WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE
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July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020
Vol. 47 No. 30• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
PHOTOS BY UCHE IROEGBU 7
Uche Iroegbu
Page 2 • July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020 • Insight News
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Guest commentary
Attaining a just and safe Minneapolis By Kathleen O’Brien Resident of Hiawatha Neighborhood in the Longfellow Community Policing in our nation and city must be drastically transformed. The unjust murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police Officers put a spotlight on this urgent reality for people in our neighborhood, across the nation and around the world. Our goal is a JUST and SAFE city. Structural racism permeates our society and its institutions and is at the foundation of our need to reform policing. I believe the people of Minneapolis agree with this judgment. I believe in action that is immediate, legitimate and enduring to transform public safety in our community. I do not agree with the City Council’s proposed Charter Amendment to eliminate the Police Department because this will NOT address structural racism and it will NOT advance essential police reforms. In fact, the amendment is a distraction from the necessary work to address structural racism. Public Safety is a basic city service. The City Council’s proposed Charter Amendment would fundamentally change Minneapolis city government. If the City Council truly desired to engage the people of Minneapolis in the reform of public safety, they have had ample opportunity to do so. The City Council sent this proposed Charter Change to the Charter Commission without a public hearing or any inclusive participation. It seems that the Council is proposing this dramatic action to give the appearance that they are doing something. If the City Council was genuine in their effort to transform
Structural racism permeates our society and its institutions and is at the foundation of our need to reform policing.
policing they would support Chief Medaria Arradondo and his reform agenda. The Council could achieve substantial police reform by pursuing the necessary changes in state and federal law, expanding the partnership with Hennepin County on vital public health programs and giving the Chief the funding and tools he needs to do his job. Hennepin County provides social welfare and public health services. It has the experience, expertise and existing programs that should be expanded to work with the Minneapolis Police Department. The city should not hire social workers and duplicate Hennepin County programs. There are many urgent needs in our city. Structural racism must be addressed. The unemployed need jobs. People need job training and placement assistance. Businesses (many that were damaged and are owned by immigrants and people of color) need advice and financial support to rebuild and reopen. People with mental health needs require the treatment and expert staff assistance. The city needs to work with partners to provide
housing that is truly affordable. The homeless need safe and healthy shelter. Let’s ask our City Council to work on these urgent needs. Their Charter Change is not urgent and not necessary to address structural racism or transform our police department. I oppose the Council’s proposed Police Charter Amendment for several reasons: It is premature. The amendment eliminates the Police Department without a plan. Before the citizenry is asked to vote on the elimination of the Police Department, the Council should have developed their proposal for providing law enforcement, how they intend to implement their plan and a guarantee there will be a smooth transition without a break in public safety protection. Potential changes to our municipal government could be the focus of next year’s municipal election. The citizens would have an entire election season to discuss and debate municipal structure including the Minneapolis Charter. It diminishes
ACCOUNTABILITY. amendment eliminates
The the
division of law enforcement services, subject to confirmation by official act of the City Council and Mayor.” This puts in place 15 bosses for a “potential” director of the division of law enforcement. This diminishes accountability to the citizenry, adds bureaucracy and makes policing decisions more distant from the citizens. It makes no commitment to have a police department. The proposed Charter Change removes the current Charter language: that the City Council must establish, organize and otherwise provide for these departments …a police department. And replaces current language with: “The Council may maintain a division of law enforcement services, composed of licensed
2021.” It is unbelievable that the City Council could implement this structural change and advance police reform in about six to seven months. The Council has promised that it would engage in a full year of consultation and deliberation with the people of Minneapolis. Has the City Council backed away from that commitment? Wouldn’t it be better to have the City Council listen to the people of Minneapolis before a Charter Change? Before changing our city government? Recently a group of hundreds of concerned and engaged citizens—called Friends of Minneapolis—have come together to encourage a healthy and productive dialogue among community members and city leaders to ensure the
...City Council’s proposed Charter Amendment to eliminate the Police Department ... will NOT address structural racism and it will NOT advance essential police reforms. In fact, the amendment is a distraction from the necessary work to address structural racism. responsibility and authority of the Mayor and places oversight in a Director of Community Safety and Violence Prevention who would report to the Council and Mayor. The amendment states: If there is a Division of Law Enforcement Services, “The Director of Community and Violence Prevention shall appoint the director of the
peace officers, subject to the supervision of the department of community safety and violence prevention.” Under the new Charter language there is no guarantee that there would be licensed police officers serving our city. Finally, the Council action states: “This ordinance shall take effect on May 1,
steps we take towards Police Reform guide us to a safe and just Minneapolis for all. We encourage all our neighbors to meaningfully engage and participate in this discussion and decision-making, as it will shape the vitality and safety of our city for years to come.
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Insight News • July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE
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Vol. 47 No. 30• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Multistate suit seeks to block new HHS rule that targets LGBTQ+ people, people with limited English, and women
Minnesota Attorney General Ellison sues Trump Administration to block health care discrimination Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block a new Trump Administration rule that makes it easier for health care providers and insurance companies to discriminate against certain vulnerable and protected classes of Americans. In a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and others, Ellison and the coalition argue that the new rule emboldens providers and insurers to discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals, those with limited English proficiency, and women. The rule does so by stripping express protections for these groups in HHS regulations that implement the nondiscrimination provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The nondiscrimination provision of the ACA prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age by health programs or facilities that receive federal funds. The Trump Administration is seeking to undermine many of those protections. “As the worst pandemic in a century gets even worse, the Trump Administration is once again showing Minnesotans that it’s willing to sacrifice the health and health care of folks they just don’t care about,” Ellison said. “We asked them not to go ahead with this, and they did anyhow. When the federal government abandons its duty to protect all Minnesotans — no exceptions — it’s my job as Attorney
theconversation.com
George Floyd family sues Minneapolis and officers charged in his death Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison plannedparenthoodaction.org
The nondiscrimination provision of the ACA prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age by health programs or facilities that receive federal funds. The Trump Administration is seeking to undermine many of those protections. General to step in and hold them accountable. So today, I took them to court.” Before filing today’s lawsuit, Ellison and the coalition twice called upon the Trump Administration to withdraw the rule, in August 2019 and April 2020. In 2016, the Obama Administration’s HHS issued regulations implementing Section 1557 that clarified that discrimination on the basis of gender identity, nonconformity to sex stereotypes, and pregnancy status are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by the statute. Specifically,
Section 1557 prohibits discrimination by any health care program receiving federal financial assistance — including providers and insurers — against individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. Federal courts have also held that the statute’s prohibitions on sex discrimination protect transgender and other LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination. This view was confirmed in last month’s Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which held that discrimination based on sexual orientation and transgender status are forms of
sex discrimination prohibited by federal civil-rights law. But, despite numerous failed legislative and legal battles to repeal and dismantle the ACA, the Trump Administration’s new rule would now eliminate many of the express protections contained in the Section 1557 regulations, unlawfully exclude many health insurers from Section 1557’s scope, and would embolden health care providers and health insurers to deny care and insurance coverage. The new rule would also impose unreasonable barriers and impede timely access to health care for Americans, in violation of Section 1554 of the ACA. In the lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Ellison and the
ELLISON 4
especially
Robin Caldwell, Staff Writer Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and co-counsel representing the interest of George Floyd’s family held a latemorning news conference in Minneapolis to announce and detail a lawsuit filed against the city of Minneapolis and the four police officers charged in Floyd’s May 25 death. The lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court in Minnesota alleges a violation of Floyd’s rights when the four officers restrained him leading to his death. Crump also cited systemic racism as a cause, stating, “The city of Minneapolis has a history of policies and procedures and deliberate indifference when it comes to the treatment of arrestees,
Black men.” Floyd, who was handcuffed, died after Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. The incident was recorded by bystanders who posted the video on social media and it went viral. Chauvin and the three other officers, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng, were fired after the killing. All are named as defendants with the city of Minneapolis in the lawsuit. The county medical examiner and an independent medical examiner hired by Floyd’s family concluded that his death was a homicide. A trial date for all four officers has been set for March 8, 2021. “George Floyd begged for air,” Crump said. “He called out to anybody who would listen.”
