Insight News ::: 03.26.18

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Insight News March 26 - April 1, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 13• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

“Afro Stories” uses art to inspire, educate.

Nikki McComb

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Page 2 •March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Insight News

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Leading with Art: Artist Nikki McComb pays homage to national and local icons with “Afro Stories”

History within her hair

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor @HarryColbertJr There’s power in her hair.

There’s wisdom in her hair. There’s triumph in her hair. Yes, there’s pain in her hair. But at the root of it all, there’s love in her hair.

To artist Nikki McComb, there are stories in her hair.

There are the stories of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X – men willing to live … men who would die … for their people. There are the stories of Harriet Tubman shepherding her people to freedom, W.E.B. DuBois elevating his people through education and fittingly, Madam C.J. Walker, who used hair (and hair care) to build an empire. There are the stories of the hope of a Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. And there are the stories of those who are hidden in plain sight.

“I wanted to tell our story in a unique way that included national and local figures who have made – and are making – history daily,” said McComb, explaining her inspiration behind the artwork, “Afro Stories,” which adorns this week’s cover of Insight News.

In addition to wellknown historical figures, McComb makes it a point with “Afro Stories” to pay tribute to those who have offered significant contributions to humanity but may not have lived in the spotlight. People such as Bessie Coleman and Ruby Bridges.

Coleman, who was African-American and Native-American, was the first woman of either ethnicity to hold a commercial pilot’s license.

Bridges, at just six years old, took powerful steps for generations to come when she and three other Black children integrated the public schools of New Orleans in 1960. Four years later her steps were immortalized in the now iconic Norman Rockwell painting, “The Problem We All Live With.”

McComb also honors several Twin Cities based figures in “Afro Stories,” such as revered educator and civil rights icon, Mahmoud El-Kati and political and civil rights stalwart, Dr. Josie Johnson. Names of recent history makers, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Minneapolis City Council members Andrea Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham, flow seamlessly next to

Nikki McComb

Nikki McComb’s Re-al-itees apparel are wearable expressions of Black pride. (www.re-al-itees.com) those of King, X and others.

McComb’s vision and art has sparked her entrepreneurial spirit.

Recently launched, Re-

al-itees (www.re-al-itees. com), is a line of expressive clothing featuring McComb’s original artwork, including “Afro Stories.”

With Re-al-itees McComb seeks to put the statement in fashion statement.

“I didn’t start the

clothing line to be about me, I started it so people could wear something that speaks to their souls,” said McComb.

‘Time for Ilhan’ documentary to premiere at Tribeca Film Festival “Time for Ilhan,” directed by Norah Shapiro, will have its world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in April.

Shapiro’s documentary captures the historic win of Rep. Ilhan Omar (DFL 60B), the first SomaliAmerican to be elected to state office in the nation.

“It is an enormous honor personally and professionally to have ‘Time for Ilhan’ programmed by the Tribeca Film Festival,” said Shapiro.

“But even more, it is an extraordinary opportunity to expand the film’s reach to broad audiences who will ultimately see, and hopefully be impacted by, the film and

its inspiring messages about how we can have a truly representative democracy.”

Notably, this year Tribeca Film Festival is making major strides toward gender equality behind the camera, with 46 percent of the films directed by women, the highest percentage in the Festival’s 16-year history.

“Time for Ilhan” explores the changing face of American politics and follows the grassroots story of Omar, who spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the United States in 1995. In 2016, Ilhan became the first Somali-American legislator

Rep. Ilhan Omar

in the United States, and one of the few Muslim women in the U.S. to hold elected office.

At 33 years old, Omar’s vision, clarity, and journey has sparked worldwide attention. Omar is currently serving her second year in the Minnesota House.

Shapiro is a Minneapolisbased filmmaker who left a decade-long career as a public defender to pursue documentary filmmaking.

Her first feature film, “Miss Tibet: Beauty in Exile” (2014) premiered at the 2014 DOC NYC Film Festival and received the 2015 Minneapolis/ St. Paul International

Film Festival’s “Best Minnesota Made Feature Documentary” award.

Shapiro received a McKnight Filmmaking Fellowship in 2012 and has received numerous production and completion funding awards from funders including the Jerome Foundation and the Minnesota Filmmakers Legacy Fund.

She is currently producing a new documentary about the impact of the abduction of Jacob Wetterling, a young boy in rural Minnesota, which was unsolved for 27 years.

Green on Fourth set to open July 2019

New mixed income apartments coming to Northeast Minneapolis Work has begun on a new Minneapolis-supported project in the Prospect Park neighborhood that’s turning blighted industrial land into a new residential area.

When completed in July 2019, Green on Fourth Apartments at 2949 Fourth St. S.E. will provide the Prospect Park neighborhood with new housing, green space and a district storm water system.

The project involves constructing five- and sixstory apartment buildings, with 243 units and underground parking. When Green on Fourth opens, it will serve residents with a mix of incomes. More than 25 percent of the apartment units (66 units) will be restricted to households with incomes at and below 60 percent of the area median income.

Of those income-restricted units, 49 will be available to households with incomes at and below 50 percent of the area median income.

“For people and families in Minneapolis, a lack of access to affordable housing is what stands between them and economic security,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “The Green on Fourth will help people find that security and build a life in our city.”

“This is a great success for the broader Towerside Innovation District and a lot of credit goes to all the work that so many neighbors

and business owners have put into it so far,” said 2nd Ward Councilmember Cam Gordon, whose ward includes Green on Fourth.

“It’s the first Towerside building to include affordable housing; and is a great step towards building the truly mixed-income, diverse new neighborhood the community has envisioned for hundreds of new homes and jobs in the years to come. The project includes a number of innovations, making district storm water and a signature new greenspace possible at the heart of the district.”

The land is the former location of Boeser Sheet Metal. The contaminated site was remediated with help from Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council.

In partnership with the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, a portion of the site will be used to collectively treat storm water from several surrounding developments.

In addition, a portion of the site will be dedicated as future green space for the area.

The project included $1.225 million of Affordable Housing Trust funds, $3.965 million in tax increment financing, $2 million in Livable Communities Transit Oriented Development Acquisition funds and support for $1,000,000 in grant funds from Hennepin County.

City of Minneapolis

An artist rendering of Green on Fourth, set to open July 2019 in the Prospect Park neighborhood in Northeast Minneapolis.

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Insight News • March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Page 3

aesthetically speaking

Aesthetically It!: Events, concerts, venues in the Twin Cities

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Insight News March 26 - April 1, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 13• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Jurors admit racial bias played a role in conviction

Michael Smith was convicted in 2012 of felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 15 years

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor @HarryColbertJr

Michael Smith is in prison – and has been for just under six years – for a crime he says he did not commit.

