Insight News ::: 11.03.14

Walker Art Center presents Faustin Linyekula and Panaibra Gabriel Canda solos in Tales of Home: Congo / Mozambique MORE ON PAGE 10

Agathe Poupeney

Faustin Linyekula performing Le Cargo

Insight News November 3 - November 9, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 46 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

We must vote!

Open letter to my people

By Elder Josie R. Johnson

Political, cultural ebola in our community Commentary by Al McFarlane, Editor in Chief On the one hand, it’s simply Politics 101 … throw mud on the other fellow, and kick him when

he’s down.

If you don’t have a solution, or even a clue, criticize the other guy’s solution. Throw enough stuff on the wall in hope that something will stick. And if it doesn’t, it’s ok because you’ve done the damage by creating

public mistrust, doubt, skepticism and paralysis.

That’s where we are this week as Minnesotans head to the polls to decide which path our state will take.

There is a progressive path that places government at the service

of all the people and that upholds laws and leverages policies and practices to create opportunity and inclusion. That is the path I think is right for Minnesota and right for our community.

COMMENTARY 9 TURN TO

My dear Community, I am writing to you again because we Must Vote on November 4, 2014.

We must vote on many issues that are important to our community. The November 4 ballot has many candidates, asking for our support. Our careful consideration of our community concerns and their record, of support of our community, are awaiting our decisions on November 4, 2014.

We went to the polls in large numbers in 2012. Our careful and considered votes made a difference in our nation and state. We must do that, again, on November 4, 2014.

Please consider the following candidates for your important and thoughtful vote! Your vote will affect our State and Community.

It will protect our Right to Vote, support All Day Education for our children, protect the Affordable Care Act, Protect Victims of Domestic Violence and our since of Judicial fairness in the State

Supreme Court.

Federal Offices: U.S. Senator: Al Franken U.S. Representative: Keith Ellison Governor and Lt. Gov.: Mark Dayton and Tina Smith Secretary of State: Steve Simon State Auditor: Rebecca Otto Attorney General: Lori Swanson Judicial Office: Supreme Court: (Mimi) Wright

Wilhelmina

Vote front and back of ballot.

Sincerely and in Respect for our Community, Elder Josie R. Johnson

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Bobby Ford-McFarlane and Al McFarlane (center) welcomed the Creole Choir of Cuba.

Jessica Petrie

Bringing down the ‘House’ courtesy of the Ordway

By Carmen Robles Associate Editor, Afrodescendientes The place called the “House” is the Marcus Garvey House in north Minneapolis – home to Insight News, a subsidiary company of McFarlane Media Interests, Inc. The House is actually named the Marcus Garvey House, after the Jamaican freedom fighter and

Pan-Africanist.

“Marcus Garvey believed in making a world that benefits the world. He symbolizes the necessity to organize and fight for freedom,” said Al McFarlane, founder of Insight News.

“Honoring the significance and celebration of the rich AfricanAmerican culture is very important to me.”

Ordway partnership adviser Robin Hickman arranged for

Insight 2 Health Snacks!

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the 10-member Creole Choir of Cuba and its tour manager to participate in an interview taping of “Conversations With Al McFarlane” transforming the Marcus Garvey House into an Afrodescendiente museum history center.

What started out as a conversation quickly manifested into something greater than anyone expected … all through the spirit of music. The choir

members individually shared their journeys and stories; often times evoking tears throughout the interview conveying the power of their commitment, keeping the stories of the ancestors alive.

Through their mesmerizing and haunting harmonies the a cappella tempos of soprano, alto and tenor blended together in an explosion of rhythms transporting the guests

CHOIR TURN TO 8

North Memorial Health Care president, Jeff Wicklander, Turning Point founder, Peter Hayden and North Memorial CEO, Larry Taylor discuss the newly formed partnership between North Memorial and Turning Point during an open house at Turning Point.

Turning Point and North Memorial enter into unique partnership

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer In an effort to better care for those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, North Memorial Health Care and Turning Point have partnered to provide care for those in north Minneapolis.

With emergency room wait times up to two hours at North Memorial – attributed to the high number overdoses and those in need of detoxification – officials

with the hospital said they needed to look into other ways to care for all in need. To that end, now many of those needing treatment for their addictions will be cared for at Turning Point, 1500 Golden Valley Rd. “The reason people couldn’t be seen (at North Memorial) is because half the beds were filled with people who were intoxicated or who had drug problems,” said Larry Taylor, CEO of North Memorial Health

HEALTH TURN TO 3

Business

Lifestyle

Car review

Congratulations! You have an interview!

Latrice Barker puts ‘active citizenship’ to the test... at work!

Volkswagen 2015 lineup

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Page 2 • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Insight News

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HEALTH Baby boomers and scoliosis: Osteoporosis is risk factor

By Mayo Clinic News Network For many adults, the word scoliosis conjures up childhood memories of lining up in gym class for an examination by the school nurse.

But scoliosis isn’t just a pediatric condition. Curvature of the spine can develop in adults too, and the osteoporosis that can accompany menopause is a risk factor. Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon Paul Huddleston, M.D., explains how scoliosis develops, prevention and treatment options and a trend he is seeing in Baby Boomer women.

What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a misshaping of the spine as seen from the front — where the spine seems shifted right or left — or from a side view, where the spine is bent too far forward or backward, or a combination of the two. It doesn’t always cause pain: Schools started screening in elementary school or junior high in part because many children and their parents didn’t know the children had it, Dr. Huddleston says.

“The range of symptoms can be from asymptomatic, or no symptoms, to completely debilitating, depending on the patient, magnitude of the deformity and where the bend or special

shape occurs,” Dr. Huddleston says.

What causes scoliosis in children? It can be a change during the growth process in the womb, in which a growth plate in the spine closes prematurely or there is an extra piece. In older children and adolescents, the scoliosis likely is genetic, but that hasn’t been completely defined, Dr. Huddleston says. In other cases, diseases such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and the connective tissue disorder Marfan syndrome can predispose a child to scoliosis.

“The most common type is the `We don’t know why’ variety called idiopathic scoliosis,” Dr. Huddleston says.

What causes scoliosis in adults? Adults who had spine curvature as children can develop severe arthritis in the spine next to their old curves. In other cases, osteoporosis, or weakening of the bones, can develop as a complication of menopause or medications as people age, even causing fractures. Forms of arthritis in which joints in the back wear out can also let the spine sag into a bad position, Dr. Huddleston says.

How is scoliosis affecting Baby Boomers? Baby Boomers

have a much better understanding of adult scoliosis and are more aggressive in seeking treatment than previous generations have been, Dr. Huddleston says. The number of older adults seeing him to ask about corrective surgery for scoliosis has easily doubled within the past five years, and women of Baby Boomer age are driving that trend.

“I think a lot of it is our appreciation and desire for a higher quality of life in the later stages of life. They say `60 is the new 50’ or `50 is the new 40.’ I think we want to be more active. We’re educated about the possibilities and we demand that quality of life,” Dr. Huddleston says. “And women are demanding to stay active, to have good bone health and to address any perceived deficiencies that the special shape of the spine as it becomes scoliotic has placed upon them.”

Some mention that they want to avoid becoming the stereotypical hunched-over “little old lady” with a cane, he adds.

How is scoliosis treated? “We try to minimize the initial treatment and maximize the patient’s

function. We try to empower them to stay as active as possible,” Dr. Huddleston says. That can mean physical therapy, and in adults, medication to treat osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

If that doesn’t work, spinal surgery may be considered.

“We think of surgery really as an end-stage treatment,” Dr. Huddleston says. “We are trying to balance the patient’s suffering versus intervening too soon. We don’t want to put a very large, potentially painful procedure in front of some of these more basic foundation treatments, but we don’t want people to suffer, either.”

In principle, surgery is the same in adults as in children: treating the spinal deformity. But because of the influence of age on healing and bone quality, adult scoliosis surgery “really is a different experience,” Dr. Huddleston says, adding that Baby Boomers are benefiting from a much better understanding of that by physicians.

Not all patients are good candidates for scoliosis surgery.

For those who are, successful surgery improves their ability to move, reduces pain and can

improve their self-image.

Physical therapy is critical before and after surgery to build flexibility, strength and stamina.

“In fact, I would say without reservation that the surgery alone without the appropriate preoperative physical therapy and bone preparation and postoperative physical therapy will not be successful,” Dr. Huddleston says.

“We can change the structure of the patient, the way you look inside, but we can’t make you move. The analogy would be, we can straighten the frame, but we’re not the motor.”

Can adults prevent scoliosis?

Make sure to get enough calcium

and vitamin D to help prevent osteoporosis, and seek treatment if you have osteoporosis. Women should take steps to preserve their bone health before menopause, Dr. Huddleston says.

“You can ask the question: Is my bone health what it should be or what I expect it to be? That involves seeing your health care provider, getting screened, and then taking action to prevent softening of the bone,” he says. “Because once the bones start to break with the osteoporosis, you can’t undo that fracture, and you’ve really lost that opportunity to stay in that good space.”

