Insight ::: 10.4.21

WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News

October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 40• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Representation Investment Strength Empowerment Comcast powers 100 Twin Cities small businesses with $1 million in grants; technology, marketing resources.

comcastrise.com

STORY ON PAGE

3

Page 2 •October October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Insight News

insightnews.com

insightnews.com

Insight News • October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 40• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

St. Paul native volunteers in community during Minneapolis Navy Week

By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach

$1 million in $10,000 grants from Comcast RISE Comcast is accepting applications for $1 million in grants to 100 small businesses owned by people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, among others, in the Twin Cities. The grantees may also receive technology and marketing resources.

The Twin Cities is among six markets, including Houston, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., that were selected to award a $10,000 grant to 100 local businesses from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, for a total of $6 million across 600 businesses.

Businesses can apply

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - A St. Paul, Minnesota, native volunteers in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, community to help those in neeed during Minneaopolis Navy Week, Sept.

26 - Oct. 2.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Isaac F. Contreras II is a 2017 South St. Paul Secondary graduate. Today, Contreras serves aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, as a Navy aviation support equipment technician responsible for working on diesel engines and support equipment for aircraft.

Contreras joined the Navy three years ago to serve his country and to be a sailor.

“Serving my country has been something I’ve wanted to do since I can remember, but becoming a sailor is something I wanted to do since I found out my father served in the early 90s,” said Contreras. “I was

Petty Officer 3rd Class Isaac F. Contreras II very patriotic from a young age. I was singing “Proud to be an America” in my church at the age of four, all the way to graduating high school in an American flag suit. I am very happy and proud of my decision to join.”

Navy Weeks are the service’s signature outreach program, designed to give the citizens of Minneapolis the opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people and its importance to national

CONTRERAS II 5

businesses owned by people of color to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity provided by our friends at Comcast.”

The Investment Fund is an extension of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multifaceted initiative launched in October 2020 to support small businesses owned by people of color and provide the resources and tools they need to thrive for years to come. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses that have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees. Businesses must be

now through October 14, for Comcast RISE monetary grants, and, or marketing and technology services at www.

ComcastRISE.com.

Winners will be notified in late November.

“The Comcast Rise Investment Fund will ensure that 100 businesses that exist today will continue to exist tomorrow,” said Governor Tim Walz, State of Minnesota. “Minnesota knows that this pandemic has created challenges for many small businesses, especially minority owned businesses. We continue to do everything we can to help them until things get better. I highly encourage small

Twitter

Kalyn Hove

COMCAST 4

Candidates on Conversations with Al McFarlane Leadership Sessions on Facebook Live

Michael Rainville - Ward 3 David Wheeler - Ward 10

Dean Emeritus Burnele Venable Powell I am proud of having grown up and worked all my life in the Third Ward. The Rainvilles are a legacy family whose heritage in business and politics has benefitted many Minnesotans.

I have contributed to the increase in libraries and theaters while serving on the board of the Northeast Arts District. I have been a volunteer for the St. Anthony Western Neighborhood Group.

The community policing project up on Essentra has provided me with new and valuable relationships. We just continued the work and our commitment to our community and to the city because that’s how the Rainvilles have been raised, generation after generation. They would always say that whatever we did in life, we were to do a little bit extra for the place where we live.

“We realized 20

Facebook

Michael Rainville years ago not all our kids had access to the internet. We took care of the problem. The Park Board had been housed at the BF Nelson building. I was able to contact someone at the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago. They came in, tested the soil, and helped the park secure an old industrial site that became parkland. We also put a police substation on east Hennepin Avenue in the University vicinity, and we had a beat cop. I got to know the businesses, the residents, the customers, and the people who

RAINVILLE 4

I moved to Minneapolis about 25 years ago from Duluth, a city where my legacy family established a political presence.

I understand the important concept of public service. My grandfather was elected back in the twenties to be Duluth’s commissioner for public safety.; “I’ve lived in the city and the ward for a long time.

I’ve invested a lot of time in our community as a pastor and as an advocate for common sense change. Because of the big issues facing us right now with the violence surge, the racial divide, and the persistent pandemic, I decided to run after George Floyd’s murder to challenge the inept and delaminated actions of the City Council. They don’t know how to come together, and work hard on behalf of the citizens of Minneapolis.

News

Governor Walz announces $15 million allocation of Federal American rescue plan funds

PAGE 5

Unifying Dems critical for Joe Biden’s presidency Wheeler4ward10

David Wheeler “I have been a city council member and ran for mayor while in Duluth. I’ve been a pastor at Hennepin Avenue United Church and other churches around the state for 30 years. I’ve run nonprofits and served as director for a couple of non-profits.

