Insight ::: 05.06.2024

Vice President Kamala Harris announces nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour

communities and individuals.

“President Biden and I are committed to creating an economy in which every person has the freedom to thrive,” Harris stated. “Our economic approach has delivered great progress, and we will continue to invest in you, your family, and your future.”

During the tour, Harris plans to highlight the administration’s historic investments that have supported

to foster economic growth, build wealth, and ensure American prosperity. The tour, which began with a moderated conversation in Atlanta on April 29, will see the Vice President visiting several states to emphasize the administration’s commitment to creating an economy where every person can thrive. A subsequent event is scheduled for Detroit, with more dates and locations to be announced soon.

According to a White House Fact Sheet, these include unprecedented investments in small businesses, the fastest creation of Black-owned small businesses in over 30 years, record job creation, increased access to capital for underserved communities, and significant healthcare reforms such as cutting insulin prices and erasing medical debt. The vice president will also discuss the administration’s efforts in education, affordable housing, childcare, and boosting the wealth of American families. She will describe

additional measures the Biden-Harris Administration takes to build on this work. The White House said administration officials, members of Congress, local leaders, and others will join Harris on the tour.

Officials said the tour builds on Harris’ extensive travel to communities nationwide. Since the beginning of 2024, she has made more than 35 trips to 16 states, engaging with small business owners and entrepreneurs in underserved communities to discuss challenges and opportunities. Earlier this year,

Harris announced $32 million in funds to support historically underserved entrepreneurs during a visit to Black Wall Street in Durham, NC. She also announced an SBA rule in Las Vegas that ensures individuals who have served time are eligible for SBA loan programs to start and run small businesses.

Officials said Harris has always supported minority, rural, and low-income communities. Last year, she announced over $1.73 billion in grants to 603 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) through Treasury’s CDFI Fund. In 2022,

she launched the Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC), a public-private partnership investing tens of billions of dollars to create opportunity and wealth in historically underserved communities.

As a senator, Harris secured a transformative $12 billion investment for CDFIs and MDIs in December 2020 and has since worked to ensure the success of these programs. “Since that time, she has worked to ensure these programs are as successful as possible,” administration officials stated.

As America’s #1 business lender, we’re invested in local economies with over $40 billion in business loans. Our commitment includes providing funding to under-resourced business owners and supporting entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to help them make every move matter.

Lucas Giambelluca President, Bank of America Twin Cities

Minneapolis approves $150K settlement for witness to George Floyd’s murder

The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement to an eyewitness who tried to intervene to prevent George Floyd’s murder and who says he suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder as a result.

Donald Williams, a mixed martial arts fighter who testified against former Officer Derek Chauvin in his 2021 murder trial, sued the city last spring, alleging he was assaulted by police while trying to prevent Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020.

Brooklyn Park City Council member Boyd Morson was censured for the second time by his colleagues on Monday, April 15, 2024, for violating the terms of his first censure in March 2022, and for social media posts that criticized the city manager and staff Council members voted 5-1 to censure Morson for violating two city policies: Respectful Workplace Policy and the Code of Conduct Policy for Elected Officials. Councilmember Morson, who is up for reelection in November and the senior most on the Council, was not in attendance. The lone vote against the censure was council member Maria Tran, who participated remotely. She has been attending Council meetings remotely in protest, following a city employee complaint against her that she was creating a “hostile work environment.” The

The council unanimously approved the settlement without discussion Thursday, the Star Tribune reported.

By Pulane Choane Contributing Writer

As the Israel-Hamas conflict rages on, a stark reality emerges from the rubble: the true cost of war measured not in territory gained or lost, but in lives shattered and futures extinguished. In a candid conversation hosted by Al McFarlane, joined by Yusef Mgeni and Yoji Senna, the devastating toll of the conflict comes to the forefront, prompting a sobering reflection on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the heart of the Middle East.

McFarlane sets the tone for the discussion, urging listeners to bear witness to the unfolding tragedy. “It’s a war that extends far beyond the battlegrounds,” he observes, inviting his co-hosts and listeners alike to confront the harsh realities faced by those caught in the crossfire. Mgeni, drawing attention to recent events, recounts the harrowing fate of seven aid workers from the World Christian Association, whose mission of mercy ended in unspeakable tragedy. “They were delivering 100 metric tons of humanitarian food aid to people in Gaza,” he explains, “only to be met with devastation at the hands of the Israeli Defense Force.” The incident serves as a chilling

The lawsuit alleged that Chauvin looked directly at Williams, grabbed a canister of chemical spray and began shaking it toward him and other bystanders expressing concern for Floyd’s welfare. In video played at Chauvin’s trial, Williams can be heard urging Chauvin to get off Floyd and denouncing the officer as a “bum.” Former Officer Tou Thao stepped toward Williams and placed a hand on his chest,

the lawsuit said. Williams told the jury in Chauvin’s trial that the officer executed what MMA fighters call a “blood choke” on Floyd, restricting his circulation. As a result of the officers’ actions, Williams alleged in his lawsuit, he feared for his safety and endured pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment and medical expenses.

Floyd, who was Black, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes outside a convenience

store where Floyd had tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. Bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.” Floyd’s death touched off protests worldwide and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism. Chauvin was convicted of state murder charges in Floyd’s death and was sentenced to 22 1/2 years. He also pleaded guilty to a separate federal charge of violating Floyd’s civil rights. Thao and two other former officers involved are serving shorter sentences.

reminder of the indiscriminate nature of the conflict, where even those striving to alleviate suffering are not spared from its wrath.

