Insight News ::: 03.24.14

Actors shine in Guthrie’s production of ‘Othello’ MORE ON PAGE 5

March 24 - March 30, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 13 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

The business of giving

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer

Krista Carroll with the children at Grace Village orphanage in Titanyen, Haiti.

Jeremy Carroll

In 2009 Jeremy and Krista Carroll were living a pretty good life in New York City with few worries or cares.

Sure, there were the daily stresses of most American middle-class existences, but for the most part, the Carrolls were living the good life. Fast forward to today and the Carrolls are still living the good life – though in Minneapolis now – yet according to Jeremy Carroll, not only are they living the good life, they are working to help others to simply be able to live a life at all.

In doing so, the Carrolls, along with business partner, Joey Perry, have built a rapidly expanding business based on the principle of giving – giving to the tune of half the company’s net profits.

“My family owned a printing company and after 56 years they decided to close the business,”

Creative design and marketing company donates half of net profits to charity

explained Jeremy Carroll. “I loved the way they treated their customers, treated their staff and treated their community, so after they sold it, I was looking for something to replace that, so I decided to take a trip to Haiti. It was there in Haiti that I experienced extreme poverty for the first time.”

Jeremy Carroll said up until that time, he had very little understanding of what it meant to live an impoverished existence.

The awakening was shocking.

“You can see pictures of poverty and you can mentally

GIVING TURN TO 3

I wanted to give those kids the opportunity that my kids have –Jeremy Carroll

Insensitive remarks on a Minneapolis police officer’s Facebook page spark outrage; open internal investigation

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer W While Alicia Lucio was perusing hher Facebook timeline one post stopped her in her tracks. st The post was from one of her then Facebook friends, whose th sscreen name is Joseph Klimax.

Lucio knows Joseph Klimax by L hhis real name, Joseph Klimmek.

Klimmek is a veteran police K oofficer with the 1st District of the Minneapolis Police Department.

M The T post was to a link of a Fox 9 story on a murder in south Minneapolis.

Klimmek weighed M in with by posting, “3(sic) murders in 3(sic) days and it’s m not n even warm yet.” But it was the th sentence that followed that sparked Lucio’s outrage. sp “This could be a busy year finally,” is what followed y Klimmek’s words about three K Minneapolis killings within M three th days.

Lucio said she was stunned by b what she read and even more stunned when other presumed st Minneapolis police officers M chimed in seemingly hoping for c a “busy” year.

“I wanted to point out the fact f that the police were literally looking forward to a busy year,” l said Lucio. “They verified s through conversation that they t were looking forward to having w something to do. My point was s to t bring this to light.”

POLICE TURN TO 9

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Rep. Keith Ellison talks with students at MCTC about MNsure as MNsure navigators Angela Williams and Marcel Lynn look on.

Ellison visits MCTC to encourage students to get insured

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer With the deadline to sign up for heath insurance without penalty

fast approaching, Rep. Keith Ellison was on hand at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) to encourage enrollment.

Ellison (MN-5) said MCTC was the perfect venue

to enroll individuals, as the student population at the downtown Minneapolis college is disproportionately uninsured or under insured. Along with Ellison, MNsure Navigators

from Minneapolis Urban League, and NorthPoint Health & Wellness, African American Legacy institutions collaborating

MCTC TURN TO 3

Pepper Miller: African American marketing guru Marketing guru Pepper Miller, president of The Hunter-Miller Group, Chicago, IL addresses the 18th Annual Multicultural Marketing Conference and Awards Luncheon being held 8am – 3pm Wednesday, March 26, at The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove Street.

The conference looks at Asian American, Hispanic

American and African American markets in the United States, inviting businesses to ask themselves whether they are getting a share of these lucrative, expanding markets.

Miller’s provocative presentation is entitled “Black (Still) Matters In Marketing.

Why Increasing Your Cultural

Pepper Miller

Vicky Wong

Isabel Valdes

MILLER TURN TO 3

Insight 2 Health

Lifestyle

Community

Business

Large waist linked to poor health

Relationship 101: The power of the first creation

Nano day at Sabathani Community Center

Absolute Tire and Wheel is a winner on West Broadway

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Page 2 • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

LARGE WAIST LINKED TO POOR HEALTH...

Even among those in healthy body mass index ranges ROCHESTER, Minn.

— March 12, 2014 — Having a big belly has consequences beyond trouble squeezing into your pants. It’s detrimental to your health, even if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI), a new international collaborative study led by a Mayo Clinic researcher found. Men and women with large waist circumferences were more likely to die younger, and were more likely to die from illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory problems, and cancer after accounting for body mass index, smoking, alcohol use and physical activity. The study is published in the March edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The researchers pooled data from 11 different cohort studies, including more than 600,000 people from around the world. They found that men with waists 43 inches or greater in circumference had a 50 percent higher mortality risk than men with waists less than 35 inches, and this translated to about a three-year lower life expectancy

after age 40. Women with a waist circumference of 37 inches or greater had about an 80 percent higher mortality risk than women with a waist circumference of 27 inches or less, and this translated to about a five-year lower life expectancy after age 40.

Importantly, risk increased in a linear fashion such that for every 2 inches of greater circumference, mortality risk went up about 7 percent in men and about 9 percent in women.

Thus, there was not one natural “cutpoint” for waist circumference that could be used in the clinic, as risk increased across the spectrum of circumferences.

Another key finding was that elevated mortality risk with increasing waist circumference was observed at all levels of BMI, even among people who had normal BMI levels. Because of the large size of this pooled study, researchers were able to clearly show the independent contribution of waist circumference after accounting for BMI, says James Cerhan, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic epidemiologist and lead

author of the study.

“BMI is not a perfect measure,” says Dr. Cerhan. “It doesn’t discriminate lean mass from fat mass, and it also doesn’t say anything about where your weight is located. We worry about that because extra fat in your belly has a metabolic profile that is associated with diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.”

Dr. Cerhan says physicians should consider both BMI and waist circumference as part of risk assessment for obesity-related premature mortality.

“The primary goal should be preventing both a high BMI and a large waist circumference,” Dr. Cerhan says. “For those patients who have a large waist, trimming down even a few inches — through exercise and diet — could have important health benefits.”

This study was funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute as part of the Cohort Consortium and included investigators from North American, Europe and Australia.

-Mayo Clinic News Network

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Insight News • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Page 3

MNBNA awards three scholarships; hopes to award six more The Minnesota Black Nurses Association (MNBNA) held its inaugural Scholarship Fundraiser Gala and awarded three $1,000 scholarships to three nursing students from the metropolitan area.

The scholarship recipients are attending St. Catherine University, Minneapolis Community Technical College and the University of Minnesota.

A second Scholarship Fundraiser Gala, Circle of Care

Dr. Ed Ehlinger

Dr. Levi Downs

Dr. Margaret Pharris

– One Person at a Time, will be held May 3 at the Minneapolis Boulevard Hotel, 2200 Freeway Blvd., Minneapolis.

MNBNA hopes to double the number of scholarships to six recipients with funds raised from the upcoming event.

Dr. Levi Downs, chief medical officer for University of Minnesota Physicians, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health and director of the

Division of Gynecologic Oncology will keynote the upcoming gala. Dr. Ed Ehlinger, Minnesota Commissioner of Health, who is responsible for directing the work of the Minnesota Department of Health, and Dr. Margaret Pharris, professor and associate dean for nursing at St. Catherine University, will serve as special guest speakers and will share insights on the theme, Circle of Care – One Person at a Time.

Ranked choice voting ‘local options’ bill picks up steam special legislative permission,” Simon said.

Yet that’s the case under current law. The local options bill frees statutory jurisdictions to use Ranked Choice Voting if they choose, and it allows charter cities to approve RCV by ordinance. It also establishes guidelines to ensure that the next generation of voting

ST. PAUL-Though both Minneapolis and St. Paul have now used Ranked Choice Voting twice—with tremendous success—they’re not the only Minnesota communities interested in smarter, fairer, more representative elections.

