PBS celebrates Black history and culture MORE ON PAGE 5 Ana Elena
Alice Walker, profiled in American Masters “Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth”, airing Friday, February 7 on PBS
January 27 - February 2, 2014
Vol. 41 No. 5 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Brazile: Dr. King was a man of love and great faith By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Heralded as one of the largest remembrances of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast drew more than 2,000 to the Minneapolis Convention Center for a morning of celebration and reflection. Democratic strategist, author and political pundit, Donna Brazile, keynoted the breakfast, in its 24th year. Brazile told the guests to measure a person not by wealth, but in the manner that
King would have – by deeds. “The world can be dark and evil,” said Brazile. “When a child’s belly is swollen with hunger, when girls are being sold into slavery – if one person does not have a coat to shield them from the cold, then winter has come to our hearts. It ain’t the size of your salary, it’s the quality of your service.” Brazile said when we remember the historic figure in civil and human rights it’s important to remember that King was a man of love and great faith.
Photo by Harry Colbert, Jr.
Donna Brazile addresses the crowd during the 24th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast.
KING TURN TO 4
Franken says havehave not gap widening By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer
PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE
Sarah Bellamy
Nearing the end of his first term in office, US Sen. Al Franken said the road to progress is long and the gap between the haves and have nots is widening. Franken made the comments during a one-on-one sit down with Insight News following the annual Minneapolis MLK Holiday Breakfast, honoring the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin
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Senator Al Franken
Economic equality… Right here, right now Gateway to excellence By Scott Gray MUL President/CEO Over 50 years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. there has been much that has obviously changed about our country. From technology, social attitudes, the growing diversity; our nation has become a multicultural oasis. Sadly, amidst this rapid growth and change, inequalities for communities of color still exist. Dr. King’s legacy is often simplified to his focus on racial justice but King
was a fighter of economic injustice and wrote that “the inseparable twin of racial injustice is economic injustice.” The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a pinnacle event during King’s Poor People’s Campaign, an organization devoted to economic justice. The modern civil rights movement is still a movement for economic justice. In 1964 the national poverty rate for African American’s was about 42%. By 2012, poverty among AfricanAmericans was 27.2% — still more than double the rate among whites, according to the Pew Research Center. Over the last 50 years, progress has been made but progress has been painstakingly
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Harry Colbert, Jr.
Penumbra co-artistic director, Sarah Bellamy on the set of “The Ballad of Emmett Till.” The play about the slain child runs Feb. 6 - March 2.
By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Sarah Bellamy – daughter of Penumbra Theatre founder, Lou Bellamy – was recently named co-artistic director of Penumbra, the nation’s largest African-American theater company. The two Bellamys will co-head the company for the next three years when at that time the younger Bellamy will assume the leadership post on her own. The change reflects several changes within the St. Paul theater company which was forced to cancel its season last year due to budget shortfalls. The theater was able to rebound, raising nearly $360,000 that allowed Penumbra to pay its outstanding debts and secure an additional $1.2 million in funding to move the company forward.
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JE Dunn, state capitol contractor, exceeds workforce goals The Minnesota State Capitol interior restoration and preservation project is exceeding diversity workforce goals with 34.89 percent minority workforce hours and 21 percent female workforce hours earning the project a premium rating of 1 from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. This marks the first time JE Dunn earned a premium rating of 1, which means the contractor is meeting or exceeding workforce goals, for its efforts to recruit, hire and retain a diverse workforce,
and the comprehensive good faith efforts the company implemented on the project. Through its efforts, JE Dunn exceeded the Minnesota’s 2012 workforce goals for Hennepin and Ramsey counties, which are 32 percent minority and 6 percent female. Good faith efforts are specific actions a contractor takes to enhance its participation of women and minorities. “JE Dunn is implementing strategies that are improving the
Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey
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Education
Lifestyle
Community
Insight 2 Health
Isaiah Campbell: Second chance with GED
King: A fourth generation baptist preacher
Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office hosts winter Hooked on Fishing; Not Drugs event
What you should know about acute heart failure
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The representation gap By Jordan Ash In category after category, the Twin Cities keeps coming up as having the largest racial gap – jobs, education, housing, health – particularly between whites and African-Americans. After last November’s election, we can add another one – the political representation gap. The newly elected Minneapolis City Council made history when the first Somali and Latino city council members were sworn in. And both Minneapolis and St. Paul city councils have their first Hmong members. However, it’s worth noting that the seat that Dai Thao was elected to fill in St. Paul became vacant because Melvin Carter, who is African-American and was the only person of color on the St. Paul City Council, stepped down.
Similarly, the only AfricanAmerican on the Minneapolis City Council, Don Samuels, stepped down to run for mayor, and Blong Yang was elected to fill his seat. Also in Minneapolis, Abdi Warsame became the first Somali city council member by defeating the first and only Native American city council member, Robert Lilligren. Although African-Americans make up almost 20 percent of the population of Minneapolis and 16 percent of the population in St. Paul, there are no AfricanAmericans on either council. The political representation gap is even more apparent in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, where people of color account for half of the population in each city and Africans and African-Americans make up a quarter of the population. Despite being the most racially diverse communities in the Twin Cities
Despite being the most racially diverse communities in the Twin Cities metro area, the Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center city councils are entirely white.
metro area, the Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center city councils are entirely white. Likewise in Hennepin County, almost 30 percent of residents are people of color yet all of the commissioners are white. In Ramsey County there are seven commissioners,
one of whom is African-American and one is Latino. This means that for the approximately 200,000 African-Americans in Hennepin and Ramsey County, there is one elected city or county official. It is true that there are effective and dedicated African-
American representatives in the legislature – Jeff Hayden, Rena Moran, and Bobby Joe Champion. But whereas the St. Paul and Minneapolis city councils have seven and 13 members respectively, there are over 200 members of the state legislature, which means that purely by the numbers, state legislators exert less influence with their agency than do city council members. Additionally, the issues that city and county officials contend with are in some ways much more directly related to people’s daily lives. Of course, elected officials can and do effectively represent the interests and needs of constituents of different races and ethnicities, and politicians such as Keith Ellison fight hard all the time for all under-represented communities. However, it’s hard to believe that the lack of AfricanAmerican political representation
on the local level is a positive development towards closing the multiple gaps between AfricanAmericans and whites in the Twin Cities. Additionally, unless we figure out how to do things differently, we will continue to see one community compete against another for the same political seat. This may result in increasing the power of one community relative to another, but also may result in some communities being unrepresented and does not result in any increase in the total power needed to be able to win real changes that benefit communities of color and lowincome neighborhoods. Jordan Ash lives in St. Paul and has worked for over twentyfive years doing community and labor organizing.
