Insight News ::: 05.27.13

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May 27 - June 2, 2013

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Vol. 40 No. 22 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Karen Kelley-Ariwoola

Veteran executive leads Harvest Strategic Alliances Karen Kelley-Ariwoola, veteran philanthropic executive and community leader joins Seed, Inc. and the Harvest Network of Schools as Chief Officer of Strategic Alliances, effective July 1, 2013. Kelley-Ariwoola most recently held the position of Vice President, Community Philanthropy at The Minneapolis Foundation where she served for 18 years prior to her departure in 2012. In 2006 - 2007 Karen also served as the Interim President and CEO of the Foundation.

In her new role Karen will be responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of donors, funders, and other key stakeholders who can contribute to realizing the mission of Harvest Preparatory School, Best Academy, and the Mastery Schools. In particular, Karen will assist with the strategic growth and addition of three new Mastery Schools over the next decade in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools, as well as the expansion of early childhood programs across the Network.

Karen Clark NNPA Photo by George E. Curry

Jesse Jackson (left) makes a point with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe (center) and Chicago businessman Elzie L. Higginbottom

Zimbabwe on path to regain international acceptance

By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief HARARE, Zimbabwe (NNPA) – With several low-key, but unmistakable gestures, the United States has signaled that it is moving toward normalizing relations with Zimbabwe, the former White minority-rule nation once known as Rhodesia.

In March, former United

Nations Ambassador Andrew Young was dispatched by the Obama administration to meet with President Robert Mugabe.

After the 2-hour meeting, Young told reporters that the State Department had sent him to Zimbabwe to let Mugabe know the U.S. is interested in repairing its strained relations with the mineral-rich country of 13.1 million people. Zimbabwe, slightly larger than the state of Montana, is bordered by South

Africa on the south, Zambia and Botswana on the west and Mozambique on the north and east.

Last month, another civil rights veteran, Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., also held a 2-hour unofficial meeting with Mugabe in which the Chicago-based leader called for open and free elections and pledged to work for the removal

ZIMBABWE 3 TURN TO

White House highlights Karen Clark as a “Harvey Milk Champion of Change” WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, May 22nd, the White House honored Karen Clark as one of ten openly LGBT elected or appointed officials who are “Harvey Milk Champions of Change.”

The event held on Harvey Milk’s birthday recognized these individuals for their commitment to equality and public service.

“When President Obama posthumously awarded Harvey Milk the Medal of Freedom in 2009, he praised his leadership

and courage in running for office. Today, we honor Harvey Milk’s legacy in these ten outstanding public servants, who will surely inspire the next generation of public servants,” said Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President.

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White house to feature groups of Americans – individuals, businesses and organizations – who are doing

CLARK TURN TO 9

Call for writers & photographers Join our team. We are looking for creative, passionate writers and photographers who are interested in covering the local –and national—arts community.

We want talented individuals who have a pulse on all things hip, who can ingeniously introduce our readers to the latest trends and who have the flexibility to cover events throughout the city. This is a perfect opportunity for writers and photographers who are interested in building their portfolios and getting more experience. Interested parties should send two writing samples with a cover letter and resume to batalara@insightnews.com.

No phone calls, please.

U. S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.)

Bryan Stevenson

The State of Equality and Justice in America: The presumption of guilt

By Congressman John Lewis and Bryan Stevenson After serving 42 years in an Arizona prison for a crime he didn’t commit, a 58-year-old man was finally released this April.

When Louis Taylor was just 16, he

ventured out of his comfort zone to try a happy hour advertised by an upscale Tucson hotel, a typical foray for an adventurous teenage boy. Unfortunately, that night a fire broke out that ultimately claimed 29 lives. In that moment, Taylor stopped being typical and became extraordinary. He did not run from the danger as most people would.

Instead he took responsibility.

He was spotted during the crisis busily helping people escape the flames, escorting guests to safety and assisting people on stretchers.

Ordinarily, he would have been hailed a teenage hero for demonstrating a civic duty only expected of grown men.

Yet eyewitness accounts of his

AMERICA TURN TO 2

Business

Education

Community

Health

Rêve Academy: Dreaming with direction

Dr. Josie Robinson Johnson

Homewood Studios: One part of a supportive, thriving North Minneapolis arts scene

The Affordable Care Act: How will it change dental coverage for kids?

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Page 2 • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Insight News

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Don’t give me flex time, give me my money Nobody Asked Me

By Fred Easter Nobody asked me, but Republicans seem to think that the American people aren’t very bright.

John Kline, Republican Congressperson who represents Burnsville (Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District), has introduced a bill in Congress titled “The Working Families

Flexibility Act.�

You’re not going to believe this. The proposed act provides for employers to require their employees to work overtime for “comp time� instead of good, old-fashioned money; like “time and a half.� Now, if you’re not feeling queasy already, consider the back end of the bill. Employers get to decide when the employees get to use the comp time.

Kline even has the “stones� to talk about how mothers can get to see their kids’ soccer games. Yes, mom, you can see your child play soccer, if your employer lets you have your comp time before the season is over, and on the day of a game.

I think Kline and his Republican cronies decided to call this “The Working Families Flexibility Act� because working families will need to be flexible enough to get screwed twice, at their employer’s discretion, and smile. For working families who work less than full-time, so employers can save on benefits; this gives employers the “flexibility� to work their staff full time without additional labor cost or paying for benefits. Republicans must laugh themselves to sleep at night and snicker up their sleeves at the thought of how their constituents accept this activity as “legislating.� What a country. Put an older, white

guy in a nice suit and whatever nonsense falls out of his mouth is accepted as reasonably sensible.

Consider, if you have a fulltime job, you are going to get paid for the 260 yearly working days, anyway. Obviously you’ll get paid for the 50 weeks you work. You should get paid, generally, for 12 holidays and your two weeks vacation. With luck, you’ll get some sick or personal time off as well. So, what Kline’s bill actually does is take the “flexibility� out of employers’ annual labor expenses. Those of you who’d prefer to have later, unspecified, employer discretionary time off rather than extra cash for

overtime work please raise your hand. This bill is going to be “debated� in Congress very soon. I’m betting that debate doesn’t go into overtime.

Google says U.S. Congresspersons earn $174,000 per year. That’s way more money than anyone should make for urinating down our backs and swearing it’s raining.

Those clowns couldn’t even stand waiting overtime for their “sequestered� flights home.

On the other hand, our state legislators earn $31,000 per year. That strikes me as not enough, even for half a year’s work. I like my elected officials to be paid enough so they are not susceptible to the

requests of big money interests.

And, while I have my issues with Pam Myhra, who is my State Representative, I like our Legislature’s record way better than the record of Congress.

John Kline and his cronies may have their reasons to want to disadvantage poor working families. After all, a lot of poor people voted for President Obama. They have attempted to disadvantage each segment of Obama’s base – unions, seniors, college students, Latinos, African-Americans, gays and women. But luckily for Republicans, rich folks and dumb folks are still on their side.

SEIU praises approved budget bill as better investment for Minnesota’s future St. Paul, Minn. – For the first time in a decade, Minnesota’s Governor and Legislature passed a budget that supports middle class families and schools, instead of big business and the rich. A reformed tax system requires the ultra-rich to pay their fair share, while also closing corporate tax loopholes businesses spent millions to protect. “Finally, Minnesota is closing corporate tax loopholes instead of schools,� said Carol Nieters, Executive Director

of SEIU Local 284 “It’s a much better investment for Minnesota’s future.�

The 2013 budget includes significant investments in education, a top priority for voters and legislators during the Fall 2012 elections in which Democrats picked up enough seats to win the majority in both the House and Senate. Many newly elected legislators ran on strong education platforms.

To deliver the needed funding, representatives promised to close corporate tax loopholes

and ask every Minnesotan to pay their fair share. Before and after the election, progressive allies worked together to hold lawmakers’ feet to the fire. “I knocked on hundreds of doors and heard similar concerns about our schools and our communities from a lot of people,� said Anna AngelesFarris, a custodian in Lakeville School District and member of SEIU Local 284. “People said it’s time for corporations and the rich to pitch in.�

The grassroots effort calling

for a more fair tax system began years ago as businesses hid profits offshore, CEOs took million dollar bonuses, and the ultra-rich dodged their tax responsibilities. This left Minnesota cutting services, borrowing billions from schools and turning to accounting gimmicks to balance the state budget. “Robbing from school kids and seniors to protect the rich just wasn’t right or fair to working families like mine,� said Angeles-Farris. “So I got

up and did something about it.

And now, I can see that it made a huge difference.�

Almost exactly a year ago, on May 21st, 2012, 1,000 people packed the Capitol asking for a fair budget. In July, groups protested again at the Capitol against the cuts to schools and seniors while banks and corporations dodged taxes. In September, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich spoke to activists about the grassroots effort needed to instigate change.

Then,

Minnesota elected numerous representatives that agreed with their continuing fight.

This spring, activists lobbied, held rallies, wrote letters, and continued working all the way until the last week of the session urging legislators to create a fair tax system that supports the middle class. “In a week where Minnesota celebrated equality, lawmakers showed that economic equality is important too,� said Nieters. “It’s the right direction for Minnesota.�

My Tea Party ‘Taliban’ comment...What is the lesson here?

By Julian Bond (TriceEdneyWire.com) - I have always suspected that racists didn’t like being called out for their racism. Now I have proof.

When I told MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts on May 14th that the Tea Party was “the Taliban wing of American politics�, a firestorm erupted.

Arguing the IRS was correct to target them for extra scrutiny, I also said, “Here are a group of people who are admittedly racist, who are overtly political� and therefore worthy of IRS concern.

