CAPRI BIG BAND PLAYS HOLIDAY CONCERT Enjoy jazzy holiday music along with some of the band’s favorite standards Sunday, December 9th at 3:00 PM Capri Theater 2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis www.thecapribigband.com Free and open to the public.
INSIGHT NEWS November 26 - December 2, 2012 • MN Metro Vol. 39 No. 48 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
A Farewell Requiem: Dr. Elvyn Jones-Dube
Culture and Rituals: “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” Yes, some anthropologists believe that marriage has little to do with love and a lot to do with economic and political social relations, developing domestic unions, and establishing blood lines. Look at the historical marriages of the aristocracy—they occurred to cement alliances, further the accumulation of wealth, produce an heir, and solidify power. Love had very little to do with it. We might ask ourselves how much has changed in this ritual through the centuries, especially since the sticking points in most modern divorces is property division and custody of the children— sometimes in that order of priorities. Marriage has been
Photo courtesy of Antonette Taylor.
Tyan Taylor-Douglas with her children (clockwise left to right) Teajhae Williams (11), Ty’neijah Williams (13), Terrance Williams (9), Tyvion Williams (7), and Terranaye Williams (9).
Crash kills mother of five, fund established for kids By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Tyan Taylor-Douglas’ life revolved around her kids. It should have come as no surprise that Taylor-Douglas, 32, was hurriedly headed to be with her children and take them trick-or-treating when she was killed in a traffic accident at an intersection by a crossing vehicle on Halloween. TaylorDouglas had just finished dropping off a co-worker who
needed a ride home. It should also come as no surprise that Taylor-Douglas’ five children, ages 13 to seven – all of whom are described as excellent students – are struggling to cope with the loss of their loving mother. “It has been hard on them all, but probably hardest on the youngest,” said Antonette Taylor, Taylor-Douglas’ sister. “Just the other day he broke
FAMILY TURN TO 5
NAACP polls Black voters By Joi C. Ridley For the civil rights community, Election Day was an undeniable victory. Ballot initiatives promoting equality were passed in several key states and Minnesota’s attempt to restrict voting rights was struck down. An NAACP swing state poll conducted in the days leading up to the election showed that African Americans were engaged on these issues, and offered a snapshot of the black electorate at this point in history. The NAACP’s polling found that a majority of African Americans support the Dream Act and marriage equality, both of which passed in Maryland on Election Night. The data revealed majority support for marriage equality measures. Fifty percent of African American voters favor a constitutional right to marry,
with 40% opposing it. Ninetythree percent of respondents favor the Dream Act, which allows undocumented youth to seek U.S. citizenship (71% strongly, 21% somewhat). The poll, which interviewed 1,600 African American voters in Ohio, Virginia, Florida and Georgia also suggested that, despite their very high support for the Democratic Party with President Obama at the helm, African Americans could be convinced to vote for a Republican candidate. Only 47% of respondents were “very enthusiastic” for the next Democrat candidate following President Obama and 15% are unsure of how enthusiastic they will be in 2016. Moreover, 14% percent of African Americans said they are more likely to vote for a Republican in the future if the candidate has civil rights
Photos courtesy of the Dube family
Above: Dr. Elvyn Jones-Dube circa 1981, Right: Elvyn Jones-Dube October, 2012
Artspace
By Irma McClaurin, PhD Culture and Education Editor
“I really have no regrets. I can go freely. There are things that I didn’t accomplish that I wanted to but I have learned how to let go. I would have liked to have done more, and if I had more time, I would have done so.” Dr. Elvyn Jones-Dube Human beings, homo sapiens,
Obituary
Pepito’s Carlos Rodriguez dies
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or anthropology’s political correct AMH (anatomically modern humans) are a unique species among mammals. We have culture, which according to my colleagues, has been our primary means of adaptation. Through culture we have learned how to adapt to our environment by creating houses to shelter us from heat
JONES-DUBE 5 TURN TO
Gala honors Congressman
Rangel worked to rebuild Haiti
The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation
VOTERS TURN TO 5
and cold, clothing to protect us from the elements as well as symbolize ideas of decency and propriety. We developed sun tan lotions to protect us from the sun and solar panels to harness the sun’s power for energy. We created cooking to help us digest a variety of foods that contributed to our survival, and may have help trigger the development of our brain. And, we have created cultural rituals like marriage to facilitate the reproduction of the species and further social and economic relations.
Jim Luce called the Congressman “Haiti’s best friend in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
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New York, N.Y. Congressman Charles B. Rangel was honored by The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation with its Humanitarian Award for his decades of work to encourage development in Haiti. Among his many contributions, Rangel created the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010, which provides additional trade preferences to Haitian textile and apparel imports, which is currently helping Haiti recover from the devastation of the earthquake. “I am thankful to receive this recognition for my work on behalf of the Haitian people, who have maintained a special place in my heart over a number of decades,” said Rangel. “I strongly believe that America must continue to lead an aggressive, coordinated
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effort to aid Haiti’s ongoing recovery. We must continue to extend tax breaks and encourage trade and development that will not only generate jobs, but also to create the kind of local and global partnerships that will empower Haitians to break the cycle of poverty.” The HELP Act of 2010 provides important protections for products considered sensitive by American textile producers and improves incentives to use U.S.-origin inputs. This legislation helped usher the development of the 600-acre Caracol Industrial Park in Northern Haiti, announced last month by Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton and former
RANGEL TURN TO 3
Full Circle
Black Student Alliance kick-off hosted at Normandale
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Page 2 • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Insight News
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St. Paul’s Phalen Park alight for the holidays The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) held their opening day festivities of its fifth annual Holiday Lights in the Park event last Tuesday, Nov. 20 at Phalen Park in St. Paul. Holiday Lights in the Park has raised more than $170,000 during its run as one of the state’s largest holiday lights displays. IBEW is hoping to raise over $60,000, topping last year’s total, for those in need this holiday season through its mission: creating fun and affordable familyfriendly holiday entertainment that raises funds to help meet basic life needs for children and adults. IBEW Holiday Lights in the Park was developed with the
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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 Intern Miki Noland Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlane Bobby Rankin Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer Insight Intern Abeni Hill Contributing Writers Cordie Aziz Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Oshana Himot Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Lydia Schwartz Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
Photos: IBEW
sole purpose of creating fun and affordable holiday events that raise funds to help meet basic life needs for children and adults in the Twin Cities metro area. All of the net proceeds of the “Holiday Lights Vol. 4” CD and Holiday Lights events will be distributed to Second Harvest Heartland, Union Gospel Mission, Saint Paul Parks Conservancy and UnderConstruction. The Holiday Lights project involves two unique holiday experiences this year: The IBEW Holiday Lights in the Park Light Tour at Phalen Park in St. Paul from November 20-January 1, 2013; and “Holiday Lights Vol. 4” concert series, December 9 at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information visit: www.lightsinthepark. org, on Facebook: facebook. com/HolidayLightsMN, or follow on Twitter: twitter.com/ HolidayLightsMN.
Dedric Doolin named regional representative to NAACP board Dedric Doolin was installed to the NAACP’s National Board of Director this month. The board selected Doolin as a replacement for Rev. Keith A. Ratliff who resigned earlier this year. Doolin was officially installed on October 20, 2012 in Arlington, Maryland by Leon Russel, Vice Chairman of the National Board of Directors for the nation’s largest civil rights organization. Doolin was presented to the board with strong recommendations from the State Conference Presidents in Region 4 which includes Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Missouri. “We felt very strongly that Rev. Ratliff’s replacement should come from Iowa,” said Arnold Woods, Iowa Nebraska State Conference President. “Dedric is a perfect fit because he has an impeccable history of dedication and passion for the NAACP and has devoted his life to civil rights work that goes far beyond his membership.” Said Doolin about joining the 60 plus member board, “I am honored to serve in this new role and am deeply humbled by the responsibility that comes with it.” Dedric is an NAACP Life Member in the organization who became active as a teen and also serves as Cedar Rapids Branch President and Secretary for the Iowa Nebraska State Conference. In the past he has been active in the roles of Youth Advisor and Vice President. About replacing Ratliff he comments. “Rev. Ratliff and I work extremely well together. I consulted him before accepting this position.” “We’re grateful to have our esteemed president championing ethnic equity issues at the national level and know he will represent us well.” said Rita Robinson, First Vice President of of the Cedar Rapids NAACP. “Dedric believes in working
Dedric Doolin hard and is masterfully competent in moving an agenda.” In his professional life Doolin is employed as Senior Deputy Director / Clinical Director for the Area Substance Abuse Council where he oversees over 200 employees. In his executive role, he is also president of the Iowa Substance Abuse Supervisors Association and chairperson of the Iowa Multicultural Substance Abuse Advisory Coalition. Additional state and community organization impact includes I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa which is Iowa’s African American Festival, The African American Family Preservation and Resource Committee, Cedar Rapids Leadership Circle, Oakhill Jackson Neighborhood Association and numerous other boards and committees with missions of civil justice. Though his community dedication is clear, Doolin, who is the head usher of Cedar Rapid’s Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church sums up his most important role and the reason behind his life’s work. “I am servant of the almighty Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to serve his people is to serve him.” For more information contact Dedric Doolin at 319560-0482 or ddoolin@asac. us.
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Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 3
Gap widens between Minnesota rich and poor The income gap between Minnesota’s richest and poorest families continues to widen, according to a national report released today. Pulling Apart: A Stateby-State Analysis of Income Trends found that the richest 20 percent of Minnesota households have average incomes seven times larger than the poorest 20 percent. The income gap increased significantly between the late 1970s and the mid-2000s. According to the analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute, Minnesota saw a significant increase in income inequality from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, when the incomes of high-income households grew while low- and middle-income households saw their earnings
fall. The poorest 20 percent of households in the state experienced an $800 decrease in their incomes over the business cycle when adjusted for inflation, while the richest 20 percent saw an almost $10,000 increase. The difference in income between the richest and poorest households in the state grew by almost $11,000. “Growing income inequality contradicts some of our country’s most deeply held values,” said Minnesota Budget Project Director Nan Madden. “Americans believe that hard work should pay off, that people who work full time should be able to support their families, and that everyone should have the opportunity to succeed.” According to the analysis, the reasons for the increasing gap
include rising wage inequality and the increasing value of investment income. “Minnesota’s future depends on reducing these gaps,” said Madden. “Economic growth alone will not solve the problem. State policymakers can narrow the gap by making our tax system fairer, supporting lowwage workers through policies like increasing the minimum wage and increasing access to affordable health care.” The Minnesota Budget Project has released an issue brief with more Minnesota-specific information from the study. http://www.mnbudgetproject. org/research-analysis/economicsecurity/poverty-income/ income-inequality-grows-inminnesota
Photos: The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation
Congressman Rangel speaks about the continued need for helping Haiti, including supporting Uni Haiti.
