdoing.

If there were, every human being on earth would be guilty!!

If one reads through the entire article concerning the Minneapolis Urban League, one will find a scarcity of actual facts.

The implication is that the League got paid from two different sources, the Minneapolis Public Schools and the State of Minnesota, to provide the same services for the same children in two different programs. And, the point is what?

Since when has there been anything improper or illegal about a non-profit organization obtaining funding from multiple funding sources for same programming or for the same recipient of services.

Every public school system that we’re aware of, not only obtains per pupil funding from the state, but also solicits and obtains funding from multiple other sources, including the federal

LEADERS TURN TO 9

Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Associate Editor Culture and Education Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Carmen Robles Lydia Schwartz Ryan T. Scott Toki Wright Photography David Bradley 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.

Kent D. Johnson, AP

Former APS Dunbar Elementary teacher Pamela Cleveland listens to her mother, Rochelle Perrin, testify on her behalf during the sentencing of 10 of the 11 defendants convicted of racketeering and other charges in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial in Fulton County Superior Court.

Atlanta’s cheating teachers are not mobsters

By Van Jones and Mark Holden This column previously ran in USA Today Last Tuesday, eight Atlanta Public Schools employees were sentenced to prison in one of the largest school cheating scandals in American history. But you wouldn’t know they were cheaters based on how they were treated in court. The educators were convicted of racketeering — a felony typically reserved for mob bosses, drug kingpins and terrorists.

The Atlanta teachers are now the latest victims of overcriminalization. They were charged under a law that had nothing to do with their actions.

For years, the educators quietly changed students’ answers on the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, dramatically boosting the scores. They did so because the tests are tied to the state’s funding for schools affecting their pay and employment.

The educators should be held

responsible for their actions, but the punishment should also fit the crime. While similar scandals have occurred in 39 different states and Washington, D.C., the offenders have rarely been prosecuted as criminals. Yet in an unprecedented move, the prosecutors in Atlanta charged the educators under Georgia’s “Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act” — a law passed in 1980 specifically to combat the scourge of organized crime. RICO laws, which exist at the federal level and in 33 states, empower prosecutors to go after the leaders of organized crime who order but do not personally commit crimes such as robbery, money laundering and murder.

Individuals convicted under such laws can face up to 20 years in prison.

As nonviolent first-time offenders, the Atlanta educators would not likely have received any jail time but for prosecutors’ unprecedented use of RICO. Three were sentenced to seven years in prison, two received twoyear sentences and two will sit in

TEACHERS TURN TO 9

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Insight News • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Page 7

EDUCATION

Armstrong seniors Rachael Peterson and Sean Burns sign National Letters of Intent Two student athletes from Armstrong High School recently signed National Letters of Intent to play for colleges in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

During an April 15 ceremony, Rachael Peterson signed a letter for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Division I) for swimming, and Sean Burns signed a letter for University of Minnesota-Duluth (Division II) for basketball.

Greg Miller, Armstrong’s basketball coach, said that Burns was only the fifth player in the past 14 years to get a full-ride scholarship right out of high school. Miller said that one of the things he is most proud of is how Burns conducts himself,

saying that he is “a great young man with lots of friends from all different groups in our school.”

“He’s going to be successful, and he knows why he is going to college,” Miller said. “He’s going to learn and to make something of himself, and he will, because of how hard he works. He put in a lot of time and hard work, and now he has achieved what he wanted to achieve.”

Justin Zook, a first-year swimming coach at Armstrong, said that Peterson’s success shows that “a lot of hard work in and out of the classroom can make a big impression on coaches.” “(Her success) shows that if you are willing to willing to put

in the hard work, you can really go anywhere you want to,” Zook said. “As a coach and as a person, I couldn’t be more proud of the way that Rachael handled herself all season as a captain of our team.”

According to nationalletter. org, a National Letter of Intent is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member institution.

A prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution full-time for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters), and the institution agrees to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).

Rachael Peterson and Sean Burns

Metropolitan State University launches new graduate program in urban education Metropolitan State University launches new urban education master’s program.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees and Minnesota Board of Teaching approved the program on Feb. 18.

This new master’s degree,

an Master of Science (MS) in Urban Education, along with its five concentrations, is designed to meet the needs of licensed educators and others seeking professional development, educators who are interested in English as a second language (ESL) or special education, and

individuals looking to become licensed secondary teachers in Minnesota with a commitment to working with urban youth and schools.

The School of Urban Education focuses on diverse teachers who can meet the needs of urban youth and improve their

educational achievements. The new MS in Urban Education aims to provide further licensure, qualifications, and professional experience to educators teaching in urban schools. Program applications are being taken for summer and fall. To learn more about the program, call 651-999-

5920, e-mail urban.education@ metrostate.edu or visit choose. metrostate.edu. To contact the School of Urban Education, e-mail urban.education@ metrostate.edu.

Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and

Universities system, is America’s premier university for lifelong learning, providing unsurpassed, competitive academic and professional degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels while maintaining affordability.

