Insight News ::: 08.27.18

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Insight News August 27 - September 2, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 35• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Celebrating Mandela MN ORC ORCHES H ES TRA 2

At Robben Island, South Africa Target’s Laysha Ward talked with Kgotso Ntsweleng, a former prisoner with Nelson Mandela at Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. Ward was part of the Minnesota Orchestra five-city tour of South Africa to celebrate the centennial of Nelson Mandela’s birth.

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Page 2 •August August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Insight News

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Photos by Travis Anderson/travis@travisandersonphoto.com

Goitsemang Lehobye with Minnesota Orchestra Conductor Osmo Vanska and full Orchestra in Cape Town, South Africa.

Minnesota Orchestra, South Africa on ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ The Aug. 8 – 19 visit was the first by a professional U.S. orchestra and featured performances in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Soweto and Johannesburg.

By Laysha Ward, Executive Vice President & Chief External Engagement Officer - Target

(Front row, left to right) Minnesota Orchestra Board Chair Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Orchestra President and CEO Kevin Smith and Target’s Laysha Ward with South African high school students at the Regina Mundi Roman Catholic Church, Soweto, South Africa.

I had the great pleasure of serving on the advisory committee for the Minnesota Orchestra’s Music for Mandela celebration that took place in Minneapolis and South Africa.

The concert and programs paid tribute to Nobel Prize-winning human rights advocate Nelson Mandela on his centenary; a man who is the embodiment of a purpose driven leader.

This project, led by Minnesota Orchestra conduc-

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”

– Nelson Mandela

Minnesota Orchestra members with members of Imilonji KaNtu from South Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa.

tor Osmo Vänskä, board chair Marylyn Carlson Nelson and President Kevin Smith, positioned the musicians, the Minnesota Chorale and patrons like me as global cultural ambassadors in a time where as a society we are seeking understanding and yearning to find things that unite us not separate and divide us.

It was an honor to meet and hear personal reflections from Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, as well as Anant Singh, a preeminent South African film producer of “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and South African Consul General Phumzile Mazibuko in the Twin Cities. The free public programs and concerts were a perfect sendoff to the orchestra’s five-city tour in South Africa. My

File photo

Statue of Nelson Mandela, Union Building, Pretoria.

Minnesota Orchestra concert with South African choir, Gauteng Choristers, and Minnesota Chorale at Regina Mundi Roman Catholic Church, Soweto, South Africa.

husband Bill and I were so inspired that we decided to make the South African tour our family vacation.

The tour included powerful performances and experiences in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Soweto and Johannesburg. I wasn’t fully prepared for the emotional roller coaster that would ensue. I tried to post something simple on Instagram daily as a way to process and share the learning journey.

The concerts combined the talents of the Minnesota Orchestra and the Minnesota Chorale with South African composers and musicians celebrating the role art and culture play in creating empathy and understanding. Nelson Mandela said, “Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice.”

It was wonderful to see the Orchestra truly engage in the community playing side by side for example with the South African National Youth Orchestra (SANYO). These young musicians ranged in age between 13 and 25 years old and benefitted from the opportunity for instruction by world class musicians. These young people also had extraordinary stories and experiences that they shared reminding us that we all have something to teach and learn. I absolutely loved the opportunity to meet and interact with SANYO musicians in Pretoria and to meet high school students at the concert in Soweto at the historic Regina Mundi Church, which was a central gathering space during and after the anti-apartheid struggle.

The Soweto concert broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio was glorious. The Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Chorale, The South Africa Gauteng Choristers, the community gathered in this sacred place referred to as the “people’s cathedral” was heavenly.

The young people I met throughout the tour were generous in sharing their personal stories and LAYSHA WARD

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Insight News • August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Page 3

aesthetically speaking

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Insight News August 27 - September 2, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 35• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

30,000 attending National Baptist Convention next week represent 7.5 million members

Baptists seek to change the city; focus on justice The largest predominantly African-American Christian denomination in the U.S. is bringing upwards of 30,000 people to Minneapolis over Labor Day weekend for its Annual Session.

With an estimated membership of 7.5 million people, the National Baptist Convention, USA is the oldest and largest African-American religious convention, which acts much like a denomination.

“This is a really big deal.

The convention planners are very careful in selecting a city.

The Annual Session was held in Minneapolis nearly two decades ago, but planners were wowed by how much better our city has gotten,” said the Rev. Dr. Billy Russell, president of the Minnesota State Convention, NBC, USA Inc. Russell says this past year he has been a traveling salesman pitching Minnesota to a denomination that is predominantly based in the South.

Only 30 of the NBC, USA’s 31,000 churches are in Minne-

The Rev. Dr. Billy Russell, president, (L) Minnesota State Baptist Convention, hosts The National Baptist Convention which features presentations by The Rev. Dr. Jerry Young, president, National Baptist Convention and Derrick Johnson, president, NAACP. sota, including Russell’s home church of Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.

“People have different perceptions of Minnesota; asking ‘Are there Black people there?’

‘How racist is Minnesota?’ I tell them, Minnesota is just like

any other state, I’ve experienced some of the same things here as I did when I lived in Mississippi,” said Russell. “And that’s why we need the presence of a historically Black denomination here.”

The Annual Session will be held over Labor Day week

(Sept. 3 – Sept. 7) at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Starting Sunday morning and running through Friday evening, the week will offer praise and worship and speakers.

“All denominations and all of Minnesota will be brought to-

gether for worship. We are trying to change the whole city. In the past whatever city the convention goes to, that city is changed for the better,” said Russell.

The convention’s presence will be felt across the entirety of Minneapolis with

plans to do evangelism, crime prevention, employment outreach and opportunities to serve the homeless from North to South Minneapolis.

The theme for the Annual Session is “We Are Better Together. Injustice of Any Kind Disturbs Us.” There will be a focus on social justice and specifically crime and violence prevention, entrepreneurship, and education and employment.

“I will present a plan for crime and violence prevention, based on what has worked in Minnesota,” said Russell. “Two years ago, churches across all denominations got together with gangs in our communities to raise funds and call for peace and de-escalation. We have been able to accomplish on the streets what the police couldn’t do.”

The general public is invited to the entire assembly, and is encouraged to participate in the outreach, evangelism and praise and worship opportunities.

Says if Democrats want to win in November they must advertise in the Black Press

Rep. Jim Clyburn says Black Press essential to 2018 midterms

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor While there’s at least a perceived growing number of Democrats who say they want to replace California Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the Democratic leader in the House, South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn has emerged as a favorite among his peers to become the first African-American to hold that position.

In an exclusive interview with NNPA Newswire, the 25year congressman said while he’s ready for the challenge,

Wikimedia Commons

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) Democrats currently have much bigger fish to fry.

