Insight News ::: 5.9.11

Soul Daddy: America’s

next great restaurant opens at Mall of America MORE ON PAGE 8

INSIGHT NEWS May 9 - May 15, 2011 • MN Metro Vol. 37 No. 19 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

U.S. kills bin Laden President Obama declares justice has been done

that may never fully heal.

It was George W. Bush who boldly declared shortly after a plane crashed in Pennsylvania and the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon went up in flames, “I want justice.

And there’s an old poster out West. I recall, that said, ‘Wanted Dead or Alive.’”

In 2003, Bush stood on the flight deck of the USS Lincoln and declared, “…Major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” Mounted on the ship was a huge banner that proclaimed, “Mission Accomplished.”

Of course, the mission in Iraq was not accomplished – and still isn’t – and bin Laden was never found dead or alive on Bush’s watch.

It was a patient, skilled, and underrated Barack Obama who proved to be the real “decider” in the White House. By all accounts, he was directly engaged in all aspects of the carefully planned operation that ended bin Laden’s life without suffering any U.S. casualties.

Obama was apprised that bin Laden’s hideaway inside of Pakistan had been pinpointed by CIA operatives last September. During the next few months, additional intelligence information was developed and on March 13, President Obama held the first of five National Security Council meetings.

When presented with the option of bombing the compound, Obama rejected it and instead favored a riskier plan to airlift Navy SEALS by helicopter, having them storm the compound and conduct a room-by-room search for the terrorist mastermind.

Before leaving to inspect tornado damage in Tuscaloosa, Ala., the president gave the green light to launch the attack. On Sunday, the operation was carried out in secrecy as Obama and his close circle of security advisers watched on a secure hookup.

Amazingly, there were no leaks to the media in the nation’s gossip-crazed capital.

Instead of being boastful, Obama struck a

By George E. Curry Special to the NNPA from theDefendersOnline.com If Pakistan cannot or will not take out these highlevel terrorists targets and we have actionable intelligence about where they are, then I would take action to protect the American people. I firmly believe that if we know the whereabouts of bin Laden and his deputies and we have exhausted all other options, we must take them out.

– Senator Barack Obama, Op-Ed in the Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa Aug. 12, 2007 On Sunday night, May 1st, President Obama made good on that promise, announcing that a team of elite Navy SEALs had taken out Osama bin Laden for good with two bullets, one to the chest and one to the head. The surprise attack on Public Enemy No. 1 took place shortly before 2 a.m. in Pakistan, ending one of the longest and most frustrating worldwide manhunts in history.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, a subdued President Obama said, “Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability.

No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.”

Jubilant, flag-waving Americans gathered in front of the White House and at Ground Zero in New York to celebrate. The New York Daily News carried a photo of bin Laden the next day with the headline, “Rot in Hell.”

For some families, the death of Osama bin Laden, nearly 10 years after the murder of their loved ones, may put them on the road to closure. For others, however, it merely re-opened old wounds, wounds

The end of violent Al-Qaeda ideology reconstruction and development effort.

By U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison The death of Osama bin Laden this week marks the most significant accomplishment yet in the war against Al-Qaeda.

I commend the leadership of President Obama, the U.S. Armed Forces and the intelligence community for finding the world’s most wanted terrorist. As we reflect, our thoughts should be with the families of those bin Laden murdered in the September 11th terrorist attacks. Even before 9/11, bin Laden killed Americans and others at the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and on the USS Cole. I hope his death marks the beginning of the end of the violent Al-Qaeda ideology.

This week I joined with my colleagues to write a letter to President Obama, calling for a significant reduction in U.S. troops in Afghanistan. bin Laden’s death signals the need to end our involvement in the longest war in American history. We must ensure that the scheduled reduction in troops in July meets the expectations of the American people and that we transition to a civilian-led

Another Week And Still No Jobs Legislation Republicans continued their anything-but-jobs agenda this week. It is now five months since Republicans took the majority in the House, and they still haven’t introduced a single bill that would create even one job. Instead, this week they voted to undo health care reform, undermine women’s health, and promote environmentally devastating oil drilling policies.

This week Republicans voted to take $1.7 million away from Minnesota to create a health care exchange under the Affordable Care Act. I voted against this measure since it would delay coverage for uninsured Minnesotans and put a greater burden on our state government. Republicans want to derail reforms that will enable individuals and small businesses to purchase quality, affordable health care coverage.

On Wednesday, Republicans voted to significantly restrict women’s access to legal health care services. Their legislation

UPDATE TURN TO 2

Buisiness

Black corporate board seats decline

PAGE 3

OSAMA TURN TO 8

Osama bin Laden

Alabama: Loss staggering

By Ivan B. Phifer Staff Writer The Metro Birmingham Branch NAACP is recruiting volunteers for long-term relief and assistance for those affected by the devastating tornadoes that swept through metro Birmingham on April 27, 2011.

The Rev. Anthony Johnson, community relations chair of the Birmingham Metro NAACP, appeared as a guest via telephone on the May 3rd broadcast of “Conversations with Al McFarlane” on KFAI 90.3FM. “We were struck by a tornado a mile wide, moving between 60

Wikimedia Commons

Where a neighborhood and apartment complex once stood in Tuscaloosa, AL. It was leveled by a tornado on April 27th, 2011

to 80 miles per hour,” he said. “It started around the metro area, drew steam, and started moving west to Hueytown, Pleasant Grove, Pratt City, and on to Tuscaloosa,” Johnson said.

Once it reached Tuscaloosa, it broke into four separate tornadoes, he said.

“The loss of life and property is staggering. The number of people dead is estimated to be over 250 and still counting.

Because of the structural damage, a lot of bodies have yet to be identified and more may be discovered,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he was in

TORNADO TURN TO 11

Citizens shape transportation vision

Workshops will shape multimodal system for the next generation

Mn/DOT

Commissioner Tom Sorel, MN/DOT

Aesthetics

Hot Jazz at da Funky Butt

PAGE 5

Minnesotans will help determine the state’s transportation system vision for the next 50 years when the Minnesota Department of Transportation hosts a series of workshops across the state.

“Our current financial challenges and aging infrastructure make establishing a vision even more important,” said Tom Sorel, Mn/DOT commissioner. “The Minnesota GO workshops are Minnesotans’ opportunity to communicate

their expectations for transportation today and for the next generation.”

The process will help the agency ensure future transportation planning efforts better align with Minnesotans’ expectations.

Participants from all backgrounds will think broadly while sharing ideas and thoughts during a series of small group discussions about the future of transportation. No advanced

Health

Early parenthood may lead to unhealthy diet

PAGE 6

reservation is necessary and organizers ask participants to stay for the entire workshop.

A 31-member steering committee will review feedback from the workshops, online discussions and related research.

This will serve as the foundation for the recommended 50-year transportation vision statement and set of objectives. A public

TRANSPORTATION 3 TURN TO

Sports

Phil Jackson: Golden til’ the end

PAGE 11

Page 2 • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Representatives stand against Republican budget proposals

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer At a Minneapolis community budget briefing on Saturday, April 30th, DFL State Representatives took a stand against this session’s devastating Republican budget proposals. They not only plan to strip services to the disabled and less fortunate but government operations that all Minnesotans have come to expect.

Most of our state tax dollars go towards helping cities maintain a civilized standard of living. Local government aid is funding provided by the state to city governments throughout Minnesota. It was originally created to equalize property tax burdens across the state and ensure that all Minnesotans have access to services like police and fire, parks and libraries, and other public amenities.

The MN State government has created a need-based formula that determines the amount of money cities and regions receive. Certain cities get more, or less, depending on varying income levels and demands of a particular area.

Areas that suffer local government aid cuts must make up the revenue loss through raising property taxes or by cutting vital services such as ambulances and road repair.

As the budget currently stands, the State of Minnesota will completely run out of money on July 1st. If the legislature cannot work out a compromise by midnight on May 23rd, all state government services will end. State Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-South Minneapolis) believes that the MN Republican leadership would rather see a state government shutdown than concede to our need for a strong foundation that benefits us all. “I cannot see them compromising one iota until the very end,” he says.

Every two years, the MN Tax Research Division projects the total local and state tax burden on Minnesota families based on previous state revenue and expense plans.

State Representative Bobby Joe Champion (58-B)

State Representative Frank Hornstein (60-B) The 2011 study forecasts an unreal disparity between the tax rates for different income levels. In 2013, households earning over $500,000 a year will be required to pay less than 10% of their income in taxes. Whereas families earning less than $11,000 will be forced to pay 30%!

This is the opposite of the progressive tax ideal that Minnesotans understand is simply the cost of living in a fair and prosperous society.

The Republican plan will transfer our tax dollars

out of specially-dedicated funds for local fire safety, 911 operations, services for battered women, community improvement and crime prevention organizations—all programs that directly keep our neighborhoods safe.

Critical medical services and bus routes that serve the elderly and disabled may completely disappear in certain regions of Minnesota.

We will see cuts to education and job development, which will lessen Minnesota’s ability to compete in a global market that

State Representative Jeff Hayden (61-B)

State Representative Jean Wagenius (62-B) is shifting overseas. Colleges and universities will force staff lay-offs, program terminations, and possibly eliminate funding for special education.

In addition, cuts to the MN Dept. of Commerce further threaten to destroy Minnesota’s economy. For example, state agencies will no longer have the funding to protect individuals and our entire economic system from business fraud.

“We are seeing an attempt to roll-back nearly a century of progress in the development of

our state and its people,” said State Rep. Jeff Hayden (DFLSouth Minneapolis).

State Rep. Jean Wagenius (DFL-South Minneapolis) spoke of the connection between financial support for natural resource programs and our economy. It is imperative that we support a clean energy system as a reinvestment for a strong economy. “For Minnesota,” she says, “the purchasing of coal and nuclear energy resources only sends dollars out of our state. We need our money to circulate

[for our benefit].”

Making cuts to the MN Dept. of Natural Resources also threatens public safety. It manages dam inspections and wetland conservation—areas that naturally protect us from flooding. The Republicans plan to eliminate the Disaster Assistance Match, which provides flood-ravaged areas assistance in applying for federal funds to rebuild their communities.

State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-North Minneapolis) says that he is very worried about the path Republican legislators are leading us down: “Simply chopping away at public programs will only cause devastating hikes in state fees, property taxes, and county sales taxes.”

Support and development in one region benefits all Minnesotans through economic growth of the entire state. For example, clean energy prosperity in outer state Minnesota benefits business development and well being across the state. “But people think the metro area gets everything,” Champion says.

