May 23, 2024 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

George Floyd:

His death moved the world

But the community he died in is standing still

By Al Brown Assignment Editor

very Monday at 5:30 pm for the last two and

a half years, a powerful act of remembrance takes place in South Minneapolis at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, also known

to the world as George Floyd Square. A makeshift group of percussionists, known as Brass Solidarity, gathers and fills the somber air with melo-

dies that transcend grief and call for justice. This musical tribute has become a steadfast ritual that

Former

President Trump’s visit draws supporters, detractors

By Abdi Mohamed Associate Editor

ormer President

Donald Trump’s visit to Minnesota last Friday was met with supporters and protestors just outside of his appearance at this year’s annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner in St. Paul.

Trump flew into the state just after attending his son Barron’s high school graduation in West Palm Beach, Fl. after he was granted the day off by the trial judge.

During his appearance at the dinner, the former president stated that he could win Minnesota in November’s presidential election against President Biden, although he lost by seven points in 2020. “This November, the people of Minnesota are going to tell Crooked Joe Biden—right? ‘The Apprentice’? ’You’re fired!’” Trump said, a callback to his catchphrase on his television show.

The last Republican to win Minnesota in a presidential election was Richard Nixon in 1972. Trump fared better against Hillary Clinton in 2016, coming within 1.5 percentage points of beating her.

during the

immigrants and Muslims as unconscionable, but also criticized Democrats.

“We’re here to say no to his campaign in general,” she said. “But we are also critical of the Democrats. We are here to say no to any sort of genocidal party, whether it be Republicans or Democrats, as far as the ongoing situation in Gaza.”

predatory crisis pregnancy centers or anti-abortion centers that she described as preying on immigrant communities by exploiting language barriers.

Crull stated that the best strategy for dismantling the systemic issues moving forward would be to collaborate across issues between groups of people.

Minnesotans favor Fair Housing

Editor’s Note: This Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder article was published on March 24, 1961. It speaks to how long Fair Housing has been a critical discussion in the state and that the Spokesman-Recorder has recorded the issue from the outset. It also spoke to the power of the era’s religious organizations.

good majority of the people of Minnesota are in favor of fair housing legislation. This fact was revealed Sunday, March 19, in a report by the Minnesota Poll, the most reliable barometer of public opinion in these parts. The Poll

reported 64 percent of the state population now favors a law to outlaw discrimination in housing in contrast to two years ago when only 46

This newspaper believes the biggest factor has been the decision of the four principal religious faiths to back such legislation.

feels that

tion is

to

the

opportunities of the

racial and religious minorities. It is to the credit of the

■ See

By Stacy M. Brown

nighttime session of the House Oversight Committee intended to discuss a resolution recommending that Attorney General Merrick Garland be held in contempt of Congress descended into chaos amid personal attacks and partisan bickering.

The rare evening session took a contentious turn when MAGA Republican and fervent Donald Trump supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, in a personal attack, responded to a question from Rep. Jasmine Crockett (DTexas) with a remark about her appearance. “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading,” Greene lashed out, injecting a personal note into the proceedings.

Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC), Minnesota Immigration Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), and the Council of American Islamic Relations Minnesota (CAIR-MN) co-organized the demonstration outside the St. Paul RiverCentre on Friday afternoon to denounce Trump’s presence. Olivia Crull is an organizer with MNAAC who served as a spokesperson for the demonstration. She was also a marshall, donning a reflective vest to help direct people in the area. Crull referred to Trump’s policies regarding women, ■ See SHOWDOWN on page 5

Crull underlined the importance of advocacy groups working together on intersectional issues to solve complex issues. She referenced the time when MNAAC and MIRAC worked together to oppose

“Building a movement that has values that are aligned and solidarity interwoven across organizations is what we need to fight people like Donald Trump,” she said. “Because if we don’t

■ See TRUMP on page 5

Democrats immediately reacted negatively to the remark, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) leading the charge. She demanded that the unhinged Greene retract her comments and offer Crockett an apology. “That is absolutely unacceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez declared amid the crosstalk. “How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?” Greene, undeterred, taunted Ocasio-Cortez, asking, “Are your feelings hurt?” OcasioCortez responded sharply, “Oh, girl? Baby girl, don’t even play.” Just minutes later, Greene, of all members, launched a personal attack on Ocasio-Cortez’s intelligence, challenging her to

Kayaker Devin Brown to challenge the mighty Mississippi

By Tony Kiene Staff Writer

ometime this Memorial Day weekend, Northside resident Devin Brown will begin her journey from the headwaters at Lake Itasca to Mile Marker Zero in the Mississippi River Delta, near the point where the “Misi-ziibi” (meaning great river), as the Ojibwe people called it, meets the Gulf of Mexico.

Brown is poised to make history by becoming the first Black woman to solo kayak the entire length of the Mississippi River—2,340 miles—and she seeks to do it in record time for a female solo kayaker,

a mark currently held by Traci Lynn Martin at 55 days. And just like the river she is setting out to conquer, Brown’s path to this moment has been long and winding.

A native of Glenridge, New Jersey, Brown first fell in love with the natural world as a youth attending the Frost Valley YMCA summer camp in the Catskill Mountains of New York State.

“We did a lot of hiking and backpacking back then. And we splashed around in the lake a little bit. There was some kayaking,” Brown reminisces. Yet it would still be a few years before Brown discovered her true calling was on

the water. “I was working retail in Manhattan,” she explains, “but I was depressed. So I decided to quit my job.” Brown returned to the summer camp she attended during her teen years, this time on staff as an Adventure Trip Leader, where she helped to guide a new generation of campers on kayaking trips along the coast of Maine.

“I felt completely grounded on the water. I knew that I needed kayaking in my life,” says Brown. “Everything was beautiful. I was aware of my body, perfectly in tune with my thoughts. I was able just to be myself.” When that summer was

over, Brown refused to do anything else career-wise until she found something that “felt right.” That’s when she was reminded of a previous business trip she had taken to the Twin Cities, a trip that just happened to coincide with the Minneapolis Aquatennial. To say that she became enamored with the City of Lakes at that time would be quite an understatement. “It was incredible to me that someone could just walk from their home to Lake Harriet and kayak,” Brown affirms. “The Aquatennial fireworks show rivaled anything I’d seen in New

■ See BROWN on page 5

Historica

Capsule

Demonstrators and Trump supporters gathered on Kellogg Street in front of the St. Paul RiverCentre

former president’s appearance at a campaign stop. Photos by Chris Juhn

HISTORICAL

Devin Brown Photo by Sarah Whiting Photographic

Jasmine Crockett, Rep-TX Courtesy of NNPA

Photos by Chris Juhn

By Keith Schubert

Contributing Writer

Every day Christopher

Crutchfield wakes up he is excited to go to his job as CEO and president of Ujamaa Place, where he helps young Black men strive to overcome the challenges life has dealt them.

“It’s so fulfilling because we are changing lives one man at a time. We mourn their failures and setbacks, and we celebrate their successes,” he said. “It’s a wonderful fulfilling thing to be working to try and reverse the damage that was done to a young Black man and try to get them back thriving in our community.”

Ujamaa Place is a St. Paulbased nonprofit that was started in 2010. According to its website, its goal is to “provide holistic transformation for young African American men experiencing inequity at the intersection of race and poverty.”

The whole program centers on Ujamaa’s theory of transformation focused on providing coaching and programming in housing, education, employment, family/community, criminal justice and wellness.

According to Crutchfield,

the secret sauce is the lifelong bonds the staff and participants create with each other.

He said nearly every day, Ujamaa alumni come in to talk to current participants or just to hang out.

“It’s a brotherhood of love and caring as we work with these men on some very significant issues and barriers they have and help them succeed,” he said.

As of 2022, it has served 6,000 participants. While not all Ujamaa men are formerly incarcerated, many are, and

Crutchfield says the program specializes in reducing recidivism among its participants, pointing to the figure those who have gone through the program have a 4% recidivism rate, compared to the average of 35% across Minnesota.

“It’s really addressing the trauma and addressing the need for housing or addressing the need for education and helping these guys stand up and watching them thrive,” he said.

The other thing that Crutchfield pointed to for the pro-

success is its Afro-centric approach, noting nearly

“I think that they can relate and talk to the men in ways that other people have a harder time doing,” he said. “Also the messages arrive to the men in a different way when the person who’s talking to them looks like them and has walked on their path before and understands them in pretty significant ways.”

Ujamaa has more than 60 local partners and receives around $1.5 million from the state every biennium. It hosts multiple events every year, but the biggest is its breakfast at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in October.

