By Matthew Valasik Associate Professor of
Commentary
popular among the racist right.
At this point, Mathews also entered the orbit of another prominent figure in the white power movement, Richard Butler, while visiting Butler’s Aryan Nations compound in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
Justin Kurzels’ new historical crime drama, “The Order,” starring Jude Law and Nicholas Holt, is being described as a riveting “cat-and-mouse thriller.”
But for criminologists like us, the white supremacist extremism that takes place in the film is not a nod to a distant past, but a reflection of beliefs and rhetoric that still percolate on social media and inspire acts of terror.
The film’s namesake, the real-life white supremacist group The Order, which operated in the early 1980s, laid the groundwork for many of the white power gangs that are active today.
The Order’s origins
The Order, also known as Brüder Schweigen, which is German for “The Silent Brotherhood,” was founded in 1983 by Robert “Bob” Mathews, an avid antisemite and white supremacist who held anticommunist and conspiratorial, antigovernment beliefs.
A lifelong member of the John Birch Society and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mathews joined the National Alliance, which was led by William Pierce, shortly after moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1974.
Pierce was arguably the era’s leading thinker in the white power movement and had authored “The Turner Diaries,” a dystopian work of fiction detailing a race war that became
By
Did you know that 14 is the most important number in the United States? It is not about math or luck. It is about justice, equality, and the foundation of who we are as a nation. The 14th Amendment of our United States Constitution is the reason millions of Americans can call this country home, their rights protected under the law. Yet this weekend, Donald Trump made it clear he is ready to erase that legacy. In an interview, he revived his long-standing push to end birthright citizenship and suggested he could destroy this constitutional guarantee with the stroke of a pen. If we do not act, we could lose the very amendment that has held our nation together for over 150 years.
This isn’t just a policy debate or campaign talking point. Trump’s comments carry the same spirit as those who, in the aftermath of the Civil War, sought to deny Black Americans their fundamental right to citizenship. His words are a chilling reminder of how deeply rooted opposition to equality can be, and how easily the hardfought rights enshrined in our Constitution can come under attack.
The parallels to history are impossible to ignore. During the debate over the 14th Amendment in Congress, opponents like Representative Andrew J. Rogers railed against it as an “odious” and “wicked” measure that would destroy the nation’s foundation. Rogers warned that extending citizenship to formerly enslaved people would threaten the social and political dominance
Butler was a patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ Christian, a sect that was a racist and antisemitic perversion of mainstream Christianity. Each year, Butler hosted the Aryan Nations World Congress, a summit that brought together a potpourri of figureheads and groups from across the white power movement.
Shortly after the 1983 gathering, Mathews and eight other disillusioned white men – four of whom had served in the U.S. Armed Forces – formed The Order. Mathews wanted The Order to be the premier paramilitary strike force for the white power movement’s leadership. Their express purpose was to usher in a white supremacist society.
The Order was also a melting pot of white power ideology, with members recruited from the National Alliance, Aryan Nations, Ku Klux Klan, Christian Identity congregations, Posse Comitatus and the Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord.
A blueprint for a race war Mathews was no stranger to paramilitary groups.
A decade earlier, he had formed the shortlived Arizona Sons of Liberty to repel the “fomenting communist revolution” in America, with fellow Birchers and Mormon survivalists.
The Order, however, differed from the defunct Sons of Liberty in that it had an operational manual guiding its formation, structure and purpose: “The Turner Diaries.”
Using the novel as a guide, The Order’s strategy for preparing for a revolutionary race war involved raising
of white Americans, declaring that the U.S. government was made for white men and women alone. Trump’s rhetoric is no less inflammatory or dangerous. It is a direct attack on the idea that this nation belongs to all of us, not just a privileged few.
Trump claims the U.S. is “the only country” with birthright citizenship, a statement that is patently false. Yet his insistence on ending this constitutional right reveals his broader agenda: to strip away the protections that define what it means to be American. Birthright citizenship, guaranteed under Section 1 of the 14th Amendment, ensures that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens. It is the bedrock of our promise of equality, and without it, millions of Americans could see their rights questioned and their futures undermined.
Let’s be clear. An attack on the 14th Amendment is an attack on Black Americans. This isn’t about immigration policy; it’s about dismantling the very framework that ensures equality under the law. Trump’s words remind us that the fight for civil rights is never truly over. Just as opponents in the 1860s sought to block Black Americans from full citizenship, Trump is carrying forward that same legacy of exclusion.
The 14th Amendment was ratified to correct one of the greatest injustices in our history: the denial of citizenship and equal protection to an entire class of people based on the color of their skin. It is no exaggeration to say that this amendment is the heart and soul of our Constitution. It is the legal and moral compass that has guided our nation toward greater justice, even when the path has been steep. Without it, we are left soulless, facing a future where our existence itself is fundamentally at risk.
What’s at stake is more than a debate about exec-
money through counterfeiting and robbery; securing weapons; distributing funds to other white power groups; and embracing “leaderless resistance” to better avoid detection and infiltration by federal law enforcement. Even the group’s name was gleaned from the book’s fictional white power group, “the Organization.”
Robbery, counterfeiting and murder Originally, The Order attempted to rob drug dealers, pimps and sex workers.
But targeting them proved harder than anticipated. Their first successful armed robbery was of a pornographic video store, which netted them only US$369. The paltry sum prompted The Order to pursue more lucrative targets: armored cars and banks.
The group’s best haul came from a 1984 Brinks armored car robbery in Ukiah, California. The $3.6 million in cash that they stole was a thenrecord for an armored car heist.
The Order also engaged in counterfeiting, using a printing press at Richard Butler’s Aryan Nations compound in Idaho. Counterfeiting not only provided The Order with the cash it needed to fund its activities, but it also fulfilled its goal of undermining faith in the U.S. government by injecting phony money into the nation’s financial system. There was one problem: The Order wasn’t very skilled at counterfeiting. Bruce Pierce, a member of The Order, was arrested for using the counterfeit $50 bills in Union Gap, Washington, in December 1983. Pierce subsequently posted bail and disappeared, which drew the attention of the FBI. Another member of The Order, Tom Martinez, was arrested for using the counterfeit $10 bills at a liquor store in June 1984. The counterfeiting
utive power. This is about who we are as a nation. If Trump’s attack on the 14th Amendment succeeds, it will ripple far beyond birthright citizenship. It will open the door to rolling back voting rights, civil rights, and the protections that generations of Americans fought to secure.
We’ve seen this before. Representative Rogers warned that the 14th Amendment would “rock the earth like the throes of an earthquake.” What he feared wasn’t destruction but transformation, the transformation of America into a nation that embraces equality over exclusion. Trump, like Rogers, seeks to halt that transformation and move us back towards a system that privileges the few over the many. The 14th Amendment has stood as a beacon of hope for over 150 years. It is more than a legal document; it is a promise that this nation belongs to all of us. Allowing Trump to attack it unchallenged risks unraveling the progress we have made and dragging us back to a time when the rights of Black Americans and other marginalized groups were nonexistent.
Trump has warned us of his intentions, and history has shown us the consequences of ignoring such warnings. We cannot stand idly by. Now is the time to defend the heart and soul of our Constitution and to ensure that the promise of the 14th Amendment endures for generations to come.
Sources: Trump Interview: CNN https://www. cnn.com/2024/12/08/politics/ trump-plans-immigration-pardons-nbc-interview/index.html
Representative Andrew Jr. Rogers Statements On The 14th Amendment Passage https://tmkeck.expressions. syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/ l0k-congressionaldebateonthe14thamendment.pdf. https://www.fac-
failures didn’t deter the group. Members simply shifted their focus to armed robbery. The Order had also compiled a list of prominent targets for assassination that included financier Baron Elie de Rothschild, television producer Norman Lear, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, banker David Rockefeller and Morris Dees, the founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Yet, instead of choosing a famous target, The Order decided to go after a Denver‐based, Jewish disc jockey named [Alan Berg]. Berg routinely berated far‐right callers on his radio show, including David Lane, a member of The Order. Berg was assassinated outside his home in June 1984. While four members of the Order were charged with the murder, only two, Bruce Pierce and David Lane, were convicted.
It all falls apart
Just like many white supremacist groups, The Order never achieved its principal goal of starting a race war and establishing a white homeland. Tom Martinez, one of the members who had been caught using counterfeits, became an FBI informant after learning of Mathews’ plan to murder the liquor store owner to prevent him from testifying about the counterfeit money. Soon thereafter, Mathews burned to death during a standoff with law enforcement, and another 10 members were charged under racketeering statutes, causing the group to fall apart.
Yet The Order’s legacy lives on.