That’s what it’s going to take.

Non-profits, faith communities, businesses, neighborhood organizations, and a mayor and city council come together and compromise for the good of the people of the people.

It’s not going to

WHEELER 4

Columnist

By Brenda Lyle-Gray When brilliant minds, attitudes, and talents come together to form one goal, expect a masterpiece. John Ruskin “The end of this month will be critical for Joe Biden’s presidency,” said Dean Burnele Venable Powell, in a recent Conversations with Al McFarlane interview. Powell said he is concerned about Senator Joe Manchin, the

Democrat from West Virginia.

“Biden’s Build Back Better plan is long overdue and more than 70% of the country wants the bill to pass. 3.2 trillion dollars is not going to be spent in one year. It will happen in incremental steps. And yes, it will be paid for by increased taxes on the wealthy.”

“After a challenging 2020, where violence has increased 30%, and a new Covid-19 variant, R-1 has surfaced, Biden’s got to become a Lydon Baines Johnson type of President. He has to say to Manchin and believe what he says, ‘If I go down, your West Virginia Senate seat will go to another contender. So you let

POWELL 5

I2H

The Changing Face of COVID19

PAGE 6

Page 4 •October October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Funding helps usher in construction phase of a four-year, multi-million dollar campus renewal and expansion effort

Bank of America awards $1 million grant to Juxtaposition Arts Bank of America announced recently that it has provided a $1 million anchor grant to Juxtaposition Arts(JXTA)— the only Black-led art and design organization in Minnesota—in support of its four-year capital and legacy campaign to construct a new headquarters, restore two existing facilities and acquire public space to better support its creative workforce development and arts programming.

Bank of America’s donation toward JXTA’s $14 million fundraising campaign puts the effort within $400,000 of completion and helped JXTA close on the financing needed to break ground on the new Arts Center headquarters, located at 2007 N Emerson Ave. A community groundbreaking celebration is scheduled to take place on September 17, 2021 from 4-6 p.m. CT at the Art Center building site.

“We set out three years ago on an ambitious capital and legacy campaign -- to become the only arts organization in the state, led and rooted by people of color, that owns its buildings,” said Roger Cummings, Chief Cultural Producer and Cofounder of JXTA. “We couldn’t have nearly reached that goal without the generous support of our community, including Bank of America. The bank’s funding will help JXTA continue to embrace, support and provide resources for the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that exists in our city and build a legacy of Black leadership for years to come.”

Comcast From 3 in the Twin Cities seven-county metro (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties) to be eligible.

“While we know that no single organization can solve historic and systemic inequities overnight, we are committed to taking tangible actions that can drive long-term impact and change,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Twin Cities. “Comcast

Rainville From 3

images.givelively.org

Bank of America’s support will help JXTA invest in their physical infrastructure, and comes at a critical time in the organization’s and region’s history as it expands its acclaimed education and creative workforce development programming. The development will include a 17,000 sq. ft. building to house a gallery, program spaces, fabrication shop, community gathering spaces, and an archive. The organization will also renovate existing buildings, facilitating the expansion of JXTA’s workforce efforts and create retail space to sell products created

by JXTA students and staff.

“Juxtaposition Arts

knows that exposure to and engagement with the arts has the potential to transform a community,” said Katie Simpson, Bank of America Twin Cities president. “With this new construction, JXTA is helping to create a stronger regional economy by nurturing creativity and building assets for future generations. We are proud to contribute to this effort.”

Construction of the new building and renovation of campus buildings (including four newly acquired lots on Emerson and Broadway) will begin in early September and is slated to be complete by fall 2022. The new state-of-the-art headquarters plants the seeds for

new and expanded programming and will serve as a hub for creative training, economic justice, and youth development in North Minneapolis.

JXTA offers free, year-round arts learning programs for youth, community events and jobs for teens in the core program, JXTALabs.

After completing the rigorous 12-week Visual Arts Literacy Training (VALT), youth aged 14-21 are eligible to apply for an apprenticeship in one of the JXTALab micro businesses. JXTA employs 70 young artists and 30 adult artists and staff annually.

“Juxtaposition Arts was founded with the idea

of building something in Minneapolis’ Northside that didn’t already exist,” said Gabrielle Grier, Managing Director of JXTA. “Our hope is for JXTA to set an example for other organizations and show them the endless possibilities of investing in the creative genius of our city’s youth.”