I was not prepared for the slew of angry emails, including two from self-identified Black people (your worst nightmare, one said) I received.

Many of them suggested I leave the country, reminiscent of the “Go back to Africa� chants racist crowds of Whites shouted

Julian Bond at Black protestors in my youth.

One said my advanced age I am 73 - meant I would not be around to make such mischief much longer, and I should prepare for that quick eventuality.

A few suggested my employer fire me, not knowing that I retired from that job a year ago. Several of the messages were badly written with misspelled words, including one from a relative by marriage - you can’t choose your

in-laws - reading “Your calling folks Talabans [sic] borders on Traitorism. [sic]�

This same correspondent noted I had been “head of the most classic Racist group in our country,� referring to the NAACP, whose board I chaired for eleven years. Others characterized the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights group, interracial in membership and dedicated to racial integration since 1909, in the same way.

After an exchange of messages with some of them, trying to convince them that while I opposed it, I didn’t condemn every member of the Tea Party, the interactions became more civil and less hostile. Some even wished me well.

But to a person they rejected the labels “racism� and “racist�, even as I thought I had proved that the Tea Party has had racist, anti-Semitic and nativist elements from its beginning until today.

One source is a study

conducted for the NAACP by the Institute for Research and Education for Human Rights.

Their study, called “Tea Party Nationalism�, found “Tea Party ranks to be permeated with concerns about race and national identify and other so-called social issues. In these ranks, an abiding obsession with Barack Obama’s birth certificate is often a stand-in for the belief that the first black president of the United States s not a “real American.�

It says Tea Party organizations have given platforms to antiSemites, racists and bigots and “hard-core white nationalists have been attracted� to Tea Party protests.

The link between the Tea Party and the Taliban was made by a prominent Republican office holder.

In 2008, the Washington Post reported that former Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee and present day Congressman Pete Sessions likened the GOP House

minority to the Taliban, saying, “Insurgency, we understand perhaps a bit more because of the Taliban.�

Just as my arguments failed to convince my correspondents, so apparently does the actual evidence: Not the ugly racist signs and placards displayed at Tea Party rallies, not the shouts of the “n� word aimed at members of the Congressional Black Caucus, not the spittle hurled at civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis, not the racists expelled from the Tea Party for their venom, not the association of many members with the Council of Conservative Citizens, a lineal descendant of the White Citizen Council, not the anti-gay slurs aimed at former Congressman Barney Frank, not the members whose racism, antiSemitism and xenophobia should be an embarrassment - not all or any of this could get them to acknowledge the label “racist.�

My Black correspondents even claimed that their race

prohibited them from being racists, as if skin color was a proscription against ignorance.

And many of my presumably non-Black correspondents accused me of being a racist, so my race apparently offered me no protection from this evil.

What is the lesson here? That the label “racist� has become so toxic that almost everyone rejects it? That the toxicity makes the label unacceptable but its actual practice is still tolerable for many? Or that it is a defense against itself? As the relative-Itry-not-to-claim wrote, “I don’t know any White people who hate Blacks like you advocate Blacks should hate whites.� Or only that while the United States has made much progress in race relations, we still have a long, long way to go?

America

innocence, and even his dramatic work to save and comfort the victims were imperceptible and irrelevant.

Outraged citizens wanted the death penalty. A profiler was brought in who swore under oath that the likely perpetrator was “a black teenager.� Taylor was convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to multiple life sentences, ensuring he would die in prison. Fortunately, the Arizona Justice Project recently took up the case. New research from the National Academy of Science proved there was no evidence of arson in the fire. Wrongly convicted, Taylor was finally released-42 years later.

It would be hard to call Mr. Taylor lucky, but the truth is thousands just like him, including innocent children, are being victimized by a presumption of

guilt that never sees black and brown youth as blameless, as engaged in proverbial “good, clean, fun�, as harmless. Instead it attributes to them every violence and vice, even if those suspicions contradict the facts.

For nearly 50 years, starting in the 1920s, America maintained a prison population of close to 200,000 people. Today we have the highest incarceration rate in the world with 2.3 million people in jails or prison. One out of three black boys born in 2001 is likely to serve time in jail or prison during his lifetime. Half of our incarcerated are imprisoned for non-violent drug crimes. While African American and Latino teens are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than whites,

they are 3-4 times more likely to be arrested, convicted or sent to jail or prison for non-violent drug offenses. The violent crime rate in America is the same as it was in 1968, yet our prison system has grown by over 500 percent.

The presumption of guilt follows too many poor and minority children to school, a place where children should be nurtured and supported, not criminalized and incarcerated. Yet the pipeline from school to jail is so insidious, many parents now fear schools as much as they fear the criminal justice system.

In 2012, the Justice Department sued school officials

From 1

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beyond-the-call-of-duty service were not credited as outstanding demonstrations of good character.

To police and even some bystanders his very presence made him automatically suspect.

More than the possibility that he could have saved someone’s life, people were consumed by their sense that he “did not belong in a fancy Tucson hotel�.

The forensic evidence suggested faulty electrical wiring or some building defect as the likely cause, not arson, but scientific facts could not derail a hardwired determination that because Taylor was black, he had to be at fault. His youth, his

Julian Bond is Chairman Emeritus of the NAACP and a Professor at American University in Washington.

AMERICA TURN TO 10

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Insight News • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Page 3

BUSINESS Rêve Academy: Dreaming with direction Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com This summer, twelve kids from North Minneapolis will get together for ten weeks to create websites for local companies who need them AND these kids will launch a new retail concept.

Yes, kids. These teens will bridge achievement gaps, demographic challenges and digital divides to

INSIGHT NEWS www.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 Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Cordie Aziz Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Oshana Himot Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Alysha Price Photography Suluki Fardan Michele Spaise 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.

get there, but they will get there.

Rêve Academy, founded by Brad von Bank and Kristin Pardue, will provide the time, tools and training required to ensure these young people succeed. They know what it takes. Along with an expert team of teachers and mentors, these two have been using their corporate smarts to help Northside kids for a long time. And they plan to keep it going.

Rêve Academy started out two years ago and was inspired by corporate roles with Target, GE, Carlson and General Mills where they recognized the growing need for digital talent, and the scarcity of it in the workforce. They also knew that there were kids in the city who were smart and extremely capable of learning technology, but who had limited access to it. The idea to provide pathways to digital careers was galvanized by the founders’ corporate experience regarding where talent would be needed in the future.

Rêve Academy did not happen overnight. Brad and Kristin have been invested in the North Minneapolis community for over 13 years. Along the

Zimbabwe From 1 of U.S. sanctions against Zimbabwe.

In the meeting, Jackson told Mugabe, who at 89 is the oldest sitting president on the continent of Africa, “When there’s growth and investment, everybody wins. And we want to be a part of helping remove…barriers that stand between our two countries.”

After controversial land reform and what the U.S. called flawed elections, the United States applied limited sanctions in 2003 against about 120 key individuals and 70 industries.

Unlike broad sanctions against Iran, the restrictions, including a travel ban to the U.S. except for UN business, are narrowly targeted.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it was lifting sanctions against the Agricultural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (Agribank) and the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe, provided no transactions are conducted with any person who remains on the sanctions list.

The western media trumpeted stories about how unfair the White farmers were being treated under the new Black government.

However, Joseph M. Made, the former minister of lands, said the Black farmers were the ones aggrieved.

“What is very critical is that 6,000 White commercial farmers controlled prime agricultural land – about 15 million hectors [36 million acres] – denying a majority of Blacks an opportunity to also be involved in agriculture in prime areas where there’s better rainfall and better soil,” said Made, who is now Minister of Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development.

In an interview, Made explained, “Our independence was the result of an armed struggle, primarily for two things: the right to vote and secondly, the land issue. We were a conquered people in terms of colonial legacy. We were defeated by the British. So, we took up arms to fight for that right to vote, which was denied to us, and the right to reclaim our land. It was a fight to reclaim what was rightfully ours. It’s not denying anything to anybody on racial grounds.”

David Bruce Wharton, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, called the land reform effort a failure.

“They have a sovereign right to do that, but there are consequences,” he said. “If you do it in a way that looks to the outside world like it’s chaotic, like the rule of law has been suspended, like there’s no real plan about making sure poor people get land as well as the wealthy people, there are consequences. Investors will walk away, tourists will stay away and that’s sort of the reality.”

Made said critics are ignoring Zimbabwe’s reality.

“We were a conquered

Jamie Scherle in the middle

Brad von Bank on left and Kristin Pardue

Rêve Academy

way, they helped create other programs focused on bridging the digital divide. Ultimately, their efforts evolved into a permanent commitment when they started Rêve Academy.

Brad says, “It begins with belief in kids. Setting high standards, providing support and ultimately believing they are capable of leading the Twin Cities into the digital economy. The kids step up … and it’s exciting to watch the transformation.”

The first group of Academy kids – there were six of them –

invested two weeks learning to build a website. Then, forty more kids participated in after school enrichment classes to learn e-commerce and web design in their free time. This year, more than 700 kids will benefit from the program that helps develop real, marketable skills in both technology and marketing.

As Brad explains, “Given the chance, these kids will be able to compete with anyone.”

The impact Rêve Academy has on its participants is clear.

But the tide of positive change

reaches so much further. Rêve collaborates with Minneapolis public schools and locally owned businesses as well as colleges in the Twin Cities. Rêve Consulting, the for-profit company Brad and Kristin also co-founded, has brought ten private sector jobs to West Broadway. And Rêve keeps moving forward. Plans for the future include creating an academy that is self-sustaining through student run businesses.