First, The Order hardened the far-right’s revolutionary orientation by promulgating the conspiracy that Western governments are under the control of the Zionist Occupation Government, or ZOG – a supposed cabal of Jewish elites. While this
inghistory.org/resource-library/congress-debates-fourteenth-amendment#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAndrew%20
By Simon Burris
conspiracy theory has roots back to the faked Protocols of the Elders of Zion, The New York Times’ coverage of The Order brought national attention to the group’s crimes, and how they had been committed in order to raise money to fight ZOG. The mainstreaming of this terminology helped spread these conspiracy theories.
Second, David Lane, one of the founding members of The Order, authored what became one of the most prolific mantras in the white power movement: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” Known simply as the “14 Words,” Lane’s clarion call is regularly cited in white power propaganda, memes and publications to this day.
Lastly, The Order was often called a neo-Nazi terrorist group because of its white power ideology. But the lack of domestic terrorist statutes in U.S. law meant The Order’s members were primarily convicted of racketeering and conspiracy. Even the death of Berg resulted in only two members of The Order being convicted of violating Berg’s civil rights, not murder.
Most state-level terrorism statutes were not created until after the 9/11 attacks, and to this day, there is no federal domestic terrorism law. To us, the government’s failure to treat domestic extremists like The Order as terrorists downplays the consequences of their violence.
Rogers%20of%20New%20 Jersey,prerogatives%20as%20 rights%20on%20the https://teachingamer-
Local law enforcement passes the buck The coordination and ideological rigor of The Order made them an outlier among white supremacist groups. Interestingly, we’ve found that the ongoing assumption that white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups are structurally organized and always ideologically driven has diverted the attention of local law enforcement. Rather than treating these groups more like street gangs, local police will often cede their law enforcement duties to the federal government. But since today’s white power gangs, such as Proud Boys or Rise Above Movement, primarily operate out of local communities, we believe local law enforcement can do a much better job tracking members and deterring violence, since they – not federal agents – are more knowledgeable about group dynamics and more familiar with their criminal activities. Research indicates that systematically monitoring and targeting groups that exhibit violent behavior deters future acts of violence. In our view, local law enforcement’s inattentiveness is a key reason that white supremacists and other domestic extremists have become the most “persistent and lethal threat” in the U.S., as the Department of Homeland Security noted in a 2020 report. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
icanhistory.org/blog/the-14thamendment-a-mini-constitution/
Columnist
Haley Taylor Schlitz, Esq.
Puzzle Master
Sounds of Blackness: America’s Voice of Protest
By D. Kevin McNeir Senior Editor, Washington Informer
Editor’s Note: We reached out to our sister publication, The Washington Informer, with the idea of seeing what other news organizations have said about Gary Hines and Twin Cities master arts organization, The Sounds of Blackness. Sharing a story that we know oh so well, but through other’s lens, provides a moment to reflect on the global treasure we have in our midst.
Even writing this editor’s note brings back the vivid and joyful memory of running into Gary Hines at Kokato International Airport in Accra, Ghana in 1994. I was arriving for a 10-day mentoring project organized by the Stairstep Initiative. Hines was departing, having performed with Stevie Wonder at the PanAfrican Festival of the Arts (PANAFEST). We met beneath a banner proclaiming the PANAFEST theme for that year: The Re-emergence of African Civilization. Washington, DC, 2022-
Sounds of Blackness have long been hailed as a group known for their stellar contributions in the gospel music world, due in part to the ensemble’s hit song, “Optimistic,” released in 1991 and which some view as their signature piece. And while they have won a host of awards including three Grammys and four Stellar Awards, specifically for gospel music, “Optimistic” actually peaked at number 3 on America’s R&B and hip hop charts. The vocal and instrumental ensemble
from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, formed in 1969 by Russell Knighton before he passed the baton to one of the original members, Gary Hines, in 1972, recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. And yet despite their decades of success, some fans still occasionally engage in friendly debates over the best genre with which to label Sounds of Blackness – gospel, R&B, soul, jazz or something else.
However, if you’re anxious to know the “gospel
Three time Grammy Awardwinning Sounds of Blackness presents “The Night Before Christmas - A Musical Fantasy” Monday Dec 23. 7pm at Pantages Theater, Downtown Minneapolis. The Sounds of Blackness delivers the sights, sounds and spirit of Christmas as never before with Rapping Reindeer, Singing Sox, Dancin’ Chitlins, Soulful Santa & Mrs Claus!
Described as “glorious and roof-raising, with show stopping music, dance costumes, and hilarious dialogue, the play features a 30 member cast and 10-piece orchestra.
A uniquely original musical play, “The Night Before Christmas - A Musical Fantasy” celebrates the true meaning and spirit of Christmas.
About The Sounds of Blackness
Source: www. soundsofblackness.org.
Since January of 1971, the Grammy Awardwinning Sounds of Blackness under the direction of Gary Hines, has performing on five continents for audiences of from homeless persons, prison inmates, and orphans, to kings, queens, presidents, heads of state, and diplomats and ate at such events as the Denver
Children of the World”, The United Negro College Fund, Scholarship America, the NAACP, The Children’s Heart Fund, the Lupus Foundation, the Opportunities Industrialization Centers, Americorps, ‘Border
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Office of the Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with Ryan Companies US Inc. to resolve allegations that the federal contractor’s employees faced sexual harassment, a hostile work environment and/ or faced retaliatory actions after complaining about harassment and cooperating with federal investigators. During a routine
The gun found on the suspect in the killing of United Healthcare’s CEO matched shell casings found at the site of the shooting, New York City’s police commissioner said Wednesday.
Suspect Luigi Mangione ‘s fingerprints also matched a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper that police found near the scene in midtown Manhattan, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at an unrelated news conference.
Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target.
compliance evaluation, OFCCP discovered worker harassment based on sex that included physical, verbal and visual harassment. The incidents occurred while employed by the Minneapolis-based construction services provider to work on federally funded projects including construction of a U.S. federal courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa. OFCCP also determined the harassment was severe and pervasive, and
officials with Ryan Companies knew of and, in some instances, participated in the harassment. Federal investigators learned employees had complained repeatedly over several years about illegal behaviors. The alleged incidents occurred between March 2021 and February 2024 in the Des Moines metropolitan area.
“No worker should ever be illegally harassed
When 14-year-old Kelaia Turner looks out the window of her South Carolina home, she does so with the assistance of her family, who provide roundthe-clock care following a harrowing incident of bullying and a suicide attempt that changed their lives forever. What began as taunts over her natural hair spiraled into a years-long ordeal, exposing the profound consequences of unchecked harassment in schools. Now, her family is suing the Greenville County School District, accusing it of negligence. The bullying reportedly started in 2021 when Kelaia, then a sixth grader at Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School, chose to embrace her natural hair. According to the lawsuit filed by her parents, students hurled slurs like
Police said they’re still analyzing a fingerprint found on a cellphone near the spot where Brian Thompson, the leader of the United States’ biggest health insurer, was gunned down last week.
Mangione, 26, remained jailed without bail Wednesday in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested and initially charged with gun and forgery offenses. Manhattan prosecutors were working to bring him to New York to face a murder charge in Thompson’s death. Investigators are looking into an accident that injured Mangione’s back on July 4, 2023, police said Wednesday. They’re scrutinizing his Facebook profile, which features X-ray images showing numerous screws in a person’s back.
Police also are
they gathered up the chains that linked hundreds of black cargo together side by side in a hole, and slid into the sea feet first, before the links were broken;
Courtesy of Sounds of Blackness
Jamecia Bennett and David Hurst Christmas 2020 as Santa & Mrs Shawanda Claus.
Courtesy of Irma McClaurin Nikki Giovanni
By Michael R. Sisak and Mark Scolforo Associated Press
Build Wealth MN celebrates 20 years of transforming communities
By Pulane Choane
Writer
Build Wealth MN marked its 20th anniversary with a gala in Minneapolis that celebrated its profound impact on Minnesota communities. The event, attended by notable figures including Mayor Jacob Frey and Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, highlighted the nonprofit’s achievements in fostering financial stability, homeownership, and generational wealth for underserved families. Keynote speaker Andrea Levere praised Build Wealth MN’s role in addressing systemic economic inequities. “They are dismantling barriers to wealth creation while empowering communities,” Levere said. Performances by Jovonta Patton and The Steeles energized attendees, and a special message from Governor Tim Walz underscored the organization’s importance in tackling the state’s wealth gap.
Since its founding in 2004 by David McGee, Build Wealth MN has quietly yet powerfully reshaped lives across Minnesota. Its programs have served over 20,000 individuals and impacted more than 7,000 families, providing them with tools for financial stability and generational wealth. Key achievements include facilitating $1.25 billion in lending services,
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose by eight points in November to 101.7, after 34 months of remaining below the 50-year average of 98. This is the highest reading since June 2021. Of the 10 Optimism Index components, nine increased, none decreased, and one was unchanged. Following last month’s record high of 110, the Uncertainty Index declined 12 points in November to 98.