Over the events of the past 19 months, JXTA’s campus and community engagement work has grown to become a public health imperative and some of the most important assets in the community, particularly on West Broadway, where there is little dedicated public space. Part of the capital campaign also raised funds

RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund offer the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color to help grow their businesses, create jobs and play a vital role in supporting our communities.

The Comcast RISE grants will provide more entrepreneurs of color with the resources and tools they need to scale their businesses and thrive for years to come.”

Comcast RISE Marketing and Technology Services In addition to the Investment Fund, Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment,

Strength and Empowerment,” provides the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color nationwide to apply for one or more of the following support focus areas with the opportunity to receive one.

Marketing Services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including: Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period.

Creative Production: Turnkey :30 TV commercial

production, plus a media strategy consultation and 90-day media placement schedule.

Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research, and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business.

Technology Makeovers: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for technology makeover services.)

Monetary Grants:

In round one, which was announced in April of 2021, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided $5 million in grants to 500 small businesses owned by people of color in five cities: Philadelphia/Chester, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide an additional $6 million in grants to 600 small businesses owned by people of color in six cities: Miami, Houston, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. All eligible applicants will receive a monthly Comcast RISE newsletter with educational content, and all

small business owners can visit the Comcast RISE destination on the X1 platform featuring aggregated small business news, tips, insights, and more.

Comcast RISE is part of Comcast’s ongoing efforts to advance digital equity and help to provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive.

Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world.

were out here to steal and rob.

That was a very safe area until the police department collapsed

due to lack of staffing.

“The (Rainville) family has had a lot of disagreements over our Thanksgiving table, but we’ve always pulled together. We had good jobs and labor unions with an aunt and a cousin playing major roles in the formation of the Democratic FarmerLabor Party. We were good, solid Democrats and involved citizens. The difference was, we listened. It wasn’t about personal agendas. A member of a legacy family? Yes. But I am my own person. I have a voice.

“The current city council is not transparent. They have their own ideas. They don’t care what we think. And that’s wrong. What happened to being and listening to concerned and involved citizens? I might be an old guy, but I’ve got a lot

of miles left. My decades of experience and my energy can help turn our city around. I want to stand side by side with Rev. McAfee and Bishop Howell; with Chief Arradondo and Inspector Charlie Adams. That’s where the leadership will come from. Listening, researching, planning, and action!

Our young men and women in our neighborhoods should be sought out and encouraged to look into occupations of service such as firefighters, police officers, and teachers. Sadly, we don’t have enough investigators to follow up on serious crimes, and the gang leaders know it.

I’m totally different than my incumbent. There’s been no evidence that there is any understanding or compassion for the impact the surge in violence is having on everyday

lives. The city and the people can work through everything housing, jobs, education. We can work together to make changes happen, but we can’t do it overnight. It will be a process.

The urgent reality is that we can’t do any of it if we’re not living in safe neighborhoods and communities. Downtown will remain an empty hole. If we’re not a safe community, downtown is going to be an empty hole. There’s not going to bring the tax revenue we once had. And whether you’re a renter or a homeowner out in the community, we’re going to have to start paying a whole lot more in taxes due to the inactions of a dysfunctional city.

“In meeting candidates Wheeler, Zea-Aida, and Moore, I’d like to thank them for stepping out in the

political arena. This is not easy work, but a lot of somebodies have to have the courage to care.

Look at what Mayor Melvin Carter has accomplished in St. Paul since 2018. You recognize, as I do, that many people in our city are hurting. It’s a wonderful city when it works, but racial reconciliation and economic justice will not happen if we cannot harness gun violence and the killing of our children.

“I bring skills, a work ethic, positive community relationships, and a desire to work towards and witness the positive changes we can achieve together. I also bring to my campaign, an incredible endorsement from former Minnesota Mayor, Sharon Sayles Belton.

Compiled by Brenda Lyle-Gray

a long history of racism which is unacceptable.

We will probably have to change some state laws so authorities can legally discipline and remove some of the bad actors. We need o recruit some wonderful new people who come from diverse backgrounds and who are trained in de-escalation. I’d like to see the city offer other incentives to encourage police officers and perhaps other city workers to live in Minneapolis.

Back when I was a city council member in Duluth, it was required. Then the legislature got rid of it.

I’m a strong believer in the executive mayor.

I grew up in Duluth which was a strong mayor city. St Paul is a strong mayor city. We all know Chicago is a strong mayoral city.

It’s actually functioning and works much better. In Minneapolis, one of the problems is that the mayor has most of the responsibility but almost none of the authority, and the city council has all the authority and almost none of the

responsibility.

