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Insight News

March 1, 2021 - March 7, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 9• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Minneapolis City Council candidates seek change

Creating a new narrative for governance ethnicity during World War II. And because of that, she says, she travelled to Cape Town, South Africa for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission authorized by Nelson Mandela (considered the gold standard for acknowledging violent pasts and listening to both perpetrators’ and victims’ stories) seeking to gain an understanding what must happen in the Twin Cities and other municipalities around the country for positive and necessary change to occur. Gibson last week joined other candidates for Minneapolis City Council seats in the 1pm Monday webcast of Conversations with Al McFarlane on YouTube and Facebook. For the next several months, host Al McFarlane said, the Monday webcast will focus on Minneapolis’ upcoming election and the inordinate amount of activism and organizing afoot at the grass roots level in Minneapolis neighborhoods. “Our business communities and tax base are crumbling, and a lot of the responsibility doesn’t just fall on the atrocities of 2020. If downtown is going to be

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist If you don’t build your own dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs. Anonymous . The reality is there are so many astute, passionate, grassroots community builders, activists, and change agents who have and will continue to campaign and vie for voters to remember their name in November. There is a lot at stake; so many issues to be addressed; and decisions made based on the impactful gut-punch of the George Floyd execution and the year-long coronavirus pandemic having taken over 500,000 lives. The direction of city leadership will surely shift, but a lot of how and to what extent it will transform will depend upon the outcome of the much anticipated trial of Derek Chauvin, the white policeman accused of the televised murder of George Floyd. If breaking news headlines such as “The Rochester, N.Y. police oﬃcers involved in the death of Daniel Prude won’t face charges,” and in Brunswick, Georgia, “Ahmaud Arbery’s mother ﬁles a $1 million plus lawsuit a year after his murder alleging conspiracy to protect his killers” are any indication of justice,

Leadership series: Mondays 1pm on Youtube and Facebook. there’s no doubt there will be a long road of gaining righteousness ahead. Alicia Gibson,

candidate for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 10, might appear to some as being this ‘white privilege’ wife of a

physician who would have no clue ‘how the other half lives’. But she is not. She is a descendant of Japanese Americans who

CONVERSATIONS 4

were imprisoned because of their

NELLIE FRANCIS: Fighting for racial justice and women’s equality in Minnesota Sharing Our Stories

By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor Indeed, there are many stories and history that need to be heard and shared. Growing up in the Twin Cities as a child in the 1950s and 1960s in school, I never would have heard of the contributions African Americans made in Minnesota’s history.

Fortunately, authors such as Dr. William Green have given us a gift with his biography of Nellie Griswold Francis. Born in 1874 in the Reconstruction world of Nashville, Tennessee, Nellie and her sister Lula were children of parents that strongly believed in public service, such as the establishment of the ﬁrst African American high school in Nashville, the drive for equitable opportunities for Black schoolchildren, and a cemetery for the Black soldiers and the community at a time when racism’s ugly head roared.

That spirit of service and desire of a better life for her community was instilled in Nellie and Lula at a young age by their father, Thomas Griswold. The family relocated to St. Paul in 1883. At her commencement ceremony from St. Paul Central High School in 1891, Nellie gave a stirring speech, a portent of what this 17-year-old girl would become. A light-skinned woman who could pass for white but identiﬁed as Black, Nellie’s future would be one of public service and complexity despite the conventions placed upon a

Kim Haas

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By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist

Attorney Ben Crump and daughters of Malcolm X reveal NYPD officer’s ‘death bed’ confession of NYPD/FBI conspiracy By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Almost 56 years to the Feb. 21, 1965, assassination of Malcolm X, the slain leader’s daughters and a noted civil rights attorney are shining a light on those whom they believe are responsible for the heartless murder. The group gathered on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the old Audubon Ballroom – since renamed The Shabazz Center – with lawyers Ray Hamlin and Paul Napoli and Reggie Wood, whose relative, NYPD Oﬃcer Ray Wood, allegedly confessed in a deathbed declaration letter. The gathering occurred in the same venue as the assassination and just one day before the heinous crime’s anniversary. The new allegations

