November 28, 2024 - Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder - Edition 18 by MN Spokesman Recorder

Students shape youth agenda

By Cynthia Moothart Managing Editor

bout 65 high school stu-

dents from across Minnesota gathered at the Minnesota House of Representatives on Nov. 23 for the Catalyst for Systems Change (CSC) changemakers program, an event designed to empower young people to shape the Minnesota youth agenda in 2025.

• Increasing student achievement.

• Raising high school and post-secondary graduation rates.

• Improving student attitudes toward learning, their schools, and being positive, active, contributing members of their community.

• Promoting greater understanding that young people can and should be encouraged to help make a positive difference in their communities by combining classroom instruction with community service.

Students, ages 16 to 24, went beyond conversations to create action plans, including drafting issue briefs, collaborating with legislators, and laying the groundwork for proposed legislation. Over the years, CSC has successfully worked with Minnesota youth to help pass several pieces of legislation.

Among them: Getting $20 million allocated for youth and family homelessness leading to permanent housing. Securing an additional $4 million for the Youth Build program that teaches the construction trades in schools. And amending a law to make grants up to $100,000 available through MN Housing for schools to purchase supplies and other resources required for building homes through Youth Build.

“We hope that the community and young people can see their creativity and insights are valuable,” said Khalique Rogers, executive director of Catalyst for Systems Change.

“We’re creating a youth-legislature agenda — and the needs are urgent.”

Since 1988, Catalyst for Systems Change has been “in the difference-making business.” It works with educators, families, business people, students, policymakers, and others concerned with making important, measurable differences in young people’s lives. This includes:

• Strengthening communities by building stronger working relationships among educators, parents, students, and community members.

With a bipartisan group of state legislators, this year’s program addressed critical topics such as youth and family homelessness, mental health challenges, and affordable housing solutions.

The students represented 24 schools across suburban, rural and urban communities, including Apple Valley, Champlin Park, Coon Rapids, Eden Prairie, Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, St. Paul, Shakopee, Stillwater, Willmar and Woodbury.

Partnering with a coalition of currently and formerly homeless youth and families, Catalyst for Systems Change is working to dramatically reduce youth and family homelessness in Minnesota.

“This is a chance for young people to lead and be heard,” said Rogers, who’s been active with the group since he was 17 and was named executive director in September.

“We’re not just teaching students about policy. We’re empowering them to shape it.”

“We’re not just teaching students about policy. We’re empowering them to shape it. To be proactive, not reactive, to crises.” Catalyst for Systems Change has provided grants and tech

Another Rondo in the works?

Residents fear MnDOT’s Highway 252 conversion project could have devastating effects on BIPOC communities

By Alexzia Shobe Staff Writer

The Highway 252 conversion project has been in the planning stages for several years. One of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s current proposals calls for transforming the 7.5-mile stretch of the highway into a freeway, with new interchanges and expanded lanes to accommodate increasing traffic volumes. But as MnDOT releases its latest plans and reports, a cloud of concern looms over the project’s potential impact on surrounding neighborhoods.

According to MnDOT’s project reports, change is necessary to address growing congestion in the area and improve travel times between the northern suburbs and downtown Minneapolis. Highway 252 is currently a four-lane highway that runs through several suburban communities.

The stretch of road connects northern neighborhoods with downtown Minneapolis and is considered a critical

route for commuters. While this is a road well-traveled, it is also one of the most dangerous in the state. According to MnDOT, Highway 252 intersections have historically ranked in the top 10 for crashes.

MnDOT has identified three goals for the project. First is to improve vehicle safety. Second, the agency aims to improve mobility and travel times. Third, the proposal prioritizes improving safety and mobility for walking, biking and rolling.

On the surface, the project is presented as necessary to meet the demands of a growing metro area, and MnDOT has stressed the importance of long-term mobility. However, many residents and activists are concerned that the conversion could have devastating consequences, particularly for the communities that sit adjacent to Highway 252, which include predominantly Black, Latino, and immigrant neighborhoods.

Attorney and longtime Brooklyn Center resident

■ See 252 on page 5

MnDOT’s current proposal calls for transforming a 7.5-mile stretch of the highway into a freeway, with new interchanges and expanded lanes to accommodate increasing traffic volumes.

The Minnesota Paradox Bridging Minnesota’s housing disparities

Minnesota is celebrated as one of the best places to live in the United States. And yet, research shows that Black Minnesotans are worse off here than in virtually every other state in the nation. This is the “Minnesota Paradox.”

Over the next four weeks, the MSR will highlight individuals working to end major disparity areas at the root of the Minnesota Paradox. This week we feature Trent Bowman, vice president and community impact manager at Bremer Bank, who considers the challenges of achieving equity in homeownership. Once the series concludes, MSR will publish ongoing essays written by members of community groups working to build greater justice in the state.

By Tonya Jackman Hampton Contributing Writer

innesota’s housing market reflects a complex tapestry of challenges and opportunities, particularly for communities striving to achieve stability and equity in homeownership. Racial disparities in homeownership rates in Minnesota rank among the worst in the nation: While 78% of white households in the state own their homes, only 31% of Black households are homeowners.

Over the past two decades, the state has experienced significant shifts in housing affordability, access and disparities — underscoring the urgent need to reshape perceptions and systems to create a more inclusive future. “The most significant disparities in this state right now are between the homeownership rates for Black households and white households,” said Gabriela Norton, research manager for the Minnesota Housing Partnership. Trent Bowman, vice president and community impact manager at Bremer Bank, offers his 20 years of experience,

perspective, and advice to address these disparities. “Blacks and people of color should focus on consultation about homeownership first, and then the mortgage and lender applications.

“We should also look for affordable housing in inner-city pocket neighborhoods. Once we’re in these neighborhoods, we should set the tone by being model homeowners, thereby influencing our neighbors to do the same, which will eventually improve the value and surroundings of the neighborhood.”

about housing, awareness about location, and lifestyle behaviors.

“We need to focus on consultation before application. Meet with someone who has your best interest and learn more.”

With positive homeownership stories and intentional efforts to address racial gaps, Minnesota can pave the way for equitable housing opportunities and stronger communities. A common narrative suggests a scarcity of affordable housing, but the reality is more nuanced. Affordability often hinges on education

“From where I sit,” Bowman says, “there is talk that there aren’t affordable homes, but the way I see it, there are. It’s really about housing education and location. People don’t want to live in certain areas based on their perception and rumors. “But I believe it boils down to knowledge and affordability.

For your starter home or home of choice you may have to live in an initially less desired pocket area, but you can improve it based on how you maintain your lifestyle. You don’t want to just make the mortgage — you want to improve neighborhoods by being willing to move into them, change them, still do your hobbies, and maintain a certain way of life.”

Perceptions about certain areas, shaped in part by media narratives, play a significant role in how people approach housing. “I am not blaming the media, but negative matters in the city tend to be highly shared more than others,” Bowman says.

