Insight News ::: 12.10.12

The Night Before Christmas THREE-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNING A Musical Fantasy!

MONDAY · 7:30 PM • ALL AGES December 17 at the GUTHRIE THEATER Wurtele Thrust Stage Reserved Seats available at the Guthrie Theater Box Office, by calling 612.377.2224 and online at GuthrieTheater.org

INSIGHT NEWS December 10 - December 16, 2012 • MN Metro Vol. 39 No. 50 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

Twin Cities area most regressive in educating children of color

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer In an area that is generally considered one of the more progressive in the nation, when it comes to educating children of color, the Twin Cites is among the most regressive.

In a region full of wealth, talent and resources, children of color are failing scholastically at an alarming rate. In a report released this past September by the city of Minneapolis, only 47 percent of African American third graders in Minneapolis

Dr. Josie Johnson honored

public schools were reading at or above grade level. That is compared to 91 percent of white students in the district who are reading at or above grade level.

The same report revealed that in 2011, a paltry 36 percent of African Americans in the district completed high school within four years, compared to 67 percent of their white counterparts.

The achievement gap is not unique to the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) district. Though concerning, the numbers are

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POVERTY

By Harry Colbert, Jr., Contributing Writer

A Minnesota epidemic

A lifetime of commitment and service was captured in one day when the Minnesota Department of Human Rights honored Dr. Josie Johnson with its Humanitarian Award.

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Harry Colbert, Harry Collbert Colb bert, Jr Jr.

Dr. Josie Johnson embraces Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner, Kevin Lindsey. Lindsey honored Johnson with the Human Rights Humanitarian Award.

Gateway to excellence

By Scott Gray MUL President/CEO For years an epidemic has been spreading right before our eyes; a virus allowed to fester in fertile ground. We see it, we read about it in report after report, we discuss and analyze it at countless meetings, at conferences and on hundreds of fact finding committees.

It is a results-deficit

epidemic; a poverty pandemic that has exponentially increased to its current levels facing little resistance as efforts to quarantine it have been fragmented; lackluster at best. It is of catastrophic proportions as human creativity, innovativeness, potential and possibility are dying on the vine, resulting in a loss not just for the individual but for the community as a whole.

This epidemic plays out in newspaper headlines, on the nightly news, in Facebook newsfeeds and Twitter tweets, and repeatedly on CNN reports.

It is an epidemic caused by

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Ellison, Democrats post solid wins by mobilizing grassroots voters

U.S. Representative Keith Ellison

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer With the election a month behind, already Democrats and Republicans are looking ahead to 2014 and 2016.

But in looking ahead, both sides must first look back and analyze their successes and failures of this most recent

election.

Here in Minneapolis, one big success was in the safely Democratic 5th Congressional District – the seat currently held by Rep. Keith Ellison.

And though Ellison’s seat was considered safe from any Republican challenger (Ellison defeated his opponent, Chris Fields, by more than 173,000 votes), Ellison ran as if he were in a neck and neck race. But according to the congressman, his efforts to energize the vote were less about him, but more about defeating two state ballot initiatives and re-electing Barack Obama. The grassroots get-outthe-vote efforts in Minnesota’s 5th, in many ways mirrored efforts in more tenuous swing states such as Florida and Ohio – two states that also dealt with perceived voter suppression tactics initiated by Republicans.

“We set a campaign goal to increase voter turnout by five

Suluki Fardan

L-R: William Crowder, East Metro bus driver; Faye Brown, Heywood bus driver; Brian Lamb, Metro Transit general manager; Nadine Babu, contest winner; Hugo Fuentes, Light-Rail operator; Carol VanOrnum, contest runner up; and Silas Sharp, Nicollet garage bus maintenance manager

Commuter Nadine Babu hailed as Metro Transit’s 3 billionth customer

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Aesthetics

Ananya Dance Theatre presents Mohona Estuaries of Desire

PAGE 7

Lifestyle Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree PAGE 8

By Ivan B. Phifer Staff Writer Metro Transit celebrated its three billionth customer at the Uptown Transit East Annex Center, 2855 Hennepin Ave., shortly after Thanksgiving.

Artspeak

Anthropology honors the mentoring legacy of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole

PAGE 12

Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) was established as a public entity in 1967, while the foundation of the Twin Cities public transportation system was not fully in place until 1972. Since

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West Broadway Business Profile Boom Island Brewing

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Page 2 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

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Books for Africa honored as 2012 top-rated nonprofit Books For Africa (BFA) has been honored with a prestigious 2012 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations.

The 2012 Top-Rated Nonprofit List was based on

the large number of positive reviews that Books For Africa received – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. People such as Agnes Igoye posted their personal experiences with BFA. Agnes, a container captain sending books

to Uganda, wrote, “What struck me most [about BFA] was the passion and dedicated efforts of the staff and board members towards their work-Ending the Book Famine in Africa!”

BFA was one of a number of nonprofits honored throughout

the country.

Being named to the 2012 Top-Rated List comes at an important time of the year, as donors look for causes to support during the holiday season.

“We are gratified by

Books For Africa for its work,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, “They deserve to be discovered by more donors and volunteers who are looking for a great nonprofit to support.”

Being on the Top-Rated list gives donors and volunteers

more confidence that the group honored is a credible organization. The reviews by volunteers, clients and other donors show the on-the-ground results of this nonprofit. This award is a form of recognition by the community.

Rothman named to Securities Administrators legislation committee Minnesota Department of Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman has been appointed to the Federal Legislation Committee of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA). This position will provide Commissioner Rothman the opportunity to weigh in on NASAA’S national pro-investor legislative agenda.

“It is an honor to serve on NASAA’s Federal Legislation Committee on behalf of Minnesota,” said Commissioner Mike Rothman. “We will be a strong voice for a national proinvestor legislative agenda. Main street investors need an advocate to help everyday Minnesotans gain a level playing field.”

The Federal Legislative Committee is a special committee of NASAA’s Board of Directors tasked with proposing and preparing the legislative agenda for NASAA. Committee

Commissioner Mike Rothman

members are responsible for analyzing federal legislation, drafting statutory amendments and testimony, and responding to congressional requests for information.

The Federal Legislation Committee is comprised of representatives from six other states. The committee members are: • Steve Irwin (Committee Chair), Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities • Gina Gombar, Attorney for the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Miranda LeKander, Attorney for the California Department of Corporations • Melanie Lubin, Commissioner of the Maryland Division of Securities • Gerald Rome, Deputy Securities Commissioner

for the Colorado Division of Securities • Michael Rothman, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce • Daniel Tanaka, Director of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Securities Division National Association of Securities Organized in 1919, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection.

NASAA is a voluntary association whose membership consists of 67 state, provincial, and territorial securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Mexico.

In the United States, NASAA

is the voice of state securities agencies responsible for efficient capital formation and grass-roots investor protection.

Their fundamental mission is protecting consumers who purchase securities or investment advice, and their jurisdiction extends to a wide variety of issuers and intermediaries who offer and sell securities to the public.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce The Commerce Department protects consumers and investors by enforcing the Minnesota Securities Laws in the state of Minnesota, regulating industry in the following ways: • Registering brokerage firms, representatives of brokerage firms, investment adviser firms, franchises and

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Economy pushes youth out of workforce Many Minnesota youth and young adults are struggling in this economy to find jobs and gain skills that will help them build their careers, according to a new KIDS COUNT report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation titled Youth and Work.

While Minnesota has youth employment levels better than the national average, the percent of employed youth ages 16 to 24 decreased from 73 percent in 2000 to 60 percent in 2011. Youth ages 16 to 19 have been particularly hard hit during the past decade with their employment rate dropping

from 63 percent in 2000 to less than half (42%) employed in 2011.

The report estimates in Minnesota there are approximately 57,000 “disconnected” youth, meaning they are not in school and not working. These youth are at risk of being placed on a trajectory of reduced opportunities and earnings throughout their lifetime, which will affect their ability to support themselves and contribute to their communities and society. The report highlights solutions like flexible pathways to reengage disconnected youth and

opportunities to gain experience for youth in school so they can move forward in their careers.

Gaining job experience has been key for Courtney Gallagher, a Youth Studies major at the University of Minnesota. “I thought this would be the easy part of my life,” said Gallagher, who will be graduating this month.“ As a first generation college student, it’s difficult to understand the higher education system when no one at home has been through it. I never realized that the struggle would continue even with a four-year degree.”

Courtney was accepted into

the Teach for America program as a gateway into a teaching career. She looked for other jobs while considering Teach for America but couldn’t find anything that would allow her to gain experience in the field of education. Courtney considers herself lucky because she knows what she wants to do.

For youth who graduate from high school and are uncertain, it can be difficult if not impossible to afford college classes without a clear career goal. “Even with relevant work experiences and an above average GPA I feel the frustration of finding employment,” Gallagher said.

“I have made all the right decisions so far in my life, but still experience the affects of the economy. I can only imagine the struggles other youth face when they are unsure of what kind of work they’d like to do, and can’t afford to pay for college to find out. It is my hope that more career pathways are created for youth, so low wage jobs or college are not the only options.”

Youth and Work includes the latest youth employment data for every state, the District of Columbia and the nation.

Additional information on

Minnesota County-level Youth Employment (16-24yrs) County Number Percent Anoka 24,818 66% Carver 5,923 64% Dakota 29,700 68% Hennepin 90,873 66% Olmsted 9,663 69% Ramsey 47,768 65% St. Louis 20,040 65% Scott 9,282 72% Stearns 19,949 70% Washington 15,742 62% Wright 7,995 65% disconnected youth and young adults is available in the KIDS COUNT Data Center which also contains the most recent national, state and local data on hundreds of indicators of child well-being. The Data Center allows users to generate rankings, maps and graphs for use in publications and on websites, and users can view information on mobile devices.

Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2011.

Note: Due to population size, only some counties are included.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private national philanthropy that creates better futures for

the nation’s children by strengthening families, building economic opportunities and transforming neighborhoods into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow. For more information, visit www. aecf.org. KIDS COUNT® is a registered trademark of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

For more information about Children’s Defense FundMinnesota, a grantee of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, visit wwwcdf-mn.org or follow us on Twitter at @cdfmn or on Facebook at https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / p a g e s / C h i l d re n s - D e f e n s e - F u n d MN/125043458211.

WE WIN Institute Presents:

“ It’s A Family Affair” .:$1=$$ &(/(%5$7,21

FREE ADMISSION Come celebrate Kwanzaa with the children of WE WIN Institute as they teach the community about the importance of Kwanzaa and Family.

There will be special performances by : Master Story Teller Nothando Zulu Voice of Culture Hip Hop Artists Toki Wright & LongShot Women of Distinction Wayman Steppers for Christ And so much more

The program will be concluded with a “Passing the Torch of Leadership Ceremony”

When:

Thursday December 13th 2012

Time:

Doors open at 6:00PM & Program will begin at 6:30PM

Where:

North High School Auditorium 1500 James Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 For More Information Call: 612-721-2364

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Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 3

Community Day at UROC highlights several area organizations

By Ivan B. Phifer Staff Writer The University of Minnesota Urban Research Outreach and Engagement Center (UROC), hosted a community day this past month at its facility at 2001 Plymouth Ave. N. The event included ethnic food, and organizations related to the University of Minnesota to showcase services. “Sharing the Journey,” the theme for Community Day 2012, celebrated community partnerships and urban research initiatives.

A highlight this year was a tribute to University of Minnesota senior vice president of academic administration, Robert Jones,

who was instrumental in the creation of UROC. He recently accepted the position of president of the University at Albany, part of the State University of New York system.

Community Day offered a chance for the public to tour UROC’s 22,000-square-foot facility and review university and community collaborations aimed at strengthening health, education and economic development in

North Minneapolis and other urban communities. Activities included free computer classes and health screenings, healthy cooking demonstrations, live music, and a public reception.

Joe Hetler, community network director for the Center for Personalized Prevention Research (CPPR), helps children and families with mental health issues.

“We are not a service provider

organization, we build research partnerships,” Helter said.

One of the Northside research partnerships is with Reuben Lindh Family Services, who is working with CPPR to implement an evidence-based parenting program for mothers of children in child protection.

“The idea is to help them do the very best parenting work that is possible to meet the needs of the family,” said Hetler.

