Insight ::: 12.14.20

WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News

December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020

Vol. 47 No. 50• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

FIRE FIGHTER

Bryan Tyner named Minneapolis Fire Department Chief photo/City of Minneapolis STORY ON PAGE 3

Page 2 • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Insight News

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Moving forward as a community The pandemic and humanitarian crisis has brought us together with intensified passion and resilience. At Bank of America, we remain focused on supporting the well-being of our teammates, providing the essential financial services our clients need and helping local communities across the country move forward.

Here in The Twin Cities, we’ve donated masks to local partners to distribute to those most at risk. We’ve provided lending to local small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help strengthen our local economy. And we continue to partner with local nonprofits and organizations that are working to advance racial equality and economic opportunity in the communities we serve.

We’re grateful for our employees, who have worked tirelessly to support our clients. And we are especially grateful to the healthcare and essential workers who have helped The Twin Cities recover.

My teammates and I remain fully committed to the work to come in 2021 and beyond.

Katie Simpson The Twin Cities Market President

Working together Grateful for our partners in The Twin Cities who gave our community support when it needed it most.

247,000 PPE masks donated 359 PPP small business client loans totaling $44 million Bank of America employees

To learn more, please visit bankofamerica.com/community

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Insight News • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020

Vol. 47 No. 50• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

The Healing Circle

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist

fox9

Fire Chief, Bryan Tyner and Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey

MFD Chief Bryan Tyner: Dedicated to city safety The Minneapolis City Council last week, December 4, approved the appointment of Bryan Tyner as the next Minneapolis fire chief. Tyner has held several leadership posts since joining the department in 1995.

Tyner will be the second Black fire chief in the department’s history. He succeeds John Fruetel who is retiring after more than 40 years of service with the department.

Mayor Jacob Frey nominated Tyner for the position

after a national search. Tyner has served as assistant chief of administration since 2015 and before that was a battalion chief and fire captain, among other roles. Tyner has spearheaded programs to ensure that the department better reflects the diversity of the city, including the award-winning EMS Pathways Academy internship and the High School EMS Program.

“Chief Bryan Tyner has devoted his career to the

betterment of our Minneapolis Fire Department and safety of our city,” Frey said. “His deep community roots and extensive leadership have already helped inspire a more diverse and effective department, and he’s only getting started. I look forward to our shared work ahead.”

“Our City is lucky to have the leadership of Bryan Tyner for the Minneapolis Fire Department, a leader who knows and loves Minneapolis and has a

clear vision for the future of a department that supports safety, health and equity,” said City Council President Lisa Bender.

“It is my distinct honor to be the next fire chief in the city where I grew up and for a community that I love,” Tyner said. “My personal values — honesty, integrity and fairness — are what I will bring to my tenure as fire chief as we as a department collectively endeavor to become an industry leader in the fire service.”

A psychologically healthy and fully functioning person is one who is capable to open up to all experience; the one who has a tendency to live fully in every moment; the one who has the ability to be guided by his instincts rather than by reason or opinions of others; the one who has a sense of freedom of thought and action. It is the highest level of psychological health. “More often than not, wrote Carl Rogers, a founding father of client-center psychotherapy, we are better than we think we are. We are stronger, more adaptive. When things go wrong, most people, most of the time, don’t dry up, crumble, and fall to pieces.”

BraVada Garrett Akinsanya is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience with special training emphasis on severe psychopathology, childhood abuse, trauma, sexual assault, community/domestic violence, and African American mental health. She has written, presented, and consulted extensively on various subject strands in diversity, developmental psychology, and multiculturalism. She has trained 35 mental health and wellness clinicians with some eventually starting their own practices. Her dream is to one day have enough revenue flow to entice those she continues to train to stay in the Twin Cities.

There is so much work to be done.

In 2009, Dr.

Dr. BraVada Garrett Akinsanya B. founded The African American Child Wellness Institute aimed at preventing child abuse and stopping racial and social injustices. Emerging today amid the trauma caused by the COVID19 pandemic; the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder; the political and financial crisis; and rebellion in various forms . . . the need for unity, collaboration, and strategic planning is paramount.

In a Washington Post survey back in June, 31% of African Americans had lost someone they knew to the virus. Only 9% of whites could say the same.

AACWI provides a historical connectiveness to cultural heritage and lineage traits fractured through continued oppressive, colonial (white supremacy) domination, and today present and operating in so many different disguises.

