Philly raised… Atlanta made, its T’Melle! R&B songstress ready to bare all MORE ON PAGE
May 6 - May 12, 2013
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Vol. 40 No. 19 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
NUL: Blacks slip on the road to parity with whites By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Blacks have fallen behind in their efforts to reach parity with whites in several key areas since 2010, according to the National Urban League’s new “State of Black America” report. Each year, the report computes an Equality Index for economics, health, education,
in 2010. Compared to 2010 figures, Blacks lost ground in economics (56.3 percent in 2013 vs. 57.9 percent in 2010) social justice (57.1 percent compared to 57.8 percent in 2010) and civic engagement (99.9 vs. 102.2 percent in 2010). Blacks also trailed Hispanics who scored 75.6 percent on the Equality Index. Hispanics scored higher than Blacks in health (101.2 percent) and economics (60.8 percent and social justice (61.9 percent). Blacks made strides in
PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE
Jessica Rogers By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer
Educational attainment is where we see the biggest gains over the past half-century
social justice and civic engagement. Each category was assigned its own weight: economics receives 30 points, health and education each receive 25 points and social justice and civic engagement each receive 10 points. When compared to whites, Blacks scored 71.7 percent on the equality index in 2013 down from the 72.1 percent mark
education (79.6 percent vs. 78.3 percent in 2010) and health (76.9 percent vs. 76.7 percent in 2010). “Educational attainment is where we see the biggest gains over the past half-century, thanks to affirmative action and early investments in educational
It has been said that everyone has a purpose in life. Some live never knowing their purpose, some find it later in life and for some, that purpose is shown immediately. For Jessica Rogers, she is living her purpose – a purpose she said she knew almost immediately. Rogers, who described herself as a proud corporate dropout said, “I just didn’t feel that’s where I was supposed to be. I was making excellent money at a young age, but I wasn’t happy. It’s always been my calling to work with young people. For me, I believe I was born specifically for this purpose.”
Photo courtesy of Jessica Rogers
Jessica Rogers
The purpose for which Rogers was born is to work with children in the foster care system. As executive director of Connections to Independence (C2i), Rogers is charged with assisting teens and young adults (ages 15 – 21) that are in the Hennepin County foster care system and helping them to transition into adulthood. Summit Academy OIC President Louis King, in conjunction with the county, started C2i in 2002 as a program within the academy. According to Rogers, King wanted to address the high number of African-Americans in the foster care system that were having trouble adjusting
ROGERS TURN TO
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NUL TURN TO 10
Comcast Cares Day at Urban League PYC students walk for success
Courtesy of Comcast
Volunteers took advantage of summer-like weather Saturday, April 27 to lend a helping hand at Minneapolis Urban League. Comcast volunteers replaced and refreshed all the red lava rock and mulch around the headquarters on Plymouth Ave. N. Another group volunteered at the Urban League Academy on Blaisdell, mulching, planting flowers and bringing in large flower pots for the entrance to the school. More than 1,800 volunteers worked at dozens of area nonprofits as part of Comcast Cares Day, the company’s annual nationwide volunteer event.
Business
Optimists: How do you fill your glass?
PAGE 3
Education
Sharp drop in black male enrollment in medical schools
PAGE 4
ST. PAUL, MN (April 2013) – For area homeowners, weekends in April are often set aside for spring cleaning. The story is quite the same for Twin Cites nonprofits who need help with landscape clean-up, sorting and pitching, painting, general fixup and more at their respective facilities. And Comcast reached out to lend a helping hand. On Saturday morning, April 27, Lynn Mulkern, Comcast project leader, worked with 70 Comcast volunteers at two sites for the Minneapolis Urban League. Mulkern and her team replaced and refreshed all the red lava rock and mulch around the headquarters on Plymouth Ave. N. Another Comcast group was on site at the Urban League Academy on Blaisdell, mulching, planting flowers and bringing in big flower pots for the entrance to the school. More than 1,600 Comcast employees, family members and friends volunteered at more than a dozen Twin Cities project sites as a part of Comcast Cares
COMCAST TURN TO 10
Students at PYC Arts and Tech High School are inviting community members to join them for the fourth annual Walk for Success, 3:15 p.m., Friday, May 17. The walk is intended to raise awareness and break down stereotypes about youth in North Minneapolis. The event is spearheaded by the Discovery Crew, a student leadership group at PYC, Discovery. “We are all too aware of the negative images of delinquent youth wearing baggy clothes,” said Discovery crew leader Walter Anderson. “The high school students of this community want to end this stereotype and show pride in the community.” The 5 mile walk begins at Plymouth Christian Youth Center, 2210 Oliver Avenue North, and ends at Peavey Plaza, at the Nicollet Mall and 11th Street in downtown Minneapolis. The public is encouraged to attend.
Full Circle Gainful employment develops responsibility
PAGE 9
“We’re not asking for money, just for time. The more people we can get walking with us, the higher the visibility towards breaking the stereotypes,” Anderson said. The Discovery Crew program began more than five years ago. Its purpose is to provide students with opportunities to participate in their community through service learning projects. Students participate in events like International Peace Jam and in staging the annual Black History Showcase at the Capri Theater each February. PYC Arts and Technology High School is a program of the Plymouth Christian Youth Center (PCYC), a non-profit human services organization that serves North Minneapolis youth and families through education, community programs, and community development. For more information visit www. pcyc-mpls.org
Health
People who eat less meat tend to live longer
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Page 2 • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Insight News
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COMMENTARY Nobody asked me, but it’s time for immigration reform Nobody Asked Me
By Fred Easter Nobody asked me, but I see a country where hundreds of thousands of folks enter the country every year to harvest the nation’s veggies. The government calls them “undocumented workers,” but you can bet Dole and the other major producers of lettuce, cauliflower, etc. know exactly who they are. Not only do these workers have no health care, they have no legal rights whatsoever. They are raped and mistreated in every way imaginable; yet, they come. Year after year after year, these workers come because economic conditions are so
thoroughly abysmal in their home country, Mexico, that this is their best chance at feeding their families. I mention this because it is an object lesson on what Americans will face if current trends continue. Where Republicans control state governments, unions are under attack. It sounds better on FOX TV if it’s called right-to-work initiatives. Everyone should have a right to work, right? The obstructionist Congress blocks every effort to put folks to work that it can. On April 24, no Republican Senators even attended the Senate Committee Hearing on LongTerm Unemployment. The more undocumented workers and people out of work, the less money and benefits will be demanded by potential employees as part of a job. Collateral damage to this strategy of Congressional “donothingism” is that the “Darker Brother” in the White House
is made to look ineffectual. While Republicans continue to oppose “Obamacare,” they do regret having given it his
successful, the effect of saddling poor and middle class families with unplanned, unwanted, hard-to-adequately-care-for
Whoever said “racism is dying in America” hasn’t been watching Republican antics since the last two Presidential elections.
name because it is being widely embraced by the people and will forever be part of his legacy. Right-wing attempts to restrict women’s access to abortions will have, where
children. Believe that the rich will have only those children they plan on. Doctors will make house calls to terminate their unplanned pregnancies, if they wish. No need for the wealthy
to rely on clinics and women’s rights advocate’s facilities. So, imagine more poor people than jobs available. More prisons than we need, but not quite as many as they need to gerrymander the population of poor, incarcerated people into solidly Republican gerrymandered towns; so that right-wing voting strength is maximized. Add long and arduous paths to citizenship for Latin-Americans because of the acts of two white Chechens, who were welcomed into the country, despite Russia’s warnings. Remember, naturalized citizens who are white can enroll in school. “Undocumented workers” who aren’t working, go hungry. I guess the Canadian workers who come into Detroit every morning for their workday must be “documented workers.” That’s the best of all worlds – an American job and Canadian healthcare. This is the hill Hillary
Clinton is resting up to climb for the run-up to the 2016 Presidential race. We better be ready to push her up that hill. White women are treated much better than brothers in this country. And I’m not sure corporations and the rich can stomach 16 years of bad economic news for a shot at full political control. This may be likely, since the Republican right wing has found a way to govern as a minority. Whoever said racism is dying in America hasn’t been watching Republican antics since the last two Presidential elections. Sad thing is, most Americans seem to value quality and integrity. Really rich, mostly white, lions of industry are not handling their loss of influence well. Used to be that America believed anything said by a group of white guys in $1,000 suits. Now the suits have to cheat and lie even louder.
Legislature focused on giving children a brighter future By Rena Moran State Representative, District 65A As a parent, I always strive to weigh how legislation under discussion at our state capitol will impact our children. We need to make sure every student, regardless of background or age, has access to a great education so they can reach their full potential. We also need to make sure those students can get a good job after they graduate from high school, college, or any form of post-secondary education. I’m proud to report that DFL lawmakers in the Minnesota
Representative Rena Moran House of Representatives are taking serious steps to achieve both of those goals. The recently approved
House K-12 education omnibus bill is designed to fully close our achievement gap, reach a 100 percent high school graduation rate, 100 percent literacy rate by third grade, and 100 percent career and college readiness by graduation. This bill truly means brighter futures for all children in Minnesota. In order to meet those ambitious goals, our bill takes the following steps: • Fully funds all-day, every day kindergarten. • Invests $50 million in early learning childhood scholarships. • Increases the basic funding formula for K-12 schools by over $315 million, or
$209 per pupil. • Replaces the GRAD exam with career and college readiness entrance exams. Students would begin taking these tests in middle school to provide parents and kids with important diagnostics to empower them with early planning for their career goals and success in learning. This is a more effective, fairer way to use tests and it will create more opportunities for children of color to graduate. In addition to taking these steps, House DFLers have a plan to fully pay back the remaining school shift balance of over $800 million, which is
included in our taxes omnibus bill. We also have a jobs and economic development omnibus bill that creates good jobs throughout Minnesota. Our plan includes $46 million in additional investments over the next biennium for programs like the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF), which provides low interest loans for businesses thinking of setting up shop in Minnesota and for in-state businesses thinking about expanding their operations. It also includes a substantial tax cut for employers by reducing the rate they pay on unemployment insurance taxes,
saving the average employer about $150 per employee. We understand that we can’t erase achievement gaps or reduce unemployment rates overnight, but the legislation we’re passing will make a big difference in the lives of all Minnesotans, especially our children. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Minnesota legislature, please contact me by phone at (651) 296-5158, by email at rep.rena.moran@house.mn, or by postal mail at 413 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155. Together we are stronger!