Rangel From 1
Pepito’s Carlos Rodriguez dies Golden Gloves boxing champ, veteran, musician, and Southside restuaranteur Carlos Rodriguez, one of the original founding family members and a longtime figure of Pepito’s Restaurant in south Minneapolis, passed away Friday, November 16, 2012 , of complications from pancreatitis. Carlos was ever-present at the landmark Mexican-American restaurant, which he helped create along with his nephew and niece Joe and Sue Senkyr Minjares, his sister Guadalupe and Joe’s father Ben Minjares. Carlos worked there for more than 41 years as the Day Manager. Rodriguez was born May 28, 1943 at General Hospital. He was born and raised as a resident of North Minneapolis. On his birth document he was
named Jesus Carlos Rodriguez and remained that for weeks until his brother Jacinto Jr., named him Carlos. Jacinto was in the Navy in the Pacific fighting WW2, and was given the honor of naming his brother, thus the delay in naming him. As a young man, he was the winner of the Jr. Golden Gloves in his division, fighting for the Phyllis Wheatley Neighborhood house. He was a graduate of North High School where he played and lettered in football and wrestling for the North Polars. After high school he was the lead singer in the R&B group “Mota” along with his brother Rick and Jess Rodriguez and nephew Joe Senkyr Minjares.
Nov 30–Dec 23 “Pay What You Can” Saturday, Dec 1, 4pm
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“Carlos was a dedicated caregiver to a large family and a humorist to the human family at large in our restaurant,” says Minjares of his Uncle Carlos. “His reputation for always having a new joke will be missed. He brought a smile to the life of everyone who knew him.” He is proceeded in death by his parents, Concepcion and Jacinto Rodriguez, his sisters Carmen Loma, Guadalupe Senkyr and Esperanza (Mabel) Eckblad, Brothers, Jacinto Jr. and Joe. He is survived by his sisters, Alvida “Millie” Bradach, Valentina “Evelyn” Sarris, Rosa and husband Harry Knutson, Elaine Alvord, Linda Pelto, Mary Lou Warra, Emma Snyder and brothers Richard and spouse Sharon Rodriguez, Jesus Rodriguez, sister-inlaw, and hundreds of nieces, nephews and cousins. Services were held Tuesday, November 20, 2012.
President and U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton during their visit to the Caribbean island. Rangel also brought the Ways and Means Committee together to extend the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE) through September 30, 2020. “Many challenges still remain in the full recovery of Haiti. But there are many signs of hope, especially in the work of countless NGOs and volunteers who stayed when television cameras turned away. We must not lose faith in the resiliency of the Haitian people. We cannot forget Haiti now.” Following the devastating Haitian earthquake in 2010, the Luce Foundation began in order to lay the groundwork for the first international, English-speaking university campus in Haiti known as The International University Center Haiti (“Uni Haiti”) to serve a wide range of foreign efforts at building or rebuilding higher education institutions and programs to serve Haiti. Reports say that as many as 45% of the American people donated to the relief effort in Haiti in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Rangel authored, introduced, and helped unanimously pass a bill
The Congressman with the leadership of the United Nations SRC Aux Antilles Club, gala co-hosts.
The Congressman and guests relaxed to the beat of Haiti’s renowned orchestra Tabou Combo. that allowed millions of these American families to claim charitable tax deductions on their 2009 tax returns instead of having to wait until they filed their 2010 returns. The award was presented to Congressman Rangel at the soldout Second Annual Black Tie Gala hosted by the foundation in conjunction with the United Nations SRC Aux Antilles Club at Bohemian National Hall on Manhattan’s Upper East Side last week. It was co-sponsored by the United Nations Missions of Haiti, Cape Verde and the Czech Republic. Funds were raised in support of Phase I of the International University Center Haiti as guests danced to the beat of Haiti’s renowned orchestra Tabou Combo. In his remarks presenting the Foundation’s 2012 Humanitarian Award to Mr. Rangel, Jim Luce stated, “Following my first trip to Haiti in 1999 I met Congressman Charlie Rangel and was inspired by his charisma and can-do attitude. Charlie cares deeply about the people of New York City and the world – particularly Haiti.. Charlie is quite simply Haiti’s #1 supporter in the U.S. Congress.” The mission The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation, a N.Y. State corporation, is to support young global leadership impacting positive social change. Goals of the Foundation include spotlighting effective NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) displaying best
practices to achieve maximum social impact with the least administrative overhead possible. One of the primary projects of the Foundation is Uni Haiti. The International University Center Haiti is a non-sectarian institution formed by the foundation on January 12, 2011 – the first anniversary of the catastrophic 2010 earthquake with its epicenter near the town of Léogâne. The first program of Uni Haiti was its Leadership Training Program held for fifty students in English in partnership with École de la Rédemption. The first development stage will be building a computer center and retrofitting the water and sanitation facilities of its partner institution, Ecole de la Rédemption, a 750-student school from grades 1-10. Jim Luce is a former banker, as well as writer, publisher, and international development specialist. Luce founded Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) in 1998. Luce called for ending orphanages globally, to be replaced by his organization’s Family Care model, in 2008. The same year, Luce launched The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation. Based for three decades in New York City, he was baptized James Jay Dudley Luce in 1959. For his work with orphans after the Tsunami in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, Luce was awarded the Certificate of Congressional Recognition in 2005 and 2007.
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Family From 1 down at school. You know, anything can trigger their emotions. They have their good days and bad days.” According to Taylor, each child is dealing with the loss uniquely. “The oldest (Ty’neijah Williams, 13) feels she has to be strong for the others. We (Taylor and her other sisters who are now caring for the children) tell her, ‘you can be a kid. We’re here to support you,’” said Taylor. Ty’neijah Williams’ motherly role was evident when while talking to the group, the youngest sibling, Tyvion Williams, 7, clung to his eldest sister, resting his head on her leg for much of the conversation. Taylor-Douglas’ other children are equally as affected
Debt From 4 Services, Inc. (“Eclipse”). “Sham companies cannot attempt to hide behind an alleged law firm status,” said Commissioner Rothman. “Companies with the sole purpose of defrauding Minnesota consumers should be on notice – I will stop them and close them down.”
Voters From 1 issues on his or her agenda. “This data reveals opportunities for the GOP to improve its relationship with our community. It suggests that the Democratic Party should not assume it will see the 2008 and
Jones-Dube From 1 a mechanism for upward social mobility, and the entire concept of prenuptials is about making sure that a person entering into the social arrangement of marriage doesn’t take more than what they came with, or leaves with a predetermined agreed-upon amount—sort of like negotiating with a car dealer. “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” EJD Culture and Death As humans, from the moment we are born, we are destined to die. And perhaps the most meaningful, and as some anthropologists’ believe the “…most distinctively human…” cultural practice we have developed is that surrounding death. We have rituals of funerals, burials, and memorial services to celebrate and mourn the dead. They enable us to contend with the fact of our mortality, come to terms with the death of a loved one, and prepare us for life afterwards as a survivor. And our practices of religion, regardless of the faith, help us to explain and understand the inexplicable. …Not only are they [funeral rituals and burial practices] deeply associated with religious beliefs about the nature of death and the existence of an afterlife, but they also have important psychological, sociological, and symbolic functions for the survivors. Thus, the study of the ways in which the dead are treated in different cultures leads to a better understanding of the many diverse views about death and dying, as well as of human nature. For all our talents as a species, facing the death of a family member or a friend doesn’t get any easier. Death is the final frontier. It is the moment at which we recognize the limitations of our existence and the limitations of our power as one of the most unique species of mammals. As evolved as we believe ourselves to be, we have not yet figured out how to prevent that final phase in the circle of life. We can prolong the onset of aging and diseases, but we can’t stop the death clock. We are powerful in our ability to manipulate our environment, expand the borders of our universe through space travel, and slow down the aging process through replacements of essential parts—hearts, hip joints, knee joints, valves, limbs, and soon even our face.
Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 5 by their mother’s sudden passing. “She prayed with us every night,” said 11-yearold Teajhae Williams, who is a 6th grader at Park Brook Elementary School in Brooklyn Park. Teajhae Williams said her mother would always play with each of the kids and recalls fondly when they would play practical jokes on their mom. “She would laugh and say she was going to get us in our sleep.” According to Taylor, staff at the children’s schools have been extremely supportive of the kids. “They’ve brought in counselors and social workers for the kids,” said Taylor. “The entire staff showed up to support the kids at the funeral.” Though the schools are providing counseling for Taylor-Douglas’ children, Taylor said she and her two sisters, Nyesha Taylor and Kawanna Taylor, plan to get the
“She prayed with us every night,” said 11-year-old Teajhae Williams
to be when he grew up, Tyvion Williams said, “I want to work at Wendy’s like my mom did.” Taylor-Douglas was a manager at an area Wendy’s restaurant. Antonette Taylor said the eldest daughter, Ty’neijah Williams – who is an honor roll student at Osseo Junior High School ALC and plans on becoming a doctor – said she doesn’t ever want to celebrate Halloween again because she associates the holiday with her mother’s death. Nine-year-old twins, Terrence and Terranaye Williams said they do so well in school because their mother was always involved in their schoolwork. Terrence Williams, whose favorite subject is math, said he wants to be a professional basketball player. Terranaye Williams said her favorite subject is reading. She wants to be a dancer and choreographer when she grows up. Education was not just
something Taylor-Douglas preached to her kids. She was also practicing it as well. Taylor-Douglas was a student at North Hennepin Community College, studying business. “She would take us to school with her,” said Tyvion Williams. A fund has been set up to assist the family with its many needs. The Tyan Taylor Benefit Fund has been established at TCF Bank. The fund will assist in helping the family with food, clothing, school supplies and counseling. “She (Taylor-Douglas) loved her kids – her world revolved around her kids,” said Antonette Taylor. “She would do anything for them. She spoiled them.” “She spoiled us all,” said Ty’neijah Williams, as her youngest brother clutched her with his arms around her waist. To give to the Tyan Taylor Benefit Fund, visit any local TCF branch bank.
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children additional counseling with a child grief counselor. Nyesha Taylor has temporary custody of the five children and is in the process of getting permanent custody. The three sisters plan to jointly care for the five siblings. “We don’t want to uproot them. We want (the
transition) to be as normal as possible,” said Antonette Taylor. Evidence of the children’s grief became clear when 7-year-old Tyvion Williams sadly – and suddenly – stated his mom promised to take him to a Vikings football game. When asked what he wanted
for a debt services plan over the phone or the Internet as it may put you at risk for losing money to a fraudulent enterprise. • Get any and all debt service agreements in writing and read the agreements before you sign them. • Avoid companies that require high up-front fees, “voluntary contributions” or high monthly service fees that only add to your debt.
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2012 levels of Black turnout in 2016,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP. Jobs and the economy topped the list of most important issues to African American voters, earning the vote of 60% of respondents. Ninetyfive percent of respondents believe the federal government should engage in job creation
opportunities for all Americans. Respondents also believe that the federal government has a role to play in education (95%), health care (96%), and job creation (96%). However, support for the federal government is not support for government dependency. Eighty-one percent of respondents believe that success depends on self-
reliance and determination, while only 14% disagree. “This poll paints a picture of how African American interests fit into our new political calculus,” said Marvin Randolph, NAACP’s Sr. Vice President for Campaigns. This calculus includes an African American voting bloc that made up more than 13% of the voting electorate for the
last two presidential elections, according to national exit polls. The NAACP helped encourage this high turnout by registering more than 432,000 new voters and educating and activating 1.2 million voters – both historic highs for the Association. “This data underscores the decisive role our community played in key battleground states,” said Jealous.
