Pope Leo XIV’s link to Haiti is part of a broader American story of race, citizenship and migration
By Chelsea Stieber Associate Professor of French Studies, Tulane University
Early coverage of Pope Leo XIV has explored the first American pontiff’s Chicago upbringing, as well as the many years he spent in Peru, first as a missionary and then as a bishop.
Genealogist Jari Honora broke the story of the pope’s ancestors’ connection to the Creole of color community in New Orleans. A family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Williams Research Center, Honora has given research presentations to my graduate students and consulted with me on my own work. In his research on Leo’s lineage, he was also able to find several official documents that list Haiti as the birthplace of his maternal grandfather, Joseph Norval Martinez. The pope’s Creole lineage in Louisiana is interesting enough. But many commentators have strained to make sense of the link to Haiti, if they mention it at all.
As an expert in 19th-century Haiti, I study
the period during which Leo’s ancestors likely traveled between Haiti and New Orleans before migrating to Chicago. Their story is part of a broader American story of race, citizenship and migration. A grandfather born in Haiti
It’s worth noting that Leo’s genealogy is not entirely straightforward.
At least one record indicates Joseph Norval as having been born in Louisiana. And a 1910 census seems to reinvent the family lineage: Martinez is now “Martina,” Joseph’s birthplace is “S. Domingo,” and he is supposedly Maltese. Nevertheless, far more documents – numerous census records as well as his marriage certificate – identify Martinez’s place of birth as Haiti. An 1866 passenger list for a ship bound for New Orleans from Haiti, despite some inconsistencies, does indeed appear to list members of the Martinez family, including his father and three siblings.
Just because Leo’s grandfather was born in Haiti, it didn’t mean he was Haitian. Instead, he belonged to a class of people in New Orleans known as Creoles of
color.
A three-pronged racial order
It’s important to understand the historical complexity of the Creole identity in New Orleans and in Louisiana, and its continued significance today.
The descriptor
“Creole of color” is somewhat anachronistic; it emerges at the end of the 19th century in Louisiana to categorize the descendants of a historically subordinate class known as free people of color, or “gens de couleur libres” in French.
It has its origins in the tripartite racial order of the French and Spanish colonial periods in the Americas, when authorities created a hierarchy of legal classes: enslaved people, free people of African descent, and white people.
In theory, free people of color encompassed a range of people. It could describe formerly enslaved people; people who had never been enslaved; people born in Africa; or people with extended, mixed-race American families.
In 19th-century Louisiana, the term generally referred to people of mixed racial ancestry who
were born with free status, though at varying degrees of removal from slavery. They generally spoke French and were Catholic.
Though they were subject to repressive laws and could never become citizens and gain the right to vote, free people of color could own, inherit and sell property, including enslaved people. Most worked as artisans and shopkeepers, and a handful became quite wealthy through trade and real estate.
The Martinez family fits squarely within this community.
Census records from 1850 list Jacques Martinez – Joseph Norval Martinez’s father and Leo’s maternal great-grandfather – as a tailor and modest property owner in New Orleans. They were never enslaved but do not appear to have been enslavers, either.
Life gets worse for people of color
So why was Joseph Norval Martinez born in Haiti?
At some point, his parents probably felt they had to leave New Orleans. Despite their relative prosperity, free people of color in Louisiana and
throughout the United States were being subjected to increasing legal restrictions, repression and violence in the years leading up to the Civil War.
This situation worsened in the 1840s and ‘50s, as white Southerners worked to further restrict citizenship and rights along hard racial lines. The 1857 Dred Scott Supreme Court decision affirmed that any people descended from Africa, including free people of color, had no right to citizenship.
For those who remained in the South, the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 would have made life even more difficult.
In the first half of the 19th century, many free people of color in Louisiana emigrated to France. But the two main options in the 1860s were Haiti and Mexico.
However, at the time of the Martinez family’s departure, Mexico was embroiled in conflict with France. Haiti, meanwhile, was crafting an ambitious plan to attract immigrants.
After the 1804 Haitian Revolution – the uprising against French colonizers that led to the creation of Haiti – the nation became the
first in the world to permanently ban slavery. For this reason, many people of color viewed Haiti as a beacon of freedom and equality. Indeed, Haiti long promoted itself as a free soil republic: Any person with African descent would enjoy freedom and, eventually, Haitian citizenship. Several Haitian presidents staged immigration campaigns to attract enslaved and formerly enslaved laborers from the United States.
In response to worsening conditions for people of color in the U.S., Haitian President Fabre Geffrard launched a particularly ambitious campaign, setting up Haitian Emigration bureaus and staffing them with agents in New York, Boston, New Orleans and other major cities. Louisiana newspapers advertised Geffrard’s immigration plan, which included land concessions for families and individuals. Geffrard’s focus was on attracting agricultural laborers – not the kind of work the Martinez family would likely be enticed to take on. Still, skilled artisans were welcomed as immigrants.
Many wealthy members of Congress are descendants of rich slaveholders
By Neil K R Sehgal
The legacy of slavery in America remains a divisive issue, with sharp political divides.
Some argue that slavery still contributes to modern economic inequalities. Others believe its effects have largely faded.
One way to measure the legacy of slavery is to determine whether the disproportionate riches of slaveholders have been passed down to their present-day descendants.
Connecting the wealth of a slaveholder in the 1860s to today’s economic conditions is not easy. Doing so requires unearthing data for a large number of people on slaveholder ancestry, current
wealth and other factors such as age and education.
But in a 2024 study, we tackled this challenge by focusing on one of the few groups of Americans for whom such information exists: members of Congress. We found that legislators who are descendants of slaveholders are significantly wealthier than members of Congress without slaveholder ancestry.
How slavery made the South rich
In 1860, one year before the Civil War, the market value of U.S. slaves was larger than that of all American railroads and factories.
At the time of emancipation in 1863, the estimated value of all enslaved people was roughly US$13 trillion in today’s dollars. The lower Mississippi Valley had more millionaires, all of them slaveholders, than anywhere else in the country.
Some post-Civil War historians have argued that emancipation permanently devastated slave-owning families.
More recently, however, historians discovered that, while the South fell behind the North economically immediately following emancipation, many elite slaveholders recovered financially within one or two generations.
They accomplished this by replacing slavery with sharecropping – a kind of indentured servitude that trapped Black farm workers in debt to white landowners – and enacting discriminatory Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation.
100 descendants of slaveholders
Using genealogist-verified historical data and financial data from annual congressional disclosures, we examined members of the 117th Congress, which was in session
from January 2021 to January 2023.
Of its 535 members,
100 were descendants of slaveholders, including Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Legislators whose ancestors were large slaveholders – defined in our study as owning 16 or more slaves– have a current median net worth five times larger than their peers whose ancestors were not slaveholders: $5.6 million vs. $1.1 million. These results remained largely the same after accounting for age, race and education. Wealth creates many privileges – the means to start a business or pursue higher education. And intergenerational wealth transfers can allow these advantages to persist across generations.
Minneapolis Police Chief
Brian O’Hara last Wednesday announced that a man in his late 20’s has died following an early morning shooting.
At approximately 1:50 a.m., Wednesday 3rd
Precinct officers responded to reports of person down in an alley near Lake St E and 17th Ave S. The caller reported hearing a gunshot 20 minutes earlier. Officers located a man in his late 20s with a life-threatening gunshot wound lying in an alley south of Lake Street between 16th Ave S and 17th Av S.