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Insight News • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Page 3
BUSINESS
Optimists: How do you fill your glass? Plan Your Career By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com During a Leadership discussion last week, we were asked to rank ourselves and our lives on a scale of one to ten in regards to finances, fitness, fun, family and a couple other categories. Under fitness, I gave myself a ten, although I
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Culture and Education Editor 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 Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer Contributing Writers Cordie Aziz Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Oshana Himot Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Alysha Price Photography Suluki Fardan Michele Spaise 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.
marathon, which for a week or so was true. Or one can say, We are looking for the culprit. Also true, but certainly more hopeful, more optimistic than the former statement. Here’s another one: Sales are way down this month. Let’s assume that’s a true statement. If one says, instead, We are committed to improving our sales numbers next month, is that a lie? Or is that a different way to frame the concept in order to make it more positive? Perhaps the optimistic solution isn’t to lie; rather, the goal should be to think forward, framing statements in the most positive light, and looking for glimpses of things to be hopeful about as we go through our days. In my case, I should have said, Today, my fitness feels like a four, but I’m going to change that to a ten by taking the dog out twice today. True statement plus positive outlook equals action and growth and success.
was feeling more like a four. I asked the group, if you say something out loud, does that make it true? Of course, I was referring to my fitness level, wholly personal and no global impact there, I promise. However, the discussion went in an interesting direction: If you say it and it isn’t true, are you lying? The government, educators, spiritual leaders… if it comes from them, it must be true, or it is a lie, said the group. So what I am wondering is, is it okay to frame something in a positive way in order to move in that direction? For example, you’re a little tired today. But if you say, “I’m not tired at all! I’m ready for action! C’mon, dog, let’s go for that walk!” then are you lying? Or are you reframing? And if a reframe is a lie, then where do our positive vibes come from? How do we get through a week of bombings, manhunts, unemployment and snowstorms if we can’t see any hope in the future? I’ve asked around a bit, and I’ve decided it’s okay to frame things in a positive light, as long as you stay seated in reality while you do it. For instance, one can say, We don’t know who bombed the
Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Write to Julie at jdesmond@georgekonik. com or follow on Twitter @ MNCareerPlanner.
It pays to understand the different roles of financial professionals SAINT PAUL, MN– In recognition Financial Literacy Month, the Minnesota Department of Commerce today reminds investors of the importance of understanding the distinctions between the various types of financial professionals. “Whether you are just starting a retirement fund or need additional help with managing your money, you may benefit from information on selecting an investment services professional. It pays to understand the differences between a broker-dealer agent, an investment adviser representative, and a financial planner. Each serves a distinct role in helping with your financial future,” said Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman. To help investors understand these differences, the Department has issued an investor advisory providing basic information on these types of financial services professionals and their obligations to investors. For example, anyone licensed as an investment advisor must, by law, act as a fiduciary and put the interests of his or her clients ahead of their own. “With so many brokers and sales people calling themselves ‘financial advisers,’ or ‘investment consultants,’ it is easy to see how investors might assume these individuals are licensed investment advisors,” Commissioner Rothman said. “That’s one reason why federal securities regulators should require all financial professionals providing investment advice to retail investors to be held to a high fiduciary standard.” The Department is engaged in an examination and enforcement program involving investment advisors. This program has resulted in more complete and accurate disclosure by dozens of investment advisors regarding their relationship with broker dealers, the manner in which investment advisors are being compensated and possible conflicts of interest. Investors are well advised to review information on file with FINRA and the SEC involving any broker dealers or investment advisors. The following provides basic information on three types of financial services professionals and their obligations to you as a client: broker-dealer agents, investment adviser representatives, and financial planners. An individual professional can hold any one or combination of these three credentials or titles, among others.
Financial Service Providers Broker-Dealer Agents Broker-dealer agents sell securities and other investment products. Generally, the term broker-dealer refers to a firm rather than an individual; an individual in a firm is known as a broker-dealer agent. A broker-dealer agent may be informally referred to as any of the following, among others: broker, stockbroker, financial consultant, financial adviser, investment consultant, salesperson, or registered representative. Brokers are typically compensated by transactionbased commissions. Brokers are obligated to make sure the securities they recommend are suitable for clients based upon factors such as the client’s risk tolerance, age, and investment goals. Typically, a broker facilitates a transaction and the nature of their advice provides insight for the purchase of a security, but not the long-term strategy or portfolio. It is possible that brokers may recommend investments that appear suitable but may not be optimal for investors’ objectives. Because of the manner in which they are compensated, it is possible for brokers to have incentives to sell financial products that may not entirely align with clients’ goals. Investment Adviser Representatives Investment adviser representatives give advice about securities and other investment products and provide ongoing management of investments based on clients’ objectives. Investors should be aware that many investment advisors are duly registered so that they can earn a commission in addition to their advisory fee. Generally, the term investment adviser refers to a firm rather than an individual; an individual in a firm is known as an investment adviser representative. In some instances, an investment adviser is operated by only one person and, in this case, the individual is both the investment adviser and the investment adviser representative. With the distinction sometimes difficult to discern, investment adviser representatives are often commonly referred to as investment advisers. Investment advisers may be referred to by a variety of titles, among others: investment manager, investment counsel, asset manager, wealth manager, or portfolio manager. Clients may grant their advisers discretionary authority to make decisions about investments without prior
approval. Investment advisers have a fiduciary responsibility to put clients’ interests ahead of their own when providing investment advice. Because investment advisers give continuous comprehensive investment advice, they are considered to be acting in a fiduciary role; by contrast a broker who serves clients on a transactional basis is not considered to be a fiduciary. Investment advisers typically charge a flat rate or an asset-based fee. The compensation structure must be disclosed to the client. Financial Planners Financial planners design an overall plan for their clients to save, invest, and manage their money. Planners who provide specific or ongoing investment advice—such as recommending particular financial products or investments—must be registered or licensed as investment adviser representatives and are subject to a fiduciary duty. Questions to ask: • What services do you offer? • What licenses, registrations, qualifications, and experience do you have to offer these services? • Are you a broker, investment adviser, financial planner or any combination thereof? • Can you provide me with your CRD number, and, if not, why not? • Are you required to always act in my best interest? • •Do you have any potential conflicts of interest when providing me with investment advice? • How are you paid? Explain commissions or fees you may charge. These questions are not exhaustive, and the answers will likely raise additional questions you will want answered before you decide to entrust the professional with your money. You may want to ask for the answers in writing. Be suspicious if your investment services provider: • Refuses to provide you with his or her CRD number. • Cannot explain to you how a proposed financial product is intended to make money. • Suggests that you take out a mortgage or reverse mortgage on your home in order to invest. • Recommends that you cash out current holdings (such as life insurance or retirement accounts) to fund other investments. • Ignores your financial objectives. • Pressures you to invest today or tells you to keep the investment secret. The fee structures charged
by financial planners vary greatly and are dependent on whether they are licensed or registered. Financial planners may charge hourly, flat, or asset-based fees, or they could earn commissions, if licensed, based upon the purchase of recommended products.
For more information on investments and securities or how to look up whether your investment advisor is licensed and investments registered with the State of Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Department of Commerce Securities Section online.
Page 4 • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Insight News
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EDUCATION Sharp drop in Black male enrollment in medical schools By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondents WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Fewer African-American males were enrolled in the first year of medical schools last year than 32 years ago, a trend that, if left uncorrected, could hamper efforts to provide quality health care to underserved communities, according to a top officer in the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Marc Nivet, chief diversity officer at the AAMC, made that startling disclosure at the recent Howard University Symposium on Unites States Healthcare. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting 10 years, 15 years, 20 years to intervene in effective ways to ensure that we have the talent necessary to come to our institutions,� Nivet said. “If we don’t effectively intervene in this pipeline and hold our institutions and ourselves accountable for finding the talent that we know exists then we have failed those 32 million people soon to be disenfranchised and we have failed ourselves.� The conference brought together health professionals, students and educators to develop strategies to improving the pipeline for people of color in healthcare. According to a diversity study by the AAMC, African-American women account for nearly twothirds of the students entering the first year of medical school. “This positive trend for racial and ethnic minority women is not mirrored in their male counterparts. African-American males are applying to, being accepted to, and matriculating into medical school in diminishing numbers, which speaks to the
increasing need for medical schools to institute plans and initiatives aimed at strengthening the pipeline,� stated the report. Kendra McDow, 28, entered one of those pipeline programs, Minority Access to Research Careers, the summer after her freshman year at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, D.C. “I knew that I wanted to be a doctor and felt like that program would provide me the opportunity to achieve my goal,� said McDow, who is currently a pediatric resident at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital in Baltimore. The Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program was offered through a partnership with Temple University in Philadelphia. High school students who participated in MARC were given the opportunity to perform research and present their findings in professional journals and science conferences. MARC also put those students on a track to earn a Ph.D. or M.D. “It was an amazing experience for me, and honestly changed my life,� said McDow.
