Insight ::: 2.3.20

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

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

Insight News

February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020

Vol. 47 No. 5• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

MICHAEL

BLOOMBERG Creating Black Wealth Kenya McKnight introduced Bloomberg at the launch of the presidential candidates offices in downtown Minneapolis.

Uche Iroegbu STORY ON PAGE 3

Page 2 • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Stay Warm. Stay Safe.

Kobe Bryant dies in tragic helicopter crash

Stay Connected.

By Vince Wright Sports Commentator

Don’t Get Disconnected! Energy Assistance Can Help.p.

CAP-HC’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP) provides financial

Stay Warm. Stay Sa

assistance to Hennepin County residents, including the city of Minneapolis, to help with home energy costs and heat related repairs.

Text 4WARMTH to 555888

Stay Connected.

Energy Assistance Program offices are now open in several locations, including: St. Louis Park, Minnesota Council of Churches, Sabathani Community Center, LSS and Minneapolis Urban League.

952-930-3541 Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County 8800 Highway 7, Suite 403 St. Louis Park, MN 55426 www.caphennepin.org eap@caphennepin.org

www.facebook.com/caphennepin

www.twitter.com/caphennepin

A program of Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County sponsored by: The Minnesota Department of Commerce & Department of Health and Human Services

Strengthening Community ∞ Eliminating Barriers ∞ Creating Opportunity

‘Mamba mentality’ defined a legend Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise. – Kobe Bryant My wife and I had just pulled up to our garage after running errands when she turned to me and asked, “Did Kobe Bryant die?”

We gave each other a weird look. She continued, “That’s what it says on Facebook.”

I grabbed my phone and sure enough the first news stories were blowing up on all of my social media outlets. I stayed in my car and hit all the sports stations I usually follow, but they were saying nothing about Kobe Bryant passing away.

I switched to TMZ Sports, my reliable source for breaking stories about celebrity athletes and the website was down.

Social media was suggesting hackers had spread the rumor.

But then Fox News, CNN, ESPN and everyone else announced the reality.

On Jan. 26 Kobe Bean Bryant, also known as the “Black Mamba,” had indeed died at the age of 41. Other victims in this tragic crash included Gianna (Gigi) Maria Onore Bryant, Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter, another teammate from the Mamba Sports Academy and her parents, Mamba Basketball coach Christina Mauser, the pilot and two other persons unidentified at the writing of this article. Nine lives tragically lost.

I’m at a loss for words.

Kobe Bryant is dead. I still can’t get my mind around it.

I have been a Los Angeles Lakers fan since 1979 when my all-time favorite player Magic Johnson joined the team.

And after the original showtime Lakers had gone, we wondered what was next. Well after Jerry West started putting his new plan together, he saw that landing a young high school phenom in a draft day trade from Charlotte might be the way to go. And bringing the high school AllAmerican to Los Angeles set in motion the second act of the Lakers historic run.

Along with Shaquille O’Neil, Kobe Bryant became the gold standard for all Lakers legends. With all the swagger, and with nothing but hard work, Kobe became arguably the greatest Lakers of all time.

I’ll do whatever it

Christopher Johnson/Wikimedia Commons

Kobe Bryant on sidelines with Team USA in Manchester, England, July 2012. takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the gamewinning shot. – Kobe Bryant I’ll leave Kobe’s statistics for other writers to go over; most of you have heard them before – the 81-point game, the five NBA championships, 18 time All-Star, 12 time All-Defensive team, 60 points in his final game, just to name a few in his 20-year Lakers career.

The way Kobe dominated both ends of the court were incredible. The high-flying athlete reminded many of the next coming of Michael Jordan, and he came close. Even mimicking some of Jordan’s signature moves, Kobe and Shaq led the Lakers to a threepeat from 1999-2000 thru 20012002.

I remember him as a legend coming into his own during that stretch. His continuing, without Shaq, to win two more rings in 2009 and 2010 truly cemented Kobe, in my opinion, as right up there with Magic, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and any other Lakers’ legends. But what impressed me lately with Kobe was his post-NBA life, guided by his “Mamba” philosophy. Kobe had adopted the Black Mamba moniker to separate himself from other athletes. He once explained the origins of the “Mamba Mentality.”

“I had to separate myself,” Bryant said, in Business Insider. “It felt like there were so many things coming at once.

It was just becoming very, very confusing. I had to organize things. So, I created The Black Mamba.”

For fans, like myself, Kobe was “Mamba” because of his focus, the dedication to his craft, and for the expectations he had for his teammates to put in the same amount of work to succeed.

Some may have said Kobe was difficult to play with and maybe

there is a bit of truth in that, but the great ones demand much from themselves and others, whether in the sports arena or in the business world. And Kobe was well on his way to conquering the business world in his second act with his Mamba mentality.

At his Mamba Sports Academy, a multi-sports training academy, he was teaching kids to play the game the right way. He also was an advocate and stressed the importance of women’s basketball to everyone, a position much needed in this AAU sports dominated society.

As a parent I supported Kobe going against the AAU model for kid’s basketball and applauded when he won an Oscar Award for his short animated film, “Dear Basketball” based on an original poem he wrote.

Kobe seemed eager about life after the NBA. There were future projects informed by his Mamba mentality and business deals on the horizon. Tragically, the latter will never happen.

Kobe Bryant is dead.

It’s still ringing in my head like the refrain from a bad song.

Kobe, you will never be forgotten; your legacy will rise. Who else has two numbers (8 and 24) retired by the same team? You were a true leader in every sense of the word and will be missed.

History already shows you were one of the greatest athletes to ever play.

Now may you and your daughter rest in peace. © 2020 Vince Wright Vince Wright is a sports commentator and podcast host of Tuesday night’s “Sports Done Wright” based out of the Twin Cities and available on most major podcast streaming services.

He also cohosts “The Northstar Sports Podcast” and covers the St. Paul Saints and other local sports events.

If I could do one thing, I’d tell the world she counts.

Communities are as rich and diverse as their needs. That’s why completing the 2020 Census matters. It’s a safe and confidential step toward having an impact on how public funds flow through our communities.

