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Vol. 50 No. 45• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
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Caroline Wanga ESSENCE Ventures President and CEO
STORY ON PAGE
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Insight News • November 6, 2023 - November 12, 2023 • Page 3
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INSIGHT NEWS IS AUDITED BY THE ALLIANCE FOR AUDITED MEDIA TO PROVIDE OUR ADVER TISER PAR TNERS WITH THE HIGHES T LEVEL OF MEDIA ASSURANCE.
November 6, 2023 - November 12, 2023
Vol. 50 No. 45• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Hero
Raymond Emerson Robinson January 5, 1920 - August 29, 2023
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David McGee and Greg Cunningham
Black Men’s Legacy Summit II
Reclaiming control of our future By Al McFarlane Editor Part 1 in a series Jeffery Robinson said it all: “We are taking excuses off the table. This conference assembles a robust collection of resources that can guide any Black man into the wealth he seeks and deserves.” Robinson threw down the gauntlet, setting the tone for the Black Men’s Legacy Summit II, held last Saturday at the Regional Acceleration Center, 1256 Penn Avenue N., in Minneapolis. Greg Cunningham provided one of the keys to wealth. With sophisticated fluidity navigating the language streams that separate and combine corporate linguistic world views, and vibrant soul speak, language from within that embodies our authentic lived experiences, the activist banker said, “We say in the culture
‘let’s keep it 100’…Let’s change that to ‘‘let’s keep it 700…..as in credit score.” “You change your credit score by 100 points and you change your life,” Cunningham said. Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for U.S. Bank, Cunningham opened the historic Legacy Summit in conversation with David McGee, mastermind creator of Build Wealth MN, which hosted and produced the Summit. Build Wealth MN seeks to get 9,000 Black families to become homeowners, and consequently, wealth builders through its groundbreaking 9,000 Equities initiative. Build Wealth MN says it seeks to close the wealth gap by helping Black families own a home. Build Wealth says it would take almost 60,000 new Black homeowners to close the wealth and ownership gap between
Black and white Minnesota residents. Of the 4,460,149 white Minnesotans who make up 1,887,866 households, 1,452,512, or almost 77% own their homes. Fewer than half a million are renters. By contrast, 382,621 Black residents in Minnesota make up about 115,654 households with 29,200 households being owner occupied (25.26%) while 86,445 or almost 75% are renters. Cunningham joined US Bank in 2015 as Vice President of Customer Engagement. He says his mission is to make diversity, equity and inclusion a business imperative at US Bank and in the corporate world. He leads US Bank’s Access Commitment - a $100 million annual commitment to help close racial wealth disparities. In order to do this, he focuses on workplace culture, customer loyalty, supplier diversity, and community outreach.
Build Wealth CEO David McGee, laid responsibility for egregious wealth disparities at the doorstep of banks, businesses and public institutions that collaborated to deny access and opportunity to the descendants of enslaved Africans. He documented the historic and current reality of Minnesota being “home to some of the worst socio-economic disparities in the nation.” McGee said the disparity in homeownership between Minnesota’s African American and white households is 52% - the widest it has been in over 50 years, since the Fair Housing Act. He said Build Wealth MN is determined to reduce the gap by 15 percentage points in the next 5-7 years by financing close to 9,000 mortgages.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Lottie; his loving daughter Rhonda Groll; his grandsons who were his pride and joy, Joshua Groll (Stephanie) and Jordan Groll (Alison), and their father Stephen Groll; greatgrandchildren Gracelynn and Weston Groll; and daughterin-law Cynthia Kellogg. Ray was predeceased by his eldest daughter, Donna Marie (spouse Cynthia). He is also survived by many loving family and friends. He will be forever loved and cherished by those who had the privilege to know him. He will be forever missed. Raymond E. Robinson is interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Photo Credit by Michaellaumy
News Control Room
Black Americans demand fairer news coverage: Study reveals critical views and recommendations By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
Caroline Wanga and Laverne McCartney Knighton Display/Video at Performics in New York, NY. Wanga delivered the evening’s keynote address. While her success has permeated an international sphere, it is serendipitous to know that her roots grow deep in Minnesota. She spoke about
books.
