The Grammy Award-Winning Sounds of Blackness New CD, “THE SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS” Is in stores now! Available at Best Buy, Wal-mart, Target, Online at Itunes, Amazon. com. Watch the 1st Single “Fly Again” on youtube.com
INSIGHT NEWS November 14 - November 20, 2011 • MN Metro Vol. 37 No. 46 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
Melvin Carter wins re-election By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief Ward 1 first-term city council member Melvin Carter, 32, won reelection last week defeating community organizer and Green Party candidate Johnny Howard, 56, and real estate agent Anthony Fernandez, 32, a member of the city’s Planning Commission. DFL-endorsed Carter won 61 percent of the vote in the four way contest with Howard garnering 28 percent. “The victory means a lot to me,” Carter said Thursday in a phone interview. “Obviously, it is an endorsement of the work we did over the past 2 years on education, neighborhoods, the Central Corridor Light Rail project, and business initiatives to put people back to work.” Carter called his reelection a “humbling endorsement” by the voters and vowed to continue focusing on eliminating the education achievement gap as part of a coordinated attack on the wide range of disparities that disadvantage some residents of the city.
“I am convinced we have to work on all the disparities at the same time,” Carter said. “We have to tackle the education disparity as we tackle the wealth disparity and the disparity to access to quality, affordable health care and access to technology and sustainable, green development.” Carter said the election of two new council members, with the possibility of there being a third new member, depending on the outcome of recounts, provides challenges and opportunities for the Council and for the residents of St. Paul. He said Central High alumnus Chris Tolbert and marketing executive Amy Brendmoen, 41, who defeated incumbent Lee Helgen in Ward 5 by 36 votes, both will bring energetic leadership to the Council. Ward 2 incumbent Dave Thune, 61, with 38 percent of votes cast, faces a run-off election under St. Paul’s new Ranked Choice Voting system owing to credible challenges
CARTER TURN TO 9 Ward 1 St. Paul Councilmember Melvin Carter
Elliot Stewart-Franzen
Culturally specific By Elizabeth A. Reed Turning Point COO As I was writing this article, I had to stop and look at what is happening to our families and community. I looked at this from a mother’s standpoint, and I kept going back to watching the Tyler Perry movie, “Madea’s Family Reunion.” There’s a scene in the movie where the 96-year old elder of the family is walking to the old slave house, and as she’s walking she sees her family members playing craps, young ladies doing the bump and grind, fighting with
Turning Point
Elizabeth A. Reed
each other, drinking. It was a powerful moment for me to watch that woman sadly shake her head at how “far” her family had come from the struggle to escape the slave house to such a
lack of regard for themselves and each other. Someone said that for us to stop our destruction, there must be action. The action needs to be our men standing up and being fathers. Women are to be respected. Our families need to be repaired. This is what our Culturally Specific Service Center (CSSC) intends to help people do. We want to give African American men the tools to help stop them from using and selling drugs. We will work with them in addressing disparities in employment, housing, education and medical care with the goal of reuniting them with their families,
especially their children. The CSSC can address all these issues through partnerships with a variety of state, county and independent agencies, such as Goodwill-Easter Seals, Twin Cities Rise, Phyllis Wheatley Center, RSEden, Recovery Resource Center, etc. By providing culturally specific services to address disparities and the issues surrounding chemical dependence, poverty and homelessness, the CSSC is committed to not only stopping the destruction of our families, but rebuilding our community “one person at a time.”
Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN)
Building Black business Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) participated in the grand opening of the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) Minneapolis Business Center. As part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, MBDA focuses on stimulating economic growth by strengthening minority-owned firms nationwide. The new centers will provide assistance to local minority entrepreneurs and business owners by offering strategic business consulting services focusing on large public and private contracts, financing, and access to global markets. Approximately, 5.8 million minority firms operate in the
Challenging disparities By Michelle Edwards At Turning Point, we speak of substance abuse and “related issues.” Obvious ones are crime, violence and the breakdown of family and community. Less obvious are the disparities that can result. Our clients face these disparities on a daily basis.
Unemployment whites is 6.6% Unemployment blacks is 20.4% Average income for worker is $57,000 Average income for worker is $26,930 Home ownership whites is 74% Home ownership blacks is 32%
Black History
Black History every da..n day of the year—why not?
PAGE 2
among among a white a black among among
High school graduation rate among whites is 82% High school graduation rate among blacks is 43% Whites who have no health insurance: 14.2% Blacks who have no health insurance: 20.2% Single parent families among whites: 21% Single parent families among blacks: 62%
Aesthetics
Interview: Wendy Williams
PAGE 5
Poverty rate among whites: 7.4% Poverty rate among blacks: 36% “Disparities cost every taxpayer – in public assistance, unemployment insurance, corrections budgets, etc. We need to have a response from within our community.” - Dr. Peter Hayden
Health
Coping with the holidays
PAGE 6
United States, according to 2007 statistics (the most recent available). More than 750,000 of these firms had average receipts of $1 million and employed eight workers per employer firm. “We know that small businesses are the economic engine that fuels our country,” said Rep. Ellison. “Minorityowned businesses face difficulties even during strong economic times so they’re now even more challenged. I’m glad to see the MBDA has determined to support this important part of our economy.” The MBDA office is located at 250 South Second Avenue, Suite 106, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
Plan Your Career
Career roundabout: Detour or excellent shortcut?
PAGE 9
Page 2 • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Black History every da..n day of the year—why not? By Irma McClaurin Culture and Education Editor The recent 96th Annual Meeting of ASALH (the Association for the Study of African American Life and History) held October 6-10, 2011 in Richmond, VA provided a rich opportunity to reflect on the status and history of Black people in America, and in the world. It also spoke to my idea of “legacymaking”—something in which I have a strong interest, as its ongoing presence reflects the vision and intellectual legacy of Carter G. Woodson, the man who is known as the “Father of Black History” and who established this important organization over ninety years ago. According to the ASALH website, the organization came into existence on September 9, 1915 under the visionary leadership of Dr. Carter G.
©2011 McClaurin Solutions
Anthropologists at ASALH: Dr. Marilyn Thomas-Houston, Dr. Irma McClaurin, Dr. Sybil Rosado and Dr. Faye V. Harrison. Woodson. At that time, the name was the “Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.” Despite the name change from “Negro” to “African American,” the organization’s vision and
mission have remained consistent through the times: “We are the Founders of Black History Month and carry forth the work of our founder, the Father of Black History. We continue his legacy
of speaking a fundamental truth to the world—that Africans and peoples of African descent are makers of history and co-workers in what W.E.B. DuBois called, “The Kingdom of Culture.”
And ASALH has not wavered from the path that Dr. Woodson set the organization on almost one hundred years ago. At this latest conference, I was there to help launch a new journal in Black Studies— Fire!!!: a multi-media journal of Black Studies that reflects a collaboration between ASALH and JSTOR. The brains and creative and technological leadership behind the journal is Dr. Marilyn Thomas-Houston, a visual anthropologist at the University of Florida (and former colleague), with roots in the theater and music industry and a scholarly authority on the Black Diaspora in Nova Scotia—yes, there are lots of Black folk in Nova Scotia. The numerous panels on the intersection of technology and Black Studies, referred to by some as “e-Black Studies” is a testament to the endurance of Carter G. Woodson’s vision to preserve the rich contributions
of African Americans to the U.S. and the world, and to the tenacity of Black Studies/aka AfricanAmerican Studies/aka AfroAmerican Studies as an enduring field of innovative scholarship and research. It also provided ample space in the formal panels and workshops and in between, in the corridors and restaurants, to reflect on where we are as a people (our current state of affairs), and where we need to go (the future of Black America). As fate would have it, the conference offered me the chance to see old friends, buy books that placed Black children at the center of the narrative, try on some Afro-centric clothing and simply reconnect with folk whose common bond is celebrating and elevating the achievements of African Americans in the United States and globally. Anyone have a problem with that?