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Snacks!

By Julie McMahon, CHHC Sound Nutrition (612) - 270 - 9344 Keep them simple...keep them healthy!! The trick is to have healthy alternatives all precut and ready to grab!! Take some time to set yourself up for success by doing all the shopping and chopping ahead of time!

Crunchy: Apples, frozen grapes, rice cakes, popcorn popped in coconut

oil, carrots, celery, or other veggies dipped in hummus, tabouli or dressing, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds Sweet: Fresh whole fruit and berries, organic plain yogurt w/fruit, apples and almond butter, smoothies, frozen treat made with frozen banana quick spun in a blender with nuts and fruit Salty: Olives, pickles, hummus, whole grain tortilla chips with guacamole and fresh salsa, edamame, or a small amount of organic cheese and crackers

(there are so many healthier cracker options now!)

Creamy: Smoothies, Greek yogurt, avocadoes, rice pudding, coconut milk, almond or cashew butters on sprouted breads or crackers, cottage cheese Sound Nutrition LLC Julie McMahon, CHHC www.mysoundnutrition.com www.facebook.com/MySoundNutrition www.twitter.com/NutritionJulie

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Insight News • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Page 3

Interfaith event about the community “standing up and being counted” On a recent Sunday afternoon at the Hennepin Government Plaza, more than a dozen African-American churches and community groups from across Minneapolis kicked off the city’s first-ever Sunday voting.

The event ushered in what organizers hope will be an annual “Souls 2 the Polls” voting drive to encourage communities of color to stand up and be counted at the voting booth. The afternoon event, which included a rich program of singing, spoken word and powerful speeches by community faith leaders, focused on the need to mobilize voters to the ballot box to ensure the needs of underrepresented communities are addressed.

“America has a long tradition of excluding AfricanAmericans from voting,” said the Rev. Paul Slack, pastor of New Creation Church in Minneapolis and president of ISAIAH, an interfaith community organization. “Even after civil rights victories that expanded our voting rights, there are still large gaps in voter participation. This gap is the reason why African-American communities lack control over the policies and resources that govern their lives. Souls 2 the Polls is about standing up and being counted. I’m tired of being discounted. Today, I’m counting myself in.”

According to organizers, communities of color are demanding an end to Minnesota’s racial equity gaps, the school-to-prison pipeline,

Health From 1 Care. “Not only was there the problem of getting them detoxed, but many had no place to go; we couldn’t just send them out like that. This partnership is a great opportunity to correct that.”

North Memorial’s president, Jeff Wicklander agreed.

“With chemical dependency and with the homeless we have not had the best results,” said Wicklander. “We’ve recognized we can do better, so we’re excited to partner with Turning Point.”

Turning Point is a large, multi-bed treatment facility founded in 1976 to treat those suffering from drug and alcohol dependency. The center has been heralded for its success rate of

getting people to turn away from their addictions using what it calls culturally specific methods to cure abuse and addiction.

The partnership, along with routing certain chemically dependent patients to Turning Point, will have a paramedic team on site two days out of the week.

Over the past few years, chemical dependency has taken its toll on Minneapolis.

voting, but building a longlasting movement to make sure everyone in the state of Minnesota has the freedom to vote.”

Others who spoke included Bishop Richard D. Howell of Shiloh Temple International Ministries and the Rev. Laurie Eaton of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Two spoken word performances featured Brittany Lynch and Nick “Mastermind” Muhammad.

Minneapolis City Councilman Jacob Frey, chair of the City Council’s Elections Committee, which passed the rule change to allow Sunday voting earlier this fall, greeted the crowd saying, “You don’t have an excuse not to vote.

Now is the time to make the society you envision a reality.

It all starts with a vote.”

The Souls 2 the Polls event was organized by churches and community groups across Minneapolis, led by ISAIAH and NOC. Congregations involved in Sunday’s rally, march and voting effort included Shiloh Temple International Ministries, New Creation Church, Zion Baptist, Macedonia Baptist, Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Mayflower UCC, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Pilgrim Rest Baptist, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Christ Temple Apostalic, St. Paul Grace University Lutheran Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church and Proverbs Fellowship Church.

Emily Terrell

inequities in justice and barriers to jobs, housing and voting access. With racial and economic gaps widening across the city, those who attended Sunday’s rally affirmed that closing these gaps is a moral and spiritual imperative.

The Rev. Brian Herron, pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Minneapolis and president of the Minnesota State Baptist Convention kicked off the rally.

“Today is a historic and unprecedented moment for Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis. As AfricanAmerican faith communities, we gather in the light of those who came before us, those who fought for equal rights; we gather to vote on our sacred day of worship because it is our legacy and because we believe the future of the Black church relies on the people who vote with their faith.”

Mike Griffin, a field coordinator with one of the event organizers, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC), addressed the crowd saying, “I’m the son of a pastor, and the values that my dad instilled in me are the same values people are showing up with this afternoon. We need to participate in our civic process.

We stand on the history and legacy of our parents, to make sure everyone has the freedom to vote. It’s a long-term mission of NOC to make sure everyone has the right to vote, including our brothers and sisters who are on probation and parole from felony charges. Today what we’re doing is not only

According to Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, heroine alone is killing people at unheard of numbers.

“Five years ago there were six heroine deaths (in the county) … last year there were 56 overdose deaths due to heroine and this year there have been 42 heroine-related deaths,” said Stanek.

The partnership between a for profit hospital and a not-for-

profit treatment facility is pretty unique, as noted by Turning Point board member, Ray Richardson.

“It’s hard to get big business and the community to get together, but when it happens it’s a beautiful thing,” said Richardson.

According to Turning Point founder and president, Peter Hayden, last year his facility, which treats primarily African-

Americans, helped more than 450 people get on the path to recovery. Hayden said 63 percent of those Turning Point treated were homeless. Of that, he said Turning Point was able to get 39 percent of them into permanent housing. In addition to treating addiction, Turning Point seeks to find employment for those it treats – another key to keeping people from abusing drugs or alcohol.

Page 4 • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Insight News

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BUSINESS Congratulations! You have an interview!

Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com “We’d like to interview with you,” is music to every job seeker’s ears. Landing the interview is definitely a major step forward in a job search.

Now, how to make the most of it? Here are a few tips to help prepare for the conversation: Review the job description.

As you read over the job summary, responsibilities and requirements think about which of your experiences line up with each aspect mentioned in the posting. Many interview

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

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler

questions will have something to do items listed in the job description, so start there.

Review the company’s website. Reading its “About us” page and looking at press releases they might have posted gives a good snapshot of the company culture and where the organization is headed.

“Google Search” the company to find out what outsiders – media, customers, etc - say about the company.

If there are complaints about the company, try to understand where these are coming from.

Media coverage of the company will provide an objective view of events the company is involved in, which could be sponsoring a basketball team, painting houses for seniors or spending time in court due to lawsuits.

Prepare a few questions to ask during the interview. These might be about some aspect of the position, the make-up of the team you’ll work with, or what the company might look like in five or ten years. What do you want to know?

On the day of the interview, a little effort can go a long way toward getting a job offer:

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 Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed 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) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

interviews, too. Attire impacts attitude. Dress professionally for the interview, even if you’ll be wearing jeans and a t-shirt on the job.

During the interview, it’s okay to take a few notes. This will help you remember what

was discussed and should help you prepare for (we hope!) that next interview.

If, at the end of the interview, the manager asks if you have questions and you don’t, don’t say you don’t have any questions; instead, say, “You’ve

Julie Desmond is IT and Software Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Send your career planning questions to Julie at jdesmond@ georgekonik.com.

Hidden fundraising challenges II FUNdraising Good Times

Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham

PhotoXpress

Whether your meeting is over the phone, on Google Hangouts or in person, dress for success. My high school kid says, “Dress well, test well,” and leaves the house looking pretty good on test days. This philosophy applies to job

answered all my questions for now. Is it okay if I email you if I think of anything later on?”

This leaves the door open for continuing the conversation.

Speaking of continuing the conversation, the old fashioned Thank You note is still a difference-maker. Grab business cards from everyone you talk with, and send personal thank you notes by email on the day of the interview. Mention something specific that came up or something that interests you about the opportunity. Be brief.

Be polite. And be quick. Never wait to thank someone.

If the job is right for you, and if you’ve done your homework, you probably will get a job offer.

I asked a job seeker, Johnny S., what has led to his success in a series of positions, and how he was able to transition easily from one job to the next. “It’s always the same,” he said. “I prepare.”

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Not all fundraising challenges lie in the actions – or lack of action – by donors, board members, staff and volunteers. Some are hidden in plain sight. Consider the following.

The will to fundraise. If you don’t want to fundraise, don’t make it a priority, and don’t invest time and money in fundraising, chances are you don’t have the will to fundraise.

Will and willingness are related,

but not the same. Willingness is an attitude: will is the application of willingness. It is evident in the actions you take and don’t take. Do you visit with people in person? Do you ask for financial and in-kind support? Are you building a corps of fundraising volunteers, or do you try to do it yourself when you have the time?

