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IN CAR CER A TION The demographic distribution remained consistent over the two years, with 32% being Black, 31% white, 23% Hispanic, 10% multiracial or of another race, 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander.
STORY ON PAGE
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Insight News • October 16, 2023 - October 22, 2023 • Page 3
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October 16, 2023 - October 22, 2023
Vol. 50 No. 42• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Incarceration rates demographics in Minnesota The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Not only that, America also puts more people in prison per capita than in any other independent democracy. Even progressive states with low incarceration rates relative to the rest of the United States have more people in jail than most other places in the developed world. If individual states were counted as countries, many of them would have the highest incarceration rates in the world, ahead of actual entire other countries. The reasons behind the mass incarceration epidemic in the United States are multifaceted and complex. They are not due to rates of violent crime, which are actually less prevalent in the United States than they are in many countries that rank higher on the incarceration scale, including Russia and Turkey, which both have authoritarian governments. Instead, the high rates of American incarceration boil down to a reliance on policing and jails to address a range of social problems that could be solved with other more rehabilitative social interventions. In the 1980s, a number of politicians in the United States also pushed “tough on crime” policies to address public fears about violent crime, and these policies have lingered ever since, leading to an extremely large prison population nationally, and calls for criminal justice reform. Many people put in prison during that era remain in jail today. But not every state’s
DEMOGRAPHICS 4 Minnesota has an incarceration rate of 342 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that it locks up a higher percentage of its people than almost any democracy on earth. Read on to learn more about who is incarcerated in Minnesota and why. 17,500 people from Minnesota are behind bars Additionally, the number of people impacted by county and city jails in Minnesota is much larger than the graph above would suggest, because people cycle through local jails relatively quickly. Each year, at least 69,000 different people are booked into local jails in Minnesota.
to the previous year’s 636,100. This surge is part of a more significant trend that has seen jail admissions rise by 6.6% from July 2021 to June 2022, totaling
Rates of imprisonment have grown dramatically in the last 40 years Today, Minnesota’s incarceration rates stand out internationally In the U.S., incarceration extends beyond prisons and local jails to include other systems of confinement. The U.S. and state incarceration rates in this graph include people held by these other parts of the justice system, so they may be slightly higher than the commonly reported incarceration rates that only include prisons and jails. Details on the data are available in States of Incarceration: The Global Context. We also have a version of this graph focusing on the incarceration of women. People of color are overrepresented in prisons and jails Minnesota’s criminal justice system is more than just its prisons and jails The high cost of being incarcerated in Minnesota Prisons and jails in Minnesota are increasingly shifting the cost of incarceration to people behind bars and their families, hiding the true economic costs of mass incarceration: Jails in Minnesota charge up to $3.15 for a 15-minute phone call, reaping profits for companies, while prisons charge 75¢ for a 15-minute call. Minnesota suspended medical copays in prisons at the beginning of the pandemic — why is it bringing copays back now?
INCARCERATION 4
DEMOGRAPHICS 2 4
Latest stats show America’s continued love affair with mass incarceration By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Preliminary data released by the
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) revealed a notable increase in the number of individuals held in local jails nationwide. As of midyear 2022, the incarcerated population stood at 663,100, marking a 4% surge compared
Reimagining a just pretrial process together A lot of my personal story revolves around the importance of being heard and building trust and care intentionally. Clashes of mental health and trauma in my family made this even more real for me. Over the years, through my background in Social Work and mentorship from many Black and Brown community leaders, I got clear on whose voices are intentionally not centered in our society. As I began to bump up against the limits of what I thought possible within Social Work, I was introduced to the world of research and, specifically, the kind of research that doesn’t just pull information from people and leave them behind. Now, any work I engage in demands that community voices are at the center. No work should be done without the people it’s about and for. Reimagining Bail The Reimagining Bail project at the MNJRC brought this community-driven approach to the issue of pretrial detention and release and cash bail. The project focused on Hennepin County, with an eye toward Minnesota as a whole. I began as a Research Assistant on this project in April 2022. Over the last year and a half, I supported outreach to participants, conducted interviews, co-wrote our findings, and led the effort to share our findings with the community. Cash bail and the pretrial process (the time between a booking in jail and resolution of a criminal case) are complicated
Marci Exsted (she/her) is a Research Assistant at the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) aspects of our legal system, and their impact on people who encounter them is just as complex and wide-reaching. Our team set out to better understand this process and people’s lived experiences with it. In order to do this, we began by reaching out to system actors, such as prosecutors, judges, and public defenders. These interviews enabled us to flesh out the pretrial process itself, helping us understand how a case moves through the system and how to view the process from multiple angles. We then conducted outreach to community members who have encountered cash bail, whether by paying someone else’s bail and/or having bail set for themselves. Part of the outreach process included going to where people are, including holding interviews at community
EXSTED 4
JusticeForGreenwood.org
Hughes Van Ellis
IN MEMORIAM:
Governor Walz appoints Adam Johnson and Lauren Hughes Van Ellis, 102-year-old Tulsa race Johnson to fill First Judicial District vacancies massacre survivor, dies
Governor Tim Walz appointed Adam Johnson and Lauren Johnson as district court judges in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. The seats will be chambered in Hastings in Dakota County and Shakopee in Scott County. Adam Johnson replaces Judge Tim D. Wermager for the seat chambered in Dakota County. “I am delighted to appoint Adam Johnson to the First Judicial District,” said Governor Walz. “His career in public service is a testament to his commitment to ensuring equity and fairness in our justice system.” “Adam Johnson is an exceptional legal mind and leader who will be a great addition to the Dakota County bench,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “He approaches the practice of law with compassion and humility, even in the most challenging of moments.” Lauren Johnson replaces Judge Mark C. Vandelist for the seat chambered in Scott County.
