Insight News ::: 8.17.09 by Insight News, Inc

Sounds photo by Keith Langsdorf • Sounds cover by Josh Ernst PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MINNEAPOLIS MN PERMIT NO. 32468

The Grammy Award Winning Sounds of Blackness CD Release Celebration Tues Aug 25, 6:30-8pm, Mall of America. In stores 8/25/09.

August 17 - August 23, 2009 • MN Metro Vol. 35 No. 33 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

Ellison’s 5th District Town Hall Meeting reins in garrulous reform opponents:

Bringing the health care reform debate to our neighborhoods By Al McFarlane & B.P. Ford, the Editors editors@insightnews.com America’s debate on health care reform being played out in Twin Cities neighborhoods echoes virulent national debates that spark passionate opposition as well as principled voter demand that such reform is long overdue. US Rep. Keith Ellison hosted a Town Hall Forum on the President’s health care reform proposal in his Minnesota 5th Congressional District, Saturday, Aug., 1. The informative session was held at North Point Health & Wellness Center, 1313 Penn Avenue, North Minneapolis, the hub of health and wellness services and heath care policy for North Minneapolis and the surrounding communities. “Health care reform is probably the single most important issue being debated before Congress this year,” Ellison said. “What we decide upon will affect each of us. We need to keep this debate focused and moving forward. We accomplish this when each of us becomes involved in the debate; when each of us becomes an advocate.”

Suluki Fardan

State Rep. Bobby Champion (DFL-58B)

Works

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Suluki Fardan

State Rep. Jeffrey Hayden (DFL-61B)

US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) The Minnesota Legislature’s Black Caucus, State Reps. Bobby Champion, DFL-58B, and Jeff Hayden, DFL-61B, joined Ellison and key service and policy leaders in bringing the health care reform debate to

our neighborhoods. Stella Whitney-West, CEO, North Point Health & Wellness Center; Juan Jackson, Co-Chair African American Health Workers Network; Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, Executive

Suluki Fardan

Director, African American Child Wellness Institute; Bonnie Jean Smith, PACER Center; Heidi Holste, AARP – Minnesota Chapter; Beverly

HEALTH TURN TO

Emmy-winning Suluki Fardan

Juan Jackson

Steel chairs MUL Board Celois Steele, Director of Industry Relations & Development for Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, last month was elected chairperson of the Minneapolis Urban League Board of Directors. The North Minneapolis-based non-profit also has elected to its 18 member board, Efrem Smith, Senior Pastor at Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis. Additionally, Cedric Norwood, Project Manager for Market Tools, Inc., was named to the Board as the new Chair of the Minneapolis Urban League’s Young Professionals Chapter. As board chair, Steele will serve

Peer Mentoring

a one-year term and must be reelected each year to the position. New member Efrem Smith will serve a three-year term. Other elected officers include: US Bank executive Kevin Wright was elected vice-chair of the board. Steele and the rest of the board will assume their responsibilities in September, and will be charged with helping the League’s new CEO accomplish ambitious goals and objectives for making the League a world-class organization. “We are grateful for the commitment of time and talent that each of the directors brings to this organization,” said Scott Gray, President/CEO of the Minneapolis

Urban League. “Their leadership will be crucial as we forge ahead amidst economic challenges with a vision for taking the Minneapolis Urban League to a new level of success. I look forward to our work together.” The Minneapolis Urban League is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides human services and advocacy that will enable African Americans and other diverse group members residing in the greater Minneapolis metropolitan area to cultivate and develop their individual and group potential on a par with all other Minnesotans. The organization provides a continuum of more than 20 programs and

filmmaker discusses his upcoming PBS documentary

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Suluki Fardan

Scott Gray, President and CEO, Minneapolis Urban League and Celois Steele, MUL /Board chair services, which operate from five facilities throughout Minneapolis, and reaches approximately 20,000 individuals and families so they can

Getting your

have access to quality employment, housing, health care, education and social services.

money’s worth… every time

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Sotomayor sworn in; Becomes High Court’s first Hispanic Justice By Dorothy Rowley

Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspapers WASHINGTON (NNPA) - During a brief ceremony August 8, at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., Sonia Sotomayor became its first Hispanic justice and only the third woman in the court’s 220-year history. Sotomayor, 55, flanked by her mother and brother, was administered the oath by Justice John Roberts. A 17-year veteran of the federal court system, she pledged to uphold the Constitution and to administer impartial justice. With her left hand placed on a Bible, the former prosecutor who rose from poverty in New York City, also pledged to ‘’do equal right to the poor and to the rich.’’ About 60 people, including other family members and representatives of the Obama administration, attended the ceremony. Sotomayor replaces retired Justice David Souter. She was handpicked in May for the post by President Obama and was confirmed August 6 in a Senate vote of 68 to 31.

Mary Frances Berry

NNPA

Laura Murphy

NNPA

Wade Henderson

NNPA

U. S. Commission on Civil Rights Stacey Ilys/White House Photo

Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Sotomayor assumed the bench in a two oath processes: The first took place minutes before the second in a private ceremony in a room reserved for the justices’ private conferences. Roberts said that once the oaths were done, Sotomayor could ‘’begin work as associate justice without delay.’’ In her first Supreme Court hearing, she will sit among the other eight justices on September 9 for arguments in a case involving campaign finances. The justices, who are paid just over $200,000 annually, typically hear between 75 and 100 cases each year.

must be replaced, rights leaders say By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The 52year-old U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, historically a leading force for overturning racist policies and enacting civil rights laws against Jim Crow segregation, has become obsolete and must be replaced, say civil rights leaders who are moving to make it happen. Largely because of right wing political domination and appointees stacked by the former Bush Administration, rights leaders say the eight-member Commission has done

little for civil rights progress lately and over the past several years has done more to turn back the clock. “There should be a new commission. You need a commission because you need a commission to do what it did when it was doing what it was supposed to do, which is look at all these new problems – the old ones and the new ones,” said constitutional law expert Mary Frances Berry, a former member of the commission, who served 11 years as its chair. “Discrimination complaints on the basis of race have increased exponentially at the [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]. And most of them are

found to be valid. This has just happened over the past few years.” Berry, who resigned from the Commission in late 2004, continues, “People are still having problems on their jobs, we’ve still got police community issues and everything. People are getting shot, every kind of issue you can think of. “The fact that Obama is president doesn’t mean that the issues just went away,” she said in an interview with the NNPA News Service. “It doesn’t matter who the president is. You need an independent watch dog that will investigate and look at civil and

RIGHTS TURN TO

Swine Flu Pandemic: How can you be safe?

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Correction: Insight improperly described the title of a person mentioned in last week's feature on tobacco prevention. She should have been identified as Dr. Jennifer Warren, Indigo Health Research and Consulting, Inc.