Other reform-minded Minnesota cities want to try RCV for local elections. The

bipartisan “local options” bill authored by Rep. Steve Simon (H.F. 367) and Sen. Ann Rest (S.F. 335) would give them the tools and the flexibility to do it.

“If cities want to eliminate separate, low-turnout, unrepresentative primaries— and broaden political participation in the process— they shouldn’t need to seek

MCTC

need healthcare,” said Ellison to a group of students gathered on the campus’ second floor skyway.

“Here’s the reality; you don’t know when you’re going to need health insurance. You could be walking and slip on ice and end up looking up at the sky and your first thought is going to be, ‘how much is this going to cost me?’”

Ellison who has been a vocal supporter of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that was passed in 2009 and went into law at the start of the year, said prior to the law taking effect the number one cause for bankruptcy was medical debt.

“But in order for it (ACA) to work we’ve got to get everybody signed up,” said Ellison. “We know if you’re insured it saves the country money, but most importantly, it saves you money.

Getting covered is the right thing for you and the right thing for you to do for your parents.”

Josie Browning agreed with Ellison. The 20-year-old film student said dealing with Type 1 diabetes was costing her family about $3,000 a month for medicine and management supplies.

Browning said even though she

From 1 to helping MNsure reach the uninsured and underinsured, were on hand navigating people through the enrollment process. NorthPoint and Minneapolis Urban League navigators provided computers, access, and guidance to people who wanted to enroll in health plans.

“It was a great event,” said Angela Williams, Urban League’s lead Navigator who worked alongside Marcel Lynn, NorthPoint’s Lead Navigator. “We enrolled 10-15 new individuals.”

The deadline to enroll without penalty is March 31. That deadline does not apply to individuals who qualify for Medical Assistance or Minnesota Care. The event that took place this past Tuesday (March 18), drew the interests of several students looking to become insured or to find more affordable coverage.

“Just because you’re 22 (years of age) and strong and beautiful doesn’t mean you don’t

Miller From 1 IQ About Black America Is Critical To Your Company and Brand!”

Miller knows from whence she speaks.

When Pepper Miller was rejected as a candidate for the market research training

Giving From 1 kind of put them away, but when you see it firsthand, it truly affects your life,” said Jeremy Carroll. “You can feel it. You can feel the heat; you can smell the environment. You can touch the kids and you can walk with them and you can realize that kids are kids anywhere. For me, I wanted to give those kids the opportunity that my kids have.

At that moment, I just knew that building a business to give 50 percent of the profits would be the future.”

Upon Jeremy Carroll’s return, he, his wife and Perry started Latitude (www.latitudeelevates. com) a creative design and marketing firm that operates out of Minneapolis and New York.

Founded in 2009, Latitude has already amassed an impressive list of clients that includes Adidas, 10 Cane Rum, Champs Sports, Ann Taylor, Converse, New Balance, Captain Morgan Rum, Foot Locker, Chobani Yogurt and others. And with those impressive clients comes some impressive paychecks.

Once all expenses are paid, half of what’s left over goes directly to efforts to fight extreme poverty.

Charities in Haiti, Liberia, Mozambique, India, Tajikistan, the Congo, Mongolia, Honduras and Afghanistan have benefited from Latitude’s giving at the tune of $726,000 this past year.

“We started with a goal to give a total of $1 million by our fifth year in operation,” said Jeremy Carroll. “Our first year we gave $50,000, our second year we gave $240,000 and our third year we gave $500,000.”

Total, Latitude has easily eclipsed its initial goal and given more than $1.5 million.

“Now we have a goal to give $1 million this year,” said Jeremy Carroll.

According to the company’s

equipment is RCV-capable.

Just as importantly, it would give cities that want to make the switch a tried-and-true blueprint for implementing RCV, Simon explained.

Rest called the measure, which has growing support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, “just common sense. This is simply about getting out

of the way and letting cities innovate,” she said.

By allowing cities to roll the primary and general elections into one, Rest added, the bill would also eliminate barriers for military and overseas voters. “If we can help cities make it easier for deployed service members to engage in the democracy they’re fighting

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Rep. Keith Ellison talks with film student Josie Browning, 20, about the Affordable Care Act while fellow film students Liam Lavandowska, 18, and Sarah Deurr, 32, listen in.

to protect, why wouldn’t we?”

H.F. 367 has passed the House Elections Committee and now awaits a full vote in the House; its Senate companion is slated for a hearing soon in the Senate Elections Committee.

For more information, contact FairVote Minnesota Executive Director Jeanne Massey.

Student Life at MCTC said she recognized the need to have MNsure representatives on campus to assist the school’s diverse student population.

“We surveyed students and learned that a quarter to one-third of our students are uninsured or under insured,” said Martinez.

Martinez said the school, which has an on-site “quick clinic,” benefits directly from students being insured.

“Students are seen at our clinic regardless of if they are insured or not, but those who are insured help to offset the costs, so it’s definitely beneficial to have more of our students insured,” explained Martinez.

The congressman stayed on hand for over an hour and a half personally directing students to sign up for healthcare through the on site MNsure navigators.

For further information contact Angela Williams, MNsure Recruiter Outreach at Minneapolis Urban League, 2100 Plymouth Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55411. Call 612-302-3100 or (m) 763-777-0925. Email: awilliams@ mul.org.

was covered under her mother’s insurance, the $3,000 was an out of pocket cost before the deductible was reached.

Ellison spoke to an individual

who said he lost several friends who died in their 50s because of heart disease, stroke and other conditions.

“When you’re 50 you’ve got

to stay in shape or very quickly you’ll be out of shape,” explained Ellison. “You aren’t supposed to die at 50-years-old.”

Tara Martinez, director of

program at the now defunct J. Walter Thompson ad agency in Chicago, she resigned and opened her own market research firm, The Hunter-Miller Group, Inc. in 1985. Since then she has been helping large corporations like General Mills, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, understand Black America.

In 2005, Miller along with the late Herb Kemp, co-authored

What’s Black About It? which is considered by many to be one of the most important books on African-American cultural marketing and insights. In her latest book, Black (Still) Matters in Marketing (April, 2012) Miller helps marketers better understand the importance of making a real and meaningful connection with today’s Black consumer Through cultural insights,

stories, stats and case stories, Pepper opens the door to Black culture, invites you in and starts a deep, meaningful conversation. The book is an intimate look into what it means to be Black in today’s America.

Through an honest discussion, Miller walks you towards a better understanding of how Black still matters.

Miller served as a research consultant for the largest study

about African Americans to date; the Black America Today segmentation study commissioned by Radio One and conducted by Yankelovich.

The study was launched June 2008.

Conference manager, Rick Aguilar, president of Aguilar Productions, and president of Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium said the conference is presenting stellar

leadership voices in the field of multicultural marketing.

At 9 am, Vicky Wong of DAE Advertising, Inc., delivers a presentation entitled “Close & Personal on Asian Americans.”

Miller’s presentation follows at 10:15am. At 11:15am Isabel Valdés of Isabel Valdés Consulting presents “WIN ! The Hispanic Market - Strategies for Business Growth”

annual report, in 2013 alone, the money given by Latitude has helped provide a year’s worth of meals for nearly 800 children, rescued 125 people from slavery, provided 3.27 million gallons of clean drinking water, educated 1,241 children and provided

medical equipment for three medical clinics serving nearly 55,500 people.

“Honestly, I don’t think giving 50 percent is enough,” said Jeremy Carroll. “I’d love to give more. I’d love to be able to give 100 percent.”

In addition to Latitude’s giving, the company is encouraging its clients and employees to give as well. The company is even hosting what it calls Insight Trips to Haiti and Nicaragua to see first-hand the impact giving has on these

extremely impoverished regions.

“We went to Cite` Soleil in Haiti – that’s the poorest slum in Haiti; so poor it’s considered fourth world – and there are 300,000 people in three square miles. It’s a different ballgame down there,” said Josh Witham,

a graphic designer who has been with Latitude from nearly the beginning. “It’s incredible the level of poverty. It breaks you open, yet in the middle of all that, you see these kids with such joy and such smiles and it really gives you hope.”

