Insight ::: 08.12.2024

HARRIS CHOOSES WALZ

Harris: Tim Walz is the vice president America deserves

By Colleen Long, Zeke Miller, Steve Karnowski, Will Weissert and Seung

Min Kim

Associated Press

Kamala Harris introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to the nation at a raucous rally Tuesday in battleground Pennsylvania that was aimed at building momentum for the newly minted Democratic presidential ticket in the sprint toward Election Day.

“He’s the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big. ...

That’s the kind of vice president America deserves,” Harris said while standing with Walz in Philadelphia.

Taking the microphone after Harris, Walz revved up the crowd for the rigorous campaign to come. “We’ve got 91 days. My God, that’s easy. We’ll sleep when we’re dead,” he said. The remarks reflected the urgency of the moment, with Harris tapping Walz for the ticket during one of the most turbulent periods in modern American politics. Republicans have rallied around former President Donald Trump after he was targeted in an attempted assassination in July. Just days

later, President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign, forcing Harris to scramble to unify Democrats and decide on a running mate over a breakneck two-week stretch.

In choosing the 60-year-old Walz, Harris is elevating a Midwestern governor, military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families.

It was her biggest decision yet as the Democratic nominee and she went with a broadly palatable choice — someone who says politics

should have more joy and who deflects dark and foreboding rhetoric from Republicans with a lighter touch, a strategy that the campaign has been increasingly turning to since Harris took over the top spot. Harris hopes Walz will help her shore up her campaign’s standing across the upper Midwest, a critical region in presidential politics that often serves as a buffer for Democrats seeking the White House. The party remains haunted by Trump’s wins in Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016. Trump lost those states in 2020 but has zeroed in on them as he aims

Harris’ pick of Walz boosts excitement in Midwest states where Democrats look to heal divisions

By Joey Cappelletti Associated Press

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are spending their first full day as running mates on Wednesday rallying Democrats across the Midwest, a politically divided region that is crucial to their effort to win the White House in less than three months.

The trip, which begins in Wisconsin before shifting to Michigan, is aimed at shoring up support among the younger, diverse, labor-friendly voters who were instrumental in helping President Joe Biden win the 2020 election. But that coalition showed signs of fraying over the summer, particularly in Michigan, which has emerged as a focal point of Democratic divisions over Biden’s handling of the IsraelHamas conflict. With Biden now out of the race and Harris officially the Democratic nominee, leaders of the Arab American community and key unions say they are encouraged by the running mate choice. Walz’s addition to the ticket has soothed some tensions, signaling to some community leaders that Harris heard concerns about another leading contender for the vice presidential slot, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, who they felt had gone too far in his support for Israel.

“The party is recognizing that there’s a coalition they have to rebuild,” said Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn, Michigan. “Picking Walz is another sign of good faith.”

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat

By Harry Colbert Jr. MinnPost

was selected for the VP slot, but after vetting began, showed that nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults didn’t know enough about him, or had no opinion.

Among Americans with a view, opinions were split between positive and negative: 6% had a favorable view, and 7% had an unfavorable one.”

Speaking of Walz, he’s expected to be in Eau Claire, Wisc. tomorrow with Harris for a rally in the neighboring battleground state. According to KTSP, so will Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance In more VP news, according to Axios’ Stef W.

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Donald Trump’s controversial appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) annual convention in Chicago may have been even more of a disaster than most had anticipated. The nasty vitriol the twice-impeached former president immediately brought should only heighten calls for the hierarchy of NABJ to resign. The disgraceful event began with tension as well-respected ABC News journalist Rachel Scott asked Trump about his past racist comments and why Black

voters should trust him. “First of all, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump responded. His statement was met with audible gasps from the audience, setting a combative tone for the 34-minute discussion that followed a nearly hour-long delay. During the discussion, Trump, among his many rant-filled and off the rails diatribes, questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity, asking, “Is she Indian or is she Black?” He falsely claimed that Harris, who has long identified as Black and attended a historically Black university, previously identified as Indian before “all of a TRUMP 5

Donald Trump is a criminal, running against a prosecutor.

Donald Trump is only out for himself,

seeking a third term, appeared with Harris at a campaign stop there last month in suburban Milwaukee, and said in a fundraising email Tuesday morning that she was “thrilled to see a fellow Midwesterner at HARRIS 5

Kight and Juliegrace Brufke: Democrats aren’t the only one happy with Harris’ pick of Walz as her possible VP. Republicans saw Walz as the easier target for them as they try to regain momentum after a rough few

photo by Peter Callaghan Gov. Tim Walz Credit: MinnPost

AP Photo/Joe Lamberti

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speak at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speak at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.

Christopher D. Pham

Molly Dorgan

fluential leaders join MEDA board of directors

The Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) said its newest board members bring expertise and commitment that will further advance MEDA’s dedication to “Helping BIPOC Entrepreneurs Succeed”. They were elected at the board meeting in June.

“With MEDA’s 2024 goal of “Dream Big, Scale Bigger”, we are delighted to welcome these six influential community leaders to our Board,” said MEDA President and CEO Dorothy Bridges. “Each of these individuals brings profound expertise and passion that will significantly benefit BIPOC Entrepreneurs and the MEDA mission.” Christopher D. Pham, shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron P.A., is known for being a trusted advisor for his clients across business, sports, and entertainment sectors. Serving as outside general counsel, he excels in finding solutions and driving towards objectives while delivering value. In addition to being co-chair of Fredrikson’s Sports and Entertainment group, Pham leads the firm’s initiatives in inclusion and diversity and is passionate about pro bono work. Molly Dorgan joins the board with more than 20 years of experience in retail.

By Peter Callaghan MinnPost

Supporters of the legislation that is legalizing recreational cannabis in Minnesota are starting to wonder if two rights can make a wrong.

Two pillars of the legalization effort are that people who were caught up in the enforcement of prohibition should have their criminal records expunged and that the same people and their communities should now benefit from the new industry.

But in some cases expungement is making it harder for people with arrests and convictions to prove their status as social equity applicants. And a related criminal justice reform — diversion programs to keep first-time offenders from having

conviction records in the first place — is also keeping some applicants from being able to prove they suffered from prohibition because the law requires convictions.

“What a great thing that we expunged all of these misdemeanor convictions,” said cannabis attorney Jason Tarasek during a continuing legal education conference on cannabis law last week. “Perhaps we shouldn’t have done that before they needed the evidence of convictions to apply for social equity status.”

The Office of Cannabis Management and its verification vendor CSI are still processing the last of more than 3,000 requests from potential cannabis business owners who want the privileges that come from being a social equity applicant. That designation covers people from highpoverty neighborhoods,

In her current role as Target’s vice president of Strategy and Operations - Properties, Dorgan leads a team that is responsible for developing, measuring, and communicating portfolio strategy. In addition, her team is responsible for ensuring operational excellence by prioritizing efforts across data, analytics, and technology.

Michael J. Roberts, co-founder of Taičhetán, brings over three decades of executive experience and an invaluable combination of leadership, strategic thinking, and practical expertise to drive business development initiatives. Roberts was

veterans and those who have been harmed by past enforcement through their own or a family member’s conviction. Most immediately, such a certification provides entry into a lottery sometime in the fall for the first 280 cannabis business licenses.

Separately, local criminal justice systems and the state are automatically expunging records of lesser cannabis offenses while a new state board will consider expungement of more-serious convictions. The purpose is to make it easier for people with convictions to obtain housing, employment and other benefits.

But those two goals are conflicting with some of the people the new law is meant to help being left out.

Wes King hopes to become a cannabis microbusiness owner, the license that allows both growing and retail, and applied for social equity status when the process opened on June 24. He had been arrested in Ramsey County in 2006 for 5th degree marijuana possession. He was given 30 days in jail and five years of probation, and his case was dismissed when he met the terms of probation. But in the end, he avoided having a conviction on his record via a stay of adjudication.

As such, OCM rejected his application for social equity status, despite a letter from Ramsey County District Court. So, for King and others, programs designed to prevent young, first-time offenders from having a criminal record now keep them from being considered social equity applicants under the cannabis law.

“What that means is that if it didn’t result in a conviction that means all these pre-trial diversions and stays of adjudication and stays of imposition with order to vacate or dismiss, all of us who did right by the court and successfully completed probation are disqualified because it resulted in a dismissal,” King said.

“Two restorative justice programs are canceling each other out,” King said.

He intends to file a challenge in Ramsey County District Court asking it to stay completion of the social equity certification process and the lottery until his concerns with the program are resolved.