HISTORY TURN TO 3
insightnews.com
History From 2 REFLECTING ON THE PROGRESS OF BLACK AMERICA UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA I also listened to the debates and animated conversations about the state of Black America under the first Black President of the United States. What emerged for me as a central theme is our lack of clarity over what we, as African Americans, expected of President Obama. Clearly we assumed he would be “pro-Black” and place Black people at the center of every policy—an unrealistic assumption at best. We also assumed that perhaps the racial paradigm of North America had shifted significantly with President Obama’s election. What a disappointment it has been to all of us to realize that as we approach the 22nd century, the great U.S.A., which elected the first self-proclaimed African American president in the 21st Century is still engaged in the same historic game in
INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com
Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Andrew Notsch Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlane Bobby Rankin Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Brenda Colston Julie Desmond S. Himie Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
Insight News • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Page 3 which racism is a key player. The political jockeying taking place to oppose President Obama’s every action are intended to deny him a presidency of accomplishment, and is reminiscent of the events that occurred post-Reconstruction with the erasure of Black representation at the political level. According to noted historian Eric Foner “…between 1865 and 1877, about two thousand Blacks held elective and appointive offices in the South. A few [of these Black political figures] are relatively well-known, but most have been obscure and omitted from official
state histories.” Ironically, most African Americans who held seats in the senate and congress were members of the Republican Party—a party that had a wing known as the “Radical Republicans” who supported freedmen and Civil Rights, demanded more stringent sanctions against ex-Confederates and even opposed the Klu Klux Klan, and President Lincoln, whom they viewed as too soft on anti-slavery . They would surely turn in their graves over the current antics of the Republic Party in the last two centuries.
By 1867, just two years after the end of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, states began to “reclaim whiteness” with the emergence of “Black Codes” and “Jim Crow” laws designed to ensure ongoing political and social disenfranchisement of African Americans. Today, it is not too far-fetched to state that there is a concerted effort to reclaim whiteness, and that a Jim Crow attitude hovers over Washington, DC and the country. Unfortunately, it has become politically incorrect and impolite to call racism where it exists.
Yet, there is little else that could account for the tremendous opposition President Obama has faced since coming into office. Let’s first begin with the way in which he is addressed. The media and critics have had a difficult time shaping their mouths and pens to say “President Obama.” They call him “Obama,” “Mr. Obama,” but it has taken a long time before many have been able to ante up the courage to refer to this selfproclaimed Black man (despite his mixed parentage, which he acknowledges and embraces) as “president.”
CRABS IN THE BARREL OR WHAT? It is not clear to me also as to why there is such “hating” taking place among some African Americans, especially among such notables as Tavis Smiley and Cornell West, and some of the colleagues I encountered at the ASALH conference. Are we disappointed that President Obama didn’t “flip the script” and do for Blacks what whites have been doing all
HISTORY TURN TO 7
Page 4 • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Looking at the new Jim Crow system “Locked Up, Locked Out” The Neighborhood HUB and TakeAction Minnesota present a forum on the criminal justice system’s affect on the North Minneapolis Community. The Neighborhood HUB and TakeAction Minnesota will give a presentation and discussion on the criminal justice system based on Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow 6pm on Wednesday, November 16, at Christ English Lutheran
Church, 3210 Oliver Ave N in North Minneapolis. TakeAction Minnesota’s Justice 4 All Campaign is calling for employers to hire fairly, including those with a past criminal record seeking to rebuild their lives as they re-enter society. The campaign will urge some of Minnesota’s largest employers to remove questions about a criminal record from job applications. Frank Brown an organizer with TakeAction Minnesota
said, “Amidst an economic environment where too many families continue to struggle with job loss, recent studies show the unemployment rate for Black Minnesotans is three times more than the rate for white Minnesotans. At the same time, the number of people in Minnesota’s corrections system has grown nearly three-hundred percent since 1980, even though the state’s overall crime rate has remained steady.” Julianne Leerssen executive
director of the Neighborhood HUB states, “The heaviest burden of the criminal justice system is borne by communities of color who, despite being only fifteen percent of the state’s residents, make up more than forty-six percent of Minnesota’s prison population. And once a sentence has been served, those with a record often find it impossible to land an interview, let alone a job itself, due to current hiring practices.”
TakeAction Minnesota launched its Fair Hiring Campaign in April and continues to organize around this issue affecting many in North Minneapolis. Technology has made criminal records more easily available than ever. As a result, most employers screen out some or all applicants with records through background checks, no matter how old the record or whether it has anything to do with the kind of work
someone is applying for. There is direct correlation between employment and a person with a record successfully getting their life back on track. Together The Neighborhood Hub and TakeAction Minnesota will also present an expungement workshop to help those with records learn how to have their records erased. This will be the first time the two organizations have joined to address the jobs issue in North Minneapolis.
Broadband adoption rises but digital divide persists WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently released a report, “Exploring the Digital Nation,” that analyzes broadband Internet adoption in the United States. Overall, approximately seven out of 10 households in the United States subscribe to broadband service. The report finds a strong correlation between broadband adoption and socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, but says these differences do not explain the entire broadband adoption gap that exists along racial, ethnic and geographic lines. Even after accounting for socio-economic
differences, certain minority and rural households still lag in broadband adoption. The report analyzes data collected through an Internet use supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) of about 54,300 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in October 2010. Earlier this year, NTIA released initial findings from the survey, showing that while virtually all demographic groups have increased adoption of broadband Internet at home since the prior year, historic disparities among demographic groups remain. Today’s report presents broadband adoption statistics after adjusting for various socioeconomic differences. “Closing the broadband adoption gap is a priority because
Americans increasingly need 21st century skills to succeed in today’s economy. Today’s report provides a comprehensive, datadriven analysis of broadband adoption that will inform efforts to close the gap and promote America’s competiveness in the global economy,” said Acting Deputy Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank. “To get a good job, you often need access to the Internet and online skills. But nearly one in three American households do not subscribe to broadband service,” said NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling. “NTIA’s broadband grants program is helping to address this challenge by expanding public computer centers and providing Americans with the training needed to participate in the Internet economy. The lessons learned from these broadband projects and today’s report will help the larger community working to close the digital divide, and we encourage researchers to use the survey data for further analysis.” The principal findings of the report are: Overall • Sixty-eight percent of American households used broadband Internet in 2010, up from 64 percent in 2009. Only 3 percent of households relied on dial-up access to the Internet in 2010, down from 5 percent in 2009. Another 9 percent of households had people who accessed the Internet only outside of the home.