2100 Plymouth Avenue N Minneapolis, MN 612-302-3100 Contact:

Information Technology Solutions

Angela or Katherine (612) 302-3100

GET INFORMED ON THE LATEST HEALTH PLANS WITH BENEFITS Navigators are on duty to assist you in choosing the best plan for your household.

Only one application is needed to fill out for you and your family for all coverage options in MNsure.

Contact our Certified MNsure Navigators, Angela or Katherine at (612) 302-3100 for assistance.

The mission of the Minneapolis Urban League is to provide human services and advocacy that will enable African Americans residing in the Hennepin County area to sign up for affordable health care. For this reason, the Minneapolis Urban Mondays 10:30 am to 5:00 pm League has partnered with MNsure Tuesdays 10:30 am to 9:00 pm and the Department of Human Wednesdays 10:30 am to 5:00 pm Services to get African American Thursdays 10:30 am to 9:00 pm families signed up for health Fridays 10:30 am to 5:00 pm insurance.

MNsure OPEN ENROLLMENT

Saturdays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2014

Page 4 • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE Relationship 101: The power of the first creation Man Talk

By Timothy Houston All things are created twice – the mental or the first creation, and the physical or the second creation.

The first creation sets the stage for what will be manifested in the second one, and it is the more important of the two. This is true for anything that you are planning to build, including relationships.

Relationships’ first creation includes the core

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values of honesty, trust, security, meaningful communication and mutual attractions will have the foundation needed to weather the storms of life. There is power in the first creation. To harness this power, you must revisit the mental picture you have in mind for your relationship.

To begin with, you need to clearly define the first creation.

Think about this, if you were going to have your dream home built, you would begin with the mental image that you have in mind. You would visualize the number of bedrooms, the kitchen, bathrooms and the number of levels in the home. You would mentally create every detail in that home. Someone would then take your mental pictures and put them into a blueprint. In construction, you use a blueprint, and in relationship, you use a mission or vision statement.

Writing the blueprint, vision, or mission statement is all a part of the mental or first creation. The clearer the picture you paint in the

Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Editorial Intern Abeni Hill Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Toki Wright Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Alysha Price

first creation, the more likely the physical, or second one, will meet your needs and expectations now and in the future.

Next, you need to include your core values in the first creation.

This will be the basis for your mental picture. In the nature, if you place more importance on the exterior of the house (yellow with a white picket fence)

Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson What is the definition of being strong?

Who defines if you are a strong person or not? Is your strength measured by your actions or the things that you

do on a regular basis? Strength has nothing to do with your muscles, and everything to do with the way you handle life’s adversities.

In my family there are many people who have amazing strength, but one person that stands out the most is my sister. This woman is one of the strongest women I know.

Her son, my nephew, was murdered many years ago.

Even though they ruled his death as an accident at first, she never believed that from Day One. She fought for more than

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Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. To get copies of his books, for questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.

20 years to find the truth and eventually did. The individuals who were guilty of this crime were arrested and are now serving life sentences.

When I think of what my sister had to go through, I often wonder where she found the strength to go on. This was a tragic event for our family, but more devastating for her. There were many days that I am sure she was tired and needed rest.

But her determination to find the truth kept her going. This is what happens when a person is so persistent on completing

a goal. My sister’s goal was to find who did this to her son and nothing was going to stand in her way. She had to use every bit of strength she had to complete this and see this to the end.

This is how determination along with persistence works.

If you are determined to reach a goal you will find the strength to do it. Even when you are at your weakest moment, completing this goal will always be on your mind. Any goal that you set for yourself may keep you up at night and it may be all you

think about until it is complete.

But this will show how strong you really are and how bad you want to finish what you started.

Stay strong and know that you have the strength to complete anything you start.

And as always, stay focused, stay determined and keep striving for greatness.

Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach. She can be reached via her website at www. thequeensproject.com or email at penny@thequeensproject.com.

The elephant in the room The Moore Therapy Movement

By Dr. Darren D. Moore Ph.D., LMFT The Elephant in the Room.

Why do we have such a huge problem with talking about whatever it is that needs to be talked about in our relationships with our friends, family, church organizations, etc.? I see time and time again people who would rather avoid addressing issues, avoid facing the truth, and avoid being their most genuine selves, instead of being open and honest about how they are feeling.

One thing I know as a mental health professional is that our thoughts guide our behaviors.

Even if a person does not say a word, how they are feeling will manifest in their lives, and it will be expressed through their behaviors and interaction with others. Our thoughts may in fact

come out in the way we engage with other people through our emotions and our non-verbal communication. Perhaps there’s something you really should tell your spouse or child that is bothering you. Instead of telling them, you’d rather ignore the elephant in the room.

It has been my experience that many people would rather live by the mantra of, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” While I understand this perspective and can agree with its use in some situations, when it comes to addressing the elephant in the room, it should not be applied. The fact of the matter is, “it is broke.” There is a problem and we do have an issue, but for one reason or another we pretend that it does not exist.

I recognize that addressing areas of conflict can be scary for people, especially if they have had some type of trauma in the past that has made them feel uncomfortable with addressing the “elephant.” Perhaps you have tried to address the elephant in the room, but have failed in the past. Perhaps you have tried to address the elephant, but simply do not know how. Perhaps, the

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without considering the internal needs (bedrooms, bathrooms and square-footage) you will most definitely end up with a physical construction that does not meet your needs. This is true for relationship as well. If you focus on height before depth of character, or hue of the skin over the honesty of the heart, your second creation will not stand the

should be the only one allowed to become a physical reality.

The first creation is a powerful tool that can be used to bring your mental picture into fruition. Your dreams can become a reality, but without expert help, your physical creation will become an unrealistic waste of time. Also, the vision that you have for your relationship must include the core values because height without depth, money without a mission and biceps without precepts will not work. External beauty without internal character equals a relationship nightmare. These simple steps to building a positive first creation are the fundamental building blocks of a long lasting relationship.

How you handle adversity

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler

The first creation is a powerful tool that can be used to bring your mental picture into fruition.

test of time. The core values in the first creation will determine the internal strength of the second one. It is the strength of the core foundation, and not the color of the exterior that will build a strong relationship foundation.

To end with, you need to include expert help in developing your first creation. You may have the dreams, but you are not an expert in bringing them to fruition. You need professional help. No one would consider building a house without expert help and your relationship is more important. Homeowners that design their own homes end up with unnecessary walls, doors to nowhere, increased cost, and lots of wasted time. This is true for relationships as well.

I have counseled those whose relationship blueprint were physically impossible to build and did not exist in the real world.

Their external view of the person prevents them for seeing the glaring internal character flaws. A first creation that has expert help

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last time you tried to bring up the elephant in the room, your spouse communicated to you that they were reluctant to address the issue.

As an example, my question to you is how is it possible that you know that your husband is cheating on you? He knows that you know, but you fail to have a conversation about it. How exactly does that work for you?

So, in your opinion, not talking about it, makes it go away? How do we resolve issues, if we are afraid to address them? What prevents us from having that family meeting – the one that everyone wants to avoid like the plague? Why would we rather engage with people at the surface level, instead of at a deeper level where everyone could gain a better understanding?

Sure, there are many different types of elephants in the room, I am sure you can think of a few.

How do you prevent another child from being abused, if you do not address the abuse that occurred in your church? How do you tell your spouse, “I think you are getting fat?” How do you tell your child, that the person they thought was their biological father, is actually not their “real”

father? How do you address the substance abuse in your family, if everyone is afraid to talk about it? How do you decide who’s going to care for your parents during their elderly years, if no one wants to talk about it?”

Addressing the elephant in the room may not be as scary as you think. It just takes a little training. As a marriage and family therapist, I help people facilitate these discussions. I often find out that it is not so much that people do not know how to have these discussions, but that they would rather avoid them. I find it interesting, as I think about how we pass on traditions within our community. So the reason mom never addressed dad’s infidelity, is because she saw her mother excuse her husband’s infidelity as a child.

