Insight News ::: 04.07.14

Amiri Baraka

Twin Cities artists to pay tribute to master p poet, playwright MORE ON PAGE 5

April 7 - April 13, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 15 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Ellison presses for light rail Community forum held to discuss light rail expansion through North Minneapolis

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer About 100 people showed up for a forum on the proposed Southwest light rail transit line that some

say would gentrify north Minneapolis and force out low income residents while others say is the economic boon that the area needs.

The forum, held at Summit Academy OIC, 935 Olson Memorial Hwy.,

was called by Rep. Keith Ellison, whose district will be greatly affected by the proposed line. Ellison is a proponent of the proposed Southwest line, arguing that project construction and business development in north Minneapolis directly

related to the line will net north Minneapolis residents one thing – jobs.

“Jobs are increasingly moving to the suburbs and our transit system is not,” said Ellison.

SWLRT TURN TO 3

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Rep Keith Ellison addresses concerned citizens at Summit Academy OIC during a forum on the proposed Southwest light rail transit line.

District seeks mentors for boys

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Numbers do not always tell a complete story, but some numbers tell enough of a story to let it be known that there is a definite cause for alarm – maybe even a cause for panic.

So how about these numbers? Last year the Minneapolis Public Schools

James Burroughs

graduated just 43 percent of its African-American students on time, meaning within four years from the time a child entered high school to the time of graduation. And that number is actually up from the appallingly putrid ontime graduation rate of 36 percent for African-Americans in the district in 2012. And according to James Burroughs, the district’s director of the

Office of Equity and Diversity, extrapolate out the girls and that number is sharply lower for African-American boys.

Burroughs said those numbers are a bit too much to stomach and is calling for action.

As a part of his call to action, Burroughs created the 100 Strong Who Care campaign, which brings in male mentors (mostly African-

NUL State of Black America: Growing income inequality Black America report titled, “One Nation Underemployed: Jobs Rebuild America.”

The report is scheduled to be released Thursday at a news conference at the National Press Club in the nation’s capital. In a statement accompanying the report, Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said: “The 2014 State of Black America and corresponding Equality Index indicate that while

By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The wealth gap between African Americans and Whites has expanded in recent years and is not likely to narrow without significant reductions in Black unemployment and changes in a system that favors the wealthy over poor and middle class Americans, according the National Urban League’s 38th annual State of

Lawrence Jenkins

Marc Morial at last summer’s national convention

NUL TURN TO 4

American, but not exclusively) to form what Burroughs hopes will become life-long bonds with the African-American male students at Patrick Henry High School.

The upcoming event takes place in the auditorium at Patrick Henry High, 4320 Newton Ave. N, Minneapolis, on Friday, April 11 and runs from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. And though the event is called 100

Strong, Burroughs is actually hoping for 150 caring men to volunteer to come and mentor the boys at Henry.

According to Burroughs, who is also an attorney, seeing success brings about success.

“I started 100 Strong Who Care in 2009 because what I saw was a shortage of AfricanAmerican men in these kids’

STRONG TURN TO 3

Minnesota has some of nation’s worst racial, geographic health disparities Princeton, N.J. and Madison, Wis. – Carver county ranks healthiest in Minnesota and Mahnomen is the least healthy county in the state, according to the fifth annual County Health Rankings, released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI).

The Rankings are available at www. countyhealthrankings.org.

According to the 2014 Rankings, the five healthiest counties in Minnesota, starting with most healthy, are Carver, followed by McLeod, Waseca,

Justin Terrell

DISPARITIES TURN TO 3

Insight 2 Health

Health

Community

Business

Putting in the work

What you need to know about infant immunization

Twin Cities through the lens of Charles Chamblis Exhibit Opening

“My Brother’s Keeper” from a single father and business owner’s perspective

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insightnews.com

Alaina L. Lewis

Al McFarlane, William Panzarella.... at The Fit Lab in St. Paul

PUTTING IN THE WORK

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief We are three weeks into Session II of our Insight2Health Fitness Challenge now and everybody is stepping up their game. The Challenge, a collaboration between McFarlane Media Interests and The Fit Lab, Inc., of St. Paul, is a 10-week intense fitness training program that

includes weekly interaction with a registered dietitian and a certified life coach. The core of the program, however, is embracing the demanding workouts directed by top-rank personal trainers under the direction fitness guru and Fit Lab owner, Tyrone Minor.

The goal is to introduce us to, and get our complete buy in for, a fitness and lifestyle initiative designed to promote

measurable and long-lasting health and fitness outcomes for program participants.

And there is a larger, community goal as well. We each are agreeing to become champions, advocates of lifestyle changes in our community that are sustainable.

Session II started on March 15; it was just a check in, meet and greet and get measured/ set goals day. No work. Just an

opportunity to feel good about being in the program and act on resolutions to make better, healthier choices when it comes to food and incorporating fitness into our lives. Being there meant we broke through the excuse barrier. All of us, everyone one of us, always find a million reasons to not exercise, and/or to keep binge-driven food habits in control of our lives.

But being here, being

present, being ready to work, felt so good.

Then came Monday.

Though I had been working with Tyrone Minor as a personal trainer for over a year, I deluded myself into thinking the work would be easier, the scrutiny less intense, if I was just one of the crowd. Almost 30 signed up for this, the second round of the Insight2Health Fitness Challenge.

This season’s

challenge differs from the inaugural session in that we are not organized into competing teams, operating as workgroups in competition with other teams.

This year, we are competing against ourselves. Minor and his taskmasters remind us that our foe is formidable. And they demand that we dig deep...all the time.

Next post: I feel like throwing up.....and I’m smiling.

STRENGTH TRAINING:

GET STRONGER, LEANER, HEALTHIER

Corey Collins for Moda-Photo.com

Strength training is an important part of an overall fitness program. Here’s what strength training can do for you — and how to get started.

Want to reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently? Strength training to the rescue! Despite its reputation as a “guy” or “jock” thing, strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness for everyone.

Use it or lose it

Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age.

“If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body,” says Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and codirector of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. “But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age.”

Strength training also

helps you: Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Control your weight. As you gain muscle, your body begins to burn calories more efficiently. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.

Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won’t fatigue as easily. Building muscle also contributes to better balance, which can help

you maintain independence as you age.

Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back pain, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Sharpen your focus.

Some research suggests that regular strength training helps improve attention for older adults.

Consider the options Strength training can

be

done at home or in the gym.

Common choices include: Body weight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try pushups, pullups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.

Resistance tubing.

Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store.

Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools.

Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can also invest in weight machines for use at home.

Getting started When you have your doctor’s OK to begin a strength training program, choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions.

When you can easily do more repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance.

“On the 12th repetition, you should be just barely able to finish the motion,” Dr. Laskowski says. “When

you’re using the proper weight or amount of resistance, you can build and tone muscle just as efficiently with a single set of 12 repetitions as you can with more sets of the same exercise.”

To give your muscles time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group.

Also be careful to listen to your body. Although mild muscle soreness is normal, sharp pain and sore or swollen joints are signs that you’ve overdone it.

When to expect results You don’t need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. “Two to three strength training sessions a week lasting just 20 to 30 minutes are sufficient for most people,” Dr. Laskowski says.

Better yet, results are quick. Expect to enjoy noticeable improvements in your strength and stamina in just a few weeks. If you keep it up, you’ll continue to increase your strength — even if you’re not in shape when you begin.

Mayo Clinic

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Page 3

HEALTH What you need to know about infant immunization

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.

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:

Disparities

worse health factors such as lower access to primary care physicians and mental health providers, elevated tobacco and alcohol use, higher rates of poverty and geographic isolation. We need to improve health care access and increase living wage job creation in these areas to bring up the health rankings.”

The County Health Rankings rank the overall health of nearly every county in all fifty states. The Rankings allow counties to see how well they are doing on twenty-nine factors that influence health including smoking, high school graduation rates, employment, physical inactivity, and access to healthy foods.

Justin Terrell, the Justice 4 All program manager at

TakeAction Minnesota also noted how growing incidences of poverty and racial health disparities also pushed two of Minnesota’s biggest counties – Hennepin and Ramsey – to 54th and 67th worst in the rankings.

