Insight News ::: 06.16.14

DJ Snuggles National Beatbox Champion Presents “That Beat” Music Series TURN TO PAGE 11

Insight News June 16 - June 22, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 25 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

PART 1 OF A SERIES

Fires of the 60s vs the deity of daddy

By Azaniah Little

Courtesy of the family

Matthew Little

The

State

B Black America Ame of

The idea of “father” can elicit as many interpretations as the world is filled with “Dads.”

Biologically, the father stands as caretaker of human life as millions of sperm contend microscopically for the cherished prize –the egg of the woman.

Only one of the millions of contesting sperm will win after the frantic swimming contest where an explosion occurs and a human being is born. Thus the sperm possesses the crown or “mantle” of priest of human existence.

This is a mystery, and just as there are millions of sperm

New York – The National Urban League released its 38th edition of “State of Black America – One Nation Underemployed: Jobs Rebuild America,” which explores how un- and under-employment have widened the divide between the nation’s richest and poorest and transformed the dream of upward mobility into a reality of diminishing prospects.

From President Barack Obama to Pope Francis to the World Economic Forum, income inequality has been identified as one of the most critical issues threatening the future of many on a global and domestic scale. Amid the discussions and debates about the wealth and income gaps facing

– but only one “wins,” there is an entire range of patriarchal prototypes of “father” –but only one is accurate, and all the rhetoric and human legislation in all of the world can ever change this reality.

Theoretically, there are tribal or “community” fathers – spiritual fathers, ancestral fathers – all existing to support the purpose and destiny of the life of the child, and to be sustained uniquely upon the shoulders of the “First Father – the Heavenly One.” Before I believed in God, my father, William Matthew Little, was my god, and at the advent of his death I was forced

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Americans, for many, simply having a job remains the biggest impediment to equity and empowerment in America.

This year’s “State of Black America” presents the 2014 Equality Index, now in its 10th edition for the Black-White Index and its fifth year for the Hispanic-White Index.

“The 2014 ‘State of Black America’ and corresponding Equality Index indicate that while 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

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Reatha Clark King to receive MUL Trailblazer Award The Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) will award retired corporate executive Dr. Reatha Clark King with the 2014 Trailblazer award at its annual Gateway to Opportunity Gala. The MUL Gala will be held Thursday, June 19th at the Hilton, located in downtown Minneapolis. King is well known for pioneering services in education, business and community outreach.

Her career activities include philanthropy, chemical research, teaching and academic administration.

“It is an honor to present this award to Dr. Reatha Clark King,” said Scott Gray, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Urban League.

“She embodies what it means to be a trailblazer because of all she has done in her life and the impact and path she leaves for so many of us to follow.”

King learned the value of education early in life and excelled in all of her academic pursuits. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics, and earned a master’s and doctorate degree, as well as a MBA. King began her career at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), becoming the agency’s first African American female chemist. King left NBS to serve in professorship and leadership positions at York College in New York.

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MUL commemorates Civil Rights Act of 1964

By Scott Gray, President and CEO Minneapolis Urban League This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the landmark legislation that set the stage for the Voting Rights Act of

President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964

1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

The Civil Rights Act has significance for economic justice because the act bans discrimination on the basis of sex, as well as race in hiring, promoting, and firing of workers, making it unlawful for an employer to “fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against

Ray Boone

Business

Lifestyle

Crusading editor, champion journalist, dead at 76

How to sabotage your fundraising: Potholes to look out for

4 pillars of fatherhood

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any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” Title VII of the Civil Rights Act created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to implement the law.

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Moments in Sports Flip Saunders returns as Wolves “executive head coach”

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Page 2 • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Insight News

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Ray Boone, crusading editor, champion journalist, dead at 76

By Jeremy M. Lazarus (Richmond Free Press) Raymond Harold “Ray” Boone had a snappy response when the infuriated commander at an Army outpost in South Carolina threatened to lock him in the stockade for staying seated when the band played the Southern anthem “Dixie.”

“Let’s go,” Boone, then a corporal, told the furious officer who backed down and let him off with a warning.

With his dander up, Boone sent a letter detailing the situation to then powerhouse New York Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., whom he knew.

That resulted in a call from the White House to the commander questioning his actions toward Boone and his order that soldiers stand at attention for the song. Boone had no further problems.

That story from Boone’s

Little From 1 to painfully re-examine notions of fatherhood which shaped not only the radical love I had for him, but also to consider the very idea of father in my life, as well as in the community and the world.

Unbeknownst to me the process began autonomously –but decisively only weeks prior to my father’s passing as I wept with South Africans as they buried their own “father,” Madiba – Nelson Mandela.

The entire world joined in mourning him, for he was the epitome of fatherhood.

As the nations mourned, memories of Mandela standing ominously in the gap between trigger happy ANC guerillas’ trudging wearily through the bush to surrender their guns, and petrified murderous white South Africans all with moist gun powder still wedged deeply beneath their fingernails filtered freely to mind.

experience in the military speaks volumes about his fearless approach to dealing with wrongs - as a journalist for more than 60 years and as a person. The dapper founding editor/publisher of the Richmond Free Press refused to be intimidated during his 22 years at the helm - seeing himself as continuing the legacy of his journalism hero, John Mitchell Jr., the “fighting editor” of the Richmond Planet who carried pistols and dared White supremacists to lynch him for writing about the injustices of his day.

A true believer in the First Amendment and the U.S. Constitution, Boone vigorously championed democratic values, with an emphasis on justice and equality for all, never forgetting the harsh segregation conditions he dealt with growing up in his native Suffolk.

As one of his admirers put it, “he was the undisputed,

I re-examined Mandela’s release from Robins Island in1990, and his decision to employ invisible weapons in addressing the years of murder and pillage from the ferocious Apartheid regime. Prior to his release, Umkhonto We Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the underground armed wing of the ANC had made their political position distinctly clear, vowing that, “The white South Africans will either leave South Africa on their own, or swim out in their own blood.”

The world watched in amazement as “Madiba” marched, not limped, away from Robins Island wearing an iridescent smile not a angry grimace.

However what perplexed the multitudes most was when the word “reconciliation” dripped from Mandela’s lips amidst a nation and world that had somehow never been able to understand forgiveness, let alone embrace it.

As I watched the intensity of their grief on the evening news, it took me back to my trip to South Africa

Ray Boone

immediately upon his release with a group of international observers invited to view what reconciliation would look like for South Africa. Instead of retaliation, I saw massive building initiatives being launched, community tribunals being conducted, women’s cooperatives being formed, youth organizations sprouting up. During an interview with him in Johannesburg, Emmanuel Nkuna, former chief protocol officer of the ANC and former ANC guerilla described the historical day when the ANC soldiers returned from “the bush” – Angola-Namibia, Tanzania, and before the international media wearily laid down their arms.

“Madiba was able to impart the importance of us forgiving.

We had spent, many of us, most of our adult lives in exile; even I was not able to attend the funeral of my own mother because I was exiled in Angola.

I did not understand Madiba at first, and neither did most of my comrades. We remembered the Sharpsville massacre and Soweto, but Madiba was our

father – the father of our struggle for liberation, and thinking of his sacrificing his own life for his people propelled us forward to complete trust in his decision, so we surrendered and laid down our arms,” said Nkuna.

I had wept with the South Africans, and rejoiced with them, and I began wrestling with the provocation of him being gone.

I went toe-to-toe with the anxiety of losing two fathers in the same breath, as I knew that Daddy would soon join Madiba in taking that last step in the struggle for freedom to receive the eternal crown-not of national liberation…but eternal liberation.

With the rest of the world, I struggled with the hidden meaning of what the world would look like without Mandela, along with the daunting reality that soon, I would no longer be able to call my own father to tell him about projects I was working on, opportunities I was blessed with, all just to hear words I heard him speak faithfully with precision all of my life –

undefeated heavyweight champion of journalistic pugilism.”

