Insight News:::8.26.19

WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING

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Insight News August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019

Vol. 46 No. 34• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Comcast presented 50 Sanneh Foundation families with laptop computers and complimentary Internet Essentials service. L-R: Tony Sanneh, president and CEO, Sanneh Foundation; Jasmine Garvey, Sanneh Foundation Summer Camp attendee; Steve White, president, Comcast West Division; Adan Solano-Vega, Sanneh Foundation Summer Camp attendee; and Dr. Joe Gothard, superintendent, St. Paul Public Schools. Below: Sanneh Foundation Summer Camp youth receiving their new back-to-school back packs.

BRIDGING DIGITAL DIVIDE

C OM OMC CAST STO OR RYY O ON N PHOTOS BY COMCAST

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Page 2 • August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019 • Insight News

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An Ordway Music Theater Original 42nd Street

By Carmen Robles Afrodescendientes Associate Editor The corner of Market and Washington Streets, surrounded by west 4th and west 5th Streets, is Minnesota’s hidden gem.

During the recent Ordway Original production of “42nd Street,” the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts was Minnesota’s very own Broadway.

Walking out the Ordway’s doors, sitting directly across Rice Park is the elegant St. Paul Hotel and Condominiums. To the Ordway’s left is the castle looking historical Landmark Center. To the Ordway’s immediate right, is the St. Paul Athletic Club and a few feet further down on the same side of the street sits the historic St. Paul Library. It’s a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the theater district on the real streets of 42nd New York City.

The glamourous “42nd Street” set on the Ordway stage, however, immediately cast a spell, captivating the audience for the next two and half hours (plus intermission), thrusting them, toe tapping first, into the “42nd Street” scenes of the then and now.

The orchestra was hoisted on a second level of the stage, adding to the allure; the musicians bringing the streets below to life with the music

and rhythm that encapsulates the rich sounds of the city.

The “new jazz-funk orchestra-

tions and tap dancing” where the dancers displayed Olympic worthy athleticism through

dance, clearly reflected the times in which we live. The costumes, scenery, the change

of the settings, were a perfect blend and compliment to this new 21st century out-of-the-

box tap dancing extravaganza rendition of timeless classic.

The star-studded diverse cast hailed from New York, Chicago and from right here in our hometown, the Twin Cities; led by Tony Award winner Tamara Tunie, who gave us a mesmerizing performance.

Tunie aka Attorney at Law Jessica Griffin in “As the World Turns” aka medical examiner, Dr. Melinda Warner on “Law and Order Special Victims Unit” could belt it out. Originally from Pittsburgh, Tunie is African-American with NativeAmerican roots and is blessed with a voice and a presence that is magical. That is breath taking.

The audience cheered, laughed, hooted, whistled, jumped out of their seats. We were all swept away by the fresh take on the same message, “Don’t give up on your dreams.” In the case of “42nd Street,” a small town girl has dreams of staring in Broadway show. Through determination, grit and feet that did not quit, she recognized opportunity, seized it and tapped her way to stardom.

This Ordway Original was a revival in more ways than one … it was a reminder, an inspiration, for making dreams come true.

There is nothing more uplifting than a toe tapping, humming musical filled with optimism. We are so luck to have the Ordway Music Theater in our own backyard.

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra:

10 years of concert programs in North Minneapolis

Pat Carney

Summer Camp Capri middle school-age scholars were featured in two performances of the original play,“Higher Heights.” Director Dennis Spears (far right) with student performers.

For the 10th year, The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) brings classical music concerts and special programs designed for children and families to North Minneapolis.

SPCO Chamber Music Series concerts on the Northside include “Dvorak’s Bass Quintet,” Oct. 25 and “Mozart and

Arensky Quartets,” April 3.

Free family music events include “Start the Music! Wonderous Winds,” geared for children ages 3-6 and their families, Oct. 26 and “Xplorchestra! Calling all Horns,” geared for children ages 5-9 and their families, April 4.

