Insight News ::: 09.15.14

Nachito Herrera and Creole Choir of Cuba to perform at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts MORE ON PAGE 10

Insight News September 15 - September 21, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 39 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

The Goal: Equality and Justice for All Spike Moss reflects on history and recent events

By Ryan T. Scott Contributing Writer “They stood up for us,” said Spike Moss, NAACP Community Action Chair, referring to generations of African-Americans in the pursuit of increased civil rights and freedom from oppression in America. “But Ferguson may be the turning point,” Moss continued, referring to the killing of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo. A native of Paris, Mo., Moss spoke at length about the curious nature of race relations in that

region.

“Missouri was an antislave state, but we were born to midwives, because we weren’t allowed in the hospital.

The park… never. The movie show… never. At the restaurant you went to the back door and got your food on wax paper. It was that hateful,” Moss said in an exclusive interview with Insight News.

Moss reflected upon the powerful moment that left him with “…chills…sweating, and the shakes” when his 81 year

We can’t be afraid of our condition and history

MOSS TURN TO 5 Spike Moss

National Bar Association President Pamela J. Meanes Tiffany Vang

Six reasons why Hmong Americans should vote this year

By Tiffany Vang, TC Daily Planet Historically, the Hmong community has had one of the lowest voter turnouts, but with outreach campaigns there have been considerable advances made in increasing a Hmong voting bloc in Minnesota.

While Hmong Americans have faced cultural perceptions that voting makes no difference in the past, the Hmong population

in Minnesota has the potential to make a large impact on elections this year, and could greatly benefit the Hmong community, given high voter turnout. So, here are six reasons why Hmong Minnesotans should vote this election year.

1. Minnesota is home to the second largest Hmong population in the U.S. It’s no secret that Minnesota has a large Hmong population.

According to 2010 census data, 66,181 Hmong Americans reside in Minnesota, putting the

state second behind California for largest Hmong population in the United States. That also means there’s a large potential for the Hmong community in Minnesota to be an important voter bloc for local politicians, but the keyword above is “home.”

The Hmong narrative has majorly been about their involvement in the Vietnam War with the C.I.A. and repatriation of refugees to Laos or Vietnam.

This common narrative has shaped the structure of Hmong organizations, clans, culture, and

leadership in the U.S. But despite the strong connection to Laos and Vietnam, especially from elders and leaders, the Hmong community in Minnesota is here to stay; it is now their home.

Recent college graduate Selue Kazoua Yang said she believes that voting is very much a part of the past struggles of the Hmong community. “Our ancestors sacrificed and fought in order for us to be free and lead

VOTE TURN TO 8

Black lawyers to challenge police brutality in 25 cities

By Freddie Allen NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – In an effort to combat police brutality in the Black community, the National Bar Association (NBA) recently announced plans to file open records requests in 25 cities to study allegations of police misconduct.

Pamela Meanes, president of the Black lawyers and

Health

Lifestyle

Education

USDA: 11-percent of MN households are food insecure

Celebrating Leah Renee McFarlane

“The Warmth of Other Suns”

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judges group, said that the NBA was already making plans for a nationwide campaign to fight police brutality when Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer following a controversial midday confrontation in a Ferguson, Mo. Meanes called police brutality the new civil rights issue of this era, an issue that

POLICE TURN TO 2

Moments in Sports Serena Williams wins record 6th U.S. Open

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Page 2 • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Insight News

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Poll finds health most common source of stress

THIS IS MY GREEN JOB. Every day, I help turn Hennepin County’s postrecycled garbage into enough clean, renewable energy to power 25,000 Minneapolis homes.

In addition to serving the community with sustainable waste disposal and clean, renewable energy, the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) provides well-paying, green jobs for area residents.

For more information on HERC and its operations, visit covanta.com or hennepin.us/herc.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Recover Energy-from-Waste.

Princeton, N.J.—A new NPR/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) poll released that examines the role of stress in Americans’ lives finds that about half of the public (49%) reported that they had a major stressful event or experience in the past year.

Nearly half (43%) reported that the most stressful experiences related to health.

More than half of those who experienced a great deal of stress in the past month say too many overall responsibilities and financial problems were contributors (54% and 53% respectively). More than a third of those with a great deal of stress say the contributors include their own health problems (38%) and health problems of family members (37%).

“It is not widely recognized how many Americans have a major stressful event over the course of a year, or how often health problems are the cause,” says Robert J. Blendon, ScD, Richard L. Menschel Professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis at HSPH. “Stress touches everyone.

Unfortunately, many of those feeling the most stress get trapped in cycles that can be very unhealthy. If we are going to build a culture of health in America, one big step we can take is recognizing the causes and effects not just of our own stress and the stress of those closest to us, but of others we encounter in our day-to-day lives. That recognition can go a long way in helping us create healthier environments in our homes, workplaces and communities,”

Police

and Milwaukee, Wis. In a press release about the open records requests, the group said it will not only seek information about “the number of individuals who have been killed, racially profiled, wrongfully arrested and/or injured while pursued or in police custody, but also comprehensive data from crime scenes, including “video and photographic evidence related to any alleged and/or proven misconduct by current or former employees,” as well background information on officers involved in the incidents.

Not only will the NBA present their findings to the public, but the group also plans to compile its research and forward the data over to the attorney general’s office.

Meanes said that the group’s ultimate goal is to have a conversation with Attorney General Eric Holder and to ask him, and in some cases, demand that he seize police departments or take over some investigations that are going on in states or run concurrent investigations.

Meanes said that federal law prohibits the Justice Department from going into a police department unless a pattern or history of abuse has

From 1 disproportionately impacts the Black community.

“If we don’t see this issue and if we don’t at the National Bar Association do the legal things that are necessary to bring this issue to the forefront, then we are not carrying out our mission, which is to protect the civil and political entities of all,” said Meanes.

The NBA, which describes itself as “the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly AfricanAmerican attorneys and judges,” selected the 25 cities based on their African American populations and reported incidents of police brutality.

The lawyers group will file open records requests in Birmingham, Ala.; Little Rock, Ark.; Phoenix; Los Angeles; San Jose, Calif., Washington, D.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Miami; Atlanta; Chicago; Louisville, Ky.; Baltimore; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; St. Louis, Mo.; Charlotte, N.C.; Las Vegas; New York City; Cleveland, Ohio, Memphis, Tenn., Philadelphia; Dallas; Houston; San Antonio, Texas,

says Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF president and CEO. High Levels of Stress in the Last Month About a quarter reported having a “great deal” of stress (26%) over just the past month. People in poor health are more than twice as likely as the public as a whole to report a great deal of stress in the past month (60%).

People who are disabled are also much more likely to report a great deal of stress (45%). Other groups likely to report a great deal of stress include those with a chronic illness (36%), those with low incomes (<$20K) (36%), those who face potentially dangerous situations in their jobs (36%), single parents (35%), and parents of teens (34%).

POLL TURN TO 3 been identified.

“The problem is that the information needed for that action is not readily available in a comprehensive way on a consistent basis with the goal of eradicating that abuse,” said Meanes, adding that the open records requests is the best way to get that information.

Meanes said that the NBA was concerned that the trust was already broken between the police force and the residents of Ferguson and that the rebellion and the protests would continue.

“We don’t think St. Louis County should investigate this.

We don’t think the prosecutor should investigate this. There should be an independent third-party investigating this and that is the federal government,” said Meanes.

Phillip Agnew, executive director of the Dream Defenders, a civil rights group established by young people of color in the aftermath of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager in Sanford, Fla., said that law enforcement officials taunted, antagonized and disrespected peaceful protesters who took to the

POLICE TURN TO 4

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Insight News • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Page 3

HEALTH Hunger persists in Minnesota despite economic upswing

USDA: 11-percent of MN households are food insecure

By John Michaelson, Minnesota News Connection ST. PAUL, Minn. - Many of the leading economic indicators in Minnesota, such as the unemployment rate and manufacturing, continue to improve, but the rebound is not being fully felt when it comes to families struggling to put food on the table.

