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June 29 - July 5, 2009 • MN Metro Vol. 35 No. 26 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
Jada Pinkett Smith the “HawthoRNe” interview
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Minneapolis hosts NNPA
More than 125 publishers of America’s Black press convened in Downtown Minneapolis, MN, last week for the National Newspaper Publishers Association 2009 Convention. Themed “Building Coalitions to Advance our Community: Educate, Empower, Inspire,” the three-day conference featured presentations was highlighted by a Health Care Town Hall meeting featuring members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The National Newspaper Publishers Association is a 67-year-old federation of more than 200 Black community newspapers from across the United States. Convention Host Al McFarlane (far left), Editor-In-Chief, Insight News stands with NNPA leadership and guests. (L-R) NNPA First Vice Chairwoman Karen Love, The Michigan Front Page; Second Vice Chairman Christopher B. Bennett, The Seattle Medium; Secretary Mollie Belt, The Dallas Examiner; Chairman John B. Smith, Sr., The Atlanta Inquirer; Minnesota State Representative Jeff Hayden DFL-61B; Treasurer Lenora Carter, Houston Forward Times; Minnesota State Representative Frank Hornstein, DFL-60B; Secretary Elinor Tatum, Amsterdam News; Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter (District 4); and Minnesota State Representative Bobby Joe Champion DFL-58B.
Three good excuses for having a summer party
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Ellison legislation ties insurance costs to patient care US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN5) last week introduced health care legislation in anticipation of upcoming Congressional action on health care reform. Ellison’s The Good Care Act of 2009 requires that all health plans participating in the proposed “health insurance exchange” spend a minimum of 90% of the health care premiums they charge on health care services for their patients. “Minnesota is a national leader in health care,” Ellison said. “I believe that if health plans across the country followed Minnesota’s lead, we would ensure that our precious health care dollars are used to fund actual health services. Enactment of The Good Care Act of 2009 would do just that,” Ellison said. President Obama and Congressional leaders are proposing the creation of a health insurance exchange – a market where uninsured Americans can shop for a health
Julie Desmond: Bully bosses
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Linden Gawboy, Tasha Jackson and interviewer Mehgaan Jones US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN5) care plan, compare benefits and prices and choose a plan that’s best for them. Government subsidies will be provided for uninsured individuals to purchase plans in this insurance exchange. The administrative cost of the top five health insurance companies in the United States is 17% and the average administrative costs for private insurers is 14%. The Good Care
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Suluki Fardan
Rights group fights for poor By Mehgaan Jones The Welfare Rights Committee of Minnesota strives to fight for the rights of low income and working class individuals and families. Their advocacy is becoming extremely vital as the economic crisis remains an ongoing issue for the United States and more and more people are in need of help from the government.
The Welfare Rights Committee began in 1992 as a group who wanted to help the poor. Every year, they journey to the legislature to campaign against budget cuts that effect low-income people. One of the committee’s members, Linden Gawboy started her journey with the coalition in the beginning of its development. She said she was inspired by the people who were coming together to do something
positive for low income and working class people. “These issues were things that I was angry about all my life,” said Gawboy. Tasha Jackson, another member of the committee, also understands how complex the issues are for poor people. She joined the committee four years ago. “I became involved because I enjoy standing up against
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What is stress: stages, symptoms and treatments
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Slain Holocaust guard remembered By Dorothy Rowley and LaToya Tooles Special to the NNPA from the AfroAmerican Newspapers WASHINGTON (NNPA) - In an emotionally charged eulogy that took place on a radiant afternoon, Stephen Tyrone Johns, the special police officer who was slain at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, was remembered as a gentle giant with a big
heart and warm smile. Hundreds of mourners, including local and national dignitaries, museum staff, law enforcement officers, and a host of holocaust survivors, poured into the massive Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Fort Washington, MD, to pay their final respect to a man also described as having uncommon valor and compassion. In the hour-long eulogy, delivered by the Rev. Dr.
John L. McCoy, senior pastor at The Word of God Baptist Church in Washington, mourners were encouraged to live in racial harmony and to not tolerate blatant acts of racism such as that which claimed Johns’ life. “Tolerance isn’t a valid or godly response to racism, polite silence is no longer a viable action,” said McCoy, who reminded the congregation that Johns’ GUARD TURN TO 3
AAU State Track meet shows the strength of TC youth Photos: Khalid Naji-Allah, MHS
Jacqueline Carter, mother of slain guard Stephen Johns, Sr.
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Page 2 • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Insight News
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Guard From 1 last act was one of kindness. “He fell victim to a senseless and barbaric act as he extended an act of kindness,” said McCoy. “[But] don’t retaliate against racist acts with racism [as] we must not stoop to hating the racist.” Referring to the holocaust, McCoy added that the hope of the museum is that the world never again experiences such crimes as those of World War II. He went on to say that Johns “was a victim of a mentality thought to be rapidly diminishing from the American landscape.” Noting the large outpouring of sympathy accompanied by the huge attendance at his funeral, McCoy said that on the day Johns’ life was taken that “good stood up to evil as the community rallied together.” District Mayor Adrian Fenty did not attend the service, but stated among the acknowledgments that the fact that Johns “laid down his life was the ultimate sacrifice.” In another condolence read during the service, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin said, “[Johns] is mourned by me and all who seek peace and justice.”
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Insight News • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Page 3 Johns, who lived in Temple Hills, MD, worked at the museum for six years. The 39-year-old officer, who also left behind two step-sons, had just celebrated his first wedding anniversary when he was killed in the line of duty as he opened the museum’s door on June 10 for James Von Brunn, 88. The avowed White supremacist has been charged with first-degree murder.
Stephen Johns, Jr., son of slain guard Stephen Johns, Sr., holds the American flag presented to him at his father’s funeral at Ebenezer AME Church on June 19.
Wife of slain guard Stephen Johns, Sr., Zakiah Johns, center, holds on to the American Flag while her son, Tysean Lawson-Bey, right, looks on during the funeral services of his stepfather.