What makes Smith’s case stand out is the fact that two jurors who voted to convict him – including the jury’s foreman – now say they were persuaded to do so not because of the evidence presented at trial, but because of Smith’s ethnicity.

Smith was convicted of being a felon in possession of a gun and was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.

The jurors who have come forward to the court say during deliberations, with some jurors not convinced by the evidence presented, an outspoken juror on the allwhite panel said Smith was “A Black person with a previous

criminal record living in North Minneapolis … you know he’s just a (gang)banger from the hood, so he’s got to be guilty.”

The jurors’ most recent versions of what happened during deliberation where first reported by Fox 9 News.

Smith’s prior convictions, include a conviction for third degree murder that occurred in Ramsey County in 2001 and convictions for fourth degree assault in Washington County in 2005 and 2006. In the 2001 case, Smith was driving a motor vehicle and struck and killed a young girl. In addition to third degree murder, Smith was also found to have been under the influence of a controlled substance during the incident. Both 2005 and 2006 assaults occurred while Smith was an inmate at Minnesota Correctional Facility – Stillwater.

But in an interview with Insight News Smith said he had turned his life around

and was even enrolled in classes at an area school, with hopes of becoming and underwater welder.

However, Smith’s dreams of a better life vanished on April 28, 2012 … less than a year after his release from prison, where he served 11 years.

On that day, Minneapolis Police got a call of an armed robbery, and while investigating, officers in a patrol car happened upon Smith.

According to court documents, officers shined a light on Smith and he turned and began walking in another direction. The documents say officers began to purse Smith and observed him drop a long object that he pulled from his pants. Smith was apprehended and according to the officers, what Smith dropped was a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun.

Smith’s version differs from the official court documents.

According to Smith,

Michael Smith

he never possessed the weapon in question and he says the physical evidence backs up his claim. According to Smith – and official court documents – there was DNA and fingerprint evidence found on the gun … but they did not match Smith.

Based largely on the testimony of the arresting officers, Smith was convicted in federal court and sentenced to a minimum of 15 years.

Smith’s case was elevated to a federal one under Project Exile Minneapolis – a law enforcement initiative to reduce gun violence, launched in 2010.

During closing arguments in Smith’s 2012 trial, according to an appeal filing, “the parties argued over the nature of DNA evidence recovered from the gun. Smith argued that the government did not check the DNA found on the shotgun against the criminal

SMITH 9

Governor’s budget sets the right course on education but should go further says Education Minnesota president

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman

Justine Damond Ruszczyk

Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor

Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in Justine Damond Ruszczyk killing

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor @HarryColbertJr Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor has been charged with third degree murder and second degree manslaughter in the July 15, 2017 death of Justine Damond Ruszczyk.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the charges during a March 20 press conference, following an eightmonth investigation. Noor was taken into custody and booked earlier in the day. Freeman said Noor showed “disregard for human life” when he fired a single shot into the abdomen of Damond Ruszczyk.

Damond Ruszczyk called police late evening on July 15 to report what she believed to be a sexual assault taking place in an alley near her Southwest

Minneapolis home. Noor and his partner, Officer Matthew Harrity, answered the call. It is believed Damond Ruszczyk tapped the officers’ vehicle to get their attention when Noor, a passenger, pulled his weapon, reached across Harrity and shot Damond Ruszczyk.

The case garnered international attention, as Damond Ruszczyk was an Australian citizen, and the Twin Cities was just a year removed from the officer-involved killing of Philando Castile (July 6, 2016) and less than two years removed from the officer-involved killing of Jamar Clark (Nov. 15, 2015).

Castile’s killing took place in Ramsey County; thus, Freeman did not have jurisdiction in that matter, but the Clark killing was also at the hands of Minneapolis police and in that case Freeman chose not to indict.

In Freeman’s March 20 press conference, Hennepin

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Shaneen Moore named new leader of state child support program

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County’s chief prosecutor said at no time was Damond Ruszczyk a threat to the officers.

“In the short time between when Ms. Damond Ruszczyk approached the squad car and the time that Noor fired the fatal shot, there is no evidence that Officer Noor encountered a threat, appreciated a threat, investigated a threat or confirmed a threat that justified his decision to use deadly force,” said Freeman. “Instead, Officer Noor recklessly and intentionally fired his handgun from the passenger seat, in disregard for human life.

Noor was sitting, where he was less able than Officer Harrity to see and hear events on the other side of the squad car. Such action violates the criminal law.”

In the Clark killing several community activists were angered by Freeman when he chose not to have a grand jury decide if the officers involved in that killing would face trial.

Insight 2 Health

Worried about the cost of vaccines? The MnVFC program can help

PAGE 6

At that time Freeman said he did not believe officer-involved shootings should be left up to a grand jury, however, in the killing of Damond Ruszczyk, a grand jury was convened due to Freeman’s claims of noncooperation by members of the Minneapolis Police Department.

“I was forced to use the subpoena power of the grand jury to force officers to offer testimony in this matter,” said Freeman.

In the Damond Ruszczyk shooting the victim was white and the officer is Black – Noor being a Somali-American. In contrast, in Clark’s killing, Clark, was Black and the two officers responsible for his death, Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, are white.

The juxtaposition of Freeman’s decisions did not go unnoticed

CHARGED 4

Education Minnesota President Denise Specht applauded Gov. Mark Dayton for making education a priority in his supplemental budget, but said educators wished the governor had been able to go further to meet the needs of Minnesota students and their families.

“The ‘Education Governor’ is cementing his legacy in his final budget and the right priorities are all there,” said Specht. “He’s increasing access to mental health care and high-quality preschools.

He’s addressing the teacher shortage through pension adjustments and expanding Q Comp. He’s taking pressure off local school budgets with smart increases in special education funding. He’s slowing the growth of tuition and keeping great higher education facilities within driving distance of most Minnesotans.

The only thing educators can say is, ‘All this, and more.’”

Specht said the issue of school safety is paramount and request greater resources to keep students, faculty and staff safe.

Education Minnesota President Denise Specht “We challenge our state leaders to make our schools significantly safer and more secure with permanent increases in counselors, social workers, psychologists and other support professionals to meet the needs of students in crisis,” said Specht.

In addition, the president said there needs to be continued focus in closing the student of color achievement gap and

EDUCATION MN 9

Correction

Cullen Jones: Olympic swimmer, with 2012 gold, silver medals In the March 19 – March 25 edition of Insight News in the article, “V3 visionaries see a state-of-the-art training facility in North Minneapolis,” Cullen Jones, who will host a free

Commentary

Time for emotional spring cleaning

PAGE 9

swimming clinic on Sept. 9, was misidentified as a V3 volunteer.

Jones is an Olympic swimmer, earning both gold and silver in the 2012 summer games. We sincerely regret this error.