Just released figures show that 11 percent of households in the state were food insecure in 2013, about the same as the year before, says Colleen Moriarty,

Poll From 2 Significant Impact on Lives Bad effects on emotional well-being (63%) are the most common health effects reported by those with a great deal of stress in the last month, followed by problems with sleep (56%) and difficulty in thinking, concentrating, or making decisions (50%). About half of those with a great deal of stress as well as a chronic illness or disability say stress made the symptoms worse (53%) or made it harder for them to manage their chronic illness or disability (52%).

In addition, many report significant impacts from stress in other spheres of their lives.

More than four in 10 of those under a great deal of stress in

the last month report that this stress made it harder to get along with family members (45%) and prevented them from spending time with family members (44%). Half of those who experienced a great deal of stress in the last month and are employed say stress made it harder to concentrate at work (51%), and 41 percent say it made it harder to take on extra responsibilities that could help advance their career.

Efforts to Manage High Levels of Stress Those who have experienced a great deal of stress over the past month tried to reduce their stress in many ways. Most who had experienced a great deal of stress in the last month and taken steps to manage it say each of the things they did to reduce stress were effective. More than nine in 10 say that regularly spending time outdoors (94%) or

spending time on a hobby (93%) was effective. About seven in 10 (71%) said they regularly spent time with family and friends to reduce stress, while just under six in 10 say they regularly prayed or meditated (57%), spent time outdoors (57%) or ate healthfully (55%).

However, less than half of respondents took certain steps to reduce their stress that are often recommended by experts, such as regularly exercising (51% did not) or regularly getting a full night’s sleep (54% did not).

Methodology This poll is part of an ongoing series of surveys developed by researchers at the Harvard Opinion Research Program (HORP) at Harvard School of Public Health, in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and NPR. The research team consists of the following members at each institution.

Harvard School of Public Health • Robert J. Blendon, professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis and executive director of HORP • Gillian K. SteelFisher, research scientist and assistant director of HORP • Kathleen J. Weldon, research and administrative manager • John M. Benson, research scientist and managing director of HORP, and Mandy Brulé, research specialist • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation • Fred Mann, associate vice president, communications • Carolyn Miller, senior program officer, ResearchEvaluation-Learning • Ari Kramer, communications officer NPR • Anne Gudenkauf, senior supervising editor, science desk • Joe Neel, deputy senior supervising editor, science desk Interviews were conducted

via telephone (including both landline and cell phone) by SSRS of Media (Pa.), March 3 – April 8, 2014, among a nationally representative sample of 2,505 adults age 18 and older. The interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. The margin of error for total respondents is +/- 2.4 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Of the total sample, 633 said they have experienced a great deal of stress in the past month. The margin of error for this group is +/- 4.6 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Possible sources of nonsampling error include nonresponse bias, as well as question wording and ordering effects.

Non-response in telephone surveys produces some known biases in survey-derived estimates because participation tends to vary for different subgroups of the population.

To compensate for these known biases and for variations in probability of selection within and across households, sample data are weighted by household size, cell phone/landline use and demographics (sex, age, race/ ethnicity, education, marital status and census region) to reflect the true population.

Other techniques, including random-digit dialing, replicate subsamples, and systematic respondent selection within households, are used to ensure that the sample is representative.

ABOUT NPR NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization that reaches 26 million radio listeners each week, and 23 million people monthly on digital platforms. In collaboration with more than 900 local radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to provide the public with a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures. To find local stations and broadcast times, visit www.npr.org/ stations.

ABOUT HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Harvard School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and

executive director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota.

“Flat is the new reality,” she stresses. “The new reality since the recession is that we have this enormous part of the population in Minnesota who are really in peril.”

Nationally, the story is similar, as a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows about 14 percent of households were food insecure last year, essentially unchanged from 2012.

While some families that took hits during the recession have been regaining their financial footing, Moriarty says it takes time to fully recover, especially

for those who lost jobs.

“If they’ve been unemployed for a while, they have bills to catch up on,” she points out.

“Their savings is gone.

“They may be re-employed, but they may be re-employed at a much lower rate than they previously had been.

“We know that it takes people 18 to 24 months to really get back on their feet.”

One important piece to helping those families with children, explains Moriarty, is the free school lunch program, which Minnesota lawmakers expanded this past session to reach an additional 61,000 low-income students this school year.

health of people everywhere.

As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people’s lives— not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at HSPH teach 1,000-plus fulltime students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America’s oldest professional training program

in public health. For more information on the school, visit www.hsph.harvard.edu.

ABOUT THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve the health and health care of all Americans. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all Americans to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf. org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter atwww.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf. org/facebook.

Page 4 • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Insight News

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City seeks applicants for boards and commissions Applications are now being accepted for openings on the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights’ boards and commissions positions that the City Council and Mayor will appoint this fall.

Board and commission members in the City of Minneapolis provide valuable insights, help shape key policy decisions and provide community-based input into administration of services. The City is seeking applicants with

a diversity of backgrounds and experiences to strengthen the work of the City.

There are open positions on the following three Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights’ boards and commissions: The Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights is charged with implementing the City’s Civil Rights policies through outreach, education, mediation, conciliation and enforcement, among other things.

The Police Conduct Oversight Commission assures that police services are delivered in a lawful and nondiscriminatory manner and provides the public with meaningful participatory oversight of police policy and procedure. Commission members have a variety of responsibilities including shaping police policy, auditing cases, engaging the community in discussions of police procedure, and facilitating

cultural awareness trainings for the Minneapolis Police Department.

The Police Conduct Review Panel provides the public with meaningful participatory oversight of the police and their interactions with the citizenry and makes recommendations to the Chief of Police regarding the merits of complaints against Minneapolis Police Officers.

Applications will be reviewed beginning Oct. 10, 2014. However, the positions

are open until filled. Visit the City’s website for a full list of appointment opportunities and position descriptions.

The City of Minneapolis has more than 50 volunteerbased boards, commissions and advisory committees that advise the City on issues and help with policy development and administration of services.

Boards and commissions fall into a handful of categories: appeal boards, development boards, general advisory boards,

and special service districts, which are defined areas within the city where special services are rendered.

Appointments to board and commissions are made twice a year — in the spring and fall.

This streamlined appointment process makes it easier for folks to learn about volunteer opportunities, ensure a more open and understandable process for residents and staff, and increase the diversity of the applicant pool.

Five things to consider before you accept a fundraising position FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw

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 Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White

The possibility of a new position as a fund development or fundraising professional brings excitement and anticipation. A new position could mean the opportunity to “finally” put one’s professional skills to use. Maybe with a new position there will be greater opportunities to implement best practices and to meet – or even exceed – goals. Maybe, and maybe not. There are so many variables that impact a professional’s ability to work his or her craft, most of which are beyond their control. If you are considering a new position don’t let the allure of “greener pastures” keep you from researching your potential employer. Here are five things to consider before accepting a fundraising position.

Organization’s or institution’s mission, vision, value, goals. Do you know what these are? Are they consistently communicated by all parties during your

Police From 2 streets of Ferguson and at times incited the violence that they attempted to stamp out in the wake of the shooting death of Michael Brown.

“An occupying force came into the community,

interviews? Do you agree with these? Will they motivate you day-after-day?

Job description, turnover in the position, budget and resources you will have to work with. During your interviews ask questions about the job description: what percentage of your time will be allocated to the different

responsibilities? How much time will be spent on “other duties as assigned?” What budget and resources will you have? Will you control their use or will you need the approval of others? What has been the tenure of other individuals in the position over the past 10 years? What were the reasons for their departure?

Leadership stability and local/national recognition.

Is the president or CEO recognized as a leader in his/ her field? How long has he/she held the position? The previous executive? What role does the board play in fundraising?

How much do they give and raise collectively each year?

Planning tools, their use and track record/results.