Brad and Kristin say the journey so far, while not always easy, has often seemed magical.

“I’m living my values,” says Kristin. “I want to challenge kids to be true to who they are; to be clear.” If there is one way to ensure success in any endeavor, that just might be it.

Learn more about Reve at http://www.reveacademy.org/ about/ .

people and our land was taken,” he stated. “Naturally, we had to fight and we won an armed struggle to the right to reoccupy our land.”

Initially, Britain and the U.S. had agreed to compensate displaced White farmers as part of the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement that brought independence to what would later become Zimbabwe.

Once the farmers were not paid, the blame was shifted to the Mugabe government, not the countries that reneged on their pledges.

“We will not compensate for land that was never paid for,” Made said. “That land was taken by virtue of conquest – our forefathers were not given money. That [compensation] is the responsibility of the British.”

Made said most of the world minimizes the suffering Blacks experiences under White minority rule.

He said, “There’s all the talk about democracy, but we are the people who were denied the right to vote. We are the people who were told, ‘You don’t come through the front door, you go through that rear door.’ That was the system that operated here.

We could not sit on the same bench with a White person in a park. The Black workers could not go on the same lift [elevator] as White people. It was in this city where you could not walk on the pavement – you had to walk where the cars were driving – as a Black person. We fought and on the day of independence, the Black people walked on the pavement en masse. That’s how the law was repealed.”

Skyscrapers that dot downtown Harare are rusty reminders of a gleaming city of a bygone era. An automobile trip from the airport to center city is a bumpy one because of deep potholes. Even the sidewalks, now that Blacks can walk on them, are in desperate need of repair.

President Mugabe said international sanctions have taken a toll on the country.

But Ambassador Wharton said some of the wounds were selfinflicted.

“One of the things I hear Zimbabweans say is Zimbabwe never did anything wrong,” he recounted. “In fact, I think there were some mistakes. Wharton said one was the decision to in 1997 to make large payments to veterans of the liberation struggle. “I’m not saying that was right or wrong, but when they did that, the currency blew up,” he said. “I think they made a mistake in 1999 when they walked away from their debts to the IMF [International Monetary Fund] – they just stopped servicing those debts. That cut them off from new credit and debt relief.”

Some businessmen, such as Elzie L. Higginbottom, president and CEO of Eastlake Management Group, Inc. in Chicago, see enormous investment opportunities in the country.

“When Zimbabwe was known as Rhodesia, it was the breadbasket of southern Africa. I like the size of the country – about 12 million people. I like the fact that it is an

English-speaking country,” said Higginbottom, who has been traveling to Zimbabwe for the past four years. “The education level is very high – a 93 or 94 percent literacy rate. The other thing I like is that they have a basket of currency, but the predominant currency is the U.S. dollar.”

He added, “Zimbabwe is a mineral-rich country. It has platinum, gold, diamonds, chrome – it has all sorts of valuable minerals. It’s a peaceful country, it is predominantly one tribe and it’s set for redevelopment and improvement.”

Despite the sanctions, the U.S. maintains diplomatic

relations with Zimbabwe. It has an ambassador in Harare and the country has a mission in Washington, D.C. Trade between the two countries has grown from approximately $100 million to $160 million annually over the past three years.

Ambassador Wharton, who says his goal is to see all sanctions on Zimbabwe lifted, predicts that investors will eventually flood the country.

“The country has extraordinary intellectual capital,” he said. “Robert Mugabe invested very well in education and health from the very beginning, from 1980 forward and the result is that you got an extraordinarily

well-educated population – the highest literacy rate in subSaharan Africa. Culturally, Zimbabweans work hard, they’re honest, they’re ethical – they are extraordinary people.

“On top of that you got great mineral wealth – gold, platinum, chrome, diamonds, coal – and you got fantastic agricultural potential, which is currently underutilized.

This country used to feed the entire region. You harness that intellectual capital with those natural resources and it’s in an extraordinarily attractive position for economic growth.”

Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Send comments and career planning questions to jdesmond@georgekonik.com.

Page 4 • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Insight News

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EDUCATION WE WIN students study living legend, Dr. Josie Johnson Students of WE WIN Institute were recently treated to the gift of living history.

Children kindergarten through 2nd grade learned about the incredible life of Dr. Josie Robinson Johnson, who has given and sacrificed her all in the benefit of AfricanAmerican people.

After reading about the accomplishments of Johnson, WE WIN’s youngest learners worked with their teacher to develop an essay about the life of this African-American icon that would show her that they understood her contributions to their community. The students had a discussion about what they wanted to include in their essay and their WE WIN teacher helped them create a collaborative essay.

When the students presented in front of Johnson, each one of them told her a fact about her life. It was clear, she was impressed that these young people knew so much about her.

Below is the essay the students presented.

Our Shero, Dr. Josie Robinson Johnson

By Shalom Ameto, Elannah Wright, Iyana Giles, Alyn Lopez, Jocelyn Lopez and Davon Harris

WE WIN Institute

Shalom Ameto, Elannah Wright, Iyana Giles, Alyn Lopez, Jocelyn Lopez, and Davon Harris Dr. Josie Johnson has always been helpful towards other people.

As a civil rights worker and community activist she has served the Minnesota community for many years.

Josie Robinson was born in Houston on October 7, 1930.

Her work in the Civil Rights

Movement started at an early age. Johnson and her father worked hard to stop a poll tax against African-Americans that would have made it hard for them to vote. They knew this was wrong and were successful in their efforts. That was just the start of things to come for Johnson.

Johnson graduated from Fisk University in Tennessee and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In 1967 she became the director of the Minneapolis Urban League where she helped Black people find jobs and housing. In 1968 she worked as an aide to Minneapolis

Mayor Arthur Naftalin. During that time she worked hard to end discrimination against Blacks on the Northside of the Minneapolis.

In 1971, Johnson was chosen as the first AfricanAmerican to serve on the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota. To honor her hard work and dedication, the university created the Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award.

In memory of her daughter,

Patricia Johnson, and friend, Congressman Mickey Leland, Johnson started the LelandJohnson Common Vision Organization so that Black and Jewish people can learn about each other’s cultures.

Dr. Josie Johnson is a nice and helpful person and has always put other people first. She is a great leader and role model for all of us. Her favorite color is purple and her favorite place to vacation is Hawaii.

Cristo Rey boasts 100% college acceptance achievement gap in the Twin Cities.

The Cristo Rey network (a total of 25 schools nationally) works with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to track college enrollment and graduation.

For the graduating classes of 2008-2011, 89 percent of Cristo Rey graduates have enrolled in college and 89 percent of these students (for the classes of 20082009) have persisted into their sophomore year. This percent is nearly twice the rate of non-Cristo Rey students from the same socioeconomic background.

Cristo Rey Jesuit graduates its third class on June 8 at 2 p.m.

The commencement speaker for the ceremony is Father Greg Boyle, S.J. Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, one of

the largest gang intervention and reentry programs in the country and inspiration for his New York Times best selling book, “Tatoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion.”

Members of the Cristo Rey 2013 graduating class have been reading essays from Boyle’s book in their theology classes and talking about the parallels between Los Angeles and the Phillips-West neighborhood in terms of gang violence and programs to reach out to high-risk populations through job opportunities.

To learn more about Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and the 2013 graduating class, visit its website at www.cristoreytc.org.

Courtesy of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Senior Paige Ellis and her parents, Sharon and Vincent. Ellis, a North Minneapolis resident, plans to attend Augsburg College in the fall.

2013 Youth Leadership Conference!

PROJECT READY

Youth Conference

Join the Minneapolis Urban League Project Ready program, along with MSU, Mankato Ͳ as they present the 2013 Youth Leadership Conference.

The conference will be held on the MSUͲMankato campus over 3 days — COST for *students in grades 6Ͳ12: $148.27 (includes registration, housing, and meals for all 3 days of the conference)

College Possible year-end celebration

(Students should check with their school counselor about scholarships for this event.)

x x x

Check In & Registration Dinner & Entertainment ‘Visions’ Masquerade Ball Saturday x x x x x x x

Breakfast Career Pathway Workshops Social Enterprise Learning Circle Workshop Project Ready Leadership Banquet Dinner Guest Speaker Leanna Archer Sunday

x x x

Brunch DrawingͲGiveaway Closing Remarks

College Possible

Kalante Logan with his College Possible coach Tenzin Nordon

Please visit the MUL’s website at www.mul.org for more info or to register online.

Friday

Jesuit seniors have received 145 acceptance letters from 37 universities and colleges in 13 states. These seniors are also pulling in an impressive amount of scholarship money – $821,930 in total.

Not only is Cristo Rey creating college-bound learners, it is also proving to be an effective solution to what has become a fast growing

Friday, May 31 Ͳ Sunday, June 2, 2013.

Weekend Schedule At-A-Glance

On Saturday, June 8, seniors from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School will walk the stage and accept their diplomas.

Even better, every single student in the senior class has been accepted to a two-year or four-year college or university.

Some even received several acceptance letters. Some were accepted to as many as seven schools. In total, Cristo Rey

Leanna Archer, Teen Entrepreneur & CEO of her own hair care product line, Leanna’s Inc.

Last weekend, College Possible held its annual Year-End Graduation Celebration. Over 1,200 low-income students showed up to the Great Hall of the Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus.

The program highlighted accomplishments from over 750 high school seniors who have earned admission to over 100 colleges and universities across the United States. These students worked with their AmeriCorps coach to complete over 320 hours of intensive curriculum over their 2 years in the program, ranging from ACT practice tests to campus visits, with a goal of earning admission to college, securing financial aid, and choosing a school that is the best fit.