“The election results signal a major shift in economic policy, leading to a surge in optimism among small business
deploying $15 million in down payment assistance, and helping over 5,000 families become homeowners.
Participants in programs like the Family Stabilization Plan have reported significant credit score improvements, leading to greater financial independence. “These numbers are the result of people overcoming barriers and stepping into new possibilities,” McGee explained. “They represent lives changed and futures secured.”
Youth-focused initiatives like the Youth Stabilization Program have also made a profound impact, equipping young people with financial literacy and career readiness skills. “We’re teaching young people to think differently about their futures,” said Demetri
McGee, Youth Director. “It’s about creating a mindset of empowerment.”
One of the gala’s major highlights was the announcement of Build Wealth MN’s ambitious 9000 Equities Initiative. This program seeks to address Minnesota’s stark racial homeownership gap by helping 9,000 Black families become homeowners within seven years. This effort directly targets the 52% disparity in homeownership rates between African American and White households in the state. “Homeownership isn’t just about buying a house but it’s also about creating stability, equity, and generational wealth,” McGee said. The program combines financial education, affordable
owners,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg “Main Street also became more certain about future business conditions following the election, breaking a nearly three-year streak of record high uncertainty. Owners are particularly hopeful for tax and regulation policies that favor strong economic growth as well as relief from inflationary pressures. In addition, small business owners are eager to expand their operations.”
“Minnesota small business owners are expressing more optimism about the future, as shown by the 12-point drop in uncertainty,” said NFIB Minnesota State Director Jon Boesche. “36% of business owners are still reporting unfilled job openings. Even with Main Street feeling more hopeful, we must continue addressing the ongoing workforce challenges and regulatory barriers facing our state’s entrepreneurs.”
Key findings include:
The net percent of owners expecting the economy to improve rose 41 points from October to a net 36%, the highest since June 2020. This component had the greatest impact on the overall increase in the Optimism Index.
The net percent of small business owners believing it is a good time to expand their business rose eight points to a net 14%. This is the highest reading since June 2021.
The net percent of owners expecting higher real sales volumes rose 18 points to a net 14% (seasonally adjusted), the highest reading since February 2020.
A net 5% of owners reported paying a higher rate on their most recent loan,
lending options, and strategic partnerships to help families achieve this transformative goal. “This initiative is a promise to our community that we’re not stopping until the gap closes,” McGee emphasized. While the gala celebrated the past, it also served as a platform for reflection and renewed purpose. Attendees heard powerful testimonials from program participants who had overcome financial hardships. One participant described their journey from financial distress to homeownership, saying, “They gave me hope and a roadmap to a better life.” The evening’s lively atmosphere was complemented by soulful performances from Jovonta Patton and The Steeles, and an exciting auction
featuring unique experiences like a romantic retreat on Lake Superior and an all-inclusive Caribbean getaway. “It was a night to remember, filled with gratitude and resolve,” McGee shared. Collaboration has been central to Build Wealth MN’s success. The organization has partnered with banks, developers, and local governments to provide underserved families with the resources they need to succeed. Its recent acquisition of over 100 acres in Rochester, Minnesota, highlights its growing role in housing development.
“Affordable, quality housing is key to thriving communities,” McGee emphasized. “We’re committed to creating spaces where families can grow and prosper.”
As the evening drew to a close, McGee addressed the room with a clear message:
unchanged from October’s lowest reading since January 2022.
Twenty-eight percent (seasonally adjusted) plan capital outlays in the next six months, up six points from October. This is the highest reading since January 2022.
The frequency of reports of positive profit trends was a net negative 26% (seasonally adjusted), up seven points from October and the highest reading of this year.
Twenty percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business (higher input and labor costs), down three points from October and surpassing labor quality as the top issue by one point.
Thirty-six percent (seasonally adjusted) of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, up one point from October. As reported in NFIB’s monthly jobs report, a seasonally adjusted 36% of all small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in November, up one point from October. Of the 55% of owners hiring or trying to hire in November, 87% reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.
Fifty-four percent of owners reported capital outlays in the last six months, unchanged from October. Of those making expenditures, 39% reported spending on new equipment, 22% acquired vehicles, and 14% improved or expanded facilities. Twelve percent spent money on new fixtures and furniture and 7%
acquired new buildings or land for expansion. Twenty-eight percent (seasonally adjusted) plan capital outlays in the next six months, up six points from October and the highest reading since January 2022.
A net negative 13% of all owners (seasonally adjusted) reported higher nominal sales in the past three months, seven points better than October’s worst reading since July 2020. The net percent of owners expecting higher real sales volumes rose 18 points to a net 14% (seasonally adjusted), the highest reading since February 2020.
The net percent of owners reporting inventory gains rose two points to a net negative 7%, seasonally adjusted. Not seasonally adjusted, 10% reported increases in stocks and 16% reported reductions.
A net negative 2% (seasonally adjusted) of owners viewed current inventory stocks as “too low” in November, unchanged from October. A net 1% (seasonally adjusted) of owners plan inventory investment in the coming months, up three points from October.
The net percent of owners raising average selling prices rose three points from October to a net 24% seasonally adjusted. Twenty percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business, down three points from October and surpassing labor quality as the top issue by one point. Unadjusted, 11% reported lower average selling prices and 32% reported higher average prices.
Price hikes were the
Build Wealth MN’s work is far from done. “The wealth gap isn’t just a statistic- it’s a challenge that we must meet with action,” he said. “Together, we’re creating a future where every family has the opportunity to succeed.”
For the thousands of families whose lives have already been transformed,
Build Wealth MN is more than a nonprofit; it’s a movement. As it enters its third decade, the organization stands as a testament to the power of community and shared purpose, showing what’s possible when individuals, organizations, and families come together to create lasting change.
To view pictures from the gala and learn more about Build Wealth MN’s programs and initiatives, visit their event gallery or explore their official website.
most frequent in the wholesale (50% higher, 4% lower), finance (46% higher, 4% lower), retail (43% higher, 3% lower), and services (35% higher, 10% lower) sectors. Seasonally adjusted, a net 28% plan price hikes in November.
Seasonally adjusted, a net 32% reported raising compensation, up one point from October and a historically very strong reading. A seasonally adjusted net 28% plan to raise compensation in the next three months, up five points from October and the highest reading of the year.
Reports of labor quality as the single most important problem for business fell one point from October to 19%. Labor costs reported as the single most important problem for business owners rose three points to 11%, only two points below the highest reading of 13% reached in December 2021.
The frequency of reports of positive profit trends was a net negative 26% (seasonally adjusted), up seven points from October and the highest (least negative) reading of this year. Among owners reporting lower profits, 32% blamed weaker sales, 18% blamed the rise in the cost of materials, 13% cited labor costs, and 9% cited lower selling prices. For owners reporting higher profits, 53% credited sales volumes, 21% cited usual seasonal change, and 13% cited higher selling prices. Four percent of owners reported that all their borrowing needs were not satisfied. Twenty-six percent reported all credit needs met and 62% said they were not interested in a loan. A net 7% reported their last loan was harder to get than in previous attempts. Five percent
Build Wealth MN
Left to right: David McGee, Regina McGee and Mayor Jacob Frey.
Model Legislature at State Capitol
truth,” it’s best to go to the source – the current musical director and producer for Sounds of Blackness, Gary Hines, who’s also the only original member still with the group.
Hines, reflecting on their founding in January 1971
About
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Babies’, the National Urban League, Hale House, HBO Comic Relief V (For The Homeless), Hurricane Katrina and tsunami fundraisers; participation in Grammy in the Schools, and countless others.
The Sounds of Blackness regularly presents theatrical productions, seminars, master classes, workshops and lecturedemonstrations on African¬
Ryan Comp Comp.
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and then retaliated against for reporting their workplace concerns and speaking with federal investigators. These actions are reprehensible violations of federal law,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Acting Director Michele Hodge. “For
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on the campus of Macalester College in St. Paul, said they wanted to represent a cultural voice which spoke for Black America – something that hasn’t changed.
“Macalester is a predominantly white institution but the college’s EEO (Equal
American music, culture and history at every level from preschool to post¬graduate and, from the Smithsonian Institution to the Kennedy Center. They educate while entertaining at schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, men’s and women’s prisons, youth correctional facilities, half¬way houses, battered women’s shelters, synagogues, mosques, temples, churches, community centers, and corporations. Sounds of Blackness has partnered with corporations such as General Mills’ “Feeding Dreams” and United Health Care’s “Do Good, Live Well” programs, to support
nearly 60 years, OFCCP has helped define and defend equal employment opportunity for U.S. workers. We are committed to holding employers that receive federal funding responsible for providing a workplace free of harassment where the core values of equality and equity are honored.”
