Insight ::: 09.27.21

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

Insight News

September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 39• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

SEENA HODGES AT WALKER ART STORY ON PAGE

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Desireé Benton of the Dash Collective

Page 2 •September September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021 • Insight News

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Stepping up when it matters most Last year, we committed $1.25 billion over five years to build on our long-standing work in support of driving racial equality and economic opportunity. To date, we’ve directly funded or invested nearly $400 million of this commitment, in addition to other ways we continue to make an impact in our communities.

Our actions include: • $36 million to 21 Minority Deposit Institutions (MDIs) and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) banks that support minority-owned businesses. This is in addition to our approximately $100 million in deposits to MDIs and our existing $1.8 billion CDFI portfolio.

• $300 million to 100 equity funds to provide capital to diverse entrepreneurs and small business owners • $10 million grant to fund the Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE), in partnership with Spelman and Morehouse colleges • $25 million to 21 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and community colleges in support of job skilling and placement • Establishing new partnerships and coalitions focused on building skills and creating job opportunities for people of color • $60 million to increase access to capital and career opportunities for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) affordable housing developers • 33 million+ masks, more than 272,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and 8 million gloves to communities in need • $1.35 million in grants to support mental health initiatives for young people of color • $25 million founding partnership in the Smithsonian’s new initiative on race, Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past These are just some examples of how we’re working with community partners, business leaders, experts and academics across the public and private sectors to continue to drive progress.

At Bank of America, we call this a nice start.

Katie Simpson President, Bank of America Twin Cities

What would you like the power to do?® Go to bankofamerica.com/twincities to learn more.

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender

© 2021 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Insight News • September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021

Vol. 48 No. 39• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Initiative helps more immigrants become U.S. citizens

tcbmag.com

Seena Hodges

All Walker board officers are women

Seena Hodges elected Walker Art Center Board of Trustees President The Walker Art Center elected Seena Hodges President of its Board of Trustees at their annual meeting on September 13, 2021. Hodges is the first person of color to hold the position. The Walker also elected a new slate of officers, including Vice Presidents Karen Heithoff and D. Ellen Wilson, Treasurer Sarah Lynn Oquist, and Secretary Teresa Rasmussen. While women have held leadership positions throughout the Walker’s history, this is the first time that all of the officers are women. The board also approved a new five-year strategic plan at the meeting.

“Seena Hodges is exactly the right leader for the Walker in this moment as we embark on a new strategic plan that focuses on connecting the brilliant creativity of artists to the lived experiences of our audiences. I am looking forward to working with Seena

and the entire board to build a Walker that creates space for all and builds bridges between artists and cultural producers from around the world and our local communities,” said Mary Ceruti, Walker Art Center Executive Director.

“I have always been fascinated by how art, particularly contemporary art, connects us to others through its ability to simultaneously shift and broaden our understanding and perspectives. It allows us to engage with difference and see beyond it at the very same time,” Hodges said. “When you spend time in the Walker you can’t help but feel the passion, the tenacity, the fervor for experimentation and risk-taking.

I am honored to take on this role at this time when the Walker is starting a new chapter and looking forward to supporting this important institution and its contributions to our cities.”

Hodges joined the Walker board in 2017 after cochairing the museum’s annual gala, Avant Garden. As cochair in 2016, she initiated the BIPOC Artist Fund to ensure and encourage participation of BIPOC creatives in all aspects of the Walker. Since that time, the Walker has provided more than 400 yearlong memberships to local BIPOC artists, along with nearly 700 tickets to the annual benefit event. During her tenure on the Walker board, Hodges has served on the Executive Search Committee, the Racial Equity Committee, and the Executive Committee and has chaired the Individual Gifts and the Governance and Nominating Committees.

Hodges says she is a connector who loves people and is passionate about art, equity, intersectional feminism, and access to brave spaces for all.

She founded the Woke Coach®

in 2018, through which she and her team engage with clients to facilitate conversations and complete projects that embody equity, diversity, inclusion, antiracism, and empowerment.

Hodges graduated from Columbia College (Columbia, SC) and earned her master’s degree in Theatre Management & Producing at Columbia University, New York. She has worked in both the commercial and nonprofit theater industry as a producer, marketing director, publicist, and development director.