LEGACY SUMMIT 4
By Tiffany Johnson Contributing Writer
recognized UNCF scholars Ta’Mara Hill, a graduate of Wiley College in Marshall, TX, who is now a Policy Director at the Minnesota Justice Research Center and Clement Gibson, a graduate of Jackson State University in Jackson, MS, who is now Media Supervisor,
Raymond Emerson Robinson at US bank stadium
Throw Down Jeff Robinson, Senior
UNCF celebrates Caroline Wanga The UNCF Minneapolis/St. Paul held its Masked Ball last month October 28. This major fundraising event recognized ESSENCE Ventures President and CEO Caroline Wanga as their distinguished alumni and keynote speaker. Event co-chairs were Chanda Smith Baker, Founder and CEO of Smith Baker LLC and host of “Conversations with Chanda” and Miguel Purvis McMoore, Founder and Managing Director of kpCompanies. The 2023 UNCF Masked Ball – Twin Cities was an overall success, ringing in $200,000. “We haven’t had a fundraising event for three and a half years, so this is very much a homecoming for the UNCF. We are thankful for the opportunity to raise money so that we can better support our students,” said Laverne McCartney Knighton, UNCF Area Development Director. The event also
Ray Robinson, 103, a World War II decorated combat veteran, has died. A hero to many and a friend to all Robinson was one of the few remaining WWII veterans in the Twin Cities, and the oldest member of his VFW post. He proudly served the United States as a machine gunner and was a member of the famed 92nd infantry Division, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The 92nd Infantry was a segregated unit that served in both World Wars and was among the few African American units to serve in combat. During the Italian Campaign of World War II, Ray served in three campaigns: Rome-Arno, North Apennines, and Po Valley for which he was awarded three Bronze Stars. Among other medals he was also awarded the WWII Carbine Marksman pin, the American Defense Service medal, American Theater Campaign medal, and WWII Victory medals. He believed in holding himself and others to the highest standard to not waste the blessings we have been given. While he will be greatly missed, we look upon his 103 years of life in awe as he experienced and participated in world events that most of us can only read about in history
Courtesy of Tiffany Johnson
working early jobs in the Twin Cities at places like the Mall of America and Target in Richfield. Perhaps more impactful was Wanga’s transparency around pursuing higher education despite unforeseen and grave
Book Review
ABCs of Life: Stories of Tamika
PAGE 6
UNCF 4
An in-depth study by the Pew Research Center took a deep dive into the experiences of Black Americans with news coverage, shedding light on critical perspectives and recommendations for more equitable representation. The survey involved 4,742 U.S. adults identifying as Black and offered an extensive and comprehensive insight into their attitudes, habits, and experiences with news and information. The findings revealed a stark divide in how Black individuals perceive news coverage of their community. “There’s not a lot of African American coverage unless it’s February or it’s criminal,” one individual stated, according to Pew. That sentiment was echoed by another respondent who stated, “They overemphasize the bad and not some of the
good things that are happening in the community, or if they do talk about the good things, it’s just a blurb and they want to focus on the one thing [that] was just terrible.” Almost two-thirds (63%) believe that news about Black people is often portrayed in a negative light compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Furthermore, a significant 57% feel that the news only focuses on specific segments of the Black community, while just 9% believe it covers a diverse range of individuals. Half of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the coverage, asserting that it often needs vital information, whereas only 9% believe it provides a comprehensive picture. Disturbingly, 43% claim that the coverage tends to stereotype Black individuals, contrasting starkly with the 11% who disagree. The critical views transcended age, gender, and political affiliations and painted a
NEWS COVERAGE 4
Commentary
Why my introverted side struggles with large crowds
PAGE 7
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Department incorporates stakeholder feedback to ensure maximum reach
USDA extends application deadline for discrimination financial assistance program to January 13 The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023. This deadline extension is responsive to feedback from potential applicants, nongovernmental program administrators and communitybased organizations working closely with USDA to inform and assist eligible individuals. The new deadline will allow more time to reach and help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners through direct, no-cost technical assistance and training sessions. The extension will also ensure everyone has adequate time to apply, including producers whose harvest season falls during the original application period. “USDA knows it must earn the trust of the farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who are eligible for this program. That makes transparency in the administration of the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program crucial,” said Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack. “In that spirit, after receiving feedback from organizations that have been supporting producers throughout the application process, we have made the decision to extend the