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Vol. 49 No. 8• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
MELANIN IN MOTION THE MOVEMENT Amara Iroegbo, 10, is enjoying some outside time at Theodore Wirth parkway in North Minneapolis with Melanin in Motion, a BIPOC movement which connects Black people to active living opportunities in the outdoors. Melanin in Motion believes that Black bodies in motion are the ultimate expression of FREEDOM. The organization creates excitement and positive emotional connections and progressive nature-based experiences, led by experienced, nurturing BIPOC practitioners, with the ultimate goal of building community and connecting people to the joy, fun, and healing of being in nature. For more information, www.melanininmotion.org. Photo by Uche Iroegbu
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How we’re boosting the fight against hunger Bank of America is proudly supporting our employees’ health and safety and addressing one of our local community’s most critical needs. Each day, millions of Americans suffer from food insecurity, which typically spikes during the winter months. For every employee who lets us know they’ve received a booster shot, Bank of America is donating $100 to local hunger-relief organizations. This is a direct investment in the health of our teammates, and in the well-being of the communities where we work and live. Through this effort, our team in the Twin Cities recently presented Second Harvest Heartland with a check for $40,000. This contribution is in addition to our long-standing philanthropic support to help fight hunger and food insecurity across the country. We are proud to be able to help our community as we work together to move forward.
Katie Simpson President, Bank of America Twin Cities
Learn more at bankofamerica.com/twincities
Donations in each market reflect $100 per employee who has recorded their booster and an additional company contribution. Vaccination boosters and vaccination reporting are voluntary. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
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February 21, 2022 - February 27, 2022
Vol. 49 No. 8• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Mary L. Morris, heart valve replacement recipient, claims good health and longevity By Batala-Ra McFarlane Publisher, Insight News February is heart health awareness month. It is a month dedicated to informing community on how to improve and maintain heart health and make lifestyle decisions that support good heart health outcomes. The reality is, however, that African Americans do not experience the same heart health outcomes as their white counterparts. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, with higher rates in African Americans. This month also brings awareness to Heart Valve Disease (HVD), a type of heart disease that involves damage to one or more of the heart’s four valves that causes them to not open or close properly and disrupts blood flow. Some of the most common risk factors for HVD are family history, cardiovascular diseases and conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart conditions that occur at photo/Patrick Henry High School_Facebook
birth (congenital heart disease). There is significant data that shows while rates of heart valve disease are similar across races, the likelihood of getting a heart valve intervention is lower if you are African American.
Mary L. Morris, 90, received a heart valve replacement last year. Mary L. Morris, who is 90-years-old, received a heart valve replacement last year and has declared that she will remain committed to her health. In a recent interview, she said the key to longevity is to ask your healthcare team the right questions to help make informed decisions
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Dr. Emily Palmer, Principal, Washburn High School, Jake Wesson, Kennedy Rance and Yusuf Abdullah, Principal, Patrick Henry High School.
Kennedy Rance and Jake Wesson selected as Student Representatives on MPS Board
For the first time ever, two Minneapolis Public Schools students have been selected to sit on the Minneapolis Board of Education. Patrick Henry High School junior Kennedy Rance and Washburn High School sophomore Jake Wesson will serve as the new Student Board Representatives. Rance
and Wesson replace outgoing Student Representative Mary Ghebremeskal who attends South High School. Rance leads at Henry with a passion for journalism and youth advocacy. She values truth, storytelling and curiosity and knows the importance of gathering facts
and conducting adequate research before making an informed decision. She believes sharing stories helps individuals connect with one another. “As a student representative, I will bridge the communication gap between students and administration by actively listening to student
voices and advocating on their behalf to the Board of Education. When students are given the opportunity to effectively impact their education, I believe they have a greater appreciation for it,” said Rance. Henry staff describe
MPS BOARD 4
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sues HavenBrook Homes
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced via press conference that he has filed a lawsuit against controversial, hedge fund-owned, megalandlord HavenBrook Homes, the landlord of more than 600 single-family residential properties throughout the greater Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro area and one of the largest landlords in Minnesota, for systematically misrepresenting its property-repair practices and keeping its properties uninhabitable for tenants, in violation of Minnesota’s consumer-protection laws and landlord-tenant law. Ellison is also suing HavenBrook for violating Minnesota law and rules about dangerous leadpaint removal that are designed to keep children safe, and for illegally telling tenants they must leave their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, in violation of an executive order limiting tenancy terminations during the pandemic. The lawsuit is believed to be the first enforcement action an attorney general has filed against HavenBrook and its ownership in the United States. “It’s almost