Overcoming the businessas-usual mentality. Fundraising is competitive. You have to constantly lead with your uniqueness while fulfilling your mission and understanding the needs and concerns of donors and funders. You can’t go on autopilot. Take time to consider where your support lies, where it could lie, and how to test your supposition. Take small risks, evaluate the results, and keep

innovating.

Do you know your marketplace? Fundraising is all about people. Do you know the people in your community? Do you know the general attitude of the community towards your nonprofit? Do they like you? Do they care about your mission? Do they trust your leadership to use donated and invested funds with efficiency and efficacy? Can you identify emerging, unmet needs and make a difference without indulging in “mission creep?”

Mediocrity.

Honestly, is your organization stellar, mediocre, or just getting by?

Sometimes an organization has been doing things so long, and dealing with contracting revenue for too long that mediocrity becomes the norm.

Take a close look at operations

and attitudes with the goal of discerning if there’s a better way to conduct business. While your organization may need money, need isn’t necessarily a philanthropic motivator. Service, innovation and accountability are the new norms.

Measuring and communicating your impact.

These are directly related to accountability. You have to answer the question: how does my money make a difference?

Take a moment to identify the measurements you will deploy and build them into your programming. Review your measures and outcomes.

Use them to refine your work. Communicate impact consistently – people care more about impact than need.

Benefits and opportunities.

Are you building a circle of reciprocity? What benefits – tangible and intangible – can you offer donors, volunteers and staff? What opportunities do you offer that increase your value and offer meaning to others? Don’t take people and relationships for granted. Demonstrate your gratitude in ways that incentivize giving and involvement.

You can succeed: your community needs you to succeed. Keep up the good work.

Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success. For help with your fundraising visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Do you have an attitude about money? Change it in 10 easy steps

By Lynette Holloway Special to the NNPA from the New Pittsburgh Courier It’s no secret that African Americans face unique challenges to their financial security that are unlike those of white households. An estimated 42 percent of African American households use credit for basic expenses, such as rent, groceries and utilities, according to “The Challenge of Credit Card Debt for the African American Middle Class,” (pdf), a report released last year by the NAACP. Moreover, 99 percent of blacks, who started new businesses using credit, are struggling to pay off those expenses, compared to just 80 percent of whites, the report says.

The good news is that it’s never too late to overhaul your financial situation. One of the first steps is changing your attitude toward money, according to Sabrina Lamb, founder and CEO of theWorldofMoney.org, an organization dedicated to the financial education of youth in the Tri-State New York area.

“There are three types of people,” she told NewsOne. “There are consumers, producers and investors. Most African Americans go through their lives in the consumer lane. But if you’re always in that lane, how will you grow your money or get it to work for you? You begin by changing your attitude toward money.”

Lamb is author of “Do I Look Like An ATM? A Parent’s Guide To Raising Financially Educated African-American

Children,” which was nominated this year for an NAACP Image Awards for outstanding literary work-instructional. She suggests 10 ways to make your money work for you: 1. Examine your “moneylogue”

Review your inner dialogue about money: how you think, believe and speak about it to yourself. Eliminate words that reflect lack or loss. Examine if your financial behaviors lean toward asset or liability accumulation and make a change. Use your current financial situation as a pathway to prosperity to help overcome shame and regret.

2. Make “saving” culturally cool Examine your family’s culture as it relates to money management. Move the healthy and empowering discussion of personal finance front and center in family life and make it a goalsetting team activity.

3. Shop for quality financial services Instead of choosing financial institutions with the best commercials, research bankrate.com for the financial institutions that provide the highest compound interest rate for investments in your city or online; or perhaps the lowest mortgage rate.

4. Pay yourself first Seriously. Examine whether you believe that your life is worth saving and that you alone have an emergency fund for when “life happens,” or you encounter hardship. That fund should cover at least 4 months’ worth of expenses.

5. Watch your credit Your credit report should be your bestseller. Review it for errors, including names, addresses,

incorrect claims and violations of statute of limitations. The U.S. government makes a free report available at annualcreditreport. com.

6. Monitor your social media reputation Examine your online reputation.

People of color are already targeted by toxic sub-prime loans, high interest rates and sub-par financial services.

Social media conversations and posts provide financial institutions with a treasure trove of information for a data repository—collecting, storing, and analyzing data— to determine a person’s credit worthiness.

7. Invest in what you know Clueless as to which stock or mutual fund to own? Look around your home and list the products and services of publicly traded companies to which you are already loyal. Use lowcost sites such as sharebuilder. com that allow you to invest in companies with a modest investment.

8. Just say, “no.” Cash is king In exchange for a discount, companies try to recruit new customers with “point-of-sale” high interest, high late fee credit cards. Just say no. One debit card is all one needs using the tried but true axiom: “If you don’t have the cash, don’t buy it.”

9. Sight unseen: Direct deposit Open a direct deposit CD or IRA account, which provide higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts. Determine that a percentage of your income is automatically withdrawn.

10. Start now Money attracts money. Your path to financial liberation may seem lonely at first, especially if family and friends choose not to join you. However, avoid having a money-logue only when experiencing an emergency or it’s New Year’s Eve. Becoming financially secure and financially educated is the only way that your money can grow.

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Insight News • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Page 5

LIFESTYLE Latrice Barker puts ‘active citizenship’ to the test... at work!

Serving as the Front Desk Coordinator for the Minneapolis Urban League, Latrice Barker gets to meet all sorts of people.

After all, the Minneapolis Urban League is a hub of activity in north Minneapolis. People from all walks of life stroll in and out of the Plymouth Avenue headquarters on a daily basis.

There are job seekers and job creators, there are doctors and lawyers and children who one day will become doctors and lawyers. And with its building serving as the legislative office for Rep. Keith Ellison (MN 5th Congressional Dist.), more than a few dignitaries have made their way inside the Minneapolis Urban League headquarters.

So when a representative from Congressman Ellison’s office came to Barker frantic for meeting space she knew someone “important” was coming. Inquisitive, Barker, a 12year veteran of the Minneapolis Urban League, asked who was meeting with the Congressman.

The answer was U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx. Foxx was in town to meet with Rep. Ellison, Minneapolis Urban League president, Scott Gray, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minneapolis mayor, Betsy Hodges and others in talks about

MUL

MUL Front Desk Manager Latrice Barker poses proudly with The Honorable Anthony Foxx, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. MUL President/CEO Scott Gray, invited by MnDOT and Congressman Ellison to participate in a Roundtable discussion on transportation infrastructure opportunities, looks on. light rail expansion and other transportation issues.

In many cases this is where the story would end, but not for Barker.

“I didn’t know who Anthony Foxx was, so I Googled him and saw his picture with President Obama,” said Barker, who has been Front Desk Coordinator

for a bit over a year. “So once I found out who he was I asked Rep. Ellison if I could sit in and he said, ‘Sure.’”

So why did Barker want to be

in the room?

“I saw all these high profile faces and I wanted to know what are they actually talking about,” said the curious Barker.

Once in the room Barker became the proverbial fly on the wall, sitting silently, but paying close attention to what was being discussed.

“It was a bunch of leaders around a table discussing important issues of transportation stability, efficiency, transportation jobs and safety,” said Barker. “I was excited to be able to sit in the room - I felt empowered. I don’t know much about transportation, but it was an opportunity to sit in the room and listen.”

Though Barker wasn’t that well versed on issues of transportation, since the meeting the vibrant Front Desk Coordinator has begun researching issues of transportation and light rail in the Twin Cities. Her interest has grown because of her work at the Minneapolis Urban League.

“It feels good to be in a place where so many things are going on like this,” said Barker. “And Rep. Ellison is really a good person to let me sit in. I realized (those in the meeting) are just normal people like myself, and they’re making important decisions affecting us all. I never really thought about what all goes into putting transportation policy together before. Now I feel empowered.”

Don’t let fear stop you from pursuing your dreams Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson Does fear stop you from going after your dreams or goals?

If so, then you are not alone.

There are many individuals who

have the same issues. They see themselves completing a goal, but for some strange reason they allow fear to step in and all of their dreams go out the window.

This is when you have to find the strength to fight that doubt and remember past events of success. Remember how you thought you didn’t have what it would take to complete that task?

Remember how you doubted yourself over and over again, but then something happened and you found the strength within

you to persevere and achieve that goal? This is where your focus should be when fear and doubt try to tell you that you are never going to be more than you are now.

When you are not quite sure if you have what it takes to go for a certain goal, remember that you are equipped with everything you need already.

You have everything you need to be great already embedded in you or you wouldn’t be dreaming of being more in the first place.

That dream was placed on your heart because that is what you are designed to do. You were made to do great and wonderful things and to move beyond your current circumstance.

Everything you’ve done up until this point, has prepared you for this moment. Never let fear tell you that you don’t have what it takes to complete your goals.

