SERV IN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934
AUGUST 19 - 25, 2021
Vol. 88
PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
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GIVING VOICE TO THE STORIES THAT MATTER
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NO. 03
Haiti digs out from another massive earthquake
Minnesota continues to offer rent relief State taking applications through RentHelpMN.org
By Mel Reeves Community editor
Island nation, diaspora determined to overcome latest disaster
Photos courtesy of MGN
By Jon Jeter Contributing writer Hours after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rattled the Caribbean Saturday morning August 14, social media was abuzz with Haitians in the U.S. and Canada offering to pitch in and lend a hand to the relief effort. “Hello ladies,” began one Facebook post. “[Are] there any nurses, doctors, volunteers, who want to go help in Haiti [?] I’m down for it. Haiti needs our help right now.” “I’m down. For like a week or two,” wrote one of the respondents. “I’m interested.” wrote another.
“Let’s go Haiti need[s] us,” responded a third. “Is it possible to Zoom meeting to discuss how we can help Haiti [?]” one woman posted in her Facebook group. As of Sunday, Haiti’s Civil Protection agency had counted almost 1,300 dead and 30,000 injured in the country’s southwest corner near the earthquake’s epicenter. More than 1,000 homes, seven churches, two hotels and three schools have been destroyed. The devastation, of course, comes only five weeks after gunmen burst into Haiti’s presidential palace and assassinated President Jovenel Moïse.
But if the myriad catastrophes have left the Haitian diaspora feeling what Western psychologists refer to as “compassion fatigue”—an indifference to charitable appeals resulting from the frequency of pleas for help—there are no outward signs of emotional burnout. Rather, resiliency seems to be the default position among Haitians, both at home and abroad, who are heirs to a complicated legacy of struggle and perseverance that includes the first successful slave revolt in history. “There’s a collective feeling of being overwhelmed, but we’re pushing through it,” said Nedjhy Dominique, a 42-year-old
Thousands of MN prisoners remain unvaccinated
ACLU lawsuit challenges DOC’s safety precautions By Niara Savage Contributing writer Federal and state prisons in Minnesota have faced scrutiny for months over their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) last year alleging that it failed to protect incarcerated people from the virus. Prisons are notoriously dangerous places during a viral outbreak, and incarcerated people have been left at the mercy of those at the helm of correctional facilities across the country. The COVID-19 death rate in prisons has been three times higher than among the general U.S. population, even when adjusted for age and sex, according to the Prison
MNDOC Commissioner Paul Schnell Photo courtesy of LinkedIn Policy Initiative. When Ramsey County District Judge Sara Grewing ruled on March 31 that the ACLU lawsuit could proceed and inmates could sue the State over the handling of the pandemic as a part of a class action suit, Minnesota DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell
“Don’t worry, we are not running out of money,” said Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho, assuring the MSR and the public that there are more enough funds available to cover those who apply for rent relief or who have fallen behind. Minnesota received two allotments of federal funds most recently in March and December 2020 totaling $518 million. She anticipates that the funding will last through June 2022. RentHelpMN.org is Minnesota’s effort to help renters pay back rent who have fallen behind on their payments as a result of loss of a job or income because of the coronavirus pandemic. Renters who anticipate that because of financial hardship they will not be able to pay their rent next month or for up to three months in the foreseeable future are also encouraged to apply for relief. The Minnesota Housing Commission, which has received a steady flow of applications, says it has been hindered in paying out mon-
MN Housing Commisioner Jennifer Ho ies by incomplete applications. While the application process can be a bit laborious, it is clearly worth it for those who need relief. Landlords can also apply on behalf of tenants. The overdue funds are paid directly to landlords. The public policy nonprofit PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute, using data from the Census Household Pulse Survey and USC’s Understanding Coronavirus in America survey, developed a Rent Debt Dashboard that estimated $19 billion is owed in rent by nearly six million ■See RENT on page 5
ern part of the county by creating a network of host families who have rental properties there and are willing to allow them to stay there for at least 30 days at no charge,” said Dominique. “A friend of mine has already spoken with her employer—a medical supply manufacturing company—and has them agreeing to donate $50,000 worth of medical equipment. We’re resourceful.” That is largely by necessity, however, says Dominique and other Haitians who contend that funds raised by the “I spoke with my cousin today, international community for Haitian-born American who lives in South Florida. “The sense of and she’s already trying to figure Haitian relief efforts tend to community is our strongest con- out how to temporarily house ■See HAITI on page 5 those left homeless in the southnection.
Senate passes historic infrastructure bill
House to consider even larger spending effort By Stacy M. Brown Contributing writer
pledged that all inmates would be vaccinated by April 9. “At this point in the fight against The U.S. Senate on August COVID-19, it is universally ac- 10 passed one of President Joe cepted that people working and Biden’s most ambitious pieces living together are at exponential- of legislation, a $1 trillion biparly heightened risk for contracting tisan infrastructure package. COVID-19,” Grewing said when “It’s been a long and winding the decision was made. road, but we have persisted Grewing also ruled that Gov. and now we have arrived,” said Tim Walz and Minnesota Depart- Senate Majority Leader Chuck ment of Health Commissioner Schumer (D-N.Y.) about the bill. Jan Malcolm could be added “The American people will now as defendants in a class action see the most robust injection lawsuit, and said the DOC must of funds into infrastructure in produce information verifying decades.” the claim that all inmates would The bill, which now must be vaccinated by April 9. At the pass the House, counts as the time, just one-fifth of inmates in largest federal investment in the DOC system had been fully America’s public works system vaccinated, the ACLU suit alleged. in more than 10 years. AccordBut Schnell told MSR that all ing to the Brookings Institution, inmates in the DOC system who from 2007 to 2017 total public want the vaccine have received spending on infrastructure fell by $9.9 billion in real terms. ■See VACCINE on page 5
“While federal, state and local governments have spent nominally more on infrastructure in recent years, the rising cost of materials has reduced their real spending power. As a result, real infrastructure spending nationally has fallen over the past decade, from $450.4 billion in 2007 to $440.5 billion in 2017,” Brookings researchers wrote in a report. The Senate-passed infrastructure bill encompasses each part of the American economy and should strengthen the United States’ global warming response. The bill increases funding to modernize America’s power grid, and it provides funds to better manage climate risks. To gain bipartisan support, lawmakers reduced the amount and scope of President Biden’s initial proposal for infrastructure. The President first sought
■See SENATE on page 5
CORRECTION In last week’s issue, our story “Meet Noah Roberson, a local war hero,” misidentified Mr. Roberson. His correct name is Hosea Roberson. We apologize for the error.