impossible to afford your life and live with dignity, safety, and respect when your landlord puts their profits ahead of your health and safety,” Ellison said. “I filed this lawsuit because it’s my job to protect Minnesotans from fraud and abuse, and tenants are consumers of housing who are entitled to the same protections as all consumers. HavenBrook’s strategy of extracting profit from their tenants by claiming to provide them with prompt, high-quality maintenance and repair but actually leaving them in uninhabitable homes isn’t just shameful, it’s deceptive, fraudulent, and violates Minnesota law. I’m holding them accountable for it.” In the complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court against HavenBrook and five related companies, Ellison alleges that in pursuit of a deliberate strategy to extract profits from the Minnesota households they rent to, HavenBrook has severely and systematically understaffed and under-resourced the upkeep of its properties. Some of the resulting uninhabitable conditions that tenants have reported to HavenBrook — often repeatedly — include no heat,
Photo courtesy of the City of Saint Paul
Brooke Blakey, Director of the Saint Paul Office of Neighborhood Safety. Brooke Blakey to lead new office focused on advancing Saint Paul’s Community-First Public Safety framework
Mayor Carter appoints Brooke Blakey as Director of new Saint Paul Office of Neighborhood Safety photo/Lisa Miller
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison backed-up sewer systems, doors and windows that do not close, mold, even live wild animals in the home, among many others. The Attorney General’s lawsuit alleges that HavenBrook has further violated Minnesota law by misrepresenting to its current and prospective tenants that they provide “24/7” “around the clock” “same-day service” for emergency repairs when in reality, they often ignore urgent repair requests or make
News
Karine Jean-Pierre personifies a diverse, committed and confident White House
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shoddy repair — if they respond to tenants’ requests at all. The lawsuit further alleges that when HavenBrook Homes does make repairs, it systematically fails to take mandatory lead-based paint safety precautions in violation of Minnesota law and rules that landlords must follow. This failure puts vulnerable children at risk of serious and life-long health problems.
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Mayor Carter announced the appointment of Brooke Blakey as the director of Saint Paul’s new Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS). Blakey’s appointment to the new office marks the next phase of the City’s ongoing CommunityFirst Public Safety efforts, focused on realizing the most comprehensive, coordinated and data-driven approach to public safety Saint Paul has ever endeavored. “Advancing our Community-First framework through our new Office of Neighborhood Safety is
paramount to the future of our city,” said Mayor Carter. “Brooke Blakey’s career of public service will be invaluable as she engages in this new role and supports our work to realize safer outcomes in every neighborhood.” “As a lifelong Saint Paulite, it is an honor to serve our community in this new role as director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety,” said Blakey. “I look forward to engaging with members of our community and Community-
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Fauci says ‘full-blown’ pandemic could end soon
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Housing stability program takes focus with state budget surplus
Rep. Aisha Gomez
Cathy ten Broeke
Elizabeth Dressel
“One of the cores of what I think we need to do this year, in a time of huge surplus, is that we have a chance to really make a difference in the system that has been underfunded for so long,” said Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-
Mpls), the division chair. “One of those pieces is the fact that in Greater Minnesota in many areas, even in regional population centers, there’s little to no infrastructure for emergency homelessness response.” While homelessness
dropped in Minnesota from 2014-2020 by 5%, according to the report, the rate of unsheltered homeless has risen 145%. Of those, American Indians are 24 times more likely to experience homelessness than white, non-Hispanic
people. The rate for Black or African American Minnesotans is seven times higher than the white, non-Hispanic population. Cathy ten Broeke, the council’s assistant commissioner and executive director, said its new orientation is not just in creating programs and promoting equity, but to achieve housing, racial and health justice for the homeless. “Essentially, moving away from just simply creating programs that target people experiencing homelessness to really, frankly, identifying homelessness as a form of injustice,” ten Broeke said. “To really identify that homelessness is rooted in historic racial housing and homelessness policies, and current policies. And, frankly, that housing instability is not just an individual issue, but, frankly, a public health issue
Shawn Creanshaw, Rance’s academic school counselor. Wesson was a freshman during the start of the pandemic. He says through distance learning and other COVID restrictions, he was able to practice his patience and learn how to overcome challenging circumstances. He believes he excels at working with details, but is also able to see the big picture.
