PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MINNEAPOLIS MN PERMIT NO. 32468
L I V E O N T H E D R I V E C O N C E RT S E R I E S : (L-R) Peter Ostroushko, Jevetta and Fred Steele, and Charanga Tropical to perform free outdoor concerts. visit www.clevelandneighborhood.org for more information.
May 25 - May 31, 2009 • MN Metro Vol. 35 No. 21 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
Obama connects, McCollum urges veto President Barack Obama is connecting directly with millions of Americans who sign up for internet access to direct messages from him and his staff. “ My staff and I plan to use these messages as a way to directly communicate about important issues and opportunities, and today I have some encouraging updates about health care reform,” Obama wrote in an email last week. “The Vice President and I just met with leaders from the House of Representatives and received their commitment to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31,” he said. “We also have an unprecedented commitment from health care industry leaders, many of whom opposed health reform in the past. Monday, I met with some of these health care stakeholders, and they pledged to do their part to reduce the health care spending growth rate, saving more than two trillion dollars over the next ten years — around $2,500 for each American family. Then on Tuesday, leaders from some of America’s top companies came to the White House to showcase innovative ways to reduce health care costs by improving the health of their workers,” President Obama said. The President said the House and Senate are debate will shape the health of our nation’s economy and
Ellison letter warns against bailout fraud
President Barack Obama its families through a process that should be transparent and inclusive. The goal is to drive down costs, assure quality and affordable health care for everyone, and guarantee all a choice of doctors and plans, he said. People who want to hear directly from the White House on health care reform and other national issues can join the network at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/EmailU pdates. Additional in-depth information about health reform and how you citizens can participate is available at http://www.HealthReform.gov.
Rep. Betty McCollum
McCollum asks Obama to veto gun measure Washington, DC -US Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) recently denounced as "tainted and irresponsible" an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) which returned the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights (H.R. 627) to the U.S.
Rep. Keith Ellison House with an amendment to allow individuals to carry loaded, concealed guns in America's national parks. "This is a shameful example of the failure of the legislative process and I would urge President Obama to veto the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights and send it back to Congress to take the guns out," McCollum said. "What rationale is there for the need to carry a concealed weapon on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial? The only rationale can be for politicians to score political
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Washington, D.C. – US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minneapolis) and a number of his colleagues sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Geithner calling attention to problems with a program designed to revive crippled credit markets. The letter, authored by Ellison, was cosigned by ten of his colleagues, including the Chairman of the House Financial Services, US Rep. Barney Frank, Chair of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee, US Rep. Luis Gutierrez, and the Chair of the Joint Economic Committee, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. Ellison highlighted problems with the implementation of the Term Asset-Backed Loan Facility (TALF) program. The TALF program was originally designed to provide financing for “AAA” securities backed by student loans, auto loans, credit card loans, and SBA-backed loans. It has since been expanded to cover securities backed by residential mortgages and commercial real
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Book Signing: The Hiptionary: A Survey of African American Speech Patterns with a Digest of Key Words and Phrases by Mahmoud El-Kati
Join Prof. El-Kati as he presents his latest book which “captures the vibrancy of words present and past.” Saturday, May 30th 1-4pm @ Sunny Side Cafe 1825 Glenwood Ave. N. Mpls., (612) 374-5914
Go east young man By Ahmed Tharwat Commentary Just a whisper after his first 100 days in office, President Obama has decided to visit the biggest and most important Arab Muslim country, Egypt. On June 4, the American president will deliver a speech from Cairo to the so-called Muslim World. (Every time you hear “the Muslim world,” you should seek shelter.) “Go east young man” breaks away from the most sacred American political tradition in years. It is more customary for newly-elected politicians to visit Israel once they get to their office; even the first Muslim elected into Congress, Brother Keith Ellison couldn’t break that political chain. Usually American presidents visit the Arab/Muslim world only when they are leaving office or in
trouble— from Nixon’s visit to Egypt in his final days of the Wa t e r g a t e crisis, to Clinton’s visit to the Middle East as he was leaving Ahmed Tharwat his stained office, to recent President Bush’s secret visit to Iraq in his last days and President Carter waiting until leaving office to visit. But Obama, on the 4th of June, will visit Egypt just shortly after taking office sending a message to the Arab/Muslim world after sending another message to the Non-Arab Muslims from Turkey during the G20 meeting. On his visit to Egypt, Obama need not repeat the
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Church feels economic crisis:
Memberships up; offerings decrease By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The doors of the historic Black Church, a fortress of healing from social pain, have opened even wider during the economic crisis. But, as church membership increases across the nation, offerings are decreasing, causing even houses of faith to make difficult decisions, pastors say. “I think the story that has not been told is that the churches across the country have been hard hit,” said Dallas-based Bishop T. D. Jakes in an interview with the NNPA News Service. “The church has no more resources than from the parishioners from which it comes. And so, when the parishioners are in straits, churches are in straits, too. And so it puts us in a bit of a precarious situation.”
Maria Isa is a hip-hop stand out
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U.S. Army
Lt. Col. David T. Kim meets with Insight News Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane at Historic Fort Snelling
Kim commands recruiting unit On May 15, at Historic Fort Snelling, Lt. Col. David T. Kim took command of the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Minneapolis. Kim will oversee Army and Army Reserve recruiting for Minn., Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Kim was born in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and immigrated to the United States when he was nineyears-old. He grew up in Los Angeles, CA and attended Arizona State University where he graduated with a BA degree in political science and history. Following his undergraduate
studies he entered the University of Arizona Graduate School where he majored in Latin American studies and subsequently was enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. In 1988 he was
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The Urban League Movement
MN AIDS Walk as part of National Call to Action
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Part 2 in a series of 4 A history from www.mul.org
Bishop T. D. Jakes Jakes says he has had to take drastic, but practical measures to cut costs at his more than 30,000member Potter’s House.
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The Urban League Movement was now recognized by mainstream America. The Saturday Evening Post, the most popular magazine of the time, stated “The great work of such an organization lies in the amelioration of race prejudice and race envy and the development of the custom of acting together without regard to one another’s color”. Few adhered to that point of view after the stock market crashed in 1929. As early as 1927, Negroes were displaced from their jobs to
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The League received little response to its drive for permanent jobs until race riots broke out in five cities in 1943. make way for white workers. Machines were taking away jobs as fast as the economy. The old jobs were gone forever. African
Americans soon found themselves in competition with whites for jobs
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PETA has a new spokesperson, now tell him to smile
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Page 2 • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Insight News
MUL From 1 that whites once regarded as beneath them. By 1929, Blacks were at the end of an unemployment line that was 15 million people long. The tide appeared to turn with the election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932. Roosevelt promised salvation to the unemployed through the development of massive public works projects such as roads, bridges and dams. But, Urban League officials had learned a lesson from the layoffs after World War I and the early displacement of black workers before the Depression. They knew that politics would determine who benefited from Roosevelt’s programs. Urban League leaders became members of Roosevelt’s “Black Cabinet” and succeeded in getting nearly 50 Blacks appointed to highlevel federal positions. Many more served on commissions and
committees. Despite this representation, Blacks were not entering the workforce in significant numbers. The Urban League turned to organizing African American workers themselves to prod unions, industry, and the government into giving them jobs. Among the country’s Black leadership, tension remained between the legal rights philosophy and the social service model. By 1940, the assessment of the Urban League Movement and its thirty years of service were mixed. White publications hailed its “moderation, intelligence..., and workable programs.” But some Black leaders viewed the Urban League as middle class conservative and naive to think that racial cooperation — the foundation for the Urban League — was a solution to the race problem. The League was faulted for putting too much trust in the goodwill of America’s white majority. Both views were correct. While the Urban League had worked effectively to relieve the suffering of poor, urban blacks, its leadership had gravely underestimated white
http://insightnews.com resistance to the growing numbers of African Americans moving to Northern cities. It is likely that the debate would have intensified but for the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Suddenly, nearly every factory in the country needed workers. Opening up the defense establishment became a top priority for the Urban League. Over 500,000 Blacks could have been hired for war production but were barred from jobs because of discrimination in both the industry and the unions. The government became the Urban League’s target because Washington controlled the country’s defense contracts. It was only the intensity of the war effort that finally forced a crack in hiring discrimination. Black workers got their first real opportunity at skilled trades and factory work. Still, there was no assurance of employment once the war was over. The League received little response to its drive for permanent jobs until race riots broke out in five cities in 1943. The League moved in to find ways to prevent future riots. Its 1943 National Conference became the largest and most publicized interracial meeting in U.S. History. By the end of the war, more than 1.3 million African Americans had been admitted to the unions, over 300,000 Blacks were civil service workers at the federal
Army From 1 commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps. After attending the Military Intelligence (MI) Officer Basic Course, Kim served as platoon leader with the 102nd MI Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea. He was later transferred to the Republic of Panama where he held various positions to include intelligence analyst with U.S. Army South, B Company executive officer and battalion logistics officer with 310th Military Intelligence Battalion, 470th MI Brigade. In 1994, after completing MI Officer Advanced Course, he served as the group intelligence officer followed by Headquarters and Headquarters company commander with the 34th Area Support Group, Republic of Korea. In 1996, Kim was selected to the Junior Officer Cryptologic Program (JOCCP) with the National Security Agency (NSA). While enrolled in the program he led a national intelligence support team in support of Bosnia Stabilization Force at the Combined Air Operations Center in Vicenza, Italy. While assigned at NSA he earned a Master’s of Science Degree in Information Resource Management from Central
Obama From 1 bowing business that was comically performed before the Saudi king in Europe. The Egyptians know better. According to Wikipedia, “Bowing to other human beings is frowned upon in Muslim cultures as all human beings are considered equal and bowing is only supposed to be done to God in Islam”; however, back to Wikipedia, “ It is most prominent
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Cecil Newman In 1934 Newman became editor and publisher of the Minneapolis Spokesman and the St. Paul Recorder and in 1948 became the president of the Minneapolis Urban League. level and countless more at the local level. In 1945, World War II ended. Once again, white G.I.’s returned home from the war in search of jobs, housing and education. Once again, many of the gains that African Americans had made were lost. Southern blacks who had moved north during the war years were now tightly packed into segregated sections of the inner city while whites discovered a new place to live: “the suburbs”. Michigan University. In 1999, upon graduation from JOCCP, he served as the operations officer and executive officer with the 527th Military Intelligence Battalion, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade in the Republic of Korea. In 2002, after completing U.S. Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, Kim served as an intelligence program analyst with the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, Pentagon, Washington DC. In 2005, he was transferred to Korea where he served as the chief, Force Modernization for the U.S. Forces Korea Joint Intelligence Operations Center. His most recent assignment was with the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington DC, where he served as a joint staff officer and deployed in 2007 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, Armed Force Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service
in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many countries and distinctively in Europe”. Egyptians are very peaceful and simple people; however, they are great experts on social hypocrisies, some learned during the Ottoman era in Egypt, where everyone is “Basha” (Pasha), “Bey”, Raiis (President), and Istaz (Mr.), as their ways of sniffing their meaning and status out of these hyper social labels, and are sensitive to foreigner visitors who tinker with their social hypocrisy codes.
