Insight News ::: 07.11.16 by Insight News, Inc

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July 11 - July 17, 2016

Vol. 43 No. 28 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Cop kills Philando Castile By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor

Facebook (Philando Castile)

Philando Castile

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Diamond Reynolds (in black), who recorded the video of Philando Castile dying, is comforted during a press conference alongside Castile’s uncle, Clarence Castile (left) as Gov. Mark Dayton (middle, back) looks on.

FALCON HEIGHTS Minn. – Thirty-two-year-old Philando Castile is dead and a community is outraged following a Wednesday evening (July 6) officer involved shooting in Falcon Heights, near the gates to Minnesota State Fair grounds. The shooting involved an officer from the St. Anthony Police Department. That officer’s name has not been released. The immediate aftermath of the shooting was posted to Facebook Live by Diamond Reynolds, who was seated next to Castile and showed him covered in blood next to her. It appears that Castile was still alive at the time of the posting. He was later pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center. Reynolds said Castile was pulled over for a broken vehicle light.

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PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE

Joané McAfee, policy advisor to Gov. Dayton By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor Joané McAfee just celebrated her 27th birthday. And while there are plenty of 27-year-olds populating the workforce, there are very few who can say they earn their pay serving as a trusted policy advisor to their state’s governor. McAfee can say just that, advising Minnesota’s Gov.

Mark Dayton and Lt. Gov. Tina Smith on policy concerning criminal justice, public safety, human rights and more. Not too shabby for a person who four years ago had absolutely zero plans of serving in the public arena. “When I graduated (college) I had a very narrow focus. I was going to be working for a big PR agency or on somebody’s television program,” said McAfee, who graduated from

the University of Minnesota with a degree in public relations. McAfee said a job as a legislative assistant with Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (59, DFL) changed her career direction … and her life. “Working with Sen. Champion and seeing how I could be a part of change for Minnesota gave me a new perspective.

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David Bradley

Joané McAfee

Minneapolis Urban League: 90 years of service MPR journalist Toni

Randolph focused on diversity, people of color

By Carmen Robles Associate Editor for Afrodescendientes “Founded in 1926, the mission of the Minneapolis Urban League is to link African descendants and other people of color to opportunities that result in economic success and prosperity, and effectively advocate for policies that eradicate racial disparities.” Minneapolis Urban League Mission Statement The Minneapolis Urban League’s (MUL) 90th Anniversary Gala held Thursday June 20 in the elegant ballroom of the downtown Hilton Hotel brought out the glamour in a community that has had its fill of challenges this past year. “Ninety years ago the only Black people allowed in places such as this were the waiters and cleaning crews” commented one of the speakers.

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Makeda Norris Photography

Scholarship recipients and presenters (left to right) Jamilla Burnett, Jevetta Steele (for daughter Jasmine Dickerson), DezYunai (Dezi) Richardson, Jada Stumon, Alfred Babington-Johnson, executive director, Stairstep Foundation and Antwanette Bradley, Workforce Story of Success.

Condolences from across the nation have been pouring in with word of the passing of Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) journalist and champion for diversity, Toni Randolph. Ms. Randolph died Sunday (July 3) following a brief hospitalization for a medical procedure. She was 53-yearsold. Ms. Randolph joined MPR in 2003 and for the past six years she was MPR’s editor for new audiences, a position created to focus on Minnesota’s expanding communities of color. News of Ms. Randolph’s passing spread quickly and tributes to the reporter and editor began coming from some of the many people who admired and respected her work.

MPR News (Caroline Yang)

Toni Randolph

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Education

Business

Commentary

Community

Nonprofit leaders spur students to succeed

Is your nonprofit legit? Three things you need to know

Time for “good trouble” inside and outside Congress

Sm+RT Homes coming to North Minneapolis

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Harry Colbert, Jr.

Investigators process the car in which Philando Castile was killed.

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Castile From 1 Reynolds’ four-year-old daughter was also in the car at the time of the shooting. According to Reynolds, Castile alerted the officer that he had a licensed handgun. She said when the officer asked him for identification and he tried to produce it the officer shot several times, striking the victim. “He (the officer) asked my boyfriend (Castile) for identification and when he went to get his wallet the officer shot,” said Reynolds during a Thursday morning press conference outside of the residence of Gov. Mark Dayton in St. Paul. “Not once, not twice, not three times, not four times, but five times.” During the press conference Dayton said he too was demanding justice in this case. “I was shocked and horrified by what happened last night. This kind of (officer) behavior is unacceptable,” said Dayton, who said he has been in contact with officials from the Obama administration and the U.S. Department of Justice regarding

the killing. “Justice will be served in Minnesota.” While the governor’s words seemed to be aligned with those calling for justice, many called for direct accountability from Dayton. “This hits close to home because I was just with Lando last week. I can’t say I appreciate anything the governor says because this is the third time I’ve been to your house because of my people being murdered,” said Pastor Danny Givens. “I keep coming here because your people keep murdering my people. To my faith leaders out here I’m done praying. I’m about action.” As Givens spoke, Reynolds broke into tears and screamed, “They took my best friend away from me.” Nearby, her four-year-old daughter said, “My mommy is sad.” Almost immediately after the video was posted, a large crowd of protesters gathered alongside Larpenteur Avenue near Snelling Avenue – the location of the shooting. Many were somber, holding signs and candles while others were highly vocal, yelling to the police who were on scene investigating the shooting. “I don’t know that man from

Adam, but I’m hurting. That could have been me,” yelled Devonta Brown. Brown then produced his Minnesota permit to carry card and said “This card don’t mean a damn thing if you’re Black, not a damn thing.” Brown then paused and said, “A little girl had to see that. A little girl was in the car.” Protesters remained on the scene until investigators concluded their work, approximately 1:45 a.m. Thursday morning. Many in the crowd moved from the sidewalk to the street blocking the tow truck that was carrying the car in which Castile was killed. At this time police officials are not commenting much saying the incident is part of an ongoing investigation. This shooting comes just one day after the video captured police killing of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, La. In that incident the Justice Department immediately launched an investigation to see if the shooting rose to the level of a criminal violation of Sterling’s civil rights. The officers in Baton Rouge are white and Sterling was Black. Castile was Black. It is not yet clear the ethnicity of the officer who shot Castile, but Reynolds described him as being Asian.

