Insight News ::: 12.6.10

Celebrate KWANZAA December 26th - January 1st Theme 2010 Kwanzaa and the Nguzo Saba: An Ethics of Sharing Good in the World

INSIGHT NEWS December 6 - December 12, 2010 • MN Metro Vol. 36 No. 49 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

Obama strengthens US-India ties

By Samuel Bastian, McFarlane Media Mumbai, India

President Barack Obama

Wikimedia Commons

Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh

There were two elements to the first state visit of President Barack Obama to India in early November; the business and the personal.

As much as there was high expectation among all sections of Indians regarding the future course of the ever growing Indo-US collaborations, there was also high praise for the US First Couple’s direct interaction with the Indian people.

The visit commenced from Mumbai, India’s business capital, where on November 26, 2008 (26/11), terrorists attacked and killed 166 people.

At the time of the attacks— likened by some to the 9/11 attacks—the then presidentelect Obama said they indicated “the grave and urgent threat of terrorism.”

Hence, significantly, his first India stay began at the Taj Hotel, symbolically the ground-zero of the 26/11 attack, where many Indians, Americans and people from other nations lost their lives in that 60-hour terror campaign.

Obama’s first address was to a motley gathering of 26/11 survivors—including a fivestar chef, a constable of the railway police, a taxi driver’s wife, and the Taj Hotel General who lost his entire family.

All listened rapt, some not understanding the words, but sensing the importance of his message.

“Yes, we visit here to send a very clear message that in our determination to give our people a future of security and prosperity, the United States and India stand united,” Obama said, with First Lady Michelle Obama by his side.

INDIA TURN TO 3

Obama successes lost in 2010 elections

By Hazel Trice Edney Trice Edney Wire WASHINGTON (TEWire) – Congressional Black Caucus Chairman-elect Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), gearing up to navigate a Republican-dominated House of Representatives, says the President must sharpen his communications skills to better articulate his plans and successes over the next two years approaching the 2012 presidential election.

“The president is going to have to become a better communicator, communicator of what is going on and what needs to be done and of what we’ve done,” Cleaver said in an interview with Trice Edney Wire.

From health care, to women’s pay equity, to so-called green jobs that benefit African

Americans to millions of dollars for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, it appears that the Obama accomplishments were lost in the November 2 election. That’s when a groundswell of passionate conservative voices appeared to drown out his and other Democratic activists, resulting in a Republican majority in the previously Democratic-led House.

“We’ve done Pell grants and probably the average college student has no idea of what we’ve been able to do. A part of our job is to get information out,” Cleaver said.

Cleaver will replace the power-packed outgoing CBC Chair Barbara Lee (D-CA) whose term ends in January.

As the 22nd member of the Caucus, founded in 1971, he sees a daunting challenge ahead to walk the fine line between the

CBC Chairman-elect Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.) aisles. Republicans are expected to create bottleneck in attempt to stop an Obama re-election in two years.

“We operate with no illusion that this session of Congress will be very difficult for Democrats

and our agenda. And there are issues that are unique to African Americans,” Cleaver said. He gave as an example the fact that the Senate has passed legislative to pay billions of dollars longowed to Black farmers in the

Department of Agriculture race discrimination case. Despite admonition from President Obama, that bill could easily fail in a Republican dominated House.

“We realize that if we have to reintroduce that legislation in the 112th Congress, we would have to do so with support from Republicans,” Cleaver said. “That means we’ve got to think in terms of coalitions. We would have permanent interests and not necessarily permanent friends. Our permanent interests will require that we work with Republicans and we have no reservations about doing that.”

Cleaver is no stranger to bridging antagonizing interests.

His 5th Congressional District of Missouri is only 17 percent Black. Yet, he has been twice elected mayor of Kansas City and to Congress four times by an overwhelmingly White

population.

He says, “[This] means when I address issues that are uniquely Black, there is nothing wrong with it.”

One of those issues he hopes to espouse will be the continued high unemployment rate among Blacks. “The mantra for the Black Caucus will be jobs, jobs, jobs,” he says.

Despite his promise to coalesce – and even compromise in some instances - he says he and the 44-member Caucus that he will lead will never compromise the interests of African-Americans.

He assured, “We will do nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing that would cause us to abandon our mission, which is to protect the interest of AfricanAmericans and to provide them legislatively with opportunities and to move them into every realm of American life.”

Educator: Believe the unbelievable

By Chris Garner Contributing Writer Hundreds of educators, policymakers, philanthropists, and community members gathered Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, to hear founder, president, and CEO of Chicago’s Urban Prep Academies, Tim King, give his take on the importance of believing the unbelievable when it comes to the higher education of minority youth. He delivered this year’s annual Frontiers in Racial Equity Conference defining education policy and practice held by Minnesota Minority Education Partnership.

Recently, King has received praise for graduating 107 African American males all of whom were accepted into four year colleges or universities.

He shared his knowledge on the tools needed to produce affluent

members of society.

“I’ve always believed families should have quality choices and options for their children to go to school,” said King. “One of the reasons we wanted to open Urban Prep was to ensure that families had a public all boys school if they wanted that option.”

By offering this option to the Chicago Public School system, King has set to lead by example.

Not only in the sense of ensuring quality education is provided, but also by ensuring he has African American male teachers giving it. African American males make up 60 percent of his teaching staff helping to further push his message of the benefits of a post secondary education.

Armed with what King calls his ARC system, focusing on academics, extra curricular activities, future profession/ college, and service, he aims to create a well-rounded individual.

Education

Superintendent Valeria S. Silva

PAGE 4

King believes that his young men have a responsibility to their communities and they have to make sure that what they learn and what they do at after they leave Urban Prep somehow benefits the communities in which they live. These young men must do this in order for the next generation to succeed, King believes.

“Our students have to engage in a year-long community service project each year,” said King. “They have to identify the problem, create a plan to address the problem and implement and evaluate the program to impact the problem and inveigh the issue.” With all of these qualities in hand, it is easy to adhere to post secondary education and a career that extends past high schools four walls. By selling

KING TURN TO 5

Aesthetics

Suluki Fardan

Tim King

Health

Black Nativity reveals the real meaning of Christmas

Gray transforms circumstance into opportunity

PAGE 5

PAGE 6

Sports

Early Superbowl picks

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Page 2 • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Insight News

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BUSINESS Gaps in employment: The interview hot spot Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Over sandwiches with HR placement guru Susan Seward of HR Advantage Partners, she and I agreed that the number one concern candidates have today is around interviews. Specifically, “I’ve been out of work for two

(ten, twenty) months.

How do I explain that employment gap?” If you, reader, happen to have a gap in your resume, keep reading.

See, you’re still reading, as are countless others with the same issue. You are not alone.

So much so that interviewers have become experts in recognizing resume gaps. They are paid to notice these and ask about them; they are not required to rule someone out because of them. They simply have to ask, so first, ‘fess up: “I have been unconventionally employed.”

According to Seward, why

you left matters far less than where you went next. Can you turn the empty space into a bridge? You weren’t working, but you weren’t fishing, robbing banks or lost at sea, either. Shift the focus away from what you were not doing (working for a paycheck) and onto what you were doing in the context of how your activities create added value for your next employer.

Don’t say, I was looking for work. Do say, It was a great time for networking.

Don’t say, I took a couple classes. Do say, The xyz class I attended was eye-opening and

solidified by desire to move forward with my career in widget making.

Beware of those honest statements that seem innocuous but can easily be misunderstood.

Remember, most employers want to bring on new hires who can help them specifically on business issues. Unless you are applying for a position in home health care, be aware that stating, “I stayed home to care for an ill family member,” will come across as not working and not working on it. Instead, perhaps you were developing new skills by caring for a family

member, and perhaps you could elaborate on your experience dealing with insurance issues, legal representatives, contracts, communications with other concerned parties, etc. Choose to look at what you have done through the eyes of your hiring manager. Be honest. But also be applicable.

Seward’s sense is that carefully managing the time between positions is critical.

Volunteer work, board memberships, coaching a team (i.e. developing leadership skills) or (improving your social media skills through) daily Facebook

sessions is going to help a hiring manager comfortably move past the gap question and on to questions about your relevant skills. Remember, your interviewer wants to get past that question as much as you do; make it easy by expecting the question, planning the answer, and getting on with the conversation. It’s not what you weren’t doing; it is what you chose to do that matters most.

Julie Desmond is Search Specialist for Specialized Recruiting Group in Edina, MN. Write to Julie@Insightnews.com.

Avoiding the holiday spending hangover somewhere else.)

What you gave each person – to avoid giving them the same thing next year.

What each person gave you.

That way, you won’t accidentally “re-gift” something to the same person.