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White 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. 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)
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Page 4 • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Insight News
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COMMENTARY
Minnesotans deserve leaders with courage Commentary
By State Rep. Bobby Champion, 58B My first term as your State Representative ended on May 18. My colleagues who have served in the Legislature longer and most political observers called this the most difficult session they’ve seen. A “perfect storm” that included the worst recession in recent history, an escalating housing crisis and state unemployment levels at near-record highs complicated the task of addressing an unprecedented $6.4 billion budget shortfall. Despite differences between the DFL Legislature and the Governor,
we made progress on important issues. Bills to reform government, preserve our natural resources, maintain transportation infrastructure and protect students and schools were signed into law. But on the most important issues – closing the budget deficit, protecting jobs and taking care of Minnesotans in a fair and responsible way – we could not reach a consensus. Throughout the session, Democrats, Republicans and Gov. Tim Pawlenty were divided about the best way to balance the budget. We did agree on two key points: 1) that the sheer size of the budget shortfall meant we’d have to cut spending, and 2) that while some spending cuts were in order, cuts alone would be too damaging to Minnesota’s quality of life, meaning new revenue was a necessary part of the solution. The primary disagreement surrounded what kind of new revenue is the most responsible and
fair. The Governor wanted to borrow $1 billion in one-time money, and pay it back over 20 years at an additional cost of $600 to $800 million. That kind of “borrow and spend” practice has been a disaster for our federal government, and I believe it would be irresponsible for Minnesota. Nearly every member of the Minnesota House agreed, rejecting that plan by a vote of 130 to 2. Still, efforts at compromise continued. Some of those compromises required members of my party to let go of some positions important to us. We did so in an effort to find common ground in the best interest of our state. Several of these compromise budgets were sent to the Governor, all of them premised on a fiscally responsible and progressive “pay-as you go” approach. The last of those budgets proposed a modest income tax increase for high-income earners, a tax on liquor and fees on credit card
companies that gouge their customers with excessive interest rates. The income tax would have impacted fewer than 2% of Minnesotans - those making over $300,000 per year would have just $9 per month or 30 cents a day – and would have automatically ended after four years, in the meantime protecting students, hospitals and the elderly. But as the session wore on and we legislators kept paring back our tax proposals, the Governor just wouldn’t budge. In the last days of the session, he walked away from the table completely, saying he’d rather go it alone than continue to work with us. He signed all of our budget bills, subject to a few line-item vetoes, but twice vetoed the tax bill that would have paid for them. His most callous act was to veto General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC), which provides health care for Minnesota’s poorest and sickest citizens, most of them people with
mental illness or chemical dependency. It strikes at the very heart of our moral responsibility to care for those most in need with compassion and consideration. Aided by House Republicans (who chose to stand with the governor instead of with their constituents) the Governor alone will now decide the fate of our state by using his powers of unallotment to cut an additional $2.7 billion from the state budget, on top of $2 billion in cuts passed already this session. These additional cuts will cost more jobs, eliminate more care and services for poor, disabled and elderly Minnesotans, and send tuition and property taxes skyrocketing. Minnesotans will now experience the impact of a budget balanced by one person and see firsthand what happens when representative democracy is replaced by a politically ambitious Governor no longer accountable for his actions
to the people he represents. Democrats in the Legislature showed a willingness to work outside our ideological box, making deeper yet smarter budget cuts than initially proposed by the Governor and moderating our stance on revenue to try to meet in the middle. It’s unfortunate he and his GOP allies could not – or would not - do the same. But as Winston Churchill said at the height of World War: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” We’ll all need to muster our courage because there is so much left to be done. My commitment to you is to keep fighting on your behalf to minimize the fallout of the Governor’s budget cuts on our community; and to keep working for an economic recovery that provides opportunity for all. I ask for your partnership in that effort, because we’re stronger when we stand together than when we stand alone.
Members of Congress are cowards on Health Care Reform Black Press of America
By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist Health care reform, especially with the rising number of Americans losing their jobs and health benefits, is one of the more pressing public policy issues of the day. Yet, to borrow a phrase from Attorney General Eric Holder, too many Democrats and Republicans are cowards when it comes to taking on the powerful insurance and health care lobby. Some have weak-knees because they are in the pockets of industries that have the most to lose if the U.S. adopted universal health care. In those cases, large and regular
campaign donations have bought their complicity. In some other instances, members of Congress have argued that a national health plan would amount to socialism. That’s just plain ignorant. And a third group was waiting for an excuse – any excuse – to back away from health reform. That group got that excuse recently with estimates that universal health care is likely to be more costly than the Obama administration had projected. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said two competing plans would cost either $1 trillion or $1.5 trillion over the next decade. Though that figure was expected, the drawback is that under one of those scenarios, only 16 million of the uninsured would be covered, about a third of the pool that would need assistance. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina predicted on ABC’s “This Week” that the report might spell the end to efforts to reform the health
care system. “This idea’s unnerving to the members of the Senate,’’ he said. “I think this idea needs to go away.’’ Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, expressed similar sentiment on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “So, we’re in the position of dialing down some of our expectations to get the costs down so that it’s affordable and, most importantly, so that it’s paid for,’’ he said. “Because we can’t go to the point where we are now of not paying for something when we have trillions of dollars of debt.’’ Even some liberal Democrats are proving that they, too, are cowards on this issue. For example, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California called the question of cost “a very major and difficult subject.’’ Speaking on CNN, she said, ‘’I think there’s a lot of concern in the Democratic
caucus.’’ The concern should not be over the financial cost of action, but the human cost of inaction. In the world’s richest country, we have elderly people who are forced to choose between buying their medicines and eating. We have states willing to pay high costs on the back end of the system rather than investing less on the front end to prevent serious illnesses. And yes, we have a health care system that derives healthy – often exorbitant – profits as a result of people being sick. Rather than having the guts to face this issue squarely, the cowards make the ridiculous assertion that universal health care amounts to socialism. Is England a socialist country? What about Israel? And don’t forget our “socialist” neighbor to the north, Canada. The undisputed fact is that every industrailized country in the world, except the United States, offers universal health care. We spend more money on health care
than any other country yet have little to show for it. According to the World Health Organization, our health standard ranks 37th in the world. “What we know is that cost currently is crushing families and businesses,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said recently on ‘’Good Morning America.’’ “Unless we do something, we won’t be able to afford the health care we have, the health care we need,’’ she said. And most Americans agree. According to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll released Sunday, 72 percent of Americans favor a national health insurance program. “The polling data backs up our subjective view that to make health care reform work, you need a public option,’’ Rep. Charles Schumer told the Associated Press. Some politicians don’t spend much time reading or writing, but they can count. And since they are
cowards and don’t have the backbone to do the right thing, everyone should contact their elected officials and insist that they pass a national health care plan. And do this before the July 4th congressional break. One of the most disappointing things about Democrats as a group is that they are such political cowards. Love them or hate them, Republicans have a clear political vision. It is a perverted view but at least it’s a point of view. Democrats, on the other hand, are all over the place. And they grow even more scattered when they try to compromise with a group of Republicans hell-bent on opposing President Obama, regardless of the issue. For once, Democrats need to summon the courage to stand tall on this issue. It would be a good move politically and, more important, it would be good for the country. This would be a true Contract with America.