The Institute provides support systems such as Project Marua (a Boot Camp) for struggling parents and behaviorally troubled teens; individual counseling; and family discussions about COVID19;

DR. BRAVADA 4

Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Elects Executive Committee for the 117th Congress

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia U.S. rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) will chair the Congressional Black Caucus for the 117th Congress.

The announcement came as the CBC embarks on its 50th anniversary as the voice of Black America in Congress.

Along with Congresswoman Beatty, the CBC announced a new executive committee that begins in January.

Rep. Steven Horsford, who represents Nevada’s 4th district and currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, Budget Committee, and Natural Resources Committee, will serve as 1st Vice-Chair of the CBC. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, who represents Michigan’s 14th district and currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Oversight and Reform Committee, was tapped as 2nd Vice-Chair.

Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida’s 24th district, who currently serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Education and Labor Committee, where she chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee, was elected as Secretary of the CBC.

Johnathan Palmer

The Lighthouse of the Community: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist Part 2

Rep. Hank Johnson, who represents Georgia’s 4th district and currently serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as the House Judiciary Committee, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, will take over as Whip.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents Texas’s 18th district and currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and the Budget Committee, will serve as Parliamentarian.

Next year marks 50 years for the CBC, which

outgoing Chair Rep. Karen Bass of California called 50 years as a champion for bold, progressive ideas in Congress.

“Fifty years of making a seat at the table and building a pipeline for those to come, and 50 years as the ‘Conscience of the Congress,’” said Congresswoman Bass, adding, “On behalf of the entire Congressional Black Caucus, congratulations to the members of the Executive Committee for the 117th Congress.”

In 1971, thirteen Black Members of Congress organized their efforts to help improve Black people’s conditions in America and around the world.

News

Prince’s ‘Sign o’ The Times’: A Timeless Masterpiece

PAGE 5

Though small in numbers, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) founders understood their responsibility for the millions of voices they represented, Congresswoman Bass noted.

“That responsibility drove them to speak up and speak out against injustice wherever they found it – from Apartheid in South Africa to voter suppression, economic oppression, racial violence across the country,” she said.

Under the leadership of Chair-elect Beatty, the Caucus will enjoy its largest

BLACK CAUCUS 4

Al McFarlane, host of “Conversations with Al McFarlane” and editor of “Insight News” since 1976, are long-time friends.

They are both proud Morehouse College alumni. Their family name is McFarlane with an Irish (Scottish) contribution in the bloodline. They both find the comic book genre and their superhero characters inspiring for children and adults citing the profound impact of Marvel’s Black Panther. Young people are motivated to read, and in doing so, learn never to give up . . . never to give in . . . that they have the capacity to transcend the odds like the heroes. Al and Jonathan have something else in common . . . a mission to use their expertise; their resources; their love for community - to bring awareness of the dire predicaments facing our neighborhoods and their residents due to the COVID19 pandemic and resulting financial

and academic anxieties.

Along with his dedicated and phenomenal staff, the community activist leader and backbone of the historic Hallie Q. Brown Community Center has shifted the center’s program focus to address the needs of the community – all ages, abilities, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels during this unprecedented time. The center offers a safe and productive environment; opportunities to contribute while simultaneously expanding their talents and knowledge; and are linked to the history and heritage of the intergenerational and cross cultural experiences the St. Paul Rondo community provided over the decades.

The area was the hub of the local Black community in 20th century Twin Cities consisting of a viable working-class community supported by social clubs, religious organizations, community centers, and a thriving business community.

The organization was born as a result of the vision, commitment, and tireless efforts

LIGHTHOUSE 5

I2H

Minnesota Department of Health releases updated quarantine guidelines

PAGE 6

Page 4 • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Insight News

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The BEE Marketplace: Virtual, innovative and unique

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist We believe it is still possible for Black women business owners to successfully introduce their products during these unprecedented and difficult times. By marketing this innovative, virtual offering of 30 plus businesses, the media exposure and the uniqueness of gift ideas is a welcomed pleasure. Collective marketing with other businesses on the same platform, but at a much larger scale, makes shopping for that perfect holiday gift a lot easier. These women entrepreneurs possess courage, grit, conviction, and faith according to “Insight News” publisher, Al McFarlane, and we applaud their endeavors. The BEE Marketplace is sponsored by the Black Women’s Wealth Alliance . . . cultivating strategies, creating wealth, and changing lives.

