Aesthetically It! MORE ON PAGE 10
Insight News December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015
Vol. 41 No. 54 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Black Lives Rally at Mall of America An estimated 3,000 community members including families, clergy, and youth peacefully gathered Saturday (Dec. 20) at the Mall of America demanding an end to police brutality and the racial inequities people of color face. “(Saturday’s) protest was our biggest success yet,” said Mica Grimm an organizer with Black Lives Matter Minneapolis. “Thousands of people stood together, refused to be intimidated, and disrupted business as usual on the busiest shopping day of the year at the biggest mall in the country. As long as innocent Black and brown lives are disrupted by police without consequence, we cannot go about business as usual.” Police and security decided to shut down stores and entrances across the entire mall for hours in response, and as the singing ended and participants
We Can’t Breathe Why we need to give “racism” a chance By Simon Tam Race Files, A Project of CHANGELAB In the wake of the Mike Brown and Eric Garner decisions, of the excessive additional unarmed youth who have been killed in the short weeks following the injustice, and in the face of vast disparities facing our country at every level, I believe that there is an important discussion that we need to be having, but one being generally avoided.
RALLY TURN TO 9 Courtesy of Black Lives Matter Minneapolis
Civil rights groups counting on accurate census By Freddie Allen NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The 2020 census is still more than five years away, but as the United States Census Bureau prepares for the crucial count of American households, civil rights groups are weighing in and offering
Wade Henderson touts accurate census count.
recommendations to improve the accuracy of the process. Wade Henderson, the president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 civil rights groups, said that the 2020 census may seem distant, but the census bureau is in the process of making critical decisions about the design, methodology, and content of the census that will have a dramatic impact on the accuracy of the count in minority communities.
CENSUS TURN TO 3
In our society, we’ve demonized the “R Word” so much so, that people pretend it doesn’t exist in our communities, and certainly not in our government, legal system, or other public spaces. That word, and problem, is racism. A recent public poll found that only 6 percent of whites in the United States believe racism to be a very serious problem. On the other hand, most of people of
RACE TURN TO 7
Afrodescendientes Roberto Fonts: Courage Proyecto Afro Latino: Creating a bridge for the African American Latino community through digital technology By Carmen Robles Associate Editor, Afrodescendientes Amilcar Priestly proudly carries on the legacy started by his father the late Dr. George Priestly. The AfroLatino Project pays tribute to this visionary organizer and leader of antiracism conferences. George Priestly created Proyecto Afro Latino as the gateway to the hemispheric
Amilcar Maceo Priestly Director of AfroLatin@® Project
Afro-Latino experience. Its goal is to create a network to collect digitally based AfroLatino histories through digital technology such as mobile phones, Web 2.0, Skype and the What’s Up app. Amilcar Priestly was recently interviewed on “Conversations with Al McFarlane” program on KFAI FM. He shared AfroLatino Project’s kickstart of its campaign to bring
PRIESTLY TURN TO 8
By Carmen Robles Associate Editor, Afrodescendientes
It’s been 34 years since Cuba’s mass emigration exodus of the Marielito boatlift. The more than 125,000 Cubans who boarded the improvised boats to come to the United States were Afrodescendants … Black Cubans. Among them was 22-year-old Roberto Fonts. Fonts knew from a very young age that something was waiting for him out there. When he’d go to el Malecón, a five mile boardwalk/roadway/ seawall along the coast
Roberto Fonts. Entrepreneur, visionary and innovator. in Havana, he’d have internal conversations strategizing and planning his life as a businessman. He believed someday he would cross that ocean and trusted the internal conversations would manifest
themselves. The call to those who wanted to leave Cuba was swift. Fidel Castro emptied his jails filled with Afro-Cubans who were disproportionately jailed for misdemeanors and trumped up charges and included those who wanted to leave Cuba. Fonts jumped at the chance. “I didn’t hesitate,” said Fonts. “It was the miracle I was waiting for.” While it was a traumatic and terrifying 20-plus hour voyage in the high seas of the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, Fonts considers himself one of the lucky ones and lives his life honoring those who sacrificed
FONTS TURN TO 8
Spirit of giving
Social justice
Man Talk
Obituary
FedEx employees deliver for students at the Urban League Academy
Center for American Progress lists criminal justice system reforms
Steps to a happier New Year!
Cleola Sykes Davis
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Page 2 • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Insight News
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Harry Colbert, Jr.
Behind a table filled with gifts, students and staff at the Urban League Academy pose with employees of area FedEx locations who donated the presents to the school’s 86 students.
FedEx employees deliver for students at the Urban League Academy By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Thanks to the employees of several area FedEx locations the holidays got a lot brighter for the students at the Urban League Academy (ULA). After hearing some of the heart-wrenching stories of the life tribulations for many of the students at the Minneapolis Contract Alternative school run by the Minneapolis Urban League, FedEx employees sprang into action. The employees showed up on Dec. 18 at the Urban League Academy, 2201 Blaisdell Ave. S., with a FedEx truckload of gifts for each of the 86 students
enrolled at the school. The gifts fulfilled both needs and wants of the students, grades 6 – 12. The “adoption” of the students at the ULA came about because of a FedEx employee, Dexter Tidwell, who volunteers as a cook at the school. “I was talking to some of the kids and heard some of their needs and I was telling these stories to some coworkers who said they were looking to adopt some kids for the holidays, so they met and decided to adopt the Urban League Academy this year,” said Tidwell, who is a semi-truck driver for FedEx. The challenges facing many of the students of the ULA are monumental. Twenty percent of the students at the
Urban League Academy are homeless. Twenty-five percent have special education needs. Nearly all of the 86 students at the academy qualify for free or reduced lunch. The Urban League Academy has an open door admissions policy and accepts all who apply. For some the ULA is their third or fourth school. For some it is their last hope to achieve a high school diploma. Maybe the most moved by the stories and subsequent letters of the students was Wendy Krawiecki, operations manager, FedEx Express, Roseville. “After hearing stories about the kids from one of our own FedEx employees who volunteers at the school, we
decided that it was not only our obligation to help these children, but our privilege,” said Krawiecki. “Every child should have gifts to open for the holiday and know that they are cared about and are special.” One story particularly moved Krawiecki and the other FedEx employees. Malik Ambers, an 18-yearold senior at the Urban League Academy wrote to the FedEx benefactors asking for gifts for his younger sister and for his terminally ill mother. Ambers’ letter and later his meeting with Krawiecki and other FedEx employees moved them to tears. The humble teen said he previously dropped out of school because of his home
situation, but found his way to the ULA. “We were homeless at times and we didn’t have food to eat … my father wasn’t around so I did what I felt I had to do as a man to provide for my family,” said Ambers with tears in his eyes. “I felt like school was a waste of time so I left to do what I thought a man should do. At the Urban League Academy Ambers attends tailored half days so he can still work to provide for his mother and sister. “I’m here (at the Urban League Academy) and I’m back on track now,” said Ambers. Krawiecki said the initiative was purely employee driven
with employees from four area FedEx locations pitching in to help fulfill with students’ wish lists. She said the three-week effort culminated with more than $5,000 in gifts donated to the students. Each student received at least two presents fulfilling both a want such as a toy or game, and a need such as shoes, clothes and school supplies. Tidwell, a 23-year veteran with FedEx said he has a special connection to the students at the academy. “I used to be one of those kids myself, said Tidwell. “I was feeling like I got dealt a bad hand but I want them to know you can make it regardless of the cards dealt.”
