Insight News ::: 9.27.10

Stone Soup Feeds the World A classic folktale about the magic of cooperation.

October 22-November 7, 2010 SteppingStone Theatre, 55 Victoria St. N., St. Paul For Performance times and ticketscall 651 225-9265 or visit steppingstonetheatre.org Photo courtesy: SteppingStone Theatre

INSIGHT NEWS September 27 - October 3, 2010 • MN Metro Vol. 36 No. 39 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

Suluki Fardan

Corrine Wright, Etta Christon and Pastor Vincent Cochran (far right) say the bus stop is not the reason youth loiter in front of Wally’s, a corner store at Golden Valley & Penn N.

Does removing bus stops reduce crime?

By Al McFarlane, Editor-in-Chief Say you are 80-years-old, or 70-years-old, or 60-years-old….. or any age for that matter, and discover the Metro Transit bus service you depend on to pick you up or drop you off near your home will no longer make

the regular stop, but instead will require you to walk two blocks further in either direction to where the bus will stop.

Say the decision to make that change in bus service was made at the request of Minneapolis Police Department to Metro Transit, based on the word of one corner store owner, whose business has been under scrutiny by community and law

enforcement who are concerned about illicit activity and loitering in front of the store.

Will shutting down the bus stop mean there will be no loitering on the corner? Or will it simply mean dozens of residents will experience major disruption in their efforts to get to and from work, or shopping, or church, and other places for which they depend on public transportation?

Northside resident and hair stylist Etta Christon, who works at Wright Hair Cuts, 1900 Penn Avenue, at Penn & Golden Valley Rd., in North Minneapolis said officials should not and must not punish area residents by depriving them of public transportation because the corner store, Wally’s, is saying the bus stop in front of the business is the reason young people loiter and

create a nuisance on that corner.

Christon said the problem is not that the bus stop encourages loitering, but that the store may invite and encourage problems on the corner. A lot of youth, she alleged, come to the store because they can buy cigarettes without being checked for identification. State law forbids sale of tobacco products to persons who are under 18 years

of age.

Christon also said she is concerned that a decision was made by Metro Transit without adequately informing area residents of change in service or that likelihood that the changes would be permanent.

She said when she asked Metro Transit, she was told

BUS TURN TO 2

Urban League suspends operation of residential group home

By Al McFarlane and B.P. Ford, The Editors The Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) suspended operation of its group home this month, ending a legacy of 20 years of service to court adjudicated African American youth and their families. The decision to close the facility reflected the MUL’s

inability to sustain the cost of operating the facility at halfcapacity or less. At full capacity, the facility accommodated 12 residents. For the past several years, however, the facility averaged six or fewer residents.

The Urban League said the decision is “directly related to the lack of referrals from Hennepin County.”

All of the young men who

are referred to the group home have been adjudicated by the Hennepin County Court System and remanded to some kind of treatment facility.

The County’s explanation for the lack of referrals is that, on the one hand, the number of juvenile detentions have decreased, and, on the other hand, the

MUL TURN TO 2

Scott Gray

Mark Stenglein

Suluki Fardan

Randolph Staten

Forum calls for process driven public policy

Gary Cunningham

By Ivan B. Phifer MMMC Technology Reporter Gary Cunningham and Trista Harris argue that Minnesota’s

Trista Harris

Robert Jones

Toni Carter

Alfred Babington-Johnson

Nekima Levy-Pounds

Black community, in the name of the community, must develop intentional strategies to improve education, health care, jobs and wealth. The community must advance its own public policy priorities by creating a movement

that is process driven and that produces measurable outcomes, Cunningham and Harris said.

Cunningham, a Vice President for Northwest Area Foundation, and Harris, Executive Director

for Headwater Foundation for Justice, addressed nonprofit organizers, community leaders, education and church leaders, and youth organizers at this past summer’s African American Leadership Forum, held at the University of

Minnesota Twin Cities St. Paul Campus Student Center.

The forum convened public and private sector leaders committed to creating solutions for African American communities.

Participants each attended at least two

workshops.

Workshops explored four theme topics: Community Building; Health and Wellness; Cultural Identity, Spirituality and Family; Education, and

Education

Target, The Heart of America Foundation unveils renovated library

PAGE 4

Aesthetics

Penumbra Theatre’s The Sleep Deprivation Chamber

PAGE 5

Health

Finally, a farmer’s market in North Minneapolis

PAGE 6

FORUM TURN TO 3

Sports

Minnesota Twins: Solid as a rock

PAGE 11

Page 2 • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Northeast residents unite to stop garbage transfer station Residents from Northeast and Southeast neighborhoods gathered last week at the Eastside Neighborhood Services Building gymnasium, 1700 2nd St. NE in Minneapolis to unite in their fight to stop the garbage transfer station and household hazardous waste facility proposed by the City.

Don’t Dump on Northeast is a group of concerned residents and businesses from Holland and Marshall Terrace Neighborhoods who are reaching out to the neighborhoods throughout Northeast Minneapolis to raise awareness about the City’s plan in hopes of stopping the waste facility. The meeting was held to get the word out about the City’s proposal and to get Northeast residents and businesses organized to pressure the City into dropping its plans.

The “Don’t Dump on Northeast” campaign organized the meeting to stop the City’s impending purchase of the Wheeling Corrugated land at 340 27th Street NE – a site 10 feet from the nearest home and abutting residential neighborhoods on its south and east sides. The closest

residential neighborhood to either the Brooklyn Park or Bloomington drop off sites is a half mile. The South Transfer Station has buffers all around, from other industry and a cemetery.

The proposed facility would replace the South Transfer Station. The facility would accept household hazardous waste, 250 tons a week of construction and household debris and would also be the site for receiving overflow waste from the Hennepin County incinerator when that facility is off-line. The City gave no public notice to residents or businesses prior to authorizing purchase of the land at a City Council meeting on May 18, 2010. The City has been studying the site since then to determine if it is suitable and plans to move forward with purchasing the land if it meets their criteria.

“People are just outraged that the City would even consider putting a waste facility so close to residents, restaurants and other businesses,” said Marie Zellar, who lives a half block from the proposed site, “Every other facility like this is surrounded on all sides

by industrial development, not homes and restaurants. It seems like the City is just ready to writeoff our neighborhood as a viable residential and commercial area.

We should have been part of the decision-making way before now if that is the vision they have for our neighborhood.”

“We have to tell our side of the story because the City will not,” said Craig Kruse, whose home is the closest to the proposed waste site, “They are green-washing this, calling it an environmental center.

They won’t tell you it is meant to replace the South Transfer Station and accept overflow from the incinerator unless you ask them the question directly. They show up at meetings and show a video of how great the household hazardous waste collection facilities are in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington. They don’t tell you that there are no homes anywhere near those sites. They say ‘Now is not the time for public comment on the facility,’ but then when is the right time? It is hard to believe

MUL

services that include assisting young men like those who reside at the Group Home in achieving their HS diploma and gaining access to job training/placement, mentoring/counseling, and where appropriate, independent living services.

Jerome Driessen, Area Director of Juvenile Services for Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation, said people should not construe the lack of referrals to the Urban League Group Home as Hennepin County reluctance to provide resources to Black-run community based organizations. He said the County is sensitive to complaints that too many Black youth are being removed from family and from community after they have committed crimes which brought them under the jurisdiction of the Court.

He said it was somewhat duplicitous for the Black community to agitate for reduced court ordered treatment or detentions that removed young people from their homes, while, at the same time argue for

increased utilization of facilities like the Urban League Group Home.

Does it mean detention is ok only if African American agencies get the money, he asked?

He said the reduction in detentions overall has meant that other facilities also are experiencing reduced utilization due to court ordered placements.

He said the county is seeking alternatives to incarceration and court mandated residential treatment. In the past several months, he said, Hennepin County has funded culture based initiatives at Shiloh Temple Church on West Broadway, at Kente Circle, at La Familia, Division of Indian Work, Metro Social Services and has continued contracts with Family and Children Services, a very large social service agency operating as a vendor for the County.

The Rev. Randolph Staten, former state legislator and co-chair of the Black Church Coalition/African American Leadership Summit, said the

phenomenon of rationalizing why the county was not utilizing Black community vendors and services was not new. It has been a major point of criticism aimed at state and county institutions that control lives and direct the flow of public dollars to programs and initiatives seeking to serve the public good.

