WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING
WINNER: 2019 GENERAL EXCELLENCE, 3RD PLACE, COLUMN WRITING, 2ND PLACE
Insight News August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019
Vol. 46 No. 32• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Conversation with “Floyd’s” playwright
LYNN NOTTAGE Floyd’s was everything Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage promised it would be…and more. In my phone interview with Nottage a couple of days before I attended the Sunday Matinee performance at Guthrie Theater, she warned: “Bring your laughter!” “Audiences have really been enjoying themselves,” she said. “It’s an interesting show because it looks like it’s easy to make, but it’s deceptively difficult because of all of the food preparation, and it’s orchestrated almost like a dance piece. Very intricately choreographed. But if we do our job right, it will look like it’s completely effortless.” Nottage’s description of the production as intricately choreographed, like a dance piece, brought to mind precisely-timed movement and words, so I asked, “Precision, right?” “It’s all about precision,” Nottage said, pivoting to further describe the work as a study in mindfulness. Floyd’s take place in a truck stop kitchen, staffed by workers who are trying to rebuild lives after incarceration. Unseen are the customers, who we learn deeply appreciate Floyd’s culinary creations, and, the boss’ investors, whose demand for profit push back against the worker’s bid for freedom as
expressed in their sandwich making creativity. Floyd’s is at the Guthrie Theater through August 31. Al McFarlane: So what was your intent?
Lynn Nottage: Floyd’s is a companion piece in many ways to Sweat, which was a play that was examining the way in which economic stagnation was really shaping the American narrative, and also our relationships within communities as they’re fractured along racial and economic lines because of the financial downturn. Floyd’s is a very different piece. It takes place in an undetermined time, and asks what happens to people, in this case, who have been formerly incarcerated who are trying to negotiate their freedom, and find themselves in a hostile situation where people will not allow them to flourish because of the mistakes that they’ve made. In many ways, it is a play about forgiveness. What I was interested in is exploring the nature of complicated human relationships. I allow the audience to take what they will from what I have presented. It is a play about mindfulness.
Mindfulness is an outlook. It’s a way in which we approach life, and the things that we do with a sense of intention, and respect. Floyd’s is a play about a sandwich shop. The making of the sandwich is a metaphor for the experience of being mindful. It’s how do we assemble the set of ingredients in a way that’s purposeful. It’s done with a sense of love and intention. And when you see the play, you’ll understand. I mean it sounds abstract right now, but it isn’t abstract. Al McFarlane: And so my question is not so much about the play, but about Lynn Nottage… How you grab the world, or handle the world, or mold what you can grab of the world into your work?
Lynn Nottage: I think that’s an interesting question. I think the play comes out of a place of me trying to grapple with a world that increasingly feels very toxic on multiple levels, from the environmental level to the leadership that we have, not just in Washington, but in many of the large industrial countries. And wanting to write something that is about not just what’s happening in our own backyard, but what’s
happening on a larger scale.
I reached to write something that’s a little more spiritual in nature because I feel one of the things that’s happening in our culture is that we’re turning away from spirituality. I’m not talking about religion, but just the sense of nurturing community, and treating each other with a level of respect, and understanding everyone’s human dignity. We have to remind ourselves that no matter what mistakes people have made in their lives, that fundamentally we’re all human. And I think that the human side of ourselves can always be accessed if it’s nurtured. Al McFarlane: Do you fear, Lynn Nottage, that the side of our humanity that embraces failure of character, failure of decency, failure of respect can overtake, and can extinguish or diminish the side that sustains and uplifts dignity? Lynn Nottage: Well I think that we’re living it right now. We have a leader in Washington who is a bully, who traffics in a certain level of toxicity that is being internalized by a lot of the people who follow him. And I think that all of us are just caught in the wake of that. I think it’s no accident that, particu-
larly among young people, that there’s a higher level of anxiety and depression the last two years. There’s a sense of hopelessness.
I didn’t watch the presidential debates because I was at the show. But one of the things, when I was watching the post analysis, that I craved was for the candidates to talk a little bit more about, “How do we heal community?” And to have more of a philosophical leaning than they have right now. I feel so much of what’s being spoken is rhetoric that we’ve heard so often that it becomes meaningless. It panders to the moment rather than asking, “Well what is really wrong?” Let’s get at the essence. Like, “What is really, really wrong with our culture?” It’s not just that there’s poverty, and it’s not just that we’re ignoring the environment. There’s something fundamentally wrong with the way in which we treat each other. There are immense flaws in this culture that have allowed racism to continue to flourish. Al McFarlane: I raised the negative questions just to frame of how you approach solutions. Is there a sense that the power of good, and righteousness exists, and can, and will prevail?
