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Aesthetically It: Events, concerts and venues in the Twin Cities
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Insight News September 26 - October 2, 2016
Vol. 43 No. 39• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Tulsa cop charged Officer who killed Terence Crutcher charged with manslaughter In a shooting caught on video by multiple police cameras, and one that enraged many, Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby has been charged with first degree manslaughter in the shooting death of Terence Crutcher. Crutcher was killed by Shelby on Sept. 16 when he was believed to be having car trouble. Shelby happened upon Crutcher and in dashboard and helicopter videos, Crutcher can be seen walking calmly away from officers and with both hands raised. In the video, one officer Tasers Crutcher and moments later Shelby shoots and kills Crutcher. On Sept. 22 Tulsa County
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Hillary Clinton
Clinton to Trump: Apologize for racist lie
Terence Crutcher District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler announced charges against Shelby. While announcing charges the prosecuting attorney oddly went out of his way to say that Shelby should be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a judge or jury. That line resonated with some as perplexing, as it is his job to see to it that Shelby is in fact found guilty.
CRUTCHER TURN TO 3
Officer Betty Shelby
Museum boosts Black tourism By Barrington M. Salmon
At the Black Women’s Agenda Symposium in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 16, Hillary Clinton called on Donald Trump to apologize for leading the birther movement, the “racist lie” that President Obama is not a natural born American citizen. She again called out Trump the next day at the Congressional Black Caucus Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. Clinton asked all Americans to choose a path of unity and progress over the prejudice and paranoia of Trump.
CLINTON TURN TO 4
With the Sept. 24 opening of the Smithsonian’s Museum of African American History and Culture, organizers foresee a major boost in Black tourism in Washington D.C. “We’re underrepresented in presentations on the Mall. We have the MLK (the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) memorial and this. We have very little going on down here. We’re glad to have the new museum because it will raise the profile that various African-Americans are making and will be beneficial to us,” said Dr. Frank Smith, co-chair of the D.C. host committee. “This museum is a rising tide. It is a great presentation of art, music and artifacts. I look forward to joining in the celebrations.”
Michael Grant, president and CEO National Bankers Association
MUSEUM TURN TO 4
Artists trigger sea change empowering Black banks
Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture
Wirth Co-op: Better food, better tasting food newly constructed Commons at Penn is a cooperative grocer, Wirth Cooperative Grocery. And while the Commons has 45 apartment units, which should provide ready traffic, the question still remains will others in the neighborhood support the grocery store where the prices will in some instances be higher than the area chain store. Those who pushed for the store to come to a currently barren region and who are committed to the store’s success say residents will support Wirth because Wirth will in turn be supporting the neighborhood.
By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor
Harry Colbert, Jr.
The new Wirth Cooperative Grocery is set to open at 1825 Penn Ave. N. in Minneapolis later this year.
Artspeak Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith launch Careers in Entertainment initiative
PAGE 2
Afrodescendientes Profile: Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera
PAGE 6
The prospect of a new grocery store coming to North Minneapolis should be a welcomed one with the large geographic region currently being served by just one full service grocer for some 60,000 or so residents; but even before the store opens there are questions as to if it can be sustained. That’s because the new store set to open late this year at the corners of Penn Avenue and Golden Valley Road inside the
CO-OP TURN TO 4
By Michael Grant Guest Commentary As president of the National Bankers Association, whose members include many of the Black-owned banks that received and are still receiving an unprecedented level of support from all over America, I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude by simply saying Thank you. While efforts to get the Black community to utilize Blackowned banks is not new (Black banks have served the community since Reconstruction), what has been happening over the last two months is nothing less than phenomenal. The outpouring of support, triggered by the clarion call of rapper Killer Mike and answered by such superstars as Usher, T.I., Solange and others, caught the banks by surprise … a
BANKS TURN TO 4
Lifestyle
Community
Compatibility begins in a person’s heart
Jearlyn Steele keynotes Arts-Us Autumn Gala Fundraiser
PAGE 8
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Page 2 • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Insight News
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Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith launch Careers in Entertainment initiative Artspeak
By Irma McClaurin, PhD Culture and Education Editor “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead NEW YORK –Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, one of entertainment’s power couples are changing the world (or at least a small segment of it) with the launch of Careers in
Entertainment (CIE). According to Will Smith, the Sept. 21 launch was a simple case of following his grandmother’s advice to “put your money where your mouth is.” The initiative that carries the Twitter name of @MyCIEStory is designed to introduce inner city, underserved youth the skills and knowledge needed to have a successful career in the entertainment industry. This project of the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation (www. wjsff.org) follows on the heels of Pinkett Smith’s decision to boycott the 2016 Oscars in a call for greater diversity in the entertainment industry following the notable absence of any nominees of color. Notwithstanding the criticism Pinkett Smith received, she has stood firm in her own power, as she has advised all of us to do, and
Dr. Irma McClaurin (left) and Will Smith at the Careers in Entertainment gala. kept it moving. Since 1958, when Noah Cullen (“The Defiant Ones”) became the first AfricanAmerican to be nominated for an
Photos courtesy Irma McClaurin
Jada Pinkett-Smith
Academy Award, up until 2016, only 36 Black people have won awards across all categories. According to Wikipedia, many have been nominated, but very few chosen. Certainly racial segregation can account for this
paucity of numbers, but since integration and the Civil Rights Movement, we would expect more. However, access to the entertainment industry is not easily gained by those who do not come from famous families or do not have ties to the individuals and their families who control the entertainment industry. Thus, the decision by the Smith’s to use their privilege and power to create opportunities for those youth on the outside is one way to change the entertainment game and not just make it more diverse, but establish a more inclusive environment where outsiders acquire insiders’ knowledge of what makes the entertainment industry tick and are mentored in how to navigate it. Careers in Entertainment will be a game changer, and
history will remember the Smith family (parents and children) as individuals who cared, took notice and took the extraordinary action of leveraging their own money, power and privilege to change the landscape of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Asé/Ashe (so be it). Irma McClaurin is an award winning columnist and the Culture and Education Editor for Insight News. In 2015, she received the Black Press of America’s Emory O. Jackson Column Writing Award from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). She is an activist anthropologist, writer and motivational speaker and founder of the Irma McClaurin Black Feminist Archive at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst.
Vikings win U.S. Bank Stadium opener, lose Peterson By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor
With one major exception, the Minnesota Vikings struck all the right cords in the team’s first ever regular season game
at U.S. Bank Stadium. With a late fourth quarter interception of Aaron Rogers by cornerback Trae Waynes,
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the Viking sealed the deal, capping an event-filled day with a 17-14 victory over the arch rival Green Bay Packers. And while it was a defensive play that sealed the win, the offensive play of Sam Bradford and Stefon Diggs was the big story. Diggs, in just his second year, and Bradford, in his first game ever as a Minnesota Viking, connected in the fashion of Daunte Culpepper to Randy Moss; hooking up nine times for 182 yards. In a spectacular debut, Bradford completed 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns – one to tight end Kyle Rudolph and one to Diggs on a great throw and catch. But as Diggs was hauling in the ball from Bradford a few eyes may have missed they play as they were watching future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson being helped into the locker room with an injury to his right knee. The injury came in the third quarter and Peterson – who only mustered up 19 rushing yards – did not return. After the game in the locker room Peterson was observed on crutches and
in a full leg brace. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said Peterson’s injury doesn’t appear to be one that will cost the running back much time to heal. It was revealed Monday (Sept. 19) that the star back suffered a torn meniscus. The injury, while significant, is less severe than the ACL/MCL tear Peterson suffered a few years back. Zimmer still hasn’t ruled out a quick return for Peterson. “He (Peterson) might miss a week, I don’t know yet,” said Zimmer, saying the injury had “calmed down.” Other than the injury to Peterson and the looming long term outcome, U.S. Bank Stadium couldn’t have had a more perfect regular season debut. The nationally-televised Sunday night game brought out a record 66,813 fans, who in addition to the win were treated to sights of former Viking greats Cris Carter, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller and legendary head coach Bud Grant and a Minnesota Orchestra visually stunning halftime performance featuring the Steeles – complete with a video tribute to Prince,
whose “Let’s Go Crazy” was played following each of the Vikings’ touchdowns. And if Sunday’s game is any indication, opposing offenses will have one heck of a time communicating at U.S. Bank Stadium, as the decibel level rose beyond dangerous on numerous occasions. While the connection of Bradford to Diggs put points on the board, it was the Vikings defense that largely kept the Packers from doing the same. Rogers was under pressure most of the game and was sacked five times, though the Vikings secondary was at times overmatched on long throws downfield, with Waynes and Terence Newman each collecting a couple of pass interference calls – both of Newman’s on one drive and both in the end zone. The Packers eventually scored on that drive on a rollout pass from Rogers to wide receiver Jordy Nelson. The Vikings improved to 2-0 on the season. The next home game comes Oct. 3 as the New York Giants come to town.