As the conversation deepens, Senna offers a perspective from Brazil, highlighting the global resonance of the conflict. “For the average Brazilian, there’s a distance to that reality,” he acknowledges, “but the injustice and atrocity being committed demand our attention and condemnation.” His words echo the sentiments of millions around the world, grappling with the moral implications of a conflict that knows no borders. The discussion turns towards the geopolitical dimensions of the conflict, with Mgeni sounding a note of

caution about the potential for further escalation. “Iran has been identified as supporting the people in opposition to the current treatment of Palestinians in Israel,” he notes, highlighting the complex web of alliances and animosities shaping the region’s destiny. The specter of a wider war looms large, casting a shadow of uncertainty over an already volatile landscape. Amidst the geopolitical maneuvering, Netanyahu emerges as a central figure, his actions scrutinized for their impact on the trajectory of the conflict. Senna offers a damning indictment of the Israeli Prime Minister, accusing him of using the conflict as a smokescreen to evade legal consequences. “He’s trying to divert attention to avoid jail

of the City Council, and the city manager have tried to paint me as an out-ofcontrol, condescending, and disrespectful council member. They will never succeed because the people who elected me know who I really am. The people of the Central District know that I am exactly who I told them I am when they went to the ballot box and gave me

time,” Senna asserts, drawing parallels between Netanyahu and other embattled leaders facing legal scrutiny. As the conversation nears its conclusion, the hosts reflect on the human toll of the conflict, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian intervention. “Under the current conditions, they’re predicting that 50% of the people in Gaza will starve before long,” Mgeni reveals, painting a grim picture of the unfolding crisis. In the face of unimaginable suffering, the conversation ends not with despair, but with a glimmer of hope—a belief that through collective action and unwavering resolve, peace is possible.

In Waukegan, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago, Dulce Ortiz is celebrating with her children.

Ortiz is a cofounder of the local environmental justice organization Clean Power Lake County. She has been organizing for years to get coal ash waste cleaned up from the site of the retired coal power plant in her town. The historic

the honor to represent them at City Hall. They know that I am a bold, brave, courageous, and a tried-and-tested leader. I am devoted husband, and proud father and grandfather. Voters know that outside my family, I have dedicated my life to selflessly serving others. Long before I became a Brooklyn Park city councilman, I was in the United States Navy, where I was willing to sacrifice my life to protect my country. I served my country with courage and integrity and was honorably discharged.

When the people of the Central District chose me

Boyd Morson Welcomes Police Cadet

Mshale Staff Photo by Richard Ooga Boyd Morson

Jealous

In this image from video, witness Donald Williams answers questions as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Monday, March 29, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, in the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. The Minneapolis City Council has approved a $150,000 settlement with Williams, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of how police treated him.

By Tom Gitaa Mshale

By Ben Jealous Guest Commentary

By Pulane Choane

Writer

In the corridors of academia, a quiet struggle rages on, echoing the disparities of generations past. Tennessee State University (TSU), a bastion of Black excellence, finds itself entangled in a battle for equity, as the specter of underfunding looms large over its hallowed halls.

“The governor removed the regents and appointed new regents, and his answer was that the new regents that were being appointed were all Tennessee State University alum, so that should be okay,” explains Al McFarlane, delving into the heart of the matter. Yet, beneath the veneer of representation lies a deeper truth—a truth obscured

by decades of neglect and systemic injustice.

McFarlane’s words resonate with a profound sense of history and urgency, as he unveils the root cause of TSU’s plight. “And what’s behind the incident was a federal report which analyzed how much land grant universities should have been paid by state governments, primarily in the Confederate states,” he explains, shedding light on the legacy of institutionalised discrimination that continues to plague institutions of higher learning.

Yusef Mgeni echoes McFarlane’s sentiments, underscoring the pervasive nature of underfunding in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “Historically, Black colleges

and universities have been underfunded since their very creation,” Mgeni asserts, drawing attention to the stark realities faced by these institutions in their quest for equitable treatment.

As the conversation unfolds, the magnitude of the issue becomes increasingly apparent. “$2.1 billion is the amount by which Tennessee State University has been underfunded,”

McFarlane reveals, painting a grim picture of the financial hurdles faced by the institution. Yet, TSU is but one piece of a larger puzzle—a puzzle rife with inequity and neglect.

The collective underfunding of HBCUs across 15 states amounts to a staggering $12.6 billion over the past 30 years—a figure

that speaks volumes about the systemic barriers erected in the path of Black education.

Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, and Secretary of Agriculture, Thomas Vilsack, lend their voices to the chorus of advocates seeking redress for decades of injustice.

“The power here ultimately is the power to... challenge them and try to put new people in office that hear our point of view,” McFarlane declares, invoking the spirit of activism that has fueled generations of change-makers.

Afrodescendientes

Editor Yoji Senna echoes McFarlane’s call to action, lamenting the insidious nature of efforts to undermine progress and equality. “Everything that signifies some kind of improvement, empowerment,

equality, bothers certain people to a very deep level,” Senna observes. In the end, the story of Tennessee State University is not just a tale of underfunding— it is a testament to the resilience of a community that refuses to be silenced, a community

Brooklyn Park survey shows increased feeling of safety

By Annabel Kamalu

Writer

Two proclamations were made and the police annual report was given at the April 22, 2024, the Brooklyn Park City Council meeting.

Mark Bruley, Brooklyn Park of Police, said the city surveys the services the department provides every 2 years. He said the most recent survey shows the the feeling of safety is going up and that residents rate the Brooklyn Park Police Department as excellent/ good. The survey showed respondents indicating that the feeling of safety is going up increase from 84% in 2021 to 87% in 2023. The percentage of community members satisfied with the department rose from

81% to 86%. The survey said concerns remain for reckless driving, rising crime, and drugs. It indicated there has been a reduction in mental health calls. The total crime between 2020-2023 was the lowest ever recorded in the history of Brooklyn Park.