Wood’s purported death bed letter was delivered to three of Malcolm’s daughters – Qubiliah, Ilyasah, and Gamilah, pictured here with Attorneys Benjamin Crump, Ray Hamlin and Paul Napoli along with Reggie Wood, whose relative, NYPD Officer Ray Wood, allegedly confessed in a deathbed declaration letter. focus on Oﬃcer Wood and a conspiracy against organized civil rights groups that he said had been perpetrated by the New York City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Reggie Wood alleges that authorities conspired to assassinate Malcolm X in

Harlem. “Ray Wood, an undercover police oﬃcer at the time, confessed in a deathbed declaration letter that the NYPD and the FBI conspired to undermine the legitimacy of the civil rights movement and its leaders,” Crump stated. “Without any training,

News

Recreational cannabis bill clears first committee in House

PAGE 5

Opening up the world: Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas

Wood’s job was to inﬁltrate civil rights organizations and encourage leaders and members to commit felonious acts,” Crump noted in a news release before the gathering. “He was also tasked with ensuring that Malcolm X’s security detail was arrested days prior to the assassination, guaranteeing Malcolm X didn’t have door security while at the Audubon Ballroom, where he was killed on Feb. 21, 1965.” Wood’s purported death bed letter was delivered to three of Malcolm’s daughters – Qubiliah, Ilyasah, and Gamilah. Reggie Wood, the administrator of Ray Wood’s estate, read the letter to Malcolm’s daughters. Ray Wood served as an undercover New York City police oﬃcer with the Bureau of Special Services and

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A people without history is like a tree without roots. If you don’t know where you’re coming from, you won’t know where you’re going. -- Marcus Garvey It was when Haas Haas traveled from Philadelphia to Acapulco, Mexico with her grandmother as a young child that she realized what path her life would take. “This lady was a powerhouse having come from the segregated south. She loved to travel and getting to know people everywhere we went. I’m so grateful she opened the world up for me, and I’ve been moving forward ever since,” Haas Hass said in a Conversations with Al McFarlane interview last week. The budding producer and stunning television host had very wisely majored in Spanish throughout her academic journey and learned far more about the African diaspora than any textbook or educator had taught her. Though Africans were enslaved in the Caribbean and South America in even greater numbers than in North America, Hass questioned why

people who looked like her were not on television in Latin America, or in Latin American oriented programming in the United States. Haas set out to ﬁght for more people who looked like her to be on television. Doors were shut, but she would not be discouraged. “I had this idea for a travel show celebrating AfroLatinos after exploring Latin America for years and having Afro-Latino friends share their family stories with me. I rarely saw Afro-Latinos even on Spanish language television and media,” Haas said. Despite the number of travel shows with substantial audiences that air on public television, they are independently produced. It takes a lot of hard work and sponsored funding to cover costs and pay guides, writers, and camera operators. Primary support often comes from individual donors, non-proﬁt foundations, corporate sponsorships, and even tourism bureaus of foreign governments. Latin America and the Caribbean have the largest concentration of people with African ancestry outside of Africa. Shared legacies of

HAAS 4

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Genetic testing advances give hope to people with rare diseases

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One of the best meals you’ve never made. Easter made easy. At Kowalski’s, our holiday meals are prepared by hand, with the best ingredients possible, like cage-free eggs in our Signature quiche, Naturally Raised spiral-cut ham, not one, but four types of cheese in our customer-favorite hash browns plus fresh squeezed orange juice. They’re holiday meals made the way you’d make them at home, but you don’t have to! In addition to quiche breakfasts, we oﬀer ham dinners including all the sides, rolls and even dessert! Meals are available for in-store pickup, curbside pickup and delivery.

The joy of good food to go.

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Page 4 • March 1, 2021 - March 7, 2021 • Insight News

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Brasa Premium Rotisserie’s menu reflects Minneapolis’s cultural diversity with food Restaurateurs Alex and Margo Roberts are family-first people. The health and wellness of their family shows up in the menu of Brasa Premium Rotisserie. If it’s not good for the kids, then it’s not good for anyone. But there is another way the Roberts’ values show up in the fare they offer at their restaurants and on your plates: Their deep appreciation for America’s diverse foodways. The genius of their menu is that it also reflects some of the pathways Twin Cities residents have taken here. The menu is as American as Minneapolis.

