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Insight News

September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020

Vol. 47 No. 36• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

ACTOR CHADWICK BOSEMAN DIES

HEROIC

MORE ON PAGE 3

Page 2 • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Insight News

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Taking action on our commitment to The Twin Cities We know we must do more to address the very real consequences of systemic racism that exist in society today. The impact is clear for communities across the country, including where our teammates live and serve our clients.

To drive progress, Bank of America has committed to invest $1 billion over four years to advance racial equality and economic opportunity, building on work we’ve had underway for many years.

We’re partnering with community and corporate leaders to create sustainable change. Our actions will help address critical issues and long-term gaps that have only been widened by the coronavirus and amplified by the most recent acts of injustice. Our efforts include: •

connecting workers to new skills and enhanced job readiness

•

increasing medical response capacity and access to health care and nutritious food

•

powering small businesses owned by people of color through access to capital

•

helping people find a place to call home

My teammates and I here in The Twin Cities are committed to doing more, and doing more now.

Katie Simpson The Twin Cities Market President

Working together Here in The Twin Cities, we are proud to already partner with local organizations to advance racial equality and economic opportunity, including: EMERGE MEDA Project for Pride in Living

To learn more, please visit bankofamerica.com/community.

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

© 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Insight News • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE

Insight News September 7 2020 - September 13, 2020

Vol. 47 No. 36• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Do you understand NOW!!??!!??

Athletes protest

photo/House Photography file photo

The aftermath of civil unrest and looting in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood, pictured in June. A House energy panel on Thursday considered a plan to promote energy efficient technologies in rebuilt buildings.

Time magazine

Rep. Fue Lee (DFL-Mpls)

More than $40 million sought for energy efficiency as part of rebuild following civil unrest

By Mike Cook, MN Session Daily Reconstruction assistance in parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul damaged or destroyed by civil unrest could be available to make the area more energy efficient.

An idea proffered

by Rep. Fue Lee (DFL-Mpls) would establish the Rebuild Right Grant Program in the Commerce Department to promote qualified energy technologies in rebuilt buildings and low-income households.

“We’re facing an issue of equity where these communities impacted by the civil unrest have not traditionally been able to tap into some of these energy efficiency programs and some of these renewables,” Lee told the House Energy and Climate

Finance and Policy Division at an informational hearing Thursday. “… These businesses are from communities of color, Indigenous communities.”

The bill does not ask for a specific appropriation; however, Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley the plan would use $45 million of the estimated $55 million in the state’s renewable development account in fiscal year 2021.

The account is a pot of state money that Xcel Energy pays into for nuclear waste storage at its Prairie Island and Monticello plants. For each waste cask used, Xcel gives the state between $350,000 and $500,000 annually. The fund is earmarked for grants for the development of renewable energy sources in Minnesota.

Lee’s idea calls for 75% of funding to go to the grant program and 25% to supplement

federal weatherization activities for eligible residential dwelling units located in areas damaged or destroyed by the civil unrest.

Money used for energy conservation and renewable energy systems could cover the difference between renovating or constructing a building’s energy system to meet current code and meeting the more stringent Sustainable Building 2030 energy performance standards.

The awarding of grants would be a two-step program: the Commerce Department would make grants to private organizations, which would then make grants to specific building owners.

Priorities would be established for applicants who commit to conducting aggressive outreach programs, commit to employing contractors that pay the prevailing wage and

leverage funding.

additional

outside

A 12-member task force would be created to aid the process and present recommendations. An annual report would be due to the Legislature beginning Jan. 15, 2021.

Rick Evans, director of regional government affairs at Xcel Energy, said the company has some concerns, including more criteria is needed for project selection; nothing would prohibit multiple Xcel Energy or public programs being used for the same project, thereby potentially reducing the number of businesses that could be helped financially; and the need for more public accountability.

“If the money is to be granted to these grantees in advance of the actual projects

CIVIL UNREST 4

Howard U grad, brought historical, mythical heroes to the big screen

Boseman’s Black Panther shattered box office records

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor At only age 43, Chadwick Boseman appeared to be the beginning of an acting career that was almost certain to eclipse many others. Boseman played several legendary figures in Black history including Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall.

