Insight News ::: 8.19.13

PJ Richardson: Life coaching via the Queen’s Project MORE ON PAGE 5

August 19 - August 25, 2013

Vol. 40 No. 34 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

And still, we march F ifty years ago, Whitney M. Young Jr., president of the National Urban League from 1961-71, worked alongside his fellow civil rights, social justice and labor movement leaders to organize the March on

Washington, where 300,000 people gathered to demand jobs and freedom. As America prepares to mark the anniversary of this historic gathering, the National Urban League, under the leadership of Marc H. Morial, will once again mobilize

citizens across the nation to gather in Washington, D.C. and continue the push for economic empowerment and justice. The National Urban League is working in partnership with Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network,

Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, and Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

MARCH TURN TO 3

Trista Harris

www.expertfile.com

PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE

Trista Harris A career of giving

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer National Archives

March on Washington should again focus on jobs

By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Civil rights leaders will march on Washington, D.C. on Saturday, August 24 to observe the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I

Have a Dream” speech. Now economists, labor groups and community stakeholders want to make sure that the Black jobs crisis gets top billing on the agenda.

Some researchers say that the economic agenda of the 1963 march was largely forgotten as Blacks won hardfought victories for voting rights and anti-discrimination policies in public and the workplace.

“There has been an

Algernon Austin says jobs and economics should be top priorities.

incomplete representation of the Civil Rights Movement.

On one hand people struggled tremendously, people fought, people died and we did have tremendous success, because of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom,” said Algernon Austin, director of the Race, Ethnicity, and Economy Program at the Economic Policy Institute.

“We did get the Voting Rights

Trista Harris never dreamed of climbing the corporate ladder.

She never wanted to go near it. Since she was just a young child, Harris’ drive was to work in the nonprofit sector, devoting

her talents to community building – choosing people over personal gain. In doing so, Harris has risen to the top of the nonprofit ranks and now heads the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF), an organization whose members

HARRIS TURN TO 4

JOBS TURN TO 11

Metro Transit Police swear in 19 full-time officers The Metro Transit Police Department has added 19 new full-time officers to its ranks.

Officers were sworn in August 2, 2013 by Chief John Harrington at a ceremony in Minneapolis.

“This well-qualified group of full-time officers will fill a key role for our region’s growing transit system – particularly as we prepare for METRO Green Line light-rail service next year,” Harrington said. “Metro Transit customers represent many different cultural backgrounds and this diverse group of officers is reflective of the many communities that make up the Twin Cities.”

The 19 officers come from various law enforcement backgrounds. Five of the officers have previous sworn law enforcement experience totaling

Metro Transit

The new class of officers for the Metro Transit Police Department applaud following the ceremony. nearly 24 years of service. The new officers represent diverse community backgrounds including African-American, Somali and Latino and several are bilingual, speaking Arabic,

Somali or Spanish.

The new officers join 64 licensed and sworn full-time and 60 existing part-time Metro Transit Police officers. This addition will result in a net

increase of 15 more full-time Metro Transit Police officer positions – for a total of 83. The growing department added 22 additional part-time officers in April of this year and plans to hire an additional 26 part-time officers this fall.

Metro Transit Police patrol routes, rail stations and other transit facilities by riding buses and trains, in squads and on foot.

The department was created in 1993 and has jurisdiction wherever Metro Transit buses and trains operate – currently in eight metro counties. Read more at metrotransit.org/police.

Metro Transit is a service of the Metropolitan Council.

Customers boarded buses and trains more than 81 million times in 2012.

50th Anniversary: Remembering the March on Washington Presidential Medal of Honor recipient Rev. C.T. Vivian, Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Laysha Ward, President of Target Foundation and President Jimmy Carter joined community and corporate leaders last Sunday in an event in Atlanta marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Called “America’s Sunday Supper,” the commemorative event was held the Carter Center and included a recitation of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by Zaqary Asuamah.

The event was organized by the volunteer group Points of Light, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and Target.

WE WIN

Business

Scholarship

Health

Youth examine the horrors of chattel slavery

Why companies should hire baby boomers

Tom Joyner Foundation and Allstate join forces to raise scholarship funds

Turning the tide on childhood obesity

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Cotton fields

Master’s house

Harriet Tubman escaping with slaves

Youth examine the horrors of chattel slavery

By Titilayo Bediako In most schools and programs throughout the Twin Cities and throughout America, students are not taught about the tremendous sacrifices that African Americans have made for the development of the United States.

From June to August, children at WE WIN Institute learned about the tragedies of chattel slavery for African people. They learned how millions of Africans were stolen from their homeland and were packed like sardines in

a treacherous boat; the majority of Africans did not survive the threemonth trip. Once in America, the children learned, Africans went through another nightmare by having to work from sun up to sunset in the fields, which included picking cotton, rice, tobacco, and indigo. African people worked for 250 years for no pay. The children learned that through the labor of African people that the United States was able to be the rich and powerful country that it is today.

Students also learned about the courageous sacrifices of Harriet Tubman. She was a small

Photos: WE WIN Institute

Slave quarter scene and bodacious woman who was born in slavery. She refused to

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live under an unjust system that treated her and her people like animals. When Harriet was very young, she was hit in the head by the slave master because she refused to beat a runaway slave with a whip. The hit caused her to have blackouts. She never knew when the black outs would occur, but she knew she had to be free.

Harriet first freed herself, and then she went back to the south 19 times and helped freed over 300 enslaved Africans to freedom in the north.

After the children studied slavery and Harriet Tubman, they worked in groups and created

dioramas, three-dimensional miniature scenes.

The only instruction they received on the diorama was that they had to create a scene based on something they learned this summer. The groups had so much fun creating their panoramas.

They used sticks, leaves, wallpaper, sand, paint, clay, markers and great imagination. After they finished their projects, the children presented their scenes to each other and explained what they meant. They listened intently to each other, supported each other and learned from each other.

In addition to African

American children, the summer program included Somali, Eritrean, and Latino children.

Everyone learned about American slavery and the incredible contributions of Harriet Tubman.

They were educated on the importance of understanding the past in order to learn from it, and to create a brighter future.

WE WIN Institute is an example how to teach students about their cultures and simultaneously strengthen their reading, writing and mathematical skills. Children have learned that when they work and learn together; WE WIN!

Minnesota college choices: Students wary of taking out loans

By Sheila Regan, TC Daily Planet

Visit our booth at Urban League

Family Day Aug. 31!

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Fadumo Ali had her heart set on attending Loyola University in Chicago this year, but ultimately, she chose to go to the University of St. Thomas instead. The deciding factor? Ali didn’t want to begin college by taking out a large loan, with the prospect of more large loans each year. The financial aid package Loyola offered her just wasn’t enough.

She’s not alone: the rising cost of going to college, and the loans to help pay for it, are a large and growing concern for college students and their parents.

Ashley de los Reyes, a student at St. Catherine University, chose St. Catherine University based on the beautiful campus and the programs the university offered, and now, even with scholarships and grants, she’s still had to take out several loans. She’s worried, with her English and theology majors, about how long it will take her to pay off the loans.

Students coming from lowincome and middle-income families have to navigate a tangled web of federal and state aid, loans, and any scholarships they receive from the college or from other organizations. From FAFSA to financial aid award letters to final college choice, their decisions will affect not only the next four years, but also their post-college finances.

According to the Hamilton Project, the amount of student loans has grown by 77 percent between 2002 and 2012. The size of the average loan increased 60 percent, to more than $5,500.

The Hamilton Project analysis says: “Over the past decade,

Photos: TC Daily Planet

Ashley de los Reyes the volume and frequency of student loans have increased significantly. Nearly one in five American households had outstanding student debt in 2010, as did 40 percent of households headed by a person younger than thirty-five.�

The Hamilton Project also reported an increase of delinquency rates for student loans in the past 10 years.

Ali decided to attend a college that she could afford without taking out exorbitant loans that would have crippled her upon graduation. Though the University of St. Thomas’s tuition and fees are more than $30,000, Ali was helped out by several scholarships.

She can save more money by living at home with her family, rather than in a dorm. She also will have a work study job to pay for books and other expenses.

Her parents will help pay part of her school expenses. Even with all that, she will still have to take

Fadumo Ali

out a $3,500 loan for the first year.

Ali hopes to major in political science and international relations. Eventually she hopes to go to law school, “knowing I will have student loans to pay for,� she said.

Ashley de los Reyes, meanwhile, also works to pay her out of pocket costs, and has worked as a receptionist in the residence halls and as an assistant in Alumnae Relations at the university. “I’m becoming increasingly aware of the price of my education,� Reyes said. “The closer I get to graduating, the more anxiety I have about paying off my loans.� Reyes chose her English and theology majors because she’s passionate about the subject matter. “I’m fortunate to be able to pursue a bachelor’s degree,� she said, “but I know that working for my degree doesn’t end after four years. I’ll be working for that degree until I pay off all my loans.�

insightnews.com

Insight News • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Page 3

COMMENTARY Lawyers’ Committee praises Federal Courts’ stop and frisk ruling Last week, a federal district court judge declared that the New York City Police Department’s controversial stop and frisk practices are unconstitutional.

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law President and Executive Director Barbara Arnwine issued the following statement applauding the court’s ruling in the case, Floyd v. City of New York: “The court’s decision is a promising step toward administering justice more fairly and equitably in New York City.

Today, the court recognized that racial profiling can no longer be tolerated and held the New York City Police Department

responsible for changing these discriminatory practices. We are disturbed that the New York City Police Department has deliberately targeted people of color based on their race, a practice that the court found to be intentionally discriminatory and unconstitutional. We commend the NYCLU, the Center for Constitutional Rights and all of the plaintiffs and the brave law enforcement officers who pursued this litigation seeking to stop this unjust policy. The Lawyers’ Committee calls upon all police departments throughout the nation to reexamine the need for stop and frisk policies and to eliminate

racial profiling in the operation of any such policies.

