Gerald Albright headlines
SELBY AVENUE
JAZZFEST
Saturday, September 10th at the intersection MORE ON PAGE 5 of Milton and Selby from 11 AM to 8 PM. Free and open to the public. For more information visit www.selbyavejazzfest.com
INSIGHT NEWS August 29 - September 4, 2011 • MN Metro Vol. 37 No. 35 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
Martin Luther King, Jr. and the teachable moment Notes on the struggle By Mahmoud El -Kati On August 28, 2011, joined many thousands of people for the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. This was the forty eighth anniversary of the great march on Washington, when roughly 300,000 people of all class backgrounds, shades of colors, ethnicities and political leanings gathered to register redressed of grievances on behalf of twenty five million descendants of the American Slave. And this was an unprecedented affair, which paved the road to what now we call multiculturalism of diversity. This was a watershed event in the history of the American republic. Upon reflection, we can determine the several reasons how unprecedented it was: It was the greatest demonstration for social justice in the history of the nation. There have been several marches, protests, or demonstrations since exceeding the size of this great gathering, but none with historic weight, its urgency, clarity and cry for an open society. Every mass
gathering in our nation’s capital since has been but a footnote to the great march on Washington. The meaning and magic of that moment is still difficult to compute. Due to the relative new meaning of television, the entire world was looking into the fish bowl that was America at that time. Countless lessons were shared with the world by this demonstration. The first amendment right of peaceful assembly before or since has never been more nobly presented. Some of the countries’ most eloquent voices were heard pleading to or demanding from the American government to obey its own constitution, regarding God given rights of the “of the Negro”. Every speaker, it seemed, was there to “bear witness” to the rise of the new and just America. And yet of all the splendid word smiths spouting wisdom and flowing poetic phrases, none stood out with such magic and compelling oratory than the young minister fresh from the fires of struggle for social justice in the American South. He, with thousands of other lesser known lights from sweaty jails and dangerous dark roads of the rural south had come to “bear witness” on this day, Martin Luther king was able to inspire the better angels among many Americans. Many
U.S. Information Agency
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Mathew Ahmann, executive director of the National Catholic Conference for Interrracial Justice, at a civil rights march on Washington, D.C.
important parts of this exhibit of democracy in action congealed. No public speaker in American history had every addressed a larger audience. The fruition of years of intergenerational struggle for social justice was at hand. What we now know as the Civil Rights movement had surfaced, full blown now with all of the principle players in place. The six major civil rights organizations had coalesced as leadership organizations of a powerful social movement, the most critical social movement for human rights since its predecessor, the Abolitionist movement of the 19th century America. To boot, 1963 was the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. One of Dr. Kings favorite expressions was zeitgeist, a word lifted from the German language which translates roughly into “nothing can stop an idea whose time has come”. Thus, Martin Luther King seized this moment as a teachable moment. He reminded his fellow Americans that, “one hundred years later, “the Negro” dwells on” an isolated island of poverty in a land of material abundance, and that “the Negro” is an exile in his own country.
MLK TURN TO 8
The Living Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. AARP released a thought provoking video that captures the true spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy. The 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King’s historic I Have a Dream speech was celebrated Aug. 28 at the official dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This is the first memorial on the National Mall to honor a
man of color and the only one that does not commemorate a president or a war. Reflecting on this historic moment, AARP’s My Generation created a stirring video tribute titled “The Living Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.” that profiles several contemporary leaders who reflect on the ways Dr. King’s work changed their lives.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Gen. Colin L. Powell (Ret.), acclaimed journalist Colman McCarthy, Freedom Rider Rev. Perry A. Smith, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and a host of others share their thoughts and observations on how Dr. King’s living legacy continues to shape our world todayincluding the recent nonviolent revolution in Egypt.
“It is important to capture the extraordinary life of Dr. King, and to show how his steadfast pursuit for civil and human rights remains relevant today,” said A. Barry Rand, CEO, AARP. “We believe this video will inspire Americans, particularly those who remember how he fought for peace among all people, so they can share his messages of
justice, democracy and hope with today’s generation.” Paying homage to Dr. King and to the nonviolent campaigns to secure civil rights for which he stood, the video includes momentous footage from the Civil Rights Movement, and commentary from representatives of the Asian American Justice Center, United Farm Workers and
American Islamic Congress. Go to http://www.aarp.org/ politics-society/history/info07-2011/video-living-legacyof-martin-luther-king-jr.html to view video. To learn more about the many ways AARP is addressing topics of interest to the 50+ African American community, go to www.aarp. org/blackcommunity.
Boone Containers builds new brand Persaud. The problem is that Waste Management also acquired Boone’s phone number. So, when I called for my friends at Boone, to rent a dumpster container for the garage demolition scheduled for my residence, I was surprised when the phone was answered, “Waste Management.” I thought I had a wrong number. I checked Google again and redialed. “Waste Management.” Of course the Waste Management people could have supplied the dumpster. They are in that business too. But I try to always practice Black Economic Development and community economic development when I purchase goods and services. I have used the Boone company with complete satisfaction for over 30 years, whenever I had need of a container for construction or remodeling and the like.
By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief If you are doing residential or business renovation and require a dumpster, the folks at Boone Container, regarded by many as best in the class, want you to know that they are still around and ready to serve. A lot of former customers may be sidetracked by calling the number provided by a Google search. If you search for Boone Trucking, which till recently was the parent company of the garbage hauling, commercial trucking, and container business, you get a greeting by someone from Waste Management. Waste Management is the Goliath sized mega-firm that purchased a part of the Boone enterprise…the household trash hauling part. But the container part continues under the business name Boone Container, under the direction of owner Gerald Boone and his office manager Sharon
Al McFarlane
Gerald Boone
Protest
JOBS NOW targets Boehner fundraiser
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Business
Somali gourmet event supports famine relief
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Education
Harvest Prep educators attend technology integration workshop
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BOONE TURN TO 7
Lifestyle
Easy ways to brighten-up your home
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JOBS NOW targets Boehner fundraiser
Angel Buechner attends protest with teenage sons
mnfaireconomy.org
More than 200 Minnesotans gathered outside the Wayzata Country club to demand attention from their representatives, who spent the day playing golf with donors for $10,000 a ticket. Saying radical budget cuts to healthcare and education would kill thousands of jobs for already struggling Minnesotans and make a “shameful” racial employment gap even worse, the crowd called on the representatives to focus on putting Minnesotans back to work before courting high-dollar donors. “These job-killing politicians are pushing radical budget cuts that threaten the jobs of nurses, teachers, and other hardworking Minnesotans,” said Minnesotans
for a Fair Economy spokesperson Donna Cassutt. “It’s shameful that Reps. Bachmann, Cravaack, Paulsen and Kline are more interested in donors willing to pay $10,000 for a round of golf in order to protect tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations, while the Twin Cities has the second highest rate of black unemployment among large metropolitan areas in the United States.” According to a report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) the Twin Cities has the second-highest rate of Black unemployment among large metropolitan areas in the United States (20.4%). The report, based on 2009 data, says that African Americans in the Twin Cities are more than three times as likely to be unemployed as whites in the area—the largest disparity in the nation. The crowd outside the Boehner fundraiser, organized by the community coalition Minnesotans for a Fair Economy and other groups, had followed the politicians and high-dollar donors, who made a lastminute change of venue from the exclusive Spring Hill Golf Club, apparently to avoid facing Minnesotans angry over their
job-killing policies. They watched as a plane flew overhead bearing a banner reading, “Where’s our piece of the pie? JOBS NOW.” The group was joined by puppet versions of Reps. Boehner, Bachmann, Cravaack, Paulsen, and Kline, who arrived in a limousine. Minnesotans for a Fair Economy spokespeople said that Boehner, Bachmann, Cravaack, Paulsen, and Kline have voted for zero jobs creation bills, instead supporting a budget that economists say will kill 2.5 million American jobs, including 7,675 infrastructure jobs and 25,025 health care jobs in Minnesota. Meanwhile, all four voted to give $2.9 trillion in tax breaks to the rich and big corporations. “For average working folks and the poor, things are getting worse. I need a job that can really support my family,” said Angel Buechner, a resident of Minneapolis’ Phillips neighborhood, who attended the protest with her two teenage sons after hearing about the event at their church. “People in our community have no
JOBS TURN TO 12
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BUSINESS Somali gourmet event supports famine relief in Horn of Africa Sadia Abdi, owner of Sadia’s Gourmet Sauce, threw a Tasting Party on Sunday, August 14 to celebrate four years in business by sharing her home cooking with customers. Abdi was the first Somali woman to bottle and sell a food product in the U.S. The Celebration was held at The Uptown Farmer’s Market (29th Street & Lyndale Avenue, Minneapolis) from 12-4pm. Sadia’s Gourmet Tasting
Sadia Abdi
Party offered free servings of traditional Somali foods, kids’ activities, and sales on Sadia’s Gourmet Sauce. The party also featured live music from local bands such as the Cactus Blossoms, the Southwest High School Klezmer Band and local Somali guitarist & poet Abdul Qadir. Abdi used this party to fulfill a deep desire: to begin donating 10% of her proceeds to
help refugees and other people in need in the Horn of Africa. The party on Sunday featured a donation station for famine relief in Somalia, through American Refugee Committee’s Neighbors for Nations program. “As I help myself and my family, I want to share my success with women and their children all over the world. I’m a mother and I know what that love feels like,” said Abdi.