• All told, approximately 80 percent of American households had at least one Internet user, whether inside or outside the home and regardless of technology type used to access the Internet. • Cable modems and DSL were the leading broadband technologies for home Internet adoption, with 32 percent and 23 percent of households, respectively, using these services. Differences in household broadband adoption • Households with lower incomes and less education, as well as Blacks, Hispanics, people with disabilities and rural residents, were less likely to have Internet service at home. • Eighty-one percent of Asian households and 72 percent of white households had broadband at home, compared with 57 percent of Hispanic households and 55 percent of Black households. • Seventy percent of urban households had broadband at home, compared with 57 percent of rural households. • Households with schoolage children were more likely to have broadband at home (78 percent) than the national rate. Older householders, particularly those ages 65 and older (45 percent), were less likely to have broadband at home. • Less than half (43 percent) of households with annual incomes below $25,000 had broadband access at home, while 93 percent of households with
incomes exceeding $100,000 had broadband. • Average broadband adoption in 2010 varied by state from about half (52 percent) of all households to 80 percent. Role of socio-economic factors • Socio-economic differences do not explain the entire broadband adoption gap. For example, after accounting for socio-economic and geographic factors, Black and Hispanic households still lag white households in broadband adoption by 11 percentage points, though the gap between Asian and white households disappears. • After accounting for socioeconomic and demographic factors, rural households still lag urban households in broadband adoption by 5 percentage points. • In contrast, differences in socio-economic characteristics do explain a substantial portion but not all of the broadband adoption lag among people with disabilities. Reasons for not subscribing to broadband at home • The main reasons cited for not having Internet access at home were a lack of interest or need (47 percent), the expense (24 percent), and the lack of an adequate computer (15 percent). • Not surprisingly, individuals without broadband service at home relied on locations such as public libraries (20 percent) or other people’s houses (12 percent) to go online.
Long-term trends in internet and computer use • Between 2001 and 2010, broadband Internet use at home, regardless of technology type, rose from 9 percent to 68 percent of households. • Between 1997 and 2010, Internet use among households, regardless of technology type, rose from 19 percent to 71 percent. • More than three quarters (77 percent) of American households had a computer at home in 2010, up from 62 percent in 2003. NTIA and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service are administering a nearly $7 billion Recovery Act initiative to expand access to and adoption of broadband services. NTIA is utilizing approximately $4 billion of that funding for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), which provided grants to approximately 230 projects that are deploying broadband infrastructure, enhancing and expanding public computer centers, and encouraging the sustainable adoption of broadband service. In addition, NTIA’s State Broadband Initiative is supporting a host of state-driven initiatives to better integrate broadband and information technology into state and local economies. The full report is available at http://www.esa.doc.gov/ Reports/exploring-digital-nationcomputer-and-internet-usehome.
insightnews.com
Insight News • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Page 5
AESTHETICS Interview: Wendy Williams By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com Born in Asbury Park, New Jersey on July 18, 1964, Wendy Joan Williams burst onto the TV landscape in July 2009 with the launch of her own nationally-syndicated talk show. Dubbed a “breakthrough in daytime” by The New York Times, “The Wendy Williams Show” is now in its third season and airs in 52 countries around the world. “The Wendy Williams Show” is a reflection of its host; with its vibrant colors and upbeat soundtrack matching Williams’ own personality and energetic sense of humor. And the show’s focus on entertainment reflects her passion for pop culture. By design, whenever she interviews celebrity guests, it’s from the perspective of a fan, as she asks the questions that her audience wants to hear. A lover of classic television, Williams’ style is inspired by her childhood idols like Dinah Shore and Merv Griffin. Prior to making the transition to daytime television, Wendy built a devoted audience over the course of an enormously-successful 23-year run in radio. “The Wendy Williams Experience” was a top-rated, nationallysyndicated show which reached over 12 million people daily. In November of 2009, she was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame—one of only a handful of women to enjoy the honor. Wendy recently competed on Season 12 of ABC’s smash hit “Dancing with The Stars.” Her other television credits include serving as host of Game Show Network’s original series “Love Triangle” and as a featured guest on ABC’s “One Life to Live” and Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva.” She is also the author of the New York
Times best seller The Wendy Williams Experience, as well as several novels including Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood. Plus, she presently contributes a weekly celebrity hot topics column to the weekly entertainment magazine “Life & Style.” A child of a teacher and a college professor, Williams earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Journalism at Northeastern University, and she remains a very vocal education advocate. She credits the start of her career with the decision to take an internship at a radio station on St. Croix, Virgin Islands immediately following her graduation from college. Wendy resides in Northern New Jersey with her husband, Kevin, and their 11 yearold son, Kevin, Jr. Here, she talks about her life and career. Kam Williams: Hi Wendy, How you doin’? Wendy Williams: [Laughs] How you doin’, Kam? You doing good? KW: I’m awwwlllright! Ann-Marie Nacchio, a loyal fan of yours from Philly, told me to start the interview with “How you doin’?” because that would probably help relax you. WW: And it did! That’s the official greeting of the show. KW: How did being raised by two educators shape you? WW: I know firsthand that educators are the most overworked and underpaid people around. It influenced me in that it was always about family first, and education was right next to that. There was never any question about whether I was going to college. And it was important to my parents that I get my degree in 4 years, because “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” [LOL] I will support my son in whatever he wants to do professionally, but
he will go to college, too. My husband and I are in concert on that. KW: How hard is it juggling your career and being a mom? WW: It’s not easy. He’s in the 6th grade. KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman says: First of all, how YOU doin’? I have been a fan since the days of radio and I love your Jersey Girl approach to life! You have been on radio, TV, film and authored books. Which gives you the biggest thrill? WW: TV. It’s the best, although radio was my first love. KW: You were certainly no stranger to controversy when you had the radio show. Do you think that might have been because you were the first African American host to push the envelope in terms of gossip? WW: Well, there were definitely elements of my rise in radio that had to do with my being Black. But going back as far as Walter Winchell, Army Archerd and Hedda Hopper, legendary wags would grab a radio microphone and talk about what Errol Flynn and other stars were up to. KW: Bernadette would also like to know, what is your favorite charity? WW: Big Brothers/Big Sisters because I love helping out kids. Anything with kids.
WILLIAMS TURN TO 7 Wendy Williams
U of M documentary Cornerstones traces history of North Minneapolis through place-based memories North Minneapolis’ legendary buildings and historic spaces are the backdrops for an exploration of the power of place and community in Cornerstones: Stories of Place on the North Side, on tpt MN, Twin Cities Public Television’s Minnesota Channel. Using interviews with local historians, architects, city planners, elders, artists and residents, the storyline traces cultural and social change and their impacts on iconic places such as the Sumner Community Library, Emanuel Cohen
Center/Oak Park Community Center, KMOJ Radio, Phyllis Wheatley Community Center and Plymouth Avenue. The hour-long documentary was written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Daniel Pierce Bergin, who won an Emmy award for his 2004 tpt documentary North Star: Minnesota’s Black Pioneers. Cornerstones is narrated by veteran Twin Cities performer Jearlyn Steele. The documentary’s companion website at uroc. umn.edu will feature additional
interviews with Northside residents on the importance of place and memory. The site will also include interactive storytelling features and content from tpt, university researchers and community historians. Co-produced by the University of Minnesota Urban Research and OutreachEngagement Center and tpt, Cornerstones presents powerful stories of Northside life interwoven with themes of immigration, race relations and cultural changes through placebased memories.
UROC’s mission is to link the university in public partnership with urban communities to advance learning, improve quality of life and discover solutions to complex urban challenges. For more information, visit uroc. umn.edu. Rebroadcasts of Cornerstones are scheduled for 2 a.m., 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 14 and noon Nov. 20 on tpt’s Life Channel. Viewers should check with their local PBS affiliates for airing dates and times.
