Insight News ::: 02.17.14

Ronald K. Brown MORE ON PAGE 5

February 17 - February 23, 2014

Vol. 41 No. 8 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Dr. Umar Johnson on the business of saving Black children:

Schools miseducate, mistreat and mislabel

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Noted child therapist and PanAfricanist, Dr. Umar Johnson was scheduled to talk at 6 p.m. at the Minneapolis Urban League, but his lecture did not begin until about 6:45 p.m.

The late start was not Johnson’s fault. The room inside the lower level of the Urban League was set to seat maybe 150 people – an impressive number – yet double that showed up. Once the organizers were able to accommodate the overflow crowd Johnson got down to business … the business of saving African-American children from what he said are racist policies in America’s schools designed to miseducate, mistreat, misdiagnose and mislabel children of color.

“I’m not a member of the Black bourgeoisie so I’m not going to explain away racism, Harry Colbert, Jr.

Dr. Umar Johnson

JOHNSON TURN TO 10

Economic justice is unfinished agenda

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer Economic empowerment is the next phase of the Civil Rights Movement, according to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., who hosted the 17th annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit Feb. 11 – 13 in New York.

The summit, “50 Years After the Civil Rights Act: The Unfinished Agenda for Economic Justice,”

focused on the decline in Black-owned businesses, home foreclosures and unemployment. The summit brought the nation’s political, corporate, entrepreneurial and industry leaders to Wall Street to discuss the economic concerns distinctive to African-Americans and Latino communities.

Jackson said though outwardly it may appear that African-Americans have made great strides, economically, as a whole, the community is struggling and

fair business practice laws are having little effect.

“An unenforced law is not a law at all,” said Jackson, saying that companies such as Google, Apple and other giant corporations are not contracting with their share of minority firms. “Look at the Super Bowl. In 48 years of the Super Bowl, only one ad campaign was created by a Black firm. We’ve been locked out and we’re not

JACKSON TURN TO 10

Jesse Jackson, Sr.

Carter G. Woodson

Champion of African American History: Carter G. Woodson

By Valerie Jarrett Ed. Note: This is cross-posted from the Huffington Post In the fall of 1870, a handful of students made their way through the northwest quadrant of the nation’s capital, and through the doors of D.C.’s “Preparatory High School for Colored Youth,” the country’s first public high school for African American children. There, in the shadow of the American Civil War, and dawned with the spark of reconstruction, a converted basement-turned-classroom in the lower floor of Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church bore the

WOODSON TURN TO 10

AfroDescendientes Developing digital agendas and strategies for the Decade of Afrodescendants and beyond

By Amilcar Priestley In December 2013, the United Nations declared 2015-2024 as the International Decade of Afrodescendants.1 Despite

human rights by using digital tools to preserve the culture and history of Afrodescendants, increase our visibility, and improve our access as citizens no matter where we reside.

Afrodescendant communities will benefit greatly if we integrate

the growing recognition of our importance as citizens in our respective countries, Afrolatin@s continue to battle for inclusion, autonomy, rights and justice.

The Afrolatin@ Project (ALP) will continue to champion the Afrodescendant struggle for

information and communications technology (ICT) more successfully into our agendas and strategies. Today’s research shows that web-based and digital

AFRO TURN TO 2

Desarrollando agendas y estrategias digitales para la Década de Afrodescendientes y más allá Por Amilcar Priestley En diciembre del 2013, las Naciones Unidas declaró 20152024 como la Década Internacional de los

continuará defendiendo la lucha de los afrodescendientes por derechos humanos mediante el uso de herramientas digitales para preservar la cultura y la historia de los afrodescendientes, aumentar nuestra visibilidad y mejorar nuestro acceso como ciudadanos

Afrodescendientes.1 A pesar del creciente reconocimiento de nuestra importancia como ciudadanos en nuestros respectivos países, Afrolatin@s continúan luchando por inclusión, autonomía, derechos y justicia.

El Proyecto Afrolatin@ (ALP)

sin importar donde residamos.

Las comunidades afrodescendientes se beneficiarán en gran medida si integramos con mas éxito las tecnologías de

AFRO A SU VEZ A 4

Adoption

Business

UCare

Insight 2 Health

DHS, Council on Black Minnesotans and partners promote adoption

A how-to checklist: Returning to work?

Patricia Ball, Jamie Carsello, and Jeri Peters named to UCare vice president positions

CVS move to stop tobacco sales is good news for people of color

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insightnews.com

Insight News • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Page 2

DHS, Council on Black Minnesotans and partners promote adoption During Black History Month, February, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Council on Black Minnesotans, and several nonprofit and community organizations are working together to encourage families to adopt children waiting in the foster care system, particularly African-American children who are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system.

Throughout February adoption-specific events include: The Minnesota Heart Gallery is featuring foster children in need of adoptive families in its large lobby display at the East Side Neighborhood Services Building, 1700 Second St. NE, Minneapolis.

The Heart Gallery is a community outreach program of Ampersand Families, which raises awareness about older youth waiting in the foster care system and helps recruit adoptive families for these youth.

Hennepin County, HOPE

Adoption and Family Services, and MN ADOPT adoption experts will present on foster care and adoption, and staff an information table Feb. 22 at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church’s Empowerment through Education’s Ninth Annual African Heritage Month Observance in Minneapolis. More information is on the church’s website.

The MN ADOPT website is featuring African-American youth and sibling groups waiting for adoptive families. MN ADOPT, an adoption service array provided by the Minnesota Adoption Resource Network under grant contract with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, manages the State Adoption Exchange and information on Minnesota’s waiting children. It also supports and sustains families who adopt these children by providing resources and referrals.

MN ADOPT is also working with the Star Tribune on its monthly “waiting child” feature,

especially the disproportionate number of African-American children. The greatest historical remembrance an AfricanAmerican child, or any child, can have is one that is highlighted by the love and care of a family.”

The Council on Black Minnesotans, said McDonald, encourages people throughout the state to learn more about African-American culture and accomplishments at these Black History Month events listed on the council’s website: · “History HiJinx: Black History Month,” Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Feb. 1 to 23 select dates · “The Ballad of Emmett Till,” Penumbra Theatre, Minneapolis, Feb. 6 to March 2 select dates · “The Racial Divide during the Harlem Renaissance,” Open Book, Minneapolis, Feb. 18 · “Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance” reading and

adopted immediately are African American. Only 95‒18 percent‒of the 524 children adopted from the foster care system in 2012 were African American.

“All children need safe, stable, loving homes to thrive,” said Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson.

“During Black History Month, we are celebrating the African-American families who have adopted and encouraging other families to consider adoption. We, along with our community partners, are here to provide support before, during and after adoption.”

Added Edward McDonald, executive director of the Council on Black Minnesotans, “As we celebrate the rich history of African-Americans during the month of February, let us also use the month to begin doubling our efforts for the remainder of the year encouraging more AfricanAmerican families to adopt and provide foster care for children who are wards of the state,

Edward McDonald with KSTP-TV on its “Thursday’s Child” weekly feature and with KMOJ radio to promoteadoption of children from the foster care system The Minnesota Department of Human Services is contacting county social service directors to urge them to engage communities in focusing on adoption during Black History Month.

As of Jan. 1, 2014, 140‒ approximately 30 percent‒of the 467 children in the foster care system waiting to be

book signing by Carla Kaplan, Common Good Books, St. Paul, Feb. 19 · “Renewing Hope in the Promise of Minnesota’s Youth,” Youthprise, Minneapolis, Feb. 26 to 27 For more information about adopting: Call the county social service agency or one of the licensed, private adoption agencies under contract with the state to provide adoption services: Ampersand Families, Bethany Christian Services, Children’s Home Society of Minnesota, Family Focus, HOPE Adoption and Family Services International, Kindred Family Services, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and North Homes. Counties and private adoption agencies under contract with DHS do not charge fees to parents adopting children under state guardianship.

Visit the MN ADOPT website at www.mnadopt.org.

What will (y)our legacy look like?

By Ron Busby, Sr. As America begins the annual ritual of “celebrating” the countless achievements of African Americans during the February observance of Black History Month, I think it makes sense to remind each other that the things we do every day will be the historical recollections for future generations.

There is no question of the value of recounting the daring exploits, the against-all-odds battles won, or of revisiting the horrors and brutalities that marked our journey through this country’s history. I just don’t believe that enough of us approach our daily commitments with an eye on how our actions (or inactions) will impact the lives of Black Americans in the future.

I could fill this space with the names of prodigious Black inventors, from Jan Matzeliger to Norbert Rilleaux, Garrett Morgan to Dr. Mark Dean. We all know the contributions of Samuel

Afro From 1 tools alongside social media, can complement social action and provide new and unique strategies for communication.