Boone’s role as an influential community leader ended Tuesday, June 3, 2014, when he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. He died “peacefully in his sleep with a smile on his face,” said Jean Patterson Boone, his wife of 47 years and Free Press president of advertising. He was 76.

She vowed to continue “to operate the newspaper and maintain its mission to promote equality and fairness. That is the best way to honor my husband.”

Boone was active in the newspaper almost until the end, said his daughter Regina H. Boone, a photographer with the Detroit Free Press.

“He knew what was going on.

He was talking about what the headlines should be” for the May 29 edition, she said.

Boone built the newspaper into one of the largest weekly

newspapers in the state in striving for lively reporting and strong opinions. He was involved in a variety of crusades. He named his longest running campaign “Vote with your dollars” to encourage readers to use their spending power to reward companies that catered to them and to punish those that didn’t.

He also sought to brighten the city during the winter with his “Love Lights” campaign.

Boone also pushed, poked and prodded governors, legislators, mayors and council members to do more business with Blackowned and minority firms. That pushing led former Gov. Mark Warner to investigate how well the state was doing and to overhaul Virginia’s program after a study shockingly found that less than one-half of one percent of state spending for goods and services went to Black and minority businesses.

“Honey, you can do anything that you apply yourself to. The sky is the limit.”

Mandela and my father were nearly the same age, both suffered from pneumonia, and both had been repeatedly hospitalized. Amazingly, it seemed at the same time for three consecutive years, and for each of the three years the surety of both of their absence suggested a forthcoming personal revolution of a dimension I had not yet witnessed.

Nelson Mandela and my father had sacrificed their lives while engaging in a constant head on collision with political forces that oppressed and suffocated the alienable rights of their people, and whose tentacles were so diverse they prevented entrance to even the most basic arenas of human rights and dignity.

My father, like Mandela successfully and skillfully shed light upon intricate and venomous affects of institutionalized racism – my father being a part of landmark civil rights legislation in this country and Mandela

instrumental in toppling the regime of Apartheid in South Africa.

With the 27 years that Nelson Mandela spent incarcerated, it was easy for an observer to see the personal price that he paid to wear the mantel inherent of “the office of Father.”

However, in my father’s case, his personal sacrifice was not so apparent, especially in light of the fact that my father, William Matthew Little, was very discreet in his personal affairs. As his daughter, I had a bird’s eye view of his own exile of sorts, or Robins Island experience that all came to a head when the 1960s rolled around.

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Azaniah Little lives in Seattle.

She works as a freelance writer, minister and consultant, and is currently seeking publication for her first book, “Purpose for Your Pain...”

She is the proud mother of Namibia Little who lives in Minneapolis.

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Insight News • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Page 3

BUSINESS How to sabotage your fundraising: Potholes to look out for

Assistant to the Publisher Shumira Cunningham

submissions, 5K runs, and galas are methods and tactics. Behind these are the fundamentals of your nonprofit’s business. These fundamentals often influence giving and the amount of a gift.

Here are a few examples of business decisions, missteps and indecisions that can contribute to a lack of investment in nonprofits.

1. Fail to articulate and diligently pursue your niche 2. Operate without a multiyear strategic plan 3. Seek capital investments without a strategy for growing revenue for operations 4. Accept a gift for a specific purpose and use it for another purpose.

5. Be slow in sending out thank you letters. Create a form letter and send it out with a computer generated signature at the end of the month.

6. Allocate funds in ways that are not in line with your core priorities 7.

Offer executive compensation that is out of line with salaries of other employees and the community 8. Isolate your organization from community stakeholders, the business community and those you serve Many of above are things we have heard from major donors.

One thing we know about major donors is that not all of them start out as major donors. And many do not announce themselves as such. This is true of individual donors as well as foundations and corporations. Treat everyone well. Demonstrate that you are serious about your business and communicate that consistently in words and in actions.

Here’s a recent quote from a major donor, “You have to

Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford

Clark

FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Fundraising is about asking for money. That’s the common perception. But is it the truth?

Here’s what we have learned from our extensive work with nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, individual donors, program officers and foundation executives: fundraising is about much more than asking for money.

Individual solicitations, proposal

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

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.

From 1 In 1977, King left York College to become the second president of Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota. After eleven years at Metropolitan State University, King became the executive director of the

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Value your relationships. And don’t be deceived by people who downplay a desire for recognition. Very few people will tell you directly, “I want to be recognized.” It is your job to recognize donors in a first class way. Don’t be afraid to consider naming opportunities as appropriate.

In regards to gifts from

foundations and corporations: remember that people work in these institutions. They remember whether you submit your report on time, if you invite them to events, update them on your progress, and – most importantly – whether or not you achieve the goals outlined in your proposal.

Take care of the business of running a nonprofit: it will

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

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

General Mills Foundation and vice president of the General Mills Corporation.

King is a former member of five public company boards, including Exxon Mobil Corporation, Wells Fargo & Company, Minnesota Mutual Companies, H. B. Fuller Company, and Lenox Group Inc. Boards of Directors. Currently, King is chairwoman of the board of directors of the National

Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).

In addition to her chemical research and various community service activities, King is also very active in the community and has lectured extensively on the subjects of volunteer and community service, organizational governance, education and social issues all over the world. King has received numerous civic and business

awards, including NACD’s 2004 Director of the Year Award and 14 honorary doctorate degrees.

King said receiving the MUL Trailblazer award is special in many ways. “The word trailblazer itself is awesome. People say that I am a leader. Trailblazer implies it is the little things that I have done and how I’ve led that matters,” said King. “The thought that all the single things I’ve done

in my life have been helpful to people and that I have inspired others is special to me.”

King was married to the late N. Judge King for 52 years and they have two children, N. Judge King, III and Scott King.

King will be presented the 2014 MUL Trailblazer Award

by MUL President Scott Gray and Kenneth Charles, Vice President of Global Inclusion and staffing at General Mills.

in the country. Many were moved by the courage of civil rights activists throughout the South. At the same time, many were horrified by the beatings, bombings, water cannons, and lynchings. Freedom Riders and college students staged lunch counter sit-ins and peaceful demonstrations to make a point that it was time for Congress to act.

The Minneapolis Urban League will be commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act on June 19th during its annual Gateway to Opportunity Gala, being held at the Hilton Minneapolis.

Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, will be the keynote speaker.

“The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is paramount in the history of the United States. The 50th Anniversary is significant because it reminds us that this legislation changed the course of this country,” said Scott Gray, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Urban League.

“We are commemorating this important legislation because it was won through a collective effort of civil rights leaders, legislators, activists, and regular folks. Many people endured a lot for us to get to where we are today and although there has been great progress, our challenge is how we continue to press forward so that all can enjoy economic freedom.”

1964 From 1 Passage of the Act placed the United States in a new era of progress. The Act ended “Jim Crow” laws, which had been upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson. Plessy v. Ferguson held that racial segregation and “separate but equal” was constitutional. The Civil Rights Act provided for fundamental civil rights for all.

Until the passage of the Civil Rights Act, employers could run ads for jobs that would say “no Negroes” or “no women” need apply. Regardless of their formal education, many people of color were not able to obtain high-paying jobs in law, business or education.

There were entire categories of employment inaccessible to blacks, Latinos, or women.

America From 1 majority who are still reeling from aftershocks of the Great Recession,” said Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “While ‘too big to fail’ corporations went into the bailout emergency room and recovered to break earnings and stock market records, most Americans have been left in ICU (intensive care unit) 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 living wages for the work they do.”

According to Morial, the “State of Black America – One

support your fundraising.

recognize my giving. Not just for me, but to inspire others.

People don’t understand that in recognizing me you are inspiring others to give.” Don’t make the blunder of minimizing the contributions of major donors. If you don’t have a donor recognition program, put one in place. Be consistent in how you recognize donors.