This week at the movies Tomboy (Unrated) Genderbending drama about a 10-year old girl (Zoe Heran) who decides to pass herself off as male to a new friend (Jeanne Disson) when her family moves to suburban Paris. With Malonn Levana, Sophie Cattani and Mathieu Demy. (In French with subtitles)
By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com BIG BUDGET FILMS Happy Feet Two (PG for rude humor and mild scenes of peril) Animated 3-D sequel revolving around Mumbles’ (Elijah Wood) uncoordinated son (Elizabeth Daily) who runs away from home only to be befriended by a mighty flying penguin (Hank Azaria). Voice cast includes Robin Williams, Common, Pink, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Hugo Weaving. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (PG-13 for violence, sexuality, disturbing images, mature themes and partial nudity) 4th installment in the fantasy franchise finds Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) marrying and anticipating the birth of a mixed-species baby which poses a threat both to the vampire coven and riival Jacob’s (Taylor Lautner) wolf pack. With Billy Burke, Nikki Reed and Kellan Lutz. INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS Another Happy Day (R for pervasive profanity, sexual references, brief graphic nudity and teen drug and alcohol abuse) Dysfunctional family drama chronicling the trials and tribulations of a distraught divorcee (Ellen Barkin) when she ventures to her parents’ (George Kennedy and Ellen Burstyn) estate in Annapolis for the marriage of her estranged son (Michael Nardelli). With Kate Bosworth, Demi Moore and Thomas Haden Church. Buried Prayers (Unrated) Holocaust documentary recounting the horrors of Maidanek, a concentration camp where ill-fated internees
“Happy Feet Two” began burying their gold and other valuables prior to extermination to hide them from the Nazis. (In Polish and English with subtitles) The Descendants (R for profanity and sexual references) Screen adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings’ bittersweet novel of the same name about a Hawaii land baron (George Clooney) forced to take custody of his daughters (Amara Miller and Shailene Woodley) after his estranged wife (Patricia Hastie) is left in a vegetative state by a tragic boating accident. Supporting cast includes Beau Bridges, Robert Forster and Judy Greer. Eames: The Architect & the Painter (Unrated) James Franco narrates this benevolent biopic chronicling the life and times of Charles (1907-1978) and Ray Eames (1912-1988), the husband-and-wife team who were among America’s most influential industrial designers. The Greater Good (Unrated) Vaccines are the subject of this incendiary documentary examining the hype and fear surrounding the polarizing question of whether childhood inoculations are safe. In Heaven, (Unrated)
Underground Holocaust
Warner Bros. Pictures
documentary about the recent restoration of Berlin’s Weissensee Jewish Cemetery, created in 1880, which fell into disrepair in the wake of World War II. (In German, Hebrew, English and Russian with subtitles) King of Devil’s Island (Unrated) Historical drama, set on a fjord near Oslo in the early 20th Century, recounting the real-life ordeal of incarcerated juvenile delinquents who plotted a violent revolt against the sadistic warden (Stellan Skarsgard) responsible for their inhumane living conditions. With Trond Nilssen, Daniel Berg and Benjamin Helstad. (In Norwegian with subtitles) The Lie (R for profanity and drug use) Diminished dreams drama about an aspiring musician (Joshua Leonard) who reluctantly takes a 9-5 job to support the family after the birth of an unplanned baby (Violet Long) while his wife (Jess Weixler) is in law school. With Kelli Garner, Alia Shawkat and Jane Adams. Rid of Me (Unrated) Katie O’Grady stars in this dark comedy charting the emotional breakdown and rebirth of a woman on the road to selfdiscovery. With John Keyser, Storm Large and Betty Moyer.
Tyrannosaur (Unrated) Redemption drama about an unemployed, alcoholic widower (Peter Mullan) with a short temper who attempts to turn his life around with the help of a devout Christian (Olivia Colman) with her own checkered past. With Eddie Marsan, Paul Popplewell and Julia Mallam.
Karl Giant
insightnews.com
History From 3 along—privilege his “own kind.” If he had, I am convinced that he would have been impeached and possibly lynched, given the current political climate in which he has been characterized as a socialist, had the authenticity of his birth certificate questioned and been accused of being a closet Muslim. President Obama has been critiqued for not paying enough attention to Black folk. And I have some friends who even suggest that we would have done better under Hilary Clinton—Pleeze! Some of the most draconian welfare policies were instituted under the Clinton administration, and the three strike rule for any criminal offense (no matter how inconsequential), disproportionately affects African American men because they are one hundred times more likely to have prior offenses. These policies and laws came into being under the Clinton administration—and who is to say that Hilary as President would not have continued this direction. How easily we forget what the world was like before President Obama swept onto the
Williams From 5 KW: Alan Gray asks: Have you had any guests who just weren’t very talkative? What do you do to try to get them to talk, and have there been any occasions where you couldn’t? WW: No. Believe it or not, there are interesting elements in everyone. So, if I can’t talk to everybody for at least 7 to 10 minutes, then I’m in the wrong profession. KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks: Do you enjoy being a shock jockette and who are some of the celebrities you most enjoyed interviewing? WW: That’s so funny! I enjoyed being what I was in radio, which some thought of as a shock jock although, to this day, I still can’t
Insight News • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Page 7 campaign scene. Jesse Jackson had run for President twice, as did Shirley Chisholm, and neither of them came even close. Who of us did not say a prayer on election day that the miracle of a Black President, something of which we were convinced could not happen in our lifetime, might occur—and it did. Barack Hussein Obama II, self-identified African American, won the election as President of the United States of America, during what we now know to be its most challenging economic moment in history, save the Great Depression. Has President Obama kept all of his campaign promises? No. But what politician has? Are we holding him to a higher standard? You bet! And those of us who have operated in arenas of power and privilege understand that this is the nature of the beast—we (meaning African Americans) sometimes beat up on ourselves and critique ourselves worse than those who historically have maligned us. We sometimes get in our own way, being hypercritical of anyone who has surpassed our own level, and trying to hold them back, rather than help them reach new heights. Are we currently engaged in a “crabs in the barrel” approach to President Obama? We need to reflect on the roots of our anger and frustration; they did figure out what I’ve done that’s so shocking. [LOL] As to my favorite interviews, I loved having my mother and father on. I also enjoyed talking to Elmo, who’s a puppet. I found T.I.’s trying to be extra-cool very endearing. Tyra Banks was not the diva I expected her to be. I loooooved talking to her. And Simon Cowell is a really nice guy. Yeah! He’s my fave, and he’s handsome. KW: Irene also asks: What achievement are you most proud of, and what mountain do you still want to conquer? WW: I’m most proud of our son, having suffered several miscarriages before having him. As for the next mountain, it takes so much to maintain what’s already going on that I don’t have time to think about it. But I want some more seasons of the TV show, I’d like to write another book, and
WILLIAMS TURN TO 8
not just emerge with President Obama, but have been building for centuries. Yet, we expect President Obama to rectify all economic and social wrongs that have permeated the American political system in one term. I am disappointed that there have been no suggestions that we re-establish programs such as Job Corp or create a modern-day WPA program that will put artists and others to work. The White House should look into the educational effectiveness of Upward Bound Programs, and A Better Chance, that offered educational supplements and alternatives that proved successful to achieve his educational goals. I don’t agree with all of President Obama’s appointees, and I believe that he needs to clean house in his communications area because whoever is advising him has not yet tapped into the
real pulse of Americans—Black or white. I am satisfied in accepting the fact that President Obama is not the Messiah; he never promised to be. He did promise to make this a better America for everyone within the constraints of traditional party politics, and if he is given the support he has pleaded for over the last two years, I have faith he can accomplish more along the lines of his campaign promises. A real fact we must acknowledge is that none of Obama’s presidential predecessors have ever found themselves faced with such political opposition. No matter what direction President Obama turns, Republicans have made it clear they will take no direction from a Black man. If he votes up, they vote down; if he says right, they turn left, and only
former President Jimmy Carter has had the courage to call this behavior what it is—pure “d”, home-grown American racism, recast as Teapartyism, recast as a return to American values of the past—by the way those were the same values that supported segregation, believed that a woman’s place was in the home, and undergirded slavery. Yeah, let’s go back to that past—no thank you. The time spent at the ASALH Conference was an opportunity to reflect on where we are as a people. It was also a reminder that African American burial grounds (like the one recently discovered in Richmond, VA, the conference site) were once raided for medical experimentation, and have been paved over with parking lots. Every other people in the world are applauded for attempting to salvage their culture and reclaim
their past. We are constantly reminded of the horrors of the Jewish holocaust, but any attempt by Blacks to suggest that slavery was an African holocaust is met with skepticism, and increasingly with accusations that we are reverse “racists.” Those who speak that term have no idea of what they utter. To read full article go to www.insightnews.com Irma McClaurin, PhD is the Culture and Education Editor for Insight News, an anthropologist and writer/poet. She is the author of several books on anthropology and poetry, including two juvenile books on the Civil Rights Movement and Facing the Future in the Marshall Cavendish series The Drama of African American History (http://www.irmamcclaurin.com/ online-store.php).