“The first order of business is to win the (midterm) elec-

tions on Nov. 6,” said Clyburn.

“That’s what I’ve been concentrating on.”

Clyburn and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Cedric Richmond each told the NNPA Newswire that they’ve identified 37 districts across the country they believe can be won by Democrats this year, which would wrest control of the House from Republicans.

“We feel, with the right kind of effort, we can win,” said Clyburn.

Clyburn listed three keys to success this November.

The first key, Clyburn said, is to prioritize the Black vote.

Democrats can’t afford to take

the role social determinants of health play in disease prevention and treatment. There are already many groups and organizations doing impactful work in these areas so it is important that we partner with them to build on their efforts. Dr. Farah’s work at People’s Center, specifically in improving high blood pressure compliance rates among the communities of color it serves from 52 to 66 percent in just over two years, is a significant model we can apply to other health areas to see improvement in the cardiovascular health of everyone in our community.”

Farah has been a member of the Twin Cities board since 2017

Business

Thor’s Regional Acceleration Center is excellent modern architecture

PAGE 4

the Black vote by running on an anti-Trump platform.

“Wait one second,” Clyburn said that he told the individual.

“We can’t just go around being ‘Republican-light.’ We have to be out there putting forth an alternative message, for our base, and we have to reach out to Black voters and let them know we’re not taking them or any of our base for granted.”

To that end, Clyburn said advertising campaigns must largely include the Black Press.

“It’s very, very important.

Chairman Richmond and I have had candidates in and we’ve been telling them that one of the best ways to demonstrate

that you’re not taking the Black vote for granted is to advertise in the Black Press,” said Clyburn.

I’ve been in (the business of the Black Press). My daughter and I ran a newspaper down South, so I know that candidates tend to take Black media for granted.

They tend to judge Black media the same way they do other media and you just can’t do that, because the business model is totally different.”

Each Sunday after attending Morris Brown A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C., Clyburn said he and other churchgoers habitually pick up the local Black-

MIDTERMS 8

Dr. Sharon Pierce named to national Commission on Student Success

Dr. Jokho Farah elected president of American Heart Association’s Twin Cities Board Dr. Jokho Farah, director of Quality and Population Health, at People’s Center Clinics & Services in Minneapolis was elected president of the American Heart Association’s Twin Cities Board.

She is the first woman of color to be president of the local board and first SomaliAmerican to sit on the board.

“We are honored to have Dr. Farah’s insight and expertise to guide us into the future,” said Justin Bell, Twin Cities vice president of health strategies for the American Heart Association (AHA). “As our community grows more diverse, it’s imperative that the AHA continues to address health disparities and

the African-American vote for granted. Second, the Democrats should not rely on an anti-President Donald Trump wave to get out the vote. Finally, Clyburn said that candidates must advertise in the Black Press, if they want to win in November.

“We are also talking about districts where Barack Obama won twice and where Hillary Clinton also won, but these voters don’t turn out for the socalled ‘off-year elections,’” said Clyburn. “We can’t let these voters feel like we’re taking them for granted.”

Clyburn, 78, said he was recently taken aback by one candidate who said he could win

Dr. Jokho Farah and her term as president will last two years. She joins board chair, Christine Bent, executive vice president of Allina Health, along with 19 other local healthcare

FARAH 5

Insight 2 Health Fitness: Winning the fight with your body

PAGE 6

Minneapolis College President Sharon Pierce has been named to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on Student Success.

During the three-year term, Pierce will join higher education leaders from across the nation to advance the AACC’s work on student access and success as well as organizational transformation.

“The work of this commission aligns directly with Minneapolis College’s core values to anchor all decisions, programs and services around student needs and to work daily to create an outstanding environment for learning and success,” said Pierce.

The commission is tasked with examining ways to demonstrate outcomes in degree completion, two-year to fouryear transferability and providing

Dr. Sharon Pierce

Afrodescendientes For the love of the game

PAGE 7

affordable, technical assistance in support of student success.

“I look forward to contributing to this important collaboration to enhance access to higher education and its transformative powers,” continued Pierce. “These efforts will help our increasingly global economy meet workforce demands by supporting colleges in the important work of preparing students for the jobs of the future.”

AACC is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. The association represents nearly 1,200 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 12 million students.

Minneapolis College was formerly Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

AS

Revel’s Avila wins Reposado of the Year

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Page 4 •August August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Insight News

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Business

Transformation: The architecture

Thor’s Regional Acceleration Center is excellent modern architecture

By Randall Bradley Architect Architecture is continuous.

From caves and trees, to tents and sheds, and igloos and mud huts. Architecture is how we shelter ourselves. Architecture is both visceral and intellectual.

Architecture works on both our guts and our brains.

We have all experienced architecture. We have walked around it. Touched it. Gone inside it. And in some cases,

even smelled it. All architecture includes buildings. But not all buildings are architecture.

Four walls, a door, and a flat roof, does not architecture make. The difference between a building and architecture is sophistication. That is the visual and tactile reality that has evolved from a great deal of worldly experience, knowledge, fashion, culture and implementation, employed in machines, systems and techniques. Human beings are sophisticated. It is who we are.

It is how we were created.

Architectural styles have segued from the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, byzantine, gothic, baroque, rococo, renaissance, beaux-arts (Minnesota State Capitol building), classical, and other styles through art nouveaux (Chrysler Building) and art-deco (Empire State Building), down to the current contemporary period that we now know as modern architecture.

This modern architecture was born from the Bauhaus, a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933, the period between the World Wars. Its’ founder, Walter Gropius, envisioned a school incorporating art, design, architecture, sculpture, graphic design, photography, painting and drawing. As an outgrowth of the late nineteenth century’s industrial revolution, the Bauhaus focused on using industrial materials in as much an unadulterated fashion as was possible in both residential and commercial construction.

Materials, shapes, and components were purposely freed of the hierarchy of the beaux-arts dictums of formality, style, and ornamentation. This was a deliberate blow to (Roman architect Marcus) Vitruvius’ (Pollio) principle of ‘Firmness (structure), commodity (use), and delight (ornamentation/ detail).

Author Tom Wolfe, wrote describing the movement of modern architecture from Europe to the U.S., in his book, “From Bauhaus to Our House.”

The premier and foundational examples of modern architecture in America are by a Bauhaus alumnus, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This can be seen in

Harry Colbert, Jr.

More than a building, Thor Companies Regional Acceleration Center is a marvel in modern architecture. his Seagram Building on Park Avenue in New York City, and the Farnsworth House in Plano, Ill. (a one story flat-roofed glass house). A collaborator with Meis, and also a designer of

his own Glass House, in New Canaan, Conn., architect Phillip Johnson designed one of the most elegant and breathtaking high-rise modern architecture buildings that we can see on a

daily basis; the IDS Center.