But late on August 28, news that Chadwick Boseman had passed away from colon cancer was a shock to many.

Boseman’s death is one of a number in 2020 that mark a year overloaded in surprising news and shocking benchmarks.

Boseman passed away on the anniversary of so many historic moments in African American history. August 28 is the anniversary Jackie Robinson discussed his future in the big leagues with Branch Rickey in 1945. August 28th is also the anniversary of the March on Washington in 1963.

So far in 2020, John Lewis, Joseph Lowery, Earl Graves, Bill Withers and C.T. Vivian have passed away. But the death of Boseman was a particular shock because of his age and the anticipation that he was destined to be one of the greatest actors of his generation.

In what may be his most famous role, Boseman played King T’Challa in Black Panther. The film shattered box office records in Feb. 2018 and grossed over $1.3 billion

photo/ Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa in Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther.’ ©Marvel Studios_Walt Disney Cot

In what may be his most famous role, Boseman played King T’Challa in Black Panther. The film shattered box office records in Feb. 2018 and grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide. Praise for his work has flooded in on social media. worldwide. Praise for his work has flooded in on social media.

“You never truly know what the people around you might be going through – treat them with kindness and cherish every minute you have together. RIP,” wrote actress Halle Berry.

“Chadwick… … no words to express my devastation of losing you. Your talent, your spirit, your heart, your authenticity… …It was an honor working beside you, getting to know you… …Rest well prince…May flights of angels sing thee to thy heavenly rest. I love you!” actress Viola Davis wrote.

“We are devastated by the tragic loss of Chadwick

Boseman. His transcendent performance in “42” will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come,” a message read from the twitter account of Major League Baseball.

“Such a brutal loss.

RIP, Chadwick,” wrote actor Ryan Reynolds on social media.

“The true power of Chadwick Boseman was bigger than anything we saw on screen.

From the Black Panther to Jackie Robinson, he inspired generations and showed them they can be anything they want — even superheroes. Jill and I are praying for his loved ones at this difficult time,” wrote former Vice President Joe Biden who

News

‘Friendship Way’ equals a strong foundation for the future

PAGE 5

is the Democratic nominee for President.

Boseman graduated from Howard University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in directing.

Bozeman’s last two films were 21 Bridges (2019) and Da 5 Bloods (2020). The actor was born in Anderson, South Carolina. Boseman is survived by his wife Taylor Simone Ledward.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist for NNPA and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is also a political strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Kaepernick on Time magazine cover

Davion Moore Staff Writer On Aug.14, 2016, quarterback Colin Kaepernick did something that went unnoticed. Before the beginning of a preseason game, Kaepernick sat down during the national anthem. The action went unnoticed, as Kaepernick wasn’t in uniform.

Two weeks later, people noticed the protest, and Kaepernick addressed the media about his decision.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other

way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Kaepernick said.

Kaepernick changed his protest after a conversation with Nate Boyer, a former long snapper, and a Green Beret suggested that Kaepernick kneel instead. Boyer was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 as a long snapper. He noticed Kaepernick sitting down during the anthem, wrote him a letter, and the two players met.

On September 1, 2016, Kaepernick kneeled for the first time during the final preseason game.

Fast forward to today, and a lot has happened

PROTEST 4

A Toast to C.K.

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist It was September 29th, 2018. I had been invited to join a couple friends at this monthly ‘think tank’ they had been raving about. A multi-million-dollar mansion nestled at the top of a Sandia NM foothill overlooked two cities fifty miles apart. It was a different world . . . one I could only visit as a guest and for a couple hours. The interesting mix of individuals who had already assembled when we arrived were mostly gracious and hospitable.

The host, a handsome and fascinating scientific guru, was even more cordial. I would later learn that my unexpected presence had truly added a whole new dimension to the normal agenda.

I was the outsider who just so happened to have been Black.