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August 19-25, 2021
Metropolis
Local businesses demonstrate philanthropic touch Best Buy announces $10M in Black investment firm By MSR News Service Best Buy, which said last year it was committed to improving its commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, recently announced that it is investing up to $10 million with Brown Venture Group, a venture capital firm that focuses exclusively on Black, Latino and Indigenous technology startups in emerging technologies. According to Best Buy, the goal of this investment is to help break down the systemic barriers often faced by Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs—including lack of access to funding—and empower the next generation within the tech industry. Brown Venture Group is expected to be one of the largest funds in the U.S. with a required diversity mandate. Brown Venture Group is in the process of raising its inaugural $50 million fund and is expected to be one of the largest venture capital funds in the U.S. with a required diversity mandate. The firm plans to invest in technology startups in Minnesota and across the country starting this fall. With Black and Latinx founders only representing 2.6% of funding in 2020, Brown Venture
Group aims to be a change agent in the technology space and shift the landscape to support diverse founders. Best Buy has said it plans on spending approximately $1.2 billion with BIPOC and other diverse businesses by 2025. The company also indicated that it wants to focus this funding on supporting partner organizations that are empowering BIPOC leaders in the tech industry. The company has also committed to making sure that 30% of its anticipated 1,000 new technology team hires are Black, Latino and Indigenous, including women. “We’re committed to taking meaningful action to address the challenges faced by BIPOC entrepreneurs,” said CEO Corie Barry. “Through partnerships like this, we believe we can begin to do this by helping to build a stronger, more vibrant community of diverse innovators in the tech industry, some of whom we hope will become partners of Best Buy in the future.” The partnership with Brown Venture Group will work toward making the technology startup landscape more inclusive and creating a stronger community of diverse suppliers. Additionally, to support youth in the community, Best Buy and Brown Venture
(l-r) Brown Venture Group managing partner Dr. Chris Brooks, partner Jerome Hamilton, partner Chris Dykstra, and managing partner Dr. Paul Campbell Photo courtesy of BVG
goal is to close the wealth and opportunity gap through inclusive BIPOC investments. With Black and Latinx founders only representing 2.6% of funding in 2020, Brown Venture Group aims to be a change agent in the technology space and shift Empowering entrepreneurs in the landscape to support diverse tech Founded in 2018, Minneapo- founders. “The partnership with Best Buy, lis-based Brown Venture Group’s
Group will launch an entrepreneurship program at Best Buy Teen Tech Centers to help develop young entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, networking and funding access.
Buy is to be commended for its commitment to co-creating solutions that will lead to greater economic flourishing for contributors of color.” "Best Buy's belief that technology changes lives is in sync with Brown Venture Group's premise that focusing on technology entrepreneurs not only will create greater economic flourishing in communities of color, it will also unlock previously unrealized innovative capacity in the marketplace," said Brown Venture Group Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Dr. Chris Brooks. Brown Venture Group plans to invest in technology startups in various industries including clean energy and retail across the country as well as leverage the abundant startup talent that exists within the region and state of Minnesota.
For more information, visit represents an important shift in brownventuregroup.com. our business community from doing things for communities of color to investing and executing with communities of color in longer-term collaborative business relationships,” Brown Venture Group Co-Founder and Managing Partner Dr. Paul Campbell said. “This hometown partnership is especially meaningful and Best
Warby Parker brings fresh look to eye ware retail By Mel Reeves Community editor
selves as gender fluid. “We launched Warby Parker to make exceptional vision care simWarby Parker’s humble be- ple and accessible while demonginning the company stressed strating that a business can scale, putting the customer first while be profitable, and do good in the creating a consumer friendly world--without charging a prebusiness that is affordable. That mium for it,” said Dave Gilboa, Cophilosophy was on fully display at CEO and Co-Founder of Warby Parker in a recent interview with its new Mall of America store. On a recent Saturday the the MSR. Rumor has it the company’s store was full, as customers walked in and browsed while founders who were graduate stutrying on glasses from racks and dents at Wharton School at the racks of them on display, but University of Pennsylvania were were not pressured to buy as partially motivated to found an customer service reps tactfully eye ware company because they kept their distance, while at the struggled to afford glasses themsame time making themselves selves. The company’s official coravailable for questions. The store manager Milo was porate name is JAND Inc. and is friendly and accommodating traded as Warby Parker. Online and seemed to have the uncanny is where it found its initial sucability to pick just the right eye cess, after launching in 2010. The ware for those who asked for his company implemented a unique assistance. The company’s com- app that allows customers to try mitment to diversity was at least on glasses enabling them to efpartially on display as most of the fectively find the optimum fit sales people were women and and look; online. And while it conthe manager described them- tinues to sell and do well online, it
has 74 brick and mortar stores in the U.S. and Canada with three in the Twin Cities metro area. “Our customers are our best marketing channel. Word of mouth has always been the number one way customers learn about Warby Parker,” explained Gilboa. “We originally launched online to build awareness and a nationwide customer base in a capital efficient way. Our goal is to offer choices, meeting them where they are, whether that’s online, in-store, the Warby Parker app, or on social media and providing a seamless experience across all.” Warby Parker also has a reputation for philanthropy which seems to have aided its bottom line. The company implemented its “Buy a Pair Give a Pair program” in which the company donates a pair of glasses to those in need especially in Third World countries at its inception. According to the co-founder, 624 million people in the world cannot effectively learn or work due to the severity of their visual impairment. Through
Warby Parker’s newest location at the Mall of America Submitted photo their work with VisionSpring and a number of other philanthropic groups, he estimates that the company has distributed over eight million pairs of glasses through the program. They also donate domestically. In 2015, Warby Parker created the Pupils Project which provides free vision screenings, eye exams, and glasses to schoolchildren in New York City and Baltimore. “When we started Warby Parker, we built a holistic approach into our business model that included Doing Good. It’s
representation for Black and BIPOC team members, along with targeted support for Black and BIPOC communities at large,” explained Gilboa.” It’s an evolution of the work that we’ve been passionate about since our founding. We track our progress towards these goals in our annual Impact Report.” Warby Parker apparently checks all the boxes. According to Milo the company pays employees 16 hours a year to perform their choice of community service or volunteer work. “We launched Warby Parker to make exceptional vision care simple and accessible while demonstrating that a business can scale, be profitable, and do good in the world without charging a premium for it,” said Gilboa. “Since the day we launched, we’ve pioneered ideas, designed products, and developed technologies that help people see.”
something that was incredibly important to us from the start and remains ingrained in everything we do,” said Gilboa. Not only is Warby Parker conscientious and philanthropic, but the company has stated that it is committed to fostering inclusivity, equity and diversity in its business model. “In 2020, we released our Racial Equity Strategy, a framework of ten goals that expands upon Mel Reeves welcomes reader our inclusion, equity, and diversity efforts to foster equitable responses to mreeves@spokesmanopportunities, experiences, and recorder.com
Health & Wellness
August 19-25, 2021
Everything you need to know about lipomas
By Dr. Valerie Lemaine, M.D., M.P.H. Guest contributor A lipoma is a round, slowgrowing benign tumor made of fat, and it usually forms between the skin and the underlying muscle. Less frequently, lipomas can be found within or underneath muscles. They can grow anywhere in the body where fat cells are present. They are most commonly found on the neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, arms and thighs. Lipomas are harmless because they are not cancer. They usually feel pretty soft to the touch and aren’t commonly tender. Generally, they are less than two inches in size, but they have the ability to grow. As they grow bigger, lipomas can sometimes become painful if they cause pressure on nearby nerves.