To resolve the allegations, Ryan Companies entered into an agreement to pay $350,000 in monetary relief and comply with injunctive relief and routine monitoring.
Employment Opportunity) program made the commitment in the late 60s to provide educational opportunities for students of color,” Hines said.
“But we needed organizations that would represent our cultural background and support our needs which often differed from
urban programs and people. Their clent/ performance list includes General Motors, Northwest Airlines, Target Corp, 3M, IBM, A&M, American Family Insurance, the NBA, the NFL, CBS, Polygram, Disney, and NARAS. Sounds of Blackness has partnered with domestic violence agencies and actively participates in the struggle against domestic violence ¬ through music. Sounds of Blackness has pioneered the world¬wide presence and proliferation of Inspirational Soul Music at radio, dance clubs, television,
“People should be able to go to work every day and be treated with dignity and respect, not degradation and abuse. The harassment and hostile work environment that these employees faced is appalling and might have continued if OFCCP had not intervened,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Regional Director Carmen Navarro in Chicago. “Federal contractors must provide a workplace where harassment and retaliation are unacceptable.
those of white students. So, a group of African-American students founded the Macalester College Black Voices in 1969.”
“During my sophomore year in 1971, Russell [Knighton] invited me to take over as the director and we soon decided to change our name to Sounds of Blackness. God gave me the vision to follow Duke Ellington’s musical journey during which he wrote and performed spirituals, the blues and every other sound of blackness. Our ensemble wanted to continue along Ellington’s path and they embraced my vision for us to perform the full range of Black music.”
“We’re often identified as a gospel group but we actually perform every sound of blackness. It’s more than music for us – it’s a cultural institution and a movement,” Hines said.
Many of the current members, 25 in total which includes 15 singers and 10 musicians, count as the children of original members who continue the tradition which their parents first embraced. They range in age from their early 20s to 70 – the age that Hines proudly embraced on his recent birthday on May 20.
Hines and Sounds of Blackness recently released a new single, “Juneteenth Celebration,” which he said came about after President Joe Biden signed the legislation for Juneteenth last year that made it
theater and film platforms.–which has in turn substantially changed and continues to change the very face of each of those entities forever. Film soundtracks include Batman and Demolition Man, Panther, House Party II, The Posse, Down in the Delta, Moses in Egypt, John Henry, First Kid, Mo’ Money, Justice, First Sunday, Precious, and The Apostle. Sounds of Blackness has appeared/recorded with or for Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Sting, Santana, Eric Clapton, Usher, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, L.A. Reid & Babyface, Sir Elton John, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Luther
We will tolerate nothing less.” Founded in 1938, Ryan Companies US Inc. is a national builder, developer, designer and real estate manager headquartered in Minneapolis and operates offices throughout the U.S. Ryan Companies currently has contracts with the U.S. General Services Administration. Since 2015, the company has held more than $900 million in federal contracts.
OFCCP launched the Class Member Locator to identify applicants or workers
a national holiday. “We have been in anthem mode for as long as I can remember and we’ve addressed seminal moments in American culture that have had a significant impact on Black Americans,” he said. “We’ve supported the mission of the Black Lives Matter movement through our music, responding to Donald Trump about six years ago when we referred to Black youth as ‘thugs.’ In that instance, we released ‘Royalty’ which reminded our youth that they come from kings and queens and that they are still kings and queens.”
“When George Floyd was murdered just five blocks from the building in which we rehearse, we once again expressed our reaction through song. Like Fannie Lou Hamer, we joined the many thousands of Blacks who were sick and tired of being sick and tired. Floyd’s death was nothing new to Black people. The names may be different but the murdering of our people has been going in America for 500 years.”
“When the issue of reparations began to dominate conversations last year, we wrote ‘Time for Reparations’ which was blessed with an NAACP Image Award nomination.”
“Now, with ‘Juneteenth Celebration,’ we wanted to educate African Americans after we realized that there are still a lot of Black people who are unaware of the history behind Juneteenth. Sure, we wanted the song to be soulful, celebratory and fun but it also had to be an effective teaching tool. We want people to understand the importance of Juneteenth while they’re dancing to the song and
Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Ashanti, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Bob Dylan, John Cougar, Patti LaBelle, Earth Wind & Fire, Shirley Caeser, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Kenny G, President Bill Clinton, Jay Leno, Lena Horne, Isaac Hayes, Little Richard, B.B. King, the Minnesota Orchestra, Johnny Mathis, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Duvall, Maya Angelou and many others. On at least five performances global audiences exceeded one billion people: The 1992 & 1993 Grammy Awards, the 1994 World Cup, the 1996
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celebrating the holiday.”
The Challenge of Bringing Truth to Power Hines said staying true to the original mission of Sounds of Blackness has often brought the group challenges and hurdles to overcome.
“Some of our anthems, while receiving critical acclaim, haven’t gotten much air play,” he said. “I can cite many program directors who have apologized for not playing our songs. They said they loved us but they didn’t want to offend their advertisers – that meant their ‘white’ advertisers. They wanted more songs like ‘Optimistic.’ But our roots are in protest songs. ‘Juneteenth Celebration,’ for us, is more representative of our roots so it wasn’t an aberration for us to return to producing the kind of song whose lyrics reflect the reason that Sounds of Blackness was initially founded,” Hines said.
As for their new release, Sounds of Blackness have chosen to refer to it as a Juneteenth anthem and not just a song for the holiday.
“We really hope and truly believe that it’s the kind of song that should be played all year long,” Hines said.
“It’s not like a Christmas song because its theme is more than a reflection of a particular season. Liberation is a 365-days-a-year issue and an ongoing struggle for African Americans. We hope our fans will agree and will ask the radio programmers in their communities to play the song throughout the year so Blacks can celebrate what Juneteenth means each and every day.”
Olympics and the 1998 World Figure Skating Championships. Sounds of Blackness won the first of three Grammy Awards in 1992, won the Soul Train Music Award, International Time For Peace Award, seven Stellar Awards, International Dance Music Awards, 5 NAACP Image Awards and was nominated for an Emmy. The Sounds of Blackness music helped fuel the presidential campaigns of President Barack Obama.
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“roach” and “mustache face,” comments that escalated into a campaign of ridicule. Despite numerous complaints lodged by her mother, Ty Turner, the family alleges that the school dismissed their concerns. “I reached out at least seven or nine times,” said Turner in an interview.
Mangione
he was arrested Monday in Pennsylvania, a law enforcement official said Wednesday. Police have not disclosed what was in the notebook. The letter teased the possibility that clues to the attack — “some straggling notes and To Do lists that illuminate the gist of it” — could be found in the notebook, the law enforcement official said. The
Giovanni
From 3
“They either didn’t respond or did nothing meaningful to address the situation.”
The breaking point came in March 2023, when Kelaia shared thoughts of suicide with a friend. Just five days later, her mother discovered her hanging in her bedroom. Paramedics resuscitated her after she was clinically dead for eight minutes. Kelaia spent over three months in the hospital, including 31 days in intensive care, but emerged profoundly disabled. She now relies on a tracheostomy tube, a feeding tube, and remains nonverbal, requiring full-time care. Adding to the family’s anguish, one of the alleged bullies reportedly visited Kelaia in the ICU, took photos of her unconscious state, and posted them on social media. “It was devastating,” said Ty Turner, who describes her daughter as a survivor but laments the loss of the vibrant, independent child she once knew. The school district, while extending sympathy, has denied any wrongdoing, stating they conducted investigations at the time of each complaint. The Turners have since launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover Kelaia’s extensive medical and special care needs. As they fight their legal battle, the family hopes to shine a light on the systemic failures that they believe contributed to Kelaia’s tragedy. “Words do hurt,” said Turner. “And ignoring those words can have unimaginable consequences.”
official wasn’t authorized to disclose information about the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
A law enforcement bulletin obtained by the AP earlier this week said the letter disdained corporate greed and what Mangione called “parasitic” health insurance companies. The prep school and Ivy League graduate wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world and that major corporations’ profits continue to rise while life expectancy doesn’t, according to the bulletin.
In his first public words since his arrest, Mangione shouted about an “insult to the intelligence of the American people” on his way into court Tuesday.
“He’s presumed innocent. Let’s not forget that.”
At a brief hearing, defense lawyer Thomas Dickey said that he didn’t believe there was evidence to support a forgery charge and questioned whether the gun allegation amounts to a crime. Dickey also said Mangione would contest his extradition to New York and wanted a hearing on the issue. “You can’t rush to judgment in this case or any case,” Dickey said afterward.