AS

The story behind the Puerto Rican dish, pasteles

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Business

Shaneen Moore named new leader of state child support program Bringing a wealth of experience from corporate, government and nonprofit organizations, Shaneen Moore is now leading the state’s child support program.

As newly named director of the Minnesota Department of Human Services Child Support Division, Moore and her staff work with the state’s 87 counties to provide services for 346,000 custodial and noncustodial parents and their 240,000 children.

Moore oversees child support legislative matters, supervises daily operations and coordinates

long-term planning.

“Under Shaneen’s leadership, the program will promote the well-being of children and the self-sufficiency of families by delivering quality child support services,” said Human Services Assistant Commissioner Jim Koppel, who named Moore to the position.

Since 2013, Moore has served as deputy director of the division, where she managed operations and grant management, training, and performance and reporting, among other responsibilities.

Moore started her career in corporate finance and worked for large organizations including Wells Fargo, UnitedHealth Group and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis before taking a job as operations manager at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center. Moore also served as operations manager at the nonprofit Northside Economic Opportunity Network before joining the department.

Moore has also served on the Minnesota Council on Disability since 2016. She is one

of 16 members from across the state who advise the governor, Minnesota Legislature and service providers on the potential needs of people with disabilities.

Moore holds a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and management, and a Bachelor of Business degree in finance, both from Western Illinois University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in public administration from Hamline University in St. Paul.

Shaneen Moore

Diverse group includes legendary coach, Larry McKenzie, DEED commissioner Shawntera Hardy and St. Paul’s chief information officer, Sharon Kennedy-Vickers

Bush Foundation announces 2018 fellows

The Bush Foundation announced its 2018 Bush Fellows.

Described as 24 determined, adaptable leaders who are driven to improve their communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography, the fellows include several notable names; including Larry McKenzie, Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame member and coach of the North Community High School Polars, Shawntera Hardy, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) commissioner and cofounder of Fearless Magazine, and Sharon Kennedy-Vickers, chief information officer/ director of Technology and Communications for the City of St. Paul. Of the 24 Bush Fellows, announced March

Charged From 3 by the Minneapolis NAACP. “While the Minneapolis NAACP has and will continue

20, 10 represent the African diaspora, and in total, 19 are people of color.

The 2018 Fellows in alphabetical order are Asad Aliweyd, Roxanne Anderson, Yende Anderson, Dr. Joanna Ramirez Barrett, Erik Bringswhite, Me’Lea Connelly, Robin David, John Davis, Jeff Dykstra, Hussein Farah, Jenn Faul, Hardy, Dr. Benson Hsu, Neda Kellogg, Nicholas Kor, Amanda LaGrange, McKenzie, Abdi Sabrie, Dr. Tamim Saidi, Sean Sherman, Pheng Thao, Nick Tilsen, Kennedy-Vickers and Rhiana Yazzie.

The Bush Fellowship provides Fellows with up to $100,000 over 12 to 24 months to pursue learning experiences that help them develop leadership skills and attributes. The fellowship allows fellows to articulate what they

Larry McKenzie

Sharon Kennedy-Vickers

Shawntera Hardy

need to become more effective and agile leaders. Fellows can use the funding to pursue advanced education, networking opportunities, leadership resources, workshops and trainings.

“The 2018 Bush Fellows are exceptional leaders who have made the most of the opportunities in their lives,” said

Bush Foundation Leadership Programs Director Anita Patel.

“We believe the well-being of our region is directly impacted by investing in individuals who will shape the future. We are betting on the potential of these 24 Fellows to make a significant impact in their communities.”

A total of 751 people applied for the 2018 Bush Fellowship.

The 24 fellows were selected through a multi-stage process involving Bush Fellowship alumni, Bush Foundation staff and regional leaders. Applicants described their leadership vision and passion and how a Bush Fellowship would help them achieve their goals.

The Bush Foundation will accept applications for the 2019

to stand in solidarity with Damond’s family, we must also highlight the lack of justice for Jamar Clark’s family and the systemic inequity that creates these vastly different outcomes,” read a statement released by the civil rights organization. “The reality is that Clark, similar to Damond, did not deserve to die.

Clark, like countless other Black people, should still be here today. Yet, there were no charges against the Minneapolis police officers involved in his killing.

Jamar’s family is still waiting on justice.”

The reactions of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis president were

noticeable different as well.

In the Clark case, Federation president, Bob Kroll, weighed in almost immediately on behalf of Ringgenberg and Schwarze, saying their actions were “lawful and prudent” and later saying Clark “dictated the circumstances that night,” even though cameras showed Clark

was not physically combative with officers and had his back turned to officers when he was pulled down and restrained in a hold that is against Minneapolis Police policy.

In a statement regarding the decision to charge Noor, Kroll said, “We recognize the tragic shooting of Justine

Facebook

Bush Fellowship beginning Aug. 7. The Bush Fellowship is open to anyone age 24 years and older who lives in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or one of the 23 Native nations that shares the same geography.

More than 2,300 people have been awarded Bush Fellowships, including playwright August Wilson, Oglala Lakota painter and educator Arthur Douglas Amiotte, former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson, author and storyteller Kevin Kling, South Dakota poet laureate Lee Ann Roripaugh, Minneapolis City Council Member Andrea Jenkins, and former special assistant to President Obama for Native American affairs, Jodi Gillette.

Damond has greatly impacted, not only her family and friends, our membership, but also our community. We respect the criminal justice process and wait for the case to proceed before making further comment.”

A date for Noor’s trial has not yet been determined.

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Insight 2 Health

Mayo Clinic Minute: Colorectal cancer by the numbers

By Ian Roth Mayo Clinic News Network Colorectal cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer, but it’s also one of the most preventable. Dr. John Kisiel, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, says the biggest reason is that not enough people are getting screened regularly.

Colorectal cancer numbers may surprise you ... “... about 150,000 new diagnoses and 50,000 deaths each year, unfortunately,” Dr. Kisiel says.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common form of cancer behind breast, lung and prostate cancers.

“Colorectal cancer is the most preventable ─ but often least-prevented type ─ of cancer in the United States because only about a half to

maybe two-thirds of patients are participating in screening,” Dr. Kisiel says. “That means that a third to a half of patients are not participating in screening.”

Dr. Kisiel says everyone over 50 should be screened regularly. If caught early, colorectal cancer is usually very treatable. But the lack of screening makes it one of the most deadly forms of cancer.

It’s more common in men, but women should be screened, as well.

It’s also more prevalent in the African-American population, which is why Dr. Kisiel recommends that AfricanAmericans and patients with family history of polyps or cancer discuss screening in more detail with their health care provider.

He says if patients wait until they show symptoms of colorectal cancer to get treatment, their odds of surviving drop significantly.

That›s why regular screening to catch it early is the key.

Death from colorectal cancer is preventable with early and regular screenings.