ICT cannot replace the political and civic obligations that governments have to defend, affirm and promote the rights of Afrodescendants as full citizens.

Nor are we suggesting that grassroots organizations simply replace existing programs with technology. We must also be careful to not reproduce existing inequalities (often referred to as the “digital divide”) when we use technology, Technology will not cure all social injustices but ICT has proven beneficial to underserved communities globally.

It is important that Afrolatin@s consider its possibilities in our efforts to achieve full equality and enjoyment of our rights as citizens. .

Ethno-Education, the Census, and ICT Many of today’s Afrodescendant youth have grown up with technology of some kind. They stand to benefit most from a

Ron Busby, Sr. Cornish and John Russwurm and their Freedom’s Journal, the Sengstackes, Murphys, Vanns and Scotts, the John H. Johnson and Earl G. Graves and their heroic struggles to make sure our stories were told - accurately. We know of Madame C.J. Walker and A.G. Gaston and Alonzo Herndon and Oprah and Bob Johnson and Herman Russell and the empire builders of the business world.

But today I want to give a Black History “shout out” to the millions of nameless, faceless business women and men who rose before dawn and got home long after everyone was asleep. The barbers, movement that recognizes the positive potential of technology.

To address the absence of “ethnoeducation” for and about our communities we should consider using mobile phones to engage young people at all levels of literacy. Due to their wide-spread use, mobile phones can deliver educational content about our culture and history from primary school to the university.

Mobile phones make it possible for us to educate and learn without having to wait for official government action. Although teachers may be limited in what they are able to do, their input and participation in developing content should be included where possible. Community organizations working with youth should also incorporate the use of mobile phones into their existing work. The outcomes and benefits are numerous: 1) encouraging technology-connected youth to create digital resources on their own histories and cultures by using their mobile devices; 2) making digital content on Afrodescendants available to formal education and research centers through open access platforms; and 3) encouraging the development of traditional educational and digital literacy

hairdressers, shopkeepers, brick masons, carpenters, café owners, mechanics, painters, printers, shoe shine and repairmen. The tailors, grocers, ice, coal and wood deliverymen.... All the folks whose toils paved the way for us, paid the tuition to Howard, Morehouse, Johnson C. Smith, Fisk, Xavier, Dillard and all the “A&M’s” across the south!

After nearly fifty years of successfully aspiring to “good jobs,” we are witnessing a boom in the numbers of Black Americans returning to our roots as entrepreneurs and business owners, and this boom couldn’t have come at a better time. When it’s clear that government solutions to income inequality fail to factor for or include us; when Black un- and underemployment threaten the nutritional health and educational opportunities for our children; when globalization of markets consigns our participation to the role of consumers... that’s when it should become clear the key role that Black business plays in our communities.

The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is acutely aware of the battle that African Americans face in the marketplace today.

When online purchases of clothing eclipses the purchases made inside actual stores, the opportunities for Black retailers practically disappears. Despite the obvious love affair Black folks have with hats, suits, shoes and boots, it is Nordstrom, Macy’s, Neiman’s and local designer boutiques that get their share of our income inequality, not Black-owned clothes sellers.

We struggle to find a Blackowned grocery chain, even though African Americans spend a disproportionate share of their disposable income on food.

Black-owned restaurants are an increasingly endangered species, even as national chains pad their bottom lines with the lion’s share of our discretionary spending on food...including sushi!

Black automobile dealers fare a little better, though the 80s and 90s wreaked havoc on the number of franchised dealerships owned by African Americans.

Without question, we continue to provide the comfortable profit cushion, particularly for luxury brand automobiles. (Remember, every dollar earned without advertising/marketing effort to earn that dollar is FREE MONEY!) Telecom companies, high-end electronics, “luxury” liquors, condo sellers and jewelers all positively salivate when their coffers fill up with Black dollars.

Among the goals of the USBC, Entrepreneur Development is the loftiest, and most elusive, but we believe if we are successful at reigniting our passion for business ownership, we have the best opportunity to solve the challenges faced by Black America. The historical record of our ability to build colleges, insurance companies and hospitals proves that when necessary we can achieve monumental “wins” through collective entrepreneurial activity. And -- in today’s terminology - joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions provide the context for our next collective

steps in business growth.

So, we at the USBC and our affiliates across the country encourage you to be more mindful, and more intentional as you pursue your dreams.

Understand that 20, 50, 100 years from now someone will read the record of your contribution to life as they know it, and the fact that you made a lot of money won’t be enough to get your name in the record book. Business ownership opens doors of opportunity, not just for you and your family, but the families of your employees, associates, customers/clients, vendors and suppliers. That improved quality of life affords access to opportunities for education, earning, travel and the new worlds they discover will create future generations of inventors and history makers.

Black History is made and celebrated every day... make sure that your everyday actions pave the way.

competencies among Afrolatin@ youth using relevant content and technological tools.

Mobile phones can also assist in our consciousness raising efforts ahead of the next round of national Censuses in Latin America, the Caribbean and the U.S. We know that a key element limiting Afrodescendant visibility in most countries is inaccurate census polling. The way different groups/communities are counted in the census is linked to public policies and funding for strategic resources such as education, employment, and social services.

Mobile phones can be used to develop effective demographic questions or to send out notifications on the importance of Census participation. It should also be used to gauge the accuracy and transparency of the official government Census counts conducted over the next ten years.

related intolerance.” One year earlier, heads of state from Latin America and the Caribbean met in the city of Florianopolis, Brazil and drafted the Declaration of Florianopolis. This Declaration called for governments to focus on developing the technology skills of their citizens. Most significantly, it repeatedly called for the use of ICT to address regional socioeconomic inequality, a persistent issue affecting Afrodescendants.

In the last 13+ years, regional governments in Latin America and the Caribbean have developed multi-year national digital action plans. Regional governments and civil society (i.e., Colombia, Panama, Brazil, Bolivia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti) also have launched ICT-focused initiatives using mobile technology to address the everyday challenges of the underserved. In October 2013, the Secretariat General of Ibero-America, who recently launched their “Citizenship 2.0” and “AfroXXI” initiatives, held a conference in Panama City, Panama urging heads of state to pay greater attention to how technology can encourage transparency and support the underserved.

There is little doubt that since the Durban conference, we

have made progress in raising the visibility of our goals. In recent years, digital and Web 2.0 tools have helped improve organizational capacity, increase the exchange and flow of information, and strengthened social activism. There is still work to be done. Discussions in several Afrodescendant conferences2 have raised the need for Afrolatin@ communities to include ICT skills in their agendas. They also have recommended we build alliances with our counterparts throughout continental Africa.

The Afrolatin@ Project believes it is critical that Afrodescendants combine these two concepts and gain knowledge from the examples set by the growth in the number of projects in continental Africa and other developing regions that use ICT to address the needs of the marginalized and disenfranchised.

and education on how to leverage global technology to address local issues. Only by integrating ICT tools into the agendas and strategies of Afrodescendants and by developing ICT-centered initiatives will Afrolatin@s will not be left behind in the digital era.

Digital Strategies & Millennium Development Goals The Declaration of Durban, from the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia in South Africa, affirmed that “the use of new technologies…can contribute to the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and

Conclusion The Afrolatin@ Project will continue to expand its use of information and communication technology and Web 2.0 tools to preserve the culture and history of Afrolatin@s and to increase our access and visibility.

Our goal is to support other organizations and Afrolatin@ communities through training

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Ron Busby is President of the US Black Chambers, Inc.

Amilcar Priestley is Director of the AfroLatin@ Project (www. afrolatinoproject.org). The Project was initially founded in 2005 by the late Dr. George Priestley, under a Ford Foundation grant. In our new phase we are advocates for the digital preservation of Afrolatino cultural heritage and the use of ICT to advance the development of Afrolatinos in Latin America, the Caribbean and the U.S. Priestley is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Brooklyn Law School.

Footnote 1: For purposes of this piece, ALP uses Afrolatin@s and Afrodescendants interchangeably to describe people of African descent from Latin America, the Caribbean and their Diasporas.

Footnote 2: Lagos, Nigeria (2009), Dakar, Senegal (2011), La Ceiba, Honduras (2011), Panama City, Panama (2012), Cali and Cartagena, Colombia (2013)

insightnews.com

Insight News • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Page 3

BUSINESS A how-to checklist

Returning to work?

Plan Your Career

By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com The Job Market is a store with a revolving door. People go in, people come out. Every day, for a variety of reasons, people change their work situations. Common reasons for entering/leaving the market include: demands of child care, parental care, or personal illness; pursuing further education or training; spouse’s relocation, company relocation or bankruptcy. The list goes on.