Hodges began her career at the Columbia Urban League—a nonprofit organization committed to issues of social justice. Prior to starting the Woke Coach, she worked in various capacities for the Guthrie Theater, Theater Latté Da, Mixed Blood Theatre

HODGES 4

Working, growing at North Memorial Health

By Brenda Lyle-Gray

Twitter

Top left to right: Al Mcfarlane and Caprice Overstreet Bottom left to right: Brenda Lyle-Gray and Shauntel Burzynski residing in North Minneapolis, were always a part of her being.

Tamisha Overstreet, her sister, was her biggest fan. But it has been the caring and professional leadership at North Memorial that has helped her grow in a variety of supervisory positions for the past 20 years. Today, she supervises the North Memorial Welcome Center.

“I appreciate every

day I can make a positive impact on community members visiting the hospital. But I must admit,” said Overstreet, “that COVID19 has taken its toll on more than just our customers. There has been a huge impact on our daily work. It’s stressful and it’s hard.

We have families, too. But in our various roles, we have learned to lead with empathy because our leaders have been the teachers

News

Local air quality experts share top 5 tips to fight fall allergies in the home

PAGE 5

and the role models. We want North Minneapolis residents to know that many of our staff associates have been where they are when they come to us. We understand. It wasn’t and isn’t easy, but we survived and many of us are thriving. We’re able to build our professional portfolio by growing and elevating in

NMH 4

melvincarter.org

Mayor Melvin Carter

representative democracy, and immigrants play a very important part in that process and in our communities,” said Lilian Coral, Knight ’s director for national strategy and technology innovation. “It has been a difficult few years for immigrants, but the New Americans Campaign provides new, promising opportunities for legal permanent residents.

We’re thrilled to continue supporting the network as it uses innovative services to expand naturalization efforts and build more engaged communities, which is a core Knight mission. The Campaign helps these aspiring Americans to be a part of civic life.”

IMMIGRANTS 5

The injustices of that era sent Dr. King, John Lewis, and many others into the streets in the 1960s. Those efforts resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and a plethora of legislation known collectively as the Great Society programs.

Protecting our democracy’s most fundamental right – The right to vote

By U.S. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC)

Columnist

In 1972, author Leo Buscaglia wrote in his book entitled “Love” that leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives. Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?

Caprice Overstreet was 12 years old when her mother, siblings, and she moved from Chicago to Minneapolis.

She attended Roosevelt High School and later became a teen mom. While on Google one day in search of job possibilities, Overstreet came upon an opening at North Memorial.

Raised by her late older sister whose authentic love inspired, supported, and challenged her, failure to succeed simply wasn’t an option. Exceptional leadership skills and a love and compassion for the well-being of people, especially those

St. Paul immigration organizations and legal service providers will expand efforts to help immigrants become United States citizens, with the help of a $1.5 million investment from the Knight Foundation, Mayor Melvin Carter said last week.

The $1.5 million commitment is part of Knight’s support for the New Americans Campaign, a national network that helps aspiring citizens navigate the naturalization process. In addition to St. Paul, the funds will assist organizations in Akron, Charlotte, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, and San Jose — all cities where Knight works to promote civic engagement of diverse, interconnected communities.

Founded in 2011 with Knight support, the New Americans Campaign works with community organizations to ensure that eligible green card holders are able to become naturalized citizens.

To date, the initiative has helped more than 500,000 eligible permanent residents become naturalized. A goal of Knight’s latest investment is to achieve at least 8,500 new naturalization applications per year in Akron, Charlotte, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, San Jose and St. Paul.

“Civic engagement is the bedrock of our

Last month, we marked the 58th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech before a quarter of a million people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial. We all know the soaring oratory that Dr. King used to convey his dream of equity and racial harmony.

But it was another part of that speech which brought marchers to Washington last month.

Dr. King closed that speech focusing on the darker, more sinister forces that were at work then and seem to be regaining prevalence today. He called out the segregationists with their “lips dripping with nullification and interposition” to prohibit Blacks from gaining equal treatment and voting rights. While today’s language has changed, the intent remains the same. It is disheartening to witness.