In Minneapolis, in the late 1940s, African Americans were the largest minority yet the school system did not have one Black teacher. The Minneapolis Urban League was still a small operation utilizing mostly community volunteers and coalitions among churches and other groups. By 1950, race was not on the agenda as a factor in American life. The Eisenhower administration was not interested in either social problems or race relations. Whites viewed segregation as the natural order of things, even in Washington, D.C. Still, the Urban League focused on opening up higher skilled job opportunities and obtaining training in scientific areas. Then came Brown vs. Board of Education. This historic Supreme Court decision decreed that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Much of America was not ready to accept the Supreme Court’s decision. Brutal and humiliating segregation and discrimination were still the norm across the land supported by local laws and customs and enforced by local police. Within days of the decision, the Urban League called for immediate public school integration. For the first time, the existence of the Urban League as a bonafide national organization was seen as a threat.
www.thoughtyoumayask.com
President Franklin Roosevelt
Not even the Urban League’s “conservative” social work approach was compatible with southern views on the race question. Cooperation between blacks and whites was a basic tenet of Urban League thinking and organizational structure. Forty years earlier, it had been virtually impossible to set up boards of whites and blacks in most southern cities. Further, any attempt to bring rural Blacks into a national organization with a national consciousness threatened the dominance of whites. Full story on line at http://www.mul.org/index.php?opti on=com_content&view=article&id =8&Itemid=3
U.S. Army
Change of Command ceremony at Historic Fort Snelling
Lt. Col. David T. Kim
U.S. Army
Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserved Medal, the Army
Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal.
The French leader Napoleon tried during his invasion of Egypt in 1798; he declared his admiration of Islam, and some went as far as claiming that the French general converted to Islam and called himself Al Haj Bonaparte. He was a frequent visitor to the Al Azhar Mosque, and dressed in the traditional Islamic clothes; however, he drew the line and asked to be spared the circumcision business. But this didn’t fool the Egyptians and Napoleon had to escape from Egypt frantically disguised as a woman. Before drafting his message to the so called Arab/Muslims world, Obama needs to understand that the Arab/Muslim world has no reverence for political speeches or gestures. They are barraged with them daily from their own corrupt
leaders; political speeches are just that, “Kalam fudi,” or hallow words. On June 4th, even if Obama declared (as some conservative Americans may already fear), he is a “closet Muslim” under the name Hussein, this wouldn’t change how the Arab/Muslims feel about America. Before the Arab/Muslims would change, America needs to change their behavior in the Muslim world. Stopping dropping bombs on its citizens would be a good. Ahmed Tharwat is host of Arab American TV show BelAhdan, www.belahdan.com which airs Saturdays on MN Public TV.
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Insight News • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Page 3
EDUCATION Ntozake Shange, NOMMO authors demonstrate literary brilliance By Titilayo Bediako The Givens Foundation has made the Twin Cities come alive with its NOMMO series. They host African American giants who enrich Minnesota with the power of words through poetry and literature. NOMMO is a Dogon word meaning the “magic power of the word.” The Series celebrates the supremacy of the word through conversations with nationally recognized authors who demonstrate the brilliance of African American literature. WE WIN Institute, Inc., an organization dedicated to the academic and social success of all children, brought students from their Cooper High School Mentoring Program to experience the words of the extraordinary Ntozoke Shange. The event was hosted by Alexs Pate, a University of Minnesota professor and author of the book Amistad. Shange was born Paulette Williams in Trenton, NJ. She changed her name to Ntozake Shange which means “she who comes with her own things” and “she who walks like a lion” in Xhosa, a Zulu language from southern Africa. Shange is most famous for her choreopoem, For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf. The choreopoem (a word created by the author) is composed of a series of stories by the ladies in
brown, yellow, orange, purple, red and blue. The setting of the play is a naked stage where each women lives in a different city: Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, San Francisco, Manhattan, and St. Louis. It is one uninterrupted movement from beginning to end comprised of twenty titled poems. Shange explains that, “the women were nameless and assume the hegemony as dictated by the fullness of their lives.” She is the only poet to have her poetry transformed successfully on Broadway. One of the famous lines from the choreopoem was the words of the lady in yellow, “I found god in myself and I loved her I loved her fiercely” Besides her plays, Shange has written poetry, novels, and essays. She has taught at California State College, the City College of New York, the University of Houston, Rice University, Yale, Howard, and New York University. Among her many awards are an Obie, a Los Angeles Time Book Prize for Poetry, and a Pushcart Prize. Through Shange’s writings she initiates an awareness of present-day femininity in society. She also brings an awareness of the realities of African American life, the good times and the struggles. She demonstrated some of the hardships with her poem, “With no Immediate Cause,” which visibly moved her audience at the Humphrey Institute.
With No Immediate Cause every 3 minutes a woman is beaten every five minutes a woman is raped/every ten minutes a lil girl is molested yet i rode the subway today i sat next to an old man who may have beaten his old wife 3 minutes ago or 3 days/30 years ago he might have sodomized his daughter but i sat there cuz the young men on the train might beat some young women later in the day or tomorrow i might not shut my door fast every 3 minutes it happens some woman’s innocence rushes to her cheeks/pours from her mouth like the betsy wetsy dolls have been torn apart/their mouths menses red & split/every three minutes a shoulder is jammed through plaster and the oven door/ chairs push thru the rib cage/hot water or boiling sperm decorate her body i rode the subway today & bought a paper from a man who might have held his old lady onto a hot pressing iron/i don’t know maybe he catches lil girls in the park & rips open their behinds with steel rods/i can’t decide what he might have done i only know every 3 minutes every 5 minutes every 10
minutes/so i bought the paper looking for the announcement the discovery/of the dismembered woman’s body/the victims have not all been identified/today they are naked and dead/refuse to testify/one girl out of 10’s not coherent/i took the coffee & spit it up/i found an announcement/not the woman’s bloated body in the river/floating not the child bleeding in the 59th street corridor/not the baby broken on the floor/ there is some concern that alleged battered women might start to murder their husbands & lovers with no immediate cause” i spit up i vomit i am screaming we all have immediate cause every 3 minutes every 5 minutes every 10 minutes every day women’s bodies are found in alleys & bedrooms/at the top of the stairs before i ride the subway/buy a paper/drink coffee/i must know/ have you hurt a woman today did you beat a woman today throw a child across a room are the lil girl’s panties in yr pocket did you hurt a woman today i have to ask these obscene questions the authorities require me to
Ntozake Shange, seated, standing l - r - Eiram Dixson, Abbie McMillian, Titilayo Bediako, Latrea Martin, and Libby Osborne. establish immediate cause every three minutes every five minutes every ten minutes every day. The woman in the ordinary The woman in the ordinary pudgy downcast girl is crouching with eyes and muscles clenched. Round and pebble smooth she effaces herself under ripples of conversation and debate. The woman in the block of ivory soap has massive thighs that neigh, great breasts that blare and
strong arms that trumpet. The woman of the golden fleece laughs uproariously from the belly inside the girl who imitates a Christmas card virgin with glued hands, who fishes for herself in other’s eyes, who stoops and creeps to make herself smaller. In her bottled up is a woman peppery as curry, a yam of a woman of butter and brass, compounded of acid and sweet like a pineapple, like a handgrenade set to explode, like goldenrod ready to bloom.
Bright Water Elementary awarded $250,000 Bright Water Elementary, a new Montessori charter school in North Minneapolis, has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation. Grant funds, which will be used during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 school years, will be used to hire additional teaching and support staff to ensure that all
students are performing at or better than grade level. “We are thrilled,” said director Ann Luce. “We now have the resources we need to make sure that no child at Bright Water falls through the cracks. We are committed to making sure that all students at Bright Water Elementary reach their full
potential.” Audubon Center of the North Woods is the sponsor of the school. Steve Dess, liaison to the school who has monitored the school’s development stated: “The Bright Water Elementary leadership worked additional long hours to succeed in securing this great asset to help their students to
succeed. This school has high expectations for staff, parents and the children they serve and this is one marker for the record of their dedication. The additional funding from the Walton Family Foundation will allow the school to more quickly reach its vision of high student achievement through excellent Montessori education in
a diverse, urban setting. We couldn’t be happier for them.” Bright Water Elementary adheres strictly to the Montessori model of education. In addition to academic skills, students in a classic Montessori classroom also learn to act cooperatively, be selfdirected, and to manage their time. The school is located in the
former North Star Community School – the first charter school to lease space from the Minneapolis Public Schools. Bright Water currently serves 42 students in kindergarten through second grade. It will add a grade each year through sixth grade.
Page 4 • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Insight News
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BUSINESS Suggested reading: Business books make memorable gifts for new grads Plan your career
By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com This commencement season might find you honoring a graduate who has yet to find a job, leaving him or her with time (and no money) to burn this summer. While spare change is always
well-received, consider instead giving the gift of a good business or job search book. Something quick to read and relevant will be appreciated by new high school and college graduates alike, and remains useful long after the green stuff has disappeared from its envelope. A few to consider: Talent Is Overrated: What Really separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin. Not every incredible performer was born that way. Discipline and smart practice make all the difference. A gifted actor, accountant, cook or chief executive achieves nothing without deliberate hard work.
And if you are less than gifted in the thing you love? Go for it, anyway. Colvin shows how anyone with the will to work smart can be a world-class success. The Gospel of Good Success by Kirbyjon H. Caldwell. According to Caldwell, true success in work and life comes from combining spirituality with action. This fast-trackstockbroker-turned-pastor has a critical message and commonsense tone that will resonate with new grads.