‘If I dated Black girls…’ Opinion
By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Friday, January 17, I gave the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day speech at the University of North Alabama in Florence. I was glowingly introduced by my niece, Rachel Gandy, who is a senior at UNA. I told the audience that
having grown up in segregated Tuscaloosa, Ala., how satisfying it was to see “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners” sit in the same classrooms, if not at the table of brotherhood. I didn’t use those exact words, but they got the point: revolutionary changes have taken place in my home state since the 1960s and the South in general. So many changes, in fact, that public schools in the Deep South are more desegregated than any other region in the nation. During my visit, I met a young White male – who shall remain nameless – who works in the same campus office as my niece, spoke fondly of Rachel, and recounted with glee their study together last summer in Costa Rico. After my speech, when I was doing my usual Friday afternoon radio segment with Rev. Al Sharpton, I was told that this young man said, “If I dated Black girls – I tell Rachel this all of the
Bold. Original. HIP-HOP
time – she would be at the top of the list.” I am sure he meant that as a compliment – it wasn’t. First, it’s presumptuous to think that Rachel, who is smart and beautiful inside and out, would want to date him. Second, for all the talk about racial progress, there are large segments of our society who make decisions based on race and nothing else. Whites do it. Blacks do it. Latinos do it. And so do Asians. After I got over the shock of the young man’s comment – well, I still haven’t gotten over it, as you can see – I thought back to a 2010 Pew Research Center study that found that a record 14.6 percent of all new marriages in the United States in 2008 were between spouses of a different race or ethnicity from one another. That’s more than double the percentage for 1980. Interestingly, rates more than doubled among Whites and nearly
tripled among Blacks. But for both Hispanics and Asians, rates were nearly identical in 2008 and 1980. For me, there was another story within the story: “When Whites, Hispanics and Asians decide to marry outside their group, African-Americans rank last in their choice of mates.” It’s easy to dismiss the kooks such as former Louisiana Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell who resigned under pressure in 2009 after he refused to perform a marriage between a White woman and a Black man. But things are supposed to be different with this so-called “postracial” generation. My niece is an honor student, was in the university’s homecoming court, is charming and beautiful. Yet, the young man at UNA couldn’t see beyond her color: “If I dated Black girls….” Fortunately, Rachel’s love life is not dependent on whether
Grammy AWARD WINNER
this young man dates “Black girls.” There are plenty of African American and every other kind of men vying for her attention. It’s the idea that this fellow got to know my niece as a person yet found her unqualified to date solely because of her race is what galls me. While growing up in Alabama, I was told that part of the problem was that Blacks and Whites had not been allowed to interact under Jim Crow, not even in sports. However, when those barriers came down, or so the thinking went, racial prejudice would vanish and people would be judged as individuals, not as part of a supposedly superior or inferior race. In three decades, there will be no majority race in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau. And that means that all racial and ethnic groups will need to learn to step outside their comfort zone to interact as equals with those who
don’t look like them. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. King said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Obviously that day has not arrived. Until it does, it’s incumbent upon all of us to make sure that it doesn’t just remain a distant dream. George E. Curry, former editorin-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry. com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.
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Insight News • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Page 3
EDUCATION Isaiah Campbell: Second chance with GED I met Isaiah Campbell in early December at a minimum wage rally in front of a McDonalds and Burger King in Northeast Minneapolis. Organized by Minnesotans for a Fair Economy and SEIU, the action called for an increase in minimum wage. It was a bitterly cold day, one of those days where you dread leaving your house. I was running a behind that day because of the cold and got to the rally 20 minutes after it was supposed to start. Unfortunately, that meant I missed the speakers, one of whom was Campbell. Luckily I was able to speak with him anyway, as the protesters hurried off to some place warm. Campbell struck me as someone with a lot of confidence — well spoken and with charisma. He’s someone who is working his way toward more of a leadership role at SEIU. He’s got plans for going to Hennepin Technical College and making advances in his career, but he wasn’t always so focused. Campbell attended the Girls and Boys High School in Brooklyn, New York, but dropped out after three years. “I
Franken From 1 Luther King, Jr. According to the junior senator from Minnesota, though progress has been made, King’s dream is far from being realized. “As much progress that has been made, we haven’t gotten anywhere near the Promised Land (King) talked about,” said Franken. “We take two steps forward and one step back always it seems. The disparities in income and employment and educational achievement and in incarceration – we haven’t seen equality. We still have a lot of work to do.” According to Franken, we need look no further than the
Gray From 1 slow. In Minneapolis, the lack of progress is noted as one of the most egregious in the country. In the Minneapolis Foundation’s, One Minneapolis report, 54 percentage points
Bellamy From 1 Discussing the cancellation of the prior season, Sarah Bellamy said, “It was devastating. It was both harrowing and humbling.” Sarah Bellamy said the outpouring of community support for the theater inspired her. “There was the question of did the community want to see the doors of Penumbra close and the resounding answer was absolutely not,” said Sarah Bellamy, who at 35 years of age is one of the youngest theater directors in the nation. “When we hit our crisis point, we received donations from $5 to $5,000 and all of it mattered. Some of the most memorable gifts were when elders came up to me with $5 bills in their hands to give to us.” The new co-artistic director said the not-for-profit company has adopted a new model of generating revenue for longterm stability. Sarah Bellamy said most African-American arts organizations heavily rely on corporate donations to the tune of 60 percent or more, while other majority arts organizations function primarily off private individual donations. While Penumbra will continue to seek corporate funding, Sarah Bellamy said the company located in the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, will place heavy emphasis on seeking individual donors. “A big focus is going to be on seeking multi-year individual donations, which will help us better budget,” said Sarah Bellamy. Sarah Bellamy said in addition to seeking community funding, the company is
church,” he said. “With my talent, I’ve turned it over to the Lord. I can show these younger kids who like to dance some of my talent.” Every year, we hear the dismal percentages of students who graduate from high school in four years. In some districts, this number hovers around 50 percent. That number can be misleading, since if you include students who graduate in five years or six years, the number becomes much higher, and if you include students who obtain their GED, it’s higher still. Getting a GED may not be the same as graduating from high school, but for young people who have made mistakes or had to drop out of school, the GED provides them with a second chance. Campbell strikes me as a strong example as to why the GED is so important. Yes, perhaps there could have been more support at his high school to keep him in high school in the first place, but because that didn’t happen, he was able to turn his life around by going back to school and getting a fresh start with his GED. Campbell’s story also shows how narrowly focusing on the four year graduation rate ignores the young people who ask for a second chance.
spent a few years in New York partying,” he said. He had a job at a beauty supply store and at Dunkin Donuts, and spent a lot of time dancing in clubs and getting into fights. “I was at a standstill,” he said. Realizing that he had to turn his life around, he moved out to Minnesota to live with his uncle, who had gone to Sioux Falls to play football and then migrated to the Twin Cities. Campbell moved in with his
uncle, and got a job with a structural engineering firm, and made enough money to move his family to Minnesota too. He was concerned about his little brother following the same path of getting into trouble. “I didn’t feel it was a good environment for them,” he said. “So I flew them out here.” The job with his uncle was great, but when the economy crashed, Campbell was one of the first to be laid off. Things got
pretty bad then. “I had lost my job, lost my apartment. I was living out of my car,” he said. He received help from a female friend, who gave him a place to stay and helped him get back on his feet. “I took a real hard look in the mirror,” he said. That was when he ended up working for various minimum wage jobs, such as at White Castle, and eventually as a school custodian, through a
temp agency placement. Working as a temp in the schools was okay, but Campbell soon realized that many of the schools require you to have a Boiler License in order to get full time work. So Campbell set out to obtain his GED. He took classes at Eisenhower Elementary School in Hopkins, which has an Adult Education program, where he studied for a year a half. While he might have been able to pass the GED without spending so much time in class, Campbell said he wanted to prepare himself to do more schooling beyond the high school equivalency. “I prepared myself to sit in class and studied for a year and a half so when I took the next step it wouldn’t be so overwhelming,” he said. After he received his GED, Campbell worked on getting his Boiler License, which he plans to test for in February. Depending on what happens with a full time position he’s hoping to get, Campbell has plans to eventually attend Hennepin Technical College to earn his HVAC degree. Campbell still dances, but he does so in a more positive way than when he used to party and fight a lot. Now he’s a member of the Real Believer’s Faith Center, in North Minneapolis. “We have a real nice group of men in the
U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and efforts in the state of Minnesota and other states to restrict voting to demonstrate that King’s dream of equality has yet to be realized. “Right on the heels of that states like Texas and North Carolina did everything they could to pass new laws to suppress minority voters,” said Franken. Though Minnesota was not a state monitored under Section 4 for infringing AfricanAmerican voting, a proposed state amendment to tighten voting fell to defeat in 2012. In addition to ensuring AfricanAmericans maintain their rights to the democratic process; Franken said greater efforts are needed in public education – particularly in Minnesota. But the
senator does see signs of hope. “The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), to me, is the right approach,” said Franken, referring to the cradle to college approach of educating children in a geographic area of north Minneapolis. “What Geoffrey Canada did in Harlem (with his Harlem Children’s Zone) is a great model. The model of early childhood, meaning prenatal care through early career is the model we need to follow.” Franken said statistics bare out his assertion that the NAZ approach is the best way to end the achievement gap between whites and students of color. To that end, he lauded the federal dollars that have been used to support the program. “We know that if you do early childhood education that
the children who benefit from it are less likely to be special ed (education), less likely to be left back a grade, they have better healthcare outcomes; they graduate at higher rates from high school, they have higher rates of going to college, they get better jobs and pay more taxes and they go to prison less.” The senator said it’s up to the federal government to make college more accessible and affordable for lower income students – many of whom are students of color. First elected to the Senate in 2008 – the same historic election that gave the nation its first AfricanAmerican president – Franken said he was stunned at the level of dysfunction and obstructionism directed to the president from some members of the far
right of the Republican Party. “In 2010 a certain faction of the Republican Party won a lot of seats and since then they have been determined to undermine the government at every turn,” said Franken. And while Franken said some of the obstruction is pure partisan politics, he acknowledged race might play a role in the Washington gridlock. “I wonder to what extent race is animating this,” said Franken. “Bill Clinton encountered a great deal of hostility … I mean he was impeached, so I want to give people a little credit and say this is not about race, but on the other hand (race) has an animating aspect to it. The continued belief that (President Obama) isn’t an American is ridiculous. But if you look at the
polling of the 2012 primary in South Carolina and Mississippi you saw a healthy chunk believing he wasn’t an American – I mean come on now, really?” Franken said much of the fight in the nation is not race based but between the haves and have nots with Supreme Court rulings saying corporations are people. The senator has introduced a bill to amend the Constitution to overturn the ruling, but he acknowledged that is a long shot. Franken said because the ruling was a 5 – 4 decision, if there is a change to the court another lawsuit could come up that would overturn the previous decision. “I’m very invested in the things that will make it easier for all Americans to live the middleclass life that is the American Dream,” said Franken.