Does the organization actively engage in planning and then work from those plans? Are the following in place: financial plan, business plan (including sustainability and growth projections), strategic plan, fundraising plan? What is its financial status? Is fundraising proactive and volunteer driven or is there a history of “emergency fundraising?”

Public perception. How is organization perceived by local/regional/national leaders, decision makers and funders?

What do the people served think of the organization?

they killed someone from the community, and instead of being transparent and doing everything they could do to make sure the community felt whole again, they brought in more police to suppress folks who were exercising their constitutional rights,” said Agnew. “If your protocol results in greater violence, greater anger, and greater

disenchantment of the people, you have to chart a different course.”

On the heels of the NBA announcement, Attorney General Eric Holder launched two initiatives designed to calm anxiety and frustration expressed by Ferguson’s Black residents towards the local police department over allegations of misconduct,

harassment and discrimination.

The Justice Department also introduced a “Collaborative Reform Initiative” to tackle similar concerns with the St. Louis County Police Department and to improve the relationship between police officers and the communities they serve.

During a recent press conference to announce the

Do your homework and negotiate a position and environment you want to work in.

Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed

Good-bye, short-term fixes.

Hello, long-term improvements.

Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Lydia Schwartz Ryan T. Scott Toki Wright Photography Michele Spaise David Bradley Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

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When you do a Google search, what do you find? What do your neighbors say?

You may find yourself applying for your “dream job.” Don’t let the glow of your expectations stop you from taking a close look at organizational realities. Your negotiating power is typically greatest before you join an organization, so do your homework and negotiate a position and environment you want to work in. Don’t be afraid to turn down an offer: doing so may be the right decision.

Next week: Five things to consider when hiring a fundraising professional

new initiatives in Missouri, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Department of Justice is working across the nation to ensure that the criminal justice system is fair, constitutional and free of bias.

The interventions in Missouri are an important part of that commitment,” said Holder. “While there is much work left to do, we feel confident that there are solutions to any issues we find and that community trust in law enforcement can be restored and maintained.

Ferguson and St. Louis County are not the first places that we have become engaged to ensure fair and equitable policing and they will not be the last. The Department of Justice will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the Constitution has meaning for all communities.”

The new programs will work separately from the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into the Brown’s shooting death.

Although Ferguson city officials were widely criticized for the lack of diversity of their police department, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch study revealed that only one town out of 31 St. Louis County municipalities where Blacks accounted for at least 10 percent of the population, had an equal or greater share of Black police officers.

“While areas patrolled by St. Louis County Police are about 25 percent black, 10 percent of the county police force is black,” the PostDispatch reported.

As the NBA applauded the Justice Department’s latest efforts to protect the civil rights of American citizens, the also urged the attorney general to commit to investigations in the same cities where they are filing open records requests.

According to the NBA, Dallas tops the list for police misconduct in the South and more than 60 unarmed Black men have been killed by the Dallas Police Department, since 2001.

Agnew said that the days where police officers are able to kill people with reckless abandon are over.

Meanes said that the NBA will plans to train community stakeholders and local lawyers to effectively try police brutality cases without damaging the evidence and without becoming witnesses themselves and is also educating citizens about what to do when they are stopped by police.

“This is not a war on police officers,” said Meanes. “This is a war on brutality and in any kind of system where people are paid to protect, we ought to be advocating for that protection.”

Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success.

For help with your campaign visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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Insight News • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Page 5

The cooperative response to living on the edge, and frontier

By Lee Egerstrom, Minnesota 2020, Economic Development Fellow Cooperative business leaders and community development activists will study the almost invisible but 230-year history of African American experiences with co-ops, including credit unions and mutual insurances, at a series of major events this month in the Twin Cities.

This history continues to be relevant today because America’s population is changing. People of color are still marginalized and face barriers to accessing capital and markets, said Jessica Gordon Nembhard, author of a new book that traces African American cooperative action back to 1780 in Rhode Island.

“This is as much an economics book as it is racial (history),” she said of her Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice.” Even when new Minnesotans, or new Americans don’t encounter racial discrimination, they still face obstacles to accessing capital and markets from lack of credit records or other barriers to doing business, she said.

The book is an outgrowth of 15 years of research on African American business ownership and collective action to

Moss From 1 old grandfather finally fulfilled Moss’ long request to visit the “slave cemetery” where both slaves and animals were buried, separately from whites, as well as indigenous Africans. “I carry the scars of Missouri,” Moss firmly emoted.

“It’s a case of lawlessness by the law when they declare capital punishment behind a carton

overcome business obstacles and counter political barriers and interferences from white supremists that continued into the 1980s.

“I was interested in community economic development, particularly for people of color and African American communities,” she said. “I started finding community actions that were family-friendly, that were supportive of each other. Of course, I found black involvement with the cooperative movement.”

Gordon Nembhard is associate professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development at John Jay College, City University of New York (CUNY).

Sarah Pike of Victoria, executive administrator of the Association of Cooperative Educators professional group, said Gordon Nembhard has uncovered “a hidden American history that is important for all of us.”

It parallels the history of Minnesota and the westward expansion of America. On the Midwestern and Western frontier, distance from markets and lack of competitive local markets spurred farmers and small town people to form cooperatives and mutual aid societies.

For black Americans and immigrant ethnic communities, barriers to access were not geographical but had the same stifling impact on economic

development and prosperity growth.

Tom Pierson, an independent cooperative consultant in the Twin Cities and president of the board for Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund in Minneapolis, did some of the research for Gordon Nembhard’s huge undertaking.

However, he said, most Minnesota ties to the African American co-op history weren’t found in time for her first edition.

“There is an interesting local history but it’ll have to wait for her second edition or be written by someone else,” he said.

Nonetheless, the Minnesota Department of

Human Rights signaled this involvement in its “Minnesota Sesquicentennial—150 years of human rights in Minnesota” listing of events. It noted the 1927 formation of the Credjafawn Social Club in the Twin Cities that opened a cooperative food store and credit union, offered college scholarships, and was a source of social activism that included work on integrating hotels.

This reflects Gordon Nembhard’s national history.

About 100 years ago, black residents of various communities started credit unions to skirt Jim Crow laws and practices. North Carolina was especially active in these start-ups and had 55 such

of cigars and some shoving,” Moss said, again referencing the killing of Brown. “I am honored to have lived long enough to see the truth. After all the whippings and insults, I’ve lived long enough to see what I’ve said all along is being proven right. And you see it all over the America.” “’He’s just making trouble.

We don’t want him stirring up the natives.’ That’s what they said about me,” said Moss, referring to his many critics over the years. Noting the power of language, Moss said he objects

to being called an activist by officials and media. He said, “All of us in this fight are freedom fighters. An activist has no goal.

Freedom is a clear goal… and I’m clear.” Moss rejects the language of race. “There is only one race of people and that’s human,” he said.

Moss is critical of the Minneapolis investigation of police brutality against fellow freedom fighter, Al Flowers.

“They are investigating police arrest policy. They need to investigate the crime. …

We deserve real justice…and fairness. Officers have to be charged the same way citizens are,” said Moss.

Solutions to problems of racism and injustice will come from within the AfricanAmerican community, Moss said.

“You’re American.

Recognize your humanity.

Believe in yourself. And have pride. Don’t separate from our children. Don’t criminalize them.

The youth are mad, but they are us. When they’re mad, and

Jessica Gordon Nembhard

local co-op credit unions in the 1940s. There is still an African-American Credit Union Coalition continuing the legacy.

This being America, not all collective actions led to success. Gordon Nembhard’s book recalls instances when African-American workerowned factories were ruined when white supremists got railroads and other vendors to deny supplies or services. In the segregated South, people who feared competition, among other reasons, often victimized black-owned farm and consumer co-ops.

This continued up into the late 1970s and early 1980s—200 years after the African Methodist Church created the African Mutual Aid Society in Rhode Island as America’s first known blackowned co-op. Meanwhile, the oldest continuing co-op is the Philadelphia Contributionship, a mutual fire insurance company started by Benjamin Franklin in 1752, which inspired thousands of similar mutual associations along racial, ethnic and regional relationships over time.