You Majored in What? by Catherine Brooks. “Embrace the chaos,” says Brooks. I love that. In this job market, I think Brooks is right on. As a new graduate, you don’t have to know where you will be in ten years; the job you will be in then might not even exist yet. You just have to be open to recognizing opportunities as you find them. How to Keep Your Job in a Tough Market by Michael Kitson. Good ideas for new grads lucky enough to be working. Now that you have a job, figure out how to
keep it. Another good book along these lines is They Don’t Teach Corporate in College by Alexandra Levit. This one is current and relevant and includes everything “kids” today need to know about navigating the adult working world they’re becoming a part of, in a casual voice young adults will appreciate. Giving books is better when you add your own flair. Consider tucking into the cover a top-ten list of your own insights. Job search, career success, and how-
to-do-laundry lists are all popular and make a book gift more personal and fun. Whether your new graduate is headed to corporate America or the Peace Corps, he or she will thank you later for the books you share today. Have a career planning or job search question? Write to Julie Desmond at Julie@Insightnews.com.
New Vision named Small Business of Year Frank Stewart and Carrie Parkinson shared a new vision for a company built around exemplary customer service and teamwork. Now, five years later, New Vision Printing and Graphics is soaring to new heights by fulfilling customers’ desire for high-quality, fast turn-around digital and offset printing – all at a competitive price. “When we started New Vision Printing,” Stewart says, “we felt very strongly about making sure that all of our customers and clients receive the red-carpet treatment. This is our way of saying ‘thank you’for choosing us to take care of your printing needs.” New Vision’s sincere customer appreciation is greatly appreciated by growing numbers of loyal customers. Over the past three years, they’ve tripled New Vision’s sales at 1022 South Robert St., West St. Paul. A year ago, they opened a second print shop at 3579 Hoffman Rd. in White Bear Lake. Stewart’s office
manager says, “People keep coming back and referring others, and new people keep hearing about us, word of mouth. One customer said, ‘In today’s economy, you’re a hidden gem.’” This is one of the reasons the Neighborhood Development Center named New Vision Printing and Graphics 2009 West St. Paul Small Business of the Year. Stewart says, “It’s still possible to grow your business amid this recession, but you have to work harder and smarter and plan better. That’s how we’re able to keep our prices low to compete with other corporate printers and copy centers. Above all, you have to remember your customers’ needs.” Now, given today’s financial challenges, New Vision is working hard to help promote and market other businesses – especially those just starting up. “Frank says, “We give them creative, affordable ways to get the word out. Given their considerable experience in graphic design, Frank and his executive team unleash their creative ideas by incorporating customers’ logo designs into these three starter items. Beyond this, New Vision does quality commercial printing of everything from colorful annual reports, calendars and catalogs, to newsletters, posters and various specialty items.
"IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS AMID THIS RECESSION, BUT YOU HAVE TO WORK HARDER AND SMARTER AND PLAN BETTER.”
McCollum From 1 points with the NRA. Our national parks are treasures. They don't need to be protected by random people carrying loaded, concealed weapons around millions of vacationing families." After the U.S. House passed the credit card reform bill and sent it to the Senate for passage, Coburn added the measure with the support of 66 other U.S. Senators, as well as the National Rifle Association. While McCollum voted in favor of a "gun free" version of H.R. 627, she opposed the bill that included the Coburn concealed weapon language. The final bill heading to President Obama's desk includes the provision allowing loaded, concealed weapons in national parks. The original
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar presents Frank Stewart a plaque from Neighborhood Development Center naming New Vision Printing and Graphics West St. Paul 2009 Small Business of the Year. One of my favorite posters,” Frank says with a smile, “is that of the late comedian Jonathon Winters. He’s yelling into the phone, ‘What? You want it good, fast and cheap? Pick two and call me back.’ We’re able to provide all three, so our printing is really cost-effective. It works for our customers.” One drives all the way from Ramsey, Minnesota to get New Vision’s “great prices and exceptional service.” Another says, “I’m sure glad I found you guys.” New Vision keeps looking for new ways to help their customers. They even helped handout a couple of customers’ fliers.
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane
legislation the House passed solely focused on leveling the playing field between card issuers and cardholders by applying common-sense regulations that would ban retroactive interest rate hikes on existing balances, double-cycle billing, and due-date gimmicks. In a statement for the Congressional Record McCollum said: "Senator Coburn's amendment to allow people to carry loaded, concealed firearms in America's National Park System is nothing short of insane and a political game played at the expense of millions of families who will visit our national parks seeking enjoyment, recreation, and peace." Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-4) serves on the House Appropriations & Budget Committees.
CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Elliot Stewart-Franzen Web Design & Content Associate Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Brenda Colston Julie Desmond Marcia Humphrey Mehgaan Jones Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Ryan T. Scott Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Mpls., 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
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Insight News • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Page 5
AESTHETICS Ebony Fashion Fair fires up Minnesota with season’s hottest fashions Columnist
By Alaina L. Lewis On Sunday, May 17, the world’s largest traveling fashion show, The Ebony Fashion Fair, made its annual return to the Minneapolis. When the first LaRare suede boot heel was pressed against the stage, the temperature gauge in the room increased several notches, as the runway was continually lit with a trail of this season’s hottest and sought after fashions. To some, the mere mention of a fashion show ignites ideologies of couture designs escaping through the robotic catwalking sways of a typically whitewashed runway show. But as the quaint afternoon began at the brim of The 51st Annual Ebony Fashion Fair, that myth was quickly dispelled after a fleet of 13 uniquely beautiful models took center stage and stamped their imprint into the runway. The intricate rhythms befit a soundtrack of Hip Hop and
R&B, easily guided the atypically choreographed stage event towards an attitude of sassiness and sophistication, brought on by this year’s theme, “The Runway Report: What’s Hip, What’s Hot. What’s Now.” The array of selected avantgarde pieces that accompanied this popular production gave the audience a peek-a-boo glimpse into the latest collections of African American designers and world-renowned fashion industry tastemakers like Christian Lacroix, Kevin Hall, b. michael, Carolina Herrara and Missoni. From boho chic, to tribalistic inspired ensembles, to goddess gowns and feminine influenced mantailored suits, the runway was draped with the latest eye catching trends for the urban fashionista and bursting with a fountain of dramatic textures and daring patterns and color schemes. The lovely ladies of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Phi Omega Chapter and The Ivy Foundation hosted the popular event, which is always carefully enclosed by a bookend of purpose. Some of the other participating sponsors involved in this captivating presentation included TV One, Macy’s, Allianz Life, Estes Funeral Home, Estes Airport Gifts and News, Blackwell Law
Firm, Supervalu, PAMA, RBC DainRauscher, General Mills, and Medtronic. Their individual commitment to serving the residents of this community was beautifully echoed through the room, under the veil of crushed velvet and taffeta gowns. After each eruption of invigorating style paved the runway, the gap between fashion and opportunity narrowed, as the audience’s unique experience helped to generate revenue for an important purpose. Eunice W. Johnson, director of EFF, and her continual commitment to both fashion and charity, has generated more than $55 million to help nurture several organizations throughout EFF’s touring community. Together with the AKA Sorority Inc’s, Delta Phi Omega Chapter, EFF’s reign has made a fashionable impact on the lives within the Twin Cities as well. Proceeds for the event, that was packed by about 800 attendees, will go to help award academic scholarships to local African American and Latino High School students in an effort to make a continuing education for minorities, less a dream and more an attainable goal. Annually, in conjunction with The Ivy Foundation and several other partnering corporations and organizations, they’ve been able to present $40,000 to $75,000 in scholarships to deserving students in the Metro area. Minneapolis was the last stop for the 10-month touring extravaganza. If you missed this incredible event, be sure to experience it next year.
The Ebony Fashion Fair
Photos: Suluki Fardan
Maria Isa: incendiary, lethal By Alaina L. Lewis Nowadays, rappers are about as common as disposable Bic lighters. As soon as you emit a flame, its met by the simultaneous flick of a competing Zippo. Way too common. Since there are so many embers cascading through the industry, Hip Hop could easily ignite a forest fire. Yet, in a world layered with candles, only few can keep ablaze. Only some come equipped with their own endless supply of lighter fluid, while the others lay around doing nothing, waiting for a refill.