 Top 10 calls: medical, disturbances, welfare check, car accidents, alarm, police assistance, animal, phone call report, civil, and suspicious activity.

 431 Auto theft issues in 2023: 32 from opening ignition, 92 attempted vehicle thefts and 339 committed vehicle thefts.

 Shots

fired: 102 (2020), 134 (2021), 116 (2022) and down to 70 in 2023.

 Violent crimes (robbery, homicide, rape and aggravated assault): 347 in 2020, 357 in 2021, 120 in 2022 and 120 in 2023. Last year, the city recorded 43 cases of use of force, making this the lowest number ever recorded in the city of Brooklyn Park. This is linked to the organization’s culture and the commitment made to training officers. However, there were a

total of 50 complaints against the police, 39 reported by citizens, 3 internal officer investigations, and 8 internal personnel complaints. There were 9 total non-sworn complaints; 2 citizen complaints, 3 internal officer investigations and 4 internal personnel complaints.

DroneUpdates and Data

The department took delivery of 5 drones in September 2023, 3 of which are smaller and are used for indoor flights. The other 2, which are larger, are used for outdoor flights. The total number of flights since October 2023 is 127, 93 of which were for training, 34 for police-related incidents, from homicide investigations to locating lost individuals.

K-9 Unit Updates and Data

The city experienced

Douglas R. Ewart Exhibit

the loss of Kilo, the last of the apprehension-trained K-9s, to cancer in the summer of 2023. Therefore, the current K-9s are non-apprehension, meaning that they do not use force. They are trained to track odor to locate humans and narcotics. There have been a total of 41 incidents with their deployment and 15 arrests with their assistance.

A growing concern has to do with bitcoin fraud where a total of $754,500 was lost and only $65,000 recovered.

The department anticipates having online reporting live in 2024 bringing in convenience to the Brooklyn Park community.

May 2024; Older Americans Months

Mayor Hollies Winston declared the month of May as “Older Americans

again confirmed his view that the world is an interdependent

entity. An example of his efforts both to study and to contribute to this interdependence is his use of his prestigious 1987 U.S.Japan Creative Arts Fellowship to study both modern Japanese culture and the traditional Buddhist shakuhachi flute, and also to give public performances while in Japan. In America, his determination to spread his perspective is part of the inspiration behind his often multi-disciplinary works and their encouragement of artistaudience interactions. It is also the basis of the teaching philosophy with which he guides his classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he has taught since 1990, and the basis of the perspective he has brought to his service on advisory boards for institutions such as The National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer (New York City) and Arts Midwest. Mr. Ewart uses his past experience as

chairman of the internationally renowned Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) to celebrate and build upon the history and achievements of the organization, and is from this perspective a natural extension of the activities he has been engaged in for the past four decades.

Mayor Hollies Winston

Mshale From 3

my opinion this type of hostile work environment and social

Mor son Morson

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to represent them, I vowed that I was going to serve them with the same tenacity, honor, and courage that earned me awards and great respect in the Navy. That is why I speak without fear.

Apparently, the mayor, the city manager and some of my fellow council members aren’t used to this kind of honesty. That is why

media narrative undermines the work being done by the entire (REDACTED) department by questioning the motives of the City Manager and (REDACTED) Director.”

A copy of the redacted staff complaint was

they have resorted to passing resolutions to censure me, hoping that they can silence me. What is really going on in Brooklyn Park is that there is a small clique of leaders who what to protect the status quo in a city that has changed drastically in the last few decades. Brooklyn Park is no longer a majoritywhite city. The latest U.S. Census data shows that more that 60% of residents in the city are non-white. Yet, the city manager and his allies at City Hall want to run the city as though 60% of the population does not exist. We must ask questions to make sure that the

obtained by the Brooklyn Park based CCX Media and can be viewed at this link. “There was no special investigation that was needed, it was all on Facebook. We weren’t creating words, these were words that were publicly

diversity of our city isn’t only in name – that we are a city that lives by its promise of treating every resident with dignity. How, for example, is it acceptable for the city to continue maintaining ice skating rinks that most of residents don’t use, when there isn’t a single public basketball facility? Why is asking that question an offense worth a resolution to censure a council member? And what are council members supposed to do when the people who make important decisions for his constituents continuously ignore his pleas to come to the table and discuss

posted by councilmember Morson,” Mayor Hollies Winston said, shortly before moving the motion to censure. Boyd told Mshale in a Wednesday phone interview that the censure vote, in his view, was just the latest

such matters that affect the people he represents? The timing of the latest resolution should also be viewed with great suspicion. In addition to trying to curtail my constitutional First Amendment right to free speech, the resolution bars me from using city funds to travel, and from representing the city in almost any capacity. Essentially, they want to completely disable me in the year when I am up for re-election. It’s a shameless attempt to discredit my unassailable record, and my strong connection to the values of this deserving community.

attempt to frustrate his work

“fighting for the people.”

Asked why he was absent for the censure vote, he said “Because I don’t want to play their games.”

“This censure is not legitimate at all, the city

They will not succeed. Fortunately, my constituents – and the people of Brooklyn Park at large – are not blind. As they have proven through their public comments, they are not oblivious to what’s going on. They’re intelligent enough to read between the lines. The people of Brooklyn Park can see, for example, that the recent huge exodus of city staff is a sign of severe dysfunction at City Hall. These are the people I work for, not the mayor, city manager, city attorney, or City Council. City employees can continue wasting more taxpayer

manager should be investigated by the state and the FBI,” Boyd said. “As you know I am up for reelection, these people don’t want me on the council, so they are doing everything they can to make sure I don’t come back.”

dollars to monitor my personal social media accounts for content to give the City Council reasons to pass a million resolutions to censure me. They can run to the news media and give one-sided stories about me. But that will not stop me from asking the people we gave responsibility to manage our city questions that other council members are too afraid to ask. If my detractors want to start a war with me and frustrate my efforts to better my community, I am ready to fight to the bitter end for the people who elected me.