Throughout our nation, innocent people of color are far too often victims of racial profiling in violation of their Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Between 2004 and 2012, the New York City Police Department made 4.4 million stops, and over 80% of those who were stopped were black or Hispanic. The Lawyers’ Committee is encouraged by the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee the reform process in New York City. The independent monitor will play a key role in changing law enforcement policies, ensuring

effective implementation, and preventing future racial profiling.

The Lawyers’ Committee is also pleased that the court has recognized the essential role of community involvement in overhauling police practices.

Under the court order, the police department will receive input from a wide range of stakeholders, including communities most affected by

racial profiling. By empowering citizens to help shape law enforcement reforms, we believe the court’s ruling will ultimately result in more reasonable police practices, greater trust between residents and police, and safer neighborhoods.”

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in

1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. We are celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2013 as we continue our quest of “Moving America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice under law, particularly in the areas of fair housing and fair lending; community development; employment; voting; education and environmental justice. For more information about the Lawyers’ Committee, visit www. lawyerscommittee.org

‘Stop and Frisk’: Unconstitutional racial profiling

By Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP “No one should live in fear of being stopped whenever he leaves his home to go about the activities of daily life.”

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Those words came from U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin in her fiery 195-page ruling on the NYPD’s “stop-and-frisk” program. After a two-month trial featuring dozens of interviews and statistical analysis of nearly five million police stops, Judge Scheindlin concluded what so many already knew: New York City’s stop-and-frisk is an unconstitutional racial profiling program.

Many of us celebrated her decision in Floyd v. City of New York this week, but this is just one victory in an ongoing fight against racial profiling.

Within hours of the decision, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that he would appeal the case.

However, there are a number of concrete steps

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 Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore 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.

the veto with a minimum of 34 votes.

Second, last month members of Congress reintroduced the End Racial Profiling Act of 2013 (ERPA).

The bill comprehensively addresses racial profiling by law enforcement on a number of levels: by defining the problem, explicitly banning racial profiling, mandating data collection to better understand the problem, requiring law enforcement training on racial profiling, and holding federal officers accountable. The bill has 15 co-sponsors in the Senate and 39 in the House, and the national conversation around racial profiling has given it significant momentum.

Finally, a number of NAACP chapters and other grassroots groups have

reenergized the fight to end racial profiling and other discriminatory laws on the state and local level. “Trayvon’s Law” is a set of guidelines for organizers who want to end the flawed policies that led to Trayvon Martin’s death and the inability of the system to hold anyone accountable. It provides a legislative basis for laws to ban racial profiling, repeal stand your ground-type laws, and create accountability for law enforcement and community watch groups.

A group of students called the Dream Defenders have taken Trayvon’s Law to heart.

For the last four weeks, they have camped out in front of Florida Governor Rick Scott’s office demanding an end to Stand Your Ground and racial profiling. Many civil rights advocates from all walks of

life have joined their fight.

Earlier this week Talib Kweli was the most recent highprofile name to join them at the Florida State Capitol.

The Dream Defenders have exemplified Margaret Mead’s quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

Every challenge to stop-andfrisk, racial profiling, and other unjust polices has been the result of a groundswell of ground-level, grassroots activism and support. We can and must apply the same type of grassroots thinking to the larger battle to end racial profiling across America.

Ben Jealous is president/CEO of the NAACP.

Dropping the leadership baton

Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White

that are being taken to help fight racial profiling in New York City, across the federal government, and on the state level.

First, a diverse coalition in New York City is supporting the Community Safety Act (CSA). The CSA is a set of two bills - one would effectively ban racial profiling by the NYPD, while the other would appoint an Inspector General to create greater oversight and allow victims of stop-and-frisk to hold police accountable for profiling. The New York City Council passed the CSA last month despite misinformation and fear tactics by the opposition, but Mayor Bloomberg made good on his promise to veto the bill. It is now up to the City Council members to stand by their principles and override

Opinion

By Julianne Malveaux Research shows that this generation of young people, no matter of their race, are likely to do less well than their parents did. Shackled by a trillion dollars worth of student loans and a flat labor market, the New Yorkbased Demos organization says the student loan burden prevents young people from buying homes and amassing wealth. While there are some racial gaps, many young people enter the labor market already behind the space their parents occupied.

As I spend time with young people, especially young African Americans, I understand their frustration. They want to know what the civil rights generation has done to pass the baton of

March From 1 To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the National Urban League and the Memorial Foundation, led by Harry E. Johnson, are hosting the Drum Majors for Justice Celebration in Washington, D.C. on Friday, August 23. The Urban League will also host a Pre-March Rally on Saturday, August 24.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23rd “Redeem the Dream Summit” Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H St. NW – Independence Ballroom Doors Open at 8:30AM – Open to the Public 9:00-11:00AM “We Shall Not Be Moved: A Watershed Moment for a Movement” ▪ A stellar line-up of civil rights legends and national leaders will look back on a day that brought more than 300,000 people together to hear leaders from the “Big 6” address a nation at a crossroads. Speakers will reflect on the 1963 March

activism and improvement to them. They want to know how they should move forward. While they are willing to participate in marches and civic action, they want to know what’s next. And they want to know why their voices are not heard in Black leadership.

Those who are seasoned offer their history of activism as proof that they should lead. They forged the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and didn’t ask their elders for permission. They pushed elders to move to a more active position and when elders would not meet them, they pushed themselves. There was no shame in their game. Whether militant or moderate, they embraced parts of the Black Panther Party political program, which begins with these words, “We want freedom, we want the power to determine our destiny.” Too many of us, African Americans, young people, progressives, do not determine our destiny now.

We flow with the wind.

Too many have dropped the

baton, but continue to act as if they are clasping it. Too many mouth their interest in young leaders, but fail to bring them to the table. Too many who are 40 and 50 describe themselves as young, but if you tell the truth and shame the devil, these folks are solidly middle aged. So where are their protégées, those who will take, not snatch, the torch from them.

As I move around the country to speak, organize, and motivate, I am stunned by events that focus on youth, but have only a few (and often no) young people present. Imagine if young people had the opportunity to have meaningful exchanges with their elders. Too often young people are segregated into a “youth” program when interaction with adults would be both motivating and stimulating to them. If we kick young people to the curb, we drop the baton that was handed to us. We baby boomers have a responsibility to both Generation X and Generation Y. We have shirked that responsibility.

I do not know how to describe

on Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic speech, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

2:00-4:00PM (Freedom Plaza, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. NW) “Drum Majors for Justice Future Leaders Celebration” ▪ Celebrating young people as leaders in their own communities, this symbolic event will captivate the hearts and minds of young adults and encourage them to take up the mantle and step into their roles as Drum Majors for Justice.

The event will also feature marching bands from local colleges and universities.

11:00AM-12:30PM “The Next 50 Years: Freedom Forward” Panel Discussion ▪ Contemporary movement leaders will discuss the legacy of the March on Washington in the new era of civil rights – with its unprecedented challenges to hard fought victories in affirmative action and voting rights. Hear why this is “not a commemoration, but a continuation” and why “Jobs and Freedom” – joined by “Economic Empowerment and Justice” – remains the clarion call for civil rights in the 21st century. This panel will be a historic gathering that will chart the next 50 years of the movement.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) is a proud supporter of the Redeem the Dream Summit.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association, also known as the Black Press of America, is a 69-year-old federation of more than 200 Black community newspapers from across the United States.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24th 5:30-7:30AM (Independence Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H St. NW) “Urban League Pre-March Rally” ▪ Urban League leaders, partners, friends and supporters will gather for a brief program, rally and sign-making session, before heading down to the Lincoln Memorial for the 50th Anniversary March on Washington Realize the Dream March & Rally.

For more information, visit http://drummajorsforjustice. com/ or www.nul.org.

Rev. Cecelia Bryant. I could call her mentor, role model, or friend.

Or I could say that she is a great inspiration and, in a simple sentence, she has encapsulated the work that we must all to do move our community forward.

You have to replicate yourself seven times, she said, and you have to ask those you replicated to replicate themselves seven times.

In other words, there has to be an embrace, and a responsibility to embrace the next generation not only politically but also personally.

Who are the people who will come behind you? Who will incorporate your work into their own? Who will understand that you put your hand on them because somebody put their hand on you, and who will feel obligated to put their hand on others?

The civil rights generation made massive progress, but in many ways they dropped the ball. While they made it clear that there was work to be done, too many of them did not choose those who would do it. Too

much energy and focus has been placed on one or two people, and we need cohorts of the next generation to work together.

My Baby Boom generation has dropped the ball as well.

We have been beneficiaries of the Civil Rights Movement, but we have not passed our largess or our lessons on. The Baby Boom generation has been, in many ways, one of the most economically privileged generations of African American progress. So why do so many of us, who enjoy the legacy of this progress, fail to recognize the people and organizations that have brought us to this place.

Rev. Willie Barrow says that we are not as much divided as disconnected. When the baton has been dropped, what can we expect but a generational disconnection?

Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer.

She is President Emerita of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, N.C.

Page 4 • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Insight News

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BUSINESS Why companies should hire baby boomers Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Most job interviews start with the “tell me everything� question.

The toughest candidates to interview are those who answer with some version of, “Well, I’m over 50 now.� Sometimes, the words

come out apologetically; sometimes, they have an undertone of, “I dare you to continue this conversation.�

Often, they are used as an explanation for why someone hasn’t found work after a layoff, restructuring or recession. The “over fifty� reference is, indeed, a red flag for me in hiring. But not because of the person’s age.