Officers provided immediate medical aid. The man was transported by ambulance to Hennepin Healthcare Hospital. Despite all lifesaving efforts, the man died at the hospital.
Officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation on the 3000 block of 17th Ave at 1:20 a.m. but did not locate anything. There were no other reports of gunfire at that time.
Officers secured the scene and canvassed the area. MPD Forensic Scientists processed
the scene and collected evidence.
“This man was left for dead in an alley. We cannot, and will not, standby and tolerate this kind of violence in our city,” said Chief O’Hara. “I urge anyone with information to contact our tip line or reach out anonymously through CrimeStoppers. “ No arrests had been made at press time. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the identity of the deceased and the cause and manner of death.
Anyone with information is asked to email policetips@minneapolismn. gov or leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.CrimeStoppersMN.org. Those providing information that leads to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.
The Minneapolis Health Department and Hennepin County partnered to install the City’s first NARCAN® (naloxone) vending machine on the Northside. This life-saving resource expands access to the opioid overdose-reversing drug. Located at Fire Station 14 (2002 Lowry Ave. N.), this is the second vending machine in the city. The vending machine:
• Provides 24-hour access.
works on overdoses with:
Heroin
Morphine
• Oxycodone (OxyContin(R))
• Methadone
• Fentanyl
• Hydrocodone (Vicodin(R)) Buprenorphine
A meeting in Philadelphia, held at a senior center on a bitter cold Saturday afternoon in late January 2025, drew nearly 300 people. They came for two key reasons.
One was to voice outrage at the upsurge in policies and proposals nationwide that attack the advances of African Americans – many of which were secured in part through 1960s-era civil rights protests.
• Contains more than 100 boxes of NARCAN, each holding two doses. Is free to community members with no barriers.
The other was to begin to develop a “Black agenda” to counter those attacks in Philadelphia. In gathering communally to voice their concerns, attendees continued a legacy of Black-led protest meetings that spans over two centuries in the city. I am a professor of journalism at Temple University and a reporter who has covered racial inequities in America and abroad for 50 years. I was invited to attend the Philadelphia meeting to talk about the history of protest meetings in the city. That’s a history of successes and shortfalls that helped shape both Philadelphia and the nation.
First mass meeting Over 200 years ago,
what is considered the first mass protest meeting ever held in the United States by African Americans took place in Philadelphia. That little-known meeting, held in January 1817, drew 3,000 African Americans to Philadelphia’s historic Mother Bethel AME Church. The attendees came to denounce efforts by the American Colo-
nization Society to relocate free Black Americans to a colony in West Africa. That group, with a predominately white membership that included prominent politicians and preachers, believed free Blacks could not be integrated into white America. The attendees at
Fire Station 14 also serves as the City’s Safe Station. This space is where people struggling with addiction and substance misuse can be connected with resources, such as peer recovery specialists. The Health Department began the NARCAN vending machine pilot program last July, launching the City’s first NARCAN vending machine at Fire Station 21 (3209 E. 38th St.). Through April, more than 1,700 boxes have been dispensed. What is NARCAN? Naloxone is often referred to by its brand name NARCAN It’s a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, potentially saving someone’s life.
NARCAN saves lives. Community residents can learn a lifesaving skill and give a chance at recovery. You never know when you might save a life. It happened at the grocery store for Cynthia, a certified peer recovery specialist and community advocate with the Twin Cities Recovery Project. Minneapolis Health Department said in a news release last week. She found an unconscious man who had overdosed in a parking lot. With no prior experience, she used naloxone to revive him before the paramedics arrived. Cynthia is now committed to carrying naloxone and educating others about its life-saving potential. By saving a life with naloxone, you can give someone another chance at life and recovery.
The signs and symptoms of an overdose include: Unconsciousness or unresponsiveness
Slow or shallow breathing
Naloxone
AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File
A statue of Jefferson Davis, second from left, is on display in Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington. A slaveholder, Davis represented Mississippi in the Senate and House before the American Civil War
Linn Washington Jr. , CC BY-NC-ND
Philadelphians attend a meeting at Germantown’s Center in the Park on Feb. 25, 2025, to strategize a new Black agenda.
By Linn Washington, Jr.
Who America welcomes says everything about who we are
By Haley Taylor Schlitz, Esq.
As a young Black girl, I stood quietly in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, surrounded by whispers of the past. I was a descendant of enslaved people in America, trying to understand the life Anne and her family lived in hiding. I remember looking out from that small, curtained window and feeling the weight of history settle on my shoulders. Anne’s words were filled with fear, but also a fragile belief that people were still good. I wasn’t so sure. Because even then, I sensed what history has too often shown: who gets remembered, who gets rescued, and who gets left behind is rarely about truth, it’s about power.
That visit shaped me. It forced me to recognize how
easily injustice is ignored when it doesn’t align with dominant narratives. Today, I return to that memory as I watch the Trump administration open America’s doors, not to the thousands of displaced and desperate refugees who’ve waited years for protection, but to 49 white Afrikaners from South Africa, descendants of Dutch colonists, flown in on a U.S.-funded charter jet, granted refugee status under a fabricated story of persecution.
Let’s be clear: this is not refugee policy rooted in compassion. This is ideology rooted in whiteness.
The facts speak for themselves. The South African government has not seized white-owned farmland. The Afrikaners arriving at Dulles International Airport come from a group that still owns over 70% of South Africa’s commercial farmland despite making up only 7% of the population. While no community is immune from crime or hardship, the claim that these individuals
are victims of systemic racial persecution has been widely debunked, even by the South African government itself, which called the Trump administration’s actions a violation of their national sovereignty and an endorsement of disinformation.
And yet, these 49 white South Africans, many of whom descend from the architects of apartheid, have been welcomed as refugees. In a matter of months, they’ve been processed, offered housing, connected to U.S. agencies, and promised a path to citizenship. There will be food and toys for their children, job training, and support services - everything refugee families from Syria, Haiti, Sudan, and Central America have been denied or forced to wait years to access.
This moment demands we ask: who does America believe is worth saving?
As a Black woman, as an attorney, and as someone who stood on that narrow staircase in the Anne Frank House wondering who the world fights
for and who it forgets, I am heartbroken, but not surprised. This is not about providing refuge. It is about preserving a political narrative. One that sees whiteness not as a race, but as a claim to legitimacy and safety.
President Trump’s executive order granting Afrikaners resettlement is not just a distortion of refugee law, it’s a declaration of values. At the same time that ICE agents are raiding communities and forcibly destroying families across our nation, the administration is granting sanctuary to white South Africans who say they fear land reform. At the same time that the refugee admissions program has been gutted, and Black and brown families across the globe are left in limbo, white colonizer descendants are flown in with press conferences and case managers waiting. This is not just hypocrisy. It is a racial sorting of who deserves dignity and who does not.
I’ve seen firsthand how the system treats those it
deems unworthy. As a teacher, I taught children who worried every day whether their parents would be taken. I saw the fear in their eyes. As a law student and now attorney, I’ve read the policies and legal standards, and I know what refugee status is supposed to mean. It’s not a prize handed out based on political favor. It’s a life-saving protection for people facing real, credible threats based on who they are, not convenient narratives spun for American culture wars.