This is good news for Dulce Ortiz’s family and countless others, including the 30 million people who get their drinking water from the Great Lakes. Coal ash contains toxic pollutants like mercury, arsenic, and cancercausing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that leach into groundwater. And there are more than 100 coal ash waste sites along the shores of the Great Lakes. That includes legacy sites from retired plants like the one in Waukegan, which left two coal ash ponds and another coal ash deposit.

Ortiz says, “My vision for my family and my community is a lakefront where I can take my children swimming in the waters

of Lake Michigan without worrying about toxic pollution; where we can go fishing without worrying about mercury and PCB contamination of the fish we catch; where I can go running along the shores of Lake Michigan without worrying about air pollution triggering my asthma. I want to see a clean energy future for Waukegan and all communities that have borne the burden of coal and industrial plant pollution for decades.”

Waukegan has borne a particularly heavy burden.

The predominantly Black and brown residents share their town with five of Illinois’ 11 Superfund hazardous waste sites. That does not include the coal ash deposits.

Toxic waste from coal and industrial plants has been a plague for many American communities like Waukegan. One of

my mentors, a legendary community organizer in Pittsburgh, once showed me an uncovered coal ash pit there. I asked him where all that waste went when there was a heavy rain. I still remember his response: “nowhere good.”

In addition to addressing coal ash, the new EPA rules also include vital new standards for carbon and other toxic pollutants pumped into our air and water by coal- and gas-burning power plants. The impact of these rules in cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) from power plants –one of the top greenhouse gas contributors – will be to accelerate the decline of carbon emissions and our transition to clean energy. And, of course, these pollution standards mark a tremendous stride for public health that will save lives and prevent chronic illnesses.

The rules will

remove economic barriers for some America’s communities that need it the most – in particular, the coal ash rule, as Ortiz points out:

“Allowing companies to pollute our communities without forcing them to clean up deters future investments in those same communities. We have aspirational plans in Waukegan for lakefront revitalization that have not been able to get off the ground due to the lingering contamination. This is devastating for communities like Waukegan that desperately need new investments and economic renewal.”

The new suite of EPA rules is a critical moment in the fight for a clean energy future and the result of years of advocacy. These commonsense safeguards mark the beginning of our next chapter in the fight to transition to a 100 percent clean energy

economy. And, remarkably, they are the latest in a string of groundbreaking actions by the Biden-Harris administration announced throughout April, which is Earth Month. The Bureau of Land Management issued a new federal rule making conservation a priority on our majestic public lands.

The Department of the Interior announced new protections for 13 million acres of land in the Western Arctica from oil drilling. That is just to name a couple. What a way to celebrate Earth Month! Today, Dulce Ortiz’s vision for her family and her community is closer to reality because of the EPA’s new power sector rules. And that is a vision that so many of us share for our own families, our own kids, and our own communities. We all deserve a cleaner, healthier future. And the Biden-Harris administration just delivered

Ben Jealous is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

Wake up, Black voters: Don’t let Trump’s lies fool you

By Donald M Suggs Word in Black St. Louis American

The fact that exit polls showed that Donald Trump received 9% of the Black vote in 2016, the highest number since George Bush in 2000, and then won 12% in the presidential race in 2020 should be a cause for concern.

Moreover, some recent polls surprisingly showed that if the presidential election were held today, 17% of Black voters say they would vote for Trump, and even more troubling, 20% say they would vote for someone other than either Trump or President Biden.

Black voters have been the largest and most loyal voting bloc for Democrats for years, but there has been a shift in the number of Black voters who consider themselves Democrats.

That trend could be explained partially by a number of younger Black voters with no

By Gerald Imray Associated Press

South Africans celebrate their

“Freedom Day” every April 27, when they remember their country’s pivotal first democratic election in 1994 that announced the official end of the racial segregation and oppression of apartheid.

Saturday is the 30th anniversary of that momentous vote, when millions of Black South Africans, young and old, decided their own futures for the first time, a fundamental right they had been denied by a white minority government.

The first allrace election saw the previously banned African National Congress party win overwhelmingly and made its leader, Nelson Mandela, the country’s first Black president four years after he was released from prison.

Here’s what you need to know about that iconic moment and a South Africa that’s changing again 30 years on:

A TURNING POINT

The 1994 election was the culmination of a process that began four years earlier when F.W. de Klerk, the last apartheid-era president, shocked the world and his country by announcing that the ANC and other anti-apartheid parties would be unbanned.

Mandela, the face of the anti-apartheid movement,

direct experience with the civil rights movement. They have scant knowledge and no direct personal memory. They feel disappointed with Democrats and the Biden administration and seem willing to consider Trump despite his blatant and toxic racial baggage. This disconnection with the Democratic party is felt most strongly with some young Black males, many in critical battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina where Democrats need every vote. Most of these states have large concentrations of Black voters in their urban areas. This is a special issue in potentially close races like this one because the Electoral College gives Republicans a massive advantage in federal elections. This system allows them to govern with a minority of the popular vote. However, there is

was released from prison nine days later, setting him on the road to becoming South Africa’s first Black leader.

South Africa needed years to prepare and was still on a knife-edge in the months and weeks before the election because of ongoing political violence, but the vote — held over four days between April 26 and April 29 to accommodate the large numbers who turned out — went ahead successfully.