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Insight News • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Page 5
AESTHETICS Jada Pinkett Smith; the “HawthoRNe” interview Film Review
By Kam Williams Maryland native Jada Pinkett Smith studied dance and acting at the Baltimore School for the Arts and the North Carolina School of the Arts before getting her big break when she landed a role on the long-running NBC-series, “A Different World.” The multitalented actress, producer, director and philanthropist continually challenges herself in a variety of ways. Now, not only is she playing her first lead role in a TV-series on “HawthoRNe,” but she is also the show’s executive producer. Pinkett Smith’s recent work includes lending her voice to the role of Gloria in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. She previously co-starred in the remake of The Women, and is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Niobe in the The Matrix: Reloaded and The Matrix: Revolutions Choosing her roles carefully, Pinkett Smith appeared opposite Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle in Reign Over Me for Columbia Pictures, as well as playing a pivotal role opposite Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Collateral. Some of her other credits include Menace II Society, Jason’s Lyric, A Low Down Dirty Shame, The Nutty Professor, Set It Off and Scream 2, as well as voice work for Princess Mononoke. Just as she does in front of the camera, Jada continually challenges herself off-screen with new and exciting projects. For example, her eye for excellence helped her, as executive producer, to turn the best-selling novel The Secret Life of Bees into a hit movie that earned itself the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture earlier this year. Here, she shares her thoughts about her new show, “HawthoRNe,” where she’ll be playing the title character, a recently-widowed, single-mom who works as the compassionate chief nurse at mythical Richmond Trinity Hospital. This new dramatic series premieres on TNT on Tuesday, June 16 at 9:00 PM (ET/PT).
theme song, when Will gets out of the taxi, I always assumed that the cabdriver was Quincy Jones. Looks just like him. When I asked Rashida, she said had never heard that rumor before, and that she didn’t know for sure, but she didn’t think it was her father. Can you settle the mystery once and for all and tell us whether that’s Quincy behind the wheel? JPS: Yes I can. That cabdriver was not Quincy Jones. If I remember correctly, Will said he was actually somebody from Philly. And it’s a cabdriver for sure. I just can’t remember what the story is. But it absolutely is not Quincy Jones. KW: Thanks for clearing that up. My favorite film of yours is Bamboozled. Which is your favorite? JPS: Oh, man, I don’t think I’ve made it yet, to be honest with you. I don’t think I’ve made my favorite film yet. But I loved Bamboozled. Bamboozled to me is off the chain. It’s definitely in the ranking. I loved Bamboozled. KW: What interested you in returning to TV to do “HawthoRNe?” JPS: I was not looking to do television at all. I got a phone call from my manager, Miguel Melendez, and he says, “Listen, I really – I want you to read this script. I would never send this to you if I didn’t think it was fantastic.” I read it and then I let my husband read it. I was really interested in the project, and after a bit of back-and-forth I decided, you know what, I’m just going to go for it. I had vowed I’d never do television again. But I decided to take it because I needed something different. KW: Was the fact that you’d be going to TNT important? JPS: Well, I would say going to TNT was what closed the deal for me. Once I met everybody there, I really loved the group at TNT, and I liked what their expectations were for the show. So, I just felt this really could be a beautiful marriage.
KW: Hi, Jada. Thanks for the time. JPS: Thank you.
KW: Since you started playing a nurse, has your family started expecting you to cure their ailments? JPS: Well, my mother is a nurse. So she is pretty much the nurse of the family. She has gotten that kind of locked down. So no, I’d have to say my family pretty much knows that in real life any type of physical traumas like cuts and bruises and anything like that, you’ve got to call gammy for that.
KW: Before we start, I hope you could answer this trivia question. I recently interviewed Rashida Jones and I was asking her about the opening sequence of every episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Towards the end of the
KW: Does it mean anything to you that other than Jill Scott, you’re now the only Black female lead on a drama on television right now? JPS: I hadn’t really thought about that. I’m really grateful for the
Jada Pinkett Smith opportunity– but I just want to make a great show. I’m hoping that people can just see a great show, whether it’s an African American, an Asian, or a Native American that’s standing at the forefront. History-wise, there was probably a point in time when I wouldn’t have had this opportunity. So, to have this opportunity is a big deal for me. I’m very grateful for it. KW: Are there any plans for any of your children to appear on the series? JPS: As of right now, no. KW: Judging by your mother-inlaw on the show, Joanna Cassidy, I assume that your late husband was white or at least half-white. Will your daughter’s character being mixed be explored at all on the show? JPS: There definitely probably will be some exploring of it later on in the season. KW: Given Will’s success with the Fresh Prince, has he given you any tips on doing a series? JPS: Sure, my husband has a plethora of information to share. He is here with me, and he has really offered me an extraordinary amount of help on this particular project. I’m grateful for him. KW: How have you been handling all the blood in the
medical scenes? JPS: There won’t be much gore on the show. There was one scene where somebody had an open gash on their leg and that kind of caught me off-guard. I’m really not one for a lot of physical gore like that, which is why my mother is very surprised that I’m playing nurse. But on this show, we really are dealing more with how people are being affected by their ailment s versus focusing on the ailments themselves. KW: Diahann Carroll, as Julia, played the first Black nurse in a title role on TV back in the Sixties. Do you feel any type of connection to that history? JPS: I do, I do feel connection to that history, absolutely – because she’s the only prominent Black female nurse that I can think of who’s been on television. I feel both for that character and for Diahann Carroll as an actress, and I appreciate the road that she and paved for me to even have the possibility of being an actress in Hollywood. KW: I know your mother’s a nurse. What does your dad do for a living? JPS: My father has been in construction for pretty much all his working years. KW: How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an actress?