Minnesota Girl Scouts tour Historically Black Colleges & Universities A spring break bus tour to North Carolina for Minnesota Girl Scouts charted the next step in their young lives. Twentyeight high school students in the Girl Scouts River Valleys ConnectZ initiative left the first week of April for North Carolina where they visited five public and private historically black colleges and universities.

During their visits, the Girl Scouts also had an opportunity to interview with admissions counselors and apply to the schools. The majority of the students will be the first in their families to pursue postsecondary education.

Four of the girls took advantage of the opportunity to apply and interview with admissions staff while on the college campuses; two of the girls have already received acceptance letters.

Girls who earned a spot on the HBCU Girl Tour were required to complete an extensive application program which mirrors the college application process: submitting transcripts, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation.

“We set high standards and expectations for these girls. We also want them to feel ownership of their experience. If they were accepted and signed on for the tour, they were also required to earn $150 to contribute toward the trip’s cost, a small portion of the total expense,” said Liana MichelfelderTessum, Girl Scouts River Valleys Community Partnership Director.

Itinerary highlights included: • School tours with opportunities to interview and apply at North Carolina A&T State University, Bennett College (all women’s school), Shaw University, North Carolina Central University, and Livingstone College.

• Visits to significant sites of the civil rights movement: • International Civil Rights Center & Museum, a building which formerly housed the historic Woolworth’s lunch

2015 HBCU Girl Tour: First Row: Bre’Anna, Zoya, Rosalind, Sydnee, Sabrina (the adult is a staff member we met on campus). Middle Row: Dalila, Sabrina, Acingoth, Korman, Ayantu, Kyesha, Keiaria, Tamika. Back Row: Deanna, Triana, Tia, Tatiana, Jesnasha, Kiara, Chatovanaya, Paony, Yamen, Amare, Monique, JaRae counter where a studentled sit-in demonstration occurred during the civil rights movement.

• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where the students in the first sit-in attended school.

• Historic Rosedale Plantation to watch a dramatic reenactment of an enslaved woman’s life on a plantation.

• North Carolina Museum of History.

• Attend a student Step show, a tradition rooted within the competitive song and dance rituals practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities.

This was the 13th HBCU Girl Tour ConnectZ Girl Scouts have taken, skipping only last year. Each year, the Minnesota

Please join us for the 26th annual AFRICAN-AMERICAN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS CONVOCATION Sunday May 17, 2015 3:00 pm

Central High School 275 Lexington Parkway N Saint Paul, MN 55104 High school counselors are encouraged to nominate high school graduating seniors of African heritage earning a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher via the nomination page before April 17, 2015 “ScholarS aScending to greatneSS”

Event co-sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. & Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity For more information visit www.akadpo.org or www.alphamn.org

Independent Film Project trains select students to produce a documentary detailing their tour and loans equipment to students for their trip. The impact the HBCU Girl Tour has on the students is evident in the short documentary produced during the 2013 trip: h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=tVU6iKXS6Ig The Girl Scouts ConnectZ initiative is a staff-led program, a departure from volunteerled troops, which offers the Girl Scout experience to low-

income girls and is made possible through partnerships with schools and community organizations.

The program builds non-academic skills like teamwork, goal-setting, and persistence, skills deemed necessary for a successful future. More than 3,000 girls in Minnesota, are enrolled in the ConnectZ program, offered at no cost to the girls and their families in the GSRV council, an area encompassing 49 counties spanning across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

ConnectZ and the HBCU Tour are offered to girls who would otherwise not be able to afford these opportunities. A Girl Scout River Valleys survey of participants shows that 9 in 10 girls report they try harder in school. “Having the girls consider leaving the Midwest for school is a very significant step. But the tour also allows the students to see other young people who look like them seeking a higher education with career aspirations. It fills them with a lot of hope,” said Carolyn

Gates, HBCU Tour Chaperone and GSRV Community Partnership Manager.

In partnership with 11,000 committed volunteers, Girl Scouts River Valleys serves more than 35,000 girls through a 49-county council that spans Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Through Girl Scouts, girls discover new abilities, connect with new friends, and take action to improve their communities. For more information, call 800-845-0787 or visit GirlScoutsRV.org.

Page 8 • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Insight News

LIFESTYLE

insightnews.com

Chamber announces its 5th Annual Education Golf Fundraiser Man Talk

By Timothy Houston As a member of the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC), I am always happy to share events that positively impact our community. MBCC will host its fifth annual golf tournament on Monday, June 8th, at the Heritage Links Golf Club in Lakeville, MN, to raise

funds in support of its college scholar’s education fund and program initiative. Golfers and non-golfers are encouraged to support the chambers’ event by coming out to enjoy a fun filled day of golf, celebrity appearances, a BBQ buffet, and games/prizes. Student golfers will be paired with business leaders to demonstrate their skills as golfers and practice networking. BBQ buffet and awards reception following the golf.