Passage of the Act placed the United States in a new era of progress.

In the months following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson committed to bringing Kennedy’s vision of a civil rights law to fruition.

Johnson enlisted civil rights leaders, including Whitney M. Young, president of the National Urban League; Roy Wilkins, president of the NAACP; Martin Luther King,

SCLC president; and James Farmer, CORE founder and president as allies to assist with pushing the legislation through Congress. There were other supporters including journalists, business men, faith leaders that supported the legislation.

The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing and shifted the perception of inequality

Nation Underemployed: Jobs Rebuild America” issues a clarion call for a keen focus on job growth, access and training, as well as education, voting rights, criminal justice reform and health care to drive opportunity, equality and prosperity for communities in every corner of the nation.

Key findings of this year’s report show Black median household income is about 60 percent of that of whites ($33,764 vs. $56,565, respectively), down from 62 percent before the recession and Black/white unemployment equality index is 50 percent, or a two to one ratio.

The report also showed that at 63.9 percent, the smallest Black-to-white unemployment gap was in the Augusta, Ga. metro area. Three metropolitan areas are within the top ten of the lowest Black and white unemployment rates – Oklahoma City, Washington, D.C. and Harrisburg, Penn. – but Oklahoma City, is the only one with a smaller unemployment gap than the nation.

For Latinos, 33 (out of 83) ranked metro areas have smaller unemployment gaps than the nation, and in four of those areas

– Memphis, Madison, Wisc., Indianapolis and Nashville – Latinos actually have lower unemployment rates than whites.

There was one city, Madison, among the top 10 metro areas for all three Hispanic-white unemployment measures.

Madison also ranked last in Black-to-white unemployment rate equality.

“Half a century after President Johnson declared the War on Poverty, the state of underemployment has become a legacy that gets passed down from generation to generation for far too many people,” said Morial. “What we have before us is a fierce urgency to take steps to address the income and wealth divides that threaten our nation’s economic recovery, our ability to successfully compete in a global marketplace and as importantly, our belief in our country as the land of opportunity – for all.”

For more information about the “State of Black America – One Nation Underemployed: Jobs Rebuild America” or to access the full publication, visit www.nul.org.

Page 4 • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE

4 pillars of fatherhood The second pillar of fatherhood is quality time. This is the fun part of fatherhood. Be creative.

With the average father spending about 20 minutes a day with their children, there is lots of room for improvement.

Use the internet, kitchen table, playground, game table, and any other resource or avenue available to spend time with your children. The quality time spend with fathers make emotionally healthy children.

This second pillar adds stability to fatherhood.

The third pillar of fatherhood is spiritual development.

Spiritual development provides a solid platform for morals and values.

The child must learn to place mission before money, and precepts before biceps. They must honor the creator more than the created, and give respect before they demand it.

When children see their father reverencing God, they learn firsthand how to develop a spiritual relationship with the creator.

The fourth and final pillar of fatherhood is positive affirmation. The words of the father shape the heart of children. Positive affirmation builds esteem and provides a safe haven for self discovery.

Without the father’s words, the child will seek approval in all the wrong places. But

Man Talk

By Timothy Houston Another Father’s Day has passed, and families all over the country honored and celebrated their father and father figures. Whether small or grand, dads on that day were the center of attention. I want to thank my children Anetra, Tinesha, Nicole, and Tim Jr. for continued reverence of me as father and mentor. The special day was just what I needed. In light of that grand day, I would like to share from my 34 years of fatherhood, my 4 pillars of fatherhood. I hope these pillars will create healthy dialogue within the family setting.

The first pillar of fatherhood is financial support.

Financial support is required for all children regardless of the living conditions. The bible says that if a man does not provided for his family, he is worse than in an unbeliever.

What this means that if a man is not taking care of his children, his faith is worthless. Financial support must be paramount.

This is non-optional and every father must have the pillar of financial support.

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True strength comes from within: Follow your passion Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson Last week I read about a woman who finally decided to follow her passion and become a doctor.

This woman was in her fifties

and always wanted to go back to school. She had a great career in which she was very successful, but there was always this burning desire inside of her to follow her dreams that never seemed to dissipate. She was told that she was too old and many people asked her why would she even bother going back to school when she had already had a great job and was close to retirement? She simply said her passion wouldn’t allow her to sleep at night. This goal of becoming a doctor would

be on her mind throughout the day and even while she worked.

When there is something that you always wanted to do and for whatever reason you haven’t been able to complete it, it will always be on your mind.

This can happen when we set goals that others believe are out of our reach. I remember when I started writing my first book and I told everyone that I was a writer before the book was even complete. I heard people say that it is going to be very hard to get

it published. Someone even said that writing a book would take years and dedication and that I didn’t have what it took to do such a thing. Where would I be today if I had listened to those naysayers? I not only dedicated my time to finishing that book, but I also wrote another one after that. (I am currently working on my third book!)

The bottom line is this, if we listen to people tell us what we can’t do, we will never know where our real strength lies. True

strength comes from within and it shows itself when we are pushed to the edge, when we are all out of options, and when we are told that this is the end and there is nothing else that can be done.

When you set out to achieve a goal that you have always wanted to accomplish, let nothing stand in your way. If you can dream it, then you can still do it! Some goals are meant to be accomplished when we are mature and when we have learned to deal with let downs

and setbacks. So I say, have fun reaching for the top and never let anyone tell you what you can’t do! It’s your life and your journey!

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.

Celebrating Black fathers As we celebrated Fathers’ Day across the United States and in some other nations throughout the world, it is important to lift up those Black American fathers who are doing what is right and good for their children, families and communities. Too often when the issue of Black men is raised, it is done from a negative or pathological perspective.

The truth is that today there

are millions of Black American fathers who are strong providers, nurturers, and loving fathers who are working diligently to contribute to improving the quality of life of their families.

It is unfortunate that most of the media attention in America appears to be predisposed only to focus on reporting the tragic dysfunctions of Black men and fathers.

Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) offers more than just a counterbalance to the distorted and negative coverage by the so-called mainstream media in America. The NNPA’s member papers and Black Press USA is the consistent and balanced voice of Black America for news and analysis.

One of the fundamental human rights for all people is the right to self-determination.

Black American-owned newspapers and other media companies are dedicated to give voice and visibility to support and encourage the overall progress our communities across the nation and throughout the African diaspora.

Thank you President Barack Obama for being both an effective president of the United States and a very good father to your children and extended family.

President Obama’s example as a strong father is another significant antidote to the overplayed stereotype concerning the “absent” father figure in Black American family life.

It is important to remember that earlier this year the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics issued a new national

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research study on the vital role that fathers play in the parenting of their children. This study rebuked the misguided notion that Black American fathers were more delinquent than other fathers in the U.S. In fact, the CDC and the National Center for Health Statistics have now reported that Black American fathers were in many instances “more involved with their kids on a daily basis than fathers from other racial groups.”

Yes, there are serious internal and external challenges to our families and communities. The point here is that in order to solve our problems we have to have more accurate analysis and less finger pointing at one another.

We all have to be responsible, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters.

We also support President Obama’s new national initiative “My Bother’s Keeper” for young Black males and the call by others to correspondingly include an initiative “My Sister’s Keeper” for young Black females. In each of these initiatives, the roles of fathers and mothers will be key to success.

I highly recommend that we all read essential books by

a leading scholar on the subject of Black American fathers.

Roberta L. Coles is a professor of sociology at Marquette University and has published the following recommended books: The Best Kept Secret: Single Black Fathers and The Myth of the Missing Black Father: The Persistence of Black Fatherhood in America.

Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. For the last two decades, the trend of more responsible and accountable Black American fathers has been steadily growing. We should, therefore, salute and celebrate all fathers, but in particular, let’s stand to say “Thank you” to all our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers who have given so much toward the advancement and empowerment of Black America.