“This divisive and dysfunctional state-of-affairs must change if we are to move forward. We need outstanding leaders, a newly reformed and functional police department, and an acknowledgement of the urgency the city faces at so many levels.

“I’m not in favor of rent control. Instead, I’d like to see the city begin to create well-trained, good paying jobs so people will be encouraged to move toward home ownership.

We need to create good paying jobs and we need to transition people into home ownership.

Businesses and investments must return so people in underserved communities can start making $20 to $25 an hour.

“I decided to run because the current council doesn’t function.

I had a dysfunctional council Duluth.

When I was on the city council, people needed to sit down and work things out. They need to work together. I think I have the temperament, the experience,

the background to bring a real disperate group of people together. I’d like to spend an hour or two with each individual council member and get to know them really well in the first week or two of the term. I want to be able to negotiate with them, to understand what moves them and not just political stuff or games. What is it going to take to get our city back?

Ward 10 is a very diverse ward. I live in East Harriet. There are additional residential areas such as the former Echo, South Uptown, the Wedge, and Whittier.

Unlike some people, I actually return phone calls, e-mails, ad texts. I think that’s what you have to do. What’s going on in our communities now is too important to not pay attention and be informed. I will not be taking care of a special constituency group. I intend to be a city council member for the entire city of Minneapolis.

Compiled by Brenda Lyle-Gray

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

for JXTA to acquire parcels adjacent to the Skateable Plaza, which has now been made a permanent fixture, and the entire area will become a communityowned “parkable” plaza which will be used for community events and gatherings.

This grant complements Bank of America’s five-year, $1.25 billion commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity for people and communities of color by supporting nonprofit organizations working to improve health, jobs and re-skilling, and affordable housing, as well as providing support for minority-owned small businesses in local communities. Bank of America previously named Juxtaposition Arts as one of its Neighborhood Builder awardees in 2019.

Founded in 1995 by Roger and DeAnna Cummings as an afterschool program, Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) develops community by engaging and employing young urban artists in hands-on education initiatives that create pathways to self-sufficiency while actualizing creative power.

JXTA’s work builds North Minneapolis’ cultural, financial and social capital by training the local youth workforce in creative industries and investing in the equitable development of North Minneapolis and the West Broadway commercial corridor. For more information, please visit www. juxtapositionarts.org.

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

Wheeler From 3 happen just because we have a little government program. We need the police. The MPD does need transformation. There’s

insightnews.com

Insight News • October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Page 5

Funding will support grant programs to provide emergency shelter and safety to the most vulnerable Minnesotans

Governor Walz announces $15 million allocation of Federal American rescue plan funds Governor Tim Walz last week announced an allocation of $15 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to help emergency shelters serving vulnerable Minnesotans improve COVID-19 mitigation measures. The funding will support the state’s Emergency Services Program grants, which are awarded to organizations that provide emergency shelter and essential services for people who are homeless. The $15 million in American Rescue Plan funds will be competitively awarded, prioritizing investments that acquire or modify shelter spaces to improve prevention of COVID-19 transmission or outbreaks.

“Every Minnesotan deserves a safe, warm place to sleep at night, especially as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Walz. “Minnesota’s shelters save lives and have been critical to our state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This funding will help ensure that as we approach our harsh winter

Contreras II From 3 security and prosperity, strengthen the service’s the community.

Navy Weeks a variety of outreach

and to ties to focus assets,

Powell From 3 me know if your lack of support for my initiatives is worth the risk.’”

Powell is Dean emeritus of the Law School at University of South Carolina, and also Dean Emeritus of University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC) Law School.

“There hasn’t been a Progressive agenda since LBJ’s, although President Biden is trying,” Powell said. “Obama tried, too, but he was attempting without much success to be a compromiser and mend partisan lines and the deep divides. Almost every move he tried to make, they blocked.

It’s important that we win this battle either through budget reconciliation or a modification of the filibuster.”

Powell said the failure of the George Floyd Public Safety and Policing Bill was expected. “Tim Scott and the GOP were never going to compromise on police reform.

They never responded when asked what would be done about often falsified police reports. They believe you go after the police departments, not the perpetrator of the abuse and brutality. It’s a system that never worked,” he said.

Powell said the horrific televised scenes of border patrol officers riding on

months, Minnesota’s shelters are safe and available to Minnesotans who need them.”

“Having a safe place to sleep at night is a public health necessity, which is why we have made investing in housing and combatting homelessness a cornerstone of our COVID-19 response,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “I am grateful for Minnesota’s shelters for their ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting our relatives experiencing homelessness.

I am proud of this additional funding to support their work in keeping Minnesotans safe.”

