Insight ::: 07.17.2023

CARIFES T CARIFEST CELEBRATES 30 YEARS YEARS

SATURDAY, JULY 22 · 10AM JULY 22 · 10AM

WES T RIVER ROAD NORTH & WEST

PLYMOUTH AVENUE NORTH, PLYMOUTH AVENUE MINNEAPOLIS

Carifest is a multicultural festival centered on all the cultures of the a on Caribbean Islands The festival takes place along the banks of the Caribbean Islands. The festival takes the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis Organizers describe it as the one River in Minneapolis. describe it as the one opportunity to visit the Caribbean without leaving Minnesota Many to visit the Caribbean without Minnesota. Caribbean families gather annually for this one-of-a-kind Twin Cities Caribbean families annually for this one-of-a-kind Twin Cities event event.

Twin Cities Carifest began as a grass-roots celebration of the Twin Cities Carifest as a grass-roots celebration of the Caribbean cultural heritage in the late ’90s Now approaching its30th Caribbean cultural in the late ’90s. Now its30th anniversary Carifest has grown to provide festival-goers of all ages anniversary, Carifest has grown to of all ages and backgrounds the ultimate arts fusion experience featuring: colorful and the ultimate arts fusion featuring: colorful Caribbean flair, danceable live calypso and reggae beats, vibrant danceable live and reggae beats, vibrant parade costumes, and more Each element is as diverse as the islands and more. Each element is as diverse as the islands themselves themselves.

The mission of Carifest is to strengthen and educate the

The mission of Carifest is to and educate the community at large about Caribbean culture and current issues at about Caribbean culture and current issues impacting countries in the Caribbean through the organization of countries in the Caribbean the of cultural events events.

“Our vision is to bring to light the heritage of our

“Our vision is to to the of our underrepresented community while creating a platform for members while a for members to engage and share their culture with other communities We see to engage and share their culture with other communities. We see ourselves as one of the top leaders in the U S for Caribbean Carnival ourselves as one of the top leaders in the U.S. for Caribbean Carnival celebrations, Carifest organizers say celebrations,” Carifest say.

The festival kicks off with a Friday concert party that o with a concert party that highlights performances that keep the crowds moving into the night that the crowds into the and the culinary delights of the islands Fantastic Friday - Carifest and the of the islands. Fantastic - Carifest

Weekend 2023 features Minnesota DJs vs New York DJs Including Weekend 2023 features Minnesota DJs vs New York DJs.

a Meet & Greet with DJ Raymond Ramnarine at Bloomington Event a Meet & Greet with DJ Ramnarine at Event Center 1114 American Boulevard West Bloomington MN 55420 Center 1114 American Boulevard West Bloomington, MN 55420.

To purchase tickets: https://www eventbrite com/e/fantastic-friday-

To tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fantastic-fridaycarifest-weekend-2023-tickets-674355384107?aff ebdsoporgprofile =ebdsoporgpro

Saturday presents the full taste of Caribbean culture at a the full taste of Caribbean culture at a family-friendly style elevated by the beauty of outdoor Minnesota The elevated the of outdoor Minnesota. The festivities reflect the diversity found among Caribbean folks Vendors re ect the found among Caribbean folks. Vendors’ booths provide opportunities to indulge in the Caribbean cuisine as booths to in the Caribbean cuisine as well as purchase unique merchandise Dancers singers and musician well as merchandise. Dancers, and musician grace the stage for all-ages entertainment grace the for entertainment.

Own land; own community

By Al McFarlane

Excerpts from Conversations with Al McFarlane interview with Jeffery Robinson, Senior Program Director, Build Wealth MN

My generation is the first generation off the cotton plantation for my family. My mother and my father were sharecroppers.

My grandparents were sharecroppers.

We got off the plantation because one day my mother and her siblings were on their way to school. In Mississippi, this was a rare occasion for them because they could only go to school during cotton picking season if the weather was bad. So at this time, it was raining and my mother and her siblings, her 11 brothers

and sisters… five sisters and six brothers to be exact…got on the bus to go to school. Just as the bus was pulling off, it stopped raining. The owner of the plantation raced across the field to stop that bus at the edge of the plantation before it got off the property. He pulled my mom and her siblings off the bus and told them to go back out into the field to pick cotton because it had just stopped raining.