The Investors Diversified Services (IDS) Center is a complex of four separate buildings, surrounding a centrally located, glass topped, indoor atrium. This 55-story project resulted in a never before realized corporate feature. The expansion of the corner office.

Most high-rise office buildings, be they square or rectilinear in plan, typically only have four corner offices per floor. The IDS Center has 32 corner offices per floor. A conservative estimate puts this in excess of 1,200 corner offices. This is a remarkable building in both its response to the owners requirements as well a sophisticated glass curtainwall exterior. Of course, being a high-rise building, it is located in downtown Minneapolis, with a four-block connection to the skyway system, and so marked the city as an architectural player on the world stage. Modern architecture is pervasive. It is everywhere. And it stands shoulder to shoulder with all the other styles that preceded it and area still being built today.

We now have new modern architecture in North Minneapolis. Thor’s Regional Acceleration Center, located at 1256 Penn Ave. N., is excellent modern architecture.

In the coming weeks I will have more on the architecture at the corner of Penn and Plymouth Avenues in North Minneapolis.

Since July of 2017, architect Randall Bradley has been writing a multi-part series on the construction of the new development at the corners of Penn Avenue North and Plymouth Avenue North in Minneapolis.

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Insight News • August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Page 5

Adams was 28 years old

Twin Cities mourns the loss of spoken word star Tattianna ‘S’sense’ Adams

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com One of Minnesota’s brightest stars will now shine eternally from the sky.

The Twin Cities arts community was rocked hard Aug. 18 when news of the passing of spoken word artist Tattianna “S’sense” Adams spread throughout social media. Adams, who had been living in Arlington, Texas, recently moved back to the area and was in Minnesota at the time of her passing.

Adams was just 28 years old and leaves behind a 7-year-old daughter.

Having shared the stage with the likes of Raheem DeVaughn and more, Adams’ words resonated with most everyone

Farah From 3 professionals and business and community leaders to serve on the Twin Cities board.

“My goals as president of the board is to help raise awareness of the overall mission of the AHA, advance research, strengthen local relationships AHA has with government agencies, other organizations and members of the community, and bridge the work that the AHA is doing with communities of color,” said Farah. “AHA has a big part it can play in addressing health disparities and building healthier, stronger communities.”

Trained as a general surgeon, Farah is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating strategic initiatives focused on eliminating health disparities and improving population health. Before joining People’s Center, Farah spent three years working with another safety net clinic. Prior to that, she spent time involved

Tattianna “S’sense” Adams who was blessed to here her voice. With content ranging from love and passion to social and political action, Adams

was regarded as one of spoken word’s most gifted talents.

Her closest friend, fellow artist Nakara “SoloStar” White,

in international health, medical missions and humanitarian work in Dubai and Tunisia. In addition to the AHA board, she is the co-chair of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Health Equity Advisory and Leadership (HEAL) Council. She also sits on several other committees namely the Minnesota Department of Health’s Somali Public Health Advisors Committee,

Cedar-Riverside Neighborhood Leadership Committee and New Leaders Council- Twin Cities.

In 2017, the association allocated more than $6.2 million to fund 37 new and ongoing studies in Minnesota and has funded over $4.1 billion in research nationally since 1949. AHA works with volunteers through campaigns like Go Red For Women, Heart Walk, Power to

summed Adams up with one word … love.

“S’sense was light, she was a joy to be around and she made people feel better when she was in their presence,” said White.

“She spread love. She took over spaces with her love. She truly gave what she wanted to receive.”

White said Adams’ words were magical both on and off stage.

“Even in conversation she was a poet. Her wordplay was phenomenal,” said White, who refers to Adams as her sister.

“What many people don’t know is that many pieces she did were freestyle. She had bits and pieces written but she would feel the vibe of the people and fill in the rest (of her material). She was able to read the energy of a space and give the space what it

needed.”

Though no official cause of death has been released publicly, White said Adams was the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. White said she wanted to share the cause of Adams’ death to serve as a warning to people sitting in idling cars.

“A lot of people just sit and chill in cars and for many it is because they are living in transition and I just want people to be aware of the danger,” said White.

“It didn’t matter what the occasion was, S’sence walked into every room with a purpose,” said Brittany Wright, DJ and cofounder of The Feels, a monthly event showcasing area talent.

“She was always going to show love, smile, laugh, and truly live in the moment. She led by example not only as a performer but a

mother. She left behind the gift of her spoken word, and an incredible daughter who embodies the spirit of S’sence and a larger than life presence of her own.”

In one of Adams’ last Facebook post she offered an upbeat 30-minute inspirational message encouraging viewers to take control of their own destinies.

A fundraising event was held in Adams’ honor to benefit Adams’ daughter. Her daughter, who goes by the moniker “Baby S’sense,” performed along with White, Keno Evol, Loyalty and others. The event was hosted by another of Adams’ close friends, comedian Ashli Henderson. Adams’ pastor, the Rev. Carmen Means, who has since moved from the Twin Cities also traveled in and offered words during the event.

End Stroke and more to fund research, advocate for stronger public health policies, provide science-based healthcare guidelines, CPR training, and offer free tools and information to the public to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke.

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Insight 2 Health Fitness: Winning the fight with your body

By Victor Martinez Contributing Writer Have you ever had a conversation with your body?

I mean like a classic fight between the part of you that wants to do the right thing and the part that wants to do the wrong thing.

This is the fight that I had the past three weeks. My second Insight 2 Health Fitness Challenge had just ended and the next one was coming.

My bad side would say to my good side, “Wake up at 5:30 a.m. again? That bed feels so good, plus you need your beauty sleep, remember?”

My good side quickly jumped in before the bad one could say another word.

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear it. This is good for us. Remember, you no longer have back pain. Hello.”

Millions of people have this fight every day. Should I work out or should I just wait until

Victor Martinez

Participants of the Insight 2 Health Fitness Challenge during a recent morning workout. tomorrow? That ugly creature is called, procrastination. Procrastination is a monster that lives

deep down inside every one of us. It’s this ugly creature that is to blame for bad health, bad re-

lationships and the list goes on and on. We all know the right thing to but few of use actually

do it.

As you have it, my good side won. I joined my third round

of the Insight 2 Health Fitness Challenge. It was time to turn on the “beast mode” inside. As I finished my first week, I feel like the bad side of me is learning to do the right thing again.

Bad side of me says, “This isn’t that bad, I kinda like this exercising thing, I mean I get to make loud grunting noises as I push myself to the next level.

Wow I feel so alive.”

The good side of me says, “Didn’t I tell you? I don’t know why you always play hard to get, you know you like working out.”