House, Senate agree to compromise on police reform package By Mike Cook Minnesota Session Daily
Minnesota joins more than 20 cities and counties and at least three states, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, to declare racism a public health crisis.
Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL-Mendota Heights)
Minnesota House declares racism a statewide public health crisis The Minnesota House of Representatives today voted to declare racism a public health crisis. According to the official resolution voted upon today, the declaration applies to the entire state and affirms that the Minnesota House will be an active participant in the dismantling of racism. It creates a House Select Committee on Minnesota’s response tasked with analyzing legislative work through an intersectional race equity lens. “This is about advancing and promoting equitable opportunity across all of our systems, in the areas of health, education, housing, public safety, and economic and workforce development,” said Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL-Mendota Heights), chief author of the resolution. “The COVID-19 pandemic and senseless murder of George
Floyd have shined a light on the historical and contemporary injustices that are still embedded in our society.” The resolution states that racism is embedded in the foundation of America, beginning with chattel slavery in 1619, and that much of the Black experience in America has been endured under slavery and Jim Crow, which created preferential opportunities for white people while subjecting people of color to hardships and disadvantages in every area of life. “Communities of color continue to face unacceptable disparities in our state, and many of these are a direct result of systemic racism that has existed for centuries,” said Rep. Rena Moran (DFL – Saint Paul), chair of the House People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus. “Today’s action in the Minnesota House recognizes
On Feb. 18 Rep. Rena Moran (DFL-65A) introduced a bill in the Minnesota House mandating working mothers receive 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave after 90 days of employment. Bill HF3073 improves upon the parameters of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA).
News
The Congressional Black Caucus mourns the loss of Congressman John Lewis
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this, and we’re committed to building an inclusive state where everyone has the opportunity to be safe, healthy, and successful.” Minnesota joins more than 20 cities and counties and at least three states, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, to declare racism a public health crisis. The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Emergency Physicians have also declared institutional racism an urgent public health issue in statements and vowed to eradicate racism and discrimination in health care. “The murder of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer set in motion a global movement that cannot be ignored and cannot be brought down by politics as usual,” said Rep. Mohamud
MN HOUSE 4
Since the Memorial Day death of George Floyd under the knee of a former Minneapolis police officer, calls have grown louder for police reforms and accountability changes. After more than a month of work, the House and Senate finally reached agreement on some changes. Sponsored by Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL-St. Paul), SSHF1, as amended with a delete-all amendment and others, the bill would, in part, ban chokeholds in all but extreme circumstances, outlaw warrior training that encourages aggressive conduct and require an officer to intervene when another officer is using excessive force. Passed 102-29 by the House late Monday night, the Senate passed it 60-7 about two hours later. The bill now goes to Gov. Tim Walz for action. “This is not the bill I wanted. We had a much more robust bill we passed out of here a few weeks ago,” Mariani said. “But I can say in full confidence that this is a good bill. It creates a modern accountability framework of laws that will help to end the type of police brutality that killed George Floyd.” “The bill we’ve agreed on this special session is based on common-sense reforms that Minnesotans, police officers, and community leaders can support,” Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) said in a statement. He
MN House of Representatives
Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), chair of the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Division, is calling on the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission to gather public input, and move forward with the reforms. and Mariani chair the respective public safety committees. Mental Board
health,
POST training The legislation aims to provide better training for mental health and crisis intervention through the establishment of a Critical Incident Stress Management Team. It would provide assistance to emergency service providers coping with stress and potential psychological trauma resulting from a critical incident or emotional event. Services could include consultation, risk assessment, education and intervention. Peace officers
POLICE REFORM 5
I2H
The Prostate Cancer Foundation and Robert F. Smith announce new effort to address health disparities in African American men
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Page 4 • July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020 • Insight News
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Is it safe to stay in a hotel, cabin or rental home yet? By Elizabeth Marder Instructor, Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis and Paloma Beamer Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Arizona After nearly three months of quarantine, millions of Americans are ready to travel – an overnight trip, a weekend getaway, a summer sojourn. With states reopening, that’s now possible, with a caveat. Before coronavirus, few people likely thought twice about staying in a hotel room, rental home or cabin in the woods. But now, we have to factor in the potential for coronavirus exposure. Even if you’re OK with the travel risks taking you to your destination – plane, train or automobile – what about the risks of the destination spot itself? We are both exposure scientists. One of us feels comfortable booking a “nocontact” stay; the other still isn’t sure whether to take an overnight trip anytime soon. But we agree on two things: Traveling these days brings increased risk, yet ways exist to minimize that risk. The
issues Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance is clear that travel heightens your
chance of getting or spreading COVID-19. The travel industry is taking this seriously. Both the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Vacation Rental Management Association have released best practice guidelines and standards. No matter what type of stay you’re planning, the primary concern is coming into close contact (less than six feet) with an infected person. That probability is higher when you travel. Keep in mind a person with COVID-19 can spread the virus before developing symptoms. From the start, you must assume that everyone around you may be infected. Including yourself. Contact with contaminated surfaces is of less concern, but still something to consider. We are learning more about the potential for infections from them, but we do know coronavirus has been detected on guest room surfaces. Try to minimize your contact with surfaces – tabletops, chairs, bathroom sinks, duvet covers – that haven’t been cleaned or disinfected. A further complication: The pattern and extent of COVID-19 can vary between communities, even in the same region. Laws and public health guidelines vary as well, so make sure you check for updates before traveling. A tourist checks into a hotel in Savannah, Ga., on April 25, 2020, shortly after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp lifted some social distancing measures.
Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images. Before
you book There’s no way to make a stay 100% safe, but there are certainly ways to make a stay safer. Remember each lodging scenario is different; for example, unlike hotels or rental homes, campgrounds typically have only shared bathrooms. But wherever you may stay, start by checking out the establishment’s website, or call to ask what management is doing to reduce transmission risk. Make
sure to ask about: Air quality. Cleaning with approved products should be frequent. Ask if hand washing or hand sanitizing stations are available in common areas. Engineering controls, like increasing air exchange or HEPA filters in the ventilation system, should be in place. If that’s not the case, consider bringing a portable air purifier with a HEPA filter. On the lowtech side: Can windows be opened for better air flow? A fan can help bring in more outdoor air and increase the mixing rate if used near an open window. No-contact options, like digital keys. Policies on masks and health screenings for guests and staff. Is the rental business limiting capacity to promote distance? That is, are they booking only every other room? And are they preventing one-night stays, which would
bring in more people and therefore introduce more risk? Avoid lodgings with same-day turnovers. Strategies for a safer stay Once you’ve determined the management is doing all it can, you need to do all you can to minimize exposure. Wear a face covering and practice social distancing in common areas. Minimize time in enclosed, less ventilated spaces, like elevators. Avoid contact with “high-touch” surfaces in shared spaces, like the elevator call button, door handles, and dining tables and chairs; they are less likely to have been disinfected between each individual’s touch. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after spending time in common areas. If gyms and pools are open, remember to social distance, wear your mask, and wipe down equipment before and after use. Use plastic zip bags for personal items that others may handle. That includes your driver’s license, credit card and key. Bring extra bags to put these things in after you disinfect them. Handle your own luggage, or arrange for no-contact delivery. Disinfect surfaces following CDC guidance. If housekeeping is available, opt out. Request that decorative pillows and duvet covers be removed before your arrival. Lowest-risk options for dining: bring your own food or do room service or nocontact delivery. Outdoor dining can be a reasonable option, but
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Grandparents are eager to spend time with their grandchildren, and many are also eager to travel. There are many things to consider to ensure safety when going to hotels and overnight accommodations. if you dine inside, make sure there’s reasonable ventilation and adequately spaced tables. Bring enough masks or face coverings for each day, or bring detergent to wash between uses. You’ll also need hand sanitizer or hand wipes, a surface disinfectant, paper towels and disposable disinfectant wipes. All this helps, but remember: Even doing everything on this substantial list still may not eliminate your chance of getting the virus. The bottom line is, we don’t recommend nonessential travel for everyone right now. You may need a vacation, but COVID-19 never takes one. M. Elizabeth Marder, Ph.D., co-teaches Health
Risk Assessment as a guest instructor in the Department of Environmental Toxicology at the University of California, Davis. She also lectures on related topics such as TSCA and green chemistry. Paloma I. Beamer, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. She is currently President of the International Society of Exposure Science. She is a lifetime member of the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). This article originally appeared on The Conversation.
Strong Majority of Realtors® say market is in recovery phase as buyers return After enduring months of setbacks brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey from the National Association of Realtors® shows that more than nine in 10 of its members believe they are in the process of recovering as many states start to reopen their economies. NAR’s 2020 Market Recovery Survey polled agents about their respective residential and commercial real estate markets, finding that 92% of respondents stated that a portion of their buyers have either returned to or never left the market. Among those members, 18% reported that their buyers never left the market at all, and 9% said that all of their buyers have already returned to the market. Small towns and rural areas were more likely to report that there had been no pause in buyer activity and were also more likely to report a stronger return of buyers to the market. “The residential market has seen a swift rebound
of activity as numerous states have begun to ease mandatory stay-at-home orders,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Many potential buyers and home sellers were kept at bay in the initial stages of the coronavirus outbreak, but Realtors® nationwide were able to quickly pivot, embracing technology and business practices to ensure the home buying process continued in a safe manner.” In terms of seller activity, 89% of Realtors® said a share of their clients have either returned to the market or never delisted their property. Roughly one quarter of respondents, or 24%, indicated that their sellers never left the market. Suburban and urban markets are more likely to have reported fewer sellers returning to the market compared to small and rural markets. While the housing market as a whole was understandably caught offguard by the pandemic, the
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Also, in response to the pandemic, 13% said that homebuyers changed their home type of choice from multi-family to single family. This shift is highest in urban markets at 16%. NAR survey found that many members are now prepared should another surge of the coronavirus occur. Thirty-nine percent of those polled said they are at least somewhat prepared for a second wave of the disease, with 19% reporting they are “very prepared.” Moreover, of those who believe there might be a resurgence, 30% said they are more prepared now, as they know what to expect. Twentyseven percent indicated that they are concerned enough that they have changed their business practices in some form in order to be prepared for another bout of the virus. Of those who are currently working with buyers, 54% said that their buyers’ timelines to find and purchase a home has remained the same, while 27% report that their clients now express more urgency about buying a home. Among NAR membership currently working with sellers, two-thirds said that
Ellison From 3 coalition argue that HHS has unlawfully ignored the harms that the new rule will impose on vulnerable populations, including LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with limited English proficiency, and women, as well
their sellers’ timelines to sell has remained the same. Twentythree percent reported sellers who feel more urgency to sell their property. Less urgency was cited more frequently in urban areas and in suburban areas or small towns and rural markets. “A number of potential buyers noted stalled plans due to the pandemic and that has led to more urgency and a pent-up demand to buy,” said Yun. “After being home for months on end – in a home they already wanted to leave – buyers are reminded how much their current home may lack certain desired features or amenities.” In some cases, respondents reported changes in their buyers’ preferences. Twenty-four percent of Realtors® indicated having buyers who shifted the location of where they intend to buy a house due to the coronavirus. Among those who noted having buyers change their intended location, 47% stated that their
as other protected classes. The coalition additionally contends that HHS has failed to justify why it abandoned its prior policy, which among other things explicitly prohibited discrimination in health care and required health entities to provide meaningful language assistance services to individuals with limited English proficiency, including by notifying them of their rights to translation and interpretation services. The lawsuit finally alleges that the
MN House From 3 Noor (DFL-Minneapolis). “The resolution we are voting on is the first of many steps we will take together in the coming days, months, and years to ensure people who look like me, our children, and future generations have equitable access to opportunity and prosperity.” “Racism is a public health crisis. The Minnesota House of Representatives is taking action to formally
buyers prefer to purchase housing in the suburbs, 39% cited rural areas, and 25% cited smaller town markets. Thirty-five percent of NAR members surveyed said buyers have modified at least one home feature that is important to them because of the coronavirus outbreak. The most common home features cited as increasingly important are home offices, spaces to accommodate family members new to the residence – older adult relatives, newborns or new pets – larger homes with more personal space and bigger yards that would allow for growing foods. Also, in response to the pandemic, 13% said that homebuyers changed their home type of choice from multi-family to single family. This shift is highest in urban markets at 16%. Thirty-three percent answered that buyers have adjusted commuting needs since the pandemic began, with 22% less concerned with their commute and 7% wanting to live close to bike trails that connect them to work. Just 5% responded that they now have a greater concern about parking and more concern for a location that affords the ability to drive to work. On the commercial real estate front, some members indicated that they are contending with hardships, as only 19% of property managers said they have been receiving all rent payments on time, and only 36% of individual landlords have received timely payments. Seventy-four percent have reported that leases have been terminated or said tenants have needed to delay rent payments, with the greatest shares (56%) happening in non-
essential retail establishments, followed by the office sector at 38%. However, grocery stores are faring well, the least cited of the commercial properties at 4%. “Consumers have been forced to move away from buying in stores and are now doing much more shopping from home,” said Yun. “Unfortunately, this has come at the detriment of commercial property owners, but these circumstances could be an opportunity for growth in the industrial warehouse market, as Americans have become more reliant on home delivery services.” As economies reopen, 44% of NAR members say they expect the demand for industrial properties to increase, and 35% expect the demand for multifamily properties to increase. In comparison, 72% expect the demand for non-essential retail to decline and 66% said they expect office usage to decrease. The biggest concern for small businesses, according to 83% of commercial members, is a lack of profitability due to a decrease in customers. A majority of Realtors® also expressed concern with the following: a resurgence of the outbreak forcing another shutdown (66%), protecting the health of employees, (61%) and challenges with implementing social-distancing measures (59%). The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.v
Trump Administration was motivated by animus toward the transgender community in issuing this rule. The coalition specifically argues that the new rule is arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and that it violates the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment. In filing today’s lawsuit, Ellison joins New York Attorney General Letitia
James, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, who co-led the lawsuit, and the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
recognize this reality — which must be acknowledged in order for us to make progress,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Minnesota has disturbing inequities in education, healthcare, employment, and housing. The House will undertake efforts to dismantle the structural racism inherent in our own institution as we continue our work to address these inexcusable inequities throughout Minnesota.” “As an institution, the Minnesota House of Representatives needs to play an active role in dismantling
systems that have denied dignity, respect, and compassion to so many for so long,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “While we work for racial justice and police accountability, it’s critical that we also examine ourselves and our policies and practices. Our nation is facing a historic moment, and the Minnesota House plans to be on the side of justice and human rights.” At this time, the Minnesota Senate has not announced plans to advance a similar resolution.