A country that had been shunned and sanctioned by the international community for decades because of apartheid emerged as a fully-fledged democracy.

HEROES

Nearly 20 million South Africans of all races voted, compared with just 3 million white people in the last general election under apartheid in 1989.

Associated Press photographer Denis Farrell’s iconic aerial photograph of people waiting patiently for hours in long, snaking queues in fields next to a school in the famed Johannesburg township of Soweto captured the determination of millions of Black South Africans to finally be counted. It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

“South Africa’s heroes are legend across the generations,” Mandela said as he proclaimed victory. “But it is you, the people, who are our true heroes.”

also data that shows that the Democratic candidate for president over the last five presidential elections since 2000 has averaged 90% of the Black vote with an average of only 8% for the GOP candidate. In addition, the overwhelming concern of most Black voters continues to be race and racism, with a particular aversion to the reprehensible and duplicitous

APARTHEID FALLS

The ANC’s election victory ensured that apartheid was finally dismantled and a new Constitution was drawn up and became South Africa’s highest law, guaranteeing equality for everyone no matter their race, religion or sexuality.

Apartheid, which began in 1948 and lasted for nearly half-a-century, had oppressed Black and other nonwhite people through a series of race-based laws. Not only did the laws deny them a vote, they controlled where Black people lived, where they were allowed to go on any given day, what jobs they were allowed to hold and who they were allowed to marry.

30 YEARS ON

Current South African President Cyril Ramaphosa — a protege of Mandela — will lead Saturday’s 30th anniversary Freedom Day celebrations at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the seat of government. The ANC has been in government ever since 1994 and while it is still recognized for its central role in freeing South Africans, it is no longer celebrated in the same way as it was in the hope-filled aftermath of that election.

South Africa in 2024 has deep socio-economic problems, none more jarring than the widespread and severe poverty that still overwhelmingly affects the Black majority. The official unemployment rate is 32%,

Trump, who has repeatedly shown that he is an instigator of racial hate. Any relationship he has with Black voters has been deceptive and disingenuous. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Black voters cannot be bamboozled or deceived because we know the record of his stance on healthcare with his recent attacks on Obamacare,

opposition to greater diversity in the workplace and efforts to restrict our voting rights as well as his racist, conspiracist “birther campaign” that sought to undermine the thenpresident, Barack Obama. Still, we can’t simply ignore the reports that Trump is possibly making inroads with Black voters while Biden is losing support from us. Granted polls have been shown not to be reliable predictors of what Black voters will do. Actually, our biggest worry should probably be third-party voting (third party presidential candidates have no chance of winning. This is a binary election and only a Democrat or Republican can win) and potential voter apathy, despite the high stakes in this contest to determine whether Donald Trump is elected again.

Clay Cane, a Sirius XM radio host, rightly said that the 2024 presidential election is not just a choice between the lesser of two evils but this is an

election to see if we can stop Trump and his pernicious plans to institute a future dictatorship to carry out his vile policies. A Trump victory would be a grave threat to the well-being of Black Americans for certain. In any case, the Democratic party must recognize the seriousness of the disenchantment of many Black voters who don’t feel motivated to make it to the polls and campaign more directly and intentionally in our community. Furthermore, we ourselves must make an unprecedented and determined push to get to the polls in greater numbers to help stop this monstrous man and his MAGA minions from regaining control of the White House. Donald M Suggs is the publisher and owner of The St. Louis American.

the highest in the world, while it’s more than 60% for young people aged 15-24.

Millions of Black South Africans still live in neglected, impoverished townships and informal settlements on the fringes of cities in what many see as a betrayal of the heroes Mandela referred to. South Africa is still rated as one of the most unequal countries in the world. The ANC is now largely being blamed for the lack of progress in improving the lives of so many South Africans, even if the damage

of decades of apartheid wasn’t going to be easy to undo.

ANOTHER PIVOTAL ELECTION?

The 30th anniversary of 1994 falls with another possibly pivotal election as a backdrop. South Africa will hold its seventh national vote since the end of apartheid on May 29, with all the opinion polls and analysts predicting that the ANC will lose its parliamentary majority in a new landmark.

The ANC is still expected to be the largest party and will likely have to enter into complicated coalitions with smaller parties to remain part of the government, but the overriding picture that is expected is that more South Africans will vote for other parties in a national election for the first time in their democracy. South Africans still cherish the memory of Mandela and the elusive freedom and prosperity he spoke about in 1994. But the majority of them now appear ready to look beyond the ANC to attain it. AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Facing racism in Rochester

Guest commentary

By Nashauna Johnson Lenoir

The Black community in Rochester has long endured discrimination in various aspects of life, including the workplace, neighborhoods, living environments, community assistance resources, education, and the medical field. Despite being a recognized issue, it’s often accepted as the norm. However, a tipping point was reached on April 14th when Tina Jackson’s post shed light on the reality faced by many. Now, there’s a firm stance against racism by Rochester’s Black community.

We demand respect, equality, and justice, and we will not tolerate any unlawful acts against us. Government and city officials are being held accountable for ensuring our safety and upholding our human and civil rights. To address these issues, a task force will convene weekly to gather data and de-

vise peaceful solutions, aiming for a swift call to action for those affected. To register for and join the weekly meeting go to: https://us06web. zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZMpcumvqDoqHtaMh1aWJhwfh2hyeFshAnYt#/registration

REFRENCE: https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/following-a-slur-displayed-on-a-rochester-bridge-the-citys-blackcommunity-demands-change https://www.linkedin. com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7186596485659013120?utm_ source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Official White House photo

Donald Trump and Kanye West meeting in October 2018.

