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Insight News December 17 - December 23, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 51• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Patrick Henry High School junior Janaan Ahmed will serve as the student representative on the Minneapolis Public Schools board.

Representation matters Shahir Ahmed TTU U RN RN TO 3

Page 2 •December December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Insight News

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Insight News December 17 - December 23, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 51• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Janaan Ahmed named MPS board student representative

Book tour comes to St. Paul March 13

Michelle Obama coming to Xcel Michelle Obama is coming to the Twin Cities. The beloved former first lady, whose book, “Becoming, An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama,” is flying off shelves to tune of more than 3 million sold since its Nov. 13 release, is coming to the Xcel Center in St. Paul March 13. Tickets for the event went on sale Dec. 14. To purchase tickets for the event go to www.ticketmaster.com. Both the book and tour have been highly anticipated, as Obama has become one of the more sought-after figures in politics and society. The tour is already making headlines with the likes of Oprah Winfrey sitting down for a conversation with the Princeton University and

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com

Harvard University educated lawyer and 44th First Lady of the United States. Obama’s husband, former president, Barack Obama has also made a surprise appearance on the tour. During Barack Obama’s presidency Michelle Obama made multiple trips to the Twin Cities to both campaign for her husband and to support her initiatives such as bringing attention to military spouses whose husbands and wives are serving overseas. With the fervor over the book and tour, many are speculating Michelle Obama may run for the presidency in 2020 though, thus far, she has been adamant is stating she will not run.

Patrick Henry High School’s Janaan Ahmed has been selected to serve as the student representative on the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) board. Ahmed, a 16-year-old junior, was selected after applying to serve on the board, and will begin service in January. Ahmed is one of the students leading the charge to change the name of her high school, which is named for Founding Father and former slave owner Patrick Henry. Henry, who is remembered best for his “give me liberty or give me death” declaration against British rule … a speech in which he likens the plights of Colonials to that of slavery … would later speak out against American slavery but never oﬀered the nearly 80 human beings he owned as slaves their freedoms. Ahmed said she will be a representative for change when

Janaan Ahmed she joins the board. “I am hungry for change. I have always been told, ‘a closed mouth does not get fed.’ Unfortunately, this is true even for people who believe they are powerless to open their mouths because of insuﬃcient resources and not enough listening ears. As a result, these people are starving for change,” said Ahmed in her application to serve on the MPS board. “A strength that I will bring to the Board of Education is advocacy. With the position of student representative, I will be able to continue to be the resource for

AHMED 10

NAACP asks for Supreme Court ruling on police obligation to administer aid By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor @StacyBrownMedia The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the question of whether police officers are constitutionally obligated to help a person injured during arrest. Officials said the question arises from the case of Jason White, a decorated veteran who was killed by two Columbus, Ohio, police officers

Jason White’s estate seeks punitive damages for excessive force, indifference to serious medical needs, and assault and battery. Police Chief Kimberly Jacobs and the city of Columbus are named as defendants for failure to train and supervise.

in 2013 during a mental health crisis triggered by his service in Iraq. Both officers were trained as first responders, but after shooting White multiple times, neither tried to help him. Instead they stood over him and waited 15 minutes for an ambulance as White bled to death, LDF officials said. “This petition is about fundamental civil rights and basic human decency,” said LDF Assistant Counsel Daniel Harawa. “As the case of Jason White tragically illustrates, whether or not police officers administer care to those in their custody can be a matter of life and death. We believe

that at a minimum, officers have a constitutional responsibility to provide aid to those injured during arrest when they are trained as first responders and it is safe to do so.” The Supreme Court has previously held that the Fourteenth Amendment requires police to provide medical care to persons in their custody. But it has not defined of what care should that consist. On that issue, courts of appeals have disagreed. The Eighth and Tenth Circuits have held that there are occasions where the Fourteenth Amendment requires officers to personally provide care to

an arrestee. But the Sixth and Ninth Circuits have held that officers satisfy their constitutional obligations simply by calling for an ambulance. Each year, more than 10 million people are arrested, 55,000 people are injured or killed during arrest, and one-third to half of all police use-of-force incidents involve disabled persons, according to the LDF. “(We) therefore urge the Court to clarify this vital question and define police officers’ constitutional obligations to provide medical assistance to people in their custody,” said Harawa.

From Mauritania to Qatar: Slavery evil takes many forms ByAndre Johnson Urban News Service Incredibly in the 21st century some Africans are still working in conditions akin to slavery informally or formally in some areas of the Middle East. In Mauritania slavery, though oﬃcially illegal, remains a fact of life for an estimated 40,000 slaves. Mauritania is rarely mentioned in international media coverage. Conversely, across the Middle East – Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Despite repeated international campaigns, some Ghanaian workers there are making as little as $40 dollars a week while living in shared accom-

Mauritania, a country with a population of 4 million, became the last country to ban slavery in 1983, though the practice has lingered through the present.

News

Dr. Jody Lulich leader, innovator in veterinarian science

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Afrodescendientes Chapter 6.1 Cecilia

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Commentary

An African American holiday, Kwanzaa belongs to all of us

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UNS

modation where employers are allowed to pack as many as four workers into a tiny room according to The Guardian. Terrorists groups around the region use sex slaves. Slavery, an old evil takes many forms. Mauritania, a country with a population of 4 million, became the last country to ban slavery in 1983, though the practice has lingered through the present. In 2007, the practice was criminalized. Since slavery was criminalized, only one criminal conviction has taken place. Often living in near starvation conditions (one journalist reported seeing children eating sand) they have to also deal with

MAURITANIA 4

The Windy City serves as setting for adaptation of Brit crime series, ‘Widows’

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Dr. Jody Lulich leader, innovator in veterinarian science By Maya Beecham Just two miles from the Minnesota State Fair Grounds on the University of Minnesota - St. Paul campus there is an internationally known scholar that operates within the Small Animal Hospital at the Veterinary Medical Center within the College of Veterinary Medicine. His name is Dr. Jody Lulich. He serves as the codirector of the Minnesota Urolith Center, diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, professor and endowed Hills/Osborne Chair in nephrology and urology at the University of Minnesota. Lulich is an internationally renowned clinical investigator and educator in nephrology, the branch of medicine that deals with the kidney, and urology, the scientific, clinical and surgical aspects of the study of the urine and the genitourinary tract in health and disease. Under the direction of Lulich, the center carries out the mission established at its inception in 1981, “to help veterinarians investigate causes and cures for urolithiasis, the formation of stones in the urinary tract.” The center analyzes 87,000 stone submissions per year from veterinarians in 65 different countries. To date the center has analyzed uroliths from 1.3 million animals from 90 different species, including companion animals, farm animals and

Dr. Jody Lulich wild animals. Lulich is known for developing the technique of voiding urohydropropulsion, a nonsurgical method to remove uroliths from the urinary bladder. In addition to his scholarly expertise and exploits he is an award-winning creative writer and classically trained pianist. The researcher sat down with Maya Beecham on behalf of Insight News to share his work, his educational experience, and his vison for the Minnesota Urolith Center. Maya Beecham: Explain what you do and the importance of urology? Dr. Jody Lulich: I spend 20 percent of my time in the clinic.