So, they’re picking cotton in the mud, picking wet cotton.

When she got home, my grandmother, asked, “How was school today?” “We didn’t go to school,” they said, “What you mean?” The plantation owner “took us off the bus and sent us back to the field.”

That very day she took us to Shelby, Mississippi, in Bolivar County, told the people there “I need a place

for my family and I need it right now. Right now.” We eventually moved to Chicago in 1974, a part of the Great Migration,

never making a profit. You and your whole family out there picking cotton, picking cotton, picking cotton and at the end of the year, you still owe them.

$7 million in workforce development grants provide training for young people

Governor Tim Walz and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) last week announced more than $7 million in grants have been awarded to 47 organizations to provide young people workforce development and training opportunities.

“The job training we provide for our young people today will pay off for our entire state tomorrow,” said Governor Walz. “This training will grow our workforce and help thousands of kids fill the goodpaying jobs we have available and need to fill right now. With these grants, 47 organizations will be able to provide that leg up, helping us reach our goal of allowing every child, in every neighborhood and community across our state, to thrive.”

“By investing in workforce development and training opportunities across the state, we’re sending the message to young people: we believe in you and we want you to succeed,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “When we remove barriers to employment and provide training opportunities for disadvantaged youth, we invest in the future of our state and set our young people on a path to success.

I’m grateful for the work of

these organizations and proud to be supporting this important work.”

DEED’s Office of Youth Development awarded the Youth at Work grants to organizations providing services to economically disadvantaged or at-risk youth ages 14 to 24. These programs will support youth of color, youth with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged youth by connecting them with good-paying jobs in highgrowth industries.

“The Youth at Work program services young people of Minnesota who face barriers to employment and educational success,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “One of our goals at DEED is

from the South to the North. It’s surreal. We are one generation from the plantation, sharecropping and never getting ahead. At the end of the year,

So our work today at Build Wealth MN isn’t really work for us. This is ministry. Ownership of land

Ellison, Biden address Black Press of America

Excerpts from news feature by Forward Times, Houston

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and President Joe Biden addressed the Black Press of America at the annual convention of National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) in Memphis recently. Ellison, who successfully prosecuted the policed officers who murdered George Floyd, delivered a riveting message on “The Death of George Floyd and Breaking the Cycle of Inaction” which is the title of his new book.

He said in the wake of the George Floyd murder, cost of civil unrest was $500+ million in damages in Twin Cities. Across 20 states, the unrest could cost insurance companies $1 billion to $2 billion —possibly making them the most expensive in US history.

Ellison said one-third of wrongful convictions involve police manipulation of evidence:

The National Registry of Exonerations has catalogued every exoneration in the United

States since 1989. Recently the NRE published a report on the long-standing problem of police misconduct. Titled, “Government Misconduct and Convicting theInnocent,” based on the review of 2,400 exonerations, Ellison said. The manipulation of evidence by police officers falls into five categories (some cases fell into more than one category):

 Witness Tampering — 13% of wrongful convictions

 Perjury at Trial – 13% of wrongful convictions

 Fabricating Evidence

– 10% of wrongful convictions

 Misconduct in Interrogations – 7% of wrongful convictions

 Concealing Exculpatory

Evidence – 7% of wrongful Ellison highlighted what he called the cycle of inaction described by social scientist Kenneth Clark. He presented Clark’s findings which stated:

“I read that report … of the 1919 riot in Chicago, and it is as if I were reading the report of the investigating committee on theHarlem riot of ’35, the report of the investigating committee on the

Harlem riot of ’43, the report of the McCone Commission on the Watts riot….I must again in candor say to you members of this Commission — it is a kind of Alice in Wonderland — with the same moving picture re-shown over and over again, the same analysis, the same recommendations, and the same inaction.”

- Dr. Kenneth Clark, testifying to the Kerner Commission, 1967 During NNPA’s

Carlos Watson, tech founder of Ozy, says prosecution is racially biased

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributo

Carlos Watson, the co-founder of Ozy Media, is loudly claiming on social media and in a wellproduced video that he has been targeted as a Black entrepreneur in the mostly white tech world.