From 3 and those left behind swore in Yoruba,Swahili, and many more languages, that the chained ones touched bottom, drowned, but later ascended to the sky, as the people who could fly, protected by Oshun to open the gateway between life and death and carry them back home to Africa once and forever. Nikki, time to rest, you gave us words of fire, that always lifted us up with phoenix-like magic; you gave us imagery of our Blackness as a power that justified our communal “ego-tripping.” You warned us in your poetry that was floetry decades before that word was invented, like a Black Cassandra, you prophesized the dangers we face routinely as Black people: breathing while Black living while Black walking while Black driving while Black thinking while Black loving while Black, and for just being born Black. You shared with us your brillance and resilience through the words of fire you wrote/spoke/gifted to us.
Mangione was arrested in Altoona, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City, after a McDonald’s customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. New York police officials have said Mangione was carrying the gun and the same fake ID the suspected shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. Thompson, 50, was killed Dec. 4 as he walked
alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the shooter quickly fled the city, likely by bus. His movements afterward are unclear, but authorities believe he took steps to stay off the radar. Prosecutors said at his Pennsylvania hearing this week that when arrested, he had what are known as Faraday bags for his cellphone and laptop to block signals authorities can use to track electronic devices.
Mangione, a grandson of a well-known Maryland real estate developer and
philanthropist, had a graduate degree in computer science and worked for a time at a carbuying website. During the first half of 2022, he bunked at a co-living space in Hawaii, where those who knew him said he suffered from severe and sometimes debilitating back pain. His relatives have said in a statement that they are “shocked and devastated” at his arrest. Sisak reported from New York. Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed.
We will miss you Nikki Giovanni, Black poetic angel extraordinaire who wrote to us and for us; gave us Black folk, and the world, a legacy of words that exuded courage: words of truthtelling words of Black magic words of inspiration words of your life words of your vision words of love for us, your global Black community. Miss you? Without question, we will. Time to Rest like the Black Poetic Angel you are, for we know the next time it rains, we will be able to hear your floetry between the water droplets and feel your inspirational power manifested as thunder & lightening. Asè. (c)
(Images from
wikipedia c. 1980 and (R) Bookcover of “A
Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter”) For more on Nikki Giovanni, see: https://nikkigiovanni.com/works/ https://www. poetry foundation.org/poets/ nikki-giovanni.
2024 Irma McClaurin
(L)
Good
Courtesy of Patty Gibbs
More than 150 area high school students participated in Metro State’s Model Legislature program at the State Capitol on Thursday. Back row L-R: Ksinya Daniels (South High School), Raul Vaz (Two Rivers High School), Ahjae Xiong (Harding Senior High School); Front row L-R: Vee Reeves (South High School), Suneeya Musse (Harding Senior High School), Hannah Corbett (Two Rivers High School)
Aesthetically It
A Season of Hope and Heritage: Black Nativity at Penumbra Theatre
By Haley Taylor Schlitz, Esq.
Sitting in the Penumbra Theatre on opening night of Black Nativity, I was struck by the power of tradition, not just in the story being told, but in the space where it unfolded. Penumbra Theatre, a cornerstone of the Black community in the Twin Cities, has long been a place where culture, history, and resilience are celebrated. On this night, it brought Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity to life with an energy and joy that reminded me why this story and this space matter so deeply. For over three decades, Penumbra’s annual Black Nativity has offered audiences a reimagined telling of the Nativity story through the lens of Black gospel music, dance, and faith. This year’s production, under the direction of Lou Bellamy, was a masterclass in storytelling, reminding us of the true spirit of Christmas: love, generosity, and community.
The voices of the choir soared through the theater, lifting the audience into a shared moment of celebration. Their harmonies didn’t just narrate the story of Christ’s birth; they evoked the strength and beauty of Black culture, carried
through generations in song.
The choreography, led by Marciano Silva dos Santos, brought another layer of richness to the production. The dancers moved with purpose, their bodies expressing emotions and moments that words alone could not convey. Their presence tied the narrative together, infusing the story with vibrancy and depth.
The amazing cast brought authenticity and depth to their roles, depicting not only the world of ancient Bethlehem but also the universal struggles and triumphs of humanity. Their performances resonated deeply, showing how the themes of Black Nativity — hope, love, and faith — remain profoundly relevant today.
Langston Hughes’ decision to rename the original
title, Wasn’t It a Mighty Day?, to Black Nativity was a bold statement that reverberates
resistance, even from within the production itself, as two cast members left over concerns
Beyond the artistry, Black Nativity felt like a celebration of the community
“Penumbra Theatre has once again shown why it is a treasure, not just for the Black community, but for everyone who values the power of art to heal and unite.”
– Black Nativity
through time. In 1961, this choice explicitly centered the Black perspective in a story traditionally told through a universalized lens. This act of cultural defiance faced
about the divisiveness of the word “Black” in the title. Yet Hughes understood the power of naming, and his decision made Black Nativity a landmark work of cultural affirmation.
itself. Audience members clapped and sang along to familiar Christmas songs, their engagement transforming the theater into a shared space of joy and connection. This communal
experience was particularly meaningful in a year marked by political and cultural divides.
Penumbra Theatre, as the home of this production, adds profound significance. As Minnesota’s only Black professional theater company, it has long been a vital space for amplifying Black voices and telling stories that matter. To experience Black Nativity here is to feel the weight of history and the promise of progress, all in one evening.
In today’s climate, Black Nativity serves as a reminder of what unites us. It speaks to the strength of community, the power of love, and the enduring hope that light will always overcome darkness. As I left the theater, I couldn’t help but reflect on how special it is to have a space like Penumbra in the Twin Cities, where the Black experience is celebrated, explored and preserved. Black Nativity at the Penumbra is more than a holiday tradition; it is a reflection of the resilience, creativity,
Art plays a critical role in how we remember George Floyd
By Sheila Regan MinnPost
Just before dusk set in on Sunday, I visited George Floyd Square. The Minneapolis air was chilly but not freezing, so I was able to spend some time walking around the intersection and the sidewalks stretching out on each side.
Many of the elements that were first erected after Floyd’s murder in 2020 remain — the giant fist in the heart of the intersection and at the end of each of the four blocks, the
murals, the synthetic flowers, the messages of grief and remembrance, the plants, the names painted on the street, and the gas station transformed into a street art memorial called the People’s Way. Cup Foods (which boasts a “Unity Foods” sign out front) remains and was open, as was the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, which was hosting programming. There are new businesses as well, like the cozy Bichota coffee, where I stopped and got a chai tea. I wanted to get a closer look at Jordan PowellKaris’ central fist sculpture and the plants that surround it, but
there’s no walkway at the center of the intersection. I stood for a moment on the street taking it in, but then a car drove past and I hurried to the sidewalk. I had the same experience at other points during my visit. George Floyd Square Square is a memorial site but it’s also a thoroughfare, and those two identities don’t work well together.
Last week, the City Council rejected a plan recommended by city staff that would restore D Line and Route 5 bus lines, make street improvements, add bike lanes, and maintain a “flexible” design that would allow for closures
for public gatherings. Prior to the City Council meeting, the George Floyd Square Community Visioning Council released an alternative proposal for the square, one that called for an additional year to “listen, reflect, and decide together before any major changes are made.” On Dec. 5 the City Council voted for a pedestriancentered plan proposed by council member Jason Chavez that would restrict vehicles except for local use and maintain access for emergency vehicles. Memorials, like many art forms, are a way for a society and culture to mark history, to define what’s important, and to make sure we don’t repeat mistakes. It’s been four and a half years since Derek Chauvin held his knee on George Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds during arrest, resulting in Floyd’s death. The rage and pain that followed in both peaceful protests and unrest here in the Twin Cities and nationally became a moment of reckoning around the role of police in our lives as well as enduring racism and white supremacy. As we look toward the fifth anniversary next May, the question becomes: How do we remember and repair? When time passes, and current events become historic memory, slippery shifts happen. Certain details rise to the forefront and others fade away. The narrative evolves, reshapes, reframes, lingers and resonates in different ways.
In a picture book by Shannon Gibney with illustrations by Leeya Rose Jackson, “We Miss You,
George Floyd,” Gibney finds a place for the impact of George Floyd’s death on young people. Gibney uses both the “we” and “I” pronouns in the story. The “we” emphasizes collective voice for a generation of young BIPOC people — especially in South Minneapolis — who felt those events acutely. When she uses “I,” she hones in on the particular journey of one young girl navigating the historic events. The narrator notes Floyd was a man who “looked like us and talked like us” and lived in her neighborhood. She hears about what happened on the news, and soon visits the memorial site at George Floyd Square.
