IT’S COOL TO BE CRUNCHY Hipster hip-hoppers, Crunchy Kids provide alternative to swagger rap MORE ON PAGE
July 1 - July 7, 2013
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Vol. 40 No. 27 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
MUL.
Getting
Daymond John
knowledge
By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Attendees of the 87th Annual Minneapolis Urban league (MUL) were treated to a “private” lesson in business from trailblazing entrepreneur Daymond John, founder of FUBU and star of ABC’s “Shark Tank.” The gala, which celebrated the civil rights organization’s 87 years of providing economic and employment resources to the area’s residents of color,
was recently held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The lesson was private in that John, who has an estimated net worth of $250 million, admonished anyone from taping his motivational address. “You paid to be here to get this knowledge,” said John. “Don’t record this and go and give it to someone else for free. You should tell them (anyone not in attendance) they should have been here.”
GALA TURN TO 12
A movement for a new era of transformation Last week at our annual gala the Minneapolis Urban League celebrated 87 years as an organization in the movement for civil rights, social justice, and economic empowerment for African Americans. With the changing times, changing demographics, and changing priorities, I am
Gateway to excellence By Scott Gray MUL President/CEO
often challenged to defend the need for an organization like the Urban League. There is currently a wealth gap, an education gap, a jobs gap, an opportunity gap – each a mile long that is pervasive in the African American community and I am a bothered that the fire that started the civil rights
movement years ago seems to have dimmed. In my remarks I shared that the Minneapolis Urban League is calling for a New Era of Transformation. An era that is strategic and focused, an era that is passionate about the fight, and an era that is persistent and determined to drive change in
our communities. In preparing to honor our 2013 trailblazer, Dr. Josie Johnson, I had the privilege of spending some time with her discussing the progress of the movement. Dr. Johnson is someone who was around for the marches and protests of 1963 and led delegations to ensure the successful passing
of the Voting Rights Act. I was inspired and reenergized to continue the press for progress. The events of the last couple of weeks have served as a bitter reminder that our society has changed much and that a
GRAY TURN TO 2
Voting rights at risk By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer The United States Supreme Court – in a sharply divided, 5 - 4 ruling – struck down a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. The act, which ensures that previously disenfranchised voters – in particular, African-
President Barack Obama
Pete Souza
Obama pledges to fight for restoration of Voting Rights Act By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON – President Obama has pledged that his administration will do “everything in its power” to repair the damage
done by the United States Supreme Court on Tuesday when it struck down a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. “I am deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision today,” he said in a statement. “For nearly 50 years,
Leadership Will we choose to harness the potential of youth in our global village?
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the Voting Rights Act – enacted and repeatedly renewed by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress – has helped secure the right to vote for millions of Americans. Today’s decision invalidating
VOTING TURN TO 4
Americans – have guaranteed equal access to the ballot box, had Section 4 stripped by the High Court this past Tuesday (June 25). Section 4 required a “preclearance” for nine states and certain jurisdictions that meant they had to get approval from the United States Department of Justice before making any voting changes. Congress last reviewed the pre-clearance formula in 2006. With Section 4 being struck
down, many who had hoped the court would have ruled differently say Section 5 is now in jeopardy. Section 5, which is the teeth for Section 4, freezes election practices or procedures in certain states until the new procedures have been subjected to review, either after an administrative review by the
COURT TURN TO 11
Disappointed by Supreme Court decision (Washington, D.C.) Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down a key component of the 1965 Voting Rights Act: “I’m very disappointed to learn of the court’s decision today striking down a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. People of all races, religions, and backgrounds joined together and fought for that law because every one of us deserves a
fair shake and a fair chance at achieving our version of the American dream. The right to vote gives us the power to take our future into our own hands and the court’s decision today undermines this very important principle. The ruling ignores significant evidence of continuing racial discrimination and efforts to interfere with the rights of minority voters. Congress must now act and pass legislation to ensure the right to vote is protected for every American.”
Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif)
Education
Business
Full Circle
St. Paul teachers build parent engagement, trust
Success at work: It’s all fun and games
We hold these truths to be self-evident
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Leadership NEXT!
Will we choose to harness the potential of youth in our global village?
Photos: GRI
President/CEO Mfon Archibong distributing educational materials to the Akwa Ibom State youth- the leaders of tomorrow
Commentary by Mfon Archibong and Dr. Anita DeFoe On Oct. 26, 2011, the UN Population Fund (UNFPD) stated in its Global Population Report that, “The world is in danger of missing a golden opportunity for development and economic growth, a demographic dividend, as the largest cohort of young people ever known see their most economically productive years wasted. The potential economic benefits of having such a large global population of young people will go unfulfilled, as a generation suffers from a lack of education, and investment in infrastructure and job creation.” The authors commented, “When young people can claim their rights to health, education and decent working conditions, they become a powerful force for economic development and positive change. This opportunity (for) a demographic dividend is a fleeting moment that must be claimed quickly or lost.” The report noted that of the 7 billion people on the planet, 1.8 billion are aged between 10 and
GRI President/CEO Mfon Archibong 24, and 90 percent of those live in the developing world. Two years later, the question remains, are we as a society choosing to invest in the educational and leadership potential of our youth? Grace Restoration International (GRI) led by President and CEO Mfon Archibong and social entrepreneur, Dr. Anita DavisDeFoe are determined to harness this demographic dividend in Nigeria, refusing to accept that the potential of youth living in Africa will be lost. Dr. Davis-DeFoe, in her work with World Leadership Day, a global mastermind group
Dr. Anita DeFoe, addressing a cross section of the Akwa Ibom youth after her confinement as the Adiaha Unwana Itam, Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State at His Highness Palace, Etebom Donald A. Uboh (JP) of leadership ambassadors from 18 countries, is committed to assisting individuals and organizations such as GRI. GRI reshaping the global village through youth leadership Around the world, young leaders
have become significantly involved in the civic change movement. Youth have become change apparatus in their communities and are poised to achieve so much more. To reduce generational poverty through education, health, and social
entrepreneurship, GRI plans to draw youth into the practice of leadership by piloting and coaching a social active learning movement in Akwa Ibom of Nigeria. Through the launching of a leadership academy this fall for youth ages 12 – 21, GRI will
teach future leaders the principles of transformative leadership. Community problems identified that this academy will address include leadership competencies, accountabilities, community organizing, problem-solving abilities, current and future civic activism, civic and political engagement, and youth-adult partnerships. The Grace Restoration International Youth Leadership Movement (GRIYLM) is geared toward fostering understanding, respect, and civic engagement among Nigerian youth so that they will participate in community development building strategies. To support leadership development, GRIYLM designed the Youth Leadership Movement to equip youth and their adult mentors with the essential knowledge and skills needed to make significant community-level change. GRIYLM will provide trainings and workshops that gives youth and adults the tools necessary to address community development problems and elevate quality of life for all.
LEADERS TURN TO 3
Managing the state of denial By Dr. Peter Hayden Denial, in ordinary English, is asserting that a statement or allegation is not true. It is a psychological defense mechanism seen when a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The subject may use: • simple denial: denying the reality of the unpleasant fact altogether; • minimization: admitting the fact but denying its seriousness (a combination of denial and rationalization); • projection: admitting both the fact and seriousness but denying responsibility by blaming somebody or something else. The concept of denial is particularly important to the study of addiction. The theory of denial was first researched seriously by Anna Freud. She classified denial as a mechanism of the immature mind, because it conflicts with the ability to learn from and cope with reality.
Where denial occurs in mature minds, it is most often associated with death, dying and rape. More recent research has significantly expanded the scope and utility of the concept. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross used denial as the first of five stages in the psychology of a dying patient, and the idea has been extended to include the reactions of survivors to news of a death. Thus, when parents are informed of the death of a child, their first reaction is often of the form, “No! You must have the wrong house, you can’t mean our child. “ Denial is one of the most controversial defense mechanisms. Understanding and avoiding denial is also important in the treatment of various diseases. The American Heart Association cites denial as a principal reason that treatment of a heart attack is delayed. It is common for patients to delay mammograms or other tests because of a fear of cancer, even though this is clearly maladaptive. • Denial of fact • Denial of responsibility • Denial of impact • Denial of awareness
Photoxpress
• Denial of cycle • Denial of denial Denial is an area that affects
us all at one time or another. Being in a state of denial should not create a feeling of
conviction or despair. Being in a state of denial should only provoke you into action and self
reflection in order to overcome the obstacles before you.