Other expenses (decorations, etc.)

By Jason Alderman At this time of year, many people overindulge, whether it’s overeating or drinking too much at holiday parties or spending too much on gifts and decorations.

You’ll regret the former the next morning; but with overspending you may not feel the hangover effect until the bills come due in January.

Here are a few tips for managing holiday expenses to avoid a holiday spending hangover: Budgeting Before spending a dime on holiday expenses, calculate how much you can afford relative to your overall budget. Many financial planners recommend spending no more than 1.5 percent of annual income on holiday expenses. Consider: Will your savings cover a few months’ expenses in case of a layoff, unexpected medical bills or another financial emergency?

Can you pay off all holidayrelated bills within a couple of months?

Do you already struggle to pay your monthly bills?

Would you need to suspend retirement savings to buy gifts?

stockxchng/Vickie Mathews

Scale back Examine how much you’ve spent in past years and look for areas to trim. Consider: gifts for family, friends and coworkers; decorations; new clothes/ accessories; gift wrap and cards; special meals; year-end gratuities; and travel-related expenses. A few tips: Review old credit card and bank statements to jog your memory.

Arrange gift lotteries with family, friends and coworkers so you each buy fewer, nicer gifts.

Suggest pooling resources to

make a sizeable group charitable contribution rather than individual gifts to each other.

Get organized Once you’ve determined your overall holiday budget, make a list or spreadsheet with columns for: Everyone you need to shop for – relatives, friends, coworkers, service providers, etc.

Spending limits and gift alternatives for each person.

How much you actually spend on each gift. (Overspending on one present means trimming

Social security over the holidays If your holiday to-do list includes business with Social Security, you should know that the busiest times for Social Security field offices and the agency’s toll free telephone number are early in the week and early in the month.

“If your business can wait, it’s best to contact us at other times,” according to SSA spokesperson, Rhonda Whitenack. The same is true during the holiday season —

especially the week between Christmas and New Year’s.

If you must do business with Social Security during the holidays, you may experience more busy signals on the telephone and longer wait times in local offices.

There’s a better way to conduct your business over the holidays: online at www. socialsecurity.gov. There you’ll find a wealth of information and online services. For example,

you can apply online for Social Security benefits or for Medicare, and then you can check on the status of your pending application. If you’re already a Social Security beneficiary, you can go online to change your address, phone number, or your direct deposit information, get a replacement Medicare card, or request a proof of income letter.

Visit website at www. socialsecurity.gov

Gift cards If you give gift cards, several changes were made to laws governing these cards. For gift cards sold on or after August 22, 2010, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 requires that:

Money loaded on gift cards must not expire for at least five years from date of purchase or after funds were last added.

If the card expires but the funds haven’t, you can request a free replacement card.

Inactivity and service fees may not be charged until after 12 months of inactivity; after that, only one such fee may be deducted from the balance each month.

All fees must be clearly disclosed on the card or its packaging.

A few additional tips Note return policies for stores and online shopping sites. Watch

for deadlines, exclusions for sale or clearance items and restocking charges.

Retain receipts.

Many retailers will refund the price difference if an item goes on sale within a few weeks after purchase.

Check whether your credit card agreement provides free product warranty extensions and/or price protection (i.e., will reimburse the difference if you find an identical item for less).

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs.

To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ PracticalMoney

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Insight News • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Page 3

India From 1 Quoting from the speech

by Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, on the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination—”We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest”— the President said that the American people believe in this just as people in India do.

Later, while the President was engaging with Indian business groups, Michelle Obama, with a remarkable ease, played hop-scotch, at the University of Mumbai library.

And the next day, along with the President, she was a willing student of the Koli (western Indian fisher-folks) dance at the Holy Name School.

All this in the presence of an admiring nation glued to the TV. On the business front, in Mumbai, the President sought to change some longstanding notions and equations with India. No longer, he said, it was possible for America to support world economies without countries like India reciprocating.

He said that while in the U.S. there was a caricature of India as a land of call centers and back offices that cost Americans their jobs; in India many see the arrival

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

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Production Intern Andrew Notsch Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Technology Reporters Shanice Brown Ivan B. Phifer Christopher Toliver Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Brenda Colston Julie Desmond S. Himie Marcia Humphrey Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Ryan T. Scott Lydia Schwartz Stacey Taylor Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

White House Photo / Pete Souza

President Barack Obama watches as First Lady Michelle Obama dances with students during a Diwali candle lighting and performance at Holy Name High School in Mumbai, India.

of American companies and products as a threat to the livelihood of small shop keepers, he said.

“These old stereotypes and old concerns ignore today’s reality,” Obama said. “Trade between our countries is not just a one-way street of American jobs and companies moving to India. It is a dynamic two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth and higher standards in both our countries.”

And by the time he said this, the U.S.-India Business

Council in Mumbai had already announced a $10m sale of mainly infrastructure goods to India. This, the President estimated, would create 50,000 jobs for folks back home; mindful of the recent “shellacking” that his party had received in the midterms on the issue of 9.6% unemployment.

On the second day, the First Couple had a town-hall type meeting with Mumbai students at the St. Xavier’s College quadrangle.

Michelle Obama introduced

the President in a very inspiring speech, telling the students that nothing is impossible for them to achieve so long as they hold close to some values. She illustrated this by giving the example of her own upbringing.

She said, “But even though my parents couldn’t give us material things, they gave us something much more precious—they gave me and my brother strong values. They taught us to treat others with

INDIA TURN TO 4

Page 4 • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Chile honors SPPS chief, Valeria Silva Saint Paul Public Schools Superintendent Valeria S. Silva was recognized with two awards from her homeland of Chile.

El Mercurio, the newspaper of record in Chile, selected Superintendent Silva as one of the top 100 Female Leaders for 2010. The award has been given for nine years to women who make differences in various fields, such as education, politics and business. Readers nominated more than 600 candidates before a panel narrowed the list to 100.

“I am truly honored and deeply humbled to be mentioned along with such outstanding women in my homeland,” Silva said. “I hope that this will further show our students here in St. Paul and children in my home country that with hard work and dedication, they can reach beyond their wildest dreams.”

Among others who received the recognition this year are former Chilean President and current United Nations Secretary Michelle Bachellet

St. Paul Schools Superintendent Valeria S. Silva with students and current Chilean First Lady Cecilia Morel.

As a recognized leader,

Silva has been invited to return to Chile in April 2011 by the International Schools

Association to work on education issues at a time when education reform is becoming

Courtesy of SPPS

a top priority for Chilean President Sebastian Pinera.

“True, I don’t live in Chile,

but in the eyes of my home country, I am a successful leader in education and our issues are very similar - quality teaching, closing achievement gaps and changing the culture of education,” Silva noted.

She is especially excited about the opportunity during a time when the country is offering new incentives to attract talented people to the teaching profession, including free education.

“Education is about passion - you are changing lives,” Silva said.

In separate ceremonies, the City of Santiago, School of San Gabriel, recognized her with their Alumna Award of the Year for 2010.

In acceptance of the very personal honor, Silva remarked, “This is the first time my mother and family members were able to hear me deliver a speech and see me receive an award. To be in their presence to receive this distinction fills me with a deep sense of gratitude.”

Teaching children how to deal with bullies Storyteller Danielle Daniel entranced an audience of over 100 young listeners at Southside Family Charter School on November 17. After an introduction from Executive Director Laura Matanah and two young Rainbow Rumpus readers, Meg Thomas from aMaze opened the event by having a large doll engage the audience in a brief back-and-forth about namecalling. Daniel then told stories about characters who found ways to deal with bullies.

Young people who were surveyed said that the stories gave them ideas about how to deal with name-calling. They also said they loved the event, which was clear from their dancing, singing, and

shout-outs in response to Daniel’s cues. Daniel was accompanied by drummer Tony Paul and nine student drumming volunteers.

The free event drew over 30 community members, including several area child care centers, in addition to the student body.

It was presented in conjunction with the National Association of Black Storytellers, and cosponsored by aMaze, Black Pride, and Southside Family Charter School.

Pre-school and school-age teachers were given copies of Rainbow Rumpus’s printable picture books, and expressed great appreciation. “Books about LGBT families are hard to find,” noted one teacher. “I’m so glad to

be made aware of this resource.”

All of the books in Rainbow Rumpus’s printable picture book series contain guides for parents and teachers. The books can be downloaded for free at http:// www.rainbowrumpus.org/htm/ printable.htm . Each book can be illustrated by children. Rainbow Rumpus publishes an awardwinning online magazine for children and teens with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents at www. rainbworumpus.org. The event was made possible by the Wells Fargo Foundation on behalf of: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the RBC Foundation USA, the Pfund foundation, and Rainbow Rumpus’s donors.

