Insight ::: 07.19.21

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Insight News

July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 29• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

REIMAGINING

PLYMOUTH AVENUE

Minneapolis is rebuilding Plymouth Ave. N. between Xerxes Ave. N. and Penn Ave. N. The project reconstructs the entire right-of-way and replaces aging sidewalks on a half-mile section of the street. The new and improved Plymouth Avenue from Penn to Xerxes will reopen fully by mid-November, city engineers, say.

Improvements include:  Pedestrian ramps in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act 

Boulevard space



Bicycle facilities



Curb and gutter



Utility upgrades



New signs



New pavement markings

Photo by Al McFarlane

Page 2 • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Insight News

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Founding the Black feminist archive at UMASS

Black Women: Visible and Heard Culture and Education Editor

By Irma McClaurin, ‘76MFA, ‘89MA, ‘93PhD Photos by Irma McClaurin Black Feminist Archive Reprinted courtesy of the UMass Magazine, Summer 2021.

Link: https:// w w w. u m a s s . e d u / m a g a z i n e / summer-2021/bfa When students use primary materials and navigate archives, they go through a powerful process of discovery. They can see how notes become a published manuscript, or how correspondence and personal journals reveal a backstory of important moments, enhancing historical analyses and interpretations.

But in my own experience conducting research in archives, I often found that Black women were poorly represented—unless they had achieved a modicum of fame or were public figures. As influential archivist Rodney G.S. Carter notes, the gaps and “silences” in archives have “a significant impact on the ability of the marginal groups to form social memory and history.”

The establishment of the Irma McClaurin Black Feminist Archive, known as the Black Feminist Archive (BFA), was officially announced in 2016 when I was honored as a UMass Amherst Distinguished Alumna, but the idea began as an unexpected collaboration with the Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) in 2014. I reached out to the late Rob Cox, the SCUA’s thendirector. That moment stands out in my memory, because, after describing my vision to preserve the academic, activist, and artistic contributions of Black women—I felt heard.

Both Cox and I agreed on this fact: “The profound contributions of scholarship and activism made by Black Feminists … are still seldom seen in archives, so that the full record of their achievements remains under-recognized and underappreciated.” As a champion of documenting and preserving Black cultural memory, I enact a form of social change activism through the BFA that seeks to break up and break out of what Rodney Carter calls “archival silences” and shine a light on the myth of archival neutrality. Carter writes, “It is now undeniable that archives are spaces of power.”

There is an urgent need to lift up Black women—to celebrate and preserve their experiences and narratives that reflect “whole lives” of activism, resistance, creativity, and intellectual production.

Their lives and myriad forms of input (artistic, social, political, scientific, etc.) have played a major role in the development of a fuller American story.

The intersection of Black women’s lives around race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and other overlapping forms of oppressions and experiences (poverty, ageism, LGBTQ status, ableism, sexism, sexual assault) demonstrates that our stories are a necessary (and sometimes secret) ingredient in a recipe of impactful social change in America and globally, and must be preserved.

SHE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN Beyond preserving my own materials, the BFA is intended for Black women like Miss Archie Henderson Jones, who will be 97 years old this year. I first met “Miss Archie,” an anthropologist, in 2004 while teaching Black Feminism at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina, where I founded the Africana Women’s Studies program.

Later, it became clear to me that Black women like Miss Archie were exactly the type of people whose contributions needed to be preserved. You will not find Miss Archie’s research papers

in Academia, Google Scholar, or JSTOR journals—most of her work remains unpublished.

Hers is the fate of a Black woman who chose to conduct anthropological research on Blackness and highlight the contributions and values of Black people during a period of time when her approach defied the prevailing yet woefully destructive belief that Black people were not worthy of research. Yet, according to her daughter, Miss Archie was visible, known, and heard in Black communities where she chose to share her knowledge.

Our stories are a necessary (and sometimes secret) ingredient in a recipe of impactful social change in America.

Miss Archie’s research and cultural analysis are contained in unpublished papers, journals, notes on yellow legal pads, photographs, correspondence, etc., now packed away in boxes (which were almost destroyed in hurricanes in 2017). They contain the stuff of which archives are made—personal memorabilia of a particular life, but also materials about her past and the historical contexts in which she lived.

I can imagine at some point in the future, a researcher (perhaps a Black woman anthropologist) will be able to discover Miss Archie’s work and write about her precisely because her work is archived.

The BFA serves as a corrective to the misrepresentations of Black women and aims to acknowledge, lift up, and preserve people like Miss Archie Henderson Jones.

A fundamental belief driving the BFA is that Black women cannot continue to be “hidden figures” waiting passively for someone else to discover us. We cannot continue to be an afterthought in campaigns to bring awareness

primary sources for their studies.

UMass holds materials from many areas, including disability rights, antinuclear movements, and marijuana law reform.

“We provide a more robust framework for the interpretation of the deep histories of social engagement in America, to lay the foundation for a deeper understanding of the experience of social change,” says Aaron Rubinstein ’01, head of SCUA. For SCUA’s more than 1,400 collections overseen by 10 archivists, one of the major projects is digitizing items in order to increase access while preserving fragile materials.

“Technology provides us with the ability to get our materials in front of way more people,”

to the strife of racial inequality.

Rather, we Black women can demonstrate our own agency by placing the materials documenting our lives into the BFA. This transforms the BFA into an instrument of advocacy.

BUILDING AN ARCHIVAL “HOME” FOR BLACK WOMEN With the BFA, I am building an archival “home” for Black women. It is not for the rich, the famous, or the established public figures—they will always be visible. Instead, I seek to identify Black women from all walks of life who are artists, activists, and academics, but may not be so well known.