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Bishops Larbie and Boasiako in U.S. say #Brexit sign of our times By Oral Ofori, TheAfricanDream.net Bishop Ebenezer Larbie and Bishop Dr. Daniel M. Antwi Boasiako based in the United States (U.S.) respectively, have said in a conversation with TheAfricanDream.net that #Brexit — the recent breakaway of Britain from the European Union (E.U.) — is a sign of our times as talked about in the Bible’s book of Revelations. The Bishops were in the Washington D.C. area for a private meeting on the formation of a global body of Christian religious leaders that will cater to the needs of pastors, bishops and church administrators worldwide. They told TheAfricanDream. net that more information will be made available as they and their colleagues begin to iron

Photos courtesy of TheAfricanDream.net

Bishop Ebenezer Larbie

Bishop Dr. Daniel M. Antwi Boasiako things out soon. What the US-based Bishops say of #Brexit Both religious leaders agreed that Christendom must not be worried or afraid of the series of events that seem to paint a gloomy picture worldwide. “Terrorism, nations rising against nations, market failures, natural disasters and rise in violence are among many of the things that is recounted in the last book of the New Testament by the

divine Revelation of John.” — Bishop Antwi Boasiako. The Head of Abundant Life Church International headquartered in Stafford, Virginia, in the U.S. — Bishop Ebenezer Larbie — on his part said that in times like these Christians are instructed to make a difference in the world by being positive examples as believers and exemplify what the book of 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says. “Make supplications, and

give thanks for Kings and all who are in authority. We have been authorized and commissioned by God to pray these prayers. We must pray that like Solomon, they too choose wisdom to rule and judge correctly and be wary of the signs of our times” Bishop Larbie said. Bishop Larbie stressed that “whatever happens in the wake of #Brexit, we as Christians must not live in fear because it really falls on us to prepare all

for the times ahead through our prayers and examples.” #Brexit or not: keep praying “My brother has really hit the nail on the head” said Bishop Antwi Boasiako in support of Bishop Larbie. He went on to say “America right now has witnessed a series of very disturbing events that have shaken a lot of people both in and outside the U.S., watch the news and you can see for yourself.” Bishop Antwi Boasiako,

Founder of Power of Faith International Ministry in the state of Ohio said that “all these not withstanding, Christians must stand firm in their resolve. ‘We are the salt of the earth’ as the bible says in Matthew 5:13. Prayer and Obedience is key, therefore fear must not be our portion for when we live in truth we will not fear the end, #Brexit or not.” #Brexit is a merging of the words Britain and exit to reference events leading to and after the June 23, 2016 referendum held to decide whether the U.K. should leave or remain in the E.U. The U.K. voted to leave by 52% to 48% even though the British Prime Minister David Cameron wanted his country to stay. Oral Ofori; Founder of TheAfricanDream LLC -- an Information and Communication Consultancy on African Affairs

Crisis erupts over police-linked killing of Kenyan human rights lawyer By The Global Information Network July 5, 2016 (GIN) – Four police officers have been arrested in the torture/murder of a noted Kenyan human rights lawyer and two other men. The Law Society of Kenya called it “a dark day for the rule of law” and a countrywide boycott of the courts has been called. The respected lawyer disappeared with his client and a taxi driver after filing a charge of police brutality. The officers are being held without bail while an investigation is underway. Lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda, and their driver disappeared on June 23 after making the court filing. Their bodies were found on June 30, floating in the Oldonyo Sabuk river. CapitalFM, a local media group, said the men had been tied up with ropes and their bodies mutilated. A government pathologist

Protests against extra-judicial killings. said their deaths were the result of beatings with a blunt object and strangulation.

The incident has outraged the legal community where the rise of police killings has been a

GIN

matter of concern. “These extrajudicial killings are a chilling reminder that the

hard-won right to seek justice for human rights violations is under renewed attack,” said Muthoni Wanyeki from Amnesty International. “Police are there to protect Kenyans and not to kill them,” said Yash Pal Ghai, director of the Katiba Institute, a Kenyan legal group promoting social transformation through the constitution. This week, hundreds of Kenyans including lawyers, human rights activists and taxi drivers held a peaceful protest as lawyers began a week-long walkout that will paralyze court operations around the country. The Department of Public Prosecutions issued a statement assuring the public and legal fraternity that any rogue elements in the department “do not represent what the National Police stands for.” But activists replied that extra-judicial killings were creeping back, and the Inspector General of Police should “pack and leave if he cannot assure

Kenyans of security.” Mr. Kimani had been working at the International Justice Mission (IJM), a U.S.based rights group, when he was killed. An online petition calling for justice for Kimani, his client, and their driver Joseph Muiruri had 24,594 signatures at press time. The petition can be found at www.IJM.org/JusticeinKenya “In Kenya,” it reads in part, “it is far too easy for a corrupt or incompetent police officer to frame and imprison an innocent person, who must then wait in jail, often for years on end, for a chance to prove his or her innocence. This corrupt system has packed Kenyan prisons full of innocent men and women with no way out and no lawyer to fight for their release - and the police who abuse their power are not held accountable. “Willie Kimani was working to protect the innocent from such abuse, and he was murdered while courageously pursuing that mission.”

Raise your voice against another Xcel Energy rate increase. Right now, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is considering a request from Xcel Energy that could raise your rates nearly 10%—that’s about $132 a year. If this request is approved, it will be the sixth year in a row that Xcel rates have increased. AARP knows that when rates go up, it hurts Minnesota families, especially those on fixed incomes or struggling to make ends meet. That’s why we’re fighting to make sure you only pay what’s fair and reasonable for reliable utility service. And your voice can help make a difference in that fight.

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Page 4 • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Nonprofit leaders spur students to succeed

Courtesy of Breakthrough Twin Cities

D’Azhane Felder pictured on left with her mother, Tenecia Johnson at the Join the Journey gala held June 5.

D’Azhane Felder’s story is one that is all-too-familiar; at least it is at first. She grew up in an area in St. Paul known for crime, poverty and disadvantage. Despite the struggles her family faced, Felder’s parents always worked to provide her with a loving and supportive home environment. Tragedy struck her family when she was just eight-yearsold; her father was shot and killed by the police. “I was devastated, frightened and confused,” said Felder as she describes the days following her father’s death. “My reaction was to withdraw. I still applied myself in school, but I took no pleasure in it. I created a shell, just kept

to myself, shut off from the world.” Thanks to the college access non-profit, Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC), her life’s trajectory has become anything but tragic. Although Felder was already a good student with an impressive work ethic, without BTC she might not have had access to the opportunities that an innercity student of her caliber often needs to be successful. Founded in 2005, BTC is addressing issues of student achievement by offering a free, out-of-school time enrichment program that provides academic support, college preparation and leadership development to under-resourced students in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Students enter BTC’s program after their sixth-grade year and stay through high school and college. Most of BTC’s students – 92 percent to be exact – live below the poverty line, yet according to BTC, 100 percent of students who completed the program in 2015 were accepted into college, and those students who went on to college received an average annual scholarship of more than $30,000 per year. “Breakthrough made us part of what we were learning and gave us tools to navigate the real world,” said Felder. “I learned that the pursuit of knowledge could be a way to engage with the world around me. I will take the skills and the confidence I gained through the program with me to Drake University where I’ll start as a freshman this fall.”