However, there is a growing division and sympathy for human rights among Republicans, especially those representing swing districts. In order to expand the emerging cracks within the Republican Party, urban DFL representatives encourage all Minnesotans to contact sympathetic Republican legislators. They encourage urban constituents to discuss this issue with friends and family who live or pay taxes in outer state Minnesota. Even people who own a cabin, or vacation in outer Minnesota, have the right to demand government funding for hospitals in the event of injury and other public amenities.

Encourage your state representatives to stand against the Republican-proposed budget!

For more information visit the MN Dept. of Revenue website, www.Taxes.State.

MN.US

Communities mobilize to preserve human rights funding

By Harry Colbert, Jr. If the republican-controlled state legislature has its way, the Minn.

Dept. of Human Rights (MDHR) could have its budget slashed by as much as 65 percent.

This is despite the fact that the current state deficit is at about 13 percent and most other cuts proposed by the house and senate are coming in at between four and six percent. In dollars, the MDHR could lose between $1.55 million and $2.1 million of its annual operating capital if the cuts take effect.

A group of nearly 30 concerned citizens and civic leaders representing various organizations gathered at the offices of the Lao Family Community of Minnesota to hear directly from the MDHR commissioner, Kevin Lindsey, who said human rights departments throughout the nation have been under constant attack.

“What’s going on is a coordinated effort to limit the effectiveness of human rights departments across this nation,” said Lindsey, who said his department is already stretched to the gills.

According to Lindsey, by statute under the state’s Human Rights Act, the MDHR is supposed to investigate any claim brought to the department within 365 days. “Currently, it’s taking more than 400 days to complete an investigation into probable cause findings. Any further cuts to (the department’s) budget would make it impossible to comply with the statue,” said Lindsey, who was appointed this past February by Gov. Mark Dayton to head the MDHR.

Update From 1 would raise taxes on individuals and small businesses with health insurance plans that -- among many other services -- also offer coverage for abortion. Their proposal would raise taxes on 87 percent of health care plans.

Contrary to Republican claims,

Kevin Lindsey, Commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Human Rights Though the legislature is proposing the steep cuts, Lindsey said any such cuts will be vetoed by the governor. The governor’s proposed budget calls for the MDHR budget to remain at current funding levels.

“The governor is steadfast in his commitment to our office and realizes the importance of having an adequately funded department of human rights,” said Lindsey.

Over the years, the MDHR has seen its funding steadily decrease. “When you visit the MDHR, it’s striking to see the number of empty offices,” said Lindsey.

Some proponents of the cuts believe the MDHR is redundant as it serves essentially the function as the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC). According to Lindsey, these claims are not accurate. He said the EEOC is only charged with issues of employment, whereas the department of human rights, in addition to

employment, also deals with issues of fair housing, education, public accommodations and more. “And also know; currently there’s a backlog of more than 86,000 cases over at the EEOC,” said Lindsey.

Louis King, founder of HIRE Minnesota and president of Summit Academy OIC said the community will not stand for any cuts to the MDHR budget. “I think we have the right governor in place to move our agenda forward. We’re going to the mat on this one,” said King. “You can’t deny my people work and then wonder why they’re on the 6 o’clock news starving.”

Mel Reeves, who spoke at the meeting, said a fullyfunded MDHR is a must. “The situation is dire. It’s not time for a check-up, it’s time to go to the emergency room for blacks in Minnesota,” said Reeves.

The legislature is expected to present its final budget to the governor by May 23.

this bill has nothing to do with public funding of abortions, which has been prohibited by law for over 40 years. As a proud supporter of a woman’s right to choose, I voted no on this legislation that would undermine women’s health.

Finally, almost exactly one year after the BP oil spill, Republicans voted for legislation that would make it easier for companies to drill

for oil offshore and continue business-as-usual.

I voted against this reckless legislation that ignores the many safety and environmental lessons we learned last summer and does nothing to lower gas prices in Minnesota.

To read letter go to: http://cpc.grijalva.house. gov/files/PresidentObama_ binLadenAfghanistan_050411. pdf

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Page 3

BUSINESS Black corporate board seats decline Washington, D.C. - The release of a corporate board census by the Alliance for Board Diversity (ABD) on May 2, 2011 reported a surprising decline in the combined number of seats for women and minorities on the boards of the nation’s leading corporations.

The largest decline was among Blacks. This year’s report found that in the Fortune 100 between 2004 and 2010, African Americans lost over 40 board seats while white men increased their presence on corporate boards, adding over 30. Overall, women did not see an appreciable increase in their share of board seats.

The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), an independent, non-profit 501(c)(6) corporation founded in 1986, is a founding partner in the Alliance for Board Diversity.

ELC members are African American senior executives of Fortune 500 companies and equivalents. Considering the hundreds of board seats that became available during the six year period, ELC sees the combined decrease for all underrepresented groups and the steep decline for blacks as disconcerting.

“It is troubling groups already severely underrepresented on corporate boards have collectively experienced a decline over the last six years,” ELC president and CEO Arnold W. Donald remarked in his assessment of the available data. “Most business leaders recognize that inclusion and the diversity of thinking that results from it creates real value. Shareholder value for most of the companies listed in the census is being compromised by the lack of board diversity. A decline in any single group of minorities or women is not good, a collective decline is troubling.”

is a collaboration of four leadership organizations: Catalyst www.catalyst.org, The Executive Leadership Council www.elcinfo.com, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility www.hacr.org, and Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc www.leap.org. The Prout Group Inc. www.proutgroup. com, an executive search firm, is a founding partner of the alliance and serves as advisor and facilitator. The groups have a common goal to enhance shareholder value by promoting inclusion of women and minorities on corporate boards.

More information about ABD and access to the full “Missing Pieces: Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards - 2010 Alliance for Board Diversity Census” is available at www. theabd.org.

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

PhotoXpress

The ABD has worked collaboratively for more than six years to encourage corporations to increase the diversity of their boards.

Catalyzed by sponsoring companies Altria and Kraft, the ELC has recently begun its own Corporate Board Initiative.

ELC identifies and offers development opportunities to its members who are “board ready” and those who are nearly ready to assume the rigors of corporate board responsibilities. The organization has assembled

an elite cadre of members prepared for board leadership and has worked with leading search organizations such as Heidrick & Struggles to prepare candidates and match them with opportunities.

ABD Corporate Board Census Recent U.S. Census data shows that women and minority men comprise 66 percent of the U.S. population. Yet the ABD report indicates that more than 325 of the Fortune 500 have less

than 25 percent representation, nearly 100 have less than 10 percent, and 37 companies have no women or minority representation whatsoever.

“Few will debate that inclusion and the diversity of thinking that it brings to business challenges creates real shareholder value,” further stated Mr. Donald of ELC. “That’s why the decline in the collective presence of underrepresented groups on the boards of America’s largest corporations as reported

in this study is more than a little concerning. We at ELC, together with our ABD partners, plan to make a meaningful contribution in helping America’s corporations address this missed opportunity.”

Corporations interested in increasing board diversity may contact ELC or any of the partners in the ABD for access to the most qualified diverse candidates available for corporate board service.

Founded in 2004, the Alliance for Board Diversity

Feeling groovy at work Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Feelin’ Groovy is an old song; ask an old person and they just might remember the catchy tune and the words: Slow down, you’re moving too fast.

Lately, I have been

Transportation From 1 hearing on the proposed vision will follow in July.

Mn/DOT and other transportation organizations will then use the vision and information to develop and update short-term and longterm multi-modal transportation plans.

Mn/DOT’s transportation system responsibilities include: • Planning, building and maintaining state roads, bridges and trails for vehicle operators, bicyclists and pedestrians.

• Planning and funding regional airports, railroads, public transit and ports owned and operated by local governments and private companies.

• Providing technical and financial assistance for local roads.

Minnesotans interested in getting involved can check out www.minnesotago.org.

The website is hosted by the Citizen’s League and will be updated regularly with new content, discussion questions, surveys and videotaped interviews on a range of topics.

High school students may also share their thoughts on the future of transportation at www. studentsspeakout.org.

To request translation services or other accommodations, contact Janet Miller at janet.rae.miller@state. mn.us, 651-366-4720 (Twin Cities metro area) or 1-800-6573774 (greater Minnesota) at least three business days in advance.

The Twin Cities workshop is 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 pm May 23 at St. Paul Como Park, Marjorie McNeely Conservatory 1225 Estabrook Drive.

required to ask competencybased questions during dozens of interviews. These questions aim to reveal a person’s strengths and weaknesses through their own descriptions of specific experiences. My task is to ask about a situation, find out how the candidate approached the challenge, and then learn what they learned or took away from that event.

These questions cover a wide swath of career territory.

Each candidate is unique, so their approaches vary, too.

However, when it comes to

revealing lessons learned, there is a common thread that seems impossible to ignore: slow down.

Question #1: Describe a time when you made a mistake and had to publicly correct it. The stories vary, but the lesson learned is consistent across almost all candidates: slow down, avoid the mistake, double check the work before it goes out the door.

Question #2: Describe a time when you had to do something you’d never done before.

The story could

* An online participation option is available May 23 for those unable to attend a

workshop in their area. Details at www.minnesotago.org.

be about an unexpected promotion, a big project or covering for someone who didn’t show up to a conference.

The lesson learned? Go slow, think it through, ask questions.

Question #3: Describe a time when you had to provide negative feedback to someone. The stories were about delivering performance reviews, discovering errors and arguing with a mother-inlaw. The lesson learned: go slowly, don’t be rushed, take time to be aware of the other person’s reaction and hear

their point of view.

When you face a challenging situation in work or in life, think forward to how you will look back on this event. Apply the age-old lesson so many people learned the hard way: Slow down. It’s simple. It’s effective. And it is definitely groovy, Julie Desmond is a recruiter with Express and Specialized Recruiting Group. Write to julie@insightnews.com.

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

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Andrew Notsch Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlane Bobby Rankin Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Staff Writer Ivan B. Phifer

How will we get from here (and back) in the future?

The Minnesota Department of Transportation wants your help in a new initiative to shape a long-range transportation vision for the state.

Minnesota GO is an opportunity for the community to share their ideas about the future of transportation through a series of highly interactive public workshops.

Workshops will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM on the following dates and locations: May 16: Atwood Conference Center, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud May 17: Bigwood Event Center, Fergus Falls May 18: Crying Wolf Room, Bemidji State University, Bemidji May 19: The Depot, Duluth May 23: Como Conservatory, St. Paul May 26: Mankato Civic Center, Mankato June 7: Ridgewater College Outreach Room, Willmar June 8: Rochester Community and Technical College, Rochester No reservation necessary. Coffee, tea and cookies will be served.