Queen Bees . . . building cultures and collaborative awareness and utilization.

For Shaynee O’Neal whose roots originate in Mobile, Alabama, bringing her grandmother’s recipes to

Minneapolis has given her much comfort and pride. All her family members were known as great cooks. D. Mo’s Place Bakery is known for its popular Cookies and Cream Pound Cake with more of her grandmother’s recipes to be added to the bakery menu next year. Not only is Shaynee excited by the opportunity to have a place this month to introduce her bake goods, she will also be introducing Rainlove Collections, a designer line of clothing strictly for girls. A PopUp is scheduled for Dec. 11th and

12th. Shaynee’s complete story can be found at D.Mo’s Place on Instagram.

When asked to describe D.C. native, Leslie Redmond, adjectives such as committed, bold, amazing, creative, and gifted in a variety of disciplines are often used.

On the “Tamaron Hall” show, she spoke of her frustration with young black men being murdered and no one being held accountable. The newspaper headlines read: “Minnesota NAACP president arrested at protest over Breonna Taylor’s

death by Louisville police.” Her response . . . “If anything is to change, it cannot be done with a traditional approach. COVID19 has granted us a chance to be bold and courageous. African Americans cannot depend on the same systems and people in power who created the disparities to fix them.” Passing the Minnesota Bar exam on her first try at 28, one can add ‘astute’ and celebrate the young activist’s tenacity and dedication to making positive changes in her community.

Leslie is the founder

and creator of the clothing line – Don’t Complain, Activate!

The idea behind the clothing line after reading so much negativity on social media, the idea behind the clothing line is that one doesn’t have to be a superstar to activate our communities. “We are all leaders, and now, more than ever before, we need to take action.” Known as a kingdom building millennial, Leslie “activates” in a major way. The line offers hats, shirts (short and long sleeve), hoodies, and masks. www.leslieredmond. com Our purpose is to market a brand that helps people lean into the light that lives within each of us. Tune into “Queens and Kings Unite” Mondays at 7 central on Instagram.

For Arlene El Amin, Essie’s Wonder Butters was created when she was in search for a pain alternative after having back surgery.

After receiving financial support for buying equipment, ingredients, and packaging and attending training workshops at the Black Women’s Wealth Alliance, Arlene found the mixture of 15 essential oils and 100% shea butter really did work.

The El Amin family has long been known for their community

service work, and today when so much assistance is needed, they continue to reach out to their community. The Food Shelf offers emergency resources delivering food to homes of children and to seniors during the summer months while also helping to subsidize rent payments and utilities. The mother of four also desires to have people understand what the Muslim community is all about (God just has a different name) . . . that they are not just about black nationalism although she was raised believing in that philosophy. Arlene’s desire has always been to serve humanity and to be a positive role model for her grandchildren.

Got Pain! We Got You Covered Serving community – North Minneapolis Essie’s Wonder Butters NEED@al-non.com info@bwwa.org 1101 West Broadway – Suite 100 Minneapolis, MN 55411 BWWA (612) 2560110

Youthprise helps high school students get pandemic unemployment assistance A group of Minnesota high school students and Youthprise, supported by other youth organizations, have won a lawsuit against the state of Minnesota for high school students who lost wages after January 27, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On December 1, 2020, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the high school students and Youthprise allowing impacted high school students the right to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

PUA is a federally funded COVID-19 program that allows workers not eligible for traditional unemployment benefits to be covered. In Minnesota, high school students are not eligible for unemployment benefits and the State of Minnesota had previously refused to allow them to be eligible for PUA. “By DEED’s own estimate, this ruling could unlock $13.7 - $27.9 million

in federal funds for Minnesota high school students,” said Matt Norris, Director of Policy at Youthprise. “At a time when so many Minnesotans are struggling to make ends meet, this court victory will put money in the pockets of students and their families when they need it most.”

The 1939 Minnesota state law that prevents high school students from receiving unemployment insurance was one of the strictest such laws in the country, forcing many hard-working students to choose between staying in school or dropping out to receive unemployment benefits and help support their family.