Cherryhomes campaign opens Lake street headquarters Mayoral Candidate and former City Council President Jackie Cherryhomes greeted residents and supporters at the grand opening of her new campaign headquarters on Friday, June 21. “I envision my campaign headquarters as a place where all Minneapolis residents will
be able to stop by and engage in a discussion about how to move this city forward,” said Cherryhomes. “I am glad my campaign volunteers and staff members will finally have a place where they can share our vision for a new Minneapolis.” In addition to opening
its campaign headquarters, the Cherryhomes Campaign officially announced its campaign co-chairs. Former City Councilmember Kathleen O’Brien, prominent local attorney Walter Rockenstein and State Senator Bobby Joe Champion were named as
campaign co-chairs. Senator Champion was on hand to meet with residents. “Jackie has a great vision and strategy for improving our quality of life. She is a great friend and I a proud to be a cochair of her campaign,” Senator Champion said.
The Campaign Headquarters is located 410 West Lake Street, Minneapolis Minnesota. The campaign can be reached at www.cherryhomesformayor. com or by email Jackie@ cherryhomesformayor.com or call (612) 367-6417.
Gray
and has stricken parts of the Voting Rights Act that was so hard fought by our civil rights luminaries. We must share our disdain, hold our officials accountable and fight against legislation that sets our community back. We must be passionate about progress and the lack thereof. And while the Supreme Court argued that racial polarization does not exist,
ironic scenes played out in the media from the racist comments surrounding the mixed race Cheerios commercial, the release of George Zimmerman’s interrogation in the Trayvon Martin case, or to the racist remarks in the deposition of celebrity chef Paula Dean. These are the mixed messages that consume the media while all the while our people are falling further and further
behind. Let’s not be caught up in the hype and the drama and recognize that while racism certainly still exists. It is most damaging when it plays out in our institutions, our workplaces, and livelihoods. We must be passionate about driving change in our communities. The new era of transformation is a fight to close the opportunity gaps. Many of us feel that we have
arrived because we’ve obtained status, wealth, or opportunity but the truth is there is still much work to be done. Many of us are now business owners, CEO’s, executive directors, superintendents, leaders, pastors, principals, and decision makers. It is true more of us have prospered but the masses are still marginalized. President Obama called this opportunity gap the “defining
From 1 new era will require knowing and celebrating our history, employing new tactics and having a laser-like focus. We must be strategic and focused. The Supreme Court is poised to provide greater scrutiny over affirmative action
Jackie Cherryhomes issue of our time…No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important.” We must not be afraid to drive change in our communities from the inside. Our community needs us to step up, show support, limit excuses, exhibit high ethics, and make change happen. Rekindle the passion for progress; embrace this new era of transformation and lets continue to drive opportunity for all.
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Insight News • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Page 3
EDUCATION St. Paul teachers build parent engagement, trust through home visits By Makula Dunbar, TC Daily Planet Since beginning with seven teachers in 2010, the St. Paul Parent-Teacher Home Visit Project has grown to include teachers at more than 40 schools and 150 families during the school year just ending. Teachers working in the St. Paul School District will end on a positive note that not only students, but also countless parents can attest to. The program officially launched in 2010, when Nick Faber, then a science teacher at John A. Johnson Elementary learned about a home visit program taking place in Sacramento. Then there were 11 states participating. Now, there are several districts in 15 states carrying out the initiative — St. Paul’s project being the only one implemented by members of the teacher’s union. “At the time I brought it to my principals’ boss and said, ‘I think this is pretty powerful, I think we should be doing this,’” said Faber, now a science teacher and home visit program trainer at Cherokee Heights Elementary. Julianne Hinchcliffe, trainer and social worker at Paul & Sheila Wellstone Elementary was on the union’s executive board when Faber asked to bring the program to SPPS. She was also one of the first to volunteer and there’s no doubt about how sincere she is about the visits; she’s changed her official job title to ‘school mom.’ “As a school social worker I’ve been doing home visits since I first started with SPPS, but it usually was a reactive home visit. — there was probably already a concern,” Hinchcliffe said. This program, however, has a different motive. One reason the project was quickly given the green light by SPPS officials and administrators was due to criticism of both teachers and parents. “We were working on our narrative because there was so
Leaders From 2 Aligning behavioral change with leadership needs Behavioral change is needed to achieve the desired mission of building sustainable civic and responsible communities. Effective leadership influences others through motivation, drive, confidence, integrity, cognitive ability confidence, and task knowledge.
much bashing of teachers and parents going on,” Hinchcliffe continued. “We said, ‘this has got to stop. Teachers have got to stop blaming parents and parents have got to stop blaming teachers — and we need to build trust.’” Teachers were supportive from the beginning. “We’ve never had a problem getting support from the union,” Faber said. Before the program took off, members of the teacher’s union created a proposal for home visit teachers to receive compensation. That’s all been squared away. “They worked it out so that there would be a stipend for teachers who went out and did these visits. We’re starting to get that critical mass that we have in other districts across the country,” he said. How the Home Visit Works Teachers visit homes in pairs. On the first visit, teachers learn about the family. The second visit — following in-school parent-teacher conferences — is a follow-up. There’s no formality to
the meeting other than getting a grasp on what parents are looking for from teachers, what their perspective of education is — and most importantly, how they can help their child excel. The two-per-family teacher home visits take place once in the spring, another in the fall. “It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be structured or there were questions they had to ask, but it was more like a friendly conversation,” said Breanna Jones, a Crossroads Montessori parent who received a home visit from a teacher and the assistant principal. Jones believes the program should continue, and teachers and parents, whether interested or not, should at least try the experience. “Be open and don’t be nervous or scared. I think some parents think they’ll get reported or something bad might happen if teachers come, but I’d just say to be open,” Jones said. “It’s a chance to get to know the teacher and
for the teacher to get to know the whole family on a personal level.” Hopes and Dreams — and Trust Ida Lee Hurvitz, a firstthrough-third grade Crossroads Montessori teacher agrees. Now in her second year in the program, she says the initiative helps to better understand what goes on in the daily lives of students and their families. “I love doing these home visits, it’s been a very enriching experience for me,” said Hurvitz. One of eight participating teachers at her school, Hurvitz alone has done more than 20 home visits. Each time she gets just as excited as the students who peek out of the window to make sure their daytime parental figures show up to meet their real ones. “It’s just been a very relaxing, warm environment. It’s things like just being at the house with the parents watching a little boy help his baby brother take off his t-shirt and then go downstairs to the basement to play a little
basketball,” Hurvitz continued recalling her observations. “I didn’t realize how important spelling tests were. There was one home where they had all the spelling tests up on the refrigerator and once he gets so many 100s, he gets a hat!” Hurvitz said with a laugh. One of her most memorable visits was one where she discovered that two of her students were siblings to a disabled brother. “Then you get an understanding as to why the kids are tardy. It’s not their fault, it’s just the circumstances that are going on in the house,” Hurvitz said. Diversifying Home Visits Since the project’s beginning with just eight trained teachers, to now with more than 250, the St. Paul Federation of Teachers has been instrumental in ensuring the program’s run. Though in addition to their assistance, trainers still go over guidelines and “nonnegotiables” with interested staff. Teacher-home visits are voluntary. If a teacher does decide to participate in
Individual behavioral change continues to be a problem in these communities; leaders are challenged daily about how to influence positive behaviors that will change the course of events without ethical or cultural resistance. Thus, effective leaders need to be able to successfully communicate such changes with skills and precision to drive behavioral change. The GRIYLM incorporates team teaching by youth and adult trainers, experiential and applied learning in both the
classroom and community context. Youth will learn about the Strategic Prevention Framework, logic models, strategic planning, developing interventions, advocating for change, evaluation, selfefficacy, and sustainability. GRI also intends to collaborate with faith communities, traditional rulers, schools, and the government in areas of youth leadership and civic engagement aimed at reducing community atrocities; the modeling of entrepreneurial employability frameworks, and
serving as health advocates with a mission of reducing the occurrences of sexual transmitted diseases among the youth.
