aesthetically speaking
Aesthetically It: Events, concerts and venues in the Twin Cities
MORE ON PAGE 10
WINNER: 2016 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 1ST PLACE COMMUNIT Y SERVICE, 3RD PLACE BEST USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Insight News October 10 - October 16, 2016
Vol. 43 No. 41• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Williams sets sight on 5th Ward seat By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor Raeisha Williams said she has always wanted to serve her community in North Minneapolis; now she is hoping to be in position for a greater level of service by becoming Ward 5’s next councilperson. Williams, the communications chair for the Minneapolis NAACP, announced her candidacy Sept. 30 at the Mpls Photo Center, 2400 N. 2nd Street. The event comes a little more than a year before the seat is up for election, but Williams said she had to step into the political arena to bring a more representative voice to the seat currently held by first term councilperson, Blong Yang. Williams said she is running on a platform of economic development, education reform and police reform. She said the events of last November, in the police killing of unarmed Jamar Clark and the ensuing protests made it clear that North Minneapolis needed new leadership.
WILLIAMS TURN TO 9
MEDA gets $1.5 million for lending, investing The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) awarded a $1.5 million grant to the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) to increase lending and investment activity in low-income and economically distressed communities. In total, the U.S. Department of Treasury awarded 196 CDFIs across the country totaling $185.7 million in grants and loans through both its CDFI Program and the Native American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program). “With (this) awards, the CDFI Fund has crossed the $2 billion threshold in collective investments to CDFIs and Native CDFIs through the CDFI and NACA Programs,”
Harry Colbert, Jr.
Nekima Levy-Pounds and Raeisha Williams during Williams’ campaign launch event at MPLS Photo in Minneapolis. Williams is running for the Ward 5 seat on the Minneapolis City Council.
MEDA TURN TO 8
Job Fair Oct. 18
Minnesota gets serious about diversity and inclusion Courtesy of Sharon Smith-Akinsanya
People of Color Career Fair founder, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya (center), along with state chief inclusion officer, James Burroughs (left) and Gov. Mark Dayton. The state of Minnesota is one of the sponsors and employers on hand for the Oct. 18 job fair.
Minnesota business, non-profit and governmental employers are set to meet with top talent at the People of Color Career Fair coming to Minneapolis Convention Center, Oct. 18. Minnesota is a region with a thriving corporate climate that
boasts low unemployment rates in comparison to the rest of the nation. But that is not true for all its residents. Communities of color represent 15 percent of the state’s total population of 5.5 million, yet these communities have the highest unemployment
rate within the region. The People of Color Career Fair is focused on reducing unemployment for these communities. According to aggregated employment data published by
FAIR TURN TO 6
PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE
North Minneapolis’ ‘big brother,’ Jamil Jackson By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor Linked by DNA, Jamil Jackson has six siblings, but DNA doesn’t tell the full story. If one were to ask countless young men in North Minneapolis who Jackson is to them, several will reply, “That’s my big brother.” For Jackson, the young men he mentors as a community expert classroom coach through Minneapolis Public School’s (MPS) Office of Black Male Student Achievement, or his C.E.O. (Change Equals Opportunity) program or through his Run and Shoot Elite Basketball League, are more than kids in the neighborhood. They are his family. As Jackson sees it, they are younger versions of him. “I love these kids. I know what many of them are dealing with. I know where they come from,” said Jackson.
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.)
Civil rights icon John Lewis keynotes DFL annual fundraiser
Rebecca Rabb
JACKSON TURN TO 9
Jamil Jackson (center, facing forward) talks with students of BLACK (Building Lives Acquiring Cultural Knowledge), a program within the Minneapolis Public Schools, administered through the Office of Black Male Student Achievement.
Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) will be the key note speaker at the 11thannual Minnesota DFL Founders Day Dinner. The dinner takes place on Friday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. inside the Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Ave. S. “We are absolutely thrilled to have Rep. John Lewis keynote this year’s Founders Day Dinner,” said DFL Chairman Ken Martin. “Rep. Lewis is a genuine American hero and moral leader
DINNER TURN TO 9
Child Watch
Health
Business
Lifestyle
Ending child poverty: A moral and economic necessity
I2H: A week of backsliding
From homelessness to hairstylist; early struggles spur beautician to success
The Rev. Vernell Thomas celebrates 50 years of pastoring Greater St. Paul COGIC
PAGE 2
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
PAGE 8
Page 2 • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Ending child poverty: A moral and economic necessity Child Watch
By Marian Wright Edelman
Choose well All the choices you need in health care are here. UCare Choices® plans offer coverage for young adults, families, empty nesters and everyone in between, from a leader in Minnesota health care. Find out more at UCareChoices.org. Or give us a call at 612-676-6606. Choose well. Choose UCare Choices.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory… all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats…Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” –Matthew 25:31-36 “(The contemporary tendency in our society is) to compress our abundance into the overfed mouths of the middle and upper classes until they gag with superfluity. If democracy is to have breadth of meaning, it is necessary to adjust this inequity. It is not only moral, but it is also intelligent. We are wasting and degrading human life by clinging to archaic thinking. The curse of poverty has no justification in our age.” – The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Forty-nine years after Dr. King wrote this, we are still fighting to end the curse of poverty in rich America. Every new sign of progress gets us one step closer — but we must keep going and never give up until we reach the finish line. Poverty data just released by the U.S. Census Bureau reveal child poverty declined last year to 14.5 million poor children from 15.5 million in 2014, one million fewer but still higher than before the recession began in 2007. The national child poverty rate declined from 21.1
While we applaud that one million children escaped poverty in 2015, America must stop having two classes of children with millions living in third world conditions. percent in 2014 to 19.7 percent in 2015, a statistically significant decrease but still nearly one in five children. Child poverty rates declined for white, Black, Hispanic and Asian children and that is good news. Yet despite the good news, children of color are still disproportionately poor and comprise nearly 70 percent of poor children in America. One in three Black children and more than one in four Hispanic children were poor in 2015, compared to one in eight white children. They live in another America. In 2020, the majority of children in our country will be children of color, so when we deny them the basic necessities of life we are threatening all of our futures. Do we really want to continue to jeopardize the futures of our next generation and our national military and economic security, which is being formed in the bodies and minds of our children today — all of them? It is a moral disgrace that children remain the poorest age group in the nation and one in three poor people in America is a child, and the one in five children who are poor continue to struggle with odds stacked against their success. The younger children are in America the poorer they are. In 2015 more than one in five infants, toddlers and preschoolers were poor during their years of greatest brain development. Nearly half of poor young children live in extreme poverty — at less than half the poverty level. Poverty hurts and the damage can last a lifetime.
The research is so clear that the early years are critically important in laying a foundation for early childhood and adulthood. Why don’t we do what we know works and what is right to do? There is no more urgent need than ensuring a high equality early childhood development system for our children and this should be at the top of the agenda for all of our presidential and Congressional leaders. While we applaud that one million children escaped poverty in 2015, America must stop having two classes of children with millions living in third world conditions. It is a national moral disgrace that millions of poor children languish and fall behind in our rich land of opportunity for some. Poverty is defined as an annual income below $24,257 for a family of four. Extreme poverty is half of the annual poverty level, or less than $12,129 for a family of four. There are more than 6.5 million extremely poor children in America — more than the combined populations of Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. No family with a parent working full-time year-round should be poor in our nation. Yet in 2015, more than two-thirds of poor children had at least one family member who worked, and nearly one-third had at least one family member who worked full-time year-round. It
POVERTY TURN TO 6
WE CAN TAKE CONTROL OF HOW WE LIVE AND AGE. You’re invited to join Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP and the best-selling author of the book Disrupt Aging, for a community conversation about revolutionizing society’s views on aging. As leader of the country’s largest membership organization and a nationally recognized dynamic agent for change, you’ll hear how she’s sparking new solutions for all generations. The event is free, but registration is required. RSVP by calling 877-926-8300 or visiting http://aarp.cvent.com/2016JoAnn EVENT INFORMATION: Thursday, October 13, 2016 2:00 PM–3:00 PM Sabathani Community Center 310 East 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55409
Twin Cities
insightnews.com
Insight News • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Page 3
Health Insight-2-Health Fitness Challenge: A week of backsliding By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor Week four of the Insight-2Health Fitness Challenge and I’ve suffered a setback. So last week I was feeling pretty good about myself. I was feeling lighter, I thought I looked slimmer and I was feeling fit. I was excited about my progress, so I decided I’d go ahead and step on the scale to confirm my progress. I started the challenge at 180 pounds. My goal is 165. And my current weight is … 179. Nearly four weeks in and
I’ve dropped a whole pound. All the exercise, the change in eating; and all I had to show for it was one measly pound. So I backslid. Discouraged, I decided to go ahead and munch on animal crackers and I had a Butterfinger (or two). Although I’ve remained soda free, I didn’t drink as much water as I had been drinking. I was feeling defeated. But in my “defeat” I noticed something. Warning … this may fall on the realm of T.M.I. In three weeks of changing my dietary habits, something else changed. When I would
Insight-2-Health trainer, Thomas Lee, demonstrates an exercise during a Saturday morning workout at the F.I.T. Lab, 1583 Hamline Ave., Falcon Heights.
have bowel movements they would come out lighter in color and with almost no odor. Hey, I warned you, this was the T.M.I. section. Anyway, when I went back to eating poorly, back came the color and back came the smell. I remember reading about a village in Africa that did not have plumbing and all the village’s human waste was housed in one area. Travelers to the village noted that the waste area was remarkably without stench. This was attributed to the clean diet of the villagers. So in my case, I’m surmising that there was obviously some
benefit to my change in diet … even if it has resulted in the loss of only a pound. And maybe the loss would have been more significant if I were working out more. For the challenge the group meets four times a week to exercise. I’m averaging two times a week. This week, because of a fluctuating schedule, I didn’t join the group but once. Balancing this weight loss goal with my expectations is a tricky thing … especially when I’m not doing the right thing. All in all, I’m just a little deflated … but not defeated.