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Insight News • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Page 3
Health Former nurse exposes racism in the profession NEW YORK – Author Melvina Semper interviewed 50 nurses whose personal stories reveal the ill treatment and lack of promotion, diversity, moral support and other barriers minority students and nurses face on the job. All are explored in her new book, “Discrimination
Experienced in the Nursing Profession by Minority Nurses: Fifty True Stories from Nurses in New York City.” “I was inspired by the increasing complaints (and) experiences told to me by a diverse group of nurses practicing in New York City hospitals,” explained Semper. “I have also
seen first-hand the blatant racism and discrimination, not to mention the lack of promotion of qualified minority nurses; and in many instances a less qualified white nurse is placed in the position.” From the Hispanic nurse whose patient requested that only a white nurse care for
her, to the Russian nurse who was only allowed to work night shifts, Semper not only shares real-life stories but also highlights the need for stricter laws, enforcement of affirmative action and the regulation of healthcare facilities to eradicate racism at all levels.
“I want readers to take away an eye opening look at the struggles, disrespect, racism and discrimination minority nurses encounter on a daily basis while trying to enhance the lives of every sick person,” said Semper. “Despite all the mistreatment, racism (and) discrimination, minority nurses
remove all obstacles and rise to the occasion in doing the job they swore to do, caring and save lives.” “Discrimination Experienced in the Nursing Profession by Minority Nurses: Fifty True Stories from Nurses in New York City” is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Health network apologizes for discriminatory past
Dr. Alvin Blount
GREENSBORO, N.C., (PRNewswire) – Cone Health has apologized to the last living plaintiff and others involved in a lawsuit that desegregated hospitals nationwide. The establishment of a scholarship fund came during a Sept. 15 ceremony before the start of Cone’s annual medical and dental staff meeting. Cone Health honored Dr. Alvin Blount, one of nine African-American physicians and dentists who, along with two patients, sued The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital and Wesley Long Hospital in Greensboro. The plaintiffs, led by Dr. George Simkins, Jr., wanted Black medical professionals to be able to care for Black patients in the facilities. In the landmark 1962 Simkins vs. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital case, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals held that “separate but equal” racial segregation in publicly funded hospitals was a violation of equal protection under the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal, thus letting the decision stand.
Crutcher From 1 Crutcher, the father of four, was driving from classes on Sept. 16 at Tulsa Community College when he reported to a passerby that he was experiencing car trouble. That individual called 911. Shelby came upon Crutcher and within a couple of minutes of their encounter Crutcher would lay in the street bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the chest. No aid was immediately administered to Crutcher and he was later pronounced dead at an area hospital. Crutcher sang in the choir
Hospitals across the country were soon opened to African-American doctors and their patients. Today, Blount is the only surviving plaintiff. “It seemed to me, and to our medical and dental staff, that we needed to take an opportunity to apologize for our role in this chapter of our history and to honor these individuals for challenging us to be our best selves and for their foresight and courage in changing America,” said Cone Health CEO Terry Akin. Cone Health is contributing $250,000 toward a scholarship honoring Blount and the other plaintiffs. The Greensboro Medical Society will use the funds to award scholarships to students pursuing careers in health care. “This was a pivotal event in the annals of health care,” said Cone Health medical and dental staff president, Dr. James Wyatt. “Even though Dr. Blount will tell you he did this for his patients – and it was, partly – this helped lead to the legitimization of the Black physician in this community and throughout the country.”
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Where: at New Height Christian Center and was studying music at Tulsa Community College. Exactly one month before Crutcher was gunned down, he celebrated his 40th birthday.
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Page 4 • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Insight News
Museum From 1 Smith is also founder of the African American Civil War Museum, which will host satellite events before during and after Saturday’s grand opening. He said he wants
Clinton From 1 The Republican candidate Trump, who repeatedly and for years espoused beliefs that President Obama was not born in the United States and therefore not an American citizen, recently held a press conference to state he now believes President Obama is, in fact, a legitimate president. Clinton said it is more important than ever to call a
young people to be intricately involved and engaged so that they can learn about AfricanAmerican history and culture in new and interesting ways. “Young people who go to museums do better in school and lower-income people tend to go less,” explained Smith. “Our challenge is to bring children to museums regardless
duck a duck and in the words of Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” “We know who Donald is,” said Clinton. “For five years, he has led the birther movement to de-legitimize our first Black president. His campaign was founded on this outrageous lie. There is no erasing it in history.” Clinton said she will fight to ensure the rights of all are protected. “We’ll stand by-side to make sure that all of our rights
Banks
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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 Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles 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
From 1 very pleasant surprise. Black people moving millions of dollars into Black-owned banks within such a short period of time might ultimately prove to be a game-changer. The catalyst for this mobilization of people and purses was born of frustration but the timing of this effort at selfempowerment could not have been more perfect. After decades of celebrating the colossal achievements of the Civil Rights Movement, the thought leaders in Black communities across America are beginning to reach a consensus … Black America will never be able to enjoy the full privileges of first
Co-op From 1 “For eight years we’ve been talking about food and food justice using the cooperative principle as a guideline. People have been
insightnews.com American eyes. One hundred thousand people will be here. There’s nothing more important to have people come and make them feel welcome. We want people to know that there are Black places to eat, to go and see; Black places of worship. We will continue to be the host city for people who’ll be coming here in droves.”
The museum is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of AfricanAmerican life, history and culture, said John Franklin, director of partnerships and international programs for the Smithsonian. He is also the son of renowned historian and scholar John Hope Franklin.