During the same Cannabis Law Conference, sponsors of the original 2023 law and this year’s updates said they were aware of the issues raised and will look into making

recently awarded MEDA’s Business Champion of the Year. As the co-founder of Keyhubs, Priya Narula is dedicated to unlocking hidden organizational potential for leaders. With a passion for building businesses and fostering a sense of community, she serves as a bridge across cultural divides. Narula joins the board as MEDA’s Entrepreneur of the Year.

Narula is also the co-founder of Neighborhood Forest – one of the largest and fastest growing tree planting initiatives in North America involving children.

Since 2010, Neighborhood Forest has served over 2,000

schools, libraries, and youth groups and planted over 197,000 trees through the hands of children in every US State, plus Canada and Mexico. Robert Doty is the CFO and vice president of Museum Infrastructure for the Science Museum of Minnesota. Within his current role, Doty is responsible for finance, technology, facilities, safety and security and human resources. In addition to optimizing employee engagement and fostering a positive organizational culture throughout his career, Doty is dedicated to serving his community

changes next session.

“I think this is an issue that we will return to,” said Rep. Zack Stephenson, the Coon Rapids DFLer who was the prime House sponsor of HF 100. He said he is familiar with stays of adjudication from his work in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, saying it is the most common resolution for those charged with 5th degree possession.

“We had to draw a line somewhere,” said Sen. Lindsey Port, the Burnville DFLer who is the lead Senate sponsor of both the original law and this year’s revisions. “That was the most obvious, clear line that we could draw.

“But there will be changes every single year for a while,” Port said. “We’ll be learning with the community.”

Any changes won’t come in time for people hoping to get into the first license lottery, meant to give social equity applicants an early start on preparing for legalization in the spring. Any changes will come after the social equity lottery in the fall and the general license lottery at the end of 2024 or early 2025.

In a statement Monday, OCM said it has tried to take steps to help applicants navigate the system but is ultimately bound by what the statute says about convictions.

“We provided guidance and a number of ways that potential applicants could go about retrieving official records, if they did not retain them from the time of their conviction,” the agency stated.

“We instructed CSI, Inc., to work with applicants who expressed document challenges to the greatest extent possible, including offering suggestions ranging from reaching out to former attorneys, parole officers, court offices, and financial institutions that might have records of court transactions that could be used to corroborate a prior conviction.

“Unfortunately, some individuals were simply unable to locate and provide the documentation required by state statute to demonstrate their prior conviction,” it stated. “As

the office is unable to supersede or waive requirements spelled out in state statute, there is no available mechanism to appeal an absence of required documentation. We have raised this issue with legislators who are evaluating a possible legislative solution for next session.”

Many of the attorneys at the Cannabis Law Conference were in the midst of helping clients apply for social equity status. While the deadline for filing for the certificates that will allow entry into the fall lottery was July 10, OCM and its verification vendor CSI continues to process applications. Many applicants have already received their certification and are using them to enter the license lottery. Those still waiting have been told the process should be completed Aug. 5 in time for the end of the lottery license application period that ends at 11:59 on Aug. 12. Because of that, OCM won’t say how many applicants received certification and how many were rejected.

Anecdotally, however, some applicants and attorneys helping them navigate the process say a lack of records is a problem, that getting the paperwork required by OCM has been difficult for some. Jen Reise, an attorney helping clients prepare their applications, described one client who couldn’t find records and instead submitted a letter from an employer who said they didn’t get a job because of a cannabis conviction.

“That fact pattern that we were worried about happening to people did, in fact, happen,” Reise said. “Their records were expunged and they can’t be verified as social equity applicants.”

Tarasek said successful attempts to find ways around the lack of records have differed county by county.

“But other counties, when I asked if I could do that, didn’t know what I was talking about,” he said. Tarasek said he is in the position now to tell clients, “who is convinced they are going to be a millionaire … that sorry, we can’t get you into social equity because the courts destroyed the records. It is an obstacle and it is unfortunate we hadn’t thought of that.” Stephenson said the drafters of the laws wanted to give some advantage to those harmed by prohibition and decided to use convictions as the measurement because it was “easy to track, easy to verify, that you were involved in the criminal justice system because of cannabis.

“For people who got a stay of adjudication for a cannabis offense, that was a good thing at the time and it remains a good thing because it means they were never convicted of a felony if they successfully completed probation,” Stephenson said.

“But for establishing social equity status, it’s not a good thing. The (cannabis) law requires a conviction.” He said he will look at including those with such stays into the definitions in the law.

“On balance, those people made the right decision,” he said. “Yes, it disadvantaged them in terms of their cannabis business plan but it allowed them to much-more-easily get jobs and housing and a myriad of other things.”

“Now we’re thinking about all the ways being involved in the criminal justice system can end for someone,” he said. “Oftentimes it doesn’t end with conviction.”

Peter

“We’ve now hidden the very stuff that they need to get into the system,” Tarasek said before describing his efforts on behalf of clients who wanted to apply for social equity applicant verification. Sometimes records are retained by counties but hidden and not disclosed. That has allowed Hennepin County, for example, to unseal them on request to allow a copy to be made and then reseal them.

Priya Narula

Michael J. Roberts Shaun Coard Robert Doty

to return to the presidency this year and is expanding his focus to Minnesota.

Since Walz was announced, the team raised more than $20 million from grassroots donations, the campaign said.

Walz is far from a household name. An ABC News/Ipsos survey conducted before he was selected but after vetting began showed that nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults did not know enough to have an opinion about him.

Harris devoted much of her speech to telling the audience about Walz’s life and work, which included stints as a social studies teacher and a football coach.

“To those who know him best, Tim is more than a governor,” she said.

“We both believe in lifting people up, not knocking them down,” she said. “We both know that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us. And we see in our fellow Americans neighbors, never enemies.”

Harris, the first Black woman and person of South

Asian descent to lead a major party ticket, initially considered nearly a dozen candidates before zeroing in on a handful of serious contenders.

Trump has focused much of his campaign on appealing to men, emphasizing a need for strength in national leadership and even featuring the wrestler Hulk Hogan on the final night of the Republican National Convention. Harris’ finalists — all white men — marked an acknowledgement of the Democrat’s need to at least try to win over some of that demographic.

She personally interviewed three finalists: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Walz. Harris wanted someone with executive experience who could be a governing partner, and Walz also offered appeal to the widest swath of the diverse coalition.

His selection drew praise from lawmakers as ideologically diverse as progressive leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a moderate who left the Democratic Party earlier this year.

A team of lawyers and political operatives led by former Attorney General Eric

currently on leave, has officially been charged after being accused of sending a sexually explicit photo to a minor.

of Walz’s handling of the 2020 protests after the police killing of George Floyd.”

From KSTP: “The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) announced on Tuesday that 31-year-old Nicholas Martell, an Isanti police officer

Harris

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the top of the ticket.”

Donald Trump had put a similar emphasis on appealing to voters in Midwestern states with his choice of Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his vice presidential pick. Vance is bracketing the Harris-Walz ticket with appearances in the same states on Wednesday.

The Republican started his day in Shelby Township, Michigan, and then planned to head to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the same city where the Democratic candidates were to appear hours later before going to Michigan.

Vance used his Michigan appearance to blame Harris for illegal immigration that he says is leading to more crime. It was an attempt to hit Harris on an issue that motivates Republican-leaning voters as well as a pushback against Walz, who in his Tuesday speech in Philadelphia stressed that violent crime had been higher during Trump’s presidency.

KARE 11’s A.J. Lagoe has a story of fraud in Blaine that cost taxpayers more than $1.5 million: “During the week of Aug. 25, 2023, we found a large payment – totaling $1,577,186.58 – to New Look Contracting of Rogers for work on a large construction project at 89th and

“We’ve got to throw Kamala Harris out of office, not give her a promotion,” Vance said, arguing that the former prosecutor was not on the side of police.

In Michigan, leaders say Democratic enthusiasm has surged since Harris announced her candidacy.

That could be pivotal in Detroit, which is nearly 80% Black, where leaders for months had warned administration officials that voter apathy could cost them in a city that’s typically a stronghold for their party. Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the NAACP Detroit branch, said the excitement in the city now is “mind-blowing.” He likened it to Barack Obama’s first run for president in 2008, when voters waited in long lines to help elect the nation’s first Black president.

But some Democratic leaders in Michigan had grown concerned that choosing the wrong running mate could slow that momentum and fracture a coalition that has only recently started to unify.

Arab American leaders, who hold s ignificant influence in Michigan due to a large presence in metro

Holder pored over documents and conducted interviews with potential selections. Harris mulled the decision over on Monday with top aides and finalized it Tuesday morning, according to three people familiar with Harris’ decision who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations.

Shapiro, an ambitious politician in his own right, struggled with the idea of being No. 2 at the White House and said he felt he had more to do in Pennsylvania, according to one of the people familiar with Harris’ decision. There was also public pushback to Shapiro for his stance on Israel from Arab American groups and younger voters angry over the administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war.