The Center for Health Equity (CHE) is another university program that promotes health equity in the community and support equity research on the university campus. “We target under-represented undergraduate students as well as medical and doctorate students to bring into the research pipeline,” said Amy Shanafelt, program assistant of CHE. Shanafelt said the center

was established in 2009 by the National Institute of Health.

CHE is also a program of the Clinical Translation Science Institute.

The partners who assisted in this initiative include the Stairstep Foundation and the Wellshare International Organization.

These partners work with Somali youth on initiatives

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Page 4 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

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BUSINESS

Don’t practice interviewing Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Correction: DO practice interviewing. But don’t wait until opening night to stage a dress rehearsal. If you are looking for a promotion, interviewing for a new job or making a sales call, act like your presentation makes

a difference, because it does.

And because it does, when you are in the hot seat, interviewing for the job you really want, you want to be ready. So you have to practice. But don’t practice interviewing during that critical interview. By the time you get to the big stage, your side of the conversation should be so well rehearsed that it seems totally off the cuff to the person across the table.

Practice by preparing well for every interview, even if it isn’t for your dream job. Especially if it isn’t your dream job. If your life

and happiness doesn’t depend on whether you get hired, you will be more confident asking direct questions about a company and answering tough questions about yourself. If you stutter or say something ridiculous, it won’t be the end of the world. Every conversation you have raises your comfort level when telling your own story.

A manager recently told me that he pushes people in interviews. He said he asks about each of the technical skills he sees on a resume or application.

If they say the know Windows,

he wants to know which programs and how someone used them. This can be intimidating, but preparation is your friend here. Recruit a buddy or mentor or just pick up the phone and call yourself and explain your work history. Answer questions you might be asked, including reasons for leaving and what your successes were. Every time you speak something out loud, you become more comfortable hearing yourself say it; you will start to hear yourself overexplaining or going off on a tangent and you can then edit

yourself down to statements that are true and comfortable to say and to hear.

Job interviews and sales calls both are fairly predictable.

There’s the occasional trick question or unexpected personality that you might have to deal with, but generally, when you’ve done anything more than a few times, you have a good idea about how it will go. Practice interviewing every chance you get. Stutter, stammer, talk too loudly, wear the wrong shoes and misjudge distance and time.

Get it all out of the way when the

consequences are low. That way, when you really have something on the line, you’ll win.

Did Venus Williams play tennis before she got to Wimbledon? Did Barack Obama govern before he won his first presidential election? Was it raining when Noah built the ark?

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

Explore travel insurance options when planning holiday vacations 91.1 million Americans plan to travel this holiday season.

Those who plan to travel via plane will be presented with the option to buy travel insurance upon the purchase of their airfare. Many consumers do not know whether travel insurance fits their budget or their travel needs. The Minnesota Department of Commerce urges travelers to understand what travel insurance is, what it actually covers, and what conditions to watch out for.

“The holiday season creates lasting memories and for most families, travel is a part of the experience,” said Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman.

“When planning your holiday travel, understand the travel insurance options available and make sure they fit your specific needs to ensure you spend more time enjoying your holiday and less time worrying about the possible issues that could arise.”

What Is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance can protect against the loss of nonrefundable travel costs, such as airfare, hotel and tour expenses. Other types of travel insurance offer limited protection against losses due to medical emergencies, damage to personal property, and even a death which could occur away

from home while on vacation.

A typical travel insurance policy will cover trip cancelation, travel delay, and trip interruption insurance.

Often, it will include limited medical, medical evacuation, and accidental death insurance.

Finally, most travel insurance plans will include lost baggage.

Keep in mind, there is no guarantee your policy will include each of these items.

Consumers will need to review each policy’s specific terms and conditions to determine its effectiveness. For example,

purchasing ‘trip cancelation’ insurance does not necessarily mean you can cancel your trip without consequence.

insurance policy may not reimburse you if you decide not to make a trip because a conference was canceled.

Should You Buy It? The decision to purchase travel insurance relies on many factors. Here are some things to consider before you make up your mind:

• Before purchasing a travel insurance policy, ask about pre-existing conditions and age limits.

Some policies cover preexisting conditions if you buy the coverage within a week or two of booking your trip. Others will not pay for pre-existing conditions or charge a higher premium to cover them. Some insurers charge more for older travelers.

Travel insurance policies are not all the same. If you buy travel insurance, be sure to review the policy, especially the list of covered reasons and exclusions for canceling your trip. For example, a travel

• Cruise and tour operators may offer Cancellation Waivers. Keep in mind that waivers are not insurance policies and are not regulated. Read all of the restrictions before you buy a Cancellation Waiver.

• Review all of the policies you have now prior to purchasing travel insurance. If you have life, health or homeowners insurance, you may not need to buy certain types

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Northeast Bank wins Jefferson Award Northeast Bank was honored with a National Jefferson Award as presented by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal on Thursday, November 29. Each year, a dozen businesses in each state are acknowledged for their dedication of time, talent, and energy to charitable causes.

Of those twelve businesses, one is selected to represent

L-R: Belva Rasmussen, Chair of the Board; Thomas Beck, President/CEO their respective state at the National Jefferson Awards

ceremony in Washington, D.C. Northeast Bank is proud to be representing the State of Minnesota at the national event scheduled for June of 2013.

Northeast Bank’s submission was based upon our extensive volunteer program.

In 2011, board members,

NEB

officers, and employees logged almost 4,000 volunteer hours as members of organizations, supporters of worthy community projects, and workers at events. The bank’s board members and officers are affiliated with over 50 local non-profit organizations.

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Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 5

COMMENTARY Lying may be coded into Republicans’ DNA Nobody Asked Me

By Fred Easter Nobody asked me, but, it occurs to me that lying may be coded into Republicans’ DNA. How did Social Security get into the discussion of deficit reduction? Today, Republicans would have you believe that “entitlements” such as Social Security and Medicare must be cut in order to help us pay our way out of this deficit.

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow showed me a tape the other day where Republican godfather, Ronald Reagan was explaining how Social Security was a closed system. It is separate from the General Fund.

The point of a closed system is that the monies within it cannot, by the laws that created

it, leak out into the General Fund.

If people pass away before they begin receiving Social Security benefits, or pass away before they have received all they contributed over their lifetimes, those savings remain in the fund as potential benefits to recipients still living.

According to current estimates, the Social Security Fund will last another 21 years if payroll tax additions and benefit payout levels continue as projected.

Republicans say, “We have to cut benefits or the system will go bankrupt.”

I say, not so fast.

Today, employees pay into Social Security from the first $106,800 of their annual wages.

For most of us, that means a little bite gets taken out of every paycheck. However, if you make $213,600 per year, those little bites stop after June, every year.

If you make $1,281,600 per year, you stop feeling the nibble after January. So, what would be the effect on Medicare’s future of everyone paying payroll taxes all year, like those of us who make $106,800 a year or less?

If, since 1990, the minimum wage had increased by the same percentage as CEO’s compensation has increased,; today, the minimum wage would be $23 an hour Interesting question, isn’t it?

By law, the government is prohibited from investing those monies it takes from your paycheck. There is currently $2.7 trillion in the fund. If someone was investing those funds, they could manipulate the world’s stock markets. There is a clue here into why Romney spoke, so often, of “privatizing” Social Security.

So that we understand these

terms, 1 million equals 10 hundred thousand. One billion equals 1 thousand million. One trillion equals 1 thousand billion.

Pretty soon, we’re going to be talking about real money here.

Consider this. If, since 1990, the minimum wage had increased by the same percentage as CEO’s compensation has increased, today, the minimum wage would be $23 an hour. I remember 1990. People weren’t saying,

“we’ve got to do something about CEO salaries.” So called “chief executive officers” of corporations are having to take second jobs just to make ends meet.

So CEOs depress our wages, inflate theirs and call what we have left at the end of our working lives by a dirty word – “entitlements.” We, who have cleaned their hotel rooms, parked and washed their cars, prepared their meals and fought their wars deserve better than “entitlements.” We deserve a living wage. A wage commensurate with the place in the world the labor and bravery of young Americans has earned for this country. If ever that fund were to go bankrupt, the government should consider it “too big to fail” and bail it out.

But, of course that wouldn’t be necessary if all Americans suffered that little bite out of all of their earnings.

Now, let’s look at Medicare.

I recently heard that the average American family pays $119,000 into Medicare and

receives $357,000 in benefits over their lives. I also recently heard that some hospitals and HMOs have quotas for what percentage of emergency room patients (with Medicare coverage) should get admitted to the hospital, how long they should stay and what tests should be run on them. I get a call a month from companies I have no relationship with, offering me upgrades and replacements on equipment and supplies with which I manage my diabetes and sleep apnea. Always, these calls contain the phrase, “this may be at no cost to you.” I’m guessing that they’ll bill Medicare on my behalf.

During the campaign, President Obama said he could cut $716 billion out of Medicare by cleaning up inefficiencies and overpayments to insurers and providers. I believe fat in the system is there and the president ought to have a chance to sic his dogs on it before we go to cutting benefits. We had the good sense to re-elect him. Let’s give the brother room to operate. Let’s take “entitlements” off the table.

A smarter way to grade America’s High Schools

By John Chubb Everyone agrees that America’s high schools need to do a better job of preparing students to be “college- and career-ready.” But the big problem is, how do we get them to do that?

One state has just come up with a bold solution - and it could serve as a model for education reform throughout the entire country.

California recently passed a law that reduces the weight of standardized test scores for ranking high schools. Now, crucial factors like graduation rates, attendance and student advancement will play a larger role in grading the ability of public schools in preparing students to succeed after high

Next From 1 better in St. Paul where the fouryear graduation rate for public school African Americans was 52 percent in 2011 as compared to 73 percent for whites.

With little exception, the gap between whites and students of color in the region remains.

That is why a group of area government, education, business and community leaders have banded together to form the Generation Next Partnership.

The partnership is being touted as an unprecedented collaboration and has received a $2 million federal grant and an additional $2 million in matching funds from area corporations such as General Mills, Target and 3M. Selected to head the group is Michael Goar.

Goar was raised in Minneapolis and comes to Generation Next after serving as the deputy superintendent and of the Boston Public Schools. He said the Twin Cities gap is simply unacceptable.

“The road blocks we face are artificial ones,” said Goar. “We

Insurance From 4 of travel insurance. Read your policy and speak with your insurance company or agent to learn what personal property and medical coverage you have while you’re traveling. Also, ask what insurance benefits you may have if you use a credit card to pay for the trip.

Gray From 1 sustained poverty -- with crime, educational underachievement, violence, environmental accidents, unemployment, class and racial incidents, economic instability, and so much more left in its wake.

In the fight against poverty, I often wonder are we truly in it to

school This law is a big step in the right direction -- and it paves the way for other states to pass similar reforms aimed at preparing students for college and beyond.

Why the change? Since 1999, every California public school has been granted an Academic Performance Index, or API, score based almost entirely on how its students fare on a handful of standardized tests. Other states are also similarly reliant upon test scores to evaluate their schools’ successes.

These scores help determine everything about a school’s future -- whether it receives funding, whether parents can move their children to a better school, even whether home values rise or fall.

So the pressure to get a high score is enormous.

The intention, of course, has

been to hold schools accountable for their performance and to give them incentives to improve. The problem is that the system puts too much emphasis on tests that don’t necessarily predict how well a student will actually do after high school. In the end, students were being prepared to succeed on tests while they were in school, not to succeed beyond graduation.

Sure enough, a closer look at the numbers reveals that, when based primarily on these tests, a school’s API score can be an unreliable predictor of how well its students will perform in college. A 2012 study conducted

by Education Sector found that one school with the relatively high API score of 778 out of 1,000 had a 91 percent graduation rate but sent just 66 percent of its students to college. Meanwhile,

a school with a score of just 698 had a graduation rate of 95 percent and sent 86 percent of its students to college.

The API’s true shortcoming is revealed when the scores are applied to schools with a high proportion of low-income students. According to our study, three of the five high-poverty schools with the lowest API scores were among the top five overall in sending their graduates to college. And the school with the lowest API score had the highest postsecondary enrollment rate: 79 percent of its graduates in 2009 went on to a postsecondary institution, 5 percentage points above the state average.

Standardized test scores certainly provide one valid measure of student success. But it is clear that they are not entirely accurate in measuring whether

students are really ready for life after high school.