So far, he said, the museum has collected more than 30,000 personal artifacts that capture the richness, vibrancy and power of the experiences of Africans in America since the first Africans were brought to the U.S. in the early 1600s. More than 150,000 people
are respected and protected – civil rights and women’s rights, LGBT rights, worker’s rights and, of course, voting rights.” In her remarks Clinton also praised Marian Wright Edelman, Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. Clinton started out her career working for the organization. The Democratic candidate also acknowledged the thorny path many Black women face in their daily lives. “Life has shown us that we (women) do have to work harder at the office while still bearing most of the responsibilities at
home – that we always need to keep going because our families and our communities count on us,” said Clinton. “And I think it is more than fair to say, that Black women have an even tougher road. And you, your daughters … your granddaughters leave the house every morning, put on that game face that we all practice, and enter a society that consistently challenges your worth. We see that every day in the businesses you start, the art you create, the children you teach and the communities and organizations you lead. While
your stories are often missing from the history books, make no mistake, you are the change makers, the path breakers and the ground shakers. And, you are proof that yes, indeed, Black girl magic is real.” In recent weeks polls have tightened, especially in key battleground states such as Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida. Election Day is Nov. 8, though early voting has begun in many states. Here in Minnesota, early voting began last week.
class citizenship in this country until it had secured the ultimate badge of liberty in America – financial freedom. So many of the social ills that continue to plague large swaths of America’s Black communities can be summoned up in one phrase; financial dependence. High unemployment rates, underperforming businesses, crime, inadequate education and job training opportunities, low aim and an all-pervasive nihilism – especially among many Black youths – is defining far too many Black neighborhoods in our country. Then along came this Bank Black movement. The idea of using one’s dollars to improve the overall condition of the community has been resurrected. And, to be sure, opening accounts in Black
banks is a great first step. But what should follow? Next, the Black bankers have a responsibility to teach Banking 101 to the masses. You see, placing millions of dollars in the bank as deposits creates the need to support those accounts with investment capital. It takes both core deposits as well as capital in order for the bank to increase lending, which is where real economic development takes place. When banks’ capital ratios meet regulatory requirements, they have more capacity to provide home equity loans, small business loans, mortgage lending, personal lines of credit and so forth. The bank is also the community institution that can leverage a million dollar investment eight or nine times. The bank’s increased lending capacity is how we begin growing the collective wealth of
the community. For example, the more home equity loans are used to create new businesses or to expand existing ones, the more jobs (and job training) these businesses can provide. It has been estimated that if the Black community would spend one-tenth of its disposable income with Black businesses, one million new jobs could be created. So much of our economic destiny is in our own hands. Since statistics show that a qualified Black borrower has a higher probability of getting his or her loan approved at a Black bank, doing business with these banks – as a first choice – is a no brainer. The more we circulate our dollars within our own community, the more opportunities we create and the more wealth we can accumulate that can be transferred to future
generations. Contrary to the anticipated pushback of the naysayers, the Bank Black movement is not a boycott of other banks; it is simply an intelligent strategy at diversifying one’s dollars and investing in oneself. The Black banks are genuinely grateful for the trust that you, the consumers, have placed in them. Now, in order to sustain these new banking relationships, bankers and consumers must begin forging a new bond, born of mutual respect and a genuine desire to build what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would call “the beloved community.”
excited since the first pop-up coop in the Harrison Neighborhood,” said Candy Bakion, board chair of the Wirth Cooperative. “We’ve got 650 members. People are interested in this dream.” As a cooperative, anyone is welcome to shop at Wirth, but the cooperatives are member based,
with Wirth’s membership at a one-time fee of $100. Members then have “ownership” or a share of the co-op and are entitled to various discounts at Wirth Co-op Grocery and other participating Twin Cities grocery co-ops, along with regular coupon mailers. Members can also vote or run for
board seats. Recognizing that a $100 fee may be a burden to some who are already under financial constraints, Wirth offers a $15 buyin for those receiving WIC, SNAP, Minnesota Care, Minnesota Medical Assistance or Social Security Disability Insurance. The remaining $85 would be earned
through future owner equity patronage refunds. All that may be a lot to take in for someone intent on just buying some milk, tomatoes and strawberries. That’s why one advocate said the success of Wirth depends on how people identify with the store. “People have Target and WalMart and others you’re competing with, so that food (at Wirth) has to have a better story than any other thing out there,” said LaDonna Sanders-Redmond from Seward Cooperative, education and outreach coordinator for Seward Community Co-op’s Friendship store. “(You’ve got to get people saying things like) ‘Kristel works there and she has kids and I’m going to support her.’” Sanders-Redmond was referring to Kristel Porter who is a board member of the forthcoming co-op. In addition to Porter’s connection to Wirth, the store plans to hire from within North Minneapolis. Sanders-Redmond said it is with good reason the food may be priced higher than at a chain store. Quite simply, she said the quality of the product is superior. With most co-op grocers, the meats, dairies and produce are locally – or close to locally – sourced and are almost always organic – free of artificial food additives, nongenetically modified and grown without the use of synthetic pesticides. These foods are widely accepted as being better for human consumption and oftentimes are said to taste better. In getting people to buy into organic consumption Bakion said they are marketing by using the accepted vernacular of the surrounding neighborhood. “I said in a board meeting we’re not going to call it organic, we’ll call it ‘O.G.,’” said Bakion. “We’ve got to get creative in telling this story and getting buy-in.” “We have to get politicized about this; about buying food at a higher price. That’s a huge piece of the conversation,” said Sanders-Redmond. Raynardo Williams, store manager of the Friendship site of Seward Community Co-op, said he is using nontraditional techniques to bring attention to his store. He said he has hosted seminars for African-American women on natural hair care and cooking classes to bring in traffic – traffic that often buys while there. “You have to understand what it is that your community wants,” he said. For more information of the Wirth Grocery Cooperative, including membership and employment opportunities go to www.wirth.coop.
of zip code and geographical location. I’m so excited. We need to get our people fired up.” Longtime D.C. resident and committee member Chuck Hicks agreed. “This is the most important thing in our lifetime,” said Hicks. “The museum tells our story of African-American people through African-
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Donald Trump
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MUSEUM TURN TO 7
Michael Grant is the president and CEO of the National Bankers Association.
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AFRODESCEDIENTES CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Profile: Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera Afrodescendientes
By Carmen Robles Associate Editor Afrodescendientes From the mountains of Morvis, located in the central region of Puerto Rico, to the marble halls of the White House in Washington, D.C., Annastacia BelladonnaCarrera dances to the AfricanTaino beat of her ancestors as inspired by her grandmother. Puerto Rico has been greatly influenced by African culture. The majority of Africans who entered the island did so as a result of the Diaspora, the forced migration of the Atlantic slave trade coming from the many different and distinct societies of the African continent. This new source of slave labor
Maternal grandmother: Giorgina Andino Peña replaced the original inhabitants of the island, the Taino, whose population dwindled under the oppression and illnesses brought by the Spanish Conquistadores. “I guess I was raised with a sense that because of my roots I was stronger than any other group in a foreign land”, said Belladonna-Carrera, reflecting
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Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera
on her experience in assimilating to mainstream American culture when she moved to Chicago as a young girl. “In Puerto Rico we were always aware that we were Afro-Caribeños and we equally embraced our Taino indigenous ancestors.” Belladonna-Carrera said the dynamics of who is Black or Taino
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is blurred by being Boricua (a Puerto Rican living in the United States). “To me being Boricua means having the better of two beautiful cultures. It is in the seat of that history and ancestral roots that I find my identity,”
“Despite structural barriers of race and gender, women and girls of color have made real progress in recent years. The number of Black women-owned businesses has skyrocketed. Black women have ascended the ranks of every industry. Teen pregnancy rates among girls of color are down, while high school and four-year college graduation rates are up. That’s good news. But there’s no denying that Black women and girls still face real and persistent challenges.” – President Barack Obama, remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus Dinner, Sept. 20 The White House Council on Women and Girls, together with the U.S. Department of Education, the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality and The National Crittenton Foundation, hosted a conference (Sept. 19) to support girls of color and rethink discipline. Despite progress made over the recent years in academic achievement, access and school support, girls – and
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Rican accent with animated hand gestures. “To organize communities in Minnesota around key issues that move the vision for transparency in government and participatory democracy in Minnesota and to create capacity in local civic engagement to open a new door of collaboration and partnerships is our goal.” The musical genius of her late husband – musician, businessman and community leader – Jose Carrera, lives through the musical talent of their son 16-year-old Matìas DelValle Carrera who attends Conservatory School of Performing Arts High School in St. Paul. “Matias is bringing our Afro-Latino roots into a new generation, giving a new perspective to the afro-Caribbean music with his interpretations through original retro techno compositions,” said his proud mother, Belladonna-Carrera.
White House conference supports girls of color; rethinks discipline
One heart. One dream. One spirit. p One team.