BTC focuses not only on offering students comprehensive preparation for college, but it also works to develop future teachers through a teaching fellowship program. “Growing up in an innercity, I witnessed firsthand the challenges that families face trying to provide for their child’s future in environments where violence, poverty, and inequitable access to education are the norm,” said Mikisha Nation, executive director, BTC. “I was fortunate enough to have received educational enrichment as a child. And now I’m committed to ensuring that hardworking students such as D’Azhane gain access to all of the opportunities they deserve through Breakthrough.” BTC serves students at three locations throughout St. Paul and Minneapolis. To learn more about BTC’s work or how you can support the organization, visit www. breakthroughtwincities.org. D’Azhane Felder, from St. Paul is a 2016 Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC) graduate. Felder is a graduate of St. Paul Central High School and will be attending Drake University in the fall. BTC prepares underresourced students for college success and trains the next generation of educators. D’Azhane credits BTC for providing the tools and support she needed to navigate school and enroll in college. She will attend Drake University in Iowa this fall.

Community School of Excellence and Minnesota Guild reach charter agreement The Community School of Excellence (CSE) board and the Minnesota Guild board reached an agreement that will impact close to 1,000 St. Paul students. As of July 1 the Minnesota Guild would become CSE’s authorizer pending approval by the Minnesota Department of Education. The agreement follows approval this week by the CSE board and the CSE local union membership of a contract agreement. Most CSE students come from Hmong and Karenni families and a majority are English language learners. “Our students are one of St. Paul’s strongest assets and I’m looking forward to working together with our teachers, our staff and the Guild to increase opportunities for our kids and assure their future success” said Bao Vang, CEO at CSE. “We are 100 percent committed to our students and families and serving their needs.” Blythe Inners, president of Education Minnesota Federation of Charter School Employees at CSE said “We educators are extremely pleased that it’s now certain we’ll be able to continue teaching and supporting our students at CSE. We’re looking forward to getting back to the

classroom and working with the administration to make our school truly excellent.” “We’re looking forward to a charter authorizing relationship with CSE. We’re also looking forward to working with CSE’s leadership, teachers and staff collaboratively to serve the school’s students and families,” said Brad Blue Director of the Minnesota Guild. “This brings much needed stability to our families and we look forward to our students having a great year at CSE. This school means a lot to our families. It’s a place where our kids can learn in an environment that values and celebrates our culture,” said William Siong, president of the CSE PTA. “Many of our families have faced many challenges in the past and our children are our biggest hope for a future full of opportunity. I’m glad to see that the grownups at CSE are putting the interests of our students and families above everything else.” Community School of Excellence is a K-8 Hmong language and culture charter school. The school received its accreditation as an International Baccalaureate World focus school in 2013.

Gala

laughter and fun inspiring generosity among the guests. Nothing was more impressive, however, than getting to know those who MUL helped to change the course of their lives. Congratulations to MUL’s award recipients: Gateway Scholarship Awards Acknowledgements: Antwanette Bradley, Workforce Solutions Program who successfully completed her certified Health Unit Coordinator Program facilitated by MUL and Century College. Alyssa Bellamy was recognized by the Realizing the American Dream –for successfully completing MUL’s Wealth Accumulation Program, a financial literacy and firsttime homebuyer curriculum and purchasing a new home. Five high school graduate recipients of the MUL’s 2016 Scholarship Award were recognized for their winning essays addressing the future of the country: Jasmine Dickerson, Hopkins HS,

From 1 The star studded program began with a powerful, emotional invocation delivered by Bishop Richard D. Howell, Jr. Pastor Shiloh Temple International Ministries followed by The Steels (world renowned singing family group) resounding rendition of the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice” giving the audience a chance to belt it out like we do at church! Emcees Alfred BabingtonJohnson, Executive Director, Stairstep Foundation and Lea B. Olsen, Broadcaster/ Speaker, Fox Sports Media Group set the stage for an alluring evening filled with personal stories that brought a tear to your eye, left a lump in your throat and gave you hope for the future. Fund-The-League Auction/Heads or Tails facilitated by Karen Sorbo, Professional Auctioneer, engaged the audience with

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Insight News • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Page 5

BUSINESS Is your nonprofit legit? Three things you need to know FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Passion for mission is at the heart of a nonprofit, but don’t forget your “business” requirements. Nonprofits must comply with many of the same regulations as businesses, and additional ones that are specific to the sector. As an executive or board member you need to be aware of these, and operate within the law. Here are three things you need to know. Paperwork. Make sure your “paperwork” is in order and shared with your board. All members should have

Gala From 4 plans to attend Norfolk State University in Virginia to study business and communications; DezYunai Richardson FAIR School Downtown, would like to attend University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to pursue studies in film directing and screenplay writing; Jada Stumon, Blake Upper School, has applied to Howard, Morgan State, NYU and plans to pursue studies in the performing arts and business management; Austin Vue, Henry HS, plans to attend the University of Minnesota Morris and study dentistry;

a copy of the organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter; its mission statement; bylaws; and most recent tax filing. Each year the 990 IRS form needs to be submitted on time. If revenue is less than $50,000 you can file the simple 990N: it is a postcard with eight questions. Depending on state law, you may be required to file with the state prior to launching a fundraising campaign. Fundraising counsel or contractors may also need to register with the state. Board agendas and minutes All parties are best served when agendas are distributed well in advance of each board meeting. Board members are required to make informed decisions, and depend on advance receipt of information so each has time to review and contemplate items prior to discussion or a vote. Similarly, minutes should be distributed within 48

Not paying attention to guidelines and regulations can be a silent killer that disrupts your nonprofit without notice.

hours. While this is not a legal requirement, we suggest this policy as it supports timely and open communication, and allows board members ample time between meetings to complete actions they committed to, and to research topics which may be continued at the next meeting.