The question is, once I’ve left the

workforce, how do I get back in?

My friend KT asked that question today. She said, “What I really need is a checklist.” So, for KT and everyone in her situation, here is that checklist: #1 Link In: whether you have a robust career history or you’re just getting started, let’s agree on two things. First, you have not been living under a rock during your unemployed years. Second, you have not been living alone in the world. You know a few things and you know a few people.

Get on LinkedIn (it’s free) and create a profile. Then connect with friends and join some groups. Your LinkedIn presence will expand from there, mostly organically. Your job is going to come from someone who knows you or knows of you, so remind

Your job is going to come from someone you already know, or someone they know

people, through LinkedIn, that you are out there. #2 Start a blog: Your connections and your credibility, as well as your mental health,

can benefit from your thoughtful comments. Choose a topic relevant to your personal or career interests. Follow other people’s blogs. Don’t be shy. No

one will be watching you… at first. Your job is going to come from someone who knows you or knows of you, so it will be good to be known by people who share your interests. #3 Write a resume: Write a letter to your best friend explaining each job you’ve had, what you did there and what you’re most proud of accomplishing. Then remove the pronouns (the “I” and “me” words) and you will see your resume appear. Add your education and any technical skills to the list, and you’re done.

People who are in a position to help you will want to see your resume. Be ready. #4 Tell your friends: Create a list of friends, relatives, past associates and networking groups

and let these people know you want to buy them coffee. You do.

Because you want to know about their work and their goals. This will lead them naturally to think of who you should talk to about your own goals.

Your job is going to come from someone you already know, or someone they know, so start talking to people, connecting with people and letting people help you. The job market has a revolving door; start pushing forward. You won’t always be on the outside looking in.

Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates, Inc. Write to Julie at jdesmond@georgekonik.com.

Is there a need for your nonprofit?

FUNdraising Good Times

By Mel and Pearl Shaw “What do you do when an organization wants to raise money, but there really isn’t a need for the organization?” That was the question we were asked recently. We were taken aback by the bluntness, but recognized its value. Here are our thoughts.

Most people we meet believe passionately in the organizations they are involved with. They see the impact being made and want

it to continue. The challenge is to step outside of the organization and look at it within the context of the community. Are there other organizations now offering similar, competing, or more effective services? Is the need for your nonprofit as great as it was ten years ago? Have demographic shifts increased or decreased the need for your work? Have new needs emerged within the community that require funders and individuals to reallocate their giving?

The needs that nonprofits respond to and advocate for change over time. And the priority that others place on our needs change. Some changes we can anticipate, others we can’t.

Sometimes we are proactive, and sometimes all we can do

is react and retrench. Because of this each organization needs to periodically assess its role within the community. What – if anything – do you need to change? Which organizations are you competing against? How could you be more effective?

Ask donors and funders. Ask those who support you and those who have never provided funding.

Nonprofits who have received federal funds either directly or indirectly know about decreasing revenue streams.

Grants have been decreasing and disappearing for a long time now. Continuing to cut programs and services and make do with less is one way to address this market challenge. Another is to look to collaborate, partner

and as appropriate merge organizations. You may need to restructure how you provide services. You may need to be bold and launch a major fundraising campaign. Consider engaging your board in a dialog that looks beyond “how do we get through this fiscal year?” to asking deeper questions about how the organization can best serve its market.

Here is the hardest question: is your nonprofit relevant? Does it really meet a need? Even if you are successful with your fundraising, could the funds invested in your organization better benefit the community if invested in another nonprofit?

If you are a new organization: were your founding assumptions accurate? If you have a

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history of service, are younger organizations better able to meet emerging needs? Don’t be afraid to ask these hard questions: doing so may open new doors.

Assuming that your organization should continue to exist – without testing those assumptions – may prevent you from being of greatest value to those you serve.

Only you and your board can

provide the answers.

Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success.

For help with your campaign visit www. saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Page 4 • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Lawmakers advance CBM bills

Surplus Communities, Criminal Justice Disparities Eradication, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Violence Prevention Initiative bills; Representative Clark has

agreed to author the Urban Fresh Food Access & Food Desert Eradication Initiative, the Urban Agriculture Land Use Planning Initiative, Healthcare Disparities Eradication bills; Representative Kahn has agreed to author the African Heritage Arts & Culture Preservation & Growth bills.

He said Senator Champion has agreed to author Senate versions of the Martin Luther King Jr. Violence Prevention Initiative legislation; and Senator Dziedzic has agreed to author the Criminal Justice Disparities Eradication legislation, and has expressed serious interest in the Rochester Destination Medical Center Equal Access &

Opportunity Planning bill.

Mohamed said, “Our meeting was successful because of the continued support of community.

As we continue to hit milestones, the road ahead requires even more participation. We already have over two dozen volunteer leaders identified who will lead us in tracking and supporting our legislation throughout the process. The process ahead for each of our bills requires all hands on deck, so we are still looking for even more folks to volunteer. It can’t be emphasized enough: community feedback and engagement is an essential element to this important process.”

2001 contra el Racismo, la Discriminación y la Xenofobia en Sudáfrica, afirmó que “ el uso de las nuevas tecnologías... puede contribuir a la erradicación del racismo, la discriminación racial, la xenofobia y las formas conexas de intolerancia. “ El año anterior, jefes de Estado de América Latina y el Caribe se reunieron en la ciudad de Florianópolis, Brasil y redactaron la Declaración de Florianópolis. Esta Declaración hace llamado a los gobiernos a enfocarse en desarrollar las habilidades tecnológicas de sus ciudadanos. Lo más significante, Florianópolis pidió repetidamente el uso de las TIC para enfrentar las desigualdades socio- económicas de la región, un problema persistente para los afrodescendientes. Desde la conferencia , el mundo ha sido testigo de una intensificación en cómo los grupos y comunidades en todo el mundo utilizan las herramientas digitales y la Web 2.0 para mejorar la capacidad de organización , aumentar el intercambio y la circulación de información, y el fortalecimiento de activismo social.

En los últimos 13+ años, los gobiernos regionales en América Latina y el Caribe, han desarrollado planes de acción nacional en materia digital de varios años. Los gobiernos regionales y la sociedad civil (por ejemplo, Colombia, Panamá, Brasil, Bolivia, Jamaica, Trinidad y Tobago y Haití) también han

puesto en marcha iniciativas enfocadas en las TIC usando tecnología móvil para enfrentar los desafíos cotidianos de la población necesitada. En octubre del 2013, la Secretaría General de Ibero-America, que recientemente puso en marcha sus iniciativas “Afro XXI” y ”Ciudadanía 2.0”, celebró una conferencia en la Ciudad de Panamá, Republica de Panamá instando a los jefes de Estado a prestar mayor atención a cómo la tecnología puede fomentar la transparencia y apoyar a los más necesitados.

No cabe duda que desde la conferencia de Durban, nosotros hemos progresado realizando la visibilidad de nuestros objetivos. En los anos recientes, las herramientas digitales y la Web 2.0 han ayudado en mejorar la capacidad de organización, aumentar el intercambio y la circulación de información, y fortalecido el activismo social.

Tenemos que seguir estos pasos.

Varias conferencias de afrodescendientes2 han planteado la necesidad de que las comunidades Afrolatin@ desarrollen las competencias en TIC a sus agendas. También han recomendado que construyamos alianzas con nuestras contrapartes en toda África continental. El Proyecto Afrolatin@ cree que es crítico que los afrodescendientes combinen estos dos conceptos y adquieran el conocimiento de los ejemplos establecidos en el crecimiento y el número de

proyectos en África continental y otras regiones en desarrollo que utilizan las TIC para enfrentar a las necesidades de los marginados y desposeídos.

Over 60 community members attended the recent Council on Black Minnesotans (CBM) Community Meeting with Legislators.

State Representatives Karen Clark, Raymond Dehn, and Phyllis Kahn, and Senators Bobby Jo Champion, and Kari Dziedzic addressed a packed room of active community members.

CBM chair, Patwin Lawrence, moderated the lively discussion with elected officials.

Elected officials present committed to supporting and authoring our CBM legislative proposals, said CBM blogger Mohamed Mohamed.

