Insight News ::: 05.30.16

Insight News

May 30 - June 5, 2016

Vol. 43 No. 22 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Delivered

Champion, Hayden deliver on equity funding legislation

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief Despite sometimes viscous opposition from within our community, making strange bedfellows of some civic personalities and republican adversaries of Black community empowerment, State Sens. Bobby Champion (D59) and Jeff Hayden (D62) prevailed in their singleminded tenacity to bring home the bacon.

The senators, whom Insight News has often referred to as “the Dynamic Duo” ascended above the fractious dysfunction that typically stymied meaningful progress, financial equity and empowerment and, this time, delivered mightily in support of Black and communityled initiatives in education, business development, workforce development and community engagement.

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Colbert named Insight News Managing Editor

EQUITY TURN TO 9

Sens. Jeff Hayden (DFL-62) and Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-59)

Instructor Abdul Wright named Minnesota Teacher of the Year the honor he may covet a little more is the one he received earlier in the week, naming him Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

The award is given annually by an independent group of educators, government officials and businesspeople. Wright is the 52nd teacher to receive the award, but at 29 years of age he is the youngest to receive the honor, the first to do so while teaching at a charter school and he is the first African-American to be named the state’s top teacher.

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer One of The Best Academy Charter School’s teachers recently had a pretty good week.

On May 21 Abdul Wright, an eighth grade language arts teacher, graduated with a master’s degree from Hamline University. For most, that would be the crowning achievement for a week … for a lifetime. For Wright it was a wonderful accomplishment, but

“There are more than 50,000 educators who could have received this honor and I want to do my best to live up to my responsibility,” said Wright.

“I’m just extremely humbled.”

Wright’s ascension to the state’s top educator may have been quick, but it was not always easy. A graduate of Edison High School in Minneapolis, Wright first attended Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington,

WRIGHT TURN TO 6

Abdul Wright

After serving five years as a contributing writer, Harry Colbert, Jr. has been named the new managing editor for Insight News.

As managing editor Colbert will work under Insight founder and editor-in-chief, Al McFarlane, and publisher, Batala McFarlane.

In his role Colbert will be charged with assisting in the paper’s editorial decisions and directing Insight’s digital initiative. In addition, Colbert will continue to provide content for the paper and serve as copy editor.

“I’m beyond humbled to be named Insight’s managing editor,” said Colbert. “Insight is an esteemed legacy institution and it’s a tremendous honor that Al McFarlane and Batala McFarlane have bestowed upon me. I truly feel this is where I’m supposed to be. This is where I can best be of service to my community and to all of Minnesota.”

In addition to writing for Insight, Colbert was a special guest writer with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and served as a guest host on “Conversations with Al McFarlane,”

COLBERT TURN TO 6

Reducing violence Organizations join for protest and outreach

A-Mill Artist Lofts building on 315 Main Street Southeast Minneapolis

bkvgroup

We get the misery; they get the money Guns in the hands of artists Pillsbury United Communities brings national exhibit to Minneapolis discussion into the realm of art. The exhibition opens June 3 and runs through June 19 at Public Functionary, 1400 12th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis.

Pillsbury United Communities will host the national exhibit, “Guns in the Hands of Artists.”

The “Guns in the Hands of Artists” exhibition was conceived by Jonathon Ferrara to create a conversation about guns by bringing the

GUNS TURN TO 7

Business is booming for (white folks in) tax-payer financed segregated housing

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief Study shows new trend of white segregation in subsidized housing. Hundreds of millions of public dollars are being used to construct “artist housing”

and other similar luxury units in revitalized neighborhoods, which is then provided at restricted rents to predominately white residents.

The vast majority of traditional subsidized housing, located in lower-opportunity areas, remains occupied by poor families of color.

Subsidized housing in Minneapolis and Saint Paul is segregated, and this segregation takes two forms – one well-known, and the other virtually unknown, according to a report released last week entitled The Rise of White-Segregated Subsidized Housing. The new University of Minnesota study identifies for the

first time a racially tiered system of subsidized housing being operated in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with indications that a similar system may be taking root nationally.

Read the entire study online at insightnews.com These new projects appear to violate provisions in the Fair Housing Act forbidding housing discrimination or the perpetuation of racial segregation, as well as public entities’ affirmative obligation to promote integration

HOUSING TURN TO 5

Three community organizations that focus on reducing and preventing youth violence and violence against women this weekend will collaborate to bring attention to both the problem of gun violence, and empowering community based organizations to provide effective responses to the crisis.

The MAD DADS of Minneapolis, From Death to Life, and A Mother’s Love initiatives join together in a community wide protest march and outreach event, Saturday June 4, 2016, 10am to 4pm at Cub Foods parking lot, 701 West Broadway, North Minneapolis.

Buses will leave at 10:30AM to make stops at 2 North Minneapolis shooting locations. Community members will then march from KMOJ at Broadway & Penn back to CUB Foods, where there will be speakers, food and services offered. Children are welcome.

Organizer say the goal is to reduce the violence in Minneapolis through grassroots intervention on the streets. “We are coming together as a village of “Mothers”, parents, family members, friends, clergy and community members to plead with our youth to stop the gun violence. We need your support. Come out and Join us,” organizers said in a statement to the press/ For more information Call MAD DADS 612-822-0802.

Youth

Health

Commentary

Lifestyle

Champion hosts anti-tobacco youth advocates at capitol

How foods can help heal common ailments

No deal for Zimmerman: Has America gone and lost its moral mind?

Attorney Joan Harris publishes first novel

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Page 2 • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Insight News

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Insight News • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Page 3

Champion hosts anti-tobacco youth advocates at capitol

Left to right, front row: Zion Sanford, Glenn Carter, Starnisha McClellan and Khaleecia Ambers. Middle row: Richard Ambers Jr. and Millie Chatman. Back row: LaTrisha Vetaw, Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and Zikia McClellan.

Minneapolis residents Khaleecia Ambers, Richard Ambers Jr., Glenn Carter, Millie Chatman, Starnisha McClellan, Zikia McClellan, Zion Sanford and LaTrisha Vetaw joined more than 250 youth advocates at the Minnesota State Capitol on May 3 to promote ways to reduce youth smoking and to save Minnesota youth from a lifetime of addiction to tobacco.

“This event was a fantastic opportunity for youth to talk with their state lawmakers about the problem of tobacco in Minnesota,” said Molly Moilanen, Co-Chair of Minnesotans for a SmokeFree Generation, a coalition of Minnesota’s leading health organizations. “They shared concerns about how Big Tobacco targets them and how

deadly tobacco products have impacted their lives.”

K. Ambers, R. Ambers Jr., G. Carter, M. Chatman, S. McClellan, Z. McClellan, Z. Sanford and L. Vetaw joined students from around the state for the Day at the Capitol event that connects Minnesota youth advocating to reduce tobacco’s harms with their state legislators. Minnesotans agree more needs to be done to keep kids from a lifetime of tobacco addiction and disease.

The best way to prevent youth from using tobacco products is to keep them from starting in the first place. These steps can help ensure a smoke-free generation: 1. Raising the tobacco purchase age to 21. Ninety percent of adult smokers started before the age of 18.

Widening the gap between

teens and those who can legally purchase tobacco reduces kids’ ability to buy it or access it through social networks.

2. Restricting sales of flavored tobacco products.

The tobacco industry uses candy, fruit and menthol flavors to appeal to youth, African Americans, LGBTQ communities and others.

Nationally, more than 40 percent of students who smoke use flavored products, and restrictions will help keep them out of young people’s hands.

3.

Increasing public funding for tobacco control efforts. Minnesota currently spends just 42 percent of what the Centers for Disease Control recommend for an effective, comprehensive tobacco control program.

4.

Keeping tobacco

prices high. This is the most effective way to prevent kids from becoming addicted to tobacco products. High prices discourage youth from starting and encourage current smokers to quit.

Youth advocates also educated legislators about the importance of preventing tax breaks for tobacco companies.

“Lawmakers play an important role in creating a smoke-free generation,” said Moilanen. “There is a strong and proven correlation between high tobacco prices and lower youth smoking rates. We cannot afford to roll back the clock by giving tobacco companies tax breaks.

It is encouraging to see young people carrying this message and keeping Minnesota on track to achieve a smoke-free generation.”

Sankofa: Retrieving the past and reclaiming the future Women Leading Change

5.

By Dr. Artika Tyner Key West is known for sunshine and being a vacation paradise.

It is the most southern tip of the United States, 90 miles from Cuba.

You can embark on an adventure through a trolley ride, visit President Harry Truman’s “Little Whitehouse,” walk the legendary trails of Ernest Hemingway, and eat countless slices of Key Lime pie. The warm weather, delicious food, and cultural diversity will have you book the next trip upon arrival. I was fully indulging in the Florida Sunshine experience when my tour guide mentioned the African Cemetery. This sent me on a path of exploration and selfdiscovery.

A missing chapter of the Key West tourist experience is a memorial site which is nestled on the shores of Higgs Beach.