“Decisions made at the district level affect every MPS students’ education on varying levels. As student representative, my goal is to provide students with substantial opportunities to have their voice heard and provide collaborative possibilities for all MPS schools,” Wesson said. Washburn teacher Jason Jirsa provided guidance for Wesson as he took part
in launching a virtual Model United Nations club during the 2020-2021 school year. Throughout this project, Jirsa said he got to see Wesson shine. “He made speeches, worked the break-out rooms to find likeminded delegates and wrote resolutions to solve world issues. He did all of this with students from other schools who he had just met. It’s easy to imagine him thriving as a member of
the school board,” Jirsa said. Rance and Wesson will take turns being the primary speaker at Board meetings, but will still be responsible for keeping up on what’s happening by reviewing materials and watching meeting videos when not in attendance. Additionally, the two will meet regularly together with board staff to prepare for meetings and coordinate other duties.
The Student Representatives provide an important perspective and give voice to those at the heart of the district’s work: MPS students. The Board of Education has appointed a student representative since 2015, and in December 2021, it was announced that a second student representative would be selected with the goal of expanding student view and opinion.
heart valve replaced,” she said. Morris made the decision to receive care from Dr. Mario Goessl who is a structural interventional cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. In reviewing registries of patients who have had less invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR), 90% of the patients have been white. Goessl has been leading TVINCITIES a study exploring various potential biases and factors that may be responsible for this disparity in order to address them and improve access to life saving therapies like TAVR. At 89, Morris wondered if the procedure was appropriate for her. But, she said, Goessl said her health status was good and she could receive the replacement with no problem. “My whole concern was being 89 and having scleroderma which causes me to have high blood
pressure and hardening of the tissue and at the time I had been on hydroxychloroquine for a long time. I did an exam and the doctor told me that I could receive the procedure,” said Morris. “Aortic valve stenosis is a common heart condition,” explained Dr. Courtney Jordan Baechler, a cardiovascular researcher at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. “Some people are born with two cusps (instead of three) and that often requires earlier attention when you are younger. More common is aortic valve stenosis (or narrowing) that occurs as we age. This is most often detected with a “murmur” or a sound that we hear when we listen through our stethoscope to your heart.” “I’ve been mostly taking care of me,” said Morris. “With the scleroderma, that’s a disease that’s a whole different ball game. I had to learn what to do and what not to do. And that is why I am where I am today –I’m not in a wheelchair and I’m still
able to care for myself. The only thing that slowed me up a bit was having the valve replaced.” Morris was prepared to have her heart valve replaced, but the procedure was preempted by the COVID pandemic. She asked Goessl if she could wait until she was vaccinated. “I was able to get all of my shots. And then in April 2021, I called Dr. Goessl and scheduled my procedure. On the 5th of April I had an angiogram and then my valve replacement procedure was scheduled for April 20,” said Morris. The coronary (heart) angiogram, a procedure that uses contrast dye to see how blood is flowing through coronary arteries showed that Morris had a blocked artery. “So, while, Dr. Goessl was performing the valve replacement, he placed a stent in, too,” said Morris. At Morris’s most recent exam, Goessl told her he’d see her in one year. She’s doing quite well. “You have to
change your lifestyle. In order to do as well as I’m doing, I believe, you have to change your lifestyle. Anything that’s going to interfere with healing, my health, I’m not going to do it. I. Come. First. You might think it’s selfish, but it’s not. “Why should I be doing other things when I know I should be sleeping, or just resting, or doing an exercise. God blessed me to have the knowledge I have going into this,” said Morris. “If you make-up your mind and decide what’s important in your life, and if you want to live and live decent without having to live in a nursing home or assisted living, you have to learn how to setup your lifestyle,” said Morris. “You control your body –unless there’s something comes up which you have no control over.” “Today, we have many more opportunities to replace the valve,” said Jordan Baechler. “Traditionally, we
had done open heart surgery, but now often we can use TAVR (Transcatheter aortic valve replacement) which does not require a surgical procedure or as long of a recovery. We know the incidence (or how often aortic valve stenosis occurs) is equal in men, women and all races. We are thrilled Dr. Goessl is helping lead the charge to close these disparities by the study he is leading through the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation specifically looking to address this. Knowledge is power, and we hope stories like Ms. Mary’s get the word out about what to look for.” You could have aortic stenosis if you suffer from shortness of breath, chest pain/ pressure, increasing fatigue and loss of stamina or increasing dizziness. Talk to your primary care team about a screening echocardiogram (ultrasound exam of your heart) or contact c. jordan.baechler@mhif.org for help.
