Insight News ::: 10.22.12

#GetOutToVoteMN Hip Hop artists stand up against voter suppression MORE ON PAGE 4

Photo: Jonathan Mannion

Brother Ali

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

INSIGHT NEWS October 22 - October 28, 2012 • MN Metro Vol. 39 No. 43 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

studiotobechi

President Barack Obama

Governor Mitt Romney

Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons

President Obama: He got game!

Commentary

By Irma McClaurin, PhD Culture and Education Editor

Well if Stella could get her groove back, why not the President? We saw him in his “A” game mode during the second presidential debate. It was like Ali coming back at Frazier the third and final time around—“the thrilla in Manilla.” What we saw was intellect unleashed—the thrilla in Hempstead, N.Y. Not quite as exotic, but it served its purpose.

President Barack Hussain Obama, the incumbent, was on point— like Michael Jordan doing a slam dunk.

And what about Romney?

He’s still trying to sell the American people the Brooklyn Bridge.

Or should I say a Shanghai bridge. His major point was that we need to crack down on China. Maybe, but is that the

real issue? How do you recover from having dismissed 47% of the population, some of whom might have once been members of the middle-class or who have relatives who are in the middle class? How do you persuade them that because you have run many companies and have been able to shelter your profits to the extent that you only pay 14% in taxes

that you have the middle class and the working class interests at heart? How? Talk about China and divert attention away from the real issues.

As for Romney’s response to the question concerning women, let’s just not go there. He has a notebook—an Affirmative Action rolodex from which he managed to pull out of the hat some gender

diversity. Save us women (and other underrepresented folks) from good intentions. Romney has made it clear that he has no interest in diversity, inclusion, gender equity, minority equity, immigration, etc. In other words, if you are not white, male, rich,

OBAMA TURN TO 4

Judge Wilhelmina Wright newest Minnesota Supreme Court Justice

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer History was made this past Tuesday (Oct. 16) when Judge Wilhelmina Wright was sworn in as the first African-American woman to serve on the state’s Supreme Court.

Wright joins Justice Alan Page as the only two AfricanAmerican Minnesota Supreme Court justices. Page was elected to the Court in 1992 by the votes of the state. Wright was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton to fill the vacancy created with Rafaye Burrowes

Shed G Shed G

Significant, in demand

By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer Our connection to Black Hollywood has gotten a little bit closer since comedian and entrepreneur Shed G breezed into town. The resident funny

man who hails all the way from Denver, Colorado is more than just a punchline master or even just the cohost of KMOJ radio’s daily morning show here in Minneapolis.

SHED G TURN TO 7

Education

UNCF Empower Me Tour comes to Minnesota

PAGE 5

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Harry Colbert, Jr.

Justice Wilhelmina Wright honoring the flags of the nation and the state following her being sworn in as Minnesota’s 90th Supreme Court Justice.

Justice is not a zero-sum game: Vote No on Marriage Amendment Analysis by Lydia Howell The first thing to recognize is that LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people are in every demographic group – including African-Americans.

If the proposed marriage

Business

Anytime Fitness coming to Minneapolis

PAGE 9

amendment passes it will hurt members of the AfricanAmerican community and their families.

The marriage amendment targets a specific group (samesex couples) for continued discrimination under civil

law. This amendment reverses equality’s expansion by encoding exclusion into Minnesota’s constitution. As such, the marriage amendment imitates past legal exclusions, like barring women from particular jobs and serving on juries or

Full Circle

Why are fewer people getting married?

PAGE 11

racial segregation. Since many amendment supporters cite religion or “morality,” the First Amendment must be examined.

It states, “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment

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Dateline Spain Pueblos of Seville, Carmona and Osuna

PAGE 13

Page 2 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

Wright From 1 the stepping down of Justice Helen Meyer.

The significance of the moment was not lost on the 48-year-old Wright.

“It’s an awe-inspiring experience for me, and I hope it will inspire others to do things they dream of doing,” said Wright. “I feel blessed.”

Though a trailblazer herself, the newly-sworn-in justice was quick to acknowledge her achievement was in part to those who came before her.

“Surely, I stand on the shoulders of people I know and don’t know, who came before me,” said Wright. “It was civil rights lawyers such as Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley who first paved a way,” said Wright.

Wright said though she has achieved a pinnacle in law, her

goals were modest. “I saw law as a means to provide opportunities to others and to help in civil rights,” said Wright.

Dayton said though several highly-qualified candidates to fill the vacancy on the court were presented to him, Wright stood out.

“In considering Judge Wright, I read opinions she had written, while on the (Minnesota) Court of Appeals. I was greatly impressed by her brilliance and eloquence,” said Dayton. “Judge Wright’s opinions showed her deep concern for the people affected by the Court’s opinions.

Even when she ruled against them, she had considered carefully the impact on their lives. That, I believe, is what citizens want most from their government officials – women and men who see them, even if they don’t agree with them.”

Many of the people who spoke on behalf of Wright made it clear that the Governor’s appointment had nothing to do

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Harry Colbert, Jr.

Justice Wilhelmina Wright poses for a picture with several William Mitchell law students at her swearing in ceremony. Pictured from left to right are Lawrencina Oramalu,Dean of Multicultural Affairs at William Mitchell College of Law, Courtnie Gore,Shonagh Brent,Justice Wright,Nikols Mendoza (behind Wright) and Ryan Francis (gray suit w/yellow tie) . with race or gender and was based solely on merit.

“No one reaches this level of achievement without hard work, talent and integrity,” said Robert Enger, president of the Minnesota State Bar Assoc.

Federal Public Defender Katherian Roe went even further in her praise for Wright.

“Just as history will remember Justice (Roselie) Wahl and Page as more than firsts, but as great justices, so too will Mimi Wright not only be remembered as a first, but also as a great justice,” said Roe. Wahl became the first woman to serve on the state’s Supreme Court when she took her oath in 1977.

Wright’s background and accomplishments speak volumes.

The justice was previously appointed in 2002 by then Gov. Jesse Ventura to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, where she served for 10 years. Previously, she served as a trial judge on the Ramsey County District Court in Saint Paul. She has served as a member of the Minnesota Judicial Council, the Minnesota Courts Public Trust and Confidence Work Group, and the Minnesota State Bar Association Task Force on the American Bar Association Model Rules of

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Harry Colbert, Jr.

Justice Wilhelmina Wright and her family listening to Gov. Mark Dayton as he presents Wright to the state Supreme Court. From left to right Daniel Schmechel, Wright’s husband, Justice Wright, Wright’s daughter, Kathryn Wright Schmechel, Wright’s mother, Lillian Wright and Wright’s brother, Billy Wright Professional Conduct.

Wright graduated with honors from Yale University in 1986. She received her law degree from Harvard Law School in 1989.

Prior to joining the bench, Wright was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, where she represented the United States in economic fraud cases and violent crime cases in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She

was awarded the United States Department of Justice Special Achievement Award in 1997 and the United States Department of Justice Director’s Award for Public Service in 2000.

During the ceremony, the flags of the nation and state were presented by members of Girl Scout Troop 54005. All of the troop’s presenters were girls of color.

Wright is the 90th justice to serve the state on its Supreme Court.

Bobby Joe

CHAMPION FOR STATE SENATE

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Vote From 1 of religion or the free expression thereof …” (emphasis added).

Like the rest of the country, it appears that the AfricanAmerican community is in-flux, with a variety of positions on gay rights and marriage equality, ranging from indifferent to supportive, with opponents being those with conservative religious beliefs (like their white counterparts). Percentages of who holds what stances are unclear, but, appear to be almost equally divided. Human rights and the First Amendment are vital lenses to examine the marriage amendment through.

First is religion.

Same-sex marriage advocates have not emphasized enough that no church, mosque or synagogue will be forced to marry samesex couples. Currently, religious institutions only marry who they choose to, and that would not change with marriage equality.