It was South Carolinian John C. Calhoun,

who my home state continues to celebrate with his statute in the U.S. Capitol, who popularized the notion that southern states could use interposition and nullification to disregard federal laws and Supreme Court decisions that did not comport to their way of thinking. Those that adhered to his philosophy fought and lost a war. That loss ushered in the Reconstruction era, and the political pendulum swung in favor of Black political participation and equitable treatment. But 12 years later, the pendulum swung back, ushering in the era of Jim Crow which lasted for nearly a century.

The injustices of that era sent Dr. King, John Lewis, and many others into the streets in the 1960s. Those efforts resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and a plethora of legislation known collectively as the Great Society programs. We succeeded in moving the pendulum back to the left. Now, some 50 years later, forces in the country are pushing the pendulum back to the right. Although

CLYBURN 5

I2H

Nurses are leaving the profession, and replacing them won’t be easy

PAGE 6

Page 4 •September September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021 • Insight News

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$25,000 to South High School and $25,000 to the Lake Street Council

Burlington opens South Minneapolis store, donates $50,000 Burlington Stores delivered on its commitment to the Minneapolis community with its 10th Minnesota location, which will not only provide area residents with jobs and merchandise values, but will help to support area students, teachers, and small business owners with an opportunity to further restore and rebuild in the aftermath of the George Floyd Murder last year.

Burlington presented $25,000 to nearby South High School teachers and students through the retailers’ partnership with Minneapolis-based national non-profit organization, AdoptAClassroom. org. The funding will be used by South High School teachers to purchase classroom materials needed for their students to learn and succeed.

“We are proud to open our newest location in Minneapolis, offering customer’s great

Hodges From 3 Company, Pillsbury House Theatre, and Artistry MN. She was most recently Associate Vice President of Strategy and Communications at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Community Foundations (now Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation).

Hodges is a member of the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums (BTA), an organization created to increase the inclusion of Black perspectives and narratives in North American art museums.

Hodges is currently writing her first book, From Ally to Accomplice: How to Lead as a Fierce Antiracist, to be released in early 2022.

Hodges replaces

NMH From 3 our diverse fields of endeavor.

We’re able to work toward a

burlington.com

and well-being of customers and associates. Burlington says it will continue to follow safety practices and cleaning measures in alignment with CDC guidelines.

Burlington Stores, Inc., headquartered in New Jersey, is a nationally recognized off-price retailer with Fiscal 2020 net sales of $5.8 billion.

The Company is a Fortune 500 company and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “BURL.” The Company operated 792 stores as of the end of the second quarter of Fiscal 2021, in 45 states and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores. The Company’s stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers’ prices, including women’s ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beau-

ty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. For more information about the Company, visit www.burlington.com.

AdoptAClassroom. org supports getting children the tools and materials they need to learn and succeed in school. The national, tech-based nonprofit connects donors and sponsors with PreK-12 teachers and schools to help equip more classrooms and students with school supplies. Since 1998, AdoptAClassroom.org has raised $57 million and supported more than 5.8 million students across the U.S. The 501(c) (3) holds the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the highest transparency rating offered by GuideStar. For more information, or to make a donation, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org.

values on brand name merchandise for the entire family and home,” said Michael O’Sullivan, CEO, Burlington Stores. “We have all witnessed this city’s great resiliency and hope to be able to provide opportunities for area residents to continue to heal and rebuild through our partnerships with two locally based charitable organizations. We

look forward to furthering our commitment as we become part of the fabric of the community.”

This location has hired approximately 65 new associates, with more positions available. Interested candidates can learn more about joining the team at www.BurlingtonStores.jobs.

Burlington Stores’ offeres a year-round layaway pro-

gram allowing customers can place items on layaway at checkout, come back to pay for it later.

Burlington’s new location features an updated, clean design making it easy for customers to navigate and find merchandise throughout the store while enjoying a safe shopping experience. The retailer says its top priority remains the safety

John Christakos, Founder and CEO of Blu Dot, who served as President for three years.

Christakos will remain on the board and will continue to serve on the Executive Committee.

and the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival.

D. Ellen Wilson – Ellen Wilson serves as Executive Vice President in the Office of the Chief Executive, UnitedHealth Group, focusing on strategic enterprise initiatives.