And this problem has serious real-world consequences. Only 25 percent of high school students taking common college entrance exams in California are deemed college- and career-ready. And two out of every five college students must take remedial classes for basic skills before they can qualify for credit-bearing work. Our nation’s high schools have been failing to provide the requisite tools for students before sending them out the door.

The new law does much to fix how California ranks its schools.

It ensures that, as of 2016, test scores can count for no more than 60 percent of a school’s API score, and it says that the state superintendent must add graduation rates and measures of college- and career-preparedness

to the mix.

The reality of today’s economy is that students must start preparing for life beyond high school from the moment they enter a freshman classroom.

It’s our job to make sure that our high schools are helping them do just that.

If we want America’s students to arrive at college ready for postsecondary work, then we must improve our country’s systems for evaluating high schools. California just put forward a great model for reform.

What we need now is for the rest of the country to follow.

can overcome the gap and my role is to facilitate this discussion.

We got to this place not overnight, but we need to create a sense of urgency.”

Goar said with Generation Next, he expects to see a lessening of the achievement gap within the next two years. “That’s as long as we move forward together,” said Goar. “The complexity and urgency of this work requires all hands on deck. We cannot coast to change. All of us must act deliberately to ensure that all of students are graduating from high school.”

Generation Next was inspired by the Cincinnati Strive Partnership, which has been replicated in several communities, including Portland, San Francisco, Boston, Houston and Milwaukee. The Strive Partnership unites stakeholders around educational issues, goals, measurements and results, and then actively supports and strengthens strategies that work.

The Twin Cities partnership started with the African American Leadership Forum and the University of Minnesota, which both identified the Strive model as a potential way to systemically improve student achievement.

Goar said the benchmark goals of Generation Next are to improve kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading, 8th grade math scores and graduation rates for students of color. He said the ultimate goal is to prepare students of color for postsecondary education.

“To accomplish these goals, we are working toward creating networks –a place where best practices can be shared.

Evidence-based decision making is taking place and will focus on collective action, investment and sustainability,” said Goar.

Kim Nelson co-chair the Generation Next Leadership Council said the community as a whole must be invested in lessening the student achievement gap.

“For many complex and deep-rooted reasons, we have struggled in our many efforts to achieve true educational equality in Minnesota,” said Nelson who is the senior vice president of external relations for General Mills and president of the General Mills Foundation. “We all have a role to play in supporting our schools and supporting our youth – in enabling every child to reach his or her full potential.”

Nelson said The Generation Next Partnership is based on a holistic cradle-to-career framework for change, focusing on the full educational continuum including critical transition points to ensure the developmental progress of students of color.

“Currently, the Twin Cities has more than 500 programs that are focused on closing the achievement gap – each with different goals and ways of measuring success – and our philanthropic community contributes over $90 million each year to support these and other educational organizations,” said Nelson. “Though enthusiastic, our response to our education crisis is fragmented and uncoordinated – lacking a shared vision on attacking the problem and generating the most effective solutions.”

Minneapolis mayor, R.T. Rybak said everyone must be held accountable for the failure to educate a vast number of students of color.

“We have an achievement gap crisis and immediate action is needed,” said Rybak. “There should be zero tolerance for teachers, superintendents, parents and mayors not delivering for our

kids.”

Rybak did tout the successes of programs such as the AchieveMpls STEP-UP program.

Rybak said the program, which places young people from Minneapolis in paid internships with local companies, nonprofits and public agencies and provides work readiness training, has helped its participants to excel in school and graduate on time. The mayor said many of the STEP-UP students go on to attend college.

Chanda Smith Baker,

president and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities, said she is hopeful Goar and Generation Next can strengthen achievement for students of color.

“It’s about a shared role and shared measurements for achieving goals,” said Smith Baker. “When it comes to students there’s got to be a consistency of expectations – whether they are in Minneapolis, St. Paul, charter schools or suburban school districts.”

• Check the refund policies on prepaid expenses before buying travel insurance.

Some will refund your money if you

cancel months in advance, but few will offer any refund if you cancel at the last minute.

• Ask around. If you are working with a travel agent you trust, ask about his or her experiences with travel insurance companies.

Have their customers filed claims? Were those claims paid? If you are planning an adventurous vacation (i.e. skydiving, scuba diving), ask if the insurance will

win it, or are we just playing the game?

Over a year ago, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon cautioned that any progress made in the fight against poverty globally risked being reversed by a failure to put people at the center of development policies, pointing out that investing in people is the smartest way to eradicate poverty, change lives and communities.

The Twin Cities is currently

experiencing a building boom with billions of dollars worth of projects on the table in progress.

The new Vikings stadium, transportation and highway heavy projects, numerous housing projects will change the landscape with a host of others anticipated, all in the name of progress. The Metropolitan Council in its November 2012 report cites that the regional transit project alone will create 30,000 jobs and have a $5.4 billion dollar impact. This

• No policy can guarantee your safety when you are traveling, but knowing you are covered for medical emergencies or the loss of personal property may help you relax and enjoy your vacation.

cover those activities.

Go to the Minnesota Department of Commerce website for more information on travel insurance and the different types of plans that are offered. If you are having a problem with a company that sold you a travel insurance policy, contact the Department’s consumer response team by calling: 651296-2488 or 1-800-657-3602.

is a tremendous amount of money being poured into projects, but the question becomes how do people at the bottom of the pyramid factor into this progress equation? Will African Americans and other people of color have opportunities to fully participate in these projects?

What is the plan to genuinely invest in people, the critical Human Capital elevation that

GRAY TURN TO 6

John Chubb is CEO of Education Sector, an independent think tank, and is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

Page 6 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Minneapolis Indian Education Association names Danielle Grant as Outstanding American Indian Administrator Danielle Grant, director of the Indian Education Department at Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), on October 16 was recognized as one of three Outstanding American Indian Administrators by the Minnesota Indian Education Association (MIEA) at the organization’s annual conference.

Grant is the first administrator from an urban school district to receive the award. Honorees are selected

Transit From 1 then, customers have boarded Metro Transit buses and trains three billion times. “(In 1972) that’s when we began counting ridership,” said MTC general manager, Brian J. Lamb.

To commemorate the milestone, Metro Transit invited customers to submit entries in a contest to become the three billionth rider. The winner judged to have written the best entry was awarded a year of rides on Metro Transit

Gray From 5 provides substantial individual benefit and community impact, the kind of SROI that fosters sustainable solutions to the results and poverty pandemic?

These projects offer the potential to put people at the center of planning. There is potential to deliver results that last beyond the short-term. Fully including and employing people of color in these projects is one solution to the current state of underfunded employment and

based on the nominee’s role in the education community, leadership skills and the way that he or she reflects American Indian culture in his or her life and work style. “An outstanding administrator is someone who is a role model and leader, someone who tries to make a difference in the education community and someone who is working to improve the lives of American Indian students,” a representative from MIEA said in a statement. “Danielle

meets, and far exceeds, those requirements.

She truly deserves the award.”

During Grant’s four years with MPS, her department has shifted from an intervention model of providing direct student services to a proactive model that builds partnerships with community leaders and organizations. “As a school district, we have embraced a systematic change that will benefit our Native families,” Grant said.

Grant and the Indian Education Department are working to build trust between the school system and the Native American community.

“The American education system, especially during the boarding school era, took the family, the community and the tribe out of education in a dramatic way that was devastating to us culturally,” Grant said, referring to the boarding schools of the late 19th to mid-20th centuries

that sought to suppress Native culture and enforce EuropeanAmerican cultural values. “The only way to heal from that is to bring family and community engagement back into the schools.”

In addition to building partnerships with the community and families, the Indian Education Department provides teachers and school staff with curriculum, resources, professional development and coaching to help them

shift classroom elements and instructional practices to better engage Native learners. The department also provides support for school readiness including the High Five program at Anishinabe Academy and college readiness for high school students through counseling services and an academic mentoring program called College Personalized Resources and Education Pathways (PREP).

buses and trains.

The three billionth rider was Nadine Babu. Babu has been a Metro Transit customer throughout her college career, attending the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Babu also owns a business, and is active in social causes such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Babu said there were numerous Metro Transit experiences she could have used, but for her contest submission she chose the Vikings-Bears game that took place at the University of

Minnesota’s TCF Stadium in 2010, after the collapse of the Metrodome roof.

“It was a big blizzard and everyone was complaining about getting home,” said Babu. “It took people hours to commute. I took Metro Transit and made it there (TCF Stadium) in one piece, where a lot of my group members did not make it in time.”

She jokingly recalled how she had on Green Bay attire, which made the trip a bit more interesting. “I’m from Wisconsin, but I was still rooting for the Vikings because we (Packers fans) needed a

Bears loss,” said Babu.

According to Lamb, the buses are now hybrid using biofuels made right here in Minnesota, and every bus is tracked via GPS for accuracy in driving schedules.

“Several transit centers facilitate connections throughout the metro area.

Commuters travel from well over 100 park-and-ride facilities and rail service has become an integral part of the transportation system commuting 15 percent of transit customers,” said Lamb.

As general manager, Lamb takes great pride in

commitment to service and also took time to honor four Metro Transit workers.

Silas Sharp has worked for Metro Transit since 1963. He started as a bus mechanic and now runs bus maintenance from the Nicollet Garage location. East Metro Bus Driver William Crowder has been a bus operator since 1970 and has been honored as an operator 20 times for his outstanding service. Heywood Driver Faye Brown, has been with Metro Transit since 1993 and has also won awards for her performance.

“Above all, she is well

known and well liked by customers for her always positive attitude and assistance,” said Lamb.

Light Rail Operator Hugo Fuentes, a rail operator for the Hiawatha line, who started as a part-time bus operator in 2000 was the fourth employee honored. He moved to full time bus operator in 2003 and has earned eight outstanding operator awards and was named master operator.

“Today is not just about recognizing our employees, but our customers as well,” Lamb said.

training programs.

Just imagine in this season of giving, that if just ten percent of the 8 billion dollars worth of projects reported by MSP were invested in non-profit organizations that serve people of color, envision the kinds of results focused programs that could be offered with consistency free of worry about where the next grant dollars will come from, programs that create quality of life gains that can elevate people from the drudges of poverty. This investment of just ten percent in development opportunities for non-profits of color could transform the

Twin Cities landscape and intently address the disparities that are reaching epidemic proportions in our community.

Without question, a significant infusion of resources for human development and employability program would certainly change the game equipping us to win.

Achieving high performance in today’s 21st century organization requires significant investment in human capital.

Acquiring the right talent, retaining high performing people, identifying and developing underperformers are critical factors to creating sustainable growth, driving profit, and

realizing organizational goals in both the public and private sectors. Failing to fully focus on equipping Human Capital with the skills and competencies required to effectively contribute to an organization’s outcomes is much like leaving a key ingredient out of a recipe. Halfhearted and hardly funded efforts to maximize Human Capital perpetuate the skill gaps crisis and poverty pandemic.

A new study produced by the Economist Intelligence Unit released just this week says American babies will have a dimmer future than those born in Hong Kong, Ireland and even

Canada. Switzerland is the best place to be born in the world in 2013, and the U.S. is just 16th, not even making the top ten. In a land described as filled with opportunity, this is a painful article to read. In the United States, for example, six million people have fallen into poverty since 2008, and one in seven people now lives below the poverty line.

These numbers are shocking and provide further evidence why investments in people are smart investments. These investments benefit our community, our region and our nation. When I consider the massive amounts

of projects in the pipeline, the question remains, who wins? The projects no matter how large the value do not comprehensively support opportunities for people of color.

At the Minneapolis Urban League, we are in the human development business with a mission to equipping seekers so that they can win! If our organization and others working to empower the poor can obtain the opportunity to secure a fair share of the pie, we could pull help people pull themselves up by the bootstraps and create programs that truly transform our community so we all win.

insightnews.com

Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 7

AESTHETICS Ananya Dance Theatre presents Mohona Estuaries of Desire diverse community-based companies and government initiatives. In addition to numerous awards, her work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Asian Arts Initiative, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the McKnight, Jerome, and Bush foundations.

Recent performances include Downtown Dance Festival (NYC, 2008); Erasing Borders Festival (NYC, 2008); Underground Theater (Syracuse, 2008); New World Theater (Amherst,

V. Paul Virtucio

Ananya Dance Theatre. Moreechika Season of Mirage Following a successful run of Moreechika Season of Mirage at the Southern Theatre in the fall of 2012, Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT) will begin creating the fourth and final installment in the quartet on women and violence. The work will premiere in the fall of 2013.