“Minnesota has the worst racial jobs gap in the country and the worst recidivism rate as well,” Terrell said. “The criminal justice system creates barriers to employment – and ultimately, barriers to health – by unfairly targeting communities of color. Barriers to employment create barriers to being able to afford healthcare and to living in a healthy community free of pollution and unsafe housing situations. TakeAction Minnesota is fighting to improve health incidences by improving jobs access for those

with past criminal records rebuilding their lives.”

“The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s vision for a culture of health is one where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy,” said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, RWJF president and CEO. “The County Health Rankings are a starting point for change, helping communities come together, identify priorities, and create solutions that will help all in our diverse society live healthier lives, now and for generations to come.”

The Rankings provide county-to-county comparisons within a state. Nationally, this year’s Rankings show that people living in the least healthy counties are twice as likely to have shorter lives as people

living in the healthiest counties.

Unhealthy counties also have twice as many children living in poverty and twice as many teen births as the healthiest counties. This year’s Rankings also feature several new measures including housing, transportation, and access to mental health providers.

The County Health Rankings is part of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

The program includes the Roadmaps to Health Action Center which provides local leaders with tools, step-bystep guides, and stories to help communities identify and implement solutions that make it easier for people to live healthy lives. The program also includes the annual RWJF Culture of Health Prize, which

celebrates communities who are harnessing the collective power of leaders, partners, and stakeholders to build a culture of health. This year’s Prize winners and the call for 20142015 prize applications will be announced in June at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Spotlight: Health.

“The County Health Rankings show us how health is influenced by our everyday surroundings—where we live, learn, work, and play,” said Bridget Catlin, PhD, MHSA, director of the County Health Rankings.

“The County Health Rankings often provide the spark for businesses, community planners, policymakers, public health, parents, and others to work together for better health.”

man, my doctor, the dry cleaner, our mayor, who were all African-American men.

This made a great impact upon my life. I want to have our young men develop that kind of connectedness.”

During the event Andre Dukes of the Northside Achievement Zone will address the 300 or so African-American Henry students and then the teens will interact with the volunteer mentors based upon career interests. According to

Burroughs, since the inception of 100 Strong Who Care, more than 1,000 volunteers have impacted the lives of nearly 10,000 Minneapolis Public School students.

In response to the crisislevel graduation numbers, Burroughs said the district is starting a Black Male Initiative office to address – and correct – the problem of poor graduation rates. To Burroughs’ knowledge only two other school districts in the nation –

Oakland and Pittsburgh – have such offices. The director of the Oakland Black Male Initiative office, Chris Chatmon, will be in Minneapolis this week to discuss strategies of turning around the success rates for male students of color.

Burroughs said the consequences are dire if something is not done to stem the tide of poor graduation rates.

“The best way to create a school to prison pipeline

is to not graduate (AfricanAmerican boys) and to suspend them at an alarming rate,” said Burroughs. “We don’t want to create men who have limited opportunities. The only way we do that is to increase our graduation rates and reduce the disproportionate number of suspensions and offer avenues of success to these young men.”

According to Burroughs, the district hopes to attract more African-American male teachers and is actively

recruiting at Historically Black Colleges and Universities that offer education degrees. The student makeup in the district is nearly 70 percent students of color according to Burroughs.

For more information on 100 Strong Who Care or to volunteer, contact the Minneapolis Public Schools office of Equity and Diversity at (612) 668-0518 or email equity.diversity@mpls.k12. mn.us.

Academy IOC seemed to favor light rail, but the recurring theme was making sure the residents of north Minneapolis – and in particular AfricanAmericans – were not left out in the literal and figurative cold.

“Why is it that communities that give the most of their income end up getting the least,” asked Michael McDowell, transit organizer for Neighborhoods Organizing for Change. “On the Northside we’re the ones with the least

(bus) shelters and with no heat.”

It is estimated that residents of low to moderate income spend just about 42 percent of their income on transportation costs.

If the line is approved, it comes with a mandated goal of 32 percent minority involvement in construction and 6 percent female inclusion.

But if opponents get their way and are able to block construction Ellison said everybody loses.

“What’s 32 percent times zero,” asked Ellison, rhetorically. “It’s zero. So, if (the Southwest line) doesn’t happen that’s what we’re going to get, zero jobs.”

Dist.

7 Metropolitan Council Member Gary Cunningham said the time to act is now because once the project gets rolling it will be too late for African-Americans to get their slice of the pie.

“What are we going to get now that will benefit our community,” asked

Cunningham, who is also the husband of Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges. “If we wait until it’s built we’re going to get nothing … again. The Southwest line is a good thing.

My question is how is it going to work for people of color?

The jobs in Eden Prairie we’re not getting hired for now, so what’s going to change? What guarantees are we going to get?”

Metropolitan Council is the agency in charge of transit for the region and responsible for

the pending project. An April 9 vote on the line is set for 4 p.m. at Metropolitan Council, 390 N. Robert St., St. Paul.

The vote is open to the public and citizens are able to voice support or opposition prior to the vote.

To fund the proposed $1.67 billion project, 50 percent of the money would come from the federal government, 30 percent from county taxes, 10 percent from the Hennepin County Rail Authority and 10 percent from the state.

From 1 Steele and Nobles. The five counties in the poorest health, starting with least healthy, are Mahnomen, Cass, Mille Lacs, Traverse and Wadena.

“Minnesota has some of the worst racial and geographic health disparities in the country,” said Liz Doyle, TakeAction Minnesota’s Associate Director.

“As evidenced by these 2014 rankings, our state’s least healthy counties include large numbers of lower-income and Native American populations living in remote areas of our state. These counties also disproportionately face

Strong From 1 faces,” said Burroughs, who said growing up in Detroit he had tangible African-American mentors to look up to and emulate. “I hope the young men will get to see positive images of themselves. One of the keys for me growing up was getting to see my dentist who was an African-American

SWLRT From 1 The proposed Southwest line would run west from Minneapolis – through north Minneapolis – to St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. The project comes at an estimated cost of nearly $1.67 billion. If approved, planners say the line will be up and running by 2018.

Most in the room at Summit

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

The Minnesota Department of Health, Immunization Program PhotoXpress

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LIFESTYLE What does it mean to be one in marriage?

Man Talk

To have a healthy relationship, both the man and the woman must be willing to give a part of themselves.

By Timothy Houston Marriage is an honorable estate.

My niece Shanna, and her husband, Jarod, enter into that beautiful union on Saturday, April 5. It was my honor and privilege to lead them through the marriage vows. On that day, two souls became one. As I prepared for this grand and auspicious occasion, my mind could not help but reflect on what does it mean for two to be one. Where does this oneness come from?

The oneness between man and woman is sanctioned by God. It is spiritual. If both are not ready for the mental and emotional commitment required, spiritual oneness cannot be achieved. This limits the relationship to the physical realm, which is a temporal environment because physical appearance changes. People in this type of relationship will fall in and out of love based on circumstances and feelings.

This is very unhealthy. A healthy relationship requires a spiritual connection that supersedes

PhotoXpress

feelings and circumstances.

True oneness is achieved when heart reaches heart.

Spiritual oneness is a term used to describe the invisible connection that takes place between man and woman that binds them together spiritually and emotionally. Although they are not joined at the hip physically, the woman spiritually becomes “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.”

They are no long two, but one

spirit. Their thoughts, desires and passions are connected in such a way that no other person, place, or thing can come between them. Spiritual oneness should be the goal of all relationships.

To have a healthy relationship, both the man and the woman must be willing to give a part of themselves. This is more than just lip service. A person’s inability to share the things that come from the heart

speaks volumes about how they view the relationship. Both the man and woman must be willing to give their hands, heart, back and brain – forsaking all others for the good of the union. Each principle in the relationship must be willing to share cars and care, flowers and hugs, words of affection and things that show affection. It is the right balance of internal and external giving that brings harmony to the bond.

Spiritual oneness can be

achieved. The harmony between internal and external giving is the basis for any healthy union. When both the man and women give of themselves, a lasting bond is formed that has unlimited potential. Their time, energy, resources, passions, affections and commitment multiply. They are able to achieve more together than they could have ever done apart.

Man and woman are more than what meets the eye. They are body and soul whose spirit represents the total essence of their being. Their physical, mental and emotional characteristics will always be secondary to their spirit.

Spiritual oneness takes place in the heart. It is in the heart

that the love they have for each other become the bridge that brings them together eternally.

Therefore, spiritual oneness is essential for the internal peace needed to sustain a healthy long-term relationship. Shana and Jarod have this love and oneness, and I wish them nothing but peace and happiness as they spend the rest of their lives together.

