HARRIS/WALZ
By Steve Karnowski Associated Press
The Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, his wife, Gwen, and their son, Gus, went to a polling place in St. Paul on a crisp fall Wednesday morning to cast their ballots early. It was the first time voting for Gus, who just turned 18.
“I’m excited about it,” Walz told reporters on his way in to the Ramsey County Elections office.
Walz reportedly stood with Gus as they fed their ballots into the tabulation machine. An election worker called out “first-time voter” and the room erupted in cheers. The governor and son then highfived each other.
“Look, Donald Trump made it very clear that this is an election about Donald Trump taking full control of the military to use against his political enemies, taking full control of the Department of Justice to prosecute those who disagree with him, taking full control of the media on what is told and what is told to the American public,” Walz said.
Walz also said he had “nothing to say” about reports that he was the target of Russian disinformation efforts but added that “it’s very clear that” Russian President Vladimir “Putin wants Donald Trump to win; Donald Trump wants Putin to win.” Minnesota started early in-person voting on Sept. 20 but the governor has been on the campaign trail most of the time since Vice President Kamala Harris picked him as her running mate. Tim and Gwen Walz also voted early at the same office in 2022, when they were joined by their daughter, Hope, who was voting
Speaking briefly to reporters afterward, and sporting a red “I voted” sticker on his lapel, Walz called the election “a chance to turn the page on the chaos of Donald Trump, and a new way forward.” Walz thanked the former president’s longestserving chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, for “showing the courage to come forward” and warn the world about Trump’s “descention into madness.” Kelly’s comments came in interviews published Tuesday in The New York Times and The Atlantic.
Weaponized deception: Matthew Metro, AI lies, and the threat to our community
Columnist
By Haley Taylor Schlitz, Esq.
Imagine waking up to find that your identity has been stolen, manipulated, and broadcast to millions of people in a deliberate lie. That’s what happened to Matthew Metro, a Black man whose likeness and story were hijacked in a vicious attack aimed at Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. This wasn’t just a case of mistaken identity. This was a calculated act of political warfare, using advanced AI technology to create a fake video in which a man claiming to be Metro falsely accuses Governor Walz of sexual assault.
This video, now
flagged as false on social media platforms like X, is still circulating. Despite being proven a fabrication, it continues to spread its poison, targeting the minds of voters and threatening to disrupt our
democratic process. But make no mistake—this isn’t just an attack on Governor Walz. It is a violation of Matthew Metro, his family, and, by extension, our entire community.
What makes this particularly disturbing is the choice to weaponize a Black man in such an insidious manner. Historically, Black men have been demonized and used as scapegoats for larger political agendas. Metro’s identity was not just stolen—it was exploited to fuel a narrative designed to tarnish a political leader while suppressing votes, especially within the Black community. This manipulation is not only disrespectful but dehumanizing, reinforcing dangerous stereotypes and painting Black men as pawns in a game meant to keep us powerless and voiceless.
And let’s be clear: this is part of a larger, more dangerous trend. As we approach Election Day, we are bound to see more fake videos like this one—deepfakes aimed at sowing distrust, spreading lies, and undermining our faith in the electoral process. This
isn’t a matter of speculation; it’s already happening. The deliberate use of AI to falsify information and deceive voters is a direct threat to our democracy.
But we are not powerless. And we are not voiceless.
This moment demands our collective outrage, but it also calls for action. First, we must educate ourselves and others about the dangers of deepfakes. As technology advances, so do the tactics used to spread disinformation. Gen Z, in particular, has a responsibility to lead the charge in helping our communities recognize and combat these lies. We must call out fake videos when we see them, report them, and make sure the truth is louder than the lies.
Our government— both state and federal—must take bold and immediate action.
If we can scrutinize platforms like TikTok for being a potential threat to our security, then we cannot ignore the clear and present danger posed by AIgenerated fakes and the social media platforms that allow
them to spread unchecked. The stakes are far too high for complacency. These falsehoods aren’t just personal attacks—they’re assaults on our democracy. We need a serious national conversation about how to address the misuse of AI, and social media platforms must be held to a standard of responsibility for preventing the spread of misinformation. Without swift action, we risk letting lies dominate the truth, undermining the very
foundation of our society. Our democracy depends on it. But more than anything, we must refuse to let these lies define us. The truth is our greatest weapon. When disinformation is used to silence us, we must respond by raising our voices even higher. When technology is weaponized against us, we must fight back with the knowledge and tools to protect ourselves and our community.
of political
Matthew Metro’s identity was stolen in a
his dignity—and the
of our community—remains intact. We will not be
We will not be used as pawns in someone else’s game. The next time someone tries to deceive us with a deepfake or manipulate us with lies, we will be ready. The truth is on our side, but we must be vigilant in defending it.
Hey, bro… Donald Trump is not your friend
I was born in 1989, the same year Donald Trump took out full-page newspaper ads in four different papers calling for five New York Black and Brown teenagers falsely accused of rape and assault to be sentenced to death. In the ads, Trump called the teens “wild criminals” who “should be forced to suffer.” The teens, then known as the Central Park Five, would be exonerated
after DNA evidence confirmed that convicted murderer Matias Reyes was responsible. Even after the truth emerged, Trump continued to assert their guilt publicly and refused to acknowledge their exoneration.
The attacks Trump waged just months after my birth not only fueled public outrage at the time but also helped contribute to the villainization and racial profiling that
have haunted Black men in America for decades.
If you think I’m cherry-picking one example from Trump’s past, I’m not, and Trump’s record proves it. Years after his moment with Exonerated Five, Trump promoted a racist birther conspiracy that alleged President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Trump was determined to delegitimize
A plan that keeps
the first Black president by questioning his very identity and place in American society.
In Trump’s mind, Black men could become wealthy and powerful as entertainers or athletes, but no Black man could ever legitimately become president of the United States. Trump spent years trying to paint Obama as an untrustworthy outsider with a funny name who had lied to the American people and schemed his way to become the leader of the free world.
Trump’s pattern of racism and discrimination goes back to the 1970s, when the US Justice Department sued his real estate business for
racial discrimination, alleging that they had systematically refused to rent apartments to Black tenants. The practice of denying opportunities based on race extended to his casino ventures as well, where reports indicated that Black employees faced barriers to advancement and were often relegated to lower-paying positions.
These examples from Trump’s past are not isolated — they reflect a prejudiced worldview held by him since he was a young man starting in the business world. Trump doesn’t understand, and doesn’t care to understand, the unique experience of being a Black man in America. His actions have fed
into a broader societal tendency to view Black men through a lens of suspicion and fear. Whether it’s employment, health care, or education, Black men face disproportionate challenges at every turn. We need leaders who understand those challenges and are committed to making change. Donald Trump is not one of those leaders. He is an example of the work still needed to combat racism and achieve progress for us all.