It provides a glimpse into the horrific, human degradation and deprivation of human dignity experienced during the Atlantic slave trade.

During the period between the late 1600s and early 1800s, millions of Africans were enslaved and placed on slave ships headed to the United States, Brazil, and Caribbean. This treacherous voyage from Africa to America could take from three weeks to three months. Many died at sea before reaching the distant land.

Slaves were chained together and left to wade in pools of their own blood, urine, and feces. One 18th century ship observer wrote, “The floor of the rooms was so covered with blood and mucus which had proceeded from them in consequence of dysentery that it resembled a slaughter house.”

Notably, you could smell a slave

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7.

Key West African Cemetery ship before it was even physically visible.

By 1820, transporting slaves across the ocean had been declared illegal. This did not end slavery in the United States but only restricted new Africans from being transported to the United States and Europe.

In 1860, three Americanowned ships headed to Cuba were captured in Key West, Florida due their contents- illegal cargo referred to as “slaves.” The three ships were the Bogota, Wildfire, and William. Almost 1,500 Africans were onboard when the ships were captured by the U.S. Navy. 295 people died during the eighty five days they were in Key West. The survivors were sent to Liberia for the possibility of re-settlement.

Many did not survive and died at sea before reaching Liberia.

The history of the African Cemetery was discovered in 1997 by historian Gail Swanson. The memorial site is located on the

shores of Higgs Beach. The center of the memorial is a compass surrounded by a map of the world which illustrates the route of the slave trade from the distant shores of Benin and the Congo to the United States. The backdrop is the clear blue still waters of the Atlantic Ocean. You are greeted by a gentle breeze with the sun beaming in your eyes.

The sayings alongside the memorial help to connect the past, present and the future. The sayings are beautifully engraved into each post. Some of them are featured below: 1. Nkonsonkonson reminds us that “we are linked by blood in life and death.” The symbol is a chain which connects the slave experience with a rich legacy of perseverance, tenacity, community, and faith.

2. Gye Nyame sets forth the omnipotent nature of God: “I fear nothing in the Universe,

Dr. Artika R. Tyner

8. except God.” This reflects the African connection with a deep and unwavering faith in holding on to God’s unchanging hand.

3. Mate Masie challenges each of us to gain wisdom, knowledge, and prudence through the exploration of history.

4. Osram means “the moon does

not hasten on its way around the world.” This is a symbol of steadiness, peace, and patience Nyame Birini Wo Soro is a symbol of hope and faith. “God, I know there is something in the heavens.” This saying also reflects the Brazilian proverb: “Don’t tell God that you have a great problem. Tell your problem that you have a great God.” Wawa Aba compels us to look to the Wawa tree as inspiration for its hardness, toughness, and endurance. This unwavering tenacity is reflected in the fact this passage typically was nearly 6 weeks in the most inhumane, unsanitary, grueling conditions.

Epa is symbolic reflected by handcuffs as a reminder that “you are the property of the one who handcuffs you were.”

This is a symbol of justice and equality for all. It also acknowledges human dignity as the foundation of natural law.

Sankofa reflects the philosophy of “go back and fetch it.” It also means “we must return to the source.”

Sankofa marks both the beginning and end of the memorial. As I passed the circle, I was challenged to retrieve and remember what was lost. Not cargo, not money, not slaves but African men,

women, and children. Someone’s mother, brother, aunt, or husband boarded these fleets at points of no return. Two hundred ninety five individuals with a name, story, culture, and heritage were laid to rest at this site. However, their stories live on as we challenge modern day slavery in the form of mass incarceration, human trafficking, discrimination, bigotry, and hatred.

As I walked to the end of the circle, I made a silent pledge to remember this lost chapter of American history by teaching my students about the African Cemetery and challenging my students to leave the world a better place than how they found it. This is Sankofa. This is a call to Leadership for Social Justice.

I could hear the words of Ossie Davis as I departed. When he delivered the eulogy of Malcolm X, he left a message for the ages: “Consigning these mortal remains to earth, the common mother of all, secure in the knowledge that what we place in the ground is no more now a man – but a seed – which, after the winter of our discontent, will come forth again to meet us.

And we will know him then for what he was and is – a Prince – our own black shining Prince!”

I dedicate this article to the Princes and Princesses buried on the shores Key West. Lest, we forget.

Page 4 • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Insight News

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HEALTH How foods can help heal common ailments (StatePoint) When you’re not feeling well, conventional wisdom says you should reach for over-the-counter or prescription remedies. But many experts point out that foods have healing properties that can be complementary in helping to treat common ailments and prevent illness.

“The concept of using food as medicine isn’t a new one; however, the evolution of society and science has moved us further from this concept,” says Grand Master Nan Lu, OMD, one of the country’s foremost teachers and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and author of the new book “Digesting the Universe: A Revolutionary Framework for Healthy Metabolism Function.”

“In my view, we are missing some of the most powerful and supportive steps we can take to remain well and prevent disease and illness.”

Lu says the teachings of TCM can help patients deal with the root cause of their problems, rather than just eliminate the symptoms. While complex, he is offering a few quick insights into the subject of food as medicine.

• Nutritionists today base their work on the physical and chemical properties of food alone, but this is just half the picture. “There are many immaterial things contained within food as well,” says Lu, who cites Qi, or vital energy, as a key aspect of food you can’t see.

• The “right” foods won’t necessarily protect your health by virtue of their properties alone. Good organ function is also necessary for your body to process and digest what you eat.

However, foods can help restore balance to an ailing organ system.

• Listen to your body, not cultural beliefs about what is good or bad for you. Lu

(c) Whitestorm - Fotolia.com

offers the example of a woman craving sugar or salt during her menstrual cycle. “Assuming she listens to the wisdom of her body and satisfies her craving, she’ll have some chocolate or eat some potato chips. This woman is

doing something natural.”

• You may have heard of the adage, “you are what you eat.” Lu says to also consider the phrase, “you are what you think,” and avoid a steady diet of negative emotions, which you

then must digest and process.

Your thoughts impact your body and health, he says.

• The next time your stomach is upset, consider reaching for something natural. Ginger can be eaten or used topically to deal

with stomach discomfort, reduce inflammation and even lower pain from arthritis.

More information about TCM and “Digesting the Universe” can be found at tcmworld.org.

While modern science has offered us groundbreaking medications and treatments, traditional healing systems can help patients recognize the root cause of physical conditions for a healthier, more balanced life.

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Insight News • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Page 5

EDUCATION Black school board directors, network for fellowship, visioning African and African-American school board directors across Minnesota received invitations to attend a historic gathering in St. Louis Park.

Director Abdi Sabrie, elected to the Mankato School Board in November, found himself wishing for more of a connection to fellow directors of color across the state. Soon, educational

acquaintances pointed him toward Helen Bassett, a member of the Robbinsdale School District. A spontaneous meeting took place, and sparks flew. The two quickly found themselves, lamenting the plight of students of color, similar to many others concerned with educational disparities in Minnesota. That synergy provided the basis for a

deliberate decision to reach out to other school board directors of color in Minnesota, and to convene a visioning and sharing session.

The first meeting of this group took place on May 14.

The group agreed to ongoing visioning efforts and a second session took place on May 21.

Additional meetings are planned.

Rear standing: Zuki Ellis, St. Paul School District, John Solomon, Brooklyn Center School District, Kim Ellison, Minneapolis Public Schools, Siad Ali, Minneapolis Public Schools, Abdi Sabrie, Mankato Public Schools. Front row: Linda Etim, Osseo Public Schools, Helen Bassett, Robbinsdale Area Schools, Ruthie Dallas, Brooklyn Center Public Schools.

Calling all 2016 graduates Calling all 2016 graduates, from preschool to doctorates, Insight News would like to recognize and congratulate YOU! Send in your graduation photos and your school name to display on our graduates page in the June 13th issue. Deadline for submission is Wednesday, June 8 by 5pm. Email: patricia@insightnews.com

Housing From 1 and fair housing, the study charges.

From a policy perspective, says Myron Orfield, Director, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity (IMO), and colleague Will Stancil, IMO Research Fellow, co-authors of the study, “these new buildings capture resources intended for the most disadvantaged, lowest-income families, and repurpose those resources towards the creation of greater segregation, as well as stylish housing for individuals in comparatively higher income brackets.”

In the Twin Cities, as in much of the nation, the majority of subsidized units are occupied by families of color in racially segregated nonwhite neighborhoods. But a significant new subset of units are located in predominately white neighborhoods, in attractive, high-cost buildings. These units, which frequently are subject to special screening requirements, are mostly occupied by younger, white, and childless tenants, who have relatively high incomes, the report said.

This tiered system is the product of decisions made by developers and policymakers, who have discovered that predominately white subsidized housing projects are politically popular and can be located in more economically prosperous neighborhoods.

Frequently, these places are designated artist housing, and – using a special exemption obtained from Congress by real estate developers in 2008 – screen applicants on the basis of their artistic portfolio or commitment to an artistic craft.