including the 600 it owns in Minnesota. According to Ellison’s complaint, “Although Pretium is not disclosed on its tenants’ leases, the company directly corresponds with Minnesota tenants regarding their tenancies. Similarly, although Pretium is not listed as the licensee for Defendants’ rental properties, it directly communicates with Minnesota cities that issue it rental licenses” (p. 7). A principal component of HavenBrook’s and Pretium’s business model of “innovation” and “cost control” is “internalized property management,” including “internalization of repair and maintenance.” Through these methods, “Pretium claims it has achieved profits from its single-family-rental business equal to or better than multifamily-rental businesses (which typically have much better economies of scale),” according to the complaint (p. 8). Another component of HavenBrook’s and Pretium’s profit-maximizing business model is raising rent. Ellison’s complaint further states that despite realizing costs savings for investors, “Defendants did not reduce rent for tenants when they realized these cost savings — in fact they continued their policy of mandating significant rent increases (including during the pandemic). Defendants disingenuously tell tenants that they have to increase rent due to their increased ‘costs to maintain homes’” (p. 8).
Minnesotans’ health and safety. As is reflected in the condition of their homes in Minnesota, Defendants use their innovative internal property-management systems and operating efficiencies to reduce their costs but do not direct those funds to complying with Minnesota law, which requires them to make repairs and comply with the health and safety codes that govern their aging homes” (pp. 8-9). The average HavenBrookowned home in Minnesota is more than 80 years old. Despite representing to tenants and prospective tenants that they provide “around the clock” “sameday service” “seven days a week,” Ellison’s complaint alleges that HavenBrook often ignores urgent repair requests and even deletes records of them, and if they respond to tenants’ requests at all, they make shoddy repair. Pages 1721 of the complaint detail how HavenBrook systematically misrepresents and fails to follow through on its promise. Tenants’ desperation at their “faceless and apathetic” landlord (p. 18) comes through in these urgent repair requests: “The furnace again is not working properly. This has been a 2-year nightmare.” (pp. 11-12) “THIRD REQUEST. EMERGENCY REQUEST Our exterior front door handle has now FALLEN OFF. The internal has as well! We put in a request TWO WEEKS AGO and were not contacted by anyone. Additionally, we put in a work order for an ANIMAL in the wall weeks ago. Again, not contacted by anyone. Finally, our kitchen faucet is broken. Please send help ASAP.” (p. 12) “The plumbing here is terrible...I have to pour a bucket of water just to flush
the toilet. I’m sick of it. I really hope u don’t send the same guy back here because he messes up other things to fix 1 thing.” (p. 15) “The stove is sparking and it’s very scary. This problem has been going on for too long now and when you send a maintenance guy over, he doesn’t solve the problem.” (p. 15) “I have had this ongoing issue for roughly two years...I empty out buckets every time someone takes a shower in the upstairs bathroom.” (p. 16) “I’ve filled out a 2nd request to have my water heater looked at again. I have no hot water. I sent a 1st request on Monday and noticed it’s not among my maintenance requests. Please send someone out to fix the water heater again. It has the same problem as it had when I moved in on 6.28.19.” (p. 16) “Bats in my house have not been able to occupy since 12/22/2019...I do not feel safe in the home! I have never seen such a blatant disregard for residents and your customers.” (p. 18) Under Minnesota law, a landlord may not waive its duty to provide a habitable home for a tenant. Attorney General Ellison’s press conference is available for viewing with passcode paG4$2Vj. Attorney General Ellison urges Minnesota consumers to report their concerns with HavenBrook Homes by submitting a complaint here or by calling the Attorney General’s Office at (651) 296-3353 (metro area), (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota), or (800) 627-3529 (Minnesota Relay).