Mark Nivet presents troubling medical school enrollment numbers. According to McDow, the MARC program at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School lost its funding, and now she wonders what will happen to students like
Dean Mark Johnson says medical school is worth the financial investment.
her that want to pursue science or medical careers and don’t have the same opportunity she had. With states and the federal government planning deeper cuts in higher education, more of those pipelines may get shutdown permanently. Without access to pipeline programs, African-American enrollment at medical schools may continue to decline. In 2011, Blacks accounted for 7.3 percent of medical school applicants, compared to 54.6 percent for Whites. Despite comprising 5.6 percent of the U.S. population, Asians accounted for 20.4 percent of medical school applicants that year. Applying is only the first step. The number of AfricanAmericans accepted to medical schools fell from 40 percent in 2010 to 38.3 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, the percentage
Photos: NNPA
of whites accepted to medical schools increased from 47.9 percent in 2010 to 48.3 percent in 2011. The numbers show that once African-Americans were accepted to medical schools, they struggled to earn degrees. The percentage of AfricanAmerican medical students who matriculated fell from 6.3 percent in 2010 to 6.1 percent in 2011. The percentage of white students grew from 57.1 percent to 57.5 percent. Even as researchers continue to address pipeline issues, the cost of medical school continues to be prohibitive for African-American students who often show up at medical school already burdened with thousands of dollars in debt. “Black or African-American matriculants have higher rates of premedical debt than other racial or ethnic groups and among all
students carrying premedical debt, most of it exceeds $25,000,� noted the AAMC report. That is nothing compared to the cost of earning a medical degree. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the average cost of four years at a public medical school, including living expenses and books, is $207,868. That bill balloons to $278,455 for private institutions. “There is increasing recognition that we need to look at new ways to deliver that education in a more costs benefit way,� said Mark Johnson, dean of the College of Medicine at Howard University. “There’s a lot of initiatives being looked at right now; expansion of technology and using more resources in the community to see if we can bring some of these costs down.� Johnson said that ultimately it is up to parents and students to look at the education as a longterm investment. Johnson said that he tells students who are weighing their options, that they are worth it. In 2012, Medscape, an online resource for physicians produced by WebMD, reported that doctors earn between $156,000 and $315,000 on average. Pediatricians reported the lowest earnings for specialists and radiologists and orthopedic surgeons topped the list at $315,000. Johnson said, “The cost is an issue. Though it is expensive, it’s worth it, because if you are going to make an investment in yourself and that investment is going to allow you to double or even triple your earnings over the next 20 or 30 years, you’re making an investment in yourself. So, I would tell students not to be deterred by the costs, because they are worth it.�
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Philly raised… Atlanta made, its T’Melle! R&B songstress ready to bare all By: Alysha “AP” Price A change in condition and appearance can be described as a metamorphosis. There’s no question that 23-year-old T’Melle has pushed through the awkward transformation from child protégée to woman with a no nonsense approach to reaching her goals as an artist. Once the youngest member of girl group, Egypt, and mentee to the late Grammy Award winning icon, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, the Philadelphia native pulls from her past experiences and delivers a raw and unapologetic mixtape
titled, “The Interview.” The daughter of a music teacher, T’Melle’s love affair with music began before she could utter a word. Respecting her father’s expertise and knowledge, she currently looks to him for constructive criticism; although, she’s careful not to share the more provocative songs as of yet. “No I keep the bad stuff from him for now but I know he’ll hear it all one of these days,” said T’Melle, playfully. As if coming from a musical background wasn’t all the motivation she needed, having been signed to Left Eye taught her
T’MELLE TURN TO
7
Photo courtesy of the artist
T’Melle
The Avenue By Kayann Comeaux It was a cold lonely night in December and I was on the road for a speaking engagement when I received the call from writer/director Alaina L. Lewis. Nothing new here – we speak often – but this call was to read for the role of Samaya Watkins, the lead role of her new film “The Avenue.” At first thought, I was unsure of my capabilities and the responsibility to carry such weight. I adore her work and honestly didn’t want to let her down. I asked her to send me the script,
I’d study it and audition for her and the producer, Faith Udeh, upon my return. I’d put together a monologue to show my performance range and ability to transform, but this was a big deal in many capacities. I simply asked her, “why me?” The answer she gave was clear. “why not me, why not ‘The Avenue.’” From that moment, the journey we’d all embark on is one that was as chilling as it was enlightening, and one that has lead me through one of the best experiences of my career as an artist.
AVENUE TURN TO
7 Alaina L. Lewis
kd Comeaux as “Samaya” and Antonio Duke as “Dru”
MORE
• Artists selected for historical, multicutural murals
• Pianist Marcus Johnson
• Lost and Found
Page 6 • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking
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Artists selected for historical/multicultural murals and human-scale artworks at Union Depot
Ralph Gilbert The Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA) has approved the selection of artist Ralph Gilbert to create a series of six historical and multicultural murals in the grand waiting room of Union Depot, located in St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood.
The artist will begin design work, which will involve research, outreach and input from community members. The murals are expected to be complete in late 2013. Ralph Gilbert is a figurative muralist, experienced in painting narratives dealing with diverse cultures and history, including the Helene S. Mills Senior Center of Fulton in Atlanta’s historic Martin Luther King, Jr. district. Gilbert is a professor of drawing, painting and printmaking at Georgia State University. In 2005 he was awarded an Edwin Austin Abbey Memorial Fund Fellowship in mural painting at the National Academy of Design in New York. Asked about his interest in the project, Gilbert said, “I fell in love with the idea of creating these murals. The
Ralph Gilbert - Piedmont Park Conservancy Mural,Atlanta. prospect of making works of art about the history of a significant and beautiful structure in a great American city was irresistible, and I feel greatly honored to have been chosen.” Gilbert was selected from a pool of 69 local and national artists. The majority of the funding for Union Depot’s $1.25 million public art program—80 percent—comes from the Federal Transit Administration, and could not be restricted to Minnesota artists only. Gilbert joins four other artist teams whose work is already underway. Artist selections were recommended by a review panel comprised of artists, art professionals, historic preservationists and community representatives. As an effort to support
emerging public artists, RCRRA also announced the selection of four artists and one artist team who will share a $50,000 commission for the newly restored transportation hub. Artists were invited to propose human-scale artwork—furniture, small objects or “Other Surprising Amenities”—to engage the public in unique and unexpected ways. The winning artists, selected from a pool of more than 50 local and national candidates, are all Twin Cities artists. • Michael Bahl is an artist with a studio in Lowertown, just blocks away from Union Depot. Bahl is a selfdescribed “Paleo-osteological Interpreter”—perhaps the only person working in this field—who uses the actual
bones of contemporary mammals to create skeletons of ancient, imaginary creatures. His sculptural creation for Union Depot, which will hang in the concourse, will involve an elaborate and whimsical back story that will entertain and excite those young and old. ($8,000 commission) • Kyle Fokken is a sculpture artist who combines elements of folk and visionary art with toy imagery that is playful, yet references historical transportation vehicles, like trains, ships and planes. His work has been described as “retro-futurist,” for its tendency to “mash-up” distinct forms from far-apart eras or geographic regions. Fokken will create a sequence of three train sculptures for Union Depot’s grand waiting room
that portray an evolution of his stylized vision, a sequence that will echo a nearby existing terracotta frieze that shows the real-life evolution of transportation in Minnesota. ($14,000 commission) • Josie Lewis creates vivid wall art and furniture with collage work embedded in layers of epoxy resin. Her work for galleries, corporations and private collectors has gained wide attention from various media. At Union Depot, Lewis will create a large handmade artisan table with a top surface of resin and collage referencing travel, rail, maps, time and Minnesota history. The table will serve as public meeting space, a brief stop for lunch on the go, or for simply lingering with a laptop, book or a conversation. ($7,000 commission) • Andrew MacGuffie, Noah Keesecker and Peter Haakon Thompson are a team of artists whose work involves, respectively: sculpture; composition and multimedia art; and interactive/ participatory activities in unexpected places. The artist team—two of whom work in Lowertown—has embraced the concept of Union Depot as the “Living Room of St. Paul” by combining sculpture and community game play. They will create a sculptural steel, musical, participatory ping pong table that will engage people as a source of entertainment, a tool for creating conversations
ART TURN TO
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Roger Mooking returns with even more heat in new season of ‘Man Fire Food’ NEW YORK, NY - April 25, 2013 - Chef Roger Mooking, returns to the Cooking Channel for the second season of “Man Fire Food,” premiering Monday, June 3 at 8:30 p.m. Mooking’s fascination with flames continues as he travels across the country in search of the most inventive ways to cook with fire, and this season the heat is hotter and the flavors are bolder. From traditional Hawaiian grub smoked in an underground lava pit to whole ducks on Brazilian skewers cooked on top of an outdoor oven, each stop delivers sizzling recipes and out-of-this-world heat. Over the course of the series, Mooking discovers the most innovative smokers, fire pits, and rigs the country has to offer along with chefs and home cooks who are manning the machines and preparing delicious
Courtesy of the Cooking Channel
Roger Mooking of “Everyday Exotic” on the Cooking Channel. and flavorful dishes. In one episode, Mooking ventures to a farmer’s market in Oahu, Hawaii, where he and a local resident take the art of smoking to a whole new level. They smoke pork, other meats and turkey tails with guava and kiawe wood in a smoker crafted from the most unlikely materials – an Air Force cargo container, an airplane food cart and a computer fan. Another journey takes the chef to St. Helena in Northern California where Chef Stephen Barber celebrates Argentinian Asado to the fullest at Farmstead Restaurant. Chef Barber built a cook area complete with an 85-gallon cauldron, planchas and metal crosses for the asado. The end result
is a slow-cooked spring lamb seasoned to perfection with Mediterranean flavors. In the culinary world Mooking has earned a reputation as one of North America’s premier Chefs. The Canadian chef with Trinidadian roots culinary talents have lead to appearances on “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “Iron Chef America,” “Top Chef Canada,” “The Wendy Williams Show,” Martha Stewart Radio, “Unique Eats” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” In addition to being a celebrity chef, Mooking is a recording artist. He latest musical project, the hip-hop/ pop offering “Feedback” is set for release July 2.