Committees and policies Your organization needs written policies and procedures that protect against error, fraud, and embezzlement. Policies should also protect “whistleblowers” – people who bring issues to the attention of the board or management, and who could be

at risk of retribution. A conflict of interest policy should be in place and reviewed annually. Board members must act in the best interests of the nonprofit. At its most basic level this means you shouldn’t look to profit from the organizations you serve. Any transactions with board members must always benefit the nonprofit. An example of this could be providing quality office space at below market rates. In terms of committees, make sure you have an audit and finance committee that closely reviews financial information, ensures funds are properly invested and that funds are correctly accounted for. This includes ensuring that gifts and grants are used per donor’s requirements. Most states and major cities have an agency designed to assist and protect nonprofits and the people (constituents

and donors) that support them. Staff and board members should be aware of and comply with these guidelines and regulations. You can check with your attorney general to learn more or you can visit the National Association of State Charity Officials website (www.nasconet.org) for resources specific to your state. Not paying attention to guidelines and regulations can be a silent killer that disrupts your nonprofit without notice. Take time to know your responsibilities. Copyright 2016 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of Prerequisites for Fundraising Success available on Amazon.com. For help growing your fundraising visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Jamilla Bennett, PYC Arts & Tech School, has applied the University of Tamp, Bethune Cookmand and Philander Smith to study business management and physiology. The evening ended with a Live and in Concert electrifying performance by The Steeles, channeling Prince through the song “Kiss.” A pre-teen who danced like Michael Jackson, and I, were the last ones on the dance floor…it was as effective as a workout of the Insight to Health Challenge held at Tyrone Minor’s Fit Lab in St. Paul. I had to take two Advil when I got home. For more information on the Minneapolis Urban League go to www.mul.org Makeda Norris Photography

Scholarship winner DezYunai (Dezi) Richardson (left) along with her mother Ramona Richardson and sister DeYanni Richardson.

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Page 6 • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Insight News

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COMMENTARY Time for ‘good trouble’ inside and outside Congress Child Watch

By Marian Wright Edelman For months, even for years, through several sessions of Congress, I wondered what will bring this body to take action. What will finally make Congress

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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Associate Editor Culture and Education Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Leadership and Social Enterprise Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe 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 Melvin Carter, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Alaina L. Lewis Michelle Mitchum Darren Moore Carmen Robles Artika Tyner Toki Wright Photography David Bradley 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.

do what is right, what is just, what the people of this country have been demanding, and what is long overdue? -- Congressman John Lewis Congressman John Lewis’ call to action in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 22nd was the beginning of an extraordinary event in our nation’s Capitol. Members of Congress participated in a nonviolent occupation of the floor of the House of Representatives led by a veteran civil rights organizer and participant in the sit-in movement to desegregate Jim Crow lunch counters, Freedom Rides to desegregate interstate travel, and marches to protest the denial of the right to vote to Black citizens across the South. How refreshing to see John Lewis and his Congressional colleagues protesting the egregious fact that even in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history and the senseless preventable deaths by gun of tens of thousands of human beings in our nation, including children, year in and year out, Congress has refused to act to reduce the epidemic of gun violence raging across our country. “We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence. Tiny, little children. Babies. Students and teachers. Mothers and fathers. Sisters and brothers. Daughters and sons. Friends and neighbors. “And what has this body done, Mr. Speaker? NOTHING. Not one thing. We have turned deaf ears to the blood of the innocent and the concerns of our nation. We are blind to a crisis. Mr. Speaker, where is the heart of this body? Where is our soul? Where is our moral leadership? Where is our courage?” Congressman John Lewis grew up in segregated Troy, Alabama where he was taught not to challenge the racist Jim Crow status quo because that was just the way things were. But as a teenager he decided he couldn’t and wouldn’t spend his life afraid of getting into “good trouble.” He wrote a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. after hearing him on the radio during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Dr. King invited the “boy from Troy” to come meet him and helped spur young John Lewis on his lifelong path as a nonviolent warrior for justice who helped transform our nation. As a student leader and eventually chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) he helped

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Congressman John Lewis

Congressman Lewis has said that some of the martyrs of the civil rights movement were “the founding fathers of the new America, a new way of doing things, a new way of life.” organize and supported sit-ins and other student activism across the South with my generation of young activists. At age 23 he was the youngest person to speak at the 1963 March on Washington. Two years later he was brutally attacked by lawless state and local law enforcement officials while attempting to lead a march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama and his skull was fractured on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The televised images of the savage “Bloody Sunday” beatings followed by the March

from Selma to Montgomery by people coming from across the nation led President Lyndon B. Johnson to call on Congress to pass what became the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement and in America’s continuing struggle to honor America’s dream. How sad that so many states, especially in the South, are attempting to undermine this sacred right of citizenship to vote — in every possible way today. In 1986 John Lewis was elected to Congress to continue

fighting to push America forward. He most recently electrified the nation as he brought the same nonviolent civil disobedience tactics he used as a young civil rights leader to the House floor and led his colleagues in the sit-in condemning Congress’ inaction to reduce mass shootings and gun violence. His address to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) displayed a moral leadership and clarity that I hope will infect enough of his Congressional colleagues and galvanize millions of voters appalled by Congress’s inability to ban gun sales to people on the “no-fly” list, expand background checks, or provide other urgently needed common sense safety solutions to protect Americans including our children from relentless gun violence. “We were elected to lead, Mr. Speaker. We must be headlights, and not taillights. We cannot continue to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the reality of mass gun violence in our nation. Deadly mass shootings are becoming more and more frequent. Mr. Speaker, this is a fact. It is not an opinion. We must remove the blinders. The time for silence and patience is long gone.” The time for silence and patience is long gone. Congressmen Lewis and his colleagues have vowed to keep going with their fight. We must stand with them as they continue to get into “good trouble.” We desperately need a critical mass of leaders like Congressman Lewis, Senator Chris Murphy (D-NY) and others who joined in the House sit-in willing to be headlights and stand up to the National Rifle Association and the gun manufacturing industry