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Insight News • August 17 - August 23, 2009 • Page 3

Peer mentoring works for girls of African descent By Brandie Hill Senior High School Student Cooper High School As we grow old we come to understand that it is our young people of today that have the possibility to make a better tomorrow. During the 2008-2009 school year, WE WIN Institute partnered with Cooper High School in the Robbinsdale district to create a mentoring program called, “Women of Distinction,” for girls of African descent. The great need for a partnership of this kind revolves around the fact that African American students have the fastest growing failure rate in the state of Minnesota with only 38 percent graduating from high school. Minnesota has the worst graduation rate for African Americans in the country. The purpose of the program is for junior and senior high school girls to mentor freshman and sophomores so that they will stay on track academically, socially and psychologically.

Many of today’s African American youth are dropping out of high school because of pregnancies, Brandie Hill lack of family support and lack of encouragement by friends, as well as peer pressure. The mentoring program moves on the premise that if we don’t help our children NOW, who else will. The 2008-09 school year was the first year of our mentoring program. It was a real learning experience for all of us. We learned a lot about what to do and things we wanted to do for year two of the program. This summer, dedicated mentors have been meeting together with the director of WE WIN Institute and looking at what worked in the program and what we want to see different for this fall. We have really been tightening up the loose areas found in last year’s program. We as mentors have pointed out key areas that need

specific help in terms of providing the best support the mentees need. We are also looking at the support we as mentors need. Every week we come together and have been developing curriculum, developing mentor friendly forms that will help us understand how our mentees are doing in their classes, how they are doing with coming to school, and how they are doing in terms of behavior. We even talk with our mentees’ parents and let them know how their girls are doing at Cooper. We also are doing trust exercises with each other so that we can really trust and depend on each other so we can be more successful this school year. We are using the Circle process which gives everyone a voice and helps us respect and care for each other. We are also working on fundraising ideas for the program. It seems like girls are not number one when it comes to money for programs that make us better. We want this program and we are going to do everything we can to make it happen. WE WIN Institute has

Green your back-to-school routine From new clothes and notebooks, to backpacks and art supplies, preparing your children for going back to school this fall can be not only time-consuming but also costly. With a little thought and some tips from RethinkRecycling.com, consumers can green their back to school routine – saving money and reducing waste. “In all the back-to-school excitement it’s sometimes easiest to run to the store and stock up on back-to-school essentials, ultimately buying more stuff than is needed and a lot of stuff that you already have,” said Angie Timmons, communications manager for the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board. “By giving careful thought before stocking up for school, consumers can easily find ways to reduce their impact on the environment by using what they have, buying secondhand, or choosing a green alternative.” As your kids are gearing up to go back to school, consider following some of these

suggestions to reduce your impact on the environment and make your dollars go further: Supplies – Before dashing to the store, look around at home to find supplies leftover from last year (i.e. pencils, pens and folders), and make a list of what you need after taking inventory of everything you already have. You may be surprised to learn how many supplies you already have. Also, buy notebooks made of recycled content, with paper that is processed without chlorine, and be sure to encourage your child to use both sides of every page. Clothes – Kids grow fast and need new clothes often, so when shopping for school clothes this year consider shopping at second-hand stores. You can find great used and unused clothes at a low cost to both you and the environment. And wherever you purchase clothes, be sure to select quality clothing that won’t wear out and can be handed down, whether to other kids in your family or to a thrift store.

Lunch Box – Lunch is a great time to reduce waste. Use a washable, reusable lunch box rather than a brown bag, and use reusable containers instead of baggies for sandwiches and snacks. Consider buying food in bulk and avoiding individuallypacked items – it will not only save you money, but it also reduces the amount of packaging used to store the goods. Believe it or not, packing a healthier lunch produces less waste – an orange will leave behind only compostable “wrappers.” Above all, when you’re ready to do out with the old and in with the new, remember to recycle. If you don’t already have a recycling station set up, set up a few paper recycling bins in your home and be sure to place one near where your child does homework. For more information on ways to save and reduce your impact on the environment, visit www.RethinkRecycling.com

worked hard to give us the freedom to make this program really work for us. This is the first time that I have been able to actually do the planning and create what happens in a program. I like having a voice. WE WIN does not have the resources to keep the program going for the 2009-10 school year. We will keep meeting and talking to people and hopefully get everything we need to have a successful program this school year. We have developed a lot of goals that we want to accomplish during the school year for our mentees, as well as goals for ourselves so that we too can be our best. We want more adults to work with us this year. We’re looking for adults who have strong math, science, writing and reading skills. We refuse to believe that African American students can’t be successful in school. We have and we will continue to prove this with our mentoring program. I am an honor student at Cooper and I want all the mentees to be honor students, too. With the help of WE WIN

Institute and the support of the larger community, mentors will be part of the solutions for our young freshmen and sophomore sisters who are struggling in school We as mentors are determined that they will do everything in our power to get these young women to succeed in high school. The curriculum in our program is fantastic. We are learning about so many Black women who have done great things. We are helping our mentees with reading, writing, math, science, and history. It is so important to know about ourselves as African Americans. Like the saying goes, “You must know where you have been in order to know where you are going.” The mentors have come to the conclusion that schools are not integrating enough of the African culture or any culture of people of color for students to be culturally competent. We have decided that we will look more into the depth of our Heroes and She roes who have showed excellence and who look like us.

2008 mentors and mentees The mentors of WE WIN Institute’s, “The Women of Distinction” at Cooper High School are more than ready to achieve excellence with their mentees and with ourselves. We hope the program stays a part of Cooper High School for the many years and generations to come.

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COMMENTARY New Orleans politicians must put people’s needs ahead of personal greed By Judge Greg Mathis William Jefferson, a former Louisiana Congressman who represented parts of New Orleans, was recently convicted` in federal court for accepting more than $400,000 in bribes. Jefferson could be sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for his crimes. Though it only took the jury five days to deliver the verdict, it will take tax payers

much longer to pay off the trial’s debt; a sum that includes far more than court costs. The Gulf Coast has progressed slowly and steadily since it was hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. In New Orleans, however, many residents feel that more can – and should – be done. There are still nearly 66,000 unoccupied homes in the city, school enrollment is at 78 percent of its pre-Katrina levels, home sales are down 39 percent

from four years ago and rents have increased by 40 percent in that same time period. Charity Hospital, one of the city’s largest state-run hospitals, was damaged heavily by Katrina. It has not reopened and it doesn’t look like it will. Many of the city’s poor and elderly were able to receive free and low cost medical services there; they are now redirected to hospitals that are much farther from their homes. Like the hospital, many local

businesses – dry cleaners, car repair shops and more – didn’t reopen after the storm, resulting in a lack of services to a city that has so much need. Most importantly, elected officials from the area still cannot definitively say whether or not New Orleans’ levee system is strong enough to protect the city from a major hurricane. Jefferson did not hold office when he was convicted – he lost his seat in a December race, after he was

indicted. But his corruption case is not an isolated one. According to the FBI, Louisiana ranks third in the nation in public corruption cases. It’s maddening to think that, in the midst of all that remains to be done in both the state of Louisiana and in the city of New Orleans, local politicians will abuse their power and ignore their constituent’s needs in favor of fattening their pockets. With Louisiana, New Orleans in particular, struggling to rebuild itself

nearly four years after Hurricane Katrina hit, the local government simply doesn’t have the time or resources to continuously prosecute corrupt public officials. The state’s attorney is doing his job by cracking down on corruption. The politicians need to step up and do their part by putting the needs of the people ahead of their own greed.