Youth also supervise the GRI Global-Village Social Entrepreneurship, have taken on decision-making positions in coalitions and local organizations on matters affecting the community demonstrating they are key stakeholders and problem solvers.
Summer Strong
Three years of profound impact GRIYLM has already had profound impact in the communities. Youth and young adults trained by GRI are assuming leadership roles in their community as evidenced by that youth are supported and actively involved in youth-led civic engagement.
Meeting the demand of young leaders for the 21st century To meet the demands of young leaders and challenging governance, GRI Center for Social Transformation is
the program, they must go with another teacher to both ensure safety and to be a second point of contact for families. Teachers are also required to attend training and after the visit, share their experience. And again, they must be compensated for work done outside of the classroom. This year Faber says he’s encouraged teachers to recognize the importance of diversity. He says parents and the neighborhood take note when visits seem targeted at one type of family, or student. “Then it starts to become not about building relationships, rather the community gets the notion that this is about fixing them,” Faber said. To prevent such notions he’s assured teachers that the program isn’t about visiting specifically parents of highachievers or low-achievers — and it isn’t about singling out black, white nor Latino students. Aside from the crosssection of classes and cultures, Faber encourages teachers to visit homes of parents they already have a relationship with. This helps to instill the underlining program attribute; trust. “I think the best thing now is the parent testimonies. We’re building a network of parents who have had home visits. One of the parents came to speak at a training to tell about her experience and what it meant to her children. That is the greatest way to get teachers excited about it,” Hinchcliffe added. She often pops in the classrooms of students she’s visited at home. They’re more than often excited to spread the news to their teachers and other students, which sparks more interest and participation in the program. “Teachers truly want to connect with parents. We’ve talked for years about parent engagement and parent involvement,” Hinchcliffe said. “This is just a really authentic way to do it. It’s becoming more widely accepted, like this is just something that we do in St. Paul.”
initiating a Grace Restoration International Youth Leadership Institute to train and certify youth providing foundational knowledge and skills to become “change agents” within local communities while building youth and adult partnerships. “Not investing in our youth is missing a golden opportunity for development and economic growth, conversely, investing in our youth will pay great dividends for sustainable economic development,” commented Archibong.
MPS and partners provide resources to Stay Safe, Stay Strong and Stay Smart during the summer months. More information at www.SummerStrong.org.
612.668.0000 | www.mpls.k12.mn.us
Summer Meals Program
United Way 2-1-1TM
Free meals served to ALL children ages 1-18 through August 16. Text 612.516.Food or call 2-1-1 for locations. For information call 612.668.2820.
Dial 2-1-1 and connect to over 40,000 resources for information about food, housing, employment, transportation, childcare, health services and more.
Page 4 • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Insight News
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BUSINESS
Success at work: It’s all fun and games Plan Your Career By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Tiger Woods has a good job: he swings a club as few times as possible in order to get a little white ball into a hole. Then he writes the number of swings on a scorecard. Kyrie Irving has a
INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com
Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Cordie Aziz Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Alysha Price Photography Suluki Fardan Michele Spaise Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
good job: his team clears the way so he can throw a ball toward a net as often as possible. Then he looks up at the scoreboard and finds out how many went in. Waiters have a pretty good job: they deliver food to tables as efficiently as possible without dropping anything, then count tips at the end of the night to measure success or failure. These jobs, and all jobs for that matter, common features. They all have tools: a ball or tray, or maybe a computer, a whiteboard, a delivery truck… almost anything. And they all have quantifiable goals: scoreboard, tips, students’ test scores… almost anything. These
jobs also have an identifiable timeline: eighteen holes, two halves of a game, a school year, a lunch shift. A person who can identify his tools, his goals and his timeline can be successful at anything. Can you? What are your tools? What are the key assets you have on hand while you work? These could be tools, literally, or resources at your disposal. Are you fully utilizing your toolset? Do you regularly bring out every club in your bag? Do you get everybody off the bench to play defense from time to time? To make the most of your tools, you need to know what you have, and you need to know what else
you need. Make a list of tools you use (if it’s a computer, what programs do you use every day? Word? Excel?). Next, make a list of tools you could acquire that would help you work better, faster, more efficiently. Reviewing the lists from time to time will help you know where you can improve your score. What are your goals? A commission? A website developed? A life saved? Whatever your goals are, write them down. People underestimate the value of writing things down. Once you’ve done it, you can throw the paper away. Just do it. The difference between those who
reach their goals and those who don’t often comes down to who kept score. Tiger has a scorecard. Irving has a scoreboard. Keep track of your progress and the goals you are reaching for. What is your timeline? You can’t eat an elephant in one sitting. But if you are inclined to eat elephants, you can probably achieve that goal one bite at a time. So how many bites will there be? How much time do you require per bite? Break it down, then add it up. Eighteen holes, two halves of a game. What can you achieve in a predicted, finite span of time? Everyone achieves more on the day before vacation. Why?
Because the clock is ticking. Career coaches talk incessantly about goals, goal setting, etc. This is because goals are the single most reliable bridge from “striving” to “superstar.” Is there one thing you can do today to improve your score? Is there one thing you can do today that will disqualify you from the game altogether? Know what game you are playing, and you’ll win every time. Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Write to Julie at jdesmond@georgekonik.com.
Transformational giving: Start by asking “why?” FUNdraising Good Times
By Mel and Pearl Shaw Do major gifts to nonprofits fall from the sky, or are they more typically the result of deep commitment, relationships, and the ability to use the tools and data available to nonprofits? We asked Barbara Pierce, founder of Transformative Giving, about how donor research supports transformational giving. “Since a transformational gift is one that can move the
nonprofit to a different level of operating, it will be a large gift by necessity,” she began. “Donor research will identify those donors capable of such a gift so you can focus your cultivation efforts with an aim toward deepening relationships with a small number of top donors. We are all limited by time so you need to prioritize. Donor research allows you to make these choices based on data.” We closed our interview with Pierce asking her to reflect on her experience and share what she has found to be the factors that influence major donor’s largest gifts. “There is so much talk around evaluation and donors do want to know you have
a method of determining progress. Beyond these basics, donors making their largest gifts based on advancing the causes that mean the most to them personally and that express their most deeply held values. They are not choosing the organization based solely on their metrics,” Pierce commented. “The desire to leave a legacy beyond their financial success is what I have found influences donors the most. They have more money than they need according to their own standards and they want to make an impact on something bigger than themselves. While it can be a planned gift, transformational gifts are often while the person is alive—the
transformation goes both ways in that the donor is changed also through the process.” She shared an experience of visiting with a very prominent venture capitalist who was known to be rather hard-edged. She was armed with reams of data in anticipation of his questions. “I was surprised he was taking the time to see us and I asked why he cared about this environmental cause. He turned to a photo of his children and said, ‘all of this doesn’t matter if my children can’t enjoy the same beauty that I have been so lucky to know.’ If I hadn’t asked ‘why,’ we would’ve missed out on an opportunity to understand what drives him to make transformational gifts.” This led to Pierce’s closing
Voting From 1 one of its core provisions upsets decades of well-established practices that help make sure voting is fair, especially in places where voting discrimination has been historically prevalent.” The president continued, “As a nation, we’ve made a great deal of progress towards guaranteeing every American the right to vote. But, as the Supreme Court recognized, voting discrimination still exists. And while today’s decision is a setback, it doesn’t represent the end of our efforts to end voting discrimination. I am calling on Congress to pass legislation to ensure every American has equal access to the polls. My Administration will continue to do everything in its power to ensure a fair and equal voting process.” A sharply divided Supreme Court upheld the legality of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, but said it can’t be enforced until Congress updates the way it determines which jurisdictions are covered under Section 5, the provision that requires preclearance by the Justice Department or a federal court before changes to local voting laws can be implemented. The 5-4 decision by the conservative majority declared Section 4, the part of the law defining the “coverage formula,” unconstitutional, which effectively guts the Voting Rights Act until Congress passes new legislation to meet the objections raised in the latest ruling. “In 1965, the states could be divided into two groups: those with a recent history of voting tests and low voter registration and turnout, and those without those characteristics,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. “Congress based its coverage formula on that distinction. Today the nation is no longer divided along those lines, yet the Voting Rights Act continues to treat it as if it were.” Joining Roberts in the majority were conservatives Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. Dissenting were the court’s four liberals: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer along with Obama appointees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Clarence Thomas, just as he had in the University of Texas affirmative action decision handed down a day earlier, expressed the most extreme position on the court, saying he was willing to nullify the entire Voting Rights Act. “I join the Court’s opinion in full but write separately to explain that I would find Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional as well. The Court’s opinion sets forth the reasons,” Thomas wrote.