And then there’s the distinct exception. In walks Maria IsaBelle Perez, roaring with the pint size presence of an enormous fireball. At first glance the eye discerns that she’s skating on the softer side of Kermit’s Rainbow Connection. But after being honored by her presence you come to realize the truth: she’s about as cuddly as a kitten holding a ball of nitrogen. Equipped with a lethal conversation that’s backed by a wit of understanding. Smoldering with a heart for the movement, and laced with a pride for “Sota-Rico.” She encompasses so many astounding abilities perfectly packaged in her unassuming petite frame. A rapper, singer, actress, teacher, activist, poet… to say the least, Maria Isa is an Artist. Isa was born and raised in St. Paul, but has always had one foot in MinneSota and the other firmly planted in her roots of Puerto Rico. She’s gained notoriety in the community for her infectious music, being both a rapper and a sultry songstress who is easily compared to artists like Lauren Hill and Alicia Keys. Her music is quite unique —a spicy blend of “Spanglish” lyricism over Hip Hop and Reggaeton rhythms. Rather than being backed by manufactured beats, whether she’s in the studio or at a live performance, her music is
always amplified by an authentic purity, thanks to the skill set of her talented band The Baker’s Dozen. Having had a mother who was a philanthropist, and also embodying that same mentality of humanitarianism, she took her talent for rhyme slinging and filled the mic with a potency of purpose. Wanting a voice to promote change is how she molded her journey through music. “I wanted to preach to people in a different way about social justice, but rather than behind a podium, I chose to do it under the rhythm,” she said. “At one point, I was flowing about nice kicks and stuff and I still do from time to time, but it’s also about what means more to you? Lexus? Who knows if the company will be around in 25 years, their company might drown. But my people, they’re still going to be here, and they don’t want to be in the same predicament that this economy is in right now. The mission is to have a voice behind the music, and a voice in front of the music.” Gearing up for the highly anticipated release of her second album Street Politics, Isa’s excited to bring life to an important message and hopes it will encourage her audience to embrace well-thought change. “Street Politic, is a balance of the government and the people. It’s a balance of the streets. You’ve got your block, and you’ve got Sesame
Maria Isa
Tony Nelson
Street going down,” she said. “You’ve got different people, different shades, but it’s the same street just different stories. People are probably waiting for a gangsta album, but this is me being a gangsta’s daughter and speaking out.” In the Twin Cities, she’s amassed a significant cult following, and on the East Coast and in Puerto Rico she’s becoming an arc to get under. But apart from her growing bulb under the glow of her own spotlight, her life apart from the stage doesn’t stray from the elements of her mic mission. She’s an alumn and now a teacher at the El Arco Iris Center for the Arts, a non profit organization created to elevate the Latino community. Her everyday lifestyle is saturated with a pride for her culture, and her mission through each endeavor is continually preserving her Latino roots. “Without your culture you become a descendent. You lose what you want to represent,” she says. “This is who I am. Everything I do in life flows, maybe on a different rhythm or a different influence, but it all comes together in the end.” She’s all set for her CD Release Party for Street Politics at First Avenue’s Mainroom on June 6, hosted by her good friend and frequent collaborator Muja Messiah. Soon after she’ll begin preparing for an appearance at the Puerto Rican Day Festival in NYC on June 13 and 14. By the end of summer she’ll test out her acting skills for the large screen, when she begins work in California on an upcoming independent film. In a world full of budding flames that ride the coal of a roaring fire, the others are likely just sparks, but Maria Isa is an eternal flame. To learn more about Maria Isa and her music, please visit, www.sotarico.com or www.myspace.com/mariaisalolita To learn more about El Arco Iris Center for the Arts, please visit, www.elarcoirismn.org
Page 6 • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Insight News
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LIFESTYLE Gale Woods Farm teaches kids agriculture-food role Style on a dime
By Marcia Humphrey Nearly two months ago, towards the end of my children’s spring break, I decided that I wanted to plan one last free or cheap outing before school resumed. My friend suggested that I consider visiting Gale Woods Farm. She described it as a place where you can have a hands-on type of experience with animals and farm life. To be quite honest, I am not particularly fond of being around stinky farm animals, but I thought, “It’s not about me; this is for my kids, and I want to expose them to a variety of encounters.” And my next thought was, “plus the price is right-around $25 for the whole
Ellison From 1 estate loans. “While I applaud the innovative efforts of the Federal Reserve and the Treasury to revive credit markets, several issues need to be resolved with respect to the TALF program,” Ellison said. The TALF program is designed to be a $1 trillion program. However, the financing provided thus far is a very small percentage of this amount. Its targeting of the highest rated securities is one possible reason for the program’s sluggish start. These securities are supported by subordinate ones that absorb first losses on loans and are therefore lower rated and more risky. Without a market for these subordinate securities, the demand for TALF loans is likely to remain limited. Additionally, the letter addresses two other concerns about the TALF program. The first is the program’s dependence on ratings from major credit rating agencies that were
Church From 1 “Membership has gone up. Income has gone down. We’ve laid off about 40 people from our staff. We’ve had to make some hard choices. We’ve had to curtail some of the services that we’ve normally had to provide to the community because our resources are hard hit. I’m getting calls from pastors all over the country who are downsizing, cutting back on services, cutting back on office hours because they are being adversely affected by this also,” said Jakes. Last months’ Black unemployment rate leaped 1.7 percent from the month before, now at 15 percent overall. That is nearly double that of the 8 percent white unemployment rate and the national average, which is 8.9 percent. For
family.” Upon further online investigation, I learned that Gale Woods Farm was a 410-acre park and part of the Three Rivers Park District www.galewoodspark.com They happened to be having a special spring celebration that weekend. It was no surprise that my kids were not so thrilled to be heading off to the farm that Saturday morning, but they did not get a voteI’m the mama! You see, we had just come from Wisconsin Dells, and comparatively speaking, the farm was far less stimulating. On the way there, I shared with my children some of the many benefits of exploring new and different things. After getting lost a couple of times we finally arrived at the Minnetrista farm, and judging by the number of cars, it seemed like “the happening place to be.” We started off our adventure with a visit to the animal stalls. Baby lambs had just been born that morning and it was so amazing to watch as their wobbly legs carried them over to nurse from their
mamas. My children were thrilled to be able to bottle-feed one of the sickly runts. I never knew that a baby pig’s squeal could sound so much like a human baby. My favorite part of the farm visit was seeing the maple trees being tappedsap, as clear as water, poured from the trees into the attached bags. We all left the farm with a sense of awe at God’s handiwork. Simply amazing! There is more than what meets the eye at Gale Woods Farm. This working educational farm offers kids of all ages an opportunity to learn more about the land’s role in agriculture and food production. Throughout the summer you can find a calendar full of activities that take you back to nature, back to basics. Here is a sampling of what Gale Woods Farm has to offer:
cost: $4 *Buy Farm Fresh: There is beef from grass-fed cows, hormone-free and antibiotic-free eggs, turkeys, and lamb. There is even a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, through which they sell a share of all the produce grown on the farm during the season. The popular CSA program is currently sold out for the 2009 season. Attend Folk School: Learn about food, farming and artistic crafts, like weaving and cord braiding. Classes start at around $5.
you answer that. 1. Does your child think that potatoes grow in the shape of French-fries? 2. Does your little one think that high-fructose-cornsyrup is a vegetable? If you answered yes to either question run, don’t walk, to the nearest farm. Let your little fellow learn about how Mary’s little lamb can provide both
dinner and a nice wool sweater too! Enjoy!
Spend Saturday Morning on the Farm: Throughout the summer, from 9Noon, all ages are invited to explore the farm, meet animals and help with chores and seasonal activities —
Outdoor Recreation: On Whitetail Lake enjoy canoeing (rental available) and fishing or hike and bike through the serene trails. B.Y.O.B.-bring your own bike and don’t forget the fishing license. Could you and your family benefit from taking time to unplug from overstimulation and the family’s favorite gadgets and plug into the back-to-basics simplicity Gale Woods Farm offers? Here are a couple of questions that may help
themselves linchpins of the current financial crisis. The other is the possibility of TALF providing financing for securities backed by loans with abusive terms. “As Congress continues to advance legislation to ban unfair and predatory practices relating to home and consumer loans, it is critical that a major government program not undermine these efforts by financing fraudulent loans,” Ellison said. On another legislative financial front, Keith Ellison’s proposed National Infrastructure Development Bank Act that would fund and create a bank that would direct public and private dollars toward infrastructure projects of national or regional significance – a proposal included in the Obama Administration’s budget, as well as the Budget Resolution, appears to be gaining traction. Joining Ellison in authoring the banking reform legislation are US Reps. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Anthony Weiner (NY) and Steve Israel (NY). The lawmakers have strong support from a diverse coalition including, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; SEIU; National Construction Alliance;
Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO; American Society of Civil Engineers; Campaign for America’s Future; and Policy Link, as well as Felix Rohatyn, investment banker and author of “Bold Endeavors: How Our Government Built America, and Why It Must Rebuild Now;” and Bernard L. Schwartz, Chairman and CEO of BLS Investments. “By expanding and enhancing existing infrastructure through a National Infrastructure Development Bank we can leverage private sector dollars to invest in our most critical transportation, environmental, energy and telecommunications infrastructure needs,” said DeLauro. “Not only will we create jobs and spur economic growth, but we will make the critical investments necessary to build state of the art infrastructure systems for the 21st century – ensuring we do not again allow our nation’s roads, bridges, and electrical grid to reach the deterioration we have seen in recent years.” “The Interstate 35-W Bridge collapse that occurred in my home town of Minneapolis serves as one of
many tragic reminders of the crumbling state of our infrastructure,” said Ellison. “The National Infrastructure Development Bank puts forth a new model to address this problem. It partners public investment with private capital to develop an infrastructure system that meets the demands of our lives and economy in the 21st Century.” According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the current condition of the infrastructure in the United States earns a grade point average of D and an estimated $2.2 trillion investment is needed over the next five years to meet adequate conditions. Moreover, every $1 billion in federal funds invested in infrastructure creates or sustains approximately 47,500 jobs and $6.2 billion in economic activity. The National Infrastructure Development Bank, modeled after the European Investment Bank, would leverage private sector dollars to invest in transportation, environmental, energy and telecommunications infrastructure projects. It would objectively
consider the economic, environmental, social benefits and costs of infrastructure projects, as well as other specific criteria, and fund projects of significance. The Bank would provide investment opportunities that would supplement current federal programs creating jobs, spurring economic growth and rebuilding an infrastructure system for the 21st century. The National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2009 would: Create a National Infrastructure Development Bank: Modeled after the European Investment Bank and other development banks around the world, it would include an independent and objective Board of Directors to, among other things, make final infrastructure financing determinations; an Executive Committee to handle the day-to-day operations of the Bank; and Risk Management and Audit Committees to carefully manage risk and monitor the bank’s activities. Attract Private Investment Toward Critical Infrastructure Projects: The bank Board would have the authority to, among other
things, issue “public benefit” bonds; make loans and offer loan guarantees; and purchase and sell infrastructure-related loans and securities on the global capital market. Depoliticize Infrastructure Investment: The Bank would consider infrastructure projects in the realm of transportation (i.e. highways, transit, inland waterways, rail and air travel), the environment (i.e. drinking and wastewater facilities and hazardous waste facilities); energy (i.e. renewable energy transmission and building efficiency); and telecommunications (i.e. broadband development). The Bank would objectively consider the economic, environmental, social benefits and costs of infrastructure projects, as well as other specific criteria, and fund projects of significance. Capitalize a Bank: The bank is capitalized with authorized appropriations of $5 billion a year for 5 years as paid in capital, like the Obama budget, and a total of $250 billion in total subscribed capital available from the Treasury if needed.
Black men, the unemployment rate is 17.2 percent, more than double that of white men, at 8.5 percent. From the civil rights movement to the current economic downturn, African Americans have typically turned to the Black church when community is in crisis. One would speculate that smaller churches may be fairing easier with less overhead. But in coast to coast interviews, most pastors are telling the same story even congregations with less than 1,000 members. “We have probably experienced about a 30 percent decline - a significant, noticeable decline in the giving,” says Pastor Levonzia Stevens Sr., senior pastor of the 700-member Hope Aglow Empowerment Center in Woodbridge, VA. “The people are trying to do what’s right in God’s eye sight. Unfortunately sometimes the pressures of normal bills cause individuals to make decisions that
cut back on their giving. It’s been more noticeable over the last year.” To prevent staff layoffs, Hope Aglow has been forced to dip into its reserve funds. “Of course, as your reserves are depleted, that puts you in a very precarious situation,” Stevens says. “But, your hopes are that the giving will take place soon.” Economic forecasters say unemployment could reach double digits for everyone before it gets better. The pain is indiscriminate. “I don’t think anyone is not affected by the economy right now from Wall Street to Main Street,” said the Rev. Dr. Tecoy Porter, senior pastor of the 1000-member Genesis Church in Sacramento, CA. “California just got out of the budget crisis so our members are furloughed twice a month and things like that.” Because of a 20 percent drop in offerings, Porter says he has had to lay off some staff members and
restructure his church organization. That includes cutting two Sunday services down to only one. Fortunately, because of the Black community’s history of struggle, Black institutions have a special knack for endurance. “We’ve been here before. We’re not strangers to any type of depression or oppression or things like that. And so there’s a resiliency of Black churches that cannot be overlooked,” said Porter. “I am a preacher’s kid, a third generation pastor, so I am a product of the Black church and so I believe it is the strongest institution that we have for African Americans in our community because it has survived so much.” The messages through the years have been consistent. “We preach hope. We say we can make it. We’ve been here. Don’t panic. This too shall pass,” Porter said. Meanwhile, some pastors say
Tecoy Porter Sr.