How are lipomas diagnosed? If you have a skin growth or a lump under your skin, you should first see your primary care doctor, especially if you notice any changes, such as a new pain or an increase in size. A thorough physical examination is usually sufficient to diagnose most lipomas. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and make sure the lipoma isn’t cancerous. During a biopsy, your doctor will numb your skin and remove a little piece of tissue from the lipoma to be sent to a lab for analysis under a microscope. In cases where a physical examination is not sufficient to clarify the diagnosis of a lump, your doctor may order an imaging test, like an ultra-
Courtesy of MGN
Courtesy of medicinenet.com sound, a computed tomography (CT) scan, or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. These tests can be useful to identify the location of a lipoma, how deep it is, and if it presses against important structures like nerves.
What is the treatment of a lipoma? Because most lipomas don’t cause health problems, they often don’t need treatment. However, lipomas do not naturally go away on their own. Home remedies found on the internet that claim to make lipomas disappear do not work! People will have lipomas surgically removed for cosmetic reasons, or if the lipoma is bothersome, continues to grow or becomes painful. If you want to have a lipoma removed, your primary Why do people get lipomas? The cause of lipomas isn’t care doctor will refer you to a fully understood. We think plastic surgeon, a dermatolothat genetic factors play a role gist or a general surgeon. The in their development because surgical procedure is usually lipomas tend to run in families. done under local anesthesia Because of this, it is not pos- by first numbing the skin and sible to prevent them from then by cutting out the lipoma. People can go home the same forming.
How common are lipomas? Lipomas are very common. We estimate that one in 1,000 people has a lipoma. This means that millions of people walk around with lipomas! Lipomas most commonly appear between the ages of 40 and 60, but they can develop at any age. Some people will have just one lipoma, but there are some rare conditions that cause multiple lipomas to form on the body. Many people have lipomas and don’t even notice them.
day. In cases where a lipoma is very large, or located deeper and close to the muscle, general anesthesia may be recommended for surgery. As an alternative to lipoma surgery, your surgeon may recommend liposuction to remove the lipoma. Liposuction uses a long thin cannula to remove the lipoma and tends to leave smaller scars. In my experience, it is useful in cases where there are multiple lipomas to help minimize the number of scars. Lipomas rarely grow back after they have been removed, but a new one may grow in a different spot on your body. Possible side effects of surgery are scarring and bruising. It is important to get lumps evaluated by your primary care doctor to make sure they are not cancer. Call your doc-
tor without delay if you notice any changes. Red flags that indicate that a lump could be cancer include a rapid growth over a few weeks and new, sudden pain. Dr. Valerie Lemaine, M.D., M.P.H., is a top-ranked, boardcertified plastic surgeon in private practice in Bloomington, MN. She received her M.D. from University of Montreal, Canada, and her M.P.H. from Columbia University, NY, USA. She also completed a reconstructive microsurgical fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Dr. Lemaine then accepted a staff position at the prestigious Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) where she taught, practiced and published clinical research. In 2018, she transitioned to private practice and joined Plastic Surgery Consultants and Minnesota Oncology.
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August 19-25, 2021
Opinion
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the MSR.
DFL is not anti-law enforcement By Ken Martin
Why not help vaccinate the Third World, too? By Dean Baker I have gone on at length before about the need to vaccinate the world. The spread of the Delta variant should make the point obvious to everyone. The more the virus spreads, the more it has opportunities to mutate. We are actually fortunate with the Delta variant since it seems our vaccines are still effective in reducing the risk of infection and very effective in reducing the risk of severe illness or death. But this is just luck. If the pandemic spreads enough, we will see more mutations. It is entirely possible that a new strain will develop against which our vaccines provide us little or no protection. It may be the case, as Pfizer and Moderna claim, that it will be possible to quickly design an effective mRNA vaccine against a new strain. But even in a best case scenario, where it takes just a few weeks to develop a new vaccine, it will still be many months before it can be tested, produced, and dis-
facturing capacity. The pharmaceutical industry has been engaged in a filibuster, at least since October, when South Africa and India introduced their WTO resolution for suspending intellectual property rules for the duration of the pandemic, telling us it takes time to increase production. And, if we had focused on increasing production at the time they began their filibuster, we could have produced many more vaccines by now. The logic of open-sourcing vaccines is that we would put the details of the manufacturing process for the vaccines on the web, allowing engineers around the world to study them as the basis for new facilities or converting existing ones. Ideally, the engineers for the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and the rest (including the Chinese, Russian, and Indian vaccines) would also be available to conduct webinars and to provide in-person guidance. Last month, I was on a panel with someone from the pharmaceutical industry who questioned how this sort of trans-
“If vaccinating the world was treated as a real emergency, does anyone doubt something like this would happen?” tributed to hundreds of millions of people across the country and billions across the world. In the meantime, we will be seeing a whole new round of infections and deaths, as well as trillions of dollars of lost economic output. And, just to be clear, these trillions in lost output is not just an issue of stacks of dollar bills in a vault, this translates into people going without food, medical care, shelter, and other basic needs. Rich countries have the resources to largely protect their populations from most of the economic impact of the pandemic, but developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America do not. The open-source alternative The drug companies will tell us that they are actually doing the best they can in getting the world vaccinated. They have, in fact, ramped up production considerably, although the bulk of their vaccines are still going to wealthy countries. But the real question is whether we could be producing more vaccines, taking advantage of capacity, not only in rich countries, but in countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, Pakistan and other developing countries with potential manu-
fer could be legally required. I pointed out that we (the U.S. and other rich country governments) should offer to pay a reasonable price for this expertise. If the drug companies refused, then we should go directly to their top engineers and offer them exorbitant pay (e.g. $1-2 million a month) for sharing their knowledge. Since they are undoubtedly bound by non-disclosure agreements, so governments would also have to commit to cover their legal expenses and any payments resulting from lawsuits If vaccinating the world was treated as a real emergency, does anyone doubt something like this would happen? In addition to sharing existing knowledge, open-sourcing the production process should also allow for innovations that would increase production. Given this history, it’s hard to believe that there is no way to further improve on the production processes of Pfizer or the other vaccine manufacturers. If engineers all around the world had the opportunity to inspect their methods, surely many would be able to come up with innovations that could speed up the production and distribution of vaccines.