separate the share of white (highest) and Black (lowest) children who live in poverty. The report also noted that, poverty disproportionately impacts communities of color in Minneapolis. For example, while African American children account for 30 percent of the population, they account for 53 percent of children in poverty.
Minneapolis households that don’t have access to adequate careers, safe and stable housing, healthcare, and educational opportunities are at a significant disadvantage for success in school and life. We must stop this cycle now. King’s clarion call of the “fierce urgency of now” is still a call for today. Now is the time that we must make King’s Dream a reality. The
Minneapolis Urban League and other organizations are pressing forward each day to create 21st Century opportunities for families right here in Minneapolis. We are a people with the spirit of transformation in us and we must think bigger and bolder. We must link today’s education to emerging careers. We must continue to build businesses within our community
to create jobs in our community. We must continue to rally to get our fair share in each of these public infrastructure projects and we can no longer accept excuses. We must encourage donors and policy makers to provide resources to organizations with missions that support a movement toward economic self-reliance and empowerment.
Jim Crow of the south may no longer be a reality but the new Jim Crow of institutional racism, racially charged economic inequality, and achievement gaps is alive and well right here and right now in Minneapolis. The times are still dire. The call is still relevant. The time for change is still now.
reaching out to increase the visibility of the 250-seat theater that produces plays that are unique to the African-American
experience. “This is a different kind of theater. You don’t see this kind of theater in the Twin Cities,”
said Sarah Bellamy. The upcoming run of “The
Ballad of Emmett Till” serves as an example of the unique
By Sheila Regan, Twin Cities Daily Planet
Isaiah Campbell
BELLAMY TURN TO 9
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Page 4 • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Insight News
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LIFESTYLE King: A fourth generation baptist preacher Man Talk
By Timothy Houston As we begin our Black History Month celebrations, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy will of course be observed. We must not overlook the fact that King was a man of God, a follower of Jesus Christ and a man of faith. The ultimate legacy of King, a fourth-generation Baptist preacher, will be more theological and less social or political. It was King’s response to the gospel of Jesus Christ that changed him, and the world around him. Dr. King described himself by his spiritual vocation. “In the quiet recesses of my heart, I am fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher,” King once said. It was the
preacher in him that made all the difference. With this faith, King saw his dream “deeply rooted in the American dream” but even more deeply rooted in the gospels. He grew up wanting to be a lawyer or doctor, not a preacher like his father, grandfather and greatgrandfather. But at Morehouse College, he met the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Mays, a eloquent man who united mind, body and soul. King began to see the ministry as a spiritual force for social change. With his faith as his motivation, the church and the pulpit became his launching pad. With this faith, in 1957, at the age of 28, King, joined the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, the Rev. Joseph Lowery, and other civil rights activists who founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). By faith, the group was created to harness the moral authority and organizing power of Black churches to conduct non-violent protests in the service of civil
Devale Hodge
Kris Edmonds
Tim Houston, Jr.
rights reform. From Albany, Ga. to Birmingham, to Selma, Ala., to the March on Washington, SCLC and it preachers were there to stand against injustices. Their heads were blooded, but yet unbowed. King led the SCLC until his death. With this faith, God is raising up a new crop of young preachers. These young men will be instrumental in championing the cause against injustice. One such man is Elder Devale Hodge who celebrates his birthday this
week and in the same month as King and I. He reminds me of a younger, better version of myself. In his teenage years, Hodge received the Dr. Martin Luther King (Jr.) Motivational Speaker Award in 2009 from Buffalo Public Schools. He is the youngest ordained COGIC elder in the state and one of the youngest in the country. He is also known as a young man of prayer. Hodge has ministered in countless churches throughout the country for revivals, conferences,
seminars and panel discussion, and community engagement. Married the lovely former Ms. Tiffany S. Little, it is his aspiration to serve an ethnically diverse population to promote learning and nurture spiritual growth by utilizing the word of God and prayer to effectively administer community outreach and community development. I have no doubt that he will leave his mark on the world. Most of the civil rights leaders have gone on, but we should have
no fear our faith is in good hands. There are other young leaders in our circle of influence within our community. Young men, such as Kris Edmonds, a young leader at my church who took on a project to assist our seniors and motivated the church and the community to support him in his endeavor. Even my own son, Timothy Houston, Jr. recently had a near-death experience that has served as a catalyst to motivating him to use his gifts in the service of God and community. I am sure each of you have your own young champions – both male and female. If so, you must encourage, support, and inspire them keep their faith alive and help them to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.
Find a mentor to help you along the way Motivational Moments
By Penny JonesRichardson Recently I found myself thinking about my childhood and things I missed out on. I found myself
Work From 1 diversity of its workforce,” said Commissioner Kevin Lindsey. “JE Dunn has made a laudable turnaround in their workforce inclusion performance and this deserves to be highlighted.
King From 1 “I recall when Dr. King was shot and my grandmother gathered all of us together to pray,” said Brazile, who was 8 years old at the time. “She told us to pray for him and his family, but also to pray for the man who shot him. I asked why are we praying for him and she said, ‘Because Dr. King would want us to pray for our enemies.’” Brazile said King’s assassination led her to become civically and politically active.
thinking about decisions that I made and decisions that were made that I had nothing to do with. For the most part, I had a very good upbringing. I come from a loving family and I had a very wonderful mother. But there were some things that I lacked. I didn’t grow up with a father figure around and I do believe that the absence of him was one of the reasons I made such terrible choices as a young adult.
(I am not putting all the blame on that situation, but it did play a part.) I believe that if there were more positive men in my life, maybe I would have figured out my journey a lot sooner. Sometimes individuals need to know people personally who are focused on doing better and achieving goals. It helps to have those mentors early in life to help light and guide you along the way. It helps to have positive people that you can reach out
to with questions about your dreams and desires to achieve greatness of your own. This could make a huge difference in the way you identify and approach your own goals. It is always good to have a little help along the way. I believe if I didn’t eventually have that mentor to talk to and help me along the way with some of my decisions, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. This person ended up
being someone who was a true friend and has really been there to help and lead me in a positive direction. I thank God for her and her guidance. Achieving the goals you set for yourself is hard work with or without a mentor. But it helps to find that person that is willing to be there for you throughout your journey. I am truly happy that I had that someone and also that I have been given the opportunity to be that person to
so many young women who are embarking on their own journey. And as always remember, stay focused, stay determined and keep striving for greatness.