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

Danielle Daniel

India From 3 dignity and respect... They taught us that our circumstances didn’t define us and that if we believed in ourselves, if we made the most of every single opportunity, we could build our own destinies and accomplish anything we put our minds to.”

At the end of her speech she invited the students to pose tough questions at her husband, “... you got to keep him on his toes, all right?” She said he loves tough questions; they make his day for him.

...this is why we shine so bright.

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.

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President Obama’s speech was stirring as usual. He stressed on how important it was for young people to mold their minds to take up the challenges of the future.

He said, “So now the future of this country is in your hands. And before I take your questions, I want you to consider... questions about what the next 20 years will bring [for India]”. He then took some very pointed questions from the students ranging from his views on jihad to moral and spiritual issues.

From Mumbai the first couple went to Delhi, the capital of India.

Courtesy of Danielle Daniel

His interaction with Indian leaders was largely on expected grounds, yet loaded with significance. The joint communiqué, addressed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Obama made strident moves into a deeper US-India partnership in global economics and politics.

The magnum-opus of Obama’s visit was the address to the Indian Parliament. In his speech, the President attached great importance for India, as a rising economic power, to take its place on the high tables of global policy making. He even endorsed US support for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. He laid great stress at the outcomes of the growing US-India relationship: “Here in India, two successive governments led by different parties have recognized that deeper partnership with America is both natural and necessary. In the United States, both of my predecessors—one Democrat, one Republican—worked to bring us closer, leading to increased trade and a landmark civil nuclear agreement.

“Since then, people in both our countries have asked: what next? How can we build on this progress and realize the full potential of our partnership? That is what I want to address today—the future that the United States seeks in an interconnected world; why I believe that India is indispensable to this vision; and how we can forge a truly global partnership—not in just one or two areas, but across many; not just for our mutual benefit, but for the world’s”, the President said.

In Delhi, while the President was busy with the Indian Government and Parliament, Michelle Obama did some pre-Christmas shopping at the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum. She spent an hour longer at the venue than planned, filling her shopping cart with some exquisite Indian rural craft.

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Insight News • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Page 5

AESTHETICS Black Nativity reveals real meaning of Christmas

By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer The snowy season comes but once a year. Along with this season comes a pause in the arctic takeover; a kiss of kindling for the soul that delivers warmth and pleasantries like the spirit of Christmas. This welcomed break is known as Black Nativity: Now’s The Time, a seasonal production presented by the renowned Penumbra Theater Company, which opened on November 26 to audiences in the Twin Cities.

For those unfamiliar with the story, it’s a gospel tradition, centered on The Walker Family and their journey of growth and discovery that the real meaning of Christmas is better expressed through the spirit of love, rather than material offerings. As they luck upon this understanding, they open their home to a “wanderer,” as well as a couple and their baby- a pair symbolic of Mary, Joseph and

Courtesy of Penumbra Theatre

Included left to right front: Ginger Commodore, Geoff Jones, Marciano Silva Dos Santos, Greta Ogelsby, Samia Butler. Left to right back: Tonia Hughes, DeMarcus T. Green, Jennifer Whitlock.

Christ, that through dance, gracefully illustrate the story of the Black Nativity.

The play was co-conceived

by T. Mychael Rambo and Penumbra Theatre founder and associate director Lou Bellamy.

The illustrious Dominic Taylor, whose ingenious skills provide this 23- year mainstay with the necessary tools to generate a feel of something new and magical, directs. Its ribbon of gospel prose, in lieu of vocal conversation, are thanks to musical director Sanford Moore, who takes us on a sweet and electrifying journey through songs such as, “No Room at the Inn,” “The Soulful Noel,” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

The piece stars Greta Oglesby as Grandma Walker, Geoff Jones as Son, Ginger Commodore as Daughter; and Jackson Hurst and Samia Butler as the grandkids.

Dennis W. Spears reprises his role as the Wanderer, and Alanna Morris and Marciano Silva play Mary and Joseph.

Like the importance of a

rook to a chess set, all the individuals associated with this play are an intricate part to the telling of this powerful and very necessary story.

I was once told that if you can name all of the specifics as to why you might love something or someone, then you’ve failed to find the beauty of loving with your eyes closed. Apart from laying out its playbill, and going over its many corridors that dazzle, I still don’t have one, two- or even three specific reasons why I love Penumbra Theatre’s production of Black Nativity: Now’s The Time, I just do. But if my smile could be any indication of what my spirit is feeling, than indubitable beauty would be the statement that’d ring out.

Step into the tradition this year, and prepare to let your soul be inspired.

Black Nativity: Now’s the Time runs now until December 26. For ticket information visit www.penumbratheatre.org or call the box office at (651) 224-3180.

Barack Obama “letter” tender, beautiful Book Review

By Kam Williams kam@insightnews.com “In this tender, beautiful letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation.

From the artistry of Georgia O’Keefe to the courage of Jackie Robinson, from the strength of Helen Keller to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America’s children…

This beautiful book is about the potential within each of us

King From 1 the tangible thought of higher learning, King has given his young African American men something to believe in.

King’s young men are showing proof of how simple it can be to achieve your goals if you are focused. When his recent graduating class came to Urban Prep, only 4 percent were reading at grade level, but that quickly changed when these young men took responsibility for themselves and their actions, gave respect and gained respect, got in the ritual of a health learning

to pursue our dreams and forge our own paths. It celebrates the characteristics that unite all Americans, from our nation’s founders to the generations to come.”

- Excerpted from the inside cover Sasha and Malia Obama are now 9 and 12, respectively, which actually makes the First Daughters a little older than the 4-8 demographic contemplated as the target audience for this children’s book designed as a letter to them from their doting dad. Of Thee I Sing is basically a baker’s dozen, brief biographies of important figures in American history, from Father of the Country George Washington up to Maya Lin, the artist/architect who, while still an undergraduate at Yale, designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located on the National Mall.

Each subject’s entry is accompanied by an evocative airbrush portrait by Loren Long,

an award-winning illustrator who has previously collaborated with the likes of Madonna and Walt Whitman. For example, the drawing of Jackie Robinson’s captures the late baseball great at bat in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform, while that of artist Georgia O’Keefe shows her in the midst of painting one of her trademark flowers in full bloom.

My only quibble with President Obama’s picks here is with his predecessor Washington, a wealthy plantation owner who never emancipated his 300+ slaves at Mount Vernon, not even upon his death. This opus conveniently makes no mention of that glaring moral failing, opting to focus instead on the first President’s “principles” and on his patently hypocritical belief “in liberty and justice for all.”

Although I’m willing to give the author a Mulligan since he presently has many more

environment, and understood the importance of establishing positive relationships with their teachers and each other.

Minnesota Minority Education Partnership has set out to further push this concept in the Minnesota’s public schools. Over the past 25 years MMEP has set out to ensure minority youth receive high quality education. They believe Minnesota policy and practice must be shaped by competencies that make sense of how people of color view themselves and that fully accepts their identity as a student and as a minority.

State Rep. Carlos Mariani Rosa, Executive Director of MMEP, believes Minnesotans have to do more than just vote

to change current state on education in which their children are receiving. He believes it is a matter of self empowering to create change. “A way to highlight community owning,” said Rosa, is by “reclaiming the public space.”

When it comes to educators, Rosa believes it is necessary to pay attention to shift the Minnesota demographic to maximize and produce a highly skilled work force for the future.

This means employing minority educators. He said that by bringing in Tim King he can further relay the message of the importance of ensuring minority students K-12 no longer receive the alternative to the quality education they deserve.

pressing issues on his plate, I was nonetheless pleased by the inclusion of the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Sitting Bull and Albert Einstein. There was a method to Obama’s madness, here, as each choice is hailed for a prevailing trait,

ranging from creativity to intelligence to bravery and beyond.

The literary equivalent of a “Yes We Can!” rally led by our charismatic Commanderin-Chief for the benefit of the Sesame Street set.

Of Thee I Sing A Letter to My Daughters

by Barack Obama Illustrated by Loren Long Knopf Books for Young Readers Hardcover, $17.99 36 pages ISBN: 978-0-375-83527-8

Page 6 • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Insight News

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HEALTH Woman to woman... making health our business

Gray transforms circumstance into opportunity

By Alaina L. Lewis Contributing Writer Breast cancer: words once thought to be as crippling to the ears as the diagnosis of this life changing disease. Nowadays, however, with efforts from individuals like breast cancer advocate Jacqueline Gray, a significant amount of hope has been restored to many women and men who have been affected in some way or another by this non-discriminatory disease.