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Indebted to Ida B. Wells Barnett: A List of Recommended Readings Robin Caldwell, Staff Writer In May, the Pulitzer organization awarded Ida Wells Barnett a special citation “For her outstanding and courageous reporting on the horrific and vicious violence against African Americans during the era of lynching.” The Pulitzer Prizes’ motto is “Honoring excellence in journalism and the arts since 1917” and this is the first time they honored Barnett who had been an investigative journalist some 20 years before their founding and whose work continued until her death in 1931. The irony of their oversight is that every mainstream news publication in the nation, and a few in other
countries, covered the comings and goings of Ida B. often. The New York Times announced her marriage though they published a ‘belated’ obituary in 2018. European press covered her antilynching tours. White southern newspapers loved to hate Barnett and her rabble-rousing; sticking her nose where it did not belong with anti-lynching reporting. July 16 is the late Ida B. Wells Barnett’s 158th birthday. To celebrate the educator, activist and investigative journalist, we have compiled an essential reading list about her and her work. As members of the Black press, we are indebted to her as an example of courage and proponent of freedom of speech, especially during these times. By and about Ida B. Wells-
Barnett: The Ida B. Wells Papers at the University of Chicago The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Red Record, by Ida B. Wells-Barnett (1909) IDA B. WELLS, “LYNCHING, OUR NATIONAL CRIME” Lynch Law in All Its Phases - February 13, 1893 PDF Letters in Ida’s Handwriting, University of Chicago Crusade for Justice Ida B. Wells PDF The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells The Project Gutenberg EBook of Southern Horrors, by Ida B. Wells-Barnett Books About Ida B. Wells Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the
Campaign Against Lynching Paula J. Giddings HarperCollins, 2008 800 pages Ida B. Wells-Barnett & American Reform 1880-1930 Patricia A. Schechter The University of North Carolina Press, 2001 386 pages Passionate for Justice: Ida B. Wells As Prophet for Our Time Cathering Meeks and Nibs Stroupe Church Publishing, 2019 150 pages Political Pioneer of the Press (text book) Lori Amber Roessner & Jodi L. Rightler-McDaniels (editors) Lexington Books, 2018
Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a prominent journalist, activist, and researcher. She was born July 16, 1862 in Holly Springs, MS and died March 25, 1931, Chicago, IL. 244 pages Select articles March 8, 2018, The New York Times belated obituary March 16, 2018 The
New York Times podcast “Remembering Ida B. Wells’s Legacy” by Michelle Duster Teen Vogue “Ida B. Wells: The ‘Drive’ in Her Name a Long Wait for a Distinguished Lady”
Congressman John Lewis dies of cancer at 80
The Congressional Black Caucus mourns the loss of Congressman John Lewis The Congressional Black Caucus released the following statement on the passing of House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Chairman and Congressional Black Caucus Member, Congressman John R. Lewis (GA-05): The world has lost a legend; the civil rights movement has lost an icon, the City of Atlanta has lost one of its most fearless leaders, and the Congressional Black Caucus has lost our longest serving member. The Congressional Black Caucus is known as the Conscience of the Congress. John Lewis was known as the conscience of our caucus. A fighter for justice until the end, Mr. Lewis recently visited Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington DC. His mere presence encouraged a new generation of activist to “speak up and speak out” and get into “good trouble” to continue bending the arc toward justice and freedom. The City of Atlanta has lost one of its most fearless leaders. Congressman John Lewis spent his life fighting racism and injustice wherever he confronted it, from boycotts, sit-ins, and other protests in the streets, to championing bold, progressive policies in Congress. Mr. Lewis was born and raised in Troy, Alabama, a segregated town of the Deep South. At an early age, he was inspired by the non-violent activism of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This passion drove Mr. Lewis to dedicate himself and his life to the Civil Rights Movement. As a student at Fisk University, Mr. Lewis was a part of the Nashville Student Movement and helped organize sit-ins that eventually led to the desegregation of the
Police Reform From 3 would also get more training for dealing with people in crisis and defusing volatile situations. The Peace Officers Standards and Training Board regulates education, selection, licensing and training standards for the state’s more than 10,500 peace officers. Changes in the bill would create a 15-member advisory council “to assist the board in maintaining policies and regulating peace officers in a manner that ensures the protection of civil and human rights. The council shall provide for citizen involvement in policing policies, regulations, and supervision. The council shall advance policies and reforms that promote positive interactions between peace officers and the community.” “This is an important step to ensure that there is strong, regular community presence in the POST Board itself,” Mariani said. Rep. Brian Johnson (R-Cambridge) said he is concerned the board could be loaded with people representing groups in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. They could enact changes, he said, that would lead to things being done “the metro way, which doesn’t work in Greater Minnesota.” Additionally, the bill would: expand POST Board membership from 15 members to 17 by appointing additional community members;
lunch counters in Downtown Nashville. In 1961, he became one of the 13 original Freedom Riders, an integrated group determined to ride from Washington, DC to New Orleans. In 1963, he became the Chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), an organization he helped form. As Chair of SNCC, John Lewis was one of the “Big 6” leaders of the historical March on Washington on August, 28, 1963, and was the youngest speaker to address the hundreds of thousands marching for jobs and freedom that day. He also played a key role in the marches from Selma to Montgomery, a campaign against the blatant voter suppression of Black citizens. He joined Hosea Williams and hundreds of civil rights marchers to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on “Bloody Sunday” and suffered a fractured skull that day for the right of Black people to register and vote. For 34 years, Mr. Lewis served Georgia’s 5th district and our country with the same burning desire to ensure America’s promises were accessible to all. He never hesitated to tell the truth about this nation’s history and injustices. In his very first Congress, John Lewis introduced a bill to create an African American history museum in Washington, DC, but the bill was blocked by Senator Jesse Helms for 15 years. But Mr. Lewis persisted, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016 and is by far the most popular museum on the National Mall. In 2012, John Lewis unveiled a marker in Emancipation Hall