The evidence is clear that Donald Trump has not been a friend to Black men during his four decades of public life.
As a Black man seeking an ally in the White House who will fight for equality and justice, I’ll be voting for Kamala Harris in November. I’ll be voting for someone with a proven track record of advocating for civil rights and for marginalized people. I’ll be voting for someone who will uplift our community and not worsen the systemic inequalities that have held back generations of people. In November, I’ll be voting for a future where Black men and Black communities across the country are seen, protected, heard, and valued.
Election officials are hard at work to deliver fair, secure and accurate elections – despite a constant flow of attacks
By Mitchell Brown Professor of Political Science,
Auburn University
The 2024 election is rife with controversy, from the politics of the campaigns to the politics surrounding the administration of elections. Accusations of wrongdoing and ineptitude continue to plague election officials, despite their explanations of legal compliance and process.
This is not new. During the 2016 election season, there was a growing narrative in the media and elsewhere that U.S. elections were poorly run. These accusations came from the left and the right, with concerns ranging from voter suppression to rigged machines.
My colleagues
and I have been studying election administration intensely for many years. When these accusations were made, they struck us as both odd and incorrect. We traveled around the country to visit election offices. We did surveys, we interviewed people, we ran focus groups, we toured election offices. In 2020, my colleague Kathleen Hale and I published a book on innovation in election administration. Among our conclusions: U.S. elections are not broken, and while fragmented and sometimes confusing, the system is functioning well, despite myriad pressures on it. The 2020 election continued to underscore that American election administration is strong across the country, despite the narrative
from some losing candidates that there was widespread fraud and conspiracy.
I continue to interact with election officials on a regular basis through meetings, conversations, classes I teach and election observations. While there are normal errors and mistakes that will always happen, this year’s presidential election also continues to demonstrate that the people running our elections are professionals engaging in neutral administration, upholding the law as well as important public administration principles of transparency, accountability, accuracy, integrity and widespread access for eligible voters. These people are doing this work despite an increasingly complicated and threatening environment for election
Elections happen almost every day
There are approximately 8,000 election jurisdictions across the country. For the most part, elections are run locally by community members who work for their county or city government. Some election officials are appointed, some elected, and some are career civil service employees. During the voting period, there are thousands and thousands of volunteer poll workers who are trained to support the process. These offices work closely with other county and city government offices. Their employees are trained on standard operating procedures to ensure ballot security
Aurora and Springfield aren’t the first cities to become flash points in US immigration debate here’s what happened in other places used as political soapboxes
By Miranda Cady Hallett
Professor
Associate
of Anthropology and Human Rights Center Research Fellow, University of Dayton
Many Americans had probably never heard of Aurora, Colorado, or Springfield, Ohio, before Donald Trump broadcast his false claims about these cities nationwide late in the 2024 presidential campaign.
First, in September 2024, the Republican presidential nominee claimed in a debate with Kamala Harris that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were stealing and eating other residents’ pets. A month later, at a rally in Aurora, Trump declared that city to be a “war zone” overrun by Venezuelan gangs.
Trump’s false claims went viral, creating chaos for these communities. Reporters rushed in. In Springfield, so did bomb threats.
These stories feel familiar to me as an anthropologist whose work has explored the social dynamics of immigrant destinations in the United States. Springfield and Aurora are only the latest small cities to become sudden flash points in America’s ongoing – and increasingly heated –immigration debate. Siler City, North Carolina The small town of Siler City, North Carolina, was used as a backdrop for anti-immigrant political rhetoric a quarter century ago. In the late 20th century, jobs in Siler City’s local poultry industry became a magnet for Latin American immigrants and their families, leading to rapid demographic change. In 1990, the town was 98% white and African American. By the 2000 census, almost 40% of the town’s 6,000 residents identified as Hispanic or Latino. This shift caused some racial tension, and in 2000 the notoriously racist politician David Duke headlined an anti-immigrant rally outside City Hall in Siler City. Duke, who was also a former Louisiana state representative and former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard, railed against Latin American immigrants.
Kamala will win the popular vote and no one is pointing out that absolute certainty in the popular media
By George Halvorson
I have been railing against the Electoral College (and the Senate) as anti-democratic forever, and no one much cares.
Turns out George Halvorson noticed–Matthew Holt
We all need to remember that Joe Biden got 11,110,258 California votes in the last election and we need to know and remember that Donald Trump got 6,006,409 votes in that state.
Kamala Harris is on the same track as Biden in every survey and that means she will beat Trump by at least five million votes in that state and she will win the national vote total by at least that many votes because the other vote counts are basically tied and have many fewer voters than California.
The vote differences in other states like Arizona and Georgia are a few thousands votes but only California and New York have million vote differences and she is clearly winning by millions of votes in each of those states.
That means that Trump is guaranteed to lose the popular vote total again by millions of votes.
It’s not clear yet if they can somehow create an electoral college win from those vote totals but it is very clear and absolutely guaranteed for him to be millions of votes behind to start that process.
Large numbers of
Americans will be extremely angry and upset if he loses the popular vote by almost ten million votes and somehow manages to get into the White House with that huge loss and pretends that he actually earned that victory with real votes. He will obviously be the biggest loser on the popular vote because there’s no way to make up the California and New York numbers. That loss is absolutely guaranteed because those two states are doing for Harris exactly what they did for Biden and they are both even less supportive of Trump than they were against Biden. The people who see him lose by ten million or more votes and then somehow claim and win the White House will probably protest that result with very visible descriptions of their unhappiness and anger and his ability to lead credibly in the face of that anger will probably be badly damaged and clearly labeled with brand damaging and clear description of what happened.
In a country where we seem to prioritize the greed of corporations and billionaires instead of our children and our schools, we need Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in office fighting with and for the people. Every day, as a public-school teacher and MFT59 Teacher Chapter President, I work with my union for better school safety, better funding for our classrooms and better pay for our teachers and
HARRIS 5
George Halvorson
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Donald Trump claimed at an Oct. 11, 2024, rally that Aurora, Colo., was overrun by Venezuelan gangs.
iStockphotos
Voting machines are tested at the Wake County Board of Elections on Sept. 17, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C.
By Marcia Howard Minneapolis Resident
Metro Transit celebrates progress in light-rail operator staffing
By Bill Lindeke MinnPost
Last Friday at the St. Paul operations and maintenance facility in Lowertown, new staff officially graduated from the 10-week training program that prepared them to start operating light-rail trains around the Twin Cities.
With 15 graduates, the class of October 2024 was larger than it had been in years, and so it was a banner day that attracted Metro Transit’s top brass. The assembled supporters filled the reception area of the office and maintenance complex for a half-hour ceremony, followed by burritos and cake.