US Attorney General Eric Holder
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts
Rep. John Lewis [D.-Ga.], who was savagely beaten on “Bloody Sunday” during the Selma to Montgomery March in Alabama in 1965, was livid after the ruling. “Today, the Supreme Court stuck a dagger into the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most effective pieces of legislation Congress has passed in the last 50 years,” he said. “These men never stood in unmovable lines. They were never denied the right to participate in the democratic process. They were never beaten, jailed, run off their farms or fired from their jobs. No one they knew died simply trying to register to vote. They are not the victims of gerrymandering or contemporary unjust schemes to maneuver them out of their constitutional rights.” Lewis, one of the leaders of the Alabama march that led to passage of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, questioned whether Congress has the will to pass legislation needed to repair the damage done by the Supreme
Court. These covered jurisdictions included Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and parts of seven other states, including New York and California. The Voting Rights Act expired after five years, but was extended by Congress in 1970, 1975, 1982 and for another 25 years in 2006 with bipartisan support. The last time, it passed the House 390-3 and the Senate 98-0. President George W. Bush signed the last measure in a Rose Garden ceremony witnessed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The case heard by the court began with a challenge from Shelby County, near Birmingham, Ala. Shelby County sued Attorney General Eric Holder after the Justice Department rejected a redistricting plan that evidently played a role in the defeat of Ernest Montgomery, the lone Black member of the Calera, Ala. city council.
Montgomery was first elected to the city council from a district that was 71 percent Black. Two years later, the district was redrawn to reduce its Black population to 23 percent. When Montgomery ran for reelection from the redrawn district in 2008, he was defeated by a White challenger. The Justice Department invalidated the election because it had not been precleared and Shelby County sued in federal court, seeking a permanent restraining order. Two lower courts sided with the Justice Department before the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. Although Shelby County didn’t apply for it, Section 5 has a “bail out” provision that allows jurisdictions to avoid pre-clearance requirements if they can prove that they have not been discriminating for 10 years. When the case was heard, 46 jurisdictions had successfully
remarks and the topic of working with people who can give at the highest levels: “You need to start with the most basic question of ‘why?’ Otherwise, you may be making a lot of assumptions about what they care about most and gearing your pitch based on your thinking versus theirs.” Visit Barbara Pierce at www.transformativegiving. com. Copyright 2013 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success.” They position nonprofits for fundraising success. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com.
opted out of pre-clearance with two cases pending. Section 5 applied to jurisdictions that had a history of racial discrimination. States or political subdivisions were placed under that provision of the Voting Rights Act if they restricted voting, had less than half of their eligible residents were registered to vote or less than half had actually voted in the 1964, 1968 or 1972 presidential election. In his majority opinion, Roberts stated, “Shortly before enactment of the Voting Rights Act, only 19.4 percent of AfricanAmericans of voting age were registered to vote in Alabama, only 31.8 percent in Louisiana, and only 6.4 percent in Mississippi. Those figures were roughly 50 percentage points or more below the figures for whites.” He said that has changed dramatically. “There is no denying, however, that the conditions that originally justified these measures no longer characterize voting in the covered jurisdictions. By 2009, ‘the racial gap in voter registration and turnout [was] lower in the States originally covered by Section 5 than it was nationwide…AfricanAmerican turnout has come to exceed white voter turnout in five of the six States originally covered by Section 5, with a gap in the sixth State of less than one half of one percent.” In her dissent, Ginsburg
VOTING TURN TO 11
Courtesy of the artists
IT’S COOL TO BE CRUNCHY Hipster hip-hoppers, Crunchy Kids provide alternative to swagger rap By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer In a genre dominated by tales of consumer excess, debauchery, misogyny, excessive drug use and “swag,” the Twin Cities’ Crunchy Kids are offering the antitoxin to the current era of hip-hop.
“For a while popular hip-hop was all swagger and bling rap, it wasn’t asking people to think,” said Crunchy front man, Chance York, who performs under the moniker, Slim Chance. “We give voice to the common man. It’s not about being mega rich or smashing the most honeys; it’s about knowledge and building.”
It seems there’s a viable audience for this style of conscious rap, or backpack rap as it’s been termed. Though not signed to a label, the Crunchy Kids’ latest CD, “Mint,” is charting inside the top 15 on the College Music Journal (CMJ) chart – a major charting source for independent or “underground” music.
Judging by the reaction of a few hundred listeners packed into an open outdoor space that served as a makeshift concert space for a recent street festival in between eateries on Lyndale Avenue in Uptown, fans are ready to be enlightened. Sometimes it’s hard for musical acts to capture a crowd’s attention. In that
tight space, under the night sky with the smell of cigarettes and beer in the air and puddles of water from a recent rain (hopefully the puddles were water), people were in their circles conversing, drinking, eating – having a grand ol’ time. On the portable stage, Crunchy Kids’ drummer Marcus Skallman, bassist Eric
Burton and keyboardist Eric Mayson were readying their instruments. With a final sound check, the Kids were ready to rock. But was the crowd ready for the Kids? After all, several adult beverages had been consumed by the festival patrons –
KIDS TURN TO 7
Things white people ask Black people By Essex Nesta Opening a dialogue on race is a tricky ordeal, especially in Minnesota where we are viewed as liberal and interracial. Living in a community with many cultures, some of us find we rarely interact with other races on a personal level outside of the required politeness in the workplace and in other public arenas. This lack of deep and authentic connection can build barriers to understanding cultures and customs outside of our own. One way we are taught to bridge the knowledge gap is to ask questions. But, how do you ask questions about race without offending others – even when no malice is intended? NPR’s Code Switch has taken this particular conversation about race in America to social media and has encouraged folks to share questions they have been asked pertaining to their race that were offensive or awkward on Twitter using the hashtag #theyasked.
I was not surprised to see that most of the folks posting questions were non-whites. From time-to-time I am asked ridiculous questions with racial undertones that range from, “What happens when your hair gets wet?” to “You grew up with your Dad…really?” and “Aren’t you afraid to live in North Minneapolis?!” and my favorite, “Do black women get upset when they see a black man with a white woman?” The difficult part is that I am not sure the people asking these questions realize they are being offensive and may be surprised to know what they asked was perceived as inappropriate, rude and downright nosey. In our community, the “Minnesota nice” adds another wave of complexity. So, does posting these questions on Twitter open the race dialogue and shine the light on offensive behavior or does it create an even bigger barrier? Reading the questions that were Tweeted was more sad than it was liberating or entertaining.
QUESTIONS 6 TURN TO
MORE
• OWN orders more episodes of Tyler Perry’s ‘The Haves and the Haves Nots’
• Macy Gray’s voice is amazing; show with David Murray, not so much
• Snapshots
Page 6 • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking
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OWN
“The Haves and the Have Nots” follows the complicated dynamic between the rich and powerful Cryer family and the hired help who work in their opulent Savannah, Georgia mansion.
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network doubles episode order for Tyler Perry’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’ OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced that it has ordered an additional 16 episodes of the network’s popular drama series from Tyler Perry “The Haves and the Have Nots” (Tuesdays at 9 p.m.) bringing the total season order to 32 episodes. The show’s current cycle will air through September 3 with the new episodes premiering in early 2014. “The Haves and the Have Nots,” which follows the complicated dynamic between the rich and powerful Cryer family and the hired help who work in their opulent mansion, premiered May 28 and was the highest rated series premiere
in network history. Since its launch, the series has become Tuesday night’s #1 original cable series for women 25-54 (1.42 rating) and is averaging over 1.5 million total viewers. In addition, “The Haves and the Have Nots” is the #1 television show on Tuesday nights (non-sports) for all African-American women. “Naturally, it is wonderful to have the network’s first scripted series score so resoundingly,” said Sheri Salata, president, OWN. “Tyler’s fans and OWN viewers have responded to this guilty pleasure in record numbers, and we are happy to give them more of a good thing.”