Photos courtesy of sadiasauce photo stream
Considering a career move? It might be time Plan Your Career By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Either the economy is picking up or people are just giving up on waiting for a recovery; there is rumbling in the city streets and it isn’t an East Coast earthquake. During a recession that was marked by layoffs, mergers, business closures and reorganizations, it used to be that a person who had a job held onto it with his teeth, grateful to be working. But change is happening. In January, it was predicted that 63% of Americans who had a job on January 1st
would have a different job by December 31st. Based on the attitudes of job seekers lately, the prediction might be accurate. This past spring, in spite of the high unemployment numbers, hiring began to pick up in many sectors. Those who had been laid off for months or longer found themselves heading back to work. Pay rates had fallen, but work is work, and many people were still just grateful to be working. Emerging now is a new job seeker: the person who has held on long enough and is ready to do something more. In the ten interviews I conducted this week, six people said to me, “I want to change jobs because there’s no room for growth where I am working now.” How do you know it’s time to make a career move? Look for the
signs. It might be time to change jobs if your paycheck doesn’t arrive consistently. If you are not being paid, is this the kind of volunteer work you enjoy? Along the same lines, if new hires are coming in but your former pay rate (the one they cut to save costs) is not being restored, consider this a good time to move. It might be time to change jobs if former co-workers are calling you to come work with them. However, be careful if you are tempted by friends. While networking is still the number one way to find new work, never make a job change simply because you can. When opportunity knocks, it is fine to go to the door, but you don’t have to leave the house if you’re not comfortable. That is, a different
job is not always a better one. It might be time to change jobs if you’ve waited long enough. During the recession, people agreed to forego promotions to help their companies stay profitable. If the opportunity for challenge lags too far behind your desire for it, you might want to bring your ambitions somewhere else. Exploring career moves can be exciting but also timeconsuming. Unless you are truly ready to make a job change, stop interviewing and pour your energy into the job you have. Check in with yourself before an interview and ask, “Can I see myself working there?” If the answer is no, stay where you are. And until you find something new, continue to succeed in your current role. If you can imagine it, you know you can achieve it,
wherever you are. Julie Desmond is a contract recruiter with a Fortune 500
company in Minneapolis. Write to julie@insightnews.com.
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EDUCATION Harvest Prep educators attend technology integration workshop Taking full advantage of using technology as a teaching tool was the focus for educators at Harvest Preparatory School, who recently participated in BestPrep’s Technology Integration Workshop (TIW). This professional development opportunity is designed to help educators enliven their lessons by utilizing technology and workplace skills, and has been a successful program of BestPrep since 2004. Partnering with the University of St. Thomas, August 1-4, the workshop hosted 63 educators from around the state. This year’s workshop saw a 70% increase from last year, making it BestPrep’s largest workshop yet. The four-day workshop gave educators the opportunity to hear from experts in the field of technology and take part in small group breakout sessions which focused on their technological
needs. Interactive whiteboards, iPads, podcasts, and Prezi presentations were among the topics discussed. Participants also brought a lesson unit they wanted to modify, and with the help of a Technology Integration Specialist, they developed a technology infused lesson or unit. Each educator spent time job shadowing volunteers from the Minnesota business community. These volunteer Business Partners came from such companies as 3M, Cargill, Target, Thomson Reuters, Travelers, and UnitedHealth Group. The Business Partners gave educators insight into the professional skills students will need to be successful in the future. The goal of the job shadow experience is to help educators develop relevant curriculum that connects with real-world applications. “I found the workshop to be
BestPrep
Front Row (left to right): Amber Palony, Keilly Olsen, Katie Peffer. Back Row (left to right): Patrick Tanis, Rachelle Larson, Terrence Price, Sonja Nelson
very beneficial. It was a great way to learn about technology, as well as see what I need to be teaching my students to prepare them for the future,” Palony said. “With the rapid, day-to-day advancement of technology, educators need to continually educate themselves on what’s new, in order to remain ahead of the curve. BestPrep hopes that through their participation in the Technology Integration Workshop, educators will understand how to best utilize today’s technology to teach their students,” Bonnie Vagasky, TIW Program Manager at BestPrep, said. Founded in 1976, BestPrep’s mission is to best prepare Minnesota students with business, career and financial literacy skills through experiences that
WORKSHOP TURN TO 12
Monster Jam back-to-school drive helps families affected by May 22nd tornado The producers of Monster Jam on August 19 conducted a back-to-school supply drive in an effort to assist families with school-aged children in the area of north Minneapolis affected by the May 22 tornado. Lucy Craft Laney Elementary School Principal David Branch, as well as members of the school’s student council and other civic leaders welcomed the Monster Jam representatives and drivers of two Monster Jam’s premier trucks, Grave Digger and Grinder, parked in the lot of Lucy Craft Laney School located at 3333 Penn Ave. N. Lucy Craft Laney is a Pre-K-8 community school that serves approximately 600 students, 98% of which are on the free or reduced lunch plan. The drive collected essential school supplies which will be distributed to students in need. Fans of Monster Truck’s were able to meet and have their photo taken with monster truck drivers by the trucks.