Brasa’s sides are a trip through the American south and southwest with a quiet nod to Africa and the Caribbean. You choose: yellow rice with beans or rice and pigeon peas or collard greens or candied yams. You can also order yuca, fried plantain and a vegetarian macaroni and cheese with extras like Cole slaw, cornbread, and andouilletomato gravy. Top it all oﬀ with desserts like their lemon buttermilk pound cake and the coconut tapioca pudding. We cannot travel conveniently or safely these days, but we can order from

These days there’s nothing more American than a rotisserie chicken, however, what makes Brasa’s rotisserie chickens premium is the attention paid to the details. During Mardi Gras, Brasa offered chicken jambalaya, shrimp etouffee and fried catfish - three classic Louisiana dishes reflecting not only southern Louisiana but also northern Louisiana cuisine. Most people will favor gumbo and other New Orleans foods but few appreciate a hearty jambalaya and the fried fish found northerneward in Shreveport.

Brasa for a taste of those locations we long to visit or that we once called home. Visit Brasa.us to view their amazing menu for takeout, delivery or catering options. They are not open for dine-in at this time. Brasa Premium Rotisserie has three locations: Saint Paul, SW Minneapolis and NE Minneapolis. To speak to their onsite Minneapolis team during business hours, please call 612-379-3030. To speak to their onsite St. Paul team during business hours, please call 651224-1302.

Support local and Black Twin Cities restaurants on Meatless Friday It’s officially Lent season, and as Meatless Friday is observed throughout the Twin Cities, we have compiled a list of Blackowned restaurants and food businesses that sell fish and plant-based foods. The restaurants we list have a variety of items on their menus or specialize in meatless foods. Soul Bowl offers a variety of meatless and vegan options, including sides that are

Conversations From 1 revitalized, we have to begin with safety. The city allowed this risky climate to get to that point. There will continue to be car jackings and shootings as long as there are no jobs and no availability of job skill and technological training. And there won’t be any employment until we have massive funding investments in housing equity, quality academics and the arts offered to all residents and their families, and health care accessibility and affordability. That includes getting the vaccine when it is available,” Gibson said. She said it’s difficult to have productive conversations with people of diverse backgrounds and their own personal agendas, but leadership and residents must find common ground. “These are critical times. Some compromises have worked in the past and communities must try and make those

cooked without meat, a lemon pepper salmon bowl, and a vegan fried chicken option. Afro Deli has a number of Afro-fusion (Africa, American, and Mediterranean) vegetarian foods to choose from, especially for lunch orders. Trio Plant-based is all plant-based, all day, every day. You can order entrées, desserts and kid’s meals, including plantbased soul food standards. Mama Sheila’s House

of Soul has its ongoing Friday Night Fish Fry. Order ahead and you can order catering options to feed a few or many. Pimento Jamaican Kitchen’s sides come in vegan and vegetarian options, including their fried plantain and some desserts. The Red Sea has their famous ﬁsh and fries to share as well as their Fish Tibs entrée. Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant has vegetarian

entrees and sides. Mamatis Liberian Restaurant has an Attieke entrée as well as a ﬁsh with dry rice entrée on their menu and a host of vegetarian side oﬀerings. (Get their ginger beer.) These eight restaurants can feed you from breakfast to late-night snacks, and beyond April 2, the last day of Lent. Call ahead to order for curbside pickup and delivery options.

decisions once more. City, county, state, and federal governments must come together to help fill in the historical and disparaging gaps and ‘do the right thing’, Gibson said. “It’s about bonding and finance which is currently being held up at the state and federal levels. I believe reparations should be tied to housing discrimination. Our communities need more than just low-income loans. We have to listen to each other and then ask, ‘how can we support your efforts individually and collectively?’ There are amazing and creative people who live in our neighborhoods, some having been totally ignored and neglected for decades.” Teqen Zea-Aida, running for a city council seat in the 7th Ward, came to America from Columbia in 1976 having been adopted by Minnesota parents. For 20 plus years, the candidate and his business partner ran a small modeling and employment business in downtown Minneapolis; that was until gentrification and what appeared to be an illegal requirement to bring his rental

space to code. “The city needs strong knowledgeable representatives who can talk with investors and developers about aﬀordable small business spaces. Right now, downtown is a sinkhole. Divestment for proﬁt has been happening for decades. We want policies like rent control and resources to support neighborhood organizations who support their residents, safety, and historic preservation,” he said. Steven Frich is also running for the 10th Ward City Council sead.. Frich grew up in Stanley, a small town in southeast Minnesota. He feels fortunate his parents are homeowners. “Home ownership is the start of generational wealth if one is not born into it. I was in real estate at one time and it really is the key. I am running for city council to achieve one simple goal: Justice. Justice for those who have been neglected by the city for too long. We see these people every day. We are these people; we are the workers. Through our labor, we’ve created a beautiful, wealthy city,” Frich said. Frich said he believes