The pomp marked the agency’s dogged efforts to overcome a prolonged staffing problem, a barrier to transit that’s been lingering for years. It also reflects an era of workforce shortages that has rebalanced the scales between workers and companies in every industry, especially for stressful careers in public service. But if Metro Transit can train people at this rate, and keep staff happy, they’ll finally deliver promised service levels.
Post-COVID shifts
It’s a truism that the COVID pandemic transformed transit in the US, but most people probably don’t understand to what degree this is true. Most obviously, the workfrom-home trend dramatically upended assumptions about how people move around cities, where and when, and whether “offices” should even be a systemic focus. That’s a big deal that is just starting to
change agency plans, leading to wholesale shifts in priorities.
The workforce shortage is another huge postCOVID problem. The pandemic was hard on frontline workers and decimated staffing numbers. The extra stress of pandemic service placed added pressure on drivers and operators, increased the vulnerability of older workers on the brink of retirement, and left transit agencies in a scheduling lurch. These institutions have always been dependent on large everyday workforces and, in cities like Chicago, they’ve been forced to cut service for years simply because nobody was available to drive the buses or run the trains.
Those kinds of cuts can spiral into declining ridership, where poor service drives people away from transit, catalyzing further declines. Metro Transit has been trying to avoid this fate, and one big part of the picture is recruiting new staff. In addition to the usual approach around increased benefits and pay – light-rail operators start at about $29 an hour, up from $21.80 a few years ago – agency leaders have focused on the more ephemeral parts of employment: institutional culture and morale.
“Everybody wants people with a CDL,” said Metro Transit Chief Operating Manager Brian Funk, referring to the coveted commercial driving license, a requirement for many transportation jobs.
“Even though you started with us, there’s alway going to be someone else whispering over their shoulder about how much better it is [somewhere else].”
This is an issue for drivers, but Metro Transit’s
labor crunch isn’t just for the front-of-the-house staff A separate staffing problem involving mechanics is becoming even more acute than the driver issues. All of the agency’s buses and trains require constant work to stay in service, and ideally the agency would have around 300 mechanics working at their various garages and bays. Right now they’re down about 60 wrenchwielders, a shortfall of 20%.
“The existing team is doing a great job of keeping up, but it’s not sustainable long-term,” said Brian Funk, chief operating officer for the agency. “A couple of years ago we launched an apprenticeship program for that as well, and that first class of a dozen is set to graduate in December.”
The resulting situation presents a juggling challenge for agency planners around when and where to add limited service. The mechanic shortfall is one reason that the light-rail system has been using two-car trains for the past year. Each one of the massive rail vehicles must be inspected based on the number of miles traveled,
and with fewer vehicles on the tracks daily, overworked mechanics get a break. Compared to most workplaces, the agency’s solutions for its labor problem focus inside-the-house, retraining and reaching out from within existing networks. For example, apprenticeship and training efforts bring in younger or mid-career staff to learn on the job. Thanks to a new labor contract signed in 2022, light-rail operators no longer have to have been bus drivers before training on trains. That move dramatically shortens the pipeline for new staff During the 10-week light-rail course, trainees receive their CDL before moving on to learn the rules of the rails. These include new sets of signals, manuals for train operation, and an extensive agency rulebook. A few weeks in, they finally start operating the vehicles themselves. (Pro tip: Do not call it “driving” the train; even columnists will be reprimanded.)
A diverse “transit family” In past years there
have only been one or two graduating trainees per class, so the class of 15 graduating last week was unique.
“They have our most experienced staff ensuring that they’re going well, approaching each station, doing all the requisite rules, ringing the bell, operating the doors, keeping an appropriate dwell time, reading the signals, all of that,” said Funk, describing the long list of details to master.
“Starting tomorrow, they’ll be operating on their own, and that whole process is what allows us to increase frequency.”
According to people
I’ve talked to, the most stressful part of train operation is the low level chaos on the streets, particularly along the Green Line running down the median of University Avenue. Making sure that turning drivers and people on foot stay clear of the tracks is an endless job. If it seems like the train operators are being aggressive with their horns and bells, that’s why.
Transit people like to talk about themselves as a large “transit family,” and this means cultivating networks and connections that can become multi-generational.
In some cases the metaphor is a bit more literal. One of new graduates, Cornell King, is the son of a long-time bus driver. Both father-and-son Kings were in attendance, and when Cornell held up his graduation certificate, he was met with raucous applause.
The new class has a range of ages and backgrounds.
Some of the graduates are in their 20s and starting their careers, and others have decades of work experience.
About a third of the group are
women, par for the course in the industry, but two already had served as bus drivers. Over half of the new operators are people of color, reflecting the diversity of both the agency’s larger workforce and its clientele.
“I know you have bogeyman stories in your mind, but this is a brand new adventure,” ATU President David Stiggers, who leads the union representing transit staff said at the ceremony. “It’s a lot of ebbs and flows in this position, but congratulations, you have progressed over the very first hurdle, and now you’re about to embark on the second phase of becoming an operator. Go out there and feel, see, touch how this really works.”
The message was reinforced by Metro Transit General Manager Lesley Kandaras, who traveled by train from the Near North Minneapolis headquarters to attend. She seemed well aware that keeping each operator as happy as possible
Black Press urges DSCC to expand Black Media reach in new ad campaign
By Stacy M. Brown
Newswire Senior
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has launched a new advertising initiative to encourage Black voter turnout in seven key battleground states. The campaign, “Our Vote. Our Power,” will appear in select Black-owned media outlets
across Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The effort focuses on promoting voter participation in the 2024 Senate elections while urging individuals to create a voting plan using the online platform
IWillVote.com, where everyone can access information to plan their involvement in the election.
“Black voters have the power to shape the outcome of the 2024 election and will play a critical role in defending the Democrats’ Senate majority that is fighting for the values, priorities, and issues that matter most for Black Americans,” said Jessica Knight Henry, DSCC Deputy Executive Director. “This campaign will build on Senate Democrats’ efforts to meet Black voters wherever they are and ensure that every voter has the information they need to make their plan to vote and make their voice heard.” The campaign’s ads will run in publications including the Florida Star
Uchechukwu Iroegbu
Insight
CEO/Editor-In-Chief
Chief Operations Officer
Postmaster:
Contributing
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have consistently been at the forefront of shaping our nation’s political landscape, and yet, once again, we are seeing minimal investment in ensuring our communities are thoroughly engaged and informed.” The NNPA is the trade association representing over 200 Black-owned newspapers and media companies, comprising the 197-year-
MinnPost photo by Bill Lindeke
During the 10-week
iStockphoto / NNPA
and electoral integrity, and they work closely with state election offices to ensure standard application of federal and state laws. In some states, such as Colorado and Ohio, they have professional associations to enhance their coordination and work. And there are national professional and training programs to further enhance the field.