Page 6 • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Insight News
insightnews.com
HEALTH
Coping with the holidays Murua (Swahili for ‘Respect’) By Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, Ph.D., L.P. The holidays are quickly approaching. I mean really, we just finished Halloween and I am already seeing Christmas decorations. Somewhere in between there are a turkey, dressing, and some pumpkin pie just waiting to be recognized as a Thanksgiving dinner! As we approach the holiday season, many of us face difficulties. Some of the problems that arise around holidays are experiencing losses of loved ones and special memories from the
past. The holidays bring up times of reminiscing special moments and traditions. For those of us who are isolated and alone, they also bring up even more pronounced experiences of loneliness and loss. Consequently, the holiday season is one of the most critical ones in terms of experiencing symptoms of depression. It is said that perhaps up to 10% of the population suffers from holiday depression to some degree or another. Additionally, people who suffer from stress related disorders prior to the holidays seem to see an increase in their symptoms. According to the American Institute of Stress, more than 110 million Americans take medication for stress related causes each week. When the holidays come along, people already predisposed to stress can find themselves feeling blue and more stressed out than usual. It is clear that stress is
PhotoXpress
increased during the holidays due to a number of factors. For example, long-standing family feuds and dysfunctions are often reignited during the holidays and we are often placed in positions of being “trapped” by social obligations to visit, help out, cook, or engage in other tasks for which we may be unmotivated to perform. On top of that, grocery
store lines are longer and so are lines in post offices, malls, and even gas stations. So everywhere you go shopping there is stressparking spaces are impossible to find, people act like “plum fools” when it comes to courtesy when exiting and entering stores! Holiday stress is also caused by a variety of other factors such as doing too much. The
main problem with holidays is that we often impose unrealistic challenges on ourselves to accomplish outcomes that may require mental, physical, and financial costs. While stress itself can be positive and serve the purpose of motivating us to achieve our goals (this is called “eustress”), too much stress can have a very deleterious impact on our health, decrease the strength of our immune systems to fight infections/illness, and create feelings of being anxious, fatigued and angry. Other causes of stress may include the incurring of increased debts. In fact, holiday debt is a tradition that too many people unknowingly bring on themselves. We see television ads saying “put the Christmas gifts on lay-away” or “don’t wait—even if we charge you too much, we’ll give you a gift card if you find someone else who charges less (so that you can come back into our store and
spend the rest of the money that we did not take from you in the first place)!..... You know, I’m not lying! Another reason that people don’t do very well during holidays is that they may have a preexisting mental health challenge that is only made worse during the winter. For example, some people suffer from a type of depressive disorder known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or “the winter blues.” It was originally described by Norman Rosenthal in 1984. I remember because I was a graduate student working with one of his colleagues from Harvard, when we started talking about the “phenomenon” that I had already witnessed in my patients who were hospitalized in cyclical periods throughout the years. SAD is a by-product of the seasons changing from fall to winter. Researchers have noted that as daylight diminishes and people are forced to stay inside, they experience very real feelings of severe sadness. Although experts were initially skeptical, this condition is now recognized as a common disorder, with its prevalence in the U.S. ranging from 1.4 percent in Florida to 9.7 percent in New Hampshire. Learning to cope with holiday stressors can prove even more challenging that recognizing the sources of the stress. Old unhealthy habits (such as overeating, drinking too much, staying up too late, and lounging instead of exercising) tend to “revisit” us like old friends coming back from a long trip! These habits seem to comfort us because they are familiar; however, they do not help us maintain the balance that we need to be healthy in the ways in which we respond to stress. Therefore, whatever the reason for experiencing holiday
HOLIDAYS TURN TO 11
insightnews.com
Insight News • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Page 9
BUSINESS Career roundabout: Detour or excellent shortcut? Plan Your Career By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com When Rachel asked me to help her husband find a job, I said no. You who know me know, I rarely say no. Especially to a challenge. But I told her, Pops (not his name, but what we call him) never does what I tell him to do. Everyone knows someone who won’t be moved. For example, I can get a CFO to change a budget item, but I can’t get my kid to drink orange juice. Put Grandma in the kitchen, and my son is quickly half-tanked on MinuteMaid. We applied the Grandma theory to a discussion about, Who can help Pops? We settled on a mutual friend. I would pass the information along
to the buddy, and the buddy would share the suggestions with Pops. This sounds complicated, but sometimes an indirect route is the best way to achieve results. In fact, most career plans now involve roundabouts. One roundabout is education. You know you need it. But, “I’m too busy to finish my degree,” is a common and understandable reason not to. That is, until you realize you are choosing, “Too busy” over “something better.” Don’t diminish your aspirations. You might have to step back in your career responsibilities and make time to learn new skills, either through an online class or continuing education program, but after completing that education, more doors will be open to you. Doors that lead to more money, more responsibility and more opportunity. Another roundabout is job searching. I want Pops to stop applying for jobs indiscriminately online. Job
the interview. The rest was up to him. Pops needs to use his online time more wisely, following companies on Twitter, exchanging messages with friends, relatives, associates and customers, and updating his LinkedIn profile to reflect his availability to work. Then, when he applies for that position online, he will have a referral from an internal employee who, by the way, might get a referral bonus out of the deal. Everyone wins. If the straight and wide path ahead of you stretches on endlessly, you might want to try a side road. That roundabout strategy might be just the shortcut your career has been waiting for. PhotoXpress
searching is a numbers game, but not the way it used to be. The secret is not in applying to more positions; it lies in knowing more people at the company where you apply.