Does making deadly mistakes carry consequences? As much as the industry and politicians might want to pretend there was/is no way to accelerate the production of vaccines, that story is not credible. We had an alternative path that would have required the sharing of knowledge and expertise, and overriding patent rights. We did not go this path. Thus far, we have been very fortunate. No vaccine resistant strain has yet developed and spread widely. Hopefully, the world’s good luck in this respect will continue, as we vaccinate the developing world, however slowly. It is worth noting that even with the spread of the Delta variant, the number of new cases in former hotspots like India and Brazil, has fallen sharply in recent weeks. This is presumably the result of many people enjoying some immunity from previous infections, as well as increasing levels of vaccinations. But we certainly can’t take for granted that a vaccine resistant strain will not develop. And, if that happens, and we face the horror story of having to go through a whole new round of infections and shutdowns; the question is whether anyone will be held accountable? My guess is that the answer will be no. (Who ended up unemployed because of the war in Iraq or the housing bubble?) The major media outlets will likely pretend that there was nothing that could have been done. They may acknowledge that we could have been somewhat quicker in getting out our vaccines to developing countries, but they will not acknowledge even the possibility that open-sourced technology could have sped up the production process for vaccines in both rich and developing countries. The idea that millions of people will needlessly die because our political leaders did not want to jeopardize the profits of the pharmaceutical industry is too horrible to be aired in places like the New York Times, Washington Post, and National Public Radio.
I was appalled to read a recent op-ed by Devin Hogan, the Chair of the Minneapolis DFL, in which he calls the burning of the Third Precinct in Minneapolis a “genuine revolutionary moment” and an “act of pure righteousness.” I condemn Hogan’s dangerous, violent, and inflammatory rhetoric. Let me be clear: these comments reflect the views of one person, Devin Hogan. They do not reflect the views of the Minnesota DFL Party or the Minneapolis DFL Party, and they certainly do not reflect the views of any elected officials in our party with whom I have spoken. The Minnesota DFL Party fully supports reforming our policing and criminal justice systems to increase transparency, improve accountability, reduce the use of violence and root out systemic racism. Nobody should fear for their life during routine encounters with law enforcement agents. We can and must do better, which is why DFLers are relentlessly pursuing reform. After the murder of George Floyd, DFL legislators banned the use of chokeholds and neck restraints and the use of “warrior training,” which emphasizes the use of lethal force, while also increasing de-escalation training. Many people, myself included, did not think this was enough. However, with Republicans in control of the state Senate, it was the most we could get passed at the time. Yet despite Republican opposition, DFL legislators did not give up the fight for a public safety system that works for all Minnesotans. In the latest state budget, DFLers managed to enact further
prove of Roe v. Wade. One of the core tenets of American life is that, in a democracy like ours, we trade violence for ballots. We fight our fights in the court of public opinion and resolve those fights in the voting booth. Cheering on the burning of a police precinct erodes these values and deserves our condemnation. My fellow DFL leaders and I know that change is still urgently needed. We respect those honest law enforcement agents and the work they do, which is why we believe they should be held to a high standard of conduct. Hogan’s disturbing remarks do not speak for our party. If you want to know where DFLers stand, look to the criminal justice reforms our party enacted last year and look to the fact we successfully continued the fight for reform this year. DFLers are not anti-law enforcement; we are pro-public safety. Our party is committed to building a policing, criminal justice, and public safety systo finished. However, the on- tem that does right by each going need for change does and every Minnesotan. Burnnot justify the use of violence ing down a police precinct is or arson. The burning of the not only illegal, dangerous, Third Precinct did not bring and wrong but, in fact, hurts Minnesota any closer to en- our ability to deliver on the acting the reform measures long-term systemic change Minnesotans want to see and Minnesotans are demanding. it was not “revolutionary” or “righteous,” as Hogan claims. Ken Martin is the chairman Hogan’s logic, that vio- of the Minnesota DFL. lence can be “righteous” if the change we seek is not This commentary initially forthcoming is reminiscent appeared in the Minnesota Reof the justifications offered former and has been edited for by the deranged individuals length. who seek to murder abortion providers because they disapreforms, including limiting the use of no-knock warrants, outfitting state patrol troopers with body cameras, increasing funding for community violence prevention initiatives, reforming civil asset forfeiture rules, and improving a misconduct database to create an early warning system that will help keep bad officers off the streets. Our work to improve our public safety is not even close
“Our party is committed to building a policing, criminal justice and public safety system that does right by each and every Minnesotan.”
Eviction crisis driven by gender and wage gap By Rebekah Entralgo
For Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO), sleeping away from the comfort of a bed is an unfortunately familiar feeling. Years ago, Bush had to live out of her car for a time with her two young children, all while working a full-time job. Her experience as an unhoused person drove her to take bold action on July 30, as the federal eviction moratorium was about to expire. “Many of my Democratic colleagues chose to go on vacation early today rather than staying to vote to keep people in their homes,” Bush tweeted. “I’ll be sleeping outside the Capitol tonight. We’ve still got work to do.” For three nights she and other advocates slept on the steps of the Capitol, intermittently joined by House colleagues, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Presley. Bush also introduced the Unhoused Bill of Rights, a federal resolution calling on Congress to permanently end the un-housed crisis by 2025. Ultimately, Bush’s organizing succeeded. On August 3, the Biden administration announced a 60-day eviction ban for U.S. Dean Baker is the senior counties with “substantial and economist at the Center for high levels of community transEconomic and Policy Research mission,” which applies to approxiin Washington, D.C. mately 90% of renters across the country. The federal eviction moratorium coincided with Black Women’s Equal Pay Day 2021, which marks the number of days into the year that the average Black woman has to work to catch up to the average White man’s an-
nual earnings in 2020. Based on recent Census data, Black women make just 63 cents for every dollar earned by a White man. If Black women’s earnings continue to grow as slowly as they have since the mid-1980s, it will take them more than 100 years— until 2133— to reach pay equity with White men. “Lower pay deprives Black women of resources they need to provide for themselves and their families and over a lifetime can really add up—the loss of earnings in D.C. alone adds up to almost $1 million dollars over 20 years,” said Chandra Childers, lead author of a new report on the wage gap from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. There is a direct correlation between this racial, gendered wage gap and evictions. If Black women had access to the $24,000 they lose annually to the wage gap, they would be better able to keep up with rent. According to an analysis by the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF), one in five renters who are likely to face eviction are Black women. Almost 80% of Black mothers are key breadwinners for their families and spend a larger percentage of their income on critical household expenses like rent and utilities than White families. Because so many Black mothers are depended on for their wages, they are also more likely to have their names listed as the leaseholder. Any interruptions in their ability to pay rent, an unexpected financial shock—like a global pandemic—can throw Black women and their families into a vicious cycle of eviction and bad credit that makes it harder to secure housing.
While the extension of the federal eviction moratorium is sure to be a relief for millions of tenants working to make ends meet as COVID-19 cases surge, many renters will remain vulnerable. According to a recent Private Equity Stakeholder Project report, corporate landlords have violated the moratorium by filing to evict at least 75,000 residents, instead of helping them access support through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. In an earlier joint report with Jobs With Justice, the Project revealed that many of these landlords pocketed federal COVID relief before turning around and throwing renters out of their homes. Only $3 billion of the $47 billion in rental aid allocated by Congress was provided to about 630,000 households by June 30, 2021. That amounts to less than 4% of the total available funds. The inequalities that make Black women particularly vulnerable to evictions will continue unless bold, progressive action is taken to ensure that they are paid their fair share. The two are inextricably linked. As Rep. Cori Bush tearfully said after the moratorium extension was announced, “I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what I went through—ever.” Rebekah Entralgo is the managing editor of Inequality.org.
