April 13, 2023 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

Governor Walz makes his case for ‘One Minnesota’

In MSR exclusive, the governor explains how budget will tackle racial disparities

By Charles Hallman

Contributing

Writer

Minnesota

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant

Governor Peggy Flanagan first introduced their “One Minnesota” budget in January, which included $8 billion in tax cuts that used up much of the state’s estimated $17.6 billion surplus in both spending and rebate checks to taxpayers.

At the time, State

Senator Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) called the plan ‘absurd.’ “This reckless budgeting is unacceptable,” added the senator.

Last month, Walz and Flanagan introduced a revised budget that included new investments in public safety, education, and local

■ See WALZ on page 5

Governor Tim Walz in his office at the State Capitol.

• A new child tax credit to give $1,000 per child to lower-income families making less than $50,000.

• Spending $300 million in public safety aid to cities, counties, and tribal governments across the state to help offset local property taxes.

• A new earned sick and safe leave for workers to accrue up to 48 hours a year, if they need to recover from illness, go to doctor’s appointments, or care for a child during school closures.

• Expanding unemployment benefits to hourly school workers.

• Making higher education more accessible with increased funding for state grants.

• Proposed universal background checks for all firearms sales, raising the minimum age for purchasing military-style firearms to 21 years old, and banning high-capacity weapons.

• Creating an Office of Missing and Murdered African American Women to promote the safety and success of Black women and girls.

• Increasing access to affordable, quality childcare, and increase the capacity and quality of childcare across the state.

• Issuing checks of $1,000 to $2,600 directly to more than 2.5 million Minnesota households.

• Recommending $219 million to reduce taxes on Social Security benefits for over 350,000 Minnesota households.

Ride-along with Metro Transit’s new Police Chief Ernest Morales III New chief plans to bring ‘proactive’

policing to the Twin Cities public transit system

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing

Writer

As recently as this past February, the Lake Street/ Midtown Station was hard to navigate. People congregated inside the station by the elevators, on the stairs and on the platform, often smoking or doing drugs or sometimes just trying to stay warm.

They were all gone by late March when the MSR visited the station to interview and shadow Metro Transit’s new police chief Ernest Morales III. When asked what happened to those who loitered at the station, Morales responded, “Oh, I don’t know. I can just tell you that this is Metro Transit property. And I took a proactive position where I had my police officers come out here on a daily basis, just to make sure that commuters were utilizing the system as it was designed to be used.”

Morales, who retired from law enforcement after serving in New York for more than 30 years and was once a professional boxer, was hired in January, but was not sworn in until March 22, after he received his license to be a law enforcement officer in

Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III speaks with Jean Lawrence Caron about transit safety. Photos by H. Jiahong Pan

Minnesota.

Accompanied by his wife and daughter during his swearing-in, he pledged to take a more proactive— but not necessarily law-and-order— approach to make the system safer.

“Stagnation is simply not an option. I promise not only to be a champion for our police department, but for the

organization and the customers and communities we serve,” Morales said to a crowd of agency staff and police officers across the metro area.

When asked why he decided to come to Minnesota, after applying to be police chief in Tallahassee, Florida, serving as deputy police commissioner in Mount Vernon, NY, and sub-

his own history of difficulties dealing with the public, in particular communities of color. According to ProPublica, he failed to get medical help for a 28-year-old Hispanic man in 2013. ProPublica also uncovered nine other complaints with 25 allegations against him while he was a New York

Minneapolis’ new health commissioner brings experience battling pandemic and opioid crisis to new role

By Abdi Mohamed

Contributing Writer

It’s been just over two weeks since Damōn Chaplin arrived in Minneapolis to take on his role as the city’s next health commissioner, and he’s hit the ground running.

With over 25 years of experience in public health administration and human-services related work, Commissioner Chaplin is embarking on the latest chapter of his career in leading the city’s health department which is responsible for nearly 425,000 residents.

Chaplin traces his interest in a public health career to his upbringing in Boston. He grew up in subsidized housing and saw how government policies directly impacted communi-

ties of color.

After high school, Chaplin would go on to study biology at Central State University in Ohio and return to Massachusetts for a graduate degree in business at Curry College. As an athlete at Central State, who played football and ran track; things were cut short for him after an injury forced him off the field.

But it was more personal experiences that led him to where he is today. Chaplin lost his father in 2004, and his mother roughly a decade later in 2015. He believes the loss of his parents has underscored the importance of a public health career for him.

“They both passed away way before their time,” he said. “It helped me to begin to look at my life through lens of public health, social determinants of health, and racial health equity.”

his

commissioner of Minneapolis’s Department of Health, Chaplin served as the health director for the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he oversaw several different public health initiatives.

During his time in this role, Chaplin led Massachusetts’s Large Cities Coalition made up of the state’s 14 largest cities. He credits the municipal collaboration to the history of the region’s connectivity between state agencies and the private sector.

“I think that’s one of the strengths of the New England area, particularly in Massachusetts, that the healthcare system and the public health system are pretty well integrated,” he said. “I see some of those similar relationships here in Minneapolis.”

New

Minneapolis

Health

Photo by Chris Juhn

Walz-Flanagan budget includes:

Photo by Charles Hallman

Minority farmers advocate for fair share of USDA funding

By Cole Miska

Contributing Writer

With the upcoming renewal of the farm bill, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), hosted a roundtable discussion of BIPOC farmers at The Good Acre co-op in Falcon Heights, last Wednesday, April 5. Smith gathered a group of nine Minnesota farmers, including Black, Asian, Latino, and Native American farmers to get feedback from the group— who represent the small number of farmers of color in Minnesota.

The farm bill is a major piece of federal legislation that expires every five years and af-

now in this country, we see the status quo puts us in a place of increasing concentration in agriculture. There are some outdated policies that have led to some of these systemic inequities that we know exist in farming and agriculture.”

According to Smith there were 5.3 million farms and 560,000 Black farmers in the United States in 1950. But many farms consolidated, which often pushed out BIPOC farmers. By 1997, there were under two million farms, with only 18,000 Black farmers, a drop of more than 95 percent since 1950.

Smith opened the panel by asking about issues around

for small farms to compete against larger ones.

Jane Windsperger, who is the director of Gedef Organic Farm agreed, saying grants are especially difficult for farmers whose first language is not English.

Dawson also wants to see more funding for farming co-ops.

“We should be encouraging cooperation, in agriculture especially, especially among multicultural, different folks with different needs and different resources,” Dawson said.

Metric Giles of the Urban Farm and Garden Alliance called for environmental reparations as part of the farm bill.

“We have a farm bill that was not created for all of us. It was created for White people,” Giles said. “For the urban farmer, one of the things when we talk about is reparations. We need to have environmental reparations because we cannot grow healthy food, especially with the soil we have in our urban communities—and that’s an issue.”

Following the panel, Smith said she was looking to add a provision to the farm bill to help Native farmers, and to add a provision to support new and BIPOC farmers with access to capital and land.

in employment, and sexual harassment throughout the history of the USDA.

Vitalis Tita, who grew up farming in Cameroon but now farms in Montrose, MN, agreed that past policies

ity community. That’s why you find more White people [farming],” Tita said.

Tita is hopeful that progress can be made and that more BIPOC people can join the farming community.

our community?”

Tita currently grows ethnic African vegetables for the community. He started because he wanted to eat vegetables from his home country of Cameroon, such as bitter leaf, but had trouble finding them in Minnesota.

“I come from Africa, and I desire eating this type of food that I grew up eating for 25 years of my life,” Tita said. “I want to do that not just for me because I see that other people have the same yearning and desire to eat that culturally oriented type of food, so I just specialize in growing that and providing that to the community.

fects agriculture, nutrition, rural infrastructure, and housing, among other farming economic impacts. The bill will expire later this year and any updates to it will need to be passed in the House and Senate before the bill can be renewed.

“I think this is a moment where we have an opportunity for real transformation,” Smith said. “If you think about what’s happening in agriculture right

land and capital resource restrictions for BIPOC farmers, and what could be done to address those concerns.

Angela Dawson, a fourthgeneration farmer who runs Forty Acre Co-op, spoke about how small farms often lack the resources to hire a grant writer, and that it is difficult for farmers to find time to compete for grants on top of fieldwork.

Dawson says grants are vital

According to the USDA, in 2017, less than 2 percent of American farmers were Black.

Dawson blames the lack of Black farmers on discrimination and systemic racism in the USDA, calling the agency, “the last plantation in the United States government system.”

Dawson said she believed the USDA would need a cultural shift before the number of BIPOC farmers could increase, citing racism, barriers

shaped the racial makeup of today’s farmers who are primarily White.