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Insight News • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Page 3
HEALTH Norovirus hitting hard this season: Health officials stress importance of careful hand washing, food preparation to prevent ‘stomach flu’ As if colds, influenza and other respiratory infections weren’t enough to make Minnesotans ill in winter, this is also the time of year when digestive tract illness caused by a family of germs known as noroviruses tend to increase. This year, norovirus seems to be hitting the state especially hard. Approximately 40 outbreaks of norovirus illness have been reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) since the beginning of November. The outbreaks have occurred in a variety of settings, including restaurants, schools, nursing homes, and private gatherings. Noroviruses are the most common cause of food-related illness in Minnesota, and reported cases peak during the winter months. Symptoms of a norovirus infection can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, body aches, a general rundown feeling, and a mild fever. People typically become ill 24 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus, and symptoms usually last anywhere from one to three days. Although people commonly refer to norovirus illness as “stomach flu,” the illness is not the same as influenza. Influenza is primarily a respiratory illness, characterized by symptoms like high fever, body aches, sneezing, a runny nose or a sore throat. When people think of “stomach flu,” they often don’t
Census From 1 “The census is the most powerful tool that diverse communities have to secure equal access to the benefits of American life,” said Henderson. “If your community needs a bus stop, hospital bed, polling place, or school, or wants to adequately represented at all levels of government, it will be at a severe disadvantage if it wasn’t accurately counted by the census.” Henderson added: “Given how much is at stake for our communities, the Census Bureau must get it right.” The Leadership Conference recently released a report titled, “Race and Ethnicity in the 2020 Census: Improving Data to Capture a Multiethnic America.” It traced key laws and policies that relied on race and ethnicity to establish violations and address discriminatory practices. The report discussed the Census Bureau’s research and testing programs, how race and ethnicity data are used to protect civil rights and the strengths and weaknesses of the bureau’s current data collection efforts. Terri Ann Lowenthal, author of the report and a consultant to the Leadership Conference, said that race and ethnicity data are essential, irreplaceable tools for administering anti-discrimination laws across all institutional sectors. “Ensuring equality in access to education, employment, public contracting, housing and healthcare and ending disparities in the criminal justice system depends substantially on census data,” said Lowenthal. Lowenthal noted that the Census Bureau does not capture detailed national origin data for Blacks or Whites. Lowenthal also said that civil rights experts often point to a lack of comparability between census data and data collected by other federal agencies, including the Education Department and the Labor Department, which makes evaluating trends much harder. The researcher added that race and ethnicity data for people who are currently incarcerated is often inaccurate and incomplete. “Census data are central to understanding disparities in the criminal justice system, helping policymakers, law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and advocates devise remedies aimed at restoring equitable treatment and fostering constructive outcomes,” stated the report. “While criminal justice laws in the United States are neutral on their face, both enforcement and outcomes of many laws are substantially biased against certain race and ethnicity groups.” Prison gerrymandering is just one of those practices that disproportionately affects Blacks. “Prison gerrymandering
hours after they get well.” The public can report suspected outbreaks of norovirus illness – or other foodrelated illnesses – to the MDH
appreciate that they could have gotten their illness from food or that they could pass the virus to others through food. Prevention of norovirus infections is simple in principle, officials say. Just practice good personal hygiene and observe appropriate foodhandling procedures. “People need to remember to wash their hands, thoroughly” said Dr. Kirk Smith, who heads the Foodborne Diseases Unit at MDH. “Wash your hands after using the toilet, before consuming food, and before preparing food for yourself or others. If everybody did that, we could prevent a majority of the illness caused by these viruses.” Noroviruses are present in the stool and vomit of infected people, Dr. Smith said. They are spread primarily through person-to-person contact, or contamination of food prepared by a person with the illness. Precautions that can help prevent the spread of noroviruses include: • Washing your hands after using the toilet. • Washing your hands before
handling food or ice. • Washing your hands before eating. • Excusing yourself from food preparation duties if you have possible norovirus symptoms, and for at least a few days after you recover. • Discarding foods that were handled or prepared by someone with possible norovirus symptoms – unless they will be thoroughly cooked before serving. • Promptly cleaning and disinfecting any surfaces that become soiled with vomit or diarrhea. • An additional measure for those who have more than one bathroom in their home is to have all ill individuals use the same bathroom; those who are well use the others. “People should also remember that they can continue to spread the virus for up to several days after they get over a norovirus infection,” Dr. Smith emphasized, “so they should refrain from preparing food – commercially or for their own families – for an additional 72
occurs when states and localities draw representational districts that incorporate a significant percentage of people who are incarcerated and cannot vote, a circumstance stemming from the Census Bureau’s policy of counting all people at their “usual place of residence” on Census Day (April 1 of a decennial census year),” the report explained. “For example, prisons in rural areas of a state often house disproportionate numbers of inmates from far-away urban communities, resulting in some districts with far fewer eligible voters and undermining the principle of one-person, one-vote embodied in the U.S. Constitution.” According to a 2012 report by Demos, non-partisan public policy and research group, “in the 2000 Census, almost one-third of the persons credited as having “moved” into upstate New York during the previous decade were persons sentenced to prison terms in upstate prisons.” Henderson said that the Leadership Conference and other groups that are pushing census reform are deeply concerned about prison gerrymandering. Henderson said that those rural communities where the prisons are located are often allowed to count individuals who happen to be in prisons located in their towns and benefit from the inflated population numbers. Henderson called the practice “inappropriate and improper” and said that his coalition is fighting to change it. “Because so much of the Department of Justice’s budget is being consumed by prison incarceration-related activity, any data from the census that gives us a more particularized view
of what we’re dealing with in terms of our population has great implications for those policies,” said Henderson. The report offered 17 recommendations for the 2020 census from enhanced testing and analysis of existing data to improving communication between the Census Bureau and the civil rights community, ensuring that the same race and ethnicity options are available for the paper questionnaire and the proposed Internet survey, and adding a new ethnicity category for people of Middle Eastern and North African descent. “Given the unprecedented growth in our nation’s diversity, it’s more important than ever that the next census collect detailed data that illuminate the lives of all Americans and give policymakers the tools necessary to understand and address the disparate needs of all communities” said Henderson. Washington lawmakers just made reaching that goal a tougher climb when they passed a 2015 budget that slashed funding for planning the 2020 census by 50 percent. “The Census Bureau’s funding level is extremely disappointing, essentially cutting the funding ramp-up for 2020 Census planning by half,” said Lowenthal in a statement about the budget deal. “2015 is a critical year for field testing that will inform the design selection for the next census. Congress wants a radically different census—accurate but lower cost—but it isn’t willing to invest in the groundwork needed to reach that goal. I think lawmakers are putting the accuracy of the next census at grave risk.”
Foodborne Illness Hotline at 1-877-FOOD ILL (366-3455). For more information about norovirus, people can call MDH at (651) 201-5414 or 1-877-676-
5414 during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. -MDH-
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Page 4 • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Insight News
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Tamir Rice
Eric Garner
Michael Brown
Center for American Progress lists criminal justice system reforms Washington, D.C. — The recent events following the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, and others at the hands of lawenforcement officials have brought into national focus a debate over the persistent inequalities of America’s criminal justice system— including police practices, the use of force and aggressive policing, arrest and prosecution policies, the severity of criminal sentences, and the disparate impact many of these
when appropriate. “The failure to ensure that our judicial and legal systems treat all Americans equally has divided too many of our communities,” said Michele Jawando, co-author of the report and Vice President of Legal Progress, the Center for American Progress’ legal policy program. “Although the Obama administration has taken important first steps to address injustice and inequalities in our criminal justice system, more must
policies have on communities of color. Today, the Center for American Progress issued recommendations to begin reforming the criminal justice system and policecommunity relations, which involve improved police training; data collection and accountability; repairing the fractured relationship between police and community; and, in instances where lives are taken, the promise of a diligent, independent, thorough investigation and prosecution,
be done to improve police accountability and reduce the degree to which the harshest aspects of criminal justice fall disproportionately on communities of color.” CAP’s new analysis put forth the following four recommendations: Increase the use of special prosecutors in police misconduct investigations. In recent weeks, the role of the prosecutor and the grand jury system has come under intense scrutiny, raising significant
questions about the ability of local prosecutors to remain impartial in cases involving local law enforcement in the same jurisdiction. Whether by state statute requiring an outof-jurisdiction investigator or state executive action automatically assigning fatalities cases involving police to attorney generals or special prosecutors, all states should adopt policies to ensure that all homicides involving police are conducted by a neutral prosecutor other than the office