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is president of Education Online Services Corporation and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and can be reached at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix. com/drbfc

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Insight News • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Page 5

Voting Rights Act: Act to remember, act to restore Interfaith groups will host “Voting Rights Act: Act to Remember – Act to Restore” to commemorate civil rights deaths and kick-off a campaign for renewing the Voting Rights Act. The event will be held 2 p.m. on June 22 at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1201 West Broadway, Minneapolis. This communitywide commemoration will commemorate the Freedom

Summer anniversary of the deaths of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Mickey Schwerner. A call to action is in support of Congressional action to reinstate the key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. This event is part of the City of Minneapolis’ celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Many feel the Voting Rights Act was undermined by the 2013 Supreme Court ruling

of Shelby County v. Holder.

One of the organizers of the event, Vic Rosenthal, executive director of Jewish Community Action said, “Just as people from diverse communities, lived and died alongside our African-American colleagues during the summer of 1964, so too now we bring our shared values to our work in support of ensuring equal voting rights today by making sure the Voting Rights Act is renewed

by Congress before 2015.”

Dr. Josie Johnson, civil rights leader and a participant in the Freedom Summer of 1964 will be the keynote speaker and will be joined by several other Minnesotans who were involved in civil and voting rights 50 years ago. Rep. Keith Ellison will also be speaking at the event to discuss what Congress must do in the coming year. The event will also feature spoken word artists, songs and

other elected officials. Bishop Richard Howell of Shiloh Temple International Ministries, Rabbi David Wirtschafter from the Jay Phillips Center and Imam Abdisalam Adam from Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque will also speak at the event.

Organizers of the event believe it links the Civil Rights Act with the Voting Rights Act, two very important milestones in the history and highlights the need for action to make sure the

Voting Rights Act is renewed.

The event is sponsored by the Jewish Community Action, National Council of Jewish Women – Greater Minneapolis, Minnesota Council of Churches, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Shiloh Temple International Ministries, Wellspring Second Chance, Minnesota Rabbinic Association and the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition.

Boone

whom he repeatedly bashed for failing to diversify the school’s leadership.

Boone always credited the education he received in the segregated schools in Suffolk. “It was preached that you could be segregated physically, but you could not be segregated mentally,” he told an interviewer in 2003, “and if you did well in education and you were disciplined, you could overcome the tremendous barriers you faced.”

He followed that mantra, absorbing books and becoming a walking encyclopedia of Black history. Boone said his interest in journalism developed after one of his teachers “told me I could write.”

At East Suffolk High School, his direction was set when he found there was no newspaper and yearbook and started both. He saw this as an opportunity, he once said, “to put our school on the map.”

He took his biggest step into a newspaper career when he approached the local newspaper, the daily Suffolk News-Herald, about writing stories about sports at the Black high schools. The newspaper had never covered those stories and allowed him to be their correspondent. His stories began appearing on the sports pages, a first for news about the Black community, all of which had previously been relegated to the “colored” pages.

Boone continued to write for the daily while studying at Norfolk State University.

He later transferred to Boston University, where he earned his degree while also working as city editor for the Boston Chronicle and as a reporter for the Quincy Patriot-Ledger to pay his way.

He often would tell stories of being short of money and of mixing packets of ketchup into a cup of hot water to create soup. Following his graduation, he went to Tuskegee, Ala., to work as director of public information. Called into service, he joined the Baltimore Afro-American after he was honorably discharged and became the White House reporter for then one of the

largest Black-owned papers in the country.

In 1965, he was sent to Richmond to become the editor of the paper’s Richmond edition and began his rise to prominence. He quickly became a partner with the founders and leaders of the Richmond Crusade for Voters, Dr. William S. Thornton, John Brooks, Dr. William Ferguson Reid, in seeking to boost the power and influence of the black community on the political stage.

He was instrumental in enabling Dr. Reid in 1967 to become the first Black person elected to the General Assembly in the 20th century.

From future Gov. L. Douglas Wilder to future Richmond Mayor and state Sen. Henry L. Marsh III, Boone used the newspaper to open doors for a new generation of politicians and to promote jobs and education.

He also was involved in creating the Frederick Douglass Program in 1969 to help train young Black men and women for careers in journalism.

Boone would go on to become vice president of the Afro-American chain where he was responsible for multiple editions.

Time magazine credited him with bringing “sophistication and verve” to the Black press.

He was proud of sending Afro-American reporter William Worthy to Iran after the overthrow of the shah to provide reports on the revolution. By 1981, Boone moved on to teach journalism at Howard University in Washington before returning to Richmond in 1992 to begin his own newspaper.

While serving as a Pulitzer Prize juror on two separate occasions, he spearheaded a successful effort that resulted in the placement of AfricanAmericans and women on the Pulitzer board at Columbia University. He had contacts galore across the country as a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, the National Association of Guardsmen, the National Newspaper Publishers Association and many other

organizations.

Along with his wife and daughter, survivors include his son, Raymond H. Boone Jr., Free Press director of account resolution and new business development; his grandson,

Raymond H. Boone III; a sister-in-law, Phyllis Riley; seven aunts, one devoted, Dorothy Boone of Suffolk; two uncles; a half-brother, Thurman Boone of Suffolk; four halfsisters, Geneva B. Boone, of

Hopewell, Geraldine Boone Clark of Richmond, and Ira Boone and Lolethia Boone, both of Suffolk, and many other cousins, nieces and nephews.

From 2 As a result of the Free Press crusade, Mayor Dwight C. Jones set a 40 percent goal for minority business inclusion on major city projects, such as the construction of the new jail and four new schools.

Boone made up his own mind about issues and was ready to take his stand no matter what. Last year, for example, he announced the Free Press would no longer use the name of the highly popular Washington pro football team, calling it a racist insult to Native Americans.

And he called for the ouster of Roslyn M. Brock, the NAACP’s national chairwoman, accusing her of being tepid in her efforts to address the team’s nickname and for failing to address discriminatory practices of the team because her employer, the Bon Secours Health System, was financially involved in developing the team’s new Richmond training camp.

Three years ago, when protests over the country’s income disparities reached its peak, he opened the front lawn of his South Side home to members of the Occupy Richmond movement after Mayor Jones evicted occupiers from a Downtown park. The action was a poke at the mayor who lived next door. Boone and the occupiers ended the protest over corporate control before the city cited him for a zoning violation.

Boone used his editorial page to chastise now deceased Chief Court Justice Leroy R. Hassell Sr. over Black news media access to cover ceremonies and proudly declared victory when new Justice Cleo Powell allowed Free Press Photographer Sandra Sellars to cover her investiture, a first for a Black newspaper.

There were plenty of others he took to task, among them former Virginia Commonwealth University President Eugene P. Trani,

Page 6 • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Insight News

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EDUCATION

Michelle Frantzen

Back row(l-r): David Squier Jones, Gregory Gustafson, Alexander Weston, Kristan Hiltsley, Kathryn Herzog, and Provost Ginny Arthur. Front row (l-r): President Sue K. Hammersmith, Carol LaFleur, Emebet Fantahun, Janeil Popp, Shawna Faith Thompson, and Yasir Muhammad.

Metro State honors students Ten students were selected spring semester outstanding students at Metropolitan State and recognized during a special reception prior to the school’s commencement ceremony.

The honored students, were Emebet Fantahun, Greg Gustafson, Kathryn Herzog, Kristan Hiltsley, David Squier Jones, Carol LaFleur, Yasir Muhammad, Janeil Popp, Shawna Faith Thompson, and Alexander Weston.

Fantahun, of Eagan, is an Ethiopian native who is a part-time nursing assistant at The Commons on Marice, an Eagan assisted living center.