The purpose of the fund program is to close the postsecondary achievement gap and make young people the centerpiece of the business

community’s priorities. The MBCC program plan includes mentoring, internship, tutoring, and financial assistance, targeting students that are interested in careers in business and entrepreneurship.

This fall the chamber will award its second round of scholarships to three deserving students.

“Our goal is to raise $20,000 thru 2016 to expand the chamber’s scholarship support to include 10 additional students” said MBCC President, Lea Hargett.

To recruit scholar candidates, the chamber has established collaborative partnerships with the University YMCA

through its Collegiate Achiever Program (Y-CAP) and the Black Data Processing Association (BDPA) Twin Cities Chapter. As the College Scholars program evolves, the chamber will align its business members and constituents to offer summer internship, career mentoring, guest speakers, and exposure to business networking, and mentoring to the college students enrolled in the program.

Data provided by the U.S. Department of Education, shows that only 30% of Minnesota African Americans enrolled in an undergraduate program finished Bachelor

degrees; 29% finished Associate degrees; and 41% completed certificate programs.

We believe that our work must include the education and preparation of our future leaders. Our collaborations will give us greater capacity to reach Minnesota college students through our shared efforts to impact postsecondary completion rates”, Hargett said. This year, MBCC Board member, Hillary Swanson, has assumed the leadership responsibility for the expansion of the scholar awards and the development of the program.

To support the MBCC

College Scholars initiative, register for the College Scholars Golf Classic on the chamber website at www. minnesotabcc.org and click on the “REGISTER NOW!” link.

Current Golf Tournament Sponsors are: Xcel Energy, Estes Gifts and News, Minnesota Twins, Olu’s Home, and UpNet Technologies.

Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For copies of his book, questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.

First five steps to taking control of your life Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson Do you ever wonder what your life would look like if you could change a few things? How would it feel if all of the things you ever wanted was right at your fingertips? I often ask this question in my groups and you would be amazed at the answers I hear. So many people are just waiting on that miraculous day when all their dreams will come

true. But the truth is you can make all of your dreams come true if you take control of your life right now! It just takes you making the decision.

Here’s the simple steps that I developed to get you on the right track to have the life you always envisioned for yourself.

1. Identify why you think you are not in control of your life What is it that is stopping you from doing the things in your life that you really want to do?

Do you feel like you are doing things to make everyone else happy and forgetting about yourself? If so, then the ones that you are working so hard to make happy, are the ones who are in control of your life.

Yes, it may be hard to see, but it’s the truth. When you are vested in taking care of others and forgetting your needs, then you render the control to them.

Do this, make a list of all of the people who you are responsible for and what you do for them on a daily or weekly basis. Then you will see who really has the control!

2. Decide what you want and where you need to begin Your next step is easy. Visualize what your life will look like when you decide to take control and start working on the goals that will make you feel good and complete. Every dream or goal starts with a picture first. If you can see yourself doing, then you can do it. You just have to have

a starting block.

3. Fix what’s wrong Now that you have an image of what your life could look like when you take control, you need to map out everything you need to do or stop doing to move closer to your greatness. What will it take to consider your needs first?

Maybe you are going to have to explain to friends and loved ones that you are working on goals that put you first. If loving yourself first has been a problem in the past, then you need to fix it right away. If you don’t know how to start the loving yourself first process, then that is exactly “what’s wrong!” FIX IT! 4. Name it, Claim it Why is it so hard for us to say what we want and to say it loud

and proud? We are always so careful not to hurt anyone’s feelings, or maybe it’s that we don’t want to look selfish and inconsiderate of those who may or may not be able to say what they want. At this point in life, there is nothing wrong with you naming what you want and shouting it at the top of your lungs! How else do you think you will get others to understand that you are taking control of your own life?

5. Stop worrying Every time a person starts to concentrate on doing things that are best for them and they begin to move forward to becoming self-sufficient, there is always something that will come up and start your mind to worrying

about other things. We all know that there are a million other things that we could be doing, but remember if you never put yourself first, then you will never be in control of your own life. So stop worrying, and start concentrating on the right things. Concentrate on what’s best for YOU! And as always, stay focused, stay determined, and keep striving for greatness.

Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach. She can be reached via her website at www. thequeensproject.com or email at penny@thequeensproject. com.

Anika International Cosmetics to showcase at Ebony Fashion Fair opening reception at Minnesota History Center The Ebony Fashion Fair returns to the Twin Cities at the Minnesota History Center on May 21.

The show features 40 pieces from the collections of the renowned designers, including Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Bob Mackie and others and this year Minneapolis’ own Anika International Cosmetics, will also be featured as part of the festivities.

Anika International Cosmetics is a skin care and cosmetics brand based in Minneapolis, but doing business in Chicago, Atlanta and other major markets. The brand was established in 2005

by Anika Robbins. After years of consulting for several beauty companies and celebrities including Clairol Professional, Johnson Products, L’Oreal, Mint Condition and Prince, Robbins began her own line of

unique cosmetics.