that typically works with the police department that is the subject of the investigation. Enhance the collection of data on fatalities involving police. There are significant gaps in the collection and analysis of data related to fatalities involving officers; these gaps make it very difficult to assess the scope of the problem either nationwide or in individual states and localities. The federal government must
CAP TURN TO 5
What’s in a word? Plenty, when the word is “racism” measure for exposure to racism. On the other hand, the word “racism” makes some people uncomfortable, causing them to become defensive or simply block out your message. Over the years I have received feedback and advice on both sides of this question. I have been told that I should use “racism” more in my lectures, and it has also been suggested to me that I should limit or eliminate use of the word. I have been told that I don’t use “racism” in my writing, but the fact is I have published about a
By Thomas LaVeist, PhD Does the word “racism” contribute to conversation? Or is it so politically charged and divisive that it causes people to tune you out? The question raises a major challenge for those of us who seek to address health disparities. On one hand, racism is fundamental to understanding why disparities exist and persist. I would go as far as to state that in most race disparities research, race is actually a proxy
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half dozen articles with the word “racism” in the title. I suppose no matter how one communicates, they are always heard through the filter of the listener’s values and beliefs. If a listener believes that race is racism, then using the word will communicate to that listener. If the listener believes racism is a thing of the past, then the use of the word could stifle communication. Conducting research and communicating about race and health is extremely complex. Ideally, advancing scientific discovery requires holding
beliefs and ideas up to scrutiny and judging them to be correct or incorrect, dispassionately trusting the data to lead us to the truth. But truth telling alone does not necessarily lead to persuasion. This brings to mind an interesting interaction I had in my class a few years ago. I had just completed a lecture about how race was a social and political construction and not a biological concept. I pointed
RACISM TURN TO 5
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Insight News • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Page 5
LIFESTYLE
Steps to a happier New Year! Man Talk
By Timothy Houston The New Year is upon us. It is not too late to begin the necessary work to get great things done in the upcoming year. Real success in life can only be measured by the accomplishment of your personal goals. Until you truly understand why you are here, you can never put the energy needed to bring your goals to fruition. Spend some time during this month to determine
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what you want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Here are some steps to help guide you along the way. Step one, feed yourself positive information. You are the one that will ensure your brain has the information that it needs to make your life successful. One of the saying in computer lingo is “garbage in, garbage out.” This means if you only feed your brain junk, it can only produce junk. When you discipline yourself to feed your mind the most powerful, positive information available, it will produce the most positive, powerful outcomes. The things you listen to, watch, read, and the people you associate with are all a part of your success model. As you go into the New Year, take some direct action that will feed your heart, soul, and mind positive information. Step two, focus on improving your strength while understanding your weakness. Some people unwisely focus on their areas of weakness thinking it will make them a better person. A fish would never spend time trying to figure out how to survive outside of water. It will not make him a better fish. An eagle would make a terrible fish because its strength is in flight. So it is with you. You are who you are by the grace of God. Focus on your strength. Your strength is tied to the things you are able to naturally do (without much effort), and they will bring you the
Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Carmen Robles Lydia Schwartz Ryan T. Scott Toki Wright Photography Michele Spaise David Bradley Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
Racism From 4 out how definitions of race in the United States have changed many times over the years, and how people classified into one race group here could be classified into different race groups in other countries. I explained that even if there were once genes that were found
CAP From 4 improve the collection of these data—which federal, state, and local police agencies currently offer on a voluntary and often inconsistent basis—and require state and local law enforcement to provide detailed information about deaths caused by police. Implement implicit bias training for all federal lawenforcement officers and state and local police involved in federal task forces. The subtle and stark differences that make up white and black experiences in America and the discrepancies in outcomes with similar circumstances between races can be interpreted through the lens of implicit bias. The federal government should require training on implicit bias in police academies and ongoing state and local departmental training as a condition of federal grants. Increase the federal government‘s oversight of police conduct. The Department of Justice should take a more active approach in setting expectations for police conduct nationwide and ensure compliance with those standards by conditioning participation in federal task forces on the adoption of certain standards, policies, and training and through penalties in federal funding. “As we move beyond the initial moments of outrage and frustration following these incidents, it is crucial that we seize the opportunity to take concrete steps to address many of the persistent problems with the criminal justice system that these cases have raised,” said Chelsea Parsons, co-author of the report and Director of Crime and Firearms Policy at the Center for American Progress. “We offer a few ideas for such steps, with a recognition that this is just the beginning of the larger conversation we need to have in this country about how to become smarter in the ways we approach crime and justice.”
continually evolve. In your life’s program, there will be upgrades, new versions, and corrections that are needed. Mistakes happen. Bad things happen. Adjust. Those who rewrite their life’s story, rewrite it to have a happy ending. The quicker you are able to adjust to life’s mishaps, the sooner you can redirect it back on course. In the upcoming year, learn to adjust and roll with the punches. In the New Year, focus on improving your spiritual relationship with God. This is where your inner strength resides. You will never achieve external greatness without internal character. Internal character comes from God. He is the only that can give you the object towards which you should be striving. He will give you true moral and values that will lead to success. True character is spiritual in nature, and spiritual strength can only come from God. I speak health, blessings, and joy into your life. May this New Year be your best one ever!
greatest amount of success and satisfaction. In the upcoming year, focus on your strength and soar with the eagles. Step three, make
adjustments along the way. Life is not a single action or event. Things change constantly. The environment that you live in is not static, so your life must
only in one race group (which I do not concede), then after several centuries of people from different race groups having children together those genes certainly would not still be contained only to one group. I am certain I never used the word “racism” in the lecture. After class, a student approached me tentatively. I asked her if she had a question or comment; she did. Her comment: “I still believe race is biology.”
Thomas LaVeist, PhD, is founding director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions and is the William C. and Nancy F. Richardson Professor in Health Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is the chair of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Center for Health Policy at Meharry Medical College.
Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. To get copies of his books, for questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.
Page 6 • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Insight News
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COMMENTARY Support normalizing relations with Cuba By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., Interim President, NNPA
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / edna
might be popular domestically at any given moment in time, but also how we see the international struggle for freedom, justice and equality. In Black American education, literature, music, sports, business, religion and other cultural realms we have witnessed the benefits of defining and securing the interests of African people throughout the world. I vividly remember James Baldwin encouraging me to understand better what it meant by the slogan “Viva Cuba!” Baldwin helped me to see the relationship between the Cuban Revolution and the African Liberation Movement against imperialism, colonization and the sufferings of neo-colonialism in the 1960s and 1970s.
“Viva Cuba” became synonymous Viva Africa!” Angola and Namibia, as well the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, all benefited from the enormous sacrifice and support that Cuba rendered to southern Africa during the 1970s and 1980s. Now that Cuba is once again the subject of solidarity for some and renewed ridicule from others, I believe it is important for Black Americans to actively support for our brothers and sisters in the island nation of Cuba. More than 11 million people live in Cuba. The 2002 Cuban census puts the Black population at 10 percent, mulatto 23.8 percent, Asian 1 percent and Whites at 65 percent. Most estimates place the people of color figure at 40 to 60 percent of
the population. I have been to Cuba many times and each time I am reminded how African culture and Latin culture have fused together extraordinarily well in Havana, the capital city, and in the other urban and rural areas of the nation. I thank Harry Belafonte and others for helping to inspire the current generation of Cuban poets, writers, musicians and hiphop artists in Havana who will certainly now have a stronger chance to spread their artistic genius throughout the world. We should remain vigilant because the forces of repression and inorance are still active. Predictably, some conservatives have already announced plans to have Congress block Obama’s plan to designation
a U.S. ambassador to Cuba. The economic blockade of Cuba is a matter that only the U.S. Congress can end through legislation. But the will of the people can force Congress to do the right thing regarding Cuba. Let’s continue to stand up and speak about Cuba and the rest of the world. This not a time for Black America to be silent. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposals at: dr.bchavis@nnpa.org; and for lectures and other professional consultations at: http:// drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix.com/ drbfc
What’s really behind Obama’s Cuba move By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Commentary, New America Media There were two big takeaways from President Obama’s Cuban opening. The first is obvious. After 55 years of U.S.-backed invasions, covert efforts to