I cringe when I hear this kind of comment because it’s an excuse. So, you’re mature in your years. Can you change that? No? So, are you blaming your bad fortune on something you cannot control? Yes? In

my business, things go wrong sometimes. Are you going to start pointing fingers the minute an obstacle appears? Or are you an innovative problem solver?

If you’re an excuse maker, I won’t hire you whether you are fifteen or fifty. I’m looking for solution-finders.

If you are a solution-finder, you’ve already thought about the things I’m going to say next.

If not, let me clue you in‌ You are not “seasonedâ€? like a piece of meat; you are experienced, knowledgeable, reliable, friendly and open to learning new things.

You are not Colonel Sanders. An HR manager told me, “There are boxes of things at the supermarket and they give men, especially, a youthful appearance.� She asked me to pass this fact along. Nothing wrong with a snow-capped dome, but if you’re concerned about age being an issue, stop posing as Father Time. Women learned this long ago; there is no stigma in looking fresh, up to date and youthful. Take that thinning head of hair to a stylist and ask for a salt and pepper look. If it gives you confidence and a fresh outlook, why not?

You are not too old to take a walk around the block.

People of all fitness levels are successful in their work. But those who can get out for a bit of fresh air and exercise every day tend to score higher on aptitude tests, tend to have better focus and tend to appear to be more capable than those who are starting their fitness plan tomorrow. Job searching is stressful; help yourself survive it (perhaps, literally) by sneaking in a little workout now and then. If you can’t do that, try meditating. Clearing your mind of anxieties and mental

junk mail will leave you space and energy to succeed in your interviews.

I want to hire dependable, mature individuals.

My company can benefit from your experience. You just need to show me that you are ready to step up: to face challenges, to get creative, to work well with others of every generation. If you can do that, you’re hired.

Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Write to Julie at jdesmond@georgekonik. com.

Nonprofit success: more than “feel good�

FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw Part two of a two part interview Success in business is not enough. In fact, nonprofit involvement –and giving – can be a greater “buzz� than continued business growth. “After becoming reasonably able to share, a person realizes that the buzz you get from

Harris From 1 represent three-quarters of all grant making in the state, awarding almost $1 billion annually. For Harris, her life is driven by fighting to stamp out inequality and injustice. “When I was 8- or 9-yearsold, I knew I wanted to work for community-based organizations.

sharing can be greater than the buzz you get from daily life in business. Ten percent growth year-after-year doesn’t always equal the buzz of giving ten percent to the community.�

That’s the experience of Mike Bruns, founder of Comtrak Logistics, a national transportation and logistics company headquartered in Memphis. “The true donor misses the boat if they don’t get just as much back in their heart, meeting people and making friends,�

Bruns continued. “Involvement brings satisfaction - it makes the donor feel good. I was chair of Youth Villages for so many

years, and they did as much for me as I could ever do for the organization.�

Youth Villages, also headquartered in Memphis, is a leading national nonprofit dedicated to providing the most effective local solutions to help emotionally and behaviorally troubled children and their families live successfully. “Youth Villages grew as a result of a wonderful culture, incredible leadership team, and a management team that knew this was a business. Nonprofit is more than a feel-good. Many stall out because the person who started the organization didn’t surround themselves

with good business people. At Youth Villages the leadership surrounded themselves with business people who helped them run the organization like a business, but not at the expense of their passion. They serve 60,000 young people and they measure everything. ‘Feel good’ doesn’t last long if the business model doesn’t work.�

That goes for the board as well. The biggest challenges Bruns has experienced arise when board members don’t know what is expected of them. “That has to be done on the front end. You can’t read a board manual to people. You need to explain their job description,

financial expectations, and share with them why they were recruited. They have to become involved with the organization and passionate about it. Board members who are engaged and feel a part of something come to meetings. This solves the problem some boards have where they spend almost half their time worrying about the best time to get attendance. As board chair I focused on getting engagement. So many boards operate without engagement.�

Bruns closed with his perspective on board members’ reluctance to fundraise. “When a board member is not prepared, and is not personally passionate,

the gifts he solicits become a ‘trap’ wherein he now ‘owes’ an equal gift to the donor’s nonprofit of choice.� The solution: “Be prepared and sell the nonprofit on its merits; then people give to the organization and not to you. You then are free to make your gifts based on merit too.�

My first job was working at a community center at 16,� said Harris, whose mother was a costume designer at the Pillsbury House Theatre – a communitybased settlement house in south Minneapolis.

This past June it was announced that Harris would take over as president of MCF following the retirement of Bill King, who had piloted the organization for 25 years. Prior to taking over at MCF, Harris was the

executive director of Headwaters Foundation for Justice, a nonprofit committed to funding grassroots organizations fighting for economic, environmental, racial and social justice. Harris said she plans to continue to fight injustice in her new role at MCF. “I see my role as being a connector. The reason I was excited to take this role is because we (MCF) have more than 175 organizations and donors that account for 75 percent of the

giving in the state. If I can help these organizations be more strategic in their giving I believe we can have a bigger impact on issues important to the people of this state,� said Harris.

Harris said the need for strategic giving became more apparent following the severe economic downturn in 2008. And though the downturn impacted nonprofits greatly, she said many in the sector learned a valuable lesson.

“In 2008, nonprofits pulled together in an amazing way,� said Harris. “That habit of collaboration has continued and I was proud to see that happen.�

One of those coming together instances Harris pointed to is the formation of Generation Next, a broad-based effort of several organizations working to close the achievement gap in Minnesota schools. “Since the formation of Generation Next, there’s been a

much more open conversation around the issue,� said Harris. “These are some of the transformative efforts we’ll look back on 10 to 15 years from now and say that’s where we were able to close the achievement gap and that’s why Minnesota schools are some of the best in the nation.�

For someone who has dedicated her entire professional life to service of others, Harris

Family Day Parade 10:00 a.m.

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HARRIS TURN TO 11

PJ Richardson:

By Abeni Hill The Queen’s Project, a selfesteem building school program that is facilitated by its founder, Penny “P.J.” Jones-Richardson, sparked inspiration for the novel,

“Nobody told me I was a Queen.”

The Queen’s Project was founded to help women empower themselves through knowing their selfworth. “This isn’t about being overconfident and stuck on yourself,” said

Jones-Richardson. “It is just basically realizing that ‘I am important.’ I just wanted to be that person to help build self-esteem. I want to see young women reach their goals.”

The group discusses various topics ranging from

body image to hygiene. For the book, Jones-Richardson focused on the personal stories of the participants.

“I hear a lot of stories of abuse, self-abuse,” said Jones-Richardson.

The published author also drew from her own struggles

and life experiences.

“I was a teenage mom,” said Jones-Richardson. “It affected my self-esteem because I spent a lot of time being ashamed. I felt like my

RICHARDSON 8 TURN TO

Life coaching via the Queen’s Project Suluki Fardan

PJ Richardson

Oprah graces cover of JET magazine: Talks about new film and success In the September 2 issue of JET magazine, readers get details from an intimate interview with cover subject Oprah Winfrey.

After a 15-year hiatus from acting, the media icon returns to the big screen in “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” During her one-on-one conversation with JET editor-in-chief, Mitzi Miller, Winfrey opened up about why she took the role and how she anticipates its reception among the public.

“This film is a tribute

MORE

• The forest is on fire!

• Book review: The Speech

to both the working-class Negro of that time and all of the many unsung heroes whose names never made the history books,” said Winfrey.

“It never occurred to me that there could be any [backlash] until you said it… But if there’s a backlash, so be it,” she continued.

The first Black female billionaire also gets candid about her struggles, including the difficulties and disappointments she has had with her network, OWN, and

what she believes truly holds the majority of people back from achieving true success.

She said, “The biggest fallacy on earth is that you can be anything that you want to be. You can only be what you were meant to be.”

The issue also provides more celebrity insight as singer, and Cover Girl spokesperson, Janelle Monae provides a colorful talk about her eclectic style and how she’s monetizing her talent in the challenging music business.

• Charlie Wilson, Sheila E. headline Black Enterprise/ Pepsi Golf and Tennis Challenge

Page 6 • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics

The forest is on fire!

By Kam Williams Forest Whitaker is a distinguished artist and humanist. He is the founder of PeaceEarth Foundation, co-founder and chair of the International Institute for Peace, and the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Reconciliation. A versatile talent, Forest is one of Hollywood’s most accomplished performers, receiving such prestigious honors as a Best Actor Academy Award for his performance in The Last King of Scotland, as well as a Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for Bird.

Over the past decade, he has dedicated most of his time to extensive humanitarian work, feeling compelled by his social awareness to seek ways of using the film medium as a means of raising peoples’ consciousness.

To that end, he produced the award-winning documentary Kassim the Dream, which tells the touching story of a Ugandan child soldier turned world champion boxer; Rising from

Debaters, The Crying Game, Panic Room, Platoon, Ghost Dog, Mr. Holland’s Opus and Good Morning Vietnam. Here, he talks about his latest outing as the title character in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, a decades-spanning sage chronicling the life and career of an African-American who served eight presidents in the White House.

Kam Williams: Hi Forest, I’m honored to have this opportunity.

Forest Whitaker: Oh, no, it’s a pleasure just to talk to you, Kam. KW: What interested you in The Butler?

FW: It’s an amazing story. And the script was beautiful in the way it followed this man who served eight presidents and portrayed his love for his family, as well as the love between him and his son. So, I saw it as offering a great challenge and opportunity. And I thought that Lee [director Lee Daniels] would do a wonderful job with the script as a filmmaker, so

[The Butler] is very moving because it deals with so many primal issues: loss, degradation, even joy. Lee painted a picture that allows you to get in touch with many different emotions.