Gray, who is also a breast cancer survivor, turned her circumstances into a positive venture and created Woman 2 Woman Breast Cancer Foundation which provides a

Jacqueline Gray myriad of unique programs that are designed to assist families on the road to recovery, and alleviate

The Sorensen McQueen Group

some of the mental, emotional, and financial anxieties that come as a cost to fighting the battle.

Gray’s changing lives within the minority community, one conversation at a time, woman to woman. Insight News caught up with this dynamic woman to learn more about her company’s mission.

Insight News: Tell me a little bit about you and your organization?

Jacqueline Gray: I, along with my husband Kevin Gray, are the founders of Woman 2 Woman Breast Cancer Foundation, which started in November 2007. It was born out of a number of issues. I am a breast cancer survivor and wanted to give back to the community and help women through the process that I went through. I wanted to be able

Breast cancer: Early detection is key

By Melody Mendiola, MD Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer deaths among African American women. This year alone, an estimated 19,540 new cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among African American women, and about 6,000 deaths are expected to occur. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control, African American women who get breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease than white women and are less likely to survive for five years after diagnosis.

Why is death from breast cancer more prevalent among African American women than Caucasians?

Studies suggest that this disparity is due to African American women being diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage, and receiving treatment later after

What can African American women do to prevent breast cancer?

Early detection is important among all women. The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening using mammography and clinical breast examination for all women beginning at age 40.

have any nipple discharge, get skin changes around the breasts.

Do I need to have a physician to get a mammogram or can I just call and make an appointment?

It is best to talk to a physician to be sure that a mammogram is the right test for you. Mammograms work best when combined with a doctor’s breast exam, because screening mammograms can miss a small percentage of lesions. Your doctor will ask you if you have had any concerning symptoms, that may require a different test.

How can I get a mammogram or learn more about clinical breast examination?

Hennepin County Medical Center Clinics all offer mammography services as well as health professionals who can teach you about self-breast examination.

Even if you do monthly self breast examinations, it is still important to get a breast exam from a doctor once a year. Let your doctor know right away if you notice a breast lump, develop breast pain,

What if I do not have health insurance?

Hennepin County Medical Center is proud to participate in the Sage Screening Program, which provides free screening for breast and cervical cancer to women who are uninsured or underinsured. Sage is a statewide program run by the Minnesota Department of Health. Through the Sage program, you can get both a clinical breast exam and a mammogram. If additional

diagnosis. When not detected early enough, breast cancer leads to poor survival rates from the disease, and in turn, needless loss of loved ones.

tests are needed, this will also be covered through Sage.

What are the warning signs of breast cancer?

If you develop breast pain on one side, or discharge from the nipple, especially if the fluid is bloody, you should let your doctor know. Changes in the texture or dimpling of the skin over the breast should be evaluated. If you feel any new or painful lumps in the breast, you should talk to your doctor right away. If you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, you will want to discuss with your doctor when is the right time for you to start getting mammograms. If you use or have used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat symptoms of menopause, you need a yearly mammogram.

Melody Mendiola, MD, is a boardcertified general internal medicine doctor and medical director of the Brooklyn Center Clinic, a clinic of Hennepin County Medical Center, located in Brooklyn Center, MN. Dr. Mendiola is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call (612) 873-8800.

to help women think about an overall holistic approach when it comes to surviving breast cancer.

And then I also lost my sister in November 2007 to breast cancer.

Cancer plays on the psyche of the family. My husband actually was the one who came up with the name Woman 2 Woman. We were toying with names and he said, “Well, you’re a woman and you want to give back and talk to other women so why don’t you just name it Woman 2 Woman?” And that’s how Woman 2 Woman was ultimately born.

Insight News: How is Woman 2 Woman affecting the lives of women who fear going to the doctor or who would not otherwise care to talk about breast cancer?

Gray: Our program has helped women in so many ways. It has opened them up to avenues where now they feel comfortable enough to come and speak with someone. First of all, you’re meeting with a survivor herself: so I’m giving

GRAY TURN TO 7

insightnews.com

Insight News • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Page 7

COMMENTARY New generation of leaders return to D.C.

By Marc H. Morial NNPA Columnist As recently reported in the Wall Street Journal, while centrist Democrats bore the brunt of the mid-term election losses, members of the Black and Hispanic caucuses won 56 of 60 re-election bids. The more than 40 returning African American members of Congress and at least five new ones are coming to Washington fired up and determined to beat back the coming attacks on the progressive agenda the country voted for in 2008.

As a result of the elections, seven new African Americans will be sworn-in as new House members on January 5. These include two Tea Party endorsed Black Republicans -- Tim Scott, of South Carolina, and Allen West, of Florida, -- and the first

Black woman ever to represent the state of Alabama , Terri Sewell.

A native of Selma, Terri Sewell, D-AL, comes from a politically active family that placed a strong emphasis on education. Her mother was the first African American woman elected to the Selma City Council. Sewell is a graduate of both Princeton and Harvard Law School and currently works as a public interest lawyer in Birmingham.

High on her legislative priorities list is job creation, health care, and help for Black farmers.

Karen Bass, D-CA, of Los Angeles is the nation’s first Black woman State Assembly Speaker.

She will represent California ’s 33rd Congressional District in the U.S. Congress. Congresswomanelect Bass is a graduate of Cal State Dominguez Hills and the University of California School of Medicine Physician Assistant

Louisiana House of Representatives

Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA) Program. She credits having led the California state assembly

during the state’s historic fiscal crisis for giving her a grassroots

understanding of what it will take to cure the nation’s economic woes.

Hansen Clarke, D-MI, of Detroit, assumes the House seat occupied by U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick for the past 14 years. A graduate of Cornell University , Clarke formerly served as a member of the Michigan House and State Senate.

He brings years of legislative experience and a track record of bi-partisan accomplishment to his new role. He says that helping the people of Detroit navigate the often confusing labyrinth of federal benefits and services available to them will be a major focus in Congress.

Cedric Richmond, D-LA, won a landslide victory over oneterm Louisiana Congressman Anh Joseph Cao. A lifelong resident of New Orleans, Richmond is a graduate of Morehouse College, Tulane Law School , and the Harvard University executive

program. He has served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives since 2000 and created a new markets tax credit, which has steered more than $250 million in investment to the State’s hurricane ravaged areas.

With a personality as bold as her big, stylish Stetsons, Frederica Wilson, D-FL, will be occupying the House seat previously held

by Florida ’s Kendrick Meeks.

Congresswoman-elect Wilson is a former teacher, principal, and school board member who vows to carry her fight for resource equity to halls of Congress.

All of these new African American members bring fresh ideas and energy to the United States Congress. For the sake of our nation and our communities, here’s hoping they make the right kind of difference.

Marc H. Morial is President and CEO of the National Urban League.

Empowering parents a top priority Opinion

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. NNPA Columnist As we enter the final days of 2010, one of the outstanding issues of the past 12 months is the inadequate education that the majority of African American children and young adults are receiving throughout the United States.

All parents, and in particular, African American parents, want the best for their children. Thus, the empowerment of parents around the issues of improving the education of young people in the African American community should remain one of the highest priorities.

Gray From 6 a firsthand experience of what I’ve gone through. We also have our resident counselor on board; our women can sit in a private room and just speak with the counselor and open up to her and just let her know what’s on their hearts, why they’re afraid.

She shares with them why they don’t have to be afraid to overcome these barriers.

We have helped so many women. And when I tell you so many I couldn’t even begin to describe the number of women we’ve helped to overcome those barriers when it comes to their breast health.

Insight News: Why do you think women have issues with going to the doctors and having mammograms? What do you think is stopping us from doing that?

Gray: There are so many myths and so many stories out there in reference to why we don’t go, especially minority women.

However, there are many barriers --we have transportation barriers, we have workplace barriers, we may have challenging home environments.

And then within our own selves we don’t want to go because we sometimes think: “If I go to the doctor, now I have to let go and let these people know what’s going on with me and do I really want to know if I have cancer or not?” And that plays on your psyche.

So, as Black women, let me rephrase that, as minority women, because we work with Latino women, too, it really takes on a different spin when we’re dealing with those cultural barriers. But here at Woman 2 Woman, we help break down those cultural barriers. It also becomes a spiritual thing too because sometimes we tell ourselves, “God has given me this death sentence. God has given you this death sentence, and now it’s just time for us to really face what’s going on within ourselves and just to deal with it.” But we help women address this barrier, too. If breast cancer is caught early, it can

They say that information is power. Black parents need accurate and timely information about the various options and rights that they have concerning all the educational systems, programs, and institutions available.

Having a greater knowledge of how to access better and more effective educational opportunities is critical to parental empowerment.