“My first experience with makeup was with Fashion Fair

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Cosmetics,” said Robbins.

“My mother used it, and I used it as a teenager. My first job in the cosmetics field was working at the Fashion Fair counter at Dayton’s, downtown Minneapolis.”

Fashion Fair Cosmetics was launched in 1973 by Eunice Johnson to address the lack of

cosmetics options for AfricanAmerican women. Robbins cites her early experiences with the historic brand – and the ongoing need for accessible options for women of color to this day – as her inspiration to launch her own line.

“I’m proud to be part of the Ebony Fashion Fair legacy,

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and excited to celebrate its rich heritage,” said Robbins.

Anika International Cosmetics will host a pop-up makeup counter, offering lip and powder touch-ups in lieu of the photo booth as part of opening festivities, which also includes a fashion show, live jazz performance and a marketplace featuring local boutiques. Guests will also

receive gift cards courtesy of Anika International Cosmetics.

The Ebony Fashion Fair Preview Party and Fashion show is Thursday May 21 from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center located at 345 W. Kellogg, St. Paul. For ticket information, visit: www. minnesotahistorycenter.org, www.anikainternational.com or call (612) 670-6355.

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Page 9

COMMUNITY

OutFront Minnesota to hold rally on the Capitol lawn OutFront Minnesota is staging a rally on the Capitol lawn with guest speaker Kye Allums.

The gathering is a part of the LGBTQ Lobby Day Rally set to take place at noon on Thursday, April 30 on the Capitol lawn. Allums is a 25-year-old, trans artist and athlete. In 2011, Allums graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from George Washington University (GW). During Allum’s time at GW, Allums played Division I basketball for the women’s team. In 2010, Allums publicly came out and became the first Division I openly transgender

Lex Kennedy

Kye Allums

athlete in NCAA history.

Today, Allums continues to focus on LGBTQ activism through art and athletics.

LGBTQ Lobby Day is a chance for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and allied communities to come together at the Capitol and share their stories with legislators. This year, OutFront will be talking about the intersections of LGBTQ equity, racial justice and economic justice, and speaking out against legislation that discriminates against LGBTQ people.

In addition to the rally,

which is from noon – 1 p.m., OutFront will hold a gathering for supporters on the Capitol steps at 11 a.m. In solidarity with Black Lives Matter, OutFront will deliver stories and demands to legislative leaders from people living at the intersections of racism and transphobia.

LGBTQ Lobby Day kicks off at 9 a.m. with workshops at Education Minnesota (located right behind the Capitol).

For more information about the events occurring on LGBTQ Lobby Day, visit www.outfront.org/lobbyday.

Jazinae Patterson named the 2015 Minnesota Youth of the Year Tuesday, April 14th at the Mall of America Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, along with the Minnesota Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, announced Jazinae Patterson as the 2015 Minnesota Youth of the Year. Jazinae now moves on to regional competition in July in Chicago, Illinois.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Youth of the Year

recognition is the highest honor a Club member can achieve.

The Youth of the Year program celebrates youth who have overcome enormous odds and demonstrated exceptional character and accomplishments.

These deserving young people are recognized for service to their Club and community, academic performance and contributions to

their family.

Representing Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities and the State of Minnesota, Jazinae competed against nine other Club youth to achieve this honor. Competitors submitted packets containing high school transcripts, essay responses and letters of recommendation to judges followed by an interview

process and three minute speeches.

“Jazinae is a positive role model to youth across the Clubs,” said Erin Carlin, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. “Between serving as President of Keystone Club (a Club leadership program) and making the honor roll while playing varsity basketball, she

also volunteers her time to younger Club members. Every day she goes above and beyond, not only as a Club member, but as a member of our community.

We are incredibly proud of all her accomplishments.”

The 2015 Minnesota Youth of the Year receives a $5,000 scholarship to a school of their choice. Jazinae hopes to attend

the University of Minnesota to study child psychology. She says, “My ultimate career goal is to provide therapeutic services to juveniles who have ended up in the system by making bad decisions at a young age. I want to help change lives like the Boys & Girls Clubs changed mine.”

United Way makes three-year $40 million investment in nonprofits focusing on education Listening sessions and enhanced training.

Feedback from nonprofit agencies. A concept paper.

Collaboration.

Strategic alignment.

Redefining and renaming of education goal areas.

It’s all part of Greater Twin Cities United Way refining its approach to investing in community needs as the organization remains committed to its 100-year-mission of creating pathways out of poverty in the nine county region it serves.

With Minnesota ranked as having some of the widest academic achievement gaps nationally, United Way is aggressively tackling the issue by renewing its focus on children of color and those living at 200 percent poverty or below.

Acknowledged as the largest non-governmental social services funder in the state, beginning July 1, United Way will dispense $40 million to more than 80 programs in the education arena over the next three years.

“We’re taking a comprehensive approach to supporting children at every stage of their academic, emotional and social growth as well as providing the necessary tools for their success in college, the workplace and in life. To achieve this requires collaboration and strategic alignment with many of the best institutions in the Twin Cities region,” said United Way senior vice president of community impact, Meghan Barp.