McAfee From 1 Sen. Champion valued my voice and I give a lot of credit to him for investing in me,” said McAfee. That investment paid off. In January when the governor was seeking voices from underrepresented communities, McAfee’s name was presented to him … not by Champion, but by Sen. Jeff Hayden (42, DFL), who had also recognized the work she was doing. “When my name was presented, the lieutenant governor was familiar with me and she felt I’d be a really good choice as policy advisor,” said McAfee, who said her age is seldom – if ever – a hindrance in her role. “I offer a fresh voice and a different perspective and a different demographic. That’s what the governor wants and what is welcomed and respected.” Indeed, when it comes to state government, McAfee is a different voice. During her three years as staffer to Champion, McAfee was the only Black female staffer

and their lobbyists and money and do the right thing to prevent gun violence that injures or kills a child every half hour in our gun saturated nation. Congressman Lewis has said that some of the martyrs of the civil rights movement were “the founding fathers of the new America, a new way of doing things, a new way of life.” It’s time to remember how acts of civil disobedience have shaped our country and made us better throughout our history — from the Boston Tea Party, when citizens in Massachusetts illegally boarded a British ship and threw its cargo of tea into the Boston Harbor rather than pay taxes without representation, and other acts that led to the Declaration of Independence; to the Underground Railroad, with its fearless conductors like Harriet Tubman and abolitionist friends including the Quakers who helped lead to the abolition of slavery; to the women’s suffrage movement, when thousands of courageous women marched and endured arrest and jail to win the right to vote; to the civil rights movement with Charles Houston’s and Thurgood Marshall’s legal challenges to segregation and unequal public schools, bus boycotts, sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and marches which led to the right to vote — gains that are slipping backwards; to the fight for LGBT equality and acknowledgement that love is love — and many more. We must encourage and support a new group of American leaders — nonviolent servant leaders — to sit in and stand up and do whatever it takes to protect and build on the progress made, resist the backwards slide in our regressive Congress, reject people spouting hate and intolerance at any group, and support the will of the majority of Americans, including a majority of gun owners, who want Congress to do their job and pass common sense safety measures to stem the deeply destructive tide of gun violence in our nation. Gun violence should no longer be tolerated and accepted as a uniquely allAmerican value. As John Lewis said from the House floor: “Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary. Sometimes you have to make a way out of no way. We have been too quiet for too long. There comes a time when you have to say something, when you have to make a little noise. When you have to move your feet. And this is the time.” Amen! Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www. childrensdefense.org. Mrs. Edelman’s Child Watch Column also appears each week on The Huffington Post.

in either the state House or Senate. That opened her eyes to a stark reality. “We have policy makers talking about us (people of color) and the issues affecting us, but we aren’t there to be a part of the conversation.” At just 27-years-old, McAfee is now an integral part of the conversation. So when Dayton was pondering the issue of police body cameras, one of the voices heard in the room was that of McAfee. “I offered the community perspective. Gov. Dayton was really passionate (about the issue) already and he was passionate about listening to the community,” said McAfee. Keeping close ties to the community is important to McAfee, she said. “I spend a lot of times with my friends who are not in politics, so I’m not always talking politics and policy, that way I don’t get sucked into this (state capitol) bubble,” said McAfee. “I have to have that community touch … that connection. As soon as I lose that someone else might as well come in and do the work, so I make sure to stay connected to the community.”

insightnews.com

Insight News • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Page 7

HEALTH ‘Black don’t crack’, but it does burn, says Atlanta doctor:

Internist stresses sun safety for all skin tones

Each year more than 1 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer; and according to 2012 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, the skin cancer rate was 1/100,000 for African Americans and Asian Pacific Islanders. All ethnicities and races

are susceptible to damage by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UVA and UVB are two types of UV radiation. UVA causes aging of the skin. UVB

causes sunburn. Darker skin does not sunburn as easily due to the density of melanocytes (cells that produce pigment in skin), which does provide some measure of

protection from the sun. Though not all skin cancers are associated

with UV radiation, 65 percent of melanoma and 90 percent of nonmelanoma cancers are associated with UV radiation. Before planning an outdoor event, check the UV index. The UV index is a marker of sun exposure. The higher the index, then the greater the intensity of the sun’s rays that reach the earth’s surface. People of all hues need to wear sunscreen. Sunscreen reflects, scatters and blocks UVA/B. Check the expiration date on your sunscreen. Apply one ounce of sunscreen, at least sun protection factor (SPF) 15, twenty minutes before leaving home. Then reapply one ounce every two hours, if in water then reapply every hour. No sunscreen provides 100 percent protection from UV. In addition to sunscreen, wear protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, and seek shade during the hottest part of the day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At the beach or pool, wear a rash guard or a long sleeve cover up.

Medical cannabis registration now open for intractable pain patients Minnesota patients with chronic pain that can’t be controlled well with existing methods of treatment have the option to join the state’s medical cannabis program. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) added intractable pain to the list of qualifying conditions for the program and added resources to its medical cannabis website to help Minnesota patients understand their options. All eight of the state’s cannabis patient centers – where patients receive their medical cannabis – opened July 1, which is the oneyear anniversary of medical cannabis availability in Minnesota. “July 1 marked the start of intractable pain registration and the anniversary of the availability of medical cannabis in Minnesota,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “During this first year, Minnesota has succeeded at setting up a medically focused program that provides consistent and qualitycontrolled cannabis products to patients. According to our early surveys, about 90 percent of Minnesota patients reported some level of benefit.” During the first year, MDH has not received any reports of serious adverse health events related to the use of medical cannabis. Once patients with intractable pain are certified as having the condition, they can start receiving medical cannabis at patient cannabis centers starting August 1. For those seeking medical marijuana the first step is to visit a health care practitioner – a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant – who can go to the MDH website and certify the patient has one

or more qualifying conditions. Once a provider certifies a patient, the patient can register on the MDH website to receive medical cannabis at one of the state’s eight locations. Intractable pain, as defined by state law, is a state of pain in which the cause cannot be removed and, according to generally accepted medical practice, the full range of pain management treatments appropriate for the patient have been used without adequate result or with intolerable side effects. The MDH Office of

Medical Cannabis relies on the professional judgment of the certifying health care practitioner as to whether the full range of treatments for an individual patient have been sufficiently used to meet the program’s definition of intractable pain. For example, it is not necessary for a patient to have tried opioid medications. As part of Minnesota’s program, practitioners voluntarily choose whether to certify patients. Medical cannabis in Minnesota comes in pill or liquid forms – not as a plant

for smoking or to eat. The program expects the addition of intractable pain to increase the number of patients using medical cannabis; however, MDH does not have a count of intractable pain patients or an estimate of how many will seek medical cannabis.