Columbia Heights High School senior Kalante Logan said about the day, “I love

everyone’s presentation and performance, expressing how they did their sessions in College Possible. It’s fun to see everyone come together and to see all of the students together in one room like this. When you’re in session at your own school, you don’t really realize how many students are a part of this program.”

“I’m excited to meet new people and see the many other cultures that are in the world.

I’m excited to meet new friends, explore new things, and stuff like that! My favorite part of College Possible is probably the work—because at first I didn’t think I could do an ACT and stuff like that. But going to the sessions and meeting our coach who helps us get on top of our schoolwork, that was quite the blessing, ” said Logan when asked about college.

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Debonaire

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer He’s known as the Bad Boy, Bachelor Boy and Debonaire, but the title that best fits Andre “Debonaire” McNeal is Minnesota’s King of Clubs.

McNeal is easily the best known and one of – if not the – most successful “urban” promoters in the Twin Cities. And with events such as the Afterwork

Jumpoff, Quarter Club, Damn the Jokes, First Fridays, the Takeover and a slew of concerts including the upcoming July 12 Doug E. Fresh show at the Cabooze, King Debonaire plans to hold tight to his throne. But for McNeal, he rules not as a dictator, but as collaborative monarch, spreading wealth throughout the kingdom.

“I love working with everybody,” said McNeal, while sitting down inside a downtown Minneapolis coffee house. “It’s

about networking and making sure all of us (promoters) are eating.”

That’s not to say that he hasn’t ruffled a few feathers along the way. No one gets to be king without making a few enemies along the way. But no king can rule with an iron fist and not expect a coup. It’s a delicate balancing act.

“Cats need to understand promoting protocol and industry

DEBONAIRE TURN TO 7

Sundance film festival stand out, ‘Middle of Nowhere’, makes a one day stop in Minneapolis

By Alaina L. Lewis As the film credits rolled to a close at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, it was only a matter of seconds – the time it takes one to formulate a tweet or a Facebook post –before Ava Duvernay’s feature film masterpiece “Middle of Nowhere” had catapulted this former media and marketing strategist into a household name.

Although Duvernay had already made some monumental waves as the director of the 2011 standout narrative “I Will Follow,” starring Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Omari Hardwick, there was something about this flick that made the fervent audience rush to propel a story about “nowhere” – everywhere. Living up to its intentions, “Middle of Nowhere” garnered Duvernay the Best Director award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival marking her as the first AfricanAmerican woman to take home the prize.

Backed by Participant Media and a product of AFFRM (African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement), Duvernay’s film distribution company, “Middle of Nowhere” charts the struggle one woman,

Courtesy of “Middle of Nowhere”

Emayatzy Corinealdi and David Oyelowo Ruby (played by Emayatzy Corinealdi), undergoes when her husband, Derek (played by Omari Hardwick) is sentenced to eight years in prison, forcing her to drop out of medical school

so she can be there for him. A life once full of possibility now seems hopeless as she ventures every week to a maximum security prison to visit the man to whom she gave her

MORE

• David Billingsley creates school for art and music

heart, but who now leaves her conflicted with feelings of shame and loneliness. Just as Ruby is adjusting to this new life, she encounters a hard-working bus driver named Brian (played by

David Oyelowo) who shakes up her life, and her heart, sending her through a whirlwind of emotions and choices on her journey to make her broken life whole again.

• Danny Glover stars in “Norman Rockwell’s Shuffleton’s Barbershop”

“Middle Of Nowhere” is new, it’s refreshing, and it’s an incredible display of storytelling on a subject matter not often

FILM TURN TO 6

• Snapshots

Page 6 • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics

David Billingsley creates school for art and music

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer All across the state schools are experiencing serious budget crunches, and typically some of the first programs to be axed are those of music, theater, dance and visual arts.

For schools serving economically depressed communities, courses and programs in the arts are all but nonexistent. That does not sit well with David Billingsley. In fact, it bothered Billingsley so much that the 28-year-old took a leap of faith and left his job teaching music to found the Billingsley School of Music & Arts (BSOMA).

BSOMA’s mission is to provide tuition-free arts instruction to youths of underserved communities in the Twin Cities metro area. For Billingsley, who studied music all of his life and is classically trained as a pianist, BSOMA is something of a life’s calling.

“I’ve wanted to start this school since I was 14-years-old,” said Billingsley, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and a master’s graduate of St. Thomas University. “I was always the only Black kid (in music class) and you couldn’t help but notice that. I felt alone, but at the same time I felt like I was supposed to be there.”

Billingsley, a native of Racine, Wisc., said the reason he was the only African-American in his music classes was not because of lack of interest from

other African-Americans, but because of economics. That fueled his fire to start BSOMA. “I just didn’t think it was fair that I had friends with more talent than I had and I passed them because they didn’t have the resources to continue,” said Billingsley. “As I started teaching I would have students take lessons for a month and then have to quit because they couldn’t afford $80 a month – that’s a (family’s) phone bill.

The bottom line is you have to give (lessons in the arts) to (financially disadvantaged students) for free because of economics.”

When Billingsley claims his friends were better than him as a musician, it causes one to pause and think what those children could have become in the world of music – especially considering what Billingsley has been able to accomplish. At just 28 years of age, Billingsley has toured the globe with the Sounds of Blackness and has played with artists such as Eric Roberson, Noel Gourdin, N’Dambi and his own group, BoomBox. He taught music at several area schools and was the dean of student affairs at Love Works Academy.

Through BSOMA, Billingsley hopes to give others the opportunities he has had because of his involvement with the arts. Without schools such as BSOMA Billingsley said most of the students his not-for-profit hopes to instruct once it begins classes in the summer of 2014 would have little to no formal

Harry Colbert, Jr.”

David Billingsley, founder of the Billingsley School of Music & Arts. exposure to the arts.

“In Minnesota only 28 percent of schools offer all four arts disciplines. There are tons of kids who are not even being given a dance option. Whole programs are shutting down,” said Billingsley. “Schools with 10 arts teachers before are being cut down to four or five.”

BSOMA recently received a $10,000 Google grant and has attained funds from individual

donors, but more funds are needed to fully staff the school and to eventually land a permanent location.

“Grants are cool, but individual donors --people who believe in our mission—they are the key,” said Billingsley.

One person who believes in BSOMA’s mission is Gary Hines, founding member and musical director of the Grammy Awarwinning ensemble, Sounds of

Blackness. Hines has signed on as a board member for BSOMA. “(BSOMA) is right in line with what Sounds is all about and I’m honored to be a part,” said Hines. “The sky is the limit for the students and (BSOMA) will have a profound impact on their talents and their lives.

David’s heart, soul, concern and caring are helping to shape and quite literally; helping to save young lives.”

Hines has joined Billingsley in his call for individual donors.

“I think potential donors should take a hard look at what we’re doing and like Spike Lee said, ‘Do the right thing,’” said Hines.

Potential donors or prospective students seeking more information on the Billingsley School of Music & Arts can visit the school’s website at www.bsoma.org.

Reformed gangsta seeks redemption in modern morality play Film Review by Kam Williams Brendan King (Crawford Wilson), a kid raised in the foster care system, was sent away at the age of 15 after being caught dealing drugs and running guns as a member of a notorious gang known as Avenue D. Upon parole a few years later, the juvenile offender was released to the custody of Vanessa (Lynn Whitfield) and Mike Stubbs (James McDaniel), a couple still struggling with the loss of their police officer son in a senseless act of violence while he was on duty.

The emotionally-wounded foster parents see taking Brendan in as an opportunity to not only help rehabilitate an at-risk youth but to perhaps restore their faith in humanity,

Film From 5 explored in African-American film. Call it a drama, call it a love story, or just call it genius movie making. But definitely

too. Because the boy became Born Again behind bars, the prospects for his future are very bright indeed, despite a checkered past marked by 18 different foster home placements, 9 felony and 11 misdemeanor arrests, and 4 convictions.

After all, he’s now settling into a new school, Northside High, and living in a relatively-upscale suburban enclave located a safe distance from the bad influences rampant around the ‘hood.

Furthermore, to keep Brendan on the straight and narrow, the Stubbs give him a curfew, find him a part-time job, and even encourage him to join The Seekers, a Christian community service group for teenagers.

Everything goes well until the fateful day he rescues a classmate from a car wreck.

Natalie (Kayla Compton), a girl most likely-type, happens to be president of the school’s student council. However, she ends up in trouble when the police find drugs in the car at the scene of the accident.

But Brendan’s role as the hero lands him in the limelight, which has the unfortunate side effect of notifying his former partners in crime of his present whereabouts. Soon, they show up looking for the fruit of the valuable contraband he’d hidden before being sent up the river, and they threaten to put a hurtin’ on him if he doesn’t deliver or rejoin their ranks.

Will Brendan revert to his old outlaw ways? Or will the convert put his trust in the Lord and avoid temptation this time around? Thus unfolds “King’s Faith,” a very

relevant morality play written and directed by Nicholas DiBella.

Carefully crafted with Evangelicals in mind, this modern parable will certainly resonate with the faithbased demographic as well as secular individuals interested in an entertaining, wholesome family flick with a sobering message.

The cinematic equivalent of a thoughtprovoking Bible study likely to ignite further discussion about a variety of real-life challenges folks face today.

understand that this is a prized piece that everyone should see and celebrate. As a writer/ director, Duvernay is not only leaving a trail of imaginative and creative film gems in her path, but she is also propelling herself, one frame at a time, onto a must

watch list for the future of film.