Recently the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Grade 12 Reading and Mathematics National and Pilot State Results were released by the National Center for Education Statistics.

In both math and reading African American 12th graders scored considerably lower than White or Asian American students. Across the nation, there was a significant achievement gap in terms of the racial breakdown of 12th graders who took the test.

According to the National

Assessment Governing Board, “The racial/ethnic gaps are more pervasive, and often much larger, than those between genders.

For example, 52 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students nationwide reached the Proficient achievement level in 12th grade mathematics, compared to 33 percent of Whites, 11 percent of Hispanic, and 6 percent of Blacks.

These math test results are not acceptable.

Empowerment is not about just being angry and disgusted, it is about channeling our anger into an effective modus operandi that brings about a positive change.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Ducan stated that the results of NAEP Grade 12 “suggests that high school seniors’ achievement in reading and math isn’t rising fast enough to prepare them to succeed in college and careers.

President Obama has set a goal that the United States once again will have the highest proportion of

save your life. So that’s what we try and do. We try to help them to appreciate that. Don’t be afraid, overcome the barriers, and just get it done.

Insight News: What state are you based in, and do you intend to have these support groups and these facilities available in every state across the country?

Gray: Yes ma’am. As a matter of fact, we are a national company and we are opening our different affiliations in different states. We are currently headquartered in Florida, but we are in all fifty states. We are looking to introduce our support groups and our programs – because we have a lot of programs that we offer women – within every state that we are affiliated with.

Insight News: Is your program mostly geared toward African Americans or are you opening this up to just women in general?

Gray: We are opening up to

can speak to them from a man’s point-of-view. He also helps men understand why they need to be supportive of women in their households who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

He helps men to appreciate other aspects in which they need to step up to the plate and really help women who are battling breast cancer.

Insight News: What was it like for you when you were diagnosed? Did you feel like there wasn’t a program available like this for you?

Gray: When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I felt like I was transported to another life right at that very moment because when you’re diagnosed with cancer, period, you feel like you’ve been given a death sentence. It was something that we as a couple, my husband and I, had to go through together.

One of the reasons we started Woman 2 Woman was because I got on the phone, and we started researching different organizations. I started calling them, and at that point was when I found out that help was not out there.

A lot of the organizations from their website say they do one thing but then they do something totally different.

So I said to my husband, “You know, it’s really sad that you’re going through something like this but these organizations that say they help, they don’t”.

I said, “So why don’t we start our own organization?” And that’s how the birth of Woman 2 Woman came about. Because we wanted to give back and we wanted to do exactly what we say we could do. And so far we have accomplished that goal.

We’ve been able to achieve it on so many levels.

Insight News: Is there a life after breast cancer, or are you always just a breast cancer survivor? Are you able to get back to your normal life and not feel like you constantly have that loom over your head like it can come back?

Gray: That’s a loaded question. (LAUGHS) That’s a loaded question. There is – and

“Our program has helped women in so many ways. It has opened them up to avenues where now they feel comfortable to come and speak with someone.” women in general. We started off as an African American organization. But it has blossomed into helping women of all races. We have crossed the race barriers, or the race line, should I say. We help everyone from Caucasian to Latinos, to Asians, it doesn’t matter. We help them all.

Insight News: Men can get breast cancer too. Does your organization have any programs?

Gray: We help men, too; we are incorporating this arm. It’s called Real Men Support Pink.

My husband is an intricate part of Woman 2 Woman. He was there when we got started, he’s the co-founder of Woman 2 Woman and he actually speaks to the men. He goes out and he does speaking engagements when it comes to the men’s side for a number of reasons.

One, men do get breast cancer.

So he speaks to them from that level. He can’t speak from a personal level, only when it’s dealing with women, but he still

GRAY TURN TO 12

college graduates in the world by the end of the decade. In a survey that accompanied the NAEP test, 86 percent of seniors said they expect to graduate from college.”

Secretary Ducan was correct in general terms. But when it comes to the disparities and inequities that Black American children and youth are facing in the educational systems in America, parents in our communities need to be more vocal, organized, mobilized, and involved in the decisions and policies that impact the quality of education.

None of the current data from national reports, tests or other forms of educational assessments about the academic achievement of Black American students should be just received solely as “shocking” new data or information. We have to use this data and test results to make the case for systemic change. Black

parents have to take the lead in demanding effective educational reform locally, statewide, and nationally. There is a growing parental choice movement to improve education standards and academic performance of our children.

All children deserve equal educational opportunity. There needs to be a focus where the need is greatest and where the achievement gaps are so glaring and obvious. Low-income and working class Black families are facing increasing hardships economically as well as dysfunctions in too many of the schools in these communities.

Yet this educational crisis can be and should be turned around.

Our children want and deserve a better chance at life and it begins by demanding and struggling for a better high quality education.

Nothing less than the best for

our children is acceptable. That is why I have been somewhat encouraged lately to witness Black parents bind together in the different regions of the nation on the questions of parental choice and educational reform.

Looking into 2011 and beyond, Black parental empowerment will be key to any successful movement for change in the educational options for our children. The Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) www.baeo.org provides some of the best information and strategies to empower Black parents and to help bring about a better educational future for all our children.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is Senior Advisor for the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and President of Educational Online Services Corporation.

Page 8 • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE Budget friendly gift ideas for youngsters Style on a Dime

By Marcia Humphrey marcia@insightnews.com So, did you get all of your Christmas shopping done on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving)? Why is that day called Black Friday anyway?

I spoke to one of my girlfriends who said that between the doorbuster deals and the Macy’s coupons, she scored big savings on Christmas gifts. If you were among those of us who did not go out and do battle over bargains and parking spaces, then I want to give you a few budget-friendly gift ideas for everyone on your list.

Infants - Okay, do we really need to buy gifts for infants? They should at least be old enough to appreciate the joys of tearing into a beautifully-wrapped present and throwing the paper as they go. If you are insistent on a gift for baby, splurge and buy the premium, extra-absorbent diapers. (Online you can even find holiday-themed reusable diapers and covers.)

Younger Children Consider items that will sharpen their developing brains. Think puzzles, Legos, or books-which are great for kids of all ages. Also, look into a model car or train set. The

Gift-wrapped cakes children get the satisfaction of playing with something that they built. Finally, no kid would ever refuse the McDonald’s gift card.

Tweens, Teens, and Young Adults - Movie passes are always a great option and can be used at theaters throughout the nation. In addition, you can get discounted movie passes at Costco warehouse clubs.

To be even more economical, purchase gift certificates from Blockbusters or another nearby video rental store. Just don’t forget the popcorn!

Neighbors - Purchase a low-cost holiday-themed cookie tin or a lidded plastic container and fill it with cookies or other homemade sweets.

Another suggestion is to fill the container with a recipe card and all the premeasured ingredients to make something yummy.

www.athenamagazine.com

At this time of year, you can even find red and green plastic Ziploc-type storage bags. Your kids will enjoy helping with this project.

A Far Away Loved One Send her your famous pound cake or homemade candy, her favorite bag of chips that are not sold in her area, or a framed photo that will bring a smile and serve as a reminder of home.

While discussing gift giving with my girlfriend, she told me how she likes to purchase gifts with the individual’s tastes and preferences in mind. My other girlfriend finds it better to have a gift-giving theme-this year’s theme might be sweaters for everyone.

Whatever your preference, remember it’s the

LEGO toys gesture that is most important, not the size or price of the gift.

Decide how much you want to spend in advance, get that amount of cash, and stay focused. If paying by credit

card is your only option, then you can’t afford it. Buy gifts only if you can comfortably afford them, because the best gift that anyone can have at Christmas or any time is peace.

ENJOY!

Wikimedia Commons

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.

insightnews.com

Insight News • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Page 9

National Adoption Day highlights success stories Last month the Ramsey County Community Human Services Department observed National Adoption Day with an event featuring the formalized adoptions of 12 waiting children into permanent families. On November 20th, Michael Lehan former U of M and NFL (Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns) football player, adopted by the parents of one of his best friends, was one of several guest speakers at the adoption ceremony.

Also speaking were Ramsey County Commissioners Rebecca Reinhart and Toni Carter and James Terrell, a 21-year-old and former foster care youth who spoke on the importance of creating permanency for children.

Currently, there are approximately 80 waiting children seeking adoption in

Ramsey County every day.

While this is an urgent need, many adults are stepping forward to provide permanent families.

The ceremony served as an opportunity to learn more about adoption, the adoption process.

The Ramsey County National Adoption Day event was part of the larger movement of courts and communities in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, coming together to finalize adoptions of thousands of children. Since 2000, more than 30,000 children have had their adoptions finalized on National Adoption Day. For more information, visit www. nationaladoptionday.org.