Youth PROMISE Act can help dismantle pipeline to prison By Marian Wright Edelman Over the last three decades, politicians from Capitol Hill to local city councils have generated law enforcement polices and practices based on the mantra that we have to “get tough on crime.” The impact of that approach to law enforcement has made our nation the biggest jailer on the planet. With 2.3 million people behind bars, many for non-violent drug offenses, America incarcerates more of its people than any other country in the world. African Americans constitute one-third and Latinos one-fifth of our imprisoned population. This is madness!

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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Elliot Stewart-Franzen Web Design & Content Associate Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Brenda Colston Julie Desmond Marcia Humphrey Mehgaan Jones Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Brandi D. Phillips Ryan T. Scott Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. MinneAPOlis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC) Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI) National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

But I’m gratified to report that rational Congressional legislators—229 in the House of Representatives alone—are supporting the bipartisan Youth PROMISE Act (H.R. 1064) that calls for a fundamental shift in child policy and practice away from the too frequent first choice of punishment and incarceration and toward prevention and early intervention and sustained child investment. There is also a companion bill in the Senate (S. 435). On July 15, I testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security in support of the Youth PROMISE Act, because I’m

confident that it will be a powerful tool for dismantling the pipeline to prison. Hundreds of thousands of children and youths are being funneled into the pipeline each year at younger and younger ages. It’s a national disgrace that at-risk children are more likely to enter the pipeline to prison than they are of receiving the help they need to finish high school. The lack of health and mental health care is a crucial factor in putting children at risk. Because many pregnant women do not receive prenatal care, one in 12 babies in the U.S. is born at low birthweight. These babies are at greater risk of having problems than normal birthweight babies.

Black babies in the U.S. are more likely to be born at low birthweight than babies in 100 other nations including Botswana. Children are in great jeopardy if they don’t receive routine health care including the standard vaccinations against communicable childhood diseases. These and other unmet health needs such as early hearing or vision loss turn into deficits and developmental delays that often go undiagnosed and untreated causing children to start school with deficits that affect learning. Many fall behind before or in kindergarten and first grade and never recover. As their frustrations and failures pile up, they act out and get suspended and expelled—the suspension rate among Black public school students is three times that of White students. We have been pushing our children out of school and into the pipeline to prison for far too long. By introducing the Youth PROMISE Act, US Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Mike Castle (RDE) have devised a better way. This bill builds on what we know works and encourages states and communities to put in place alternatives to incarceration for youths. The legislation recognizes that the key to gang prevention is not increased federal prosecution of more young people by federalizing certain gang crimes—thus higher penalties and more incarceration. Instead, the bill promotes

investment in quality evidencebased early childhood, voluntary home visitation and comprehensive after-school and summer school programs; mentoring; health and mental health care; job training; and alternative intervention. These approaches build success by decreasing youth arrests and delinquency and lowering the recidivism rate. Under the Youth PROMISE Act, special help will be available for designated Comprehensive Gang Prevention and Relief Areas with high incidence of gang crime activity and violent crime. These areas will be eligible for priority attention under a number of federal early childhood, at-risk youth, literacy, training, employment and crime control programs. The legislation calls for the formation of local PROMISE councils that include parents as well as representatives from law enforcement, the courts, schools, social service agencies, health and mental health providers, community-based groups and faithbased organizations. These councils will focus on developing and implementing a comprehensive local plan to support young people and their families and make our communities safer. The Act also provides additional funding for state and local law enforcement agencies to hire and train youthoriented police officers and help them better understand their role in

prevention and early intervention. The Youth PROMISE Act would establish a National Research Center for Proven Juvenile Justice Practices to collect and disseminate to local councils and the public evidence-based and promising practices to prevent and reduce juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity. It is unacceptable that the only thing our rich nation will guarantee every child is a jail or detention cell after she or he gets into trouble. America must act now with urgency to ensure all our children a healthy and fair start in life and to stop criminalizing children at younger and younger ages, and instead institute policies that place all children on a path to productive adulthood. The Youth PROMISE Act would take an important step toward that goal. Please join the Children’s Defense Fund and more than 240 national, state and local organizations in supporting this legislation. And please thank Representatives Bobby Scott and Mike Castle for their leadership. Marian Wright Edelman, whose new book is The Sea Is So Wide And My Boat Is So Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation, is president of the Children’s Defense Fund. For more information about the Children’s Defense Fund, go to http://www.childrensdefense.org/.

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AESTHETICS Emmy-winning filmmaker discusses his upcoming PBS documentary discovered Paris during World War I. How many Black expatriates lived in Montmartre? DJ: First of all, I want to say that we had the opportunity to work with an incredible group of scholars. They kept us on track and helped us understand the complexity of this history. But to answer your question, in spite of all of the activity and all of the accomplishments of the Black expatriates in Montmartre the total Black expatriate population never reached more than several hundred.

By Kam Williams Born in Grand Rapids, MI, Emmy Award-winner Dante James is an independent filmmaker who has produced and directed numerous award-winning documentaries as well as a critically-acclaimed dramatic short film. In June 2006 James, accepted an appointment as Artist-in-Residence instructor/filmmaker at Duke University, and the following year he conceptualized, produced, and directed The Doll, based on a short story by Charles W. Chesnutt. The Doll subsequently screened at film festivals around the world, including the Pan African International Film Festival in Cannes. In 2006, Dante received three Emmy nominations for his work on the PBS series Slavery and the Making of America, for which he was awarded an Emmy for his work as series producer. He has also been recognized as a distinguished alumnus by Grand Valley State University in 1994, and in December 2007 when he delivered the commencement address the university awarded him a Doctorate of Humane Letters. In addition, he has earned a Masters Degree from Duke University. In 2010, James plans to turn his creative efforts to the production of an independent feature film, which will be shot in Detroit and in his hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. Here, Dante discusses his latest offering, Harlem in Montmartre, a Paris Jazz Story for PBS’s Great Performances. The documentary tells the story of the jazz age in Paris between 1920 and 1945. It explores an abandoned but crucial aspect of the African-American cultural experience and its effect on the international stage. The documentary will air on PBS at 8 PM (ET/PT) on August 26, 2009. (Check local listings) KW: Hi Dante, thanks for another interview. DJ: Hi Kam, it’s always great to talk with you and I want you to know that I appreciate your interest in my films. KW: What interested you in making Harlem in Montmartre? DJ: When we were working on the Slavery and the Making of America series in 2004, my friend Charles Hopson brought the project to WNET. Charles had acquired the rights to the book and Tammy Robinson, a brilliant Black woman who at the time was WNET’s V.P. of national production, had the vision to see the potential and the importance of the project. Tammy took the project on and she and Charles asked me to direct the film. KW: It is based on a book by the late Anthony Shack, a professor of anthropology at Berkeley. What challenges were involved in adapting it into a documentary? DJ: That is a very interesting question. Actually, it took some time to figure out how to make the book come alive. My Duke University class was involved in analyzing the script, suggesting storylines and visual approaches. They were very creative and several of their ideas did end up in the film. But the biggest challenge was figuring out a way to tell the story by