“We need to not only measure the negatives — let’s celebrate

Third in a six-part series

Trent Bowman

Khalique Rogers

MnDOT

Imagine what true justice might look like Conference explored possibilities

By Clint Combs

Contributing Writer

The Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) hosted its annual Re-Imagining Justice Conference Nov. 19, an inspirational convening of a broad diversity of criminal legal system practitioners, scholars, advocates, impacted persons, and community members. Through keynotes, plenaries, and breakout sessions, the MNJRC creates space to share and learn from efforts to bring the criminal legal system closer to a true justice system.

The theme of the 2024 conference was “Pivoting from Problem to Possibility,” in which the MNJRC sought to reimagine a criminal legal system that doesn’t simply respond to problems but looks for approaches that are based on dreams of what can be. This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Shawn Ginwright, whose work in trauma, healing, and the empowerment of African American youth has established him as a thought leader in the field of education.

Ginwright is the Jerome T. Murphy professor of practice at Harvard Graduate School of Education. He has written numerous highly acclaimed books, including most recently “The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves,” from which the MNJRC got its 2024 conference theme.

Ginwright and Yohuru R. Williams, director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas, fielded questions from audience members at McNamara Alumni Center. Cyreta Oduniyi,

a pastoral leader at Northside Community Center, was concerned about staff and volunteers being overworked when dealing with youth impacted by the criminal legal system.

“How do we begin to pivot our outlook just to be in community differently with these young people, and how do we restore ourselves who are burned out?” Oduniyi asked.

“What is your healing diet in your organization?” Ginwright said. “If you go ‘uh, what is a healing diet?’ that means you ain’t got one.

“A healing diet may look like before you start moving, before you go through the agenda, let’s do an emotional check-in,”

Ginwright said. “What are you looking forward to the most? We are now entering a space where we have to call attention to the inner work that is necessary. Our work for justice is dancing between the external and internal.”

“What are your thoughts about amplifying this rich sense of possibility and vision that is fomenting every day at George Floyd Square, as opposed to the institutional problem that they want to get rid of?”

Darrian Radford contrasted his upbringing with the youth. He grew up with a sensibility that’s lost on a generation plagued by a pandemic and an

Dr. Shawn Ginwright

uprising after the murder of George Floyd. “Now it’s everybody for themselves,” Radford said. “There’s a lack of care even for their own communities, for their own families.

“I don’t really know how to break through that gap because it branches beyond my capacity,” Radford said. “How do you get to that point where you give them motivation, I guess is the word — but an understanding of what it is to care during this time?”

Ginwright reasoned that it’s not laziness but a lack of self-awareness, an inability to understand their own emotions. “When I worked with these young men, I tried to get

them to talk about their emotions,” he said. “I realized that I thought they just didn’t want to because it was too painful, but they actually couldn’t. Over time you began to build this emotional literacy. The first baseline of hope is to fix that piece.”

Erika Thorne is an organizer at George Floyd Square who is concerned with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “The mayor, personally, I do not trust, although there are good people in [city government]. Where the possibility is, is with the people who are holding down

the square and have been for four and a half years,” Thorne said.

“How do we amplify or what are your thoughts about amplifying this rich sense of possibility and vision that is fomenting every day at George Floyd Square, as opposed to the institutional problem that they want to get rid of?” she asked.

“We should think about memorials as particular spaces. But the square is much bigger,” Williams said. “That was a failure of housing, education, access to places of public ac-

commodation.

“What the mayor did, which was problematic, [he] said, ‘Well, now that Derek Chauvin has been convicted, problem solved,’” Williams said. “No, the problem was just beginning. That’s the work we have to do, burrow into, and get accustomed to doing.”

Nelle Rivers is a community organizer for the New Justice Project. Rivers is concerned that the progressive movement anchoring changes within the criminal legal system is often too uptight in dealing with identity and class. There’s a discourse in Rivers’ work where politeness conflicts with offering services to clients at the project.

“I think we think we don’t have things in common with folks, especially like me being Black and queer,” Rivers said. “Oftentimes, when I go into certain neighborhoods, I do get misgendered. But I’m like, that’s just to be expected.

“How do we move out of this space of righteousness and perfection and get people to see we do have aligned values?” Rivers asked.

Ginwright described Rivers’ dilemma as a “dance between accountability and grace.”

“That’s the challenge,” he said, “that, I think, is before us: learning how to navigate and dance between accountability and not see grace as some sentimental weakness.”

Clint Combs welcomes reader responses to ccombs@spokesman-recorder.com.

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Health

How opioid addiction starts and why it’s so hard to quit

Sponsored by

By Jarrett Schaffer

Opioid addiction can have devastating consequences for a person with an addiction and their loved ones. The family and friends of someone displaying opioid addiction symptoms or struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD) may wonder how the opioid addiction starts and why it feels like they can’t stop using the drugs.

The fact is, addiction is a complex disease, and stopping is not a simple, cut-and-dried task.

According to Dr. Mark S. Gold, M.D. and addiction researcher via “Psychology Today,” “Addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition driven by changes in brain circuitry, particularly in areas controlling reward, stress, and decisionmaking.”

These changes in brain chemistry spur an addict’s need for more opioids. They also mean addiction is not a “bad choice” or a moral failure of some kind. Genetic and environmental factors, as well as trauma and life experiences, also play a role in developing substance use disorder (SUD).

Take a deep dive

This deep dive into opioid addiction explores statistics, causes, common misconceptions, contributing factors, and harmful effects. Opioids are highly addictive. So, anyone who takes them — especially for a prolonged period — is at risk of developing opioid dependence and addiction.

Data shows a 4% national decline and an 8% Minnesota statewide decline in opioidrelated deaths from 2022 to 2023. In Hennepin County, provisional opioid-related death data shows a 1% decrease.

Despite these gains, opioid addiction remains a nationwide crisis. And disparities have substantially increased locally for African American,

American Indian, and Hispanic populations in Hennepin County. Local data shows:

• In 2023, the number of Black deaths was higher than all other races.

• Opioid-related Black deaths rose more than 14% from 2022 (129 deaths) to 2023 (148 deaths).

• The highest disparity for opioid-related deaths is still among the American Indian population.

• Deaths among Hispanics of any race increased by more than 56% from 2022 (23 deaths) to 2023 (36 deaths).

Furthermore, annual opioid-involved emergency and hospital visits in Hennepin County increased from 10,179 in 2022 to 10,819 in 2023. It’s a pandemic that has many in the county fearful and ready to learn what’s causing it and how the community can make an impact. That starts with understanding.

Opioids block pain signals and release large amounts of pleasure-boosting dopamine in the body, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. When used correctly,

prescription opioids can relieve pain following a severe injury or surgery. Opioid misuse and addiction start when someone develops a tolerance for the medication and needs higher, more frequent doses to trigger its feel-good effects. Drug addiction causes longlasting changes in a person’s brain that produce compulsive, uncontrollable drug-seeking and use despite the risk of physical harm and death. Some people turn to illegal opioids like heroin and illicit fentanyl when medical refills run dry.