New data shows that the residents of these buildings are often less diverse than even the surrounding neighborhood, intensifying segregation even further.

These buildings are not your average affordable housing project: they are often visually spectacular, offering superior amenities – underground parking, yoga and exercise studios, rooftop clubrooms – and soaring architecture. Such amenities are rare or nonexistent in traditional subsidized housing.

These places cost far more to create than traditional subsidized housing. In Minnesota, they account for the most expensive subsidized housing developments in the state’s history. The cost of four projects alone, containing a total of 870 units of subsidized housing, was equivalent to the cost of purchasing 1,590 houses in one of the Twin Cities’ most affluent suburbs. Construction

costs ran as high as $670,000 per unit in one large project Some evidence suggests these projects are at risk of market-rate conversions in as little as 15 years, at which point all benefit of these publicly-financed buildings would fall on the developer.

The report says legally, these housing schemes may well run afoul of the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights law. It said, “Recent developments have established that the Fair Housing Act forbids public or private entities from discriminating in the provision of housing by taking actions that create a disparate impact on protected classes of people, including racial classes.

Moreover, recipients of HUD funding, such as the state and local entities which contribute to the development of these buildings, have an affirmative obligation to reduce segregation and promote integration in housing.”

What this means, Orfield said in an interview Thursday, is that if legal actions against municipalities that allowed and sustained these practices are successful, cities and tax payers may be forced to return improperly used funding to the federal government.

How did this strategy develop?

Orfield points to foundations, developers and policy makers who together worked to weaken anti-discrimination laws and remedies while shepherding potential windfall opportunities for a handful of developers. Just like the residential beneficiaries are almost exclusively white,

Orfield says, so are the developers and contractors who get the work and the profits from the work. He said this too subverts the intent of federal anti-discrimination laws and policy. “This work should be economic development driven, meaning, it should be driven by or at least create substantial work and contract opportunity for nonwhite contractors and developers.

But that is not the case. Suburban white businesses are making and stand to make hundreds of millions from programs that were intended to drive business opportunity for minority business and communities,” he said.

Orfield named Lee Sheehy, director of the Region & Communities program at The McKnight Foundation and former executive director of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development, as a chief architect of strategies that create the paradox of the return to segregation in subsidized housing.

Sheehy was unavailable for a phone interview regarding the report and this story. But McKnight Foundation’s website describes the organization’s strategy in this area: “We support affordable housing strategies and systems that increase family stability and link families to opportunities through transportation-oriented development, locational and energy efficiency, expanded diversity of choice, and increased access to education and employment.

We promote economically vibrant neighborhoods that create

communities of opportunity and offer integrated systems of support.”

Research has shown that the Twin Cities have the nation’s largest racial disparities in poverty rates, homeownership, employment, and educational attainment; they have the nation’s fourth-largest disparities in per capita income. Racial gaps in Minnesota arise from systemic, institutionalized discrimination that prevents families of color from accessing the state’s considerable economic and educational resources. The segregation of the region’s nonwhite population into low-opportunity urban and suburban neighborhoods, and the ongoing existence of highopportunity white enclaves, enables and perpetuates systemic discrimination, Orfield and Stencil say, adding, “Only by undoing these segregated living patterns can existing disparities be reversed.”

“Instead,” the IMO report says, “subsidized housing in the Twin Cities currently sustains segregation. It does this in part by operating a divided system in which the most desirable housing units are reserved for white families. Until leaders and policymakers are ready to confront these policies, there is little hope that all the region’s residents will be able to share fully in its prosperity.”

Minnesota appears to be at the vanguard of a national trend.

At least two major Minneapolisbased developers have developed

dozens of similar projects across the country, and other forms of disproportionately white and affluent subsidized housing – such as teacher or veteran housing – have begun cropping up across the United States.

Excerpt from the report: The Rise of White-Segregated Subsidized Housing In March of 2016, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro came to Minneapolis to talk about fair housing. Castro’s visit, framed around a public discussion of the agency’s upcoming Prosperity Playbook, was prompted in part by ongoing concerns about Twin Cities segregation – including a HUD fair housing complaint against Minneapolis and Saint Paul which alleges that the cities have unlawfully segregated their subsidized housing. In a wellattended gathering, the secretary listened to mayors, policymakers, and housing activists as they shared their opinions on how to address one of the Twin Cities’ most intractable, most harmful social issues.

The discussions were held in the A-Mill Artist Lofts, a new and monumental subsidized housing development on the edge of the Mississippi. A landmark project for Minneapolis, the A-Mill no doubt seemed a natural forum to plan the fight against segregation and discrimination in Twin Cities housing.

But unbeknownst to the

Secretary or many of the attendees, this choice of setting was terribly ironic. The A-Mill, as it happens, is not ordinary affordable housing. Instead, it is the region’s – and perhaps even the nation’s – most potent example of how unmonitored, privately-dominated, profit-driven subsidized housing development can create profound segregation, rewarding or penalizing families along racial and economic lines.

Five minutes in the A-Mill will yield no shortage of clues that it is different from most subsidized housing. Although cities have come a long way since the day of cookie-cutter highrise apartment blocks, most modern affordable projects are still more concerned with providing functional lodging than breaking new architectural ground. By contrast, everything about the AMill is visually striking.

Glass panes and concrete floors contribute an industrial, modern aesthetic to the entryways and the lobby. The rental units sport fifteen foot-ceilings with trendy industrial styling, fashioned out of the innards of the old flour mill.

In many units, large windows overlook the Minneapolis city center.

The building’s amenities are no less impressive. They include a fitness center, a yoga studio, complimentary wi-fi, inunit laundry, full kitchens with dishwashers, and underground parking.

HOUSING TURN TO 6

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Page 6 • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Insight News

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No deal for Zimmerman: Has America gone and lost its moral mind?

Justspeak

By Irma McClaurin, PhD Culture and Education Editor At the last minute there was no deal for George Zimmerman, the man who murdered Trayvon Martin. Apparently there is still an iota of sanity left in our America-barely. Somewhere, even among those who privilege owning a gun over protecting innocent lives, a voice of reason arose to prevent Zimmerman from shamelessly profiting from his role in the inexcusable death of Trayvon Martin.

On a fateful night, a young BLACK man was slaughtered because of the paranoia of Zimmerman, a mixed-race confused Latino man, who seems to have a history of using violence against those most vulnerable-just ask his ex-girlfriends and wife.

But what insanity would motivate anyone to want to profit from what was clearly a tragedy, whereby an innocent young man crossed paths with Zimmerman, a wannabe cop and self-annoyed vigilante? Truly he has lost his moral mind compass--and moral compass along with the organization NAME that made the auction possible.

That Zimmerman would think it acceptable and reasonable for him to profit from such a senseless death reveals the depths of moral insensitivity to which we have sunk as a society.

Such insensitivity is deeply rooted in our past of slavery, inequality and segregation and deeply rooted in ideas of white supremacy and male (mostly white, but not all) unearned privileges and sense of entitlement.

Housing From 5

It is this senseless sensibility to which Donald Trump as a presidential candidate is now appealing: white men who hold the mistaken belief that their unearned privilege is something to which they were born entitled.

Trump publicly verbalizes what is on their (white, male, supremacy) minds-- along with some occasional misguided white women. Trump’s rallying of these white patriarchal forces, who cut across socioeconomic status, is reminiscent of those white men of the past who would incite crowds (of white men, women and children) to gather at the lynching of innocent Black men, excused for their actions by Jim Crow laws and prevalent white supremacy ideologies.

Lynching in America continued as a routine practice of punishing and keeping mostly Black men (but also some Black women-even if they were pregnant) in check up until the 1960s.

What Zimmerman may not know is that by auctioning off this weapon of individual destruction he has aligned himself with those white racists that hosted lynching picnics and sold off souvenirs of toes, fingers and other unmentionable parts of innocent Black men and women.

They made postcards to send to relatives and brought their children to watch as a picnic event. Yes, America has a history of losing its moral mind.

As much as we would like to believe in this 21st century of modern medicine and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that our world has changed because of the Civil Rights Movement, all the assassinations of Kennedy’s and King’s, and because we have a twice elected self-proclaimed “Black” president of the United States, in truth, we are regressing as a country.

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign promise to his political constituency, mostly comprised of majority white men, to return

The A-Mill also houses a range of artistic facilities and services, including separate studios for paint, pottery, photography, dance, music, and a performance

The gun posted to George Zimmerman’s online auction and here to stay.

You may gun our innocent children down in the streets; you may put our youth on an easy path from elementary school to prison; you may ply us with crack cocaine and ignore our anguish; you may under employ and underpay us; you may punish us for advocating for more diversity and greater inclusiveness and for being unapologetic and uncompromising advocates for #BlackLivesMatter. But know this: We are out of the closet and here to stay.