Book review: Kevin and His Dad By Kam Williams “What could be better for a young boy than to spend a whole day with his father! With mom away on a Saturday, that’s exactly what Kevin gets to do. First, he and his dad clean the house together, and then it’s time for some baseball and even a movie. Told in Kevin’s words, this lovely picture book evokes the excitement, pride, pleasure and love a boy can experience with a father who includes him in both the work and play of a weekend day.” — Excerpted from synopsis — With Father’s Day looming on the horizon, I’m sure plenty of folks are starting to think about buying a meaningful gift for the man in their life. Well, any dad with a young son would undoubtedly appreciate this timeless classic, first published a decade ago, by Irene Smalls, the award-winning author of 15 children’s books and three interactive storytelling CDs designed with African American youngsters in mind. Over the years, Kevin and His Dad has proven to be increasingly invaluable given the frightening statistics reflecting the deteriorating state of the Black family. Regardless of whose poll you believe, the numbers are shocking, with anywhere from 70 to 90 per cent of Black kids now being raised by single-moms. The situation is so dire that, a
But I digress, for the purpose of this piece is not to rehash that highly-publicized squabble but to recommend a socially-relevant book which nourishes the notion of Black boys bonding with their fathers. Neither sensational nor fanciful in tone, it rather relates a simple day-in-the-life of a father and son content just to be in each other’s company. Delightfully-illustrated by Michael Hays, the matter-of-fact narrative unfolds in a way which suggests that Kevin takes all the pleasure in the world in such seemingly-mundane experiences as doing household chores, playing catch, or going to see a movie, at least when he’s next to his Dad. Credit must go to the insightful author for subtly driving home such a salient point, for besides simply having a natural way with words, she’s a cultural historian with degrees from Cornell and NYU on her www.inspire4less.com impressive resume’. Ever so subtly, she weaves for “talking down to Black a richness right into the fabric of her carefully-crafted tale which people.” [http://www.youtube.com/watch? reflects a deep understanding of how to touch on the African v=4aLGkFpsdHo] The irony here is that, if American condition in an fashion while anybody, Reverend Jackson was understated the one who might stand to benefit simultaneously exploring a very from having his manhood universal theme to which people castrated. After all, he had of any ethnicity can readily relate. irresponsibly fathered an out-of- Smalls has dedicated Kevin and wedlock love child, the result of His Dad to the source of her an extramarital affair with a inspiration, namely, her dear young woman who has since nephew Kevin who was adopted spoken bitterly about how he’s by his altruistic Aunt Irene at the failed in his parental age of seven. responsibilities. Go figure! year ago, even Barack Obama took a break from the campaign trail to deliver his controversial Father’s Day sermon back at a church in Chicago during which he criticized delinquent absenteedads for “acting like boys instead of men,” noting that “the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.” Shortly thereafter, however, Jesse Jackson, Sr. was caught on an open microphone stating that he wanted to cut-off Obama’s [bleep]
To order a copy of Kevin and His Dad, visit: http://www.irenesmalls.com/ To hire Ms. Smalls to stage a storytelling presentation at your school, church or library, email: ISmalls107@aol.com or call (617) 266-0262.
JPS: I was about three when I wanted to be an actress. I knew that I would definitely be participating in Hollywood in some way. I didn’t know the amount of success I would enjoy, but I knew I would be here at some capacity. KW: Tell me a little about your friendship with Tupac while in performing arts school. JPS: Tupac and I were just close
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friends because we had such an insatiable drive and passion for acting and entertainment. It was inevitable as far as we were both concerned. KW: Thanks again for the interview, Jada, and best of luck to you with the new show. JPS: Thank you.
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LIFESTYLE Three good excuses for having a summer party Style on a dime
By Marcia Humphrey My family will be hosting a summer party soon. Unlike every other party we have ever thrown, I have to confess that I am not looking forward to hosting this particular party —let me explain. In a couple of weeks, my husband’s best friend since they were in fourth grade, John, and his family (five children, one wife) will be moving from Minneapolis to Germany. Although I have known for two years that this day would be coming at this time, somehow I am feeling unprepared for the loss of these wonderful friends. Although it did not start out this way, John’s wife, Rachel, and I have grown very close (she claims I was a slightly rude hostess the first time she visited me over 14 years ago. It was not intentional!). In fact, in my eyes she is a sister to me. So in some
ways, this party has come to represent the reality that I will be losing the physical presence of my friend and sister. I realize that what the Bible says about how “there is a time place and season for everything” is true. Since this season is quickly coming to a close, it’s only right that we gather together and reflect on the ways in which our lives have touched and were made better because of it. Strengthening old relationships and building new ones through gathering together is always a worthwhile investment. Although you don’t need a huge budget or a special occasion to have big fun, you do need a date and a guest list. Grab your ink pen and calendar and let’s think of a few excuses to have a summer party. Host A Party to Reconnect with Family and Friends Remember, simple is the name of the game. Instead of stressing over the perfect menu, keep it simple with baked beans, salad, meatballs, or chicken. Enjoy a game night-playing cards, Trivia Pursuit, or Monopoly. Set the tone with some of your favorite old-school music. Your family and friends will appreciate you taking the lead and getting the party started (They had been
meaning to throw a party). Host A Summer Party to Celebrate Your Progress or Mark the Beginning/End of a Season of Life We all like to feel supported and celebrated. After all, it helps to keep us encouraged and motivated. Are you doing well in your computer class? Did your spouse just get a new job or a promotion at work? Has your daughter been maintaining her spot on the honor roll? Bring everyone in on the celebration and help to cheer on your loved one (yourself included). Host A Summer Party to Say Thank You On the road of life, there are times that we find ourselves in need. That’s when good people step up, come along side of us, and lend a hand. This may be the perfect time to acknowledge those who helped you carry your burden when it was too heavy. Consider hosting a light brunch and serving a budget-friendly egg dish along with potatoes prepared your favorite way. As a child, I can remember watching the “Carol Burnet Variety Show.” At the end of each show, Carol would sing, “I’m so
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glad we had this time together, just to have a laugh or sing a song. Seems we just get started and before you know it, comes the time we have to say, ‘So long.’” Whether we realize it or not, our opportunities to spend time with
the ones we love is a limited-timeoffer. Therefore, make the most of this summer season by hosting a low-key, low-cost gathering that serves to reconnect and renew relationships. Enjoy!
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.