Alleviating harsh opioid withdrawal symptoms like severe muscle and bone pain, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, anxiety and sweating can also drive opioid addicts to start using the substance again.

Common misconceptions

Many common misconceptions exist about addiction. The top among them is that a person experiencing addiction can quit using a substance any time they want, and they lack willpower. Neither is true.

As a chronic illness, opioid addiction alters someone’s

brain in such a way that they can’t control their cravings or their desperate need to use a substance. As “Psychology Today” notes, they will go to great lengths to obtain drugs, and the only effective way to stop is to get professional help, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Other addiction misconceptions include thinking relapses mean treatment failure and only certain types of people get addicted to substances. Once again, neither is true.

reverse the brain changes to the pre-use state,” and “addiction happens to people across all demographics, from all walks of life, and no one is immune.”

Contributing factors

Multiple studies have explored how genetic, psychological, and environmental factors can contribute to opioid addiction. For example, researchers using classical genetic approaches have shown that “addiction is heritable.”

An “International Journal of

“Harvard Health” notes that a family history of opioid and substance use disorder presents an OUD risk factor, as well as a family environment that allows for substance misuse. Traumatic experiences, psychiatric disorders, and socioeconomic factors that play a role in OUD include:

• Childhood physical, sexual, or emotional abuse/neglect.

• Major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

• Unemployment stress and living below the poverty line.

• Low educational attainment (such as not finishing high school).

• Being a teen or in the early 20s.

• History of criminal activities or legal trouble.

• History of problems with family, friends and work.

The harmful effects

Opioid addiction can have harmful, devastating and lethal effects on individuals, their families and loved ones. Research shows that long-term opioid use can cause adverse effects on someone’s cardiovascular, immune, endocrine and respiratory systems. It also increases the risk of infections, fractures, sleep-disordered breathing, overdose and death.

Drug addiction can also damage or destroy relationships with family members, friends and coworkers. It can cause performance issues at work and endanger, seriously injure, or kill others if someone drives under the influence of opioids.

Opioid mental health issues also affect families who try to cope with a loved one’s erratic, unpredictable behavior due to OUD. Stress and strain increase within the family; in some circumstances, people feel they must cut ties with their loved ones. However, most families try to stay connected.

Opioid addiction is treatable

Just as with other chronic illnesses, relapses can (and do) occur. “Psychology Today” notes that “In many ways, relapse is the consequence of treatments that don’t (or can’t)

Molecular Sciences” review shows that molecular genetic approaches suggest that specific addiction-related behaviors are associated with particular genes.

Opioid addiction and substance use disorders are treatable, and recovery is possible. Hennepin County offers several programs to help residents who are struggling with addiction. For more information, call Hennepin County’s Addiction and Recovery Services Unit at 612-879-3671 or visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services for ways to get help.

Selam Restaurant

Black Business SPOTLIGHT

By Alexzia Shobe Staff Writer

Selam Restaurant, a small family-owned and operated gem in South Minneapolis, offers an immersive experience into the rich cultural tapestry of Ethiopia. Owned by Belai Mergia and Rahel Tassew, Selam embodies the couple’s journey, values, and commitment to authenticity.

“Selam,” meaning peace and a warm greeting of “hello” in Amharic, reflects the owners’ dedication to fostering unity. With its mouthwatering menu, exquisite murals, and familial warmth, Selam has become a beloved gathering spot that invites diners to connect with the spirit of Ethiopia. Both Mergia and Tassew are originally from Ethiopia. They moved to Minnesota in 1991, with Rahel having previously

The couple faced setbacks early on due to zoning issues and limited funds, so they were obliged to focus on a cafe. Years of hard work paid off, and their determination and resourcefulness led them to make Selam Restaurant a reality post-pandemic in 2021.

“It was hard, but I didn’t give up,” Tassew said.

Business

Welcoming Ethiopian gem a labor of love

Even now that Selam is a fully operational restaurant, no visit is complete without experiencing Ethiopia’s renowned coffee ceremony. This sacred tradition involves roasting coffee beans, grinding them by hand, and brewing the coffee in a jebena (traditional clay pot). Ethiopian ethos. Selam combines the culinary expertise passed down through generations with a deep respect for their cultural heritage. The restaurant’s commitment to authenticity is about

mented grains, and slow-cooked meats. Dishes are designed to be enjoyed alongside injera — a spongy, sour flatbread made from teff, an ancient grain native to Ethiopia. Injera is a staple

of Ethiopian flavors, emphasizing vegetarian and vegan options.

The restaurant is well-known for its signature Vegetarian Combo, which includes a variety of dishes like split lentils, yellow peas, green beans with carrots, beets, shiro, and collard greens.

The Selam Combo, a mix of key miser, yellow split beans, shiro wot, cabbage, dor wot, key wot, and beef tibs, is another customer favorite that offers the best of their vegetable and meat dishes on the same plat

may use the same ingredients as other Ethiopian restaurants, but the way we cook them is not the same. It’s unique to us,” Tassew said.

Mergia and Tassew take great pride in their restaurant. They cherish their role in the community and are immensely proud of their three daughters, who have grown up learning the importance of hard work and perseverance while working alongside their parents at Selam.

The Mergia-Tassew family

Photos by Alexzia Shobe

Mergia and Rahel Tassew

PARADOX

Continued from page 1

or publicize the positivity in the Black community. Festival for Fathers, for example, is free for the community, but people don’t come because they don’t know.

Urban League Family Days is another positive thing that doesn’t get enough attention.”

By shifting the narrative toward celebrating positive community efforts and investments, more people may see value in underserved neighborhoods. To reduce disparities, particularly in underserved areas like North Minneapolis, partnerships with developers and policy adjustments are essential.

“If there was a way to build or get with some of the developers to provide tax credits to build certain homes in North Minneapolis instead of creating fourplexes, that could make a difference,” Bowman says. “Build affordable homes like they did after WWI and WWII.”

Credit access remains a pivotal factor in housing disparities. Many individuals in marginalized communities lack the education and resources needed to build strong credit

252

Continued from page 1

Stephen Cooper noted, “MnDOT has a habit of negatively impacting minority communities. This project will affect Brooklyn Center, which is the state’s most diverse community; Brooklyn Park; and North Minneapolis, which is a predominantly African American community.”

The concerns surrounding the Highway 252 project recall the I-94 freeway, which tore through the heart of St. Paul’s historically Black Rondo neighborhood between 1956 and 1968. The construction of I-94 displaced more than 650 families and forced the closure or destruction of nearly 300 businesses.

Some worry that the same forces that led to the destruction of Rondo — prioritizing traffic flow and infrastructure development over the needs of vulnerable communities — could once again be a reality with Highway 252 conversion.