Previously, Wilson served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, UnitedHealth Group, where she oversaw all aspects of human resources from June 2013 until November 2019. Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, she served for 17 years at Fidelity Investments, concluding her tenure there as head of Human Resources. Wilson earned a bachelor of science in business administration from Bryant University and a master’s degree in business administration from Babson College. She currently serves on the boards of the Walker Art Center, Boston Ballet, and Bryant University.

Treasurer – Sarah Lynn Oquist Sarah Oquist is a national speaker, corporate attorney, executive coach, and business consultant. She currently serves on the board of directors of six companies and teaches business law at Mitchell Hamline Law School in St. Paul.

She started her legal/business career more than 20 years ago, first as a finance lawyer at Faegre, then as primary international lawyer for U.S. Bank, then CEO of a quarter-billion dollar hospitality conglomerate, and most recently cofounder/COO for a local commercial litigation law firm. For the past 15 years, Oquist has served on various company board of directors and numerous board committees as well as in board officer positions and committee chair roles. She is also a Corporate Governance Fellow as certified through the National Association

of Corporate Directors for demonstrating her commitment to exemplary corporate governance. Passionate about equipping leaders to transform their corporate environments for positive, sustainable growth, Oquist is most often asked to speak on topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion; leadership and success; and corporate governance.

Secretary – Teresa “Terry” Rasmussen Teresa Rasmussen is President of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the country’s largest fraternal benefit society.

Formerly she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Before joining Thrivent in 2005, Rasmussen served in progressively responsible legal positions with American Express and Ameriprise Financial. She began her legal career in 1984 as part of the US Attorney General’s

honors program, where she was a trial attorney in the tax division of the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC. She received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Minnesota State UniversityMoorhead. After passing the CPA exam, Rasmussen earned her juris doctorate degree from the University of North Dakota.

She is a member of the bar in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado. Rasmussen married Jon Trangsrud in 1983. She has also served on the boards of American Fraternal Alliance, the trade association for fraternal benefit societies; MacPhail Center for Music; Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota; Association of Life Insurance Counsel; Lutheran Community Foundation; Americas Board of the International Cooperative; and the Mutual Insurance Federation.

our good days and concerns,” Overstreet said. “We are family.

No matter the role, everyone is important. The leaders at North Memorial Health take time to care. Employees still take time to say, Hello.”

North Memorial Health remains committed to serving, creating opportunities, and providing quality health care for deserving customers.

As in most organizations and institutions, success in such an unpredictable global environment requires wellresearched, evidence based, and innovative marketing techniques attributing to the institution’s expansion. There’s a history of professionalism and a consistent attitude of involvement that distinguishes North Memorial’s vision and mission.

Shauntel Burzynski, a human resources professional in North Memorial’s talent acquisition team is passionate about finding the right person for the right position. She is

an advocate for finding the best candidates, even when the selection pool is not very dense. Burzynski says she refuses to give up on finding the right person for the right role to support team members who care about other people.

“I think a lot of our organization’s success and caring ambiance has to do with integrity, pulling that curtain back, introducing ourselves, and beginning that important conversation. ‘What’s on your mind right now? How can we begin this process of healing and change our attitude about taking care of your health?’ But it’s also about transparency, kindness, teamwork, compromise, respect, empathy, and communication among leaders and team

members,” Burzynski said.

“I believe NMH leadership’s system of reaching out to team leaders and staff is what makes the ship float. We receive regular communications pieces from management that keeps us informed as to what is happening at the administrative level. If we have questions, the top brass is always open to address them. If they don’t know the answer and they think it’s important to find out, they will research and find the answer,” Burzynski said. “I’ve only been in Minneapolis since November of 2020, and it’s been a pleasure and an honor to work at North Memorial Health. I feel comfortable coming to work and knowing that someone will always have my back and appreciate my dedication and work.”

Burzynski says her role at NMH is about “training, clarifying, and empowering.”

She might ask a candidate, “What are you really interested in doing with the rest of your life? How can I get you to where you want to be? What are the first steps? What do you need to learn?”

She said there is a range of opportunities for gainful employment and support for continued education, training, and climbing the career ladder.