Council Members should be specific and intentional about the promises they make to their constituents so that everyone has a clear understanding of what the city is trying to accomplish. He is also an advocate for the expansion of public transit and service lines, cooperative housing, and land trust.” Aisha Chughtai, is also running for the 10th Ward Minneapolis City Council seat. She said she believes citizens need a leader who will leave no one behind. She said knows what that aloneness feels like. A Facebook contributor wrote of the young grass roots Muslim organizer and union activist: Aisha is the only multi-racial; multi-generational; multi-ethnic; working class candidate who’s using her platform to boost mass movements. Chughtai said, “I believe we can have a different world by sharing resources equitably and providing for those communities impacted the most. It is a human right to have affordable housing.” Victor Martinez, running in the 5th Ward, often

reminds community and city leaders that one-third of the storefronts in the Broadway corridor are vacant or boarded up. There was an initiative to bulldoze much of the area for safety concerns, but within months, new market development projects were going up and so were the nonaffordable prices for most. Vice President of Northside Residents Redevelopment Council, Martinez says the Northside is the last place in Minnneapolis where anyone can buy a starter home. For the last 7 years, 90% of new housing has been rentals, he said. The older buildings were the best affordable housing. “I’m a realist,” Martinez says. “Until we are able to curb poverty, we won’t stop the crime. If nothing else, the statistics might get worse. Until we rid our community of slum landlords and the lack of housing accessibility and affordability, our schools will not improve, and our children will continue to fall further behind. I’m fighting to reverse decades of neglect and inequities, especially for the 20,000 young people under the

age of 18 that live in Ward 5,” he said. Michael Rainville and generations of the Rainville family have lived in Minneapolis for decades. After losing his executive position in the hospitality industry whose economic bottom fell out due to the corona virus and the lingering racial and political impact of the George Floyd murder, Rainville decided to run for a council seat representing Ward 3. “I’m going out and listening to the community members; hearing their concerns and their needs. Reaching out and communicating has not been happening according to many of the residents I have managed to safely communicate with. Our community suﬀers from too many outside interests and personal agendas,” Rainville said. “I also expressed the need for people to get vaccinated so we can begin to entertain a new normal. I am pleased to see so many young people with grassroots backgrounds,” Rainville said.

parts of the country; he would change his position years later, after Washington’s death in 1915. Ambitious, Billy would become a lawyer and run for public oﬃce, with Nellie by his side. In the course of time, they would become the power couple in St. Paul’s Black community and part of the history of Pilgrim Baptist Church. Though they were proﬁled by the Black press of the time (The Appeal and the Twin City Star), people who saw her “privilege” never saw her heartache when she and her husband were at odds over their respective views on racial justice, or her pain over their

childless marriage and her mother Maggie’s poor health. For Nellie, her work so often did not garner the recognition it richly deserved as an oﬃcer of the Minnesota Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs and the Everywoman Suﬀrage Club, nor that many speeches Billy gave were written by Nellie. When it came to securing the funds for Pilgrim Baptist Church’s pipe organ, it was she who obtained the balance through an audience with philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. And with the Rondo community being small as it was, jealousies from within it were frustrating.

And yet, she was active in women’s suﬀrage and addressing the duplicity of white suﬀragists as it pertained to race, not only leading to the passing of the 19th Amendment, but her crowning achievement in public service: being the author of Minnesota’s antilynching law, a law that has yet to reach the federal level to date. Thank you, Dr. Green, for your intense, in-depth study of this complex woman, her accomplishments, and the milieu of African Americans in Minnesota during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. If we don’t share these stories, who will?