“I am proud to appoint Lauren Johnson to the Scott County bench,” said Governor Walz. “Her lived experience and diverse practice background will allow her to tackle the variety of cases and challenges faced by our judiciary.” “Lauren Johnson’s integrity and commitment to justice is indisputable,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “I am confident that her connection to community, dedication, and mindfulness in the courtroom will make her a judge of the highest quality.” Minnesota’s First Judicial District consists of Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott, and Sibley counties. About Adam Johnson Adam Johnson is the deputy county administrator for Rice County, where he serves as a legal advisor to the county administrator and the county board on a wide variety of civil and operational matters. He was previously chief assistant for the Rice County
By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributo
Adam Johnson
Lauren Johnson
Attorney’s Office, where he was primarily responsible for criminal prosecution of felonies including domestic assault, criminal sexual conduct, and murder. Johnson’s community involvement includes serving as an American Mock Trial Association judge, volunteering at legal aid clinics provided by Legal Assistance of Dakota County, and serving as the Fifth District Bar Association
representative to the Minnesota State Bar Association. Additionally, Johnson has previously volunteered at Worthington Dollars for Scholars, Feed My Starving Children, and Volunteers Enlisted to Aid People. He earned his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. from the University of
WALZ APPOINTS 5
One of only three known survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre has died on October 9 at the age of 102 years old. Hughes Van Ellis, 102, died in Denver, Colorado on the morning of October 9. Van Ellis was born on Jan.11, 1921. The two last known survivors of the Tulles Race Massacre are now Viola Ford Fletcher, 109 and Lessie Benningfield Randle, 108. The Greenwood District was a prosperous African American community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, often referred to as “Black Wall Street.” It was a thriving business district with a vibrant Black cultural and economic life, home to many Black-owned businesses and residences. On May 31, 1921, a young Black man named Dick Rowland was falsely accused of assaulting a young white woman named Sarah Page in
an elevator. The allegation led to Rowland’s arrest and tensions escalated as rumors spread about the incident. At the time, Hughes Van Ellis was three months old. Over the years there have been several attempts to earn damage rewards for the destruction of life and property by the white community in Tulsa. None of the challenges have been successful so far. A statement released by the family stated, “Mr. Hughes Van Ellis, 102, passed Mon. Oct. 9th at 11:30 am in Denver, Colorado. A loving family man, he was known as “Uncle Redd.” He was among the three last known survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the most horrific acts of racist terrorism on American soil. A WWII war veteran, Mr. Ellis, bravely served America, even as he spent a lifetime awaiting atonement related to the Tulsa Race Massacre. Mr. Ellis was aware, that survivors,
ELLIS 5
I2H
Book Review
Cancer in kids is different from cancer in grown-ups: Figuring out how could lead to better pediatric treatments
More Than Friends
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Job training initiative to bolster workforce for high-demand jobs Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) last week launched the Drive for 5 Workforce Initiative, a major new effort to prepare more Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in five occupational categories: technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing, and education. “Whether it’s teaching our students or innovating in technology, Minnesota has hundreds of employers looking to fill goodpaying jobs, and we’re working to ensure Minnesotans have access to the training they need to fill them,” said Governor Walz. “We’re making it easier for Minnesotans to join the workforce, so they can earn familysustaining wages in highgrowth jobs that contribute to our state’s economy.” “An investment in our workforce is the best investment we can make in the future of our state,” Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “These programs will open doors for all Minnesotans but especially those that have faced unjust barriers to employment
and been overlooked for too long. This initiative is a crucial part of making Minnesota the best state for children and families.” The five occupational groupings offer high-demand jobs, are projected to be high-growth in the years ahead, and provide familysustaining wages for workers – making them important sectors for both Minnesota’s economy and Minnesotans looking to join the labor force. Through Drive for 5, DEED will partner with workforce development institutions around Minnesota, which will implement or expand job training programs for specific occupational paths. The training programs will be designed to help Minnesotans prepare for and find jobs on an in-demand career path – providing job-ready skills for Minnesota workers and growing Minnesota’s workforce for employers looking to hire. DEED has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for potential grantees. “Drive for 5 is one of the ways DEED is delivering for Minnesota workers and employers,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek.