This work will be created by award winning choreographer Ananya Chatterjea with collaborator Laurie Carlos, Composer Greg Schutte, and designer Annie Katsura Rollins.

Mohona Estuaries of Desire will examine water and the crisis facing communities as fresh water supplies dwindle.

ADT will examine the impact of dwindling resources on communities of color and women throughout the world.

ADT will collect stories from community members, activists and other artists working here in Minnesota and around the world on this important issue to tell a powerful story using their signature blend of forceful footwork and evocative movement.

“Mohona will bring together stories of the two mighty rivers, the Ganga and the Mississippi— both sacred, life-giving, and struggling with pollution— suggesting a crossing of women’s journeys with water, ”said Ananya Chatterjea Leading up to the premiere of Mohona, ADT will collaborate with the locally based Indigenous People’s Task Force to create a performance ahead of the their annual Water Walk. The Water Walk is inspired by Native American elders and their fight for equality and protection of life’s most essential resource: water.

The performance will happen in March. Stay connected to the ADT website (ananyadancetheatre.org) for updates on this and the blog for more conversations about Mohona.

You can also follow the progress of Mohona by becoming a fan of Ananya Dance Theatre on Facebook.

a Success Give to the Max Day on November 15th was a success!

ADT raised $410 more dollars than last year. We gained 13 new donors and three new sustaining donors. The total raised during GTMD was $2,615.00.

If you wanted to give during GTMD, but didn’t get a chance to, you can always go to ADT’s website and donate. During 2013, we’ll be launching a new kickstarter campaign to support the company’s travels to Zimbabwe and the creation of Mohona Estuaries of Desire.

Ananya Dance Theatre received the MRAC Grant for Organizational Development In November, 2012, MRAC awarded $228,612 to 25 organizations in its FY 2013 Organizational Development grant program. Ananya Dance

Theatre was awarded $10,000 to work with a Strategy and Communications Consultant who will help grow Ananya Dance Theatre’s profile and build new audiences and develop support for our work, locally and nationally, by building relationships and connections and generating touring opportunities, in conjunction with the company’s tenth year celebration.

Ananya Dance Theatre received the Minnesota State Arts Board, Arts Access Grant.

ADT was one of 40 organizations (of 80 applicants) to receive one of the arts access grants from the MSAB. ADT will create a workshop and dialogue series that connects targeted underserved communities with the experience of dance, and

‘‘

Give to the Max Fundraising

Ananya Chatterjea Dr. Chatterjea, recipient of the 2013 McKnight Fellowship for Choreography and winner of the 2011 Guggenheim Fellowship for Choreography, serves as Director of Dance and Associate Professor of Dance in the Department of Theater Arts and Dance at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Trained initially in Indian classical and folk dance traditions, she became well known at a young age as a practitioner of the Odissi style of classical dance under the tutelage of her internationally acclaimed guru, Sanjukta Panigrahi. She performed and toured widely, dancing with

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Guest Choreographer at SPCPA Ananya Chatterjea is one of the guest choreographers at the Saint Paul Conservatory of Performing Arts J-Term offerings on January 18th at the Ted Mann Concert Hall.

For 13 days in January each year academic classes go on hiatus and students are immersed in rehearsals for an arts performance project. The students will get a first hand experience in ADT’s process of dialogue and movement.

The performance is open to the public and ticket information can be found at the Ted Mann Concert Hall website.

Moreechika in Zimbabwe Ananya Dance Theatre will take Moreechika to the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) in Zimbabwe.

HIFA is a 6-day annual festival and workshop program that showcases the very best of local, regional and international arts and culture in a comprehensive festival program of theatre, dance, music, circus, street performance, spoken word, visual arts. Look for more updates on HIFA in the coming months though ADT’s website.

create access to concert dance through specific choreographic exercises and offering tools to interpret abstract movement.

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CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

2007); Museum Theater (Singapore, 2007); Conwell Theater (Philadelphia, 2007); Contemporary Asian Dance Festival (Osaka, 2006); and Indonesian Dance Festival (Jakarta, 2006).

Her work is celebrated for creating a unique model for bringing together the “fierce commitment, high energy, and quite grace” of her artistry, a feminist consciousness, and empowerment work with diverse communities of

DANCE TURN TO 10

Page 8 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

insightnews.com

LIFESTYLE Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree Ready or not, it’s about time for you to perform holiday magic in the kitchen again. Let’s say you’re looking for easy-to-make, easyto-bake ideas for your yuletide get-togethers or family treats.

Maybe something different, tasty and eye-catching, with feel-good, hot-bread-from-the-oven aromas that fill your home. Use a bag of frozen roll dough and you can quickly make these delicious and fun recipes.

Start by flattening thawed dinner rolls and putting them together to make a Christmas tree shape. Top with sauce and cheese and then trim the tree with your favorite pizza ingredients to make this delicious Christmas Tree Pizza.

Another fun idea is to combine

some rolls together and shape into a Cinnamon Christmas Tree. Add a batch of Christmas Pizza Minis and you’ve got the makings for a fantastic and fun Holiday Party.

If visions of sugared sweets dance in your head, this Sweet Christmas Tree is the answer.

Twisted branches sprinkled with sugar and decorated with holiday candy will be a favorite for all.

Using these quick and easy ideas will leave you time to celebrate the season this year.

Christmas Tree Pizza • 16 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature • 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce • 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

• pepperoni (2 sizes) • red, green and yellow peppers • red pepper flakes Place 16 rolls on a sprayed baking sheet in a pyramid shape starting with one at the top, two under it, three, four and the last row five rolls. Leave some space between the rolls. Flatten and press rolls together to form a tree shape.

Leave the outside edge slightly rounded so the sauce and toppings do not run off. The trunk of the tree is one roll placed under the last row of five. Tuck it under and flatten. Poke rolls several times with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming and pre-bake at 350°F 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Spread Alfredo sauce over the crust, and sprinkle with cheese. Decorate as desired with pepperoni, peppers cut into different shapes and red pepper flakes. Bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Sugared Christmas Tree • 9 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold • ¼ cup butter, melted • green and white decorator • sugar • frosting gel • candy to decorate Roll one dinner roll into a club shape about 5-inches long. Place in the middle bottom of a large sprayed baking pan to be the bottom of the tree trunk. Roll

Rhodes Bake-N-Serv

Cinnamon Christmas Tree all remaining rolls into 18-20inch ropes. Fold the ropes in half pinching ends together. Twist each one 5 or 6 times and place the pinched ends of 4 of them on the trunk with the branches angled down. The remaining 4 branches will make their own trunk by overlapping each other in the center of the tree. Space the branches so they will not

touch when they rise. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise 20-30 minutes. Remove wrap and brush tree gently with melted butter. Sprinkle heavily with green and white decorator sugar. Bake at 350°F 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Cool and decorate, as desired, with candy stuck onto tree with frosting gel.

Cinnamon Christmas Tree • 12 Rhodes Dinner™ Rolls or 8 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, thawed

• • • • •

to room temperature 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup almonds, sliced 8 maraschino cherries

Frosting • 1 cup powdered sugar • 1 tablespoon butter, melted • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

RECIPES TURN TO 9

insightnews.com

Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 9

HEALTH Minnesota embraces nationwide education campaign to improve x-ray safety, medical imaging technology The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is the first state health agency in the country to endorse a pair of coordinated, nationwide education campaigns aimed at improving the safety of x-rays and other medical imaging technology.

MDH will be collaborating with health care providers and professionals in the state to spread the message of ImageWisely®, which deals with medical imaging for adult patients, and ImageGently®, which focuses on the needs of children.

At the state level, MDH will be working on the two campaigns with the Minnesota Radiological Society (MRS), the North Central Chapter of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (NCCAAPM), and the Minnesota Society of Radiologic Technologists (MSRT).

“Our partnership with these organizations is critically important,” said Dr. Edward Ehlinger, Minnesota Commissioner of Health. “They will play an essential role along with the state’s health care provider community - in implementing the best practices encouraged by ImageWisely and ImageGently.”

ImageWisely and ImageGently focus on two different aspects of medical imaging, in order to minimize the radiation dose needed to meet the patient’s medical needs, according to Dr. Parham Alaei of NCAAPM. “The practices being encouraged through the two education campaigns emphasize, first of all, the importance of ensuring that the diagnostic procedures involved are medically justified,” Dr. Alaei

said. “That means the medical practitioners ordering imaging procedures which utilize x-rays need to carefully balance the potential radiation exposure risks with the benefits gained from these procedures.

“The other aspect focuses on the actual imaging process, where imaging professionals need to carefully balance actual exposure to ionizing radiation with the need to produce an acceptable image for interpretation and diagnosis,” he noted.

MDH will be supporting the ImageWisely/ImageGently effort by continuing to ensure compliance with rules and regulations relating to the use of imaging equipment, including the proper credentialing of the people who use it. They agency will also be conducting education and outreach activities with imaging professionals and

facilities, to help ensure that best practices are followed in using the equipment.

As part of the campaign, medical imaging professionals and facilities, professional organizations concerned with medical imaging, and health care providers who order imaging procedures are being asked to publicly “pledge” their support of the effort on the ImageGently website: http://www.pedrad. org/associations/5364/ig/ and ImageWisely website: http:// www.imagewisely.org/.

The expectation is that these health care organizations and practitioners will apply the “best practices” techniques and protocols developed by groups like the AAPM, the American College of Radiology (ACR), and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).

Recipes From 8 • 5 teaspoons milk or water

Christmas Pizza Minis

Johnson From 1 Johnson was honored Dec. 5 during an early-morning ceremony at the Minneapolis Urban League, 2100 Penn Ave. N. A room full of dignitaries and well-wishers were on hand to pay tribute to Johnson, a woman who has been at the forefront of civil and human rights for more than 50 years and was the first African-American to serve on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents.

“I’m here to honor one of my heroes; a woman who has meant so much to this country in so many ways,” said St. Paul Mayor, Chris Coleman. “She’s always been willing to roll up her sleeves and do the work. And through it all she has maintained her dignity and grace.”

Coleman said Johnson’s appointment to the U of M’s Board of Regents was symbolic of the progressive climate in the state. Johnson was named to the board in 1971 and served until 1973.

“She’s (Johnson) one of the greatest human beings I know,” said fellow civil rights luminary, Mahmoud El-Kati. “A person’s chief aim in life is not to be happy, it’s to be responsible, to be useful – to be compassionate.

That’s her (Johnson).”

Dist. 7 Metropolitan Council member, Gary Cunningham shared a very personal story involving Johnson. Cunningham said he was married earlier this year and Johnson, who recently achieved a divinity certificate, officiated the ceremony.

Cunningham also reflected upon the many instances of service in 82-year-old Johnson’s life.

“In 1964 Josie led a multiracial delegation of women to Jackson, Miss. To see the racism down there first hand,” said Cunningham. “When you think about it, it takes a certain type of courage to go to Mississippi back then and do what she did.

We owe a deep debt to Josie Johnson.”

Cunningham said besides her courage, what stands out most about Johnson is her simple humanity.

“I’ve never ever seen her not stop and talk to someone. She has not ever, not treated someone with respect,” said Cunningham.

The Metro Council member said Johnson is a go to person when a job needs doing.

“When the governor (Gov. Mark Dayton) got ready to select his cabinet, who did he go to, to co-chair his selection committee,” questioned Cunningham. “He went to

Josie Johnson. When I have a question, who do I go to? I go to Josie Johnson.”

In her remarks to the overflow crowd at the Minneapolis Urban League, Johnson spoke first to the children in the room – many from Seed Academy.

“Young people, I’m so humbled to have you here,” said Johnson. “You are the people who all of us have worked so hard for, and you are the future who will carry on this legacy.

If you have anything, it’s your responsibility to share it.”

Johnson reflected back on her life in the civil rights movement.

“In 1956, Minnesota was still developing and it was beacon in the nation for justice,” said Johnson. “We led the nation in the issues of social justice and human rights. In 1962 we passed a fair housing act before the national act. (At the time) we had a Republican governor who believed in justice for all.

Rhodes Bake-N-Servr

I maintain we need to return to that because we have drifted.

We need to once again be the shining Northern Star.”

Johnson was instrumental in the recent efforts to defeat the proposed voter ID amendment.

Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner, Kevin Lindsey said there are not any more deserving of the honor than Johnson.

“When you talk about working together regardless of political party affiliation or whatever difference, the first person that comes to mind is Dr. Josie Johnson,” said Lindsey.

“We can all take and use the lessons we’ve learned from Dr. Johnson.”

Although several dignitaries were on hand to honor Johnson, Johnson shared a very sentimental embrace with Micah Hines, the first AfricanAmerican woman to serve as general counsel to the office of governor in the state.

Spray counter lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Combine rolls together and roll into a 12x 18-inch rectangle. Spread with 1/3 cup butter, sprinkle on cinnamon and brown sugar. Fold 12-inch sides in to make a triangle, overlapping edges. Leave 1-inch uncovered along bottom. Cut off bottom inch of dough and roll as a cinnamon roll to use for tree trunk. Place tree on sprayed cookie sheet and position trunk under bottom of tree. Using a clean ruler, mark branches every 1 1/2-inches and cut with scissors Johnson earned her undergraduate degree in sociology from the Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn.,

Minnesota facilities that have already taken the pledge include the Center for Diagnostic Imaging in Alexandria, St. Cloud and Willmar; WestHealth in Plymouth; and Consulting Radiologists, Ltd. in Minneapolis.

MDH is the first state health agency to take the ImageWisely/ ImageGently pledge.

The two educational efforts have a slightly different emphasis because of the different needs of adult and pediatric patients, said Dr. Joshua Simonson of the Minnesota Radiological Society.

“Children are generally the most vulnerable to the long term risks associated with radiation exposure,” he said.

“The issues addressed by the two campaigns reflect some of the key differences between adults and children.”

While the major emphasis in

both campaigns is on health care providers and professionals, the ImageWisely website includes information for patients, and the ImageGently site includes information for parents.

At the national level, ImageWisely is a joint effort of ACR, the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and AAPM. Together, ACR and RSNA make up the Joint Task Force on Adult Radiation Protection.

ImageGently is a project of the Alliance for Radiation in Pediatric Imaging – or simply the ImageGently Alliance. Founded by the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), AAPM, ACR and ASRT, the ImageGently Alliance now includes some 67 health-related organizations worldwide.

or pizza cutter. Twist each branch several times and curve upward.

Cover with sprayed plastic wrap.

Let rise for 40 minutes or until double in size. Remove wrap.

Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Frost while still warm; sprinkle with almonds and decorate with maraschino cherries.

Frosting Combine powdered sugar, milk, butter and vanilla. For thinner frosting, add additional milk or water.

• red & green peppers, cut into small thin strips • pepperoni slices, cut into fourths

Christmas Pizza Minis • 12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold • flour • pizza sauce • grated mozzarella cheese

and a Master of Arts and doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Another sobering fact about

Spray counter lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Flatten each roll into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Place circles on sprayed baking sheets.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes. Remove wrap.

Dip 4-inch cookie cutters into flour and cut desired shapes out of each dough circle. Pre-bake at 350°F 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Top each one with pizza sauce, grated cheese, red and green pepper strips and pepperoni pieces. Bake for an additional 6-8 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.

Johnson that was noted during the ceremony is that she is just two generations removed from slavery.

Page 10 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

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Maximize your inner power Man Talk

By Timothy Houston The world has become more complicated.

Everyday, we are bombarded with negative thoughts and images. It order to be successful in it, you must maximize your inner power. This begins by the positive thoughts you think. One positive thought leads to another one. This is the source of your power. By

maximizing your inner power, you become able to see what others fail to see. Some people call this power “intuition.” I call it the power of positive thinking.

First, think only positive thoughts. Power is greater when it is not diffused. Harvest and concentrate your inner power by closing the window of your mind to negativity. The window, otherwise known as the eye or the lens, is the opening that allows things to get in and out. The smaller you make the opening, the more concentrated and powerful the force becomes. The thoughts you think are tempered by the actions you take. Thinking negative thoughts or taking on

too much will both make you less effective in the things that you really should be doing.

Secondly, connect yourself to a source greater than yourself.

Power is sustained by an external source. The closer you are to God, the more power you have to share with others. Allowing the power of God to shine on you helps you to improve. Power is most powerful at its origin. When you are in the presence of God, you are at the origin of the power within you. “The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us” (Psalm 118:27). You are not the source, but you are the origin of power. Just as the moon gets its light from the sun; your power

comes from God. The closer you are to the power source, the greater your ability is to impact others.

Next, focus on your strength and identify your weakness. Power sources require maintenance.

Self-improvement is one of life’s biggest challenges. In order to improve anything, you must first identify a problem as well as a solution, and then have the courage and discipline necessary to act.

This requires self-evaluation. This means more than merely running on inner power. What is necessary is the act of self-maintenance that checks the mind, body, and spirit against an external standard. From this evaluation, you can make the

necessary adjustments needed to stay balance.

Finally, be the best you possible. Power is always greater at its internal source; therefore, you must change the way you see yourself. To maximize your inner power you must raise your standards. These are the rules by which you measure other things.

Your standards signify what behaviors you will or will not accept, and they attract those who are your equal in expectations. The higher you raise your standards, the greater the enlightenment of who you are and what your stand for. This will cause everyone in your sphere to be enlightened.

Everyone can maximize their

inner power. The key to this is not to be governed by your senses.

What you see, taste, hear, and touch all strengthens or weakens you. Your choices maximize your power. You must not allow yourself to become connected to anything that will weaken you.

Think positive thoughts, watch and read positive things, eat healthy foods, and live a positive life.

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.

Bounce TV celebrates the season with world premiere original special

(PRNewsFoto/Bounce TV)

Bounce TV celebrates the season with world premiere original special “A forever JONES Holiday”

Bounce TV (www.bouncetv. com), the fastest growing African American network in television, will celebrate the holiday season with the world premiere of “A forever JONES Holiday” on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET. “A forever JONES Holiday” introduces viewers to the inspiring family band that has been breaking records in the music industry. “A forever JONES Holiday” will encore throughout the holiday season.

The new non-scripted original hour special features breakout

Gospel group forever JONES preparing for and performing their uplifting GRAMMY®nominated hit music - a diverse mix of Pop, Gospel, Rock, and Urban - in an intimate venue surrounding by friends and family.

Bounce TV targets African Americans primarily between the ages of 25-54 with a programming mix of theatrical motion pictures, live sports, original and off-net series, documentaries, specials, and inspirational faith-based programs. Martin Luther King

III and Ambassador Andrew Young are among the Founding Group and Board of Directors of Bounce TV. Bounce TV is majority African Americanowned.

The network celebrated its first birthday on-the-air on Sept. 26. Bounce TV’s most recent launches include WXYZ-TV, one of the leading ABC affiliates in the country and Detroit’s #1 rated television station, and FOXowned channels in Phoenix, Minneapolis and Orlando.

Dance

women’s lives, foster strong communities, address socialjustice issues, convey power and create beauty. ADT has been lauded around the world for its riveting, emotionally charged and virtuosic dance works. ADT is also sought after for community-building programs that empower individuals and strengthen underserved groups through movement and creativity.

Taken from the Bengali word ananya (na·anya), “like whom there is no other,” ADT is the standard-bearer for dance that articulates ideas and expresses women’s lives to mobilize social change.

From 7 color. She’s also lauded for expanding the emotional and formal boundaries of Indian dance, and for the passion of her own dancing.

Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT) is a singular company of women artists, primarily of color, who work at the intersection of artistic excellence and social justice.

Inspired by the commitment and passion that infuse women’s movements worldwide, the artists in this company create original works that reflect

Rothman From 2 timeshares.

• Performing audits and examinations of persons who engage in activities we regulate, in order to improve compliance and prevent fraud.

• Investigating those who commit violations of the Minnesota Securities and Franchise Laws.

• Providing investor education and awareness.

Investors should contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce Securities Unit with questions they may have about an investment product, broker or adviser, prior to making an investment. The Securities Unit can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4973. Questions or consumer complaints can also be sent by email to securities@ state.mn.us or by mail to the Minnesota Department of Commerce, 85, 7th Place East, Suite 500, Saint Paul, MN 55101.

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Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 11

A Night to Remember-December 31, 2012: 150th Anniversary of Freedom’s Eve issuance of this decree. As the African American community prepared to embark on this journey to freedom- the tradition of celebrating Freedom’s Eve became a custom and cultural ritual.

Freedom’s Eve is a celebratory occasion which was inspired by the Watch Night Service tradition.

The history of the Watch Night Service tradition can be traced back to the Moravians, Christian denomination from the Czech Republic during the mid-1700s. It was later adopted by the founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley. Each year on New Year’s Eve, members of the Methodist faith community gathered together to reflect on the previous year with a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving for God’s grace.

In 1770, the first Watch Services were held in America at the St. George’s Methodist Church.

Two slaves, Richard Allen and

Dr. Artika Tyner and Beatriz Espinoza This year, New Year’s Eve has a special historical significance as we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of “Freedom’s Eve.” On December 31, 1862, the African American community, slave and freed, gathered together in anticipation of the realization of their future freedom, hence the name -Freedom’s Eve. They were waiting for the clock to strike midnight in order to seize the promise of freedom outlined in the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln declared that on New Year’s Day, January 1, 1863 all slaves would forever be free in the rebellion states. Only 3.1 million of the country’s four million slaves were declared free from the bondages of oppression with the

Absalom Jones, were a part of this congregation and they later left the church after experiencing racial discrimination. Today, they are renowned as the founders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.). The A.M.E. Church tradition subsequently inspired the celebration of Freedom’s Eve as African Americans gathered together to celebrate the progression of freedom’s journey.

Frederick Douglass, A.M.E. member and pioneer abolitionist, shares the jubilant sentiments of this occasion when he declared, “We shout for joy that we live to record this righteous decree.”

This was indeed a time to rejoice within the African American community. For many, the prayers of their ancestors had finally come to fruition as they reached towards a future of freedom and liberty.

FREEDOM TURN TO 13

“Emancipation Proclamation,” Harper’s Weekly, January 24, 1863, by Thomas Nast

Minnesotans want responsible budget that provides for broad prosperity TakeAction Minnesota released the following statement on the heels of the state budget forecast released on December 5: “This morning’s forecasted budget deficit is the sadly predictable outcome of over ten years of imaginary thinking

about Minnesota’s budget by those who have protected big corporations and the super-rich at the expense of everyone else in our state.

“A responsible budget solution must account for the cost of inflation and delayed payments to our public schools.

Ten years of no-new-taxes governing has left our state in sore need of reality-based budgeting.

“One month ago Minnesotans voted for a new approach to solving our state’s budget problems because the old approach has failed. Voters

want a more fair individual income tax and a more modern corporate franchise tax. They want our legislature to invest in broad prosperity. New, progressive tax revenue is essential if we hope to sustain Minnesota’s communities and Minnesotans’ quality of life.

“Our state is changing.

Demographically, we are becoming more racially diverse.

Economically, we are becoming less secure and less equal. Our next biennial budget must be laser-focused on expanding and strengthening Minnesota’s middle-class. Our lives are made

possible by the investments our parents and grandparents made in our schools, roads, hospitals, and land. Over the next two years, we need to grow those investments making sure they are equitable, sustainable, and focused on our common future.”

Remarks by UN Ambassador Susan E. Rice at Howard University convocation

UN Ambassador Susan Rice Remarks by Ambassador Susan E. Rice , U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, At Howard University’s 145th Convocation, September 28, 2012.

In my own family, that legacy of oppression overcome weighed on my late father, Emmett Rice. He was a brilliant, proud man-an economics professor a senior official at the Treasury Department and the World Bank, and a Governor of the Federal Reserve Board.

But his life of service came despite ferocious odds. My dad grew up between the wars in segregated South Carolina, and he never forgot the sting of separate and unequal. He served our country proudly in World War II, as an officer with the Tuskegee Airmen, but he forever resented the irony and inequity of fighting for freedom in a stubbornly segregated military. Dad had to learn to believe in himself by himself, to dismiss the taunting message of Jim Crow that he

was somehow less of a man.

He overcame that trauma-but he never forgot that he had to endure it. Throughout his career, Dad sought to lift up others so they could seize the opportunities he was almost denied.

In 1912, my mother’s parents emigrated from Jamaica to Portland, Maine.