And long before I became a lawyer, I stood up for immigrant students on my own campus. As a member of the Student Senate at Texas Woman’s University, I helped lead the fight to support DACA students and their families. We advocated for classmates who were trying to study, work, and live without fear - young people who loved this country and had nowhere else to go. They deserved protection. They still do.
The United States is once again showing us whose
lives it values. It’s not the Haitians forced back to chaos, or the Afghan families caught in bureaucratic limbo, or the Salvadoran women fleeing gang violence with their babies in their arms. It’s the white Afrikaners flown in under the guise of being “oppressed” because their government dared to speak of racial equity. And for me, the little girl who stood in the Anne Frank House, today’s actions are a reminder that the promise of “never again” means nothing if we allow ourselves to forget that racism doesn’t always come cloaked in hate, it sometimes comes dressed in humanitarianism. America has once again looked at Black and brown suffering and said: wait. And then turned to white grievance and said: welcome. That’s not policy. That’s who we are, unless we decide to change it.
The power of Black visionaries: Moving from resistance to reconstruction to reimagining
In this moment of national reckoning, Black people must see ourselves not just as defenders of our humanity, but as the visionaries and architects of a world yet to be born.
By LaTosha Brown
“Our politics will not save us, but it will be our humanity. Our silence will not protect us, it will be our resistance. Our fears will never advance or evolve our nation, it will only keep us stuck and moving backwards.”
In this moment of national reckoning, Black people must see ourselves not just as defenders of our humanity, but as the visionaries and architects of a world yet to be born. For too long, we have pleaded with a nation to recognize what should never have been in question – our fundamental humanity. Today, I am calling for a shift
in consciousness that moves us from defense to creation, from resistance to reconstruction, from surviving to reimagining.
We are witnessing an intense anti-Black campaign disguised as opposition to DEI, Critical Race Theory, and Black history. This is an attempt to erase us, our history, and our collective memory. But those who seek to silence us forget something fundamental – we have been meeting, gathering, strategizing, and convening for our freedom ever since we reached the shores of this nation.
Make no mistake: We are the architects of democracy in America. From Black
visionary W.E.B. Du Bois’s pioneering scholarship to Black visionary Ida B. Wells’s fearless anti-lynching crusade, we have always been at the forefront of expanding what democracy means. We pushed this nation to make what exists on paper real and sustainable. But it’s not paper that gives us our value. We have value just by our presence on this planet.
We are builders of a dream that has yet to be realized. We believed in this nation when she was unable to believe in herself. There is no America without the 14th Amendment. There is no justice when racism shapes public policy.
As we embark on what Rev. Dr. William Barber calls “America’s third reconstruction,” we must ground ourselves in five essential pillars: Vision, Voice, Values, Victory, and Vote.
Vision: Black people have always been the visionaries, seeing beyond systems designed to limit us. From Black visionary Sojourner Truth speaking truth to power to the Black visionaries of the Movement for Black Lives reimagining public safety, we have consistently imagined societies more just and inclusive than what existed.
Voice: Once we have vision, we must speak it into existence with authenticity and the full authority of our lived experience. Too many of us have been told our voices don’t matter. This moment requires our
full-throated truth-telling.
Values: Values are our compass when the path is unclear. Do we value people over profit? Community over competition? Justice over convenience? When our actions align with our values, we become unstoppable.
Victory: We must claim victories along the journey. Victory is when a first-time voter casts their ballot, when a community stops environmental racism, when a young Black girl finds her voice.
Vote: Look to the 1963 Freedom Vote in Mississippi, when over 80,000 Black Mississippians participated in a mock election in response to their disenfranchisement. This powerful act laid the ground-
Hobbs family FAMU lesson...
work for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, led by Fannie Lou Hamer. They didn’t wait for permission to claim their democratic power; they asserted it. Some suggest we are tired of protesting, marching, and fighting. Let me be clear: We aren’t tired of action— we’re tired of insufficient progress. We’re exhausted by trying to reform systems deliberately designed to create inequality, rooted in racism and white supremacy. We’re exhausted by constantly having to prove our humanity or justify our worthiness of equity and justice. We never tire of taking care of our families, creating lives of safety, security, and joy. What we are tired of is systems that extract our brilliance while
marginalizing us, institutions that proclaim justice while implementing barriers to advancement.
The real question isn’t whether to continue struggling—it’s how to transform our struggle from defense to innovation and creation. Black people must be visionaries, not just survivors. We must unapologetically stand in the fullness of our humanity, citizenship, and power.
We must be institution builders like Black visionary Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded a college with $1.50 and faith. We must be healers like Black visionary Fannie Lou Hamer, who established the Freedom Farm Cooperative. We must think differently about harm reduction like
Fight with intellectual analysis, passionate discourse, a
By Chuck Hobbs Columnist
I occasionally share some of the wisdom that I picked up from my father, Charles Hobbs, the first member of my immediate family to graduate from Florida A&M University with a B.S. in Political Science and minor in History in 1963. But until today, I’ve never told the story about how Pop was supposed to graduate a year earlier with the Class of ‘62.
Not long after
Businesspeople brainstorming with creative ideas
At The Legislature
Champion on failed Republican ethics complaint; authored
“This past Monday, May 5th, I stood before the Senate Subcommittee on Ethics for a final hearing regarding concerns over an ethical dispute filed by Senate Republicans. My stance remained the same: I committed no ethical wrongdoing, and I once again explained my side of the story to my Senate colleagues. After a vote, the Senate Subcommittee on Ethics ruled no action on a conflict-of-interest complaint, effectively closing the matter.
I am grateful for this opportunity to set the record straight and want to emphasize this moment as a learning opportunity. I believe there’s always room for improvement, and I think that every experience—whether uncomfortable or pleasant—is a learning opportunity. I hope everyone in the legislature uses this time to reflect, learn, and improve for future cases. I look forward to con-
tinuing work to improve our community without further distraction. I remain committed to serving with integrity and transparency, and I will continue to focus on the work Minnesotans elected me to do.”
Senator Champion’s office listed the bills he has authored in support of his constituents and the people of Minnesota:
Senate File (SF)3353: Gun violence trauma reduction pilot program establishment and appropriation
SF3300: African American Child Well-Being Advisory Council reports modifications and child protection workers, child welfare technology improvements, and Family First Prevention Service Act grants appropriations
SF3251: Sankofa Empowerment Center establishment appropriation
SF3211: Macalester College geothermal energy sys-
tem appropriation
SF3112: Minnesota
Human Rights Act statute of limitations modifications provision
SF3111: Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers program for Black Minnesota undergraduates exploring law school and legal careers appropriation
SF3088: Pillsbury United Communities grant appropriation
SF2994: St. Anthony Falls study due date extension provision
SF2993: City of Minneapolis Upper Harbor Terminal Amphitheater construction materials refundable exemption provision and appropriation
SF2978: Grants appropriation to provide a community-based approach to reduce violence through employment, empowerment, and social equity building
SF2889: Office of Broadband Development renamed the Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity authorization; office duties and reporting requirements modification; state’s broadband goals expansion; multifamily dwelling grant program establishment; definitions for the purpose of broadband development modification
SF2877: Al Maa’uun grant appropriation
SF2725: African American Child Wellness Insti-
Last week, the Senate passed a major HOA reform package that reflects meaningful collaboration with communities across the state to promote transparency, accountability, and fairness.