From Left: Toni Braxton, Lonnie Bunch, Lauren Seroyer, Larry Tripplett, Donovan Smith, Charles Tillman, Wendy Raquel Robinson
said Belladonna-Carrera. Belladonna-Carrera credits her grandmother, Giorgina Andino Peña, and mother, Rosalinda Otero Andino, for instilling in her a passion for education, social justice and public service. She attended Loyola University in Chicago earning a B.A. in Sociology; receiving her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and a master’s from the College of St. Scholastica. The foundation of her career was built on community advocacy engagement and involvement. She is the executive director for the national civil rights organization, Common Cause Minnesota. “Common Cause is committed to elevating the critical issues of racial and economic equity, which are so committed to reinvigorate a nonpartisan multiracial/ethnic collective voice at the capitol around the multifaceted issues of inequities for the 2017 session,” she said in her Chicago-Puerto
particularly girls of color – still disproportionately face barriers in education. White House officials say this convening will help participants focus on improving school systems’ discipline practices and developing approaches that better serve students who have experienced trauma. Girls of color experience disproportionately high rates of school suspensions. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Black girls are 8 percent of enrolled students, but represent 14 percent of students receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions. Trauma from sexual assault may also impede a young girl’s success in school. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 8 percent or an estimated 10 million girls experienced rape or attempted rape during youth. When the trauma of sexual assault is not addressed, it can have a devastating effect on a girl’s physical and mental health, leading to serious problems in school. Officials said like colleges and universities, K-12 school districts must comply with legal obligations under Title IX to respond to allegations of sexual assault of a student. K-12 school districts must also provide support for student survivors of sexual assault to ensure they can receive equal educational opportunities. As part of the conference, the White House announced additional supports from the U.S. Department of Education and the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault to help address sexual assault misconduct in schools. The U.S. Department of Education released Safe Place to Learn, an online, interactive resource package to support efforts to create a positive school climate and healthy learning environment. This package highlights strategies and instruments with which many schools are already working to create a school community
committed to preventing discrimination based on sex and its most extreme corollary, sexual violence. The materials in the package aim to help three primary staff groups – administrative leadership, all building staff, and staff responsible for interceding and responding to students. The resource package contains guidance, e-learning training modules, and information about trauma sensitivity, resources to support current and ongoing conversations and efforts to prevent bullying, sexual harassment and violence, and provide safe, supportive learning environments for all students, in age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate ways. In addition, the Communities for Just Schools Fund (CJSF) announced a new fellowship, which will soon be accepting applications, jointly hosted by CJSF and the Southern Education Foundation, to develop a best practices institute to support school discipline reform efforts and remedy racial injustice in schools. Education Anew Fellow (EAF) will be housed at the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) for a 12-18 month fellowship period. The fellow will work closely with CJSF staff and community partners, and with SEF’s staff and fellows, including SEF’s soon-to-be launched Racial Equity Fellow, to develop the CJSF Best Practices Institute (BPI) and to support conversations and collaborations between the community organizers, CJSF supports and the educators with whom SEF works. The Center on Poverty will serve school system reformers who seek to implement traumainformed approaches that are responsive to the unique needs of girls of color.. The conference brought together educational teams from 15 states and 23 school districts, including St. Paul Public Schools, as well as key researchers and experts and nonprofit partners.
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Insight News • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Page 7
How many other police lies have we accepted as truth? By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor Add having car trouble to the list. In case you’re wondering which list I’m speaking of, it’s the ever-growing list of ways for Black people in America to be murdered by law enforcement. That’s what happened in Tulsa, Okla. to 40-year-old Terence Crutcher on Sept. 16. Crutcher was leaving class at Tulsa Community College when he abandoned his vehicle telling a passerby he believed the car was going to catch fire and explode. That passerby called 911. Then a report came that Crutcher was shot. The officer that shot him, Betty Shelby, said Crutcher was refusing to comply with her orders and refused to show his hand. Why a stranded motorist was being treated like a suspect instead of a citizen in need of assistance has yet to be answered. But the other question that needs to be answered is why does the video and audio of the shooting seem to show that Crutcher was anything but combative? In fact, he couldn’t be more compliant. In the video of the killing … the police video of the homicide, Crutcher can be seen walking away from officers and with his hands up. Again, away from officers and with his hands raised. For some unknown reason one officer tasers Crutcher and Shelby, deciding that hitting a stranded motorist with volts of electricity wasn’t enough, shot and killed Crutcher, a man just leaving his college class. He was
Without the video, sad to say but Crutcher would just be another brother dead.
not aggressive. He was compliant with the officers’ commands. He was unarmed. He posed zero threat. And he is dead. He is dead and I am fed up. In Charlotte, N.C. it was Keith Lamont Scott who was killed. According to that city’s police chief there is body camera footage that will be shown to the family but not to the public. That footage may or may not show Scott holding a gun as the officer who shot him asserts. Scott’s daughter claims her father was waiting for a younger daughter to get out of school and was holding a book in his hand. With no video evidence to be shown to the public we are being asked to take the officer’s word. And maybe in this case his word is correct. But given the climate; and the fact that Scott wasn’t the subject of any incident or investigation at the time of the shooting … he just happened to be there … I’m not too easy to just take the officer’s word at face value. After all, cops
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Create a science library for North Minneapolis Behind every great community, there is an intellectual center. Youth entertain grand imaginations that tempt the known boundaries. An adult reality is bland. It is defined by the monotony of routine. Gradually, we misplace our hopes and curiosities for complacency and acceptance. An ominous gatekeeper rules over each boundary with little to no empathy. A person is labeled as expendable and is rapidly dispensed with. Will our resolve be sincere to our youth? What happens when the youth are cut down and put in their “respective places” in society? Will hopeful dreams and ambitions be rendered illusory once such an ominous reality comes to pass? The need for a science library may seem abundantly extraneous to many. If we budgeted enough tax revenue for a $1 billion football stadium, why is a science library for less than a quarter of a million dollars unconscionable to us? It then becomes pertinent to ask ourselves an existential question. As a society, where are our priorities? North Minneapolis is defined by its demographic challenges. Each neighborhood has so much potential. Young people growing up in environments associated as shooting galleries to people outside the inner city are the most sociologically marginalized. In developmentally challenged communities, currencies of divide and conquer are erected through barriers of subjugation by means of stratification. The presence of a science library has potential to awaken the idling intellects of the inner city. As a society, it is our moral obligation to provide feasible opportunities that can bridge gaps of intellectual achievement. Hennepin County has invested heavily in the opening and
renovation of public libraries throughout North Minneapolis. Such developments are indeed indicative of progress. Therefore, it becomes reasonable to ask the following … why do the youth in North Minneapolis need a science library when there are plenty of newly renovated public libraries throughout the same community? Under these circumstances, science is forgotten as something best left to people that have the money to send their children to “Ivy League” schools. Such attitudes could not be further from the truth. On the contrary, history proves that some of the most distinguished scientists emerged from some of the poorest backgrounds. Paradigm shifts of mind are the best solutions that can change communal attitudes. A science library in North Minneapolis could show inner city youth the power of possibility through forces of applied intrapersonal potential. Traditionally, a library was a place where the public went to seek out information. With the arrival of the internet, facts, figures and details are no longer confined to brick and mortar places. Many of us wonder what the future has in store for libraries, considering that an individual smart phone has the capacity to function as a personal library, some argue that libraries are now a thing of the past. No amount of modernity can bypass the indispensability of the traditional library. Such things are distinguished by ideas that are timelessly infinite; hence, the backbone of all things scientific. The presence of a science library sends out one subliminal message … this is yours, why not seek it out? The more individual paradigms are changed, the greater its communal impact. – Omar Alansari-Kreger
Museum
75 volunteer members have organized 25 events around the opening of the museum with celebratory activities through the Sept. 24 opening. “This is a museum that deals with history and culture. You can’t look at the AfricanAmerican experience only from one perspective,” said Franklin. “It looks at resistance and slavery, segregation, creates the culture of music and oral traditions, its cultural expression based on African skills, based on the expression of music, art and architecture. Civil War veterans in 1915 began to agitate for building this museum. We’re a patient people.”