“The Haves and the Have Nots” follows the complicated dynamic between the rich and powerful Cryer family and the hired help who work in their opulent Savannah, Georgia mansion. From the outside, the Cryers are the enviable face of success and wealth, but behind the veil, the family’s dysfunction threatens to destroy their world of privilege. Cryer family patriarch Jim Cryer (John Schneider, “Dukes of Hazzard”) is a powerful judge whose double-life, including tawdry affairs with high-priced escorts, puts his family and political ambitions at risk. His wife, Katheryn Cryer (Renée Lawless, “Wicked”), is the
ultimate matriarch portraying a loving and dutiful wife, but she is willing to do anything to protect her family’s status. Their son Wyatt (Aaron O’Connell) is a troubled angry jock who cares little for his own image and finds himself in and out of rehab. His sister Amanda (Jacyln Betham), a struggling law student, tries harder to live up to her parents’ expectations, but unknowingly has befriended a scurrilous young woman, Candace Young, with the power to ruin the entire family. Hanna Young (Crystal Fox) is the Cryer’s maid and the matriarch of her family. Despite having no money,
she has found other types of wealth through religion and virtue. She prides herself on her dutiful son Benny (Tyler Lepley), the glue who helps keep the family together. Hanna does have one dark secret, however, her estranged daughter Candace (Tika Sumpter, “Gossip Girl”) --a manipulative opportunist who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. In a bizarre coincidence, Candace is shocked to find out that her newfound friend Amanda’s father is Jim Cryer, the very man who has been paying her for sex and who also employs Candace’s mother as his family’s maid.
Other characters in the series include the Cryer’s chef Celine (Eva Tamargo, “Passions”), their wealthy friends Veronica (Angela Robinson) and David Harrington (Peter Parros) and son Wyatt’s rehabilitation counselor, Jeffery Harrington (Gavin Houston). «The Haves and the Have Nots» is produced for OWN by Tyler Perry Studios. It is created, written, directed and executive produced by Tyler Perry. Join the conversation on Twitter using #HavesandHaveNots and visit the show online at www. oprah.com/havesandhavenots
Questions
versus Miracle Whip and clapping on beat. We laughed about these things and didn’t need to ask why they were associated with a particular race; we simply accepted them. We have a much more diverse cultural landscape than during my childhood, but for the most part, we still live in and socialize in very separate communities. As I walk the rows of offices in my workplace, I see photos of families, neighbors and wedding parties of people who all
look the same, including my own. The homogenous existence this represents may be the reason a Jewish colleague was asked if she celebrated Thanksgiving. “I’m American,” she responded. Being curious about other cultures really isn’t the issue; it’s that the questions asked are very specific, ignorant and judgmental and that they call attention to negative stereotypes that fuel separation and magnify the lack of culture in our culture. There is a difference between National Geographic curious and let’s-see-if-thestereotype-is-true curious. Even so, instead of being defensive, I answer the questions posed to me and then explain how it may be perceived as offensive – for future reference. The awe that results is the most awkward for me. In 2013, I can’t understand why someone would be “pleasantly surprised” to learn that I
grew up with a loving and doting professional father in a neighborhood (North Minneapolis) where I continue to feel safe and celebrated, that I don’t get upset when I see a black man with a white woman and when my hair gets wet, it curls up. The sadness lies in the fact that the #theyasked posts seem to bring forward racist assumptions hidden behind the veil of curiosity. This weekend, I thought of questions I may have for people of other races and couldn’t come up with any I have been holding in or have been too afraid to ask. Culturally speaking, I was always taught to mind my own business, travel, observe and pick up a book. Share your experience and some of the questions you have been asked about your race on Twitter @ Insightnews using the hashtag #InMNTheyAsked
From 5 The questions that were posed were the same questions my African-American, Latino, Asian and Jewish friends and I were asked growing up twenty years ago. Has Minnesota changed? When I was growing up, there were anecdotal race-based statements that highlighted differences that included wearing mixed match outfits, mayonnaise
insightnews.com/aesthetics
Aesthetically Speaking • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Page 7
Macy Gray’s voice is amazing; show with David Murray not so much By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Let me state that I’m a huge fan of Macy Gray. I love her voice. I love the uniqueness of her tone. “I Try” is one of my favorite songs. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, saxophone player David Murray and his Infinity Quartet, with whom Gray sang, were really, really bad. OK, not the entire quartet was bad. In fact, the only player that sounded horrible was … David Murray. Saying his sax playing was akin to a foghorn would be disrespectful to the foghorn. The show I attended at the Dakota Jazz Club was the fourth in two days for Gray and the quartet, so maybe Murray’s jaws were a bit tight, so I’ll have to chalk up his lackluster playing to fatigue. As for Gray, who let’s be honest, was the entire draw, she sounded amazing, but her performance was uninspired as
well. Gray only sang five numbers (but changed outfits three times) and of the five, only one was a song of hers – and it was not “I Try.” To quote a popular saying, “Who does that?” In fairness, within the past week I had seen two outstanding shows at the Dakota in Hugh Masekela and Larry Willis and another with Ramsey Lewis and Dee Dee Bridgewater, so maybe I set the bar a bit too high for Murray and Gray. Then again, the bar should be high for Gray, at least. The woman has sold 14 million records. I would have loved to have heard some songs from the albums that sold 14 million copies. I get it, it was really Murray’s show, but once again, who shows up without Gray on the bill? So work more of her music into the set is all I’m saying – especially when the sax playing was so, so, so bad. After the show I had to run and listen to “I Try” just to remind me, again, why I like Macy Gray.
Photos: Harry Colbert, Jr.
Above: Macy Gray, Below: David Murray
Kids From 5 they were a bit rowdy. Then the music started and Chance’s voice piped out into the night air. It went something like this … “Where corporate slave drivers trying to name brand the planet/ damn it/ money’s more real when you don’t have it/ cuz when you have to borrow that’s how you get that ass branded/ Tell me why it’s like this/ an economic crisis/ why are the poorest people making the most sacrifices?” The lyrics were from the Kids’ current single, “Nash Money.” Conversations stopped. People who were milling about turned their attentions to the stage. The area in front of the stage that was previously unoccupied became crammed with a throng of hipsters and
skateboarders melodically bobbing their heads to the beat. They were caught in a state of Crunchiness. The night’s audience is mostly white. Three of the Crunchies are white. Hell, Slim Chance is high yellow at best. But the music is unmistakably hip-hop, which in many ways demonstrates the broad reach of the genre – even in so called underground hip-hop. In an age when many rappers are talking about getting wasted at the club, it’s refreshing to hear songs like “Opus” where Chance warns of the dangers of drinking to excess and drinking and driving. “I had three or four friends die from alcohol,” said Slim Chance. “The song was written to talk to someone very close to me. I wrote the lyrics in a fit of rage. I should have been arguing (with the person) about what they were doing, but the person was passed out and
couldn’t hear me.” Crunchy Kids formed nearly a year and a half ago, and while the group has gained a loyal local following, it hasn’t yet captured enough ears for the members to earn fulltime livings from just the music. “We’re getting paid from the Man, but we’re working for the people,” said Slim Chance, who has degrees in creative writing and Spanish and is working on a master’s – all from Mankato State University. If the crowd’s overwhelming approval to the Kids’ set was any indication, the hip-hip quartet will soon be giving two-week notices to their daytime employers. In the meantime, fans can listen to the groups music for free at www. crunchykids.bandcamp.com and catch them gigging about town; and the Crunchies will have to continue to punch a clock – for now.
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR AND SHOWTIMES STARTS WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 THEATERS DOWNLOAD THE MINION RUSH GAME NOW!
Page 8 • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking
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Aesthetically Speaking photogs were out and about this past week, taking in some of the sights of the city. Here are a few of the wonderful people we captured on film.
3) Gloshanda Kaiser and Cassandra Moncrief showing off their great smiles while waiting for Macy Gray to take the stage at the Dakota Jazz Club.
1) The lovely Marla Etheridge following the Minneapolis Urban League Gala.
4) Edith Brown and Robin Magee before the Macy Gray/David Murray show at the Dakota Jazz Club.
