Insight News ::: 09.03.18

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Insight News September 3 - September 9, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 36• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Gold Medal hero Insight editor Al McFarlane (r) with one of Comcast’s Internet Essentials ambassadors, Rico Roman, who is a two-time U.S. Paralympic gold medalist in sled hockey. Roman is a World Championship gold medalist and two-time World Championship silver medalist. Roman is a Purple Heart recipient and retired Army staff sergeant. His left leg was amputated when he was wounded by an IED in Iraq.

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Page 2 • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Insight News

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Celebrating Labor Day

Nellie Stone Johnson, Leon Rankin: Workforce pioneers

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com In celebrating Labor Day, it is ďŹ tting to acknowledge some of the pioneering ďŹ gures in the Twin Cities labor movement.

In Minneapolis there is a school named after Nellie Stone Johnson. At Dunwoody College

of Technology in Minneapolis a scholarship is given in honor of Leon Rankin, Jr. But, Stone Johnson and Rankin were more than just names adorning buildings and award letters. They were driving forces in organized labor, and subsequently, politics.

Thus, recognition is due.

Anyone else ever wonder why in Minnesota the Democratic Party is not the Democratic Party but the Democratic

Farmer Labor Party?

An oddity to many who do not know the history, the Democratic Party and the Farmer Labor Party were two distinct entities that merged in the 1940s to form the Democratic Farmer Labor Party or DFL. That merger came in large part due to the work of Nellie Stone Johnson.

Born to Dakota County farmers, Stone Johnson was an organized labor pioneer. A member of the

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Wells Fargo is helping empower students for their futures Thandi Moses has always had clear plans for her IXWXUH $V D KLJK VFKRRO VWXGHQW LQ 5RFKHVWHU 1HZ <RUN she knew she wanted to go to a historically black college RU XQLYHUVLW\ 1RZ WKDW VKHÂśV D VWXGHQW DW DQ +%&8 VKH plans on attending an Ivy League law school after she earns her bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to go to school with people who want to succeed,â&#x20AC;? Moses said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It empowers you.â&#x20AC;?

Thandi Moses applied and was accepted to Florida 0HPRULDO 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ 0LDPL *DUGHQV )ORULGD GXULQJ 81&)œV (PSRZHU 0H 7RXU LQ But as a high school student, she wondered how she would adjust to college life and the curriculum, so she DWWHQGHG 8QLWHG 1HJUR &ROOHJH )XQGœV (PSRZHU 0H 7RXU LQ 5RFKHVWHU 1HZ <RUN LQ WR ¿QG RXW PRUH about college opportunities. There, she learned about )ORULGD 0HPRULDO 8QLYHUVLW\ ² ZKLFK VKH DSSOLHG WR DQG ZDV DFFHSWHG DW GXULQJ WKH HYHQW ² 7XVNHJHH 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG 1RUWK &DUROLQD $ 7 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG VKH HYHQ UHFHLYHG RQH RI ¿YH VFKRODUVKLSV IURP 81&) WKH largest scholarship granting organization for students of color. Today, Moses is a freshman at Florida Memorial 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ 0LDPL *DUGHQV )ORULGD PDMRULQJ in law and government with a minor in business administration. :LWK VXSSRUW IURP 81&) 1DMPD &DOKRXQ D VHQLRU DW 2DNZRRG 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ +XQWVYLOOH $ODEDPD LV working to complete her undergraduate studies.

The Empower Me Tour travels to colleges and universities nationwide, providing free information DERXW ÂżQDQFLDO HGXFDWLRQ FROOHJH DQG FDUHHU UHDGLQHVV college completion, and self-empowerment for high school students; college students, alumni, and administration; parents; educators; and the community.

High school student participants have the opportunity WR DWWHQG +%&8 ZRUNVKRSV ZLWK VSHDNHUV SUHVHQWHUV and recruiters, who typically offer acceptances and academic scholarships on the spot. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are three big things that students take away from the tour, starting with how to think of themselves and the set of experiences they have for a career,â&#x20AC;? said /DUU\ *ULIÂżWK VHQLRU YLFH SUHVLGHQW IRU 3URJUDPV DQG 6WXGHQW 6HUYLFHV IRU 81&) Âł2IWHQ VWXGHQWV DUHQÂśW DEOH to associate their particular major with what might

be out there for them in the world, so we help them think that through. The second thing we do is give them tools so that they can then take their knowledge, ready themselves for interviews, and make things pop on their resume. The third thing we do is give them a chance to practice. We put them in front of professionals who will look at their resumes and conduct mock interviews so they can receive feedback in a low-risk environment. The students come away thinking about what their opportunities are, are able to explore their opportunities, and put everything into practice.â&#x20AC;?

The Empower Me Tour was created in 2008 by founding sponsor Wells Fargo, and the company FRQWLQXHV WR SURYLGH ÂżQDQFLDO VXSSRUW DQG YROXQWHHUV ,W SURYLGHV PLOOLRQ HDFK \HDU IRU 81&)ÂśV SURJUDPV and scholarships, and Wells Fargo team members regularly volunteer at events like the Empower Me Tour, PHQWRULQJ DWWHQGHHV WHDFKLQJ ÂżQDQFLDO FDSDELOLWLHV DQG VHUYLQJ RQ ORFDO 81&) ERDUGV ,Q WHDP PHPEHUV YROXQWHHUHG DERXW KRXUV ZLWK 81&) Dewey Norwood, relationship manager IRU :HOOV )DUJRÂśV &RUSRUDWH 5HVSRQVLELOLW\ DQG &RPPXQLW\ 5HODWLRQV VDLG LWÂśV LPSRUWDQW WR SURYLGH students with guidance about college and their careers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you help them, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to want to come back and help the next generation,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are going to come back to their campuses. They are going to remember that person from Wells Fargo. They may not remember our names, but they are going to say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hey I met somebody from Wells Fargo who helped me build my credit,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I was on a Wells Fargo webinar, and they told me the importance of building good relationships.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; $OO RI WKRVH SLHFHV FRPH WR EH D JUHDW UHZDUG ORQJ WHUP ´ Even though she is just starting her college career, Moses already plans to come back and share her story with younger students. She hopes to inspire others to WDNH DGYDQWDJH RI WKH RSSRUWXQLWLHV 81&) DQG WKH Empower Me Tour provide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Empower Me Tour can help people realize what they actually want to do in life and provide you with what you need,â&#x20AC;? Moses said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would encourage all students to go to the Empower Me Tour, receive information, and put forth your best effort.â&#x20AC;?

Farmer Labor Party, Stone Johnson was a key engineer in bringing together the two parties once the Farmer Labor Party began to lose political inďŹ&#x201A;uence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She (Stone Johnson) was quite a force,â&#x20AC;? said Peter RachleďŹ&#x20AC;, executive director of the Eastside Freedom Library in St. Paul and retired professor of history at Macalester College. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nellie was hugely important to the labor movement and played a central role in organizing hotel workers in the 1930s and 1940s.â&#x20AC;?

RachleďŹ&#x20AC; said Stone John-

Leon Rankin

son was able to garner support to organize by reporting on what corporate executives were saying while in the elevator cars she operated at the Minneapolis Athletic Club. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing how this African-American woman became somehow â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;invisibleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to these men riding her car and the things they would say in front of her,â&#x20AC;? said RachleďŹ&#x20AC;. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So she was a great source of information.â&#x20AC;?

Stone Johnson, who was educated in Minneapolis in high school and later at the University of Minnesota, was an anomaly in

1930s and 1940s labor, as both African-American and female.

Neither were obstacles for her, who, according to records kept by the Minnesota Historical Society, in 1936 was named vice president of her local union. InďŹ&#x201A;uential in politics, Hubert H. Humphrey sought the endorsement of Stone Johnson in his run for Minneapolis mayor, and later, it was Stone Johnson who managed the campaign of Van White to the Minneapolis City

LABOR 7

Millions of public acres across Minnesota

This land really is your land!