Lynn Nottage: We certainly have moments in which righteousness has prevailed. And where we have leaders who are able to communicate in a way that coalesces community, brings people together for a common good. And I think that there is a hunger for that individual. I’m looking at the 20 democrats, and I say, “Well who is that community builder? Who is that person who’s going to be able to reach across divides, and really do what needs to be done now which is pull this country together?” We’re at a crisis point. We really are. And I hate to be so negative because I’m not a negative person, but we are at that crossroads. When I say crossroads, in part I’m thinking back to the failed presidential election bid of Al Gore, who was an environmentalist. And if he had been elected back then, we may have had a Green Agenda right now, and our planet may have been in a better place. And we may not be in the heightened panic that we are right now about global warming because we may have already been developing some solutions. I feel like we’re at another crossroads right now. With the leadership that we select we’ll be making decisions that will impact the next 10, 20 years of our lives.
Page 2 • August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019 • Insight News
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John Earl Jelks and Andrew Veenstra
All photos by T Charles Erickson
Dame Jasmine Hughes, John Earl Jelks, Johanna Day, Reza Salazar and Andrew Veenstra
Dame Jasmine Hughes and Reza Salazar
“Floyd’s”: Insightful, keenly-observed drama By David Lawrence Grant Contributing Editor
Few playwrights can match Lynn Nottage’s ability to write insightful, keenly-observed drama about the social realities of
our present moment. She has recently garnered much praise and attention for her play, “Sweat,” which takes a deep dive into the
The Power of Elder Justice Dr. Josie R. Johnson
Addresssing violence against elders in all forms.
Professor Mahmoud El-Kati
Reza Salazar, John Earl Jelks, Dame Jasmine Hughes and Andrew Veenstra.
Tell us your story. mneldernonviolence.org
existential issues faced by people in towns all across America that have suffered the trauma of becoming de-industrialized and sliding into decay. In towns and cities everywhere, people wonder, “Who are we, now that those industries are gone? What future are we headed for? Do we even have a future at all?” While she was in
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Reading, PA, working on “Sweat,” Nottage received a commission from the Guthrie for “Floyd’s.” Part of her process is that she loves to work on two plays at once, so that the two can be “in conversation” with each other. The work on one play always deepens and lends more texture to the work she’s doing on the other. “Sweat” is a fierce and serious look at how discarded and forgotten the people of Reading feel. With “Floyd’s,” Nottage’s brilliant instinct was to create a more humorous, light-hearted peek into the world of people who are arguably the most discarded, forgotten (and vulnerable) workers in America – the formerly-incarcerated. She’s succeeded in creating a piece of work that’s fun, irreverent, spiritual, and that wears its emotions on its sleeve. Floyd’s is a struggling sandwich shop in Pennsylvania that’s popular with truckers. But because Floyd, the tough-asnails ex-con for whom the joint is named, is in cahoots with shadowy criminals who use her shop as a front for their nefarious dirty-business, Floyd’s was never supposed to become a big success. They’re more than happy to just let the place limp along from day to day. So Floyd hires only the most vulnerable workers – formerly incarcerated people like herself – who she knows will keep their heads down, keep silent if they see something questionable going on... and will be desperate enough to keep their jobs that they will silently suffer her neverending torrent of verbal abuse. Just as society at large undervalues and under-
estimates the humanity and the potential of the formerlyincarcerated, so does Floyd. “Ain’t nobody gonna hire you except for Floyd. ‘Cuz if you here, you done something. We all done something. And we just biding our time ‘til we can get to another place.” Leticia, to Jason in Floyd’s. Even though she sees them every day, Floyd has no idea that her chef, Montrellous, is a world-class zen master of the spiritual quest for the perfect sandwich. She has no idea that, if she let him, he and his loyal, gifted disciples, line cooks Letitia and Rafael, would put her sad little sandwich shop on the national map as a destination for foodies. While they duck and cover to protect each other from Floyd’s incessant tirades, serving up orders of dull, pedestrian fare for her customers, they keep their spirits up by spinning fantasies about flavor profiles and ingredients they’d love to try in their Montrellous-inspired search for the perfect sandwich. But when angry and intense new hire, Jason, upsets the relative equilibrium they’ve managed to create, they learn to confront and defeat the impulse to make him the problem. Instead, they use his angry, rebellious spirit as fuel to look their situation squarely in the face... to have each other’s backs as they seek a way to ease the pain of their past traumas and find the courage to fight for a better future than Floyd’s stifling kitchen. “Floyds’” is a little gem of a play. Go see it. It’s at The Guthrie through August 31st.