“Contractors such as JE Dunn are developing best practices that not only strengthen and improve Minnesota’s workforce for today, it is also cultivating Minnesota workers for tomorrow’s diverse workforce,” he said. In March 2013, JE Dunn received a 4 rating, which means the contractor failed to meet good faith efforts, for
failing to meet its good faith efforts or its workforce goals on the State Capitol exterior project. The restoration of the Minnesota State Capitol is overseen by the Minnesota Department of Administration. “The Minnesota State Capitol belongs to all Minnesotans and the workforce restoring this landmark
should be reflective of the state’s citizens,” said Spencer Cronk, Commissioner of the Department of Administration. “We applaud JE Dunn’s commitment to recruiting a project team embracing Minnesota’s diversity.” After several meetings with Human Rights representatives, JE Dunn developed a work plan,
hired Diversity Manager Christa Seaberg and implemented trainings and strategies designed to increase diversity. The plan involved concerted efforts and commitments by the entire project team and JE Dunn’s subcontractors. JE Dunn also partnered with Job Connect and the unions to help the company recruit women and
minorities. “This has been a dramatic turnaround,” Commissioner Lindsey concluded. “JE Dunn has put together a plan in which they are working with the community, and as a result they are seeing tremendous success with their workforce participation.”
“The year following Dr. King’s assassination there was a campaign to get everyone registered to vote,” said Brazile. “I wasn’t old enough to vote but I could register others to vote.” Brazile, who was instrumental in passing legislation that recognizes King’s birthday as a national holiday, worked on every presidential campaign from 1976 through 2000, when she was the first African-American to manage a presidential campaign. The adjunct professor at Georgetown University encouraged the breakfast diners to remain vigilant in the struggle.
“Dr. King said we can never be satisfied, we can never turn back,” said Brazile. “Let us increase our service to others. Let us add to the charity we give. Let us exhibit gratitude. Let us expect more of ourselves than we do others. And, let us not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” MLK Holiday Breakfast chair, Tiffanie Boyd, said though progress is evident, so to are shortcomings, citing several examples. “The African-American unemployment rate is two times the national average,” cautioned
Boyd. “African-Americans are 13 percent of the population, yet make up 38 percent of those incarcerated. The achievement gap shows that we are failing to educate our children of AfricanAmerican, Latino and NativeAmerican heritage as compared to white counterparts. We can’t let the progress of the last 50 years allow us to be silent.” Dr. Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) echoed Boyd’s call to action. “There’s a fierce urgency upon us,” said Lomax. “We are on the brink of being too late for too many young people.”
Henry Rucker, who was in attendance with his wife, Nicole Rucker and 7-year-old daughter, Alana Rucker, said Americans must always celebrate the legacy of King and others in the civil rights movement. “These young kids need to know that things haven’t always been like this,” said Rucker, referring to the gains that have been made by many AfricanAmericans. “My daughter is growing up in a society where she doesn’t know anything other than a Black president and that’s beautiful, but you have to keep the passion and movement moving forward.”
The annual Twin Cities celebration is one of the nation’s largest MLK holiday observances. Both of the state’s senators, the governor, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul attended the breakfast along with several other political and civic leaders. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast began in 1991 when UNCF and the General Mills Foundation joined together to host a community celebration to honor the legacy of King.
Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach. She can be reached via her website at www. thequeensproject.com or email at penny@thequeensproject. com.
Ana Elena
Alice Walker, profiled in American Masters “Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth”, airing Friday, February 7 on PBS
PBS celebrates Black history and culture (BlackNews.com) -In commemoration of Black History Month and as part of its year-round commitment to provide diverse programming and resources for all Americans, PBS today announced new shows and online content celebrating the African American experience past, present and future. From an American Masters profile of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, to an Independent Lens documentary about the secret spy agency created to maintain segregation in 1950’s Mississippi, Black History Month on PBS will provide programs that educate, inform and inspire viewers to learn more about the rich culture of our nation. The lineup begins on February 3 at 10:00 p.m. with “American Promise,” a powerful comingof-age documentary from POV that follows the journey of two young African-American males from kindergarten through high school graduation as they attend a prestigious Manhattan private school. Confronting challenges from typical childhood growing pains to cultural identification
within a predominantly white environment, the young men and their parents push toward success and discover their own individuality in the process. Also airing in February are two programs that celebrate the contributions of artists such as Bobby McFerrin and Terence Blanchard in “Jazz and the Philharmonic”, and Bill T. Jones and Brian Stokes Mitchell in “Becoming an Artist”. “Our Black History Month lineup delves deep into the stories of notable people and historical topics in a way that’s uniquely PBS,” says Donald Thoms, Vice President, Programming and Talent Management. “We feature the work of diverse and independent producers, which remains a staple of our content offerings year round, and I think our viewers will enjoy and even find a little inspiration from our content this year.” In addition to on-air programs, the PBS Black Culture Connection (BCC), an extension of PBS.org featuring black films,
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Page 6 • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking
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AfroDescendientes Exhibit features paintings of Cuban revolutionary Antonio Guerrero The Minnesota Cuba Committee and Regla De Oro are sponsoring a month-long exhibit of the paintings of Antonio Guerrero, one of five Cuban revolutionaries locked up in U.S. prisons on trumpedup charges. The opening reception will take place on February 7, from 6-8 PM, at Regla De Oro in Minneapolis. The art show, “I will die the way I lived,” features 15 watercolor paintings by Guerrero, who learned to paint and draw from fellow inmates. The exhibit was successfully shown last year by Obsidian Arts and the Minnesota Cuba Committee during the month of September at the Pillsbury House in south Minneapolis. September 12 marked the 15th years of their arrest and imprisonment. “After finishing the painting number 15, I made the decision to stop in this number, because it coincides with the number of years that soon will mark our captivity,” writes Guerrero in his introductory note to the exhibit. The watercolors give a sense of the routine harassment faced from prison guards and officials, the lack of privacy, the arbitrary searches of cells, the shackling of prisoners every time they are taken to court, the brutality of solitary confinement. At the same time, the paintings show the resilience and creativity of the Cuban Five during their first 17 months of imprisonment awaiting trial in Miami, Fl., including six months of solitary confinement. Guerrero, along with four other Cubans—Gerardo
Self portrait, Antonio Guerrero Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, and René González—were convicted on frame-up charges, including “conspiracy to commit espionage” and, in the case of Hernández, “conspiracy to commit murder,” and received long prison sentences. René
Gonzalez was released in 2011 after serving more than 13 years in prison. Gerardo Hernández faces a prison sentence up to double life plus 15 years. Known internationally as the Cuban Five, these revolutionaries were arrested in September 1998 in Miami
by the FBI. The five had been gathering information on rightwing Cuban exile groups in Florida that have a long history of carrying out violent acts against the Cuban Revolution, with the complicity of the U.S. government. Their assignment was to keep the Cuban
government informed of these deadly operations in order to prevent as many as possible from coming to fruition. Over five decades, more than 3,500 Cubans have been killed and 2,100 injured in attacks, most originating from U.S. soil. Guerrero was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years. On October 13, 2009, his sentence was reduced to 21 years and 10 months, after an appeals court ruled that the sentences of three of the five—Guerrero, Labañino, and Fernando González— were excessive. The reduction in the draconian sentences was an acknowledgement of the pressure put on the U.S. government from the worldwide campaign demanding freedom for the Cuban Five. On February 28, the final day of the exhibit, Regla De Oro will be holding a “celebration” – from 6-8 PM -- of the release of Fernando González, who will be released on February 27 from a federal prison in Safford, Ariz., after serving out his sentence. His release will be a boost to the international campaign to free Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, and Gerardo Hernández. Fernando González was part of the massive effort by the men and women of Cuba to help defend Angola’s independence and sovereignty against South Africa’s apartheid regime. Between 1975 and 1991, more than 375,000 Cubans volunteered to fight alongside Angolans against repeated invasions by what was then still the white supremacist regime in South Africa.