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©2015 Medica. Medica is a registered service mark of Medica Health Plans. A sales person will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-800-906-5432, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, 7 days a week. TTY: 711. Medica is a Cost plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Medica depends on contract renewal. Y0088_4141 CMS Accepted

Page 8 • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE Hello World: You are the programmer Man Talk

By Timothy Houston “Hello world!” It is the first line of code that someone first learning computer programming will write. It is a very simple program that allows the programmer to see that

the things that were written behind the curtain are now available for the whole world to see. This simple declaration serves notice to the world that a new programmer is now on the scene, and this new programmer is determined to leave his or her mark on those who will enter into their domain. This is true for people as well. Our brain is like a giant computer that runs on the programs we write every day. To be most effective in life, we must keep some basic computer principles in mind. First, “Hello world!” means,

You are the programmer, write the program. If you don’t like the outcome, change the program.

I am taking responsibility for my life. You are the programmer. You are the one that will feed your brain the information that it needs to make your life successful. When you discipline yourself to feed your mind the most powerful, positive information available, it will produce the most positive,

powerful outcomes. Remember, you are responsible for your life, and you determine what is and is not allowed in your life’s computer program. Secondly, “Hello world!” means I am in control of my life’s destiny. This means actively steering your life in the direction

that you want it to go. When you determine what you want your output to be, you are able to write your life’s plan to bring it to pass. Letting your life run on the default program that is created from life’s mistakes, mishaps, and shortcomings is never good. If you do not write your positive life’s story, the negative one will be the only one people read. Pilot your life. Establish a mission plan, write your vision statement and let your brain’s computer produce the outcome your desire. Finally, “Hello world!” means I am willing and able to change. Programming is not a single action event. Computer programs constantly need changing. There are upgrades, new versions, and corrections that are needed. The environment that we live in is not static, so your life’s program must continually evolve. No single event should be allowed to be the determining factor in your

life. Mistakes happen. Bad things happen. Change the program. Those who rewrite their life’s story, rewrite it to have a happy ending. You are the programmer, write the program. If you don’t like the outcome, change the program. Your choices today will determine your output tomorrow. You have the power to rewrite your life’s story. Input determines output so make sure you are feeding your brain positive energy and information. “Hello world” is your declaration to all that a better you is one the way! Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. To get copies of his books, for questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.

Yummy summer, healthy treats The Orange Moon By Michelle Mitchum, MPH. HHP Welcome to the summer of “Sweet 16,” (2016 that is). If you are anything like me, you have been working on your summer body all winter (sans the holidays), and the time is near for you to reveal your masterpiece to the world. You are ready to receive all of the compliments that are due you, because while many were hibernating and enjoying the comfort foods of winter, like macaroni and cheese, sweet potato pie, buttered rolls and cornbread stuffing - you were committed to working out five days a week, and eating clean foods like steamed spinach, sautéed kale and baked chicken to ensure that when the summer rolled around you didn’t have to hide a muffin top and back fat. Not to be confused, summertime is also the season of the Big Gulp Slurpee, ice cream, and barbeque chicken – all of which will destroy the countless

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hours of cardio, Pilates, yoga, and spin classes that you have invested into your body all winter. And I know you didn’t work as hard as you have all year, just to let a couple of back yard barbeques destroy you. Explore seasonal workout options such as hiking, rock climbing, swimming and jogging. These are exciting to experience with friends during the warmer months. We must also discuss nutrition, as it acts as an EVP (executive vice president) to every comprehensive wellness plan. So let us shed light on some of the foods that help you keep your body tight and right so that you can maintain your “summertime fine.” Be sure to include the following foods to your summer menu. Cucumbers are made up of 90 percent water, thus they provide your body with extra hydration during the hot days of summer. They are also rich in vitamins C, B, and K, promoting healthy heart and brain function. Cucumbers are low in calories, but dense in fiber – a great combination for those who have concerns about weight management. Melon and cantaloupe are low in calories and rich in vitamin A, which promote healthy teeth and bones. Blueberries are the most nutrient dense berries. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, reducing the risk of cell damage and cancer, and maintain brain function and improve memory. These are just a few of summers’ “beautifoods.” When these flavors are combined and topped with a little crumbled feta, fresh rosemary, drizzle with a little grapeseed oil and a dash of sea salt, viola – your cucumber melon salad will be a hit at your next backyard barbecue. Here is the recipe to make a delicious cucumber melon salad. • 2 cucumbers, peeled and finely diced • 2 cups of mixed diced melon and cantaloupe • 1 cup of fresh blue berries • ¼ cup of crumbled feta cheese • ¼ cup of fresh rosemary • ¼ cup of grape seed oil • pinch of salt Combine all ingredients in medium sized serving bowl, chill and serve. Enjoy. Michelle Mitchum MPH, HHP, is a graduate of Morgan State University, (Baltimore, MD) and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, (New York). She has been featured on Fox Business News, Essence Magazine and is a contributing writer to Heart and Soul Magazine as well as other notable publications. In 2013 she founded the OrangeMoon Holistic Health and Wellness to empower people to make intelligent and informed decisions about their health and to introduce and educate clients on holistic lifestyle alternatives.

insightnews.com

Insight News • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Page 9

COMMUNITY Sm+RT Homes coming to North Minneapolis New homes are coming to North Minneapolis. The modular house sections were transported overnight on two big trucks, dispatched from the Dynamic Homes manufacturing facility in Detroit Lakes. The entire shell of the house, including siding, was lifted into place on the foundation. Now in place, construction crews will work over the next 30 days to finish the house, which will serve as a model home for Sm+rt Home marketing purposes. Sm+rt Homes, a new residential construction company developed in association with Fridley-based

Pat Carney for Sm+RT Homes

New, modular homes are coming to North Minneapolis. Modular homes are said to be less costly to build and own than traditional site built houses.

Thor Construction Company, is the homebuilder and marketer. Sm+rt Homes is bringing a new, affordable housing concept to the city with the goal on the Northside is to build new single-family homes on vacant lots left over from the housing crisis of the past decade. With a crane doing the heavy lifting, workers guided one of two main sections of a new Sm+RT Homes modular house into place on Tuesday, June 28. Located at 4309 Irving Ave. N., Minneapolis, the house will be finished and ready for use by the end of July as a model home for Sm+RT Homes’ North Minneapolis housing

initiative. Using modular construction technology, Sm+RT Homes can build a new house in 45 to 60 days from the time of homebuyer purchase, at a significantly lower cost than comparablybuilt, site-constructed homes. The company plans to build dozens of new homes on vacant lots scattered throughout the Northside of Minneapolis. Pricing on the homes range from $180,000 to $250,000, depending on the buyer’s desired level of customized finish. For more information about Sm+RT Homes, buyers can call (763) 571-5319.