deadline. We believe this is the appropriate action to take to ensure all eligible individuals wishing to apply are adequately informed about the program and have the opportunity to receive any necessary assistance.” Since the opening of the financial assistance application process on July 7, the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program team has embarked on a nationwide outreach campaign and quickly opened 30 local offices across 26 states. Regional administrators have held well over 600 virtual and in-person events across the country. Cooperators have also held dozens of virtual and inperson events to complement these efforts while also educating their specific networks. Advertising on digital, print and radio channels targeting potentially eligible individuals and rural communities has also been deployed. These efforts have successfully allowed program staff to reach many
potential applicants and will be further increased with the new, extended deadline. This program delivers on Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Congress provided a total of $2.2 billion for this program. The amount of money awarded to individuals through this program will depend on the number of eligible applicants and the consequences of the discrimination. Eligible individuals have the option to apply online or by submitting paper-based forms via mail or inperson delivery to local program offices. Applicants are not required to retain an attorney and should take precautions to protect themselves from potential scams. In addition to the application deadline change, the deadline to request records from USDA’s Farm Service Agency for use in applications has been extended to Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The application process was designed so that FSA records are not required, though relevant records may be attached
to an application as additional evidence if they are available. To learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program or receive assistance in English or Spanish, visit http://www.22007apply.gov, email info@22007apply.gov or contact the national call center at 1-800-721-0970 from 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. PT, every day except federal holidays. If you use sign language to communicate, you can use the 711 relay service to call. You may also email or contact the national call center if you have a disability and need another accommodation. Information about the program, resources, recent office openings and local events across the country is also available through a weekly e-newsletter.
USDA’s commitment to equity spans the Department’s mission areas and agencies. We are actively working to build a USDA that ensures none of our customers are ignored or left behind. The Discrimination Financial Assistance Program is just one of many programs helping USDA rebuild trust, address systemic issues and improve service to people who may have been underserved by USDA in the past. To learn more about USDA’s equity work and resources, visit http://www.usda.gov/equity. USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food
Legacy Summit From 3 Program Manager at Build Wealth MN made it clear that progress for our people is not a question of finger pointing, decrying the conditions, policies and practices that seek to have us believe that systemic disparities and lack of opportunity are somehow the result of our own inadequacies. “The Black Men’s Legacy Summit II is a resource network of our people, here to help our people build wealth…. create the legacy that is a true reflection of our genius, our industriousness, our resilience, and our continuing emergence as the definition of what it means to be an American…what it means
UNFC From 3 challenges. When Wanga was 17, she learned she was pregnant. She was supporting her friend who was taking a pregnancy test at a clinic and decided to take a test too, as moral support.
tpphotostudio
Jeffery Robinson and David McGee
tpphotostudio
Rev. Alfred Babington-Johnson, Keith Ellison and Bobby-Joe Champion
system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit http://www.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Johnson said, “A young law student, Keith Ellison, who would show up at protests in a bandana, is now Minnesota’s Attorney General, one of the five most powerful people in state government. He lives in North Minneapolis, our community!’ He continued, “Think about it…. the North High student who was a member of the Leo Lewis Drum Corp, and part of Spike Moss’ youth development work at the Way, Incorporated in North Minneapolis, a native Minnesotan, Senator Bobby Joe Champion, now President of the Minnesota Senate and one of the five most powerful people in state government.” “This is the evidence of the power of our journey,” he said. Next week: The McAfee Maxim – See, Seek, Seize, Secure
to be a human being,” Robinson said. He said Build Wealth and it partners have a suite of resources that include financial education, credit repair and coaching, down payment assistance for home purchases, flexible loans, support for
affordable housing developers and reliable realtors. Minnesota’ Griot, the Honorable Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati, called the Summit to order via a moving video message which served to center the Summit in the tradition of courageous conversation,
ancestor-guided divine speech that connected participants’ knowing at the heart, affirming the context of ancestor energy and continuity, recognizing the present moment as the gateway to futures we co-author that narrate our imminent and inevitable victory.