Some examples are churches only marrying members of the congregation, refusing to marry inter-faith couples or requiring couples attend pastoral premarital counseling. State law does not interfere with these decisions.

However, church weddings are not sufficient. Heterosexual couples must also get a marriage license from the State. Currently, liberal Christian denominations and Reform Judaism are already marrying same-sex couples, but these couples have no legal rights. These liberal churches’ religious freedom is being violated when the law will not recognize the samesex marriages their religious beliefs honor. The proposed marriage amendment violates the establishment of religion by making a conservative religious view the law, while excluding liberal religious views.

Another argument is that Americans’ roughly 50 percent divorce rate makes the amendment necessary. It’s more logical that the opposite is true. Allowing same-sex marriage would reinforce marriage as a social good.

American society is 40 years into social changes around sexuality, gender roles and expectations, plus, economic changes begun

Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 3 30 years ago – all are impacting marriage and divorce. The proposed marriage amendment addresses none of this.

A statistic that 70 percent of Afircan-American children are born outside marriage is cited as another reason to pass the marriage amendment.

Heterosexual couples already have marriage rights, so, how will refusing gay men and lesbian women equality under the law encourage African-American parents to marry? Wouldn’t African-American children and families be better served by taking action on the huge stresses of poverty, mass incarceration of African-American men and other social problems assaulting African-American families?

In July, the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) protested the NAACP’s supporting marriage equality and at the National Press Club, denounced President Obama’s support for marriage equality.

CAAP claims 6,000 members.

All I found was a website with minimal content and a Memphis post office box. Responding to Obama’s change of position, resentment was expressed that the president supported gay rights, and that he should be working on issues of deep concern to the African-American community, like high rates of unemployment and incarceration. Robert Owen, Sr., CAAP president, asserted that neither the NAACP nor President Obama were expressing the will of the African-American community.

On a regular basis I do hear or read comments from AfricanAmericans who echo CAAP’s position and express resentment that LGBT people would in any way equate their struggle for human rights to the Civil Rights Movement. Owen exemplified this by angrily rejecting the NAACP’s support for gay rights by saying, “This is a Black organization for Black people who were beaten, mistreated and enslaved,” The histories of AfricanAmericans and LGBT people are not the same – most obviously, in terms of slavery, but violence and mistreatment also hound LGBT people. In 2012, the people most likely to be targeted for hate crimes (including murder) are LGBT people and

VOTE TURN TO 5

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Page 4 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

Obama From 1 and in business, Romney has no time for, or interest in, any of us— 47% notwithstanding.

Jonathan Mannion

The concert will feature 11 performances including Brother Ali (pictured)

Hip Hop artists stand up against voter suppression On Sunday, October 28, Congressman Keith Ellison’s re-election campaign will host a major concert at First Ave in downtown Minneapolis to get out the vote for the November 6 election.

The concert, billed as #GetOutToVoteMN, will feature eleven performances from some of Twin Cities’ top hiphop artists.

In addition to a full set with Brother Ali, #GetOutToVoteMN will include performances by Slug of Atmosphere, Dessa, I Self Devine, Sims, Los Nativos, Mally, Face the Vote, Green Team, Plain Ole Bill, and Kevin Beacham.

Tickets on sale exclusively at Fifth Element, 2411 Hennepin Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55405, from 5:00-7:00 pm.

Community organizers from the Ellison Campaign had a large presence at Fifth Element on Monday, October 15th when tickets went on sale. They spoke with ticket buyers about what’s at stake this election, got them registered to vote, and made sure they pledge to vote no on the voter restriction and anti-marriage amendments.

Tickets for the event are only $5 (limit of two tickets per person). #GetOutToVoteMN is an 18+ event.

MEDIA SPIN ON ‘ANGRY BLACK MEN” There is a real fear that underlies the psyche of White America.

It is one rooted in our history of slavery and multi-leveled forms of disenfranchisement that continues today and is manifested in poorly-funded schools for the impoverished, the so-called achievement gap, and a vampirelike prison industrial complex that captures young black men at a very early age and sucks out their social promise. Given these and other facts—including the reality that despite years of civil rights acts, affirmative action, diversity programs, multiculturalism, inclusion, and any other form of restorative justice that America has attempted to eradicate the effects of its slave history— Blacks still earn less than whites, even with the same background and education.

The fact that America has reneged on its social contract with Black America gives us a right to be angry. I’m not saying we are—I’m just sayin’! But the reality is that aside from a few Black folks who are preoccupied with being oppressed; most of us do not spend our free time being angry at whites. We may be angry at the persistence of social and economic inequality. And, if conservatives have their way, we have a right to be angry at the persistence of ongoing political inequality.

I was once accused of having this projected malady—the angry Black syndrome (something akin to the types of diseases attributed to rebellious slaves): Throughout American history, both direct and indirect resistance to authority has been diseased.

In an 1851 article in the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal, Louisiana physician Samuel Cartwright reported his discovery of “drapetomania,” the disease that caused slaves to flee captivity. Cartwright also reported his discovery of “dysaesthesia aethiopis,” the disease that caused slaves to pay insufficient attention to the master’s needs. http:// www.alternet.org/story/75081/

insightnews.com how_teenage_rebellion_has_ become_a_mental_illness; accessed 10/17/2012.

A white colleague once informed me that another (white) colleague was afraid to speak to me because she thought I was “angry.” My response was: 1) how did you respond, since you have interacted with me and have never encountered this purported anger, and 2) on what basis has she formed this conclusion?

I have never spoken to this individual, directed anger or any other emotion (beyond normative courtesy greetings) towards her, and so what is the evidence or reasoning behind her attributing this characteristic to me?

My “friendly” colleague could provide no explanation.

Nor had she challenged this view of me, though she had never had any interactions with me or experienced anything that would cast me as an “angry Black woman.” I concluded that our mutual colleague had projected onto me her own personal fears about approaching me or communicating with me. Whatever image of Blacks in general or Black women in particular she held, they caused her to believe that a Black woman would be angry at her just because (for what—for her privilege, for her whiteness, for what?).

I calmly informed my “friendly” colleague that this was not really my issue. It is true that when I was younger, I may have harbored a generic anger directed at whites or “the man.”

But I had long abandoned such unproductive emotions years ago.

Clearly, this colleague harbored some laden emotional fears about interacting with Blacks that she was now projecting onto me.

But unless I have contracted the modern version of “dysaesthesia aethiopis” which made me not pay sufficient attention to her, as far as I was concerned, I owed her nothing. It was not my responsibility to make her feel good, to pay attention to her emotional needs, or to comfort her – Not My Issue. I also suggested that my “friendly” colleague examine why she failed to come to my defense. But that’s another story.

The “angry Black” is an historical social trope that has been used to conveniently describe everyone from the First Lady Michelle Obama to the President. The translation is quite

simple. Blacks who are confident, assertive, and consider themselves social equals must be regulated.

And one form of regulation is labeling. We did it with the term “politically correct.” It is used derisively, and is intended to somehow capture the totality of an individual’s thinking. It is reductionist in its usage, and intentionally so. Think about all the conversations you have engaged in or overheard in which someone is labeled “politically correct.” Once that label has been adhered to the thought processes of the individual, they are dismissed. Their words are no longer viewed as valuable or worthy of consideration or argumentation – “you’re just being politically correct.” It is an insult, a closure to debate, and

in projecting the President as an Angry Black man? Go figure.

Contrast this labeling of “angry Black man” to the post-debate commentary about Vice President Biden. He was described in the media in the following ways: “…arrogant, rude, disrespectful, condescending, and yes, juvenile…” A Google search reveals other terms attributed to Biden that include “aggressive” and “feisty, “ but nowhere is Biden ever described as “angry.”

Why not?