In addition, the SPCO is pre-

senting a Northside Celebration concert at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Jan. 25 at North Community High School, 1500 James Ave. N. This concert will also be performed at 8 p.m. Jan, 24, at the Ordway Theater for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, 345 Washington St. All Northside SPCO performances and children’s events

are free for Northside residents.

To reserve free tickets, go to www.thespco.org and enter your zip code in the promo code box, or call the SPCO box office at (651) 291-1144. Tickets ($15 for adults) may also be purchased online or by calling the box office.

All regular SPCO programs

this season will be held at Sanctuary Covenant Church, 710 W. Broadway Ave. in North Minneapolis, while the Capri Theater is closed for expansion and renovation.

“We enter the 10th year of our partnership with SPCO with sincere gratitude for the years of wonderful programming they’ve

brought to our community, and for their flexibility in moving to Sanctuary for a year while we’re closed for construction,” said James Scott, director of the Capri. “SPCO is an exemplary partner, and we look forward to their first concert in the new Capri when we open in 2020.”

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs!

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Jaequan Failkner Teen entrepreneur Jaequan Faulkner, 14, owner of Mr. Faulkner’s Old-Fashioned Hot Dogs, drumming up business outside of his new location at the Minneapolis Urban League, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis.

Faulkner gained national at-

tention last year when someone tried to have his hot dog stand at his home shut down because he didn’t have proper permits.

Instead of being shut down, city officials and mentors at NEON worked with the young businessman to get him the proper licenses

and food handling training.

The new Urban League location is open daily from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. until Aug. 30. Faulkner said he will consider fall hours once he determines his school load as a freshman entering Fair School, Minneapolis.

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Insight News • August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019 • Page 3

Insight News WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING

August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019

WINNER: 2019 GENERAL EXCELLENCE, 3RD PLACE, COLUMN WRITING, 2ND PLACE

Vol. 46 No. 34• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

When is enough, enough?

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com

Minneapolis woman says she was beaten on sight by police when she opened her door to them as they answered a domestic call The only difference between Champaigne Hale and Justine Ruszczyk (Damond) is Hale is still alive.

That’s what supporters of Hale are telling the public following an Aug. 10 encounter with Minneapolis Police Department officers. Like Ruszczyk, who was killed in July 2017 after calling Minneapolis police to report a possible crime, Hale say her mother’s call to police to report an assault resulted in Hale, 28, being brutally beaten and tasered simply for opening the front door to her home.

“I opened the door and they immediately attacked me,” said Hale, following an Aug. 19 news conference called by varying groups including the Minneapolis and St. Paul branches of the NAACP, the Minneapolis Urban League, Communities United Against Police Brutality and Freedom Now, Free the Land. “The officers came in and

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Champaigne Hale, 28 (right) wipes tears while being consoled by Leslie Redmond, president of the Minneapolis NAACP during an Aug. 19 news conference to discuss alleged police brutality suffered by Hale at the hands of Minneapolis police. immediately attacked me with no questions asked.”

Hale’s brother, Lee Evans, 29, corroborates Hale’s account. Evans said, disturbingly, the police knew their actions

were unlawful, making reference as to if they were being recorded.

“I heard a cop ask if the body cams were on and another officer said ‘no,’ and that’s when I saw him (a Minneapolis

police officer) punch my sister and after that I went to my sister’s aid and at that point I was attacked,” said Evans, who said he was then tasered two times by police.

Now as a result of the incident Hale and Evans … first, witnesses and potential victims to the underlying reason for the police call … are now both victims

Omar, Tlaib decry Israeli ban

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) joined with Minnesotans of the Jewish faith and those of Palestinian lineage to decry the decision by Israel at the urging of President Trump to deny entry of the two congresswomen in the Israel, and thus, Palestine.

