Insight News ::: 04.01.13

Rahsaan Patterson performs April 4th at the Dakota MORE ON PAGE 5

April 1 - April 7, 2013

Vol. 40 No. 14 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Valerie Jarrett named “Newsmaker of the Year” Photo courtesy Freddie Allen/NNPA

Harvard University law school professor, Charles Ogletree (l) answers a question during the State of the Black Press panel discussion in Washington, D.C. as Jineea Butler (center), founder of the Socials Services of Hip Hop and the Hip Hop Union, and George Curry, editor-in-chief of the NNPA News Wire listen.

Black Press & Hip Hop: Continuing the legacy

By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Like its White counterpart, Black newspapers must adjust to a rapidly changing

digital age. But unlike White newspapers, the Black Press continues to play a valuable and unique role in the African American community, panelists said at a panel last week at the National Press

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – White House adviser Valerie Jarrett has been named the National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation’s “Newsmaker of the Year.”

Jarrett was presented the award last week during NNPAF’s annual Black Press Week celebration in Washington, D.C. Former North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue was given a Torch Award for summoning the courage to issue pardons of innocence to the Wilmington Ten, activists imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.

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Photo by Ann Ragland/NNPA

Valerie Jarrett

PRESS TURN TO 6

Urban League proposes 13th grade initiative

Photo: Harry Colbert, Jr.

Weeping, with head in hand, Emilio Miranda Rios, is consoled as he tells of his struggles to survive off of working for the minimum wage of $7.25.

Ellison seeks minimum wage increase

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer The U.S. Department of Labor and US Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05) hosted a roundtable discussion to support raising the

federal minimum wage.

The acting deputy administrator for the department’s Wage and Hour Division, Mary Beth Maxwell, and Ellison are advocating for raising the federal minimum wage from its current rate of $7.25 per hour. Ellison is

pushing a bill that will raise the federal rate to $10.10 an hour.

Maxwell said President Obama has suggested a raise to at lease $9 per hour. Ellison and Maxwell were joined this past Monday

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The 13th Grade Initiative, authored by the Minneapolis Urban League was adopted by the Minnesota Senate last week at the State Capitol. Cosponsored and presented by Senator Jeff Hayden (D-SD 62), the bill was unanimously adopted by the Senate Education Committee last Wednesday. The 13th Grade initiative is a twelve month, non-residential college and career-readiness program focused on the academic, technical, and soft skill competency-building of disconnected young adults who are unemployed, not enrolled in college or have yet to identify a career. Cosponsored by Senator Bobby Champion (D-SD 59) and Representative Ray Dehn (DHD 59b) the measure could potentially impact over 3,000 young adults ages 18-26, placing them on college and career pathways by 2015.

Pictured L-R: MUL President/CEO Scott Gray; Sen. Jeff Hayden, 13th Grade Bill Author; UL Academy students Jazmine Granison and Tijuana Johnson; MUL Health & Wellness Director Mitchell Davis (back row); UL Academy Principal Ron Simmons; and MUL Chief Program Officer Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe “This will enable us to zero-in on the specific issues impacting our youth and align them with available resources and tools to be successful,” said Ronald Simmons, Principal of the Minneapolis Urban League Academy in his testimony before the committee. “They’ll receive

guided support to increase basic skills competency, identify a career path and the soft skills needed to obtain livable wage jobs.”

The Minneapolis Urban League Academy is tapped to be one of the program’s pilot

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Candidates reveal priorities; explain differences

By Sheila Regan TC Daily Planet The race for mayor is on, with three city council members, a former city council member, a former Hennepin Count board member and an entrepreneur (the one Republican in the mix, who notes that he is progay marriage and an advocate for wind energy) all vying for

Rybak’s soon-to be vacated seat.

Significant dates in the race: April 3 — Candidate debate moderated by the Minneapolis League of Women Voters from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Solomon’s Corner, 100 W 46th St. April 7 — Candidate forum presented by Insight News, Minnesota State Baptist

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Business

SBA deputy goes “Beyond the Call of Duty” for Black businesses

PAGE 3

Cam Winton

Education

We must produce the schools Minneapolis needs

PAGE 4

Don Samuels

Gary Schiff

Community

Business profile: Olsen’s Fish Company

PAGE 10

Jackie Cherryhomes

Mark Andrew

Health

5 ways to keep your memory strong

PAGE 11

Page 2 • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Insight News

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Insight News • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Page 3

BUSINESS SBA Deputy goes“Beyond the Call of Duty” for Black businesses (TriceEdneyWire.com) - It is a story that has unfolded all too often. The owner of a small business finds it simply impossible to pull through the torturous economy. The doors shut or the website shuts down and another business venture comes to a close.

Without incubation and support, the nation’s small businesses - including Blackowned businesses which are doubly vulnerable due to a history of racism and discrimination - would go under at alarming rates. In short, they need an advocate.

This is the reason that when the leaders of the National Bankers Association, an organization of 37 mostly Blackowned banks, began pondering prospective recipients of their annual “Beyond the Call of Duty

Doyle Mitchell, president, Industrial Bank, chairman, National Bankers Association; Marie Johns, SBA Deputy Administrator; Ron Busby, President, U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce; Michael Grant, president National Bankers Association.

Award”, its president says they did not have to look very far.

No question, it was Marie Johns, deputy administrator of the U. S.

Small Business Administration, he said.

“I think Marie Johns has an extraordinary record of serving

Northeast Bank: Zach J. Neuman promoted

Zach J. Neuman

Northeast Bank announced the promotion of Zach J. Neuman, a resident of St. Louis Park, MN to Assistant Vice President - Credit Department at the Minneapolis office. Neuman joined Northeast Bank in 2010 with six years of community banking experience working as a Credit Analyst, Relationship Credit Analyst, and

the small business community in our country. She has shown a genuine interest in working with all small businesses. She’s been fair and inclusive, she believes in diversity, she’s shown a great sensitivity to the struggle of small businesses,” says Michael Grant, president of the National Bankers Association after bestowing Johns with the award during the NBA’s Annual Legislative/Regulatory Conference last week.

In prepared remarks, he said, “Ms. Johns has developed a reputation for being a good listener. She not only listened to community bankers and small business owners, she acted,” he said. In fact, Grant says Johns has served so well in the position that he believes she should be promoted to the top of the agency. “I think she would be an excellent candidate to be SBA administrator,” he said in an interview, noting that the agency

has even greater potential.

An article by Claudio E. Cabrera, originally posted last fall on business website The Street.com and re-published this month on BlackEnterprise. com, is headlined, “Minority Businesses a Big Driver in the U.S. Small Business Economy.”

The article reports that “the number of black-owned businesses rose a noteworthy 60.5% to 1.9 million from 2002 to 2007, more than triple the 18% rate for businesses established nationally, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners.”

It continues, “During the most recent period for which there is Census data, blackowned businesses generated $137.5 billion in receipts, up 55.1%.”

But the down side is this: Most of the highly prosperous Black-owned businesses are concentrated in certain states.

New York, Georgia and Florida and cities like New York, Chicago, Houston and Detroit have the largest concentration of the nation’s black-owned businesses, the article reports, based on Census calculations.

Also, “of the 1.9 million black-owned businesses, little more than 100,000 had paid employees” and only “14,000 of those businesses had receipts of $1 million or more.”

Johns agrees that as Black and other minority businesses grow, the economy grows.

“In 2013, minority-owned small businesses are one of the fastest-growing segments of our economy, and an engine of opportunity for millions of hard-working men and women in our communities,” Johns said in a prepared statement issued after last week’s award.

“Empowering these businesses,

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Commercial Lender/Assistant Vice President.

Neuman is currently in charge of managing the Loan Operations Department, in addition to his credit analyst responsibilities.

Neuman was honored with Northeast Bank’s “Rookie of the Year” award in December 2011.

Getting to the top of the email hogpile Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Remember hogpiles? Kids shout Hogpile! And jump onto a heap of people until the kids at the bottom are screaming and everyone is laughing and it’s all a lot of fun. Think about the winners of certain sporting events – everyone leaps in, creating a giant pile of happy victors. A joyful moment, but think about the people at the bottom. They are being crushed and smothered and they are missing the TV spotlight because they can’t be seen.

Now think about your email inbox. Are you ultra organized and responding to every email instantaneously?

I’ve asked around and now know I am not the only person who regularly sits down in front of 300 or more new emails most days. This raises questions about what’s happening to the emails I send. Where in the hogpile are my important

messages? How can I be sure my correspondence gets the spotlight when it really matters? A few simple tricks help get messages to the top of the e-heap.

First, send emails to people who know you. If you need to send something to a stranger, first make a quick phone call. Leave a message that says, briefly, what your purpose is, and say, “I’ll send you an email to follow up.”

When someone receives your email, to some degree they will be expecting it and will respond quickly because they have a sense of what it’s about before they read it. Long emails from strangers rarely get read.

Long emails, period, rarely get read, or at least don’t get read thoroughly. If you have more than a screen’s worth of verbiage, put it in an attachment, and let the email itself be a brief summary about why the recipient should read the attachment.

Subject matters.

Some subject lines create a sense of curiosity. When Barack Obama was campaigning, he sent out millions of emails. The ones most often opened? By far, it was the email with the word “Hey” in the subject line. “Hey” is familiar, intriguing and nonthreatening.

However, Hey from a familiar person is far more effective that Hey from a stranger.

Subject lines that instruct are a relief. An email that says, FYI or No Action Required informs me that I can read this later, or read it and file it away. I can act quickly on that one and will do so. A subject line that is very long can be helpful, too. “Looking for a contact in Marketing at General Mills” tells the reader, here’s what I need; please respond. The reader can open the email to find out who sent this and why, but meanwhile his mind is already running through its mental rolodex to come up with a name.

Good habits are contagious.

When you correspond more effectively, others will tend to adopt or mirror your style, meaning the emails you receive will be easier to sort and act upon.

It’s fun to be under a hogpile, but it’s more fun to be somewhere near the top.

You belong.

The health plan with you in mind.

Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Please send your resume and career planning questions to Julie at jdesmond@ georgekonik.com.

More women should be fundraisers FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Women are role models in so many sectors of our economy, and the nonprofit sector is no exception. In honor of women’s history month we salute women who step up to the challenge of raising money for nonprofit organizations and institutions they believe in. Their leadership and vision impact the lives of individuals, families, communities, regions and our nation as a whole.