Incarceration From 3
7.3 million entries. However, the figure is still 37% lower than ten years prior, when admissions peaked at 11.6 million. According to the new data, of the incarcerated population in mid-2022, 14% were female, representing an increase over the previous year. The female population experienced a growth of 9%, surpassing the 3% growth seen in the male population during the same period. Among those in custody, approximately 30% (197,000) were convicted or awaiting sentencing, while the remaining 70% (466,100) were not convicted, pending court action, or held for other reasons. This distribution mirrors the proportions observed in 2021. The numbers saw a 2% increase for state and
Exsted From 3
organizations serving individuals dealing with homelessness and substance use. In total, we interviewed 14 system actors and 44 community members,
“This is a strategic approach to two of Minnesota’s most challenging problems: employment disparities faced by some of our fellow Minnesotans and a labor force shortage that creates many difficulties for employers looking to hire. We’re excited to engage sector partnerships to work together in overcoming these challenges.” Sector partnerships that receive Drive for 5 funding through DEED will provide training that leads to high-
quality job placements in these occupations, breaking down barriers to good employment for Minnesotans who have long faced higher unemployment, lower wages, and more tenuous connections to work. Localized sector partnerships are essential to ensure education and training programs are reflective of employers’ needs in their local labor markets, facilitating faster job placement for program participants and helping to create a steady talent pipeline for in-demand positions in
federal prisons from yearend 2021 to yearend 2022, with the population rising from 1,205,100 to 1,230,100. Notably, 35 states and the federal prison system saw an uptick in the number of individuals sentenced to more than one year. Most prisoners, approximately 96% in 2021 and 2022, had sentences of over a year. The demographic distribution remained consistent over the two years, with 32% being Black, 31% white, 23% Hispanic, 10% multiracial or of another race, 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander. BJS Principal Deputy Director Kevin M. Scott, Ph.D., emphasized the significance of releasing preliminary data, stating in a news release that, “BJS is publishing advanced estimates of key statistics on this topic to provide our stakeholders with timely data as quickly as possible.” In response to the
report, the Jobs Opportunity Task Force (JOTF), a nonprofit advocating for improved skills, jobs, and incomes, drew attention to the wide-reaching effects of incarceration. They revealed that approximately 113 million adults in the U.S., or roughly 45%, have a family member with a history of imprisonment, and 79 million individuals possess a criminal record. JOTF officials pointed out that the post-pandemic era has witnessed a resurgence in incarceration rates, attributing the prior decline to COVID-19 responses rather than systemic changes. Highlighting concerns specific to Maryland, JOTF warned that the state already incarcerates more individuals per capita than Canada, France, the U.K., and China. They cautioned that should Maryland continue this trajectory, it could face economic repercussions, including high unemployment rates among returning citizens, potentially leading to increased reliance
on government assistance, diminished tax revenues, and elevated recidivism rates. JOTF officials concluded by stressing the urgency of addressing mass incarceration, not only for the well-being of affected individuals and their families but also for the broader economic stability of the nation. “Maryland must continue to dismantle barriers to employment by increasing access to expungement, limiting the use or consideration of prior criminal history when considering an application for an occupational license, and reducing or eliminating the fines and fees that contribute to keeping justice-involved individuals in poverty even if they are able to secure entry-level employment,” JOTF officials wrote. The post Latest Stats Show America’s Continued Love Affair with Mass Incarceration appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
all of whom shared not only the technical details of the process but also the real, messy impact that this process can often have. The stories from people who have gone through the pretrial process shape our findings in the report we published, found here.