To request translation services or other accommodations, contact Janet Rae Miller at janet.rae.miller@state.mn.us or (651) 366-4720 at least 3 business days in advance.

The ideas from the workshops will serve as the foundation for a transportation vision for the next 50 years, which ultimately will help agencies prioritize resources now and for generations to come.

For more information about Minnesota GO and other ways to participate, visit: www.minnesotago.org Visit www.dot.state.mn.us/careers.html to apply for Mn/DOT and other State of Minnesota jobs.

Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Brenda Colston Julie Desmond S. Himie Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Ryan T. Scott Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu 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 4 • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Insight News

insightnews.com

EDUCATION Schools must welcome, respect families Building Creative Capital

By Bernadeia H. Johnson MPS Superintendent Every child who enters our school doors is an individual with a unique set of life experiences, talents, skills and challenges. I strongly believe that every child deserves our fullest and most intentional support in helping him or her achieve success in school, as well as in life. To do this, our schools must be places where all children feel and believe

their surroundings are safe, welcoming and supportive.

Ensuring that our families feel included, welcomed and respected when they enter our buildings is equally as important. Minneapolis Public Schools is committed to providing excellent service to our students, families and visitors through every interaction. A friendly voice on the phone, a warm welcome in the school office and a hospitable environment help individuals continue to have positive connections with our schools. This commitment to inclusion of the diverse families that we serve must permeate every level of our organization.

MPS has a more diverse, more mobile, more complex

body of students than most school districts in Minnesota.

Our student body is 68 percent students of color. Sixty-six percent of our students qualify to receive free or reduced price meals. English Language Learner (ELL) services are provided to 23 percent of MPS students and nearly 20 percent of our students receive special education services. We consider this diversity to be one of our greatest strengths. Our urban educational experience gives young people a competitive edge in a multi-ethnic global economy.

In the last six years, MPS graduation rates are up from 76 percent to 85 percent in the seven comprehensive Minneapolis high schools and

the percentage of our students enrolling in college immediately after high school has risen from 45 percent to 62 percent. High school participation in courses of academic rigor like Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate among students of color has increased from 19 percent in 2007 to 35 percent in 2010; while white students still have a disproportionately higher rate of participation (66 percent vs. 35 percent respectively), the gain for students of color over that four-year period was higher (11 percent for white students compared to 16 percent for students of color).

We are seeing progress, but it is not enough. We must accelerate efforts and intensely focus on core strategies that

will deliver the results we desire for every student. This means that our building leaders, instructional staff and others who interact with students must be prepared to meet the diverse needs of each and every student who enters our classrooms.

We must also ensure that our administrative services closely align with our mission in order to provide optimal support to our schools and students.

The MPS Office of Equity and Diversity works to integrate equity and diversity into all aspects of our school district, whether by building an inclusive culture and environment where our staff, students and families are supported or working to achieve better resolution of harassment and discrimination

complaints.

Equity and Diversity staff focus on building partnerships with businesses and diverse community organizations and increasing business opportunities for Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (M/ WBEs) and other diverse business enterprises.

Commitment to equity and diversity is one of our core values and is essential to our goal of keeping children first and shaping them to be collegeready. Our schools must be places of inclusion and respect, where we strive to enhance the education, development and growth of our students. Thank you for your support of this goal in the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Arts High School admissions opportunity High school juniors and seniors who are interested in the arts have a second opportunity to apply to attend the Arts High School at the Perpich Center. The Arts High School is a public, tuition-free, accredited high school. It is located at 6125 Olson Memorial Highway in Golden Valley, at the intersection of Highway 55 and 100.

“We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated students who want to work hard,” said Julio Vargas, Enrollment Management Director at the Perpich Center. “Students do not need to come to us with years of lessons or a formal background in the arts. We want to find students who will benefit from our program that combines rigorous academic and intensive learning in the arts.”

Students at the Arts High School take academic classes in the morning and focus in the arts in the afternoon.

An earlier application process filled most of the openings for next year, but limited openings remain in selected art areas. The second round application period for admission is open through May 13, 2011. Applications will only be accepted from individuals who have not previously applied for admission to AHS.

Dan Markworth

Julio Vargas, Enrollment Management Director at the Perpich Center

“We are especially looking for students interested in dance and theater,” Vargas said. “In the past, dancers with no formal

experience have joined our program and found great success. They have been welcome additions.”

Applications will be accepted for new first-time applicants for these specific program areas and grades only: • Dance, Theater and Interdisciplinary – current 10 and 11th graders • Media Arts and Literary Arts – current 10 graders only • Music – current 10th and 11th graders interested in voice, or who play orchestral strings, woodwind or brass instruments “I invite students or parents to call me to find out more about the Perpich Center,” Vargas said. “We have a near 100 per cent graduation rate, and the vast majority of our graduates go on to college.

Our programs prepare students for careers both in and out of the arts, and often our students are able to use their talents and their achievements to connect to college scholarships.”

Applications are available online at the Perpich website: www.pcae.k12.mn.us.

Or contact Julio Vargas at Julio.vargas@ pcae.k12.mn.us or at 763-591-4710.

Applicant interviews will be on Thursday, May 26, 2011.

Courtesy of Bryn Mawr Elementary School

5th grade teacher Leslie Ferster with fifth grader Akram Isaac at Bryn Mawr

Fifth graders get a taste of college life on campus Fifth-grade students at Bryn Mawr Elementary School on May 2 experienced a half-day college field trip. Forty-five students participated in the Bryn Mawr Day at the University of Minnesota event, in which students spent the day in the shoes of a college student.

“This experience helps students to realize their

potential beyond elementary and secondary school,” said MPS Assistant Director of Equity and Diversity Cedrick Frazier. “Our goal is to raise the expectations of students and parents alike that attending college will be part of students’ future.”

COLLEGE TURN TO 5

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Page 5

AESTHETICS

Hot Jazz at da Funky Butt

By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer Many never stop and question where some of their favorite past times have come from; that hour of expression that birthed a movement or a genre that feels effortless as it graces the scene today. For Jazz Music, unbeknownst to many, the journey has been one of challenge and risk. And thanks to writer Jean Calvit, we’ve been given the opportunity to see how it all began.

Interact Theater’s current production, “Hot Jazz at Da Funky Butt,” a piece written by Calvit and Dario Tangelson, and directed by Calvit, the companies artistic/ executive director, explores the beginning of this musical staple with a piece sure to open your eyes, and incite your ears to engage in the perils that surrounded a once forbidden genre.

New Orleans is the backdrop for this esoteric masterpiece, which blends events, races, voodoo, music and culture to reenact a moment in history that wasn’t so open to what was once considered a radical interpretation of instrumental sound.

Like dancing was to a film like “Footloose,” we quickly learn that jazz music held the same cautionary envelope. But for one man, “King” Buddy Bolden, the artist credited with starting the jazz music genre, the radical sound was moreover a new form of an expression that signified independence, and a way to overcome the smothering arc of the Jim Crow laws.

The production features local talents Ivory Doublette, and Reginald Haney, and New Orleans jazz group Rue Fiya. It also features an ensemble cast made up of several disabled

Zena Moses (Marie Laveau), Reginald D. Haney (James Europe) and non-disabled actors who illustrate the beauty in difference while challenging the audience’s perception of their perceived incapacities.

The play not only bridges the gap between cultures, and

outer distinctions, but it proves through the use of sound, that through a single note, or a collection of melodies, we are one in the same when we accept the beauty of music.

The production runs from

Book review: Fail Up of his more public falls from grace, such as being fired by BET Chairman Bob Johnson, being called a “House [N-word]” by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and, perhaps most painfully, being rejected by much of the black community for his failure to embrace Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential race.

He addresses the Obama controversy in heartfelt fashion in a chapter entitled, “When Everybody Turns against You.” There he reflects upon the tears spilt after being thrown under the campaign bus by fans and colleagues alike, including radio DJ Tom Joyner, a longtimefriend and colleague, who all but predicted his professional demise.

But to his credit, Tavis has not only survived but flourished mightily. In fact, the brother proves himself here to be humble enough to air his most-humiliating faux pas so they might serve as cautionary tales for anyone contemplating following in his footsteps.

Given Tavis Smiley’s lofty status as the host of a hit, nationally-syndicated, TV talk show, one might not suspect that he’d suffered any setbacks over the course of his

meteoric rise. But contrary to appearances, the accomplished b r o a d c a s t e r- e n t r e p r e n e u rpublisher-philanthropist-author has definitely taken his share of missteps on his way to the top.

And now he’s decided to mark his 20th anniversary in the business by writing a how-to, or should I say a how not-to, book recounting 20 of the biggest blunders he’s made in life. The point of the revealing exercise is ostensibly to give hope to the downtrodden and discouraged, by illustrating how much more we can potentially learn from our mistakes than from our successes.

In this warts-and-all memoir, Tavis owns up to a number of embarrassing doozies, ranging from getting arrested for writing bad checks to padding his timesheets at a job to graduating 15 years late from college because he flunked a course the second semester of his senior year. He also admits to mooching off former NFL great Jim Brown when he first arrived in Los Angeles and to almost moving back home to Indiana dead broke when, as Gladys Knight sings it, “L.A. proved too much for the man.”

What I found most fascinating, nevertheless, is hearing Tavis expound on some

College

Step program that encourages MPS students to pursue

higher education and career opportunities.

Film Review

By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com “If they’re being honest, most people who have ever succeeded in any human endeavor will tell you they learned more from their failures than they ever learned from their successes… Failure is an inevitable part of the human condition… Through my scars I have been blessed to arrive at a place I never imagined... When you take the time to learn your lessons, when you use those lessons as stepping-stones to climb even higher than you were before, you transcend failure— you ‘fail up.’ In this book, I detail 20 of the most impactful lessons of my life… I’m a witness. You CAN fail up!” (Excerpts from the Introduction, pgs. ix-xvii)

From 4 The elementary students spent the day on the University of Minnesota campus visiting with current college students and faculty. They also listened to a panel discussion and participated in a mock college class taught by university professors. In a one-hour College is Cool presentation, students learned the basics about how to apply for college, what to expect once they arrive on campus as a student and what is needed to succeed in college.

The students also participated in a campus exploration activity to help them become familiar with the U of M campus. Students closed the day by having lunch on campus with college students.