May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month—a time to honor the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of AAPI communities in Minnesota and across the nation.
Honoring the legacy of AAPI Minnesotans means acknowledging their vital role in shaping our state’s past, pres ent, and future. This month, celebrate the diversity that strengthens our state, listen to AAPI voices, and uplift the stories that enrich our communities every day. As we celebrate AAPI Heritage
CCPO Ward 9 seat open The Community Commission on Police Oversight is recruiting for an open seat for Ward 9. We invite Residents of Ward 9 can call (612) 673-3012 for information on how to apply.
Bi-annual Civil Rights update Civil Rights Department Director Michelle Phillips and Deputy Director Kaela
the City’s YouTube channel, or City Council TV. Upcoming Commission meetings Civil Rights Commission | May 19, 2025, 6:00p.m. Public Service Building, Room 100 505 4th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55415
Workplace Advisory Committee | June 9, 2025, 4:00p.m. City Hall, Room 241 350 S. 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415 Community Commission on Police Oversight | June 9, 2025, 6:00p.m.
Minneapolis,
are the City’s enterprise-wide employee recognition program. Trans Equity Summit The 2025 Minneap olis Trans Equity Summit will be Monday, Aug. 11, at the McNamara Alumni Center at University of Minnesota Min neapolis campus. The theme for this year’s event is “Trans Eq uity and Intergenerational Pow er: Strengthening the Future by Honoring Our Past.” The all-day addresses social, legal and health issues important to the transgender community. The summit will include break out sessions, a job and resource fair and healing justice offer ings. Space will be protected for community care and collective witnessing for trans and gender non-conforming neighbors. North Commons Park project
The Civil Rights De partment Contract Compliance Division (CCD) CCD has been work ing closely with the Minneap olis Parks & Recreation Board (MPRB) on the upcoming North Commons Park project. At $45 million, the North Com mons renovations represents the largest investment ever made in a neighborhood park. CCD is reviewing bid packages and setting SUBP goals in order to facilitate bidding opportunities for minority and women owned businesses on this historic proj ect. Complaint Investigations Di vision (CID) Amendments the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordi nance will expand civil rights protections, barring discrimina tion against people on the basis of their height, weight, housing status or justice impacted status.
tute grant appropriation
SF2724: Voter registration provisions modification for individuals in jail
SF2428: Board of cosmetology requirements modification for cosmetologists and hair technicians relating to textured hair
SF2427: MNSBIR, Inc. grant appropriation
SF2426: MAD
DADS of Minneapolis appropriation for a youth workforce development program
SF2425: Stairstep Foundation appropriation for African American cultural festivals and events
SF2424: Capri appropriation
SF2423: African American workforce and affordable homeownership development program establishment
SF2398: Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts appropriation
SF2349: Human services commissioner requirement to provide updates on and seek federal approval on children’s mental health projects and identifying funding gaps in children’s residential facilities; crisis stabilization facility establishment; legislative task force on children’s residential facilities establishment; licensing for facilities for youth with sexual behavior concerns; appropriating money
SF2167: Mind the G.A.P.P. appropriation
SF2166: City of Minneapolis Swank Eatery appropriation
SF2158: Phyllis Wheatley Community Center appropriation
SF2157: Mixtape
Strategy appropriation
SF2156: City of Minneapolis North Commons Park bond issuance and appropriation
SF1985: Summit Academy OIC appropriation
SF1967: Change
Starts With Community violence prevention jobs program grant appropriation
SF1934: African Economic Development Solutions appropriation
SF1933: Youth job skills and career development appropriation
SF1932: Twin Cities
R!SE performance grants appropriation
SF1832: Biennial budget establishment for the Department of Employment and Economic Development and Explore Minnesota
SF1745: Emerge Community Development grant appropriation
SF1691: Grant appropriation to plan and develop an African-American-focused Homeplace model
SF1673: West Broadway Business and Area Coalition grant appropriation
SF1644: Hennepin Avenue suspension bridge reconstruction bond issue and ap-
SF1459:
SF1458:
SF1143:
SF1041:
SF0993:
SF0948: City
SF0111:
SF0110:
Bobby Joe Champion Senate President
3
Because members of Congress are a highly select group, our results may not apply to all Americans. However, the findings align with other studies on the transfers of wealth and privilege across generations in the U.S. and Europe.
Wealth, these studies find, often stays within rich families across multiple generations. Mechanisms for holding onto wealth include low estate
From 3
Mother Bethel in 1817 saw relocation as a forced removal of Black Americans from the homeland they supported as patriotically as white Americans. The unanimous opposition that attendees expressed helped change the stance of local Black leaders, such as Mother Bethel founder Richard Allen, from lukewarm supporters of relocation to opponents.
Successes and shortfalls
The tradition of mass meetings to address the adversity impacting Philadelphia’s African American community continued from the 19th century into the 20th and now the 21st
From 3
Gasping or gurgling
Slow heartbeat or low blood
Cold or discolored
taxes and access to elite social networks and schools. Easy entry into powerful jobs and political influence also play a part.
Privilege with power
But members of Congress do not just inherit wealth and advantages.
They shape the lives of all Americans. They decide how to allocate federal funds, set tax rates and create regulations.
This power is significant. And for those whose families benefited from slavery, it can perpetuate economic policies that maintain wealth inequality.
Beyond inherited
century. The results have been mixed. For example, after members of the Pennsylvania state legislature proposed inserting a white-males-only voting restriction into the state’s constitution in 1838, denying voting rights for free Black men, Black Philadelphians held mass meetings to demand the provision be deleted. But those demands failed. Pennsylvania restricted voting to white men until 1870 when ratification of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted African American men the right to vote. However, mass meetings during the 1860s that had an agenda to desegregate trolleys in Philadelphia were suc-
If you recognize someone is experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately and describe the situation. Then administer NARCAN. Administering nasal spray with NARCAN Remove the spray from its packaging. Place the nozzle in a nostril. Spray the medicine by pressing firmly on the pump. Monitor the person closely for
wealth, the legacy of slavery endures in policies enacted by those in power – by legislators who may be less likely to prioritize reforms that challenge the status quo.
COVID-19 relief legislation, for example, helped reduce child poverty by more than 70% while bringing racial inequalities in child poverty to historic lows. Congress failed to renew the program in 2022, plunging 5 million more children into poverty, most of them Black and Latino.
The economic deprivation still experienced by Black Americans is the flip side of the privilege enjoyed
cessful. A law signed in 1867 banned segregated seating on public transit statewide.
Renowned scholar and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois credited “public meetings and repeated agitation” for that statewide ban in his seminal 1899 book “The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study.”
Demands to end police brutality have been the focus of mass meetings in the city at least since the 1918 formation of Philadelphia’s now-defunct Association for the Protection of Colored People. Abusive policing practices that continue in Philadelphia to this day point to a shortfall in fulfilling those demands.
And yet, momentum from the key agenda item
breathing. If they do not start breathing normally within 2 to 3 minutes, administer a second dose in the other nostril. Stay with the person and keep them on their side until help arrives. Naloxone may wear off after 30-90 minutes, so the person could relapse again. Therefore, keep them under observation and be prepared to administer more if needed.
by slaveowners’ descendants.