From 4 are expected to attend the museum’s official grand opening ceremonies. President Barack Obama will be the keynote speaker. “It is a major event; a president’s event. Consider it on the small scale of an inauguration,” said Franklin. The 400,000 square foot museum will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight with extended hours all through the first week. It will be open every day except Dec. 25. The host committee’s
lie. Just last week in my hometown of St. Louis, videos unearthed by the St. Louis PostDispatch seem to show then St. Louis Police Officer Jason Stockley planting a handgun on Anthony Lamar Smith after he shot him five times at
point blank range following a vehicle chase. During the chase Stockley is heard saying he was “going to kill that (expletive).” He determined that upon sight he was going to murder Smith and that is exactly what he did. I guess cops do tell the truth, sometimes. Thankfully Stockley was arrested and charged with first degree murder – even if his arrest didn’t come until years after the killing. More often than not … far more often than not … the killers in blue get a paid vacation and are eventually set back out on the streets to kill again if they so choose. What’s the consequence to them? The reason Charlotte is on fire may have as much to do with the killing of Scott as it does with the fact that there was no conviction of CharlotteMecklenburg Police Officer Randall Kerrick, who was charged in the shooting death
of Florida A&M football player Jonathan Ferrell after Ferrell was seeking assistance following a September 2013 car accident. Kerrick’s trial ended in a hung jury. But at least he faced a jury. Darren Wilson (Mike Brown) didn’t have to face a jury. Neither did Timothy Loehmann (Tamir Rice); nor Daniel Pantaleo (Eric Garner). No repercussions for Sean Williams (John Crawford, III) either … and this was his second on-duty killing. No trial for Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, the two who are responsible for the death of Jamar Clark in North Minneapolis. It’s been more than two months and we’re still waiting to see if Ramsey County Attorney John Choi will have the guts to charge Jeronimo Yanez after gunning down Philando Castile in Falcon Heights … pulling him over because of his “wide-set
nose.” This paragraph would take up the entire 12 sheets of paper that Insight News is printed on if I kept naming the names of officers who killed, or are responsible for death (in the case of Sandra Bland) Black people in America. Instead I turn back to the killing of Terence Crutcher. With almost … no, scratch the word almost … with indisputable and overwhelming video evidence, hopefully Betty Shelby will soon be behind bars for her criminal act after being charged on Thursday (Sept. 22) with first degree manslaughter. But without the video, sad to say, Crutcher would just be another brother dead. How many other times have we just blindly accepted the word of the police? How many other Black men and women are dead only because a cop decided it was their turn to add someone else’s name to the list?
Page 8 • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Insight News
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Lifestyle MENTHOL.
NOTHING COOL ABOUT INCREASING YOUTH SMOKING.
Compatibility begins in a person’s heart Man Talk
By Timothy Houston It seems that everywhere you look there is some sort of advertisement promoting online match-making sites. They make it appear so simple. All you have to do is take a compatibility test and their high powered computer software will match you up with the right person. They lead you to believe that their database only has good, honest people in their system, but we know in reality a person that is dishonest in their heart will not be honest in their online dating profile. The true compatibility test is the one that reveals what is stored in the heart of a person. Here are a few characteristics to look for that may not show up on the online compatibility test. First, true compatibility begins in a person’s heart, not their brain. The true compatibility test begins and ends in the heart of a man or woman. A person’s heart
83% OF AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH SMOKERS SMOKE MENTHOLS.
83% OF AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH SMOKERS SMOKE MENTHOLS.
By Penny JonesRichardson What are you waiting on to achieve your goals and follow your dreams of having a better life? Are you waiting for your loved ones to say that the time is right for you to work on bettering yourself? Are you waiting for your boss to give you that extra time to work on your goals during the time that you’re working on making his or her goals a reality? If this is you, wake up. No one is going to tell you that the time is right. No one has the power to tell you when and if the time is right to move on to your destiny. The truth is, why even
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is at the center of their being and is hid from the human eye. This invisible reservoir is where their values come from, and it reveals more about them than a computer program ever could. The computer allows each person to self-report, so most – if not all – will only put their best foot forward. Some embellish, while others lie. This lack of truthful information creates a mismatch waiting to happen. This test allows a person to hide behind their external successes. But someone who is successful in business but a failure in their personal life is not compatible with someone who is looking for
both. True compatibility is also built on internal and external stability. One should look for someone who is centered or stable in their conduct and behavior. The person that is always in trouble in their public life will also have trouble in their private life. To be compatible with someone looking for a healthy relationship, he or she must understand that personal victories come before public victories, and that being honest with one’s self comes before being honest with others. The right man
HOUSTON TURN TO 9
When the time is right Motivational Moments
DREAMWORKS PICTURES AND RELIANCE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT A MARC PLATT PRODUCTION A TATE TAYLOR FILM “THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN” EMILY BLUNT REBECCA FERGUSON HALEY BENNETT JUSTIN THEROUX EXECUTIVE MUSIC LUKE EVANS ALLISON JANNEY EDGAR RAMIREZ LISA KUDROW BY DANNY ELFMAN PRODUCER CELIA COSTAS PRODUCED BASED ON SCREENPLAY BY MARC PLATT p. g.a. JARED LE BOFF p. g.a. THE NOVEL BY PAULA HAWKINS BY ERIN CRESSIDA WILSON DIRECTED BY TATE TAYLOR A UNIVERSAL RELEASE
Lack of truthful information creates a mismatch waiting to happen.
wait on someone else? The only person who knows when your time has come to work on your goals is you. You are the one who has to decide if you’re ready or not. You should not listen to those people who often tell you that the time isn’t right for you to buy your first home, for you to open your own business, or go back to school to complete your degree. Who knows what’s best for you besides you? I remember a time in my life when I waited for someone else to agree with me about my goals. I found myself being so frustrated because it seemed we could never agree on when the time would be right. So after many days going back and forth, I decided that my life belonged to me and I am the one who has the last say about my goals and when to work on them. When you decide that you are going to achieve your goals and move toward the dreams you have of having a better life, you may run into some opposition. Not everyone will rejoice with you
when you rejoice. Not everyone will cheer you on when you move into your greatness. You have to sometimes be ready for family and friends to try and talk you out of going for those things that you’ve decided where best for you and your family. It’s not that they don’t want you to do better, but sometimes when you do better you have to leave some people behind. While focusing on yourself is great, also know that people can sometimes be so used to you talking about doing something different and never going for it. Make them believe you are serious by showing them that you are. And as always, stay focused, stay determined and keep striving for greatness. Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach. She can be reached via her website at www.thequeensproject. com or email at penny@ thequeensproject.com.
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Insight News • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Page 9
Community Jearlyn Steele keynotes Arts-Us Autumn Gala Fundraiser National recording artist and motivational singer, Jearlyn Steele will deliver the keynote speech at the third annual ArtsUs Autumn Gala and Fundraiser. A member of the singing group The Steeles and a frequent vocalist on public television’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” Steele will keynote the event that takes place Thursday, Oct.
6 from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Buenger Conference Center on the Concordia University, St. Paul campus. Steele, whose children were enrolled in the initial Arts-Us programs, will be welcomed by the evening’s emcee, Glorious Martin, a local artist who participated in ArtsUs as a youth staff member and spoken word artist.