“People have said traditional America has died. In actuality, the real America, full of diverse opinions and values, has now risen. That real America is what our nation was built upon.” Complete polling results are found online at http://www. naacp.org/blog/entry/naacpbattleground-poll-results
We can forestall the inevitable, but we have not yet found a way to stop the death clock. “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” EJD
burned one of vocal chords, Elvyn decided four months ago she had had enough with medical interventions. She felt the quality of the final days of her life was more important at this juncture. Chemotherapy was proving to be more a hindrance than a help—take the chemo and then spend two weeks in the hospital recovering. Elvyn decided this was not how she wanted to spend the last days, weeks, or months of her life. And so she checked into a hospice program that would assist her with “comfort care,” but at home among her own stuff. No tubes, no anonymous beds or spaces surrounded by people and things she didn’t know. She would spend her final days at home in the little apartment in Richmond, VA. She texted me on July 31, 2012, “FYI, I am done with chemo & have shifted 2
hospice. Hope 2 get through 2012. No major pain so far. Talk soon. Hugs.” The doctors gave her six months; the cancer had spread. And she almost made it.
We spoke over the next several months and in October, I joined a contingent of children, siblings, and friends who banded together to spend time with Elvyn as she
prepared herself to transition at home rather than in a hospital. In total, I was able to be with
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A Farewell Requiem for a Friend The passing of my friend, Dr. Elvyn Jones-Dube, on November 14, 2012, two days before her 64th birthday, is a lesson in dying with dignity that I wish to share with you. I am angry with myself because I had wanted to write about Elvyn’s life when she could still read it. I blew that opportunity, but I am determined to complete the promise I made. After living with breast cancer since the age of thirtynine and going through prescribed treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, all of which prolonged her life but robbed her of her hair and
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Page 6 • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Insight News
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EDUCATION Study shows positive momentum for Improvement Grant schools The U.S. Department of Education last week released an early snapshot of student performance data at schools that have received federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) program funds, a key component of the Department’s blueprint for helping states and districts turn around the nation’s lowest-performing schools. Under the Obama Administration, the SIG program has invested up to $2 million per school at more than 1300 of the country’s lowestperforming schools. The data released provides the first overview of performance for the first cohort of schools after one year of implementing SIG. The data begins in the 20092010 school year and ends in the 2010-2011 school year, the first year schools received SIG funds. In three main areas, these early findings show positive momentum and progress in many SIG schools; • Schools receiving SIG grants are improving. The first year of data show that two thirds of schools showed gains in math. And two thirds of schools showed gains in reading. • A larger percentage of elementary schools showed gains than did secondary schools, suggesting that it is easier to improve student performance at a young age than to intervene later. Seventy percent of elementary schools showed gains in math, and seventy percent showed gains in reading, a higher percentage of improving schools than was found in middle or high schools. • Some of the greatest gains have been in small towns and rural communities. Another third of SIG schools had declines in achievement, a not surprising finding given the steep institutional challenges that
Most schools receiving School Improvement Grants are improving. The first year of data shows that two-thirds of schools showed gains in math; two-thirds gained in reading.
Despite concerns about capacity, SIG schools in small towns and rural areas showed similar gains to urban and suburban schools. Distribution of SIG-Awarded Tier I/II Schools by Gains and Losses in Math and Reading, by Locale, 2009-10 to 2010-11
Math
Reading
Distribution of Tier I/II SIG-Awarded Schools by Gains and Losses in Math and Reading, 2009-10 to 2010-11 23%
26%
15%
14%
50%
56%
15%
19%
29% 38%
Math
Reading 42%
15% 0%
1%
30%
27%
5%
Double-digit gain
3%
No change
Double-digit gain Single-digit gain No change
1%
0%
0%
0%
0% 23%
19%
12%
11%
28%
28%
28%
Single-digit decline Double-digit decline
0%
Urban Town (47 (419 Suburban schools) Rural (127 schools) (125 schools) schools)
Single-digit gain
40%
39%
32%
25%
49%
47%
35%
42%
26%
7%
14%
11%
4%
Town (47 Urban (420 Suburban schools) Rural schools) (125 (127 schools) schools)
For definitions of localities: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/rural_l ocales.asp
Single-digit decline 1%
28%
Notes on data for all slides: Total may not add to 100% due to rounding. Data as of June 15, 2012. Data is average of all grades assessed.
0%
While two-thirds of schools showed gains in the first year of SIG implementation, some that improved before SIG showed declines.
29%
6%
8%
(731 schools)
(733 schools)
these schools face. “There’s dramatic change happening in these schools, and in the long-term process of turning around the nation’s lowest-performing schools, one year of test scores only tells a small piece of the story,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “But what’s clear already is that almost without exception, schools moving in the right direction have two things in common; a dynamic principal with a clear vision for establishing a culture of high expectations, and talented teachers who share that vision, with a relentless commitment to improving instruction.” The SIG snapshot focuses on proficiency rate changes in the first year of SIG implementation, from 200910 to 2010-2011 in SIGawarded Tier I and Tier II schools. It covers just over 730 (approximately 90 percent) of
Double-digit decline
Distribution of SIG Tier I/II Awarded Schools’ Trajectories in Math Across Two Years Increase in 10-11
Increase in 09-10
the 831 SIG-awarded Tier I/ II schools in the program’s first cohort. Not included were fall-testing states and the very small number of closed schools. Because this snapshot covers only a single year of SIG implementation, and because many factors contribute to student proficiency rates, it is too early to establish a causal connection between SIG funds and school performance. The Institute for Education Sciences is conducting a longterm, gold-standard evaluation of the SIG program with student-level longitudinal data that will also compare to similarly situated schools that did not receive SIG funds. Moreover, at least one rigorous study, by Professor Thomas Dee at Stanford University, already found positive results in SIG schools as compared to similarly situated schools that
did not receive SIG funds. As a part of the Department’s transparency efforts, it is making available three years of state assessment data on all schools in the country through restricted-use files for research purposes. These files will include data for the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 school years broken down by subgroups. In January, the Department plans to publicly release all school-level assessment data, including state-by-state SIG assessment data, once protections to ensure privacy of students are finalized and put in place. This public file will be posted on the Department’s website. The Department is also collecting data on other leading indicators that will give a more complete picture
SIG TURN TO 12
Decrease in 09-10
Distribution of SIG Tier I/II Awarded Schools’ Trajectories in Reading Across Two Years
Decrease in 10-11
38%
26%
9%
28%
Increase in 10-11
Increase in 09-10
Decrease in 10-11
39%
Decrease in 09-10
25%
28%
8%
EXPLANATION: The circle in the upper left indicates that 38% of all SIG schools both increased their math scores before implementing SIG, and continued to show gains in the first year that SIG was implemented.
A larger percentage of elementary schools showed gains than did secondary schools. Distribution of SIG-Awarded Tier I/II Schools by Gains and Losses in Math and Reading, by School Grade Level, 2009-10 to 2010-11
Math
Reading 6%
19% 29%
27%
15%
20%
53% 47% 41%
47% 38%
No change 0%
0%
0%
1%
28%
27%
Single-digit decline 0%
0% 30%
24%
Double-digit gain Single-digit gain
50%
29%
25%
6%
6%
7%
5%
Elementary (171 schools)
Middle (136 schools)
High (354 schools)
Elementary (173 schools)
10%
8%
Middle (135 schools)
High (355 schools)
Double-digit decline
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Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 7
AESTHETICS
Herschel and the Detainees By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer When Herschel and the Detainees take the stage in a venue, the whole pulse of the room intensifies. Over time you’ll soon discover that without protest, your heartbeat drifts in tune with the Funkadelic sounds of this ska-Caribbean-hip hop blend of new age music that can’t help but make you wonder why hasn’t the music industry scooped these guys up yet? The answer is simpler than you think. They’re fresh out the womb but truly just footsteps from the target. Have patience. Herschel McPherson of Herschel and the Detainees has only been paired with his masterful band since the earlier part of the summer. The actor, singer and model whose family hails from the Virgin Islands has been attached to music for a multitude of years, but is now harnessing his power over the microphone. On Nov. 17, Herschel and the Detainees lead fans at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis to an attractive set of exclusive songs such as “Carlita” and their hit, “Out of My System” along with a few reinvented cover tracks such as “Purple Rain” and “Mambo Italiano” which were graced with the eclectic Herschel twist. The beautiful people were in full swing, and in total awe of these Twin Cities rockers, who performed for a good two hours and never failed to lose energy
or impress their audience. With only five months of working together as a band, what Herschel and the Detainees lack in years of musical service, they easily make up for by having a solid stage presence and a command over each of their gifts. Like the ease of a
flying V formation of birds, their showmanship will make you think these folks have been in a marriage of many years. And when it comes to their leader, Herschel’s contribution to the band, well, there’s not much more to say than that if you’re not an instant fan of his after
watching this would-be rock crooner belt out a song like “Out of My System” then you my dear, need to recharge your battery. “My music to me is much more than a representation of rock and hip-hop,” said McPherson. “The first record
I ever put together as a solo artist was a combination of reggae, soka, calypso and ska, with some hip-hop and pop undertones. I’m just influenced by a lot of the music I grew up listening too. My family is from the Virgin Islands, so the music I grew up listening too was more
of a world beat.” The bands biggest asset comes from a natural synergy and a miraculous fusion of undeniable talent. To watch them is to feel like you’re looking at a lifelong partnership of solid rockers. Their music captures you; takes you away with its unapologetic truths, laid out so eloquently over their fantastic production. Most can relate to their ditties, because they don’t over complicate, over glorify, or over saturate you with the same telling of a subject. Their songs are the offspring of a truth to writer McPherson, and how he’s experienced many of the things in life we’ve all gone through just with his own twist on the moment. “Most of the songs I write start with me, or are somehow related to me,” said McPherson. “But when I write songs, even about different people, they somehow end up taking different formations and different meanings to me, and become about me. I have another song called “Karma” and I wrote it about some of my friends’ situations. What you throw out there comes right back to you, and then my father recently passed away a few months ago and now the song has taken on a different meaning. Songs tend to do that.” Herschel and the Detainees are gearing up for another show next month at the Dakota. The show is slated for Dec. 15, and promises to be one worth your musical appetite. For more information, visit www.herschelsmusic.com.