Back-to-school supply drive event
Minneapolis Public Schools
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Insight News • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Page 5
AESTHETICS
Rachel Carlson
Selby Avenue JazzFest
Gerald Albright headlines Selby Ave JazzFest Organizers of the tenth annual Selby Avenue JazzFest recently announced this year’s entertainment line-up for the 10th Annual Selby Ave JazzFest. “We’re really pleased with the diverse line-up of entertainers that will be gracing the JazzFest stage this year,” stated Mychael Wright, the “Father of the Fest” and noted Selby Avenue community leader. “Our musical line-up this year certainly has something for everyone. There will be plenty of other things to do including a kids’ play area and food & art vendors--all surrounded by a wonderful spirit of community.” This year’s line up: Gerald Albright (Headliner) - A two-time Grammy Award nominee, Albright’s contemporary and straight-ahead collections have established the Los Angelesbased musician as one of the most prominent artists in today’s jazz scene. With global album sales of over 1M, Albright has also toured with such noted artists as Phil Collins, Jeff Lorber, Quincy Jones and Whitney Houston. Dick and Jane’s Big Brass Band-Back again for their 10th year, this group will kick off the day with a New Orleansstyle procession throughout the festival grounds. Lex Ham Community Band-One of the Twin Cities best community bands returns
for their second JazzFest gig. Public Newsense: Formed about two years ago following an invitation from the director of the Freedom Jazz Festival, this group of middle schoolcollege students play a wide repertoire including standards and reggae & hip-hop influenced arrangements. Walker West Music Academy Legends of Jazz2011 marks this collection of
Walker West faculty’s tenth year at the Selby Ave JazzFest, playing a set of classics...from Ellington to Basie and more! Salsa del Soul- This Twin Cities-based, nine-piece orchestra performs various styles of dance music from the Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean. Jazz Heritage ShowcaseThe Jazz Heritage Showcase is a collection of Penumbra Theater
regulars who get together to bring back the genre’s golden age—Vaughn, Holliday, Eckstein, Cole and others. Each entertainer is dressed in period specific outfits. “It’s like you’ve gone back sixty years,” added Mychael. This year marks the Jazz Heritage Showcase’s fourth JazzFest appearance. The 2011 Selby Avenue
JazzFest will take place on Saturday, September 10 at the intersection of Milton and Selby from 11 AM until 8 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Contact Mychael Wright at 651.645.1340 or via the web at www.selbyavejazzfest.com for more information. This year’s JazzFest is sponsored and funded by:
Minnesota State Arts Board, COMPAS, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, KSTC45, KBEM-Jazz 88.5 Radio, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Twin Cities Rise, Selby Area Community Development Corporation, United Arts Fund, The Family Partnership, UCare and Western Bank.
Hallie Q. Brown Early Learning Center
Now Enrolling! 651 651--224 224--4607 www.hallieqbrown.org
Since 1929, the Lighthouse of the Community we se, u o h e your Com l! o t . n e r s ia a thou and le so spec h g i L r grow Cente the r! r For hildren s ou r a t o u c e k p l a o f m he hat l t o d a y w e i se ma or e l l a C
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HEALTH Face the rage and turn the page: Tips on anger management Murua (Swahili for ‘Respect’) By Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, Ph.D., L.P.
A few years ago, I was asked to make a presentation at a conference entitled: “Face the Rage and Turn the Page”. When I looked at the title, I immediately started to laugh! I laughed first, because it sounded like Rev. Jesse Jackson. Then, I laughed because I thought that no serious Black person would ever consider turning the page on our rage.
Then I laughed because I thought about how many of us have rage and how every single day our rage seems to be compounded. Soon after I laughed, however, a more somber notion took the place of my laughter because I realized that sometimes we Black folk… well we laugh to keep from crying. It was Dr. Price Cobbs who first made waves decades ago
ABUSED, NEGLECTED, AND MAYBE AWAY FROM HOME…
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with the widely acclaimed book “Black Rage”, written with fellow psychiatrist William Grier, describing the insidious emotional impact of our country’s heritage of slavery. Psychologists’ latest research shows that today racism is more subtle--yet as pervasive and harmful as ever. Anderson J. Franklin, PhD, a professor at the City College and Graduate Center of the City University of New York, describes “the invisibility syndrome” in his book, “From Brotherhood to Manhood: How Black Men Rescue their Relationships and Dreams from the Invisibility Syndrome” (Wiley, 2004). This invisibility syndrome, as he has coined it, is the feeling people get when their abilities, personality, and worth are disregarded because of others’ prejudice. As people of color, we experience invisibility as one of the many reactions that we have in response to the oppressive acts of marginalization based on daily, insidious, non-ending, unrelenting arrows of pain, rejection grief, and loss. As Black people, we are very aware of the ongoing acts of oppression and have often accepted these stings, or microviolations are being part of being a person of color. These slights occur in both important (high stakes) and unimportant (low stakes) contexts. They occur when you are overlooked in a line while waiting for service or they can occur when waiting in line for a promotion, contract, or opportunity. In any event, a white person is picked, selected, responded to, heard, valued or acknowledged, promoted or hired and you are not….although you may have been there first. As an example, last week I was in Sam’s Club to pick up some contact lenses. When I arrived, an elderly European American couple was sitting in the only two seats in the waiting area. The older gentleman offered his chair to me and I declined. Two staff members were in the back checking on something. Interestingly, the new employee was an African
American female and the other was Asian-American male. These factors are important because of what then ensued. After waiting for about 5 minutes without being acknowledged, I went to the back area and asked if either of them could assist me in picking up my pre-paid contacts. They both said that they would be with me in a few minutes and explained that one of them was in training and they would get to me. Another
internalized a belief that others of a different race/ethnicity or gender are of less social value in comparison to white people or males. Some research suggests that such experiences of racism or sexism can be a potential stressor that can contribute to hypertension. For example, while conducting research with colleagues at the Duke, Norman B. Anderson, PhD, found that
“... anger is always the second emotion and is usually the result of feeling something else first.” 10 minutes went by as they both continued to help the elderly couple. At that point, a middleaged white man came up to the Asian staff member and asked if he could pick up his glasses. Remember, I was still waiting. Instead of the staff member saying to him, “We’ll help you in a few minutes, there are a couple of people in front of you”, he asked the customer: “Do you have your receipt?” The man answered “Yes” and handed the receipt to the clerk. The clerk then left the couple, went to the drawer, picked up the man’s glasses, and handed them to him. Naturally, I became so angry I could “spit nails!” Research by multicultural psychologists is painting a stark picture of these subtle slights or “micro-aggressions” and how they affect not only people’s selfworth, but also their mental and physical health. Traditional EuroAmerican psychology has never addressed racism as a process of taking away from the energy, life force, or true spirituality of a person and what it means to be dehumanized. While this racist act was not performed by a white clerk, but by someone of color makes it more notable-- as racism is not just limited to white people or me, but to anyone who has
stress caused by perceived racism is positively correlated with higher levels of blood pressure. Angela Neal-Barnett, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Kent State University, shows how such micro-aggressions often produce anxiety in African-American women. In her latest book, “Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Women’s Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Panic and Fear” (Simon & Schuster, 2003), she explains that many African-American women feel they can’t seek help for that anxiety because of stereotypes that say they should be strong. What’s more, negative selfimages and feelings of invisibility among African-American women can put them at risk for unhealthy relationships, says Gail Wyatt, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and bio-behavioral science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of “Stolen Women: Reclaiming Our Sexuality, Taking Back Our Lives” (Wiley, 1997). Others have explained the rage as an artifact of the shifting unconscious paradigm called aversive racism.