MnDOT insists that it is committed to addressing the concerns of local residents and minimizing the project’s impact on the surrounding communities. The agency has held public hearings and outreach efforts to engage stakeholders and gather input on the proposed changes. MnDOT

YOUTH

Continued from page 1

profiles, resulting in fewer opportunities to secure affordable mortgages. Teaching financial literacy, particularly in the Black community, can address generational gaps in credit knowledge.

“If we didn’t learn about credit in high school, we have to take time to learn it. Blacks, from my experience, tend to understand how much they have access to buy, but, really, we need to know more. We also need to make credit positive, so it is impactful for our future.

“It’s also about changing behavior. You must live within your means to increase access and improve your credit standing.” Strong credit is more than a number — it’s a gateway to opportunities. A lower credit score translates into the less you receive. A credit score of 700 or higher gives you more power, Bowman says.

Rising interest rates pose another hurdle, but perspective matters. “Two percent and 3% were unusual rates in the past, but 6.785% is not a high rate,” Bowman explains. For lower-income individuals, affordability is the guiding principle. “Buy in the pocket of communities you can afford,” he advises. “When you do, you

partnered with outside community-based organizations, such as Stairstep Foundation, to increase engagement and bring project information to Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, and North Minneapolis residents.

Despite MnDOT’s engagement efforts, many residents still feel that their voices are not being heard. Tara McCarthy, a member of the Highway 252 Safety Task Force, has lived in Brooklyn Center for more than two decades.

McCarthy and her husband, Brendan, have attended every meeting that MnDOT held regarding Highway 252 since tragically losing their 16-yearold son on that exact road in 2013.

“We wished they had done something before Jason’s accident, but of course we didn’t want anyone else going through what we went through, so we were glad to hear that they were going to make changes,” McCarthy stated.

“But the more we learned the more upset we became, because it was very clear that they were just trying to funnel as many cars as they could down the road without any regard for the surrounding communities at all. While they claim that the proposals they have will be safer than what we currently have, when you

wishing to make comprehensive changes in their educational programs. Projects were funded through the Blandin Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, and the Minnesota Initiative Funds. Although each project was unique, they all had the same basic intent: strengthening the social and economic vitality of their communities;

Minnesota’s declining homeownership rates among certain demographics underscore the importance of education and tailored support.

can be the pillar to move the neighborhood in a positive direction. If one family takes care of their home, it starts to spread across all neighbors.”

Minnesota’s declining homeownership rates among certain demographics underscore the importance of education and tailored support. Many first-time buyers lack understanding of the full scope of homebuying costs.

“We need to focus on consultation before application,” Bowman says. “Meet with someone who has your best

look at their data they don’t have anything to support those claims.”

Vehicular safety is of the utmost importance, but many critics of the current proposals are urging MnDOT to have a more comprehensive view of the issue. The Highway 252 Safety Task Force argues that MnDOT’s narrow focus on transportation criteria overlooks significant social, economic and environmental impacts, particularly in Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park and North Minneapolis.

The 6-lane freeway alternative would increase traffic volume on 252 from 58,000 to 114,000 vehicles daily, including heavy freight trucks, worsening air pollution, traffic congestion, and health risks — of particular concern among BIPOC communities with high rates of asthma and COPD.

According to the task force’s data, traffic-induced pollution is projected to increase deaths and hospitalizations by 3050%. The plan also overlooks the risk of water contamination from accidents involving hazardous freight.

MnDOT began work on their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in June. Thus far they have no concrete answers regarding how local communities will be impacted. MnDOT communications and public engagement

planning and implementing a broad-based team of educators, students, and community representatives; encouraging greater community use of school facilities, equipment, and educator expertise; promoting a multicultural, gender-

interest and learn more.”

However, many potential buyers remain unaware. To unlock homeownership and help Minnesotans build wealth, the state created a three-year $150 million fund in 2023 to provide down payment assistance to first-generation homebuyers. The fund is set aside for people who’ve never owned a home and whose parents never owned a home — or those who lost their home to foreclosure.

The program was designed to help close racial dispari-

official Ricardo Lopez stated, “We have ‘concepts of a plan,’ to steal that language from someone else, but the pieces are there. We’re building and putting these pieces together.”

Some activists and community members have raised concerns that the current project lacks a focus on alternative solutions. They argue that the region should prioritize expanding mass transit and lowering speed limits to reduce congestion, improve safety, and ensure residents are not displaced due to construction.

These concerns have gained more traction in light of the ongoing discussions about the impacts of the Green Line light rail project, which also passes through neighborhoods near Highway 252 and has raised concerns about gentrification and displacement.

While MnDOT has acknowledged these concerns, the agency maintains that the changes are necessary for the

ties in homeownership rates across the state. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis until the money runs out. In order to access those funds, however, would-be homebuyers must first take a class available through the Minnesota Homeownership Center.

“Don’t do a mortgage loaning application over the phone,” Bowman says. “It’s too important of a process and decision not to understand the details that can only be understood through a face-to-face discussion.

region’s long-term development. The department has committed to compensating displaced residents and businesses, though many critics argue that the amounts offered have been insufficient in the past.

Depending on the final build decision, construction costs are estimated to range from $240 million to $300 million. Acquisition of properties and relocation of residences and businesses will add to that already substantial project cost. Funding for the Highway 252/I-94 Project is planned to include local, state and federal sources.

City officials of Brooklyn Center are currently opposed to the idea of financially contributing to this project. “The city council passed two measures,” said Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves. “We’ve created a no-cost share agreement, because we feel we shouldn’t have to pay for a project that doesn’t seem to benefit us.

“We also determined that we will request payment to supplement our potential loss of revenue.” According to Graves, Brooklyn Center could potentially lose $550,000 to $750,000 in tax revenue each year due to the displacement of homeowners in the area.

“The council agreed that we need to think of ways to best

“Black first-time-or-not homebuyers should change personal circumstances,” Bowman adds. Change your narrative to setting the wealth for yourselves and your families to build generational wealth. It’s hard, but we can change what we’re doing.”

Ultimately, housing equity goes beyond affordability — it’s about building thriving communities. By prioritizing education, accessibility, and collective action, Minnesota can reshape its housing landscape and empower its residents to achieve lasting stability and equity.

Housing is more than a place to live; it’s the foundation for thriving lives and communities. “To cultivate thriving communities, we need to understand the programs, obtain education, and take advantage of the housing opportunities,” Bowman says.

“Black and underserved communities can then change the narrative, build generational wealth, and reshape our future. But it starts with informed action.”

Tonya Jackman Hampton is an author with a doctor of education and an MBA. She is a native Minnesotan.

protect the city,” Graves said. “We have to plan for how to supplement our community’s losses should their plans move forward.”

According to the Potential Property Impacts report provided by MnDOT, at the very least nine properties will be forced to relocate, and at most 64 will be displaced. The proposed plans include significant infrastructure changes, such as the creation of interchanges designed to facilitate smoother access to surrounding neighborhoods, a modernized bridge network, and the possible implementation of noise barriers along sections of the highway to reduce the impact of traffic on nearby homes.