Preserving the materiality of Black women’s lives under the umbrella of the BFA provides a site where people can come to discover the myriad of Black women’s accomplishments and contributions—small or large— at many levels: community, state, national, and global.

My dream is to make the BFA the largest, most visible archive of its kind specifically devoted to Black women.

In addition to being an ongoing resource for academic and community researchers, I envision the BFA as a training center for Black archivists, specifically Black women archivists, to provide space for them to intervene and diversify the archival profession. These archivists can further uplift and protect

the legacy of Black women.

At Rob Cox’s suggestion, the W. E. B. Du Bois Center at UMass Amherst also became part of the collaboration. As a result, I have made presentations on the BFA to Du Bois fellows, hopefully launching their personal archival journeys. Further, the Du Bois Center’s programming in the Pioneer Valley community and schools, and on the UMass campus, serves as a model for how archives can be utilized throughout the educational experiences of students at all levels.

I believe this act of preserving Black women’s lives is the responsibility of all of us, if we desire a complete history that will reflect the full range of the events and people who have shaped this country.

History is told through archives, so establishing the BFA as a sustainable archival home for Black women will in time yield a contribution that is both necessary and unique—not to mention unprecedented at this moment—right here at UMass Amherst.

A TREASURE TROVE FOR SCHOLARS OF SOCIAL CHANGE The internationally renowned Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) at UMass Amherst was created when rare book and manuscript collections were merged with university archives in the early 1990s. Now the archives top

on expanding access to the collections has in turn motivated others to give their papers to UMass, knowing that their work will be similarly shared. Filmmaker Ken Burns has borrowed material from the archives for the last five documentaries he’s produced—another sign that the university’s holdings provide essential contexts for historical exploration.

“The availability of those resources, especially the digitized content, allows people to explore the past and make sense of what is happening now,” says Simon J. Neame, dean of libraries. He sees the future of SCUA as “an active place of teaching and scholarship

Image courtesy of Vita Jones

national lists for collections on social change, the digitization of archival materials, and the use of technology to democratize access to their holdings.

With its deep resources in mid-20th and early 21st centuries, the archives have become critical underpinnings for teaching and scholarship on social change, giving students and faculty unparalleled access to

Rubinstein says. The W. E. B. Du Bois collection—which contains more than 100,000 items and is one of SCUA’s most frequently accessed holdings—has been entirely digitized, and work on a grant-funded project to digitize parts of 19 different collections showcasing the disability rights movement is nearly complete.

The SCUA’s focus

to

animate our resources.”

Irma McClaurin is a three-time graduate of UMass Amherst, receiving an MFA in English in 1976, an MA in Anthropology in 1989, and a PhD in Anthropology in 1993.

She has served as assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and has held leadership positions at Shaw University,

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Insight News • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 29• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Education leader asks

What now?

By Dr. Sharon Pierce President, Minneapolis College Guest Commentary

booksforAfrica.com

The power of perseverance Columnist

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Africa changes you forever like nowhere on earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe its magic to someone who has never felt it? How can you explain the fascination of this vast, dusty continent whose oldest roads are elephant paths? Could it be because Africa is the place of all our beginnings, the cradle of mankind where our species first stood upright on the savannahs of long ago.

From “Here I am, where I belong”, Brian J. Ackman When book executive Tom Warth visited a Uganda library and noticed there were few if any books, there was no question what the next chapter of his life would look like. In 1988, Warth founded ‘Books for Africa’, a non-profit, with the mission to end book famine in

Africa through collaboration with worldwide donors, publishers, and American and African partners. The BFA founder was inspired to create a system for collecting discarded books from American schools and libraries. His dream was to ship donated ‘good’ books to children in Africa. BFA collects, hand sorts, and ships books, computers, tablets, and library enhancement materials to every country in Africa.

The organization’s vision is an African continent rich in readers in classrooms, during their leisure time in libraries, and throughout universities providing career paths and opportunities for infinite possibilities.

BFA supplies books in English, French, and many national languages along with computers and tablets with digital contents, postsecondary materials, and supplies to create fun and welcoming academic learning spaces.

BFA is headquartered in St. Paul, MN with warehouses in St. Paul and Marietta, GA (Atlanta). Despite the COVID19 pandemic, racial unrest in major cities, lockdowns, and school

closures all around the globe in 2020, the organization did quite well. More than $3.2 million was raised in the same year to ship these books to the students of Africa. 3.1 million books (67 containers; 20 tons of quality books in various categories were shipped to 28 African countries). 51 million books have filled cargo containers since BFA’s beginnings. Last year’s book shipments were valued at approximately 40 million dollars in addition to 167 computers and e-readers containing nearly 300,000 digital books and 6 law and human rights libraries to 20 African countries.

Directors, distinguished Board members (50% from African diaspora), thousands of volunteers, individual contributors, philanthropic foundations, and generous corporate donors incorporate their vision and are motivated to eventually make their endeavors a global phenomenon. The cost is approximately 90 cents a book with the sponsor paying 50 cents and other donors picking up the 40 cents.

Pat Polinski is known for running a tight ship. As

Melvin Carter

By Irma McClaurin, PhD By Irma McClaurin, PhD https://corporate. target.com/article/2020/09/lakestreet-letter

Andrea Jenkins

Commentary by Dr. By Aarohi Narain By Mecca Dana Randall Harry Maya Alexa Starks Colbert, Beecham Spencer, Bos Bradley Jr. Josie Johnson

By Global Latisha Information Townsend Contributing Architect Howard Mayo Managing Clinic University Editor Staff Writer Contributing Network (GIN)Writer News Service harry@insightnews.com

executive director for the multimillion-dollar non-profit whose benefactors are thousands of miles away and who leads an organization that at times has to navigate 200 plus different dialects in one country alone, he won’t deny the frequent roadblocks. “No question there are challenges. Someone must do the work on the other end.