Despite the fact that most people think elections are held every other year, when you take into account state, local and special elections and the steps involved in preparation, early and absentee voting, election day voting and canvas and certification, there is an election being run somewhere in America almost every day.
Working in elections is uniquely challenging.
Deadlines are fixed, budgets are comparatively small in most places, and perfection is expected at all times. For the past two presidential election cycles, election officials in some jurisdictions faced almost constant accusations of incompetence or fraud.
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Accusers are rarely able to provide actual evidence. There are excellent examples around the country of good election administration in the face of many challenges and accusations of wrongdoing.
‘Relentless … barrage of falsehoods’
Consider Wesley Wilcox, supervisor of elections in Marion County, Florida. Wilcox has been a dedicated election official for decades, honored by his colleagues across the country when they elected him to the Election Center Hall of Fame in 2023. He is an elected Republican and vocal about his support of his party.
But since 2020, Wilcox and his colleagues have been a constant target of accusations of wrongdoing, which he told a 2022 U.S. Senate committee hearing constituted a “relentless and unprecedented barrage of falsehoods.” These baseless accusations came despite the fact that Wilcox’s office was involved in the investigation of a woman who was charged with actual wrongdoing: substantiated voter fraud.
Another example is Mary Hall, an auditor in Thurston County, Washington. Hall has been recognized by the state of Washington
and her colleagues for her strong professionalism for decades. She heads a robust office and staff who work to communicate to voters to ensure community trust in their processes and outcomes.
Despite that, groups in the area have organized to challenge voter registrations of people who have done no wrong, causing extra work for Hall’s office.
There are legitimate reasons that voter rolls are not perfect, and the presence of people on a voter roll who have moved and registered elsewhere is not evidence of fraud. And while such double registration is not illegal, voting in multiple places is. In the face of all of this, Hall continues to respectfully respond to their accusations and criticisms.
In 2023, her office was one of five nationally to have received envelopes with white powder in them, which turned out to be fentanyl in some cases.
“I used to be very proud of my position and telling people what I did for a living. And I don’t do that anymore, because you never know what reaction you’re going to receive from the people on the other end,” Hall told “PBS NewsHour” in November 2023.
‘Years of unsubstantiated
personal attacks’ Other than sowing confusion and public distrust, these attacks and accusations have real-life implications for the lives of the people running elections.
One of the hardest for me to watch has been Cathy Darling Allen’s resignation from the profession. Darling Allen, the former chief election official for California’s Shasta County, is widely regarded among her peers as having the highest levels of professionalism, integrity and honesty. In 2024, Darling Allen was one of five election officials in the country whom the American Bar Association awarded its Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award. That award “recognizes those individuals and organizations who work every day, often behind the scenes or without fanfare, to ensure that our elections are secure and that the democratic ideals set forth in the U.S. Constitution are upheld.”
But years of threats, hate mail, accusations and unsubstantiated personal attacks against her left her physically ill. This stress and resulting health conditions forced her to retire early. A vocal group of county residents alleged that widespread election fraud was happening
on her watch and accused her of sedition and treason. In an ironic development, a local news website reported that “Supervisor Patrick Jones, who is the most visible proponent of the claim that election fraud is occurring locally, was himself successfully elected to office in a process overseen by Darling Allen.”
Darling Allen is just one example of dedicated officials who have left the field in recent years because of the rampant, false narrative about election wrongdoing on the part of officials.
Election offices will never have the kinds of resources that those individuals, groups and countries who are attacking the integrity of their offices have.
But these officials nonetheless persist, upholding state and federal laws and professional standards of conduct and producing accurate and timely election results.
A review of the Moritz College of Law case tracker for the 2020 presidential election, which documents important election law cases from around the nation, demonstrates that many of these charges were meritless and that the results of the election were upheld. These results reflect the competence of those election officials.
Other groups,
including academics, have been working to neutrally and empirically study these issues, looking at a range of topics, from election performance to best practices, as well as seeking to understand the impacts of the current narrative on the public. Real electoral mismanagement is investigated, and the people involved face consequences if it is substantiated. Election fraud is a crime. Election officials know this and work tirelessly to ensure timely, fair, secure and accurate elections. Mitchell Brown is the Curtis O. Liles III Professor in the Department of Political Science and directs the election administration program at Auburn University. For 35 years, Auburn University faculty have served as the curricular faculty for the Certified Elections/ Registration Administrator (CERA) certification program, and through this role she serves on the Board of Directors of the Election Center. She has received numerous grants and contracts to study election administration, including from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Bipartisan Policy Center, and MIT MEDSL, among others. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
“Do you understand that immigration will destroy the foundations of this country?” Duke asked. “When you have more diversity, you end up with more division and more conflict,” he said, warning of “extinction” for white people in the U.S.
Duke also railed against school integration. Thirty-five years after desegregation, this remained a favorite complaint of white supremacists.
Only a handful of people, many of them from out of town, showed up to support Duke’s message, carrying signs like “The Melting Pot is Boiling Over.”
In the short term, Duke’s rally exacerbated polarization in Siler City. It also stoked fear and anxiety among foreign-born residents, some of whom believed the local government had endorsed Duke’s message because the rally took place in front of the town hall.
Looking back, however, many Siler City residents see the David Duke incident as a turning point –toward an improvement in ethnic relations in their town.
After Duke’s rally, local politicians spoke out against the divisiveness and hatred. Within a few months, residents offended by the antiimmigrant rally had organized a unity event and cultural festival.
By the time I visited Siler City in 2008 as a graduate research assistant studying new immigration destinations, many locals noted with pride
that white supremacists could gain no foothold in town. They said Duke’s racist rally caused neighbors to stop and think, and decide what side they were on.
Today, Siler City has an immigrant community advisory board, and the government actively works to promote integration and social cohesion among residents.
Lewiston, Maine
A similar story unfolded in the working-class Maine city of Lewiston in 2002 after its mayor wrote a public letter about the city’s rising refugee population.
Just over 1,000 Somali refugees had settled in the city in the preceding year, having been displaced by civil war and drought back home.
“This large number of new arrivals cannot continue without negative results for all,” Mayor Laurier Raymond wrote. “Our city is maxed out financially, physically and emotionally.”
He called on Somali people to “pass the word (that) we have been overwhelmed.”
Raymond’s letter got the attention of organized white supremacist groups, who descended on Lewiston, a former sawmill hub of about 35,000 people. In response, local people formed an ad hoc community organization called “Many and One,” and when the hate group World Church of the Creator rallied in Lewiston on Jan. 11, 2003, only 36 people attended. About 4,000 counter-protesters came out to support the Somali community.
A film crew that had showed up to document the conflict ended up telling the story of Lewistonians sending a message of acceptance and unity.