a community data walk event - “MNJRC’s Pretrial Report Findings: “I’m Suffering Along With Her”. The event was held at the Powderhorn Recreation Center in south Minneapolis on September 7th, 2023. The event was a way to educate community members about the pretrial process, discuss what resonated (or didn’t) from our report findings, and collectively start to reimagine the pretrial process in Minnesota. Check out our youtube page for a short video highlighting the event. This video provides a glimpse into the event, including showing the space with posters of our data on the wall, all of our presenters (including our Executive Director, Justin Terrell), and a powerful clip from the closing community discussion. Our event began with presentations (full-length video of presentations forthcoming!) from Anna Hall, Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Legal Rights Center, and Dr. Joshua Page, Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota, who covered the basics of bail and the pretrial process, how to distinguish bail bonds from cash bail, and the harms of the for-profit bail bond industry. Brie Watters (PhD Candidate at the University of Minnesota), one of the members of the Reimagining Bail research team, then bravely shared her own harrowing story of paying bail for a previous romantic partner and how this experience continues to follow her today. After all the presentations, I provided a brief overview of our team’s work over the last year and a half, including a summary of our report, a video tool we created to summarize the wide-reaching consequences of the pretrial process, and opened the floor for questions. Many questions were raised about the report itself and also about the complexities of reimagining pretrial in Minnesota - highlighting the importance of ongoing collective action. After the presentations, we invited attendees to get up and walk around the room to engage with excerpts of our data - what we refer to as a “data walk”. The data walk, facilitated by MNJRC’s Kayla Richards, included six posters across the room containing the data from our report. We encourage folks to recognize the vastness of data. Data can be stories, experiences, numbers,
and charts. Five of the posters contained quotes taken directly from community interviews. The sixth poster had graphs showing pretrial detention and length of stay data from Hennepin County. The quotes on the posters reflected the three sections of our report - taking us through the same thematic journey from the ways that pretrial is dehumanizing, to how cash bail puts entire communities on the hook financially and has widereaching consequences, to the question of whether cash bail actually encourages people to appear in court. The “walk” part of the data walk involved attendees interacting with the data. By placing a colored dot, each attendee could indicate agreement, neutrality, or disagreement with what they read. We also provided sticky notes for attendees to write down their thoughts. Each poster included reflection prompts on the bottom that community members could respond to. The space was quiet at first, as we all took a moment to process what had been said and connect that with the stories from people who have encountered cash bail. After a while, conversations began to flow as people moved between the posters, interacting with them and one another.
Community Event Just as we wrapped up our report and prepared to share it out, the MNJRC hosted
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What did we learn? Looking at the feedback from the community, there was a large amount of resonance overall. In many ways, community personally connected with the quotes, which was clear from their responses. There was also a consistent wrestling with the harms of pretrial and how the system feels broken and even deliberately harmful. Many people reflected on how many barriers get in the way of people’s success. This included a reflection on physical barriers to get to court and financial barriers to pay bail. As one attendee put it, “[Money] can’t be a motivator if you can’t afford your chance to be motivated by it.” Many of the post-its reflected a similar perspective that money in the pretrial process creates further harm, paralleling our report findings. The one red dot landed on a quote that was more nuanced in the way it expressed a gratitude for cash bail to get their loved one out but also demonstrated
communities across the state. Drive for 5 prioritizes training for populations that face the largest disparities in employment: people of color, people with disabilities, people who lack stable housing, and other people who face barriers to family-sustaining employment. The Drive for 5 initiative is part of a slate of historic workforce development investments Governor Walz secured during the last legislative session. DEED has more than $216.5 million for its Employment and Training Programs over the next two years, including $20 million for Drive for 5 and $50 million to support workforce development in historically overlooked communities through the Targeted Workforce Development Program, which is set to launch in the weeks ahead. “Over the coming months and years, the Drive for 5 Initiative will help Minnesota fill some of its most critical workforce needs while supporting more Minnesotans embarking on an in-demand career path with family-sustaining wages,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development
Marc Majors. “This is just one of the ways that DEED is serving Minnesota workers. We’re excited to get to work with our partners on this important initiative.” Minnesota’s economy added about 50,000 jobs over the past year, and nearly 200,000 jobs remain open in Minnesota as employers try to find enough workers to fill these vacancies. Job demand over the past two years was at or near record highs in every region of the state and in most industries, with many openings providing opportunities for career growth and family-sustaining wages. DEED is inviting nonprofit organizations, state or local government units, including Tribal governments, community action agencies, business organizations, education institutions, labor organizations, trade associations, chambers of commerce, and community-based organizations to submit proposals to create sector partnerships. Interested applicants are urged to submit their proposal by December 11, 2023. Drive for 5 Request for Proposal can be found on DEED’s website.