I am actually trained in internal medicine, but I had done so much work in the area of urology. That’s really where all of my patients come from. They come or wait for me because I am on two days of every two weeks. I do some unique things. My mission is to make the surgical removal of stones obsolete. Working with certain colleagues of mine we dissolve stones with diet and medication so that animals don’t have to go through surgery. I do a procedure called laser lithotripsy cystoscopy where I will break up the stones in smaller pieces and either ﬂush them or pull them out of the urinary tract so dogs don’t have to go through surgery. Dogs don’t

have to go to sleep. Female cats either, but male cats’ anatomy is so small I can’t use those techniques on them. I am always into trying to make things better. I also do a research side. I try and understand not only how stones form but how we can prevent them or how we can dissolve them. And its meaningful to me because if we can manage them non-surgically then we minimize pain and discomfort and all that stuﬀ that goes along with it. I also work with human urologists. So, some of the diseases in animals are very similar to people. Not only can the work I do help them but hopefully the work they do can help me. I also do teaching. I teach a variety of things but mainly urinary diseases and besides that I run a big stone analysis center. It’s the biggest stone center in the world. It’s bigger than the largest human lab stone center as well. We analyze 84,000 samples in a year and the biggest human lab stone center in the world analyzes 50,000 stones in a year. We do 1.3 million stones. If we do the math it will be at one and a half to two years before we see the 1.5 millionth stone. I enjoy what I do and I feel like I make a diﬀerence. MB: One day you saw a dog get hit and it struck a chord in you to pursue a career as a veterinar-

ian?

question you have to answer?

JL: There was a dog that got hit by a car and got run over. That’s what got me started in a career in veterinary medicine. I was 9 (years old).

JL Why do calcium oxalate stones form? If we can ﬁgure out why they form, then we can hopefully prevent them. It’s a big disease in people and it’s a big disease in a whole group of dogs and it’s a painful disease. So, with colleagues of mine are working on the genetics, we are working on the anatomy. Trying to understand why they form, and why they form in the kidney.

MB: What were the next steps that happened in your journey to becoming a veterinarian? JL: I grew up in Chicago. I went to Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy High School. Then I went to Northwestern University and got my Bachelor of Arts in biology. I applied for veterinarian school and didn’t get in the first time believe it or not, but I did get in the second time. I went to Tuskegee University in 1980 and graduated in 1984 first in my class. I applied for an internship, which is the beginning of more advanced training, and when you apply for an internship you don’t choose where you go, they choose you. (On the list) I put a big hospital in New York. Minnesota was second and Cornell University Hospital for Animals was third. Minnesota accepted me. I think I thought I was going to get my first choice, but I didn’t. I did my residency in internal medicine and my Ph.D. at the same time and it took five years. After that I started a faculty position and the rest is history. It was 1990 when I started the faculty position.

MB: What is your vision for the center? JL: My vision for the center is really we have to provide some type of service to have a sense of caring. We have to provide some sense of mission research to make things better. It is not enough just for me to analyze stones from dogs and cats and animals from all over the world but if we can learn from that and actually have better treatments in the future that would be the goal. That would be a good legacy to leave, to leave it better than what you can and hopefully emulate that. It is more than just service it’s service with the goal of improving. Part of your service is not only taking care of the immediate but making sure the future is also better than the present or the past. That is why the service is so important. You need to look in order to develop or see ideas.

MB: What is the next research

Dr. Josie R. Johnson to release memoir Acclaimed civil and human rights stalwart and educator, Dr. Josie Johnson will soon release her memoir. “Hope in the Struggle: A Memoir” is set for release this coming March. Published through the University of Minnesota Press, the book

answers “How a Black woman from Texas became the most prominent civil rights activist in Minnesota, detailing seven remarkable decades of ﬁghting for fairness in voting, housing, education and employment.” Johnson, the daughter of a Houston civil rights activist,

has been on the front lines of the struggle for justice and equality since she was a teen, going doorto-door to campaign in Texas for the removal of a “poll tax” used to deny African-Americans the right to vote. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville – a historically Black university –

Johnson became an influential figure in politics, serving as chief of staff for multiple campaigns and serving as a Minnesota DFL delegate who cast a vote in the historic 2008 presidential election that saw the election of the nation’s first Black president, Barack Obama.

She holds the distinction of being the ﬁrst African-American to serve on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents. “Hope in the Struggle” chronicles much of her life and

March on Washington, becoming the first African-American to serve on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents or creating the university’s Oﬃce of the Associate Vice

“shines light on the diﬀerence one person can make.” Her memoir oﬀers a close-up picture of what that struggle has entailed, whether working as a community organizer for the Minneapolis Urban League or lobbying for fair housing and employment laws, investigating civil rights abuses or co-chairing the Minnesota delegation to the

President for Academic Aﬀairs with a focus on minority aﬀairs and diversity. An intimate view of civil rights history in the making, “Hope in the Struggle” is a uniquely inspiring life story for these current dark and divisive times, a testament to how one determined soul can make the world a better place. – University of Minnesota Press

Mauritania From 3 the most hurtful forms of abuse. “Female slaves, both women and girls, were routinely subjected to rape by their masters and forced to bear their children,” reads the 2017 U.S. State Department report on Mauritania. “There were cases in the past where female slaves attempted to prosecute their master. State prosecutors told victims that they could face charges for having children out of wedlock, using children produced from rape as a deterrent to prosecuting slavery.” The Hratine ethnic group, who make up 40 percent of the country’s population are the entirety of its slave population. Not all Mauritanians are taking their plight laying down. “The Hratine, sons and grandsons of the Black slave

labor, became aware of their humanity, equivalent to that of the masters. Thus … grant(ing) us their votes in the polls,” said Biram Ould Dah Abeid, Mauritania’s best-known anti-slavery activist. “However, resistance to the liberating course of history is (opposed by) conservative segments of Arab-Berber society. The country remains under the domination of a militaro-tribal and aﬀairist oligarchy, welded by the deﬁnitive feeling of its superiority.” Dah Abeid was elected to parliament this year but, was soon imprisoned. Through an indermidiary Dah Abeid answered questions posed to him from the Urban News Service via his prison cell. “We are supporting Biram Dah Abeid in Mauritania,” said Présidente Sylvie O’Dy, a former journalist and the chair of the Committee Against Modern Slavery (CCEM) based in France.

MAURITANIA 9

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Insight News • December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Page 5

The measure provides a framework for developing a City ID program

Minneapolis City Council approves municipal ID ordinance The City Council approved a new ordinance that establishes a framework for developing a City of Minneapolis identification card program. The city’s 2019 budget, approved by the council earlier this month, also includes a one-time allocation of $200,000 to help start a City ID program. Over the coming months, staff will work to figure out the partnerships and resources needed to create a City ID card program similar to ones in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and other cities. “It’s good to know who we are and what we stand for,” said Council Member Alondra Cano (Ward 9), who authored the measure. “The pow-

erful act of being able to openly celebrate our identities and have them firmly recognized is something everyone should be able to participate in. However, we live in a city plagued by racial disparities where the ability to provide proof of identity – such as a driver’s license – is a basic necessity that many take for granted. We have so much good in this city, we need to do more to ensure every one of our neighbors can feel welcomed, included and invited to share in these benefits. This is why the City took the step today to removing barriers to ensure every resident in Minneapolis can get access to a widely accepted form of identification which will help us share in

the benefits of the city we care for, fight for and call home.” “Minneapolis ID, once launched, will serve as a connective tissue for our truly inclusive city,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “Registering for a city-wide ID will be a new way to foster civic pride and tell everyone that you live in the greatest city – and doing so will have the added benefit of helping all Minneapolis residents.” Plans call for the creation of a card that would be recognized as a valid form of identification by all Minneapolis city departments and law enforcement. It would be available to all Minneapolis residents 13 and older, giving them the opportunity to

Council Member Alondra Cano (Ward 9)

have a form of governmentissued photo identification. Cardholders would also have access to non-city services and may also be eligible for “perks.” Potential benefits could include using the card for transit, financial transactions and even discounts at restaurants, local museums and theaters. Many in Minneapolis cannot get driver’s licenses, state IDs or any other government-issued identification due to housing instability, gender identity, age, student status or immigration status. Over the coming months, staff will work to develop a working Minneapolis ID program.