Crutchfield has only been leading the program for just more than a year, but said it is still trying to build back from

that it’s in person. It’s the relationships between our coaches and our men, and you just can’t do that over Zoom,” he said, adding that his top priority is getting all the programs back up and running in person.

Beyond that, he said there is no limit as to where Ujamaa can go.

“We can open up the Jama offices in other areas of the state or of the country. We can really do some innovative things with their programming,” he said. But more immediate is expanding Ujamaa’s mental health services.

“We’re hoping to do a pretty significant expansion in our mental health area to help the men address the trauma and their mental health needs,” he said.

Those interested in supporting Ujamaa can go online to donate. And men from ages 18 to 30 looking for help from the program can go to the Ujamaa office at 1821 University Avenue, Suite 187 in Saint Paul on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. for an informational session and intake.

the challenges of the pandemic.

“The magic of our program is

Keith Schubert welcomes reader comments at keithsch94@gmail.com.

gram’s

the entire staff is Black, which he said adds to the credibility of the coaches.

Director Christopher Crutchfield (second from right) and Ujaama staff

Courtesy of Ujamaa Place

seeks to honor the memory of George Floyd, who was murdered four years ago on May 25, 2020 by a Minneapolis police officer while a 17-yearold teenager, Darnella Frazier, courageously videotaped the entire nine minutes it took to end Floyd’s life.

“We do this to make sure his name and the cause for justice is never forgotten,” says a member of the band. “We vowed to keep playing until the 24 social justice demands are met. Some progress has been made, but regrettably, much has not happened yet.” Most notably, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act remains stalled in the Senate, after passing in the House in 2021.

On the fourth anniversary of George Floyd’s devastating death, a somber reality confronts the community he left behind. Despite the global calls for justice and reform his death sparked, significant parts of this community remain unchanged. George Floyd Square stands as both a memorial and a stark reminder of promises unfulfilled.

The initial outpouring of support following Floyd’s tragic death ignited a firestorm of protests and discussions around systemic racism, police brutality, and social justice.

Yet, for business owners who line the small area of George Floyd Square, the reality has grown increasingly bitter.

“We are tired of talking. The City (of Minneapolis) has been talking since Floyd was murdered. If they wanted to do something, they’d have done it already,” said a discouraged business owner in the square who asked to remain anonymous.

While the City often touts its willingness to engage in dialogue with various community groups, tangible outcomes have been conspicuously absent. Instead, a troubling inertia seems to have settled in.

In March, following one of those community meetings held at Sabathani Community Center, Alexander Kado, se-

nior project manager for the City, said, “The City was in no rush to act until the community collectively decides on a course of action.” This effectively shifts the burden back to the community, leaving many feeling frustrated and abandoned.

The City did take a singular action by purchasing the gas station located directly across from the site of Floyd’s death. Kado explains that this was done to prevent any businesses potentially harmful to the community’s interest from acquiring the location. Yet, this gesture seems a meager consolation to those calling for more substantial economic and infrastructural investments.

For the local businesses struggling to survive within the Square, the absence of a decisive economic stimulus from the city is glaring. These

ditional pressures due to the lack of support. “We are not just businesses; we are part of the fabric of this community,” explains another business owner. “What we need is action, not just words.”

Meanwhile, the Square continues to be a pilgrimage site for countless visitors who come to pay their respects and view the exact place where one of the most shocking public deaths of our era occurred. But it’s deeply disheartening to see that the community where this all began remains stagnant while the world moves forward.

Dr. Angela Harrison, Floyd’s aunt and sister to his late mother, resides in the Twin Cities and has been an active voice in these trying times.

“George’s death was a catalyst for change worldwide,” she remarked. “It brought global at-

“It’s deeply disheartening to see that the community where this all began remains stagnant while the world moves forward.”

establishments, which persevered through the pandemic and civil unrest, now face ad-

tention to an issue many have been fighting for years. But it’s deeply disheartening to see

that the community where this all began remains stagnant while the world moves forward.”

The band that plays every Monday is a small but persistent beacon of hope. Their tunes serve as a constant reminder of the promises made and the work still left to do. They call attention to the fact that real change requires more than just rhetoric—it demands action and commitment.

Looking ahead, many hold onto the hope that this anniversary will reignite the push for meaningful change. Perhaps the sustained efforts of the community and City of Minneapolis, combined with the unwavering memory of Floyd’s life and unnecessary death, will eventually lead to a future where his death not only moved the world but also transformed this community for the better.

For now, George Floyd Square remains at a painful crossroads—a testament to both the power of collective action and the frustratingly slow march towards justice. The melodies that float through the Square every Monday evening are not just a tribute; they are a call to action, echoing the hopes of a community that refuses to be forgotten.

Al Brown welcomes reader comments at abrown@spokesman-recorder.com.

Symbolic headstone for George Floyd near the Square

Photo by Chris Juhn

Suicide is no longer just a white problem

By Tony Kiene Staff Writer

In 1969, internationally acclaimed author and professor of psychiatry Herbert Hendin published the book “Black Suicide.” Hendin’s research challenged the prevailing notion in the United States that suicide is solely a “white problem,” highlighting much higher-thannormal rates of suicide among African American males living in New York City between the ages of 20 and 35.

Hendin also argues that systemic racism and other forms of social injustice often play a significant role in one’s decision to take their own life. Certainly, Hendin’s text relied on a relatively small sample size and focused on a single urban area. Nevertheless, it demonstrated that suicide is becoming a critical issue in the Black community.

Suicide rates among Black youth, for example, have historically tracked much lower than their white counterparts. That is until recently.

A number of studies, including brand new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveal that for the first time ever the suicide rate among Black adolescents between the ages of 10 to 19 exceeds that of white youth in the same age bracket. Moreover, a Congressional Black Caucus report notes that suicide among African American youth is “increasing faster than any other racial/ethnic group.”

So, what has caused such a dramatic shift in the past few years?

“The topic of suicide has been taboo in the Black community for centuries, especially among Black boys and Black men,” says Dr. Bravada GarrettAkinsanya, co-founder and executive director of the African American Child Wellness Institute. “Its discussion has been tempered for several reasons, including religious beliefs.”

She also references the groundbreaking work of Sean Joe, professor of social devel-

“Suicide is higher among Black youth because they feel an all-out assault against their personhood.”

opment at Washington University in St. Louis and an international authority on Black suicidal behavior. “Professor Joe has done a lot of research on what is called ‘suicide by proxy,’” Garrett-Akinsanya says. “Joining a gang for instance, plus passive or proxy methods such as drug and alcohol use and other high-risk behaviors.”

Today, however, we are seeing a significant rise in Black adolescents attempting suicide through means including suffocation, the use of firearms, and parasuicidal acts such as cutting.

From 2018 to 2022, the suicide rate among Black adolescents increased by well over 50%. And it’s not just a problem among teens. “The Journal of the American Medical Asso-

ciation” (JAMA) reports that Black children between the ages of five and 12 are twice as likely to die of suicide as their white peers.

Some have cited the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder as contributing factors to these trends. That said, these trends began prior to either of those events. So again, what is behind this shift?

As Lester Bentley, a Twin Cities-based mental health clinician and Lifetime Member of the Association of Black Psychologists explains, “Nothing

Hotter summers are deadlier for older Black people

happens in a vacuum. When we get reports like this, the sensationalist aspect of it makes it the next big thing.

“But we can’t forget that children of African descent constantly live under the specter of anti-Black racism, a reality designed to systematically diminish their lives, make them invisible, make them ‘less than.’”

It’s also vital to note, accordingly to Bentley, that open hostility toward Black people and a reimagined brand of inyour-face racism only continue to escalate in America’s current

regions that are “colder and older,” as one researcher put it, that are going to continue to experience more and more extreme heat. And whether it’s in the Northeast, the Midwest, or the South, when those high

social and political landscape.

“It’s a must that we understand the psychological and emotional effects of racial oppression,” Bentley continues.

“When our children continue to struggle with racial trauma, stress, personal pain and frustration, that cocktail can easily lead them down the road to self-devaluation and eventually nihilism.”

Another major concern regarding the spike in suicide among Black adolescents is the increase in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among Black LGBTQ youth. A report by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health states, “Black LGBTQ youth face compounding discrimination due to their intersecting minoritized identities,” a point that Bentley further expands on.

“Suicide is higher among these youth because they feel an all-out assault against their personhood,” he states. “No one is more vulnerable. They are being vilified socially, politically, religiously. The hatred is so intense, so vile. Some of the language they hear is akin to someone telling them, ‘If you’re not one of us, then you should just go somewhere and die.’”

When considering Black adolescents across the board, the Pew Research Center cites that they “are already significantly less likely than their peers in other demographic groups to receive mental health care.”