The evidence of our movement and success was highlighted in panel discussion with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota Senate President, Bobby Joe Champion. Think about it,” panel moderator Alfred Babington
Surprisingly, she received a positive result. Despite her shock, along with the disappointment that seemed to permeate community and family surrounding her, Wanga said she resolved that she was not only going to have her baby, who she named Cadence, but also continue to pursue her dreams, even if she was unsure how. It was this resolve and
the unequivocal support of the UNCF, said Wanga, that allowed her future to become what it has today. “Whether it be the school that I went to, whether it be the scholarships I got, whether it be the plane tickets that were sent from the Minnesota office so that I could come home on the holidays, it [UNCF] gave so much for my life,” she said. Wanga said she is a product of community believing in her enough to resource her academic journey. Master of Ceremony, T. Mychael Rambo energized
the evening as key leaders and community members celebrated the accomplishments of UNCF students and noteworthy Black organizations in the Twin Cities including The Greater Twin Cities (MN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, The Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and Omicron Boule of Sigma Pi Phi. “This event was necessary. Since Covid, the UNCF has not had an event so tonight we just needed to bring community members together who understand the
importance of sending Black students to college, raising money for something good, and partying with a purpose,” Purvis McMoore said “We’re a community that believes in investing and supporting our students,” said Smith Baker. Planning for another fundraising event this summer, the UNCF continues to foster hope and spearhead initiative that drives our Black community to a better future, and not only for the individual, but as Wanga’s impact has proven, for communities and the world at
large.
News Coverage
respondents identified various factors contributing to this problem, including media outlets pushing agendas (51%), journalists’ lack of informed perspectives (45%), and the presence of racist views within news organizations (42%). Despite the prevailing skepticism, only 14% of Black Americans are highly confident that fair representation in news coverage will occur within their lifetimes. A notable 64%
of those who have witnessed racially insensitive coverage believe that educating all journalists about issues affecting Black Americans would be an extremely or very effective way to ensure fairer coverage. “There’s less empathy, I think, for people of color, for workingclass people from people who are not Black… I think they deliver the news in a way that is different than how someone who does understand our experiences
would deliver the news,” another survey respondent observed, according to Pew. Substantial percentages also advocate for including more Black voices as sources (54%) and for hiring Black individuals in leadership roles within newsrooms (53%). That echoed the call for diversification in newsrooms made over five decades ago by
INSIGHT NEWS
Wanga said: “I’ve heard the stories about what has happened post-Geroge Floyd in the Twin Cities and I know there are a lot of disheartened folks. But you are still building. People are still doing great things. At ESSENCE I say, ‘we have to live at the intersection of joy and justice.’ My goal here tonight was to inspire joy.” To learn more about the Twin Cities UNCF visit: uncf.org
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.
Uchechukwu Iroegbu Lou Michaels Roy Lewis - Washington D.C.
From 3
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consistent picture of discontent. According to the survey, 39% of Black Americans frequently encounter news that is racist or racially insensitive towards their community, while an additional 41% report occasional exposure. The
Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin, PhD. Associate Editors Afrodescendientes Jesús Chucho Garcia Mestre Yoji Senna DaBahia Columnist Brenda Lyle-Gray Book Review Editor W.D. Foster-Graham
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North, Minneapolis,
NEWS COVERAGE 5
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Insight News • November 6, 2023 - November 12, 2023 • Page 5
City of Minneapolis sued over rentalhousing code enforcement in North Minneapolis Ten North Minneapolis plaintiffs, a mix of tenants and homeowners, filed suit under the Minnesota Human Rights Act against the City of Minneapolis for discrimination in rental housing code enforcement. The suit maintains that housing code complaints lodged by tenants and neighboring homeowners in North Minneapolis are not taken seriously by the City. The plaintiffs base their allegations on the disparity of housing code complaints and enforcement between North Minneapolis and other parts of the city. In particular, the plaintiffs highlight that North Minneapolis, where over 70% of tenants are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or People of Color), has more than nine times the number of complaints relative to more affluent parts of the city with higher concentrations of white residents. Despite the higher number of complaints, enforcement
lags in North Minneapolis compared with other areas. Tenants — many of them families with young kids — have experienced problems ranging from water damage, cracked foundations, and shattered windows to mold, inadequate ventilation, and leaky plumbing. In one instance, a refrigerator was run off an extension cord for months and in another the fire department had to be called after a chronically broken bathroom doorknob resulted in a plaintiff’s young son being stuck inside for hours. Plaintiff Arianna Anderson, who is in Section 8 housing, found her and her family trapped in her unlivable rental home while the City failed to address issues after multiple complaints, inspections, and even a win in Hennepin County housing court. “I love North Minneapolis and wanted to remain, but ultimately I could
News Coverage
(50%), and the news outlet itself (46%). Diverging opinions emerged when considering the importance of racial identity among Black Americans. Those who place a high value on their Black identity expressed a significantly stronger preference for journalists who understand the historical context of stories involving Black individuals (82%). Conversely, this dropped to 55% among those who attach less importance to their racial identity. The study also identified generational and educational divides in perceptions of Black journalists’ effectiveness. Younger Black adults, aged 18 to 29, were more likely to believe that Black journalists excel at covering issues related to race (54%) and understanding them (50%) compared to their older counterparts. Likewise, individuals with higher levels of formal education and income expressed more positive views toward the work of Black journalists.