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Insight News • August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019 • Page 3
Insight News
WINNER: 2019 GENERAL EXCELLENCE, 3RD PLACE, COLUMN WRITING, 2ND PLACE
WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING
August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019
Vol. 46 No. 32• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Remembering Toni Morrison
and the passing of a Black and
American literary genius
By Dr. Irma McClaurin,PhD Culture and Education Editor May the blessings of the Seven African Powers be with you always. —-Denise Alvarado An Invocation to the African Orishas Yemayá, Mother of the Seven Seas, guide her over the waters of our salted tears. Oshun, Goddess of Love, wrap her in your warm embrace so that she will know she was loved. Chàngó, Orisha of Fire, Power, Thunder, & Sensuality walk with her for she was a kindred soul as her writings were filled with the spirit of your fire, power, thunder and sensuality. May Sister Toni Morrison rest in freedom and walk among the ancestors with grace. Ashé (And so it is) forever. Our “rememory”of you, Toni Morrison, is strong. How do you say goodbye to greatness? How can we possibly capture in a few words or sentences the genius of a woman who used the magic and power of words, images, metaphors, and the music of her mind to establish her own literary tradition? I am humbled by even being asked to try. But here goes. Whatever anyone in America writes in the future, it will have to be measured against Toni Morrison’s contributions as a writer and truth teller.
In Morrison’s fictional world, her complex Black characters struggled to be themselves against the backdrop of the historic remnants of slavery and oppression; they grappled with the unseen weight of generational trauma called forth by what she termed “rememory.” Such is the weight of legacies. My first encounter with Morrison was teaching a course on Black Women’s literature. Using her novels,The Bluest Eye (1970) and Sula (1973), I attempted to teach students how Morrison had given us charac-
ters who defied the stereotypes that traditional literature had carved out for Black people. But in the late 1970s, I was one of only three Black graduate students in the English department at the University of Massachusetts
Amherst, in search of my own literary voice. Morrison’s work gave me strength. She used to say, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” And I did. What attracted me to reading and teaching Morrison was the multiplicity and complexity of the Black women characters who peopled her books. Men seemed peripheral and white people simply were non-existent or just in the background. Why? Because she said: I write for black women. We are not addressing the men, as some white female writers do. We are not attacking each other, as both black and white men do. Black women writers look at things in an unforgiving/loving way. They are writing to repossess, re-name, re-own. (1986 Interview with Sandi Rusell) In Morrison’s fictional world, her complex Black characters struggled to be themselves against the backdrop of the historic remnants of slavery and oppression; they grappled with the unseen weight of generational trauma called forth by what she termed “rememory.” Some succumbed to the madness of internalized oppression (The Bluest Eye), while others (Sula) found their own ways to make sense in a crazy world. And, then there were those haunted by ghosts who
MORRISON 6
John Wilgers
United Way reports on community impact strategy The Greater Twin Cities United Way announced its 2018 results, which its leaders say was adapted to suit the changing needs of the Twin Cities region as well as changes in donor giving. The United Way’s announcement coincides with the release of the organization’s IRS 990 financial report, which showed $68.6 million raised. In 2018, United Way advanced its transformation plan by focusing on programs such as United Way’s Career Academies. The program addresses the work-
Trump, white supremacists declare war on Black and Brown people in America the shooting was hate motivated. After all, the hate comes from the top … the president of the United States himself. But when I turned on the tube the anchors weren’t talking about El Paso, they were talking about Dayton, Ohio instead. Nine were dead at the hands of another white gunman with a high-powered assault rifle. Six of the nine were Black. One was the gunman’s sister. I’ll speculate in my head the motive here, but again, clearly the target was
By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com I woke from a crazy dream at about 4 a.m. I couldn’t get back to sleep so I turned on the television to get the latest on the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas … one perpetrated by a white supremacist targeting Brown men, women and children. Twenty were dead, several others injured. Even before officials confirmed, I knew
YouTube
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Dayton, Ohio shooting.