The temporary stresses on Lewiston were real,
but in general locals came down on the side of inclusion and welcome. By 2021, Lewiston had one of the country’s highest per capita populations of Muslim residents, and of Somali-Americans.
Twenty years later, the arrival of Somali families has become part of the story Lewiston tells about its history and identity.
Conservative and anti-immigrant messages continue to resonate in the town. Yet many locals, like author Cynthia Anderson, say they are “moved and inspired” by the resilience of their Somali-American neighbors.
Like most Haitians living in Springfield, Somali people did not choose to leave their country. They were displaced, and many were traumatized – yet they built new lives and contributed to the community.
What can this history tell us now?
While there are key differences between Springfield, Aurora, Siler City and Lewiston, these four places also share many attributes.
These are all economically beleaguered cities with higher crime rates than the U.S. average but lower housing costs and more entry-level jobs in manufacturing. Such places are sometimes called “emerging gateway cities,” because they are appealing to immigrant families seeking opportunity.
Yet the same conditions also make these cities attractive to political figures seeking a stage to blame immigrants for the community’s preexisting economic, social and public safety challenges.
As in Siler City and Lewiston, Springfield and Aurora have mainly rejected
false political claims and negative messages about their immigrant residents.
In Springfield, residents have organized rallies and a prayer vigil in solidarity with Haitians, and Ohio’s Republican governor defended the city against Trump’s allegations.
The Republican mayor of Aurora said before Trump’s Oct. 11 visit that he hoped “to show him and
the nation that Aurora is a considerably safe city – not a city overrun by Venezuelan gangs.”
The 2024 election has brought tense and polarizing times to these towns. But history suggests that Springfield and Aurora will eventually be home to vibrant and integrated immigrant communities.
Once the vitriol fades, Trump’s incendiary misinformation will likely become just a footnote to the larger story of the country’s 21st-century transformation Miranda Cady Hallett received funding from the Russell Sage Foundation’s “New Immigrant Destinations” project in 2008-2009, providing support for the North Carolina-based research mentioned in this article. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
Harris Harris
se dirigió a través del Atlántico en busca de Asia fue un notorio defensor de esclavizar a los taínos indígenas del Caribe.
Columbus, a veces perdemos de vista las ideas, leyes y personas comunes que permitieron la violencia colonial a gran escala.
gran parte del mundo más allá de Europa en dos mitades: una para la corona española, la otra para los portugueses.
T d id d l ig g p M d ld A y
Parte 1 de 3
En todo Estados Unidos, el segundo lunes de octubre se conoce cada vez más como Día de los Pueblos Indígenas. En el impulso de cambiar el nombre del Día de Colón, el propio Christopher Columbus se ha convertido en una metáfora de los males de los primeros imperios coloniales, y con razón.
El explorador italiano que
Part 1 of 3
En palabras del historiador
Andrés Reséndez, “tenía la intención de convertir al Caribe en otra Guinea”, la región de África occidental que se había convertido en un centro europeo de comercio de esclavos. Por 1506, sin embargo, Colón estaba muerto. La mayoría de los actos genocidas período colonial fueron llevados a cabo por muchos, muchos otros. En la larga sombra de
Como historiador de América Latina Colonial, a menudo comienzo tales discusiones señalando un documento peculiar redactado varios años después de la muerte de Columbus que tendría mayores repercusiones para los pueblos indígenas que el propio Colón: el requisito o el “requisito”.
Catch-22
En 1494, el Tratado de Tordesillas dividió infamemente
la totalidad de las Américas, aunque no sabían casi nada sobre este vasto dominio o las personas que vivían allí. Para informar a los pueblos indígenas que de repente se habían convertido en vasallos de España, el rey Ferdinand y sus concejales instruyeron a los colonizadores a leer el requirimiento en voz alta al primer contacto con todos los grupos indígenas.
El documento les presentó una opción que no era otra opción. Podrían convertirse en cristianos y someterse a la autoridad de la Iglesia Católica y al Rey, o de lo contrario: “Con la ayuda de Dios, entraremos poderosamente en su país, y haremos la guerra en su contra de todas las formas y modales que podamos ... Te llevaremos a ti, a tus esposas y a tus hijos y haremos esclavos de ellos ... las muertes y pérdidas que se acumularán de esto son su culpa ”. Fue un Catch-22. Según el documento, los pueblos
indígenas podrían entregar voluntariamente su soberanía y convertirse en vasallos o traer la guerra a sí mismos, y tal vez perder su soberanía de todos modos, después de mucho derramamiento de sangre. No importa lo que elijan, el requerimiento suministró el pretexto legal para incorporar a la fuerza a los pueblos indígenas soberanos en el dominio español. En esencia, el requerimiento era un ritual legal, una actuación de posesión, y era exclusiva del imperialismo español temprano.
himself has become a metaphor for the evils of early colonial empires, and rightly so.
Across the United States, the second Monday of October is increasingly becoming known as Indigenous Peoples Day. In the push to rename Columbus Day, Christopher Columbus
The Italian explorer who set out across the Atlantic in search of Asia was a notorious advocate for enslaving the Indigenous Taínos of the Caribbean. In the words of historian Andrés Reséndez, he “intended to turn the Caribbean into another Guinea,” the region of West Africa that had become a European slave-trading hub.
By 1506, however, Columbus was dead. Most of the genocidal acts of violence
were carried out by many, many others. In the long shadow of Columbus, we sometimes lose sight of the ideas, laws and ordinary people who enabled colonial violence on a large scale.
As a historian of colonial Latin America, I often begin such discussions by pointing to a peculiar document drafted several years after Columbus’ death that would have greater repercussions for Indigenous peoples than Columbus himself: the Requerimiento, or “Requirement.” Catch-22
In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas infamously divided much of the world beyond Europe into two halves: one for the Spanish crown, the other for the Portuguese. Spaniards lay claim to almost the entirety of the Americas, though they knew almost nothing about this vast domain or the people who lived there.
In order to inform Indigenous people that they had suddenly become vassals of Spain, King Ferdinand and his councilors instructed colonizers to read the Requerimiento
Indigenous groups. The document presented them with a choice that was no choice at all. They could either become Christians and submit to the authority of the Catholic Church and the king, or else:
“With the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country, and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can … we shall take you and your wives and your children and shall make slaves of them … the deaths and losses which shall accrue from this are your fault.”
It was a catch-22.
According to the document, Indigenous people could either voluntarily surrender their sovereignty and become vassals or bring war upon themselves – and perhaps lose their sovereignty anyway, after much bloodshed. No matter what they chose, the Requerimiento supplied the legal pretext for forcibly incorporating sovereign Indigenous peoples into the Spanish domain. At its core, the Requerimiento was a legal ritual, a performance of possession – and it was unique to early Spanish imperialism.