The other contenders threw their support behind the ticket Tuesday, and Shapiro was one of the speakers at Tuesday’s Philadelphia rally. Biden described the Harris and Walz ticket as “a powerful voice for working people and America’s great middle class.”

Walz coined one of Democrats’ buzziest campaign bits to date, calling Trump and his running mate Ohio Sen.

JD Vance “just weird,” a label that the Democratic Governors Association — of which Walz

Davenport in Blaine. We got suspicious when we noticed another payment to New Look in the same amount – down to the penny – issued one month later.”

Also from KSTP, Joe Mazan reports: “The suicide rate in Minnesota is dropping but remains higher in rural parts of the state.”

WCCO’s Jeff Wagner reports: “Deli counters at Twin Cities grocery stores have been reloaded after a recent

Detroit, had been vocal in their opposition to Shapiro due to his past comments regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Those leaders specifically pointed to a comment he made earlier this year regarding protests on university campuses, which they felt unfairly compared the actions of student protesters to those of white supremacists. Shapiro, who is Jewish, has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while remaining a staunch supporter of Israel.

“It’s certainly not antisemitic to critique somebody’s position on Israeli policy,” Hammoud said. “That’s just called stewardship and accountability.”

In addition to expressing those concerns publicly, leaders had also made their feelings known privately to the White House and Harris’ team.

Osama Siblani, the publisher of the Dearborn-based Arab American News and a prominent leader in Michigan’s large Muslim community, was among those who met with White House adviser Tom Perez in Michigan last week.

is chairman — amplified in a post on X and Democrats more broadly have echoed.

On Tuesday, Walz said: “Just an observation of mind, I just have to say it. These guys are creepy and, yes, just weird as hell.”

Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Walz will spend the next five days touring critical battleground states, visiting Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday and Arizona and Nevada later in the week.

Vance, for his part, planned stops in some of the same areas. He said Tuesday that he called Walz earlier in the day and left a voice message.

The Trump campaign on Tuesday immediately tried to tag Walz as a far-left liberal. “It’s no surprise that San Francisco Liberal Kamala Harris wants West Coast wannabe Tim Walz as her running-mate – Walz has spent his governorship trying to reshape Minnesota in the image of the Golden State,” said Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s campaign press secretary.

Trump, who often weighs in on the news on his social media network, posted simply, “THANK YOU!” after the news of Walz’s selection was public. He followed up with another post a few hours later,

scare. Many were missing a popular brand of cold cuts for much of last week after Boar’s Head recalled millions of pounds of deli meat due to a deadly listeria outbreak.”

Cara Kopp of Northern News Now reports: “A man from Washburn, Wisc. is revitalizing the Ojibwe Language by taking it to the big screen. Niigaanii-Animikii

Inini Kalvin Hartwig, who

Although Perez was in the state on official business, he has maintained contact with some Dearborn leaders since he and other top officials traveled there with Biden in an effort to mend ties with the community. Siblani said he met with Perez for over an hour on July 29 and told him that if Harris chose Shapiro, it would “shut down” future conversations. He also conveyed this message to Democratic lawmakers in Congress, including Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell.

Pushback from Arab Americans and union leaders was “not the only reason why she did not pick Shapiro, but it is one of the major reasons,” said Siblani.

“Not picking Shapiro is a very good step. It cracks the door open a little more for us,” said Siblani, who along with Hammoud emphasized that any meaningful conversations must include policy discussions.

Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss, who is Jewish, was excited by the prospect of having Shapiro as a vice presidential candidate but was “disturbed” by the criticism he received, believing that many of the vetted candidates had

proclaiming “This is the most Radical Left duo in American history” and suggested Biden “feels that he made a historically tragic mistake” and would try to get back in the race again.

Walz, who grew up in the small town of West Point, Nebraska, was a teacher, coach and union member at Mankato West High School in Minnesota before entering politics.

He won the first of six terms in Congress in 2006 from a mostly rural southern Minnesota district and used the office to champion veterans issues. Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard, rising to command sergeant major, one of the highest enlisted ranks in the military, although he didn’t complete all the training before he retired so his rank for benefits purposes was set at master sergeant. He ran for governor in 2018 on the theme of “One Minnesota” and won by more than 11 points.

David Ivory, a 46-year-old St. Paul resident, rode over to Walz’s residence on his bike with his kids shortly after the announcement to deliver their congratulations.

“He’s just down to earth. He gets it. He can talk to anybody,” Ivory said. “He doesn’t seem like he’s above anybody.”

is originally from the Sault Ste. Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians, has spent the last two years trying to re-energize the Ojibwe language at Red Cliff.” The Star Tribune’s Jana Hollingsworth reports on the death of Duluth Zoo’s red panda, Pip: “The Lake Superior Zoo’s one-year-old red panda, Pip, was found dead in her den last week, the zoo announced Monday. The female panda was the zoo’s second, having

similar views on Israel. He said he didn’t believe the criticism played a role in Harris’ decision and that “she’s choosing somebody based on this long game of who she can work with for four to eight years.”

Still, Moss said he is glad the Harris-Walz ticket is not divisive and that the feeling of unity among Democrats is “palpable on the ground.”

The nation’s largest auto workers’ union, the United Auto Workers, also watched the vice presidential choice carefully. They moved to endorse Harris quickly after she stepped in to replace Biden, and UAW President Shawn Fain said publicly that she had a right to choose her own running mate. But he also said the union, which has 370,000 members and a huge presence in Michigan and other Midwestern states, didn’t favor Shapiro, who had previously joined with Pennsylvania Republicans in calling for an expansion of voucher programs that allow public tax dollars to flow to private schools. Fain had singled out Walz — in addition to other candidates — for praise in an

As governor, Walz had to find ways to work in his first term with a legislature split between a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican-led Senate. Minnesota has a history of divided government, though, and the arrangement was surprisingly productive in his first year.

Walz easily won reelection in 2022, and Democrats flipped the Senate to win full control of both chambers and the governor’s office for the first time in eight years. A big reason was the Dobbs decision from the conservative-majority Supreme Court that overturned a federal right to an abortion.

Walz currently serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Council of Governors, advising the president and the Cabinet on homeland security and national defense issues. He was first appointed to the position by Trump, then later reappointed by Biden.

Miller, Long and Kim reported from Washington. Karnowski reported from Minneapolis. Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo and Michelle L. Price in New York and Michael Goldberg in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

joined Zoozee in April. The cause of death is unknown.” According to Chrös McDougall at Racket, Minneapolis, not Atlanta, was almost the site of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games: “… Minneapolis actually has a long history of bidding for the Olympics, and perhaps never was it closer to getting the world’s biggest sporting event than in 1996.”

interview with The Associated Press on Aug. 2, saying the Minnesota governor was a “brilliant guy, sharp guy.” In a statement Tuesday, Fain said Walz will make a “great vice president” and that he has “stood with the working class every step of the way.”

Dingell, a Democrat with deep connections in Dearborn who has brokered some of the conversations between Biden administration officials and leaders of core constituencies in Michigan, echoed those sentiments Tuesday. She said the choice of Walz would only ramp up excitement at Wednesday’s rally in Detroit.

“We got somebody from the Midwest, from the heartland, that really understands our issues,” said Dingell.

“And he will be a partner to her. She won’t have to look over her shoulder every two minutes. He will be a total, true partner.”

Associated Press writers Tom Krisher in Detroit and Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan contributed to this report.

sudden” becoming Black. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned Trump’s comments as “repulsive” and “insulting,” asserting that “no one has any right to tell someone who they are.”

The 34 times convicted felon and former president also reiterated his openness to pardoning January 6 rioters, stating, “If they’re innocent, I would pardon them.”

When Scott drew attention to their convictions, Trump dissembled by asserting falsely that pro-Palestinian protesters

had attacked the Capitol last week, confusing it with the recent protests at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station. Throughout the panel discussion, which included Scott, FOX News personality and Trump apologist Harris Faulkner, and Kadia Goba from Semafor, Trump continued to clash with the audience and the panelists. He labeled Scott “nasty” for her questions, prompting shouts of “false” and boos from the crowd.

Trump also addressed his running mate, J.D. Vance, downplaying the significance of a running mate following Vance’s controversial remarks about childless women. Toward the event’s conclusion, Trump declared his intentions to “close the border” and lower

energy prices and interest rates if re-elected. “I want people to come into our country, but they have to be vetted, and they have to be checked,” he told the crowd. He also doubleddown on his insult to African Americans by stating that illegal immigrants were taking “Black jobs,” to which the audience again hissed and booed. The aftermath of the event has led to significant fallout within the NABJ.