This year’s theme, Sankofa: Looking Back to Move Forward, will recognize alumni and youth who have supported and/or participated in Arts-Us programming, and who embrace the arts as an essential part of the healthy development of youth, specifically those who are of African descent. “I can think of no way more
fitting to illuminate the impact the arts has on our youth and our community than to pay tribute to those who embrace the arts as an essential part of our lives,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter, 2016 gala chairperson and co-founder of Arts-Us. The evening will include a networking reception, a
silent auction, buffet dinner and performances featuring works by current Arts-Us youth participants, as well as alumni. Tickets for the gala are $50 for each adult, and $15 per child. There is no charge for 2015-2016 youth program participants. To reserve tickets visit www.arts-us.org or call (651) 528-6871.
Jearlyn Steele
Rail technician training program provides path to Metro Transit career Job seekers interested in pursuing a career as a Metro Transit light rail technician are invited to apply for a spot in a training program that will get underway later this year. The Light Rail Technician Training Program will put participants on a path toward full-time positions at Metro Transit. The program combines one-on-one coaching, customized training, a Metro Transit internship and financial support toward
earning an associate’s degree. No prior technician experience is necessary. “This program provides a unique opportunity to job seekers who might not otherwise have access to the kinds of careers available at our growing organization,” said Brian Lamb, the program’s general manager. “We’re excited to expand on this industry-leading initiative and to continue developing Metro
Transit’s future workforce.” Metro Transit is partnering with Twin Cities Rise to solicit and screen applicants and to provide training that will help narrow the field of participants. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 29. An open house is also planned for October. Up to 40 job seekers will begin Twin Cities Rise’s empowerment training program in December, and half of these
participants will move into onthe-job training beginning in April 2017. “Twin Cities Rise is pleased to partner once again with Metro Transit in a training program that gives participants a meaningful career at no cost to them and a direct pathway out of poverty,” said Tom Streitz, Twin Cities Rise president and CEO. Selected participants will
continue in rail maintenance internships while enrolled in a customized two-year degree program that positions them for full-time roles as an electro-mechanic, signals or communications technician. Rail technicians maintain light-rail vehicles and system support equipment. Studies and internships are scheduled to begin in fall 2017 and to continue through mid-
2019. As interns, participants will earn $15.50 an hour. Starting pay for rail technicians is $25.32 an hour, plus benefits. Information on applying can be found at www.metrotransit. org. Questions about the application and enrollment process can be directed to Twin Cities Rise at (612) 338-0295 or info@twincitiesrise.org.
Houston
create for the good of all, and not simply for themselves. Because they are productive, they know that as they share openly and honestly from their heart, it will be returned to them in overflowing abundance. The right person for you is one who works with you to convert your simple ideas and dreams into reality. This person is productive and will by nature multiply whatever reaches their
heart. When you give your heart to them, you will receive a return greater than what you ever could achieve alone. True compatibility is not at all materialistic. To moneyoriented men and women, the accumulation of wealth becomes the end and not the means so never measure a person by their material goods. If they are too materialistic, you will become
just another possession that can be bought and sold at will. The right person for you knows that true riches are found in relationships rather than in material wealth. This man or woman is compatible because they have people in their life who love and respect them, and their relationship with people supersedes their relationship with things. As you continue on your
relationship journey, you should be encouraged by the volume of relationship information that is available to you. Use this information carefully. Although many people have been successful at meeting mates through the various types of social media and computer matching programs, I believe the true test of compatibility is when people connect heart-to-heart. In all cases,
once the relationship leaves the virtual world and moves into reality, the real compatibility work begins.
From 8 or woman knows that they are truly compatible because their private life measures up to their public life. And true compatibility is based on productivity. Their actions demonstrate that they
Classifieds Financial Technician The U.S. District Court, District of MN is accepting applications for a full-time Financial Technician in Minneapolis, MN. Salary range is $41,551 – $67, 534. For more information visit the court’s website, www.mnd.uscourts.gov, Employment. An Equal Opportunity Employer
• • • •
PARALEGAL Central Minnesota Legal Services F-T Paralegal. WORD+. Wide range of administrative duties in a 17 person Mpls office. Legal word processing work; e-filing. Legal areas include family law, housing. Exc. Oral & written communication skills req. WORD+. Second language+. Sal: D.O.E. Excellent benefits, generous vacation/ sick. Casual/friendly work environ. Resume, refs, & cover letter by 9/30/16 (late appls accepted until filled), specifying interest & skills to Lynelle Wells: CMLS, 430 1st Ave N, #359, Mpls, MN 55401-1780 or cmls@centralmnlegal.org EOE No calls.
LEGAL SECRETARY Central Minnesota Legal Services Wide range of administrative duties in a 17-person office (Mpls). Legal word processing work; e-filing. Legal areas include family law, housing. Exc. Oral & written communication skills req. WORD+. Second language+. Sal: D.O.E. Excellent benefits. Specifying interest & skills to Lynelle Wells: CMLS, 430 1st Ave N, #359, Mpls, MN 55401-1780 or cmls@centralmnlegal.org by 9/30/16 (late appls accepted until filled) EOE No calls.
1st Shift Manufacturing Supervisor Exciting operations leadership opportunities abound at Medtronic in Minnesota with openings for Senior Supervisor and Supervisor. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME Education Required/Years of Experience • Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma (or GED) and 2 years post high school education and 2+ years leadership experience. • Ability to interact with all employees in a professional, cooperative and constructive manner. • Good organizational skills. • Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of people (written and verbal). • Personal computer skills in a variety of software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, inventory management system, and manufacturing execution systems that support the manufacturing environment. • Ability to read and understand assembly work instructions and engineering blueprints. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field. • 4+ years leadership experience, preferably in an Operations environment. • Experience in a regulated environment (e.g. FDA or medical device) • Lean, Six Sigma and Just In Time manufacturing experience such as a Green Belt certification or higher • ISO 9000 experience • Assembly automation experience • Quality control methods, including Statistical Process Control In addition to other duties, a Manufacturing Supervisor the successful candidate will: • Train, develop and motivate the workforce toward continuous quality improvement in a positive and safe working environment and cost effective operation. • Clearly communication to management and engineering for all manufacturing issues within the production area. • Ensure that assemblers are adequately trained and certified to perform their jobs in a safe, efficient manner. • Ensure the development and implementation of training plans for each assembler and ensure
•
the maintenance of training certification records in conjunction with the training department. Actively supervise shift and/or areas of production, promoting a positive environment that ensures teamwork within the manufacturing area. Coordinate and manage material flow, accuracy and quality Improve schedule linearity, reduce cycle times and inventory, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction. Develop, implement, and maintain visual management boards for production measurements and general business communication. Perform annual performance reviews and pay adjustments and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all direct report employees.
A full description of this job can be found online at www.insightnews.com.
1st Shift Sr. Manufacturing Supervisor Exciting operations leadership opportunities abound at Medtronic in Minnesota with openings for Senior Supervisor and Supervisor. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME Education Required/Years of Experience • Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma (or GED) and 2 years post high school education and 5+ years leadership experience. • Ability to interact with all employees in a professional, cooperative and constructive manner. • Good organizational skills. • Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of people (written and verbal). • Personal computer skills in a variety of software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, inventory management system, and manufacturing execution systems that support the manufacturing environment. • Ability to read and understand assembly work instructions and engineering blueprints. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field. • 7+ years leadership experience, preferably in an Operations environment. • Experience in a regulated environment (e.g. FDA or medical device) • Lean, Six Sigma and Just In Time manufacturing experience such as a Green Belt certification or higher • ISO 9000 experience • Assembly automation experience • Quality control methods, including Statistical Process Control In addition to other duties, a Manufacturing Supervisor the successful candidate will: • Train, develop and motivate the workforce toward continuous quality improvement in a positive and safe working environment and cost effective operation. • Clearly communication to management and engineering for all manufacturing issues within the production area. • Ensure that assemblers are adequately trained and certified to perform their jobs in a safe, efficient manner. • Ensure the development and implementation of training plans for each assembler and ensure the maintenance of training certification records in conjunction with the training department. • Actively supervise shift and/or areas of production, promoting a positive environment that ensures teamwork within the manufacturing area. • Coordinate and manage material flow, accuracy and quality • Improve schedule linearity, reduce cycle times and inventory, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction. • Develop, implement, and maintain visual management boards for production measurements and general business communication. • Perform annual performance reviews and pay adjustments and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all direct report employees. A full description of this job can be found online at www.insightnews.com.
