Insight News ::: 11.4.13

Raul Midón and Lizz Wright delight at the Ordway MORE ON PAGE 5

November 4 - November 10, 2013

Vol. 40 No. 45 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

NAZ: 1,300 children on college track

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer In a basement room lined with college banners, inside the Five Points Building, staffers, parents and partners celebrated Northside Achievement Zone’s (NAZ) milestone of having 1,300 students enrolled and on track to be college ready.

NAZ, through its Promise Neighborhood is seeking to build a culture of achievement in a geographic zone between 35th Avenue to the north, Penn Avenue to the west, West Broadway to the south and Interstate 94 to the east. Naz’s goal for its Promise Neighborhood is to graduate children college ready and end a cycle of poverty within the north

Minneapolis area. And though it was a celebratory atmosphere, Geoffrey Canada, founder of the famed Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc., told staffers the celebration should be short-lived as there is plenty more work to be done.

“We except no excuses for failure,” said Canada, speaking to a room of about 50 staffers, parents and NAZ partners. “Our kids have been failed for too long. People have to do more.

You have to double your efforts of what got you to this point.

If you keep doing the same, you’ll be in this same place next year. This is the beginning of a process that takes time, but in a community that doesn’t have time to wait.”

NAZ TURN TO 4

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Geoffrey Canada addresses staff, parents and partners of the Northside Achievement Zone’s (NAZ) Promise Neighborhood. NAZ reached a milestone of 500 families and 1,300 students enrolled in its college readiness program.

Target initiates ban the box nationwide In an overflow meeting at the Capri Theater, executives with Target Corporation engaged in a dialog about how corporate hiring policies prevent people with criminal arrest – disproportionately people of color – from securing a job.

The community meeting was organized by TakeAction Minnesota through its Justice 4 All, fair hiring campaign.

Jim Rowader, Target’s vice president of employee and labor relations, announced during the meeting that the company would institute a nationwide ban on the checkbox included on employment applications that screens for an applicant’s past criminal history. Officials with TakeAction said the move is a TakeAction Minnesota

Panel discussion moderated by Nekima Levy-Pounds featuring TakeAction Minnesota leaders Renee Zschokke, James Cannon, and Larcel Mack

JOBS TURN TO 10

Urban league tribute to Charles Nichols The Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) mourns the death of Charles Nichols, an educator, advisor, advocate, and public servant.

The League also pays tribute to Nichols’ legacy as a trusted leader and mentor who championed efforts to inspire youth to become productive citizens and future leaders of their community. Those whose lives he touched will remember a patient instructor, a strict but caring school administrator, a principled professional, and a seriously fun-loving and witty colleague.

Nichols was identified as a candidate for the Minneapolis Urban League’s board of directors back in 1987, and

Charles Nichols

MUL

would eventually become board chair. He was trusted

NICHOLS TURN TO 4

Newark’s Cory Booker wins Senate seat

By Glenn Townes Special to the NNPA from The New York Amsterdam News In what many expected Newark Mayor Cory Booker nabbed the coveted U.S. Senate seat in a hotly contested race against Republican hopeful Steve Lonegan at a special election on Wednesday in New Jersey. The gregarious mayor becomes the

first African American elected to the U.S. Senate since President Barack Obama.

Booker, 44 made his acceptance speech just two hours after polling centers across the state closed and put the new Senator-elect with more than 56 percent of the vote—with about 75 percent of all precincts reporting. Booker eventually garnered about 710,000 votes or about 55 percent compared to Lonegan’s 579,000 or about 44 percent with nearly all precincts

Newark Mayor Cory Booker

Insight2Health

Sports

Yoga: Is it right for you?

North’s season comes to an end

PAGE 2

PAGE 4

Nets/Pistons

reported. Booker will fill the vacant Senate seat of longtime politico Frank Lautenberg, who passed away earlier this year.

Delivering a fire and brimstone acceptance speech to a standing room audience at Booker election campaign headquarters at NJPAC Center in Newark, the gregarious and charismatic outgoing mayor paid homage to his modest beginnings; paid tribute to his father, Cary, who passed away last week and hinted about some

Moore therapy movement

of his plans as the Garden state’s newest senator in Washington. “I will join Senator Menendez in moving the people of New Jersey ahead,” he said. “But make no mistake, we have work to do!”

The mantra of “work to do” has long been a staple in dozens of Booker’s speeches—including one of his first speeches after becoming mayor in 2006.

Lonegan conceded defeat in a

BOOKER TURN TO 12

Who is to blame for the government shutdown?

In order to grow, you have to MOVE

PAGE 9

insightnews.com poll

Page 2 • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Insight News

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IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?

By Mayo Clinic staff Your mobile phone is ringing, your boss wants to talk to you and your partner wants to know what’s for dinner. Stress and anxiety are everywhere. If they’re getting the best of you, you might want to hit the mat and give yoga a try.

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines stretching exercises, controlled breathing and relaxation. Yoga can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve heart function. And almost anyone can do it.

Understanding yoga Yoga is considered a mind-body type of complementary and alternative medicine practice. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping you relax and manage stress and anxiety.

Yoga has many styles, forms and intensities. Hatha yoga, in particular, may be a good choice for stress management. Hatha is one of the most common styles of yoga, and beginners may like its slower pace and easier movements. But most people can benefit from any style of yoga — it’s all about your personal preferences.

The core components of hatha yoga and most general yoga classes are: • Poses. Yoga poses, also called postures, are a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility. Poses range from lying on the floor while completely relaxed to difficult postures that may have you stretching your physical limits.

• Breathing. Controlling your breathing is an important part of yoga. In yoga, breath signifies your vital energy. Yoga teaches that controlling your breathing can help you control your body and quiet your mind.

© PhotoXpress

The health benefits of yoga The potential health benefits of yoga include: • Stress reduction. A number of studies have shown that yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety. It can also enhance your mood and overall sense of well-being.

• Improved fitness. Practicing yoga can lead to improved balance, flexibility, range of motion and strength. And this means you’re less likely to injure yourself in other physical endeavors or in your daily activities.

Management of chronic conditions. Yoga can help reduce risk factors for chronic diseases, such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Yoga might also help alleviate chronic conditions, such as depression, pain, anxiety and insomnia.

Yoga precautions Yoga is generally considered safe for most healthy people when practiced under the

WHAT IS “HOT YOGA”?

By Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. Hot yoga is a vigorous form of yoga performed in a studio that is heated to 105 F (40 C) and has a humidity of 40 percent. The formal name for hot yoga is Bikram.

Bikram yoga is a 90-minute program that consists of a series of 26 postures. The postures require lengthy, forceful and

well-controlled contractions of all major muscle groups. The demanding nature of the poses and the heat are designed to raise your heart rate and tire your muscles.

Because of its intensity and potential to cause heatrelated illness, hot yoga isn’t for everyone. Be sure you check with your doctor before trying hot yoga if you have any health concerns.

If you have heart disease, problems with dehydration or heat

intolerance, or have had heatrelated illness (such as heatstroke) in the past, it is probably best to skip hot yoga. Pregnant women should also pass on this type of yoga.

If you have no health concerns and you want to try a hot yoga class, be sure to drink plenty of water, and stop if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or sick in any way.

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

guidance of a trained instructor. But there are some situations in which yoga might pose a risk.

See your health care provider before you begin yoga if you have any of the following conditions or situations: • A herniated disk • A risk of blood clots • Deconditioned state • Eye conditions, including glaucoma • Hyperthyroidism • Pregnancy • Severe balance problems • Severe osteoporosis • Uncontrolled blood pressure You may be able to practice yoga in these situations if you take certain precautions, such as avoiding certain poses or stretches. If you develop symptoms or concerns, see your doctor to make sure you’re getting benefit and not harm from yoga.

Getting started Although you can learn yoga from books and videos, beginners usually find it helpful to learn with an instructor. Classes also offer camaraderie and friendship, which are also important to overall well-being.

When you find a class that sounds interesting, talk with the instructor so that you know what to expect. Questions to ask include: • What are the instructor’s qualifications?

Where did he or she train and how long has he or she been teaching?

• Does the instructor have experience working with students with your needs or health concerns? If you have a sore knee or an aching shoulder, can the instructor help you find poses that won’t aggravate your condition?

• How demanding is the class? Is it suitable for beginners? Will it be easy enough to follow along if it’s your first time?

• What can you expect from the class?

Is it aimed at your needs, such as stress management or relaxation, or is it geared for people who want to reap other benefits?

Achieving the right balance Everyone’s body is different, and yoga postures should be modified based on individual abilities. Selecting an instructor who is experienced and attentive to your needs is an important first step to a safe and effective yoga practice.

Regardless of which type of yoga you practice, you don’t have to do every pose.

If a pose is uncomfortable or you can’t hold it as long as the instructor requests, don’t do it. Good instructors will understand and encourage you to explore — but not exceed — your personal limits.

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

A number of studies have shown that yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety. It can also enhance your mood and overall sense of well-being.