The median household wealth of white Americans today is six times higher than that of Black Americans – $285,000 versus $45,000. Meanwhile, federal agencies that enforce antidiscrimination laws remain underfunded. This limits their ability to address racial disparities.
The path forward As the enduring economic disparities rooted in slavery become clearer, a growing number of states and municipalities are weighing some form of practical and financial compensation for the descendants of enslaved people.
of mass meetings in the early 1970s – to increase political power – ultimately led to the election of the city’s first Black mayor, Wilson Goode, in 1983. Unfinished business
Since 1817, Black-led protest meetings in Philadelphia have sought to end discrimination against African Americans. That consistent goal remains unrealized.
The first national political conventions that African Americans staged in the U.S., beginning in September 1830, castigated discrimination. Convention attendees in 1831 sought an end to cruel and oppressive laws devised to disadvantage free Blacks.
Nearly 150 years later, the “Human Rights Agenda”
NARCAN can be used on anyone who is suspected of an opioid overdose, even if you’re unsure of what substance was used or if they aren’t experiencing an overdose. Giving NARCAN to a person who has not overdosed will not hurt them.
After giving NARCAN, place the person in the recovery position to keep
Yet surveys show that most Americans oppose such reparations for slavery. Similarly, Congress has debated slavery reparations many times but never passed a bill.
There are, however, other ways to improve opportunities for historically disadvantaged populations that could gain bipartisan backing. A majority of Americans, both conservatives and liberal, support increased funding for environmental hazard screening, which assesses the potential impact of a proposed project. They also favor limits on rent increases, better public school funding and raising taxes
developed during a Philadelphia mass meeting in December 1978 and later the report from Philadelphia’s 2015 Black Political Summit Coalition both decried racial prejudice against African Americans.
An observation that
Du Bois made in “The Philadelphia Negro” about discrimination against African Americans in the so-called City of Brotherly Love retains contemporary relevance.
Race prejudice “is a far more powerful social force than most Philadelphians realize,” Du Bois wrote. Most white Philadelphians, he noted, “are quite unconscious” regarding the prejudice that impacts Black residents. Their impulse is emphatically to deny such discrim-
their airway clear and reduce the risk of choking. Place them on their side with their head tilted back slightly. When calling 911, it’s best to say that a person is “unresponsive” rather than describing the situation as an overdose. This can reduce stigma.
How to get trained
The Steve Rummler Hope Network offers online
The Martinez family didn’t stay in Haiti long.
According to the passenger list, they returned to New Orleans in February 1866.
It was within this context that the Martinez family probably departed New Orleans for Haiti. At present there is scant information about their voyage, but the journey would have echoed many family histories of migration from Louisiana to Haiti in the 1860s.
Based on my study of census and notarial archives, it appears the Martinez family left sometime after the birth of daughter Adele in New Orleans in December 1861 and before the birth of Joseph Norval in Haiti in 1864.
The promise of Reconstruction crumbles
As was the experience for many émigrés to Haiti, they may have found the conditions difficult. It’s also possible that the successes of wartime Reconstruction in Louisiana encouraged them to reestablish their lives in New Orleans.
They returned to a state transformed by the abolition of slavery. Free people of color were at the forefront of the fight for civil rights and key architects behind a progressive, egalitarian state constitution that called for equal access to education for all citizens.
The Martinez children likely benefited – albeit briefly – from that provision.
The 1870 census records show them all enrolled in school: Michel (14), Girard (12), Adele (9) and young Joseph Norval (6). They would also witness the violent backlash to Reconstruction, which was especially intense in Louisiana. In 1866, a white mob laid siege to those attempting to amend the state’s constitution to enfranchise Black voters, in what became known as the Mechanics Institute Massacre. In the ensuing years, the state was gripped by ever more violence.
Joseph Norval Martinez married Louise Baquié in 1887, and they went on to have six children, all girls, in New Orleans. He worked as a cigar
on the wealthy. These measures would help dismantle the structural barriers that perpetuate economic disparities. And the role of Congress here is central. Members of Congress do not bear personal responsibility for their ancestors’ actions. But they have an opportunity to address both the legacies of past injustices and today’s inequalities. By doing so, they can help create a future where ancestral history does not determine economic destiny.
ination.
Such denial allowed prejudice to persist then – and today.
To begin to develop a new Black agenda, the organizers of the meeting at the senior center collected suggestions that attendees filed on note cards. They promised to publicly announce an action plan that is expected to involve economic boycotts and actions to strengthen the economic infrastructure in Philadelphia’s African American community.
Defending rights and progress aroused attendees at that January meeting in 2025 as strongly as denouncing forced colonization aroused attendees at the mass meeting 208 years earlier.
training, virtual training, and in-person training. You can use the Steve Rummler Hope Network’s Naloxone finder to find Naloxone near you. To connect: 952-943-3937
maker – a common enterprise for free men of color during the period – and later as a clerk.
The family was subjected to increasing segregation with the Separate Car Act, an 1890 Louisiana statute that separated train cars by race. The Supreme Court went on to uphold the Louisiana statute in 1896, enshrining the “separate but equal” doctrine throughout the South.
An American tale Martinez and Baquié remained in New Orleans until 1910, at which point they joined the millions of other Black Americans who migrated from the South to the North and the West in the early decades of the 20th century, in what became known as the Great Migration. A significant portion, including Martinez and Baquié, ended up in Chicago.
Their youngest daughter, Mildred Anges Martinez – Leo’s mother – was born there.
Joseph Norval Martinez’s census records tell a complex story about the history of race in the U.S. Prior to 1900, he is listed as “m” for “mulatto.” In the 1900 census, he is listed as Black. And then in the 1910 census, he is listed as white.
The Martinez family could not dictate the racial descriptors assigned to them in the census, but they had some claim over birthplace and lineage. Against the backdrop of segregation, disenfranchisement and violence, Martinez appears to have claimed a lineage – Maltese – that the 1910 census categorized as white. It is this – and so much more – that makes theirs a truly American story.
One thing we do know: Martinez reverted back to his original lineage after he and his family settled in Chicago. The 1920 census lists Martinez’s birthplace of record as Haiti.
Pope
From Cover
Portrait of a Free Woman of Color by François Jacques Fleischbein. Courtesy of the Historic New Orleans Collection
A sketch of the Mechanics Institute Massacre in an issue of Harper’s Weekly. The Historic New Orleans Collection
Insight 2 Health
‘Grit’ and relentless perseverance can take a toll on brain health − particularly for people facing social stresses
By Darlingtina Esiaka Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky
For many people, grit – the perseverance and passion for longterm goals – is a virtue. It is also a key ingredient in overcoming challenges, achieving success and maintaining resilience.
Studies have linked grit with success in goal attainment, improved psychological well-being and increased life satisfaction.
But despite conventional narratives equating this type of psychological persistence with well-being, brain research is beginning to show that mustering grit in the face of adversity may also have some unexpected detrimental effects – particularly for communities that are already under chronic stress.
As a behavioral scientist studying Alzheimer’s disease and brain health in Black communities, I use techniques such as brain activity monitoring to examine risk factors and early signs of cognitive decline. My research along with other work is beginning to uncover that pushing through can create a level of stress that actually taxes brain health.