HEALTH TURN TO 7
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Insight News • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Page 7
Champion promotes Nice Ride as health benefit By Ivan B. Phifer Staff Writer Nice Ride is a non-profit organization that provides a subscription based bike sharing service that provides a fun and convenient transportation option. On August 11, Mayor R.T. Rybak and Rev. Bobby Champion (DFL-58B) joined North Minneapolis residents in a bike ride to celebrate expansion of Nice Ride Minnesota in North Minneapolis. The celebration was held at the Urban Research Outreach Engagement Center at 2100 Plymouth Ave N. “Nice Ride has been a big success,” said Rybak. “However, North Minneapolis is not the densest part of our city, or the part with the most bike riders and that’s exactly why Nice Ride needs to be here.” From UROC, riders took the Plymouth bike trail to the Avenue Eatery on Broadway and Emerson for pastries and coffee with the public officials who joined along for the ride. Champion is a supporter of Nice Ride and met with the board of directors to propose the expansion of Nice Ride for North Minneapolis.
Health From 6 Dr. Jack Dovidio, in his work as a social psychologist, empirically demonstrated how white employers unconsciously shift the importance of specific credentials depending on whether they are hiring based on an African American or a white candidate’s resume. Psychologist, Martin Seligman has inadvertently added to the research of how we have come to experience black rage through his seminal work on Learned Helplessness. In his experiment, Dr. Seligman looked at punishment and reward. He shocked a dog to motivate the animal to push a lever in order to escape the shock (which was programmed to come every few seconds). When the dog pushed the lever, a door would raise and he would be able to escape the shock and go to the other side to receive a pellet of food as a reward. One day, the door was stuck and no matter hard he tried, the dog did not possess the agency or ability to escape the shock. So, in frustration the dog sat in the corner and did not move. When Dr. Seligman repaired to the door and resumed the trials, the dog still did not move. The researcher OPENED THE DOOR to show the dog that he could escape. … but the dog still did not move!
Representative Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-68B) “When Nice Ride was first introduced, our district did not receive any of the bikes,” Champion said. “We felt like we should have been included in the initial plan. Now there are very few places in North Minneapolis you will not see a Nice Ride station.” Champion also pointed out the health benefits of bike riding. “It does a number of things; it promotes a healthy lifestyle, it helps us deal with diabetes and obesity. It is also an alternate form of transportation, especially
for a community that is transportation dependent. This says, you can ride your bike to a destination and the system provides the opportunity at a small nominal cost,” he said. To use Nice Ride, you need a subscription. A 24-hour subscription can be purchased using a credit card at the pay station located at each Nice Ride station. Users can also purchase a 1-year or 30-day subscription at substantial savings by signing up on line. Twenty-four-hour subscribers are issued an unlocking code
He just sat there taking the shock repeatedly. In essence, the dog had learned to be helpless. Baldwin said that “to be Black in America is to remain in a perpetual state of rage”, however, our levels of rage can sometimes lead to negative outcomes. Anger is a normal feeling of displeasure or hostility that has psychological (i.e. sadness), physiological (i.e. increased heart rate), and cognitive (i.e. thinking that the world or someone in it is out to get you) components. There are two ways to handle your anger. You may choose to express it or suppress it. Robert T. Zackery, LICSW, a social worker at Mayo Clinic, relates that “expression of anger occurs along a continuum, from having a reasonable, rational discussion to erupting into out-of-control violence. It’s the difference between talking to someone or picking up a baseball bat and hitting them.” On the other hand, some us of are taught that expressing anger is bad and consequently, we struggle to suppress our anger by ignoring how we feel or holding things in until we blow up like a volcano. By then, everybody had better watch out! When anger is expressed appropriately, it can be a healthy response that protects you from dangerous situations, energizes you to resolve problems, or leads to socio-cultural reforms—such as the recent events in Libya or Wisconsin. Inappropriate
Sharon Persaud
Boone From 1 The Boone family is legendary and my personal commitment is to using Black owned businesses first, then community businesses if there is no Black entrepreneur whose product or service fits the bill. The Waste Management operator said perhaps the Boone company was a recent acquisition, but she didn’t really know, but did I want to rent a container? Nice customer service, I thought, but this is an example of how easily small businesses get kicked to the curb. I did a little more digging and found my friends at their new phone number, 612-3314381. The company, now Boone Container, is located at 1516 Marshall Street NE in Minneapolis. I called and placed my order, and just like clockwork, got the dumpster I wanted, delivered where I wanted it at the time I wanted it…and at the price I wanted. I visited with owner Gerald Boone and his front office manager Sharon Persaud
to find out how they were handling being the David in a David & Goliath business faceoff., being that the towering Waste Management was taking business intended for Boone because it controlled the old Boone phone number. Some people who called the Boone Trucking number listed at Google were told by Waste Management operators that Boone was out of business, Persaud said. Persaud said the new Boone Container has sent cards to its database of former and existing customers and is trying to get the word out that the container company is still an independent firm, ready and willing to serve the market. Boone said the name change and new ownership should be perceived as an acknowledgement of the strength and diversity of Boone Container, Inc. He called it “the cornerstone of our new branding.” Persaud said the company remains dedicated of offering superior quality service to its customers. Persaud said the company will reach out to residents and businesses that suffered tornado damage and still have
at the pay station. A one-year and 30-day subscription will receive a Nice Ride key. A trip starts when you take a bike and ends when you return it to any station. No trip fee for the first 30 minutes of every trip. Trips lasting more than 30 minutes will incur trip fees. Trip fees can add up fast. To avoid trip fees, simply return your bike to a station within 30 minutes, and check out another
one. Take as many trips as you want during your subscription. 24-hour subscriptions require a $50 deposit. Nice Ride Bike program is offering free subscriptions to residents of North Mpls in an effort to allow residents to become familiar with the benefits of this cool program. Get in touch with Alicia Adams and she will get you the info. There are Nice Ride stations
all over the area providing convenient transportation for errands and trips around our city. “When we work together for the common good of us all, it makes us feel better when we see the positive results of our work,” said Champion For more information on Nice Ride, contact aliciaa@ tlcminnesota.org, or visit www. niceridemn.org.
expression of angers results in uncontrolled outbursts, rages, or bullying behaviors that negatively affect relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and even complete strangers. When your levels of anger get to this point, it is probably time to explore and even change the way you express your anger. What we know about anger is that different sources serve as “anger triggers” for different people. Depending on our life experiences, temperament and coping strategies, many of us are slow to anger and some of us are quick to get angry. Despite our differences in the level of anger we feel toward something, there are some universal causes of anger that include: (1) Frustration of our goals; (2) Hurt or Shame; (3) Harassment; (4) Personal attack or disrespect (mental or physical) on ourselves; or (5) Threat to people, things or ideas that are important to us. Therefore, as you can see, anger is always the second emotion and is usually the result of feeling something else first. When you can acknowledge that you have anger issues and can identify your triggers, then you are better equipped to try new strategies to manage your anger. If your anger is so severe that you are running into situations such as suspensions from school or your job, losses of relationships or running into legal problems, you should seek out an anger management
class or consult a mental health professional to get coaching on developing new strategies to control your anger. Below are a few anger management tips to help get your anger under control: Try to keep a “hostility or anger log” to identify and track the kinds of situations that trigger or set you off and to monitor your reactions. Use humor (not sarcasm) to release tension. Laughing at yourself or the other person helps when you notice that you are being silly and “making a mountain out of a mole hill”. Engage in physically exerting activities. Any type of movement ranging from shooting baskets, exercising, hitting a pillow, or drumming can provide a healthy outlet for you to deal with your feelings. Think carefully before you say something that you will regret later. Whatever you have to say can usually be said (and heard) better when you are calm. Sometimes, it is helpful to write a script and rehearse it so that you can stick to the issues. Sometimes the best you can do is “agree to disagree” and leave it at that Practice relaxation skills so that you can control your temper when it flares up. For example, practice deep-breathing exercises, visualize a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or phrase to yourself, such as “take it easy”. You can also listen to music, paint,
journal or do yoga. Try to Forgive and not hold grudges. While letting go of past hurts and resentments is not easy, it is the only way to move past your anger. Seeking professional counseling in this area may be necessary depending on who angered you and what the circumstances were around your anger. Monitor your “Self-talk” to notice if you are judging others or making negative assumptions about yourself or them without clearly understanding their point of view. Take a “time out” and walk away from situations until you calm down; if you are married or in a committed relationship, make sure that you tell your partner when you plan to come back to talk about the issue. Once you are calm, express your anger as soon as possible so that you are not left stewing. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya,
Ph.D., L.P. is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice, serves as President of Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services, and is the Executive Director of the African American Child Wellness Institute. The mission of the African American Child Wellness Institute is to promote the psychological and spiritual liberation of children of African Descent by providing culturally specific mental health services and by developing culture-based, holistic wellness resources, research and practices. Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya warns that this column should in no way be construed as constituting a therapeutic relationship through counseling or advice. To forward a comment about this article or to make an appointment, please contact Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya by email @ bravadaakinsanya@ hotmail.com or by telephone at 612-302-3140 or 763-522-0100.