Ashes, which profiles Rwandan genocide survivors’ attempt to qualify for the Olympics riding wooden bicycles; Serving Life, which focuses on hospice care for prisoners at Louisiana’s Angola Prison; and the Peabody Award-winning Brick City, which offers an unvarnished peek at inner-city life in Newark, New Jersey.

Whitaker was the 2007 recipient of the Cinema for Peace Award, and he currently sits on the board of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. In addition, he serves as a Senior Research Scholar at Rutgers University, and as a Visiting Professor at Ringling College of Art and Design, too.

Besides the aforementioned films, Forest’s impressive resume’ includes The Great

that was an attraction as well.

And I had wanted to work with Oprah, so all of that came together to afford me this tremendous opportunity.

KW: Did the film’s father-son relationship resonate with you when you reflected upon your relationship with your own dad?

FW: Yes, it’s hard to always understand and appreciate your father when you’re coming up, especially since my dad had three jobs when we moved to L.A. So, he was always working.

Plus, coming from the South, from Texas, he had a certain way of disciplining that made it hard for me to appreciate, at the time. You don’t fully appreciate the reasons why or the sacrifices that were being made until a later age. In some

Anne Marie Fox © 2013 The Weinstein Company. All Rights Reserved.

Forest Whitaker stars in “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” ways it did parallel the journey of ultimate appreciation that we see in the movie of me towards my son and my son towards me.

KW: How did you prepare for the role of Cecil Gaines?

FW: I trained with a butler coach for quite some time.

And I studied the history and, of course, tried to make that a part of my own emotional understanding of the time

period and the presidency. In terms of the aging process, I particularly had to work on movement and mannerisms.

I also tried to understand the dialect and speech patterns.

And I worked on how I could communicate my thoughts more clearly without words. I wanted to fill myself up enough so that you would be able to feel my thoughts, even in scenes where I would say nothing.

KW: That hard work paid off. I cried about a half-dozen times during the film.

FW: It’s very moving because it deals with so many primal issues: loss, degradation, even joy. Lee painted a picture that allows you to get in touch with many different emotions.

KW: True. Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: What was it like acting opposite Oprah?

FW: Oprah just really committed completely to the

movie. She was startling, at times, in how deeply she was into the authenticity of the scenes. For instance, there was a big emotional moment that wasn’t shown completely in the film where she screamed and fell to the ground, letting out a piercing wail that went through my bones. It had me trying to figure out how to comfort her, because it’s hard to find the

WHITAKER 7 TURN TO

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Aesthetically Speaking • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Page 7

BOOK REVIEW

The Speech: The Story behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream ‘The speech’ and the revealing events surrounding The March on Washington.”

-Excerpted from Introduction

By Kam Williams “A great speech is both timely and timeless. First and foremost, it must touch and move its immediate audience…

But it must also simultaneously reach over the heads of the assembled to posterity.

The ‘I Have a Dream’ speech qualified on both counts. It was delivered in a year that started with Alabama Governor George Wallace, standing on the steps of the state capitol, declaring ‘Segregation now! Segregation tomorrow! Segregation forever!’

The speech starts, both literally and metaphorically, in the shadow of Lincoln, ends with a quote from a Negro spiritual, and in between quotes the song ‘America the Beautiful’ while evoking ‘a dream rooted in the American dream’ and drawing references from the bible and Constitution…

Fifty years later, the speech endures as a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement…

This gripping book unearths the fascinating chronicle behind

Whitaker

From 6 proper emotion to respond to pain that overwhelms.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier says: You are a great director, in addition to of course being an excellent actor.

Personally, I love biopics, like where you played Charlie Parker in Bird. Is there a story about an icon that you would like to direct and star in?

FW: Yes, there’s a film I’ve been developing about Louie Armstrong that I’d like to direct and star in. I wrote the script and really believe in it. I think it’s something I’ll probably do next year, although I haven’t made a final decision about whether I should direct it or not. It’s a really special story.

KW: Leah Fletcher asks: How did it feel, when you were just breaking into the industry, to receive such a glowing acknowledgment from a seasoned and respected actor such as Sean Connery for your work in The Crying Game?

FW: Leah, I didn’t even know ‘til now that Sean Connery had commented about my work in The Crying Game. A lot of Brits believe that I was British for quite some time after that film. So, I can see how Sean Connery might have said something. That’s nice.

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles says: You produced the extraordinary Fruitvale Station.

Is this a new role you see for yourself?

FW: The truth is, I produce one or two movies every year,

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, an unapologetically poetic appeal for the elusive equal rights long denied African-Americans.

Unfortunately, over the years, the late martyr’s historic address has all but been reduced to his wish that “my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

A half-century later we find that “content of character” phrase being appropriated, quoted out of context and willfully misrepresented by arch-conservatives from Glenn Beck to Herman Cain in service of a right-wing agenda.

For this reason, it is rather refreshing to find an opus like this being published on the 50th anniversary to remind us of the true meaning of Dr. King’s

both independent and studio films. I’ll continue to produce.

In fact, I have a documentary that just came out about the Rwandan National Cycling team called Rising from Ashes.

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

FW: Two things: The success of my children, and the work for social justice that I do with my foundation.

KW: I loved it!

FW: Oh, you already saw it.

Great!

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

FW: I see someone who is continuing to try to build his connection with the rest of the world.

KW: You can check out my review at Rotten Tomatoes.

Bernadette also says: You are a true Renaissance Man. Besides acting, you write, direct, narrate and produce. You’re like a latterday Oscar Micheaux.

FW: Oscar Micheaux reshaped the Black Film Movement.

Those are some great shoes to fill. I can only take that as a compliment. Thanks, Bernadette. That gives me something to live towards, because it’s a lot.

KW: Director Rel Dowdell, who has made two low-budget films, including Changing the Game last year, would like to know how he can pitch you about a project.

FW: I have my company, Significant Productions, in Los Angeles. And I also have a company called JuntoBox Films Select, a crowd-sourcing film site which we produce movies out of. We just finished one with a first-time filmmaker, called Sacrifice.

And we’re about to do another one in a month or so. Rel can reach out to either one of those companies.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

FW: [Chuckles] I can’t think of one.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

FW: That everyone could recognize themselves in the face of the other people that they see.

KW: The Kerry Washington question: If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

FW: Either a leopard or an eagle.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

FW: My dad teaching me to ride a bike at about 5 or 6.

KW: The Anthony Mackie question: Is there something that you promised to do if you became famous, that you still haven’t done yet?

FW: No, and my goals have expanded.

KW: The Viola Davis question: What’s the difference between you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?

FW: I’m the same person, just with different clothes on. I’m the same.

KW: The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a

superpower, which one would you choose?

FW: I’d be a spreader of love.

moving remarks.

The author of the book is Gary Younge, a broadcaster and columnist based in Chicago.

Here, the award-winning journalist does a masterful job of not only dissecting Dr. King’s words, but of filling in much of the back story to the events leading up to his taking the podium.

We learn that “I Have a Dream” was not the planned focus of the speech, in fact, that divinely-inspired, emotional crescendo was substantially improvised on the spot as an afterthought. King’s intended theme merely revolved around an earnest explanation that blacks had descended on the District of Columbia “to cash a promissory note for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

For, while preparing his speech on the eve of the march, King had been advised by a colleague to cut out the lines about his having a dream. “It’s trite… It’s cliché,” Reverend Wyatt Tee Walker warned.

But, the next day on the National Mall, as Dr. King

came close to finishing reading from his prepared text, gospel great Mahalia Jackson started prompting him to go off script. “Tell them about the dream, Martin!” she shouted repeatedly, referring to a familiar refrain she’d heard her dear friend eloquently riff about in sermons several times before.

Fortunately, Martin did indeed heed Mahalia, and began waxing romantic about his prophetic vision. “Aw, sh*t, he’s using the dream,” Reverend Walker moaned. Yet, as Coretta Scott King would recall, “At that moment, it seemed as if the Kingdom of God appeared.”

And the rest, as they say, is history.

independent project.

FW: Sure, Kam, and thanks

again for supporting Rising from Ashes.

The Speech: The Story behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream

by Gary Younge Haymarket Books Paperback, $19.95 192 pages ISBN: 978-1-60846-356-5

KW: The Gabby Douglas question: If you had to choose another profession, what would that be?

FW: I’d either be a natural healer or a teacher.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

FW: Solutions Focus. http:// w w w. a m a z o n . c o m / e x e c / obidos/ASIN/1904838065/ ref=nosim/thslfofire-20 KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

FW: Passion!

KW: Harriet also asks: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you’d like to star in?

FW: The Audrey HepburnAlbert Finney film, Two for the Road.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

FW: Always tell yourself that you want to continue to grow, and you’ll be more connected to growth.

KW: The Jamie Foxx question: If you only had 24 hours to live, how would you spend that time?

FW: With my family.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Forest, and best of luck with The Butler, and I hope to talk to you about your upcoming

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Page 8 • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Charlie Wilson, Sheila E. headline Black Enterprise/ Pepsi Golf and Tennis Challenge Labor Day Weekend NEW YORK – R&B Legend Charlie Wilson and worldrenown percussionist Sheila E. will join the nation’s top African-American entrepreneurs, executives and professionals at the landmark 20th anniversary edition of the Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The one-of-a-kind Labor Day Weekend event is set for Aug. 29 - Sept. 1 at PGA National Resort and Spa. The weekend is billed as to be the largest AfricanAmerican sporting event of its kind, with two decades of showcasing world-class entertainers such as Raphael Saadiq, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Fantasia, Steve Harvey, Babyface, Earth Wind & Fire, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, Chrisette Michelle, Anthony Hamilton and Dave Chappelle and attracting African-American achievers from every arena, ranging from then-teen tennis sensations Venus and Serena Williams, to golf legends Charlie Sifford and Lee Elder. The yearly conclave

draws hundreds of attendees, including some of the nation’s top corporate executives, professionals, tastemakers and entrepreneurs. The most determined golf and tennis competitors will compete for the coveted Purple Jacket, awarded to the champions of the Challenge tournaments, as well as trophies by Tiffany.