Karen Attiah, a Washington Post columnist and co-chair of the convention, resigned in protest over the decision to invite Trump. In her resignation announcement on X (formerly Twitter), Attiah expressed disappointment over not being consulted about the decision. Prominent members

debate,

of the journalism community also voiced their disapproval. Jim Trotter, a sportswriter for The Athletic and NABJ’s 2023 Journalist of the Year, called the decision “difficult to put into words.” CBS Sports analyst Ashley Nicole Moss, journalistturned-publicist Dave Jordan, and media strategist April Reign joined the chorus of criticism. Ameshia Cross, a Democratic strategist and political pundit, and former NABJ journalist of the year Ernest Owens highlighted the irony of inviting Trump, given his history of attacking Black journalists and efforts to undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. “Shame on you NABJ,” Owens tweeted. “A disgrace. Defund and divest.” The National

statement

Spokesperson

Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) also condemned the invitation, with NNPA National Chair

Bobby Henry and President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis denouncing the decision as harmful and contrary to NABJ’s values of inclusion and solidarity. “They invited him to disrespect a Black woman and did nothing to protect or back her up,” journalist and author David Dennis Jr. tweeted.

“The single most disgraceful thing I’ve ever seen at NABJ.” Harris communication’s director Michael Tyler also denounced Trump’s hostile engagement with NABJ.

“The hostility Donald Trump showed on stage today is the same hostility he has

consumers, and cheaters like Trump who broke the rules for their own gain. He is burdened by an agenda that is toxic, a vision that is unpopular and a campaign unable to expand beyond his extremist base. Vice

shown throughout his life, throughout his term in office, and throughout his campaign for president as he seeks to regain power and inflict his harmful Project 2025 agenda on the American people,” Tyler stated.

“Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency – while he failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch, he left us in. Donald Trump has already proven he cannot unite America, so he attempts to divide us.

“Today’s tirade is simply a taste of the chaos and division that has been a hallmark of Trump’s MAGA rallies this entire campaign.”

race to make people’s lives better and build on

África esta sufriendo cinco veces más los severos castigos de la crisis climática que vive el planeta. Africa también internos, muchas veces provocados por las potencias extranjeras, constituyen otro factor que inciden en deterioro de la salud, deterioro ambiental, migraciones, explotación de trabajo infantil, dispersión de la familia.

Africa ha sufrido desde hace largo tiempo un terrible proceso de saqueo, siendo el mas terrible de todos, el proceso de la Trata Negrera y

la esclavitud. Posteriormente el reparto colonial de Africa por las potencias extranjeras a partir de la conferencia de Berlin del año 1885. Durante ese periodo a parte del colonialismo surgieron sistema como el Apartheid que sufrieron los pueblos sudafricanos y Namibia. Las guerras por minerals estragicos La lucha por la posesión de minerales estratégicos ha internos que no han culminado. Unos de esos países que posee unos de los minerales mas estratégicos el Coltan, es la Republica Democrática del Congo /Zaire). Vamos a recordar que fue en ese país donde el Gobierno de Bélgica asesino a Patricio Lumumba, brillante líder independentista. Los Belgas y Estados Unidos

more severe punishments from the planet. Africa is also plagued by wars and internal by foreign powers, which contribute to the deterioration of health, environmental degradation, migration, child labor exploitation, and family dispersion.

Africa has long endured a terrible process of exploitation, the most terrible being the Transatlantic Slave Trade and slavery. Following this, the colonial partition of Africa by foreign powers began with the Berlin Conference of 1885. During this period, alongside colonialism, systems like the South African and Namibian peoples. Wars for Strategic Minerals The struggle for possession of strategic minerals has provoked wars and internal One of the countries with one of the most strategic minerals, Coltan, is the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire).

África está sofrendo cinco vezes mais severamente com as punições da crise climática que afeta o planeta. A África também é assolada por guerras vezes provocados por potências estrangeiras, que contribuem para a deterioração da saúde, degradação ambiental, migração, exploração do trabalho infantil e dispersão familiar. A África tem suportado por muito tempo um terrível processo de exploração, sendo o mais terrível o Comércio Transatlântico de Escravos e a escravidão. Após isso, começou a partilha colonial da África por potências estrangeiras com a Conferência de Berlim de 1885. Durante este período, juntamente com o colonialismo, surgiram sistemas como o da África do Sul e da Namíbia. Guerras pelos Minerais Estratégicos A luta pela posse de minerais estratégicos provocou ainda não terminaram. Um dos países com um dos minerais mais estratégicos, o Coltan, é a República Democrática do Congo (Zaire). Devemos lembrar que foi nesse país que o governo belga assassinou Patrice Lumumba, um brilhante líder de independência. Os belgas e os Estados Unidos

impusieron al Dictador Mobuto Seseko y es entre 1996 y 1997 que va estallar la primera guerra del Congo que derribo a Mobuto del poder. La segunda guerra se va iniciar en 1998 a 2003 donde murieron 3.3 millones de personas, mas los desaparecidos lisiados y contaminado de VIH. Joseph Kabila quien derrocó al expresidente Mobuto, no pudo sostenerse en la guerra y fue asesinado, sin embargo a las empresas transnacionales no le interesa la paz en Congo sino el Coltan que estaban y continuar explotantondo sobre todo con niños y niñas y mujeres. Hoy Africa, ante la crisis geopolitical, de nuevo es colocada en el epicentro de las luchas por los minerales estratégicos para construir armas de guerras de alta tecnología extendida de sus

We should remember that it was in this country where the Belgian government assassinated Patrice Lumumba, a brilliant independence leader. The Belgians and the United States imposed dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, and between 1996 erupted, toppling Mobutu from power. The second war began in 1998 and lasted until 2003, resulting in 3.3 million deaths, plus the disappeared, maimed, and those infected with HIV. Joseph Kabila, who overthrew former president Mobutu, could not sustain the war and was assassinated. However, transnational companies are not interested in peace in Congo but in the Coltan, which continues to be exploited, especially by children, women, and girls.

impuseram o ditador Mobutu Sese Seko, e entre 1996 e 1997, eclodiu a primeira guerra do Congo, que derrubou Mobutu do poder. A segunda guerra começou em 1998 e durou até 2003, resultando na morte de 3,3 milhões de pessoas, além dos desaparecidos, mutilados e infectados com HIV. Joseph Kabila, que derrubou o expresidente Mobutu, não conseguiu sustentar a guerra e foi assassinado. No entanto, as empresas transnacionais não estão interessadas na paz no Congo, mas no Coltan, que continua a ser explorado, especialmente por crianças, mulheres e meninas. Hoje, a África, em meio à crise geopolítica, está novamente no epicentro das lutas pelos minerais estratégicos

territorios. La Alianza del Sahel: Renacimiento anticolonial? Es conocido por todos que en la época del gobierno francés, dirijo por Charles De Gaulle, se inicio un proceso de recolonizacion en los territorios dominados por Francia y lo bautizaron como Africa Occidental Francesa, impusieron una moneda sin valor llamada CFA (aun existe), y comenzaron a extraer recursos estratégicos como uranio, oro y petróleo. Algunos líderes como Sekou Ture (Guinea Conacri) y Mali se opusieron. Otros líderes africanos como Leopold Sedar Shengor y Felix Bougny, aceptaron el neocolonialismo Francia económico y militar mejor conocido como La Francia Africa. Algunos líderes revolucionarios como Thomas

Today, Africa, amid the geopolitical crisis, is once again at the epicenter of struggles for strategic minerals to build hightech war weapons. The Sahel Alliance: Anticolonial Renaissance?