The Master of Science in nursing graduate participated in Metropolitan State’s Student Parent Center. Before arriving in the United States in 2008, she was an agricultural researcher in her native country. A graduate of Alamaya University in Harar, Ethiopia, with a degree in crop science, Fantahun attended Normandale Community College and earned academic honors there before enrolling at Metropolitan State. The married

mother of two eventually plans to return to Ethiopia and assist underserved women and children.

Gustafson, of Saint Paul, is a financial analyst with Minnetronix, a Saint Paul medical device firm. Before that, he was a shift manager at Seward Community Cooperative, Minneapolis, where he also served on the co-op’s board. The accounting major volunteered to complete tax returns for lowincome folks for the Volunteer In Tax Assistance program.

Gustafson graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2007 with an English degree.

Herzog, a resident of Woodbury, is one of Metropolitan State’s most active and accomplished psychology students. She cofounded a new university group called the Behavioral Science Student Association and is a member of the student Psychology Club, the American Psychology Association, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP),the International Society of Political

Psychology (ISPP) and Psi Chi, an international honor society for psychology students. Active in community service, she helped with two voter mobilization efforts and volunteered for Feed My Starving Children and the Ramsey County Public Library system. A 2012 graduate of Madison (Wisconsin) Area Technical College, Herzog plans to seek a master’s degree in Metropolitan State’s applied social psychology program.

Hiltsley, of Minnetonka, is an urban elementary education major. When she discovered that Saint Louis County homeless shelters were short of blankets, jackets and other winter clothing, she started a collection a drove to Duluth to deposit those items. The student teacher at Robbinsdale Public Schools has also been a children’s literacy volunteer and assisted with several charity fund-raisers.

Hiltsley earned an associate’s degree from Normandale Community College in 2012.

Jones, a Saint Paul resident, was a graduate assistant who helped faculty research violent

crimes against the homeless and the experiences of cities consolidating their police and fire services into one public safety department. He is a former police officer on Saint Paul’s East Side and he also previously served as a deputy sheriff and community service officer in California. Active in community service, Jones was a member of the West Side (Saint Paul) Safe Neighborhood Council and volunteered with the Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity. Jones graduated with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies in 2001 from California State University-Long Beach.

LaFleur, of Brooklyn Park, recently won her city’s Good Citizenship Award for her commitment to assisting at-risk youth and violence victims, promoting diversity, volunteering for the city’s police department and performing other community service.

Selected student commencement speaker, the criminal justice major was a member of a group that played a key role in the Brooklyn Park City Council approving a shelter for homeless and at-risk youth. LaFleur’s achievements are all the more inspiring because of challenges she has confronted, including struggling with drug/alcohol addiction, anorexia, bulimia and agoraphobia. Wheelchair-bound in her mid-30s, she did not leave her Brooklyn Park home for years. Enrolled at North Hennepin Community College, LaFleur became active in student organizations, including serving as Student Senate vice president and president of the Student Volunteer Club. She graduated Phi Theta Kappa in 2011 with an associate of arts in liberal arts and an associate of science in criminal justice. No longer in a wheelchair but still

struggling with lupus, LaFleur credits higher education for playing a transformative role in her recovery.

“I wanted to die but education gave me a place to live,” said LaFleur.

Muhammad, of Maple Grove, is a native of Pakistan who is a principal engineer at Saint Jude Medical. The MBA student was a member of Metropolitan State’s Student Parent Center and Walkabout group. Previously, Muhammad performed engineering, quality and other professional duties for Boston Scientific and Ford Motor Company. Muhammad, a board member of the North West Islamic Community Center, Plymouth and a volunteer for the Osseo-Maple Grove Hockey Association, earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Detroit Mercy and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan.

Popp, of Saint Paul, is a nurse case manager for Homeward Bound, a Plymouth nonprofit that provides housing and services for people with developmental and physical disabilities.

For helping people with severe disabilities paint, she won an Association of Residential Resources Minnesota Cares Award. Popp became the legal guardian of one woman with developmental disabilities, because she was isolated and her family appeared to have abandoned her. Persons with disabilities “absolutely influenced” her to become a better person, she said. She graduated from Normandale Community College in 2011 with an associate’s degree in nursing.

Thompson, a Minneapolis

resident, is a financial wellness manager at Emerge Community Development, a north Minneapolis nonprofit offering workforce, financial and housing programs.

She previously worked at WomenVenture, a northeast Minneapolis nonprofit supporting womenowned businesses, where she received the Greatest Client Impact Award. Thompson, who concentrated her studies on economic development, received a community impact award from Rich Chicks, a nonprofit that helps women plan and manage their finances. A member of several professional organizations, she is also active in community service.

Thompson served on the East Side Food Co-op board, helped raised funds for the Minnesota Humane Society and HIV/AIDS awareness and volunteered for the Twin Cities-to-Chicago bike ride now called Red Ribbon Ride. She graduated with honors from Minneapolis Community and Technical College in 2011 with an associate of arts degree in liberal arts.

Weston, of Saint Paul, a history major works part-time as a Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) interpreter at the Alexander Ramsey House in Saint Paul. He previously was an interpreter at Historic Fort Snelling and the Mill City Museum, Minneapolis, and a MNHS media producer.

Weston volunteered for Harmony Theater Company and School, Saint Louis Park, and he actively helps at Saint Paul Fellowship, a Saint Paul church. He graduated from Minneapolis Community and Technical College in 2007 with an associate degree in filmmaking.

Houston

community. I believe that financial support, quality time, spiritual development, and positive affirmations are the pillars to true fatherhood.

As more discussions are held around fatherhood, these four pillars must be included in the discussion. I honor every father that is as committed as I am to instilling in children a positive sense of self so powerful that generations will

feel its impact.

From 4 with the father’s blessing and approval, the child will go into adulthood with their spirit, soul, and body intact and in harmony. Positive affirmation is the life blood of fatherhood.

Fatherhood is a key institution in a healthy

Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities.

To get a copy of his books, or for questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.

insightnews.com

Insight News • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Page 7

A call to action: My brother’s keeper initiative

By Dr. Artika R. Tyner Am I my brother’s keeper?

The My Brother’s Keeper initiative was launched in late February by President Barack Obama to create equal access to opportunities by eliminating barriers to success faced by young men of color. It focuses on unveiling the full potential of young men of color through an assets-based approach.

The president shared his own personal experience of growing up without a father in the home and making some bad choices.

However, he also highlights what led to his success.

The network of support provided by his family and surrounding community provided him with second

chances and encouraged him to never give up. Yet, for far too many young men of color, second chances have not been made available and their hopes has been diminished.

Through the initiative, President Obama seeks to create meaningful change by ensuring the America’s promise of the “land of opportunity” is within the reach of our young men. He declared 2014 as a year of action to take strategic strides to open the window of opportunity for all. He declared we must take action in order to “give more Americans the support they need to make good choices, and to be resilient, and to overcome obstacles, and achieve their dreams.”

We must have a sense of urgency when we consider the severity of the barriers

Through the initiative, President Obama seeks to create meaningful change by ensuring the America’s promise of the “land of opportunity”

that young men of color face both nationally and locally.

In Minnesota, educational disparities are widespread, which is evidenced by 79 percent of African-American

boys and 77 percent of Hispanic and Native-American boys reading below proficiency level at 4th grade, while 53 percent of White 4th graders are reading below proficiency. There is

also a public health crisis when African-American youth ages 10 to 24 years have the highest homicide rates in Minnesota at 69 deaths per 100,000 compared to their White counterparts at 39 per 100,000 people.

These are the facts, but they need not be our reality.

It is easy to acquiesce and simply say this is the way things are, but this is not the way things should be. We have the power to create a vision of an America where young men of color thrive in every aspect of their lives.

This is within our reach if we have the courage to break down the barriers emerging at the intersections of race and poverty.