The gathering of very brilliant, successful, deep thinking, and classy folks devouring plates of

Colin Kaepernick vegetarian cuisine and multiple glasses of expensive red wine became quite curious after my personal introduction.

The regular agenda during coffee and dessert was for a selected member of the group to read the topic setting the tone for the discussion for the evening. It would be taken from either a newspaper or magazine article; a passage from literature; or a

KAEPERNICK 4

SERENITY SHEIF We Have Got to Stop!

By Brenda Lyle-Gray Columnist The gunshots rang out in the darkness of the night. Said one neighbor, “It happens every night and especially on the weekends. Monday, the 24rd of August was like all the rest.

Sirens blared, red and blue lights flashed, and anguished cries are heard at a distance. A 17-yearold young mother – Serenity Shief - was the victim of the gunfire the neighbors heard.

Sadly, her brother had been taken away by street violence as

well. Just think what the family must be going through, and the kind of life Serenity’s young son will have with few memories of his mother.

When the police arrived at 23rd and North James, they found no body. No one spoke or offered the officers any information. A car had just pulled out of the gathering crowd carrying Serenity’s body. She was dropped off at the North Memorial Health emergency room.

She had already transitioned.

“She was trying to

SERENITY 5

I2H

Study demonstrates the effectiveness of menthol tobacco restrictions in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Falcon Heights

PAGE 6

Page 4 • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Insight News

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Legendary Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson dies Coach John Robert Thompson Jr. has died at 78. Washington, DC native Thompson was the first African American coach to lead the Georgetown Hoyas basketball team to the NCAA championship. But perhaps his greatest achievement was giving young Black basketball players hope on and off the court, by giving them an opportunity accompanied with discipline, guidance, and love.

“Don’t let eight pounds of air be the sum total of your existence” he would tell his team, admonishing them to use basketball as a means to

a better life for most of those who came from disadvantaged backgrounds like his.

Thompson grew up in the racially segregated section of Southeast District of Columbia, where he was a standout ball player for Archbishop Carroll High School. He graduated from Providence College in Rhode Island, played two years in the NBA, and earned a master’s degree in education and counseling from the University of the District of Columbia.

In 1972, Thompson was hired to be the head coach of the Georgetown program,

In 1972, John Thompson was hired to be the head coach of the Georgetown program, leading them to their first national championship in 1984. leading them to their first national championship in 1984.

During his 27-year career, he fostered the careers of NBA

players including Patrick Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, and Allen Iverson. In an unprecedented move, Thompson requested as a term of his employment that he be given the right to recruit high school students who wouldn’t meet Georgetown’s rigorous admission standards.

He also negotiated the hiring of Mary Fenlon, a former nun and educator, to serve as the Hoyas’ academic coordinator. Seventy-five of the 77 players at Georgetown received their degrees.

Citing personal

reasons, retired

Thompson in 1999.

Not one to shy away from controversy or controversial statements, Thompson told The Washington Post in 1984, “My father never learned to read, never made anywhere near the kind of money I make, but he was a success. So was my mother, I am perceived as a success by standards created by white people.”

Survivors include his three children, John Thompson III, Ronny Thompson and Tiffany Thompson; and several grandchildren.

Will the new 15-minute COVID-19 test solve US testing problems?

By Zoë McLaren Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County On Aug. 26, the Food and Drug Administration granted an Emergency Use Authorization to a new rapid antigen test for COVID-19 called the BinaxNOW test.

I study public health policy to combat infectious disease epidemics. Testing is one of the most powerful tools available to fight the spread of COVID-19. The new test is inexpensive, rapid and easy to use. It will massively scale up access to testing, but hurdles remain in achieving widespread, frequent COVID-19 testing.

What type of test is BinaxNOW? The credit-cardsized test is an antigen test that detects a specific viral protein from SARS-CoV-2. It costs US$5 and doesn’t require a lab or a machine for processing.

Performing the test is

Civil Unrest From 3 being chosen, we urge the Legislature to require grantees to return to the Department of Commerce to get approval for the actual proposed expenditures after the projects have been chosen, but before the money is spent,” Evans said.