There are different systems in each country although they belong to the same continent.

The books are valuable, but more important, the books belong to the children. We are bridging assets, making meaningful connections, bringing a little joy to the children who especially live in the rural areas on the outskirts of major cities. We have succeeded through ‘the power of perseverance’.”

He will admit there are times one could become discouraged, but he keeps the faith, accentuate the positives, and knows just how important the work of BFA is. He reports to a Board of Directors who believe in the mission, love books, and don’t give up.

What’s that old adage, “where

BFA 4

City leaders seem ok with Minneapolis being called worst place to live for African Americans

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.

Marion Zimmer Bradley “There have been decades of no progress,” said Dee Phillips, a long-time Northside resident and chair of Hawthorne Neighborhood Council. “Leadership from the top on down has been completely irresponsible. These elected officials know they don’t really have to respond directly to anyone if they choose not to. So, the question I’m pondering is how do we break down the Old Guard -- those who want to hold on to the status quo referred to as Minnesota nice, ignoring the needs for people of color and refusing to commit to principles that we say guide our sense of community and country?”

Qannani Omar is a housing organizer for Harrison Neighborhood Association (HNA) and she describes herself as an advocate for public

Qannani Omar

Alicia Gibson

Teqen Sjoberg Zea-Aida

policies rooted in community needs and centered on racial justice.

Her focus at Harrison is on anti-displacement policies; rent stabilization; tenants’ rights including the Tenant Rights Opportunity Purchase Agreement; equitable transit development; and increased investments to build community ownership models.

“Until we stand together with united voices, the resistance to the rights of African Americans and other citizens of color won’t go away. In some areas, rents increased 15% even during the pandemic. Some were forced

out of their units,” Omar said in last Monday’s Conversations with Al McFarlane livestream webcast.

She said an example of this resistance came recently from the Minneapolis Charter Commission when the Commission rejected a citizenbacked proposal to put rent control on the November ballot.

Omar called the Commission decision as ‘symbolic reformative action’. “It appears to be and has been for decades okay with leadership that Minnesota has been described as the worse place to live for African Americans, even topping the conservative

southern states. All across the country, this is a war against Black people with no reasonable explanation for our children,” she said.

Alicia Gibson, Ward 10t city council candidate, said voters want to know “How can we resolve human conflict in more equitable ways? How do we define city engagement?”

She said while city leaders are, “looking for ‘their’ answer, they seem not to want to hear what the people who put them in office have to say or be willing to offer their constituents the support and resources they

News

Critical race theory sparks activism in students

PAGE 5

MPLS 4

With the sentencing of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derrick Chauvin now complete, Minnesotans and people all over the world are asking one question: What now?

The death of George Floyd made it painfully clear to us all how some law enforcement officers seem all too eager to use force unnecessarily on our neighbors, friends and family members of color. This tragedy shines a spotlight on a mere sliver of the racial disparities that are experienced across our community. Now under that spotlight, these disparities are no longer invisible, they command action. This is our moment, as a community, to face the ugliness of such racial inequities and take a thoughtful and intentional approach to supporting change.

At Minneapolis College, we believe it is time for targeted solutions to the persisting problems of racism and inequality in our

Dr. Sharon Pierce President, Minneapolis College communities. Here are three ways our college community is taking action for change.

First, Minneapolis College has declared its commitment to becoming an Anti-Racist Institution.

The declaration was made last summer and includes specific commitments and objectives included in our Equity Statement. Hundreds of our students, staff and faculty, as well as Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frye joined me last summer in signing an enormous banner proclaiming our commitment to equity. A wall

LETTER 5

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

People rally against ‘critical race theory’ at the Loudoun County Government Center in Leesburg, Va. on June 12, 2021.

Bans on critical race theory could have a chilling effect on how educators teach about racism

By Nicholas Ensley Mitchell Assistant Professor of Curriculum Studies, University of Kansas Perhaps no topic has dominated education news in 2021 like the debate over whether or not critical race theory should be taught – or whether it is even being taught – in America’s schools.

Critical race theory is an academic framework that holds that racism is embedded in American society and its institutions.

The debate about whether K-12 students should be exposed to this theory has prompted some Republicancontrolled state legislatures to pass laws to make sure that never happens. As of early July 2021, six states have passed laws that seek to ban instruction on critical race theory in K-12 schools, although the laws rarely mention critical race theory by name.

The new laws in Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, New Hampshire and Tennessee all prohibit teaching that any race is superior. The laws also prohibit teaching that

anyone should be subjected to discrimination or treated badly because of their race or sex. In short, it appears that these laws protect all students against racism and sexism in the classroom.

But the problem emerges when the laws seek to control what teachers can say about whether a state or the nation itself was racist from inception, or whether the U.S. or any states sought to promote white supremacy through their laws.

A teacher’s dilemma Will these newly adopted laws require educators to paint a rosy picture of America’s past? Or do they still permit legitimate discussions about the role that racism played in legally sanctioned racist practices, such as slavery and racial segregation?

As a curriculum theorist who studies how school curricula portray different events in history, I am concerned that the laws will lead teachers to avoid topics that they worry could get them into trouble, even though it’s unclear what kind of trouble that could be.