A coalition of My Brother’s Keeper supporters have pledged to invest $200 million dollars over the next five years for the implementation of evidence-

based interventions that focus on six key milestones – getting a healthy start in life and school (early childhood education), reading well by third grade, graduating from high school, completing post-secondary educational training, getting a job and staying on track and getting a second chance.

My Brother’s Keeper is a call to action for each of us since we must be proactive in what the president called “… broadening the horizons for our young men and giving them the tools they need to succeed will require a sustained effort from us all.”

Will you take the challenge today and commit to being your brother’s keeper?

For more information about My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, visit www.whitehouse.gov/mybrothers-keeper.

Voyageur Outward Bound School partners with Ujamaa Place to challenge young African-American men to turn their lives around Ujamaa Place is seeking to challenge young AfricanAmerican men (ages 18-28) to change their behavior and turn their lives around to become productive members of their families and communities.

Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) is working with Ujamaa (www.UjamaaPlace. org) to provide rigorous, environmentally focused experiential programs that test an individual’s own perception of what is possible through long- and short-term outdoor expeditions.

The ultimate goal is to help the participants develop confidence so they can contribute positively to their families and their community.

“There is a lost generation of young men in our community. They’ve grown up impoverished and without fathers, they’ve dropped out of school, they’ve never held a decent job, they’ve become involved in drugs and violence, and they’ve already been to jail more than once,” said Otis Zanders, president and CEO of St. Paul-based Ujamaa Place.

“Without effective intervention, their prospects are dim, but we know that change is possible.”

Beginning this spring, the new program physically and mentally challenges young men

to redefine their concepts of themselves, manhood, success and positive community values. Zanders said by facing new challenges, young men are able to transfer their skills and knowledge to their own lives. Those in the initiative participate in numerous types of experiential leadership, teamand confidencebuilding programs, including backpacking and hiking, rock climbing and canoeing and skiing and snowshoeing.

Some of the area locations where the program will take place include Camp Saint Croix, Taylor’s Falls, the Mississippi River, Blue Mound State Park and Superior Hiking Trail.

VOBS’s program with Ujamaa aims to help the participants discover the strength of their character, their ability to lead and their determination to succeed.

Zanders said through expeditions, participants gain self-reliance, trust and support, while learning from each other.

“The outdoor experiences can be transformational because the programs can help young adults – particularly those at risk – change their lives through challenge and discovery,” said Zanders.

David Price

Lunds: Speaking customers’ languages

By Ahmed Tharwat More than 30 years ago, I was a young immigrant who made his long journey from Egypt – a very old country, but to America, a very new country.

It was a trip to the unknown, a trip to a place that I only could imagine from images reflected in American movies.

The trepidation, the excitement, the anticipation of the nuances in America, where everything is big and everyone is busy, intrigued me. I found myself looking around every time someone said, “Have a nice day” or looking up every time someone said, “What’s up.”

But nothing was so intriguing and culturally transforming as when I stopped at the Lunds supermarket at Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street in Uptown Minneapolis, across from my first apartment by Lake Calhoun, where I finally learned what it means to have a “room of your own.”

At Lunds, entering the store is like entering heaven as described to Muslims – fruits and vegetables, milk and honey – but with the only virgin to be found in the olive oil. I was overwhelmed not just by the amount and the variety of foods available before my eyes, but also that it was all within my reach, unlike the stores back home in Egypt I used to go to. No one was standing between my favorite food and me so I could just have as much ice cream and candy as I wanted. Nobody would hand me my item along with questioning my judgment or taste. I may not be totally free but I’m a free shopper, and you can do anything and express your individuality through shopping. Along with the allure, Lund’s supermarket was a very welcoming place and you do not need to speak too much English to get what you wanted.

Ahmed Tharwat I especially admired the produce section, which speaks a universal language of its own with aisles of colorful rows of beautiful fruits and vegetables – oranges, grapes, peaches, pomegranates and strawberries – all looking welcoming. I spent lots of time looking at the colorful American cheese wrapped in its glossy plastic, flirting with you but keeping its distance as I passed by. Walking through the soft drink aisle, wrapped in the red and white cans and looking like an American flag was Coke.

I filled my shopping cart with all my favorite foods.

People may not be conversing with you, but brands are smiling and talking to you. I even picked up a bunch of flowers to give them to the beautiful young clerk at the checkout counter, and as she tried to put them in my bag, I told her that they were for her. She was confused but managed to say thank you.

I took my filled shopping bags and went home, wanting to be alone with all this wonderful food. I unpacked the bag, picking out my food one by one and carefully putting them away.

Then my first disappointment in America, my first cultural wake-up call. I looked at the empty shopping bags, and I was so pleased to find “thank you” written in many languages on

them, but much to my surprise, I noticed that there wasn’t a thank you in Arabic, which made me wonder why.

This was more than 20 years before 9/11. I took my bags back to the store, which was their headquarters at the time.

“Why don’t you want to thank me in my own language,” I asked the general manger there.

“We just don’t know how to write in Arabic,” said the GM. That was before Google Translator. So, I took a piece of paper, and wrote “‫ﺍﺭﻙﺵ‬,” which is thank you in Arabic, and left it there, and told him “Shokran.”

Now you don’t just see it, but you hear it. I forgot about this for a long time but a few years late, to my surprise, I found the word thank you in Arabic written on all their shopping bags. Recently, I found the same “Shokran” not on a bag, but on the wall of the newest deli store of the Lunds line … and it is the only hand written

thank you. Thank you Lunds.

Now you speak my language.

Ahmed Tharwat is a host of the Arab American TV show

“BelAhdan” on TPT MN.

onvenient primary re right in your eighborhood.

To find the clinic nearest you, or to schedule an ap ppointment, call 612-873-6963.

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hcmc.org/clinics Ericka Stone, MD E Gynecology (ObGyn) • Brooklyn Park r Clinic • Parkside OB/GYN Clinic

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Page 8 • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Insight News

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Insight News • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Page 9

Flip Saunders returns as Wolves “executive head coach” Moments in Sports

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Flip Saunders is now the most powerful team executive in the NBA. While that’s a strong statement, Saunders is now the head coach, as of June 6, team president and part owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He was hired as president and received an ownership stake in May 2013. Considering the developing mess with the teams’ playing roster, Saunders also may have the leagues’ most difficult proposition to create a playoff winning NBA product.

Saunders continues a unique, and successful, basketball career that has smartly taken advantage of great relationships. As a steady contributor to a mid-70s golden era for the University of Minnesota men’s basketball team, Saunders fortuned upon a powerful set of relationships through his coaches and teammates. The most well known and accomplished of those peers was current Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale.

McHale’s stellar NBA playing career (Boston Celtics 19801993), coupled with the longtenured and powerful basketball institution that is the Boston Celtics, laid an exceptional pathway of relationships and clout for himself, and friend Saunders.

Yet it was an opportunity provided through Saunders’ initial coach at the University of Minnesota, Bill Musselman, that paved Saunders’ initial pathway

Wikimedia Commons

Flip Saunders into professional level coaching in the CBA (kids note, the moral of the story is relationships, relationships, relationships. i.e. nurture your valuable relationships).

Saunders led a relatively thrilling stretch as Timberwolves head coach from 1995-2005.

Between Saunders’ first season in which he coached only 62 of 82 games, and his final season (20042005), the Timberwolves made the playoffs for 8 consecutive seasons. Of course, it’s important to note the franchise angst from immediate first round playoff exits during the first seven years of that

Classifieds

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Mortenson Construction (the Construction Manager at Risk) is soliciting proposals for Procurement Package #9 on the Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium Project. Notice is hereby given that responses to this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be received by Mortenson for the provision of Construction Services on the Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium project for the following subcontract categories: SC #9.1 - Partitions and Accessories SC #9.2 - Overhead Doors SC #9.3 - Loading Dock Equipment SC #9.4 - Carpeting, Resilient, Wood Sports Floor, Access Floor SC #9.5 - Concrete Floor Sealer, Polished Concrete SC #9.6 - Floor/Wall Tile SC #9.7 - Resinous Flooring SC #9.8 - ACT Ceilings/Wall Panels The current projected process and schedule for selecting the subcontractors is as follows: RFP Proposal Manual Issued Pre-Proposal Meeting and MWBE Meet and Greet for Procurement Package #9 Proposers RFP Submission Proposer Interviews Selection

run. Certainly looking back on those good old days, most would suggest removing Saunders after his first true losing season was not the most patient decision.