Earlier this month, Governor Walz announced an allocation of $10 million in American Rescue Plan funds to be managed through an interagency, interdisciplinary state homeless shelter emergency response team focused on helping shelters prepare and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks. Those funds will focus on responding to outbreaks in existing shelters

and other temporary congregate settings for people experiencing homelessness. Funds will cover expenses to keep operating with the needed personnel, room leasing costs, and other costs for supplies needed to sustain

congregate setting operations, including air filtration, or food for those residing in isolation space.

Distinct from that $10 million allocation, the $15 million in aditional funding complements the previously

equipment and personnel on a single city for a week-long series of events with key influencers and organizations across the market. During a Navy Week, 75-100 outreach events are occur in participation with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations throughout the city.

“Having the opportunity to come home for this Navy week means a lot to me,” said Contreras. “It gives me the chance to show others that there are opportunities other than going to college right away.

Having the chance to start a career right out of high school or even later on, you are able to join something bigger than yourself and become a part of a small

community. I am very thankful for this opportunity to be able to come home and give back to the community that helped shape me into who I am today. I am glad I made the decision to join and would definitely encourage others to do the same.”

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Contreras, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition

providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance.

Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

“Serving in the Navy has taught me a lot, not only about the job but also about working with others

and myself,” added Contreras.

“Learning how to communicate with people from all over and different walks of life, and knowing that not everyone was raised the same way, helped me find different ways of thinking and getting past adversity from a different point of view.”

horseback, using whips to push Haitian immigrants back across to muddy border waterways, was inhumane and agonizing to watch. They were being returned to an island having gone through the assassination of their President, two major hurricanes, little or no relevant education or quality health care, and a poverty even the best journalists find difficult to describe or understand. Former President Barack Obama candidly admitted in a recent interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America that viewers, including President Biden, witnessed these sad spectacles because this country has never had an immigration policy that stuck, thanks to the GOP. “The Republicans and especially Trump were and still are willing to do anything they can, even if it calls for the fall of democracy, to stop the browning of America, said Powell.

Republicans appear hell-bent on blowing up Biden’s legislative efforts to do what has needed to be done for this country for decades. There is danger of the GOP blocking the extension of the debt ceiling and shutting down the country.

Already hurting citizens and their children will be hurting even more.

They want to score as many points as they can now and worry about destructive ideology and operations in play down the road. In the 40s and 50s, the left and right wings were required to negotiate. The dozen or so

Republicans that would cross over to the Democratic side to get worthwhile legislation passed are no longer there.

What they don’t understand is that the country’s workforce must be supplemented from one generation to the next.

Since America is becoming a more middleclass populace, this generation is reducing the size of the family. Immigrating from all around the world will be a necessity. The state of California is a good example of how a diverse population can be of benefit to those willing to work hard and take care of business.”

According to Powell, the U.S. has “more than enough wealth and taxing ability, or could print more money, if necessary, to stabilize our national debt.

When Reagen came into office in the 80s bringing to the White House a form of moderate conservativism, his focus became corporate interests. It’s like the GOP is standing in the center of the world screaming, ‘If we can’t have power, we will destroy it for those in power.

We will not pay our debts which will make the country appear unstable, unreliable, and at risk to the world.’

Powell said Democrats don’t know what to do now that they have power.

Their philosophy seems to be, hell with the allies or the 99% of the American public in the middle of an almost 2-year pandemic disease that has killed 700,000.

There has been

little, if any, investment in the middle class for 40 years; not in education, infrastructure, housing, employment, career opportunities, health care and coverage disparities, and efforts to close the wealth gaps, Powell said.

“Biden’s presidency is at an inflexion point. Will the administration come up with

federal standards for voting rights? When recently called a racist in the Senate chambers regarding his approval of voter suppression, Ted Cruz wasn’t the least bit disturbed. The GOP seems even more angry because the expensive recounts in Georgia and Arizona found Biden to have won with even larger vote margins than

previously thought,” Powell said.

“We’ll see this week if Biden is a fighter or if he will take off the gloves,” said Powell.

“The country needs him to fight back, and American citizens will stand by his side. As I said earlier, we cannot lose. Our children and generations after this are depending on us.”

allocated funds, and will be competitively awarded to programs, settings, and services, that help existing temporary congregate settings prevent transmission of infectious diseases, including:



Gov. Tim Walz

An achingly human, hopeful new play 612.377.2224 / guthrietheater.org

Heidi Schreck Directed by Oliver Butler A Play by

Photo: Joan Marcus

Starring

Cassie Beck

Sept 30 – Oct 24

Physical modifications to reduce transmission risks or increase separation of shelter guests,  Changes to ventilation or air filtration systems,  Modifications for traffic flow especially in hightraffic areas, and  Creation or acquisition of new shelter space designed to operate effectively in the context of an infectious disease.