Neighborhood News: Hawthorne Neighborhood Council

HNC

The Hawthorne Neighborhood Council (HNC) and Youth Coordinating Board honored young entrepreneur Jaequan Faulkner (second from left).

Hawthorne’s 5th Annual Winter Warmth On Dec. 8, HNC once again collaborated with various organizations to serve more than 350 children, providing them with new coats, hats, scarves, mittens and gloves at this year’s annual event. Santa Claus and his elves were on hand for photos and to get Christmas wish lists from the

kids. There was some dancing involved and Bingo the Clown also came to share in the fun with the everyone. With the help of local motorcycle clubs and others, more than $7,000 was raised to assist area children in need. HNC presented plaques to MAD DADS in recognition of their community eﬀorts.

Greenway River Link, a trail connection at the eastern end of the 26th Avenue North bike and pedestrian trails. For more on the grant funding for RiverFirst, visit www.ﬁnance-commerce. com/2018/11/1m-grant-advances-riverﬁrst-project-starts.

RiverFirst gets funding The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is close to its goal to fund two high-proﬁle projects on the Mississippi riverfront. The foundation hopes to be ready to start work on both projects early in 2019, with the goal of meeting the $17.9 million goal by the end of the year. RiverFirst is a longterm plan spearheaded by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to redevelop 11 miles of riverfront in Minneapolis. The foundation’s capital campaign is focused on two portions. One is the Water Works, a plan to add a restaurant and outdoor amenity space in Mill Ruins Park from the Crown Roller building near Fifth Avenue South to the Third Street Bridge. The other is the Great Northern

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At the December Hawthorne Huddle, the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council (HNC) and Youth Coordinating Board honored young entrepreneur Jaequan Faulkner. Faulkner decided that he wanted to start a hot dog stand with his own money, in his front yard. Little did he know that with all success, there are some hurdles that you must jump to get to where you want to be. The threat of being shut down for not having a permit was his hurdle. So, with hard work, dedication, determination and help from NEON, the Minneapolis Department, Bike Cops for kids, the Minneapolis Health Department and others, he was able to obtain his permit to continue serving his hot dogs to the neighborhood.

HNC

Hawthorne Neighborhood Council’s Winter Warmth event.

Page 6 •December December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Insight News

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Insight 2 Health Holiday depression: Avoiding the holiday blues By Alphonso Gibbs, Jr. Men’s Health Network The six weeks encompassing Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s – collectively called “the holidays” – are for most a magically unique time of year, filled with holiday carols, reunions, displays of colorful lights, love, and affection, often expressed through gift giving. But for some, the holidays bring hurt. Caused by factors including the weather, separation, death, stress, unrealistic expectations, hyper-sentimentality, guilt or overspending, holiday depression – also called the “holiday blues” – can zap the merriment out of even the most wonderful time of the year. Holiday depression affects 1 million people every year. Men

and women, young and old, all fall victim to feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, and fatigue during this emotionally charged season. Men’s Health Network oﬀers the following suggestions to help identify and ward oﬀ – or at least better cope with – potential sources of holiday depression. Acknowledge that you’re hurting. Others may expect certain attitudes and behaviors from you that you may not feel. The retail industry’s “holiday hype” presents an overly sentimental, nostalgic and even imaginary notion of the holidays (usually to try to sell something). Sill, feelings of sadness, loneliness, or depression don’t automatically vanish just because it’s the holidays. Acknowledge pain, be open and honest with others, refuse to feel guilty, and get help if necessary.

Have a plan to deal with feelings. Try to surround yourself with people who care about and support you. Invest yourself in

tations are not a reason for your own mental health to suﬀer. Set realistic expectations. Keep expectations realistic rath-

“Letting go” and forgiving can help heal past wounds.

an exercise program (aerobic activities such as walking, running, cycling, etc., are recommended because of their moodelevating ability). If necessary, see a doctor or therapist. And learn to say “no.” Others’ expec-

er than perfectionistic. Prioritize and reduce self-imposed holiday preparations. Delegate responsibilities. Realistically plan a budget, spending and shopping. Do less and enjoy more. Obsessing over endless details is bound to

change this long-awaited, oncea-year season from a time of exuberance to one of exhaustion. Consider that your depression may actually be caused by this time of year. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, occurs because of reduced exposure to sunlight, which is just what happens during the holiday season when daylight hours are shorter. Check with a doctor to see if light therapy might be beneficial. Help others. Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, nursing homes, churches and scores of other organizations can always use volunteers, especially at critical times of the year. Additionally, you’ll benefit from the company of other people around you rather than being alone. Bury the hatchet. Perfect families don’t magically appear during the holidays, but fam-

ily conﬂicts can. “Letting go” and forgiving can help heal past wounds. Additionally, family feuds can even be deliberately set aside until after the hightension holidays in order to facilitate the peace and enjoyment of everyone at this special time. Start new traditions. Both families and traditions change with time. Rather than reminiscing over the “good old days,” accept the fact that change may be necessary, grasp the season as it is now, look forward to the future, and create your own family traditions that can be enjoyed and even preserved for future generations. Keep alcohol intake low. Remember, alcohol has a depressive eﬀect on your nervous system, so if you’re experiencing the holiday blues, drinking too much alcohol will only worsen your depression.

Moderate or severe sleep apnea doubles risk of hard-to-treat hypertension African-Americans with moderate or severe sleep apnea are twice as likely to have hard-to-control high blood pressure when their sleep apnea goes untreated, according to a new study funded mainly by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The ﬁndings, which researchers say may partially explain why African-Americans suﬀer hypertension at rates higher than any other group, point to screening and treatment of sleep apnea as another important strategy for keeping uncontrolled high blood pressure at bay. A common disorder that blocks the upper airways and causes people to stop breathing during sleep, sleep apnea already has

been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure in whites, but the association in Blacks has been largely understudied. This new research demonstrates this link in a large population of AfricanAmericans. The results were just published Dec. 10 in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association. “This is an example of how NHLBI funded research is making important advances to our basic understanding of cardiovascular risk and sleep health,” said Dr. Michael Twery, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at NHLBI. “This report underscores the need for studies to determine whether screening groups at high risk for sleep apnea, such as AfricanAmericans, would facilitate early

medical intervention and reduce the risk or severity of heart disease.” “This study identiﬁes a risk factor for hard-to-control hypertension that until now has gone underrecognized in AfricanAmericans,” said study leader Dr. Dayna Johnson, an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta. Johnson added that the disproportionately high rate of uncontrolled hypertension among African-Americans makes the study results even more consequential. A recent NIH-funded study showed that about 75 percent of African-American men and women are likely to develop high blood pressure by age 55,

compared to 55 percent of white men and 40 percent of white women of the same age. Johnson noted that the current ﬁndings could provide more of an impetus for African-Americans with the condition to get evaluated for sleep apnea, which also appears to aﬀect them more than it does whites. An estimated one in four African-Americans in the United States have moderate or severe sleep apnea, but most have not been diagnosed or treated by a doctor, according to a 2018 study led by Johnson when she worked at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. In the new study, the researchers followed 664 African-Americans with hypertension who were participants in the Jackson Heart Study, the largest investigation

of causes of cardiovascular disease in African-Americans. The researchers tested the participants for obstructive sleep apnea (the most common kind) with a special device used overnight in the home. Researchers classiﬁed sleep apnea as unaﬀected, mild, moderate, or severe based on the number of times a person either partially or completely stopped breathing during sleep. The tests revealed that more than a quarter of the participants had moderate or severe sleep apnea and that the condition had gone undiagnosed in almost all of them – i.e., 94 percent of the cases. The remaining participants had either no sleep apnea, or a milder form of it. The researchers also took blood pressure measurements and found that 48 percent of the participants had “uncontrolled” high blood pressure, meaning they had the condition even though they took one or two antihypertensive medications. About 14 percent had “resistant” hypertension, meaning they had the condition while on three or more antihypertensive medications. “Resistant” hypertension is more severe than “uncontrolled” and carries a higher risk for heart disease and death, the researchers said. The researchers then compared measures of sleep apnea to categories of blood pressure control. Study participants with moderate or severe sleep apnea were