“When we challenged the institutions’ overuse of out of home placement and incarceration, the institutions respond by cutting service operations run by the Black community. It’s like blaming the victim,” Staten, a former MUL board member, said. “Clearly, state and federal studies indicate that institutions’ failure to engage affected communities as vendors in the solution side of the problem, simply perpetuates the problem.”

Staten said Minneapolis Urban League and other community service organizations have to be more aggressive in defending their work and the value they bring to community.

They should not apologize for demanding resources.”

From 1 County is using alternatives to incarceration or residential treatment.

Even with the decrease of 33%, from around 300 young men in court ordered treatment facilities, to about 200 currently, the preponderance of African American and North Minneapolis originated youth suggested there would be greater, not lesser demand for the secure residential treatment service, right in the community.

The Urban League said given the increase in violent crimes and crimes committed by youth, “it seems hard to imagine that we can’t fill 12 beds and haven’t been able to do so for a number of years.”

County Commissioner Mark Stenglein says although the Urban League’s group home may be suspending operations, he supports having the County Corrections offices work with the Urban League to design support

Courtesy of Don’t Dump on Northeast campaign

Yard sign in front of University Ave. near the site

anything they say anymore.”

Northeast residents and businesses are worried that having a waste facility so close to homes and restaurants will have a negative impact on home values, dining and bar business and the image of the community overall in the eyes of those who come to the facility to drop off their waste. “If you are dropping off a bunch of household hazardous waste and moldy junk from your basement, are you going to go a block down the street then and spend $20 on a steak dinner or sit out on the patio and have a beer?” asked Zellar, “No, people don’t eat where they dump.”

Residents and businesses are also worried about the impact on an already bad traffic situation in the neighborhood. University Avenue is crowded and has a lot of truck traffic any given day. The City estimates the facility would bring another 850 vehicles a week into the neighborhood.

People in the community were alarmed to learn that this facility would also accept overflow waste from the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center when it is

off-line. City officials tried to downplay those concerns at a community meeting, citing that the facility had only been off-line for seven days in the last ten years.

They failed to mention that all seven of those days were in 2009.

“It took them a whole month to fix the incinerator last year,” said Kruse, “That facility is aging and we aren’t fools. There will more breakdowns and overflow waste in the future, not less.”

Don’t Dump on Northeast wants the City to find a site for its waste facilities that has appropriate buffers for homes and businesses and less impact on traffic. They also want to have a broader conversation about how development decisions are made that affect residents and businesses in the area to avoid conflicts like this in the future.

“If the only solution the City can come up with for addressing our waste management needs is to sacrifice a neighborhood, it sounds to me like we need to take a hard look at our solid waste management plans,” said Zellar.

Suluki Fardan

Small cigar commonly used to roll marijuana

Bus From 1 Minneapolis Police Department requested that no busses stop at the Golden Valley/Penn stop.

Four lines make scheduled stops at that intersection. She said Metro Transit officials told her they would comply with the Police Department request partially, restricting three of the four lines that stop there, but that one bus line would continue to make stops there.

Christon said she is alarmed that Metro Transit said it will

make the changes permanent if there are no objections from the community.

Christon said she and other business, church and resident leaders will work to inform community residents that access to public transportation is at stake unless they mobilize to voice their concerns to Metro Transit.

Christon said the community should be offended by the Wally’s actions. “They want us to spend our money in their store, enriching them, but they totally disrespect our community, sometimes even people who are patronizing them,” she said.

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Page 3

BUSINESS Serious offer or scam? Be wary of unusual hiring practices Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Kendra’s job search was frustratingly slow until she received an offer that seemed impossible to refuse.

The company wanted to interview her the following week, was extremely encouraging based on her resume alone and assured her this was an incredible opportunity. The catch: the interview had to be in-person and in Boston (she was in MN) and she would have to appear

at her own expense. She came to me because she was having trouble finding information about the company.

Another candidate, Cyndi, approached me recently with similar concerns about a company in Michigan. She said the company wanted to run a credit check on her prior to the job interview, that she was required to use their credit bureau to run the check and that if she refused, they would move on to another candidate. Like Kendra, the position was for an administrative assistant and the company was hard to discover online.

Even while job searching methods and hiring practices constantly evolve, the one common thread among all reputable organizations is they

want to save time and money and they want to hire the best people as practically as possible.

This means most companies follow similar, common sense practices when hiring.

Kendra’s position is relatively entry level.

The company should offer a phone interview prior to an in-person meeting, and they should be able to explain why they haven’t found anyone locally who can handle the job. National job searches are usually limited to executive level or specialized positions.

Both Kendra and Cyndi can find only very limited information on these companies, including a one-page website online.

Both companies’ websites have several tabs that don’t function. Neither

MN charities in jeopardy of losing tax exempt status As many as 5,500 small community-based nonprofits in Minnesota are in jeopardy of losing their taxexempt status. The Internal Revenue Service is concerned because the loss of this status could greatly affect the organizations’ charitable work and their donors’ potential tax deductions.

Among the organizations that could lose their taxexempt status are local sports associations and community support groups, volunteer fire and ambulance associations and their auxiliaries, social clubs, educational societies,

Jeffrey Hassan

Vanne Owens-Hayes

Repa Mekha

Kim Nelson

Paul Williams

Forum From 1 Lifelong Learning, subjects that guided extensive committee meetings over the past year.

Paul Williams, Senior Vice President of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), reported on a series of meetings

veterans groups, churchaffiliated groups, groups designed to assist those with special needs and a variety of others.

The organizations that are at risk failed to file the required returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009, according to IRS records.

The requirement to file is the result of a tax law change that occurred in 2006. For many of these small organizations, complying with the new law may be as simple as completing a 10-minute form online. They can preserve their exempt status under a one-time relief program the IRS announced

in July, but only if they file by Oct. 15, 2010.

The IRS has made numerous attempts to alert organizations, but are concerned that many may not have gotten the word.

A list of the organizations that were at-risk as of the end of July is posted at IRS.gov along with instructions on how to comply with the new law.

The IRS encourages everyone who is connected with a small nonprofit community group to make sure that their organization is aware of the law change and is in compliance before the October 15 deadline.

which considered the question of cultural identity, spirituality, and the family.

Alfred Babington-Johnson, President of the Stairstep Foundation, and Martin Adams, Project Coordinator for Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education at the University of Minnesota, delivered a background presentation on community building.

Toni Carter, Ramsey County Commissioner for District 4 and Vanne Owens-Hayes, legal scholar and cultural consultant for State Health Improvement Program, explored approaches to enhance and secure health and wellness.

General Mills executive Kim Nelson, President of General Mills Snacks Division, Attorney Jeffery Hassan of Hassan and Reed law firm, and Robert Jones, U of M Vice President reviewed work, presented on education and life-long learning issues.

Four keynote speakers provided additional analysis for each workshop area. Social Entrepreneur and Executive Director for Nexus Community Partners, Repa Mehka; St. Thomas Associate Professor of Law Nekima Levy-Pounds; Network for Development for Children of African Descent (NdCAD) creator Gevonee Ford, and owner of Thor Construction, Copeland Trucking CEO Richard Copeland offered insights on how we can develop and execute strategies that mean individual and collective development and success.

Mehka, who said he previously led a life of crime, said his life changed a few decades ago when he discovered he had a desire to learn.

Starting with a G.E.D, Mehka continued to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Urban Studies, with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters in Public Administration at Harvard.

“Your past can affect, but not determine, your future,” Mehka said.

Levy-Pounds runs the Community Justice Project at St. Thomas University. The program connects University students with justice initiatives in St. Paul’s Aurora/St. Anthony neighborhood. The Community Justice Project is an urban studies program with students of all ethnicities who go into the poorest and most economically strained neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, volunteering with local community service programs to get a feel for not only the community, but also the people in it, she said.

The students testify at the state capitol, defending community interests before the Legislature.

FORUM TURN TO 7

has many employees listed on LinkedIn and, in both cases, a Google-search leads back to the one-page website. Even small and specialized companies have a web presence today.

Candidates should think twice about relocating for a company that is so hard to find that they would be challenged to do business with them - let alone work for them.

Cyndi’s situation raises multiple questions. Specifically, credit checks cost money; why would a corporation

spend money finding the credit score of an administrative assistant they haven’t yet phone interviewed? Also, They say they issue a corporate credit card to new employees; why would a company issue a credit card to a new administrative assistant?