Jackson’s illustrations portray many of the elements of the square — from the fist sculpture to the Cup Foods sign. There’s an image of a child laying an offering in front of the mural created by Xena Goldman, Cadex Herrara and Greta McLain, along with other artists, and an illustration of Seitu Jones’ temporary billboard sign. Jackson’s illustrations are warm and dreamlike — a repeating set of wavy lines run throughout the pages like a journey of thought.
Besides offering a resource to young readers who lived through Floyd’s death (and those who will live through deaths of other Black people killed by police in the future), the book enters George Floyd and George Floyd square into the canon of children’s literature. It exists as a record of a perspective that often gets lost amid other narrative angles
that get more prominence. Literature, like physical memorials, has that power to set down a path for understanding truth. Another book that came out this year, “Art and Artifact: Murals from the Minneapolis Uprising,” served as a companion to the exhibition of the same name, curated by Amira McLendon, that closed at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery on Dec. 7. The catalog, edited by Leesa Kelly and Howard Oransky, features artworks painted on billboards covering storefronts during the unrest, and essays that provide context and thinking around the works and the importance of their preservation. In the essay “What are We Doing to Safeguard Our History?,” Leslie Guy writes: “The truth is, objects that survive support the stories the powerful want to tell about themselves and others. Artifacts are the physical manifestations of the values, agendas, and narratives often used as projections of power.” Artists have been helping to make meaning and understanding about what happened in 2020, and they will continue to play a vital role in holding the memory. We’re going to need that memory, and we are going to need deep listening, as the city makes plans for what happens next.
Sheila Regan
Sheila Regan is a Twin Cities-based arts journalist. She writes MinnPost’s twice-weekly Artscape column. She can be reached at sregan@minnpost. com.
Penumbra
Black Nativity at Penumbra Theatre
Leeya Rose Jackson
In a picture book by Shannon Gibney with illustrations by Leeya Rose Jackson, “We Miss You, George Floyd,” Gibney finds a place for the impact of George Floyd’s death on young people.
Columnist
Sports
Timberwolves finally find their identity with renewed energy on defense
By Britt Robson MinnPost
Through the first month of the 2024-25 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves performed with little energy and no identity, an annoying blend of anemia and amnesia, as if they needed to be careful not to hurt themselves until they could figure out what was amiss.
The nadir was a fourth-quarter disintegration against the Sacramento Kings on Thanksgiving Eve, in which the top defense in the NBA a year ago surrendered points to the opposition on 11 straight possessions, flipping a doubledigit lead into a double-digit disadvantage and a fourth straight loss that felt preordained.
In the locker room afterwards, the Wolves superstar and nascent leader Anthony Edwards swirled ire and bewilderment into his struggle to identify the problem, calling out the entire roster, himself included, as soft frontrunners with disparate agendas and a disdain for disciplined instruction.
It was a heroic summation, especially in retrospect. With transparent difficulty, Ant had coughed up the team’s giant psychological hairball for all to see. It had to be acknowledged, and remedied.
And so it was.
Since then, the Wolves have rectified their season with stunning immediacy. As if struck by a lightning bolt, the team recalled that they have been assembled to defend with the ferocity and selfless precision of pack animals, prowling with an opportunistic intensity that suffocates the spirit of their foes.
Before Thanksgiving, the Wolves defense ranked 12th among the NBA’s 30 teams, yielding 112.1 points per 100 possessions while losing 10 of 18 games. In the five games after Thanksgiving, four of them victories, they have given up a 93.8 points per 100 possessions, a phenomenal 10.4 fewer points than the next-best defense and 18.3 fewer points than their opponents were scoring before the Wolves remembered who and what they were.
A team with Rudy Gobert as a prominent component of its starting lineup has its identity centered upon its defense. Gobert has been named the NBA’s best defender four times. He is a rim protector who cows as many shots as he blocks, a methodical strategist with a madness for detail, a veteran so self-developed that the virtues and vices of his game may as well be etched in stone.
When a teammate loafs or misconstrues an assignment, Gobert is not afraid to look bad by pursuing a likely doomed scenario to its logical conclusion, for the sake of the sliver of times he can rescue the
outcome. Consequently, he gets dunked on or caught coming to the play at a bad angle more often than any premiere defender. This is accepted. Where Gobert-led defenses become corroded is when his high expectation level in his teammates is disabused enough to affect his trust, to the point where his perfectionism and competitive zeal compel him to pre-empt his own principles and seek to do everything himself. Not surprisingly, Gobert-led defenses also corrode when Gobert heads to the bench for rest. Before Thanksgiving, the Wolves gave up 108 points per 100 possessions in the 611 minutes he was on the court and 114.6 points in the 263 minutes he sat, a significant difference of 8.6 more points per 100 possessions. But after Thanksgiving, while the defense with Gobert playing improved to a staunch 93.9 points allowed in 177 minutes, the Wolves were even better, permitting just 87.6 points per 100 possessions in the 63 minutes he rested.
A positive trend
Now when you are talking about 2-player pairings over a 5-game period, the sample sizes get pretty small and thus prone to greater swings caused by a particularly good or bad stretch of play in a specific game or two. But the improvement in the Wolves defense was so dramatic that these swings can be viewed as driving a trend.
For example, the frontcourt pairing of Gobert and Naz Reid on defense was 12 points per 100 possessions better after Thanksgiving (89.7 points allowed in 77 minutes) than before Thanksiving (101.7 points allowed in 213 minutes). The pairing of Gobert and Julius Randle in the frontcourt improved even more than that, 15.2 fewer points after Thanksgiving (95.7 points allowed in 96 minutes) than before Thankgiving (110.9 points allowed in 390 minutes).
The eye-opener (albeit in the smallest sample size), is the Naz-Randle frontcourt tandem with Gobert on the bench, which went from allowing 116.8 points in 100 possessions over 218 minutes together before Thanksgiving, to a measly 85.3 points allowed in 46 minutes after Thanksgiving. That’s an improvement of 31.5 points per 100 possessions.
It requires multiple causes to generate such a huge leap forward. Over the past five games, the Wolves have caught at least a couple of opponents at a rest disadvantage. Randle was acquired (along with guard Donte DiVincenzo) in a trade just before the start of training camp, and inevitably benefits from greater familiarity. And Ant’s locker room comments inspired everyone to play harder and more team-oriented hoops. That said, it is hard
David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards driving to the basket against Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody in the first period at Chase Center on Sunday.
not to focus on the variable most easily verified by the eye test: In terms of both scheme and individual energy, Naz and Randle were much more active. Before Thanksgiving they were more-often consigned to the paint near the basket, where their relative lack of size and experience as primary rimprotectors left them susceptible to being overwhelmed. After Thanksgiving, they ventured out to the foul line and beyond more frequently, inverting the defense as smaller players filled in the “low man” rotations. But the point wasn’t defending different locations; it was the movement itself, fostering the “fly around mentality” that has become a staple of great Wolves defense (to the point where Gobert roams and thus needs to trust rotations and far more than he did during his 9 years in Utah). It generated a rhythm and mentality that also made both Randle and Naz more effective at low-man help and overall rim-protection then they had been previously. Flying around is taxing, but when it is effectively disrupting opponents it can also be fun and inspiring. Breaking it down in terms of how accurately opponents shot the ball from different areas on the court reinforces the progress made by the frontcourt tandems. In the “restricted” area right near the basket, the Wolves improved from 17th before Thanksgiving to 3rd since then in opponent field goal percent. And just a little further out but still “in the paint,” the jump was from 26th to 2nd (44.6% down to 36.3% accuracy) before and after Thanksgiving.
Other contributors
Of course playing defense is the most teamoriented aspect of NBA basketball, and while the frontcourt trio should rightfully be lauded for their improvement (especially Randle, whose presence on the court was toxic to good defense before Thanksgiving) there are a couple players on the perimeter who have stood out on defense
the entire season: Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Conley began the season bothered by a chronic wrist injury that hindered his shooting and may have contributed to a spate of uncharacteristic turnovers and questionable decisions. During that same period, his 18 years being the primary pilot of a half-court offense in the NBA was briefly derailed by Randle’s permissive initiation to the team.
“Obviously, Julius, first two weeks, we were like, ‘man, be more aggressive, this is your team too!’ trying to get him up to speed. And then when that happens I tend to fade to the corner and get myself out of actions,” Conley said diplomatically. Although he has regained the rudder for the offense, his shooting percentage and assists per-game are well below his career average, in part because his minutes per-game are at a career low.
But raw numbers always understate Conley’s contributions anyway. His locker-room presence by itself is nearly worth the $10 million he is being paid both this season and the next. And when it comes to reflections of team play, he shines. The Wolves offense is most potent, scoring 114.2 points per 100 possessions, when Conley is on the floor than any other member of the team’s eight-player rotation. Here’s the kicker: It is quite possible that Conley is playing the best defense of his long career. When coach Chris Finch was asked how and why his point guard was thriving at that end of the court, he was almost comically detailed.