Phone: 612.588.1313
2nd Shift Manufacturing Supervisor Exciting operations leadership opportunities abound at Medtronic in Minnesota with openings for Senior Supervisor and Supervisor. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME Education Required/Years of Experience • Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma (or GED) and 2 years post high school education and 2+ years leadership experience. • Ability to interact with all employees in a professional, cooperative and constructive manner. • Good organizational skills. • Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of people (written and verbal). • Personal computer skills in a variety of software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, inventory management system, and manufacturing execution systems that support the manufacturing environment. • Ability to read and understand assembly work instructions and engineering blueprints. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field. • 4+ years leadership experience, preferably in an Operations environment. • Experience in a regulated environment (e.g. FDA or medical device) • Lean, Six Sigma and Just In Time manufacturing experience such as a Green Belt certification or higher • ISO 9000 experience • Assembly automation experience • Quality control methods, including Statistical Process Control In addition to other duties, a Manufacturing Supervisor the successful candidate will: • Train, develop and motivate the workforce toward continuous quality improvement in a positive and safe working environment and cost effective operation. • Clearly communication to management and engineering for all manufacturing issues within the production area. • Ensure that assemblers are adequately trained and certified to perform their jobs in a safe, efficient manner. • Ensure the development and implementation of training plans for each assembler and ensure the maintenance of training certification records in conjunction with the training department. • Actively supervise shift and/or areas of production, promoting a positive environment that ensures teamwork within the manufacturing area. • Coordinate and manage material flow, accuracy and quality • Improve schedule linearity, reduce cycle times and inventory, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction. • Develop, implement, and maintain visual management boards for production measurements and general business communication. • Perform annual performance reviews and pay adjustments and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all direct report employees. A full description of this job can be found online at www.insightnews.com.
2nd Shift Sr. Manufacturing Supervisor Exciting operations leadership opportunities abound at Medtronic in Minnesota with openings for Senior Supervisor and Supervisor. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME Education Required/Years of Experience • Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma (or GED) and 2 years post high school education and 5+ years leadership experience. • Ability to interact with all employees in a professional, cooperative and constructive manner. • Good organizational skills. • Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of people (written and verbal). • Personal computer skills in a variety of software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, inventory management system, and manufacturing execution systems that support the manufacturing environment.
Fax: 612.588.2031
Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker. To get copies of his books, or for questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston. com.
Email: info@insightnews.com
• Ability to read and understand assembly work instructions and engineering blueprints.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field. • 7+ years leadership experience, preferably in an Operations environment. • Experience in a regulated environment (e.g. FDA or medical device) • Lean, Six Sigma and Just In Time manufacturing experience such as a Green Belt certification or higher • ISO 9000 experience • Assembly automation experience • Quality control methods, including Statistical Process Control In addition to other duties, a Manufacturing Supervisor the successful candidate will: • Train, develop and motivate the workforce toward continuous quality improvement in a positive and safe working environment and cost effective operation. • Clearly communication to management and engineering for all manufacturing issues within the production area. • Ensure that assemblers are adequately trained and certified to perform their jobs in a safe, efficient manner. • Ensure the development and implementation of training plans for each assembler and ensure the maintenance of training certification records in conjunction with the training department. • Actively supervise shift and/or areas of production, promoting a positive environment that ensures teamwork within the manufacturing area. • Coordinate and manage material flow, accuracy and quality • Improve schedule linearity, reduce cycle times and inventory, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction. • Develop, implement, and maintain visual management boards for production measurements and general business communication. • Perform annual performance reviews and pay adjustments and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all direct report employees. A full description of this job can be found online at www.insightnews.com.
3rd Shift Manufacturing Supervisor Exciting operations leadership opportunities abound at Medtronic in Minnesota with openings for Senior Supervisor and Supervisor. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME Education Required/Years of Experience • Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma (or GED) and 2 years post high school education and 2+ years leadership experience. • Ability to interact with all employees in a professional, cooperative and constructive manner. • Good organizational skills. • Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of people (written and verbal). • Personal computer skills in a variety of software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, inventory management system, and manufacturing execution systems that support the manufacturing environment. • Ability to read and understand assembly work instructions and engineering blueprints. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field. • 4+ years leadership experience, preferably in an Operations environment. • Experience in a regulated environment (e.g. FDA or medical device) • Lean, Six Sigma and Just In Time manufacturing experience such as a Green Belt certification or higher • ISO 9000 experience • Assembly automation experience • Quality control methods, including Statistical Process Control In addition to other duties, a Manufacturing Supervisor the successful candidate will: • Train, develop and motivate the workforce toward continuous quality improvement in a positive and safe working environment and cost effective operation. • Clearly communication to management and engineering for all manufacturing issues within the
production area. • Ensure that assemblers are adequately trained and certified to perform their jobs in a safe, efficient manner. • Ensure the development and implementation of training plans for each assembler and ensure the maintenance of training certification records in conjunction with the training department. • Actively supervise shift and/or areas of production, promoting a positive environment that ensures teamwork within the manufacturing area. • Coordinate and manage material flow, accuracy and quality • Improve schedule linearity, reduce cycle times and inventory, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction. • Develop, implement, and maintain visual management boards for production measurements and general business communication. • Perform annual performance reviews and pay adjustments and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all direct report employees. A full description of this job can be found online at www.insightnews.com.
3rd Shift Sr. Manufacturing Supervisor Exciting operations leadership opportunities abound at Medtronic in Minnesota with openings for Senior Supervisor and Supervisor. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME Education Required/Years of Experience • Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma (or GED) and 2 years post high school education and 5+ years leadership experience. • Ability to interact with all employees in a professional, cooperative and constructive manner. • Good organizational skills. • Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of people (written and verbal). • Personal computer skills in a variety of software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, inventory management system, and manufacturing execution systems that support the manufacturing environment. • Ability to read and understand assembly work instructions and engineering blueprints. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field. • 7+ years leadership experience, preferably in an Operations environment. • Experience in a regulated environment (e.g. FDA or medical device) • Lean, Six Sigma and Just In Time manufacturing experience such as a Green Belt certification or higher • ISO 9000 experience • Assembly automation experience • Quality control methods, including Statistical Process Control In addition to other duties, a Manufacturing Supervisor the successful candidate will: • Train, develop and motivate the workforce toward continuous quality improvement in a positive and safe working environment and cost effective operation. • Clearly communication to management and engineering for all manufacturing issues within the production area. • Ensure that assemblers are adequately trained and certified to perform their jobs in a safe, efficient manner. • Ensure the development and implementation of training plans for each assembler and ensure the maintenance of training certification records in conjunction with the training department. • Actively supervise shift and/or areas of production, promoting a positive environment that ensures teamwork within the manufacturing area. • Coordinate and manage material flow, accuracy and quality • Improve schedule linearity, reduce cycle times and inventory, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction. • Develop, implement, and maintain visual management boards for production measurements and general business communication. • Perform annual performance reviews and pay adjustments and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all direct report employees. A full description of this job can be found online at www.insightnews.com.
Page 10 • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Insight News
insightnews.com
Ayvah
BdotCroc
Monday, Sept. 26 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE
Sept. 26 Oct. 2
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
The Best Show Out First Avenue 701 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis 8 p.m. 18-plus $7 advance, $10 door Daddy Dinero headlines The Best Show Out with The Rift, Lexii Alijai, Tomorrow Genius and T Woods.