construction and restoration projects that require dumpsters. They just want to make sure people know they are available and ready to
respond to homeowners and businesses in their classic, customer-centric professional style she said.
Page 8 • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Insight News
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LIFESTYLE Easy ways to brighten-up your home (StatePoint) Does your home feel drab or dark? Are you tired of the same old rooms and color schemes? There are many easy, costeffective ways to brighten your home’s appearance, cheering up its occupants in the process. From fresh coats of paint to sunny lighting schemes to lively window treatments, small changes can have a big impact on your home. And some projects can be tackled in just one short weekend. Window Treatments By literally letting more light into your home, you can make your days more cheerful. Try replacing heavy drapes or dark colored shades with translucent curtains or blinds. This way, you let in natural light while keeping prying eyes at bay. Other ways to invite natural light into your home include adding internal windows within rooms to let light flow from one space to another, or
INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com
Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Andrew Notsch Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlane Bobby Rankin Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Brenda Colston Julie Desmond S. Himie Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Ryan T. Scott Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor 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.
The right lighting can be both functional and aesthetic installing skylights.
Energy-Efficient Accents Your lighting scheme can set
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different moods in different rooms. To make a room both cheerful and efficient, use three different types of lighting:
MLK From 1 He made a clear demand that if America is to be a great country; it must live up to the true meaning of its creed. He invoked the majestic words of Thomas Jefferson, “That we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. He admonished the American government and its people, that all Americans were heirs to “this promissory note”. But in so far as her citizens of color are concerned, the government has “given the Negro a bad check marked insufficient funds!”
ambient -- or background -- lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. Stylish new options for background lighting abound, such as pendants, chandeliers, ceiling-mounted lights and new kinds of fixtures that can be hung in multiple ways. LED lighting is perfect to illuminate places for reading, food preparation, dressing or other tasks. With a very long lifespan, such lights may never need to be replaced and can save you money on electricity bills because they are brighter with lower wattage. The latest in accent lighting includes strings of remarkably thin LED light pods that can easily bend around corners and fit into small spaces, such as those from manufacturers like Kichler Lighting. This type of sleek, modern lighting adds drama when entertaining, while also lowering electricity costs. “Accent lights like these use little energy so they can stay on all night, an added plus for homes with small children or when overnight guests
visit,” says Jeff Dross, Kichler Lighting’s Corporate Director of Education and Industry Trends. “No two homes are alike and their lighting shouldn’t be either.”
And he went on to say that “We do not believe that bank of justice is bankrupt and “we have come to call on this note”. And the timeliness of the language of a poet, Martin Luther King made it a point to energize the patriotic of the citizens of the American Republic. “My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty… and he further appealed to the patriotic sentiment of Americans with sweeping images”. The heightening Allegiances of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring, from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California, let freedom ring from Lookout mountain of Tennessee, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia, let freedom ring from every mole hill of Mississippi. Martin Luther King’s dream back then was an
unfulfilled dream. His was a dream of having his four little children of being “judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”. The “I have a dream” speech was a moment in time, that offered primer instructions on what ought to be, or what America should become. He did not dwell on the meanness and ugliness, and utter inhumanity of his times, but rather offered “a stone of hope” without which, none of it can really live. In his resounding closing remarks, he rightly underscored the JudeoChristian ethic with words from the most American of all things American – the Negro Spirituals. This will be the day that all God’s children, black men and white men, protestants , Catholics and Jews will be able to say in the words of the old Negro spirituals – free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last. This memorial dedication to Dr. King’s life, his work, and the movement which spawned him is altogether fitting. I can now say with hind sight and a clear understanding of his life and work, that Martin Luther King is a much better man that I took him for. He was a true universal patriot for the betterment of human kind. Flawed, like every man, yet his deeds transcends and makes pale any human weaknesses that he had exposed. Further, the most remarkable trait of this mans life was his ability to grow, to change, to see a new. Nothing about his life was more arresting than his growth and new insights after the great march on Washington. He continued to be fervently committed to the idea of non violence, according to his understanding of the Christian creed, of its basic precepts of love, forgiveness, and redemption. He devised new strategies to confront the American system of injustice, or better still, the American system of reality. He correctly pointed to the intrinsic correlation between racism, war, and poverty, buttressed by the god of materialism. His deeds to subvert the systemic causes of “so much unearned suffering”, which Dr. King believed to be redemptive. First, he boldly came forth as a major critic of the government by denouncing US policy, which he deemed unnecessary and unjust war taking place in Vietnam war, (1967). Secondly, his relentless challenge to and denunciation of the doctrine of white supremacy, which in his mind taught false consciousness. This doctrine taught and still teaches a false sense of superiority for whites and a false sense on inferiority of blacks. It does a great disservice to both sides of the color line. He went to the bottom line and the sustaining issue of poverty in a land with too much of everything in a material way and too little of everything in a spiritual way. Dr. King’s last act to undermine the structure of poverty. He did this by leading the poor people’s campaign in the nation’s capital and supporting the sanitation workers strike in Memphis simultaneously before his untimely death, April 4th, 1968. The last and final meaning of his value of his life is simply this: I have been to the mountain top and looked over and seen the promise land… I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people, we will get to the promise land.
Warmth and Color Liven up rooms by selecting a bright color scheme. Paint sets the basic tone, so choose a light color, such as inviting yellows or cheery pastels. Remember, dark colors can absorb light and make rooms darker. You can paint an entire room a bright color or just one wall. And you can add warmth as well as color by layering on pillows and throws to accent favorite pieces of furniture. For more creative home decorating ideas, visit the American Society of Interior Designers at www.asid.org and click on “Consumer Center.” And for new energy-efficient home lighting ideas, visit www. kichler.com. The brighter you make your home, the more cheerful it will become for you and your guests.