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Insight News • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Page 3

HEALTH Massage: Get in touch with its many benefits Massage is no longer available only through luxury spas and upscale health clubs. Today, massage therapy is offered in businesses, clinics, hospitals and even airports. If you’ve never tried massage, learn about its possible health benefits and what to expect during a massage therapy session.

What is massage?

Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage therapists typically use their hands and fingers for massage, but may also use their forearms, elbows and even feet. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure.

There are many different types of massage, including these common types: Swedish massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep

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oils or lotions

circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and energize you.

Deep massage. This massage technique uses slower, moreforceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.

Sports massage. This is similar to Swedish massage, but it’s geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.

Trigger point massage. This massage focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.

Benefits of massage Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine.

It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.

Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension.

While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found massage may also be helpful for: • Anxiety • Digestive disorders • Fibromyalgia • Headaches • Insomnia related to stress • Myofascial pain syndrome • Paresthesias and nerve pain • Soft tissue strains or injuries • Sports injuries • Temporomandibular joint pain Beyond the benefits for

Massage: Get in touch with its many benefits

© PhotoXpress

specific conditions or diseases, some people enjoy massage because it often involves caring, comfort, a sense of empowerment and creating deep connections with their massage therapist.

Despite its benefits, massage isn’t meant as a replacement for regular medical care. Let your doctor know you’re trying massage and be sure to follow any standard treatment plans you have.

Risks of massage Most people can benefit from massage. However, massage may not be appropriate if you have: • Bleeding disorders or take blood-thinning medication • Burns, open or healing wounds • Deep vein thrombosis

• Fractures • Severe osteoporosis • Severe thrombocytopenia Discuss the pros and cons of massage with your doctor, especially if you are pregnant or have cancer or unexplained pain.

Some forms of massage can leave you feeling a bit sore the next day. But massage shouldn’t ordinarily be painful or uncomfortable. If any part of your massage doesn’t feel right or is painful, speak up right away. Most serious problems come from too much pressure during massage.

In rare circumstances, massage can cause: • Internal bleeding • Nerve damage • Temporary paralysis • Allergic reactions to massage

What you can expect during a massage You don’t need any special preparation for massage. Before a massage therapy session starts, your massage therapist should ask you about any symptoms, your medical history and what you’re hoping to get out of massage.

Your massage therapist should explain the kind of massage and techniques he or she will use.

In a typical massage therapy session, you undress or wear loosefitting clothing. Undress only to the point that you’re comfortable. You generally lie on a table and cover yourself with a sheet. You can also have a massage while sitting in a chair, fully clothed. Your massage therapist should perform an evaluation through touch to locate painful or tense areas and to determine how much pressure to apply.

Depending on preference, your massage therapist may use oil or lotion to reduce friction on your skin. Tell your massage therapist if you might be allergic to any ingredients.

A massage session may last from 15 to 90 minutes, depending on the type of massage and how much time you have. No matter what kind of massage you choose, you should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage.

If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, ask for lighter pressure. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle

that feels like a knot. It’s likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out.

But if it becomes painful, speak up.

Finding a massage therapist Massage can be performed by several types of health care professionals, such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist or massage therapist. Ask your doctor or someone else you trust for a recommendation. Most states regulate massage therapists through licensing, registration or certification requirements.

Don’t be afraid to ask a potential massage therapist such questions as: • Are you licensed, certified or registered?

• What is your training and experience?

• How many massage therapy sessions do you think I’ll need?

• What’s the cost, and is it covered by health insurance?

The take-home message about massage Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself.

To the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and wellbeing, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever. You can even learn how to do self-massage or to engage in massage with a partner at home.

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

American Cancer Society to accept “walk-ins” during last phase of historic cancer prevention study Area residents will be able to take part in the nation’s largest cancer study in recent years by simply walking in the door of what will be the last phase of the American Cancer Society’s historic cancer prevention study (CPS-3).

The event takes place Tuesday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Midtown Global Market, 920 East Lake St., Minneapolis.

Normally those who enroll in CPS-3 are asked to pre-register online prior to showing up for an in-person appointment, however the American Cancer Society is attempting to make sure those who want to be included in the study will not be left out due to any kind of technicalities.

It is also encouraging as many people of color to take part in this study, including in particular African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian-Americans.

“We’re very close to reaching our goal of 300,000 people

nationwide for this historic study,” said Holly Guerrero of the American Cancer Society.

“It is vital that we reach a good balanced mix of people in the Twin Cities to make this study as population- accurate and representative of the people of Minnesota as possible. This is our best chance ever to finding the answers to cancer.”

The study calls for people between 30 and 65 years old who have never been diagnosed with cancer. Signing up requires a one-time in-person visit to read and sign a consent form, complete a survey, have waist measured and give a small non-fasting blood sample.

Participants will also complete a more detailed survey at home and will continue to receive periodic follow-up surveys in the future that researchers will use to look for more clues to cancer’s causes. Interested parties can pre-enroll at www. cps3globalmarket.org.

Previous cancer prevention studies by the American Cancer Society confirmed

the link of smoking and lung cancer, and the relationship of the environment, healthy-

eating and lack of exercise on various cancers.

Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Alysha Price Photography Suluki Fardan Michele Spaise 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.

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Page 4 • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Insight News

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North’s season comes to an end

By Nolan Cramer Even though the State High School Football Tournament 1A section has not yet seen a champion, the North Community High Polars’ season ended in a 54 - 26 loss to Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity at Hobbs Field on Saturday, Oct. 26. After the game Head Coach Charles Adams assured the team he considered them champions by the significant achievement this season. Last year North went through a rough gridiron grind with an overall record of 2 – 7, including a 45-0 loss to Patrick Henry High School.

This year the Polars finished with a record of six wins and three defeats. Adams noted throughout the season that there was a constant evidence of core players demonstrating a solid commitment of dedication.

Two additions to the coaching side of the practice field aided greatly in molding the offence and defensive depth, which the Polars needed. North fans should have a reason for optimism for another big year next season as most of the starters on both sides of the ball should return next season.

NAZ From 1 Staffers were told to briefly celebrate their accomplishments, but to stride forward, bit-by-bit.

“There was a time when I was losing more than we were saving (with the Harlem Children’s Zone), but that’s not the case anymore. We’re not losing 70 percent, now we’re losing 7 percent. People have got to do more. Accountability is key.”

The renowned educator

Nichols From 1 and admired amongst MUL funders and stakeholders,

Nolan Cramer

Pictured are graduating seniors: 7 Kevin Harris, 5 Marcus Jackson, 59 Preston Halbert, 94 Damontez Powell, 46 Badamasi Awode, 4 Lorenzo Hargrove, 23 Kenny Reed said when he started he had 50 children in college, but today his program has 960 students currently enrolled in college in what he and others have dubbed the “cradle to college pipeline.”

Canada, who has visited with staff at NAZ three times within the past 15 months, said the work is challenging, but if it were not a challenge, there would be no need for the work.

“This work is not for everyone. Most don’t want to find the problems, much less solve them,” said Canada, who has been featured on 60 Minutes, the Oprah

Winfrey Show, CNN, MSNBC and had been honored by U.S. News and World Report as one of ‘America’s Best Leaders.’ “Don’t come to me saying we can’t help that kid, ‘that kid is bad.’ Yes, I know he’s bad, that’s why we’re here. Yes, I know there are gangs here. That’s why we’re here.

You’re going to tell me we’re going to have a bunch of 15-yearolds telling us what’s going to happen in our community? I don’t think so. At some point we got scared of these kids. We’re going to make sure these kids know the adults are in control.”

Canada hailed NAZ’s Promise Neighborhood as an example of measurable success. And though the NAZ model varies from Canada’s Harlem model, it shows the core tenets of the Harlem model can be emulated nationally.

“I tell people around the country they should pay attention to NAZ, they are going to get things right,” said Canada, who praised the organization’s leadership. “There’s a great leader here. It takes a strong leader to make Promise Neighborhood a success. It’s not just enough to love children. There are a lot of

people who love children and they still fail the children.

NAZ is headed by president and CEO Sondra Samuels.

Kenneth Scales, who is a NAZ family connecter, said though the task is daunting, he is seeing first-hand the results of Promise Neighborhood.

“You can see the change in culture to a culture of achievement,” said Scales, who cited housing as a major hurdle to success. “But it’s rough because how do you encourage a child to succeed in school when a family is facing homelessness?”

Through its 28 partners, nine participating schools and two institutions of higher learning, NAZ is seeking a holistic approach to college readiness, including addressing issues of housing, employment and mental health.

“In city after city, after city, in the African-American community, jobs are becoming scarce – in particular for men, schools are not living up to their mission and churches are becoming more insular, and what you have is a toxic stew,” said Canada.

and because of his ability to effectively guide the MUL’s mission, the agency moved progressively forward during a critical juncture in its history.

Nichols grew up admiring planes, and at the same time

that he was teaching and lending his academic expertise to educators locally and nationally, he was working towards fulfilling a goal to one day fly his own plane. He didn’t keep his fascination with

flying to himself – he used it to inspire youth to excel in their studies so that they too could explore a career in aviation or aeronautic engineering. With the assistance of the Twin Cities Airport as it was known then, Nichols established the Flying Club, an aviation program for students of color.