Yes, this auction that almost was, shows that some parts of America may have lost their moral minds and humanistic compass, especially Zimmerman, but, thank goodness, the rest of Americans, like me and unlike me, are clearer than ever. We are out if the closet and here to stay.

We the People of Color, and every other form of marginalization, of the United States of America have established a zero tolerance

line that you, the George Zimmerman’s , Donald Trumps’, Mitt Romney’s, Paul Ryan’s, etc. cannot cross. We will prevent your desired return to an era of white supremacy and the violence it represents.

And for the Hilary Clinton’s and Bernie Sanders’ who claim to be a different breed of white folk, we will be watching you and we will hold you to the promises you are making. We are out of the closet and here to stay.

A new America is upon us-- one in which we have NOT lost our moral mind, but hold true (more than you do) to the democratic principles upon which this United States of America was founded: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We will NOT go back to being enslaved, non-citizens, second class citizens, marginalized, etc.

We are NOT minorities, we are America’s moral compass!

The days of white supremacy, unearned white privilege and white male privilege are OVER.

space. The project is powered by an integrated hydroelectric plant that extends into the nearby Mississippi, taking full advantage of its riverfront location.

This is all topped off – literally – with an expansive resident lounge, which boasts designer furniture, restaurant-style booths, a large bar, televisions, and a sound system. The lounge opens onto a spectacular rooftop patio, perched over the Mississippi, directly across from downtown.

The building’s website describes the patio as offering the “best view in Minneapolis,” and it’s hard to disagree.

The A-Mill is the largest and most visible structure in St. Anthony Main, one of Minneapolis’s most soughtafter stretches of real estate. It is flanked on the east by the Mill and Main Luxury 3 Apartments, in which single-bedroom units rent for as much as $2,550 a month and tenants are required to earn thrice their rent monthly in order to even apply. It is flanked on the west by the Phoenix on the River condominium complex (tagline: “Luxury has a new neighborhood”), where, at the time of this writing, a onebedroom unit is on the market for $3,975,000.

At the A-Mill, monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $962.

Low rents aside, the A-Mill is the most expensive subsidized housing project in the history of Minnesota. It includes 251 units – primarily single-bedroom apartments – developed at an average price of more than $665,000 apiece.

Yet despite the project’s exorbitant cost, and despite the fact that subsidized housing is traditionally controversial among

neighbors, the A-Mill has been met with a positive reception.

During the project’s two-year development period, local press closely followed construction progress. At the March HUD forum, the Minneapolis mayor lauded the project as a prime example of the city’s commitment to affordable housing. The Minneapolis & St. Paul Home Tour recently featured the building. Remarkably, the press or public never seriously critiqued the project, even as the cost ballooned from an estimated $112 million to $138 million, and then again to $151 million, finally topping out at an unprecedented $170 million.

Most subsidized housing is of limited appeal to those who aren’t hard-pressed to find housing elsewhere. It is frequently located in low-opportunity neighborhoods; it is spartan in design; it offers only the barest amenities. The primary appeal of such places is cheap, restricted rent – not creature comforts or a spot in a trendy, otherwise unaffordable neighborhood.

The A-Mill is different – a luxury complex by another name.

Those lucky enough to score an AMill unit have won the housing lottery, scoring a luxury apartment for a subsidized unit’s price. But there’s a catch. At the A-Mill, the people who win that lottery are overwhelmingly white. In data provided to the state, only 14 percent of reported A-Mill households were families of color. None were headed by an individual over 62, and less than one in five had children. Less

than one in twenty received any form of rent assistance – which is perhaps less surprising when one considers that average incomes in the building are $10,000 higher than the annual average for Minneapolis subsidized housing.

By contrast, most of the rest of Minneapolis’s subsidized housing is located in high-poverty neighborhoods that are segregated or diverse. Most the people living in this housing are black; only 20 percent are white. Many have children and a substantial fraction are elderly. The majority are reliant on rent assistance. At the A-Mill Artist Lofts, these families seem nowhere to be found.

Colbert

American and St. Louis PostDispatch.

Colbert is a past president of the University of Missouri – Columbia chapter of the NAACP and a former executive board member of the Greater St. Louis Assoc. of Black Journalists and the Urban League Young Professionals of Metropolitan St. Louis. Colbert is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Insight News, originally Insight Magazine, has served as

a trusted voice of the Twin Cities African-American community since 1974. Al McFarlane relaunched Insight as a newspaper a year later in 1975. Insight is a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Assoc.

(NNPA), a trade association of the more than 200 AfricanAmerican-owned community newspapers from throughout the United States. McFarlane is the chairman of the board for the NNPA Foundation.

myself,” said Wright. “But never give up. There are going to be people who will help you, but you’ve got to be able to help yourself. I also know all the people who believed in me.”

One of the people who helped Wright along the way was his colleague, Meghan Roegge. Roegge is the person who nominated Wright for the prestigious award.

“Mr. Wright embodies what it means to be a transformative teacher,” said Roegge in her letter nominating Wright.

Wright said his students were excited to learn of his award.

“They were so happy,” said Wright. “I love my babies. It (the award) was theirs from the beginning. I get to show that playing basketball and rapping are not the only ways to represent the community.”

As Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year, Wright will now be in the running for National Teacher of the Year.

From 1 a weekly radio program on KFAI-FM. Prior to joining Insight, Colbert served as editor and reporter for the North County and County Star Journals in St. Louis and reporter with Metro Networks, a news and weather wire service in St. Louis. He has also written for the St. Louis

LEGENDARY PICTURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENT A LEGENDARY PICTURES/BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT/ATLAS ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION “WARCRAFT” TRAVIS FIMMEL PAULA PATTONCO-BEN FOSTER DOMINIC COOPER TOBY KEBBELL BEN SCHNETZER ROB KAZINSKY AND DANIEL WU EXECUTIVE MUSIC

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BY INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC A UNIVERSAL RELEASE SOUNDTRACK ON BACK LOT MUSIC

Get over yourselves!

WE ARE OUT OF THE CLOSET AND HERE TO STAAAAAY. Deal with it/deal with us!

America to some “greatness” is reaching back into the past.

Trump is a fear monger and appealing to those (mostly white men) who want a return to the America when whites ruled supreme, Blacks and other people of color knew their place and lived in fear of unprovoked violence and senseless lynching as a form of intimidation and entertainment, and women were unapologetically subordinate.

News Flash Zimmerman and Donald Trump-- You may have lost your moral minds, but we the people of color and different genders and sexual orientations of the United States are NEVER going back to those days.

We are out of the closet and here to stay.

We are your neighbors, colleagues, bosses, teachers, doctors, nurses and engineers. We are the people, like Dr. Charles Drew who invented the blood plasma that probably saved your tragic life or someone in your family. We are out of the closet

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Wright From 1 then moving on to Riverland Community College in Austin before attaining his bachelors from Concordia University in St. Paul.

Wright said his route to success can offer inspiration for his students and members of the community as well.

“I know all the struggles I had; the times I doubted

Irma McClaurin is an award winning columnist, now available for syndication. In 2015, she received the Black Press of America’s Emory O. Jackson Column Writing Award from the NNPA. She is the Culture and Education Editor for Insight News, an activist anthropologist, writer, motivational speaker and champion of diversity and inclusiveness leadership. Contact: imcclaurin@gmail.com. Find her at: www.irmamcclaurin.comn and @mcclaurintweets © 2016 McClaurin Solutions; All Rights Reserved. Do Not Reprint without permission. http://www.latimes.com/ nation/nationnow/la-nazimmerman-pistol-20160512snap-story.html

About the Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity Established in 1993 as the Institute on Race and Poverty, IMO investigates the ways that laws, policies and practices affect development patterns in U.S. metropolitan regions, with a particular focus on the growing social and economic disparities within these areas. Through research, communications, mapping, and legal advocacy, the Institute provides resources to policymakers, civil rights advocates, and the general public to address reform in taxation, land use, housing, metropolitan governance and education.

For additional information: Myron Orfield, Director, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity, orfield@umn.edu, 612-6257976 or, Will Stancil, Research Fellow, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity, stanc047@umn.edu, 612-624-8329.

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Page 7

BUSINESS Russell Simmons repays RushCard holders, pushes for credit reforms

By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA News Wire Contributing Writer) Russell Simmons is just starting to regain a little normalcy in his life.

He’s back at yoga and the hip-hop and business mogul is even able to run some errands without worrying about whether a disgruntled RushCard holder might verbally attack him or worse.

Simmons never hung his

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head despite mounting – if unfair – criticism that rocked the music impresario when his innovative pre-paid RushCard experienced a computer glitch last fall that prevented hundreds of thousands of card holders from accessing their money.

“I took full responsibility.

It’s my card and I made sure to reach out to card holders personally and I reached into my own pocket to help people with their rent, their medicine or whatever emergency that may have come up,” Simmons said.

“All I knew how to do was to make good on it and try to make the people that were damaged whole again,” he said.

Simmons has done even more and he continues his push to have the underbanked and the underserved benefit.