How can we begin to tackle some of these obstacles and make sure that Black youth are getting all the tools, resources

tacks that were exacerbated by high temperatures between 2008 and 2019. That finding came from a study published in the journal “Circulation,” which also found that Black adults have nearly four times

and support they need? First, says Bentley, there is a need to increase social engagement in schools and help kids make meaningful connections, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.

Likewise, youth need to participate in activities where they can feel a part of something and develop their identity, instead of spending so much time on social media or playing video games. Schools also need the tools to assess the emotional well-being of young people.

“When our kids are at home,” insists Bentley, “we must raise awareness of parents and caregivers around behavioral changes. If they notice something out of the ordinary, you can’t simply chalk it up to puberty, or that ‘my child is moody.’ This is when we have to intervene and find out what’s going on.”

And perhaps above all, asserts Bentley, we need to take an integrated approach and treat the problem of adolescent suicide holistically.

Bentley cites Sherry Molock, a clinical psychologist at George Washington University, who states, “Part of the reason why we haven’t made a dent in suicide deaths is that we only focus on individualized solutions. But people don’t live in an individualized world.”

For further information, visit https://bit.ly/BlackAdolescentSuicideRate

Tony Kiene welcomes reader comments at tkiene@spokesman-recorder.com.

dents in the city.

“This inequity,” according to the New York City report, “is due to past and current structural racism that creates economic, health care, housing, energy, and other systems that benefit white people and disadvantage people of color.”

By

According to the study, most of the older population that will be newly exposed to

extreme heat will be concentrated in Africa and Asia as a result of both geography and the more rapidly growing populations in those parts of the world in recent decades. But in the global north, including the U.S., you have

A 2023 study of extreme heat in New York City found that Black New Yorkers are twice as likely to die of heat stroke than white residents in the city.

temperatures hit, they hit the hottest in Black communities.

The trend was clearly evident long before last summer’s record-breaking temperatures hit: At least 1,600 Americans, who tended to be Black and elderly, died from heart at-

the risk of white adults dying of a heat-induced heart attack.

It’s similarly lopsided for heat stroke: A 2023 study of extreme heat in New York City found that Black New Yorkers are twice as likely to die of heat stroke than white resi-

While it will take drastic cuts to carbon emissions to halt the overall rise of temperatures, that inequity, which exists in Black communities across the country, won’t end even if climate change is no longer an acute threat.

Willy Blackmore is a freelance writer and editor covering food, culture and the environment. He lives in Brooklyn. He welcomes reader comments at willy.blackmore@wordinblack. com. This article is courtesy of Word In Black.

More and more Blacks are contemplating taking their lives.

Photo by Victor Chimwala/Prexels

Willy Blackmore

Window fans are often the only relief many seniors have to battle sweltering summer heat.

Photo by Robert So/Prexels

TRUMP

Continued from page 1

have that, then we don’t stand a chance.”

Dr. Raj Sethuraju, an associ-

ate professor of criminal justice at Metro State University and member of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP, was present at the protest and discussed the importance of fighting for the humanity of others in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“When we take care of each other, we remember to be human, and humanity is what brought me here,” he said. “The fight for humanity, beyond just the justice word, this is about wellness.”

Sethuraju criticized both Trump and Biden for their political positions on the issues at hand and stated that they were both preoccupied with their posturing for power rather than serving the people of the United States.

“They’re showing up to col-

SHOWDOWN

Continued from page 1

a debate and asserting, “You don’t have enough intelligence.”

This prompted audible groans from other members, highlighting the widespread disapproval of Greene’s behavior.

During the heated exchange, the stark contrast between Crockett and Greene couldn’t be ignored. While the Texas Democrat has consistently shown her commitment to justice and rights protection and has championed criminal justice reform, Greene remains a divisive figure. In March of 2022, numerous Georgia vot-

BROWN

Continued from page 1

York City. And I was so amazed by the energy from the Mississippi River.”

Dr. Raj Sethuraju talks back and forth with pro-Trump demonstrators as he holds a sign in protest against the former president’s policies.

lect votes like we are a bunch of transactions,” he said. “I am not a transaction. I’m not a vote.

I’m a human being. I’m dealing with all kinds of turmoil, crises, and joys and celebrations. You want to be a leader, and your leadership is about my wellness, not about your position, not about some hierarchy.”

Sethuraju pointed to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, who had long been a critic of the Vietnam War, and stated that the same battle

ers filed legal challenges to her reelection campaign, alleging that she was disqualified from public office because she helped to facilitate the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

“The way she represents herself…seems unhinged to Republicans, but Greene is twice as destructive,” USA Today opinion columnist Nicole Russell wrote. “Greene has a history of incendiary behavior, banned from Twitter and stripped of committee assignments in 2021; she even adopted QAnon conspiracy theories and used violent rhetoric against political foes.”

Despite agreeing to strike her comments toward Crockett, Greene refused to apolo-

against war continued decades after King’s death.

He shared that political leaders spending money should fit the values of their constituents, fund issues such as homelessness, and not fund wars in foreign nations.

“There have been many studies done, but it only takes a couple of billion dollars to end homelessness in this country,” Sethuraju said. “It’s time for us as people of color to say no to that principle and belief system.”

gize for her remarks. “You will never get an apology out of me,” she declared. Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) ruled that Greene’s insult did not violate House rules, which led to further disputes. When Democratic ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) attempted to appeal this ruling, Republicans moved to table his appeal. Following the vote, Crockett sought clarification on the committee’s standards regarding personal attacks. “If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blond, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?” she asked, causing another uproar.

President Biden recently signed a $95 billion foreign aid bill for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan after the Senate approved it in a 79-18 vote. The bill contained $26 billion in funds set aside for Israel, which the White House said would “help ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against the very real threats it faces from Iran, as well as Iran’s proxy groups.”

Loretta Vanpelt attended the protest against Trump as a reminder that every community’s struggle is inherently tied to the other.

Vanpelt stated that although she would never vote for Trump in the presidential election, she had yet to make up her mind on President Biden, given his inaction to stop the bombardment of Gaza by Israel.

“I voted uncommitted in the primary because I did that to send a message to Joe Biden that ‘You are not listening to the people who put you in office,’” she said. “Everybody’s saying ceasefire, everybody’s saying stop the genocide in Gaza. Stop.”

“They’re showing up to collect votes like we are a bunch of transactions. I am not a transaction. I’m not a vote. I’m a human being.”

“All our struggles are interconnected. I come to things like this because I see what’s going on in Palestine; that’s all interconnected, and we should be fighting together,” she said.

Vanpelt also shared that she’d like to see President Biden codify Roe v. Wade and ensure that women have access to reproductive services across the country. She also criticized the current administration’s decision to send

billions of dollars to Israel at a time when cities such as Jackson, Miss., Flint, Mich., and Saint Paul have contaminated water supplies.

Angela Patty, a supporter of Dr. Cornel West’s presidential bid, stated that she was at the demonstration as a show of solidarity for the Palestinian people, abortion rights, and migrants. She said that she’d like to see more Black Americans attending demonstrations in league with other community groups as a showcase of solidarity and sharing in the fight for justice.

“From the rallies that I come to, I don’t see enough African American people,” she said. “What the Palestine people are going through, we’ve been there, we’re still going through it. We’re still fighting for justice and freedom, and all other African Americans or Africans that come to America, they’re under that same fight too.”

Abdi Mohamed welcomes reader comments at amohamed@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blond, bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”

The controversy moved Comer to admit, “I have two hearing aids. I’m very deaf. I’m not understanding—everybody’s yelling. I’m doing the best I can.”

Comer later agreed to strike

Greene’s insult of Ocasio-Cortez from the record, and Democrats pushed to enforce rules that would prevent Greene from speaking for the remainder of the hearing. However, Republicans voted to allow her to continue speaking. After a short recess, Comer reminded members to adhere to the House’s standard of decorum. Greene was ultimately recognized to speak for over four minutes, reiterating her refusal to apologize. “I will not apologize for my words, and I will not change them,” she said.

Nearly an hour after the disruptions began, the committee returned to the original agenda of debating whether Garland should be held in contempt of

Congress for not providing audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur regarding classified documents.

The session had been moved from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate members who attended former President Donald Trump’s trial in New York. Despite the turmoil, the committee voted 24-20 along party lines to recommend holding Garland in contempt. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office has yet to announce when the resolution will be presented to the full House.

Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire SeniorNationalCorrespondent @StacyBrownMedia.

Relentless in her ambition, Brown was able to land work here and there and found time to get out on the water whenever she could. However, the stress of paying her rent, much less renting a kayak, started weighing on her. That’s when fate stepped in.