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Dante James

using the music as the spine of the film. We wanted to have the music take us through the history as opposed to having the history take us to the music. The other huge challenge was determining what would make it into the film because there were so many great stories. KW: In the screen version, you focus on a handful of key figures, including Josephine Baker, bandleader James Reese Europe, clarinetist Sidney Bechet, nightclub owners Bricktop and Eugene Bullard and gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. What made you settle on their stories? DJ: As you know the best films are character-driven. The idea was to cast the film with interesting characters who could take us through the history with music as an essential part of the storytelling. For instance, Sidney Bechet was an incredible musician but he also represented many other things. He represented the strength and independence of Black people during that time period. As a matter of fact, all of the characters were representative of our struggle for social, political, economic and artistic freedom in France and in this country. Django Reinhardt was the person who pioneered French jazz. Early French jazz musicians attempted to imitate American jazz. Django was essential to the development of a French style of jazz. One of the ways he did this was with drastically different instrumentation. KW: Why did you decide to mix in live performances of jazz classics with archival footage? And by the same token, why did you employ the technique of having actors impersonate some of the leading icons from the era? DJ: There were specific musical story points that were essential to telling the story and to interpreting the history. The live performances gave us the flexibility of featuring those points and they were also essential to the pacing of the film. We did not want to rely solely on the archival footage, as that would have been very limiting. In terms of musicians representing musicians of the time period we wanted to have our band directed by the brilliant Victor Goines simply capture the feel and the spirit of the musicians in Montmartre during that time period. I did not want them to attempt to become actors. KW: What I found fascinating was learning that African Americans first

KW: To what extent did Jim Crow segregation in America contribute to the exodus? DJ: There is a moment in the film when Brent Edwards talks about the idea of freedom and how after Black Americans experienced freedom and respect in France during World War I. They began to see possibilities and could no longer accept the segregation and degradation of American racism. But it is also important to note that we do not frame France as a utopia for Black people. We spend quite a bit of time making the point that France was a colonial power and while they were welcoming Black American expatriates, they were exploiting and oppressing people of color in the Caribbean, West Africa, and Vietnam. This is an example of what I meant in terms of exploring the complexity of this history. KW: The film also focuses on the fact that the bubble began to burst during The Depression when Paris started enforcing an ordinance limiting the number of foreign performers. DJ: This is really interesting in that the10% law, which limited the employment of foreign musicians to10% of any band, had been on the books for many years. But with the onset of The Depression, the French began enforcing the law. So it was not a matter of race, it was more a matter of French capitalism and the tighter money supply. This is something we see happening in this country as resources become sparse, people take action to make sure that they are going to be financially stable. We often interpret their actions as racist and sometimes race is a factor. However, this is also one of the characteristics of capitalism. KW: And then what had been an oasis of tolerance turned into a nightmare when the specter of Hitler invading France forced all the Blacks to run back to America where they not only had to readjust to segregation and second-class status, but where they received little respect as artists. DJ: It is ironic and sad that in World War I, Black Americans were not allowed in U.S. combat units because the U.S. military did not want Black soldiers killing white enemies. It is also ironic and sad that while some segments of American society referred to jazz as jungle music, the French recognized it as an art form. But this is the dichotomy of the Black experience. Yet, through it all, we continue to define for ourselves and assert our humanity and our dignity. KW: What do you want viewers to come away with after viewing Harlem in Montmartre? DJ: The film is really about finding common ground as human beings

and in Montmartre that common ground was Black American jazz. We must begin to think not in terms of race, color, language, religion, or political persuasion, but in terms of humanity. The common thread of humanity is more powerful than all of the things that divide us. KW: How was it working with PBS again? Do you ever feel constrained by the limits of public television? DJ: To be very frank with you it was difficult. Too often in television, film and publishing there are those in positions of power who have the final word on the interpretation of our history and our culture, but it is not their culture and they do not understand it. In general I’m happy with the film, however, there were changes made after I left WNET that I am not happy with. Here is an example. In the opening of the film Josephine Baker is described as scandalous. I think that description far too narrow. Her act might have been scandalous at first, but the French patrons who paid to see her were just as scandalous if not more so. Josephine Baker was complex and extremely talented so I have a problem with reducing her to scandalous at the top of the show. Clearly, this was copy that was written by and approved by people outside of our culture. Things like this happen far too often. KW: What’s your next film project going to be? DJ: I really enjoyed making my dramatic short film THE DOLL and it has screened at film festivals nation wide and internationally so I decided to make an independent feature film in my home state of Michigan. The Michigan Film Commission is offering incredible incentives for filmmakers to shoot films in the state. I have identified a story and I’m working with Mike Wiley, an incredibly gifted actor and screenwriter, on the script. It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to work with a brother in an atmosphere of mutual respect and support. My attorney, Lee Jenkins, and I are in the process of seeking investors, so Kam, if you have an extra two million dollars to invest in this project we’ll even give you a

cameo role! Lee is another brilliant Black man who has been supportive of me and my work for many years. With a team that includes Lee, Mike and of course my wife, Delores, I know we will be successful. KW: Will you also be teaching at Duke this semester? What course? DJ: As of today I’m scheduled to teach a course on planning the documentary film. However, like every other university in America, Duke is experiencing economic challenges and there could be changes. In the meantime, I’m also exploring other opportunities at Duke. Whatever happens, it is a great university and I’m very proud to

have a masters’ from Duke and I’m appreciative of the opportunities I’ve had there. They made the production of THE DOLL possible and by the way the film is still available at www.dmdfilms.com To obtain a copy of the book from which Harlem in Montmartre was adapted, visit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ 0520225376?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfof ire20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&c reative=390957&creativeASIN=05 20225376

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LIFESTYLE Getting your money’s worth…every time Style on a dime

By Marcia Humphrey Being a frequent (bargain) shopper, there is one thing that I feel quite strongly about- good customer service. While I understand that all of my bargain hot-spots won’t yield the same level of service (think Macy’s vs. Goodwill), when I am patronizing a reputable establishment, I expect to be treated in a befitting manner.