Part of what I am saying is that we have what we call, “unspoken rules” in our relationships. One rule I often see at play is the unspoken rule of not talking about the real problem. What is that about? I guess this is part of the reason I went into my field, because I have always felt that it was important to help people learn

how to address these problems.

So what’s in it for you? How about getting to the root of the problem, reaching a real understanding, and not having to pretend anymore?

Sometimes having these “real” discussions can actually bring people together. Now, I acknowledge that some people avoid these conversations due to the inherent risk involved. It is true, you might hear something that makes you upset, you might risk the current status of your friendship or intimate relationship, you may have someone become angry at you; but this is all part of the process.

The road of healing begins with one step. The first step is being honest with yourself, and then with others.

I believe that if you do not deal with your problems, guess what, they will deal with you. Problems have a way of surfacing, even when we may not be aware. I also believe in what we call the bio-psychosocial model – that what you are feeling emotionally can manifest through biological issues such as the migraines you keep getting, the fatigue you feel during the day, the ulcers you continue to have, could all be directly linked to how you feel.

If you feel that there is an elephant in your room I hope you consider having a discussion about it and bringing it to light.

If you feel that the stakes are too high to do it alone or feel unsafe, contact one of your local mental health professionals to assist with having this conversation. I urge you to free yourself, address the issues you may have, and get rid of the psychological stress, so that you can make room for happiness and more positive relationships.

Darren D. Moore, Ph.D., LMFT, is a Minneapolis native, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and an assistant professor in Marriage and Family Therapy at a University in Georgia. If you have a question for Dr. Moore that you want discussed/answered, email him at moore@drdarrendmoore.com or contact him at (612) 296-3758.

To find out more information visit www.drdarrendmoore.com.

Please note: this column is for educational purposes only. It is not to diagnose or treat any mental health issues.

PHOTOS: Joan Marcus

Peter Macon (Othello) in the Guthrie’s production of Othello, by William Shakespeare. Directed by Marion McClinton, set design by Marjorie Bradley Kellogg, costume design by ESOSA and lighting design by Michael Wangen. Top-right: Peter Macon (Othello) and Stephen Yoakam (Iago). Above: Tracey Maloney (Desdemona) and Peter Macon (Othello)

Actors shine in Guthrie’s production of ‘Othello’

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer OK, before I start with my review of “Othello,” let me offer a bit of perspective so everyone can understand my viewing lens.

I like to think I’m “cultured.”

I have varied tastes and an appreciation for multiple forms of art.

I’m also from “the hood.”

I grew up on the west side of St. Louis (Cabanne and Goodfellow to be exact). I preferred to speak “Ebonics” when I could get away with it,

which was well out of earshot of my mother and grandmother.

In Ebonics terms, they wasn’t havin’ it. And while I grew up in a very intellectual household, we did not speak Shakespearian vernacular.

Prior to my recent trip to the Guthrie Theater, I had never experienced a William Shakespeare work live. Sure, I read “Romeo and Juliet.” It was required 9th grade reading. If I must be candid, I’m pretty sure I read more of the Cliff Notes than I did the actual play. And I knew the story of “Othello.” I knew Othello was black. I knew

he died. Hell, it’s Shakespeare – everyone dies in his plays (even in the lighthearted “Taming of the Shrew” Katherina’s independence was killed). But other than that, to quote Col. Klink from “Hogan’s Heros,” “I know nothing.”

Yeah, that sums up my perspective – I quote “Hogan’s Heros,” not Shakespeare.

So it’s understandable that for the first 20 minutes of “Othello” I was trying to figure out what the heck was going on by actors’ movement and not words because I couldn’t understand a darn thing. I

was begging for subtitles to magically appear.

What I could understand, simply by watching the actors and catching one out of every 20 words, was Othello was a revered warrior who married a white woman and her father wasn’t havin’ it and O’s righthand-man, ace boon coon, Iago was plottin’ and plannin’ against my man O. The previous sentence was written purely in jest to show how language can sometimes impair or distort understanding.

OTHELLO TURN TO 8

EYES OF THE OTHER Talking music and identity with breakthrough singer / songwriter K.Raydio

By Toki Wright (Twitter: @mrwrighttc) “As a kid I was constantly trying to fit in.”

“I yearned to find a sense of commonality. I was never really meant to fit in,” said K.Raydio from across the dark brown wooden table at Icehouse restaurant in south Minneapolis.

She leaned forward intently, switching back and forth between polite laughter and seriousness. Her distinct voice stood out in the room filled with wavering noise.

The singer/songwriter spoke in a raspy yet pleasant tone and delivered each line of conversation naturally while sounding like

well-practiced poetry. K.Raydio is different in a good way and makes that apparent on her recently released collaborative album “LucidDreamingSkylines” with experimental producer Psymun.

Much of K.Raydio’s “other” identity comes from her diverse upbringing.

“I was born in Evanston (Ill.), which is right outside of Chicago,” explained K.Raydio. “My parents are both in health care and I was transferred up here (Minneapolis) when I was in elementary school. My dad is from inner city Memphis and my mom is from rural Illinois. So I grew up the product of an interracial marriage. Me and my brother grew up identifying as biracial.”

K.RAYDIO TURN TO 8

Page 6 • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking

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Rap mogul reaps benefits from meditation regimen

By Kam Williams Master entrepreneur and visionary Russell Simmons has influenced virtually all aspects of business and media: in music with the cofounding of the immensely successful Def Jam Recordings; in the fashion industry with the trailblazing Phat Pharm, Baby Phat, Run Athletics, and Def Jam University clothing lines; in television with HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry; on Broadway with the Tony Award-winning stage production Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam; in digital with All Def Digital, All Def Music, and Narrative; as well as numerous other ventures in the financial services industry, mobile communications, and philanthropy.

A native New Yorker currently residing in Los Angeles, Mr. Simmons is the proud father of two daughters. Here, he talks about his new book: Success through Stillness: Meditation

Made Simple.

Kam Williams: Hi Rush, thanks for the time.

Russell Simmons: My man, how you feel?

KW: Great! How about you brother?

RS: I’m doing fine. I’m still moving around, Kam. I’m in Texas at the South by Southwest Music Festival announcing All Def Digital’s partnership with Samsung. We’re building a platform to put a song out every week for 52 weeks called ADD52.

KW: Why’d you start All Def Digital?

RS: To give all this black talent a chance by exposing them to Hollywood, which is very segregated. Hollywood is full of very liberal people, but it still has an infrastructure that needs to be broken. So, my idea is to integrate black stars into mainstream stars. It hasn’t

been explored properly. That’s what I’m doing in Hollywood.

And that’s what All Def Digital is doing. I’m probably going to shoot TV 10 pilots this year.

KW: Any ideas you care to share at this point?

RS: One’s a detective show for J.B. Smoove. Another’s a remake of a classic black movie that would star Chris Tucker.

And I have a pilot called The Re-Education of Oliver Cooper starring the white kid from Project X where follows a black girl to a black university, like in Legally Blonde. I have so many fun projects. Another one, written by the guy from Friday [DJ Pooh], has kids from Compton growing weed in a house in Bel Air. KW: Recently, Ride Along, did very well, despite its having a black principal cast. It was #1 at the box-office a few weeks in a row.

RS: Yeah, but 86% of its audience

Courtesy of Kam Williams

Russell Simmons was made up of people of color.

That tells you that the full potential of many black stars won’t be realized until their audiences are fully integrated.

No one wants to sell to just 12% of the population for the entire length of their careers. It creates a difficult and less-profitable environment. But Hollywood has lived with that limiting mantra, and only a few black stars have managed to break through. It’s a whole world which needs to be changed.

Fortunately, Hollywood is open to change. It’s just a question of how to go about doing it.

KW: Good luck with that.

Let’s talk about your new book. AALBC’s Troy Johnson asks: How long have you been practicing meditation and how has it helped you?