Blaine attorney
Charges stem from a 2001 encounter
R. Kelly charged with sexual assault of a minor in Minneapolis By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com R. Kelly has been charged with sexual assault of a minor in Minneapolis. The charges – engaging in prostitution with an individual under 18 years of age and hiring or offering to hire for sexual purposes an individual under 18 years of age – stem from a July 11, 2001 incident in an undisclosed Minneapolis hotel, where according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Kelly paid the female victim $200 to fully undress and the two engaged in some sort of sexual contact. Freeman said the contact was not penetration, but he did not elaborate during the Aug. 5 press con-
Chicago Police Department
Mug shot of R. Kelly taken following his arrest July 11, 2019 in Chicago on child sex charges. ference announcing the charges. According to Freeman, Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, met the victim when she approached the singer for an autograph, and he gave her a
News
Homegrown NFL player invests in restaurant in downtown Minneapolis
PAGE 4
phone number to call. The victim called the number and accepted an invitation to his hotel, where another unnamed individual escorted the teen to Kelly’s room. Freeman said the victim told her brother of the encounter when he discovered her in the front row of an R. Kelly performance, which was supposed to be an 18-and-up event. “The victim’s brother confronted his younger sister asking what she was doing at the event and she divulged the details of her encounter,” said Freeman, who said the two remained silent about the incident until recently due to embarrassment. Though the alleged incident took place in 2001 Freeman said there is no issue of a statute of limitations because Kelly left the state and did not return for a period of three consecutive years, which under Minnesota law pre-
Amanda Matchett
serves the statute. Kelly has been to Minnesota multiple times since 2001, but never for a period of three consecutive years. The likelihood of Kelly facing trial in Hennepin County regarding this case is slim. Kelly is currently in jail in New York awaiting trial on 13 counts of child sex abuse and he has 10 more charges in Illinois. “It doesn’t bother me one bit if this case doesn’t go to trial (due to possible convictions in New York and Illinois), but I can’t be sure of that unless we’re at the table,” said Freeman. “Minnesota victims deserve their day in court. This kind of contact with a child is not acceptable in the state of Minnesota or frankly anywhere.” The victim in this case was believed to between 16 and 17 years of age. Kelly, now 52, would have been 34 at the time.
News
Minnesota Elder Nonviolence Coalition tackles abuse of elders of color
PAGE 6
Amanda Matchett
launches campaign for state representative Attorney Amanda Matchett of Blaine is officially launching her candidacy for State House District 37(B) with an ice cream social on Tuesday (Aug. 13) at the beach at Blaine’s Lakeside Commons Park, 3020 Lakes Pkwy, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Matchett is seeking the DFL Party’s endorsement at the caucuses next February to challenge Republican incumbent, Rep. Nolan West, in 2020. Matchett says she is running because Blaine “deserves an inclusive, proactive leader that is invested in Blaine.” Matchett grew up in
force shortage and opportunity gaps that are holding back high school students from households with low incomes. According to United Way officials, since 2015, 4,800 high school students are on career paths while collectively earning over 6,000 college credits and saving $1.9 million in tuition costs. Based on more than 100 listening sessions with donors, nonprofit leaders and independent subject matter experts, United Way developed and implemented its new community impact strategy; one it says is anchored in equity. The strategy focuses on providing better access for all to housing, healthy food, education, the workforce and economic opportunity. “Greater Twin Cities United Way has moved well beyond your ‘grandfather’s community chest’ model. We take a long-term, holistic approach to serving the community because it takes more than fundraising to make a significant impact,” said Tim Welsh, chair of the board of United Way. “As a result, we have new holistic metrics for which we’re holding ourselves accountable.” Another change, the United Way is testing a consulting model with fee-based services, including developing and managing grantmaking strategies for individuals, partnering with companies to develop their corporate social responsibility strategies, developing and managing corporate volunteer programs and providing guidance to foundations on governance structure. “Our plan calls for a new business model that is enabling United Way to diversify funding sources to most effectively support people in our region who cannot afford basic needs,” said
UNITED WAY 4
Cedar Rapids, Iowa and has called Minnesota home since she graduated from Michigan State University’s College of Law in 2011, when she moved to the Twin Cities to join her sister and her family. In addition to serving as a delegate for the DFL in the past, Matchett has worked in the legal departments of several Minnesota companies including Thomson Reuters, Davisco Foods International and Fairview Health Services. Currently, she serves as associate general counsel in the Healthcare Division of Infor, a St. Paul-based company that sells cloud software for over twenty industries. Matchett says her years in law have made her “an accomplished negotiator,” a skill she plans to use to advocate for the residents of Blaine in the Minnesota House. “As your representative I will listen to and be present for my neighbors – all my neighbors – to generate solutions and advocate for change on the issues that matter most to Blaine,” said Matchett in a statement. While Matchett touts her shared values with Democrats on immigration reform, racial equity, reproductive rights, the environment, healthcare, and elder care she said she plans to focus her campaign on local priorities including investments in infrastructure and education. She pointed to Highway 65, known as Main Street in Blaine, as a road in need of repairs and possible widening and she said she would advocate for state support to fix the roadway. “I am committed to advocating for quality infrastructure as Blaine continues to grow,” said Matchett. “I have absolutely fallen in love with Minnesota and I am running to make Blaine a safe, diverse, and economically sound place for your family and my nephews to grow.”