When my friend Nick wanted a shot at a Best Buy position, he gave his resume to (count ‘em) five employees there. None of the five worked in the department Nick wanted
to join, but all five passed along his resume because Nick had the qualifications needed and because he’s a good guy. All Nick wanted was an interview. With five referrals, Nick got
Julie Desmond is a Certified Staffing Professional with 18 years of career planning and recruiting experience. Send your career plan and job search questions to julie@ insightnews.com.
Dayton addresses liquidity crisis ALANA (African, Latino, Asian and Native American) community leaders commend Governor Dayton for small business lending initiative to improve capital access and call for attention to the liquidity crisis in ALANA communities. ALANA community leaders commended Governor Dayton for the launch of the $100 million Small Business/ Banking Partnership. They viewed the initiative as an important step towards addressing the major challenges facing ALANA entrepreneurs. At the same time they recognized that unless banks change their lending behavior towards ALANA entrepreneurs nothing much will change in the experience of poor capital access by these entrepreneurs. The community leaders were concerned at recent statements that “liquidity” is not the major
issue of entrepreneurs when it has been well documented, especially in the recent disparity studies at the state and city levels, that ALANA entrepreneurs face significant barriers in their access to capital. “The state has tremendous power to leverage small and ALANA business development by creating partnerships around its billions of dollars in spending and investments,” said Dr. Bruce Corrie, dean of the College of Business and Organizational Leadership at Concordia University-St. Paul. “This can spur business and job development in low income communities and at the same time it does not cause taxpayers a dime” Corrie added. “The City of Saint Paul has some experience with a similar program that has achieved success,” said Readus Fletcher,
Governor Mark Dayton St. Paul Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity. Lea Hargett, President of the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce said, “Access to capital has been identified as a major barrier to success to Black owned businesses in the state as documented in a recent survey of our members. I commend Governor Dayton for this important initiative
Carter From 1 by Green Party candidate Jim Ivey, 42, who got 27 percent of votes cast, and Bill Hosko, 49, who got 26 percent. The two lowest vote getters, Cynthia Schanno, 55, with 7 percent of votes, and Sharon Anderson, with 2 percent, drop from contest and their supporters’ votes will be distributed according to each voter’s second choice. Assistant Hennepin
and we will be working with our chamber members to take advantage of the new opportunities that this initiative presents.” “Latino entrepreneurs faced significant challenges in access to capital in rural areas,” said Ramon Leon, Executive Director of the Latino Economic Development Center. “We will use this opportunity to help connect our entrepreneurs with these new resources both in the metro and rural areas.” “African immigrant entrepreneurs are growing rapidly in areas such as Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, access to capital is a critical barrier to their success,” said Gene Gelgelu, Executive Director of African Economic Development Solutions. “We are working hard to connect our entrepreneurs to available resources as we do not have our own loan fund.” David Glass, President of
the American Indian Economic Development Fund ( A Native CDFI) said, “Although American Indians as a whole are rich in culture and tradition, American Indians have the highest incidence of unemployment, resulting in many of the communities presenting as the poorest of the poor. The American Indian community has the lowest business ownership rate of all other cultures, and faces significant barriers to access capital and development services according to data from the U.S. Census, Health Department, and the U.S. Treasury. “ Pamela Standing, Co-Chair, Minnesota Indian Business Alliance said, “ A commonly cited barrier to the development of private business sectors in Indian communities is the lack of access to affordable credit and capital. Efforts to address the financing issues are varied. They range from the creation of federal
loan guarantee programs, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), micro- and revolving-loan funds, to the promotion of asset development efforts such as earned income tax credit (EITC) assistance and individual development account (IDA) programs, to mention but a few. One very important area of need, however, has received little attention and that is, equity. Sources of equity most commonly used for starting and expanding small businesses outside of Indian Country include home equity, inheritance, and funding from friends and relatives. These sources are scarce in Indian Country. The Minnesota Indian Alliance focuses it’s efforts on entrepreneurs and believes that entrepreneurs are the primary wealth creators in developed nations around the world, and
County Attorney Chris Tolbert In Ward 3, defeated John Mannillo. Tolbert, 28, is consider a young progressive who enjoyed tremendous support from St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and the DFL. In Ward 4, first-term incumbent Russ Stark, 38, with 76 percent of the vote handily defeated Curtis Stock, 47. In Ward 6, incumbent Dan Bostrom, 71, withstood a strong challenge by Bee Kevin Xiong, 41, a newcomer to politics who was able to take 41 percent of ballots cast,
to Bostrom’s 58 percent Council President Kathy Lantry, 50, was unopposed in Ward 7. Carter said he expects a cooperative and effective spirit to prevail at City Hall. He said the Council has a strong ally in Mayor Chris Coleman, who controls city departments. “Our job is to develop a budget that enables the Mayor and the city to pursue the mission of creating an improved quality of life for the residents of our city. To me, that means we have to be committed to improving neighborhoods and schools at
the same time,” he said. Carter thanked his supporters, including volunteers “who showed up in droves and got all the campaign work done early. We had more people than we had work. It was great to see that level of involvement and support.” Carter’s supporters included key labor organizations as well as DFL elected officials including Governor Mark Dayton, Senator Al Franken, Representatives Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison, and Mayor Chris Coleman.
BUSINESS TURN TO 11
Page 8 • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Garden of Truth: The prostitution and trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota The Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition and Prostitution Research & Education have released the landmark report, Garden of Truth: The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota, the first study to detail the personal experiences of Native women who have been prostituted and trafficked in the state, as well as the specific resources and support they need to escape prostitution and trafficking. The report follows on earlier studies by Amnesty International and the US Justice Department which found that Native women experience the highest rates of sexual assault in the US.
Garden of Truth is based on interviews with more than 105 Native women in the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Bemidji, and finds a common thread of poverty and extreme and frequent violence throughout these women’s lifetimes, including child sexual abuse, rape, and beatings and traumatic brain injuries obtained during prostitution. A majority of the women experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. 98% have been homeless at some point during their lives, and 92% say they want to escape prostitution but believe they have no other options. About half of the women interviewed met a conservative legal
Melissa Farley and Nicole Matthews
Williams From 7 eventually, I’d like to retire and take vacations with my husband like my mom and dad do. KW: Professor/author/ documentary filmmaker Hisani Dubose says: I would like to know, what was involved in making the transition from radio, where you aren’t seen, to TV, where visibility is so important? WW: Lipstick, foundation, a strip of lashes, and developing the ability to edit what I would normally say. I was always able to finish a thought on radio, because I had 4 hours. A one-hour TV show is only 44 minutes of programming. KW: Film director Kevin Williams asks: What was the biggest challenge you faced in making the move from radio to TV? WW: Finding the fine line between satisfying a daytime TV audience and an afternoon radio audience. That involved editing down my delivery to under an hour. I’ve been blessed to have great producers and a great staff to achieve that. I have a small team but they’re very efficient. KW: Jessica Kelly says: I love your wigs Wendy, but I want to hear more about your eye
Cristine Davidson
make-up. It’s sooooooo hot! WW: [Laughs] Merrell Hollis has been doing my makeup since the beginning of the show. I just close my eyes and let him do his thing. He’s a genius! KW: Aleesha Houston asks: What’s the last gift you purchased for yourself? WW: A wig! [Giggles] I’m picking it up on Monday. KW: Judyth Piazza asks: If you could change one thing about the entertainment industry, what would it be? WW: More Wendy! [Roars] KW: Teresa Emerson says: “How you doin’ Wendy!” Who would you love to interview that you think may be afraid to come on your show; given your reputation for hard questions? WW: I will take that as a rhetorical question. KW: Lowery Gibson asks: What’s the real Wendy like, minus the wigs, makeup and “How you doin’?” Given that you had a breast endowment, do you recommend this cosmetic surgery? WW: The real Wendy is a plain, regular girl with good skin. I do have hair, if he’s wondering about that. I have lots of witnesses to that. [Chuckles] And I’m a homebody. When I get off the phone with you, Kam, I’m going to the grocery store, because our power was out for 4 days. As for breast
definition of sex trafficking, which involves third-party control by pimps or traffickers. “Native women are at exceptionally high risk for poverty and sexual violence, which are both elements in the trafficking of women,” says report co-author Nicole Matthews, Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition. “The specific needs of Native women are not being met. Our goal was to assess the life circumstances of Native women in prostitution in Minnesota, a group of women not previously studied in research such as this.” Garden of Truth calls prostitution a sexually
exploitative, often violent economic option most often entered into by those with a lengthy history of sexual, racial, or economic victimization. “Prostitution is only now beginning to be understood as violence against women and children,” says report co-author Melissa Farley, founder of Prostitution Research & Education. “It has rarely been included in discussions of sexual violence against Native women. It is crucial to understand the sexual exploitation of Native women in prostitution today in its historical context of colonial violence against Native nations.”