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Aesthetically Speaking • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Page 7
Jazz pianist Marcus Johnson to perform at the Dakota, promote his line of wine
Avenue
T’Melle From 5 a wealth of information about the industry.
urban flick. We can write psychological thrillers too, science fiction, etc. We can also visit storylines that you may be more accustomed to seeing written by a Caucasian male, as well as tell stories that may not encompass a Black cast. We can tell any story and every story, because stories need no permission to be told. Why set out to write within a barrier? I write what I want and what I see within my head. When people see my work, I want people to stay excited about the things to come because I’m never going to hit ‘em with the same thing and will offer up an artistic variety. Insight News: This is your directorial debut, how did you make this transition and why now with this film? Alaina L. Lewis: Learning to direct just made sense to me. I went to college for screenwriting, and I had made several films during school and thereafter which I had to collaborate on with other directors who didn’t always capture what I had written on paper the way I saw it when I created the story. When you write something and hand it off to another artist to take it to the next level, your work is interpreted based on their idea of your vision. That’s what it means to collaborate.
But, truth be told, you’re not always going to see eye to eye with everyone, and it can at times be a painful process watching your words and idea’s be cut up and stitched back together like a quilt that if you give your work to the wrong person, may look nothing like what you’d originally planned for. In essence, to safeguard my vision, I decided to stand up for it and see it through all the way to the finish line. Insight News: What’s next for Alaina L. Lewis? Alaina L. Lewis: I’m ready to start pumping out more films, and at the same time allow “The Avenue” to do what it’s going to do around the world. We’ve entered it into a few film festivals already, and have already gotten the news that we’ve been accepted to the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival. I’m also working with my producing partner, Faith Udeh, to produce two feature films this year through our production company, 46th Street Films. Apart from that, I will still work with some amazing clients through my own company, Electric Heart Media, LLC, where I hope to control trekking worldwide with my pen and my lens. For More Information on “The Avenue” visit www. theavenue-themovie.com.
Marcus Johnson at the Dakota Jazz Club Wednesday, May 8 7 p.m. Admission: $25
Antonio Duke who plays Dru. How’d you cast him and what made you know he’d bring the character to life with such limited dialogue? Alaina L. Lewis: The entire film falls on the shoulders of the character Dru. I needed someone who had a command over the things unsaid; someone well versed in the format of silent acting. Antonio Duke is like a spark in a generator. He brings chills to this role. He has the ability to say more with just his eyes alone, or slay your emotions with a simple glare. I intentionally did not give this character much dialogue, because essentially Dru is
that’s what Lisa was trying to tell me. I mean the most random thing can happen and I realize what she was trying to teach me,” said T’Melle.
for who she is, not for whom she once worked. And T’Melle leaves no question about who she is on her latest project. With bangers such as “Pill” and “Tupac-Biggie” T’Melle shows her ability to speak for the ladies while catering to men. The closing track on the mixtape, “Classic” describes
her best; she’s most vulnerable on this record and details her struggles. In addition, “Go To War” featuring Waka Flocka Flame shows a more grimy side – almost a modern day Bonnie riding for her Clyde. Stepping out on faith with lessons from her father and Left Eye and tools she’s
gathered along the way, T’Melle is ready to put her past behind and focus on today. Although she’s proud of her Philly roots, the R&B up-andcomer resides in Atlanta, the place she credits for molding her into the sultry singer she is today. “I always tell people that
Philly raised me and Atlanta made me. I grew up in Atlanta this is where I became a woman, where I learned what I represent and what I stand for. So yes, Philly raised me but Atlanta made me.” For “The Interview” mixtape visit www.datpiff.com or www.livemixtapes.com.
time in more than 40 years in December 2012 with more than 300 daily Metro Transit buses. Jefferson
Lines began intercity bus service in January, and Amtrak service will relocate to Union Depot by the end of 2013. In 2014, Metro
Transit’s Green Line will also serve the station and its growing mix of commercial and retail offerings, public programming and private
events. For more information visit regionalrail.org and follow Union Depot on Facebook at facebook.com/ uniondepot.
With urgency in her voice T’Melle disclosed that it’s imperative for her to be known
Art
major renovation began in 2011. The multimodal transportation hub opened to the public for the first
and an interactive musical instrument for exploration and expression. ($13,000 commission) • Aldo Moroni is a noted sculptor, curator, public artist and educator. For the past 40 years, Moroni has explored history, architecture and urban issues through his sculptural work. At Union Depot, Moroni will create four ceramic depictions of St. Paul at four different points in the city’s history: 1850, 1900, 1950 and 2013. His sculptures will be in the head house, greeting the public as they pass through the building. ($8,000 commission) The Union Depot is owned by Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA), Union Depot was originally built in the 1920s and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. RCRRA secured federal, state and county funding to finance the $243 million restoration, and
“Live and Direct,” which is a mix of live performances and studio tracks. Flo (an acronym meaning For the Love of) Wine is available at select Cub stores. Flo offers various whites and reds and is releasing a Moscato later this summer. For more information about the May 8 show, call the Dakota Jazz Club at (612) 332-5299 or go to the Dakota’s website at www.dakotacooks. com. For more information on Johnson and Flo Wine, visit www.threekeys.com.
inspired to write the story “The Avenue” because of a relationship that I was in with a gentleman who was completely unlovable due to an issue he had with receiving and accepting love. This originated from the strained relationship that he had with his drug-addicted mother. “The Avenue” is moreover a unapologetic love letter to where this person’s demise began and where he went left at that fork in the road. There’s always an origin for when someone becomes emotionally unavailable, and with “The Avenue” I wanted to explore that moment. Insight News: Tell us about
kd Comeaux
“She was my mentor; she taught me so much. Years later, I find myself saying
From 6
expanding your brand through complementary offerings,” said Johnson. “When I perform music I promote my wine, when I’m selling my wine, I promote my music.” Johnson, who started playing piano at age 14, has released 15 jazz albums and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. The Washington, D.C. native who now calls Los Angeles home, is somewhat of an overachiever. If being a touring jazz artist and winemaker weren’t enough, consider that the Howard University graduate is also an attorney. “I want to control as much of my destiny as I can,” said Johnson. “I try to have a panoramic focus.” Johnson’s upcoming Dakota performance will feature a mix of old and new with songs from his recently released jazz homage to rock music, “This Is How I Rock” and the upcoming release,
oppressed into silence. He does not have the opportunity to speak up from himself, because his environment is not conducive to his opinion mattering. How many people do we know like this? More than a few, unfortunately. Insight News: What statement are you making with this film? Alaina L. Lewis: I wanted to tell a story that I’d never seen before, and come out the gate as a director with the gloves fully off and apt to show people that I’m serious about my craft. I didn’t want to play it safe with my storyline. I wanted to go all in with something that I think people will identify with. I hope it will challenge them to think about the “Dru” they know, and sympathize with him and consider how he became they way he is. I liken my decision to making this film, to what authors go through when perusing a bookstore and not being able to find the story they want to read, so they go home and write it. Insight News: What impact are you trying to make on the independent film industry? Alaina L. Lewis: I want people to know that just because I’m a woman, and a Black woman, doesn’t mean I have to write an urban romance, or a cliché
From 5 “The Avenue” charts the arduous journey that a young man takes when he goes from the innocence of being a son to becoming his mother’s drug pusher. It is a highly dramatic thriller following a day in the life of Dru Watkins (played by Antonio Duke) when he is tasked with going out into the jungle for his dope-sick mothers drugs. It is then that he’s faced with making the choice between serving the enemy that he knows (his mother played by me), or doing the “right” thing. In order to understand Lewis’ artistic mind, I needed to get in her mental playground to find out what inspires her as an auteur. Everyone who’s viewed a clip of this film asks a unanimous question, “From where did the motivation come?” Sitting over a caramel frappe’ I was granted the opportunity to pick the mind of one of the film world’s most assiduous writer in her introduction to the world as director. Here’s what she had to say. Insight News: How did the concept for “The Avenue” come about? Alaina L. Lewis: I was
Wine and jazz pair well together. When people think of music and spirits, many tend to associate rock with vodka, country with beer; blues with whiskey. But, after a hard day’s work, there’s something soothing about kicking back, putting on some smooth jazz and enjoying a nice glass of wine. So it should come as little surprise that a jazz artist has launched his own brand of wine. That’s exactly what acclaimed jazz pianist Marcus Johnson has done. Johnson launched Flo Wine a year and a half ago and is in town to perform and support the Twin Cities launch of the brand. Johnson is performing at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 9, at the Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis. Admission is $25. So how did Johnson go from jazz pianist to winemaker? “For me it’s about
Alaina L. Lewis
TEN THOUSAND THINGS presents Will Power’s hip hop retelling of Aeschylus’ The Seven Against Thebes, the story of two brothers who try to rule their kingdom peacefully despite their father’s curse.