What you need, you already have. And what you don’t know, you can always learn. Life is full of lessons and opportunities

for us to grow. With strength and perseverance you can accomplish anything.

Some of the most successful people you know have also felt doubt at some point in their lives. So don’t be afraid to go after that promotion you often thought about. Remember all of the lessons you’ve learned thus far has taught you how to win at whatever you set out to do. We are all unique and can achieve great things if we believe in ourselves and trust our instinct.

You will never know what you can do, if you let fear tell you that this is ALL you can do!

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.

Spoken word, jazz and dance at Wayman A.M.E.

Rev. Sharon D. Moore

The community is invited to Shekhinah Café inside Wayman A.M.E. Church, 1221 7th Ave. N., Minneapolis, as it welcomes the Rev. Sharon D. Moore, the First Lady of Vernon Chapel A.M.E. in Flint,

Mich. for an evening of spoken word, jazz and dance.

The events take place on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 5 p.m.

– 7p.m. and Sunday morning worship service on Nov. 9 at 11 a.m.

In this season Moore is ministering across the United States where her focus is on cultivating women’s individual spiritual lives through regular enrichment sessions, retreats, group sessions and worship

services, thereby resulting in growth that equips women for mental, emotional, physical and financial development and prosperity. A dynamic preacher, Moore believes that women can be healed, restored,

empowered and set free.

Special guests include Lissa Jones, Julia Sewell and The Wayman Jazz Band.

Admission is $10. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance.

Metropolitan State University hosts community forum on radicalization and terrorism Metropolitan State University’s School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (SLC) and Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship have partnered with multiple organizations to present “Radicalization and Terrorism: Implications for our Dynamic and Diverse Communities,” the second in a series of four community forums on critical issues in criminal justice and related disciplines to the Metro area.

“Radicalization and Terrorism: Implications for our Dynamic and Diverse Communities,” takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 4–5:30 p.m. in Room 112 of the Law Enforcement Criminal Justice and Education Center, 9110 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park.

The forum addresses how local law enforcement and community organizations are responding to recruitment efforts of terrorist organizations in

Minnesota and how recruitment affects the lives of individuals and families.

Metropolitan State Interim President Devinder Malhotra introduces the forum, which features the following panelists: Kyle Loven, supervisory special agent, FBI Minneapolis

Jon Olson, retired U.S. Navy commander Ilhan Omar, senior policy aide to Minneapolis City Council member Andrew Johnson Imam Hassan Mohamud, Minnesota’s Da’way Institute Dr. Hal Pickett, client services director, Headway

Emotional Health Services The community forums are co-sponsored by Hennepin County Technical College School of Law Enforcement, Metropolitan State Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Student Club, FBI Minneapolis Citizens Academy

Alumni Association and the American Democracy Project.

For more information, contact SLC Assistant Professors Raj Sethuraju at nadarajan. sethuraju@metrostate.edu and 763-657-3750, or Jill Peterson at jill.peterson@metrostate.edu and 763-657-3757.

Page 6 • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

COMMENTARY Political campaigns should not ignore Minnesota’s ethnic media America is steeped in yet another contentious election cycle and Minnesota is no exception.

Our member media houses which include the leading minority newspapers and cablecast/broadcast outlets in the state reflecting a multicultural perspective have done their civic duty this past year in informing our communities on their obligations as citizens to vote.

As we have done in past elections member media owners who are directors of the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC) hosted

and met with both the DFL and GOP to let them know of the impact and role we play in our respective communities. Both parties accorded us audience and were cordial which we appreciated as we hope they did.

Our disappointment is with what happened thereafter.

After making promises to make minority media an integral part of engaging our communities through information dissemination and advertising, the DFL and Minnesota GOP have instead concluded that our media outlets are fit only for press

releases to get their message to our communities but not invest in the advertising that makes this possible as they have done

with the mainstream media. The DFL is unfortunately the major culprit in this as their senior staff and Franken campaign made explicit commitments to our membership. Unfortunately as in the past, they did not come through. They instead have continued the practice of the past of buying token advertising not in proportion to the impact our media outlets have in the community. Instead, the bulk of campaign advertising dollars have continued to stream to nonminority media.

We ask the parties to stop

taking minority media and our communities for granted. We ask our readers, listeners and viewers to join us in insisting that the political parties and candidates offer more than lip service and token advertising, but rather invest in cultivating voter awareness, engagement and turnout in our communities on par with the advertising investment made in the white community.

Tom Gitaa, Publisher, Mshale & MMMC Chair Rick Aguilar, Publisher, Latino American Today & MMMC President

Wameng Moua, Publisher, Hmong Today & MMMC Secretary Al McFarlane, Editor Insight News & MMMC Treasurer Pete Rhodes, President Urban Mass Media Group & MMMC Director Nick Lopez, Executive at Santamaria Broadcasting & MMMC Director Nghi Huynh, Publisher Asian American Press & MMMC Director Bashe Said, Publisher African News Journal & MMMC Director

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Ethics charges appalling and insulting

By Alisa R. Clemons Concerned resident in the great state of Minnesota On October 22, 2014, I attended the Ethical Inquiry Hearing for Senator Jeff Hayden and it really disturbed my soul. To know that I reside in a city, in the great state of Minnesota, and in the United States of America, where we would have a person addressing allegations printed in a newspaper with no other corroborating evidence, is appalling and insulting

to rules of evidence and to the due process provided all citizens of this great nation, elected or not. Coming from a law enforcement background, as an investigator, I am so disappointed that our rules of evidence have been insulted in such a manner.

What I found even more disturbing is for his colleagues, Democrat, Republican or Independent, to virtually say to Senator Hayden, “We believe StarTribune over you.”

It is a concept that I cannot grasp. When you question one’s credibility, integrity and ethics, you unequivocally

need to come with more than newspaper articles to support your allegations, because names and reputations are also being attacked.

As the people we elect to represent us, how dare you accept that as evidence is such a serious allegation. Any judge in this great nation would be offended that you used those articles, which by the admission of many, were fabricated to sell papers. I feel sorry for Dr. Peter Hayden, whose good name was caught up in this debacle in an effort to further vilify Senator Hayden. In fact, if you read the article in StarTribune, posted

after the hearing, the reporter continued to mar Dr. Hayden’s name by continuing to assert that he plays a role with CSI, yet continue to refuse to print Dr. Hayden’s letter stating he has no connection to CSI in the manner in which they are reporting. Please read paragraph 1&4: http://www. startribune.com/politics/ statelocal/280108632.html In the hearing it was proven, and many more witnesses will attest, including me, that Dr. Peter Hayden was never part of CSI nor did he gain financially from CSI. That is lie #1 in the StarTribune article.

Neither Senator Jeff Hayden, nor Senator Champion had anything to do with the financial contract between CSI and the Minneapolis School Board. That was spelled out in the question and answer document from the Superintendent herself, to StarTribune, which was documented in Insight News: http://www.insightnews.com/ extra/mps_transcript.pdf.

Granted Insight News is printed in the “Black community” so I am hopeful that they would receive the same respect and consideration that you have all afforded

StarTribune. That is lie #2 in StarTribune. In fact, they really tried to get the Superintendent to implicate the senators, which she did not.

Furthermore, as to them “bullying” someone on the school board, wouldn’t one believe they would have to bully EVERYONE on the board to get CSI passed?

An open letter, from Professor Nekima Pound-Levy, was sent to the Minneapolis Public School Board, and other education entities: file:///C:/ Users/Lisa/Downloads/Open_

LETTER TURN TO 7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Vote No on Question 1 on Minneapolis Ballot

By James Cook, Minneapolis To supporters of Question 1 on the Minneapolis Ballot: I understand

the notion of streamlining the voting process and eliminating frivolous candidates. I also understand that the measure provides two options for ballot

access. But this proposition logic presupposes race and class equity.

This is not the case, when 2/3 of all minorities in Minneapolis live below the poverty line: $11k for

individuals and $22k for families of 4.

Filing fees of $500 or $250 will eliminate low-income and working poor candidates of all races. You can’t discount the parallel to the first draft of the Constitution, which legalized discrimination based on race and class.

Regarding the signature requirement, keep in mind that African-Americans are 7.54 times more likely to be arrested for

loitering and vagrancy according to today’s ACLU report. Consider the stories of MN Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC) canvassers being harassed by MPD on the Northside. In a practical sense, young AfricanAmericans gathering signatures around dinner time MUST consider the fates of Trayvon Martin and Renisha McBride.

No that is not your reality.

But it is the reality for 2/3 of all minority residents. Their version

of Minneapolis is different than yours. This reality is not accounted for in Question 1. Thanks for continuing the debate on my turf , which I believe is much more diverse in terms of race, class, and political affiliation. Question 1 is well-intended. But Question 1 is still a poll tax.

On November 4th: Vota No Pregunta Uno! Souls to the Polls!

Occupy Voting Booths! Vote No on Question 1!

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Insight News • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Page 7

Blakley named program director at Minnesota Public Radio MPR News today announced a new addition to its leadership team and new audio programs for its audiences.