The target of the latest, lingering opposition to black cooperation was the Federation of Southern Cooperatives (FSC). Two Alabama senators and a future senator unleashed General Accounting Office (GAO) and FBI investigations to harass the umbrella co-op group.

This is noted because FSC, credit unions and the Collective Courage book are turning September into a back-toschool month for cooperators and community developers in Minnesota.

The National Cooperative Business Association hosted a Sept. 11 session on “Cooperatives and the Civil Rights Movement” at NCBA’s 2014 Annual Cooperatives Conference that was held at the Depot Renaissance Hotel in Minneapolis, Sept. 9-11.

At the end of the month, Gordon Nembhard will make radio interviews and three local appearances to discuss her book and research findings.

She will visit with young cooperators Sept. 27 at the Cooperative Youth Council’s three day “Convergence” in Minneapolis. Registration for the CYC3CyC is still open.

The author will address faculty, students and the public at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School on Sept. 29 during her visit.

She then makes a major presentation on “African American Cooperatives and the Struggle for Economic Justice” at a community discussion for CoMinnesota cooperative advocacy group and co-op partners. That discussion and book signing is open to the public at the Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway in Minneapolis, but advance registration is recommended.

they’re mad right now, and can’t see justice… we can’t let them be classified as troublemakers,” he said. “There ain’t no outsiders when you’re Black. The trouble is directed toward the youth, but we catch hell as one… whether you’re talking about being put down, or murdered.”

Asked about his sources of courage, Moss, a graduate of Central High School reflected, “I’ve been used to standing up since I was a youth in North Minneapolis. I was taught to have a ‘Yes I can’ attitude.”

“Courage is within us. It’s about what’s important to you.

Some folks stand up strong when they’re returning a simple item to the store…but it’s about what’s important to you. We can’t be afraid of our condition and history.”

“We need to use these events as a way to learn. The government needs to put laws in place for officers to be charged with assault and murder.

There should be personal accountability,” Moss said.

Page 6 • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Insight News

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COMMENTARY Ferguson: A painful reminder of Black angst and anger

By Hakim Hazim People call us loud and rightfully so. History teaches us that we must seize the opportunity to channel national attention toward the injustices we face.

We are a loud people with voices that carry and at times we get caught in the emotion and don’t demonstrate proper restraint (I’m not talking about looting and the destruction of property.

I’ll never give the criminal opportunists in our community the same standing as our sages and upstanding folks.). Wisdom provides restraint. This essay is an attempt to bring clarity to the events in Ferguson, Mo. It is an attempt to wrest the narrative away from all of the negative things perpetuated about our community and shine a light on how codified social stereotypes continue to be used against us in the media. The Black victim or the Black victimizer seems to be the only choice offered. I believe Black Angst and anger and how these cousins are handled by us and law enforcement should be given equal time.

Angst is essentially the feeling of being told you are free to choose, but it’s accompanied by a perpetual anxiety about the outcomes of your choices.

You believe your options are restricted to limited, insignificant rewards or heavy consequences.

Anger at the injustice limited access to the American dream is the internal response. Authority is external imposition; leadership is internal elicitation. Authority is the art and science of imposing limits upon people and their actions, whereas leadership is the art and science of eliciting or drawing out the best in people’s decisions. Ferguson’s initial reaction was authority and the militarization of the city after

“ THE

Hakim Hazim the event. Its second response was leadership—drawing out the internal elements of trust, justice and responsible advocacy from the citizenry through the appointment of Captain Ronald Brown.

Society has progressed for us as a people, but for many financially struggling or impoverished Blacks, they don’t see it and are stuck.

Ferguson has its own economic setting events. Alex Tabarrok is an internationally recognized economist and he has taken Ferguson to task based on his own research and a white paper by the ArchCity Defenders.

What we are seeing is how cashstrapped local criminal justice systems in need of money use the law to secure resources.

Citations of all types spiked.

There are some glaring statistics.

Here’s the data: Ferguson has 21,203 residents living in 8,192 homes. It’s 67% black and has violent crime rates consistent with the national average. However, its second largest source of revenue is court fines and fees: $2,635,400.

That averages to three warrants and 1.5 case loads per home.

Approximately 22% of the people are in poverty. If that’s not a powder keg, I’m not sure

what is.

Now for us to continue to be proactive we must remember there are four things you can do with Angst and Anger as a Black person when it comes to dealing with our government: 1. Stay passive and submit to injustice and grow bitter.

2.

Fight for reform, constructively, to better your situation and others.

3. Seek an occupation with the government apparatus and fight for change.

4. Become a token and profit from a system entrenched in ostensible narratives.

We really only have two legitimate options and I have done both: number (3) as an educator and correction specialist, and (2) now as a consultant. I’m most concerned about the narratives taking place on both sides. People use ostensible language narratives and theories that appear to be true, but in reality simply act as a cover for furthering misinformation—to create plausibility and then push their agenda ahead. As Black folks, we still need to hear the facts before making up our minds. And as far as the people perpetually against us, they will continue to recruit and place their mouthpieces in our community. I’ll also say this: we need to seek out new voices to address these crises that emerge in our community. We need nuanced, dexterous leaders who are focused on the future and securing the promises still afforded to us by a Creator who has not forgotten His covenant.

Deal with the government, but put your faith in God folks. We know the epidemic of death among Black men through Black on Black crime and law enforcement sends the message that our lives have no value.

I utterly reject this. Let’s love them before and after tragedy.

FIRST GREAT

THRILLER OF THE FALL.” Joel D. Amos, MOVIE FANATIC

“ENGROSSING

AND

” .

TERRIFYING Jeremy Smith, AIN’T IT COOL NEWS

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Insight News • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Page 7

LIFESTYLE JULY 19, 1979 - AUGUST 27, 2014

Celebrating Leah Renee McFarlane Remarks by Al McFarlane 2pm Friday, September 5, 2014 I extend and receive the greetings of compassion, condolence and love to all that are gathered here today and to all that are connected in mind and spirit, through family bloodlines and prayer lines, and through friendship lines on Facebook, and across the cyberspace digital platforms that serve us.

This is a hard thing we do today…. saying goodbye, … paying our respect, offering celebratory tribute to this angelic child, Leah Renee McFarlane;… this woman, friend and neighbor, Leah Renee McFarlane; this godmother, this godchild, Leah Renee McFarlane; this niece, this aunt, this cousin, Leah Renee McFarlane; this grandchild, this sister, this beloved daughter, Leah Renee McFarlane.

Say her name in love and praise….. Leah Renee McFarlane.

We love you Leah.

From the obituary…..

“Leah Renee McFarlane, 35, of Plymouth, MN, passed away Wed., August 27, 2014. She is survived by parents, Raymond and Clara Napoleon McFarlane, sister, Cicely McFarlane and her beloved dog, Chewy. An Armstrong High School graduate, Leah believed that it “takes a village to raise a child” and her most enjoyable pastime was being a surrogate mom to toddler 3rd cousins, Kahmyla, Kahmya, Kenneth Jr., and Kilecia, aka “Squishy,” and also godmother to 7 year old 2nd cousin, Tracy.

Cicely says Maya Angelou put it best when it comes to remembering Leah: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will

never forget how you made them feel,” Maya Angelou wrote.

Leah made everyone she encountered feel loved!

She leaves behind a host of relatives and friends.”

Lessons learned: It is ok to party. It is certainly a lot of fun.

And just so you young folks know, don’t think you invented

the party. Partly why you party so hard, I believe, is that you come folks who know what a party is all about. And we didn’t invent it either. It is a family thing. It is a generational thing, and it is a human thing, and it goes on and on generation after generation, from place to place all over the planet.

So what’s the point, Uncle Al? What are you saying?

Lest anyone feel that his or her decision to do this or not do that, to turn this way or to go that way, might have led to this outcome, lest anyone feel that what he or she said or didn’t say, or could have done, or could have said, might have led to or prevented

this painful outcome, lest anyone feel that they, in some way or another, are responsible for Leah’s youthful departure…I feel Leah has a message for you right now.