Parte 1 de 3
Nos Estados Unidos, a segunda segunda -feira de outubro está cada vez mais conhecida como o Dia dos Povos Indígenas. No esforço para renomear o Dia de Colombo, o próprio Christopher Columbus se tornou uma metáfora dos males dos primeiros impérios coloniais, e com razão. O explorador italiano
que partiu pelo Atlântico em busca da Ásia foi um notório defensor da escravização dos taínos indígenas do Caribe. Nas palavras do historiador Andrés Reséndez, ele “pretendia transformar o Caribe em outra Guiné”, a região da África Ocidental que se tornara um centro de negociação de escravos europeus. Em 1506, no entanto, Columbus estava morto. A maioria dos atos genocidas de colonial foi realizada por muitos, muitos outros. Na longa sombra de Colombo, às vezes
perdemos de vista as idéias, leis e pessoas comuns que permitiram a violência colonial em larga escala. Como historiador da América Latina Colonial, muitas vezes inicio tais discussões, apontando para um documento peculiar elaborado vários anos após a morte de Columbus que teria maiores repercussões para os povos indígenas do que o próprio Colombo: o Requeimiento ou “Requisito”.
Catch-22
Em 1494, o Tratado de Tordesillas dividiu infame
grande parte do mundo além da Europa em duas metades: uma para a coroa espanhola, a outra para os portugueses. Os espanhóis reivindicaram quase a totalidade das Américas, embora eles não soubessem quase nada sobre esse vasto domínio ou as pessoas que moravam lá. Para informar os povos indígenas que repentinamente haviam se tornado vassalos da Espanha, o rei Ferdinand e seus conselheiros instruíram os colonizadores a ler o requisito em voz alta no primeiro contato com todos os grupos indígenas.
O documento apresentou -lhes uma escolha que não foi escolha. Eles poderiam se tornar cristãos e se submeter à autoridade da Igreja Católica e do rei, ou então: “Com a ajuda de Deus, entraremos poderosamente em seu país e faremos guerra contra você de todas as maneiras e maneiras que pudermos ... levaremos você, suas esposas e deles ... as mortes e As perdas que devem acumular isso são sua culpa. ” Era um Catch-22. Segundo o documento, os
povos indígenas poderiam renunciar voluntariamente sua soberania e se tornar vassalos ou trazer guerra a si mesmose talvez perder sua soberania de qualquer maneira, depois de muito derramamento de sangue. Não importa o que eles escolhessem, o Requeimiento forneceu o pretexto legal para incorporar à força os povos indígenas soberanos no domínio espanhol.
Na sua essência, o Requeimiento era um ritual legal, uma performance de posse - e era exclusivo do imperialismo espanhol.
Por Diego Javier Luis Translation By Macdonald
A Portuguese map of the world from 1573, showing Portuguese and Spanish territories of the New World. National Library of France via Wikimedia Commons
de vue les idées, les lois et les gens ordinaires qui ont permis la
coloniale à grande échelle. En tant qu’historien de l’Amérique latine coloniale, je commence souvent de telles discussions en pointant un document particulier rédigé plusieurs années après la mort de Columbus qui aurait de plus grandes répercussions pour les peuples autochtones
que Columbus lui-même: la Reviento, ou «exigence». Catch-22 En 1494, le traité de Tordesillas a tristement divisé une grande partie du monde au-delà de l’Europe en deux moitiés: l’une pour la couronne espagnole, l’autre pour les Portugais. Les Espagnols prétendent presque l’intégralité des Amériques, bien qu’ils ne connaissaient presque rien de ce
vaste domaine ou des personnes qui y vivaient.
peuples autochtones qu’ils étaient soudainement devenus des vassaux de l’Espagne, le roi Ferdinand et ses conseillers ont demandé aux colonisateurs de lire la Remerimiento à haute voix lors du premier contact avec tous les groupes autochtones.
Le document leur a
présenté un choix qui n’était pas du tout le choix. Ils pouvaient soit devenir chrétiens et se soumettre à l’autorité de l’Église catholique et du roi, ou bien: «Avec l’aide de Dieu, nous entrerons puissamment dans votre pays, et ferons la guerre contre vous de toutes les manières et les manières emmènerons et vos femmes et vos enfants et en ferons des pertes qui en découlent sont de votre faute. » C’était un catch-22. Selon le document, les peuples autochtones pouvaient soit abandonner volontairement leur souveraineté et devenir des vassaux ou faire la guerre à euxmêmes - et peut-être perdre leur souveraineté de toute façon, sang. Peu importe ce qu’ils
ont choisi, le Requerimiento a fourni le prétexte légal pour avoir incorporé de force les peuples autochtones souverains dans le domaine espagnol.
Requerimiento était un rituel légal, une performance de possession - et il était unique à l’impérialisme espagnol précoce.
Qaybta 1 ee 3 Guud ahaan Maraykanka, Isniinta labaad ee Oktoobar ayaa si isa soo taraysa loogu yaqaan Maalinta Dadka Asaliga ah. Markii la riixayo in dib loogu magacaabo Maalinta Columbus, Christopher Columbus qudhiisu wuxuu noqday tusaale u ah xumaanta boqortooyooyinkii hore ee gumeysiga, waana sax. Sahmiyihii Talyaaniga ahaa ee ka soo tallaabay badweynta Atlaantigga isaga
oo Aasiya ka raadiyay waxa uu ahaa u doode caan ku ah in uu addoonsado Taínos-ka asalka ah ee Kariibiyaanka. Erayada taariikhyahan Andrés Reséndez, wuxuu “ku talo galay inuu Caribbean u rogo Guinea kale,” gobolka Galbeedka Afrika oo noqday xarun ganacsi oo reer Yurub ah. Ilaa 1506, si kastaba ha ahaatee, Columbus wuu dhintay. Inta badan falalkii xasuuqa ahaa ee lagu qeexay xilligii gumeysiga waxaa geystay dad badan iyo kuwo kale oo badan. Hooska dheer ee Columbus, waxaan mararka
sharciyada iyo dadka caadiga ah ee suurtageliyay rabshadaha gumeysiga ee baaxadda weyn. Taariikhyahan ahaan gumeysiga Latin America, waxaan inta badan bilaabaa doodaha noocaas ah anigoo tilmaamaya dukumeenti gaar ah oo la diyaariyey dhowr sano ka dib dhimashadii Columbus kaas oo saameyn weyn ku yeelan doona dadka asaliga ah marka loo eego Columbus laftiisa: Requerimiento, ama “Sharitaanka.”
