Insight News ::: 06.09.14

Ancestry Books Couple opens the only Black/Brown-owned bookstore on the Northside TURN TO PAGE 11

Chaun Webster and Verna Wong

Insight News June 9 - June 15, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 24 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Maya David Bradley

Harvest Preparatory School 7th grade Math Class

Energizing Harvest Prep

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer Minneapolis, MN—On May 27, Xcel Energy announced a yearlong partnership with Harvest Preparatory School in North Minneapolis. The commitment includes a $50,000 grant to make the building more energy

efficient and to support the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education (STEM). Xcel Energy employees are also expected to volunteer in classroom learning, and at family events over the 2014-15 school year that will teach students how to be energy efficient at home.

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Angelou opened her

life eyes

to open our

Audrey Jackson

Check Yo’ Self Crew

Young people encouraged to love themselves and their community

By Diane Holmes On this day, Mama Chi is busy trying to reach other agency directors from across the Twin Cities with the hope of having all of them host a community resource table or become a cosponsor of the event she and her youth participants, known as the Check Yo’ Self Crew, are hosting. The event is I’m Loving Me . . . and My Community, to be held, Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., at High School for Recording Arts, 1166 University Avenue, St. Paul, 55104.

In many ways, it’s a typical day at the Check Yo’ Self Health and Wellness Center at High School for Recording Arts (HSRA), commonly known as the HIV/AIDS/STI (HAS)

Prevention and Awareness Program which was formerly located at City, Inc.: teenagers flood the office to heat up ramen noodles in the microwave, students hurry to make-up work they missed earlier in the school year, and boys scurry to pull up their sagging pants before encountering an adult in the room.

However, this is no typical day at the HAS Program. HAS Program director, Charlnitta “Mama Chi” Ellis, is gearing up to host the fourth annual community mobilization event held to promote self-care, selflove, and wellness among African American young women and men. The event is designed to show young women and men the importance of loving

YOUTH TURN TO 5

Courtesy of NNPA

Maya Angelou

By Jazelle Hunt, NNPA Washington, Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The day before she died, Maya Angelou telephoned Ebony magazine headquarters in Chicago to tell new editor-in-chief Mitzi Miller that she was proud of her. They barely knew each other. Miller knew Angelou mostly through

her writings.

“She spoke to me for 10 minutes, so generously and complimentary toward the work I had done in JET. She said that she had just called to tell me how much she had been enjoying JET…and she was proud of how much I had done,” Miller recalls. “I’m stuttering, trying to keep up. It was a brush with greatness. I feel so blessed that, for

whatever reason, she decided to call me. I feel incredibly grateful.”

It was a final gesture that exemplified Angelou’s sincerity and openness. As in inimitable as she was, she had a way of making everyone feel they were her best friend.

ANGELOU TURN TO 3

Hayden explains legislation impact

State Senator Jeff Hayden

Following the conclusion of the 2014 Legislative Session last month, Minneapolis Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Hayden has spent recent weeks reaching out to constituents and discussing the impact his legislative agenda will have in the community. He discussed legislative successes and priorities

last Tuesday on the “Conversations with Al McFarlane” weekly radio broadcast.

“I held fast to our core principles and worked to ensure our community shares in the state’s growing prosperity,” said Hayden. “From raising the minimum wage to passing the Women’s Economic Security

Act, from new funding for the Homeless Youth Act to legalizing medical cannabis, from second chance expungement reforms to stronger protections for victims of domestic violence—Minnesota is a better state now than it was two years ago.”

SESSION TURN TO 9

Business

Lifestyle

Renewal

Education

Winning in overtime

Phillip & Janice Porter examine “Journey’s Till I Do”

Robyne Robinson opens MSP art exhibit

Bethune Elementary in Minneapolis named one of four Turnaround Arts schools in Minnesota

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Page 2 • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

As part of the All-Star Summer Classic, The Minnesota Twins, The Twins Community Fund, Major League Baseball and the Pohlad Family Foundation are contributing over $8 million to beneďŹ t local and national charities in Twins Territory in the most extensive legacy effort in All-Star history.

Legacy Project Listed below are just a few of the legacy projects: Youth Field Renovations Funding from the MLB All-Star Legacy Project will go towards renovating four youth baseball ďŹ elds owned by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board & the St. Paul Parks & Recreation Department. The renovation of these facilities will help with rapidly expanding youth leagues including the Twins Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program. Fields being renovated are: Â&#x161; Dehj^[Wij 7j^b[j_Y FWha <_[bZ Ă&#x2026; C_dd[Wfeb_i Â&#x161; DIF <_[bZ Ă&#x2026; C_dd[Wfeb_i Â&#x161; B[[ FWha Ă&#x2026; HeXX_diZWb[ Â&#x161; ;b H_e L_ijW 8Wi[XWbb <_[bZ Ă&#x2026; Ij$ FWkb

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Insight News • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Page 3

BUSINESS

Winning in overtime Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com For the lonely few Minnesotans still watching the Stanley Cup hockey Playoffs, have you noticed the overtimes? Out of 88 playoff games so far, 23 have ended in extra minutes played. These

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 Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham 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 Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Abeni Hill Timothy Houston Penny Jones-Richardson Toki Wright Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Photography Michele Spaise David Bradley 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.

professional skaters train to peak at about this time each season, and train to play about the same three periods every game. So what happens when teams are called on repeatedly to work overtime?

Some perform well and win; the others, well, they lose.

Working overtime is a necessity in almost every profession. Ordinary people do it for the same reasons the LA Kings and the Blackhawks do it: they want to win. They believe that if they skate a little longer and shoot one more time, they just might score the goal that will move them ahead in the run for the cup. Who doesn’t want to move ahead?

Overtime play takes planning.

If your team has given its max effort to a project, and discovers, at the end, that they need to keep going, they are going to get emotional. They want to win. But they also want to be somewhere else, they want to rest, they want to spend time with their families, they want to catch their breath.

So, how do you motivate people to win in overtime? You have to plan.

Plan to communicate. Make sure everyone knows what’s in it for them: a new product, a big bonus, continued employment… whatever it is, be sure everyone knows. Put a picture of the Stanley Cup (or your new product or the

PhotoXpress

bonus amount) where everyone can see it, so they’ll have an answer when they look up and say, “Why are we doing this, again?”

Plan short shifts. Professional hockey players burst over the boards and leave everything on the ice; then they go back to the bench, recover, and do it again. If your team is burning the candle at both ends, allow breaks for conversation, meals, and even sleep. Letting someone run home to let the dog out might seem counterintuitive if you have a

deadline to meet; however, the person who makes that run will be back and skating at 100 percent because they have one less thing to worry about, allowing total focus when they’re working.

Plan to ask for immediate feedback. People often have their brightest ideas when the mind is stretched and they’re physically drained. Listen up. Hear people muttering, “Should have… could have…” and you will know what to change to avoid getting into this situation in the future. Get people

thinking about short cuts and dealing with what’s both urgent and important, and you will be able to weed out some of the extra steps that won’t impact the winor-lose outcome.

Plan for overtime as an exception, not a rule. 23 out of 88 games went into overtime. That’s a little more than 25%. Everyone loves a nailbiter, but no one went into any of those 23 games saying, “I hope we get extra ice time.”