From 4 the 1967 Kerner Commission. These findings resonate with the observations of the 1967 Kerner Commission, which highlighted sensationalist, divisive, and inaccurate representations of Black communities in the media. The Commission emphasized the urgent need to diversify newsrooms, a call that remains relevant more than five decades later. While many Black Americans value the perspective of Black journalists in reporting on racial issues, only 14% consider it highly important for news in general to come from Black journalists. Just 15% believe a journalist’s race is an extremely or very important factor in determining a story’s credibility, ranking below factors such as cited sources (53%), multiple outlets
not find a rental house in North Minneapolis that was both affordable and livable,” Anderson said. “It was clear the City was not going to enforce the housing code against my landlord, so ultimately for the sake of my kids, we chose to move to a suburban rental right outside city limits.” Tenants are also joined by North Minneapolis homeowners seeking a unified solution to the dearth of housing code enforcement that, as the lawsuit states, undermines their home values and places them and their neighbors in danger. One homeowner lives in such a state of fear for speaking out against the City’s failure to address a problem property that they sought the extraordinary step of requesting to proceed under a pseudonym. Another homeowner and plaintiff, Debra Wagner, is all too familiar with the issue. Also a realtor, she comes
face to face with rundown properties that place North Minneapolis in a bad light. “Home buyers are looking for a safe place to live and a safe place for their investment. North Minneapolis is a great place to live that I’ve called home with my husband for almost 40 years,” Wagner said. “If the City would just place enforcement where the problems lie, both tenants and homeowners in North Minneapolis would have a community they’re even prouder to call home.” The plaintiffs are seeking changes in City policies, specifically asking that the City assign its inspectors by the number of complaints so enforcement matches demand. The plaintiffs are represented by Minneapolis law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP. Led by partner Ben Kappelman, he noted the City of Minneapolis has failed to address residents’
needs in North Minneapolis, which precipitated the suit. “The statistics alone can be quite shocking. North Minneapolis makes up only 16% of the city’s population yet accounts for nearly half of complaints for rental properties,” Kappelman said. “The plaintiffs, both tenants who have lived in unlivable homes
and homeowners who have lived next to unlivable homes, are taking a stand against the abhorrent lack of enforcement and lack of resources for North Minneapolis.” The case is filed as Anderson et al. v. City of Minneapolis in the Fourth Judicial District Court, Hennepin County.
612.377.2224 guthrietheater.org
A timeless holiday tradition
by CHARLES DICKENS adapted by LAVINA JADHWANI directed by ADDIE GORLIN-HAN based on the original direction by JOSEPH HAJ
November 11 – December 30
The Disproportionate Impact of Long COVID on African Americans: Why Us Again?
COVID-19 Vaccine
The African American Child Wellness Institute Cordially Invites you to Join us for our Weekly Podcast:
Conversations with Al McFarlane Live: The Healing Circle
Followed by the Monthly Recovery Room Town Hall & Support Group
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL DR. B.AKINSANYA AT: 763-522-0100 CONVERSATIONS WITH AL MCFARLANE (Every Friday @ 1:00 pm) https://www.youtube.com/live/JWmslfsaE70?feature=share https://www.youtube.com/live/YB6l7QEVXS4?feature=share https://www.facebook.com/insightnewsalmcfarlane
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ABCs of Life:
MURUA MOMs™:
Stories of Tamika
A SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR PREGNANT AFRICAN AMERICAN MOMS WHO WANT A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES & THEIR BABIES
THIS GROUP IS FOR YOU! Are you a pregnant African American mom who wants a better life for you and your unborn baby? Do you feel “stressed out” about your life and your new baby’s health? Do you want to gain new strategies to address the challenge of overcoming issues of chemical abuse, emotional problems, and unhealthy relationships? WHEN: This Free, Murua Mom’s Education and Support Group will be held on Saturdays beginning October 21st through December 9th 2023. Classes will begin promptly at 10:00 am–12:00 pm Noon. In-person and Virtual Participation Available. Light snacks will be provided. Childcare & Transportation support may also be available, if needed. WHERE: University of Minnesota Urban Research
and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) 2001 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411
Please contact Nurse Shirlynn HOW TO SIGN LaChapelle, MHPP, directly @ 612382-0431 or Dr. BraVada GarrettUP: Akinsanya @ 612-839-1499 or Call Directly to the African American Child Wellness Institute (AACWI).