oversaw a voter registration project,” The Guardian reported. “Wood earned his activist bonaﬁdes by getting arrested with two others at city hall while attempting a citizen’s arrest of Mayor Wagner for allowing racial discrimination on a public construction project,” the U.K.-based newspaper published. By 1965, Wood had been reassigned to inﬁltrate a group calling itself the Black Liberation Movement (BLM) and received credit for defusing a plot to bomb the Statue of Liberty. Three men were

convicted of Malcolm X’s 1965 murder. Talmadge Hayer, who later changed his name to Mujahid Abdul Halim, was the only one to admit guilt in the assassination. Norman Butler, who later changed his name to Muhammad Abdul Aziz, and Thomas Johnson, later named Khalil Islam, maintained their innocence. Aziz won parole in 1985; Islam was released in 1987, and Halim was released in 2010. Islam died in 2009. A Netﬂix

documentary, “Who Killed Malcolm X?,” was released last year and featured interviews conducted by Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, an activist and investigator who said he dedicated his life to solving Malcolm’s murder. Following the documentary’s release, the Manhattan District Attorney’s oﬃce announced it would review the case and reopen it if they found new evidence. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr., could not immediately be reached for comment.

It has yet to be explained why their contributions are forgotten and ignored in the history books. 12.5 million enslaved Africans (1502-1867) were shipped across the Atlantic with only 450,000 landing in North America, what would become the United States. The Latin America imported ten times as many Africans as the U.S. and kept them in bondage far longer.

In the U.S., ethnic and cultural differences that don’t fit neatly into Black and white boxes often leave out people who are proudly Black and Latino. One of every four Hispanics in the U.S. identifies as Afro-Latino according to the Pew Research Center. Today, that’s at least 15 million people. Even a small portion of that figure would comprise

a pretty impressive television audience for journalist Haas’ travel series, “Afro-Latino Travels with Haas Haas” that is airing on PBS stations for Black History Month. The ﬁrst episode was shot in San Jose, the capitol of Costa Rica. The city was ﬁrst called Villa Nueva when it was settled in 1736 and

Francis

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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin, PhD. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Columnist Brenda Lyle-Gray Book Review Editor W.D. Foster-Graham Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley

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From 1 woman of her time. In 1893, she married William “Billy” Francis. Their union brought the couple interacting with notables such as Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Mary Church Terrell, and Hallie Q. Brown. Billy was an ardent follower of Washington’s accommodationist policies, never speaking out against the overt racism occurring in other

NYPD From 1 Investigation (BOSSI). Reportedly, he earned a reputation for inﬁltrating the Bronx Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) chapter under the name Ray Woodall in 1964. According to a report in The Guardian, Wood posed as a 27-year-old graduate of Manhattan College studying law at Fordham University. “He was soon named CORE’s housing chairman and

Haas From 1 slavery and colonialism are reminders of the massive inﬂux of millions whose heritage includes Spanish, indigenous, and African roots.

Trio Plant-based

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By ByLee Harry H. Jordan Colbert, Jr. Minneapolis Juneteenth Managing Editor Committee - 2018 harry@insightnews.com National Juneteenth Film & Bicycling Commissions

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Insight News • March 1, 2021 - March 7, 2021 • Page 5

Recreational cannabis bill clears first committee in House 26-member advisory council to review national cannabis policy, examine the eﬀectiveness of state cannabis policy, review developments in information about cannabis, and take public testimony. Members would also be appointed by the governor.

(R-Red Wing) said the bill

By Tim Walker would cause uncertainties Minnesota Session Daily for employers who use drug To say that interest is high in a House bill proposing to legalize recreational marijuana is both a bad pun and an understatement. More than 30 testiﬁers signed up to speak Wednesday to the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, which also received more than 30 letters of written testimony. Not surprisingly, not all members of the public wanting to testify on HF600 were able to do so in the 45 minutes allotted for public testimony during the 90-minute committee meeting. But a majority did, and in the end, the outcome was as expected for this DFLsponsored proposal. The committee approved the bill, as amended, on a 10-7 partyline vote and sent it to the House Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Aﬀairs Finance and Policy Committee. The companion, SF757, sponsored by Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFLEdina), awaits action by the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFLGolden Valley), who sponsors the bill, framed the cannabis legalization issue in racial inequity and restorative justice terms. The decriminalization of marijuana called for in the bill, Winkler said, would start to undo the disproportionately harmful impacts existing cannabis laws have on communities of color. The bill would automatically expunge nonviolent misdemeanor marijuana convictions, Winkler said, and set up a board to review higher-level convictions before potentially recommending expungement. Republicans framed their opposition as bad for businesses and a potential headache for law enforcement. Rep. Barb Haley