“He understands the game plan, he’s always in the right position, he competes through screens as one of the best ‘chase’ defenders in the league, he can draw fouls at the appropriate time, he always gets a good shot-contest, he boxes out (for rebounding position), he’ll front the post (to deny larger players the ball). You want me to go on?” he said with a wry laugh, finishing with, “He’s a competitive winner who understands how important
that end of the floor is.”
Conley’s net rating— the difference between how many points his teams scores and how many his team allows during the time he is on the court—is currently the secondbest among the top eight players at +7 points per 100 possessions. The only player who tops it is Alexander-Walker (“NAW”), at +10.2. The Wolves overall net rating is +3.6.
Along with being the Wolves’ most statistically valuable player, NAW has also been the most consistent.
Through the first month of the NBA season, perhaps the biggest indictment of the team’s overall effort was how much harder NAW seemed to be playing than anyone else— and how much that mattered. The contrast was sharpened by the fact that on a team with the second-highest payroll in the NBA, NAW is making a paltry $4.3 million this season on a two-year contract that expires at the end of this season.
Conley’s virtues are increasing reliant on his savvy. What makes him so good on the “chase” is his anticipation of what angles to take for the shortest route that both slips screens and puts him back in front of the ball-handler. Once there, he rarely gets caught over-chasing, colliding with his assignment when the man stops short but keeps his dribble.
(This is one of the flaws in Jaden McDaniels’ typically solid blanket coverage.)
By contrast, NAW is adroit at blowing up screens through acceleration, making himself skinny and knifing through the tiny gap between the screener and the ball-handler. His energy feels inexorable: It’s not uncommon for him to start dogging his man before the dribbler crosses half-court, and be it rotating on switches, closing out on shooters, hemming in opponents as part of a trap or double-team, and simply buzzing the ballhandler from myriad angles like a swarm of mosquitos, he’s actually moved ahead of McDaniels–the All Defensive team honoree and the Wolves’ wing-stopper—and is second only to Gobert as a positive tone-setter for the defense.
Finch has responded accordingly. NAW is increasingly playing in highleverage situations. He has played more “clutch” minutes, defined as the final five minutes of a game when the teams are within five points of each other, and more fourth-quarter minutes than the other two bench players, Naz and DiVincenzo, and stayed in the game over Conley down the stretch of a tight game against Golden State on Sunday. (Perhaps unwisely: Conley’s net rating during clutch minutes are more exponentially more favorable than anyone else’s on the team.)
At a height of 6-5, NAW is among a contingent of fleet and lengthy athletic wings—McDaniels, Ant, DiVincenzo, and even Naz qualify—that have enabled the Wolves to be exceptionally good at guarding the perimeter. There is a school of thought that believes effectively defending against three-pointers is more about variance and luck than genuine deterrence, but seeing is believing when you watch the Wolves, especially during the five games since Thanksgiving. They have gone from third to first in lowest shooting accuracy for opponents on corner treys (from 33.1% to 30.4%), but perhaps more impressively, have risen from 21st to third in the NBA in forcing misses on threes from above-the-break (from 36.3% to 30.2%). Coupled with the upgrade in rim protection, this is now a defense of supple prowess, flying around with a rugged glee that recalls the halcyon days way back in the 2023-24 season.
Digging out of a hole Last year’s success remains a daunting, high bar of achievement. Through 23 games a season ago, the Wolves were in first place with a record of 18-5. Today, despite regaining a sturdy identity, they stand at 12-11 and would need to endure a play-in round of games to even qualify for the playoffs. Their suffocating defense since Thanksgiving has put on a sleeper hold on their offense too—they rank 26th in points scored per possession over their last five games. Meanwhile, the West is perhaps even deeper than it was last season, with no room for letups. The Wolves discovered as much on Sunday. After yielding just 49 points to the Warriors while building a nine-point first-half lead, Minnesota was run off the court in the third period, allowing a whopping 44 points in 25 Golden State possessions. The opponent pounced—the Warriors set a blistering pace with long outlet passes and rapid dribbles and run-outs, even after made Timberwolves baskets. Following four and a half games of majestic defense, the team had emerged from the locker room complacent. The identity is defense. It comes, part-andparcel, with consistent effort, with Gobert, Conley and NAW leading the way. From Ant’s lips to the ears of everyone else, others need to follow.
Britt Robson Britt Robson has covered the Timberwolves since 1990 for City Pages, The Rake, SportsIllustrated.com and The Athletic. He also has written about all forms and styles of music for over 30 years.
The Vikings and their in-gear offense will be a tough team to outscore moving forward
By Dave Campbell AP Pro Football Writer
Sam Darnold pinballed around his collapsed pocket to dodge a sack on third-and-8, before slicing through a skinny opening to sprint right in search of more space as Justin Jefferson’s hand shot up downfield.
Darnold let rip an on-the-run throw that sailed 45 yards in the air and straight into Jefferson’s arms, where he was stunningly wide open inside the 10. He danced his way into the end zone to give the Minnesota Vikings a 21-13 lead, the harbinger of a fourth-quarter surge past the Atlanta Falcons.
“I’m not going to tell you what I told him in regards to my opinion on how many guys make that throw,” coach Kevin O’Connell said with a smile.
The 42-21 decision on Sunday not only gave the Vikings (11-2) their sixth consecutive victory but further validated their decision to let Kirk Cousins leave in free agency for a cheaper replacement.
With O’Connell directing the quarterback development program and calling the plays and Jefferson leading a dangerous and diverse group of pass-catchers, Darnold has finally found a place he can thrive in after such an
environment had long eluded the third overall pick in the 2018 draft — even in this roundabout way after the season-ending injury to rookie J.J. McCarthy.
Factor in a defense that’s allowing only 18.5 points per game, sixth best in the NFL, and leads the league in interceptions (20), and these Vikings are going to be a tough team to outscore in the playoffs.
Darnold became the ninth quarterback in NFL history and the first since Aaron Rodgers in 2019 to hit these benchmarks in a game: at least 325 passing yards, five touchdown passes, a 75% completion rate, no interceptions and a 155-plus passer rating.
Jefferson and Jordan Addison combined for 15 catches, 265 yards and five scores.
“This is definitely the ball that we want to play every single game,” Jefferson said. “Just the energy, the tempo that we had, just going out there and executing the plays.”
None more spectacular than that on-therun 52-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to Jefferson, who started the play in motion from left to right into a three-man bunch with Addison and Jalen Nailor to set up a favorable matchup with nickel cornerback Dee Alford.
Addison ran a clearout route toward the opposite
corner, initially drawing the attention of three defenders.
Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates, who was in a single-high alignment while the other Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons blitzed, diverted from Addison toward an uncovered Nailor on the other side while ignoring Jefferson streaking behind him. Cornerback Clark Phillips left Nailor to try to catch Jefferson, who’d blown by Alford.
“He absolutely cooked the dude on the route,” Darnold said.
The Falcons couldn’t have played their coverage worse, leaving three receivers open, but that’s the type of stress the Vikings can put on a defense with the way Darnold is throwing the ball.
“We already knew what he was about once we got him on our team, that he could throw any pass,” Addison said. “He’s just put it on display for everybody else.”
What’s working Though Darnold has been sacked 40 times this season, he has the athleticism and instinct to extend plays and find one of his tough-to-cover receivers on longer-developing routes even if pressure comes.
What needs help
The Vikings have allowed their two highest rushing yardage totals of the
season in the last two weeks for an average of 4.95 yards per attempt, a trend worth watching for a defense that still ranks second in the NFL against the run. Their final two games against division rivals Green Bay and Detroit will pit them against two of the top five rushing teams in the league.
Stock up Rookie Jalen Redmond made his first career start and played 39 of 74 snaps, the most among the interior defensive linemen, and had two tackles for loss and two deflected passes at the line.
One came on a third-and-goal throw by Cousins that forced Atlanta to settle for a short kick right before halftime. Redmond went undrafted last year out of Oklahoma, was released by Carolina during the preseason and played this spring in the United Football League.
Stock down Will Reichard made all six extra point attempts in his return from a four-game absence to let a quadriceps strain heal, but his only field goal try from 47 yards in the third quarter clanked off the left upright.
Injury report CB Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) and backup OLB Patrick Jones (knee) were held
out on Sunday. LB Ivan Pace (hamstring) must miss at least two more games.
Key number .660 — O’Connell’s winning percentage at 31-16 during the regular season is the highest in Vikings history, ahead of Bud Grant (.621). He’s fourth among active NFL coaches, trailing Nick Sirianni (.703), Jim Harbaugh (.682) and Matt LaFleur (.677).