April 26–May 19 “Pay What You Can” Saturday, Apr. 27, 3pm
FEATURING Katie Bradley, Aimee K. Bryant, H. Adam Harris, Kinaundrae Lee, Brian Sostek, Ricardo Vazquez, Joetta Wright, AND Bruce A. Young
FEBRUARY 15 – MARCH 10, 2013 OPEN BOOK $25 (Students $15 on Sundays with valid ID)
www.tenthousandthings.org 1-800-838-3006
www.SteppingStoneTheatre.org 55 Victoria Street North | Saint Paul | 651-225-9265
Page 8 • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking
Lost and Found (Minneapolis, MN) – Form+Content Gallery presents Lost and Found, an exhibition of artworks created from undisguised or modified found objects and a series of mail art projects produced in collaboration by Jay Isenberg, Lynda Monick-Isenberg, Garth
Rockcastle, and Karen Wirth. Jay Isenberg curated the exhibition Lost and Found. Each of the artists in Lost and Found begins the process of making art through an encounter with found objects. Lynda Monick-Isenberg engages in daily walks during which she
finds and collects objects ignored or discarded by others. She sorts and arranges the objects in her studio and through the act of drawing finds new meaning in the cast-off relics. Garth Rockcastle is an architect who has specialized in the creative re-use of existing structures. His passion for collecting and revitalizing found materials also motivates him to produce surprising objects for the gallery. Karen Wirth is an artist who gives equal attention to objects and language and the meaning that arises out of their dynamic relationship. Isenberg, MonickIsenberg, Rockcastle, and Wirth have also collaborated on a series of mail art projects derived from found objects. Taking turns, each participant altered the mail art pieces and then sent them to the next participant in the group. In this way, the found objects were altered in a series of found interventions, integrating process and product.
Top: Wirth found (object) Unaltered found objects 10 x 26 x 2 in. Right: Monick-Isenberg Lamentations II-2 Graphite and gouache 30 x 9 in. Left: Wirth Structures Found book and objects, laser print 40 x 20 x 5 in.
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Insight News • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Page 9
FULL CIRCLE Gainful employment develops responsibility Man Talk
By Timothy Houston Every man and young man should have a job. The Lord placed the first man in the garden to work because work develops responsibility. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). A woman should know if a man is responsible before she enters a relationship with him. It is best to find this out before emotions are involved because emotions can get in the way of good judgment. Five of the most important words a woman can say to a man are “Do you have
a job?” not because she wants to know how much he makes, but to determine whether or not he has had experience in shouldering responsibility. First, gainful employment demonstrates responsibility. Asking the question, “Do you have a job?” is a way of asking “Are you responsible?” When a man does not have a vocation, there is no consistent measure of responsibility. If he is not responsible for himself, how will he be responsible for others? A man’s ability to take care of himself is a vital part of who he is. He will never take any relationship seriously until he takes himself seriously. Man’s relationship is tied to his sense of responsibility; therefore it is tied to his effort. Both labor and responsibility are measurable. Next, gainful employment contributes to inner growth. Jesus referred to work as his spiritual food. “Jesus saith unto
A man’s ability to take care of himself is a vital part of who he is. He will never take any relationship seriously until he takes himself seriously.
them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34 KJV). The ability to show up for work faithfully and consistently develops one’s inner character and builds confidence. It feeds a man’s spirit with feeds his esteem. The moral fiber of a man is demonstrated in the way he goes about his job. This same type of faithfulness is necessary to build a strong family. Finally, gainful employment allows us to see value in others. Men who work are more likely to value others than those who do not. A man will need help when he is busy doing something productive. No man is content with succeeding alone. At the end of a hard day’s work, he longs for someone to share in the fruit of his labor, and he appreciates those that help him revive and refresh from a hard days work. Gainful employment
demonstrates responsibility, and it is a very important part of a man’s emotional and spiritual health. When he can provide for himself, he feels better about himself. Gainful employment feeds a man’s esteem, and it is as natural to him as eating. As a matter of fact, work is a prerequisite to eating. “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (II Thessalonians 3:10). A man’s labor is more than just a way of providing food for the table. It is a measurement that determines if he is truly ready for a healthy relationship. 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.
Mother’s Day: A day for reflection StatePoint) Most people spend Mother’s Day bestowing flowers, gifts and heartfelt sentiments upon their moms. But for some, knowing how to honor their mother is not so easy. After all, mothers are only human, and not all of them are perfect. Take it from Keith L.T. Alexander, author of the new coming-of-age memoir “Forgery-of-the-Month Club,” which details his difficult relationship with his mom. Unable to make ends meet, his
mother Anita became a conartist, a master at theft, mail fraud and art forgery. In doing so, she implicated her son in different schemes throughout his childhood and adolescence, setting him on a potentially self-destructive path in life. Now with a daughter of his own and his mom a grandmother, Alexander believes that forgiveness and love are important for moving forward, no matter your complaints about the past. In time for Mother’s Day, he is
offering four considerations to make when thinking about your own mother: • Your mother is an adult who makes her own choices. To judge or criticize her is a choice you are making, which can come at a cost to your relationship. Work to let go of any fear, anger, resentment and cynicism that hold you back from improving your relationship. • The primary influence on your point of view of your relationship with your mother
is your childhood experiences and the feelings you associated with those memories. Coming to terms with those feelings can help you move forward. • Your point of view about your mother is not the “truth.” No matter how much evidence you can present or how many people agree with you, you have chosen a point of view which is only one of many ways to view your mother. • Consider what kind of relationship you would have with your mother if you could
recreate it differently: What would it be like? How would it feel? “Now that I have children of my own, I have learned that the secret to being a good father is to be around and available to your child -- not simply for the recitals, and soccer games, but for the unplanned, spontaneous moments, the opportunities to show love to your child,” says Alexander. “Those unexpected moments strung together throughout a child’s upbringing are part of
what makes up the spine of a child’s self-confidence, and ultimately what influences his or her future.” More information about Alexander’s new ebook memoir, “Forgery-of-theMonth Club,” can be found online at Amazon.com. Whether your mother has a tendency to nag you or a tendency to implicate you in her major crimes, consider forgiving her for her faults this Mother’s Day.
Rogers
Rogers, who said her birth mother was molested multiple times by her birth father. “My mother never once held me. I was immediately placed in foster care.” Fortunately for Rogers, only two months after birth, she was adopted. But for the teens and young adults she assists, many have been placed in foster home after foster home – some living in up to five different foster homes. “If I’m 40 and having issues with (having been put up for adoption) imagine how a 15- or 16-year-old in foster care feels,” said Rogers, who said she has recently discovered she has additional biological siblings, but has yet to meet them. According to Rogers, C2i prepares youth for living independently as they get closer to reaching adulthood and aging out of the foster care system. Participants are between the ages of 15-21 and focus on a healthy mind, body, and soul approach to learning independent living skills. Youth are assigned an independent living skills counselor who they work with
until they exit the program. Rogers said early on with C2i, she realized the true needs of the individuals her organization is seeking to assist. “I was writing a check for a girl’s electric bill and what I realized we were teaching people how to attain things, but not how to maintain things,” said Rogers. “So we switched to
a healthy mind, soul and body approach. We’re teaching how to cook, how to budget, sexual awareness; we try to expose them to more than the four block radius they’re accustomed to.” As someone who was briefly in the foster care system, the mission of C2i is extremely personal for Rogers. But the mother of a 7-year-old son,
Peyton, said, though difficult, she tries not letting her position consume her. “But I love what I’m doing,” said Rogers. “This is my life, this is my purpose. I don’t feel like it’s work. This is what life is supposed to be like.” Rogers said she and her staff tend to get personally involved in the teens’ and young adults’
lives. “I enjoy hearing about kids getting jobs and hearing about them going to college. This is a perfect fit for me,” said Rogers. May is National Foster Care Month. To learn more about C2i and its mission, visit www.c2iyouth. org.
From 1 to life on their own and oftentimes coming in contact with the criminal justice system. Rogers, 40, was brought on as a program manager in 2008. A year later, she was faced with a unique dilemma when according to Rogers; King informed her that the program would no longer be a part of Summit Academy. “He said you can take this as your own nonprofit and I accepted the challenge and said I’ll take it on,” said the C2i executive director. Rogers assembled what she described as an amazing board of directors, including King who is an advisory board member, and what was once a program within a program is now an organization servicing several teens and young adults in the foster care system. For Rogers, C2i is not a job – it is a life-long calling. “I was born in Lorain, Ohio, to a 15-year-old mother and a 35-year-old father,” recalled
Page 10 • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Insight News
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COMMUNITY Calendar • Classifieds Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone: 612.588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.