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

...when that voice says ‘this is it’ for you Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson Do you ever feel like you have so much more to do than what you are currently doing?

Do you know someone who constantly has excuses for not finishing what they started?

NUL From 1 each state and city has its own economic recovery story to tell, the consistent refrain is that there is an urgent and growing disparity between the few who are reaping the rewards of economic recovery and the majority who are still reeling from aftershocks of the Great Recession.”

Morial added, “While ‘too big to fail’ corporations went

Do you have to push yourself not to be like that person? Well there are so many individuals who think that where they are in life today is exactly where they will always be. Can you imagine waking up every morning with a dream of being more, but that terrible voice in your head keeps telling you that your time has come and gone?

I have worked with so many clients who believe just that. They have reached a point on their journey that told them to “just stop here.” They have

come to the conclusion that they will never have what they set out to achieve. They believe they’re too old now to go back to school, or they have gained too much weight to find their happiness. Believe me, I have heard them all. There is no situation that should ever stop you from achieving any goal. Yes, excuses come up.

And some are truly legitimate.

But if you want something bad enough, you will find a way to get it. Nothing will stand in your way of completing your goals.

As I said before, setting goals and completing them takes time and patience.

Nothing happens over night.

But nothing will happen if you continue to find reasons why it won’t or can’t happen.

I remember a young woman that I worked with who decided that she wanted to set a goal of becoming a supervisor within a year at her current job. She hadn’t been there long, but she was determined that she would move up the ladder faster than anyone else in the company had done. She worked hard,

learned everything she needed to know quickly and took on extra hours when everyone else wanted to leave on time or early. She did it. She became a supervisor in 11 months. She decided that nothing would get in her way or stop her from achieving this goal. She is a great inspiration and I learned many lessons from her.

We all have things that we would like to complete or achieve that would make us feel great in the process of completing them. But every goal starts at a beginning point.

Where is that point for you? Is it staying where you are and listening to that voice tell you that this is it for you, or do you move on and persevere until this goal is reached? You decide.

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

into the bail-out emergency room and recovered to break earnings and stock market records, most Americans have been left in ICU with multiple diagnoses of unemployment, underemployment, home losses and foreclosures, low or no savings and retirement accounts, credit denials, and cuts in education and school funding.

We must work to restore the very essence of 20th century America – the possibility of upward mobility for all – with a focus on meaningful solutions to these

pressing challenges, including job creation and training, and ensuring that Americans are paid livable wages for the work they do.”

The 2014 Equality Index is a yardstick used to measure how well African Americans are doing relative to Whites. In computing the Equality Index, 30 percent of the final score is based on economics while health and education each gets 25 percent and social justice and civic engagement each receives 10 percent on a 100 percent scale.

Explaining the Equality Index, the authors say: “That means rather than having a whole pie (100 percent), which would mean full equality with Whites in 2014, African Americans [with an index of 71.2 percent] are missing about 29 percent of the pie.”

In other words, the larger the Equality Index, the closer Blacks are to reaching parity with Whites.

The Equality Index has declined from 73 percent in 2006, to 72.1 percent in 2010 to 71.2 percent in 2014. However, scholars caution that the overall figure might reflect progress in some areas and retrenchment in others.

Relative to last year’s Black Equality Index: • Civic Engagement index improved from 99.9 percent to 104.7 percent; • Economics dipped slightly, from 56.3 percent to 55.5 percent; • Social justice declined barely from 56.9 percent to 56.8 percent; • Health (76.8 percent) and

education (76.8 percent) remained unchanged;

1984 to 2009, increasing from $85,000 to $236,500. The median net worth of white households in the study grew to $265,000 over the 25-year period compared with just $28,500 for the Black households.”

He said five factors account for two-thirds of the proportional increase in the racial wealth gap: number of years of home ownership, average family income, employment stability, college education and financial support and inheritance.

According to Shapiro, home ownership accounts for 27 percent of the growth in the racial wealth gap. He said reasons home equity rises dramatically faster for Whites include: • White families buy homes and start acquiring equity eight years earlier than Black families because they are more likely to receive family assistance or an inheritance for down payments; • A larger up-front payment by White homeowners lower interest rates; • Residential segregation places an artificial ceiling on home equity in non-White neighborhoods and • The home ownership rate for White families is 28 percent higher than rates for Blacks.

“Hard evidence shows in stark terms that it is not just the last recession and implosion of the housing market that contributed to the widening racial wealth disparities,” Shapiro wrote. “Past policies of exclusion, such as discriminatory mortgage lending, which continues today, ensure that certain groups reap a greater share of what America has to offer while others are left out.”

No one expects the wealth gap to narrow without some reduction in unemployment.

Valerie Rawlston Wilson, an economist in the National Urban League’s Washington bureau, noted in her introduction to the report: “More than one-third of unemployed workers have been out of work for six months or longer and one in four has been jobless for a year or longer.

Though the unemployment rate declined by 1.2 percentage points from January to December 2013 – the largest decline over a single year since the recovery began – labor force participation also reached a 35-year low in

December. This downward trend in labor force participation raises concerns about underutilization of America’s labor capacity, or underemployment.”

She explained, “If we factored in the number of people who want and are available for work (but are not actively looking for a job) along with the number of unemployed workers actively looking for a job, and those who are working part-time out of necessity (but would prefer full-time work), the actual rate of underemployment was 13.1 percent at the end of 2013, nearly double the official unemployment rate.”

And things are even worse for African Americans, Wilson said.

“For African Americans, these challenges are even greater,” she wrote. “Though the Black unemployment rate briefly and narrowly dipped below 12 percent for the first time since 2008 at the end of last year, 42 percent of Black unemployed workers are long-term unemployed and 28 percent have been jobless for at least a year. The rate of underemployment for African Americans was 20.5 percent, compared to 11.8 percent for white workers and 18.4 percent for Hispanic workers.”

For the first time, the State of Black America provides an Equality Index for 77 major metropolitan areas. The report provided charts for BlackWhite income equality and unemployment equality.

Summarizing the discussion on income inequality, Morial said, “An Oxfam report released in January confirmed what the Urban League Movement has posited for the last few years: in the U.S., where the gap between rich and poor has grown at a faster rate than any other developed country, the richest one percent of Americans have received 95 percent of the wealth created since 2009 – after the economic crisis – while the bottom 90 percent of Americans have become poorer.”

Morial explained, “When we overlay that with the disproportionate impact of unemployment on African Americans and other people of color, as well as the impact of the twin terrors of racial income and wealth gaps, we see an even direr situation.”

The report also found: • Black median household income ($33,764) is about 60 percent of Whites ($56,565), down from 62 percent before the recession; • The poverty index for Blacks compared to Whites is 29 percent – 28.1 percent of Blacks live in poverty vs. 11 percent of Whites; • Black-White unemployment equality is 50 percent or 2:1 and when it comes to wealth, Blacks ($6,314) have only a 6 percent Equality Index when compared with Whites ($110,500).

• Unlike African Americans, Hispanics saw their Equality Index with Whites increase slightly, from 74.6 percent in 2013 to 75.8 percent in 2014, which was 4.6 percent higher than African Americans.

In a chapter titled, “Policies of Exclusion Perpetuate the Racial Wealth Gap,” Thomas M. Shapiro wrote: “The dramatic and widening gap in household wealth along racial lines in the United States reflects policies and institutional practices that create different opportunities for whites and African Americans.

Personal ambition and behavioral choices are but a small part of the equation.”

Shapiro wrote, “In gross terms, the difference in median wealth between America’s white and African American households has grown stunningly large. The wealth gap almost tripled from

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

Twin Cities artists to pay tribute to master poet, playwright

Amiri

Baraka

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer

On Jan. 9, without much mention outside of certain artists and activist circles, poet and activist Amiri Baraka died at the age of 79.

Baraka was both celebrated and jeered for his biting works that told tales of struggle and triumph and challenged various authorities. The former poet

Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking.

Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us.

Monday, April 7 April 7 - 10

Auto Tune Karaoke Nomad World Pub 501 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis 10 p.m.

21+

laureate for the state of New Jersey, Baraka, born Everett LeRoi Jones, was a respected and renowned personality, revered as an unapologetic champion of the Black Power Movement. But when Baraka died in a Newark hospital, little was said about his life and impact on American culture in most media outlets.