Employment opportunities include:  Healthcare professionals and medical tecnicians  Environmental Health (Housekeeping)  Dietary Aides  Ambulances Drivers  Clerical  IT  Finance North Memorial has some remote positions in customer service.

Potential representatives must complete 3 to 4 weeks of on-site training.

Ambulance drivers often progress to being an EMT or a paramedic, they can drive while working towards their credentials for the advanced positions. Some have completed their studies and training in 6 months.

North Memorial looks for people for whom English is a second language, providing opportunities to start out at an entry level positions and have the chance to practice speaking and writing English. Burzynsko said if a candidate applies for a position that is not a good fit for now, it could be a good fit later with research and training.

North Memorial supports continued education and career growth and offers tuition reimbursement programs.

For more information on career opportunities at North Memorial Health: www.northmemorial. com/careers (763) 581-6947

Newly Appointed Walker Board Officers Vice Presidents – Karen Heithoff & D. Ellen Wilson Karen Heithoff – For 20 years, arts advocate Karen Heithoff was the owner of the fashion design store Intoto, located in Uptown Minneapolis.

She is actively involved with the GO Project in New York and has supported the Telluride Film Festival for many years.

Heithoff and her husband, Ken, have also been avid collectors of contemporary art for more than 25 years. In addition to the Walker Art Center, Heifhoff currently serves on the boards of Midway Contemporary Art

career that makes sense!”

“I love it when the Chief Administrative Officer, Sam Hansen, has her monthly fireside chats - informal conversations where we hear what’s on her mind and we share

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

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Insight News • September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021 • Page 5

Minnesota American Legion to launch fastpitch softball for girls Minnesota American Legion Commander Tom Fernlund last week announced that the Minnesota American Legion would offer fastpitch softball for girls in 2022.

Stationed in West Germany in the late 1980s, Fernlund played softball around Europe on an Air Force touring team. These days, Fernlund works for a granite company in St. Cloud.

“Fastpitch softball is near and dear to my heart,” he said. “It will be an opportunity to provide an activity for young

women in the summer, a time when many communities have baseball for the boys but nothing for the girls.”

At its Aug. 7 meeting at Royalton Post 137, the Department of Minnesota Executive Committee approved launching a fastpitch softball committee. The new director of the program is Mike Arvidson, 37, a member of the Sons of The American Legio, Parkers Prairie, where he is deeply in involved in officiating and coaching sports. He owns part of a school bus company,

drives a school bus and is a special education teacher.

Arvidson, who championed the softball effort, had been on the Minnesota American Legion Baseball Committee since 2016. He is taking one year away from it to focus on launching the softball program.

His experience with what makes the baseball program successful — it is the largest Legion Baseball program in the country — will be useful to launch the softball committee.

“It is my hope that Legion Softball in Minnesota

becomes as big as Legion Baseball,” Arvidson said.

Minnesota is following in the footsteps of the North Carolina American Legion, which fielded a softball program starting in 2018. It had 11 teams its first year and now is beyond 50. A handful of other states sought to launch American Legion softball programs in 2020, but efforts were stalled by the pandemic.

Registration for Minnesota American Legion Fastpitch Softball will open after Jan. 1.

WJON

Local air quality experts share top 5 tips to fight fall allergies in the home

pollen.com

stockvault

Ragweed Although we typically associate allergy season with the spring, for many allergy sufferers, the fall can be just as bad. Ragweed and mold are the biggest triggers of allergies this time of year.

We are approaching the peak of fall allergy season, as pollen and mold spores are reaching extreme levels and rapidly spreading outside.

Symptoms of fall allergies may include itchy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, headaches, ear itching or popping, and throat irritation.

Children who have been forced to spend a lot of

Immigrants From 3 “There are nearly nine million permanent residents living in the United States who contribute so much to our country but don’t enjoy full participation in our democracy,” said Lucia Martel Dow, Director of the New Americans Campaign.

Clyburn From 3 nullification and interposition are no longer prominent in our political lexicon, the terms have since been rebranded into the more familiar term known as states’ rights.

Nine years ago, the Supreme Court gutted the pre-clearance protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. That has led to a proliferation of states imposing voter suppression laws. This year, 49 states have introduced bills

Pollen

time indoors over the past year and a half may have stronger allergic reactions due to limited exposure to outdoor elements.