“The way resources have been positioned has been disproportionately disadvantageous to people in the minor-

“I think we’re now having the conversation around how we can change that [demographic],” Tita said. “Not to dislodge the White people, but how can we join them to do what is good, provide food for

“Together we can be able to provide culturally diverse diet that this country needs,” Tita said. “America is a country of diversity, so we want everybody to be included.”

Cole Miska welcomes reader contents at cmiska@spokesmanrecorder.com.

The way resources have been positioned has been disproportionately disadvantageous to people in the minority community. That’s why you find more White people [farming].

(l-r) Metric Giles and Robert Lor at BIPOC federal farm bill panel.

Photo by Cole Miska

Farmers from BIPOC communities provide feedback to Senator Tina Smith (center) at April 5 meeting.

Photo by Cole Miska

By David Hamlar MD, DDS Guest Contributor

Recognizing that health is the key to progress and equity in all other things, Dr. Booker T. Washington proposed the observance of “National Negro Health Week” in April 1915. He called on local health departments, schools, churches, businesses, professional associations, and the most influential organizations in the African American community to “pull together” and “unite… in one great National Health Movement.”

That observance grew into what is today a month-long initiative to advance health equity across the country on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities.

For the past year we have been challenged by COVID and the aftermath of the pandemic. Discrimination and racism have long contributed to negative emotional, mental and physical health outcomes in African American communities. The pandemic has

April is National Minority Health Month

lescents should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderateto-vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.

Remember that children imitate adults. You can start by adding physical activity to your own daily routine and encouraging your child to join you.

How can communities help people stay active?

highlighted this fact, with recent data showing that one in 1,000 Black individuals have died from the coronavirus (APM Research Lab, 2020).

So, it only makes sense that COVID, control of its spread, and the related trauma are the most important things to address this April and thereafter. But other diseases still persist in the Black community that make African Americans more susceptible to COVID.

The Office of Minority Health (OMH) continues to bring awareness to other health disparities that disproportionately affect African Americans. These include:

• Diabetes is 60 percent more

common in Black Americans than in White Americans. Blacks are up to 2.5 times more likely to suffer a limb amputation and up to 5.6 times more likely to suffer kidney disease than others with diabetes.

• African Americans are three times more likely to die of asthma than White Americans.

• Deaths from lung scarring are 16 times more common among Blacks than among Whites.

• Despite lower tobacco exposure, Black men are 50 percent more likely than White men to get lung cancer.

• Strokes kill four times more 35 to 54-year-old Black Americans than White Americans. Blacks have nearly twice the

first-time stroke risk of Whites.

• Blacks develop high blood pressure earlier in life—and with much higher blood pressure levels—than Whites. Nearly 42 percent of Black men and more than 45 percent of Black women aged 20 and older have high blood pressure.

• Cancer treatment is equally successful for all races. Yet Black men have a 40 percent higher cancer death rate than White men. African American women have a 20 percent higher cancer death rate than White women.

The importance of simple activity

Physical activity is one of the best things people can do to improve their health. Yet, too few Americans get the recommended amount of physical exercise. Only one in four adults and one in five high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. These numbers are even lower among adults in some racial and ethnic minority populations.

proves mental health, and can make people feel better, function better, and sleep better.

How much physical activity do I need?

The “Physical Activity

Guidelines for Americans” outlines the amounts and types of physical activity and exercise needed to maintain or improve overall health and reduce the

Communities can create easy and safe options for physical activity that can help every American be more active where they live, learn, work and play. The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program is one of the only CDC programs that focuses on reducing chronic disease for specific racial and ethnic groups in urban, rural, and tribal communities across the United States with high-disease burden.

Remember—becoming active and healthy in and around your home to stay physically and mentally well, while still doing your part to slow the spread of COVID, is possible through simple changes to your daily routine.

David Hamlar MD, DDS is

Physical activity promotes health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases and other conditions that are often more common and more severe among racial and ethnic minority groups. Physical activity also fosters normal growth and development in children, im-

risk of chronic disease. The guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as a brisk walk that makes your heart beat faster every week. You could achieve this goal many different ways including a 22-minute walk every day or a 30-minute walk five days a week.

How much physical activity do children need?

Preschool-aged children should do physical activity every day throughout the day for healthy growth and development. Starting at age six, children and ado-

an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota. He specializes craniofacial skull base surgery. He attended Howard University College of Dentistry (DDS) and Ohio State University (MD), and came to Minnesota for his fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Besides medicine, he is a retired Minnesota National Guardsman achieving the rank of major general. His passion today is empowering students of color to achieve their dreams of entering the medical professions as well as other STEM-oriented careers.

MDAN ads to run ONE TIME, the

Starting at age six, children and adolescents should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorousintensity physical activity daily.

Black homeownership deserves a second look

Ask any financial coach and they’ll tell you homeownership is the number one way that households build wealth in the United States. But the home purchase process is complicated, and for most of our collective history, Black households were literally barred and excluded.

This was very much by design. Blacks were excluded from purchasing the most desirable homes via racial covenants in property deeds.

They were denied mortgages for the homes that were accessible to them because lenders viewed these homes, and Blacks themselves, as risky and even unworthy investments. (This is called redlining.) And for those who were fortunate enough to have achieved home ownership despite these barriers, generally in vibrant, commercially successful and majority Black neighborhoods, government planners regularly used their powers of eminent domain to bulldoze these communities and make way for interstates and other public “improvement” projects with little regard for those displaced.

As a result of these racist systems and policies, America today is left with a large and stubborn racial homeownership gap. In dents Redevelopment Council, PRG, Project for Pride in Living

The Center certifies these homeownership advisors, maintains the Home Stretch homebuyer education curriculum and certifies class instructors and educators.

The Minnesota Homeownership Center’s homebuyer advisory services are available to everyone, free-of-charge. Awareness of these services, however, is not widespread.

As we go about spreading the word, we’re focusing on those communities facing the greatest barriers to homeownership, namely lower income households and communities of color. We’re doing this by debunking the myths around credit, income and down payments that keep people from considering owner-

And we’re partnering with like-minded organizations working in the BIPOC homebuying space, including the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and Build Wealth Minnesota’s 9000 Equities initiative.

Over the course of the rest of the year, the Minnesota Homeownership Center will be running additional articles diving deeper into homeownership myths, the process of homebuyer advising, the newly revised Home Stretch homebuyer education curriculum, working with Realtors® and lenders, and more.

Our goals are to make readers and their families and friends aware that these free services exist, to drive read-

ers to our website at www.HOCMN.org for more information and to access these services, and to enlist readers who do not currently own to consider, or reconsider, homeownership for themselves.

Some may ask, why consider homeownership now with the market tight and interest rates high compared to recent years. Our answer: The right time to purchase is the time that is right and that works for you. And even if you’re not ready today, you can GET READY now, so you can BE READY when the time IS right. The bottom line to consider is who gets to benefit from your monthly housing payment.

You can either pay a landlord’s mortgage, helping them to build wealth, or you can pay your own mortgage and begin

building your own wealth through increasing home equity. Even when home values are stagnant, you’re still building this equity each month as you pay down your mortgage and you own outright a greater and greater share of your home.

For more information on the Minnesota Homeownership Center, its advisor and education services, and the history of racism in American homeownership, go to www.HOCMN.org.

As a result of these racist systems and policies, America today is left with a large and stubborn racial homeownership gap.

Walz

Continued from page 1

projects. House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) called the new budget a ‘spending spree.’ In a statement, she added, “This budget is clearly focused on growing government, not giving money back to Minnesotans.”

But the governor and his team are pushing back on the notion that his ‘One Minnesota’ budget is fiscally irresponsible and a ploy to woo voters at election time.

In a sit-down interview last week at the State Capitol, Walz told the MSR that his budget plans, if accepted, will help all Minnesotans, including and especially the Black community.

“I think first and foremost, with Minnesota being in a situation with a budget surplus, we’ve got the opportunity to tackle some very systemic and historic inequities,” acknowledged the governor, pointing specifically to health issues.

Morales

Continued from page 1

“We saw it during COVID, when the health inequities became more pronounced,” he added.

Nevertheless, Gov. Walz realizes that there are skeptics out there, especially in the Black community. But he’s determined to govern for all.

“I know the Black community is not monolithic,” continued Walz.

“And I know that they’re not all in the DFL camp. But I do know the Black community tends to be progressive, tends to be community-focused, tends to raise its voice. I think the community should have high expectations that a lot of those [inequities] are gonna change.”

“We’re being very deliberate,” said Walz, of the proposed budget. “I think the budget [was] very deliberating working with hundreds of community leaders in the Black community, being very clear about where we need to invest.”