Mohamed said Representative

Rep. Rena Moran (65-A)

Rep. Raymond Dehn (59-B)

Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (59)

Rena Moran has agreed to author Educational Achievement Disparities Eradication, Higher Education Access Disparities Eradication, Healthcare

Disparities Eradication and the Expansion of Council Duties bills; Representative Dehn has agreed to author the Full Employment Initiative in Labor

Afro

Etno-Educación, el Censo y las TIC

Desde 1

Muchos de los jóvenes Afrodescendietnes de hoy han crecido con alguna clase de tecnología. Ellos son los que mas se beneficiarán de un movimiento que reconoce el potencial positivo de las TIC. Para abordar la ausencia de la “etnoeducación” sobre y para nuestras comunidades debemos considerar el uso de teléfonos móviles para comprometer a los jóvenes en todos los niveles de alfabetización.

Debido a su extenso uso, los teléfonos móviles pueden ofrecer contenidos educativos sobre nuestra cultura e historia o “etnoeducación” a todos los niveles educativos desde primaria hasta la universidad.

Los teléfonos móviles hacen posible que podamos educar sin tener que esperar la acción oficial del gobierno. Aunque los maestros/as puedan tener limitaciones en lo que puedan hacer, su aporte y participación en el desarrollo de contenido deben ser incluidos donde sea posible.

Las organizaciones comunitarias que trabajan con jóvenes también deben incorporar el uso de teléfonos móviles en su trabajo actual. Los resultados y las ventajas son numerosas: 1 ) animar a la juventud digitalmente conectada a crear recursos digitales acerca de sus propias historias y culturas mediante el uso de sus dispositivos móviles , 2) haciendo

los contenidos digitales sobre afrodescendientes disponibles a la educación formal y los centros de investigación a través de las plataformas de acceso abierto , y 3 ) animando el desarrollo de las competencias de alfabetización educativa tradicional y digital entre la juventud Afrolatin@ utilizando contenido relevante y herramientas tecnológicas.

Los teléfonos móviles también pueden ayudar en nuestros esfuerzos de concientización antes de la próxima ronda de censos nacionales de América Latina, el Caribe y los EE.UU. Se sabe que un elemento clave que limita la visibilidad de los afrodescendientes en la mayoría de los países es la inexactitud de los sondeos del censo. La forma de contar los distintos grupos en el censo está vinculado a las políticas públicas y la financiación de los recursos estratégicos , como la educación , el empleo y los servicios sociales. Los teléfonos móviles pueden ser utilizados para desarrollar preguntas demográficas eficaces o para enviar notificaciones sobre la importancia de la participación en el Censo. También se debería utilizar para medir la precisión de los recuentos del censo oficial del gobierno realizados durante los próximos diez años.

información y comunicaciones (TIC) a nuestras agendas y estrategias. Las investigaciones actuales muestran que las herramientas digitales y de Internet, junto con las redes sociales, pueden complementar la acción social y ofrecer estrategias nuevas y únicas para la comunicación.

Las TIC no puede sustituir las obligaciones políticas y cívicas que tienen los gobiernos de defender, afirmar y promover los derechos de los afrodescendientes como ciudadanos de pleno derecho.

Tampoco estamos sugiriendo que las organizaciones de base simplemente reemplazan los programas que existen con la tecnología. También tenemos que estar pendientes de no reproducir las desigualdades que existen (a menudo referida como la “brecha digital”) en el uso y el acceso a la tecnología.

La tecnología no curara todas las injusticias sociales, pero las TIC, especialmente teléfonos móviles, han demostrado ser beneficiosos para las comunidades marginadas en todo el mundo. Es importante que los Afrolatin@s consideren sus posibilidades en nuestros esfuerzos para lograr la plena igualdad y el disfrute de nuestros derechos como ciudadanos. .

Estrategias Digitales y Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio La Declaración de Durban, de la Conferencia Mundial del

Conclusión El Proyecto Afrolatin@ seguirá ampliando su uso de la tecnología de información y comunicación y las herramientas Web 2.0 para preservar la cultura y la historia de Afrolatin@s y para aumentar nuestro acceso y visibilidad.

Nuestro objetivo es apoyar a otras organizaciones y comunidades Afrolatin @ por medio de capacitación y educación sobre formas de aprovechar la tecnología mundial para enfrentar los problemas locales. Sólo integrando herramientas de las TIC en las agendas y estrategias de los afrodescendientes y mediante el desarrollo de iniciativas centradas in las TIC podremos estar seguros de que los Afrolatin@s no se quedarán atrás en esta época digital.

1 Para los fines de este ensayo, ALP usa Afrolatin@ y Afrodescendiente intercambiablemente para describir personas de descendencia Africana de America Latina, el Caribe y sus Diásporas.

2 Lagos, Nigeria (2009), Dakar, Senegal (2011), La Ceiba, Honduras (2011), Panama City, Panama (2012), Cali and Cartagena, Colombia (2013)

Next session starts March 15

.

Ronald K. Brown ‘Porgy and Bess’ choreographer to conduct workshops in the Twin Cities In advance of the revival of the classic musical, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” the show’s awardwinning choreographer is coming to the Twin Cities.

As part of the Ordway’s Taking Our Place Centerstage: The African Diaspora in Harmony, dancer and choreographer Ronald K. Brown, will visit the area on Feb. 25 for a community reception at the Ordway, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Prior to the reception, which is open to the public, Brown will visit Seed Academy and Harvest Prep to conduct workshops with students and faculty at the two schools. The evening reception at the Ordway

kicks off at 7 p.m.

Brown, who has been honored with multiple awards, including the Guggenheim Fellowship, Bessie Award, Black Theater Alliance Award and Audelco Award, founded the dance company Evidence in 1985 and has choreographed for the famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. His choreography with “Porgy and Bess” helped the musical win the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” runs at the Ordway from Mar. 25 – Mar. 30.

“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” is set in Charleston’s fabled

Catfish Row, where the character Bess struggles to break free from her scandalous past, and the only one who can rescue her is Porgy.

Taking Our Place Centerstage offers enhanced programming that includes master classes and workshops, an art exhibition, social gatherings and cultural conversations to celebrate the artistic traditions of communities of African and AfricanAmerican ancestry.

For more information on “Porgy and Bess” or on the Taking Our Place Centerstage: The African Diaspora in Harmony initiative, call (651) 2823000 or visit www.ordway.org/topc.

Photo courtesy of the artist

Ronald K. Brown

Diversity by design at Ordway

By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer If it seems as though the audience at the Ordway is becoming more diverse, that’s because it is – and that’s by design.

Though the initiative Taking Our Place Centerstage: The African Diaspora in Harmony (TOPC), the St. Paul theater and playhouse is broadening its shows in efforts to attract patrons of African heritage and also to expose its current audience to varied works of the African Diaspora. Like most major Twin Cities cultural arts centers Ordway audiences have been almost exclusive white. Apologists rationalize that as a business model, that made sense since as recently as 1990 the state was nearly 95 percent white. But that number has changed dramatically in recent years.

And the demographic makeup of the Metro Twin Cities area in particular makes it obvious that the old business model of ignoring communities of color is outdated.

Robin Hickman and her TOPC colleagues say it was wrong to begin with.

“My mother always taught me to take my rightful place,” said Hickman, CEO and executive producer with SoulTouch Productions, and director of TOPC. “We have the right to participate – be it showing up as a patron, performing; whatever.”

TOPC came to fruition in 2010 when Hickman and others, through the assistance of a grant from the St. Paul Foundation, formed the

Robin Hickman

Leah Nelson

Shelley Quiala

Mahmoud El-Kati

Titilayo Bediako

Andrea Jenkins

Tom Gitaa

Nneka Onyiliofor

Hawona Sullivan Janzen

Shegitu Kebede

Maria Isa Perez

Sherine Crooms Onukwuwe

Photo credit for Maria Isa Perez: Courtesy of Maria Isa Perez. Photo credit for Andrea Jenkins: Sophie Hentges. All others photo credit: Sherine Onukwuwe

TOPC Vision Council, tasked with programming and community engagement. The current council consists of program director, Hickman, Leah Nelson, who is charged

with artistic, educational and economic engagement, Mahmoud El Kati, Titilayo Bediako, Andrea Jenkins, Tom Gitaa, Nneka Onyilofor, Hawona Sullivan Janzen,

Shegitu Kebede, Maria Isa Perez, Marcus Pope, Sherine Crooms Onukwuwe and Shelley Quiala.

Nelson said the diversity of the council and its synergy

will hopefully spread to the community at large.

“We’ve found greatness in working with each other,” said Nelson. “We’re having small moments of harmony.

Hopefully our small moments of harmony will result in large moments of understanding – deeper understanding for those that are witnessing us.”

Vision Council member Gitaa said TOPC is all about opening doors.

“I’ve always been interested in how we can get access to more of what I call premium spots – all of these premium institutions that our tax dollars paid for,” said Gitaa. “For me personally, it’s all about having a presence – as much of a presence as possible. That’s big for me.”