By Harland Heimstra DNR Information Officer

Re-affirming our commitment to communities Established 1852 Re-Established 2018 Visit wellsfargo.com/renew

Wells Fargo employees volunteered a record of 5,500 hours per day In addition to corporate donations, Wells Fargoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team members volunteered a record 2 million hours in 2017, valued at $48 million (source â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Independent Sector*), which included KRXUV RI VHUYLFH RQ QRQSURÂżW ERDUGV supporting community revitalization and resiliency, homeownership, small business, food insecurity, and other global challenges. During the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual employee giving campaign, more than 65,300 team members pledged $85 million in WR QRQSURÂżWV $V D UHVXOW 8QLWHG :D\ Worldwide named the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workplace giving FDPSDLJQ 1R LQ WKH 8 6 IRU WKH QLQWK FRQVHFXWLYH year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more proud of our Wells Fargo WHDP PHPEHUV ZKR \HDU DIWHU \HDU H[KLELW VHOĂ&#x20AC;HVV commitment to strengthening the communities we serve and enriching the lives of others,â&#x20AC;? said

Minnesota Historical Society

Nellie Stone Johnson

Wells Fargo President and CEO Timothy J. Sloan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We honor the volunteerism, determination, and leadership of our team members, who are the cornerstone of our efforts to build a better bank for all communities. Their generosity underscores one of our companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important core values and inspires the investments in communities across the country that we will continue to make.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re grateful to Wells Fargo and its team members for their growing investment and commitment to building stronger communities,â&#x20AC;?

VDLG %ULDQ *DOODJKHU 3UHVLGHQW DQG &(2 RI 8QLWHG :D\ :RUOGZLGH ³:KHWKHU LWœV YROXQWHHU ¿QDQFLDO coaching, charitable giving through their workplace FDPSDLJQ KHOSLQJ WR ¿JKW KXQJHU RU VXSSRUWLQJ new job opportunities, Wells Fargo is leading across the board to make a difference in every community DFURVV $PHULFD ´ Š 2018 Wells Fargo Bank N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. IHA-23410

This land is your land, this land is my land . . .

This land was made for you and me. ~ Woody Guthrie Legendary American folk singer Woody Guthrie may not have mentioned Minnesota by name when he penned his classic ode to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s varied and beautiful landscapes, but he certainly could have, given our stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealth of natural beauty and public lands.

From the majestic pine trees at Itasca State Park, where the Mississippi River begins, to Blue Mounds State Park, where buďŹ&#x20AC;alo roam the wide-open prairie; from rushing waters cascading into the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest freshwater lake at Gooseberry Falls State Park on the north shore of Lake Superior, to the lazy spring-fed trout stream of Whitewater State Park in the southeast, Minnesota truly is a spectacular state. It also has one of the best and biggest sys-

DNR

Children enjoying a bike ride on Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creek Trail.

DNR

Bison roam one of Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many state parks. tems of public lands open to all for recreation and enjoyment 365 days a year.

Across Minnesota, more than 12 million acres of woods, wetlands and wide-open spaces are owned by you, the public, and managed by state, local or federal government agencies on your behalf. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for nearly half of that total, with about 5.6 million acres, broken down into various types of units including 66 state parks and nine state recreation areas, 59 state forests, 1,457 wildlife management areas (WMAs), 700 aquatic management areas (AMAs) and 166 scientiďŹ c and natural areas (SNAs).

Each type of land managed by DNR has diďŹ&#x20AC;erent purposes, uses and rules.

SNAs, for instance, are set aside because they are examples of unique habitat types or geological features that may be home to rare plants and animals. They are open to hiking and nature observation, but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have developed trails or other amenities such as restrooms. Pets are not allowed, camping and biking are prohibited, and hunting may or may not be permitted, depending on the unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speciďŹ c management plans.

State forests, on the other hand, are open to hunting, camping, gathering of berries and mushrooms, and some even allow the use of oďŹ&#x20AC;-road vehicles such as ATVs, four wheel drive trucks and dirt bikes. WMAs are set aside to protect habitat for

wildlife and to provide places where anyone can hunt; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also popular with birdwatchers and hikers outside of hunting season. AMAs protect shoreline habitat and provide places where people can ďŹ sh.

State parks put some of Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most scenic places into public ownership, oďŹ&#x20AC;ering people a place to hike, camp, canoe, bike, or just sit around a campďŹ re and enjoy the great outdoors while creating lasting family memories. There are also national forests and other federal lands that are open to public use, as well as county and city lands.

Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outdoor recreation system includes a place for everyone. This land really is your land. This land is made for you and me.

Join the fun on Sept. 22 You can celebrate Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public lands and enjoy some free family fun on Sept. 22, at Hidden Falls Park in St. Paul.

From 11 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 p.m., St. Paul Parks and Recreation is teaming up with the Minnesota DNR for the fourth year to celebrate National Public Lands Day. Participants can get some hands-on help trying out a variety of outdoor recreational activities including see if you can hit the bullseye with a bow and arrow at the archery range, try catching ďŹ sh from the Mississippi River, paddle a large voya-

DNR 7

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Insight News • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Page 3

aesthetically speaking

Aesthetically It!: Events, concerts, venues in the Twin Cities WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING

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Insight News September 3 - September 9, 2018

Vol. 45 No. 36• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Mayor Carter: Late fines are barriers to library use St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter proposed investing $215,000 to eliminate the library’s reliance on daily late fines and announced the forthcoming expansion of “Read Brave Saint Paul” program, featuring books centered on housing challenges.

Carter’s library budget eliminates late fines on library materials with an ongoing $215,000 investment to stabilize technology and collections funding. Backed by staff-led research showing late fines pose a significant barrier to library use for many, the mayor’s proposal rids dependence on daily late fine revenue and re-grants access to more than 50,000 library patrons, who are currently unable to check out materials because they have incurred too many late fines.

“Moving away from late fines will make our libraries more accessible and welcoming for all of our residents,” said Carter. “I look for-

ward to welcoming back all of our library users who have been blocked because they couldn’t afford to pay a fine.”

The average patron debt is $33. While many library patrons incur late fines, the ability to pay them depends greatly on income. Users who can pay their fines are able to continue using the library, whereas those left with unpaid balances are eventually blocked when they get too high.

“Late fines are, in many ways, opposite to our values as a public library system.

We want our community to associate libraries with friendly staff, welcoming service, and useful information – not with guilt and shame over late fines,” said Library Director Catherine Penkert “We’re excited by Mayor Carter’s proposal and its potential to make libraries radically more open to our entire community.”

The proposal to eliminate late fines follows a national

trend. Libraries across the country are going fine-free, including Salt Lake City Public Library, Nashville Public Library, Eau Claire Public Library and more.

Expanding Read Brave St. Paul Carter announced the expansion of Read Brave St. Paul, which is going citywide in October. With $10,000 allocated from the proposed 2019 collections investment, the expanded program will fund an intergenerational selection of books to foster conversations about housing challenges.

“Thousands of people in our community face serious housing challenges,” said Carter. “Adding on to the success of Read Brave and lifting housing as our theme will help us develop common understanding about our housing crisis and its impacts on our collective future.”

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter is proposing an end to late fees at the city’s public libraries.

Celebrating Katherine Johnson,‘Hidden Figures’ mathematician, at 100

Leaders must make the invisible visible Culture and Education Editor

By Dr. Irma McClaurin http://irmamcclaurin.com/ @mcclaurintweets The movie “Hidden Figures” has drawn our attention to the ways in which race and gender, and other forms of identifiable “differences” can render talent invisible to leadership.

It also shows us how other people’s insecurities or feelings of entitlement can thwart the success of very talented people – pushing them into the background, appropriat-

(Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls, Wikimedia Commons)

Katherine Johnson, for whom the book and movie, “Hidden Figures” was based. ing their ideas and work to claim for their own, and excluding them from important meetings

and networking opportunities.

These examples are not just Hollywood-type fantasies or

sophomoric musings to entertain us, they actually happened to these women and they occur every day in the workplace, today.