Walz points to racial gaps in Minnesota in areas such as homeownership and education. “Making sure that we’re really addressing some of these disparities, childcare and the cost for families. Mak-

ing sure that we’re cutting taxes for those folks and making childcare more affordable.

“I think of this budget as a very deliberate, thoughtful approach to making the cost of living less expensive, making education, housing, and healthcare more accessible and affordable,” said the governor.

As for his rebate plan, “I’m asking the legislature to send back checks,” said Walz.

“They’re not really big on the idea. But I think the community wants to see a little cash in their pockets and they want to be able to spend it the way

And in the last several years, what has happened that all of a sudden crime is starting to increase?”

they want to.

“We’re going to be building out infrastructure around clean energy,” added Walz. “We’re going to be building out connectedness in broadband and the Black community needs to be there, and not just to benefit from the finished product, he continued. “They need to be there to make sure that there are entrepreneurs making money and have the opportunity to be a part of that.”

The governor, who was reelected last November for a second term said he wants to be challenged, held to the fire, so to

stand that, so that I can make a personal connection with them,” says Morales.

speak, to serve all Minnesotans.

“I appreciate the patience of the community,” stressed Walz.

“It really matters to me. I think what I really appreciate is the sense of friendship, especially coming in as a White guy from Mankato.” He also appreciates the “real relationships.”

Over the past few months, the governor and lieutenant governor have been part of a listening tour that began last year, called Mind, Body, and Soul, in which they have been meeting with Black leaders and residents across the state and soliciting feedback on their proposed budget. “People have been willing to tell me the truth,” said Walz. “Because in some of those meetings, I’ve gotten my butt chewed out,” he added.

“I want the community to say, ‘Okay, those things sound good. We know those things need to happen. But where do we go to see if we’re getting those results,’” he continued. “We’re going to do a lot of results-based governing, with dashboards that people can go on and see—here’s how we used the surplus. Here’s

where the money went,” he continued, “whether it’s 12 months, 24 months, or 36 months down the road.”

As for accountability, “I think that’s the question that needs to be asked more. That’s the one that we really want to focus on,” he said. “We can’t throw more money at the problem. I want people to see what we are doing to restore the faith in government.”

Along with Walz and Flanagan’s re-election last November, the DFL took control of the state legislature for the first time since 2013-14, when one party controlled Minnesota’s House, Senate and governor’s office—the equivalent of a legislative trifecta.

He is optimistic that his budget will become reality when the 2023 legislative session concludes in May. Walz quickly pointed out, “I think it will be less difficult” to pass both houses than before. I just hope the community is with us.”

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

police officer, which included using excessive force and racist language, threatening to seize property, stripsearching individuals and using a flashlight as a club.

Morales says those incidents helped him grow. “I most definitely learned from every incident, particularly when I’m being judged by civilian counterparts. Specifically, how to be empathetic, how to deal with situations. You learn from experience, and you move on,” said Morales.

Morales still seems to maintain support for the now debunked “broken windows” theory of policing—a strategy employed by the New York Police Department that focused on enforcing misdemeanors like fare—beating as a way to combat more serious crime— which disproportionately targeted poor neighborhoods and communities of color.

Although he never said he was a fan of it, Morales, nevertheless, defends the practice. “Addressing the quality-of-life issues is an important factor in that; if you deal with those issues, before they become major issues, you will eliminate a lot of other issues,” said Morales. “I expect people to pay their fare. But when we’re on the line [and we find out] you don’t pay your fare, well, I think that becomes very evident right away.”

When asked to cite evidence that those who don’t pay are the ones who cause trouble, Morales responded, “Twenty-five years of crime reductions in New York City. Twenty-five years of crime reduction across America.

Chaplin

Continued from page 1

As a candidate for the position, Chaplin says that he was aligned with the city’s values, mission, and vision when it came to public health. He was at a point in his career where he hoped to expand his passion for helping people and continue relationship-building at a broader level.

Chaplin was appointed to lead the city’s health department by Mayor Jacob Frey on January 30. The city’s press release stated Chaplin’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and his work to combat the opioid crisis were some of the factors that led to his nomination. The statement also references his various

Although not paying the fare to ride public transit is a misdemeanor in Minnesota, punishable by a $180 fine, the state legislature expects to change that this session to a petty misdemeanor with a citation of at least $35 that can be issued by non-sworn personnel.

Until then, Morales allows his officers to decide what to do. “If you don’t pay your fare, then you have to be held accountable. That doesn’t necessarily lead to a citation or an arrest. But I give my officers the ability to use discretion, and to remove that individual from the line,” says Morales.

He demonstrates his approach one day as we walk into the Lake Street/ Midtown Station, where he ends up greeting and joking with two of his subordinates, who are working voluntary overtime to patrol the station with security officers from BelCom. The officers stopped riders as they entered the station, asking if they had paid their fare. Those who didn’t were directed to go to a nearby ticket-vending machine to pay their fare.

Aside from policing, he is a polyglot—he speaks Spanish and French, and then some. Back at Lake Street/ Midtown, as we make our way back up to the train platform, Morales interrupts our interview to speak Spanish to a young Latina girl of about six years old who is waiting for the train with her mother.

“It’s important that I connect with members of my community and they under-

leadership roles including his involvement with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), as a director where he represents six states.

Chaplin says that his wife and four children have been supportive of the move. He’s been living in the city since March 15, and has been going through an onboarding process since arriving.

“Everyone has been completely outstanding. The mayor has been outstanding,” he said.

While he’s away from work, Chaplin says that he enjoys sparking conversations with Minneapolis residents to get a better sense of how they see the city’s public health approach.

“I enjoy walking around the community getting to know people as the weather warms up. I take advantage of the fact that most people don’t know

He is an avid marathon runner with a prolific fitness-oriented social media presence who practices Brazilian jiujitsu. He plans to run the Twin Cities Marathon later this year.

One of the first controversies he faced as transit police chief was how to handle disgraced former Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson, who returned to the agency after a leave of absence, following a drunk-driving crash on Interstate 94 near Alexandria in which he destroyed his assigned SUV, as well as allegations that he pro

moted a hostile work environment.

Police Department has nothing to do with the Department of Justice and their review of the Minneapolis Police Department. That’s their conclusion within another department. We will support and fall in line,” says Morales.

Perhaps the burning question is how he will handle those who use drugs. During our interview, Morales demonstrated that as we left the Lake Street/Midtown Station. We board the second car, known by many as where people smoke.

We happened upon a group of people on one end of the car who appeared to be smoking. “The party’s over, right?” Morales said to the group. Some of them proceed to run out of the train. Some remained onboard.

One decided to get off at the last minute, but was stopped by Morales as the door closed.

It turns out they gather in the second train car because that’s where they can keep one another safe.

said Paul. “So where are they gonna go? This is the only warm spot where they can congregate except for four hours at night.”

Although some in the group felt uncomfortable speaking with Morales, citing their past experiences with law enforcement, they nonetheless engaged with him, with one thanking him and the department for the ample notice they gave to encampments before they cleared them.

“You gave them ample [30 days] heads up because it really sucks to wake up [and hear] you got 15 minutes to move. This is their home,” said Paul. “I’ve been in a tent before with everything I own and they told [me] you have 15 minutes, what you can’t take will be bulldozed.”

Morales then offered to get them help when they arrived at the Mall of America Transit Station. As we arrived, Morales handed Paul off to another officer, a member of the agency’s Homeless Action Team, which connects the unhoused with social workers.

“He’s still entitled to his due process, and this is an ongoing investigation. So to be fair and impartial, I would have to refrain from making comment,” said Morales, who at the time of his statement had already fired Hutchinson two weeks earlier. News of Hutchinson’s firing was reported on April 6, a day after Hutchinson waived his right to challenge the termination.

Another issue is what role the Metro Transit Police will have in implementing the court-enforced agreement between the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, the Department of Justice, and the city of Minneapolis. “Metro Transit

me. I blend into different areas and ask questions and can be incognito.”

When it comes to tackling the different health issues in various Minneapolis communities, Chaplin is looking to establish lines of communication and learn as much as he will inform. “Communication goes both ways,” he stated. “It goes one way

“We’re all going different places,” said Paul, who did not provide a last name. “Most of us are going [to] different places and don’t have another form of transportation. And there’s an unwritten rule that we all end up in the same car.” They all ended up doing drugs to cope with trauma. One person said they moved here from Milwaukee to get help.

They ended up on the train because they had spent time at local encampments, which have been repeatedly subject to sweeps. “When you push those people out of the camp, they don’t want to be in shelters [because] shelters break up couples, they have curfews, and you have to be sober,”

in our ability to reach out and educate the community, but also our ability to listen and be active listeners in that process.”

During his time in New Bedford, Chaplin was a member of

Nearby, three people stood around with clear plastic bags of winter clothing, while other officers with the Homeless Action Team spoke with riders on the train who appeared unhoused, asking if they needed any help.