Gitaa said people of color were shut out because of a combination of exorbitant ticket prices and programming that did not appeal to a wider cultural audience.

“When (cultural institutions) do get us in they want to squeeze all these events in February (for Black History Month), so we’ve been working with the Ordway to spread out the season.”

Nelson said the Ordway deserves accolades for recognizing a large audience was being underserved.

“We have to recognize that we do have allies in this,” said Nelson. “I have to commend the Ordway for partnering with us.”

Next in the TOPC series is Maria de Barros Feb. 19.

De Barros’ performance will be honoring Naomi Tutu, an international speaker on race and gender justice and daughter of South African Bishop Desmond Tutu.

Naomi Tutu will also give a special introduction for de Barros.

Page 6 • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Walker Art Center presents 2013: The Year According to

Series

The year according to Dessa As her bio says, Dessa has been described as “Mos Def plus Dorothy Parker.” As her lyrics say, she’s “half Dorothy Parker, half April O’Neil” (a nod to the famed poet and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ truth-seeking sidekick, respectively).

However you categorize her — scrappy, rappy, or writerly — the Minneapolis-based emcee, poet, writer, activist, and veteran member of the hip hop collective Doomtree is busy. In the last year, she’s published a chapbook of poetry (launched at the Walker in October), released the solo album Parts of Speech, performed an NPR Tiny Desk concert, performed in the ninth annual Doomtree Blowout, published the “miniature book” Are You Handsome?, conducted some excellent interviews on music and food for the beer magazine The Growler and gave some excellent interviews on topics from homophobia to humanism, toured the country with her band, and got going on a new project, a collaboration with classical composer Jocelyn Hagen: commissioned by Minneapolis Public Schools, it’ll be performed in April by a student choir and orchestra.

To name a few.

Given the nature of the work she did last year, Dessa — aka @dessadarling on Twitter — offers a fittingly diverse best-of-2013, covering her favorites in religion and TV, politics and hip hop.

1) Marriage Equality in Minnesota - I spent much of 2013 in a Ford van nicknamed MOUNTAIN, touring the country with my band. During the long drives, I usually work on my laptop, Joey plays video games, Aby dons headphones to read her book, and the driver enjoys DJ privileges. On the day that Minnesota announced the official legalization of gay marriage, however, we all leaned forward in our seats to be a bit closer to the pair of working speakers. Everyone stayed still and silent as we listened to a streaming feed of MPR. I remember wiping my eyes with my sleeve, and making happy eyes

To commemorate the year that was, we invited artists, designers, and thinkers across disciplines — from interdisciplinary artist Ralph Lemon and ebook publishers Badlands Unlimited to design firm Experimental Jetset and musician Greg Tate — to share a list of their most noteworthy ideas, events, and objects of 2013. See the entire series 2013: The Year According to .

Governor Dayton’s Office, Flickr.

Margaret Miles and Cathy ten Broeke, the first samesex couple in Minnesota to marry, with their son Louie and Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak (right), who officiated, on Aug. 1, 2013. at all my friends reflected in the rearview.

Catholic Church of England and Wales / Creative Commons

gold ring, and emphasizes the centrality of mercy, compassion, and humility — big things. (Though of course Pope Francis would not have been with me making ‘happy eyes’ in the van.) Plus, we all got to watch CNN cover smoke signals.

Peace Prize Nomination - It’s tempting to reduce Malala to an archetype, a Joan of Arc. That archetype is enticing because the weakest societal players (females, children) prove capable of prevailing over the strongest. Most of us identify, at least privately, with the underdog, so it comes as welcome news that the meek might not have to wait until the end of the Earth to inherit it. But try as I might to caution myself against undue romanticism, dammit, this girl is a Joan of Arc. She’s fearless and kind and she makes me want to be a better person.

book with some interest in the environment; I finished it with a lot of interest in how the business of food affects the distribution of power in this country. Since reading it, I’ve interviewed small farmers, market directors, organizers, and activists.

It’s complicated stuff, and I’ve reconsidered several long-held positions. My ears perked up in the autumn of 2013 when Washington state held a vote on whether or not companies should be required to label genetically modified food. The initiative did not pass, but I have a feeling that the conversation is just beginning.

Merlijn Hoek, Wikipedia

2) The “Control” Verse Kendrick Lamar wrote a guest verse on a Big Sean track and sent the question “Did you hear it yet?” ringing ’round the world. In this verse Kendrick challenges the rap community, even calling out good friends by name, to up the bar. His contemporaries scrambled to write responses and recorded them before morning; veterans spoke of a healthy jolt to the system.

Rap is a contact art.

3)Pope Francis - I left the Catholic Church pretty early, but it’s been heartening to watch the first few months of Pope Francis’ term. (Term?

Appointment?

Reign?

I dunno. I left early.) He declined the opulent papal apartment, skipped the

AMC

Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad. 4) Breaking Bad - The hype.

It’s for real.

6) Kanye West BBC Interview - He’s a megalomaniac, yes, of course. He also makes some strong, smart arguments about race in America. (The interviewer Zane Lowe, however, may be irredeemable.)

been a collage art, at least in part. Producers use snippets of other musical works to assemble a new song, and in doing so they create a a genre with a rich subtext of references and cross-references. Finding a new, unusual context for a particular riff or drum beat is part of the skill of production.

So, how do you make room for this recombinant form while still making sure the original, sampled musicians get compensated? We have no blessed idea. And when Mac Miller settled with Lord Finesse last year, it seemed to emphasize how far we are from a solution. The short story: Mac sampled one of Finesse’s songs from the ’90s to create a track that Mac posted online, for free. This was a big deal; most producers thought that free, noncommercial downloads would not be vulnerable to sample suit. Some news sources said the case signaled the death of the mixtape. Congress is now in the midst of reviewing US copyright law.

8) Lady Lamb the Beekeeper This recording artist has been active for years, but I only discovered her in 2013. Her song “Between Two Trees” and the one-take video that accompanies it reminds me how well rules can be broken.

YouTube

Malala Yousafzai addresses United Nations Youth Assembly, July 12, 2013.

5) Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel

7) Washington Initiative - Michael Pollan’s book, Omnivore’s Dilemma, me by the gills. I started

522 The got that

9) Mac Miller Settlement with Lord Finesse - Hip hop production has historically

10) Nelson Mandela - Rest in peace.

Photo: Bill-Phelps

By Paul Schmelzer

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Aesthetically Speaking • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Page 7

Walker Art Center builds curatorial team to enhance cross-disciplinary programming and scholarship Leaver-Yap will take on an entirely new position at the Walker, which assesses the holdings and expands scholarship of the Ruben/ Bentson Film and Video Collection with its core of avant-

© Guillermo Riveros

Fionn Meade The Walker Art Center is embracing its mission as a multidisciplinary art center with a commitment to research and scholarship through a number of new appointments that diversify the talents and expertise of its curatorial team.

Fionn Meade will join the Walker as senior curator of Cross-Disciplinary Platforms, effective May 5, and Isla LeaverYap will become the Bentson Visiting Film Scholar effective March 3.

A curator, writer, and faculty member at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College and New York’s Columbia University, Meade will serve as key partner to Walker executive director, Olga Viso, in leading and shaping the artistic vision of the Walker across the art center’s curatorial areas and programs.

“Fionn’s diverse curatorial experience working in the arenas of film, performance, and museum practice makes him uniquely qualified to take on this new curatorial role at the Walker,” said Viso.

Viso said the title Senior

Curator of Cross-Disciplinary Platforms reflects a fresh approach being taken by the institution. The Walker houses multiple artistic disciplines (visual, performing, design, and film/media arts) and has hosted numerous artists that work across these platforms; however, specifically assigning a curator with the task of overseeing the strategic interplay between program areas will be new for the institution.

“I look forward to taking on this unique position that cuts across artistic disciplines,” said Meade, whose early assignments include the Walker’s presentation of Radical Presence, an exhibition that examines the history of Black performance in visual art from the 1960s through the present, and a future exhibition that explores the many visual artists who collaborated with choreographer Merce Cunningham. “It is a great privilege and honor to join the Walker, a vital institution that I have followed and admired for many years. With such a singular and long-standing presence as a cross-disciplinary leader in

garde films from the period 1943–1985. Leaver-Yap will also work closely with Meade and other curators as the Walker engages artists whose work it may choose to purchase, commission, or exhibit.

Courtesy of The Walker Art Center

Isla Leaver-Yap the field, I am eager to build on the Walker’s commitment to working in-depth with the exemplary artists and innovators of our time.”