Nichols’ autobiographic summary highlights the indelible mark he’s made in Minneapolis – particularly as it relates to educational enrichment and expanding opportunities for youth. Here are Mr. Nichols’ own words given in 2006 at an event that honored elders whose lives have impacted their communities and the nation.

“I studied industrial education at the (University of Minnesota) and also worked to support my family during that time. After graduation I taught electronics in the

Minneapolis Public Schools.

It was tough to support five children on a teacher’s wage so I moved into administration.

The school asked me to design a school for high school dropouts. I developed the Work Opportunity Center to meet that need.

I became director of vocational education for Minneapolis Schools.

Because of the success of the vocational programs and the Work Opportunity Center, I was contacted by the office of President Johnson and the secretary of education to advise Congress on educational programs.

I worked in Washington, D.C., for over 12 years, mostly on weekends. I was also doing educational consulting and covering many miles across the country. It was during that time that I started flying.

While working in

Minneapolis, I was also involved in the design for MCTC (Minneapolis Community and Technical College). As part of my doctoral program through Colorado I helped design a school similar to that of IDDS, very open. I worked in that field for a number of years and built schools in Minneapolis and Anoka related to aviation.”

In a statement from the MUL, the League said “These types of social innovations are exactly what the Urban League recognizes as critical to the advancement of our Gateway to Opportunity strategic plan.

The MUL’s 13th Grade, Social Enterprise Academy and Project Big Step are reflections of his insight. We’re proud to acknowledge that the life and legacy of Charles Nichols continue to impact the mission and vision of the Minneapolis Urban League.”

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Raul Midón and Lizz Wright delight at the Ordway

By Harry Colbert, Jr., Contributing Writer Sometimes less is more.

That was the case when on the vast Ordway stage in St. Paul, just three musicians – Raul Midón on vocals and acoustic guitar and trumpet (well sort of), Lizz Wright on vocals and percussion (mostly just a wooden box that also doubled as her seat for much of the evening) and their accompanying acoustic bass player filled the theater with the most beautiful and soul-stirring sounds. And though I had been a Lizz Wright fan for years, why oh why did I not know about the musical treasure that is Raul Midón?

Clearly I need to broaden my musical selection, but I already have a varied taste and on the many radio stations I listen to, not once have I heard Midón.

We’re being deprived by the play lists of commercial radio stations.

Midón, who released his first CD in 1999, has the most authentic, soulful, jazzy voice. If you close your eyes (which I did for several songs – I’ll tell you why later) and listen to his voice one could make a fair comparison to jazz legend Al Jarreau. Midón’s guitar prowess can be compared to Carlos Santana, only on an acoustic. But the biggest treat came during the third song in, when this beautiful horn began to play. I was waiting and waiting for the mystery player to emerge from off stage, then I realized there was no trumpeter off stage, but it was Midón vocally mimicking the brass instrument.

CONCERT TURN TO 7

Top: Raul Midón and Lizz Wright at McNally Smith College of Music where they were hosted by Jeff Bailey and connected with 70 students and faculty (Photo by Shelley Quiala). Above Lizz Wright with a stellar line-up of women (Photo by Betsy Gaasedelen)

Redefining Disney’s Cinderella

By Abeni Hill Traci Allen was born and raised in Winston-Salem, N.C. Her mother was a music teacher and her father was a basketball coach. She left her hometown to pursue her dream of attending a historically Black university.

Allen is a graduate from Howard University who earned a degree in theater arts with a concentration in musical theater.

Allen will take the stage as Cinderella in the Children Theatre Company’s (CTC) fan-favorite and holiday production of Rodger’s and

Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.”

With her dark hair in artistically woven braids that have been brought back into a bun, mahogany skin, and dark brown eyes, Allen represents the idea that Disney’s blonde and blue-eyed Cinderella has become more culturally aware.

“What little girl doesn’t dream of one day being Cinderella,” questioned Allen.

The new company member began her work with CTC as an apprentice, which brought her to Minneapolis.

During her apprenticeship, Allen participated in the company’s productions, readings, and workshops

MORE

• Rwanda documentary chronicles remarkable female drumming troupe

and her most memorable experience, working on the play “Bud, Not Buddy” with Marion McClinton.

“I really loved working with Marion because he’s an incredible director who has such great vision and such confidence in his actors,” said Allen. “Additionally, the cast was absolutely amazing.”

Allen enjoys her relationship with the theatre company.

“The Children’s Theatre has done amazing work,” said Allen. “They do work that is challenging for the actor as well as the audience member.

CTC

Traci Allen

• Ebony and Ivy: Slavery, race, and education

ALLEN TURN TO 7

• Movie captures attention of director’s contemporaries

Page 6 • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking

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Lex Fletcher

Ingoma Nysha Drummers

Sweet Dreams

Rwanda documentary chronicles remarkable female drumming troupe

By Kam Williams The 1994 Civil War left the beleaguered African nation of Rwanda a bloody mess, both literally and figuratively. Not only had the warring tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis, hacked each other to death with machetes to the tune of about a million bodies scattered across the countryside, but to this day many of the survivors of the ethnic cleansing remain totally traumatized by the slaughter

they’d witnessed.

Consequently, much of the populace still walks around in a daze sporting blank, 1,000 yard stares some refer to as battle fatigue or shell shock which shrinks refer to clinically as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

For, it is understandable that it might be hard to get over a conflict which pitted neighbor against neighbor, and even relative against relative.

One survivor, theater director Kiki Katese, determined to do something

about alleviating the suffering, asked, “How do you rebuild a human being?” So, she founded Ingoma Nshya (meaning “new drum, new kingdom”), an all-female drumming troupe comprised of both Tutsis and Hutus, with admission being conditioned on checking ones tribal allegiance at the door.

Besides affording the 60-strong membership an opportunity to pound rhythmically on congas, the gathering simultaneously served as a support group offering healing

It’s beginning g g to look a lot like

and reconciliation.

In 2010, Kiki came up with another innovative idea, namely, opening Rwanda’s first ice cream parlor. This time, she enlisted the support of Jennie Dundas and Alexis Miesen, proprietors of a place located half a world away in Brooklyn called Blue Marble Ice Cream.

The game New Yorkers answered the call, traveling to Rwanda to help Kiki realize that dream. Together they created Sweet Dreams, a shop owned and operated cooperatively by

a number of the women from Ingoma Nshya.

All of the above is affectionately recounted in “Sweet Dreams,” an uplifting documentary co-directed by Lisa and Rob Fruchtman. Kiki and her companions cut a sharp contrast to the bulk of their fellow countrymen peppering the desolate background, lost souls who seem broken in spirit between mourning murdered kin and facing bleak prospects for a better tomorrow.

A female empowerment

flick featuring a blend of ice cream and drumming as a viable path to rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Very Good Unrated In English and Kinyarwanda with subtitles Running time: 84 minutes Distributor: International Film Circuit / Liro Films

Opening this week for November 8th

By Kam Williams

BIG BUDGET FILMS “The Book Thief ”(PG-13 for violence and mature themes) Adaptation of the Mark Zusak novel of the same name, set in Nazi, Germany, and revolving around an abandoned 9 yearold girl (Sophie Nelisse) adopted by foster parents (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson) hiding a Jewish refugee (Ben Schnetzer) from the SS. With Kirsten Block, Nico Liersch and Sandra Nedeleff.(In English and German with subtitles) “Thor: The Dark World” (PG-13 for suggestive content and intense violence) 8th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in an epic battle with a primeval race of demonic elves led by a revenge-minded madman (Christopher Eccleston) with a grudge to settle. Ensemble includes Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgard, Tom Hiddleston, Renee Russo, Kat Dennings and Ray Stevenson.

Begins November 12

By John B. Davidson Original Music by Victor Zupanc Directed by Peter C. Brosius Photo by Dan Norman | Featuring Traci Allen

Tickets start at $10 Call Today! 612.874.0400 childrenstheatre.org Proudly Sponsored by

20th Century Fox

The Book Thief and Phil Liggett.

“Ass Backwards” (Unrated) Late bloomer comedy about a couple of lifelong BFFs (Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael) living in NYC who decide at around 30 to return to their hometown to re-enter the kiddie beauty pageant in which they tied for last place as children. With Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer and Bob Odenkirk.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“Best Man Down” (PG-13 for sexuality, drug use, mature themes and brief profanity) Romantic dramedy about a bride (Jess Weixler) and groom (Justin Long) who are forced to cancel their honeymoon to handle funeral arrangements after their Best Man (Tyler Labine) drops dead during the wedding. With Shelley Long, Frances O’Connor and Addison Timlin.

“The Armstrong Lie” (R for profanity) Doping expose’ chronicling the rise and fall of cycling cheat and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.

Featuring commentary by Frankie Andreu, Daniel Coyle

“A Case of You” (Unrated) Romantic comedy about an aspiring writer (Justin Long) who embellishes his profile to impress a woman (Evan Rachel Wood) he meets on an internet dating website. With

Sienna Miller, Sam Rockwell, Brendan Fraser and Peter Dinklage.