“My mission is to eventually see that when someone pays their rent on time, pays their light bill on time, that these things go on their credit reports,” Simmons said. “It should be and if I can’t get regulators and the credit bureaus to do it, then I will have to start my own credit bureau.”

If that sounds like a bit of a stretch, Simmons points to his starting the RushCard as proof that real change can happen. “I was first, no one else did this until I came out with my card,” he said, noting that he’s not only the face of RushCard, but along with his American Express and other items in his wallet is his own RushCard that he regularly uses.

“Look, we were the ones who invented this and what I

Valerie Goodloe/NNPA News Wire

Simmons said that he’s going to spend a lot more money in the Black community, in peacekeeping programs, and on art education, following the settlement his company reached over the class action lawsuit over the well-publicized computer glitch that affected thousands of RushCard users. don’t like is when people refer to us as a celebrity company,” Simmons said. “All of what American Express is doing, all of what Chase Manhattan did, we did first. We’re a virtual bank. The other thing is that we didn’t build this company to make money when we started and, really, I didn’t think it would become a business but it did and I go to work every day to try and improve the service we provide.”

Simmons said his fight for

FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Part one of a two part series Personal solicitation is the backbone of nonprofit fundraising. It is also an area that many organizations and institutions shy away from.

Learn how to improve revenue from personal solicitation.

Because it is impossible to personally solicit every current or prospective donor, personal solicitation is reserved for individuals who can make a major gift. While the definition of a major gift will vary by organization, what’s most important is the care

and planning that goes into soliciting these gifts. Here are some suggestions followed by things to avoid.

The fundraising chair or development staff person should meet individually with each fundraising volunteer to learn who they are comfortable soliciting, and the size of the gift they want to ask for. During this confidential meeting you can share names of current major donors and/ or prospective major donors.

The purpose is to learn who the volunteer may have a relationship with, and who they want to solicit. You can also ask if they know who would be the ideal solicitor for other prospective donors.

Allow at least a one-year window for the solicitation cycle. This gives each solicitor the time she needs to determine the right occasion and place for each solicitation. Several

Photography David Bradley

Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

Simmons said.

As Simmons pushes for changes in policies in the credit industry, he’s leaving the door open for starting his own credit reporting agency.

In the aftermath of the muchpublicized computer glitch – which Simmons still refers to as a “tsunami” – the business leader provided free service to card holders for five months, sacrificing all of his company’s profits to do so. He also reached a more than $20 million

Fundraising matchmaking: solicitors and prospects

Contributing Writers Melvin Carter, Jr. Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Alaina L. Lewis Michelle Mitchum Darren Moore Carmen Robles Artika Tyner Toki Wright

Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

credit building is an uphill battle, but it’s a battle that can be won.

It’s as much part of his life as yoga, he said.

“You pay rent every month for eight years on a RushCard, why can’t you get a mortgage?

I think that’s a travesty. I think a lot of the big companies like MasterCard, the Visas, the others that do the processing and infrastructure work; a lot of us could come together and force them to accept this information on credit reports of the world,”

settlement from a class action lawsuit filed against RushCard, because of the glitch.

“I’m glad to do it. I had put aside $25 million,” Simmons said, noting that the card isn’t just for communities that have been forgotten and underserved by banks. “There’s no reason why small businesses can’t use a Rush Business Card. We just added a feature, just now where if you lose your card, you can turn your card off instantly through an app. Then you can turn it back on.”

Simmons continued: “This card should be for affluent people as well as underserved community members and it should be the wave of the future for millennials. This is the bank for millennials and the growth rate for our company is 70 percent millennials, when it used to be single mothers. Millennials who don’t like banks are coming in our direction and we haven’t even begun the branding exercise to speak to them.”

Simmons said that he didn’t mind paying the $20 million settlement.

“I don’t mind paying the $20 million. I don’t mind that that was our cost. I am going to spend a lot more money than that in the community, in my peacekeeping programs, in RUSH and art education,” he said.

Simmons said so much more will soon be announced and he’s confident that RushCard holders and others will be pleased.

“We are going to be in the community in a way that we’ve never been,” Simmons said.

One Gin - Nicholas Varney

Guns From 1 The exhibit comes at a time when Minneapolis has been rocked by a string of gun related crimes. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, every day, one Minnesotan dies and one is injured from a firearm and firearms are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury death in Minnesota. Nearly three-fourths of firearmrelated deaths are suicides, however, rather than assaults or unintentional injuries on another person.

Using art as the language for dialogue, decommissioned guns taken off the streets were disseminated to artists to use as the raw materials in their art. Painters, glass artists, sculptors, photographers, poets and other artists used the decommissioned firearms to

make works of art. Each artist used the guns in their medium to express a thought, make a statement, open a discussion and stimulate thinking about guns in our culture.

“It’s a critical time to have this conversation in Minnesota. The prevalence of gun violence is increasing in Minnesota every day.

Presenting this exhibit is not about pro-gun ownership, or anti-gun ownership.

This is a non-partisan, bipartisan issue,” said Chanda Smith Baker, president and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities. “Art is a great medium to spark conversations about difficult and sometimes divisive topics. Our goal is to create safe places for respectful conversations about gun violence in our community and to work together to responsible solutions to reduce gun-violence.”

The exhibit is free and open to the public.

cultivation activities may be required for some prospective donors. For others, a one-time meeting is ideal. It all depends on the relationship between the solicitor and the prospective donor, and the relationship between the nonprofit and the donor.

Before matching major gift prospects with board members, staff or fundraising volunteers first carefully consider the relationship between the solicitor and the donor. Don’t make blanket “assignments:” that’s unfair to your volunteers and your donors. Volunteers should be matched with donors based on the relationship between the two, and the willingness of the solicitor. The matches between a solicitor and donor are not

always obvious. Invest time in making the right match.

When contemplating an ask amount, don’t assume that a donor who gave at a certain level to a similar organization will want to give at the same level to yours. Don’t confuse people you “suspect” may have the interest and financial capacity to make a major gift with those you know have the interest and capacity. Don’t expect to receive major gifts within a 90-day period (or less!). It’s nice if that happens, but don’t plan on it.

We talked with one volunteer solicitor who proudly shared with us that he is a major donor and a major gift solicitor for an organization he believes in. Each year he asks 10 people for $10,000 each.

He has been soliciting many of these individuals for years, but each year there are a few new prospective donors. He sets an appointment with each, asking “I would like to take you to lunch to share updates on our organization, and to ask for your support.” These luncheons are looked forward to, and provide the donor with a consistent personal contact and source of information.

Next week: More ways to grow your personal solicitation program.

Copyright 2016 – Mel and Pearl Shaw For help growing your fundraising visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Page 8 • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Insight News

insightnews.com

LIFESTYLE Attorney Joan Harris publishes first novel

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Stepping (or Chicago stepping as it is also called) is not just a form of dancing; in many ways it’s a culture onto itself.

For those not familiar with stepping, it’s a form of dance made popular in Chicago and later, throughout the Midwest.

The dance is performed to midtempo R&B/soul music with dancers performing in pairs or groups. Think of it as the waltz or foxtrot modernized … with soul.

And steppers take their craft quite seriously. It’s not just about knowing how to step, it’s about being the best. Stepping is not just an art form, it’s a lifestyle and quite possibly for the first time, that lifestyle has been captured in a novel.

Area attorney and stepper, Joan Harris has authored “When You Step” under the pen name J.E. Harris. The book delves into

Joan E. Harris

the steppers lifestyle through her main character, Gigi Grant, an interior designer dealing with her “precocious” teenage daughters and turns to stepping as an outlet. Ultimately she strikes up a romance on the dancefloor with her stepping partner. In addition to romance, Harris said “When You Step” provides tension between rival step instructors and juicy adult-themed drama. The firsttime author said the book loosely mirrors her true-life experiences as a stepper.

“I’ve been stepping for almost five years and about four months in I realized the scene is quite entertaining to say the least,” said Harris. “The book is about the personal ties that develop in response to the stepping culture.

And it’s not without its fair share of competition. The story places the reader directly onto the scene to experience first-hand all the moving parts of a dynamic culture.

That’s why ‘When You Step’ is for steppers and non-steppers alike.

It’s an easy, fun read.”

Like Gigi, Harris is also a licensed interior designer and also like her main character, she found love on the dancefloor.

“With any good fiction there has to be some basis in reality, right,” said the author.

“The backdrop for the story is stepping, but the story itself revolves around a fictionalized version of my relationship with the dance, and the beginning of my relationship with my soonto-be husband who I met on the dancefloor.”

“When You Step” is published

by Mill City Press and retails for $14.99. The book is available online at www.je-harris.com and at Common Good Books in St. Paul, 38 Snelling Ave. S. Readers can also order the book at any Barnes & Noble location.

On Sunday, June 12, Harris will be hosting a book signing at 3 p.m. at the Loring Community Arts Center, 1382 Willow St., Minneapolis.

This is my season!