The apartheid regime’s military forces were finally dealt a decisive defeat in 1988 at the great battle of Cuito Cuanavale. That victory also assured the end of South Africa’s colonial domination of Namibia and accelerated the massive popular mobilizations inside South Africa that soon shattered the apartheid regime itself. González was stationed in southern Angola during the final stage of the protracted war against the U.S.-backed South African invaders. South African leader Nelson Mandela eloquently described the historic contributions of the Cuban people during a 1991 visit to Cuba, where he thanked them for their unprecedented aid. “The Cuban internationalists have made a contribution to African independence, freedom and justice, unparalleled for its principled and selfless character,” Mandela told a crowd of tens of thousands in Cuba. More than 350 committees in 114 countries, hundreds of political organizations, and thousands of individuals around the world are working to win the freedom of the Cuban Five. Support ranges from the National Conference of Black Lawyers to the National Council of Churches, actors like Danny Glover and Harry Belafonte, 12 Nobel Prize laureates, to several trade unions, and many others. For more information contact www. minnesotacubacommittee.org (612-367-6134).
Muestra presenta pinturas de revolucionario Cubano Antonio Guerrero Durante el mes de febrero, Minnesota Cuba Committee y Regla De Oro Art Gallery & Fair Trade Gifts están patrocinando la exposición de las pinturas de Antonio Guerrero, uno de los cinco patriotas cubanos encerrados en cárceles de los Estados Unidos acusados de cargos falsos. La recepción inaugural se llevará a cabo el 7 de febrero de 6 a 8 de la noche en Regla De Oro en Minneapolis (2743 Lyndale Ave. So.). La exposición de arte “Yo me muero como viví”, presenta 15
acuarelas de Antonio Guerrero, que aprendió a dibujar y pintar de otros prisioneros. En septiembre del año pasado, Obsidian Arts y Minnesota Cuba Committee, presentaron esta exposición en el centro comunitario Pillsbury House al sur de Minneapolis. El 12 de septiembre marca el decimoquinto año de su arresto y encarcelamiento. “Después de pintar la acuarela número 15, decidí de no pintar más de ellas; coincide con los años que pronto marcará el aniversario de nuestro
cautiverio”, escribe Guerrero en su introducción de la exposición. Los colores de las acuarelas proyectan el hostigamiento rutinario recibido a manos de los guardias de la prisión, la falta de privacidad, los registros de las celdas, el encadenamiento de los prisioneros cada vez que van a tribunal y la brutalidad del confinamiento solitario. Las pinturas expresan la firme resistencia y la creatividad de los Cinco Cubanos en sus primeros 17 meses de encierro esperando el juicio en Miami, Florida, incluyendo seis meses en confinamiento solitario. Guerrero, junto con los otros cuatro cubanos: Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González y René
González, fueron condenados basado en cargos falsos, incluyendo “conspiración para cometer espionaje” y en el caso de Gerardo Hernández, “conspiración para cometer asesinato”, recibiendo largas condenas de prisión. En el 2011, René Gonzalez fue puesto en libertad después de estar más de 13 años en prisión. Gerardo Hernández fue sentenciado a dos cadenas perpetuas más 15 años. En septiembre de 1998, los Cinco Cubanos, como se les conoce internacionalmente, son revolucionarios arrestados por el FBI en Miami. Habían estado recopilando información sobre los grupos de exiliados cubanos de extrema derecha en
la Florida, con una larga historia de actos violentos contra la Revolución Cubana, con la complicidad del gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Su misión era mantener informado al gobierno cubano de los operativos letales de dichos grupos y así prevenir, lo más posible, que se llevaran a cabo. Por más de cinco décadas 3.500 cubanos fueron muertos y 2.100 lesionados en los ataques, la mayoría provenientes de los Estados Unidos. Guerrero fue sentenciado a cadena perpetua más 10 años. El 13 de octubre del 2009, se redujo su sentencia a 21 años y 10 meses, después que un tribunal de apelaciones dictaminara que las sentencias de tres de los cinco cubanos: Antonio Guerrero, Ramón
Labañino y Fernando González eran excesivas. La rebaja de las sentencias draconianas significó el recononocimiento de la presión ejercida al gobierno de los Estados Unidos de parte una campaña internacional exigiendo la liberación de los Cinco Cubanos. El 28 de febrero, el día final de la exposición, Regla De Oro tendrá una “celebración” de 6 a 8 de la noche, por la liberación de Fernando González, que ocurrirá el 27 de febrero, de la prisión federal Safford de Arizona, después de cumplir su condena. Su liberación será un estímulo a la campaña internacional para liberar a
GUERRERO 7 TURN TO
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History From 5 stories and discussion across PBS, announces a digital partnership with the Because of Them, We Can(TM) campaign, which aims to educate and connect a new generation to heroes who paved the way. In an original blog series called “Behind the Lens,” hosted on PBS.org/ bcc, PBS will go behind the camera of cultural architect and campaign photographer Eunique Jones Gibson, and her powerful images, to tell the rich story and history of African American icons through the eyes of our nation’s youth. During the month of February, the BCC will feature images from the Because of Them, We Can(TM) campaign including portraits of children inspired by Harriet Tubman, James Brown, Muhammad Ali and the Freedom Riders, along with a blog post by the photographer giving details of the subject, the shoot and the child/children who are pictured. “Behind the Lens” will be hosted on both the PBS Black Culture Connection and on www. BecauseofThemWeCan.com. “Eunique has created a special link to our past through a campaign that’s inspired and powered by our youth, our future,” said Nicole Eley-Carr, editor, PBS Black Culture Connection. “In many ways, she’s contemporizing
Guerrero From 6 Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino y Gerardo Hernández. Fernando González formó parte de un esfuerzo masivo de hombres y mujeres de Cuba para ayudar a defender la independencia y soberanía
Black History, and PBS is excited to be a space for this evolving dialogue that empowers young people by honoring achievers of yesterday and today.” “I am excited and honored to share a glimpse into the making of the Because of Them, We Can(TM) campaign with the PBS audience,” said Eunique Jones Gibson. “Through the ‘Behind the Lens’ blog series I hope to further the campaign’s mission of building the esteem of both children and adults, while helping them reflect on a living legacy of greatness.” “Behind the Lens” will debut during Black History Month on PBS.org/bcc, alongside more than 30 films that will be available for streaming online throughout the month of February. The full Black History Month programming lineup is listed below (check local listings) and will also be available for online streaming on the BCC after premiere: POV “American Promise” Monday, February 3, 2014, 10:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. ET “American Promise” spans 13 years as Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, middleclass African-American parents in Brooklyn, New York, turn their cameras on their son, Idris, and his best friend, Seun, who make their way through Manhattan’s Dalton School, one of the most prestigious private schools in the country. Chronicling the boys’ divergent paths from kindergarten through de Angola contra el regimen de apartheid de Sudáfrica. Entre 1975 y1991 más de 375.000 cubanos se ofrecieron voluntariamente a combatir junto con los angoleños contra las sucesivas invasiones de lo que fue y sigue siendo un regimen de supremacía blanca en Sudáfrica. La fuerzas militares del regimen del apartheid recibieron una derrota final decisiva en
Aesthetically Speaking • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Page 7 high school graduation, this provocative, intimate documentary presents complicated truths about America’s struggle to come of age on issues of race, class and opportunity. Winner, U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award, 2013 Sundance Film Festival American Masters “Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth” Friday, February 7, 2014, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET Most famous for her seminal novel The Color Purple, writer/activist Alice Walker celebrates her 70th birthday. Born February 9, 1944, into a family of sharecroppers in rural Georgia, she came of age during the violent racism and seismic social changes of mid-20th-century America. Her mother, poverty and participation in the Civil Rights Movement were the formative influences on her consciousness, becoming the inherent themes in her writing. The first AfricanAmerican woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Walker continues to shine a light on global human rights issues. Her dramatic life is told with poetry and lyricism, and includes interviews with Steven Spielberg, Danny Glover, Quincy Jones, Howard Zinn, Gloria Steinem, Sapphire, and Walker herself.
the story of a secret spy agency formed during the 1950s and 60s by the state of Mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain white supremacy. Over a decade, the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission employed a network of investigators and informants, including African Americans, to help infiltrate the NAACP, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). They were granted broad powers to investigate private citizens and organizations, keep secret files, make arrests and compel testimony. The program tracks the commission’s hidden role in important chapters of the Civil Rights Movement, including the integration of the University of Mississippi, the trial of Medgar Evers and the KKK murders of three civil rights workers in 1964.