While MnDOT staff is adamant that their project will be intensively and cautiously strategized for at least two years before implementation, the potential losses loom over local residents.

Amber Blanchard, Minnesota Department of Transportation’s major projects manager, encourages citizens to trust the process. “We just ask for patience. We’re going as fast as we can while being thoughtful about the decisions that we are making, and we have the community’s interests in mind.”

Alexzia Shobe welcomes reader responses at ashobe@ spokesman-recorder.com.

G Stock Studios

Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves

Among the participants were Kalvin, Honestly, and Sha’Micah, who attended the High School for Recording Arts. Their focus is on youth homelessness and permanent affordable housing, as highlighted in their advocacy work.

Photo by Catalyst for Systems Change

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Arts & Culture

New author finds joy sharing her story

By Vickie Evans-Nash Contributing Writer

Twyla Martin held a book launch for “The Power of a Transformed Woman: Turning My Trauma into Triumph” on Nov. 1. The event included a panel discussion on trauma and recovery.

The book details her life in foster care, being homeless, and dealing with addiction, a traumatic journey that began in childhood. Writing was part of her healing process, alongside therapy, spirituality, and the help of the recovery community.

“It was phenomenal,” says Martin of the book launch. “I really feel like the panelists felt very much empowered. I feel like my story…gave the panelists [and] even the audience permission to tell their story and stand in their power.”

Martin says she didn’t set out to write a book. It began as journaling as part of her healing.

“When I talk about something, I can easily detract from the emotion,” she says. “When I’m alone with my notebook, my feelings come to the surface.

“A lot of those feelings, I didn’t want to feel,” she con-

fesses. “I’ve already been through the stuff. Who wants to feel those yucky feelings?”

There were few people during her childhood who made her feel like someone was looking out for her. She writes, “I don’t have stories of trips to the park, birthday parties, or family vacations. What I remember most are the battles — the constant fights, the harsh words, the sting of disappointment, and the unshakable feeling that I didn’t belong anywhere.”

The only positive experience of support she recalls is when her mother took her to a battered women’s shelter.

“During that time, I was sexually abused, and it was by a family member,” she says.

“I just remember them just sitting down with me — me being the victim — and saying, ‘You have an opportunity to make sure that this doesn’t happen to any other little girl ever again.’

“Throughout my life, I jumped around to many different schools due to my mother’s instability,” she continues.

“The systems that were in play, like child protection, I don’t feel like they did a service to our family, honestly,”

Getting help for her mental health wasn’t easy. Her life experiences taught her not to

trust. In the chapter “A Black Woman’s Triumph over Mental Illness,” she writes, “I’ve come

to believe that so much of our mental health struggles as Black women are not just personal battles, but collective ones.

“We carry the trauma of our ancestors in our bodies, passed down like an invisible chain from mother to daughter.”

As a child, she says therapy was forced on her in response to abuse, but she resisted it. As an adult, her best friend became a therapist and convinced her to try seeing someone.

“Therapists are like trying on pairs of shoes. Some are going to fit, and some are not.”

“Therapists are like trying on pairs of shoes,” she says. “Some are going to fit, and some are not. You have to find the one that you resonate with.”

When she was young, her spirituality was one of the few experiences of refuge. She regularly attended her Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall

and prayed to God.

“I did not know what to do with family, because it was so chaotic, crazy and traumatic,” she says. “My spirituality was my safe place.” She now has a spiritual advisor who holds her accountable for admitting hard truths about herself.

She credits the recovery community for the greater part of her healing process: “I found a lot of freedom,” she says. “I found God there, where church just wasn’t — I wasn’t connecting.” She also found an AA sponsor with whom she maintains contact.

What’s next for this author after the completion of her first book and sharing her story of recovery? “One of my mentors was like, ‘There is another book here,’” she says. “I have a disabled son with autism. He’s very low-functioning. That could be a book all on its own. So there definitely will be another book on the horizon.”

Find out more about Twyla Martin at www.powerofatransformedwoman.com. “The Power of a Transformed Woman: Turning My Trauma into Triumph” is available at www.amazon.com.

Ask about discounts for students, seniors and groups. Now – Dec 29

612.377.2224 guthrietheater.org Celebrating 50 years at the Guthrie

Twyla Martin

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Destroying public housing worsens housing crisis

Before Mayor Jacob Frey took office in 2018, Minneapolis had not reported homeless encampments. Now, with at least 32 encampments citywide and homelessness doubling, Frey denies that this crisis stems from a lack of “affordable housing.”

White American men are not oppressed

By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnie

Rep. Jasmine Crockett is known for dropping truth bombs on the floor of the House of Representatives. Unafraid and unbossed, Crockett is especially on target when her colleagues show ignorance of Black history, or start talking about how white men are ohso-oppressed in America.

So on Nov. 20, when her Republican colleagues held a hearing on a GOP-sponsored bill that would dismantle workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs — to, you know, stop the white-man oppression — it was bombs away for Crockett, a two-term Texas Democrat.

pen. That is oppression.”

Crockett pointed out that Republicans are constantly trying to erase Black history from school textbooks. They want to keep American schoolchildren in the dark, she said, so they “can then misuse words like oppression” — just like her House colleagues were doing at that moment.

“We need to return to listening to experts, getting out of our feelings, and recognizing that racism is real.”

and activists on the left want folks who fight for social justice to start the resistance against him now. Waiting until Trump is sworn in would be too late. After all, they say, the president-elect and his MAGA-Republican henchmen are already using the levers of power to steer the country hard to the right. The anti-DEI bill is just one example. It’s clear Crockett got the memo. She did not hesitate to let the bombs fly.

City leaders, supported by past and current city council members and developers, have worsened the housing crisis by privatizing, demolishing and eliminating Section 9 Public Housing. This policy failed the city’s vulnerable citizens, workingclass families, and low-income residents. Destroying Section 9 Public Housing and calling it a solution is not only ineffective but inhumane — leaving people to freeze while profiting from their displacement is unacceptable.

Landan Yusuf is the co-founder of the Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition in Minneapolis.

Don’t obey in advance

By José Luis Vilson

On Nov. 5, I hopped off a bus and voted early. It was quick, convenient, and came with two stickers: one for me and one for my son.

As I walked out, the volunteers (mostly elder Black women) thanked me for voting. I said, “Of course!” One of the volunteers said, “Wow, it feels like all day, I’m seeing Black men with the same reply after voting.” As an Afro-Latino, that made me smile a bit.

For years, I’ve thought about how a civic duty for some was a moral obligation for others in this country. In the week before Election Day, the Harris campaign was cautiously optimistic that their 100-day journey would triumph while the other side doubled down on a dark, bigoted vision for America. As waves of fascism hit countries large and small across the world, the influx felt more pernicious here, where the specter was ever-present.