We want to encourage more women to become fundraisers, and to grow their fund development capabilities. We want women to seek fundraising positions at the highest levels, and to inspire their peers to join them.

We share with you the characteristics we have observed amongst successful women fundraisers. The following are by no means definitive, or exclusive: they are simply based on our observations over the years.

First and foremost successful women fundraisers are not afraid to ask. They are fearless in asking for money, resources, guidance, help and time. They are confident in who they are as a person, and are not intimidated by people of power, wealth and influence. They are risk takers who are not afraid to fail. At the

same time they always have a “plan b” and a “plan c” in case their original plan falters.

Speaking of plans, they are big on planning. They pay attention to detail, and they excel at follow-through. They are well prepared, and don’t “wing it.” They are collaborators who look for opportunities that will advance their donors, board members and volunteers.

They truly like people and seek to bring people together to advance organizations they believe in. When they bring people together they know how to manage them, how to bring out their best talents and abilities. Their passion is real: it’s not something they are paid to project. Rather, their leadership springs from their belief in the mission and vision of the organizations they are involved with.

Talented fundraisers we have known are listeners. They are willing – and able – to listen more than they talk. On the whole, they live a balanced lifestyle and are energized: they exude an energy you can feel.

They attend to their physical and emotional health knowing that doing so gives them an edge.

They are big on professional development and growth for themselves and the teams they manage. They are not satisfied with current success.

They have no problem sharing the limelight. They are willing to take a back seat and let others enjoy the limelight, for they know that their success lies in donors and volunteers giving and giving generously. They love the challenges of fundraising, and have no issues talking

about money. They understand that they are facilitators and not the focal point. Successful fundraisers are valued and in high demand. They orchestrate leadership teams who secure the money and resources that bring the visions of nonprofits to life.

We salute you!

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success.” They provide fundraising counsel to nonprofits. Visit them at www. saadandshaw.com.

At Medica, you’re not just part of a health plan.

You’re part of a community that believes in better health for all.

Learn more at medica.com/PublicPrograms

Page 4 • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Insight News

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EDUCATION We must produce the schools Minneapolis needs Building Creative Capital

By Bernadeia H. Johnson MPS Superintendent Our world has been changing at a pace that most of us struggle to comprehend. It is full of products and services that simply did not exist a few years ago. We now engage one another through video calls and instant messages and social media. We shop from our laptop and bank through our smart

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler 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 Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer Contributing Writers Cordie Aziz Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Oshana Himot Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Photography Suluki Fardan Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

phone. We expect the information we want to be available when we want it.

New companies like Google or Amazon have become our engines of economic growth and old ones have overhauled themselves or become obsolete.

Minnesota companies like Target and 3M are thoroughly focused on innovation and unafraid of change.

The one constant through all of this has been the increasing value of education. We cannot predict how technology will change our world, but we can predict that those who can learn and adapt will be best positioned to succeed.

And that needs to be the promise of education today – preparing our students to succeed in a fast-changing, unpredictable world.

Minneapolis Public Schools has to make sure that our students – all of them – are prepared to succeed; that they have the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for college or careers after high school as well as the cultural understanding that will make them great neighbors and citizens.

By the standard of many urban school systems, Minneapolis does pretty well. But, for too many students and their families, we are not doing well enough. Too many students, particularly those of color, either drop out before graduation or graduate unready for life in today’s knowledge economy.

Just like companies that must change to survive, Minneapolis Public Schools must also change to produce the results that the community needs. We are transforming education, changing our business model to better serve students and families.

Schools, we are looking differently at how we deliver education to the students who need it most. And those results will pay dividends in a Minneapolis that is richer economically and socially.

The education world is full of promises and, often, soaring

We have to do things right to get the results we care about. But we cannot wait for things to be perfect to act

One focus is strengthening the principal pipeline, holding current principals accountable for performance and providing better professional development for principals to help them transition from building managers to instructional leaders.

Another focus is implementing a comprehensive teacher evaluation system that recognizes exemplary teachers and provides specific professional development opportunities for teachers who need additional support.

In areas like our Office of New

rhetoric that is disconnected from reality. Saying we care about the success of all students matters little if too few of them actually succeed. We need, instead, to be judged far more on our results – what we do rather than what we say.

The relatively easy thing to do is produce a more thoughtful educational strategy; we are good at that. It is much harder to change our culture to consistently produce better results for all students. But, working with our teachers and educational leaders, we are trying

to do both.

I believe we will ultimately demonstrate results – not just rhetoric – if we concentrate on four big things: Clarity of Purpose. Our goal is to make sure all students stay with us through graduation and leave us with the knowledge and skills to be ready for college or careers.

This means high standards for all, not just some. If our students succeed after they leave Minneapolis Public Schools, we succeeded.

Great Teaching. We have a strong teaching force that needs to get stronger. With our teachers, we have developed an evaluation system that is becoming a national model. We must ensure that we support teachers with the additional training and professional development that makes them stronger. Every child, regardless of where he or she attends school in the city, must have great teachers.

Good Choices. Minneapolis has a long history of providing families with choices in the schools their children attend, and we must make sure they have only good choices. We are focusing instruction for consistency throughout the city looking for proven models, including district and charter schools, that make sense for Minneapolis.

Strong Partnerships. As the leader of the Gates-funded DistrictCharter Compact, we embrace the work of high performing charter schools that are getting results

for students, particularly black and brown students. Standout charter programs like Hiawatha Leadership Academies and Mastery School play a vital role in our work. Their performance is our potential.

We are proud to work closely with successful charter schools, whether we are learning from their classroom models, collaborating on next-generation programs or providing facilities for student learning. Recently, our Board of Education voted to sell our closed Northrop School building to Hiawatha Leadership Academies, in line with our commitment to work with and learn from schools that are generating strong results for students of color.

Our aim is to reinvent the school district, adding what it takes to accelerate student achievement and discarding functions that do not. A big part of my role will be to ensure our central office provides the support our schools need. Finally, I know that I cannot succeed without listening carefully to the needs of schools, students and their parents.

We have to do things right to get the results we care about.

But we cannot wait for things to be perfect to act. The world will not wait, and the urgency for our students occurs now, not later.

Bernadeia H. Johnson is superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools.

Minnesotans show the lasting impact of service College PossibleTM, a local nonprofit connecting full-time AmeriCorps members with low-income students to provide college access and success services, joined the celebration to thank those Minnesotans who have served with AmeriCorps over the past 19 years and to highlight the important impact of this national service program at a time when budget debates put the program at risk.

Every year in Minnesota, more than 2,000 individuals dedicate an entire year of service to AmeriCorps, which has operated in this country since 1994. These individuals are receiving modest living stipends to serve their country for a year, providing services like literacy and math tutoring, job training, food support for the elderly and housing for low-income families. Minnesota’s AmeriCorps members leverage $27 million in private donations and recruit 70,500 volunteers through more than 2.3 million hours of service.

However, at a time when budgets are under extreme pressure here and in Washington, it’s important to realize the lasting influences that these volunteers are making on their communities.

AmeriCorps Week – March 9th to 17th – celebrated the importance of national service.

“We like to say AmeriCorps is a ‘triple bottom-line’ return on investment for taxpayers – for the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the broader community and nation,” said College Possible Twin Cities Executive Director, Sara Dziuk.

“These life-changing services provided by dedicated individuals

College Possible Twin Cities staff and AmeriCorps members honored the legacy of Dr. King by making the 26th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a “day on” of service. More than 75 AmeriCorps members and staff served at Kaleidoscope Place, Arc Value Village and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, three organizations that provide support for youth and families in the Twin Cities. are cost-effective solutions that would in most cases not exist here in Minnesota without AmeriCorps, especially as cuts are hitting our state and federal budgets.”

At College Possible, every single dollar of AmeriCorps funding is matched by four private dollars that would not otherwise be dedicated to helping low-income Twin Cities students succeed in college, putting themselves and their families on

a pathway out of poverty while providing Minnesota with the college educated workforce it needs to thrive.

For AmeriCorps service member Kyle Thomas – one of 52 AmeriCorps members serving at College Possible Twin Cities this year, this isn’t just about return on investment; it’s about what he sees every day in his service with College Possible.

“Service has given me the opportunity to help change lives,”

Thomas said. “For example, my student Mai has come quite a long way since junior year. She increased her ACT score by seven points, applied to ten colleges, and been accepted to all but one of them. Her enthusiasm and determination help me and the rest of my students strive for our best, and I am so proud to be her coach!”

In 2009, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act received outstanding bipartisan support in the US House and Senate and authorized significant

multi-year growth in AmeriCorps, recognizing the cost efficient solution this flexible, high impact model provided communities and individuals. Since that time, AmeriCorps and other national service programs have been on the budget chopping block narrowly avoiding elimination and hanging on to slightly decreasing budgets.

For more information about AmeriCorps and other national service programs, please visit www.CNS.gov.

DAVID NOBLE LECTURE SERIES

“Detroit: Then and Now” Tuesday, April 9, 6 p.m.

Weisman Art Museum, 333 East River Road, Mpls.

The 19th annual David Noble Lecture, presented by the U of M American Studies Department, features Tiya Miles, professor at the University of Michigan and recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship “genius grant.”

Through a reconstruction of early Detroit in the first American decades with a focus on the role of slavery, this presentation considers whether understanding Detroit then can help to shape visionary thinking and action for Detroit now. The event is part of the “Black Studies and American Studies at the Crossroads Lecture Series” and is co-sponsored by the Weisman Art Museum.

Visit www.thefriends.org or call 651-222-3242 for more information.

Tiya Miles

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Insight News • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Page 5

AESTHETICS Rahsaan Patterson performs April 4th at the Dakota A signature song defines some artists, but others are defined by a signature sound.

For neosoul star, Rahsaan Patterson, he’s defined by his voice. In fact, many Rahsaan Patterson fans can name only a few of his song titles, but within the first note from his voice Patterson is easily identifiable.

The fact is, most music lovers are fans of Patterson without knowing it, as he has

written and produced for several artists including Brandy and Van Hunt. But it is Patterson’s own material – and specifically his falsetto voice – that has allowed Patterson to have a solo career that has spanned more than 15 years.