Black women need better access to reproductive healthcare Chief Medical Officer, Planned Parenthood of Maryland Commentary by Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley I’ve been a practicing OB/ GYN for nearly 15 years; long enough to see patient after patient struggle through the web of systemic barriers that make accessing healthcare needlessly difficult.

At my practice in Baltimore, in a state that is a national trailblazer in providing comprehensive and affordable reproductive healthcare, I still

hear every day from women who struggle to get the care they need. My patients have told me stories about having to take three buses to get to an appointment, only to be turned away if they are late. Some patients don’t have the right type of insurance coverage or have no insurance, pushing needed health services or medication financially out of reach. Others can’t take time off work or afford transportation or childcare in order to go to their doctor.

Reproductive healthcare is not a luxury, and for Black women specifically, being in full control of our reproductive decisions can quite literally be a matter of life and death. Data from the CDC shows Black women are three to four times more likely

to die during childbirth than white women. These statistics remain consistent even when adjusting for factors like age, education, and economic status.

There is a growing consensus that the stress of prejudice and racism endured by Black women increases the likelihood of preterm birth and other health consequences.

Ethnic disparities in unintended pregnancy also persist. Black women are significantly more likely to have an unintended pregnancy when compared to all women of reproductive age, and the percentage of people who decide to end an unintended pregnancy, instead of give birth, is highest among Black women. Black women at risk of unintended

pregnancy are also less likely to use any method of contraception, particularly young Black women.

programs, healthcare innovators are bringing us closer to a world where the tools to prevent

Black women specifically, being in full control of our reproductive decisions can be a matter of life and death.

Researchers propose these disparities are a consequence of implicit and explicit racism when interacting with the medical system, lack of quality information about effective family planning methods, and inability to access or afford reproductive healthcare.

What I see in these statistics — and what I hear from my patients — is the current systems for providing birth control are not meeting Black women’s needs. We need to think bigger about how to overcome these barriers and provide convenient contraceptive options directly in people’s communities. From birth control delivery apps, to pharmacist prescribing

pregnancy are at your fingertips.

In my view, an over-the-counter birth control pill is the obvious next step and would be a game changer for giving people the option of getting safe birth control when and where they want it.

Women’s health providers are working in tandem with researchers to hone best practices for providing birth control pills – for example, no longer are blood pressure checks or pap smears required prior to prescribing the pill for healthy patients. People are already empowered to provide self-care with over-the-counter medications, and there is no reason a birth control pill should

be different. Studies show that individuals themselves can determine whether birth control pills are right for them and if there are any health conditions that might make taking birth control pills less safe or less effective.

While having a yearly genecology exam is important for other health reasons, it is not necessary to start birth control pills. Yet, I’m not concerned about my patients disappearing.

In a recent survey, the vast majority of women interested in taking an over-the-counter birth control pill reported they would continue to visit their healthcare provider to obtain gynecological screenings, like pap smears.

We don’t have to hold patients hostage to their prescriptions for birth control pills in order to get them into the office for other services. We need to work to make all reproductive healthcare more accessible for people where and when they need it.

Of course, over-thecounter birth control pills won’t singlehandedly fix the legacy left by discriminatory healthcare programs and the reproductive coercion experienced by Black women, but it can bring us closer to a future where every person has the resources they need to make decisions about their own bodies and lives with dignity.

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Parents with young children have many things happening in their lives.

They want to do what is best for their child and make sure they stay healthy. However, sometimes that can be difficult.

For example, we hear about situations like this often.

A mother of a 2-month-old child has a check-up scheduled with the doctor before her child starts child care. At this appointment, the doctor mentions the recommended vaccines her child should get. She knows that getting her child vaccinated is an important thing to do to protect them from dangerous diseases, but she does not have medical insurance. Vaccines can be expensive, so the mother is worried she will not be able to afford them. She asks her child’s doctor if there is anything she can do. The doctor tells her about the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program.

Through the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program, children 18 years old and younger who do not have medical insurance, are enrolled in Medicaid, are NativeAmerican or Alaska Native, or whose insurance doesn’t cover the cost of the vaccine can receive all recommended vaccines free of cost.

The Minnesota Vaccines for Children program helps

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The Minnesota Vaccines for Children program can help children get vaccines at little or no cost. make sure children can get all recommended vaccines at the right time by not letting the cost of vaccines stop a parent from vaccinating. Delaying or skipping vaccines can put children at risk for diseases that can cause serious health problems. Children who are behind on their shots can get caught up, but it is best to get vaccines at the recommended age to help protect the child when they need it most.

By age 2, children can be protected from 14 diseases if they get all of the recommended vaccines. Getting vaccinated protects your child and others in the community so disease does not spread.

Almost all clinics that see children in Minnesota participate

in the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program. Ask your clinic if they participate in the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program and if your child can get vaccines free of cost. There are other fees you may still have to pay when you go to the doctor for the vaccines. You can call your clinic to ask if there are other fees before your visit.

Find out if your child is eligible to get free or low-cost shots by talking to your clinic or going to www.health.state. mn.us/divs/idepc/immunize/ howpay.html.

If you are looking for more information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent, look at the Vaccine Information Sheets at www.immunize.org/VIS.

insightnews.com

Insight News • March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Page 7

Fatuma Irshat (far right) speaking at a March 5 St. Louis Park City Council meeting. Irshat was honored by the city’s Human Rights Commission for her work with African communities.

Fatuma Irshat honored by St. Louis Park Human Rights Commission The St. Louis Park Human Rights Commission honored Fatuma Irshat with the 2017 Human Rights

Award during the March 5 St. Louis Park City Council meeting.

Irshat was recognized

for her engagement work in the Somali and African communities. Her work includes informing

neighbors about issues such as affordable housing, renters’ rights, election choices and voting. She has

also been active in local government, facilitating Vision 3.0 meetings in her community and initiated

a “Vote Local” campaign, which included driving neighbors to vote and provided childcare.

ECMC offers $1,500 scholarship at new college access center Minneapolis-based Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) has opened a new college access center to help students prepare for college.

To commemorate the

grand opening, ECMC is offering a $1,500 college scholarship to students.

“The College Place (TCP-Minnesota) serves students of all ages and backgrounds and focuses on

helping them make informed decisions about their educational options,» said Linda Leech, director of TCPMinnesota. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with students during such an

important time in their lives.”

Students can register for the scholarship at TCPMinnesota between now and April 1. The drawing will take place at the TCPMinnesota center on April 2.

T C P - M i n n e s o t a ’s main office is located on the Minneapolis Community and Technical College campus, 1501 Hennepin Ave., Suite T.2700.

To set up an appointment

with Linda Leech or to learn more, contact The College Place at (612) 200-5433 or minnesotatcp@ecmc.org.