This event was part of the MPS Office of Equity and Diversity’s 100 Strong Who Care – Scholarship, Service,

Fail Up: 20 Lessons on Building Success from Failure

By Tavis Smiley Smiley Books Hardcover, $19.95 288 pages, Illustrated ISBN: 978-1-4019-3390-6

now until May 21, at the Lab Theater in the warehouse district of Downtown Minneapolis.

Interact Theater is a company that since 1996, has specialized in creating

bodies of work that challenge audiences, create knowledge, encourage acceptance, and provide inclusive entertainment for actors and actresses who through their differences overcome their

Photos courtesy of Interact

challenges.

For tickets and more information please visit: www. interactcenter.com or call The Lab Box Office at (612) 3337977.

Page 6 • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Insight News

insightnews.com

HEALTH Early parenthood may lead to unhealthy diet

By Chris Garner Contributing Writer University of Minnesota’s Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults) has recently taken a study that links early parenthood to poor diet and low physical activity, specifically especially mothers. University of Minnesota physician Jerica Berge, Ph.D. said that parents used for the study were children they had followed to adulthood through the program Project EAT for the past ten years.

Research has shown young adult mothers between the ages 19 and 27 had higher body mass index (BMI) and poor dietary intake compared to young adult women without children. Berge believes these young mothers take in foods higher in fat and sugar due to compensate time

demands and stress. “This tradeoff between having enough time to do things has them sacrificing their own health,” said Berge. Though parents have shown to get in the recommended fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it is seen that they are also consuming sugary drinks and foods concentrated in saturated fats.

This study has also proven that parenthood and lack of physical activity not only affects young mothers, but young fathers as well. Research shows that fathers take in less hours of physical activity than nonfathers, because much like the mothers, they have less free time on their hands.

Though Berge and her team have yet to study the effects unhealthy diet of a parent on their children, researchers say children are likely to mimic poor

D. Sharon Pruitt

health choices demonstrated by their parents. In the future as the project continues, Berge says they plan to have a complete family overview looking at everyone’s weight and dietary intake to see if parents’ diet truly made an effect on their children or not.

With this information Berge hopes that family practice doctors and pediatricians will take the first step by educating parents during their child’s visits, not only on their child’s dietary needs but on how the entire family eats.

“With this conversation they can reduce the barriers,” said Berge who is also currently working on a project with neighborhoods doing physical activities as a community.

She hopes such a project will help break the mental barrier of ‘active’ being perceived as physical activity and make it into

a family and community activity.

The recommended ways for young parents of children five and under to improve on their eating habits are: if your child doesn’t finish all of her food, it’s OK. If you don’t feel like finishing it for her and you don’t want to waste the food, refrigerate and save for later; avoid consuming sugary beverages targeted for children, these are loaded with calories, the best drink is water; and instead of sitting down for TV after dinner, take the whole family for a walk around the neighborhood.

Along with Project EAT, the University of Minnesota has Project F/EAT (Family/ Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults) that deals with families.

Berge hopes that from these studies they will be able to find out how to intervene and create healthier children, adolescents, and parents.

HIV-positive former inmates face new obstacles

By Tamara E. Holmes NNPA Correspondent Life isn’t easy for African American men and women reentering society after incarceration, but the prevalence of HIV in the Black community creates a new set of challenges. Many former inmates may find themselves at an increased risk of contracting HIV once they leave prison, and those who are already infected often have difficulty finding sufficient medical and emotional resources on the outside.

The barriers for anyone leaving prison are great, says Lena Asmar, director of clinical and support services for AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, an organization that advocates for people with HIV and AIDS. Finding affordable housing and getting a job can be frustrating. “All of that coupled

with HIV is huge,” Asmar says.

Despite urban legends exaggerating the presence of HIV/AIDS in prison, only about 1.5 percent of state and federal prisoners are HIV positive, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. For men and women who don’t have HIV, there are inherent risks when they return to their homes and communities.

While it’s true that many inmates engage in high-risk behavior--such as unprotected sex, injection drug use, and tattooing-while in prison, it’s wrong to assume that former inmates play a huge role in the high HIV-infection rate in the Black community. The data just doesn’t support that fact, says Joseph B. Richardson, Jr., Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Maryland’s Department of African-American studies.

In fact, in many communities where the HIV-infection rate is high, former inmates may have a higher

risk of contracting HIV on the outside, Dr. Richardson points out.

One of the biggest mistakes a former inmate can make is assuming that a partner has been celibate while he or she has been in prison. Men, in particular, often assume their partners were faithful while they were incarcerated, says Dr. Richardson. However, that partner may have been engaging in other relationships during that time, and new partners whom former inmates meet “can possibly be engaging in unprotected, highrisk sex,” Dr. Richardson adds.

Precious Jackson, a women’shealth educator at the Los Angeles-based Center for Health Justice, stresses how important it is for couples to communicate about sex, as well as the risk of HIV after a partner has been released from prison--and suggests that both parties get HIV tests. “You want to make sure that both of you are healthy,” she says.

For those former inmates who have HIV, the greatest challenge may be maintaining their health. The prison system is responsible for inmates’ care while they are incarcerated, says Edward Harrison, president of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, but once inmates leave prison, they must find health-care coverage on their own. Not doing so immediately could be harmful. “You need to take HIV medications with regularity,” Asmar says. “If you don’t, they may not work.”

Not surprisingly, it can be difficult to find affordable medical coverage or receive help from programs that provide HIV treatment for the uninsured, such as AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), which often have waiting lists. In addition, the difficulty that a former inmate may face finding a home and a job could also affect his or her health. “What often makes

people’s health decline after they get out of incarceration is not having stability to take their medication,” Asmar says.

If you know someone with HIV who is scheduled to be released from prison, help him or her obtain appropriate care and treatment by following Asmar’s tips: Find an advocate: Local AIDS service organizations, often called ASOs, can provide information about programs and services that may offer financial help. They can also provide contact information for other organizations that can help out with other needs, such as housing and job placement.

Explore local hospital offerings: Some hospitals have community health centers that provide services for free or at a discount. “Look for one that does infectious-disease work and has providers that are not judgmental and know about HIV,” Asmar

says.

Get emotional assistance: Former inmates often experience feelings of isolation after returning home from prison.

“People sometimes come out with no support. Sometimes their families have turned their backs on them and don’t want anything to do with them,” Asmar says. Look for HIV/ AIDS support groups that can find people who are experiencing some of the same fears and frustrations.

The key is for HIV-positive former inmates to start making connections so that they can better handle the challenges that accompany living with HIV. “The problems of isolation and stigma are huge,” Asmar says.

Tamara E. Holmes is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist who writes frequently about emotional health and wellness.

Broken global food system needs repair

By EarthTalk®, E - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: I understand a recent government report concluded that our global food system is in deep trouble, that roughly two billion people are hungry or undernourished while another billion are over consuming to the point of obesity. What’s going on?

-Ellie Francoeur, Baton Rouge, LA The report in question, the Global Farming & Futures Report, synthesized findings collected from more than 400 scientists spanning 34 countries, and was published in January 2011 by the British government’s Department for Business Innovation & Skills. Its troubling bottom line conclusion is that the world’s existing food system is failing half of the people on the planet.

Economic inequality among nations and other factors have contributed to a global food system whereby a billion people are hungry (lacking access to sufficient amounts of macronutrients, e.g. carbohydrates, fats and proteins), another billion suffer from “hidden hunger” (lacking crucial vitamins and minerals from their diet), while yet another billion are “substantially overconsuming” (spawning a new public health epidemic involving chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and widespread cardiovascular disease).

The report, which was prepared by the research firm Foresight on behalf of the British government, also predicts that the cost of food worldwide will rise sharply in coming decades, increasing the likelihood of food-based conflicts and migration, and that people won’t be able to feed themselves without destroying the planet— unless we can transform the global food system on the scale of the industrial revolution.

“The global food system is spectacularly bad at tackling hunger or at holding itself to account,” Lawrence Haddad,

Left to right: Dr. Lyle Conrad; Digital Vision, Courtesy Thinkstock

Economic inequality among nations and other factors have contributed to a global food system whereby two billion people are seriously undernourished while another billion are substantially over-consuming. director of the Institute of Development Studies and an author of the report, told the UK’s Guardian. The report warns that an expanding world population that is already overexploiting its natural resources is a recipe for disaster, especially given the onset of climate change.

“Farmers have to grow more food at less cost to the environment,” said Caroline Spelman of the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which commissioned the report.

That may sound simple, but many factors determine if production of a given food is economically viable.

Fixing the global food system will be no small task.

Fundamental will be the spreading of existing knowledge and technology to the developing world to boost yields. Other keys to such an endeavor include dramatically reducing food waste—Americans toss as much as 40 percent of their food— especially since food production and distribution accounts for as much as a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Also, researchers suggest that investing in genetically modified crops and cloned livestock, despite the potential risks, may be “essential in light of the

magnitude of the challenges.”

What can those of us in developed nations do? Staying active and eating right is the best way to prevent obesity and ensuing health problems. And choosing locally produced food over that which is shipped in from far away will help reduce our food’s carbon footprint. Also, support the efforts of groups working to end hunger and malnutrition in poor countries. If nothing else, those who wish to help feed the hungry can set their web browsers’ home page to The Hunger Site and click on a button there once a day which triggers a donation of food from one of a number of sponsors to needy people in developing countries.

CONTACTS: UK Department for Business Innovation & Skills, www.bis.gov.uk; DEFRA, www. defra.gov.uk; The Hunger Site, www.thehungersite.com.

EarthTalk® is written and edited

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine ( www.emagazine. com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com.

Subscribe: www.emagazine. com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Page 7

Earth Day offers hope to youth

By Lydia Schwartz Contributing Writer The Sierra Club and NAACP held an Earth Day celebration at the Minneapolis Urban League on Saturday, April 30th to promote clean industrial methods and to celebrate the enthusiasm of young people for protecting their environment.

The Sierra Club works closely with Minneapolis community leaders in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by toxic by-products. They advocate strengthening environmental protection agencies toward eliminating the release of mercury in Minnesota’s precious water resources and other toxins into the air.

The Sierra Club State Director, Margaret Levin, and the Program Director, Leslie Fields, presented US Rep. Keith Ellison (DFL-Minneapolis) with an Appreciation Award because he stands as such a strong voice for the underrepresented. He says

that the award is ours, “because I couldn’t do anything if you didn’t send me to Washington.”