“Finding Mr. Right” (Unrated) Romantic comedy about a millionaire’s pampered, pregnant mistress (Wei Tang) who flies from Beijing to Seattle to have her baby only to find herself falling in love with a doctor (Xiubo Wu) moonlighting as a limo driver.

Cast includes Dante Lee Arias, Trevor Bess and Jason Burkart. (In Mandarin and English with subtitles) “Go for Sisters” (Unrated) John Sayles wrote and directed this missing persons thriller about recovering a parole officer (LisaGay Hamilton) who enlists the assistance of an excon (Yolonda Ross) she knew as a child and a disgraced, former LAPD detective (Edward James Olmos) when her son (McKinley Belcher III) goes missing in Tijuana. With Isaiah Washington, Harold Perrineau and Tessa Ferrer.

(In English and Spanish with subtitles)

FILMS TURN TO 7

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Aesthetically Speaking • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Page 7

Ebony and Ivy: Slavery, race, and education

By Kam Williams “Ebony & Ivy… delivers a groundbreaking and incendiary exploration of the intertwined histories of slavery, race, and higher education… Many of America’s revered colleges and universities… Harvard, Yale, and Princeton… were drenched in the sweat, the tears, and sometimes the blood of people of color...

Money from the purchase and sale of human beings built the campuses, stocked the libraries, and swelled the endowments of American colleges. Slaves waited on faculty and students; academic leaders eagerly courted the support of slaveholders and slave traders.

Ultimately, our leading universities were thoroughly dependent on enslavement and became breeding grounds for the racist ideas that sustained it. In short, the American academy never stood apart from American slavery—it stood beside church and state as the third pillar of a civilization built on bondage.”

-- Excerpted from Foreword (Excerpted from the book jacket) Most people hold the Ivy League in high esteem as an

Concert From 5 Outstanding.

As I mentioned earlier, during several songs I listened with my eyes closed. I wanted to experience the music

Allen From 5 They produce work with such great depth.”

Allen has always had a musical and artistic side. The triple threat actress has been dancing since she was four and was a part of her school’s production of “Pippin” in the 8th grade. Allen loves music, especially the music from “Cinderella.”

“There is a lot of great music in our show, sung and instrumental, classical and modern, original compositions and old favorites,” said Allen.

The whimsical actress favors songs with meaning.

“My favorite song from the show is a song Cinderella sings called, ‘I’ve Got A

Films From 6 “How I Live Now” (R for violence, profanity, sexuality and disturbing images) Adaptation of the Meg Rosoff novel of the same name about an American teenager (Saoirse Ronan) spending the summer vacation with relatives in the English countryside where she falls in love with a cousin (George MacKay) against the backdrop of the outbreak of World War III. With Natasha Jonas, Tom Holland, Harley Bird and Sabrina Dickens.

Jonathan Sachs

Craig Wilder exclusive oasis of intellectual thinking where one can acquire an excellent education. What they might not know is that its long-revered universities were also once intimately involved in slavery, depending on that evil institution for everything from

funding to free labor.

Furthermore, places like Princeton served as a proving ground for the sons of plantation owners being trained in classes on slave management that: “For Sullenness, Obstinacy,

or Idleness… Take a Negro, strip him, tie him fast to a post; take then a sharp Curry-Comb, & curry him severely til he is well scrap’d; & call a boy with some dry Hay, and make the Boy rub him down for several Minutes, then salt him & unloose him.”

From inciting antiabolitionist riots, to spearheading the back to Africa movement to teaching courses codifying the notion of white superiority, the Ivy League openly functioned as a subtle affirmation of slavery.” Despite the fact that it had played such

through Midón’s point of view. As I realized when the accomplished guitarist was led on stage, Midón is blind. But to say he is without vision would be in error. When you hear him play and sing, it’s clear his vision is far better than most.

Now don’t get me wrong, Wright was by no means

a second fiddle to Midón, and truth be told, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the show if she weren’t on the bill.

I have been a fan of Wright for nearly a decade. For those not familiar with Wright, imagine India.Arie and Tracy Chapman rolled into one. Wright’s soulful, but folksy voice was

the perfect complement to Midón. The two were meant for one another.

The Ordway proved to be a wonderful venue for the two.

There’s something about the way sound cascades in the St. Paul opera house that made Midón’s and Wright’s effortless vocals resonate magnificently

throughout the theater.

The show was the kickoff to the Ordway’s 2013-2014 season, dedicated to world music and dance, in particular, arts from the African Diaspora. Midón and Wright were presented as part of the Ordway’s Taking Our Place Centerstage program. The

Feeling.’ It’s a really beautiful song about watching the world around you come alive and witnessing the magic that happens when you choose to believe that your dreams can come true.”

Allen focuses on character development for each role that she accepts. She said her most challenging character was Taylor from “Stick Fly,” which played at Parks Square Theatre.

Allen said she might have known someone with the same personality as her character.

“I could have gone to school with her, but we are very different people,” said Allen.

The insightful actress said that the character pushed her to find out why her character’s way of thinking and why she

does certain things without the commentary of her own personality.

“It forces you to get to the bottom of it instead of simply judging her,” said Allen. “You have to silence your brain and your natural reactions. It makes you a better human being because you gain compassion and understanding.”

Allen offered advice for her fellow actors.

“Your reputation precedes you, so be kind,” said Allen.

“Be in the habit now. Talent is great, but work ethic makes all of the difference in the world.”

Cinderella opens Tuesday, Nov. 12 on the United Health Group Stage at the Children Theatre Company and will close Jan. 5.

“Reaching for the Moon” (Unrated) Bittersweet biopic recounting the tragic love affair between American poet Elizabeth Bishop (Miranda Otto) and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares

(Gloria Pires). Featuring Tracy Middendorf, Marcello Airoldi and Lola Kirke. (In English and Portuguese with subtitles)

a pivotal role in the creation and maintenance of a colorcoded society, it would later put considerable effort into “cleansing the stain of human slavery from the story of its prosperity.”

This is the thesis of Craig Steven Wilder, as eloquently substantiated in Ebony & Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History. A professor of history at MIT, Wilder’s painstakinglyresearched opus uncovers the ugly underbelly of Ivy League and other Colonial era colleges like Rutgers and Williams.

The author goes on to point out how, after the Civil War, “some of the best-educated people in the nation were revising history to romanticize and sanitize their relationship to bondage. They erased their pasts as masters or reimagined their slaves as a lower order of adopted family—trusted, faithful, and beloved servants whom they had treated with dignity and human sympathy.”

Yankee academia exposed as a former bastion of Southern aristocracy.

Ebony & Ivy Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities

by Craig Steven Wilder Bloomsbury Press

program partners the Ordway with area African and AfricanAmerican organizations. The Midón/Wright performance was in partnership with Sabathani Community Center.

If that show was the opener to the Ordway season, I can’t wait to see what’s next. Clearly, I was impressed.

“Medora” (Unrated) Hoop dreams documentary, set in an Indiana Rust Belt town facing extinction, about the effort of Medora High School’s boy’s basketball team to break a 44-game losing streak.

“People of a Feather” (Unrated) Eco-documentary examining the threat posed to the Inuit nation’s as well as the eider duck’s ways of life in the Arctic by massive hydroelectric dams powering much of eastern North America. (In English and Inuktitut with subtitles)

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS A BLACKMALED/SEAN DANIEL COMPANY PRODUCTION A MALCOLM D. LEE FILM “THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY” MORRIS CHESTNUT TAYE DIGGS REGINA HALLPRODUCED TERRENCE HOWARD SANAA LATHAN NIABASEDLONG HAROLD PERRINEAU MUSIC ON CHARACTERS EXECUTIVE

BY STANLEY CLARKE PRODUCER PRESTON HOLMES CREATED BY MALCOLM D. LEE

BY SEAN DANIEL p.g.a. MALCOLM D. LEE p.g.a.

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY MALCOLM D. LEE A UNIVERSAL PICTURE SOUNDTRACK ON RCA RECORDS

© 2013 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

LOCAL LISTINGS FOR STARTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 CHECK THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

Page 8 • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking

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12 Years a Slave

Movie captures attention of director’s contemporaries

By Stacy M. Brown Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer Famed film director John Singleton said when movies about African Americans debut, he’s always the first to be called to lend insight.

Singleton, who directed the 1991 critically-acclaimed drama “Boyz in the Hood,” said that recently his telephone hasn’t stopped ringing.

“I’d like to talk about other movies, too,” he said, but acknowledged that he doesn’t mind weighing in on the recent avalanche of black films, including what many view as an Oscar front-runner, “12 Years a Slave.”

“I’ve seen it and I can tell you it’s a work of art,” said Singleton, 45.

“Steve McQueen, who is black and from the United Kingdom, has created a raw and unflinching look at a black man’s descent into one of the darkest chapters of American history, it’s as authentic as it gets,” he said.