“We are focusing on programs making the greatest impact on

the staggering disparities in our community. We placed culturally specific organizations and cultural competency at the core of our expectations for grant applicants.

We believe that engaging our community in the broadest sense is central to the success of these investments.”

Barp said United Way’s community impact team engaged more than 1,000 community members as a means of ensuring the strategic direction best aligned with the work and what is essential

for the region.

One of the new United Way agency partners is Banyan Community Development, located in south Minneapolis in the Phillips Neighborhood. The grant is specifically awarded to the Young Adult Leadership Development program.

Banyan executive director, Joani Essenburg said attending the listening sessions were a valuable resource as the nonprofit structured its application.

“Banyan is firmly planted

with deep roots in south Minneapolis and our mission is to transform lives by developing youth, strengthening families and creating community,” said Essenburg. “Receiving this grant will have a significant impact on the Young Adult program.”

For a complete listing of United Way’s new education goal area names and functions along with the agency programs awarded grants, visit www.gtcuw. org/education.

Teachers

company ran children’s clothing consignment sales staffed by parents and volunteers and was charged with violating federal employment policies. A jilted wife in Pennsylvania doused over-the-counter chemicals on the doorknobs of her husband’s lover’s house and was prosecuted for violating an international treaty meant to prevent chemical warfare. The list goes on.

These and countless other examples are the result of America’s unwieldy and unjust criminal code. Today, there are estimated to be about 4,500 federal crimes scattered throughout the U.S. Code’s 54 sections and 27,000 pages. Add state laws plus the federal regulations that

include criminal penalties and this number grows into the hundreds of thousands.

The criminal code is so broad and so confusing that Americans sometimes can’t help but run afoul of it. Once they do, their lives can quickly and permanently be ruined. A staggering number of criminal laws and regulations lack “intent” and “knowledge” requirements, which protect unwitting Americans who have no reasonable way of knowing they committed a crime. The list of nonviolent offenses is so broad that everyday activity can often be criminal. And many federal and state crimes are accompanied by mandatory minimum sentences that force minor lawbreakers into

unjust prison terms.

The lawmakers and regulators who created this system were well-intentioned, but we can see the harmful results all around us.

America, with over two million prisoners, now accounts for a quarter of the world’s prison population. No other industrialized nation comes close.

This mass imprisonment worsens America’s poverty crisis. According to a Villanova University study, “had mass incarceration not occurred, poverty would have decreased by more than 20%” in recent years. This makes sense, given that a stint in prison leads to nine fewer weeks of annual work and 40% lower annual earnings

for former inmates, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Overcriminalization hurts the Americans who can least afford it.

These problems will get steadily worse until policymakers reform the broken criminal justice system. State and federal elected officials can start by cutting the criminal laws that go too far — especially for nonviolent offenses — and clarifying the ones that are overly broad and subject to frequent abuse. When new laws are established, lawmakers should ensure that they enhance public safety and satisfy the requirements laid out in the Bill of Rights. And they should only expand the criminal code when there is broad consensus.

The need for action is urgent.

Eight Atlanta educators are on their way to prison because they were prosecuted and convicted as if they were mob bosses, which their actions, while reprehensible, did not warrant. How many Americans have to be similarly mistreated — and how many people’s lives have to be ruined — before policymakers act?

with the greatest need. Am I missing something here?

As Minneapolis Urban League CEO Scott Gray states, “the Urban League did not break any rules. It did not double bill, and it has not ‘been under fire,’” as the article claims. While the article declares in the first paragraph that a program “never lived up to its promise of graduating the city’s most troubled high school students.” Gray states in his Op-ed response that, “67% of the students eligible to graduate … received their diplomas.”

An analysis of this one allegation speaks volumes. In the first instance, the public schools system has failed to graduate any (0%) of these students, which is the reason they ended-up at the

Urban League Academy in the first place. Second, even with the African American students the public school retained, in 2013, Minneapolis Public Schools had a graduate rate of 41% for African American students. So, the Minneapolis Urban League takes students that the public school system can’t handle at all, and graduates them at a rate that is 50% higher than the African American students the public schools can handle. We’re not here to bash Minneapolis Public Schools, because the StarTribune has already engaged in its fair share of bashing Minneapolis Public Schools and its school leaders!

The article then goes on to cast

aspersions upon Turning Point, Inc., CEO Peter Hayden, simply because he is the board treasurer of the Minneapolis Urban League, and the father of Senator Jeff Hayden. There’s no suggestion that Peter Hayden did anything remotely inappropriate; but, his reputation is tarnished nonetheless because his son is a state senator who helped to pass legislation to benefit the Minneapolis Urban League.