AS
Gospel Youth Choir ‘Treasures’ live recording at Orchestra Hall
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Page 4 • August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019 • Insight News
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Homegrown NFL player invests in restaurant in downtown Minneapolis By Josh Cobb Twin Cities Association of Black Journalists/ Insight News Intern If you are looking for a new Black-owned business to support, dining at Breakfast Bar, 319 1st Ave. N, Minneapolis, should be on your radar. In early July, Minneapolisnative Marcus Williams bought the restaurant with every intention of flourishing in downtown Minneapolis. Williams shined at Hopkins High School in both football and basketball and was a standout cornerback at North Dakota State University, which led to his current NFL career. His NFL journey has allowed him to play in New York, Texas, Arizona, Tampa Bay, Chicago and New Orleans – his current team. In each of those destinations he noticed one thing, a unique and savory
dining experience that inspired him to own his own restaurant. “The food they have is so good and there is nothing like that up here,” Williams said. “I wanted to open a spot that offers southern food and a southern feel. I had the opportunity (to buy Breakfast Bar) and I had to go with what I love to eat.” Breakfast Bar presents a cozy dining experience and southern comfort food. They also offer an outdoor patio which has hookah and cigar services. Breakfast Bar is within walking distance of Target Center, Target Field and US Bank Stadium, so it is a spot where sports fans can dine, have drinks and cheer on their teams. Owning a restaurant has presented a unique set of challenges, however, Williams and his team has worked to overcome them to ensure success. He knows that getting everyone on the same page is vital and he sees synergy as a similarity between playing professional football
Breakfast Bar
NFL safety and restaurateur Marcus Williams, owner of the Breakfast Bar in downtown Minneapolis.
and running his own restaurant. “It’s a team effort. That is the number one thing I have been learning,” he said. “We want people to come in and have the best experience.” A key component of that team is his family. His father is one of the catalysts for his desire to own a business. He was an inspiration for entrepreneurship and instilling a strong work ethic. His father, along with other family members, can be spotted working or dining at the restaurant. “My family comes in here so much and I love it,” Williams said. “They just want to see me do well and I just can’t thank them enough because they’ll come here after church on Sundays and it makes me happy.” The support for Breakfast Bar transcends his family. Locals and his social network have supported the restaurant and the recent Minneapolis Black Business Week brought in a tremendous additional support.
“That was great; we had a ton of people come through,” Williams said. “Being a Black owner, it means a lot to see (Black Business Week) going on in Minneapolis. It is something that a lot of people don’t see, so when I opened, I got a ton of support from the people.” Now that Williams has the Breakfast Bar open and running, he wants it to be an inspiration to those who look like him from his community. He is well aware of the need for Black entrepreneurship and understands the importance of owning a restaurant in is old stomping grounds. “I’m from Minneapolis, the place I love. No matter where I go, I always talk about home,” Williams said. “I got the opportunity to do something at home, in Minneapolis, five minutes away from my house where I grew up. It is like a dream come true.”
Azumah, Morris awarded Crimson and Cream Foundation scholarships The Crimson and Cream Foundation announced the winners of its 2019 scholarships. The first-place scholarship ($1,000) was awarded to Dzidedi Azumah, a 4.25 GPA student from Champlin Park High School, Champlin. She will attend Yale University this fall, majoring in International Relations and Global Affairs, with a minor in French. Azumah hopes to one day be able to brainstorm with others to affect change to global economic, social, environmental or medical issues. Tatum Morris was awarded the second-place scholarship ($500). Morris is a 3.4 GPA student from East Ridge
United Way From 3 Welsh. “Our plan also calls for fundraising results to stabilize in 2019 with funding secured through a variety of sources that will continue to evolve.”