RS: 20 years. Sitting in stillness has got to be the greatest asset I have in terms of attaining happiness. Nothing increases happiness like quiet time. The truth is, the only moments that make you laugh or happy are seconds of stillness. At the shock of a joke, everything disappears but the present moment. When you read a book, and it’s really, really beautiful, you’re so engaged you forget to breathe. If you’re in a car accident, and everything moves slowly, you can be shocked into the present. The past and the future disappear.

Here’s another great example. If you play basketball, you get into the zone. You can’t miss. That’s the expansive mindset we’re all seeking. But that only comes when the mind is quiet and separate from the noise. And

the greatest tool to eliminate the noise is meditation.

KW: Environmental activist Grace Sinden says: With people connected increasingly to their “apps” and the 24-hour cycle of often-disturbing news, it is more necessary than ever to have quiet and Stillness in our lives. She asks: Did you write this book somewhat as a reaction to the noisy, always-connected culture we live in?

RS: The always-connected culture isn’t as much a contributor as Grace might think. The nervous mind, the monkey mind, will create its own noise. It doesn’t need a new toy. Sometimes, a new toy, a new technology, will focus you. The world is always trying to draw

SIMMONS TURN TO 7

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Aesthetically Speaking • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Page 7

BOOK REVIEW

“Success Through Stillness”

By Kam Williams “Why should you meditate?

The answer is simple: to be happy. Which is the only reason you’re here. That might sound like a very simple take on the meaning of life, but I believe it with every fiber in my body. Yes, I’m certain that if we strip away our egos, desires, fears, and insecurities, all that would be left is happiness…

I’m here to tell you that meditation can take you there… The path that I will lay out in this book represents the simplest route between your current state and that happiness… This is a simple and straightforward guide on how to use the tool of meditation to get the most out of your life.”

-- Excerpted from Chapter One (pages 3-4)

Simmons From 6 you out, so you always have to remember to go in. I didn’t write this book in reaction to the 24-hour news cycle, because “be still and know” has been taught for thousands of years before the development of this technology. The research shows that if you meditate, the mind becomes still, and they can see the functionality and gray matter in the brain increase, the nervous system calm, the immune system improve and a reduction in stress. So, quiet time is the key. We have hundreds of thousands of kids around the country meditating through the David Lynch Foundation. What I want to do with this book, and I’m giving all the profits to charity, is to teach people to meditate. All it takes is a little bit of patience. It’s a simple guide. And the more people meditate, the more it increases the positive vibrations turning the planet into a positive, happy place. The more you do that, the greater service you are to God. I introduced Oprah and Ellen to their TM [Transcendental Meditation] teachers. They both thanked me, and spoke publicly about it, which is great because they can spread the word. Ellen has been a great supporter. Russell Brand has done the same. I’ve shared meditation with a lot of hip-hop artists, inmates, and returning war veterans with PTSD, as well. I feel like this dharma, this service is part of my job.

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman gives a shout out from

sit in a chair with your eyes closed. Yes, it’s as simple as that, according to Rush, although getting novices to try meditation isn’t as easy as one might think.

Apparently, people allow lame excuses such as “I don’t have the time,” “I don’t have a place,” “It’s against my religion,” and “I’m not good at it” to prevent them from even getting started. For that reason, he’s written “Success through Stillness,” a how-to primer designed to make that initiation process painless.

Surprisingly, the author actually devotes more ink to advice about eliminating those negative thoughts than to instruction about the art of meditation. He also talks about its tangible benefits, which include improving your health, your eating habits, your ability to focus, even your career. Perhaps more important are the

Russell Simmons is best known as the flamboyant playboy who co-founded Def Jam Records back in the Eighties. But the matured hip-hop mogul would like you to know that his satisfaction in life now comes less through the sort of shallow materialistic trappings celebrated in the average rap music video than through the peace of mind, body and spirit offered by the relatively-modest practice of meditation.

As he puts it, “I had to do a lot of damage before I finally accepted that I liked earlymorning meditation better than late-night drinking.”

And all it takes him is 20 minutes twice a day to find that state of bliss.

The good news is that you can achieve it, too, provided you’re willing to carve out a little quiet space from your hectic schedule to a fellow Hollis native!

She asks: What were you most astonished to discover as a result of meditating?

RS: Coming out of my first yoga class, I was astonished that there were nothing but hot girls there.

Just 55 girls, Bobby Shriver, who’s a buddy of mine, and myself. I came out of class, I was so high. I been sober 26 years, but I’m an ex-druggie. I want to talk a little bit abut two things: clarity and cloudiness. Both of them quiet the mind. One quiets it, the other numbs it. either way, there’s less thought, and the less thought, the more happiness. And when the mind is totally still, there’s only bliss.

I got a piece of that reality from my first yoga class, from smiling and breathing in every difficult pose. I went, “Oh my God! I’m clear! I love this!” If I keep doing this, I’m going to give away my money. But a more happy mind leads to quietness and clarity.

And that clarity helps you have a greater capacity to do more and to become more successful and more giving. So, running all my different companies has turned out to be a lot easier because I mediate twice a day and go to yoga every day.

KW: Bernadette also says: I sat a 10-day Vipassana course many years ago and afterwards, I was encouraged by a film called Doing Time, Doing Vipassana which was about meditation courses offered in prisons. The results were very encouraging.

She asks: What do you think of meditation methods taught to prisoners?

RS: I think it’s very important.

I’ve gone into prisons to meditate with inmates. It’s

something I plan to do with Tim Robbins soon. I owe him a call about that.

KW: Bernadette asks: If you could focus all of your resources to solve one problem in our society, what one would it be?

RS: At the core of everything that is hurtful to humanity is a lack of consciousness.

Unconscious behavior is at the core. Think of the 40 billion animals we abuse and eat who are born into suffering. It’s a karmic disaster. An animal products diet is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day. What I would do to change this planet is have everyone meditate and look inside. Then we’d have a happier, more service-oriented, less-needy world.

KW: Editor Lisa Loving says this book looks great. I know a crabby person whose life changed when he started meditating. She asks: Are there ever limits to an individual’s ability to follow your advice? Are there certain kinds of stress, difficulty or even grief that is so staggering that it becomes impossible to cope with through meditation?

RS: Meditation helps everything, Lisa. But I couldn’t guarantee that someone could get off their medication. But I suspect that meditation instead of Ritalin would change the life of any kid with ADD. KW: Editor/legist Patricia Turnier says: Some people are reluctant to try psychotherapy.

They will instead deal with their stress and pain by taking drugs and/or alcohol. Do you think that meditation

can be beneficial to them? up before you even have to RS: Absolutely, because when deal with them. It’s always you sit quietly and look inside, marketeers building their own things that seem so difficult careers. Nowadays, if you’re a on the outside become a lot great artist, you don’t have to easier to digest. Concerns that leave the house, which is a really might’ve caused a lot of anxiety big difference. You’re closer just come and go. That happens to the artist. And the artist to me everyday. I watch my can be closer to their artistry thoughts, not only on the mat, without having to always worry but all through the day. about branding themselves or building something imageKW: Troy Johnson asks: Are you wise. happy about how hip-hop has evolved over the past 40 years?

KW: The music maven Heather RS: It hasn’t changed that much Covington question: What was at all, actually. It’s been great. the last song you listened to?

It keeps getting better in some RS: “My Nigga” by YG. ways. http://www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/B00F74N5Q0/ KW: Troy says: Many music ref=nosim/thslfofire-20 fans think that the best hip-hop I probably shouldn’t even say music is being produced by that, because everybody gets underground artists. Are there mad. But it is my favorite any you’re excited about? record. I was just listening to RS: At All Def Digital we’re it in the car. I live in hip-hop. developing tons of them.

I don’t find it to be offensive. I know there’s a debate about it.

KW: Larry Greenberg asks: Have I probably shouldn’t say this you and the artists you work with to national black distribution, benefited from the turmoil in the but they have to live with it, music industry? too. They ain’t gonna change RS: I don’t see it. young people. All they’re going to do is make ‘em say it more.