Bishop Noel Jones
their churches are supplementing messages of faith and hope with practical teachings on finances, jobsearching, entrepreneurship and business ownership. Porter has written a book, Releasing Your Inner Treasure, 8 Kingdom Keys to Unlocking the Wealth Within You, based on his personal experiences with financial management. Now in his tenth year of pastoring, he retired from managing his information technology firm when he was only 29-years-old. “If you manage your money right, then everything else will be right,” he said. “I’m so surprised at how we just don’t want to talk about money and deal with those issues. So, that spurred me to write the book and really preach about how He has empowered us economically and financially and to use those practical scriptures to build us up.” In addition to scriptures, tangible know-how to correct and add balance to some of what has been taught in churches over the years will be key, said Bishop Noel Jones, pastor of the 17,000-member City of Refuge in Los Angeles, which he said is down only 6-10 percent on income. Jones said unbalanced teachings in the church are partially to blame for the crisis. “We have endured 25 years of health, wealth and prosperity preaching and the prophet should have told us that we were going to be in this kind of situation and circumstance since they have such prophetic words,” Jones said. “What happens is the church has capitalized the gospel and we have preached Americanism for gospel and ultimately we ended up crashing because there is no credulity and authenticity in the whole presentation.” He continued, “The only people who were making any real money were those who were expostulating
the theology that left the psychology that debilitated the minds of those who were involved. The debilitation is that everybody expected to bring an offering in church and just get rich though nobody participated and partnered with God. Because at the end of the day nobody receives a check in an envelope postmarked from heaven. It’s your participation that makes it happen…The ministry and the preachers have taken so much money from the church and lived lavish lifestyles. We need to put something back. We need to equip our people. As James puts it, very explicitly, ‘Faith without works is dead’. We co-create, we perpetuate God’s creation by functioning responsibly.” Jones said many Christians have basically lived on credit and owned nothing. “So, what everybody was talking about as God’s blessing was people living on credit. And the Bible says that the borrower is subject to the lender. So, Christian America simply joined the capitalistic bandwagon - and in the name of God - articulated a theology that has no credulity.” The pastors agree that the financial troubles won’t last always. “In the Bible, in every story where you find a famine in the land, by the end of the chapter, you find a blessing, overflowing abundant blessing,” said Stevens. “We don’t serve a ‘get you’ God. God is not coming after you because you want a better house or a better car. Everybody got greedy. God doesn’t hate us for that. So, we have to get over the guilt factor and look at what we can do to be better stewards of our resources. The rebound is coming. We ought to see that and know that. …Work while we wait, prepare. We are our best stimulus plan. We are our best recovery package.”
minnemom.com/2008/04/23/gale-woods-farm/
The Gale Woods Farm
Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at a low cost. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.
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Insight News • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Page 7
Haki Madhubuti, Mahmoud El Kati at Harvest Prep book reading The name Haki means “just” or “justice,” and Madhubuti means “precise, accurate and dependable,” in Swahili. So it is no surprise that Haki Madhubuti has long been a pivotal figure in the development of a strong Black literary tradition, emerging from the Civil Rights and Black Arts era of the 1960s and continuing to the present. “Art and literature are dependable and powerful weapons in the struggle for social equality,” he says, “The best way to stop the brothers from being destructive is to
reawaken their creative spirit.” He has published more than 28 books (some under his former name, Don L. Lee) and is one of the world’s bestselling authors of poetry and non-fiction. His Black Men: Obsolete, Single, Dangerous?: The African American Family in Transition (1990) has sold more than 1 million copies. Madhubuti will present his newest book, Liberation Narratives: New and Collected Poems 1966-2009, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, at Harvest Preparatory School, 1300 Olson Memorial Hwy.
He will be joined by Twin Cities based historian and educator, Prof. Mahmoud ElKati, whose newest book, Hiptionary, explores the rich nuance of Black language. “This book represents my life’s work,” said Madhubuti of the $24.95 500-page collection of more than three decades of his distinctive poetry. Spanning a long career, these poems helped define and sustain a movement that added music and brash street language to traditional poetics. From the angry calls to action from his earlier work, to spoken-word
poetry (which recently garnered the author a Grammy nomination) and “message” poetry aimed at community healing, Liberation Narratives offers a complete collection of the author’s poetic journey through a troubled time in America. A protégé of the late Pulitzer-Prize winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, with whom he shared a long friendship, Madhubuti successfully transformed from poet-activist to modern-day visionary and continues to challenge the status quo in pursuit of justice
Haki Madhubuti
Prof. Mahmoud El-Kati
and peace and advocate for the necessity of art in a violent and discouraging world.
The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be offered.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Send community events to us by: email, ben@insightnews.com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: 612-588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Free or low cost events preferred. Visit www.insightnews.com for more events. Events Acme Comedy Company’s annual Funniest Person in the Twin Cities Acme is searching for 2009’s Funniest Person in the Twin Cities. Acme Comedy Company’s annual summer contest invites all Midwest dwelling folks to get on stage and give their best 3 minutes of comedy gold. Contestants can sign up online at www.acmecomedycompany.com/ 09.php Growing Through Loss series – Now through May 26 Tuesday evenings at Church of St. Joseph, 171 Elm Street, Lino Lakes. Registration begins at 6:45 pm., followed by a professional speaker at 7 pm., and small group discussions at 8 pm. Free childcare is available upon request. Mahmoud El-Kati’s ‘The Hiptionary’ book reading and signing events – May 26, 30 Mahmoud El-Kati and Haki Mahdubuti @ Harvest Prep. 6 pm. Saturday, May 30th, 2009 El-Kati @ Sunnyside Deli 1 - 3 pm. 100 Strong Who Care: Building Bridges for the Next Generation – May 27, 28 11:30 am - 1:30 pm each day at Hmong International Academy, 2410 Girard Ave. N., Mpls. 612668-0019, cedrick.frazier@mpls.k12.mn.us. Ordway Announces 2009 Flint Hills International Children’s Festival – May 26 through May 31 At the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. $5 tickets except for free Sidi Goma performances. For more info or to volunteer: www.ordway.org/festival/ A Creative Response to the Issue of Homelessness – May 29 Fri., May 29, 7-10 pm. Steven’s Square Center for the Arts, 1905 3rd Ave S. Mpls. (612) 879-0200. Garden of Gethsemane Outdoor Music Celebration – May 30 Sat., May 30, 1:00pm to 5:00pm at the Garden of Gethsemane Ministries Church (outside), 2054 James Avenue North, Mpls. 612386-1643 Sia(b), A Journey for the Hmong Heart at Gremlin Theater - May 30 through June 7 All performances take place at Gremlin Theatre, 2400 University Avenue West, Saint Paul, MN. For more info and ticket reservations, please call the Center for Hmong Art (CHAT) and Talent at 651603-6971. GO! Northside 5K - May 30 Sat., May 30. 10 am: GO! Squads line the race course 10:30AM: Race Start at North Commons Park, 1801 James Ave N 11 am to 1 pm: Finish Line Festival at the North Community YMCA, 1711 W. Broadway. http://gonorthside.org. The Neighborhood Show Opening Reception- June 5 Opening Night Reception on Fri., June 5 from 7 – 10 pm. Runs June 5 – 28. Steven’s Square Center for the Arts, 1905 Third Ave. S., Mpls. The SSCA invites you to come celebrate the diversity of the Stevens neighborhood and the local artistic community. www.stevensarts.org Minneapolis MOSAIC Opening Night Kick-Off - June 6 The seventh annual Minneapolis MOSAIC, a celebration of the city’s diverse arts and cultures, kicks off on Saturday, June 6 with
a free, arts-packed evening between 8th and 9th streets and Hennepin and First Avenues in downtown Minneapolis. Info: www.minneapolismosaic.com. Free NDC Business Workshop: Choice of Entity – June 9 Tues., June 9, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at N. MPLS Library, 1315 Lowry Ave N. Mpls. Get advice on the advantages and disadvantage in choosing a sole proprietor, corporation, limited liability or partnership entity. Cost: Free. Preregister with Perla at 651-3798119. Expressions of Stability and Change: Ethnic Dress and Folk Costume – Now thru June 14 Feb. 7 - June 14, at The Goldstein Museum Gallery is on the second floor 241 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul. The exhibition will feature 30 ensembles of ethnic dress and folk costume from around the world. For more information contact: Lin Nelson-Mayson, 612-624-3292 or lnelsonm@umn.edu Free NDC business workshop: Customer Service - June 16 Tues., June 16, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at N MPLS Library, 1315 Lowry Ave N. Mpls. Learn how to give your business a boost by using superior customer service techniques. Cost: Free. Preregister with Bonita at 651-379-8429. Dollar Works 2 trainings – June 17 9 to 4 pm., at Bunker Hills Activities Center, 550 Bunker Lake Blvd NW., Andover, MN. Dollar Works 2 is a personal finance education program designed to help teach financial literacy concepts. Registration / More info at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/Re sourceManagement. 2009 July 4th celebration, “Red, White and Boom!” – July 4 Sat., July 4, 6 – 10 p.m. at Minneapolis Riverfront. A spectacular fireworks show concludes the event at 10 p.m. www.mplsredwhiteboom.com Arts of the Garden – July 11 Sat. July 11 at Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 2240 North Shore Drive, Wayzata, MN 55391. Registration: 952-4737361 ext. 16. www.minnetonkaarts.org. ‘Minnesota on the Map:’ Four Centuries of Maps from the Minnesota Historical Society Collection – Now thru Sept. 7 Feb. 28, 2009 - Sept. 7, 2009, at Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. This exhibit features dozens of maps, atlases and artifacts from the Society’s collection, including an atlas from 1595, displayed along side current road, city and tourist maps. www.mnhs.org. The 4th Annual “Neighborhood Link-Up” – Aug. 15 12:00pm- 4:00pm at The Jordan New Life Hub, 1922 26th Ave No. Minneapolis (corner of Newton and 26th Ave No.). Get to Know Guild Hear from individuals served, family members, and staff about the work Guild Incorporated is doing to help people move along their paths of recovery. To RSVP or for more information, call George Broostin at 651-925-8454. Visit www.guildincorporated.org/event s.htm for more info. Artists Quarter Open Mic – Ongoing Mondays (except the first Monday of the month) at The Artists’ Quarter, 408 St. Peter Street, St. Paul. Doors at 7 pm, Live Jazz by “Green” from 7 pm til 9:30 pm, Open mic at 9:30 pm. No cover – two drink minimum.