SOLEDAD O’BRIEN
The “Who Is Black in America?” interview Interview
By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com Soledad O’Brien is the anchor for CNN morning show Starting Point and a special correspondent for CNN/U.S. Since joining the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the globe and has produced award-winning, record-breaking and critically acclaimed documentaries on the most important stories facing the world today. In 2010, she wrote a critically-acclaimed memoir The Next Big Story: My Journey through the Land of Possibilities, which chronicles her biggest reporting moments and how her upbringing and background have influenced these experiences. O’Brien’s documentaries include the Black in America and Latino in America series; Don’t Fail Me: Education in America, a look at the crisis in public education where American
kids are not learning the skills necessary to compete; The Women Who Would be Queen, a portrayal of the future King and Queen’s friendship-turnedromance and very modern royal marriage; Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door, a report on religious freedom protections; Pictures Don’t Lie, the story of the secret life of Civil Rights photographer Ernest Withers as a paid FBI informant; Rescued, a look at Haiti’s remarkable children before, during and after the devastating earthquake; and Gary and Tony Have a Baby, chronicling the struggle of two gay men to have a child. A graduate of Harvard University, Soledad lives with her husband and four children in Manhattan. Here, she talks about her upcoming Black in America special “Who Is Black in America?” which is set to premiere on CNN on Sunday, December 9th at 8 PM ET/PT. (Check local listings) Kam Williams: Hi Soledad, thanks for another interview. Soledad O’Brien: Thank you, Kam. KW: Congratulations on your excellent election year coverage on CNN. But did you ever worry
goal for me is to be focused and really well-read so I’m prepared to ask the tough questions of both sides. You’re always going to have those people who love you and those who hate you, but after four kids and a quarter-century in this business, I have a very thick skin. [Chuckles] The only thing that bothers me is if I feel I haven’t done a tough interview. The people who come on regularly know they’re going to be challenged, and that they can challenge me. They also understand that I’m not a pushover and that I don’t crumble because I come armed with the facts. KW: Let’s talk about your upcoming special. Where did you come up with the idea for Who Is Black in America? SO: We were thinking about
Soledad O’Brien about being pigeonholed as partisan during the presidential campaign? How do you maintain your image as impartial when you have Republicans taking potshots at you? For instance, Romney advisor John Sununu suggested that you put an
universal themes for Black in America that really touch people, that really matter to people, and one of the themes that we kept coming up with was colorism, discrimination based on skin tone. It was fascinating to hear the conversations that were happening between people who were light-skinned, people who were dark-skinned, and people somewhere in between. Just the hurt, the pain and anger on all sides was very interesting. So, we thought we would explore that because it seemed like a very interesting story to tell, especially since we were seeing a big change, generationally. The conversations I was having
O’BRIEN TURN TO 14
Bryan D. Kane
Obama bumper sticker on your forehead, and Fox News President Roger Ailes condescendingly referred to you as “That girl that’s named after a prison.” SO: It’s going to get crazy at times during any election year. That’s just what happens. The
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Page 8 • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Insight News
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LIFESTYLE Natural Hair Symposium: Learning, embracing By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer Lynnea Doublette did not set out to take over the natural hair world in Minneapolis, but rather to fill a void that had yet to be explored. Doublette is the force behind the Natural Hair Symposium, a quarterly event that brings together a group of women who share the same follicle of interest – natural hair. Her event provides lovers of the virgin coil, a platform to learn, absorb, and celebrate what it means to be a natural hair-wearing woman. On Saturday, Nov. 17, she kicked off her second event in the
Penthouse of Marquette Place. Doublette, who is also a fitness instructor that teaches a class on Zumba and aquaZumba at Lifetime Fitness and several other venues during the week, put together an impressive line-up of activities which spanned just a little under a five hour period. Her objective was simply to encourage and enforce a unity and sisterhood amongst the 30 naturals in attendance. With other urban meccas already ahead of the curve when it comes to putting on events such as this, Doublette’s idea of bringing her natural hair symposium to the Twin Cities has proven to be very welcomed and necessary for
building a camaraderie and gateway of information with other like-minded individuals who either have gone natural, or are considering going natural and are not well versed with the upkeep and regimens that go into maintaining hair and health. To some, natural hair seems simple enough to care for since a person is not putting any harsh chemicals in one’s hair – at least that person should not be, however, not many naturals or “newbies” to the craze are aware of things such as how often to condition or trim their hair, or even what type of shampoo and moisturizer should be used to promote growth versus clogging one’s pores. “I wanted to get all the naturals together in a mutual space so that we could do a couple of things – learn from each other about our natural hair, find out ways to embrace it, what websites and blogs are out there for us, provide them with guest speakers, and more,” said Doublette. “There was a lot of information given about keeping your hair trimmed, getting the oil in your hair as well as getting it out of your hair and more.” Guests of the event were treated to a hair show, product giveaways, an informative discussion on the must have essentials for winter hair care, a delicious and healthy menu from Chef Jennifer Martin,
Sarah Swanson of Snappy Apple Photography
More than 30 natural-hair women attended the Symposium vendors, and guest speakers such as Jessica McGuinty founder of Jessicurl and fitness instructor Lorrie Insisiengmay. There were workshops on how to make shea butter and an olive oil conditioning blend. Guests were able to take home the sample they created to try out on their hair. “This time around we’re getting more connected with a total mind and body, fitness and health. We’re going to make sure that we take care of our
bodies so that our hair and our skin is looking good naturally since we got our natural locks going,” said Doublette. “I think we’re reaching more people. More people are finding out and learning about the natural hair symposium. It’s exciting to meet new naturals, listen to their story, and find out about their hair care regimens and winter regimens.” Individuals went home with a wealth of information and product samples provided
by sponsors such as Mizani, Sofn’Free’s Gro Healthy line, as well as items sold at Twin Cities own Malobe Natural Hair Salon which is one of the leaders in natural hair upkeep. Doublette is already working hard on planning a spring get together for the third Natural Hair Symposium. A date has yet to be determined. For more information, visit www. facebook.com/NaturalHairFor TheTotalWoman or email Lynnea.Doublette@tria.com.
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Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 9
HEALTH New nutrition standards for school lunches By EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: What are the new nutrition standards for school lunches that have some students boycotting their cafeterias and discarding the food? -Melissa Makowsky, Trenton, NJ Indeed, some 31 million American kids participating in the federally supported National School Lunch Program have been getting more whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables in their diets—whether they like it or not. The change is due to new school meal standards unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) last January, per the order of 2010’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The new standards are based on the Institute of Medicine’s sciencebased recommendations, and are the first upgrade to nutritional standards for school meals since 1995 when low- and no-fat foods were all the rage. The non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) believes the new standards represent an important milestone in efforts to improve the dietary habits and health of increasingly obese American kids. “Schools’ misguided reliance on processed foods for speedy, low-labor cost production, industry’s
iStockPhoto/Thinkstock
New school meal standards hope to sway American children away from unhealthy foods, which have led to 32 percent being overweight and 17 percent obese. Whole-grains, beans and dark green and orange vegetables now replace things like pizza and French fries as staples in schools that follow the program. $1.6 billion in child-targeted advertising and a lack of faith in our children’s dietary curiosity [have] created a generation of ‘picky eaters’ with dull palates,” reports the group. “With nearly 17 percent of America’s children now clinically obese and a staggering 32 percent overweight, the time is long past to address the unhealthy food environments our children live in.” The new standards limit calories per meal to 850 for high school meals, 700 for middle school and 650 for elementary and more than double the
mandated minimum servings of fruits and vegetables while reducing the sodium, saturated fats and trans fats in school kids’ diets. Whole-grain foods, beans and dark green and orange vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes have replaced things like pizza and French fries as staple items in schools that follow the program. Of course, not everybody likes the changes. Lunch strikes, Facebook protest pages, Twitter campaigns, YouTube parody videos and other means have been utilized coast-to-coast to
voice opposition to the healthier meals. Some affected cafeterias blame the new smaller portions and healthier fare for causing as much as a 70 percent dropoff in school lunch program participation since the new standards took effect. Psychologists understand that kids may not come around to new foods right away but will eventually eat them—so the federal government and most participating schools are sticking to their guns. And the USDA says that if a school “encounters significant hardships employing the new calorie requirements, we stand ready to work with them quickly and effectively to remedy the situation with additional flexibilities.” The benefits of the new standards far outweigh the costs. “School meals can help children develop healthy eating habits— or they can prime them for a life of poor health and unnecessary suffering,” says EWG. EWG lauds the new standards for significantly expanding access to and appreciation of nourishing food. Whether they can help shift eating norms across the country remains to be seen, but regardless millions of American kids will likely now get their healthiest meals of the day on a tray in their school cafeterias. CONTACTS: EWG, www. ewg.org; National School Lunch Program, www.fns.usda.gov/ cnd/lunch/; Healthy, Hunger-
More options for vaccination make it easier for nearly everyone to protect themselves Influenza season is just getting underway in Minnesota, so it’s not too late to get vaccinated against what can be a serious disease, say state health officials. Nearly everyone should get vaccinated and there are more options for doing so than ever before. An ideal time to get vaccinated is during Minnesota’s annual Ban the Bug campaign, which runs Dec. 2-8. It is a collaborative effort to provide Minnesotans with opportunities to get their annual influenza vaccination. Campaign partners include the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Coalition for Adult Immunization (MCAI), local public health agencies and other health care providers. The campaign coincides with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Influenza Vaccination Week. Local public health agencies, nonprofit groups and health care organizations in many Minnesota communities will sponsor influenza vaccination clinics during Ban the Bug week as well as throughout the month of December and beyond. Flu vaccinations are now given at a wide variety of places, including traditional doctor’s
offices, local health department clinics, and community settings as well as in retail pharmacy and worksite locations. Besides the traditional flu shot, there is a nasal spray available for healthy people between ages 2 and 49. There is also a new product that uses a very small needle to inject the vaccine into the skin layers only. “With so many options, it’s hard to imagine why anyone who could get vaccinated wouldn’t,” said Kris Ehresmann, director of MDH’s Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control division. Influenza vaccination is now recommended for everyone six months and older unless they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. It is especially important that those at high risk for serious complications from influenza be vaccinated. These include pregnant women, seniors, young children and those with chronic medical conditions. Children under six months of age cannot receive influenza vaccine, so household contacts and caretakers should be vaccinated to protect the very young. “By getting vaccinated for influenza now, you can greatly
reduce your chances of getting influenza – or spreading it to someone else -- during the busy holiday season,” Ehresmann noted. Influenza is a disease that can have serious consequences. Even during a typical influenza season such as 2011-2012, more than 500 Minnesotans were hospitalized with influenza. “The best way to reduce your risk of serious illness is with vaccination,” Ehresmann said. “While the vaccine doesn’t offer perfect protection, if you don’t get vaccinated, you have zero protection,” she said. It’s important to get influenza vaccine every year, health officials said. The vaccine often changes from year to year because the strains of virus circulating around the world can change every year and the level of protection wanes over the course of a year. This year there are two new strains plus the H1N1 strain in the vaccine. Minnesota recorded its first official case of influenza early this season and the virus is currently circulating at low or “sporadic” levels in the state. Flu season can peak anytime between January and April, so getting an influenza
What you need to know about Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Another fitful night. A mom is awake, listening to her baby cough and trying to comfort him. She will be too worried to sleep tonight. For the past four days, her baby has had trouble eating, drinking, and sleeping because of this awful cough. Tomorrow, she will miss another day of work to care for him. She wonders when it will end. She is exhausted and her baby is miserable. Unfortunately, the end will not come soon because this cough is whooping cough, also called the “100-day cough” because of its long duration. Whooping cough – or pertussis – is a serious and very contagious respiratory disease that can cause long, violent coughing fits and the characteristic “whooping” sound that follows when a person gasps for air. It takes a toll on anyone, but for infants it can be deadly. This year alone, more than 3,500 people in Minnesota have been diagnosed with whooping cough. Fortunately, there are vaccines that can prevent whooping cough. The
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommends that infants and children get the childhood vaccine that includes protection against whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus (DTaP) at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 15 through 18 months of age. A booster of DTaP is given at 4 through 6 years of age. Because protection from DTaP fades over time, MDH recommends another dose of whooping cough vaccine, known as Tdap, for adolescents (ideally at 10-12 years) and adults. Adults who did not receive Tdap as pre-teens should get a dose now. By protecting themselves, older children and adults can form a circle of protection around the babies in their lives that may be too young to be fully protected by DTaP. Whooping cough vaccines are very effective, but like all vaccines, not 100% effective. You can still get the disease even if you’ve been vaccinated. Also, whooping cough often goes undiagnosed since it usually starts with cold-like symptoms,
but can become a series of coughing fits that continues for weeks or months. Unfortunately, someone may not even know they have whooping cough and unknowingly spread the disease to others, including babies. If a doctor suspects whooping cough, a test can be done to confirm the diagnosis. If the diagnosis is made early, antibiotics can be given to decrease the severity of symptoms and prevent transmission. If you think your or your child’s persistent cough is whooping cough, it’s important to tell the doctor if you will be around an infant. If you think your infant has whooping cough, see a doctor immediately. Sometimes an infant won’t have the hallmark cough or whooping sound, so be alert to any difficulty breathing. To learn more, visit MDH’s pertussis website at www.health. state.mn.us/pertussis. You can also get information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.cdc.gov/pertussis or 1-800-CDC-INFO.