A solid company has credit agreements with vendors; sales people, on the other hand, might be issued a card upon hire to use for travel expenses.

The list of questions and inconsistencies goes on, but the message is simple: anything

that seems too good to be true, is. Anything that makes a practical person skeptical is a red flag. And if a company’s practices give you a nervous gut feeling, pay attention. Get the information you need, or run the other way… fast.

Julie Desmond is an experienced recruiter and career counselor.

She currently leads job search workshops in Minneapolis, MN. Send your job search stories to julie@insightnews.com.

Page 4 • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com

EDUCATION Target, The Heart of America foundation unveils renovated library Last week, students, families and staff from Sheridan Arts Magnet, along with Target and The Heart of America Foundation ® volunteers, celebrated the unveiling of the school’s newly renovated library as part of the Target School Library Makeovers program, which transforms in-need school libraries to inspire a love of reading among students. Renovations included new technology, paint, lighting, flooring and shelving, as well as customized wall art and murals.

In addition, the library received 2,000 new books to fill its shelves.

Each participating student and their sibling/s also received seven books to take home.

“The entire Minneapolis Public School system is grateful for the partnership, resources, energy and creativity that Target and The Heart of America Foundation have poured into the Sheridan Arts Magnet library and each of the Minneapolis Public Schools’ libraries that they have transformed as part of the program,” said Bernadeia Johnson, superintendent, Minneapolis Public Schools. “I’m so glad the students at Sheridan Arts Magnet now have a library to find their own inspiration and

grow academically.”

An important academic milestone in early childhood education is that students read at grade level by the end of third grade, and studies show that having access to a wide variety of reading materials is essential for kids to reach their educational goals.

“At Target, we recognize the integral role that reading plays in shaping a child’s education and future, and we’re committed to listening and acting locally to help kids learn and schools teach,” said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target.

“Through Target School Library Makeovers, students are given the resources they need to learn so that their educational futures know no boundaries.”

As part of the Target School Library Makeovers, a total of 32 extreme library makeovers will be awarded to schools in-need in 30 cities, including Sheridan Arts Magnet. The makeovers feature everything from eco-friendly design elements, 2,000 new books, as well as new furniture, shelves, flooring and technology. Ecofriendly elements include low VOC paint, sustainable carpet and furniture and responsible disposal

Suluki Fardan

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak speaks to the students at Sheridan Arts Magnet School of all waste created in demolition and construction.

Schools receiving a library makeover are chosen based on a number of factors, including the number of students reading below proficiency level, the percentage of students from low-income families and the overall need for library improvement. The

majority of the 2010 unveilings are scheduled to take place from August to November.

Local Target team members who volunteer their time, talent and expertise to each renovation project lead the library makeovers. Additionally, the Target Property Development team provided specialized

business knowledge through a variety of unique pro bono services that included leveraging their design, construction and project management expertise to help with the significant updates to the libraries.

“The library should be the heart of the school and the space that supports all of the learning that happens in the classrooms,” said Angie Halamandaris, president and co-founder of The Heart of America Foundation.

“By partnering with Target we’re able to ensure schools across the nation are equipped with the resources students need to read, succeed and make a difference.”

In support of this effort, Target and The Heart of America Foundation teamed up with Paragon, which supplied greencertified furniture and Smith Systems, which, in turn, supplied the use of recycled materials.

Target also partnered with local Ryan Companies US, Inc. to help with the renovation construction efforts, and TK Products, who supplied the paint for the renovation. In addition, Josie Lewis provided her services to create a mural in the redesigned library space. All partners helped make the project possible through

donations and/or discounted pricing of services and supplies.

“We can all see how excited our students are about this library, and it is this excitement that will promote learning and increase achievement at our school,” said Al Pitt, principal, Sheridan Arts Magnet. “I want to thank Target and The Heart of America Foundation for bringing the school library makeover project to Sheridan Arts Magnet.”

The Target School Library Makeovers program was launched in 2007 and features a combination of extreme school library makeovers, which include a complete renovation, and $500 Book Awards to schools across the country. Since the program’s inception, Target has impacted more than 2,000 school libraries, distributed more than one million new books and donated tens of thousands of volunteer hours.

Target’s commitment to the communities it serves involves funding education programs that nurture a love of learning and promote literacy among children.

The Target School Library Makeovers program is one of the many ways Target supports education by acting locally to help kids learn and schools teach.

Community can support good teaching by volunteering INSIGHT NEWS

Our Schools

www.insightnews.com

By Benadeia H.Johnson MPS Superintendent Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White

I so enjoyed visiting classrooms on the first day of school and seeing the anticipation on children’s faces. Principals were enthusiastically greeting students and families. In the midst of all this excitement, teachers were focused on teaching on the very first day of

school.

That enthusiasm and focus will serve us well as we set course for a new year. Our 2010 Report on Academic Progress underlines the importance of good teaching and the urgency with which we must approach our work.

Overall, proficiency in our district is at 51 percent in reading and 45 percent in math – 20 points below the State average.

As a group, our white students significantly outperform the State; however, students of color make up almost 70 percent of our enrollment and are 36 points below the State in reading and 35 points below in math. While

our annual gains in achievement are comparable to the State they are not enough.

One of the most disturbing trends laid out in our report is that at the current rate of achievement, it will take us almost 60 years to catch up to the State. I find this deeply troubling. Incremental progress is like paying only the minimum balance on your credit card. If all you pay is the minimum, you will be paying if off for the rest of your life.

Our students don’t have a lifetime to catch up. They deserve to be learning all they can right now.

Our report sets new five-year

For over 80 years, Hallie Q. Brown has been the Lighthouse of the Community...

Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams

Reuben Lindh Family Services has over 40 years experience getting kids ready for Kindergarten and is opening a new center on October 6, 2010.

Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed

“Children’s First Early Learning Center”

Receptionist Lue B. Lampley

1501 Xerxes Avenue North, Minneapolis • Open 7 AM to 6 PM Call Katie D. at • Ages 33 months to 5 612-722-0762 • Bi-lingual teachers (Spanish/Hmong) ext. 109 • Quality Early Education

Technology Reporters Shanice Brown Ivan B. Phifer Christopher Toliver

...this is why we shine so bright.

Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

reading is the first class of the day. One of the most important things families can do to support good teaching is to make sure that students are in school every day, on time, ready to learn.

They support good teaching by setting aside quiet time for their child – with the TV off – to do homework and read every night.

Parents support good teaching by setting a clear expectation that going to school and learning is their child’s job. I hope that education is among the values that families hold most dear.

Together we can support our students to value their culture, their language and what a good education can give them.

Our community can also support good teaching by volunteering in our schools, working with organizations that mentor students or donating valuable resources that our teachers will put to good use in the classroom.

Thank you for partnering with us this year to support good teaching. We look forward to a wonderful year of learning in Minneapolis Public Schools.

NEW CHILDCARE CENTER!!

Production Intern Andrew Notsch

Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Brenda Colston Julie Desmond S. Himie Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Ryan T. Scott Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor

goals using a model similar to other urban school districts. Our new goals seek to reduce our gap to the State by half – bringing us up to 66 percent proficient in reading and 65 percent in math by 2015. That means that as a district we must double our gains in math and triple them in reading every year. For students of color, we must quadruple annual progress.

We will continue to aim for 100 percent proficiency for each and every student.

But, the danger in setting an unrealistically high district-wide goal is it is too easy for people to throw up their hands and say, “It’s not being done anywhere.

It’s impossible.” Well, this is possible. We can point to school districts like ours who are making this kind of progress.

This is a ‘no excuses’ goal that empowers us to say, “Yes, it can be done, and we will do it here.”

As I visit schools, I am reminding staff of how their work supports good teaching.

I tell bus drivers that getting students to school on time supports good teaching because in most elementary schools,

The Hallie Q. Brown Early Learning Center is currently accepting applications for enrollment.

We are a licensed daycare and preschool program with a 4 Star Parent Aware rating. We feature licensed and trained staff, Project Early Kindergarten (PEK) curriculum and a sliding fee scale. We gladly accept Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Contact us today for a tour and more information.