For more information, visit http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/ hs/adoption/index.htm or call 651-266-KIDS.

Photos courtesy Ramsey County Human Services Department

Keynote speaker and former U of M and NFL football player, Michael Lehan, shared his own adoption story with attendees at Ramsey County’s National Adoption Day event.

17-year-old Ashley Ankeny was formally adopted into her permanent family at Ramsey County’s National Adoption Day event.

Ashley’s new family, Dr. Scott Saxe, his wife Jennifer and their two children, Walter and Katherine, were all in attendance to officially welcome her into the family.

Program provides lifeline for older foster kids

By Sharon Rolenc Minnesota News Connection The transition to adulthood can be a bumpy road for young people, and family support is often a critical lifeline. But for foster kids who have aged out of the system, the transition is even harder, as many lack the skills needed to make the jump to adulthood. A recent study from the University of Chicago suggests that extending foster care, or providing additional support until age 21, helps aid the transition, and one Minnesota program is doing exactly that. The Division of Indian Work’s Healthy

Transitions program teaches a range of life skills such as resume building and job hunting, applying for college, and apartment hunting.

Korina Barry is a youth worker with the program. “All of these youth are coming out of foster care with little to no support at all, and our program alone provides them with at least one person. Just being their support, we can provide them with so much, and saving the system a lot of money because they are not ending up in jail, or ending up on welfare services,” she said.

Stable, secure housing is the ultimate goal of the program, and youth who stay engaged in a weekly living skills course and

build goals for themselves are eligible to receive rental assistance to get them started in their first apartments. Currently, the program serves Native American youth in the Twin Cities, and Barry says they are hoping to expand to greater Minnesota.

Barry adds that their program is specific to the Native American community, and provides cultural opportunities like drumming, beading and Native language classes.

“A good number of them might have grown up in Native homes, or on the opposite end, might have grown up in non-Native homes, and maybe with the issues and things they’re confronted with throughout their lives, they might not have been able to participate in their culture as much as they’d like to,” said Barry.

Thamesha Williams entered the foster care system when she was seven. She’s now 19, and heard about Healthy Transitions through her social worker. The program helped her find an apartment, and got her set up with a deposit and partial rent. She says just having the emotional support makes a big difference.

“Recently, I had lost one

Randy Miranda

Youth worker Korina Barry and Healthy Transitions participant Antonio Bellanger prepare to cook dinner for a Thursday night gathering of the group in the Dakotah Lodge at the Division of Indian Work. of my really, really like good friends, and I didn’t have really no one to turn to, so I came into the office and talked to Korina,

and she helped me with that.”

Williams has dreams of becoming a paramedic. For now, she’s taking EMT classes

- thanks to college application help from Healthy Transitions.

Link to the research study are at chapinhall.org

Page 10 • December 6, 2010 - December 12, 2010 • Insight News

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Jimmy Kennedy: Viking extraordinaire Television and newspapers have been focused on all the woes of the Minnesota Vikings. To hear them talk, the reader would think that there is nothing good about the football organization.

Contrary to popular belief, one of the best things about the Vikings is defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy.

At 31, Jimmy Kennedy is not only a successful football player, but he is also a college graduate with a degree in Rehabilitation Services and minors in African American Studies and Sociology from Penn State University. He is also a business owner with a plethora of businesses which include real estate and several laundry mats.

Kennedy’s passion is to work with children who come from humble backgrounds like he does.

He was born in Yonkers, NY, in 1979. He was a young man who went through the hardships of special education. In high school he was reading at a fifth grade level. With a mother who worked two jobs and wasn’t home a lot, often times he wouldn’t eat regular meals. Many days he lived off cereal. Kennedy started

hanging out with the wrong crowd and got caught up in drug dealing and living the “fast life.” Many in his life thought he wouldn’t make it to the age of 18. With the assistance of his 9th grade coach, Tony DeMatteo, Kennedy changed his life around.

With DeMatteo’s help, Kennedy graduated from high school and graduated from college with a 3.2 grade point average. He has come a long ways from special education.

Kennedy spoke honestly and passionately with WE WIN Institute’s Rites of Passage afterschool program; which activities include academic tutoring, cultural literacy, and principles that are based on building community, the nine principles of manhood and womanhood and the seven principles of Kwanzaa. WE WIN children shared with the Vikings player the daily rituals they recite, which include libations and the pledge to give their best. They also showed him their talents with African drum and dancing. Sixty children sat at the edge of their seat as Kennedy shared intimate details of his life with them, and

Calendar

care. It must have been hard to be taken from his mom. He was caught with two guns by his coach in high school. His coach told him to play football. I liked how he told us the truth about his life. He didn’t try to pretend he was perfect. He helped me want to do better. I like that WE WIN always brings in African Americans that are doing good things. Jimmy Kennedy said he would come back and hang out with us. I really like that he was just like us.

Courtesy WE WIN Institute

Jimmy Kennedy by Jonea Wilson Hardy, Grade 7 inspired them to stay in school, to give their 100 percent so that they too can be successful in life.

Kyalah Allbritton, Durond Bell and Davant Moore share their impressions of the 6’4”, 320-pound defensive tackle, Jimmy Kennedy.

PHONE: 612.588.1313

FAX: 612.588.2031

Service

Events

Need to read better?

Call us for free classes or tutoring near your home.

• Improve your reading or math • Get ready for your GED • Learn computer skills • Study English as a Second Language Minnesota Literacy Council’s Adult Literacy Hotline: 1-800-222-1990 www.theMLC.org/hotline

Following the Spirit: Helping Young Adults Figure Out Their Next Steps - Dec 6 — Men and women between the ages of 20-40 are invited to attend the last session designed to give them tools to help them discern - or recognize - their next steps related to a job change, educational choice, or vocation. Mon., Dec. 6 7:30-9pm @ St. Jane House, 1403 Emerson Ave. N. Mpls.

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

Diversity oversight committee for new ESC seeks community input - Dec 7 — Community members are invited to provide input to the committee as part of the meeting. The committee will convene on Tue., Dec. 7,at 8:30am in the Assembly Room of the John B. Davis Building, 807 N.E. Broadway St. Mpls. The committee will hear

Program Assistant II The City of Brooklyn Park Fire Department is seeking applicants for a full-time Program Assistant II to assist the Deputy Chief of Operations with the execution of department activities and provide key administrative support to the department. Salary: $18.45/hour plus benefits. The application form and job posting with additional information and required qualifications are available on the city web site or at the address below. Closing date: 5 p.m., Friday, December 17, 2010.

City of Brooklyn Park 5200 85th Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 Phone: 763-424-8000 Fax: 763-493-8391 www.brooklynpark.org Equal Opportunity Employer

Assumed Name 1. State the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Uchefotography 2. State the address of the principal place of business: 4633 33rd Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55406 3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name OR if an entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or Limited Partnership name and registered office address. Attach additional sheet(s) if necessary: Mary Lou Middleton, 4633 33rd Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55406 4. I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Mary Lou Middleton Date Filed: 11/14/2010 Insight News 12/6/2010, 12/13/2010

Davant Moore Third Grade Jimmy Kennedy was born on November 15, 1979, in Yonkers, New York. He attended Roosevelt High School. When he was growing up he was taken from his mom. She was on drugs. He was put in foster

Durond Bell Third Grade Jimmy Kennedy was born on November 15th. Jimmy said that he had a dad who had a drinking problem. His mom had a drug addiction and then she got clean.

Jimmy ate cereal at night because his mom was working a lot. He told us that he would get beatings from his dad if he ate the last piece of bread.

Jimmy’s coach found out that he had a gun. The coach told him that he wouldn’t press charges if Jimmy agreed to get his act together, so he did.

He went to college and then he went into

pro ball. He played with a lot of football teams and then he came to the Vikings.

I’m so glad he came to WE WIN to talk to us. I learned a lot from him. He showed me that if I work hard that I can be a success like he is.

Kyalah Allbritton Eighth grade Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Kennedy.

What can I say…? His life has only just begun through all the seeds he has planted. The plant has become the new generation of Black leaders. He is an inspiration for his own kids, for me, and for everyone who is fortunate enough to hear and learn from him.

Those of us who attend WE WIN Institute were so lucky to hear him share his life and wisdom with us. He kept his message real! In the past, I only looked up to a couple of people.

Now Jimmy Kennedy is one of my heroes. As Jimmy Kennedy’s life goes up and down and over and around; he will continue to inspire me. I will soon be like him, a success! I give Jimmy Kennedy a 10!