But first, let’s take a

RACISM 5

I2H

COVID-19 vaccine concerns: 6 things you need to know

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Page 4 • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Insight News

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25-year-long study of Black women links frequent use of lye-based hair relaxers to a higher risk of breast cancer

By Kimberly Bertrand Assistant Professor of Medicine, Boston University The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea Frequent and longterm use of lye-based hair straightening products, or relaxers, may increase the risk of breast cancer among Black women, compared with more moderate use.

Boston University’s Black Women’s Health Study followed 59,000 self-identified African American women for over 25 years, sending questionnaires every two years on new diagnoses and factors that might influence their health.

Using these data in our own study, my team of epidemiologists and I found that Black women who used hair products containing lye at least seven times a year for 15 or more years had an approximately 30% increased risk of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer compared with more infrequent users.

The minimal association between hair relaxers (with or without lye) and breast cancer risk for moderate users is generally reassuring.

But the elevated risk for the heaviest users of lye-based hair products – which included about 20% of study participants – is concerning.

Why it matters There is an urgent need to address racial disparities in breast cancer.

Black women diagnosed with breast cancer are 40% more likely to die from the disease than white women.

While systemic factors such as delays in diagnosis and poorer health care likely contribute to this disparity, they don’t seem to fully explain the survival gap between Black and white women.

Black women are more likely than white women to develop highly aggressive

BFA From 3

ljubaphoto/E+ via Getty Images

Research suggests Black women may want to be cautious about heavy use of lye-based chemical hair relaxers. breast cancers that have higher mortality rates, but researchers don’t really know why.

However, scientists do know that chemical hair relaxers, more often used by Black women, contain potentially harmful chemicals, including possible carcinogens and chemicals known as endocrine disrupters, which can interfere with hormone function and could raise breast cancer risk. In the Black Women’s Health Study, 95% of women reported past or current use of these products.

This study fills a knowledge gap on the potential health effects of a consumer product popular among Black women. Given these findings, women may want to be cautious about the types of personal-care products they choose.

there’s a will, there’s a way!”

The director draws from the strengths of the business world and that of other non-profit groups.

Newly elected BFA Board President, Attorney Mike

Essien recalls a trip to Nigeria where Pat and he visited the schools where the books had arrived. One location was 7 miles from where he was born.

A benefactor, now he marvels at the rewards he gains by bringing books to the children of Africa. “Africa had tradition and culture before colonization and imperialism robbed us of our identity and countries’ resources. There was a protocol; an order about how we carried out law and acknowledgement of connection and our ancestors.

INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com

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

Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin, PhD. Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Columnist Brenda Lyle-Gray Book Review Editor W.D. Foster-Graham Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley

What still isn’t known Because the Black Women’s Health Study did not have information on specific brands of hair relaxers, my team and I could not determine which specific ingredients might be

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By Lee H. Jordan Minneapolis Juneteenth Committee - 2018 National Juneteenth Film & Bicycling Commissions

most relevant for breast cancer risk. In addition, because we asked about hair relaxer use before 1997, the results of this study may not apply to products on the market today.

Though our findings suggest a link between the use of certain types of hair relaxers and breast cancer, epidemiologic studies such as this one cannot definitively prove that hair relaxers cause breast cancer.

Additional research is needed, especially on currently available products.

What other research is being done Evidence from animal and other experimental studies support a possible link between chemicals included in hair relaxers and cancer development. Studies on hair relaxer use and breast cancer risk in people, however, have had inconsistent results, possibly because of differences in the types of products used or asked about.

What’s next Thanks to 59,000 study participants in the Black Women’s Health Study, our research team continues to investigate risk factors for breast cancer and other diseases in Black women. By understanding what causes disease and learning about ways to lower risk, society can move one step closer toward eliminating health disparities.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

There were just certain things you could and couldn’t do.”

On June 26th, a new warehouse the size of a football field was celebrated in Atlanta. The Keynote address was delivered by Hilda SukaMafudze, the African Union ambassador to the U.S. “No development tool is more effective than education and literacy, the ambassador would announce citing former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

When people are able to access education, they can break free

from the cycle of poverty.

“For BFA, it’s all about empowerment, Polinski submits. Sharing the wealth that will in turn help people help themselves.

It’s about collaboration and making connections with people who have a common purpose. We have a community of doers and are so grateful for their support.”

Current and former donors and sponsors include: Amphora; Better World Books; Bookey App; Capstone; Charity Navigator; Charter Textbooks

(My Words Company); Combined Federal Campaign; Cooroo; Course Hero; Department of Defense; Follett; Friends of Nigerian Community, St. Paul; Google; Guide Star; Hands On Atlanta; Locator X; Merek; National Geographic; former Minneapolis mayor, Sharon Sayles; the Sir Emeka Offer Foundation (SEOF); The US Agency for International Development (USA ID); Thomson Reuters; UPS; World Computer Exchange; World Reader; World Vision; ZEP.

Mpls

Intern Kelvin Kuria

From 3

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need to provide their families equitable opportunities and public safety. City leadership appears to have different priorities which doesn’t include enforcing the laws. People are scared; they’re angry; and they’re frustrated. We’re on ‘a road to nowhere’ and that’s a serious forecast.”

She said a possible step forward could be what she called restorative facilitation.

Teqen Sjoberg ZeaAida, a Ward 7 city council candidate said, “I have a vast and diverse background. I have business experience, and I have been the target numerous times of the boys in blue. I know the city and I know the people. It’s time for those truly qualified to take the lead.”