KW: Professor Hisani Dubose That particular YG record is has a couple of questions for the biggest record, and I like it. her music technology majors at That’s not helpful, is it? It’s the Bloomfield College. How has truth. I’m a full disclosure kind the internet changed the music of person. Another song I just industry? What do artists have to listened to was “Mere Gurudev,” do these days to get a record deal? a devotional record by Krishna RS: You don’t need a record Das. deal. You’ll have the industry http://www.amazon.com/exec/ begging for you, when you obidos/ASIN/B004PUYE8U/ build your buzz. I signed Jay-Z because he was on fire. I wasn’t a genius. The record was great.

I put it on The Nutty Professor soundtrack and we signed him. People build themselves

metaphysical improvements that accompany that new “sense of peace, compassion, and balance.”

Rush frequently refers to the ringing endorsements of meditation offered by icons ranging from Oprah to Ellen to Seinfeld to Paul McCartney to Phil Jackson. Consider this quote from Forest Whitaker: “I went through two schools of acting, but I learned more about acting from meditating and my martial arts teacher.” ‘nuff said.

A sacred cookbook for cultivating a satisfying, stress-free life.

“Success through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple”

by Russell Simmons Gotham Books Hardcover, $20.00 220 pages ISBN: 978-1-592-40865-8

ref=nosim/thslfofire-20 KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

RS: I read “The Yoga Sutras” every day. http://www. amazon.com/exec/obidos/ ASIN/1938477073/ref=nosim/ thslfofire-20 And also the “The Bhagavad Gita.” http://www. amazon.com/exec/obidos/ ASIN/1586380192/ref=nosim/ thslfofire-20 Those two books sit by my bed.

And I’m currently reading “The China Study.” http://www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/1932100660/ ref=nosim/thslfofire-20 KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

RS: different reflections at different times. I really, really try to be a good servant. It makes me happy when I’m a good giver without expectations.

KW: What are you up to next?

RS: The main thing is I’ll be going to Chicago to work with [Mayor] Rahm Emmanuel to put meditation in the schools.

KW: Thanks again for the interview, Rush, and best of luck with the book, the TV shows, and the meditation initiative.

RS: It’s a great pleasure as always talking with you, Kam.

Page 8 • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking

K.Raydio From 5 Moving from Illinois to Minnesota was a complex change for her and her family.

“Growing up in Chicago I wasn’t really exposed to interracial relationships,” said the singer/songwriter. “We were multi-racial kids. Moving up to the Twin Cities was our first

insightnews.com/aesthetics

time being exposed to other interracial families and other multi-racial kids and ethnic groups.”

K.Raydio said it was “culture shock” when she moved from her lower middle class neighborhood to a more affluent neighborhood in south Minneapolis. Listening to “LucidDreamingSkylines” you get a sense of this otherness.

Over organic yet futuristic production, K.Raydio spills

Courtesy of the artist

K.Radyio her soul into each song on the 14-track album. A follow-up to her debut “Significant Other EP,” the album made waves being premiered on the widely popular Okayplayer.com website that helped to catapult the careers of D’angelo, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu and The Roots. The album is in that same Soulquarians (a neosoul and alternative hip-hop musical collective) vein while

maintaining a uniqueness of its own. In addition, K.Raydio credits a trip to see Badu perform in Chicago as a heavy influence on her pushing forward with her career. It was just after the death of another one of her heroes.

“Lena Horne had just passed away and (Badu) was singing, ‘If You Believe In Yourself ’ from the movie ‘The Wiz.’ I felt like I needed a sign to pursue music

and that was it,” said K.Raydio.

There is something about K.Raydio’s music that crosses boundaries. “I can have a 15-year-old boy and a 60-yearold woman say they like the same song,” said the artist.

K.Raydio’s openness melts

Othello From 5

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But, again, the actors of “Othello” (running until April 20 at the Guthrie) carried out their performances in such a magnificent way that the words were no longer a hindrance.

Then the strangest thing happened … I actually began to understand the words.

Peter Macon’s performance of Othello and Stephen Yoakam’s portrayal of Iago were particularly of note as lead and co-star. Macon, who is an imposing figure, was able to make you as an audience member feel sympathy for the character that was adept at war but vulnerable to affairs of the heart. Yoakam, was spectacular in his role of the jealous and conniving false friend of Othello.

And though the story of

into each beat giving a new definition of soul that a handful of Twin Cities based acts have been experimenting with recently. Producer Psymun looks at the production of the album as, “a soundtrack to reaching your dreams.” On tracks such as “Perhaps” K.Raydio fearlessly sings lyrics that can be felt by anyone. “Skinny little light skinned girl/seen as no threat/ though knives can still cut/ passive aggressive girl/she’s a doormat/21 is a time bomb.”

K.Raydio proves that being part the “other” is not something to look down upon but celebrate for it’s ability to open eyes to new ideas. As we closed our interview K.Raydio said, “I would rather people question my identity than to think they have me figured out.”

You can catch K.Raydio in concert Friday, April 18 at Triple Rock Social Club, 629 Cedar Ave S., in Minneapolis. Tickets are on sale on www.Ticketfly.com. You can also listen to and purchase “Lu c i d D re aming S ky lin es” online at kraydioandpsymun. bandcamp.com.

Othello is a story of black and white, it’s not a story of black and white.

Under the direction of Marion McClinton (two time Beverly Hills NAACP Image Award winner and Tony nominee), the Guthrie’s run of “Othello” is simply a classic story of love, jealousy and betrayal.

However, there is an awkward moment when Mason, who I mentioned is an imposing man, slaps actress Tracey Maloney, who plays Othello’s wife, Desdemona. Maloney is quite petite and the slap looks very real – especially considering how phony all the other action scenes are.

That said, I didn’t see black actors or white actors, or Asian actors – I just saw actors. I saw wonderful performers telling a story so great that it didn’t matter that I couldn’t understand all the words.

BMA Multicultural Channel 937 on Xfinity/Comcast service is Minnesota’s exclusive 24 hour urban video, music, arts and news channel.

Tune in for: Minneapolis Sounds Video Show Monday, Tuesday “Titans of Soul,” “Women Who Rock” Wednesday, Thursday “Old School Video Show,” 100 Black Music America Hits Friday, KMOJ TV Show Saturday, Conversations with Al McFarlane, Backstage at The Dakota, Gospel Vision Sunday.

Experience the Cities Best Looking Sounds on Xfinity/Comcast BMA Channel 937

Watch What We Play. find us online: www.BlackMusicAmerica.com

follow us on social networks:

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Insight News • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Page 9

COMMUNITY Nano day at Sabathani Community Center Nanotechnology. Ever heard of it? Probably not, but it’s a technology that is going to change the world in which we live.

Chances are, many children have probably heard of it though and at Sabathani Community Center, 310 East 38th St., Minneapolis, on Saturday, April 5 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. people can meet some real scientists and explore current and future applications of this technology that will allow scientists to create, explore and manipulate materials at the atomic scale.

So what does this all mean in?

Nanotechnology has already given way to fantastic advancements such as LCD displays, man-made skin, pants that repel water, wound healing bandages and even

longer lasting tennis balls. It is crossing into every field and industry including medicine, aerospace and even crime fighting.

Future possibilities include a nanotech-enabled sensors that may be able to “smell” cancer and research is underway to use nanotechnology to engineer a gel that spurs the growth of nerve cells. This kind of technology could regrow lost or damaged spinal cord and brain cells.

Children can learn all about the possibilities of nanotechnology at Sabathani Community Center, where special demos and handson activities will be set up alongside trained instructors.

For more information, contact Bobby Lay at (612) 821-2329 or boblay@ sabathani.org.

Police

in constant conversation about being mistreated and judged (by Minneapolis police officers).”

Lucio said she reposted Klimmek’s comments to her personal page to ask her Facebook friends if she was being overly sensitive to the officers’ remarks.

Several of Lucio’s social media friends suggested Lucio contact the media, which she did.

“The men and women (commenting in Klimmek’s post) were all calling (another woman who found the post offensive) and I ‘sensitive women’ and (said) that that’s why they were cops and we weren’t and that we didn’t have the right to judge them,” said Lucio.