With little formal education, my grandfather took the best job he could get-as a janitor . My grandmother was a maid and a seamstress . But my grandparents managed to scrap and save to send all five of their children to college -- four sons to Bowdoin and my mom, Lois, to Harvard-Radcliffe where she was student government president . Mom, in turn, devoted her distinguished career to making higher education more accessible to all.

I am here today because of these profoundly American stories of struggle and success.

I wish my grandfather could have imagined, as he bent over his broom, that his granddaughter would someday serve in the cabinet of the first African-American President of the United States. For President Obama and I come from the next generation-what the President calls the Joshua generation. Our generation didn’t just look out over Canaan. We crossed the river and entered the Promised Land. We are working, as Dr. King put it, to redeem the promissory note from the architects of our republic.

That is a profound shift.

Despite all his achievements, my father never stopped believing that segregation had kept him from being all he

could be. He was determined, above all, that his children not bear that same psychological baggage. And, thankfully, we did not. Between generations, after the dogs of Birmingham and the buses of Montgomery, America changed. For my

brother and me, for the President and First Lady, we of the Joshua generation came of age believing the old limits didn’t apply.

New doors were open. And, we’ve seen African-Americans become secretary of state,

chairman of the Joint Chiefs, attorney general, Fortune 500 CEOs, Supreme Court justices, astronauts and, of course, President of the United States.

And as you well know, many of these trailblazers are proud Howard alumni.

Today, nothing is impossible. When I look at you all, I see yet another generation, bursting with confidence and promise. I see the generation after Joshua.

Page 12 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

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Anthropology honors the mentoring legacy of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole Whisperers guide.

Whisperers facilitate.

Whisperers motivate.

Whisperers validate.

Whisperers encourage….

Artspeak

I did not meet Dr. Cole or JB, as she is affectionately called by many, as an anthropologist.

In fact, the first time she handed me an anthropology book back in the early 1970s, after perusing it, I politely handed it back to her with a courteous but definitive “no thank you; it’s B-O-R-I-N-G.” Little did I know that those words would

FOR JOHNNETTA For one raised in the smallness of Florida how did so many come to call you sister ?

How did so many languages come to shape your name?

You, whose very life is peace.

You, whose very heart is love.

It is because you stretched out your hands —— long brown fingers that curve back to Harriet, back to Sojourner, back to Frederick—— To reach forward across words, across seas.

To gather up the threads of differences and weave them into a single tapestry that is larger than gender, that is larger than race, that is stronger than language.

JBC has been a guide post, a political and intellectual guru, a social activist, an apprentice maker, a teacher of principles, a shaman of social justice, and a shaper of leaders.

If we can have horse whisperers and ghost whisperers, why can’t we have a social activist leadership whisperer?

The techniques of horse whispering “share principles of developing a rapport, using communication techniques derived from observation…, and rejecting abusive training methods…”

If we can embrace the notion of a horse whisperer and a ghost whisperer, why not imagine a social activist leadership whisperer? And if we can stretch our minds to conceive of such a thing, then Johnnetta is a shining example of such a whisperer.

She is noted for being able to develop strong rapport, her feedback utilizes her strengths of observation from her training as an anthropologist, and she rejects the hierarchical role of Master-student and insists on collaboration.

My Take on the Evolving Nature of Mentoring So what does this have to do with mentoring? A mentor, a good mentor is all of these aspects and more. Johnnetta Betsch Cole has served as a mentor to many, myself among them—and I bring you greetings JB from Felicia Gustin, Executive Director of Speak Out, who says you mentored her as well.

What has been most significant for me in my mentoring relationship with Johnnetta is how it has grown and evolved. I can only speak from my experiences, but I think many others would agree: Johnnetta, as a mentor, offered us guidance as we struggled to find the right combination of our personal lives and political involvement; as we sought to develop the right metrics by which to measure the efficacy of the numerous roles that we as women, and most especially as Black women, have had to juggle and sustain. Each of us present today embodies some or all of the following roles: mother/spouse-partner/ worker/friend/sister and sistah/ mentor-teacher/professional/ artist/ and soldier for social justice.

What I have personally found valuable from the perspective of a mentee is the fact that JBC has not been afraid to openly display the vulnerabilities of her life as lessons to be learned from in order to save those of us who follow in her path the embarrassment of trying to attain an unobtainable perfection.

Again, I speak only for myself. But I am sure there are many who have been mentored

by JB and would agree that the following are some of the lessons we have derived from our interactions with her over the years: We have learned: to look at the ordinary in order to find the extraordinary; to seek wisdom and knowledge from multiple sources, especially the folk (our communities, our family, our friends), our schooling, our global activism, our ancestors, our children, our sheroes-one of JB’s favorite terms-and from within ourselves.

for poor voter turnout.

Ellison credited his campaign manager, Will Hailer, for a large part of the mobilization efforts in the 5th – particularly in North Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park.

“We realized early on we had to get inside the apartment buildings to talk to voters, and that wasn’t an easy thing. Will (Hailer) did a lot of work talking to apartment managers making sure we had access to the residents,” said Ellison.

“We hired an apartment organizer whose sole job was to register apartment dwellers,” said Hailer, who said apartments were fertile grounds for new voters. “Only about 50 percent of people living in apartments are registered voters.”

Hailer said the Ellison team used a technique known as a “reverse knock.” In traditional door knocking, campaigns use a VAN (voter activation network) list to determine registered voters and target those voters. “With the reverse knock, we looked for units that weren’t in the VAN and targeted them because we knew they were not registered,” said Hailer.

Hailer said the campaign also reached out to voters during nontraditional hours to reach voters who worked second and third shift.

“We did it the old-fashioned way,” said Hailer.

Registering voters was just one piece of the puzzle – getting people out to the polls was

another.

Ellison and Hailer said the keys in this past election were the two proposed amendments to the state’s Constitution – one to require voters to show a stateissued photo ID at the polls and another that called for a ban on gay marriage.

“Our mission was to defeat these two ballot initiatives,” said Ellison.

Ellison and Hailer credited voter enthusiasm – especially in North Minneapolis – to a spirited DFL primary, in particular for the state House seat in 59B. In that race Raymond Dehn defeated Terra Cole by the narrowest of margins with Ian Alexander garnering a great deal of support, largely in the Bryn Mawr

neighborhood. “Each candidate had a passionate base,” said Hailer.

Hailer said following the August primaries, Ellison called on all the candidates to work together with the common goal of defeating the two ballot questions before voters in November.

“We wanted to rally the people around an idea and not a person,” said Hailer.

That idea was the perceived stripping of rights by Republican forces. Ellison said the adding of the proposed voter ID and gay marriage amendments showed the state GOP (and GOP as a whole) demonstrated a lack of caring for a majority of voters.

“I think the GOP demonstrated contempt for the numbers of poor,

By Irma McClaurin, PhD Culture and Education Editor This presentation was delivered at the annual meeting of the American Anthropology Association on November 15, 2012 in San Francisco, where several sessions and panels were held to honor Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole. She is best known as the only woman to have served as President of two historically Black women’s colleges—Spelman College in Atlanta, GA (1987-1997) and Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, NC (2003-2008).

Upon retiring from Spelman, Dr. Cole went on to become an intellectual figure who crossed borders in three disciplines at Emory University as the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women’s Studies, and AfricanAmerican Studies from which she retired with emerita status (1999-2002). She was recruited out of retirement and served as President of Bennett College for women from 2003-2008.

“Sister Prez,” as Dr. Cole is affectionately known, does not do “retirement” well. In 2009, Cole, who in her own words “flunked retirement” once again, became the Director of the Smithsonian National Museum for African Art. Dr. Cole has taught and mentored a diversity of individuals, including women and Black scholars, and especially Black women and non-white women scholars, who have gone on to make significant contributions in the fields of Anthropology, Women and Gender Studies, and African American Studies.

The occasion of the annual AAA meeting allowed me and others to testify to the enduring influence and mentoring legacy of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole.

The Mentoring Tradition It is always a woman… and so Athena takes a man’s guise to guide the son of Odysseus.

And from that myth has come the concept of mentoring as “… someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with

Turnout From 1 percent in the 5th (District),” said Ellison, who said his office worked closely with the offices of State Sen. Elect, Bobby Joe Champion, State Sen. Jeff Hayden and others. “We door knocked or called 750,000 people.”

In the recent election just over 262,000 people voted for Ellison, up almost 33,000 from 2008 when he ran during a national election. His vote total was the highest for any Congressional candidate in the state – a feat of great notice due to the district previously having been known

Irma McClaurin and Johnnetta Betsch Cole at NMAF a less experienced colleague.”

In the context of this definition, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole has established herself as a woman always available to guide and direct younger colleagues.

And, fortunately for us, and her, she did not have to take on the guise of a man like Athena.

This essay is an autoethnographic exploration of the ways in which one woman’s mentoring has created a legacy rooted in activism, service, purposefulness, and social justice that has inspired others to follow her path.

Mentoring Encounters of the Johnnetta Kind “If there is a legacy, it will be having taken the lenses of anthropology and wearing them to do the jobs I’ve done.”

Johnnettaism (12/3/2009)

come back to haunt me when I enrolled in a PhD program in Anthropology almost fourteen years later in 1987 and became a certifiable “born-again” anthropologist in 1993.

When I first met JB, I was a poet, and so it is fitting that I begin my remarks today by reading a poem I crafted to honor her almost twenty years ago.

Courtesy of Irma McClaurin

That is your life. (© 1989 Irma McClaurin, from Pearl’s Song)

What Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole has taught us most is that the answers, the solutions, and even sometimes the sources of problems, can often be discovered by looking within ourselves and at ourselves.

And so my contribution today is a tribute. And I wish to share a few ethnographic voices of my own mentees to whom I gave the following assignment: Please share with me your thoughts on the ways in which my mentoring has been of value to you and why and how it has specifically helped you in your personal/professional development. Examples of how you implemented some particular recommendation would be great--of course, change the names to protect the guilty! Was my gender a variable? My “race”? I am also interested in your own mentoring legacy. How has my mentoring/coaching of you influenced the way you mentor/coach others?”

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: FIRST VOICE (Associate Professor ): Dear Irma, What your mentoring has not been [is]: 1. paternalistic 2. patronizing 3. grandiose 4. unrealistic 5. controlling What it has been [is]: 1. direct and specific recommendations 2. problem-solving without attack, minimizing or withdrawal 3. [it has] helped me see my role in my own “stuck points” 4. [it has] helped me [to] contrast and… [compare] my goals to others 5. [it has helped me] repair my lowered esteem due to procrastination and fear of failure Other comments: 1. You taught me to ask for help with confidence and trust again 2. You offer me suggestions that begin with “what I have done” not what I have not done.

3. You offer me people to contact based on folks you have worked with and therefore make your contacts my resource people.

4. You do not split my identity as black and woman into

COLE TURN TO 13 the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community – for blacks and Latinos,” said Ellison.

“You look at a group that is a block of the Democratic base and I guarantee you within the last year Republicans have said something bad about them.”

According to the Congressman, efforts to suppress the vote in communities of color actually had an opposite effect. Ellison said though a lot of money went into pro-voter ID movements nationwide, “Grassroots efforts showed that you can’t just drop massive amounts of money into a campaign. Our massive numbers can beat their massive money.

This is huge, this is big.”

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Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 13

PUZZLES

Cole From 12 parts....as you offer suggestions that dignify both identities.

5. You ask me to pass it forward and have even brought me people to help and I feel as if I am in a lineage where my link is important.

ANOTHER VOICE: (Notfor-profit junior Executive): Your mentorship has helped me in the following ways: fostering insight, identifying knowledge and providing encouragement to take advantage of opportunities. As a young professional, I often forget about the need to reflect and cultivate my ambition in a way that is reflective and thoughtful. Your coaching and leadership teaches me the value of self-reflection around my experiences in the workplace, specifically looking

UROC From 3 such as smoking prevention and health promotion in the African-American community through Stairstep. Stairstep has begun working with churches to increase vegetable intake among African-Americans.

Another group represented at the UROC event was the Urban Garden Youth Employment, a program where youth are taught

Freedom From 11 While for others, Freedom’s Eve was a call to action, a moral imperative to fight for the full realization of freedom for their brothers and sisters united in the struggle. The Emancipation Proclamation did not abolish slavery nor free slaves but served as a catalyst for change since many slaves decided to seize their own freedom. 200,000 freed slaves joined the Union Army and left their mark on history.