If there is one takeaway from this remarkable movie about leadership, it is this. Leaders have a responsibility to make the invisible visible and bring into the light those who have been cast into the shadows – who are the “hidden figures” of genius.

Alongside the responsibility, leaders must hold accountable those to whom they delegate power not to abuse it in order to promote themselves and hold others down. Leaders can create productive and inclusive work environments by being willing to thwart social conventions (tear down discriminatory signage (white and colored bathrooms) that may hold

Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa named executive director at Phyllis Wheatley

Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa

Business

Atlanta barber experiment produces all-natural product

PAGE 4

Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa has been named the new executive director of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center.

She will assume her role Sept. 4.

Matemba-Mutasa’s past leadership roles have focused on empowerment and investment in women’s and children’s programming. She worked at WomenVenture in Minneapolis as a director of the Women’s Business Center and was responsible for budgeting, fundraising, strategic planning, staffing, board development, and employee training. In her tenure at WomenVenture, she is credited with increasing vol-

unteerism, overhauling training programs resulting in increased enrollment, and she co-led grant writing efforts. At First Children’s Finance in Minneapolis, she was the Minnesota director of Impact Investing where she worked to increase the supply of quality and affordable childcare for lowincome families. Additionally, Matemba-Mutasa is a MinneMinds Coalition member, and former pre-school owner.

Matemba-Mutasa succeeds interim executive director, Theartrice “T” Williams, who has worked for the past nine months in the role.

true outside the workplace but can be circumvented within the confines of the organization. As writer Kristen Page-Kirby points out in her Washington Post review of the film, “That’s the funny thing about oppression: You really need the people with power to tear down the very system that gives them that power.”

It has taken decades for us to acknowledge, much less celebrate, the unsung women, and most significantly the Black unsung, hidden women, the heroines who contributed much to making America’s voyage into the space age a success and triumph. We honor John Glenn as the astronaut, but what about the women whose calculations enabled him to travel into space and live to return and tell about it, and lead a good life until he was in his 90s? Shame on us as a country for having relegated such enormous talent to the back of the bus and to lesser jobs because they wore skirts and had darker skin.

W.E.B. Du Bois, scholar and activist, articulated a chilling observation in his seminal work “The Souls of Black Folk.” He analyzed the way in which we as Black people must navigate the white world of dominance and privilege as well as our own culture and called it “double consciousness.” Du Bois wrote, “It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideas in one body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”

We see all of what Du Bois describes played out in the film, “Hidden Figures.” We

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Olympians make case for expanding access to internet

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Fitness Challenge is about building strong bodies and stronger communities

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see how these talented women, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughn, both mathematicians and Mary Jackson, an engineer, walk the fine lines working in a white world that views them with “contempt and pity.” At times, the indignities they suffer are unbearable in today’s world, and yet the humiliations heaped upon them because they are Black and women still occur – more sophisticated to be sure, but real nonetheless – micro-aggressions are examples of this dominant culture worldview in action.

Imagine for a moment, how much more might have been accomplished had these women been given the space, encouragement, mentoring and support they deserved as talented and gifted scientists and engineers?

What the women of “Hidden Figures” accomplished in the face of considerable odds, hostile work environments, hostile and passive aggressive managers who obstructed them, was nothing short of remarkable.

So be a strong Leader. Own your power and exercise your authority. At the end of the day, it is Leaders who will change organizational cultures and bring the outsiders in, make the invisible visible, and reveal “hidden figures” not just in the movies, but in their own offices. There may be much genius lurking in the background, behind the snow-covered trees, and on the margins. You have only to look beyond the superficial differences to the genius beneath.

Dr. Irma McClaurin is a past president of Shaw University and award-winning author. She was named “Best Columnist” by the National Newspaper Publishers Association in 2015, and her book “Black Feminist Anthropology: Theory, Politics, Praxis and Poetic” was selected an “Outstanding Academic Title.”

Community

Selby Avenue Jazzfest provides art and economic uplift to Rondo

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Page 4 • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Insight News

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Business

Atlanta barber experiment produces all-natural product

By Curtis Bunn Urban News Service

Kevin Rodgers, an Atlanta based barber, has created a premium pomade that is designed for all natural hair types.

INTERNET ESSENTIALS FROM COMCAST SM

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$

95

per month + tax

Barber and founder of Shwaxx, Kevin Rodgers. plans to use the $4,000 award to help produce larger quantities of

Shwaxx and to expand his marketing platform.

Rodgers earns his living as a barber at his boutique Atlanta shop, The Tilted Crown.

While developing Shwaxx, he would end his workday as a barber and begin his evenings in the kitchen of his home experimenting with various oils.

“Barbering is art and science,” said Rodgers. “I study and practice the science of natural hair, the ingredients that can alter that hair and the results of these experiments.”

Wife of 24 years, Lorraine Rodgers, and their two daughters serve as his aides and supporters. Rogers said his goal for Shwaxx is to evolve into a family business with his wife and daughters playing various significant roles in the manage-

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Shwaxx Hydrate and Style is a water-soluble pomade that softens, hydrates and conditions all textures of beards and hair, especially coarse, thick hair consistent with many AfricanAmericans. The creator, Kevin Rodgers, originally created this all-natural product with the intention to manage beards. His product features shea butter, jojoba wax and other organic ingredients that Rodgers toyed with for years before coming up with the right formula.

After enrolling in the StartMe Small Business Accelerator program, Rogers became one of just 24 peer selected ventures to receive startup capital through the program. Rodgers

Internet Essentials gives you access to affordable, high-speed Internet.

You may qualify if you have at least one child who is eligible for the National School Lunch Program or receive HUD housing assistance.

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Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Limited to Internet Essentials service for new residential customers meeting certain eligibility criteria.

Advertised price applies to a single outlet. Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. After initial participation in the Internet Essentials program, if a customer is determined to be no longer eligible for the program and elects a different XFINITY Internet service, regular rates will apply to the selected Internet service. Subject to Internet Essentials program terms and conditions.

WiFi Hotspots: Available in select locations. Requires compatible WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device. Limited to forty 60-minute sessions per 30-day period per person/account. If session is terminated before 60 mins. remaining time expires. Unused time does not carry over to subsequent sessions or 30day periods. Not responsible for lost data resulting from terminated Internet session or any other reason. A maximum of up to 10 devices may be registered to a single XFINITY WiFi On Demand account. May not be combined with other offers. Call 1-855-846-8376 for restrictions and complete details, or visit InternetEssentials.com. © 2018 Comcast. All rights reserved.

Meda named top business center performer The U.S. Department of Commerce recognized Metropolitan Economic Development Association (Meda) as the nation’s top performer among 40 other Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) business centers.

The company out-scored all other business centers for overall performance, including job creation, financing, contracts and exports secured for clients.

Meda’s business center services include business consulting, fi-

ment, production, marketing and selling of the product.

“A local business and brand with global reach. Ultimately, the Shwaxx brand will be a go-to product for natural hair consumers worldwide,” said Rogers.

As part of his marketing effort, Rogers showcased Shwaxx at the Bronner Bros.

International Beauty Show in Atlanta last February. Shwaxx received an even bigger boost through the hit television show, “Atlanta,” which stars Donald Glover.

“Over one million viewers have seen our Shwaxx logo (through the show),” said Rodgers. “Now we’ve got to help them understand what they saw. That’s the exciting part.”

nancing solutions and corporate and government opportunities, such as contracts and funding opportunities.

Meda has offered guidance to more than 20,000 entrepreneurs of color and helped launch more than 550 businesses. In 2017, Meda helped to create or retain 1,352 jobs in the community.

“I am so proud of this award because it is based on the factors that matter most to our clients; jobs created, revenue growth, financing and contracts secured. This national recognition further confirms the impact of Meda services and their ability to fuel Minnesota’s economic growth by opening doors for minority business entrepreneurs,” said Gary Cunningham, Meda president and CEO. “With our changing business landscape— and Minnesota’s own increasing diversity — everyone benefits when all people can fully participate in the marketplace.”