The former child contestant on “Star Search” and child star of “Kids Incorporated” is all grown up now and has become a bona fide soul star.

Rahsaan Patterson

Patterson will be showcasing his unique voice at 7 p.m. this coming Thursday, April 4, at the Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Nicollet Mall, downtown Minneapolis.

Patterson’s most recent CD, “bleuphoria,” which was released in 2011, is a beautiful blend of soul and jazz with a hint of gospel and the blues.

Patterson will be playing with his full band for the upcoming Dakota show.

Tickets for the upcoming Rahsaan Patterson show are $40 and can be purchased by calling the Dakota box office at (612) 332-5299 or online at www.dakotacooks.com.

Rahsaan Patterson Thursday, April 4 7 p.m.

Dakota Jazz Club – 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis $40

Fatoumata Diawara: Mali’s new music sensation Mali’s new music sensation, Fatoumata Diawara, who has been wooing critics and lighting up stages around the world with her radiant voice is set to make her Twin Cities debut.

Diawara, also know as Fatou, fuses elements of jazz and funk into an exquisitely, yet sensual folk-rock, inflecting it with the rhythms and melodies of Wassoulou, her ancestral song form. Diawara performs Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m. at The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis.

Likened to her mentor, Oumou Sangaré, Diawara has been hailed as the next great female African songwriter of significance.

Diawara was born to Malian parents in the Ivory Coast in 1982. As a child she became a member of her father’s dance troupe and was a popular performer of the wildly flailing didadi dance. An energetic and headstrong girl, at the age of 12 Diawara’s refusal to go to school prompted her parents to send her to live with, and be disciplined by, an aunt in Bamako, Mali.

She was not to see her parents again for over a decade.

Diawara’s aunt was an actress, and a few years after arriving, she found herself on a film set looking after her aunt’s infant child. Her adolescent

beauty captivated the film’s director and she was given a one line part in the final scene of the film “Taafe Fangan.” This led to her being given a lead role by the celebrated director Cheick Omar Sissoko in his 1999 film “La Genèse.”

Offers for further acting roles poured in but Diawara’s family

Fatoumata Diawara

wanted her to settle down and marry and forced her to announce on live Malian television that she was abandoning her career as an actress.

In 2002 Jean-Louis Courcoult, the director of the renowned French theatre company Royale de Luxe, traveled to Bamako to offer

Diawara a part in his new production.

An unmarried woman is considered a minor in Malian society so her family’s permission was required, but they refused. After much soul searching, Diawara made the daring decision to run away and at Bamako airport she managed to board a plane for

Youri Lenquette

Paris, narrowly escaping police who had been alerted to her “kidnapping.”

With Royal de Luxe, Fatou performed a variety of roles around the world including tours in Vietnam, Mexico, and throughout Europe. During rehearsals and quiet moments she took to singing backstage for

her own amusement. She was overheard by the director and was soon singing solos during the company’s performances.

Encouraged by the reception from audiences she began to sing in Parisian clubs and cafés during breaks from touring, which is how she met Cheikh Tidiane Seck, the celebrated Malian musician and producer who invited her to travel with him back to Mali to work on two projects as chorus vocalist.

Diawara made the decision to dedicate herself to music. She worked to complete an album’s worth of songs and started recording demos for which she composed and arranged all the titles, as well as playing guitar, percussion, bass, and singing lead and harmony vocals. An introduction from Oumou Sangare resulted in a record deal with World Circuit and the recording of her debut project.

Diawara had collaborated with jazz great, Herbie Hancock and most recently, she contributed vocals to the song “Nothin’ Can Save Ya” on Bobby Womack’s new album The Bravest Man in the Universe.

Tickets to Fatoumata Diawara are $30 ($25 Walker members) and are available at www.walkerart.org/tickets or by calling (612) 375-7600.

Eslanda: The Large and Unconventional Life of Mrs. Paul Robeson Book review

By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com “At a time when most Black women suffered painfully circumscribed lives, Eslanda Robeson enjoyed enormous mobility... For most of her life, Essie was a traveler, both literally and metaphorically.

She transcended class and cultural boundaries and crossed international borders; she conversed in multiple languages and traveled to nearly every corner of the globe. Essie Robeson’s story is about one woman’s journey across the vast and volatile landscape of 20th Century world politics and culture…

But it is not a singular story.

It is a story of a marriage and a partnership that was fraught with complications, but which

Jarrett From 1 Enshrined posthumously into the NNPA Publishers Hall of Fame were Joseph L. Coley, Sr. of the Bakersfield News Obsever and Virginia Lucille JohnsonTate of the Northwest Dispatch in Tacoma, Washington.

Other awards presented were:

SBA From 3 and embracing an inclusive view of entrepreneurship, is essential to our long-term economic growth and global competitiveness.”

She also agrees with Grant that more must be done. “We must ensure that more people across the country have access to the capital, technical assistance, and support networks they need to help them start businesses, create jobs, and grow our economy.”

Suring up Black banks in order to serve their communities

ultimately endured.”

-- Excerpted from Introduction (pg. 1)

the

every bit as interesting, and her compelling life story is the subject of this fascinating biography by Barbara Ransby. For, despite the trials and tribulations of a rocky marriage and of having Paul, Jr. to raise, Essie remained a fiercelyindependent trailblazer in her own right, whether attending graduate school, writing books, or railing against racism, sexism and colonialism.

Above all, Eslanda Robeson was an outspoken peace pilgrim with an enviable, global network of friends and supporters, even if she would become a pariah in the United States because of being an outspoken advocate of progressive politics. This fact is reflected in the book’s 30+ pages of photographs, in which we find her in the company of such luminaries as Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, Dr. Martin Luther King, novelist Pearl Buck, U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, playwright Eugene O’Neill, Ghana’s President Kwame Nkrumah and poet Langston Hughes.

A poignant portrait of a peripatetic, human rights activist

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1896, Eslanda Cardozo Goode Robeson was a descendant of slaves and Sephardic Jews.

Although there were enormous barriers encountered by AfricanAmericans during the early 20th Century, she somehow managed to gain admission to an Ivy League school, Columbia University, at a time when most Black women worked as domestics and most Black males had to settle for menial labor.

After earning a B.S. degree, Essie landed a job as a chemist at a Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

In 1919, while still living in New York City, everything changed the day she met Paul Robeson, who was then a law student at NYU. The two fell madly in love, married a couple of years later and eventually had a child together.

Blessed with a powerful, bass-baritone singing voice, Paul opted to pursue an entertainment career over the practice of law,

with Essie serving as his business manager.

Everyone knows that he went on to become an international icon, first as an entertainer, then as a blacklisted civil rights advocate.

However, his wife was

Lifetime Achievement – Maulana Karenga, creator of Kawanzaa and chair of Africana Studies at California State University-Long Beach.

Community Empowerment – Susan L. Taylor, CEO of National Cares Mentoring Movement and former editor-inchief of Essence magazine.

Political Achievement – Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson Legal and Civil Rights – Attorneys Irving L. Joyner and

James E. Ferguson II (attorneys for the Wilmington Ten) and Harvard Law Professor Charles J. Ogletree Corporate Support and Recognition – Nielsen, General Motors and Macy’s Susan Taylor said, “Even with all the evidence that we present to potential advertisers, still it’s a struggle to attract our fair share of those dollars.”

In accepting his award, Professor Ogletree said: “We

cannot survive without the Black Press. No one else will tell our story, no one else will understand what we’ve gone through, no one will understand how much we have achieved and no one will understand how far we still have to go if it were not for NNPA and the Black Press.”

He added, “We would not be who were are, where we are and do what we do if not for the Black Press lifting us up.”

is a part of that mission, she says. “Over the past four years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has been working hard to create more access for entrepreneurs and more opportunities for lenders to work with the small businesses in their communities. The NBA and our network of lending partners are on the front lines of these efforts to revitalize our economy and communities.”

In her statement, Johns ticked off a list of services available to strengthen small businesses and “undeserved communities”. They include the Small Loan Advantage (SLA) program and Community Advantage lenders, she listed.

In fiscal year 2013 alone, she reported, the SLA Program “has already surpassed total SLA loans and approved SLA dollars in FY 2012 and 2011 combined, with more than 1,000 loans approved for a total of nearly $150,000,000 since the start of the fiscal year.”

Deputy administrator Johns is already a presidential appointee, nominated by President Obama on December 17, 2009, and confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate. Her bio on sba.gov boasts more than $30 billion in lending to more than 60,000 small businesses across the country.

“That is the most capital

going to small businesses in the history of the SBA,” it states. She doesn’t have to convince Grant: “At a White House news briefing three years ago, President Barack Obama announced a number of new initiatives designed to streamline SBA guidelines and render the agency more userfriendly. Working in tandem with the Administration, Ms. Johns used her business savvy and exceptional executive skills to bring a more modern and less cumbersome SBA to community banks and small businesses, in general, and minority banks and minority-owned business enterprises in particular.”

Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries, Julius Lazarus Collection/H.L. Davis

Eslanda and Paul Robeson en route to New York to film Emperor Jones, London, March 5, 1933.

willing to challenge oppression of any form wherever she could find it.

Eslanda

The Large and Unconventional Life of Mrs. Paul Robeson

by Barbara Ransby Yale University Press Hardcover, $35.00

Page 6 • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Insight News

insightnews.com

FULL CIRCLE Spring cleaning for the emotions Man Talk

By Timothy Houston Spring is in the air, and it is the wonderful time of the year when we start to shake off the dust of winter. As we begin to open the windows of our physical and spiritual houses, it is a good time to get our emotional house in order. What do we do when we get overwhelmed? How do we deal with the stress and the pressure that each day brings?

How do we clean our emotional reservoir? We must learn to reset our emotional clock and refresh our spiritual reservoir. I call this process spring cleaning for the emotions.

First, begin with daily reflections. Take time in the morning to reflect on your actions from the previous day.

What things did you do well?

What things do you need to work on? Men and women both need daily time of reflection.

The man often carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and the woman often carriers the needs of the family on hers.

They are both complicated systems that are comprised of a spirit, soul and body. Getting up an hour earlier in the morning can dramatically change your

life. You will begin to use your emotional energy to build the life you want rather than to continue to dread the one you have. Daily reflection is the first step to resetting your emotional clock.