August 19-25, 2021
Haiti Continued from page 10
disappear. When an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck just west of Haiti’s capital city of PortAu-Prince in 2010, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was appointed by Congressional lawmakers to oversee $4.4 billion in disaster relief. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was named co-chair of a government committee tasked with formulating spending priorities. Despite the Clinton’s promises to jumpstart Haiti’s economy, however, critics say that the largest post-earthquake project—a $300 million, 600-acre industrial park on the country’s northern coast—is nothing more than an amalgam of foreign-owned sweatshops
Photo courtesy of MGN that produce cheap clothing for consumers in the U.S. Similarly, executives with the International Red Cross claim that with the $500 million in charitable donations it raised following the 2010 earthquake, the agency provided housing to 130,000 displaced Haitians. But a 2015 investigation by National Public Radio and ProPublica found
that the charity had only built six homes. "Five hundred million in Haiti is a lot of money," Jean-Max Bellerive, Haiti’s prime minister in 2010, told NPR. "I'm not a big mathematician, but I can make some additions. It doesn't add up for me." “A lot of the people who are trying to get help to those in Haiti are very clear on their
rent
Vaccine Continued from page 10
it: “Everybody who wants to, has had it,” he said. “Not only did we offer it, but we also really urged people to participate in vaccination.” Schnell added that the pledge to have all inmates vaccinated by the specified date only applied to inmates that wanted the shot. “We have no ability to force anybody.” Schnell noted that the vaccination rate at some facilities stands at close to 80%, which is higher than many surrounding communities in the state, and that inmates have been more likely to get the shot than prison staff. Minnesota ACLU staff attorney Clare Diegel told the MSR that a decision regarding the suit is expected soon. “We have been concerned that their vaccination program is not properly educating incarcerated people about the benefits of the vaccine and that they were not distributing it as quickly as they should have,” she said. According to the most recent
data from the Minnesota DOC, more than 1,000 inmates remain unvaccinated as the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 accelerates to a weekly average of over 1,000 cases. By August 11, more than 4,000 inmates had come down with the virus and 12 had died. While it’s difficult to pinpoint the real-time vaccination rate in state prisons due to turnover, data on the DOC website provides insight about the vaccinerollout program in state facilities. At the Minnesota Correctional Facility at Faribault, the largest facility in the DOC system, 327 inmates have yet to receive a single dose of the vaccine. About 64% of the 2,000 inmates housed there are fully vaccinated, via either two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer shot, or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. At the Lino Lakes Correctional facility, which houses 1,300 incarcerated people, 396 inmates haven’t received an initial dose of the vaccine. At Rush City, 191 inmates out of the 863 housed there also haven’t received a shot. However, Schnell noted that there’s a lag between the numbers online and the real number
Senate Continued from page 10
more than $2 trillion, but the White House said the pared-down plan still addresses major problems including American roads and transit. “This infrastructure bill’s major investments in transit will connect many more Americans to opportunities,” stated Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Aging public works projects around the nation would receive hundreds of billions of dollars for repairs and replacements. Still, following a United Nation’s panel of scientists issuing a “Code Red” alert on climate, Congresswoman Alexandria OcasioCortez (D-N.Y.) reminded her social media followers that $1 trillion isn’t enough. “This dire warning from the world’s scientists comes as the Senate is preparing to vote on an in-
president and his wife. Trump won the state by a slim margin in 2016. Haitian authorities Sunday declared a state of emergency and said they had no preliminary tally of those missing after Saturday’s earthquake. Hospitals in Haiti are at full capacity, and the Health Ministry asked people to donate blood. “The needs are enormous,” Prime Minister Ariel Henry told reporters. “We must take care of the injured and fractured, but also provide food, aid, temporary shelter and psychological support.” In a Facebook chat this weekend, another Haitian American echoed concerns that Haitians could not wait on international assistance: “Please count me in. Let's use our strength in numbers to help Haiti. Hopefully the mistakes of 2010 will not be replicated as an influx of funds earmarked for rebuilding ef-
“We have a supply problem. We don’t have enough units. We need more buildings.”
Continued from page 10 households. The Minnesota rent debt is approximately $155.6 million for an estimated 53,000 households who owe an average of $2,900. Consistent with the fact that even in normal times many BIPOC folks are mired near the bottom of the U.S. poverty index, those communities suffered disproportionate financial loss because of the impact of COVID-19. In Minnesota, 60% of households who are behind on rent are BIPOC with about 71% reporting that they lost income during the pandemic. In the Twin Cities, most edly renters making 80% of the local of those receiving help are report- AMI.
distrust of the Red Cross and other organizations with a proven track record of squandering resources and money meant to serve those in need,” said Dominique. “We aren’t just waiting to be saved; if that were the case we’d die waiting.” In total, the United Nations reported that non-governmental organizations, U.S. tax dollars, and charities worldwide raised $13 billion for relief following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake. Yet the yawning gap between that figure and daily life for 10 million Haitians living in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere left many Haitian Americans ambivalent about Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run. Trump campaigned heavily in South Florida’s Haitian community during the campaign alleging that “Friends of Bill” Clinton received sweetheart contracts from the ex-
5
forts poured in from all over the globe yet not much had changed. “We need to brainstorm ways to help the communities affected by the earthquake and raise funds to do so,” the post continued. “A small donation of $1 per person would be helpful…There must be accountability for any funds or goods donated for these people cannot be preyed on as is often the case with ‘us’.” Jon Jeter welcomes reader responses to jjeter@spokesmanrecorder.com
ings to gentrification. A lot of data suggests when you have enough housing the prices don’t rise as quickly.” She noted that “the prices don’t match to people’s real income. If you pay more than 30%, then you are what is called cost-burdened. When you are really getting ahead is when your income goes up and your rent is below 30%.