In addition to serving in this expansive new curatorial role, Meade will serve as the

interim head of the visual arts department while the search continues for a permanent leader. He will also oversee Bentson Visiting Film Scholar, Isla Leaver-Yap who will work closely with Sheryl Mousley, senior curator, film/video.

Come have lunch at the Dakota 11:30 - 2 Monday through Friday From Chef Derik Moran, find daily specials, salads, sandwiches and more, and never forget dessert by Pastry Chef Katie Elsing.

Prices starting at $8 View our complete menu at

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Page 8 • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Aesthetically Speaking

insightnews.com/aesthetics

Snapshots

2

1

3

4

Aesthetically Speaking took to the Roller Garden in St. Louis Park for Karina Curbelo’s Neon Rollerskating Birthday Bash. Here are a few shots of the birthday girl and her friends. Curbelo designs custom shirts and can count India.Arie as one of her clients.

1) Birthday girl Karina Curbelo (orange wig) with parts of her posse (from left to right), Tawanda Ridley, Suyapa Miranda, and Kristen BryanWilson.

3) Sister Act: Terra and Desralynn Cole got into the neon theme to help Karina usher in another year of life.

2) Husband and wife, Chris and Vanessa McDuffie joined to celebrate Karina’s birthday.

4) Karina photo bomb’s (from left to right) Libby Sutton Kopp, Tali Briggs and Suyapa Miranda.

The Embassy Suites Minneapolis North would love to help you plan your perfect day! We are here to cater to your needs and can customize menus for your event.

The Embassy Suites is a great location for: Wedding Receptions Rehearsal Dinners Fundraisers Family Celebrations Call : 763.560.2700 for availability or to schedule a tour

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insightnews.com

Insight News • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Page 9

COMMUNITY 2 0 1 4 B L A C K H I S T O RY E V E N T S C A L E N D A R Film Screening and Critical Discussion: Gideon’s Army When: Feb. 19th at 5:30 p.m.

Where: Coffman Memorial Union Theater, 300 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis Admission Cost: Free More than 12 million people are arrested in the United States each year. Fifty years after the landmark Gideon v. Wainwright case, most of them will be represented by one of the United States’ 15,000 public defenders.

Directed by attorney Dawn Porter and winner of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Editing Award for U.S. Documentary Competition, GIDEON’S ARMY follows a group of idealistic young public defenders in the Deep South, where lawyers face particularly

difficult challenges due to high bonds, minimum mandatory sentencing and a culture that is traditionally “tough on crime.�

A post-screening discussion about the film will feature: African American & African Studies Professor Rose Brewer, University of Minnesota professor of Law Nekima Levy-Pounds and University of Minnesota African American & African Studies Chair and Professsor Keith Mayes.

For more information, call or email: aaas@umn.edu, 612-6249847.

African-American Cultural Impact on the 1920s Two presentations for Black History Month

“The Racial Divide during the Harlem Renaissance�

When: Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

Where: Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis Admission Cost: Free Wellesley College and Northeastern University, noted author and cultural historian Carla Kaplan will speak about the African-American cultural impact on the 1920s.

Book Reading and Book Signing- Carla Kaplan When: Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.

Where: Common Good Books, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul Admission Cost: Free Carla Kaplan will read from her award-winning book, Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the

Classifieds Part-time Housing Coordinator Hawthorne Neighborhood Council is seeking to fill a temporary (3 to 6 months) part-time Housing Coordinator position. We are looking for a detailed, organized, flexible, motivated pro-active individual with a passion for community engagement in the nonprofit world. This position will primarily provide support for housing development in the Hawthorne neighborhood.

Organization: Hawthorne Neighborhood Council is an outreach organization offering programing that creates connections, and strengthens community to improve the quality of life in the Hawthorne neighborhood through empowering the residents in order that they can address the physical, cultural, social and economic needs of the community.

Location: North Minneapolis Activity Area: Housing, Community Building and Volunteerism Closing Date: open until filled Job Type: Part Time Salary: $16-$20 per hour Hours: Up to 25 per week Skills/Attributes: Knowledge of the phases of housing development and be somewhat familiar with construction. High attention to details, exceptional organizational and multitasking skills, self-motivated.

Possess great attitude and communication skills both verbal and written. Maintain a high level of professionalism with a positive attitude. Well organized self-starter and works professionally with volunteers. Knowledge of Facebook, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Word is a plus.

Education/Experience: The successful candidate will have a high school diploma, some post-secondary education and previous housing experience.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should send cover letter, resume, and any other pertinent information to HNCjobapp@gmail.com or mail to Hawthorne Neighborhood Council, Attn: Housing position, 2944 Emerson Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411.

Black Renaissance “SANKOFA: Empowerment Through Education�

When: Friday, February 21st through Sunday, February 23rd Time: 6pm to 8pm Where: Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 2600 East 38th Street, Minneapolis and under the leadership of Pastor Billy G. Russell Admission Cost: All events are FREE and open to the public.

Everyone is invited to share in this three-day interactive workshop – “SANKOFA: Empowerment Through Education� (Hosea 4:6 KJV) – being held Friday, February 21st through Sunday, February 23rd. On Friday, February 21st, an exploration on “Black Americans

Phone: 612.588.1313 Vacancies

Cokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at 320-286-2758. E-Mail cokapts@embarqmail.com

Assessing Technician City of Plymouth Assessing Technician-Supports assessing division through the examination, entry and generation of documents and reports. This is a 12-month assignment with benefits. Apply by 2/17/14. Visit www.plymouthmn.gov for more details.

LEGAL SECRETARY/OFFICE MANAGER Central Minnesota Legal Services F-T legal secretary/office manager for Mpls office.

WORD+. Second language+. Sal: D.O.E. up to $34,767. Excellent benefits, generous vacation/sick.

Casual/friendly work environ. Resume, refs, & cover letter by 2/21/14 (late appls accepted until filled), specifying interest & skills to Judy Hollie: CMLS, 430 1st Ave N, #359, Mpls, MN 55401-1780. EOE No calls.

Legal Assistant – Central Minnesota Legal Services –Minneapolis Office Legal Assistant for Minneapolis office, full-time. Excellent customer service skills req. Resp. for initial client intake over phone. Experience in family law a plus. Position will support attorneys practicing family law, housing, govt. benefits. Position also requires word processing of legal documents. Salary D.O.E. to $35,694 FTE. Excellent benefits. Send resumes, refs & cover letter by 2/21/14 to Judy Hollie, CMLS, 430 First Avenue North #359, Minneapolis, MN 55401 EOE. No calls.

Fax: 612.588.2031

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authority has rental units available in Cass County, MN. Please call 218-335-8280. Must meet certain qualifications.

Seasonal Parks & Forestry Maintenance Workers City of Plymouth-Seasonal Parks & Forestry Maintenance Workers. Assists in the construction, maintenance, and repair of parks, playgrounds, and related facilities. Season is April-October. Evening & weekend work required. For more information, or to apply, please visit www.plymouthmn.gov. Position will be open until filled.

APARTMENT OPENINGS Delton Manor is accepting applications for future 1, 2, & 3 Bedrm apartment openings.

Delton Manor has 3 two-bedrm handicapped accessible units located in the building. Delton Manor promotes equal housing opportunities for all perspective residents regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual preference, religion, handicap, marital status, familial status, national origin or source of income. For applications and qualifications, contact NANCY at 218-7592523.

AN EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

Walm Wa lmar artt Ca Care reer erss

MAKING BETTER POSSIBLE OSS M AKING B ETTER P O SSIBLE

on the U. S. Constitution “ will be led by the Karamu Forum from 6pm to 8pm. Come out and learn more about the eight references to us without calling our name.

An Intergenerational Dialogue is the setting for our Youth Forum on Saturday, February 22nd from 10 am to 12 Noon. Youth and parent(s), caregivers, grandparents, and friends are invited to join in this lively interaction to “bridge the gap.� The guest speaker will be Valdess. Fashion Designer and president of the student fashion organization at Arts Institute International of Minnesota.

Breakfast will be served at 9:30 am; so, RSVP no later than February 14th to the church office at 612.827.7928. Culmination of this event will be on Sunday, February

23rd during 10:40 am Worship with African Harmony as our guest rendering Gospel selections from our African heritage. The Urban Refuge Church of Minneapolis will be our guest at 6 pm.

Second Annual Midwest Black History Expo When: Feb. 21 and 22 at 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Where: Saint Paul RiverCentre, 175 Kellogg Blvd W #501, St Paul, Admission Cost: Advance admission is $10 for a two-day pass and $5 for a single-day pass.

Children 5 and under are free with a paid adult admission. Tickets will also be available at the door. At the door: $14 – two-day pass / $7 – single-day pass

Email: info@insightnews.com

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Mortenson Construction, in association with Thor Construction

Architect:

HKS, Inc.