The re-ascendance of Donald Trump only confirmed the unapologetic white supremacy and patriarchy that looms over

the nation. Pundits and politicians have used code words like “economic anxiety” and “wokeism” to explain Dems’ losses. However endearing, organizers rebuked the cavalcade of celebrities that came to represent the Harris campaign. Others like Rachel Maddow openly wondered why Trump didn’t seem to court votes like he wanted to win. Regardless

I’m not ready to give up. Hopefully, neither will you.

of the reasons, it bears repeating that millions of people across the country voted for Trump, with indictments and all, this time with fewer guardrails against his agenda.

The United States has a deep cultural problem, and one election won’t fix it. A country founded on enslavement, subjugation, and colonial terror can only run from its shadows for so long.

I’m not ready to give up. Hopefully, neither will you.

submissions@spokesman-recorder.com submissions@spokesman-recorder.com submissions@spokesman-recorder.com.

Zooming in a bit, many of our schools and classrooms have had to contend with influences that don’t appear on standardized tests but still affect how children see the world. Politicians over-scrutinize and under-resourced schools. We’re seeing cultural shifts, too.

Our schools have seen how the manosphere influences our boys, how concepts like “trad wives” set women’s political and cultural rights back decades, and how phobias and aggressions further ostracize LGBTQIA+ folks. Our social studies books have histories just like this, but diluted and dispassionate in form and function. Rather than demanding better, many of our youth have decided to idolize someone who reflects that darkness back to them. That, too, is an identity.

But I’ve been heartened by some of the reactions postelection from educators and others. Unlike 2016, when people jumped into a deep depression, I’m seeing people more energized to build in community. That’s an important pivot. Some local wins in different states happened, not around party lines, but the kind of world we want to live in.

I’m heartened by the examples I’ve seen from Black women who’ve insisted that other groups do better, and the Black men who were confident in letting a woman lead. It’s also exciting to engage in conversations about machismo, xenophobia and transphobia in a way that might build a real movement.

Whether you were shocked at recent electoral results or knew this is who America has been all along, you are part of the coalition of folks who want to build a better world. Locally and internationally, we must walk together toward a shared humanity. A world where we do better together feels brighter than a siloed caste system, especially in the midst of unprecedented crises on our minds, hearts and planet.

If you’re a believer, look around you and find your community. Go get your people. Grieve and mourn together. Then, find a time to build toward that bigger vision. As for me, I’ll grieve and

“There has been no oppression for the white man in this country,” she declared in a fiery, nearly two-minute speech. “You tell me which white men were dragged out of their homes. You tell me which one of them was dragged across an ocean and told they were going to work, have their wives stolen, and have their wives raped. That didn’t hap-

The truth bombardment didn’t stop there. Crockett then drew a sharp line between how Black Americans arrived in America and how recent migrants from the rest of the world got here. “We didn’t run away from home,” she declared. “We were stolen.”

In the weeks since the nation decided to send Donald Trump back to the White House — and gave Republicans full control of the House and the Senate — many politicians

“We need to return to listening to experts, getting out of our feelings, and recognizing that racism is real,” she said. “Pretending it’s not will prevent us from solving the problems we face and achieving the unity required for a more perfect union.”

Los Angeles-based writer and editor Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier is the managing director of Word In Black. She has written about racial justice, gender equality, education, health, and culture for several national websites and print publications including Ebony, BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, and Good Housekeeping.

Gun violence is a crisis we can’t ignore

By Anissa Durham

With gun violence claiming more lives in the U.S. than ever before, it’s no wonder that in June, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy officially declared it a public health crisis: Firearms are now the leading cause of death for kids and teens aged 1-19. More than half of adults, 54%, say they or someone in their family have experienced gun violence firsthand.

But gun violence isn’t just a matter of statistics. It’s a crisis reshaping how Americans live, work, and feel in their communities — and that’s especially true for Black Americans.

In 2022, Black Americans had the highest rate of homicide deaths from a firearm compared to all other races and ethnicities. And Black children and adolescents accounted for about half of all firearmrelated deaths, despite only making up 14% of the youth population.

In 2022 alone, the Black firearm homicide rate among ages 15 to 19 was more than 25 times the white firearm homicide rate among the same age group, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. And in 2022, more Black men ages 15 to 24 died in gun homicides than from unintentional injuries, suicide, heart disease, COVID-19, cancer, non-firearm homicides, diabetes, congenital abnormalities, chronic respiratory diseases, police shootings, cerebrovascular diseases, anemias, sepsis, influenza and pneumonia, and HIV. Combined!

For Black children and adolescents, 86% of firearm-related deaths were homicides, and 10% were suicides. Fears and worries about firearm violence

are highly prevalent among youth, especially regarding school shootings. About half of young people ages 14 to 17 worry about school shootings.

Firearm-related deaths contribute significantly to the rising rates of preventable mortality and continue to drive down the U.S. life expectancy, according to a report by the Commonwealth Fund.

“By some estimates, firearm violence cost the U.S. around $557 billion in 2022, with $2.8 billion spent on health care costs, mental health services, and emergency services,” the report states. “The largest proportion of this total was made up of costs related to qualityof-life, pain, and well-being lost by those injured or killed, and costs to families.

“Combined with billions in other losses, firearm deaths cost roughly $274,000 per victim, and each injury costs over $25,000 per patient, equaling an average cost of $1,700 per taxpayer annually.”

Gun violence in America kills 40,000 people, wounds twice as many, and has had a devastating impact on the economy, according to Everytown Research and Policy. And whether an American owns a gun or not, taxpayers shoulder the bulk of the costs.

Murthy outlined a public health approach that can help prevent and reduce the harm caused by firearms. Here are a few of the suggestions to health care workers and policymakers.

Encourage health systems to educate on safe firearm storage.

Health systems can support health workers in talking with patients during routine and preventive medical visits about

the safe storage of firearms.

Implement universal background checks and expand purchaser laws.

Universal background checks would expand on current federal law — which requires any person engaged in the business of dealing firearms to obtain a license and conduct background checks — to include mandatory background checks for all firearm purchases, including private sales and transferring/gifting firearms.

Ban assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.

Assault weapons may encompass automatic weapons and some semiautomatic weapons that may include military-style features that make the firearm more lethal, such as detachable large-capacity magazines.

It’s up to policymakers to decide how many more Americans will die because of firearms.

Enhance mental health resources for children and adolescents.

This can include expanding a school-based mental health workforce to build a positive school climate and the capacity and resources needed to connect students to mental health services.

The death of Black Americans from gun violence can be prevented in many ways. It’s up to policymakers to decide how many more Americans will die because of firearms.

Anissa Durham reports on health care inequities and mental health in the Black community.

mourn for a bit, too. I’ll think of the elders in my neighborhood, the teachers who wiped away tears to face students the next day, and the people who tried to rally others, not just for one person, but away from unapologetic divisiveness. I know one thing: it doesn’t have to be this way. This is what it means to make politics our way of life. Steel your resolve with your people. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. Billionaires and media outlets have already acquiesced to the new presidency. We don’t have to. Whatever you do, do not obey in advance. We will win. José Luis Vilson is a veteran educator, writer, speaker and activist in New

Employment & Legals

From Ads

Abdifatah Ismail Toosane, SUMMONS Plaintiff, v. Cristhian Humberto Cruz Lopez, Galindo Helder Barahona, Defendant. THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendant:

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiffs Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not throw these papers away.They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this summons.