Jonathan Blakley, formerly of National Public Radio (NPR), will join the newsroom as its new program director, beginning next week. He will oversee radio programming and audio content development within the newsroom. Part of his new portfolio will include a variety of new podcasts that will showcase new voices discussing a range of topics.

“Jonathan’s radio roots run deep. He tells wonderful stories about growing up in a Detroit house with different radio shows resonating throughout,” said Chris Worthington, managing director of MPR News. “We welcome his passion for radio and his breadth of news reporting experience to our newsroom.”

After graduating from Western Michigan University, Blakley helped launch all-news WKZO Radio in Kalamazoo, Mich. and also worked at Detroit’s WWJ CBS Radio before embarking on a global career. At NPR, Blakley worked

as a producer/editor overseeing its Baghdad bureau operations during the war. He has produced stories from the Philippines, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti. Blakley also has followed an academic path at Harvard where he was a Nieman Fellow, primarily studying the Middle East and social media at the Kennedy School of Government.

“I am extraordinarily excited and honored to become part of the award-winning MPR News newsroom. It’s one of the brightest gems in public radio, and I get to return to my native Midwest,” Blakley said. “One of my first childhood memories is my father giving me a hand-sized, nine-volt batterypowered transistor radio that I listened to under my pillow every night. I look forward to guiding MPR News to a new and diverse generation of loyal listeners. Whether they tune us in via transistor radio or the next fancy mobile device, our audiences statewide will get the important reporting and thoughtful analysis they depend on and surely deserve.”

Jonathan Blakley

New podcasts will be part of that new and diverse generation. Geared towards a mobile listening audience, the shows are hosted by a collection of Minnesotans who represent the voices, perspectives and interests of MPR News audiences. Podcast offerings include shows on biking, culture and health, along with diverse views of the news and life.

“We know more than 50 percent of our listeners find us on mobile devices and don’t always make an appointment with their radio. We also know that there’s passionate interest in these topics,” Worthington said. “We believe podcasts will be a great way to connect with these communities, bring their voices to the forefront and to experiment with how we develop content or tell stories.”

The six new podcasts are “Counter Stories,” a weekly conversation on life and the news in Minnesota, from the perspective of members of the state’s communities of color, “Pedal Hub,” a weekly discussion devoted to biking and biking enthusiasts in the Twin

Cities, “Pop Till We Drop,” where three 20-somethings take on pop culture, featuring University of Minnesota Radio K alums Tess Weinberg, Alex Gaterud and Shelby Thomason, “Minnesota Next,” an interview series exploring Minnesota’s future from the point of view of people who will be living in it, “The Interpreters,” a weekly podcast on culture, how we live, how we communicate with each other, what we value, traditions and trends and “Hallberg’s Picture of Health,” conversations between MPR News medical commentator Dr. John Hallberg and “All Things Considered” host Tom Crann, exploring health, wellness, health care, and medicine.

Reaching more than 500,000 listeners each week, the MPR News radio signal can be heard by 95 percent of Minnesotans.

MPR News distributes stories daily to 35 newspapers statewide, shares news coverage with KARE 11 – Minnesota’s largest television station –and has news bureaus around the state and in Washington, D.C.

$103 million in funding for the Energy Assistance Program The Minnesota Department of Commerce announced that Minnesota received $103,239,338 in federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds for Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP).

The funds will help low-income homeowners and renters this heating season pay for heating bills through grant money paid directly to utility companies and heating fuel vendors on behalf of eligible households.

“Year after year, the Energy Assistance Program has helped Minnesotans who struggle to pay for home heating stay warm throughout the winter,” said Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman. “As we experienced with last year’s brutally cold winter combined with high propane prices and a propane shortage, the LIHEAP funds are critical for keeping thousands of households from losing heat.”

The Commerce Department administers EAP in partnership with 31 local service providers throughout the state. EAP is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program helps renters and homeowners

who earn less than 50 percent of the state’s median income ($44,912 for a family of four) obtain grant money to help pay their heating bills.

More than 156,000 served last year Last year, Minnesota served 156,033 households with $114,970,880 in federal funds.

When the propane crisis and cold weather spiked demand for EAP last winter, the Legislature and Governor Mark Dayton responded by providing the additional $20 million in state funds.

EAP assisted more than 59,000 households in “emergency” situations— either no-heat or near no-heat situations—restore heat or avert loss of heat with about $30 million of its funds. A total of 26,937 propane users received EAP funding last year, representing 18 percent of all EAP recipients. This included 16,454 propane households in emergency situations. The average grant per household was $485.

“Energy bills take a big bite out of household budgets and leave many Minnesotans

stretching every dollar to make ends meet,” said Rothman.

“We encourage all Minnesotans who may have difficulty paying their heating bills to apply for EAP. Households that include children under the age of six, people with disabilities, veterans, and seniors are especially encouraged to apply.”

How to apply for Energy Assistance Program Local service providers have reviewed thousands of applications for EAP already this fall, and payments for many who qualified will begin as early as this week. There is still plenty of time for new applicants and for those who qualified last year to reapply, but funding is limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will be taken until June 1, 2015, or until funds run out.

Qualifying households must apply for assistance at the local service provider in their area. Interested households should contact their local service provider by calling 1-800-657-3710 or visiting the Energy Assistance section of the Commerce Department’s

Letter From 6 Letter_on_CSI_Debacle_ and_Minneapolis_Public_ Schools%20(1).pdf.

On October 13, 2014, the Black Advocates for Justice posted Minneapolis School Board Director, Director Dick Mammen’s response (I copied it from their page): October 13 at 9:25pm • Here is the response received today from MPS Board Chair Dick Mammen: Professor Levy-Pounds et al, In response to the 10/8/14 “Open Letter Re: CSI Debacle and Calls for an Independent Investigation” authored by the Black Advocates for Education I offer the following on behalf of the Minneapolis Board of Education specific to the statements, questions and demands made.

1) It is the opinion of our District Counsel that Professional Service Agreements, such as the contract with New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church for CSI services, do not require a public bidding process.

2) Professional Service Agreements commonly appear on the “consent agenda” for approval. Board members have the opportunity to move specific items from the consent agenda for discussion and specific action.

3) The New Bethel contract was included on the consent agenda at the 5/13/14 Board of Education meeting. I am confident that all board members were fully aware of the performance-based contract as negotiated and recommended by the superintendent and her leadership team.

4) The board unanimously approved the consent agenda on an 8-0 vote. (Director Ellison was not in attendance due to illness).

5) We do not approve contracts behind closed

If we go by the Due Process, Senator Hayden was not afforded that right.

doors. All communications of staff and board members are discoverable, all committee and board meetings are open to the public and I believe we have abided by all standards of transparency.

6) The board will participate fully in any investigation ordered by an appropriate authority pertaining to this contract or any other matter concerning alleged “breaches of leadership.”

7) Any further allegations, questions or demands should be directed to our District Counsel for response.

This board and staff are aware of, and working diligently to address, the educational disparities for our students of color. We will continue to reach out for community-driven solutions and engagement to achieve more equitable results.

Lastly, on a personal note, I fully concur with your statement: “It’s a crying shame that while adults play political games for self-enrichment and to increase their personal influence, Minneapolis students are suffering and their potential is being stifled.” Let’s move forward.

Best regards, Richard

I refer you to #4 in Director Mammen’s response, “ The board unanimously approved the consent agenda on an 8-0 vote. (Director Ellison was not in attendance due to illness).”

Because I know Director Ellison quite well, I know that it would have been a 9-0 vote in favor of CSI. Therefore, one would deduce that the senators would have had to threaten ALL of the school board members to get a unanimous vote. That’s lie #3.

My final thought, I believe the use of “Reid Interrogation,”

by Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen was almost criminal. If we go by the Due Process, Senator Hayden was not afforded that right. As a body of elected leaders, Senator Hayden came prepared to prove his innocence and his fellow senators changed the rules, set a new precedence, said we believe StarTribune over our colleague and in the end you have a travesty and mockery of justice. I am hopeful that this does not have a ‘trickledown effect”, where the court systems that decide our guilt or innocence is weighed by articles in StarTribune.

You are not the voices of a few... You are the voices of ALL.

website.

Seek Cold Weather Rule protection In addition to applying for EAP, low-income Minnesotans served by utilities are encouraged to contact their utility and seek protection under the Cold Weather Rule. To prevent heating disconnection during the rule—from Oct. 15, 2014 to April 15, 2015—customers must contact their utility to establish and maintain a monthly payment plan. Households that need to reconnect for winter should contact their utility now to take advantage of the payment options. Minnesota consumers using delivered fuels such as propane, fuel oil, or wood to heat their homes are eligible for EAP but are not eligible under the Cold Weather Rule, which applies to utilities and their customers.

More information on the

Cold Weather Rule is available at the Public Utilities Commission website or by calling 651-2960406 or 800-657-3782.