Omar and Tlaib held a nearly 40-minute press conference Aug. 19 inside the Minnesota capitol to condemn the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – actions taken at the behest of a Trump Tweet.

On Aug. 15 the president took to Twitter to say, “It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib (sic) to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds. Minnesota

Harry Colbert, Jr.

With tears in her eyes Rep. Rashida Tlaib (left) explains her decision not to travel to Palestine to visit her grandmother due to Israeli restrictions placed on the visit. Rep. Ilhan Omar (right) was banned along with Tlaib from entering Israel and Palestine. and Michigan will have a hard time putting them back in office. They are a disgrace!” He followed up with a tweet a few hours later saying, “Representatives Omar and Tlaib are the face of the Democrat Party, and they HATE Israel!” Following

the tweet, it was announced that the only two Muslim women serving in Congress were banned from entering Israel.

Since Israel controls entry into Palestine the ban also prevents the two from entering the nation state. Tlaib, whose grand-

mother lives in Palestine, was later given clearance to visit, but it came with an abundance of caveats, which Tlaib first agreed to, but later rejected.

“I talked to my grandmother and she said I am her free bird, so why would I come back and bow down when my election rose her head high … gave her dignity,” tearfully said Tlaib.

“So, I decided I cannot come until I was free as a United States Congresswoman (to come).”

Netanyahu’s official reason for the ban of Omar and Tlaib is because the two were to meet with members of the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions), a movement to squeeze Israel economically until it withdraws from occupied territories of Palestine. Omar and Tlaib say that excuse does not hold water.

“The reason this group came to our attention was because several senior col-

OMAR 6

Minnesotans can now remove racially restrictive covenants on home titles Minnesotans now have the opportunity to formally respond to dated restrictive racial covenants that still remain on home titles.

Racial covenants are clauses in housing titles that were used by real estate developers in the 20th century to discriminate against and prevent people of color from buying, owning, or even residing in certain properties.

“This is historic,” Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL-Minneapolis), who championed the legislation

Rep. Jim Davnie (DFLMinneapolis) 63A

News

Pediatricians: Black children suffer significantly from racism

PAGE 4

during the 2019 session. “Although the covenants no longer have any force of law, Minnesotans deserve to have the ability to respond to the dated racist stains on their home titles. History matters and this new law helps our community continue the dialogue around racial discrimination in housing in Minnesota.”

Davnie’s legislation allows residents to fill out a form related to the title of the property to clarify the restrictive covenant is ineffective, and legally

discharge it from the property.

For Hennepin County residents, the county’s website has been updated with information for homeowners who wish to record affidavits to denounce these restrictive covenants.

You can learn more about Minneapolis’s housing history from the Mapping Prejudice Project, which has compiled research related to Jim Crow laws in northern cities of the United States.

News

Sanneh Foundation, Comcast address digital divide

PAGE 6

Mike Freeman

Freeman suggests new ways for handling officer-involved shootings Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told a working group on police-involved deadly force encounters that any video related to the death of a citizen should be made public as soon as possible but in all cases within 45 days of the incident.

Freeman testified Aug. 17 in front of the 16-member working group co-chaired

by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota Commissioner of Public Safety John Harrington.

“We know that officer-involved shooting cases are some of the most difficult cases we face as a society and as professionals, each with intense public interest,” Freeman told the working group. “We share these remarks with a profound commitment to deal fairly, transparently and as professionally as we can on each case. We assign our most experienced people

and accused. Hale, whose photos of her many injuries were placed throughout the room of the press conference, is now facing two felony counts of assault on a police officer and Evans is facing one felony count of assault on a peace officer.

“When is enough, enough,” asked Leslie Redmond, president of the Minneapolis NAACP. “Gov. (Tim) Walz, (Minneapolis) Mayor (Jacob) Frey, when is enough, enough?”

Redmond said an even greater injustice occurred when Hale was arrested and instead of being placed in a jail cell she was placed in a psychiatric ward because she told officers she didn’t feel safe.