Diabetes expo provides medical, nutrition information The American Diabetes Association-Minnesota will host its 13th annual Diabetes Expo – a one-day event showcasing the latest products and services for people with diabetes – On Saturday, Oct. 15.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis. More than 7,000 people from Minnesota and western Wisconsin are expected to attend this free event.
The Diabetes Expo provides the public with a unique opportunity to talk with healthcare experts and obtain important medical and nutritional information. More than 70 exhibitors featuring the latest products, medications, information and services, are participating in the expo. Free health screenings will be provided and will include A1C (estimated average blood glucose), blood pressure, BMI (Body Mass Index), diabetes risk assessment using blood glucose testing, eye, hearing, kidney, oral cancer, stroke risk assessment and foot screening. Cooking demonstrations will be featured throughout the day on the “Healthy Eating Stage” by celebrity chefs Tiffany Derry of “Top Chef,” and entrepreneur, and chef, Dana Herbert of TLC’s “Cake Boss.” A children’s area will feature activities, games, face painting, prizes and information for children with diabetes and their families. Participants can also learn about local programs and events, advocacy activities, and research being conducted in the Twin Cities. “One in three Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes by year 2050,” said Dr. Farha Khan, endocrinologist, Allina Health. “If you or a loved one has diabetes, or is at high risk of developing diabetes, the Diabetes Expo provides a fun, relaxed environment to learn more about the prevention and management of diabetes and its serious complications.”
Diabetes now affects more than 29.1 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately three years. In addition to those with diabetes, another 86 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts people at increased risk for diabetes. Among people with diabetes, those who do not know they have the disease decreased from 30 percent to 25 percent over a two-year period. Experts say early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes is critical. If it is not properly managed, it diabetes can lead to amputations, kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and stroke. Free bus or light rail transportation to the event will be provided by Metro Transit. There is a coupon available on the event website, www.diabetes.org/ minneapolisexpo. For information, contact (763) 593-5333 or visit diabetes.org/minneapolisexpo.
Medica has the right Medicare plan for you.
Medica offers a range of Medicare options that can be tailored to meet your unique needs and your budget.
Learn more about our affordable plans at a FREE Medicare Workshop near you. Go to medica.com/MedicareWorkshops ©2015 Medica. Medica is a registered service mark of Medica Health Plans. A sales person will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-800-906-5432, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, 7 days a week. TTY: 711. Medica is a Cost plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Medica depends on contract renewal. Y0088_4141 CMS Accepted
Page 4 • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Business From homelessness to hairstylist; early struggles spur beautician to success By Avis Thomas-Lester, Urban News Service BOWIE, Md. – Evalyn “Evie” Johnson has traveled the world to share the hair care techniques she’s honed over 20 years as a stylist. She’s taught natural hair styling in Los Angeles and hairloss prevention in Australia. She’ll be featured in New Zealand next month at the International Association of Trichologists’ Hairdressing Conference. “I do a lot of speaking engagements, so I travel a lot,” said Johnson, 38, of Bowie, Md. It is ironic that travel plays such a significant role in Johnson’s life now as a
INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com
Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford
celebrated stylist and co-owner of the E&E Hair Studio in Mitchellville, Md. She and her family were once so poor that her parents, Julius Peterson and Elizabeth Peterson, couldn’t afford to send Johnson or her 11 siblings on field trips around Washington, D.C. “We were homeless,” Johnson said. “We slept in cars sometimes. We ate syrup sandwiches and mayonnaise sandwiches. We lived where there was no power … I knew there was so much money out there, but we couldn’t get any of it. I didn’t understand.” Johnson attributes the family’s poverty largely to her father’s heroin abuse, which led to his incarceration. In his absence, the Johnsons lived on public assistance, she said. When she reached adolescence, little Evie rebelled. At 13, she got pregnant by her boyfriend, who was 15. They both lived at a homeless shelter. Her mother dispatched her to the prison where her father was to inform him of her pregnancy. It was the only time she visited him behind bars. Julius Peterson made her promise not to get
Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Associate Editor Culture and Education Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Leadership and Social Enterprise Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe
pregnant again until marriage. In return, he promised to kick heroin. When her son, Antonio Reed, III, was 2-months-old, he became ill with Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of bloodvessel walls. He spent seven months in the hospital. Each day, Johnson attended
school, then took the metro train or two buses to the medical facility, where she studied and nurtured her baby. “It was important for me to do well for him,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want him to think that his mother wasn’t smart.” The Washington Post highlighted Johnson in 1994 for
FUNdraising Good Times
By Mel and Pearl Shaw As we watched the grand opening of the National Museum of African American
History and Culture on television we were filled with excitement and emotion. We were excited about this historic moment, and what it means for the AfricanAmerican community and the nation. I (Mel Shaw) thought of my great grandfather, William Harrison Hammond, an ex-slave who became superintendent of schools in Shelby County, Tenn. and was the founder of Oak Spring
Baptist Church in Arlington, Tenn., which he pastored for 65 years. The museum honors and appreciates millions of African-Americans like him, sharing their stories with the country and the world. I reflected on the great honor I felt when I was included as part of a team of 10 development professionals who conducted the fundraising feasibility study, designed to determine whether or
not the American public – and especially the AfricanAmerican community – was committed to help bring to life the 100 year dream for such a museum. Each team member interviewed 30 AfricanAmerican stakeholders from across the country to learn if they were open and willing to be engaged, and if they would provide financial support. The United States Congress was considering legislation to
They’re your dreams. Start building them. You’ve already dreamed up the blueprints. We may be able to help bring them to life. The U.S. Bank Home Equity Line of Credit offers competitive rates, flexible payment options and trusted service to help you finance the lasting home improvements you’ve always wanted.
Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley
Katar River named ADC small business of the year
Photography David Bradley Rebecca Rabb
Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.
build and sustain the proposed museum, and had set out specific criteria that needed to be met. Congress needed to know how much could be initially generated from the private sector to meet the matching requirement that would come with federal funds. The feasibility study provided information that answered Congress’ questions. An important piece of information revealed during the study related to the museum’s location. We tested the concept of a museum that would be part of an existing Smithsonian site. This was unpopular with those interviewed. They felt that the impact African-Americans have made on this country deserved more than being housed in existing or expanded Smithsonian properties. Interviewees felt the museum deserved the prestige of an independent site on the National Mall, and their voices were heard. With our clients we strongly recommend feasibility studies for organizations who are considering a major fundraising campaign. These studies are conducted before a nonprofit makes major investments of money, time and personnel. This first step and reveals the data and information that management and the board
SHAW TURN TO 7
Contributing Writers Melvin Carter, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Gloria Freeman Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Michelle Mitchum Darren Moore Artika Tyner Toki Wright
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)
such entertainment notables as Tasha Smith, Ari Nicole Parker, and Trey Songz. She has styled artists for the Grammy and BET awards. Johnson was scheduled to be a featured stylist at the Washington/Baltimore Area Beauty Expo on Sept. 26 at the Martin’s Crosswinds banquet center in Greenbelt. The program was emceed by Johnny Wright, First Lady Michelle Obama’s hair stylist. “I love Evie,” said Johnny Wright, First Lady Michelle Obama’s hair stylist. “She is a premiere educator and very talented at her craft.” Clients also sing Johnson’s praises. “If I had enough time, I’d come twice a week,” said Shaina Taylor, 41, admiring her “wheat blonde” faux hawk moments after Johnson styled her hair recently. “I get tired of people stopping me talking about my hair.” Johnson said memories of the hard times keep her moving forward. “I’m excelling, but I’m still growing,” she said.
Feasibility study of the African-American History Museum was crucial to its success
Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles
Courtesy of Arisha Hawkins
Evie Johnson shows a hair product during a hair show.
graduating with a 4.0 GPA from then-Kelly Miller Junior High School. She was 15. “I was on Cloud Nine,” Johnson said. “I was accomplishing things … it was a matter of proving – against the odds and what people said – that I could accomplish everything that I was supposed to accomplish.” Johnson had dreamed of becoming a stylist since she was very young. She braided her sisters’ hair, kept her brothers shaped up, and styled her mother, relatives and friends. After beauty school, Johnson worked at area salons before she and Earlisa Larry, who met as stylists at a J.C. Penney salon, opened E&E Hair Solutions in 2006. Johnson specializes in natural styles, hair bleaching and hair loss reversal. She cofounded Stuart Edmondson Hair Loss and Restoration, which makes products to improve thinning hair. Johnson also is a master stylist for Mizani, a L’Oréal hair products company, and works as a platform stylist at hair shows. She has coiffed
HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT
Introductory rate for 6 months Rates as low as
Variable rate after introductory period
1.50 % 4.00 % APR*
Rate available 9/11/16 - 11/11/16. Rates are subject to change.