Charlie Wilson, one of the most prolific and energetic live entertainers of his generation, is headlining this years event along with an artist with Minneapolis roots, percussionist and singer, Sheila E. Other entertainers and personalities slated to appear at the Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge include actor Anthony Anderson, Comedian Chris Spencer and hip-hop Icon Doug E. Fresh.

“To host some of the nation’s most influential entrepreneurs, executives and tastemakers, for an event featuring great competition on the links and courts during the day and world-class entertainment at night, only venues of the highest quality,

with amazing amenities and outstanding hospitality will do,” said Black Enterprise CEO Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr. “Nearly 20 years ago, we dropped the gauntlet to issue our very first Golf and Tennis Challenge at PGA National.

The results of its recent revitalization are no less than jaw-dropping, and it’s an absolute pleasure to bring this one-of-a-kind event back to where it all began.”

The Black Enterprise/ Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge is presented by American Express, BMW, Frito-Lay, FedEx, Gatorade, Quaker, and Tropicana. Additional sponsors include Regions Private Wealth Management, Marriott, Under Armour, PepsiCo, Tourneau, United States Virgin Islands Development Authority, Palm Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, Palm Beach Sports Commission and Twenty Grand Vodka and Cognac.

For Golf & Tennis Challenge registration and full schedule information, visit www.blackenterprise. com/gt.

Richardson

achieving your goals.”

Although JonesRichardson is the family and community liaison at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School, 807 N. 27th Ave., Minneapolis, she also works as a part-time life coach.

Jones-Richardson has become accustomed to being a mentor.

“I am always the one who family and friends come to for advice anyway,” said JonesRichardson with a laugh. “I thought it (being a life coach) would be a great way to help people with self-esteem and goal setting.”

The life coach and author believes by building self-esteem in individuals, the community that these

From 5 life was over and in some ways I pulled away from the friends I had before. The advice I would give to teen moms today is to never give up on their dreams and goals. Being a teen mom does not have to stop you from

Legendary R&B Artist Charlie Wilson will be joined by world renown percussionist Sheila E. among the entertainers for the 20th Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., this Labor Day Weekend, August 29-Sept 1. (PRNewsFoto/Black Enterprise)

individuals reside in can become better as well.

“Having positive selfesteem you can build leaders,” said Jones-Richardson. “The children are our future they are the leaders.”

Jones-Richardson will soon have a section in Insight News called “Motivational Moments.”

Each piece will offer words of

encouragement.

“I just wanted to get my words out. I want to reach someone and maybe somebody needed to hear what I had to say to help change their life,” said JonesRichardson.

In the future, the founder of Queen’s Project plans on having a life class for women ages 18 and up. She says it

will deal with self-esteem and goal setting, but with a different format then the Queen’s Project.

“Nobody Told Me I Was A Queen” was published in March of this year.

For more information about the Queen’s Project and upcoming events, contact Jones-Richardson at penny@ thequeensproject.com.

insightnews.com

Insight News • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Page 9

Tom Joyner Foundation and Allstate join forces to raise scholarship funds Far too often, Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ (HBCUs) students are unable to afford their dream of attending college and earning a degree.

Recent changes to federal student loan policies are disproportionately affecting HBCU students, forcing approximately 28,000 HBCU students to drop out of school last year due to a lack of funds.

Allstate and the Tom Joyner Foundation are partnering for the fifth annual Quotes for Education initiative to raise up to $150,000 in scholarship funds through the Tom Joyner Foundation, but to succeed they need HBCU alumni, students and supporters to get involved. By receiving a quote from Allstate and voting for their favorite HBCU, supporters can raise funds that will help HBCU students complete their education.

Cheryl Harris, senior vice president at Allstate and an alumna of Florida A&M University

(FAMU) said our community can help protect HBCU students through this special partnership between Allstate and the Tom Joyner Foundation.

In an interview with Al McFarlane taped for broadcast August 20th, Harris said Allstate and the Tom Joyner Foundation are working together to engage students, alumni and supporters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country to raise scholarship funds as part of the fifth annual Allstate Quotes for Education program.

Harris grew up in the inner city of Chicago and credits scholarships from organizations like the Tom Joyner Foundation for helping her attain her degree.

She lived in Minneapolis for eight years as an executive with American Express. She currently serves as chair of the Key Executive Council, an advisory board to FAMU’s president.

Since graduating from Florida A&M, Cheryl Harris has achieved great success while demonstrating a continued commitment to programs like Quotes for Education that strengthen local communities by helping others achieve their goals: Harris had active roles supporting recruiting efforts on college campuses and is a board member of Teen Living Programs, a Chicago youth homeless shelter providing comprehensive services.

Harris mentors womenand-minority owned businesses and was featured by Women’s Enterprise USA Magazine for her efforts with supplier diversity.

Harris has 20 years of experience leading diverse, multinational procurement teams. Prior to joining Allstate, she was most recently with Accenture LLP.

Cheryl Harris

Danger of a neglected man Man Talk

By Timothy Houston In relationships, both men and women are subject to neglect.

In my book, Men are Dirt, an entire chapter is dedicated to the danger of a neglected woman, and the entire book is dedicated to empowering women. Women who have not read the book should get a copy and read it. They will find it extremely enlightening and beneficial. When it comes to the danger of a neglected

man, there has been very little discussion on the topic.

Although most men may never say this out loud, neglect hurts.

In order for relationships to remain healthy, both the man and the women must be equally appreciated.

Contrary to popular belief, men are neglected, and they are negatively impacted by it.

The dictionary defines neglect as to give little attention or respect to, or to disregard. It also means to take someone for granted. This type of neglect begins when the woman forms in her mind the notion that “it is his job” or “that is what a man is supposed to do.” This type of mindset gives little or no credit or appreciation to what the man is currently doing. To her, he is merely playing out

the script that she has for him in her mind. She is convinced that the man should not receive or expect to receive any praise for doing what it is his job to do. The truth is that anytime a man shares his hand or his heart; he should be valued and appreciated for it.

Some neglect of men is intentional. The likelihood of a woman saying “thank you” to a man that holds the door open for her, or responding to a simple “good morning” is becoming a thing of the past. The modern day woman has been programmed to dislike men. With statements like “there are no good men out there,” or “all men are dogs,” it is inevitable that this frame of mind will result in mistreatment.

Women

that believe that all men are dogs, as some point, will start treating all men like dogs. The good men will be lumped in with the bad. The truth is that not all men are dogs. There are good men out there who should be valued and appreciated.

Although some neglect of men may not be intentional, it is still harmful. This unintentional neglect of men may be due to a shift in our culture. Even though women have long since dispelled the notion that the woman’s place is in the home, barefoot and pregnant, waiting for the man to bring home the bacon so she can fry it. Many people still hold on to the idea that the man’s place is in the workplace, working to bring home the bacon. The modern

day man is caught up in this shift. Without the hot meals, warm baths, and the verbal affirmations of the past, the man as a provider has become a thankless job. Women, please find some positive ways to affirm the men in your life. The danger of a neglect man, whether intentional or unintentional, is that he may seek out someone else to appreciate and value him.

We must correct this situation. When either the man or the women in the relationship is neglected, the relationship as a whole suffers.

Men and women, who are wounded, will wound others.

As a result, men and women are seeking love, affection, and affirmation in all the wrong places. This is the true

danger of a neglected man.

Someone else may become the recipient of his neglect.

Women, you can help turn this tide. If a man says hello to you, say hello back, and if he holds the door open for you, say thank you. Finally, if you have a man that brings home the bacon, fry it up for him with some grits and eggs, serve it with some love and kindness, and let him know that he is appreciated.

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

Determination + persistence = success Motivational Moments

By Penny JonesRichardson Have you ever felt like time was passing you by?

Have you ever felt like you missed out on something or that your life is not what you thought it would be? If so, then you are not alone.

I can remember writing in my journal when I was in my mid-20s that, “All the exciting and great things that were going to happen to me, already had happened.”

Can you believe that?

At such an early age that I had an attitude of defeat and that nothing great was going to happen in my life. Well at that time I couldn’t see that there

were wonderful things in store for me if I would just believe in myself.

When we believe in ourselves nothing is impossible.

Think of how your life could change if you first start to see yourself differently. If there are dreams and goals that you always wanted to complete, then let nothing stand in your way. Tell yourself that failure is not an option. See yourself achieving the goal and what it would take to do just that.

Remember determination plus persistence equals success.

But there is no success without believing in you. No one achieves anything without first having faith that they can do it. When I first started writing, I believed that I would write a book and become a published author. I believed that with hard work and determination nothing could stop me from doing exactly what I set out to do. I wrote two books and I am a published

author.

Of course I know there are times when life can be so difficult and there can be times when just quitting seems to be easiest. I’ve been there and I understand completely. But if

you give up then you will never know the end result. If you give up, you will never know how great it feels to achieve goals you never thought possible.

Last, but not least, please know it is never too late to

achieve any goal you set for yourself. Just never give up.

Remember, stay focused, stay determined, and keep striving for greatness.

Penny Jones-Richardson is a

published author and life coach.

To learn more about JonesRichardson, visit her website at www.thequeensproject. com or email her at penny@ thequeensproject.com.