That could mean more resources in your area for special needs. It’s within your control.

Learn more at:

2020CENSUS.GOV Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau.

insightnews.com

Insight News • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Page 3

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

February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020

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

Vol. 47 No. 5• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

The Greenwood Initiative

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com Billionaire and former New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg is making his case to be the Democratic nominee for president in the 2020 election.

A late comer into the fray, which saw upwards of 20 Democratic candidates vying to oust President Donald Trump, Bloomberg may not have time on his side, but what he lost in time he is making up in spending. Putting a substantial amount of personal resources behind his campaign, Bloomberg has opened serval offices in upcoming primary states including an office in downtown Minneapolis. But before he came downtown, he made a stop in North Minneapolis, the state’s most populous enclave of Black residents. The move to visit New Rules, a Black-owned coworking and event space, was not one done by happenstance.

Dogged by criticism of the controversial “stop and frisk” policies that led to thousands of negative encounters between Blacks and Latinx and New York City police, Bloomberg is working to atone for past policies, which he now says were wrong and for which he apologized in November at a Black church in Brooklyn. Understanding the path to the nomination goes through the Black community, Bloomberg is making it a point to be visible and at the same time open to the criticism for past deeds. And he’s gaining support.

Former Black Panther and Illinois congressman, Rep. Bobby Rush is on board as Bloomberg’s national co-chair.

Locally, political operative Kenya McKnight Ahad is also actively supporting the business and media tycoon. “(Bloomberg) is an

Commissioner Rebecca Lucero

Department of Human Rights urges state Supreme Court to protect Minnesotans under Human Rights Act

Uche Iroegbu

Presidential candidate Michael bloomberg (left) sits with Kenya McKnight Asad at New Rules in North Minneapolis. experienced leader who knows not only what needs to be done, but how to get it done,” said McKnight Ahad in introducing Bloomberg to a full house at his downtown Minneapolis headquarters on First Avenue. “I am behind Mike 1,000 percent in his vision, in his leadership, in his passion, in his commitment, to get things done.”

One of the reasons McKnight Ahad said she supports Bloomberg is because of his proposed Greenwood Initiative.

Announced in Tulsa, Okla. – site of what was formerly known as Black Wall Street before white rioters killed as many as 300 Blacks in 1921 – the Greenwood Initiative would, according to Bloomberg, triple the wealth of Black Americans within the next 10 years. He said this is achievable by doubling the number of Black-owned businesses and helping more

than one million Black families to purchase a home. Bloomberg said closing the wealth gap in America is good for the entire nation.

“If we could eliminate the racial wealth gap, we could add $1.5 trillion to the American economy,” said Bloomberg at the Tulsa announcement.

“It’s time we acknowledge our history and right our country’s wrongs.”

The office in Minneapolis is the first of eight to open in the state for Bloomberg.

While other Democrats are debating over minute details of their similar healthcare proposals, Bloomberg is going after big game … Donald Trump. With a slew of advertisements running in all forms of media, almost without exception Bloomberg has been laser focused on Trump.

In his Nov. 23 christening of the

Minneapolis office, Bloomberg continued to bring his fight straight to the president.

“The difference between Donald Trump and I is he inherited his money; I’m selfmade,” said Bloomberg, whose wealth is believed to be $60.5 billion. “The other difference is he’s a divider and I’m a uniter.

He’s a climate change denier, I’m an engineer and I believe in science.”

In his visit to the area prior to the campaign launch, Bloomberg awarded Minneapolis and St. Paul $2.5 million grants each in October of 2018 to fight climate change.

Bloomberg has pledged to spend money with Black media and thus far has made good on that promise in South Carolina, a state where the Black vote will determine the Democratic nominee.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), represented by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, filed an amicus brief in Meagan Abel vs. Abbot Northwestern Hospital and St. Mary’s University Minnesota.

The case asks whether courts reviewing harassment cases under the Minnesota Human Rights Act (Act) must take into account the total series of actions that create a hostile environment, including discrimination that took place outside the oneyear statute of limitations, and also whether unpaid interns are protected by the Act. MDHR is urging the Minnesota Supreme Court to reverse a flawed lower court ruling and ensure that unpaid interns are protected under the Act. “Every Minnesotan deserves to live free from discrimination,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. “That’s why we filed this amicus brief because too many Minnesotans continue to face discrimination, hate, and harassment in their

was arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison Minnesotans live with safety, dignity, and respect. It’s hard even to conceive that the Trump Administration is willing to let Minnesotans die just so a few companies can get rich off of flooding our streets with undetectable and untraceable weapons. But that’s exactly what the Administration is doing. I won’t allow it,” Ellison said.

Background and previous successful lawsuit In 2015, Defense Distributed, an organization advocating for global distribution of open-source, downloadable 3D-printed guns, sued the Obama Administration after the U.S. State Department forced Defense Distributed to remove the files from the internet. The federal government successfully argued in federal trial and appellate courts that posting the files online violates

firearm export laws and poses a serious threat to national security and public safety. The United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

On June 29, 2018, in an abrupt reversal, the Trump Administration settled the case.

As part of the settlement, the Trump Administration agreed to allow unlimited public distribution on the internet of the downloadable files for 3D-printed guns. This would have given anyone with a 3D printer access to those weapons.

The next day the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office joined Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit to stop block the Trump Administration’s action.

On Nov. 12 the court granted the states’ motion for summary judgment, ruling that the Trump Administration’s decision to allow distribution of the files

News

Comcast expands retail footprint in the Twin Cities

PAGE 5

New rules and current lawsuit In the new rules, the administration acknowledges the dangers that the distribution of 3D-printed gun files poses. It agrees that regulation is needed, even though its new regulations are toothless and will not prevent the global dissemination of-3D printed guns. It also acknowledges that regulating the distribution of 3D-printed gun files does not violate the First or Second Amendments.

In the lawsuit filed, Ellison and the coalition assert that the new rules are unlawful for similar reasons as the previous rule. They argue that the administration has still offered no evidence to support their about-face on the risks of allowing unregulated access to firearms worldwide, making the rule arbitrary and capricious, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). They argue that the Administration also violated the APA by failing to provide meaningful public notice of the rule change.