Ragweed

 Ragweed is the most comment fall allergen.  Its pollen is very small and highly concentrated.

It begins to release in late August, peaks in September, and may last until the first freeze kills the plant.  Pollen counts are highest around the plants near dawn, but they can travel hundreds of miles and releases in most other areas between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

 About 75 percent of people allergic to spring plants also have reactions to ragweed.

Outdoor Mold  Mold spore counts tend to rise dramatically in the autumn season with falling leaves and dying plants.  Mold thrives in moist conditions like piles of damp leaves.

Counts often jump in early autumn as leaves fall from trees but before the drier humidity conditions of winter set in. Rainy autumn and winter seasons may lead to very high outdoor mold counts that can last several days after each rainfall.

“Becoming a citizen gives people a powerful voice: power to vote and power to run for office. The New Americans Campaign educates immigrants about the process of becoming a citizen and is the first step in helping people gain the voice and power denied to non-citizens.”

The New Americans Campaign collaborates with community organizations throughout the country. In addition to Knight, other

national supporters of the network include the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Grove Foundation, the JPB Foundation and Open Society Foundations, as well as state and local funders in NAC sites across the country. For more on the initiatives and services the Campaign provides, visit newamericanscampaign. org.

making it harder to vote. These bills have been enacted into law in 19 states, with two states of the old Confederacy, Georgia and Texas, leading the way with particularly egregious measures.

That is why the Senate must join the House in passing H.R. 1, the For the People Act, and H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These two pieces of legislation are essential to restoring federal oversight of voting. These legislative efforts are being held hostage by the Senate’s filibuster rules, a tradition that has been the preferred method of denying civil and voting rights to minorities.

I have argued that a

carve out should be made to the filibuster for constitutionally protected rights, like voting.

The Senate already allows a carve out that allows the budget to pass with a simple majority to protect the full faith and credit of the United States. The most fundamental foundation of our democracy is the right to vote, and it should also receive the same consideration.

For some time now I have been calling on the Senate to pass these voter protection measures and stop the political forces who seem determined to reverse the progress made toward realizing Dr. King’s dream and the nation’s pursuit of “a more perfect Union.”

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



Gardening in mulch or dirt, farming or hiking in the woods can also increase exposure to mold spores this time of year.

Many times, people unknowingly bring these allergens into their homes, making the effects worse for everyone else in the family.

Top 5 Tips to Keep Your Home Allergy-Free This Fall The First Heat - Dust mites, mold and other allergens in a home’s vents can be activated when people turn on the heat the first time in the fall.

Before running the heat, get your air ducts cleaned and change the filter. The National Air Duct

Cleaners Association (NADCA) suggests cleaning air ducts every 3-5 years. It is recommended to use filters with a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating between 8 and 10 and a thickness of one inch.

Keep the Outdoors Out – When coming inside, it is important to remove shoes and wipe down pets to avoid tracking in allergens. Wear a mask when raking leaves to avoid breathing mold spores and change clothes after doing yard work to prevent the spread of pollen around the house.

Limit your pets’ time outside and wipe them down to remove

pollen when they come indoors.

Purify the Air – Most air purifiers have HEPA filters that remove up to 99 percent of airborne allergens, including pollen, dust and pet dander and mold spores.

A mid-priced model can cost $50-125, for a room-sized system. Place it in your bedroom, where you spend most of your time and can result in better sleep as well.

Close the windows – Although it may be tempting to open the window to let in some cool, “fresh” fall air, you are also inviting allergens into your home. Pollen counts are typically the highest in the midmorning through late afternoon.

Halt the Humidity – Growth of mold indoors comes in damp areas such as basements and bathrooms. Use a dehumidifier in to keep these areas dry and the humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent.

Mold grows best at humidity levels of 60 percent or higher.

This is a timely, informative, and highly visual story which will resonate with your audience. I will be happy to set up an interview with an indoor air quality expert in your area. Just let me know what date and time works best for you.