The “anger” that President Obama is presumed to have, or that was attributed to First Lady Michelle Obama during the last Presidential campaign is a projection, or what Freudian psychoanalysts might call “transference.” The theory is

The translation [of “angry Black”] is quite simple. Blacks who are confident, assertive, and consider themselves social equals must be regulated. should be challenged whenever it is leveled against someone. What exactly does it mean?

The same is true with the “angry Black” label. What exactly does it mean? I saw no display of, or hints of, anger in the President’s debating performance or his demeanor. He was calm, direct, somewhat aggressive, and engaged, but angry he was not. And the moment at which he should have been angry, when Romney implied that and his staff were in collusion in misinforming the American people about the events in Libya, he addressed the insult calming, with great assurance, and with great Presidential presence. So why does the media spin it this way? Why are they so invested

that people can redirect strong emotional but unconscious feelings towards another.

If we follow this theory, then the attribution of Black anger is not ours, but rather a projection of some whites. That is, there are many whites who are angry that a Black man has excelled and is able to rise to the highest level of power in the country and possibly the world. They are angry that they failed to accomplish this remarkable.

There are other whites who recognize the depths of social inequality that has permeated our history and upon reflection know that if these events had happened to them and

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Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 5

EDUCATION UNCF Empower Me Tour comes to Minnesota “This is the best part of my career, being able to give back,” said Ledisi. “This is my seventh year with the UNCF and I’m going to continue with them as long as they let me.”

Actress, Cole encouraged the students to embrace education.

“I have a love for learning,” said Cole, who is best known for her roles on the hit shows “In Living Color” and “Living Single.” “Education is a continuing process. Knowledge really is power.”

Syndicated radio host and attorney Ballentine said increased education means increased wealth.

“The more education you have, the more money you will have,” said Ballentine. “Stay hungry for education. Even to this day, I sleep about three hours a day because I’ve got to know

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Area middle and high school students got the opportunity to interact with a group of celebrities and executives as the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) Empower Me Tour came to town.

Grammy nominee, Ledisi, actress Kim Coles, Olympic silver medalist, Lashinda Demus, record executive, Amir Windom

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Harry Colbert, Jr.

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

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlane Bobby Rankin Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer Insight Intern Abeni Hill Contributing Writers Cordie Aziz Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Oshana Himot Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Lydia Schwartz Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

R&B sensation, Ledisi talks with a group of area students at the UNCF Empower Me Tour and attorney and syndicated radio host, Warren Ballentine were just some who offered words of wisdom to nearly 200 area students and parents who gathered this past Saturday at Dunwoody College of Technology. Talks ranged from issues of self-esteem and selfworth, to leadership, finance and even how to write a professional resume.

The tour, in its fifth year, made its third annual stop in the Twin Cities. It targets minority middle, high school and college students and parents, aiming to empower them through career and college readiness seminars, personal development workshops and subject-matter expert and celebrity-led panel discussions. The tour also

provides assistance for students and parents in planning and saving for college.

“This event is important because what we’ve found is young people and their parents are lacking resources to get into college, so we’ve got college ready curriculum and career content and it’s provided by celebrities who are 100-percent committed to these students’ success,” said Monica McCluney, UNCF national director of strategic alliances and corporate relations. “If we’re not reaching back and getting to these kids at an early age they won’t be able to attend our member institutions.”

The UNCF has 38 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) as member

institutions. The UNCF provides scholarships and institutional support such as operating resources and institutional improvements to its member institutions. But McCluney said the mission of the UNCF has evolved throughout the years.

“We have begun to focus more on the student and not just the member institutions,” said McCluney. “We’re not saying to a child, ‘you’ve got to go to a HBCU,’ we’re saying, ‘you’ve got to go to college.’”

McCluney said the organization has also broadened its reach to include other ethnic minorities such as Hispanics, Native-Americans and Asians.

For seven-time Grammy nominee, Ledisi, her involvement with the UNCF is a labor of love.

Vote

all. Resentment over gay rights gains or scapegoating the fight for marriage equality is to see justice as a zero-sum game – a view that if another group wins equality or human rights, there will be less rights for AfricanAmericans. The tragic irony is that these are the same kind of views perpetrated by right-wing, white racists as to gains made

by African-Americans. History shows that when any group gains more equality, unexpected gains are made for us all. The African-American struggle for civil rights has inspired every oppressed group here and around the world for more than 50 years.

It’s unthinkable that AfricanAmericans would oppose equal protection under the law for anyone when they’ve fought so hard to get it for themselves.

Minnesotans should vote a resounding no on the proposed marriage amendment in the service of “making a more perfect union” that allows both individual religious conscience and human hearts to prevail.

Lydia Howell is a Minneapolis independent journalist, winner of the Premack Award for Public Interest Journalism and host of “CATALYST: politics & culture,” Fridays, 9 a.m. on KFAI Radio.

From 3 Latinos who are or perceived to be undocumented immigrants.

In every state LGBT people are fired from their jobs for their sexual orientation, though some cities have non-discrimination ordinances. With no proof of abuse or neglect, LGBT parents lose custody of their children.

Over 1,000 legal rights and protections heterosexual couples have in marriage are denied to gay and lesbian couples – even after being together for decades.

In July, NAACP Executive Director Ben Jealous urged people actually stop and think about marriage equality in clear terms about what are the rights of religions versus the responsibilities of government.

The United States is often cited as the most religious among industrialized nations.

That no single religious view is embedded in civil law makes possible freedom of religion for

what’s going on in the world – business, politics, so I can talk about it on my show.”

Ballentine hosts a popular, syndicated radio program that airs in nearly 40 media markets.

For 27-year-old record executive, Windom, the Empower Me Tour is about teaching kids to be great in whatever they do.

“I’ve got this motto you hear me say so much – I don’t just want to be successful, I want to be significant,” said Windom.

“Being significant is positively impacting the lives of others.”

Windom, who is one of the youngest top executives in the record industry, is a graduate of Florida A&M University – a HBCU. “You really are a part of a family when you attend a HBCU,” said Windom.

Page 6 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

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COMMENTARY Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun Nobody Asked Me

By Fred Easter Nobody asked me, but, I am man enough to admit when I’ve been proven wrong.

The WNBA Indiana Fever beat Tina Charles and the Connecticut Sun. They did it without their starting point guard, Katie Douglas. Now, they’ve taken the first game of the WNBA finals from

our Lynx. Tamika Catchings is proving to be every bit the problem I expected Tina Charles to be – and in her 11th year in the league. However, remember what Yogi Berra said about the opera. “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.”

Soon, I expect to have the wrong opinions about the new look Timberwolves. I haven’t seen them yet. Do people really drive down from Fargo, N.D. to watch them play? If not, why play an exhibition game there?

I humbly point out that I did see the strengths of the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III when I wrote about him a few

weeks ago. He handled the red zone better than our 2nd year “quarterback of the future,” Christian Ponder. I do wonder when the future will arrive.

Getting back to politics, thankfully, Vice President Joe Biden has restored some degree of normalcy to the campaign. I loved that he pointed to the inconsistencies between Paul Ryan’s voting record and pronouncements on the stimulus and his “privately” begging for stimulus money to create jobs in Wisconsin.

I also loved his telling Ryan that Republicans in Congress should, “just get out of the way.”

There is a YouTube video

making the rounds that shows parts of a speech Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt made back in 1935. He points out that Republicans profess their love of one, Social Security, two, work for the unemployed, and three, saving people’s homes but don’t approve of the present administration’s way of doing these things. “Just hand the White House over to us, and we’ll do them better and at no cost,” Republicans claim. Yeah right. Where do you want me to put this bridge you bought?

It is critical to understand that our President’s healthcare plan aims to save $716 billion by cutting overpayments to insurers and healthcare

Could voter suppression win this election?

By Renee J. Turner With the discreetly, systemized, and methodical implementation of voter ID and restrictive voting laws pillaging voters of their right to vote, a call to action has not been loud enough.