Demographics
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incarceration rate is the same. For example, some states have decriminalized drugs like marijuana in an effort to combat sending non-violent offenders to jail. Possession of marijuana had been found to be enforced with a racial bias, as well, so states that have decriminalized have worked to address glaring racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Stacker compiled statistics about incarceration demographics in Minnesota using data from the Sentencing Project. All data is from 2019 unless otherwise specified. Minnesota by the numbers - Total incarcerated, prison and jail: 16,382 --Prison population: 9,982 --- Prison incarceration rate per 100,000: 176 (#47 highest among all states) --Jail population (2013): 6,400 --- Jail incarceration rate per 100,000 (2013): 150 (#44 highest among all states) Private prison population: 0 Probation population: 98,390 Parole population: 7,243 Life sentences (2020): 613 --- Life without parole (2020): 142 --- Juvenile life without parole (2020): 0 - White imprisonment rate per 100,000: 105 (#47 highest among all states) - Black imprisonment rate per 100,000: 1,023 (#38 highest among all states) --Black to white ratio: 9.7 - Hispanic imprisonment rate per 100,000: 186 (#38 highest among all states) --Hispanic to white ratio: 1.8 - Corrections expenditures: $687 million
Minnesota prisons charge families up to a 20% fee to transfer money to an incarcerated loved one. People in Minnesota prisons must pay for hygiene items and other basics — and those without cash have to meet strict “indigence” criteria to get financial assistance. People in Minnesota prisons earn as little as 25¢ an hour for their work. Minnesota charges up to 40¢ for an e-message to or from prison, among the highest rates in the nation. Research on Minnesota in our Research Library Data on COVID-19 in Minnesota jails and prisons We gave Minnesota a failing grade in September 2021 for its response to the coronavirus in prisons, noting that: Minnesota suspended medical copays in prisons at the beginning of the pandemic — but later decided to bring them back. Minnesota failed to utilize one of the most obvious, and easiest, tools for reducing the prison population — stopping prison admissions for technical violations of probation and parole (which are not crimes). For more detail, see our report States of Emergency. Or check out these other resources: How many COVID-19 cases in Minnesota communities can be linked to outbreaks in correctional facilities? (data from our report Mass Incarceration, COVID-19, and Community Spread)
that this doesn’t guarantee court appearance. Written responses to this poster worked to understand why the released loved one missed court and questioned what ‘accountability’ looks like when it lands on family/partners before a verdict has been reached. The poster with the most green dots of agreement had the quote, “I mean their mission, I believe, is to make [jail] the most awful experience ever so that you maybe won’t want to go back. But treating people the way that they treat you doesn’t... I don’t think the outcome is, “I don’t ever want to go back.” I think the outcome is, “I’m not a good person.” And I think that’s really detrimental to one’s soul.” Community responses really focused on the damage of pretrial detention. This echoed the panic that people interviewed for our report described feeling when trying to get their loved ones out of jail. There was so much empathy in the responses, including reflections compelling fellow readers to put themselves in the shoes of the people experiencing these situations. One post-it responding to the average detention stay during pretrial asked, “What would be destroyed in your life if you couldn’t participate in your life for 9 days?” [Emphasis added]. Nine days was the average length of stay for people pretrial in Hennepin County. The one poster that had more neutral (yellow) dots than positive (green) had a quote from a mother struggling with whether or not to put up bail for her daughter who was struggling with addiction. When looking at the written responses it was clear that the ‘neutral’ response was not from indifference or a lack of resonance, as comments did not agree with jail as a ‘better’ place but they also did not appear to blame the mom for this conclusion. Community understood where the mother was coming from but did not connect as much with her perspective itself as they saw the larger picture of a mother forced to make an “impossible choice”. One person said that they felt this particular quote demonstrates how “this system directly encourages abandonment” and another pointed out how it “punishes poverty” because of the mom’s limited access to resources. We were brought back
together for a discussion to wrap up our thoughts. Kayla asked questions of the group to gather what we will take away from this experience. Community in the space reflected on the data, pointing out these people held in pretrial are just missing from their communities - whole blocks of loved ones. Others shared about how we can reimagine the pretrial space together, looking to the complexities and barriers ahead. Passion was a throughline, as attendees referred to the quotes and shared their own perspectives. Our Executive Director, Justin Terrell, closed us out with a call to continue working together toward a more just pretrial space and criminal legal space in general for Minnesota. As we wrapped up the event and began putting things away, I felt a mix of emotions. I am deeply proud of the work that has been done for this report and the fact that people directly impacted by this issue are getting their stories heard. I also felt hopeful, acknowledging that this report is just the beginning of the work. I feel hopeful seeing that despite the challenges, this is not work we are doing alone. Community should be at the forefront of our collective efforts if we are ever going to manifest community values of justice, fairness, and safety in and beyond the pretrial space. For all those missing from our communities, for their loved ones, for the wide-reaching harms that reverberate out, we are in this work together. The Minnesota Justice Research Center has just begun a project, funded by the state legislature, to reimagine the pretrial process in Minnesota. The MNJRC will be conducting a robust study of pretrial release practices in Minnesota and elsewhere to identify best practices for pretrial release; analyze if, and how, practices in other jurisdictions could be adopted and implemented in Minnesota; address how changes would impact public safety, appearance rates, treatment of defendants with different financial means, disparities in pretrial detention, and community perspectives about pretrial release; and make recommendations for policy changes for consideration by the legislature. This work will expand on what we started through our report, so join us and learn more at mnjrc.org.