Your team will win it all if you coach them through it:

communicate, allow sanity breaks and be flexible to the suggestions your people make while under pressure. As long as overtime is only occasional and the goal is clearly within reach, you can count on your team to take home the hardware when it counts.

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

The important role of an RFP FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Nonprofit organizations often secure the services of fundraising related consultants and contractors to support operations and growth.

Services may be needed to supplement the expertise of current staff, to add specific skill set for a limited amount of time, or because it is more cost effective to contract for services than to hire full-time employees.

Services that could be put out

Angelou From 1 “This is someone that I have followed my entire life, read her books, looked up to…and she was on the phone with me,” Miller continues. “Having a really everyday conversation, kind of how you’d expect your aunt to call you, like ‘girl, I’m so proud of you.’ And the next day she had passed.”

Angelou was born in St. Louis, Mo. as Marguerite Johnson, but assumed the name Maya Angelou and many other titles over her 86 years: writer, activist, entertainer, San Francisco’s first Black female street car conductor, professor, doctor, linguist, winner of three Grammys, the NAACP Springarm Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to name just a few.

But in her own words, she was simply “a teacher who writes.”

And many remember her as that – and so much more.

“There are two things she taught me that I try to remember,” says Susan Taylor, former editor of Essence magazine. “One moment we were chatting and I was very stressed about work.

And she told me, time spent away from your desk renewing yourself is as important as time spent hunkered over your work.

And that we should never beat up ourselves or feel guilty…she said to me, as I’m sure she’s said to many others, we have to do as well as we know how to do, until we know better. Then when we know better, we can do better.”

Even through her status as an international icon, Angelou constantly took others under her wing, inviting them to her home, feeding, regaling, and encouraging them to live well and pursue their goals. She loved to celebrate and entertain, from warm Thanksgivings with friends and mentees who became her chosen family, to lavish garden

to bid include direct mail, special event design and management, proposal writing, feasibility studies, campaign counsel, online giving, marketing and advertising, prospect research, executive and employee search services, technology, training services and staff development, premiums and promotional materials, and phonathons.

In all cases a written request for proposals (RFP) helps facilitate a successful engagement.

While it takes time to craft an RFP there are many benefits to be achieved. First, the process will force you and your team to think through what you want to achieve from engaging an outside firm. It serves as a basis for the scope of work that will guide the firm’s work and your evaluation

of it. You will have a better idea of the amount of time and resources required by your organization to support the work of the contractor or consultant. You will have created a “fair playing field” for those who are competing for your business, and a basis from which your team can evaluate proposals.

Getting started. Convene a team to create the RFP and establish a method of evaluation.

Most RFPs include a brief organizational overview and history; a project description, budget, and timeframe; requirements related to experience, capacity, and technology; and submission deadlines and dates by which decisions will be made.

Evaluation includes determining, for example, the importance of methodology, experience,

and price. Are they equally weighted, or are methodology and experience more important than price? How will “points” be assigned? On a scale of 100, would each receive 33.3 points, or would 40 points be assigned to methodology, 50 to experience and 10 to price? Scoring RFPs reduces subjectivity, provides management with a rationale for contracting, and provides vendors with the opportunity to learn how their proposal rated and why.

Regardless the size of your organization, the RFP process provides an opportunity to evaluate proposals on an “applesto-apples” basis. If you are not required to issue an RFP and have already decided which vendor you want to work with, think long and hard before issuing one.

Staff, board members, volunteers and vendors all invest time and resources in the RFP process: a common complaint is that the process is a “sham,” as a decision had been made in advance.

Finally, the RFP process can diminish conflicts of interest and contribute to transparency and accountability. It is another way to strengthen the health of your nonprofit.

Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw

parties and ceremonies held in her honor.

CNN contributor and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile recounts reading her work as a girl, and ending up dining with her as an adult.

“Once, my friend Minyon Moore hosted a luncheon in honor of Betty Shabazz, Cicely Tyson, Coretta Scott King and Maya Angelou. It was a moment for us, the up-and-coming, to meet our heroes, to sit at their feet and learn

from them,” she said. “Before we could break bread (cornbread), Maya had everyone laughing. She made a place for so many folks in her life, in her kitchen or on her stage.”

Ingrid Saunders Jones, another mentee and chair of the National Council of Negro Women, remembers Angelou’s portrait unveiling ceremony at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. It was the day after Angelou’s 86th birthday, and the

last time Jones, former chair of the Coca-Cola Foundation, would see her.

“What I saw that day was complete delight from her that this was happening, and that she was surrounded by people she loved and people who loved her. It was just a love fest,” Jones says. “She gathered all her strength – she was so strong that day – as she answered questions about herself.

And she sang to us. It was just a day never to be forgotten.”

In 2009, National Urban League President and CEO, Marc Morial went to Angelou’s home to request her participation in the League’s centennial celebration.

“What followed was hours of conversation sitting at her kitchen table as she told stories, gave life lessons, and shared poignant perspectives on art, culture and humankind,” he shared. “With

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

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

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Page 4 • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

LIFESTYLE Phillip & Janice Porter examine “Journey’s Till I Do” “This is the first project my wife and I have done together,” said Phillip Porter.

The couple will embark upon 30 years of marriage this year. They have their own secret to success in love.

“We make sure we make time for each other,” said Janice Porter.

Phillip Porter is the President of a family-owned business, Generations United, LLC. His wife, Janice, is a high school principal.

To write the book, the two spoke with couples from around the world. One of the interviewees was Janice Porter’s father. There are 13 couples total in the book.

“We took it from the time that they first met to the time that they said I do,” said Janice Porter. “It is about single

By Abeni Hill Contributing Writer In today’s society it seems that the constitution of marriage is not so sacred and weddings have become more of a fad.

Phillip Porter and Janice Porter are a husband and wife team who authored “Journey’s Till I Do,” a book about what gives marriages longevity.

“We don’t really see in today’s society the examples of husbands and wives who aren’t fussing or getting divorced,” said Phillip Porter. “We saw the brevity of marriages and we wanted to leave some positive examples for our grandkids.”

The Porters do not have a background in writing and this is their first book.

Janice Porter and Phillip Porter

people and how they met until they got married.”

The authors said every story in the book is true and reflects the experiences of actual couples.

Some important pieces of advice the couple retrieved from their interviews were keep the lines of communication open and listen to each other.

“In the book each couple expresses something different to keep their love together,” said Phillip Porter.

The writing duo also selfpublished the book. “Journeys To I Do” is available in hardcopy as well as on Kindle.

The book is also available at www.amazon.com/journeysto-do-stories-survived/ dp/1495207188.

Keys to improving your relationship Man Talk

By Timothy Houston How does one improve their relationship?

No relationship can ever be better until you are better.

Because you are the most important part of any relationship, any real improvements must first take place within you.

Improving yourself improves your relationship. Don’t worry about the other person. Who you choose to be in a relationship

with is a by-product of how you feel about yourself. So even if you are currently in a relationship, you can make it better by being better yourself.

You are what you attract.