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5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.

Dated: 6/20/2024

By: BRANTINGHAM LAW OFFICE

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2200 E. Franklin Avenue, Suite 202 Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 339-9700

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Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder November 28, December 5, 12, 2024

STATE OF MINNESOTA CASE TYPE: PERSONAL INJURY COUNTY OF HENNEPIN DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File No.: 27-CV-24-16547 Nhat Pham, Plaintiff, vs. SUMMONS Brett Douglas Randolph, Defendant.

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendant:

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff’s Complaint against you is attached to this Summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons.

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 21 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS

3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the Plaintiffs should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer.

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case. You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the Complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the Complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the Complaint.

5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

MEGAN CURTIS LAW, PLLC

By: /s/Megan M.

STATE OF MINNESOTA CASE TYPE: PERSONAL INJURY COUNTY OF HENNEPIN DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File No: 27-CV-24-16792

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2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at:

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IT Company (Plymouth, MN) seeks Software Developer to analyze, design & develop various software applications using advance technologies such as AWS Lambda, ContextAPI, MaterialUI, CSS, StyledComponents, Stripe PaymentElement, Dynatrace, Adobe DTM/Launch. Develop and maintain user interfaces for web applications using TypeScript and React.js. Write scalable codes using best practices and coding standards. Create test cases, perform various tests and troubleshooting. Generate customized reports. Send resumes to: HRD, VITS Consulting Corp. at 14264 23rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447. Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder November 28, 2024

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Continued from page 10

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a copy. STATE OF MINNESOTA

This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy. will be the fourth visiting Black HC this season when his Bethune-Cookman men’s squad invades The Barn to play the host Gophers. We talked to him during the SWAC preseason media day in October.

By:

Dated: 10/3/2024

BRANTINGHAM

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November 14, 21, 28, 2024

STATE OF MINNESOTA PERSONAL INJURY COUNTY OF CHISAGO DISTRICT COURT TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File No: 13-CV-24-909 Logan Michael Hedrick, SUMMONS Plaintiff, vs. Shannon Jay Gutzke, and Danielle Pogue, Defendants. THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO DEFENDANTS:

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1. YOU ARE BEING SUED The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff’s Complaint against you is attached to this Summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons.

SUMMONS 3 WEEK RUN FLAT RATE : $320

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“We’ve got a lot of depth, and we have age and experience,” Theus pointed out on this year’s team that has 11 new players, including four grad transfers. “One of the biggest differences in our team is that we have great size now, where last year we were pretty small.”

This is the second consecutive year Theus and Minnesota’s Ben Johnson will coach against each other. Last season the Gophers defeated visiting B-C 80-60.

Whenever a Black HC, or assistants for that matter, comes to town, we sadly are the only media who request post-game interviews with them. Personally, it gives us exclusivity. Almost always my leading oft-asked question is how important it is to have Black head coaches.

“When you think about the growth in the upper echelon of the country when it comes to colleges having Black head coaches, it’s important,” reaffirmed Theus.

Since his hiring in July 2021, Theus became the

VIEW

Continued from page 10

feature her in a future MSR. Read more in MSR Sports Online – head coaches for the new Unrivaled 3x3 league; a preview of the new Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame popup exhibit; and Black College Sports Weekly.

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

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only individual in Division I athletics to hold both the role of athletic director and head men’s basketball coach. Under his watch, Theus has raised nearly $3.3 million in support of the Wildcats while he builds a championship culture at Bethune-Cookman.

“I think everything I’ve done in my life as a leader on the basketball court, having different careers really set me up to be where I am today,” continued Theus, a former college star (UNLV), a 13-year NBA veteran, a former NBA head coach and assistant coach now in his third college HC opportunity. He even dabbled in acting as a high school basketball coach in a Saturday morning sitcom from 1995-97.

“As an athlete director, it’s given me the tools to really do a good job,” said Theus. “I obviously have a great staff that comes along with me, but it has been a pleasure to grow and to have that opportunity to really build something for our athletic department.”

Theus understands and truly appreciates the upcoming matchup against another Black head coach — and not at an HBCU.

“It’s competition,” he concluded. “I think that gives room and sheds light on the significance.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Dated: 09/17/2024

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

PREP

Continued from page 10

which he caught 213 passes for 3,305 yards and 33 touchdowns averaging 15.5 yards per catch, Johnson won a 2021 Super Bowl LV ring as a rookie after being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 161st pick in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft. The Buccaneers waived Johnson in 2022 after stops at Houston (active roster), Tampa Bay (practice squad), Las Vegas (reserve/contract). He signed with the Los Angeles Rams’ practice

e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a copy.

squad before being promoted to the active roster in January 2024.

On Sunday, November 3, Johnson caught a dramatic 24-yard pass from quarterback Matt Stafford in overtime, setting up the winning touchdown in the Rams’ 26-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. As of press time, he has 21 receptions for 245 yards averaging 11.7 yards per catch.

Oh, there’s another message here: Through all the adversity, Johnson never gave up.

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

Archie Clark’s photo on Williams Arena wall

Coaching While Black

This occasional series will highlight Black coaches at all levels of sport. This week: Bethune-Cookman MBB Coach and Athletic Director Reggie Theus

Fourth Black HC invades The Barn so far this season

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

am often asked why I spend so much time, print, and online space on Black coaches, which I have done for almost my entire almost five-decades stint at Minnesota’s oldest Black newspaper.

The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) annual racial and gender report cards have backed me up on my unabashed reporting.

Barely 25% of Division I nonHBCU head men’s basketball

“When you think about the growth in the upper echelon of the country when it comes to colleges having Black head coaches, it’s important.”

coaches are Black. The all-time high is 25.2% in 2021-22. For non-HBCU women’s head basketball coaches, the numbers are 5.2% Black men and 18.5% Black women.

Reggie Theus on Dec. 1

■ See CWB on page 9

Sports

The Barn evokes memories good and bad

illiams Arena, which opened in 1928, is one of the oldest college basketball arenas in America. Sadly, unlike other famed edifices, you don’t immediately sense its rich history when you go inside The Barn, especially when it comes to former Black Gopher basketball greats.

“I’m 84 years old and have followed University of Minnesota men’s basketball for many years,” bemoaned Dave Grimsrud of Zumbrota, MN, a regular MSR reader. “When I look up at the banners in Williams Arena and don’t see our two all-time best guards, I’m not happy.”

The two guards he is referring to are Archie Clark (196366) and Ray Williams (1976-77).

Five of the 10 MBB banners hanging in the Williams Arena rafters are Black. Linda Roberts is the only Black female whose jersey hangs among the seven female Minnesota greats in the rafters.