sabotage and overthrow Fidel Castro, an embargo, and a Cold War freeze in diplomatic relations, the U.S. policy toward Cuba has been an abject failure. Raul Castro remains the official government head, and Fidel, is still a presence in Cuban life and a bigger than ever figure internationally. Obama took the logical step that almost certainly would have
been taken years ago, except for a politically retrograde GOP and older, politically connected Cuban Americans, and that is to normalize relations with the island. Obama pointed to the obvious when he said the old policies, meaning containment and subversion, didn’t “make sense.” More Cubans are travelling to
wherever they can get a visa, political dissent and expression is more open than ever, and there are more private owned businesses and farms in Cuba. While Cuba is still officially a one party-state, Cuban leaders have repeatedly made clear they are committed to real reforms. In an extended visit to Cuba a decade ago, I saw firsthand the changes in tourism,
trade, and people-friendly relations in Havana and other cities that I visited. Given that, and the polls that show that a majority of Americans want an end to the embargo, Obama’s move was more a pragmatic than a bold step. Still,
HUTCHINSON 7 TURN TO
America’s policy toward Cuba never made sense By Lekan Oguntoyinbo NNPA Columnist President Obama’s decision to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba, following 18 months of secret talks, is one of the smartest decisions he’s made as president. Obama announced last week that the United States will open an embassy in Havana for the first time in more than 50
THE EDITOR
Refreshing ideas on ending violence against children
Opinion
President Obama’s historic announcement that the U.S. is restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba, after more than five decades of strategic political and military opposition, is today resonating positively throughout Black America. It is in the economic, cultural and political interests of 42.7 million Black Americans across the United States to focus on the new emerging opportunities to strengthen relationships with the people and government of the Republic of Cuba. President Obama stated, “In the most significant changes in our policy in more than 50 years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries. Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.” A key question that needs to asked is: How will the changes that President Obama highlighted about Cuba will afford Black Americans in particular more opportunities to establish joint ventures and other business relationships with the people of Cuba? Too often some of us limit ourselves to lengthy debates about our changing world, but miss out on a chance to participate in helping to actually shape and build new world realities. Our worldview about has always included international perspectives. Our consciousness is informed not just by what
LETTER TO
years, symbolizing the end of enmity between the two Cold War archrivals. The Obama administration will also ease restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba. Abolishing the trade embargo, however, will require congressional approval. The move toward restoring relations between the two nations was the result of a landmark humanitarian prisoner exchange announced this week that resulted in Wednesday’s release of
American contractor Alan Gross, who had been held in a Cuban prison for five years on suspicion of being a U.S. spy. Normalizing relations with Cuba – an island nation just 90 miles off the coast of Florida – is a smart idea whose time is long past due. Of course, Washington’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Cuba, a nation that is estimated to be 40 -60 percent non-White, never made sense to
begin with. For years, Fidel Castro and his band of ragtag but gallant revolutionaries had fought the forces of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, an American puppet and brutal ruler said to be responsible for the deaths of more than 20,000 Cubans. In the early days of the revolution, Castro, whose forces eventually prevailed on January 1, 1959, actually identified with America’s founding fathers and
sought to build bridges with Washington. “The revolution was about race, class and oppression,” Felix Sharpe-Caballero, a CubanAmerican of African descent who immigrated to the United States when he was three and who visits Cuba four or five times a year, told me. “One of Fidel’s Castro’s first executive orders was
OGUNTOYINBO 8 TURN TO
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In a Letter to the Editor, (Dec. 15 – Dec. 21 issue), Alexander Reid McFarlane comments on statements made by Ryan T. Scott and Gary Burgess, Sr. about Adrian Peterson. Alexander Reid McFarlane’s words were thoughtful, educated and refreshing. He clearly, proclaims, “We can stop hitting our children.” What a powerful perspective. I loved his commentary and here’s why. Mr. McFarlane stated, “Corporal punishment or spanking is no more effective than ‘time-out,’ but has many negative consequences. Second, it sends conflicting messages about love and violence, and finally there is a world-wide movement to establish rights for children.” These are three great and wonderful reasons to look and address the violence we have and continue to inflict upon our children. He goes further to say that, “Studies on corporal punishment, found that corporal punishment was associated with compliance and aggression and lower levels of mental health, antisocial behavior and spanking erodes developmental growth in children and decreases a child’s IQ.” Love and violence in any relationship especially child/ parent is at least conflicting. Finally, Mr. McFarlane concludes that Adrian Peterson may not have the moral courage of a Chris Carter, who pronounced his mother “wrong” for hitting him, but that courage to renounce one’s upbringing is rare. Its one of the reason why we don›t address violence and abuse in our families. Mr. McFarlane goes on to say, “The violence of our communities, Black and white, may begin with the treatment of our children. To reduce violence and increase human rights we can stop hitting our children.” Again, I love his commentary. It is filled with heart, honesty and love; something we need more of. How can we help each other begin that discussion internally and externally with our children, parents, friends, brothers, sisters, church and community? Thank you for listening and giving attention and time to this crucial issues. Sincerely, Val Barnes
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Insight News • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Page 7
BUSINESS
Nonprofit dating game FUNdraising Good Times
By Mel and Pearl Shaw The holiday mistletoe, love songs, and New Year’s Eve parties conjure up the allure – and the drama – of dating. Who are you dating? Who do you want to be dating? Who will you be dating in 2015? And, if you’re married, how will you reaffirm
your marriage in 2015? What does all this have to do with nonprofits and fundraising? Well, we want you to have a happy love life, and we want you to enjoy your nonprofit relationships, especially your partnerships and collaborations. While there is a lot of pressure this time of year to be in a relationship, that isn’t always the right thing for everybody. Healthy relationships are characterized by love and mutual respect. There’s also pressure for nonprofits to partner and collaborate, but as with people, it has to be a right fit. The end of the year is a good
time to reassess, recommit or plan for a mutually agreeable dissolution. Consider the following as you make your assessment: what were the objectives of the relationship when it began? Have the initial expectations been met? Did the relationship help your nonprofit increase revenue? Did it help reduce costs through joint purchasing or shared resources such as facilities, personnel, services, or joint fundraising? Were you able to allocate the time and personnel required for the collaboration to thrive, or did these relationships tax your organization in terms of time
and money? Were they more of a distraction than a benefit? Were these relationships like a planned marriage, begun with the encouragement of a foundation or funder? Has a love grown? Or did mutual attraction ignite both parties from the beginning? While mutually beneficial, well-managed partnerships and collaborations can put your nonprofit at the head of the class, those that are a burden or take your nonprofit off course should be reevaluated. You may not have formed the right relationship. Related to this, it is okay if you are not a part of a partnership or collaboration,
especially if such a relationship isn’t in line with your vision or if a prospective partner just isn’t a match. Being in the wrong relationship can be more of a negative than a plus if all parties are not in sync. Here are our thoughts. Aim for mutual benefit. Question your motives: is the partnership for show, or for real? What is the substance of the relationship? Do your collaborations help your organization meet its goals and bring its mission to life? What about the goals and mission of your collaborators? Has the relationship changed over time? Is the vision that
brought you together one that continues to inspire all parties, or are you staying together “for the children” (i.e. for a funder)? Whether your nonprofit is single, dating or married make the most of the coming year. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success. For help with your fundraising visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.
MSPWin awards $700,000 for career pathways and education Minneapolis St. Paul Regional Workforce Innovation Network (MSPWin) made two grants totaling $700,000 to develop career pathways and transform developmental education for low-income adults. MSPWin’s board, which represents 11 funders and includes three additional community members, reviews grant requests and makes the funding decisions. “We seek innovative partnerships across sectors that have the ability to transform the workforce development system,” said Bryan Lindsley, executive director of MSPWin. “Both of these investments will directly benefit low-
income workers. They will also inform how Minnesota can scale promising workforce development practices to meet employers’ growing need for skilled workers.” MSPWin granted Hennepin County $300,000 to support the newly-created Workforce Leadership Council, a public and private partnership that will oversee the development of career pathways for lowincome adults into jobs with Hennepin County. According to Lindsley, the jobs will offer family-sustaining wages, affordable and comprehensive health insurance and a defined benefit pension. Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Project for Pride in
Bryan Lindsley, Executive Director of MSPWin
Living, and the Minneapolis Downtown Council are partners on the grant. MSPWin granted International Institute $400,000 to implement a college readiness academy, a new educational model to help college-bound adults with barriers build the skills needed for the rigors of college. The academy will seek to minimize the amount of developmental education required to a single semester or eliminate it altogether. St. Paul College, St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium, the Hubbs Center, Neighborhood House and Guadalupe Alternative Programs are partners on the grant.
Established in 2013, Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Workforce Innovation Network is a philanthropic collaborative that envisions a prosperous and equitable region where businesses have the skilled workers they need to compete and all adults have the opportunity to participate in the workforce and advance toward family-sustaining wages. MSPWin provides funding to promote learning, build shared solutions, and support efforts to dramatically increase the number of adults earning family-sustaining wages, especially people of color.