Retailers cut women sizes to save money By Shantella Sherman Special to the NNPA from the Washington Informer WASHINGTON (NNPA) National health reports conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
say that the average American woman is 5’4” in height, weighs approximately 164 pounds, and wears a size 14. In fact, 68 percent of American women are now considered “plus-sized,” making the announcement by Crain’s New York Business, that the nation’s recession had caused national retailers, including some
major chains, to discontinue women’s plus sizes to save money, shocking to many. Stores, including Ann Taylor and Bloomingdales, started to reduce clothing sizes and will begin carrying only sizes 0 to 10, 12 or 14 (depending on the clothing line) in store. Still others, like area Filene’s Basements, while holding on temporarily to the space inside their stores, have eliminated most of the clothing in them and according to sales associates, will not get additional clothing sized 16 and above, until some time in
October. The rationale is that plussized fashion lines are also more expensive to produce, given the extra material needed and the need to hire plus size models. Still, as some shoppers at the Mall at Prince George’s explained, the cost has always trickled down to the customers. “The clothing may cost more to produce, but we are still talking pennies on the dollar. Anyway, you only need to look at the tags of clothes size 10 and 20 to see that the difference in cost – sometimes three or four dollars,
sometimes 10 or 15 dollars, is being passed on to the plus-sized consumer,” said LaTavia Brown, 27, of Hyattsville, MD. Eboni Fisher, 19, of Bowie, MD, said that the retailers were also not factoring ethnicity in the making of clothing, which for some with larger hips, thighs, and backsides, forced them into plussized pieces though they were not considered plus-sized. “A lot of women of color have small waistlines, but have ‘apple bottoms’ and hips. By my waist I should be in a size 10 pants, but I need a 16 for the fit to be right. I think that, in the end, the regular stores will lose out and places like Lane Bryant will reap the benefits,” Fisher said. Some chains have actually increased their lines to include larger sizes, particularly those serving youth markets. While this measure is more a function of the expanding waists of grammar school children and adolescents, stores like Forever 21, Old Navy, and Gap, offer sizes up to 20. R.J. Miller, 56, a Greenbeltbased financial consultant, said that while it may be poor judgment on the part of the retailers, many are looking strictly at their bottom line in determining what to eliminate in hard times. “It is clear that retailers don’t respect their plus-sized customers by the fact that the departments are usually hidden in the basements or on the upper levels, next to bedding, customer service or the toilets,” Miller said. “This brings the point
home, though it is masked as a recession-induced measure to address an eight percent fall in sales last year, compared to a two percent decline for the 0 to 12 size sector.” Some data suggests the move to purge plus-sized clothing began before the announcement made two weeks ago. Clothier Liz Claiborne started restructuring two years ago, by eliminating its plus-sized line Elisabeth. A year later, Liz Claiborne closed Sigrid Olsen, a popular line that had a dedicated plus-size following, and sold another line, Ellen Tracy, to Fashionology Group, which opted out of plus-size clothing completely earlier this year. Bloomingdale’s moved their plus-size department at one of their New York stores to the third floor from the basement two years ago. The company is also offering fewer lines. Bloomingdale’s no longer carries AK Anne Klein Plus in its stores but sells the collection on the Web, employees said. It now stocks only the group’s standard women’s and petite collections in stores. Bloomingdale’s declined to comment. One consolation prize, is that many of these stores and lines are still available on-line through ecommerce, Miller said. Many of the same retailers yanking departments will allow these products to be purchased through their on-line sites. So far Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Old Navy have moved their larger sizes to e-commerce.
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Insight News • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Page 7
BUSINESS Bully bosses: Is your leadership style an obstacle to success? Plan your career By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com One of my best bosses was also the worst. Glynn tackled every problem with a right hook. She knew how to argue, and looked for opportunities to practice. The consummate bully, if she disliked someone’s attitude, she complained about it to others. If someone’s results were poor, she
called them out in front of everyone, often shouting and, no kidding, stamping her feet. Glynn taught us all we needed to know about how not to lead an organization. Most people have encountered a manager like Glynn. But what if you discover that the workplace bully is… you? Some managers learn through a review that others are complaining. Or you might notice that people recoil when you enter a room. Instinctively you go on the defensive, blame others, or write it off as “their problem,” not yours. If a tough, honest assessment reveals that you are contributing to the problem, you’d be smart to use
this self-awareness to your advantage. According to Charles Darwin, it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but rather the most responsive to change. You know you’re a bully at work if you: lead through intimidation, expecting results because you demand them; you have to do everything yourself or you redo others’ work because only you can get it right; you prefer to make decisions on your own, without gathering ideas from co-workers; you seek out others when they screw up, but know little about them personally. In their book, Grown Up Leadership, Leigh and Maureen
Bailey suggest managers can achieve better results by stepping up their interpersonal skills. They recommend that leaders get to know people personally, asking about their families or interests. Learn what motivates them, so you can persuade them toward the results you need. Versatility is an underrated management tool. Tiger Woods is not golfing with the same clubs he had at age ten because times and technology change. Intimidating managers can miss out on the innovation and ingenuity of colleagues. Try planning ahead to speak less and listen more in meetings and conversations. This is not easy. Taking notes can help you focus
$2.1M community development youth employment Summer youth employment, home improvements and a library expansion are some of the projects that will benefit from a $2.1 million community development block grant the City is pursuing though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD.) The money is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It will create up to 500 temporary and permanent jobs and further Invest Saint Paul projects that strengthen our historic neighborhoods and support residents in communities that have been both hampered by years of disinvestment and disproportionately affected by the recent housing crisis. “This economy has hit urban centers especially hard neighborhoods already affected by years of disinvestment. This money will help us provide both seasonal and permanent jobs, invest in recreation centers and libraries, and attract both commercial and housing investments that will strengthen our historic communities,” Mayor Chris Coleman said.
Among the projects the grant money would support: • adding a computer lab at the West 7th Library to assist job seekers; • expanding the Summer Youth Employment program to both increase the number of participants and provide yearround jobs; • securing or demolishing vacant buildings which threaten public health and safety; and • providing homeowners with information and incentives to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes. In addition, the grant will help launch a new public-private partnership, an urban hydroponics farm on Rice Street that will create jobs and provide locallygrown produce to area grocery outlets. The hydroponics farm, alone, is expected to create 40 construction jobs and another 50 permanent jobs in the North End neighborhood. In 2008, the City submitted its application for a community development block grant but was requested to amend its application to receive new money allocated
through the Recovery Act. HUD is in the midst of a 45-day review process and the City hopes to gain
approval to proceed with its proposed activities by mid-July.
on what others are saying, rather than interjecting your own opinion. You might be surprised at what the idiots around you bring to the table. You might also be disappointed. But at least you know what options might be open to you. Self-awareness is the best means of moving ahead in your career. Own your own behavior, and change it when you need to and your team will begin to respond more effectively to your leadership. Julie Desmond is a career consultant with 15 years recruiting and coaching experience. Write to Julie@insightnews.com.
mochamanual.com
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HEALTH What is stress: stages, symptoms and treatments Health & Wellness
By Brandi Patterson-Phillips Stress is a very interesting and complex concept. Many people know what stress is by concept (not definition), but do not realize the potential negative effects it can have on the body. Negative stress, if not dealt with properly can lead to multiple negative symptoms and ultimately disease. According to Webster’s Dictionary, stress is defined as a “physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.”