twice as likely to have resistant hypertension when compared to participants without sleep apnea. Those with severe sleep apnea were 3.5 times as likely to have resistant hypertension compared to participants without sleep apnea. Somewhat unexpectedly, the researchers found no association between milder forms of sleep apnea and uncontrolled or resistant hypertension. The results suggest that African-Americans with more severe forms of sleep apnea are at higher risk of having hard-to-treat hypertension, the researchers said. The current study did not explore what proportion of resistant hypertension is attributable to sleep apnea. The study did not examine the mechanisms by which sleep apnea increases blood pressure. But Dr. Susan Redline, senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the study’s senior author, said that earlier studies indicate that untreated sleep apnea can cause blood pressure to surge during sleep and remain high during the day when a patient is awake. Her earlier research showed that treatment of sleep apnea with continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) lowers blood pressure, especially during the night. CPAP and other breathing devices deliver slight air pressure through a mask and are highly eﬀective for treatment of sleep apnea.

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Page 8 •December December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Insight News

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Afrodescendientes Editor’s note: Victor Martinez, a Henry High School student leader a little over a decade ago, shares a life-changing message of life lessons he learned as he searched for the love of his life. He reveals a framework for getting everything you want out of life and more. Martinez now pastors a bilingual congregation at North Minneapolis’ New Generation Church. His book is available on Amazon.

Life Lessons

By Victor Armando Martinez www.AllYouWantBook.com

Nota del editor: Víctor Martínez, un dirigente estudiantil de secundaria Henry un poco más hace una década,

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

I felt really good about myself while descending from the plane, conﬁdent like I had a million dollars. It also helped to boost my morale and selfesteem that I was taller than most people there. Part of me felt like a famous basketball player walking among the much shorter locals. I wish I could say that it was love at ﬁrst sight. I wish I could say that the moment I laid my eyes on Cecilia, I felt wowed and taken with her. As I stepped down from the plane, I looked out to the crowd of people waiting for their loved ones at the airport corridor. I scanned through them searching for a nervous and beautiful girl. I never expected to feel what I felt next. I was expecting to feel ecstatic and stunned but as I scanned the sea of people I noticed a

young girl who was around the same age as I (age 24 at the time) that ﬁt the description of Cecilia. She had an extremely nervous look about her and the

ﬁrst thing I noticed about her was the nose, it seemed to be oﬀ a bit, like it was broken. It had a bump and appeared tilted. She also had braces and this did not help my opinion of her at that point at all. Her face had a distinct Peruvi-

pointed since I had prepared myself for the worst. I also noticed a nervous looking grown man beside her, whom I could easily tell was her father. I briskly walked over to them where they were standing and introduced myself ﬁrst to her, after

comparte un mensaje de cambio de vida de las lecciones que aprendió como buscaba el amor de su vida. Revela un marco para todo lo que quieres de la vida y mucho más obtener. Martinez ahora pastorea una congregación bilingüe en Nueva Generación Iglesia de North Minneapolis. Disponible en Amazon

tan conﬁado como si tuviera un millón de dólares. También el ver que yo era más alto que la mayoría de las personas allí, me ayudó a aumentar mi moral y autoestima. Una parte de mí se sentía como un famoso jugador de baloncesto caminando entre los locales mucho más bajos. Ojalá pudiera decir que fue amor a primera vista. Me gustaría poder decir que en el momento en que puse mis ojos en Cecilia, me había sentido cautivado por ella. Cuando bajé del avión, miré a la multitud que esperaba a sus seres queridos en el pasillo del aeropuerto. Los escudriñé buscando a una chica nerviosa y hermosa. Nunca esperé sentir lo que sentí después. Esperaba sentirme maravillado y alucinado, pero mientras escudriñaba el mar de gente, noté que una joven que tenía aproximadamente la misma

edad que yo (24 años en ese momento) se ajustaba a la descripción de Cecilia. Tenía una mirada extremadamente

Las Lecciones

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford

Por Victor Armando Martinez www.AllYouWantBook.com

Me sentía muy bien conmigo mismo al descender del avión,

an look, which I was not used to seeing, and the ﬁrst thought that came to my mind was that she wasn’t as attractive as I expected. I wasn’t too disap-

Chapter 6.1

CECILIA

which I turned to her father and did the same. He quickly walked us out of the airport to a taxi. My initial plan was to stay at a motel near their house but Cecilia gave me a heads up that her father planned to host me in their spare room so that he could keep a close eye on me and properly monitor me. As I sat next to Cecilia in the taxi I told myself that we were just friends and that this was going to be a nice trip that I would enjoy. I was in a foreign country after all and I had never been there before, I would go out and soak in the sights. This made me feel relaxed. By this time, I had decided to get things done by myself as I felt as if God was taking too long to answer me again and so I would make it happen myself. I remember

telling God once to just give her to me and that even if she was not ready I would deal with the consequences and cope with her while he works on her. That advice was not me on a normal day, it is not something I would normally support ... but it was how I felt on that particular day. It was my rebellious side coming out and rearing its head for the umpteenth time I felt relaxed as we got in the taxi and headed to her house. As I sat in the taxi I looked over at Cecilia as she sat there silently. I noticed how nervous and scared she was and I began to have compassion for her. She was wonderfully made by God and she was beautiful in her own way. I began to notice features on her face that were diﬀerent, but beautiful.

ladeada.

la mente fue que ella no era tan atractiva como esperaba. No estaba muy decepcionado ya que me había preparado para lo peor. También noté a un hombre de aspecto nervioso junto a ella, a quien fácilmente pude identiﬁcar como su padre. Rápidamente me acerqué a ellos y me presenté primero con ella, luego me volteé hacia su padre e hice lo mismo. Él rápidamente nos llevó fuera del aeropuerto a un taxi. Mi plan inicial era quedarme en un hotel cerca de su casa, pero Cecilia me avisó que su padre planeaba alojarme en una habitación libre que tenía para poder vigilarme de cerca y controlarme adecuadamente. Mientras estaba sentada al lado de Cecilia en el taxi, me dije a mí mismo que solo éramos amigos y que este iba a ser un buen viaje que me encantaría.

Ella también usaba frenillos y esto no me ayudó mucho en ese momento para

Capítulo 6.1

CECILIA nerviosa y lo primero que noté de ella fue la nariz, parecía un poco desagradable, como si estuviera rota. Tenía una protuberancia y parecía

darme una buena opinión sobre ella. Su rostro tenía un aspecto peruano distinto, que no estaba acostumbrado a ver, y el primer pensamiento que se me vino a

Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Intern Kelvin Kuria Contributing Writers Nadvia Davis Fred Easter Abeni Hill Timothy Houston Michelle Mitchum Latisha Townsend Artika Tyner Toki Wright Photography David Bradley V. Rivera Garcia Uchechukwu Iroegbu Rebecca Rabb Artist Donald Walker 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,

Transformation:

City planning and real estate development go hand in hand Commentary By Randall Bradley Architect The city. The place that we live and thrive. The place on planet earth where large amounts of human beings live. A strange, long evolved, human reality. Starting from a single bi-pedal upright mammal, choice or circumstance impacts all of our realities. From a singular experience, living alone in a tent, tepee, yurt, or other shelter, to a multi-story building, and the single or multi-family residential conﬁgurations available creates a plethora of options for living in most places on the planet. Human beings have experienced all these

situations, from solitary conditions, to abundant density. As we think about cities, we need to acknowledge that we, humans, are the single-most demanding creatures of the earth. No other insect, ﬁsh, fowl or mammal demands as much building, shaping, and environmental evolving as do we. The term “city planning” does not guarantee that all plans and preparations are completed prior to occupancy. Quite the contrary. The “work” of city planning is typically undertaken while inhabitants are occupying their dwellings. Chaos can be a part of the reality of change. We demand systems. We demand water … clean water. We demand comfort from the cold. And from the heat. And from the humidity. We demand

protective coverings for our bodies. We demand protection from all that we deem environmentally unfriendly. We demand shelter. We demand movement. We demand vehicles that can engage the ground, the water and the air. We demand built environments that allow us to engage one another. Cities, and their planning, evolution, habitation and growth, create a “patina” that makes it special in our minds and hearts. Two places that may not be readily visible to any of us. Cities allow for the inhabitation of all kinds of people … friends, relatives and strangers. Cities have people that we like, and those that we don’t. Cities have people that look like us, and those that don’t. Cities have people that think like us, and those that don’t. Cities have people that agree with us, and those that don’t. Cities have people that be-

have like us, and those that don’t. All these people, rubbing shoulders with one another, speaking with one another, making contact with one another are the root of the patina of a place. All of this is then the “genus loci” or “spirit of place.” Any place. The Northside hosts all of these “demands.” City planning has achieved this goal. But what city planning cannot do is implement the science of economics into this community. This science classiﬁes communities as low, middle or upper income. This information is further conﬁrmed by census tract data. While city planning looks at the equal implementation of zoning codes and regulations citywide, it has little impact on the economic reality that impacts everyone’s lives. While the science of economics does not exist in the Minneapolis

2040 Plan or the zoning code, it does designate certain areas that it may target for more intensive development projects. The vast majority of eﬀort that goes into making the economic “deal” comes from beyond the boundaries of governmental agencies. City planning and real estate development are related. They can almost be viewed as being in a dance. Sometimes it appears as a waltz. All activities seem smooth and ﬂowing. Other times it looks as frenetic as the jitterbug. For the Northside, this author advocates for more real estate development coupled with governmental agencies sympathetic to the goal of diminishing poverty and increasing economic diversity in inner-city communities. The goal is to achieve an improved lifestyle as a good thing for all.

Celebration of Hmong culture in Hennepin Gallery Forecast Public Art and the Hennepin County Multicultural Arts Committee announced “Sib Pauv Zog: A Hmong Cultural Harvest,” an exhibit in the Hennepin Gallery, 300 S. 6th St., A level, Minneapolis, created by artists from ArtCrop and curated by Oskar Ly. The exhibit includes the work and stories of Hmong artists and farmers reimagining Hmong existence and making way for new cultural traditions. Featuring items from fridges to recipe diaries, handwoven hemp to handmade couture, the display rethinks where creativity and inspiration live, what makes a cultural practice, and what a harvest can be. Sib pauv zog refers to the reciprocal exchange of labor that supports the well-being of one another – an utmost responsibility in Hmong culture. Hmong people have always sib pauv zog, having long cultivated mountainous lands to grow their own food. Along with this, they express their identities through various forms of craft making, storytelling and cultural rituals.

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Insight News â&#x20AC;˘ December 17 - December 23, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 9

An African American holiday, Kwanzaa belongs to all of us Commentary by Titilayo Bediako Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday, which acknowledges the achievements of Black people, yet it is more. This special time is based on a seven principle value system called the Nguzo Saba. These principles invite people of all nationalities to come and celebrate African-American greatness and their own eminence. WE WIN Institute cordially area residents and visitors to its Kwanzaa celebration on Dec. 20 at Daytonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BluďŹ&#x20AC; Recreation Center, 800 Conway St., St. Paul. The cel-

ebration is an opportunity for Minnesotans to be entertained and witness Kwanzaa in action. Youth from WE WIN Institute, Arlington and Daytonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BluďŹ&#x20AC; Recreation Center will lead in the celebration. Gospel singer Tonia Hughes has been working with youth in Minneapolis and St. Paul to use song as a way to educate their audience about Kwanzaa and will also participate along with Christian Adeti, a master African drummer. College student and activist, Kennedy Pounds will share her poetry, hip-hop artist, Longshot, will perform and master storyteller Nothando Zulu will share African stories. Libations will honor the ancestors, and Native-Amer-

Titilayo Bediako and youth from WE WIN Institute. ican and Aztec dancers will also share their culture through one of the Kwanzaa principles.

Principles of Kwanzaa The principles of Kwanzaa adhere to the universal cultural norms. The ďŹ rst principle of

Kwanzaa is Umoja. It means to help each other, to love and cherish family, community and nation. Kujichagulia (Koog-cha-goo-lee-ah) means selfdetermination, which is the second principle of Kwanzaa and is critical for development. Ujima (Ooh-G-mah) is the third principle of Kwanzaa, which means collective work and responsibility. Ujamaa (Ooh-jahmah) is the fourth principle of Kwanzaa, which means cooperative economics. Nia (Nee-ah) is the ďŹ fth principle of Kwanzaa, which means purpose. Kuumba (Kah-Oom-

bah) is the sixth principle of Kwanzaa, which means creativity. Imani (E-mah-nee) is the seventh principle and possibly the most important principle of Kwanzaa. Imani means faith. The seven principles of Kwanzaa make it possible for people of all cultural backgrounds to come together and speak with the voice of unity and togetherness. Working together makes the load easier and enhances life for ourselves, our children and our communities. For more information on this coming event contact Linda Benford at WE WIN Institute at (612) 721-2364 or www. we-win.org.

Minnesota African American Heritage Calendar announces 2019 honorees Minnesota African American Heritage Calendar Committee (MAAHC), announced the MAAHC Honorees for 2019. This group is a combination of individuals who the committee says have made an indelible mark on history. With the theme of Inspiration, the honorees are recognized for their abilities to inform, inspire and enlighten. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 2019 honoreesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; noteworthy accomplishments contribute to a historical legacy that led African-Americans from slavery to the presence,â&#x20AC;? said the committee in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;During times of struggles, they modeled the necessary leadership required to inspire individuals and communities to change. MAAHC is honored to share their narratives as pathway possibilities for others throughout 2019 and beyond.â&#x20AC;? The 2019 honorees are the Rev. Jia Starr Brown, the Rev. Steve Daniels, Imam Makram El-Amin, the Rev. Kathleen Gatson, the Rev. Brian Herron, the Rev. Richard D. Howell, Jr., the Rev. Jerry McAfee, the Rev. Runney Patterson, the Rev. Stacy Smith, the Rev. James Thomas, the Rev. Denise Warren and the Rev. Fred W. Washington. The Rev. Jessie GriďŹ&#x192;n is honored with the MAAHC Life Achievement Award and a Historical Recognition Award goes to St. Peter Claver Church. The 13th Annual Calendar Unveiling Ceremony that will be held at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Progressive Family Life Center, 1505 Burns Ave., St. Paul. The calendars are now available for purchase. To place an order email maahc2007@gmail.com or wh6k@aol.com or call (651) 263-5769.