Secondly, make daily emotional adjustments. When I turn on my home computer in the morning, it goes through a series of bleeps and flashes which it does every time it starts up. It checks to make sure all of the drives and cylinders are operating correctly. It also checks the main memory to make sure none of the data has been corrupted since it was shut down on the night before.

The computer then makes the minor adjustments necessary to keep itself running smoothly. It

checks itself against its internal programming. This emotional process is called “forgiveness.”

Forgiving others empties our emotional reservoir and rests our spiritual clock.

Thirdly, make spiritual adjustments by reading your Bible on a daily basis. Our brain is a big computer that runs on the word of God. We must be prepared to adjust our actions daily to align with the spiritual truths that are stored in our hearts. When we do this, what we think and feel will become secondary to what God thinks and feel. This self-to-God alignment is a key to making the right decisions. Our emotional health is a byproduct of our spiritual health.

Finally, make positive

affirmations daily. I like to start my day with this simple affirmation, “Today will be a quiet day.” This declaration helps me understand the need for quiet meditation. Quiet time leads to self-examination, and examination is necessary to remain healthy. We all must regularly check our mental and emotional condition. This requires us to affirm ourselves by saying positive things about ourselves and speaking positive things into our life. This brings the emotional and spiritual balance needed to live the best life possible. Your affirmations become your aspirations.

When we reset our spiritual clock, we reset our emotional clock as well. Spiritual peace produces emotional peace. This

peace is like a river that flows from the heart of God into the heart of men and women.

We are able to face the world and the things in it without losing perspective on what is important. Our families benefit from this peace. Spring is here!

Enjoy it with your family. The spiritual and emotional seeds you plant today will produce a great harvest tomorrow.

Press

they also desperately need leadership, too, and the Black Press can fill that void.

“You guys have got to come teach us,” said Butler speaking to an audience of Black publishers. ”You need to show us the way.”

Chavis, who works with many Hip Hop artists, agreed that publishers, who suffer from an aging readership, need to attack younger readers, many of whom get their news primarily through mobile devices.

“The Hip Hop generation didn’t fall out of the sky,” he said. “They were given birth by this generation. The irony is some of us don’t even recognize or affirm what we gave birth to. We can use our newspapers to reaffirm that recognition and I guarantee that reciprocity can take off.”

Ogletree said both old and young can benefit from better communications.

“It’s cheaper, it’s efficient, it’s very effective and when young people are reading, we need to make sure they’re reading about what’s happening to us as well,” he said.

Kevin Lewis, director of African American Media for the White House, stated: “There is no Barack Obama president without the Black Press. It’s not just the Black press. It’s the Black community and Black leaders.”

Lewis said President Obama supported the Black Press and recognized that Black newspapers were a great conduit to the Black community.”

But some publishers have complained that the 2012 Obama presidential campaign only spent roughly $1.2 million advertising in Black newspapers and nearly a billion dollars in other media buys.

Chavis said all advertisers should be held accountable.

“We march for everything else, why can’t we march for the Black press?” asked Chavis,

who is also the president of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, a non-profit group that works with Hip Hop artists and entertainers to engage young people for social and political change. “We need to think about advertising in a new way.”

Lewis said, “There’s a history in the Black Press. I think that there is also a lot of worth in having a physical newspaper.” Lewis continued: “News is so immediate, that there is a value in having something online as soon as something happens. In the past we would be able to embargo something for a week, but now we’re just embargoing it for 10 minutes.”

After the panel discussion, Cloves Campbell, chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, said that reaching that younger, more connected, Hip Hop generation remains a top priority.

“Our readership is getting older and we have to make sure that we put content in our newspapers that the younger generation wants to read,” said Campbell. “Bringing Jineea in was the best thing that we could have done to get that other perspective from a younger person who is right there on the ground with the people we are trying to reach. Having her here and having her participate more in the future will be the key to our success.”

Campbell also said that the Black Press has to embrace technology and learn to connect to readers through social media. Campbell said that Black newspapers also need to be more communityoriented and show more support for local organizations.

He said, “We have to hit the ground and get some perspective on what readers want by hosting forums, round table discussions and focus groups.”

From 1

Reverend Paul Slack

African American clergy to hold Faith Rally at Capitol Rotunda On Thursday April 4, 10:00 – 11:00 AM, 200 AfricanAmerican clergy and members of their congregations will hold a faith rally at the Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda. Together, they will call on legislators to erase existing equity gaps in education, transit, healthcare and housing. They seek to partner

with state leaders to achieve equitable budget solutions that benefit the children and families of their community.

“Our elected leaders have a tremendous responsibility to and opportunity to work towards building a state that honors the sacredness and affirms the dignity of every Minnesotan.

On the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, the African American faith leaders will uphold our historic and prophetic tradition of being called to right injustice.” – Said Rev. Paul Slack, Pastor at New Creation Church in Minneapolis and President of ISAIAH.

Club.

“I’m a product of Black schools and Black churches,” said Benjamin Chavis, an online educator and longtime activist. “The Black press has a value to all people, but if Black people don’t celebrate the Black press why should we expect other people to celebrate it?”

Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree also praised the Black Press noting that he still prefers to hold a printed copy of Black newspapers.

But the youngest member of the panel challenged members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to target younger readers.

Jineea Butler, founder of the Socials Services of Hip Hop and the Hip Hop Union said the Hip Hop generation needs support, too.

“Corporations come to the Hip Hop community and engage us,” said Butler. “The disconnect is that the people that came before us don’t think that we want the information.”

During the panel discussion, Butler said that the Hip Hop generation not only wants information, but

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.

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Page 7

National conference celebrated role of church ushers The National United Church Ushers Association of America, Inc. held its 56th Annual “Central Region” Conference in Bloomington, MN at the Doubletree By Hilton March 22-23, 2013.

The Theme: “Ushers Being Joyful in Hope, Patient in Distress and Faithful in Prayer” – Romans 12:12.

Officers present at the “Central Region” Conference: Harold E. Hester, Jr., National President; Betty Butler, National Chairman – Board of Directors; Geneva Clark-Cole, Regional Director; Darlene Anderson, Regional President; Tiana Adams, Young Adult Regional President; Breanna Arnold, Junior Regional President and Rev. Jessie Griffin, Host Pastor.

There were over 500 in attendance from seven states (Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin which included 300 Usher Delegates. Photos submitted by Lucy Buckner, New Hope Baptist Church, St. Paul, MN.

Mayor From 1 Convention and His Works United, 3-5 PM at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, 2507 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis.

April 16 — DFL caucuses Candidates in the race (alphabetically): Mark Andrew, Jackie Cherryhomes, Betsy Hodges, Don Samuels, Gary Schiff, Cam Winton.

1. What will be your top priorities as mayor?

Gary Schiff: Jobs—I believe Minneapolis can be the city that creates a local sustainable economy. As mayor, I will work with labor unions, businesses, non-profits and educators to strengthen job training programs so city residents can get the skills they need to compete for jobs on city projects. I’ll set a goal to fill 25% of jobs on city projects with well-trained Minneapolis residents.

Small Businesses — I believe corporate welfare is an inefficient way to create jobs.

As mayor, I would get rid of rules that don’t make sense and simplify regulations on small businesses, helping the local economy to take off. I also believe that the city government should encourage entrepreneurs: I would simplify regulations so small businesses can succeed.

Kids—I believe an investment in our kids brings the best return. As mayor, I’d fight for the resources we need to close the achievement gap so that every child in Minneapolis

Keshawn Nesbitt (front in suit), Missouri Youth Excellence Award recipient and youth ushers from Ohio, Illinois and Missouri.

Minnesota State Ushers

Ohio State Ushers

has access to a quality, affordable education. I’ll work with the schools and Hennepin County to create a five-year plan to reduce youth poverty and youth violence in Minneapolis, with measurable goals and transparency.

Cam Winton: 1.) Deliver essential services effectively: police, fire, road paving, and road clearing.

2.) Make it easier for businesses to start and grow in Minneapolis -- so that there are enough jobs for our citizens.

3.) Ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to thrive.

Right now, too many don’t -- and this is a moral failing.

I’d achieve this goal through implementation of priorities #1 & #2, plus advocating for changes to the school system that put the interests of students first.

Jackie Cherryhomes: My top three priorities are insuring that property taxes are fair, equitable and provide for excellent quality services to Minneapolis residents; making sure Minneapolis is a safe and secure city; building a strong economy with strong neighborhood and downtown commercial districts and jobs for our residents.

Mark Andrew: 1.) Make Minneapolis the greenest city in North America; 2.) Care for every one of our city’s children by ensuring they are educated and trained for tomorrow’s jobs 3.) Foster an environment for businesses throughout the city to thrive and create jobs.

Don Samuels: As mayor, I will work to keep our streets safe, by focusing on data-driven, “smart on crime” solutions, that will not only more

effectively catch criminals, but also help to stop crime before it even happens. I will focus on economic development that makes Minneapolis a more desirable place to do business and bring family-supporting jobs into the city. I will also work to make sure that every child has access to a quality education that prepares them for college or the workforce as they choose. I believe these three priorities are inextricably linked, and must be tackled together to see real progress. We know, for example, that a child in school, or an adult with a job is dramatically less likely to turn to crime and that an public safety and an educated workforce are good for business.

That is the focus I will bring with me to City Hall.

2. What distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Gary Schiff: I’m the most progressive of all the candidates in the race. For the last twelve years

Tianna C. Buckley, Ohio Youth Excellence Award recipient and parents.

I’ve represented a ward that is 50% people of color and predominantly working-class. I have a plan to grow jobs, reduce homelessness, and invest in our infrastructure. My record on the Minneapolis City Council clearly demonstrates my commitment to commonsense solutions to make life better for the people of Minneapolis. I’ve been a leader in affordable housing creation, job development, support for small businesses, advocacy for low-income families, and public transit.

Cam Winton: I am the only candidate not coming from a background in government.

My co-workers and I built a wind-turbine maintenance company that services wind turbines across the country and around the world. We sold ourselves to the largest utility in the country a few months ago in a way that preserved the jobs of all 120 employees and enabled

Rev. Jessie and Sarah Griffin, True Vine Missionary Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN.

all 120 employees to share in the benefits of the sale.

As mayor, I’d draw on that experience to provide essential services effectively and make it easier for people to start and grow companies in Minneapolis, which will create more jobs.