‘Soap Boxing’ poetry slam – Ongoing Every first Monday at The Artists’ Quarter, 408 St. Peter Street, St. Paul. (Under Great Water’s Brewery) $5 cover (free if you compete in the Slam) 18+. Doors @ 7 pm. Slam @ 8:00. FFI: 612207-7991, www.soap-boxing.com, www.myspace.com/soapboxingsla m Neighborhood Development Center business workshops – Ongoing NDC is a non-profit that works to empower low-income Twin Cities communities through successful entrepreneurship. Visit www.ndcmn.org or call 651-291-2480 for information. Workshops are free. Credit Smart - Ongoing FREE class explains how to manage credit. Tuesdays from 6–8 pm at the Minneapolis Urban League, Glover-Sudduth Center, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis. To RSVP call Theresa at 612-827-9268. HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness workshops Ongoing To schedule a workshop, contact the Minneapolis Urban League at (612) 302-3100 and ask for our case management services program. Willard-Homewood Block Club Leaders (and Residents) Meetings – Ongoing Every third Thursday of the month, 6:30-8:00 pm at Northpoint Health & Wellness Center, 1315 Penn Ave. N. (Human Services Building, not the clinic), Mpls., Room 108. See the block club page at www.willard-homewood.org. Volunteer Opportunities RSVP/Volunteers of America of MN – Are you good with
numbers? RSVP/Volunteers of America of MN (in collaboration with the AARP foundation) is looking for volunteers with good budgeting, organizational, and support skills to help manage the finances of older or disabled low-income individuals who want assistance. For more info, please contact Gale Nelson, Program Coordinator at 612-617-7821. Guild Incorporated: Angling Buddies Needed Share fishing adventures with a new friend. Go angling for a few hours each month and make a huge difference for someone who needs a buddy. Learn more by contacting the Volunteer Coordinator at Guild Incorporated: (651) 925-8465 or email at volunteer@guildincorporated.org. www.guildincorporated.org MAP for Nonprofits now recruiting volunteers MAP for Nonprofits recruits volunteers with management skills to serve on nonprofit Boards of Directors. Enhance your leadership skills. Share your experience and abilities. Give back to the community. Training is available. To learn more: call Tina Gonzales at 651-632-7233, or visit our website, www.mapfornonprofits.org. Volunteer training to help survivors of sexual assault Join over 60 dedicated people connected in a community against sexual violence by volunteering with the Sexual Violence Center, a sexual assault program serving Hennepin, Carver and Scott Counties. Registration for the training is required. Call (612) 871-5100. St. Paul Homework Center seek volunteer tutors Make a Difference by Volunteering with the Saint Paul Public Library. For more
Become a Senior Companion For information call (651) 3109440 (metro) or toll free 888-2053770 for an application and more information.
and beyond, helping nonprofit clients to more effectively to achieve their missions. Training provided. www.mapfornonprofits.org or contact Judy Sharken Simon, (651) 632-7222 or jsharkensimon@mapfornonprofit s.org.
Adult Literacy Tutors For opportunities throughout the Metro area or Greater Minnesota, contact Allison at the Minnesota Literacy Council arunchey@theMLC.org or (651) 645-2277, Ext 219.
Become a Minneapolis Urban League volunteer or mentor To become a Minneapolis Urban League classroom volunteer or to mentor a student, contact the Marketing Department at (612) 302-3143.
Jacobs Ladder Inc. & P.A.L. tutoring program Certified teachers needed to volunteer with the Jacobs Ladder Inc. & P.A.L tutoring program. Contact Diashka B. Jackson, (763) 458-3440.
Mentors for teen parents wanted For more information to become a mentor, please contact: Tina Baker at (612) 877.7842, tbaker@genesis2.org or April Barker at (612) 877.7811, abarker@genesis2.org.
information contact Beth at (651) 266-7433 or beth.lokken@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Volunteers Needed: American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Contact Mary Wiles at (651) 255-8183 or mary.wiles@cancer.org for information or to volunteer. Guild Incorporated Guild Incorporated is a health and human services organization that exists to help people with mental illness lead quality lives. The Volunteer Service Program at Guild Incorporated offers: flexible scheduling, expense reimbursement, training, ongoing support and recognition of your efforts. For more information about volunteering, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at (651) 925-8465 or heck out www.guildincorporated.org. A variety of volunteer positions are available. MAP: Best on Board MAP for Nonprofits provides high-valuemanagement consulting and services, as well as board recruitment and training, to large, medium and small nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities
Services Music Classes at Camden Music School CMS classes are held in Camden at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, 3751 Sheridan Avenue North and in NE Minneapolis at Northeast Community Lutheran Church, 697 13th Avenue Northeast (across from Logan Park). Family discounts are available. Scholarships are available for spring term. For more information or to register visit www.camdenmusicschool.com or call 612-618-0219. Homeless Intervention Services Are you a Minneapolis resident who needs help finding housing? Call the Minneapolis Urban League’s In-take Line at (612) 827-9299. For more information about the services, contact the Minneapolis Urban League, Sharon Sayles Belton Community Services Center, 411 38th Avenue S., Minneapolis, (612) 827-5673.
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HEALTH Black women contract HIV/AIDS mostly through heterosexual activity Black Press of America
By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist WASHINGTON (NNPA) - C. Virginia Fields, president of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, was giving a speech in Rocky Mount, NC before a group of social service providers when she made a surprising revelation about the AIDS epidemic. “One of the things I talked about were the numbers for heterosexual Black women,” Fields recounted. “When people heard that, they were very surprised. It’s something that they did not know, it’s something they had not focused on.” What many did not know or focus on was that Black women account for the largest share of new HIV infections – 61 percent – among women. That’s an infection rate nearly 15 times that of white women. And most of those African American women were infected through heterosexual activity. “Unfortunately, a lot of people associate HIV/AIDS simply with gay people,” Fields explained. “They don’t think it’s only a white gay disease because there has been more attention on Black gay men. To many, it’s a gay disease.” In addition to being grossly misinformed, those who lack accurate information about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, place their health and indeed their life in danger. If they think that AIDS is only a “gay disease,” they should
speak with Marvelyn Brown, whose book, The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and (HIV) Positive was recently published by HarperCollins. At the international conference on AIDS last summer in Mexico City, she told journalists how she was infected with HIV in 2003 at the age of 19 by the man she had viewed as her Prince Charming. She said he knew that he was HIV positive but did not tell her. “I kept thinking to myself that he doesn’t have a condom,” she recalled. “But I thought, this is my Prince Charming and I wouldn’t mind being his baby’s mother if this is the worst that could happen.” She later learned that getting pregnant wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to her. In a telephone interview from Nashville, her hometown, Brown discussed the message she tries to convey to help others from repeating her
moment, I should have been more concerned about protecting myself so that I would not contract HIV.” The Food and Drug Administration reports, ‘’The surest way to avoid [STDs] is to not have sex altogether (abstinence). Another way is to limit sex to one partner who also limits his or her sex in the same way (monogamy). Condoms are not 100 percent safe, but, if used properly, will reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.’’ Brown says she blames herself, not her misnamed Prince Charming, for her disease. “People are looking at women infected with HIV/AIDS as victims,” she said. “If someone gave it to them, it always goes back to, ‘My husband cheated on me’ or ‘My man was on the down low.’ People ask, ‘How did you get it?’ instead of, ‘How can I not
Trystin K. Francis, an openly gay resident of Washington, D.C., says he has been approached by married men in malls and department stores. “This one man was with his wife or girlfriend and I was by myself. When he got away from her, it’s like, ‘Hey, how are you? Can I get your number? Can I call you?’ It’s the weirdest feeling.” He added, “If you went to a gay club to observe what was going on, you’d be surprised by how many men are in there that look straight and probably have a girlfriend. The girlfriend is probably thinking he is probably out with the boys, it’s poker night, or they’re going to a sports bar when, in fact, they are going out to this club. Their boyfriend or husband is at a gay club getting phone numbers from men and possibly bringing some of these men around you. I’ve talked to friends over the years who have said, ‘I’ve met
For whatever reason, women think I got the ‘H’ from this guy, the ‘I’ from another guy and the ‘V’ from another guy and all came together and that’s how I got HIV. That’s not how it happened. I got the ‘H,’ the ‘I,’ and the ‘V’ from one guy, one time.” mistake. “I have to let people know how easy I contracted HIV,” she said. “It’s the same way you make a child. For whatever reason, women think I got the ‘H’ from this guy, the ‘I’ from another guy and the ‘V’ from another guy and all came together and that’s how I got HIV. That’s not how it happened. I got the ‘H,’ the ‘I,’ and the ‘V’ from one guy, one time.” She continued: “It doesn’t matter if that guy was straight, bi-sexual or whatever, in that
get it?’” Brown refuses to view herself as a victim. “I look at my diagnosis like someone who was told they have cancer or diabetes,” she explained. “It’s doesn’t define me – it’s not who I am. It’s just something that I have.” But some heterosexual women have AIDS because their sexual partners were on the down low, or DL. Living on the down low is generally defined as men who pretend to be straight while secretly having sex with other men.
the wife, I’ve met the kids, I’ve babysat the kids and she didn’t know and I’m not saying anything.” Francis said despite the pain and disappointment it might cause, men should be honest with their mates. “If you’re not going to be committed to your wife as a man and you’re going to sleep with another man, you need to tell your wife,” he said. “I think Tyler Perry said it best: There are so many men out here that are cheating on their wives, but if you’re going to cheat on your
C. Virginia Fields
Marvelyn Brown
wife, use protection. That’s a line from his movie, ‘Why Did I Get Married?’ But it’s true. Why cheat on your wife and have unprotected sex with a stranger and bring it into your bedroom or household, particularly when one’s life is at stake?” And women are not the only ones that should be concerned, he said. “Don’t rule out African American women sleeping with other women, cheating on their husbands,” Francis said. “We’re so focused on the DL phenomenon, but there are a lot of women out there cheating on their man with other women. Oprah just did a show about it.” Virginia Fields, the head of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, said in addition to the DL and infected men refusing to share their HIV status with unsuspecting sexual partners, the growth of heterosexual Black women being infected with HIV is also being fueled by men with
multiple partners. “In North Carolina, I was talking to a minister who told me about this 35-year-old woman he had just buried. She has two children. She had become involved with a guy who had just moved down from New York and he was HIV positive. He infected her. She developed AIDS. He infected two other women since he has been in the area. More and more women are being infected as a result of this men shortage.” In addition, she said, men returning from prison are also frequently HIV infected. Fields said her organization is placing more emphasis on reaching heterosexual women who may not know how to protect themselves. She explained, “I’m hoping it will lead to more women demanding and participating in safe sex, insisting that condoms be used and that they will get tested and become more involved with talking about it among themselves.”