Independent Lens “Spies of Mississippi” Monday, February 10, 2014, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET View
“Jazz and the Philharmonic” Friday, February 28, 2014, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET JAZZ AND THE PHILHARMONIC is a unique, generational and wholly American concert experience that highlights two of the greatest musical art forms the world has ever seen, classical and jazz. With performances by artists such as Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Terence Blanchard and Elizabeth Joy Roe, this special emphasizes the works of legendary past composers such as Bach and Mozart
1988 en la importante batalla de Cuito Cuanavale. Esta victoria aseguró además el fin de la dominación colonial de Namibia de parte de Sudáfrica y aceleró las movilizaciones masivas populares en el seno de Sudáfrica que muy pronto aplastaron el regimen del apartheid. González estuvo destacado en el sur de Angola durante la fase final de la dilatada guerra contra los
invasores sudafricanos apoyados por los Estados Unidos. Nelson Mandela, líder sudafricano, describe en forma elocuente las contribuciones históricas del pueblo cubano durante una visita a Cuba en 1991, donde le rindió un agradecimiento por su ayuda sin precedentes. “Los cubanos internacionalistas han contribuido a la independencia,
with these contemporary artists. Songs are performed with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra from the University of Miami Frost School of Music and National YoungArts Foundation alumni. “Becoming an Artist” Friday, February 28, 2014, 10:30-11:00 p.m. ET Enjoy an inspiring tribute to the power of mentoring and the vital role it plays in passing on our artistic cultural heritage from one generation to the next. The documentary features acclaimed artists across the disciplines, including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Robert Redford, Rosie Perez, Bill T. Jones, Frank Gehry, Brian Stokes Mitchell, John Guare and Kathleen Turner working with some of the nation’s most talented students selected by the National YoungArts Foundation. BECOMING AN ARTIST is a celebration of our cultural vitality and the need to ensure its continuance. The following is a sample of the more than 30 programs available for online streaming on the BCC in February: * The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. * The March * Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson * Independent Lens - Daisy Bates, Black Power Mixtape, Soul Food Junkies liberación y justicia de Africa, sin paralelo, por su caracter de altos principios y abnegación”, Mandela dijo a una multitud de miles de cubanos. Más de 350 comités en 114 países, cientos de organizaciones políticas y miles de personas en todo el mundo están trabajando arduamente para obtener la liberación de los Cinco Cubanos. Este apoyo proviene,
* Memories of the March * Bill T. Jones: A Good Man (American Masters) * Cab Calloway: Sketches (American Masters) * Dreams of Obama (Frontline) * Endgame: AIDS in Black America (Frontline) * Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. * Freedom Riders (American Experience) * Interrupters (Frontline) * Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A-Comin’ (American Masters) * Jesse Owens (American Experience) * “Roots” Special on Miniseries (Pioneers of TV) * Not in Our Town: Class Actions * Slavery by Another Name * Too Important to Fail (Tavis Smiley) * Underground Railroad: The William Still Story * Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock & Roll (American Masters) * James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket (American Masters) * POV - Black Male Achievement documentary special series: Teaching Fatherhood, The Jazz Ticket, The Algebra Ceiling Other series that routinely offer programming to commemorate Black History Month include Frontline, Great Performances, PBS Newshour, Tavis Smiley and Washington Week With Gwen Ifill.
entre otros, desde National Conference of Black Lawyers a National Council of Churches, actores Danny Glover y Harry Belafonte, 12 ganadores del Premio Nobel, varios sindicatos, y muchos más. Para más información, contactar a www. minnesotacubacommittee.org (612-367-6134).
Page 8 • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking
insightnews.com/aesthetics Soul music fans packed the Dakota Jazz Club this past Sunday (Jan. 19) to see Grammy nominated soul performer Anthony David. Following the show, David took time to hang out with some of his Twin Cities fans. Here are a few shots from the show.
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1) Soul crooner Anthony David delighting the crowd at the Dakota. 2) The singer and twofourths of his Twin Cities band, Russ King (center) and Petar Janjic. 3) Acey Duecy (Anthony David) center with Sydney Wickliffe (left) and Shana Jones. 4) Fox 9’s Iris Perez (right) and Kimberly HolifieldJones with the man of the hour. 5) Sisters Keelii Addy (left) and Kenyatta Monique with A.D. 6) Anthony David surrounded by the beauty of Anna Delisa Gonzalez (left) and Amanda Cannedy
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WITNESS Stomp & Sing
Experience the rhythmic spirit of the Gullah from the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia with guest artist Melanie DeMore and the VocalEssence Chorus.
By Deborah Torraine, Music by Gary Rue Based on the book by Phil Mendez
Jan. 31– Feb 23 “Pay What You Can” Sat. Feb. 1, 3pm
Come have lunch at the Dakota 11:30 - 2 Monday through Friday
Sunday, February 9, 2014 at 4 pm Orchestra Hall 1111 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis
From Chef Derik Moran, find daily specials, salads, sandwiches and more, and never forget dessert by Pastry Chef Katie Elsing. Prices starting at $8 View our complete menu at
Melanie DeMore www.VocalEssence.org • 612-371-5656
dakotacooks.com www.SteppingStoneTheatre.org 55 Victoria Street North | Saint Paul | 651-225-9265
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Insight News • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Page 9
BUSINESS
7 people who are always broke By Brian Penny NEW YORK (MainStreet.com) — Despite many efforts to beef up my income and slim down expenses, I’m still somehow broke. I only have three months to make some major changes to earn more money, spend the money I have more efficiently and save up enough to continue my adventure. To do it, I need to identify what it is about me that makes me broke. I reached out to T.J. Tillman, a founding partner at Empire Wealth Management, and several other financial experts to assess the financial and life issues I’m having. In discussing my options and wealth generation
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strategies, we came up with several commonalities among broke people. Essentially there are seven types of people who are always broke, and, if you have one of these personality ticks, odds are you’re broke too. Here are the seven people who are always broke, and how you can avoid becoming one of them: 1 – People Keeping Up with Other People Early adopters, gamers and other impulse spenders want to keep up with the latest and greatest. They’re only a small subsection, however, of the bigger epidemic of people trying to outspend their friends, family and neighbors just to prove they’re doing O.K. financially. If you try to go out with everyone else for a steak dinner when you have a hamburger budget, you’ll soon find your budget depleted. “This pattern repeats itself over and over,” says John Hargrave, a bankruptcy attorney with over 30 years of experience. “No matter how much a person earns, they spend it all because they want it all.” You don’t need a new car when someone else gets one, and just because a phone has new features, doesn’t mean they’ll benefit you. It’s all well and good that you can use your phone as a projector, but have you used that function? Stop keeping up with the Jones, and save for your own future. 2 – People Who Never Pay on Time Every bill you pay late adds an additional fee; this is pretty much universal anywhere. Your phone, utilities, mortgage, credit card bills – they all charge fees for tardiness. Even stretching out your loan to the maximum term limits in order to pay as little as possible is a terrible idea; a 30year mortgage, for example, will more than double the ticket price of your house. “A person with a great credit score may qualify for a mortgage at a 4% rate versus 5% for someone who has not managed
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their credit as prudently,” says Tillman of Empire Wealth Management. “This 1% difference in rate results in an additional $150 a month payment and an additional $53,000 in interest over the course of a 30-year loan.” If you’re going to procrastinate, bills are not the place to do it. On top of all that, the credit reports will show you’re always late, and you’ll pay higher interest rates (if you can even secure credit). Punctuality removes many financial obstacles. “The best way to tackle this problem is to get organized,” Tillman said. “Create a systematic way that works for you to stay on top of your payments and when they’re due.” There are a variety of free apps that send financial reminders to your phone. You can also manually input the info into a spreadsheet or balance your checkbook with pen and paper. How you do it is up to you, but get punctual, slacker! 3 – People without a Savings Account When deciding how to profile people with financial problems, I reached out to Andre Pinantoan from Pocketbook (a personal finance app that not only tracks personal finances but also has enough extra features to work as a great alternative banking option in the very near future). Pocketbook currently has over 40,000 users, and they value
user input while also analyzing habits. Here’s what Pinantoan had to say: “What we find is that people who seem to be always out of cash is that they under-budget their emergency fund (like that scene from Pixar’s ‘Up’ of the old man and his wife). They underestimate the probability of bad things happening to them, and overestimate good things. In other words, they’re way too optimistic about their future.” How can you ever save money if you don’t have a savings account? You have to treat it like a savings account as well; emergencies do come up, but if there’s no immediate life-threatening danger, don’t dip into your savings. A bit of creativity and resourcefulness will help you maintain the discipline needed to get yourself out of debt. 4 – People with No Ambition Saving money involves earning money; if you don’t have a destination, you’ll never go anywhere. People with ambition have drive, motivation, and inspiration; those who lack one, lack all, and people who lack are truly broke. “Unfortunately, you’re probably not going to be able to change anyone else’s mind about how important having a great work ethic is,” says Tillman. “That’s something that needs to be learned and developed.” Getting up every day to work toward something you love and