By Brian Hall More than $1 billion in proposed spending over the next three fiscal years is part of Gov. Tim Walz’s housing stability package. The Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness presented a report to the House Preventing Homelessness Division last Wednesday during an informational hearing that helped outline the need for more funding as the state is forecast to enjoy a projected $7.7 billion budget surplus. Walz’s plan includes 35 proposals from six state agencies along with 19 new programs to address housing stability. House Preventing Homelessness Division 2/2/22
MPS Board From 3 Rance as a highly disciplined and ambitious student. “Kennedy has a pattern of pursuing high level opportunities and of setting ambitious standards for herself. She expresses her opinion constructively in a manner that does not alienate others,” said
Morris From 3 and to live a life of balance. Morris learned she needed a heart valve replacement a few years ago when she went to a routine visit with her primary physician which included an echocardiogram after a murmur (a sound discovered on her heart exam with the stethoscope). “I’ve always had to take an echocardiogram; I’ve been getting them before I was being treated for my scleroderma. But, in 2017, my physician told me I needed to see a cardiologist,” Morris said. Morris met with several cardiologists seeking different opinions, but knew she needed an intervention to replace her heart valve. “I hadn’t had any symptoms –I knew I had some heart problems, but I wasn’t experiencing anything that led me to think I needed my
Ellison From 3
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin, PhD. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Columnist Brenda Lyle-Gray Book Review Editor W.D. Foster-Graham Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Manager Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley
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In addition, the complaint alleges that HavenBrook violated Governor Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-79, which set various conditions on landlords who wanted to evict tenants or end their leases during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. The executive order had the force of law during the peacetime emergency and the Attorney General’s office is charged with enforcing it. HavenBrook’s ownership and profit-maximization business model Pretium Partners, LLC — a New York-based, privately-held hedge fund with $30 billion in assets — owns and controls HavenBrook through layers of shell companies. The shell companies have changed three times since 2021 (see pp. 5-7 of the complaint). Pretium boasts of owning 70,000 rental homes across the United States,
Impact on tenants: long delayed or ignored complaints, shoddy work, uninhabitable living conditions Ellison asserts in the complaint that “Defendants’ quest for profit-maximization has come at the expense of
and should be treated as a public health issue as we’ve learned very well during this pandemic.” Vaccination rates for COVID-19 among homeless people in the state fall far below the rates for the general public. According to the council, just 42% of homeless people have received their first vaccination, 35% have completed the series of vaccinations and only 11% have received a booster. “We are really seeing this impact shelters,” said Elizabeth Dressel, the council’s implementation coordinator and equity specialist. “Many of these settings are congregate in nature and people experiencing homelessness are at higher risk for having chronic, underlying health conditions that make them at risk for more severe illness.”
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Insight News • February 21, 2022 - February 27, 2022 • Page 5
Lesson Plan (Sample) ‘Before Rosa Parks, there was Ida B. Wells” (Grades 6-8) Text provided by “Insight News” February 7, 2022 This lesson challenges students to consider the effectiveness of non-conformity as seen through the lens of Ida B. Wells. Wells is best known for her activism in the antilynching campaigns. She moved to Chicago in her 20s and was a major figure in women’s suffrage and women’s club movements. Many people consider the 1950s the beginning of the Civil Rights movement, creating
avoid between the abolition of slavery and Brown vs. The Board of Education. After the Emancipation Proclamation, however, abolitionist continued their activities to pass the 14th and 15th amendments (define) to the Constitution. During Reconstruction and well into the 20th century, black and white activists worked together to gain equality for blacks and women. There was an HBO movie - ‘Iron-Jawed Angels’ that featured two short scenes introducing a black feminist (define) to the picture. This woman who demanded the right to march with white suffragists
refused to go to the back of the parade to march separately was Ida B. Wells. Source: ‘The Memphis Diary of Ida B. Wells’ - 1995 from her daughter’s reflections Discussion: What strategies did Ida B. Wells use to raise awareness of social problems? “I felt that one had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.” Wells, 1892 Students will learn about the reality of white supremacist terrorism. What do racist
terrorists want to accomplish? How did Black women keep fighting for justice in the face of that terror? An
Elementary Lesson What was the Emancipation Proclamation? Name a group Ida B. Wells started. What were some of the issues Wells fought against and for? Why did Wells sue a train company? Resource: Teaching Tolerance The Ida B. Wells Education Project