103 of these soldiers were from Minnesota. These men fought for the realization of freedom for hundreds of thousands of African-Americans in several border states that had not seceded in the South. African Americans throughout the United States had become united in the struggle to preserve freedom, liberty and justice for all as the foundational pillars of our Nation’s identity.

Their victory was manifested with the Union winning the Civil War and the ratification of the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery on December 18, 1865.

Today, Freedom’s Eve is a symbol of not only the struggle of African Americans for freedom from slavery but also a symbol of tenacious courage. Yet, Freedom’s Eve also connects history with the present since it informs our struggle today to secure the promise of freedom for our future generations. This year-on the 150th Anniversary of Freedom’s Eve, African Americans across the Nation will come together for

at personality types, varying workplace values and styles, and managing difficult people.

Theme: Holiday Traditions ANSWERS TURN TOO 14

but I take my time in making some decisions and I reflect on all my options before I make a move.

FINAL VOICE (NonU.S. Higher Education Administrator): As you know your mentoring has helped me both professionally and socially. Sometimes [it comes in the form of] direct advice from you and sometimes by you sharing your own live experiences.

I remember when I was first appointed … [to a senior-level position] … and had difficulties with the management style of …[my supervisor] and you told me I must consider whether I liked the job I was doing and if I did then I must choose my battles and concentrate on the work I do. Ever since I keep that at the forefront of everything I do and in the most difficult times in my administration I asked whether fighting an issue is worth it.

This does not mean that I don’t stand up for my what I believe

Passing on the Mentoring Baton As I reflect on my own personal journey as a mentor, I see/feel the echoes of JBC’s mentoring legacy in my life and in my mentoring experiences. And I have tried to cultivate a tradition of passing on the mentoring baton.

However, as with all things, there are two always two sides. In the tradition of anthropology, let me point out a few caveats I have learned along the way: Mentoring is about relationships.

Those who mentor must also determine the boundaries and limitations of the exchange.

I have been fortunate in that my relationship with Johnnetta is also a friendship.

gardening and agricultural skills, which are then applied to a business setting.

“They (area youth) maintain a garden for 12 weeks and all the produce grown for the first half of the summer is sold to chefs in the metro area,” said youth coordinator, Xavier Porter.

The youth of the garden program also do market research through research and field trips.

“The first few weeks of the program we educate youth on gardening skills, and learn to make enough produce for

profit after deliveries,” said Porter. “I’ll take them to a farmer’s market, and they meet wholesalers to investigate how much to sell produce at, how many pounds and when.”

Urban Garden works with non-profit organizations that provide the youth for the program.

For more information on these and other university programs, contact the Urban Research & Engagement Center at (612) 626-8762 or visit www. uroc.umn.edu.

a time of fellowship, prayer, and reflection; and offer tribute to our ancestors for their courage and strength.

Additionally, local churches will also commemorate their roles in continuing the legacy of Freedom’s Eve and enriching Minnesota’s history.

When former slaves reached the shores of the Mississippi River’s shores with Robert Hickman, they were separated due to their large numbers. Some stayed in Saint Paul, some were sent to Minneapolis, some to Duluth and while others were sent to Hastings.

Churches were established by these former slaves who migrated to Minnesota.

Pilgrim Baptist Church was founded in 1863. That same year, St. James A.M.E. was established and held a Watch Night Service.

St. James A.M.E. it is the oldest known church in Minneapolis that originated the Minnesota concept of Watch Night among A.M.E. congregations locally. In 1890, St. Mark’s African Methodist Episcopal Church was established and has served for generations as a community hub for economic, political, and civil rights discourse.

In the Twin Cities, the Minnesota African American Museum (MAAM) in conjunction with local faith communities will celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Freedom’s Eve. Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church will hold a Watch Night service from 9:00 p.m. to midnight (2600 East 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406). Pilgrim Baptist Church will hold a Watch Night Service from 10:00 p.m. to midnight (732 West Central Avenue, St. Paul,

MN 55104). Also, St. Mark’s African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral will hold a Freedom’s Night Watch non-denominational service on December 31, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. (530 N. 5th Avenue E., Duluth, MN 55805).

Additionally, there are many ways that you can honor the 150th Anniversary of Freedom’s Eve. Start by sharing the story of Freedom’s Eve with your family, friends and youth in your community. This is an opportunity to reclaim history with a sense of great pride and celebrate this missing chapter of African American history.

According to Roxanne Givens, MAAM Director, knowledge of history within the African American community is a great source of transformative power.

She shares “nothing is more powerful than a People seeped in the knowledge of its inclusive and authentic history.” Share the gift of knowledge today. You can also host a Watch Night Service within your church/ congregation and a how to guide is available at MAAM’s website.

For more information about Watch Night Services and other 150th Anniversary Emancipation Proclamation activities, please visit the MAAM website: http:// www.maamcc.org/ Dr. Artika Tyner (University of St. Thomas School of Law, Member of the Minnesota African American Museum Emancipation Proclamation Committee) and Beatriz Espinoza (University of St. Thomas School of Law)

All mentoring relationships may not translate into authentic friendships.

Mentoring relationships can create differing, and sometimes unrealistic, expectations that can result in disappointments, confusion, misinterpretations of intents—I’ve encountered some in my mentoring journey.

Notwithstanding the above caveats, it is my privilege to stand before you and attest to the strong mentoring legacy of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole.

She not only has made a contribution to the individual lives of her numerous mentees around the world, but significantly, she has helped shape several generations of anthropologists—Black,

ACROSS 1. Prepare for surgery 6. One time around 9. “____ we forget” 13. Uniform shade 14. Sacha Baron Cohen’s ___ G 15. Raccoon cousin 16. Smidgins 17. Olden-day aerosol can propellant 18. Be of one mind 19. *”A Visit from St. Nicholas” beginning 21. *Waiting time 23. Chapter in history 24. Moldy appetizer 25. Greyhound, e.g.

28. Sea World attraction 30. *They hang around 35. Cross to bear 37. “You betcha!”

39. Nigerian monetary unit 40. Judicial document 41. A-bomb on steroids 43. Largest organ of human body 44. It sometimes gets infected 46. Water color 47. It usually goes with “up” 48. *It’s sometimes spiked 50. Cold war initials 52. Poseidon’s domain 53. Gridiron move 55. Letters of distress 57. Willing to face danger 60. *Left out as snack 64. D in LED 65. Unit of electrical resistance 67. Common thing?

68. As a rule 69. Extremely 70. Tennessee footballer 71. Kind of cell 72. Hold title to 73. Honker

DOWN 1. SNL production, e.g.

2. Grub 3. Pro ____ 4. Edict of Russian tsar 5. Eating place 6. Speed test 7. *Polar helper 8. “The _____ of Wakefield” 9. Opera house box 10. Deserve 11. Proofreader’s mark 12. 20-20, e.g.

15. Miner’s fear 20. Like Siberian winters 22. Nickelodeon’s youngest Pickle 24. Painter Rubens’ style 25. Haul with a tackle 26. Strip of rigging 27. Seeking damages 29. Largest island in West Indies 31. Tackler’s breath?

32. Rate _____, pl.

33. Father, Son and Holy Ghost, e.g.

34. *Legendary patron saint of children 36. Flabbergast 38. Outback birds 42. Lowest male singing voice 45. Make less severe 49. Gangster’s gun 51. Hen beds 54. Former capital of Japan 56. Coil of yarn 57. *Partridge in a pear tree, e.g.

58. Learning method 59. Footnote word 60. Expression of encouragement 61. A fan of 62. Biblical twin 63. Email folder 64. ___ and don’ts 66. To what extent, amount or degree

white, and people of color, women, men, lesbian, gay, and transgendered, people in the global north and the global south, and among old, young, and in between.

For such a powerful contribution to each of us, to anthropology, and to the world, I wish to say to you Sistah Johnnetta Betsch Cole directly: Thank you for being present in my life over the years.

And, ‘Nuff R-E-S-P-E-C-T. To my readers, I pose to you the following question: Have you honored your mentor lately? Are you carrying the mentoring baton?

It’s never too late to start.

“Doing for others is the

rent you have to pay for living on this earth.” Johnnettaism (12/3/2009) P.S. Full disclosure. Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole is also my daughter’s Godmother. ©2012 McClaurin Solutions (except for photos as indicated) 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 14 • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY Black Music America Channel celebrate 28 years of broadcasting Pete and Kim Rhodes owners of BMA channel 937 will host an anniversary and holiday celebration on Friday December 21, 2012, 4-7pm at The Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis.

The event celebrates their 28th year of broadcasting with music, food and gifts.

Comcast the nation’s largest cable operator, home internet

service provider, and third largest home telephone service provider in the United States distributes the Black Music America Network in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

The BMA Channel is the Twin Cites first African American owned locally operated cable channel reaching households through Comcast digital cable service.

Calendar • Classifieds

TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATE The MN Department of Transportation has several vacancies for Transportation Associate (TA) in the metro area. This is a career path in the Transportation Specialist series. Successful applicants will be trained to perform plowing, patching, guardrail, fence repair and landscaping. Videos of employees in action are at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/hr/tss/index.html Requirements: • Ability to speak, read, write and understand the English language (written and oral.)

• Ability to pass a pre-employment math and reading test. Free software is available to study.

Driver’s License: • An applicant must have a current CDL permit and will be trained on and must obtain a CDL with no air brake restriction and a tanker endorsement within 6 months.

• A revoked, suspended or cancelled license within the last 3 years or 3 serious traffic violations during any 12 month period will disqualify an applicant.

• The job offer to successful applicants will be contingent on passing a pre-employment physical exam, drug screen, criminal background and references.

Resumes accepted through 12/28/2012. Additional information available and on-line application at: www.careers.state.mn.us Mn/DOT is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to workforce diversity.

BMA

Kim and Pete Rhodes

Phone: 612.588.1313

Fax: 612.588.2031

Investment to Impact: Aligning Outcomes, Evidence and Evaluation Dec. 12 Greater Twin Cities United Way host forum focused on measuring the impact of social work in our community. This forum will explore how the social sector is innovating to clearly connect investment EVENTS with outcomes.

Keynote Minneapolis MADDADS speaker Jitinder Kohli, director Benefit Luncheon Dec. 11 of Deloitte Consulting LLP and The Minneapolis Chapter of Senior Fellow at the Center MADDADS and Mayor R.T. for American Progress; Kohli Rybak will host a Luncheon will share his perspective on Benefit on Tuesday December the increasing importance of 11, 2012 at the Fine Line evidence of impact in nonprofit Café, 318 North 1st Avenue, sectors. From a national Minneapolis, MN 55401 perspective, he will discuss the from 11am – 2pm for the federal government’s funding Minneapolis MADDADS. The strategy, the U.K model used Master of Ceremonies will be increasingly by the U.S., and Reg Chapman from WCCO 4 how public investments are News. Musical entertainment now being translated into from Grammy Award Winner impact. Wednesday, December Jamecia Bennett from the 12, 2012, Registration and Sounds of Blackness. For more Breakfast 7:30 am – 8:00 am information or to RSVP email - Program 8:00 am – 12:00 pm patriciabanks@cpcrc.net or call at the Continuing Education and Conference Center, 1890 (612) 455-4630.

Buford Avenue University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus St. Paul, MN MINNESOTA DFL SEEKS 55108. Cost: FREE. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR United Way web site: The Minnesota DFL Party is accepting applications for http://unitedfrontmn.org/ 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.

Communications Director. The Communications Director leads the Communications Team. Please visit www.dfl.org for more in-depth job description.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, December 19th, 2012.

Kwanzaa at North High School Dec. 13 WE WIN Institute’s

LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN

DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT FAMILY COURT DIVISION Court File No.:27 PA FA 11 1026

In Re the Matter of Thomas Boyd Johnson Petitioner, and Alfreda Coleman Johnson and Alex J. Vah a/k/a Jimica David,

SUMMONS

Respondents.

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT. WARNING: THE ABOVE-REFERENCED PETITIONER, THOMAS BOYD JOHNSON, HAS FILED A LAWSUIT A COMPLAINT TO ESTABLISH PATERNITY AND CHILD CUSTODY. A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK REGARDING THE LAWSUIT IS SERVED ON YOU WITH THIS SUMMONS. THIS SUMMONS IS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FROM THE COURT THAT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS. READ THIS SUMMONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT, CONTACT AN ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ADVICE. 1.