EMAIL: andrew@insightnews.com updates from James Burroughs, Director of Equity and Diversity and Lynn Littlejohn, Director of Community Affairs for Mortenson/Legacy.

Community members are invited to provide input to the committee as part of the meeting. All speakers will be limited to three minutes. Input can also be submitted for the committee via email at equity.diversity@mpls.k12.mn.us or by calling (612) 668-0518.

Community Catalyst Networking Event Dec 7 — Do you live or work in the Central neighborhood area of South Minneapolis? Are you interested in being part of positive social change in this community? Would you like to network with like-minded organizations for potential partnership? Are sustainable food issues important to you? Then join us for a continental breakfast on Tue., Dec. 7 from 7:30-9am. Park Avenue United Methodist Church - 3400 Park Ave. Mpls.

Do you need to file for guardianship for a loved one who is disabled? - Dec 7 & 13 — When children who are disabled become adults, their parents or legal representatives may want to consider filing a petition for guardianship or limited guardianship.

Hennepin County is offering a free session, to help families learn about this process. Tue., Dec. 7, 1:30-3:30pm, & Mon, Dec. 13, 9-11 am, Jordan New Life Community Church. To register, call 612-596-6631 or go to www.hennepin.us/adsinfo.

Israel Night! - A Celebration of Israel - Dec 7 — Featuring delicious Israeli food, live Israeli music, games, information about Israel.

This is a free community event on Tue., Dec. 7 6-8:30pm. Music will be provided by Troy Mitchell from his newly released CD, “Yoke of the King”.

“Israel Night” includes a preview of HaYesod, but requires no commitment to the program. Beth Immanuel Sabbath Fellowship 828 3rd St. Hudson, WI 54016.

An Evening with Kate DiCamillo - Dec 9 — If you are a fan of great writing you won’t want to miss this incredible event. School age children are welcome! Thur., Dec. 9 6:30pm. Washburn High School 201 W. 49th St. Mpls, MN 55419 Tickets are just $5.00.

Nettie & Friends Annual Show & Sale Dec 10 — Opening reception: Sat. Dec. 4 4-8pm.

Egg and I East Restaurant, 2550 University Ave. St. Paul.

“Check it Out” Chess Tournament - Dec 11 — Open to all Minneapolis Public School Students in grades K - 12. Students must preregister through their schools. Dec. 11 at North High School 1500 N. James Ave. Mpls, MN 55411.

Questions: (612) 668-0167.

“Methods of Mass Deception”- Dec 8-11 — Naked Stages returns to Pillsbury House Theatre 7:30 pm.

Climb aboard the USS Illusion as it cuts across the Trail of Tears. “Methods of Mass Deception” by M. Cochise Anderson reimagines historical tragedies through the surreal lenses of modern media, using spoken word, movement, and satire to sail to the center of America’s affliction of entitlement.

Tickets: $15 adults. $10 students/seniors. Wed. Dec. 8 @ The House Pay-What-You-Can-Preview.

More information and tickets at 612-825-0459 or www.pillsburyhousetheatre.org.

Holiday Concert & Sing-Along - Dec 11 — Come enjoy a delightful hour of good, old-fashioned holiday cheer at Camden Music School’s Holiday Sing-Along, Craft and Bake Sale, 4-5pm, Sat. Dec. 11 at Luther Memorial, 3751 Sheridan Ave. N., Mpls, MN. 55412. FREE. 18th Walker Community UM Church Arts and Crafts Fair - Dec 12 — Sun., Dec. 12, 10am-4pm, many kinds of arts, crafts, and food by local folks.

3104 16th Ave. S. Mpls.

Potluck of Ideas - Dec 14 — What do you bring to the table when it comes to your feelings about the state of America? Share your food for thought: bring a potluck item inspired by this question! Film Screening: Sekou Sundiata’s 51st Dream State.

Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave. S. Mpls. $5 With Potluck Item / $10 Without. Get Your Seats Today! Call 612.871.4444.

Writing in Circles - Dec 14 — A new writing group led by poet & songwriter Desdamona. All writers are welcome to come and explore writing prompts, working on preexisting work, sharing and getting feedback, learning constructive ways to give feedback and networking with other writers in the Twin Cities area. Tue. Dec. 14 6pm at Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave. S. Mpls.

Arise! Bookstore Hosts Festive Holiday Sale - Dec 19&20 — Holiday sale and fundraiser for Arise! Bookstore. Sat., Dec. 19 and Sun., Dec. 20, 11am–9pm; baked goods go on sale at 11am and music starts at 5pm on the 19th @ 2441 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405.

insightnews.com

Insight News • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Page 11

Youth, engagement, philanthropy fund launched The Minneapolis Foundation and the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board (YCB) are engaging young people to help address youth violence, through the launch of a new (612) YEP (Youth Engagement Philanthropy) fund. The fund is the first of its kind created by the two organizations, in which young people will choose which projects receive financial support. The fund is now accepting applications for projects and activities that reflect the goals of the City of Minneapolis’ “Blueprint for Action: Preventing Youth Violence.”

Only projects involving youth leadership will be eligible for funding. Grants will range in size from $1,500 to $3,500; a total of $40,000 is available.

“The Minneapolis Foundation and YCB joined forces because we both understand the importance of young people’s involvement in the community, especially

around this critical issue,” said Ann DeGroot, YCB’s executive director. “This joint effort combines YCB’s expertise in working with youth, with the grantmaking expertise of The Minneapolis Foundation, while providing an opportunity for young people to understand another facet of civic life and invest in solutions they believe in.”

The (612) YEP fund was created through $25,000 from YCB, and $15,000 from the Minneapolis Foundation.

Funding will be used to support projects that address the goals of the Blueprint for Action: Preventing Youth Violence in Minneapolis, which are to: • connect every youth with a trusted adult, • intervene at the first sign that youth are at risk for violence, • restore youth who have gone down the wrong path, and • unlearn the culture of violence in our community.

“The Minneapolis

Foundation is deeply committed to preventing youth violence,” said Karen KelleyAriwoola, vice president of community philanthropy for The Minneapolis Foundation and a co-chair of the steering committee that created the Blueprint for Action. “We’ve funded a variety of violence prevention efforts, partnered with the City in developing and implementing the Blueprint, and engaged youth to let us know what strategies they believe work best and what we, as a community, can do better.

The (612) YEP is an extension of that work, empowering young people to design and select the projects they believe will make the greatest difference on an issue that directly affects their lives.”

Eleven young people, eight who are part of YCB’s Minneapolis Youth Congress and three who are part of the Minneapolis Community Education H.Y.P.E. program, will decide which projects

receive funding. The youth developed the fund’s (612) YEP name; they also received training from The Minneapolis Foundation on how to review grant applications, including how to evaluate them and the types of questions to ask.

“In the training, I learned the value of looking at organizations’ mission statements and overall budgets to understand how a potential grant project fits into their programming,” said Davi Singer, 17, a senior at Southwest High School, and a member of H.Y.P.E. “We also learned that we will need to respect our differences and figure out how to prioritize which groups we will fund and how much, and why.

We’re all there for a variety of reasons, but my main hope is that through the projects we fund, kids will have positive activities available and that violence will decrease next summer.”

“I think sometimes issues

involving youth happen because kids are sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Miiko Taylor, a senior at South High School, who has been a member of the YCB Minneapolis Youth Congress since 2008. “I would love to see programs get supported that can help keep kids active and off the streets, whether that is through after school programs, community service or other activities. I am 17 years old, and I feel really honored to be asked to do something like this that could have a big impact on my community,” said Taylor.

Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth-serving agencies and public institutions that work with youth. Grant applications must be youth-led (middle and high school age Minneapolis youth), with youth involved in the design and implementation of the program / activities, as well as in development of the grant proposal

itself.

Grant applications are available to download from The Minneapolis Foundation website, www.

MinneapolisFoundation. org, or the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board website, www.ycb.org. Further information on eligible organizations, examples of projects and details on submitting proposals are also available online.

Grant proposals are due no later than 2:00 p.m. on December 29; proposals will be reviewed in January.

Applicants may be asked to make a presentation about their grant request in February.

Funding decisions will be announced in February. The projects are to take place during summer 2011 – with final reports on the results of the project due by Sept. 30, 2011.

For more information, contact Valerie Lee, community philanthropy officer, The Minneapolis Foundation, at (612) 672-3849.

Project for Pride in Living promotes digital inclusion

By Steve Cramer Executive Director, Project for Pride in Living According to Wikipedia, the “digital revolution” is change from analog mechanical and electronic technology to digital technology that has taken place since c. 1980 and continues to the present day. It’s a revolution without end in the ways we transact daily business.