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Insight News • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Page 5

Olympians make case for expanding access to internet

By Al McFarlane Editor-in-Chief I am a Vietnam Era veteran. In 1966-1968 I was a teenaged sailor stationed on a U.S. Navy destroyer.

I have huge respect for brothers and sisters who served our country with special gratitude and reverence for those who gave life and limb in the line of duty.

So I felt a special honor visiting with Rico Roman, an Army veteran and hero who lost a leg from an IED explosion during his third deployment to Iraq in 2007.

Roman, whose radiant smile warms hearts and whose spirit of resilience, confidence and mastery inspires reflection and commitment, addressed my webcast and broadcast audiences during a “Conversations with Al McFarlane” program last week at Comcast’s St. Paul headquarters.

The program looked at Comcast initiatives to close the digital divide, particularly through targeting services to communities of color and underserved populations, including veterans.

David L. Cohen, Comcast senior vice president, explained, “We’re currently on a national tour where we are sharing an annual update about the Internet Essentials program, which is the centerpiece of our company’s commitment to bridging the digital divide for lowincome families. For the past seven years, we have been taking ambitious steps to try and close the digital divide. There is a slew

of research on why the digital divide persists. The number one barrier to broadband adoption, by a mile, is a complex mix of digital literacy skills and a lack of perceived need or interest in having the Internet at home. The second barrier is the lack of an Internet-capable computer, and third is the cost of a monthly Internet subscription.”

Cohen said Comcast’s commitment to veterans began with company founder, World War II U.S. Navy veteran, Ralph Roberts, and has continued through today.

He introduced Roman, a two-time U.S. Paralympic gold medalist in sled hockey and a World Championship gold medalist and two-time World Championship silver medalist as one of Comcast’s Internet Essentials ambassadors.

Roman is a Purple Heart recipient and retired Army staff sergeant. His left leg was amputated when he was wounded by the IED in Iraq.

Data shows that about a third of low-income veterans do not have Internet at home, Cohen said. “We are expanding eligibility for Internet Essentials to all low-income veterans living in our service area. Doing so will enable as many as one million low-income veterans in the areas we serve – and 20,000 veterans here in Minnesota – to connect to online resources at home that can help them better navigate the complexities of daily life as civilians.” Roman said it is important that Comcast is extending the benefits of Internet Essentials to low-income veterans.

“I remember during

Comcast Corporation

Conversations with Al McFarlane program focused on internet access

Media leaders (seated l-r): Al McFarlane, Insight News, Rick Aguilar, Latino American Today, Tom Gitaa, Mshale, Armando Quintero, La Raza 1400/Telemundo Minnesota and Wameng Moua, Hmong Today. Internet Essentials ambassadors (standing l-r): Rico Roman, Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation. my first tour in Iraq in 2003, we stayed connected with family back home very traditionally. I wrote letters and waited for letters to arrive,” said Roman. “On my next tour to Iraq, however, they had these Internet tents.

There were five or six computers that you could use to email home and catch up quickly without having to wait forever for letters to go back and forth. I was able to see my kids grow up. Each time I saw them on the computer, they were a little bigger. For me, that closed the distance more than anything else. Can you imagine a member of the military being deprived of that opportunity because his or her family didn’t have the Internet at home?”

Roman lauded the Internet Essentials mission to enable as many as one million low-income veterans get online at home.

“That’s incredible,” he said. “That means more veterans can stay connected to their families and keep in touch with their fellow servicemen where ever they may be in the world.”

Joining Roman and Cohen for “Conversations with Al McFarlane” were fellow Olympians Jocelyne LamoureuxDavidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando.

The Lamoureux Twins, as they are called, were

instrumental in helping Team USA hockey defeat Canada for the gold medal in the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea – the U.S.’s first gold in 20 years – and they are six-time world champions who also have won a silver medal in the World Championship.

They also won silver medals at the 2014 and 2010 Olympics.

The elite athletes are fierce advocates for equality, female empowerment and inclusion, and giving back to communities.

“Just like Minneapolis

and St. Paul, North Dakota also faces a digital divide. Where we’re from, almost a third of low-income households don’t have Internet service. We don’t think that is fair to those families and kids,” Jocelyn Lamoureux said.

“That same digital divide in North Dakota is present everywhere in our country - and it’s even worse in most big cities in America,” Monique Lamoureux said. “That means a lot of young students and families are missing out. Students need the Internet to do homework. Parents need the Internet

at home to more easily find and apply for jobs. They also need it to get healthcare information.”

Cohen said Comcast designed Internet Essentials to attack barriers head on with comprehensive, holistic, researchbased program.

“It requires sustained investment, digital literacy training, and a continued focus on building a safe online experience for our customers,” said Cohen.

“We’ve connected about 10 times the number of households of all other wireline broadband adoption programs in the country.”

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Page 6 • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Insight News

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Insight 2 Health Insight 2 Health Fitness Challenge is about building strong bodies and stronger communities

More than just a workout

By Victor Martinez Contributing Writer

I walked into my Monday workout session with the Insight 2 Health Fitness Challenge (I2HFC) and was surprise to see a young man who looked very familiar. I tried not to stare but I know it was someone I knew.

I looked over at another participant (who was warming up next to this mystery man) and gave him that look of curiosity and confusion.

He said, “He’s from the bank.”

As fast as lighting strikes, I realized who he was. He was the US Bank manager on Broadway.

“He gave me my equity line of credit,” I semi shouted.

I quickly ran to him and gave him a welcomed embrace only

Victor Martinez

Victor Martinez (foreground) takes a selfie while exercising with his workout partners during the Insight 2 Health Fitness Challenge.

allotted to those close to me.

“This is a community thing,” I said to myself.

See, I had thought the I2HFC was just a workout group.

A place to get healthy again. But I was wrong.

I2HFC is also a place to connect with your fellow residents, to get to know them on a personal level.

As a pastor, I know the

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importance of building a healthy community.

I2HFC is doing just that; its building a larger community by connecting us all to each other.

During my time in this wonderful program, I have made friends with community board leaders, master degrees achievers, amazing hearted folks that you wish where

related to you and cool people that you swore could have been your best friends in high school.

Many people do not realize that a healthy life is not just exercising or having friends or having excess money.

It’s all the above. What good is having friends and finding your health deteriorating year after year? What good is having money and no friends or family to spend it with? A healthy lifestyle is summed up in one word. Balance.

By not finding a balance, you risk the loss of healthy relationships.

An unbalanced life causes a negative view of people different from you. Bad health can make you cranky and push people away.

We are bombarded with so much news letting us know how we are all so different. It’s time for each one of us to connect with people on a more meaningful level. Put yourself out there. Befriend someone new. Maybe it’s your next-door neighbor whom you haven’t had a meaningful conversation with in years. Maybe it’s your local bank manager that is there to help you access financial resources.

Step out of your comfort zone today; take a new friend for a walk around (especially before winter). Go to your local bank and find out what kind of financial tools there are available for you.

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Insight News • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Page 7

Afrodescendientes The Heartbreaks Begin (Ages 17-21) Life Lessons

By Victor Armando Martinez www.AllYouWantBook.com

Editor’s note: Victor Martinez, a Henry High School student leader a little over a decade ago, shares a lifechanging message of life lessons he learned as he searched for the love of his life. He reveals a framework for getting everything you want out of life and more. Martinez now pastors a

bilingual congregation at North Minneapolis’ New Generation Church. His book is available on Amazon.

As we mature, we learn that it is better to wait for something with great value than to settle for something mediocre, which usually ends in regret down the line. I figured this out quite early in life because I observed this impatience and lack of self-control in many of my peers, who hastily made decisions such as this without really considering the implications weeks, months and years later.

There were also times when the impulses were just too overwhelming for me, resulting in me erring and suffering a couple of heartbreaks in the process.

While in high school, I met a young lady with whom I built a friendship. She did not fit my physical mold, but expecting to get my desires quickly, I let my emotions begin to cloud the agreement that I had made with God. I invested in and pursued the relationship with selfish motives.

“She is beautiful and Godly so maybe she is going to be my future wife,” I would say to myself.