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Insight News • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Page 9
COMMENTARY Bounced checks from America’s bank of opportunity Child Watch
By Marian Wright Edelman As our nation pauses to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the dedication of a new memorial on the anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington, most will focus on only part of the story. When many Americans think of the historic March, they think of Dr. King standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial delivering his inspiring “I Have a Dream” words he spontaneously added at the very end of his speech. For nearly 50 years the powerful words in that section have been quoted all over the world. But too few people remember that
the March on Washington wasn’t focused just on racial equality but was actually named the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and was a demand for economic opportunity and economic justice for all. Too few know or remember the central metaphor that made up the first half of Dr. King’s speech: the bounced check America had written to its Black and poor citizens. Dr. King said we had come to the nation’s capital that August day to cash a check America had written nearly two hundred years earlier. He reminded us that when our nation’s founders wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, they had created a promissory note that guaranteed all Americans the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But instead of honoring that promise for Black Americans, America had defaulted on it and given us a bad check that had come back
marked “insufficient funds.” Dr. King said those of us who had come to the 1963 March on Washington—over 200,000 strong—were there to cash our checks because we refused to believe “the bank of justice is bankrupt” or that “there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.” It is a message with special resonance this year and month as our nation’s leaders are locked in bitter debates about our nation’s insufficient funds, whether or not to default on our country’s debts, whether rich and powerful individuals and corporations whose bank accounts are overflowing from the tax breaks and subsidies which drove up huge debts will be asked to contribute their fair share, and whether millions of hungry, homeless, poor, and poorly educated American children and families will be asked to sacrifice more and continue to
receive bounced checks from the bank of economic opportunity and justice. Congress is fighting the wrong national deficit. The real deficit every leader needs to address is our human deficit and the immoral values that drive some extremist political leaders to hijack the nation’s economic wellbeing and sacrifice the lives of innocent children and the poor. The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF)’s recent The State of America’s Children 2011 report shows millions of children and families fell into poverty in 2009 from the economic downturn, jeopardizing America’s promise of a productive future for them and for our nation. One in every five children—15.5 million—was poor in 2009. Children of color, who will be a majority of our child population in 2019, continue to suffer disproportionately. In 2009 more than one in three Black and one
in three Hispanic children lived in poverty compared to more than one in ten White nonHispanic children. And the younger they are the poorer they are. These helpless poor babies cannot fight powerful corporate lobbyists and their political allies. Child poverty is closely tied to economic opportunity. Although two-thirds of poor children live in families with at least one family worker, the available jobs and wages often aren’t enough. A study prepared for CDF by Dr. Andrew Sum, director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, found the American dream and employment opportunities vanishing for countless poorly educated Black young people. In 2010 the unemployment, underemployment, and hidden unemployment rate for all Black 16 to 29-year-olds was a shocking 40 percent and 43 percent for Black males. The
large number of young Black adults not working full-time jobs will severely limit their future employability, earnings, and ability to support their families. Fifty years after the March on Washington, jobs and economic opportunities are still missing for huge numbers of Black families today, and millions of families of all races who are feeling the pain of soaring unemployment and low wages. In another new study Dr. Sum found: “To date, through the first quarter of 2011, the nation’s recovery from the 20072009 recession is both a jobless and a wageless recovery… The only major beneficiaries of the recovery have been corporate profits and the stock market and its shareholders,” with workers and their families left behind. This was not Dr. King’s dream. That is not and must
EDELMAN TURN TO 11
Farmers Pigford Lawsuit awards still unpaid By William Reed My hope is that the farmers and their families who were denied access to USDA loans and programs will be made whole and will have the chance to rebuild their lives and their businesses – Barack Obama It’s time President Barack Obama paid up on Pigford. Pigford represents a landmark case of racial discrimination in America and illustrates how government leaders have, and continue to use a plethora of tricks to avoid paying Blacks their just due for wrongs committed against them in America. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been the bane of American racism and held the reputation of “The Last
Plantation” for decades. Twelve years after the USDA agreed to settle the discrimination illustrated in the Pigford case, the money promised remains unpaid. Pigford is proof positive of institutional racism in America. Occasionally patterns of racism are scheduled for righting. In 1999 federal courts ruled that the USDA engaged in racist practices by denying financial help to economically distressed Black farmers. North Carolina farmer Timothy Pigford, along with hundreds of other Black farmers, won their class-action discrimination lawsuit against then-Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman when Pigford v. Glickman discovered that between 1981 and 1996 “minorities received less than their fair share of USDA funds for crops and
disaster payments and loans. The case was settled out of court and about 15,000 farmers were paid a total in excess of $900 million. But Pigford continued with tens of thousands of claimants who filed claims after the settlement deadline. Now many in Congress and the federal government seek to deny these farmers their due. Payment for Pigford is mocked by many. Flooding damage to mid-western farms along the Missouri River provided Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) a press audience. Reporters asked them if their calls for drastic cuts in federal spending would mean less money for emergency aid to help beleaguered farmers. King responded that there would be more money for the mostly white farmers if the government was
not paying so much to settle cases involving racial discrimination against Black farmers. Presidential candidate Bachmann joined King in saying that the mid-western farmers deserved the money and charged that a large percentage of the USDA settlement consisted of “fraudulent claims”. “King said “I’d like to apply that money to the people that are under water right now” and characterized the Black farmers’ suit as “modernday reparations.” Despite having won the largest civil rights discrimination settlement in history, Black farmers are still struggling to get paid. Flagrant discrimination has dominated Black lives on farms in America. Although the U.S. government never followed through on its promise of “40 acres and a mule” to freed slaves, and in
spite of systematic processes and programs to stymie their efforts African-Americans were able to establish a foothold in Southern agriculture. Black land ownership peaked in 1910, when 218,000 African-American farmers had ownership stakes in 15 million acres of land. But, through the machinations of southern bureaucrats and the USDA, by 1992 Black ownership numbers had dwindled to 2.3 million acres held by 18,000 farmers. The problem is the number of Black farmers that have been forced off their land. In 1920, one of out seven U.S. farms was Blackowned and operated; but by 1992 Black farmers operated just one of every 100 farms. Pigford shows America’s legacy of slavery, segregation and Jim Crow. Black farmers have
been done a series of injustices and those who have lost family land and legacies shouldn’t be slandered as bums looking for a handout. The Pigford settlement was not reverse racism, or for undeserving people trying to pull some scam on the government. It was the end result of a thorough legal process “to make them whole.” Many African Americans are owed “a debt” of reparations. But for Black farmers the USDA was an agency that never played fair with them. The USDA caused generations of Black farmers enormous economic hardships; now viable steps toward funding Pigford and Black farmers’ claims are in order. (William Reed is available for speaking/seminar projects via BaileyGroup.org)
Page 10 • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Insight News
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COMMUNITY North Minneapolis Neighborhood blog... By Ivan Phifer, Staff Writer Webber Camden Webber Recreation Center will be open from 12-9pm on Labor Day. Pack a picnic; play a pick up game of basketball, cool off in the wading pool, play a match of tennis, and BBQ up some of your favorite recipes at the park Folwell and Creekview will not have public building hours on Labor Day. Restrooms and wading pool will remain open. We Want You Back The Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board and City of Minneapolis have joined forces again for the “We Want You Back” campaign.. On Sept. 10, hundreds of volunteers will be walking throughout the city, distributing information, and talking with young people about re-enrolling in a program or school that fits best for them. Last year, 100 signed up on the spot to talk with Minneapolis school staff about getting on a path to finish their diploma, and 14 students have since graduated. Volunteers are needed for the Sept. 10 Day of Action. To sign up to volunteer, or if you know a young person who would like to re-enroll, contact Jo Haberman, Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board at 612673-2720. For more information, visit the http://www.ycb.org/initiatives/we_ want_you_back.