Scholarship recipients (front, left to right) Dzidedi Azumah and Tatum Morris with members of the Crimson & Cream Foundation Scholarship committee (left to right), Jeff McVay, who is the committee chair, Lovell Davis, Rodney Anderson and Phil Rosier. High School, Woodbury, and will attend Hampton University
in the fall, majoring in Political Science. Morris’ passion is to one
day lead the change in our country to improve inclusion, equity
and our ability to address biases. The Crimson and
According to Welsh the organization is addressing an urgent community need for access to housing, healthy food, education and workforce skill development by advocating with partners for $91 million in state funding that was invested in housing, food access, education and workforce training. With that the organization supported and impacted
the bottom line of 23 organizations led by and serving people of color and via its Culturally Powered Communities program. “I’m very pleased that our 2018 comprehensive results reflected our forecast,” said Welsh. “While the amount was lower than 2017, we expected that given 2018 was the first year of executing our long-
range
innovator, a catalyst for change, a multiplier, investor and strategic philanthropic partner,” said John Wilgers, CEO and president of Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Impacting the community through research-based innovation is our focus for the next few years. Innovations may include developing and testing new ways to serve the community such as
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Editor’s note: Insight News Editor-in-Chief Al McFarlane is a Greater Twin Cities United Way board member.
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support for young children who have experienced trauma as well as the expansion of our food security and Career Academies programs.”
w/special guest Marcella & Her Lovers Passion, Power & Soul
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transformation plan.” There’s also new leadership at the United Way. John Wilgers joined Greater Twin Cities United Way as president and CEO in June to lead the organization through the next phase of its transformation. “During our next phase of our transformation, we will build on our strengths as an
Cream Foundation was Established in 1996 to advance the academic, leadership and social skills of youth in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. In addition to hosting programs and partnering with other community organizations to meet this objective, the foundation’s top priority is providing scholarships to worthy African-American high school graduates who seek to advance their education at a college, university, or accredited post-secondary institution. More information about the Crimson and Cream Foundation and Scholarships can be found at www.MNCrimsonAndCream.org.
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Minnesota Elder Nonviolence Coalition tackles abuse of elders of color An area organization is working to combat elder abuse, in particular, elders of color. Minnesota Elder Nonviolence Coalition (MENC) is a grass roots cultural community outreach initiative that said it will capture testimony from elders and shine a spotlight on elder violence at home, in nursing facilities, at senior daycare centers, on public transportation and in predatory financial exploitation. This initiative seeks to inform and educate communities with the goal of adopting elder nonviolence as a way of living in the spirit of our ancestors.
Dr. Josie R. Johnson
MENC Initiative
MENC is asking the elder community and their caregivers to share their stories of elder abuse that will be used to develop a community narrative, as well as to create legislation. Community partners Sabathani Community Center, Hallie Q. Brown and Ujamaa Place have joined MENC in supporting the initiative. MENC was founded by community activists after beloved 88-year-old civil rights leader Dr. Josie Johnson was a victim of elder abuse at the hands of an Uber driver. A statement released by Johnson urged the community to get in-
volved in this grass roots initiative to bring more resources to our elder population in the state. “The condition of our elders can sometimes be forgotten because of the many injustices we are fighting against daily. Concern for our elders must not take a back seat. The elder community needs your support,” said Johnson. “We need your voice.” Rep. Rena Moran (DFL-St. Paul) supports the initiative. Moran, in a recent MENC podcast talked about the process of creating a bill and how important it is to hear the needs from elders.
“I am eager to learn from elders about their health and safety needs. Elder testimony will help me write a bill that will champion the need to allocate more resources to address the cultural needs and abuse of elders in underserved communities throughout Minnesota,” said Moran. “Acknowledging the role that community activism plays in bringing radical change to big problems in our community was important to the MENC initiative”, said cofounder Monique Linder.
Gospel Youth Choir ‘Treasures’ live recording at Orchestra Hall The inspirational sounds of 150 youth voices from across the Twin Cities will fill Orchestra Hall in a live recording of original music by renowned charttopping gospel artist Jovonta Patton on Aug. 17 at 6 p.m.