About.com listed four different types of stress: Eustress (fun and exciting stress), acute stress (short-term stress, either positive or negative), episodic acute stress (a way of life; drama queens), or chronic stress (stress related to everyday activity, such as a bad marriage or a terrible job). For this article we will discuss the effects of negative stress. According to www.lesstress.net, our body responds to stressful situations by initiating 1400 different activities, which include, but are not limited to, dumping a variety of chemicals in the body. According to this website, individuals undergo, three stages when adapting to negative stress. The first stage is the stage of stress alarm reaction, also called the fight or flight stage. In this initial stage, our bodies become more alert and develop a sudden strength to deal with whatever is presented to us as a stressor. In
10 recession-proof stress relievers that cost little or nothing Stretch/Yoga - calms the mind body and spirit, improves circulation, releases tension, tones the body! Warm Bubble Bath or Shower - relaxes the muscles, creates quiet time for yourself (don’t forget the oils and candles)!
positive things that make you happy! Get a Massage - releases muscle tension, just ask a friend or loved one, or child for this service! Dance - to you favorite song, getting your blood flowing and releasing stress and tension!
Journaling - gets important issues off your chest, releasing it into the universe!
Talk - talk it out to someone you trust! Let it Go!
Walk or Run - helps you “Breathe, Stretch, Shake, Let it Go”!
Listen to Music - with a positive message that leads to reduced stress!
Meditate - creates mental focus, blocking out negativity, by focusing your mind on
Count - backward from 10. Slowly, Slowly and repeat!
Welfare From 1 people who attack the poor and low income people,” explained Jackson,” she said.
The issues among poor people in Minnesota are numerous. “We win some and lose some but somebody has to do it,” said Jackson. Jackson and Gawboy passionately discuss their successful efforts to extend unemployment insurance and to cease the government from
this stage your body is pumping adrenaline and your heart, lungs, brain, nervous system and muscles are all stimulate by the release of a hormones. As reported by www.lesstress.com, the stage of stress resistance is the second stage. In this stage, the body’s functions return to almost normal. Heart rate and other body functions are normalized, but the body is still ready and alert. During this stage, cortisol and thyroxin are released to speed up the repair of the bodies tissues that we damaged during the fight or flight stage. The third and final stage of negative stress is the stage of stress exhaustion. This stage is the most dangerous, and if not handle and dealt with properly can lead to burnout. Anger and anxiety are just a few of the many emotions that can lead to stressrelated burnout. When burnout occurs, it can lead to such disorders as depression, insecurity, mental illness, chemical dependency, diabetes, hair loss, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, obesity, obsessive-compulsive/anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunction, infertility, constipation, muscle pain and weakness, tooth and gum disease, ulcers, memory loss, decreased productivity at home and work, sleep and skin disorders and possibly cancer. About.com reports that 90% of doctor’s visits are for symptoms that are related to stress. Many things can cause stress such as financial problems, relationship changes, major life cycle changes, being overly busy, family and friends, as well as work and career duties and expectations. Stress does not have to be something that we live with, but rather something we can learn to deal with, so that we can alleviate the extra pressures and anxieties from our lives. We all experience stressful cutting $125 per month to MFIP and SSI families. The committee works year round, lobbying at the Capitol when the legislature is in session and using the remainder of the year for strategic planning. They hold meetings every other Saturday, protest and create other various activities to spread the message. The committee stresses the importance of building relationships with politicians to help combat the issues at hand. “We have relationships with a couple of politicians. You have to get one of them to agree to take your stuff on to even get started in the process,” explained Gawboy. Most recently, the committee protested against unjust evictions and foreclosures, qualification for unemployment and unemployment insurance, the expiration of the General Medical Assistance Care (GMAC) and the unallotment of money from the state budget. “If the economy is not helping these people, there has to be a welfare system to help or these people are going to die,” said Gawboy. GMAC is a medical assistance program that assists low-income people who only make $7,000 or less a year. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has supported
http://www.papaspantry.org/images/Stressed.jpg situations at some point in our lives and with adequate information and resources, we can effectively deal with stress so that it does not have a negative effect on the rest of our lives or the lives of those closest to us. If you think you are suffering from stress, please consult someone you can trust or a health professional that will help you deal with you concerns before they lead to mental, emotional or
physical burnout. Brandi Patterson Phillips is a freelance health and wellness reporter with an extensive background in mental and physical health training and education. She is also a Life Skills Coach, fitness trainer and professional dancer. She is currently studying for her M.B.A. at St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis. Brandi currently
teaches @ Creative Arts High School in St. Paul, MN, Summit Early Learning Center in Minneapolis, and is president of the Minnesota Fit Club for Women. Please direct all health and wellness questions to bodybybrandiva@gmail.com. Answers will be chosen to appear in subsequent Insight News editions.
Linden Gawboy, Tasha Jackson and Mehgaan Jones legislation that account for the expiration of GMAC for 30,000 to 35,000 people. It is easy to sit back and hope that the government helps poor people who are struggling to meet their basic needs say Gawboy and Jackson. The Welfare Rights Committee takes
action and fights with zeal and passion to ensure that lowincome people receive assistance. “It’s life or death. If the economy is not providing the jobs, not providing the education, not providing the healthcare and housing, people
Suluki Fardan
are going to die,” stated Gawboy. To join the Welfare Rights Committee in their efforts or for more information please (612) 822-8020 or email the committee at WelfareRightsMN@yahoo.com.
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Insight News • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Page 9
Court affirms ranked choice voting in Minneapolis The Court said the RCV system satisfies constitutional requirements because all votes are treated equally: “[e]very voter has the same opportunity to rank candidates when she casts her ballot, and in each round every voter’s vote carries the same value.” The Court also found that there was “no indication, much less proof” that RCV would impose a burden on the right to vote. Chief Justice Magnuson said since Minneapolis voters chose this voting method held the court would not interfere with that choice. The ruling sets the stage for other communities to consider
RCV initiatives. The Saint Paul City Council voted in 2008 to uphold a citizen’s petition to place RCV on the ballot in 2009 upon resolution of the law suit in Minneapolis. Duluth may see RCV on the ballot for municipal elections next year. Jeanne Massey, executive director of FairVote Minnesota, applauded the Minnesota Supreme Court decision . FairVote Minnesota attorneys James Dorsey and Nicole Moen praised the Court’s decision: “The Court also noted that RCV promotes many legitimate state interests, such as increasing voter turnout and decreasing election
costs,” they said in a statement to the press. Dorsey and Moen also dismissed the impact of the plaintiffs’ intention to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court: “The Minneapolis City Attorney has already determined that a ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court requires the city to implement RCV for this election cycle. The Court’s decision rests on a thoughtful and solid analysis of Minnesota and United States Supreme Court precedent. If the plaintiffs pursue their claims in federal court, the outcome will likely be the same.”