Job search advice for new college grads For recent college graduates, there’s good news and bad news about the job market. First, the good news: Employment opportunities are on the rise. The bad news? Scammers are busy online trying to mislead and defraud job seekers of all ages. Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) reminds graduates that while eagerness to obtain an entry-level job is a good thing, it’s important to be able to identify which online job postings are legitimate. The Internet has opened up new horizons for those looking for work, though people still peruse newspaper classifieds for job openings. BBB urges all job hunters to be vigilant, and offers
helpful information on the latest online employment scams, as well as tips on how to avoid them. When you see an online job posting of interest, BBB recommends the following: Start with trust. Research the company’s BBB Business Review – and customer reviews – at bbb. org. Google the company. This gives you a better idea of what the company does, what they are about and how to contact them. Be wary of companies with no online “footprints.” Visit the company’s website or LinkedIn page. Doing this can help you learn where the company is located, how they hire job seekers, what people have to say about the business, what the
office culture is like, their business practices, accomplishments and other information which may prove useful in a job interview. Contact the company directly - Ask to speak to the person who does the hiring (find out their name and title). Calling the company also shows initiative and could give one an extra edge when it comes to landing the job. Be leery of postings with grammar or spelling errors. Such errors are often a sign the job isn’t legitimate. Here are some additional red flags to watch out for when searching online for that perfect job: Personal financial information is required - Never give out your financial information
such as your credit card number, bank account number, Social Security number, etc. to someone you don’t know – especially if it’s online. They request that you pay an upfront fee prior to employment - A legitimate job offer will never require payment upfront. The potential employer hesitates to answer general questions about the job - If the person interviewing you is vague or dodges questions about what the company does or what type of work you’ll be doing, be cautious. Promises of huge salaries with minimal effort – This could be a sign of a “work at home” or pyramid scheme. Remember, if everyone could make good money working from home, everyone
would do it. And pyramid schemes are illegal and not sustainable over time. Reshipping Positions – Scammers sometimes enlist unwitting job seekers to help them send merchandise – paid for with stolen credit cards – out of the country. These operations are illegal and you do not want to be a part of them. Mystery shopping jobs – Though there are legitimate mystery shipping companies, there are many bogus entities that send consumers counterfeit checks, asking them to cash them, spend money at various stores and then wire back funds, keeping a small portion of the funds as payment. However, these checks bounce, leaving consumers
deeper in debt. Remember, at best, mystery shopping provides supplemental income. If you have doubts that a job posting is legitimate, contact BBB. The mission of Better Business Bureau is to be the leader in building marketplace trust by promoting, through selfregulation, the highest standards of business ethics and conduct, and to instill confidence in responsible businesses through programs of education and action that inform, assist and protect the general public. We are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact BBB at bbb.org or 651699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-6466222.
Hutchinson
battering of Cuba was never because it posed any real military or economic threat to the U.S. It was about U.S. domestic politics. Ten presidents before Obama were held hostage to the GOP-Cuban lobby and the fear of being branded soft on Cuba. This was tossed at any president and seen as the political death knell for Democratic presidential contenders. This unremitting hostility has not abated. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, have repeatedly spoken out against
any normalization of relations. Rubio was even more strident on the pending thaw, calling it “disgraceful.” All have their eye on a 2016 White House bid. All, as in the past, were playing the anti-Castro card, to the conservative GOP base. Obama’s Cuba initiative can’t be separated from his escalating defiance of the GOP. In the aftermath of its November mid-term election shellacking, the Democratic Party has been in a desperate search to find its legs. It has been denounced for not fighting back harder on issues from opposition to the Keystone pipeline, the relentless GOP assaults on the Affordable Care
Act and the recent budget deal that was stuffed with financial giveaway goodies to Wall Street. With the White House and even more Senate and Congressional seats on the line in 2016, Obama is still the key to Democratic hopes for a strong comeback. Obama’s willingness to weld the executive pen on immigration reform and a defiant promise to use it whenever and wherever he can to push initiatives that a GOP -controlled House has stymied at every turn is crucial to the party. Possible 2016 Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Martin O’Malley and Bernie
Sanders were quick to pick up on the significance of Obama’s Cuba normalization proposals and applaud them. It puts the Democratic Party firmly on record as reversing a failed, flawed policy that’s been an albatross around its neck for decades. Clinton, the presumptive favorite for the Democratic nomination, would be the first official presidential candidate to call for full normalization. Obama’s Cuba move can’t be considered on the groundbreaking magnitude of Nixon’s China opening or Reagan’s working both sides of the street with the Soviet Union,
promoting exchanges between students, scientists, artists, and local officials while proclaiming the avowed intent to bring down the “evil empire.” But it sent a welcome signal that on a thorny foreign policy issue such as Cuba, Obama will not succumb to GOP mania and intimidation. This makes his Cuba opening more than just about Cuba.
“black sounding” names, even when all other credentials are the same. First-time arrests for black youth have an incarceration rate that is 48 times higher than white youth, even when all other factors of the crime are identical. Black Americans are 2,100 percent more likely to be fatally shot by police than white Americans. In fact, the average black male has a one-inthree chance of going to prison in their lifetime. To explain these staggering statistics either you believe that people of color are naturally criminally inclined, have a poor work ethic and are predisposed to engage self-endangering behaviors, or you believe that we have a systemic wide problem across our political, legal, education, financial and health sectors. Either way, it confirms the existence of prevalent racism. The civil unrest that is occurring now is only one battle in a long war. Black Americans have been fighting for air since they were dragged here as slaves and treated as property. Think
about it: Eric Garner’s murder would have been punished in the 1800s for destroying property but our “justice” system ruled that his life was not even worth that. Native Americans have been dealt with unjustly since immigrants arrived to steal land and commit genocide without retribution. They’re expected to be grateful that they can build casinos while our system continues to hack away at their rights, while major sports teams still see them as savages and mascots. We still
have a state (Florida) that has a law embedded into its constitution designed to prevent Asians from owning property. When it was on the ballot, voters elected to keep it there! People of color have been drowning, struggling for air in a “justice” system that is anything but just to those most affected by its oppression. Racism did not end with the march on Washington, Dr. King’s “dream” seems like a far reality when those who enforce our laws are not held
accountable to live by them. It did not end when Obama was elected president. The end of racism could not be captured by a single moment because justice is a process, not an event. Garner and Brown were just two names published in the media
but every 28 hours, an unarmed black man is killed by police. There is a heartbreaking story of racial disparity, of murder, of injustice every single day. I say that these are small battles in a
From 6 the devil is in the details about how quickly there will be full official diplomatic relations, free trade and free exchange of goods, services and technology, a formal lifting of the embargo, foreign investment, travel, and family relations restored between Cubans in the island and those living here. But the commonsense move to normalize relations is less important than the timing of the move and the domestic political consequences of it. The prolonged and outdated
Race From 1 color report experiencing racial discrimination in their lives. A similar Gallup Survey on black-white relations revealed that seven of 10 whites believe that blacks are treated equally in their communities; eight in 10 say blacks receive equal educational opportunities, and 83 percent say blacks receive equal housing opportunities. Only a third of whites believe blacks face racial bias from police in their areas. That means two out of three whites believe that black Americans are treated exactly the same as white Americans. But when you look at the data, it’s appallingly clear that this isn’t the case. A major national study revealed that people with “white sounding names” are 50 percent more likely to be called back for a job interview than those with
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is a weekly co-host of the Al Sharpton Show on American Urban Radio Network. Follow Earl Ofari Hutchinson on Twitter: twitter.com/earlhutchinson
RACE TURN TO 8
Page 8 • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Insight News
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EDUCATION Jaylani Hussein named executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations engagement work,” said Devinder Malhotra, interim president. “He has quickly become a valued member of the university community and my leadership team. He will also be missed by our many community partners who have come to rely on his creative contributions to the area’s vitality.” Hussein’s last day on campus will be Jan. 2. Until a new community liaison officer is named, community liaison functions will be handled by Tom Cook, executive assistant to
the university president and government relations director. Cook can be reached at 651793-1902 or tom.cook@ metrostate.edu. Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, is America’s premier university for lifelong learning, providing unsurpassed, competitive academic and professional degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels while maintaining affordability.
are not unheard of; and Gabon and Togo, where citizens are denied free and fair elections and the same families have controlled both countries for nearly half a century. “We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result,” Obama said in a speech last week. That short sentence effectively captured the futility and madness of the Cuban trade embargo. “It does not serve America’s interests, or the Cuban people, to try to push Cuba toward collapse.” The decision to re-establish relations with Cuba will undoubtedly draw the usual battalion of critics. Indeed, on Wednesday as word spread of this bold step, supporters of the Cuban
embargo vowed to fight Obama in Congress. Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, a relative of Fidel Castro, said he would advocate withholding money from the U.S. State Department if Obama moves forward with his plans to open an embassy in Havana. Brilliant! Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, also blistered Obama’s plan on Wednesday and pledged to do all he could to thwart the new policy. “This entire policy shift announced today is based on an illusion, based on a lie,” Rubio told reporters. “The White House has conceded everything and gained little.” Rubio, a potential presidential
candidate in 2016, has been a longtime critic of the regime in Cuba and of Obama’s foreign policy – which he dubbed as “not just naive, but willfully ignorant of the way the world truly works.” But these critics and the pack of Cuban-American exiles who for decades hijacked U.S. policy on this issue are out of step with the thinking of the rest of the world, which agrees on this much: for the first time in years, the United States is making a smart foreign policy move.