Page 8 •March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Insight News

insightnews.com

insightnews.com

Insight News • March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Page 9

Time for emotional spring cleaning Man Talk

By Timothy Houston Spring is here, and it is the wonderful time of the year when we start to shake off the dust of winter.

As we begin to open the windows of our physical houses, it is a good time to get our emotional house in order. This is more than just getting out the house more.

Emotional spring cleaning is about planting the seeds today that will grow into a healthy relationship tomorrow. Hard

hearts must be tilled, and the residue of our relationship winter must be removed. Here are some tips to help you spring into Spring.

Start by planting good emotional seeds. This begins with daily meditation. Take time in the morning to reflect on your actions from the previous day. What things did you do well? What things do you need to work on?

Getting up an hour earlier in the morning can dramatically change your life. This is an investment into you. The emotional seeds you plant each day will be the catalyst needed to build the life you want rather than dread the one you have now.

Start each day by making good emotional adjustments.

This emotional process is called “forgiveness.� Every act of unforgiveness is a stone in

relationship seeds you will need later. It also releases you to use your energy on bringing

Start each day by making good emotional adjustments. This emotional process is called “forgiveness.�

your garden of prosperity, and will only serve as a stumbling block to future blessings.

Forgiving others empties your emotional reservoir and clears the way for you to plant the

your dreams to fruition.

Start each day planting good spiritual seeds. Read your Bible on a daily basis.

Your brain is a big computer that runs on the word of

God. It must be conditioned to respond spiritually to emotionally charged situation.

When you do this, what you think or feel will be predicated on the word of God that you spent each day planting in your heart.

Start each day by making positive affirmations. I like to start my day with this simple affirmation, “Today will be a quiet day.� This declaration helps me understand the need for quiet meditation. Quiet time leads to self-examination, and examination is necessary to remain healthy. We all must regularly check our mental and emotional condition. This requires us to affirm ourselves by saying positive things about ourselves and speaking positive things into our lives.

Your affirmations become your aspirations.

Spring is here, and a new emotional harvest is possible.

With this harvest, you will be able to face the world and the things in it. The seeds that you plant daily will return a harvest daily. Each day will bloom with the spiritual and the emotional return for yesterday’s kernels, and your emotional “spring� will be here to stay for the remainder of the year.

Timothy Houston is an author, minister and motivational speaker committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities.

For questions, comments or more information, go to www. tlhouston.com.

Overcoming the fear of detachment A view from campus

By Latisha Townsend Columnist When I was in the 11th grade I took a world geography class. I was never a problem student, but I was deďŹ nitely a chatty kid. I spent a lot of time texting under the desk and journaling in my notebooks. I would sit in class and talk quietly to my friends and then I would just go home and teach myself a lot of times.

I always performed better when I was alone, and I learned better through self-education. Just as a side note, this is not the case in college, as I have matured tremendously.

I can recall one rare instance in high school when I was particularly interested in the lecture and I think that day

Smith From 3 oender database because ‘the hard physical evidence (and) the DNA ‌ don’t match (the

Ed Minnesota From 3 called for the state to oer breaks in rates for higher education.

changed my thinking in many ways. When we moved into learning about the continent of Asia I was introduced to Hinduism and Buddhism. As a Black woman and a Christian, I hadn’t at that time actually ventured into researching other religions. Society has a way of conditioning all of us to believe that learning and practicing other religions is somehow betraying our own culture.

In class, I learned that Hindus view suering because of desire to end pain. Suering persists when we refuse to accept the reality of life and we desire a solution to all our problems.

Similarly, Buddhist believe the origin of suering is attachment.

We get attached to worldly possessions and attached to people because we fear letting go of things. I say this because these concepts seem to return to my life when I am struggling the most internally.

Lately I have been looking at my problems and reecting on what I was taught in that oďŹƒcers’) story.’ The government responded that the defense ‘can request what evidence they want’ but did not request a comparison of the DNA on the gun to the criminal oender database.

Smith objected, arguing that the government’s reply improperly ‘put the burden on Mr. Smith and the defense to prove his “We ask you to look back to the governor’s 2017 proposal to give every 4-year-old access to high-quality preschool, which would make huge progress in closing Minnesota’s opportunity gaps. Lowering tuition is good, two years of free

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innocence.’â€? “I’ve been maintaining my innocence since I ďŹ rst got in back of that police car,â€? said Smith in a phone interview. “There were prints (on the gun) from three dierent people and DNA from three dierent people, and I was excluded (from being a print or DNA match).â€? college is better,â€? said Specht.

Specht also called for voters to be vigilant in the coming election in supporting candidates who place high value on education. “Minnesota families should not forget why their own

the natural ow of life. Every person and every situation meant to stay, will stay. Every person and situation that has served its purpose in your life will run its course and can harmoniously go in a separate direction if you allow for it.

To anyone in a transitioning phase who can relate to my fear of journeying alone, I have found it is necessary for me to always take time to work on myself during these phases.

Get to know yourself a little bit better. What does your perfect day look like? If money were no object, what would you be doing? How can you maintain and improve your strengths and weaknesses?

When you change for the better, it is inevitable you will outgrow things and people who are not headed in the same direction as you. I have noticed the universe has a way of pushing us out of situations when it is time for us to move.

Understand where you’re going, everyone cannot go with you.

Lacking physical evidence, and largely based on police testimony, Smith was convicted.

Now United States District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson will decide if Smith shall be granted a new trial based on the jurors’ revelations.

Smith said he is angry, yet optimistic. government isn’t investing more in their futures. Last year, the majority party in the Minnesota Legislature rammed through a tax bill that shifted millions of dollars away from everyday people to pay for tax breaks on tobacco sales, on the estates of

Your purpose is your purpose, which means you may have to go alone sometimes. I remind you that being alone does not have to mean being lonely. If you focus on being whole within yourself, you will never have to fear loneliness. Growth requires you to detach and appreciate things for the time they served in your life.

If the issue is companionship, know that when you are working on yourself and you’re improving, the right people will stick around. In the meantime, open your heart and always believe that people who have similar mindsets as yours will gravitate towards you once you make room for them.

You have to be the person you want to attract, and the ďŹ rst step is to fearlessly detach from your comfort zone and allow the world to mold you into the beautiful and elevated woman you were always meant to be.

Latisha Townsend is a senior at Minnesota State University, Mankato majoring “I feel good that some jurors came forward, but then again, I’ve been sitting in prison for six years,� said Smith, who will have served six years come April 6. “The truth has to come out eventually, so I’m hopeful.�

millionaires and on the proďŹ ts of huge corporations,â€? said Specht. “The current group of legislators made these choices.

A new group might make better ones. Election Day is Nov. 6.�

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INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Associate Editor Culture and Education Dr. Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang

Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Abeni Hill

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in Communications. She is the president of the student organization, Black Motivated Women. She can be contacted at Latisha.Townsend@mnsu.edu.

Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed

Phone: 612.588.1313 Fax: 612.588.2031 Email: info@insightnews.com

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classroom. I ask myself, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What is the cause of this problem?â&#x20AC;?

Not just at the surface level, but also what is the underlying cause? The answer is always the same. Attachment.

As I grow older and continue to be pushed into the direction of my purpose, I am ďŹ nding myself losing a lot of things. I am losing friendships, daily routines, romantic partners, and old beliefs to which I used to subscribe. At the same time, I am picking up new interests, healthy friendships and new positive habits.

This next piece of information is for my peers.

Ladies, at this transitioning time in life most of us will ďŹ nd ourselves losing a lot more than we expected and being removed from environments to which we would probably prefer to hold.

Understand the sadness that arises from change is due to attachment and being afraid to let go of comfort while approaching the unknown. It is so important not to ďŹ ght against

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Contributing Writers Nadvia Davis Fred Easter Timothy Houston Michelle Mitchum Artika Tyner Toki Wright Photography David Bradley V. Rivera Garcia Uchechukwu Iroegbu Rebecca Rabb Artist Donald Walker Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

Page 10 •March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Insight News

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Meshell Ndegeocello

Next

Monday, March 26

R&B

THEATER

Minneapolis 90s Block Party The Armory 500 6th St. S., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m.

21-plus $59-$217

“Measure for Measure” at Theatre Unbound Gremlin Theatre 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul 7:30 p.m. $5-$22

March 26 April 8, 2018

Theatre Unbound presents the world premiere of a text freshly restored by director Kate Powers to come closer to what scholars believe Shakespeare originally wrote in “Measure for Measure,” a story about justice in the #MeToo scenario of the 1600s. “Measure for Measure” runs through April 8.

Tuesday, March 27 R&B/JAZZ Meshell Ndegeocello Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. $35-$55

Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking. Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status.

If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com

Fresh of the release of her cover project, “Ventriloquism,” 10time Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello plays the Dakota.

Wednesday, March 28 REGGAE/DANCEHALL Reggae Dancehall Wednesdays The Red Sea 320 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 10 p.m.

18-plus No cover DJ Fujun plays Wednesday nights at The Red Sea.

Thursday, March 29

Hometown heroes Next return to town with Guy, Ginuwine, 112 and Jagged Edge.

Friday, March 30 JAZZ/SOUL Debbie Duncan: «Full Circle» Album Release Party Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. $25 Versatile jazz singer Debbie Duncan releases her new album, “Full Circle,” at the Dakota.

Saturday, March 31 WORLD/DRAG BeBe Zahara Benet›s “Roar” Mercy 901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 9 p.m.

21-plus $15-$25 “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season One winner Bebe Zahara presents “Roar” at Mercy in downtown Minneapolis.

Sunday, April 1 VOCAL Robert Robinson with Sam Reeves, Gwen Matthews and Michael Pilhofer Crooners 6161 Highway 65 N.E.,

Minneapolis 6:30 p.m. $35-$45 Celebrate Easter with gospel star Robert Robinson and a host of others.

Monday, April 2 PANEL DISCUSSION Fifty Years Later: Has the Dream Been Realized?

Guthrie Theater 818 S 2nd St., Minneapolis 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

All ages No cover The Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Historical Society and a group of panelists discuss the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination. Harry Colbert, Jr. of Insight News moderates this discussion with panelists Chanda Smith Baker, senior vice president of Community Impact at The Minneapolis Foundation, Dr. Josie Johnson, human rights and social justice activist, Dr. Keith Mayes, associate professor, University of Minnesota and Anthony Newby, executive director at Neighborhoods Organizing for Change.

Tuesday, April 3

LECTURE

CONVENTION/ANIME

Thurgood Marshall: A Warrior for Social Justice and Civil Rights Hamline University 112 Anderson Center 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Anime Detour 2018: New Game + Hyatt Regency Minneapolis 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Educator and author, F. Erik Brooks will deliver a keynote address for the 2018 Social Justice Symposium. Brooks is a professor and the associate director of the Centennial Honors College at Western Illinois University. Since 2006, he has authored or edited 10 books, including “Thurgood Marshall: A Biography.”

Running through April 8, take part in a three-day anime convention complete with cosplay, panels, room parties, live music, guests, a dealer room, an artist alley, video games, table top gaming, and more.

Wednesday, April 4 KIDS/YOGA Kids Yoga Camp Minnesota Power Yoga 2905 Garfield Ave., Minneapolis 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Ages 3 – 10 $25 daily, $100 for the week Kids can learn and practice yoga through April 6th at Minnesota Power Yoga. For more information call (612) 915-0011 or email magic@ minnesotapoweryoga.com.

Thursday, April 5

BOOK LAUNCH

HIP-HOP

Lesley Nneka Arimah’s “What It Means When A Man Falls from the Sky” The Loft 1011 Washington Ave S, Ste 300, Minneapolis 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

All ages No cover Winner of the 2017 Kirkus Prize in Fiction and finalist for the Minnesota Book Award, Nneka Arimah launches her new book

Saturday, April 7 HIP-HOP Fifth Annual Twin Cities Dilla Day featuring Pete Rock Icehouse 2528 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis 10:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.

21-plus $18 advance, $20 door In honor of one of the great producers in hip-hop and soul, the departed J Dilla, this year’s Dilla Day will be headlined by the legendary Pete Rock, with performances by Kanser, Hakim Bey, Sun & La, Se›Anna, and DJs Espada and Francisco.

Sunday, April 8 POP

Rich Garvey Birthday Show Honey 205 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 9 p.m. $5 21-plus Liberian-American hip-hop artist, Rich Garvey celebrates his birthday at Honey.

Friday, April 6

Todrick Hall Varsity Theater 1308 4th St. S.E., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m. $30-$139 Season Nine “American Idol” semi-finalist Todrick Hall is more than just a singer. He is also a dancer, actor and drag queen. Catch the show at The Varsity.

Davu Seru and Zeitgeist bring North Minneapolis civil rights history to the Capri

‘Dead King Mother’ reinterprets true tale of events in Minneapolis the day King was assassinated Composer/historian and North Minneapolis native Davu Seru is teaming up with St. Paul-based music ensemble, Zeitgeist, to present performance of “Dead King Mother” at the Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, on April 4.

“Dead King Mother” is a blues for chamber ensemble that tells the story of a near-forgotten event in North Minneapolis and United States civil rights history that has been with Seru since early childhood. “Dead King Mother” is presented on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the neighborhood where the events of the story unfolded. The performance will be followed by a panel discussion led by Arleta Little of the McKnight Foundation.

On April 4, 1968, upon hearing of the news of the assassination of King, Seru’s great-uncle, Clarence Underwood, stood before family

on Minneapolis’ northside and announced he was going to kill the first white man that he saw … and he did.