Hallie Q. Brown Community Center 270 N. Kent Street St. Paul, MN 55102 651-224-4601 www.hallieqbrown.org

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Page 5

AESTHETICS Penumbra Theatre’s The Sleep Deprivation Chamber

By Alaina Lewis Contributing Writer The perils of being reawakened to our society; that’s the central theme surrounding Penumbra Theatre’s new production entitled “The Sleep Deprivation Chamber.” A piece written by mother and son team, Adam P and Adrienne Kennedy, who from a real life incident of being intertwined with the unjust judicial system, birthed a story that resonates a pain that many African American’s know all too well, as we continue to maneuver through an openly broken society.

Lucas Bellamy, stars as Teddy, an enterprising young man, with a promising future ahead of him, who when on his way home from an afternoon

jaunt, is met at the end of his driveway by an angry white policeman, a night stick, and a brutal beating.

Plagued by racism in his own backyard, Teddy is carried off to jail, broken and battered, to later learn that his initial charge and the motive behind his unwarranted lashing, is that of having assaulted his arresting officer; a crime that never occurred before or after his battering.

His mother Suzanne, played

by Indira Addington, struggles to find sleep, as her eyes are newly opened to the prison fate her son may have to suffer after being wrongly accused and punished for being a Black Man in this America.

Locked in an esoteric chamber of sleepless nights, faltered memories, and the

Lucas Bellamy remains of endless letters to members of Congress searching

Rich Ryan

for support for her son Teddy, Suzanne struggles to keep it

altogether, and remain hopeful that justice is possible inside of an unjust world.

Penumbra Theater has always been a place where being wowed by the talent in a production, is always second to the rich messages behind each storyline. In keeping with this tradition of presenting an eye opening plot, SDC challenges audiences to not only gravitate towards the abstract nature of the actors, but at the same time awaken their conscious to the reality within the characters plight.

Apart from the acting on stage, the actors are joined by three screens that hover in the backdrop to project the mood, memories, and the paralysis of Suzanne and Teddy’s sleep deprived minds.

The piece is heavy in nature,

and an emotional crossing between recherché art and life’s unfortunate circumstances.

Although at times the pacing is hard on the conscious, Penumbra knocks one out the park when it comes to challenging us to open our eyes to one of the many infractions on civil rights for African American’s.

Directed by Robbie McCauley, and also starring Terry Bellamy, Heidi Bakke, and the incomparable Stephen Cartmell as Teddy’s lawyer, the play runs from now until October 10th.

For more information please visit: www.penumbratheatre.org or call 651-224-3180.

Tickets are $10 - $38. Penumbra Theatre Company is located at 270 N. Kent Street in St. Paul, MN.

Entertainment firms collaborate to relaunch pageant

missblackusa.org

2010 crownholder Brie Horshaw

In this unfounded time, where the plates appear to be shifting, the ones slipping through the proverbial cracks are no longer

those individuals on the fast track headed to no-where. Nowadays it’s the “good kids,” that we’ve seemingly forgotten. And in some instances, fail to identify, celebrate and reward them for their accomplishments.

Through the efforts of three distinguished companies, all of that will change this December upon the arrival of the “new kid” in town; an ageless institution with a knack for celebrating academic merit and exulting those who’ve made exceptional lifestyle choices.

X-CEL Entertainment, PR3 Enterprises, and NexLevel Entertainment, are hoping

that together they can reignite this well-known brand. The Miss Black Minnesota-USA Scholarship Pageant (MBMP) is finally back, and ready to remind women of color everywhere, that educational excellence still breeds great and promising rewards.

MBMP is apart of the NonProfit Corporation, Miss Black USA, which was created in the late 1980’s in Maryland.

Through the years, the National and Local Pageant has grown in its support and exposure.

Apart from the reward of training, mentoring and coaching women of color towards leadership, National winners have gone on

to tour countries like Africa and South America, garnering them rich experiences which help them to serve as a face for women everywhere.

The beauty of MBMP is that it’s unlike any other pageant.

Rather than placing emphasis on looks, they seek participants from all shapes and sizes, who epitomize a strong and intelligent woman. Their mission is to create opportunities that will assist in developing the “whole woman mind, body and spirit.”

“The Miss Black Minnesota Pageant is looking for something a little deeper than the face. I don’t care if you’re 100 lbs, or 306.

Who are you inside?” X-CEL Entertainment said, “I’m looking for character. I want someone who represents all of us, in all aspects.

It’s not just about beauty; beauty is on the outside. I’m looking for a person who when they walk into a room, exemplify leadership.”

Through their 3 different programs they serve a varying age range between 5 and 27. Currently there is a Princess Program, a Talented Teen Pageant, as well as the Miss Black Minnesota Pageant for women of color to participate in.

Physically, the MBMP has been absent from the program circuit for the past

five years, but from behind the scenes a new winner has been crowned every year. 2010’s crownholder is that of Miss Brie Horshaw, an enterprising young communications major, who attends the University of Minnesota as a Sophomore student.

Like Brie, participants in the program will have the opportunity to gain invaluable development skills that will be of good use during any chapter of their lives thereafter. Through the program, many past participants have gone on to garner successful careers

PAGEANT TURN TO 7

Page 6 • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com

HEALTH Finally, a farmer’s market in North Minneapolis

Fresh vegetables at the Mini Farmer’s Market.

Suluki Fardan

While some Minneapolis neighborhoods enjoy a bountiful supply of healthy foods, many others do not. The Minneapolis Urban League and the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) are bringing the Mini Farmers Market Project, and with it fresh fruits and vegetables, into the heart of North Minneapolis Particularly in the North Minneapolis neighborhoods, where the rates of obesity and malnutrition are disproportionately higher than the rest of the area.

For the past five years, the Minneapolis Urban League has been developing a strategy to get healthier food options to the community, and the IATP’s Mini Farmer’s Market project is the perfect vehicle for getting the right food in the right hands.

The Mini Farmer’s Market is a small-scale weekly event which started last Tuesday, September 21 and will continue every Tuesday afternoon from 2:30-5 pm through November, as weather permits.

The Minneapolis

Urban League Mini Farmer’s Market primarily serves housing complex residents, people from the surrounding neighborhoods, commuters on their way home and employees of the nearby agencies such as Northpoint Health Services and the University of Minnesota’s UROC. The market is located on the east end of the large parking lot at 2001 Plymouth Avenue North. Hand washing and restroom facilities are made available to market shoppers, just across the street at the Minneapolis Urban League’s headquarters inside the GloverSudduth building.

Tim Page, an AfricanAmerican farmer and North Minneapolis, resident was the first participant in this pilot program. Page offers ethniccentered foods as a healthy alternative to the usual fast fried and factory processed options.

Like all the Mini Farmer’s Markets, unsold food at the end of the day will be donated to a local food shelf.

For the past 84 years, the

Tim Page

Suluki Fardan

Minneapolis Urban League has linked African descendants and other people of color to opportunities that result in economic success and prosperity and effectively advocated for policies that eradicate racial disparities.

NorthPoint Health and Wellness campus to become smoke-free Continuing decades of support for healthier environments, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution last week making the north Minneapolis NorthPoint Health & Wellness (“NorthPoint”) campus smokefree.

“This is an extremely positive step for not only our employees, but for the children and families

who visit the clinic regularly.

As a public health authority, this is the County leading by example,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein.

NorthPoint’s Community Board of Directors passed a resolution earlier this year in support of a smoke-free campus and requested approval from the County Board.

Secondhand smoke is a

leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

North Minneapolis has higher rates of people who smoke than elsewhere in Hennepin County. In Hennepin County, approximately 17% of adults smoke, but in North Minneapolis about 27% of adults smoke (Hennepin County SHAPE 2006 Adult Data Book.)

More than half of Hennepin

County (54.9%) – and North Minneapolis (59.5%) smokers are trying to quit – or have tried to quit in the last 12 months.

According to the American Cancer Society, smoke-free policies help smokers reduce their cigarette usage.

“NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center is working to create a healthier community in North Minneapolis and having

a smoke-free campus sends the message that we are serious about creating an environment focused on healthy behaviors for the community as well as our employees,” said Stella Whitney-West, Chief Executive Officer of NorthPoint. “I am pleased that the NorthPoint Community Board demonstrated leadership in requesting that the County Commissioners

approve the smoke-free campus.

The partnership between the Community Board and Hennepin County is working for the residents of North Minneapolis.”

The Hennepin County Board Resolution prohibiting smoking on the NorthPoint campus goes into effect on November 18, 2010 – The American Cancer Society’s “Great American Smokeout” date.