Public debate about implications of our digital world have focused on content issues along with speed and ubiquity of technology, but an emerging concern is the subject of a December 6th community forum at the Humphrey Institute; “Digital Inclusion: A Community Agenda for Economic, Education and Civic Equity”. As the title suggests, for some members of the community lack of access and inability to meaningfully use

digital technology is a growing barrier to full participation in modern society. The afternoon forum, from 4:00 – 6:00, will shine a bright light on this concern. (To register for this free event, go to http://www. ppl-inc.org/forums.)

What we experience at Project for Pride in Living, Inc. (PPL) working with lower income people illustrates the challenge. At a recent meeting a cross-section of frontline staff talked about the aptly named digital divide, not as an intellectual concept but a real world problem for families trying to find employment, manage their finances, stay connected with their children’s schooling, find out where to vote, or perform a number of life’s necessities now done chiefly if not exclusively online.

It’s not a stretch to argue that digital access and capability is a new building block of selfsufficiency, just like access

to stable affordable housing and a living wage job. But not enough priority has been placed on policies to address the digital divide or public and private investments to close it, hence the importance of the

education and community engagement purposes. Some of PPL’s work is illustrative of what is needed.

At a time when finding work is difficult and hiring is increasingly internet based,

“It’s not a stretch to argue that digital access and capability is a new building block of selfsufficiency, just like access to stable affordable housing and a living wage job.” upcoming gathering.

Speakers at the forum include Seattle’s Community Technology Director, St. Paul’s Library Director Kit Hadley, and several local and national practitioners who are doing cutting edge work creating true access for employment,

PPL’s computer access labs and workshops take a “high touch” approach to helping people improves computer skills, conduct online job searches, create resumes, set-up email accounts, and much more. Use of these resources is up 65% this year.

Our Service Coordinators are using laptops which enable faster response for, and handson involvement of, program participants as they work together with staff who can model behavior needed for success.

Our mobile technology labs (computers and internet) bring digital access into PPL community rooms in apartment buildings across the Twin Cities, and to our after-school sits. This allows parents and children alike to engage in school-related activities that they would otherwise miss and develop skills for future use.

Through partnerships with the University of Minnesota’s Digital Divide Initiative and the Geek Squad, several hundred families have received refurbished computers for their home use and on-going instruction on how to safely use and maintain them. In exchange these families agree to perform several hours of community

service.

Programs developed jointly with leaders in immigrant communities have helped hundreds of Hmong, Somali and Latino citizens find employment and education resources and become fuller participants in the life of the Twin Cities which they now call home.

The dizzying pace of change in the ways we communicate and access information essential to daily life isn’t a new issue, but the practical implications of being behind that curve are growing more and more serious. Consideration of means to drive meaningful digital access, literacy and use deeply into disadvantaged households as an essential element of economic, education and social equity must also become more serious, lest the digital divide become another gaping disparity in the Twin Cities separating haves from have-nots.

Page 12 • December 6 - December 12, 2010 • Insight News

insightnews.com

SPORTS

Early Superbowl picks Mr. T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com The one undercurrent for all those folks asking about and interested in early Super Bowl predictions – now that the Thanksgiving turkey has worn off and half of the NFL teams have been mathematically eliminated – is: what about Michael Vick? Could Michael Vick win a Superbowl in his first year back as a starter in the NFL? I always like to be here to help out with the barbershop arguments, and the answer is: No. Sorry. But Vick will win a Super Bowl eventually. Teams kind of have to be in a groove going into this portion of the season, and Vick’s Eagles don’t fit that bill. But as far as the Vikings’ conference, the NFC, surprisingly everyone might want to keep their eyes on the Chicago Bears. I’m slowly beginning to win over the debate crowd with the message that “defense wins championships.” And just like in 2006, the Bears can once again be called the “Monsters of the Midway” when it comes to defense.

Of course the Bears have linebacker Brian Urlacher in the center of their defense. But when I consider defense I also kind of wrap special teams into that equation, too. When you look at it that way, then not only do you have to consider the generally stiff performance of the Bears’ defense, but you also have to bring up the name Devin Hester. For a few years now the Bears have tried to use Hester’s talents more consistently on the offensive side of the ball – Hester started out his career on defense, and I think it’s crazy that they didn’t keep him there at least part time. Hester’s money making, and touchdown making, ability comes in the kick return game.

There has never, ever, ever, … eva, eva, been someone in the league who can return kicks like Devin Hester. It baffles me to no end why coaches

allow their kickers to kick the ball anywhere in Hester’s area code. Hester has several NFL records for returning kicks, including five in his rookie year (2006). Football is a game of three phases, and when offense or defense gets muddled during a game, that is just the time when an 80 yard touchdown on a punt return

by Devin Hester can send the crowd into a frenzy; take some wind out of the other team; and have the offense and defense feeling like they have on a new pair of shoes.

The Bears are certainly not the standout team in the NFL this year thus far, but that is kind of the point. When there are no runaway successful teams in a season, the situation is ripe for a team that simply plays solid defense, superb special teams, and mediocre offense. The Bears defense is actually not as good as it was in 2006 when they went to the Super Bowl. But their offense is better (depending on the day), and their special teams still has Devin Hester. The Atlanta Falcons look to have the most solid groove going in the NFC, and the NFL overall for that matter, but the Bears have better defense, and you heard what I had to say about defense.

As for the Vikings, while they are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, I would advise fans to just sit back and enjoy the show, as Brett Favre rides off into the sunset – yeah, right. I can’t believe anybody is thinking that Favre won’t make another run at it next year. Favre just threw for a career high in yardage a few weeks ago, and gunslingers fancy the thought of going out in a blaze of glory – which this season has little chance to provide for the Vikings. Personally I think Favre should come back next year. At this point, why not?

Rookie quarterback Joe Webb should be half-way ready to start sometime next year, but half-way isn’t exactly the best idea to go at anything.

Though Bears fans may have a smile on their faces because I think their team will sneak into the Superbowl this year, they shouldn’t smile too hard. Should the Bears make it to the Super Bowl they

Devin Hester will get slobber-knockered by whomever they play.

Considering that the Pittsburgh Steelers do the most slobberknockerin’ (and paying the big fines that go along with

Wikimedia Commons

hitting opponents that hard), it would make perfect sense for the NFL version of the Los Angeles Lakers to add to their championship trophy case, while the Lakers pursue the

3-Peat (smile).

Chicago versus Pittsburgh sounds like a good chicken wing eatin’-I don’t care because the Raiders stink again-Super Bowl. I’m all about the Super

Bowl commercials this year.

Viking fans should smile as long as that human piece of steel named Adrian Peterson is marching up and down the field in a purple jersey.

Gray

healthy life outside of breast cancer once it’s caught early and you’ve gone through your therapy and everything. Yes, you do have a life afterwards.

But, there is not a cure-all for it. In the back of your mind, you still have that little piece, that little inkling that the first little quirk you feel or when you go for your annuals, “Are they going to find something in the breast?” or “What’s going on?”.

For instance, for me, I have now six cysts in my left breast. The cancer was in my right. So now

I have six cysts in my left breast that they keep a vigilant eye on.

Because you know, you have that chance of it coming back.

But on the flip side, you can still live and not think day by day that “I have this disease in my body” or “it can come back”. That’s why we’re here. That’s why Woman 2 Woman is here. To help you to really concentrate on the life after the disease. Yes, I have the disease, yes I may even get the disease. But now what do I do afterwards? So our support groups and our events and everything we do within Woman 2 Woman help that person to not even think about, for a moment in time, not to even think about “I have this disease”. “I’ve just been victorious over this disease,” that’s what we do.

Insight News: If you could implore anyone to do anything as a part of your company, what would you tell women?

What would your last words be to make them understand how important this is?

Gray: My last words would be…early detection, really does, and really can provide protection for your life. Get it done. You can live a long, happy, healthy life. You’re better off alive to your family than dead to your family. Don’t be afraid to go and have the mammograms done, the ultrasounds done. Don’t be afraid to talk about it to others.

Don’t even be afraid if you think you may have this disease, or you think you feel something in your breast. Talk about it. Talk about it. Talk about it. Don’t be a silent voice. Don’t let your voice go unheard because of what you have heard. The only way we can overcome it is that we have to beat it. We have to overcome what’s within us. And that’s the fear of talking to each other.

For more information on how you can support this foundation, please visit: www. w2wbcf.org.

Read the entire interview at insightnews.com

From 7 I’m going to answer it like this – there is a life after breast cancer.

There really and truly is. But, as a breast cancer survivor, as a victor over breast cancer, and that’s what I say I am, you still have in the back of your mind that it could come back. Because there is no cure, there is no cure for it. There is treatment for it, and yes, you can live a long,