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Insight News • October 16, 2023 - October 22, 2023 • Page 5
Walz Appoints From 3 North Dakota School of Law. About Lauren Johnson Lauren Johnson is an associate attorney with Melchert Hubert Sjodin, PLLP, where she specializes in family
Ellis From 3 his sister Mrs. Viola Ford Fletcher, 109, Mrs. Lessie Benningfield Randle, 108, and family descendants were recently at our state capitol as part of an interim study focused on 2001 state-commissioned reparation recommendations. Two days ago, Mr. Ellis, urged us to keep fighting for justice. In the midst of
law, orders for protection, and child protection matters. She previously served as an assistant county attorney for the McLeod County Attorney’s Office, where she focused on criminal prosecution and child support. Johnson also worked as a staff attorney with the Autism Advocacy & Law Center, where she represented families with special needs. Her community involvement includes serving as a board member of the
ISD 110 Foundation and as president of the Eighth District Bar Association. Johnson has also volunteered with Lutheran Social Services. She earned her B.S. from Minnesota State University, Mankato and her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.
his death, there remains an undying sense of right and wrong. Mr. Ellis was assured we would remain steadfast and we repeated to him his own words, “We Are One” and we lastly expressed our love. The scripture of Jeremiah 6 reads “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” We celebrate the rare life of Mr. Hughes Van Ellis who still inspires us!” Funeral details are not yet known. Van Ellis’
funeral ceremony is likely to be another touchpoint around the issue of reparations for the damage done to members of the Black community as a result of systemic racism. Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the publisher of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on # R o l a n d M a r t i n U n f i l t e re d . She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke
MURUA MOMs™: A SPECICAL PROGRAM FOR PREGNANT
AFRICAN AMERICAN MOMS WHO WANT A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES & THEIR BABIES 9 Are you a Pregnant African American mom who wants a better life for you and your unborn baby? 9 Do you feel “stressed out” about your life and your new baby’s health? 9 Do you want to gain new strategies to address the challenge of overcoming issues of chemical abuse, emotional problems, and unhealthy relationships?
Then, this group is for YOU! WHEN: This Free, Murua Mom’s Education and Support Group will be held on Saturdays beginning October 21st through December 9th 2023. Classes will begin promptly at 10:00– 12:00pm Noon. In-person and Virtual Participation Available. Light snacks will be provided. Childcare & Transportation support may also be available, if needed. WHERE: UROC (UUniv. Research & Outreach Ctr) 9001 Plymouth Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411 HOW TO SIGN UP: Please contact Nurse Shirlynn LaChapelle, MHPP, directly @ 612382-0431 or Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya @ 612-839-1499 or Call Directly to the African American Child Wellness Institute (AACWI) at: 763-522-0100 Or Email Us At: Info@aacwi.org Murua Moms™©2008 Program Philosophy The goal of the Murua Moms program is to promote wellness and improve birth outcomes for pregnant African American women, especially those experiencing high stress conditions, chemical abuse, or mental health diagnoses. Program participants will gain hands-on guidance from licensed providers who will assist moms in learning skills that will promote wellness in themselves and their unborn babies using lectures, guest speakers, fun activities, and videos. Most importantly, mothers and dads will get intensive individual as well as group emotional support. Finally, the program also features a “Community-Wide Baby Shower” for moms and dads to get free items (e.g. car seats, clothing, diapers, cash gift cards, etc.) in preparation for their babies. Murua Moms™ (Swahili for RESPECT) is a collaborative project sponsored by the University Research & Outreach Center, Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services, the African American Child Wellness Institute and funded by the Minneapolis Foundation - WCA Foundation Grant Program, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services Cultural Ethnic Minority Infrastructure Grant (CEMIG) Program.