Though Klimmek is of Asian descent, Lucio, who is of Mexican heritage, said the posts and other

From 1 Lucio said she could think of plenty of other activities to occupy an officer’s time besides hoping for a spike in murder and other violent crimes.

“If there is not enough to do, we need our officers in the community, being involved; gaining trust – not talking smack, judging, and creating an issue of trust across the community,” said Lucio. “It is comments like the ones the officers made that verify what fear I hear all the time. I personally have had very few police interactions.

Not all were good; not all were bad, however, my friends are

Community Calendar

posts on the officer’s page smacks of racism. In one post there is a drawing of a man behind prison bars next to a woman with five children and a dog and the caption reads, “If your husband isn’t there.” Klimmek followed that post with a picture that read “Meanwhile, on the Northside …” that depicted three men behind bars, a woman, five kids and a dog. The caption for that read simply, “Fixed.”

Lucio believes the officer’s Facebook posts demonstrate a culture of racism within the Minneapolis Police Department.

“Unfortunately, I do believe racist attitudes are common (within the department),” said Lucio, who herself did a little detective work on some of the people commenting on

Rent based on 30% Of adjusted income Call Patricia Brown At 218-283-4967 TDD 800-627-3529

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE 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.

Fax: 612.588.2031

more information call 612-5436125 or online at www.hclib.org (click on Events & Classes).

PACER workshop: From Naughty to Nice - Mar. 27 PACER Center is offering “From Naughty to Nice: The Road to Positive Behavior Interventions,” a free workshop for parents of children with disabilities. It is on Thursday, March 27, 2014, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Elk River Lutheran Church (Community Room), 729 Main St. N.W., in Elk River, Minn. Advance registration is required. Challenging behaviors in children and youth are often misunderstood. This workshop will explore the purpose of behavior, offer strategies and tips for changing challenging behaviors, and discuss supports

and interventions that can help sustain appropriate behavior at school, at home, and in the community. Topics will include: Behavior as communication; Behaviors that may reflect unmet mental health needs; and Positive interventions and alternatives to punishment at home, at school, and in the community.

To register, call PACER at (952) 838-9000. In Greater Minnesota, call (800) 537-2237 (toll free) or visit PACER.org.

Women of Color Student Conference - Mar. 29 The University of Minnesota’s Women’s Center is hosting the second bi-annual Women of Color Student Conference, entitled Loving Each Other Harder: Women of Color, Community and

the Intersections of Our Identities on March 29, 2014.

The conference provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate women of color, and allies, to connect with a larger community in the Twin Cities and throughout the region, and to examine issues of women’s equity, activism and leadership. The conference will feature a variety of workshops, panel discussions, a keynote presentation, and an evening of local women of color in comedy. Afghan, working-class queer, social justice educator, writer, and performer, Wazina Zondon, will be at the keynote address. This portion is open and free for the public to attend.

Registration opens at 8:30am.

Cost: Students: $10; Community Members: $20; Staff or Faculty:

Phone: 612.588.1313

at the age of 39-struck down by an assassin’s bullet. Winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for New Plays and a Broadway sensation, “The Mountaintop” is an intimate, fictional portrait of Dr. King on the eve of his death. This Penumbra production will be presented at the Arizona Theatre and at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, North Carolina before its regional premiere at the Guthrie. Tickets for “The Mountaintop” must be purchased through the Guthrie Theater Box Office at (612) 377-2224 or guthrietheater.org.

Seasonal Parks & Forestry Maintenance Workers City of Plymouth-Seasonal Parks & Forestry Maintenance Workers. Assists in the construction, maintenance, and repair of parks, playgrounds, and related facilities. Season is April-October. Evening & weekend work required. For more information, or to apply, please visit www.plymouthmn.gov. Position will be open until filled.

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.

$30 *some scholarships are available. Website & For more information: http://wocsc2014. wordpress.com/register/ Questions? Contact the Women’s Center at 612-6259837 or women@umn.edu The Mountaintop - Mar. 28Apr. 19 The Mountaintop by KATORI HALL directed by LOU BELLAMY, March 28-April 19, 2014 at the Guthrie Theater.

On April 3, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a large crowd gathered to glean hope from his boundless optimism. He told them he’d gone with God to the mountaintop; he’d seen the Promised Land and assured them that they would get there.

In 24 hours, he would be dead

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that read, “We are internally investigating the alleged Facebook post sent to us by a media outlet to see if it was, indeed, from an account of a Minneapolis Police Officer. The single post sent to us that was depicted in a recent news report certainly is not in line with the core values of the Minneapolis Police Department.”

The morning following the questionable post on Klimmek’s page and apparently feeling the heat, Klimmek sent Lucio a private message in her inbox that asked Lucio to remove her screenshot of Klimmek’s initial post.

“That is only for friends. I don’t mind you seeing it and commenting on it but I don’t want it shared. Thanks. Joe,” wrote Klimmek.

Email: info@insightnews.com

Calling all singers, dancers, poets, rappers, all ages, and all levels of talent to the North Regional Library’s 2nd Annual Talent Show with host and emcee Fancy Ray McCloney on Saturday April 5th 2:00 pm. Come perform, come watch, come be a part of this unique blend of talent and audience interplay featuring Fancy Ray McCloney, “Best Looking Man in Comedy,’’ TV personality, and showman extraordinaire. Big fun, big laughs, and a good time to be had by all. There will be free pizza and prizes. North Regional Library is located at 1315 Lowry Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411 To register call (612) 543-8450.

Classifieds West Falls Estates

the month who just had their EBT card refreshed. (sic) Language you understand.”

Jindra was accused multiple times of misconduct, including a 2003 accusation that Jindra and another officer sodomized a suspect during a raid in north Minneapolis. Both officers were cleared of any wrongdoing in that incident by a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.

Because of the post and the subsequent media attention, an internal investigation into the incident has been launched by the Minneapolis Police Department. Department sources said the incident is being taken seriously, but citing the ongoing investigation, a department spokesperson declined to go into detail, but did offer a statement

The 2nd Annual “Northside’s Got Talent” Talent Show Apr. 5

EVENTS

Jumpstart Your Job Search: Drop-in Day - March 26 This two hour opportunity will provide job seekers with one-on-one career counseling.

Individuals will be seen on a 1st come, 1st served basis. Sessions will last approximately 15 minutes. Services may include resume development, resume review, career assessment, transferable skill assessment, job training options and career counseling. Workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 26th from 2 - 4:00 pm at the St. Louis Park Library. To register or for

Klimmek’s insensitive post.

“After looking up the officers’ names in the post, (many) had long misconduct records – most involving accusations of racism.”

One person, Jeffrey Jindra – presumed by Lucio to be Minneapolis Police Officer Jeffery Jindra – commented on Klimmek’s questionable post of wanting to be “busy” by offering an analogy of a heart surgeon only having to work on ingrown toenails and craving more action.

When prodded on his analogy by a poster with a differing opinion, Jindra wrote, “Alright, if you are a rock dealer at Chi/ Frank (presumed to reference the intersection of Chicago and Franklin Avenues) do you want to sell a pill to a Lone Geeker or do you want 14 people on the 1st of

Phone: 612.588.1313

Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone:( 612)588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.

Choice of Legal Entity – Mar. 25 This session will help you determine which entity is right for your business: Sole Proprietor, Partnership, Corporation, SCorp, or LLC. Tuesday, March 25 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Rondo Community Outreach Library, 461 Dale Street, St. Paul, MN. Cost: Free. Instructor: Perla Mayo, NDC Loan Officer and Business Advisor, Erik A Splett, Fredrickson & Byron Lawyer.

To register for workshops, please call: (651) 379-8113.

Eric Gerdts

Kids participating in a “hands on” experiment at last year’s Nano Days.