augmentation, I do recommend it for women over 30 who have a couple of extra dollars. But it’s not for a nutty schoolgirl who might just be doing it for a guy.
And it could happen over anything. I could have something sad going on in my life… I could have my period… Women are emotional. At least I know I am.
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would? WW: I have no answer. That’s a question I would really have to think about.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read? WW: Oh brother, here you go. If you must know, my son was reading to me from a children’s book called “Mousetrap.” The last one I read myself was “Satan’s Sisters,” Star Jones’ novel about a fictitious talk show.
KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid? WW: Yes. KW: The Columbus question: Are you happy? WW: Yeaaaaahhhh!
Short
KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh? WW: A minute ago. I laugh all the time, loudly, with my mouth wide open, and all the way up to the tip of my wig. And I love just as hard. I only hope that people feel the passion when they watch my talk show. It comes from my soul. Kam, I can’t even describe to you what it feels like when I come through those double doors at 10 AM each morning. Sometimes, the emotions overwhelm me, and I start to cry. KW: I heard that you’ve cried several times on the show. WW: Please, are you making fun of me? [Laughs] I couldn’t tell you how often I’ve cried. Wendy Watchers know when it happens.
KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song you listened to? WW: “Headlines” by Drake. KW: What is your favorite dish to cook? WW: Mexican food is my absolute, #1 favorite food. But all the cutting and dicing is very timeconsuming. I do like to cook a few times a week, but it’s not always that intricate with the shells and the cheese, etcetera. KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you? WW: Doing the show. That 10 AM feeling when the doors open up. Forget about it! Also, my son coming home with a respectable grade on something that I know he’s worked hard on. And good health excites me, too.
WILLIAMS TURN TO 11
insightnews.com
Holidays From 6 stress, there are some things you can do to try cope. Here are some strategies that you may use to help you make the best of the season: Reassess and prioritize Keep expectations for the holiday season manageable. Don’t try doing it all. Tell yourself, “If I have time, I’ll do this and that. If not, I’ll only do that.” Delegate! If your house needs cleaning or decorating, let each family member be responsible for a room or a task. That way nobody is overwhelmed and everyone
Insight News • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Page 11 can enjoy the African value of Ujima (collective work and responsibility). Keep your money; Set Boundaries and Just say “no!” Our children and families can “work our last nerves” by asking for everything under the sun. We often feel guilty and inadequate if we do not give them what they want. My advice is that you establish a budget, and stick to it! Don’t forget to add the cost of all those special holiday foods that you plan to prepare. If a gift is too expensive, you should tell your child (or spouse) what my mother used to tell me (and I quote): “You may have “Cadillac taste, but I’ve only got a bicycle pocketbook!” In other words, let them know that you can not afford what they want, but that you will get the very best gift
that you can-given your financial limitations. Also, remember that holidays are supposed to be about spending time together thinking about “holy” things and being thankful for what we have. Using this time to create rituals around showing love in ways that do not land you in financial distress will make the holiday go much better. So spend time doing fun activities like volunteering, baking cookies, going caroling, or giving time or unneeded items to needy families. Explain to your kids that there are many families who do not have as much as they do. To get kids into the spirit of giving, ask them to pick a few of their old toys to donate to the less fortunate. Do everything in moderation! Do not eat too much, drink
Williams From 8 KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer? WW: I love Norma Kamali. I’m wearing Norma Kamali right now as I write my grocery list while I’m speaking to you. I’m multi-tasking. KW: Dante Lee, author of “Black Business Secrets, asks: “What was the best business decision you ever made, and what was the worst?” WW: I can’t narrow either one down to just one thing. I’ve rolled the dice and had
Business From 9 that the business diversity that is essential for robust and sustainable economies and job creation is driven by the private sector. “ “ALANA firms make up around 6 percent of the firms in Minnesota as compared to around 17 percent of the population, “ said Dr. Corrie. “Initiatives like these are important to close this entrepreneurial gap given that these firms as a whole would
too much, or stay up too late, too often. Be sure to include exercise in your plans (even if it means walking around the Mall of America). These simple steps will increase your ability to cope with stress. Connect, Connect, And Connect! Spend time with people who are supportive and care about you, but also make new friends if you are alone during special times. Learn to be Diplomatic! If you have friends or family members who are chaotic and keep “mess” stirred up, you may wish to learn assertiveness skills by (1) Describing any perceived problems; (2) Expressing your emotion-how you feel about the situation; (3) Specifying what
both success and failure. I can tell you that right now we’re on a roll with the talk show. Everything is good with the TV show. KW: Were you disappointed about your quick departure from Dancing with the Stars this season? WW: I was relieved! I’m not a dancer, and it was very timeconsuming. But I met great people, and it was flattering to be asked to be on. You don’t understand how demanding that show is until you’re on the inside. That is real work. Real work!
you would like to see done differently, and (4) Providing positive images of what the Consequences may be, if they honor your request.
BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, Ph.D., L.P. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who serves as the President of Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services,
and Executive Director of the African American Child Wellness Institute. She has over 30 years of experience in the field psychology specializing in violence recovery and multicultural mental health and is recognized as a Board Certified Diplomat/Fellow, in African Centered/Black Psychology by the Association of Black Psychologists. Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya warns that this column should in no way be construed as constituting a therapeutic relationship through counseling or advice. To forward a comment about this article or to make an appointment, please contact Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya by emailing her at: bravadaakinsanya@ hotmail.com or by telephone at 763-522-0100 or 612-302-3140.
looking in the mirror right now pushing my wig up. Wow! I look really good to be going to the grocery store. I see beauty today. Tomorrow, it might be something different. [LOL]
turning the TV channel back to Sesame Street from Divorce Court when I heard my mother’s heels clicking on the steps as she came down the stairs. I liked both shows.
KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for? WW: For my groceries to just appear in the kitchen, so I can do what I love to do, which is turn on the TV and have myself a snack while watching the 5 O’clock News.
KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person? WW: It made me stronger, although I never experienced any devastating teenage angst. I wasn’t that type of girl. I was more nomadic in my younger years.