When encountered by the police he raised his hands a remarked, “shoot me, they killed my king.”

Minneapolis native Seru is known internationally as a free-jazz drummer and performs regularly in jazz, rock and avant-garde improvised music. He currently works in a trio with French clarinetist Catherine Delaunay and French bassist Guillaume Seguron, the bands Click Song, Merciless Ghost and is co-leader with Mankwe Ndosi of The Mother of Masks, an improvising ensemble of poets, storytellers, activists and musicians.

“Dead King Mother” plays the Capri April 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15 ($10 students and seniors) and are available online at www.zeitgeistnewmusic.org.

Davu Seru

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Insight News • March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Page 11

The story behind the Puerto Rican dish, pasteles

They smell of Christmas and they taste like home

By Alejandra Oliveras Afrodecendientes Every kitchen across the island of Puerto Rico has, at the very least, boiled a few dozen.

Not everyone knows how to make them, but they have someone. An aunt, a cousin, “la doñita de la esquina”, that old lady ‘round the corner who does and sells them by the dozen.

These brownish rectangular pieces of Puerto Rican holiday goodness embody what the Puerto Rican heart and soul are crafted; pasteles.

In any other Spanish speaking country that word means cake, but to a Puerto Rican un pastel is made from either green banana or yucca, stuffed with pork, chicken or beef and wrapped in a plantain leaf before they’re carefully tied in pairs and boiled to perfection.

Granted, to a first-timer, pasteles can seem a tad … unsightly, but faces light up whenever they’re mentioned anywhere on the island. The most beautiful thing about them, though, is how these odd packages personify the Puerto Rican spirit.

Let me explain. Once upon a time there were Taíno

tribes in Puerto Rico, and they ate a corn-based dish called guanime (wah-nee-may) that’s a sort of the Mexican tamale’s Caribbean relative.

A sweetish rectangle of boiled corn dough, guanimes are presently accompanied with bacalao guisa’o, stewed codfish, a sweet and savory delight.

During the 16th century, the Spanish decided the Taino were too weak for hard labor since the native population was dwindling due to famine and illness and decided to bring African slaves to do the hard work and keep the colonial gold-digging and plantation economy going.

The Africans brought with them bananas, plantains and root vegetables such as yucca, yautia and malanga.

Slaves were housed within plantation premises and received scraps from their master’s food to eat.

After observing the Taíno Indians, Africans began preparing green bananas and yucca much in the same way Taínos prepared the corn for guanimes, mashing and boiling a wrapped dough, but theirs was wrapped in a softened plantain leaf. Since nothing could go to waste, they used their master’s meat scraps to stuff this mashed banana mixture.

YouTube

Puerto Rican delicacy, pasteles.

This is how a Taino food was tailored by African hands using African and Spanish ingredients to create an amalgam of cultures and flavors within a dish, very much like the cultural blend that brewed within the Caribbean melting pot that is the Puerto Rican archipelago.

How their smell became representative of Christmas is a different story.

Pasteles are labor intensive. This is not a dish for one person to cook alone. Usually a few family members gather in the kitchen and form a production line. Someone warms the plantain leaves, another grates the bananas … shaping … stuffing.

A wrapping station is set up and the matriarch and possibly the side-business owner, prepares the meat.

When this little love package is finally done, the six-inch rectangles are carefully tied together in pairs using white string, looking like delicious little gifts.

The resemblance to a wrapped gift is not accidental. The Puerto Rican criollo has never been known as an overly wealthy species, yet possess a generally giving and very generous heart. Even if there is no

money, when there is land and it is treated with respect, there is abundance.

Our jibaro (one who lives in the rural areas of Puerto Rico), having nothing but the food in their pantry, gathered their families after the autumn harvest and began the arduous labor of love that is assembling pasteles. And since they had no money to buy gifts, they tied the little pasteles together and not only did they gift the bundles of goodness to their loved ones, but also the jíbaro traveled from the mountains to the city to sell their pasteles during Christmas time, and “well-off” city folk would buy them by the dozen to serve at their holiday parties and to give as gifts to their friends and family as well. The tradition exists to this day. Thus, these frankly quite ugly yet equally tasty brownish rectangles came to be; comprised of all the elements that compound the Puerto Rican soul.

This holiday treat evokes warm memories that hug the heart, and raises controversy in family gatherings all over the island; many a fight has been fought over putting ketchup on pasteles, or adding raisins; but that’s another story.

Can Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. change the face of NASCAR?

By Ronda Racha Penrice Urban News Service HAMPTON, Ga. – Tiger Woods changed the face of golf and Venus and Serena Williams transformed tennis.

Now Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. may do the same for NASCAR. The 24-year-old race car driver’s Cup Series debut at the iconic Daytona 500 got the nation’s attention. As NASCAR’s first full-time Black driver in its elite series since Wendell Scott in 1971, all eyes were on Wallace.

Thanks to his secondplace finish at Daytona, the highest-ever by both a Black driver and a rookie, those eyes didn’t waver.

Wallace knows that the heightened interest in him is a combination of his ethnicity and his Daytona 500 performance. Instead of downplaying the attention to his heritage, Wallace, is biracial, has embraced it.

“There is only one driver from an African-American background at the top level of our sport. I am the one,” said Wallace in a November tweet. “You’re not going to stop hearing about ‘the Black driver’ for years. Embrace it, accept it and enjoy the journey,” Embracing his race doesn’t mean dwelling on it though.

“You can psych yourself up by reading all the history and whatnot, but that just puts too much pressure on yourself,” said Wallace during an interview at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“So, I’ve learned to focus on just the driving aspect of it and let everything else settle in behind.”

Wallace, who was born in Mobile, Ala. and raised in Concord, N.C., began racing go karts at 9 years old.

By 16, he was competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the sport’s main developmental series for grooming its next generation, as part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative. His first race at the GreenvillePickens Speedway, he won, becoming the youngest driver to ever win at the that track. After another win, he finished third overall in the series and received the Rookie of the Year award, a first for an African-American driver.

He won three more times in 2011. Driving for Joe

Gibbs Racing Team in 2012, he held his own, staying near the top and even winning one race. He had five wins in two years. In 2014, he finished third overall while driving the truck series with Kyle Busch Motorsports. He followed that up by driving with Roush Fenway Racing in the Xfinity Series from 2015 to 2017.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, strongly believes Wallace is a future NASCAR star.

“NASCAR’s face, as far as driving, is changing,” said Petty. “It changes every 12 to 14 years; we’re right in the middle of that. That was one of the reasons I was looking for a younger driver. Of all the ones that we looked at, we thought Bubba was going to be as good or better than any of the rest of them, personality-wise, driver-wise, sponsor-wise, the whole deal.”