Randolph

journalism, especially diversity and inclusiveness. She was dedicated to bringing in new voices, new talent and encouraging those making their way in our business. Toni was the type of sister-friend who spread goodness and light. We will deeply miss her.” Minnesota’s governor also expressed sadness at the loss of Ms. Randolph. “Lt. Gov. (Tina) Smith and I extend our deepest condolences to the family, many friends and colleagues of Toni Randolph as they grieve their tragic loss. During her 13 years with Minnesota Public Radio, Ms. Randolph told the stories of our citizens and communities, which contributed greatly to the recognition of our shared values and aspirations,” said Gov. Mark Dayton. “The many young journalists, whom she inspired and mentored, will continue her legacy through their own careers for many years to come.” A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Ms. Randolph held a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. An award winning journalist, she was the recipient of the 2014 ThreeSixty Journalism’s Widening the Circle Award. Ms. Randolph was also honored by the NABJ and earned numerous fellowships.

From 1

Courtesy of Ginger Howard’s Facebook page

Golfers Ginger Howard, Mariah Stackhouse, Sadena Parks, Robbi Howard (caddy) and Cheyenne Woods made history competing in a recent LPGA tournament.

Making history

Four women golfers made history earlier this month by competing as professionals in an LPGA event in Oregon. The golfers, Ginger Howard, Sadena Parks, Mariah Stackhouse and Cheyenne Woods, together make the largest number of AfricanAmericans to play professionally as members of the LPGA. The foursome took part in the Cambia

Portland Open, June 30 – July 3. Stackhouse and Woods both made the cut, with Woods ending up in sixth place and Stackhouse finishing tied for 47th. The LPGA was founded in 1950. Althea Gibson was the first Black woman to compete on the LPGA tour and Renee Powell was the second. Gibson was also a professional tennis champion.

“Toni embodied the true mission of NABJ by working to diversify public radio and by serving as a mentor to countless numbers of young NABJers,” said National Association of Black Journalists President Sarah Glover. “On behalf of the entire NABJ family, our heartfelt sympathies go out to those who loved her. Her memory will continue on through the lives that she has impacted.” Ms. Randolph was highly active with the NABJ, in particular with its work with young reporters. She was also active locally with the University of St. Thomas’ ThreeSixty Journalism high school program. Ms. Randolph was highly involved with the Twin Cities Black Journalists. The organization released a statement of condolence on its website. “We, the members of Twin Cities Black Journalists, are profoundly saddened at the death of our dear colleague, sister and friend Toni Randolph,” said Maria Douglas Reeve, chapter president of the Twin Cities Black Journalists in the statement. “Toni was committed to the ideals of

Planning a National Night Out gathering? Apply for free street closure by July 19 This year, National Night Out is Tuesday, Aug. 2, and if you’re planning a neighborhood gathering, there are important deadlines for registering your event with the City and for blocking off your street. Use this checklist to plan your National Night Out celebration: • Register your National Night Out event. There is a single online process to register your National

Night Out event and apply to close your street. If you want to close your street for your event, street closure is free if you apply by July 19. From July 20 to July 27, there is a $100 fee for blocking off the street. (You will not be able to block off your street if registering after July 27.) You need permission of 75 percent of your neighbors to be approved for street closure.

(You do not need their signatures.) Get started at www.minneapolismn.gov/ nno. Or you can register your event and apply for street closure by calling 311. • It is free to participate in National Night Out. • Registration places you on the official list of National Night Out events that gets distributed to police and other departments.

However, there’s no guarantee police will be able to visit your event. • When you register your event, you will get free Mystery Point Passes for Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. • Make rain plans. Decide if your event will go forward if it rains or be rescheduled for another time. If you apply to close your street, you’ll have a rain date of Wednesday,

Aug. 3, unless you decline it during the application. If you don’t close your street, you can choose any rain date that works for your group. Just remember to plan ahead. National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. It’s a great way to promote community-

police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family. For more information, see the Minneapolis NNO mission statement. As with many past National Night Outs, Minneapolis was ranked No. 1 among all U.S. cities over 300,000 people in 2015. Find out more about National Night Out at www. minneapolismn.gov/nno.

Volunteer work comes to North Minneapolis neighborhood Volunteers are looking to beautify a North Minneapolis neighborhood. The Jordan Week of Kindness will include home repairs, boulevard planting, a block cleanup, a resources fair and a community celebration. Volunteers started working Saturday (July 9) and will continue through July 16. A community celebration will take place that same day from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Knox Avenue North, between 29th Avenue and Lowry Avenue in North in Minneapolis’s Jordan neighborhood. Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and City Councilmember Blong Yang

will speak at the community celebration on July 16. The Jordan Area Community Council, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Financial are partnering for the Jordan Week of Kindness as residents and volunteers will be repairing and painting several homes during the week, all along Knox Avenue North. Boulevard planting and a block cleanup will take place the morning of July 16.The community celebration will begin immediately following and will feature food, live performances, giveaways and remarks from city leaders.

“We are taking back our community block by block, and we are making a difference with the Jordan Week of Kindness.” said Cathy Spann, executive director of the Jordan Area Community Council. “This is a neighborhood that we have a long history of partnering with,” said Susan Haigh, president and CEO of Twin Cities Habitat. “We’re excited that we will be able to do so much work with residents during this week.” The Jordan neighborhood was hit hard by both the foreclosure crisis and the 2011 tornado that ripped through North Minneapolis. Twin Cities

Habitat has been partnering with residents and community

partners there for years to help revitalize the neighborhood. To

learn more visit www.tchabitat. org/neighborhood.