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AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILD WELLNESS INSTITUTE (AACWI) AT:
763-522-0100 Info@aacwi.org
Murua Moms™©2008 Program Philosophy The goal of the Murua Moms program is to promote wellness and improve birth outcomes for pregnant African American women, especially those experiencing high stress conditions, chemical abuse, or mental health diagnoses. Program participants will gain hands-on guidance from licensed providers who will assist moms in learning skills that will promote wellness in themselves and their unborn babies using lectures, guest speakers, fun activities, and videos. Most importantly, mothers and dads will get intensive individual as well as group emotional support. Finally, the program also features a “Community-Wide Baby Shower” for moms and dads to get free items (e.g. car seats, clothing, diapers, cash gift cards, etc.) in preparation for their babies. Murua Moms™ (Swahili for RESPECT) is a collaborative project sponsored by the University Research & Outreach Center, Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services, the African American Child Wellness Institute and funded by the Minneapolis Foundation - WCA Foundation Grant Program, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services Cultural Ethnic Minority Infrastructure Grant (CEMIG) Program.
Sharing Our Stories
By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor ABCs OF LIFE Stories of Tamika By Bennie Brown Our lessons and beliefs on faith and spirituality begin with what we’re taught as children. I remember those lessons being taught to me during Sunday School by Ms. Pleas. Though they grow and expand with knowledge over the years, our early years form the basis for who we are and whose we are. That being said, I present to you Bennie Brown’s ABCs of Life: Stories of Tamika. Our central character is 11-year-old Tamika, a Black girl raised in a Christian home by her parents along with her younger sister Tasha. Throughout the book, as we follow Tamika’s journey, Brown illustrates a different life value and teaching in a series of short stories, from “A is for Attitude” to “Z is for Zeal.” The scriptural texts come from the New International Version of the Bible, and they are interwoven into each story/value to make it interesting, fun, and relevant for children. Tamika shares her dreams, her aspirations, and her understanding of the fruits of the Spirit as they relate to her daily life. Tamika’s walk isn’t always easy; an example of this is the friction between her and a classmate known as Scary Barry. We see him at different times in the book, such as in “L is for Love” when Tamika
has to figure out what kind of love to show him, and “U is for Understanding,” when she discovers why he acts out the way he does. At the end of the day, each story furthers her spiritual growth. And as in “K is for Knowledge,” knowledge is power. As children learn by example, I love the positive role models Brown established for Tamika--her parents and Mrs. Davis, Tamika’s Sunday School teacher. I highly recommend this book for Sunday School classes as well as home; as one who
read to my son every night when he was little, this would have been part of my personal library. And as our children learn from us, we learn from them. ABCs of Life: Stories of Tamika is available through her website, booksbybennie. com; Amazon; and the Minnesota Black Authors Expo website, www.mnblackauthorsexpo.com . Thank you, Bennie, for the beautiful way of teaching children about God with practical applications to their lives.
ELECTION DAY:
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH
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VOTE FOR JEREMIAH
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FOR CITY COUNCIL
)25 &,7< &281&,/ :$5'
Jeremiah Ellison fights for organized labor and livable, family supporting wages. He has led the charge on worker protections and good benefits.
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Paid for by the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO 312 Central, Suite 542, Minneapolis MN 55414 and is not approved by any candidate. For more information visit minneapolisunions.org.