“I don’t feel safe,” said Redmond. “Raise your hands in this room if you don’t feel safe with what’s going on here.”

A majority of hands went up in the room of almost all Black spectators.

“Five cowardly men came into this home and beat this woman (Hale) and I’d have taken the same beating her brother took to protect my sister,” said activist John Thompson.

“What Lee did was heroic. He saw five grown men beating his sister and he put his body in front of hers to protect her from being beaten

BRUTALITY 6

and allocate all the resources necessary to reach justice.”

Freeman made several recommendations, based on a number of highly publicized officer-involved shooting cases in Hennepin County since 2015.

Some of the recommendations are already being practiced to the dismay of those who seek change in the investigation and possible prosecution of officers involved in deadly shootings.

Among those recommendations are not using a grand jury to decide whether to charge an officer. Freeman said instead, the county attorney should make the charging decision.

This practice came under heavy fire in the November 2015 shooting of unarmed citizen Jamar Clark, 24, shot dead by Minneapolis Police Officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze. In that case Freeman alone determined that no charges should be filed against the two officers who killed Clark, despite the fact Clark was unarmed at the time of the encounter and it was police, not Clark, who video evidence showed initiated physical contact.

Freeman also said officers who kill a civilian should not be investigated by his own department, and instead, an independent police agency should conduct the investigation. This is almost always the case as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) investigates most state officer involved shootings.

The Hennepin County Attorney said the Minnesota Legislature should adopt the California law that calls for the investigating agency to release body-worn camera, dash camera and other video of the incident as soon as practicable but no later than 45 days. He also said the legislature should re-examine the laws governing when and how officers may use deadly force.

He said clarifying these statutes and jury instructions will pro-

FREEMAN 6

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PAGE 7

Page 4 • August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019 • Insight News

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Insight 2 Health Pediatricians: Black children suffer significantly from racism

By The Tri-State Drfender Surprise ‌ racism – that “thingâ€? white people say doesn’t exist – has dire long-term eects on the health of Black children and adolescents, according to a report released by the country’s largest group of pediatricians.

The report, crafted into a ďŹ rst-of-its-kind policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), calls racism “a socially transmitted disease passed down through generations, leading to the inequities observed in our population today.â€? It draws on 180 studies to reach its conclusions and includes speciďŹ c recommendations. It also notes that in President Trump’s America (“the current political and cultural atmosphere,â€? according to the Washington Post), the danger to children is more acute and the work more urgent. “If you look at what’s in the news today, in social media, on Twitter, there is so much kids are exposed to,â€? said to the Post Jackie Douge, a pediatrician who co-wrote the policy. “As much as you want to keep it in the background, it’s not in the background. It’s having direct health eects on kids.â€?

The eects of racism have long been documented by the medical community and has dire eects on our health, as the Post reports. “Exposure to racism in adults has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, depression and other ailments. And researchers have increasingly identiďŹ ed dangers racism presents to the development of babies and children.

Studies have found lower birth weights in babies born to African-American mothers who experience discrimination.

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Although we know racism has an adverse effect, we simply don’t know how deeply it affects our children.

A recent analysis found an increased risk of premature birth among Latina women following Trump’s election, part of a pattern of poorer health outcomes among Latinos during his administration. Other recent studies have found an increased risk of depression, obesity and greater susceptibility to sickness among children who are exposed to racism. Researchers have linked racism experienced by children to worsened sleep, higher rates of doctor visits and lower self-esteem. “One of the main mechanisms responsible for those eects, researchers say, is the way prolonged stress wears away at people’s bodies. Experiences of discrimination can ood the body with stress hormones such as cortisol — a chemical

that readies the body to ďŹ ght or ee. Studies have show that even the anticipation of discrimination can trigger the stress response.

Over time, stress hormones can lead to inammatory reactions that make the body more susceptible to chronic diseases.