Kasi Lemmons, who directed such films as, “Talk to Me,” the 2007 movie based on the life of native Washingtonian and radio personality, Ralph ‘Petey’ Greene and the 1997 love story and drama, “Eve’s Bayou,” said “12 Years a Slave,” and other AfricanAmerican films have resonated throughout Hollywood and around the globe because of their frank portrayal of the various trials of blacks.

“It’s really unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Lemmons, 52, whose new film, “Black Nativity,” will hit the Silver Screen next month. “These films are all different,

© Fox Searchligh

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave comedies, dramas, historical dramas, musicals. It really is a whole range of movies

primarily directed by and starring African Americans.

It’s pretty exciting,” she said.

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

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

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

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Recover Energy-from-Waste.

McQueen’s “12 Years” film, which debuted on Friday, Oct. 18, counts as a harrowing

and unforgettable tale that takes audiences back to early America where “a peculiar

institution” proved to be the norm. The two-hour and 13-minute movie confronts the barbaric reality of this country’s history as it pertains to blacks and slavery.

In 1841, Solomon Northup, a free man working as a violinist in Saratoga, N.Y., with a wife and two children, set out on a trip to Washington, D.C. Two strangers approached Northup when he arrived in the Nation’s Capital, and claimed to be businessmen seeking to hire a musician. After dining with the men, Northup wakes up to find himself, bound and chained, captured by slave traders.

He’s beaten and shipped to the South to be sold, ultimately to a man named Epps, portrayed in the film by Michael Fassbender.

The beatings proved to be so grotesque that Fassbender said that he couldn’t watch the retakes during the editing of the film. “It made me sick, I nearly passed out, that’s how real it was,” said Fassbender, 36, who has appeared in such films as “X-Men: First Class,” “Inglourious Basterds,” and “Jane Eyre.”

Violence and degradation dominate the film, including a hard-to-watch scene in which Northup stands all day with a noose around his neck as the ground sinks beneath him and other slaves, slave owners and every day folk pass by without acknowledging that he’s even there.

“There should be Oscar nods for McQueen, screenwriter John Ridley, lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who gives the performance of a lifetime; and, hopefully, Fassbender, who plays the most compelling big-screen villain this year,” Singleton said.

insightnews.com

Insight News • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Page 9

In order to grow, you have to MOVE The Moore Therapy Movement

By Dr. Darren D. Moore Ph.D., LMFT Greetings all.

Today I want to speak with you about how to grow from being the person you are today, into the person you want to be. Perhaps you want to change your life circumstances.

Perhaps you want advancement in your career. Perhaps you want spiritual growth. Perhaps you want a more meaningful relationship. Perhaps you want to lose weight. If any of these things resonate with you, I want to give you some simple advice.

In order to grow, one has to be willing to move.

We often find ourselves stuck in the same old situations, the same old patterns, the same dead-end job, the same horrible relationships – the same old “two step.” We say we want more, we say we want change to come, and we say we want something different, but we insist on dwelling in our own misery. While there are many situations that exist outside of our own control we must understand and acknowledge that we have personal power.

We are in charge of our own happiness. We must recognize that we have to take back control and power over our own lives. I meet many individuals who insist on

standing still … almost as if they are comfortable with being uncomfortable. Yes it is true, as the lyrics of the gospel song “Stand” by Donnie McClurkin says, “After you’ve done all you can, you just stand.” However, that is after you have done the necessary things to manifest change in your life. The work that I do as a therapist in Georgia, through my teaching, and through my workshops and consulting, is all centered on movement – movement of the body, movement of the mind, movement of the spirit and movement of the soul. From my perspective, if you are unhappy, dissatisfied, hate your life, dislike your circumstances, you must do something. You must take some sort of action. You must move.

In order to move, your first must assess and critically analyze your own situation.

What exactly is it that you want to change in your life?

Next you must consider what role you facilitate in keeping things the same. Truth be told, (and you probably do not want to hear this) you may be at the center of what is contributing to your own demise. We often are controlled by our thoughts and our cognitions, which ultimately shape our behavior.

It all goes back to the old adage, “I think, therefore, I am.” If you think you are (insert word here) then you probably are. Not because it is in fact true, but because you said that it is so. It is also important to understand that many of our cognitions are created not by us alone, but also by our experiences of living in the world. Many of

us have narratives that have been written that are filled with mistakes, traumatic events, setbacks, and letdowns, among others, which have played an integral part in how we think about ourselves. Some of these traumatic experiences have contributed to unproductive thoughts and feelings such as “I am not worthy, I am not smart, I

am not a good person, I am not (insert word here).”

Part of the problem is that we have internalized some of our experiences to the degree that they take over our lives. We frequently do not even recognize the destructive thoughts that we possess as they often operate at an unconscious level, which is one of the reasons why it is difficult for many people to solve their own problems (a reason why seeing a therapist could be a great idea).

These thoughts and cognitions have to be deconstructed, put to death,

to see. Even if nothing outside of you ever changes, if you change for the better inwardly, your lives will be better. In order to live life to its fullest, you must change what you see, say and do.

First, you must change what you see. I am not referring to the way you see they world, but rather, the way you see yourself.

If you see yourself as small, unattractive, limited or defeated, nothing in life will be of much value. Even if everyone in your circle tells you that you are beautiful, and you don’t think so, their words will have little value to you. Real value starts within. When you see yourself as great, beautiful, unlimited and full of potential, you will

cause the whole world to bend in your direction, and your life will change for the better. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is,” (Proverb 23:7 NASB).

Next, you must change what you say. Your words are a reflection of who you are within.

“For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). You say what you believe.

As you establish positive belief in yourself, you will speak positive words. Words also create actions.

They are the catalyst for positive achievement. “… if anyone says to the mountain, go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in their heart, but believes what they say will happen, it will be done for them,” (Mark 11:23).

sometimes it seems so much harder when financial resources are not readily available, but I do believe and manifest, that anything is possible through hard work, diligence, perseverance, a higher power and movement.

I guess what I am trying to say, is that my words of wisdom do not only come from book knowledge, but also from my own experiences. I was born with a story, but I decided to be reborn to live in a new story, filled with joy, happiness, health, wealth, love and prosperity. In order to do so (and this is a continuous process that one does for a lifetime) I had to rewrite my own narrative, I have to continue to rewrite my own narrative, and I often come to the realization that I have to move out of my own way. It is not easy, but you can do it. In order to grow, you have to be willing to move, be more, live more, Have more.

(assistant professor at University of MarylandEastern Shore) suggests; sometimes you have to rewrite your narrative. Your narrative or life story is your creation.

You have the power to rewrite the story of your life if it is not the life you desire. In order to do this, you have to be willing to move. You must be willing to move out of your own way, you must be willing to move others out of your way, and you must be willing to move your current way of thinking.

If you want to lose weight, you must move your body, but

most importantly you must move your mind, specifically how you think about food, calorie intake, exercise, nutrition, etc. If you want to grow in your current career field and you feel as if someone is holding you back, you must move them out of your way. How do you move someone out of your way? You stop listening to them, you stop believing the negative things they say, you develop a plan, you visualize your future, you act, and you execute … you move. In addition to the above list, I add prayer to my personal life practice. Prayer may or may not fit with you in terms of your own religious or spiritual belief systems, but it is something that works for me.

In terms of developing a plan, you must first create a list of the things you want to change.

You must identify the barriers to your desired outcomes, and then you must attack each barrier.

For example, if you want to start your own business and you do not have any start-up funds, you may simply have to shift the way you are thinking about your needs. It is not necessarily about the financial resources that you do or do not have, but it is about how resourceful you are. Therefore, if a lack of financial resources is a barrier for you, instead of dwelling on not having money, figure out what other resources may be available to you and start there. One thing people have often said about me is that I am very resourceful. I guess, with being raised in the inner city and not always having access to money, I had to learn how to utilize resources. I admit, that

You can speak to the mountains in your life, and they will give way to what you say and believe in your heart. When you change how you see yourself, you will change what you say, and your life will take on a new direction.

Finally, you must change what you do. Your actions must line up with your words, and your words must reflect your heart.

The three must be in agreement.

When you say one thing and do something else, your heart is conflicted. You will not get far in life with a conflicted heart.

When this happens, you will only make bad choices. These choices will lead to consequences that will take away from your quality of life. You will be become

unbelievable, unreliable, and undependable. On the contrary, when your actions line up with your words your heart will be at peace, and your life will be full of prosperity because you will act on the good in your heart.

Real change begins within you. Those who are living a positive life already know this.

They know that if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten. These positive people also watch the company they keep because birds of a feather still flock together.

Remember, if nothing in you changes, changing everything around you will have little or no effect. You are the primary source

and impact of how your life will be. By honoring your words, you have the power to change your life. Once you change inwardly, by changing your words, actions, and view of yourself, you will achieve real success. You can start on your new improved journey today. Make the declaration, “I will change for the better by being the change I wish to see.”

and buried in the ground. Once we have a clean slate, then the rebuilding process can begin.

Your negative thoughts must be replaced with more useful and more meaningful ones. You have to be willing to shift and move your mindset, to let the old narratives go.

It is just like one of my friends, Dr. Jada Brooks

You have the power to rewrite the story of your life if it is not the life you desire.