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Commentary
Why my introverted side struggles with large crowds Hobb servation Point
By Chuck Hobbs At the age of 51, I find that I am far more introverted than I was at the age of 15, back when as a 10th grader, the highlight of my week during the Fall was after our Friday night football games, exchanging my drum major uniform for a pair of Guess Jeans and a Coca Cola or Nautica shirt to head over to the “dance” in the FAMU High cafeteria—ones that drew hundreds of party goers from across Tallahassee’s predominantly Black Southside. Back then, it was cool to be “cool;” walking in a nearly pitch black venue, exchanging dap with my boys from our school and rival schools that I knew well, all the while pretending to not “sweat” or overtly “check out” the girls that I (and we) were definitely “sweating” and apprehensive about asking to dance from fear of being told “no”—such was a timeless right of passage at high schools across the country from time immemorial. But when I was 15, while there surely was the occasional fight that interrupted a dance or several, I and my friends grew up safely knowing that when the lights flickered on and off indicating that the dance was over, that we would make it home safely because no one was packing heat to shoot up the place! Today, at 51, the prospects of going out and returning home safely are fraught with a palpable sense of
danger more real than imagined in cities, towns, and hamlets all across the United States. Case in point is last week when U.S. Army reservist Robert Card coldly killed 18 people and wounded 13 others at a bowling alley and bar in Maine allegedly because he “heard” that some of the patrons were calling him a pedophile, I am sure that no one who was killed or injured that night could have foreseen that their lives would end—or be forever altered—as they drove to their fateful destination. Now, I’m not here to debate the mental health status of the now deceased killer or the pedantic details of gun control because sadly, mass murder scenes are so regular these days that they no longer shock me when I watch or read about them on the news, and I no longer believe that politicians will ever really address the issue. But my lack of shock is not tantamount to a lack of concern, as each time the bullets fly and the “thoughts and prayers” are extended following random (and not so random) acts of violence, such heightens my own situational awareness on those rare occasions that I do go out in public. Last week, my undergraduate and graduate school alma maters, Morehouse College (in tandem with Spelman College) and Florida A&M University, celebrated their very popular homecomings that drew tens of thousands of visitors to the campuses of these three legendary HBCU’s. While I usually attend both events as they typically fall on different Fall weekends, work obligations made my choice a “non-choice” as I stayed in Tallahassee to have fun with my fellow Rattlers “on the highest
A then 15-year old Hobbs, shown here after a televised quiz bowl match against Leon High School, never saw a dance or party that he didn’t like back in the 80’s… of seven hills” last Saturday. But as I joined two of my oldest friends, Kenny Taite and Brian Holiday, as we walked among over an estimated 40,000 people at or around historic Bragg Stadium last Saturday, I could not help but keep my eyes sharp—and my head on a swivel—from fear that some misguided soul may pull a weapon and either cause a mass panic that ended with thousands of folks running and trampling each other, or, open fire and killing or wounding innocent people who simply were there to have a good time! Fortunately, neither happened during the six or so hours that we were on FAMU’s campus, but I admit that I breathed a sigh of relief when we got safely to the truck and exited from what turned out to be another great homecoming weekend for us. And yet, when I scrolled down my Facebook
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page later that night, several of my social media friends noted that there had been at least one “mass panic” incident on Perry Street near FAMU’s stadium not long after I had exited the scene. While I am glad that I missed that madness, and I am ecstatic that no one was injured, such still confirms that I am not becoming paranoid as my once jet black beard turns grayer by the day—but that I am wise to remember that as day turns to dusk at mass events, such signals my time to head to the safe confines of my home or hotel if I am out of town! As I write these words this morning, I cannot help but think that my long deceased father would be happy in knowing that his once “hard headed” 15-year old son, the one who just had to be “on the scene” during his school days, is echoing his father’s old sentiments about exercising caution because “bullets
ain’t got no names on them.” Actually, both of my parents used that expression quite a bit, but I distinctly remember being embarrassed and frustrated the year I was turning 15 when our family traveled to visit our folks in Miami after Christmas. When we arrived on the evening of December 26th, my father loud talked me and told me to “take my shoes off and sit down somewhere” when my slightly older cousin, Troy Hobbs, showed up with his friends around 10 p.m. to take me to play basketball with them at the lighted outdoor courts in Perrine. The next morning, as my father and I woke up early to eat left over oxtails, grits, and gravy at my Aunt Lenora’s kitchen table, my old man told me that he didn’t let me hang out the previous night not because he lacked trust in his nephew Troy, but because he didn’t know the boys that Troy was
with and, more crucially, no one out there at that park (but Troy) knew me! At the time, I simply said “yes sir,” but honestly, I felt totally lame and sheltered as I sat among the elders at home instead of hanging out with my peers. Well today, at the age of 51 and not 15, I revel in being “lame” and prefer the shelter and security of my own surroundings over the prospects of being prematurely surrounded by graves in a graveyard for all eternity because some wayward sort decided to open fire in a crowded space. Lest I, or we, forget... Hobbservation Point is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Chuck Hobbs is a freelance journalist who won the 2010 Florida Bar Media Award and has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
Page 8 • November 6, 2023 - November 12, 2023 • Insight News
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