5 – People with No Budget In the land of the blind, the Cyclops is king. The only way to find your way out of debt is to make a budget. Having one in your head won’t work – as San Diego Financial Planner Sean Nisil puts it. “Some people get themselves into financial problems because they’re blind optimists,” he said. “They spend with the expectation that the money will magically appear in their bank account.” You can’t fly on wings of hope and good intentions; you need to see the numbers on paper to make them real. You need something tangible you can focus on when you’re surrounded by mass consumerism. Whatever you think of his other accomplishments, what Columbus didn’t do was attempt to navigate without a map, so map your budget before you’re hit by a tidal wave of bills and drown in debt. 6 – Whiners and Complainers It’s important to love what you do – money won’t automatically change your life, and if that’s the mindset you have, you’ll never actually have any money. “I see it with my clients all the time,” says life purpose coach Melanie Cobb. “We need to get rid of their broken thinking before we even look at their bank accounts. When their thinking becomes abundant, so does their money.” Finding happiness within yourself is important. It’s O.K. to have a bad day here and there, but if every day is a chore, then you need to find a new path. Yes, it’ll be uncomfortable, but what movie have you ever seen or book have you ever read where
the protagonist sat around until something was handed to him? When you’re finally happy and fulfilled, you’ll stop impulse spending on things you don’t need and instead save for your future. 7 – Sympathetic Souls I’m not condemning charity; it’s important to be a generous and compassionate person. The problem lies in putting others’ needs before your own. Some people are soft – they lack that killer instinct. We’d all love to see those people succeed in life, and the majority of them will -they’ll just do it while in debt. There’s a reason non-profits are called that – if you give to others in need, you’ll never have a surplus saved. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t give a dollar to a homeless person (that actually costs less than your coffee or texting habit), but there’s a deeper issue with sympathetic souls. “People with low self-esteem will always be at risk for financial struggle, because they will always look for ways to purchase acceptance and love.” says Farrah Parker, an Image Consultant for PR and Strategic Marketing firm, FD Parker & Associates. It’s necessary to accept and love yourself, because, as the Beatles say, “Can’t buy me love.” Speaking with these experts inspired me to keep pushing, despite my current situation of sleeping on a friend’s couch, helping to pay bills while keeping up with the trials, tribulations and expenses of everyday life. Saving money isn’t difficult, but it takes discipline. With proper planning, a solid budget and the passion to earn an income, we’ll have a solid foundation to avoid becoming one of the seven people who are always broke. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being broke. —Written for MainStreet by Brian Penny, a former Business Analyst at Bank of America turned whistleblower, consultant and blogger. Republished with permission.
Alone in the wilderness: Doing what’s right when everyone else is doing something else
Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being broke.
are passionate about makes you more productive, which, in turn leads to more money. “Especially in this day and age where a corporate pension is an anomaly and Social Security is questionable at best, it’s more important than ever to be financially self-sufficient,” says Tillman. “If you have no ambition, you’ll always struggle with debt.”
Plan Your Career By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Black History Month always brings out the bravery in me. Courage is not my strongest suit, and I usually think twice before I do anything very risky. But when I remember what other people have gone through, with no certainty that the outcome will be satisfactory, let alone safe, I am encouraged, again, to take chances, to stand up for what I know is right, and to bring others along when I can, ostensibly risking their lives, too, but doing it anyway.
Bellamy From 3 programming provided by Penumbra. The play takes a look at the short life of Emmett Till, a 13-year-old child infamously murdered for supposedly whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. The stunning set is constructed with the actual (harsh and biting) words of the acquitted – and later confessed – killers of the young child, who was visiting from Chicago when he was brutalized and killed. “The Ballad of Emmett Till” runs Feb. 6 – March 2. “Penumbra has become a beacon for Black actors and it also makes the case that Black life is valuable and worthy of cultural exploration,” said Sarah Bellamy. “For the most part people leave here and go to other (theaters) where they don’t treat history with the same level of care and respect and they’re disgusted.”
Standing up for one’s self and beliefs is easier if you can reach backward and find confidence in past successes. When were you scared? When were you reluctant? Was there ever a time when you stepped away from your fear and just “did it anyway?” Lately, I’ve been facing some big decisions. While talking it over, a career coach friend reminded me of an adventure my college aged daughter and I experienced a few years back. We were
on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Portugal. In our part of Portugal, no one – no one – spoke English. Well, maybe the concierge at the hotel, but not very well. We had arranged for a horse ride through the Portuguese National Forest. We bribed a cabbie to take us to the remote location and begged him to return for us later on. The stable was... there was no stable. The horses lived among the trees. The trainer lived in a tin can of a camper nearby with his wife and small
(3 years or so) child. There were no saddles and there was no common language, let alone cell phone service. No one in America knew we were there, literally. We washed the horses, and learned, mostly through demonstration, how to calm the horses by doing a few yoga poses on their bare backs. Then we headed into the wilderness, with only a very foreign stranger as our guide. When the cabbie (thankfully) returned for us four hours later, we had had the time
of our lives! Scared? Terrified! Do it again? In a heartbeat! Sometimes, when you feel like you’re alone in a very foreign wilderness, you just have to jump on that horse and ride forward, trusting your gut that things are going to work out okay. Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. To hear about job openings, send your resume to Julie at jdesmond@ georgekonik.com.
Page 10 • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Insight News
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COMMUNITY Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office hosts winter Hooked on Fishing; Not Drugs event The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Little Earth, Minnesota DNR, and the Hennepin County Sheriff Foundation, hosted the first ever winterized Hooked on Fishing; Not Drugs event. More than a dozen kids ages 10-14 spent the afternoon ice fishing with deputies and learning the best ways to reel in “a big one.� The event took place at Fort Snelling State Park on Snelling Lake. The event is aimed to deter kids from experimenting with drugs by promoting the importance of making positive choices. The goal is to keep at risk youth interested in fun recreational activities as an alternative to drug use. The event took place at Fort Snelling State Park on Snelling Lake. For many of the children, this was their very first time ice fishing. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek spoke to the kids about making good decisions and the dangers associated with using drugs. “We are teaching these kids how to enjoy the great outdoors in Minnesota and we’re incorporating a fun experience with a serious message,� said Stanek. “We want them to leave here today with more knowledge about how to do the right thing if they are ever offered drugs.� The Sheriff’s Office Community Engagement Team assisted the Sheriff with the event. Deputies on the team provide outreach efforts in diverse communities in order to better address public safety concerns and build trust in
Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
law enforcement. The team is comprised of Sheriff’s Office personnel who meet with community groups and provide public safety instruction.
The Hennepin County Sheriff Foundation (HCSF) in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities has hosted six previous Hooked
on Fishing; Not Drugs events, which have all taken place in the summertime. Hooked on Fishing; Not Drugs is a national program sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Justice with support from Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the county. The Hennepin County Sheriff Foundation supports the 120
volunteer special deputies throughout the Sheriff’s office while providing programmatic support for youth programs in the community.
2 0 1 4 B L A C K H I S T O RY E V E N T S C A L E N D A R History HiJinx: Black History Month When: Feb. 1, Feb. 2, Feb. 8, Feb. 9, Feb. 15, Feb. 16, Feb. 22, Feb. 23, 2014 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Where: Minnesota History Center, Admission Cost: $11 adults, $9 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MNHS members.
with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Visit the History Center for free programming each weekend in February. Explore the Minnesota’s Greatest Generation exhibit and learn about Harold Brown, a WWII Tuskegee airman. Try on a parachute pack and make your own model aircraft.