“When the lawsuit was announced back in October, we immediately began hearing stories from youth in Duluth to Albert Lee and Marshall to Burnsville who have been impacted by loss of employment, being forced The case was supported by an amicus brief

INSIGHT NEWS

from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office, in support the case arguing that the CARES Act was specifically targeted to reach those who normally would not have been eligible for unemployment benefits. And when you look closer at the statistics, according to Ellison’s office, you will see that 25% of Black high school students working give roughly 41% of their earnings to help pay family bills, and 22% of Hispanic students do the same.

“I just want to give a huge shout-out to Attorney General Keith Ellison and his entire office for standing up for young people and being courageous,” said Pope.

The quick and favorable ruling removes a significant roadblock for young people in Minnesota, and especially for Minnesota’s indigenous, low-income, and racially diverse youth. And while the 1939 law remains, Youthprise will always continue their efforts to repeal it.

“Nearly ten years ago

Black Caucus From 3

www.insightnews.com

Dr. BraVada 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 Associate Editor Culture & Education Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Columnist Brenda Lyle-Gray Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Intern Kelvin Kuria

Contributing Writers Maya Beecham Nadvia Davis Fred Easter Abeni Hill Inell Rosario Latisha Townsend Artika Tyner Toki Wright Photography 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,

From 3 blatant racial occurrences and injustices; how to stay safe; how to deal with a family member loss.

Perhaps in the process of rediscovering who we are, says Dr. B., we might create a new person . . . one of our true human being who will begin to remember their history that was so dismembered. Now we must seek to rediscover and recover that which was taken from us on those African shores. Protecting the mental health of our children is our top priority. We help our clients turn up the volume so they can hear what they say which translates in how they feel about themselves. We shine a brighter light on them so they can see themselves and really want to change and contribute to their communities.

And then we want their discoveries to reflect back on them like a mirror making a distinction of what they say they want in their life and what they are currently doing to obtain it. It’s that “bridge” we must forge that will make the difference.

We are establishing a new voice and a new narrative around mental health and health awareness providing multi-skill-based opportunities to assist clients in learning how

photo/Darylann Elmi

High school students who have lost employment during the pandemic, will need to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance before the deadline on December 25, 2020 and visit uimn.org for details.

I publicly said Youthprise would jump into the fire with and for young people and won’t even feel the heat,” said Wokie Weah, President of Youthprise. “It was true then and is even truer now.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling aligns perfectly with our

mission and values and only confirms why we will continue fighting for change.”

High school students who have lost employment during the pandemic, will need to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

before the deadline on December 25, 2020 and visit uimn.org for details. Youth, families, and communities can benefit from these federal resources that were denied to them. For questions, visit Youthprise.org.

membership in history, with a record 57 Members forming a body as diverse as the nation.

“After four years under one of the most racist

and repressive regimes in modern history, the CBC has an enormous opportunity under the Biden-Harris Administration to restore faith in our democracy

and show Black Americans the power of their vote,” Bass said.

“We look forward to the work ahead on behalf of Black America.”

to ‘love themselves”. I believe we are inherently aware of our own answers. We realize amid this “new normal” that we all have the power to change. It takes courage to take that first step . . . having endured so much oppression, inequities, a lot of pain, hard work, and sacrifice for so long. We are beginning to learn about ourselves through cultural-based skill development based on mental health platforms. We specialize in providing services that address trauma and exposure to violence using evidence-based strategies within the context of an African centered Wellness Model which includes the spiritual component of Imani, a church component intended to empower families in our communities who desperately seek help.

The impact of COVID19 adds that additional weight of fear, and the necessity to prepare ourselves to do better as we strive to be better as a people.

clinical service team, clients get to know what their daily lives look like and how better to navigate the knowledge, awareness, and strategies especially effective with people who have experienced abuse, trauma (PTSD), sexual assault, and community/and or domestic violence. Instructions provide clarity of personal mindsets and routine behaviors; enlivens spirits; and helps build confidence and the will power to tackle necessary responsibilities.

In seeking information and assistance please call the service Hot Line at (763) 522-0100 A new project recently undertaken by the African American Child Wellness Institute and partnered with Insight News and Wednesday segments of “Conversations with Al McFarlane”: The Healing Circle”; the African American Leadership Forum (AALF); and Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, focuses on crisis intervention in a COVID19 environment. “It’s very important that we become directly involved in making sure we remain healthy or get healthy. There is already a preloading in our community due to over exposure to stressors and limited buffers and resources to address the stress. So obviously being healthy helps us all,” says Dr. B. The Institute is positioned to help you begin.