Page 6 •September September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021 • Insight News

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Insight 2 Health

Nurses are leaving the profession, and replacing them won’t be easy

By Rayna M Letourneau Assistant Professor of Nursing, University of South Florida The fourth wave of COVID-19 is exacerbating the ongoing crisis for the nursing workforce and has led to burnout for many nurses. As a result, many are quitting their jobs in substantial numbers all across the country, with 62% of hospitals reporting a nurse vacancy rate higher than 7.5%, according to a 2021 NSI Nursing Solutions report.

But the global pandemic has only worsened problems that have long existed within the nursing profession – in particular, widespread stress and burnout, health and safety issues, depression and work-related posttraumatic stress disorder, and even increased risk of suicide.

In addition, nurses need to contend with growing workloads and inadequate staffing, or not having the right number of nurses on the right units to ensure that patients receive safe quality care. Mandatory overtime is another challenge and occurs when nurses must work extra hours beyond their shift because of staffing shortages. All of these issues can lead to low job satisfaction among nurses and are likely to contribute to nurses’ leaving the profession, a trend that began well before the current pandemic struck.

Despite more awareness of the challenges nurses currently face, nurse staffing and its impact on patient safety have been studied for more than 20 years. My role as a nurse researcher and assistant professor at the University of South Florida is to evaluate the needs of the nursing workforce and design and implement

Morsa Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Hospitals cannot open beds if there are no nurses to staff them. programs

to address them.

Here’s why the pandemic has made the nursing shortage even worse, and why I think health care leaders need to make bold changes to address the well-being of nurses – for the sake of nurses and patient care in our country.

Disruptions in health care delivery Nurses, like many health care workers, are physically and emotionally exhausted after working in what has been described as a “war zone” for the better part of the past year and a half. One nurse on the front lines reported irreversible damage from the trauma of caring for extremely sick patients. Others are experiencing shortages of oxygen, equipment and other needed supplies to keep themselves safe and to keep their patients alive.

As more nurses leave

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Focus on nurses’ well-being For the past 18 years, nursing has been identified as the most trusted profession.

Nurses are caregivers, role models, educators, mentors and advocates and have a direct impact on the health and well-being of patients. The health of the nation’s nursing workforce is fundamental to our health care industry.

As identified by a 2021 National Academy of Medicine report,

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may lure nurses away from permanent positions and in turn increase the staffing deficit for hospitals. The average salary for a travel nurse in the U.S. is $2,003 per week, with $13,750 in overtime per year.

Some nurses even accept “crisis assignments,” which can pay as much as $10,000 per week.

That is significantly higher than the average of $1,450 per week ($36.22 per hour) for a staff nurse.

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How some hospitals are addressing the shortage Hospitals are desper-

ate to fill nursing vacancies.

One hospital system in South Dakota is offering incentives as large as US$40,000 sign-on bonuses to recruit nurses to work in the clinical areas that are in most need. This may be a great attempt to draw nurses to an institution, but sign-on bonuses and incentives might not be enough to persuade some nurses to work at the bedside and continue contending with the current workload of the pandemic.

Another strategy to fill vacancies is the use of travel nurses. Travel nurses work for agencies that assign them to hospitals that cannot fill vacancies with their own staff. Although this can be a successful short-term solution, the use of travel nurses is not sustainable over time and it does not help retain experienced staff nurses in an organization. Travel nurses make significantly more money than staff nurses, which

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the workforce, patient care will no doubt suffer. Research has shown a relationship between nurse staffing ratios and patient safety. Increased workload and stress can put nurses in situations that are more likely to lead to medical errors. Lower nurse staffing and higher patient loads per nurse are associated with an increased risk for patients of dying in the hospital.

Because hospitals cannot open beds if there are no nurses to staff them, some hospitals are being forced to shut down emergency rooms and turn away patients in need of medical care. That is a problem for not only hospitals in large cities; rural hospitals are also struggling.

Alarmingly, some hospitals are considering the need to potentially ration medical care.

nurse well-being and resilience are needed to ensure the delivery of high-quality care and to improve the health of the nation.

Research demonstrates that people with higher levels of well-being have lower levels of burnout and perform better at work.

Therefore, some hospitals and unions are offering resources and programs to nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic that seek to reduce stress, promote resiliency and increase well-being. We have yet to see the long-term effectiveness of these programs on the health and wellness of nurses.