Mauritania From 4 â&#x20AC;&#x153;CCEM is supporting domestic slavery and forced labor victims in France and advocating against modern slavery worldwide.â&#x20AC;? Complicating the ďŹ ght against slavery is Mauritania is often a pawn in the geopolitical ambitions of other states. Last year Mauritania joined with several other African and Asian states in a Saudi led blockade of Qatar in order to persuade Qatar to end its practice of close ties with Hamas, the Taliban, and funding for Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. While number of Western non-government organizations are active in the coun-

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Rev. Jia Starr Brown

Rev. Steve Daniels, Jr

Imam Makram El-Amin

Rev. Kathleen GATSON

Rev. Brian Herron

Bishop Richard D. Howell Jr

Rev. Jerry McAfee

Rev. Runney Patterson

Rev. Stacey L. Smith

Rev. James Thomas

Rev. Denise Warren

Bishop Fred Willis Washington

Rev. Jessie Griffin

try trying to defeat slavery and end poverty in Mauritania â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eďŹ&#x20AC;orts have often focused on Islamist charities and local aďŹ&#x192;liates of the Muslim Brotherhood at a time when Mauritania is struggling to stamp out slavery. In September, Mauritaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government accused Qatar of supporting the local chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tawasol,â&#x20AC;? which was legalized in 2007 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the same year that Mauritania criminalized slavery. Biram Dah Abeid blames the international community and the Gulf states for the continuation of slavery in his country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through petrodollars, important programs of Wahhabi obscurantism, which reinforces the ideology of religious extremism and enslaved practices that ensues. These

partners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saudi Arabia in the lead â&#x20AC;&#x201C; import, from our country, especially girls, as domestic (workers) or concubines.â&#x20AC;? One Mauritanian who succumbed to what Abeid calls â&#x20AC;&#x153;obscurantismâ&#x20AC;? is Mahfouz Ould al-Walid, also known as Abu Hafs al-Muritani, who is a former member of Al Qaeda. Al-Qaeda under Osama Bin Ladin and their allies, the Taliban, both used sex slaves, a practice that has been adopted by terrorist groups in Africa. Boko Haram, AlShabab and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb have all been documented for using slaves. However, perhaps no labor situation has attracted the attention of labor groups more than that of the workers building the stadiums and supporting infrastructure for

the 2022 FIFA World Cup. An investigation released by The Guardian in November found that African guest workers from Ghana were forced to work for paltry salaries in the richest country in the world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For building one of the prestige stadiums designed so Qatar can dazzle the world in 2022, eight hours a day, six days a week, this is ÂŁ140, a little under ÂŁ35 per week; ÂŁ5 per day,â&#x20AC;? the article stated. That roughly equivalent to $6.36 a day. Ghanaian workers say that food, accommodations and laundry services are provided to â&#x20AC;&#x153;guest workersâ&#x20AC;? but they are housed in rooms with some four people in a single room. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(There are) 18,000 workers building the stadiums â&#x20AC;&#x201C; less than 2 percent of Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s construction work-

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The Church of Saint Peter Claver

force,â&#x20AC;? said Ahmed Benchemsi the Middle East spokesperson for Human Rights Watch. An investigation published by Lebanese newspaper Daily Star titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bangladeshi Workers: 300 left to rot in a Qatar campâ&#x20AC;? detailed how Bangladeshi guest workers had been largely abandoned in a labor camp when their project was put on hold. Two meals a day were donated from a Qatari charity but, the site had no running water or electricity most hours of the day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Qatari government has pledged to align its laws and practices with international labor standards through a program of cooperation with the International Labor Organization,â&#x20AC;? said Ahmed Benchemsi the Middle East spokesperson for Human Rights Watch. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How-

ever, the implementation of the promised reforms is taking a lot of time, and the government hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t published a timetable.â&#x20AC;? Despite a recent labor reform, domestic staďŹ&#x20AC; who fear abuse must still get the permission of their employers to leave the country. Families who employ such workers often site potential thefts as one of the reasons they should control the movement of their guest workers. Much of the labor issues surrounding Qatar also apply to its neighboring states in the region. The 2018 FIFA World Cup brought attention to human rights abuses in Russia. Many hope the hosting of the 2020 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will bring similar attention to Qatar and the region.

Phone: 612.588.1313 Fax: 612.588.2031 Email: info@insightnews.com

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Page 10 •December December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Insight News

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Les Nubians

2001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. 21-plus No cover

The Children’s Theatre Company presents an original production based on the book, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss.

Autotune Karaoke is a weekly karaoke night with the addition of autotune to your voice.

Thursday, Dec. 20

Tuesday, Dec. 18 JAZZ

Monday, Dec. 17 – Sunday, Dec. 30

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. 17 KAROKE Autotune Karaoke Mortimer’s

Roy Hargrove

An All-Star Tribute to Roy Hargrove The Dakota 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. $20-$25 Roy Hargrove was considered by many as the greatest trumpeter of his generation. He established himself as one of jazz’s best and most forward-thinking musicians, leading a youth movement in the genre.

Wednesday, Dec. 19

WORLD MUSIC Les Nubians The Dakota 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. $30-$40

Sunday, Dec. 23 THEATER

Hailing from Chad, these French speaking songstresses had a major hit with 1998’s “Makeda” and are pioneers in the neo-soul/alternative soul movement.

Friday, Dec. 21

“Khephra: A Hip-Hop Holiday Story” Howard Conn Fine Arts Theater 1900 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis 6 p.m. $15, $10 for kids 10 and under

HIP-HOP/REGGAE

chilly, so dress warmly.

Friday, Dec. 28

For more information about the Holiday Light Tours or to purchase tickets, visit www. twincitiestrolley.com.

R&B/SOUL

Tuesday, Dec. 25 JAZZ The Bad Plus Dakota 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. $40-$45 The “Progressive Jazz Scientists” The Bad Plus play Christmas night at the Dakota.

Wednesday, Dec. 26 HOLIDAY Kwanzaa Celebration Martin Luther King Recreation Center 271 Mackubin St., St. Paul 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. All ages No cover

Party to old school reggae, hip-hop, R&B and more with music by Sound of Fujun.

Shá Cage’s new work oﬀers an alternative holiday tradition. Shá Cage’s culturally-charged work, “Khephra: A Hip-Hop Holiday Story” looks at a young girl and mother who move from Africa to the United States to start life in a very new community after the child’s dad passes away.

Saturday, Dec. 22

Monday, Dec. 24

Celebrate Kwanzaa with activities that will include spoken word, community art collaboration, and musical performances by youth. All are welcome.”

R&B/GOSPEL

HOLIDAYS

Thursday, Dec. 27

Sounds of Blackness – “The Night Before Christmas”

Holiday Light Tour Sheraton Minneapolis West 12201 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka 5 p.m. $30 adults, $25 children

JAZZ

Old School Reggae Hip-Hop The Cabooze 917 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. 18-plus $10

THEATRE/KIDS “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas” Children’s Theatre Company 2400 3rd Avenue S, Minneapolis 7 p.m. All ages $25-$61

Pantages Theatre 710 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, Minnesota 8 p.m. $28.50 - $58.50 A holiday tradition, Minnesota’s three-time Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness presents its soulful and comedic take on “The Night Before Christmas – A Musical Fantasy.”

Tis the season for holiday lights galore. Join Twin Cities Trolley for this 2-hour tour through the Northwest metro. Please note that while the Trolley is temperature controlled, it can still get

Lila Ammons Jazz Group Vieux Carré 408 Saint Peter St, Saint Paul 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. 21-plus $10 Join the quartet of Lila Ammons on vocals, Tom West on piano, Matt Peterson on bass and Jay Epstein on drums.

Nooky Jones Icehouse 2528 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis 10:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. 21-plus $17 advance, $20 door Nooky Jones has been selling out venues across Minnesota. Catch them tonight for their annual holiday party with Mina Moore and DJ sets from Lazerbeak.

Saturday, Dec. 29 SOUL/NEOSOUL Soul Sessions feaMayyadda Heritage Tea House 360 W. University Ave., St. Paul 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. 21-plus No cover The soulful Mayyadda is this month’s featured artist for Soul Sessions at Heritage, which takes place on the fourth Saturday of every month.