LAAMAR & LANUE
CHRIS BOTTI
OCT 26
OCT 27-29
AN EVENING OF MUSIC WITH WALKER WEST
HALLOWEEN W/ LA BUCKNER & BIG HOMIE
OCT 30
OCT 31
THEON CROSS
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Page 6 • October 16, 2023 - October 22, 2023 • Insight News
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More Than Friends Sharing Our Stories
By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor MORE THAN FRIENDS By Cheryl Barton It is often said that the most successful romantic relationships develop from two people who have been best friends for a long time. But what happens when everyone around them can see it but themselves? Such is the case in the third romance novel in Cheryl Barton’s Sister Act trilogy, More Than Friends. Nivea Lockhart is the youngest of the Lockhart sisters, now living in Boston as head of the biotechnology department of a hospital and co-chair of its teaching college. With her older sisters Destiny and Kasey now happily married to their
soulmates and pregnant, they are continually pointing out how she and Jaxon Hightower are made for each other while she and Jaxon deny it, insisting they are no more than best friends. Surprise, surprise—Jaxon’s family owns the majority stake in the hospital where she works. But is the sistah protesting too much? Jaxon Hightower comes from a wealthy legacy of Hightowers. His grandfather has appointed Jaxon to replace him as chair of the illustrious Hightower Foundation in Boston, with the unspoken expectation of following in his demanding workaholic ways. In other words, a highly skewed work/life balance, and Jaxon, out of obligation, steps into the position. Like his older brother Bryce and his father, Jaxon has charmed his way into the beds of countless women, but one night he and Nivea cross the line and give into to their passions. Steamy as the sex was, it left their friendship strained and awkward. When Jaxon finally
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admits he’s in love with Nivea, other forces are in play to keep them separated. First, there is the contentious relationship with his irresponsible brother Bryce. A womanizing sleaze who spends money like water, Bryce is not above doing what it takes to get under Jaxon’s skin and bring him down several pegs. Do we see a green-eyed monster? Next, there is Instagram model Alicia, a hussy who wants to parlay her casual hookups with Jaxon into something more, like a meal ticket for marriage. The fact that Jaxon is soon to receive $30,000,000 from his trust fund on his 30th birthday will make the freaks come out, and she has already thrown down the gauntlet of challenge to Nivea. Between Jaxon and Nivea’s careers and Jaxon’s drama-laden family, will they realize what’s been in front of them all along? This series has been a treat to read. Barton brings the heat, the humor, the love, and characters who are willing to talk things out and work things out to give love a chance. Yes, there is something extra special about a love match when the couple involved, like Jaxon and Nivea, are already friends; they just had to take the blinders off. The love and support of the Lockhart sisters is strong as ever, along with their supportive husbands. By the end of the story, I was smiling from ear to ear. More Than Friends is available through Amazon and Barton’s website, www. cherylbarton.net. Thank you, Cheryl, for bringing a feel-good series that embodies Black Love, sisterhood, family, and friendship. For all you romance lovers out there, the Sister Act series is a must-read!
II by TY DEFOE and LARISSA FASTHORSE directed by MICHAEL JOHN GARCÉS Sponsored by
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The Disproportionate Impact of Long COVID on African Americans: Why Us Again?