require the board to adopt a comprehensive use of force model policy to be implemented by every law enforcement agency; require the board to consult with the Human Services Department and other mental health stakeholders to create a list of approved training courses related to responding to mental health crisis and require officers to complete a minimum of six hours of training; and require the board to create (with a $4.5 million allocation) a centralized database of officer misconduct complaints. The bill has a $22.68 million General Fund cost in fiscal year 2021. [View the spreadsheet] Nearly $3.37 million in fiscal year 2021 would be appropriated to establish an independent Use of Force Investigations Unit in the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to conduct officer-involved death investigations, investigate conflict of interest cases involving peace officers and investigate criminal sexual conduct cases involving peace officers. This unit would sunset in four years. Other provisions in the bill include: a chief law enforcement officer of an agency would need to submit a monthly report to the BCA with information related to each use of force incident that resulted in serious bodily harm or death; establishing an arbitrator selection procedure to determine arbitrators to be used in peace officer grievance cases;
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The Edmund Pettus Bridge, is named after a US Senator who was a judge, Confederate brigadier general and head of the Alabama Ku Klux Klan. The Edmund Pettus Bridge was the site of the conflict of Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965, when police attacked and brutally beat Civil Rights Movement demonstrators with horses, billy clubs, and tear gasas they were attempting to march to the state capital, Montgomery. The marchers crossed the bridge again on March 21 and successfully walked to the Capitol building. commemorating the contributions of enslaved Americans to the construction of the United States Capitol. The marker was the result of literally a decade of work by a special task force led by Mr. Lewis after a bill was found in the National Archives documenting payment for slaves to build the Capitol. Congressman Lewis commented at the unveiling: “When I walk through Statuary Hall, it means a great deal to me to know that the unusual grey marble columns were likely hewn and polished by slaves in Maryland. They quarried the stone in Maryland and sailed ships or barges many miles down the Potomac River weighed down by heavy marble columns to bring them to DC. Somehow, they carried them several miles through the streets perhaps using wagons and mules or horses, and then hoisted them up so they are standing as we see them today in the Capitol. The bronze statue sitting on top of the Capitol dome also involved the contribution of slaves.
cities and counties could offer extra incentives for officers to be residents of the communities they patrol; require autism awareness training for officers; extend the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force by six months to June 30, 2021; and extend until 2024 current training dollars ($6 million per year) that support and strengthen law enforcement training and implement best practices. An amendment unsuccessfully offered by Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) would have required the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court to appoint a 10-member Civil Unrest Investigatory Commission. Nash said it would allow Minnesotans to “get answers relative to the civil unrest that happened as a result of the death of George Floyd. … They will be able to find out the chronology of what happened, when it happened, decisions that were made by the various entities that were involved.” It was voted down largely along party lines. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFLGolden Valley) noted this provision was in the so-called Promise Act that would have provided help to businesses, people and nonprofits harmed by civil unrest. The act was passed 74-53 by the House during the June special session, but did not pass the Senate. “To attach it to this bill and not do anything for those people who were harmed is irresponsible,” he said.
These men and woman played a powerful role in our history and that must not be forgotten.” Legislatively, Mr. Lewis championed the Voter Empowerment Act, which would modernize registration and voting in America and increase access to the ballot. He was also an ardent advocate for immigrants, the LGBTQ
community, and affordable health care for all. As Chair of the Oversight Subcommittee on the House Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Lewis helped ensure the efficient implementation of laws related to tax, trade, health, Human Resources, and Social Security. He examined how the tax code subsidizes hate groups and the public health impact of gun violence. Most recently, Mr. Lewis pressed the Trump Administration to quickly deliver the stimulus checks that Congress provided in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr. Lewis continued his practice of nonviolent protest, community organizing, and grassroots activism throughout his tenure in Congress. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Mr. Lewis the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States of America. Following the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016, John Lewis led Democrats in a 26-hour sit-in on the House floor to demand that the body debate gun control measures.
Every year, he led a pilgrimage to Selma to commemorate the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Even his recent health challenges could not keep him from commemorating the 55th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” this year. Despite more than 40 arrests, brutal attacks, and physical injuries, Mr. Lewis remained devoted to the philosophy of nonviolence in his fight for justice and equality, even to this day, as America faces another reckoning with racism and hundreds of thousands around the world spark a modern-day civil rights movement against police brutality and racial injustice. He taught us to keep our eye on the prize, and that lesson is more crucial than ever. We will keep our eye on the prize of social justice, voting rights, quality education, affordable health care, and economic empowerment for every soul. The entire Congressional Black Caucus extends our condolences to Mr. Lewis’ family, friends, staff, and the city of Atlanta.