In total, President Biden’s American Rescue Plan provides $8.5 billion to Minnesota to support COVID-19 recovery efforts.

This includes $2.132 billion to local governments, $2.833 billion to the state government, and $3.505 billion for existing federally-funded programs to help Minnesotans who were impacted the most during the

pandemic. State leaders agreed to divide the state’s $2.833 billion into three categories: immediate COVID-19 response ($500 million, which includes Governor Walz’s allocation of $15 million announced today), long-term pandemic recovery ($1.150 billion, to be allocated during the 2022 state legislative session), and state revenue replacement ($1.183 billion).

Additional allocations of the $500 million reserved for immediate COVID-19 response will be announced in the coming months, as the state continues to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 virus.

In addition to today’s allocation of $15 million for emergency shelter, Governor Walz today allocated $18 million of federal recovery funds to assist in the state’s ongoing response to COVID-19, including funding for the Minnesota Judicial Branch to relieve case backlog due to the pandemic. More information on the state’s federal recovery funds can be found here.

Page 6 •October October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Insight News

insightnews.com

Insight 2 Health

The Healing Circle:

The Changing Face of COVID19 Columnist

By Brenda Lyle-Gray The world is now! What are you waiting for?

--Song lyrics - Wain McFarlane I decided perhaps it might be beneficial if I began this reporting of the African American Child Wellness Institute’s (AACWI) ‘Healing Circle’ presented every Friday on Conversations with Al McFarlane with trusted, scientific information and recommendations.

Ted Thompson, a healing arts specialist and life coach working with Dr. Bravada Garrett Akinsanya (Dr. B.) and the AACWI phenomenal team laid it out in an irrefutable manner.

He said 92% of the people hospitalized due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

Consider not frequenting crowded gatherings, and continue to follow proper CDC protocols, he said. As for help when circumstances become so overwhelming that one is on the brink of simply giving up and succumbing to the mess the world is in, remember our DNA carries ancestral resilience, perseverance. Faith runs through our veins.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Do not underestimate the risk and serious consequences of this virus. Unvaccinated people are about 30 times more likely to be hospitalized with the disease.”

As of September 27th, the numbers continue to

be staggering. In the United States alone - 43,424, 600 cases and 700,826 deaths. Globally 232,066,390 cases and 4,751,480 deaths.

In Minnesota - 7-day average cases - 2,224. 7-day average deaths - 13.

“A little over 70 million Americans are not vaccinated, said Thompson.

I can’t understand why the pandemic statistics haven’t gotten the attention of at least some of these millions. This is a deadly monster that’s now attacking our children and there’s no vaccine available for the younger ones. I think it’s important that appropriate school age students and their parents understand how all of this got started, and more importantly, what we can do to educate others. The unvaccinated are putting the vaccinated at risk, plain and simple.”

The COVID19 (corona) virus is not new, Thomson said. It’s called COVID19 because it pretty much surfaced and was identified in 2019. It is referred to as ‘corona’ because the structure is round with spikes filled with protein. The virus can get to you in many ways, especially with mutations and new variants. The virus wants to survive.”

Thompson explained that the Delta variant was a direct result of money, timing, and millions of data points that quickly changed the direction of prevention. “The vaccine, masking, and social distancing were all we had to stop the spread. But then, the economies around the world began to reopen.”

“People seem not to be able to trust the fact that information changes, said Dr. B. They are not able to integrate and assimilate new evidence.

Everything must be black or

white. But there’s a lot of grey in this world. We just have to acknowledge and accept that fact while becoming and remaining flexible, creative, and wise.

Scientists will unabashedly admit they are building the plane while learning how to fly, but if you’re reading this article, the vaccine has cut the risk of serious illness and/or hospitalization by 70%. What the vaccine does is to allow your body to recognize the presence of these proteins and create antibodies to fight off the virus. Even if someone has had the virus, the vaccine will still boost antibodies to ward off the threat. Admittedly, there are breakthrough cases even when people have been fully vaccinated, but the percentage is low in comparison to the millions of lives it has saved.”

AACWI is currently conducting outreach across the broad metropolitan area. They are disseminating a wide range of information they hope will answer some of the questions residents might have.

Linda Etim is a mental health clinician. She knows firsthand about vaccine hesitancy. Her son had taken the first shot but decided not to take the second one. The information regarding the vaccine has been contradictory and confusing now that they have introduced the boosters, she said.