Maybe, again, I’m missing something here, but isn’t that what legislators are elected to do? Aren’t city councilmembers, county commissioners, state legislators and congressman supposed to lobby for and pass legislation that benefits their constituencies? Isn’t that part of

the reason that they’re elected – as the saying goes, “To bring home the bacon.” The article also seeks to drag Insight News Editor in Chief Al McFarlane through its muck.

Why? Ostensibly because he was serving as a “volunteer” board member of a community service organization and advocating on behalf of his community. Neither he nor his paper are accused of receiving any gifts or benefits. But, the damage has been done.

So, what’s really at the bottom here in all of these articles?

Because all of the articles concern Senators Champion and Hayden, the best we’re able to ascertain is that Senators Champion and Hayden have been effective in

lobbying for organizations that serve their African American constituencies, and that has incurred the ire of their political opponents and others. Same thing with Louis King, and now Scott Gray. The fact that they’ve been successful in obtaining funding for African American legacy organizations and the children and adults they have successfully served for decades, has now come under fire and become the source of front page news – no wrongdoing, no mismanagement, no waste of public funds - simply the fact that they haven’t been able to save the dying patient that our other institutions have left on the operating table!

From 6 jail for a year. Two others accepted plea deals with lighter sentences.

Most must also pay a fine and serve probation and community service.

These punishments do not fit the crimes. Yet this is not a rarity — similar stories play out all too frequently around the country.

Overcriminalization is rampant in America’s legal system. A Florida fisherman disposed of undersized fish yet was convicted of violating a law passed to prevent destruction of business records. An Arkansas

Leaders From 6 government, private individuals and philanthropic organizations, to educate the same students. The same principle holds true for almost every non-profit organization.

Why do they all do this? Because the funding received from one source is insufficient to meet all of their student or programming needs. Everyone involved in this conversation knows that it takes a disproportionate share of resources to address the needs of those most truly in need. It is an accepted truism that 80% of resources go to address the 20% of our population

Classifieds Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Animal Menagerie 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 40 S. 7th St. Suite 212 Box 137, Minneapolis MN 55402 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name OR if an entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or Limited Partnership name and registered office address. Attach additional sheet(s) if necessary: Rosemary, Sage, & Thyme, 1180 Cushing Circle, St. Paul MN 55108 Diane Minner, 40 S. 7th St. Suite 212 Box 137, Minneapolis MN 55402 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Diane Minner Date Filed: 4/2/2015 Insight News 4/27/2015, 5/4/2015

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North Memorial Needs Volunteers to Help Victims of Domestic Abuse

SafeJourney, a program serving North Memorial Medical Center and Maple Grove Hospital, helps patients and individuals in the community who are experiencing domestic abuse. Volunteer advocates are needed to provide a listening ear, support, safety planning, information and referral. You do not have to have previous knowledge or experience, but rather looking for people who are sensitive to the issue, caring, and non-judgmental. Advocates sign up for 2 on-call shifts per month. Flexible scheduling - daytime, overnights, and weekends. Training is provided. Deadline to apply and schedule a short interview is January 26. Please call Suzy at 763-581-3942.

Fax: 612.588.2031

Van Jones, founder of Dream Corps/Rebuild The Dream, is a former special advisor to President Barack Obama. Mark Holden is general counsel of Koch Industries, which supports the Coalition for Public Safety.

Email: info@insightnews.com

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Page 10 • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Insight News

insightnews.com

THROUGH THE FIRE

Cinematographer Mychal Fisher rebuilds after Northside blaze Interview by Toki Wright Twitter @mrwrighttc It has been said that “fire both destroys and purifies.”

The devastating blaze that ripped through the 900 block of Broadway in North Minneapolis not only affected local businesses, but also the homes of many families and individuals.

Visionary cinematographer Mychal Fisher (also known as Sway Heavy) was one of those individuals. His work spans from the film world into music production and performance with the Afrofuturist band ZULUZULUU alongside Greg

Grease and 5 for ’15 R&B award winner Proper-T. In our exclusive interview for Aesthetically Speaking Fischer is surprisingly optimistic in the face of tragedy.

AS: For those who don’t know, what is the history of Mychal “Sway Heavy” Fisher?

MF: I was born and raised in San Bernardino, CA. I’m a transplant and have been here for the last 4 or 5 years.

I came out here to do music.

I studied music at IPR and graduated with a degree in Audio Engineering. While I was in school a friend of mine

introduced me to the Canon T2i with its video abilities as well as its photography abilities. I’ve always been into photography.

I was getting into photography in high school but wasn’t able to afford a camera, so I took a class and rented a camera. But by the time the class was over I had to turn it back in. So I wasn’t able to explore that artistic side too much.

I loved photography. So I picked a camera up with my student loan money (while at IPR), didn’t buy some books, started messing around with it, and it was a snowball effect from there. A colleague invited me to come to some events he

was doing and take footage and edit it together for him. He said, “If I do a competition would you be down to shoot a music video for the artist who wins?”

I ended up doing one of my first music videos for ThatGuySoda.

From there I was doing music videos and navigating around networks and doing show recap videos for George Shannon my Brand Ambassador/Manager.