Even though the agency is still short of more than 60 full-time police officers, Morales thinks that his existing complement of officers can hold down the fort. “I wouldn’t say that we have a need for more police. I would say that we have a need for more balance and presence within our communities,” said Morales.

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@spokesmanrecorder.com.

reform. He hopes to continue this bridge-building with different cultural leaders in Minneapolis.

One area that Chaplin hopes to work with local leaders is in combatting the opioid crisis.

Before coming to Minnesota, Chaplin co-chaired the New Bedford Opioid Task Force and served on the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council. He worked to reduce opioid use in marginalized communities and hopes to find ways to replicate that approach here.

“There isn’t really a one-sizefits-all approach,” he explained. “You really do have to get a chance to understand the community that’s most impacted and devise a plan that is tailored toward their needs.”

in these communities.

As he continues to engage more community members in Minneapolis, Chaplin hopes to learn more about what can be done in the public health sector to improve the lives of the city’s residents. “The best that I can do to become the greatest and the best service provider in the area. That’s what we’re gearing our staff up for and that’s what I’m hoping to be able to share with the community,” he said.

As he settles into the role, Chaplin hopes to one day find the time to catch some professional basketball or football games. As a fan of all Boston teams, Chaplin states he has an appreciation for the Timberwolves and the Twins but can never forgo his hometown teams.

the Massachusetts Health Equity Compact where over 30 Black and Latino community leaders came together to advocate for health equity and healthcare

An area that Chaplin is already looking into is how to allocate opioid settlement dollars within the community to best reverse the impact of substance abuse

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

“I think of this budget as a very deliberate, thoughtful approach to making the cost of living less expensive, making education, housing, and healthcare more accessible and affordable.”

“There isn’t really a one-sizefits-all approach. You really do have to get a chance to understand the community that’s most impacted and devise a plan that is tailored toward their needs.”

“This is ground zero after the George Floyd incident. We need to build trust between the communities and the members alike.”

Arts & Culture

Celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month with a look at new festivals and releases

Jazz Festival on June 23-24, in Mears Park, downtown St. Paul, and there’s a new executive director in the mix.

The festival’s cofounder, Steve Heckler, is retiring in 2023. He will be replaced by Dayna Martinez. She was vice president of programming and education at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts.

Vijay Iyer, Kamasi Washington, and Jon Batiste, among others.

Before the TC Jazz Fest and Newport Jazz Fest comes the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival—perhaps, the biggest jazz festival—on April 28-May

By Robin James Contributing Writer

Spring is in the air, and summer is right around the corner, so we’re thinking ahead to happenings coming up now and later in the world of jazz.

Since April is Jazz Appreciation Month, what better way to celebrate than by checking out pianist Joey Alexander with his trio at the Dakota on April 27. Like one of his songs, “Promise of Spring,” he’ll likely play music from his latest Mack Avenue album, “Origin,” which was released in 2022.

The young bandleader is becoming an accomplished composer. His long-time trio featuring Larry Grenadier and Kendrick Scott, with Chris Potter (a previous collaborator), and Gilad Hekselman all help round out Alexander’s vision and his first full-length release of all-original music. For tickets, visit dakotacooks.com.

On April 22, vocalist Charmin Michelle performs at Crooners in Fridley inside

Maggie’s Lounge from 9:30 -11:30 p.m. She’s a beloved local favorite who always gives her all onstage, whether she’s playing with her own band, or sitting in with visiting national

This year’s headliners will be Paquito D’ Rivera and the Dizzy Gillespie Afro Latin Experience, Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet, Christian McBride, Davina & the Vagabonds, and Lucia Sarmiento.

Also, just announced is the

7. This year’s lineup features Jon Batiste, Jill Scott, Lizzo, Gary Clark Jr., Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Herbie Hancock, Nicholas Payton, Jason Marsalis, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Irma Thomas, Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, among others.

Going to jazz festivals gives us the chance to see the veterans and the new up-andcoming artists—sometimes performing together. Seeing living legends in action is always a great treat.

Speaking of legends, the great tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Wayne Shorter passed away on March 2. He was one of our greatest living legends, and well-known as the greatest living improviser. I wish I could have experienced his music live at a jazz festival.

musicians. For tickets, visit croonersloungemn.com.

Also on tap, one of the best free jazz festivals in the Upper Midwest just announced its lineup—the Twin Cities

2023 Newport Jazz Festival happening on Aug 4-6 in Newport, Rhode Island. This summer, at Fort Adams State Park, the lineup includes Charles Lloyd, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall,

Shorter received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2018, and in 1998, he became a Jazz Master via the National Endowment for the Arts. Perhaps, Shorter is best most known for being a member of and composer for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He was 89-years-old when he passed away in Los Angeles, California.

My favorite Shorter song is

“Infant Eyes” from his landmark ’60s album “Speak No Evil.” He will forever be one of jazz’s greatest composers and many of his songs will remain stellar jazz standards.

Speaking of our great jazz elders, bassist Buster Williams has a new album, “Unalome” from Smoke Sessions Records.

The new February 24 release features musicians, Stefon Harris, George Colligan, Lenny White, Bruce Williams, and Jean Baylor.

Smoke Sessions Records will

Boyz II Men and Chaka Khan join MN State Fair Grandstand lineup

By MSR News Online

Fans of classic soul and ’90s R&B music should save the date for Sunday, Aug. 27, as it was recently announced that Boyz II Men and Chaka Khan have joined this year’s MN State Fair Grandstand musical lineup. Tickets went on sale Friday, March 31, and range in price from $34-$51.

Soulful songstress Chaka Khan is one of the world’s most gifted and celebrated music icons. A singer, songwriter, actor, author, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and activist, she has influenced generations of music creators during her four decades as an artist.

Khan, a 10-time Grammy Award-winner, has the rare ability to sing in a number of musical genres and her hit songs

have spanned decades. Her first hit was the single “Tell Me Something Good” from the group Rufus’ 1974 platinum-

selling album “Rags to Rufus,” earning Khan her first Grammy. Other chart-toppers include “Sweet Thing,” and “Ain’t No-

body,” which earned a second Grammy for the group.

In 1978, Khan blazed onto the music scene as a solo artist

Medley” from the 1983 album “Chaka Khan,” which also won a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. In 1984, she released the chart-topping, Grammy-winning “I Feel For You,” originally written and first performed by Prince. Khan also topped the charts with “This Is My Night” and the instant classic “Through the Fire.”

Sharing the stage with Khan will be the beloved group Boyz II Men, who helped redefine popular R&B in the ’90s and continue to create timeless hits that appeal to fans across all generations. The trio, which holds the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time—with an astounding 64 million albums sold—has penned and performed such

also release drummer Joe Farnsworth’s new album, “In What Direction Are You Headed?” on May 19. The album features an all-star quintet, which includes Immanuel Wilkins, Robert Hurst, Julius Rodriquez, and Kurt Rosenwinkel.

The late, great pianist Harold Mabern, who also recorded for Smoke Sessions Records, had a birthday on March 20.

Robin James welcomes reader comments to jamesonjazz@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Through Hitsville USA” (2007) earned two Grammy nominations; and “Twenty,” marking the group’s 20th anniversary in 2011, debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, No. 10 among Billboard digital albums, and it placed No. 1 among iTunes’ Top R&B and soul albums. Most recently, the group appeared on NBC’s “Songland”; their song “Love Struck” premiered at No. 2 on iTunes; and they appeared on ABC’s “A Very Boy Band Holiday.”

Chaka Khan and Boyz II Men join previously announced acts Brandi Carlile, Duran Duran, Yung Gravy with special guest bbno$, and many more.

with the release of the smash hit “I’m Every Woman,” followed by hits such as “Clouds,” “Papillon” and “What ‘Cha Gonna Do for Me?” Her crowning achievement in jazz was the Grammy-winning “Be Bop

celebrated classics as “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” “One Sweet Day,” “Motownphilly,” and many others.

Recent albums have earned major critical acclaim as well: “Motown: A Journey

Grandstand concert series tickets are available through Etix at etix.com or by calling 800-5143849. For additional State Fair ticket information, call 651-2884427. Visit mnstatefair.org/grandstand for a full list of this year’s acts.

Charmin Michelle Courtesy of charmsongs.com

Boyz II Men

Photos courtesy of the MN State Fair

Chaka Khan

Disenfranchising Black voters

By Mel Gurtov

Authoritarians want to write their own rules, but we can’t let them

By Svante Myrick

So here we go again. Once more, the country is in the grip of a Donald Trump drama, when there are so many other important issues we need to address.