manager with National Computer Systems on the East Coast; validation of the importance of patience, perseverance and internal affirmations. Drawing from personal experience and his desire to give back Fonts started a ground breaking Spanish-speaking interpreting and translating service delivering cultural mediation services between those with limited English proficiency
and their service providers such as the medical, legal, financial and human service professions. Dialog One was incorporated in 2006. Its management consists of 20 business associates, and engage more than 7,000 specially certified bilingual translators, interpreters and cultural mediators worldwide. Dialog One clients have access to more than 150 languages, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Fonts has received state and federal recognition for the development of industry standards and professional responsibilities in developing the frame work of cultural specific mediation. He has created cutting edge curriculum – Empowered by Listening – training program and is the first non-traditional apprenticeship program certified by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
Father of four, grandfather of two Fonts continues to live by intention, strategy and leadership. Fonts sums it up matter-of-factly. “My passion, commitment and love for humanity come from a healthy, profound level of inclusiveness,” said Fonts. “It is how I live my life.” Visit www.dialog-one.com to learn more about Dialog One and its services.
informal way to educate the community through digital story telling. Its vision is to use technological tools to promote awareness and research, ensure the preservation of the histories and cultures and build support for the struggles of Afro-descendants people in the Americas and the Caribbean. In this cultural heritage initiative, the collection of cultural histories will identify, promote and engage conversations to address
questions of “what do we do” as well as to encourage social and economic development; participate in political practice and to gain recognition by endorsing a national education curriculum to be taught in schools. George Priestly’s progress in the world of academics fueled his social activism. He believed in intellectual advancements and was instrumental in developing fellow intellectuals and activists here in the U.S., in Panama and
throughout the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. As a director Amilcar Priestly carries on this tradition. He is responsible for all organizational and administrative matters and is also responsible for programming and strategy. The project, previously funded by the Ford Foundation, is currently developing tools for social media and mobile learning, as well as digital curation, and looks to facilitate participatory action in these communities. He
hopes to identify ways to engage power sharing. “It’s not us versus them,” said Priestly. “It’s to bring awareness.” Prior to his current tenure, Amilcar Priestly served as counsel for the AfroLatino Project. He began his legal career as an associate at a boutique entertainment law practice and most recently served as a director of business and legal affairs at Westwood One, Inc. He is also the principal at C.O.I. Consulting, LLC, an intellectual property, licensing and digital media consulting firm. Amilcar Priestly is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Brooklyn Law School. For more information, go to www.afrolatinoproject. org and www.facebook.com/ TheAfrolatinoProject.
Jaylani Hussein, Metropolitan State University community liaison officer, is resigning his position. In early January, Hussein becomes executive director of the regional chapter of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR Minnesota). Since assuming his current university position on July 1, 2014, Hussein has established strong connections both across the university and with partners and neighbors across the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood and the larger East Side of Saint Paul. He has served as
a member of the Community University Action Team and has been actively involved in community relations around university construction projects and as a contributor to the work of the East Side Area Business Association. He has also quickly become an important member of the Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship team. “Jaylani’s broad experience and subject matter training have enabled him to make substantial contributions to our planning and prioritizing of the university’s community
Oguntoyinbo
Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. For this loyalty, Cuba paid a huge price economically as a result of a U.S. trade embargo. The effect of the embargo was felt even more deeply after the Soviet Union, Cuba’s main patron, went out of business. Wages shrunk, living standards plummeted and analysts predicted it was only a matter of time before the Cubans would rise up and oust Castro. They couldn’t have been more wrong. Meanwhile, Washington, which couldn’t handle defeat, refused to lift the embargo. It continued to lambaste the Cuban government as a communist regime that consistently violated human rights. That didn’t make sense either.
Of the five communist countries left on the planet – Cuba, China, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam – the U.S. has diplomatic relations with three. The U.S restored full diplomatic relations with Laos in 1992 and with Vietnam under the Clinton administration. The U.S. has had a relationship with China for decades and China is one of America’s most important trading partners. The United States also maintains strong diplomatic relations countries that consistently violate the human rights of its citizens, including Saudi Arabia, where women continue to clamor for such basic rights as voting and driving and where beheadings of criminals
from the opportunities he saw. Taking advantage of education and affirmative action programs were instrumental in achieving his goals. Fonts knew he wanted to be a business professional for a major corporation. His internal conversations comforted him during those hard, early days in a new world. Within four years of having arrived on the shores of the U.S. he was an account
Priestly anticipates worldwide celebrations highlighting Afro-descendants and Afrodescendants’ social movements. Since Afro-descendants histories have often been excluded from official histories, Afro Latino Project examined the possibilities of using Web 2.0 tools to teach these stories and use as viable tools to further the development of the Afrodescendants social movement. Within the framework of Proyecto, Afro Latino is an
From 6 to eliminate racism. No less than eight of my relatives on father and mother’s side who are highly rated medical professionals. These are all people who looked like you and me. In pre-Castro Cuba that would have been impossible. “ Castro was spurned by both the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. Washington’s persistent efforts to derail the Cuban revolution and to assassinate Castro ultimately drove him into the arms of the Soviets. Cuba remained a fiercely loyal ally of Moscow until the
Fonts From 1 theirs for a chance at freedom. Fonts said he’s had his repressing moments, has gotten his share of the “short end of the stick” and experienced challenges. His skin color, accent, immigrant status, feelings of isolation did not sway him
Priestly From 1 awareness of the declaration by United Nations and invited Minnesota to participate. Jan. 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2024 has been identified as the Decade for People of African Descent with the theme “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development.” Amilcar Maceo
Jaylani Hussein
Lekan Oguntoyinbo is a national award-winning writer. Follow him on Twitter @oguntoyinbo. Email him at oguntoyinbo@ gmail.com.
Race From 7 larger war because we aren’t dealing with rogue incidents — we need an overhaul of a system that is unjust, unfair, that is militaristic and upholds racism. If these events of police brutality and murder were occurring in another country, such as China or Afghanistan, you would hear an uproar from our elected officials instead of that indifference that they are showing here. This is why it matters to be informed, to vote, to protest. There is no social change unless people change their behaviors and their attitudes towards society and the system at large. We need to stop treating the everyday experiences of millions of people like a relic of a bygone era. Racism as a major problem does not live in the past, like polio or smallpox. It permeates nearly every aspect of our society. We need to give it a chance to exist so that we can treat it like the disease it is. Like any disease, we need to treat the root causes and bring more awareness. As a society, we’ve been so worried about accusations of racism, that we’ve been ignoring the actual realities of it. The symptoms are there, we can’t go on ignoring them. We can change this pattern, we have an opportunity to develop equity and justice into a practice rather than an afterthought. Begin by having an uncomfortable conversation about race, begin by giving racism a chance to exist. Only then can we begin to work on its root cause.