I later moved into doing narratives, documentaries, and working with local non-profits like Neighborhoods Organizing for Change. I did some videos for a restorative justice program and it moved into doing more organizing. I really wanted to

get into doing more filmmaking and edit an indie film. I also shot a reality show for a local production company.

AS: What is your relationship with music performance and production?

MF: I was in a Hip-Hop group for a while called Midwest Konnect with my guy Lemons before he moved back to Indianapolis, IN in 2012. He’s like a brother to me. Music has always been a big thing for me. My mom forced us to take lessons at a young age so I had a propensity to do music. She was the Minister

of Music at the church I went to when I was younger. I got a lot of gospel influence and jazz. I wasn’t listening to a lot of Hip-Hop until High School because we weren’t supposed to listen because of the language.

Parents try to keep you from it but you know how that goes [laughs].

Now I play synth, sax, and bass in ZULUZULUU. It’s a very non-traditional project.

A lot of our band members play multiple things and we don’t have any restrictions on who plays what. There are no real rules to it. We just do what sounds good.

FISCHER TURN TO 11

Ice dancing performance celebrates women of color

By Maya Beecham Dorothy Richburg made a point to expose her young daughter, Deneane Richburg, to various recreational activities.

At age five Deneane Richburg tried t-ball and decided it wasn’t a fit. She also tried figure skating and it became a life changing commitment that led to a 20-plus year career. Now she uses the ice rink as a platform to change lives through an artistic voice empowered by history, culture and social-cultural awareness.

From April 30 – May 2 at Victory Memorial Ice Arena, 1900 42nd Ave. N, Minneapolis, Deneane Richburg will be performing in the Brownbody production of

“Quiet as It’s Kept” an original repertory of movement, sound, and storytelling in modern dance, figure skating and theater.

This ensemble performance will also feature other professional figure skaters of color, including Rohene Ward, a Minneapolis native, international competitor and former Puerto Rican National Champion.

Additionally, the performance is set to a soundscape that was done in collaboration with, and will be performed live by, famed Twin Cities actress and vocalist, Thomasina Petrus. Petrus will integrate excerpts from Ida B. Wells speeches throughout the

RICHBURG 11 TURN TO

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Page 11 Lex Exodus

Jason Moran and Robert Glasper Rhiannon Giddens

April 27 - May 3

Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking.

Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com

Monday, April 27 ROCK Timisarocker with Makus Blex, Lydia Liza and more Honey 205 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.

18-plus $5 New band Timisarocker plays at Honey with Chicago hiphop transplant Markus Blex, Kali Gerr Music, Lydia Liza and The Anatomy Of ... (Dan Smith).

Tuesday, Fischer From 10 AS: The fire was a devastating blow to the entire community.

What should people know about the fire in relation to you and your work?

MF: I don’t want to be seen as a victim. Yes, I did have something happen that was a very traumatic experience and it definitely was a setback in some ways. In terms of my living situation and losing things, I don’t want people to think I’m a victim because of that. The situation also allowed me to grow. To realize that I have a lot of support behind me and what I’m doing… the response has been crazy. People have been investing their money and their time to help me move forward from the situation to be in a better space. It’s been a very eye-opening situation and I can’t really look at it as a negative thing, even though it was negative in some ways.

Richburg From 10 vocal performance.

Education and empowerment is the goal of the show. The Reconstruction period and the rise of Jim Crow governance will serve as the historical backdrop of the performance. Audience members will be invited to revisit the meaning of those traumatic historical experiences endured by the African-American community, and the residual effect on modern society.

Deneane Richburg has built her career on developing a platform that uniquely pushes the envelope to empower her community. In 2007 she founded, Brownbody, an organization whose stated mission is “to present artistic work that combines sound and movement that extends the translation of bounded realities

April 28 BLUES/PERFORMANCE Rhiannon Giddens with Bhi Bhiman Pantages Theatre 710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m.

See and hear her the soulful music of Rhiannon Giddens with Bhi Bhiman at the Pantages.

Wednesday, April 29 ART/FASHION/HAIR RAW:natural presents Exposure The Pourhouse 10 S. 5th St., Minneapolis 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. $15 advance, $20 door

There are all of the positive things that happened as a result in terms of me realizing the people who are around me that have my back. Tomorrow is not promised.

AS: When the firemen said you had 30 seconds to grab your things from the burning building what did you take?

MF: People say the things that you grab when you only have 30 seconds are the things most important to you. I grabbed my camera bag, my backpack that had some clutch books in it, and my cat Charles. It’s crazy because the three books I had with me were real crucial books; Gordon Parks autobiography Weapon of Choice, the Autobiography of Malcolm X, and Black Power by Stokely Carmichael. Those three books in juxtaposition to my camera were my main focus is creating fresh images of Blackness and at the same time trying to use my lens to capture things that are going on around me from a social justice framework. From

to tell a story.”

A native of Minnesota, born and raised in Maplewood, Deneane Richburg has become a national presence educating through figure skating and dance.