Never really of alarm to all voting citizens as it should be, the purging of voters from voting rolls throughout the country is really an assault on America. We should not be so focused on the presidential debates that we forget that the GOP has designed and engineered this faulty voter fraud program to prevent American citizens from voting.

The structure of these laws was designed to sway the election of not only the presidential race, but, also, candidates running for offices throughout the United States. There are a number of Congressional seats up for grabs in 2012.

African-American voters

Renee J. Turner are a huge voting bloc. At issue, in this election, are civil rights.

Speaking out against racial injustice is sometimes perceived as playing the “race card,” without anyone ever giving a description of the playing deck.

As African-Americans, gone is the question of whether or not our votes count. Our fingerprints are forever etched in American

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payments to citizens. They

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Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 7

AESTHETICS

Shed G From 1 Utilizing his many talents and a knack for creation has led Shed G to add TV show producer to his resume, as well as the creator of his own internet television station, both which will launch some time next year. If that doesn’t impress you, than keep reading, we’re only at the tip of the iceberg.

Being significant in whatever you do is about having faith and making calculated decisions that will place you in the right place at the right time for whatever God has in store for you. This proven fact is what has undoubtedly worked for Shed G. After college, he went back home to Colorado, and put a mic in his hand and began performing as an opening act for artists that would come to town or even as a headliner in local venues. Learning quickly that he had a knack for telling jokes, and making people laugh, led his faith on a journey to Atlanta, GA to start anew and really establish his career wealth. Not long after he arrived, would he be greeted by a well known stranger after one of his performances. This moment instantly changed his life.

“When I was in Atlanta, I was at a gospel comedy event, and the funny thing was, Tyler Perry was in the audience. I had done this joke about how I couldn’t imagine what would happen if

Madea was a Jehovah’s witness.”

Shed G shares. “Tyler loved it.

Afterwards, him and his entourage came backstage and asked me if I had ever thought about doing movies. Because I thought I was a cute dude- a sexy dude, I thought they were gonna have me out there with baby oil on and singing. They quickly ruined that dream and said, ‘no’ we want you to play Madea. I was shocked, but ever since then I’ve been playing Madea, doing double work, I’ve even played in a couple movies as myself along with House of Payne and Meet the Browns as myself.

In the movies I pretty much just play Madea’s double, but a lot of times I do get to play myself as a character.

With a resume like that and an opportunity to work with one the most influential filmmakers out today, what would bring a working actor to a small— well small compared to Atlanta, city like Minneapolis? Wouldn’t you think that it would remove opportunity?

Nope. Not if you’re Shed G, his faith and ability creates their own opportunities.

“Living that Hollywood life and being a single man, you’re always grinding and going hard with the touring, the travel the going here and going there— it’s nonstop. I realized it was just time for me to settle down, tool back and get focused on what really matters in life. The Hollywood life is really fun, but in the end, you want a family, you want to be able to actually enjoy the fruits of

The Hollywood life is really fun, but in the end, you want a family, you want to be able to actually enjoy the fruits of your labor so to speak

Photos: Rafaye Burrowes

your labor so to speak.” Shed G explains.

Since his touch down in Minneapolis, Shed G has been apart of several amazing projects that have graced Twin Cities stages including writer/director William Pierce’s stage play “For the Sake of the Children” starring Timotha Lanae. He still dips in and out of Minneapolis to work with Tyler Perry Studios and on other Hollywood projects, but Shed G is living proof that you don’t have to live in the thick of things to remain significant and in demand, you just have to have talent, which without a doubt he has.

Currently, Shed G is transforming his comedic stage show “Can I Vent” into a television series called “Vent TV” which will launch some time next year on his own internet television network. The show is based off of his roaring stage chant “Vent Brotha, Vent” and will definitely be a treat for new and old fans. You can also catch him ripping laughs and commanding the microphone Monday thru Friday on 89.9 KMOJ FM’s daily morning show.

To follow Shed G on his journey, or to check out his tour schedule: wwwcanivent.com

Page 8 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE Jonathan Homes wins Reggie Awards for design and construction quality At a red carpet gala on Saturday, October 13th, Jonathan Homes of MN received a Reggie Award from the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC). The evening showcased the 45th annual Reggie Award winners and honored their partners (suppliers and sub-contractors) with the 23rd annual Trillium Awards.

“We are honored to receive such a prestigious award in only our second year of building,” said Nathan Fair, co-owner of Jonathan Homes. “We are fortunate to be able to use the talents of Hanson Builder’s design team and decided we would take a chance at entering to win the award this year. We never expected we would receive it with our first entry.”

Since 1968, BATC has presented the Reggie Award to builders for outstanding achievement in the design, quality and value of their homes as judged by their harshest critics, builders and professionals within the industry. All of the homes judged were on display to the public during the 2012 Parade of Homes Fall Showcase, and then the judges in each category met to compare notes and select the winner. Jonathan Homes twostory model located in Brooklyn Park’s distinctive Oxbow Creek West neighborhood, showcased their new white enameled kitchen with standard hardwood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

The model sold the first day on the market, but Jonathan Homes has other

Courtesy of Jonathan Homes of MN

Jonathan Homes models available for purchase/ viewing at all times.

With over 50 years combined experience in the home building and real estate business the managing partners started Jonathan Homes in 2010 with the philosophy of what kind of house would we build for our own family. They hired their first two employees Spring 2012 and launched the website in conjunction with the 2012 Parade of Homes Fall Showcase.

Jonathan Homes offers movein ready affordable homes with highly desirable features and upgrades. By partnering with Hanson Builders and their design team, Jonathan Homes has access to over 35 years of custom design experience. The WOW comes standard in each of our homes from the second you step through the front door.

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Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 9

BUSINESS Anytime Fitness coming to North Minneapolis

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Drivers along West Broadway near Penn Avenue may be doing double takes as they pass 2104 W. Broadway and notice a large, distinctive Anytime Fitness sign at the top of the building.

Twenty-four hour fitness chains are very popular in suburban areas, but somewhat rare in urban inner cities. In fact, once the center opens – possibly before year’s end – it will be the only one of its kind in North Minneapolis.

Dr. Tara Watson, the club’s owner said the concept of a 24hour gym in the neighborhood is long overdue.

“I was at a neighborhood meeting and the fact came up that there weren’t any gyms in the area and I said, ‘you know what, why not,’” said Watson, who owns the building which will house the fitness center and which also houses the connecting chiropractic office, Watson Chiropractic. “This is the type of business that I feel the neighborhood deserves.

I’m really excited because I’m getting a lot of community support,” she said.

Watson said she reached out to Anytime Fitness – as opposed to other chain operations such as Snap – because she appreciated

FITNESS TURN TO 10

Harry Colbert, Jr.

A new Anytime Fitness is set to open at 2104 W. Broadway. The gym is owned by Dr. Tara Watson, who also owns the building and connecting business, Watson Chiropractic.

Journalist Ronald E. Childs launches multicultural media consulting practice Ronald E. Childs, an awardwinning African American journalist and senior-level media relations consultant, has announced the formal establishment of his own firm, OMEN Communications, in Chicago. Through his agency, Childs, 53, represents a broad array of local, national and international clients as a media relations specialist, digital editorial content provider, social media and public relations strategist, editor, business advisor and agent. He is also a nationally recognized magazine and newspaper columnist, and blogger.

A 1982 graduate of the school of journalism at Grambling State University of Louisiana, Childs’ 30-year career in communications has seen him successfully navigate the journalism, advertising and public relations arenas, maintaining professional credibility and respect in each. He served most recently as a vice president for media relations with Flowers Communications Group and media strategist with Burrell Communications Group, Inc., both dedicated practices which he founded and directed during his tenures with these agencies.