For one night only, “Middle of Nowhere” is coming to the Twin Cities for a special screening at the Roseville AMC Theater on Tuesday, June 11, at 7:30 p.m., as a part of its AMC independent series. Tickets are only available

via www.Tugg.com and must be pre-purchased by June 4. To purchase tickets, visit: www. tugg.com/events/4298. To learn more about the film, visit www. middleofnowhere.com.

Very Good (3 stars) Rated PG-13 for violence, drug use and mature themes Running time: 107 minutes Distributor: Faith Street Film Partners

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Aesthetically Speaking • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Page 7

Danny Glover stars in “Norman Rockwell’s Shuffleton’s Barbershop” Acclaimed artist Norman Rockwell’s iconic portrayal of the American spirit comes to life in “Norman Rockwell’s Shuffleton’s Barbershop,” a Hallmark Movie Channel Original World Premiere on Saturday, June 1 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C). Rockwell is a celebrated 20th century artist who is renowned for his idyllic smalltown American scenes that were featured on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post, including his 1950’s painting, Shuffleton’s Barbershop When Rockwell’s painting fades into the world of Charlie Shuffleton’s (Glover) barbershop, this classic piece of Americana becomes the center of a small town where friends gather, gossip

flows and age-old memories are kept.

Peering in the window, famous country singer Trey Cole (Stowell) is finally returning home after abandoning the town many years ago and never looking back, even when his brother died serving in the military, leaving sister-in-law, Norma, (Ewell) to care for her son by herself. Now, realizing he’s lost himself along the way, Trey remembers his first haircut in the brown leather chair as a young boy at age ten (Dash Pledger-Levine) in Charlie’s shop and hopes to find guidance from the man who was a father to him when his own dad, General Wes Cameron (Brett Rice, “Magic City”), was coldly absent

Debonaire

dealing drugs and throwing parties.”

McNeal accepted the invitation and came up to work at the Foot Locker in Mall of America and for Pillsbury.

“They (Pillsbury) had a baking school and Jimmy said if I completed that, he’d put me through chef school,” said McNeal. “Sounded like a good two-year plan to me.”

Eighteen years later, McNeal is still here and hasn’t looked back.

“When I got here the scene was mostly boring,” said McNeal.

“For fun I’d go to Sunny’s every Thursday for karaoke. I met a young lady who started showing me around the city. We drove by the Riverview and saw there were a bunch of Black people there so I got out the car and told her, ‘Thank you, I’m home.’”

The Riverview Supper Club was a popular nightspot in north Minneapolis. The club, owned by the Fuller family, shut its doors in 2001.

“There I met Billy Holloman and Johnny Hodges – rest in peace – of the Sho Nuff Band and I told them if they ever wanted

From 5 etiquette. Very few people here have that etiquette,” said McNeal.

“If you want to know why I’ve lasted so long it’s because I’ve had the etiquette and integrity.”

On a consistent basis, McNeal has by far lasted longer than any other urban promoters in the area. Promoters such as Ray Seville and Brother Jules certainly can lay claim as enduring pioneers in the Twin Cities promoting game – and in many ways paved the way for McNeal – but neither are currently producing as many events as McNeal, who appears to show no signs of slowing any time soon.

To fully appreciate McNeal’s reign as king, one needs to know the history of “Debonaire.”

“I moved to Minnesota in September of ’95,” recalled McNeal. “It was an invitation via my late God-uncle Jimmy Lawson, and his wife, Naomi Lawson. They wanted me off the streets of Chicago,” said McNeal, who was candid about his past.

“At the time I was in Chicago

Courtesy of Hallmark Movie Channel

someone to host and do some comedy, call me. Johnny told me they already had someone and I said, ‘Yeah, bet he ain’t that funny; I’m funnier,’” recalled McNeal.

As McNeal recalls, he was given an audition the next week.

When he learned he was hired, he was also told he had to tell the previous host he was fired.

“I wasn’t going to take the job because I felt bad. But then the guy who was hosting came up to me and was like, ‘yeah, leave your number with the bartender and if we need you we’ll get back to you,’” said McNeal with distain in his voice.

“I told him, no you, leave your number with the bartender and if we need you we’ll get back at you. He was trying to hold me back and I wasn’t going to be held back by anyone. And that was the start of Debonaire Dre’s 25plus Saturday Night Live at the Riverview.”

It was during this time that McNeal was invited to appear on KMOJ’s Paris Tyler Show. That one guest appearance led to a permanent on-air radio gig.

“I went on and cracked jokes, did what I did and the phones

were ringing off the hook. At the end of the shift Paris invited me back. After the second appearance on the show Paris asked how often can I sit in,” said McNeal.

The show became known as Paris Tyler and the Bad Boys with Tyler, McNeal and fellow radio personality, Shock G. McNeal said that was a great time in his life except for one thing.

“I developed a stalker,” said McNeal. “It wasn’t funny to me, but to (his co-host) and the audience it was hilarious.”

Stalker aside, things were looking promising for the future King of Clubs.

McNeal, along with Darryl Robinson and Kareem Tyson, created a weekly event, Fat Tuesdays that according to McNeal was the talk of the town, at a downtown Minneapolis club, Caribbean Splash.

“I was told nobody comes out in Minnesota on a Tuesday night and I quickly killed that myth,” said McNeal, who added that the night was a regular hangout for celebrities and athletes.

“I’ll never forget Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill dancing

during his childhood.

Norman Rockwell (18941978) was a prolific painter and illustrator in the 20th century, frequently depicting enduring American images with exceptional detail.

The original painting is part of the collection in the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a gift to the museum from Rockwell himself, and has also been a favorite addition to Stockbridge, Massachusetts’ Norman Rockwell Museum’s traveling exhibition.

“Norman Rockwell’s Shuffleton’s Barbershop” is a production of Foxfield Entertainment, Nightwatch Productions and Jessamine Productions, plc.

Bruce

Johnson, John Wilder and Fernando Szew are executive producers and Mitchell Galin is producer.

Hallmark Movie Channel, the second linear channel from Crown Media Holdings, Inc., simulcast in SD (Standard Definition) and HD (High Definition), is a trusted familyfriendly network devoted to quality storytelling.

Hallmark Movie Channel Original World Premiere “Norman Rockwell’s Shuffleton’s Barbershop” Saturday, June 1 (9 p.m.

ET/PT, 8C) Starring: Danny Glover, Austin Stowell, Kayla Ewell and Dash Pledger-Levine

on the tables; Wally Szczerbiak getting blitzed and showing his love for Black women; Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, Malik Sealy – one of the coolest cats I ever met,” reflected McNeal.

With the success of Fat Tuesdays, McNeal was brought on to promote at the downtown Minneapolis hot spot, South Beach, owned by David Koch (current owner of 7 Sushi Ultralounge and Skybar).

McNeal called South Beach the first truly upscale Minneapolis nightclub and the first to offer bottle service – today a nightclub standard.

McNeal said he hosted an event, Wind Down Wednesday, at South Beach with Tim Wilson, owner of Urban Lights. “We did that for five years,” said McNeal.

Life as promoter isn’t always sunshine and tulips. The nightclub industry can be fickle and cutthroat. Take for example McNeal’s stint promoting at the now closed Sharks in northeast Minneapolis. According to McNeal, he was packing the house on Saturday nights when previously the venue was empty.

“I’m making this man (the

owner of Sharks) money hand over fist and all of a sudden he comes to me and says my Saturday is killing his Fridays so he needs half the door,” said McNeal. “Now this place was empty before I got there and now he’s selling out of product every week and he wants half the door?”

McNeal said he left Sharks and went down the road to Gabby’s where he packed the place every Friday. Sharks closed three months later. Gabby’s was later sold and is now Psycho Suzi’s.

Up next for McNeal is a weekly collaborative Saturday night with promoter Chris Lee at Tryg’s starting June 22. McNeal said just like his Afterwork Jumpoff at Insert Coin(s), The Tryg’s event will feature a different DJ each week.

“It’s all about building relationships, networking and keeping people on their toes,” said McNeal. “I’m a person who loves seeing people come out and have a good time. That’s what it’s all about.”

THE WORD IS OUT

FAST JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER!

INSANE, HUGE FUN.”

“

SLASHFILM

“‘FAST & FURIOUS 6’ DELIVERS

THE BIGGEST ACTION YET IN THIS UNSTOPPABLE SERIES!” HITFIX

FAST 6’ IS FUN, ENTERTAINING AND VICIOUSLY SEXY.

“‘

THIS IS WHAT SUMMER MOVIES ARE ALL ABOUT!” FOX-TV

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIA AN ORIGINAL FILM/ ONE RACE FILMS PRODUCTION A JUSTIN LIN FILM VIN DIESEL PAUL WALKER DWAYNE JOHNSON “FAST & FURIOUS 6” MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ JORDANA BREWSTER MUSIC TYRESE GIBSON CHRIS ‘LUDACRIS’ BRIDGES SUNG KANG LUKE EVANS GINA CARANO JOHN ORTIZ BY LUCAS VIDAL EXECUTIVE BASED ON CHARACTERS PRODUCERS JUSTIN LIN AMANDA LEWIS SAMANTHA VINCENT CHRIS MORGAN CREATED BY GARY SCOTT THOMPSON WRITTEN PRODUCED DIRECTED

BY CHRIS MORGAN

BY NEAL H. MORITZ p.g.a. VIN DIESEL CLAYTON TOWNSEND p.g.a.