APR*
Rate shown for lines of credit: – Up to 70% loan-to-value – U.S. Bank Consumer Checking Package Actual rate may be lower. Visit usbank.com for custom rates.
Call 800.209.BANK (2265), visit a local branch, or go to usbank.com/dreambig *1.50% Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available on Home Equity Lines of Credit with an 80% loan-to-value (LTV) or less. The Introductory Interest Rate will be fixed at 1.50% during the 6-month Introductory Period. A higher introductory rate will apply for an LTV above 80%. Offer is available for new applications submitted from September 11 – November 11, 2016. After the 6-month introductory period: the APR is variable and is based upon an index plus a margin. The APR will vary with Prime Rate (the index) as published in the Wall Street Journal. As of September 11, 2016, the variable rate for Home Equity Lines of Credit ranged from 2.62% APR to 7.20% APR. Higher rates may apply due to an increase in the Prime Rate, a credit limit below $100,000, an LTV above 70%, and/or a credit score less than 730. A U.S. Bank Consumer Silver, Gold, or Platinum Checking Package account is required to receive the lowest rate, but is not required for loan approval. The rate will not vary above 18% APR, or applicable state law, or below 2.12% APR – 2.55% APR, depending on market. Choosing an interest-only repayment may cause your monthly payment to increase, possibly substantially, once your credit line transitions into the repayment period. Repayment options may vary based on credit qualifications. Interest only repayment may be unavailable. Loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Property insurance is required. U.S. Bank and its representatives do not provide tax or legal advice. Your tax and financial situation is unique. You should consult your tax and/or legal advisor for advice and information concerning your particular situation. Other restrictions may apply. Mortgage and Home Equity products offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit Products are offered through U.S. Bank National Association. Customer pays no closing costs, except escrow-related funding costs. An annual fee of up to $90 may apply after the first year and is waived with a U.S. Bank personal Platinum Checking Package. The Consumer Pricing Information brochure lists terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank Consumer Checking Package accounts and can be obtained by calling 800.872.2657. Member FDIC. ©2016 U.S. Bank. 160494 8/16
The African Development Center (ADC) of Minnesota announced the recipients of its 2016 Business Awards at a Sept. 27 luncheon at the Town and Country Club in St. Paul. The ADC Small Business of the Year is Katar River Restaurant and Bakery, LLC, Minneapolis. Started in 2007 as a business idea in an ADC class, this woman-owned business is a restaurant and now provides wholesale ethnic foods and breads to grocery stores throughout Minnesota. ADC Employer of the Year is Family Care Transportation, LLC, Minneapolis. Started in 2006, this business has more than 12 employees and more than 250 drivers providing non-emergency medical transportation in St. Anthony, St. Cloud, Faribault, Mankato and Willmar. ADC Young Entrepreneur(s) of the Year are Amin Grocery, LLC, Willmar and Liz Vision Beauty Supply, LLC,
ADC TURN TO 7
insightnews.com
Insight News • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Page 5
fresh • local • organic Your neighborhood source for local and organic foods and wellness products
2823 E. Franklin Ave. | Minneapolis & 317 E. 38th St. | Minneapolis w w w.seward. coop
Page 6 • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Healthy meals cooked from scratch at Northside pop-up restaurant For one night in October, Gerard Klass – “Chef Klassico” – will transform Breaking Bread Cafe for a unique dining experience. On Sunday (Oct. 16), Klass will serve a three-course menu of classic dishes with an urban twist. The chef-inspired menu will reinvent comfort food, with an up-scale presentation and created from modern techniques.
The event will be hosted at Breaking Bread Café, 1210 W. Broadway Ave., in North Minneapolis. The $35 experience will begin at 6 p.m. Chef Klass said, along with his crew, he intends to bring comfort to the community through the art of hip-hop music and great tasting food with a thoughtful
presentation. “The night is going to feel like your summer cookout just graduated college,” said Klass. Klass’ West Indian and African-American heritage, along with his corporate restaurant training has provided him with a unique outlook on food, which will be showcased in dishes such as “The Rude
Boi,” a grilled jerk chicken dish served with rice, pea arancini and a carrot ginger puree. Klass, 27, helps run one of the most successful restaurants chains in Minneapolis, Crave Restaurants. He believes that there is no reason that a full service restaurant cannot survive in North Minneapolis. While attending Le Cordon
Bleu, Klass was living in North Minneapolis and grew very fond of this community. With all the support that he received, he always knew that he would be back to serve the community. Due to the lack of full service restaurants in the area this has taken him some time, until now. The chef believes that the people of North Minneapolis deserve a
place to have a healthy dinner cooked from scratch. He said with this pop-up event he will do just that. “Beyond the great food and music, this night is a thank you to the community that embraced me,” said Klass. To RSVP go to www. klassics.eventbrite.com.
Poverty
the future. We can and must end child poverty. In our 2015 report “Ending Child Poverty Now” the Children’s Defense Fund showed how by expanding investments in nine existing policies and programs that work we could shrink overall child poverty 60 percent, Black child poverty 72 percent, and improve the economic circumstances for 97 percent of poor children. All of our national leaders need to be focusing
on this and doing far more to see that child poverty is ended. We all need to vote in November and then hold our leaders accountable for their action or inaction to end child poverty now and prepare our children and nation for the future. The median income gaps for families with children underscore the inequality of available economic resources and the denial of equal opportunity for all. The median income in the United States
increased in 2015 for the first time since 2007, but the median income of $39,371 for Black families with children remained less than half the median income of $82,969 for White families with children. Research shows children growing up poor are less likely to grow up healthy and succeed in school and more likely to be poor as adults. While the latest numbers show we have one million new reasons to celebrate, we must
keep going and finish the job of ensuring a level playing field for every child. I hope everyone is going to get out and vote and demand that our leaders create jobs with living wages, increase early childhood investments and create a quality early childhood system, equalize funding for all of our schools, and make sure all children have a decent place to live. The Children’s Defense Fund
will be releasing our agenda for ensuring hope and opportunity and a moral equitable future for every American child shortly. And we must all make sure that children are at the top of the agenda for candidates for any office who receive our vote.
Fair
event provides an opportunity for area employers to connect with professionals of color in the Twin Cities. “Diversity and inclusion is a core value at U.S. Bank,” said Richard Davis, chairman and CEO of U.S. Bank. “As a leading financial institution we care about the economic welfare of every member of our community and want to work toward an equitable tomorrow for all Minnesotans. A more diverse workforce supports our mission and values.” Candidates are expected to range from college interns and recent college graduates to experienced professionals with advanced degrees. Attendees can expect to meet and speak directly with hiring managers and decision makers representing Minnesota’s top employers. “Midco wants our employees to represent the diverse clientele we serve,” said Pat McAdaragh, CEO of Midco. “It is important that we stand united with the Minnesota business community to create change and to be part of the solution.” Employers such as U.S. Bank, Midco, State of Minnesota, The Patterson Companies, Allianz Life Insurance of North America, University of Minnesota,
Medtronic, Metro Transit, Mortenson Construction and more will be looking to hire during the fair. The People of Color Career Fair founder, Sharon SmithAkinsanya explained, “When I presented this idea to our presenting sponsors – U.S. Bank and Midco – during the early planning stages, the overwhelming response was yes.” Smith-Akinsanya added, “This event empowers companies to proactively create the change that closes the economic gap and ends the structural racism that can ultimately harm the economic stability of our state. The People of Color Career Fair provides the space and opportunity for those companies ready and wanting to solve the problem to meet with and talk to qualified candidates of color who are looking for an amazing company to work for. It’s bold. It’s radical. It’s necessary.” All candidates who register and upload a resume in advance will receive a free professional head shot the day of the fair. Attendance for candidates is free, though advance registration is recommended. Employers and job seekers can learn more at www. peopleofcolorcareerfair.com.
From 2 is time to demand that all of our leaders in all parties at all levels create jobs, jobs, jobs with living wages that allow people to work with dignity and a high-quality child care support system followed by a strong education system that leaves all of our children ready for
KerryJo Felder has been working for you!