AP Photo/John Parkin. File

Then African National Congress leader, Nelson Mandela casts his vote April 27, 1994 near Durban, South Africa, in the country’s first all-race elections. South Africans celebrate “Freedom Day” every April 27, when they remember their country’s pivotal first democratic elections in 1994 that announced the official end of the racial segregation and oppression of apartheid.

Courtesy of Nashauna Johnson Lenoir Nashauna Johnson Lenoir

Sports

Edwards and Towns lead Timberwolves into the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs for 1st time since 2004

By David Brandt. AP Sports Writer

The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in 20 years. Their first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns served notice they might be ready to go even deeper.

Anthony Edwards scored 40 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 and the Timberwolves pulled away late to beat the Suns 122-116 on Sunday night and sweep the first-round playoff series.

The victory came after coach Chris Finch left the game late in the fourth after an inadvertent collision with Wolves guard Mike Conley. The team said he had a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee.

The success for Minnesota has been a long time coming, particularly for Towns, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 and waited nearly a decade to get his first playoff series win. Edwards is

in his fourth season after being the No. 1 overall selection in 2020.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Towns said before looking at Edwards. “Playing with my man on my right just makes it more special. To be able to do it with someone I have so much admiration for, so much respect for.

“The future’s so bright for him, I’ve got to put my sunglasses on.”

The Suns swept the three-game, regular-season series from the Wolves, but Minnesota flipped that script in the postseason by wearing down a Phoenix team that had championship aspirations with their All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The 35-year-old Durant — who Edwards said was his favorite player growing up — offered nothing but praise for the young star.

“So impressed with Ant,” Durant said. “My favorite player to watch. Just grown up so much since he came into the league. His love for the

game shines bright. That’s one of the reasons I like him the most, because he just loves basketball, he’s grateful to be in this position and he’s taken advantage of every opportunity he’s gotten.

“I love everything about Ant. Everything.”

The Wolves will play either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. The Nuggets have a 3-1 lead with Game 5 on Monday night.

It’s understandable that the Wolves might take a day or two to enjoy this series win. Minnesota was knocked out of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, including in five games against the Nuggets last season.

They might get another crack at them soon.

The Wolves were a handful for the Suns throughout the series, flashing a deep roster that includes veteran point guard Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, defensive star Rudy Gobert, sixth man of the year Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels.

But there’s little doubt Edwards and Towns lead the show. Edwards had just nine points in the first half before unloading on the Suns after the break, which was enough to overcome Booker’s 49 points. His powerful, one-handed jam late in the fourth sealed the win. “That was the gameplan, get everyone involved,” Edwards said. “But in the second half, it’s time to win. I’ve got to shoot my shots.”

The Wolves have slowly improved under thirdyear coach Finch, who was replaced by assistant Micah Nori for the final 1:41 as the Wolves pulled away to win. Nori said Finch was in good spirits after the game and will be ready to lead the team going forward.

“It’s just one series win, you don’t want to overblow it, but it’s the next step in the progression for all our guys,” Nori said.

AP NBA: https:// apnews.com/hub/NBA

Five years in, Allianz Field parking shuttle predictions were

By Bill Lindeke, MinnPost

The Major League Soccer season kicked off in St. Paul a few weeks ago, marking five years for Allianz Field, the shiny silver stadium in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood. For me, stadium history goes back a bit farther. I served on the city’s planning commission back in 2016 when the soccer stadium deal was being floated as a possibility, and I recall that parking was a big sticking point.

There were no dedicated parking ramps or lots for the new 20,000seat building, and some neighbors predicted a parking apocalypse. In response, the team commissioned a traffic study intended to alleviate concerns. As MinnPost’s Peter Callaghan reported in 2016, the study’s results were surprising:

A just-released environmental assessment and traffic study predicts drivers who try to drive to and park near the proposed 20,000-seat soccer stadium will not only be unsuccessful — they will also add to gameday congestion, what with all that cruising for a space.

At an estimated average of 2.7 fans per car, that’s only 2,100 fans who can arrive by car, or a bit more than 10 percent of the attendees.

The rest likely will need to use transit or a yetto-be-developed park-andride system that will shuttle fans from off-site parking — perhaps at the state fair grounds or downtown St. Paul.

Back then, the study sounded unconvincing, and in hindsight, the idea that a majority of fans would take shuttles to games was a fantasy. Anyone attending a match these days would be hard pressed to find a shuttle bus of any kind. Instead, as traffic study skeptics predicted, most people drive within a mile radius of the stadium and walk from their cars.

But the real twist to this story is that it’s not that big a deal.

When ‘absolutely packed’ is a good thing

Whether or not you view people parking on your street for a few hours as a big problem depends on perspective.

I reached out on the HamlineMidway neighborhood page, as well as to a few other friends in the area. (I live about a mile east of the stadium.) For many people living nearby, stadium parking is a minor nuisance, right up there with drive-thru noise, litter, and potholes.

“We wish they’d just put in parking,” wrote Marie Rickmyer, who lives on Charles and Hamline. “It’s hard to get parking, and the night games

drive my dog crazy with folks walking back to their cars.”

One common complaint is litter and noise, and a few people reported drunken fans relieving themselves against back alley trees. Still, for a social media discussion, the results of my query were surprisingly positive.

“Living in this neighborhood, a five-minute walk to Allianz, I never feel safer than on game days,” wrote Kirsten England, sharing a common sentiment. “When we stop for a pint and food after the game, the places we go are absolutely packed. If it means I have to deal with more parking issues on game days to bring more business to our local shops, I’m all for it.”

In general, it seems like living near a soccer stadium is like sharing a block with a church. A few hours a week, parking is a challenge and the streets are full of people coming to your neighborhood from all over the city. The rest of the time, neighbors barely notice it. If you can get accustomed to patterns of disruption, the activity might even be pleasant. If not, you might find yourself shaking your fist and muttering on your lawn.