A fortuitous stroll past a local Aveda salon resulted in Brown becoming a licensed massage therapist, a career move that allowed her to find stability, build a clientele, and, of course, get her “back on the river.” And when her pandemic stimulus checks arrived, Brown was able to buy a kayak of her very own She entered a 50-mile race

Coupling her experience as an Adventure Trip Leader with her memories of Minneapolis, Brown made it a point to learn more about the Twin Cities and the river that runs through them. Sitting in the kitchen of her childhood home, she quickly connected with the Mississippi River Paddlers, a private Facebook group boasting 4,400 members. She also searched for job opportunities that had something to do with the river. After communicating with a potential employer via email and telephone, Brown landed a position as a river guide. However, Brown wasn’t what her new boss expected when she arrived in Minneapolis. “You don’t look like a kayaker,” she was told. The inference was clear, and Brown resigned. This was neither the first nor the last time she’d experienced racism while pursuing her aquatic dreams.

HISTORICAL

on the Mississippi River taking place, with a time of six hours and 13 minutes in the women’s solo event. And though excited about her accomplishment, she noticed that not enough women were doing this. Not to mention very few people of color.

“I felt completely grounded on the water. I knew that I needed kayaking in my life.”

“I wanted to do something about that,” reveals Brown. “How can I get more people that look like me?” Likewise, as Brown started to cast her vision for the “Source to Sea” voyage she’ll embark on in the coming days, she also realized she would “need a faster boat.”

She approached the Get Down Coffee Company for support, where Houston A. White and Haley MatthewsJones came up with an idea. Brown would create her own proprietary coffee blend, the proceeds of which would fund the purchase of her new kayak. Brown, who is now the program manager with the Mississippi Park Connection, finally had the boat she needed and a social media platform, @afrodiskayak, to launch her campaign. “It was time for me to make the announcement. It was time to take on the river.”

While Brown is confident that she’s prepared for the challenge ahead, she notes that the mental toll might be more exacting than the physical one. “I’m a single mother. I know what tired is,” Brown laughs.

But she’s a little more measured when she discusses ev-

erything she’ll have to consider on this expedition. “There is so much you have to account for with the weather alone,” observes Brown: “temperature, wind, humidity, precipitation, lightning. Also, the speed of the river as well as its level.”

Then, in Minnesota alone Brown will have to negotiate a total of 23 portages, spots along the river that are impassable and will require her to pick up her kayak and walk to a location where she can reenter the water. But once she makes it to St. Louis, a little less than halfway down the river at 1,130 miles, the Mississippi is free-flowing to Mile Marker Zero.

When asked about her motivation in this quest, Brown says it’s multi-layered. “It’s a spiritual journey for sure. I want to release those things that no longer serve me.”

There’s also a health and environmental justice compo-

nent to it all. “We all are water,” she adds. Clean water is a human right—something we are all entitled to.”

However, as much as anything else, Brown is looking to paying homage to the “foundational people” of this nation: Indigenous tribes and enslaved Africans, many of whom used the Mississippi River in search of freedom, though traveling in the opposite direction.

She hopes to inspire “little Black girls” to “walk their own path” and perhaps “paddle their own river.”

Be sure to follow Devin Brown’s “Source to Sea” journey each week at spokesmanrecorder.com with our special series, “Where on the Mississippi is Devin?”

Tony Kiene welcomes reader comments at tkiene@spokesman-recorder.com.

Continued from page 1 Affordable advertising packages are available for small to medium-sized businesses, corporations and non-profit organizations in print & online.

people of Minnesota that they are now, as shown by the Minnesota Poll, ready for state legislature to enact legislation which will halt the unfair practices in the housing field which practically excludes some members of the community from opportunity for housing of their choice.

While the decided increase in sentiment for fair housing legislation in the state is the result of a number of reasons, this newspaper believes the biggest factor has been the decision of the four principal religious faiths

to back such legislation. Once the organized church in the state agreed that housing discrimination was morally wrong and agreed to launch a joint effort against discrimination, its action gained the support of thinking religionists who could see that continuance of such discrimination was a roadblock towards the brotherhood which is the capstone of most organized religion.

To read this and other MSR historical articles, visit our website at www.spokesman-recorder.com.

Al Brown welcomes reader comments at abrown@spokesman-recorder.com.

Clean energy boom leaves Black workers behind

By Renata Sago

The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced $7 billion in grants for solar energy programs in residential communities. It is the latest round of public funding for the clean energy sector, which has seen $464 billion in investments since 2022.

The money is intended to help local governments and nonprofit organizations develop initiatives that lower energy costs in low-income and historically disadvantaged areas across the country. But questions linger about how well the industry reflects the nation’s diversity.

Several advocacy groups— E2, Alliance to Save Energy, American Association of Blacks in Energy, Energy Efficiency for All, and Black Owners of Solar Services—released a report in 2021 noting disparities in the presence of Black workers in the clean energy market. Black workers represented “about 8% of the clean energy labor force,” it found. Compared to white, Hispanic, and Asian Americans, Black workers were underrepresented across several sectors, including fossil fuels and clean vehicles.

The top states for Black or African American clean energy workers were South Carolina, Maryland and New York. For women workers, South Dakota, Nevada and North Carolina had the most opportunities in clean energy.

Exclusive, white, and male Gabrielle Jadotte insists that industry disparities are obvious. She worked at a solar company she describes as “very stereo-

typically white male-dominated,” with minimal connection to communities in need.

“It was a lot of referrals and a lot of, ‘Oh, I know this guy. I know this friend. I think you’d be great.’ Very word of mouth,” she remembers. “It is just so small and exclusive because it’s such a new industry, and it’s a barrier to get in, as the communities that we’re working in—low-income communities— maybe don’t have those connections at companies to get a job quickly.”

The growth of Black firms Jadotte is now director of

operations for WeSolar, a small Black-owned solar energy firm in Baltimore. The internal team “groups together different companies”—mostly subcontractors—to install solar energy in the city. It is looking to expand this year.

“There is so much pressure on profitability and scale, but what we are trying to push back against is that you don’t need to be operating on such a large scale to reach those margins. There is a benefit to just implementing these projects for these communities,” she adds.

There are more than 200

Black-owned solar energy firms in the United States, many of whom rely on public-private partnerships for funding and hiring. Some of these collaborations include generating local energy solutions. Others train leaders to apply for financing from the federal government and private banks.

Recruiting and retaining Black workers

Hiring data within firms— Black-owned or not—is not always available. In 2022, the American Clean Power Association (ACP), one of the nation’s largest clean energy

Photo by Andriy Onufriyenko

trade groups, began collecting job data from its 120,000 members. The ACP found in a 2023 analysis that the industry could do better about strategically recruiting and retaining Black workers.

“ACP will build or extend partnerships with organizations representing diverse communities, as well as directly with the institutions that train and develop diverse talent to ensure networks of diverse candidates are brought into the recruiting funnel and are aware of the many opportunities that the industry provides.

Members are encouraged to

institute policies that ensure diverse candidates are considered for every open position,” the report reads.

Opportunities for Black workers

Owning a solar energy firm is not the only pathway into the industry. There are opportunities for Black workers in various areas, including wind and fossil fuels. Generally, the clean energy sector doesn’t require a four-year degree. The majority of jobs require skilled manual labor or a background in construction. Other opportunities range from electrician and surveyor to software engineer and permit specialist.

The clean energy sector is projected to continue to grow within the next decade, thanks to the expansion of manufacturers, changes to the grid, and emissions policies. There are more college degree programs in management, policy, and implementation for people wanting to be competitive in the field, too.

Earlier this year, 10 historically Black colleges and universities received $100,000 from the Department of Energy to develop clean energy-focused academic programs for students on and off campus. Initiatives like these are intended to bring representation to the industry so that, years from now, racial disparities won’t be a problem.

Renata Sago is an awardwinning journalist who writes/ consults with Word in Black. This story was first published in Word in Black and is reprinted with permission.

Celebrating Small Business Month

JOIN THE 90TH CELEBRATION!

As the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder approaches its 90th anniversary, you’re invited to commemorate this historic milestone by donating $90 to celebrate 90 years of continuous publication.

Your generous contribution will support our legacy of dedicated community empowerment through journalism and ensure our vital work continues into the future.

As a “$90-for-90” contributor (non-business), your name will be prominently displayed in our print and digital editions until the week of Aug. 10 — the date of our founding in 1934.

Please consider this unique opportunity to stand collectively with the MSR, honoring 90 years of tradition and community service. For inquiries or to join as a “$90-for-90” supporter, call 612-827-4021, visit our website, or email admin@spokesman-recorder.com.