Vote for DFL Endorsed KerryJo on November 8th! “As a long-time public education activist on the Northside, Kerry Jo Felder understands the needs of Minneapolis teachers, parents, and most importantly, students. )URP ¿JKWLQJ IRU D KLJK TXDOLW\ 67(0 program at North High, to working with the North High Community Coalition, Kerry Jo has been a tireless advocate for Northside families and has proven time and time again that she is not afraid to have the hard conversations that lead to real results for North Minneapolis.” – Congressman Keith Ellison
KerryJo is endorsed by the DFL, Stonewall DFL, Congressman Keith Ellison, Senator BobbyJoe Champion, Rep. Raymond Dehn, MFT 59, womenwinning, Teamsters 120 IBEW 292, SEIU State Council, and the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation
Strong Voice for Northside Schools, Change Maker, Community Coalition Builder
Making a Genuine Space for Students, Parents, Teachers & Community KerryJo has helped keep a school open, open a school, initiated an IB and STEM program, been involved in principal and superintendent hiring, and called for $2,000,000 for Full Service Community Schools. KerryJo has been working on the Full Service Community School model since 2011 and advocates for systemic change where all voices are heard at the school level... close to home. Paid for by the Committee to Elect KerryJo4SchoolBoard
From 1 the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), in June 2016, African-American and Hispanic communities had a 14.4 percent unemployment rate compared to 2.9 percent among whites. And, according to data from a recent Wilder Research study, a higher education does not equate to a better job for minority employees. College educated African-Americans in Minnesota currently have a 9 percent unemployment rate as opposed to a 3 percent unemployment rate among their white counterparts. “State government is among Minnesota’s largest employers,” said Gov. Mark Dayton. “As our state becomes increasingly diverse, we are committed to building a talented workforce that is representative of Minnesota. I encourage all interested people of color to consider state employment and attending this job fair.” The People of Color Career Fair is presented by U.S. Bank and Midco, and is sponsored by the State of Minnesota. This
PROTECT OUR LEGACY After the economy crashed, Barack Obama stood with us. We’ve created over 15 million new jobs since 2010, expanded health care to 20 million Americans, and defended our right to vote. Barack Obama accomplished a lot, but more needs to be done so we can keep moving forward. The Republicans have fought Barack Obama since Day One and have promised to destroy his legacy and move our country backwards. We’ve all fought too hard to let that happen. The next president will either build on Barack Obama’s legacy or tear it apart. On November 8th, vote for Democrats so we can keep this country moving forward.
www.IWillVote.com
TAKE A STAND
VOTE DEMOCRATIC N O V E M B E R 8 TH PAID FOR BY THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS.ORG NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATES’S COMMITTEE
Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org.
insightnews.com
Insight News • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Page 7
MSP TechHire seeks diversity in IT By Abeni Hill MSP TechHire empowers women and people of color, helping them to join the technology workforce. According to the MSP TechHire website, the growth of the technology industry creates a higher demand for people with training in information technology (IT), as well as software and programing. With MSP TechHire, the city of Minneapolis collaborated with Prime Digital Academy, Creating IT Futures Foundation – IT Ready and The Software Guild as well as over 100 regional employers to achieve this empowerment goal. “There is such a demand for new candidates in the system,” said MSP TechHire program coordinator, Tammy Dickinson. “Nine thousand jobs are open right now.” Dickinson also added that technology field workers have substantial job security and are paid rewarding salaries. Through MSP TechHire there are two different options for those who want to pursue a career in the technology field. “There are training tracks; entry level IT desk and coding boot camps,” said Dickinson. “IT tech (camp) is basically free of charge. Coding boot camp can be expensive but
ADC From 4 Champlin. Amin Grocery is a convenience store serving the growing African community in Willmar and is owned by a 25-year-old entrepreneur. A start-up retail venture of a 25-year-old couple, Liz Vision Beauty Supply targets a growing African population in northern Twin Cities suburbs providing hard-tofind products and braiding and weaving services. The 2016 ADC Staff Pick award went to Ultimate Healthcare, Inc., Minneapolis. In 2012 a former ADC loan officer and community organizer started a business to provide personal care services to the elderly and disabled. With more than $3 million in revenues and 250 clients statewide, this service provider works with a variety of healthcare providers such as BlueCross BlueShield and offers language and culturally proficient care professionals
Shaw From 4 need to make critical decisions. These include decisions related to leadership, attitude of the marketplace, available funding (both short term and long term), capacity and infrastructure and the extent to which a project meets the needs of the marketplace. The feasibility study for the National Museum of African American History and Culture addressed these issues and more. The results demonstrated that America would support the proposed museum with both attendance and finance.
there are scholarships for women and POC (people of color) residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul area.” Even though this industry has created more jobs, this industry’s workforce continues to lack diversity. “Right now tech is largely dominated by white men,” said Dickinson. “There is a disparity in employment and it is important for us to reach into the communities that aren’t employed.” In forming partnerships, MSP TechHire contacted companies that seemed to be making an effort to hire a more diverse labor pool and companies working to align what they are doing under the MSP TechHire brand. “We reach into populations that haven’t considered IT as a career,” said Dickinson. The program coordinator said it was a challenge in engaging women and communities of color and encouraging them to enroll in one of the programs. Theresa Demby, a graduate from the IT Ready program, said while working with the U.S. Army Corp, and prior to her enrolling in the IT program, she had feelings of inadequacy. “I did not feel comfortable enough as woman to pursue a career in that field because it was predominately male,” said
to a diverse clientele. Commemorating ADC’s founder and former executive director, Hussein Samatar, who lost his battle with Leukemia at age 45 in 2013, ADC presented its Hussein Samatar Community Service Award to LegalCorps, Minneapolis. LegalCorps is a non-profit legal services corporation providing clinics and pro bono support to businesses and non-profits in Minnesota. The African Development Center (ADC) is a microlending institution to entrepreneurs and small businesses. ADC’s work in financial literacy, business development and homeownership counseling focuses on Minnesota’s African community. ADC provides services in six languages to communities throughout Minnesota. Since 2004, ADC has provided nearly $7 million in business finance, and counseled almost 3,000 in financial literacy and homeownership.
The study was an important management tool that helped shape campaign planning and design, identify where money could come from, identify who could advocate for the campaign and museum and learn from where museum artifacts could come. As a form of market research the study gave the project further legitimacy. It was one part of the process that culminated with the Sept. 24 opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mel and Pearl Shaw are authors of the book “FUNdraising Good Times Classics Vol. 1,” available on Amazon.com.
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY & DIVERSITY Direct MnDOT’s agency-wide equity, diversity, equal opportunity, and affirmative action activities and programs. This position serves as the Director of the Office of Equity & Diversity and is responsible for providing expert advice and consultation to ensure compliance with all applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations governing affirmative action and equal employment opportunity to include, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Minnesota Statutes 363A and 43A. Direct and implement workforce diversity and inclusion strategies. For a complete job description and to apply, please visit www. mn.gov/careers Job ID 8573. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the job information line at 651.259.3637. MnDOT is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to workforce diversity.
“I didn’t realize how much I was missing,” said Alderson.
Demby, who said one of aspects that she appreciated about her program was the support system. “Everyone supported
one another because at times it is very stressful. That culture that we had was very important in me being successful. You
need the support of the people you are in class with.” Adia Alderson, a graduate from Prime Digital Academy, said she enjoyed the collaborative approach to the program as well. Prior to becoming a student at the Prime Digital Academy, Alderson always had an affinity for coding and technology and some of the skills she learned were self-taught. “I didn’t realize how much I was missing,” said Alderson. “(The program) touched on all different aspects of collaborative project management.” Alderson said previous experience is not a prerequisite for any of the programs. “I want to make sure people
know that you don‘t have to be a genius in math or coding since you were six. If you have a passion and a desire I feel that‘s most important,” said Alderson. Since graduation Alderson has found employment with the Minnesota Senate as a programmer and Demby is working with Hennepin County and the Windows 10 Project. If an employer is interested in becoming a part of MSP TechHire, they can contact Tammy Dickinson at tammy. dickinson@minneapolismn. gov. For more information about this initiative and it’s programs, visit www. msptechhire.org.
Page 8 • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Lifestyle The Rev. Vernell Thomas celebrates 50 years of pastoring Greater St. Paul COGIC Man Talk
By Timothy Houston It is very rare that anyone can commit to something for 50 years, but Oct. 13 – Oct. 16, the Rev. Vernell Thomas and First Lady Loretta Thomas will celebrate 50 years of ministry at Greater St. Paul Church of God in Christ, 4001 4th Ave. S. in Minneapolis. This noteworthy distinction puts them in a class by themselves. During my 13 years under their leadership, I have come to know them as a loving couple that is a model for marriages everywhere. They have impacted my
life in ways that cannot be expressed in words. I would like acknowledge them again by sharing some valuable lessons that I have learned from watching and listening to them. First, be one with your spouse. Some young couples today are making the mistake of seeking their best friends outside of their marriage. This is not the case for Pastor and First Lady Thomas, as they are truly one. When you see one of them, you see the other. I have observed their closeness, and I have seen how they enjoy each other’s company. They are truly each other’s best friend, and they have set a stellar example for others to follow. Secondly, commitment matters. Who and what are you committed to? This is a question we all must answer. Whether in church or in marriage, you must be committed. The completion of a college degree, purchase
Be excellent in everything you do. Every day in your work and personal life, you are required to give your best effort.
of a home, or the raising of a family, all require commitment. My pastor and his wife have demonstrated this in over 58 years of marriage and 50 years of committed pastoring at the same church. Thirdly, love covers a multitude of faults. Even when
the people in our lives are not perfect, love makes up the difference. Love covers the shortcomings of others. Love helps, heals, and forgives. It is the standard that a marriage must be built on and a community must live by. When we love our neighbors as ourselves, we can
wish them no ill or do them no harm. Greater St. Paul is known in the community as a loving church that is committed to sharing this love with others. Finally, be excellent in everything you do. Every day in your work and personal life, you are required to give your best effort. Without God as your standard, you will never give beyond your comfort zone. I see in my pastor and first lady the example that “your best effort is your only option.” Whatever your hands find it to do, do it with all your might. They have demonstrated that the spirit of excellence is truly how we glorify God. These are only a few of the many great life lessons I have learned from my pastor and first lady. They are two of the greatest leaders that I have ever met. They have imparted greatness in my life. I am a better man, father, friend and
community leader because of the positive impact they have had in my life. I am sure that many others in this community share my sentiment. As the Greater St. Paul church family celebrates Pastor and First Lady Thomas’ 50th pastoral anniversary, please join us and helping to fill the house. Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. nightly there will be a community at large celebration, and Sunday, Oct. 16 there will be an official service at 4 p.m. The services will be located at Greater St. Paul COGIC. Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.