After receiving her undergraduate degree at Carleton College in Northfield, she consumed herself in educational and artistic experiences that built the foundation for her work today.

Deneane Richburg received a Horace J. Bond Fellowship with the Penumbra Theater Company and worked with Pangea World Theater Company in, Minneapolis.

Deneane Richburg earned a Master of Arts in AfroAmerican Studies with a focus on contemporary AfricanAmerican literature, and concentration on theater at University of Wisconsin.

Additionally, she received an MFA in dance and choreography

RAW:natural is an independent arts organization that hand selects and spotlights independent creatives in visual art, film, fashion, music, hair and makeup artistry, photography and performing art. Exposure is hosted by Anahita Ahrar.

Thursday, April 30 REGGAE/PERFORMANCE Les Exodus The Cabooze 917 Cedar Minneapolis $7

Ave.

S.,

Join Les Exodus in its weekly reggae residency at the Cabooze with Prince Jabba and Lynval Jackson.

Friday, May 1

RALLY/BARBEQUE

80 S. 9th St., Minneapolis

Black Lives Matter: Court Solidarity Rally and May Day Barbeque The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center 4055 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis 12 p.m.

Soul Friday is a monthly dance party created for queer women of color and friends.

Soul Friday is DJed by Lady L and Shannon Blowtorch.

The group dubbed the MOA11, charged with organizing December’s Mall of America demonstration, faces up to eight misdemeanors which carry a maximum of two years in jail and a $7,000 fine. Supporters will gather first at the Hennepin County Court Building in Edina at 8:30 a.m. and at noon at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center to stand in solidarity with the accused leaders.

DANCE PARTY Soul Friday Hell’s Kitchen

Saturday, May 2

as essential American musical forms of hip-hop, blues, gospel, and soul, Jason Moran and Robert Glasper are high school friends from Houston who have since changed the face of American jazz in the 21st century.

Sunday, May 3 BREAKDANCING/BATTLE

JAZZ/PERFORMANCE Robert Glasper and Jason Moran Walker Art Center 1750 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. (8 p.m. show sold out) $28 ($25 for Walker members) Two of today’s most influential contemporary jazz pianists team up combining their artistry and virtuosity in what promises to be an unforgettable evening. Informed by the entire history of jazz as well

MINNESOTA’S NICEST 1vs1 Bboy/Bgirl Qualifier House of Dance Twin Cities 11 7th Ave. N., Hopkins 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. $10 competitors, spectators $5 House of Dance Twin Cities has been hosting some premiere B-Boy/Girl Battles.

This should be no exception.

The winner of the battle receives an all-expenses paid trip (flight, hotel and transportation) to Denver to compete in the Midwest Regional Cypher in June.

addressing police brutality to a Black Lives Matter framework I’ve been trying to do my part in documenting the movement and also create images that raise awareness of issues in the Black community. It’s crazy how it worked out. This is what I’m meant to be doing.

You can support Mychal Fisher’s rebuild efforts as the community works to raise $10,000 for his equipment and personal effects by donating to his GoFundMe account at http://www.gofundme.com/ s6e4vsk.

You can also see Sway Heavy perform a live production set at The Drop May 6th at Honey in NE, Minneapolis.

ZULUZULUU will also be opening for Shabazz Palaces June 4th at the Fineline Music Café.

Contact Mychal for video at swayheavy@gmail.com, on Soundcloud.com/mykeshevy, Twitter.com/SwayHeavy, and Instagram.com/Mykesyevy

at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Her works on stage and ice have included “Aunt Sara’s Escape,” a production that examined the visual objectification of Saartjie “Sara” Baartman, “These Blues Women,” and “Living Past (Re) memory,” a work exploring the concept of remembrance based on the novel “Beloved” by Toni Morrison. In 2010, Deneane Richburg co-founded The Requisite Movers (TRM) with Lela Aisha Jones. TRM’s mission is to address a noticeable shortage of Black female artistic voices by supporting Black female choreographers in the form of offering opportunities and spaces where they can receive honest critical feedback on their artistic work.

For more information on tickets to see “Quiet as It’s Kept.” visit www.brownbody.org or call (651) 777-9119.

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Page 12 • April 27 - May 3, 2015 • Insight News

insightnews.com 2 Area style icon Richard Moody recently celebrated the

1

release of the second installment of his photo book, “The Dandies Project,” showcasing the style of men of color. Several taste makers were on hand for the event held April 21 at Coup d’état in Uptown. Aesthetically 4

Speaking captured a few faces in the crowd.

1) Recent transplant Adam Stoner came out to support “The Dandies Project.”

2) Dandies Darren

3

Hayes and Charles Dennis

5

3) Anise Mazone and “The Dandies Project” curator, Richard Moody.

4) Thee Urbane Life’s Bianca Lewis and U of M grad student Zeke Joubert at Coup d’état.

5) Models Billie White and Jeilah

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING IS ILLEGAL

Tell the Driver :