Sunday, Dec. 30 DRAG Bey Brunch Union Rooftop 731 Hennepin, Minneapolis 4 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Flip Phone brings their wildly popular Bey Brunch back to Union Rooftop with performances by Jaidynn Diore, Tygra Trinity Slarii, and Genevee Ramona Love.

Emmy winner and Tony nominee Joshua Bergasse to direct and choreograph ‘Smokey Joe’s Café’ at the Ordway The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts raised the curtain with a sneak peek of its 20192020 Broadway Series by announcing the all-new incarnation of the Grammy Award-winning, Tony Award-nominated, Broadway hit “Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller.” Joshua Bergasse, who won the Emmy for his choreography on NBC’s musical drama, “Smash,” will direct and choreograph the Ordway’s production by recreating the staging and choreography from the recent New York production. Bergasse’s credits also include Broadway’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “On the Town” as well as FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance.” Bergasse will be in the Twin Cities Dec. 19 – Dec. 21 for cast auditions. Featuring 40 of the greatest songs of the past century including classics such as “On Broadway,” “Stand by

Ahmed From 3 starving souls craving change. I have the strength of awareness which will transform me into the person who will recognize the closed mouths of unheard voices in our school district. I want to be that resource that gives a voice to people of my community. I want to inspire my community to discover their power and potential of making the change

Walter McBride

Joshua Bergasse Me,” and “Jailhouse Rock,” “Smokey Joe’s Café” made history as Broadway’s longest-running musical revue. Rod Kaats, the Ordway’s producing artistic director calls this news an exciting sneak peek into our 2019-2020 Broadway season.

they wish to see. A strength that I wish to bring to the board is creativity.” Priorities for Ahmed are dismantling stigmas in public school concerning mental health, hiring more teachers of color, issues of school funding, college readiness, community engagement with schools, promoting peace in schools (restorative practices), the usefulness of school resource oﬃcers (SROs), promoting student awareness of district policies and processes and oﬀering a more inclusive history and so-

“The Ordway will be the only theater in the U.S. to have Bergasse’s production on its stage this season,” said Kaats. Originally produced on Broadway in 1995, this contemporary production of “Smokey Joe’s Café” pays homage to the legendary songwriting team, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. During their partnership, which spanned 61 years, Leiber and Stoller left their mark in music genres including pop, country, jazz, cabaret, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The duo was responsible for the Elvis Presley hits, “Loving You,” “Hound Dog,” along with “Jailhouse Rock.” They were also responsible for the Coasters’ hit songs such as “Searchin,” “Yakety Yak” and Charlie Brown.” The Ordway’s full slate of shows for the 2019-2020 Broadway Series will be announced in February 2019.

cial studies curriculum. “I am willing to ﬁnd innovative ways to strengthen, empower, and lift the voices that too often go unheard. I do not wish to speak for anyone, instead, I intend to instill in them the conﬁdence they need to be equally heard,” said Ahmed. MPS has appointed students to its board since 2015 saying “the student representative provides an important perspective and gives voice to those at the heart of the district’s work.”

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Insight News • December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Page 11

The Windy City serves as setting for adaptation of Brit crime series, ‘Widows’ By Kam Williams “Widows” was a British TV series that enjoyed a two-year run from 1983 to 1985. Created by legendary English author Lynda La Plante (“Prime Suspect”), the popular crime show was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award in the Best Television Drama category. In 2002, ABC turned “Widows” into a four-part miniseries starring Brooke Shields and Rosie Perez, but that substantially-revised overhaul failed to resonate with the American audience. Now, Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) has brought a much more faithful adaptation to the screen, although the setting has been shifted from London to Chicago. The crime caper revolves around a trio of widows who opt to follow in their late husbands’ felonious footsteps in the wake of a botched bank heist. McQueen assembled an A-list ensemble featuring Oscar-winners Viola Davis and Robert Duvall, as well as nominees Liam Neeson, Daniel Kaluuya and Jacki Weaver. The impressive cast also includes Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez. Not long past the point of departure, veteran bank robber Harry Rawlings (Neeson) masterminds a robbery in which

he and his partners perish. Trouble is, Harry died indebted to a couple of South Side mobsters (Kaluuya and Brian Tyree Henry) to the tune of $2 million. Given a month to come up with cash (or else), Harry’s widow, Veronica (Davis), hatches a plan to raise the money by burglarizing a safe in the mansion of a well-connected family headed by corrupt, Windy City alderman, Tom Mulligan (Duvall). To that end, she recruits a couple of the other grieving widows (Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki) and a getaway driver (Cynthia Erivo) with promises of a multimillion-dollar payday. The plot proceeds to thicken in convincing fashion while touching on such timely themes as politics, loyalty, race and class. Since it would be a crime in itself to spoil the ensuing developments even one iota, suﬃce to say McQueen slowly ratchets up the tension in a searing, multi-layered suspense thriller not to be missed. With the help of a delicious script expertly executed by a coterie of her talented costars, the incomparable Davis steals the show and delivers yet another Oscar-quality performance. Vintage Viola. Excellent (4 stars) Rated R for violence, sexuality, nudity and pervasive profanity In English and Spanish with subtitles Running time: 129 minutes

“Widows” offers an A-list cast starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall and Liam Neeson.

British director Anyiam-Osigwe strikes a nerve with ‘No Shade’ By Barrington M. Salmon NNPA Newswire Contributing Writer Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, a firsttime director, is enjoying the type of success usually reserved for veteran filmmakers. Her film debut, “No Shade” is a witty, wry romantic story that shines a bright light on the troubling issue of colorism. Anyiam-Osigwe, a NigerianBritish entrepreneur and an emerging talent in the film industry, wrote and directed the film, which she completed in six-and-a-half days. Produced by the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF), the film had successful premieres in Cannes, France, Washington, D.C., London as well as a world festival premiere at the Rio Cinema in Dalston (London) in this past June. It was the official selection at the Women of The Lens Film Festival, Da Bounce Urban Film Festival, BUFF and the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival. The independent filmmaker said that earlier this month, she and her husband negotiated a deal with Diarah N’Daw-Spech, director at Artmattan Productions, which acquired U.S. rights to the film. Since its release, “No Shade” has captured the film-going public’s imagination as it explores the hardships dark-skinned women in Britain face in the dating world and is reigniting some difficult conversations in Black and other circles. Black women’s’ experiences are complicated by the fetishization of light-skinned women and their white counterparts by Black men. The film traces the travails of Jade, a photographer who has a series of jarring dates with oblivious interested in a certain type of woman but not her. The film is straightforward and raw, leaving viewers – particularly Black men – to ponder any number of questions about the people they choose and why. “This is a film you can only pray for,” said AnyiamOsigwe, reacting to the film’s success. “It has made me feel really proud. It was my first script, my first script ever.” Too often, she said, a disturbing number of Black British men have no desire to date dark-skinned women, choosing instead to pursue relationships with Caucasian, light-skinned Black or racially ambiguous women. And professional Black men in the entertainment industry are notorious perpetuators of misogynoir. Anyiam-Osigwe, who also co-stars in the film, said she’s particularly proud of the fact that she and her husband made the film without the assistance or support of any studio or public or private funding. The topic, she said, is timely and socially relevant because the Blacks in Britain are grappling with colorism, beauty standards, and accepting themselves while building self-esteem. “I feel really great that I’ve