But not Clark and Williams, both of whom went on to solid NBA careers. Clark is, however, featured on the Gophers Hardwood Heroes wall in the arena concourse.

“The revolving door of recruits visiting the program

needs to see Archie Clark and Ray Williams. None of the other guards hanging up there compare,” added Grimsrud.

We agree. However, we shouldn’t be so surprised given the fact that the school has for years been super slow in formally honoring its past Black hoopsters. The same also goes for the U’s great teams.

Melvin Newbern (1988-90) and Connell Lewis (1986-90) were teammates on Clem Haskins’ first Gopher teams of the late 80s.

“Most of it was good times here — blood, sweat and tears on the floor,” recalled Newbern as he sat behind the home team bench after an early season game. He, Lewis, and fellow teammate Willie Burton, whose uniform number is among the 10 Gopher MBB greats in the rafters, were reminiscing about the good times and bad they had together as Gophers.

Gopher rowers earn their respect

There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the school year and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players. This week: Minnesota rowers, senior Misha Shah and sophomore Radhika Ajmera.

owing perhaps is the ultimate team sport. Every person in the boat must pull his or her weight if they are to get anywhere in the water. It’s tough, demanding work, not for the faint of heart.

The 2024 Minnesota fall rowing season is now history. Earlier this month, on an early Sunday morning at the Rivanna Romp in Earlysville, Va., the Gophers top boats in both the Varsity Eights and Varsity Fours excelled. The latter placed third overall among 18 boats, and the former finished fifth along a 4,000-meter course.

Senior Misha Shah and soph Radhika Ajmera are the Gophers’ only two rowers of color. Both are coxswains, the crucial person who steers the boat on the rowing team.

The 5’2” Shah from Maple Grove, Minn. is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten. She competed in the Big Ten Championships her freshman season (2021-22) and has several top10 finishes to her credit.

Ajmera, the five-foot-tall rower from Northville, Minn.

was the coxswain at all eight regattas in this her first season with the Gophers. She guided the freshman eights to a win in her collegiate debut on Oct. 7. Rowing is a seasonal sport, fall and spring, and training is virtually all year round. As the basketball teams have Williams Arena, and the volleyball team has Maturi Pavilion, the U rowers’ home court is the Mississippi River. Just before the fall season concluded, both Ajmera and Shah agreed to speak with us by phone after an early morning workout. The two briefly shared how they got into rowing in the first place.

“I

would say that throughout the years we see more diversity. We’d love to see more.”

“My best friend’s mom rowed in college, and she just told me it was something she thought I would be good at,” recalls Ajmera. “I actually walked on

the rowing team. I didn’t know rowing was a Division I sport.”

Added Shah, “I think my a-ha moment really came towards the end of my freshman year, beginning of my sophomore year, where I was understanding and realizing this is something that I can do, something that I can be good at.”

Their toughest opponent, however, is the weather — snow, rain and heat are no deterrents for the rowers. “I’d say wind is our biggest enemy,” noted Shah. “We have to layer up more.”

Besides their hectic training schedule, both Shah and Ajmera are successful in the classroom as well.

“I am a biology major, and I’m on the pre-med track,” said Shah, who hopes to attend medical school and become a doctor one day.

“I’m in the College of Management and studying marketing right now,” added Ajmera. “I’m not sure exactly what I want.”

Moreover, both Gopher

rowers are keenly aware that they stand out in a mainly White sport. “I would say that throughout the years we see more diversity,” surmised Shah. “We’d love to see more.”

Said Ajmera, “My [high school] team actually had a lot of diversity and that was really awesome to see. But at the collegiate level, it’s not as much diversity.”

Although they might not be as well known around campus as their fellow student-athletes, both Shah and Ajmera believe they are respected nonetheless because of the demands of their sport.

“My friends definitely have a lot of respect for me just being an athlete. I have to go to sleep [early] and wake up at 5 the next morning,” noted Ajmera.

“The people that are close to you know how hard you work and how difficult it is. They just have a lot of respect,” said Shah.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“We were one for all,” Newbern said proudly.

“I’ve got a lot of fun memories,” continued Lewis, who became a top reserve guard for the Gophers in his final three seasons. But as a former Detroit high school star, Lewis had to make some serious adjustments to his game upon arriving in Dinkytown.

“The

best

memory I have is the development and maturation of Coach developing me to be a man.”

“My biggest adjustment was not shooting,” recalled Lewis.

“I was just as stubborn with [Coach Haskins] because I felt I’m not even getting the fair shake at this,” he pointed out.

Now a longtime local minister and entrepreneur, Lewis looks back and is eternally grateful that he stuck with it, and that Haskins stuck with him.

“The best memory I have,” said Lewis, “is the development and maturation of Coach developing me to be a man, sticking through all of the stuff, and allowing that part to happen to me was probably the best thing that could have ever happened.”

The three former Gophers were there to watch Melvin’s son Peyton Newbern, a Bemidji State junior guard, play in an exhibition game against his father’s old school. The younger Newbern admitted to some nervousness “because my dad did play here, and I had some nerve wracking moments.”

Coming up: “Diva” coming to town – First year North Florida WBB Assistant Coach Gadiva Hubbard will be in town when the Osprey plays at Minnesota Tuesday, Dec. 3. Hubbard played at Minnesota (2017-21). We plan to speak with her and

A blast from the past

he University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team lost a 2625 nailbiter to the No. 4 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions last Saturday afternoon at Huntington Bank Stadium.

The game provided a flashback for this columnist!

During the 2019 season, the Gophers, ranked No. 13 at the time, hosted No. 5 Penn State in one of most important games in Minnesota history. The memory of the sold-out TCF Bank Stadium crowd storming the field after a 31-26 upset Gophers victory is as clear to me as it was five years ago.

The victory remains a great memory but there is more to it.

One of the stars of that game was a 6’2” 205-pound senior wide receiver named Tyler Johnson.

Johnson, a decorated student athlete in basketball and football and a 2016 Minneapolis North High School graduate, caught seven passes for 104 yards and one touchdown that day.

The victory not only gave the Gophers their first 9-0 start since 1904 before finishing at 9-2; it also thrust Johnson into the national spotlight and continued a journey that started during his sophomore year in high school.

Johnson’s prep career, as a guard (basketball) and quarterback and defensive back (football) which began during the 2013-2014 school year, was highlighted by two state football playoff appearances — coached by veteran Charles Adams — in 2014 and ’15, and a boys basketball championship—with Hall of Fame coach Larry McKenzie leading the way—in 2016. Upon graduation he accepted a scholarship to play football for the Gophers, embarking on an outstanding career finishing as one of the top wide receivers in Gophers history, and in the nation as well.

After a four-year career in

Reggie Theus Courtesy of Bethune-Cookman Athletics

Melvin Newbern and son Peyton Connell Lewis All photos by Charles Hallman

Misha Shah

Radhika Ajmera Photos Courtesy of U of M Athletics

Los Angeles wide receiver Tyler Johnson