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Insight News • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Page 9
COMMUNITY Obituary
Cleola Sykes Davis Cleola Sykes Davis, “The Grand Dame� of the Harrison-Sykes clan of Kansas City, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 14 in Minneapolis. She was born Feb. 28, 1917 in Sunflower, Miss. to the union of Allen Sykes, Sr. and Martha Harrison Sykes. She was the second oldest of seven children. Fierce and independent, she revealed her sense of righteous indignation when she faced down Mississippi rednecks in one of several attempts they made to kill her father, the selfsufficient Delta farmer, Allen Sykes. When lynch-minded nightriders on horseback pulled up to the Sykes homestead in rural Sunflower demanding that the bedridden Sykes step outside, it was daughter Cleola, who emerged to challenge the marauders. “You white folks ain’t gon kill my Papa!� shouted Cleola in the voice of divine authority. She battled the adversary at that moment as an anointed child warrior armed with the strength of her God. As legend has it, the mob stood down and retreated. That fighting spirit remained the hallmark of her life of service to God, family and community, after the eventual murder of her father, she worked with her mother and family to undertake their exodus from Mississippi to Kansas City. In 1936 the family moved to Kansas City where she was a member of Barker Temple Church of God in Christ, under
the leadership of Bishop V.M. Barker. She worked in the church as a missionary, prayer warrior and on the church Mother’s Board. She supported her mother, Missionary Martha Sykes Nall and her step father, Elder Lee Nall, in establishing his pastorship in creating Prayer Temple, Church of God in Christ, under Bishop Barker’s jurisdiction. She moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1996 where she was a member of Grace Temple under the leadership of Pastor Aldrich Taylor and where she worked on the Church Mothers’ Board. Grace Temple became New Mercy Empowerment Center, under the leadership of Pastor Keman Taylor. Cleola Sykes Davis is the mother of six children. Gerline Alexander-Andrews, Mango Alexander, and Paul Davis all of whom preceded her in death; and attorney Nathaniel (Michelle) Alexander, California; Chanita Blount and businessman, Timothy (Clarissa) Davis, Minneapolis. She was preceded in death by siblings Major Harrison, Ernestine Murrell, Allen Sykes, Jr., Teola Powell, and Augusta Sykes. She also leaves behind to cherish her memory her sister Queen Mother Maxine McFarlane and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Cleola Sykes Davis
YWCA St. Paul Chief Executive Officer, Billy Collins to retire in 2015 and public sectors, Collins has contributed to the success of many organizations during his 46-year career. In recognition of his outstanding service, in 2012 he was honored with the Legacy Award from the Pan African Community Endowment Fund (PACE), an affiliate of Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. He is currently a member of the St. Paul African-American Leadership Council, the Sprockets Leadership Group, a Co-Vice Chair of the State of Minnesota’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC) and an Executive Committee member of the Twin Cities United Way Council of Agency Executives. In addition, he serves on the boards of F.R. Bigelow Foundation and the Ramsey County Workforce Investment Board Youth Council. “I am proud to have been a part of the important work of the YWCA and all that we have done to change minds, bodies and lives in our community,� Collins said. “The YWCA has a strong board and talented leadership team. I know I am leaving the organization in very capable hands.�
After 20 years of service, YWCA St. Paul Chief Executive Officer, Billy Collins has announced that he will retire as CEO in April 2015. A passionate advocate and community partner, Collins has led the YWCA St. Paul since 1995. Under his leadership the organization has continued to grow and expand services for at-risk youth, homeless families, lowincome job seekers and fitness members. During 2013, more than 5,700 people were served by YWCA programs and services. The YWCA Board of Directors has convened a committee that will work in conjunction with a thirdparty firm to conduct a nationwide search for a new CEO and Collins will assist with onboarding and coaching during the transition to new leadership. “Billy has worked tirelessly to ensure that today’s YWCA is stronger than ever,� explains Debbie Montgomery, Board President. “We are honored to have the opportunity to build on his legacy as we begin a new chapter.� As a leader in the nonprofit
Billy Collins
Classifieds
Phone: 612.588.1313
RENTALS
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Tapestry Management, LLC has various sized apartments/townhomes for rent in the following locations: St. Paul, Golden Valley, Mankato, Red Wing, N. St. Paul, Rochester, Plymouth, Jordan, Winona, Olivia, and Redwood Falls. Rental assistance is available to qualified applicants in all locations. Please contact the appropriate location for availability and additional information. Birmingham Townhomes – St. Paul 952-854-8800 Calvary Center Apartments – Golden Valley 763-546-4988 Colonial Square Apartments – Mankato 507-345-1321 Cooperidge Apartments – Red Wing 651-388-1500 Franklyn Park Apartments – N. St. Paul 651-770-1504 Innsbruck Townhomes – Rochester 507-289-1319 Mission Oaks Townhomes – Plymouth 763-559-5770 Newbridge Apartments – Rochester 507-282-8284 Northgate Community Housing – Rochester 507-289-1319 Oakridge Apartments – Rochester 507-281-1031 Schule Haus – Jordan 952-492-2084 Wapasa Apartments – Winona 507-429-9261 Westcourt Apartments – Olivia 320-523-2101 Westfalls Townhomes – Redwood Falls 507-641-5933
Rally From 1 began to exit, police in full riot gear confronted the crowd. Bloomington City Attorney Sandra Johnson is seeking to file criminal charges against the organizers of Saturday’s protest. In anticipation of such, several people have joined in a call of “Charge Me Too� with the social media hashtag of #chargemetoo. Organizers and protesters contend that their gathering was peaceful and contained and any loss of business was due to the overreaction of police and mall security. More than 20 people were arrested during Saturday’s protest, charged with trespassing. All were released a short time after their arrest. “In this season which is supposed be about love and peace, it felt like holy work to join such a well-organized and peaceful demonstration to demand justice and honor Black lives,� said the Rev. Justin Schroeder, senior minister at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, “I stood with my wife and six-year-old son and dozens of clergy and many people of faith. I was disappointed to see the police meeting peaceful protesters in full riot gear. For my
Fax: 612.588.2031
family showing up at this protest was the most important thing we could do this holiday season.� “The Mall of America received $250 million in taxpayer dollars in 2013 alone, yet they refused to let members of the public peacefully express their frustration with a broken system,� said organizer Mike McDowell. “That money should go towards providing jobs, housing and education to close the worst in the country equity gaps in our state, not to corporate subsidies. We won’t stop until our communities have what we need to thrive.� Organizers of the protest said they hoped to accomplish several goals including their basic demands of an immediate end to the unjust police murders of unarmed Black people, including Black children and teens, and for Minnesota to take measures to eliminate the worst racial disparities in policing in the country. In addition the protesters want to require all Minnesota law enforcement officers to take bias and cultural competency training, establish an independent community review board for police departments and establish a federal oversight system, increase the number of officers that live in the communities they serve and de-militarize local law enforcement across the country.
Email: info@insightnews.com
Vacancies Cokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at 320-286-2758. E-Mail cokapts@embarqmail.com
Executive Assistant to the Chief
U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, District of MN, is accepting applications for a full-time Executive Assistant to the Chief for the Minneapolis Office. Salary range is $44,713 – $72,727. For a complete job description please visit our website, http://www. mnd.uscourts.gov , Career Opportunities. EOE
4-H Program Coordinator University of Minnesota Extension is recruiting for a 100% time 4-H Program Coordinator position in Hennepin County. Essential qualifications: Bachelor’s degree required. Must have four (4) years of experience in a direct youth development organization (as a member, volunteer, leader, paid staff member, or some combination). Access to reliable transportation for jobrelated travel. Ability to work evenings and weekends. APPLY ONLINE Requisition number: 195761 To apply online and to access the complete job description, go to: employment.umn.edu/applicants/ Central?quickFind=126353 Initial application review January 7, 2015; position will remain open until filled. The U of M is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Pro Se Law Clerk - PT
The U.S. District Court, District of MN is accepting applications for a part-time Pro Se Law Clerk (20hrs/week). This position will be located in St. Paul. Salary range is $30,718 - $67,255. For complete job description, visit the court’s website www.mnd.uscourts.gov, Employment. An Equal Opportunity Employer
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Page 10 • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Insight News
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Travis Anderson Trio
including world renowned drummer Kevin Washington. Sign up starts at 10 p.m. and the show starts at 11 p.m.
Kevin Washington
Wednesday, Dec. 31 PARTY/JAZZ/HIP-HOP
Dec. 29 - Jan 4
Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking. Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com
Monday, Dec. 29 JAZZ/PERFORMANCE Travis Anderson Trio Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Minneapolis 7 p.m.
Shed G presents 2015 New Year’s Eve Bash feat. Ryan Kilgore Marriott Courtyard Minneapolis 1500 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. 21-plus $30 advance Join KMOJ’s Shed G for New Years with his special guest, saxophonist, Ryan Kilgore. Kilgore plays with Stevie Wonder and has performed in the Twin Cities with Shed and Anthony David. Rooms are also available for the night at a rate of $114. For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.vitalculture. com/events/detail/2607. PARTY/HIP-HOP
Ave.,
With energy and chops to burn Travis Anderson (piano), Steve Pikal (bass) and Nathan Norman (drums) bring fresh interpretations to standards and more, from Chopin to Mario Bros.
Tuesday, Dec. 30 OPEN MIC The Poet’s Groove – Open Mic Blue Nile Restaurant 2027 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis 10 p.m. No cover Billed as the longest running weekly open mic in the state of Minnesota, the Poet’s Groove is an open mic hosted by Chadwick “Niles” Phillips that features a full live band
TURNTADA LIVE – New Years Eve Party First Avenue & 7th Street Entry 701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis $10 advance/$20 day of show The Turnt Up Crew (Willie Shu, DJ Gabe Garcia, FranzDiego and DJ Espada) are teaming up to present TURNTADA – or what they call “the livest last party of 2014.”