vacuum. “It’s more urgent now… We knew before the coronavirus came. Mel Reeves welcomes reader reWe knew there were too many people paying too much rent,” said the sponses to mreeves@spokesman-recorder.com. commissioner. “We have a supply problem. We don’t have enough units, and withPhoto by Samuel Holt via unsplash.com out government incentive there will not be enough units that are afAccording to Ho, people falling fordable. We need more buildings. behind on rent did not occur in a “[We’re] losing some of the old build-
of inmates who have been vaccinated, as that figure continues to grow. About 200 additional inmates were vaccinated just last week, Schnell said, although those numbers aren’t reflected in the data. But the ACLU’s legal challenge of the handling of the pandemic in correctional facilities in Minnesota extends beyond the state prison system. Federal Women’s prison sued The Minnesota ACLU filed a lawsuit against the low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Waseca in December of 2020 alleging prison staffers failed to release medically vulnerable people with conditions including autoimmune diseases, diabetes, asthma, hypertension and obesity to ensure their safety from COVID-19 and allow for proper social distancing. While the more than 400 inmates who caught the virus at the prison lived through the ordeal, the suffering can’t be measured by a body count. The ACLU reported in December that inmate Aaryana Malcolm became so sick at the Waseca federal women’s prison last year that other inmates had to help
Photo courtesy of MGN her eat and shower. Prison staff ignored Malcolm’s requests for medical attention although she was vomiting and coughing up blood. When she was finally transferred to a hospital, Malcolm was told she needed to be placed on a ventilator and spent 10 days under doctors’ care. Months after her hospital stay, the lingering effects of long-haul COVID continued to plague her. More than 70% of the Waseca population caught COVID in a three-month period last year, according to a lawsuit. “Refusing to release medically vulnerable people who are at the most risk from COVID-19, and instead packing them into bunks
just a few feet apart, is no way to handle a highly infectious and deadly virus,” Diegel said at the time. “The Bureau of Prisons is failing to act with either common sense or humanity.” Diegel noted the prisons’ reluctance to change their policies and practices to stem the spread of the virus during the outbreak last year. “They weren’t open to adjusting their practices when we were criticizing them when there was a big outbreak” she told the MSR. “It does seem like they are releasing people under the Niara Savage welcomes CARES Act at a higher rate now reader response to nsavage@ than they were before.” Diegel also said that a client, spokesman-recorder.com. whose identity she did not share, stated that incarcerated people
rent 65 and expand the child tax credit beyond 2022, meaning the $300 monthly checks would continue. The budget also includes tax breaks for low-wage earners and for child care. The package provides funding for health care, climate change, education, and would increase taxes on corporations and those considered wealthy. It helps secure universal education for children three and four years old and makes community college free for two years. If passed, the budget plan would increase the Pell Grant award, and invest in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, other minority-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities. The bill also would accomplish a major goal of the BidenHarris administration: installing the first federally paid family leave program. Funds also are earmarked for home health care, housing, job training, child nutrition, and reducing ment. The budget plan also would expand Medicare the cost of health insurance and medication. Investments would go toward green and sustaincoverage to dental, vision and hearing benefits. It would lower Medicare’s eligibility age below its cur- able housing production, housing affordability, and frastructure bill that utterly fails to meet the scale of the climate crisis,” the always outspoken congresswoman argued. “Reconciliation is now our country’s best chance to help stop the worst effects of climate change.” It’s the reconciliation process that Democrats are eyeing to push through a $3.5 trillion budget blueprint that includes more aid to protect the environ-
“Reconciliation is now our country’s best chance to help stop the worst effects of climate change.”
at Waseca are no longer being tested for COVID. “If someone is complaining of having a symptom of COVID, they just put them in quarantine for 14 days. They don’t actually test them,” she said. The ACLU lawsuit filed against the feds was thrown out in March by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis on procedural grounds, although the judge did not address the claims of alleged mistreatment. But Davis left the door open for the ACLU to re-file the claim. The Supreme Court has interpreted the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment as providing the basis for prisons to provide inmates with medical care. It has clarified that officials may be held liable for failing to provide adequate health care if they are aware of, yet disregard, a “substantial risk of serious harm…by failing to take reasonable measures to abate it.”
workforce development. Also, millions of immigrant workers and families would gain a path to citizenship, and the government would make “the largest one-time investment in Native American infrastructure projects,” a White House official stated. The Internal Revenue Service would see more money and added resources, enabling the agency to better collect unpaid taxes. It’s expected that Democrats will employ the reconciliation process to avoid a GOP-led filibuster. The House was expected to return from its recess on Sept. 20, but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has indicated that the lawmakers would likely return as early as Aug. 23 to consider their version of the bill, which will include a larger spending plan. Stacy M. Brown welcomes reader responses to sbrown@spokesman-recorder.com.
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August 19-25, 2021
Business
CHX opens at new location in Uptown Black Business SPOTLIGHT
By Ashley Lauren Contributing writer A longtime friendship developed into a successful business for Shawn Edwards, Frederick Huballa, and Marques Johnson, owners of CHX restaurant. Their takeout restaurant is conveniently located in Uptown, and they offer delicious, hand-breaded chicken strips. The businessmen became friends years ago. Huballa recalled, “We met in high school through sports and socializing.” As they got older, the owners chose to focus on establishing the CHX takeout and delivery restaurant. Huballa said, “We all have entrepreneurial minds, so we thought of this particular concept probably in 2015 or 2016.” He added, “We sat down until we had the right opportunity to present it.” The entrepreneurs chose to launch the business in 2020. Johnson said, “I worked for Pourhouse, ran all the marketing stuff and there was an open kitchen.” The businessmen were granted a rare opportunity to utilize the space. They successfully launched CHX. Edwards emphasized how the CHX restaurant was “up and running for six months” before they relocated to their current location. During that time, the owners served patrons through a takeout window. “When we started, I knew it was going to be suc-
cessful,” Johnson said. Fortunately, the ambitious businessmen recently launched their first CHX restaurant on July 2, 2021, in Uptown. Their location can be best described as, “Lowry Hill East in Uptown—this particular side of Uptown is right off the highway, high traffic—the spectacle zone,” Edwards said. The brand is known for its appetizing chicken strips.
Although business is flourishing, owning a business requires determination, focus, and passion. The dedicated entrepreneurs experienced minor setbacks, but they remained resilient. The CHX business rose above adversity during COVID-19 and civil unrest. Huballa explained, “We were supposed to open on the week of George Floyd’s passing.”
As a result, they conducted community outreach and gave away complimentary food to the community. When customers enter the new CHX location, they’ll see a restaurant that is very welcoming and spacious. The space is completely renovated and spotless. Customers can expect friendly customer service and crispy chicken strips. There are a plethora of delicious items on the menu. Customers can order delectable chicken strip meals that come with crinkle-cut fries, a biscuit and a side of coleslaw. They also offer a chicken tender pizza. In the future, customers can enjoy a crispy chicken sandwich. The price range is $11-$15. Customers can also
offer signature lemonades. Johnson said, “Honestly, our passion is more so good food.” The business owners are foodies and love to indulge in delicious cuisines. “We’re not cooks by nature,” Huballa said, “but we feel like if we put our minds together, we can tackle any task.” Teamwork makes the dream work. Chicken is a hot commodity, and the owners foresee more
(l-r) Frederick Huballa, Marques Johnson and Shawn Edwards.