If this story sounds all that familiar, I have two simple pieces of advice to conquer this ugly creature procrastination. First, admit that you have a problem (we all do, hello) and decide you will do something about it. Second, look for people that want to encourage you, that will push you, even when you don’t want to be pushed.

Cancer-causing chemical formed in e-cigarette users The lack of certain toxic and cancer-causing chemicals in ecigarettes may not necessarily mean that e-cigarette users are not exposed to them anyway.

A new study from the University of Minnesota found that while e-cigarettes con-

tain virtually no N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) – a chemical that can cause oral cavity and esophageal cancer – the chemical can form in an e-cigarette user’s body when they take in nicotine through e-cigarettes.

The study was pub-

lished recently in Chemical Research in Toxicology.

School of Public Health Associate Professor Irina Stepanov, a Masonic Cancer Center member, led a team of researchers who analyzed NNN in urine and saliva from e-cigarette us-

... study stresses the importance of taking a thoughtful approach while investigating exposures from e-cigarettes, and not just replicating what has been done in studies with regular cigarettes. ers, smokers and nonsmokers.

Urine of e-cigarette users was virtually free of NNN. However, their findings showed that 16 out of 20 e-cigarette users had measurable levels of NNN

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in their saliva. The levels were generally lower than in smokers, but some e-cigarette users had NNN in their saliva at levels comparable to smokers.

“The finding that some e-cig-

arette users may be forming substantial amounts of NNN in their bodies is significant when considering the long-term risks of prolonged e-cigarette use,” said Stepanov. “For young e-cigarette users who have never smoked, this is particularly bad news, because they are being exposed to a potent carcinogen that most likely is a key contributor to oral and esophageal cancer in tobacco users. For cigarette smokers, however, it is important to put things into perspective. Smokers take in significant amounts of NNN from cigarette smoke itself. If they switch to e-cigarettes, their exposure to NNN is reduced dramatically even if some amounts of this chemical are formed in their bodies.”

“Our study stresses the importance of taking a thoughtful approach while investigating exposures from e-cigarettes, and not just replicating what has been done in studies with regular cigarettes,” said Gabriela Bustamante, co-author of the study and School of Public Health graduate student. “Based on the analyses of e-cigarette liquids and aerosols, the common assumption was that there is no exposure to NNN in e-cigarette users. And if we had limited our analyses to urine, and not included saliva, we would not have captured this important process that happens in the oral cavity of e-cigarette users.”

Further research should take the study’s findings into account when assessing the potential health impact of long-term ecigarette use. Given that the oral cavity and esophagus are target tissues for NNN carcinogenicity, the presence of this carcinogen in saliva of e-cigarette users is particularly relevant and important.

This study was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

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Insight News • August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Page 7

Afrodescendientes Puerto Rican girls play ball to escape reality

For the love of the game Afrodescendientes

By Carmen Robles Associate Editor Major League Baseball’s (MLB) RBI Softball World Series exemplifies the passion and spirit of the game, the hope and love of the people who play the sport.

In today’s world of hate the only color that mattered during Aug. 11 – Aug. 16 event in Minneapolis and St. Paul was the color of the uniform.

It seemed fitting the RBI (Restoring Baseball in Inner cities) softball championship games be held in Minnesota Twins land.

Dunning Fields was the perfect venue for the world series championship games; home to baseball great Hall of Famers, David Winfield and Jack Morris; author and Twins RBI coordinator Frank White; legendary coach Billy Peterson whose field bears his name; Paul Molitor, manager of the Twins and Steve Winfield, mentor-coach/chair of the Winfield Academic and Athletic Scholarship Fund.

Borrowing from White’s book title, “They Played for the Love of the game: The Minnesota Negro Baseball League,” it was clear to see these young

people’s sheer love of the game.

Eight teams from seven states and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico came together in a sisterhood of athleticism. While all teams are noteworthy, this story is about the Taino-Afro-Latino from Puerto Rico.

To quote legendary Tony Oliva, “El juego de pelota era lo unico que teniamos para pasar el tiempo todos juntos en el vecendario de Cuba no avia mas que aser no teniamos nada el juego nos junto. (The game of baseball [and softball] was all we had to pass the time in our Cuban neighborhood there was nothing else to do the game united us.)”

I thought of that, watching the unspoken comradery among the Puerto Rican team as they exited the dugout, stood on the field, huddled together and said their team prayer. I pictured all these girls coming together playing ball amid complete chaos.

I was mesmerized, hypnotized by the imagine of my ancestral Puerto Rico, a country110 miles long by 40 mountain miles wide with two even smaller sister islands, Vieques and Culebras, dependent on big sis, Puerto Rico.

Watching the team out on the field I couldn’t help but imagine their plight all these months since Hurricane Maria. Hospitals and schools uninhabitable; death tolls climbing higher still 11 months after the hurricane

Carmen Robles

Members of the Puerto Rican RBI senior softball team recently competed in the RBI World Series in St. Paul. hit. Elders, babies, the sick, disabled, disenfranchised leaving their home in vast numbers. I helped transport a few of them who arrived in Minnesota in the middle of one of the coldest winters recorded, to their FIMA temporary housing.

Mainland Puerto Ricans, like myself, have been tortured since the devastating hurricane, watching helpless as the events unfold. Reliving the mass exodus of humanity over and over became so overwhelmed it was throwing me off course on my road to a healthier me.

When my friends at the Winfield Athletic Scholarship Program gave me the heads up

that Puerto Rico’s girls’ softball team was headed here, I decided I would welcome “my” jente (people) on behalf of all Minnesotans and proudly cheer the undefeated team to victory.

From the moment they exited the dug-out, the girls’ softball team from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico created an atmosphere of athletic grace. Their lacy bows sticking out from the back of their helmets accentuating that feminine Caribbean flair beneath the cloak of the sweltering uniforms. That special flair that is typical of the island’s pride of the Taino-Afro-Latino roots oozing from their ballet-like slides to the bases; the rhythmic

movement of their batting stance to the almost musical tone of their cheering. The Puerto Rican flag proudly displayed on all their equipment and uniforms.

A handful of parents in the stands shouted terms of endearment “No te apures, mija (don’t worry dear)” different from the rousing “keep your eye on the ball.”

Houston won the series, but I’m the one who took home the gold. Prior to the games I was feeling alone, isolated; my own family members dying off quickly propelling me to the top of the family heap, leaving almost no one for me to turn to within my own nucleus realm. I

was accepting the fact…that was that.

Then suddenly from pueblos (towns) scattered throughout that little island in the middle of the ocean to my doorstep in St. Paul, special delivery for Carmen Robles. A representation of my ancestors, elders, familia (family), cultura (culture) all brought to me by Major League Baseball through those 15 girls, parents and coaches who, despite circumstances of unsurmountable challenges beyond their control, maintained the normality and persevered through “the love of the game.”

Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps celebrates Job Corps Commencement Day Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps joined 125 Job Corps centers across the country to celebrate National Job Corps Commencement Day ceremony Aug. 16.

Recent Job Corps graduates, employer partners, local policymakers, community leaders, family members and many others recognized these students’ achievements and the investment they made in their futures and community.

Hubert H. Humphrey is one of 125 Job Corps centers located across the country. A national program, Job Corps offers underserved youth academic opportunities and career pathways for those who chose a nontraditional educational path.

Each year, Job Corps gives tens of thousands of youth a second chance to complete their educa-

tion and advance into careers, higher education or the military.

“Our students can go out and do great things,” said Katie Kapaun the center’s director.

The average Job Corps center supports 228 local jobs, and every dollar invested in Job Corps returns almost $2 to the local economy, said Kapaun. Nationally, the 125 Job Corps centers support about 30,000 jobs, the vast majority of which are with private businesses.

Local community members who have worked with Job Corps volunteers also joined the celebration to congratulate many of their student volunteers.

Humphrey Job Corps students work with International Institute of Minnesota to provide needed services to assist in setting up the Festival of Nations and tak-

ing shifts at concessions during the actual event.

“The 8th Annual National Job Corps Commencement Day is a very special day for our program,” said National Job Corps Association Executive Director Greg Roberts. “The Job Corps community – our students, their families, center staff, operators, community leaders, employer partners and supporters – worked hard to transform futures that will lead to a lifetime of preparation and success. The devotion of our community is why Job Corps has such strong bipartisan support in Congress and why it continues to be the most successful job training program for America’s underserved youth.”

Graduating students of the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps.

Back-to-school drive for those in foster care It’s already back-to-school time and while the new school year can bring about excitement and anticipation for what’s to come, for some kids in the Minneapolis community it can bring about feelings of unpreparedness and fear.

Many foster kids are forced to switch schools when they move to new foster homes.

Under federal standards fewer than 10 percent of the children

Letter to the Editor

Greenway was good for Northside The Northside greenway was a great gift to our neighborhood.

We are on 35th Street and Irving Avenue, so we had the complete greenway (no cars) and it made our area a lot more enjoyable.

Kids were playing safely outside, families were riding by on bicycles and there was none of the stress of having cars zooming by in front of our house. My impression was that the partial greenway on the blocks south of 35th were getting a mixed reaction, but the people on our block, where the full benefits of a greenway were evident, seemed to have very positive feelings about the experience. Many of us were sad when it was removed.

-Stephen Lewis

flickr.com

Providing school supplies and back-to-school clothing are two key ways people can support local foster children prep for the new school year.

reunited with their families should have to re-enter foster care within a year. Minnesota’s rate is 25 percent, one of the highest in the country.

Providing school supplies and back-to-school clothing are two key ways people can support local foster children prep for the new school year.

Now through Sept. 2, you can prepare local children and youth in foster care for

back-to-school by donating new school supplies to any Mattress Firm store in Minneapolis.

All funds and school supplies collected during the Mattress Firm School Supply Drive will stay in Minneapolis and will be distributed through our nonprofit partners, Family Alternatives.

Additional ways to help include volunteering to help foster kids in the community through service projects or working directly with a nonprofit organization to assist with tutoring, after-school meals, homework and other activities.

Page 8 •August August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Insight News

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Lifestyle

You don’t have to play sports to be in the game

By Zamaya Taylor

Upon graduating from Augsburg University in May of 2013, my vision to work in sports was a tad cloudy.

I had interest in a career in athletic training, fostered during time spent junior and senior years as a student worker in the Augsburg athletic training room.

However, with a degree in business management, exploring a career in sports medicine proved to be a challenge. While looking for other ways to get into the world of sports that better aligned with my degree, I uncov-

Zamaya Taylor ered master’s programs in sport management that led me down a new road.

Four semesters later, that road was temporarily blocked due to personal, family tragedy and self-doubt. As a result, I post-

poned applying and preparing for graduate school for two years. In February of 2015, I was ready to apply to two programs, one on the west coast (University of San Francisco) and one of the east coast (Georgetown University).

During this process I was met with admissions challenges, one a deferral of admission and the other a decline. For almost a year, I struggled with the decision to move far away from home and my support system. Ultimately, I made the decision to stay true to my vision and continue the journey which led me to California for 23 months.

Throughout the process of attaining a master’s degree, I took advantage of several opportuni-

ties. These included an internship with the Southern California Special Olympics and two parttime jobs one with the Los Angeles Dodgers and another with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

To further break into the sports industry, I also volunteered at several sport specific events.

Five months from graduating and with a degree nearly in hand, I ventured back home for an informational interview with members from the Minneapolis Local Organizing Committee (MLOC). The MLOC is charged with planning, organizing and hosting the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four. The meeting left me excited about the potential opportunities to be a part

of the Final Four. The MLOC, partnering with Step-Up/Achieve Minneapolis, offers an internship opportunity called Future Stars.

The Future Stars program strives to seek and represent diversity within the community and provides young professionals with the unique opportunity to learn, grow and network within the game of collegiate basketball, the NCAA and the greater community of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The program is interwoven with work projects that advance the MLOC event development plan.

Obtaining the opportunity to be a Future Stars Intern, this summer has afforded me the chance to attend critical planning meetings for Final Four event logis-

tics, and tour both the Minneapolis Convention Center and US Bank Stadium. I have also been able to see both operational plans and layouts for the April 2019 events, provide input on multiple projects, that are part of hosting a major event such as a Final Four and form another pivotal step in the right direction of my sports career dream.

To young people of color interested in careers in sports; opportunities do exist. You must stay focused, and take chances, even in an environment that appears to not have the representation of others like you. If you put yourself behind the wheel of your future, the road to success definitely gets clearer.

Minnesota African American Heritage Museum set to open in September The Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery will open Sept. 8, in Thor Companies’ new headquarters, 1256 Penn Ave. N., Minneapolis.

The museum will tell the stories of African-Americans in Minnesota through creative exhibitions, unique programming and events. The inaugural exhibit features African-American pioneers who settled in the state, and women who made their mark on Minnesota and the na-

tion. It also highlights the impact of the “Great Migration” on Minnesota and pays tribute to African-Americans who served in World War I and other wars.

Compelling visuals and informative exhibits will provide visitors an opportunity to learn about the history of Minnesota’s African-American population.

The museum will also host a children’s literacy and reading circle on Saturday mornings.The museum is founded by Coventry Cowens and Tina Burnside.