Ida B. Wells
Wikipedia
Karine Jean-Pierre personifies a diverse, committed and confident White House By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia On the first anniversary of the Biden-Harris administration, the White House teemed with dignitaries, guests, and what appeared a larger press corps. While that and the enormous Secret Service presence blocking off about a five-block radius on and around Pennsylvania Avenue wasn’t unusual, there remains something different – perhaps even special – about the 46th President and his staff and cabinet. “Representation matters. We’ve seen that from the first day of this administration, the President signed an executive order to deal with racial inequity and making sure that we saw diversity and inclusion across the board in the federal government,” said White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. On January 20, the first anniversary of the Biden-Harris administration, Jean-Pierre sat down with NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., for a wide-ranging discussion. The discussion will be part of a 2022 Black History Month broadcast on PBS-TV stations across the nation and PBS-World’s “The Chavis Chronicles,” and will include a focus on the successes and vision of the Biden Administration. It also highlighted what the President and Vice President are doing to resolve issues like voting rights, police brutality, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and repairing America’s reputation abroad after four years of Donald Trump’s divisive administration. With a light-upthe-room smile and oozing with confidence, Jean-Pierre might best exude why it might just be a matter of time before this White House earns the respect of the world. “We’re living in a polarized country right now, and the one thing that President
Blakey From 3 First partners, as we expand and advance our city’s approach to neighborhood safety.” As director of ONS, Blakey will work with an array of City Departments, Community-First partners, community leaders, and residents to advance the City’s Community-First Public Safety Framework, support the creation of a permanent CommunityFirst Public Safety Commission, and engage residents and system stakeholders to further identify and expand neighborhood safety strategies. Blakey will join the City as Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety on February 28. About Brooke Blakey Brooke Blakey joins the City of Saint Paul as director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety from Metro Transit, where she has served as Chief of Staff to Metro Transit Chief of Police Eddie Frizell. In this role, she has overseen operations, investigations, administration and community outreach and engagement, along with ushering forward the development of the Metro Transit Police Department’s
talked about when he was running, he wanted to make sure that he was the President for all,” Jean-Pierre remarked. Jean-Pierre struck a confident tone despite strong GOP opposition to the administration’s policies and a media that relentlessly highlights any shortcomings. “It will take more than a year to get to the other side of that so it’s not so polarizing and so we can actually get our message through to the American people,” Jean-Pierre insisted. She understands adversity but also embraces perseverance. At 44, Jean-Pierre has a unique window into politics and movements. And nothing was handed to her. Facing a hard-knock life in their native Haiti, JeanPierre’s parents gave birth to their daughter in Martinique and immigrated to the United States when she was a small child. Her father took a job as a New York City cab driver, which he still does part-time today. JeanPierre’s mother began working as a home healthcare aide, which she maintains. “My parents came here looking for a better life,” Jean-Pierre reflected. “They heard of the opportunities here, but it was a Catch-22 because you came here for opportunities, and you also come here as a Black family,” she continued. “It was very hard for them and they — like so many families across this country — lived paycheck to paycheck.” But unmistakably, Jean-Pierre knows how proud her parents are that their daughter has accomplished so much, even making history last year as just the second Black woman to take the podium and lead a White House press briefing. “It was truly an honor, and one of the things we all recognize and say is to not to forget the shoulders that we stand on, and I certainly remember Judy Smith, [the first Black Homeless Action Team (HAT). Prior to joining Metro Transit, she served in the Ramsey County Public Defender’s Office and the Minnesota State Fair Police Department, holding an array of positions, including the Department’s Public Information Officer. Blakey has an Undergraduate degree in Child Psychology and Criminology from the University of Minnesota, a Post Bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a Master of Science in Forensic Science with an emphasis on Criminal Investigation from National University. She is also a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command #484 and has advanced certifications from the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA), and Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (MN BCA). About the Office of Neighborhood Safety The launch of the Office of Neighborhood Safety reflects the continued expansion of Mayor Carter’s Community-First Public Safety Framework which incorporates an array of strategies focused on addressing the root causes