Though it can sometimes be diďŹƒcult to parse out racism from all the other structural inequalities, including a disproportionate number of black children being jailed, poverty, violence and food insecurity, clearly there is a link to health outcomes in black children, according to researchers.â€?

As Kyle Yasuda, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics noted to the Post, “It’s more than just medicine and genetic makeup.

It means looking at all the de-

terminants of health. And science has shown us racism plays a part in that equation.�

The new report will be issued to the AAP’s 67,000 members with an extensive list of recommendations, reports the Post. The AAP News and Journals, in summarizing the report, says that doctors of providers “might ask about recent events in the community that may have had an impact on the patient and family, determine the need for counseling or alternative forms of support such as aďŹƒnity groups at school, and provide anticipatory guidance on eective communication and strategies to keep children and adolescents safe. Pediatricians can collaborate with local schools, school health systems and justice systems to ensure that all

patients meet their developmental and vocational milestones.�

In addition to diversifying the ďŹ eld and training pediatric sta to be more “culturally competent,â€? the policy also recommends that “pediatricians reect on their own biases and integrate structural and individual-level strategies that optimize professional practice.â€?

From the report, “By engaging patients and families in clinical care settings and through eective anticipatory guidance, pediatricians can help parents raise children and adolescents who can do identify racism when they see (bystander) or experience it (target), dierentiate racism from other forms of unfair treatment, oppose the negative messages or behaviors by others and replace it with some-

thing positive or constructive to prevent the observed longitudinal health and developmental consequences associated with internalizing those experiences.�

Ultimately, although we know racism has an adverse eect, we simply don’t know how deeply it aects our children. “It’s a new age of racism,â€? said Nia J. Heard-Garris, a pediatrician at Northwestern University, to the Post. “I see them trying to shut it out and tune it out. I think they’re trying to ďŹ gure out ways of coping that previous generations didn’t have to. And I don’t think we’ll know what the consequences are going to be for a while.â€?

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

New Ebola drugs show exciting promise with 90 percent cure rate (Global Information Network) – Two experimental treatments are raising hopes among medical personnel that a cure for the deadly virus Ebola has been found.

The antibody-based treatments will now be oered to all patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, announced the ďŹ nding together with Dr. JeanJacques Muyembe, director of Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research and Dr. Michael J. Ryan, director of emergency response for the World Health Organization.

P s y c h o l o g i c a l l y, Muyembe said, news of a cure could change the course of this outbreak, which is the worst of the 10 that Congo has endured.

After years of war and genocide, residents of east-

ern Congo are deeply distrustful of the government in the capital, Kinshasa. Rumors have spread that Ebola does not exist, or that treatment teams steal blood and body parts for witchcraft. Treatment centers have been shot up or burned down. “Now we can say that 90 percent can come out of treatment cured, they will start believing it and developing trust,â€? Muyembe said. “The ďŹ rst ones to transmit this information will be the patients themselves.â€?

Muyembe, 77, whom Fauci referred to as a “true hero,â€? has been ďŹ ghting Ebola since it ďŹ rst appeared in what was then Zaire in 1976. “(He) is a unique and courageous African health leader,â€? said Peter Piot, professor of Global Health and Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine,

who ďŹ rst met Muyembe at Yambuku. “He stayed in Congo during decades of very turbulent history and succeeded in main-

which was declared a public health emergency last month, has now infected about 2,800 known patients, killing more

“The epidemic, which was declared a public health emergency last month, has now infected about 2,800 known patients, killing more than 1,800 of them, according to the world health body.�

taining scientiďŹ c excellence and integrity throughout. He has trained several generations of much needed physicians, microbiologists, and public health workers in DRC. He is a role model for many of us.â€?

The epidemic,

than 1,800 of them, according to the world health body.