EVENTS Volunteers of America Foster Parent Information Meetings Ongoing Foster Parent Information Meetings for interested skilled parents desiring to provide care for troubled youth in the Volunteers of America foster care program. Kids of all ages are in need of a stable home with dedicated parents. Information meetings are held at Volunteers of America Corporate Office every Friday from 10am-11:30am. To RSVP or for additional information on becoming a foster parent, contact Jolene Swan at 952-945-4064, email ftpfostercare@voamn.org or online at voafostercare.org
practices for growth and success in the areas of wellness, finance, organizational skills and more! Get out of ‘park’ by taking control of the keys to start you on the road to living life on purpose and on point! Grab a cup of coffee and come along for the ride of your life! For more information call (334) 270-2051. Hmong American Day May 14 Saturday May 11th the first ever Hmong American Day will be held at Fort Snelling State Park. This event will commemorate the Hmong people’s contribution and sacrifices during the Vietnam War. Here, Governor Mark Dayton will proclaim May 14th “Hmong American Day” in Minnesota. The event is free and open to the public. More news and updates concerning this event can be found on the Hmong American Day facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/HmongAmericanDayMN
U of M 5th Annual Plant Sale May 18 How Did I Get Here? (How Do The University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener I Get Back?!) May 11 Join motivational speaker and Program in Hennepin County empowerment coach Benita will hold their 5th Annual Plant Edwards for the 90-minute Sale on Saturday, May 18, 9:00 coffee How Did I Get Here? a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Hopkins 11000 Excelsior (How Do I Get Back?!) on Pavilion, Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 9 Blvd., Hopkins. Come celebrate a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at Park Avenue spring and the beginning of United Methodist Church a new gardening season. Buy located at 3400 Park Avenue beautiful plants for sun or shade in South Minneapolis The at great prices. Plants are grown event will give individuals the by Master Gardeners. Master courage to face their truths; and Gardeners will answer your understand how their beliefs, gardening questions and provide behaviors, attitudes and values helpful information on the plants impact what they get out of you purchase. Proceeds from life. Additionally, professionals this sale benefit University of will be on hand to share best Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Program in Hennepin County community programs. For more information on this sale Managing Attorney and the Master Gardeners Housing Unit, Mid Minnesota Legal Aid. For details go to http://www.mylegalaid. Program, visit our org/jobs. website at, www.hcmg. umn.edu, or call our Language Arts Teacher office at 612-596-2130. Concordia Creative Learning Academy in St. Paul is looking for a full time licensed 6-8 Language Arts Teacher for the 20132014 school year. This is a full time position with benefits. If you are interested please send your resume to lori@cclaonline.org or you may fax your resume to 651-793-6624. Application deadline: Open until filled.
Classified Sales Representative Insight News is looking for a Classified Sales Representative to start immediately. This is a part-time position perfect for a college student or someone looking for supplemental income. Candidate must be a motivated self-starter with the desire to grow the business. Candidate must be focused, must have the ability to work under deadlines and to meet or exceed set sales goals. Responsibilities include calling and emailing new clients and following up with past clients for classified sales. Please e-mail cover letter and resume to batalara@insightnews.com. Please: No walk-ins and NO phone calls.
Comcast From 1 Day during National Volunteer Week. This year marks the company’s 12th annual event, with more than 70,000 volunteers at 600 locations in Comcast communities around the country. Rallying around this year’s theme, “Making Change Happen,” Comcast Cares Day is widely recognized
NUL From 1 programs such as Head Start,” wrote Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. Since 1963, Blacks have narrowed the Black-white high school completion gap by 57 percent. Today, there more than three times as many Blacks attending college than there were 50 years ago and five times as many college graduates. Despite these remarkable gains in education, economic disparities linger. “While education dramatically improves one’s chances of being employed— Black college graduates are 4.5 times less likely to be unemployed compared to Black high school dropouts— very little of the average difference between black and white unemployment rates can be explained by differences in education,” wrote Valerie
Pavia Winds Woodwind Quintet at Camden Music School June 1 The Pavia Winds Woodwind Quintet, one of the Midwest’s most exciting young chamber music ensembles will perform 4 pm Saturday, June 1 at Camden Music School, 3751 Sheridan Avenue North (Luther Memorial Lutheran Church), 55412. The concert is free and open to the public. More information: 612618-0219 or www. camdenmusicschool. com. Spring and Summer Registration at Camden
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DAVID NOBLE LECTURE SERIES Organizing in the Ranks: Racism & Resistance in the U.S. Military Thursday, May 16, 7 p.m. St. Paul Labor Centre, 411 Main Street Hear stories from historians and veterans about clashes and convergences surrounding race and military engagements: Yuichiro Onishi (Transpacific Antiracism), and Dr. Malinda Lindquist (Race, Social Science, and the Crisis of Manhood, 1890-1970), professors in the AfricanAmerican and African Studies
Music School - Now thru June 15 Spring term at Camden Music School is on now through June 15. Students may enroll at any time. Tuition will be prorated. Lessons and classes are also offered this summer. Choose from one of two 4-week terms (June 24 – July 18, July 22 – August 15) or an 8-week term (June 24 – August 15). CMS offers vocal and instrumental lessons, Musikgarten early childhood music classes (newborn to age 8), ensembles, music theory, songwriting and more. Family discounts are available. Summer scholarship applications are due by 5pm Friday, June 14. Application online at www. camdenmusicschool.com. All ages. Excellent instructors. Joyful spirit. CMS in Camden: Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, 3751 Sheridan Ave. N., 55412. CMS in Northeast Minneapolis: Grace Center for Community Life, 1500 6th St. NE, 55413. More information: 612-618-0219 or www. camdenmusicschool.com. Fix-It Clinic offer help to the unhandy June 15 Hennepin County, as part of its waste reduction efforts, is asking residents to sort through basements, closets and garages for clothing and household items that need repair. At the Fix-It Clinic, skilled volunteers will help you learn to disassemble, troubleshoot and fix your broken household items and electronics, clothing in need of mending, and more. The Fix-It Clinic is Sat. June 15: Noon – 4pm Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington. The clinic is first-come, first-served – no pre-registration. Items must be carry-in (no oversized items). Please bring any tools that might be helpful, a digital camera to
department at the University of Minnesota; and Melvin Carter, Jr., a Navy veteran of the Vietnam era and founder of “Save Our Sons.”
document the disassembly, and small boxes or bags to organize and carry home parts. This event is family-friendly. For more information, visit www. hennepin.us/fixitclinic or call 612-348-3777.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES HELPING SENIORS IN MINNEAPOLIS Seniors Program of Neighborhood Involvement Program assists elders aged 60 and over in North and Southwest Minneapolis with a variety of services so that they can remain safely in their home or apartment. Our services are specialized for each resident and we strive to provide as much as possible via the assistance of volunteers. To be eligible for seniors’ services, people must live within the following boundaries: south of 44th Avenue in North Minneapolis, north of West 36th Street in Southwest Minneapolis, 35W on the east, and France Avenue on the west. For information about NIP Senior Services email seniors@ neighborhoodinvolve.org or call 612-374-3322. Our website is www.neighborhoodinvolve.org RAKE IT Spring Yard Clean-Up Improve your health while helping a senior citizen in Minneapolis remain independent in their home! You choose the date and time to rake and clean up the yard. Perfect for individuals, groups, and families. Seasonal: April – November (depending upon the weather). This is a one-time fun, flexible activity on weekdays or weekends. Feel free to sign up multiple times! Supplies needed: rakes, gloves, brooms, and compostable bags. Exact location TBD in North or
Visit www.thefriends.org or call 651-222-3242 for more information.
Southwest Minneapolis, depends upon where the senior citizen resides. Ongoing volunteer opportunities are also available. Please contact Jeanne the NIP Seniors Program, Volunteer Coordinator at srvolunteer@ neighborhoodinvolve.org or call 612-746-8549 for more information. Our website is www.neighborhoodinvolve.org West African Dance & Drum Classes African Dance w/ Whitney $12 - All classes Drop-In. Every Saturday 1:00pm 2:30pm; Every Tuesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm. at Patrick’s Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406. Foster Parent Information Meetings Find out about becoming a foster parent and changing a child’s life! Open information meetings are held every Friday from 10AM-11:30AM at 7625 Metro Boulevard Edina, MN 55439. Volunteers of AmericaMinnesota is looking for skilled parents to provide 6-9 months care for troubled youth in our new Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care Program (MTFC). We have kids, ages 1217, who are in need of a stable home with dedicated parents who appreciate the difficulties of childhood! Volunteers of America provides quality foster parents with lots of friendly training, 24 hour support and a monthly stipend. If you would like more information contact Jolene Swan at 952-945-4064 or ftpfostercare@voamn.org, or visit us online at voafostercare. org! GED, ELL, College Prep and skills development courses offered Minneapolis Public SchoolsAdult Education is offering free GED, ELL, College
Prep and skills development courses. Prepare for GED exams; Increase Math, Reading, and Writing skills; Develop Computer skills; Job training and specific certifications; Comfortable learning environment; and Day and evening classes available! For more information, please contact staff at: Minneapolis Public School Adult Education, 1250 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55411 or Abe.mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 668-1863. SUPER DUPER HANDYPERSON WANTED Help an elderly Minneapolis resident stay in their home. Assist with MINOR REPAIRS to make certain that their home is safe. Snowbirds, retirees, and trainees welcome (over the age of 18). You must have some experience to ensure that the work is done correctly (license not required). Choose your own schedule. Adult individuals, two-person teams, and small groups welcome. Exact location TBD in North or SW Minneapolis, depends upon where the senior citizen resides. One time opportunities are also available. Please contact Jeanne the NIP Seniors Program, Volunteer Coordinator at srvolunteer@ neighborhoodinvolve.org or call 612-746-8549 for more information. Our website is www.neighborhoodinvolve.org The Council on Crime and Justice is moving temporarily! While the current location at 822 S. 3rd Street is under construction, The Council on Crime and Justice will be working at a new location in Golden Valley and expect to return in approximately 6 months. Effective October 26th, the mailing address is: Council on Crime and Justice, 1109 Zane Avenue North, Golden Valley, MN 55422. The phone numbers and email address will remain the same. If you have questions, please contact us at 612-353-3000 or info@crimeandjustice.org Volunteer at Skyline Tower Conversation Group Reach out to your neighbors for an hour of coffee and conversation, Thursdays 5-6 pm! Share your stories and learn about other cultures while helping English language learners gain confidence in their language abilities. Our participants are mainly Vietnamese, Somali and Ethiopian residents of Skyline Tower at 1247 St Anthony Ave. For more information, contact lisa.vogl@commonbond.org or (651)999-7528.