Darren D. Moore, Ph.D., LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an assistant professor in marriage and family therapy at a University in Georgia, and the founder of The Moore Therapy Movement. He is a north Minneapolis native, obtained his bachelors’ degree in African American studies from the University of Minnesota, his masters’ degree in marriage and family therapy from Valdosta State University, and his Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy from Virginia Tech.

Please note this column is for educational purposes only.

It is not to diagnose or treat any mental health issues.

Change for the better!

Man Talk

By Timothy Houston All of us would like for things to change for the better.

It is within this hope that we are able to deal with life’s ups and downs. Some look for change to take place outside of them. They wish for others to be different.

The truth is that real change takes place within us. We have to become the change we wish

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

Change your thinking, change your life Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson

Today was a great day.

Not because of anything in particular, but because at the end of every day I give thanks for all with which I am blessed.

Today was a great day because I was able to work on some of my long-term goals and to help others focus on their goals.

Today was a great day because

I have so much hope for tomorrow and I look forward to achieving my greatness.

At the end of every day I like to reflect on all of the blessings that I have for which to be thankful. I also am truly grateful for the joy that each day brings and I am very optimistic that each day is another opportunity that I have been given to achieve my goals. In adopting this attitude of appreciation I have learned that in every situation there is something for which to be thankful.

I can remember a time in my life when it was really hard for me to look at the bright side of a situation. But as soon as I learned to humble myself and to be thankful for what I already had, things started to turn for me. When I stopped concentrating on what I didn’t have and starting looking at my many blessings, my life started to change. When you take the focus off the negative and focus on the positive, you will then start to see things

differently, and from a different perspective.

This is something that you can practice daily. When you think about all of the things you wish you had, think about all the things you have. When you start to think about all of the time you wasted in life doing the wrong things, think about all of the lessons you learned along the way. When you start to think about how you wish your life were different and how you wish things could change, think about how you will accomplish that change. When you change your thinking, you can change your life and become that positive person you always wanted to be. Be grateful for what you already have, and watch how your life will turn for the better. I know that sometimes this is easier said than done, but if you start to practice this daily this will become a habit and you will begin to see all of the wonderful blessing that you never even thought about before. Once you commit to identifying all

of the things you are grateful for, you won’t have much room for anything else. You will have a “gratitude list” before you know it. And in doing this, it will open up the door for more blessings over your life.

And as always remember, stay focused, stay determined

and keep striving for greatness.

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

Page 10 • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Go for the gold on your resume Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Have you seen that TV show Gold Rush? It’s about these guys who spend everything they have to go up to Alaska to prospect for gold. Every week they face

new challenges: weather, federal regulators, broken machines.

And they keep at it because (it’s a TV show and because) somewhere under all that mud is the gold that will change their lives. If the gold were easier to find, would they bury it to keep the show interesting? Doubtful.

I think of that show about once every week when a resume crosses my desk that looks like it could be really good, if I could dig underneath all the extras and get to the important stuff. When looking at resumes like these,

there are a couple easy ways to mine for gold and to make sure employers easily see where your strengths are. Common areas for improving are in the objective, the specifics and the dates.

On most resumes, the objective can probably come off. Unless the objective names one very specific job title, it is not going to reveal anything the rest of the resume doesn’t show me. Clear the clutter; eliminate the objective.

List your skills and knowledge in specifics. If you

are applying for a position with a requirement such as “must know MS Word” then, by all means, if you know it, put MS Word on your resume. Experience in “MS Office Products” is not the same as listing specific programs.

Many people are selfemployed these days. Is it possible to give your company a name? And once you have, it is not necessary to state that you are self-employed, anymore than you might state that during your time with McDonald’s you were employed by a publicly

held global conglomerate. Save explanations for the interview and let your resume focus on the gold, the skills and responsibilities you developed while you were there, wherever there is.

Dates are a good thing. If they are missing from a resume, I will dig until I find them, taking time away from digging for the real treasure, which is your talents and abilities. If your dates are missing from your resume, put them back on. I’m going to find out, anyway.

As much as prospectors find gold by asking people what works for them, so you will find work if you figure out what works for job seekers around you. A clean, concise resume with lots of specifics will get you hired – and earning your own gold – in no time.

Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Write to jdesmond@georgekonik.com.

Fundraising needs to be front and center FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw The first 16 days of October were a demonstration of “governing by crisis.” The federal government was shut down, hundreds of thousands of government employees were furloughed; small businesses, nonprofits, and individuals were impacted in ways big and small; and

the business of governing was brought to a standstill because Congress could not pass a budget.

Here is our question to nonprofit leaders: are you addressing the critical fundraising and fund development issues that support long-term nonprofit financial, or are you headed for a fundraising crisis?

Refusing to address fundraising fundamentals is a recipe for disaster. Here are a few examples of what we mean.

Is your nonprofit operating from a fundraising plan? Do you have a development committee of the board that sets fundraising policy, recruits volunteers, recommends fundraising

budgets, and ensures meaningful giving and involvement by all board members? Do you have market-based feedback that informs management decisions regarding revenue (fundraising)?

Have you created fundraising projections that you measure progress against on a monthly basis? What are your long-term projections for operations and what are you doing today to create a diverse revenue base – and volunteer base! – that will support your institution now and in the future?

If your institution is supported with government grants, can you accurately assess the likelihood of grant renewal? Do you have

your finger on the public policy pulse, your competition, and the extent to which your program exemplifies best practices? Is your plan to eliminate services if your grant is not renewed? Will you cross that bridge when you come to it, or do you have a “Plan B?” If your organization receives multi-year foundation grants are you prepared for a phase-out of funding? Have you identified replacement funding? Are you seeking to raise capital funds for construction or renovation of facilities without a fundraising budget? Do you expect current staff and volunteers to raise new funds without additional

resources? Likewise, are you seeking to expand programs, or build a reserve or endowment without knowing the activities and costs associated with such fundraising? How are you budgeting (and staffing) for increased revenue?

If your college or university is impacted by changes in the Parent Plus loan program and the resulting decrease in enrollment, can you focus on these issues while sustaining and growing your annual and major gifts fundraising? Do you have the leadership and structures in place to pursue multiple critical issues at one time, or is fundraising on the backburner?

Here’s what we know: fundraising always needs to be front and center. You need to know where your money will come from. Failure to plan is planning to fail. Don’t put your nonprofit at financial risk. Crisis fundraising is not a plan: there is a long list of nonprofits who found this out the hard way.

Copyright 2013 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success.”

They position nonprofits for fundraising success. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com.

Edina Realty no longer a drop-off site for Dress for Success Edina Realty offices will no longer serve as clothing donation drop-off sites for Dress for Success Twin Cities.

“With the increase in real estate activity over the past year, it’s become more difficult for our offices to handle the large amount of clothing that’s donated to Dress for Success,” said Barb Jandric, president of

Edina Realty. “But that doesn’t mean our support for this great organization has diminished.

What they do to help women with career development is remarkable.”

Dress for Success Twin Cities helps women achieve economic independence by providing them with business-appropriate clothing and a network of

support and career development tools. The program is an international non-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools to help women thrive at work and in life. Dress for Success Twin

Cities is one of 125 Dress for Success affiliates around the globe.

“When we opened our Twin Cities office four years ago, Edina Realty was one of the first organizations to support us,” said Jeri Quest, CEO of Dress for Success Twin Cities.

“Their support, along with that of the community, has allowed

us to suit more than 2,000 women since 2010. We’re grateful for the tremendous amount of clothing that has been donated since the program was launched; however, our need for collection sites has decreased.” Dress for Success Twin Cities will continue accepting clothing donations by appointment only at its Twin

Cities headquarters located at 1549 University Ave., St. Paul.

Dress for Success clients need suits, blazers, and interviewappropriate attire. Clothing must be clean and in nearly new condition.

For more information about donating to Dress for Success, call (651) 646-6000 or visit www. dressforsuccess.org/twincities.

Jobs

According to the Economic Policy Institute, Minnesota has the widest racial jobs gap in the nation and the worst recidivism From 1 rate in the country, with 61 percent of those leaving the criminal significant step in removing a justice system returning within key employment barrier for those three years. More than 92 percent with arrest records from one of the of employers use background nation’s largest employers. checks to screen applicants, with “Ending racism in as many as two-thirds refusing to employment demands the hire applicants with criminal or leadership of Minneapolis’ arrest records, regardless of the Northside community,” said time lapse since conviction or the TakeAction Minnesota’s relevance of such a record to the executive director, Dan McGrath. job for which applied.

“No matter their credentials and Zschokke, an employment work ethic, the fact is that there counselor who specializes in are structural barriers in place that finding jobs for those with records, stop people from getting jobs. told the audience she is a survivor Our Justice 4 All campaign was of crime. launched by leaders from this “I went to school to get my community so that no one who degree in criminal justice and has been locked up is locked out police science because I thought of a job and a positive future.” life-long punishment was a McGrath said TakeAction solution to crime,” said Zschokke, Minnesota has worked for more but she changed her opinion as she than two years to build a base of worked to place ex-offenders in leadership on the Northside to jobs and found one after the other address inequities in employment. not getting hired. “Crime is not as Nekima Levy-Pounds, simple as people doing bad things. an attorney, professor and We cannot just release people into activist, moderated a panel a world that systemically keeps discussion between Rowader them unemployed. It doesn’t work and three individuals leading for people’s lives or our economy TakeAction Minnesota’s Justice TakeAction Minnesota which is spiraling downward.”