UnitedHealthcare wants you to know the facts about sickle cell Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. The disease affects 70,000 to 100,000 Americans and is most prevalent among African Americans, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. About one in 500 African Americans has the disease, and one in 12 carry the sickle cell trait.

Here’s some basic information about sickle cell disease.

What Is Sickle Cell Disease?

Normal red blood cells are discshaped and look like donuts without holes in the center, traveling easily through the blood vessels. But in sickle cell, the red blood cells are shaped like sickles or “C’s.” These irregularly shaped cells are rigid and sticky.

They often form clumps, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen throughout the body causing pain, serious infections, and organ damage.

How Do You Get It? Sickle cell disease is passed from parent to child like eye color, blood type and other physical characteristics. People who have the sickle cell trait often have no symptoms. Ask your health care provider for a blood test so that you can know for sure.

What Are the Symptoms?

Sickle cell anemia is present at birth, but many infants don’t show any signs until after four months of age. Symptoms of sickle cell anemia vary. Some people have mild symptoms while others have

very severe complications and must be hospitalized for treatment.

Some of the most common symptoms are fatigue; acute chest syndrome that causes breathing problems; pain in the arm and leg bones, the chest, abdomen, and back; frequent infections; swollen hands and feet; and vision problems.

In addition to these symptoms, stroke is a serious complication of sickle cell disease, especially in children. Cells obstruct blood flow to the brain, and oxygen can’t get past the blockage, which causes the stroke. Signs of stroke include seizures, weakness or numbness of the arms and legs, sudden speech difficulties, and loss of consciousness.

If you know you have sickle cell disease, the key is to do your best to stay as healthy as possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following tips: • Get regular checkups – Regular health checkups with a primary care doctor can help prevent some serious complications.

• Prevent infections – Common illnesses such as the flu can quickly become dangerous for a child with sickle cell disease.

• Drink plenty of water – People with sickle cell disease should drink as much water as possible, at least eight glasses of water every day. Eating healthy food is also important.

• Look for clinical studies

– New clinical research studies are being conducted all the time to find better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for sickle cell disease.

• Get support – Find a patient-support group or other organization in your community that can provide information, assistance and support.

All states now mandate the testing of newborns for sickle cell disease as part of their newborn screening programs, but we can do more to raise awareness of the disease. For its part, UnitedHealthcare has teamed up with the American Heart Association and Stroke Association’s “Power to End Stroke Campaign” (www. powertoendstroke.org) to promote early screening and educate African Americans about the connection between sickle cell disease and stroke.

While there is no cure yet for sickle cell disease, people who have it can still live well and long.

The first step is to find out if you have the disease or the trait. Then you can discuss treatment options with your doctor to ensure your best outcome, reduce the risk of complications and pass down a legacy of good health to the next generation.

To learn more about UnitedHealthcare’s health and wellness resources for you and your family, visit www. uhcgenerations.com

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Page 7

JDAI celebrates five years of juvenile detention alternatives The Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) has reduced the average daily population of the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) from 95 to 44 youth, a total decline of 54 percent from 2005 through 2009, announced JDAI. Hennepin County’s JDAI, modeled after the goal of the national JDAI vision, is a collaborative effort of the courts, probation, police, county attorneys, public defenders, schools, human services, and community members to create an effective,

fair, and efficient juvenile justice system that produces positive outcomes for youth, while at the same time protecting public safety.

The focus of JDAI is on policy changes and community-based programs designed to support youth and eliminate the unnecessary use of secure detention for youth.

According to Hennepin County (Fourth Judicial District) Judge Tanya Bransford, “JDAI is helping us avoid the negative behaviors that can develop from having a juvenile who has committed a low-level offense - like curfew

violation - placed in secure detention with youth far more deeply involved in the system.”

The accomplishments of Hennepin County’s JDAI include: The Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) - an objective decision-making tool used to identify youth appropriate for detention alternatives.

The Court Calling Reminder Program, in which volunteers call youth to remind them of their court dates. Court Calling has been highly successful, resulting in a 20 percent increase in court appearances and decreasing

the number of issued bench warrants.

Since July 1, 2009, low-risk, first-time offending youth brought to the JDC for probable cause misdemeanor domestic assault offenses have been sent to The Bridge for Youth or St. Joseph’s Home for Children - both Safe Shelters - rather than being detained in the JDC. Ninety-seven percent of youth referred to Safe Shelter successfully appeared for court.

The Community Coach Program was launched July 1, 2009, to provide additional supervision and support for

youth released from the JDC. Of the 369 youth referred to Community Coaches, twothirds successfully appeared for court hearings.

The MET (Monitoring, Education, and Training) Program began successfully serving youth in 2009 as a less restrictive communitybased consequence program that combines house arrest, Sentencing to Service, and education programs.

Since January 2010, an Evening Reporting Center at Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis has provided programming during evening

hours when youth are most at risk for delinquent behaviors.

According to Community Coach Glynn Merriewether, “We have been very effective, especially in getting kids to come to court.”

Interested members of the public are welcome to attend a community forum on October 7, 2010, 6:30 pm at North Commons Park, 1801 James Avenue North, Minneapolis as well as JDAI Steering Committee meetings, 6-8 pm at Martin Luther King Park in Minneapolis on October 14, 2010 and December 9, 2010.

Receive a gift card for recycling a thermostat in Hennepin county Residents can save energy by replacing a traditional thermostat with a programmable thermostat encourages Hennepin County and Covanta Energy Corporation.

Homeowners can save about $180 a year by using a programmable thermostat. Old thermostats contain mercury and must not be placed in the trash, but should be recycled.

As a thank you for recycling

those old thermostats, Covanta Energy is offering a $5 Menards gift card to residents to help reduce the cost of purchasing a programmable thermostat.

To participate in the program, county residents should bring a mercurycontaining thermostat to a Hennepin County dropoff facility for recycling.

Residents will complete a form and Covanta Energy will mail them a gift card.

“Encouraging residents to conserve energy is a part of the county’s commitment to reducing energy costs and our effect on global climate change, called the Cool County Initiative,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. “Switching to a programmable thermostat is a low-cost, easy-to-implement action that any resident can take to conserve energy and reduce harmful carbon emissions.”

Covanta Energy operates the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center. “Covanta is very pleased to be partnering with Hennepin County on this important effort to remove mercury from the waste stream,” said John Sigmond, business manager of Covanta Hennepin. “By replacing an old mercury thermostat with a programmable one, residents can help the environment by recycling mercury while

improving the energy efficiency of their homes and reducing their heating and cooling bills.”

Hennepin County drop-off facilities are located at 1400 W. 96th St. in Bloomington, and 8100 Jefferson Highway in Brooklyn Park. The facilities are open: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This offer is available while supplies last and expires on Dec. 31, 2010. There is a limit of one gift card per household.

For more information on the program, call Hennepin County Environmental Services at (612) 348-3777, or visit www. hennepin.us/dropoffs.

Conserving energy and recycling is making Hennepin a Cool County. Learn more at www.hennepin.us/coolcounty.

Forum

to legal practices and the law.

It helps them understand the meaning of community and know that different socioeconomical levels exist within the community.

Ford, Director of NdCAD, said his program has four

core-connected pathways for clients and community: 1. cultural identity, 2. family, 3. reconnecting to community and 4. cultural community.

Ford said these connections are critical for the uplift of the community, and have

an impact on a daily basis.

NdCAD programs engage the heart, the mind, and judgment, he said.

Copeland said he started out as a one-man one-truck company doing restoration work for local utilities.

Copeland now runs a network of six companies including his flagship firms, Thor Construction and Copeland Trucking, and is reported to be the largest Black firm in the United States. He said 85 percent of his work and

profits come from outside of Minnesota.

“Minnesota must do better in providing opportunity for Black businesses to participate in the State’s robust economy,” he said.

From 3 Levy-Pounds said the program introduces students

missblackusa.org

Pageant From 5 in areas such as Entertainment, Politics, Academia, and Public Speaking.

The winner of this years Miss Black Minnesota- USA Scholarship Pageant will receive a $2000 educational reward, model and pageant training, an Apple IPAD, and air and hotel

for the national competition in Washington D.C next year. Apart from these amazing prizes, they will also receive envelopes of coaching and mentoring- tools necessary to empower their path towards a future of success.

This years Miss Black Minnesota- USA Scholarship Pageant is slated for December 4th at the Tedd Mann Concert Hall.