The paradox of grit, active coping and brain health Grit has become a central idea in psychology. Researchers have mainly focused on its positive features, describing it as a quality that helps people work hard, stay strong during tough times and keep trying even when things are difficult. Active coping is a similar concept defined as addressing problems directly and actively seeking solutions. Studies have linked it to lower stress, better health and feeling more in control.
Traits such as grit and active coping are strategies used to manage stress, and they are traditionally seen as protective
factors for well-being. But perseverance may also come with risks that can contribute to poor brain health outcomes. Consider the concept of John Henryism, developed by an epidemiologist named Sherman James in the 1970s.
John Henryism is a coping strategy characterized by persistent, high-effort striving in response to chronic stressors, particularly among marginalized groups. It is named after the legendary African American folk hero John Henry, who worked himself to death in a contest against a steam-powered drill. In the folk tale, John Henry exemplifies how people may engage in prolonged, high-effort coping, often at the expense of their health. James used the folklore to symbolize the relentless effort to overcome structural and systemic barriers.
For example, imagine someone in their early 40s who works two physically demanding jobs to support their family and prevent homelessness. They believe relentless effort is the only path to stability, despite experiencing chronic fatigue and pain. Over time, this sustained strain may lead to high blood pressure, stroke and depression – all of which have been linked to cognitive decline.
John Henryism has been linked to negative health outcomes, including increased risks of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and early mortality. It has also been linked to the risk of poor brain health.
Perseverance and the risk of cognitive impairment My colleagues’ and my recent work supports the idea that high-effort coping such as grit can contribute to neurocognitive wear and tear. Being constantly under stress can essentially overwork certain parts of the brain. This damage can build up to make it harder for the brain to learn new things, remember information and stay sharp as a
Preventable
like racism
person gets older.
In our study published in January 2025, we asked 158 Black men living in the U.S. to participate in an online survey. The survey measured grit by asking how much participants agreed with statements like “I finish whatever I begin.” It also asked participants to report how often they experienced episodes of memory loss and confusion and to rank whether these episodes were becoming more frequent.
We found that men with higher levels of grit reported greater cognitive difficulties such as trouble concentrating, forgetfulness and feeling mentally fatigued, despite their strong motivation to persevere. While our study couldn’t determine whether grit causes these difficulties, it raises important questions about whether sustained, high-effort coping might come at a cognitive cost over time.
A concept called al-
lostatic load provides one possible explanation for the link between perseverance and the cognitive decline we observed in our study. Allostatic load is the wear and tear on the body that builds up over time due to dealing with stress.
I believe individuals who push through adversity against all odds may experience allostatic load more acutely. Their persistent coping could intensify physiological strain over time, contributing to earlier onset of cognitive decline. This explanation aligns with previous work, which has shown that prolonged exposure to stress can accelerate cognitive decline and negatively affect memory and executive function.
Facing frequent stressors such as racism, discrimination, economic challenges and limited access to health care with intense levels of perseverance may encourage people to push through these challenges without adequate re-
covery. That can cause chronic stress that damages brain health.
Continuously exerting mental and emotional effort without relief may also result in cognitive overload and diminish people’s ability to sustain mental resilience. This burden accelerates brain aging and increases the risk of cognitive decline.
Unlike the occasional stress of meeting a deadline or completing a difficult project, this type of overexertion is more like waking up every day already exhausted, yet pushing through multiple jobs, financial worries and family responsibilities with little rest or support. Over time, this constant mental strain may wear down the brain’s ability to recover and maintain clarity, even when the person appears outwardly resilient.
Rethinking perseverance
Researchers are beginning to build a more nuanced understanding of perseverance that challenges the conventional
wisdom that it is always beneficial. This perspective also redefines the notion of strength in the face of adversity. In this more realistic definition, perseverance can include self-care and rest. Knowing when to take a break or prioritize self-care is a practical strategy for maintaining cognitive health in the face of challenges. Also, practices such as meditation, deep breathing and guided relaxation can help regulate stress responses and reduce cognitive strain. And beyond personal resilience, leaning on social support and meaningful connections can be just as crucial for long-term brain health.
Disclosure statement
Darlingtina Esiaka receives funding from National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer’s Association. She is the founder of Black in Gerontology and Geriatrics Network
deaths by suicide steady in 2024
Suicide is preventable, recovery is possible and people can seek help by calling or texting 988
The suicide rate in Minnesota remained the same in 2024, compared to 2023, with 813 suicides among residents, according to preliminary data. This marks two years of suicides below the state high set in 2022.
The rate, based on death certificates filed in Minnesota for the state’s residents, was 13.9 per 100,000 people in 2024. This rate and number of deaths is approximately the same as 2023. The data brief is available at the MDH suicide data and reports webpage, and being preliminary, the 2024 stats are subject to change when finalized.
Deaths by suicide in Minnesota have been trending up for the past 20 years with some slight fluctuations each year, mirroring patterns across the United States.
“The overall increase in deaths by suicide over the last couple of decades continues to be concerning,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy and can have an ongoing impact on families and communities. Our aim is to help make sure people know suicide is preventable and recovery is possible.”
Here are some key data points regarding this health inequity affecting Greater Minnesota.
• In 2024, the suicide rate in entirely rural counties was twice that of the Twin Cities metro counties. Entirely rural counties made up about 1.6% of the Minnesota population and 2.8% of all suicide deaths in 2024.
• Counties in the Twin Cities
metro area made up about 55.1% of the Minnesota population and about 46.7% of all suicide deaths in 2024.
This is not a new phenomenon. In the most recent five years of final data (2019-2023), the most rural counties in Minnesota had a suicide rate of 19.5 per 100,000, which is 59% higher than the Twin Cities (12.3) and 46% higher than counties with urban areas outside the Twin Cities.
Some of the contributing factors putting Greater Minnesota residents more at risk for suicide could include higher rates of firearm ownership, less access to health and mental health care, and higher poverty rates than urban areas. In a separate report confirming the trend MDH researchers are seeing, the Center for Rural Behavioral Health and Minnesota State University, Mankato, recently looked into the rural-urban suicide health inequity in the report, The Suicide Epidemic in Rural Minnesota: How we got here and how we move forward.
Minnesota’s suicide prevention efforts are based on the evidence that suicides are preventable, mental illness is treatable and recovery is possible. Rural prevention efforts include collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to provide training opportunities for mental health and suicide prevention in rural Minnesota farm and ranch communities.
In addition, MDH has a pilot project where young adults ages 18-24 share infor-
mation about 988 with their peers. There were three participating grantees. Restoration for All (metro based), Cook County Public Health and Clay County Public Health. MDH also promotes and provides Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) training to achieve safe storage and reduce access to lethal means, such as firearms, among people at a higher risk of suicide.
Minnesota has also invested in providing local Minnesota lifeline workforce to answer 988 calls. This has resulted in high answer rates and short wait times. Preliminary 2024 data shows that 988 Minnesota Lifeline Centers answered 90,080 contacts, a 75% increase from 2023, according to the 988 data website.