Address speeding, boost transit use

Apart from density existentialism, there are other lessons to learn from the parking status quo around Allianz Field. For one thing, neighbors often complain about people illegally parking close to corners or blocking curb ramps. For folks living with disabilities, scofflaw parking is a significant barrier, and it would be nice if the city did more enforcement during matches. Another major consequence is problematic speeding. After a match, many drivers zip through neighborhoods to the nearest freeway, driving well above

the 20 mph limit. It would be great to have more traffic calming elements, like bumpouts or neighborhood traffic circles, to slow post-game drivers. The city should prioritize these investments.

(And to be fair, speeding in my neighborhood streets nearby is a problem year-round.)

Third, the share of fans taking transit to the game is not as high as it could be.

According to Council Member Mitra Jalali, who represents the Midway, both Metro Transit and Minnesota United used to try harder to encourage transit in the early years, using dedicated transit ambassadors or marketing to transit to fans. Perhaps the COVID pandemic disrupted that work, but I’ve not noticed much concerted efforts to help folks ride the A or Green Lines to Allianz Field. Why not work out a deal with Metro Transit to have game-day tickets work for a free fare? I’d bet the agency would take that call.

When life gives you lemons, sell some lemonade All in all, the best response to the Midway parking situation came from a 12-yearold boy on Charles Avenue named Asa Korsberg Fernandez. Along with one of his friends, he’s taken the opportunity to sell cookies to passers-by during game days, turning a tidy profit along the way. I’m a skeptic when it comes to the economic benefits of sports stadium subsidies — the studies of these things are almost always worthless. Almost always, entertainment dollars are simply moved around regions from one destination to another. That said, occasionally a concrete anecdote of local entrepreneurialism sways me. Such is the case with Asa, who dug into his parents’ copy of “Joy of Cooking”to find a chocolate

chip cookie recipe last year.

“There’s this corner where people from all three blocks come, and we get a lot of customers,” said Asa, explaining his business. “We bake cookies the day before, we get out there maybe an hour and half before the game starts, and that’s when we sell cookies, like $1 a cookie.”

Calling out “chocolate chip cookies, fresh baked, one dollar!” the corner enterprise has allowed the Korsberg Fernandez siblings to acquire a coveted

got him a few

who

and

are

Asa Korsberg Fernandez baking chocolate chip cookies to sell to soccer fans walking through his neighborhood.

Some of the bike racks outside Allianz Field.

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates a foul against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0.

B-Low’s Changing Places

By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor

CHANGING PLACES

By B-Low

When writing novels, unless one is worldbuilding (as in fantasy or sci-fi), including actual places and facts in the fiction can take it to another level, that touch of authenticity that engages the reader. In the genre of urban fiction, I have the honor of reviewing the work of one who has flipped the script into inspiration: B-Low’s Changing Places.

Our story opens in Chicago in the late 1980s with Harold and Davida. Davida is a young Black woman who is a Rules Girl. She allows brothas to go only so far so she can get what she wants from them without going all the way. Harold is a young brotha and a player who is hustling, and he sees Davida as a challenge. He is persistent and uses his charm to persuade Davida to go out on dates with him. However, on one date, through the use a joint laced with PCP, he has set her up for a date rape.

Believing that he killed her, he leaves her in an alley, runs away and binges on drugs out of guilt. Unknown to him, Davida survives, resulting in a pregnancy and the birth of their son Mel.

Despite Davida’s efforts as a single mother, Mel is drawn into the street life during his childhood, one of gangs, lookouts, stealing, and later pushing weed. When Harold learns that Davida is alive and has a son, he goes to see her and is immediately rebuffed. Having made a decision to have legitimate businesses in addition to his drug territory and trade, Harold becomes a mentor to Mel, teaching him the ins and outs of having a legitimate business vs. making the temporary life of hustling and the streets a permanent reality. In his journey, teenage Mel learns that the culture of street life and hustling carries with it a deadly high price… I give a hat tip to B-Low for showing through this story how self-destructive the lifestyle of street life is. He recognizes it for the dead-end that it is, and does not glorify it; rather, he inspires the reader to recognize the talents within where we can better ourselves in positive ways. Though Harold winds up in prison, the lessons he taught his son about moving forward into

entrepreneurship and paying it forward were invaluable, that people are capable of change. In leaving the hustle behind, Mel demonstrated strength and growth by the time he turned 18--and he stayed in school. I appreciated the conversation between Harold and Mel when Harold admonished him that hustling was temporary and not to make it a permanent reality. Although Mel didn’t know Harold was his father, they developed a father-son relationship.

Also, kudos for the photos throughout the book that add another touch of reality to the story. (Note: look for the street sign that denotes north Minneapolis). Speaking of reality, because he wrote this book during a 3-year term in prison, B-Low’s story is much closer to reality than most books are on street fiction. In that, there is hope. His own life is a testimony.

Changing Places is available through Amazon and www.stompentertainment.com.

But wait. The story is not over yet: this is only Volume One. Stay tuned to my upcoming review of Changing Places: Volume Two!

P.S.: B-Low is the pseudonym for Albert (A.J.) Briscoe.

OUR COMMUNITIES ARE WORTH MORE.

As Minnesota educators, we believe all students should feel safe and welcome at our public schools. Yet districts across the state are facing staff shortages, impacting our students and the support they receive. We can change that together.

Know more about what our educators are facing:

By Devi Shastri AP Health Writer

Allergy season can bring misery to tens of millions of Americans each year.

Tree, grass, and other pollens can cause runny noses, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing.

Where you live and what you’re allergic to can make a big difference in how bad your allergies are, but there are many things you can do to feel better.