Nourish the body, feed the soul Child Focus
By Gloria Freeman With the arrival of autumn comes the opportunity for new beginnings, new thoughts, new opportunities, and new schedules. Gone are the hot summer days when our children were running around outside, playing with friends; adhering to a much less structured schedule. During the summer months, it’s especially easier to be lax with scheduling our family meal
routines. However, the school bells are ringing again and it’s time to make sure our children are ready to learn. A big part of making sure our children are ready to learn is to make sure they are receiving meals that nourish the body and feed the soul. Most of us think of the New Year’s holiday as the time when we make resolutions about the changes we want to make in our lives, or springtime as the time when things begin to blossom and start anew. We’ve been trained to think of autumn as a time when flowers fade, leaves fall to the ground, and a final flourish of warmth and splashes, only to be eminently snatched away. We don’t typically think of fall as being a time for new
beginnings, when in all actuality, it can serve as an even better jump-starter than the typical seasons we associate with beginning things anew. As the days begin to darken and our children settle back into school, we have an opportunity to give ourselves a gift by making sure our meals are solid and quality time is carved out in our schedules each day so we can break bread together as a rock-solid family unit. We need to make sure we have good, old-fashioned family time, beginning with our meals. With most of us living our lives on the go, the first activity that usually slips our grip is the time we make to sit down at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table with our family. In
the busy flurry of our days, it’s far too easy to grab fast food, order a pizza or let each family member fend for themselves when it comes to scouring the cupboard and refrigerator to put together a meal. But, it doesn’t have to stay that way. We can use autumn as a time when we give ourselves an early holiday present by recommitting to sitting down with our family and being cognizant of the foods we choose to eat. Grabbing food on the go, it’s easy to concentrate on filling ourselves up as opposed to making conscientious choices about healthy food that will strengthen our bodies and improve our well-being. When we make an intentional decision to sit down as a family to eat, we seem to more frequently
do a self-check to ensure that the proper food groups are represented on our family members’ plates. Sitting down to eat as a family gives us the opportunity to stop for a moment and look our loved ones in the eye. We’re able to ask our family members how they’re doing, while sharing the pain, joy and triumphs we all experience in our lives. While a diet of fast food often makes our children slow, sleepy and sluggish, a healthy, nutritious meal can make our children thrive, concentrate and ready to learn as they tackle the new rigors that come with returning to school. When the bells of New Year’s Eve toll, we often feel pressure to come up with a resolution and publicly share what it is we are
trying change. I find the nice thing about autumn is that there isn’t incessant chatter about people making changes or everyone taking a shot at new beginnings. Therefore, as the flowers fade and the leaves fall to the ground, it’s the perfect time to quietly declare your own season of new beginnings, starting with sharing meals with the ones we love, while filling our tables with the fruits, vegetables and healthy foods that smell of new beginnings and starting anew.
MEDA
It is a highly competitive grant with a rigorous review process. MEDA was one of 158 organizations nationally to receive a CDFI program award from a pool of 457 applicants, and MEDA was one of just six Minnesota-based organizations to receive funding.” MEDA plans to use the funds to increase lending and provide technical assistance to more minority entrepreneurs in Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) also honored MEDA recently as the top performing MBDA business center in the nation for its work in creating or retaining 445 jobs in Minnesota last year. The award
was given late last month during the annual MBDA National Training Conference in Denver. MEDA is a nonprofit organization that serves Minnesota’s minority entrepreneurs by providing one-on-one business consulting, access to capital, and procurement opportunities. Cunningham said since 1971, MEDA has empowered more than 20,000 minority entrepreneurs and helped launch more than 500 minority businesses. To learn more about MEDA, visit www.meda.net or contact Michelle Tran Maryns at (612) 259-6570.
From 1 said CDFI Fund Director Annie Donovan. “This milestone underscores the transformative impact CDFIs are having in low-income, distressed and underserved communities and areas of persistent poverty. In businesses financed, real estate developed, affordable housing constructed and improved access to the financial system, CDFIs are empowering change and revitalization in their communities.” MEDA president and CEO, Gary Cunningham remarked, “MEDA is very proud to receive this award.
Gloria Freeman is President/ CEO of Olu’s Center, an intergenerational childcare and senior day program, and can be reached at gfreeman@ olushome.com.
ALL COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS ENCOURAGED TO COME
WHAT DOES SAFETY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
PLEASE COME AND SHARE YOUR IDEAS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE CHANGE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH, 2016 HEALTH AND WELLBEING: COMMUNITY CONNECTEDNESS AND SAFETY
COME OUT AND HELP YOUR COMMUNITY BE A SAFER AND HEALTHIER PLACE FOR OUR FUTURE.
ROBERT J. JONES URBAN RESEARCH AND OUTREACH-ENGAGEMENT CENTER (UROC) 2001 PLYMOUTH AVE NORTH MPLS MN, 55411 5:30 PM- 8:00 PM PLEASE RSVP: HTTPS://WWW.EVENTBRITE.COM/E/HEALTH-WELLBEING-DIALOGUETICKETS-27941248025
UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTSCO- A HARTBEAT PRODUCTIONEDITED MORRISON BY GUY HARDING KEVIN HART “KEVIN HART:DIRECTOR WHATOFNOW?” PRODUCER BLAKE EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION DESIGNER BRUCE RYAN PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERON BARNETT PRODUCERS KEVIN HART DAVE BECKY WRITTEN PRODUCED BY KEVIN HART JOEY WELLS HARRY RATCHFORD BY LELAND WIGINGTON JEFF CLANAGAN DIRECTED A UNIVERSAL RELEASE BY LESLIE SMALL © 2016 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR STARTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 CHECK THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES
Invest in your community by joining us for the third community dialogue to evaluate and create sustainable change around the health, safety, and overall wellness of our community. Please join us to begin planning how to implement the change that has been identified. Some recurring themes are: -
Youth safety Advanced illness and resources Whole body/ Mind-body medicine
A cultural remedies book and a Youth and Elder video around Health and Wellness are also in the beginning stages of production. If you are interested in learning more or being involved please contact Kaitlin Snoddy: ksnoddy@hncmpls.org
FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED. NO CHILDCARE AVAILABLE FOR THE EVENT
HAWTHORNE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL 2944 Emerson Ave N MPLS MN 55411 612-529-6033 Hawthorneneighborhoodcouncil.org Questions? Contact Kaitlin Snoddy Phone: 612-529-6033 Email: ksnoddy@hncmpls.org
insightnews.com
Insight News • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Page 9
Vikings maintain perfect record Viking running back Jerick McKinnon rushes past New York Giants defenders Andrew Adams (33) and Trevin Wade (31) during Monday night’s (Oct. 3) primetime contest. The Vikings beat the Giants 24-10, pushing the team’s record to 4-0. In the absence of Adrian Peterson, McKinnon ran for 85 yards on 18 carries and scored one touchdown. New Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford continued to flourish in the team’s offence going 26 for 36 for 262 yards and one TD.
Minnesota Twins name Derek Falvey executive vice president, chief baseball officer The Minnesota Twins announced Derek Falvey will be named the club’s executive vice president, chief baseball officer. “I believe the addition of Derek Falvey to the Minnesota Twins will markedly enhance our organizational excellence and bring championship baseball back to Minnesota,” said Twins owner, Jim Pohlad. Younger than several players in the league, Falvey, 33, has spent the past nine seasons as a
member of the Cleveland Indians organization, most recently as the assistant general manager. He spent the previous four seasons as director of baseball operations after being named to the position in December of 2011. As the newly appointed chief baseball officer for the Twins, Falvey will be responsible for establishing the vision and related strategies for the club’s baseball operation.
Specifically, he will oversee all aspects of the department including the major league team, coaches, and support staff, contract negotiations, player development, scouting, research and development, medical and communications. Falvey will become the sixth head of the Twins baseball operations department, replacing Terry Ryan, who was let go midseason. The Twins finished with a Major League Baseball worst
record of just 59 wins and 103 losses; this after a promising season that saw the team in the playoff hunt for most of the 2015 season. “It’s a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead the Twins baseball operation. This is a proud, resilient franchise, and I’m eager to return championship-caliber baseball to the Twin Cities,” said Falvey. “We will work diligently and collectively to select
and develop top-performers, advance our processes, and nurture a progressive culture that will make fans across Twins Territory proud.” “Throughout his baseball journey, Derek has earned a reputation as a talented executive thanks to innovation, collaboration and a relentless pursuit of individual and organizational improvement,” said Twins president, Dave St. Peter. “We believe Derek
represents the next generation of dynamic, game-changing MLB leaders. We expect Derek to create positive change directed at restoring our winning tradition.” Falvey’s tenure with the Indians started in 2007 when he began an internship in Baseball Operations. Falvey is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., where he played baseball and earned a degree in economics in 2005.