Jackie Cherryhomes: I have a set of skills and life experiences that clearly differentiate me from the other candidates.

I am the only candidate who has broad city-wide experience; having lived and worked in neighborhoods throughout south, southeast, north and northeast Minneapolis. Throughout my life, as an involved citizen and an elected official, I have brought people together to solve difficult problems.

I have successfully run my own business and worked with the business community throughout Minneapolis. I have built and managed affordable housing. I have created jobs.

I have worked to make our neighborhoods safer. As Council President, I have run the City of Minneapolis.

My experiences as a community organizer, business owner and former Council President give me the ability to hit the ground running as Mayor.

Mark Andrew: The other candidates are fine people and I would even call them friends. What I have more than they do are three main things: First, experience in both elected office (five terms on the Hennepin County Board, many of those as Chair) AND in the private sector (as Founder and President of GreenMark); second, a bold vision for the City of Minneapolis and how to make it work for everyone (with a track record of proposing bold ideas and then building the coalition to make it happen;

MAYOR TURN TO 8

Page 8 • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Area organization’s job is to get people working

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer With the economy still in flux, many individuals are finding themselves facing layoffs and the daunting task of seeking new employment.

For some of these displaced, or soon to be displaced workers, this may be the first time in 10, 15 or even 20 years that they have had to seek employment.

Making the task even more daunting is with changing technology; some may no longer have the skills to compete in today’s competitive job market.

This is where Resource comes in.

Resource is a nonprofit organization that provides services in employment and training, mental health and chemical health. Resource’s four divisions include Employment Action Center, Minnesota Resource Center, Recovery Resource Center, and Spectrum Community Mental Health. The organization assists over 19,000 people a year and employs 300 people. Resource has facilities throughout the metro with offices in St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington.

Through it’s Dislocated Worker Program, Resource helps transitioning workers throughout the state. This service has proven beneficial to countless workers facing the prospect of not having a regular paycheck for the first time in years.

“We had a woman who was

Mayor From 7 and third, a collaborative leadership style that has given me a unique ability to work with elected officials across all levels of government to solve problems and build a great city.

Collaboration is a key quality for a modern mayor. We have to bring together all government entities, business, labor and faith to overcome the obstacles we face as a city right now.

My bold vision with a track record for getting things done includes bringing forward recycling and domestic partnership benefits for Hennepin County, I worked to make sure Target Field is the greenest stadium in the world, and I also brought forward the plan and built the coalition which made the Midtown Greenway happen.

I will bring this vision, passion and know how to City Hall to make Minneapolis greater for everyone.

Don Samuels: I believe my record of leadership on tough issues makes me the best choice for mayor.

Long before being elected to the Council, I moved into the most troubled neighborhood in the city to help organize

Resource Dislocated Worker Program Director, Nekeisia Booyer details some of the services offered through the program, which is free to those in need of employment opportunities.

Harry Colbert, Jr.

83-years-old and she was with her company for 45 years. She was laid off and she said, ‘Do you think I’m too old(to find a new job?’” said Pam Kling, a director with the Resource

Dislocated Worker Program. “I said my goodness no; you’re never too old. She ended up with a wonderful part-time job and she was tickled pink with her new skills.”

Through the Dislocated Worker Program, Resource provides free, individualized services to dislocated workers including job placement assistance, funded training,

personal support funds, career counseling, workshops to assist with job search, resume writing, and interview and custom hiring events for businesses. Resource also offers other services

people against the violence that was running rampant. I organized vigils for the victims of these crimes to galvanize neighbors and shed light on the problem where previously there had been none, and cofounded the Peace Foundation, which became the Northside Achievement Zone, to keep kids off the streets and build strong neighborhoods. When countless others told me there was nothing that could be done, I put myself in the middle of pessimism and danger to help the community find a way out. I have brought that same passion for getting things done, with me, every day in my role as Council member.

I will be that kind of mayor.

3. How will your mayorship be different than your predecessor?

Gary Schiff: Twelve years ago I came into office with Mayor Rybak.

With balanced budgets and fiscal discipline, we have restored the city’ s AAA bond rating and laid a stable foundation for the city’s financial future. I am proud to be part of these successes. My administration will be different because the challenges we face today are different. Job training for city residents, cutting red tape for small businesses, finishing the light rail system, building a street car network,

and senior housing challenges all await the next mayor. I look forward to continuing to build on this city’s rich heritage, working together with community leaders and government officials in order to make our neighborhoods, our schools, our parks, our city even better. The diverse cultures and resources that make up Minneapolis are its strength, and as mayor I would focus on using that strength for the benefit of all residents. I would step into the job with twelve years of progressive leadership on the Minneapolis City Council and an ability to bring people together to make our neighborhoods stronger.

Cam Winton: As mayor, I will build on Mayor Rybak’s great work -while bringing a fresh set of eyes to the challenges we face.

Too often right now, the City Council prioritizes bells & whistles over the basic functions of city government. I will restore a sense of balance.

As one example: the property crime rate is rising and we only solve 30 percent of burglaries.

A city the size of Minneapolis should have 975 cops. We only have 850. So, as one part of the solution crime, we need more police officers on the street -- and as mayor, I’ll put them there.

As another example: our

roads are crumbling and we are far behind the necessary pace of re-paving. We need to spend more money on road re-paving. As mayor, I’ll do so.

I’ll pay for these priorities by drawing on my private-sector background to reduce spending on non-priorities and to increase the efficiency of government operations.

Also, I will take greater steps to ensure that our school system is putting the needs of students first, including by advocating for the mayor to have four direct appointees on the school board.

Jackie Cherryhomes: Rybak has done an excellent job of solving the pension problem, putting Minneapolis on firm financial footing and focusing on youth employment through the Step-Up Program.

I am a different person, with a different personality and some differing priorities.

The Cherryhomes administration would build on some of the work of the Rybak administration, but would certainly not be Rybak 2.0. There will be differences in both style and substance.

I will reach into the private sector and community to identify individuals to serve in my administration. My administration will reflect the diverse communities in Minneapolis.

I will continue the Rybak focus on public safety, but with new initiatives and stronger community connections between the police and residents.

I will focus on building a strong economy, both in our neighborhoods and downtown and jobs for those communities where unemployment is a critical issue.

I will provide more opportunity for residents and businesses to share their opinions with City Hall and forge the initiatives I am engaged in. We have become too “top-down”; I am a grassroots person and my administration will reflect that focus.

I am known as someone who “connects the dots”, follows through and gets the job done.

That is how I will approach any issue facing the city. I am also one who is known as a good listener, a collaborator and one who brings people together. A focus of my administration will be to build partnerships throughout our City and collaborate to solve problems.

Mark Andrew: I think Minneapolis is great, but I want to make sure it is great for everyone. I think RT did a great job and was a champion for our community. I want to build on his green initiatives, but I want to go further and make sure we are the greenest city in North America.

PUZZLES

including services for those in need of chemical or mental health assistance.

“Over the past three years, we’ve placed over 2,200 workers,” said Nekeisia Booyer, a director with the Dislocated Worker Program. “If you know someone who has been laid off due to no fault of their own, you can say, ‘Hey, I know a program that can assist you.”

Booyer said the typical worker assisted through the Dislocated Worker Program finds employment paying $20.86 on average. She said once a person is a client of Resource, that person is a client for life and Resource continually offers follow-up services to these it has helped.

Of concern to those with Resource is a large disparity in hiring of African- and NativeAmericans.

“Some of it is due to education and some of it’s due to very blatant racism,” said Booyer. “We’re looking to end this disparity.”

Booyer said the commitment to get people working is above and beyond what one might expect.

“We’re not talking an 8 (a.m) – 5 (p.m.),” said Booyer.

“We’re working around the clock. We’re going to meet you where you are; that’s just the kind of dedication we have as a staff.”

For more information on the services offered through Resource, visit www.resourcemn.org or call. (612) 752-8000.

Not just because it is good for the environment, but also because it is the only way we can build and sustain future growth.

Don Fraser and I worked together to create the Youth Coordinating Board (YCB). I want to turbo-charge the YCB and other programs that can help our children and close our opportunity gap.

Don Samuels: RT has set a high bar for performance as mayor. I look forward to building on his accomplishments. I will focus more on education by nurturing a mutually supportive and accountable relationship with the Minneapolis Public Schools, driven by objective data. I will have an ongoing conversation with the parents of our students about their role in school readiness, their relationship with their child’s school and how to create a winning student.

We are an increasingly diverse community. I will help lead our citizens into productive conversations about our common interests. We will achieve new levels of mutuality across class, race and geography for the common good. I will lead the work to make us one city with compatible goals and shared prosperity.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: FINISH THE LYRICS

ANSWERS TURN TO 10

ACROSS 1. Indian instrument in “Norwegian Wood” 6. Lab eggs 9. *”I want my baby ____” 13. *Mack the _____ 14. Type of test for women 15. Bridal veil fabric 16. Of sour taste 17. Pitcher’s stat 18. Bone-chilling 19. *”I’m the wonderer, yeah, the wonderer, I roam ______” 21. *”Lean on me... I’ll help you _____ __” 23. Hit the slopes 24. *”I read the ____ today oh boy” 25. It makes a guitar louder 28. Small ornamental case 30. *”Hey, I just met you... but here’s my ______” 35. Like beef with little fat 37. Aphrodite’s son 39. Artillery burst 40. Doing nothing 41. Puzzle combining pictures and letters 43. Hula feast 44. Opinions from Barbara, Elisabeth and Joy 46. *”____ no mountain high enough” 47. Danson and Seth MacFarlane’s stuffed animal 48. Like a smell or taste of soil 50. *Now you’re just somebody that I ____ to know” 52. *”I ___ the bad moon rising” 53. 500 sheets 55. Surfer’s turf 57. *”Killing me softly with ___ ____” 61. *”I’m puttin’ on my ___ ___” 64. Bye to Edith Piaf 65. Frigid 67. Impulses 69. Rubber-____ boots 70. And not 71. High-pitched laugh sound

72. Walk, as through mud 73. ___ Goo Dolls 74. Brewer’s staple DOWN 1. Reggae precursor 2. Ancient Peruvian 3. Bleacher feature 4. Rounded hairdos 5. Chastise 6. Popular newspaper page 7. Variable, abbr.