Page 10 • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Insight News

Community Calendar • Classifieds Send Community Calendar information to us by email: info@ insightnews.com, by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone:( 612)5881313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.

EVENTS FREE SUMMER MEALS thru Aug. 23 Free Summer Meals for youth age 18 and under at MASJID AN-NUR, 1729 LYNDALE AVE. N. (across from Cub Foods). Schedule is as follow: BREAKFAST: 8am - 10:30am, June 17 – Aug. 23 (No Service 7/4, 5, 8/7,8,9); LUNCH: 11:30am – 2pm (Fridays1pm), June 17 – July 3 and Aug. 12 – Aug. 24; DINNER: 8:30pm – 10:00pm, July 9 thru Aug. 6.

Karamu Community Forum Aug. 21 The Karamu community wide forum explores the meaning of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. The next forum will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 6:00pm – 8:00pm at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 501 West Lawson Avenue in St. Paul. Host: Pastor Steven Daniels, Jr. For more information, call (651) 774-5503.

Career Workshops Aug. 22 Attention all employed single moms! Trapped in a job that doesn’t pay enough?

Our career counselors will help you find ways to increase your income, get a promotion or develop a new career path.

Women Achieving New Directions offers individual counseling and on-going career development workshops.

A workshop on “Interviewing Skills” is scheduled to be held on August 22nd from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at 2143 Lowry Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411 and 2561 Victoria St. N., Roseville, MN 55113.

On-site child care and a light meal provided.

For more information call Pat in Minneapolis

insightnews.com

Phone: 612.588.1313

Email: info@insightnews.com

at (612) 752-8554 or Elaine in St. Paul at 651-604-3516.

MARCH to CLOSE the GAPS (50th Anniversary March on Washington) Aug. 24 Last year we came together to March and Vote No on Photo Id to protect Dr. King’s legacy. This year, we March to Close the Gaps in education, employment, housing, healthcare, voting rights and More - this is an opportunity, as communities, to proclaim that Any Gap for Another Is Our Gap Together. JOIN The MOVEMENT on Saturday, Aug 24 10:30am. Bring your sign/banner and Gather at Sabathani Community Center, 310 East 38th Street, Mpls 55409. 12:30p - 7p The Celebration continues with the 12th Freedom Jazz Festival at Rev. Dr. King Luther King Jr. Park, 4055 Nicollet Avenue South, Mpls 55409.

Immigration Prayer Rally Aug. 24 Clergy and members from congregations in the Twin Cities metro area will gather to worship, listen to testimonies from those directly affected by immigration and pray for all immigrant families at an Immigration Prayer Rally For Comprehensive Reform on Saturday, August 24, 11 am – 1 pm at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 217 W 2nd St, Chaska, MN 55318 (On the corner of W. 1st St. & N. Cedar St.) . The group has invited Congressman Erik Paulsen to encourage him to publicly support a just, fair and direct path to citizenship when immigration reform legislation comes before the House of Representatives.

Other attendees include Bishop Ann Svennungsen, ELCA Minneapolis Synod; Bishop Lee Pichè, Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; Fr. Doug Ebert, Guardian Angels Catholic Church; Pr. Paul Slack, ISAIAH President and 400 ISAIAH faith leaders

Office every Friday from 10am-11:30am.

To RSVP or for additional information on becoming a foster parent, contact Jolene Swan at (952) 945-4064, email ftpfostercare@voamn. org or online at voafostercare.org PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Freedom Jazz Festival Bike Ride The 12th annual Freedom Jazz Festival will take place at Martin Luther King Park in south Minneapolis in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington prior to the start of the ride.

Dr. Josie Johnson will talk about the March on Washington as she was there in 1963 and its social implication 50 years later. We will have routes through South and North Minneapolis and St. Paul visiting: Michelle Norris’ former neighborhood (host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” and author of “The Grace of Silence”), the Minnesota African American Museum and Cultural Center, Lee Family House, Heritage Park, Phyllis Wheatley Center, Van White Blvd, Plymouth Ave (site of 1968 riots after Martin Luther King was assassinated), Mississippi River (site of the Dakota Treaty), Nicollet Island, Martin Luther King Park in St. Paul, Mississippi River overlook discussion of Dred Scott, Pilgrim Baptist Church (founded by the Rev. Robert Hickman who escaped from slavery on a raft in 1863), St. Peter Claver Church, Frederick McGhee (first AfricanAmerican lawyer in Minnesota) and the State Capitol area.

and community members.

Truth and Reconciliation Graduation Dinner Aug. 25 A Truth and Reconciliation Graduation Dinner amongst African descent people and African people (Part 1) will be held August 25, 2013 at MASJID ANNUR, 1729 Lyndale Ave. N. Minneapolis,

MN from 9am to 2pm.

Please RSVP Al-haqq Zayid (612) 338-0889

by July 25, 2013. There will be three guest speakers, and DVDs will be shown as well.

Continental breakfast will be serve from 9am to 10: 30am. Dinner will be serve at 1pm.

The food is Halal. This is a mosque, please dress appropriate.

Recovery Month event Sept. 4

There are rest and food stops about every 2 hours along the way. “There’s a lot of history to be learned on this ride and it’s extremely important that we as both a club and a people represent,” said Walter Griffin, one of the ride promoters and organizers.

Breakfast provided for $6.

Bicycle until dawn to experience our communities in a deeper way. Please join us on an all-night ride through Minneapolis and Saint Paul to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. This is local testimony to our ability to celebrate our cultural heritage and bridge racial gaps. The ride is supported by members of Major Taylor Bike Club of Minnesota, Twin Cities Bicycling Club, and staff of Bike Walk Twin Cities/Transit for Livable Communities.

This is not a race. We will cover about 50 miles at an easy pace (10-12 mph) with breaks for refreshments, pit stops, and discussion. We will travel through numerous neighborhoods in Minneapolis and Saint Paul on a route that includes highlights of cultural significance. Be prepared to enjoy the night and to process the experience with other bicyclists.” Griffin said.

A Recovery Month kick-off event to celebrate veterans, service members and all Minnesotans in recovery, as well as friends, family and others who aid in the recovery from addiction and mental health disorders, is set for Wednesday, Sept., 4, in Rooms 2370/80 at the Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building, 540 Cedar St, St. Paul. Resource

ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS Project: Owner: Construction Manager: Architect:

Fax: 612.588.2031

Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Mortenson Construction, in association with Thor Construction HKS, Inc.

Mortenson Construction (the Construction Manager at Risk) is soliciting proposals for Procurement Package #3 on the Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium Project. Notice is hereby given that responses to this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be received by Mortenson for the provision of Preconstruction and Construction Services on the Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium project for earthwork, demolition, utilities, drilled footings, precast stadia, structural steel, elevators, escalators, exterior studs, metal panels, roofing, waterproofing, fireproofing, stairs, railings, fixed and retractable seating, and technology systems. Please see the RFP for specific subcontract categories.

The current projected process and schedule for selecting the subcontractors is as follows: Pre-Proposal Meeting and MWBE Meet and Greet for Earthwork, Demolition, and Site Utilities Proposers Pre-Proposal Meeting and MWBE Meet and Greet for Remaining Subcontract Categories RFP Submission Proposer Interviews Selection

tables will be open and a social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a program from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Free parking will be available in the Andersen building ramp, which can be entered from Minnesota Street between 10th and 11th streets. To help organizers with seating and other arrangements, those attending are asked to RSVP to dhs.adad@ state.mn.usor (651) 431-3250.

Cabaret III – Sept. 7 St. Peter’s AME Church presents Cabaret III presented by the St. Peter’s AME Church Trustee Board, featuring Curt Boganey, Daryl Boudreaux and Thom West, September 7, 2013 from 5-8 pm at St. Peter’s AME

August 22, 2013 August 23, 2013 September 10, 2013 September 11-30, 2013 September 23-0ctober 4, 2013

All dates are approximate and are provided as a courtesy to Proposers. Mortenson reserves the right, acting in its sole judgment, to modify this process or schedule.

Plans and specifications are available via www.isqft.com. For access to the plans and specifications on isqft.com, contact My Nhia Vang at mynhia.vang@mortenson.com (Phone: 763-287-5639). Copies of the plans and specifications will also be provided to the following plan rooms for viewing:

Townhomes Available Fieldcrest in Moorhead, MN Rent based on 30% of income 2 & 3 bdroms open MetroPlains Management 701-232-1887 www.metroplainsmanagement.com

One (1) electronic copy and five (5) bound copies of Sealed Proposals shall be submitted to Mortenson at the address provided below no later than 2:00 pm on September 10, 2013 which is the deadline for submittal of Proposals.

M. A. Mortenson Company 700 Meadow Lane North Minneapolis, MN 55422 Attention: Kevin Dalager, Construction Executive Phone: 763-287-5804 Proposals shall be valid for 120 days. Proposals will be opened privately by Mortenson in the presence of the representatives of the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority, if requested by the Authority.

The subcontract will be held by M. A. Mortenson Company. The form of Subcontract Agreement, together with the Construction Services Agreement between the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority and Mortenson, are available within the RFP. The Owner has adopted a comprehensive Equity Plan for the construction phase of the Project. The Targeted Business Program sets an 11% and 9% goal for construction contracts for the Project to be awarded to women- and minority-owned Minnesota-based business enterprises (MWBE), respectively. The Targeted Business Program also establishes a Veterans Inclusion Program to ensure that our veterans have every opportunity to participate in the Project. The Veterans Inclusion Program will include efforts to include small veteran-owned businesses. See the RFP Proposal Manual for Subcontract Category specific MWBE goals.