The new experimental treatments, known as REGN-EB3 and mAb-114, are both cocktails of monoclonal antibodies that are infused intravenously into the blood. The drugs are most eective when used as treatments for patients with low levels of Ebola in the

bloodstream, according to the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

Both drugs are U.S. made. REGN-EB3 is made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals of Tarrytown, N.Y. Fauci’s institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, developed mAb114 and licensed production last year to Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, a Miami company.

The two new therapies were among four tested in a trial that has enrolled almost 700 patients since November.

The two worked so well that a committee recommended that the other two treatments, ZMapp, made by Mapp Biopharmaceutical, and Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences, be stopped. All patients will now be oered either the Regeneron or the Biotherapeutics drug.

Fauci paid tribute to all of those involved in the trial in four towns – Beni, Katwa, Butembo and Mangina. NGOs including International Medi-

cal Corps and Doctors Without Borders “put their lives on the line every day to care for patients in extremely diďŹƒcult conditions in the area where the outbreak is occurring,â€? he said.

Decades ago, Muyembe pioneered the use of survivors’ blood serum — which contains antibodies — in order to save patients. The two experiment treatments that proved successful last week descend in part from his original research.

Asked how he felt about that during a telephone news conference, Muyembe said through a translatorm “I’m a little sentimental. I had this idea a long time ago, and I’ve waited patiently for it. I’m very happy, and I can’t believe it.�

The Regeneron treatment — the one with the best results — was added to the clinical trial at the last minute only after reconsideration by a World Health Organization panel of experts, the company said.

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Sanneh Foundation, Comcast address digital divide Comcast shared the details of its expansion of the Internet Essentials program and while surprising 50 families with free laptop computers and 100 backpacks at The Sanneh Foundation summer camp.

In addition, Comcast Twin Cities announced its threeyear partnership with St. Paul Public Libraries to support computer training classes and promote Internet Essentials. A new library delivery vehicle, branded and sponsored by Comcast, was unveiled at the Aug. 20 event at the Conway Community Center in St. Paul.

In addition to the lucky families, Tony Sanneh, founder and CEO of The Sanneh Foun-

Comcast

Hundreds of area families are benefiting from low cost Internet access thanks to Comcast Internet Essentials. Several families walked away with free laptops during an Aug. 20 Comcast event at Conway Community Center in St. Paul.

dation was on hand for the event, along with Steve White, president, Comcast West Division, St. Paul Councilmember Jane Prince (Ward 7), Dr. Joe Gothard, superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools and Catherine Penkert, St. Paul library director Internet Essentials from Comcast provides low-cost highspeed Internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax, the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150 and multiple options to access free digital literacy training to families in need of assistance. Since its inception in 2011, the program has connected more than 172,000 low-income Minnesotans.

Student teachers of color invited to apply for new grants Minnesotans of color who are enrolled in a student teaching program are encouraged to ap-

INSIGHT NEWS

ply for grants up to $7,500.

These scholarships were initiated by House Democrats and ultimately made possible with $1.5 million investment approved by the Minnesota Legislature. The Office of Higher Education has more information regarding eligibility and the application process on their website, www.ohe.state.

mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=2248.

“Minnesota has some of the worst opportunity gaps in the nation, and one significant contributing factor that has not been addressed systematically is the severe shortage of teachers of color and American Indian teachers. House Democrats sought to close these gaps by making investments to the

Student Teacher Candidate Grants in Shortage Areas program,” said Rep. Connie Bernardy (DFL-New Brighton), chair of the Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee.

The Minnesota Teacher Candidate Grant provides postsecondary financial assistance to eligible students enrolled in Minnesota teacher preparation

programs during one term in which the student is completing a required 12-week or more student teaching experience.

The program’s goal is to encourage individuals who belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the Minnesota teacher workforce, to become educators. The program also encourages Minnesotans of

color to become licensed and teaching in geographical shortage areas. A list of designated teacher shortage areas have been identified by the Professional Educators Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).

The Office of Higher Education has more information regarding eligibility and the application process on their website.

officer-involved shooting and make the decision on whether to prosecute. Freeman said New York comes close to that model.