“Everyone wants clean air but the profits of energy companies often override the needs of the people. It costs money to take care of pollutants so companies won’t do it on their own, we need to make them. We have to protect our civil rights and environment with integrity because the big companies don’t care. Environmental protection agencies are being destroyed by industry because it costs them money to comply with regulations. We have to stand up strong for them,” Ellison said.

Ellison supports bringing passion and science together to create technologies that don’t hurt our environment and health.

He says that we must do all we can to educate others, “that we can have clean air and a good economy. We must advocate any action for the environment, be it through music or the education of others. We’re not going to solve the whole problem at once, but

every action does a lot of good.”

Our youth deserve an education that is Earth-conscious to build a new, healthy way of life. The Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) at the Science Museum in St. Paul empowers youth to change our world through its engaging after school, Saturday, and summer science programs.

The students encourage everyday environmental practices in their communities by attending local events and educating others about human sustainability.

Shiranthi Goonathilaka, part of Earth Buzz and DREAM (Driving Realistic Environmental Actions Movements Solutions) at KAYSC, advocates the importance of educating others.

“We teach kids how to create urban greenspace by gardening, recycling and buying less, and how to eat healthy…Watching the kids learn and grow is truly motivating,” she said.

Green Teams, an emerging youth movement that artistically expresses hope for healthy

neighborhoods, encourage others to stand up for smart technology.

They do this through music and educating others about the hazards of pollution. Students at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul musically conveyed their concern for fellow youth because of a growing unemployed population. They ask, “You boys/ girls unemployed? Get a green job!”

Green jobs offer hope to youth across the Twin Cities. The BlueGreen Alliance has training programs to both industrial workers and employers on clean, efficient manufacturing and construction practices. Green jobs will increase the safety of industrial, farm, and construction workers. There is a growing need to invest in the use of green chemistry and technologies that prevent the further pollution of our environment.

The BlueGreen Alliance also believes in harsher penalties for companies found to be using hazardous products. They argue that government environmental

protection agencies should not have to bear the burden of proving that a certain chemical is unsafe. Chemical companies need to prove to the society they serve that the manufacture of their products is not hazardous to our health.

We have the power as consumers to drive the market toward environmentally-safe practices.

Healthy Legacy promotes an economic system that can support toxic-free methods of production, farming, and construction. The public health coalition believes that working with business leaders to keep our homes and the environment safe is the best way to reduce the amount of fetal disease and child asthma.

Healthy Legacy also teaches families package-reduction and composting practices.

Our growing economy can support the education of young people and the development of green products and services.

MN Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Paul Aasen agrees

that math and science give us the power to fix technology. He is especially concerned about the increasing pollutants in high traffic areas.

Aasen believes that we can bring hope for a better society to those who hold strong antigovernment sentiments.

“Clean water is invaluable but the government cannot mandate people to drive less…We haven’t been getting away from burning fuel, just better at controlling it.

But we can start the conversation.

Our tax dollars should go toward creating a smart grid based on solar-power. We simply need to stop giving government subsidies to oil companies and create a completely different political structure,” he said.

For more information, visit: The NAACP Minneapolis website, www.

MinneapolisNAACP.org; The Sierra Club North Star Chapter website, Minnesota.SierraClub. org; or The Minneapolis Urban League website, MUL.org

Doors open at Northside Women’s Space

By Chris Garner Contributing Writer “At Kwanzaa we share our stories, we’re called to make the world a better place. You can preach to people or you can help people, we are Christians doing Christ’s work,” said Deborah Isabelle a 3M employee and Clerk of Session at Kwanzaa Church Tuesday night, April 26, 2011. She was one of the many church members who joined community members, advocates, and sponsors at the open house of Northside Women’s Space. Kwanzaa Church in North Minneapolis is transforming their place of worship into a safe space for women and girls who are in the business of prostitution.

Kwanzaa’s Northside Women’s Space is the brain child of University of Minnesota Researcher Lauren Martin, Ph.D. and Kwanzaa co-pastor Rev. Alika Galloway. After hearing many women tell their stories in her past six years of research, Martin was urged to find a solution. Pastor Alika and her husband, Rev. Ralph Galloway, were also looking for a way to help the women they saw from their church windows. After hearing positive words about one another through mutual circles, the two finally connected to create what Martin says is “a space designed for women and girls to rest, think and find connections to services and supports to ultimately get from where ever they are right

now to where ever they want to be in their lives”.

They want everyone to know that Northside’s Women’s Space is not a shelter, but an area for thinking, meditation, and transition. Martin and Galloway have enlisted the help of various community organizations to ensure the women who enter the Space not only get a chance to share their story but are provided with adequate counseling and healthcare.

Artika Roller, director of the PRIDE program knows firsthand the importance of providing service to women and girls in prostitution: she is a product of one her mother’s regular customers.

“The children are secondary victims when the mothers have no place to go.” Roller thinks things would have been different for her mother if she had a place like the Northside Women’s Space to receive advocacy and counseling.

Martin and Galloway know that it is going to take the help of the community to make this program a success. It is a collaborative effort that will take the city and its leaders to create true change. Along with Roller, they have enlisted Doris Johnson, HIV outreach coordinator at Broadway Family Medicine; Erin Mehta, Nurse Practitioner at the Center for Victims of Torture; Joy Friedman, program director of Breaking Free; Mary Jo Meuleners, Community Health Program Supervisor at Northpoint

Chris Garner

“And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” Revelations 22:2. Northside Women’s Space hopes the women who enter in and out of the space will sign the tree, leaving their mark; acknowledging the power they have to change their future.

Health & Wellness Center; Monica Nilsson, director of Street Outreach and Community Education at St. Stephen’s Human Services, Inc.; Lt. Nancy Dunlap, Sex Crimes Unit at the Minneapolis Police Department; Sarah Gordon HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral Coordinator at the Minnesota Dept. of Health;

Shantae Holmes, Northside business owner; and Trudee AblePeterson, National Expert, Youth and Street Outreach. All of these women sit on the community advisory panel and will be providing services within the Space.

Solomon’s Porch, a holistic missionary Christian Community

of builders, artists, architects and constructors have also extended their hands by painting and transforming Kwanzaa’s sanctuary, offices and class rooms into living spaces, counseling rooms, showering rooms, kitchen and cooking physicality. The main meeting area being renovated for Women’s Space has sentimental

value for Rev. Ralph Galloway who spent many evenings preparing his sermons in what use to be his office. The Space has a good view of North Minneapolis and Broadway says Galloway. He would often look out the window and see the women soliciting.

Galloway is proud to know that now that space can serve as a safe haven and a place where these women and their families can receive services.

“The variety of issues that are going to come through this door will need a variety of services to help each and every one of the individuals who come here,” said Joy Friedman. She appreciates the trust factor and non-judgmental environment at Kwanzaa. She also appreciates the fact that Kwanzaa is reaching out to agencies who are experts in the field to help with the planning and implementation of this program.

This is a community collaborative with a strong foundation and partnerships with agencies and community people committed to making a difference.

Kwanzaa has not received any special grants or funding to develop this initiative. Persons interested in donating funds, materials, services or volunteer time can get more information about the program by contacting www.kwanzaachurch.org or www.northsidewomen.org . Their doors will officially be open in May to provide full service to the community.

Minneapolis awards nearly $500,000 in small business grants Mayor R.T. Rybak and the Minneapolis City Council approved funding of nearly $500,000 in grants to Minneapolis business districts.

Grants, through the City’s Great Streets Neighborhood Business District Program, support technical assistance—planning, financial management and education in legal and tax matters—for small businesses. Grants also support business recruitment and marketing efforts aimed at bringing customers to a business district. The program is one of several finance tools the City offers in support of its small business community.

A “Request for Proposals” was issued in January 2011; 23 proposals from business associations, community development corporations and other non profit organizations focused on business district revitalization were received. The City is funding 15 proposals in amounts of $5,000 to $50,000, totaling $499,873. Recipients include: Catalyst Community Partners: $45,000 for business development and business recruitment. Area: West Broadway Ave. East Gateway Partnership: $34,320 for public safety initiatives. Area: West Broadway Ave. Harrison Neighborhood Association: $29,500 for business organizing and technical assistance. Area: Glenwood Ave.; Glenwood Ave. & Van White Blvd.

Hennepin Theater Trust: $50,000 for analysis and planning for commercial space. Area: Hennepin Ave. Lake Street Council: $30,000 for business recruitment and marketing assistance for businesses. Area: East, Midtown, and West Lake Street.

Latino Economic Development Center: $46,750

for technical assistance. Area: Midtown; East Lake Street; Central Ave. Longfellow Community Council: $25,645 for real estate/ market assessment and Art in Vacant Storefronts initiative.

Area: East Lake St. Lowry Ave North Collaborative: $30,588 for real estate and market analysis and business organizing. Area: Penn & Lowry avenues, Emerson & Lowry avenues, Lyndale & Lowry avenues.

NEON: $35,000 for business technical assistance. Area: West Broadway Ave., Penn & Lowry avenues, Emerson & Lowry avenues, Lyndale & Lowry avenues.

Nicollet East Harriet Business Association: $15,250 for construction mitigation, business technical assistance and

marketing.

Seward Redesign: $42,245 for business recruitment, business and property owner technical assistance. Area: Franklin Ave./ LRT station area.

University Area Business Associations: $30,000 for construction mitigation, business technical assistance, district marketing. Area: Cedar Ave., Riverside Ave., West Bank LRT, 29th Ave. LRT, East Bank LRT station areas.

Uptown Association: $9,025 for business education and Adopta-Block program. Area: Uptown Activity Center.

West Bank Business Association: $30,000 for communication, marketing, and media technical assistance.

West Broadway Coalition: $46,550 for web and social media technical assistance, membership

drive, networking for businesses and business resource brokering.

Since the Great Streets program was created in 2007, more than 250 businesses have received technical assistance in marketing, bookkeeping, product mix, licensing and code requirements, and business planning. This type of technical assistance supports both new and existing businesses.

In addition to providing important goods and services for residents, a significant number of jobs are located in neighborhood business districts. The most recent data, from December 2008, shows 133,802 jobs were located

on Minneapolis commercial corridors. Given the economic conditions of the last couple of years, supporting existing

businesses as well as growing new businesses and creating jobs is critical.

Page 8 • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Insight News

insightnews.com

LIFESTYLE

Vang Yang

Imahni Taylor

Soul Daddy: America’s next great restaurant opens at Mall of America

By Al McFarlane & B.P. Ford, The Editors Self-employed caterer/cook Jamawn J. Woods and his Soul Daddy concept last Sunday, May 1, reigned supreme as winner of NBC Televison’s alternative series “America’s Next Great Restaurant.”