Joining Ellison and Ferguson in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

HUMAN RIGHTS 4

The fierce urgency of now

Attorney general sues Trump Administration over effort to allow release of 3D-printed guns Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general, led by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s latest effort to allow 3D-printed gun files to be released on the internet.

According to the attorneys general, these files would allow plug-and-play access to 3D-print unregistered, untraceable firearms, sometimes called “ghost guns,” that can be very difficult to detect, even with a metal detector.

In previous multistate lawsuit that Minnesota joined, a federal court in November 2019 struck down the Trump Administration’s earlier attempt to allow the release of the files.

Despite losing in court, the Trump Administration finalized new rules that would transfer regulation of 3D-printed guns from the State Department to the Department of Commerce.

Due to loopholes in Commerce regulations, which are already weaker than State Department restrictions, the Commerce Department will lack the power to regulate 3D-printed guns in any meaningful way.

This will effectively allow for their unlimited distribution.

In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Ellison and the coalition argue those rules are unlawful for many of the same reasons as the previous attempt.

“My job is to help

communities. The Minnesota Supreme Court must clarify that the law provides protections so all Minnesotans can live full lives without fear of being discriminated against.”

In this case, Meagan Abel, a St. Mary’s University doctoral student, began her unpaid practicum at Abbot Northwestern Hospital’s clinical psychology program in September 2015. During the program, Abel alleges her supervisor repeatedly sexually and racially harassed her. When Abel reported the harassment multiple times, both the hospital and St. Mary’s University failed to act and protect Abel.

Their inaction contributed to a hostile environment.

In May 2016, Abel decided to end her practicum early.

Less than one year later in May 2017, Abel filed a charge of discrimination with MDHR. The Fourth Judicial District Court of Hennepin County and the Minnesota Court of Appeals denied Abel’s claim, alleging the supervisor’s harassment and inaction by the

Dr. Sylvia Bartley

By Dr. Sylvia Bartley, PhD. September 2019 I was elected onto the Augsburg University Board of Regents, a position I accepted with pride and joy. I’m passionate about education as I believe everyone should have access to a high-quality education irrespective of their circumstance. At the second board committee meeting I attended I was asked to say a few words at the start of the meeting.

The committee members and staff are committed, and passionate people driven to do good in this world. Through their positions of influence, they are doing right by Augsburg and Auggie students. As the only Black person in the room of about 20 people I seized the opportunity to share some of my thoughts about honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on his birthday.

I’m not sure what the committeewas expecting from me. I can safely say, after taking a leap of faith, they were moved by my words. Some even encouraged me to publish it somewhere. So here is the essence of what I shared.

“We Remember him on Monday and dismember him on Tuesday…..”

Sitting in the pew of Ebenezer church in Atlanta

Georgia, listening to the powerful words of Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock brought back memories of me sitting in the back of an Uber in Johannesburg.

The driver was an elderly Black man. He was quiet. His clothes were worn but clean and tidy. I was on the first leg of a business trip in South Africa which consisted of me spending most of my time in the office. My ride back to the airport was an opportunity to see more of Joburg as Johannesburg is affectionately called by the locals. I stared intently out of the window soaking up my surroundings. We were driving on a freeway. On my right I saw a few Black people suddenly appear, walking with purpose alongside the freeway on a beaten track that seemed to be taking them nowhere. As we drove further towards the airport, more Black people would appear, walking with purpose to somewhere that was not visible to me. I saw the sun reflect brightly on what appeared to be a row of metal sheets that soon became a sea of metal sheets that went on forever. The number of Black people I saw walking increased as the sheets became more visible. Then it hit me, the sheets were roofs of shacks.

This was Alexandra.

On my left side,

MLK 4

I2H

Pfizer, AmeriHealth Caritas officials talk health at NNPA conference

PAGE 6

Page 4 • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Children’s Minnesota, 3M partner focused on diversity, equity and inclusion Dozens of diversity, equity and inclusion leaders and champions from throughout the Twin Cities joined Children’s Minnesota and 3M last week for the “The DEI Collective: Our Twin Cities Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Employee Resource Group/ Network Partnership.”

The theme for this event, held at the John Nasseff Conference Center, was “Building an Inclusive Culture through Allyship.” It brought together local executives, employee resource groups/ networks, their executive sponsors, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) champions to discuss ways to advance DEI initiatives throughout the region.

Participants also shared their best practices for becoming stronger advocates for diverse and underrepresented employees during panel discussions and breakout sessions. This included strategies on how to retain and promote diverse employees, as well as ensuring that their voices are heard in the workplace.

“I’m heartened by the fact that so many leaders took the time to support this important work happening

James Burroughs, chief equity and inclusion officer at Children’s Minnesota in the DEI space,” said Ann Anaya, chief diversity officer for 3M. “I’m excited that we can take so many of these best

practices back to our companies.

We know that having diversity and inclusion within our respective organizations

Ann Anaya, chief diversity officer for 3M provides a tremendous lift to all who engage with us, be it our employees or our customers.”

“We want everyone who makes a living here in the

Twin Cities and Minnesota to feel valued, respected and supported in their jobs,” said James Burroughs, chief equity and inclusion officer at

Children’s Minnesota. “There is much work to do when it comes to closing the opportunity gap and helping under-represented employees break through barriers. Summits like this bring about a healthy dialogue that we can use to share learnings and bolster our DEI efforts statewide.”

Creating a diverse workforce, particularly among clinicians, is vital for Children’s Minnesota because of the diverse backgrounds of the communities it serves.

Nearly 50 percent of Children’s patients are people of color.

“We know having a diverse workplace cultivates deeper patient satisfaction, reduces health disparities and creates an engaging place to work,” Burroughs said. “We strive to be every family’s essential partner in raising healthier children, and to do this, we must address the disparities in our own hospitals and clinics.”

Children’s Minnesota is the seventh largest pediatric health system in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood.