First, to improve your relationship, you must take an honest look at yourself against yourself to determine if you are “relationship healthy.” This is different from your normal health because it involves you spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being. How do you measure up in the areas for trust, honesty, communication, and commitment? How are you at anger management or conflict resolution? Do you have a healthy spiritual relationship with God? Are you financially responsible? Improving on any

or all of these areas will improve your relationship.

You must also examine the choices you have made throughout adulthood. Is your personal life in order? What is your relationship like with your family and friends? What is your relationship like with your mother? What is your relationship like with your father? If you are not able to sustain a healthy relationship with family and friends, what does that say about the potential for a healthy intimate relationship? Brokenness inside of you will result in some form of brokenness in all of your relationships.

Second, the other principle in the relationship must be measured against themselves.

How do they honour their words?

Have you witnessed them being dishonest with others in your presence? Do they honour their commitment with others? To determine if a person will be respectful in their relationships, you must consider the fact that their respect for others is governed by their respect for themselves. If a person is not honest with themselves, they will not be honest with others, and ultimately, they will not be honest with you. Be careful with this measurement. Before you turn the mirror on them, you must complete your selfevaluation. You may be the one bringing the most conflict into the relationship.

Finally, each of the principles in the relationship must be

measured against the word of God. Don’t use yourself as a guide. If you have been dealing with counterfeit relationships your whole life, you may not know the real thing when you see it. Also, you are who you attract so neither of you will be qualified or capable of evaluating the other. Let God be the measurement, and evaluate each other on how you respond to God and to his word. When a man or a woman honours and keeps God’s word, they are living at a standard greater than themselves. This is the true test of honesty, spiritual, and relationship maturity.

Improving your relationship is hard work.

Healthy relationships require two healthy people. You or the

person that you are interested in may not be relationship ready.

You must first evaluate yourself, if you are not relationship healthy, you should not be in one. You cannot build on a shaky foundation. Once you are healthy, you will be able to see the real from the fake and determine respect from disrespect. You will know that if a person has no respect for God, the creator, they will have no respect for you the created.

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.

Inspired by Maya Angelou Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson This past week has been very emotional for me and for a lot of other people. The passing of Dr. Maya Angelou touched my heart just as her many works touched

Angelou From 3 equal parts majesty and humility, she held court – and I listened intently, absorbing every word and meaning that she had to impart.

me in the past. I like to say that it is because of my relationship with Dr. Angelou’s work that I found the true meaning of what I was called to do. I would read her words and imagine that she was writing just for me.

With her writings, Dr. Angelou was able to share a part of herself that not many of us are able to do. She was told that she would be a great speaker and teacher one day so she adjusted her life to do just that. How many of us find ourselves adjusting our lives to

prepare for greatness? Have you become the person that someone said you would be? Maya had someone in her life telling her that she was going to be great, but do you have someone telling you the opposite? Well if no one ever told you before, I want you to know, “YOU ARE GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE!” I know a lot of people who were told negative things as a child. Some of those things defined and shaped the outcomes of their lives. Some

of them used those negative things to change their lives and become and do astonishing things. Remember what we think of ourselves is who we become. This is another lesson that I have learned along my journey. I like to share this always with the women who I encounter in my Life Coaching practice. Our thoughts shape and mold us and can determine what road we take to achieve our goals. If you believe that any goal you set for yourself is possible, then you will be a

It was an incredibly powerful experience, and I will always be grateful.”

The visit resulted in her poem titled, “We Hear You.” Through her works, generations will continue to sit at her kitchen table by proxy. Her most famous works, such as “Still

I Rise,” “Phenomenal Woman,” and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” were imbued with her wisdom and power. Her words could lift a reader out of a personal nadir, fortify, and quietly cheer him or her toward the best version of themselves.

Angelou backed her eloquence with gritty action. An active participant of the Civil Rights Movement – she served as northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) – her time was dedicated to human rights and dignified life for all.

“As much as she was an international figure, she was still very much as down-to-earth as soil,” says University of Louisville Business Professor Nat Irvin II, a longtime friend who taught with her at Wake Forest University and attended the same church.

“She was majorly dedicated to the common humanity of all people.

That’s where her heart rested.

That’s what her life was about.”

Rep. John Lewis [D-Ga.] called her a “soothsayer,” adding that her talents and activism “set this nation on a path toward freedom.” He continued, “America is a better place, and we are a better people because Dr. Maya Angelou lived.”

From serving in a leadership for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to helping Malcolm X establish the Organization of African American Unity just before his assassination, to lending her voice to push for gay rights, Maya Angelou was a consistent crusader for fairness.

“Over the course of a career spanning some of the most tumultuous decades of the last century, she taught us how to

success. Success starts with you believing that you can be a success. No matter what happened in your life, you can move on and do amazing things!

I heard someone say once that she never believed that she could become the person that she is today. She grew up in such negativity and despair that she became the adult that she saw as a child. She became a negative young adult full of disrespect and hatred. She had to work hard to find a different

American poet and author Maya Angelou died Wednesday May 28, 2014 aged 86.

Africa by Maya Angelou

By Mshale Staff Beloved American author and poet, Maya Angelou, born April 4 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, died Wednesday May 28, 2014 at the age of 86.

The poem below, titled Africa was written by her.

Africa

By Maya Angelou Thus she had lain sugercane sweet deserts her hair

rise above ‘a past that’s rooted in pain,’” said Attorney General Eric Holder, whose firstborn was named after Angelou. “She gave

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way of life, but always knew in her heart that this life was possible. The lesson that she learned is this: “When you know better, you do better.” Dr. Maya Angelou.

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

Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach.

She can be reached via her website at www.thequeensproject. com or email at penny@ thequeensproject.com.

golden her feet mountains her breasts two Niles her tears.

Thus she has lain Black through the years.

Over the white seas rime white and cold brigands ungentled icicle bold took her young daughters sold her strong sons churched her with Jesus bled her with guns.

Thus she has lain.

Now she is rising remember her pain remember the losses her screams loud and vain remember her riches her history slain now she is striding although she has lain.

voice to a people too often shut out of America’s public discourse.”

ANGELOU TURN TO 7

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Insight News • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Page 5

Robyne Robinson opens MSP art exhibit

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, MN— On May 29, 2014, the Airport Foundation at MSP opened its first national art exhibit, with former Fox 9 News anchor Robyne Robinson as curator.

The show, ‘Renewal,’ beautifully showcases Minnesota and our annual springtime renewal of culture, tradition, and spirit.

The exhibit features the paintings, ceramics, and many other media forms of local artists that speak to our connection with nature. “Renewal is all about how the little green shoots begin to emerge in springtime,” Robinson said, “and how we as Minnesotans emerge with it. We have gathered the best artwork that Minnesota has to offer, from Duluth to the Twin Cities… When people travel through, all they know about us is snow. But once the weather breaks we emerge too and we all begin to hear the same three phrases: ‘going up north,’ ‘at the cabin,’ and ‘on the lake.’

This exhibit reflects our desire to mimic nature.”

Robinson, who retired from news broadcasting in 2010 before running in the DFL primary for Lieutenant Governor with Matt Entenza, accepted the position of Arts and Culture Director at the MSP International Airport this past November. The newlycreated position is responsible for developing both the visual and performing arts programs at the airport, and collaborating with local arts organizations and artists to showcase the best that the state and region has to offer.