That’s why I was so outdone after an overnight stay at the Doubletree in downtown Minneapolis. See, I left my favorite high-end designer blouse in the hotel room and immediately called the next day to retrieve it. After speaking with the housekeeping manager, I had a feeling the outcome would not be a good one. His lack of professionalism and then his lack of follow through prompted me to contact the hotel’s general manager. After leaving about three detailed messages with Mr. General Manager and receiving no return call, I was fighting mad (we are talking about my favorite white blouse here!). At this point I realized that I’d likely never see my blouse again, however, I refused to allow the hotel staff to

disregard me and my money like that (After all, this was one of those rare occasions where I had paid full-price for the room!) The fight then went from being about my blouse to being about the principles of common courtesy and respect. To make a long story short, I contacted Doubletree’s corporate office (they are part of the Hilton family of hotels), and ultimately received a suitable apology. It came in the form of a voucher for a free night’s stay at any of the Hilton hotels or suites. Still a bit upset over my beloved blouse, I was unsure if my relationship with Hilton Hotels would ever be the same, but I definitely planned to use the voucher during our family’s summer “down south” road trip. When we arrived at the Embassy Suites in St. Louis, we were greeted with outstanding customer service from the manager. She not only redeemed our voucher, she informed us of other specials that were available. In short, she demonstrated that she valued our business and that made all the difference! The next morning we enjoyed a complimentary made-to-order breakfast buffet. If purchased separately, the breakfast alone could easily have cost over $60 for our crew of five! We had a great experience and I am no longer mad at the Hiltons (or Paris!). The point I am trying to make is this: When you use your hardearned dollars to purchase goods and services, get what you pay for.

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Don’t support businesses that treat you poorly. Your money is your power. In addition, if you don’t receive good customer service, instead of leaving as a secretlydisgruntled customer, make some noise! Okay, I don’t mean literally, but figuratively. Write a letter or send an email to the company president. Depending on the situation, consider contacting the Better Business Bureau, or local newspaper. Politely, yes politely, state your concerns and disappointments. Don’t lie, don’t over exaggerate,

and don’t be unreasonable. Be persistent and professional and give the offending company an opportunity to make amends and win you back as a customer. Everyone is entitled to a few mistakes, so make allowances for others’ imperfections and whenever possible, leave room for reconciliation. Although I would have preferred retrieving my blouse over receiving a free night’s stay at the hotel (seriously, the blouse was ‘all that’), I was satisfied with their efforts to make restitution. We enjoyed a comfortable night’s sleep and awoke refreshed. I am reminded of a Bible verse in Proverbs which basically states that everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

Proverbs 15:23 This wisdom should flow in both directions. Not only should you expect to get the treatment you deserve as a customer, you should always extend the same respect (and necessary restraint) that you desire while expressing your viewpoint. Even in your dissatisfaction, choose to use words that will compel others to help and not hinder you. The outcome will always be much better. Enjoy! Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at a low cost. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.

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Insight News • August 17 - August 23, 2009 • Page 7

BUSINESS Gearing up for tomorrow’s green jobs Plan your career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Anna Pesola is an artist, welder and savvy career planner. Constantly striving to improve her marketability, she is applying this summer to engineering schools, hoping to achieve a degree in Renewable Energy Engineering. Only one school offers this degree at this time, but Anna sees this program as not the Only, but the First, of its kind. Anna is on the pulse of what America’s next wave of jobs are going to be about. According to one survey, the current 8 million green jobs could grow to as much as 30 million positions over the next 20 years. That’s something to get excited about – and to plan for. According to the publication

Health From 1 Propes, RN, Board Member North Point Health & Wellness Center; and Prof. Mary Story, PhD, RD, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota argued that health care reform must remain a top priority for our community and for the nation. “Right now, nothing defines us more as Americans than how we take care of our health and the health of all of our communities,” said Jackson. Ellison’s Health Care Reform Town Hall was not immune to the disruptive outbursts from garrulous adversaries of the

Occupational Outlook, research shows the scope of America’s jobs changing significantly over the next decade. An aging population means we can expect more work in professional services including accounting, estate planning and wealth management , and a changing world is driving a demand for clean energy. While utilities companies will improve their use of technology, requiring fewer workers, these companies will need more knowledgeable workers to develop their technology (think anything computers) and skilled professionals to physically design and build and install green improvements. If your expertise is in computers, architecture or engineering, it is time to green-up your toolbox. If you are talented in construction, your skills will be in high demand. Other jobs gaining traction as a result of growing awareness of the environment include ecotourism, agriculture, research, alternative energy product development and even bicycle repair.

Finding green jobs may require some effort. Many companies focusing on renewable energy are start-ups or relatively young companies. They may not have the financial or staffing resources to advertise their positions on traditional job boards. Networking into the renewable energy community is a good place to start. Pay attention, too, to companies winning awards for their efforts in renewable energy. These are the organizations that will be successful – and hiring – down the road. President Obama wants every American to go back to school. Financial Aid packages have improved, and many people have the time on their hands to do this right now. But those who cannot fit formal education into the picture right now should find other ways to align their skills with the jobs that are on the horizon.

administration’s health care reform initiatives. Questioners in the audience attempted to redirect the conversation to either a debate of euthanasia, or a debate on abortion. Several critics of the administration health care reform initiative said they feared the government would eliminate choice of health care options for the consumer by mandating government-controlled healthcare for all. Several audience members became boisterous and disrespectfully rude as they rejected responses to questions they raised, that didn’t align with their viewpoint. Ellison, however, demanded civility and orderliness in the proceeding while ensuring that every point of view was heard, including those diametrically opposed to his own viewpoint.

To illustrate the point, Ellison said he understands that many people oppose abortion for religious, moral and health reasons; but, he said, others believe just as passionately in a woman’s right to choose and support the notion that abortion should be available, safe and rare. “But we will not have that debate here today,” the Congressman said. “Today we will talk about overhauling the health care system.” But opponents to the President’s health care proposals persisted nonetheless, testily charging that the reform proposals included “death panels” that would make end of life decisions for the elderly. Ellison responded by reading chapter and verse from the actual legislative proposal and explained that the HEALTH TURN TO 8

Please send your career planning questions to Julie@insightnews.com.

Page 8 • August 17 - August 23, 2009 • Insight News

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HEALTH What is Swine Flu Pandemic? How can you be safe? Health & Wellness

By Brandi D. Phillips We have all heard about something called the Swine Flu (H1N1 Flu)? What exactly is Swine Flu and how does a person get it? How can we be vaccinated against the virus? Once a person has been infected with Swine Flu, what can be done to treat it?