Zea-Aida said, “The city has changed over the past 20 years, but especially after the pandemic of 2020 and the heartbreak of a senseless execution witnessed by children and the rest of the world. Right now it’s on fire.”

“The council person representing Ward 7 has focused on one specific constituent group,” Aea-Aida charged. “It was like the rest of the residents were pushed to the background without a voice.

Everyone has to be included.”

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Insight News • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Page 5

Critical race theory sparks activism in students

By Jerusha Osberg Conner Professor of Education, Villanova University Critical race theory – an academic framework that holds that racism is embedded in society – has become the subject of an intense debate about how issues of race should or shouldn’t be taught in schools.

Largely missing in the debate is evidence of how exposure to critical race theory actually affects students.

As a researcher who specializes in youth activism, I have conducted research on and with youth organizing groups in which critical race theory is a core component of the political education.

Eighty-two percent of youth organizing groups regularly offer political education, which involves a critical examination of social issues, usually through workshops and group discussions.

My research – along with that of other scholars – points to three important outcomes for young people who are taught critical race theory as part of youth organizing.

1. Ignites passion First, research shows that learning to apply a critical race theoretical perspective and think critically about society do not fuel a sense of divisiveness among youth, as some politicians have suggested.

Instead, I have found

Letter From 3 at the college also displays this focus which paves the way for the steps we are taking to address the systemic changes that are needed within our institution.

Secondly, Minneapolis College is investing in efforts to help eliminate educational inequalities and create opportunities for young innercity, underrepresented men to elevate their socio-economic status. Bridging the Equity Gap, announced this spring, is a $2 million dollar initiative designed to cover expenses and provide innovative and

Racism From 3 look at what some of these laws actually say.

In Iowa and Tennessee, the laws say teachers cannot teach that the United States is “fundamentally racist.”

How can a teacher in Iowa or Tennessee explain that the United States was not “fundamentally racist,” yet at the time of its founding, racebased slavery was legal and stayed that way until after the Civil War? The Texas law requires teaching that slavery and racism were strictly “deviations from, betrayals of, or failures to live up to, the authentic founding principles of the United States, which include liberty and equality.”

Does that mean a Texas teacher now has to say that Founding Fathers George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison betrayed the “authentic founding principles” of liberty and equality because they owned slaves?

These are not philosophical questions.

What is distortion?

Not all of the measures against critical race theory come in the form of law.

In Florida, for instance, the Department of Education adopted a new policy that states teachers “must be factual and objective.” It also says they cannot “suppress or distort significant historical events, such as the Holocaust, slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction.”

But the policy also states that distortion includes teaching critical race theory.

that doing so can ignite passion in youths to work collaboratively to bring about social change aimed at equity.

In my research, I have observed that when youth organizers learn how power and privilege are reproduced from one generation to the next through racialized policies like redlining or discrimination in housing, funding school districts on the basis of property taxes, which favors wealthier school districts, and tracking students into different academic levels, they often become inspired to take action to redress unfair conditions.

Many of the lowincome youth organizers of color I have studied come to realize that most of their struggles in life are not their fault. They develop hope that reform is possible, if only policymakers and the public embrace more equitable policies. And so they set to work devising and advocating for such policies.

In one youth organizing group colleagues and I have studied, students teach one another a model called “the spiral of oppression.”

This framework helps young people understand how societal oppression of groups of people, such as racial minorities, spirals as individuals from those groups internalize oppression and begin to act on the negative stereotypes they have internalized. These actions, in turn, lead to further oppression, such as greater police surveillance, supervision

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Youth organizers tend to outperform their peers in school. and state violence as the spiral continues.

Across years, participants repeatedly told me how empowering it was to learn this framework. It helped them to make sense of what they saw happening in their communities.

More significantly, it prompted them to consider how they could disrupt the spiral, both individually and collectively.

Rather than seeing themselves through the binary lens of victim or oppressor, they adopted identities as change agents, committed to institutional and societal reform.

2. Improves academics Second, research shows youth organizers become more academically successful in

customized support for young male students of color. This initiative will kick off with Fall 2021 Semester and provide a comprehensive program specifically designed for local African American, Black and American Indian male students who are compelled to explore their academic and professional potential. The program was designed to reach, educate and cultivate the community’s future leaders through an affirming, learning-centered cohort experience in which students are equipped with tools that encourage them to see greatness in themselves.

Then, in the fall of 2022, Minneapolis College will launch The Minnesota Breathe Project. This is a

course that will be offered on our campus. It will spark classroom dialogue about addressing the social issues highlighted by George Floyd’s death. These conversations about race, oppression, politics and how all of these intertwine will equip students to become catalysts for change in the community.

I believe this is our time, as a community, to boldly and firmly state that violence perpetrated against one is violence perpetrated against us all. That inequities suffered by some are detrimental to all.

And, the systems that allow these atrocities to continue must be dismantled. For colleges, businesses, government, communities of faith and other vital elements of our

The policy makes clear that it is referring to “the theory that racism is not merely the product of prejudice, but that racism is embedded in American society and its legal systems in order to uphold the supremacy of white persons.”

The policy further prohibits the use of material from the 1619 Project. That was a series of articles in The New York Times that connect the founding of America to a slave ship that arrived in Virginia in 1619.

The Florida policy also says teachers “may not define American history as something other than the creation of a new nation based largely on universal principles stated in the Declaration of Independence.”

Instruction also must include the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, the policy states.

unmarried interracial couples from spending the night together until the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down in 1964?

How do teachers explain why Japanese Americans were kept in internment camps during the Second World War? These are questions that lawmakers have essentially forced teachers to confront before they set out to teach American history. But there are no satisfactory answers for teachers, who will be forced to “distort” history one way or another.