I didn’t consider whether we were compatible. I couldn’t care less whether I had the temperament that she needed in the guy that God had in mind for her.

“However,” a voice kept telling me, “she does not fit

the rest of the mold; therefore, she is not the perfect match; she’s not what you’re looking for.”

I began to make excuses about why she would be mine. I chose to ignore the voice and carry on with my selfish agenda. I would buy her expensive gifts for her birthday, go out of my way and do favors for her all the time. Meanwhile, she wouldn’t do anything for me. In fact, she would often shoot me these looks that made me feel like a piece of garbage. She had the ability to make me feel like a million bucks only to make me feel unloved and unimportant the next day.

Our friendship would hit many bad moments where

we wouldn’t talk to each other for months because of a fight we would have. I would think to myself that she would reach out to me and apologize, or try and mend the relationship, but she never did. In fact, I was the one always reaching out to her.

It was those moments that would open my eyes and make me realize that she was not for me.

Sadly, my youthful impulses would lead me back to her and the cycle would repeat itself.

I said to Him, “Lord, you know best and I will trust you.”

God always seemed to know how to get my attention and reminded me that she was

not my dream girl; he always knew how to get me back on track. He knew how to make me see that I was going about it the wrong way.

Ask yourself how many relationships you have gotten into, only to regret ever getting into them in the first place. Your willingness to wait is extremely important to get all you want in your life.

Think about it this way, God knows where the landmines are, if you move without His direction, the odds of you getting hurt go up every time you move without his direction.

God is the scout you need, to move through this thing called “life.” He knows the way to get you the desires of your heart.

Comienzan los desengaños (Edades 17-21) Las Lecciones

Por Victor Armando Martinez www.AllYouWantBook.com

Nota del editor: Víctor Martínez, un dirigente estudiantil de secundaria Henry un poco más hace una década, comparte un mensaje de cambio de vida de las lecciones que aprendió como buscaba el amor de su vida. Revela un marco para todo lo que quieres de la vida y mucho más obtener.

Martinez ahora pastorea una congregación bilingüe en Nueva Generación Iglesia de North Minneapolis. El libro as disponible en Amazon.

En la medida en que maduramos, aprendemos que es mejor esperar algo de gran valor que conformarse con algo mediocre que generalmente termina en arrepentimiento.

Me di cuenta de esto bastante temprano en la vida porque observé esta impaciencia y falta de autocontrol en muchos de mis compañeros, quienes rápidamente tomaron decisiones sin considerar realmente las implicaciones que tendrían semanas, meses y años después.

Hubo momentos en los cuales los impulsos

eran demasiado pesados para mí, lo que provocó que cometiera errores y sufrí un par de desengaños en el proceso.

Mientras estaba en la escuela secundaria, conocí a una joven con quien construí una amistad. Ella no encajaba en mi molde físico, pero con la esperanza de lograr mis objetivos rápidamente, dejé que mis emociones comenzaran a nublar el acuerdo que había hecho con Dios. Tuve una relación con ella por motivos egoístas.

“Ella es hermosa y piadosa, así que tal vez sea mi futura esposa”, me decía a mí mismo.

No consideré si éramos compatibles. No podía importarme menos si yo

tenía el temperamento apropiado de acuerdo a lo que Dios tenía en mente para ella.

“Sin embargo,” una voz me seguía diciendo, “ella no encaja con el resto del molde, por lo tanto, no es la pareja perfecta; ella no es lo que usted está buscando.”

Empecé a poner excusas sobre por qué quería que ella fuera mía. Elegí ignorar la voz y continuar con mi agenda egoísta. Le compraba regalos caros para su cumpleaños, me desviaba de mi camino y le hacía favores todo el tiempo.

Mientras tanto, ella no hacía nada por mí. De hecho, ella a menudo me lanzaba miradas que me hacían sentir como un pedazo de basura. Ella tenía la

Dr. Zeke McKinney named chief medical editor at Minnesota Medicine Minnesota Medicine, the 100-year-old journal of the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA), has named Dr. Zeke McKinney as its new chief medical editor. He replaces the retiring Dr. Charles Meyer, who has served as editor for the past 24 years.

McKinney, the assistant director of HealthPartners’ Occupational Medicine Residency Program, graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2011. He completed his residency at Hennepin County Medical Center and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“It’s a great honor to be part of an award-winning magazine that is read by my

Dr.Zeke McKinney

colleagues across Minnesota,” said McKinney, who becomes the first African-American to hold the editor position. “I’m eager to combine my medical knowledge with my love of writing and creativity. We have a great publication that I hope to make that much better.”

“We are excited to have Dr. McKinney join our team,” said Janet Silversmith, MMA CEO. “We are grateful to Dr. Meyer for his vision and stewardship, and know the hand-off will go smoothly, given that Dr. Meyer will still be a contributor to the publication and Dr. McKinney is quite familiar with Minnesota Medicine.”

McKinney, who grew up in North Minneapolis, has served as a member of the magazine’s advisory committee since

2014. He has clinical expertise in occupational and environmental medicine, preventive medicine, environmental toxicology, biomedical Informatics: clinical informatics, imaging informatics, bioinformatics, data mining and quality improvement.

Outside of medicine, McKinney enjoys spending time with his family, composing electronic/acoustic music, environmental conservationism, playing music (saxophone, ukulele, bass guitar), writing essays and poetry, biking, football and baseball.

Minnesota Medicine, is a bi-monthly journal intended to serve as a forum for presenting information and ideas affecting Minnesota physicians and their practices.

capacidad de hacerme sentir genial un día, solo para hacerme sentir que yo no era amado ni importante al día siguiente.

Chico, ¡cuán equivocado estaba! Nuestra amistad tuvo muchos malos momentos en los que no nos hablábamos durante meses debido a una pelea. Pensaba para mí mismo que ella se acercaría a mí y se disculparía, o trataría de reparar la relación, pero nunca lo hizo. De hecho, yo fui el que siempre se acercó a ella.

Fueron esos momentos los que me abrirían los ojos y me harían comprender que ella no era para mí.

Tristemente, mis impulsos juveniles me llevarían de vuelta a ella y el ciclo se repetiría.

DNR From 2 geurs canoe (with expert help).

Everyone is welcome, all equipment is provided and everything is free. Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch. The park is located at 1313 Hidden Falls Dr. Enter at the north gate on Mississippi River Boulevard near Magoffin Avenue.

National Public Lands Day is celebrated annually across the country to promote conservation, stewardship and enjoyment of public lands such as parks and nature preserves.

A Minnesota legacy turns 10 Minnesotans have repeatedly expressed their support for public lands, the outdoors and our natural environment loud and clear.

percent attendance record at all YCAP events and acts as a mentor to their fellow students both in YCAP and in the classroom.

Nellie Stone Johnson and Leon Rankin are indeed much more than names on a building and

Minnesota Historical Society

Minnesota Historical Society

Flyer advertising an event in 1946 where Nellie Stone Johnson was the featured speaker at the 22nd Anniversary Lenin Memorial Meeting. The event was to raise money for striking union workers.

Labor From 2 Council. White would become the city’s first Black elected official. She made history in the 1940s when she ran for the Minneapolis School Board, becoming the first African-American to run for office in the city.

In 1987 Stone Johnson was appointed to the State University Board, now the Minnesota State

College and Universities System (MnSCU). Stone Johnson lived to be 96 years old when she transitioned in 2002.

Leon Rankin, Jr. moved to Minneapolis in 1958 and became one of the area’s first Black master electricians and contractors. Together with Stone Johnson, Ron Edwards and Elmer Childress formed the core leadership of the Minneapolis Urban League, as reported in a February 2015 article announcing Rankin’s passing.

Rankin earned an electri-

Nellie Stone Johnson (far right) with NAACP leaders, including Anthony Cassius (far left); publisher Milton G. Williams (third from left); and Howard Bennett, later appointed Minnesota’s first Black judge (second from right), 1954. cian journeyman license after attending Dunwoody and became a master electrician and a contractor in 1968. He received a BA and a master’s from St. Catherine University and was also licensed in family and marriage counseling. Rankin went on to work at Dunwoody and along with Dunwoody President Emeritus Warren Phillips created the Youth Career Awareness Program (YCAP) in 1988. The program is designed to enhance career opportunities for underrepresented youth.