David Bradley

Shayne McCarrick, People’s Choice Winner for the MSP Employee Art Exhibit; Robyne Robinson, Arts and Culture Director at the MSP International Airport; and Dennis Probst, Executive Vice President for the Metropolitan Airport Commission.

“I feel really blessed to represent you, Minnesota, to the traveling community,” Robinson said.

The MSP Arts and Culture Program is a partnership between the Airport Foundation MSP, a nonprofit established in 1982, and the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP International Airport and six other general aviation airports in the metropolitan area. The Airport Foundation MSP works to provide international exposure for the local and regional arts community through its rotating exhibits, performing arts, and commissioned installations to modify different spaces throughout the airport to display local artwork.

Robinson was chosen as Airport Foundation MSP Arts

and Cultural Director because of as board member and advisor for her long track record as a local the Minneapolis College of Art arts advocate. During her career and Design, The Soap Factory, First Avenue, the as a news anchor Walker Art Center and reporter, she (one of the top developed the most contemporary art influential arts museums in the coverage in Twin world), and many Cities’ television other community and won accolades art organizations. from many local MSP is the and national arts only airport in the publications and country that has music critics. In an organization 2002, Robinson dedicated solely was selected to enhancing by Minneapolis the experience Mayor R.T. Rybak of travelers and to be the first coMary Bacon bringing culture chair of Mosaic, Study of Oranges 1 to the airport and the annual cityOil on canvas the surrounding wide arts and 24 x 36 community. diversity festival.

2012 Even though She has also served

Prep

Youth From 1 themselves and their community.

The event, being held to promote HIV/AIDS/STI and teenage pregnancy prevention and awareness, will include community resource tables, a mega sound stage featuring Check Yo’ Self Crew music and a special guest performance by the “Not Guilty Band,” along with free food, family-friendly beverages, games, prizes, and lots of messages encouraging young people to love themselves and their community.

The cost to host a community resource table is two hundredfifty dollars and many agency directors are reluctant to shell out the money to participate as an agency vendor. On this day, a typical response Ellis is receiving from other agencies goes something like, “Oh Chi, we just don’t have that kind of money in our budget to be able to do that.”

By 12:00 Noon on this day, eight days before the event, when Ellis hears the “no” response from one agency director too many, she sighs, smiles widely and says, “I have responded to agency requests for 21 years. I have tried to show-up and show-out with the Check Yo’ Self Crew to various events in the community for over two decades.”

Taking another moment to breathe, Ellis goes on to say, “It’s nice to be able to fish and not just be fed. This is my effort to reach out to the community I serve, to the people I have worked with for years. No matter what, I believe in a great God and He has had my back and led the

the concourse gallery is not accessible to the general public, it is greatly appreciated by the 30 million travelers who the MSP International Airport plays host to every year. Miko Simmons, a brilliant interactive creative designer, created an art piece for the Renewal exhibit that is a combination of video, photography, and painting. He commended Robinson and her phenomenal vision for bringing the exhibit to reality. “The airport,” Simmons said, “is where you get to showcase your city, but art isn’t typically as appreciated here as it is in other cities.”

Simmons is mostly known for his work in theatrical productions but wanted to utilize his experience in theater to create fine art. Although a little difficult to see at times in the glaring

sunlight from the concourse windows, his moving art piece beautifully integrates different visuals of local wildlife and vegetation. “This is about growth and bridging that connection between nature and technology, because to me, they’re the same thing,” he said. “Minnesota has a great park system, I took all of these photos from around local parks and I discovered so many great new ones right here in the city.”

The Renewal exhibit is expected to remain on display until this October when the gallery will reopen as the MSP Employee Art Exhibit. This rotating exhibit features the paintings, photographs, ceramics, textiles, sculptures, and mixed media objects of MSP employees, volunteers, and their families.

In addition to supporting educational programs, Xcel Energy claims to be pursuing efforts to increase the diversity and inclusiveness in its workforce.

Despite these efforts, according to the most recent Corporate Responsibility Report, which includes statistical data from 2012, only 2.2% of Xcel Energy’s employees are African American and 11.3% make up the other non-whites. Even though the company has a poor history of hiring African Americans, Eric Mahmoud remains optimistic about the partnership with his schools. “[The Harvest Network of Schools looks] forward to learning how to make our buildings more energy efficient and our footprint on the community greener and more environmentally friendly,” Mahmoud said. “Who knows, one of our students could be a future Xcel Energy scientist, engineer, or CEO? We are certain that this partnership will plants seeds in our students about possible careers in STEM and will pay dividends many years into the future.”

Community” event, and/or registering to host a community resource table, or making a donation, call (651) 294-3023.

charter in 1998.

“I am so grateful that Xcel Energy has chosen to form a yearlong partnership with our schools,” Eric Mahmoud said in an email. “It is always gratifying when a Minnesota corporation recognizes the importance of

sharing their time, talent, and resources with the future leaders of our community; especially low income students of color.”

According to Xcel Energy, in 2013 the company invested more than $1 million in grants for educational programs in math and

science across the eight states that it services. Ensuring that students enter the workforce already equipped with the necessary STEM skills will allow the energy industry to shift from a system based on fossil fuels to one based on renewable resources. Xcel

Energy already leads the nation in the amount of electricity generated from non-carbon sources.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, over the last nine years Xcel Energy has been the largest producer of wind energy in the nation.

To kick off the schools’ partnership, Lesa Clarkson, a former professor at the University of Minnesota and now a math teacher at Harvest Preparatory, led her 7th grade class through a series of equations to determine how much money they could all save by switching from traditional, incandescent lighting to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The students were able to work out that if a classroom of 24 students all switched five light bulbs in their homes, they could save a total of $5,640 in energy costs over a period of ten years.

Xcel Energy has been pushing for consumers to use CFLs instead of incandescent light bulbs because the wattage needed to light them is significantly lower. The only drawback is that CFLs contain mercury and must be properly recycled.

way with our program for 21 years. I’m surely not going to lose faith now.”

What really keeps Ellis going . . . and going . . . and going like the Energizer Bunny . . . is constantly addressing the health and wellness of young people she has served for 21 years. Whether she’s talking to teenage girls about becoming infected with sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) or HIV, Ellis gets charged up and often works around the clock to spread her prevention and awareness messages.

Although Ellis has received some “no’s” about helping with event funding, she was quick to say how very grateful she is for the “yes” answers she has received so far from the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Minority and Multicultural Health, UCare, African American AIDS Task Force (AAATF), Turning Point, City of St. Paul Department of Human Rights, Community Action Project of Ramsey and Washington Counties, Teenwise Minnesota, Face-toFace, McNally Smith, HSRA staff members, and Ellis’ own siblings, members of the Ellis family.

As Ellis was explaining how she prays day and night that more “yes” answers will be forthcoming from agency directors, her phone rang. All you could hear was Ellis saying into the phone, “Really? Oh my Goodness. I’ll be right there.

I’ll be right there to come get you.”

No sooner did her cell phone ring then Ellis was grabbing her purse to run out the door to take one of the parents of a Check Yo’ Self Crew member to the hospital who was experiencing sharp pain in her legs.