Legacy Awards and Gala Dinner, the organization honored Attorney General Keith Ellison along with Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. President Joe Biden’s remarks in saluting the Black Press of America made it clear how important African American-owned newspapers remain and underscored the gathering’s theme: The Black

Ozy collapsed after Watson was indicted for fraud in February 2023. Federal prosecutors alleged that Watson and his company defrauded investors out of “tens of millions.” Prosecutors claim that Watson ran a company that was a fraudulent scheme to fool financial supporters based on false information about Ozy.

But in the tech world, over-inflating user data and success is generally standard practice. Watson is arguing that his prosecution is racially biassed and that he was using often used tactics by tech entrepreneurs.

“The U.S. legal system criminalizes the actions of black #entrepreneurs such as OZY Media Founder Carlos

Watson while giving their white counterparts a pass. Black entrepreneurs receive 1% of venture funding and 51% of the prosecution,” wrote Watson on social media on June 21. Watson’s legal defense team is asking the Department of Justice to conduct a racial bias investigation on the Brooklyn prosecutors who are working on his case. Watson claims that the three white prosecutors focused on him have overwhelmingly prosecuted Black people and other people of color while only ten percent of their prosecutions are Black. In February, federal prosecutors accused Watson of running Ozy “like a criminal organization.” “There’s a not-sosecret track record of double standards in prosecution of Black people for identical allegations as our counterparts. Acknowledging this does not suggest indifference, but of the reality we face,” wrote Dr. Nehemiah Mabry

Photo: Ozy Media / Wikimedia Commons

OZY Co-Founder Carlos Watson sat down with President Clinton on Nov. 9th 2013 to get his opinion on a number of topics.

Jeffery Robinson Senior Program Director, Build Wealth MN

Scott Olson Getty Images Gov. Tim Walz

spokesman-recorder

AG Keith Ellison speaking at the NNPA convention.

”One Door to Home Ownership, it’s about creating, giving people a platform to understand the fundamental elements of each piece of the puzzle so that you can connect the pieces yourself.”

Editor

has always been the number one platform for building wealth.

What we are trying to do is help families get into owning the land and the clearest path to that is home ownership. It’s the clearest path to actually building wealth.

I was able to help two of my brothers purchase a home because we are in a position to do so.. As a homeowner, we own the land that we live in.

Getting to home ownership, is easy once you learn the process, but it can be complicated. There’s a lot of doors that you must walk through. You must walk through a door to get to talk to the lender. There’s another door to talk to the realtor. There’s another door to get into the houses that you visit to find and eventually purchase one. There’s another door you have to walk through to meet with the

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to create opportunities for our most vulnerable populations where obstacles might exist, and these youth development and job training programs are crucial to the well-being of our communities and our state’s economy.”

The Youth at Work program has statewide impact: metro-focused organizations received 59% of available funds while Greater Minnesota received 39% of available funds. The remaining 2% of available funds went to organizations serving both Metro and Greater Minnesota.

As the state continues to make investments to get young Minnesotans into training and development programs, DEED’s Youth at Work program partners across the state are helping support the workforce of today and tomorrow in finding economic stability and developing new skills. The program is in high demand:

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Press of America: Amplifying Progress, Excellence, & Voices of Black America

The conference celebrated 196th anniversary of the Black Press.

“Congratulations to the Black Press of America for celebrating 196 years of serving communities across our nation,” Biden stated in the address which aired on July 1.

“Ida B. Wells once said, the way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon the wrong. That’s the sacred charge of a free press. That’s the charge African American publishers have pursued for nearly two centuries,” Biden continued.

“With every story you publish, you make our democracy stronger. Thank you for what you do to turn the light of truth wherever your work leads you. Thank you.”

Dr. Chavis and outgoing NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards praised the President for recognizing the importance of the Black Press of America.

“The NNPA is especially honored to hear directly from President Joe Biden for his continued support and advocacy of the importance of the Black Press of America,” Chavis stated.

“As we celebrate 196 years of the Black Press, it’s always gratifying and encouraging to have the support of the President of the United States. In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on civil rights, the Black Press rededicates our journalism to be a clarion voice for freedom, justice, equality, and equity.”