Software engineer turns childhood passion into a thriving business

By Curtis Bunn Urban News Service A Division of Zenger News Karen Young always believed she was following her passion during a long successful career as a software engineer, then, at 50, a chance opportunity ignited a fresh business idea that took her back to her childhood.

Her inspiration was ignited in 2015 when a close friend asked her to coordinate a dessert bar at her wedding reception. Young tapped into a creative side that she generally suppressed by recalling her youth in South Central Los Angeles where lollipops were soothing treats in an environment that often was uneasy and besieged by gangs.

Then she added a twist, deciding to infuse them with libations she already had at home.

The adult version of her childhood favorite was a success. The guests enjoyed them so much that Young took

several orders for the unique treat at the wedding. And thus, the idea for Gourmee Bars was born.

But Young knew that a business requires more than just a good idea. Over the next four years, she conducted research and experiments in her Atlanta home, learning about and sampling edible fruits and flowers. She mixed herbs and spices in multiple combinations and used friends as taste-testers.

She sampled more candy than she cares to remember to get where she is and went to school on mixing elements with sugar.

“It was important that I learned the chemistry of creating candy,” she said. “If not done properly, hard candy can turn out grainy or too soft. So I had to learn through trial and error what happens with the ingredients while they are cooking and to understand how slight variations of cooking temperatures or adding flavorings could completely change the result.

Those were my challenges.”

All the while, she continued to work her day job.

“Mom, this is

Karen Young (left) and her daughter, Issa Clark with their Gourmee Bars lollipops. your passion,” her 23-year old daughter Issa Clark, told her this summer as she eagerly mixed dessert concoctions over her stove.

Young who had just finished an eight-hour day at her regular job was startled by the comment.

“I hadn’t thought about it that way,” Young said.

“But she was right. I would do my job at work, but every free moment I thought about getting into the kitchen and making lollipops. The mere thought of it excited me. So the next step was natural.”

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

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

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

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

I Phone 7 pre-owned $19.99 I Phone 6s plus $49.99 Buy one Samsung A10e and get 3 free phones Add line and $5 only for the phone 4 line $100 unlimited everything Free Stylo 5 when you switch to Boost Mobile 1112 Lowry Ave N, Minneapolis MN 55411 612.345.4524

Her hobby turned into a passion, which turned into a business that has earned loyal fans who find in her treats a sweet mix of both nostalgia and flavor.

“I created more than 1,000 lollipops of different flavor pairings, testing to see if the ideas I had in my head would create both beauty and flavor that adults would enjoy displaying and eating,” she said.

They did.

“The sentiment I hear most is that the lollipops are works of art,” Young said.

“I put a lot of time and effort into researching to make them look worthy of a display while also tasting good.”

Young markets Gourmee Bars to people holding weddings or birthday parties and to companies hosting events. The pops can carry a logo or message because they are infused with edible paper and can be customized using edible ink. Some are layered with edible flowers and glitter.

Additionally, for adults only, she makes margarita lollipops that are infused with tequila, lime zest, and are topped with margarita salt and mango or habanero peppers.

Young said she has managed to make the treats in her kitchen and fund her business through her savings, but as word of her “suckers”

spread, she knows production costs and bandwidth to produce in bulk will require partnership.

She often makes 500 lollipops a week in her home to meet demand.

However, production becomes a challenge during busy periods when outstanding orders can call for 5,000 candies “Future expansion includes partnering with florists to include as an option with floral arrangements and also joining forces with a candy manufacturer that has a track record of mass production,” she said.

In the meantime, she and Clark carry on. They take orders via their website, www. gourmeebars.com or wordof-mouth, and business has been steady. But there has been an immeasurable gift out of creating the business “It’s rewarding to work side-by-side with my daughter. And as an AfricanAmerican mother, it’s important for me to leave a legacy for her,” said Young. “I feel that way about my nieces and nephews as well. We have to build businesses to create generational wealth for our families and communities.

Then they can leave it for their children. It’s the only way we can carry on a legacy in business and overcome the institutional racism that often holds us back.”

Human Rights

and thus could not be considered.

The District Court also ruled that Abel was not an employee or student during her practicum and was not be protected under the Minnesota Human Rights Act’s employment or education protections.

In the brief, MDHR argues that it is crucial for the law to recognize that hostile environment claims are comprised of a series of individual discriminatory events.

While individuals have a year to submit a charge of discrimination, MDHR highlights that the law permits a court to take into account discriminatory actions, including inaction by an employer, that took place outside the one-year limitation period that contributed to the hostile environment.

The brief also states that the clock for the statute of limitations period for hostile environments must begin on the employee’s last day of work or when an employee resigns.

In addition, MDHR also argues that the Minnesota Supreme Court should interpret the law to ensure that individuals in unpaid internships and students performing unpaid work as a requirement of their education are protected under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. MDHR highlights that the Act already protects Minnesotans in the areas of employment and education and should extend to interns and student workers.

If you believe you have been discriminated against in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, contact MDHR at (651) 539-1133, (800) 657-3704, or email info. mdhr@state.mn.us.

From 3 hospital and university that Abel experienced in 2015 and early 2016 took place outside of the one-year statute of limitations

insightnews.com

Insight News • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Page 5

Comcast expands retail footprint in the Twin Cities Six new Comcast stores are coming to the Twin Cities.

They will feature contemporary hands-on displays and seating areas where customers can interact with all Xfinity products from internet, video and connected home solutions to Xfinity Mobile. These new stores will bring the total number of Xfinity stores in the Twin Cities to 14 by the end of 2020.

“These stores are designed to give customers an awesome experience,” said J.D. Keller, regional senior vice president, Comcast Twin Cities Region. “They are all about providing the best possible service to our customers, as well

MLK From 3 standing tall and proud were high-end apartment complexes, towering over the freeway and glaring down on the township. I guess they could see over the 20 000 plus shacks that made up part of the largest township in South Africa.

I asked the driver if this was Alex. He said yes in a softly spoken voice. I shifted in my seat to get closer so I could hear him because I felt he had more to say. He looked at me through the rear-view mirror. He asked me if I believed in God. I replied with a simple yes and waited for his follow-up question. After a brief intense pause, he asked me if I believe God lives over there?