That did not sit well with a group of area artists who decided greater light needed to be shined upon the man they said did so much to uplift African-

Sing like T-Pain or any one of today’s auto corrected pop starts.

Auto-Tune Karaoke takes place every Monday with host Phillip Morris, DJ Minnie Blanco and Dimitry Killstorm.

Tuesday, April 8 2014 Mahle Lecture: “Becoming Buddhist When Jesus Isn’t Enough: A Third Wave Womanist Negotiation of Race, Gender, and Religion,” presented by Dr. Monica A. Coleman.

Sundin Music Hall at Hamline University

Americans.

“Spirit Reach: A Twin Cities Tribute to Imamu Amiri Baraka” takes place Saturday, April 12, at the Capri Theater, 2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis.

The two-hour all ages event that begins at 2 p.m. and is free to the public will feature a collection of artists including Douglas Ewart, Toki Wright, Shá Cage, Emmanuel Ortiz, Leah Nelson, E.G. Bailey, Donald, Faye Washington, Kevin Washington, Bao Phi, Tish

Jones, j. otis powell, Lisa Brimmer, Andrea Jenkins, Davu Seru, Chaun Webster, Truthmaze and Louis Alemayehu, all sharing works in tribute to Baraka. powell said Baraka was a friend to many in the Twin Cities and his legacy must be carried on.

“Imamu said human development is like a relay race.

He passed the baton to me and

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1531 Hewitt Ave., Saint Paul 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Dr. Monica A. Coleman offers a “third wave womanist” reading of Jan Willis’ narrative “Dreaming Me” where she describes her journey through the civil rights movement to Tibetan Buddhism.

The Wesley Center for Spirituality, Service and Social Justice at Hamline University presents a lecture that will examine the race, gender and religion and it’s relationship to African American religious

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DJ Stage ONE, Jimmi Hendrix, Monica A. Coleman

Page 6 • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Tishuan Scott : “The Retrieval” interview

By Kam Williams Tishuan Scott was born on October 27, 1979 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia as an Oprah Scholar, where he matriculated towards earning his Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Psychology in 2002. He then attended the University of California at Los Angeles’ School of Theater, Film & Television as a Lloyd Bridges MGM/Outer Limits Fellow, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in Acting in 2006.

Tishuan was recently seen as “Kenieloe,” a Ghanian guru, in Andrew Bujalski’s 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Sundance Award-winning film “Computer Chess” and as “Moses Washington” in the Lifetime Network TV movie “Deliverance Creek.” Here, he talks playing “Nate,” a freedman gravedigger for the Federal Union Army, in “The Retrieval.”

He landed the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) 2013 Special Jury Prize for Acting Breakthrough Performance in that Civil War Era adventure.

Kam Williams: Hi Tishuan, thanks for the interview.

Tishuan Scott: It’s my pleasure.

Thank You, Kam, for the interview.

IT! From 5 identification.

More information available at www.hamline.edu/mahle Experience Hendrix State Theater 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m. $53.50 to $104.00 An all-star tribute concert celebrating the music of legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix takes place Tuesday at The State Theater. A dynamic lineup includes Billy Cox, noted bassist and the last surviving member of both The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys, Taj Mahal, Jonny Lang, Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo from Los Lobos, Dweezil Zappa, Mato Nanji from Indigenous, and more.

Wednesday, April 9 Save the Last Mic Open Mic Presented by H2O Hip-Hop Student Organization McNally Smith College of Music 19 Exchange St. E., St. Paul Sign ups at 6:30 p.m.

Show starts at 7 p.m.

All acts and genres are welcome to participate in this monthly open mic presented at the Twin Cities premiere music college. The always stylish and entertaining host Gaybriel Trendz will keep everyone engaged and excited to see what’s next.

All participants are allotted a five-minute performance.

Open Mic will be held in the SoundBite Cafe in McNally Smith College of Music, 3rd floor.

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings State Theater 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 7:30 p.m. - $32.00, all ages Quite possibly the best live show in music, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are back with a new album and performance. Expect a soulful funky time.

Thursday, April 10 Comfort Foods Around the World: Exploring Soul Food Classics Southwest High School, 3414 W. 47th St., Minneapolis 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. $35

Still of Tishuan Scott (l) and Ashton Sanders in The Retrieval (2013) KW: Congratulations on winning the Breakthrough Performance at the South by Southwest Festival.

TS: Thank You! I love SXSW! I love Austin!

KW: What interested you in The Retrieval?

TS: The story, writing, characters, and relationships. It’s history.

KW: It explores the themes of trust and betrayal during Want to work on your cooking skills? Chef Chelles is teaching a series of adult cooking classes through Adult Community Education.

Each session will explore a different region and its comfort foods from around the world.

From the delightful southern soul food of North America, the rich and comforting stews of Africa, and hand-made pastas and sauces of Italy, to the artinspired creations of Japan and the intense and spicy flavors of South America.

Interested participants must register by going to www. mplscommunityed.com or call Chelles directly at (651) 7575840.

Friday, April 11 Full Crates 2nd Saturdays Ginger Hop 201 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 10 p.m.

No cover Join DJ Stage ONE and DJ Kool Hanz for a monthly dance night in northeast Minneapolis. Stage One will be playing an all vinyl set as well.

Saturday, April 12 Spirit Reach: A Twin Cities Tribute to Amiri Baraka Capri Theater 2027 West Broadway,

slavery, just as 12 Years a Slave.

How would you compare the two pictures?

TS: The films’ singular comparison is that Solomon Northup is a free man who is enslaved for profit through the brutal trade and oppression of the system of slavery, and my character, Nate, a freedman, is sought after to make a profit, a bounty, by the patty-rollers who seek to re-enslave him.

Both films share an insight to the great capitalization of the African-American male life, Minneapolis 2-4 p.m.

All ages Spirit Reach is a community event that celebrates the impact poet, playwright, educator and activist Imamu Amiri Baraka has had on the Twin Cities literary and performing arts communities.

Performers include Douglas R. Ewart, Toki Wright, Shá Cage, Emmanuel Ortiz, Leah Nelson, E.G. Bailey, Donald, Faye and Kevin Washington, Bao Phi, Tish Jones, J. Otis Powell, Lisa Brimmer, Bill Cottman, Andrea Jenkins, Davu Seru, Chaun Webster, Truthmaze and Louis Alemayehu. The event is hosted by author Alexs Pate and arts community leader Arleta Little.

Circle Discussion on Race and hip-hop dance in MN Cowles Center for Dance & The Performing Arts 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

2nd Floor in the Education Studio Learn about hip-hop dance in the Twin Cities. Difficult questions will be the focus of a discussion on intersection of race and hip-hop dance. Facilitators will separate the time into two parts – 1980s to mid 1990s and mid 1990s to the present day. Members of the hiphop dance community will give their historical perspectives from lived experience to create bridges of understanding and respect.

Dance community members include Damian “DayLight” Day, Kenna Cottman, Rah Fyah, Ozzy Dris, Step Child, Herbert

to be debased as worthless, yet so extraordinarily invaluable.

There are also grander contrasts between the two films, however: 12 Years: 1841; The Retrieval: 1864. 12 Years: PreEmancipation Proclamation; The Retrieval: PostEmancipation Proclamation. 12 Years: Brutality; The Retrieval: Humanity.

KW: 2013 was a banner year film for black film: 12 Years a Slave, 42, Fruitvale Station, The Butler, etcetera. What Johnson, “Dancin’” Dave, Jonathan “Minhzy” Truong, Phillip Espinoza-Day, Tracy Davies Yang, Derek Turner, Wealthy Phonseya, Jake Riley, Cheng-Technica Xiong and more.

Sunday, April 13 Dr. Mambo’s Combo Bunkers Bar and Grill 761 Washington Ave. N. Minneapolis 9:30 p.m. $7 Dr. Mambo’s Combo is a legendary soul and R&B musical group that has been playing at Bunker’s in downtown Minneapolis since 1987. The band includes Michael Bland, who was discovered and hired

by Prince while playing with The Combo.

effect do you think that will have on Hollywood in terms of opportunities for African Americans in front of and behind the camera?

TS: I believe it transcends Hollywood. It’s bigger than that!