vaccination now can provide months of protection, said Ehresmann. “Our coalition works
VACCINES TURN TO 12
Free Kids Act of 2010, www. fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/ legislation/cnr_2010.htm. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The
Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@ emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www. emagazine.com/trial.
Page 10 • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Insight News
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FULL CIRCLE
Family: What does it mean? Man Talk
By Timothy Houston Last week, people from all walks of life traveled near and far to enjoy a day of thanks with their family and friends. AAA projects 43.6 million Americans journeyed 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. What is a family? Why are they important? Although the dictionary defines “family” as any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins, we know first hand that the family construct is more that that. Family is
the basic building blocks for communities, and it is a big part of the American culture. This family phenomenon is noteworthy and worth us taking a look at its basic foundation and development. What is the basic foundation for a family unit? A family is more than a household unit. In the Bible, every family represented a microcosm of the community within which it lived. Therefore, when families failed, the community itself failed. In times of crisis, families were relied upon to support and strengthen the community. For example, Moses was charged to offer the following order to his followers: “Make sure there isn’t a man or woman among your families or tribes who turns away from the Lord our God (Deuteronomy 29:18).” The family served as a keeper of the core values of the community in which it lived.
Family is natural and spiritual. Forged in the mind of God, it is and will forever be divinely created. Thus, family is something more than a household unit. A family is more than a political or religious concept. According to the Bible, “family” is not a man-made concept. Rather, it originates from the mind of God. As recorded in the book of Genesis, family is an
intentional creation of the creator, and it is directly blessed by God. No sooner after God create man and woman that he blessed them and told them to create a family: “God blessed them,” states Genesis 1:28, continuing, “He said to them, ‘Have children and increase
your numbers.’” The concept of family predates politics and organized religions. So, rather than simply being a political or religious concept, family is an undeniably divine concept. A family is more than an Old Testament biblical teaching. Even deep into the New Testament, the concept of family is valued as a foundation that was especially designed by God. Paul verifies this fact in his letter to the Ephesians, commenting, “I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named (Ephesians 3:14-15).” The New Testament reminds us that you will find families in heaven and earth, and in ancient and modern day times. Families are a universal concept that supersedes the Old Testament. What is a family? It is an important part of today’s society.
Family is more than a domestic unit that is only defined by the number of parents and children. It connects us to others outside of our households. Your bloodline is only one part of your family construct. Although your family unit is defined by you, it is measured by your community. Your culture, religion, and language are also important ingredients and they will bind you with others of like conviction. Family is natural and spiritual. Forged in the mind of God, it is and will forever be divinely created. Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.
Moss inducted into Civil Rights Hall of Fame By David Stokes Photo & story courtesy of The Atlanta Inquirer As Eleanor Roosevelt, America’s first lady (1933-45), once asked, “Where, after all, do universal rights begin?” She wondered do they
begin, “In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world? Yet, they are the world of the individual person – the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks
equal justice, equal opportunity and equal dignity, without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.” With that sentiment, several persons were inducted last month into Ohio’s Hall of Fame for Civil Rights. These are distinctive people who espoused the goals and
objectives of human rights for all man while moving further into the New Millennium. One of the inductees, although a resident of the Buckeye State of Ohio, has permanent ties to the “Olympic City” that is Atlanta -- the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. Moss, a native of LaGrange, Ga. and a Morehouse College
graduate, is one of the United States’ most influential religious and civic leaders, and has been actively involved in advocating for the achievement of civil and human rights, education and social justice issues. Prior to earning a doctorate of ministry degree from the United Theological Seminary, Moss received bachelor’s and master’s of divinity degrees from the Morehouse School of Religion and Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta. Nevertheless, since 1978, Moss has committed years of distinguished service in leading the congregation of the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland as its senior pastor. Prior to Olivet’s pulpit, Moss held numerous pastoral positions at several churches in Georgia and Ohio, including serving as co-pastor with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr., at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Moss has also served the community promoting peace and justice on various boards of directors and staff directorships, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during King Jr.’s tenure as founding president (1957-68). Moss has also served as a board member and trustee of the King Center, and his service to Ohio and the country, in general, has been recognized by numerous Ohio governors, the Ohio Legislature, community organizations and national media outlets. Additionally, in 2009, Moss lectured with Rajmohan Ghandi, Mahatma Ghandi’s grandson, during a multi-city tour of India illuminating the work of King, Jr. and Mahatma Ghandi. Moss has been appointed
Rev. Dr. Otis Moss to several key leadership positions by our nation’s presidential administrations, including being an advisor to President Jimmy Carter at Camp David (1977-81); in 1994, to President Bill Clinton as a special guest at the peace treaty signing between Israel and Jordan, and in 2009 as President Obama’s advisor to the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership Council. Moss is the recipient of numerous accolades and commendations, including Role Model of the Year from the National Institute for Responsible Fatherhood and Family Development, in 1992, and the Leadership Award, in 1996, from the Cleveland chapter of the American Jewish Committee. In 2007, Moss was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, and in 2004, was bestowed the honor of the Lyman Beecher Lectureship on Preaching at Yale University. Furthermore,
MOSS TURN TO 12
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Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 11
Photos: Suluki Fardan
Top l-r: Antwan Bradshaw, Head of INOC Music; Marquise Armstrong, Executive Director of Imani Youth and Family Services; Bottom l-r: Pastor Danny Givens, Above Every Name Ministries and Veronica Nicole, Black Student Alliance Treasurer
Black Student Alliance kick-off hosted at Normandale By Ivan B. Phifer Staff Writer The Black Student Alliance (BSA), sponsored in conjunction with INOC Music (Indicted Nation Over Currency), hosted an event at Normandale Community College. “The Black Student Alliance is where AfricanAmericans students can come have fun, get to know each other, relax and talk about issue regarding us and in society,” said Veronica Nicole, Treasurer of the BSA. The overall mission of the event was to spread awareness of the organization for students to become more involved in extracurricular activities. The kickoff featured musical performances from Crunch Time Exchange, a collective of hip-hop artists, gospel and soul artist, God’s Queen, folk rock spoken word artist Said Kelly and Black Madonna, a live band with a classic, hip-hop and rock sound. The event also featured chess tournaments, art exhibits and human services provided for college students. One human service organization present was Imani Youth and Family Services. The group provides behavioral health services. “The services we provide are beneficial to students,” said Marquise Armstrong, executive director of Imani Youth and Family Services.
“Often times, students of color are first generation college students. That can be a lot of pressure on them. We provide counseling so they can be successful in academics, graduate and become not a liability, but an asset.” Imani has two locations, Brooklyn Center and Anoka, and they also provide in-home services. “Another aspect that makes us unique is that our services are catered to the African-American community, with a diverse faculty,” said Armstrong. Pastor Danny Givens, with Above Every Name Ministries shared a testimony of his part in a robbery, which involved the death of a police officer. He encouraged students to pursue education not only for themselves, but their community. “What I had to realize was my situation was not my defining moment,” said Givens. “Checking off that you have been convicted of a felony is not the most ideal, but because of my college education I chose to move myself to the liability line to the asset line.” “The event is for the students, by the students,” said Geoffrey Jones, Advisor to the BSA. “They created opportunities to network with one another, they organized the event. This teaches leadership skills, event planning, goal and mission setting, fulfillment of vision, all the essential aspects needed in life.”
Jones said the event was a success because the Alliance reached out to all parties and
communities. “Not only have they drawn from the student population, but the community
as well. The joint sponsorship made it happen that way,” said Jones.
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PUZZLES
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of performance in SIG schools, like student attendance, teacher attendance, and enrollment in advanced courses; it intends to publish that data early in 2013. In the meantime, the Department is encouraging states to improve transparency by making as much data publicly available as possible in order to shine a spotlight
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Theme: Reality TV ACROSS 1. “Wheel of Fortune” purchase 6. Christian minister, abbr. 9. *”Jersey Shore” stars jump in and out of them 13. Popeye’s gal 14. “... ___ he drove out of sight” 15. Cuba Gooding, Jr. 2003 role 16. Calculus calculation 17. “Lend me your ___” 18. Furnish with a fund 19. *”Bravo” cook 21. *TV’s largest family 23. Toni Morrison’s “___ Baby” 24. It’s everywhere you want to be? 25. Y, so to say 28. Places 30. Curved, as in foot 35. Argonauts’ propellers 37. Shakespearean “does” 39. Type of TV show 40. Actress ____ Perlman 41. Erasable programmable read-only
memory 43. Echoed by the flock 44. John _____ of The Age of the Enlightenment 46. Fodder holder 47. Painter ____ Chagall 48. Like an adoring mom 50. Carbon monoxide lacks this 52. Heavy-duty cleanser 53. D in DINK 55. Blue 57. *Like a certain TV race 61. Exposes 65. Actor Matt _____ 66. Rocks in a bar 68. Pool problem 69. Faulkner’s “As I Lay _____” 70. Yes move 71. Writer behind a writer 72. Cold ____ 73. Gloppy stuff 74. *John and Kate plus how many?