Pointing to Alex, tears fell.

The look of anguish, sadness, and disappointment on his face was indescribable as he went on to share his experience growing up and still living in a similar township. He explained how he dreams of a better life for his wife and children. How much it pains him that his family lives in what he described are inhumane conditions.

The anguish he felt when passengers treat him as if he is sub-human, without dignity or compassion, simply because of the color of his skin. The driver vividly came

as giving all consumers a chance to explore our Xfinity products and services firsthand and check out our latest technology in an interactive environment.”

Comcast recently opened the Coon Rapids and Brooklyn Center Xfinity Stores with the remaining locations scheduled to open later in the year.

Customers can also visit the store to upgrade or swap equipment, ask questions about their Xfinity service or pay a bill. Comcast has built or redesigned more than 400 new stores since 2015. Store hours are Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.

– 7 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. to my mind as I listened to Reverend Dr. Warnock say, ‘We remember him on Monday and dismember him on Tuesday’.

Reverend Dr. Warnock reminded us Dr. Martin Luther King Jr died standing up for the poor and powerless yet still today people are being criminalized for being poor and powerless.

This is not just an American experience, it is a common experience for too many Black people around the world. The racial disparities between Blacks and whites are deeply seated in a system built to suppress Black people, to keep us poor and powerless.

Living in a black body often means living in fear despite your position, accomplishments or education. It takes a toll on our emotional, physical and spiritual health which is compounded by the lack of access and equity in the healthcare system.

Consequently, this often leads to preventable health conditions which ultimately has a toll on society, ‘what affects one person directly, affects everyone indirectly’.

‘We remember him on Monday and dismember him on Tuesday’ reminds me of Prince Harry and Duchess Megan. How Megan is vilified by the British press, constantly criticized and subjected to unbelievable bullying. Yet people refuse to believe this behavior is deepseated in racism because they don’t like that word and they don’t want to acknowledge

Comcast announced plans to open six new Xfinity stores in the Twin Cities by the end of 2020. New retail stores will be in Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Center, Maple Grove, Blaine, Vadnais Heights and West St. Paul.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Raphael Warnock

racism exists. They want us to believe the issue is with us.

‘We remember him on Monday and dismember him on Tuesday’ reminds me of when we are reluctant to use our voice.

In the famous words of Audrey Loudre, ‘we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed…’. How do you find your voice while you are constantly a victim of suppression and oppression? I think the answer lies in the rest of the quote ‘we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So, it is better to speak.’

The simple act of using your voice, lifting every

voice, listening to stories of people who don’t look like you or have a different perspective can go a long way in helping to create a world that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr dreamed of during a time when hope seemed like an impossible dream for African Americans.

Augsburg College is in a privileged position to influence the next generation of leaders. Not just with academic information but with a holistic teaching approach that will encourage our next generation of leaders to show up in the world with compassion and humanity for all. We as Regents are able to influence how Augsburg shows up to provide

the best in class learning environment and experience for all students. Collectively we are in a position to ensure every voice of every student is heard.

That all students are treated with human dignity. That we do all we can to stand up for the poor and the powerless. We are in a position to help change the narrative for Black people, Native Americans, Latino, Asian and all people of color. The LGBTQIA+ community, the poor and the disenfranchised.

We can change the narrative from one of despair and hopelessness to one of prosperity, hope, and unity.

Augsburg College is a powerful think tank not just for students but for world leaders and influencers. The Nobel Peace Prize Forum is one of many examples of how Augsburg uses its influence on a global platform to change the world for the better. It is possible, one step at a time.

My call to action is for everyone in this room to think about one thing you can do differently as an individual or as a collective to use your position of privilege to help create in your sphere of influence, compassion, humanity, equity and equal access for all.

Together let’s make Reverend Dr. Warnock’s comment ‘We remember him on Monday and dismember him on Tuesday’ irrelevant by honoring and remembering Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr. every day of the .yrae My words were welcomed and appreciated by the Augsburg Board of Regents.

I extend this call to action to everyone reading this commentary. I’m sure many readers don’t recognize that they too have privilege and are in positions of power or influence within their community. Harness that power and think about how you can help from where you stand today to co-create a positive difference in your world and the lives of others.

Dr. Sylvia Bartley, a Senior Global Director for the Medtronic Foundation, is well known for her community work in the Twin Cities and her voice on KMOJ radio. She was recently listed in Great Britain’s Powerlist 2020, of the top 100 most influential Black people in the UK. The Powerlist included The Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markel, and actor Idris Elba.

She was also named as one of Pollens 2019 50 over 50 MN doing purposeful work in MN. Bartley recently moved to Atlanta with her wife Reba but is still connected, committed and invested in the Twin Cities community. Her book Turning the Tide: Neuroscience, Spirituality and My Path Toward Emotional Health” outlines the links between our brains and our souls while inspiring readers to change the world with that knowledge.

fresh • local • organic Your neighborhood source for local and organic foods and wellness products

2823 E. Franklin Ave. | Minneapolis & 317 E. 38th St. | Minneapolis w w w. s e w a rd. co o p

Page 6 • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Pfizer, AmeriHealth Caritas officials talk health at NNPA conference

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Health – particularly that of African-Americans – was a significant topic during the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) annual Midwinter Training Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. In separate sessions on Jan. 24, officials from Pfizer Rare Disease and AmeriHealth Caritas spoke of the importance of being vigilant about health.

“I want to shift gears and talk about transthyretin cardiomyopathy,” said Dr. Kevin Williams, the chief medical officer for Pfizer Rare Disease.

Williams addressed the conference during a Pfizer-hosted breakfast presentation titled, “African Americans and Heart Disease

– New Research Breakthrough: Announcing 2020 Partnership between Pfizer and NNPA.” “Transthyretincardiomyopathy is a disease characterized by the buildup of abnormal deposits of a protein called amyloid in the body’s organs and tissues,” Williams said. “Most people are unfamiliar with the disease itself, which often impacts the peripheral nervous system and organs such as the heart, kidney, GI tract, and eyes.”