Page 6 • July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020 • Insight News
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Why doctors keep monitoring kids who recover from mysterious COVID-linked illness By Fred Mogul, WNYC and Maria Godoy, NPR News Israel Shippy doesn’t remember much about having COVID-19 — or the unusual auto-immune disease it triggered — other than being groggy and uncomfortable for a bunch of days. He’s a five-year-old, and would much rather talk about cartoons, or the ideas for inventions that constantly pop into his head. “Hold your horses, I think I know what I’m gonna make,” he said, holding up a finger in the middle of a conversation. “I’m gonna make something that lights up and attaches to things with glue, so if you don’t have a flashlight, you can just use it!” In New York, at least 237 kids, including Israel, appear to have Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C. And state officials continue to track the syndrome, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not respond to repeated requests for information on how many children nationwide have been diagnosed so far with MIS-C. A study published June 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine reported on 186 patients in 26 states who had been diagnosed with MIS-C. A researcher writing in the same issue added reports from other countries, finding that about 1,000 children worldwide have been diagnosed with MIS-C. Tracking the Long-Term Health Effects of MIS-C Israel is friendly and energetic, but he’s also really good at sitting still. During a recent checkup at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, in the Bronx, he had no complaints about all the stickers and wires a health aide attached to him for an EKG. And when Dr. Marc Foca, an infectious disease specialist, came by to listen to his heart and lungs, and prod his abdomen, Israel barely seemed to notice. There were still some tests pending, but overall, Foca said, “Israel looks like a totally healthy five-year-old.” “Stay safe!” Israel called out, as Foca left. It’s his new signoff, instead of goodbye. His mother, Janelle Moholland, explained Israel came up with it himself. And she’s also hoping that after a harrowing couple of weeks in early May, Israel himself will “stay safe.” That’s why they’ve
been for even have both
returning to Montefiore the periodic checkups, though Israel seems to recovered fully from COVID-19 and MIS-C. MIS-C is relatively rare, and it apparently responds well to treatment, but it is new enough — and mysterious enough — that doctors here want to make sure the children who recover don’t experience any related health complications in the future. “We’ve seen these kids get really sick, and get better and recover and go home, yet we don’t know what the long-term outcomes are,” said Dr. Nadine Choueiter, a pediatric cardiologist at Montefiore. “So that’s why we will be seeing them.” When Israel first got sick at the end of April, his illness didn’t exactly look like COVID-19. He had persistent high fevers, with his temperature reaching 104 degrees — but no problems breathing. He wasn’t eating. He was barely drinking. He wasn’t using the bathroom. He had abdominal pains. His eyes were red. They went to the emergency room a couple of times and visited an urgent care center, but the doctors sent them home without testing him for the coronavirus. Moholland, 29, said she felt powerless. “There was nothing I could do but make him comfortable,” she said. “I literally had to just trust in a higher power and just hope that He would come through for us. It taught me a lot about patience and faith.” As Israel grew sicker, and they still had no answers, Moholland grew frustrated. “I wish his pediatrician and [the emergency room and urgent care staff] had done what they were supposed to do and given him a test” when Israel first got sick, Moholland said. “What harm would it have done? He suffered for about 10 or 11 days that could have been avoided.” In a later interview, she talked with NPR about how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected the African American community, due to a combination of underlying health conditions and lack of access to good health care. She said she felt she, too, had fallen victim to those disparities. “It affects me, personally, because I am African American, but you just never know,” she said. “It’s hard. We’re living in uncertain times — very uncertain times.” Finally, Children’s
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A study published June 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine reported on 186 patients in 26 states who had been diagnosed with MIS-C. Hospital at Montefiore admitted Israel — and the test she’d been trying to get for days confirmed he had the virus. “I was literally in tears, like begging them not to discharge me because I knew he was not fine,” she recalled. Israel was in shock, and by the time he got to the hospital, doctors were on the lookout for MIS-C, so they recognized his symptoms — which were distinct from most people with COVID-19. Doctors gave Israel fluids and intravenous immune globulin, a substance obtained from donated human plasma, which is used to treat deficiencies in the immune system. Immune globulin has been effective in children like Israel because MIS-C appears to be caused by an immune overreaction to the initial coronavirus infection, according to Choueiter, the Montefiore pediatric cardiologist. “The immune system starts attacking the body itself, including the arteries of the heart,” she said. In some MIS-C cases — though not Israel’s — the attack occurs in the coronary arteries, inflaming and dilating them. That also happens in a different syndrome affecting children, Kawasaki disease. About 5% of Kawasaki patients experience aneurysms — which can fatally rupture blood vessels — after the initial condition subsides. Choueiter and her colleagues want to make sure MIS-C patients don’t face similar risks. So far, they’re cautiously optimistic. “We have not seen any new decrease in heart function
or any new coronary artery dilations,” she said. “When we check their blood, their inflammatory markers are back to normal. For the parents, the child is back to baseline, and it’s as if this illness is a nightmare that’s long gone.” For a Pennsylvania Teen, the MIS-C Diagnosis Came Much Later Not every child who develops MIS-C tests positive for the coronavirus, though many will test positive for antibodies to the coronavirus, indicating they had been infected previously. That was the case with Andrew Lis, a boy from Pennsylvania who was the first MIS-C patient seen at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. Andrew had been a healthy 14-year-old before he got sick. He and his twin brother love sports and video games. He said the first symptom was a bad headache. He developed a fever the next day, then constipation and intense stomach pain. “It was terrible,” Andrew said. “It was unbearable. I couldn’t really move a lot.” His mother, Ingrid Lis, said they were thinking appendicitis, not coronavirus, at first. In fact, she hesitated to take Andrew to the hospital, for fear of exposing him to the virus. But after Andrew stopped eating because of his headache and stomach discomfort, “I knew I couldn’t keep him home anymore,” Lis said. Andrew was admitted to the hospital April 12, but that was before reports of the mysterious syndrome had started trickling out of Europe. Over about five days in the pediatric intensive care unit,
Andrew’s condition deteriorated rapidly, as doctors struggled to figure out what was wrong. Puzzled, they tried treatments for scarlet fever, strep throat and toxic shock syndrome. Andrew’s body broke out in rashes, then his heart began failing and he was put on a ventilator. Andrew’s father, Ed Lis, said doctors told the family to brace for the worst: “We’ve got a healthy kid who a few days ago was just having these sort of strange symptoms. And now they’re telling us that we could lose him.” Though Andrew’s symptoms were atypical for Kawasaki disease, doctors decided to give him the standard treatment for that condition — administering intravenous immune globulin, the same treatment Israel Shippy received. “Within the 24 hours of the infusion, he was a different person,” Ingrid Lis said. Andrew was removed from the ventilator, and his appetite eventually returned. “That’s when we knew that we had turned that corner.” It wasn’t until after Andrew’s discharge that his doctors learned about MIS-C from colleagues in Europe. They recommended the whole family be tested for antibodies to the coronavirus. Although Andrew tested positive, the rest of the family — both parents, Andrew’s twin brother and two older siblings — all tested negative. Andrew’s mother is still not sure how he was exposed since the family had been observing a strict lockdown since mid-March. Both she and her husband were working remotely from home, and she says they all wore masks and were conscientious about handwashing when they ventured out
for groceries. She thinks Andrew must have been exposed at least a month before his illness began. And she’s puzzled why the rest of her close-knit family wasn’t infected as well. “We are a Latino family,” Ingrid Lis said. “We are very used to being together, clustering in the same room.” Even when Andrew was sick, she says, all six of them huddled in his bedroom to comfort him. Meanwhile, Andrew has made a quick recovery. Not long after his discharge in April, he turned 15 and resumed an exercise routine involving running, pushups and situps. A few weeks later, an echocardiogram showed Andrew’s heart was “perfect,” Ed Lis said. Still, doctors have asked Andrew to follow up with a cardiologist every three months. An Eye on the Long-Term Effects The medical team at Montefiore is tracking the 40 children they have already treated and discharged. With kids showing few symptoms in the immediate aftermath, Chouetier hopes the long-term trajectory after MIS-C will be similar to what happens after Kawasaki disease. “Usually children who have had coronary artery dilations [from Kawasaki disease] that have resolved within the first six weeks of the illness do well longterm,” said Choueiter, who runs the Kawasaki disease program at Montefiore. The Montefiore team is asking patients affected by MIS-C to return for a checkup one week after discharge, then after one month, three months, six months and a year. They will be evaluated by pediatric cardiologists, hematologists, rheumatologists and infectious disease specialists. Montefiore and other children’s hospitals around the country are sharing information. Choueiter wants to establish an even longerterm monitoring program for MIS-C, comparable to registries that exist for other diseases. Moholland is glad the hospital is being vigilant. “The uncertainty of not knowing whether it could come back in his future is a little unsettling,” she said. “But I am hopeful.” This story is part of a partnership that includes WNYC, NPR and Kaiser Health News and originally appeared on khn.org
Expanded research program and revolutionary, inexpensive, non-invasive test to assess genetic risk of prostate cancer is in development
The Prostate Cancer Foundation and Robert F. Smith announce new effort to address health disparities in African American men The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and Robert F. Smith, founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, recently announced a new effort to reduce deaths from prostate cancer, one of the largest health disparities facing
African American men today. “As African American men are at an increased risk for being diagnosed or dying from prostate cancer, understanding their risk profile and applying this knowledge earlier with strategic detection, care, and decisions
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about cancer risk management is of utmost importance to address health inequity in the U.S.,” said Smith. “This is why I made a personal commitment to help accelerate research, encourage African American men to participate in the study and subsequent testing, and develop new detection strategies that have the power to transform how we diagnose and treat this disease and help save lives.” The research Smith is supporting will lead to the development of the Smith Polygenic Risk Test for Prostate Cancer, a non-invasive, early detection test that will identify a man’s lifetime prostate cancer risk using a combination of more than 250 genetic variants obtained from a single sample of saliva or blood. The Smith Test is expected to cost less than $90 USD and will be made available in PCF’s dedicated Veterans Affairs (VA) network of Centers of Excellence, including the Robert Frederick Smith Center of Precision Oncology Excellence at the VA Chicago. The test is part of a larger PCF research initiative to improve the understanding of genetic risk in African American men and transform early detection and imaging strategies, risk management, and clinicaldecision making by men at highest lifetime risk of prostate cancer. The research, led by Dr.