BY JUSTIN LIN A UNIVERSAL PICTURE SOUNDTRACK ON DEF JAM RECORDINGS

© 2013 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

OWN THEM ALL ON BLU-RAY & DVD ™

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS A PLATINUM DUNES/BLUMHOUSE/WHY NOT PRODUCTION ETHAN HAWKELINE LENA HEADEY “THE PURGE” ADELAIDE KANE MAX MUSIC BURKHOLDER CASTING COBY LISA FIELDS PRODUCER GERARD D I NARDI PRODUCER JEANETTE VOLTURNO-BRILL BY NATHAN WHITEHEAD PRODUCED

BY JASON BLUM p.g.a. MICHAEL BAY ANDREW FORM BRAD FULLER SEBASTIEN ´ K. LEMERCIER p.g.a.

WRITTEN AND A UNIVERSAL RELEASE DIRECTED BY JAMES D E MONACO © 2013 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

STARTS FRIDAY, JUNE 7

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

Page 8 • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking 1

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Snapshots

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1) DJ Dell Dilla ready to rock the crowd during the Afterwork Jumpoff at Insert Coin(s).

2) Carol Brenner and Pamela Weems stop for a pic during the Afterwork Jumpoff at Insert Coin(s).

3) Caprice McNeal and Nikia Ross showing they’ve got game at the Afterwork Jumpoff at

Insert Coin(s).

4) Mellissa Ferguson and Christiana Olagbaiye enjoying the vibe at Insert Coin(s) during the Afterwork Jumpoff.

5) Corey Collins, Leesha McKinzie and Dorian Morris are all smiles at the Afterwork Jumpoff at Insert Coin(s).

6) Family affair: Tracy Lewis (middle) sharing time with her daughters, Candace Lewis (left) and Constance Lewis (right) at the Afterwork Jumpoff at Insert Coin(s).

7) Isaac Ricard, Alissa Grier and Sam Kargbo enjoying the night at the Afterwork Jumpoff at Insert Coin(s).

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Insight News • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Page 9

FULL CIRCLE

Study to be quiet: Meditate Man Talk

By Timothy Houston “Study to be quiet.” It has been 15 years since I put pen to paper to write what then was my first book. At the time, I was going through an extremely difficult period in my life, and I began journaling as a means of therapy.

I would get up at 5:00 AM each morning. It was during this quiet time that I would write out my complaint to God. Day after day, I wrote. After months and months of complaining, one day, I ran out of things to complain about.

It was then that God begin to speak back to me the answers to my problems. Days later, I had

an epiphany and realized that if I had been quiet, I would have gotten the answers that I needed a long time ago.

What does it mean to study to be quiet? If prayer is the method of talking to God, then being quiet is the method of listening to Him. Study to be quiet is the process of quietly meditating or reflecting on the voice of God. It is a quest to hear from Him clearly during times of personal crisis. Quieting your inner man when your outer man is going through turmoil is not easy, but there is help. When you quiet your voice, God will quiet your spirit.

First, to study to be quiet, you must first be silent. Silence is golden. It is a precious commodity. This is more than just not talking during your prayer time. Your mouth could be quiet, but your spirit could be raging. You mouth could be quiet, but your body could be in torment. You need to learn to

quiet your spirit, soul, and body.

Study to be quiet means you are at peace with God. Peace with

Secondly, to study to be quiet, you must be still. Have you ever passed a billboard

If prayer is the method of talking to God, then being quiet is the method of listening to Him.

God brings about peace with self, and peace with self leads to peace with others. A quiet spirit leads to a quiet person.

on the highway? How much information were you able to grasp? You probably notice the obvious things, but to get the

details, you may have needed to slow down. If you were going to read the fine print on the billboard, you may have needed to come to a complete stop. Life is not a billboard to be rushed passed. It is a work of art that must be painted one day at a time.

The more time you spend in quiet contemplation, the clearer your life’s picture will be.

Finally, to study to be quiet, you must be separate. This means leaving the crowd. The crowd promotes “group think.”

In the multitude, you will say and do what everyone else is doing. Most of our misdirection, failures, and inconsistencies can be traced back to the crowd. To get directions for your life as an individual, you need individual time alone with God. This separation will allow you to perfect your purpose, vision, and direction.

You must study to be quiet.

Reading a book on golf will not

make you a better golfer. That requires practice. To be a good golfer, you must study the art of golf and you must practice good golf principles. The study to be quiet is the same way. You have to do it to get better. Like golf, if you only rely on practice alone, you will develop bad habits.

These are all the byproduct of bad instructions. To be the best you possible, you must take the time needed to study to be quiet.

When you do this, your vision will be clearer, your purpose will be intentional, and your life will be better.

Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. To get copies of his books, for questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.

Church asks Christians to get rid of their guns Washington DC - The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans churchgoers, calls on its membership to get rid of any weapons in their homes. The black church believes that having a weapon is a sin; as Christians we are asked to put their faith in God. God says that He will protect us even until the ends of the Earth. So if God is going to protect you, why would you need a gun?

According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, “Those persons with guns in the home were at greater risk than those without guns in the home

Clark

Reverend Anthony Evans of dying from a homicide in the home. They were also at greater risk of dying from a firearm homicide, but risk varied by age and whether the person was living with others at the time of death. The risk of dying from a

From 1

Karen Clark Minnesota State Representative South Minneapolis, MN

extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.

Representative Karen Clark was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1980, making

suicide in the home was greater for males in homes with guns than for males without guns in the home. Persons with guns in the home were also more likely to have died from suicide committed with a firearm than from one committed by using a different method.”

The experts say that having a firearm in your house increases the likelihood that someone in your house will either die from homicide or suicide. The Scripture says, “Thou shalt not kill.” This applies to killing yourself as well as to killing others. Therefore, a gun does not have any place in a Christian’s life. Nothing can offer salvation except for our God, and you cannot live a righteous life by

preparing for a violent end. Our weapon is prayer, not violence.

The Rev. Anthony Evans, President of the National Black Church Initiative, says, “Our community has been devastated by guns. They have caused so much pain and destruction in African-American lives.

Why we think that guns are the answer is beyond me. One should strive to have a nonviolent personality. We will have much to say about this issue in the coming press releases. The heart of the Christian faith lies in having faith in God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and, as followers of Christ; we should never put anything above our Lord - not the Second Amendment or our guns. Our

faith should be rooted in the Lord and will save us in the end, not a gun. So this is why the church is speaking clearly against a gun that can only kill the body and stain the soul. If you have a gun for protection, it is a sin and you must get rid of it. Your faith must prevail.”

So if you have any weapons in your house, the church is decreeing you to rid your home, life, and soul of guns and their associated violence within fifteen days of reading this edict. You have a choice to keep your guns because of free will, but also remember that the Scripture states, “Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword.”

About NBCI The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 34,000 churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment.

NBCI’s mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches and the public.

NBCI offers faith-based, outof-the box and cutting edge solutions to stubborn economic and social issues. NBCI’s programs are governed by credible statistical analysis, science based strategies and techniques, and methods that work. Visit our website at www. naltblackchurch.com.

her the longest serving openly gay or lesbian state legislator in the country. She represents three inner city neighborhoods in South Minneapolis, the lowest income district in the state. Representative Clark is an advocate for low income,

Indigenous American Indian and community of color constituents, including many new Americans.

A former public health nurse, current college instructor and co-founder of the Women’s Environmental Institute, some of Representative Clark’s major

legislative accomplishments include chief authoring and passing worker and consumer right-to-know toxic exposure laws, affordable housing and homelessness initiatives, youth and dislocated worker job training strategies and numerous

human rights, environmental justice and anti-discrimination protections.

Recently, Representative Clark authored and helped pass the 2013 Minnesota Freedom to Marry bill with bi-partisan support.

Page 10 • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY Homewood Studios: One part of a supportive, thriving North Minneapolis arts scene

By Shaina Brassard, West Broadway Coalition Since 2000, Homewood Studios, an artists’ workspace and gallery/meeting space in north Minneapolis, has served local artists and their neighbors in the belief that the visible presence of working artists contributes to the vitality, self-image, and coherence of community.

After a tour of the beautifully restored old building at the corner of Plymouth Avenue North, we sat down with George Roberts and Beverly Roberts, longtime residents of the Homewood neighborhood, to talk about the history and mission of Homewood Studios.

Shaina Brassard: How did you come to own Homewood Studios?

Beverly Roberts: This was boarded and vacant for more than 10 years. It was on our path of places that we go back and forth from. We tried for a while to get nonprofits to take a look at it; they weren’t interested but they said, “If you can get site control, then the community can do something.”

George was still teaching, but ready to retire and had been talking about getting a studio of his own. So he and Shirley Jones, also an artist and teacher, began to talk about buying this building and turning it into studios and a gallery.

We watched for the price to go down and purchased it in March of 1998. We got grant money through NRRC (Northside Residents Redevelopment Council) and the

George Roberts at work in his studio, Downstairs Press. city for the roof and the windows.

So we sort of buttoned it up and then got the gallery in shape.

Then we worked backwards, and it took a number of years to get the studios ready. The last studio, George’s, was finished in 2005.

George Roberts: Our mission says that we believe the visible presence of artists in the community contributes to the connectedness and vitality of the community, thus the big windows.

We want people to see the art. And a lot of people do tell us they love driving by and seeing what the artists are doing. It’s much better than a boarded up building.

It’s always been a place for new or emerging Northside artists to have their first shows.

We want the community to be able to see the art being made in their community, to show that art

Photos: Shaina Brassard

George and Beverly Roberts outside of Homewood Studios at 2400 Plymouth Avenue N. doesn’t happen someplace else, it happens right here – these are your neighbors.

We host a new show every three to four weeks. We don’t make any profit on the gallery or studios; we break even. The artists rent the gallery and we work together to get an audience to view and buy their work. Since we don’t charge a commission, artists

Calendar • Classifieds Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone: 612.588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.