She is saying remember the Master’s words: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that. I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

And you know the way to where I am going.”

Some of you are asking yourselves “What does this mean? How do I deal with my feeling that I bear responsibility, my feeling that I have lost someone I loved so dearly, and who loved me without judgment?

Leah Renee is recalling and reminding you that those who loved the Teacher, his Facebook Friends, said “No, we don’t know, Lord. We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Leah is telling you now to remember the secret that the Leader revealed. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

One thing I love about the program you have is the photo of Leah and the gold necklace with the pendant that says “ BOSS. Leah was the boss!

She gave orders and expected you to follow them.

So what is the lesson?

Hear this, Family…

McFarlane Family, Napoleon Family, Sykes Family, Posey Family….. it is time to decide to be the Boss. Whatever you are doing, where ever you are in your education and work and family

career, you have to put on the mindset of being the boss. You have to believe and you have to work. You have to connect with your mission in life, your purpose, the reason you are here. And you have to own it. Be the boss!

So we mourn and we celebrate Leah’s transition, from this plane, from this reality to eternity….

But it is not quite that simple.

Thankfully, there is more to this transformation than that.

Here’s what a boss does: A boss sets in motion a chain of events, a set of possibilities that demonstrate he or she meant what she said when she said I am coming back, or I am not leaving, I will be with you always.

What do you mean Al McFarlane?

I mean Leah Renee McFarlane, fully conscious, fully aware, early on decided to be an organ donor.

So if you feel someone looking at you, with a certain joy from the windows of the soul, the eyes, it might be Leah connecting with you. She donated her eyes.

When you notice someone paying extra attention to your conversation, leaning in to hear what you are really saying, we call that active listening, it might be Leah Renee. She donated ear organs.

When you see someone standing taller, erect, strong, walking proudly, like a soldier, like a person on mission, stand back and wonder, “Is that Leah?”

She donated bone.

And if you see someone glowing, beautiful in body and spirit, something radiant about them that you just can’t explain, it might be Leah. She donated skin tissue.

Here, dear family and friends, is the lesson, the instruction: Love God and love your family. Love each other. Help each other. Be a donor. Live forever.

Thank you, Leah. - with Leah R. McFarlane.

The 4 pillars of a healthy relationship Man Talk

By Timothy Houston

I would like to review the topic of the 4 pillars of a healthy relationship. This is something that I have shared in the past, but it is a noteworthy topic that cannot be discussed enough.

When two people come together an emotional bridge is created.

This emotional bridge represents the feelings that they have for each other. Just as support is

needed in a physical bridge, these feelings must be supported by underling principles. These principles serve as the foundation for the relationship, and they are supported by words and actions that work for the good of both people involved. These words and actions or pillars, are necessary for successful interaction.

The first pillar of a healthy relationship is honesty. It is the desire and ability to tell the truth without any intentions to deceive.

This does not mean that a person has to tell everything that they know. Mature adults only tell those things, good or bad, that are for the growth and development of the relationship. Honesty requires discretion. In all cases, words that come out of a person’s mouth must be the truth. The pillar of honesty must run deep into the core of all those involved. Without this pillar the relationship will become unstable and eventually it will fall.

The second pillar of a healthy relationship is trust. Trust is what we do. Trust is established through, fidelity, loyalty, and respect. It is reinforced by the positive action a person takes for the good of the relationship.

When actions are taken that violate trust, the relationship becomes unstable. This is a hard pill for some to swallow. Some

When you improve yourself, you make the potential for a healthy relationship possible.

people want be trusted, but have not taken the actions necessary to become trustworthy. Trust has to be earned. The one that has broken the trust has to be the one that takes the responsibility for rebuilding it. You can rebuild trust by doing what you say. Your actions must line up with your words. We all have in us the ability to be trustworthy, but we have to value the relationship enough to allow it to come forth. When it comes to a healthy relationship, trust is a must.

The third pillar of a healthy relationship is non-sexual touches.

Touch is one of the most powerful of all the senses. The human body has over 30 thousand touch

receptors located from the head to toe. These sensors are connected to nerves that are able to detect even the slightest touch. Nonsexual touches include hand holding, hugging, and cuddling.

These healthy interactions prevent a person from feeling like an object and more like a respected member of the relationships.

Understanding the right use of non-sexual touches is vital to a healthy relationship. A child that is not held may become underdeveloped, and some men have gone from friend to felon in one night because of the incorrect use of touch. Because of the potential long term consequences that are involved in touching, this

pillar is vital to any relationship.

The fourth and final pillar of a healthy relationship is meaningful communication. This is more than just talking to each other.

Meaningful communication involves sharing goals and ambitions, hopes and aspirations, success and failures, and likes and dislikes. It is the opposite of arguing. Effective communication cannot be measured in the volume of words or by the length of the conversation. It exists when the words, thoughts, and ideas of both parties are respectfully received.

It is the key element that holds all relationships together. When meaningful communication exists, the ability to resolve complex issues exists as well.

Open communication serves as a bridge over relationship trouble.

You are the principle factor in your relationship equations.

When you improve yourself, you make the potential for a healthy relationship possible. Continue to seek out positive information about relationships, and you will make your relationships better.

Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.

It starts with one goal Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson I talk a lot about setting goals and finishing what you started.

I also talk about staying focused and how this will help you to reach those goals you have set for yourself. But I also want you to know that you don’t need to have a long list of goals that you want to complete right away. It starts with one goal.

I heard someone recently say exactly what I thought all along.

He stated that when you start with one goal and work on it with all of your heart, then the others will come also. Staying focused keeps you on your journey to reach your greatness. However, I do realize that sometimes there can be many obstacles that come along which can take your focus off of what you are doing. But the key is to always come back to complete what you started.

I have a family member who owns property in a rural area. Every year he would talk about building the house of their dreams on this property. This has been his goal for many years.

But there was always something

that would happen that would make him have to put those dreams on hold. Eventually he did finish this goal, but he always talked about how if he would have focused more on completing this goal that maybe it would not have taken him so long. He stated that he had so many other goals that he needed to work on that he basically put this one on hold.

This happens so often with many of us when we have “too many irons in the fire.” When you are so busy working on many goals at once, you can miss that one true goal that you started with. This is the one goal that all other goals are based around. My family

member was supposed to be building a home for his family to have a place to spend quality time together as a family. But in the process, he worked on everything else and soon was too old to even enjoy his property. I don’t want this to happen to you. I want you to complete what you started and never give up on your goals!

And as always, stay focused, stay determined, and keep striving for greatness.

Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach. She can be reached via her website at www. thequeensproject.com or email at penny@thequeensproject.com.

Page 8 • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Insight News

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EDUCATION

“The Warmth of Other Suns”

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer Award-winning author and journalist, Isabel Wilkerson, will be giving a lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Memorial Union (300 Washington Ave. SE) on her internationally-acclaimed book, “The Warmth of Other Suns: Telling the Human Story of an Epic Migration.”

The event kicks off the Discovery Series of lectures sponsored by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Wilkerson’s visit is also being co-sponsored by the University of Minnesota’s Office for Equity and Diversity, School of Journalism, and the Minnesota Journalism Center.

In 1994, Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize for her work as Chicago Bureau Chief of The New York Times, making her the first Black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first African-American to win for individual reporting. For “The Warmth of Other Suns,” Wilkerson interviewed more than 1,200 people and the book took her 15 years to write. Since being released four years ago,

Vote From 1 a better life,” she said. “Having freedom and liberty is a great power to have, especially coming from a country where we didn’t have a voice.”

By turning out to vote, the Hmong community will be able to shape policy, influence who gets elected, and invest in their communities. But it will also further a narrative that second generation Hmong Americans can contribute to and influence the future of the state in their own way.

2. Not just any job, but a good job The most important issue for the Hmong community is “education and workforce development,”

it has become an international bestseller and has won numerous awards including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, the Heartland Prize for Nonfiction, and the AnisfieldWolf Award for Nonfiction.