as the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort. “Comcast is a true champion for this community – not just for the support it gives to programs like ours that promote youth development and prepare people for the workforce, but because its employees make a personal commitment to community service through their volunteer work on Comcast Cares Day,” said MUL President/CEO Scott Gray. “On behalf of our board
of directors and the entire MUL staff family, we thank each of you for making that commitment.” “Our employees [always] look forward to Comcast Cares Day each year because they’re excited to volunteer with local social service organizations whose programs are key to the stability and health of the communities where we live and work,” said Mary Beth Schubert, Comcast’s vice president of
corporate affairs. “We’ve partnered with a number of these organizations for more than a decade.” Budgets continue to be tight for nonprofits. They are busy serving their clients and welcome extra help with cleanup and the kinds of chores that are difficult to get around to doing. “We take special care to make sure our projects are well planned and fully staffed with
volunteers who are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work,” added Schubert. “And we are particularly excited about this year’s Comcast Cares Day as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary.” At three dozen separate nonprofit sites, Comcast employees landscaped, power washed, painted, sorted donations, restocked warehouses and food shelves, installed garage doors, deep-cleaned kitchens, and
more. Since its beginnings in 2001, Comcast Cares Day nationally has contributed 2.6 million volunteer hours and $12 million to local non-profit organizations. The company is expecting to top the three-million hour mark in volunteer participation with this year’s event, and will expand internationally with the participation by NBCUniversal employees at various project sites in London and France.
Rawlston Wilson, chief economist for the National Urban League Policy Institute. In fact, Wilson said, after taking differences in education into account along with differences in age (or experience), occupation, industry and region of the country explains just one-fifth of the average difference between Black and white unemployment rates. In an interview, Wilson said that even though Black college graduates have a much lower unemployment rate than those who didn’t finish high school, the unemployment rate for Black college graduates is still twice the jobless rate for white college graduates. “Despite the progress that we’ve made in terms of educational attainment and educational achievement we haven’t seen that level of progress matched on the economic front in terms of employment opportunities and income growth,” said Wilson. The National Urban League’s
2013 State of Black America report included a collection of essays written by Black luminaries that highlighted the key areas addressed by the National Urban League’s Equality Index. “Today, Americans are not being attacked by vicious canines or thrown up against brick walls with fire hoses,” wrote Marcia Fudge [D-Ohio], chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “Many of the injustices of today have a much more delicate face and are talked about under new, more subtle names.” Fudge continued: “One new name is ‘debt and deficit reduction’ at the expense of seniors’ health and well being, and our children’s education. Another is the fight against full implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act that guarantees access to healthcare for all Americans.” Michael K. Fauntroy, an associate professor of public policy at George Mason University in Virginia and former analyst at the Congressional
Research Service, wrote that even though the Black voter turnout rate exceeded whites in 2012, there is still plenty room for improvement. “According to U.S. Census Bureau data, there are roughly 26.6 million voting-age eligible African Americans as of 2008; of that number 16.68 million (or 62.7 percent) cast ballots in 2012,” wrote Fauntroy. Fauntroy Black political clout can be expanded. “With the white share of the electorate in continued decline, the Latino vote not yet solidified, and the Asian American vote still in growth-mode, African Americans are presented with an opportunity to apply political power, not just influence, in the years ahead by picking who wins elections,” wrote Fauntroy. According to Frederick S. Humphries Jr., vice president of U.S. Government Affairs for the Microsoft Corporation, in Washington, D.C. Blacks can also see gains in economic power by addressing the skills gap in the technology industry.
“Consider this: In the United States last year there were 1,603 new Ph.D.s in computer science—far too few,” wrote Humphries. “Compounding this dearth is the fact that only 349 of those degrees went to women, 47 went to African Americans. Nearly 60% of these degree holders were foreign nationals.” Humphries recommended a two-pronged approach to closing the skills gap that includes strengthening Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) programs across the country as well as supporting immigration reform policies that will spur job growth in the United States. Attorney General Eric Holder said that Justice Department found that some of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders engaged in wholesale discrimination against Blacks and Hispanic borrowers during the housing crisis that contributed to the Great Recession. “We discovered lenders that charged African American and
Hispanic borrowers as much as tens of thousands of dollars more for their mortgages than they charged similarly-qualified white borrowers,” Holder wrote. “Others steered these borrowers into expensive and risky subprime loans. The Department has vigorously rooted out these fair lending violations, securing record relief—more than $660 million over the past four years—for victims and their communities, and sending a clear message to all lenders that all borrowers must be treated fairly.” Wilson said that the 2013 State of Black American report comes at time to reflect on the progress that has been made while acknowledging there still a lot of work to be done particularly in the area of economic equality. She said, “For me and for a lot of us involved in this movement and in the civil rights community, we understand the role that race continues to play, we don’t live in post-racial society.”
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Insight News • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Page 11
HEALTH People who eat less meat tend to live longer than we need. There is growing concern that these antibiotics that are used for animals may still be present in cooked meat and get into our bodies and lead infections that antibiotics can no longer cure. This could become a serious health concern. Eating less meat and trying (if and when possible) to eat meat that is raised humanely without added antibiotics can help protect your health and that of your family and community.
Our Health
By Nicole Winbush MD Dr. Winbush wants to hear from you! To respond to this article, request topics for future articles and for additional resources email functionwellmedicine@ gmail.com, visit Function Well Medicine on Facebook or tweet @ DrNicoleWinbush. Question: Is eating meat bad for your health? Answer: Meat can provide many essential nutrients in our diet. It is a rich source of iron and of protein that is the building block for muscle and many of the chemical processes in our body. However, it is not the only source for protein. Non-meat sources of protein include dairy products, eggs, nuts and beans. It is possible to get enough protein in your diet without eating meat and many people chose to adopt a meat-free lifestyle for religious, health or ethical reasons. There are so many recommendations these days about how we should be eating. Some of these recommendations are often in direct conflict to one another. One area where many diets differ is on their recommendations about eating meat - some recommend eating a lot of meat while others recommend limiting or cutting meat out of one’s diet completely. What is best? Read on. Meat is a broad term. There are many types of meat. ‘Red’ meats such as beef, pork and lamb tend to be higher in saturated fat, a form of fat that is thought to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. ‘White’ meats are more lean forms of meat such as chicken, turkey and fish are generally lower in saturated fat (especially if you do not eat this skin). Processed meats (they can be red or white)
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If you eat meat, eat less of it. refer to meat products that have things added to them like salt, chemical preservatives, flavorings and sweeteners. Processed meats include things like sausages, bacon, luncheon meats or cold cuts, hot dogs, and ham. So, should you be eating meat? As with many health questions, there are some things that are known and some things that are less clear. But, here is what we do know. People who eat less meat tend to live longer. Communities where people eat small amounts to no meat have been shown to have some of the longest life expectancies. For instance, here in the United States, the community with the longest life expectancy is a group of Seventh Day Adventists living in Southern California. Is this because they are vegetarian? Or is it because they and many others who follow a vegetarian lifestyle in general tend to be more health
conscious (e.g., smoke less, drink less alcohol) and in the case of religious communities, often have more strong social and community connections which have been shown to be a big contributor to life expectancy? It is not clear. We can benefit from their example by lessening the meat in our diet and making sure that we are paying attention to the other important aspects of our health. If you are going to eat meat, avoid processed meats. Eating a diet high in processed meats will kill you faster. Yes, you read right. I am not usually this blunt. But, after reviewing the evidence (and there is a lot that has come out recently) it is clear, people who eat more processed meat tend to die sooner, especially from cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The high salt content and preservatives in processed meats are thought to contribute to these problems. So, let’s review, what are examples of processed
meats: ham, bacon, sausages, cold cuts, pepperoni, anything where you pick up the package and see a list of ingredients. What can you eat instead? Bake a chicken at the beginning of the week and cut it up to use on sandwiches. Instead of sausage, ham or bacon for breakfast, consider a meatless option or find an unprocessed meat option for breakfast like some chopped up chicken from last night’s dinner cooked with some veggies and eggs. If you eat meat, eat less of it. Many of us who eat meat, eat a lot more than we need. Our body cannot store the extra protein that is in meat. It will either get broken down and eliminated as waste or be converted and stored as fat. In addition, eating too much meat can be hard on your kidneys. Most adults unless they are extremely active only require somewhere between 40-70 grams of protein per day. If you are like me, I have no idea what that means. So, for
example, a 1/2 chicken breast contains approximately 30 grams of protein or almost 1/2 of the average daily requirement. Just think how much extra protein you are getting if you have bacon for breakfast, a couple of pieces of chicken for lunch and pot roast for dinner. This is a lot more than your body needs or can use. There is more to worry about with meat than just meat. The potential health issues of eating meat go beyond the fat and calories and excess protein. Recently, there has been a lot in the news about the antibiotics that are used in large quantities in the largescale meat production operations that supply most of the meat in the United States. Many of these antibiotics are used to help increase the size of the farm animals so that they can grow bigger quicker. This allows meat to be sold for cheaper prices, which can make it more affordable, but also contributes to many of us eating more of it
So, what is the answer? We know that many vegetarians live longer than heavy meat eaters, but the reasons for this may have to do not only with their diet but with other lifestyle choices. If you eat meat, try to follow other healthy lifestyle recommendations including regular exercise, not smoking and trying to create and maintain a community of individuals who you can rely on for support. In addition, if you eat meat, consider eating less of it. Vegetables, grains and beans should make up most of what we eat. Finally, avoid processed meats as much as possible. They have well documented health risks. Just to be clear, I am not advocating that everyone become a vegetarian. I eat meat and I find I function better with a bit of concentrated protein. I know other people who say they feel better not eating meat. However, I continue to work to decrease the overall amount of meat my family and I eat for the many of the reasons we have discussed. With this information and your personal experience find a balanced, sustainable eating plan that works for you and helps support your individual, your family and community’s health. Dr. Winbush is a family physician practicing at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. She has a strong interest in wellness and patient education to help individuals feel empowered to optimize their health and functioning.