Propane users should act now Minnesotans who rely on propane to heat their homes, especially those with lower incomes, are urged to plan ahead to avoid the pitfalls of last year’s propane crisis. Consumers should consider a budget plan to pay for their fuel. A new law requires propane distributors to offer all customers a budget plan. Distributors must also notify budget-plan customers of price or fee changes that may affect their monthly payment amount by more than 20 percent.

Also, propane users should fill up their tanks now to avoid the high-demand prices of the winter months. New legislation established consumer protections such as transparent pricing (distributors must inform

customers of current per-gallon price and additional charges, fees and discounts) and the prohibition of extraneous fees (adding any service, distribution, transportation, or other fees to the bills of customers who enter into a contract with the distributor is prohibited). Read more about the consumer protections.

The listing of LIHEAP grant awards to all states and territories can be found at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is here to help.

For information about how to apply for heating assistance call the Department’s Energy Information Center at 1-800657-3710 or visit the Energy Assistance section of the Commerce Department’s website.

Page 8 • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

EDUCATION SPPS principal Dr. Delores Henderson receives National Racial Equity Leadership Award

Dr. Delores Henderson

SPPS

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) Principal Dr. Delores Henderson was honored with the 2014 Charles L. Hopson Racial Equity Principal Leadership award from the Pacific Educational Group (PEG) at its annual summit held last week in New Orleans, La. Henderson is the principal at Hazel Park Preparatory Academy in Saint Paul.

Henderson has been a teacher or principal with SPPS for more than 40 years.

In winning the award, PEG

recognized Henderson’s work both within the district and the community.

“When we all come together as a community we can change the lives of our children and the face of our school district,” Henderson said.

“Because of the equity work by our superintendent, as well as the support of our BOE and you as students, families and community, we are doing equity work in order to meet the needs of all of our children.”

According to PEG

Henderson has been called a “visionary, no excuses principal” who demonstrates daily her belief that all children are gifted. She is a champion for equity not only in the district but also throughout the broader community, where she collaborates with religious and other community leaders to energize constituents around critical education issues.

The Hopson award is named for Dr. Charles L. Hopson (19572012), who is recognized by PEG as a “courageous and competent

racial equity leader who served as Superintendent of Pulaski County Schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. His quiet and gentle determination and persistence was the way in which he moved his revolutionary equity theory into purposeful equity practice.

While finding success in all arenas of leadership, Hopson most appreciated and celebrated his time as principal at Franklin High School in Portland, Ore., where he effectively engaged teachers, students and parents in Courageous Conversation

and courageous leadership. It is because of this innovative work that our leadership award is in his name.”

Pacific Educational Group was founded by Glenn Singleton in 1992 and is committed to achieving racial equity in education. The group engages in sustained partnerships with educational organizations to transform beliefs, behaviors, and results so people of all races can achieve at their highest levels and live their most empowered and powerful lives.

20 million children in need of after school programs (StatePoint) “America After 3 PM,” a new survey commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance, finds that participation in afterschool programs has increased dramatically, from 6.5 million children in 2004 to 10.2 million today. Unmet demand has increased, as well. The parents of 19.4 million children not in afterschool programs say they would enroll their children if programs were available.

Every day, children in afterschool programs expand their horizons, enhance their skills and discover their passions by programming computers, planting gardens, cleaning up parks and playgrounds, and by participating in many more activities that prepare them for college, career and life. But despite an increase in participation over the last decade, the new survey of 30,000 American households found that, for every child currently enrolled in an afterschool program, there are two more who are not – and whose parents

would like them to be.

“I’ve seen firsthand what reams of data have proven: Afterschool programs do remarkable things for our children, families and

communities,” said former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, founder of After-School All-Stars. “They help kids with their homework, teach them teamwork, engage

them in community service, pair them with mentors, give them the chance to get — and stay — physically fit, engage them in activities like rocketry and robotics that turn them on

to 21st-century professions, connect them to community partners, and much more. We need to make an afterschool program available to every child.”

The new “America After 3PM” survey finds that both participation in, and unmet demand for, afterschool programs are much higher among children from lowincome households than households with higher income, and higher among African American and Hispanic than white children. The parents of 60 percent of the nation’s African American children would enroll their children in programs if ones were available, as would the parents of 57 percent of Latino children. The same is true of 35 percent of white children.

“Afterschool programs help students use the skills and information they learn in school, while keeping them safe, inspiring them to learn, and providing essential help to working families,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive

Choir

Director Jodi Grant. “While we have made some progress, we are nowhere close to meeting the demand for afterschool and summer programs. Too many children are missing out on the fun, educational activities afterschool programs offer because federal funding has been stalled for years. It’s past time to increase our country’s investment in afterschool.”

The benefits of afterschool programs are clear to families.

More than eight in ten parents with children in afterschool programs say these programs help working parents keep their jobs. Eighty-five percent say the programs give working parents peace of mind.

“America After 3PM, 2014” was funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Noyce Foundation, with additional support from the Heinz Endowments, The Robert Bowne Foundation and the Samueli Foundation.

Choir of Cuba, Wain McFarlane broke out into an impromptu original song he calls “Buenos Dias.”

His beautiful silver Doboro Guitar strummed a salsa enriched, Cumbia inspired beat that had the Creole Choir of Cuba joining in with their vocals taking it to another level. The drums, tapping and clapping added to the contagious and spontaneous beat. One by one the guests and everyone in the House joined in this old gospel type celebration.

“I made it up on the spot,” said Wain McFarlane of his houseshaking rendition. Inspired by Spanish music and never knowing why, Wain is quick to point out that his roots, while Jamaican, originated in Cuba. “Wain owes his return to health in part, to the Afro-Cuban All Stars,” said his brother Al McFarlane. “Wain had kidney issues and went into a coma a while back. I brought to his bedside an Afro Cuban All Stars CD, played the music continuously on a CD player right above his head, and. I believe, the Cuban music helped him find his way out of the 10-day coma.

When he awoke from his coma he was speaking in Spanish.”

Wain McFarlane said it was the music that brought him back to life. He said the spirit helped keep him alive and drew him deeper into his Cuban roots. Wain McFarlane said he is on a mission now and looks forward to discovering the Latino in him through the music and his Afrodescendiente roots.

From 1 to a different time and place with their melodies. “I anticipated a miracle and I got one. The power of the African Diaspora is in harmony today,” said Hickman.

The morning was a poignant one for the McFarlane family, staff, community members and Ordway staff members. Among the guests was Professor Mahmoud ElKati who said he found himself astounded by the power of the event, adding “In every song they produce the rhythms, the feelings through music, come from mother Africa.”

Patricia Mitchell, President and CEO of the Ordway, moved by the transformation shared her thoughts on what she was witnessing.

“This is World Music,” said Mitchell. “The Ordway chaperoned the idea of celebrating culture with a focus on artists of Cuba. All arts can touch people all the arts together can introduce people back to themselves.”

Dayna Martinez, Ordway artistic director of world music, dance and international children’s festival said it was, “An emotional day for everyone. The music, the harmony the spirit filled me leaving me almost speechless.”

It was also a celebration of Wain McFarlane’s spirit. In honor of the Emmy nominated Creole

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Insight News • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Page 9

COMMUNITY Cars review: Volkswagen 2015 lineup

By Frank S. Washington NNPA Columnist AboutThatCar.com MIDDLEBURG, Va. – We came here to get a look at Volkswagen’s offerings for the 2015 model year. Normally, during these full-line previews there are a few tweaks here and some burnishing there. But VW did have a triad of new stuff that will help its presence in the U.S. market.

The German automaker has come a long way from the days when its calling card in this market was the Beetle. here are 11 different Volkswagen models.

Add trim lines – which we didn’t do – and that number multiplies to scores of vehicles that are derived from the Beetle, the Beetle Convertible, the CC, the e-Golf, the Golf, the Golf GTI, the Jetta, the Passat, the Tiguan and the Touareg.

The model that will probably get the most coverage is the fully electric version of the new Volkswagen Golf that was introduced earlier this year.

Briefly, the e-Golf’s electric motor develops the equivalent of 115 horsepower and 199 poundfeet of torque. It has a range of 70 to 90 miles.

On an all too short test drive, we found the e-Golf to be extremely quiet. The only thing we could hear was just a bit of wind noise over the roof. The car accelerated smartly, handled well and it was pretty nimble in the heavy traffic that engulfs

2015 e-Golf suburban Washington, D.C. The quick judgment is that this car can handle routine short haul driving without a hitch.

The e-Golf comes with a road side assistance plan that is meant to reduce what Volkswagen called range anxiety. Using a fast charger, the lithium-ion battery can be charged to 80 percent capacity in a half hour and its

distinguishing design cue is that it has LED headlights as well as LED daytime running lights.

The e-Golf goes on sale in November; the base price will be $36,265. Presumably, Volkswagen does not expect to sell a bunch of e-Golfs but to get to the next level of battery technology the automaker and its peers have got to get real

world experience in electric cars, especially battery technology and charging stations. And the e-Golf is Volkswagen’s effort.