As the world now knows, Trump has been indicted in New York on charges related to paying hush money to an adult film performer.

The charges are felonies because prosecutors intend to show that Trump hid the payouts in phony business records to commit yet another crime—possibly a violation of campaign finance law, or even a tax law violation.

It’s all a sad and disgusting mess. And this, like the other charges that could soon be made against Trump, reflects a fundamental truth about him: a belief that rules can be bent, broken or rewritten to accommodate his personal agenda. But Trump is not alone in this; it’s common to authoritarian types.

Take another Florida man— Gov. Ron DeSantis.

While the focus has been on Trump, machinations have been underway in Florida to change the state’s resign-to-run law. That law says an elected official cannot run for another elected position if its term overlaps with the term they’re currently serving.

Republican legislators have come out in favor of repealing this law, which appears to be the one thing delaying DeSantis’s plunge into the presidential race.

DeSantis is certainly not in a hurry to resign as governor. The job gives him way too many opportunities for his culture-war theatrics. Rewriting the law would suit him just fine, though, and I am sure he has made that clear to the GOP leaders advocating for this in the state

House and Senate. While DeSantis appears likely to get election laws tailored for his benefit, a Florida elections bill just introduced in the state Senate does plenty to make it harder for people in his state to vote.

One especially disturbing provision is an obvious response to the embarrassing fallout for DeSantis after he trumpeted a crackdown on returning citizens who tried to vote. DeSantis had egg on his face when these folks

is real and dangerous.

This is a party that doesn’t want to share power or play by the rules, that doesn’t want to investigate January 6 or Trump’s multiple offenses. It’s a party that openly worships strongmen here and abroad.

Lately, the adulation has gone off the rails; Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, in New York for Trump’s arraignment, compared his arrest to that of Jesus.

We can’t accept this as the new normal. We have a right to demand accountability, honesty and ethical behavior from leaders ranging from your local school board member to president of the United States.

The Tennessee House of Representatives, dominated by a Republican supermajority, voted to expel two Black Democratic legislators who had participated in a peaceful public demonstration on behalf of gun control. A third representative, White and female, was one vote shy of also being expelled. It was a powerful illustration of in-your-face racism and of how absolute power morphs into absolute corruption.

Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, the two expelled members, have a history of community activism. They are outspoken and extremely popular in their districts, one of which is Nashville where the school shooting that killed six people brought out hundreds of people, including many schoolchildren, in an ultimately futile attempt to get the legislature to do some -

By Thomas L. Knapp

thing about gun violence.

The White establishment in the legislature seemed to think it needed to teach these upstarts a lesson, so it accused the Democrats of “disorderly and disruptive conduct.” Ignoring precedent and its own procedures, the Tennessee House of Representatives’ leader proceeded to call for a vote.

Republican in the Tennessee House who was truly offended by the protest could have called for censure or a reprimand as an alternative to the extraordinary step of expulsion. But these Republicans wanted to disenfranchise Black voters.

The times are different now, however. The Republicans have made heroes of Jones, Pearson, and Gloria Johnson, and they will reap what they sow when Jones and Pearson return to the House, are reappointed by local councils and eventually reelected by their constituents.

Once again, though we hardly need reminding, the Tennessee House leaders have shown us why racial justice and gun violence must remain central political issues in American politics.

As Justin Jones said, “We called for you all to ban assault weapons, and you respond with an assault on democracy.”

Any sensible, moderate

Mel Gurtov, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is professor emeritus of political science at Portland State University.

Free the Weed

for 60 to 65 cents per pound.

were arrested even though they had been issued state voter IDs.

The new Senate bill says voter ID cards should have a disclaimer printed on them saying they are “not legal verification of the eligibility to vote.” That’s just mind-boggling.

That’s the issue with authoritarians, fascists and would-be tyrants everywhere—they’re all about rules and the sanctity of law until it comes to themselves. They want rules restricting your freedom, not their own, and if a law gets in their way, they’ll ignore it or use their power to try to override it.

I don’t know if the next GOP nominee for president will be Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, or someone else. I do know that the new anti-democratic, proauthoritarian mood that has taken over the Republican party

I know there’s a lot of cynicism about politics and politicians. But as someone who has served in public office and devoted years to mentoring young, elected officials, I can tell you that politicians are not all the same. For every Trump or DeSantis, there are many sincere, selfless people who want to serve their communities and their country.

If that describes you, run for office. If it describes an aspiring leader you know, support them at election time. When we all do this, the authoritarians don’t win. And they don’t get to rig the rules against you, me, and everyone we care about.

Svante Myrick is the president of People For the American Way. Previously, he served as executive director of People For and led campaigns focused on transforming public safety, racial equity, voting rights, and empowering young, elected officials. Myrick garnered national attention as the youngest-ever mayor in New York State history.

“Now That Weed is Mostly Legal,” reads the headline to a piece by Aryn Baker at Time, “Hemp Should Be Booming. But It’s Not.”

Why?

Contra Baker’s claim is that hemp is “a close cousin of marijuana,” and not as useful as advertised, it is still marijuana—the same plant—and it’s incredibly useful for making everything from paper to rope to diesel fuel to beauty and nutrition products.

In point of fact, the major reasons for making it illegal as a “drug” included lobbying by Big Oil. Henry Ford designed an engine that ran on hemp-based fuel rather than gasoline, and newspaperman William Randolph Hearst, who just happened to own multiple wood-pulp paper mills, used his papers to inveigh in racially charged terms against “devil weed.”

Now that both marijuana and industrial hemp are legal in many places, why isn’t the latter taking off?

If you have to ask why, the answer is usually money.

According to “Leaf Nation,” hemp fiber sells for $250300 per ton, while the seeds sell

According to “Green Growth,” the wholesale price of cannabis flower—aka marijuana—runs in the range of $1,200 per pound.

And as a farmer, you probably have to choose one or the other. Both plants are heavily regulated and licensed.

expose you to double the level of intrusive government control and inspection inconvenience.

Quick high school business math question: Would you rather knock down $250$300 per ton, or $1,200 per pound, for the same product? Pick one.

The only way to unlock the commercial potential of industrial hemp is to completely “free the weed.” Government needs to stop regulating the THC content and do away with licensing requirements for the sale of cannabis. Does that mean some people will use plain old “Mary Jane” instead of expensive boutique strains as medicine or to get high? Yes.

Just like they already are, only at a somewhat higher cost and risk.

If you’re growing hemp, its level of THC (the main cannabinoid in getting high) content can’t exceed 0.3 percent. If you’re growing marijuana, you’re probably optimizing for higher levels of THC—as much as 25 percent or more.

Since they’re the same plant, growing the two within crosspollination proximity will bring your hemp THC levels up, your marijuana THC levels down, and

The war on marijuana was always dumb and evil—and it’s still picking your pocket in the form of higher prices for lower-quality products of all kinds.

Thomas L. Knapp is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida.

The national assault on a Black curriculum

By Dr. Luke Tripp

A Black curriculum designed to help students think critically about social hierarchies is being stifled by right-wing politics because it challenges the myths that have shaped the history of the United States and systems that perpetuate capitalism, racism, and sexism.

The “Chronicle of Higher Education” reported that since December 2022, state lawmakers in 13 states have introduced at least 21 bills that aim to restrict colleges’ efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.

It was also reported that two right-wing propaganda outlets, the Goldwater Institute and Manhattan Institute, targeted three areas in model state legislation proposed this year, arguing that efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion stifle intellectual diversity and are often discriminatory. Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and one of the authors of model state legislation, said he was

struck—and heartened—by how quickly state lawmakers have moved to rein in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in colleges.

In January 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his proposed legislation to reform higher education in Florida. He declared that his administration is going to “eliminate all DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and CRT (critical race theory) programs in the state of Florida.”

He falsely claimed that DEI projects were too expensive and wasteful, although a Chronicle analysis found that such projects make up one percent or less of the state university budgets. He signed into law a bill called the Stop Woke Act that limited how schools can teach about race. State educators had to remove books from their bookshelves to comply with his administration’s policy on issues of race.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement program is an extensive course of study that offers high school students the

chance to participate in collegelevel classes, that broaden students’ intellectual horizons and prepare them for college coursework. On the second night of Black History Month, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the first ever Advanced Placement (AP) course in African American studies was unveiled.

But compared with the original plans for the high school AP course, it lacked topics that people at the gathering thought were essential to the discipline— like Black Lives Matter and reparations. They wondered if the reason was pressure from DeSantis of Florida, a likely Republican presidential candidate who has railed against what he calls “woke indoctrination.”

David Coleman, the chief executive of the College Board, addressed the doubters and unconvincedly suggested that conservative politics did not influence the weakening of the Black studies course. However, Florida

state officials released a chronology of its communications with the College Board that seemed to indicate that the AP course had been diluted.