“We must continue our work to support our local staffing of 988 and promote it as a lifeline, so that every Minnesotan knows that hope and help are out there,” said Commissioner Cunningham. As has been the case for several decades, more males died by suicide in 2024 than females, with males comprising almost 80% of suicides. The male suicide rate was 21.6 per 100,000, whereas the female rate was 6.4 per 100,000. However, the rate among females in 2024 was higher than in 2023. Rates for other sexes or gender identities are not available because this information is not included on death certificates. Firearm injuries made up the majority (51%) of suicide deaths in 2024. While firearms
have been the leading injury mechanism in suicide deaths for decades, this percentage is higher than in recent years. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) 2023-2027 Minnesota State Suicide Prevention Plan calls for a comprehensive approach including improving infrastructure, increasing collaboration and building capacity for local communities to implement strategies in prevention, early intervention, crisis intervention and support after a death by suicide. The plan supports suicide prevention efforts such as the 988 Lifeline System and Services, suicide prevention trainings in communities and the Zero Suicide initiative, which is a framework to improve the suicide and self-harm
care within health care and behavioral health clinics and organizations. State officials are closely watching initial proposed federal funding cuts that could significantly undermine this work to protect Minnesotans. Specifically, it calls for the elimination of both the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at CDC and key SAMHSA Mental Health Programs, as well as possible cuts to some 988 funding. If you need immediate emotional or mental health support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call. Text. Chat. (988lifeline.org) to connect online with a trained specialist.
and signed a free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers! After being cut in training camp, he then reported to infantry school at Fort Benning to begin what would become a 20 year stint in the U.S. Army. But the first lesson that my father learned and passed on to me as a young man was to to remain “peaceful” during righteous protests—a lesson that I failed my junior year at Morehouse College during the Rodney King riots
in Atlanta and failed miserably! Fortunately, I wasn’t arrested like some of my Morehouse schoolmates—or my father before me! The second lesson was that even during life’s worst storms, to remember that there are angels unaware who will guide you along the way and his two angels were Mr. Carr and Mrs. Whitehurst. Ironically, when my family moved to Tallahassee in the early 80’s, I would become lifelong friends (and later Morehouse Brothers) with his grandsons, Richard and Rodney Alan, and his granddaughter, Amy Alan. As
for Mrs. Whitehurst, her grandson, the late Christopher Henry, would become one of my very best friends from my first year at Lucy Moten Elementary in 1981, until his last day on Earth in October of ‘92. So whenever you see me advocating for any righteous cause, such as the current fight to prevent the MAGA incursion at FAMU, know that “how” I fight will be through intellectual analysis, passionate discourse, my trenchant pen, and by utilizing the courts for legal redress—not my brawn or physical strengths!
Pop circa 1961 (left) and 1981(In images)
Hobbs
Trump orders undercut Black business gains
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Black-owned businesses have experienced historic growth in recent years, but that progress is now under threat. A sharp decline in small business optimism, coupled with sweeping anti-DEI executive orders from the Trump administration, is creating new hurdles—particularly for African American entrepreneurs who remain vastly underrepresented in the U.S. economy. According to Pew Research Center, the number of U.S. firms with majority Black ownership surged from 124,004 in 2017 to 194,585 in 2022. Revenues also soared by 66%, reaching $211.8 billion.
Yet Black-owned businesses still accounted for just 3% of all classifiable firms and only 1% of gross revenues that year, despite Black Americans making up 14% of the population. More than one in five Black adults say owning a business is essential to their definition of financial success, and most of those who own businesses depend on them as their primary income source.
The vast majority—71%— have fewer than 10 employees, and they are disproportionately concentrated in sectors like health care and social assistance (26%), professional and techni-
cal services (14%), and transportation (9%).
However, as the Pew report shows gains, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) paints a far more troubling picture of the broader small business climate. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped to 95.8 in April, marking the second month in a row below its 51-year average.
Small business owners reported declining expectations for real sales, fewer capital investment plans, and significant difficulties finding qualified labor. Only 18% of owners said they plan
to make capital outlays in the next six months—down from previous months and the lowest level since April 2020. The policy environment compounds the problem for Black-owned firms. In January, President Trump signed executive orders EO 14151 and EO 14173, effectively dismantling many federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These orders direct agency heads to align all federal programs—including contracts and grants—with socalled “merit-based opportunity,” opening the door to deprioritizing race-conscious support
programs. While the administration cannot eliminate statutory set-aside programs like the SBA’s 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business designation without congressional approval, it is already moving to gut enforcement and reducing goals.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler issued a memo in February announcing her intent to reduce the 8(a) contracting goal from 15% to the statutory minimum of 5%, citing alleged disadvantages to veteran-owned businesses. The administration is also expected to cease auditing compliance with subcontract-
ing goals for minority-owned firms, which could severely impact opportunities for small and large companies that depend on federal contracts.
These moves are especially worrisome for Black business owners, who are already navigating disproportionate barriers to access to capital and markets. While Whiteowned businesses make up 84% of all classifiable firms and account for 92% of total revenue, Black-owned businesses remain a small sliver despite their rapid growth. With small business
Sports
Vikings headline historic NFL international slate with back-to-back games abroad
By Leahjean M. Denley, MBA
The Minnesota Vikings are poised to dominate headlines
this fall as they take center stage in the NFL’s most ambitious International Games lineup to date.
On Sunday, September 28th, the Vikings will clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, delivering the NFL’s inaugural regular season game on Irish soil. This milestone matchup not only advances the league’s global reach, but also positions the Vikings as key catalysts in growing the game beyond U.S. borders.
Just one week later on October 5th, the Vikings will charge into Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London to face the Cleveland Browns. The game marks the venue’s 40th NFL
tional strategy.
“Their matchups in Dublin and London are more than games—they’re cultural events that bring football to life for fans around the world.” Minnesota becomes one of the few franchises entrusted with a consecutive two-continent campaign, underscoring the team’s powerful brand, global fan engagement, and competitive stature. “The 2025 International Games schedule unleashes an electric lineup featuring marquee NFL stars, bringing our game directly to passionate fans across the globe. With elite matchups staged in legendary venues like Dublin’s Croke Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Vikings are clearly playing a pivotal role in redefining the league’s global presence, ”said Peter O’Reilly, NFL EVP of Club Business and International
This high-visibility
regular season event, further establishing London as a cornerstone of the league’s interna-
stretch launches a record-breaking international season, with
seven games outside the U.S.— the most ever. The Vikings are the only team scheduled to compete in back-to-back international games, with all game prep, recovery, and weekly operations—including community outreach typically held on players’ off days—taking place entirely overseas. This rare two-week deployment not only demands elite logistical execution, but also reflects the Vikings’ commitment to glob-
al engagement, on and off the field, further reinforcing their strong brand, loyal fan base, and expanding influence in the international football landscape.
Skol Nation is going global —leading the charge in the NFL’s worldwide movement.
Speaking of Global…
Did You Know?...
…Although there have been several regular season games played overseas, the
Vikings will make history as the first team to ever play an NFL regular season game in Ireland?
…Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium in London was custom-built for NFL games—with a retractable field just for American football?
…The Minnesota Vikings last played internationally in 2017, winning 33–16 against the Cleveland
Browns in London?
• … Just in case you can’t make it to Ireland or London, fans can stream these games live on NFL Network or catch replays via NFL Game Pass on DAZN (internationally)?
Which of these points was most fascinating to you?
Please share your thoughts by sending an email to CoachLeah@Insightnews.com.