DOWN 1. Electrical unit 2. Hodgepodge 3. Like one who lacks confidence 4. Put out on a curb 5. “___ Weapon” 6. Great Barrier ____ 7. E in BCE 8. “Rigoletto” composer 9. “The Big ____ Theory” 10. Primary source for Scandinavian mythology 11. Late designer Christian ____ 12. Girl hogs 15. Perceive or think about in a particular way 20. Grind down 22. *Future home network for “Partners in Crime” 24. Venomous talk 25. *MTV’s “The Real _____” 26. Cowboy’s cry of joy 27. Not slouching
29. *Entering its 25th season 31. Pull an all-nighter 32. Middle Eastern porter 33. Salon file 34. *So you think you can do this? 36. Goes well with sushi 38. Phone button 42. Natasha Fatale’s enemy 45. Concluding or finishing 49. *It’s often bought on “Pawn Stars” 51. What pirates do 54. Wine ripening 56. Indian metropolis 57. Contributes 58. Waldorf salad ingredient 59. Arabian chieftain 60. Type of defense 61. Word processor command 62. Bug-eyed 63. Mascara site 64. Badger’s den 67. Bird word
year round to make sure Minnesotans have every opportunity to protect themselves, their families and their community against influenza and to stay healthy all season long,” added Kristin Nichol, MD, Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System and chair of MCAI. To locate the flu clinic nearest you, go to the MDH Influenza website at www. mdhflu.com and choose Find a Flu Shot Clinic. The cost of vaccinations will vary at each site. There is no cost to people with Medicare Part B and some other insurance plans, provided they bring their Medicare or other insurance cards with them. Those seeking shots are asked to wear short sleeves, perhaps under a sweater if it’s cold, to make getting the shot easier and more comfortable. Flu shots also may be given at other locations and times not listed on the MDH website. Check with your physician’s office or regular walk-in clinic about getting vaccinated against the flu.
Moss From 10 he was twice named, by Ebony Magazine, as one of America’s Greatest Black Preachers, as well as holds six honorary degrees from universities and colleges in Ohio, Georgia and Arkansas. Rev. Moss is a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Board
BSA From 11 INOC Music Group sponsorship was presented in the form of a $5,000 grant, which was approved for the campus event. In addition to college campuses such as Normandale, INOC Music hosts a monthly event called The Cool, which takes place every second Thursday of the month. “We need to support our young people,” said Antwan
on school performance, and to target additional support to schools that aren’t demonstrating success and hold these schools accountable for making progress. Federal resources that can help states improve transparency include the Privacy Technical Assistance Center and the National Forum on Education Statistics. For more information on the process, please visit http:// nces.ed.gov/statprog..
During flu season, besides getting vaccinated, there are other steps people can take to avoid spreading or catching influenza: Do your best to stay healthy. Get plenty of rest, physical activity and healthy eating. Stay home from school or work if you have a respiratory infection. Avoid exposing yourself to others who are sick with flu-like illness. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue whenever you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Clean surfaces you touch frequently, such as doorknobs, water aucets, refrigerator handles and telephones. Wash your hands often with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available. The symptoms of influenza, which tend to come on suddenly, can include a sore throat, coughing, fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. People who become severely ill with influenzalike symptoms should see a physician. Influenza is caused by a virus and antibiotics are not effective against it.
memberships with Moss’ commitment to his brethren include The Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Foundation. Moss, as a previous board chairman of Morehouse College’s board of trustees for more than 10 years, was honored recently with Morehouse naming its newest dormitory suites in his honor. Moss is married to the former Edwina Hudson, and is the father to Kevin Moss, Daphne Moss(deceased) and Otis Moss III. Moss is also the proud grandfather of five and great-grandfather of one.
Bradshaw of INOC Music. “If they are not robbing, stealing or killing, but instead changing car titles, (being a) professor or even a ballerina, we need to back them.” The Cool, which was previously hosted at The Beat Coffeehouse in Uptown, is a collective of spoken word, hip-hop, art and other musical aspects, which also provides youth with a safe space to hone talent and create a positive platform for all ages. Beginning in 2013, The Cool will be held at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis.
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Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 13
COMMENTARY Election spin: More entertaining than movies Nobody Asked Me
By Fred Easter Nobody asked me, but, watching Republicans explain their presidential election defeat is more entertaining than going to the movies. Bill O’Reilly says we who voted for President Obama did so because we want “free stuff.” Gov. Mitt Romney just went a step further and named the stuff Obama used to bribe his base. Loan forgiveness for college students, condoms for young
women, amnesty for Latinos were among the “gifts” Romney cited. Of course Newt Gingrich had already branded Obama as “the food stamp president.” Guess who that was a gift for? I’d like to make two points about this. First, Obama’s “bribes” are the sensible policies of a “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” And second, Romney was offering big time bribes himself. He was offering them to a much smaller group of people, the top one-percent, but, they were huge bribes. A return to the President Bill Clinton era tax rates would have increased the one-percenter’s rate by 4.6 percentage points. Not so much for me, but if you make $100 million or more, that could be
six months lease payments on your Lear jet or yacht. Romney paid a 14 percent tax rate, I pay 20 percent. My rate is six percent higher than his and Miss Ann Romney’s earnings crowd. And he wasn’t through then. Obama ran on cutting $716 billion from health care costs by cutting overpayments to insurers and providers. Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget transferred the same amount away from seniors and left the over payments in place. How big a bribe is that? And, who gets that bribe? Sen. Mitch McConnell now says his colleagues in the Senate are willing to put “revenue” (read rich people’s taxes) on the table, if we fix the “problem.” The Problem is that George W. Bush put the Iraq War on a
credit card instead of budgeting it – $2 billion a week for nearly 10 years. You do the math. The yield was zero weapons of mass destruction and one dirty old man in a hidey hole. They weren’t calling government “too big” then. The question now is who’s picking up the tab? Obama took out Osama Bin Laden in one night. OK, so they planned it for a while. We’ve been in Afghanistan 12 years – also on a credit card. No one has ever mentioned the dollar cost of that nation building project, as far as I have heard. Romney wanted to increase military spending by trillions of dollars. Who was going to get that money? Were we going to increase GI’s pay, their health care or after care? I
don’t think so. I get solicitations for money to fund programs for Disabled Veterans every week. I think that money would have been dispensed in defense contracts – the kind where the government pays $500 for a wrench. Let’s build this nation. Let’s get out of there. Fact is, war is a racket. People get very rich making war materials. There are folks living in gated communities who don’t want peace. War pays their Lear and yacht leases. In another bribe the Republicans have filibustered bills aimed at stopping subsidies to oil companies. Romney called it doing away with regulations that strangle business. Who was that a bribe for? I need a subsidy for buying gas.
They would like you to believe that putting money in rich folks’ pockets will lead to jobs on Main Street. But, America’s economic problem is not that rich folks aren’t rich enough yet. They’ve been amassing a larger and larger share of our gross domestic product with each passing year. If money gets put in the hands of poor and middle class folks, demand for goods and services will be created. That will lead to jobs manufacturing goods and providing services. Sales tax and payroll tax revenue will rise. Folks on Main Street will be able to breathe again and billionaires can hobble along on $950 million. That’s how nations are built. Let’s step to that.
Dr. West, this time you went too far while attending the NAACP national convention in 1996 in Charlotte N.C. it was announced that Dr. West was speaking. Dr. West gave one of the most powerful, insightful talks I had ever heard. I had to meet this man I so admired and to whom I looked up. Following the speech, a group of young NAACP members and I asked Dr. West to pose with us for pictures. He graciously obliged. After we posed for pictures, our group of about six or seven collectively decided to ask Dr. West if we could take him to dinner at the restaurant in the host hotel. “Young brothers and sisters, when I’m on the road; after every speech I go to my room and call my wife,” said Dr. West. I was momentarily crushed. Then he continued, “But when I get done I’ll come back down and I’m taking you (pointing at all of us) to dinner.”
Dr. Cornel West
By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Dr. West, there’s a line in social discourse and critique and you, sir, have crossed it. In your most recent public criticism of President Obama, you said – and I quote – that the president is a, “Rockefeller Republican in blackface.” Brother Dr. Cornel West, I ask of you to take a step back and revisit that comment. Brother Dr. West (as you have earned the respect and my admiration so much so that I feel I must refer to you in such a reverent manner) blackface? Surely you of all people know the truly damaging and hurtful imagery that mere word conjures up. Before I go any further, let me fully state the level of adoration I have for you, Brother Dr. West. I recall in the early 1990s I got a call from my sister telling me to turn on PBS. “Turn on channel 9 (the PBS designation in St. Louis) I want you to see this man talking,” she excitedly said. I not so eagerly obliged. But when I turned to PBS, iconic host Phil Donahue was moderating a panel discussion on race in America. On the panel was an
African-American gentleman with a graying, purposely unkempt afro, wearing blackrimmed glasses and a black suit. I believe he had on a scarf. When the gentleman spoke, one could notice a distinctive gap in his front two teeth. Once my sister was sure I was watching, she said, “Who does he look like?” Sure enough, the man on the television looked an awful lot like my father. Now understand, I did not really “know” my father. We talked on the phone a few times, but I had only seen him twice in my life up to that point in time. Like any child growing up without a father in his or her life, there’s always a wanting – searching – for that father child relationship. I didn’t have it in real life, but there was this man on the television that reminded me so much of my father that I was transfixed to the tube. Then he spoke. And when this man who physically reminded me of my father spoke, I became enamored with the depth of knowledge this man possessed. The cadence in which this man spoke was entrancing. I instantly adopted this man as my father and his word became gospel. That man was Dr. West.