Our film has played in TorontoOntario, Calgary, MontrealQuebec, Brazil, Australia, France-Deauville, Serbia, Greece, Germany, London, Istanbul-Turkey, BelgiumGhent, Egypt-Luxor, and all over the U.S. in a myriad of film festivals, clearly displaying that there is an international and national interest and demand to see dark chocolate-skinned folks on the silver screen to observe and immerse an audience in the forgotten histories of who we are as a people and what we were as a nation. This canon of films will inspire many indie filmmakers and, hopefully, Hollywood to realize that our wealth is in our history, that we have so very many stories yet to be told. All five films have African-American male leads.

You left out Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – that makes six!

That is exemplary and thrilling, but there are also stories with African-American women that must be told. We need AfricanAmerican female lead actresses in films, in tandem with AfricanAmerican male leading actors.

KW: How do you pick a role?

TS: I don’t believe I pick them.

I think the universe sends me what’s for me. What attracts me specifically to roles is the heart of the character. How does the story move me? What is the character’s journey or driving force? Where is the character headed? Why is the character headed there? There absolutely and unequivocally has to be depth.

KW: You got both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in theater before starting your career. Do you recommend that route to aspiring actors?

TS: Yes. I met Samuel Jackson at our 2001 Morehouse College Gala: Candle in the Dark. I tell people what he told me. “Take your time. Get your education.”

KW: Are you also interested in writing and directing?

TS: Yes. KW: The Harriet PakulaTeweles question: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you’d like to star in?

TS: I don’t care for remakes.

There’s soooo much undiscovered material out there; old and new. I want to be original. August Wilson’s “Fences,” Gloria Naylor’s “The

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insightnews.com/aesthetics

Aesthetically Speaking • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Page 7

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae Chapter promotes its 18th Annual Literary Luncheon featuring author Hill Harper Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae Chapter, in partnership with The Givens Foundation for African American Literature will present its 18th Annual Literary Luncheon featuring actor and author Hill Harper.

While Harper may be most recognized for his starring role as Dr. Sheldon Hawks in the hit television drama series “CSI: NY,” Harper has also authored four New York Times bestsellers – “Letters to a Young Brother,” “Letters to a Young Sister,” “The Conversation and The Wealth Cure” and his latest book, “Letters to an Incarcerated Brother,” which was released this past November.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae Chapter has sponsored the Literary Luncheon since 1997, and

Hill Harper has sought to feature authors whose personal experiences augment their readings to provide an especially inspiring

presentation.

Previously featured authors include Alexs Pate, David Haynes, Rosalyn McMillan, Venise Berry,

Scott

America: 18631963.

From 6

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

TS: Today. It’s the kind of laugh where you throw your head back and laugh to the sky.

butterflies. Seeing my garden growing. Good food and family dinners.

Men of Brewster Place,” Richard Wright’s “The Outsider,” “Black Theater USA – Plays from 18471938” has a myriad of material yearning to be on the stage and screen! Those are classics to me.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

TS: Would you like a free home renovation and free lawn landscaping?

KW: Would you mind saying something controversial that would get this interview tweeted?

TS: Legalize marijuana President Obama! Think of how many African-American males who would have to be freed from prison and how many it will save from ever being incarcerated!

KW: Have you ever had a neardeath experience?

TS: Yes. I’m thankful for 9 Lives!

KW: Have you ever accidentally uncovered a deep secret?

TS: Yes. The United States of

Baraka From 5 I’m passing it to others and doing so in a context that others will understand the man and the movement,” said powell, who said Baraka would visit the area two to three times per year.

“He was such an important person and the media should have paid more attention to his passing.”

An author and poet, Baraka is considered the best-known writer of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The Black Arts Movement is largely understood as the cultural wing of the Black Power Movement.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

TS: Jolly Ranchers, watermelon and apple-flavored.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

TS: Essays actually. W.E.B. DuBois’ “Criteria for Negro Art,” “The Guiding Hundredth,” “On the Wings of Atlanta,” and “On Our Spiritual Strivings.”

Nietzsche’s “On the Pale Criminal” and “On the Three Metamorphoses.”

Solomon Northup’s 12 YEARS A SLAVE was the last novel that I read. But it was in August before I reread the aforementioned essays.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

TS: Italian.

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

TS: A hummingbird. Monarch Baraka was always outspoken and came under fire as poet laureate of the state of New Jersey for his 9/11-themed Black revolutionary poem, “Somebody Blew up America.” powell said everyone should know Baraka’s name.

“If you don’t know who he was then you should know who he was and this event should be a great orientation,” said powell. “He was beloved by this community.”

Shá Cage, one of the event’s organizers and performers said Baraka helped to mold the minds of many area spoken word and jazz artists.

“For a number of us, Amiri Baraka’s teachings and philosophies are so essential that he helped define who we

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

TS: My reflection. And I love it!

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

TS: I wish for recycling to become a major industrial agriculture.

KW: The Jamie Foxx question: If you only had 24 hours to live, how would you spend the time?

TS: Surrounded by my family and the best of my friends on a tropical island with exotic palms, our skins glistening in the sun, feet promenading through the hot sand, eating mangos and strawberries and dark chocolate and sushi, drinking mango and rum, listening to music inspired by drums, and dancing and laughing.

Omar Tyree, Valerie Wilson Wesley, Yolanda Joe, E. Lynn Harris, Diane McKinneyWhetstone, Ian Smith, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tananarive Due, Pearl Cleage, Tina McElroy Ansa, J. California Cooper, Walter Mosley and Jewell Parker Rhodes.

Harper is most recognized for his starring role in the hit television drama “CSI: NY,” where he played eccentric Dr. Sheldon Hawkes from 2004 until early 2013. During that time Harper won three NAACP Image Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Dr. Hawkes. He currently stars on USA Network’s “Covert Affairs” as CIA station chief Calder Michaels.

Harper’s book, “Letters to a Young Brother” won several awards and was named Best Book for Young Adults by the

American Library Association in 2007.

Unusual for an actor, Harper received a bachelors from Brown University, a masters from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and law degree from Harvard Law School.

In an effort to stop the high school dropout rate and improve the life chances of underserved youth, Harper created the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering, inspiring and guiding youth towards a better future, as well as developing the leadership capacity of young adults to serve as mentors.

The event, which is open to the public, takes place on Saturday, April 12 at the Crowne Plaza Riverfront

Hotel, 11 Kellogg Blvd E., St. Paul, starting at 11:30 a.m. The event includes a lunch, book reading and discussion, and a book signing. Tickets are $75.

Copies of Harper’s latest book, “Letters to an Incarcerated Brother,” will also be on sale at the luncheon.

In addition to the luncheon, the Minneapolis/ St. Paul Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta conducts mentoring programs for African-American youth in the Twin Cities and provides an annual scholarship award for high school seniors.

The students receiving the organization’s 2014-2015 scholarship award will also be recognized at the event.

To purchase tickets, go to www.dstmsp.org. For additional questions about the luncheon email literaryluncheon2014@ gmail.com.

memory?

TS: Playing with my Superman and performing sermons for my mother, granny and auntie with my Little Golden Book, a small glass of orange juice and a napkin to wipe the sweat from my unwrinkled brow. My most memorable lines they say were, “Just like Jeremiah said, ‘It was like fire, shot up in his bones’!” and “Lawd, thank you for the washing powder!”

another person.

AFTRA! And keep your head to the sky, for it is the stars, the ancient and everlasting stars that will guide you.

KW: The Melissa HarrisPerry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

TS: I discovered that the heart is a breakable thing, but also discovered my capacity to love

KW: The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a superpower, which one would you choose?

TS: Flying.

KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

TS: A passion for what they do, an undying zeal and fervor to never give up and accept and embrace failures as the building blocks to the pyramids of success.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps? TS: Join SAG-

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

TS: Zarathustra, Ubermensch and Herald of the Lightning!

KW: Thanks again for the time, Tishuan, and best of luck with The Retrieval.

TS: I think I heard someone before say, “Luck is for the godless.” Wish me Godspeed!

Amen Ra. KW: Godspeed it is then, bro!

TS: Thanks, Kam.

KW: The Kerry Washington question: If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

TS: A peacock!

KW: The LingJu Yen question: What is your earliest childhood are as people,” said Cage. “He helped a lot of us understand the world.”

Cage, like powell, said Baraka was truly a friend of the Twin Cities.

“When I first learned of him I was in college and I never thought I would get to know him like I did,” said Cage. “He wasn’t just some iconic figure that just passed through here.”