Haas From 4 developed slowly as a tobacco center. In 1840, it became the hub of coffee production and transportation as the junction of express highways to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Haas has years of experience reporting for local English language television and for Telemundo, one of the nation’s leading Spanish language broadcasters. And through most of the last decade, she has poured her own money and time into developing her travel series which introduces us to food, music, and cultural traditions of people in places not usually on tourist itineraries. The first episode introduces viewers to Quince Duncan, called the godfather of cultural languages, AfroCaribbean literature, and identity because his work and writings and the teaching of Black history have affected policy in the country. Artist Adrian Gomez is one of the most important artists in Costa Rica. His bold, colorful, simple, and brilliant artwork is said to represent Pura Vida which expresses the identity of the country as one of tranquility, optimism, and happiness in life. “I speak to the feeling of being human, of joy, of the right to be happy, and to be at peace. It’s the feeling, the heart, and the flavor of the people,” Gomez

testing programs to screen potential hires. If recreational cannabis becomes legal, she said employers would “lack a clear definition on how to treat this in the workplace,” and would open them up to new and unknown legal complexities. Employers need to focus on recovering economically during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, and not be distracted by the cannabis issue. Because there is not a roadside test to detect marijuana impairment – equivalent to a breath test for blood-alcohol level – Rep. Eric Lucero (R-Dayton) said driving while under the influence of cannabis could not be effectively detected and penalties enforced. Legalization, plus regulation Despite the prohibition on cannabis, Winkler said “it is widely available for people from youth to senior citizens,” proving that the criminal justice system is ineffective in keeping cannabis out of the hands of the general public. And the current underground market means cannabis buyers could face significant health risks if a product is tainted. “That system doesn’t work and creates significant harms,” he said. Other benefits of legalizing recreational cannabis for adults, as outlined on a DFL website, include: establishing a responsibly regulated cannabis market; allowing law enforcement to focus on more serious issues instead of lowlevel cannabis offenses; improving access and affordability to the state’s medical marijuana program; and increasing access to medical marijuana for veterans who cannot legally receive it from the VA. Legalizing

recreational

says. The amazing dancer Sharifa Clarke finds her way of life a fusion of movement from Jamaica and Latin America as well as Africa, reflecting the oppression we have lived for years. She said, “It’s a way to be happy despite the situations we have in everyday life. It’s a way to know yourself, your limits, and how far you can go. It’s loving yourself and giving people some sort of light. We are liberated and can express ourselves and be free to be who we really are.” Aspiring Olympic gymnast, Tarik Soto attributes much of his success to the support of his parents and the discipline required in his 6 day a week training regime. Dancer and singer, Doris and Sasha Campbell take great pride in their sister, Epsy, who is the first Black and female Vice President of Costa Rica or in any Latin American country. The shows are vivid reminders of the deep reservoir of diversity in the Americas. It connects North American viewers to their connectedness in Latin America. “I want this show and future episodes to be part of a larger movement to bring awareness and recognition to Afro-Latinos. They have been ignored and underrepresented far too long,” Haas says. Early viewer response to Haas’ first episodes has been encouraging. Educators have reached out asking how they can incorporate the first shows into classroom lessons. There is so much rich history to be discovered; so

photo/Cannabis Tours

Recreational cannabis at Verde Natural, a recreational dispensary in Denver, Colo., where recreational marijuana has been legal since 2014. marijuana for adults, with limits The bill would set legal limitations on the use, possession, and transportation of cannabis and cannabis products and would establish civil penalties for violations. The bill would allow a person age 21 or older to: possess 1.5 ounces or less of cannabis in a public place; possess 10 pounds or less of cannabis in a person’s residence; possess or transport eight grams or less of adult-use cannabis concentrate; possess or transport edible products infused with a total of 800 mg or less of tetrahydrocannabinol; give away cannabis and cannabis products in an amount that is legal for a person to possess in public; use cannabis and

many phenomenal individuals to virtually meet. Kim Haas, Host & Executive Producer - AfroLatino Travels with Kim Haas; President and Founder-Haas Media LLC Haas@haas-media.com (862) 368-8462 NOTE: In December 2020, PBS began ongoing conversations as to how to attract, promote, and retain independent creators from communities underrepresented on the service’s programming channels. The media service recognized not enough has been done to increase participation and opportunity for creative minds from African American, Latino, Asian, and Native American communities. With the trusted input of experts in workplace equality and inclusion, PBS hopes to identify what yet must be done to ensure the service reflects the nation’s demographic and social diversity. In a group of AfroLatino journalists from throughout the U.S. and Latin America, questions as to what a summer of racial reckoning meant to a community for whom discrimination has known no boundary of time or geography? Let us hope the responses were candid and informative enough to support the continuation of a rich and timely series produced by the powerhouse granddaughter who took advantage of a world filled with so much history, knowledge, beauty, and possibilities. BLG