Dinner
with widespread respect. He played a central role in the Civil Rights Movement, where among his many accomplishments he was an architect and keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in 1963, and led the
March on Selma in 1965. For the last 30 years he has been a dedicated champion of human rights, inclusivity and social justice in the U.S. House of Representatives.” Lewis was born the son of
sharecroppers in 1940, outside of Troy, Ala. He grew up on his family’s farm and attended segregated public schools in Pike County, Ala. In 1963, he was dubbed one of the “Big Six” leaders of the Civil Rights
Movement. Ever since then, he has remained at the vanguard of progressive social movements and the human rights struggle in the United States. Despite physical attacks and serious injuries, Lewis remains a devoted
advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. For more information on the DFL Founders Day Dinner go to www.DFL.org.
said Jackson. “My parents were drug addicted and from the time I was 14 I lived in the house with my five brothers and one sister and I had to take care of them. So when I see these kids, I was them.” Jackson said he had to provide for his siblings and at the same time motivate them to stay in school and to do household chores. He said that experience prepared him for his work with area youth. “I had to create structure for them (his siblings), and
that transferred to the young men out here,” said Jackson, who also sits on the boards of Farview Area Community Council and TakeAction Minnesota. “So when I’m talking to these young men I’m not talking down to them, I’m talking and walking with them.” More than athletics, Jackson’s C.E.O and Run and Shoot programs are about mind and body transformation. In order to play basketball, participants must show weekly
grade sheets. “It’s about accountability,” said Jackson. And beyond the games, Jackson organizes cultural enrichment outings such as trips to visit historically Black colleges and universities. “I don’t care about wins and losses; I care about experiences and exposure,” said Jackson. So far Jackson seems to be racking up win after win in the eyes of his students and collogues. “He’s always finding new and innovative ways to get
our students engaged. He’s our best teacher,” said Michael Walker, director of MPS’ Office of Black Male Student Achievement. “Kids assess if you’re genuine or not and they know he’s authentic. It comes from being a child who grew up in this community. He
wants to see success in all of them (his students).” For Jackson, he is just doing what he has always done … look out for others. “This is my passion; this is my destiny,” said Jackson.
justice for citizens of color,” said Nekima Levy-Pounds, president of the Minneapolis NAACP. “When we occupied the fourth precinct, Blong Yang stood with (Minneapolis Mayor) Betsy Hodges and decided we needed $605,000 to fortify the fourth precinct. You (Yang) should have put that $605,000 behind jobs. I live in the 5th Ward and I’m embarrassed to say he represents me.” Levy-Pounds said Williams has the credentials and the fire to best represent Minneapolis’ 5th Ward. “Even with her college degree, if she needs to get an attitude, she’ll get an attitude. Sometimes there’s a time to get mad,” said Levy-Pounds of the Howard University graduate. “She’s willing to lay it all on the
line in support of her people.” Williams is a third generation Minnesotan who attended Minneapolis North Community High School. She said she also attended three alternative high schools, thus she knows the challenges facing students of color in the Minneapolis Public Schools. “I recognize (the student achievement gap) isn’t about intelligence, it’s about connecting with the students and it’s about having teachers who believe in them,” said Williams, who said she would use her influence to direct resources into youth learning programs. The candidate said while she happily welcomes new residents in North Minneapolis, she wants to ensure residents of lesser means do not get priced out of the area.
“Economic development is at the top of my agenda. We need an economic development center in our own community, and we also need fair housing,” said Williams. “We (5th Ward residents) have the lowest employment and lowest income in Minneapolis, so if we can’t afford housing who are these new developments for? We welcome new residents; they are wanted and needed, but we have to make sure the people already here can stay.” In a close election last time around Yang defeated Brett Buckner to capture the Ward 5 seat. Yang made history becoming first Hmong-American elected to the Minneapolis City Council. Ward 5 has the heaviest concentration of African-American and HmongAmerican voters in the city.
From 1
Jackson From 1 Indeed, Jackson knows firsthand the struggles many of the young men in North Minneapolis are facing and he serves as a living example that a temporary condition does not have to lead to a permanent designation. Jackson’s story is a testament to the endurance of the human spirit. “I grew up with no parents,”
Williams From 1 “I hear people say most police are good … well duh; most police are good, but there are those who are preying on the community and they need to be held accountable,” said Williams in announcing her reasons for running. Williams was a key organizer of the more than month-long protest outside the Minneapolis Police Department Fourth Precinct headquarters. While Williams never mentioned her opponent during her launch, supporters who spoke in support of her did, saying Yang is not in step with the majority of the residents he was elected to serve. “Blong Yang has not done
Classifieds RENTAL PROPERTIES INH Properties manages Section 8, Section 42 and Rural Development projects in the following MN cities: Anoka – Bridge Square, 763-421-6772 Big Lake – Autumn Winds, 320-258-6000 Brainerd – Mississippi Terrace, 218-829-0274 Cold Spring – Cottage Court, 320-685-3888 Coon Rapids- Coon Creek, 763-767-7755 Eden Valley – Hillside, 320-453-5968 Fergus Falls – Kaddatz, 218-205-0644 Glenwood – Glenview, 320-634-3188 Hawley – Northside Terrace, 218-483-4524 Hutchinson – Clinton House, 320-587-5458 Isle – Isle View, 320-676-8624 Isle – Mille Lacs Manor, 320-676-8624 Mankato – Dublin Road, 507-345-3351 Minneapolis - Holmes Park, 612-378-8817 Morris – Crystal Lake, 320-589-3662 Onamia – Oakwood, 320-532-4321 Onamia – Onamia Shores, 320-532-4321 Pierz – Kamnic Lane, 320-468-2581 Rice – Benton Place, 320-630-1201 St Michael -Countryside Cottages, 763-497-4901 St Paul – Parkway Gardens, 651-771-0267 Virginia – Alice Nettell, 218-741-3650
Fax: 612.588.2031
Shields Plaza Apartments, North Branch is now accepting applications for wait list. Senior 62+, subsidized must meet income requirements. Call for appointment 651-674-7497.
JOB OPENINGS The public-private partnership between the Loppet Foundation and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is being solidified with agreements to further the MPRB’s Master Plan for Theodore Wirth Regional Park by establishing a new Adventure and Welcome Center in the park. The Loppet Foundation is hiring for the following job openings: • • • • •
Email: info@insightnews.com
Minnesota Council of Churches ACCOUNTING CLERK, 20 hours/week. General accounting, AP, AR, financial reporting. Open until filled. Appl at http://www.mnchurches.org/about/employment.html.
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR WAIT LIST
Residents must meet income guidelines. Rent based on income at some locations. INH Properties is an equal opportunity housing company
Phone: 612.588.1313
Adventure Center Director Adventure Center Maintenance Foreperson Marketing & Communications Manager Sponsorship Sales Manager Middle School Team Coaches
For the full job postings go to: www.loppet.org/jobs
Volunteer Opportunities Harvest Network of Schools Community service is calling, no need for stalling! The Harvest Network of Schools, a group of highperforming charter schools in north Minneapolis that includes Harvest Preparatory (K-4, coed), Best Academy (K-8, single gender), and Mastery School (K-4, single gender), is currently recruiting volunteers to work with our 3rd and 4th grade students. We have three opportunities available; Breakfast Buddies, Academic Intervention, and Classroom Support. Breakfast Buddies help with homework and reading to scholars. This option is available Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. -8:15 a.m. Academic Intervention volunteers help with students needing additional support in math and reading, available Monday through Thursday from 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Classroom Support volunteers help teachers as needed, tasks will vary. This opportunity is needed any time throughout the day 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. We are requesting volunteers commit to 1-2 hours a week for a minimum of six weeks. HNS will provide training, onsite support from volunteer manager, and recognition at the end of the year. Applicants must complete an application and criminal background check. If interested please contact Marquita Butler at mbutler@seed-harvest.org or 612-876-4033.
Page 10 • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
KING
Stevie Wonder
REGGAE
Monday, Oct. 10 R&B/NEO PERFORMANCE
Oct. 10 - 16
Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking. Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com
SOUL/
King Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. $35 Minneapolis to LA musicians, King has become a highly respected group throughout the music industry. With praises from Prince and a Grammy under their belt they are here to stay.
Tuesday, Oct. 11
International Reggae All-Stars Bunkers 761 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis 21-plus $6 A true Twin Cities staple, the All-Stars bring you that raw reggae every Tuesday night.
Wednesday, Oct. 12 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Abstract Rude Nomad 501 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 9PM 21-plus $10
Abstract Rude
Once signed to the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal imprint, Abstract Rude has continued to make noise as a member of Project Blowed and Rhymesayers. His frequent collaborations with Myka Nine and Aceyalone are considered legendary.
Thursday, Oct. 13 SOUL/CONCERT The Official Prince Tribute Excel Energy Center 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul 6 p.m. $55 – $550 Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, and John Mayer join forces to pay respects to the greatest musician of all time.
Friday, Oct. 14
21-plus $5
HIP-HOP/NEO PERFORMANCE
DJ Keezy and Mica Grimm present a night of dance with some good ol’ juke music.
SOUL/
Heiruspecs Icehouse 2528 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis 10:30 p.m. One of Minnesota’s best known hip-hop bands reunites for a show at Icehouse, featuring up and coming star, Ayvah.
Saturday, Oct. 15 DJ NIGHT Keezy and Mica Grimm present Silk Haze Nomad 501 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
Sunday, Oct. 16 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Los Nativos “Eagle and Jaguar” Album Release Bedlam Lowertown 213 4th St. E., St. Paul $10 Years in the making, Los Nativos celebrate the release of “The Eagle & the Jaguar,” featuring Rico Simon Mendez, Mario Morales and DJ Espada.