EVENTS Reopening: Landmark Hennepin County Library – Roosevelt June 1 Celebrate the reopening of the

landmark Hennepin County Library – Roosevelt, 4026 28th Ave. S., Minneapolis, on Saturday, June 1 after a 15-month renovation and addition of a multipurpose community room.

Ribbon-cutting will be at 9:30 a.m. Doors open at 10 a.m.

Explore the renovated library through a scavenger hunt, try out iPads available for in-library use and check out the refreshed collection.

Unplugged at Arnellias! June 1 Experience an evening of Live

Phone: 612.588.1313

Music and Powerful Poets as they take to the stage inspirational and authentic messages through their individual lyrical art form.

This monthly music series features the band Nu Fusion, fronted by Singer/Songwriter/ Poet Queen Niyahbingai, Poet, WordPlay4U2Hear and monthly features of global music, dance, and authentic arts. This event takes place at Arnellia’s Music Venue 1183 University Avenue St Paul MN 55104. DATE: June 1 2013 TIME: Doors open at 7p.m. Show starts at

America Minneapolis Urban League Teachers

Science Teacher Math Teacher (2 positions) English Teacher Job Summary: Under general supervisor, serves as classroom teacher in the Minneapolis Urban League Academy High School to create a flexible instruction program and a class environment favorable to learning and personal growth in accordance with each student’s ability. Establishes effective rapport with students assigned to the classroom. Motivates students to develop attitudes and knowledge needed to provide a good foundation for secondary grade education in accordance with each student’s ability, and instructs students in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth. Establish good relationships with other staff members.

Experience and Qualification Requirements: The classroom teacher will meet all qualifications and behavior standards as set by the Minneapolis Public School District (MPS) and the Minneapolis Urban League (MUL). In accordance with certification requirements and the performance expectations of the MPS and the MUL, all classroom teachers shall meet the following employment criteria. * Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, including all courses to meet credential (licensing) requirements. * Valid Minnesota teaching license authorizing service in grade levels and areas assigned. * Completed credential file that meets MPS standards. * Professional verification of successful classroom teacher performance and/or student teaching experience. * Evidence of the willingness and the ability to comply with the standards for ethical and professional performance established by the State Board of Education. * Interview/file data will include evidence of sensitivity and respect for others and verification of the demonstrated ability to serve as a positive role model for youth. * Regular and predictable attendance is essential. * Training in behavior management. * Training in student assessment techniques. * Three to five years experience in dealing with at-risk youth. * Experience in developing individual student instructional programs. * Current First Aid Card with C.P.R. endorsement or the willingness to obtain one. * Competency in the use of computer software and hardware. * Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. * Ability to plan and implement lessons based on curriculum and school objectives and the needs and abilities of student. *Ability to integrate and differentiate instruction in a variety of subjects to address the diverse student population. * Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community.

HOW TO APPLY: Email cover letter and resume to vdavis@mul.org; fax to 612-521-1444 or mail to 2100 Plymouth Ave. No., Mpls, Mn 55411, Attn: HR - Preferred method is email. The positions are open until filled.

MINNESOTA OFFICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Get Ready/GEAR UP Program The MN Office of Higher Education, the state higher education agency, has two Program Supervisor position openings in its Get Ready/GEAR UP early college awareness program which focuses on lowincome students and families.

Job description and application instructions are available at www.ohe.state.mn.us/jobs or call (651) 259-3941.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

aren’t forced to raise the prices of their art. It also allows the artists to have funds to take the next step with their art; if they sell $4,000 worth of art, they have $4,000 to live on and make more art.

BR: As a former teacher at North (Community) High (School), George in particular is interested in getting children interested in art and aware that

From 2 in Meridian, Mississippi for systematically incarcerating black and disabled children for days at a time for minor dress code infractions like wearing the wrong color socks or talking back to the teacher. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, children have been expelled for giving Midol to classmates, bringing household goods to

art is a part of the neighborhood’s fabric.

GR: There’s a corner of our gallery facing the street that we now call Gallery 1x1xOne for one piece of art for one month by one artist under the age of 18.

There’s no jury. Any child that brings a piece of art will get a chance to show it. We frame it and take their picture and make a big

Fax: 612.588.2031

Email: info@insightnews.com

8 p.m. General tickets $10.00 Advanced Seating $12.00.

For inquires contact Isaac: 651.353.5329. For free tickets for your Non Profit Organization employees or Group, contact globalhiphoptheater@gmail. com with the name of your org, # of ticket requested and a contact name for return call.10 free tickets are courtesy of sponsors.

Quintet, one of the Midwest’s most exciting young chamber music ensembles will perform 4 pm Saturday, June 1 at Camden Music School, 3751 Sheridan Avenue North (Luther Memorial Lutheran Church), 55412. The concert is free and open to the public.

More information: 612-618-0219 or www.camden musicschool.com.

Pavia Winds Woodwind Quintet at Camden Music School June 1 The Pavia Winds Woodwind

Sam’s Club free men’s health screenings June 8 Sam’s Club will host free men’s health screenings on Saturday,

In Arizona, Alabama, Georgia and a growing number of states, legally sanctioned racial profiling has been resurrected leading Latinos particularly, and other U.S citizens of color, to fear harassment, suspicion and detention.

In New York City between 2002 to 2011, 90 percent of the city’s notorious ‘stop and frisk’ victims have been Black and Latino residents. In 88 percent of those stops, people of color were found to be innocent of any wrongdoing.

In the year when this nation will NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE celebrate the Supreme Northside Achievement Zone has employment opportunities.

Court’s historic ruling Check our website at the-naz.org or come in to our office located to create a right to at 2123 W. Broadway Ave. Ste. 100, Mpls, MN 55421 counsel for indigent people accused of Office Administrator crimes, protections SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development in St. Paul for the poor and seeks an outgoing and organized Office Administrator to handle Customer Service and Clerical duties. Full-time. Call innocent are almost In a 651-225-9265 or email ross@steppingstonetheatre.org for non-existent. job description and requirements. courtroom, where justice should be blind, the presumption STAFF ATTORNEY of guilt is especially SMRLS seeks Public Benefits atty, 2 yrs. exp. Sal- dangerous.

Today ary $44K+ DOE, very good benefits. Resumes to: too many innocent georgia.sherman@smrls.org prisoners like Taylor are trapped by systemic pressure *HOTLINE ATTORNEY* SMRLS seeks atty. for Hotline Proj. in rural MN. to plead guilty in Salary $43K+ DOE, vg benes. Resumes to: a system where marialuisa.giese@smrls.org AAEOE 96 percent of all convictions are Minneapolis Urban League rendered by plea bargains.

School Office Coordinator T h e Job summary: Innocent Defendant’s Under the supervision of the School Principal coordinate all school administrative activities, assisting with opera- Dilemma, a recent describes tional, academic, college access, career development and study, family engagement activities. how the blameless, particularly those Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Demonstrate a strong knowledge of administrative support who are poor, find it procedures and practices; knowledge of basic office ma- an onerous, nearly chines and equipment. Strong technology skills, as well as impossible burden to verbal and written skills. Must be a team player with excel- prove their innocence. lent customer service skills. Attention to detail, flexible and willing to cooperate with other team members. Ability to With few resources follow oral and written instructions, ability to communicate for defense, they find effectively and tactfully with school personnel, students, themselves trapped parents and guardians, and the general public. by a system that presumes their guilt.

Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from high school, some community college at- Since the odds seem tendance preferred. Administrative Professional certifica- hopelessly stacked tion desired with proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly against them, many EXCEL and POWERPOINT. innocent individuals reluctantly plead HOW TO APPLY: Email cover letter and resume to vdavis@mul.org; fax to guilty to avoid 612-521-1444 or mail to 2100 Plymouth Ave. No., Mpls, the longest prison Mn 55411, Attn: HR - Preferred method is email. This positerms or even death. tion is open until filled.

school for Goodwill donations and scissors to class for an art project.

Recently, one black Florida during a science experiment.

Children as young as five years old are being led out of classrooms in handcuffs for acting out or throwing temper tantrums.

They have been arrested for throwing an eraser at a teacher, breaking a pencil, and having rap lyrics in a locker. Black children constitute 18 percent of the nation’s public school population but 40% of the children who are suspended or expelled.

Classified Sales Representative Insight News is looking for a Classified Sales Representative to start immediately.

This is a part-time position perfect for a college student or someone looking for supplemental income. Candidate must be a motivated self-starter with the desire to grow the business. Candidate must be focused, must have the ability to work under deadlines and to meet or exceed set sales goals. Responsibilities include calling and emailing new clients and following up with past clients for classified sales. Please e-mail cover letter and resume to batalara@insightnews.com.

Please: No walk-ins and NO phone calls.

Minneapolis Urban League Business Teacher

Job Summary: The high school business teacher instructs students in business at a secondary school level that in turn leads some students to pursue a business or technology as a career or improves the student’s business knowledge and career skills. They teach business curriculum such as resume writing, business careers, account checking, computer keyboarding and computer courses, and financial literacy skills. Working with computers, the business technology teacher instructs and teaches students about spreadsheets, word processing, graphics and databases.

They prepare the students business assignments and exams, grade the papers and evaluate the student’s progress. While teaching the instructor maintains classroom order, sets acceptable behavior from their students and enforces school rules.

Experience and Qualification Requirements: A solid foundation in the use and application of computers, software and proper integration into the curriculum, information technology and business. Minnesota Teaching License with certification to teach Business Education.

Must have a bachelor’s degree with a major in business education or equivalent. Experience working w/student placement in internships, and school-to-work certification.