Man Talk

By Timothy Houston “To everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

William Murphy, in his song “It’s Working,” declares: “This is my season for grace and favour.

This is my season to reap what I have sown!” The summer season is upon us, and we are all ready to embrace its long, hot, touch. Relationships have their

season as well, and it is similar to what you would expect to see in nature. When it comes to relationships, the sooner you are able to determine the season you are in, the easier it is to make the right type of adjustment. Here are a few seasonal tips to live by.

First, summer is the season of strength. This relationship season is the most powerful time of the relationship. Every relationship should have its summer. The sun is shining.

Laughter, love, affection, favour, and fellowship are shared in abundance. Both the individuals are better together. Like the days of summer, visibility is clear, and love is long and strong. Because of transparency, communication is at its best. Summer is fun. The

best advice for this season is to bask in it. Enjoy every day as if it were your last.

Secondly, fall is a season for change. In this relationship season, things may have cooled off, but there are clear signs that winter is coming. This is the period in the relationship when the signs of trouble are obvious. The first sign is the falling away, followed by slow decaying of those things that were once so beautiful. Both people in the relationship find themselves covering up, but the chill in the air is still apparent.

The best advice for this season is to practice self-love and let go of those people, places, and things that have already fallen away.

Next, winter is a season of

rest. Relationships in this season are self-sustaining at this point, but the winter of the relationship will test the resolve of the people involved. There are no new harvests, and no new discoveries.

Growth and development has ceased, and rigidness has settled in. The things that have been stored deep in the heart of the individuals are the substance the relationship will live on. They will be forced to embrace each other or emotionally freeze to death. The best advice for this season is to rekindle the fire of love and cuddle as much as possible.

Finally, spring is a season of growth. This relationship season is the most fruitful, but it also requires the most amount of work.

The heart of both individuals must be tilled, removing all the residue of the previous season.

Planting good emotions, watering them with gifts of affections, and pruning away the unproductive behaviours are all key activities.

Once the relationship begins to grow, it must be supported by new experiences that are built on the previous day’s growth.

These experiences become roots that are the foundation of a strong relationship. The best advice for this season is to dig deep, establish meaningful communication, and enjoy new discoveries.

Determine your relationship season. This will help you to best determine your course of actions.

Winter, spring, summer, and

fall all have one constant, you.

All relationship seasons should begin with self-love. It is in your self-evaluation that you are able to make self-improvements. I agree with William Murphy, it is working because I have a seed in the ground that is a blessing, no more stressing. He ends the song with these words: “And I don’t care what your circumstance says, it’s already getting better!”

This is my season!

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

40th Annual Winfield Awards celebrates academic and athletic excellence

By Carmen Robles The 40th Annual Winfield Awards which celebrate academic and athletic excellence takes place Sunday, June 5 at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel located at 11 E. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.

The event kicks off with a social hour at 4 p.m. with the dinner at 5 p.m. Banquet reservations are due by Tuesday (May 31).

The Winfield Awards were created to recognize, encourage and reward young men and women of color for being outstanding student athletes.

Baseball Hall of Fame member David Winfield along with family

Ryan Harris – Keynote Speaker and friends launched the Winfield Awards in 1976 to recognize outstanding high school student athletes. Recipients gone on to

attended such universities as Columbia University, Cornell University, Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard

University, The Julliard School, Princeton University, Yale University and more. Nearly 400 students have been recognized and awarded financial help to continue with their higher education.

This year’s keynote speaker is Ryan Harris a past recipient of the Winfield Award. Harris, a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle, was a member of the 2016 Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos, a 2003 graduate of Cretin-Derham Hall High School and a 2003 Winfield Awards winner.

This year’s finalists for the Winfield Award are (female finalists) Andrayah Adams, Como Park Senior High School; Kennedy Gay, Central High

School; Brieasha Hobbs, Cretin-Derham Hall; Aye Be Ne Hsa, Humboldt Secondary School; and Mofekunolami Salu, Harding Senior High School. The male finalists are Jamal Galato, Central High School; Antonio Hollamon, Highland Park Senior High School; William Olander Cretin-Derham Hall; Abel Taye, Washington Technology Secondary School; and Kenneth Udoibok II, Cretin-Derham Hall.

Winners will be announced during the banquet.

The Winfield Awards encourage young people in St. Paul schools to achieve greatness and to give back to family and community. For more information call (651) 457-4304.

Steve Winfield

Interview with Steve Winfield

by Daniel Vega As The Winfield Awards celebrating Academic & Athletic Excellence commemorates its 40th anniversary with another crop of student athletes from the local community, I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Steve Winfield, Chairman of The Winfield Awards Committee.

After a brief explanation of the reasons WHY the foundation and Awards were created in 1977, Winfield shared his thoughts on the foundation’s mission, accomplishments, disappointments and challenges.

DV: What are some of the highlights of years past?

SW: We started at the St. Paul Martin Luther King Center and although we’ve grown steadily over the years we still managed to keep it as a local community-based event; supported by businesses, friends and family. Over the years as we continue to recognize the student-athletes, I am amazed by the various backgrounds they come from; amazed at the challenges that many of them have had to overcome; amazed at their successes.

DV: On that note, what would you say are the challenges or disappointments of the awards committee has been?

SW: I would have to say that the disappointment I have is with the system, not just the Saint Paul Public Schools but the very community that we live in, is not providing us with a larger pool of students to select from. Year after year there are fewer students athletes who obtain at least the required 2.5 GPA in order for them to qualify, for not only our award but to have a better chance for any post high school education.

I feel the challenge is for all of us to be part of the solution. Be a good parent a good neighbor and a good community member to our youth. We need to be there to support them for any and all positive things they are trying to do DV: What’s most enjoyable to you going into the 40th year of this event?

SW: By far the most enjoyable and rewarding experience is seeing our former awardees attend the event.

Including seeing a father and his two children who are (generational) award recipients graduate from college; seeing three of our former awardees get their PhD’s two of whom are on our Awards Committee Dr. Mitchell McDonald and Dr. Valerie Littles-Butler; finally, without a doubt, the most enjoyable is seeing our former recipient, keynote speaker Ryan Harris, wanting and willing to come back and speak to our community … Paying it forward! That’s what the awards are all about.”

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Page 9

COMMUNITY Child-Parent Center preschool program at Phyllis Wheatley This fall, Midwest CPC Expansion, part of the Human Capital Research Collaborative (HCRC), will partner with the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center and its Mary T. Welcome Child Development Center to pilot the first Child-Parent Center (CPC) preschool program in Minneapolis for early education families.

Barbara Milon, executive director of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, said she is thrilled to be a part of the program.

“The Child-Parent Center model supports the education of preschool children all the way through their enrollment in school,” said Milon. “CPC is a collaboration focused on coordinating services that support families’ engagement in their children’s education.

Faith-based group donates food to Oak Park Center Rick Christenson (left) donated food to Oak Park Center on behalf of God’s Blessings, a faithbased organization. Larry McKenzie (center) and Chef Eric Austin accepting the donation.

For more information, call Oak Park Center: (612) 377-7000

Equity From 1 Minnesota’s Legislature last week approved a spending bill that directs $70 million over a three-year period to “Equity” initiatives that include proposals and programs originating in our community to serve our community. Half of the funding will flow to community resource initiatives this year and the balance split between next year and the following year.

Cindy Booker, Executive Director of legacy institution Sabathani Community Center on East 38th St. in South Minneapolis, reflected the praise and pride surging in community conversations as a consequence of Hayden’s and Champion’s groundbreaking accomplishments. “As leaders and constituents we are fortunate to be beneficiaries of the commitment and hard work of these exceptional Legislators,” she said.

Attorney Jeffrey Hassan heads the African American Leadership Forum, which convenes community and corporate leaders to formulate and act on strategies to improve quality of life through enhanced civic and economic engagement for individuals and organizations. He said the successful passage of the Equity funding legislation is a “good win for our community, particularly as a first time collaborative effort. It bodes well for the future and for our institutions and groups being able to work together.”

“This is a big deal,” said Al Flowers, community organizer, who along with members of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC), Black Lives Matter, and others almost camped out at the Legislature to bolster support for Black interests at the Legislature. “This is the biggest

disparity package ever awarded to communities of color. NOC was seeking a $200 million investment.

The governor proposed $100 million for equity initiatives. The Senate put $91 million on the table, but finally agreed to the $70 million. House Republicans came to the table initially with only $6 million.”

“Senators Champion and Hayden are the real heroes,” Flowers said. They fought to the end and included everybody who is a stakeholder in building community and solving problems.

I am proud that they reached out to and included the Hmong, Latino, American Indian, and Somali and immigrant communities. These initiatives will have an impact on communities of color all over the state,” he said.

Alfred Babington Johnson, CEO of Stairstep Foundation agreed: “We put people into position to provide access to resources for our community. Too often, we find people become gatekeepers rather than resource facilitators. I am so grateful to acknowledge that Sen. Champion, Sen. Hayden, and Rep. Rena Moran, (D65A) have worked to get resources to our community that enable us to continue to fight the good fight.”