As part of his prize, Woods’ concept made its grand opening Monday, May 2, at Mall of America, and simultaneously at two additional locations in New York and Hollywood.

Osama From 1 somber tone, praising those who had carried out the mission, both Democrats and Republicans and declaring, “Justice has been done.”

In order to minimize the inevitable pushback from some Muslims in Arab countries, the administration noted that they had observed the Muslim practice of washing bin Laden’s body and wrapping it in a white garb before dumping it in the Arabian Sea within 24 hours of

Iron Chef Bobby Flay, with investors Curtis Stone, Steve Ells and Lorena Garcia, said Soul Daddy had the greatest potential to succeed in the competitive restaurant market and invited people to see for themselves at the roll out of the three eateries.

We visited the MOA Soul Daddy mid week, and decidedly agree that this is a concept whose time has come, and an excellent strategy for introducing the masses to high quality, healthy, affordable, soul-food inspired home cooking.

We ordered the rib dinner and pulled-pork dinner. We got greens and cold black-eyed peas salad (the side reminded us of Texas Caviar) as sides, and waffle corn bread and the biscuit for our breads. We ordered an extra side of a chicken breast to round out our tasting experience.

And what a delightful experience it was. The food was good. The staff smilingly courteous and helpful. They actually seemed to appreciate our patronage. The place was easy to navigate with a serving line, check out cashier and drink

filling station.

Woods’ dream started by serving wings and waffles out of his home and has now evolved into a full-service, soul-inspired restaurant.

“A passion for food, a solid work ethic, good business sense and delicious meals are what the investors were searching for on this series and Jamawn embodies all of those traits and more. He is truly the heart and soul of “Soul Daddy,” said Bobby Flay, distinguished restaurateur, investor and host of “America’s Next Great

Restaurant.”

“The investors are thrilled to introduce soul food to America through these restaurants and we are confident they will savor every flavor,” said Flay.

“At the core, this series followed the contestants’ pursuit of the American dream and Jamawn was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime.

He came in with a concept and a dream and over the course of the show he worked hard to develop it into a business,” said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative

Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios. “The investors couldn’t have picked a more deserving person to have this dream fully realized than Jamawn and his “Soul Daddy” concept. We look forward to following his success in the restaurant business now that America finally can taste the delicious offerings he served up all season long.”

Specific information regarding hours and location information for “Soul Daddy” is available at www. souldaddyrestaurant.com.

his death.

On Monday, at a previously scheduled White House dinner of political leaders and their mates, President Obama tried to rekindle the national unity that was on display immediately following the September 11 attack.

“I know that the unity that we felt on 9/11 has frayed a little bit over the years, and I have no illusions about the difficulties of the debates that we’ll have to be engaged in, in the weeks ahead and months to come,” he said.

“But I also know there have been several moments like this

during the course of this year that have brought us together as an American family, whether it was the tragedy in Tucson or, most recently, our unified response to the terrible storms that have taken place in the South. Last night was one of those moments. And so tonight, it is my fervent hope that we can harness some of that unity and some of that pride to confront the many challenges that we still face.”

If Obama had entertained any illusions about duplicating the short-lived post 9/11 unity, they would have quickly dissolved.

Tuesday’s Los Angeles Times carried the headline, “bin Laden’s sea burial fuels conspiracy theories.”

The story observed, “Conspiracy theorists on both the left and the right were quick to insist that bin Laden was either still alive or had been

dead for years, pouncing on the government’s decision to slide the body of the world’s most wanted man off a board into the Arabian Sea.” The new conspiracy theories about bin Laden emerged before the old ones about where Obama was born were put to rest.

On Monday, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, Calif. granted a client of birther litigator Orly Taitza an opportunity to challenge the summary dismissal of a case heard two years ago questioning whether President Obama was born in Hawaii. Despite the White House release of Obama’s long-form birth certificate and mountains of additional evidence, some conspiracy buffs refuse to drop the issue. The only thing missing from what Obama described as a carnival is Donald Trump demanding to see bin

Laden’s death certificate.

Although former President Bush applauded the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden, other conservatives are belittling Obama’s accomplishment.

Brett Decker, editorial page editor of the conservative Washington Times, wrote in a column that Obama made too many references to himself when he made the announcement about bin Laden’s death. “Not only is this consistent with his view that everything is about him, it also reflected the reality that this president is weak and perceived by the world to be a lackluster leader who has undermined American power,” Decker wrote.

“He needs to grab any opportunity he can to make himself believable as a commander in chief. Crowds flocked to the White House gates to celebrate bin Laden’s demise,

giving this unpopular president a rare glimpse of public support that won’t last long.”

Judging by his critics, Obama won’t have support even when he accomplished something George W. Bush couldn’t. They have already resumed their attacks on Obama’s handling of the economy.

Laura Ingraham, spoofing Obama’s comment that Americans can do whatever we set our mind to, tweeted, “Like spending according to my budget and raise the debt ceiling!”

George E. Curry, former editor-inchief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry. com You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Page 9

COMMENTARY Another barrier to achievement for students of color

By Ed Colón Former Math Intervention Specialist, Minneapolis Public Schools At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, the rate of nonproficiency on the MCA Math test among black students at all grade levels in Minneapolis Public Schools was 74%. In St. Paul, it was 68%. The Parent Fact Sheet on the Minnesota Department of Education’s Web site states that the MCAs “are given every spring to measure student performance against the Minnesota Academic Standards, which specify what students in a particular grade should know

and do.” In other words, only about one in four black students in Minneapolis, and one in three in St. Paul, were able to demonstrate that they learned what they were supposed to in Math. The question is, to what extent were these students, and their parents, being given valid feedback throughout the school year?

From the perspective of a parent, it is reasonable to expect that grade reports provide a valid measurement of whether a child is learning.

For those communities of color whose children are leaving our schools under-educated and ill-prepared to escape poverty, we must demand an accurate picture of how each child is achieving month to month

throughout the school year.

It is highly unlikely that the percent of black students who went home with failing or nearfailing grades in Minneapolis and St. Paul was as high as the percent that failed the MCAs. Some students undoubtedly went home with failing grades, but many went home with grossly inflated and invalid grades that gave both the students and their parents a false picture of what they were actually learning.

After nine years of teaching math at the middle school level I have never been in a district, or school building, that, as a matter of policy, defined the components on which a grade should be based, how those components should

be weighted, or how those components/weights should change for students of different ages or levels of development.

All this is usually at the total discretion of a teacher and can vary greatly even between teachers in the same grade and building. To my knowledge, the Minnesota Department of Education also offers no guidance to teachers regarding grading policy. Typically, grades given in K-12 are based on some combination of classroom participation, homework, assessments (tests, quizzes), and other factors. Teachers decide on the components and the weights. It is my experience that teachers in high-poverty schools often use grades as a tool of behavior

management. They invent a myriad of ways in which students can earn grade points without actually demonstrating they have learned anything.

These “participation” points are then weighed too heavily relative to valid assessments of learning. Adolescents learn very quickly how to play the game. However, they don’t usually have the long-term view of their future necessary to know what is in their best interest. Parents should be holding grade reports in one hand and MAP/MCA scores in the other and asking, “What’s wrong with this picture? Have I been given accurate feedback on my child’s academic progress?”

I believe poor

grading practices have a disproportionate impact on low income students and students of color, and may be a significant contributor to the achievement gap in Minnesota. Grading policies or guidelines should be developed at the state, district, and school level to ensure consistency.

Administrators should monitor grades throughout the year, and hold teachers and students accountable for showing progress based on those grades.

MCA scores should not be a shock to anyone involved. If we institute more valid grading practices, the result may not be pretty, but it would be real.

Then, we could better address academic failure when it is happening.

Opinion: Pending legislative finance bills’ impact on children By the St. Paul Children’s Collaborative The Minnesota legislature appears to be on the road to dismantling the tools that have been helping children overcome poverty in Ramsey County. Children in Ramsey County, including Saint Paul and suburban Ramsey County, are likely to suffer irreparable harm if the finance bills passed by both houses of the Minnesota legislature and now in conference committee are allowed to become law. The House and Senate proposals that purport to address Minnesota’s budget crisis do not, in fact, solve the budget crisis and, would leave children and families spending years to catch up from the inevitable backward slide.

The finance bills not only dismantle the safety net for needy children and families; they eviscerate programs and institutions that help our cities function including the school systems, public safety, transportation, youth job corps, and health care for those most at risk. If we want our urban and suburban areas to remain economic engines for the state, we need to continue to invest in children and youth and provide basic support for families in need.

We cannot solve our budget issues on the backs of poor children. We cannot maintain our economy if we allow our children to fall through the cracks.

Almost 26 percent of the children living in Ramsey County live in poverty. This compares to 14 percent for the state of Minnesota as a whole. In addition

to having more children living in poverty, Ramsey County has more special education students, more English language learners, more low birth weight babies, and more children who depend on medical assistance. Despite lean fiscal times, our County, City, School and community partners, including non-profits and faithbased organizations, have been working hard to deliver services and improve outcomes for these, and all of Ramsey county’s, children.

The current 2011 legislative proposals cut services that we know work and have shown results in helping children reach their potential and become contributing members of society.

They cut funding for mental health services, the Minnesota Youth Program, home visiting nurses, child support incentives,

programs that serve abused and neglected children, and health care for the uninsured. They cut funding for higher education including the College of St. Paul and Metro State University.

Perhaps most damaging are the changes to the public school systems. While the House and Senate K-12 Finance bills hold overall school spending steady, they cut $28 million out of Saint Paul Public Schools over the next two years and reallocate that money to districts elsewhere in Minnesota. By freezing special education and compensatory aid along with reallocation of integration aid, they fund the needs of some students by taking from children of color and children in poverty in Saint Paul. It is hard to understand how taking funds from special education students, students in

poverty and children of color will do anything to close the achievement gap between white students and students of color.

On behalf of the St. Paul Children’s Collaborative, a partnership of organizations that works every day to improve the lives of children in our community, we urge you to contact your legislators and the Governor and voice your opposition to these harmful proposals.

We know that balancing the budget is going to be challenging; we also know that it ought not be done on the backs of children most in need.

In the end, we work to educate our children and help them overcome the barriers of poverty because we need every one of them to build our future.

The Saint Paul Children’s Collaborative is a partnerships

forged by Ramsey County, the City of St. Paul, St. Paul Public Schools, Head Start and the community.