“We really do have to look at how we are presenting the most commonsense validation as to why we should be vaccinated,” Etim said. “My work revolves around providing first a diagnostic assessment after which referral information and services are recommended in areas such as general mental health therapy, addictions, anger management, and consistent follow-up. Often, when patients come into the clinic complaining of physical ailments, they are having a panic attack. And when

Ted Thompson

Twitter

anxiety intrudes on the mind, the physical body reacts and rational decision making is not going to be the end result.”

It only takes a phone call to reach out for help and to explore available resources needed individually, as a family, and as a community, she said.

How is trusted and reliable information distributed and explained in Black and other communities of color, not only in the United States, but around the world?

Hospital workers in New York City say they plan to walk out if mandated to take the vaccine. Still, these same medical, frontline workers are treating unvaccinated patients every day, present when many take their last breath.

The insanity of it all makes me shudder.

Thompson recommends doing research through trusted information recommended by the CDC and authored by microbiologists or epidemiologists. He encourages those unvaccinated to make their own decision but to use commonsense wisdom and to do so expeditiously. There’s no confusion in the numbers of cases and deaths, he says.

Courage is not the absence of fear, Dr. B. says, “It’s the ability to do what we must do to survive and not only be alive, but to get back to truly living.

Leap frog over this stigma of mental health. Often, we are our own problem. We deserve to be well and that entails using our mental clarity and reasoning to do the right thing. That starts

The FDA is working to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and keep you and your family informed on the latest developments. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions from consumers about vaccines, treatments, and ivermectin. with taking care of our physical bodies as best we can and to assume brave and grown-up like responsibility in gratitude.

If we choose not to heed to scientific and other professional recommendations as we battle this invisible and deadly enemy,

and if we don’t reach out for help before it’s too late, our children and generations to come will not enjoy and thrive with the support and wisdom of their elders.”

The World is Now! What are you - what are we waiting for?

Coronavirus Q&As for Consumers Q: Should I get a booster shot or an additional shot of a COVID-19 vaccine?

A: On Aug. 12, the FDA updated the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised people.

On Sept. 22, the FDA amended the EUA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to allow for use of a single booster dose, to be administered at least six months after completion of the primary series in:  People 65 and older.  People ages 18 to 64 at high risk of severe COVID-19.  People ages 18 to 64 whose frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 puts them at high risk of serious complications of COVID-19, including severe COVID-19.

Q: Should I take ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19?

A: No. Although there are approved uses for ivermectin in people and animals, it is not approved for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19. Read more about why you should not use ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19.

Read this Consumer Update to learn more about some of the available COVID-19 treatments and how to get more information about them.

Q: Who should I contact with drug-related questions?

A: If you have additional questions, call the FDA’s Division of Drug Information at 855-543-3784 or email us at druginfo@fda.hhs.gov.

For the latest information about COVID-19, visit:  FDA: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)  FDA: COVID-19 Vaccines  CDC: Coronavirus (COVID-19)  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

GO!

CAPRI GRAND OPENING, OCT. 3-10 8 Days of Celebration!

10/3: 10/4: 10/5: 10/6: 10/7: 10/8: 10/9: 10/10:

Grand Opening Day, 12-5pm, Free Capri Big Band, 7pm, Free Capri Glee! Choir in Concert, 7pm, Free #MPLS in Concert, 7pm, $20 First Thursday Films: Summer of Soul! 7pm, Free SPCO Chamber Music Concert, 7pm, Free Legends, The Big Swang Theory 7pm, $25 Legends, The Big Swang Theory 3pm, $25

Let’s GO! details > thecapri.org COVID-19 Safety Protocols Masks will be required at all indoor events at the Capri, including the Grand Opening Day tours of the building. Beginning Monday, October 4 we’ll require all guests to present proof of either full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to attending an event.

For more resources and information on these safety protocols, and a list of acceptable proof of vaccination or COVID test results, please visit thecapri.org/safety

2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis, 55411

insightnews.com

Insight News • October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Page 7

thecapri.org

Historic Capri re-opens in North Minneapolis When the Capri closed its building in May 2019 to embark on expanding and improving the historic space, it marked the occasion with six days of entertainment and art. That proved so much fun that a couple extra days of joy have been added to this year’s grand opening schedule!

The Capri’s Grand Opening week has been dubbed GO!, eight days of celebration to re-introduce the wonderful, welcoming theater and community gathering place at 2027 W. Broadway in North Minneapolis to the public.

The inaugural event will be a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 3 on the Capri’s outdoor plaza.