Either they will “distort” history in the eyes of lawmakers who say it’s wrong to teach that America was racist from the start. Or they will distort history by ignoring the fact that – as the U.S. Supreme Court once noted itself in 1857 – Black people were “not intended” to be regarded as “citizens” under the U.S. Constitution and therefore had no constitutional rights.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Potential conflicts These restrictions create quite a few concerns for, say, a Florida social studies teacher. Now, such a teacher must figure out how to tell students what the Founding Fathers really meant when they wrote “We the people” in the U.S. Constitution, without saying the Founding Fathers were racist for excluding Black people from the meaning of that phrase.

Teachers may be torn between whether they should follow these new laws and policies or follow their professional code of ethics, which says teachers “shall not deliberately suppress or distort subject matter relevant to the student’s progress.”

How do teachers explain the motivation behind the Florida law that forbade

school as they progress through organizing.

For example, in one study, I found that two-thirds of the actively involved youth organizers in Philadelphia’s lowest-performing schools significantly improved their grade-point averages.

Similarly, other scholars have found that youth organizers are more likely than their peers to report that they received mostly A and B grades in high school, and they go on to attend four-year colleges at higher rates. Ironically, research shows that while youth organizing helps young people become more aware of inequities within and across schools, it can also make them less alienated in school and more committed to

academics.

community to thrive, we must be willing to make difficult decisions for the greater good.

Together, we can reflect, heal and work in unison to reduce the racial divide experienced across our city and, in turn, across the state and the nation.

Since 1914, Minneapolis College has endured many challenges to

continue providing high quality, affordable and transformational educational pathways for our community members, our family, friends and neighbors who face significant challenges to elevating their socioeconomic status. We remain devoted to our mission and supporting our community.

Through our students, staff

3. Lifelong benefits Third, the benefits of being exposed to critical theory through youth organizing do not end in high school or college. My research has shown that formative experiences in youth organizing can shape the choices individuals make in their professional and civic lives as adults.

Alumni explain how the values and dispositions cultivated in organizing led them not only to adopt prosocial careers as, for example, educators or counselors, but also to find ways to continue to participate constructively in the civic life of their communities as young adults.

Other researchers have turned up similar results. In one large-scale study in California, researchers found that as adults, former youth organizers are far more likely than their peers to have volunteered, worked on an issue affecting their community, participated in civic organizations and registered to vote. These results raise the question: Could such outcomes become more widespread if schools adopted some of the principles and curricular frameworks of youth organizing, including critical race theory?

As the debate over critical race theory and its place in schools rages on, it is important that the discourse be grounded in evidence.

Studies of youth organizing show that when taught well, the analytical tools of critical race theory can support valuable long-term educational, professional, civic and political outcomes.

These outcomes are most pronounced for lowincome youth of color. When politicians advance legislation to block the use of critical race theory in schools, they may actually be blocking an important means of fostering outcomes that would make America’s democracy more robust and vibrant than it would otherwise be.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

and faculty and as an anchor in the broader community, we are fully engaged and committed to eliminating disparities and to shaping the landscape of the region’s future.

Sincerely, Sharon Pierce President, Minneapolis College

AUG. 15TH, 2021 - EXTENDED DEADLINE!

Page 6 • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Insight News

Insight 2 Health

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COVID-19 vaccine concerns: 6 things you need to know (BPT) - COVID-19 vaccines are authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for widespread use for those who are eligible. But while vaccines are now more accessible, vaccination rates are slowing across the country.

The seven-day average of first doses administered continues to decline[1], with virtually no change in the number of Americans who say they will get vaccinated “only if required” or will “definitely not” get vaccinated.[2] Further, nearly half of adults say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance is confusing and hard to follow.[3] The reasons for vaccine hesitancy are nuanced and complex, with everyone having their own personal reasons for why they remain unsure about the vaccine. The leading causes of vaccine hesitancy can be attributed to mistrust in scientific institutions and the government and worry about the vaccine’s safety and potential side effects. On top of that, some people are concerned about the accelerated vaccine development process, mRNA technology and uncertainty around long-term side effects for COVID-19 vaccines.

Those still uncertain about whether the COVID-19 vaccine is right for them can look to trusted health experts within their communities like pharmacists to address key questions or concerns about getting the vaccine, the vaccination process, and common or expected side effects.

Dr. Kevin Ban, Walgreens chief medical officer, addresses six common questions about getting the vaccine.

1. What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine has many benefits, including reducing the chances of severe illness if you do get sick with COVID-19 and allowing you to get back to pre-pandemic activities, like gathering indoors without a mask. Additionally, getting the vaccine can help prevent you from getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to those around you.

COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications that may lead to hospitalization, intensive care or even death. There is no way to know how contracting COVID-19 might affect you, or anyone else, so it’s important to get the vaccine to protect yourself and those around you. With COVID-19 vaccine rollout, infections have declined significantly[4], but more people need to get vaccinated in order to continue to reduce community spread and protect from variants that have proven to be more transmissible. In short, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks associated with getting COVID-19.

2. COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly, how do I know they’re safe?

Vaccines were evaluated in clinical trials with tens of thousands of participants, meeting the FDA’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, efficacy and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization.

In addition, the safe and speedy roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines is backed up by decades of research from a variety of prestigious medical and research institutions on this type of vaccine. Millions of people in the U.S. have received COVID-19 vaccines and these

vaccines have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.[5] Experts are regularly reviewing and monitoring adverse events to assess whether there is a true safety concern.