2) Look-alikes: The beautiful Shirley Kaiser and her gorgeous granddaughter, Gabrielle Mgeni, at the Dakota Jazz Club to see Macy Gray.
5) Family affair: Donald and Faye Washington with their son, Kevin Washington at the Dakota Jazz Club checking out Macy Gray and David Murray.
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Insight News • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Page 9
FULL CIRCLE We hold these truths to be self-evident Man Talk
By Timothy Houston There are some truths that are evident to all, and one of them is that all men are created equal. This week America celebrates a national holiday commemorating the drafting, signing, and approval of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in the history of America and the African American people. This document later became the catalyst for other key documents including the Emancipation Proclamation, 13th amendment abolishing slavery, and the 15th
amendment prohibiting the denial of suffrage based on race or colour. The Declaration of Independence along with these other document reinforced the self-evident truth that all me are created equal. First, the Declaration of Independence established the footing for equal rights. The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Having served its original purpose in announcing independence, the text of the Declaration was initially ignored after the American Revolution. Since then, it has come to be considered a major statement on human rights. Secondly the Declaration of Independence established
The struggle is not over. This 4th of July, we continue the battle for equality here in the United States and throughout the world.
a baseline for moral rights. Although the United States was at the beginning of its existence, the passage came to represent a moral standard to which the United States should strive. This view was notably promoted by Abraham Lincoln, who considered the Declaration to be the foundation of his political
philosophy, and argued that the Declaration is a statement of principles through which the United States Constitution should be interpreted. It has inspired work for the rights of oppressed people throughout the world, and it served as a key foundation in the Black civil rights movement here in the United States.
Finally, the Declaration of Independence established a hallmark for the celebration of freedom. The world now has a standard. The United States has come a long way in a short time in advancing human rights issue throughout the world. This is a very young nation only 236 years old compared to China, Egypt, and Japan who have existed between 5000 and 35,000 years. Although we are still in our infancy, using documents such as the Declaration of Independence, we were able to abolish slavery, elect a Black president, and continue the work on Dr King’s dream of speeding up that day when all of God’s children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
The struggle is not over. This 4th of July, we continue the battle for equality here in the United States and throughout the world. We will not give up, we will not give out, and we will not give in. Our heads are bloodied but still unbowed because we believe that one day we will all be free. As we carry on in the fight for equal rights, we continue to hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.
REVIEW
Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addiction By Kam Williams “This is a book about recovery— my recovery—from addiction to drugs, specifically cocaine. But… my addictions didn’t stop there. I was addicted to... drugs, love, men, food, you name it— if it gave me the temporary illusion of feeling whole and complete… My wants knew no end. Those wants nearly destroyed me and my child many, many times over… The fear, unworthiness and shame I felt were so much a part of my identity as if they were in my very bone marrow… But I rose like a phoenix from those ashes. I have written this book to take you from powerlessness to a place of shining in your full power… I am here to show you—with my story and my recovery—that finding your power again is possible. It will depend on your own ability to be humble in the face of the demons you are fighting right now.” Excerpted from the Introduction (pgs. xiii-xiv) Ester Nicholson is a gifted gospel, jazz and R&B artist who has toured the world singing backup with everyone from Rod Stewart to Bette Midler. Perhaps more importantly, she recently celebrated the quarter-century of sobriety she’s enjoyed since resolving the host of childhood traumas that had led her down a self-destructive path marked by drugs, unemployment, near homelessness, and the loss of
Ester Nicholson custody of the daughter she gave birth to in her mid-teens. Today, she remains “eternally grateful” to the 12Step program which put her on the road to recovery. Now, she plies her trade as a spiritual therapist and coach, delivering inspirational speeches and leading transformational workshops all across the country. She has something to offer beyond the traditional 12-Steps, which sees as limited in terms of helping a person harness their power. And since she went from “being a victim” to creating “a new life of balance, order and harmony,” Ester has codified what she calls the “12 Keys” in order to help others overcome addiction and recover
Courtesy of the author
their souls. The dozen tenets of the philosophy involve such New Age-sounding kernels of truth as “You Are the Power,” “Never Give Up,” “Complete Surrender” and “Honoring the Inner Child.” The earnest author’s conversational writing style is certainly very engaging, being based on oodles of anecdotal evidence culled from personal experience. Each Key involves starting with an intention, focusing on finding a healthy direction, keeping a journal throughout the process, verbalizing affirmations and taking the steps necessary to reach your goal. Does the system work? I wouldn’t be able to tell you, not being an addict in need of salvation. Hard to say whether starting
a diary and chanting stuff like, “I am now ready to release all thought patterns and behaviors unlike my true nature,” would be enough to get a monkey off my back. Regardless, it did the trick for Ester, and the sister is very able to argue persuasively on behalf of her proven method. To put it simply, what we have here is a practical handbook with a prescription of hope for the hooked.
Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addiction by Ester Nicholson Foreword by Michael Bernard Beckwith Paperback, $15.95 192 pages ISBN: 978-1401943110
Page 10 • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Insight News
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Community Calendar Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@ insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone:( 612)5881313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.
EVENTS Free Summer Meals June 17 – Aug. 23 Free Summer Meals for youth age 18 and under at Masjid AnNur, 1729 Lyndale N. (across from Cub Foods). Schedule is as follow: Breakfast: 8am - 10:30am, June 17 – Aug. 23 (No Service 7/4, 5, 8/7,8,9); Lunch: 11:30am – 2pm (Fridays-1pm), June 17 – July 3 and Aug.
12 – Aug. 24; Dinner: 8:30pm – 10:00pm, July 9 thru Aug. 6. Find Waldo Local on (or near) Grand Ave! July 1 - July 31 Where’s Waldo? On Grand Ave, of course. The famous children’s book character in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting twentysix different local businesses throughout our community this July. Pick up a “Find Waldo Local” passport at Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN. 55105 and collect signatures when you find the wellhidden Waldo at any of the participating businesses. Those who spot him can
win prizes, including stickers, book coupons, and more. “Find Waldo Local” is a great summer vacation activity, and a wonderful way for residents to support local business and the Shop Local movement. Join us for a Where’s Waldo Celebration on Wednesday, July 31, 6:30 pm, and enter to win Waldo books and gift cards to local businesses. For more information and a list of participating businesses, visit www. redballoonbookshop. com/findwaldo. Heather Anastasiu, Shutdown (Glitch #3) - Publication Party July 2 Minneapolis author Heather Anastasiu
celebrates Shutdown, the thrilling conclusion to the Glitch Trilogy on Tuesday, July 2, 6:30 pm at Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN. 55105. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. Do they stand a chance against the powerful corporation that controls the world? Join us for the party to find out! Refreshments and book signing to follow. (Recommended for ages 13 and up). www.heatheranastasiu. com First Saturday Family Storytime July 6 Celebrate summer (finally!) with a family
Phone: 612.588.1313 storytime at Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN. 55105 on Saturday, July 6, 10:30 am. Join us for songs, finger plays, rhymes, and stories…a perfect way to start your weekend! Children and grown-ups of all ages are welcome. Kelsey Sutton, Some Quiet Place Publication Party July 12 Debut YA author Kelsey Sutton is launching her new book at Red Balloon on Friday, July 12, 6:30 pm. In Some Quiet Place, Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them in human form. One emotion, Fear, is obsessed with
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finding the answer to one question: What happened to Elizabeth to make her this way? Elizabeth’s very survival depends on discovering the truth about herself. Celebrate this stunning debut and join us for a great discussion, book signing, and refresh ments. (Recommended for ages 13 and up) Art at St. Kate’s July 13 The 6th annual Art at St. Kate’s, a juried art fair of quality fine crafts and fine art, is produced by Artists’ Circle, a Minnesota nonprofit art organization promoting fine crafts since 1997, and Textile Center, a national center for fiber arts in Minneapolis on
Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free event. Free parking. This is the finest oneday outdoor art fair in Saint Paul. It is located on the beautiful green triangular lawn at Cleveland and Randolph Avenues on the Saint Paul campus of St. Catherine University. The art fair showcases 100 local artists from the upper Midwest. Fifth Annual Groundbreaker Battle July 13 The heart of downtown Minneapolis will beat louder than normal thanks to The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts and their fifth annual Groundbreaker Battle on Saturday,
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July 13, 2013. From noon to 8pm a free, community-centered event celebrating the artistry and culture of the hip hop community will take place in the Butler Square Parking Lot on the corner of Hennepin Avenue and 5th Street. The Cowles Center’s annual breaker battle is an opportunity for breaking crews from around the country to share their talents with community members in a positive and affirming competition. Teens Read Book Club July 15 Do you want to read something new? Really new? Not-evenavailable-to-the-public new? Then join Red Balloon Bookshop’s Teens Read book club,
open to teens in 7th12th grade on Monday, July 15, 6:30 pm. Every month, each teen participant will select one Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of an upcoming book, write a short review, and come back the next month to talk about it. Other opportunities include planning author events and book parties, volunteering at the store, blogging, and more. Come to hang with friends, eat snacks, and discover your next favorite book! Teens Read meets every 3rd Monday at 6:30 pm. Questions? Call Red Balloon at (651) 224-8320 or email Amy at events@ redballoonbookshop. com.