‘Insane’ idea

What does the Emergency Use Authorization allow for?

The BinaxNOW test is currently only authorized for patients who have had COVID-19 symptoms for seven days or less, which is when virus levels in the body are likely to be high. It must be prescribed by a physician and performed by a trained technician or other health care worker.

The PCR test for COVID-19 is currently widely used and considered the gold standard, but requires patient samples to be sent to a lab and can take days to provide results. The new antigen test is designed to be a cheap and quick

The hearing occurred the day after looting in Downtown Minneapolis in response to misinformation about a murder suspect’s death by suicide. Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) said pushing this idea now demonstrates a “stunning level of tonedeafness.”

Garofalo said this year’s 51 murders in Minneapolis already tops the total for all of 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing

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by the FDA as part of the full approval process. There will inevitably be some false negatives and false positives with the BinaxNOW test since accuracy isn’t 100%, but the FDA will monitor the data to make sure the test meets the reported accuracy.

simple. A health care worker or technician would use a swab to collect a sample from less than 1 inch inside the nostril. They would then combine the sample with a few drops of chemicals inside the test card. Within 15 minutes, the test strip would show a positive or negative result. The test is also paired with an app that produces a digital code that can be scanned to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test.

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photo/AP Photo_Elaine Thompson

Easy, fast coronavirus testing is critical to controlling the virus.

label use, but health officials don’t yet know how accurate the test is when performed on asymptomatic people.

Can this test be used for widespread screening?

The BinaxNOW test is cheap, rapid, able to be massproduced and easy to use outside a lab. This makes it a promising candidate for widespread screening. However, the test is currently only authorized for people with COVID-19 symptoms.

This is an obstacle because an estimated 40% of all COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic and these people likely don’t know that they’re contagious. To maximize the effectiveness of any COVID-19 screening program, it is important to test people whether they have symptoms or not.

Health care providers are able to prescribe the BinaxNOW test for asymptomatic patients for off-

Is this test a game-changer?

The massive expansion of testing access made possible by the BinaxNOW test will almost surely outweigh the downsides of a small number of inaccurate results. Abbott plans to manufacture 50 million tests per month starting in October.

This will quickly exceed the 76 million COVID-19 tests the U.S. has performed over the last six months.

Widespread, frequent testing is effective at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

The new testing capacity made possible by the authorization of this rapid antigen test represents a major advance in bringing the pandemic under control.

This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

Dr. Zoe McLaren’s research builds the evidence base to guide health and economic policy by developing rigorous applied econometric approaches that leverage existing data to answer important questions.

How accurate is this test?

Abbott, the health technology company that produces the test, reports that when patients had symptoms the test was in agreement with PCR testing for 97.1% for COVID-19 positive cases and 98.5% for COVID-19 negative cases. This is high enough for diagnostic settings where accuracy is critical.

However, the true accuracy could be lower because the performance testing group was only 102 people and the accuracy hasn’t been validated

a reimagining of business models. “The solution we’re hearing before us today is we’re going to focus on putting solar panels on the burned-up rooftops of these buildings. This is insane.”

Rep. Jamie Long (DFL-Mpls) countered that legislators need to come together on both sides of the aisle and help rebuild.

“We’ve done that time and time again across the state in many circumstances from many different businesses and many

different types of emergencies,” he said. “… We have some funding that is meant to go to energy efficiency and renewable energy. If we’re going to deploy those resources, then it makes a lot of sense to help those most in need. Those most in need now are the businesses that have been damaged in our community.”

Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent) said customers throughout Xcel Energy’s service area ultimately pay into the fund. He said pausing the fund collection or returning the

money to those customers would better benefit people statewide, and stimulate the economy.