4 All fair hiring campaign. The An overflow crowd of four-hundred packs the Capri Theater for the public meeting Among the over three-hundred panel included Larcel Mack, a workforce coach at Emerge counselor. those with past records navigate basically shut out of society,” while the $100,000 from Target is people in attendance Thursday Community Development and said Cannon. He said programs much needed and will be a boost night were numerous political During the panel discussion, barriers to employment. small business owner, Ramsey Rowader also announced Target Cannon, who is African- like Second Chance Saturday, to the Second Chance Saturday and community leaders, including Representative Keith County Workforce Solutions would be contributing $100,000 American, spoke of his own which he himself participated program, much more is needed to U.S. employment counselor Renee to the Council on Crime and struggle to obtain employment in, are critical to establishing truly make the necessary impact Ellison, State Senator Bobby Joe Zschokke and James Cannon Justice to fund the “Second after getting into a fight outside second chances for ex-offenders in the poorer segments of the Champion, State Representative Rena Moran and several who serves as a Ramsey Chance Saturdays” program of University of Minnesota yet receive little to no funding. community.

County employment guidance in Minneapolis that helps campus bar shortly before “People in the streets, people “Some could argue this is really Minneapolis mayoral candidates graduation. The fight resulted in this room, need help today. just a drop in the bucket,” said including Don Samuels, Betsy in a felony conviction and it People need help navigating the Levy-Pounds who commended Hodges and Jackie Cherryhomes.

NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION AND Justin Terrell, TakeAction took several years for Cannon system that makes it so hard to Target for the contribution but also PROPOSED SETTLEMENT TO: to re-establish his employment find a job and get your life back noted the millions and millions Minnesota’s Justice 4 All program Target donates every year to other manager believes Thursday credentials and obtain a good- on track.”

Students attending Broadway High School in Minneapolis who received credits night’s forum is the beginning Several at the Oct. 24 meeting, endeavors. paying job. or portions of credits for courses in which they were instructed by unliof a long overdue including Levy-Pounds, noted that “Anyone with a record is censed teachers in classes required to be taught by licensed teachers, dialog.

Legal Assistant or who were instructed by teachers whose licensure was for an area dif“The best ferent from the class in which they were teaching, during the 2008-2009, Legal Assistant, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. For details go Assumed Name Assumed Name 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 academic years. to http://www.mylegalaid.org/employment. way to stop a bullet 1. State the exact assumed name under 1. State the exact assumed name under is with a job,” You are hereby notified of: which the business is or will be conducted: which the business is or will be conducted: Terrell said. “There ObO Autos Music To My Ear Music Services RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE The conditional certification of a settlement class consisting of certain perare solutions to The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authorsons who were students at Broadway High School in Minneapolis, Min2. State the address of the principal place 2. State the address of the principal place of making sure those ity has rental units available in Cass County, MN. nesota between September 2, 2008, and June 8, 2011, as described above; of business: 8739 N. Maplebrook Circle, business: 3300 Bass Lake Road Suite 120B, Please call 218-335-8280. Must meet certain individuals with Brooklyn Park, MN 55445 Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 qualifications. criminal histories The Preliminary approval of a class action settlement under which the District: in their past – the 3. List the name and complete street ad3. List the name and complete street ad1. will create a compensatory education fund for qualified settlement Class Vacancies dress of all persons conducting business dress of all persons conducting business vast majority Members to be used for certain future educational expenses; Cokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or under the above Assumed Name OR if an under the above Assumed Name OR if an n o n v i olent 2. will pay a monetary sum to qualified subclass members whose credits over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or misdemeanors – were reallocated from core credits to elective credits during the 2010-2011 for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at Limited Partnership name and registered Limited Partnership name and registered school year; 320-286-2758. E-Mail cokapts@embarqmail.com are given a fair office address. Attach additional sheet(s) if office address. Attach additional sheet(s) if 3. will provide educational counseling to settlement Class Members. necessary: Roblee Perkins, 8739 N. Maplenecessary: Carla Bland, 5214 N. 4th Street, opportunity to brook Circle, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445 Minneapolis, MN 55430 SCHOOL BUS DRIVER be hired. That’s Your rights as a settlement Class Member to comment on or object to, parSaint Paul Public Schools seeks a School ticipate in, or exclude yourself from settlement shall be affected if you delay. what tonight’s 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this Bus Driver to join its team! Candidates must certificate and I further certify that I undercertificate and I further certify that I underconversation is have a High school diploma or G.E.D. and two All interested affected persons should immediately request a copy of the stand that by signing this certificate, I am stand that by signing this certificate, I am years of experience as a School Bus Driver, about. It’s about Notice of Class Action and Proposed Settlement and Settlement Agreement subject to the penalties of perjury as set subject to the penalties of perjury as set which includes experience working with speall of us working from the following attorney and law firm, who serve as class counsel: forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 cial needs students. Must have a valid Class together to remove as if I had signed this certificate under oath. as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

A or B commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a Joshua R. Williams current unlimited school bus driver’s endorsethe barriers and Law Office of Joshua R. Williams, PLLC Signed by: Roblee Perkins, CEO Signed by: Carla Bland/Owner ment and a current passenger endorsement. narrow this 3249 Hennepin Avenue, Suite 216 Date Filed: 10/16/2013 Date Filed: 10/22/2013 For more details and to apply, visit Minneapolis, MN 55408 employment gap.” hr.spps.org/Search_Jobs_and_Apply.htm. Saint Jwilliams@jrwilliamslaw.com 612-486-5540

Insight News 11/04/2013, 11/11/2013

Insight News 11/04/2013, 11/11/2013

Paul Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and supports an inclusive workplace environment.

insightnews.com

Insight News • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Page 11

ONE NORTHSIDE. ONE MINNEAPOLIS.

1

st

CHOICE. VOTE

I’m a lifelong o thsider with Nor n a vision and pla for everyone’s b tter future. be

Me, at North’s on 1990 graduati

Our Plan for the Northside

FOR BRETT AS YOUR 1st CHOICE

Tuesday, Nov. 5th

IN FOUR YEARS, WE ENVISION‌

STABILIZE.

Photo: Larry Marcus

YOUR VOTE

is a critical ďŹ rst step to a better Northside.

– Increase living wage job opportunities and cut unemployment

– Zip Code and Income Hiring Ordinance for all municipal contract jobs

– Work to increase academic test scores and graduation rates to state levels

– Current Northsiders remain in home after 4 years – Reduction of violent and property crime each year

– Work to reduce recidivism

North Minneapolis is ground zero for our metropolitan region’s battle with “gaps.�

CONNECT.

To achieve equity, equality and justice within our region, we have designed a policy and program agenda to eliminate “gaps� that divide our communities.

Our plan is designed to create a Stable, Connected and Growing community for all 30,000+ residents who live, learn, work and play in North Minneapolis.

We will work with community, city, county, state and federal elected allies and stakeholders to achieve key goals and objectives for our Northside community.

– Become one of the 100 Best Communities for Youth according to America’s Promise standards

– Development of a Northside Center (Community Market, Retail & Professional Center)

– Create 100 Urban Scholar sites

– Support expanded day and year-round academic enrichment programs

– All homes with internet access

GROW.

– Sustainable nodes and corridors

of 12,900 registered voters and less than 10% of our Northside community. I’m counting on YOUR VOTE to bring EQUITY to Minneapolis. Join me and thousands of Northsiders in the voting booth on Tuesday, November 5th and show Minneapolis that we’re engaged and ready to fight for our future.

YOUR VOTE

– Establish a Business Impact Zone for new development

NO VOTE = NO VOICE.

ETT R B R O th F E 5 VOT R E B M VE T U E S D A Y,

eM president of th r e rm fo a milies. d n of working fa Democrat a As a lifelong represent the interests NAACP, I truly

NO

612.356.2520 kner.com brett@brettbuc kner.com www.brettbuc

d y Council, War Minneapolis Cit

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mpaign s— r o b e 1919, our ca and those h nc si ig e re N he e en mily has be r, my mother, s Dear Northsid errs sider whose fa de y grandmothe a lifelong North nds of Northsi munity that m

l. As ith thousa ed a com n is persona ssion,, I’ve spoken w gether. We ne to d. di d, ar ce rw on This campaig the great rece fo ey d de th re si du as th en or st y N ju el e me, g th llectiv ago which is about movin us would be proud to call ho in. We have co ado two years rn pa r to a ou en en ev ev d d re who came befo our dreams, our concerns an ings, high unemployment an go forward. s, pe ild and ho hool clos r ou t abou siders, we rebu evelopment, sc th rd , or de N l un ca g, pi in ty eritage Park ars. As predatory lend lard Hay to H il home of 43 ye er W tt ’s , e be ily a rn m o fa ow y th m w I kn destroyed 21st century! arrison to Ha dents from H build our community for the y. We can si rit re pe + 0 os 0 pr ,0 d 0 curity an ready to nch of 3 se u r re b fo e’ h w te g , u vo er to th to d a r 5th . Toge rat an former We’re day, Novembe Old Highland lifelong Democ , fight for equal es d a n Tu a As n on s. a er st rd th re Jo te in es from come toge working famili ic and private ead if we can e interests of rship with publ th ne t rt en day is right ah pa es in pr er re tt to munity be am committed make our com olis NAACP, I ap ne in s.