Ray Seville Productions

Ray Seville Productions

Kimerlie Geraci

Kimerlie Geraci

David Fettig

David Fettig

Tracy Wesley

Tracy Wesley

The O’Neill Family

The O’Neill Family

Liam Cavin

Liam Cavin

Shirlee L. Callender

Your Name Here

Deanna Callender

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

George Ewing

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Holly Andersen

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Allie Mae Hampton

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Y Name Here

Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Deborah Montgomery

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Debbie Morrison

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Toweya Brown-Ochs

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Michael Diehl

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Gretchen Bratvold

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Debra Jones

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Clarence Jones

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Your Name Here

Arts & Culture

Techniques for Ecstasy: Alexandra Beaumont’s exhibit showcases joy as resistance

By Angel Akurienne

Contributing Writer Alexandra Beaumont is reclaiming and revolutionizing dance scenes through texile art! The Minnesota-based, textile artist and dancer’s solo exhibition “Techniques for Ecstasy’’ opened May 4 at Public Functionary.

The exhibit serves as celebratory time travel back to the disco house dance party (ala Studio 54) Beaumont hosted back in March 2023 called “Dancing with Friends” in the same space.

“Joy as resistance!” she exclaimed. Her vision for the event was to “create the space of joy and then pay homage through the work.”

Images of folks in various grooves sprawl across the exhibit’s “dance floor.” Each piece dancing together with their own unique personality. Each of them pulled from photos captured at the dance party.

Amongst her favorite sways, “The Soloist.” The piece showcases a man deep in his own groove. Beaumont’s intrigue about solitary experience in the midst of a crowd is most present in this piece and rings true for the collection of work.

“The contrast of togetherness and celebration into the individual in the space was a reoccurring revelation,” she noted.

Beaumont described the overlapping colors of various textiles as a play on the

spotlights that were radiating through the dance party. She utilized an array of materials to highlight the subtlety in movement such as a fabric spotlight on a hand, or an intricately sequined-traced cheek. An intimate effort to “show them in their glittering glory.”

As one moves through the exhibition floor, the installations seem to dance beside them.

“Dance floors are fertile ground for unbounded self expression, cradled in the arms of community. Sites of embodied resistance and celebratory reclamation, according to Beaumont. “Venues are where we would unquestionably unfurl our individual selves.”

necessity ritual as it quickly evokes movement or a feeling.

Naming Honey Dijon, 70s disco, funk, African highlife/ funk, Chic, and Janet Jackson as the soundtrack to crafting this expressive work. Reminiscent of the sounds she’d hear from her parents’ performances.

As Beaumont rendered the movements first on chalk, she recalled “being able to locate the physicality [of the dancer being captured] in my own body kept me moving in my studio.” She credits the subtleties captured in the works to that dancing practice.

above its weight.” She noted Minnesota’s uniqueness in the amount of state funding for the arts and the opportunities for growth.

“There are a lot of artists and galleries that deserve more prominence. Especially within the Black & brown communities. There’s such a density of artists that funnel support and encouragement into each other,” she continued. “I don’t think it’ll be long before people outside of MN are going to be really interested in what’s going on here.”

Born and raised in South Carolina to a Jamaican father and American mother, she studied dance, eventually attending a conservatory high school away from home. However, an early interaction with a NYC fashion designer was, in retrospect, pivotal in her eventual trajectory from dance to fashion. She went on to study

at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and soon after got her start in mens fashion. Quickly, Beaumont fell in love with fine art through abstraction and symbolism.

Beaumont never thought that she would find herself doing figurative art, nor in Minnesota. She found both around the same time: the pandemic. A time in which “we were all very conscious of the vulnerability of our bodies and the separation of each other,” she recalled.

This birthed Beaumont’s detailed exploration of the body in movement. Creating a fusion of mediums that had been a part of her all along.

“The exhibition had been in development for about 8

months. 2-3 weeks varying with each piece,” she said. Beaumont is no stranger to hard work. She credits this to her Jamaican lineage. More specifically, watching her father during gigs and her parents dedication to their musicianship. “Jamaicains are hard workers! There’s a rigor in my practice, if I hadn’t been raised in that, the work would seem like a lot, but [hard work]’s very familiar to me,” she stated.

Beaumont explained that her practice is nonlinear and the magic is in letting the art inform her direction. “I let my work speak back to me and allow room for the work to evolve and shift how it needs to,” she said.

For Beaumont, music is a

Beaumont honored the women of color that embraced her as her initial connection into Minneapolis’ art spaces and eventually to Public Functionary. By chance, she instantly found the community she was yearning for.

Cut to a few years later, she now holds a position of leadership at Public Functionary and gets to provide the spaces she herself was once seeking.

Beaumont notes her inspiration from the marches for George Floyd that took place in Minnesota, June 2020.

“Protests are powerful for a purpose & dance is powerful for release and the potential for community building is present, differently, in both”, she said. “That blend of audience and viewer as a participant of the space is truly inspiring.”

Now a Minnesotan, Beaumont believes the Twin Cities art scene is “punching way

Alexandra notes that she is “cognizant of how spaces like this are used to diffuse or distract and so I’m excited to be in conversation to look critically about what purpose do we put this power of our bodies in space together toward.”

Groove on down to Alexandra’s exhibition, “Techniques for Ecstasy” in its final week at Public Functionary. Gallery viewings are available Thursday 12 - 9 pm and Friday and Saturday 12 - 6 pm.

On Thursday, May 23, there will be a salon style discussion on the power of collective dance spaces from 6 - 9pm. Panelists accompanying Alexandra Beaumont are Kat Purcell, Jess Pretty, and Dwight K. Lewis Jr.. Conversation starting at 7 pm in Studio 247.

Angela Akurienne welcomes reader comments at angelakurie@gmail.com

Photo by Chris Juhn

Opinion

George Floyd Square: Who’s to blame for what tourists see??

By Marquise Bowie

The intersection forever known to locals as 38th and Chicago Avenue is now known worldwide as George Floyd Square. In a gut-wrenching nine infamous minutes, the South Minneapolis location would become ground zero in the quest for justice, a global awakening, as we watched Brother George suffocate under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer on national television. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions at the time, most of us were in sleep mode, avoiding the outside as much as possible.

Along with the world, we were traumatized as we watched four Minneapolis police officers choke and hold down a helpless George Floyd as witnesses and children yelled and pleaded with the officer to take his knee off the man’s neck. The witnesses were threatened with pepper spray or mace if they didn’t back off.

I’m glad that the young lady who videotaped the incident had the mindset, steady hand, and courage to pull out her phone and record. Without her, finding justice here would have been next to impossible.

Fast forward to May of 2024. George Floyd Square is still a tourist attraction for people who visit Minnesota for various reasons. And I do believe people are coming to see George Floyd Square with good intentions. But nothing has really changed in this community.

I often ask people I get the privilege of having conversa-

tions with from all over the world if it looks like anything has been done to help this community. Almost 90% said no, not even knowing what it looked like before George Floyd’s murder. That’s the sad part.

But should outsiders know about the community that intersects 38th & Chicago? The answer is no—they were only drawn to pay respect to a man who lost his life in this community. In fairness, many are visiting from cities with worse crime and murder rates than Minneapolis, like Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Memphis. They have their own communities to fix and be concerned about.

If Floyd had been murdered in downtown Minneapolis I ‘d wager it would be one of the most attractive monument sites in the country, benefitting every business in the area.

If I could wave a magic wand or have it my way based on what I’ve heard from the community directly and indirectly, it would be like Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With Black and brown businesses, grocery stores, and a cultural hub that brings resources, programs, healing and money to Black and

Trump is no Cousin Ray Ray

By Naba’a Muhammad

The judge in Donald Trump’s case in New York, which revolves around charges that the GOP boss paid off a porn star to keep an affair quiet and lied about it to flim-flam voters, has gotten a ton of media coverage. Judge Juan M. Merchan has warned the presidential hopeful that “…violations of a gag order barring Trump from inflammatory out-of-court comments about witnesses, jurors, and others closely connected to the case could result in jail time.”

A $1,000 fine in early May was the second time the judge punished Trump for disobeying the order. He was previously fined $9,000, which was $1,000 each for nine violations.

as White House agents trying to torpedo his reelection bid. Neither the judge nor the prosecutor are covered under the gag order, which Trump recently again condemned after the judge denied efforts by the ex-president to alter it.

The day the judge warned of possible jail, May 6, Trump told the media: “Our Constitution is much more important than jail… I’ll do that sacrifice any day.”