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A couple of years after that first introduction to Dr. West, he released “Race Matters” a hardhitting, no holds barred critique of race and racism in America. I read it until my eyes were blurry from lack of blinking. I also kept a dictionary close by because every few pages Dr. West was introducing me to a new word, and unlike before when I came across a word I didn’t know and glossed over it and read the rest of a sentence for context, with Dr. West, I wanted to know exactly what he was saying. Many of my sentences would start with, “Dr. West said …” I was a revolutionary down for the cause. But, unlike many revolutionaries who fought outside the established system, I chose to infiltrate the system. I became president of the University of Missouri’s NAACP chapter. As a chapter president I had the great honor to meet such figures as Dr. Michael Eric Dyson (who you, Dr. West, also have publically dissed), Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu. I organized a delegation to attend the Million Man March. And much of what I did was because of how inspired I was by Dr. Cornel West. So imagine my joy when
The last time I jumped off a cliff, hitting the water felt like a punch below the belt By Kenneth Rance So I asked my client, “Have you ever jumped off a cliff?” Well I have. Actually it was the day before my wedding. I was at Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica. Now I’m no expert but the one thing I can tell you about jumping off a cliff is that you can’t guarantee how you’re going to land. Feet first, head first, belly flop, become paralyzed, die…you just don’t know and that’s a scary feeling. As a licensed retirement consultant for a fortune 100
financial services organization, I talk with America everyday about their retirement assets and the impact the federal government has on them. What I enjoy the most about my job is discussing these issues in ways my clients can understand them. So this is the deal. Right now our government spends more than it makes and borrows money to pay its bills. Economists call it deficit spending while others call it robbing Peter to pay Paul. Either way, the US can’t afford to continue doing this much longer. So in a nutshell, the
fiscal cliff is a bunch of tax hikes and budget cuts that become law in January 2013. Its purpose is to decrease deficit spending. But here lies the problem. According to the Congressional Budget Office (the non-partisan agency that provides economic data to Congress), if the fiscal cliff takes effect, the U.S. deficit would improve but the tax increases and spending cuts (Medicaid, unemployment insurance, school lunch programs, etc.) would push the country into recession and raise unemployment to 9%. Been
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Sure enough, Dr. West returned minutes later and we all sat down for dinner. We could not believe the generosity. Not in him treating us to dinner, but treating us – a group of teen and 20-something “nobodies” to his undivided time. We sat and talked for nearly three hours. And as much as we wanted to hear what Dr. West had to say, he wanted to hear what we had to say. I told Dr. West I was a writer and he gave me his card and told me to call him and he’d get me in touch with his agent. I never called. I was too in awe to take his offer seriously. Since that time, I’ve seen Dr. West speak several times – each time more impressive than the previous. In fact, I was watching Dr. West speak on a Saturday in February of 2007 when C-SPAN interrupted its broadcast of Dr. West during Tavis Smiley’s Black
Agenda Summit to cover the announcement of then Senator, Barack Obama’s intention to run for president. Smiley and Dr. West both lamented that Obama should have announced at the summit and not on the steps of the Illinois State Capitol. They said the “Black candidate” should be at the Black Agenda Summit. I agreed, but I eventually saw the bigger picture. Barack Obama was not running for president of “Black America,” he was running to become president of the United States of America. And while I agree with Dr. West that the plight of African-Americans has seemed to take a back burner under Obama’s watch, I do not agree with the personal sniping and attacks. I agree that the president has not focused enough
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COMMUNITY Cookie Cart wins: Mobilize The Power of Youth video contest grand prize GiveMN partnered with Youthprise to sponsor the Mobilize The Power of Youth Video Contest. Nonprofits were asked to create a video detailing how their organization enlivens, empowers, and engages young people. Youthprise staff and a panel of youth judged the contest. Cookie Cart won one of two grand prizes of $5,000 announced from the Give to the Max video feed live from Mall of America on November 15. Cookie Cart’s video was a rap written by teens who participate in employment and training programs at Cookie Cart. Taronda Richardson, program director has a cameo appearance as a young man for North Minneapolis applies for a
job and learns the world of work. “The video was not very far from the reality of what teens go through in applying for our employment and training program, commented Taronda Richardson, program director.” It was a pleasure to coach the young people and then to step back and let them go. They created a very important glimpse into their experiences.” Volunteers Paul Vincent shot and edited the video, Kyle Norell assisted with development and Antonio Williams and Curtis Nelson composed the music. They work with a team of five teens who wrote the lyrics. Video can be viewed at http://givemn. razoo.com/story/Cookie-Cart
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Phone: 612.588.1313
dinner and course fee, but not including gratuity or beverages. Space is limited; register at The DataBank.
underground ramp after 4:30 p.m. The ramp entrance is on Third Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets.
Hennepin County budget (Truth in Taxation) meeting Nov. 27 Hennepin County will hold a public meeting on the proposed 2013 budget and property tax levy – commonly called the Truth in Taxation meeting – at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 27, in the County Board Room on the 24th Floor of the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 S. Sixth St., in downtown Minneapolis. Hennepin is proposing a 2013 budget of $1.75 billion—1.2 percent more than the 2012 budget – and a .93-percent increase in the net property tax levy. The budgets and levies for the Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority and Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority also will be discussed at the meeting. For more details, go online to www.hennepin.us/ hcbudget. Contact the Hennepin County Clerk’s Office to sign up if you wish to speak: 612348-4019. Free parking is provided for residents testifying at the meeting if they park in the Government Center’s
Interact Benefit Party 2012 Nov 28 An evening, more party than arty, to celebrate and support Interact on Wed., Nov. 28 at the Lab Theater 700 North First St., Minneapolis 55401 (in the Mpls. Warehouse District), 6-9pm. 6pm: Silent Auction and reception. Peruse one-ofa-kind art, food, entertainment. 7:30pm: Live auction and entertainment by the talented Interact artists with and without disabilities, including American Idol 2012 top 24 contestant Reed Grimn. Box Office: 612333-7977 www.thelabtheater. org
America is today. KW: I think I heard CNN’s Roland Martin mention in promo From 7 for your show that he had someone in his family pass for white. SO: Yep, and that’s not an with men and women of my age group were very different from the unusual story. That’s another conversations younger men and question people would like to women were having with people explore. What makes you black? of their age group. It’s fascinating How can you consider yourself to hear the take of those that we black while someone with feature in the doc around 17, 18 the identical genetic makeup and 19, as they kind of grapple considers themselves white or with their identity and with where tries to pass for white? Those are the sort of big questions we Full Time Elementary Science & wanted to grapple with. KW: I suspect that Reading Teacher the influx of immigrants Concordia Creative Learning Academy has an from South America, opening for a full time elementary position teaching Science and Reading. Candidates must have India, Africa, Mexico and a valid MN Elementary Education License. Inter- so many other countries, ested candidates should submit their resumes to along with mixed lori@cclaonline.org, fax to 651.793.6624, or mail marriage, is changing to 930 Geranium Ave E St. Paul, MN 55106
Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone: 612.588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.
EVENTS Food writers workshop with Jeremy Iggers Nov 27 Writing about food is a way of writing about a lot of things— people, pleasure, culture, travel, adventure, ethics and yourself. Whatever your approach may be, this workshop is an opportunity to talk and learn about the challenges of the craft—from finding the right word to finding the right publisher. We’ll combine the conversation with a shared food experience—a simple communal meal at Pagoda in Dinkytown Tuesday, Nov 27, 7pm-9pm, 1417 S.E. 4th St., Minneapolis, MN 55414. Participants will be encouraged to publish their writing in TCFoodies, the food section of the Twin Cities Daily Planet. If there is sufficient interest, this may become a monthly event, with the opportunity to share work between sessions. Cost is $25 per person, including
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members will have a chance to speak with each school board member to pose their questions, express their concerns, and relate the issues most important to them this school year. Come prepared to ask your specific questions about the members’ plans for the new MPS school board term. To learn more, contact Marika Pfefferkorn at 612-455-1570 or mpfefferkorn@achievempls. org.
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2 Mpls., MN 55406. Please pre-register at https://www. thedatabank.com/dpg/262/ donate.asp?formid=TCMEvent&c=2301488. Bring your laptop—wi-fi is available. If you want to participate but don’t have a laptop, inquire with us; we may be able to provide you with a computer for the session.
Meet the newly elected MPS School Board Members Nov. 28 Come find out what the newly elected Minneapolis Public School Board members hope to accomplish in their new term and what that will mean for you on Wednesday, November 28 / 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm, Thomas Edison High School Media Center700 22nd Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN. Community
November Social Media Clinic Nov. 29 Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Pinterest—wherever you are online, if you’re a little confused, you’re not alone! Come to our monthly social media clinics at the Daily Planet office and get a hand from Twin Cities Daily Planet associate editor Jay Gabler— in addition to connecting with other community members and sharing your own best practices. Our social media clinics are meant to help you successfully navigate your way through the online forest of information, and to reach the communities you want to reach for your nonprofit, small business, or personal interests. Thursday, Nov 29, 4pm-6pm, 2600 Franklin Avenue E. Suite
MACY’S 50TH ANNUAL SANTALAND® Now thru – Dec. 24 Macy’s 50th Annual Santaland® will delight guests of all ages. Santa Claus will make his annual appearance November 17th through December 24th to gather the holiday wish lists of children across the land. As you make your way to meet Santa, experience the animated story of Santa’s elves at the North Pole as they prepare for Christmas. Once you meet with Santa, be sure to ask his elves about the various photo packages available. Throw your coins and dollars into the Make-AWish® Wishing Well and help children’s’ wishes come true with donations going to the local chapter of the Make-AWish Foundation. After meeting Santa, guests will find Mrs. Claus’ holiday bakery, which includes fresh gingerbread
the definition of what is black? SO: I think that’s true. I also think that there’s a real interesting conversation going on generationally. One of the young women we profile, who is biracial, very much has a hard time identifying as black. And yet, she has a sister who would say the exact opposite. [Chuckles] So, this isn’t a documentary where we come up with the right answer at the end. It really is much more a conversation about colorism because, ultimately, what is at the heart of all this is this sense that there’s some better skin color to be, and that people are discriminated against. So, it’s not just that people are grappling with identity but that there’s a lot of pain and shame and embarrassment and hurt and anger on account of colorism. And we wanted to understand what that was. KW: Tell me a little about Nayo Jones, one of the young women you profile on the special. SO: She’s biracial. Her father is white and mother’s black. She lives with her dad and very much identifies with her white side.
She’s a super-talented, smart young singer and poet. She goes through life with people trying to figure out what she is, and asking, “What are you?” which really makes her mad. KW: What about Perry DiVirgilio? SO: In a way, he’s the center of all the stories. He’s a biracial guy. His dad is white, his mom is black, and he runs the poetry workshop in Philadelphia on understanding who you are where all of these people’s lives intersect. They’re sort of the right age for it because they’re the coming-of-age age. When you’re a slam poet, part of the agenda is to connect to your material. And your success is a measure of your honesty and your authenticity. I think a lot of those slam poets don’t want to tackle the hard stuff, and Perry really pushes them and challenges about what their identity means to them by asking, “What is making you angry?” “What are you afraid of?” and “What are you ashamed of?” So, he’s sort of the centerpiece of our documentary not just for his own story but because he connects
to all the young people as the poet/ mentor who tries to get them to be honest. What you realize is that most people aren’t that honest, and this is one of the rare times when you capture people on camera speaking about how they feel about race and identity. KW: How do you see this coming-of-age generation as different? SO: I think those in our documentary share a sense of optimism, and I’m curious to see where it goes. Overall, it was very interesting to see all these different people trying to tackle the problem of colorism, because in some ways it’s such a deep psychological problem. Perry, our poet, thinks so. He believes that young people being able to articulate their poetry so unbelievably is really about understanding who they are. The exercises that he does in his poetry workshop are just fascinating. KW: Do you think you might have different generational reactions to the special? SO: I’m sure. Some of the younger people exhibit a certain
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cookies and other holiday treats, as well as Santa’s Toy Shop filled with family friendly gifts. Macy’s Downtown Minneapolis, 8th Floor, Auditorium. 8th Annul Holiday Sing-Along, Craft and Bake Sale Dec. 1 Fun, festive, free! 8th Annul Holiday Sing-Along, Craft and Bake Sale (Sat., Dec. 1) --CMS winter term registration (on now) at the Camden Music School, 612-618-0219 www. camdenmusicschool.com Midtown Global Market Merchandising workshop Dec. 4 Come to a FREE merchandising workshop Tuesday, December 4 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the Midtown Global Market (920 East Lake Street) and will be led by by Brent Meyers, Director of MCAD DesignWorks. Creative merchandising tactics will be discussed before walking the Market, rearranging and improving vendors’ displays with an eye for presentation and sales. This event is FREE and open to all area business owners and employees. Contact Zoeana to RSVP at 612.822.1912 or zmartinez@lakestreetcouncil. org Tickets are limited.
flexibility. They’re like, “Why can’t I be biracial? Why can’t I be both?” I never felt that was an option for us. Maybe it was, but I never felt like I had an option for both. My identity was very strong. I never believed people who said things like, “You’re not really black,” or suggested my identity might be anything but black. Today, I think there is this sense of flexibility among younger people. Whether or that remains as they get older remains to be seen. The ultimate question we examine is, “Who decides?” Is it you? Is it society? I think it’s a really interesting documentary. Again, we didn’t set out to solve the problem. I just don’t think people talk about the roots of colorism, and this fifth Black in America special was a great opportunity to do so. KW: Thanks again for the time, Soledad, and I look forward to speaking to you again with questions from my readers after the show airs. SO: Talk to you then, Kam. Bye!