As Ellis was rushing out the

door to help a Crew Member’s parent in need, she yelled back, “Well, the one thing nobody can deny is that we’re a family

around here. No matter who helps us, we help each other.

We’re a family around here.

The Check Yo’ Self Crew is a

family.”

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the “I’m Loving Me . . . and My

From 1 Harvest Preparatory School is the only full time nonpublic African American-centered elementary school in the State of Minnesota. It is part of the Harvest Network of Schools along with Best Academy, the Mastery School, and the Success through Educational Evolutionary Development (SEED) Academy—a preschool and daycare center adjacent to Harvest Preparatory.

The network was established

by Ella Mahmoud and her husband Eric, President and CEO, and currently serves almost 1,100 students. They first started the SEED Academy in their North Minneapolis home in 1985 and later opened the Harvest Preparatory School in 1992, originally located on Golden Valley Road. Two years later, the school was moved to its current location, a former nursing home on Olson Memorial Highway, and finally became an accredited

David Bradley

Miko Simmons

David Bradley

Eric Mahmoud and Lesa Clarkson

Page 6 • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Struggling schools leverage arts to improve student engagement Perpich Center for Arts Education has chosen Bethune Elementary School in Minneapolis as one of four schools to participate in Turnaround Arts: Minnesota, a national initiative designed to narrow the achievement gap and improve student engagement through the arts.

The other schools selected to participate in this two-year school improvement program are: Northside Elementary School in St. James; Northport Elementary, Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale School District; and Red Lake Middle School, Red Lake.

Participating schools were selected through a stringent, nationally-vetted process.

Selection criteria included demonstrated need and

opportunity, strong school leadership and a commitment to arts education. Minnesota’s Turnaround Arts schools represent a diversity of student demographics in urban, suburban and rural settings.

“Minnesota has some of the highest achieving students in the nation, but we also have one of the highest achievement gaps between white students and students of color,” Rep. Keith Ellison said. “Turnaround Arts will use arts education and our community’s rich culture to inspire our students and close that achievement gap.”

Schools in the program receive intensive arts education resources and expertise and the schools’ communities will be involved in strategic planning

processes with guidance from Perpich, a state agency serving all schools, students and educators in Minnesota. Created in 1985 by the Minnesota state legislature, the agency seeks to advance K-12 education throughout the state by teaching in and through the arts (perpich. mn.gov). Selected schools will receive arts education training and resources to address their individual needs as well as access to community arts and cultural organizations and a national network of school leaders and teachers.

“We are looking forward to the prospect of building new partnerships with the growing arts community,” said Minneapolis Public School Superintendent Bernadeia

Perpich Center for Arts Education

Bethune Principal Cheryl Martin, performer Citizen Cope, Minneapolis Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson and Minnesota State Sen. Richard Cohen in Washington, D.C. for Turnaround Arts event last week.

Johnson.

This next school year, MPS will have a visual arts teacher at Bethune in addition to a full-time music teacher. The state also is contributing funds in support of the arts effort. The state legislature approved $750,000 specifically for the Minnesota Turnaround Arts initiative. In addition, the Minnesota State Arts Board has committed $300,000 for grants—up to $75,000 per school per year.

Each school also will receive $25,000 in arts supplies, musical instruments and play licenses through national Turnaround Arts.

The President’s Committee has appointed high-profile artists – songwriter Clarence Greenwood (aka Citizen Cope), actor/rapper Doc Shaw and actor Sarah Jessica Parker – who will “adopt” Minnesota Turnaround

Arts during the next two years to support the schools’ educational reform efforts. Minnesota artists and cultural organizations also will participate with funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

“The act of creating art brings great joy to children,” Johnson said. “The arts can increase children’s engagement at school and the Minneapolis district is committed to building up the presence of arts at Bethune.”

Bethune faces severe challenges as the sixth lowest performing school in the state.

All have committed to the new arts-based approach of Turnaround Arts.

“We look forward to working with the dedicated leaders and teachers of these schools,” said Sue Mackert, executive director of Perpich. “Perpich has a strong tradition of collaborating with

schools and communities across Minnesota to use arts education as a tool for addressing the systemic issues affecting achievement.”

Arts education has been shown through numerous studies to be an important part of education as a whole and able to give students tools for success.

Decades of research show that arts-engaged students perform better than their peers.

For example, recent studies show that students that participate regularly in the arts: • Are more self-confident and better able to express their ideas; • Have higher attendance and high school graduation rates; and • Are more likely to go on to a four-year university, graduate from that university and go on to

BETHUNE TURN TO 7

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Insight News • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Page 7

After-school and summer meals at the Jerry Gamble and East Side Clubs CKC Good Food and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities have partnered to provide after-school and summer meals to youth up to age 18 at the nonprofit’s Jerry Gamble Club in North Minneapolis and the East Side Club in Saint Paul. As part

of the At-Risk After-School Meal program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Education, the partnership helps fill a nutritional gap for at-risk youth. The nonprofit anticipates serving 100

to 200 meals each day at the two clubs.

Breakfast and Lunch will begin June 9th at the following locations: Jerry Gamble Club, 2410 Irving Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411 10 AM

and 1 PM. For more information: 612-522-3636.

East Side Club, 1620 Ames Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55106 10 AM and 1 PM. For more information: 651-774-5654.

Club hours at these locations during the summer are 9am – 5:30pm, Monday through Friday. Seventy-six percent of Club members in the Twin Cities qualify for free and reduced lunch during the school year.

This partnership reflects Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities commitment to providing youth

who enter our doors the tools to lead a healthy life.

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/ complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us

by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

PhotoXpress

Summer Food Service Program at Excell Academy For Higher Learning Excell Academy is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and meet nutritional standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any

program or activity conducted or funded by the Department.

(Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) Meals will be provided Monday, June 16th, 2014 through Friday, July 25th, 2014 at the following sites and times: Excell Academy For Higher Learning, 6510 Zane Ave N. Ste#107, Brooklyn Park, MN, 55429, (763)-533-0500.

Breakfast served from 9:00am9:30am. Lunch served from 12:15pm-1:00pm.

Contact Ishabor Makvandi at (763)-5330500 for further details.

To file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/

complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Bethune

to change this picture.

“In Minnesota, we have seen a trend in schools cutting back on arts education to balance tighter and tighter budgets,” Sue Mackert said. Perpich, in concert with our national and local partners, will show that arts education makes a difference.”

The program will provide both uniform and customized resources to respond to the particular arts education-related needs of the individual schools selected to participate.

A preliminary assessment of pilot schools in the Turnaround Arts program in other states shows that the hypothesis is holding true, with math and reading scores going up and students and families increasing engagement. The report leading to the establishment of the Turnaround Arts program as well as a new interim report on its effectiveness can be found at www.pcah.gov/publications.

and icon, and I think all that will be captured, but we forget they’re living, breathing, human beings,” Gillespie says. “She, by example, taught us that it was important to own our lives, not to try to edit or

change things, not to feel guilty, and to own both our mistakes and our triumphs.”

From 6 a career with potential.