Vaccines have played a vital role in protecting the health and safety of communities throughout history. I’ve done my homework and recommend the vaccine to anyone who is eligible. I’ve gotten vaccinated, as well as my wife and children.

If you’re eligible, I recommend the same for you.

3. Are there any long-term side effects caused by the vaccine?

Some people will experience no side effects at all, while others may experience common short-term symptoms, like pain at the injection site or tiredness. These are normal signs that your body is building protection against COVID-19 and should go away in just a few days. You can talk to your doctor or pharmacist about taking over-the-counter medicine like ibuprofen to relieve any arm soreness or aches you may feel after getting vaccinated.

Serious side effects are extremely rare following any vaccination, including the COVID-19 vaccination.

The FDA required each of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines to be studied for at least two months (eight weeks) after the final dose even though anticipated effects occurred weeks before that. Hundreds of millions of people have received COVID-19 vaccines, and no long-term side effects have been detected[6]. Pharmacists are thoroughly trained to respond and manage any instances of allergic reactions in the rare case they occur, as well as report to the CDC.

4. Do I really need more than one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines?

If you receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, it’s vital that you receive both doses to get the maximum protection they provide . Although the first dose provides some level of protection, the exact length of time you are protected is unknown. Getting the second dose sends a powerful response to your immune system to boost your antibodies, making them more effective against COVID-19.

If you’ve waited longer than the recommended time between doses, it’s better to get the second dose late than not at all. Get the second shot as soon as possible if you missed the recommended window.

5. If I’m young and healthy, why do I need a vaccine?

Although COVID-19 symptoms can vary from person to person, people can get very sick and have complications,

long-lasting symptoms or die from contracting the virus. COVID-19 can also be transmitted to others if you’re infected, even if you don’t have any symptoms. Further, the Delta variant, recently deemed by the CDC a “variant of concern” for being more transmissible,[7] continues to spread, accounting for more than 10 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Until more people are vaccinated against COVID-19, the virus will continue to mutate, and there is no knowing how much the currently authorized vaccine will be able to protect you. The vaccine is meant to protect not only you, but also those around you, like family members and friends who may have weakened immune systems.

6. Where do I go to get a vaccine?

You can conveniently and safely get the COVID-19 vaccine at numerous locations including your primary care provider, off-site vaccination clinics or at your local

pharmacy. Not only do they have pharmacists to help answer any questions you may have, but they are now offering same day and walk-in appointments. For more information, visit Walgreens. com/ScheduleVaccine or call 1-800-WALGREENS. [1] https:// covid.cdc.gov/covid-datatracker/#vaccination-trends [2] https://www.kff. org/coronavirus-covid-19/pollfinding/kff-covid-19-vaccinemonitor-may-2021/ [3] https://www.kff. org/coronavirus-covid-19/pollfinding/kff-covid-19-vaccinemonitor-may-2021/ [4] https://www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ covid-data/covidview/index. html [5] https://www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ vaccines/reporting-systems.html [6] Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC [7] https://www. cnn.com/2021/06/15/health/ delta-variant-of-concern-cdccoronavirus/index.html

insightnews.com

Insight News • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Page 7

Who’s running Haiti after president’s assassination? 5 questions answered brought people like them – the peasants, the urban working classes – into power. This horrified the Haitian middle and upper classes.

Aristide was overthrown by the Haitian army seven months into office. He later returned to power and was overthrown again – a coup he says was U.S.-backed. The U.S. denies involvement.

By Patrick D Bellegarde-Smith Professor Emeritus of Africology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Two men are vying to control Haiti after President Jovenel Moïse’s July 7 assassination, creating more turmoil for a nation in crisis. Here, scholar Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, a Haitian studies scholar and author of “Haiti: The Breached Citadel,” explains the unusual situation that gave rise to this power struggle – and asserts that Haiti may never get the democracy it needs.

1. Who is running Haiti right now?

Prime Minister Claude Joseph has assumed power. However, Joseph was only an acting prime minister.

Appointed by President Moïse in April 2021 on an interim basis, he was supposed to have been replaced on July 7, 2021, by Dr. Ariel Henry, a former interior minister and neurosurgeon. The day before the transition was to happen, the president was assassinated.

Both claim they are the legitimate prime minister. But neither Joseph nor his wouldbe successor as prime minister have been approved by the Haitian legislature, a necessary step, because there is no functioning Haitian legislature at the moment. Lawmakers’ terms of office ended in January 2020 and President Moïse never held legislative elections to elect new lawmakers, as called for by statute.

So the country has been operating without a parliament for the past 18 months. Moïse ruled by decrees – “decret-lois” – that did not require legislative approval. In the U.S., executive orders would be a close parallel.

2. Who is officially supposed

VALERIE BAERISWYL/AFP via Getty Images

Haitians seeking asylum. gather July 10, 2021, at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti after the president’s assassination plunged the country further into chaos, to replace the president of Haiti if he dies or becomes incapacitated?

For long stretches of its history, the Haitian Constitution named the president of the Cour de Cassation – chief justice of the Haitian supreme court – as first in the line of succession, followed by all other judges of the high court, based on seniority.

The Constitution of 1987 was amended to say that the prime minister would become the transitional chief of state – but only after he had been ratified by both houses of the legislature, comprising the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

Well, Haiti’s legislature is not in operation right now. You have only 10 sitting senators out of 30, and no deputies left. So the constitutional provision cannot be applied. And the president of Haiti’s high court died of COVID-19 in June 2021.

This is the thing that’s most worrisome to me: Whatever the Constitution provides for at the moment cannot happen.