Picture a park photo If you captured photos of your summer fun in Minneapolis Parks, don’t forget to submit them in the Picture A Park photo contest. You’ll have to act quickly! Entries for the contest, sponsored by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), People for Parks (PFP) and National Camera, will be accepted until Sept. 5.Look through your photos for pictures of people, activities, nature and places in the Minneapolis parks system from any time of the year. Or, grab your camera and head to a Minneapolis park to capture late summer beauty. Entries can be from any time of year. Photographs and entry forms must be submitted by Sept. 5, 2011. For complete contest rules and entry form, visit www.minneapolisparks.org, www. peopleforparks.net or call 612-2306400. Counseling Project The University of Minnesota Office for Business and Community Economic Development is presenting the 2011 Community Health Initiative (CHI) Student Consulting Project. This program is designed to support community-based organizations that work to address public health issues impacting traditionally underserved communities by matching them with talented graduate students assigned to projects designed by the organization. The goal of this initiative is twofold; to provide resources to support non-profits and small businesses in a
Classifieds/Calendar
way that builds capacity and improves overall performance and effectiveness; secondly it provides University of Minnesota professional students valuable applied learning experiences in the community, specifically working in communities that face public health disparities or other socio-economic issues. These projects attempt to deal with a business need of the organization and may focus on areas including but not limited to market research, marketing, feasibility studies, implementation planning, implementation, health administration, and outreach. In considering applications, be advised that students are expected to work approximately 50-60 hours each on the project for the duration of the school semester (approximately 3 months). One or more students are assigned to a project, depending on the scope and type of project requested. *Please note that applications are due Wednesday, September 14th, 2011. Online applications, including additional details regarding project requirements are available here: http://www.ced.umn.edu/chi/CHI_ NonprofitApp2.html To learn more about the Community Health Initiative program, including more about student consulting projects, please visit http://www.ced.umn.edu/ chi/index.html If you have any further questions please contact Aron Khoury, Project Manager khou0012@umn.edu or 612-625-8460.
PHONE: 612.588.1313
Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, andrew@insightnews. com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Andrew Notsch. Free or low cost events preferred.
Events Pilgrim Baptist Church Annual Fall Revival Services - Sept. 11- Sept. 14 Pilgrim Baptist Church located at 732 West Central Ave. in St. Paul will
Business Consultant Needed MEDA (a private non-profit business development organization) is seeking an experienced hard working business professional to join our dynamic team of consultants. Our integrated approach to business planning, marketing, financing and capacity building for small business, has helped entrepreneurs of color succeed for the past 40 years! We offer a great network and excellent benefits. Local travel, good humor a must. Bilingual a plus. Submit resume and salary requirements to gjacobson@meda.net Visit www.meda.net for more.
Cleveland The next meeting held by the CAN Crime and Safety Committee Meeting will be held Monday August 29th at 6:30pm at the CAN office at 3307 Penn Ave N at the south end of Lucey Craft Laney. To Contact CAN call 612 5881155. Tree Stumps The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board began work Thursday, Aug. 11 to remove boulevard tree stumps left by the May 22 tornado on the North Side. The stump removals mean the City of Minneapolis will soon be able to begin repairs to sidewalks that were damaged in the tornado. The Mayor and City Council approved plans to make sidewalk repairs without assessing any of the cost to property owners. Replacing the sidewalks without assessing property owners is similar to what the City did in 2009 when a tornado damaged neighborhoods in south Minneapolis. Around 1,600 sidewalk panels were damaged when the tornado cut through North Minneapolis, according to a survey of the damage done by the City’s Public Works department. Also, around 600 feet of curb was damaged in the tornado and will need to be replaced. Almost all of this damage was caused when the tornado toppled trees along the sidewalks and curbs, causing the roots to push up the concrete. Once the tree stumps and roots are removed, the ground can be patched up and sidewalk
FAX: 612.588.2031
be having their Annual Fall Revival Services Sun., Sept. 11 thru Wed., Sept. 14. The revival theme is “Love in the Kingdom of God”, 1 John 4:7-8. The revival speaker will be the illustrious Rev. Ian Bethel, Senior Pastor, New Beginnings Baptist Tabernacle and he will be the speaker of the hour for the following services: Sun., Sept. 11 - 9:45am service; Mon., Sept. 12 7:00pm service; Tue., Sept. 13 - 7:00pm service; Wed., Sept. 14 - 7:00pm service - Reception to follow. Phira Rehn Collections - Now-Sept. 12 Artist Phira Rehn’s Embracing Cambodia: “The Yearning for Home” is a family collection of Cambodian paintings and temple figures. She shares her struggle to find understanding and place somewhere between two cultures. The exhibit is on display now through Sept. 12, 2011 at the University of Minnesota UROC Gallery, 2001 Plymouth Avenue North Minneapolis MN 55411.
work can begin. Park and Recreation Board crews have spent the last several weeks working with Gopher State to locate utility lines around each of the 1,529 “tipped” stumps on boulevards that have exposed roots, in order to make sure the removal can be done safely. The work will begin in the northernmost section of the tornado area and move south, and work to remove tipped stumps is expected to take about a month. The City expects to begin sidewalk work around Sept. 1, once enough stumps are removed to allow crews to work continuously on sidewalk and curb repairs. The cost of sidewalk and curb repair work is approximately $300,000, and the City Council has approved a resolution seeking reimbursement of these costs from FEMA and the State of Minnesota. Hawthorne Due to the Labor Day holiday, the Hawthorne Huddle is schedule for Thursday September 8th at Farview Park 609 29th Ave N at from 7:30am to 8:45am. Harrison On September 1st the Harrison Neighborhood Association will hold a Housing Committee meeting at 503 Irving Ave N from 6:30 to 7:30.