Mortenson Construction (the Construction Manager at Risk) is soliciting proposals for Procurement Package #4 on the Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium Project. Notice is hereby given that responses to this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be received by Mortenson for the provision of Construction Services on the Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium project for the following subcontract categories: SC 4.1 - Non-Long Span Structural Steel Fabrication SC4.2 - Non-Long Span Structural Steel Erection Mortenson requires separate fabrication and erection proposals for Procurement Package #4. No other subcontract categories will be awarded with Procurement Package #4. See the Proposal Manual for past and future subcontract categories.

The current projected process and schedule for selecting the subcontractors is as follows: > 90% Structural Steel Documents Issued February 10, 2014 > RFP Proposal Manual Issued February 17, 2014 > 100% Construction Documents for Area A Issued February 28, 2014 > Pre-Proposal Meeting and MWBE Meet and Greet for Fabrication Proposers March 5, 2014 > Proposals Due for Fabrication Package Contract March 18, 2014 > Proposer Interviews for Fabrication Package March 19-21, 2014 > Award Fabrication Contract March 24, 2014 > Pre-Proposal Meeting and MWBE Meet and Greet for Erection Proposers March 25, 2014 > Proposals Due for Erection Package April 2, 2014 > Proposer Interviews for Erection Package April 3-4, 2014 > Award Erection Package Contract April 7, 2014 All dates are approximate and are provided as a courtesy to Proposers. Mortenson reserves the right, acting in its sole judgment, to modify this process or schedule.

Plans and specifications are available via www.isqft.com. For access to the plans and specifications on isqft.com, contact My Nhia Vang at mynhia.vang@mortenson.com (Phone: 763-287-5639). Copies of the plans and specifications will also be provided to the following plan rooms for viewing:

We are Hiring Drivers for our Transportation OďŹƒce!

Menomonie, WI

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Protect and provide for yourself and your family with comprehensive medical/dental plans and a company-matched 401(k) retirement plan.

One (1) electronic copy and five (5) bound copies of Sealed Proposals shall be submitted to Mortenson at the address provided below no later than 2:00 pm on March 18, 2014 for Fabrication Package, and 2:00 pm on April 2, 2014 for Erection Package, which is the deadline for submittal of Proposals. Emailed Proposals will not be accepted.

M. A. Mortenson Company 1010 S. 7th Street, Suite 100 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Attention: Rob Binford, Sr. Project Manager Phone: 763-287-3631 Proposals shall be valid for 120 days. Proposals will be opened by Mortenson in the presence of the representatives of the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority, if requested by the Authority.

The subcontract will be held by M. A. Mortenson Company. The form of Subcontract Agreement, together with the Construction Services Agreement between the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority and Mortenson, are available within the RFP. The Owner has adopted a comprehensive Equity Plan for the construction phase of the Project. The Targeted Business Program sets an 11% and 9% goal for construction contracts for the Project to be awarded to women- and minority-owned Minnesota-based business enterprises (MWBE), respectively. The Targeted Business Program also establishes a Veterans Inclusion Program to ensure that our veterans have every opportunity to participate in the Project. The Veterans Inclusion Program will include efforts to include small veteran-owned businesses. The specific goals for Subcontract Category 4.1 are 15% WBE and 9% MBE. The specific goals for Subcontract Category 4.2 are 15% WBE and 9% MBE. The Work Force Program sets a 32% and 6% goal for workforce utilization for the Project of minorities and women, respectively. The Equity Plan applies to all subcontractors and suppliers of all tier levels. The Veterans Inclusion Program will also include efforts to utilize veteran in the construction workforce. Proposers are expected to use all necessary and reasonable means to comply with the Equity Plan, including without limitation soliciting work from a broad number of Targeted Businesses and for work scopes suitable for their participation.

The project is subject to an Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP), specific to General Liability Insurance only. Furthermore, all Subcontractors, regardless of tier, that have been awarded contracts for work on the Project shall accept and be bound by the terms and conditions of the Owner Controlled Insurance Program.

Pre-Proposal Meetings and MWBE Meet and Greets have been scheduled as follows:

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Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer- By Choice.

All questions regarding this RFP shall be directed in writing to Rob Binford, Mortenson Sr. Project Manager, at the address above or via e-mail at rob.binford@mortenson. com. Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary by Mortenson in response to such questions will be issued by Addenda to all parties recorded as having received the RFP documents. Questions received less than seven (7) days prior to the date for openings of the Proposals may not be answered. Only responses issued by formal written Addenda will be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect. Addenda may be issued to modify the Proposal Documents as deemed advisable by Mortenson.

END OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS

Page 10 • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Patricia Ball, Jamie Carsello, and Jeri Peters named to UCare vice president positions UCare has promoted three directors to vice president-level roles.

Patricia Ball, formerly corporate strategies director, has been appointed vice president of provider relations and contracting.

Ball joined UCare in 2010 as product management and development director before becoming corporate strategies director in 2012. She previously held product management positions at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and UnitedHealth Group’s Ingenix and OptumHealth divisions. Ball has led UCare’s development of the UCare Choices product for the MNsure health insurance marketplace, and the health plan’s collaboration with

Patricia Ball

Jamie Carsello

Jeri Peters

Fairview to build and offer the Fairview UCare Choices product on MNsure.

Jamie Carsello, Chief Informatics Officer, was named vice president and chief informatics officer. Carsello

joined UCare in 1997 as a financial analyst. He was promoted to senior financial analyst in 1999, data analytics manager in 2000, data analytics director in 2001, and health care economics director in

2011. Carsello was instrumental in building UCare’s health care economics department, transforming his team’s focus on data reporting to include complex analyses that support UCare’s strategic activities. Carsello

oversees UCare’s product pricing activities, revenue and risk adjustment management strategies, encounter and Part D reporting, enrollment analysis, quality and pay-for-performance measures, and provider fee schedules.

Jeri Peters, chief nursing officer, is now vice president and chief nursing officer.

Peters led UCare’s clinical services areas, including clinical intake and operations, disease management, utilization review, and case management through tremendous growth and change since 2005. She also led several member-centered initiatives, including the development of an innovative care management model for members of UCare Connect, UCare’s Special

Needs BasicCare plan for adults with disabilities; improved appropriate swing bed utilization; and innovative disease management models such as in-home respiratory therapy visits for children with asthma. Prior to joining UCare, Peters held leadership roles with Allina Health System, Iowa Health System, and the University of Iowa.

UCare (www.ucare.org) is an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health care and administrative services to more than 350,000 members. UCare serves more people from diverse cultures and more people with disabilities enrolled in Medical Assistance than any other health plan in Minnesota.

UCare offers free “MNsure Basics” information meetings UCare this month will host information meetings in the Greater Twin Cities area about the MNsure health insurance

marketplace.

Licensed UCare sales representatives will walk guests through the process of shopping and enrolling for health coverage through MNsure, answer guests’ questions, and share information about UCare.

INSIGHT NEWS Jackson www.insightnews.com

From 1 Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Culture and Education Editor Irma McClaurin Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Ben Williams Editorial Intern Abeni Hill Production Intern Sunny Thongthi Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Harry Colbert, Jr. Julie Desmond Fred Easter Timothy Houston Alaina L. Lewis Darren Moore Alysha Price Photography Michele Spaise Corey Collins Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC), Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

fighting back. As consumers we need to target certain companies.”

Though he mentioned Google and Apple, Jackson said no particular companies have yet been identified for African-American consumer divestment, but he said the focus would be on high-tech companies. If divestment

Johnson From 1 I’m going to deal with it head on. The new racism is to act like there is none,” said Johnson.

“I’m seeing teachers sending me kids who they say are retarded or learning disabled and I say no they’re not, they’re just not being educated properly.”

While Johnson stopped short of calling for a separatist solution to the problems facing AfricanAmericans – though he proudly proclaimed to be a follower of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican Pan-Africanist who organized the early 1900’s return to Africa movement– Johnson did say most schools do not have the best interest of African-American children at heart. He said though schools are integrated, they are segregated in how they educate children of color.

“As a part of the miseducation of our children, there’s something called special education. I don’t know what so special about it,” said Johnson.

Johnson said our children … boys in particular, are being

To register for a meeting or to obtain more information, contact UCare at 612-676-6606 or 1-855-307-6975 toll free, or email choices@ucare.org. Walkins are also welcome.

meetings: Monday, Feb. 17 · 3 p.m., UCare, 500 Stinson Blvd. NE, Minneapolis 55413

“MNsure Basics” information

Tuesday, Feb. 18 · 6 p.m., Woodbury Central Park

is successful, it could have a serious impact on a company’s bottom line, as African-American buying power now exceeds more that $1 trillion.