I have heard so much about Swine Flu, it has become somewhat irritating. I am not saying that educating the public about Swine Flu is not important, because I think it is very important. This is a newer virus and we need to find a treatment

The spread of the H1N1 Flu is similar to that of the regular season flu that most of us have experienced. or a cure so we can save lives in the future. However, we need not get lost on this health concern, but rather talk about this and other health

Success in dealing with your health and wellness? Brandi is looking for individuals to feature in upcoming Insight issues who have had a success in dealing with a health and wellness concern. Successes include but are not limited to weight

Health From 7 criticism leveled either reflected lack of information, an honest mistake, or, a conscious and malicious effort to promote disinformation. Other North Minneapolis residents in attendance said they perceived a racialist undercurrent in the reasoning of those present expressing objection to Obama’s health care reform proposals. Said one resident, “This meeting puts the small arguments that divide us in the

concerns as well. For this article, I will discuss with readers what Swine Flu is thought to be at this time as well as possible ways to avoid, treat and vaccinate. Swine Flu was discovered in April 2009. It is a highly

loss, diabetes, stroke, cancer, amputation, lupus, sickle cell, and anxiety. Please email your suggestions, comments or questions to bodybybrandiva@gmail.com.

Black community in a whole different light. Our internal bickering and posturing is insignificant and meaningless compared to the meanness of spirit and lack of civility some people tried to bring to this meeting today.” Ellison said he encouraged the passion and respected everybody’s right to voice their opinion. “Get involved. Share your views. My mind is not closed. I am open to the dialogue, though it’s hard for me to believe you think the status quo is ok,” Ellison said. There is so much at stake in health care reform legislation, it is difficult for ordinary people

contagious virus that spreads from person to person, and was listed as a worldwide pandemic on July 11, 2009 by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is called the Swine Flu because its symptoms resemble the flu virus that has been found in pigs (swine) from Europe and Asiaas well as in bird and human genes. It was reported the week of August 10, 2009, on most media networks, including CNN and MSNBC, that 51 U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq had been diagnosed with the Swine Flu virus and then treated. There were still 71 suspect cases that are still in isolation from the rest of the population at the time of

to wrap their minds around the multifaceted debate. Obama is seeking to bring clarity and understanding by summarizing the need and prioritizing strategies that address the need. At his website, the President says, ‘Making sure every American has access to high quality health care is one of the most important challenges of our time. The number of uninsured Americans is growing, premiums are skyrocketing, and more people are being denied coverage every day. A moral imperative by any measure, a better system is also essential to rebuilding our economy — we want to make

this report (AP). The spread of the H1N1 Flu is similar to that of the regular season flu that most of us have experienced. Common symptoms are fever, headache and body ache, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, diarrhea and possibly chills and fatigue. At its worse the virus can include serious illness requiring hospitalization and it may even cause death. Those who may be at a higher risk, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, are those who have dealt with diabetes, asthma, heart or kidney disease and those woman who are pregnant, based on a weakened immune system. Infection from one person to the next can occur anywhere from one day before or 5-7 days after the infected person becomes physically ill. Prevention and Treatment

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individuals who are willing to do so. If you think you have been infected with the H1N1 Swine Flu virus, immediately contact your health care professional. Also avoid contact with others and try your best to be hygienic, in order to avoid spreading the virus.

• Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw away the tissue immediately in a trash receptacle that is covered or flush it in the toilet. This prevents germs from

spreading in the air. • Wash your hands often with warm soap and water. • Avoid touching you eyes, nose and mouth this is how disease and germs are spread. • Avoid being up close and personal with sick people. If you are sick the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24-hours after your fever is gone. There is currently no vaccine that is available to prevent and cure Swine Flu, but there are a couple of company’s that are doing some trial testing on

health insurance work for people and businesses, not just insurance and drug companies.” The solution, Obama says is to reform the health care system: “We will take steps to reform our system by expanding coverage, improving quality, lowering costs, honoring patient choice and holding insurance companies accountable. Another part of the solution is promoting scientific and technological advancements: “We are committed to putting responsible science and technological innovation ahead of ideology when it comes to medical research. We believe in the enormous capacity of American ingenuity to find

cures for diseases that continue to extinguish too many lives and cause too much suffering every year.” The third leg of the health care fix is improving preventative care: “In order to keep our people healthy and provide more efficient treatment we need to promote smart preventative care, like cancer screenings and better nutrition, and make critical investments in electronic health records, technology that can reduce errors while ensuring privacy and saving lives,” the President said. Prominent African American leaders are agreeing with Obama and telling their constituents that Black America

will particularly benefit from health care reform. In a July news feature published online at Cyber News Service (CNS), Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Democratic National Committee African American Chair Virgie M. Rollins, said Obama has asked Congress to pass a bill that includes three principles: lower costs; a choice of doctors and plans, including a public (government-run) plan; and quality, affordable care for all Americans.

As with other viruses such as colds and the flu:

Brandi Phillips is a life skills coach and personal trainer specializing in cultivating health children and sustaining healthy seniors.

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Rights From 1 human rights issues and try to build consensus and make recommendations, and work to try to get something done.” In her new book, And Justice for All, an extensively researched history of the Commission and America’s “continuing struggle for freedom,” Berry writes that the current commission must be replaced with a U. S. Commission on Civil and Human Rights in order to renew its power against injustice. “The addition of human rights could make clear a concern with the nexus between race, sex, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation, religious discrimination, poverty and civil liberties concerns,” Berry writes at the conclusion of the 400-page book. “A civil and human rights commission could also monitor U. S. compliance with the international human rights covenants to which we are a party and encourage adoption of those we have not approved.” The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is supposed to be an independent, bi-partisan body that was established by Congress in 1957 under the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It is primarily a fact-finding body that looks into allegations of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin. Berry recalls how the Commission worked with civil rights greats Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, and others to document facts that led to civil rights laws. “The impact of the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights is sort of an overall missing piece of how we got over,” she describes. While civil rights battles raged in the streets, lunch counters and jail cells, the Commission - which still has an advisory committee in each state - would visit communities; using subpoena power to compel both Blacks and Whites to give often shocking testimony about their personal experiences of injustices as well as those they had witnessed. “The commission from that time until the Reagan Administration was a force for trying to make change. They would make recommendations. They worked with everybody,” Berry

Insight News • August 17 - August 23, 2009 • Page 9 recalls. Then the Reagan politics began. In 1983, two years after he took office, Reagan fired Berry, Blandina C. Ramirez and Murray Saltzman from the commission after they publicly disagreed with him on his administration’s civil rights policies. “They decided to fire commissioners and appoint those who would be mouth pieces,” Berry said. Rather than accept Reagan’s action, Berry and Ramirez sued and won back their seats after the Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. ruled that the commissioners served as watchdogs. Berry chuckles as she recalls the judge’s comment, “The judge said, ‘You can’t fire a watchdog for biting.’” In her 24 years on the Commission, Berry became known for her fights with presidents, including challenges to Jimmy Carter, Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. She resigned from the Commission in late 2004 amidst intense disputes with President Bush and his appointees on the Commission. In the book she states, “President George W. Bush essentially ‘fired’ me.” Now – though she mentions him by name only three times in the book - she’s challenging both President Barack Obama and Congress from the outside. She clearly views his administration as an opportunity to strengthen the Commission and return it to its original mission and purpose. The movement is growing. Laura Murphy, a senior consultant for the Campaign for a New Domestic Human Rights Agenda, a coalition of more than 50 civil rights groups that’s pushing for a new Commission among other causes, says they’re making headway. “The United States has been cited for its failure to end racial profiling, for its failure to end the high rate of incarceration of juveniles. These are the very issues that a reformed and strengthened U. S. Commission on Civil and Human Rights could give attention to,” she says. Murphy, former director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, says the group is in conversation with members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. She says the Obama Administration has also been receptive.