“African-Americans have a long and rich history in Minnesota that needs to be told and shared with everyone. AfricanAmerican history is American history,” said Cowens and Burnside is a statement.

The museum will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is free. For more information visit www. maahmg.org.

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Photos and paintings from several area artists hang on the fourth floor walls inside of Thor Companies’ Regional Acceleration Center, 1256 Penn Ave. N., Minneapolis.

Midterms From 3 owned newspaper.

“People tend to pay attention to the headlines, the stories and the ads in the Black Press so it’s vitally important that candidates know this,” said Clyburn.

The South Carolina representative said getting Black voters to the polls in November is paramount. “(Trump) has a deep-seated hatred for people of color and it manifests itself every day,” said Clyburn. “The president asked an important question when he was running, ‘What do we have to lose?’ Well, we have lost dignity and the respect of the presidency, because of his coarseness in the office. When you lose respect, you’ve lost about everything there is to lose.”

Though he doesn’t support or agree politically with former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, Clyburn said he was

deeply troubled when Trump referred to her as a “low life” and a “dog.”

“I’m the father of three daughters and I’m deeply insulted by the president of the United States referring to an African-American woman the way he referred to her,” said Clyburn. “Politics aside, I’m insulted that the president of the United States would denigrate the office in this way.”

While he still supports Pelosi, Clyburn said if the Democrats take back the House, he’s up for the job as speaker.

“I have always supported (Pelosi), but I have always remembered a sermon I heard my father give a number of times,” said Clyburn. “That sermon stayed with me and he said, ‘keep your lamps trimmed and burning to be ready when the bridegroom comes.’ My point is, I’ve never forgotten that sermon so I keep my lamp burning so I’m ready.”

This article was originally published on BlackPressUSA. com.

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Intern Kelvin Kuria

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Insight News • August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Page 9

Community

Memorial jazz concert to benefit children in Haiti

By Maya Beecham Several years ago two men had one of a few conversations centered around music in a place symbolic of jazz roots, a church.

The Rev. Dr. Floyd Beecham, Sr., co-pastor of Faith Tabernacle Gospel Fellowship International (FTGFI), heard Antonio Jackson, renowned jazz saxophonist play in the church where he Beecham preached with his wife and co-senior pastor, Dr. E. Mae Beecham. Beyond the saxophone and podium the two men entered a discussion of jazz artists, styles of jazz music and their shared interest and love for jazz in general.

Their conversation will ďŹ guratively continue Sept. 9, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., in a jazz concert memorial, “A Man of Distinction,â€? featuring Jackson and his quintet, to honor the life and work of Dr. Floyd Beecham, Sr. at FTGFI, 2025 North 4th St., Minneapolis. Tickets are online at www.eventbrite.com/e/evening-of-jazz-48220780653.This event will follow a family bowling night on Sept. 8 at Cedarvale Lanes, 3883, Cedar Grove Pkwy., Eagan. Tickets for that event are online at www.eventbrite.com/e/bowling-fellowshipfun-tickets-48228069454.

All proceeds from the events will go to The Lighthouse, a 501c3 organization to serve homeless kids of Haiti by providing food, shelter, education and protection as an alternative to the extreme poverty they experience as orphans, fending for themselves for survival while experiencing violence, abandoned, and neglected.

Beecham, who served as a pastor for more than 30 years, passed away March 3 at the age of 76. He was a founding member of Hawthorne Huddle, a community advocacy group representing the Hawthorne neighborhood of North Minneapolis where the church is located. Before making his transition from earth Beecham was in the midst of developing The Lighthouse with the Rev. Ann Tipton, FTGFI outreach minister. Tipton recalls she had a vision, after traveling to Haiti, regarding the need to help ‘street kids.’ “It was a vision given by God for us to do. It’s a ministry that’s needed for street kids otherwise

Antonio Jackson

Dr. E. Mae Beecham and Rev. Dr. Floyd Beecham, Sr. they have no other option,� said Tipton, who approached Beecham with the idea. “Pastor Beecham did the research and he was in tears when he saw the plight of street kids in Haiti. The organization will start small and

ClassiÀeds

increase. We will serve 20 kids ages 5-17; 10 girls and 10 boys.�

Similar to the freedom and synchronicity of jazz Beecham’s spirit is still living and will continue to inspire lives as Jackson and his Quintet continue their

conversation with him in spirit. “I plan to approach the concert in honor of him. How he would enjoy it if he were here.

Everything will have a Christ centered aura. We will play stan-

2018

dards, contemporary, and original music. We want to bring the experience of live jazz to the church. It’s great to bring jazz to the Northside of Minneapolis through the church’s eorts,�

said Jackson.

For more information on the “Man of Distinction� Jazz concert memorial and bowling activities visit www.ftfgi.org/ events.html.

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Page 10 •August August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Insight News

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Roosevelt Collier

Steel Pulse

The legendary Grammy winning band from the U.K. returns to United States on tour with Tribal Seeds.

Tuesday, Aug. 28 REGGAE

Monday, Aug. 27 – Sunday, Sept. 9

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

Monday, Aug. 27

One Love Movement Pimento Jamaican Kitchen 2524 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

21-plus $5 DJ Verb X will be in the house playing all your favorite reggae, ‘90s hip-hop and R&B and more every second and fourth Tuesday.

Wednesday, Aug. 29 THEATER “Hamilton” Orpheum Theatre 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m. $298-$500 The award-winning Broadway musical hits Minneapolis for the first time at the Orpheum. The show runs through Oct. 7.

REGGAE

Thursday, Aug. 30

Steel Pulse with Tribal Seeds First Avenue 701 N 1st Ave., Minneapolis 7 p.m.

21-plus $30, $35

SOUL Roosevelt Collier Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m.

$30-$35 Collier’s debut album, “Exit 16” is a potent mix of blues, gospel, rock and, in his words, “dirty funk swampy grime,” as overseen by producer and bandmate Michael League (from the Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy).

Friday, Aug. 31 AWARDS 2018 African Community Appreciation and Awards Gala DoubleTree 2200 Freeway Blvd., Minneapolis 6:30 p.m.

This awards gala features “fine cuisine, live entertainment, cultural performances, community awards, a keynote message, a fashion show, spoken word, among others.”

Saturday, Sept. 1 COSPLAY MetaCon Hyatt Regency Minneapolis 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 10 a.m. $30-$150 MetaCon is a three-day comic and sci-fi convention that includes every aspect of geek culture and nerd life.

Sunday, Sept. 2

“Back to Black” A Tribute to Amy Winehouse Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. $20-$30 In the 12 years since its release, “Back to Black” and Amy Winehouse have inspired musicians like singer-songwriter Mina Moore and others. Catch Moore’s tribute at the famed jazz club.