“Leon Rankin’s legacy lives on at Dunwoody College of Technology in the form of our Youth Career Awareness Program,” said Jeff Ylinen, provost, Dunwoody College of Technol-

ogy. “YCAP helps young people from diverse, underprivileged backgrounds explore technical careers and provides them with a generous scholarship to Dunwoody. YCAP has helped hundreds of youth over the years. It continues to be one of our most significant scholarship programs and is a key factor in Dunwoody’s ability to provide diverse students with access to our top-notch technical programs.”

To honor the labor pioneer the school created the Dunwoody College of Technology Leon Rankin Award. The award is presented to YCAP students who shows academic excellence by maintaining a GPA of 2.5 or higher, have a 100

Le dije, “Señor, tú lo sabes todo y yo confiaré en ti.”

Pregúntese a sí mismo en cuántas relaciones se ha involucrado, solo para después sentir arrepentimiento de las malas decisiones tomadas. Su disposición a esperar es extremadamente importante para obtener todo lo que desea en la vida.

Piénselo de esta manera, él sabe en qué parte del suelo se encuentran enterradas las minas, si usted se mueve sin su dirección, las probabilidades de que usted se lastime aumentan. Dios es el Explorador que usted necesita, para moverse a través de esta experiencia llamada “vida.” Él conoce la manera de que se cumplan los deseos de su corazón.

Ten years ago this fall, in the middle of a major economic downturn, Minnesota residents voted to voluntarily increase their own sales tax by 3/8 of a cent on every dollar spent, with the money constitutionally dedicated to preserving and enhancing the natural environment, water quality, parks and trails, and our cultural and artistic heritage.

The Minnesota DNR has been allocated about 19 percent of the funds generated by the Legacy Amendment, roughly $463 million. DNR has used that money to make Minnesota a better place for its citizens by upgrading parks and trails; restoring, enhancing and protecting habitat for fish, game and wildlife and restoring and protecting the quality of our lakes, rivers and streams.

It is a legacy to be proud of.

names on an award. They were stalwarts in labor, politics and civil and human rights and part of a much-too-often not talked about history of Black Minnesotans.

Page 8 • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Lifestyle

Photos by Benny Moreno

Walker | West founders Grant West (standing) and the Rev. Carl Walker

A young Walker | West student playing guitar.

A Walker | West saxophonist blows his horn.

Students practicing violin at Walker | West.

Walker|West celebrates 30 years with Sept. 16 concert and fundraiser Walker|West will celebrate its 30th anniversary Sept. 16 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Como Park Lakeside Pavilion in St. Paul.

The event is a fundraiser for the music school. Singer Yolande Bruce will headline the program.

Walker|West students and faculty will also perform. The event is free and open to the public, however a voluntary $10 donation is suggested.

Walker|West is a music school that teaches instrumental and vocal music to students ages 5 to adult from its music center at 760 Selby Ave. in St. Paul. The non-profit community music school teaches all styles

of music, including classical, but is especially well-known for teaching jazz, gospel and other styles of improvisational music.

It is also noted for developing a caring community of music students and educators. The organization provides affordable, music instruction inspired by the African American cultural experience to young people and adults. All faculty members are working professional musicians.

Walker|West is thought to be the oldest community music school in the nation founded by African-American musicians.

A scholarship fund keeps music education affordable

and accessible.

Walker|West was founded in 1988 when musicians the Rev. Carl Walker and Grant West joined forces to provide piano instruction to children in the Summit University neighborhood of St. Paul. With one rented piano in the upstairs of a duplex, the founders pursued a vision that went beyond teaching music.

“The idea was to build a safe place on Selby Avenue where neighborhood children could pursue something positive and life-affirming,” said Walker.

Grant West added, “We were teaching piano and building selfconfidence in children who often

didn’t have many people encouraging their success.”

Together, Walker and West developed a method of music instruction that emphasizes immediate success. Walker|West students walk out of their very first lesson knowing how to perform a simple melody.

In 1991, Walker|West moved into a building at 777 Selby Ave. Soon thereafter, St. Paul Schools band teacher and student counselor Felix James became a Walker|West faculty member.

He launched the horn program, teaching brass and woodwind students.

Felix James also initiated Walk-

er West’s jazz ensemble program.

For decades, Walker|West’s student jazz ensembles have performed on stages throughout the Twin Cities area, from community events to Orchestra Hall.

Walker|West’s jazz ensembles continue to be the only youth ensembles to perform on the main stage at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. They are the only ensemble from a non-academic school to compete in the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, where in 2017 they took first place among more than 100 other competitors.

In addition to teaching piano, organ, brass, woodwinds, drum set, African drums, and voice, Walker|West supports a full string program. Students five and older can learn violin, viola, cello, bass, and guitar. These students routinely participate in the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies and the Minnesota Youth Symphonies (MYS), including the MYS Symphony Orchestra that toured Cuba in 2017. String students also participate in the Artaria Chamber Music School and several have been invited to the Sphinx Performance Academy, a national full scholarship

summer string program for students of African descent and Latinx. Last year, a group of students from Walker|West performed at the Ordway with internationally acclaimed hip-hop duo, Black Violin.

The road has not always been easy for Walker|West. In 2009, for example, the organization faced a number of challenges, including the effects of the recession. Walker|West was in rough shape physically, too. Its home was a crumbling, century-old building that was in constant need of repair.

The school’s executive director and board of directors worked to turn the organization around.

Thanks to their efforts and the support of community donors, Walker|West is on firm footing as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

In 2014, Walker|West moved into a newly developed 6,000 square foot music learning and performance center at 760 Selby Ave. In May 2018, it dedicated its renovated exterior, which features music-themed artwork by renowned St. Paul artist Tacoumba Aiken.

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

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

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Intern Kelvin Kuria

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

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Insight News â&#x20AC;˘ September 3 - September 9, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 9

Community

Selby Avenue Jazzfest provides art and economic uplift to Rondo

By Brittany Wright Rondo is a historically Black neighborhood in St. Paul that was separated by Interstate 94 in the 1960s. The construction of the interstate signiďŹ cantly impacted the social, economic, and geographic viability of the community, and has left a lasting impact to this day. Hundreds of Black residents and Blackowned businesses had to relocate and/or close as a result of the forced displacement. The exodus of businesses and residents led to economic hardship for remaining organizations, a decrease in social engagement for residents, and a lack of opportunity for artistic development and cooperative economics.

The centrality of the historic Rondo community, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thriving artists community, and strong social ties allowed for emerg-

ing artists to showcase their talent and earn money while doing so. Melvin Carter, Sr. (grandfather to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, III), Roger Nelson (father of Prince), Gordon Parks and Willis Lester Young were just a few of the notable artists who had opportunities to showcase their talent and emerge in Rondo. Prior to the construction of I-94, venues such as The Chatsworth Inn, Shirleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and Treasure Inn allowed for economic prosperity and artistic excellence in a time of racial tension and social unrest.

None of these venues exists today, so where do todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emerging and professional artists and artisans of Rondo showcase and develop their talent?

Golden Thyme CoďŹ&#x20AC;ee & CafĂŠ, 921 Selby Ave., has answered the call providing space for the Re-Verb Open Mic every Thursday at 6 p.m. hosted by TruArtSpeaks.

Nachito Herrera will perform at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Selby Avenue Jazzfest.

In addition, since 2002 the co-owners Golden Thyme have organized the Selby Avenue Jazz Festival. The festival traditionally features live jazz, food ven-

dors, small business vendors, and will now feature an artisan showcase through the Rondo Village. The Rondo Village at the Selby Avenue Jazz Fest will

take place on Sept. 8 and will feature natural wellness products, jewelry, visual art, handmade clothing, and more from local Black artists and artisans

of the Rondo community. The festival will also feature local food vendors and nine hours of live jazz music from local and national acts.