The birth of Nate’s ‘Nation’ By Kam Williams “The Birth of a Nation” is one of the most anticipated releases in quite some time. The film, a reverential biopic of slave revolt leader Nat Turner, has evoked pride in some and fear in others – and that was even before this past weekend’s nationwide release. Nate Parker is the actor, turned writer/director, who brought the life of Turner to the screen. Parker first received critical attention for his starring role in “The Great Debaters” opposite Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. More recently, Parker starred in “Beyond the Lights” opposite Gugu MbathaRaw, Minnie Driver, and Danny Glover. Here, Parker talks about making his writing and directorial debut with “The Birth of a Nation.” Kam Williams: Hey, Nate, how you been? Nate Parker: Kam, great to speak to you again, friend.
KW: Congratulations on “The Birth of a Nation” winning both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. NP: Thank you, brother. What a blessing, right? Never in a million years would I even have dreamt of that. I just made a movie I hoped would touch people, but I can’t even describe what it felt like to receive those accolades. KW: How long had this project been percolating before you went into production? NP: Oh, years. I’m in my eighth year of the project now. At the starting point, I’d done a couple of films, and I thought to myself it isn’t often, as Black men, that we get an opportunity in Hollywood to play a leading role with a strong character. And when one does come up, there are so many people competing for it, plus the narrative isn’t usually controlled by us. So, I asked myself, “If I could tell any story, which would it be?”
INTERVIEW TURN TO 12
Nate Parker in ‘The Birth of a Nation’
insightnews.com
Insight News • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Page 11
Ordway, Schubert Club and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Present The Sphinx Virtuosi with Catalyst Quartet The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, the Schubert Club and The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra will present The Sphinx Virtuosi with Catalyst Quartet on Sunday, Oct. 30 in the Ordway Concert Hall. Since their debut at Carnegie Hall in 2004, the Sphinx Virtuosi, led by the Catalyst Quartet, has consistently been recognized as one of the nation’s most dynamic professional chamber orchestras. Composed of 18 of the nation’s top Black and Latino classical soloists, these alumni of the internationally renowned Sphinx Competition come together each fall as cultural ambassadors in order to reach new audiences
through classical music. Their 2016 program, “Latin Voyages: Viajes Latinos,” takes listeners on a journey from the Argentine tango to the nocturnal imagery of Mexico, featuring a tribute to Piazzolla, with a final invitation to Catalan dance. “We are thrilled to be joining forces with the Schubert Club and the SPCO (St. Paul Chamber Orchestra) to bring this dynamic ensemble of musicians to Twin Cities audiences,” said Ordway President and CEO Jamie Grant. “They represent the future of classical music, and their energy and fresh perspective is sure to ignite our community of chamber music lovers.”
Catalyst Quartet The four principals of the Sphinx Virtuosi make up the Catalyst Quartet, which has independently garnered acclaim
in performances around the world. Hailed by The New York Times at their Carnegie Hall debut as “invariably energetic and finely
burnished … playing with earthy vigor,” the Catalyst Quartet is composed of top laureates and alumni of the internationally
acclaimed Sphinx Competition. Known for “rhythmic energy, polyphonic clarity and tight ensemble-playing,” the quartet has toured domestically and abroad, including sold-out performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Chicago’s Harris Theater, Miami’s New World Center and Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. Tickets for the special performance start at $22 and can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at (651) 224-4222 or in person at the Ordway ticket office, 345 Washington St., St. Paul.
Penumbra ‘Let’s Talk Voting Rights’ discussion and ‘Precinct 8 Pride’ seek to help get out the vote As Penumbra Theatre kicks off its 40th anniversary season and looks towards the future, it is thinking deeply about what theatre can be for a community. Under the leadership of CoArtistic Director Sarah Bellamy, Penumbra is developing new ways to fully activate the mission and the spirit out of which it was born. At the heart of Bellamy’s vision is a question … how can Penumbra best serve its community and leverage the art it produces to mobilize forces for good? This fall Penumbra will pilot a civic engagement campaign
called “Precinct 8 Pride” to support voter participation in this year’s election process. Penumbra’s home in the Hallie Q. Brown/the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center serves as the polling station for Precinct 8, one of the most economically and racially diverse neighborhoods in St. Paul. In partnership with local businesses, Penumbra will roll out the campaign to encourage neighbors to exercise their right to vote on Nov. 8. The goal is to increase voter turnout and eliminate barriers in Penumbra’s local community through a threepronged engagement campaign.
“As part of our 40th anniversary season, we welcome brave artists, activists and audiences to face the most pressing issues of our day, to pose tough questions, and to uncover strategies for solutions,” said Bellamy. “We’re celebrating a new era for our company and our community. It is an exciting time.” Raising Awareness The 1965 Voting Rights Act was a watershed moment in American history, coming after a long struggle to protect the rights of the poor, the disenfranchised
and people of color. On Oct. 24, in partnership with MPR News, Penumbra will host a “Let’s Talk” focusing on voting rights. Guests include Ari Berman, contributing writer with The Nation and author of “Give Us The Ballot;” Lecia Brooks, outreach director for Southern Poverty Law Center; Dr. Josie Johnson, pioneering educator and activist and Dameun Strange, artist, activist and organizer. “MPR News is really excited to partner with Penumbra Theatre to shed light on the historical context of current events and to amplify perspectives that have
gone unheard,” said Nancy Cassutt, MPR executive director of news and programming. Hosted by Sarah Bellamy, the event begins at 6 p.m. with refreshments and light bites, followed by a 90-minute presentation and discussion. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www. penumbratheatre.org. Registering Voters On Oct. 15 and Nov. 8, Penumbra will lead volunteer teams of staff, artists and audiences on door-knocking events to register voters in its neighborhood. In
addition to its Election Day doorknocking campaign, Penumbra will staff a booth outside the polling station at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center to provide complimentary treats for voters, ending the day with a shared meal. “It is so critical that we work to get people to the polls,” said Southern Poverty Law Center’s Brooks. “Penumbra is doing a great service.” To learn more about Penumbra’s voter registration campaign, visit www. penumbratheatre.org/vote.
MPS Jazz88 radio station presents Jazz Around Minneapolis Fall Festival Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and Jazz88 will present the second annual J.A.M. (Jazz Around Minneapolis) Fall Festival. This year’s concert features the Adam Meckler
Orchestra. The concert will be a culmination of a full day of jazz workshops for high school students facilitated by MPS band teachers, Adam Meckler, and other professional jazz musicians, and will be held at
the North Community High School auditorium, 1500 James Ave. N., Minneapolis, on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted at the door. The workshop will showcase students’ talents in jazz and help
them develop their performance skills and abilities in music as a whole. All the student musicians will have an opportunity to perform during the concert. Students from all seven Minneapolis high schools will be involved in the show. The
concert will be recorded for later broadcast on Jazz 88’s Jazz at MPS program, heard on Monday nights at 8 p.m. Adam Meckler is a trumpet player, composer and educator living in Minneapolis. His 18-piece big band, The Adam
Meckler Orchestra, has garnered a large following, with the release in September 2014 of band’s debut album, “When the Clouds Look like This.” By December of that year, it was listed among 2014’s Best Jazz Releases on iTunes.
On stage this fall
A fresh adaptation of Austen’s treasured novel
adapted by KATE HAMILL based on the novel by JANE AUSTEN directed by SARAH RASMUSSEN
Now – October 29 Sponsored by
Songs and stories of the ’61 Freedom Riders
by MIKE WILEY directed by PATRICIA McGREGOR
Now – November 6 Sponsored by
612.377.2224 / guthrietheater.org
Page 12 • October 10 - October 16, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
‘Skin(s)’ illuminates Native-American diversity ‘Skin(s),’ a multi-faceted, multidisciplinary work, shares the beauty and diversity of how Native-American people identify and examines the contradictions, pride, joy, pain and sorrow that arise out of their many dimensions of identity. ‘Skin(s)’ is a dance work, a visual arts exhibit, a film and a web media project. It is a continuallyevolving project in which community and audience inform how it takes shape from one city to another. From 2016 through 2017, ‘Skin(s)’ is being developed in three regions – the Twin Cities, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Chicago metropolitan area. The dance performance, at
Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, Oct. 21 – Oct. 23, explores what people hold, reveal, and perceive through skin. To create the ‘Skin(s)’ dance production, director Rosy Simas is joined by French composer François Richomme, poet Heid Erdrich, lighting designer Valerie Oliverio and performers Holo Lue Choy and Lela Pierce. The exhibit, on view at Intermedia Arts Oct. 11 – Nov. 5, is a showcase of artworks by Minnesotans who express multidimensional identities from Dakota, Ojibwe, Ponca, Lakota, Navajo, and other indigenous nations. “Skin(s),â€? the film by
Elizabeth Day and Erdrich, celebrates urban Native identity, post-relocation in Chicago, San Francisco Bay Area and the Twin Cities. The film will premiere in the exhibit at Intermedia Arts. The media project, www. skinskins.com, is an evolving website dedicated to visually demonstrating the diversity of Native identity throughout North America (or Turtle Island, as many Native-Americans call it). The dance performance is $15 in advance and $18 at the door. The exhibit is between $3 and $10. All proceeds support visual arts programming at Intermedia Arts.