Here are some tips from experts to keep allergies at bay — maybe even enough to allow you to enjoy the outdoors.

WHICH POLLENS CAUSE ALLERGIES?

There are three main types of pollen. Earlier in the spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds in the late summer and early fall.

Some of the most common tree pollens that cause allergies include birch, cedar, cottonwood, maple, elm, oak and walnut, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Grasses that cause symptoms include Bermuda,

Insight 2 Health

Johnson, rye and Kentucky bluegrass.

TRACK POLLEN LEVELS, THEN PLAN YOUR DAY

The best and first step to controlling allergies is avoiding exposure. That’s easier said than done when it’s nice out.

Start with keeping your windows closed at home and in the car, avoiding going out when pollen counts are highest and changing clothes when you get home. The same masks that got us through the pandemic can protect you from allergies — though they won’t help with eye symptoms.

Pollen trackers can help with planning. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology tracks levels through a network of counting stations across the U.S. Counts are available at its website and via email.

HOW TO RELIEVE

ALLERGY SYMPTOMS

You can’t fight an enemy you don’t know.

Since many Americans are allergic to several things at once, the first thing to figure out is what specifically you’re allergic to, said Dr.

Nana Mireku, an allergist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Over-the-counter

nasal sprays can help relieve symptoms, but they take a while to kick in, so it’s best to start them in early in the season, said Dr. Rachna Shah, an allergist and director of the Loyola Medicine Allergy Count.

Antihistamines are another option. Shah said she’s

seen some patients benefit from switching to a similar brand if one stops working, but said that there isn’t much broader data to back the recommendation. For young children and people who have to take many different allergy medications, immunotherapies in the form of shots and oral drops can help desensitize the immune system to allergens,

treating symptoms at their root.

WHERE ARE POLLEN

LEVELS THE WORST?

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America issues an annual ranking of the most challenging cities to live in if you have allergies, based on over-the-counter medicine use, pollen counts and the number of available allergy specialists.

This year, the top five were Wichita, Kansas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Dallas; and Oklahoma City. IS ALLERGY SEASON CHANGING?

If you’ve been thinking it started earlier and seems longer this year, you’re on to something.

Shah usually starts looking at pollen counts in the Chicago area in April. But this year, she peeked at her data in mid-February, and tree pollen was already at a “moderate” level.

“This season has been so nuts,” she said. “Granted, it was a pretty mild winter, but I didn’t expect it to be so early.” Shah said she believes this season will be longer than other years, assuming the weather remains warm. Experts say climate change has led to longer and more intense allergy seasons. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Biden administration delays decision on menthol cigarette ban

By Stacy M. Brown

The Biden administration announced on Friday yet another delay in a decision regarding a regulation aimed at banning menthol-flavored cigarettes, citing extensive feedback and attention surrounding the controversial proposal by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stated, “This rule has garnered historic attention and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from various elements of the civil rights and criminal justice movement.”

One senior administration official highlighted the challenges in reaching a consensus, stating, “It was hard to put a timeline on the delay, citing lingering disagreements after months of hard conversations.”

The administration seeks additional time to gather input from external stakeholders, particularly from the civil rights

perspective. Acknowledging the disproportionately high rates of Black Americans affected by menthol cigarette usage, which prompted the FDA’s initial push for a ban, concerns have been raised about the potential enforcement of such a rule.

Among the vocal opponents of the menthol cigarette ban is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has been lobbying against it for months. The ACLU warns that such a ban would “disproportionately impact people of color” and “prioritize criminalization over public health and harm reduction.”

“The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) applauds and strongly supports the decision of the Biden-Harris Administration to continue to take the necessary time to hear directly from a wide range of African American leaders, as well as from an array of leaders from other communities of color across the United States, on the proposed FDA ban on menthol cigarettes,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., NNPA president and CEO. “The NNPA joins with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NOBLE), the National

Action Network (NAN), and the Mothers of the Movement Against Police Brutality in our public opposition to the proposed ban on menthol cigarettes. This a matter of racial profiling and the unintended consequences of proposed rules that will have a negative impact on the communities in which we serve. Thank you President Biden for your continued leadership.”

The White House has engaged in over 100 meetings regarding the proposal with numerous outside groups both for and against the regulation, ranging from convenience store associations to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, who tragically died nearly a decade ago due to a police altercation over the sale of loose cigarettes, expressed relief at the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to delay the menthol ban. Carr has consistently voiced concerns about potential unintended consequences of the rule, emphasizing the need for clear guidelines to prevent further harm in Black communities.

In a statement, Carr said, “I worked diligently trying to avoid the menthol ban

because it was personal to me. My son, Eric Garner, died as a result of police crackdowns on the sale of loose cigarettes. I realized this ban would only create more unintended law enforcement consequences like the very ones that led to my son’s death. It’s why I organized other mothers who have lost children to police violence, NAN, Attorney Ben Crump, and others to ensure there were clear guidelines to safeguard against our concerns. We commend the Biden Administration for hearing those concerns and taking them seriously. The fight for our freedom of choice and our civil liberties must carry on.”

Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, also welcomed the decision, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “I am pleased that the Biden Administration understands the civil rights harm that could result from a menthol

ban in the Black Community. I look forward to working with the Biden administration toward effective prevention solutions as it relates to smoking in our great country.” The delay underscores the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the issue, as the administration seeks to balance public health objectives with civil liberties and racial equity concerns.

Jesse Powell

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File

An oak tree with new leaf growth also shows pollen and a drop of water hanging among the branches at a park in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, March 21, 2024. There are three main types of pollen. Earlier in the spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds in the late summer and early fall.

Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA

the issue, as the

with civil liberties