The April 12 event will be preceded by a reception with food and beverages. Author, Alexs Pate and arts community leader, Arleta Little, will host the event that will feature spoken word, jazz, dance and a video tribute to Baraka with clips of the poet performing some of his works. The event is sponsored by the McKnight Foundation, Insight News, the Givens Foundation for African American Literature, Pangea World Theatre, KFAI Radio and University of Minnesota Libraries. For more information call (612) 822-0015.

The Embassy Suites Minneapolis North would love to help you plan your perfect day! We are here to cater to your needs and can customize menus for your event.

The Embassy Suites is a great location for: Wedding Receptions Rehearsal Dinners Fundraisers Family Celebrations

www.minneapolisnorth.embassysuites.com

Call : 763.560.2700 for availability or to schedule a tour

Come have lunch at the Dakota 11:30 - 2 Monday through Friday From Chef Derik Moran, find daily specials, salads, sandwiches and more, and never forget dessert by Pastry Chef Katie Elsing.

Prices starting at $8 View our complete menu at

dakotacooks.com

Page 8 • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics 2

Snapshots 1

Thee Urbane Life and The Cool & Co. were at it again, this time teaming up for School Daze — the Adult Spring Break at Darby’s (March 29). Aesthetically Speaking was in the building and captured a few scenes from the evening.

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1) Seems like people were having a ball at Darby’s grooving to the sounds of DJs Willie Shu and J Shep.

2) Fashion plates and power couple Maya Bowie and Maurice Bowie took style to a new level with their wares.

3) Former Ms. Black Minnesota Zanell Brown and Emenete Zelalem rockin’ their basic black and looking fabulous.

4) All in the family: Amber Harrison (left), Jasmine Webster (center) and Stephanie Webster looking amazing while hanging out with Thee Urbane Life and Cool & Co.

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5) Representing The Cool: DJ J Shep (left) and Nick Hooks (center) pause for a flick while DJ Willie Shu cued up the next hot song.

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

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

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

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

follow us on social networks:

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Page 9

COMMUNITY Community Calendar 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 The Mountaintop – thru Apr. 19 The Mountaintop by KATORI HALL directed by LOU BELLAMY, March 28-April 19, 2014 at the Guthrie Theater.

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

In 24 hours, he would be dead at the age of 39-struck down by an assassin’s bullet. Winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for New Plays and a Broadway sensation, “The Mountaintop” is an intimate, fictional portrait of Dr. King on the eve of his death.

This Penumbra production will be presented at the Arizona Theatre and at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, North Carolina before its regional premiere at the Guthrie. Tickets for “The Mountaintop” must be purchased through the Guthrie Theater Box Office at (612) 3772224 or guthrietheater.org.

Freedom of Xpression Open Mic – Apr. 7 on Apr. 7, 2014 (First Monday of the Month) 7:00 p.m. (sign up between 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm) at the The Capri Theatre, 2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55411. Emerging artists of all ages are invited to take part in the Capri Theater’s monthly Freedom of Xpression open mic sessions, hosted by Crystal “Azteca” Ruiz, Freedom of Xpression showcases the talent of performing artists in all genres, including music, spoken word/ poetry, dance and more! If you are bringing recorded tracks for your performance, please bring them in CD format, and please be sure your materials are clearly labels for the tech team. For more information, contact Crystal at cruiz@pcyc-mpls.org Art for Healing: The Role of Creativity in Trauma Recovery – Apr. 10 Join Minneapolis-based artists and professionals—including a documentary filmmaker, a gallery curator and an art therapist—in a conversation on the healing power of art in trauma and grief recovery on Thursday, April 10, 2014, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm reception; 6:30 program at UROC, 2001 Plymouth Ave. N. The event, co-sponsored by KFAI radio, is part of UROC’s ongoing Trauma Recovery Project.

This Critical Conversation is presented as a special edition of KFAI’s What’s in the Mix, a community engagement forum made possible by a grant from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The event is free, but registration is requested.

Refugee Nation at Intermedia Arts - Apr. 10-13 & 17-20 A mother lives alone in the darkness. A father struggles to forget a lost war. A son battles in the streets of urban America. A daughter searches for answers in her community. “Refugee Nation” is a play about a young generation seeking to understand their history and a community healing from the traumas of war. ThursdaysSaturdays, April 10-12 & 17-19,

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

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authority has rental units available in Cass County, MN. Please call 218-335-8280.

Must meet certain qualifications.

Fax: 612.588.2031

Email: info@insightnews.com

APRIL 29

Sights, Sounds and Soul: Twin Cities through the lens of Charles Chamblis Exhibit Opening From family reunions to the nightclub scene, there is no one who documented the Twin Cities black community like Charles Chamblis. Affectionately called “The Pictureman,” he had a passion for photography and a knack for being everywhere at the right time. View more than 60 images, alongside artifacts including suits worn by Prince and Jellybean Johnson in the movie “Purple Rain.”

Attend an open house on Tuesday, April 29, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55102 to meet some of the people featured in the new

exhibit “Sights, Sounds and Soul: Twin Cities through the lens of Charles Chamblis.” Also, meet with teens who created a special photography exhibit taking inspiration from Chamblis’ mission “to feel what he saw.” Part of MNHS’ Teen Advisory Council, the teens worked with photography instructors and historians to research and document their neighborhoods and community. Enjoy music, see the exhibits and create new community connections.

Light refreshments will be served.

FREE. The exhibit is on view, April 26-Feb. 4, 2015 and is free with History Center admission.

Charles Chamblis and Erma Franklin, Dick’s Jet-A-Way Club, Minneapolis, 1967

2014, 7PM and Sundays, April 13 & 20, 2014, 2:30PM. All performances at Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis.

For more information: (612) 8714444.

Education for Everyone - Apr. 16 Bullying and Cyber Bullying Prevention featuring CLIMB Theatre. The Education for Everyone event series aims to share information and raise awareness of students with different challenges so everyone can better support these individuals in our schools and communities. This year, CLIMB Theatre will present “One Kind Thing”, a play about bullying and cyber bullying on Wednesday, April 16, 2014; 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas, Anderson Student Center; 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105. Free and open to current UST students, staff, faculty, and school-aged (K-12) students. General admission: $10.

After April 10, 2014 $10 at the door for all. For more information: celcevents@stthomas.edu Second Chance Saturdays – Apr. 21 Bring any documentation pertaining to your claim of discrimination, police misconduct, or your public criminal record on Saturday, Apr. 21, 2014 (3rd Saturdays) 11:30 am – 2:30 pm at the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center 2001

Classifieds West Falls Estates

Phone: 612.588.1313

Plymouth. Find your record at z.umn.edu/recordworkshop. For further questions contact: Joshua Esmay, esmayj@crimeandjustice. org or 612-353-3000.

Blue & Green Spring Fling – Apr. 26 Maternity of Mary – St. Andrew Catholic School will be hosting a fun event, the Blue & Green Spring Fling on Sat., April 26th, 2014 with a game show theme “MMSA…Priceless.” The highenergy evening will include food, raffles, game show styled games, and silent and live auctions and will be held at 592 Arlington Ave. W, St. Paul from 6pm-10pm.

Call the school office to reserve tickets at (651) 489-1459 or visit the MMSA website at www. mmsaschool.org. Guests must be 21 years or older. Tickets also sold at the door.

North First: Green – Apr. 28 Join your neighbors this spring for our first 2014 North First social events on Apr. 28, 2014, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm at The Capri Theater 2027 W Broadway Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411. This is a great opportunity to get to know other residents, neighborhood organizations and community at the historic Capri Theater, enjoy some delicious food, have fun with some great name tags from Give & Take, stop by the Information Exchange, and hear some brief presentations about a variety of topics of interest to neighborhoods. Come for a bite

and stay for some conversation.

Just make sure you reserve your spot today! Learn more at http:// northfirst.org The Big Hat Luncheon - May 17 It’s Your Affair will host The Big Hat Luncheon event on May 17, 2014 at The Minneapolis Marriot West Hotel, 9960 Wayzata Blvd and will begin at 11 a.m.

This annual charitable event purpose to enrich the lives of women and provide attendees with a memorable experience and information that is valuable to life’s journey. The theme of The Big Hat Luncheon is “Live in the NOW: No Opportunity Wasted.” Marquieta Williams, Founder and CEO of Woman Know Thyself will be the keynote speaker. You can go online to purchase tickets by visiting www. itsyouraffairevents.org or call (612) 460-0244. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Family Values for Life www.familyvaluesforlife.org.