The Aug. 17 hearing was interrupted by protesters who took over the meeting room and said the working group should be disbanded and their other eight demands should be implemented immediately.

The group demanded that all videos be released to the families within 48 hours of the killing. They wanted an independent state agency to investigate and prosecute the cases. They wanted an end to warrior training and an increase in de-escalation training and prosecution of those officers who engage in excessive force short of death.

Freeman told the working

group that he has prosecuted two Minneapolis officers in the past two years, one for beating a suspect, the other for shooting into a car of young people who were following the orders of a different officer. He also charged two other officers for sex crimes. And his office prosecuted then Officer Mohamed Noor in the fatal shooting of Justine Damon Ruszczyk.

The protesters’ other demands were that there should be mental health workers to respond to all police calls where a citizen is having a mental health crisis, all officers must have in-person mental health training, all officers must go through annual inperson anti-oppression training and mandatory psychological evaluation of all police officers

every three years and immediately after they use deadly force.

regarding police accountability and how police shooting cases are handled,” said Levy Armstrong. “His office has an extremely poor track record for holding police officers accountable, especially when the victim is Black and the officer is white. Mike Freeman has also been untruthful in the past by mischaracterizing Jamar Clark as a domestic abuser, using false information to justify his murder at the hands of MPD (Minneapolis Police Department), and ignoring the statements of Black witnesses. Under his leadership, Black victims of police shootings have never received justice, which makes his recommendations seem disingenuous and something that looks good on paper.”

department that fought for him and he was able to take his trip,” said Omar. “People feel when you are a United States citizen … forget a member of Congress … that your president works on your behalf … they defend you and fight for your right to freedom of speech and freedom of movement. To have a president who is not doing that puts fear in many people’s hearts.”

Along with Omar and Tlaib were other area women affected by Israel’s restrictive polices regarding Palestine.

Amber Harris, a Jewish

American married to a Palestinian, said she was banned from entering Israel after her decision to marry a Palestinian.

“After our marriage we went on a honeymoon and upon our return (to Israel) I was held and interrogated for over 10 hours by the Israel security agency,” said Harris. “During my interrogation they found my social media and I was forced to open my Facebook for them to search. I was yelled at for being an ‘human rights activist’ and an ‘environmentalist.’

I was told I was a threat to the

state of Israel and was forced to sign a document in Hebrew saying I was banned for 10 years.”

Harris said she was admonished by the Israeli security for participating in the Ferguson, Mo. protests following the killing of Mike Brown by police officer Darren Wilson.

Carin Mrotz, executive director of Jewish Community Action said Trump’s tweet and Netanyahu’s acquiescence show the two leaders are intent on dividing and not uniting.

“We have been dehumanized in service of a white nationalist

agenda and our greatest power in resisting that is our solidarity,” said Mrotz. “The president and this administration have engaged in a calculated campaign to label us … to tell us who our enemies are. While defending the actions of neo-Nazis, while running ads and raising money with antisemitic language, while lifting up the leadership of members of Congress who actively target us, they want to co-opt our freedom, define our oppression and then use it to turn us against each other.”

photos of Hale. “It’s time for community action. We’re talking, we’re walking, we’re pushing back and it has to start with this child (pointing at Hale).”

Moss called for a march on the state capitol to force the governor to address the issue of police brutality in the state.

Hale said she is so traumatized by the incident she’s been unable to return to her job. According to a Facebook post made Aug. 15 by Hale – that has been shared more than 950 time

– she said she was tasered up to 10 times including after being handcuffed, punched in the face and thrown to the ground.

Hale posted photos of her with a swollen face and bruising along her ribs, arms and legs. She also said she suffered two fractured toes during the incident.

A statement from the Minneapolis Police Department says Hale and Evans were the aggressors in the Aug. 10 incident.