Recruiting has already begun, and the managers are hoping for a big turn out of participants as they return this year to the mainstream Pageant circuit.

The next informational meeting and registration session will be held at 2pm in the “Executive Center – Boundary Waters Room” at the Mall of America on October 2nd. If you’re interested in learning how you can elevate yourself through training and education, attending this event could bring about limitless reward.

Whether you’re the one interested, or you know someone who deserves an opportunity to enhance their future; each one, teach one. So be sure to tell a friend, to tell a friend, about this unique opportunity.

For more information on the pageant recruitment or sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.missblackusa. org/states/mn or www. missblackminnesota.org or you can always call 1-800-530-4613.

Page 8 • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com

LIFESTYLE Let’s move, women; let’s move, families Style on a Dime

By Marcia Humphrey marcia@insightnews.com A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of joining in with a group of women to participate in a 5K walk/run. On a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning, we gathered

at Lake Calhoun for the First Annual Let’s Move Women and BF (best friends) 5K Run/Walk Race. Organizer Mary Hamilton shared with me that she and fellow organizer, Serena Wright, were inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s efforts to fight childhood obesity. They decided to reach out to their network of friends and invite us all participate. We had a wonderful time of fitness, friend-making, and fun. Yet, like the first lady, Mary and Serena feel strongly about the serious matter of our declining health, and

organizing this race was their way of being part of the solution, while inspiring others to do the same.

We should all want to support the health of our kids.

I’m saddened to see the growing numbers of overweight and obese young children in our community. Yet the truth is that children usually don’t just become unhealthy eaters. They tend to develop an appetite for whatever is set before them at the dinner table, or passed to them through the drive-through window. It is vital that we evaluate our current habits and then begin to retrain ourselves-and our kids-to have an appetite for healthy eating and physical fitness. Getting and

staying fit doesn’t have to cost you any money. It’s all about making the choice to start moving and keep moving. Here in the Twin Cities, autumn is an ideal time to enjoy the great outdoors (The weather is cool, so please, no excuses about sweating out your hairdo!). So what are you waiting for? Let’s Move!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also teaming up with Lady Michelle to get us moving in the right direction.

On the Let’s Move website (www.LetsMove.gov), you will find simple tools that can help parents and kids eat better, be more active, and get healthier.

In addition, consider taking the

President’s challenge by earning the Presidential Active Lifestyle award www.presidentschallenge. org. You can even sign up as a family or team and work your way towards a consistently active lifestyle.

To put it bluntly, our society, in many ways, has adopted such an unhealthy lifestyle that we are facing a potential crisis.

Unfortunately, our kids just may pay the highest price, with serious health issues at an early age and the potential for shortened life expectancy. The only effective way to address this challenge is by educating ourselves and

rethinking our approach to nutrition and fitness; the two must go hand in hand. Keeping your child active in year-round sports is only one component. We must also begin to teach them how to make wise food selections: more fresh veggies, fruits, and much less fried and sugary foods. In addition, our children need to see their adult role models-parents, grandparents, and aunties, leading the way.

The First Lady’s fight against obesity includes making schools

LIFESTYLE TURN TO 11

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Page 9

COMMENTARY Increased poverty rate should enrage everybody

By Clarence Hightower Executive Director, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties; Pastor, New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church The rising rate of poverty in this county should be enough to make anybody and everybody

enraged. As the pastor of an inner-city Baptist church and the executive director of an agency charged with reducing poverty, understand that I don’t use this word lightly or without forethought. However, I cannot think of another word that more succinctly describes how I feel. Consider the following highlights from the U.S. Census 2009 report (the nation’s official source on poverty estimates)

released on 9.16.10: Poverty in 2009 rose to 14.3 percent – up from 13.2 percent the previous year. Nearly 4 million more people now live below the poverty line. The poverty rate is the highest it’s been since 1994, and the 43.6 million people now living in poverty denote the largest number of poor people in this country since estimates were first published more than 50

years ago.

The poverty rate of children, the most vulnerable among us, rose nearly two full points to 20.7 percent – more than 1 in 5 children live in poverty in the United States!

Both the poverty rate and the number of people in poverty increased across all family types and nearly all racial categories.

Computed along racial lines, the data is sobering: the poverty

rate for non-Hispanic Whites rose to 9.4 percent, while for Blacks and Hispanics the rates increased to 25.8 percent and 25.3 percent respectively. Only among Asians, did the 2009 poverty rate (12.5 percent) not deviate statistically from the 2008 rate.

Couple these statistics with the array of other disparities that afflict America’s poor, and people of conscience should

find it difficult to sleep at night.

We cannot continue to claim we live in the richest country in the world when so many are hungry, unsheltered and lack basic care.

In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson was courageous enough to declare a war on poverty. Now, 46 years later, I suggest we bravely invoke that same spirit and declare yet another war on this crippling national affliction.

Young, gifted and poor: Poverty rate climbs

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist The 2009 poverty numbers were released last week, and things are a lot worse than many economists thought they would be. The poverty rate jumped up a full percentage point, from 13.2 to 14.3 percent. This means that one in seven Americans live in poverty, 4 million more than a year ago. This is the third year the level of poverty and the number of poor Americans has risen.

The poverty rate among African Americans rose, too, from 24.7 percent to 25.8 percent. The rate for Hispanics rose from 23.2 percent to 25.1 percent.

African Americans have the highest poverty rate of any racial ethnic group.

In contrast, the rate for nonHispanic whites is 9.4 percent, less than half the rate for African Americans.

These data are bad enough, but New York University economist Max Wolff says the data behind the data are even worse. The younger you are in American, says Dr. Wolff, the more likely you are to live in poverty. So while one in 7 Americans is poor, being young raises the poverty rate to 1 in 4. While one in 4 African Americans is poor, being young

raises the African American poverty rate to one in 2.5. Some think that young people will lessen their chances of being in poverty as they age, but early poverty experiences are likely to influence future opportunity.

When young people lived with non-relatives, two-thirds of them lived in poverty. This is ominous data for the hundreds of thousands of foster children in our country. In disaggregating the data that were released last Thursday, Dr. Wolff show the extreme vulnerability that urban youth experienced, especially those that drop out of high school.

Again, these young people are disproportionately African American.

The health insurance data are no more promising: 50.7 million Americans, 16. 7 percent of the population, do not have health insurance coverage. This

data make it clear why it was so very important for President Obama to push hard for national health care.

More than 15 percent of whites lack health insurance coverage, compared to 21 percent of African Americans and 32 percent of Hispanics.

The percentage of those without health coverage is undoubtedly tied to the percentage of those who are jobless or who have cobbled together part time jobs without benefits.

Another aspect of this poverty data is the rising number of people who are simply hungry in our nation, people, especially children who do not have enough to eat. This week, policy makers will throng to New York to speak of world poverty, which is an important and challenging issue.

At the same time, some attention must be paid to the poverty and hunger that exist right here in the

United States. President Obama has pledged to end hunger in our country by 2015, but child nutrition legislation (HR 5504), which needs reauthorization, languishes in Congress. At the same time as more people need food stamps, food stamp benefits were cut so that budgets could be balanced.

While my work focuses on the economic status of African Americans and I have been particularly concerned about the growth of poverty in African American communities, the fact is that poverty has a most diverse face in this nation.

Eighteen million of our nation’s

poor are non-Hispanic whites; nearly 10 million are African American, more than 12 million are Hispanic and 1.7 million are Asian. There is a Rainbow Coalition of poor people in this country, enough to spark a Poor People’s Campaign like the one Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. planned in 1968. What would happen if the nation’s poor united to talk about the economic restructuring that is badly needed in this country?

The new poverty doesn’t only exist in inner cities. Some of the new poor are in suburbs, wide-eyed and frightened to be in an economic predicament

they never would have expected to find themselves in. Poverty is at a disturbing high in our nation – it is higher than it was in 1960.

Its reach is wide, and not a single population has been exempted.

Still, I am especially sympathetic to those who are young, gifted, and poor. What will their lives look like in the future, if they are shackled with poverty now?

Julianne Malveaux is President of Bennett College for Women and author of Surviving and Thriving: 365 Black Economic History Facts.