“We want two way trade,” said Jackson. “We don’t want to put anyone out of business; we want them to do business with people who do business with them.”

At a glance, the numbers are staggering.

According to Jackson, Black-owned auto dealerships

took a pounding during the recent recession, dropping from over 500 in 2008 to 200 currently. The number of Black auto suppliers dropped from 60 to less than 20. Jackson said media and telecommunications represent one-sixth of the U.S. economy, yet only four television stations are owned by African-Americans.

This is juxtaposed by the statement that according to Jackson, no ethnic group watches more television

labeled as special needs children and being forced into remedial classes and more disturbing, being placed on heavy psychotic drugs that have devastating side effects.

“Special education went from being a program to being a for profit business,” said Johnson, who said schools receive extra government funding for the number of students assigned to special education classes and drug companies benefit from children being prescribed behavioral medications. “A teacher is a teacher and some of them can’t even do that well.

How in the hell are you going to give a medical health diagnosis?

That’s practicing outside of your profession. The next time some teacher tries to diagnose your child with a medical condition, you write the state board and tell them that teacher is practicing medicine without a license.”

A certified school physiologist, Johnson warned parents to never allow educators, and ultimately medical practitioners to prescribe drugs such as Ritalin to children.

“Ritalin is the most prescribed drug in the nation to

Library, 8595 Central Park Pl., Woodbury 55125 Wednesday, Feb. 19 · 6 p.m., Chanhassen Library, 7711 Kerber Blvd., Chanhassen 55317

than African-Americans, yet of $75 billion spent on TV, magazine, Internet and radio advertising, only $2.4 billion of it was spent with a Black audience focused media.

One of the factors making it hard for Black-owned businesses to gain footing is access to capital. Jackson said banks simply are not lending to African-American business owners.

“Many of us have great business minds, but we can’t get the credit,” said Jackson.

Dr. Umar Johnson treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and Ritalin is a Schedule 2 drug. That means it is just as addictive as cocaine or opium,” said Johnson.

Johnson said educators are getting away with mislabeling children because many score average on most portions of

IQ tests – test that supposedly determine a person’s intelligence – but score below average on verbal skills. He said every portion of the tests is universal except the verbal, which is reflective of a white, middleclass existence.

“Verbal IQ measures words

Woodson

University in 1912.

After Harvard, Woodson moved to Washington, D.C. and joined the Dunbar High School staff, which at that point was called the “M Street School.” He taught there for years until joining the faculty at Howard University, where he began teaching Howard’s first ever black history courses.

Carter Woodson spent his career promoting the importance of black history as part of the American story, and in context of the birth and evolution of global civilizations. With the publication of The Journal of Negro History, the formation of the ASNLH, and the inception of Negro History Week, Woodson is often cited as the “father of black history,” and one of the earliest champions of African American empowerment through historic learning.

Woodson taught us that, “those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”

It was his belief that a thorough and prideful understanding of our history as Americans, and a full grasp of the contributions of black people would provide us the foundation and vision we need to confidently contribute to society, and reach our full potential.

I was struck by Carter Woodson’s story both as we observe Black History Month at the White House, and as I reflect on the tangential story of another Dunbar faithful. My father, Dr. James E. Bowman, who would be 91 years old today,

From 1 seeds of Dunbar High School, which would become one of the country’s preeminent institutions for African American educational achievement. The students and teachers who graced its hallways would be heard through the years in the halls of Congress, in the highest ranks of the U.S. Military, at the heart of our civil rights movement, and in the upper echelons of medical and scientific study.

One such voice was that of Carter G. Woodson; a journalist, author, historian, and co-founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). It was through his work with the ASNLH that Woodson spearheaded the celebration of “Negro History Week” in America, which served as the precursor to Black History Month, which was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976.

The son of former slaves, Woodson grew up poor, and unable to attend school regularly.

Still, he managed to master scholastic fundamentals on his own. After entering high school at the age of 20, he earned his degree in 2 years and continued on with an impressive academic career earning a bachelor’s degree from Berea College in Kentucky, a post as a school supervisor in the Philippines for nearly five years, a master’s degree in 1908 from the University of Chicago, and his Ph.D. in history from Harvard

Wednesday, Feb. 26 · 6 p.m., Northeast Library, 2200 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis 55418 Thursday, Feb. 27 · 6 p.m., Plymouth Library, 15700 36th Ave N., Plymouth 55446

“We can have our own chicken franchises but we can’t get the money to buy the chicken farms. There’s nothing wrong with us, there’s something wrong with the system.”

The three-day summit focused on topics such as the business of hip-hop, the business of sports, the role of African-Americans on Wall Street and opportunities for minorities to serve of corporate and non-profit boards of directors.

definitions and concepts that white people use,” said Johnson.

“If a Black person does not grow up in a middle class life, he (or she) will not do well on this test. That is a cultural bias and these kids are being diagnosed as mentally retarded because of cultural bias.”

Johnson said regardless of test results, never limit a child’s potential.

“You never tell a child that they have a learning disability. By doing that you create an invisible glass ceiling that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Johnson.

In a talk that lasted more than an hour and touched on Johnson’s disdain for the Black church, interracial dating, selflove, education and economic stability, many in the audience were visibly moved – some to tears. Johnson asked that African-Americans not continue to be cast aside.

“Don’t give up on us,” said Johnson. “I know we’re not looking too good right now, but give us a chance.”

Johnson was invited to the Twin Cities by KMOJ and was hosted by the Minneapolis Urban League. attended Dunbar and graduated at the age of 16, decades after Mr. Woodson had moved on, and amidst another era of struggle and restructuring in America. He would later become a renowned pathologist and expert in genetics and inherited disease, as well as the first African American resident at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago, and the first African American to receive tenure at the University of Chicago Division of Biological Sciences. Like Mr. Woodson, and so many others over the years, my dad broke down barriers throughout his life and career, and left us a world better than the one he found.

Today, Dunbar struggles against many of the same economic, social, family, and scholastic barriers to success that face so many schools in America, and which leave too many children fighting for the chance they deserve. But we can certainly learn from Carter Woodson, that we need only look to our past to understand our capacity for forging our own destiny in the face of unrelenting challenges. The strength of our future as a country, as always, lives in the hearts and minds of our young people, and I can think of no surer vessel in which to place our faith.

Carter G Woodson is buried at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Suitland-Silver Hill, MD, and his DC home is preserved as a National Historic Site.

Valerie Jarrett is Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls

insightnews.com

Insight News • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Page 11

CVS MOVE TO STOP TOBACCO SALES IS GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR

Global Policy Solutions, LLC Washington, DC

Dr. Maya Rockeymoore

CVS Pharmacy’s decision to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products is the kind of bold step that will make a positive difference for communities of color, says the Center for Global Policy Solutions.

“Ten million persons of color die each year from smoking,” said Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, President and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based think tank. “African-American men are particularly hard hit with a lung cancer rate that is 50 percent higher than among white males. For such a popular and ubiquitous chain that to say, ‘We’re not going to contribute to that trend any longer’ is a daring decision and a responsible one.

Would that more corporations were so conscientious as to choose the public good over profits.”

One of the largest drugstore

chains in the country, CVS announced that it would cease tobacco sales in its 7,600 stores nationwide because it wants to be known for its pharmaceutical and medical services and can no longer market products that are known to cause or aggravate so many serious, even lifethreatening, conditions.

“Cigarettes and tobacco products have no place in a setting where health care is delivered,” explained CVS President Larry Merlo in making the announcement.

“We are hopeful that this is a game-changer,” Rockeymoore said of CVS’ decision. “And, while they’re at it, they might want to take a look at the sodas, chips and other foods that threaten our children’s health.

After all, obesity is another scourge that stalks communities of color at inordinate rates and runs up health care costs, while driving down quality of life and longevity.”

Well over one-third of Hispanic and African American youth, ages 2-19, are overweight or obese. In communities of color, obesity is the second leading cause of chronic disease like diabetes, hypertension and strokes, followed only by smokingrelated illnesses. Experts say lack of access to healthy food choices – a pernicious problem in communities of color – is a major contributor to the disturbing trend.

Photoxpress

Page 12 • February 17 - February 23, 2014 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Choose well New choices in health care are here. Introducing UCare ChoicesSM, affordable new health plans from a leader in Minnesota health care, with coverage for young adults, families, empty nesters and everyone in between.

Find out more at UCareChoices.org, and look for us on the MNsure health insurance marketplace. Choose well. Choose UCare Choices.