One estimate put his New Jersey rally’s attendance at 80,000 to 100,000 people on a Saturday evening. “They have to cheat and smear him and humiliate him in that courtroom every single day,” one Trumpster told the Associated Press. “This country is going to go insane if they steal the election again.”

and 37 percent of people in prison. Blacks are 48 percent of people serving life, life without parole, or “virtual life” sentences. Arrest rates for Black vs. white Americans? 6,109 per 100,000 for Blacks vs. 2,795 per 100,000 for Whites. Number of arrests of Black Americans in 2018? 2.8 million. The percentage of people on probation or parole who are Black? Thirty percent.

submissions@spokesman-recorder.com

brown communities, it would be filled with historical art.

From tourists, I often hear the word “awareness,” and we’re here “paying our respects”. I also hear and know that change takes time. However, for Black and brown communities change always takes longer. Again, we’re going on in the fourth year with hardly anything that shows growth or improvement in this community. With an incredible opportunity and even greater cause to turn a community around, the City is emitting crickets—just deafening silence.

Granted, the question begs who should be responsible for what tourists see when they arrive. I believe that an impoverished community with limited resources can only do so much. Thus the onus falls on the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and even the governor’s office to turn this site into a visual and economic beacon of social justice.

Why is it taking so long to come up with a design that will infuse vitality and economic life into this small area that has become a top tourist attraction? It’s starting to look like the city is not committed to the cause of social justice after all. If Floyd had been murdered in downtown Minneapolis I‘d wager it would be one of the most attractive monument sites in the country, infusing every business in the area.

However, I’m optimistic that things will get better. That’s one of the many reasons I go to 38th and Chicago every day, to bring hope and show my community what change looks like. I was born and raised in South Minneapolis. Being what I needed at a young age was what Johnny Turnipseed told me, may he rest in peace.

Transforming street energy into community is the motto of the MN Agape movement. We must strive to put the neighbor back into the hood. We as a community also have a role to play in the upkeep and safety of our beloved neighborhood.

“It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent. Therefore, going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” said Judge Merchan, in an Associated Press report. “Trump’s statements,” the judge added, “threaten to interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law. I cannot allow that to continue.

“The last thing I want to do is put you in jail,” Merchan continued. “You are the former President of the United States and possibly the next president as well. There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort for me.”

The tipping point violation happened in a television interview “in which Trump criticized the speed at which the jury was picked and claimed, without evidence, that it was stacked with Democrats.” His trial appears on the verge of wrapping up.

Since the threats, Trump has kept on being Trump. Speaking May 11 at a campaign rally in Wildwood, N.J., he blasted Judge Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg

While Trump is the champion of white lives, a defender of white interests, and an eample of white suffering, Ray Ray is just trying to catch a break.

Insulting the judge, prosecutors, jurors, and the legal process is nothing new for Trump, whom Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) once called the “former White supremacist in chief.” Between some polling and a Black conservative event in South Carolina, Mr. MAGA Man has argued Blacks are siding with him.

Blacks see him being unfairly treated, given four cases and 91 indictments, he declared.

These things resonate with Blacks who have suffered from criminal justice system wrongdoing, Trump said.

Let’s stop the nonsense: Trump isn’t Cousin Ray Ray hoping not to go to prison. Let’s speak straight words.

Some Prison Policy Initiative facts: Black Americans are 13 percent of the U.S. population

Whiteness, wealth and warriors Last, Trump comes with whiteness, wealth and warriors. His supporters are armed and angry. We’ve seen what they did on January 6, 2020, in an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Much of the country worries about what a guilty verdict or the fall election could bring. A recent poll found 41 percent of Americans believe civil war is coming, some say in as little as five years. So, while Trump is the champion of white lives, a defender of white interests, and an example of white suffering, Ray Ray is just trying to catch a break. Trump is a man of wealth with wealthy friends and has found a place in the hearts and wallets of supporters. He’s gon’ be alright. Ray Ray is waiting for his girlfriend to put some money on prison books so he can buy Oodles of Noodles.

Editor’s note: This article was edited for length.

Naba’a Muhammad, the award-winning Final Call Newspaper editor, is host of “Straight Words With Naba’a Richard Muhammad, Bj Murphy, and James G. Muhammad,” which airs live Tuesdays, 9 p.m. to 12 a.m Central Time, on WVON AM 1690 Black Talk Radio Chicago and is live streamed at the iHeart Radio app and WVON.com. Get more of his writing and content at straightwords.com.

St. Cloud State reneges on DEI

By Dr. Luke Tripp

St. Cloud State University (SCSU) has proposed eliminating 46 degree programs and 50 minors and laying off 57 faculty members, including Ethnic Studies, Gender & Women’s Studies, Human Relations & Multicultural Education, and Gerontology. An estimated 40 percent of the faculty members at risk of being laid off are people of color.

Scott Olson, Chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, stated that “All Minnesota State colleges and universities must balance their budget each year and regularly do so by adjusting services and program offerings to meet student and workforce demands.”

diverse faculty, students,= and staff. However, its proposed cuts in Ethnic Studies, Gender & Women’s Studies, Human Relations and Gerontology indicate that its commitment to DEI is false propaganda.

SCSU’s proposed cuts in faculty of color and programs undermine its professed commitments to DEI. The faculty of color and sincere white faculty are the best trained and most dedicated to doing DEI work. They provide important support for students, multicultural services, and mentorship for faculty members and students.

universities will impact political and social policies. Our role is to help them understand how our society works and encourage them to adopt ethical values of fairness and justice to make our society more humane.

submissions@spokesman-recorder.com

submissions@spokesman-recorder.com.

Unfortunately, four years later, what should be an amazing visual story of hope and empowerment is nothing but a continuation of the tragedy that took Floyd’s life. George Floyd Square is tragic for the community, for the businesses in the Square, and for tourists who travel from across the world to view it!

The city of Minneapolis is missing a golden opportunity to pump life into this community.

Marquise Bowie is a social justice activist who has a tourist agency dedicated to the memory of George Floyd.

The proposed cuts will undermine the ability of SCSU to provide learning opportunities for students to study and find ways to approach the most serious problems facing our society: racial conflicts, economic inequality, social injustice, and gender discrimination.

SCSU reneges on diversity, equity and inclusion

SCSU has proclaimed its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and its dedication to fulfilling the vision of Minnesota State’s Equity 2030 goal of fostering historically underrepresented marginalized groups and helping to recruit

In the United States today, we face an uncertain and dangerous period in our history. What our students learn in our universities will impact political and social policies.

Moreover, they are leaders in shaping and implementing the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) Goal 7, which includes anti-racism and racial equity issues. Faculty of color and sincere white faculty and programs are necessary to achieve the goals of DEI.

DEI initiatives necessary for social justice, fairness

In the United States today, we face an uncertain and dangerous period in our history. What our students learn in our

Every semester I conduct a survey of my students in my Goal 7 courses. Over 90 percent dictated that they could see the connection between my racial issues courses and real-life situations they might face on the job, with their families, and as citizens. Furthermore, the students perceived racial antagonism as high in America on the pretest and the posttest in the spring of 2024.

The majority (98% on the pretest and 89 percent on the posttest) believed racial tensions were a significant problem in America. Likewise, the majority (66% on the pretest and 72 on the posttest) indicated that race relations were not good in America. The data shows the relevance of DEI initiatives.

We want Scott Owens, Chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and government decision-makers to provide the resources needed to support genuine DEI initiatives and reject proposals that target units and faculty who do the work of DEI.

Dr. Luke Tripp is a professor at St. Cloud State University.

Education

2024 Teacher of the Year recipient Tracy Byrd imparts life lessons on the field and in the classroom

By Abdi Mohamed Associate Editor

Looking back on his upbringing, Tracy Byrd could never imagine becoming a teacher, let alone being recognized by his colleagues and peers at such a high level.

Growing up in South Minneapolis on 48th St and Columbus Ave, Byrd spent a majority of his adolescence playing football at McRae Park. When it came time to think about what he wanted to do after high school, a career in education was far from his mind.

“I looked at the teachers as well—they’re the ones that know everything,” he said. Byrd had seen his teachers as omnipotent and all-knowing, and that sort of pressure to always be right wasn’t something he sought out.

“They know everything because their job is to teach people, and if they get it wrong, then they’re teaching people the wrong stuff.”

After graduating from Washburn High School in 1989, Byrd attended the University of North Dakota, where he joined the football program. His teammate, Neville Scarlett, who was studying to be a physical education teacher, encouraged him to also consider teaching.

Up until that point he hadn’t given it much thought, but it planted the seed that would further lead to him becoming the 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Byrd is the 60th recipient of the prestigious award, and the third from Minneapolis Public

individuals who are nominated and who then choose to become a candidate. Education Minnesota, the 84,000-member statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program.

Prior to his career as a teacher, Byrd coached football and track and field for several years, using his time on the field to impart important life lessons to his student-athletes.