Chapter & Verse Book Club July 18 Chapter & Verse is a national book club for members of Children’s Literature Network and other children’s literature enthusiasts who wish to discuss children’s and young adult fiction, nonfiction, picture books, and poetry. They meet Thursday, July 18, 6:30 pm, the third Thursday of every month at Red Balloon. July’s books are Zebra Forest, by Adina Rishe Gewirtz and The Camping Trip That Changed America, by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. Please bring suggestions for stories about tense circumstances. w w w. c h i l d r e n s literaturenetwork.org
Classifieds Phone: 612.588.1313 Fax: 612.588.2031 Email: info@insightnews.com
Technology Program Specialist Technology Program Specialist, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. For details go to: http://www.mylegalaid.org/employment
Attorney - Central Minnesota Legal Services St. Cloud Office FT attorney spec. in family law, and government benefits. Job resp. incl. litigation, community legal ed, community outreach. Post-law school poverty law exper. a plus. Spanish/Somali lang. a plus. Valid driver’s license and vehicle needed as travel required. Licensed in MN or elig. for next bar exam. New grads considered. Salary up to $49,346 D.O.E. Excellent benefits. Send resume, cover letter, writing sample to Judy Hollie, CMLS 430 1st Ave N #359, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Applications accepted until filled. EOE
West Falls Estates Rent based on 30% Of adjusted income Call Patricia Brown At 218-283-4967 TDD 800-627-3529
Minneapolis Urban League School Office Coordinator
Job summary: Under the supervision of the School Principal coordinate all school administrative activities, assisting with operational, academic, college access, career development and family engagement activities. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Demonstrate a strong knowledge of administrative support procedures and practices; knowledge of basic office machines and equipment. Strong technology skills, as well as verbal and written skills. Must be a team player with excellent customer service skills. Attention to detail, flexible and willing to cooperate with other team members. Ability to follow oral and written instructions, ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with school personnel, students, parents and guardians, and the general public. Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from high school, some community college attendance preferred. Administrative Professional certification desired with proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly EXCEL and POWERPOINT. HOW TO APPLY: Email cover letter and resume to vdavis@mul.org; fax to 612-521-1444 or mail to 2100 Plymouth Ave. No., Mpls, Mn 55411, Attn: HR - Preferred method is email. This position is open until filled.
Adult Basic Education Supervisor Saint Paul Public Schools seeks an Adult Basic Education Supervisor. Candidate must have Master’s degree in education, community education or related field, hold valid teaching license from MN Department of Education in adult education or related subject, and five years professional experience, including program development, training and supervising other staff members and volunteers, and working cooperatively with administration, program staff, and representatives of agencies, business and labor. Must hold, or be eligible to hold, valid license in community education administration from MN Department of Education. For more details and to apply, visit hr.spps. org/Search_Jobs_and_ Apply.htm. Saint Paul Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and supports an inclusive workplace environment.
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Buckle Up for an Exciting Career. Join the State Patrol. 400 people are killed in traffic crashes each year in Minnesota. Become a Minnesota State Patrol Trooper and help reduce these tragedies. N No prior law enforcement experience necessary N Two- or four-year degree in any discipline N State Patrol pays for training and law enforcement education N Base pay $48,191
Apply July 1–12 and learn more at mntrooper.com
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Insight News • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Page 11
HEALTH SNAP rewards purchase of healthy foods Participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have an opportunity to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables this summer. Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson today announced the launch of the SNAP+ pilot at Almsted’s Fresh Market in Crystal, one of three Minnesota grocery stores participating in the program. SNAP+, which officially began June 15, will run through Sept. 30, 2013. During this time, SNAP recipients who purchase $5 or more in fresh fruits and vegetables with their Electronic Benefit Transfer card will receive a $5 coupon toward their next purchase of fresh produce at a participating store. Approximately 30,000 coupons will be delivered over the course of the pilot. “We are excited about the SNAP+ pilot because it puts healthy food directly in the
Voting From 4 said, “In the Court’s view, the very success of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act demands its dormancy.” She said, “True, conditions in the South have impressively improved since the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Congress noted this improvement and found that the VRA was the driving force behind it.” She said more than 15,000 pages of congressional testimony presented countless “examples of flagrant discrimination” and “intentional racial discrimination in voting remains so serious
Court From 1 United States Attorney General. “The Supreme Court’s decision in striking down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act rolls back the clock of civil rights,” said Nekima LevyPounds, associate professor of law and director of the Community Justice Project at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. “It’s a major setback.” According to Levy-Pounds, though nearly 50 years after the adoption of Voting Rights Act, the rights of AfricanAmericans and others continue to be trampled upon. “In 2006 a 15,000 page record detailing barriers for people of color to exercise their right to vote was delivered to Congress, so it’s clear we still need the Voting Rights Act,” said Levy-Pounds. Speaking in a historical context, the legal scholar called on people to remember incidents such as “Bloody Sunday,” where in 1965 some 600 civil rights marchers in Alabama were attacked with billy clubs and tear gas by state and local lawmen and the killing of three civil rights workers in 1964 in Philadelphia, Miss., who were attempting to register African-American voters. With the decision of the Supreme Court to strike down Section 4 of the act, Levy-
benefits and to expand mobile food shelf capacity to provide additional food resources to seniors will be launched later this summer. The remaining 75 percent of the federal bonus went to counties for their work with SNAP recipients. Currently, more than 500,000 Minnesotans
participate in SNAP. County social service agencies will notify SNAP participants in the areas of the three SNAP+ grocery stores about the pilot. The grocery stores will post signs and instructions in their stores for participants. Stores will also host Simply Good Eating demonstrations from the University of Minnesota’s Extension SNAP-Education program in Crystal and Duluth and the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe SNAP-Education program in Cass Lake to teach customers how to use local produce and build skills to change eating habits. SNAP+, supported by the Minnesota Grocers Association and Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown program, is part of the department’s and its partners in the Nutritious Food Coalition’s ongoing outreach efforts to encourage SNAP-eligible
Minnesotans to enroll in the program and purchase healthy food for their households. For every dollar in SNAP benefits spent, $1.73 in economic activity is generated. “The comprehensive program will bolster Minnesota’s farm-to-fork connections by expanding access to low-income communities,” said Jamie Pfuhl, president of the Minnesota Grocers Association. “We are pleased to be a part of this exciting partnership.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service granted a waiver to Minnesota to operate the pilot program. Throughout the pilot, the Minnesota Department of Human Services will collect data to track the rate of coupon redemption and correlating sales of fruits and vegetables. More information about SNAP is available on the department’s website.