The division also held an informational hearing on two other bills: HF4172, sponsored

by Rep. Dave Lislegard (DFLAurora), seeks $3.8 million from the account “to the Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority to expand a city-owned solar module manufacturing plant building in the city’s Renewable Energy Industrial Park”; and

HF4365, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Backer (R-Browns Valley), would provide $5.2 million from the state’s renewable development account to the University of Minnesota “to develop and advance energy storage systems that utilize hydrogen and ammonia production from renewables and other sources of clean energy.”

A letter from its executive director indicates the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association supports all three ideas.

neck and Kaepernick kneeling on the field. The caption read: “Do you understand NOW!!??!!??

Or is it still blurred to you??”

James and other athletes spoke on the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, then George Floyd’s death added to the frustration many of us felt. So much so, it influenced how the NBA and WNBA went about their season.

As the NBA and WNBA resumed/started their seasons, the league included “Black Lives Matter” on their courts and warm-up shirts pledged $300 million over the next decade towards economic growth in the Black community, and players decided to follow Kaepernick’s example. Players began kneeling during the national anthem, and have phrases such as “Equality” and “How many more?” on the back of their jerseys. The WNBA has dedicated their season to Breonna Taylor and to keep the phrase “Say Her Name”

alive. Floyd and Taylor (and many others) have inspired the NBA athletes and the way they approach activism. Then, the shooting of Jacob Blake happened.

On August 23, Kenosha, Wisconsin resident Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a police officer. Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down and was handcuffed in the hospital as police said he was in custody for previous warrants.

Blake’s shooting led to more outrage and more protests.

In the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks made a drastic, powerful statement. The Bucks decided to boycott their game last Wednesday and remained in the locker room. Later that day, other teams followed suit and boycotted their games. The NBA decided to postpone these games, as they stood in solidarity with their players. Other leagues followed the Bucks’ lead, and the WNBA, the National Hockey

League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and Major League Soccer(MLS) postponed their games in response to Jacob Blake’s shooting. The NFL (whose season hasn’t started) had some teams cancel practice.

Tennis player Naomi Osaka boycotted the Western & Southern Open semifinals stating that “Watching the continued genocide of black people at the hands of police is honestly making me sick to my stomach.”

The sports world sees what is going on in our society and have decided that enough is enough. Athletes are following the example of athletes who came before them (Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, and so on), and are speaking out regardless of potential backlash. Athletes are leveraging their popularity and fame to make a statement. And now is the right time to do it.

battle protecting the freedoms of our country - some dying, and the defaming of the U.S. flag and the national anthem by kneeling on one knee in front of millions. Something had to be done to stop this horrible assault on American democracy. He and two other alumni wanted the players who had chosen to follow Colin Kaepernick’s lead, to be thrown off the team and their scholarships revoked. Jack declared he would not be made a mockery of.

Wow! Time for a double scotch and I didn’t drink!

I had to temper my internal rage and think of how best to respond.

Surely, I had not walked into this precarious setting while simultaneously reeling from trying to figure out what I was

going to do with the rest of my life. No matter the risk, I could no longer be a burden to my children. Tears started to weld in Jack’s eyes, but I didn’t care. I had to speak.

Sir, let me just say, I mean no offense. I am not attacking you in any way. You are entitled to your furious anger and hurt. I’ve lived with similar sentiments all my life, but I’m still a child of God. I get it!

You are utterly disgusted at this young man with a bushy head of hair. . . a professional football player who was lucky to make the kind of money he probably has in his bank account. And you’re right. Colin Kaepernick took advantage of a media stage and silently declared, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Walk in his shoes.

Walk in mine. My father returned from the war and couldn’t buy a sandwich at a local restaurant or shop downtown with a government paycheck. Most of the young black men in my ‘white flight’ neighborhood went to Nam because they had no money to get a deferment by going to college or escape to Canada. They either died from Agent Orange, got killed by the enemy that looked like their allies, returned home addicted to opium, or suffered from PTSD. Many were jobless, homeless, and void of any kind of faith or hope.

All Colin Kaepernick was asking was for the police

alternative to PCR testing for diagnostic purposes in a medical setting. It would add critical capacity to an overstretched testing system.