8. Quickly or rapidly 9. Dutch settler in South Africa 10. Breezy 11. The Muse of history 12. Razor-sharp 15. Sometimes denoted as a “v” 20. Fertilizer ingredient 22. Barley bristle 24. Nb on Mendeleev’s table 25. *”I will survive... I know I’ll stay _____” 26. The press 27. A whiter shade of pale?

29. Carbamide 31. Scotch ingredient 32. *”Lady sings the _____” 33. Some do this with taxes 34. Awaken 36. Former Speaker of the House 38. Phoenix’ team 42. Dictation taker 45. Corpse’s garb 49. Asian capital 51. *”I didn’t shoot no ______” 54. *”I’m sitting here, doing nothing but _____” 56. *”You and me and the devil makes _____” 57. Door fastener 58. “White Wedding” singer 59. Fodder holder 60. Start of something big?

61. Apprentice 62. Turkish honorific 63. Found in a caddie’s pocket 66. Dove’s sound 68. Part of tennis match

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Page 9

President Barack Obama on the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act March 23, 2013 – Three years ago today, I signed into law the principle that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one should go broke just because they get sick. The Affordable Care Act will give hard-working, middle class families the health care security they deserve and protect every American from the worst insurance company abuses.

Already, millions of seniors are saving $600 a year on their prescription drugs. Millions of young people have been able to stay on their family’s health plan until age 26. Preventive care, like mammograms for women and wellness visits for seniors, is covered free of charge. Most importantly, for the sake of our fiscal future, the growth of health

care costs is beginning to slow.

In fact, last year, Medicaid costs fell for the first time in decades.

Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will no longer have unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women more than men. And soon, no American will ever again be denied care or charged

more due to a pre-existing condition, like cancer or even asthma.

Later this year, millions of Americans will finally have the opportunity to buy the same kind of health care Members of Congress give themselves.

Beginning in October, you’ll be able to sign up for new private health care plans through a new

health insurance marketplace where private plans will compete to save middle class families money. Through these marketplaces, Americans and small business owners will be able to choose from a menu of health plans that fit their budget and provide quality coverage they can count on when they need it most. If you like the plan

you have, you can keep it. If you cannot afford a plan, you or your small business may get financial assistance to make it affordable.

There’s more work to do to implement this law, and I look forward to working with leaders of both parties to help Americans save money on health care and extend the security of coverage to every family.

What you need to know about infant immunization Vaccines are a very important part of protecting your children and yourself from some serious diseases. Anyone who has seen a person die or get very sick from a disease that could be prevented by a vaccine knows how important they are.

Immunizing your child is one of the most loving things you can do. Shots work. Shots are safe.

They have very few side effects.

The benefits far outweigh any risks.

Immunization starts before a baby is born when the mom

gets shots to prevent whooping cough (pertussis) and flu when she is pregnant. These vaccines help keep the mom and baby from getting sick. It is important for dads, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and anyone else that will be spending time with your baby to get their whooping cough and flu vaccines too. This protects the newborn baby until they get their own vaccinations.

Be sure to get shots at the right ages. Kids need most of their shots by 2 years of age. Shots work best at these ages, but if your child is

behind, you can get them caught up. Shots for young children are usually given at: • • • • • •

Birth 2 months 4 months 6 months 12-23 months 4-6 years

Vaccination protects against these diseases: • Hepatitis B • Diphtheria • Tetanus

• • • • • • • • • • •

Pertussis (whooping cough) Hib meningitis Pneumococcal meningitis Polio Rotavirus Influenza Measles Mumps Rubella Varicella (chickenpox) Hepatitis A

We don’t see some of these diseases very often anymore.

That is because vaccines work.

Vaccinations help keep children

healthy so disease does not spread in our communities.

It is okay for a baby to receive several shots at the same time.

It helps the immune system to grow stronger. Most of the time, it is okay to go ahead with vaccination even if your child has a cold, earache, diarrhea, or is on antibiotics.

Remember to carry a shot record card for each child. You will need them for the doctor, child care, Head Start, school, camp, and even college.

Sometimes parents are worried

about how much shots cost. Free or low cost shots are available for eligible children in Minnesota through the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program. Find out if your child can get free or low cost shots by going to this website: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/ idepc/immunize/howpay.html.

If you are looking for more information about the diseases and the vaccines that prevent them, check out the Vaccine Information Sheets. They are available in many languages. The website is: www. immunize.org/VIS.

The affordable care act comes to Minnesota Governor Dayton made history recently by signing into law the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace Act and bringing a new, consumer-friendly health insurance marketplace to

Minnesota families and small businesses.

“We applaud the legislature and Governor Dayton on this historic achievement for Minnesota.

Nearly 300,000

currently uninsured Minnesotans will gain access to quality, affordable health care because of this landmark legislation,” said Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota

President & CEO, Sarah Stoesz.

“The Affordable Care Act marks the greatest advancement for women’s health in a generation. It will ensure that every woman has access to

comprehensive, preventive health care including life-saving cancer screenings, birth control and pap tests – with no out-ofpocket costs to them.”

“As leaders across our state

continue to work to implement the Affordable Care Act – we commend them for their tireless work to make Minnesota a healthier state.”

MUL

99% of students enrolled are African-American, 3% are homeless.

“Our youth face different barriers to successful graduation, college enrollment and completion,” continues Simmons. “Unstable home life and behavioral challenges require yet another level of intervention.

In his testimony, Scott Gray, President and CEO of Minneapolis Urban League, outlined the program’s core objectives and outcomes including partnerships with

post-secondary institutions Dunwoody Institute and Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), as additional pathways to opportunity for program participants.

“Thank you for addressing a real need,” said Education Committee Chair, Senator Patricia Torres Ray (SD 63DFL). She further applauded Senator Hayden for identifying community partners to address the education crisis. The bill passed unanimously and was referred to the Senate Finance

Committee for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill. The initiative will be presented by Representative Ray Dehn, the author of the bill in Minnesota’s House of Representatives with a possible hearing next week.

The Minneapolis Urban League urges its constituents and anyone concerned with helping our young people reach their fullest potential to contact your Senator and urge their support of the 13th Grade Initiative.

another family to afford the bills,” said Rios, tearfully. “That’s what it’s been like since we’ve come to this country.”

Maxwell appeared moved by Rios’ tale of hardship.

“Your story is all too common,” said Maxwell. “People in this country who do the right things and play by the rules shouldn’t have to struggle this hard. It’s just wrong that people are working this hard and can’t find jobs with decent wages.”

Blanca Jimenez, who works cleaning a local K-Mart store said years prior she was making a livable wage, but in recent years she has been forced to work for much less or face not having employment at all. She said just a few years ago she was making $12 an hour, but today she makes

$7.25 an hour and works seven days a week.

“Now these companies are treating us like merchandise and we’re half off,” said Jimenez.

“We’re not disposable, we’re people. We have families to support.”

From 1 sites. Often the last resort for students struggling socially and academically in public schools, the Academy hopes to bridge this gap through its social enterprise and mentorship model set to launch this Summer. It currently has 132 students enrolled, including 25 middle-school students.

Approximately

Wages From 1 (Mar. 25) at the Minneapolis Central Library by advocates and local Hispanic workers, who shared stories about how they struggle to make ends meet while surviving on the current minimum wage.

“In my opinion, we need to link the minimum wage to the (company’s) executive wage,” said Ellison. “If a company is doing well, everybody with the company should be doing well.”

Maxwell is part of a team of deputies within the Department of Labor who have been dispatched to 20 cities throughout the U.S. to hear from adult workers who currently earn the federal minimum wage. It is estimated that 15 million workers make minimum wage.

“It’s important to hear from you (workers in the room) and to understand what life is like for

you living on minimum wage,” said Maxwell.

What she and Ellison heard were stories of struggle, hardship and despair.

“I don’t make enough to pay my bills,” said Lucilia Dominguez. “I had to give up my apartment and I moved in with other people to make ends meet. I’m living paycheck to paycheck.”

Emilio Miranda Rios was reduced to tears when telling his story of struggle. Many in the room were also reduced to tears listening to Rios’ tale.

Rios told the Congressman and the labor deputy a tale of working two cleaning jobs, one with a company contracted to clean K-Mart stores and another with Home Depot. According to Rios, he worked seven days a week and earned between $7 and $8 an hour. Rios said neither of his jobs offered medical benefits.

He said things went from bad to worse this past September when he suffered a work-related back injury.

“I wasn’t able to get healed because (going to the doctor) was very expensive, so I missed three months work,” said Rios. “I was waiting for worker’s comp. to pay for bills but the company didn’t want to allow it, so I didn’t get treatment.”

Rios said eventually he contacted an attorney and began seeing a doctor.

“The doctor said had (my back) gotten treatment early, the injury wouldn’t have progressed,” said Rios.

While battling his employer to receive worker’s compensation, Rios said his economic situation went from bad to worse. He said things got so bad he begged his doctor to say he was fit to work even though he was not.

“My wife and I live with

Page 10 • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY Business profile: Olsen Fish Company

By Shaina Brassard, West Broadway Coalition Lutefisk. Pickled herring. For those with no Scandinavian heritage, these may be curious terms, yet a mere block and a half off West Broadway on North 2nd St sits Olsen Fish Company, the world’s largest lutefisk processor and producer of what many claim are the best herring products around.

Olsen Fish has been operating on the northern side of Minneapolis since 1910, when it was founded by Olaf Frederick Olsen and John W. Norberg.

From 1910 to 1998 it occupied a building in the North Loop on 5th Street North., just north of what is now Target Field. After finally outgrowing that facility, the company moved to North 2nd Street in 1998.

Today, the company produces two million pounds of pickled herring and 500,000 pounds of lutefisk annually, said Chris Dorff, Olsen’s president.

Both lutefisk and pickled herring are part of a long Scandinavian tradition of preserving ocean fish. Lutefisk is a Norwegian delicacy of reconstituted dried cod. The preservation process used to create lutefisk gives the fish a famed strong odor and delicate texture. Throughout the Midwest, hundreds of lodges and Lutheran churches host annual lutefisk dinners that attract thousands of Scandinavian-Americans.

Shaina Brassard

Chris Dorff, President of Olsen Fish Company, holds up the dried cod that will become lutefisk.