While affluent public schools have high rates of arts education, high-poverty schools often have almost none. There are over 5 million students in public elementary schools in this country without either a music or an arts class in their school. Turnaround Arts hopes

Angelou From 4 Last week, Angelou gave her last public interview to Susan Taylor’s National CARES Mentoring Movement, which seeks to elevate the state of Black youth through targeted, skilled mentorship. Angelou wrote its “Pledge to Young People,” and often delivered at the organization’s local affiliates over the years.

“She was always getting engaged in what really matters most – ensuring the education and well-being of children struggling along the margins,” Taylor says.

“One thing I think she wanted to really impart was the importance of being courageous – you can have all the other virtues but it’s meaningless without courage.

It takes courage, commitment, and strategy to change reality, to stand with people in crushing circumstances. That was the mandate of her life.”

But above all, she was human. In her autobiographical works, she let the world in on her pain, her uncertainties, and her forays into the wilder side of life, including prostitution. In sharing so much of herself, she led millions to self-acceptance, self-love, and self-actualization.

“I think of how willing she was to share her journey so all of us would know that life is not perfect,” says Ingrid Saunders Jones. “And she articulated it in a way that helped so many people.

She taught us through the sharing of her life.”

Marcia Ann Gillespie, former editor of Essence and Ms. magazines, agrees.

“She was a WOMAN. All caps. She was a woman who lived her life to the fullest, enjoyed the company of men, loved her scotch, lived life to the max, was adventurous…she was an activist

You belong.

The health plan with you in mind.

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 8 â&#x20AC;˘ June 9 - June 15, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ 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.

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Insight News • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Page 9

The curious case of Tiger Woods Moments in Sports

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Will Tiger Woods return to form and surpass Hall of Fame golfer Jack Nicklaus as the career leader in major championships?

I don’t care, and the case of Woods’ career ain’t curious; it all makes sense. And what can’t be denied, is where Woods’ name stands in golfing history right now.

More specifically, I don’t care what Tiger Woods said back in his no facial hair days, pinning the judgment of his career solely upon Nicklaus’ heralded record of 18 major championships.

The pundits’ conversation of his career follows suit, and focuses solely upon Woods’ deficit in major wins; but it should not.

Tiger Woods is currently second in all-time major championship wins with 14. His primary rival, Phil Mickelson, sits far behind him with a respectable count of five majors.

The only other active player of note is South African Ernie Els with four.

All other considerable names on the majors list are long retired.

Following Woods, the list goes as follows: Walter Hagen 11, Ben Hogan, nine, Gary Player, nine, Tow Watson, eight and Bobby Jones and Arnold Palmer with seven each.

These names constitute the proverbial Mount Rushmore of golf. A very curious notion is that Woods does not seem to have the daily respect of a living legend. The mention of Woods as possibly the greatest golfer ever is met with a brief recognition, then a more vested reminder that he remains short of Nicklaus.

Yet, there are other historic recognitions that should govern Woods’ career.

Beyond majors, there is also the accounting of overall

Session From 1 Hayden personally led the charge in the state senate this year to achieve Minnesota’s first minimum wage hike in nearly a decade, which will increase to $9.50 per hour over the next three years with future raises tied to inflation.

“A meaningful increase to the minimum wage is part of our larger effort to lift up the working poor and create pathways out of poverty. All Minnesotans deserve the opportunity to do an honest day’s work and receive a living wage,” he said.

The first bump in the

Keith Allison / Creative Commons\

Tiger Woods PGA tournament wins (these are common entry PGA events, with less stringent qualification requirements). This list is headed with 82 wins by long-retired Sam Snead. Woods is second with 79 wins … and counting, while Nicklaus is third with 73 tournament wins (majors are included in these records). Phil Mickelson, with 42 wins, is the closest active competitor. Vijay Singh of Fiji, is third among active players with 34, and then there is a precipitous drop thereafter.

Last year Woods managed

to garner the PGA Player of the Year award, after earning five wins and in excess of $8.5 million. That result would be a remarkable year for any player in the long history of golf. As a matter of fact, most, if not all of Woods’ annual results – when he has played – would be career highpoints for the vast majority of golfers not mentioned in the brief lists above … and most of them, too.

Thus, if Woods does not lift another sand wedge, then he’s still the modern era benchmark for golfing success. Commentators

may skew to mention major wins, but comments from active players suggest their understanding that they will never reach the heights of Tiger Woods, in this life or the next. The overall conversation regarding Woods should align with the thoughts of his peers.

Woods has inspired a new generation in golf. He transformed the game into an actual sport, with fit and muscular competitors, versus former days when many golfers would smoke cigars, have an occasional midround spirit, and swing loosely around their cheerful bellies.

On balance, of late, Woods is suffering from his historic training regiment and prodigious childhood demonstrations – he is currently recovering from back surgery (we will cover more from this angle in Part two). Some of you may recall his appearance on the show “That’s Incredible” in 1981.

PGA television viewership is also suffering without Woods’ presence. When Woods is playing well, the world tunes in.

The Masters tournament held in mid-April saw a dip from 3.5 million viewers in 2013, to 2.2

million this year during the first two days of competition. During Woods’ recent stumbles, due to some well-known causes, this dip in ratings has become known as the “Tiger Effect.” Even ticket prices to events have plummeted in his absences.

Tiger Woods has had innumerable effects and affects on the sport of golf. And though his mind remains laser focused on his original goals, golf fans, and all fans of transformational figures, should view his existence with a little more r-e-s-p-e-c-t.

minimum wage will come later this summer, when the rate increases to $8.00 per hour on August 1. The increase to $9.00 per hour follows a year later, and the increase to $9.50 the following August.

Hayden said the 2014 Legislature also provided tax relief for millions of working class families, passed a robust construction bill that will put thousands to work, and approved critical investments in priorities like early education and human services.

“There are two other bills, in particular, that I was honored to author and see signed into law,” added Hayden. “One bill guarantees school lunch to all children regardless of ability to

pay. The other bill allows MFIP recipients to count secondary schooling toward their work requirements. This historic policy change will allow women and men to go to vocational school or college and provide a real chance for families to become self-sufficient.”

Hayden also secured passage of the new Housing Opportunities Made Equitable (HOME) law, which aims to close the disparity in homeownership for people of color in Minnesota.

“Minnesota has the greatest gap between white and nonwhite homeownership in the county,” said Hayden. “The HOME law will provide education for potential

home buyers and target mortgage financing support in communities of color.

More than just addressing the racial disparity, by creating more opportunities for people of color to attain affordable homeownership, we are supporting our families and helping turn around neighborhoods struggling from the foreclosure crisis.”

For Hayden, the work to close racial disparities in Minnesota is ongoing. This session he and colleague Senator Bobby Champion launched the Senate Select Committee on Disparities and Opportunities, bringing together a bi-partisan group of legislators from across the state

to craft real legislative solutions to address Minnesota’s many racial disparities.

“Statistically, our state enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the nation, but there remains a disproportionate number of Minnesotans in minority communities who don’t share in this prosperity,” Hayden said.

“I think we’re past the point of studying the problem—it’s time to roll up our sleeves and figure out how the legislature can be a partner in solving the problem.”

With Hayden and Champion serving as co-chairs, the Select Committee on Disparities and Opportunities will meet throughout the summer and fall.