The emergency use authorization provides preliminary authorization for doctors to prescribe the antigen test while the full FDA approval process is ongoing. The authorization could be revoked if the test is not as accurate or reliable as expected.

Protest From 3 since then. Kaepernick has not played since that season and remains a free agent. Other NFL players kneeled, President Donald Trump said players who kneel should be fired, and more importantly, what Kaepernick protested for continues to happen.

Earlier this summer, the death of George Floyd shook everyone as the world watched Derek Chauvinan, a Minneapolis police officer, kneel on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd’s death led to protests worldwide, as people demanded action and accountability for the officer’s actions.

After Floyd’s death, LeBron James posted an image on Instagram that featured Chauvinan kneeling on Floyd’s

Kaepernick From 3 quote. Each participant was to have a limited time to respond.

As the discussion began to build, an outcome occurred that no one would have anticipated or were prepared for.

Jack, a Vietnam veteran. stepped out in front of any other conversation about to take place. As an alumnus of a university on the east coast, he announced he had written a letter to the president of the institution. He had been so upset by the ‘disgraceful display of disrespect’ for the men and women who had served in

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KAEPERNICK 5

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Insight News • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Page 5

COMMENTARY:

‘Friendship Way’ equals a strong foundation for the future

By Dr. B. Charvez Russell, Executive Director, and Chief Academic/Chief Operational Leader, Friendship Academy of Arts Friendship Academy of the Arts (FAA) will celebrate the recently completed construction –which continued throughout the ongoing COVID19 pandemic— of its second campus. A sense of anticipation is in the air for the Friday September 4 ribbon cutting at the new Intermediate School campus located at 3320 East 41st Street in Minneapolis.

With FAA’s dedication to supporting the educational needs of the school’s ethnically diverse student body--of which African Americans comprise the majority of the population-we will open the doors of our Primary and Intermediate campuses at the start of the new academic year September 8. FAA is offering families the choice about how they want to start the school year: in-person (essential workers), hybrid, or distance learning. Numerous FAA parents of scholars are considered essential workers in industries ranging from medical, to retail, construction, education,

Kaepernick From 4 to stop killing young black and brown men and women and not held accountable for their crimes . . . to stop putting minorities behind bars for 10 years for

Serenity From 3 move on with her life,” K.G. Wilson, community activist

success in the classroom and in life.

As executive director, I, along with FAA’s dedicated staff and board, strive to embody the words of the late Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” As South Africa’s first Black president, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, he also said, “Young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest education possible so that they can represent us well in the future as future leaders.” We seek to empower every scholar to be lifelong learners and future leaders by developing the whole child academically, artistically, emotionally, and socially.

Children are not a monolith. Staff and family relationships inform our interaction with each child, thereby aiding teachers in understanding a scholar’s culture, which provides insight into whether additional academic support is needed.

FAA is a cornerstone in south Minneapolis. We currently have nearly 300 students and anticipate between the two campuses, to achieve the enrollment goal of 375 students.

We will continue to accept students throughout the year.

The ‘Friendship Way’ The Friendship Way is the at core of our educational philosophy and serves as the foundation of all programming: Academics, Leadership, Family and Community Collaboration, and Art Integration.

We believe that shifting to a personalized education model helps to create equity. Our research confirms that regardless of one’s origins, people want equity.

Every child is viewed through the lens of their potential. That child possesses the promise of changing the world, regardless of their competence level, or classroom behavior. If that child views themselves as a leader, they can transform their daily interactions in their immediate environment.

possession of a half a joint while the Roger Stones of D.C.’s privileged white society – a man who committed a horrendous crime - walks out of court a free man. This very brave young man was tired of underserved schools where the majority of the student populations are participants of free breakfast/ lunch programs, and not until

recently have the children who live in these blighted neighborhoods for people of color, had any opportunities for digital mastery or possibilities of technology careers.

He took a knee for this baby boomer and single black mother who fought the Klan in one child’s high school and another child’s university. I

and youth mentor clarified.

It’s heartbreaking.”