Richards, who completed four years as NNPA Chair, also thanked the President.

“To have the President of the United States take the time out to be a part of our

title company, the closer who’s going to close it. So, there’s a lot of doors that you have to walk through in order for you to get into home ownership.

What we do is to take away all the doors and just have one door for a family to walk through to learn and to connect with every single part of that transaction so that you’re not going into it blind.

Seeing a child walk inside of a house and say “Mama, this is our house.

Daddy, this is our house.” There is no greater feeling.

It’s about changing the direction of your family and a child, the smallest child. You don’t even have to tell them. They instantaneously know the difference.

When you own the land, you own your community. We don’t rent our community. We want to own our community. Because as owner, if something happens on my block, I got to fix it, and if I got to fix, that means we got to fix it.

And if we got to fix it, that means that we have to

last fiscal year, DEED received over $17.7 million in funding requests from 60 organizations for the Youth at Work program.

Lawmakers recently doubled funding for the program in order to provide the necessary support.

“The Youth at Work program is one of the ways DEED is investing in Minnesota’s future. Helping youth gain soft skills and jobs skills are critical to building a strong pipeline of workers and advance Minnesota’s economy,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors.

“Thank you to Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan, and lawmakers for making this program a priority.”

Awarded grants include: Achieve Twin Cities$125,000

African Community Services - $50,000

African Immigrant Community Services - $100,000

American Indian OIC - $176,059

Anoka County$147,150

Appetite for Change$100,000

convention is, of course, special,” Richards related. “But it’s also a testament to just how vital the Black Press remains. Collectively, as Black publishers and Black business owners, we are stronger than ever, and the President’s message reinforces that.”

A workshop on engaging the next generation through culture and building pathways between the Black Press and the next generation through education included conversations with Forward Times Business Manager Chelsea Lenora White, and Jarren Small, the CEO of Educational Entertainment and Reading with a Rapper.

The workshop stressed the importance of solving the national literacy issue to reach the next generation and provided publishers and attendees with solutions to reach an untapped market: schools.

Small and Dr. Chavis then discussed the “Black Press State of Emergency Response through Hip Hop, Education, and Literacy,” during a fireside chat.

The Google News Initiative global program manager Tina Xiao, described “3 Trends to Grow Ad Revenues in 2023”, briefing attendees on the top trends in ad revenue and Google products aimed at helping accelerate publishers’ digital transformation.

Longtime NNPA partner General Motors hosted a lunch discussion on “Cultural Capital with Diverse Consumers Through Storytelling,” moderated by David Milledge, GM’s multicultural marketing manager.

The Los Angeles Sentinel underscored digital frontiers in Black journalism with a presentation entitled “Digital Transformation, Staying Accessible and Relevant to Readers,” powered by Intuit, and featuring Niele Anderson, the Sentinel’s Daily Brief host.

have relationships, and if we have relationships, that means that we’re not strangers, and if we’re not strangers, that means that I’m interacting with you. You are interacting with me.

If you moved on my block, the minute I saw the moving truck, I’m stopping my car and jumping out. “How you doing? My name is Jeffery Robinson. That’s my house across the street with the red grill on the front porch. If you need anything, I’m a credit expert. I’m also a mortgage counselor. If you’re trying to get to home ownership. I’m the guy you need to talk to on this block about that, and I welcome and I offer my services to you and your family free of charge. Let’s see what we can do to help each other.

Because now, I own the land and I’m committed to the success of the land. I’m committed to the success of everybody else on our block because my equity is tied to your activity. Your equity is tied to my activity, but in order for me to be able to have a

$60,000

Banyan Community -

Brooklynk - $125,000

Career Solutions$115,816

Center for African

Immigrants and Refugees

Organization (CAIRO)$150,000

City of Minneapolis

(Step Up) - $775,00

City of St. Paul (Right

Track) - $775,000

Comunidades Latinas

Unidas En Servicio (CLUES)$134,555

Cookie Cart - $82,972

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School$100,000 Dunwoody College$150,000

East Side

Neighborhood Services -

$89,713 Project for Pride in Living (PPL) - $50,000

Somali Community Resettlement Services –

$100,000 Tree Trust - $100,000

Urban Boatbuilders$100,000

Urban Roots -

$100,000 Workforce Development, Inc. - $225,000

Tania Mercado, the senior manager of communications at Intuit, and Derrick Plummer, the company’s director of corporate communications, served as panelists.