While nurses are responsible for prioritizing selfcare, health care organizations are responsible for creating a workplace environment in which nurses can flourish. Nurses report fewer medical errors when their well-being is supported by their organizations and they are in better physical and mental health.| The long-term solution to the nursing shortage calls for systematic changes that value nurses and offer them a safe place to work.

Examples include implementing appropriate salaries and flexible schedules, ensuring adequate nurse staffing, and creating jobs that allow aging nurses to continue working in direct patient care roles so they can remain in the workforce longer instead of retiring. The pandemic has made more people aware of the distressing conditions many nurses work in. But without systematic changes, the drain of nurses out of the profession – and its negative impact on patient care – will only continue.

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

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Thousands of the satellites orbiting Earth are small – like this cubical satellite seen here being released from the International Space Station.

How many satellites are orbiting Earth?

By Supriya Chakrabarti Professor of Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell It seems like every week, another rocket is launched into space carrying rovers to Mars, tourists or, most commonly, satellites.

The idea that “space is getting crowded” has been around for a few years now, but just how crowded is it? And how crowded is it going to get?

I am a professor of physics and director of the Center for Space Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

Many satellites that were put into orbit have gone dead and burned up in the atmosphere, but thousands remain. Groups that track satellite launches don’t always report the same exact

numbers, but the overall trend is clear – and astounding.

Since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik – the first human-made satellite – in 1957, humanity has steadily been putting more and more objects into orbit every year.

Over the the second half of the 20th century, there was a slow but steady growth, with roughly 60 to 100 satellites launched yearly until the early 2010s.

But since then, the pace has been increasing dramatically.

By 2020, 114 launches carried around 1,300 satellites to space, surpassing the 1,000 new satellites per year mark for the first time. But no year in the past compares to 2021. As of Sept.

16, roughly 1,400 new satellites have already begun circling the Earth, and that will only increase as the year goes on. Just this week, SpaceX deployed another 51 Starlink satellites into orbit

Small satellites, easy access to orbit There are two main reasons for this exponential growth. First, it has never been easier to get a satellite into space. For example, on Aug. 29, 2021, a SpaceX rocket carried several satellites – including one built by my students – to the International Space Station. On Oct. 11, 2021, these satellites will deploy into orbit, and the number of satellites will increase again.

The second reason is that rockets can carry more satellites more easily – and cheaply – than ever before. This increase isn’t due to rockets getting more powerful. Rather, satellites have gotten smaller thanks to the electronics revolution. The vast majority – 94% – of all spacecraft launched in 2020 were smallsats – satellites that weigh less than around

1,320 pounds (600 kilograms).

The majority of these satellites are used for observing Earth or for communications and internet. With a goal of bringing the internet to underserved areas of the globe, two private companies, Starlink by SpaceX and OneWeb together launched almost 1,000 smallsats in 2020 alone. They are each planning to launch more than 40,000 satellites in the coming years to create what are called “mega-constellations” in low-Earth orbit.

Several other companies are eyeing this US$1 trillion market, most notably Amazon with its Project Kuiper .

A crowded sky With the huge growth in satellites, fears of a crowded sky are starting to come true.

A day after SpaceX launched

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its first 60 Starlink satellites, astronomers began to see them blocking out the stars.

While the impact on visible astronomy is easy to understand, radio astronomers fear they may lose 70% sensitivity in certain frequencies due to interference from satellite megaconstellations like Starlink.

Experts have been studying and discussing the potential problems posed by these constellations and ways the satellite companies could address them . These include reducing the number and brightness of satellites, sharing their location and supporting better imageprocessing software.

As low-Earth orbit gets crowded, concern about space debris increases, as does a real possibility of collisions.

Future trends

Less than 10 years ago, the democratization of space was a goal yet to be realized.

Now, with student projects on the Space Station and more than 105 countries having at least one satellite in space, one could argue that that goal is within reach.

Every disruptive technological advancement requires updates to the rules – or the creation of new ones. SpaceX has tested ways to lower the impact of Starlink constellations, and Amazon has disclosed plans to de-orbit their satellites within 355 days after mission completion. These and other actions by different stakeholders make me hopeful that commerce, science and human endeavors will find sustainable solutions to this potential crisis.

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

Page 8 •September September 27, 2021 - October 3, 2021 • Insight News

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