“The Senators succeeded against the odds,” said one observer.

“Typically, in the bare-knuckles Legislative infighting between Democrats and Republican as lawmakers do horse-trading at the windup of the legislative session, Black interests get kicked to the curb, forgotten, or surrendered in the name of expediency or in the name of “the greater good.” Black interests and Black lives, too often, have not mattered in the halls of power here in Minnesota.”

This time was different, said Hayden, who was in the room with Gov. Mark Dayton, Sen. Majority Leader, Sen. Thomas M. Bakk (D-

Care Consultant The Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota is hiring for the following position: Care Consultant. This position is primarily responsible for managing all aspects of the care consultation program in the nine county metro area and providing technical assistance to the MN Regional offices, as needed. The Care Consultant will also provide care consultation services by assessing the individual/caregiver/family, developing individualized treatment plans to address biopsychosocial needs and implementing the treatment plan accordingly.

The treatment plan will be implemented through psychoeducation, skill development, and short-term family and individual counseling utilizing various approaches. This position will fulfill requirements of related grants including documentation and tracking referrals, and additional collaborative administrative projects. The position will also assist with delivery of centralized, high quality, evidencebased educational programs and outreach events for people with dementia, their families, and professionals in the community. This position will include provider services and outreach to individuals and families from diverse communities. The position is approximately 75% clinical, 15% administrative, and 10% education and outreach. Please apply with cover letter, references and resume to http://www. alz.org/mnnd/in_my_community_about.asp.

Research shows that a child’s academic achievement level increases when parents or guardians are engaged in their child’s education by establishing relationships with teachers and the school.”

The Midwest CPC Expansion, a preschool to third grade model, is operating in more than 30 sites in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. The program serves more than 7,000 families. Its core elements include effective learning experiences, collaborative leadership, alignment curriculum, parent involvement and engagement, professional development, and continuity and stability.

“We are delighted to work with the Wheatley Center and Mary T. Welcome team in implementing the program. This

Two public forums scheduled for community to meet, ask questions of St. Paul police chief finalists St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman announced that two public forums are scheduled for early June to allow community members an opportunity to ask questions of the five finalists for police chief.

The 32-person Police Chief Selection Committee selected the five finalists, who include St. Paul Police Department (SPPD)

assistant chief, Todd Axtell, Minneapolis Police Department lieutenant, Eddie Frizell, SPPD commander, Colleen Luna, SPPD senior commander, Tina McNamara and SPPD senior commander, Matt Toupal.

The forums take place Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 p.m.

– 8:30 p.m. at the Concordia

EQUITY PROVISIONS Dollars in Thousands All dollars from the General Fund Line 1 2

Dept. of Employment and Economic Development Neighborhood Development Center

3

Competitive Grants to Promote Education, Economic Self Sufficiency, and Job Development

4 5 6 7 8

Ujamaa Place Enterprise Minnesota YWCA St Paul (Career Development Pgms) YWCA Minneapolis EMERGE Community Development Grants

9

Minnesota Initiative Program Grants (Expand Existing Program)

10 11 12 13

Twin Cities Rise Grant Business Development and Assistance ServicesͲMEDA MN Centers for Independent Living Minneapolis FoundationͲNorth At Work Grant Metro Transit Technician Training Program (grant is to Twin Cities 14 Rise) 15 Career Connections PathwaysͲHennepin County Women and High Wage, High Demand, Nontraditional Jobs Grant 16 Program 17 Grants to Address Economic Disparities in SE Asian Communities 18 Pathway to Prosperity Program 19 Construction Careers Foundation Grant to Address Economic Disparities in Latino CommunityͲ 20 CLUES 21 Grant to Address Somali Youth and Community Resiliency Grant to Address Educational Disparities in American Indian 22 Communities 23 White Earth Nation Integrated Business Development System 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Emerging Entrepreneurs Fund Youth At Work Grant Program Services of the Blind Capacity Building Grants Program Total DEED

Conference Agreement

Senate

House

FY2017

FY2017

1,420

1,000

1,500 750 750 1,500

5,550 Ͳ 750 2,100 Ͳ 4,250

Ͳ 600 500 Ͳ 500 Ͳ

2,000 600 1,750 1,000 750 4,250

5,000 Ͳ

Ͳ 600

Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ 1,200 600 600 1,200

5,050 800 1,500

Ͳ 500 Ͳ

2,500 1,175 1,175 2,350 1,000 500 500 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 2,000

407 4,800

Ͳ Ͳ

Ͳ Ͳ 2,500 Ͳ

1,500

Ͳ

1,500 1,000 1,000 2,000

4,000 5,100 Ͳ

Ͳ Ͳ 1,000

2,000 1,000 1,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 2,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 2,000

1,500 2,000

800 Ͳ

1,500 750 750 1,500 2,000 Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ

880

Ͳ

880 250 250 500

1,000 6,000 8,000

Ͳ Ͳ 400

FY2017

FY2018

1,500 600 875 250 375 1,000

125 750 1,000 500 1,000

FY2019

1,500 600 875 250 375 1,000

Ͳ Ͳ

125 750 1,000 500 1,000

FY18Ͳ19

3,000 1,200 1,750 500 750 2,000

Ͳ Ͳ

3,000

Ͳ

500 500 1,000 1,000 320

250 1,500 2,000 1,000 2,000

64,607

5,900

34,250 17,000 17,000 34,000

500 3,000 500 250

Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ 250

500 Ͳ Ͳ 250

Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Expansion of Family Stabilization Plan Program Downpayment Closing Cost Assistance Homeownership Capacity Training Landlord Guarantee Fund Pilot Total MHFA

4,250

250

750 500 500 1,000

Total Jobs & Ec Dev Agencies

68,857

6,150

35,000 17,500 17,500 35,000

3) and Republican Speaker of the House Leader Kurt Daudt (R-31A) negotiating session spending bills.

The Governor and Senate Majority Leader held firm insisting that the Equity package get approved, he said.

This time was different, said Champion, because they succeeded in holding together a coalition of legacy and progressive institutions to deliver a unified vision and a cogent argument built on data driven analyses of problems

is our first site in Minneapolis and we expect a great partnership with families and the community,” said Arthur Reynolds, HCRC co-director.

CPC expansion in the Midwest is funded by an Investing in Innovation grant from the U. S. Department of Education and other philanthropic partners.

HCRC is an interdisciplinary center of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the Institute of Child Development, College of Education and Human Development.

Established in 2006 by the University of Minnesota and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, HCRC conducts research on the impacts and cost effectiveness of social programs and policies from prenatal development to young adulthood.

and opportunities at hand.

In education and workforce development, the legislation supports collaborations by legacy institutions to get high school diplomas for adults under the auspices of the Unity Opportunity Collaborative.

Unity Opportunity Collaborative is a group of likeminded community partners who are creating new strategies to more effectively serve low income communities of colors toward greater economic

Classifieds

500 500 1,000 Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ Ͳ

opportunities and higher outcomes. The collaborative is made up of well-established community partners that include Minneapolis Urban League, EMERGE, Sabathani Community Center, Stairstep Foundation - His Works United, Minneapolis Public Schools Adult Basic Education and MACC Alliance for Connected Communities. The partnership promises to 1) expand GED readiness and completion while piloting adult diploma

University E.M. Pearson Theater, 312 Hamline Ave., St. Paul and Thursday, June 2, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Progressive Baptist Church, 1505 Burns Ave., St. Paul.

Following the two community forums, the mayor will submit his final choice for the position to St. Paul City Council.

services; and 2) increase access to employment readiness, job placement and work experience services for very lowincome adults who are vastly underserved by mainstream public employment systems.

UOC values transformative strategies that are evidencebased by design, cost-effective with high return on investment and are highly accountable and transparent.

Northside@Work, a program of the Northside Funders Group, will get support for its efforts to remove barriers to employment for Black men in North Minneapolis and Twin Cities Rise in partnership with Metro Transit will expand opportunity to train for technician jobs with Metro Transit.

In business development, the legislation expands Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) capabilities to expand MEDA’s impact for minority business enterprises in Minnesota; supports NEON Business Incubator Program participant technical assistance, lease, and program evaluation services; and funds a Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED): Business Development Competitive Grant Program.

In the area of housing, the Build Wealth Family Stabilization Plan Initiative will receive funding to replicate its Family Stabilization Program and increase credit scores (at least +100 points average) and net worth for participating in the project.

In the area of community engagement, the bill supports efforts to shift the narrative, how we look at and define problems and opportunities. The promise is to nurture a collective awareness of capability, accountability, feasibility, and inevitability regarding outcomes that reflect and sustain a healthy Black community.