However, the automaker’s best-selling model, the Jetta, gets a new diesel engine that will be used in other VW diesel models.

The Volkswagen Group sells more diesel powered vehicles in the U.S. than any automaker.

The new clean burning diesel is a 2.0-liter TDI that makes 150 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. When mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the 2015 TDI Jetta gets 31 mpg in the city and 46 mpg on the highway. With an automatic gearbox, city mileage remains the same while highway mileage falls one mile per gallon

to 45.

The Jetta also gets a new 1.8-liter turbocharged fourcylinder that makes 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Surprisingly, with either the six-speed manual or the six-speed automatic transmission fuel consumption for the 1.8-liter remains the same: 25 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

The new Jetta can be equipped with Bi-Xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights.

The Hybrid, the 2.0-liter and the 2.0-liter turbo remain.

Four engine choices with multiple gear boxes that range from manuals to dual clutch transmissions to plain old automatic transmission and multiple trim lines result in base pricing for the Jetta that starts at $17,035 for the 2.0-liter base Jetta with a five-speed manual transmission to $32,490 for the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL Premium.

The third significant change and perhaps best of all is that the electrical layout of 2015 Volkswagens has been changed so that beginning next year the vehicles will be equipped with USB jacks. No matter the model, the name of the game in the future is connectivity and without USB jacks Volkswagen was at a distinct disadvantage, especially with younger customers.

Now, the automaker from Wolfsburg has really entered the 21st century.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com

Hallie Q. Brown hosts holiday happiness with Fare For All For the second year, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center will partner with Fare For All to bring the holidays to community members. Fare For All, a local food program created to make fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable to Twin Cities families, will be selling its wildly popular Holiday Packs at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center in the Summit University Neighborhood.

Fare for All purchases fresh fruits, vegetables and frozen meats in bulk and passes on the

savings at 30 metro locations to anyone who wants to stretch their food budget. Participants in the program save up to 40 percent on their food purchases.

With prices ranging from $10 to $30 per package, the end result is that families who utilize the program have access to and consume more nutritious staples.

The program has no income requirements and is open to everyone who is looking to save money. There are no forms to complete and cash, credit,

debit and EBT cards are all accepted. As a result, monthly distributions at the Center have grown exponentially in their first year onsite, attracting neighbors from the wider area as well as regular visitors to other Center programming.

The twin pressures of increasing family food costs and holiday demand also translate into demand for this much-anticipated event. “Many families have been forced to cut back on fresh produce and lean meats because of ever-

shrinking food budgets. The program is designed to help make affordable, healthy foods available to those families— especially during the holiday season,� said Sophia LenarzCoy, the Program Director for Fare For All. Each $30 Holiday Pack includes an 8-12 pound turkey, a pork roast, boneless-skinless chicken breasts, a pork sausage roll, green beans, and an apple pie. The distribution will take place at Thursday November 13th from 4:00-6:00pm. The

Hallie Q. Brown Community Center is located at 270 N. Kent Street. For further info on the Center, go to: http://www. hallieqbrown.org. Additional distribution dates and a map of Fare For All locations are available on Facebook or at http://www.fareforall.org.

Founded in 1929, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Inc. is an African American nonprofit social service agency providing programming in Early Childhood Education, After School and Summer

Enrichment, Basic Needs, Senior services, open to all people with a primary focus on the Summit University neighborhood and the Twin Cities Metro area and is the administrative body of the Martin Luther King Center, which houses its partners offering specialized services and programs, including Project Cheer, Prepare and Prosper (formerly Accountability Minnesota) and the nationally recognized Penumbra Theatre Company.

Commentary

they didn’t receive. This path blames the unemployed for not being trained for workforce opportunity, and then frees business to suppress wages for workers who are desperate because they are locked at the bottom of the workforce demand/supply equation.

This is the path whose calling card is voter disenfranchisement. In the last general election, its spear was the Voter ID amendment.

But there are other insidious strategies targeting Black communities in efforts to suppress the Black vote and derail progressive policies.

That’s what’s behind Republican attacks on Sen. Jeff Hayden, and Sen. Bobby Champion.

Pre-election partisan mudsling is at the root of republican charges of ethics violations, and the goal of the mud is voter intimidation and voter disenfranchisement in

our community, while rallying right wing bloodlust for efforts to hijack and lynch the interests and aspirations of our people and our progressive allies.

The Star Tribune-fueled attacks on Hayden and Champion are the Minnesota version of attacks of President Barack Obama.

In my interview last week with esteemed civil rights pioneer, Georgia’s Congressman John Lewis, the congressman said no other president has been so viciously attacked as President Obama.

Lewis said Republicans vowed and have attempted to do all they could to ensure the nation’s first Black president would fail. He said evidence of their pernicious intent is surfacing around the nation as we move into the mid-term elections.

What is the Minnesota parallel? The Star Tribune

and Minnesota Republican leadership appear to be lock-step in attempting to derail the leadership and reelection of Gov. Mark Dayton.

Hayden and Champion have been legislative architects of the Dayton era strategy of fairness, equity and access for all Minnesotans, especially disenfranchised and ignored communities of color.

A small part of our community, sadly, is complicit in the attack on the senators’ stellar leadership and consequently our interests. In history, there are catch phrases that describe the internal strife that that distracts our and public attention from the crises that we should be united to fight.

In the old days, the rule was “divide and conquer.� So as a matter of strategy, those who wish to control, immobilize and or disregard our aims

and aspirations could always find or create and uphold dissenting voices among us.

The consequence? We turn on each other rather than to each other.

That concept was also described as the Willie Lynch Syndrome, in reference to a letter supposedly written by a slave-holder advising other Antebellum whites on tactics to insure that Blacks would never trust each other, and therefore never challenge white power and supremacy.

I have referred to our willingness to destroy each other as cannibalistic. We devour our own community from within, blind to the idea that the world is a pasture, ripe with problems that invite our investment of time, energy, treasure and genius. We kill our own dreams.

And given the crisis in the world today, the image

of political or cultural Ebola comes to mind.

What is eating us from within is dangerous and deadly.

But here is the real truth.

Problem solving is big business in America and in the world.

There are enough problems for everybody to be at work, fulltime. Let us not fall prey to the predictable crabs in a barrel condition of tearing at each other, but rather let us organize and demand our fair share of resources to bring our solutions to the service of our community and humanity.

Don’t believe the propaganda that blames Black people for disparities in health, education, employment, home ownership and wealth, and civic engagement. Look at the real problem. I say it this way.

They get the money, we get the misery. Let’s change the equation.

From 1 But there is a conservative path that seeks to choke back government’s role in our lives, freeing the market, theoretically, to advance and reward individual initiative, unencumbered by law, policy or the idea of inclusion. This path says that market knows what is best for the market and that government should be throttled, reigned in, and allowed to do only what the market doesn’t effectively do.

This is the path that seeks to kick hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans out of the state’s successful health insurance exchange program. This is the path that robs public education and childcare, and then blames the uneducated and undereducated for the education

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VIKING STADIUM - MINNEAPOLIS, MN We are currently accepting applications for the following positions: General Manager, Director of Marketing and Sales, Sales Manager and Marketing Coordinator.

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One year+ part-time position in St. Paul as youth organizer at District 1 Community Council. For detailed job posting visit district1council.blogspot.com. Nov 21 application deadline.

Vacancies Cokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at 320-286-2758. E-Mail cokapts@embarqmail.com

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Page 10 • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Insight News

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Walker Art Center presents Faustin Linyekula and Panaibra Gabriel Canda solos in Tales of Home: Congo / Mozambique The Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, is set to present “Tales of Home: Congo/Mozambique.”

This two-evening program is an intimately scaled dance-theater, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7 and 8, 8 p.m. in the William and Nadine McGuire Theater. In both full-length works, Faustin Linyekula and Panaibra Gabriel Canda grapple with the complex histories of their countries by reigniting memories of, and experiences with, their fathers and their own experiences of dislocation, forced

emigration and cultural assimilation.

They present, in very different ways, intimate and personal points of view on colonialized and postcolonial Africa, familial and national histories and global society. In the process, they reveal the rigor and passions of their contemporary lives.

Faustin Linyekula “Tales of Home: Congo/Mozambique” Friday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

Agathe Poupeney

WALKER TURN TO 11

Faustin Linyekula performing Le Cargo

Sven Creutzmann

Camaguey, Cuba comes to the Ordway

By Carmen Robles, Associate Editor, for Afrodescendientes Enriching, evocative and captivating …with only conga drums, whistles, sticks and a blend of voices that is the heart and soul of Cuba, where music keeps history alive, the Creole Choir took the Ordway audience into the streets of Camaguey,

Cuba.

The images of the island’s third largest city flashed across a screen that served as a backdrop enhancing the haunting rhythms of the 10-member Creole Choir of Cuba. Creole is Cuba’s second language, a combination of African, French and other dialects. It is the language of a people twice exiled, first from Africa then from Haiti. The Creole Choir of Cuba members

are all direct descendents of Haitian migrants who came to Cuba more than 200 years ago to escape enslavement, only to become slaves in the sugar and coffee plantations. The choir’s rich voices were echoing the feelings of their ancestors, each song a vignette recanting powerful Haitian history keeping the old ways and tradition alive by the Emmy nominated Creole Choir of Cuba.