success. “We know from doing market research that the chicken sector of food services is bound to grow plentiful in the next decade, especially here in the Twin Cities,” Edwards said. All of the recipes are flavorful and original. “The mission is to create a sustainable franchise that is communityoriented and family-friendly,” Edwards said. The owners did
a great job creating an inviting atmosphere for patrons. Important to note, the owners of CHX value social responsibility. In the future, they plan on giving back to their community, especially the youth. “We’re going to be really in the field; we’re going to be doing a huge donation project,” Huballa said. “On Fridays, we’ll be going to schools, programs, nonprofits—feeding the homeless and families,” Johnson said. The owners plan on establishing partnerships in an effort to help more people throughout our neighborhoods. Huballa elaborated, “We’re trying to give out 50-100 meals a week minimum—I come from a philanthropy background as well so it’s really important for us.” He added, “Also none of us are from any type of wealth at all so it’s important for us to give back.” The businessmen want the youth to realize that owning a business can become a reality. “A lot of kids spend their time in places like this growing up. Maybe we can be a part of that for other young people,”
Huballa said. He continued, “It’s important for us to give back and to show what entrepreneurship looks like. There’s only value in service and products. If you have a skill, whether it’s service or creating something, then you’re always in demand—do what you gotta do. Get a skill and be prepared.” Overall, there are many places that offer chicken, but CHX stands out because it’s a Black-owned entity. Huballa said, “We’re actually the curators of everything fly, everything dope. It’ll be a chain reaction.” CHX is located at 2210 Hennepin Ave. S. in Minneapolis. Business hours are Monday through Sunday, from 4-10 pm. The business is open for delivery from 11 am-11 pm every day. For more info, visit www.chxmsp.com or call 612-759-1787. Ashley Lauren welcomes reader responses to alauren@ spokesman-recorder.com. Photos by Ashley Lauren
DEED launches small business partnership grant program By DEED Commissioner Steve Grove The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has opened applications for its Small Business Partnership Grant Program. DEED is seeking proposals from nonprofits and public entities to provide and facilitate business development assistance and technical assistance services to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Applications opened
Wednesday, August 11 and are due by 4 pm on Wednesday, September 15. The purpose of this grant is to support the startup, growth, and success of Minnesota’s entrepreneurs and small business owners through the delivery of highquality free or low-cost professional business development and technical assistance services. The successful implementation of these grant-funded projects will help facilitate an economic environment that
produces job growth and supports the economic success of Minnesota individuals, businesses, and communities by providing opportunities for growth. Funding will be allocated through a competitive process with a review by a committee of DEED staff and managers and external reviewers. Award decisions will be final and not subject to appeal. If selected, you may only incur eligible expenses when the grant contract agreement is
Photo credit: iStock
fully executed by the awardee and DEED and the grant has reached its start date, October 2021. If you have additional
questions, email your question to MNSBP.DEED@state. mn.us by September 10. Each week, DEED will update the frequently asked
questions on the Competitive Grants and Contracts page: m n . gov/d e e d /a b o u t /co n tracts/open-rfp.jsp.
Arts & Culture
August 19-25, 2021
7
New film unveils untold story of one of baseball’s greatest owned company, staying true to the essence of the film, director and writer Paul Irmiter partnered with some of the city’s most esteemed Black ac-
By Tiffany Johnson Contributing writer Just last month “39 Seconds,” a film about Black baseball legend John Wesley Donaldson, premiered at the Riverview Theatre in Minneapolis. Presented by production company 612IM, the film Wesley Donaldson uncovered the story of Donaldson, a man whose athleticism, leadership, and innovative impact changed the game of professional baseball forever. In the film, Donaldson’s character is played by Leonard Searcy, a notable actor in the Twin Cities scene and beyond. “I played the main character John. I also helped with putting some pieces together,” said Searcy. “39 Seconds” is, in part, a documentary that tells a story of the many trials, tribulations, and milestones experienced by Donaldson both on and off the field. While born in the segregated South, baseball would provide a way for
Donaldson to make an impact throughout the U. S., including many noteworthy events in the Midwest and even right here, in Minnesota. One scene in the film recollects Donaldson’s challenges leading a Black baseball team to a game in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1920 shortly after the tragic lynching of three young Black men: Isaac McGhie, Elmer Jackson and Elias Clayton. This event is now memorialized at the Clayton, Jackson McGhie Memorial in Duluth, Minnesota. While 612IM is not a Black-
tors, producers, and directors, altogether boasting an outstanding and diverse cast and crew. “When we [Searcy and Irmiter] first met, he’d put up a post on Facebook that said, ‘I’m telling a Black story but I’m not Black,’” shared Searcy. Some of the folks who partnered with Irmiter in-
Donaldson died at age 79 in Chicago and was buried in an unmarked grave in Chicago’s Burr Oak Cemetery. In 2004, Wesley Donaldson Jeremy Krock raised enough Courtesy of Society for American money for a headstone in Baseball Research collaboration with the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave clude notable Black artists Marker Project. Wikipedia and organizations in the Twin Cities like Film Narrator Payton Woodson, Line Producer
Bianca Rhodes, Assistant Director/Voice Director Kevin West, along with casting by Sha’Cage and E.G. Bailey. The film was produced in collaboration with Tru Ruts. The score was written and performed by Jim Oestereich. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, many community members and artists alike showed up to view the premiere and learn about the life and legacy of Donaldson. The diversity of the audience who witnessed the film itself stood as a reflection of a community coming together for a common good, despite cultural differences. The film was followed by a brief Q & A wherein Oestereich—who is White—shared with the audience his experience scoring a film of such cultural importance and grave realities about our country; the segregation and racism that consistently tore at Donaldson, and the prevalence of these racist attitudes that still preside today. Oestereich, like the film itself, reminded the audience that these stories are not just
Black stories but also America’s stories. They are ours as a country to own, acknowledge, and to share with others as honestly as we can. This is where change begins. “The reason why we say Donaldson is the best baseball player that no one has ever heard of, is he did so many things in life, but he was buried in an unmarked grave,” said Searcy. Many years later, the grandson of a filmmaker would uncover 39 seconds of Donaldson pitching in a silent reel, in black-and-white. While this is the only live footage of Donaldson in action known to date, thanks to Irmiter and his amazing team, we can now relish in Donaldson’s life and great impact in sports and our country again.