Google Tech Transformation Lab presented a Q&A where publishers and attendees could learn more about how they could become a part of Transformation Tech, a new program helping news publishers achieve digital transformation through top-tier coaching and $20K in funding from the Google News Initiative.

Bobby Henry, Sr., the publisher of the Westside Gazette in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was elected NNPA Chairman, succeeding Richards, the publisher of the Forward Times in Houston.

conversation with you about something that’s wrong, I must begin a conversation with you. In terms of the percentage of Black homeowners, Minnesota is among worst in the nation. How can we be the worst when we have the number one home mortgage lender in the country right here in our own backyard? We have Wells Fargo, and US Bank, another Fortune 500 mortgage lender. So, how do we have these giants in the mortgage industry in our own backyard and we be the worst? Only 19% of Minnesota Black families own their home.

How many new Black homeowners would it take to be on par with white families? The number is 59,000. We decided to target 15% of that number. Out of that decision,

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we launched the 9,000 Equities initiative. We want to create 9,000 new Black homeowners and therefore create 9,000 legacies for their families.

This is also a passion for me to bring you to that finish line and get you over that finish line in a comfortable brown environment.

It’s probably going to be your first house. It’s not going to be your last house.

As we deliver on the promise of 9,000 Equities, on the mission of One Door, you will see more of us, more in our community, walking around smiling, less of frowning. It’d be like more of us walking around with college degrees and fewer of us being high school dropouts. It’d be like more of us not having a whole lot to complain about.

This is about us just having the opportunity to live

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and enjoy life just like everybody else. Our families and kids being able to go on vacation. It’s about going to sleep comfortably in your own bed and waking up and opening up your refrigerator and having food in the refrigerator. Hit the light switch and the lights come on. Turn on the water faucet and waters come out. Put on the heat and the heat come out. That’s what this is about. Just simple stuff Unfortunately, the things that we consider as basic necessities are luxuries for some people and it shouldn’t be. Food should not be a luxury. We are changing that one new homeowner at a time. For information: info@buildwealthmn.org, 2121 Plymouth Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 553411 phone: 612-877-4182

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Introducing Brian Spann: A Talented Eye Behind the Lens at Insight News and CoachLeah’s After the Whistle

Sports Editor

By Leahjean M. Denley, MBA

Insight News and CoachLeah’s

After the Whistle are delighted to welcome the exceptional talent of Brian Spann, photographer extraordinaire from Spannman Media. With his artistic vision and keen eye for detail, Spann brings a new dimension to our platforms, adding a captivating visual element to our sports coverage. Spann is no stranger to the world of photography.

With years of experience capturing stunning images, he has established himself as a respected name in the industry.

His portfolio spans various genres, but his true passion lies in candid photography. Through his lens, he expertly freezes moments in time, allowing viewers to relive the intensity, joy, and emotion of athletic competition.

Spann’s ability to capture the essence of events extends beyond the action at the moment. His photographs speak volumes, evoking powerful emotions and painting a vivid picture of the world.

At Insight News and CoachLeah’s After the Whistle, we understand the significance of visual storytelling. We believe that Spann’s talent and artistic approach will not only enhance our sports coverage, but will also provide our readers and viewers with a richer, more immersive experience. His photographs will offer a fresh perspective, drawing us closer to the athletes, their stories, and

the spirit of the game.

Beyond his technical skills, Spann embodies the values we hold dear –professionalism, creativity, and a genuine appreciation for sports. He approaches each assignment with passion and dedication, striving to capture the essence of every moment. His work not only showcases his talent, but also highlights the beauty and power of sports as a universal language.

Join us in extending a warm welcome to Brian Spann of Spannman Media as he joins the Insight News and CoachLeah’s After the Whistle family. We are thrilled to embark on this visual journey together, where his photographs will bring the sports world to life, inspire conversations, and celebrate the incredible moments that define athletic excellence and other timely events.