Minnesota’s African American community (COVID19 Hotline

- (651) 201-3920 or (800) 657-3903 - provides callers with information about virus testing sites and connects them with resources to support food security, physical and mental health, employment, housing, child care, legal rights, and other issues stemming from the pandemic. The consortium of these community organizations will also begin to communicate with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and other participating partners about resource gaps in the black community.

As “Insight News” publisher and multimedia entrepreneur, Al McFarlane, and Dr. B. agree, a long- awaited change must begin to heal and open doors of opportunity and wellness in our communities.

Resuscitating Black America will take us all coming to the table in some way. A good starting place might be to reflect on where our lives are, and where we’d like for them to be. Dr. B’s philosophy . . .

“If you had a toothache, you would go to a dentist. If you need a loan, you go to a banker.

If you have mental or emotional challenges, you go to someone who specializes in that area.

You can find your way on your own; you can pull your tooth out on your own, but it makes a lot more sense to find somebody who has expertise so you can do it faster, better, and in a more long-lasting way.”

Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services provides school link, individual, couple, and group counseling and organizational consultation in cultural awareness of systemic racism and economic and health care disparities leading to destructive behaviors and conditions in our neighborhoods is the focus of the research and applied therapy. Through the services of Dr. B. and her

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Insight News • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Page 5

Former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, discusses the importance of home safety and health during live interview with NNPA

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Last week, former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin joined National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., for an interview streamed live over Facebook, Youtube (BlackPressUSA TV) and on BlackPressUSA.com.

The rising hospitalizations and deaths resulting from the coronavirus pandemic have brought bad news to just about everyone. But

no single group has felt the pain more than African Americans, who make up a large portion of the more than 276,000 virusrelated deaths in the U.S. Black people have also felt the brunt of the devastating pandemic’s financial fallout, including in the housing market.

Recently, Zillow, which is transforming the way people buy, sell and finance homes, launched a health safety initiative called “Move Forward.

Stay Safe,” to protect customers, employees, and partners.

The company also tapped former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin as Zillow’s Health Advisor.

The “Move Forward.

Stay Safe,” program includes industry-leading health safety standards along with Zillow’s groundbreaking virtual technology, designed to protect its customers and give people the confidence to move safely.

“I’ve dedicated my career to health and wellness.

My role as Zillow’s health advisor is a continuation of my commitment to prevention and population health,” said Dr. Benjamin, who founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in Alabama.

Throughout her career, Dr. Benjamin remained active in medical organizations and advisory groups.

Through recent research, Zillow found that, of

the nearly 2 million U.S. renters who can take advantage of heightened telework options and could afford monthly payments on homes in less-expensive areas outside of their current metros, Black renters benefit far more than other renters.

In large metro areas where typical starter home values are higher than they are nationally, Black renters are 29 percent more likely than other renters to buy their first home in a less expensive area because of the opportunity to work from home permanently.

“As people venture into the real estate market, it’s critical they have precise information and guidelines on how to stay safe during

every part of their move,” Dr. Benjamin stated in a separate news release. “From listing to shopping, to closing documents, we must minimize risk and protect each other. I am pleased

to join Zillow in its dedication to public health through this new initiative.”

“Heart-to-Heart Conversations” with Insight News and the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation Insight News announced it is partnering with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF) to present a series of informative health-education conversations that feature people who are living with various heart issues. These virtual discussions, called “Heart-toHeart Conversations,” will take place over five weeks. The initial program, last Thursday’s conversation kicked-off the

series and featured Insight News editor Al McFarlane in conversation with Dr. Courtney Jordan Baechler, a cardiologist and researcher with the MHIF, Dr. Mosi Bennett, a cardiologist with the Minneapolis Heart Institute and Stella WhitneyWest, CEO of NorthPoint Health & Wellness.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, African-American

photo/wildpixel

“Heart-to-Heart Conversations” will bring attention to the disparities in cardiovascular health and outcomes.

adults aged 35-64 die from heart disease at approximately two times the rate of whites of the same age in Minnesota. These numbers clearly demonstrate that while Minnesota is ranked as one of the healthiest states in the nation, not all Minnesotans share this distinction. It is our hope that through these candid conversations, led by Jordan Baechler, we will bring attention to the disparities

in cardiovascular health and outcomes.