Complimentary Pediatric Orthopaedic Screening - Mar. 31 Does your child have a bone, muscle, or joint problem or need a second opinion? Come to the Complimentary Pediatric Orthopaedic Screening on Monday, March 31, 2014, 10 AM – 2 PM at the Shriners Hospitals for Children – Twin Cities, 2025 East River Parkway, Minneapolis. Your child will be evaluated by a Shriners Hospitals for Children® medical provider.

Shriners Hospitals for Children provides comprehensive medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care for children with orthopaedic conditions regardless of insurance coverage or their ability to pay. If a child requires follow-up care at the hospital, complimentary transportation is available upon request. Call for Appointments: (612) 596-6105.

Email: info@insightnews.com

Salon for Rent Shop for rent. Available immediately.

4301 4th Ave. S. Contact: Eddie Withers, Jr. 612-616-6444.

Rent based on 30% of income

Vacancies

2 & 3 bdroms open

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

MetroPlains Management

701-232-1887 www.metroplainsmanagement.com

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE

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.

Page 10 • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

BUSINESS Absolute Tire and Wheel is a winner on West Broadway

By Shaina Brassard, West Broadway Coalition Absolute Tire and Wheel on West Broadway in Minneapolis was green before it was cool, and not just because green is owner Ron Ide’s favorite color.

Today, as it did when it opened in 2006, Absolute Tire and Wheel, 220 West Broadway, Minneapolis, works to minimize used tires’ impact on the environment.

“We spend a lot of money to recycle tires,” said Ide, who said the tires are then turned into useful goods such as playground mulch that protects children from fall-related injury. “We’ve always done that, because it’s important.”

In addition to recycling used tires, Absolute Tire (www.absolutetireandwheel. net) does the environment and customers’ wallets a huge service by offering previouslyowned tires and wheels to the public. Used tires sales constitute a big part of its business.

“We also sell a lot of wheels, and we take trade-ins, so if a guy comes in and wants a different set of wheels to make his car look better, but doesn’t want to spend $1,500 and is willing to trade in what he has, we can make that happen,” said Ide. The shop has a wide variety of products and services and, likewise, a wide variety of customers, from fathers looking for the safest,

A selection of rims most dependable tire and wheel setup for their teenage daughters to professional athletes with a taste for flashy rims. Absolute Tire sells, installs, mounts, inspects, and rotates new or used tires and wheels, and also inspect brakes or installs batteries, starters and alternators.

During the past eight years, Absolute Tire has seen impressive growth.

“When I started here, we only had one of the three (service) bays,” said Ide. Gradually, the business took over the lease for the entire garage, hiring more employees along the way.

In addition to providing impressive customer service, running a successful business

and protecting the environment, Absolute Tire and Wheel is a good neighbor. Ide and his staff recognize themselves as part of a larger business district. Absolute Tire is a member of the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition, which leads initiatives to bring businesses, non-profit organizations and neighbors together to create an inviting and vital West Broadway corridor in north Minneapolis.

Absolute Tire and Wheel was the proud winner of the West Broadway Holiday Lights Competition put on by the West Broadway Coalition this past winter. Of his enthusiastic participation in the competition, Ide said, “When I put my mind to something,

Absolute Tire and Wheel employee I’m in it to win it.” Absolute Tire employees and a friend of Ide’s strung colored lights along the top of the garage and around each of the three garage doors, topping off the display

with a lighted inflatable Santa, sleigh and reindeers waving cheerfully from the rooftop to those passing by.

In spring as in winter, Absolute Tire and Wheel is

a solid, welcoming business ready to meet any car’s tire and wheel needs. With the surge in potholes, the people at Absolute should remain busy for a while.

Cat’s away: This manager might need to hire a babysitter Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Who Works when the Boss is at the Beach? Everyone except the boss, right? They should, anyway.

But sometimes, it does not work out the way the manager hopes.

Sometimes, in smaller companies or in standalone departments, people forget that even while the boss is away, everyone else has a paycheck - and possibly vacation days of their own - to earn.

Roy works remotely with a team that predominantly resides in the bricks and mortar of cubeville.

Most days, the manager sits in an office adjacent to the cubes, door wide open, the whole place bubbling with productivity. But what happens when the manager tries to get away for a while?

Theoretically, nothing different. It’s a team of adults, everyone pushing for personal and corporate success. Right?

Maybe not. For Roy, who is not a manager, his boss’ vacation caused Roy some frustration. His co-workers signed on late to the system, meaning they took their time getting to the office. They asked Roy questions like, “Are you working today?”

“I work every day,” he told me. “Why would they ask that?

Talking it through, Roy

mentioned that these were new hires and alone in the office. No one was “watching” them, so they were kicking back. Roy, who, again, is not their manager, wanted to know what he should do about it.

“Nothing,” I told him.

“It’s distracting,” he complained.

“Ignore them.”

“I can’t.”

“You can.”

The underpar performance of an employee is never your

problem, unless you are the manager or unless you allow yourself to be lured into the party.

Let the manager figure it out when he returns. The truth always comes out. Every employee, from CEO on down, has benchmarks and goals.

There will be numbers that were not met, projects not completed, customer complaints, orders lost.

The manager will know and will manage the damage.

As long as they haven’t burned the place down or caused physical harm to other people, the world just

might continue to spin on its axis.

If a deal falls apart, a document is misfiled, or a customer gets fed up, the manager will notice, and after a week at the beach, will be well rested and able to deal with it. After helping Roy to see it my way, I just had one more bit of advice for him: Get back to work.

Julie Desmond is IT and Software Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. www. georgekonik.com and on twitter @ MNCareerPlanner

Comprehensive campaigns: Where is the money?

FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw We were taken aback when, in casual conversation, an acquaintance blurted out, “comprehensive campaigns

are nothing but a con game.”

We listened as he shared his experience of institutions that report campaign success but don’t have the money needed to implement projects laid out as campaign priorities.

While we wouldn’t be so blunt in our assessment, we do agree that a lot can happen in a comprehensive campaign that leaves donors and the community confused and feeling misled.

But, comprehensive campaigns don’t have to end that way. We

present the following example to share three steps you can take to ensure your campaign meets its goals and has the money to implement priorities.

Let’s say a nonprofit provides healthcare for children ages birth to three years old. It launches a three year $20 million comprehensive campaign for the following: $9 million for annual operations for three years ($3 million a year), $6 million for capital costs for a new medical facility, and $5 million to

endow future costs for pediatric services. During the campaign a local philanthropist wants to donate $15 million to provide healthcare services to uninsured local residents regardless of age, and a foundation wants to donate $6 million for childcare services.

If the nonprofit accepts these gifts it will raise $21 million but there will be no money for annual operations, the medical facility or endowment of pediatric services.

Would this be campaign success?

Consider these three steps

before launching your campaign.

First, be clear on what you are raising money for. Define your priorities and how much you need to raise for each.

Second, determine which gifts will be counted towards the campaign goal, and which will be counted as what we refer to as “over and above” gifts.

For example, when you accept gifts that are outside campaign priorities record them, publicize them, but don’t count these towards your campaign goal as they cannot be used to finance campaign priorities. When you do raise the funds for your campaign priorities be sure to declare success and communicate that you met goal and raised funds for additional projects as well.

The third step is to establish a reporting system that can track how much has been raised towards each priority.

Gifts should be appropriately recorded and tied to a priority.

Management reports should

clearly communicate this information so everyone is aware of overall campaign progress, and progress towards each specific priority.

Here’s our bottom line: Make sure your comprehensive campaign raises money for its stated priorities. Don’t be derailed by an abundance of non-priority related gifts. Be clear and transparent about how you account for gifts received.

Decide how you define campaign success and communicate it clearly: don’t leave your community asking “where’s the money?”

Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success.

For help with your campaign visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Homebuyer Education prginc.org

Homebuyer Counseling

since 1976

Foreclosure Counseling

New Homebuyer Special

Start your journey to home ownership on the right foot!

Through June, get FREE admission to a HUD-approved homebuyer workshop (usually $35) when you meet first with a homebuyer counselor. Call for a free appointment: (612) 721-7556.

insightnews.com

Insight News • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Page 11

Page 12 • March 24 - March 30, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

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.