Monday, Sept. 3 FUNK/SOUL No Limits the B-Side Lola on the Lake 3000 E. Calhoun Pkwy., Minneapolis 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

All ages No cover

Wednesday, Sept. 5 POP American Idol: Live! 2018 State Theatre 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 7 p.m.

All ages $39.50-$89.50 The shows will feature this season’s top 7 finalists, Cade Foehner, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Catie Turner, Gabby Barrett, Jurnee, Maddie Poppe and Michael J. Woodard with special guest, Season 8 “American Idol” winner, Kris Allen and Forever in Your Mind

Thursday, Sept. 6 HIP-HOP

ROCK/R&B

Ernest Rhodes, Just Wulf, Captive Agents and Cupid After Us James Ballentine “Uptown” VFW 2916 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis 8 p.m.

21-plus $8

Juice 7th Street Entry 701 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis 7 p.m.

18-plus $12

This end of summer jam features emcee, Ernest Rhodes, Desdamona’s new live band, Cupid After Us, Just Wulf and DJ Mickey Breeze and Captive Agents.

Catch rock/R&B/hip-hop group Juice on tour at the 7th Street Entry.

Friday, Sept. 7

Catch some of your favorite cover songs at Lake Bde Maka Ska.

Tuesday, Sept. 4

Brent Faiyaz First Avenue 701 N 1st Ave., Minneapolis 6 p.m.

All ages $25.50 Best known for his feature on Goldlink’s “Crew,” Brent Faiyaz has made a name for himself as a tour-ready solo artist with a solid fanbase.

Saturday, Sept. 8 BLUES/ROCK Gary Clark, Jr. Surly Brewing Company 520 Malcolm Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, 5:30 p.m.

18-plus $45 Blues/rock great, Gary Clark, Jr. is one of the best in the business at playing the guitar and vocals.

Catch a special outdoor set.

Sunday, Sept. 9 YOGA Mixtape Yoga: Aretha Franklin A-Mill Artist Lofts 315 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis 10 a.m. $15 Catch a 75-minute yoga workout to the sounds of the late great Aretha Franklin.

R&B/SOUL

SOUL

Finding nirvana in North Buxton, Ontario Discovering one of the last stops on the Underground Railroad

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com It is truly a field of dreams … and it’s not in Iowa.

More importantly it’s not in the United States. That’s by design. The field of which I speak is in Canada … Ontario to be more specific … North Buxton to be exact.

North Buxton is about an hour’s drive outside of Detroit but trust me, it’s a world away.

For Blacks living in the United States … descendants of slaves … it should be required travel, looked forward to like many of us look forward to homecoming at a HBCU. Before I tell you about this nirvana let me tell you how it came to my attention.

I was planning a trip to Detroit for the annual National Association of Black Journalists convention. I was nominated for an award and was of course looking forward to the trip. Though only in “The D” for a weekend I had a mental itinerary prepared.

One of my favorite artists, Kem, was performing Friday night and my girlfriend and I had plans on attending. We didn’t make it.

We didn’t make it because a couple of days before our departure I was talking to my good friend, Dr. Juneau Robbins, about the pending excursion.

“Well if you’re taking your passports you can go visit my hometown, North Buxton,” suggested Robbins. Then he hit me with this fine little nugget. “It’s one of the last ‘stops’ on the Underground Railroad.”

Wait, what?

Indeed, settled in 1849, North Buxton holds a special place in history. With land purchased by abolitionist, the Rev. William King, escaped slaves and free Blacks fearful of being enslaved made the fateful and perilous journey to the wooded Canadian land … to paradise. At it’s

An exhibit inside of the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Harry Colbert, Jr., Insight News managing editor, and Devonda Scott outside one of the original log cabins built by North Buxton settlers. peak, North Buxton was home to nearly 2,000 residents. Today that number is about 200.

When I told my girlfriend, Devonda, about this historic place we knew the Kem concert would have to be missed. We were on a quest.

After landing in Detroit and grabbing a rental car we plugged “directions North Buxton” into the phone and off we were. It took us about 45 minutes to get through traffic to the U.S./Canada border crossing.

“Passports please. Traveling with any food, weapons or alcohol? Where are you headed and what’s the reason for your trip,” sternly asked the Canadian border agent.

“We’re going to North Buxton,” I answered.

“I’ve never heard of it. Why are you going there,” asked the agent.

I proudly declared we were going to one of the last “stops” on the Underground Railroad. The agent said she was unfamiliar with the town but thought it was fascinating (my words, not hers) that we were going. Fascinating indeed.

For the next hour or so we drove through rural farmland heavily dotted with wind tur-

bines. With only a couple of turns off the main road our phone navigation announced, “you’ve arrived.”

Where we arrived was a softball field. In front three benign buildings; one a log cabin, one an old schoolhouse, one a more modern ranch-style dwelling.

A sign read “Buxton National Historic Site & Museum.” As we sat in our car trying to figure out what to do next … we were seemingly in the middle of nowhere … several cars began turning into the lot with people exiting with gloves and bats.

A game was about to begin. It needs to be noted the people in the lot appeared to all be white, which for two Black people used to how things are in the U.S. – in particular, rural U.S. – caused us some consternation. I noticed one person who appeared to be of African ancestry, but I couldn’t be certain. I decided we’ve come this far, let’s complete the mission.

I cautiously exited my vehicle and went up to one of the ballplayers and declared our mission.

I told the man we were from Minnesota and a good friend – Juneau Robbins – directed us here.

“Juneau Robbins? That’s my cousin. I’m Tim Robbins,” said

the newfound friend.

Tim Robbins quickly introduced us to several others of the Robbins clan. He informed us the Museum was closed; our hopes of going inside were briefly dashed. But another of Juneau’s cousins, Heather Robbins, said she used to have the keys to the building but didn’t anymore. She then asked another ballplayer – Lori – if she had keys. Indeed,

history of the Canadian settlement. She walked us over to the log cabin – one of the original ones built by settlers – and told us how one cabin could be erected in a day with 12 men and two oxen.

She told us of the proud tradition of hard work among the North Buxton settlers and the importance of everyone earning their own keep. Camera in hand, Lori asked to see my camera so she

Harry Colbert, Jr.

The Colbert Henderson Cabin, the last surviving cabin built by settlers of North Buxton, Ontario. she did, and we were escorted to the building. They were opening the museum just for us.

“Feel free to look around as long as you like; when you’re done just let us know so we can lock up. You’re friends of Juneau so that’s good enough for us,” said Lori.

On the walk from the field to the museum Lori gave us a brief

could take a photo of Devonda and me in front of the log cabin.

As we walked onto the porch of the modest, yet impressive cabin, I noticed a plaque. I was stopped in my tracks. I felt an immediate connection.