Bill Lester, another Black NASCAR driver, who raced two Cup-level races in 2006 and garnered seven top-10 finishes in the truck series from 2000 to 2007, champions Wallace but warns that the lack of major sponsorship is a huge obstacle to Wallace realizing his full potential.

“If they do not get more corporate support, they’re going to struggle,” said Lester of Wallace and his team via telephone. “I always had a good-looking car but, when it came to everything that was necessary to (run) at the front, I didn’t have it and that was because I just didn’t have the resources that the top-running teams had and he is in the same position.”

NASCAR sponsorship is a revolving door so any race week, sponsors can step up. That has given Wallace an opportunity to attract nontraditional sponsorship like the Blackowned, Columbus, Ohiobased moving company E.E. Ward. Brian Brooks, coowner of the company said their support of Wallace in Atlanta, especially during Black History Month, was a very hopeful gesture.

“I think it would be a disgrace if we have to wait another 50 years for someone to come after Bubba to be a driver of color in NASCAR,” said Brooks via phone.

To be a strong contender, Lester insists Wallace needs Fortune 500 support.

“With him not having full sponsorship, which is

Cameras In Action Stock Photography

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. at the Daytona 500

Cameras In Action Stock Photography

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. with sister Brittany Wallace (left) and mother Desiree Wallace (right).

about an $18 million to $20 million proposition per year these days, he’s at a deficit,” said Lester.

Like many in NASCAR, Derrell Edwards, a former college basketball player turned Austin Dillon pit crew member, who is believed to be the first African-American over-the-wall crew member for a Daytona 500 winner, feels Wallace’s success is a good look for NASCAR’s future.

“I think a lot of the people are going to gravitate towards him,” said Edwards.

“And it’s going to be great for the culture.”

“We’re lacking in that department when it comes to NASCAR,” said Wallace in conversation regarding the potential impact he and his team could have on increasing Black representation in the sport.

“For us to be able to go out and do what we do on the racetrack and try to be the best, I think it’s going to help that number grow.”

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Page 12 •March 26 - April 1, 2018 • Insight News

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Full Circle Theater Company play, ‘Under This Roof,’ comes to the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio Full Circle Core Artist James Williams will direct the world premiere of Barbara Kingsley’s “Under This Roof” for Full Circle Theater’s 2018 main-stage production at the Guthrie Theater, 818 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis.

“Under This Roof” runs May 4 – May 20. Guthrie Theater presents this Full Circle Theater Company production.

Set in the late 1940s against the backdrop of postWorld War II recovery in America, this four- character, two-act play takes place in the segregated Black neighborhood of Central Cleveland, where characters Mamie and Raymond Warren reside.

Mamie desperately needs household help after her husband has a serious accident. On the recommendation of a friend, Mamie hires a down-on-herluck woman named Bessie, whose arrival brings surprises and new challenges. In this setting, “Under This Roof” explores themes of mature love, family, disability, and race on an ever-shifting

axis, with often-unexpected comic, painful, and heartfelt results.

“This is a love story. It’s about mature love, marriage, romantic love, and familial love,” said director James Williams.

“Under This Roof” is written by Barbara Kingsley, a veteran stage and screen actress and Ivey Award winning performer who created hundreds of characters over nearly 40 years on Twin Cities stages.

In 2011 Kingsley received an Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant to go to Cleveland to carry out research for “Under This Roof” and to obtain oral histories from people who lived in Central Neighborhood, Cleveland in the late 1940s – the setting of the play.

“Under This Roof” was selected as a 2015 semifinalist at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference.

Tickets are now on sale at www.guthrietheater.org or by phone at (612) 377-2224.

Tickets are $9.

(Left to right) Laura Esping, Brian A. Grandison and Yolande Bruce star in “Under This Roof”

Dedicated to memory of Brooklyn’s first Black district attorney

‘Race to Judgment’ explores misconduct in Brooklyn’s legal system

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor In January 2014, Kenneth Thompson made history by becoming the first AfricanAmerican district attorney of the New York City borough of Brooklyn.

As Brooklyn’s district attorney, Thompson “ordered his office not to prosecute low-level marijuana arrests, in part to devote more resources to fight gun crimes, rape and domestic violence. He said he also wanted to spare younger New Yorkers from ‘the burden of a criminal record,’” according to the New York Daily News. “He also moved to vacate or supported the dismissal of convictions of 21 people wrongly convicted of murder and other offenses … and presided over the prosecution against Police Officer Peter Liang in the accidental shooting death of Akai Gurley at the Pink Houses.”

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Author and former judge, Frederic Block In October 2016, Thompson died from cancer, but his career has been immortalized in a novel by Frederic Block, a senior United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of New York.

In an interview with Above the Law (ATL), a website that provides news and insights about the legal system, Block said “Race to

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Judgment” is based in part on Thompson’s life.

Block told ATL when he presented a signed copy of the book Thompson’s widow, Lu-Shawn Thompson, she told him that the book was a wonderful way of perpetuating the DA’s legacy.

Block said early in Thompson’s career, Thompson tried one of his first

through his meteoric rise to unseat the long-term, corrupt Brooklyn district attorney, because of a spate of phony convictions against Black defendants, including another one of the judge’s real cases (JoJo Jones in the book) for the murder of a Hasidic rabbi.”

Thompson’s legacy lives on as the inspiration for the main character in “Race to Judgment,” and readers will recognize the close professional relationship between Thompson and Block.

“During his 23 years on the bench, Block has presided over a number of highprofile cases, including the

cases in front of Block as a federal prosecutor.

“I was impressed with his ability and immediately knew he was going places,” said Block. “Since then, I followed his career with great interest as he rose to the pinnacle of the New York legal world. ‘Race to Judgment,’ my new reality fiction novel, which explores themes of

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“Race to Judgment” is a reality-fiction novel dedicated to the legacy of Kenneth Thompson Brooklyn’s first Black District Attorney. corruption and misconduct in the Brooklyn criminal justice system, is loosely based on Ken’s career. It is dedicated to his memory.”

Block’s book draws from his more than two decades on the federal bench and tackles such cases as the 1991 Crown Heights riot that pitted African-American and Orthodox Jewish residents against each other during an especially tense time in Brooklyn.

According to a description of “Race to Judgment” on Amazon.com, the realityfiction novel, “tracks the rise of the fictional AfricanAmerican civil rights protagonist Ken Williams … from his days as an assistant United States attorney

trials of former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, Kenneth ‘Supreme’ McGriff, Peter Gotti, Lemrick Nelson, and nightclub magnate Peter Gatien,” reads his biography.

A press release about the book said, “With ‘Race to Judgment,’ Frederic Block has not only created an exciting novel, but he also provides an insider’s look at the New York criminal justice system – from the deplorable conditions at the Riker’s Island prison, to the mistreatment of African-American prisoners, to the practice of stop-and-frisk which has disproportionately targeted minorities.”