Thursday, Jan. 1 REGGAE/DANCE NIGHT The Bungalow The Record Room/First Ave Nightclub 701 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis 10 p.m. No cover DJ Verb X leads the weekly dance night specializing in reggae, dancehall and hiphop.
Friday, Jan. 2
The show is hosted by Prince Carlton and Cooly.
HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE
Saturday, Jan. 3
Post New Year Festival The Cabooze 917 Cedar Ave. Minneapolis, 18-plus $7 advance/$12 door
S.,
Prince Carlton and Pledge Empire Records will be kicking off 2015 with their event the, Post New Year Festival with performances by Louie P, STI-LO REEL, Ced Linus, Friendly Beers, Lyric Marid, Kidd Cane, Touger & Knoxx, Skeptic, Corporate, Ars Nova and Midwest Tea Collective.
EXHIBIT “A Right to Establish a Home in Minneapolis” HGA Gallery Rapson Hall – University of Minnesota 100 Church Street S.E. Minneapolis, Minnesota 8:30 p.m. No cover “A Right to Establish a Home” examines the history behind a series of menacing
protests that enveloped 4600 Columbus Ave. S., Minneapolis following the property’s purchase in August 1931 by Arthur and Edith Lee. The young African-American couple chose to buy a house in what many then considered a “white neighborhood.” The exhibition interprets the protests and responses in the broader context of race and housing in Minneapolis, racism in Minnesota, and the individuals and organizations that defended the Lees, including the NAACP and the attorney Lena Olive Smith.
Sunday, Jan. 4 EXHIBIT
“Radical Presence: Black Performance in Contemporary Art” (final day) Walker Art Center 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis Runs until January 4th Organized by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, this groundbreaking exhibition is the first comprehensive survey of performance art by Black artists working from the perspective of the visual arts from the 1960s to the present and features interactive art, photography, video, installations and much more.
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Insight News • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Page 11
The ten best Black books of 2014 By Kam Williams
1. “Justice While Black: Helping AfricanAmerican Families Navigate and Survive the Criminal Justice System” by Robbin Shipp, Esq. and Nick Chiles
2. “An Obama’s Journey: My Odyssey of Self-Discovery across Three Cultures” by Mark Obama Ndesandjo
3. “Who We Be: The Colorization of America” by Jeff Chang
4. “Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black” by Congressman James E. Clyburn (D-SC) Foreword by Alfre Woodard
5. “Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina” by Misty Copeland
6. “One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America’s Future” by Dr. Ben Carson and Candy Carson
7.
“Finding Your Roots” by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
8. “What the Word Be: Why Black English Is the King’s (James) English” by Diane Proctor Reeder
9. “Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Final Year” by Tavis Smiley with David Ritz
10.“Culture Worrier: Reflections on Race, Politics and Social Change” by Clarence Page
‘The Lawyer as Leader: How to Plant People and Grow Justice” by Dr. Artika R. Tyner
“The Rise Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery” by Sarah Lewis “Success through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple” by Russell Simmons “The Imperfect Marriage
“Not for Everyday Use: A Memoir” by Elizabeth Nunez
“Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou” by Maya Angelou
“This Nonviolent Stuff ’ll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible” by Charles E. Cobb, Jr.
“The Myth of Race, The Reality of Racism” by Mahmoud El-Kati
“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson
“The Light of Truth: Writings of an Anti-Lynching Crusader” by Ida B. Wells Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Mia Bay General Editor: Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
“Nine Lives of a Black Panther: A Story of Survival” by Wayne Pharr
“A Black Gambler’s World of Liquor, Vice and Presidential Politics: William Thomas Scott of Illinois, 18391917” by Bruce L. Mouser Foreword by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
“Why Vegan is the New Black” by Deborrah Cooper
“Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson
How Hyper-Incarceration Has Hijacked the American Dream” by Brian E. Moran, Esq.
“Cosby: His Life and Times” by Mark Whitaker
Honorable Mention
“Stokely: A Life” by Peniel E. Joseph
“The Man from Essence” by Edward Lewis with Audrey Edwards Foreword by Camille O. Cosby
Help for Those Who Think It’s Over” by Darryl and Tracy Strawberry “Inside the Hotel Rwanda: The Surprising True Story… and Why It Matters Today” by Edouard Kayihura and Kerry Zukus
“Black and White: The Way I See It” by Richard Williams “Transforming Pain to Power: Unlock Your Unlimited Potential” by Daniel Beaty
“Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came out Smiling (with Great Hair)” by Rosie Perez
“Story/Time: The Life of an Idea” by Bill T. Jones
“The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century” Edited by Dinesh Sharma and Uwe P. Gielen
“Old School Adventures from Englewood--South Side of Chicago” by Elaine Hegwood Bowen
“Place, Not Race: A New Vision of Opportunity in America” by Sheryll Cashin
“Our Ancestors, Our Stories” by Harris Bailey, Jr., Bernice Alexander Bennett, Ellen LeVonne Butler, Ethel Dailey, Vincent Sheppard and Dr. Orville Vernon Burton “Things I Should Have Told My Daughter: Lies, Lessons and Love Affairs” by Pearl Cleage “Yoga, Meditation and Spiritual Growth for the AfricanAmerican Community” by Daya Devi-Doolin “How the Poor Can Save Capitalism: Rebuilding the Path to the Middle Class” by John Hope Bryant Foreword by Ambassador Andrew Young “The
Justice
“America’s Music: Newark” by Barbara Kukla
“Misdiagnosed: The Search for Dr. House” by Nika C. Beamon “Racial Innocence: Performing American Childhood from Slavery to Civil Rights” by Robin Bernstein “Guiou: The Other Blacks The Afro-Jamaican Presence in Guatemala” by Gloria J. Arnold “Dollar Democracy: With Liberty and Justice for Some” by Peter Mathews “Pageants, Parlors & Pretty Women: Race and Beauty in the 20th Century South” by Blain Roberts “Unbreak My Heart: A Memoir” by Toni Braxton “Thirty-Three Days of Praise: Seeing the Good in Cancer” by Karrie Marchbanks
Imperative:
“TOP FIVE”
Chris Rock rolls in romantic comedy/film industry satire In Birdman, Michael Keaton played a fading star trying to revive a career that had been in decline since he’d become typecast after playing a superhero in a series of blockbusters on the big screen. That plotline wasn’t all that far off from the arc of Keaton’s real-life fate following an outing as Batman back in 1989. The similarly-themed Top Five features Chris Rock as Andre Allen, a comedian who has become too closely associated with “Hammy the Bear,” the popular protagonist of a humor-driven film franchise. Consequently, he’s been having a hard time making the transition to dramatic roles. At the point of departure, we find Andre in the midst of promoting his newest movie, Uprize, an historical drama about a slave insurrection on the island of Haiti. He’s allowed New York Times reporter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) to tag along for the day, since she’s been assigned
by the paper to prepare a profile on him. Sparks fly, the two flirt, and it’s pretty obvious right off the bat that the two are attracted to each other. Trouble is, he’s already engaged and about to marry Erica Long (Gabrielle Union), a shallow, self-centered reality show star. It’s equally clear that Andre and his high maintenance fiancée are ill-matched, so anybody who’s ever seen a romantic comedy can figure out where this one’s headed. And while the plot does everything to prevent Andre from wising up until the very end, it simultaneously affords the acid-tongued funnyman ample opportunities to point out show business’ shortcomings. Besides being peppered with plenty of inside jokes and pithy comments about Hollywood, Top Five is memorable for boasting the most star-studded cast of the year. The dramatis personae includes J.B. Smoove, Kevin Hart, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Cedric the
Entertainer, Tracy Morgan, Whoopi Goldberg, Charlie Rose, DMX, Jay Pharoah, Taraji P. Henson, Romany Malco, Gabby Sidibe, Luis Guzman, Sherri Shepherd and Ben Vereen. As you might imagine, many of the celebs are limited to blink and you missed it cameos, though the production does manage to milk a little magic out of each one’s brief moment in the limelight. Nevertheless, make no mistake, this is a Chris Rock vehicle, and the picture is at its best when the irreverent comic is at his cockiest. A clever, laff-a-minute adventure worth the investment for the hilarity, even if it telegraphs where the love story might be headed. Excellent
Rated R for sexuality, nudity, crude humor, pervasive profanity and drug use Running time: 101 minutes Distributor: Paramount Pictures
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Page 12 • December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 • Insight News
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