Classroom management skills a must. Ability to work cooperatively with parents and staff. Ability to work well with high school students in an alternative school setting.

HOW TO APPLY: Email cover letter and resume to vdavis@mul.org; fax to 612-521-1444 or mail to 2100 Plymouth Ave. No., Mpls, Mn 55411, Attn: HR - Preferred method is email. This position is open until filled.

deal, sometimes even have a little family opening, so they leave here thinking, “I’m an artist,” which is what we want. We have one young artist, the granddaughter of our neighbor, and now when they are driving by the gallery she insists her grandmother pull over so she can see who the artist is this month. Art is on her route.

In addition to our arts activities we have musicians that meet here regularly. We have a tai chi class that happens on Saturdays. We had a quilting class for a while. In those instances, an individual has come and said, “I have an idea for a class. Can we work something out?”

There’s a musician that lives down the street, a guy that in his retirement is learning to play the flute. He has come down here some Tuesday evenings when the gallery is open and just played the flute for whoever comes in.

BR: I think that’s a good thing to mention. What we hope is that people think of Homewood Studios not just as a gallery space, but as a community space for them.

Homewood Studios is located at 2400 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis. Hours are Tuesday 5 p.m. - 9 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. For more information call (612) 587-0230 or visit www. homewoodstudios.com.

The next showing at Homewood Studios is Larry Risser: The Park: Soul of the City, which runs from May 31- June 22.

June 8, 2013, 11am-3pm. The screenings will be offered at all Sam’s Club location with a pharmacy. To find a club near you, visit www.SamsClub.com// clublocator .The screenings will offer the following free tests: PSA (prostate-specific antigen) for men, TSH (thyroidstimulating hormone) for women, blood pressure, BMI (body mass index), and vision.

If you have any questions, please contact SamsHealth Screenings@cohnwolf.com .

Innocent victims lose years in prison, face rejection because of criminal records, and many never reach their potential.

We have come a great distance in the last 50 years, but we still have not fully escaped the miseducation and distortions created by America’s policies of racial injustice. These problems demand remedies, and we must admit this nation may require some form of therapy before we can freely reconcile ourselves to a better future informed by the truth surrounding present human rights abuses and those of the past.

Despite progress, in the last 50 years we have retreated from an honest conversation about racial and economic justice, and have opted instead for mass criminalization and incarceration leaving many poor and minority people marginalized and condemned. As Taylor’s story reminds us, out of sight is hardly out of mind. It is an abysmal violation of human dignity.

U. S. Rep. John Lewis has represented the 5th Congressional District of Georgia since 1987. An iconic civil rights leader and recipient of a 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom, he is the only living person who was actually a speaker at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Bryan Stevenson is executive director and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and a professor of law at New York University.

This article - the fifteenth of a 20-part series - is written in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, of which Congressman Lewis is grand marshal. The Lawyers’ Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar’s leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity - work that continues to be vital today.

For more information, please visit www.lawyerscommittee.org.

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Insight News • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Page 11

HEALTH The Affordable Care Act: How will it change dental coverage for kids? if a family does not have pediatric dental care as part of its existing plan, the fact that there are stand-alone plans offered through the state exchanges will be helpful …

There are many plans right now that have a very low limit for what they’ll cover,

By Anna Challet, Special to the NNPA from The Louisiana Weekly via New America Media Editor’s Note: The Affordable Care Act will make pediatric dental care more accessible than ever before, but many children’s advocates are concerned about the affordability of coverage and the availability of providers.

New America Media spoke with Joe Touschner, a Senior Health Policy Analyst at the Center for Children and Families of the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, about what changes families can expect.

Generally speaking, how will the Affordable Care Act change families’ access to dental coverage for their children?

For a lot of families, the ACA won’t change their coverage directly. If a family gets its dental coverage through a large employer, that will continue, or if the child is covered by a public program like Medicaid, that will remain similar. Where the ACA will improve coverage, though, is in places where it was previously harder to obtain children’s dental care, such as in the individual market and in small group insurance. The ACA guarantees that there will be dental coverage available for purchase, either together with other benefits or through stand-alone plans. It has made children’s dental coverage part of what are called “Essential Health Benefits,” which are categories that have to be covered by individual and small group plans. Pediatric

For a lot of families, the ACA won’t change their coverage directly.

PhotoXpress

dental care has to be included as part of that coverage.

Will families who have insurance that does not cover pediatric dental care be required to purchase dental coverage for their children?

At the federal level there is no requirement in the exchange, but some people are concerned about this being established as a state

requirement, and there are states that are considering it, including California. It would be up to the state to require families to purchase a standalone plan if their current insurance doesn’t offer it.

Are there concerns about stand-alone plans being affordable?

There are some concerns, but first I would say that

MDH wins national award for efforts to increase vaccinations among uninsured, underinsured adults in Minnesota The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has won a national award for its efforts to increase immunization rates among uninsured and underinsured adults in Minnesota.

The National Influenza Vaccine Summit (NIVS) presented the award to representatives of MDH’s immunization program at this week’s 2013 National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit in Atlanta. The award is one of five Immunization Excellence Awards that recognize individuals or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions towards improving adult and/or childhood influenza vaccination rates within their communities during the 2012-13 influenza season. MDH is the first to receive an award in the new category recognizing activities focused on the adult population beyond influenza: Overall Adult Immunization Activities - Beyond Flu. In January 2011, the Uninsured and Underinsured Adult Vaccine (UUAV) Program began providing free vaccine for qualifying adults via public and private health clinics throughout the state. With no federal program

get federal subsidies; the ACA will pay part of your premium for you on the exchange if your income is at or below 400 percent of the poverty level, and you don’t have access to insurance through your job. The tax credits will help people afford the coverage,

devoted to vaccinating uninsured adults, the UUAV program helped fill a crucial gap for adults in Minnesota.

“I’m very proud of the work that staff has done on this project,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Ehlinger. “The UUAV Program has established a consistent statewide supply of vaccine for adults who would otherwise face financial barriers to vaccination.

It gives health care providers an alternative to charging patients unaffordable amounts for vaccination, and helps focus participating clinics’ energies on increasing their adult vaccination rates.”

Participating clinics can tailor the program to the needs of their patients by ordering the types and quantities of vaccine they are likely to use. Through an online clinic finder, patients can search for a participating clinic near them and health care providers can refer patients who may need these services.

In its first three years, the federally-funded program has provided more than 65,000 vaccinations at 156 sites across the state for adults who lack health

insurance or who have insurance that does not cover immunizations.

Additional funding is available to continue with another opportunity for public and private clinics to apply for UUAV eligibility.

“The program continues to grow and refine its approaches.

It has already improved adults’ access to vaccines and communicated to providers across Minnesota that adult vaccination is a priority that must not be deterred by financial considerations,” said Commissioner Ehlinger.

Other awards being presented at the summit are: • Overall Flu Season Activities • Healthcare Personnel Campaign • Immunization Coalitions/ Public Health/Community Campaign • Corporate Campaign The National Influenza Vaccine Summit (NIVS) was founded by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently the NIVS is led by the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), the CDC, and the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO).

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but because pediatric dental care is now a part of the Essential Health Benefits, that coverage has to be more comprehensive, and the ACA is eliminating those annual and lifetime limits. As a result, though, the monthly premium may end up being higher for some families. Affordability will be a challenge – it’s going to be important for the state exchanges to keep affordability in mind.

Could you briefly explain health insurance exchanges?

Every state will have an exchange … It’s basically a set of rules aimed at improving competition among health plans, to get them to compete to offer quality coverage for a low cost. Not all plans will be able to sell on the exchange; plans will have to compete to get there, and will have to offer lower costs while still providing for the Essential Health Benefits. The exchanges are also going to be the place where people can

and this ensures that there’s business for the health plans to compete for.

One of the recommendations that’s been made by advocacy organizations with regard to serving rural and lowincome communities is to increase the number of dental health professionals by training professionals who work under the supervision of dentists, comparable to nurse practitioners. But the American Dental Association sued a group in Alaska (the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium) that provided for the training of dental therapists who would work in rural communities and tried to block them from practicing.

Is there a concern about the ADA pushing back if steps like this are taken to increase the availability of care?

The idea of dental practitioners is something that several states have been interested in – Minnesota in

addition to Alaska. There is certainly opposition, but we need to focus on the needs of kids. If we’re seeing that kids have low access to dental services, having new kinds of providers is something that we need to look at. We need to look at the services that need to be provided and the providers that are available. If the services are not available, finding providers who can perform services at a lower cost may be the way we have to go.

What do you see for the future of dental care for kids?

I think that the ACA has taken a great step forward in making pediatric dental care part of the Essential Health Benefits. We’re getting to a place where dental care is seen as integral to every kid’s health … Having access to dental care is now being seen as just as important as having access to a doctor, and just as necessary – which is a good thing. It’s going to take changes to current dental practices – for example, the training of other kinds of practitioners – to create more access.

Is there any hope for this kind of access being extended to adults?

For adults, the future is a little more uncertain. When Congress passed the ACA, it made a choice to include dental care for kids and not for adults. We may have a ways to go as far as seeing dental care as an integral part of medical care for everyone.

Maybe down the line we could think about adding care for adults, but it’s hard to see that happening anytime soon.

This article originally published in the May 13, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.

Page 12 • May 27 - June 2, 2013 • Insight News

MEDA

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Metropolitan Economic Development Association

Join the celebration for entrepreneurs of color nd

42 Annual Recognition Luncheon Wed., June 5, 2013 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Hilton - Minneapolis 1001 Marquette Avenue

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