“Officers arrived spoke with the victim. When they entered

the residence to arrest the suspect, family members were uncooperative and interfered physically with the officers carrying out their lawful duties. Officers were outnumbered and additional squads were requested,” read the statement. “During this incident, an officer was punched in the face, an officer was kicked in the head by a handcuffed suspect and a family member ripped the cord off an officer’s radio, rendering it useless. Three persons were arrested for charges ranging from Domestic Assault, Assault in the 4th Degree and Obstructing the Legal Process with

force. This incident, as with any incident where force is used, was reviewed by an on-scene supervisor and Internal Affairs.”

The coalition supporting Hale and Evans are calling for a meeting with Minneapolis police officials and an immediate release of any and all footage captured by police body cameras.

“Just because they changed the color of the chief doesn’t mean they changed the color of the uniform,” said Thompson, referring to the fact that the police chief of Minneapolis is African-American.

www.insightnews.com

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

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

From 3 mote fairness and consistency in how officer-involved shootings are handled in the court and police officers statewide must be trained in those legal standards.

Freeman approached Ellison and Harrington in early February about setting up this type of commission and in his remarks, he thanked the two co-chairs for establishing the group. Under questioning from the group, both Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Freeman said they would be open to a conversation about having a new and completely independent agency investigate the

Omar From 3 leagues (in Congress) brought the group to our attention. Five representatives had traveled to Israel with them before and there was no issue,” said Tlaib.

The two congresswomen said their banning was similar to that of another representative; Rep. Charles Diggs. In 1972 Diggs was banned from entering apartheid-rule South Africa.

“But then you had a state

Intern Kelvin Kuria

Brutality

Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Nadvia Davis Fred Easter Abeni Hill Timothy Houston Michelle Mitchum Inell Rosario Latisha Townsend Artika Tyner Toki Wright

From 3

Photography David Bradley V. Rivera Garcia Uchechukwu Iroegbu Rebecca Rabb Artist Donald Walker Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis,

… to protect her from being tased,” said Redmond, who said she intends to start the social media hashtag, #BeLikeLee, to bring further light to the situation and Evans’ actions.

“What you see here is a whooping from head to toe,” said Spike Moss, founder of Freedom Now, Free the Land, pointing to the

The only demand Freeman said he opposed was that every officer-involved shooting case already decided in Minnesota must be reopened and re-examined. He said the only legitimate grounds for reopening a closed case is newly discovered evidence.

Others are not in agreement with Freeman’s assessments.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and activist said Freeman, based on his track record, lacks authority to speak in properly handling police involved incidents.

“Unfortunately, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman is not a credible source for proposing recommendations

insightnews.com

Insight News • August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019 • Page 7

Camden Town Blues & BBQ Festival Photos from the inaugural Camden Town Blues & BBQ Festival in the Camden neighborhood of North Minneapolis. The Aug. 17 festival was the brainchild of Houston White, entrepreneur and founder of Black Excellence/BE the Change/King Kunta clothing.

Photos by Harry Colbert, Jr.

Bruce Henry The Music of "ƍŸƇĭž qÝƪƼĈńā

Ranky Tanky

SEP 21

SEP 22

Donna Grantis

Good Time Album Tour

Life Cycles

Prince’s Guitar Protégé

Honoring the Music of Bobby Hutcherson

SEP 24

SEP 25

Candy Dulfer

Patty Peterson Presents: Jazz Women AllStars

SEP 26-27

SEP 28

The Accidentals

Lee Ritenour

w/special guest Rachel Baiman

Contemporary Jazz-Rock Resilient Superstar

SEP 29

SEP 30

Billy Cobham Crosswinds Project

Aaron Neville Duo

feat. Randy Brecker

Evening With An American Master

OCT 1

OCT 6-7

Dutch Sax Superstar

Paula Cole

Poetic & Heartfelt Pop

OCT 8

612.332.5299 dakotacooks.com

1010 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN

Page 8 • August 26, 2019 - September 1, 2019 • Insight News

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