The Petitioner, Thomas Boyd Johnson, has filed a lawsuit against you asking the Court to adjudicate the legal father of a minor child.

2.

You must serve upon the Petitioner and file with the Court a written Answer to the Complaint, and you must pay the required Court filing fee.

If you do not serve and file an Answer, the Court may adjudicate and give the Petitioner everything he is asking for in his Complaint.

3.

If you do not have a lawyer, you can get the Answer to the Complaint at the Family Court Self Help Center, 1st Floor, Family Justice Center, 110 S. 4th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402. Telephone: 612-596-8519.

4.

You must serve your Answer upon the Petitioner within twenty (20) days of the date you were served with this summons.

5.

This proceeding does not involve real property.

Dated: November 20, 2012. __________________________________ Signed by Petitioner: Thomas Boyd Johnson 1707 – 69th Avenue North, Apt. 123 Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 Telephone: 763-439-9348

Answers From 13

BMA delivers cultural specific programming with Black music, videos, local and national news and original video features. Launched in 1984 as a cable music service to 25,000 homes, the channel now reaches over 500,000 cable households on Comcast Cable (channel 937).

Pete Rhodes founder of The BMA Network stated, “We

thank Comcast Cable for their support of our channel. We are excited about hosting our first BMA Channel celebration at the Dakota Jazz Club and look forward to expanding our service to provide a platform for diversity in programming to be enjoyed by all communities”.

To RSVP contact: Lugenia Smith Program Coordinator at 612-341-2447.

Email: info@insightnews.com

Kwanzaa event which will be held at North High School, 1500 North James Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55411 on December 13th at 6:00pm.

The theme this year is: “It’s a Family Affair.” There will be a special, “Passing on the Leadership Ceremony”.

AFamily Christmas Dec. 14 – 15 The Thespian Ministry of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church will present its theatrical production of A Family Christmas, which runs Friday, December 14, 2012 and Saturday, December 15, 2012 at the Capri Theater.

The showtimes are 7:00 p.m. each night. Admission is free; however, a freewill offering will be taken at each show.

Under the artistic direction of Tamala Holmes Kendrick and Chet Goree, A Family Christmas candidly chronicles the Clinkingscales family when “life happens” that challenges their faith in GOD. The Capri Theater is located at 2027 West Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55411.

Intermedia Arts’ Queer Voices reading series Dec. 18 Queer Voices reading series curated by John Medeiros and Andrea Jenkins on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 7PM at Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis featuring: Gina Marie Benard, Lisa Dordal, Kate Lynn Hibbard, Leslie Lagerstrom, and Josina Manu. For more than 9 years, Intermedia Arts’ Queer Voices reading series has been creating a safe space for GLBT writers and audiences to explore the day-to-day material of life without internal or external censorship. Queer Voices is the longest running series of its kind in the nation. $5 Suggested Donation. www.

IntermediaArts.org AFRIKAAPS Dec. 21 Award winning South African filmmaker Dylan Valley presents his film AFRIKAAPS Dec. 21, 2012 at the Wilder Foundation, 451 Lexington Parkway North, St Paul, MN. This film traces the history of the Afrikaans language back to the slaves who were brought to Cape Town in the late 1600’s.

The film features musical greats Jitsvinger, Kyle Shepard, Emile (black noise), Moenier Parker, Shane Cooper, Blaq Pearl, the powerhouse B-boy, Bliksemstraal and the poetic genius of Jethro Louw. Doors 6:30pm / Film 7:00pm.

The Love Project Dec. 28-29 So, you think you know a thing or two about love . . . . The Love Project is a collaborative performance project based on a collection of love poems by

playwright and poet Maxie Rockymore. Ten visual artists, dancers, singers, spoken word artists and a DJ mine love poems for aspects that touch their own lives offering up a personal re-mix.

Artists include: Christopher Harrison (painter), Kenna Cottman (dancer), Peggy and Anthony Brewer (singers), Stephani Booker (poet/writer), Kevin “Kaoz” Moore (spoken word art-ist), Nothando Zulu (storyteller), Rashin Richardson (singer), DJ Mixwell (DJ), Nicole Smith (spoken word artist), and Maxie Rockymore (poet/ playwright).

Performances Friday, Dec. 28, 2012-7:00 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012-7:00 p.m. at Obsidian Arts/Pillsbury House, 3501 Chicago Ave. So., Mpls, 55407 Cost: $10.00 adults / $5.00 students. Tickets: 612-7873644 / www.blackartsmn.org Watch Night Services Dec. 31 The Minnesota African American Museum (MAAM) in conjunction with local faith communities presents “A Night to Remember – December 31, 2012: Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Freedom’s Eve.” Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church will hold a Watch Night service from 9:00 p.m. to midnight (2600 East 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406).

Pilgrim Baptist Church will hold a Watch Night Service from 10:00 p.m. to midnight (732 West Central Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104). Also, St. Mark’s African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral will hold a Freedom’s Night Watch nondenominational service on December 31, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. (530 N. 5th Avenue E., Duluth, MN 55805).

Resident Artists IX: Rule of Thirds at Altered Esthetics Jan. 3-24 Three is a powerful number in science, religion, music, and the arts. For the ninth annual resident artists exhibition, artists incorporate the number three or triptychs. Ae artists will be displaying their take on the number three and how it influences their artwork. The pieces displayed will be in a variety of mediums ranging from watercolor to acrylic to photographs. There will be an opening reception on Friday, Jan 4 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.; Artists’ Discussion Panel on Saturday, Jan 12 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. The Show runs January 3 - 24, 2013. Gallery Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays – 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturdays – 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.; and Every First Friday – 7 p.m.

- 10 p.m. Altered Esthetics is located at 1224 Quincy St. NE Minneapolis MN 55413, (612) 378-8888.

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Insight News • December 10 - December 16, 2012 • Page 15

BUSINESS PROFILE

Boom Island Brewing

By Shaina Brassard, West Broadway Business and Area Coalition North Minneapolis really does have it all – wonderful people, beautiful parks, a thriving arts community, dozens of great restaurants and now, a brewery.

And not just any brewery.

Boom Island Brewing, which set up shop on North 2nd Street at the end of 2011, has quickly become one of the most talked about breweries in the Twin Cities. Beer lovers, foodies and the community at large have been captivated by owners Qiuxia and Kevin Welch’s charming story and impressive command of the Belgian beer tradition.

Kevin Welch, originally from the American South, and Quixia Welch, hailing from Sichuan Province, China, are both professional French horn players.

They are world travelers and have made their home together

in Minneapolis for more than a decade in order to be close to the metro area’s classical music scene. Kevin Welch’s interest in beer, and especially Belgian beer, is hardly new. “Belgian beer is something I fell in love with right when I started brewing beer about 13 years ago,� he explains. Kevin Welch said the couple had planned to make a business of brewing as a retirement project, but the economic downturn beginning in 2008, “made us decide to consider it sooner.�

Today, their 11-month-old business is hopping, and each member of the family plays a part. Kevin Welch shares brewing responsibilities with his fatherin-law, Hu Yong Shou, a retired engineer. Quixia Welch manages Boom Island’s correspondence and bookkeeping. “On bottling day, my wife and her mom do the majority of the bottling, while my father-in-law and I do the corking and put the

Boom Island Brewing bottles for sale at the brewery

wire cages on. Then as we have time, we’ll add labels one by one,� said Kevin Welch.

Welch chose his current location after almost two years spent looking at more than 150 spaces. The brewery is in the North Minneapolis Business Center, a small business incubator at 2201 N. 2nd St. owned by Dennis Werneke of American Chemical (Boom Island’s neighbor, Safari Pride Coffee, was the subject of the Nov. 12 business profile in this column). Though the location is convenient for its proximity to Interstate 94 and downtown, it caught Kevin Welch’s attention for being almost exactly the same size as the production area of a friend’s brewery in Belgium.

While the Twin Cities has several new craft breweries, Boom Island is exceptional in that it is the only one of its kind to brew exclusively Belgian-style beers, which it does extremely well.

Interestingly, this specialization has less to do with a business design and everything to do with passion. “It just so happened that the vast majority of beers I wanted to brew were Belgian,� said Kevin Welch. With an earnest smile, he added, “I have a hard time understanding why someone would not be passionate about Belgian beer. It’s pretty easy to be passionate about it, I think.�

Kevin Welch’s enthusiasm is backed up by serious knowledge and experience. “I spent a couple of summers in Belgium traveling and studying with some of my personal heroes in the brewing world, trying to learn some tricks of the trade and what really makes a Belgian beer Belgian,� said Kevin Welch.

According to him, Belgian beer brewing has a lot to do with process technique and an attention to every ingredient, including the yeast, which is often overlooked. Knowing the behavior of a certain yeast strain with a particular malt allows Boom Island to produce flavors as varied as plum, floral, light fruit, fig and raisin.

This leads to another aspect of Boom Island’s winning

Gift shop EXTRAVAGANZA NOW OPEN Wednesday thru Sunday 1PM to 8 PM CCaldwell Fine Art Gallery & Studio 125 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411 612-386-5114 “Mr. President�

Art is a perfect gift for decorating the home, honoring the past, and celebrating the experiences and accomplishments of African Americans.

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Original Artwork by Charles & Kenneth Caldwell.

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<RX DUH LQYLWHG WR FHOHEUDWH WKH RQH \HDU DQQLYHUVDU\ RI WKH &&$/':(// )LQH $UWV *DOOHU\ DQG 6WXGLR $Q HYHQLQJ RI KROLGD\ PXVLF )LQH $UW :LQH 6KRSSLQJ Friday December 14th 5pm-9pm.

.HHS RXU PRQH\ LQ RXU FRPPXQLW\ EX\ ORFDO during the holiday season!

Kevin Welch offering free tastings at the brewery on a Friday business recipe. All their beers are distinct. Kevin Welch explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Belgium thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no law that restricts you from using different ingredients. You can use spice, you can use fruit.

Belgian beer is pretty much wide open.â&#x20AC;? He compares a Belgian brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to beer to that of a French chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both interested in a fine knowledge of how to work with ingredients to create a certain experience.

Being non-filtered is another important part of the Belgian tradition. It gives the beer a little more velvety taste, and also produces a drink rich in B vitamins, which are essential for health and included in many dietary supplements. As Kevin Welch said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why would you spend money on a bottle of vitamins when you can spend it on a good beer?â&#x20AC;? His advice is to always drink the healthy sediment at the bottom of Boom Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottles.

The public has been very happy with the little breweryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

beer right from the start. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were at capacity by the third month,â&#x20AC;? said Kevin Welch.

It has since increased its volume potential and now have a client base of 25 restaurants and bars and almost 50 liquor stores in the metro area.

It is part of Boom Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy to keep things local. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even today, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough local beer being produced. You still see so many tap lines that host beer from California and Oregon and, in my mind that kind of goes contrary to the whole idea of what a craft microbrewery is supposed to be.

You use your local ingredients, your local water, to supply the local need for beer. In my mind, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to consume local products. Eighty percent of what I use to produce the beer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the base malt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is grown regionally.â&#x20AC;?

Even the byproduct of the brewing process, known as spent brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grain, finds a local use. Northsider Ian SilverRamp, owner of Mississippi Mushrooms (featured in the Sept.

Photos: Shaina Brassard

10 edition) collects the mushy grain and uses it as a substrate, or food, to produce mushrooms inside, which he sells at the West Broadway Farmers Market and Local Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Lish. What SilverRamp doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use is picked up by a cattle farmer and fed as a nutrient-rich treat to his calves.

On the Northside, you can buy Boom Island at both Broadway Liquor Outlet and Merwin Liquors on West Broadway, or order it on tap at Donny Dirkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at 2027 N. 2nd St. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;beer locatorâ&#x20AC;? can also be found on its website, w w w. b o o m i s l a n d b r e w i n g . com. The brewery itself is open Fridays from 5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 p.m. for free tastings and bottle sales. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky, there will still be some bottles of Yule, its spiced, malty seasonal beer and the perfect holiday gift for any beer drinker.

Boom Island Brewing Company 2207 North 2nd St. Minneapolis, MN 55411 www.boomislandbrewing.com

Page 16 â&#x20AC;˘ December 10 - December 16, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ Insight News

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