Visual Arts Studio 5-Day Session – Jun. 23-27 Youth will develop technical skills and learn how to translate their ideas into visual forms through a variety of mediums, processes and material using photography, painting/drawing, sculpture and murals on Jun. 23-27, 2014. (814+ year olds). Registration is open – sign-up now! www.esns. org/campovey or call 612-7816011.

Phone: 612.588.1313

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

APARTMENT OPENINGS Delton Manor located in Bemidji, MN is accepting applications for future 1, 2, & 3 Bedrm apartment openings.

Delton Manor has 3 two-bedrm handicapped accessible units located in the building. Delton Manor promotes equal housing opportunities for all perspective residents regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual preference, religion, handicap, marital status, familial status, national origin or source of income. For applications and qualifications, contact NANCY at 218-759-2523.

AN EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES Cityview Community School looking for volunteers City View is looking for tutors.

For more information contact Kathy DeKrey (218)760-1106.

Council on Crime and Justice needs mentors The Council on Crime and Justice is looking for men to mentor men released from Minnesota State Prisons. Connecting with mentors can reduce the amount of stress and challenge as one is reintegrating back into family and community. When: Your choice. Please contact 612-3533000.

CEED Online Class Earn a Continuing Education Certificate (clock hours) or Academic Credit by successfully completing a CEED online course. Sessions are nine weeks long and instructor-led.

Participants need a computer with internet access and a high speed connection. Click on the links for more information about each course and to register.

Mar. 24, 2014 - Pregnancy’s Unexpected Outcomes: Death, Disabilities, and the Impact on Parents and Children--A Guide for Practitioners. (82 Clock Hours or 2 academic credits) FYI/ I Can Prevent Diabetes Program I can Prevent Diabetes is a collaborative, community-

Fax: 612.588.2031

Townhomes Available Fieldcrest in Moorhead, MN

based, lifestyle change program designed for people who have diagnosed as pre-diabetic or who are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes (overweight, family history, get little exercise, had a baby weighing more than 9 lbs.), or currently taking Metforin. This program Involves 16 weekly sessions and eight (8) monthly follow-up sessions where participants learn how to create a healthier lifestyle. For more information or to register please contact Sylvia Amos at 612-5213110 for a list of church sites where the class will be offered in 2014.

CAST (Capri after School Theater) Working in collaboration with Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) and PYC Arts & Tech High School, Capri After School Theater (CAST) is open to students in grades 9 through 12 who are interested in exploring the world of theater after school every week Tuesdays and Thursday until May 22, 2014, 3:30 p.m. -5:30 p.m. at Capri Theater 2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55411. There is no charge for this program thanks to generous support from the Carlson Family Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board. If you are a high school student (or a parent/guardian of a student), please contact Kevin D. West at kwest@pcyc-mpls. org or call 612-643-2039 for information or to enroll.

Email: info@insightnews.com

Salon for Rent Shop for rent. Available immediately.

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

Rent based on 30% of income

Vacancies

2 & 3 bdroms open

Cokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at 320-286-2758. E-Mail cokapts@embarqmail.com

MetroPlains Management

701-232-1887 www.metroplainsmanagement.com

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authority has rental units available in Cass County, MN. Please call 218-335-8280. Must meet certain qualifications.

Page 10 • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Stories of first generation college students celebrated in online story slam

Huy (College Student)

Jakwoun (High School Senior)

Kaylee (High School Junior)

Lacresia (College Graduate)

College Possible, an organization working in the Twin Cities and across the country to coach lowincome students to and through college, launched “First Person” last week, an online story project focusing on low-income firstgeneration college students.

Highlighting the unique barriers

overcome by these students and the community-wide importance of their contributions, stories from every stage of the college journey are being collected. The stories are shared on CollegePossible. org and with nonprofit Center for Student Opportunity’s I’m First project.

“The widespread impact

of these trailblazers is too often unrecognized,” said Jim McCorkell, College Possible CEO and first-generation college graduate. “These are not just feel-good stories about the power of education; these kids have followed the surest path out of poverty and will change their families, communities and the country as a result. Making

college accessible to every talented student―– regardless of their income or parents’ education level―– is the right thing to do and it is the only way to maintain our country’s strong workforce in a competitive global economy.”

“Finding my own path and creating a path for others to follow is what being the first means to me,” says Huy, a current student

Thando and Katie (College Coach)

Jim McCorkell (CEO and Founder) at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities pursuing an engineering degree to provide for his family. “I feel a strong sense of responsibility…It’s a lot for me. I was clueless at the beginning, but I’ve had a lot of help from College Possible along the way.”

College Possible’s approach is designed to connect students

to the college that best matches their abilities. The organization’s successful efforts to address “undermatching,” the pervasive funneling of low-income, firstgeneration students to colleges that do not challenge them, is a core element of the program’s

COLLEGE TURN TO 11

INSIGHT MPS revises school budget allocations to ensure school flexibility NEWS Minneapolis Public Schools for class size adjustments, about superintendents worked with these 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

(MPS) on March 25 provided schools with updated budget allocations for fiscal year 2015 (FY15), which runs from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015. The updated allocations correct calculation issues in the preliminary budget allocations, which were released on March 14.

The revised allocations provide a total funding increase of approximately $40 million directly to schools, rather than the roughly $33 million previously communicated. This includes increases of about $3 million

$3 million for basic per pupil expenditures and about $2 million in discretionary funds. or funds that individual schools have flexibility to determine how to spend.

In preliminary allocations, 59 of 69 MPS school budgets received increases in both total discretionary dollars and individual per pupil amounts.

The remaining 10 schools initially received slightly lower discretionary allocations or per pupil amounts. The MPS finance team and associate

schools individually to review their proposed budgets and ensure all needs had been fully met in the updated budget allocations.

“I am pleased to report to you that preliminary budget allocation issues involving some of our schools have been resolved,” said Chief Operating Officer Robert Doty in a letter to families and the community. “Despite our challenges, I am very proud of the outcomes of this budget planning process. Shifting approximately $40 million from central office budgets to individual school budgets has laid a solid foundation for the school district’s work to create a more equitable and transparent funding process for our schools.”

The school district’s proposed FY15 budget provides more support to high priority schools, which are lower-

BUDGET TURN TO 11

Homebuyer Education prginc.org

Homebuyer Counseling

since 1976

Foreclosure Counseling

New Homebuyer Special

Start your journey to home ownership on the right foot!

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

Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Editorial Intern Abeni Hill Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley

Minneapolis Public Schools 2014 SUM

MER SC

HO O L

Monday-Thursday K-8: June 16 - July 24 High School: June 16 - July 11

Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Toki Wright Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Alysha Price Photography Michele Spaise Corey Collins 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.

ACCELERATE YOUR LEARNING! MPS summer school provides a strong and engaging academic program. We offer free breakfast, lunch and transportation.

Register now with your student’s counselor!

Visit our website to learn more: http://summerschool.mpls.k12.mn.us

insightnews.com

Insight News • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Page 11

BUSINESS “My Brother’s Keeper” from a single father and business owner’s perspective

By Ron Busby I must admit, being a single father of two Black boys isn’t easy, especially since my wife passed away 12 years ago. From breaking up fights, to discussing college and career choices, I’ve learned that being a good father means more than just “being there.”

Decisions are made, things happen, but despite the inevitable bumps in the road of parenthood, I am always proud to see how my two sons have grown into bright young men. Recently, you have heard lots about President Obama’s laudable effort to ensure bright futures for America’s young men “of color.”

We agree it makes sense to use his bully pulpit to highlight the challenges faced by Black and Latino males and to galvanize solution providers around a common work plan.

What makes a lot less sense to us is how - in the face of dwindling contract awards to Black-owned businesses - we are to remain hopeful that equitable opportunity is within the grasp of Black businesses.

For sure, there is lots of happy talk in the President’s proposed budget about commitments to SBA loan guarantees, certified development companies (CDCs) and small business investment companies (SBICs)... billions to infrastructure rehab and surface transportation projects...

Ron Busby and sons millions to the Minority Business Development Agency for technical assistance and money for expansion of Promise Zones designed to focus federal resources in targeted areas, both urban and rural.