This partnership with MHIF is part of the Insight Health Equity Action Lab (iHEAL) which is the newspaper’s new approach to health disparities reduction in Minnesota. iHEAL will amplify evidence-based and transformative work that builds and supports healthy communities and puts people/ community at the center of the

process.

To participate in the “Heart-to-Heart Conversations,” please register using this link.

For more information, please contact: batalara@Insightnews. com.

Be sure to stay tuned for updates on iHEAL.

Prince’s ‘Sign o’ The Times’: A Timeless Masterpiece

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia “In France, a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name By chance his girlfriend came across a needle and soon she did the same…”

That’s how one of the greatest albums in history opened.

The title track to Prince’s “Sign o’ the Times” was greeted by critics and fans alike: pure excitement.

Thirty-three years ago, with hit singles like “You Got the Look,” “Adore,” “Housequake,” Prince did the unthinkable.

His “Sign o’ the Times” outperformed on every level, “Purple Rain,” and “1999.” In short, “Sign o’ the Times” was a certifiable masterpiece.

It was Prince’s “Thriller,” his “Sgt. Pepper,” or “Mona Lisa.”

And, what sets Prince apart, no one thought Michael Jackson could top Thriller, and even the King of Pop knew he

Lighthouse From 3 of several community leaders in the 1920s. It was during this decade that the St. Paul Urban League was formed in an attempt to address the growing social problems facing African Americans in the capital city.

The winner of a student essay contest determined the name of the center. Hallie Q. Brown was an educator, an author, a women’s suffrage leader, and an elocutionist at the turn of the century. She was the daughter of slaves who were highly educated and very active in the Underground Railroad. After graduating from Wilberforce University (a historical Black college) in 1873, Hallie began teaching on several plantations with an emphasis on improving the literacy levels of Black children who had been denied the chance during slavery. As Dean of Women of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, she worked with Booker T. Washington.

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never exceeded his best. No one expected the Beatles to beat “Sgt. Pepper,” and they never did.

And, indeed, Leonardo da Vinci couldn’t replicate the artistic genius of the Mona Lisa.

Prince twice topped what many believed was his artistic crescendo. Many thought the Minneapolis-born superstar would never top the 1999 album he released in 1982.

Less than two years later, he did as “Purple Rain” was released and topped the charts worldwide.

With hits like “When Does Cry,” “Baby I’m a Star,” and “Take Me with You,” Purple Rain became the first to win Best Album Grammy and Best Original Score Oscar.

A groundbreaking tour and blockbuster film followed the release of Purple Rain.

After releasing “Around the World in a Day” in 1985 and “Parade” in 1986, to little excitement (compared to “Purple Rain”), critics and some fans opined that Prince had reached his creative peak.

Then came “Sign o’ The Times.”

The opening song and title track begin with a

convincing bass and synthesizer and approval from Prince, “Oh Yeah,” he screeches before launching into a tour de force of artistry.

The entire album is ear-candy.

On “U Got the Look,” Prince, with a guest from Sheena Easton, sings, “Here we are folks The dream we all dream of Boy versus girl in the World Series of love Tell me, have you got the look?”

On “Housequake,” he rocks: “We’re gonna shake, we’re gonna quake/’Cause we got the baddest groove that we could a make.”

Turning to his sexual side on “If I Were Your Girlfriend,” Prince pleads: “If I was your girlfriend, would you let me dress you I mean, help you pick out your clothes before we go out? Not that you’re helpless But, sometimes, sometimes those are the things that bein’ in love’s about.”

Then, on “Hot Thing,” he demands: “Hot thing, maybe you should give your folks a call

Hot thing, tell them you’re going to the Crystal Ball Hot thing, tell them you’re coming home late if you’re coming home at all.”

And, on one of the most memorable love songs ever written, Prince introduces “Adore.”

On that track, Prince croons: “Until the end of time, I’ll be there for you You own my heart, and mind/I truly adore you If God one day struck me blind, your beauty I’ll still see Love is too weak to define, just what you mean to me.”

“Boys are cocky. Sign O’ the Times was an album made by a grown man,” Susan Rogers, Prince’s sound engineer from 1983 to 1987, told the BBC. “The charts had moved on, and hip-hop was taking over. There was a world outside his door; there was restlessness; there was curiosity; there was the Aids epidemic,” Rogers recalled.