Increased walking can mean improved memory By Mark Underwood If you have found it challenging to stick to an exercise plan this past year, listen up! Routine exercise isn’t just good for your physical health, new research has found when you ride a bike, hike, walk outdoors or do laps around an indoor walking track, and you’re also helping your memory. The takeaway message from new research is this: If you are over 50 and are having trouble sticking to a regular walking regimen, you may want to focus on committing to your walking schedule. Changes in patterns of walking—walking less frequently, walking with different gaits as you age, and walking slower and less steadily on even paths can indicate cognitive problems later on in life. What’s more, new research from various institutes including the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois found walking or riding a bike for six months or up to a year can help improve memory as well as problem solving skills in older adults by up to 20 percent. The new research also points out that adults over 50 who take regular walks are more likely to improve their memory than people of the same age with sedentary lifestyles. The links between walking, exercise, and better memory are based on research that shows that staying fit through ongoing walking can increase the size of crucial parts of the brain. As human brains age they typically grow smaller, one reason for a shrinking memory. A large study at the Mayo Clinic which involved basic walking, also found that walking was linked to cognitive abilities. This study found a strong connection between declines in executive function, the ability to plan and organize activities, and slower walking. New evidence from several research universities has said that cognitive skills like memory and the ability to process information, parallels the ability
to keep up a steady walking pace over time. Why your willpower may need “tweaking” So why do many people have trouble sticking to an exercise routine, even when it may involve low impact walking? Many people think they’ll find the willpower to get off the couch and go outside and walk a mile or so every day. But in reality they don’t have the willpower to resist the comforts of sitting in an easy chair watching TV. Did you know that willpower is a source of mental energy? If you don’t have sharp cognitive skills often referred to as “executive decision” you may have difficulty getting up and going outdoors to walk around the block when the weather isn’t great. So don’t blame all the distractions in your life on not making walking a priority. Instead, blame it on poor executive decision, a term well-
known by scientists who refer to our ability to multi-task, make good decisions, plan ahead, prioritize and weigh options. Evidence has shown that those who fine-tune their executive function can have stronger willpower. Tips to Increase Your Walking Schedule Commit to doing it. Just like any new lifestyle activity, you’ll want to make sure you “practice what you preach.” Every person reacts to different motivators. Start by simply making a commitment to walking more frequently. Put a plan together that you can realistically follow. Write down your goals such as walking two city blocks a day. Write down increments of how many blocks you want to accomplish by when such as after 30 days you want to get up to a mile 5 days a week. The purpose of goal setting is to give you something to work toward. If the goal isn’t
working, fine-tune it to fit your lifestyle. Just keep walking on a consistent basis. Sign up for reminders. Use whatever reminders you need to tell yourself it’s time to get out and walk. It might be memos on your computer or notes on a bulletin board. If the weather is bad, walk around a room. A small amount of exercise is better than none at all. Share your goals with family and friends. Tell people what you are doing. They may want to join you on your walks which will extend the possibility for making walking more fun. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Keep in mind that you need good executive function to keep on top of your goals. If you use willpower as a tool to get something you want, that’s the prize and ultimately the pleasure you’ll get from more frequent walking.
president and co-founder of Quincy Bioscience, a biotech company located in Madison, Wisconsin focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel technologies to support cognitive function and other age-related health challenges such as memory. Mark is also creator of popular brain health supplement Prevagen. Mark has been taped as an expert in the field of
New human service hub coming to North Minneapolis
Mark Underwood is a neuroscience researcher,
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neuroscience for The Wall Street Journal Morning Radio, CBS and CNN Radio among others. Mark is also a contributor to the “Brain Health Guide” which highlights the research at Quincy Bioscience and offers practical tips to help keep healthy brain function in aging. More information can be found at: www.quincybioscience.com.
See our plan, share your voice Hennepin County ounty is bringing access to services like financial and child care assistance and senior supports closer to the neighborhoods— around the county— where our clients live and work. The county and the Northside Residents Redevelopment Council are hosting three meetings where you can learn about a proposal for a human service hub in North Minneapolis, and tell us what you think.
Come to a community meeting English and Spanish
Tuesday, May 14 6–9 p.m. Hmong
Wednesday, May 15 6–9 p.m. English and Somali
Wednesday, May 22 6–9 p.m. All meetings will be held at PICA Head Start 700 Humboldt Ave. N., Minneapolis, 612-377-7422 For more information check out our website, www.Hennepin.us/ northhub or call 612-348-4831
Page 12 • May 6 - May 12, 2013 • Insight News
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Reshaping the global village reliance, provide education, and improve access to health care for a poor rural women. The $1000 I invested was changed to the local currency and divided among ten women to use as a catalyst for trading for a period of one year. The loan amount has a circle of one year under which 10% interest is assessed. Interests paid helps to add additional borrowers. GRI expanded the same services to neighboring villages sharing the same common market. The borrowers trade with local farm products and non-farm products. Today, GRI has reached 4 villages within the community. There is a 100% return for all loans on time. GRI in collaboration with Hope KeAbasi also provides financial literacy information for all the borrowers.
By Mfon Archibong and Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe In the words of Dr. Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), one of the largest non-governmental educational organizations in the world, now reaching nearly 140 million people in nine countries. “We thought nationally, worked locally, and looked for inspiration globally.” The GRI concept of social transformation birthed in Ikot Uso Akpan Itam, Itu Local government area of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, is being modeled after the work of BRAC. Early in 2006, my wife and I asked ourselves what difference could $500 or $1000 make in a remote village where the average woman makes a living of only about $40 a month? The answer to this question was not in doubt, but rather to take action that could fuel change, so we started as an incubator. Ikot Uso Itam is located about 10 miles north of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. It has a population of 250 people with 5% literacy. The main livelihood of this community is local farming and petty local trading. More than 90% of the community cannot
Photos courtesy of GRI
Mfon Archibong, President and CEO of Grace Restoration International, explains the concept of GRI Micro-enterprise to community women. afford to send their children to school and those who can certainly give priority to their male children first. Female children marry early and move on with their fate. GRI Microenterprise Concept The concept of social enterprise has already been practiced in Ikot Okubo, initiated by Enobong Abasi of Hope KeAbasi
A cross section of women during the GRI Financial literacy and empowerment meeting facilitated by Dr. DeFoe and Mfon Archibong
MEDA
Foundation, a NGO. Locating Enobong was not easy in order for me to learn what works and what does not. Eventually, we connected and decided to have Hope KeAbasi Foundation and Grace Restoration International collaborate in the area of training local women on money management, each of us committing to funding our respectful community villages. So what can $1000 do in a community where the average monthly income is less than $40? The answer to this question is simple-One thousand dollars can break generational poverty, empower women to be self-
GRI Microenterprise Impact Eka Sam, in Ikot Uso Akpan remarked, “God bless Mfon Archibong and GRI for loaning us money to trade. Now, I can send my children to school, and provide food for them. As he blessed this widow, God will bless him and his family.” In the neighboring village, the President of the group, Mrs. Mary Ita Essien said “If it had not been for Mfon Archibong, our women would have had no voice; we were only known to be in the kitchen and to make babies, with the help of the loan; we do not have to just rely on our husbands. We support the family too; we asked God to protect and bless him so he can give more. All the women in the community believe God answered their prayers by sending GRI to empower them and bless them.” In addition to the microenterprise, the women from the 4 villages have come together to discuss common issues around health and other social development issues. They have become the first responders for themselves and their families. Together, these women have created a monthly health forum where they meet
to discuss maternal health, and preventable diseases including sexually transmitted diseases. Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe visited the Ikot Uso Itam incubator, met with the women to learn about their microenterprises, as well as to share resource information, and show them products that are made in the Caribbean that could be replicated in Africa. “In the face of a host of unmet basic quality of life needs, these women have embraced micro-business concepts and are learning to operate profitable enterprises with the start-up funds provided by GRI. I can only begin to imagine the future impact that will result from the expansion of the incubator as investment in the initiative continues to grow. I was elated to hear about their progress, as several of these women signed up to become involved in the GRI/ AFIA Design House, a social enterprise I am partnering with GRI to launch as a tool to provide opportunities for women in Africa and the Caribbean.” GRI hopes to set up a funded program where the women will go from door-to-door talking about malaria prevention, clean water and sanitation. With funding and program support, GRI can transform global villages one at a time, reducing generational poverty through education, training and economic development; improve access to health care, and improve the quality of life for all. Dr. Fazle Hasan Abed, the 2011 winner of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) stresses that “education is the fundamental catalyst for change” and is central to addressing the issue of inequity. GRI agrees and will continue to use education and the full engagement of the people it seeks to serve as the solution.
Metropolitan Economic Development Association
42nd Annual Recognition Luncheon Wed., June 5, 2013 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Hilton - Minneapolis 1001 Marquette Avenue
PRESENTING SPONSOR
REGISTER ONLINE
ZZZ PHGD QHW Tashitaa Tufaa, Owner Metropolitan Transportation Network, Inc. MEDA Entrepreneur of the Year
EVENT SPONSORS
Asian American Press
John & Marcia Stout Cindy and Kelton Kent