their intention to run for office; and In 1990, Dallas County, whose county seat is Selma, sought to purge its voter rolls of many Blacks. Both Roberts and Ginsburg credit the Civil Rights Movement for passage of the Voting Rights Act. “Alabama is home to Selma, site of the ‘Bloody Sunday’ beatings of civil rightsdemonstrators that served as the catalyst for the VRA’s enactment,” Ginsburg wrote. “Following those events, Martin Luther King, Jr., led a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama’s capital, where he called for passage of the VRA. If the Act
passed, he foresaw, progress could be made even in Alabama, but there had to be a steadfast national commitment to see the task through to completion.” Within hours after the Supreme Court decision was announced, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that a voter identification law that was blocked last year by the Justice Department would go into effect immediately and that “redistricting maps passed by the Legislature may also take effect without approval from the federal government.” Attorney General Eric Holder indicated Tuesday that he will not curb his efforts to protect Black voters in the wake of the Shelby
County decision. He said, “The Department of Justice will continue to carefully monitor jurisdictions around the country for voting changes that may hamper voting rights. Let me be very clear: we will not hesitate to take swift enforcement action – using every legal tool that remains available to us – against any jurisdiction that seeks to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s ruling by hindering eligible citizens’ full and free exercise of the franchise.” In his majority opinion, Roberts made it clear that the Voting Rights Act has served its purpose, in his opinion. “Coverage today is based on decades-old data and eradicated
practices,” he wrote. “The formula captures States by reference to literacy tests and low voter registration and turnout in the 1960s and early 1970s. But such tests have been banned nationwide for over 40 years.” At another point in his opinion, Roberts said, “But history did not end in 1965.” In her dissent, Ginsburg quoted everyone from Shakespeare to philosopher George Santayana. “The Court criticizes Congress for failing to recognize that ‘history did not end in 1965.’ But the Court ignores that ‘what’s past is prologue,” she said, quoting The Tempest. And ‘those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’”
note that other sections of the Voting Rights Act remain intact and that Attorney General Eric Holder has already stated that he and the U.S. Department of Justice will actively enforce the remaining previsions of the act. The former state head of the League of Women Voters also said civil rights organizations and monitoring groups will have to come up with other methods of insuring that states and jurisdictions formerly monitored by Section 4 continue to be held accountable. “This isn’t the death nail of the Voting Rights Act,” said Gaskins. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) co-author of the Right to Vote Amendment said in a statement, “(Tuesday’s) Supreme Court decision is an assault on our most fundamental right as Americans. While the Court is correct that current law to protect voters from discriminatory voting laws is outdated, it is because it’s not expansive enough. The right to vote is under attack across the country. Already in 2013, more than 30 states have introduced over 80 restrictive voting laws that often target low-income, student, elderly and minority voters.” The 5th District Congressman called on his fellow representatives to quickly act to pass legislation ensuring citizens’ voting rights.
are by today’s decision, it demonstrates why we cannot wait to enact a constitutional amendment that would guarantee an affirmative right to vote for all Americans – no
matter where they live,” said Ellison in a statement. “A country built on the foundation of civic participation should never tolerate any politicallymotivated threats to our ability
to express our views at the polls. We will continue to work with our colleagues and build the grassroots support needed to ensure we protect our right to vote.”
hands of those who need it,” said Jesson. “Getting businesses, communities, organizations and government together is the best way to ensure Minnesotans get the nutritious food they need to lead healthy lives.” Participating stores are located in both rural and metropolitan areas with high poverty rates, health disparities and demonstrated need for healthier eating. They are: • Teal’s Market, 604 Lyle Chisholm Drive Northwest, Cass Lake • Almsted’s Fresh Market, 4200 Douglas Drive, Crystal • Super One Foods, 5300 Bristol Street, Duluth. The $150,000 cost of the program is funded through the state’s portion of a federal bonus for increasing SNAP access for eligible residents. The state’s portion–25 percent of the $1.2 million bonus –will go toward four initiatives to put
healthy food on the table for low-income Minnesotans. The Summer Backpack Program, which provides backpacks filled with healthy food and nutritional information to children age 18 and younger, was announced last week. Projects to connect eligible, low-income Latino and Hmong communities to SNAP
and widespread in covered jurisdictions that section 5 preclearance is still needed.” Among the examples she cited: In 1995, Mississippi sought to reenact a dual voter registration system; In 2003, after AfricanAmericans won a majority of the seats on the school board for the first time, Charleston County, S.C. proposed switching to an at-large voting system; In 1993, the city of Millen, Ga. proposed delaying the election of a majority-Black city council district by two years; In 2004, Walker County, Texas threatened to prosecute two Black students after they announced
Pounds feels the five justices who voted in the majority wrongly concluded that racism and disenfranchisement is no longer an issue in America. “It’s almost like we’re living in a post-racial society because we have a Black president even though we’re seeing time and again that states are trying to take away people’s right to vote – even in Minnesota we had to fight to keep our rights intact,” said Levy-Pounds. “There has been some progress made, clearly, but it doesn’t rise to the level of the Supreme Court decision.” Levy-Pounds said the prospect of relying on Congress to remedy the court’s ruling is frightening. “It’s very clear that with all the vitriol that’s been spewed – even by members of Congress – it’s going to be difficult for Congress to reach an agreement on which districts need oversight,” said LevyPounds. Keesha Gaskins, former executive director of the League of Women Voters Minnesota, agrees that the ruling was a setback for civil rights, but remains hopeful that Congress can come up with legislation to fully protect voting rights. “There’s no question that some representatives in Congress are not motivated to do anything (on this issue), but it’s wrong to say that Congress won’t move,” said Gaskins. Gaskins was mindful to
For every dollar in SNAP benefits spent, $1.73 in economic activity is generated.
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Page 12 • July 1 - July 7, 2013 • Insight News
Gala From 1 For the many who were there, John’s message was one of self-reliance and determination as he chronicled how he grew FUBU from a concept and product out of his mother’s basement to an iconic brand that has garnered more than $6 billion is worldwide sales. John said that with just 10 shirts cleverly displayed on multiple recording artists, he positioned FUBU to be the brand of hip-hip in the early 2000s. And though FUBU is an acronym for For Us By Us, the Queens, N.Y. native said the “us” isn’t just AfricanAmericans. “When I say for us, by us, I’m talking about us as a culture – hip-hop is the culture,” said John, in a closed-off interview with select reporters. “You want to know who were the first people to buy FUBU? It was kids in Japan, who wanted to emulate the American hip-hop style and
it was white skateboarders in Seattle.” In what he called his “Shark Points,” John, who now also owns the high-end brand, Coogi, called on entrepreneurs to set goals, do their homework, love what they do represent ones self as the brand and keep swimming and moving forward, even in the face of rejection. John said more than 30 banks rejected his loan request to fund FUBU, but an ad placed in a newspaper by his mother attracted the Samsung Group to invest in the up-start clothing company. John also said at first every major retailer refused to carry his flashy brand because they did not want a certain consumer in their stores. “I had more than one retailer tell me directly that they didn’t want street hoodlums and drug dealers in their stores,” said John. “I responded by continuing to sale to the ‘hood’ stores and after two to three years the major stores saw these little hood stores were expanding and franchising off of my brand and they (major
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Dr. Josie Johnson and Representative Keith Ellison department stores) said, ‘wait a minute, we need to get that FUBU in our stores too.’” The League honored civil rights icon Dr. Josie Johnson for her lifetime of service to communities of color, as its 2013 Trailblazer. As a part of the celebration, mistress of
ceremonies, WCCO’s Angela Davis, offered a moving video homage, detailing Johnson’s life of service, and 5th Dist. Rep. Keith Ellison presented a personal thanks to Johnson, who he said has counseled him on numerous occasions. The former director of the MUL, Johnson
MUL
was the first African-American to serve on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents. Johnson’s daughters, Norrene Johnson Duffy, and Josie Johnson Thomas were on hand to see their mother being honored. Johnson’s nephew, Judson W. Robinson, III, who
is the president of the Houston Area Urban League, was also on hand to witness Johnson being honored. The Gala, presented by Target and sponsored by Comcast, General Mills, Best Buy, Wells Fargo, Northwest Area Foundation, WCCO, Pentair and Insight News and others, featured the music of Sounds of Blackness and Deliverance for Youth. Presenters included State Senators Bobby Joe Champion and Jeff Hayden as well as Insight New editor-in-chief and MUL board chair, Al McFarlane. MUL President Scott Gray served as a presenter and offered the audience a brief look at the League’s accomplishments over the past year, while outlining goals for the upcoming 12 months and beyond. The MUL also awarded scholarships to area high school seniors Ecajma Davis, Chaise Dennis, Audrey DeVaughn, Daja Garrett, Clareese Kitchen, Jordan Mason, DeAnthony McKinley, Rayvon Newman and Ashanti Payne, Jr.