“Sports is the microcosm of life,” he said. “There are going to be people that you don’t know that you have to work with, people that you don’t like that you have to work with. You can’t always be by yourself.”

was not going to take no for an answer,” he said laughing.

In 2011, after completing courses at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Byrd walked across the stage with his degree. He would later finish his studies at Metro State University in 2017, when he received his teaching credentials.

Schools to be named Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

“When

The awardee is selected through an independent committee representing Minnesota leaders in education, business and government that chooses the Teacher of the Year from

Whether it’s in the classroom or on the field, Byrd encouraged his students to always be in the game and constantly move forward toward their goals. Byrd’s advice to his students is informed by his own life experience that has taken him in several different directions.

His time at the University of North Dakota didn’t work out, but he was still determined to finish school. In 1994, he enrolled at Normandale Community College, but that also eventually came to an end.

After leaving a career in finance, he took a position with Wayzata Public Schools as a hall supervisor and coached their football and track and field teams. Rhonda Dean, an administrator at the school, had made it her mission to see Byrd become a teacher.

In an almost daily occurrence, she would check in with

It was important for Byrd to share these milestones with his family, especially his son, to see him reach his goals. “I walk across the stage at MCTC and I’ve got my son. He’s probably eight at the time. I’m the first in my family to walk across the stage, so I want him to see and be a part of the pageantry,” he said.

in education, nothing could have prepared Byrd for the news that he had been nominated for the Teacher of the Year award. “When I got the email saying that I had been nominated, the first thing I did was close my Chromebook, because I was like, ‘This isn’t real,’” he said. Byrd had aspired to be the best teacher on his floor and maybe the building, but never imagined being recognized at such a level. The recognition from his peers helped reinforce that he was on the right track.

“God doesn’t call the equipped who can already do the job, because that’s not Him,” Byrd said. “He’s going

integrity in public education.” The two work closely together in developing curriculums for their students. While Byrd is grateful for the award, he shared that the recognition won’t change what he does. “I’m still going to be me. I’m still the one demanding that their homework is the best representation of themselves,” he said. “At the same time, I know the gravity of this acknowledgement.”

Byrd expressed his gratitude for the award coming at a time where there is still a need for more diverse teachers in the classroom and he knows the significance behind his winning. For him, teaching brings the opportunity to pass

Shortly after graduating, Byrd returned to his alma mater at Washburn High School, where he currently teaches ninth-grade English and coaches track and field.

to call somebody that can’t do the job so they can say, look at what I’m doing through Him.”

Byrd was nominated for the award by his colleague at Washburn, Katie MurphyOlsen, who described Byrd as the “epitome of excellence and

on knowledge, not only to his students, but also to other Black and brown teachers who hope to make an impact.

Abdi Mohamed welcomes reader comments at amohamed@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Tracy Byrd stands in the middle of his 9th grade English classroom at Washburn High School where he graduated from in 1989. Photos by Chris Juhn

Tracy Byrd hands out batons to members of the Washburn High School track and field team.

Outside of his work in the classroom, Byrd continues to teach students through coaching.

Employment & Legals

INVITATION TO BID

Project: PPL Apartments 892 E. 7th Street Saint Paul, MN 55106

Description: New 5-story, 60-apartment unit. The structure is concrete footings and foundation walls with one level of

(levels

&

Bidding: On behalf of the Developers, Project for Pride in Living & Soul Community Development, Frana Companies & Noor Companies are accepting bids for all scopes of work including all Site Work, Concrete, Masonry, Metals, Carpentry, Thermal & Moisture Protection, Doors & Windows, Finishes, Specialties, Equipment, Furnishings, Special Construction, Elevators, Fire Protection, Mechanical and Electrical.

Bids Due: Wednesday May 29, 2024, at 12:00p.m. Please send your bid via the Building Connected portal (Please email Lynn Lindblom at llindblom@frana.com if you have difficulty accessing the portal.)

Scheduled Start: Scheduled Closing & Construction Start: September 2024 with a 14-month schedule.

Project Manager: Darren Scott (612) 965-9802, dscott@frana.com Ryan Meissner (952) 908-2668, rmeissner@frana.com

Important Notes: 1. . Building Connected - Please be sure to review the bid form on Building Connected.

2. City of Saint Paul Vendor Outreach Program (VOP) – Project includes contracting goals of 5% MBE, 10% WBE, and 10% SBE. Under VOP, you must seek vendors that are currently certified. The searchable database of certified companies is at http://cert.smwbe.com. B2GNow will

Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at 200 East Arch Street, Saint Paul, MN 55130 for ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MODERNIZATION AT NEILL HI-RISE, Contract No. 25-030, until Thursday 2:00 p.m., local time on June 13, 2024, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud via the Teams App. Bids may be submitted electronically, in a pdf format,to Northstar Imaging, www.northstarplanroom.com, or may be delivered to the address above.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 2:00 PM, local time, at Neill Hi-rise, 325 Laurel ave. Saint Paul, MN 55102

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

A complete set of proposal documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, under public plan room, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MODERNIZATION AT NEILL HI-RISE, Contract No. 25-030. Digital downloads are at no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.

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

Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, non-collusive affidavit, EEO form and Minnesota Responsible Contractor Compliance Affidavit. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a satisfactory performance bond and a separate payment bond.

The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any informalities in the proposal process.

JIM ROONEY PROJECT LEADER AN EQUAL (651) 248-4807 OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER JIM.ROONEY@stpha.org

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 23, 2024

BALANCED

Continued from page 12

Washington Post—21 WBB stories, 16.5 MBB stories—93 total sports stories.

NY Times—11 WBB stories, 13 MBB stories—52 total sports stories.

“In 2021, we only monitored six days of coverage, while this year I monitor eight days,” Gibbs wrote, adding that only 11 percent of the six papers devoted their coverage to the women’s Final Four in 2021 compared to 21 percent to the men’s.

This year, she points out, “The coverage of the women’s Final Four increased by about 6% between 2021 and 2024.”

In Gibbs’ estimation, the six newspapers’ women’s sports coverage is getting better, at least 11 percent better.

“This isn’t only a snapshot of media coverage,” Gibbs told the MSR after her study was released on May 13, “It’s exciting to be able to see the quality in print and to be able to directly compare the progress with 2021.”

As a result, we also looked at the local media coverage by gender, particularly the Star Tribune. The MSR found the following: —15 WBB stories, 9 MBB stories, one WBB/MBB combined story, and four WNIT stories (the Gophers reached the finals this season) for a total of 29 basketball-related stories.

As Gibbs discovered in her study, we also found at least two days where the women’s stories outnumbered the men’s; one day, there was only one WBB story; and one day where there was equal coverage (1 WNIT story and one NCAAM story).

“Two papers have more women’s stories, four have more men’s stories, but the gap isn’t egregious in any individual instance,” Gibs concluded.

“More coverage brings about more accountability and publicity. It is a crucial part of the growth of women’s sports.”

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

From Ads Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

A/1 Contract No. 25-031

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

PHONE: 612-827-4021 FOR BILLING

Sealed proposals will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at 200 East Arch Street, Saint Paul, MN 55130 for JANITORIAL SERVICES AT MCDONOUGH COMMUNITY CENTER, Contract No. 25-031, until Tuesday 2:00 p.m., local time on June 6, 2024. Proposals may be submitted electronically, in a pdf format, to Northstar Imaging, www.northstarplanroom.com, or may be delivered to the address above.

INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

PLEASE CONTACT

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held in conjunction with a Pre-Proposal Tour on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the McDonough Community Center, 1544 Timberlake Rd., Saint Paul, MN 55117. Immediately following the conference there will be a Pre-Proposal Tour. All questions arising from this pre-proposal conference will be addressed by addendum, if necessary.

ACCOUNTING DEPT

BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

A complete set of proposal documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, under public plan room, JANITORIAL SERVICES AT MCDONOUGH COMMUNITY CENTER, Contract No. 25-031. Digital downloads are at no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.

SIZE: 2 COL X 4.5”

RATE $18.10 PCI (1ST RUN)

SUBTOTAL: $162.90

Proposals must be accompanied by an Equal Employment Opportunity form, and a MN Responsible Contractor Compliance Affidavit.

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any informalities in the proposal process.

Please Note: New email address for all future ads is ads@spokesman-recorder.com

A Lor PROJECT TECHNICIAN AN EQUAL (612) 475-4628

OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER A.lor@stpha.org Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 23, 2024

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

VIEW

Continued from page 12

a better coach because of how my mother raised me. I am a better person because of how my mother raised me,” she said reverently.

On Stringer.: “She is probably one of the strongest mentor coaches I’ve ever been around because she had to be. I often talk to her about navigating this space.”