The book describes the mass emigration of African-Americans who fled the racially-driven violence of the Jim Crow caste system in the southern states, what Wilkerson calls the greatest under-reported stories of the twentieth century.

“This was the largest internal migration in United States history. Between World War I and the 1970s over six million African-Americans fled the oppressive Jim Crow laws of the South and completely reshaped the demographics of our country as they had been known,” said Wilkerson in a phone interview.

“They were fleeing a caste system that was determined solely by what you looked like. In many ways, they were treated not unlike those who had immigrated from overseas seeking a better life but in this case they were already citizens… In fact, much of today’s (racially charged) circumstances has its origins in this era.”

Under Jim Crow, AfricanAmerican citizens were legally denied basic services, and even said Lao family community board member Janelle Vang. This is an important and underdeveloped issue for the Hmong community, she said.

According to 2010 census data, 29 percent of Hmong workers are employed in the manufacturing industry, higher than the U.S. total at 11 percent. This makes the Hmong population particularly vulnerable to losing their jobs or finding competitive salaries, as the manufacturing industry continues to move overseas and disappear to evolving technology.

In terms of income, Hmong men earn a median annual income of almost $16,000 less than other U.S. populations. And Hmong women earn $3,000 less median annual income than Hmong men.

The barriers to employment and living wage jobs for the Hmong community include lack of education or job training, and access to training programs

Isabel Wilkerson for long-term unemployed or unskilled workers.

Electing officials to address these equity issues can only happen if Hmong Americans turn out to vote this year and hold those elected officials to their promises.

3. Poverty Poverty in all its forms, whether it’s education, health care, or housing, deeply impacts the Hmong community. Whether it’s growing up in public housing, or living in a house too small for your family, or working a job that doesn’t pay a living wage, most Hmong Americans have experienced or seen poverty firsthand at some point in their lives.

According to 2010 census data, 40 percent of the Hmong population lived in poverty in 2000. By 2010, that number decreased to 25 percent. That still means 1 out of 4 Hmong Americans live in poverty.

Poverty is not so much an individual experience, but a social problem. By making these issues important to voters, it becomes important to elected officials who can help alleviate

Joe Henson

problems by improving social services and legislative change.

4. Changing Cultural Trends: Women’s Rights If Hmong Americans know anything about their cultural history, they know that their practices have been changing drastically.

In the last 50 years, the Hmong culture has been impacted by war, militarization, violence, democracy, American culture, and Christianity. Today, there isn’t anything more visible to the Hmong community than the breakdown of family households and high divorce rates.

More than 61 percent of the total Hmong households are maintained by married couples, according to 2010 census data.

But there is a growing rate of divorce in the community over the years, and divorce rates among Hmong Americans has doubled in the last decade.

Minnesota also has the highest proportion of divorced Hmong in the U.S. This is important because the most impoverished families are female-headed households, which are increasing

those who were fortunate enough to receive an education, could find very little work opportunities.

The book primarily focuses on the personal stories of three people – Ida Mae Brandon Gladney, George Swanson Starling and Robert Joseph Pershing Foster – who made the decision of their lives and dared to make the crossing from the South to the northern and western parts of the United States. Through her research, Wilkerson found that many survivors of the Jim Crow caste system did not want to talk about what they had endured.

“I wanted to find people who had left the South under very different circumstances and see how each person’s story unfolded and to see how the emigration unfolded with it,” said Wilkerson.

“I wanted to tell their stories in such a way that a reader could see him or herself, and be able to imagine what it would have been like to experience what these people had been put through.

It was a traumatic experience enduring life under Jim Crow, so people often didn’t even talk to their children about it, my parents hadn’t even told me about it. So the story came as a desire to know what they had gone through. It was a migration of such a huge scale and I wanted to say what they couldn’t.”

The soaring popularity of “The Warmth of Other Suns” has drawn international attention. Since its release in 2010, Wilkerson has been all over the United States to discuss her book. She has appeared on several nationwide programs and networks including “60 Minutes,” Charlie Rose, Fresh Air Radio, “NBC’s Nightly News,” MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, and many others.

Wilkerson has also traveled to Singapore, Amsterdam, and even a recent trip to London. However, Wilkerson admits that the Midwest remains special to her because it is where her family had settled during the epic migration.

“I am so thrilled to be coming back to the Twin Cities. I’ve always had such a wonderful experience during my previous visits,” said Wilkerson. “The majority of African-Americans that you meet today in the Midwest are the descendants of those who fled the South in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Minnesota was a major destination that people fled to during the Great Migration, it was one of the places that they dreamed of.”

Wilkerson’s lecture on Oct. 1 is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.continuum.umn.edu/event/ wilkerson.

in the Hmong community. This means that social services, good jobs, affordable housing, and education become essential for single mothers.

Large women’s movements remain unseen in the Hmong community, but that could change through political engagement whereas it may be met with barriers within the Hmong clan system.

gain nothing,” said community organizer and social worker David Yang. “We gain nothing by being apathetic in voting.”

Yang said the Hmong community has already gained much from voting, such as the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000, which allowed for up to 45,000 Hmong immigrants to apply for citizenship by waiving English language and civil knowledge requirements.

“I would challenge all you to take part in your civic duty to make a lasting impact for yourself, your family and for the Hmong community,” he said.

When Hmong Americans vote, it’s important to see that ‘voting’ is a means to an end.

The end is not so much about a politician getting elected, but that the community’s vision and dreams are one step closer to coming true. Remember that voting is only a small part of civic engagement, but it is a starting point. Know anymore reasons why you think Hmong Americans should vote? Share it below!

Coverage of the 2014 elections is funded in part by a grant from The Minneapolis Foundation. © 2014 Tiffany Vang POINT(114.177987 22.321702)

5. Demographic Shifts Minnesota is going through major demographic changes, including the Hmong community.

In 2010, 43 percent of the U.S. Hmong population was under 18, compared to 24 percent of the total U.S. population and 26 percent of the total U.S. Asian population. The Hmong community is one of the fastest growing populations in the U.S. and currently has more young people than elderly. With a large declining white population and a large population of young people from minority backgrounds, Minnesota is poised to change drastically in the oncoming years.

Politicians stand to gain much from paying attention to these oncoming changes, and the Hmong community stands to gain much from it as well.

6. Voting Matters “I’ve always lived with the point of view that to do nothing is to

Worried that your past will determine your future?

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Insight News â&#x20AC;˘ September 15 - September 21, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 9

COMMUNITY Serena Williams wins record 6th U.S. Open Moments in Sports

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Later in their careers, the great athletes in sports often rebuff suggestions of their eminent demise with â&#x20AC;&#x153;in your faceâ&#x20AC;? victories for the history books.

Each additional Grand Slam tournament victory by Serena Williams brings her closer to the title of Greatest of All-Time a.k.a. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The G.O.A.T.â&#x20AC;? And be for certain, the rumors of Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demise are greatly exaggerated (meaning donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t read that article I wrote a couple months ago).

Williams recently closed out a dominating victory (6-3, 6-3) against #10 ranked Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, to win her third consecutive U.S. Open.

She is only the second in womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis history to accomplish that feat. Williams is also the second to win the tournament six times.

With the victory, Williams attained her eighteenth Grand Slam title (U.S. Open, French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon), which ties her with both Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on the all-time list.

Ahead of Williams is now only one name, Steffi Graf (22).

These names represent the Mount Rushmore of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis, along with a few others, including Billie Jean King, whom the U.S. Open event facility is named after.

Williams turns 33 this month

si.robi / Creative Commons

Serena Williams and shows control over many of the long standing advantages she has owned for years; namely

her power. Additionally, years of experience in overcoming physical, mental, and life

Classifieds

challenges leaves Williams in a place of understanding that many of her opponents cannot compete

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with. Many of her toughest opponents soundly admit to her dominance, and so the numbers

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donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lie.