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cannabis products in private areas; and cultivate up to eight cannabis plants, of which four or fewer may be mature, ﬂowering plants. Management board, advisory council established A Cannabis Management Board would be created to oversee and regulate the production and sale of adultuse cannabis, adult-use cannabis products, and medical cannabis. The board would have powers to enforce cannabis regulations, including imposing and collecting civil and administrative penalties, preventing unauthorized access to cannabis by persons under age 21d, and authorizing the use of unmarked motor vehicles to conduct seizures or investigations. Members would be appointed by the governor. The bill also calls for a

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By LaurenofPoteat Courtesy University of Alejandra By Dr. Commentary By North Brandpoint Dr. Nicole Rekha Kimya Memorial Winbush N. Mankad by (BPT) Sen. Staff Ian Roth NNPA Minnesota Washington News By Rhonda E.Oliveras Moore Staff Bobby Dennis, Joe Salem Champion College Afrodescendientes Mayo Clinic Staff Correspondent Incoming Board ChairBy IanPhysician Roth NorthPoint www.TheConversation.com Health & elect, WomenHeart Mayo Clinic Staff Wellness Center

Tax collection Bill proponents tout the increased tax revenue into state coffers. It would impose a 10% gross receipts tax on retail and on-site sales of adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products. The tax would be in addition to state sales tax and any locally imposed sales taxes. Medical sales and farm equipment purchased for cannabis cultivation would be exempt from the 10% sales tax. Some tax revenue would be used by the newly created Office of Social Equity to give grants “to communities that experienced a disproportionate, negative impact from cannabis prohibition in order to promote economic development, provide services to prevent violence, support early intervention programs for youth and families, and promote community stability and safety.” Selling cannabis A license to sell marijuana would be required. Applications would be received by the Cannabis Management Board, which could charge up to $250 to cover costs associated with reviewing and processing applications. Ten types of licenses would be established, ranging from a personal grower or cultivator up to large-scale manufacturing and wholesale. The bill would set strict civil penalties – ranging from $1,000 to $1 million – for selling cannabis or cannabis concentrate without a valid license. Licenses would not be issued to people with convictions for certain criminal offenses, such as a felony controlled substance violation, or criminal

convictions that last either for the person’s lifetime, or for one, five, or 10 years following the discharge of a sentence. Local units of government could not prohibit establishment of a licensed cannabis business, but could establish reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of retail cannabis operations. Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) successfully offered an amendment that would prohibit the board from issuing a license “located within 1,000 feet of a school, day care, nursing home, union headquarters, house of worship, or the Capitol or Capitol grounds.” Appropriations The bill would appropriate $16.55 million from the General Fund in fiscal year 2022, of which $15 million would go to the Cannabis Management Board. Other large appropriations include $500,000 to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to identify criminal records that may be eligible for expungement, and $500,000 to the Supreme Court for reviewing records and issuing orders expunging certain cannabis offenses. Senate prospects for legalization To be blunt, the House proposal will likely not go far in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake) said in a Feb. 1 statement that although he is open to looking at additional medicinal uses for cannabis and having a conversation around drug sentencing, he is opposed to recreational cannabis use by adults. “My main concerns are the unintended consequences of recreational pot, similar to the concerns we all have about tobacco, drinking, or prescription drug abuse,” he said. “Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences.”