INSIGHT NEWS
The concert will benefit the Brianna E. Lark Scholarship. Lark died from complications of the autoimmune disease Lupus. “We wanted to grow the Brianna E. Lark Scholarship Fund and realized we had the ability in our own backyard. There’s a winning combination of the musical and songwriting talents of Mr. Patton and the energy and enthusiasm of our
youth. The kids have had fun learning the original music at the rehearsals,” said Minnesota State Baptist Convention music president, Dr. Charvez Russell. “I was thrilled when Orchestra Hall agreed to partner with us. We’re presenting an evening like no other, especially for our young choir members as they are on the stage, singing original music composed for them by a homegrown national re-
Jovonta Patton
YouTube
cording artist, and accompanied by professional musicians.” Russell said he also anticipates the live recorded concert and the preconcert activities in the atrium will be a new experience for many community members because of never having been in what he describes as a “magnificent venue.” Comedian Joseph “Juice” Sutton is the host and the evening includes perfor-
mances by Maya Marchelle, Tuf, Kitana Metcalf, and Heart and Soul Drumming. Tickets are on sale and are priced in three tiers to make it easy for families to attend: Basic $5, Premium $25 and VIP $50. To purchase tickets or for more “Treasures Live” concert information visit the Orchestra Hall website, www.minnesotaorchestra.org/treasures.
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Applications open for Department of Corrections oversight position Applications are open for the position of Ombudsperson for Corrections to oversee the Office of the Ombudsperson for Corrections, which has the responsibility to investigate any act of the Minnesota Department of Corrections, its institutions and programs.
Gov. Tim Walz will convene a hiring panel made up of those from the public and private sectors to screen applicants for the appointment. The hiring panel will search for a an individual to serve as the head of the office designed to oversee investigations and develop
strong relationships with corrections employees, incarcerated persons and other stakeholders. “I look forward to appointing an experienced and compassionate Ombudsperson for Corrections to ensure that we are maintaining the best correctional facilities possible,” said
Walz. “Safety and due process should be the priorities of our correctional system, whether you are an employee or an incarcerated person. Reinstating this office and position affirms our commitment to those goals.” The Office of the Ombudsperson for Corrections
was re-established this past legislative session after the position was eliminated in 2003. An individual wishing to apply should fill out an application through the State of Minnesota hiring portal. Application materials are due by close of business on Aug. 19.
Morrison
have spent my entire writing life trying to make sure that the white gaze was not the dominant one in any of my books.” (Int. w/ Charlie Rose 2015- https:// y o u t u . b e / - K g q 3 F 8 w b YA ) Such graciousness in a writer who upheld the integrity and humanity of Black lives will truly be missed. Morrison made Black Lives Matter with every word she selected, in how she chose to punctuate her sentences, with the characters she created or drew forth from our history, and in every unapologetic interview she gave. Her journey to the ancestors leaves a void felt by those of us who used to patiently wait for her next novel, her reflective essays, and her eloquent interviews. We know genius takes time. There will be no more literary gifts from the living Toni Morrison. But perhaps, in time, we will be blessed with a literary discovery and learn she left us an unfinished manuscript, or pieces of a memoir,
or another children’s book, on which she was working. Or perhaps, reality check, we must resign ourselves to reading and rereading the powerful legacy of work she left between the pages of her novels and essays. America needs Morrison’s work and her wisdom more than ever today as nonwhite people are under attack. We need to center ourselves and our needs as Black people against the rising tide of global anti-blackness, racism, white supremacy and xenophobia sweeping this country, and the world. And Morrison—a Pulitzer prize winner for Beloved in 1988, the Nobel Prize in 1995, considered the “... most prestigious awards given for intellectual achievement in the world,” and the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 2012 bestowed by Barack Obama, the first Black president in the history of the United States—is our literary orisha, the truthsayer of Black humanity and ultimate-
ly the humanity of all people. Morrison was very clear that that she wrote for Black people and fought against being “consumed by or concerned by the white gaze.” But she hoped that “everyone,” “of any race, any gender, any country,” read her books. And white people need Morrison too, now more than ever, as they grapple with their own rememory and legacy of racism and white supremacy inherited and recently resurrected to new heights. There is no place for white innocence, white fragility, or white historical amnesia when reading Toni Morrison. And, she righteously understood the nature of racism in America. For her, the matter was not hers or Black peoples to resolve. As she explains: If you can only be tall because somebody’s on their knees, then you have a serious problem. And my feeling is that white people have a very, very serious problem. And they should start think-
ing about what they can do about it. Take me out of it.” Enough said. We will miss the word and wisdom of Toni Morrison, born February 18, 1931 as Chloe Ardelia Wofford, Nobel laureate, and now Ancestor, August 5, 2019. Her beauty remains with us.
do something to “get away from it all” so I decided to get dressed and go fishing. I wanted to be in a place of calm and close to nature. Before I left my girlfriend awoke and I alerted her to the shooting in Dayton and what she said completely broke my spirit. “I’m afraid to go anywhere.” She said, “I’m afraid to go anywhere.”