The MN. MUSIC Café

Presents

9pm

Live FRIDAY JULY 29 RONNIE BAKER BROOKS

Ronnie Baker Brooks A Legendary Chicago Guitar Star Returns to The MN Music Café and brings with him his Smoldering Guitar style which will light a Torch under you

Page 10 • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Courtesy Hard Working Movies

Sara Jordenö’s KIKI 2016

‘Kiki’ examines Black gay culture through art of dance By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor When the shooting was over, in the carnage was revealed 49 dead souls – most of them Black and Brown – most likely killed because of their sexual identity. The shooting is the now infamous June 12 massacre inside of Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Though the shooter claimed the act was based on an anti-American ideology, it is most likely the

horrific killings were a result of homophobia. Unfortunately tragic death is nothing new to members of the LGBT communities of color. “Our community is on very intimate terms with death. It comes from HIV, from hate crimes, from drugs, police brutality, suicide … it comes from a lot of different areas.” Those were the words of one of the individuals followed in the documentary, “Kiki,” which takes a look at the subculture in the Black and Brown New York LGBT

community of Kiki balls – events centered around dance and over-the-top fashion. The documentary, directed by Sara Jordenö, follows seven gay and trans Black and Latino teen and 20-somethings on a four-year journey; offering sobering insights into their daily lives. The poignant film will screen Thursday, July 21 at the Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave. The free screening takes place at 7 p.m. and will feature a question and answer session following, with Jordenö and Gia Marie

Love, one of the film’s subjects. Jordenö uses the backdrop of “voguing,” a popular form of dance on the Black and Latino LGBT scene, to tell the often untold and many times tragic stories that might seem shocking to those not closely connected to the community. While the balls and dancing provide the film’s inspiration and flash, the stories make the film worth seeing. With the nation still trying to make sense of the Orlando shooting, it’s disheartening and gut-wrenching to see Love

and another gay friend being taunted with homophobia slurs by a group of kids whose ages could still be in the single digits. Others followed discuss the family reactions and sometimes nonacceptance of their sexuality. A particularly insightful scene is a group discussion where trans members talk openly about resorting to the sex trade to earn money. “A lot of times we can’t get jobs because of how we look and we need money to eat and to afford these

expensive hormone drugs we have to take, so we do what we have to do. It’s common for Transsexuals to sell sex … it’s almost expected,” said a member of the discussion. Voguing and fashion are the bait, but the stories are the hook. This film is not just for the LGBT … they already know the stories. This film is for us all to have understanding, and hopefully empathy. “Kiki” is a part of the Walker’s Cinema with Urgency series.

insightnews.com

Insight News • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Page 11

Metasota pulls no punches with new LP By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor “You ain’t gotta agree with it/but we gettin’ killed for exceedin’ the speed limit.” To the best of my knowledge Metasota (born Lawrence

Fuller) is not a profit. But when listening to “Hands Up,” one of the 13 offerings from the lyrical MC’s LP, “Rum DMT,” it could be said that he’s not psychic, he just knew. “Hands Up” could almost be the soundtrack to the latest in what seems to be a never-ending

The Brian McKnight 4

deluge of video captured police perpetrated murders upon Black people. This time the hashtags are Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Believe it or not, “Hands Up” was written months before the Sterling and Castile killings. I guess that’s what they call having a finger on the pulse. Metasota’s finger is all over the pulse. “‘Rum DMT’ is an autobiography of me and the people closest to me,” said the Indiana-born rhymer who moved to St. Paul at the age of five. “When you talk about ‘Hands Up,’ how many times have you heard that phrase, ‘hands up’ in your lifetime? For a Black man it’s instinctual. ‘Hands Up’ is about Mike Brown, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland … too many to name … too many. It’s about situations I’ve been in.” The song preceding “Hands Up,” on the CD, “If I Die,” hauntingly captures the anger of a community being preyed upon by police. The emotion-stirring song comes with a dire warning. In a conversation captured by studio microphones someone asks, “What’s it going to take for us to stop getting killed by

“McKnight is an expert songwriter, with deep and wide experience.” – New York Times

July 24th, 25th, & 26th 7 & 9 PM 1010 Nicollet icollet Mall, Mall Downtown Minneapolis Minne 612.332.5299 dakotacooks.com

THURSDAY, JULY 28 PLYMOUTH AVE BLOCK PARTY

FRIDAY, JULY 29

EVENT PREVIEWS, GALLERY RECEPTIONS AND PUBLIC PERFORMANCES

SATURDAY, JULY 30

SPEND ALL DAY ON WEST BROADWAY CELEBRATING ARTS ON THE NORTHSIDE

George Shannon

Metasota police?” The answer offered is an uncomfortable one. “Rum DMT” is not meant to comfort. At the same time, “Rum DMT” is meant to be enjoyed. The LP is filled with complexities, witty word play and even hints of romanticism. The title track is a hippyinfluenced trip transporting the listener to an altered dimension of peace and enlightenment. Think of it as the adopted child of Jimi Hendrix, Andre 3000 and DJ Screw. Another standout on the well put together CD produced by Edward “Tek” Burch with co-production by Jesse “JessListen” Barron is

“Freedom,” which features a verse by Destiny Roberts and melodies by Ashley DuBose. The “club cut” of the CD is “Ain’t No Love,” a bouncy joint that could play at a grimy hip-hop club as easily as it could at a summer festival with mosh pit going full throttle. “Rum DMT” is available on iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon and at www.happyimpresent. bandcamp.com at a name your own price rate. “I want people to have it (the album). If you feel it, you can give,” said Metasota. “Hopefully the money will come. I just want to get the music out and have the people hear it.”

Page 12 • July 11 - July 17, 2016 • Insight News

insightnews.com This marks the 33rd annual celebration of the historic African-American Rondo neighborhood that was disrupted by the construction Interstate 94. There will be a parade and drill team competition at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

Femi Kuti

July 11 - 17

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

PRODUCTION BATTLE Best Damn Beat Battle 4 Honey 205 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 11 p.m. – 2 a.m. Sixteen of Minnesota’s best producers go headto-head for a cash prize.

Monday, July 11

Wednesday, July 13

INFORMATION SESSION

REGGAE

Summer on West Broadway 1011 W. Broadway Ave., #202, Minneapolis 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. West Broadway Coalition gives you the info. on the summer’s happenings including FLOW Northside Arts Crawl, Open Streets: West Broadway, West Broadway Farmers Market, and Public Plaza Demonstration.

Friday, July 15 AFROBEAT Femi Kuti Cedar Cultural Center 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis

New Primitives Gluek’s Restaurant & Bar 16 N. 6th St., Minneapolis 9:30 p.m. $4 21-plus

Eldest son of Fela Kuti, and a musical giant in his own right, Femi Kuti returns to wow audiences again at the Cedar.

Twin Cities reggae band, New Primitives, plays every Wednesday night at Gluek’s.

Saturday, July 16

Thursday, July 14

Tuesday, July 12

Protoje Mill City Nights 111 5th St. N., Minneapolis 8 p.m. Second generation Jamaican reggae star, Protoje, hits up Mill City with some good vibes.

REGGAE

FESTIVAL 33rd Annual Rondo Days Festival Rondo Education Center 560 Concordia Ave., St. Paul 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

PLAYING THIS SUMMER NOW – AUGUST 28

A sweeping musical romance music by

RICHARD RODGERS lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II and JOSHUA LOGAN