Pickled herring, a more straightforward and less exotic food, is a white fish that has been preserved through pickling. Olsen uses a proprietary brine, or salt solution, made with granulated sugar. Olsen pickled herring also includes fresh onions and spices and comes in wine sauce, cream style and creamy Cajun flavor.

This hundred-year old company initially found success due to the fact that its core products met a Scandinavian niche market demand.

“Minneapolis was the epicenter of the Scandinavian population,” said Dorff.

Olsen has stayed successful

because of its quality, natural products.

“We’re an old-fashioned company and product,” said Dorff.

“A lot of our competitors are not focused on the same thing, so our product tastes and looks better, and when we start distribution in a new area, almost all of a sudden we get other stores calling us too.”

In markets hungry for high quality pickled herring, the product essentially sells itself.

Dorff said that he doesn’t have a huge sales team.

“There are five of us in the office for the whole country,” said Dorff.

Olsen has been good at

Calendar • Classifieds 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.

EVENTS HELPING SENIORS IN MINNEAPOLIS Seniors Program of Neighborhood Involvement Program assists elders aged 60 and over in North and Southwest Minneapolis with a variety of services so that they can remain safely in their home or apartment. Our services are specialized for each resident and we strive to provide as much as possible via the assistance of volunteers. To be eligible for seniors’ services, people must live within the following boundaries: south of 44th Avenue in North Minneapolis, north of West 36th Street in Southwest Minneapolis, 35W on the east, and France Avenue on the west.

For information about NIP Senior Services email seniors@ neighborhoodinvolve.org or call 612-374-3322. Our website is www.neighborhoodinvolve.org RAKE IT Spring Yard CleanUp Improve your health while helping a senior citizen in Minneapolis remain independent in their home! You choose the date and time to rake and clean up the yard. Perfect for individuals, groups, and families. Seasonal: April – November (depending upon the weather). This is a one-time fun, flexible activity on weekdays or weekends. Feel free to sign up multiple times!

Supplies needed: rakes, gloves,

brooms, and compostable bags.

Exact location TBD in North or Southwest Minneapolis, depends upon where the senior citizen resides. Ongoing volunteer opportunities are also available.

Please contact Jeanne the NIP Seniors Program, Volunteer Coordinator at srvolunteer@ neighborhoodinvolve.org or call 612-746-8549 for more information. Our website is www.neighborhoodinvolve.org “Latino Artists in Minnesota” exhibit on display in Hennepin Gallery Apr. 1-Apr. 28 The artwork of local Latino artists will be on display in the Hennepin Gallery from April 1 through April 28. The exhibit will feature photographs, dance costumes, paintings, sculpture, lyrics and cartoons by artists who trace their origins to Spain, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile and Colombia. Together the artist represent the wide variety of artistic talent found in our Latino metro community today.

This is a unique opportunity to sample their creativity in a public showcase. The Hennepin Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 6pm, at the Hennepin County Government Center, A Level, 300. S. Sixth St., Minneapolis.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Hennepin County Multicultural Arts Committee. The Gallery is a project of Hennepin County Public Affairs.

Lowertown First Friday: Frank J. Brown Exhibit Apr. 5 Three Sisters Electric Arts presents Sculptor Frank J. Brown presenting and discussing his work: “Negative Community Passage 2000” on Friday April

Sistah Solo Apr. 5,6 Collectively celebrate women of color and their solo work thru film, dance, music, and spoken word! A powerful, dynamic, and elevating experience!

Creator/Curator: Maia Maiden.

Featuring: Al-Taw’am, Amara Barner, Andrea Jenkins, Ashley DuBose, Brenda Bell Brown, Chantel SinGs,chitra, Ellena Schoop, FreE, Julie Warder, Kenna-Camara Cottman, Maia Maiden, Moot Naitan, Poet Karma, and Tish Jones. Show Info: April 5&6, 2013 - 730pm.

Tickets: $10 at the door, $8 from the artist at Patrick’s Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave S., Minneapolis 55406. For more information: 612.721.3595 or patrickscabaret.org Community Biggest Loser Challenge Apr. 6 Join the Community Biggest Loser Challenge! Contest dates from April 6 – July 13. Three top Cash Prizes could range up to $900!! JOIN NOW—ONLY $20 PER PERSON! Free gifts for all participants! Prizes! To preregister and pay by credit card go to http://communitybiggestloser. eventbrite.com. To pre-register by phone & pay at the door call 651-647-5405 - Limited space!

RSVP! Kick-Off Meeting & Weigh-Ins 11:30am on Saturday April 6, 2013 at Mount Olivet Baptist Church 451 Central Ave. W., St Paul, MN 55103. Prize amounts based on total amount collected from entry fees.

Must be at least 18 years old to participate.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Staff Attorney Jerry Lane Fellowship (Staff Attorney), MidMinnesota Legal Aid. For details go to http:// www.mylegalaid.org/jobs.

Strong careers. Strong communities. eeo employer

Classified Sales Representative Insight News is looking for a Classified Sales Representative to start immediately.

This is a part-time position perfect for a college student or someone looking for supplemental income. Candidate must be a motivated self-starter with the desire to grow the business. Candidate must be focused, must have the ability to work under deadlines and to meet or exceed set sales goals. Responsibilities include calling and emailing new clients and following up with past clients for classified sales. Please e-mail cover letter and resume to batalara@insightnews.com.

Please: No walk-ins and NO phone calls.

Phone: 612.588.1313

5th, 2013, 6:00 p.m.-9:00pm at the Jax Building, 253 East 4th Street, Lowertown St. Paul. There will be Music and Refreshments. For additional information please call Three Sisters at 651-795-9258.

Hennepin County’s Northpoint Health & Wellness Center is seeking candidates to fill a CFO vacancy. The person hired will develop, implement, maintain, and evaluate its financial systems, financial best practices and fiscal services.

Candidates need a master’s degree and at least 5 years of finance experience in a health care setting. Complete posting can be found on line at www.hennepin.jobs until 5:00 pm April 12, 2013.

Administrative Assistant TCC Land Bank, a nonprofit financial service org., seeks Administrative Assistant to provide clerical and organizational support to acquisition and lending programs.

Letter of application and resume received at hr@tcclandbank.org through April 15, 2013 will be considered.

adapting to shifts in demand for lutefisk and herring.

“With each generation, lutefisk as a tradition is not being consumed with the same passion.

But our pickled herring business has grown,” said Dorff. “It used to be that our market was primarily in the Midwest and even there, going back years ago, the grocery stores would not carry much herring after Christmas time, but when they started keeping it out throughout the year, people continued to buy it.”

The kosher population and Florida-based cruise ships have also become important to Olsen’s business.

Marshall Avenue Community Meeting Meeting Apr. 10 Community members are invited to attend a public meeting to discuss ways that Marshall

Townhomes Available

Senior Project Coordinator and Project Coordinator

Fieldcrest in Moorhead, MN

The City of Minneapolis seeks two economic development professionals (Senior Project Coordinator and Project Coordinator) to recruit business investment to Minneapolis and facilitate the expansion of existing Minneapolis businesses. This staff position is also responsible for managing assigned real estate development projects and various public financing programs and assisting private investors in the development of property for commercial use.

For a complete job description and a list of all job requirements including minimum qualifications for each position applicants are encouraged to review the job announcement online at www.minneapolismn.gov/jobs. Applications will be accepted until April 5, 2013.

Rent based on 30% of income 2 & 3 bdroms open MetroPlains Management

Fax: 612.588.2031

MADDADS Spring Open House Event on Friday April 19, 2013 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The open house will be held at 3026 4th Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55408. Kindly RSVP or get more information by calling Patricia at 612-232-1598.

Student Salon 2013 art exhibit Mar. 29-Apr. 19 Metropolitan State University Gordon Parks Gallery present Student Salon 2013. The exhibit runs March 29 through April 19 with a reception on Thursday, March 28, from 4:30–7 p.m.

Gallery hours are Mondays– Thursdays 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Fridays–Saturdays, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The gallery is located at the Saint Paul Campus in the Library and Learning Center, 645 East Seventh Street, Saint Paul. For more information about the exhibit, contact Amy Sands at 651-793-1631 or e-mail amy.sands@metrostate.edu.

Answers

Fix-It Clinic offer help to the unhandy Apr. 13 Hennepin County, as part of its waste reduction efforts, is asking residents to sort through basements, closets and garages for clothing and household items that need repair. At the Fix-It Clinic, skilled volunteers will help you learn to disassemble, troubleshoot and fix your broken household items and electronics, clothing in need of mending, and more. The FixIt Clinics is Sat. Apr. 13: 10am – 2 pm South Minneapolis Housing Fair, Minneapolis Sports Center at the YWCA 2121 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.

The clinic is first-come, firstserved – no pre-registration.

Items must be carry-in (no oversized items). Please bring any tools that might be helpful, a digital camera to document the disassembly, and small boxes or bags to organize and carry home parts. This event is familyfriendly. For more information, visit www.hennepin.us/ fixitclinic or call 612-348-3777.

Minneapolis MADDADS Spring Open House Apr. 19 Join the MADDADS Outreach Team, Office Staff and VJ Smith, President, at the Minneapolis

production staff. “The company has always had a history of taking good care if it’s employees, providing union wages, healthcare for workers and their families, and pensions. I’m very fortunate to have a long-term, veteran staff.

It makes me not have to worry about that side of the business,” said Dorff. Every one of Olsen’s full time production staff has been there for between sixteen and 30 years.

In an example of just how transnational of a world we live in, a few years back, Olsen was approached by members of the local Nigerian and West African community and asked to procure a specific type of dried cod commonly used in soups and dishes. As word spread, the demand grew, and today Olsen imports upwards of 40,000 pounds of the fish each year. Dorff also acts as a resource to many of the small business owners that distribute the imported good.

Olsen Fish Company has proven to be a business with staying power, as well as a good neighbor. Its president expects to see them on 2nd Street and West Broadway in North Minneapolis for good.

“This is a good place for us for the next 100 years,” said Dorff.