And I felt absolutely helpless. As I’m sure many of my male ancestors felt when they were powerless to protect the women they loved, I was figuratively neutered. I was neutered because at that moment I had to admit to myself I couldn’t keep her safe. Sure, when she’s with me I’m on guard. I’m vigilant … hypervigilant … about keeping
her safe, but I cannot be with her 24 hours of the day and I cannot remain on the ready at every moment. And I feel helpless. I’m also filled with a rage that is indescribable. My rage was fueled by the words of the racist-in-chief, Donald J. Trump … I guess that’s one thing the shooters and I have in common. See, the racist-in-chief has encouraged this hunting of Black and Brown people at nearly every opportunity. Remember it was Trump who said “very fine people” were perpetuating the violence in Charlottesville, Va. It was almost two years to the day as the El Paso and Dayton shootings. It was Trump who was enraged that a statue of Robert E. Lee … a racist, pro-slavery Confederate general … was being taken down. It was Trump who said Mexico was sending to America it’s “Rapists and criminals.” It was Trump who said countries in Africa and Haiti were “shitholes.” It was Trump who asked of migrants, how do you stop them, and someone at one of his Florida rallies yelled, “Shoot ‘em” and the racist-in-chief laughed. “That’s only in the Panhandle you can get away with that statement,” Trump replied, smiling and shaking his head. “Only in the Panhandle,” is how it was reported in the Washington Post. It was the racist-in-chief who called on four congresswomen of color to “go back” – a racist go-to that almost all people of color have heard time and again over their lifetimes. But it was
his words on Aug. 4 … hours after two shootings perpetuated by white supremacists … that drove me to rage. “Mental illness … we’ve got a mental illness problem in this country,” Trump told reporters in an amateurish response to reporters’ questions about the horrific slaughters. “Mental illness?” Really? Two white men … wait … three white men – let’s not forget the killing of four and wounding of 12 in Gilroy, Calif. carried out by yet another white supremist – killed 35 (to date) and wounded at least 63 within a week. Thirty-five have been killed and at least 63 wounded in mass shootings carried out by white supremacists and the racist-in-chief wants to blame it on mental illness? Actually, he may be correct. We have a mentally deranged man in the White House inspiring other deranged white supremacists to carry out acts of horrific magnitudes across the United States. So yeah, mental illness is to blame. Donald J. Trump is mentally unstable, his followers/cult members are mentally deficient and I’m mentally drained. That disturbing dream that woke me from my slumber at four in the morning? It was of a friend who lost an ex to a shooting. She was dousing buildings with gasoline and setting them ablaze. When I asked her why, she looked at me and said, “you just don’t get it, we’re at war. They declared war.” That’s when I woke up.
Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford 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 Maya Beecham Nadvia Davis Fred Easter Abeni Hill Timothy Houston Michelle Mitchum Inell Rosario 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,
From 3 took physical form (Beloved, 1987) snatched from the rememory of slavery in the past and drawn into the present as real, sometimes destructive, forces. Her characters were universal in the ups and downs of their humanity, sans (without) white people as central figures. Once in an interview, Morrison challenged a question posed to her about when she would come to terms with the real world and write about white people. Her response was unapologetic and unequivocal in denying the power of whiteness to always position itself at the center and her personal and literary refusal to succumb. “...I have had reviews in the past that have accused me of not writing about white people. As though our [Black] lives have no meaning and no depth without the white gaze. And I
Trump From 3 people of color and of course the assailant was white. The later almost goes without saying. I stayed up watching the news simply distraught. I had to
“At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough. Toni Morrison’s beauty, in her literature and in her life, was/is more than enough. Yemayá, Oshun, Chàngó, watch over Sister Morrison, and guide her safely home to walk with you in freedom. Ashé. (C)2019 McClaurin Solutions Irma McClaurin (http://irmamcclaurin.com ) is the Culture and Education Editor for Insight News, an award-winning writer, anthropologist, and consultant.
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Insight News • August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019 • Page 7
Page 8 • August 12, 2019 - August 18, 2019 • Insight News
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