Afterward, Olsen said of Staley, “She is definitely a hero of mine. Her words are really super needed and important right now, and peo-

SOE

Continued from page 12

Finally, Nyanin is excited to still be a part of the W, a league that many say is the hardest to make a roster as a player. With Golden State starting next season, and Toronto in 2026, the WNBA will have at least 24 more roster spots and become a 14-team league. She is also proud to be in a key leader-

ple are listening to her. I think a big part of that is because she’s so honest and real with her words.”

Is it fair to compare Staley to Stringer?

“What Dawn does is embrace everybody; she lifts everybody up. It’s not just about her,” agreed Olsen. “I’ve watched her become the greatest coach in women’s basketball, and maybe in basketball in general. She understands that’s kind of her duty and her responsibility.”

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

ship role of a new franchise.

“The league has existed for going on 28-plus years now, and there are people who have invested to get it to where it is now, and now there are new people who are continuing to help it grow,” she concluded. “I think, for me, it’s a combination of all the collaboration that has happened.”

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

From Ads Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021 FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES SIZE: 2 COL X 4.5” RATE $18.10 PCI (1ST RUN) SUBTOTAL: $162.90

Please proof, respond with email confirmation ads@spokesman-recorder.com

Please Note: New email address for all future ads is ads@spokesman-recorder.com

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

Balanced coverage for a change

Breaking news: A new study says the women’s and men’s NCAA Final Four media coverage was virtually equal

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

or several years, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs has studied mainstream women’s basketball coverage, tracking six newspapers: USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and the New York Times. Gibbs monitored these daily publications for at least a week.

It’s pretty simple, Gibbs explains: Count the number of stories published about women’s sports and tally the number of women’s college basketball and men’s college basketball stories along with the number of women’s sports stories and men’s sports stories in general.

This year, Gibbs, a veteran freelance sports reporter and podcaster, studied the period from April 3 to April 10 and

compared it with Tori Burstein’s #CoveringtheCoverage data that she did for Power Plays of the 2021 Final Four.

“More coverage brings about more accountability and publicity. It is a crucial part of the growth of women’s sports.”

USA Today—21 WBB stories, 18 MBB stories—72 total sports stories.

LA Times—8 WBB stories, 10 MBB stories—66 total sports stories.

Dallas Morning News—8.5 WBB stories, 11 MBB stories—115 total sports stories. Chicago Tribune—16 WBB stories, 18 MBB stories—95 total sports stories.

here were three Black WNBA general managers in 2022 and only two in 2023. The situation is the same this season: Darius Taylor in Connecticut and Natalie Williams in Las Vegas. Natalie Williams was the only person of color to have a general manager position during the 2023 season.

According to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), only once (2012) did the WNBA reach its all-time high (five) in Black GMs.

Unless it changes, Black GMs will increase by at least one in 2025—the new Golden State franchise that begins play next season hired Ohemaa Nyanin as its first general manager earlier this month.

“Of course, you look for IQ and intelligence, very important in this job and this organization, but we also look for someone with basketball knowledge and experience and sort of a gut level understanding of the game,” admitted Joe Lacob on the hiring process. According to him, they “interviewed with a lot of people” before hiring Nyanin, said Lacob, who is the NBA’s Golden State Warriors co-executive chairman and CEO.

Nyanin worked for New York Liberty

I just think it’s a testament to my work ethic.”

for five years, starting as a basketball operations manager and then as a director before becoming assistant general manager in 2022. She also worked with USA Basketball (assistant director of the women’s national team) and was a qualifier technical delegate and manager at the FIBA Americas World Cup. She also earned both her B.A. and master’s degrees from American University, where she also played basketball (2005-10).

“The investment that has already been committed to building an incredible WNBA franchise is nothing short of

Sports

awn Staley is, by all accounts, this generation’s C. Vivian Stringer. The now-retired Stringer had no qualms speaking out on behalf of Black female players and coaches throughout her illustrious half-century coaching career, which started at HBCU Cheyney State and concluded at Rutgers.

Staley won her third national title in April after her first-ever undefeated season. She was the main speaker for the May 8 Saint Catherine University’s Women of Color Leadership Series at the O’Shaughnessy.

It is a platform where “high profile leaders” come to campus and “share their stories of the learning and inspirational opportunities that paved their paths to leadership,” says a press release.

This year’s event was titled “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women to Lead Through Athletics.”

Jaycee Rhodes, who played a major role in planning the event, introduced Staley. Rhodes is the current president of St. Catherine’s chapter of the National College Athlete Honor Society and an executive board member of the school’s student-athlete advisory committee.

“Obviously, I was a little bit nervous and had a little bit of anxiety about getting out there and introducing [the coach],” Rhodes told me afterward. The St. Paul native is a

three-time MIAC academic allconference and a three-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association academic All-American honoree. She will receive her bachelor’s degree in business administration and sales later

this month, with minor studies in leadership. She is the school’s and MIAC’s only Black golfer. She plans to return next season for her Covid eligibility season at St. Kate’s while studying for her

amazing,” said Nyanin in her May 6 introductory press conference. “I’m just really excited to collaborate with the current and future incredible minds to build a winning culture, which Joe just laid out.”

Among her duties is hiring the team’s first head coach. Nyanin stressed, “We talked a lot about the community…and I’m really excited to learn the stories of the people who have pioneered in this area and want to continue to help this organization grow.

“We are going to build a locker room and family that players would like to be a part of and champion for all youth in the Bay Area and globally,” she said.

“I just think it’s a testament to my work ethic,” said Nyanin, who was born in Ghana. “It’s a testament to my village, the people that I’ve worked with in the past that have accelerated my progress.

“I’m just super excited to, first and foremost, hire a coach.”

masters, said Rhodes. She said it was her first time meeting Staley, who offered some impromptu rooting for her backstage: “Go Jaycee, go Jaycee,” she heard the coach telling her while she introduced her.

“It was a divine order for me to take that job.”

Once on stage, Staley kept the sold-out audience in awe as she took on any subject that Lea B. Olsen, the dean of Twin Cities Black women sports broadcasters, brought up:

On coaching big-time college basketball: “I didn’t want to be a coach,” admitted Staley, whose first job was at Temple (2000-08) while she was still an active player. “It was a divine order for me to take that job.”

At South Carolina, Staley now is the school’s winningest coach, a four-time National Coach of the Year, six-time SEC Coach of the Year, 2012 BCA Female Coach of the Year, and a program record’s 12 postseason appearances.

On coaching her first undefeated national championship team: “I didn’t think we were competitive enough,” quipped Staley.

On being outspoken: “My outlook on life is pretty much the same. This world loves the opinion of successful professional people, whether you got the right answers or not.”

On her mother’s influence: “I’m more like my mother today than any time in my life. I am

Jones has taken quite the basketball journey

urtis Jones, a 6’4” guard who starred as a basketball high school player at Minneapolis South and Cretin Derham Hall before moving on to Indian Hills Community College (Iowa), the University of Buffalo, and Iowa State University, has had quite the journey to a prep and collegiate career filled with memorable moments.

Two moments stand out.

During Jones’ only season with Iowa State, in his last collegiate game, he came off the bench to score 26 points in a 72-69 Sweet 16 loss to Illinois in the NCAA tournament.

As a high school senior, he hit a buzzer-beating threepointer with 3.7 seconds left to lead the Raiders to a 51-48 victory over East Ridge, capturing the Class 4A, Section 4 final and securing a state tournament berth.

During the 2016-17 season, he averaged 10.5 points for Minneapolis South and ended the season as one of the metro area’s most promising freshmen. His breakout season came during the 2017-18 season, in which he averaged 17 points per game for the Tigers as a sophomore.

The following year he trans-

as he averaged 14.3 points.

Jones saved his best for last, averaging 15.7 points per game while leading the Raiders to the state tournament. From there, he embarked on a collegiate career unlike any other. He averaged 12.1 points and six rebounds per game at Indian Hills Community College as a freshman during the 2020-21 season, earning a scholarship offer to play at the University of Buffalo.

After averaging only 2.5 points as a sophomore during the 2021-22 season, Jones blossomed as one of the MAC’s top players, averaging 15.1 points during his junior year. Last year, he transferred to Iowa State, and this past

ferred to Cretin Derham Hall, teaming with Holloman to form one of the metro area’s top backcourts

Ohemaa Nyanin

Courtesy of X

Lindsay Gibbs Courtesy of X

Dawn Staley Courtesy of X

Jaycee Rhodes Courtesy of Rebecca Slater Lea B. Olsen Courtesy of Rebecca Slater

Curtis Jones

Courtesy Iowa State University Athletics