The Work Force Program sets a 32% and 6% goal for workforce utilization for the Project of minorities and women, respectively. The Equity Plan applies to all subcontractors and suppliers of all tier levels. The Veterans Inclusion Program will also include efforts to utilize veteran in the construction workforce. Proposers are expected to use all necessary and reasonable means to comply with the Equity Plan, including without limitation soliciting work from a broad number of Targeted Businesses and for work scopes suitable for their participation.

Pre-Proposal Meetings and MWBE Meet and Greets have been scheduled as follows:

Helmet and lights required, of course.

This is a set date regardless of weather.

“Experienced ride leaders are organizing the ride and one or more bicycle mechanics will be part of the group, but you should regard this as an unsponsored ride and take personal responsibility for your ability to complete the route. And we are in this together, y’all,” he said.

There is no cost to join the ride, but you will have food/beverage costs along the way.

Registration is limited and organized for 35 bicyclists. More information provided upon registration. Online registration is at www. eventbrite.com, key “dark to dawn” in the search box to go to the event web page where and register by email.

Dark to Dawn: A Bicycling Journey Begins: Sat, Aug 24 at 9:00 p.m.

Martin Luther King Park 4055 Nicollet Ave. S, Minneapolis Ends: Sun, Aug 25 at 6:00 a.m.

Cultural Wellness Center 2025 Portland Ave. S, Minneapolis

church. St. Peter’s is located at 401 East 41st Street, Minneapolis, MN where The Rev. Nazim B. Fakir is Pastor. Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door.

All proceeds will go to support the mission and ministries of St. Peter’s.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the church office at (612) 825-9750. Visit us on Facebook.

Walking and Biking Tours through September 15 During the summer of 2013, Preserve Minneapolis will offer 27 unique tours that highlight the natural, built, and cultural treasures found throughout the City.

The 2013 schedule runs from May 19th through September 15th. On each tour, guides with experience in fields like architecture, history, and preservation will tell the “stories behind the stories” and give participants a greater understanding of the

area’s social and built history…with fun and a sense of humor. Tours typically cost $8 per person.

Participants must pre-register online. Tours fill up fast and will be held to their size limits; however, when space allows, we will accept last-minute additions and cash payments of $10 at the tour starting points. Pre-payment/ registration and more information is available at: http://www. preserveminneapolis. org/wpfile/tours/ Volunteers of America Foster Parent Information Meetings Ongoing Foster Parent Information Meetings for interested skilled parents desiring to provide care for troubled youth in the Volunteers of America foster care program.

Kids of all ages are in need of a stable home with dedicated parents.

Information meetings are held at Volunteers of America Corporate

West Falls Estates Rent based on 30% Of adjusted income Call Patricia Brown At 218-283-4967 TDD 800-627-3529

West African Dance & Drum Classes African Dance w/ Whitney $12 - All classes Drop-In. Every Saturday 1:00pm 2:30pm; Every Tuesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm. at Patrick’s Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406.

Foster Parent Information Meetings Find out about becoming a foster parent and changing a child’s life! Open information meetings are held every Friday from 10AM-11:30AM

SUPER DUPER HANDYPERSON WANTED Help an elderly Minneapolis resident stay in their home.

Assist with MINOR REPAIRS to make certain that their home is safe. Snowbirds, retirees, and trainees welcome (over the age of 18). You must have some experience to ensure that the work is done correctly (license not required). Choose your own schedule.

Adult individuals, two-person teams, and small groups welcome.

Exact location TBD in North or SW Minneapolis, depends upon where the senior citizen resides. One time opportunities are also available. Please contact Jeanne the NIP Seniors Program, Volunteer Coordinator at srvolunteer@ neighborhoodinvolve. org or call 612746-8549 for more information.

Our website is www. neighborhoodinvolve. org The Council on Crime and Justice is moving temporarily!

While the current location at 822 S. 3rd Street is under construction, The Council on Crime and Justice will be working at a new location in Golden Valley and expect to return in approximately 6 months.

Effective October 26th, the mailing address is:

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authority has rental units available in Cass County, MN. Please call 218-335-8280. Must meet certain qualifications.

Loan Officer/Business Advisor

Brakins Consulting& Psychological Services, LLC & the African American Child Wellness Institute seek a highly motivated individual for a full-time position to work primarily with African American children, adolescents and adults in a community-based private practice clinic.

Dynamic nonprofit organization working with small businesses seeks Loan Officer/Business Advisor. This position is responsible for loan underwriting, loan closing, and providing business support to small businesses located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

The Executive Administrative Assistant (EAA) will be responsible for performing moderately complex to complex administrative tasks in support of the Executive/Clinic Director and the Mental Health Service Delivery Treatment team. Duties include extensive meeting scheduling, providing assistance to coordinate larger and complex meetings. Compiling information and preparing moderately complex documents, spreadsheets and reports using appropriate software; assisting, screening and/or selectively referring callers; handling complex and sensitive inquiries/calls from external/internal sources.

The EAA is also responsible for confirming travel arrangements and managing payments for payroll and expense report reimbursement. The EAA will also provide support within areas of reporting for business documentation and team/individual goals, personnel changes and department record keeping processes. The successful candidate proactively tracks procedures and deadlines.

The candidate may work closely with both internal and external customers to meet service needs. The EAA will also act as an onsite assistant for the Treatment team for miscellaneous duties such as equipment assistance, delivery support and supplies. Performing special projects as requested.

Interested candidates should send a resume, interest letter and at least 3 references to:

END OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS

RAKE IT Spring Yard Clean-Up Improve your health while helping a senior citizen in Minneapolis remain independent in their home! You choose the date and time to rake and clean up the yard. Perfect for individuals, groups, and families. Seasonal: April – November (depending upon the weather). This is a one-time fun, flexible activity on weekdays or weekends. Feel free to sign up multiple times!

Supplies needed: rakes, gloves, brooms, and compostable bags.

Exact location TBD in North or Southwest Minneapolis, depends upon where the senior citizen resides.

Ongoing volunteer opportunities are also available. Please contact Jeanne the NIP Seniors Program, Volunteer Coordinator at srvolunteer@ neighborhoodinvolve. org or call 612746-8549 for more information.

Our website is www. neighborhoodinvolve. org

GED, ELL, College Prep and skills development courses offered Minneapolis Public Schools-Adult Education is offering free GED, ELL, College Prep and skills development courses. Prepare for GED exams; Increase Math, Reading, and Writing skills; Develop Computer skills; Job training and specific certifications; Comfortable learning environment; and Day and evening classes available! For more information, please contact staff at: Minneapolis Public School Adult Education, 1250 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55411 or Abe.mpls. k12.mn.us or (612) 668-1863.

Executive Administrative Assistant

The successful candidate must have a minimum of 2 to 4 years of college plus 2 years experience as an administrative assistant; possess strong written and verbal communication skills and have experience with interacting with ethnically diverse mental health consumers.

Finally, Punctuality, Reliability and Dependability are a must. Unqualified applicants need not apply.

All questions regarding this RFP shall be directed in writing to Ron Stodolka, Mortenson Project Manager, at the address above or via e-mail atkevin.dalager@mortenson.com. Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary by Mortenson in response to such questions will be issued by Addenda to all parties recorded as having received the RFP documents. Questions received less than seven (7) days prior to the date for openings of the Proposals may not be answered. Only responses issued by formal written Addenda will be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect. Addenda may be issued to modify the Proposal Documents as deemed advisable by Mortenson.

HELPING SENIORS IN MINNEAPOLIS Seniors Program of Neighborhood Involvement Program assists elders aged 60 and over in North and Southwest Minneapolis with a variety of services so that they can remain safely in their home or apartment. Our services are specialized for each resident and we strive to provide as much as possible via the assistance of volunteers. To be eligible for seniors’ services, people must live within the following boundaries: south of 44th Avenue in North Minneapolis, north of West 36th Street in Southwest Minneapolis, 35W on the east, and France Avenue on the west.

For information about NIP Senior Services email seniors@ neighborhoodinvolve. org or call 612374-3322.

Our website is www. neighborhoodinvolve. org

at 7625 Metro Boulevard Edina, MN 55439. Volunteers of America-Minnesota is looking for skilled parents to provide 6-9 months care for troubled youth in our new Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care Program (MTFC). We have kids, ages 1217, who are in need of a stable home with dedicated parents who appreciate the difficulties of childhood! Volunteers of America provides quality foster parents with lots of friendly training, 24 hour support and a monthly stipend. If you would like more information contact Jolene Swan at 952-945-4064 or ftpfostercare@voamn. org, or visit us online at voafostercare.org!

BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, Ph.D., LP, Clinic Director Brakins Consulting& Psychological Services, LLC & The African American Child Wellness Institute 4050 Olson Memorial Hwy # 195 Golden Valley, MN 55422 (Phone) 763-522-0100 (Fax) 763-588-0100 Email: bravadaakinsanya@hotmail.com

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, or accounting, banking, community development, urban studies, or related discipline. Significant employment experience in business management, accounting, marketing, sales, retail, internetbased business, etc. Experience working with culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse communities. Two years of experience in small business lending and/or community development. Send cover letter, resume and salary requirement to hr@ndc-mn.org or NDC, HR Dept., 663 University Ave. #200 St. Paul, MN 55104 or EOE/AA

Executive Director Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) seeks a Headwaters Foundation for Justice seeks experienced Executive Director. Responsibilities include fundraising, staff development, board relations, strategic partnerships and alliances.

ED reports to 18-member board. The successful candidate will understand and be committed to community organizing as a model for social change. Will employ a participatory leadership approach and have the maturity, experience and skill to instill confidence and build a shared vision with stakeholders.