Williams said the disease primarily affects the heart and is defined by restrictive cardiomyopathy and progressive heart failure. The prevalence of transthyretin cardiomyopathy is presently unknown, with many patients being misdiagnosed with other forms of heart failure, Williams noted. An estimated 1 percent of those with transthyretin cardiomyopathy is diagnosed, and there are no approved treatment options.

“Education is vital to increase awareness and

understanding of transthyretin cardiomyopathy, which may potentially help to identify people with the disease earlier, thereby shortening their diagnostic journey,” said Williams. “It’s critical that we do more as a community to elevate the understanding of this disease and progress forward in improving the diagnosis and care of those affected. Part of how we can do this is by digging deeper and asking the right questions.”

Williams noted Pfizer Rare Disease is working closely with health care professionals and advocacy organizations to help make a difference in the lives of people living with rare diseases, such as transthyretin cardiomyopathy. He said Pfizer’s partnership with the NNPA in 2020 will focus on this illness.

“We want to really raise awareness for this particular form of heart failure,” said Williams.

At a later session titled “Future of Medicaid and

Dr. Kevin Williams, the chief medical officer for Pfizer Rare Disease, addressed the conference during a Pfizer-hosted breakfast presentation at the NNPA Mid-Winter Convention.

Medicare: Healthy You, Healthy Us – What is Managed Care and How Does It Advance Health Equity,” AmeriHealth Caritas officials said it was important

to gain a greater understanding of the different ways managed care organizations address key social disparities.

They said many of those disparities disproportionately affect African Americans and other people of color.

“So many things affect our health, including violence and environmental racism,” said Jawanza Keita, the national director of corporate communications and media relations for AmeriHealth Caritas.

Keita gave the example of the city of Chester, Penn., which is predominately African-American and is situated near the Delaware River, where pollution is rampant.

“We look at the environmental issues and how that impacts our wellbeing,” Keita said. “So much of your health is not tied to clinical care, and we have to be cognizant of what we ingest.”

Health literacy, food

insecurity, and transportation to medical facilities, for example, are markedly more prevalent among the same high-risk member population than all others, according to Keith Maccannon, the director of marketing and outreach for AmeriHealth Caritas in D.C. When compared to all other members, 34 percent of high-risk members reported a lack of health literacy, 23 percent experienced food insecurity and 23 percent lacked transportation to medical facilities, Maccannon noted.

He said the presentation had five key takeaways, including the need to screen for social determinants of health, creating a broad array of support and services to address the social determinants while decreasing barriers to access, leveraging strategic partnerships, and the need to continuously improve and innovate.

Why fitness trackers may not give you all the ‘credit’ you hoped

By Katie Siek Associate Professor of Informatics, Indiana University TheConversation.com The beginning of the year is a time when many people make resolutions – and then break them.

Almost 60 percent of Americans will resolve to exercise more, but fewer than 10 percent will stick with their resolution. A key to keeping resolutions is ensuring they are measurable, and a simple way to track activity is through a wearable smartwatch or fitness tracker. Indeed, almost one in five adults has used a fitness tracker.

Wearable fitness trackers can also help improve medical care by providing insights into physical activity, heart rate, location and sleep patterns. My research team uses wearable fitness tracker data with smart home sensors to help older adults live safely and independently. We also study wearable fitness tracker data along with electronic medical records and genomic

data to investigate the causes of gestational diabetes. Many other researchers utilize wearable fitness trackers to better understand how lifestyles can impact health.

Unfortunately, I’ve found in my health informatics research that wearable devices may not give all the credit their users deserve, and in some cases, users may want to consider how secure and private their data is.

Giving credit when it’s due People who use fitness trackers have been frustrated with how they get “credit” for their activities, which drives some users to abandon fitness trackers. In my research team’s work, we find that people who have limited arm movement report that fitness trackers are not accurately recording their activities. This can happen as well with those who do not have traditional gaits because they may shuffle.

The lack of credit is especially obvious when people are walking but keeping their arms still – such as pushing a stroller or walking while holding an infant. New mothers

bogdankosanovic/E+ via Getty Images

Wearable fitness trackers have less accuracy when used in certain ways. also report accuracy issues with respect to their sleep patterns.

When they wake up multiple times a night, the next morning the device will show them as “lightly sleeping.” This is frustrating when the new mother wants to use this data to negotiate with her partner on childcare because a device may credit the mother with more sleep than she actually gets.

These inaccuracies make sense from a technical point of view. When people keep their wrists still, as in

pushing a stroller, the wrist is not changing directions. Thus, the software cannot detect changes in movement from the accelerometer sensor on a wrist tracker which is looking for changes in up-down, forward-backward and side-toside movements. Researchers have also shown that 500 or fewer steps can be recorded without wearing the device, reflecting how devices can over count activity sometimes.

In the case of detecting sleep, most people do not wake up

multiple times a night, so the algorithms used by wearable devices may throw these short bursts of movement away.

The companies that make these wearable devices have significant intellectual property involved in detecting these movements and then using algorithms to decide how much people are moving or sleeping, so these algorithms are not shared publicly. There currently do not exist any mechanisms to give feedback on what was detected. Imagine if a person could push a button and tell a wearable fitness device, “I did wake up three times tonight.”

Since people are not getting the credit they deserve for some of their activities, I am concerned about what type of lifestyle data we researchers can accurately assess from a commodity wearable for our health research. In computing, there is a saying, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If wearable fitness trackers are putting inaccurate step and sleep data into the algorithms that quantify our activities, then people will be making health-related decisions based on inaccurate data.

Who

has the data?

Typically, consumers assess how much “credit” they are getting from a fitness tracker by transferring the data to an app. Most people likely assume that when people transfer the data to the app, the data is not shared widely. Users may assume, for instance, that they can see the data, people they shared data with can view it and the company who has the device and app can see the data.

But this is only part of the story.