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Insight News • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Page 9
MN AIDS Walk as part of National Call to Action The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS-(NBLCA announced today the launch of a “National Call to Action” against HIV/AIDS as part of NBLCA’s annual Choose Life Awards Benefit Gala. President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, will serve as National Chair of NBLCA’s 2009 benefit gala, June 3 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers on Manhattan’s West Side. The event will also bring together leaders from clergy, government, healthcare and other fields to help raise funds and awareness for NBLCA’s ongoing battle to stem the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic within African American communities nationwide. C. Virginia Fields, NBLCA’s President and CEO, said she was thrilled by the support of President Clinton and so many other prominent leaders for the gala. “HIV/AIDS is a worsening public health crisis among African Americans and other peoples of
color,” Fields said. “Although the federal government is giving this epidemic more attention than it has received in years, it is critical that this event be more successful than ever. “We are issuing a “National Call to Action” in response to the alarming data that has come out about HIV/AIDS in the United States,” Fields added. Fields noted a series of recent studies showing that HIV/AIDS is growing faster than expected, and that the growth is much higher among African Americans: • Black Americans are seven times more likely than white Americans to become newly infected with HIV, according to a report in August from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). • AIDS remains the leading cause of death among Black women between 25-34 years and the second leading cause of death in Black men between 35-44 years, the CDC reported. • Blacks are one in eight Americans, but approximately half the people living with HIV in
the United States. • More people are living with HIV in Black America than seven of 15 countries targeted for assistance under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiated by President. George W. Bush. • In some urban areas and the Deep South, HIV infection rates among Blacks approach those of sub-Saharan Africa. For example, HIV prevalence among middleaged Black men in Manhattan is almost as high as prevalence in South Africa, home to the world’s largest population of people living with HIV. • In March, the Washington, D.C., government reported that about 3 percent of its residents were living with HIV or AIDS, a rate well above an epidemic level. More than 1 million people are living with HIV or AIDS and do not know it, the CDC estimates. NBLCA’s top priority is passage of H.R. 1964, the National Black Clergy for the Elimination of HIV/AIDS Act of 2009. That bill, introduced by US Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), lays
Hundreds turned out for the Minnesota AIDS Walk and Run for the Ribbon along the Minnehaha Parkway in Minneapolis. out a comprehensive plan for the federal government to lead the way in marshaling resources to support increased HIV testing, prevention, treatment and care for African Americans. At the Choose Life Awards Benefit Gala, participants will also honor those who have contributed to the fight against HIV/AIDS, including A.
Cornelius Baker, Senior Advisor to the National Black Gay Men’s Advocacy Coalition; John A. Catsimatidis, Chairman and CEO, Red Apple Group/Grist; The Hon. Barbara Lee, Chair, Congressional Black Caucus; Andre Leon Tally, editor-at-large, Vogue Magazine; and HSBC Bank USA. NBLCA was founded in 1987
to educate, organize and empower Black leaders - including clergy, elected officials, medical practitioners, business professionals, social policy experts and the media - to meet the challenge of fighting HIV/AIDS in their communities. For more information, visit www.nblca.org.
Fostoring Adoptions Act will improve life for thousands of youths Children’s Defense Fund
By Marian Wright Edelman May is National Foster Care Month and this year is a good time to reflect on the progress we can make in improving the lives of children and youths in foster care by implementing the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (Fostering Connections Act). This important new federal law, approved last fall with broad bipartisan support, will help hundreds of thousands of children and youths who have been abused
and neglected. It’s now up to all of us to see that states implement it so that it truly benefits young people across the country. Nothing matters more to children than the love and security a family provides, and this new law offers family connections to some of our nation’s most vulnerable children. More than 500,000 children in America are in foster care at any given time; about onefourth of them are being cared for by relatives. Each year, nearly 130,000 children in foster care are waiting to be adopted, and 44 percent of them entered care before age six. More than 26,000 older youths leave foster care each year— most at 18—without being returned home or adopted. Compared to children and youths who have not been in foster care, young people in care are more likely to become homeless, unemployed or to be incarcerated. They are more likely
to have physical, developmental and mental health challenges. The Fostering Connections Act offers them new hope. It promotes family connections by helping children being raised by grandparents and other relative caregivers link up with the supports they need. It also helps children who have lived with relatives in foster care to remain permanently with them outside of foster care when returning home or adoption are not options. The new law requires that siblings live together in foster care whenever possible and offers greater federal support to states to increase adoptions of older youths and children with disabilities or other special needs from foster care. The Fostering Connections Act offers other important new opportunities for older youths in care, who now are often forced out of foster care at age 18 with few
resources to help them transition to adulthood. It helps them remain in foster care longer while they are in school or working, and engages them in planning for their futures. It promotes educational stability for children in foster care by requiring they be in school, by minimizing moves from school to school, and improves health outcomes by promoting better coordination of health care. And it increases services and protections for American Indian children by giving Indian tribes direct access for the first time to federal support for foster care, guardianship and adoption assistance. Federal support is expanded for training of private agency staff, attorneys and others representing abused and neglected children. All of us should monitor how this new law and new federal support is benefitting children being raised by relatives and in foster
care. Many of the new protections are now in effect. A number of states have issued policies requiring notice to grandparents and other relatives when a child is removed from his home and requiring that siblings be placed together in foster care or be helped to stay connected. In some states, education and child welfare agencies are working together to ensure that children in foster care are attending school and can stay in their original school when they enter care or move to a new foster home or group care setting. Nearly all the states that previously offered subsidies to relative guardians who commit to caring permanently for children they had cared for in foster care are considering new legislation. Find out what is happening in your state and how children are benefitting. These are tight fiscal times but many of these new provisions are cost-effective in the short- and long-
term. Everybody can play a role even if you aren’t a foster parent. You can serve as a mentor for a child or youth in foster care, or work with others to provide scholarships for children in care to be able to participate in extracurricular activities or for graduating youths to go on to college. There is always a special role for the faith community, which can come together to support families in their congregations and communities who do provide foster care and grandparents and other relatives who have taken on fulltime responsibility for the care of children to help keep them out of foster care. Ask your own state where there are volunteer opportunities or other chances for you to become involved. Children need all of us.
How will you handle Momma's homegoing? Business Exchange
By William Reed Black Press African Americans born in the 1930s and 40s knew another America. Their children have advanced their station and now have different views. But, at the end of the day the question is: “How will you send Momma home? Back in the day, times from segregation shaped Black’s funeral services in the music, tone and tenor of tributes. The typical Black funeral was: a public viewing, solos like “Last Mile of
the Way,” a thunderous sermon by a preacher and an ad-hoc choir that rocked the house. After roaring tributes; the preacher, then the family, congregation and choir would follow the funeral director and pall-bearers to the hearse. The congregation caravanned to the cemetery and all then gathered back at the church, or hall, to feast on fried chicken and sweet potato pie. Be on the alert, the rites of African American “Homegoings;” from the fried chicken to the repast, are changing. Old customs and institutions that were associated with the last rites of African Americans are fading. There is little question that as today’s generation of Blacks bury their 1940s and 50s era parents mainstream values and institutions impact this final decision. Before integration only African American funeral home
operators buried African Americans. Almost all Black Family Homegoings involved the services of a black funeral director, an ex-cop with a motorcycle that directed traffic, a caterer usually associated with a Black-owned rental hall, and leaving the body to rest in a traditionally Black-populated cemetery. What you do at the time of last rites directly relates to recent trends: the decline of Blackowned businesses in ‘traditional’ personal services to a predominantly Black clientele. The funeral home industry is big business. In the U.S. it is a $7 billion-a-year industry. Tens of millions of dollars are at stake for each operator. The average cost of a funeral today is $6,500. As they and families of the nation’s 4 million elderly Blacks prepare for the inevitable, the nation’s 4,000 mostly family-owned Black
funeral homes are themselves in a bad state. Where Momma will lie in state has great economic impact. African American funeral homes grew out of the times of segregation to become mainstays of Black community and culture. Black funeral directors became pillars of their communities. Most provided their communities folding chairs for parties, limousines for weddings; and, their hearses served as standby ambulances at African American sporting events. To avoid attacks during the civil-rights movement, leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., often were chauffeured from rallies in hearses by Black undertakers. They are the last of Black-owned institutions catering to and supported almost exclusively by African American consumers. White-owned funeral homes actively market in Black
communities. Large whiteowned firms are buying up area funeral businesses and offering both funeral and burial services to the African American community. International funeral firms such as Service Corp., Alderwoods Group, Stewart Enterprises, Hillenbrand Industries and Carriage Services are as likely to get the body of a deceased Black as the local African American mortician. As African Americans become more mainstream oriented, institutions and businesses, such as those of Black funeral directors, are suffering declining market share. Many Blacks have joined integrated church congregations and now follow their practices for death and burials. Integration and today’s Blacks’ decline in racial identification has also all but eliminated the Black funeral home, lost revenues for Black
newspapers for announcement of the passing, and the use of the services of the Black-owned food hall and that of the discourteous traffic cop. In the U.S., the nearly 22,000 funeral operators average two funerals per week. The week your loved one passes will you be sending them home via a Black or white-owned hearse? The question is more than about “how to handle this particular passing?” it goes to a basic capitalistic issue of supporting your own. In this case, and other purchases you make: Isn’t it economic suicide for Blacks to take their consumer dollars outside our communities? In death, as in life in America, integration is undoing us as other ethnic groups build their communities’ wealth with our dollars. (William Reed – www.BlackPressInternational.com)
Page 10 • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Insight News
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Where is your summer teen entrepreneur?
2. State the address of the principal place of business: 6437 Lyndale Ave S, Suite 101, Richfield, MN 55423 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Alina Rae Muellerleile, 325 6th Ave SE #104, Minneapolis, MN 55414 4.This certificate is an amendment of Certificate of Assumed name number: 3312815-2 originally filed on 4/23/2009 under the name: {List the previous name only if you are amending that name}.
5. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath. Signed by: Alina Rae Muellerleile Date Filed: 5/06/2009 Contact Person: Alina Rae Muellerleile, owner/operator Daytime Phone Number: 612-227-7474 Insight News 5/25/2009, 6/1/2009
3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Andrew Shaw, 6985 Dartmouth, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath. Signed by: Andrew Shaw, owner Date Filed: 5/13/2009 Contact Person: Andrew Shaw Daytime Phone Number: 314-546-0575 Insight News 5/18/2009, 5/25/2009
• A cleaning service. Maybe they hate doing chores at home, but getting paid for doing them is completely different! The teen entrepreneur could offer complete housecleaning services, or specialize in one or more areas, such as attic/basement/garage cleanups. • A yard maintenance service. There is always something that needs to be done…mowing lawns and weed control in the spring and summer, raking leaves in the fall, and shoveling snow and planting for the spring in the winter. • A car-detailing business. With so many people working multiple jobs and having such busy lifestyles, very few people have the time to really take care of their cars - and the teen entrepreneur could offer a weekly or monthly service of washing, waxing, vacuuming, etc. • A pet sitting service. Typically, more of a summer business when people tend to go on vacation, but they might be able to have a yearround business by offering pet walking, bathing, cleaning, etc. services. • A PC THE BLAKE SCHOOL The Blake School, a PK-12 independent, tutor/Web site nonsectarian, coeducational day school seeks development the following for the position: service. Is • Lower School Physical Education Part- your teen a Time Teacher, Grades K-5 whiz with Please visit www.blakeschool.org for more computers and employment opportunities, job descriptions and Web? application details. The Blake School actively the seeks employees who value and contribute to Well, many
marketing: satisfy the customer! They must offer a quality service or product to build customers. A teen must avoid serious errors - in actions of judgment - in running the business. If they do something wrong, regardless of whose fault, it can cause anger, disappointment, or bad publicity. Make sure they face disappointment immediately and learn to correct it. A teen must be prepared to work long hours at establishing the business. It’s called work for a reason – he/she needs to be dedicated to establish the business. The basic rules are not meant to scare off aspiring entrepreneurs but rather to facilitate success. Running a business is great real-world experience for the young teen making money but also to gain valuable knowledge skills that can be presented on resumes and college applications. So, what are some ideas for a business beyond a lemonade stand or ATTORNEY Society seeks atty for tax unit (7 babysitting?
door. At age seven, I was carrying business cards reading ‘’21st Century CEO.’’ At eight, I became co-founder of Urban Neighborhood Enterprise Economic Club (U.N.E.E.C.) on Chicago’s tough Southside. It took hard work, an ability to listen and a persistent drive with smart decisions to succeed. Before going into a list of ideas for your teen’s new business venture, let’s go over a few rules to ensure some level of success: A teen must be able to promote something of value to potential customers and clients. A teen must be able to make a profit with the business. They need to Assumed Name be able to set prices 1. State the exact assumed name under and stick to it (and be which the business is or will be conducted: able to collect money) Minnesota Union Labor Guide above their costs. 2. State the address of the principal place of A teen must know business: 333 Washington Avenue North, one of the most Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401 important rules of
between having a neighborhood lemonade stand and working at a real job, so what should a young teen do? Many states have laws that limit when teens can get a job and how With the school year over in June long they are allowed to work per and financial resources lacking, week, so how are they expected to millions of parents are asking – how make the money for clothes, dates, can my teen or young adult make cars, etc.? The answer: Go into money this summer? business – become an entrepreneur. Okay, maybe it’s somewhere Have confidence in your teen to succeed. I know it can Amendment to be done because I lived it Certificate of Assumed Name by the time I was six-years1. State the exact assumed name under old I sold home-made body which the business is or will be conducted: lotion and hand-painted Passion Playhouze rocks as book-ends door-to-
By Farrah Gray NNPA Columnist
Legal Aid months; possible extension). Sal up to $55,695 DOE. Good benefits, incl family hlth ins. Cov let, resume & ref by 6/15/09. Pam Cunningham, Ad #985, LASM, 430 1st Ave N, #300, Mpls, MN 55401. EOE
Biology Instructor Dakota County Technical College is seeking a Temporary FT General Education Biology Instructor. For complete information and application materials, see our website at www.dctc.edu. Deadline 6/5/09. Equal Opportunity Employer/Educator. A member of the MnSCU System.
a diverse community.
adults are not, and computer savvy teen entrepreneurs can build a good business helping people learn to use PCs and develop Web sites for their families - or other business owners. • A painting service. If your teen has some experience - or there is a few of their friends that want to go in business – your teen might consider a painting business. People are always renovating…and painting exteriors in the warm summer months and interiors during the colder months. • A freelancing service. If the teen entrepreneur is truly gifted in certain areas, such as writing, art, drawing, or photography, consider starting a freelance service where they sell their unique talents to various neighbors, businesses and media outlets. Remember, entrepreneurs achieve their success with determination, smart decisions and hard work. Keep an open mind with a positive attitude, the rewards are worth it! Farrah Gray is the author of The Truth Shall Make You Rich: The New Road Map to Radical Prosperity, Get Real, Get Rich: Conquer the 7 Lies Blocking You from Success and the international best-seller Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out. He can be reached at fg@drfarrahgray.com or his web site at http://www.drfarrahgray.com.
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Insight News • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Page 11
SPORTS
PETA has a new spokesperson, now tell him to smile Mr T’s Sports Report
By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com
I was a week early on the high school track championships, but fortunately Michael Vick got released from prison to save the day. There is just way too much material when it comes to this ignorant episode. I actually felt bad for Michael Vick because the poor fella always has that “mean look,” and thus the corresponding “guilty look.” After he got in trouble for
the whole dog-fighting thing he cut off his cornrows in an attempt at the “choir boy look.” Sorry Bruh! After the haircut he just looked like that choirboy who makes you shake your head because you know it won’t be long before he gets caught smoking a cigarette in the church basement. Ok, so now Michael Vick has been released from federal prison, and the silly media frenzy is underway. Questions are flying back and forth as to whether Vick should be allowed to play football, what team will be willing to bring him aboard, and should all pet owners be given notice that an animal’s version of a sex offender just moved into town? (The last question was a joke…I think) As I write this, these fools on ESPN are showing Vick’s travel route from the federal penitentiary in Kansas to his home in VA. Now I’ve seen (and attended) celebrations for someone getting out of jail, but come on now…dominoes and barbeque, no cameras and news feeds. The biggest obstacle to Vick’s transition back to society and his football profession seems to revolve around the slice of society that is in no way prepared to forgive Vick for the heinous crimes against animals that he committed and engendered. This slice of society goes by the acronym PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and they are the same people who supercharged the original firestorm over Vick’s actions. Now I’m all for people having zeal for their personal causes, but if I can forgive people for gunning down family and friends (and they weren’t even caught), then everybody and their unborn children have to be able to forgive a man for killing a bunch of his own dogs. I love animals like the next person and have had my fair share of pets, but no matter the crime, when a man pays his prescribed debt to society, then it is time for everyone to move on. If someone is worried about Vick’s existence in free society, then make friendly with his parole officer and spend your precious time keeping tabs on the situation. Otherwise my best advice is: don’t let your kids play with Michael Jackson, and don’t let your dogs play with Michael Vick. More importantly, it disturbs me when people are consumed with fighting for their causes and miss opportunities to make serious progress towards the ultimate goals of their causes. If I were a huge PETA advocate, then
Michael Vick has been released from federal prison
Michael Vick #7 I would see the whole Michael Vick saga as an opportunity to make huge, positive inroads towards a greater national understanding for animal protection. Nike sold a bunch more shoes because of Michael Jordan, PETA can save more animals by using Michael Vick as a long-term spokesperson. While I am not a buddy of Michael Vick, I have a sneaky suspicion that he and his friends
sportsalex.wordpress.com
http://blog.oregonlive.com/nfl/2007/08/vickinGB.JPG
grew up in an environment where fighting dogs may have been akin to speeding on the freeway. That certainly doesn’t make it acceptable, but it certainly means that PETA has some work to do as far as spreading awareness. Well PETA, guess what? You have a brand new, extra mean looking spokesperson to reach the marginalized masses (dang, even PETA ignores po’ folks). So be happy! And while you are at it tell
your new spokesperson to smile for goodness sake. Good job PETA: he nation and world are much more educated on aspects (and laws) surrounding your causes! Take your momentum and change the world for the better. In the meantime, quit woofin’ about the symptoms, and attack the root cause. Pun intended.
Bike to the Twins Game in 2009 ABC Ramps and the Minnesota Twins are teaming up again this year to bring a series of Bike to the Twins Game events throughout the 2009 season. Free secure bike corral parking and $5 off select Twins tickets will be available the following games:
• Sunday, June 21 – 1:10 p.m. vs. Houston Astros • Saturday, July 11 – 6:10 p.m. vs. Chicago White Sox • Sunday, August 16 – 1:10 p.m. vs. Cleveland Indians •
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Sunday, September 13 – 1:10
p.m. vs. Oakland Athletics “We want to offer a fun, inexpensive family event and encourage Twins fans to ride their bikes to a game, said Lisa Austin, ABC Parking Ramps Coordinator. “The new ballpark will have convenient access to bicycle trails and lanes, and ABC Ramps is looking at the best
possible solutions to accommodate fans seeking alternate ways of getting to a game.” Bike parking will be available in a secured bike corral located on the corner of Park Avenue and 4th Street, in front of the Metrodome Plaza. The bike corral will open one hour before the game starts and will close a half hour after the game ends. Participants will be eligible to receive $5 off a lower reserved or upper club ticket the day of the event at the Metrodome Box Office (while supplies last). In order to receive the special ticket offer, a valid voucher must be provided. Vouchers will be available in the bike corral the day of the event. ABC Ramps are located in the downtown Minneapolis warehouse district. With direct access to Interstates 394 and 94 and the skyway system, ABC Ramps are multi-modal facilities and an ideal parking solution for downtown Minneapolis commuters. The ramps provide secure, convenient and affordable parking options for cars, motorcycles, scooters and non-motorized bicycles. For more information, visit www.abc-ramps.com. Tickets for all Minnesota Twins game are available by calling (612) 33-TWINS, (800) 33-TWINS and by visiting www.twinsbaseball.com. The complete 2009 schedule including information on promotions and special events can also be found on the team’s website. For more information about the Bike to Twins Game events, visit www.abc-ramps.com.
Page 12 • May 25 - May 31, 2009 • Insight News
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