Page 10 •September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com

COMMUNITY

Photo courtesy of American Studies Dept. Macalester College

Harry J. Elam, Jr. to keynote El Kati Distinguished Lectureship in American Studies Professor Harry J. Elam, Jr., Stanford University, will be the Keynote Speaker for the El Kati Distinguished Lectureship in American Studies “Struggling with Racial Legacies: Adrienne Kennedy and the Power of AfricanAmerican Theatre.” The keynote address is on Monday, October 4, 2010 4:45-5:45 p.m. at Macalester College, 1600 W Grand Ave St Paul, Minnesota in the Chapel. A reception with heavy hors d’oeuvre s will follow the talk in the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life in the basement.

The lectureship was established by Dr. Stanley M. Berry ‘75, Bertram M. Days ‘74 and Ava B. Days to honor Professor Mahmoud El-Kati’s career as a lecturer, writer and commentator on the African American experience. From 1970 to 2003, Professor El-Kati taught many generations of Macalester students in courses such as The Black Experience Since World War II, and Sports and the African American Community.

Harry J. Elam, Jr. is the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, the Olive H. Palmer Professor in the Humanities as well as the Robert and Ruth Halperin University Fellow for Undergraduate Education at Stanford University.

He is author if Taking It to the Streets: The Social Protest Theater of Luis Valdez and Amiri Baraka; and the Erroll Hill Prize winning book The Past as Present in the Drama of August Wilson, and coeditor of four books.

Professor Elam won the Betty Jean Jones award for Outstanding Teaching from the American Theatre and Drama Society, The Excellence in Editing Award from the Association of Theatre in Higher Education, and the Distinguished Scholar Award for the American Society of Theatre Research.

In addition to his scholarly work, he has directed professionally for over twenty years. His August Wilson play Fences, won eight Bay Area “Choice” Awards.

Harry J. Elam Jr. received his AB from Harvard College and Ph.D. in Dramatic Arts from the University of California Berkeley.

For more information on the American Studies Department or this event, contact Kathie Scott at scott@macalester.edu

Hallie Q. Brown Community Center Substitute Teacher DEPT: Early Learning Center SUPERVISED BY: Youth Program Manager TITLES SUPERVISED: N/A FLSA: Non-Exempt SALARY GRADE: $10-13/hour POSITION SUMMARY: This is a substitute position designed to fill in as needed on a short or long term basis for permanent teaching staff. Substitute Teacher participates in long and short range activities for students in accordance with curriculum objectives and engages students in developmentally appropriate activities.

Assists with ensuring that the classroom is appropriately staffed and maintained to provide a safe and secure environment for each child.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.

Works with teaching staff to implement program curriculum and coordinate students activities.

2.

Plans and supervises the arrangement of the classroom environment in accordance to program goals and philosophy.

3.

Maintains a safe and healthy environment, including safely managing developmental activities for the participants.

4.

Keeps all appropriate records such as records, attendance, time sheets and accident reports.

5.

Maintains open communication with parents/guardians of the program participants regarding the developmental needs of the participants.

QUALIFICATIONS: Education: Associates degree or equivalent in early childhood development. B.S. in Early childhood Development preferred.

Licensing and Certifications: CPR and Meet all applicable licensing regulations. Valid Driver’s License and proof of insurance.

Minnesota Teachers’ License (preferred).

Work Experience: 5 years of Child Care Center or related experience required.

Other Requirements: • Dealing with confidential information.

• Tight deadlines.

• Dealing with unfavorable weather conditions.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively with employees, colleagues and manager.

• Agree to mandated child abuse reporting guidelines.

• Ability to relate to children from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, salary requirements and references to: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center ATTN: Human Resources 270 N. Kent Street Saint Paul, MN 55102 651-224-7074-Fax hr@hallieqbrown.org

Adeara Preston Miss Minnesota Teen Essence 2010

Miss North American Teen Essence 2010 Adeara Preston Miss Minnesota Teen Essence 2010 captured the title of Miss North American Teen Essence 2010 August 28, 2010, in Kansas City, Missouri. The Miss North American Teen Essence title is special in that it was selected by the people in the popular People’s Choice Competition.

Embracing the Times Sept 29 — The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) will hold its annual meeting titled “Embracing the Times” September 29, 2010 at the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach Center (UROC), 2001 Plymouth Ave. N., Mpls.

The meeting is free and open to the public; the community is encouraged to attend. Registration begins at 3:30 pm; the meeting is from 4-6 pm.

Preston is a junior at Hopkins West Junior High School. An avid reader and creative writer, she also plays the saxophone, softball and lacrosse. Preston is active in church, where she sings in the choir and works with youth. She volunteers to help children in crisis. She intends to go to law school so

that she can help the needy.

The Essence Pageant system was created

by Sue Drakeford in 2007 The Essence Pageant system signifies the “Essence” of Today’s Modern Woman, striving to be the most stylish, urban, trend setting pageant around.

The Essence

Pageant System awards five different categories to celebrate women of all ages: Teen, Miss, Mrs., Ms., and Mrs. Classic Essence. For more information about the Essence Pageant, please visit: www.essencepageant.com.

The Ramsey County SYLP Program seeking volunteers The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Youth Literacy Plus Program (SYLP) is a year-round program for elementary and secondary education students from high-poverty neighborhoods.

Volunteers are needed to assist students with reading, writing, and math skills as well as supervise extra-curricular activities such as arts and crafts, field

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

Free or low cost events preferred.

Photo courtesy of The Essence Pageant

PHONE: 612.588.1313

Dance Masterclass - Sept 29 — Masterclass with University of Minnesota Dance Cowles Visiting Artists: Keisha Turner and Laurie Taylor of Urban Bush Women. At: Barbara Barker Center for Dance – Studio 100 500 21st Ave. S., Mpls.

FREE - Limited space; please RSVP: jenne011@umn.edu or 612.624.4008 People Incorporate Artability Art Show and Sale - Sept 30–Oct 2 — Join us for our 16th annual art show and sale celebrating the use of creativity in the daily struggles of mental illness. Opening Reception: Thur., Sept. 30, 6pm. Viewing Hours: Thur.: 6-9pm; Fri.: 2-8pm (Talk by artist and mental health advocate Pete Feigal at 5:30 pm); Sat.: 10am–3pm. At: Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 285 N. Dale Street, St. Paul, 55103. www.PeopleIncorporated.org

Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Annual Meeting - Sept ABA 30 — 6:30-8:30pm.

Minnesota Blizzards Featuring a free Basketball buffet style dinner, The Minnesota Blizzards ABA Basketball and a Kid’s Zone Team is announcing a program for college dinner, Internships for the fall and winter. The pro- (childcare, gram will consist of five teams of 5 interns arts and crafts and each in the following areas: (1) Sales, (2) entertainment for Basketball Operations. (3) Marketing (4) our young residents Public Relations (5) Business administration. Each team will have a leader and be so parents can enjoy given challenging assignments. and participate in the meeting and know We are looking for college students majoring in Sports Management, Business, Pub- that their children lic Relations, Marketing Sales, Broadcast- are being well-cared ing and Event Planning. We need 20 or 25 for.)

At Farview interns working with us for a (minimum of 8 hours a week) on a part-time basis. Interns Park. will gain valuable experience, and in most cases college credits.

Interested Parties please send resume to: The Minnesota ABA Team Attn: Internship Program 10125 Crosstown Circle #200 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952-829-1250 Fax: 952-829-1040

trips, and recreational sports.

Students meet at McDonough

Chocolate - The Exhibition - Oct 2 - Jan 2 — From rainforest treasure to luscious treat — immerse yourself in the story of

Community Center, 1544 Timberlake Road, St. Paul, MN. Elementary Education students meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:15 – 6 p.m. Secondary Education students meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. These newer immigrants have limited Englishspeaking skills. Volunteers will not only assist them

FAX: 612.588.2031

chocolate. Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul MN 55102-1903.

Boomer Stage: Now What? Oct 2 — Learn How to Prepare for the Best Years of Your Life.

As this group ages, there are different decisions that each will be faced with, such as housing, health and financial issues. On Sat., Oct. 2 from 10am-1pm, local business leaders will join forces to host an informative day of boomer themed presentations and booths that are free and open to the public. At Calvary Lutheran Church - 3901 Chicago Ave. S. Mpls.

New Hope Baptist Church Anniversary Celebration Oct 3 — Family celebration of our Pastor Runney D. Paterson Sr.’s 6th year anniversary. Friday October1st through Sunday October 3, 2010 at New Hope Baptist Church 711 Burr St. St. Paul, MN. For more information please contact New Hope Baptist Church at 651-772-4800.