The ideal candidate must possess exceptional written/verbal skills, excellent strategic planning abilities, solid management skills, and the capacity to translate vision into results. Require at least 5 years progressive leadership experience, BA or equivalent experience. Excellent benefits, salary commensurate with experience, to apply email resume, cover letter and salary history to search@dendros.com by September 16 – position open until filled. No phone calls. EOE.

insightnews.com

Insight News • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Page 11

HEALTH Turning the tide on childhood obesity Let’s Move! initiative and historic changes implemented under the historic Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. We’re supporting healthy, local foods in schools through our Farm to School grant program, and we’re improving access to fresh produce and healthy foods for children and families that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

So what can you do to make a change in your home and community? Parents and caregivers can use educational materials like Healthy Eating for Preschoolers and Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children to help teach young children healthy habits from the start. Teachers, principals and school food service professionals can use nutrition education materials like

the Great Garden Detective curriculum provided through Team Nutrition to motivate older children to eat healthy and try new foods. Kids can explore MyPlate Kids Place and take the MyPlate Pledge to commit to making healthy food choices at school and at home.

And parents, teachers, and kids alike can get active and learn about healthy foods with Let’s Move! in school, at home and in their communities.

Don’t get me wrong—we still have a long way to go before America’s childhood obesity epidemic is a thing of the past. Far too many—1 out of every 8—preschoolers are still obese. Unfortunately, obesity in these early childhood years sets the perfect stage for serious health problems throughout the entire lifespan.

We at USDA are proud of

our ongoing efforts to ensure the health of America’s next generation, and we know that, combined with your efforts at home, we are beginning to see real results in the fight against early childhood obesity.

community level—are helping to gain ground on childhood obesity, particularly among some of the more vulnerable populations in our country.

Low-income children are often at a big disadvantage when

it comes to getting the food they need to grow up healthy and strong, which is why the nutrition programs and resources available through USDA are so vital.

Programs like WIC—with its new, healthier food package offerings for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children, including more fruits and vegetables and more whole grains—and the Child and Adult Care Food Program—with its increasing emphasis on nutrition and physical activity for young children—are making a difference in the lives of millions of children.

Our efforts don’t stop there.

School-aged children are now getting healthier and more nutritious school meals and snacks, thanks to the support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s

unemployment rates that are twice as high as Whites.

Austin said that many of the struggles that Blacks are facing today are connected to the economic inequality and the disempowerment of the American public and that the influence of money and lobbyists in politics is making a bad situation worse.

“Clearly the government is dysfunctional, by design, in some respects,” said Clarence Lang, associate professor of African and African American studies at the University of Kansas at Lawrence. “I don’t know that the federal government, at this point in history, is the vehicle for the kinds of changes that we might be envisioning.”

Ultimately, it falls on everyday Americans to drive that change starting in their own communities.

“You have to fight where you’re standing. Whether that’s in Kansas or New York state or Michigan, we have to begin to build and dig where we stand,” said Lang.

And like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., some economists believe that the fight for economic equality needs a strong labor movement.

“When workers had a voice, they had a way of making sure that the pie was going to be divided up a little more fairly,” said William Spriggs, chief economist for AFL-CIO, an umbrella group for labor unions in the United States.

Spriggs said that, since the 1970s, more of the pie goes to profits and interest, and less

goes to workers. As the pie shrinks, workers fight amongst themselves over a smaller and smaller pie.

“We’re not creating a smaller pie. We have to point to the right people who are creating a smaller pie,” said Spriggs. “We need the government to take the side of those of us who are earning our pay versus those of us who are speculating on Wall Street and betting on horses.”

Pushing the labor movement as a change agent may be a tough sell for today’s workers, who participate in unions with less frequency than generations past.

Even though 13.1 percent of Black workers are union members, the Labor Department reported that the union membership rate for all workers was just 11.3 percent in 2012. In 1983, the membership rate was 20.1 percent.

Spriggs also suggested that Wall Street titans pay for cleaning up the whole mess, not just the mess that let them get their jobs back and their bonuses back and then argue for tax cuts. Spriggs called for a “financial transaction tax” targeting the more perilous gambles made by Wall Street investors.

“We saved AIG that was bankrupt, we can save Detroit that’s bankrupt,” said Spriggs.

“And if the AIG [employees] that caused the downturn in the first place can get a bonus, because it said in their contracts that they had to get a bonus, then Detroit city

workers can get a pension, just like it said in their contracts.”

Like other panelists, Spriggs suggested that some of employment disparities may be beyond current policy reform.

“While an outcome of the 1963 march was the establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it wasn’t enough,” said Spriggs. “What people need to think about with the Trayvon Martin case is understand what that jury was saying about young Black men.”

Spriggs continued: “Once you really understand what that jury was saying about young Black men, do you really have to ask why do young Black men have a hard time getting a job?”

Roger A. Clay Jr., former president of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, said that the fear of Black men and Black boys goes back hundreds of years.

“The simple answer is

people are afraid of us,” said Clay. “Generally, the fear is not based on experience and it’s not based on fact.”

Clay continued: “On this topic I’m not that optimistic, because I think the fear is so deep- seated, it really is going to be hard to turn that around.”

The fact is Labor Department reported that Blacks 16-19 years old faced a 41.6 percent unemployment rate and less than 30 percent were either employed or looking for work in July, compared to 20.3 percent jobless rate and a 37 percent labor force participation rate for Whites. Black men still suffer the worst unemployment rate among all adult worker groups.

“We’re not going to get racial justice until we end disparities in the criminal justice system,” said Kica Matos, director of Immigrant Rights & Racial Justice Center for Community Change.

“The criminal justice system

touches the lives of so many people of color and so many communities that we will never get racial justice until we do away with disparities in the criminal justice system.”

Even though some of the panelists expressed doubts about the ability of lawmakers, civil rights leaders and everyday Americans to come together to solve the problems surrounding economic inequality some were more optimistic.

“We are clearly moving beyond our evil past into a time where we will be very different,” said Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and CEO of Policy Link, a research group that advocates for economic and social equity. “We will get there, it is inevitable, but the old guard is afraid of losing and the last gasp can be a dangerous time and that’s exactly where we are right now.”

By Dr. Janey Thornton, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services As the Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, I am on a mission to make sure all of our nation’s children have the best possible chance at a healthy life and a bright future.

So, I’m very encouraged by some recent news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): the rate of obesity among lowincome pre-school children appears to be declining for the first time in decades.

The declining rates show that our collective efforts— at the Federal, State and

Jobs From 1 Act and the Civil Rights Act, in part, because of the pressure from the 1963 March on Washington.

Unfortunately, some historians have focused just on the success and have ignored everything else.”

Austin made his comments during a recent panel discussion on the forgotten history of the March on Jobs and Freedom during a symposium coordinated by the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank focused on the economic needs of lowand middle-income families.

“The Unfinished March,” a report by the Economic Policy Institute, authored by Austin, detailed a number of goals outlined during the 1963 march that have been largely left behind. According to the report, organizers knew that the civil rights Blacks gained would be diminished without economic opportunities that had the power to lift millions of Blacks out of poverty.

According to the EPI report, “The organizers of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom also demanded decent housing, adequate and integrated education, a federal jobs program for full employment, and a national minimum wage of over $13.00 an hour in today’s dollars.”

Today, many Blacks still live in poverty, attend poorly funded, mostly segregated schools, and suffer

Harris From 4 knows there are many others doing the same thing with their lives, and she knows there is also a potential for burnout – especially for those on the frontlines. The graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. and the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs said she hopes in her new role she can help to ease the strain on many smaller nonprofits.

Janey Thornton

“So many nonprofits are short staffed,” said Harris. “These individuals are in a place where the system was already broken before they got there. It’s like having a house with a leaky roof.

When water is leaking we get a bucket so the water doesn’t leak on the floor, but the real hard work is to get up there and fix the roof, and that’s what we’ve got to start doing.”

Though announced in June that Harris would become president of MCF, she did not officially take her post until July 29. The co-author (with Rosetta Thurman) of How to become a

YOUR

Dr. Janey Thornton serves as USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary.

Before coming to USDA, Dr. Thornton served as School Nutrition Director for Hardin County Schools in Elizabethtown, Kentucky and served as president of the 55,000-member School Nutrition Association during the 2006-2007 school year. Learn more about USDA’s efforts to improve child nutrition and visit ChooseMyPlate.gov for quick, easy nutrition and diet tips for families.

VOICE IS STILL BEING HEARD.

WE’VE

BEEN EXPECTING YOU.

Nonprofit Rockstar and former co-chair of the African-American Leadership Forum, Harris said she hopes to use her new position to end social, economic and racial disparities in the state.

“At the time I grew up here, it was clear that there were huge racial disparities,” said the graduate of Minneapolis’ South High School. “When it came time to graduate, a lot of my friends did not graduate with me. That’s why my whole career has been to try to see why that is and to address the issue so everyone is successful.”

At UCare, we know Boomers. So as you make your move to Medicare, consider the health plan that hits all the right notes.

UCare for SeniorsSM lets you choose from plans that cover prescription drugs, travel, eyewear, dental, fitness programs like SilverSneakers® and more.

There are no co-pays for primary care visits with most plans. And you’ll get to talk to a real person 24/7 when you call customer service. It’s just what you’d expect from health care that starts with you.

Learn more about the benefits of UCare for Seniors in our new eGuide to Medicare at ucareplans.org/eguide. Or call (toll free) 1-877-523-1518 (TTY) 1-800-688-2534, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

UCare Minnesota and UCare Health, Inc. are health plans with Medicare contracts. ©2013, UCare H2459 H4270_101512 CMS Accepted (10202012)

Page 12 • August 19 - August 25, 2013 • Insight News

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