A company, however, could change its terms of service – which, studies have shown, people have difficulty understanding – and decide to make this health data available to third parties. For example, wearable fitness data could be sold to help our employers understand our fitness and productivity or insurance companies to assist with or deny health coverage. Although there’s no evidence of this practice being done, I believe consumers would do well to be aware that it is a possibility in the future.

insightnews.com

Insight News • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Page 7

Justin Morneau elected to Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame Former Twins first baseman Justin Morneau has been elected to the club’s Hall of Fame.

Morneau will be the 34th member of the Twins Hall of Fame when he is inducted during an on-field pre-game ceremony at Target Field before the Twins host the Chicago White Sox on May 23.

“The Minnesota Twins are thrilled with the election of Justin Morneau to the Twins Hall of Fame,” Twins President and CEO Dave St. Peter said.

“Justin’s brilliant career – defined by an American League Most Valuable Player Award as well as his leadership role on the field and in the community – makes him one of the greatest players of his generation.

His impact on the Twins organization and Twins Territory in general is significant.”

Morneau played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including 11 with the Twins from 2003-13. He finished his Twins career hitting .278 with 289 doubles, 16 triples, 221 home runs, 860 RBI, 669 runs

scored and 501 walks in 1278 games. The 2006 American League Most Valuable Player hit 30 or more home runs three times for the Twins and recorded 100 RBI or more in four seasons.

As a member of the Twins, he was named to four-straight AL All-Star teams (2007-10) and earned two Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards (2006 and 2008). The New Westminster, Vancouver, Canada native was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and ranks second on the Twins all-time list in games played at first base (1,124), third in home runs, sixth in RBI, and eighth in hits and walks. He remains with the Twins as a special assistant to baseball operations, a position he has held for the last two seasons. Additionally, 2020 will mark Morneau’s third season as an analyst for select Twins television broadcasts on FOX Sports North.

Morneau was elected by a 71-member committee consisting of local and national media, club officials, fans

and past elected members, using rules similar to those necessary for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Twins Hall of Fame, which honors players, managers, coaches and off-field personnel who have contributed to the organization’s growth and success since Minnesota broke into the major leagues in 1961, was created as part of the club’s 40th Season Celebration in 2000. The inaugural class of Twins Hall of Famers – Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett and Calvin Griffith – was inducted on Aug. 12, 2000. Other inductees include pitcher Jim Kaat and broadcaster Herb Carneal (2001), pitcher Bert Blyleven and manager Tom Kelly (2002), long-time public address announcer Bob Casey and outfielder Bob Allison (2003), catcher Earl Battey (2004), pitcher Frank Viola (2005) and owner Carl Pohlad (2005), shortstop Zoilo Versalles (2006), third baseman Gary Gaetti (2007)

and farm director Jim Rantz (2007), pitcher Rick Aguilera (2008), pitcher Brad Radke and farm and scouting director George Brophy (2009), shortstop Greg Gagne (2010), pitcher Jim Perry (2011), pitcher Camilo Pascual (2012), pitcher Eddie Guardado and director of media relations Tom Mee (2013), second baseman Chuck Knoblauch was elected in 2014 but not inducted, outfielder Torii Hunter and radio broadcaster John Gordon (2016), outfielder Michael Cuddyer and former general manager Andy MacPhail (2017), pitcher Johan Santana (2018), and, pitcher Joe Nathan and former club president Jerry Bell (2019).

The Twins Hall of Fame membership is permanently displayed in the Hall of Fame Gallery on the Target Field Suite Level as well as on Target Plaza and in the Minor League Clubhouse at the CenturyLink Sports Complex in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Harry Colbert, Jr.

Justin Morneau (left) and Twins announcer Dick Bremer following the announcement of Morneau’s election to the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.

How wildlife handles winter

By Erica Hoaglund Minnesota DNR To many Minnesotans at this time of year, winter can start to feel a little like a long road trip to spring … are we there yet?

As mammals, we humans seem to keep having to fight off the urge to slumber the winter away, to hibernate like a bat in a cave until April. While hibernation, or something like it, is one of the ways animals handle the long winter months, many people may be surprised to know that strategies to make it through the winter are just about as diverse in the animal community as among humans.

Generally, winter survival strategies for wildlife can be broken down into three broad categories that we might refer to as active, inactive and elsewhere. Let’s look at some examples of each; some may surprise you. Some may make you jealous.

Inactive

Wildlife deals with winter by hibernating, migrating or meeting it head-on. Owls are among the species that get active in winter. Listen for them at night this time of year as they hoot back and forth while setting up territories and preparing to nest. aquatic mudpuppy, spends its winters very actively feeding and breeding, remaining largely sedentary in the summer as they guard their eggs under rocks. Voles are largely solitary

in the warmer months, but in winter they can create a maze of tunnels beneath the snow to travel safely and socialize, out of sight of predators such as owls. Speaking of owls, they’re

Minnesota’s biggest salamander, the mudpuppy, spends its winters in the water actively feeding and breeding, They’re largely sedentary in the summer. another species that gets very active in the deep of winter.

Stand in your backyard at night

and listen for them hooting to each other as they set up territories and prepare to nest.

WINNER! 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical

This is one of the more well-known ways for Minnesota wildlife to deal with the winter, but there may be more varieties of inactive than you ever imagined. Wildlife in the frigid north has evolved a range of strategies. The common Grey Tree Frog actually produces a biological antifreeze that allows its body to freeze solid and then thaw out. Bears truly do just “sleep” the winter away in a state between true hibernation and normal sleep. Four of the eight species of bats native to Minnesota hibernate through the winter in caves around the state, their heart rates dropping from 200-300 beats per minute to 10, taking a breath only every couple minutes.

Elsewhere Many Minnesotans have older relatives or friends whose approach to winter is to head south to warmer climes for a few months each year. Such geographic escape is a common strategy used by a variety of wildlife, too. This is known as migration. Many species such as the Ruby-throated hummingbird (a common backyard visitor in the Twin Cities) move hundreds or thousands of miles to places like Central America that stay warm all year long. While four of Minnesota’s native bat species hibernate, the other four prefer migration to hanging upside down in a cold cave for the winter months. Some species’ movements are not so dramatic. Turtles, for example, require only liquid, oxygen carrying water to sustain them over the winter, so they may move as little as a few hundred feet from shallow wetlands to deeper lakes or rivers where they remain buried in mud for the winter months.