Board members include: Suzanne Kelly, Chief of Staff, St. Paul Public Schools; Elona Street-Stewart, Chair of the St. Paul School Board; City Councilmember Lee Helgen, Ramsey County Commissioners Toni Carter and Victoria Reinhardt; Jane Eastwood, Education Director for Mayor Coleman, Clarence Hightower, Executive Director of the Community Action Partnership of Ramey & Washington Counties; and community members Reverend Charles Gill, Mary K. Boyd, Carolyn Brown and Carol Dawson.

See: w w w . c o . r a m s e y . mn.us/cp/spcc for more information on the St. Paul Children’s Collaborative.

Judge Patricia Martin: Family matters Child Watch

By Marian Wright Edelman The Honorable Patricia Martin, who serves as the Presiding Judge of the Child Protection Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, is the president-elect of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. In this key role she is devoted to helping change children’s lives.

She previously chaired the Supreme Court of Illinois Judicial Conference Study Committee on Juvenile Justice, and spent a decade as an assistant Cook County Public Defender. With her wealth of experience, Judge Martin is a wise observer of what works best in the court system for children and families. As National Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to a close, here are some

critical lessons she shared with the Children’s Defense Fund’s Black Community Crusade for Children.

The first key lesson is that families matter. Even when families have become involved in the family court system it’s still important for parents to be encouraged to participate in their children’s lives. Instead of focusing on parents’ absence because of abuse, neglect, or incarceration, she said, it’s more helpful to focus on finding ways these parents can be positively involved. Rather than thinking about reunifying families down the road as a primary goal of the family court system, she starts by thinking about how to keep families together. “Even if I have to take a child into foster care that does not preclude great family involvement. It takes more effort to do it, but that doesn’t preclude it. As a matter of fact, we should do it better and more often if a child is in custody, in my humble opinion.” Judge Martin pointed out that methods like court-supervised family time or video conferencing

for incarcerated parents and their children can allow parents who may still be working on changing their own lives and behavior to stay connected and have a positive impact on their children’s lives. Judge Martin developed the Child Protection Mediation Program now used in a number of jurisdictions which includes parents in decisions impacting their children even when abuse or neglect has occurred.

In her second key lesson, Judge Martin stressed that parents are by no means the only source of support and influence on children.

When parents aren’t available, it’s critical to find other adults to step up in a child’s life because one adult can make all the difference.

Judge Martin told us about the aunt who played that role for her and her younger siblings after their mother’s death. She said the day their mother passed away “I couldn’t figure out how we were going to get out of bed the next day, literally, because when we were home, the way we woke up, my mother would sing “Precious

Lord” down the hallway… That was the way we woke up every day when we were home, and so I couldn’t figure out how that was going to happen. [But] my Aunt Katherine—we call her “Aunt Kitty”—she came to our house that next morning after my mother died at six o’clock, and from that day to last September 31st, when she passed, every morning at six a.m., I got a call from my Aunt Kitty. Now, [even] if I was in Australia, six o’clock Chicago time, Aunt Kitty called, and she asked the same thing: ‘What did you do? What are you doing today? And how do you feel?’…

My theory is if I had an Aunt Kitty who called me at six o’clock, every one of my children in foster care deserves an Aunt Kitty.”

Judge Martin said she’s seen many kinds of adults stepping in to play this role for children— “the basketball coach, the math teacher”—and whenever she prepared children in her caseload to leave foster care, she held meetings with these adults too.

She wanted to remind “every adult

who is responsible for shining that child’s star” how critical they were in the child’s life.

Judge Martin eagerly embraced the chance to do her part for children: “I am an adult, and I have the responsibility of helping them find their goals, dreams, and aspirations, helping them learn their yes.” She established the nationally recognized Benchmark Permanency Hearing Program giving foster care teens approaching emancipation the opportunity to express their goals directly to the court. She shared the example of one young woman who came to her courtroom with paperwork that said she wanted to be a cosmetologist. When Judge Martin probed the girl herself about her plans, this young teen didn’t know what a cosmetologist was. After Judge Martin explained that it involved hairstyling and beauty products, she said, “Judge, I hate doing that stuff. I want to be a lawyer.” The girl’s caseworker tried to tell Judge Martin that the girl was reading so far below grade level that encouraging her to

be a lawyer would be completely unrealistic.

Judge Martin immediately replied, “Sir, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

I am so grateful for Judge Martin’s caring leadership and work which has made such a difference in the lives of so many children. Every one of us can and must follow her good example.

Children in every community need just one adult to step up and be an Aunt Kitty in their lives: to care about what they’re doing, encourage their dreams, and tell anyone who tries to stifle that child’s star that they have come to the wrong place.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www. childrensdefense.org.

Page 10 • May 9, - May 15, 2011 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Artist Donald Walker unveils newest mural: The Trinity Seldom do we see hanging within churches today the rich history of the Christian faith seen through the eyes of an artist.

Artist Donald Walker and Pastor William Land, St. Albans Church of God in Christ have awaken a renewed interest in the importance of the Judeo Christian message.

As they would say; “God gave Pastor Land the vision to tell it, and Donald Walker the gift to draw it.”

The Trinity is a unique collection of three paintings which tell the story of how God delivered his people.

The unveiling of The Trinity mural will take place on Sat., May 14, 2pm - 6pm at St. Albans Church of God in Christ, 678 Aurora Ave, St. Paul MN.

Classifieds / Events Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, andrew@insightnews. com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Andrew Notsch. Free or low cost events preferred.

Events SchoolHouse Rock Live! - Now thru May 22 Based on the Emmy award winning educational cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math and more through fun upbeat songs and merriment. Its time to “Unpack Your Adjectives” and tap your toes to “Just A Bill.” Join us as we rock the schoolhouse! Howard Conn Fine Arts Center 1900 Nicollet Ave. Mpls. For

Job Listing:

The African American Breast Cancer Alliance seeks a part-time Program Assistant, independent contractor for its Breast Cancer Survivor Support Program through March 2012. Requires experience with breast cancer or cancer patients. Schedule: 20 Hours per week between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, plus limited evenings and weekends as needed. For more information and required qualifications: call (612) 825-3675 or Email: aabca@aabcainc.org . Closing date: 5:00 pm, Friday, May 13, 2011.

PHONE: 612.588.1313

show times and reservations: www. youthperformanceco.org KIPO! - Now thru May 22 In conjunction with the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to Minneapolis, Tiger Lion Arts presents the world premiere of KIPO!, a Circus of Spirit, Song and Dance from Tibet, the Land of Snow. May 6-22 at Rarig Center at the University of Minnesota 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls, MN 55455. 612-624-2345 Tickets are available at http://www. dalailama.umn.edu General Admission is $25.00 St. Joan of Arc Church Mental Illness Ministry 2nd Mon - May 9 Mon, May 9, 5:45-8:15pm. Light meal provided; Free & open to all; Topic: Discovering Personal Genius: Investigating Employment; Speaker: Bob Niemiec, MNTAT; Certificate of Attendance available; Roseann 612.823.8205, Mary, claudemaryparadis@ comcast.net; SJA Hospitality Hall, Door 1, 4537-3rd Av S, Mpls.

Academic Support Services Manager Summit Academy OIC, an exciting non-profit vocational training organization is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Manager to oversee our Academic Support Services department in an immediate opening we have. This position is responsible for the management and recruiting of all students for Summit Academy OIC programs, community outreach, management of academic services; student crisis intervention, comprehensive counseling and advising, test administration, data collection and analysis, state and federal reporting and departmental process and policy development and implementation. The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and communications skills, self-motivation, ability to market and sell the various programs of the organization, customer services best practices, 5-7 years experience in management of both professional and administrative staff. A Bachelor’s degree in Education, Counseling, Student Personnel Services, Business or a closely related field of study is required. A Master’s Degree in a related field is preferred. A minimum of 4-6 years experience working in a post-secondary or similar educational setting, a must. Knowledge of Microsoft Office, specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required.

AA/EEO Employer. E-mail your resume, cover letter and salary requirements to hresources@saoic.org.

Position open until filled. No phone inquiries please.

FAX: 612.588.2031

EMAIL: andrew@insightnews.com

Silence and the Sound - May 9 The May 9th presentation of the eclectic series, curated by Desdamona, features readings by four spoken word performers living in Minnesota. Mon., May 9th, 7-8:30pm at the Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar, 308 Prince St. in Saint Paul.

Journeys Reading and Awards Ceremony - May 12 The event will celebrate the accomplishments of adult literacy students, literacy volunteers, and community partners across Minnesota.

It will give adult literacy students a unique opportunity to share their original poems and stories and make their voices heard. Thur. May 12 6:30 @ The Loft Literary Center of Minneapolis Suite 200, Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Mpls.

Apply to be a Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commissioner - May 13 Applications are being accepted to serve on the City of Minneapolis’ Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC).

Through the input and work of the Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission, residents, community and neighborhood organizations will play a key role in enhancing and shaping how the City engages its residents. The application deadline has been extended to Friday, May 13, 2011. To apply, please go to: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/ncr/ NCEC_election.asp International Anti-Human Trafficking Event - May 13-14 This a groundbreaking event that will take place for the purpose of educating and engaging men and the general public about the issue of sex trafficking to bring awareness to the issue, celebrate the work that is being done, honor the survivors, unite the men’s and women’s antihuman trafficking movements, raise desperately needed funds to help victims and end the demand for commercial sex. For more details

@ Living Word Church 640 Prior Ave N Saint Paul. Advance tickets available: w w w. s h o w c l i x . c o m / e v e n t / 3 2 8 3 9 contact 651-231-4552 andemash@ yahoo.com for more information.

Courtesy of Franconia Sculpture Park

Franconia Sculpture Park expands to Northeast Minneapolis Franconia Sculpture Park—a wellloved destination for day-trippers and artists alike—experiences a spring renewal each year, as new artists arrive at the park to make sculpture.

Franconia is adding a new dimension to its public offerings as it inaugurates “Franconia in the City @ Casket,” its satellite sculpture park in Northeast Minneapolis. Three large sculptures by local artists Amy Toscani, Aaron Dysart, and Andrew McGuffie will be installed there.

The gala opening exhibition for “Franconia in the City@Casket” will take place during Art-a-Whirl, May 20-22; the location of the new park is at 1781 Jefferson St. NE, in the Casket Arts complex from 5-10 pm., Saturday, May 21, from noon to 8 pm.