Phone: 612.588.1313 Fax: 612.588.2031 Email: info@insightnews.com Volunteer Opportunities Harvest Network of Schools Community service is calling, no need for stalling! The Harvest Network of Schools, a group of high-performing charter schools in north Minneapolis that includes Harvest Preparatory (K-4, coed), Best Academy (K-8, single gender), and Mastery School (K-4, single gender), is currently recruiting volunteers to work with our 3rd and 4th grade students. We have three opportunities available; Breakfast Buddies, Academic Intervention, and Classroom Support. Breakfast Buddies help with homework and reading to scholars. This option is available Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. -8:15 a.m. Academic Intervention volunteers help with students needing additional support in math and reading, available Monday through Thursday from 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Classroom Support volunteers help teachers as needed, tasks will vary. This opportunity is needed any time throughout the day 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. We are requesting volunteers commit to 1-2 hours a week for a minimum of six weeks.

HNS will provide training, onsite support from volunteer manager, and recognition at the end of the year.

Applicants must complete an application and criminal background check. If interested please contact Marquita Butler at mbutler@seed-harvest.org or 612-876-4033.

Organizer Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, 40 hours, full benefits, www.jrlc.org/job-opportunities, due 5/27/16.

Notice of U.S. Magistrate Judge Vacancy The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of one full-time United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

The current salary of the full-time position is $186,852 per year and the position will be located in Minneapolis or St. Paul. The term of office for a full-time magistrate judge is eight years; incumbents may be reappointed to successive terms.

The full public notice, application instructions, and application form are available on the Court’s website at www.mnd.uscourts.gov. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Time on Friday, July 29, 2016.

Mail Room Assistant

Help this large social service agency’s mail room operation by processing returned, incoming and out-going mail. Flexible daytime shifts available Monday through Friday. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Contact Ramsey County—Volunteer Services at 651266-4090 for additional information or e-mail to HumanServicesVolunteer@co.ramsey.mn.us.

Page 10 • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Jati Lindsay

Phonte and Nicolay of The Foreign Exchange

The Foreign Exchange comes to the Cabooze

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Hybrid funk/neosoul/hiphop group and Grammy nominees, The Foreign Exchange, are coming to Minnesota for the first time – Wednesday, June 1 at the Cabooze, 917 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis.

The story of The Foreign Exchange is one of the more interesting stories in all of

music. The group formed as a duo back in 2004 when rapper/singer Phonte – then of the group Little Brother – heard a beat produced

by Nicolay on the popular website, www.okayplayer. com. Phonte was in North Carolina and Nicolay was in the Netherlands – hence the group’s name, The Foreign Exchange. The two were able to create an enter album, “Connected” communicating solely via the Internet.

The connection was so strong and the demand for a follow-up so great that Nicolay relocated to the United States and the group released the criticallyacclaimed “Leave it All Behind.” That project birthed the single, “Daykeeper,” a beautifully melodic tune that was nominated for a 2010 Grammy (Best Urban/ Alternative Performance).

While Phonte and Nicolay are the core of The Foreign

Exchange, the two added to their musical family with the additions of producer and keyboardist, Zo!, who just released his third CD under The Foreign Exchange Music Group imprint. Most recently, vocalists Carmen Rodgers has joined the family. Rodgers is currently on the R&B/soul charts with her song, “Charge,” a duet with Anthony David.

Add that all up and what fans have been getting is a

nearly two-hour packed live show that’s sold out venues in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and more on the group’s latest tour, “Tales from the Land of Milk and Honey.”

“The tour has been a lot of fun. Every night we take it higher and higher,” said Phonte, who also has a solo project coming out in June.

“Once we get started there’s no stopping us,” said Nicolay. “(Minnesota fans)

are in store for a party, straight up. Be prepared to dance your (rear-end) off.”

Tickets for the show are online at www.cabooze. com/event/1136197foreign-exchange-phonteminneapolis. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The event is a 21-plus show. Doors to the Cabooze open at 8 p.m. with the show at 9 p.m.

Opening for The Foreign Exchange is DJ Trilogy.

Intermedia Arts presents ‘Jason and Shirley’ A film by Stephen Winter “Jason and Shirley” is coming to Intermediate Arts.

Making its Midwest premiere at Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, June 17 and June 18, “Jason and Shirley” is a fictional re-telling of the fateful real-life meeting of an Oscar-winning film director and a “fabulous,” but downtrodden, gay man that resulted in the 1966 film “Portrait of Jason.”

“Jason and Shirley” hopes to strike a chord with individuals interested in film history, LGBTQ

representation on film, race and power-dynamics within the creative process, and the art scene of the 1960s.

In December 1966, Shirley Clarke, a wealthy Jewish Oscar-winning film director, invited Jason Holliday to her penthouse in the legendary Chelsea Hotel. Holliday was a Black, gay, middle-aged hustler and aspiring cabaret performer known throughout New York’s jazz world. Clarke filmed him telling wild stories from his turbulent life; determined to find a

groundbreaking “truth” in the documentary.

This footage became “Portrait of Jason” (1967).

Hailed as a masterpiece, the film documented Holliday telling stories of racism, homophobia, abuse and prostitution.

With musical numbers and graphic emotion, “Jason and Shirley” is inspired by actual events.

Tickets for the film are $7 for advance, student and senior and $9 at the door. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Ricardo Nelson, courtesy of JaShirl LLC(

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Page 11

Kaleem the Dream

PaviElle, Jayanthi Kyle and Sarah White

May 30 - June 5

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

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

Monday, May 30

Ave., Minneapolis 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. $10

FILM/HORROR The Twin Cities Horror Festival – “Hellraiser II: The Return of Hellraiser” The Southern Theater 1420 S. Washington

The growing Twin Cities Horror Film Festival presents the classic 1988 film, “Hellraiser II” at The Southern.

Tuesday, May 31 PRODUCTION/BATTLE The Best Damn Beat Battle 3 Honey 205 E. Hennepin Ave.,

Minneapolis 9 p.m.

The Twin Cities top producers go head to head in the third in a series of battles with a $300 cash prize for the winner.

Wednesday, June 1 R&B/SOUL/PERFORMANCE The Foreign Exchange Cabooze 917 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis

8 p.m.

21-plus $20 advance, $25 door Singer/rapper Phonte and producer Nicolay were on the front lines of creating music across continents through file sharing. The MC of Little Brother fame is equally talented as a singer. Check them out in their first Minnesota appearance at the Cabooze.

Thursday, June 2 REGGAE/PERFORMANCE Luciano Wilebski’s Blues Saloon 1638 Rice St., St. Paul 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Jah Messenjah brings a night of Reggae in St. Paul with legend Luciano. The show is hosted by Lynval Jackson.

Friday, June 3 R&B/SOUL/PERFORMANCE The Current Presents PaviElle, Jayanthi Kyle and Sarah White The Fitzgerald Theater 10 Exchange St. E., St. Paul 8 p.m. $10 – $30 Join three powerful women in Minnesota music for a soulful and amazing night of music as PaviElle, Jayanthi Kyle and Sarah White take the stage.

Saturday, June 4 HIP-HOP/RELEASE PARTY 3P Release Party Amsterdam Bar and Hall 6th St. W., St. Paul 7 p.m.

Three generations of some of St. Paul’s most respected MCs are dropping EPs on one night – Glo Pesci with “Look Up in the Sky,” G.O.B. with “Guardians of Balance” and Kaleem the Dream with “Good Writtens.”

Sunday, June 5 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Likeminds Presents Reverie Cafe and Bar 1931 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis 8 p.m. – midnight $5 Vibe with some of the area’s most prolific artists in a Sunday showcase at the Reverie featuring Knucky, David Maxwell, Rich Garvey, Major G and Avery. The showcase is presented by Likeminds and Beats Bass Booze Ent.

Page 12 • May 30 - June 5, 2016 • Insight News

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Money is available to help you buy a home The NeighborhoodLIFT® event is coming to Minneapolis-St. Paul.1 Get the information you need to become a homeowner for the first — or next time. And see if you qualify for down payment assistance — up to $7,500 — toward the purchase of a home.2 Additional opportunities available for eligible military, veterans, and surviving spouses.

Get the support you need — all under one roof • See where you are in the homebuying process • Learn if you qualify for down payment assistance • Receive answers to your questions about buying a home • Preview area homes for sale

Dates: June 10 – 11, 2016 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, Exhibit Hall 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Admission is free!

Free parking in designated lots; see website for details.

Get more information at: wellsfargo.com/liftregistration or call 844-281-1400

The NeighborhoodLIFT program delivers down payment assistance and financial education to homebuyers to support sustainable homeownership and advance the stability of your neighborhoods.

1. The NeighborhoodLIFT program is a collaboration of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Foundation, and NeighborWorks® America, an independent nonprofit organization.

2. Down payment assistance grants range from $2,500 to $7,500 based on the amount the borrower is able to contribute. Combined income for all borrowers on the loan cannot exceed the program income limits, adjusted for household size.

Down payment assistance grants cannot be used to purchase bank-owned properties managed by Wells Fargo Premier Asset Services. The first mortgage can be financed by any NeighborhoodLIFT program-approved lender. © 2016 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. 107941-MSP 6/16 MLR 5/16 ECG-2606401