His brutal death was the spark that ignited one of the most important social justice movements in the world, but Emmett Till remains a stranger to most Americans. The Ballad of Emmett Till introduces you to the boy and celebrates his life through the eyes of those who loved him and knew him best. As his mother said, her son was “the sacrificial lamb of the Civil Rights Movement.� When he died, the world woke up
FDR and Black Aspirations When: Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. Where: RCL—Roseville ,2180 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville, The Great Depression and World War II brought hardship, but they also unleashed a wave of renewed demands for justice among black Americans. J.B. Andersen, presenter of an enormously popular lecture series on the Presidency, talks about the ways in which black leaders like A. Philip Randolph used the international crisis to press the case for Civil Rights
The Ballad of Emmett Till by Ifa Bayeza directed by Talvin Wilks When: Feb. 6 – March 2, 2014 Where: Penumbra Theatre Company Admission Cost: Adult $40.00 and Student (with a valid school ID for college/university) $15.00
For ticket purchase, go to http:// www.penumbratheatre.org/ or call (651) 224-3180. Restoring Our Hidden Legacy- Panel Discussion When: Feb. 8, 2014, 10:30 a.m. Noon Where: Shiloh Temple, 1201 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN Confirmed panelists include Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati, professor
emeritus, Macalester College; Professor Shannon Gibney, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and V.J. Smith, national president of Mad Dads. The panel will be moderated by pastor and journalist Les Lester. Les has served as a reporter for the Chicago Defender newspaper and in radio news. The theme of our Black History Month celebration is Restoration 2014. Bearing Witness: The Ballad of Emmett Till When: Feb.11 at 7:30 p.m. Where: RCL—Roseville, 2180 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville In 1955, a 14-year-old boy was brutally murdered in Mississippi for the “crime� of whistling at a white woman. His death shocked the conscience of a nation and helped ignite the modern Civil Rights Movement. The Penumbra Theatre presents scenes from their new play with a Q & A session to follow. NOMMO, featuring Kevin Young When: Feb. 12, 2014 at 7 p.m. When; Hubert H. Humphrey Center, Cowles Auditorium, University of Minnesota 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
Classifieds IT Analyst
RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE
The The MN House of Representatives Chief Clerk’s Office has a full-time Information Technician Analyst position available. The complete job posting can be found at: www.house.mn/jobs or call 651-297-8200 for a faxed or mailed copy. Cover letter and resume must be received by Thursday, January 30, 2014.
Vacancies
Temporary positions The MN House of Representatives has a number of temporary positions for the 2014 Legislative Session. DFL Caucus: • Legislative Assistant • Communication Specialist • Constituent Service Specialist/Writer Sergeant-at-Arms: • Committee Pages • Legislative Assistant House Public Information Services: • Information Assistant • Writer • Television Production Technician Complete job postings can be found at www.house.mn/jobs or call (651) 297-8200 for a faxed or mailed copy. EEO/AA EMPLOYER
Join us for the 10th annual NOMMO African American Author Series, featuring host and moderator Alexs Pate. Our second event features poet Kevin Young on February 12, 2014.These dynamic events feature the authors reading from their work and engaging in spirited dialogue with Pate about the state of the art of African American literature. To secure a reservation, http:// www.continuum.umn.edu/reg/ nommo/ African Americans in Ports and Waterways When: Feb. 13, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. Admission Cost: Free The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Historical Society team up to present a program for Black History Month, focusing on African Americans in transportation. Join us as we navigate through the history of Black voyagers and sailors who explored the Great Lakes and Northern Territories. The Pullman Porters of Saint Paul; Building Community
Phone: 612.588.1313
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authority has rental units available in Cass County, MN. Please call 218-335-8280. Must meet certain qualifications.
EEO/AA EMPLOYER
Admission Cost: Free and open to the public. Reservation Requested
Cokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at 320-286-2758. E-Mail cokapts@embarqmail.com
Townhomes Available Fieldcrest in Moorhead, MN Rent based on 30% of income 2 & 3 bdroms open MetroPlains Management
701-232-1887 www.metroplainsmanagement.com
APARTMENT OPENINGS Delton Manor is accepting applications for future 1, 2, & 3 Bedrm apartment openings. Delton Manor has 3 two-bedrm handicapped accessible units located in the building. Delton Manor promotes equal housing opportunities for all perspective residents regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual preference, religion, handicap, marital status, familial status, national origin or source of income. For applications and qualifications, contact NANCY at 218-7592523. AN EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
West Falls Estates Rent based on 30% Of adjusted income Call Patricia Brown At 218-283-4967 TDD 800-627-3529
by Writing Black History When: Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. Where: RCL—Maplewood, 3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood During the great days of railroading, they were the welltraveled African-American elite who brought news of the outside world back to their community. They formed the nation’s first black labor union, and their leader was a titan of the early Civil Rights Movement. Join us to hear the story of the Pullman Porters of Saint Paul. Film on Friday When: Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. Where: RCL—Maplewood, 3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood Join Ramsey County Library in Maplewood for outstanding feature films drawn from the many stories of Black History. Daughters of Africa—a Musical Celebration When: Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. Where: RCL—Maplewood, 3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood Fueled by the songs of Lena Horne, Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, and many others, the Mixed Blood Theatre
Fax: 612.588.2031
presents an exuberant, musicdriven celebration of African American women’s triumphs and accomplishments, featuring a striking collection of profiles of the famous and the forgotten. African-American Cultural Impact on the 1920s Two presentations for Black History Month “The Racial Divide during the Harlem Renaissance� When: Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. Where: Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis Admission Cost: Free Wellesley College and Northeastern University, noted author and cultural historian Carla Kaplan will speak about the African-American cultural impact on the 1920s. Book Reading and Book Signing- Carla Kaplan When: Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. Where: Common Good Books, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul Admission Cost: Free Carla Kaplan will read from her award-winning book, Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance
Email: info@insightnews.com
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Insight News • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Page 11
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ACUTE HEART FAILURE (StatePoint) It’s easy to be misled by the many misconceptions about heart disease -- for example -- that it only affects the elderly or those with unhealthy diets. But in reality, every 40 seconds someone in America dies from heart disease, making it a leading cause of death in the country. One of the most impactful heart diseases affecting millions of Americans is acute heart failure (AHF), which significantly reduces life
expectancy and impacts quality of life. Although HF sounds final, it does not mean the heart has actually “failed” or stopped. Rather, it occurs when the heart is unable or “fails” to pump enough oxygen-rich blood through the body. AHF can occur in people who have never had heart failure (HF) before or when people with chronic HF suffer critical episodes where symptoms become worse and urgent hospital treatment is required.
AHF is not the same as a heart attack, cardiac arrest, or a heart rhythm abnormality, although those conditions and others may contribute to the AHF episode. The most common symptoms of AHF include shortness of breath, known as dyspnea, which can substantially incapacitate a person. Fluid build-up in the lungs and throughout the body is another common symptom and is often described by patients as a sensation that feels
close to drowning. “Every episode of AHF results in a downward spiral of worsening health and damage to vital organs such as the heart and kidneys which decreases the patient’s chance of surviving another episode,” says Dr. Hal Skopicki a cardiologist at Stony Brook Medical Center in New York. “Anyone experiencing AHF symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.” Patients at-risk of AHF should understand that seeking prompt, accurate diagnosis and
treatment is critical to long-term survival. Then, once discharged from the hospital, education and support are keys to making the necessary lifestyle changes that can help avoid another episode. The American College of Cardiology has more information about AHF at cardiosmart.org. Take steps to learn more about this life-threatening disease and educate your love ones.
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Page 12 • January 27 - February 2, 2014 • Insight News
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Choose well New choices in health care are here. Introducing UCare ChoicesSM, affordable new health plans from a leader in Minnesota health care, with coverage for young adults, families, empty nesters and everyone in between. Find out more at UCareChoices.org, and look for us on the MNsure health insurance marketplace. Choose well. Choose UCare Choices.