After a strong, but challenging run with the Detroit Pistons (2005-2008) – those challenges came in the form of Eastern

Week of June 9, 2014 June 26, 2014 July 10, 2014 July 14 - 18, 2014 July 21 - August 1, 2014

All dates are approximate and are provided as a courtesy to Proposers. Mortenson reserves the right, acting in its sole judgment, to modify this process or schedule.

Plans and specifications are available via www.isqft.com. For access to the plans and specifications on isqft.com, contact My Nhia Vang at mynhia.vang@mortenson.com (Phone: 763287-5639). Copies of the plans and specifications will also be provided to the following plan rooms for viewing:

Conference Finals losses to Shaquille O’Neal’s 2006 Miami Heat, Lebron James’ 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers and Kevin Garnett’s 2008 Boston Celtics – Saunders’ coaching career fizzled with the Washington Wizards (2009-2012), where he achieved no winning or playoff seasons.

Fax: 612.588.2031

While Saunders’ initial NBA coaching career showed success, but not championship success, his earlier CBA career was quite different. Two CBA Championships (1990, 1992 Lacrosse Catbirds) and two CBA Coach of the Year awards (1989, 1992) highlighted a career which also saw Saunders serve in general manager and team president roles.

And so again Saunders assumes an “executive coach” situation, with a unique position as partial team owner, as the cherry on top of his career cake. Not bad and good luck.

The current necessity for Saunders’ coaching service comes due to the overall uncertainty of the future player roster. The uncertainty, comes from the virtual certainty that All-Star forward Kevin Love will go the way of many recent-age Minnesota professional sports’ icons and leave for a more competitive and championship-contending franchise situation.

The slow development of projected star point guard, Ricky Rubio, as well as general uninspiring play from recent rookie draft picks – notably Saunders’ led choices from the 2013 draft – makes the overall roster situation feel extremely hollow, and thus no desirable coaches showed interest in the vacant head coaching position.

Certainly Saunders’ former Timberwolves coaching shadow loomed large in the coaching prospects’ minds.

The five Timberwolves seasons before Saunders initially took over as head coach were as hollow as a fresh bag of potato chips (as it generally is for rookie franchises). Saunders should feel right at home, and Timberwolves fans should soothe their souls by cheering on the defending WNBA Champion Minnesota Lynx. Indeed.

Email: info@insightnews.com

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.

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Central Minnesota Housing Partnership

Is currently accepting applications for Residency or the waiting list at the following property locations

One (1) electronic copy and eight (8) bound copies of Sealed Proposals shall be submitted to Mortenson at the address provided below no later than 2:00 pm on July 10, 2014 which is the deadline for submittal of Proposals.

M. A. Mortenson Company 1010 South 7th Street, Suite 100 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Attention: Eric Grenz, Construction Executive Phone: 763-287-7838 Proposals shall be valid for 120 days. Proposals will be opened privately by Mortenson in the presence of the representatives of the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority, if requested by the Authority.

The subcontract will be held by M. A. Mortenson Company. The form of Subcontract Agreement, together with the Construction Services Agreement between the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority and Mortenson, are available within the RFP. The Owner has adopted a comprehensive Equity Plan for the construction phase of the Project. The Targeted Business Program sets an 11% and 9% goal for construction contracts for the Project to be awarded to women- and minority-owned Minnesota-based business enterprises (MWBE), respectively. The Targeted Business Program also establishes a Veterans Inclusion Program to ensure that our veterans have every opportunity to participate in the Project. The Veterans Inclusion Program will include efforts to include small veteran-owned businesses. See the RFP Proposal Manual for Subcontract Category specific MWBE goals.

The Work Force Program sets a 32% and 6% goal for workforce utilization for the Project of minorities and women, respectively. The Equity Plan applies to all subcontractors and suppliers of all tier levels. The Veterans Inclusion Program will also include efforts to utilize veteran in the construction workforce. Proposers are expected to use all necessary and reasonable means to comply with the Equity Plan, including without limitation soliciting work from a broad number of Targeted Businesses and for work scopes suitable for their participation.

The project is subject to an Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP), specific to General Liability Insurance only. Furthermore, all Subcontractors, regardless of tier, that have been awarded contracts for work on the Project shall accept and be bound by the terms and conditions of the Owner Controlled Insurance Program.

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

West Falls Estates

International Falls, MN. 56649 Rent based on 30% Of adjusted income Call Patricia Brown At 218-283-4967 TDD 800-627-3529

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

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.

Pre-Proposal Meetings and MWBE Meet and Greets have been scheduled as follows:

APARTMENT OPENINGS All questions regarding this RFP shall be directed in writing to Carolyn Wolf, Mortenson Project Manager, at the address above or via e-mail at carolyn.wolf@mortenson.com. Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary by Mortenson in response to such questions will be issued

by Addenda to all parties recorded as having received the RFP documents. Questions received less than fourteen (14) days prior to the date for openings of the Proposals may not be answered. Only responses issued by formal written Addenda will be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect. Addenda may be issued to modify the Proposal Documents as deemed advisable by Mortenson.

Mortenson is an “EOE/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled Employer” END OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS

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 16 - June 22, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Shaina Brassard

West Broadway Farmers Market

West Broadway Farmers Market ready for 4 season th

Shaina Brassard, West Broadway Business & Area Coalition In only a matter of days the parking lot at the corner of West Broadway and Emerson Avenue in north Minneapolis will be transformed.

Starting June 20 until Oct. 17, each Friday from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. the West Broadway Farmers Market will raise its tents and fill the space with locally-produced foods, live music, arts, crafts, games and neighbors celebrating community.

Now in its 4th season, the West Broadway Farmers Market (WBFM) is a program of the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition. Visitors to the WBFM can expect a variety of vendors selling local fruits and veggies, non-local produce, crafts, honey, food trucks, ready to eat food and more. Over half of all vendors selling at the market are Northside residents.

This year, DeVon Nolen joins the WBFM as the new market manager, but she is far from new to the market community.

North Minneapolis native, food justice activist and former cocoordinator for the Northside Fresh Coalition, Nolen sees the market as a space to promote health promotion and wealth creation.

“We are promoting not just increased consumption of fruits and veggies but also physical activity. It is important to set a tone for healthy community and demonstrate that,” said Nolen.

To that end, Nolen works with groups like the Major Taylor Bicycling Club of Minnesota, which will lead three group bike rides from the market this year.

The rides are geared toward riders of all ages and abilities, and those without their own bikes can use Nice Ride bikes for free.

The market hosts a rotating list of community tables that provide an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to share their resources through the market.

Community members can also get involved by volunteering or becoming a sponsor.

Nolen says the WBFM plans to, “use culture as a resource” by incorporating traditions such as opening each market day with a drum call. She is programming performances from members of the Northside’s various cultures in order to create cross-cultural exchange that builds healthy community.

A marketing campaign centered on the phrase, “meet me at the market” is meant to, “encourage people to see the market as their Friday afternoon gathering place, promoting a space of interconnectedness,” explained Nolen.

Rekoe A. Howard, a market vendor with Project S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N., is excited for the market to reopen. “(It) gives urban gardeners a chance to showcase our goods, and share them with the community,” said Howard.

“We’re famous for our chocolate cherry tomatoes but we grow everything from okra to herbs and spices.”

Project S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N.