EMAIL: andrew@insightnews.com
Whittier Neighborhood Field Day - Aug 27 Get ready to head back to school! The Whittier Alliance, in conjunction with Bolder Options, is hosting an afternoon of fun and games for youth ages 5-14. From soccer dribble to races to jump rope contests, the event features 8 station games and various group games. Sat., Aug. 27 12-4pm @ Whittier Park (26th St W & Grand Ave S). Free and open to youth ages 5-14 (and their parents). Registration is appreciated: (612) 871-7756, jen@whittieralliance. org. Fall/Winter Boys Basketball TryOuts - Sep 3 6th, 7th & 8th Grade: Sept. 3 12-3pm. At Boys & Girls Club 2410 Irving Ave N Mpls. el-aminbasketball.com (952)933-1786 - FREE Prostitution in & around the Central Neighborhood - Sept 8 We are diving right into the hard-toface truths this year. Our first session will deal with prostitution in our neighborhood. What are the facts, who
is involved, who is it hurting? Is there work being done that we can support? Sept. 8 7-8:30am Park Avenue United Methodist Church 3400 Park Ave. Mpls. Downey Side…families for youth Sept 13 Invites community members to attend a FREE information session regarding adoption and Minnesota’s Waiting Children. Downey Side’s next information session will be Tue., Sept. 13, 6-7:30pm at Downey Side Minnesota, 450 N. Syndicate St., Suite 321 St. Paul. Pre-registration required. To register, email stpaulmn@ downeyside.org or call 651-603-5927. Dealing with the Tough Stuff: Adoptees and Resiliency - Sept 15 Stein and Blesener will discuss the complex and sometimes difficult experiences that adoptees may face when learning about their backgrounds. Thur. Sept. 15 12-1:30pm. $15/person. Registration details: Contact Amy Fjellman, 612-746-5133, afjellman@ mnadopt.org
Coffee Break 23. Poetic even 24. Thunderstorm sight 25. Beaver’s creation 28. “Never” without n 30. Distant 35. “Without further ____”, pl. 37. Miners’ bounty, pl. 39. Make happy 40. Domestic animal shelter 41. Writer Asimov 43. Russian governmental agency 44. One way to get to top 46. Trend-setting 47. Poor neighborhood 48. Declare as true 50. Unoffensive manner 52. “But I heard him exclaim, ____ he drove out of sight, Merry Christmas to all...” 53. Under this in court 55. One from Laos 57. Native American tradition 60. *It’s often used in verb form 63. Pepsi and Coke 64. ___ of Aquarius 66. Relating to the ilium 68. Skirt shape S T A T E P O I N T 13. 1836 Texas battle 69. Overnight stop CROSSWORD 14. Romanian monetary 70. Vigorous fight unit 71. *Way to be heard THEME: THE 15. Knight’s breastplate 72. Pecan, e.g. INTERNET 16. Most famous 73. Lock of hair Bolshevik? ACROSS 17. Food morsel DOWN 1. Substitute for currency 18. Turns sharply 1. Salt in Spanish 6. Sound meant to scare 19. *Small application 2. Ball of yarn 9. Third behind Bonds and 21. ______ toward or 3. Raja’s wife Aaron aimed at 4. Polyimide or
carbodiimide, e.g. 5. Type of silk cloth 6. Pat dry 7. Poetic over 8. Money paid out 9. Samuel Adams, e.g. 10. “A Death in the Family” author, James ____ 11. Charlie “____” Parker 12. It turns host into hostess 15. *Virtual you 20. Short stanza at end of poem 22. Toy-maker 24. Gamut 25. Capital of Bangladesh 26. Infamous Nazi 27. Paisley, e.g. 29. Gaelic 31. Directed, produced, written by Warren Beatty 32. Immature ovum 33. Longest human bone 34. *Express outrage 36. 18-wheeler 38. John Galsworthy’s Forsyte story 42. _____-cross bicycling 45. *Surf 49. Communist Zedong 51. Tao follower 54. Writer Clemens’ nom de plume 56. Watcher 57. Gallup’s inquiry 58. Medley 59. Designer Vera 60. Belgian port 61. Low-cal 62. Grub 63. Metered ride 65. Wildebeest 67. Cosine
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“If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolute night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Answers on page 111
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Insight News • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Page 11
“Floating islands” promote water stewardship The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) launched a campaign to raise public awareness and understanding of the landscape architecture profession with the installation of “floating islands” on August 17, 2011. The Minnesota Chapter (ASLA-MN) undertook one of the most ambitious events in the nation by launching seven “floating islands” on Spring Lake, an impaired lake in Minneapolis.
Spring Lake, located in the Lowry Hill Neighborhood between I-394 and Kenwood Parkway, was acquired by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) as a wildlife refuge in 1893. Since then, it has become a severely impaired body of water with a shoreline and park ridden with invasive species. This year, ASLA-MN partnered with the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association (LHNA) to analyze ways to
Solutions From 10
THE INTERNET
revitalize Spring Lake and its surrounding park. LHNA allocated funds to restore the area to its original designation as a bird and wildlife sanctuary and pledged to have the area removed from the Impaired Waters List of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Clean Water Act. These islands, known as floating treatment wetlands (FTWs), are powerful tools in water stewardship. They mimic natural floating islands to create a concentrated wetland effect. Constructed of durable, non-toxic postconsumer plastics and vegetated with native plants, the islands float on top of the water, providing a beautiful habitat for birds and animals, while underneath the surface, the FTWs aid in cleaning the water by attracting microbes that are responsible for breaking down water-borne pollutants. ASLA-MN landscape architects designed the floating islands with native wetland species that will provide much-needed habitat and greatly improve the water quality. The islands are manufactured by St. Paulbased Midwest Floating Islands. “The Spring Lake floating islands project is a first for Minneapolis, setting an important precedent for all of Minnesota’s impaired water bodies,” said Craig Wilson, ASLA-MN President-elect. “Minnesota-designed and manufactured floating islands support both our environment and the local economy.”
Edelman From 9 not become America’s dream. Those of us who refuse, like Dr. King, to believe that there are “insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation” need to stand up and demand that our leaders focus on the real economic deficit—jobs
Courtesy of ASLA
and economic opportunity for all and a world quality education for every child. Our children need to see their parents going to work and holding a job. Our children need the economic and emotional security employed parents provide. Our children need to know that if they work hard and get a good education there will be a good job in their future.
When Dr. King died calling for a Poor People’s Campaign, there were 11 million poor children in America. Today, with 15.5 million poor children, millions living in extreme poverty, I’ve no doubt he’d be calling for a new Poor People’s Campaign with a sense of urgency. He’s not coming back. It’s up to us to pick up the mantle of justice.
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.
Page 12 • August 29 - September 4, 2011 • Insight News
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SPORTS Workshop From 4 inspire success in work and life. BestPrep offers five other innovative programs to educators and students across Minnesota: Classroom Plus, which provides business and career skills through presentations, tours and mock interviews; eMentors, an eight
Jobs From 2 jobs or are getting laid off, but politicians are bailing out banks, funding wars, and worrying about the wealthy while people are suffering.” Jeodaun Lee of Minneapolis who attended the event, said he
Maya Moore
Dan Karwoski
Win a shopping spree with WNBA all-star Maya Moore One lucky fan will have a chance to win a shopping spree with No.1 draft pick and AllStar Maya Moore in her home town of Atlanta following the end of the 2011 WNBA season. Kids across the country ages 6 to 14 can enter the Shot Clock Shopping Spree between Aug. 23 and Oct.13 online at NBAHoopTroop.com when they sign up to be an NBA Hoop Troop member. Moore will celebrate one grand-prize winner of the
latest edition of the nationwide Shot Clock Shopping Spree, inviting the winner to Atlanta to participate in a basketballthemed shopping spree. The randomly selected contestant will team up with the All-Star to learn shooting tips from the pro and win as much basketball merchandise as they can shoot together into an oversized basketball hoop in 24 seconds. Following the launch of NBA Hoop Troop in December 2011 with an online destination,
programming, grassroots events, and its Shot Clock Shopping Spree sweepstakes, which culminated in a grandprize event in New York City, the program is continuing its momentum by partnering with the Minnesota Lynx’s Moore, one of the brightest young stars in the WNBA. NBA Hoop Troop introduces children to the inclusive and exciting nature of basketball and aims to create lifelong WNBA and NBA
fans. The program promotes the core values of our game – teamwork, sacrifice, discipline, dedication, and sportsmanship – both on and off the court to boys and girls ages 6 to 14. Through online activities, grassroots events, in-game experiences, and programming partnerships, this youth initiative encourages all levels of participation in the game of basketball at key points in a young person’s life.
week email mentoring program; Financial Matters, which provides schools with financial education speakers, Minnesota Business Venture, BestPrep’s summer educational program; and The Stock Market Game™, an online savings and investing simulation. For more information, contact BestPrep by phone at 763-398-0090, or online at www.bestprep.org.
was surprised to find himself still unemployed after two years looking for a job in his field. “I don’t think that politicians understand they’re public servants, they’re supposed to help us. Times are tough out here - we need jobs,” Lee said. “Rather than pay attention just to rich people, politicians should help us - working people and people who want to work.”