Insight News Celebrates Brett McNeal: From All-American to Athletics’ Administrator, a Leader in Sports and Education

By Leahjean M. Denley, MBA

Sports Editor

Brett McNeal’s journey in sports has come full circle, culminating in his recent appointment as the Assistant Director of Athletics at Minneapolis Public Schools. A true embodiment of excellence, McNeal’s accomplishments both as a player and a coach –not to mention his community engagement efforts - make him a remarkable addition to the district’s leadership team.

During his time at Minneapolis North High School, McNeal showcased his exceptional talent as an everpopular Polar basketball player, earning the prestigious title of All-American. His skills and

leadership on the court propelled his team to three consecutive state tournament appearances, leaving an indelible mark on the school’s athletic history. After honing his craft and gaining invaluable experience playing at the Div. 1 collegiate level at Western Kentucky University, McNeal returned to Minneapolis to work in the public sector and then in 2002 to his alma mater as the head coach of the Minneapolis North High School boys’ basketball team. Under his guidance, the team soared to renewed heights, culminating in a remarkable Minnesota state championship victory in 2003. McNeal’s strategic coaching, mentorship, and ability to inspire his players played a pivotal role in their success, solidifying his reputation as an

exceptional leader both on and off the court. Now, as the Assistant Director of Athletics at Minneapolis Public Schools, McNeal brings his wealth of knowledge and passion for sports and education to the district level. His unique perspective as a former player, coach, and high school athletics director positions him perfectly to inspire and guide s scholar-athletes in their pursuit of athletic and academic excellence. McNeal is certain to build on the district’s existing athletic programs, fostering an environment that prioritizes inclusivity, equal opportunity, and the holistic development of scholar-athletes. Integrating the values of discipline, teamwork, and leadership into the fabric

of Minneapolis Public Schools’ athletic culture. McNeal will motivate coaches and educators to empower scholar-athletes to reach their full potential both on and off the field. Insight News celebrates the appointment of Brett McNeal. Minneapolis Public Schools is fortunate to have such a talented and visionary leader guiding its athletic programs and their selection of McNeal demonstrates the district’s unwavering commitment to sports and education. With McNeal’s guidance and dedication, Minneapolis Public Schools’ scholar-athletes can look forward to a future filled with limitless possibilities and remarkable achievements.

Brian Spann

Photo Credit: Brett McNeal Brett McNeal

W.D. Foster-Graham

BLACK GIRL, BLACK GIRL, WHAT DO YOU SEE?

I See a Black Princess Looking at Me!

By Dr. Talaya M. Tolefree &

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on twitter regarding Watson’s prosecution.

Ozy recently released a statement regarding ten one thousand dollar grants that have not been delivered to their “genius award” recipients.

KennethMontgomery, an attorney on Watson’s legal team, said in a statement that, “the unwarranted criminal charges brought the company to a complete standstill and forced the cessation of operations. The Watson family firmly believes in making higher education accessible to all, which is why they cofounded Achieva College Prep Service well before Mr. Watson founded OZY.”

Carlos Watson, 53, is a graduate of Harvard University, Stanford University and Stanford Law School.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE and publisher of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Nia-Imani Tolefree

It is always gratifying to me to see more children’s books that center upon Black girls and boys, a far cry from the lay of the land decades ago. Independent authors deserve a hat tip for their labor of love in publishing these books, which instill education, teachable moments, and pride in who we are as descendants of kings and queens. Mother and daughter Dr. Talaya Tolefree and Nia-Imani Tolefree’s book Black Girl, Black Girl, What Do You See? I

See a Black Princess Looking at Me! epitomizes these principles. As a child of the 1950s, I grew up with the dichotomy of “good hair” vs. “bad hair” when it came to Black women. Beautifully illustrated by Simbarashe Langton Vera, with each page, this book affirms Black Girl Beauty, from the array of skin tones we have to the great variety of styles that complement natural hair, hair befitting a princess. It puts the lie to the belief that having

natural hair is “bad hair,” and that Black girls have to live up to beauty standards of a culture not their own.

I loved Tolefree’s Sankofa moments of beauty and brilliance, loving the whole person. As for the affirmation, if I’d had