You can get more information about Franconia Sculpture Park’s programs and events by visiting the park web site, www.franconia.org, by calling the park office at 651-257-6668, or by e-mailing info@franconia.org on events and locations, demandchangeproject.org

visit:

Ladies of Gospel Tour - May 13 Featuring national recording artist Sara Renner & power house national recording artist Tonia Hughes performing live With special guest: Kelli Rae & Sole Remedy. Fri. May 13

Midnight Musical - May 13 Guest to include Jamar Esaw & Triad for Christ, Deliverance for Youth, God’s Will and many more. This event is a fundraiser for the youth department and is free to the public. Donations accepted.

Fri. May 13 (devotation starting at 9:30) the musical starts at 10pm. 1505 Burns Ave St. Paul, MN 55106.

High Hopes Gala - May 14 The Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts will host their 11th Annual Gala, “High Hopes”, on Sat., May 14 at 6:00pm. The event will take place at The Lundstrum Center, located at 1617 N. 2nd St. in North Mpls. For further information and to purchase tickets, please contact the Lundstrum Center at 612-521-2600, or visit us online at www.lundstrumcenter.org.

2011 Family Leadership Summit - May 14 Free event for Minnesota parents of young children with developmental delays or disabilities who serve (or would like to serve) on Interagency Early Intervention Committees (IEICs), Special Education Advisory Councils or other advisory boards. Sat. May 14 8:30am-3pm; PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, Minn. Advance registration by May 1 is required; PACER Center, 952-8389000.

“Live, Laugh, Love” - Singers in Accord - May 14-15 Singers in Accord will conclude their 2010-2011 concert season with “Live, Laugh, Love,” an engaging expression of classical, folk, pop and jazz choral music under the direction of Jerry Rubino. Two performances of “Live, Laugh, Love” will be held: 7:30pm on Sat., May 14 at Unity Church – Unitarian, 732 Holly Ave., St. Paul, MN and 4pm Sun., May 15 at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church, 7600 Harold Ave., Golden Valley, MN.

Coffee Break 8. Ahmadinejad’s home 9. Reduced Instruction Set Computer 10. Boundary line 11. “___ we there yet?”

12. *Common-___ marriage 14. *”______ of Love” by The Dixie Cups 19. Popular type of beef 21. Mischievous little rascal 23. Rejuvenate or reconstruct 24. Accommodate 25. Back of the body, pl.

26. Gloomy and drab 28. Defender of skies 30. Prince of India 31. Stand on end 32. Vigorous fight 33. Famous cow 35. As opposed to a shake 37. *Thrown in celebration 41. Famous Beethoven symphony 44. *”Father of the Bride” twice 48. Charlotte of “Facts of Life” fame 50. Front-of-shoe protector 53. Famous Russian ballet troupe 55. Giraffe-like African animal S T A T E P O I N T 13. As opposed to rent 56. FBI agent 14. Town _____ or public 57. Lad’s counterpart CROSSWORD announcer 58.

A standard of Down 15. Accepted as truth measurement 1. Fare ride THEME: WEDDING BELLS 16. Actress Thompson 2. Sitka, aka the Fourth 59. Muscle or strength 17. Post-_____, or as fast as Stooge 60. *Zsa Zsa Gabor was ACROSS possible married this many times 3. Garlic mayo 1. Bluish green 18. *2011 royal groom 61. Dollar bills 4. Thin layer 5. Possesses 20. *Groom-to-be 62. Actress Leoni 5. River islet 8. Shirley MacLaine’s 1963 22. Overnight lodging 63. ___-Wan Kenobi 6. “Shock and ____” character 23. Hindquarters 7. State of complete 65. “Much ____ About 12. Child-eating queen of 24. Learning disorder Nothing” confusion Greek mythology Answers 27. Malaria symptom 29. Examine 34. Home to students 36. The Beatles’ “Back in the ____” 38. *Spot for a boutonniere 39. Equal to pi times square of the radius 40. *Popular fabric choice for a gown 42. They turn a bathtub into a hot tub 43. Sacred song 45. Many focuses 46. Against 47. Dental plaque 49. Rock opera version of “La Boheme” 51. Buck’s mate 52. Toothy tool 54. Likewise 56. Buttocks’ muscles 59. *Tie ___ ____ 63. Native of Oman 64. U Rah ___!

66. Sir Michael, Oscarwinning actor 67. A river _____ 68. The poem “___ to Spring” 69. Sleep disorder 70. Of the present month 71. *Promise 72. Apple is a popular flavor of this, pl.

Q

te o u

eek w e h of t “Let us now set forth one of the fundamental truths about marriage: the wife is in charge.

”

—Bill Cosby

on n pag page 11

insightnews.com

Insight News • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Page 11

SPORTS Phil Jackson: Golden til’ the end Mr. T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Phil Jackson. Though he benefits from the high profile spotlight of the NBA stage, Jackson’s name may go down as the greatest coach in sports history.

It’s pretty pleasing to have Jackson coaching the Lakers (in my California opinion), but the potential third 3-Peat of my Laker fan days, pales compared to Jackson’s pursuit of a fourth overall 3-Peat in his career. I imagine that it’s a little strange for Chicago Bulls fans to see Jackson winning all the championships with the Lakers, as it is for me trying to appreciate the Bulls’ championship run under Jackson in the 90’s— considering the Bulls killed the “Showtime” Lakers coming out of the 80’s, leading to a 90’s decade of misery for the Lakers.

I didn’t appreciate that, and I didn’t appreciate having to take the crown off of Magic Johnson’s head, and putting it on Michael Jordan’s head, as the greatest player of all-time (my elder wisdom now says Bill Russell gets that title). Let’s just say I thought Phil was cool back then, but when the Bulls won I didn’t have that big, stupid, 2week grin that comes when the Lakers have won championships with Jackson. Thus, it could be said that Lakers fans can at least credit Jackson for coming back to the scene of his 187 on the Showtime Lakers Era, and rebuilding a new Hollywood Lakers machine— Showtime was better.

The other names that arise in the discussion of great coaches: John Wooden (NCAA Basketball, UCLA Bruins), Vince Lombardi (NFL, Green Bay Packers), and Red Auerbach (NBA, Boston Celtics), all share in the extensive type of championship glory that Jackson has accomplished. Jackson is the only one in that group that has won so extensively with more than one franchise. Michael Jordan’s absence during the 1994 and 1995 seasons with the Bulls, says that the players obviously have something (major…check that, completely) to do with how many championships a coach wins. In his first 3-Peat stint with the Lakers Jackson had Shaquille O’Neal in his prime, and a young Kobe Bryant—who’s greedy

Phil Jackson, an NBA coach with 9 championships, of the Los Angeles Lakers such-n-such didn’t want to share the ball with Shaq and win a few more championships—and now Jackson has a slightly, more mature Kobe and the Kobettes.

Whether Jordan and Pippen, or the Laker combos just mentioned, Jackson has simply won. Like the other great coaches, Jackson has his own personality.

It seems a sign of the times that Jackson would be the laid back cerebral brand of great coach, while the other great coaches mentioned had very strict and/or bodacious approaches to leading their teams. Jackson is known for giving interesting books to his players, and his Zen methods have even quelled personalities like Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest. I guess it goes to say that in these crazy days of a Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest society, that you need a steady leader like President Barack Obama and head coach Phil Jackson to score sweeping victories. Nice work

Tornado

Solutions

From 1

From 10

downtown Birmingham when the storms struck. “I was at the NAACP office. We were following the reports and knew we would get hit. We just weren’t prepared. The rain was coming.

The sky turned from gray to black,” Johnson said. “Schools and churches started closing.

We got calls from emergency agencies who told us to seek shelter.”

The tornado was rated between a category F4 and F5.

“In our area we usually do not get tornadoes. The destruction is massive,” Johnson said. “The last time a tornado this massive hit Alabama was in the 1930s.”

Areas hardest hit were Pratt City, Forrestdale, Adamsville, and Pleasant Grove. “That’s where resources are most needed,” Johnson said. “It is clear to us that assistance will be needed for sometime. Therefore, we are compiling a list of volunteers who can be available to help throughout this time of recovery.”

“We need donations. We need money. We need your prayers most importantly,” Johnson said.

“Volunteers’ skill sets will be matched to needs. We need help with clean up, tree and debris removal, clerical, and more.”

He said volunteers are mobilizing from Scott Elementary School starting at 7:30 a.m. each day in partnership with the office of Alabama State Rep. Juandalynn Givan.

Donations of bottled water, toiletries, canned goods, nonperishables food items, hand sanitizer and paper products can be sent to the Metro Birmingham Branch NAACP Office, 1520 4th Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203.

These items will be distributed

to shelters and other command centers in the affected areas.

For more information on providing financial or material support or to register to volunteer or report problems getting

Mr. President.

Los Angeles definitely needs a head coach like Phil Jackson to lead their Venice Beach and Compton mob of a fan base, and I sure as shootin’ hope that Jackson runs for Governor of the Great State of California (yeah, yeah, earthquakes and botox). Heck, everybody could use a little of Jackson’s Zen. It’s good to see Jackson quietly chumming it up more than normal as he eases out the door, claiming retirement after this season. Some think that he will continue on with another team after leaving the Lakers, but Jackson doesn’t typically like to play rookies on his teams, thus I seriously doubt that he is looking for a rookie start; with any team that doesn’t have LeBron James, Dewayne Wade, and Chris Bosh on it. The Lakers can’t win forever, so I wouldn’t even mind if Jackson did go to the Miami Heat. It would seem that

WEDDING BELLS

governmental services, contact: Anthony A. Johnson at (205) 541-9719, or Hezekiah Jackson, IV, President, Metro Birmingham NAACP, at (205) 516-9806.

Jackson could coach that team to James’ suggested 7 or 8 future championships in his sleep. Plus I just went to Miami recently for the first time, and they deserve some more championships to take their minds off of the pending hurricane I always felt in the air (that’s for those who pick on California’s earthquakes. For

birth to death Minnesotans, I give you winter.)

A Zen stroll into the woods seems ahead for Phil Jackson… followed by a lucrative book and speaking tour, a few cameos in Hollywood, and full input into the feature film on his life story. And I’m buying it all. Let’s all hope that no team in the NBA sticks

Wikimedia Commons (Keith Allison)

their foot out to trip up Jackson’s cool, championship, Zen stroll out the door. Yet let there be no worry, Jackson’s coaching excellence will be celebrated for posterity regardless of this years’ outcome.

Laker haters, just hush. The country is better when the Lakers win.

Page 12 • May 9 - May 15, 2011 • Insight News

insightnews.com