YouTube

“The film is still hot on people’s minds,” Anyiam-Osigwe said. “People are still coming back since the first screening in June. It’s still on their minds and stirring discussion.” made something of social relevance,” she explained. “Black men, mostly West Indian men, are dating white women. It’s a conscious choice but there’s an awakening going on among Black Brits. There’s a lot of talk online. I don’t expect things to change overnight but I’m pleased that this film has really helped have a deeper context. The film is politically charged. It’s showing you some truths. The biggest thing for me is that you should be able to date and love whoever you want. Colorism is degrading the black woman. It’s very, very rare that Black women will go out and talk about black skin. But as a beautician/dermatologist you talk to people and overhear so many conversations that you’re privy to. I pay attention and as someone trained as actress and director, I was trained to listen.” Anyiam-Osigwe said a “real mix” of people – white, Black and apprehensive mixed-race people – have been coming to see the film and the reaction has been very positive. “The film is still hot on people’s minds,” she said. “People are still coming back since the first screening in June. It’s still on their minds and stirring discussion.” Anyiam-Osigwe said the corrosive nature of the men’s attitudes and the resulting internalized self-hatred and damage to Black women’s self-esteem is sometimes hard to overcome. But there is another element of the equation. “A lot of my fair-skinned girlfriends will ‘thief’ a man up,” Anyiam-Osigwe explained. “They make him pay, rinse him. Light-skinned girls and white girls can get away with that. They know their power in the moment. The ‘hot lighties’ are fulfilling a fantasy for him and her needs aren’t usually being fulfilled. As teens, fair-skinned women lap up the attention, love the love. But in their 20s, they want more. But these same men don’t want to spend any money on a Black girl.” The director, who grew up in foster care, said she was bullied as a child, called an “African bum cleaner,” and was told that she looked like a gorilla, but said she’s a proud Black woman. In a BBC

ﬁlm clip promoting the ﬁlm, Anyiam-Osigwe went further. “The rhetoric for me since I was 14 was that I was pretty for a dark-skinned girl. This, to me, was deeply disrespectful, because I’m a very proud Igbo, Nigerian, British-born woman and my heritage, my mom, my aunties who have those traditional African features, I think they’re stunning,” said the director.

Page 12 •December December 17 - December 23, 2018 • Insight News

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‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ By Dwight Brown NNPA Newswire Film Critic “It’s not possible. I’m a normal kid.” Famous last words. That’s what’s on the lips of teenager Miles Morales as he goes through a change in life. No, not puberty. The young Blatino (Black and Latino) brother from Brooklyn has been bitten by a radioactive spider and his life has changed forever. And so did the legend of SpiderMan when it took a detour in 2011. That’s when writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli created Marvel comic books that centered around the character Miles Morales, purportedly inspired by Barack Obama and Donald Glover. The leap from the page to screen gives the arachnid/man-boy a very hip and new playground. The blending of old school comic book pages and new world computer graphics is a standout in this innovative animated feature ﬁlm. The clever blend of classic handdrawn animation with the latest technology takes animation into a new age. Everyone from the visual eﬀects, art and production management teams should take a bow. With special praise for art directors Dean Gordon and Patrick O’Keefe and production designer Justin Thompson. Also, Mile’s cool red/blue Spider-Man uniform looks like it’s part of a

collection from a 22nd century Nike sports clothing line. Miles (voiced by Shameik Moore) is an inner-city kid facing a life crisis. He’s going to a private school in Manhattan, away from his friends in Brooklyn. The parental guidance that steers his child development comes from his loving African-American father Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry), a cop, and his nurturing Puerto Rican mom Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velez), a nurse. When Miles feels he can’t talk to his parents about his apprehensions, the fledgling artist seeks council from his Uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali), a graffiti artist with a checkered past. As Miles faces his challenges, the city is being torn apart by crime and a rogue hero, Spider-Man (Chris Pine). After being bitten by the love bug, Miles gets drawn into a battle between Spider-Man and the crime lord Wilson Fisk (Liev Schreiber). They’re fighting over a nuclear super collider that can open up a portal to other dimensions, a threshold that can transport various versions of Spider-Man. It’s a tough time for Miles to engage in life-or-death combat as he doesn’t know how to master his superpowers. Sticking to stuff, heightened hearing, venom strikes and the ability to make himself invisible are powers beyond his control. The script by Phil Lord gives Miles a character arc that lasts almost the entire movie; one of an innocent, insecure

kid who is a newly empowered, yet clumsy, superhero. The group of characters that surround the kid add texture at every juncture. Those family members, friends and villains are brought to life by a very lively cast who seem to be having a lot of fun. Henry displays great warmth, strength and discipline as dad. Velez’s take on mom is comforting at all the right times. Ali does things with his voice that hint at Uncle Aaron’s secret-life. Lily Tomlin as Aunt May gets to be far more hip and active than the previous ones. The campiest voice has to be Kathryn Hahn’s as she plays Fisk’s mad scientist, Doc Ock, with lots of relish and plenty of mustard. Beside the stunning visuals and fun voices, the ﬁlm’s other strength is its ultra-hip musical soundtrack. The basic score was created by Daniel Pemberton and it’s the glue. The bricks are a playlist of the hippest music on a soundtrack since “Black Panther.” The songs to remember are “Sunﬂower,” sung by Post-Malone and Swae Lee and the very aggressive and growling song ,“What’s Up Danger,” performed by Blackway and Black Cavier. Past “Spider-Man” movies seemed to cater to general audiences and had a very middle America feel. This version is an ode to urban folks, nerds, teens, public and private school kids, rap/hip-hop fans and those who would rather be cool than drab. There isn’t anything re-

The voice of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson and Hailee Steinfeld bring animation to life in “Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse.” Shameik Moore lends his voice to the lead character in “Spider-Man into the SpiderVerse.” ally subversive about this PG13 movie at all. Bring the kids or send them to the theater. Directors Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman have created a very modern, fresh and timely version of a classic franchise in need of an overhaul. One of their advantages was that they had limitless creative freedom. Liveaction versions of Spider-Man, by their nature, have constraints. For the most part, the ﬁlmmakers have achieved their goals and will likely inspire animators on into the future. If this lively montage of superhero angst had one ﬂaw, it’s that sometimes the weight of the heavy, complex, multi-faceted visuals stymies momentum. Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

With a diverse cast and state-of-the-art animation, “Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse” offers a fresh take on a classic superhero.

Kimiko Glenn, Hailee Steinfeld, John Mulaney, Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson and Nicolas Cage in “Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse”

Forbes names Revel Avila one of the best añejo tequilas Adding to a growing list of praise and accolades, Minnesota-based Revel Avila has been named by Forbes as one of the best añejo tequilas. The honor was bestowed on the agave spirit in the Nov. 21 holiday gift guide edition. Añejos are tequilas aged between one and three years. As Forbes put it describing Revel, “Aged 24 months in

French oak barrels, this triple distilled spirit is not technically tequila, but rather an añejo expression of a new category of agave spirits called Avila. Harvested from 100 percent Blue Weber agave Revel Avila Añejo is distilled using a process that combines the best of both tequila and mezcal production. With flavors of caramel, dried fruit and cognac,

this is a nice gift for your extra-hip friend who’s always ahead of the curve, looking for a unique libation to add to his or her bar cart. Sold at liquor stores in Minnesota, California and New York.” Revel will have tastings in Minnesota on Dec. 28 at the Wine and Thief Ale Jail, 1787 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul and Wayzata Municipal

Wine and Spirits, 747 Mill St., Wayzata and Dec. 29 at First Grand Ave Liquor Store, 918 Grand Ave., St. Paul. All tastings are from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Revel is owned by Micah McFarlane, brother to Insight News founder and editor-inchief, Al McFarlane.

Celebrating the magic and beauty of the season

Warm wishes for the very best this holiday season and a prosperous New Year. wellsfargo.com

Make the holidays memorable for all. Give a Minnesota Zoo membership. Starting at $59, it’s the easiest way to spread cheer all year. Every sale benefits programs that provide free access to the Minnesota Zoo for those who need it most. Give the Gift of the Zoo AT mnzoo.org/giftamazing © 2018 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. IHA-23946