M e an ic th community l Amer president of dividual and well-being in te justice for al g ea n cr ti d a e an cr es y b nce opportuniti Minneapolis l needs, adva side and One portunity to satisfy essentia when every individual h rt o N e n O can create rves equal op be advanced Together, we ERYONE dese which can only EV . te fa ty h our plan: ri ed e ar sp sh ro a p d justice throug an unity has m ity m un security and co rt po ur O op l. l ll potentia for equity, equa and achieve fu (Transit and ntinue the fight co to e is ect NorthsideAg nn om pr Co I .

7. rs enda): Create te at ity m ent Policy ta d Commun an em s sit ov es M in us B equi ble trande 4. Northside t: Provide our residents rs to stainable and ec : si su th da or en N en l Ag m al to ty t op ui es el Dev olis Eq ons to conn ty and the world; s and servic ed by ti od op go y ar 1. One Minneapployment and fiscal equity ss ce ci with ne their lives serv each other, the Promote em of Minneapolis’ hiring stain and enrich ted su or pp ty s (current ci su e yth it n un hi wit sure all residedntsafe homes, t, comm s; En an es : br oc ng vi pr si a g ou in H ct 8. ra an ct; and cont ve stable business distri stock to and future) hayi ty & Public fe ng our housinge levels; Sa l ic if al bl rs t ve Pu or di ve pp le Su hi , : w m fe ns co sa ar in Le ild l 2. Aggressi al s for enda: Bu 5. Everyone students’ academic and provide option Health Policy Ag thside tivities; t communities or ac an N d br an vi s d e revolving ed an y ne t th heal pport: End thou effort; enrichmen Su d al te ry ci na nt so sources di -e or Re co 9. a e our through at drains r re ot th ce om ti Pr ac !: pr de y. or si it e do ar North s our commun ployment!: Prep 6. Destinationy as a cultural heartbeat for and destabilize r the fo 3. Operation Em s it nt un de m si m re ); co r ic mus UR VOTE to and employ ouity and build our ty (food, art and ght. I need YO , sexual ci fi e e th th e un u rt n po ti n y; de best op help me co r the 21st centur of race, zip co e a better ty and equity— that ANYONE, regardless infrastructure fo li id a ov u q pr e d r an fo g ensure fightin their lives r to e er r tt re be be ca em y to m m l es t unci ed in our rtuniti I’ve spen ITY will be shar Tuesday, unity as your co possesses the same oppo U m m EQ co of r ge ou t sa status represen ted, our mes opsperity on socioeconomic thsiders. If elec is a vote for security and pr or N of ns orientation or tio e future genera ? A vote for m future for the ll. Will you help ha ty ci at d 20 community an ll 612-356-25 on. a . c th r 5 o r m be o c em r. ov e N brettbuckn polling locati

vote?r sVaismite-day registration at your o t d e r e t is g e Not r ut what you need bring fo

by F F En nddoorrss ed by to find o t You! rvice to e S d e u n ti n o C In

– Approve lots for Urban Gardens and Farms and establish a network for gardeners

om c . r e n k c u b t t www.bre inneapolis

MATTERS.

Buckner Northside For 16 27 58 x PO Bo MN 55458 Minneapolis,

– Community Recreational HUB with a Health, Fitness and Wellness Center, Stadium and Fieldhouse

Did you know that only 2,200 Northsiders participated in the 2009 election? That’s less than 20%

– Establish Destination, Northside!

An Arts, Culture and Food Experience on the Northside

Let’s come ome o om m me e together tto og o g ge ettth e the he her h err at e at tthe th he h e polls pol po p olllllls oll o so on n Tuesday, Tue Tu T ue esd es sd s da d a ay y,, N y November ove ov o ve emb em m mb be b e err 5th 5 5tth to to vote vo vo ottte e for ffo orr o ya an and nd n d prosperity prrro pro p ros o os s sp per pe p erriiit er ity tty y and an nd d move mov mo m o ov ve o ve ou urr community u co c o ommu om mm mm muni mu mun un u nit n iittty y FORWARD, FO F FORW OR O RW R WARD, WA W AR AR RD D, TO T OG O G GE ET E TH TH HE ER E ER. R R.. security our TOGETHER.

8

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Page 12 • November 4 - November 10, 2013 • Insight News

insightnews.com

How Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) works in multi-seat elections In a multi-seat election, Ranked Choice Voting is applied in much in the same way as a single-seat election—with the simple and effective addition of transferring a winning candidate’s surplus votes to second-choice candidates. To win, candidates must receive a minimum threshold of support. Some candidates might win with first-

choice support, but most depend on second and third choices as well, fostering more inclusive campaigns.

Here’s how it works: 1. The threshold to win is determined by dividing the total number of voters by the number of seats, then adding 1.

2. Round 1 of counting

begins, tallying first choices for all candidates.

3. If any candidate surpasses the winning threshold in Round 1, that candidate’s surplus votes (votes won beyond the necessary threshold to win), are then transferred proportionately to those voters’ second choices. In the example graphic below, Carlos

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won 18 (or 40%) more votes than needed to win the election, so 40% of each vote Carlos received is transferred to those voters’ second choices. In the example, of the 45 people who ranked Carlos their #1 choice, 15 ranked David their #2 choice.

40% of 15 is 6 votes, so David is therefore awarded 6 more votes.

Imagine it like this: You have $1.00 to buy your favorite candy bar. But if that candy bar only costs 60¢, you get to put your other 40¢ towards your second favorite candy bar. The same process applies with RCV in multi-seat elections: If your #1 choice candidate reaches the threshold of votes needed to win, his or her surplus votes

are divided proportionately according to percentage and then awarded to those voters’ second choices.

4. If no candidate reaches the threshold, the least popular candidate is defeated and those ballots are transferred to remaining candidates based on those voters’ second choices.

5. This process continues until all seats are filled.

The more seats there are to fill, the greater the number of voters who will be represented.

When used to elect multiple candidates in a single race, RCV ensures more voters are fairly represented.

Ranking is as easy as

Choose well

1-2-3. As a voter, you rank the candidates in order of preference, just as you do in other races on the ballot.

Winners must have a minimum threshold of support. With more candidates to elect, the threshold to win is adjusted: • A candidate needs 33 percent plus one vote in the twoseat race for Board and Estimate and Taxation.

• A candidate needs 25 percent plus one in the threeseat At-Large Park Board race.

No wasted votes. As in single-seat races, all the first choices are tallied. If a candidate reaches the winning threshold, that candidate is elected. If that candidate had more votes than needed to win, these votes are not wasted; rather, those voters’ ballots continue to help elect other candidates according to those voters’ second and third choices.

The “surplus” votes for that candidate are reallocated to the second choices on those voters’ ballots, corresponding to the percentage of votes that the winning candidate received over the necessary threshold. If no candidate has met the threshold after surplus reallocation, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and that candidate’s votes are reassigned to remaining candidates based on those voters’ second choices.

Upholds majority rule and represents more voters.

This process of eliminating and electing candidates and reallocating votes is repeated until all the seats are filled. The process minimizes wasted votes and yields more accurate and fairer representation of the voters than the old plurality system did – 66 percent of voters help elect the two members of the Board of Estimate and Taxation and 75 percent of voters help elect the three members of the Park Board.

First choices can’t be harmed by second or third choices. Under the old system, second and third choice votes could harm a voters first choice and the only way to prevent this from happening was bullet voting.

In any RCV race, your second and third choices can’t harm your first choice. Your second and third choices only count once your first choice is elected or defeated.

For more information see: • How RCV Works: http:// fairvotemn.org/howRCVworks • MPR video on how RCV works in multiple winner elections: h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=lNxwMdI8OWw

Booker From 1

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.

telephone call to the Booker camp shortly after the Associated Press predicted a Booker win. In a brief concession speech at Lonegan headquarters at the Marriott hotel in Bridgewater, the former mayor of the small town of Bogota, said he will move into the private sector and acknowledged his supporters—including Governor Chris Christie. Throughout the campaign, Christie was criticized by members of the Lonegan camp for not being more vocal and participatory in the Republican’s senate bid. “Outside of running along the street placing campaign signs, I don’t know what else the governor could have done to help my campaign,” he said.

Lastly, once the election results are certified, Booker could be sworn in as senator within the next 30 days. Newark City Council President Luis Quintana is expected to be appointed interim mayor once Booker departs for Washington.