Olson Fish Company 2115 North 2nd Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411 Phone: (612) 287-0838 Fax: (612) 287-8761 www.olsenfish.com

Email: info@insightnews.com

Avenue, between the Mississippi River and downtown Saint Paul, can better accommodate a mix of transportation options, including bicycling and walking. Local residents as well as representatives from nearby schools and businesses will meet on Wednesday, April 10, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, at Oxford Community Center, Multipurpose Room, 270 N. Lexington Parkway, Saint Paul, MN 55104 to discuss options for making Marshall Avenue in Saint Paul a “Complete Street,” one that is safer and greener for all users, whether they are driving, bicycling, walking, or using a wheelchair. For more about planning studies funded through Bike Walk Twin Cities, visit “Bike Walk 2012 Street Solutions” at www. bikewalktwincities.org.

701-232-1887 www.metroplainsmanagement.com

“Now we’ve begun spreading our wings and some of my biggest customers are in South Florida, Seattle, Arizona,” said Dorff.

To this day, however, Olsen focuses much of its distribution on the local grocery stores that got the business to where it is today, such as Cub Foods, Supervalu and Festival Foods, small meat markets and delis, and of course, the churches and lodges that depend on Olsen when throwing their annual lutefisk dinner fundraisers. Ingebretsen’s longstanding Scandinavian store at 1601 E. Lake St. in Minneapolis in particular moves through a lot of product; during the winter holidays.

“There are lines out the door and around the blocks,” said Dorff.

Dorff said that he started working at Olsen in 1995, in the sales department, but that’s not the entire truth. His father was an Olsen salesman and during Dorff’s winter breaks while in college, he worked in the old downtown factory, so he truly knows the business inside and out.

Since he took on a sales position, business has continually increased. Compared to five full time, year round production workers in 1995, there are thirteen today, and during the busy, preholiday months of September through December it uses additional seasonal staffing.

Though the factory is hardly a glamorous place to work, Dorff happily notes that he has no turnover issues at all with his

Liberian Nobelist Leymah Gbowee to Speak in Brooklyn Park - Apr. 27 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Leymah Gbowee, an activist and social worker from Liberia, will offer a public talk on peace-building Sat., April 27, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Park. She is in the Twin Cities as part of an annual two-day youth conference, PeaceJam, sponsored by the Minneapolis-based nonprofit

and to purchase tickets, visit www.youthrive.net.

Twin Cities RISE! Annual Report to Stakeholders Luncheon Apr. 29 Please join Twin Cities RISE! for the Annual Report to Stakeholders Luncheon on Monday, April 29, 2013 Noon - 1:30 pm at the Marriott City Center Ballroom, 30 South 7th Street, Minneapolis. The event will feature keynote speaker Mayor R.T. Rybak. Hear from program graduates and staff about the accomplishments of the past year and where TCR! is headed in the future. Presented

by General Mills. The luncheon is free! RSVP by April 12 to 612-279-5886 or aanderson@ twincitiesrise.org.

From 8

youthrive. For more information

Make it Pop

Now - May 4

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Insight News • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Page 11

HEALTH 5 ways to keep your memory strong Our Health

By Nicole Winbush MD Many of us are concerned as we get older that our memory ‘is just not what it used to be’. Some age related change in memory can be normal. As we get older, it is more likely that we will notice some loss in our short-term memory - our ability to readily recall information that was recently learned. We may find ourselves forgetting the name of the person we were just introduced to or not remembering where we put our keys. Longterm memory - the ability to recall events that are many years past is not as affected by aging. Dementia is a term used to describe a serious form of memory loss that goes beyond what is normally seen with aging. Alzheimer’s disease

is the leading cause of dementia in the U.S. While the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not clear, research has some clues to perhaps lower our chances of developing this devastating condition and ways that we can improve and sustain a healthy memory. Here are some strategies to keep your memory strong.

How is your mood? Is stress an issue? Memory issues may be a sign of depression, especially in older adults. When we are feeling down and depressed we may process information more slowly and not remember new information as well. The same is true when we are very stressed.

When we have many worries, it is hard to concentrate on one thing and learn new information.

Despite what we may think, we can only think about one thing at a time. If our mind is overcome with worries, anxiety or sadness, it will be difficult to maintain mental focus. If depression or stress are issues for you (or a loved one), seek out assistance. There are many strategies to assist you in getting help with these issues and

getting back to functioning your best.

Strengthen your body to strengthen your mind. When we exercise, a complex array of physical and chemical changes occur in our body. Our blood flow increases which may help us to think more clearly. As we age, it is normal to see some shrinking in the size of our brain and it is thought that some of the age-related declines in memory are a result of this shrinking.

However, a study has shown that regular exercise such as walking is associated with less brain shrinkage. Exercise is also a potent stress-reducer and has been shown to improve mood. In fact, previous studies have shown that 30 minutes of exercise three times a week can be as effective as an anti-depressant pill for some people with depression.

Eat your colors and spice it up.

When our cells become damaged, they do not function normally and it is thought that this cell damage may be a common pathway for many disease and aging processes including Alzheimer’s, Diabetes

and Arthritis. Antioxidants are strong chemical compounds that are thought to protect against cell damage. Natural antioxidants are abundant in many fresh and whole foods especially berries, and some beans (see my website for a listing of high antioxidant foods). Also, some spices and green tea are high in antioxidants. So try to get your ‘dose’ of anti-oxidants by including these rich antioxidant foods in your diet. While it is possible to buy anti-oxidant vitamins and in supplements, so far, these non-food antioxidant sources have not been proven by science to be helpful. Eating antioxidant foods is the better (and cheaper) bet.

Diabetes and high blood pressure - prevent them or control them. Diabetes and high blood sugars have been associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems in general. If you already have diabetes, it is important to know that people with well controlled diabetes have less decline in memory than those whose diabetes is not well

controlled. So work on controlling your disease to the best of your ability.

High blood pressure also can also be associated with memory problems. Some people with a long-standing history of high blood pressure will get small strokes (often unrecognized) and these can lead to memory problems. This is called multiinfarct dementia. Maintaining good blood pressure control with lifestyle changes and medications (if needed) is a way to decrease your chances of developing this condition.

Keep learning and maintain connections. Learning new skills and information is a way to keep our brains strong and youthful.

This does not mean that you have to go back to school. Perhaps you have always wanted to learn to draw or how to knit or speak Swahili. When we are learning new skills our brain is active and creating new connections.

We can also create and maintain connections with people -- family members, friends, members of our community. Sharing our skills

and experiences keeps us engaged and excited about our life and its myriad possibilities. Remember, strong life, strong body, stronger memory.

Dr. Winbush is a family physician practicing at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. She has a strong interest in wellness and patient education to help individuals feel empowered to optimize their health and functioning. She wants to hear from you! To respond to this article, request topics for future articles and for additional resources visit www.functionwellmedicine.com or LIKE Function Well Medicine on Facebook.

The information contained herein should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only.

In no way should it be considered as offering medical advice. Please check with a healthcare provider if you suspect you are ill.

Food Resource Hubs registration is open now Registration is now open for Twin Cities residents who are interested in joining their local neighborhood gardening network, where they can connect with other gardeners and get access to low-cost seeds and plants.

This is the third year of the Local Food Resource Hubs program. The Hubs are designed to provide household gardeners and community gardeners the tools and education they need to grow, preserve, cook and compost their own fresh produce by offering supplies, classes and connections. Hubs benefit neighborhoods by increasing community connection and increasing access to healthy

food. Four Hubs have been established in Minneapolis: North Minneapolis, South Minneapolis, Phillips/Ventura Village, and Northeast/Southeast Minneapolis, and three Hubs will be active in St. Paul this year: Midway, East Side, and West 7th/West Side. The East Side and W. 7th/West Side Hubs are new this year!

Members will pick up their seeds and seedlings at their local Hub’s distribution events this spring. Small garden packages include 10 packets of seed and 12 seedlings, medium garden packages include 20 packets of seeds and 24 seedlings, and large garden packages include 40 packs of seeds and 72 seedlings.

Seed distributions are scheduled for various weekends in March or April, and all Hubs’ plants will be distributed May 18.

Gardening classes, skillshares, and social events will also be scheduled throughout the year in each neighborhood. More information about distribution

events will be sent to members and will be available at www. gardeningmatters.org/hubs.

Residents can join a Local Food Resource Hub and select one of four types of membership.

Prices vary and scholarships are available. Memberships

are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a membership spot, residents can contact Gardening Matters at 612-821-2358, download the membership form (in English, Spanish, or Hmong), or sign up online at www. gardeningmatters.org/hubs.

Last year the Local Food Resource Hubs Network included 600 members, distributed more than 14,000 packets of seeds and 15,000 seedlings, and measurably expanded residents’ foodgrowing skills through classes and trainings.

The Hubs are supported in part by the Minneapolis

Department of Health and Family Support through the Statewide Health Improvement Program, Homegrown Minneapolis, Afro-Eco, CAPI, Waite House, the Northside Fresh Coalition, Ventura Village, Northeast Park, Colombia Park, Corcoran, and Powderhorn Park neighborhood associations, Southeast Como Neighborhood Improvement Association, Little Kitchen Foodshelf, East Side Food Co-op, Hamline-Midway Coalition, East Side Prosperity Campaign, Healthy West 7th Coalition, Growing the West Side, and many neighborhood partners.

Page 12 • April 1 - April 7, 2013 • Insight News

conviction COURAGE

ENERGY

PROCESS

Commitment

Goals FUN

BIG PICTURE

RELATIONSHIP

Heart Colorful

TALENT

Motivation

Promise

COMMUNICATE

Value

Love of the Game

CHARISMA

Aptitude Heart

LEGACY

FAITH

Memories Diversity

Together

FAN

FOCUS

LOVE

Youth

Devotion

Community

COLLABORATION

ENTHUSIASM

Strength

inclusion

HEART

Fun

PLEDGE REMINISCE

Unity

DRIVE

PERSEVERANCE

LOYALTY

LEADERSHIP

History

PASSION

ACHIEVEMENT

GLOBALIZATION

Memories

PRIDE

Hustle

IMPACT

Belief

GRIT

Future

emotion

MINNESOTA TWINS

Grit

Celebrate

Join us for Celebrate Diversity Day on April 15th

MINNESOTA TWINS VS. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM 1st 5,000 fans will receive a Diversity Day T-Shirt For tickets: 612-33-TWINS or www.twinsbaseball.com

Skills

Impact

Beliefs

Devoted

MY TEAM

eld Target Fi INTENSITY

TEAMWORKHeritage

Respect

Home

DIVERSITY CHANGE

DEDICATION

Courage

CHARACTER

FAMILY

Soul

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