Timberwolves beat Warriors in Game 5 to reach Western Conference finals for 2nd straight year
By Dave Campbell AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ju-
lius Randle scored 29 points on 13-for-18 shooting to send the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals for the second straight year with a 121-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Anthony Edwards had 22 points and 12 assists for the sixth-seeded Wolves, who will face the Denver-Oklahoma City winner next. They could get five days off, if the Nuggets beat the Thunder on Thursday to force a Game 7 in the other West semifinal series.
Brandin Podziemski had a playoff career-high 28 points for the Warriors, who again played without star Stephen Curry because of the hamstring strain that forced him out of the second quarter in Game 1 and took the heart out of their entire offensive operation.
Jonathan Kuminga provided another energy boost off the bench with 26 points, but Podziemski’s performance came too late and the production from Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield was consistently too little after they led the series-opening win. According to Sportradar, the Warriors hadn’t lost four straight games in a single postseason since
(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Peter O’Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business, Major Events and International announces that flag football will officially join the LA28 sports program, as voted by IOC members, during a news conference in New York Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023.
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors’ Pat Spencer, right, and Buddy Hield, left, during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis.
Books, Art & Culture
I think they love you
Sharing Our Stories
By W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor
By Julian Winters
One of the staples in movies is the romantic comedy (aka “rom-com”), even in contemporary times with such movies as “Think Like a Man.”
The same goes for romance novels, giving us humorous stories to offset the angst. As one who enjoys a good romantic comedy on the road to a happilyever-after, I bring to you Julian Winters’ novel I Think They Love You.
Denzel (“Denz”) Carter is the son of Kenneth Carter, CEO of 24 Carter Gold, which is on the short list of the top event coordinators in Atlanta. At 25, Denz has been having issues with being in the public eye of such a high-
profile, successful family, and more feelings of how he will live up to his father’s high expectations. Overthinking, a bit of a klutz, and a bundle of insecurities about image, Denz tends to run from problems or lie his way out. He also has walls around his heart when it comes to his ex, Braylon Adams, who left him and took off to London to pursue his career when Denz took too long to give him an answer about their relationship upon their graduation from college.
Braylon (“Bray”) Adams faced his own challenges. When his mother died at an early age, he was raised by his father, who encouraged him to pursue his opportunity in London when Denz was clearly dragging his feet. The death of his father brings him back to Atlanta, where he works at a nonprofit organization supporting LGBTQ youth. The deaths of his parents leave Braylon with reluctance to let people in, fearing they will leave him.
When his father announces his retirement from the company, a search for a new CEO pits Denz against his older sister Kamila to keep 24 Carter Gold in the family. To prove he has commitment, Denz claims to have a boyfriend. Through a turn of events, he convinces Braylon to pretend to be his boyfriend to 1) show himself as a worthy contender for CEO and 2) help Braylon get an audience with the mayor to endorse his nonprofit. The catch? Denz hasn’t gotten over the fact Braylon is the one who broke his heart.
But what happens when, in the lyrics of Gladys Knight and the Pips, “old memories get in the way” and the scheme starts to unravel?
Winters gives us a healthy dose of humor and pathos as we see Denz and Braylon, flawed human beings that they are, navigating the swirling waters and family dynamics of their past relationship and the current “fake” relationship, only to
discover it becoming real as they grow. I love the flavor that the supporting characters, such as Denz’s BFF Jamie and his sister Kamila, bring to his novel.
I also appreciate the reminder, through Kenneth Carter, that no matter how stellar the success their company has achieved, as a Black man, he was under a higher level of scrutiny and had to be twice as good as his white counterparts just to be considered equal. At the end of the day, it was up to Denz and Braylon to tell themselves they were good enough by being themselves.
I Think They Love You is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, St. Martin’s Griffin Press, and his website, www.julianwinters. com.
Thank you, Julian, for a lesson in second chances, loving ourselves, a happilyever-after, and laughing while we do it.
Disney’s FROZEN extended at Children’s Theatre Company
Children’s Theatre Company
(CTC) is extending the run for the company’s smash hit original production of Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical through June 22, 2025 instead of the previously-announced closing date of June 15, 2025. The extension includes an additional Sensory Friendly performance on Friday, June 20, 2025 at 2pm. For more information on CTC’s Sensory Friendly programming, visit childrenstheatre.org/planyour-visit/accessibility/sensoryfriendly-programming.
Nominated for three Tony Awards including “Best Musical,” Disney’s Frozen features music and lyrics by Academy Award-winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and a book by Academy Award-nominee Jennifer Lee. CTC’s production of Disney’s Frozen is directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, with music direction by Denise
Prosek and choreography by Rush Benson. Based on the Disney film written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Disney’s Frozen was originally produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions.
“I am beyond thrilled to bring the magic of Disney’s Frozen to life at the Children’s Theatre Company in the Twin Cities,” said CTC Artistic Director Rick Dildine. “This iconic story of love, courage, and self-discovery is one that resonates with audiences of all ages, and I can’t wait to share it with our incredible community. Working alongside such a talented team, we are committed to creating an unforgettable experience for every member of the audience, filled with heart, wonder, and the unforgettable music that has captured hearts worldwide.”
“I’m very excited to be directing this Disney
musical,” said director Tiffany Nichole Greene. “The journeys of the relationships are so relatable. I especially love that we follow the incredible bond between sisters. The journey
Ways of Knowing
sections, the exhibition opens with “The Collectors.” Here, artists employ historical systems of categorization with an awareness of the absurdity of their efforts. Some, like
Iosu Aramburu and Gala Porras-Kim, create expansive displays of art that expose the gaps in official records. Others use categorization to tease out entirely new narratives; Chang Yuchen, for instance, highlights the connections between language and land by developing a writing system made of corals.
The relationship to land undergirds many of the works in the show, most notably those in “Time and Place.” Shirking Western frameworks altogether, these artists turn to methods of documentation rooted in Indigenous and place-based ways of knowing.
Filmmaker Sky Hopinka collapses linear notions of time, drawing upon the land as a keeper of memory, while artists such as Christine Howard Sandoval make tangible the effects of resource extraction. Where “Time and Place” looks for truth in the physical world, “Fiction and Fact” turns to the imaginary.
The works in this section ask us to consider what truths reside beyond the strictly factual
and what can be revealed through speculation. Childhood drawings, hypothetical conversations, and social experiments all emerge as vehicles of inquiry.
Spanning drawing, photography, film, and installation, Ways of Knowing charts some of the most profound ways that today’s artists engage with information and research. Most works are being shown in the United States for the first time. Together, they invite us to reconsider the complexities of knowledge, identity, and culture.
Exhibition Artists
Iosu
Rosario
Source: WalkerArt. org/calendar
Aramburu, Sammy Baloji, Anna Boghiguian, Cabello/Carceller, Chang Yuchen, Petrit Halilaj, Sky Hopinka, Christine Howard Sandoval, Eduardo Navarro, Gala Porras-Kim, Rose Salane Curatorial Team
Güiraldes, Curator, Visual Arts; with Brandon Eng, Curatorial Assistant, Visual Arts
At Walker 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis, through Sep 7, 2025
Photo by Glen Stubbe Photography
3 - (L-R) Julia Ennen, Matthew Hall, Dylan Rugh, and Adam Jones in Children’s Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical.
Photo by Kameron Herndon
Installation View of Ways of Knowing 2025
Lucas Giambelluca President,