Ronald E. Childs While with Burrell Communications Group, Inc., the nation’s preeminent African American-owned advertising firm, Childs serviced over a dozen blue chip, Fortune 500 public relations accounts. He further originated the program concept that today

has become known as McDonald’s “365 Black” initiative, and codeveloped Habitat for Humanity International’s first-ever diversity program, “Building Upon Diverse Foundations,” making Burrell Habitat’s agency-of-record for its national and international diversity marketing.

Prior to his tenure at Burrell, he was associate editor of Johnson Publishing Company’s now defunct EM [EBONY MAN] magazine, at that time the only internationally-circulated lifestyle publication dedicated to the needs, interests and aspirations of African American men. This followed a three-year stint as assistant director of publicity for Johnson Publishing Co. He wrote for EM magazine while simultaneously working

CHILDS TURN TO 15

Page 10 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

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HEALTH ‘Healthy Markets’ promotes safe visits to markets The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) are partnering with Long Cheng and Concord live animal markets in South St. Paul to launch “Healthy Markets,” an educational effort to promote healthy behaviors at the markets. “Healthy Markets” will focus on safe food handling and safe animal contact.

“As we enter into the holiday season, and families come to the live animal markets to prepare for their holiday meals, consumers need to be reminded of simple things they can do to have a healthy experience,” said Mary Choi, MDH Healthy Markets coordinator.

For many communities, obtaining meat and poultry directly from a live animal market is an important cultural

tradition, but the handling of raw meat and close contact with live animals also pose certain health risks, state health officials said. “We want to encourage simple things customers can do at the markets to protect themselves and their family members’ health,” Choi said.

During this effort, people who frequent the markets will see flyers and posters

at the markets and in their communities promoting safe food handling and safe animal contact. Also, radio ads on local community stations will carry the messages. In addition, MDH staff will also be at both markets distributing information about ways to handle food safely.

Some of these methods include washing hands with soap and water before and after touching raw meat and poultry, carrying

market purchases home in appropriate containers such as clean coolers and plastic bags, and keeping raw meat and poultry in the refrigerator until it is ready to be cooked.

MDH staff will also be distributing flyers to patrons about safe animal contact. The flyers will remind patrons to wash their hands after touching the animals, to avoid eating and drinking at the markets,

and that those at high risk for serious complications from influenza should avoid entering the area where the animals are kept. MDH volunteers at the markets will also be surveying customers to learn more about their activities while at the market in order to find other things that could be done to reduce the passing of illness between animals and people.

Health officials contacting clinics in state to urge them to contact patients who received other NECC drugs possibly associated with fungal infections The Minnesota Department of Health determined this week that 129 clinics in Minnesota received injectable drugs from New England Compounding Center (NECC) that could pose a potential risk of meningitis or other infections to their patients.

Staff from MDH are in the process of contacting those clinics to make sure that they are contacting their patients who were given the drugs and instructing them to see their health care provider if they develop symptoms of meningitis.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that as result of an ongoing investigation of NECC, a possible case of meningitis has been potentially associated with a second steroid (triamcinolone acetonide) produced by NECC and that a NECC drug used in open heart surgery has been associated with a patient who developed a fungal infection.

Since Oct. 4, state health departments, the CDC and the FDA have been investigating

a multistate outbreak of fungal infections among patients who received a steroid injection with a potentially contaminated product.

Previously, health officials were focusing on contacting and evaluating those patients who received injections of the steroid methylprednisolone acetate from specific lots that were suspected of being contaminated.

In Minnesota, that amounted to about 985 patients associated with 6 Medical Advanced Pain

Fitness

within a mile radius of the club is $55,276. That figure is projected to increase to $64,783 by 2015. In addition, several new residential and commercial developments have recently cropped up in the area, making the location even more desirable.

Mark Daly, national media director for Anytime Fitness, said the North Minneapolis location will be good for the franchise and for the community.

“That’s the basic goal of Anytime Fitness, to go into communities where there aren’t other fitness options and fill the void,” said Daly.

“Anytime Fitness is committed

to providing affordable and convenient options.”

Daly said Anytime Fitness has similar inner city locations in Atlanta, Florida and Louisiana.

The chain has 2,000 locations in 49 states and abroad. He said the chain is proud to have Watson as a franchisee.

“Dr. Watson clearly is an established businessperson who knows her community and represents her community well,” said Daly. “We think the residents of the area will come to view the (West Broadway location) as their club – the community’s club.”

Once open, the 5,000 sq. ft. club will offer elliptical

From 9 its business model. But Watson admits the chain was not 100 percent sold on the idea at first.

“But they granted me a meeting, so I went to the corporate headquarters in Hasting with the (then) director of planning and zoning for the city of Minneapolis and we gave them all the updated information on the area’s demographics and they said, ‘OK, let’s do this,’” said Watson.

According to the city, the average household income

Specialists and Minnesota Surgery Center clinics. Almost all of those patients had been contacted by MDH or MAPS staff by Monday afternoon.

The FDA is now advising health care professionals to follow-up with patients who were administered any injectable medication from or produced by NECC, including an ophthalmic drug that is injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, or a cardioplegic solution purchased from or produced by NECC

after May 21, 2012. The FDA says health care providers and clinics should inform patients who received the NECC products of the symptoms of possible meningitis infection and tell them to contact their health care provider immediately if they experience any of these symptoms.

MDH Tuesday issued a health alert urging health care providers to follow the updated FDA guidance and to report adverse events or side effects related

Dr. Tara Watson

to the medications to the FDA (www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report. htm ) and to also call MDH at 651-201-5414.

It is not known at this time how many patients in Minnesota are affected.

Staff from MDH were calling the 129 clinics Tuesday to make sure they have seen the FDA alerts and are following up with their patients. The clinics were identified based on information provided by NECC and the FDA.

Photos: Courtesy of Dr. Tara Watson

machines, a myriad of machine weights, free weights, personal training, a massage area and even a tanning salon.

“I’m going all out with this club,” said Watson. “I want this to be a place the neighborhood is proud to call its own.”

With any 24-hour business, security is a concern. Watson and Daly said they are taking every measure to ensure clients have a safe, enjoyable experience. In addition to 16 cameras – both inside and outside the club – the club will be staffed until 9 p.m. daily. Watson also said member access is granted to only unique key cards and she indicated the club may have a thumbprint entry system at some point as well. She has also been working with the police department to encourage greater presence in the area during non-peak hours.

Watson said she is also open to having the location serve as a satellite station for the police department.

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Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 11

FULL CIRCLE Why are fewer people getting married?

Man Talk

By Timothy Houston The number of people getting married has fallen to the lowest level since records began in 1862. The figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that the average age for men to marry in 2005 was 36.2 and for women it was 33.6. Among people over 18, barely 50% of all adults are now married. In 1960, 72% of people over the age of 18 were married. Why are less people getting married?

How will this decline impact us as a community?

Although we don’t know the exact reason why less people are getting married, the declining numbers are a clear sign that marriage is less important in the lives of Americans than it use to be. In the past, people got married at a younger age. Back in the baby boom days people were in their early-20’s, in the 1990’s they were in their mid-20’s, and now we are seeing a greater number of people waiting until their 30’s to get married for the first time. What is the root cause of this trend? There are a number of things that could play a role in

PhotoXpress

the decline in marriages.

First, there are other kinds of living arrangements that are now socially acceptable, such as living with someone

Bobby Joe Champion gets Arts All Star Award Representative Bobby Joe Champion (DFL- Mpls) received an Arts All Star Award from Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) on September 19, 2012 at MacPhail Center for Music. The award was in recognition of Rep. Champion’s support of the arts in the 2012 legislative session and represents one of only a few Arts All Star Awards being presented this year.

“We are proud to thank a legislator who understands the importance of the arts to our communities,” said Sheila Smith, Executive Director of MCA. “He has been very important to making sure the constitutional language and intent of the Legacy Amendment are followed, and voted against using Legacy funding for a stadium.”

The award is designed to show the arts community’s appreciation to legislators who display a significant understanding, interest, and support for the arts.