The U.S. Open is not only Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; national tournament, but her comfort zone, and pathway to surpass Graf in Grand Slams. Aside from her six U.S. Open victories, her Grand Slam victory chart goes as such: Wimbledon, five, The French Open, four, The Australian Open, two. The U.S. and Australian Opens have the same type of (common) hard court surface, while Wimbledon is played on grass courts, and the French is on red clay. These varied surfaces challenge the competitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; natural styles of play. Some players are wildly successful on grass or clay, but fade in success when competing on hard courts.

Williams seems to have a general balance with yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of traveling, competing, and leading in other endeavors, that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to see her relinquish her lifestyle anytime soon. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to fathom that she turned professional in 1995.

Tennis is not the type of sport where a new face quickly explodes onto the scene and takes away the dominance of the elders, such as Serena. Players often toil through tournaments for years until they seem to hit an adult â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there are often flashes from young phenoms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; professional groove. Thus, at least when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comfortable, Williams primarily will simply need to stay on her game to attain her goal of being the best ever.

Things can change quickly in sports, and in life. And though Williams may be in her twilight years of competition, on those very beautiful, comfortable days in life, twilight can linger right into the best day ever.

Email: info@insightnews.com

LOVE PEOPLE?

RENTALS Tapestry Management, LLC has various sized apartments/townhomes for rent in the following locations: St. Paul, Golden Valley, Mankato, Red Wing, N. St. Paul, Rochester, Plymouth, Jordan, Winona, Olivia, and Redwood Falls. Rental assistance is available to qualified applicants in all locations. Please contact the appropriate location for availability and additional information.

Birmingham Townhomes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Paul 952-854-8800 Calvary Center Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Golden Valley 763-546-4988 Colonial Square Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mankato 507-345-1321 Cooperidge Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Red Wing 651-388-1500 Franklyn Park Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; N. St. Paul 651-770-1504 Innsbruck Townhomes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rochester 507-289-1319 Mission Oaks Townhomes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plymouth 763-559-5770 Newbridge Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rochester 507-282-8284 Northgate Community Housing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rochester 507-289-1319 Oakridge Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rochester 507-281-1031 Schule Haus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jordan 952-492-2084 Wapasa Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Winona 507-429-9261 Westcourt Apartments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Olivia 320-523-2101 Westfalls Townhomes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Redwood Falls 507-641-5933

The Wilder Foundation seeks Client Services Specialist for Twin Cities Mobile Market. FT with Benefits, $13-$16/hr, apply online at www.wilder.org Candidates of color encouraged to apply EOE/AA

Church assistant and pianist/singer Wanted! Church assistant and pianist/singer needed for Sunday morning worship at One Love Ministry, 750 N. Milton in Saint Paul. Please contact Pastor Love at 651-489-4350.

West Falls Townhomes Available Estates

International Falls, MN. 56649 Rent based on 30% Of adjusted income Call Patricia Brown At 218-283-4967 TDD 800-627-3529

Fieldcrest in Moorhead, MN Rent based on 30% of income

2 & 3 bdroms open

Section 8 Housing for Seniors 62 and older

MetroPlains Management

Bergstad Properties is accepting application for Seniors 62 and older. Applicant must be income eligible and must qualify for Section 8 Housing. Please visit our web site at www.bergstad.com for a virtual tour and application.

One (1) electronic copy and eight (8) bound copies of Sealed Proposals shall be submitted to Mortenson at the address provided below no later than 2:00 pm on October 2, 2014 for PP #11 which is the deadline for submittal of Proposals.

M. A. MORTENSON COMPANY 1010 SOUTH 7TH STREET, SUITE 100 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55415 ATTENTION: ERIC GRENZ,CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVE PHONE: 480.339.7838

701-232-1887

The following sites are currently accepting application.

Park Street Apartments 321 West Park St. Cannon Falls, MN. 55009 507-263-4773

www.metroplainsmanagement.com

200 Levee Drive Apartments 200 Levee Drive Shakopee, MN. 55379 952-445-2001

Proposals shall be valid for 120 days. Proposals will be opened privately by Mortenson in the presence of the representatives of the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority and the Team.

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The subcontract will be held by M. A. Mortenson Company. The form of Subcontract Agreement, together with the Construction Services Agreement between the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority and Mortenson, are attached for reference.

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The Owner has adopted a comprehensive Equity Plan for the construction phase of the Project. The Targeted Business Program sets an 11% and 9% goal for construction contracts for the Project to be awarded to women- and minority-owned Minnesota-based business enterprises (MWBE), respectively. The Targeted Business Program also establishes a Veterans Inclusion Program to ensure that our veterans have every opportunity to participate in the Project. The Veterans Inclusion Program will include efforts to include small veteran-owned businesses.

The Work Force Program sets a 32% and 6% goal for workforce utilization for the Project of minorities and women, respectively. The Equity Plan applies to all subcontractors and suppliers of all tier levels. The Veterans Inclusion Program will also include efforts to utilize veteran in the construction workforce. Proposers are expected to use all necessary and reasonable means to comply with the Equity Plan, including without limitation soliciting work from a broad number of Targeted Businesses and for work scopes suitable for their participation.

The project is subject to an Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP), specific to General Liability Insurance only. Furthermore, all Subcontractors, regardless of tier, that have been awarded contracts for work on the Project shall accept and be bound by the terms and conditions of the Owner Controlled Insurance Program.

Pre-Proposal Meetings, MWBE Meet and Greets and Interviews have been scheduled as follows:

All questions regarding this RFP shall be directed in writing to Jesse Kemp Mortenson Project Manager at the address above or via e-mail at Jesse.Kemp@Mortenson.com. Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary by Mortenson in response to such questions will be issued by Addenda to all parties recorded as having received the RFP documents.

Questions received less than fourteen (14) days prior to the date for openings of the Proposals may not be answered. Only responses issued by formal written Addenda will be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect. Addenda may be issued to modify the Proposal Documents as deemed advisable by Mortenson.

Mortenson is an â&#x20AC;&#x153;EOE/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled Employerâ&#x20AC;?

END OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSAL

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Page 10 • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

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Creole Choir of Cuba

Nachito Herrera and Creole Choir of Cuba to Perform at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts kicks off its 2014-2015 World Music and Dance Series in October with two special one-night-only performances.

The season opens with “A Night in Havana” with Nachito Herrera and his Cuban orchestra on Oct. 5, followed by the Creole Choir of Cuba on Oct. 22. Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

and tickets can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at (651) 224-4222 or in person at the Ordway ticket office, 345 Washington St., Saint Paul.

Considered one of the world’s greatest Cuban pianists, Herrera combines his love of classical music with traditional Cuban rhythms and Latin jazz.

Herrera will be joined on stage

by members of the Havana Jazz Social Club, Minnesota Youth Symphonies and local professional musicians.

Direct from Camagüey, Cuba, the Creole Choir of Cuba celebrates the history and resiliency of their Haitian ancestors who came to Cuba more than 200 years ago to escape enslavement. With influences from both the Caribbean and

Ordway Center

Nachito Herrera West Africa, the Creole Choir of Cuba tells stories of survival, faith and tragic history. Songs are sung in Creole, and are a rich blend of Haitian folk and Cuban rhythm combined with their own unique contemporary sound.

“The very first time I saw each of these artists, I immediately fell in love with the heart and soul each one brings to

A Brown Tale

the stage,” said Dayna Martinez, artistic director of World Music and Dance. “Nachito is not only an amazing performer, but his ability to take a familiar classical melody and transform it and give it new life with a Cuban feel is unparalleled. And Creole Choir’s gift of storytelling through song not only draws you in, but makes you feel the passion and heartache conveyed through

their arrangements. We are so excited to be able to share both of these amazing performances with the community.”

Nachito Herrera and the Creole Choir are also part of “Raíces y Suenos: the Artistry of Cuba,” a series of arts-based learning and community engagement events hosted by

CONCERT TURN TO 12

Capri Theater brings the highly lauded play to West Broadway

By Shaina Brassard “A Brown Tale,” an autobiographical one-man play by acclaimed actor James T. Alfred, is now playing at the historic Capri Theater on West Broadway in north Minneapolis.