Interested persons can sign up

for email updates by choosing Select Committee on Disparities and Opportunities from the drop down menu at http://www. senate.mn/schedule/subscribe. php).

“I’m proud to represent a community that’s engaged in Minnesota politics, and I’m grateful to everyone who wrote, called or visited my office to make your voices heard. Our democracy works because of active, participating citizens, and I can never thank my constituents enough for entrusting me to advocate for our shared values at the Capitol,” Hayden said.

The 2015 Legislative Session will convene on January 6, 2015.

Classifieds Information Services Specialist The U.S. District Court, District of MN is accepting applications for a full-time Information Services Specialist. Starting salary range is $49,127 to $58,358.

For complete job description, visit the court’s website www.mnd.uscourts.gov, Employment.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Pro Se Law Clerk The U.S. District Court, District of MN is accepting applications for a full-time Pro Se Law Clerk. This position will be located in St. Paul.

Salary range is $61,436 - $134,511. For complete job description, visit the court’s website www.mnd.uscourts.gov, Employment.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

RENTALS Tapestry Management, LLC has various sized apartments/townhomes for rent in the following locations: St. Paul, Golden Valley, Mankato, Red Wing, N. St. Paul, Rochester, Plymouth, Jordan, Winona, Olivia, and Redwood Falls. Rental assistance is available to qualified applicants in all locations. Please contact the appropriate location for availability and additional information.

Birmingham Townhomes – St. Paul 952-854-8800 Calvary Center Apartments – Golden Valley 763-546-4988 Colonial Square Apartments – Mankato 507-345-1321 Cooperidge Apartments – Red Wing 651-388-1500 Franklyn Park Apartments – N. St. Paul 651-770-1504 Innsbruck Townhomes – Rochester 507-289-1319 Mission Oaks Townhomes – Plymouth 763-559-5770 Newbridge Apartments – Rochester 507-282-8284 Northgate Community Housing – Rochester 507-289-1319 Oakridge Apartments – Rochester 507-281-1031 Schule Haus – Jordan 952-492-2084 Wapasa Apartments – Winona 507-429-9261 Westcourt Apartments – Olivia 320-523-2101 Westfalls Townhomes – Redwood Falls 507-641-5933

Phone: 612.588.1313

Notice of U.S. Magistrate Judge Vacancies The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of one full-time and one part-time United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

The salary of the full-time position is $181,332 per year and the position will be located in Minneapolis or St. Paul. The term of office for a fulltime magistrate judge is eight years; incumbents may be reappointed to successive terms. The salary of the part-time position is $13,439 per year and the position will be located in Bemidji.

The term of office for a part-time magistrate judge is four years; incumbents may be reappointed to successive terms.

The full public notice, application instructions for each position, and application form is available on the Court’s website at www.mnd.uscourts.gov.

Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Time on Monday, June 16, 2014.

Fax: 612.588.2031

Email: info@insightnews.com

West Falls Estates

International Falls, MN. 56649

Section 8 Housing for Seniors 62 and older

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

Bergstad Properties is accepting application for Seniors 62 and older. Applicant must be income eligible and must qualify for Section 8 Housing. Please visit our web site at www.bergstad.com for a virtual tour and application.

The following sites are currently accepting application.

Park Street Apartments 321 West Park St. Cannon Falls, MN. 55009 507-263-4773 200 Levee Drive Apartments 200 Levee Drive Shakopee, MN. 55379 952-445-2001

Office Manager/Legal Assistant Central Minnesota Legal Services-St. Cloud Office Full-time position in our Saint Cloud office. Duties include: maintaining filing and storage sys.; compiling reports; client intake; drafting legal docs; referrals to com svcs; other duties as assigned.

Microsoft Word a plus. Salary: D.O.E. up to $32,816. Excellent benefits. Resume, references, and cover letter by 06/16/14 (late applications accepted until filled), Terri S. Thorson, Managing Attorney, CMLS, 110 6th Avenue South, Suite 205, 56301. No calls please. EOE.

Vacancies 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

Central Minnesota Housing Partnership

Is currently accepting applications for Residency or the waiting list at the following property locations Granite Ledge Townhomes Tower Terrace Townhomes Ridgeview Court Townhomes Timberland Townhomes Grand Oaks Townhomes Grand Oaks Court Townhomes Meadow View Townhomes Northcrest Townhomes Braham Heights Johnson Apartments Gilmanor Apartments Groundhouse Apartments Randall Apartments Waverly Community Homes Eden Place Apartments Highland Court Townhomes River View Townhomes West Birch Townhomes Sprucewood Townhomes Brickstone Apartments Shoreline Common’s Apartments

Cold Spring, MN Cambridge, MN Paynesville, MN Brainerd, MN Baxter, MN Baxter, MN Zimmerman, MN Mora, MN Braham, MN Pine City, MN Foley, MN Ogilvie, MN Randall, MN Waverly, MN Eden Valley, MN Little Falls, MN Sauk Centre, MN Princeton, MN Baxter, MN Avon, MN Howard Lake, MN

320-685-8650 763-691-1091 320-243-2010 218-822-3701 218-822-3661 218-822-3661 763-856-8048 320-679-4592 320-258-0682 320-258-0682 320-258-0682 320-258-0682 320-258-0682 320-258-0682 320-258-0675 320-616-7094 320-352-5101 763-389-2400 320-822-3661 320-258-0675 320-543-2663

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.

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.

Page 10 • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Insight News

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Insight News • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Page 11

Chaun Webster and Verna Wong

Couple opens the only Black/Brown-owned bookstore on the Northside

ANCESTRY

BOOKS

By Toki Wright @mrwrighttc There is much power in words.

They allow us to tell the story of our distant past, give us insight into the current day and let us step into an alternate reality looking into the future.

In today’s age of up-to-thesecond information, opening a bookstore is not only a bold move; it’s an extremely powerful one. I recently sat down with writer and Ancestry Books coowner Chaun Webster to learn more about the importance of opening an alternate space for building community.

“Ancestry Books is a space where we get to see our own power – the power of our imagination; the power of our ability to create space,” said Webster. “(It’s) not just the chitlins (chitterlings) of spaces – the leftovers, the afterthoughts, but spaces that are truly meaningful that give

Curio Dance

a us a chance to meet with one another to organize to laugh to and to find shared meaning.”

June 7 marked the grand opening of what he and teacher (and wife) Verna Wong consider a “third space.” This space exists between the home

BOOKS TURN TO 12

Friday, June 13 DROP THE MIC: Let The Sole Shine The Cowles Center for Dance & The Performing Arts 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis $25 advance 7:30 p.m.

Check out “Let the Sole Shine,” featuring top dance talent in hip-hop, house, B-boying, ballet, Latin, Native-American and Chinese Martial Arts. The show includes a live DJ.

Anthony David Maxwell

June 9 – 15

Saturday, June 14

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 at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com

Jamecia Bennett

Monday, June 9 Happiness: Imagining Childhood Free of Gun Violence Varsity Theater 1308 4th St. Southeast, Minneapolis General admission: $25 6 p.m.

Actress and award-winning singer Jamecia Bennett joins Joetta Wright and youth performers in “Happiness,” a sequel to last year’s “To Life!”

The show is directed by Josh Campbell.