Prostate cancer affects more than three million men in the U.S., with one in nine men diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. African American men are disproportionately impacted. They are 76 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men, and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease compared to men of other ethnicities. Chris Haiman, ScD, a genetic epidemiologist at the University of Southern California, and international colleagues is aimed at accelerating the reduction of prostate cancer disparities for African American men by 2030. Prostate cancer affects more than three million men in the U.S., with one in nine men diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. African American men are disproportionately impacted. They are 76 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men, and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease compared to men of other ethnicities. Earlier, strategic detection is a key step in finding a cure and ending the health disparity faced by men of African descent. “Reducing prostate
cancer disparities is at the heart of PCF’s mission to end prostate cancer once and for all. This test will democratize access to genetic testing and machine learning algorithms for prostate cancer risk. It will have a historical impact in public health, racial health justice, and cancer research. We are profoundly grateful to partner with Robert to close the health equity gap and spare more men the hardship of a late-stage prostate cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. Jonathan W. Simons, CEO of PCF. Most genomic studies of prostate cancer have focused on men of European ancestry, and there is a vital need for additional resources to develop and optimize a polygenic risk score in those disproportionately
affected. This new SmithPCF initiative will increase the representation of African American men in the study and vastly expand the research to allow Dr. Haiman to quadruple the size of his study cohort, a key step to providing worldwide access to the Smith Polygenic Risk Test as soon as possible. The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has raised more than $830 million in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 220 leading cancer centers in 22 countries around the world.
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Insight News • July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020 • Page 7
Black Lives Matter mural welcomes community to Plymouth & Penn U of M Press releases “Reading for Racial Justice” digital collection for free Summer reading On May 25, Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota became the center of attention with the death of George Floyd. It was also an open window to a curious world that wanted to learn more about African American history, race relations, and social justice. The University of Minnesota Press has released a digital collection, “Reading for Racial Justice,” for free summer reading. The collection has been curated to express the intersectionality of race, food, and environmental justice.
On the site, they state, “The University of Minnesota Press is committed to challenging white supremacy, police violence, and unequal access to criminal justice, education, and resources in Minnesota, the United States, and throughout the world.” Some of the titles available to read online are Fighting Words: Black Women and the Search for Justice by Patricia Hill Collins, Hope in the Struggle A Memoir by Josie R. Johnson, Tell Me Your Names and I Will
Testify Essays by Carolyn Lee Holbrook, and Joshua Sbicca’s Food Justice Now! Deepening the Roots of Social Struggle. Readers can also access discussion guides for some of the available titles. The collection of 34 antiracist books is available to all for free through August 31, 2020. In addition to reading and sharing the collection, U of M encourages readers to “to contribute to networks of care and protester bail funds in your communities.”
This past Saturday, July 18, 2020, the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery brought together 16 artists to paint a large #BlackLivesMatter mural in North Minneapolis. The mural starts in front of the museum on Plymouth and Penn Avenues and goes east towards the 4th Precinct. Mural artists who participated in the project are: Melodee Strong, Timi Bliss, Kelly Brown, Kenneth Caldwell, Christopheraaron Deanes, Reggie LeFlore, Beverly Tipton Hammond, A. Drew Hammond, Christopher Harrison, DeSean Hollie, Lissa Karpeh, Brittany Moore, Sean Philips, Broderick Poole, Donna Ray & Peyton Russell https://t.co/5SFtWfMCdr “This is a historic public art event to support the fight against systemic racism and police brutality against Black people in this country [...] The museum also affirms that Black lives are sacred and urges a stop to the violence in the community,” said Tina Burnside, curator & co-founder, Minnesota African American Heritage Museum & Gallery.
Photos by Uche Iroegbu
June 18, 2020
Statement in Support of Police Reform and Chief Arradondo The death of George Floyd was a chapter in a story that is as old as our nation and is, sadly, still being written in communities across the country. Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks… These names serve stark notice that policing across the United States needs transformational reform. The problems with policing are deeply rooted in the structural racism that permeates our society and its institutions. The current rallying cries around “defunding,” “dismantling,” or “abolishing” the police are grounded in a basic truth that sweeping and visionary reforms are needed. The answer is not to simply defund or dismantle the police. We need to address societal racism and rebuild our infrastructure so that we can reduce our reliance on policing. Minneapolis receives more than 400,000 calls for police services every year. Housing, education, health care, mental health and the environment are key fronts for enhancing safety. Without a doubt, the Minneapolis Police Department needs transformational reform but we oppose the current proposal to amend the Minneapolis City Charter to remove the police department. This Charter amendment will not advance the transformational reform that is needed. In fact, it is a distraction from the necessary work at hand. We believe we have a leader in place who can bring about the much needed change in the police department if he has adequate support. Chief Medaria Arradondo is an ethical, professional and compassionate leader. He knows our city and loves its people. He has a reform agenda, but has experienced opposition from the Police Union and has lacked support from the City Council. We call on our citizens to support Chief Arradondo in his effort to transform our police department. We have an opportunity brought about by tragedy but it is an opportunity we can’t waste. MInneapolis can become a model for the nation by rethinking the mission of policing. Only then can Minneapolis fulfill this moment and develop a new, bold model for a safe, inclusive community.