The fun officially kicks off at noon and goes to 5 p.m. with self-guided tours, free music on the plaza, food trucks and other creative activities. (note: this sentence comes out for the paper

but can be posted online tonight or tomorrow.)

The entertainment features a mix of free and ticketed events:  7 p.m., Monday, October 4: The Capri Big Band in Concert (Free) - NEW  7 p.m., Tuesday, October 5: Capri Glee! Choir in Concert (Free)  7 p.m., Wednesday, October 6: #MPLS in Concert ($20; tickets at thecapri.ticketworks.com)  7 p.m., Thursday, October 7: First Thursday Films @ the Capri: Summer of Soul presented by the MSP Film Society in partnership with the Capri (Free; register at thecapri.org) - NEW  7 p.m., Friday, October 8: SPCO Chamber Music Concert (Free; register at thecapri.org)  7 p.m., Saturday

October 9: Legends @ the Capri, The Big Swang Theory ($25; tickets at thecapri.ticketworks.com)  3 p.m., Sunday, October 10: Legends @ the Capri, The Big Swang Theory ($25; tickets at thecapri.ticketworks.com) “We are so excited to welcome people back into the theater,” said James Scott, Director of the Capri. “The Grand Opening comes at a time when the community needs a space to reconnect, reminisce, and rebuild after all the events of the last two years. The Capri holds great meaning and hope for this community, and we are honored to serve as a welcoming place for all.”

Built in 1927, the Capri is the last of 13 theaters that once graced the Northside of Minneapolis. Improvements include new auditorium seats, more space in the lobby and

thecapri.org

backstage, the new Paradise Community Hall and a Best Buy Teen Tech Center, among many other remarkable new amenities. Architects retained the intimate feel of the theater and the original stage floor on

Internet Essentials from Comcast Affordable, High-Speed Internet Internet Essentials givesyou access to affordable, high-speed Internet. You may qualify if you are eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP , SSI, and others.

$9.95 Per Month + Tax

No Contract

In-Home WiFi

No Credit Check

Limited Access to Xfinity WiFi Hotspots

No Installation Fee

Apply Now

InternetEssentials.com 1-855-8-INTERNET Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Limited to Internet Essentials service for new residential customers meeting certain eligibility criteria. Advertised price applies to a single outlet. Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Afte initial participation in the Internet Essentials program, if a customer is determined to be no longer eligible for the program and elects a different Xfinity Internet service, regular rates will apply to the selected Internet service. Subject to Internet Essentials program terms and conditions. WiFi Hotspots: Available in select locations. Requires compatible WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device. Limited to forty 60-minute sessions per 30-day period per person/ account. If session is terminated before 60 mins. remaining time expires. Unused time does not carry over to subsequent sessions or 30-day periods. Not responsiblefor lost data resultingfrom terminated Internet session or any other reason.

A maximum of upto 10 devices may be registered to a single Xfinity WiFi On Demand account. May not be combined with other offers. Call 1-855-846-837 6 for restrictions and complete details, or visit InternetEssentials.com. © 2019 Comcast. All rights reserved.

CIE_ConsumerAd_Pho_5.25x10.5.indd 1

When you’re connected, you’re ready for anything.

JD Simo & GA-20

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque

OCT 17

OCT 18

Josh Rouse

Max Weinberg’s Jukebox

Classic Electric Blues

New-Romantic Folk

Exhilarating Afro-Cuban Jazz

+MEET & GREET

Legendary E Street Band Drummer

OCT 20

OCT 21

Lori Dokken Presents: I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

2019 Austin Album of the Year

OCT 22

OCT 23

Spyro Gyra

Contemporary Jazz Icons

Jimmie Vaughan

OCT 24

OCT 26

Sierra Hull w/ Dead Horses

Grammy-nominated Americana

Harold López-Nussa: Timba a la Americana

OCT 28

NOV 1

Charles Lloyd Quartet w/ Gerald Clayton, Harish Raghavan & Eric Harland

Patty Peterson Presents: Memories— The Music of Barbra Streisand

NOV 2–3

NOV 5

Jazz Saxophone Titan

612.332.5299 dakotacooks.com

Bob Schneider

Blues Guitar Legend

Havana Pianist & Composer

1010 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN

3/3/20 6:00 PM

which Prince performed his first gig as a solo artist. The gallery of treasured Prince photos by Greg Helgeson is still on display as well.

The space was designed to provide the

Northside and metro-wide community with countless opportunities to experience and produce art, to create and implement ideas and to be together.

Page 8 •October October 4, 2021 - October 10, 2021 • Insight News

insightnews.com