It is well known that during the French government’s era, led by Charles De Gaulle, a process of recolonization began in territories dominated by France, dubbed French West Africa. They imposed a worthless currency called CFA (still existing) and began extracting strategic resources like uranium, gold, and oil. Some leaders like Sekou Ture (Guinea Conakry) and Mali opposed this. Other African leaders like Leopold Sedar Senghor and Felix HouphouëtBoigny accepted French

para a construção de armas de guerra de alta tecnologia. A Aliança Sahel: Renascimento Anticolonial? É bem conhecido que, durante o governo francês, liderado por Charles De Gaulle, começou um processo de recolonização nos territórios dominados pela França, denominado África Ocidental Francesa. Eles impuseram uma moeda sem valor chamada CFA (ainda existente) e começaram a extrair recursos estratégicos como urânio, ouro e petróleo. Alguns líderes como Sekou Ture (Guiné Conacri) e Mali se opuseram a isso. Outros líderes africanos como Leopold Sedar Senghor e Felix Houphouët-Boigny aceitaram o neocolonialismo francês, conhecido economicamente

Sankara de Burkina Faso que se levantaron contra la Franciafrica, fueron asesinados. Desde el año 2012, la region conocida como el Sahel, punto geoestratégico entre Africa y Europa, los grupos terrorista así como la intervención de la Union Europea para proteger sus explotaciones de recursos minerales estratégicos, convirtieron a esta región en un caos. Desde el año 2020 hasta nuestros días jóvenes militares apoyados por la mayoría de los pueblos de Mali, Burkina Faso y Niger lucharon fuertemente hasta lograr el pasado 6 de julio establecer una nueva organización La Alianza del Sahel: comenzó a gestarse movimientos anti coloniales en alianzas con militares jovenes. Mali, Presidente Asimi

Goita), Niger ( Presidente Abdourahamane Tchiani)) y Burkina Faso (presidente Ibrahim Traore), se levantaron contra el colonialismo francés y recientemente constituyeron una organización regional denominada Alianza de Los Estados del Sahel, teniendo como centro de partida, la ciudad de Niamey, Republica de Niger. Dentro de sus objetivo esta combatir a los grupos terrorista Yihadista. Se acordó en esta cumbre crear un banco de eliminar la moneda colonial francesa CFA, también se propuso la creación de un. El actual presidente del gobierno transitorio de Mali, Asimi Goita, asumirá la presidencia por un año de la Alianza del Sahel. Fondo de Estabilización político-social.

neocolonialism, economically and militarily known as La Françafrique. Revolutionary leaders like Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, who rose against La Françafrique, were assassinated. Since 2012, the region known as the Sahel, a geostrategic point between Africa and Europe, has been turned into chaos by terrorist groups and European Union intervention to protect their exploitation of strategic mineral resources. From 2020 to the present, young military majority of the people in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, fought organization on July 6, The Sahel Alliance, which began to form anti-colonial movements in alliances with young military Goita), Niger (President Abdourahamane Tchiani), and Burkina Faso (President Ibrahim Traore) rose against French colonialism and recently formed a regional organization called the Sahel States Alliance, based in Niamey, Niger. Their objectives include combating Jihadist terrorist groups. This summit agreed to create an investment bank to eliminate the colonial French CFA currency and proposed the creation of a Political-Social Stabilization Fund. The current president of Mali’s transitional government, Assimi Goita, will assume the presidency of the Sahel Alliance for one year.

e militarmente como La Françafrique. Líderes revolucionários como Thomas Sankara de Burkina Faso, que se levantaram contra La Françafrique, foram assassinados. Desde 2012, a região conhecida como Sahel, um ponto geoestratégico entre a África e a Europa, foi transformada em caos por grupos terroristas e pela intervenção da União Europeia para proteger a exploração de seus recursos minerais estratégicos. De 2020 até o presente, jovens maioria das pessoas em Mali, Burkina Faso e Níger, lutaram ferozmente até estabelecerem uma nova organização em 6 de julho, a Aliança Sahel, que começou a formar movimentos

anticoloniais em alianças Mali (Presidente Assimi Goita), Níger (Presidente Abdourahamane Tchiani) e Burkina Faso (Presidente Ibrahim Traore) se levantaram contra o colonialismo francês e recentemente formaram uma organização regional chamada Aliança dos Estados do Sahel, com sede em Niamey, Níger. Seus objetivos incluem combater grupos terroristas jihadistas. Esta cúpula concordou em criar um banco de investimentos para eliminar a moeda colonial francesa CFA e propôs a criação de um Fundo de Estabilização Político-Social. O atual presidente do governo de transição do Mali, Assimi Goita, assumirá a presidência da Aliança Sahel por um ano.

Par Jesus Chucho Garcia Translation By Macdonald Anyanwu, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

Climate Crisis Impact in Africa

Child labor in mining areas in Congo

By Jesus Chucho Garcia

Translated from Spanish by Macdonald Anyanwu

Special for Insight News

l’un des minéraux les plus stratégiques, le Coltan, est la République Démocratique du Congo (Zaïre). Nous devons rappeler que c’est dans ce pays que le gouvernement belge a assassiné Patrice Lumumba, un brillant leader de l’indépendance. Les Belges et les États-Unis ont imposé le dictateur Mobutu Sese Seko, et entre 1996 et 1997, la première guerre du Congo a éclaté, renversant Mobutu du pouvoir. La deuxième guerre a commencé en 1998 et a duré jusqu’en 2003, entraînant la mort de 3,3 millions de personnes, en plus des disparus,

By Jesus Chucho

Afrika waxay la ildaran tahay shan jeer ciqaab adag oo ka dhalatay xaaladda cimilada ee adduunka oo dhan. Afrika sidoo kale waxaa ku habsaday dagaallo iyo khilaafaad gudaha ah, kuwaas oo inta badan ay kiciyeen quwadaha shisheeye, kuwaas oo ka qaybqaata hoos u dhaca deegaanka, qaxootinimada, shaqaalaysiinta qoysaska.

des mutilés et des infectés par le VIH. Joseph Kabila, qui a renversé l’ancien président Mobutu, n’a pas pu soutenir la guerre et a été assassiné. Cependant, les entreprises transnationales ne sont pas intéressées par la paix au Congo mais par le Coltan, qui continue d’être exploité, en particulier par des enfants, des femmes et Aujourd’hui, l’Afrique, au milieu de la crise géopolitique, se trouve à nouveau au centre des luttes pour les minéraux stratégiques pour construire des armes de guerre de haute technologie.

Afrika waxay muddo dheer ku jirtay habka xun ee laga faa’iidaysanayo, kii ugu xumaa waa Ka-ganacsiga Adoomaha ee Atlantic-ga iyo addoonsiga. Ka dib waxaa bilaabmay qaybsigii gumaysiga ee Afrika ee quwadaha shisheeye, kaasoo bilaabmay Shirkii Berlin ee 1885. Intii lagu jiray muddadan, gumaysiga waxay ka dhalatay nidaamyo sida Apartheid, oo ku dhibaataysan dadka Koonfur Afrika iyo Namibia. Dagaallo loogu jiro Macdanta Istiraatiijiga ah Dagaalka loogu jiro helitaanka macdanta istiraatiijiga ah ayaa sababay dagaallo iyo khilaafaad gudaha ah oo aan dhammaanin. Mid ka mid ah wadamada leh macdanta ugu istiraatiijiga ah, Coltan, waa Jamhuuriyadda Dimuqraadiga ah ee Congo (Zaire). Waa inaan xusuusanno in dalkaas, xukuumadda Belgiumku ay dishay Patrice Lumumba, oo ahaa hogaamiye madax-bannaan. Belgiyanku iyo Maraykanku waxay talada saareen Kaligii-talis Mobutu Sese Seko, oo inta u dhexeysa

na adhabu kali mara tano zaidi kutokana na mzozo wa hali ya hewa unaoathiri sayari. Afrika pia inaathiriwa na vita na migogoro ya ndani, mara nyingi ikichochewa na nguvu za kigeni, ambazo zinachangia kuzorota kwa afya, uharibifu wa mazingira, uhamiaji, unyonyaji wa ajira kwa watoto, na kutengana kwa familia. Afrika imevumilia kwa muda mrefu mchakato mbaya wa unyonyaji, mbaya zaidi ukiwa biashara ya utumwa ya Transatlantic na utumwa. Baada ya hayo, kugawanywa kwa kikoloni kwa Afrika na nguvu za kigeni kulianza na Mkutano wa Berlin wa 1885. Katika kipindi hiki, pamoja na ukoloni, mifumo kama Apartheid iliibuka, ikiwakandamiza watu wa Afrika Kusini na Namibia. Vita vya Madini ya Kistratejia Mapambano ya kumiliki madini ya kistratejia yamesababisha vita na migogoro ya ndani ambayo haijamalizika. Mojawapo ya nchi zinazomiliki mojawapo ya madini ya kistratejia, Coltan, ni Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo (Zaire). Tunapaswa kukumbuka kwamba ilikuwa katika nchi hii ambapo serikali ya Ubelgiji ilimuua Patrice Lumumba, kiongozi mahiri wa uhuru. Wabelgiji na Marekani

rlín ní tò

ètò bíi Apartheid wáyé, tó dá -èdè Gúúsù Àfíríkà àti Namibia.

dùn ti òjò

ayé,

Ètò Okoòwò

ètò tí kò tií parí. -èdè tó okoòwò, dò rántí

ljámù pa Patrice Lumumba, jà fún ríkà

L’Alliance du Sahel : Renaissance Anticoloniale ? Il est bien connu que, sous le gouvernement français dirigé par Charles De Gaulle, un processus de recolonisation a commencé dans les territoires dominés par la France, surnommé Afrique Occidentale Française. Ils ont imposé une monnaie sans valeur appelée CFA (qui existe encore) et ont commencé à extraire des ressources stratégiques comme l’uranium, l’or et le pétrole. Certains dirigeants comme Sekou Ture (Guinée Conakry) et le Mali s’y sont opposés. D’autres

1996 iyo 1997, dagaalkii ugu horreeyay ee Congo uu qarxay, kaasoo Mobutu ka tuuray xukunka. Dagaalkii labaad ayaa bilaabmay 1998, wuxuuna socday ilaa 2003, kaasoo sababay dhimashada 3.3 milyan oo qof, oo lagu daray kuwa la waayey, dhaawacmay, iyo kuwa qaba HIV. Joseph Kabila, oo xilka ka tuuray madaxweynihii hore Mobutu, ma awoodin inuu dagaalka sii hayo waxaana la dilay. Si kastaba ha ahaatee, shirkadaha caalamiga ah uma danaynayaan nabadda Congo balse waxay danaynayaan Coltan, kaas oo weli la faa’iidaysanayo, gaar ahaan carruurta, dumarka, iyo gabdhaha.