Against the backdrop of these huge outlays across education, healthcare/social services, infrastructure and transportation, let’s suppose that the targeted young Black and Latino males successfully scale all the hurdles facing them...that they graduate from high school, matriculate to a community college, fouryear institution or trade school and set out to pursue their career aspirations. What awaits them?

Shrinking federal contract awards to Black and Hispanicowned businesses seem to preclude any opportunity at supplying their goods/services to government agencies. Kauffman

Foundation researcher Alicia Robb, said in her study of SBA lending that minority borrowers are “turning to mainstream lenders less because they have a fear of denial, which is warranted.”

So, it appears that even commitments of loan guarantees won’t be enough to open access to capital. Tuition costs are skyrocketing while lowincome students face cuts in the availability of tuition assistance. Therefore, repayment without improved employment/ entrepreneurial prospects will exacerbate the challenge.

To complicate matters, within minutes of President Obama’s announcement, his political opponents cranked up their “anti-anything-Obama” screed and pronounced My Brother’s Keeper not only socialist, but racist, as well. While the program

is decidedly neither, it may serve to distract from more immediate, short term fixes.

Growing businesses need employees. Black (and Brown) businesses, given access to the tools that fuel expansion, are far more likely to extend job opportunities to young minority males. Hence, it makes at least as much sense to expend effort to ensure that federal, state and local contracts are awarded fairly. And, as always, we will contend that healthy, growing, vibrant Blackowned businesses are the best cure for Black unemployment.

Among the more hopeful signs of support for My Brother’s Keeper is the announcement from The Opportunity Finance Network (OFN). OFN, which represents more than 225

community development financial institutions, will pledge $1 billion ot expand financing for organizations and initiatives working to help young minority men. While Opportunity Finance Network CEO Mark Pinsky has yet to define how his organization will allocate dollars raised from network members, we will engage his organization to encourage more business lending, rather than program development.

There absolutely is room in the national marketplace for a program such as My Brother’s Keeper. The challenges faced by young, ethnic minority males are well documented. The futures of these young men - and the future well being of the nation - deserve the kind of focused solution-searching described in

Jealousy, passion, ambition, betrayal – as only Shakespeare can tell it.

NOW – APRIL 20

Jumpstart your fundraising!

SPONSORED BY

By Cynthia Bond Hopson, Ph.D.

The Guthrie Theater’s production of Othello is part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

by by

College From 10 success.

College Possible received attention in November when Harvard University released historic results from a study using randomized controls, considered to be the gold standard of evaluation. The findings show that College Possible’s approach to unlocking the potential of low-income students is effective

Budget From 10 performing schools designated for special focus to raise student achievement, by reducing class size ratios to 18 students per teacher in kindergarten through third grade. The budget includes an increase to fund academic intervention strategies, which include additional math and reading specialists for schools.

It also provides more funding for International Baccalaureate programs, arts and world languages and support to English learners and maintains funding for magnet schools.

WILLIA WIL WILLIAM LIAM M

SHAKESPEARE

to sell anything I don’t invest or believe in, their “It’s an honor to be selected as the person who asks others to give” philosophy was refreshing and empowering. I am all the things listed in the title of their new book, Prerequisites for Fundraising Success, 18 Things Every Fundraising Professional, Board Member, or Volunteer Needs to Know, so reading it was a logical next step.

Prerequisites, is a homerun, slam dunk and a touchdown!

Whether you’re trying to figure out which way is up or down, this is the book you want to get this year. “Fundraising is a competitive endeavor” was my favorite quote and if you are ill equipped for the competition, get this book and then proceed. They cover funding your fundraising, the importance of teamwork and commitment to the cause, and every chapter has a checklist and action steps to keep you on course. If you’re serious about improving your fundraising success, and who isn’t these days, this resource will be a blessing for

and that students served are significantly more likely to enroll in a four-year college. This means that more first-generation, lowincome students can graduate with the help of College Possible.

“Dr. Chris Avery’s study provides evidence that College Possible is effective in helping students make smart choices in where to enroll,” said Dr. William Bowen, former President of Princeton University and current President of the Andrew Mellon Foundation and editor of College Access: Opportunity or Privilege?

The proposed budget also enhances transportation services by adding buses and safety equipment; increases funding for school custodians to ensure buildings are cleaned and well maintained; and supports school climate and safety by maintaining school resource officers at schools.

MPS’ budget recommendation is preliminary and will continue to be discussed in board committee meetings, schools and the community in April and May. The school board is scheduled to vote on the FY15 budget in late June.

For a schedule of engagement opportunities and to learn more, visit www.bit.ly/MPSbudget.

everybody who goes out in your name to raise money. Fundraising is an art and a science and those who excel at it must understand the processes and intricacies that lead to success. Again, this roadmap will enable the newcomer and provide additional tools for the pro—either way, you’re bound to learn something new.

Pearl and Mel are consummate professionals and they continue to impress and amaze me with their creativity, insights and extensive knowledge of all things fund related. With these two books, they take comprehensive fundraising, development and management to a new and more accessible level.

Both are available from amazon. com, and are economical enough to get one for each team member.

Cynthia Bond Hopson, Ph.D., is an author and assistant general secretary of the United Methodist Church’s Black College Fund in Nashville, TN. She is also the author of seven books, including The Women of Haywood.

Ron Busby, Sr. is president of U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

MUST-SEE SHOWS AT THE GUTHRIE

BOOK REVIEW

To be the best, learn from the best and in fundraising, Pearl D. Shaw and her husband Melvin B. Shaw, have the creds to not just teach fundraising essentials but to literally “write the books” about it. In an updated version of The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts, first published in 2008, everything you need to know is laid out in this small but powerful compilation in the form of how to’s for the novice and gentle reminders for the veteran.

These amazing 33 pages are a quick but empowering read from an accomplished couple with more than 30 years of experience in innovative fund development, capital campaign research, planning, design and implementation. Topics covered include the language and philosophy of the “ask,” how to cultivate, honor, recognize and involve donors, preparing for solicitation visits, and the importance of personal and meaningful interaction with potentials.

As someone who has to inspire gifts and investment into my cause, (I manage The Black College Fund which supports the 11 United Methodist Churchrelated historically Black colleges and universities) I felt better prepared, even inspired to go out and “win friends and influence people” to share. While I never try

the blueprint for the effort.

In the meantime, though, Black business owners - males AND females - face the daunting task of building and sustaining enterprises without the safety net implicit in My Brother’s Keeper.

If we, as a nation, continue to fall short of fostering the healthy economic environment that we know is essential to long-term prosperity for ALL Americans, then the work of “My Brother’s Keeper” shall be in vain. Let’s put our actions - and dollars where our economic futures are, for James 1:22 (KJV) says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

directed by

MARION

McCLINTON

A bold re-imagining of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last night.

The Guthrie Theater presents a Penumbra Theatre and Arizona Theatre co-production of

NOW – APRIL 19

by

KATORI

HALL

directed by

LOU

BELLAMY A

THE GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS CARLYLE BROWN & COMPANY PRODUCTION OF

ABE LINCOLN AND

written and directed by

UNCLE TOM

CARLYLE BROWN

WHITE HOUSE

NOW – APRIL 6

IN THE

612.377.2224 GUTHRIETHEATER.ORG

Critical Conversations Scholars, historians, artists, and community leaders on urban issues and ideas

Art for Healing:

Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Role of Creativity in Trauma Recovery

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Reception 6:30 p.m. Program

Join Minneapolis-based artists and professionals—including a documentary filmmaker, a gallery curator and an art therapist—in a conversation on the healing power of art in trauma and grief recovery moderated by Robyne Robinson, director of arts and culture for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Foundation. This Critical Conversation is presented as a special edition of KFAI’s What’s in the Mix, a community engagement forum made possible by a grant from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested at h p://uroc-artforhealing.eventbrite.com. Call 612-626-8762 (612-626-UROC) for details.

Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center | 2001 Plymouth Avenue N., Minneapolis 612-626-UROC (8762) | uroc.umn.edu

Page 12 • April 7 - April 13, 2014 • Insight News

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Choose well New choices in health care are here. Introducing UCare ChoicesSM, affordable new health plans from a leader in Minnesota health care, with coverage for young adults, families, empty nesters and everyone in between.

Find out more at UCareChoices.org, and look for us on the MNsure health insurance marketplace. Choose well. Choose UCare Choices.