The Rondo Village is a catalyst for economic empowerment where local artists and small businesses sell their goods/services at pop-up markets without the burden of traditional vendor fees and responsibilities. Created in 2016, The Rondo Village has evolved into a collaboration between Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation, Visions Merging, Loving Spirit Holistic Services and Golden Thyme and is sponsored by the Twin Cities Local Initiative Support Corporation.

The concept of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Villageâ&#x20AC;? stems from the desire to bring economic restitution to the Rondo community and to support Black creatives.

For more information visit www.SelbyAveJazzFest.com.

Action Day sends kids back to school prepared to learn Greater Twin Cities United Way teams up with Minnesota Timberwolves, Lynx, 4,000 volunteers to pack 25,000 backpacks with school supplies for kids in need According to the 2016 American Community Survey, each year, more than 100,000 students in our community go back to school without essential supplies they need to learn.

As a result, Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW), the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx hosted Action Day to support kids in need in partnership with the Minnesota Twins, St. Paul Saints, United FC, Vikings and Wild on Aug. 9 at Target Center.

Action Day is an annual volunteer event created by GTCUW that brings the community together to take action in solving a critical need by ďŹ lling backpacks with supplies to help local kids get ready for a new school year. GTCUWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is to bring together more than 4,000 volunteers to pack 25,000

GTCUW

Volunteers fill backpacks during Action Day. backpacks for children in need â&#x20AC;&#x201C; doubling the eďŹ&#x20AC;ort and impact compared to last year. Backpacks assembled at the event

ClassiĂ&#x20AC;eds

Members of the Comcast team and their families during Action Day at the Target Center.

will be distributed to more than 50 metro area nonproďŹ ts that will donate them to kids in need.

Phone: 612.588.1313

Fax: 612.588.2031

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INH Properties is an equal opportunity housing company.

Email: info@insightnews.com

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Page 10 â&#x20AC;˘ September 3 - September 9, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Insight News

insightnews.com

Gary Clark

Brent Fiyaz

Catch some of your favorite cover songs at Lake Bde Maka Ska.

Tuesday, Sept. 4

American Idol Live VFW 2916 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis 8 p.m.

21-plus $8

ROCK/R&B

Monday, Sept. 3â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, Sept. 16

Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking. Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;? status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;? worthy, email us at aestheticallyit@ insightnews.com

Monday, Sept. 3 FUNK/SOUL No Limits the B-Side Lola on the Lake 3000 E. Calhoun Pkwy., Minneapolis 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 p.m.

All ages No cover

Juice 7th Street Entry 701 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis 7 p.m.

18-plus $12 Catch rock/R&B/hip-hop group Juice on tour at the 7th Street Entry.

Wednesday, Sept. 5 POP American Idol: Live! 2018 State Theatre 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 7 p.m.

All ages $39.50-$89.50 The shows will feature this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 7 ďŹ nalists, Cade Foehner, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Catie Turner, Gabby Barrett, Jurnee, Maddie Poppe and Michael J. Woodard with special guest, Season 8 â&#x20AC;&#x153;American Idolâ&#x20AC;? winner, Kris Allen and Forever in Your Mind

Thursday, Sept. 6 HIP-HOP Ernest Rhodes, Just Wulf, Captive Agents and Cupid After Us James Ballentine â&#x20AC;&#x153;Uptownâ&#x20AC;?

This end of summer jam features emcee, Ernest Rhodes, Desdamonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new live band, Cupid After Us, Just Wulf and DJ Mickey Breeze and Captive Agents.

Sunday, Sept. 9

Wednesday, Aug. 12

YOGA

INTERACTIVE ART Forced from Home Interactive Exhibit: Minneapolis The Commons, Minneapolis 425 Portland Ave. S, Minneapolis 9 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8 p.m.

Mixtape Yoga: Aretha Franklin A-Mill Artist Lofts 315 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis 10 a.m. $15 Catch a 75-minute yoga workout to the sounds of the late great Aretha Franklin.

Friday, Sept. 7

Monday, Aug. 10

R&B/SOUL

HIP-HOP

Brent Faiyaz First Avenue 701 N 1st Ave., Minneapolis 6 p.m.

All ages $25.50

Why Khaliq and Mic Q.A 7th Street Entry 701 N 1st Ave., Minneapolis 8 p.m.

18-plus $7

Best known for his feature on Goldlinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crew,â&#x20AC;? Brent Faiyaz has made a name for himself as a tour-ready solo artist with a solid fanbase.

Two of the Twin Citiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; top hiphop artists hit the 7th Street.

Saturday, Sept. 8

GOSPEL/R&B

BLUES/ROCK Gary Clark, Jr. Surly Brewing Company 520 Malcolm Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, 5:30 p.m.

18-plus $45 Blues/rock great, Gary Clark, Jr. is one of the best in the business at playing the guitar and vocals.

Catch a special outdoor set.

Guided by experienced Doctors Without Borders aid workers, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll travel through a 10,000-square-foot space designed to convey the challenges facing a person forced to ďŹ&#x201A;ee.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also learn about the humanitarian aid we provide along the way. The tour lasts about one hour.

Thursday, Aug. 13 HIP-HOP

Tuesday, Aug. 11 Robert Robinson and Gwen Matthews Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 7 p.m. $30-$35 Gwen Matthews has worked with world renown musicians like Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Catch her tonight with Minneapolisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; premiere voice, Robert Robinson.

Jay Rock The Cabooze 917 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis 8 p.m.

18-plus $20-$75 TDEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst breakout artist, Jay Rock, hits Minneapolis on the West Bank for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Redemption Tour.â&#x20AC;?

Friday, Aug. 14 R&B/SOUL Aretha: The Soul of A Queen Crooners Lounge & Supper Club 6161 Highway 65 N.E., Minneapolis 7:30 p.m.

21-plus $30-$35 Ginger Commodore, Yolande Bruce and Debbie Duncan celebrate the Queen of Soul at Crooners.

Saturday, Sept. 15 HIP-HOP/REGGAE VIP Saturdays Rouge at The Lounge 411 2nd Ave. N., Minneapolis 10 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 a.m.

21-plus Drink and dance with some of the best DJs in Minneapolis at VIP Saturdays.

Sunday, Aug. 16 HIP-HOP F@#k Cancer: A BeneďŹ t for DJ Adatrak Pimento Jamaican Kitchen 2524 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 a.m.

All ages until 10 p.m., 21-plus after A contributing member of the Twin Cities hip-hop community, Jimmy ÂŤDJ AdatrakÂť Cavanaugh was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Help raise funds for his recovery with Dem Atlas, The Lioness, K.Raydio, Lady Midnight, Haphduznn, Chance York, Hot Pants, $i$ (Minnie Blanco and Mixie DBest), Carnage the Executioner, BAARD, Nazeem and Spencer Joles and more.

Discussion examines creativity, equity, community benefit How do we talk about the role of the arts in relation to the demographic transformation of the Twin Cities? By reframing the conversation.

ArtChangeUS REMAP:

Twin Cities is the sixth in a series of nationwide convenings designed to spark discussions and new approaches to creativity, cultural equity and community beneďŹ ts. A free

afternoon session designed for institutions, organizers, artists and community members closes out a three-day conference.

The community forum will be held from 12:30 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 p.m.

on Sept. 25 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia).

The public is invited to attend a roundtable from 1 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 p.m., featuring Twin Cities Theaters of Color Coali-

ROBERT ROBINSON & GWEN MATTHEWS

tion and Racial Equity Funders Collaborative members, including Bdewakantunwan Dakota public historian Kate Beane (Flandreau Santee Sioux), Penumbra Theatre Ar-

tistic Director Sarah Bellamy and others.

Admission to the afternoon session is free but registration is required at bit.ly/ReMapTwinCities.