Schools, colleges, and universities are major social institutions that prepare students for different social locations—occupations—in the social hierarchy. They are also primary sites of ideological conflict over the gap between their egalitarian and meritocratic mission and their unfair and unequal system.

A curriculum should open students to new information and ways of thinking. A critical thinking-based curriculum challenges the status quo, which perpetuates unjust social and economic inequalities. A critical-thinking curriculum aims to empower students by providing conceptual tools, learning skills, and insights that can challenge injustice and change institutions.

That’s the issue with authoritarians, fascists and would-be tyrants everywhere— they’re all about rules and the sanctity of law until it comes to themselves.

The Republicans have made heroes of Jones, Pearson, and Gloria Johnson, and they will reap what they sow.

Now that both marijuana and industrial hemp are legal in many places, why isn’t the latter taking off? If you have to ask why, the answer is usually money.

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

content from Comcast

Qualifying households in the Twin Cities can get FREE internet under the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a $30 monthly credit ($75/month in Tribal lands) toward internet and mobile services.

What started as emergency relief for Americans forced to work, learn and connect with loved ones remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, financial support to ensure broadband connectivity has gained more permanence under the Biden Administration’s infrastructure bill. The reason: 19 million Americans nationwide still do not subscribe to broadband with baseline speeds, according to the FCC. The greatest share comes from households earning less than $30,000 a year.

Who qualifies for ACP?

If your household income is less than twice the federal poverty level– approximately $55,000 a year for a family of four or $27,000 a year for an individual – you will qualify for the benefit. Additionally, if you receive SNAP/EBT, Medicaid, or free and reduced-price school lunch, or if you receive one of many of the other federal assistance benefits, you would also qualify.

What are the best ways to use the $30 benefit?

Xfinity, the country’s largest broadband provider, is participating in ACP. Odds are quite good there are qualified households among the 60 million homes and businesses with access to Xfinity services, which has already connected a cumulative total of 10 million people since 2011 to low-cost internet through its Internet Essentials program. But ACP is a complete game-changer, effectively making high-

Free internet: How to use the Federal Affordable Connectivity Program benefit

Once you have a National Verifier ID, there are three ways Comcast is making the ACP benefit easy to access and sign up for Xfinity Internet and mobile service:

● Online: New and existing Xfinity Internet or Internet Essentials customers can visit www.xfinity.com/acp.

● Call: Individuals can determine their eligibility and sign up for service by calling 1-844-963-0231. Individuals can also speak to a dedicated ACP Enrollment and Support Center that is available from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily, with multi-lingual capabilities to assist anyone interested in the program.

speed internet free to qualified individuals after the discount is applied. Here are two smart ways to use the $30 benefit for Xfinity services.

1. High-Speed Internet: At a cost of $29.95 a month – which is completely covered by ACP – Internet Essentials Plus offers twice the download speeds – up to 100 MBPS a month – as its standard Internet Essentials service. The higher speeds improve the performance of video and music streaming, video calls and gaming, and comes with a free cable modem and Wi-Fi router.

2. Internet + One Line of Mobile: Qualified individuals can also stretch their $30 credit to cover all but $25 of Internet Essentials and one line of Unlimited data on Xfinity Mobile.

How? Standard Internet Essentials service costs just $9.95 a month. If you add one line of Unlimited data on Xfinity Mobile at $45 a

month, the cost is just $24.95 after you apply the $30 ACP credit. Xfinity Mobile’s 5G service is also included for all of its mobile customers, in addition to automatic connectivity to 21 million Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.

● Visit an Xfinity Store: People will be able to visit 500+ Xfinity Stores nationwide to sign up for Internet Essentials Plus, a service that includes 100 Mbps speed, a cable modem, access to millions of Wi-Fi hotspots, and unlimited data for $29.95 per month. During their visit, customers can also learn more about how to enroll in ACP to get Internet service for free.

“With the world becoming even more digital, it is crucial that everyone has the needed resources and opportunities to excel,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Midwest. “The Affordable Connectivity Program is a once-in-alifetime opportunity that Comcast is proud to be participating in and offer to any of our customers who qualify so they can benefit from the connectivity needed to function in today’s world.”

What’s the quickest way to sign up?

First, visit the National Verifier to check eligibility and obtain a National Verifier ID.

More info: www.xfinity.com/learn/internetservice/acp

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority holds its Regional Conference in Minneapolis, April 13-16

The Zeta Phi Beta sorority will convene the 88th Great Lakes Region Leadership Conference at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis, from April 13-16. Minnesota is the home to several chapters, with leaders in justice, public policy, and civic engagement curating change for the betterment of all people. The Minneapolis and Saint Paul chapters are excited to host the sorority’s International President and CEO Dr. Stacie NC Grant and the Great Lakes Regional Director and Chair of the Regional Directors Keisha D. Smith.

“The Minnesota state organization of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority is excited to gather so many of our members in the great city of Minneapolis. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated is a community-conscious and actionoriented organization and we strive to serve,” said State Director Keisha Mitchell. “Our local chapters are actively engaged in volunteer activities throughout the year from donating to the local domestic violence shelter, volunteering at elementary schools, donating school supplies, and providing the annual Effie McKerson book scholarship to a local high school senior. Most

recently the Iota Zeta Zeta Chapter had the opportunity to volunteer at Harvest Prep Academy”.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority is celebrating the Year of the International Woman: Serving and Advocating for Health Justice at Home and Abroad. The organization has 103 years of service as an organization and will gather in Minneapolis to address how to positively impact Black communities through its principles and awarding five scholarships to deserving high school and college students.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated was founded in 1920 on the campus of Howard University, and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Zeta has initiated a diverse membership of more than 125,000 college-educated women with more than 850 chapters in North America, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East. For more information about Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. visit its website.

Sponsored

Courtesy of Comcast

With the world becoming even more digital, it is crucial that everyone has the needed resources and opportunities to excel.

Obituaries

to

Obituary

Teretha Carroll Dillard

Sunrise, May 1, 1938—Sunset, March 27, 2023

She was also known for her sweet potato pies.

Teretha Dillard passed away on March 27, 2023, at the age of 84. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ardis Rayford, Arleana B. Carroll, and Adell Carroll Sr., husband, Ajor Dillard, four sisters and three brothers.

Ella Mae Moore

Teretha Carroll Dillard was born on May 1, 1938. She was baptized at True Apostolic Church, in Minneapolis, under the late Elder Robert Hill, Sr. Later she joined Rehoboth Church of Christ, in Minneapolis, under the leadership of the late Mother C.E. Parker and District Elder Charles Parker.

Most recently, Mother Teretha Dillard was a member of and mother to many at Mighty Fortress International Church, under the leadership of Bishop Tom Williams, where she served in many capacities.

For more than 30 years, Mrs. Dillard served the Minneapolis Public Schools, where she was affectionately called “The Lunch Lady.” Teretha Dillard loved the Lord, and there was seldom a conversation or visit that did not end with, “Let’s say a word of prayer.”

Mrs. Dillard enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends. She had many passions, including sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She loved teaching her grand and great-grandchildren how to sew and knit and often blessed newborns with prayer blankets.

Teretha Carroll Dillard is survived by her children: Eddie Dillard, Freddie Dillard, John Dillard, Bertha McLain (Lonnie), Michael Dillard, James Dillard (Roberta), David Dillard (Tracy), Joseph Dillard, Sr. (Ann-Marie), Nancy Dillard, Major Dillard (Elaine), Daniel Dillard, Mary Obasoro (Ayodeji); a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; her brothers: Alfred George Rayford, Levester Rayford, Abraham Hill, Charles Rayford, Ivory Carroll, Sr.; beloved nieces and nephews; as well as other relatives, friends, and church family who love her dearly.

Visitation will be on Thursday, April 13, 2023, from 10-11 a.m. CST. The service will follow on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 11 a.m. CST, at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1201 W. Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis.

Bishop Tom and First Lady Sabrina Williams, along with the Mighty Fortress International Church will eulogize Teretha Dillard. The repass will immediately follow the service at ECMN, 1101 W. Broadway Avenue. Interment will be on Friday, April 14, 2023; those attending the burial should meet at 10:00 a.m., at Shiloh Temple for the car procession to Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Email all resolutions and tributes to: perfectwork9o12@gmail.com. Send expressions of condolences to: Joseph Dillard, 4194 Wyndham Park Circle, Decatur, GA 30034.

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a play-by-play announcer during the first two rounds of the College Park sub-regional of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. She’s also calling a full slate of softball this spring.