Interview
vision from God, which inspired him, I wonder whether you see any similarities between him and yourself? NP: I believe that Nat Turner, at his core, was striving to be more Christ-like, which dictated his thoughts and actions. I wouldn’t say I’m trying to be like Nat, but I’m definitely striving, as he was, to get closer to my faith and to be more Christ-like in the context of my own imperfections as a human being. I believe that Nat Turner is a role model that all of us could identify with and aspire to emulate in a positive way because he used all of his influence to address a systemic crisis. And he did so with his faith and he did so sacrificing on behalf of people he’d never meet, like you and me.
about the incident? NP: I’ll say this. I’m 36-yearsold and my life has been a series of obstacles; a series of educating moments. As I said before, I’m trying to come as close to my faith as possible, and I see this journey as just that, a journey. I set out to make this film because I felt like it was written in my heart. And any obstacle that has come before or will come after I will have to deal with accordingly, with my faith. My hope is that people will see this film for what it is, and I also hope they will be able to see a bit of my heart and of what I’m striving to do with this film.
From 10 And Nat Turner being my hero from a social justice standpoint, he became the focus of my desires when it came to making a film. I just wanted to create a hero that added to the narrative of America who didn’t look like the usual patriots. KW: William Styron won a Pulitzer Prize in 1967 for “The Confession of Nat Turner.� Did you rely on that best-selling novel while writing your script? NP: I never looked at it once. I had read enough of it when I was younger to have my stomach turn. (The) author completely denigrated the life and motivations of one of our greatest heroes. KW: In an earlier interview, you told me that you felt that you were blessed by God at the beginning of your career. Given how spiritual Nat Turner was and how he had a
KW: Even though I asked you in our first interview many years ago about the 1999 rape accusation when you were a college student, I would be remiss in not raising it again, since it has resurfaced and ignited a firestorm of controversy recently. What do you have to say
KW: The last time we spoke was a couple of years ago when you were in Ferguson, Mo., in connection with the Mike Brown case. At that time, you spoke of “revolution� and described yourself as an “actor-vist� dedicated to eradicating the dehumanization and criminalization of Black youth. I was concerned that, as an emerging star I had described as possibly the next Denzel, you
Re-elect Bobby Joe
might be tarnishing your image by being so visibly political. NP: I originally sought to make this film really to create solutions to the systemic crisis we were dealing with then. But here we are, eight years later, dealing with the same crisis. I heard someone say, if the next 50 years are like the last 50 years, then people of color might not exist except as assimilated people and as inmates in the prison-industrial complex. I believe that the more we recognize that we’re in crisis, the more we will realize that there is a need for revolution. Because of our historical baggage, most people automatically assume that revolution means Black people rising up against whites. But that’s not what I’m saying. If (the Rev.) Dr. Martin Luther King, (Jr.) was right in saying injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, then anyone who is on the side of the oppressed needs to stand up, regardless of what they look like or where they come from. And they should do so employing their skills and their strengths, taking
advantage of their occupations. Nat Turner only had broom handles and axes, and didn’t even have the right to assemble. Today, we have journalism, technology and social media, yet we fall silent when it comes to dealing with injustice. When I speak of “revolution,� I talk about it within the context of humanity. Our country started with a rebellion. What would our identity be without that rebellion? Who would we be as Americans, if we didn’t even know that we fought against British rule? If history is an indicator, we know that subjugation will lead to revolution anyway. We just don’t know what that revolution will look like. Am I an advocate of violence? No. I’m an advocate of freedom and liberation and, whatever that means, I’m willing to stand for it. KW: Why did you call your film “The Birth of a Nation,� the same title as the D.W. Griffith (film) released almost exactly a century ago?
Vote November 8, 2016
Champion My Priorities: Working together for a better tomorrow Improving our education system Passing a comprehensive transportation funding package
Increased equity funding Taking criminal justice reform even farther Passing Restore the Vote legislation
Endorsements: t DFL t -BCPS 4&*6 "'4$.& .JOOFBQPMJT 3FHJPOBM -BCPS 'FEFSBUJPO "'- $*0 t $POHSFTTNBO ,FJUI &MMJTPO t 4JFSSB $MVC t .JOOFTPUB 1SPGFTTJPOBM 'JSFÄ•HIUFST t "GSJDBO "NFSJDBO %'- $BVDVT
t 6OJUFE 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO 6OJPO t 1MBOOFE 1BSFOUIPPE t .JOOFTPUB $BSQFOUFST 6OJPO t *#&8 -PDBM t ./ $POTFSWBUJPO 'FEFSBUJPO t 5FBNTUFST 6OJPO t &EVDBUJPO ./
t 5BLF"DUJPO ./ t .JOOFTPUB /VSTFT "TTPDJBUJPO t *OTJHIU /FXT t 4UBS 5SJCVOF t (PWFSOPS .BSL %BZUPO t -JFVUFOBOU (PWFSOPS 5JOB 4NJUI t .JOOFBQPMJT $JUZ $PVODJMNFNCFST
FA Q t
&MFDUFE JO UP SFQSFTFOU 4FOBUF %JTUSJDU /PSUI .JOOFBQPMJT /PSUI -PPQ QBSUT PG %PXOUPXO .JOOFBQPMJT BOE #SZO .BXS
t
4FSWFT PO UIF GPMMPXJOH DPNNJUUFFT 'JOBODF 7JDF $IBJS $BQJUBM *OWFTUNFOU +VEJDJBSZ $PNNFSDF BOE 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO 1VCMJD 4BGFUZ
t
$P $IBJS PG 4VCDPNNJUUFF PO &RVJUZ XIJDI TFDVSFE NJMMJPO EVSJOH UIF -FHJTMBUJWF 4FTTJPO UP BEESFTT FDPOPNJD EJTQBSJUJFT
t
-FHJTMBUJWF GPDVT DSFBUJOH B NPSF FRVJUBCMF .JOOFTPUB o JO PVS FDPOPNJD EFWFMPQNFOU BOE KPCT IPVTJOH BOE FNQMPZNFOU PQQPSUVOJUJFT TDIPPMT BDDFTT UP IFBMUI DBSF USBOTQPSUBUJPO TZTUFNT DSJNJOBM KVTUJDF TZTUFN BOE NPSF
t
-JWFT JO /PSUI .JOOFBQPMJT XJUI IJT XJGF "OHFMB BOE TPOT +BZMFO BOE .ZMFT
For more information, visit www.Champion4Change.org
Email: Bobby@Champion4Change.org
Facebook: Bobby Joe Champion (follow)
NP: That was very intentional. I had my title before I had my script. I deliberately want to tether the present to 1915 in order to create context as to why we are where we are. Griffith, in my opinion, may have been one of the most powerful people around in the sense that he inspired all of America to embrace white supremacy as a form of self-preservation. As a son of the Confederacy, he asked America to turn its back on any thought of solidarity with people of color with the hope that whites would be able to maintain their privilege forever. And that idea of white supremacy wasn’t limited to the Ku Klux Klan and toothless hillbillies, but it made its way all the way to the White House, where President Woodrow Wilson had connections to the Klan through D.W. Griffith. So, I use that film designed to disenfranchise and terrorize us as a starting point with the hope that, by reclaiming and re-purposing it, we could right a massive wrong, since we’re still dealing with the fallout of the terror that it inspired. KW: I really liked this film better than “12 Years a Slave.� Can you put a finger on why that’s the case? NP: I think it was a desperate love for one’s brothers and sisters. In this film, they’re not trying to escape to the North for a better life that they once enjoyed. Instead, they’re trying to reconcile the life they’re stuck in with what they see as God’s purpose for their lives as reflected in the scriptures. And Nat interpreted the Bible as saying that God was on the side of the oppressed, as he was with Israel. KW: How hard was it directing for the first time? NP: It was very difficult. It wasn’t my original intention to direct and produce the film. But no producers raised their hand saying, “Here’s the money,� and no director stepped forward saying, “I want to tell this story.� People saw this movie as a threat. And I was even warned by many people in Hollywood that there would be grave consequences for making it. But you can’t let fear control your actions, when you feel the Lord calling you to do something. So, I decided to just go for it. And despite raising only a third of the money needed, we were somehow able to achieve the impossible. KW: It’s interesting that the film is now being released at the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement. NP: I think it’s a testament to God’s plan that it’s coming out now. Imagine, if it had been released eight years ago, five years ago, or even three years ago. I doubt that it would have had the same impact that it’s having now in terms of creating an enlightened moment at a time of a desperate need for change. KW: One thing that surprised me when the closing credits rolled was to see that Gabrielle Union and some other stars I hadn’t recognized were in the movie. NP: I told all the women in the project that we were going to do this natural, with no makeup. That’s a scary thing, especially when so much of what we do is controlled by image. But people really bought into it, and we were able to achieve an authenticity that most projects are unable to match. KW: What’s up next for Nate Parker? NP: I have a couple projects I’m considering, but I’m being careful to make sure it’s something I’m passionate about. KW: Was there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood? NP: Yes and no. I was exposed to Christianity early on, but I didn’t really understand the magnitude of God’s power and the role of prophecy in my life. It wasn’t until going through college that I began to appreciate this thing called faith and to explore whether there was something in it for me. So much of my life has changed since then, and my desperation for a connection to the Lord continues to deepen with every breath I take.