Maanta, Afrika, iyadoo ku jirta xaalad kacsan oo siyaasadeed, ayaa markale noqotay xarunta dagaallada loogu jiro macdanta istiraatiijiga ah ee loo dhiso

walimuweka dikteta Mobutu Sese Seko, na kati ya 1996 na 1997, vita vya kwanza vya Kongo vililipuka, vikiangusha Mobutu madarakani. Vita vya pili vilianza mnamo 1998 na kudumu hadi 2003, na kusababisha vifo vya watu milioni 3.3, pamoja na waliopotea, waliopooza, na walioambukizwa VVU. Joseph Kabila, aliyempindua rais wa zamani Mobutu, hakuweza kuhimili vita na aliuawa. Hata hivyo, makampuni ya kimataifa hayajali amani nchini Kongo bali Coltan, ambayo inaendelea kunyonywa, hasa na watoto, wanawake, na wasichana. Leo, Afrika, katikati ya katika kitovu cha mapambano ya madini ya kistratejia kujenga silaha za vita za teknolojia ya

, àti , tó lú n ní HIV. Joseph Kabila, tó gbé Mobutu kúrò nínú àga, kò le gbé inú ogun náà, òkèèrè

òsèlú ayé, tún wà ní

dirigeants africains comme Leopold Sedar Senghor et Felix Houphouët-Boigny ont accepté le néocolonialisme français, connu économiquement et militairement sous le nom de La Françafrique. Des leaders révolutionnaires comme Thomas Sankara du Burkina Faso, qui se sont levés contre La Françafrique, ont été assassinés. Depuis 2012, la région connue sous le nom de Sahel, un point géostratégique entre l’Afrique et l’Europe, a été plongée dans le chaos par des groupes terroristes et l’intervention de l’Union Européenne pour protéger

hubka teknolojiyadda sare. Isbahaysiga Sahel: Dibu-soo-kabashada Ka-dhankacolonialka? in xilligii dawladda Faransiisku, oo uu hogaaminayey Charles De Gaulle, uu bilaabmay habkii dib-u-gumaysiga ee dhulalka uu Faransiisku gumaystay, oo loo yaqaanay Galbeedka Afrika ee Faransiiska. Waxay soo rogeen lacag aan qiimo lahayn oo loo yaqaan CFA (oo weli jirta) waxayna bilaabeen soo saaridda kheyraadka istiraatiijiga ah sida uraniyum, dahab, iyo saliid. Hoggaamiyeyaal qaar sida Sekou Ture (Guinea Conakry) iyo Mali ayaa ka hor yimid tan. Hoggaamiyeyaal kale oo Afrikaan ah sida Leopold Sedar Senghor iyo Felix Houphouët-Boigny ayaa aqbalay neocolonialismka Faransiiska, ee dhaqaale ahaan iyo milatari ahaan

juu. Muungano wa Sahel: Mwamko wa Kupinga Ukoloni? Inajulikana vyema kuwa katika enzi ya serikali ya Ufaransa, iliyoongozwa na Charles De Gaulle, mchakato wa ukoloni upya ulianza katika maeneo yaliyotawaliwa na Ufaransa, yakiitwa Afrika Magharibi ya Ufaransa. Walilazimisha sarafu isiyo na thamani iitwayo CFA (ambayo bado ipo) na wakaanza kuchimba rasilimali za kistratejia kama vile urani, dhahabu, na mafuta. Viongozi wengine kama Sekou Ture (Guinea Conakry) na Mali walipinga hili. Viongozi wengine wa Kiafrika kama Leopold Sedar Senghor na Felix Houphouët-Boigny walikubali ukoloni mamboleo wa Ufaransa, kiuchumi na

gíga. kan Sahel: Àtúnbí tò Oyinbó? fún gbogbo Faransé, tí Charles De Gaulle

tò

òun, tí Oòrùn CFA

okoòwò bíi uranium, kan bíi Sekou Ture (Guinea Àfíríkà míràn bíi Leopold Sedar Senghor àti Felix

l’exploitation de leurs ressources minérales stratégiques. De 2020 militaires, soutenus par la majorité des habitants du Mali, du Burkina Faso et du Niger, ont lutté farouchement jusqu’à établir une nouvelle organisation le 6 juillet, L’Alliance du Sahel, qui a commencé à former des mouvements anticoloniaux en alliances avec Le Mali (Président Assimi Goita), le Niger (Président Abdourahamane Tchiani) et le Burkina Faso (Président Ibrahim Traore) se sont levés contre le colonialisme français

loo yaqaan La Françafrique. Hoggaamiyeyaasha kacaanka sida Thomas Sankara ee Burkina Faso, oo kacay ka dhanka ah La Françafrique, ayaa la dilay. Tan iyo 2012, gobolka loo yaqaan Sahel, oo ah goobta istiraatiijiga ah ee u dhaxaysa Afrika iyo Yurub, waxaa qasan kooxo argagixiso ah iyo faragelinta Midowga Yurub si ay u ilaaliyaan macaamiishooda istiraatiijiga ah. Laga soo bilaabo 2020 ilaa hadda, saraakiisha milatariga ee da’da yar, oo ay taageerayaan inta badan dadka reer Mali, Burkina Faso, iyo Niger, ayaa dagaal adag u galay ilaa ay sameeyeen urur cusub 6-da Luulyo, Isbahaysiga Sahel, kaas oo bilaabay inay sameeyaan dhaqdhaqaaqyo ka-dhanka-colonialka iyagoo ku jira isbahaysiga saraakiisha milatariga ee da’da yar. Mali (Madaxweyne Assimi Goita), Niger (Madaxweyne

et ont récemment formé une organisation régionale appelée l’Alliance des États du Sahel, basée à Niamey, au Niger. Leurs objectifs incluent la lutte contre les groupes terroristes djihadistes. Ce sommet a convenu de créer une banque d’investissement pour éliminer la monnaie coloniale française CFA et a proposé la création d’un Fonds de Stabilisation Politico-Sociale. Le président actuel du gouvernement de transition du Mali, Assimi Goita, assumera la présidence de l’Alliance du Sahel pour un an.

Tchiani), iyo Burkina Faso (Madaxweyne Ibrahim Traore) ayaa kacay ka dhanka ah gumaysiga Faransiiska waxayna dhawaan sameeyeen urur goboleed loo yaqaan Isbahaysiga Dawladaha Sahel, oo xarunteedu tahay Niamey, Niger. Ujeeddooyinkooda waxaa ka mid ah la dagaallanka kooxaha argagixisada Jihadi.

kijeshi, unaojulikana kama La Françafrique. Viongozi wa mapinduzi kama Thomas Sankara wa Burkina Faso, walioinuka dhidi ya La Françafrique, waliuawa. Tangu 2012, eneo linalojulikana kama Sahel, Afrika na Ulaya, limegeuzwa kuwa machafuko na vikundi vya kigaidi na kuingilia kwa Umoja wa Ulaya ili kulinda unyonyaji wao wa rasilimali za kistratejia. Kuanzia 2020 vijana, wakisaidiwa na watu wengi wa Mali, Burkina Faso, na Niger, walipigana vikali hadi kuanzisha shirika jipya mnamo Julai 6, Muungano wa Sahel, ambao ulianza kuunda harakati za kupinga ukoloni wa kijeshi vijana. Mali

linaloitwa Muungano wa Mataifa ya Sahel, lenye makao yake Niamey, Niger. Malengo yao ni pamoja na kupambana na vikundi vya kigaidi vya Jihad. Katika mkutano huu, walikubaliana kuunda benki ya uwekezaji ili kuondoa sarafu ya kikoloni ya Ufaransa CFA na kupendekeza kuundwa kwa Mfuko wa Utulivu wa Kisiasa na Kijamii. Rais wa sasa wa serikali ya mpito ya Mali, Assimi Goita, atachukua urais wa Muungano wa Sahel kwa mwaka mmoja.

n pa. sí Sahel, láàárín Àfíríkà àti Yúróòpù, tuntun ní July 6, Alájà

Abdourahamane

(Rais Assimi Goita), Niger (Rais Abdourahamane Tchiani), na Burkina Faso (Rais Ibrahim Traore) walipinga ukoloni wa Ufaransa na hivi karibuni waliunda shirika la kikanda

Project 2025: The blueprint for America’s democratic demise

By Congresswoman

Trump is “America’s Hitler.”