Qabashada-22
Sanadkii 1494-kii, Heshiiskii Tordesillas wuxuu si qarsoodi ah u kala qaybiyay
inta badan adduunka ka baxsan Yurub laba qaybood: mid loogu talagalay taajkii Isbaanishka, kan kale ee Bortuqiisku. Isbaanishku waxay sheeganayaan ku dhawaad dhammaan Ameerika, inkasta oo aysan waxba ka ogeyn qaybtan ballaaran ama dadka ku noolaa. Si loo ogeysiiyo dadka asaliga ah inay si lama
Isbaanishka, Boqor Ferdinand iyo xildhibaanadiisu waxay ku amreen gumaystayaasha inay kor u akhriyaan Requerimiento marka ugu horeysa ee lala xiriiro dhammaan kooxaha
asaliga ah. Dukumeentigu wuxuu u soo bandhigay doorasho aan wax doorasho ah lahayn. Waxay noqon karaan Masiixiyiin oo waxay u hoggaansamaan awoodda kaniisadda Katooliga iyo boqorka, ama haddii kale: “Aniga oo kaashanaya Ilaah, ayaannu si xoog leh ku geli doonnaa waddankiinna, oo waannu idinla dagaallami doonnaa si kasta iyo si kasta oo aan awoodno. . . khasaaraha ka dhalan doona tan adigaa leh. Waxay ahayd qabashada-22. Sida ku cad dukumeentigu,
Sehemu ya 1 kati ya 3 Kote nchini Marekani, Jumatatu ya pili ya Oktoba inazidi kujulikana kama Siku ya Watu wa Kiasili. Katika harakati za kutaka kuiita Siku ya Columbus, Christopher Columbus mwenyewe amekuwa kielelezo cha maovu ya himaya za awali za kikoloni, na ndivyo ilivyo. Mvumbuzi huyo wa
Kiitaliano aliyevuka Bahari ya Atlantiki kutafuta Asia alikuwa mtetezi mashuhuri wa kuwafanya Wataíno Asilia wa Karibiani kuwa watumwa. Kulingana na mwanahistoria
Andrés Reséndez, “alinuia kugeuza Karibea kuwa Guinea nyingine,” eneo la Afrika Magharibi ambalo lilikuwa kitovu cha biashara ya watumwa huko Ulaya.
hivyo, Columbus alikuwa amekufa. Vitendo vingi vya mauaji ya halaiki ambavyo vilifafanua kipindi cha ukoloni vilitekelezwa na wengine
Katika kivuli kirefu cha Columbus, wakati mwingine tunapoteza mawazo, sheria na watu wa kawaida ambao waliwezesha vurugu za kikoloni kwa kiwango kikubwa. Kama mwanahistoria wa ukoloni wa Amerika ya Kusini, mara nyingi mimi huanza mazungumzo hayo kwa kuelekeza kwenye hati ya pekee iliyoandikwa miaka kadhaa baada ya kifo cha Columbus ambayo ingekuwa na madhara makubwa zaidi kwa Wenyeji kuliko Columbus mwenyewe: Requerimiento, au “Takwa.” Kukamata-22
1494, Mkataba wa Tordesillas uligawanya sehemu kubwa ya ulimwengu zaidi ya Uropa katika nusu mbili: moja kwa taji ya Uhispania, na nyingine kwa Wareno. Wahispania walidai karibu bara zima la Amerika, ingawa hawakujua chochote kuhusu eneo hilo kubwa au watu walioishi huko. Ili kuwafahamisha Wenyeji kwamba kwa
wa Uhispania, Mfalme Ferdinand na madiwani wake waliwaagiza wakoloni kusoma Requerimiento kwa sauti baada
ya kuwasiliana kwanza na vikundi vyote vya Wenyeji. Hati hiyo iliwapa chaguo ambalo halikuwa chaguo hata kidogo. Wanaweza kuwa Wakristo na kutii mamlaka ya Kanisa Katoliki na mfalme, au sivyo: “Kwa msaada wa Mungu, tutaingia kwa nguvu katika nchi yako, na kufanya vita dhidi yako kwa njia na adabu zote ambazo tunaweza ... tutakuchukua wewe na wake zako na watoto wako na kuwafanya watumwa ... hasara itakayopatikana kutokana na hili ni kosa lako.” Ilikuwa samaki-22.
hiari kusalimisha mamlaka yao na kuwa vibaraka au kujiletea vita - na pengine kupoteza mamlaka yao hata hivyo, baada ya kumwaga damu nyingi. Haijalishi walichagua nini, Requerimiento ilitoa
wengi.
Mnamo
Kulingana na waraka huo, watu wa kiasili wanaweza ama kwa
Par
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Bringing Black books to life
By W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor
MINNESOTA BLACK
AUTHORS EXPO 2024
Bringing Black Books to Life Coming together. Sharing our stories. Showcasing the gifts of Black authors and poets from the diversity of our experiences. Connecting with readers, current and new. Such is the venue of the Minnesota Black Authors Expo, now in its 8th season with the theme Bringing Black Books to Life. Founded by De’Vonna Bentley-Pittman and Jasmine Boudah in 2017, and currently headed by executive director Dorothy Nins, Minnesota Black Authors Expo has been a venue to connect our gifted Black authors and poets
with readers and educators, as a space for authors to share their stories and for readers to buy their books. Be it fiction or nonfiction, from children to adults, MBAE serves as a reminder that Black authors and poets exist here in Minnesota, and we are a vibrant community.
MBAE membership provides authors support to achieve their literary dreams through its resources, be it marketing, selling their books, visibility, making a brand, or attending literary events, which is crucial for authors of color.
In a change in its format, MBAE is hosting four community events over the coming months. The kickoff event takes place on Saturday, November 9, at the Minneapolis Central Library, located at 300 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Our program, “From the Page to the Stage,” will be hosted by Lissa JonesLofgren and feature Spoken Word and visual artist Joe Davis. In addition, there will be panel discussions and readings
by the participating authors. This is about representation for all ages, and Hennepin County will sponsor the Kids Corner. As a new addition this year, MBAE will have a Teen Creative Writing Workshop as well as the Writers Bootcamp for new and established writers. Over the next months, the Expo will take place at the following locations in the Twin Cities metro area: February 8, 2025--Dakota County Library (Galaxie Branch), Apple Valley April 12, 2025—St. Paul Public Library (Main), St. Paul June 21, 2025—825 Arts Building, St. Paul For additional information, call (203) 5240223 or go to the MBAE website, mnblackauthorsexpo. com. These events are free and open to the public, so come out and support these amazing Black authors, poets, and playwrights!
Comcast Strengthens Communities:
Habitat Build, Teacher Appreciation, and New Store Opening
In the spirit of giving back to local communities, Comcast and its employees showed support for organizations across the Twin Cities through recent efforts of volunteerism, a special night of appreciation for teachers and the opening of a new state-of-the-art Xfinity store.