“I think we will see hearings before the end of the year,” she said. Currently the Commission has eight members, including six Republicans and two Democrats. A move by Bush in 2004 created the conservative majority. Bush solidified the conservative Commission after two Republicans who had been Republicans when appointed - Russell Redenbaugh (who has since resigned) and Abigail Thernstrom - reregistered as independents. Bush then installed a fifth and sixth Republican. Democratic President Obama will not get an appointment until 2010. And even then he’ll only get one. Meanwhile, divisive issues such as police profiling and misconduct; affirmative action and same-sex marriage are not being dealt with in fact-finding hearings by the

Commission, Berry said. Instead, in recent years, the Commission has been busy opposing civil rights progress, including its opposition to the renewal of the Voting Rights Act, hate crimes laws, and arguing against diversity as a benefit in public education. Other civil rights leaders agree a new Commission is the answer. A recent report issued by The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, led by President Wade Henderson, says the current Commission is nearly irreparably flawed. According to the report, “Today, the commission is so debilitated as to be considered moribund. With a new administration, there is the opportunity to take a fresh look at this venerable institution and make the necessary changes to restore it to its

former status as the ‘conscience of the nation,” The report pushes for an “entirely new entity that returns to the commission’s original mandate and expands on it to preserve and protect the civil and human rights of all American citizens.” Titled, “Restoring the Conscience of a Nation”, the Report includes the following recommendations which essentially mirror those advocated by Berry: •Creation of a new commission, consisting of seven members. The members would serve four year staggered terms. Each commissioner will be appointed by the president, and be subject to Senate confirmation. •Authorization of the commission to hold hearings across the country to

better understand the landscape of equal opportunity involving various regions and protected groups. Based on these hearings, and other information, the commission would have the responsibility to make policy recommendations to the president and Congress. The commission would retain the authority to subpoena witnesses to participate in such hearings. •The name of the commission would be the United States Commission on Civil and Human Rights in order to “reflect the human rights dimension of its work” and “make more explicit its authority to examine U.S. compliance with these international treaties as part of its existing mandate to examine compliance with legal obligations that affect civil rights.”

Page 10 • August 17 - August 23, 2009 • Insight News

CLASSIFIEDS

Hiring for two full time positions:

Outreach Coordinator Communications Manager See position descriptions and apply online at www.minnesotahumanities.org/employment.aspx

Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Moon and Dragonfly Book Shoppe 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 16 Queen Ave. So, Minneapolis, MN 55405 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Manuela Georg, 16 Queen Ave. So, Minneapolis MN 55405; Helen Schiager, 12701 Heather St. NW Coon Rapids MN 55448 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath. Signed by: Manuela Georg Date Filed: 7/31/2009 Insight News 8/17/2009, 8/24/2009

Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: American Value Construction CO 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 2923 Newton Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55411 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Stephen Paul Nelson, 2923 Newton Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55411 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath. Signed by: Stephen Paul Nelson Date Filed: 8/04/2009 Insight News 8/17/2009, 8/24/2009

Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Brothers of Distinction 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 51 Luverne Ave., Mpls., MN 55419 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Keith York, P.O. Box 1441, Maple Grove, MN 55311; Harold Rayford, 51 Luverne Ave., Mpls., MN 55419 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, ben@insightnews.com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Free or low cost events preferred. Events

KFAI Presents Nick Coleman – Aug. 20 Thurs, at St. Joan of Arc Church, 4537 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis. If any questions Please contact Janis Lane-Ewart at 612-3413144. Music In The Park : A Free concert at Minnehaha Park – Aug. 20 Thurs, 5pm – 9pm, the Bandstand at Minnehaha Park, 4825 Minnehaha Avenue S. If any questions please contact Paige Michaels at 631-659-2309. First Christian Church Annual Grande Sale – Aug. 20-22 Thurs, Aug 20 12-7pm, Fri, Aug 21 12-7pm and Sat, Aug. 22 9am -1pm. 2201 1st Avenue South, for more information contact the church at

612-870-1868.

The Breast Party – Aug. 21 Fri, 5:00 pm - Doors Open and Silent Auction, Epic Entertainment Center 110 North Fifth St, Mpls. For information and to register call 763-548-1306. (A fund raiser for the Breast Cancer Awareness Association) Armed Forces Family Fishing Celebration – Aug. 21 Free fishing tournament for military families on Friday, Aug. 21, at Maynard’s on Lake Minnetonka. Pre-registration is required. To register for the event, please send an email to info@fishingforlife.org, or call 763-245-9829, by August 14. How to Create a Professional Webpage Workshop – Aug. 22 Sat, 12 -1pm, at North Regional Library, Hosted by InsideNorthside.org. CHAT’s 8th Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival – Aug. 22 Sat, 11am – 7pm, at the Western Sculpture Park on Marion St. in Saint Paul. For more information please contact Kathy Mouacheupao at 651-603-6971.

Full-time Teacher KIPP Stand Academy is hiring a full-time physical education teacher for the 2009-2010 school year beginning on September 1. KIPP is a nationwide network of free, openenrollment, college prep schools working to prepare all their students for success in college and in life. The PE teacher will teach 5th and 6th grade classes and will also have the opportunity to tutor students in small groups. Competitive salary and full benefits. For more information, e-mail apply@kippminnesota.org or call (612) 8101695.

VOA Park Eldercenter Open House – Aug. 24 Mon, 505 Park Ave Minneapolis MN 55404,1pm - 4pm. For further information, you can contact Richard Bain at parkcenter@voamn.org or call 612-339-7581.