Those aren’t my words. They’re the words of Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance. That’s what he and many others used to say about Trump before they succumbed to his influence.

Now, they’re proclaiming their loyalty by bowing down and kissing the ring of an insurrection inciter, a racist, a sex predator, a twiceimpeached, four-time indicted, now convicted felon, and former disgrace of a President.

Recently, the Republicans held their national convention. Despite the delusional and deranged policies Trump has been shoving down our throats, he was met with thunderous applause.

Let me paint a picture of a second Trump term, according to MAGA Republicans and Trump’s closest cronies.

Journalist and historian Anne Applebaum aptly noted, “Often, for autocrats, the second time in power is worst.” That’s a chillingly accurate description of what we’d face with Trump, especially with the tyrannical policies in Project 2025.

If you haven’t heard, Project 2025 is a 920-page blueprint for a second Trump

term, straight out of a dystopian novel. It’s packed with the horrifying policies MAGA Republicans dream of imposing.

It’s the MAGA Republicans’ plan to take control of this country and our lives.

It demolishes checks and balances, tramples personal liberties, and outlines a Trump power grab ripped from a dictator’s playbook.

Trump wants to fire up to 1 million people in the federal government and replace them with a bunch of extreme MAGA Republicans who would do Trump’s bidding instead of the American people and the Constitution.

And let’s talk about your wallet because you can forget about that with Project 2025. MAGA Republicans want to increase taxes on the middle class, gut social security for young Americans, slash Medicare, let employers stop paying overtime, and more.

They also aim to obliterate the Department of Education and eliminate the Head Start program. As a former Head Start educator and school principal, I find this vile and inexcusable.

Project 2025 also wants students in public high schools to take a military entrance exam in an effort to draft them into the military. However, it leaves private school kids untouched.

The cherry on top?

They’re hell-bent on banning

abortion and restricting access to birth control and Plan B. As someone who knew life before Roe v. Wade and almost died from a stillbirth, we simply cannot go back.

Now, Trump knows this plan is insane and unpopular, and has recently tried to distance himself from Project 2025, claiming he knows nothing about it. But Project 2025 is

crawling with former Trump officials and cabinet members. All MAGA Republicans are trying to do now is lie about Project 2025 so they can win the election and begin to implement this draconian plan—just like authoritarians in other countries did when trying to grab onto power. But we cannot ignore their true vile intentions. So, what’s next?

Trump used his first term to destroy the guardrails of democracy, stack the courts with loyalists, and make the truth seem like “fake news.”

So, while our democracy survived a first Trump term, it won’t survive a second one.

Don’t take my word for it. Trump said he will become “a dictator on day one.” This isn’t just a

when he says he’ll be a dictator. There is simply too much at stake to focus on anything other than the choice we have in this election: democracy or dictatorship. I’m choosing democracy every day.

to remain lively throughout the day, several types of pedestrians need to pass through.

workers are essential to a wellfunctioning downtown. The problem is when the downtown is entirely dedicated to them. Lively streets require pedestrian diversity, with pedestrians traveling through the street at different times. Pedestrians use the street for different reasons. For example, office workers pass through at 9 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m.; school children pass through around 8 a.m. and again at 3 p.m.; grocery shoppers typically stop by in the afternoon; mall/commercial shoppers show up on the weekends; and residents pass through at a variety of times. In order for a street

This is the primary issue with Nicollet Mall and the reason that retail has struggled on the street is that it relies on one type of pedestrian shopper. Turning Nicollet Mall in its present form into a pedestrian mall would deaden the street even more when there aren’t specific events going on (such as Downtown Thursdays or the Promenade du Nord). The street benefits from the buses that bring people to it. Nicollet Mall is a major transfer point for several routes. Per Metro Transit’s estimate, roughly 4,700 people transfer from the bus to the train every weekday on Nicollet Mall. This, on top of other bus transfers, leads to a significant number of people on the mall. Often, these

transfers can lead to a couple of minutes of waiting, which results in people on the street stopping by businesses, increasing the liveliness of the street. Without the buses, these quick stops would cease to happen. This isn’t to say that pedestrian malls are bad; done correctly, they can greatly enhance the street they are on. Nicollet Mall has shown this several times. Downtown Thursdays has done well and events like Promenade du Nord and Taste of Minnesota draw lots of people and show the mall’s potential. These are specific events. For a pedestrian mall to succeed without events to attract people, it needs to have the pedestrian diversity described above. In order for Nicollet Mall to succeed as a pedestrian mall — one that has lots of

pedestrians on the street, businesses in the storefronts, and neighbors using the street to play and gather — it has to develop di

erent uses for the street itself, as well as the surrounding areas. There are several opportunities to develop more residential buildings. The North4 parking lot across from the

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24)

MinnPost photo by Bill Lindeke

Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24)

By Seth Bose MinnPost

Don’t Call Us Dead

By W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor

DON’T CALL US DEAD

By Danez Smith Spoken

Word can and does take us to many places. It can speak to us from a place of inspiration, of pain, of life

Danez Smith’s poetry collection

Don’t Call Us Dead. Smith’s collection gives the reader/listener a deep dive into matters such as the illnesses of our society, the tense relationship between African Americans and the police, African American men as an endangered species, being African American and LGBT. He illustrates the struggles in the dating game for Black gay men. Though COVID has eclipsed it in the media and news, he reminds us about those living with HIV.

storm. In addressing serious issues, Smith also brings hope, speaking the truth in love.

Smith’s gifts have made room for him through many accolades, including the Forward Prize for Best Collection, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and the Lambda Literary Award. He has also received fellowships from the McKnight Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation.

Don’t Call Us Dead is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and

Insight 2 Health

What every Black child needs in the world

The National Black Child Development Institute is the only national organization focused solely on the unique attributes and needs of Black children, birth through age 8.

We exist to fight for the creation of an equitable and just future for Black children and families. We mobilize communities and ignite movements on the strength of Black excellence. NBCDI is engaged in the process of building the world into which Black children deserve to be born. The work of building a future in which Black people exist is ours to design, and we take seriously the charge to lay the bricks and smooth the mortar to implement ideas that will change the world for Black children and families.

We work to foster a sense of community and

By Deanna Pistono MinnPost

Black Zen, a meditation group in the Twin Cities, seeks to make meditation accessible and relevant to everyone.

Jasmine Johnson, one of the founders of and session facilitator at Black Zen, has been meditating for years, as has her sister and co-founder, Stacey Johnson. Jasmine Johnson told MinnPost that she and her sister noticed their own Black community “didn’t talk about (meditation) very much” as a way to deal with stress. Later, the Johnsons realized stress was directly linked to many of the health disparities facing communities of color.

“When you look at the numbers themselves (for conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and various mental and emotional health concerns) there’s a very real difference between how those health numbers or those health indicators show up for women and people of color specifically,” said Jasmine Johnson. “The more you go into it, the more you look at the research, you’re like, ‘Oh, this clearly links to stress, that clearly links to stress, that clearly links to stress.’”

Black Zen began in 2016 as a means to introduce meditation as a way for communities of color to “decompress and healthfully process” stress, including the stress of dealing with racial discrimination. In addition to a podcast and meditation guidebook, they offer virtual and

belonging, where Black children feel supported and valued. In collaboration with our national Village Network, we amplify the strengths and talents of Black children and mobilize advocates in local communities who address their needs. We also serve as a convener, bringing together advocates, practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders who share our mission. Our Eight Essential Outcomes provide a framework for Black child development from birth through age 8. We Envision a World in Which Every Black Child… Is Born at a Healthy Weight When Black children are born between 5.5 and 8 pounds, they are more likely to lead healthy lives.

in-person meditation sessions to groups and individuals alike, along with wellness retreats and leadership training.

While meditation apps are widely available, Jasmine Johnson said the way meditation is presented in these apps can often be unrelatable.

Those pictured meditating, for example, she said, often look nothing like her or her loved ones. The locations featured in meditation apps, additionally, aren’t locations that reflect an average day-to-day life.

“The space that’s happening (on apps) is often in front of an ocean somewhere or in the middle of the woods,” said Jasmine Johnson, “Yes, we go to the ocean and we go to the woods. But on a regular day, how do I incorporate that practice? Because that’s not a regular day. A regular day is (when) I get up, I go to work, I take care of my responsibilities, (and) my family.”