This is the 50th homicide this year in Minneapolis. There were 48 homicides in the entire year of 2019.

A march was scheduled for Wednesday night – from Shiloh to where Serenity

was murdered on N. James. But the march was cancelled due to the emergency curfew put in place in response to another murder/suicide in downtown Minneapolis that spurred unrest on downtown streets.

The response to Serenity’s death reflected deep

and food service.

Founded in 2001 by a group of community leaders committed to addressing the dire opportunity gap experienced by Minnesota’s African American students, FAA is proud, to celebrate 20 years, having earned the distinction as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, placing it among the top schools in the state.

We established a high bar and remain unwavering in our commitment to maintaining student excellence.

FAA’s mission informed our strategy to expand to the Intermediate School level.

Historical view of education in a pandemic According to a commentary in the online academic publication, theconversation.com, one of the key lessons we, as educators, can take away from the 1918 pandemic is to partner with other organizations to help position children for classroom success.

At FAA, partnering is a critical component of our approach to educating the whole child.

In the current pandemic, educators are faced with an array of challenges, however, we are also charged with ensuring our students have access to the necessary tools for

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photo/Friendship Academy of the Arts

Friendship Academy of the Arts is proud, to celebrate 20 years, having earned the distinction as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, placing it among the top schools in the state.

As a society, we must encourage youth to embrace this historical moment as they, with our support, seek to do something incredible and develop new visions. They will reflect on these times and on how we, as a society, were required to adapt. The scholars will employ lessons learned to

spur innovation and change the world of everyone with whom they come in contact. Youth are our hope for they will lead humanity to become better.

Dr. B. Charvez Russell, executive director, is the chief academic and chief operational leader of the Friendship Academy of Arts in Minneapolis.

The socially distanced ribbon cutting ceremony is 12 p.m.

Friday September 4, followed by an open house to be held at both campuses. The ceremony will also be streamed via Facebook Live. To learn more or to enroll a scholar, visit http:// friendshipacademy.org/.

appealed to the U.S. Department of Justice and the L.A. Congress of Racial Equality for help. 20 years and two degrees later, this wonderful person would find a stuffed black doll with a noose tied around its neck in their work area in one of the top media conglomerates offices in the world. My youngest child would be bullied, spit on,

and kicked off a school bus by 7-year-old white boys. 12 years later, she would have to walk past huge confederate flags hanging on porches of residents of a university town or in dorm rooms. So many times both have been stopped by police with their only violation - ‘driving while black’.

No one would listen,

Jack. He had nothing to lose.

The powerful and wealthy white owners had blackballed him and taken away the one thing he loved the most . . . throwing that pigskin and winning games.

To my knowledge, no one apologized.

Thank you, C.K. Here’s a toast to you for all the good in the world you represent.

community feelings about the tragic explosion of gun violence in our community. This is a Northside community event.

“We” have got to stop! Stop blaming others for the same thing we are doing to ourselves.

Neighbor against neighbor! We have got to stand

up for our babies who hear the sounds that frighten them, or they have become desensitized to it all. They stand behind the yellow tape and ask, “who is it this time?”. And then we expect them to sit behind a computer screen, make sense of distance learning, all in the middle of a

pandemic, and possibly being hungry. We owe it to the seniors who have been in the neighborhood for decades.

“Serenity” . . . that’s all they desire in their “winter season.”

Always prepared FAA teachers, staff, and scholars were prepared in advance of the governor’s March announcement about classes shifting to a distance learning model. Just as we were prepared then, we will be prepared opening day. With safety at the forefront of our Reopening Plan, we implemented stringent procedures to ensure scholars learn in a clean and safe environment.

I reiterate, our scholars

will walk through the school doors to learn in a classroom, learn using a computer, or – a hybrid of both. Friendship Academy of the Arts educators will be present to welcome our scholars to a new academic year.