Cabinet Secretaries Gina Raimondo and Pete Buttigieg visited the White House to join then Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for a press briefing to discuss @POTUS’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal – a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure
“The single-most thing that inspires me about the administration, one of the things I can say about this President and Vice President, is decency,” said White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. woman to lead a White House briefing],” Jean-Pierre stated. “I wouldn’t be in this position, but President Biden made that decision to put me in this administration. To do the work that we are doing makes me so proud and knowing that I have so many folks out there who are proud of me.” In many ways, her parents feel they’ve reached their dreams through her, Jean-Pierre offered. “They came from an impoverished country but left to get a better life for their kids. For them, they are so proud of me, and they feel they have reached their dream because of my successes, but without them, I wouldn’t be where I am,” she acknowledged. “They told me I could be whatever I wanted to be, do whatever I wanted to do.” While her parents encouraged Jean-Pierre to become a doctor or lawyer, she worked in politics in New York, served in the Obama administration, and was a spokesperson for MoveOn, the advocacy and political action group. “The Black Press of America and The Chavis Chronicles are so pleased to have conducted the timely and visionary interview with Karine Jean-Pierre as she so authentically and accurately represents the Biden-Harris Administration before the of crime in pursuit of the most comprehensive, coordinated and data-driven approach to public safety Saint Paul has ever endeavored. The Office of Neighborhood Safety will lead the continued advancement of the framework through the coordination of CommunityFirst investments, including violence prevention strategies and alternative response, in close collaboration with our Department of Safety and Inspections, Saint Paul Police Department, Saint Paul Fire Department, and other Community-First Public Safety partners. The Office will support the creation of a permanent Community-First Public Safety Commission which will engage community residents, local stakeholders, and public safety representatives to inform strategy development, as well as directing resources to impacted communities. The Office of Neighborhood Safety will also engage in research, data collection and analysis through participatory methods that engage residents and system stakeholders in the codevelopment of neighborhood assessments, alongside interventions that are responsive to the needs of our neighbors.
global media,” Dr. Benjamin Chavis emphasized. “Karine personifies the best of the best with her veracity, keen insights and genius.” Jean-Pierre also taught campaign management at Columbia University’s graduate level for nearly six years. “I’ve seen it all,” she declared. “Even when I was teaching, my students would ask how I got to work at the White House. I tell them to follow your passion, what you believe in, and it will all come together if you do. So, keep
following and believing your heart and what excites you every morning, and what you believe is making change. It will come.” Jean-Pierre also expressed the victories achieved by the BidenHarris administration. She said those include improving foreign relations, including working with Haiti and nations in Africa. She said that the bipartisan infrastructure bill also counted as a significant win for the administration. “It became law after the President brought the two sides of the aisle together and did something that Congress talked about and past Presidents talked about but were not able to get done,” Jean-Pierre noted. “That bill not only fixes roads and bridges, but it makes broadband accessible and affordable for all Americans,” she said. “When you think about the bill, you think about that digital divide we’ve heard about for decades, clean water which is so important for our children, and continuing to create jobs.” She said the President’s Build Back Better bill would continue to invest in America, including more
investments for historically Black colleges and universities. Another signature administration legislation, the American Rescue Plan, helped put money in the pockets of the poor and working-class, significantly reduced child poverty, and has helped lead to more than 75 million Americans getting vaccinated against Covid-19. Jean-Pierre vowed that President Biden and Vice President Harris would continue battling hard for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and Voting Rights. And, as she continues her course inside and outside the briefing room, Jean-Pierre said she couldn’t be more pleased with the state of the administration. “The single-most thing that inspires me about the administration, one of the things I can say about this President and Vice President, is decency,” said Jean-Pierre. “They respect people and understand what people are going through, and they truly want to deliver. They saw Black and Brown communities were always left behind, and when we talk about our economic policy, we bring everyone in, and that makes me so proud.
Page 6 • February 21, 2022 - February 27, 2022 • Insight News
Insight 2 Health
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Senior citizens use social distancing while lined up for the early opening of a supermarket on for seniors only.