BBC wondered whether “Sign o’ The Times” was the greatest album ever made.

Michaelangelo Matos

The impressive scholar and speaker went on to become a principal promoter of the Colored Women’s League of Washington, D.C. and helped to establish the National Association of Colored Women (NACW). She campaigned for Calvin Coolidge’s presidency; served as a representative of the U.S. at the International Congress of Women; and while traveling globally as a lecturer for African American culture and current topics spoke before Queen Victoria. It was remarkable how much Hallie Q. Brown accomplished and connected with power. She returned to St. Paul twice a year, speaking to Black churches and

organizations. Topics of her writings commonly addressed the importance of history and social change often using African American vernacular to stress these messages with the goal of helping to educate.

Her most popular publication, “Homespun Heroines” is the collection of life portraits of 60 history making African American women.

Not long after the HQB Community Center was established, the facility was moved to the Masonic Hall, and in 1972 re-located to its current home in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center in the Summit University area where 50% of the population are minority

residents. The center has thus evolved from an independent human services provider to a multi-service center. It is the administrative body of the MLK Center which houses partners offering specialized services and programs including the nationally recognized Penumbra Theatre company, the MLK recreation center operated through the city of St. Paul, and the MLK Service center operated by the HQB community center, both housed in the MLK building.

HQB Community Center has been working with the Minnesota Department of Health along with Girls are Powerful, the Minneapolis

penner / Wikimedia Commons

His “Sign o’ the Times” outperformed on every level, “Purple Rain,” and “1999.” In short, “Sign o’ the Times” was a certifiable masterpiece. wrote for Rolling Stone in 2004 that the album was “the most complete example of Prince’s artistry’s breadth, and arguably the finest album of the 1980s.”

Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that “Prince utilizes a palette of genres, from bare-bones electrofunk and smooth soul to pseudopsychedelic pop and crunching hard rock, touching on gospel, blues, and folk along the way.”

Don McLeese of the Chicago Sun-Times proclaimed Prince’s performance on the “Sign o’ the Times’ album as “a one-man show, a tour de force, and a combination that pop’s former prodigy has come of age.”

And Robert Christgau

of the old Village Voice in New York heaped this praise on “Sign o’ the Times”: “The most gifted pop musician of his generation proving what a [man] he is for two discs start to finish.

“Prince’s one-man-band tricks and multi-tracked vocals make Stevie Wonder sound like a struggling ventriloquist. The objects of his desire are also objects of interest, affection, and respect.”

[Writer’s note: Take a break from the pandemic and do yourself a favor and revisit “Sign o’ the Times.” You’ll be glad you did].

NAACP, Insight News, and Stairstep Foundation.

The HQB website provides COVID 19 information including a listing of responsibilities for managers and supervisors; employees; business protection measures; and CDC resource updates. The service center’s current areas of concentration are sustaining the “Food Shelf” (a dramatic increase in requests from all over the state); early education (learning center); and a safe and productive academic environment for children of essential workers and those parents being forced to return

to work. The community can support HQB’s work through donations of ‘funds or food’.

Retired educators are welcomed to volunteer by helping tutor through virtual outlets.

For further information, please contact: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center - 270 N. Kent Street; St. Paul, MN 55102 – (651) 2244601 – info@hallieqbrown.org As Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya (African American Child Wellness Institute) reminds us . . . “If Black Lives Matter, then save yours! Wear A Mask!”

Page 6 • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Insight News

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HHS division considers telemedicine extension, several other proposals

By Jonathan Mohr Session Daily Minnesotans concerned about visiting a doctor’s office during the coronavirus pandemic may soon receive some welcome news.

Lawmakers on Tuesday discussed a proposal to extend the expiration of a 2020 change that allows insurance providers, and the Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare programs, to cover telemedicine services that take place at a patient’s residence.

That was one of several pieces of proposed legislation considered during an informational hearing held by the House Health and Human Services Finance Division. No action was taken, but that could

change if the proposals become bills that are introduced during the next special legislative session, expected to begin early next week.

“There are some matters that are a little bit on the urgent side that we hope to be able to take care of during the special session,” said Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester), the division chair, adding that agreements have been reached or are being worked toward on each of the informal bills.

Sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL-Duluth) the proposed extension – from Feb. 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 – would allow patients who receive health care services via telemedicine five more months of coverage while work to control the pandemic continues.