Hope

Page 6 • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Insight News

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insightnews.com Menthol policies led to significant declines in availability and marketing exposure

Study demonstrates the effectiveness of menthol tobacco restrictions in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Falcon Heights A new study recently published in the journal Tobacco Control, found that menthol sales restrictions in four Minnesota cities resulted in significantly reduced availability and reduced interior menthol marketing at the point of sale. The study compared the availability of menthol-flavored commercial tobacco products and menthol marketing materials in multiple stores approximately two months before and after policy implementation in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Falcon Heights.

In 2017 and 2018, four Minnesota cities were among the first in the country to restrict the sale of menthol tobacco to adult-only stores. Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Falcon Heights passed ordinances restricting the sale of menthol, mint, and wintergreen tobacco – including e-cigarettes – to adult-only tobacco shops and, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, liquor stores. These policies were intended to reduce youth access and address tobacco-related health disparities by limiting menthol sales to fewer retail outlets.

“We know that the tobacco industry has a long history of targeting youth, African American and LGBTQ communities with menthol tobacco. Policies that restrict menthol tobacco products can help address these tobaccorelated disparities and protect youth from nicotine addiction,” said Joanne D’Silva, ClearWay Minnesota’s Director of Health Equity Research and lead author of the study.

Funded by ClearWay Minnesota and the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, the study utilized a data collection platform called Streetwyze to examine the availability and marketing of menthol tobacco in the four Minnesota cities.

Researchers also assessed tobacco retailer compliance with the policy. After the policies went into effect, data collectors found all the stores visited in St. Paul and Falcon Heights had stopped selling menthol tobacco. Compliance

was not universal, however, as researchers found one Duluth store and seven Minneapolis stores were still selling menthol tobacco. The study authors hope that their findings can inform other jurisdictions pursuing flavored tobacco policy, as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory action on menthol tobacco to reduce the burden of commercial tobacco use.

While compliance of the menthol restrictions among retailers was high in all four cities, challenges remain. Data collectors noted some stores attempted to circumvent the menthol restrictions by creating separate tobacco shops within a convenience store. In addition, a separate density study noted the number of tobacco shops in Minneapolis doubled after the menthol ordinance went into effect.

“Commercial tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Minnesota. Ending the sale of menthol commercial tobacco is an important step in advancing health equity in all Minnesota communities,“ said Dr. Mark Steffen, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Despite progress to reduce commercial tobacco’s harm, the state continues to face major tobacco-related challenges that affect the health and pocketbooks of all Minnesotans, including the youth e-cigarette epidemic and ongoing tobacco-related health disparities. While adult and youth cigarette smoking is at historic lows, the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that 57 percent of high school e-cigarette users use menthol or mint flavors.

The burden of commercial tobacco addiction and disease also remains unconscionably high in some communities, in large part because menthol tobacco products have been heavily marketed toward African Americans, LGBTQ, youth and other populations. Among African American smokers

photo/patpitchaya

The burden of commercial tobacco addiction and disease also remains unconscionably high in some communities, in large part because menthol tobacco products have been heavily marketed toward African Americans, LGBTQ, youth and other populations.

– who have been targeted by aggressive advertising in Black magazines and neighborhoods and other tactics – 88 percent smoke menthol, compared to 22 percent of white smokers. The exclusion of menthol tobacco in a federal 2009 ban on flavored cigarettes has institutionalized these disparities and cost precious lives. According to a separate research study, if menthol had been banned when all other cigarette flavors were disallowed, by 2050 there would be an estimated 10 percent reduction in overall smoking prevalence and up to 633,252 lives would be saved, a third of whom would be African Americans.

“Bold policies in commercial tobacco control have driven down smoking rates, saved thousands of lives and billions of dollars in medical costs and productivity, but we still have much work to do especially among communities disproportionately harmed by commercial tobacco,” said David Willoughby, ClearWay Minnesota’s Chief Executive Officer.

“We hope that Minnesota’s experience and research will inform and inspire other communities to take action on menthol tobacco. We urge lawmakers at all levels to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products – especially menthol – to improve the health of Black communities and protect youth.”

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Insight News • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Page 7

Page 8 • September 7, 2020 - September 13, 2020 • Insight News

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