“I love the opportunity that I’ve been blessed with to highlight these phenomenal young women for their elite talent,” Greene said. “It’s well earned for these fantastic athletes. I think about when I was at FAMU; we didn’t have television coverage. To be able to watch the progression of coverage of women’s athletics and provide it to the masses is something I don’t take lightly.

“I am very intentional in connecting with young people because I know somebody took the time for me, and I want to be that bridge for somebody else. That’s a big deal. It’s core and important to who I am. I’ve been gifted with this platform,

which matches my desire to put it to good use.”

Greene is married to Aaron and the mom of two boys, Bryson, who is six, and Aaron, better known as “Deuce,” who is 2. She knows the support and love from her family make it possible for Greene to call major events for ESPN from coast to coast and travel the country.

“My village isn’t complete without my husband and the sacrifices we all endure to live this dream,” Greene said.

“One thing I will say is to give yourself grace because it is hard to leave your home weekly to do something you love. Grace plays an important part in the process, and remember you’re human, and I know that I am giving the best I can give to my children and husband.”

Greene may bleed orange and green, but her heart is with all HBCUs. She’s passionate when speaking about them, which is why assignments such as the Celebra-

tion Bowl and MEAC Bowling championship meant so much to her.

“I care about HBCUs, and to be able to display my heart for them on a grand stage like that is special,” Greene said. “The history means a lot to me. Who wouldn’t want to talk about world changes and difference-makers who continue to make an impact beyond being a student-athlete at an HBCU. Those stories aren’t always told.

“Being intentional about telling those stories brings me joy at the end of the day because so much good is happening. You can always find inspiration and motivation. There are a lot of people like Nicole (Hutchison), Jay (Walker), and Charlie Neal who are interested in being gatekeepers and continuing to share the message of HBCUs.”

It is with great sadness family members announce the passing of Ella Mae (Anderson)

Moore of Quincy, MA. She died peacefully on February 23, 2023. She is survived by her son Byron Barnett (Kathleen) of Canton, MA; grandchildren Byron Barnett Jr., Parker Barnett, and Monique Barnett Pope; great-grandsons Casey Barnett and Grayson Barnett; and many cousins, nieces and nephews around the country.

During her 98 years, Ella was known for spreading her love, kindness and trailblazing wisdom to family, friends, and others she met along the way.

Ella grew up in Hoffman, Oklahoma, where her family lived in the “colored” section of the small, segregated town during the Great Depression and the days of the Dust Bowl.

After graduating from Grayson High School in the 1940s, Ella felt there were few opportunities for African Americans in the South. So, she courageously struck out on her own and headed North, joining the historic great migration of Black Americans in the U.S.

Ella landed in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she

SOE

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in and,” he continued, “figuring out a solution and being versatile. I think that’s been a part of who I am and then forming relationships with my guys.”

HBCU Basketball HOF

For its inaugural Black College Basketball Hall of Fame, the 12 inductees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

ViEw

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Jason Verdigo at D-III Hamline, hired by the only Black college president in the state, Faynesse Miller, who last week announced she will be retiring.

Only one Black head football coach, Hamline’s Chip Taylor, and two Black men’s basketball HCs–Abe Woldeslassie at Macalester, and U of M’s Ben Johnson–run programs at four-year institutions.

There are no Black female athletic directors in Minnesota, and nationally, Black women held just 2 percent, 1.4 percent and 3.6 percent of the AD positions in Divisions I, II, and III, respectively.

However, if Black colleges were used in the TIDES study, “the data would be skewed, and ultimately misleading and ineffective,” because HBCUs typically have high percentages of both ethnic minorities and women, said Lapchick.

March Madness is all about college basketball, and this year’s tournament was no excep-

community. In the 1960s, she organized sex education classes at her church for teenagers in her neighborhood. She was also one of the first Black women in the neighborhood to toss out the hot comb and wear her hair in a “natural” or “afro” style, giving many of the young girls in the neighborhood the courage to do the same.

Ella retired in the 1970s, moved to her mother’s hometown of Sulphur Springs, Texas, and spent her golden years traveling with relatives and friends around the country, the Caribbean and Europe.

A long-time member of the Evening Chapel C.M.E. Church in Sulphur Springs, and before that the historic St. James A.M.E. Church in Minneapolis, Ella sang soprano in the A.M.E. church choir. She eventually moved to the Boston area and spent many wonderful years close to her son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Ella Mae Moore was preceded in passing by her parents, George and Sophia Anderson, brothers Peter “Peachy” Anderson and George Anderson, and sisters Imogene Stafford, Juanita Cunningham, Gwendolyn Knox, Wilma Crawford and Mamie Anderson.

A celebration of Ella’s life will be held in the Twin Cities later this year.

are “basketball royalty,” according to a recent press release the following players and coaches who were honored:

Players: Dick Barnett, John Chaney, Cleo Hill, Sam Jones, Pee Wee Kirkland, Yolanda Laney, Earl Lloyd, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Willis Reed

Coaches: Clarence “Big House” Gaines, John McClendon, Vivian Stringer

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

tion. The lack of diverse hiring in all college sports is on display year-round.

Charles Hallman

Photo

Employment & Legals

Business Administration, mortgagee, and filed in the office of the County Recorder in Hennepin County, Minnesota, as follows: Dated Date Filed Document No. December 30, 2022 December 30, 2022 T-5993078 Further, it is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order transferring title and possession of the parcels herein described, prior to the filing of an award by the court appointed commissioners, pursuant to Minn. Stat. §117.042. The Petitioner reserves its right to recover costs of clean up and testing and all other damages arising from the presence of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous materials on the property described herein, from all potential responsible parties, including respondents herein where appropriate, in a separate legal action to the extent permitted by law. III.

That the following described lands in these proceedings taken are situated in Hennepin County, Minnesota; that the names of all persons appearing of record or known to your Petitioner to be the owners of said lands or interested therein, including all whom your Petitioner has been able by investigation and inquiry to discover, together with the nature of the ownership of each, as nearly as can be ascertained, are as follows:

FEE ACQUISITION Parcel 231A C.S. 2785 (494=393)

STATE OF MINNESOTA

Employment & Legals

PERSONAL INJURY

DISTRICT COURT

COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FILE NUMBER: 27-CV-23-2608

Dipendra Mahaseth, SUMMONS Plaintiff, vs.

Kenneth Scott, Benjamin Edwards, and Zobeida Bonilla Vega, Defendants.

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendants:

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 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: Megan Curtis Law, PLLC 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W1610 Saint Paul, MN 55101

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 Plaintiff 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.

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: 01/24/2023

MEGAN CURTIS LAW, PLLC

By: /s/Megan M. Curtis Megan M. Curtis, MN #0393601

First National Bank Building 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W1610 Saint Paul, MN 55101

P: 612-750-4688

F: 651-412-5070

E: mc@megancurtislaw.com

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 13, 20, 27, 2023

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT:

VITS Consulting Corp has openings for theses positions:

or Somali language a plus. Salary $60,000-$72,258 D.O.E. Excellent benes. Hybrid work policy. Resume, cvr letter, references and writing sample to Hiring Committee: info@centralmnlegal.org EOE.

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

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 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 21 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: 2700 Snelling Ave N, Suite 460, Roseville, MN 55113.

SUMMONS

FLAT RATE: $100 X 3 WEEK RUN

TOTAL: $300 PRE-PAID

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 Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer.

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

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.

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

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.

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: October 31, 2022

By: /s/ Bradley D. Hauswirth Aaron W. Ferguson (#0387763) Bradley D. Hauswirth (#0219836) Benjamin M. Kline (#0399962) Attorneys for Plaintiff 2700 Snelling Ave.

PHONE: 612-827-4021

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

&

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

Program Manager with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering any, Technology or related and 1 yr of exp to provide functional leadership, develop personnel through training and mentoring. Support Product Team Leads with execution of project needs as necessary, participate in all Certification audits and meet the certification objectives. Provide technical administration for hardware and software development teams. Develop and certify cutting-edge electronic systems software for aircraft platforms and manufacturers. Collaborates with executive leadership to develop and meet company goals while supplying expertise and guidance on Information Technology operations, Project management, Infrastructure Management, Applications development lifecycle management, Network Management, Emergency Management, Resource management, Vendor Management, M & A and Cyber Security.

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

SUMMONS PREPAID FLAT RATE: $100 X 3 WEEK RUN TOTAL: $300

Security Engineer with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering any, Technology, Information Systems/Assurance or related for security systems that assist in safeguarding information system resources and ensure integration of technology that upholds the Information Security policies and standards, identify opportunities for security process improvement. Implementation and management of the Risk Control Framework to identify all the customer requirements. Responsible for taking employees and contractors through information security concepts in the form of presentations, training programs and workshop. Perform regular security testing as well as code reviews for improving the software security.