Champion has an interesting arts background. He worked with Flyte Tyme Productions and was co-founder and director of the Grammy-nominated Excelsior Choir. He has been very involved in youth music education for years.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition from such a fine organization. MCA represents the best of arts & culture in Minnesota,

MCA

State Representative Bobby Joe Champion

and I’ll continue to fight for the richness that the arts bring to our state,” said Champion.

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is a statewide arts advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure opportunity for all people to have access to and involvement in the arts. MCA organizes the arts community and lobbies the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress on issues pertaining to the nonprofit arts and conducts original research. MCA works with over 42,000 arts advocates in Minnesota.

For more information on MCA, this project or statistics about the arts in Minnesota, please contact MCA Executive Director Sheila Smith at the above number or view MCA’s website.

without being married, living on your own, or even living as a single parent. Secondly, more people are waiting to complete college and get into a career before they settle down and get married. Finally, some surveys indicate that at least for men,

it is now more important to be financially able to provide for a family before they get married.

Although there are many more reasons that factor into the equations of why fewer men and women are getting married, the bottom line is that fewer

marriages are occurring.

The decline in marriages is not good for us as a community.

Economically speaking, married couples tend to have more income and more wealth. We also know that the kind of partnership marriage encourages

is one in which you plan for the future, share your assets, and build wealth together.

This increased wealth enables couples to own their own homes, invest in business, or send their children to college. This type of planning occurs less in relationship where couples live together. It should also be noted that although most children turn out well regardless of whether their parents are married or not, there’s a somewhat higher likelihood that they will face issues related to the economic hardship that is created from a lack of long term financial planning.

What do we do now? We as a people can reverse this trend. As people of faith, we band together and declare to the world that marriage is still honorable. The words of the traditional wedding vows still ring true today. “Marriage is an honorable estate instituted of God since the first man and woman walked on the earth.

Therefore, it is not to be entered into unadvisedly, or lightly, but reverently and soberly.” It is into this holy estate that two people are joined, families are strengthened, wealth is created, and communities prosper.

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.

Page 12 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

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Minnesota Council of Churches urges ‘no’ vote on voter restriction amendment Standing in front of Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis last week, leaders of the Minnesota Council of Churches, which represents one million Christians across the state of Minnesota, announced the MCC’s official opposition to the voter restriction amendment.

The Reverend Peg Chemberlin, MCC’s Executive Director, and St. Paul Synod of the ELCA Bishop Peter Rogness, MCC’s President and Board Chair, spoke about the complications and consequences the amendment would have on Minnesota voters.

In particular, MCC representatives voiced concerns about the barriers to voting accessibility for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans; financial stewardship including expenses to the poor, the elderly and the homeless, and the costs and complications of instituting a new system of provisional balloting when much more pressing needs remain for struggling communities around the state.

Speaking of the seemingly

Easter From 6 aren’t even talking about loopholes here. So, who is the

Turner From 6 history. It can’t be emphasized enough that too many people fought, were beaten, and died for the right to vote.

Voter suppression legislation has silenced votes in some 16 states. The sounding alarm is that millions of eligible voters were wiped from voting rolls,

Courtesy of Minnesota Council of Churches

l- r Karen Smith Sellers, Bishop Peter Rogness, Reverend Peg Chemberlin

simple photo ID requirement, Bishop Rogness told reporters “the fundamental issue that brings us here is our concern for those for whom this step – which seems easy for most in the mainstream – becomes a barrier to participating in the shaping of our public life together.” He said that the twenty-four member judicatories of the MCC have been publishing materials “defending the right of the last, lost and least to vote and therefore oppose the amendment.”

Peg Chemberlin said the MCC’s decision to oppose the voter restriction amendment was a “call upon our congregations and members to be vigorously engaged to defeat the voter ID amendment.

The voter ID amendment seems innocuous enough. But when we started to unwrap it, we began to see the threat this could pose to the right to vote for tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans.”

Our Vote Our Future’s campaign manager, Luchelle Stevens, welcomed the

Minnesota Council of Churches to the campaign to defeat the amendment.

“Today, the Minnesota Council of Churches joins ISAIAH, Jewish Community Action, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ, and numerous congregations of various faiths in opposing this restrictive amendment.

Their leadership in serving, and standing up for, the poorest and most vulnerable populations among us is crucial as we work to make sure voting restrictions aren’t placed in our state constitution. In these final three weeks, Our Vote Our Future will work hand-in-hand with MCC to ensure their million congregants are fully engaged to defeat this harmful amendment.”

To learn more about the Our Vote Our Future campaign to defeat the voter restriction amendment, please visit www.

OurVoteOurFuture.org.

beneficiary of Ryan’s cuts, and how badly do these folk need the money? My wish is that we don’t have to wait until 2014 for all of the elements of Obamacare to take effect. The “donut hole” may drive me to

the poorhouse before then.

We saw a different President in the most recent debate. He was calling out lies and liars.

In the next debate, Romney will likely be talking about “getting tough” with China,

now that his investments there have been liquidated.

I also like our President’s willingness and ability to make friends around the world without pointing aircraft carriers at them. Our schools

are developing interventions to combat bullying, but, our country isn’t. An Oleta Adams song says, “Mother, father, sister, brother/careful how you treat each other/children just repeat

what they’ve been shown/ Remember, we will reap what we have sown.”

It’s advice a lot of folk should take notice of; Republicans and parents of all political leanings.

reporting as many as 5 million.

In addition, it is possible that hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots will be thrown out. It is said that in Florida, absentee ballots are being thrown out due to lack of signatures required on the outside of the return envelope.

If some still need convincing, taxes are not going to by raised if the Republicans can help it.

So, the deadlock will continue.

Most have signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge to never

raise taxes, while what will continue to happen is the hiding of money in offshore bank accounts by some of the wealthy.

With Mitt Romney’s bait-andswitch campaign, few believe that he and the Republican Party have our best interest at heart.

Republicans are still trying to sell the modernized trickledown economics as our way out of this economic crisis, when it has actually caused trickle-up poverty here in America. Socalled “entitlement” programs

will be unrecognizable or nonexistent.

Seemingly, when any first African-American candidate is elected, there is an avalanche of strong opposition to keep that elected official from serving a second term. Having inherited this bad economy, President Obama has maintained poise in the face of finger pointing to the birthing comments.

Already forgotten is a long list of accomplishments during the Obama Administration. The

GOP spin is giving him credit for everything negative, and those still undecided voters may have a listening ear.

Now early voting has begun in many states. Check the voter ID requirements in your area. Our own individual power is in our ability to vote.

In 2008, 65 percent of AfricanAmericans voted, with 35 percent of registered voters who had not voted. Help a relative or friend become informed, and get to their voting poll.

This election will be decided based on electoral votes, and possibly indifference if we let it. At the heart of this, voter suppression should not stop us from exercising our right to vote. We have to get out and vote to make our voices heard or voter suppression could win this election.

Renee J. Turner lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 13

DATELINE SPAIN

Pueblos of Seville, Carmona and Osuna

By Abeni Hill Insight Intern SEVILLE, SPAIN – This past week I got the amazing opportunity to visit two towns in the province of Seville; Osuna and Carmona. These two places are called “pueblos” or towns of Seville and they both have a rich cultural background.

Osuna is located about an hour and a half from the city of Seville. My tour group visited the monastery and

the university. There is a cathedral in the university with magnificent sculptures and stained glass windows of Mary Magdalene and Jesus on the cross. One of the frescos that is placed in the sermon area is very tall and instead of being one big picture there were little spaces depicting scenes such as The Last Supper from the Bible surrounding Jesus on the cross.

There is also a tomb in the basement and seeing it was the creepiest experience of my life.

Unfortunately, taking photos was prohibited.