Original Authors Walter Mondale
Josie R. Johnson
Sharon Sayles Belton
Bob Bruininks
Supporters Siyad Abdullahi Lisa Goldson Armstrong Kevin Armstrong Martha Arradondo Carol and Doug Baker Lawford Baxter Steven Belton Otis Bennett Sue Bennett Margit and Tom Berg Dixie and Steve Berg Pam and Bob Berkwitz Tiffany Blackwell Susan Boren and Steve King Wendy and Pat Born Margee and Will Bracken Aviva Breen
Dorothy Bridges Jan and Ellen Breyer Ann Buran Sonia and John Cairns Joan Campbell Robert Carey Carolyn Chalmers Jackie Cherryhomes Barry Clegg Patty Connelly Ginny and Will Craig Laura and John Crosby Linda Donaldson Rebecca Driscoll Karla Ekdahl and Peter Hutchinson Jeremiah Ellis Bill English and Freddie Davis English
Sheri and David Evelo Carol and Dick Flynn Katie and Rick Fournier Al Frost Jill Garcia Scotty and Peter Gillette Joan Growe Susan Hagstrum Ellie Hands Liz and Van Hawn Carol and Bud Hayden Anne and Peter Heegaard Michelle and Hank Helgen Carolyn and Peter Hendrixson Tom Hoch Pat Hoven
Sally Howard Diane Robinson Hunt Penny Hunt Ezell Jones Sylvia and Sam Kaplan Peg and Dick Kavaney Patricia and Bill Kelly Polly and Bill Keppel Iris and Jay Kiedrowski Elaine Kienitz Courtney Kiernat Patricia Kovel-Jarboe David Lebedoff Susan and Jim Lenfesty Kathy and Alan Lenzmeier Lee Lewis and Stephen Bubul
Friends of Minneapolis
Peggy and Dave Lucas Brian and Betsy Lucas Ellen and Andy Luger Cora McCorvey Lisa McDonald and George Soule Judith and Bill McGrann Fayneese Miller Rosanne and Mike Monten Spike Moss Patricia A. Mullen Audrey Nelson Joan and Dick Niemiec Kathleen O’Brien and Jeffrey Loesch Todd Otis Matt Perry Donna C. Peterson Susan and David Plimpton
Jodell and Walter Rockenstein Marilyn and Steve Rothschild Terry Saario and Lee Lynch Linda and John Satorius Mariana and Craig Schulstad Farji Shaheer Catherine Shreves Ann Eilbracht Thompson Dave Thompson Marcia Townley Parker Trostel Tashitaa Tufaa Ruth Usem Mary Vaughn Lisa Vecoli and Marjean Hoeft Ray Waldron Julia Wallace
Page 8 • July 27, 2020 - August 2, 2020 • Insight News
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John Lewis and C.T. Vivian belonged to a long tradition of religious leaders in the civil rights struggle By Lawrence Burnley, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, University of Dayton With the deaths of Rep. John Lewis and the Rev. Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian, the U.S. has lost two civil rights greats who drew upon their faith as they pushed for equality for Black Americans. Vivian, an early adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., died July 17 at the age of 95. News of his passing was followed just hours later by that of Lewis, 80, an ordained Baptist minister and towering figure in the civil rights struggle. That both men were people of the cloth is no coincidence. From the earliest times in U.S. history, religious leaders have led the struggle for liberation and racial justice for Black Americans. As an ordained minister and a historian, I see a common thread running from Black resistance in the earliest periods of slavery in the antebellum South, through the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s – in which Lewis and Vivian played important roles – and up to today’s Black Lives Matter movement. As Patrisse Cullors, a founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, says: “The fight to save your life is a
necessity – of a new religious synthesis.”
spiritual fight.” Spiritual calling Vivian studied theology alongside Lewis at the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee. For both men, activism was an extension of their faith. Speaking to PBS in 2004, Lewis explained: “In my estimation, the civil rights movement was a religious phenomenon. When we’d go out to sit in or go out to march, I felt, and I really believe, there was a force in front of us and a force behind us, ’cause sometimes you didn’t know what to do. You didn’t know what to say, you didn’t know how you were going to make it through the day or through the night. But somehow and some way, you believed – you had faith – that it all was going to be all right.” Fellow civil rights activists knew Vivian as the “resident theologian” in King’s inner circle due to “how profound he is in both his political and biblical exegesis,” fellow campaigner the Rev. Jesse Jackson recalled. Rejecting ‘other world’ theology Faith traditions inform the civil rights and social justice work of many Black religious leaders. They interpret religious teachings through the prism of the injustice in the here and now. Speaking of King’s influence, Lewis explained:
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President Obama awarded Rev. C.T. Vivian the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. “He was not concerned about the streets of heaven and the pearly gates and the streets paved with milk and honey. He was more concerned about the streets of Montgomery and the way that Black people and poor people were being treated in Montgomery.” This focus on realworld struggles as part of the role of spiritual leaders was present in the earliest Black civil rights and anti-slavery leaders. Nat Turner, a leader in the revolt against slavery, for example, saw rebellion as the work of God, and drew upon biblical texts to inspire his actions. Likewise fellow anti-slavery campaigners
Sojourner Truth and Jarena Lee rejected the “otherworld” theology taught to enslaved Africans by their white captors, which sought to deflect attention away from their condition in “this world” with promises of a better afterlife. Incorporating religion into the Black anti-slavery movement sowed the seeds for faith being central to the struggle for racial justice. As the church historian James Washington observed in 1986, the “very disorientation of their slavery and the persistent impact of systemic racism and other forms of oppression provided the opportunity – indeed the
‘Ubuntuism’ The synthesis continued into the 20th century. Religious civil rights leaders like Lewis and Vivian clearly felt compelled to make the struggle for justice a central part of a spiritual leader’s role. In 1965, Vivian was punched in the mouth by Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark in an incident caught on camera and carried on national news. Vivian later said: “Everything I am as a minister, as an African American, as a civil rights activist and a struggler for justice for everyone came together in that moment.” Though their activism was grounded in Christianity, Lewis and Vivian both forged strategic and powerful coalitions with those outside of their faith. In some ways, they transcended theologically informed ideologies with a world view more akin to Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s interpretation of “Ubuntu” – that one’s own humanity is inextricably bound up with that of others. Lewis and Vivian personified this value in their leadership styles. George Floyd Racial justice remains integral to Black Christian leadership in the 21st century. After the killing of George Floyd in police custody
in Minneapolis, it was the Rev. Al Sharpton whose words were carried across the globe, calling on white America to “get your knee off our necks” at Floyd’s memorial service. In recent years, the Rev. William J. Barber II has been such a vocal and powerful presence in protests that some Americans consider him to be a the successor to past civil rights greats. In an interview in early 2020, Barber said: “There is not some separation between Jesus and justice; to be Christian is to be concerned with what’s going on in the world.” John Lewis and Rev. C.T. Vivian lived those words. Some of this information appeared in a previous article published on June 17 and originally appeared on The Conversation. Dr. Lawrence A. Q. Burnley was appointed University of Dayton’s inaugural vice president for diversity and inclusion on July 1, 2016. He was ordained as a minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), in June of 1990 at Fifth Christian Church in Cleveland, Ohio. His first book, The Cost of Unity: African American Agency and Education, in the Christian Church., 18651914, is published by Mercer University Press (2008). He is also a contributing author in The Stone-Campbell Movement: A Global History (January 2013).