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

Work location is Plymouth,MN with required travel to client locations throughout the USA. Please mail resumes to 14264 23rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447 (or) e-mail : Jobs-p@ vitsconsulting.com

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

Bilingual Spanish Legal Assistants

Wilson Law Group LLC seeks Bilingual Spanish Legal Assistants in Mpls MN to assist attys in prep of legal filings, inc. interview clients, draft forms, prep exh, and mtns, gather docs and comm w/ clients. Bachelor’s deg in Poli Sci, Law, or other rel soc sci. or related req’d. Foreign equiv ok. Mail app to Jessica Westendorp 3019 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis MN 55406 or email jwestendorp@wilsonlg.com

he recently concluded 2022-23 college basketball season saw nearly 20 Black head coaches being honored with coach of the year (COY) awards for their teams’ efforts.

Coach of the Year Honorees

The winners, in no particular order, are as follows:

● Jerome Tang, Kansas State: Naismith Men’s, Big 12

● Dawn Staley, South Carolina: Naismith Women’s, WBCA

NCAA Division I National

● Kenny Blakeney, Howard: Coach John McLendon Award, Eastern College Athletic Conference, MEAC

● Larry Vickers, Norfolk State: HBCU National

● Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt: Ben Jobe National, SEC Co-Coach

● Amir Abdur-Rahim, Kennesaw State (recently hired at South Florida): Hugh Durham Award as the nation’s top Division I mid-major college basketball coach at Kennesaw State, ASUN

● Shaka Smart, Marquette: Big East, AP

● Kelvin Sampson, Houston: NABC National, NABC District 24, USBWA, AAC

● Jeff Capel, Pittsburgh: ACC Men’s

● James Jones, Yale: Ivy League

● Zenarae Antoine, Texas State: All-Texas, Sun Belt

● Trelanne Powell, Tuskegee: SIAC

● Jay Butler, Virginia Union: CIAA

● Janice Washington, Lincoln (PA): CIAA WBB

● Niele Ivey, Notre Dame: ACC WBB

● Landon Bussie, Alcorn State and Donte Jackson, Grambling: SWAC MBB co-Coaches of the Year

● Alex Simmons, Gardner-Webb (recently hired as new Memphis HC): Big South

● Kenny Brooks, Virginia Tech: ACC WBB –WBCA COY finalist along with Ivey; led squad to the school’s first Final Four appearance

Whitlock and Johnson add to their trophy case

wo of Minnesota’s finest, Nasir Whitlock of DeLaSalle High School and Tessa Johnson of St. Michael-Albertville were recently named Mr. and Miss Basketball last week.

Whitlock, a 6’2” guard headed to Lehigh University, averaged 26.7 points per game while leading the Islanders to runnerup in the Class AAA state championship.

Johnson, a 5’10” guard, who has committed to the University of South Carolina, led the Knights to Class AAAA girls state championship while averaging 23.3 points per game.

The awards, which recognize the top boys and girls basketball players in the state, were announced after the 2022-23 season.

Both Whitlock and Johnson were also named the boys and girls Metro Player of the Year re-

spectively by the “Star Tribune.”

Johnson also played in the McDonald’s All-American game, an annual contest fea-

turing the top girls basketball players in the nation.

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

NBA Coach of the Month Jacque Vaughn (Brooklyn Nets) is one of 11 Black head coaches in the NBA this season. After a 12-year playing career– the 27th overall pick by Utah in 1997–he is one of five NBA clubs with a member of the 2007 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. He got into coaching as an assistant coach with San Antonio (2010-12), then became a head coach at Orlando (2012-15) and served as the Nets head coach for 10 games during the 2019-20 season, going 7-3, and guided the team to the playoffs.

Vaughn was elevated to acting head coach in November 2022, and Brooklyn removed the interim tag almost a week later. He earned his first Coach of the Month honor in December, leading the Nets to the winningest month in franchise history and the league’s best record for the month (121). According to Elias Research, his 30-10 start is the best 40game start to a coaching tenure in franchise history, and during that stretch, Vaughn

notched his 100th career win.

“I’m just doing my job on a daily basis,” Vaughn told the MSR after a win at Minnesota in March. “I appreciate the opportunity to see how long I can do this thing. I love being around the game. I love coaching.

“I love pushing the group and am fortunate to be around this game for a long time and want to continue as a coach at this time. I think I’ve been able to stay curious, and been able to adapt and to be interested

■

Failing grade for college sport’s diversity hiring

he Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) has challenged pro leagues and college sport for over three decades by issuing racial and gender report cards. For the most part, the MSR has been the only local media that has devoted more than a passing reference whenever the grades are released.

The latest TIDES’ college sport study, which came out in March, showed once again, that a primary reason why there continues to be a low percentage of Blacks in key sports leadership roles, such as head coaches, is because over 80 percent of athletic directors and university presidents and chancellors are held by White men in all three NCAA divisions.

“We have overwhelmingly White presidents and athletic directors mak ing the (coaching hir ing) decisions,” TIDES founder and director, Richard Lapchick, re cently told the MSR.

The numbers don’t lie.

In 2021-22, head coach es in men’s sports were dominated by White men, while Black head coaches

held 9.9 percent, 6.7 percent, and 6.3 percent of men’s HC positions in Divisions I, II, and III, respectively. As for women’s teams, White coaches held more than 80 percent, 84.5 percent, and 88 percent of the head coaching positions, while Black HCs held 10 percent, 6.4 percent and 6.3 percent of the head coaching positions in women’s Divisions I, II, and III, respectively.

“Collegiate athletics continue to struggle with including more people of color in leadership positions.”

“Collegiate athletics continue to struggle with including more people of color in leadership positions,” noted Lapchick in his executive summary, and pointed out that of 402 campus leadership positions, Whites hold just around 80 percent of them. Nationally, there are 13 Black presidents, and 20 Black athletic directors at predominantly White instituLocally, there are two Black athletic directors–Carlton College’s Gerald Young, and Donnie Brooks at Macalester–both in Division III, and one Latino AD, See View on page 9

Calling MEAC Bowling Championship a full-circle for Tiffany Greene

By Rob Knox

Content courtesy of the MEAC

iffany Greene contin-

ues to accomplish her goals. The veteran ESPN play-by-play announcer and Florida A&M graduate wanted to announce the Celebration Bowl. Check.

Greene aspired to announce the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Bowling championships. Check.

Yes, that was Greene’s voice you heard last month helping to describe North Carolina A&T’s dramatic championship victory over Monmouth in an instant classic. It was hard to tell who had more fun, the Aggies celebrating their third straight title or Greene sharing the joy of the match with television viewers.

“This is a full circle moment for me,” Greene said recently during a phone conversation.

“This was the first time I’ve done any bowling announcing.

However, I put it in the atmosphere because I had told my bosses that one of my goals was to call the MEAC bowling championships. When the request came in from (MEAC As-

sistant Commissioner for Strategic Communications) Karen (Carty) and the conference for the broadcast, I was honored that they asked me.

“I love the fact God has placed me in a position that I hoped and dreamed of, and to

be able to call the sport that I played in college as an analyst is humbling and cool.”

Greene was a member of the Rattlers’ first bowling team in school history. She spent

much of her time during a summer enrichment program while in high school bowling and playing pool at Galimore Lanes in Tallahassee. While bowling for fun, Greene had

no idea she was sowing seeds for her future.

“I held my own in the middle of the lineup,” said Greene with a hearty laugh. “I was a part of history, and that was cool. The

guy who ran the bowling alley at the time was Lamar Gaines.

When I arrived for my freshman year, he remembered me and asked do you still bowl? I had on sandals and rolled a game, and he offered me a scholarship because he told me FAMU was starting a women’s bowling team.”

A distinguished member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Greene has turned her experience as a student-athlete into one of the best play-by-play voices in the industry. She brings an informed and entertaining perspective while calling games. The foundation of resilience, preparation, hard work, dedication, and perseverance have been the keys to Greene’s success.

While calling college football fantastic, Greene is thrilled with being able to shine a bright light on women’s sports and opening doors for those aspiring to work in sports media. She was

■ See Bowling on page 9

Virginia Tech’s WBB Coach Kenny Brooks

Kansas State’s Jerome Tang All photos courtesy of Twitter.

Notre Dame’s WBB Coach Niele Ivey

South Carolina’s WBB Coach Dawn Staley

2023 Miss Basketball winner Tessa Johnson (St. MichaelAlbertville Photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

2023 Mr. Basketball winner Nasir Whitlock (DeLaSalle)

“I am very intentional in connecting with young people because I know somebody took the time for me, and I want to be that bridge for somebody else.”

Charlie Neal and Tiffany Greene

Photo courtesy of MEAC

Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn

Photo by Charles Hallman

See SOE on page 9