The show opened on Sept. 6 and will run Thursday through Sunday until Sept. 21. Directed

by Lou Bellamy and written and performed by Alfred, “A Brown Tale” premiered to rave reviews last September at Penumbra Theatre in Saint Paul.

Alfred describes “A Brown Tale” as a comedic comingof-age narrative of a young African-American male from the south side of Chicago.

The tapestry of stories woven together creates the journey through Alfred’s childhood to adult life. The story explores the impact that community has on an individual’s personal development.

Roy Baker

James T. Alfred

BROWN TURN TO 12

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Page 11 THEATRE

Nathan Barlow as Marcus

‘Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet’ Guthrie Theater 818 S. 2nd St. Minneapolis $22-$30 Pillsbury House Theatre and the Mount Curve Company return to the Dowling Studio for the final installment of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s acclaimed Brother/ Sister Plays. In “Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet,” 16-yearold Marcus is haunted by his dreams and dogged by doubts from his friends and family.

Days before an ominous storm on the Louisiana bayou, Marcus journeys to discover who he is and where he comes from by unraveling the secrets of his deceased father, Elegba.

As Marcus pieces together his own ancestral legacy with help from his tightly-knit, intergenerational community,

Problem

Ananya Dance Theatre

Sept 15 Sept 21 Donnie Mcclurkin

Mariana Yegros 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

from New York.

Tuesday, Sept. 16 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Problem and Jon Connor The Cabooze

917 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis $17 18-plus

and Dr. Dre protégé Jon Connor opens. The Twin Cities own DJ Enferno will be spinning all night.

Wednesday, Sept. 17

IT! TURN TO 12

Compton rapper Problem has made a name for himself releasing nine mixtapes. With co-signs from Snoop Dogg and Terrace Martin he’s poised to make a major impact on the music industry. XXL Freshman

Monday, Sept. 15 WORLD/PERFORMANCE Global Roots Festival w/ Mariana Yegros Cedar Cultural Center 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis, 7:30 p.m.

All ages Free Annually the Cedar Cultural Center in the Riverside neighborhood presents the Global Roots Program. The program features concert performances by accomplished artists from around the world whose music is rooted in various cultural traditions. Monday catch Argentinean singer La Yegros along with Banda Magda

Come have lunch at the Dakota 11:30 - 2 Monday through Friday From Chef Derik Moran, find daily specials, salads, sandwiches and more, and never forget dessert by Pastry Chef Katie Elsing.

Prices starting at $8 View our complete menu at

dakotacooks.com

ON STAGE THIS FALL

The Minnesota Twins Baseball Club

hosts the

10th 9th Annual Sports Internship & Career Fair Tuesday, September 23, 2014 · 12-3 PM

NOW – OCTOBER 19

An enchanting tale of friendship and love.

written and directed by

MARY ZIMMERMAN based on the classic Chinese fable

Y

NOW – OCTOBER 26

Meet sports and sports-related organizations including

A quirky coming of age comedy.

Sponsored by

by

WENDY

WASSERSTEIN

directed by

LEIGH

SILVERMAN

NOW – OCTOBER 5 The Dowling Studio season is sponsored by

and more!

To register or for details visit www.twinsbaseball.com/jobopportunities or call 1-800-33-TWINS. Early registration fee $13, after September 20 registration fee is $15

PHOTO: TRAVIS ANDERSON

Y

612.377.2224 GUTHRIETHEATER.ORG

Page 12 • September 15 - September 21, 2014 • Insight News

IT! From 11 he realizes the special power that being “sweet” brings. Tony Award-nominated Marion McClinton returns to direct this powerful coming-of-age, coming-out story.

Thursday, Sept. 18 SOUL/FUNK/HIP-HOP #MPLS and Audiyo Element Cabooze Music Club 917 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 8:30 p.m.

18-plus $7 Premier live R&B, Soul, Funk, and hip-hop band #MPLS will bring its signature sound and energy to the Cabooze Music Club sharing the stage with another Minnesota original, Audiyo Element. The group’s recently released debut album, “Hello,” is a showcase of the classic #MPLS sound. It brings together funk, soul and R&B in the way only #MPLS can do.

Audiyo Element is a collective out of Minneapolis that has

Concert From 10 the Ordway. Translated as Roots and Dreams, “Raíces y Suenos” celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Cuba through master classes, cultural conversations, workshops, lecture demonstrations and a visual arts exhibit that will open new doors for artists and audiences alike.

“Raíces y Suenos” will continue in February 2015 with ContraTiempo, an urban Latin dance company that fuses elements of Salsa, Afro-Cuban, hip-hop, urban and contemporary dance.

Brown From 10 “This show is the first multiweek theatrical run at the Capri, and we’re thrilled that James T. Alfred has brought ‘A Brown Tale’ to north Minneapolis and West Broadway,” said Karl Reichert, artistic director for the Capri. “We’ve heard nothing but praise for this show during the opening weekend, and its one not to miss. Through his one-man show James brilliantly brings so many characters to life. He is an extraordinary storyteller, presenting his stories in ways that connect personally with everyone in his audience.”

Theatergoer Dudley Voigt attended the opening night performance at the Capri and said the audience erupted in wave after wave of laughter as Alfred embodied different people from his childhood. She described the production as well-written, funny and at times, unexpected.

“I’m excited to see this type of collaboration between the Capri and Penumbra Theatre.

I hope to see more of it,” said Voigt.

Chicago native James T. Alfred is a Harvard-trained, award-winning actor and was last seen as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Guthrie Theater in Katori Hall’s “Mountaintop.” Alfred’s other Twin Cities credits include “Fences,” “Two Trains Running,” “RedShirts” and Ma Rainey’s “Black Bottom.” Alfred played Kenya Taylor on the acclaimed STARZ original series “BOSS” starring Kelsey Grammer.

Tickets for “A Brown’s Tale” are $32 for adults, $28 for senior citizens and $20 for students. Tickets are on sale and are available online at www. thecapritheater.org or by calling TicketWorks at (612) 343-3390.

Tickets also available at the door.

Please note. “A Brown Tale” contains strong language and is not appropriate for children under 13.

quickly become one of the break-out bands in the area. The dynamic hip-hop/rock/R&B group emerged victorious at The Pourhouse’s Battle of the Bands and have since sold out shows at Bunkers and had a headlining show at the Dakota Jazz Club.

Indian dance company comprised of women artists of color. The new project “Neel” is a multi-disciplinary work looking at a world of women’s dreams, launching a multi-year series of full-length dances exploring the kinds of work that women around the world do to sustain their communities.

DANCE/PERFORMANCE Ananya Dance Theatre The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis $10-$30 Also Friday and Saturday Ananya Dance Theater is a professional, contemporary

Friday, Sept. 19 GOSPEL/PERFORMANCE Christian Night Out w/ Ricky Dillard and James Grear and Company

insightnews.com Brooklyn Center Performing Arts Center 5801 John Martin Dr., Brooklyn Center $20 GA, $30 VIP

Grand Opening Weekend House of Dance Twin Cities 11 7th Ave. N., Hopkins All ages $10 Also Saturday

Chicago native Rick Dillard heads to Brooklyn Center fresh off of a performance at the Stellar Awards. Also performing will be Minneapolis natives James Grear and Company.

House of Dance opens a new Hip-Hop Community Center in Hopkins. There will be breaking, tutting, popping and a discussion panel.

Saturday, Sept. 20

Sunday, Sept. 21

DANCE

FASHION/MUSIC

House of Dance Twin Cities

Fred Hammond and Donnie

Mcclurkin Minneapolis Convention Center 1301 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis 6 p.m. $49 – $61.70 Two of the biggest names in gospel music headline the Festival of Praise Tour at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

With classic hits such as “No Weapon” and “We Fall Down” this may be one of the most well attended gospel concerts in Minnesota history. Also performing will be powerhouse singer Jamecia Bennett with Sounds of Blackness and the Minnesota State Baptist Convention Choir.