Fresco from the monastery in Osuna

The monastery is right across from the university and, like the university, had many paintings and sculptures of Mary Magdelene. In one of the rooms, there is believed to be part of a Saint’s (San Lorenzo) finger and part of the actual cross upon which Jesus was crucified. The monastery is very spacious and vintage.

There are these holes in the wall that the nuns used to communicate with each other throughout the monastery and there were paintings along the edge of the walls depicting life outside the monastery with ladies having lunch and men riding horses.

Carmona is called the “Door of Seville” because it is the closest town to the city, about 30 kilometers away. Just like in the city of Seville, Carmona has its own Alcazar and an imitation of the cathedral’s Giralda. The name Carmona comes from the Jewish root word kar, meaning city. The Romans called it Carmo and the Arabs Qarmuna.

During the climb up the tower of the Alcazar, our tour guide showed us different parts of the palace such as the courtyard and the Golden Tower terrace. The courtyard is wide, spacious and sits just below the terrace of the Golden Tower.

Although I visited Carmona during my first cold and wet weekend in Spain, it was still one of my favorite places during my stay as a whole.

The grey skies couldn’t mask the beauty of these skyscraper structures and cultural history behind each and everyone I visited.

View of Carmons’s Giralda from the Alcázar

Photos: Abeni Hill

Page 14 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY North High School host Ballin’ for the Ballot Youth in the community are more engaged in politics than people may realize.

Collaborative efforts to engage the community in the voter ID amendment and assist with voter registration, while viewing music performances and a basketball game, were comprised in a showcase, Ballin’ for the Ballot.

The event took place at North High School, 1500 James Ave N., Saturday, Oct. 15. Performers present at the event included The Lioness; Javonte Dfy Patterson, SouthSide Fancy and Ashley Dubose. The event was hosted by local residents Maya Buckner and Brie Horshaw, who teamed up with State Representative Bobby Joe Champion.

“We noticed that a lot of youth in our community were not really aware of the issues that would be on the ballot. You see the signs in the yard, bumper stickers and commercials, but nobody really knows what ‘Vote No’ is. We thought it would be a good idea to place everyone at the same vicinity at one time to give them some awareness,”

said Buckner.

During the basketball game, North High Alumni and other community members walked around the gymnasium with clip boards, getting people registered to vote and to petition against the voter ID amendment.

Buckner said because of the final registration date of Oct. 16, it was perceived that most people would say they already were registered, but that was not necessarily the case.

“What surprised me the most was the amount of people that are registering to vote today,” said Buckner.

State Rep. Champion, who represents 59B and is running unopposed for the state senate, said finding creative ways to get people interested and aware of voting is important to the community.

“I spoke with young people and we collaborated together to create an event that people would be attracted to and have all the things are aware of when it comes to voting,” said Champion.

Calendar • Classifieds Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone: 612.5881313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.

EVENTS VOTE NO EVENT Oct.23 Vote No: Turn Double-Negative Into A Positive. Strengthen coalition against Voter ID and Marriage Amendments with local hip hop, jazz and Rep. Keith

Suluki Fardan

Vote Here (North High Entrance)

BALLOT TURN TO 16 Phone: 612.588.1313

Ellison. $8 Doors 7pm, music 8pm Varsity Theater, 1308--4th St. SE, Minneapolis.

International Ski Racing Presentation Oct 24 Ever wanted to take your love of cross country skiing abroad?

Come and hear members of the skiing community present on their ski racing experiences in China, Sweden and Greenland. Wednesday, Oct 24, 7:00pm Theodore Wirth Park Chalet. Free for Loppet Members, $5 for non-members. Visit the Loppet Adventures page at www. loppet.org for more information.

Fax: 612.588.2031

Carlson School of Management, 321 Nineteenth Ave. S., University of Minnesota West Bank.. This forum presents two of Minnesota’s foremost Cuba experts, along with a local witness to the events. The panel includes: Professor Gary Provost, College of St. Benedict/ St. John’s University, Co-author, US-Cuban Relations: A Critical History; Felino de la Peña, Cuban-American member, Fair Play for Cuba Committee, 1962; and August Nimtz, Professor of Political Science, University of Minnesota, Co-coordinator, Minnesota Cuba Committee. For more information, Minnesota Cuba Committee, 612-367-6134.

The Cuban Missile Crisis Forum Oct 24 The Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962; 50 Years Later The lessons of October: what we know now, what we thought then panel forum 7:30, Wed., Oct. 24 Room 1-147,

Ending Human Trafficking Locally and Globally Oct. 24 Not My Life: Film & Discussion, a program on human trafficking to be held on Wednesday, October 24, 7:00-9:30 pm at William Mitchell College of Law auditorium, 875 Summit Nature’s Edge 4222 Clearwater Road Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105. A Affordable Housing panel of local experts will share in a Beautiful Natural Setting information about the situation 2BR Starting @ $660/Mo. in Minnesota. Open to the public; 3BR Starting @ $760/Mo. Call today! 320-203-7726 no reservations are necessary.

Income Guidelines Apply Cost: students and seniors free, $10 general public, and $35 for 2 Standard CLE credits (approval pending). Educators can receive 2 CEUs. Visit www.

Marketing & Development Mgr worldwithoutgenocide.org for more information.

Join team committed to enhancing nonprofit sector. Manage Charities Review Council’s marketing, communication & development strategies. www.smartgivers.org

Looking for Christian Roommates?

North & South Minneapolis * $400/month + utilities urbanhomeworks.org/housing/urban-neighbors 612-910-6054 / un@urbanhomeworks.org

RENTALS Remodeled duplex units in East St. Paul.

Income Restricted, EHO. 651-430-1888 or www.applegateproperties.com

‘Peace of Hope’ New Location Celebration Oct 26 ‘Peace of Hope’ is now located at the Oak Park Center, 1701 Oak Park Ave., Mpls.

An event to celebrate the new office is on Friday, October 26, 2012 from 6pm - 9pm, with Food,

Entertainment and Fun. Donations are accepted. Proceeds from the event will be used to provide resources for loved ones of the incarcerated. Call 612/220-4678 for more information.

Get Out & Vote Gospel Concert & Rally Oct. 26 Join Reva Chamblis and friends and host Christian Comedian Shed G. on Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 6:30 - 9:00 pm at the St Alphonsus Catholic Church, 7025 Halifax Ave N, Brooklyn Center MN for special guest performances by Patience Ferguson, James Grear & Company, Kofi and the Fire Keepers, Hip Hop group G-Class, and Youth Praise & Worship Sensation Chelsea Alexis. You will get information on issues that impact you. For more information call 763-657-1459. *This is a non-partisan event that is open to the public. A free will donation will be accepted.

Sponsored by African Immigrant Services (AIS), Think Again MN, ISAIAH, African American Leadership Forum (AALF), T & C Barbershop, ASSA Inc, GMN LiveTv and other organizations and individuals.

“A Celebration of Hope” Oct. 27 African American Breast Cancer Alliance, Inc is sponsoring the 22nd Annual Cancer Survivors Celebration of Hope on Sat., Oct. 27, 2012 at the Double Tree Hotel – Park Place, 4:007:30 pm Minneapolis, MN. A fun evening sharing hope, determination, honor, love, faith, joy, remembrance, and strength.

Social Hour, Silent Auction, Dinner Program, Style Show and more. Tickets: http://aabcacelebraton22.eventbrite.com

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Be the BEST for You, Your Family, Your Community

Classes are held Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 1 pm at the MUL Glover Sudduth Center 2100 Plymouth Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55411

Registration is OPEN, so SIGN UP TODAY! Contact: Katherine Hardin at 612.302.3123 Or kharden@mul.org

MN-NAME’s annual equity and education conference Oct 27 Focus on action and sustainability for educational equity. Sat. Oct 27, 8:30–3pm at Robbinsdale Cooper High School. As low as $35 per person, depending on the type of registration. Contact Jennifer Heimlich at 952. 988.4637.

Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church Annual Homecoming Celebration Oct. 28 The Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church family invites you to join them for the Annual Homecoming Celebration, on Sunday, October 28th. The special guest will be the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Beloit, WI, where the Rev. Kevin L. Pullam is pastor. Pastor Pullam will be delivering the message at both the 8 am and 10:45 am worship services. The Emmanuel Baptist Church will render the music for the 10:45 am service. Mount Olivet Baptist Church is located at 451 W Central Ave, Saint Paul. The Reverend Dr. James C. Thomas is the pastor. Please call 651227-4444 for more information.

NorthPoint Health & Wellness ART GALLERY Presents The Photography of Donald Sparks Now–Nov 2 Covering multiple sports and other artistic and historical subjects, these rarely seen images include some of the great names in sports and the arts such as Jackie Robinson, Wilma Rudolph, Hank Aaron and Duke Ellington. NorthPoint Health & Wellness 1313 Penn Ave N. Mpls MN 55411. Mon. & Fri. 8:30am–5pm, Tues.– Thur. 8:30am–7pm, Sat. 8am– 12pm. Contact Helene Woods at 612.543.2549 for more info.

insightnews.com

Childs From 9 in public relations at Johnson Publishing.

Childs was a communications specialist and speechwriter to Chicago’s first black mayor, Harold Washington, until the prominent chief executive’s untimely death in 1987. He began his career as a business editor, copy editor, photographer and editorial cartoonist for The Chicago Defender newspaper, and has since written articles and opinion columns for more than three-dozen black interest-newspapers and magazines throughout the U.S., and abroad. His opinion column, “The Observer,” distributed through his own OMEN Syndication, appears exclusively in the nation’s black press.

He is a member of the National and Chicago Associations of Black Journalists, a founding member of the National and Chicago Black Public Relations Societies and the national alumni association of Grambling State University.

Insight News • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Page 15 Childs additionally takes pride in mentoring journalism and public relations students at several historically black colleges and universities. He holds 29 industry awards for editorial, public relations and media relations excellence, including the 1991 Award for Outstanding Commentary given by the Chicago Association of Black Journalists.

A recipient of the 1990 Distinguished Alumni Presidential Citation bestowed by the National Association for Equal Opportunity In Higher Education, he was inducted into the Grambling University Alumni Hall of Fame in October of 2007, becoming the first and still only honoree representing the famed institution’s school of journalism. Childs was named one The Chicago Defender’s “Men of Distinction” for 2010.

His forthcoming book, Venomous Pen, chronicles the journey of his professional life, with a rare look inside America’s premier black-owned communications companies.

OMEN Communications is an independent, senior-level consultancy based in Chicago, founded by respected longtime

journalist, columnist and public relations practitioner Ronald E. Childs. The mission of the practice is to provide substantive

digital editorial content, effective public and media relations services, authentic social network engagement and

media advice and counsel to businesses respecting multicultural communities.

For additional information, contact OMEN

Communications at 312.922.1959, TheOMEN091959@aol.com or visit www.facebook.com/ Omencomm.

Page 16 • October 22 - October 28, 2012 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Kerry Jo Felder and Krishana Brown

State Representative Bobby Joe Champion, 58B

Ballot From 14 Champion said in addition to the youth, other collaborative partners include State Sen. Jeff Hayden, Cory Day, The Stairstep Foundation, and We the People United.

“We all came together to make sure this event could happen,” said Champion.

Krishana Brown and Kerry

Obama From 4 their people that they would be justifiably angry.

VOTING AS A FORM OF STRUGGLE AND EMPOWERMENT What we witnessed was a game changer. The President got game, and will continue to build on the momentum for the next few weeks. On November 6, 2012, however, the ball will be in our court.

Photos: Suluki Fardan

Jo Felder, two field organizers for Our Vote Our Future, were part of the raising of awareness regarding the voter ID amendment.

“Surprisingly enough, a lot of people do not have a full understanding on how it would affect them,” said Brown.

Brown stated specifically how the voter ID amendment would ultimately affect college students.

“If I was a college student out of state, and my ID is not

registered in that state, I would have to go home to vote. If something happens to your license or ID, you would be restricted also. It is unfair,” said Brown.

Felder says the efforts are proving that people are becoming more aware of the amendment and why it is important to vote no.

“We started out with 82 percent (saying they were) voting yes in the early spring, to only 51 percent last week.

We have had a 40 year history of same day registration in Minnesota and zero percent voter fraud,” said Felder.

Felder also says that the amendment is not necessary.

“This is something to disenfranchise people politically,” said Felder.

Champion said to expect high voter turnout in North Minneapolis.

“We want to make sure people are seeing the positive side of what we do here in

North Minneapolis in order to make sure we get our people to vote,” Champion said.

In 2010, Buckner and Horshaw, started hosting basketball jamborees in the community called Keep the Peace.

“The jamboree was initiated because of the paucity of positivity in our community. I’m a product of North Minneapolis and a North High graduate,” said Buckner. “Young people in

our community are lost and not a lot of people are willing to come to North Minneapolis to help us out. If nobody else is going to do it, I’m going to do it.”

Champion says with the success of the event it will be something to continue in the future.

“Voting is a right, not a privilege and we want people to exercise their right to vote,” said Champion.

We can exercise our vote and continue the transformation that Obama’s election began four years ago. Another four years will make a serious mark on the social fabric of this country—in a good way.

Re-electing President Obama will not eradicate centuries of inequality, structural injustice, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, or ageism. And, President Obama will have to be more vocal in his support of raising the quality of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for African Americans in particular, and

directly addressing the assaults being made on women’s rights, among others. He will have to protect Obamacare, disclose which politicians are blocking his job legislation, and follow through to lobby hard for the passage of the Dream Act. I mean what would happen if all Latina/Hispanic workers took a “day of absence” and did a work stoppage as a form of protest?

But anyone who advocates that people, especially African Americans, stay away from the polls on November 6 is a fool. We have earned our right to vote through a legacy

of resistance and resiliency.

Voting as a privilege was won through the deaths of James Cheney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Cecil Price, James Meredith, Viola Fauver Gregg Liuzzo, and, of course Martin Luther King (whites and Blacks). Because of their sacrifice, a vote for President Obama is not a vote for the lesser among two evils as has too often been the case in the past.

Rather, a vote to re-elect President Barack Hussain Obama is a vote of affirmation and empowerment that the

winds of change are upon the shores of America. We cannot go back to the old days. President Obama may not be “the one” to magically transform this country instantaneously. Let’s look at what he has to work with. President Obama may simply be the harbinger of what is yet to come. Whatever his purpose is in the larger scheme of the universe, in America’s destiny, his first election signaled a welcome change. He now needs the opportunity to continue down this challenging path—one with tremendous opposition in Congress and the

Senate. Yet, still he rises and prevails.

Let’s to our part to keep it moving forward. VOTE.

NOW PLAYING AT THE GUTHRIE

“RARELY DO I GET EXCITED OVER A PLAY … THIS IS AN EXCEPTION. I hope that as many people as possible can go to see Appomattox … so that we can generate a healthy conversation around something that’s very important, and very timely. This play could be very helpful to our social health as a people.”

– Professor Mahmoud El-Kati, on KFAI’s “Conversations with Al McFarlane” PHOTO: SHAWN HAMILTON (MICHAEL BROSILOW)

SPONSORED BY

NOW – NOVEMBER 11 McGUIRE PROSCENIUM STAGE 612.377.2224 GUTHRIETHEATER.ORG

©2012 McClaurin Solutions Irma McClaurin, PhD is the Culture and Education Editor for Insight News of Minneapolis.

She is a bio-cultural anthropologist and writer living in Raleigh, NC, the Principal of McClaurin Solutions (a consulting business), and a former university president. (www.irmamcclaurin.com) (@ mcclaurintweets)