Fall 2010 Discernment Series - Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Dec. 6 — Following the Spirit sessions led by The Sisters of Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis for men and women between the ages of 20-40 designed to give them tools to help them discern - or recognize - their next steps related to a job change, educational choice, or vocation.

The series will be held on the first Monday of the following months: Oct. 4 7:30-9pm - Nov. 1 7:30-9pm - Dec. 6 7:30-9pm.

All sessions at the St. Jane House, 1403 Emerson Avenue N., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411. R.S.V.P. to Sister Katherine Mullin, VHM, at mullinkf@aol.com. For further information call 612-521-6113, ext. 4.

with their homework but also with general life issues, such as job and college searches.

Volunteers attend a twohour orientation. Contact Nicki Hyser, Volunteer Coordinator: Nicola.Hyser@ CO.RAMSEY.MN.US or call 651-266-9373 (office); 651248-2430 (cell).

EMAIL: andrew@insightnews.com

PACER offers workshop on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - Oct 5 — “Exploring the Invisible Disability of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD),” a free workshop for parents of children with FASD. It is on Tue., Oct. 5, from 6:30-9pm, at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, MN. Advance registration is requested. (952838-9000).

PACER offers workshop on planning ahead for graduation and life - Oct 5 — “Planning Ahead for Graduation and Life,” a free workshop for parents of students in high school with disabilities. Teachers and other professionals are also welcome to attend. The workshop is on Tue., Oct. 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the New Hope Learning Center, 8301 47th Ave. N, New Hope, MN. A light dinner will be served before the workshop beginning at 6 p.m. Advance registration is requested. (952838-9000).

PACER Center workshop focuses on juvenile justice and special education - Oct 6 — “Juvenile Justice and Special Education: What Parents Need to Know.” This free workshop is for parents of children with disabilities who are at a greater risk for entering the court system because of issues in school or in the community. The workshop is on Wed., Oct. 6, 2010, from 7 to 9 p.m., at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Mpls, MN. Advance registration is requested. (952-838-9000).

Keeping Minneapolis Children Lead-Free - Oct 6 — The event will include information about preventing and removing lead poisoning hazards in the home,

free lead testing for children up to the age of 6, and demonstrations and information on various other strategies for having a healthy home. Oct., 6 4:30-6:30pm @ Harrison Community Center 503 Irving Ave. N. Mpls.

PACER Center workshop addresses the special education process - Oct 7 — “IDEA: Blueprint for Special Education,” a free workshop for parents of children with disabilities and professionals. It is on Thur., Oct. 7, from 6:307:30pm, at Anoka-Hennepin Staff Development Center, 2727 N. Ferry St., Anoka, MN. A light dinner will be served an hour before the workshop. Advance registration is requested. (952838-9000) Come and See Weekend Oct. 8-9, Nov. 6-7 — Explore life at an urban monastery with the Visitation Sisters of Minneapolis, MN. Spend time in prayer, relax with the Sisters, meet members of the North Minneapolis neighborhood in which the Sisters provide ministry, learn more about Salesian values, and talk about the discernment process with other women considering religious life. Women ages 18-45 are invited to join the Visitation Sisters of Minneapolis, MN for one of their Come and See Weekends, Oct. 8, 2010 at 6:00pm - Oct. 9, 2010 at 7:00pm or Nov. 5, at 6pm - Nov. 6, at 7pm at 1527 Fremont Ave. N., Mpls. For further information contact: mullinkf@aol.com An Autumn Sunset - Oct 8-9 — African Violet Society of Minnesota Fall Display and Sale.

Northtown Shopping Center 398 Northtown Drive N.E. Blaine, MN 55434. 763-786-9704. Fri. Oct. 8 10am-7pm, Sat. Oct. 9

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Page 11

SPORTS Minnesota Twins: Solid as a rock Mr. T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com In jazz, they refer to a good tune or jam session as having “that thang” or “that swing”. I make it a point to watch sports teams and athletes for a winning demeanor.

Demeanor can tell you a whole lot about who is going to win or lose a sports competition.

I would imagine that a jazz musician would agree that when the music has that certain winning demeanor, then it has “that thang.” I suppose that as it applies to baseball, then it should be said that the Twins have “that swing.”

For years we’ve seen the big budget Bronx Bombers from the Big Apple, the Yankees, strut around with chemically enhanced chests, and indisputable folklore, seemingly winning games with their mere presence. When the Twins played the Yankees in recent playoff series, some sort of metaphor comparing the Twins to the little dog jumping over the big dog’s back saying, “Hey Butch!?!” over and over comes to mind. But seeing as the Twins do have championship hardware in their history, one has to imagine that somehow, someway, the Twins would be able to concoct a little upper Mississippi River

Lifestyle From 8 healthier in the lunchroom and through classroom instruction. If your school menu still consists of mostly fries and pizza for now, take matters into your own hands.

Consider making a lunch for your child to take to school. For

Denard Span

Keith Allison

magic on this side of Y2K. Well the Twins have been drinking milk see, and they brought on a couple tough guys to add some whiskers to their enhanced demeanor. As it goes by guy talk, the Twins seem to

finally have gotten back their “man weight” or “grown man’s strength”.

During the division clinching game (or so it ended up) against the Cleveland Indians, Denard Span coolly came to the plate

starters, make home-lunch once or twice a week, and experiment with fun and nutritious options until you find something the kiddos actually like and will eat.

Even if you are not ready to try home-lunch right now, think about sending something healthy and fresh for snack time; bananas, apples, or oranges. In addition, a cheese stick or a handful of nuts can keep them alert and

concentrating throughout the class day.

The next time you hear about a 5K in your area, make it a family affair, take your bf, or do both! Better yet, lace up your gym shoes and, even if it’s for only five minutes, get moving around your block! It really doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, but just do something.

Lastly, the next time Mary Hamilton and

and stroked a game-tying single in the 8th inning of a quick, exciting comeback.

When finally driven home for the game-winning score, Span had a special demeanor in his bounce.

Span went from his usual steady cool demeanor, to having his chest especially flexed out like the big dogs of sports tend to do: it wasn’t overconfidence, it wasn’t showing off, it was just assurance.

That game in itself showed the team’s assurance, or strong, steady confidence. The late inning comeback seemed directly out of a New York Yankees game script. They were there, they were close, and thus somehow, they should win. With over 90 wins for the season, it can definitely be said that, that is just what the Twins do: win. The overwhelming distance between the Twins and their next division partner is even more significant when contrasted versus the nailbiting finishes to many of the other division championships for the Twins over the past decade.

The aforementioned “whiskers” and “tough guys” referred to free agent additions Jim Thome and Orlando Hudson.

Something about their general demeanor, to me, didn’t seem to fit the Twins brand in the beginning, but it just so happens that they are just what the team needed. If you took that Twins team off of the field, and put them into some surly bar in the backwoods, Thome and Hudson are just what the team would need to get out safely. I’m sure

Serena Wright organize their Let’s Move Women and BF 5K Walk/ Run, I’ll let you know so that you can meet me there. Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at low costs. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.

Joe Mauer is tough as nails, but, ...eehh, you know… we’ll just say the girls don’t want to see him in front of the bar room brawl. “Nooo! Send Thome or Hudson,” is what I could here the ladies saying.

The whole of the baseball world seems to have a respectful acknowledgement of the Twins brand of baseball. Twins fans should be proud to say that they can count on their team like they can count on Joe Mauer’s swing (just hope his knee is alright).

That steady, grassroots approach gives the Twins the ability to always stay in the division mix because of their consistent talent. But no matter the major professional team sport, you want to bring some fellas with stiff

whiskers to the last few dances.

Whiskers don’t care that New York City looks like Gotham City, or that some of the Yankees players look like Sasquatch.

For once, the Yankees aren’t coasting into the playoffs on their high horse. Simultaneously, the Twins demeanor has gone from “lemme at ‘em” like the scrappy little puppy, to a more confident, “Say when,” like the gunslinger.

There are uncertainties with injuries for the Twins, but the usual collision course with the Yankees seems inevitable. A wise man once said, “No problem can be overcome until it is faced.”

Somehow I feel an uptick in polar fleece sales coming to save the local economy.

Page 12 • September 27 - October 3, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com