Tuesday, June 10

Voice of Culture

Kevin Washington The Poet’s Groove – Open Mic Blue Nile Restaurant 2027 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis (612) 338-3000 Free admission 10 p.m.

Billed as the longest running weekly Open Mic in the state of Minnesota, the Poet’s Groove features a full live band including renowned drummer Kevin Washington. Performers sign up at 10 p.m. Show starts at 11 p.m. For more information visit www.bluenilempls.com.

Wednesday, June 11 Anthony David The Pourhouse 205 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis $20 8 p.m.

Following up in his sold out January Minneapolis show, Anthony David is back for an intimate acoustic performance.

David burst on the scene with his co-written duet with India.

Arie, “Words,” which garnered

a Grammy nomination. David also wrote Arie’s “There’s Hope” and “Part of My Life.” David hit No. 1 on the urban adult contemporary charts with “4Evermore,” a song featuring Algebra Blessett and Phonte of Foreign Exchange.

Thursday, June 12 ROOTED: Hip Hop Choreographers’ Evening Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave South,

Minneapolis, Minnesota $12 advance/$15 door 7 – 10 p.m.

(Runs through June 14) Curated by Maia Maiden, “ROOTED” is the first and only choreographers’ evening focused on hip-hop dance and its roots – African, Latin, tap, step, breaking, popping, locking, toprock, waacking, house, old school and new school.

Illuminating and celebrating the skill of the finest choreographers in the Twin Cities, according to thw show’s producers, “ROOTED” has sold out every show since 2009.

Twin Cities Juneteenth North Mississippi Regional Park, Minneapolis Near I-94 and 49th Ave. N. Juneteenth celebrates the ending of slavery in the U.S. Though slavery was abolished in 1863 many Black people did not get word of the end until 1865. Join the celebration with food, music, arts and more. For more information, visit www. juneteenthminnesota.org.

Sunday, June 15 Maxwell State Theatre 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis $35 – $125 7 p.m.

Award-winning singer Maxwell is back in the Twin Cities to play some of his hits for the Summer Soulstice Tour. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster. com/Maxwell.

Page 12 • June 9 - June 15, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

“SODERVILLE”

Metropolitan State theater group reprises transgender performance for Pride Week Metropolitan State University student Julie Dafydd and the university’s theater group, Theater Underground, reprise her original one-woman play “Soderville: Excavation of a Life” June 19–21 at the Stagedoor Theater.

The theater is located on the Metropolitan State Minneapolis campus in the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Whitney Fine Arts Center at 1424 Yale Place.

“Soderville” is the personal journey of a transgender Metropolitan State student. Set in her kitchen and as she makes a “feel good” soup, Dafydd recounts stories of her past – mother, father, grandmother, twin male brother and the friends she grew up with in Soderville, Minn. in the 1950s and 1960s.

She speaks of the good times, the

Books From 11 and the workplace allowing for an opportunity to connect with others through a base of knowledge and understanding.

Ancestry Books is not only a bookstore but also exists as a meeting space and a new venue for special events.

Located at 2205 Lowry Ave. N. (near the intersections of Penn and Lowry), according to Webster, Ancestry Books is now the only Black or Brown owned bookstore in the state of Minnesota with a physical space. The last physical space was Uhuru Books that was formerly housed in Java Noire coffee shop in the early 2000s. Needless to say

Matthew Benyo

Julie Dafydd

bad times and the indescribable horror and sometimes-fear of

being born in the “wrong” body.

Sexual reassignment surgery

ultimately brings happiness, contentment and a new life

to a proud survivor. This very personal journey and authentic

there has been a vacuum of public venues available that are created by and for communities of color to express themselves through literature and conversation.

When asked the importance of literature, Webster said with intent, “It has a vast importance.

For me literature had a number of functions. It was as a way for me to travel without leaving. It was a way for me to see myself and I didn’t have that opportunity for a long time. I was a latecomer to that. I remember the first book that was representative for me in my mom’s house was Virginia Hamilton’s ‘Her Stories’ and it had all of these folk and trickster tales that were coming out of the African and African-American experience. I remember that had such a visual captivation and

power for me.”

Webster, an avid reader said growing up he would have to search hard to find books that represented the experiences of people of color.

“Most of the literature that was given to us was written by a white male and it was a very narrow perspective about the world,” said Webster.

As people, early in our development we pick up a lot of our self-definition through the written word. Webster said opening his mind to Black literature in high school had an enormous effect on his life.

“We start to get a sense of our ideas about masculinity and femininity from a very young age, so when books are coming into our kids schools and they

say boys play with cars and sports, and girls do this thing over here, they are starting to get an idea about how they form ideas around gender, importance, race and beauty. These things are very formative and very subtle in books … and also explicit,” said Webster. “Our kids pick that up – not always directly but they certainly are eating those messages. That’s why we need spaces that will promote a nutritious form of media.”

Ancestry Books provides many opportunities for growth, development and entertainment.

Stepping into this space one will find that typically marginalized communities are at the forefront.

Conversation is welcome and encouraged. Special ordered materials will also be available.

The space will also occasionally host spoken word poets and special guest lecturers.

For-profit cultural institutions are rare in the state of Minnesota.

Webster’s insight on this is key.

“We need cultural institutions in North Minneapolis with a physical space,” said Webster.

“We have a lot of incredible artists. We have a lot of cultural workers doing great work, but in terms of physical spaces there are not many of us who have that. That sort of development is very import here. I live here.

I live down the street from the bookstore. I can see the bookstore from where I live. Very few business owners who own their buildings live in the community in which they are doing that work. That can be, not always, problematic. What does that mean in terms of the possibilities of gentrification? We need folks that are thinking about really supporting spaces like Ancestry Books not just in a self-serving way but understanding that these are dollars that are coming back into the community where they live.”

Ancestry Books’ hours are Mondays 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.,

Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. –7 p.m. and Sunday noon – 5 p.m.

Upcoming events at Ancestry Books include June 14, High Society; June 21, Sarah Warren and June 28, Dr. Joyce Bell book release, “Black Power in the American Social Work Movement.”

Walker Art Center

Artist-Designed Mini Golf

testimony are woven together as we witness hard choices and a life lived well.

“Soderville” was co-written for the stage and adapted by director, Scott M. Rubsam.

Rubsam spent hours with Dafydd, taping her recollections and memories before shaping these remembrances into a fulllength drama.

The June 19 and 20 performances begin at 7 p.m.

The June 21 matinee begins at 2 p.m. Students are free with ID. A $10 donation is requested.

Reservations can be made by calling (612) 659-7222.

“Soderville” is produced

by Theater Underground and Metropolitan State University’s Theater Program with support from Student Activities Funding.

Ancestry Books is located on the Internet at www. ancestrybooksmn.com. Inquires on may be made by calling the bookstore at (612) 521-4090.

NOW ON VIEW No one documented the Twin Cities black community in the ’70s and ’80s like photographer Charles “The Pictureman” Chamblis. This exhibit celebrates the streets, the songs and the soul of a vibrant community.

Through September 1 Walker on the Green: Artist-Designed Mini Golf sponsor

For more information, visit minnesotahistorycenter.org 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul • 651-259-3000 The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a project of the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board.