Disconnect, Disconnect, Disconnect! Give yourself time alone to relax, think, pray, and rest. Even if your “time out” is a brief walk in the park, a bubble bath, or curling up with your favorite movie or book, drinking a cup of tea. You deserve to be at peace. While you are celebrating the holidays, remember to celebrate “you!”
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? WW: Beauty! I’m sitting here
KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory? WW: Believe it or not, it had to be about 1969. We were living in Asbury Park and I remember
KW: Thanks again for the time, Wendy, and best of luck with the show. WW: Thank you, Kam.
be the 15th largest in the state and the 9th largest employer - a powerful engine for economic growth in Minnesota. There are progressive banks in Minnesota that have seen this potential as well as business opportunity and I am sure they will make great partners for this initiative,” Corrie added. The community leaders will have a follow-up meeting on November 2, 2011 at 2 pm to develop some specific strategies to help make these new initiatives work for ALANA entrepreneurs. Some of the suggestions brought forward by the group include:
Setting up part of the funds to other financial vehicles such as the CDFIs Using the funds to leverage equity funds very much needed by ALANA entrepreneurs both at the micro level as well as growing firms. Partnering with banks with a history of lending to ALANA communities to develop a collaborative lending model with these funds used very much like an SBA loan guarantee program. Making sure that loans packaged to ALANA entrepreneurs include a technical assistance and mentoring component so that
these entrepreneurs can be successful. The 2011 MBCC UMOJA (Unity) Celebration Annual Award Ceremony and Benefit “Transforming Our Businesses to Win in the 21st Century” will be held Saturday, December 3, 2011. The UMOJA Celebration is an exciting cultural experience offering a silent and live auction, outstanding performances, music and dancing and a prominent keynote speaker. For more information about this event please contact: Ashley Blocton at 651-3799820 or Lea Hargett at 651224-4320.
Breast cancer is every woman’s fight.
Be informed. Get screened.
© 2011 American Cancer Society, Midwest Division
“I made this for all the women whose lives have been saved by breast cancer screenings." Kari Modén “SilhoueƩes of Hope"
These clinics offer low-cost or free mammograms: Open CiƟes Health Center - 651.290.9200 Neighborhood HealthSource - 612.588.9411 NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center - 612.543.2500
Please call today to schedule your appointment.
1.800.227.2345 cancer.org
Page 10 • November 14 - November 20, 2011 • Insight News
insightnews.com
C OM M U N IT COMMUNI TY Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, andrew@insightnews.com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Andrew Notsch. Free or low cost events preferred.
Events A.S.P.I.R.E. Youth Agency’s Grand Opening - Nov. 16 Please join us for the opening of a youth center dedicated to encouraging at-risk and disadvantaged youth to transition to self sufficiency and independence. Wed. Nov. 16 3-7pm @ 655 Fairview Ave. St. Paul. MN
Twin Cities Becomes Hothouse for Top Social Entrepreneurs Nov 16 Three top Ashoka Fellows— social entrepreneurs who have founded innovative, systems- changing solutions to community problems—will share their proven success stories and how the Twin Cities is moving forward by becoming a magnet for these social innovators. @
Minneapolis Central Library Pohlad Auditorium (2nd Floor) 300 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. Wed, Nov. 16 - 7:30pm-8:45pm [live, 1-on-1 interviews available on 11/16 & 11/17]. For more info, visit: http://usa.ashoka.org/
Youth, Crime & Violence, and Murder - Nov. 17-18 Conference to address the future of our children to provide structure in their life; to provide direction for their life so that they can get back on DUPLEX FOR RENT track of their lives by East St. Paul - 2 bdrm remodeled duplex unit avail moving in a positive 12/1. $795/month - Income Restricted Property and fruitful direction EHO - 651-430-1888 www.applegateproperties.com of being educated and gainfully employed and being contributors and U.S. District Court Calendar not detractors to their Clerk/Courtroom Deputy family, community The U.S. District Court, District of MN and society. FREE is accepting applications for a full-time Calendar Clerk/Courtroom Deputy. and open to anyone Starting salary $48,663 - $60,827; who seriously are range to $79,073 DOQ. For a complete interested in working description visit the court’s website, with vulnerable youth www.mnd.uscourts.gov, Employment. and their families; An Equal Opportunity Employer however, registration is required. Call: 612242-9514 or Email: nguzosabainstitute@ yahoo.com. A light Breakfast and Lunch MINNESOTA DFL SEEKS will be provided. COORDINATED CAMPAIGN MANAGER
The Minnesota DFL Party is now accepting applications for a Coordinated Campaign Manager. The Coordinated Campaign Manager heads the Coordinated Campaign staff, and reports to the UDF Board, the State DFL Chair, and the DFL Executive Director. (The “UDF” is the United Democratic Fund.) Please visit dfl.org/employment for more in-depth job description. The deadline for applications is Friday, November 18th, 2011.
Community Service Guest Day - Nov 19 Honorees for this special event are V. J. Smith and MADD Dads; Tyrone Terrell and the Men of
M.A.R.C.H; Charlnitta “Chi” Ellis of the H.A.S. HIV Prevention Program; and David Branch, Principal, Lucy Laney Craft School. Sat., Nov. 19 11am-1pm at Glendale SDA Church - 1138 Glenwood Ave. N. Mpls. Dinner is served after the program. For more information call 612-5322190. WomenVenture - Nov 21 For further information and to register, visit womenventure. org or call 651-646-3808. WomenVenture is located at 2324 University Avenue West, Suite 120, St. Paul, MN 55114. • Planning to Succeed* Nov 21-Dec 19 6-9pm (5 evenings) at WomenVenture, $325 (Tuition reduction available for those who qualify). Learn how to create and grow a business that is feasible, viable and desirable in this intensive course for entrepreneurs. * A one-hour consultation with a seasoned business consultant is included when you complete all five evenings. Tuition reduction is available on all WomenVenture classes for those who qualify. • Career & Employment Transition Group for Women Nov 22 9:30–11:30am at WomenVenture, Free. Walkin group for women to make connections, get support and receive job-seeking advice.
Public Hearing on Proposed 6th Park District Dog Park Site - Nov 22 The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will conduct a public hearing on the proposed site for a dog park in the Sixth Park District. The hearing will be held at 6:30pm, Nov. 22, at the MPRB headquarters, 2117 W River Rd. The proposed site, known as Site # 32, is located along King’s Highway in Lyndale Farmstead Park in the Southside Operations Center parking lot. Energy Clinic - Nov 29-30 Free two day Energy Clinic for income eligible Senior Citizens who live in Mpls. Tue., Nov. 29 and Wed., Nov. 30 10am-4pm on both days at the Minneapolis Urban League - Sharon Sayles Belton Center located at 411 East 38th St. Mpls. Seniors will be able to fill out an Energy Assistance Application, meet with CAMPLS Energy Assistance Representatives to address crisis energy connection needs, get free Energy Conservation resources and supplies, and learn more about Programs and Services made available to community members by Community Action of Minneapolis. For more information about the Energy Assistance Program, please call 612.335.5837 or visit our website at www.campls.org
Page 12 • November 14 - November 20 20, 2011 • Insight News
We owe so much of our success to you. 25 years ago, we set up shop in Georgetown, KY, and we haven’t stopped since. Today, Toyota operates ten plants throughout the U.S., including our newest one in Blue Springs, Mississippi. We know that none of this would be possible without you, our loyal customers. And we’d like to thank you for standing by us, and making us feel so welcome in the communities we call home. Toyota.com/usa
©2011
insightnews.com