As it turns out, the one surviving cabin from the first settlers was known as the Colbert Henderson Cabin. It was owned by

Inside the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, Devonda Scott takes in the history of North Buston and the Underground Railroad.

Henry Colbert. Now I have little knowledge of by paternal lineage past my grandfather, Everett H. Colbert, but needless to say, I laid claim to Henry Colbert as “family.” Truth be told, I began to view all the residents of North Buxton as family. I felt at peace. I felt at home.

The museum offered a detailed history of North Buxton, but also of Blacks on the other side of the Canadian border. They didn’t leave and forget about us.

They are us as we are them. A small exhibit told of Blacks who fought against America in the war of 1812 … Blacks fighting against America … Blacks fighting against slavery. This is the “forgotten history” not taught as a part the American school curriculum.

We roamed the two-room museum for about 30 minutes … just she and I. After, we walked back to the softball field and sat in the stands. We watched a few innings of the game before saying our goodbyes and heading back to the States. These weren’t star athletes by any stretch, but it was the best game my eyes had seen.

After all, it was being played on a field of dreams.

insightnews.com

Insight News • August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Page 11

Aesthetically Speaking

Awards shine spotlight on the brand’s new avila agave spirit

Revel’s Avila wins Reposado of the Year

Earning top honors from some of the country’s most prestigious competitions, Revel – a Blackowned and Minneapolis-based agave – is fast making a name for itself within the spirits industry.

At this year’s 2018 New York International Spirits

Competition, Revel’s Reposado garnered significant praise from the judges, winning both a gold medal and being crowned “Tequila Reposado of the Year.”

Revel’s Blanco Avila also took home the bronze medal at the competition.

“We are thrilled and

humbled by the reception our products are getting,” said Micah McFarlane, CEO of Revel Spirits. “These awards are a true testament to not just the quality of the agave we’re using in our Avila, but the unique characteristics afforded by the terroir of Morelos and the passion the re-

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gion has for developing the finest agave spirits the world has to offer.”

The list of awards also includes a double gold and gold for Reposado and Blanco, respectively, as well as the “Best of Class” prize for its packaging from the SIP Awards. The Los Angeles International Spirits Competition also awarded gold medals for the brand’s Reposado and Blanco expressions.

Most recently, Revel earned two medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which awarded the brand’s Reposado a silver medal and its Blanco the bronze. Additionally, Tasting Panel Magazine, the most widely circulated trade publication in the beverage industry, gave Revel a 98 rating for its Blanco and Reposado expressions.

Revel’s Avila is the first of its kind as it represents a new category of distilled liquor derived from 100 percent blue weber agave. A cousin to the popular tequila agave spirit, Avila can only be produced using agave grown and distilled in the Morelos region, a small state in the south-central part of Mexico. The world’s first Avila, Revel is handcrafted using a blend of roasted and steamed bulbs or piñas, a process that marries the old-world characteristics of mezcal with newer tequila-like techniques to provide a truly one-of-a-kind profile.

Sold in upscale bars and liquor stores in Minnesota and California, Revel is currently available in two expressions; Blanco, which is immediately bottled after distillation, and Reposado, which is aged for 12 months in a once-used whisky oak barrel to provide a scotchlike taste.

For more information, visit www.revelspirits.com.

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Page 12 •August August 27 - September 2, 2018 • Insight News

insightnews.com

On a five-city tour of South Africa

Minnesota Orchestra honors a great leader and shares music and goodwill across international borders The Minnesota Orchestra embarked on a five-city tour of South Africa to celebrate the centennial of Nelson Mandela’s birth.

The Aug. 8 – Aug. 19 visit was the first by a professional U.S. orchestra and featured performances in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Soweto and Johannesburg.

“This was our chance to musically honor a great leader and to share music and goodwill across international borders and right here in Minnesota,” said Minnesota Orchestra President and CEO Kevin Smith. “It was a

In Soweto, the Orchestra performed the final movement of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony” in the historic Regina Mundi Roman Catholic Church, joined by South African soloists, members of the Minnesota Chorale and the South Africabased Gauteng Choristers.

In Pretoria, the Orchestra performed with the South African National Youth Orchestra (SANYO). SANYO is an ensemble that draws talented young players from across South Africa and the continent of Africa. Osmo Vänskä, conductor of the Minnesota

Photos by Travis Anderson/travis@travisandersonphoto.com

Laysha Ward with the SANYO – South African National Youth Orchestra in Pretoria.

Laysha Ward From 2

Travis Anderson/travis@travisandersonphoto.com

MN Orchestra Musicians and South African youth musician sharing techniques unique opportunity to bring cultures together through music, and we were honored to play a role in the Nelson Mandela centenary celebration.”

The tour showcased music derived from South African, American and European musical traditions, ranging from Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” to a world premiere by South African composer Bongani Ndodana-Breen, commissioned

by Classical Movements and written in tribute to Mandela.

Orchestra, first conducted the ensemble in 2014, and that experience was the catalyst for the Minnesota Orchestra tour.

The tour was funded by contributions from an anonymous couple. Additional funding for the Music for Mandela project was provided by a consortium of corporations based in Minnesota including Target, Ecolab, Land O’Lakes, Medtronic, 3M, Pentair, TCF Bank, Thor Construction and U.S. Bank.

extremely curious about life in America. Though admitting they had no clue where Minnesota was, they were curious about my educational background, what it was like being a professional Black woman, if there were issues of violence against women in the U.S. as is the case in South Africa, and so much more. Each moment with them also offered an opportunity to be fully present, listening and where possible providing albeit brief mentorship, encouragement and support.

From the youth to elders like the former Robben Island prisoner who led our tour of this infamous prison where Nelson Mandela served 18 of his 27 years in prison, I felt a profound connection to my ancestors, which is a seminal part of the African experience.

Apartheid was an institutional system and policy of segregation and discrimination that formally ended in 1994. South Africa is still on its “Long Walk to Freedom” toward equality, though I would suggest so are we with parallels in areas like race, gender parity, education, housing, health and economic inclusion.

My emotions fluctuated throughout the tour – saddened and angry by man’s inhumanity – yet buoyed

Laysha with South African high school students at the Regina Mundi Roman Catholic Church, Soweto by the power of the human spirit to triumph over adversity in pursuit of freedom, equality and justice.

Nelson Mandela and the other courageous men, women and youth that fought to end apartheid and reconcile their country provide for a connection between hope and intentional action that can lead to long term sustainable change.

Bravo to the Minnesota Orchestra “Music for Mandela” celebration for challenging me and all of us to find and live our inner Mandela in service of the greater good.

MN Orchestra Musician giving a high five to a South African child attending concert in Soweto

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