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Insight News • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Page 15
Jones-Dube
She has taught me about how to face dying with grace, and for that I am grateful. She will be missed by all who knew her. But even in the face of death, she left us a gift. How many of us can say this about our lives? “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” EJD
From 5 her for over three weeks. She was going to do this “her way.” And so one day she announced that she needed some sun. The solution was a trip to a sunny climate. Even as we made plans, it was all provisional because we never knew if she would be able to make the trip, but we planned it as if she would. And she did. We spent eight days in the U.S. Virgin Islands—her last trip, as she referred to it. She was able to bask in the sun, get a tan, and watch water that was at times turquoise, aquamarine, and varying shades of blue, and sleep to the sound of the Caribbean Sea slapping the shore line silly. Every morning, she had tea on the little veranda of where we stayed in Cottages by the Sea, St. Croix. She would then sit for two hours in the sun, listening to her favorite music on her iPad, which one of her sons had given her. While everyone on the mainland was preparing for Hurricane Sandy, we experienced strong waves but nothing more on our little island get away. We had blue skies and water that looked like a gigantic blue jewel reflecting its brilliance every day and stretched out to the horizon where it sealed its fate with the sky. Our journey ended without incident, though it was increasingly apparent that Elvyn’s health was on a decline. During our time in the sun, I recorded Elvyn talking about her life, and why she had chosen to go to the Peace Corp in Botswana and what had drawn her to marry a man (Mr. Alfred Dube) now retired, who became an Ambassador from Botswana to England, Sweden, Belgium, China and who knows where else, and raise three sons (Nyaladzi Nathan (34), Nkwebi Julien (28) and Wazha Daniel (26) who are truly global citizens of the world. As we talked, I had a difficult time keeping track of all of Elvyn’s global adventures and the people she’d had the opportunity to meet and interact with –former UN Leader Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, and of course all the heads of states she’d met and entertained. I did meet one of her friends from her tour-of-duty in China who traveled from New York to visit Elvyn. Despite numerous airline delays, Carmen chose to visit anyway. In total she could only spend around four hours with Elvyn. But she was determined, and I was a fly on the wall listening to them reminiscing about their time together in Beijing, China, where, I learned, Elvyn had started a book club for expatriates, Chinese business people from Hong Kong, and diplomatic wives like herself. “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” EJD Just a Girl from Philly Not a bad life for a Black girl from Philly. Though born in Richmond, VA, Elvyn always thought of herself as “just a girl from Philly (Philadelphia),” where she lived most of her early years through high school. She chose to attend Lincoln University, an HBCU (historically Black College and University). Where else could a young girl from inner city
West From 13 on the troubling unemployment numbers of African-Americans and it seems the word “poor” has become that literal four-letter word in the national dialogue. You see, I too have had harsh critiques of our president. But, I have also come to understand that
Cliff From 13 there. Done that. Let’s move forward. Now it’s up to President Obama to clean up this mess he inherited from President Bush. Three plans are on the table: the Obama (Democratic) plan, the Congressman Ryan (Republican) plan, and the Simpson-Bowles (bi-partisan) plan. The Obama and SimpsonBowles plans are very similar. So here’s the long and short of it. The Obama plan proposes a tax increase on people making $250,000 a year or more and
Requiem for Elvyn
Elvyn Jones-Dube in Beijing, China and segregated Philly imagine herself going for college? A first generation college attendee, like many Black students in the late 1960s and early 1970s—Elvyn (and I also) were among the generation of Black children who had bought into the Kennedyesque belief that we were a generation for whom the country had great expectations. By the time Elvyn enrolled at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in the early 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing. We were among the generation who watched sit-ins and assaults on Black people with fire hoses and dogs televised in black and white. We read about and pondered over the photographs and news footage of proud Black students standing quietly in the face of vitriolic abuse—people spitting on them, yelling at them, throwing liquids on them, threatening them, as they sought to attend classes in historically segregated white schools. It could have been either of us. Those of us who attended college in the 1960s were the proud beneficiaries of the efforts and activism of the Civil Rights Movement, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Black Panthers and their ten point program, including the right to bear arms, and the cultural ideology of the Black Nationalists movement. This was a time also when the ideology of white supremacy was the norm, and it shaped the way we saw the world, especially Africa. Elvyn said it was her interaction with the African students at Lincoln that changed her life. She wanted to know more about their lives and their countries. Those she met didn’t fit the stereotypes with which she had grown up. And she wanted to leave America. She considered herself a discontent, who could not tolerate the racial injustice with which she had grown up. “I first met African [students] at Lincoln University and it had a huge influence on my life. I was one of the disgruntled ones. I’d grown up in Philly, and Philly had little to offer Black people—racist. [We lived] … under Mayor Rizzo who made no secret of his dislike of Black people. “
Upon graduating from Lincoln University, Elvyn Jones joined the Peace Corp and lived for two years in Botswana, where ironically, she could witness racism and white supremacy ideology at play again in the form of South African apartheid right next door. She loved Botswana, though she felt it was tough being a woman there. Some glimpses of what she meant can be seen in the HBO series starring Jill Scott, The Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. The images of Botswana’s landscape are breathtaking, and the show takes on lots of issues: HIV-AIDs, beliefs in magical practices, straying husbands, and domestic violence. My life intersected with Elvyn’s in 1974 when she and I met in graduate school at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Elvyn completed her coursework for the doctorate in Education, and returned to Botswana to complete her fieldwork and research. She married, as did I, and we both had sons for our first born. We remained in touch over the years. I visited her in London, received gifts of chocolate from Belgium, and followed her travels through the occasional letter. After 1996, we lost touch. She was reinventing herself as a psychotherapist studying at the Anna Freud Institute in London. It wasn’t an easy time according to her. She was “the only one”— a Black woman and an American. “I met a lot of opposition. I was the only Black woman, I was the only American. They took their whiteness for granted. And it wasn’t always easy. “ She prevailed and completed her training and eventually returned to the U.S. where she discovered that foreign credentials are not recognized, and so Elvyn completed a Masters in Social Work so she could practice. “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” EJD There is a time for everything…. I never imagined I’d ever connect with Elvyn again. But it must have been our time. As Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us, there is a time and a season for everything: There is a time for everything and a season for every activity
by the mere existence of Barack Obama, we as a community are better for it. Previously disengaged African-Americans are taking part in the political process. The once voiceless now sing in chorus. Is Pres. Obama perfect? No, he’s far from it. But is he a shining example of African-American personhood? Absolutely he is. And while the president serves his second term, I will be one
of the first to criticize if the issues of “Black America” are not addressed. But I will not disparage the president in such demeaning and derogatory terms as you have Dr. West. Once again, I ask … blackface – really? Dr. West our president deserves better than that. This discourse deserves better. Dr. West, you are better than that.
$2 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years. The Ryan plan only proposes $5.8 trillion is spending cuts over 10 years. And here lies the real problem. The Republicans absolutely refuse to generate revenue by increasing taxes on the rich and that’s not right. Even in the Bible - Luke 12:48 it says, “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” So why shouldn’t the most wealthy Americans pay just a little bit more in taxes? Haven’t they benefited the most from the Bush Tax Cuts? As for the middle class, they don’t
have the money to be taxed on because most of them are scraping by, living paycheck to paycheck as it is. So here’s the solution. Spread the word throughout your jobs, communities, and congregations on how important it is to contact your elected officials and encourage them to support the President’s “go big” balanced approach to solving the fiscal cliff. Tell them to stop all this partisan nonsense because the last time I jumped off a cliff, I landed feet first but with my legs apart. Hitting the water felt like a punch below the belt and trust me…that’s not what America needs right now.
under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal…. She heard my voice on NPR in 2011 talking about the hurricane damage sustained by Shaw University when I was President. We reconnected, and it turned out she was only 2 ½ hours away by car. We shared memories about our time spent in graduate school, caught up on the growth of our children, and the birth of those we’d had since our last meeting. She also shared with me her approach to living with her illness for so many years. But Elvyn was in good spirits, and determined to enjoy life, even if day by day. Towards the end, we spoke about death. I have faced the death of two very good friends, a younger brother, and my mother, and have come to be able to read the signs of approaching death when the body is fatigued, even if the mind wants to press on. I taped some of our conversations as I interviewed
Courtesy of the Dube family
her about what she wanted people to remember after she was gone. “I suppose I also want my children to appreciate that I understand how difficult it was for them to travel all over the planet and to be uprooted so many times. …I think I have instilled in my children some stubbornness. I think they are more balanced than I was but of course my training and psychotherapy practice … helped me to be more balanced. [But I want them to know] the flow of life must go on.” The daughter of working class people, Elvyn JonesDube passed on to the ancestors on November 14, 2012. She leaves behind for me (and her family and other friends) and for my readers a powerful lesson and legacy of living life fully despite our impending mortality. Nothing is promised to us, and so we must face life everyday as if there is no tomorrow. She frequently commented, “I’ve led a good life; I have no regrets.” She cherished her independence and autonomy and believed in doing good to help others.
Tomorrow is not promised or so the cliché goes. And so you struggle to make the best of each day— “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” battling fatigue, struggling against the weight of a body that no longer works properly, outmaneuvering death who comes soliciting your attention like a bad car salesman, part shyster, part seducer, part commander. But you do not succumb. “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” Your life-long stubbornness serves you well in this approaching hour. You are determined to decide when it is your time to ascend the highway to heaven, or take the sojourn with the ancestors (of course). Your Life. Your Death. Your Choice. No one else’s. “I have no regrets; I can really go freely.” EJD ©2012 McClaurin Solutions Irma McClaurin, PhD is the Culture and Education Editor for Insight News of Minneapolis. She is a biocultural anthropologist and writer living in Raleigh, NC, the Principal of McClaurin Solutions (a consulting business), and a former university president. (www. irmamcclaurin.com) (@ mcclaurintweets)
Page 16 • November 26 - December 2, 2012 • Insight News
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