Up next The Vikings finish their three-game homestand next Monday night against Chicago (4-9), three weeks after beating the Bears 30-27 on the road
AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, left, talks with wide receiver Justin Jefferson during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis.
MISTER CHRISTMAS
By Cheryl Barton
With the holiday season underway, it’s good to take a break, unplug from the busy-ness, and kick back with a novel that incorporates Black Love, the season, and dreams. Such is the case with Cheryl Barton’s romance novel, Mister Christmas. In many respects, 37-year-old Kofi Hunter has the world by the tail. He is a tech genius; he and his business partners, Veronica Sampson and Brayden King, created H, S & K Technology Solutions, which has made them billionaires in their own right. This, however, has not made the brotha immune to trials and tribulations in his personal life. A car crash claimed the lives of his grandfather and five-yearold daughter, which led to a divorce from his wife. Because his biological mother died in childbirth, he formed a special bond with his stepmother Katherine. After his father died, Katherine had fallen prey to the scheming fortune hunter Nelson, who has attempted to kill her for her money. On top of that, his stepbrother Benji is struggling with substance abuse and endless get-richquick scams. Nope, not the best mindset for Christmas.
30-year-old Piper Keys is a divorcee and a private duty nurse, living in Brooklyn and raising two children. Because of her life choices, her relationship with her parents is strained. Her cheating ex-husband Lovell has a mouth full of excuses and has been unreliable with alimony payments, since his
for time with her children, his presence is sometime-y at best. She
wants to give her children the best Christmas she can, and she recognizes their talents. However, even with a full-time
and part-time job, the sistah struggles to make ends meet. When Katherine is brought back to New York from an overseas cruise with injuries from a fall caused by malicious intent, Piper is the nurse who cares for during her time in the hospital while Kofi has taken the steps to protect his stepmother from the machinations of Benji and the evil Nelson, who are both anxious to cash in and drain her vast fortune. Before she knew who he was, Piper’s breath was taken away by Kofi. Kofi, having learned of Piper’s exemplary record and her beautiful caring nature with her patients, wants her
to be Katherine’s private duty nurse during her outpatient rehabilitation, and he makes an offer she can’t refuse. Will Piper take a chance on love, receive the wish for her kids, and the Mister Christmas she prayed for? Will Kofi embrace the joy of Christmas once again, and open his heart to a new found family with Piper? Barton reminds us that everyone goes through or has gone through something, and yet there is hope. Through Kofi and Piper, we see that family is everything. For Piper, her children come first, and she lets people, including Kofi
Insight 2 Health
How one patient’s email led to change in M Health Fairview’s weight and BMI policy
By Andy Steiner MinnPost
For most of Nancy Manther’s life, there’s been a nearlyconstant chatter in her brain focused on food and diet. It was an internal noise that often felt impossible to silence.
“I was what you would consider ‘normal’ weight,” Manther said, “but somehow, I took in all of these messages about weight and diets from the media, from hearing adults and other kids talk about it. It just became a thing I was always really conscious of.”
As Manther got older, she began to worry about getting weighed when she went to see her doctor for checkup. “I never wanted to get weighed there,” she said. “The older I got, the more it became an issue. I would not eat before an appointment just to make sure that my weight was as low as possible.”
Later, Manther began participating in a popular weight-loss program, losing so much weight that she was required to get a doctor’s signature to keep participating. That experience only fueled her desire to keep dieting.
“Losing weight was addictive,” she said. “I was good at it.”
Then, months spent in isolation during the global pandemic caused Manther, 69, to take another look at her lifelong attitudes about food and dieting. “During Covid,” she said, “I thought, ‘If I get sick, I could get really sick,’ because I was so underweight,” she said. And because Manther wasn’t going to work, she explained, “I wasn’t comparing myself to other people. I decided my behavior wasn’t healthy and I needed help.” She enrolled in
an outpatient eating disorder treatment program, where she was diagnosed with anorexia.
The program helped Manther to see the different ways her eating disorder impacted her overall health and well-being, like having elevated bloodpressure readings when she was visiting the doctor and being concerned about the numbers on the scale. Treatment also helped give her the language to explain her eating disorder — as well as the confidence required to ask for what she needed.
When Covid restrictions eased and Manther was able to go back to the doctor for a checkup, she told clinic staff that she had just completed treatment for anorexia and didn’t want to see her weight. “I stood backwards on the scale,” she said. Clinic staffers were good about accommodating this request, Manther recalled, “except when they gave me the after-visit summary, and my weight and BMI were printed right at the top.”
This experience prompted Manther to take action. She didn’t think her weight and BMI needed to be on her forms. Emboldened by her recent eating disorder treatment, she was determined to speak out. “I’ve learned so much about diet culture and everything connected to it,” Manther said. “I can’t unsee it. I can’t unlearn it. It makes me angry the way that people, especially women, are made to feel selfconscious about their body size. It’s become my crusade.”
So Manther fired off an email to Sameer Badlani, MD, executive vice president and chief strategy and digital officer at Fairview Health Services, telling him about her experience and requesting
that the health system somehow adjust their policies.
“Is there some way that if a patient either requests to not be weighed or not told the information, could those details be omitted from the printout and/or online chart?” Manther wrote. “It may not seem like a big deal, but to patients struggling with weight stigma, body image issues, disordered eating and eating disorders, it’s a very big deal.”
An ‘amazing’ change Badlani took Manther’s request seriously and pulled together teams of M Health Fairview employees to address her concern. The change happened surprisingly quickly: As of July 2024, the health system now offers patients an option to change their online medical MyChart settings to indicate that they do not want to discuss their weight during clinic visits.
Jillian Lampert, vice president of communications at The Emily Program, a Twin Cities-based eating disorder treatment and recovery program, noticed the change when she was filling out online forms for an upcoming doctor’s appointment on Fairview’s MyChart platform.
“I just tripped across it,” Lampert said. “I pulled up MyChart, and the first question was, ‘Do you want your weight and BMI included on your after-visit summary?’ I was like, ‘Wow. That’s amazing.’
One of my colleagues also noticed. She asked me, ‘Did you see the thing at Fairview?’ It’s amazing that it happened.”
Lampert, who is in recovery from an eating disorder, said many program clients say that having their weight taken or recorded at a physician’s office is an especially stressful experience. While she understands there are some situations where measuring a patient’s weight is an important part of a doctor’s diagnosis and treatment, most of the time weight or BMI is not important in patient care.
Lampert said she thinks the new policy is a win for everyone.
“To have weight or
BMI not be the primary thing that shows up is a win for people. If I go in for an ankle sprain, why do you need to take my weight?
It’s often not important. Once, I went to the doctor for an ear infection. The nurse said, ‘Let’s stop here and get your height and weight.’ I couldn’t see why that was important to my care.”
Stress or concern around having their weight taken and discussed causes some people to avoid going to the doctor, Lampert said. “We hear so often from our patients that they don’t go to the doctor because it is so weight focused, especially people who live in larger bodies. They end up not going anymore because so much of the conversation is about weight. I think this change will actually help more people access primary care.”
This change is an important part of building strong patient-provider relationships, DeRoche said. “In primary care, we want to be able to personalize the care patients receive while still following guidelines in evidence-based care,” she said. She added that, to her, the change feels healthy: “We can enhance the personalization of care because our intention is to be personal in how we interact with patients. Supporting patient mental health is an important part of primary care. It is part of what we do every day.” Manther said she is pleased to see that the change she advocated for is now a normal part of the way things get done at her health provider. Not that long ago, when she went online to schedule her yearly checkup, she was pleasantly surprised. “I was filling out information online and a screen come up that asked, ‘Do you want your weight and BMI discussed at your appointment?’” she said. “You could check yes or no. I said to myself, ‘I helped make that happen.’ I was so happy.”
Andy Steiner Andy Steiner is a Twin Cities-based writer and editor. Before becoming a fulltime freelancer, she worked as senior editor at Utne Reader and editor of the Minnesota Women’s Press. Email her at asteiner@minnpost.com.
This policy shift doesn’t mean system patients will never have their weight measured and recorded by health care professionals. The new policy gives patients the opportunity to opt out of discussions focused on weight and BMI measurements, explained Kim DeRoche, MD, a family physician and M Health Fairview president and chief of primary care, but there are still some circumstances where a health care provider will need to record or discuss a patient’s weight. For health care providers, it’s a balancing act, DeRoche said: “We wanted to be careful to make it clear that we could still collect weight information because it is an important part of many people’s medical care — and we wanted to recognize that the presentation of that information to the patient can be more stressful than it is intended to or needed to be. We wanted to balance the stress to the patient with a data point that can be important to monitor someone’s health.”
Photo by Samuel Ramos
Lucas Giambelluca President,