In 2006, Minneapolis voters approved the use of RCV by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, 65 percent to 35 percent. The case, Minnesota Voters Alliance v City of Minneapolis (27-cv-0815), was filed in December 2007 to challenge implementation of the voting method, but was rejected last January by Hennepin County District Judge George McGunnigle. RCV is a tested, accepted and implementable system by which voters rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring majority winners in singlewinner races where there are more than two candidates on the
ballot. Under RCV, voters cast their vote for their favorite candidate knowing that if he or she doesn’t gather enough votes to be one of the top two finishers, their votes will count toward their second choice. Votes cast for the least popular candidate are not “wasted”, but rather redistributed to more popular candidates, based on the voters’ second choices, until one candidate emerges with a majority of votes. In multiwinner elections, like the Minneapolis Park Board RCV ensures majority rule while empowering small groups of voters with greater opportunity to elect a candidate that
represents them. RCV is already in use in more than a half a dozen jurisdictions around the United States and in democracies such as Ireland and Australia. Eight jurisdictions in six states – California, North Carolina, Maryland, Vermont, Colorado and Washington – currently use RCV voting methods without legal challenge. Nearly a dozen other cities are slated to use RCV in the near future; nowhere has RCV been legally challenged.
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) achieves goal The number of young people detained each day at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) dropped 33 percent over the past three years. The change is one of the goals sought when implementing the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) which has been piloted in Hennepin County since 2005. The average daily population for the JDC in 2005 (pre-JDAI) was 95 youth. In 2008, the average daily population of youth in detention was 64 youth, a trend which continues in 2009. “JDAI has helped improve outcomes for young people and the community by not using unnecessary detentions for youth,” says Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Tanya Bransford, co-chair of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. “We want to hold young people accountable for their behavior. But JDAI is demonstrating how to do that in a more cost efficient and effective way.” Prior to JDAI, research showed that youth were being detained for infractions that did not pose a public-safety risk. As part of the initiative, juvenile detention staff now uses a new risk assessment tool to help evaluate whether a young person should be held in secure detention or is eligible for a community-based alternative. Research also showed that before JDAI, approximately onethird of the warrants for the
arrest of juveniles was due to failure to appear in court. Now, the new Court Calling Reminder Program uses volunteers to make reminder calls to youth and their parents about court dates, reducing the number of noshows by nearly 20 percent. “This helps Juvenile Court operate more efficiently,” said Bransford, who spent six years as a Juvenile Court judge, including two and a half years as presiding Judge Tanya judge. “In Bransford addition, we anticipate this effort will help reduce the cost of serving bench warrants in these cases.” The decrease in annual admissions to the Juvenile Detention Center is also expected to produce cost savings which JDAI is seeking to have redirected to expanding and sustaining community-based alternatives. Meanwhile, juvenile crime in 2008 dropped 17 percent over 2007 and 29 percent over 2006. According to Bransford, Hennepin County has targeted juvenile crime with a highly collaborative effort involving many organizations including the Courts, the County Attorney’s office, Minneapolis police, the city, and schools. “JDAI is helping us avoid the negative
Ellison
actually spend the monies provided them on actual health care services.”
From 1 Act of 2009 requires that all health plans participating in this exchange have a minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) of 90%. A medical loss ratio identifies the proportion of a plan’s premium revenue that a health plan devotes to health care versus administrative costs (or returns to shareholders). Most of Minnesota’s health plans have medical loss ratios ranging from 89-95%. “Now is time to provide universal, affordable health care to all of our citizens,” Ellison said. “One way to fund universal health care is to make sure that the health plans
behaviors that can develop from having a juvenile who has committed a low-level offense, like curfew violation, placed in secure detention with youth far more deeply involved in the system.”
Another goal of the JDAI is to eliminate the disproportionate representation of juveniles of color in secure detention. From 2005-2008 the number of African American youth detained daily at the Juvenile Detention
Center dropped 33 percent. However, last year youth of color still accounted for more than 90 percent of the daily population in the JDC, a challenge JDAI continues to work on.
JDAI is being piloted in four Minnesota counties—Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota and St. Louis with support from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the national Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, ben@insightnews.com, by fax: 612588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Free or low cost events preferred. Events Touch Kickball at Phelps Park Ongoing
Come and play TOUCH kickball with your family & friends June 27 Aug. 22 (except the 4th of July). 4:00 every Saturday at PHELPS PARK, 39th & Chicago Ave. More information: 612-824-4900, kelley01@visi.com.
Jevetta and Fred Steele “Live on the Drive” – July 9 Thurs. 6 to 8 p.m. on Victory Memorial Parkway at 34th Avenue North in Mpls. More information: 612-588-1155 or www.clevelandneighborhood.org.
‘9 Nights of Music’ Free Concerts Return to History Center - June 30 through Aug. 25 Every Tuesday at the Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul. Info: 651-259-3000, www.mnhs.org/9nights
Free NDC workshop: Survive & Thrive in Tough Times - July 9 Thurs., 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at North Regional Library, 1315 Lowry Ave N. Mpls. Receive guidance on how to manage and invest money with a limited income. Preregister with Brian at 651-379-8429.
Community Organizer
ISAIAH is an ecumenical, multi-racial, nonpartisan congregation-based organizing network in the Twin City and St. Cloud regions of MN. Seeking a full time experienced community organizer to expand cluster of member congregations in the Northwest Metro and engage grassroots leaders of faith in campaigns to promote racial and economic justice in the state. Email jobsearch.isaiah@gmail.org for position description, qualifications and application deadline, or go to www.gamaliel.org/ISAIAH.
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WASHINGTON COUNTY HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY The Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (WCHRA) is accepting applications for the full time position of Deputy Executive Director. Minimum requirements are a Bachelor's Degree in Housing, Public Administration, Planning, or similar field, and four years experience at a housing authority or public entity, non-profit, or for profit firm focusing on housing and economic development finance and programs. Position responsible for housing development programs, home ownership/foreclosure counseling programs, and capital investment planning. Excellent benefit package available, salary commensurate with experience beginning at $70,370. To request an application packet, email smeza@wchra.com, call 651-458-0936, or download from www.wchra.com. Deadline for application materials is 4:30 p.m., Thursday, July 16, 2009.