The standing room only pre show gathering in the Ordway’s elegant foyer was an enlightening prelude to the stunning and cleverly imagined choreography that not only entertained but enriched the audience on the struggles which still exist for Afro-decedents.

The African influence was clearly visible in every aspect of the performance including the lively dresses the women wore

where the wrapping of head ties is part of the dress, and the equally colorful and elegant “chemizif ” (shirts) worn by the men. Every movement seemed to have a specific meaning and every expression of the dancer’s hands had great significance in creating that picture. The tempo of the women’s hand gestures resembled the Hawaiian dance of elegant hand motion when telling their story. There was also

a distinct similarity to the Native Indian Jingle Dance, where the leg comes up and kicks out, the foot pointing as if giving direction, followed by a sort of twerking – further evidence of how our world is connected through music and dance.

The choreographed arrangements in “Camina como Chencha” (walk like a

ORDWAY TURN TO 11

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Insight News • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Page 11 K.Raydio and O-D

business.

MURS

Saturday, Nov. 8 SOUL/HIP-HOP/ PERFORMANCE K.Raydio & O-D “One Drop” Album Release Party Icehouse 2528 Nicollet Ave. S. Minneapolis 10:30 p.m.

21-plus $6 advance, $8 door

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9

Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking.

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

Soul singer/songwriter K.Raydio and hip-hop producer O-D bring you the release of their new album, “One Drop.”

Following the breakout record “LucidDreamingSkylines” with Psymun, K.Raydio’s infectious tone received praise from Okayplayer, 2Dopeboyz, BBC and MPR. “One Drop” further explores her narrative, with songs detailing an upbringing as a multi-racial young woman, finding a niche in monochromatic settings throughout the Midwest, and developing the grit to prove herself on any stage.

Etana

Monday, Nov. 3

Presale tickets are available at http://tinyurl.com/OneDropTix.

HEALTH/DANCE/CLASS House of Dance Twin Cities 11 7th Ave. N., Hopkins $20 per class or $110 for six weeks House of Dance is a dance instruction and physical fitness space in Hopkins that also serves youth. The specialty six-week yoga class is specifically designed for dancers and those who lead active lifestyles. The class is meant to explore ways in which to maintain and develop strength, length and stability throughout the body and its joints.

Tuesday, Nov. 4 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Coloring Time Icehouse 2528 Nicollet Ave.,

Walker From 10 Following the success of his recent work “more more more … future,” Linyekula presents his first-ever choreographed solo with “Le Cargo.” The interpretation tells of the artist’s return home in search of things lost and the dance, people, and music he reclaimed in the process.

Dancer and choreographer, Linyekula lives and works in Kisangani, northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After literature studies in Kisangani, he moved to Nairobi in 1993 and in 1997 set up with Opiyo

Ordway From 10 Chencha) were enlightening and entertaining, releasing all the emotions evoked earlier by the haunting tune of “Soufle Van – Mangaje” (bows the wind).

The choir, pulling its audience instantly into the stories’ pain through the soprano’s rich sobs made it difficult for some to choke back tears. The men’s deep tenor voices echoed throughout the Ordway Theater.

The penetrating tones made one feel the thirst of those who do not have the access to water that others are blessed with.

This wasn’t just a concert; it was an educational journey giving the audience a reminder that Haiti is still recovering from the devastating earthquake of January 2010 that wiped out 2 percent of the island’s

Sunday, Nov. 9 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Minneapolis 10 p.m.

21-plus No cover With a cast that includes Joe Horton of No Bird Sing, Kristoff Krane and a who’s who of musicians Coloring Time has become a staple event in the Twin Cities.

Once a month the players get together to play fully improvised sets of music.

Wednesday, Nov. 5 REGGAE/PERFORMANCE

Culture with Step by Step Band Wilebski’s Blues Saloon 1638 Rice St., St. Paul 21-plus $20 advance general admission, $30 door, VIP $40 advance, $50 door One of the greatest voices to come out of reggae music is Kingston’s Cocoa Tea. His 1991 hit “Rocking Dolly” is a classic from his long list of singles and albums. Former back up singer for Richie Spice, Etana has become one of the most recognized voices in roots reggae. She opens along with Louie Culture. The event is hosted by Trinny Cee with sound by Verb X.

Cocoa Tea, Etana and Louie

Okach the Gàara company, Kenya’s first contemporary dance company. Back in Congo in 2001, he created the Studios Kabako in Kinshasa, a space dedicated to dance and visual theater, providing training programs, as well as supporting research and creation. Memory, forgetting, and the suppression of memory are reoccurring themes of his work as he addresses the legacy of decades of war, terror, fear and the collapse of the economy for himself, his family and his friends. “more more more... future” has been extensively touring in Europe, Canada and Africa. The United States tour, produced by MAPP International Productions,

population. The choir boldly, purposely led the audience right into reality through its haunting melodies and brought the crowd joy through folklores like those of “Panama Mwen Tonbe” (my hat fell off ) and “Juarmento” (a promise), which got the audience out of their seats, out into the aisles and up on stage in a jubilant celebration of hope.

“Raices y Suenos: the Artistry of Cuba” is the work of Taking Our Place Centerstage, a multiyear initiative that demonstrates the Ordway’s ongoing commitment to community engagement, education and audience development. The final public performance of “A Night in Havana with Nachito Herrera and his Cuban Orchestra” is Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.

Contact the Ordway at www. ordway.org to order tickets and to get information for other performances.

Thursday, November 6th MIXED MEDIA/VISUAL ART The Blacker the Berry ...

Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis 6 p.m.

Free More than 50 Twin Cities women of color performance and visual artists come together for a multidisciplinary performance and companion visual arts exhibit.

The exhibition articulates

traveled to Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Albuquerque and Chicago. It was awarded the 2012 Bessie Award for Best Music Composition.

Panaibra Gabriel Canda: “Time and Spaces: Marrabenta Solos” Saturday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m.

Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, Mozambique has been a land of social and political rifts where an inflexible communist model gradually made way for a fragile democracy. This complex history is carried in Marrabenta, a musical form born in the 1930s from a mix of local and European influences.

“I have been listening to Marrabenta since I was born, as my father was a singer and guitar player of Marrabenta.

My memories of this musical universe listening to my father singing and playing, is the starting point…It is a journey that grows out of the life, love and history of Southern Africa,” said dancer and choreographer, Canda.

“Time and Spaces: Marrabenta Solos” deconstructs cultural representations of a “pure” African body.

Accompanied by virtuoso guitarist Jorge Domingos, Canda dances and speaks about today’s African body that has absorbed the elements of colonialism, nationalism, modernity, and freedom of expression.

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

a personal and intellectual examination of women’s bodies and experiences through photography, mixed media, video installation, textile arts and more.”

Friday, Nov. 7 George Lopez Orpheum Theatre 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 8 p.m.

Standup comic George Lopez has never been afraid to talk about race in his material. A close friend of Bernie Mac, and star of the “George Lopez Show,” Lopez is one of the most respected names in the

Canda was born in Maputo, Mozambique.

His father was a musician, guitarist and Marrabenta singer and composer and his mother a dressmaker. Canda received training in music, theater and dance. During his training in contemporary dance, he attended workshops in Lisbon sponsored by Danças nas Cidades, where he studied with Vera Mantero (Portugal), Frans Poelstra (Netherlands), Meg Stuart (US/Belgium), Reggie Wilson (U.S.) and others.

Canda has greatly influenced contemporary dance in Mozambique and is recognized as one of the innovative and influential artists on the African

The Mursday Tour ft. Murs X Mayday and Ces Cru Skyway Theatre 711 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 8 p.m. $12 – $25 Strange Music’s newest signee Murs has had a close relationship with Minnesota for years. A close relationship with Def Jux and Rhymesayers has brought him through town on several tours. He also releases music as Felt with Slug of Atmosphere on the Minneapolis based label. His business ventures have seen major success through album sales, his festival Paid Dues, and more.

continent. In 1998 he founded CulturArte, a company and producing organization through which he has been developing artistic projects, workshops and training programs.

As a dancer and choreographer, Canda has won awards and created works that have been presented in the U.S., Africa, Europe and Latin America.

In 2006 he won second prize at the African choreographic meeting in Paris for the work, “Inside of Me Another Island” and in 2008 he garnered a ZKB patronage prize in Zurich Switzerland for “Mafalala2.”

Page 12 • November 3 - November 9, 2014 • Insight News

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Choose well New choices in health care are here. Introducing UCare ChoicesSM, affordable new health plans from a leader in Minnesota health care, with coverage for young adults, families, empty nesters and everyone in between.

Find out more at UCareChoices.org, and look for us on the MNsure health insurance marketplace. Choose well. Choose UCare Choices.