Active If you can’t escape it or sleep through it, you might as well embrace it. Though it might surprise some folks, there are a whole bunch of animals that seem to have that attitude toward winter, spending the season as active participants. Sometimes they can be even more active than in the summer months. Our state’s largest salamander, the

So, as winter stretches on, consider getting outside to see what’s going on in the natural world. There’s a whole lot more happening than you might guess. Winter is a great time to look for animal tracks, and for exploring places that might be too wet, weedy or buggy in summer. Many state parks offer special activities in winter; visit www.mndnr.gov and search for the “events calendar.” You can also see a lot just looking out a favorite window and watching for wildlife that has also stuck around in the frozen north.

Don’t complain about winter, learn to enjoy it.

Erica Hoaglund is a biologist for the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program, which helps preserve and protect thousands of Minnesota wildlife species, some of them threatened or endangered.

feb 4-9

ONE WEEK ONLY!

ORDWAY.ORG | 651.224.4222 BROADWAY AT THE ORDWAY SPONSORED BY

Page 8 • February 3, 2020 - February 9, 2020 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Adidas collaborates with Run-DMC for commemorative sneaker

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia It’s been nearly 34 years since legendary hip-hop pioneers Run DMC “walked through concert doors, and roamed all over coliseum floors,” as they performed their groundbreaking single, “My Adidas.”

Now, the famed sneaker company that inspired the 1986 hit song is honoring

Run (Joseph Simmons), DMC (Darryl McDaniels), and the late Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell).

Adidas Originals announced it has collaborated with Run DMC to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Superstar silhouette sneakers famously worn by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers throughout their career.

According to the footwear outlet, Sneaker Bar Detroit, Adidas will release the sneakers in three color options.

The first release is black and white, with high-

resolution red color. The second reportedly contains a white core with black stripes and a highresolution red color. Images for the third sneaker haven’t been released, but each includes Run DMC branding throughout, with the letters “JMJ” emblazoned along the heel.

The sneakers have a retail price of $150, so it’ll cost a little cash if you want to be like Run DMC and have these Adidas “funky fresh and yes cold on my feet.”

Adidas, the famed sneaker company that inspired the 1986 hit song is honoring Run (Joseph Simmons), DMC (Darryl McDaniels), and the late Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell).

Work of Houston photographer to display at JXTA Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) will host Houston-based photographer Jamie Robertson’s first solo exhibition in Minneapolis in the JXTA Gallery from Jan. 30 to March 7.

The exhibition, titled “Making Reference,” forms a part of a new body of work by

the artist that explores histories of colonial photography in the Americas. In her work, Robertson takes on the practice of ethnographic images from the history of art, particularly images of Black women in the Caribbean and South America.

Robertson adapts

them to her own body and camera, inviting the viewer to see the archival index from which she is drawing, while also searching their visual memory for a parallel likeness. In this work, she inserts herself into a tradition of studio portraiture while also critiquing it as a

Get Connected.

Get Help.

Find essential health and human services information when you need it.

Photos of Jamie Robertson are on display at Juxtaposition Arts.

DIAL 211, TEXT 898-211 OR VISIT 211UNITEDWAY.ORG A proud supporter of United Way 211

24/7 • FREE • CONFIDENTIAL • MULTILINGUAL

site of violence and subjection.

“This series allows me to explore the history of Black Women in the Americas and how they were seen, simultaneously allowing me the agency of self-representation to confront perceptions of my own identity,” said Robertson.

Robertson’s work is a part of a younger generation of photographers exploring

the possibilities as well as the limits of photography.

The opening reception takes place Thursday (Jan. 30) from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at 2007 Emerson Ave. N., Minneapolis.

Robertson earned a bachelor’s in Art from the University of Houston and an Master’s in Art Therapy from Florida State University. She is a former recipient of the

Pearlie Roberson Award for her joint Frenchtown Mural project. As an educator, she is interested in cultural community development through creative youth development. Her creative practice is an autobiographical examination of history and identity in the African diaspora through the mediums of photography, printmaking, and sculpture.

WAYS TO EXPLORE Davina and The Vagabonds

Tinsley Ellis

Roots Blues Jazz Pop

”Ice Cream In Hell” Album Release Searing Blues-Rock Guitar

MAR 21

MAR 26

Keri Noble

Walter Trout

MAR 27

MAR 30

Mick Sterling Presents: A Night

Jon Cleary

MAR 31

APR 1

Chris Botti

Vieux Farka Touré

Romantic Piano Pop

of Ray Charles

International Jazz Superstar

Malian Desert Blues Prince

Graham Parker Solo

The James Hunter Six

ATTEND A CONCERT Get tickets for a concert and illustrated narrative presented by The Avant Garde, highlighting the history of black music. The Avant Garde: Homage to the Groove, Feb 19, Mill City Museum, Minneapolis.

”Nick of Time” Album Release Daptone Records British Soul

1010 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN

LY N

APR 13

A RO

APR 11 • 10PM

PHOTO BY SH

Ethan Iverson & Marcy Harriell Jazz & Bacharach

EN

Ben Watt

HA G

APR 10-11

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

B.

APR 9

612.332.5299 dakotacooks.com

See Harriet (Feb 6) and We Are the Radical Monarchs (Mar 5), followed by a community fo discussion around history that resonates today. First Thursday Films @ North High, Minneapolis.

Get tickets at the door or mspfilm.org.

NOLA Piano Master

APR 6

”Storm Damage” Album Release Everything But The Girl Co-founder

WATCH INSPIRING FILMS

Canned Heat Guitarist

APR 2-5

Classic British Pub Rock

HISTORY WITH

PLAN YOUR VISIT 1-844-MNSTORY MNHS.ORG

Join an evening conversation with women in the Twin Cities who book, play, and make the local musical world go around. Come early and see the First Avenue exhibit for free! First Tuesdays/ First Avenue: Women in Music Conversation with PaviElle French, Mar 3, Minnesota History Center, St. Paul.