In order to bring meditation to communities who do not typically practice it, Black Zen has had to confront and dispel myths surrounding meditation.

“We don’t talk about meditation, and when it’s talked about, it seems like this very woo-hooey thing and oftentimes it’s attached to Buddhism,” said Jasmine Johnson. “And so people are like, ‘Oh, well, that’s a religious thing. I’m a Christian (or) I’m Muslim (or) I’m agnostic, so all of it feels like it’s not for me.’ The truth is, meditation as a practice is simply learning how to intentionally quiet the mind. That can be done in conjunction with a religious practice. But

and Expands Them When Black children participate in

Has

truthfully, the act of meditation is just learning how to sit still and hush up and to give yourself some space to breathe – to pause and to take yourself off that fight or flight treadmill.”

Another common myth, said Jasmine Johnson, is that meditation requires “large swaths of free time” that people don’t have.

“If you are living a busy full life and you have a community or people in your life to take care of or work to do, the first thing that people will say is, ‘Oh, I don’t have the time to meditate,’” said Jasmine Johnson.

“What I offer is that actually meditation isn’t about how long you sit for, it’s about the quality of stillness that you find when you do sit. Two minutes of true stillness makes such a difference in how your body, your mind, and your emotions can reset. But if you think that you need an hour to do it, you’ll never do it,” said Johnson. “Start with a minute or two of stillness, start there and then build on that as you get more comfortable with that silence.”

Black Zen works with various organizations, including the Innocence Project and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, which focus on issues of social justice. Working with these organizations, Jasmine Johnson said, is a way for Black Zen to offer support and help prevent employees from burning out.

“How do you sustain that effort? There’s no quick fix,” said Jasmine Johnson of social justice work. “There isn’t just one day (where) we all wake up, oh, great, and now it’s all good.”

and understanding of their own and other cultures.

Lives and Plays in a Safe Community When Black children grow up in a safe and supportive physical and social environment, they experience a sense of community that

The longevity social justice work requires, Jasmine Johnson added, is “a different kind of lift,” especially when those working towards social justice are impacted by the issues they seek to address on a daily basis.

“(Social justice work) requires you to show up. And when you’re a part of the community that a lot of the stuff happens to, there’s no way to not take it personally,” said Jasmine Johnson. “Maybe because I’m a person of color, I feel it differently than other people. I don’t know. I just know that I cannot do social justice work and (have) it not be personal … If we don’t have a way of carrying that lift that is sustainable, that’s when we start to feel broken down. That’s when we start to see the true impacts of those health

promotes long-term resilience. Breathes Clean Air and Drinks Clean Water When Black children

Hangs

Enjoys

disparities showing up, because that stress has not been managed in a way that is reasonable, in a way that is healthy, in a way that allows us to still live full, joyful lives in the midst of doing work that we care about.”

Rowan Hathaway, a quality assurance specialist for climate solutions provider 3Degrees, said working with Black Zen has improved employee wellbeing and, in one case, addressed a specific stress faced by those working at 3Degrees – climate anxiety. During Mental Health Awareness Month this year, said Hathaway, 3Degrees invited Black Zen to do a lunch and learn session about climate anxiety and mental health.

“I’ve learned a lot from Black Zen,” said Hathaway. “I know that other people in the company have learned a lot, not just from the

meditation sessions, but also the nature of the work they’re doing and the reason that they started the company to begin with.”

By showing individuals and groups how to care for themselves via meditation, Jasmine Johnson believes the effects will ripple out into their wider communities.

“When you (care for yourself), it sets a standard of how we care for the community,” said Jasmine Johnson. “Because if you can’t even care for yourself in a deep way, how can you care for any community outside of yourself in a really deep way?”

Deanna Pistono

Deanna Pistono is MinnPost’s Race & Health Equity fellow. Follow her on Twitter @deannapistono or email her at dpistono@ minnpost.com.

National Black Child Development Institute

Courtesy of Jasmine Johnson

Jasmine Johnson, co-founder of Black Zen.

Sports

The final image of Simone Biles at the Olympics was a symbol of joy — and where the sport is going

By Will Graves AP National Writer

Simone Biles cast a knowing glance across the awards podium toward Jordan Chiles.

The longtime friends and U.S. gymnastics teammates knew they needed to find a way to honor Brazilian star Rebeca Andrade. They just weren’t sure how.

What they came up with after Andrade’s gold medal on floor exercise at the end of 10 days inside Bercy Arena symbolized the state of their sport at the 2024 Games.

Where it is. And hopefully where it’s going.

Biles, the unequivocal Greatest of All Time, and Chiles, a three-time Olympic medalist whose journey back to the Games was a testament to talent and grit, dropped down to one knee. It was a show of respect to Andrade, whose excellence is symbolic of a sport that is getting more diverse, more inclusive and perhaps more positive as it goes.

“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the Louvre itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.

Fitting for an Olympics that offered masterpieces everywhere you looked.

Biles eagerly shares the stage Biles and the American women finished off their “Redemption Tour” by reclaiming gold in the team

final. Biles exorcised whatever inner doubt remained from the Tokyo Games — and shut up the haters in the process — by winning a second all-around title eight years after her first. Andrade led Brazil to its first Olympic team medal (a bronze), then added three more in the individual competition, finishing runner-up to Biles in the all-around and vault before becoming the first woman in memory to edge Biles in a floor exercise final. The Italian women won their first team medal in nearly a century. Japan put together a stirring rally on high bar in the last rotation to slip by rival China for gold. The U.S. men and “Pommel Horse Guy” Stephen Nedoroscik returned to the Olympic podium for the first time in 16 years. Carlos Yulo of the Philippines tripled his country’s Summer Olympic alltime gold medal count in a mere 24 hours.

The good vibes were everywhere, led by Biles, who seemed to make it a point to take her vibrant spotlight and redirect it toward the other women on the floor as often as possible. That was never more evident than what could have been the last day of her career. The 27-year-old’s voice could be heard shouting encouragement to each of the other balance beam finalists inside an eerily quiet arena. Regardless of nationality. Regardless of age. Regardless of score. Regardless of how well she might know them.

Afterward, Biles spoke glowingly of Italians Alice D’Amato and Manila Esposito, who earned gold and bronze in beam after half the field — Biles included — fell inside an arena so still that Biles joked she could hear cell phones buzzing.

“I’m super excited and proud of them because now they’re building bricks (for a program) for the other Italian girls,” she said.

U.S. women’s team dismantles

stereotypes

Those bricks have long been in place in the U.S., yet what Biles, Chiles, sixtime Olympic medalist Sunisa Lee and three-time Olympic medalist Jade Carey did in Paris is destroy the “little girls in pretty boxes” stereotype that

has lingered over the sport for decades once and for all.

The four 20-somethings — oh, and 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, too — came to France with a score to settle. Biles to put those strange days in Japan three years ago firmly in the rearview mirror. Lee to rid herself of the “imposter syndrome” that kept nagging at her following her all-around gold in Tokyo and the health issues that pushed her to the verge of quitting over and over again. Chiles and Carey to put the Americans back on top after ceding the top of the podium to Russia.

The group checked every box. The U.S. won eight of 18 possible medals, including four for Biles to boost her Olympic total to 11, tied for the second most ever by a women’s gymnast in the history of the event.

Yet just as important as the results was the process they took to get there. There was pressure but there was also joy in abundance for the oldest team the Americans have ever brought to the Games, a team that has dubbed itself “The Golden Girls.”

“It’s been so much fun,” Carey said. “And I think so many have seen that, that we’re just having fun out there. And I think that’s bringing out the best gymnastics from us.”

‘We did it’ A decade ago, the core four would be heading off into retirement while the next wave of prodigies came along. It says something about the rapidly

shifting demographics on the floor and the rising interest in women’s gymnastics at large that not one of them — Biles included — has made any firm decisions about their future.

Biles nudged the door toward Los Angeles 2028 open when she said over the weekend “never say never.” Lee, still just 21, is taking time before

weighing her options. Carey and Chiles will join Biles on her post-Olympic tour and have college eligibility remaining. No one is in a hurry. Biles in particular. She chastised the media for pressing about the future so soon after the biggest moment of athletes’ lives. For a long time — for too long, in hindsight — she fixated on what’s next. No longer. She was intent on soaking in her third Olympics. Of enjoying it. And she did, from the first pressurepacked rotation in qualifying to that moment with Chiles and Andrade, when the last of the weight she’s been carrying for years lifted off her shoulders, perhaps for good.

“There’s nothing left,” Biles said. “We did our job, you know what I’m saying? So yeah, it was hard, but we did it.”

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/ hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Silver medalist Simone Biles, of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles, of the United States, right, bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, during the medal ceremony for the women’s artistic gymnastics individual floor finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France.