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL DR. B.AKINSANYA AT: 763-522-0100 CONVERSATIONS WITH AL MCFARLANE (Every Friday @ 1:00 pm) https://www.youtube.com/live/JWmslfsaE70?feature=share https://www.youtube.com/live/YB6l7QEVXS4?feature=share https://www.facebook.com/insightnewsalmcfarlane
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Insight News • October 16, 2023 - October 22, 2023 • Page 7
Insight 2 Health
Cancer in kids is different from cancer in grown-ups: Figuring out how could lead to better pediatric treatments By Ranjini Bhattacharya Ph.D. Candidate in Integrated Mathematical Oncology, University of South Florida Cancer arises when cells accumulate enough damage to change their normal behavior. The likelihood of accruing damage increases with age because the safeguards in your genetic code that ensure cells function for the greater good of the body weaken over time. Why, then, do children who haven’t had sufficient time to accumulate damage develop cancer? I am a doctoral student who is exploring the evolutionary origins of cancer. Viewed through an evolutionary lens, cancer develops from the breakdown of the cellular collaboration that initially enabled cells to come together and function as one organism. Cells in children are still learning how to collaborate. Pediatric cancer develops when rogue cells that defy cooperation emerge and grow at the body’s expense. Adult versus pediatric cancer The cells in your body adhere to a set of instructions defined by their genetic makeup – a unique code that carries all the information that cells need to perform their specific function. When cells divide, the genetic code is copied and passed from one cell to another. Copying errors can occur in
this process and contribute to the development of cancer. In adults, cancer evolves through a gradual accrual of errors and damages in the genetic code. Although there are safeguards against uncontrolled cell growth and repair mechanisms to fix genetic errors, aging, exposure to environmental toxins and unhealthy lifestyle can weaken these protections and lead to the breakdown of tissues. The most common types of adult cancers, such as breast cancer and lung cancer, often result from such accumulated damage. In children, whose tissues are still developing, there is a dual dynamic between growth and cancer prevention. On one hand, rapidly dividing cells are organizing themselves into tissues in an environment with limited immune surveillance – an ideal setting for cancer development. On the other hand, children have robust safeguards and tightly regulated mechanisms that act as counterforces against cancer and make it a rare occurrence. Children seldom accumulate errors in their genetic code, and pediatric cancer patients have a much lower incidence of genetic errors than adult cancer patients. However, nearly 10% of pediatric cancer cases in the U.S. are due to inherited genetic mutations. The most common heritable cancers arise from genetic errors that influence cell fate – that is, what a cell becomes – during the developmental stages before
Cancer in children is often more invasive and aggressive than that of adults. birth. Mistakes in embryonic cells accumulate in all subsequent cells after birth and can ultimately manifest as cancer. Pediatric cancers can also spontaneously arise while children are growing. These are driven by genetic alterations distinct from those common in adults. Unlike in adults, where damage typically accumulates as small errors during cell division, pediatric cancers often result from large-scale rearrangements of the genetic code. Different regions of the genetic code swap places, disrupting the cell’s instructions beyond repair. Such changes
frequently occur in tissues with constant turnover, such as the brain, muscles and blood. Unsurprisingly, the most prevalent pediatric cancers often emerge from these tissues. Genetic alterations are not a prerequisite for pediatric cancers. In certain pediatric brain cancers, the region of the genetic code responsible for cell specialization becomes permanently silenced. Although there is no error in the genetic code itself, the cell is unable to read it. Consequently, these cells become trapped in an uncontrolled state of division, ultimately leading to cancer.
Program Agenda 9:30am Greetings & Refreshments
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applying a “first strike” drug that kills most cancer cells. The remaining few cancer cells are then targeted through focused, smaller-scale interventions. If complete extinction is not possible, the goal turns to preventing treatment resistance and keeping the tumor from progressing. This can be achieved with adaptive therapy, which takes advantage of the competition for survival among cancer cells. Treatment is dynamically turned “on” and “off” to keep the tumor stable while allowing cells that are sensitive to the therapy to outcompete and suppress resistant cells. This approach preserves the tissue and improves survival. Although pediatric cancer patients have a better prognosis than adults do after treatment, cancer remains the second-leading cause of death in children under 15 in the U.S. Recognizing the developmental differences between pediatric and adult cancers and using evolutionary theory to “anticipate and steer” the cancer’s trajectory can enhance outcomes for children. This could ultimately improve young patients’ chances for a brighter, cancer-free future. Ranjini Bhattacharya does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
IåýåŹDžƐ ŇÆĞĻžŇĻØƐ ŹåĻƒƐ Ňƾķ±ĻØ Shereese Turner, Henry Rucker
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Tailoring treatments for pediatric cancer Cells in children typically exhibit greater growth, mobility and flexibility. This means that pediatric cancer is often more invasive and aggressive than that of adults, and can severely affect development even after successful therapy due to longterm damage. Because the cancer trajectories in children and adults are markedly different, treatment approaches should also be different for each. Standard cancer therapy includes radiotherapy or chemotherapy, which affect both cancerous and healthy, actively dividing cells. If the patient becomes unresponsive to these treatments, oncologists try a different drug. In children, the side effects of certain treatments are amplified since their cells are actively growing. Unlike adult cancers, where different drugs can target different genetic errors, pediatric cancers have fewer of these targets. The rarity of pediatric cancer also makes it challenging to test new therapies in large-scale clinical trials. A common reason for treatment failure is when cancer cells adapt to evade treatment and become drug resistant. Applying principles from evolutionary biology to cancer treatment can help tackle this. For example, extinction therapy is an approach to treatment inspired by natural mass extinction events. The goal of this therapy is to eradicate all cancer cells before they can evolve. It does this by
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