Mill City Live Returns with Outdoor Music and Museum Admission for One Low Price – July 9 through Aug. 13 Every Thursday, 6 – 8 pm at Mill City Museum, 704 South Second Street, Mpls. www.millcitymuseum.org Arts of the Garden – July 11 Sat. July 11 at Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 2240 North Shore Drive, Wayzata, MN 55391. Registration: 952-473-7361 ext. 16. www.minnetonkaarts.org. Dragon Festival – July 11 & 12 Phalen Lake Park, St. Paul. Food, performances, Asian vendors and lots of entertainment create a family friendly atmosphere. www.dragonfestival.org
Jamie Foxx’s “Intuition Tour,” – July 23 The “Intuition Tour” will come to the US Bank Theatre at Target Center, Thursday at 8 PM. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Box Office. Charge by phone at 1800-745-3000. FFI: 612-673-0900. Khalid El-Amin welcome home benefit - July 24 Friday, 9 pm - 1 am at The Favor Cafe, 913 W. Lake St., Mpls. Please RSVP to info@elaminbasketball.com. Guest list will be enforced. Bring your canned goods. Art at St. Kate’s – July 25 Saturday, July 25, 2009, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at St. Catherine University, Randolph and Cleveland Avenues, Saint Paul. Free event. www.artistscircle.org 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
artifacts from the Society’s collection, including an atlas from 1595, displayed along side current road, city and tourist maps. www.mnhs.org. Freedom Jazz Festival - Aug. 1 Sat., 1:00 - 7:30 PM at Minnehaha Park Band Shell, 4801 Minnehaha Avenue South, Mpls. The 4th Annual “Neighborhood Link-Up” – Aug. 15 Sat., Aug. 15, 12:00pm- 4:00pm at The Jordan New Life Hub, 1922 26th Ave No. Minneapolis (corner of Newton and 26th Ave No.). 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, artspacked 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 651379-8119. 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
‘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
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Insight News • June 29 - July 5, 2009 • Page 11
SPORTS AAU State Track Meet shows the strength of TC youth Mr T’s Sports Report
By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com There are a lot of complaints about a lack of things to do for youth, but I am here to say that this notion is an absolute lie. Anyone who takes a moment to observe the activities of the several youth track institutions that exist in Minnesota understands that there is too much “good” out there for children of all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds to participate in. The AAU State Youth Track Meet was recently held at Eagan High School. It was an important occurrence
comb the streets of the cities and pick-up kids off of corners to take them somewhere they could be transformed. One observation is that of the faces you see on the youth participants in the accompanying pictures. There is no hiding in track. You’re by yourself on stage. The handsome young man DiAndre Boykin was nowhere near the lead in his race, but what you see is a successful child. His determination will either lead to him experiencing phenomenal improvement in the sport of track, or phenomenal achievement in the many other activities that interest him. DiAndre won, and will win. And the face that you see on each of those children is the exact expression that you want to see. In former NBA Championship coach Pat Riley’s book The Winner Within he states “Effort is the path to excellence.” What you see in
There were simply too many successful youth at the AAU Youth State Track Meet to mention them all. Congratulations to all! considering that the meet was not held last year. Difficulties with city schools and city controlled sports facilities forced the track meet to the suburbs, and Eagan High School should be commended for its outreach to host such an important event. Additionally, the producers of the meet should be commended for such a well-organized production. Operating a track meet is not easy at all, and thus the community should recognize that there is a solid, intelligent, group of community leaders behind it all. Despite the year respite, the contingent of youth track teams continues to grow at a steady pace. The population of the state meet showed the promise of the great vision that the many adult leaders feel is possible here in Minnesota. States such as California, Florida, Texas, and even smaller neighbors such as Iowa and Nebraska host meets with floods of children. The great part about track is that all the kids get to participate. Oh trust, track coaches will find something for your child to do. In addition to the powerhouse track institutions of Track Minnesota, I.C.A.A. Breeze, and Northstar Track Club, also in attendance were teams from Woodbury, and Hospitality House. As proof that nobody is left out of the opportunity to compete, there were also several youth that competed unattached to any organization. In watching the many youth compete at the State Track Meet, my usual flood of youth development epiphanies surfaced and made me want to
the face of these youth is effort. And I can attest to the fact that showing effort, and undeterred dignity in defeat on a huge stage like of running track, is a powerful step to success. There were several standout performances and it seemed like most children left with some form of recognition. Sidreshia Floyd, of Track Minnesota Elite (T.M.E.), turned in the overall fastest time in the girl’s 100meter and 200meter races. Nailah Hill, Morgan Stampley, LaBrishia Michael, Alejandra Redwing, and Cameron Downey of T.M.E. dominated the shot put and discus throwing events, and Track Minnesota led the way in the Girls relay events as well. On the Boy’s side, I.C.A.A. Breeze heavily dominated with a deep group of strong young men among those names were: Troy Pollard (400m), Calvin Clark (100m, 200m, 400m), Keelon Brookins (100m, 200m, 400m), Jakobi Jackson (100m, 200m, 400m), Andrew Lewis (100m), among many more. In the boy’s throwing events heavy recognition goes to Hunter Downey who dominated all three of the throwing events in his particular youth division. I strongly recommend that everyone go to www.wayzataresults.com to see the full results of the AAU Minnesota District Track meet, because there are simply too many names of too many awesome young people that need to be recognized. A big “congratulations” to all involved, and strong suggestion to participate to all others.
DiAndre Boykin 6th grader with ICAA Breeze YouthTrack Team
Photos: Ryan T. Scott
Elise Anderson (center) of Track Minnesota
European’s racist taunts toward soccer star sparks lawsuit Special to the NNPA from GIN (GIN) — During eight years of professional soccer in Europe, American-born Oguchi Onyewu (Gooch) had grown accustomed to monkey noises and racial remarks made by fans toward Black players. But racist taunts at a recent match in Belgium finally pushed the former Howard University student to action. In what many consider an overdue reaction to racism in sports, Onyewu is suing his white opponent Jelle Van Damme over inflammatory
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remarks made on May 21. In a legal complaint filed in a Belgian court, Onyewu claims Van Damme violated the country’s laws against public insult and criminal defamation. “I just wanted to make it public,” Onyewu, 27, said in an interview. “People have got to be aware that certain things in sport are not acceptable.” Onyewu is not seeking monetary damages but simply “moral compensation” - in other words, a public apology. Van Damme, who is white, has denied making any racial
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remarks during the match and has said he is not a racist. Said Onyewu’s lawyer: “You have players of African origin who are regularly pushed by opponents with words to provoke or unsettle them. Most don’t have the professional status to come in the open and say, ‘I’ve had enough of that.’ Oguchi is a big guy, mentally and physically. He’s well established. With this action, he is saying, ‘If I don’t do it, who is going to do it?’ ”
www.blackathlete.com
Oguchi Onyewu
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