THE MUSIC OF AL JERRE AU WITH

BRUCE HENRY E L E C T R I F Y I N G S I N G E R & E N T E R TA I N E R

A N E V E NING OF G O S P E L , R&B , & P OP

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SEP 14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15 â&#x20AC;˘ 7 PM

I N S P I R AT I O N A L B R E AT H TA K I N G P RO F O U N D

612.332.5299 â&#x20AC;˘ dakotacooks.com

612.332.5299 â&#x20AC;˘ dakotacooks.com This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan RegionalArts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund

insightnews.com

Insight News • September 3 - September 9, 2018 • Page 11

The Cool & Co. Bringing the cool on a hot summer day, the Cool & Co. (Nick Hooks, Justin Shepherd and DJ Willie Shu) recently welcomed a hundred or so friends to join them for an almost impromptu day party at Pimento’s Rum Bar and Back Yaad (pronounced as it’s spelled) in Minne-

apolis. The Cool has been a staple on the culture scene for more than five years and are known for some of the … well … coolest events in town.

The Aug. 18 event at Pimento was no exception.

Insight News was at Pimento and captured a few flicks of the cool.

Proudly Sponsored by

Get ready for a Photos by Harry Colbert, Jr.

Corey Collins, visiting from Houston, kicked it with the Cool.

joy ride musical!

Sept. 15 – Oct. 21, 2018

ur i Fea t

na Na

In the mix with DJ Willie Shu.

n

eta Oglesb Gr y g as

The Cool’s Justin Shepherd

Photo of Alejandro Vega by Kaitlin Randolph

childrenstheatre.org | 612.874.0400

(Left to right) Kolu Wilson, Quinton Bonds and Wokie Daboh stepped on the scene.

The radiant Stacey Clark.

Pimento co-owner, Tomme Beevas

The personification of cool, Shayla Shannon (left) and Brooke Buchanan.

WOW Now Offering Up To $5000 Hiring Bonus MAKE PLANS NOW TO BE WOWED. Fall color is exploding, and there’s no better way to feel more wow this fall than with a trip to a Minnesota state park or recreation area. Take the most gorgeous places in Minnesota, add the incredible colors of autumn, and you’re sure to be blown away.

• The online Fall Color Finder puts you in the right place at the right time to see the colors at their most stunning.

• The online Calendar of Events has ideas to fill your fall with fun. mndnr.gov/fallcolor mn n

We are hiring drivers at our Anoka, Arden Hills, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Oakdale, Orono, Plymouth, Robbinsdale, St. Paul, Tonka Bay, Wayzata, and White Bear Lake locations. Qualified candidates must be 21 years old and have a valid license.

WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER : $18+ hour starting wage CDL Training Child Ride Along Program Year-round work is available Flexible hours *Conditions Apply Equal Opportunity Employer

Call 763-421-2219 for details.

firstgroupcareers.com

Page 12 â&#x20AC;˘ September 3 - September 9, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Insight News

insightnews.com

Biz Markie to spin the Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Avant Garden

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor Harry@insightnews.com Some of the most eclectic trendsetters in the Twin Cities are gearing up for one of the most anticipated annual events; the Walker Art Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Avant Garden, Sept. 8.

The annual fundraiser attracts upwards of 1,000 guests to the Walker; most adorned in garish fashions to match the ambiance that is the Walker. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partygoers will be rocking to the spins hip-hop legend, Biz Markie.

One of the pioneers of hip-hop, Biz Markie extend-

ed his career transitioning from a rhymer and beatboxer to a turntable master who is one the most sought-after in the industry. With his biggest hit, 1989â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just A Friend,â&#x20AC;? still a party favorite in clubs, Biz Markie says his style of DJing is just like his style of music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be prepared for a whole lot of fun and singing along with me,â&#x20AC;? warned the rapper-turned-DJ. Biz Markie said the reason for his success is because of his love for the music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a job for me. This is a hobby. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for the culture. I just love to do it,â&#x20AC;? said Biz Markie.

True hip-hop heads recognize Bizâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills on the

turntables, but still revere him as the Cold Chillinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rhymer known for such classics as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vapors,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nobody Beats the Biz,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Boogers,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; OďŹ&#x20AC;â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make the Music with Your Mouth.â&#x20AC;? Biz said many of those classics make it into his DJ set. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want everybody to join in, singing and having fun.â&#x20AC;?

Along with Biz Markie, Avant Garden features South African-Swiss DJ, Nora En Pure and quirky, yet soulful performer, Har Mar Superstar.

Tickets for Avant Garden at the Walker, 725 Vineland Pl., Minneapolis, start at $125 and are available online at www.walkerart.org.

Biz Markie

MNHS.ORG

Wing Young Huie, photographer and author of the forthcoming book Chinese-ness

MNHS: HISTORY FOR ALL One of a museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important roles is to use the past to help explain the present. From the wellknown to ordinary people, everyone is capable of contributing to the story of our country.

In order to better tell the stories of all Minnesotans, the Minnesota Historical Society has established the new Irvine Community Gallery.

Located on the ďŹ rst ďŹ&#x201A;oor of the Minnesota History Center, the gallery features exhibits that explore topics affecting the lives of contemporary Minnesotans, and helps place current events into a historical context. Our hope is that these exhibits spark conversations that extend beyond the museum walls.

MNHS is proud to work with celebrated Twin Cities photographer Wing Young Huie to present the exhibit Chinese-ness, based upon his upcoming MNHS Press book by the same title. Both the book and photography exhibit reframe conversations around race and identity to explore todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural uncertainty around those issues.

Throughout the run of the Chineseness exhibitâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;on view September 11 to November 11 in the Irvine

Community Gallery at the History Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the museum will sponsor free programs that encourage visitors to explore their own identities and grapple with the idea of what makes someone â&#x20AC;&#x153;American.â&#x20AC;?

We invite all to attend the exhibit opening on Tuesday, September 11. Then on Tuesday, September 18, join us in a discussion where Huie and panelists explore the layered experiences around identity, race, and culture.

All exhibits in the Irvine Community Gallery are presented free of charge. Wing Young Huieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book Chinese-ness: The Meanings of Identity and the Nature of Belonging (MNHS Press, $29.95) is available at shop.mnhs.org. To explore more upcoming exhibits and events, please visit mnhs.org.

MELANIE ADAMS Melanie Adams, PhD, is the senior director of Guest Experience and Educational Services at the Minnesota Historical Society. In this role she oversees MNHS programs, exhibits, and historic sites located throughout the state, which serve one million people per year.

After-School Programs and Year-Round Swim Lessons at Minneapolis Recreation Centers!

Drop-in Programs for all ages â&#x20AC;˘ Free! Computer labs, board games, bumper pool, foosball, ping pong â&#x20AC;˘ Check with the recreation center you plan to visit Nite Owlz â&#x20AC;˘ Free! For ages 12-18 (if still in high school). Open gym, cooking, computer lab and more â&#x20AC;˘ 10 locations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bottineau, Brian Coyle Center, Farview, Folwell, Logan, Northeast, North Commons, Phillips, Powderhorn, Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr recreation centers â&#x20AC;˘ Friday and/or Saturday Nights Year-Round Swimming at Phillips Aquatic Center â&#x20AC;˘ Swim lessons for adults and youth. Fee assistance available â&#x20AC;˘ 3XEOLF VZLPPLQJ ODS VZLP ZDWHU ZDONLQJ ZDWHU Ă&#x20AC;WQHVV VHQLRU Ă&#x20AC;WQHVV ZRPHQ DQG JLUOV RQO\ â&#x20AC;˘ Become a lifeguard! Take a training clinic. Fee assistance available.

For more details: visit www.minneapolisparks.org; stop by a recreation center; or call 612-230-6400 (weekdays)

jack-o-lantern

spectacular oct. 4-31

7-10 PM Sun-ThuRs | 7-11 PM Fri & Sat 5,000 PUMPKINS AGLOW â&#x20AC;˘ FUN FOR ALL SOULS

Get in the spirit. Make a night of the night at the Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular.

Walk in wonder through the enchanted pumpkin garden, featuring over 5,000 artistically carved pumpkins. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun for the whole family â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even your littlest hobgoblins.

Tickets available now at mnzoo.org/pumpkinsatthezoo