Fauci says ‘full-blown’ pandemic could end soon Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said the U.S. is nearing the end of the “full-blown” coronavirus pandemic and could soon reach immunity levels that would properly limit the spread of the virus. “As we get out of the full-blown pandemic phase of COVID-19, which we are certainly heading out of, these decisions will increasingly be made on the local level rather
than centrally decided or mandated,” Fauci recently told The Financial Times. “There will be more people making their own decisions on how they want to deal with the virus.” A USA Today analysis of Johns Hopkins University data found that the U.S. is reporting fewer than 200,000 new coronavirus cases a day for the first time since Christmas. As of Monday, the
U.S. has reported roughly 77.8 million coronavirus cases and 920,000 related deaths since the outset of the pandemic in early 2020, according to the Johns Hopkins data. Currently, the country has vaccinated about 214 million of its residents, or roughly 65% of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
photo/Tia Dufour_The White House
Dr. Anthony Fauci
COVID-19 VACCINE
FACTS
The COVID-19 vaccine is free.
You can get the vaccine no matter if you have insurance or what your immigration status is.
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe. It has gone through all the same safety steps of any other vaccine.
The COVID-19 vaccine works. The vaccine is very good at protecting people from COVID-19 disease. If you do get sick with COVID-19 after being vaccinated, the vaccine will help protect you from getting very sick or having to go to the hospital. It takes two weeks after your second dose in a two-dose series or first dose in a one-dose series to build up protection against COVID-19. After those two weeks, you are fully vaccinated. The person who gives you the vaccine can tell you how many doses of vaccine you need and when to get them, including when to get a booster shot. It is important to get the doses you need for the best protection.
2-DOSE VACCINE
1-DOSE VACCINE
mn.gov/vaccine Minnesota Department of Health | health.mn.gov | 651-201-5000 | 625 Robert Street North PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164-0975 Contact health.communications@state.mn.us to request an alternate format. | 11/23/2021
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Insight News • February 21, 2022 - February 27, 2022 • Page 7
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Michael D. Brooks
Destined: By Choice or Circumstance Sharing Our Stories
By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor By Michael D. Brooks When I think of African Americans and science fiction, my first thoughts of representation rest with Nichelle Nichols, who broke ground as Lt. Uhura in Star Trek. In the literary scene, the works of Samuel R. Delany come to mind. Today, we have another Black voice to add to the genre of science fiction in Michael D. Brooks’ Destined: By Choice or Circumstance. Terran Capt. David Leachim, Felidian Lt. Markka, and Synthetic Intelligence computer Cora, officers of the Alliance, come under attack by enemy Galactic Star Empire forces, crippling their starfighter craft and sending them through a nebula and an event horizon portal to crash-land on the planet Progensha. They are taken into custody by Uderran Commander T’oann, daughter of the queen. Curiosity and
suspicion intermingle as the Uderrans and Cora seek out each other’s motives, be they hostile or friendly. With Leahcim and Markka in a coma and being treated for their injuries, Cora accesses the Uderran technology to learn of the culture and simultaneously protect their crew. To extract information Cora hid in Leachim’s mind for security reasons, To’ann uses her rare gift as a mind-walker. She gains the information she needs to discern that the strangers are no threat to her people, but at the same time Leachim discovers her own secrets during the mind walk, including her torture at the orders of Shang, the evil emperor of the Thourons. From the mind-walk, Leachcim and To’ann realize that their respective people share a common ground in fighting against evil forces that seek to destroy them. They also fall in love, marry, and have children. Markka, in turn, falls in love with To’ann’s brother Tory. Cora becomes invaluable to Uderra. The years go by, and the crash survivors are embraced by the Uderran people. But, as science fiction stories go, the road is never easy, and the threat of Thouron domination is ever present… I’m the first to admit
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The American Songster that I love 1950s sci-fi movies and the original Star Trek series, and it was refreshing and a delight to see some serious melanin representation among the main characters and the Uderrans in Destined. Brooks’ novel is indeed a page-turner. The twists, turns, and revelations kept me wanting to know what came next, as Destined also involves a search for identity and ancestry. I loved the fact that this story is primarily character-driven; Leahcim, To’ann, Markka, and Cora are memorable, and Emperor Shang is an adversary you love to hate. I also thank the author for the humor he infuses into his story. Michael Brooks’ Destined is available on Amazon, along with his amazing Conversations With Pop series. In the meantime, Michael, “May the Goddess be with you.”
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