Tuesday, Sept. 27 HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE Blackalicious
Blacalicious
Daddy Dinero
Turf Club 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul 7 p.m. $20 West Coast legends Blackalicious return to Minneapolis with Lushlife.
Wednesday, Sept. 28 DJ NIGHT DJ Taye and sloslylove Icehouse 2528 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. 21-plus $5 advance, $10 door Chicago’s DJ Taye and Eau Claire’s sloslylove play original dance music at Icehouse.
Thursday, Sept. 29 ROCK/PERFORMANCE College Night Bedlam Lowertown 213 4th St. E., St. Paul 18-plus $5 cover, $3 with a valid student ID Atlanta’s Timisarocker headlines College Night at The Bedlam with One More Day, and Sonic Coitus.
“Candy Fresh” featuring Bdotcroc SPNN 550 Vandalia St., Ste. 170, St. Paul 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Free “Candy Fresh’s” “Back to School” television taping features North Minneapolis MC, Bdotcroc.
Saturday, Oct. 1 STREET FESTIVAL
Friday, Sept. 30 TELEVISION TAPING
2016 Twin Cities Day of Dignity Masjid An-Nur, Minneapolis 1729 Lyndale Ave. N., Minneapolis 5:30 p.m. All ages
Twin Cities natives Coco and Breezy join Ciroc and Diddy for ‘Let’s Get It’ Sean “Diddy” Combs and the makers of the Ciroc vodka launched a motivational campaign “Let’s Get It,” which features Twin Cities natives, DJs and apparel designers Coco and Breezy. The campaign that also features DJ Khaled and French Montana, hopes to spark a movement to empower and encourage entrepreneurs and creators to pursue their passions and realize their dreams. “I grew up wanting to change the world. Now I want to inspire and empower the next generation to dream big, work hard, and make their own success,” said Combs. “I am using my story to encourage others to follow their dreams and achieve greatness, and together with Ciroc, fueling the spirit of the hustle and celebrating the journey.” The new campaign kicked off with the world premiere of “Let’s Get It,” a two minute
short film starring Combs on Billboard.com. It tells the story of Combs’ business success and celebrates the determination and passion of rising stars and talented entrepreneurs including accessories designers and DJs, Coco and Breezy, jewelry designer and beauty entrepreneur, Kristen Crawley and Harlem dance legend Nikko. “‘Let’s Get It’ is much more than a campaign,” said Ryan Robertson, Ciroc brand director. “It is the start of a new movement – a rallying cry to empower hard workers and dreamers to make their mark on the world.” “‘Let’s Get It’ is a universal message that has no boundaries,” said Dia Simms, president of Combs Wine and Spirits. “Let’s Get It” began airing at the start of September. The spots will run on CNN, Bravo, CNBC, USA, BET, VH1, TV1, and other networks.
Coco and Breezy
Get everything from free health screenings and legal advice to public performances from DJ Dan Speak (KMOJ), House of Dance, AL Ta’wam, Voice of Culture, Niles, Lioness and Kanu M.
Sunday, Oct. 2 BLOCK PARTY Dear Gaza 2016 2401 Lyndale Minneapolis 3 p.m. – 10 p.m. All ages
Ave.
S.,
Experience music from Toki Wright, Hello Psychaleppo, Ayvah, poetry from Tala Alfoqaha, Emmanuel Ortiz, dance and many more.
insightnews.com
Insight News • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Page 11
StepAfrika!
Martha Redbone
Martha Redbone, Step Afrika! launch Ordway World Music and Dance series The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts will begin its 2016-2017 World Music and Dance Series with two special one-night-only performances. Martha Redbone’s “Bone Hill: The Concert” will kick off the season on Oct. 8, followed by Step Afrika!’s “The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence” on Oct. 29. Tickets start at $19 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. In Redbone’s “Bone Hill: The Concert,” 12 musical cast members become the characters from four generations of a family living high atop the Appalachian Mountains. Inspired by Redbone’s own life and the lives of the women from whom she is descended, the stories of the Bone family are told in a communal narrative style interspersed with dramatic scenes. The performance is driven by the music, which ranges from traditional Cherokee chants and lullabies to bluegrass, gospel, R&B and funk. Founded in 1994, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the art of stepping and ranks as one of
the top 10 African-American dance companies in the United States. In its new production, “The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence,” the company celebrates the African-American artist and his series of paintings, “The Migration of the Negro,” which chronicled the mass movement of African Americans from the South to the North in the 1920s. Using stepping – South African gumboot and traditional West African dance – Step Afrika! brings Lawrence’s iconic paintings to life. This new piece was co-commissioned by the Ordway. “Like many of the shows this season, these performances will explore what it means to be an American,” said Dayna Martinez, artistic director of World Music and Dance. “Martha Redbone and Step Afrika! dive into the history of their roots in these performances, whether the stories are as personal as the Bone family or as large-scale as The Great Migration. But, they also explore universal ideas of family and identity that connect us all. They are excellent artists, and I am very happy that they will be kicking off our new season of world music and dance.”
Courtesy of Ordway Center for Performing Arts
Page 12 • September 26 - October 2, 2016 • Insight News
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Dan Norman / Children’s Theatre Company
Cast of ‘Elephant and Piggie’s We Are in a Play!’
FALL2016-17 BROADWAY SONGBOOK®: REBELS! ON BROADWAY* SEPT 23-25 & 29-30
MARTHA REDBONE + BONE HILL: THE CONCERT OCT 8
TRAVIS WALL’S SHAPING SOUND: DANCE REIMAGINED OCT 14
PRESENTED BY THE ORDWAY in partnership with LORI DOKKEN
PAINTING JONI:
CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF A MASTER OCT 16
STOMP THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION OCT 18-23
STEP AFRIKA! +
MARTHA REDBONE
THE MIGRATION: REFLECTIONS ON JACOB LAWRENCE OCT 29
* MUSICAL THEATER SERIES SPONSORED BY GROUPS 10+ SAVE BIG 651.224.4222 TTY651.282.3100
ORDWAY.ORG
+ WORLD MUSIC & DANCE SERIES SPONSORED BY
Mo Willems’ best-selling book series comes to life in ‘Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!’ Children’s Theatre Company (CTC), 2400 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis, will present “Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!,” based on Mo Willems’ award-winning book series. Willems is the author of popular children’s books such as “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale,” “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!,” and “Cat the Cat.” Willems has also created animated series for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, and was an animator for “Sesame Street” for nine years. His books have received many of the highest honors for literature including three Caldecott Honors, two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals, five Theodor Seuss Geisel Honors and three Carnegie Medals.
Willems is particularly enthusiastic about the production’s journey to CTC. “Elephant Gerald and Piggie were created as reflections of my favorite round headed characters when I was a kid, Charlie Brown and his pals,” explained Willems. “How wonderful that after reading my books, the John F. Kennedy Center asked me to help create a musical starring Elephant Gerald and Piggie and now it will head to Minneapolis to one of the nation’s most acclaimed children’s theater companies.” The musical centers on the pessimistic pachyderm, Elephant Gerald and his perky pal Piggie’s oppositesattract friendship and real-life questions and predicaments
that people face. The show stars Christopher Michael Richardson as Elephant Gerald and Minnesota native Shinah Brashears as Piggie. They are joined by Jennie Lutz, Justine Icy Moral, and Caroline Wolfson. The production is a presentation of The Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour. “Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!” runs through Oct. 23 on the UnitedHealth Group Stage and is recommended for preschool and up. Tickets $15. The Ticket Office is accessible by phone two hours prior to most performances. These posted hours are subject to change. For more information, visit www.childrenstheatre.org or call (612) 874-0400.