9 Nights of Music: Cyril Paul and Calypso Monarchs – Aug. 25 Tues,6:30pm-8pm, Minnesota History Center at 345 Kellogg Blvd W. St. Paul. Paul and Monarchs bring a taste of the “Carnival” to 9 Nights. If you have any Questions please call 651-259-3000. (Free event)

Information session: CLT Homes at Red Oak Preserve – Aug. 25 The information session will be held at the Oakdale Discovery Center at 4444 Hadley Ave N. in Oakdale from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Children are welcome to attend the session with their parents. Those interested in attending should RSVP to Teresa Howard, at 651-9949194. Mahmoud El-Kati presents his book The Hiptionary – Aug. 27 Thurs, 7:30pm at Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55408.

Learn about the Sheriff’s Office Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek is hosting a Citizen Law Enforcement Academy. This 11-week, hands-on academy gives people an inside look at the Sheriff’s Office. At the Citizen Law Enforcement Academy, participants will observe and participate in many phases of Sheriff’s Office operations such as: DWI enforcement, narcotics, patrol and K-9 operations, a tour of the Crime Lab and jail, crime prevention training, use of force/defensive tactics, and a live fire shoot exercise. The academy is a must for business leaders, members of the media, teachers, community leaders, and all citizens who would like an inside look at how law enforcement and the criminal justice system work. Applicants must be at least 18-years -old and will be screened for criminal backgrounds. There is no charge to participate. Classes are Thursday evenings 6:30 pm - 9:45 pm and will be held at the following locations: Law Enforcement Training Facility in Maple Grove, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Communications Division in Golden Valley, Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in Minneapolis, and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Patrol headquarters in Brooklyn Park. Transportation is not provided. A certificate of completion will be awarded at a graduation ceremony at the conclusion of the class (11th week). The fall session begins September 10 and runs through graduation on November 19. To participate in this program, submit an application as soon as possible. No law enforcement continuing education (POST) credits are awarded for this course. Applications can be found online at www.hennepinsheriff.org. Questions about the program may be addressed to Sgt. Kathy Hughes at (612) 596-1720 or kathy.hughes@co.hennepin.mn.us.

The Thrivent Builds Mobile – Aug. 27 through Sept. 7 The Thrivent Builds Mobile is a multi-media experience on wheels that depicts the nationwide problem of substandard housing and is sponsored by Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. Look for the “big, red truck” on Wright Avenue just west of the 4-H building. It’s a free tour with games and giveaways!

Investment with a Lifetime Income. Seeking financing. Invest in a Lifetime Income $12,500 min. Will share % of proceeds. Qualified persons only inquire to: Game Developer, P O Box 405, Willmar, MN 56201.

ADVERTISE WITH US: 612.588.1313

Signed by: Keith York, President Date Filed: 5/20/2009 Insight News 8/10/2009, 8/17/2009

Assumed Name

Presenting...

1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Sheko Sheko

Marvelous Mondays

2. State the address of the principal place of business: 606 27th Ave. So, Mpls., MN 55454

at What A Cut Starring

3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name: Janet E. Curiel 606 27th Ave. So, Mpls., MN 55454

“Barber Extraordinaire”

DARIUS KNIGHT

4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

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Insight News • August 17 - August 23, 2009 • Page 11

Impressions from Vikings Training Camp By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Without the Brett Favre circus coming to town, the Vikings training camp seemed to lose a little zip and zap. Many people thought that Vikings quarterbacks Travaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels would perhaps suffer from a case of hurt feelings since the team showed strong interest in bringing Brett Favre on board. My commentary on this was A. Brett Favre was one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, so duh, of course you would give him a shot, and B. those two (Jackson and Rosenfels) get paid more than enough money to afford some form of marvelous remedy for hurt feelings. For someone traveling down to Mankato to check out training camp, the absence of Brett Favre might be a good thing because there was enough room down in Mankato to have a good time. By the way, I recommend the roast beef sandwich at the spot next to Boomtown across from the stadium. The crowd in Mankato was unimpressive for a team that is looking to improve on a successful 2009 season, which included the playoffs. No doubt, of course, that your tried and true Vikings fans were still filling up Blakeslee Stadium during the team’s first intra-squad scrimmage under the lights. And though the small collegiate stadium was full, you wouldn’t exactly claim that the crowd was bursting at the seams. That might be a good sign, to reverse the trend of Vikings fans going into a season with inflated expectations, only to get rocked back to Earth in a blaze of infamy. Expectations of the Vikings seem muted, but honestly the team that I saw at training camp that night was deserving of what I would call “muted excitement”. As far as the muted part, Adrian Peterson is Adrian Peterson. Adrian Peterson means many good things, and often, historic things. But we all know that Adrian Peterson can’t offensively win a Superbowl by himself (though the defense makes that scenario seem awfully possible to tip you off on the “excitement” part). Nor does Adrian Peterson have to accomplish that feat by himself, because his fellow offensive

(Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

teammates are quite a talented group. During the scrimmage it was actually tight-end Visanthe Shiancoe that raised my eyebrow the most through his overall activity and execution during a handful of plays. Shiancoe made a beautiful over the shoulder catch with the defender draped on his back that brought the crowd to its feet. But other than that the Vikings offense gave off the aura of a similar performance to what we have seen for the last few years, which could be described as muted. Actually it reminds me of

to (I’m credible, just opinionated). Sage Rosenfels didn’t inspire much more, though both he and Jackson eventually made some positive strides. So all together, the offense made me think that we may see a similar muted product as we did last year, and a similar shuffling of quarterbacks. Perhaps the dazzling rookie Percy Harvin, and an active Visanthe Shiancoe, can lift a team that didn’t need to get a ton better in the first place. And the reason that they don’t have to get a ton better is because

“The O, I don’t know, but the D Ooowee!” the Cedric the Entertainer joke about Luther Vandross’ (rest his soul) jheri curl not quite curling all the way over. Limp jheri curls make one long for more lift, and so has the Vikings’ offense over the last few years. Many want to blame the struggles of the team on the quarterback play, and perhaps there’s teeth to that argument seeing as the team so rigorously pursued Favre; or maybe like I said before, Brett Favre is just a great QB. You all know that I’m the President of the MN branch of The Travaris Fox Jackson Fan Club. However, I would be destroying my sterling journalistic credibility if I did not inform you that I watched Jackson throw two interceptions during the scrimmage that night. Jackson was also off on quite a few other passes (the offensive line didn’t help), and didn’t seem to take overall command like I want him

of how the Vikings defense looked last year, and because they looked a mile better than they did last year, if you ask me. The Vikings defense looked as if anything less than a Superbowl would be uncivilized. Antoine Winfield looked fresh and hungry, and Ray Edwards looked like just what the doctor ordered opposite Jared Allen at the defensive-end position. And for goodness sake, E.J. Henderson is back. I could go on and on about the defense, but in the end that greatness is determined on Sundays with other teams that look good in practice too. So in summary: the O, I don’t know, but the D, …I’m not a rapper, so finish that verse on your own. Ah, “but the D, Ooowee!!” 50 cent better stay on his game…since corny raps are fashionable these days.

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