James Arnold (L) and Rekoe A. Howard (R) from organic produce vendor Project S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N. with Market Manager DeVon Nolen (middle).

Veggies

GATEWAY TO OPPORTUNITY

MINNEAPOLIS URBAN LEAGUE

8 8 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y

A NEW ERA OF

TRANSFORMATION

SAVE THE DATE June 19, 2014 Keynote Speaker

Marc H. Morial National Urban League President & CEO

Hilton Minneapolis Hotel

emphasizes and educates its customers about organic and non-GMO vegetables.

The WBFM will again accept SNAP/EBT and give SNAP customers up to $5 worth of Market Bucks each day to use at the market, thanks to an initiative funded by the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

The market also accepts Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) WIC coupons and vouchers from food shelf partners River of Life Church, Church of Christ the King and Church of the Ascension.

New this season, the WBFM is piloting the first farmers market-based Fruit and Vegetable Prescription program (FVrx) in the state, in partnership with NorthPoint Health and Wellness, Blue Cross and the Wholesome Wave Foundation. All season, doctors at NorthPoint will write 50 families a prescription that also functions as a voucher for fresh produce, which the families can only redeem at the WBFM. People are encouraged to connect with the West Broadway Farmers Market and spread the word via social media, including Instagram (@wbfm), Foursquare and Facebook and www.westbroadwaymarket.org.

West Broadway Farmers Market 900 West Broadway, Minneapolis Fridays, June 20 – Oct. 17 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. www.westbroadwaymarket.org (612) 353-5178

insightnews.com

Insight News • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Page 11

DJ Snuggles

By Toki Wright @mrwrighttc Ask any fan of Hip-Hop culture what the “basic elements” are and most will tell you MCing (rapping), DJing, Graffiti, and Breakdancing (B-Boying/BGirling).

It’s rare that you will find someone mention the art of Beatboxing as one of the core elements though it has been present since the beginning of the culture. Few popular entertainers such as Doug E. Fresh, Bobby McFerrin, Rahzel, Biz Markie, and Michael Winslow of the Police Academy movies have been able to popularize vocal percussion.

South Minneapolis’ DJ Snuggles aims to bring attention to the art with his new EP series and noteworthy appearances at home, lunches with Chuck D, and global performances.

With championships under his belt such as Cincinnati’s Scribble Jam Beatbox Championship, and the only vocal percussionist to ever win the Minnesota State Fair Talent Show, James “DJ Snuggles” Logan, has racked up a lot of miles for a former Edison High School student. As tour DJ for Brother Ali, he’s performed across the United States, Canada, Sweden and Germany. He’s opened up for acts such as Rakim, Kid Capri, MC Lyte and more.

Still in his early twenties, Snuggles has been making serious moves for most of his life.

“I’ve been Southside

Minneapolis all of my life.

Since I was a young, young, younging. I started doing talent shows that lead up to winning the Yo the Movement City Wide Talent Show,” remembered Snuggles. “The prize was performing at First Ave. and even touching the stage where Prince had been was major. Word got out.”

On June 27th at Triple Rock Social Club in S. Minneapolis Snuggles along with MC Sean Anonymous will release a music video for their collaborate cut called “Weight” from for volume one of That Tape. That Tape is an EP mixtape series that combines beatboxing with music production. The 4-part series will be released for free digitally at the beginning of each quarter leading up to a physical CD purchase. The first of the series was released in February.

DJ Snuggles takes a music production approach that pays tribute to Timbaland, known for building drum patterns for songs by first beatboxing. Some songs are just the core vocal percussion while others have very elaborate production.

Volume One also features rhymes from Mally, Rapper Hooks and 1990 alongside production from LT and Big Cats. For “Weight” he collaborated with producer Big Cats for an unexpected smooth cut.

“I met up with Cats last year, early fall, he had these open style beats. I like a producer that understands the ambiance around the beat rather than the actual beat. Cats textures are crazy.”

I met with him, went to the studios and it took me a month and a half to find out who to feature. Sean Anon he merked it,” says Snuggles describing how the how well the MC performed on the song.. “I needed certain tones and that sound quality to be right.” Snuggles also says, “Beatboxing is more intricate when coming up with new material. You don’t want everything to sound the same. You have to come from the spirit, to the brain, to the mouth.”

With lots of opportunity on his plate, DJ Snuggles is at a good looking spot in his young career. While opening up for legendary rapper/ activist Chuck D of Public Enemy while DJ for Brother Ali, Snuggles was invited to lunch with Chuck’s family.

“I’ve had some stones thrown my way but you have to build to keep going,” said Snuggles.

DJ Snuggles & Sean Anon’s “Weight” music video release party takes place Friday, June 27 at Triple Rock Social Club, 629 Cedar Ave. S. The doors open at 9 p.m. The event is 18-plus and cost $5 in advance and $10 at the door. The party features performances from K. Raydio, Illuminous 3, Manchita and DJ Willie Shu. Fans can connect with Snuggles online and listen to music at www.twitter.com/ itsdjsnuggles , www.facebook. com/itsdjsnuggles , www. instagram.com/itsdjsnuggles and www.soundcloud.com/ itsdjsnuggles .

Julian Murray Beatboxer Julian Murray

National Beatbox Champion Presents “That Beat” Music Series

Page 12 • June 16 - June 22, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Monday, June 16

Mint Condition

Community Gathering/ Tribute for the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou Cafe SouthSide 3405 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis In celebration of the life of activist and poet, Dr. Maya Angelou, several community members are gathering this Monday, featuring Lisa Brimmer, Truth Maze, and more.

June 16 – 22

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

Maya Angelou

Manny Phesto

Tuesday, June 17 Guys Read Kids Book Club Augsburg Park Library 7100 Nicollet Ave., Richfield 5 – 6 p.m.

Free Young men entering grades 4 – 6, join other guys to talk about a great book. Lending copies may be picked up at the information desk prior to meeting. Author Will Alexander will attend the June 17 meeting to discuss his book, “Goblin Secrets.”

KL

Psalm One

Aaron Neville

Wednesday, June 18 RAW Natural Born Artist Showcase The Pourhouse 10 S. 5th St., Minneapolis 8 p.m.

RAW: Natural Born Artists is an independent arts organization, for artists, by artists. Check out their Minneapolis showcase with MycDazzle.

Thursday, June 19 Manny Phesto: Southside Looking In Release Party Honey 205 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis 10 p.m.

No Cover Celebrate the release of breakout hip-hop star Manny Phesto’s conscious street album produced by Mike The Martyr. The show also features performances from Tall Paul, Devon Reason, Joseph Collymore and DJ Frank Castle.

Aaron Neville with Cory Chisel’s Soul Obscura Minnesota Zoo – Weesner

Family Amphitheater, Apple Valley Doors 7 p.m. | Music 7:30 p.m. | All Ages $45.00 (Reserved), $57.50 VIP

Friday, June 20 DopeImageClothing Release Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis 7 p.m.

To celebrate the opening the second AfricanAmerican owned shop in the Midtown Global Market, DopeImageClothing brings an event at Intermedia.

Founded by Keno Evol, poets, emcees and dancers will be on hand.

Saturday, June 21 Psalm One and Louis Logic “Hologram Logic Tour” Cause Spirits and Soundbar

3001 Lyndale Ave S., Minneapolis W/ Moonlight (Grammar), Cherry Sky Studio and selector Mamadu 9 p.m.

21 plus $8 Fresh back from creating music projects with musicians in Haiti, Chicago’s Psalm One returns to Minneapolis with Louis Logic.

Sunday, June 22 Funkytown Family Reunion w/ Mint Condition, LoKey?, Sounds of Blackness, RL, Jellybean Johnson and #MPLS Cabooze 917 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis 7 p.m. $25 – $30 A Benefit for the Lance “LA” Alexander Trust

Beer Mugged.

Extra DWI patrols this weekend.