Dr. Sarah Manney, chief medical information

photo/Courtney Hale

The proposed extension – from Feb. 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 – would allow patients who receive health care services via telemedicine five more months of coverage while work to control the pandemic continues. officer for Essentia Health and a pediatrician in Duluth, was one of several experts who spoke in support, telling the division telehealth has proven to be a very reliable care delivery model.

“It also protects the patient and our workforce from unnecessary risks of infection and preserves our bed capacity and other medical resources as we struggle and fight this pandemic,”

Manney said.

Rep. Debra Kiel (R-Crookston) said she has aging parents who sometimes have to travel significant distances to receive health services and she welcomes the alternative telemedicine can provide.

“I think this is a wonderful thing for Minnesota in general, but very much for rural Minnesota,” Kiel said.

Liebling said she believes telemedicine will be a significant issue during the 2021 legislative session. With a lot of work still to be done, she said extending the sunset date for coverage will give lawmakers the time needed to find more permanent solutions.

Other proposals discussed during the hearing included: allowing certified community behavioral health

clinics not enrolled in an ongoing federal demonstration project to be reimbursed with state funds while the state seeks federal approval to cover their services as Medicaid state plan services.

The clinics were developed to integrate mental health and substance use disorder services and coordinate care; technical corrections to 2019 health and human services appropriations, moving money for fraud prevention and safe harbor grants appropriated in fiscal year 2021 to the correct budget activities; and modifying the fees charged by the Board of Executives for Long Term Services and Supports — which licenses nursing home, assisted living and other health services administrators — and appropriating $426,000 in fiscal year 2021 to the board.

Minnesota Department of Health releases updated quarantine guidelines For months, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had recommended a quarantine period of 14 days for people exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Quarantine is one of several public health tools used to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others. This guidance was based on evidence showing that close contacts can develop a COVID-19 infection as many as 14 days after being exposed.

Last week, the CDC announced an update to that long-standing guidance that includes options for 10day or seven-day quarantines under certain conditions.

The safest option is to stay away from others for 14 days.

In certain situations, quarantine may end after 10 days, or after seven days with a negative COVID-19 test result.

Quarantine cannot end before seven days for any reason.

Some work settings, like health care, have different rules about quarantine.

Check with your employer.

You should stay away from others for 14 days if: Someone in your home has COVID-19.

You live in a building with other people,

where it’s hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.

You may consider being around others after 10 days if: You do not have any symptoms.

You have not had a positive test for COVID-19.

No one in your home has COVID-19, and you do not live in a building with other people, where it’s hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.

Even after 10 days you must still: Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away.

Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

You may consider being around others

after

seven days only if: You get tested for COVID-19 at least five full days after you had close contact with someone with COVID-19, and the test is negative.

You do not have any symptoms.

You have not had a positive test for COVID-19.

No one in your home has COVID-19, and you do not live in a building with other people, where it’s hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.

Even after seven days you must still: Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away.

Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

You cannot end your quarantine before seven days for any reason.

insightnews.com

Insight News • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Page 7

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Page 8 • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Insight News

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WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM? EAM?

A five-part discussion hosted

by Carlos Watson.

Join the inaugural conversation on positively resetting the American Dream, together. #realtalk

Aida Rodriguez Producer, Stand-Up Comedian

Jalen Rose Athlete, Commentator

By Titilayo Bediako

Carlos Watson Host

Jasmine Davis Trans Activist

Eddie Glaude Jr. Princeton Professor

John Kasich Former Governor of Ohio

Angela Duckworth Professor

Watch now ozy.com/realtalk

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Insight News • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Page 9

Shop At The BEE Marketplace Today Through December 31st!

WWW.BEEMARKETPLACE-US.COM About The BEE Marketplace During a pivotal time where Black businesses have been hit the hardest by COVID-19 and the Civil Uprisings, the Black Women’s Wealth Alliance created the BEE Marketplace with the intent to help generate wealth, recognition and knowledge to MN local Black Women- owned businesses. Please visit the website to learn more!

MEET THE BEE MARKETPLACE VENDORS! Leslie Redmond Alice Olagbaju Edrence Yalley Brooke Roper & Brittany Alexander Aisha Wadud Brittani Carter Crystal Lerma Roseline Tsopfack

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Page 10 • December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020 • Insight News

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