3. What is the US government’s position on Haiti’s leadership crisis?

The U.S. helped create the situation by its continued support of President Moïse, who had become despised by many Haitians even before he overstayed his four-year term.

After his 2016 election, Moïse quickly lost all credibility because of a corruption scandal, with all sectors of the Haitian population – its small political elite class, the wealthy, the middle classes and the broad peasantry.

But former President Donald Trump liked Moïse.

President Biden supported his administration, too, but hasn’t paid much attention to Haiti – until now. So far, the U.S. has denied a request from Haiti’s

interim prime minister to send troops “to assist and help us.”

The U.S. has also called for national elections to be held by the end of the year, as scheduled – as if “democracy” means only elections. The definition of democracy in the U.S. is very instrumental: Either you have an election or don’t you have an election, so you’re either a democracy or you aren’t.

It’s not as simple as that. Democracy is a process.

4. So what would a Haitian democratic process look like?

Haitians have always sought democracy.

After all, Haiti was the first country the world to abolish slavery. Fourteen days after declaring independence from France, in 1804, the Haitian chief of state Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti would provided refuge and guaranteed freedom for all and any Black persons who reached its shores.

Dessalines was soon killed.

What modern Haitians want is democracy – that’s “Haitian democracy, not American democracy,” to quote a peasant woman speaking to a reporter in 1987.

But what Haitians want has been ignored since 1915, the last time a Haitian president was assassinated. That opened the door for a brutal 19year U.S. military invasion and occupation. Even before 1915, there were 19 U.S. military interventions in Haiti, and many more since.

It’s the rare Haitian president who can be elected without the consent of the United States, and none survive without Washington’s support. Several presidents elected by Haitians have been overthrown with the U.S. government’s help.

One was President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a Roman Catholic priest from the slums, who was elected in 1990. Poor Haitian people, the majority, massively voted for him, and he

5. What does so much foreign intervention in Haiti’s history mean for its future?

If Haiti is to have a real representative democracy, the Haitian power structure must reflect the culture of the Haitian people. That may take a revolution – and with the U.S. engagement there, that’s unlikely to happen.

One moment in which this process began to occur was the 1987 constitution, which was published in both Creole and in French. Voted on in a referendum, it passed with stunning popular approval.

In several moves aimed at removing colonial influence, the new constitution made Haitian Creole an official language of Haiti and removed Catholicism – the French faith – as the state religion. It also decriminalized the Haitian religion Vodou.

The changes mandated by the new constitution are very much still in progress. Ninetyfive percent of Haitians do not speak a lick of French – but the schools overwhelmingly teach in French. Until recently the courts and the legislature conducted all their business in French. This means the people don’t know what’s going on in their country.

If the state institutions do not reflect the country’s culture, then a country can never be democratic.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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Page 8 • July 19, 2021 - July 25, 2021 • Insight News

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WAYS TO EXPLORE AFRICAN AMERICAN

HISTORY WITH

SEE MORE PRINCE

In the photogr aphy exhibit Prince: Before the Rain , you can see iconic images of the artist tak en by Allen Beaulieu in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Prince’ s story continues in the First Avenue exhibit, where you can see his Purple Rain suit. Both exhibits now on view, Minnesota History Center, St. Paul.

First Avenue presenting sponsor Baird.

Prince sponsor Xcel Energy.

COME TO FAMILY DAY

SATURDAYS SATURDAY A S at th tthee MUSEUM MUSEUMɨ Explore the history of St. Anthony F alls with a day of family-friendly activities during My Mighty Journey: A W aterfall’s Story Family Day, Nov 9, Mill City Museum, Minneapolis.

Storytellers, Activities and Fun! Sponsored by Xcel Energy.

Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery 1256 Penn Ave No, Minneapolis, MN 55411, 4th Floor

Saturday mornings from 10 - 11:30am • 240 pages

Hear Stori Stories r es Read or Gre Great r at Story Storytelling! r tellling!

EXPLORE THE HIDDEN Engage coordinated activities E En gage in coord rdinated activi v tites and just have Fun! HISTORY Hear Dr. Christopher Lehman talk about his ne w book, Slavery’s Reach, which tr aces the mone y between Southern plantations and Minnesota’ s businesses. Slavery’s Reach Author Ev ent, Nov 17, North www.maahmg.org Contact us at: info@maahmg.org Regional Libr ary, Minneapolis.

Become a member!

MNHS Press

• $18.95

Local Children’s Book Authors and Storytellers! Treats!

All Are Welcome.

W lcome.

We

See us at

Free Admission.

___ _____ _ __ _____ _ __ _ __ _ ___ _ __ _ __ _ __ _____ _ __ _____ _ __ _ __ _ ___ _ __ _ __ _ __ _____ _ __ _____ _ __ _ __ _ ___ _ __ _ __ _ __ _____ _ __ _____ _ __ _ ____________________________________________________________________________ "The Children's Reading Circle is partially supported by

by The The Givens Foundation Foundation for for African African American American Literature Literature through through operating operating support funding from Target. This activity is is made made possible possible by by the voters voters of of Minnesota Minnesota through through aa State State Arts Arts Board Board Operating OperatingSupport Support grant, thanks to a legislative legislative appropriation appropriation from the the arts arts and and cultural cultural heritage heritage fund." fund."

PLAN YOUR VISIT 1-844-MNSTORY MNHS.ORG

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TThee MA Th M MAAHMG AHMG is a fu ffully lly l qualifi qualified f ed 501c3 501c3 nonpro nonprofit r fift org organization r anization based based inin Minnesota.

Minnesota.

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