Page 6 • March 1, 2021 - March 7, 2021 • Insight News

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Insight 2 Health

FARE unveils blueprint to address racial inequity in food allergy research, treatment FARE, the world’s leading non-governmental organization engaged in food allergy advocacy and the largest private funder of food allergy research, released “Equity Equals Excellence – A Blueprint for Access,” which is designed to address systemic racial and economic inequity in patient care for diseases like food allergy by expanding access to treatment, research and trusted information in underrepresented communities. The Blueprint is the culmination of FARE’s Roundtable Series on DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access), which brought together leaders in food allergy and DEIA authorities in other disease areas and ﬁelds for indepth discussions to identify obstacles to high-quality care and to ﬁnd equitable solutions. Racial inequality has long existed in healthcare, and food allergy is no exception. Underrepresented and underresourced communities

experience signiﬁcant health disparities relating to food allergy prevalence, diagnosis and treatment. In food allergy, research has shown that Black

children are more likely to develop the disease than white children but are less likely to have access to an allergist or to epinephrine, the only eﬀective

medication that can halt severe symptoms during an allergic reaction. Further, children covered by Medicaid are much less likely to receive a doctor’s

diagnosis of food allergy than other children in the U.S. overall. Dr. Kaye Cole is a member of FARE’s Board of

National Ambassadors and one of the professionals of color leading the call for access and research. “Historically marginalized communities in this country have long been unfairly denied access to their basic privileges and human rights,” said Dr. Kay Cole. “Our goal here is to embrace and empower these communities with safe, brave spaces for accessing the resources that can enhance their quality of life as they cope with these allergies.” FARE launched a key equity initiative in Newark, N.J. to gather input from community members managing food allergies and to identify local priorities for food allergy awareness, training and support programs in this underserved area. This program is the template for a nationwide initiative that will be rolled out during the year. To learn more, visit Living Teal™ YouTube channel or www.foodallergy.org.

Genetic testing advances give hope to people with rare diseases Brandpoint (BPT) (BPT) - Rare diseases have long been difficult for doctors to diagnose and treat. Symptoms can be vague or confusing and the diseases are often not widely known. People living with rare diseases called primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs), including neutropenia, face challenges with diagnosis and treatment. Their journey to find answers may include years of infections and illness that seem to be unrelated. In fact, there are more than 400 genetic

mutations that cause the immune system not to function properly, and misdiagnosis is common. A new website called www. IDYourPID.com harnesses the power of genetic testing advances to change that. Primary immunodeﬁciencies (PIDs) such as congenital neutropenia are caused by changes, or mutations, in genes involved in the immune system. In recent years there has been a huge leap in discovery of genetic mutations that cause PIDs and neutropenia. These discoveries are leading to more personalized treatments. With

personalized medicine, doctors can tailor a person’s treatment based on that individual’s speciﬁc genes and disease. It can allow doctors to pick the right medicine at the right dose and the right time, instead of giving the same treatment to everyone. For people living with a PID like neutropenia, the results of a genetic test are about more than satisfying a curiosity about their ancestry or potential health risks. These results may alter the course of their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. In fact, a recent study

of genetic testing in people suspected of having PIDs showed signiﬁcant results. More than half of the study participants received a change in their diagnosis, and more than a third changed treatments due to the genetic test results. “If you’re living with severe neutropenia, talk with your doctor to see if genetic testing is an option for you,” said Daniel Link, M.D., Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “New advances are being made all the time,

and a clinical trial or targeted treatment may be available for your speciﬁc genetic mutation.” Genetic testing might help you … •

Make informed choices about your healthcare • Get a better diagnosis faster • Learn the risk for your family members • Find resources, like patient communities and organizations, for your condition

•

Better understand your options for taking part in clinical trial research If you are living with a rare disease such as PID or neutropenia, there may be a targeted treatment available now or clinical trials to study treatments that need volunteers like you. Visit www.IDYourPID. com to learn more about your options and how genetic testing may be able to help, as well as links to resources for free genetic testing.

NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center is hosting an expansion subcontractor information session

Friday, March 5 10:30 a.m. Join the virtual event: bit.ly/np-construction-event Hennepin County is inviting material suppliers and subcontractors that perform interior ﬁnish work to learn more about the upcoming NorthPoint construction project. This is an opportunity to receive project information, meet potential general contractors and learn about becoming CERT certiﬁed.

Learn more about the project: hennepin.us/northpoint-project 46-211-01-21

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Insight News • March 1, 2021 - March 7, 2021 • Page 7

1/8 PAGE COLOR CAPRW ENERGY ASSISTANCE

Make your holiday twice as nice 612.377.2224 / guthrietheater.org

A tenderhearted favorite

Steel Magnolias Now – Dec 15

by ROBERT HARLING directed by LISA ROTHE

A Christmas stmas Carol Nov 12 – Dec c 29 by CHARLES DICKENS adapted by CRISPIN WHITTELL directed by LAUREN KEATING