Comcast Employees
Join Carter Work Project 2024 to Build Twin Cities Homes
Comcast’s Midwest Region sponsored and participated in the 2024 Carter Work Project hosted by Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. More than 50 volunteers worked over the course of a week to construct houses for The Heights, a major redevelopment of the 112-acre former Hillcrest Golf Course in St. Paul.
“Together, our Comcast team is building more than homes with Habitat for Humanity; we’re building hope, community, and a brighter future for all,” said Karly Baraga Werner, vice president, External Affairs, Comcast Midwest Region. “Through our sponsorship of the Carter Work Project and our teamwork, we will be making a lasting impact on families who gain not just a house, but a home filled with opportunity.”
Teacher Appreciation
Night Held at CHS Field
Through a partnership with Tickets for Kids Charities and the St. Paul Saints, Comcast hosted – for the third consecutive year – a Teacher Appreciation Night to honor educators for their dedication, hard work and positive impact on students and the community. More than 500 teachers enjoyed a beautiful night at the ballpark.
“Our teachers give so much to help our kids grow and succeed. That’s why Teacher Appreciation Night is the perfect chance for Comcast to say, ‘thank you’ for their dedication,” said Elizabeth Bierman, vice president, Construction and Engineering, Comcast Midwest Region. Bierman and Tracy Byrd, the teacher of the year from Washburn High School in Minneapolis, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Teachers interested in learning more about Comcast’s Internet Essentials program and how it could benefit their students and their families can visit www.xfinity.com/learn/ internet-service/internet-essentials.
Grand Opening of New Xfinity Store in Crystal
Comcast held a ribbon cutting to celebrate its newest Xfinity store located at 5606 W Broadway in Crystal.
“We are happy to welcome Comcast to Crystal as the location for their newest Xfinity store,” said Jim Adams, Mayor of Crystal. “The city knows how important access to the newest technology is, and with the store’s prime location, it is easier than ever for Crystal customers to access the latest technology and stay connected.”
The new store features an interactive design and provides a destination for visitors to experience the complete line of Xfinity products, including Internet, mobile, entertainment and security services. For local businesses interested in the latest in internet and technology solutions from Comcast Business, the new Crystal store has a dedicated space to discuss their business technology needs.
During the event, Comcast donated $2,500 to NEAR Food Shelf as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to investing in cities where they operate. With the addition of the new Xfinity store, Comcast now offers 16 convenient Xfinity retail locations in the Twin Cities where customers can receive personalized support, exchange and upgrade equipment, pay their bill and more.
To learn more about Xfinity products and services, visit www.xfinity.com/overview.
Five ways parents can support children’s social and emotional development
By Julia Levy, Executive Director, Sparkler Learning
There are many ways parents can support their children’s social and emotional learning and wellness. Recent studies have highlighted that social and emotional skills — such as sustaining effort, getting along with others, maintaining composure, keeping an open mind, and social connection — were shown to have a consistent and positive association with students’ academic and career success.
Know your child’s social and emotional needs.
As a parent, you know your child better than anybody else on the planet. This knowledge of your child gives you a unique power to inspire and support them. Ask yourself a few questions: “How have recent events, including the pandemic, affected my child and family?” “What are some positive effects?” “What are some negative effects?” If your children are old enough, ask them these questions and really listen to what you hear.
A social and emotional learning initiative called Big Heart World is a good resource. It includes the podcast Little Kids, Big Hearts, which can help parents and educators introduce big topics in social and emotional learning to their children. The podcast, which is hosted by Todd Loyd, an early childhood educator, and social-emotional learning coordinator, explores what it means to have a big heart and how to grow one with episodes focused on identity, friendship, and standing up for others.
In the newest episode, “Imagination Time,” three kids, Shaelan, Sameia, and Hunter, join Todd to help the Mayor of the Qooka-lackas to design a new playground for the Qook-aleekies.
Once you know, you can grow!
Once you’ve thought through your children’s social strengths and needs, it’s time to get on their level, figuratively and literally! Through Big Heart World, we worked with the Housman Institute to
develop a 10-question quiz that identifies children’s social and emotional learning needs and then creates a custom digital packet of playful activities you can do together to address those needs.
In my family, we are big fans of the “friendship cookie”— making a giant cookie to share with friends. This helps us to practice social skills and math while sneaking chocolate chips! We love it because it works for us. What works for you? Use the quiz to get your personalized activity suggestions.
Parents can remember the basics.
Today, I often wonder if the disruptions of recent years will interfere with children’s long-term ability to practice preschool basics. I think a lot about the key skills that are enforced and reinforced during the preschool years:
Identity(Who am I? How do I fit into my family, community, and world?)
Feelings(What am I feeling? Is that okay?)
Self-regulation (How do I pause and manage my big feelings?)
Problemsolving(How do I work with others to share or work out differences?)
Kids don’t necessarily pick up basic social and emotional skills on their own. They learn them over time, through practice, and through interactions with others. Take time to get back to basics. Practice breathing and calm-down exercises. Work on sharing. Talk about identity and belonging. If you’re looking for beautiful, culturally diverse picture books to help reinforce basic social and emotional skills, explore First Book and School Library Journal’s booklists.
Take time to listen.
`A lot of families had A LOT of extra “screen time” in the last couple of years. Don’t feel bad about this—you’re doing great! If you want to think of ways to diversify your children’s media diet, now is a great time to remember that using our ears is a great way to learn. As part of Big Heart World, we’ve produced an album of songs called the Big Heart Beats album. Have a listen. (And don’t be surprised if the songs get stuck in your head or cause an impromptu kitchen dance party.) Our Little Kids, Big Hearts podcast also aims to help parents and educators introduce big topics in social and emotional learning to their children. Listen together at bedtime or in the car to help start a meaningful family conversation. My four-yearold and I re-listened to the “upstanding” episode recently and had a good chat about ways he could stand up for his friends.
Parents can find safe ways to get together. Mother and psychologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Kavita Tahilani shared some handy tips to encourage play and peer interactions. Most importantly, we must remember to be flexible and forgiving to our children and to ourselves. This has been a multi-year disruption to our lives. Parents can support their children. But it will take time and focus, new resources, and new approaches to address the impact moving forward.
Julia Levy is the executive director of Sparkler Learning, the nonprofit family engagement organization producing Big Heart World with Noggin and the National Head Start Association.
WHEN WE VOTE, WE WIN.
When our rights are on the line we fight and when they’re on the ballot we vote, because we’re not going back.
The economy is on the ballot.
Health care is on the ballot.
Criminal justice reform is on the ballot.
Reproductive freedom is on the ballot.
Environmental justice is on the ballot.
The right to vote is on the ballot.
If we do our part and show up to the polls, we will make history (again)!
Let’s vote for progress and the future we deserve.
Vote for the leader who’s been fighting for us for years.
Election Day is November 5th.
Vote for Kamala Harris.