just right. Scenes in which Hudson wears an afro wig and revels in her militant “Young, Gifted, and Black” phase are the ones when she looks most like Franklin. Whitaker as the overbearing father who tests his daughter is appropriately irascible. Everyone who plays the sisters, young and
ditional theatrical film format is lacking. The Queen of Soul had a life so rich and long it could fill a miniseries and still not touch all the breakthroughs, influential moments and endearing times that made her such an icon. Still, her legacy has been cap-
Find more information about future screenings of “39 Seconds” at www.39secondsfilm. com. Tiffany Johnson welcomes reader responses to tjohnson@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Music soars in entertaining Queen of Soul biopic
REVIEW: ‘Respect’ By Dwight Brown “They want to hear you sing,” says Rev. C.L. Franklin (Forest Whitaker) to his 10-year-old daughter Aretha (Skye Dakota Turner). And she did. Eventually singing herself into 25 Grammys, a posthumously awarded Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, and the history books. How Franklin became the Queen of Soul and loved by millions is the subject of this fairly detailed and very entertaining biofilm that charts her rise from childhood to 1972 and her making of the classic, live-recorded album, Amazing Grace. This project stars Jennifer Hudson, the singer who was handpicked by Franklin to play her. Like a Queen anointing a princess, Franklin deemed: “I've made my decision, and it is you, young lady, who I want to play me.” That endorsement makes this “Respect” the quintessential Franklin bio-drama and any others, not so much. Detroit 1952, 10-year-old Aretha is a precocious musical prodigy lauded by her dad C.L., loved by her grandmother (Kimberly Scott, “The Abyss”) and envied by her siblings. Years later, as a young adult in the 1960s, Franklin (Hudson) tours churches with her father who watches her like a hawk, warding off suitors. C.L. helps his daughter land a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1960, and Franklin releases jazz/pop-orientated albums to little success. When she hooks up with hustler-turnedmanager Ted White (Marlon Wayans), C.L. is peeved: “You are not leaving this family for that piece of trash!” Yet this is when Aretha finds her stride. She develops her own brand of soul music, which starts with the gospel/blues-tinged “I Never Loved a Man,” recorded with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Band on Atlantic records in 1967. The rest is soul music history. Director Liesl Tommy and the film’s producers made a smart decision when they had the entire cast sing live. It’s a strategy that worked wonders for “Les Misérables,” and that directive gives the performances and recreated recording sessions an authenticity that enhances the artistry. Whitaker, Hudson, Turner, and
What’s on view is so fascinating and the storyline so involving and consequential that when the film ends at Franklin’s famous church concert, you wish there was more. Jennifer Hudson as the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin
Audra MacDonald as the mother belt out songs. Titus Burgess as Reverend Dr. James Cleveland, Franklin’s musical mentor, Saycon Sengbloh as the adult sister Erma, Hailey Kilgore as sister Carolyn and Brenda Nicole Moorer as Brenda harmonize well. Their voices are heavenly, making the songs feel richer. Classics like “Dr. Feelgood,” “Think,” “Ain’t No Way,” “Chain of Fools” and "Sweet Sweet Baby (Since You've Been Gone)" resonate so much the music carries the film over any rough spots. The script by playwrightturned-screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson doesn’t miss much in the star’s formative years: Franklin’s often strained relationship with her domineering dad; tween and teenage pregnancies; White’s notorious spousal abuse and the singer’s bouts with alcoholism. The latter two plot points provide some of the film’s highest drama, moments when Aretha was scarred for her life, humiliated in public, and facing inner demons that put her on a path of self-destruction. That human frailty is balanced by the exhilarating moments (recording her first hit), shows of courage (civil rights activism with MLK and supporting Angela Davis), and creative breakthroughs (watching the scenes where she arranges songs with the band is magic). The characters, large and small, are well-drawn with depth and dimension. The dialogue floats safely above a soap operaish feel. Mom to her daughter:
old, sings and acts well. Marc Maron as the legendary record producer Jerry Wexler is sufficiently animated while Burgess as the musical director Rev. Cleveland shows just the right sensibility as Franklin’s emotional foundation. If there is a weak link, it is Marlon Wayans as the troubled and abusive husband Ted White. His performance is tepid and shallow. A real pro, like the late Chadwick Boseman, would have taken this opportunity to turn White—a pivotal character—into a memorable, The music is the highlight of “Respect.” menacing persona. Wayans does not. What’s on view is so fascinat“Your daddy does not own your experienced in some very impresing and the storyline so involving sive scenes. voice.” Her interpretation of Franklin, and consequential that when the For two hours and 25 minutes, tight editing (Avril Beukes, when she sings, mimics her walk film ends at Franklin’s famous “Queen Sugar”), a constant influx and gestures and displays that church concert, you wish there of historical moments, rousing bad*ss attitude captures the aura was more. This is where a traconcert performances, interactions with famous people (Dinah Washington played by Mary J, Blige, Clara Ward by Heather Headley and Smokey Robinson by Lodric D. Collins) and Franklin’s life journey will keep you entranced. The production design (Ina Mayhew, “Queen Sugar”) aptly recreates the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. The eye-catching clothes (Clint Ramos, “Lingua Franca”) suit the characters and the times; their only imperfection is that they often look too new, not lived in. Most of the ensemble performances are strong, with Hudson as the anchor and her singing as her strongest asset. While her acting cannot match that of a trained thespian (Viola Davis, Angela Basset) and her accent seems to waver at times, she does convey the emotional trauma the star
tured in her records, a bio book “Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin” and now in a film that captures her essence and dispenses it through the vocal pipes and the acting prowess of the one woman Franklin herself deemed worthy of telling her story. The entire production is reverential, but Jennifer Hudson should be particularly proud. She has done her job. She should take a bow. The Queen of Soul knew what she was doing. “Respect” hit theaters starting August 13, 2021. See local listings for showtimes. Dwight Brown is an NNPA News Wire film critic. Find more of his work at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.
8
August 19-25, 2021
Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Worship Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church
Bethesda Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Billy G. Russell, Sr. Pastor
Rev. Arthur Agnew, Pastor
Rev. James C. Thomas, Pastor
451 West Central
St. Paul, MN 55103 651-227-4444
Church School 9:30 am Morning Worship 8:00 & 10:45 am Prayer Service:
Wednesday 7 pm "Welcome to
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church"
At the Old Landmark 1118 So. 8th Street Mpls., MN 55404
612-332-5904 www.bethesdamnonline.com bethesdamn@prodigy.net Sunday Service Times: Early Morning Service 9 am Sunday School 10 am Sunday Worship 11:30 am Wednesday Prayer Meeting, 6 pm
Adult Bible Class 7 pm Children's Bible Class 7 pm
2600 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.greatfriend.org Phone: 612.827.7928 Fax: 612.827.3587 info@greatfriend.org Sundays 8:00am Sunday School 9:30am Worship Service The Friendly Church Where Everybody Is Somebody
Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Doctor Charles Gill 732 W. Central Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 Sunday Worship Service: 9:45 AM Sunday School: 8:45 AM
Employment & Legals Wanted: Inside Sales Representative MSR seeks a full-time salaried Inside Sales Representative. Position entails calling businesses to help acquire employment ads for print and online. Intrigued? For more informaiton, send inquiries and resumes to twilliams@spokesman-recorder.com No phone calls please.
MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER 3744 4th Ave. South • Minneapolis, MN 55409 Phone: 612-827-4021 • Fax: 612-827-0577
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l auNa Q. NeWmaN CEO/Publisher 1976-2000
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Contributing Writers
Sports Writers
Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III
Charles Hallman
Community Editor Mel Reeves
Dr. Deirdre Golden
Dr. Mitchell P. McDonald
Aleezeh Hasan
Contributing Photographers
Dr. Clarence Hightower
Digital Editor Paige Elliott
Abeni Hill Dwight Hobbes
Desktop Publisher Jennifer Cherrier Jim Handrigan
Tiffany Johnson Brandon Jones
Administrative Assistant Open Account Representatives Cecilia Viel
Onika Nicole Craven Steve Floyd Chris Juhn Travis Lee
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Administrative Assistant
Qualified candidates will have a high school diploma or general education degree (GED). Three years of adminstrative experience required. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Requires basic computer expertise, including use of database, word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications; general office knowledge involving filing, data entry, operating multi-line phone system and customer service. Sound organizational, written and oral communication skills. Ideal candidate will have a positive, team-player attitude and is highly motivated. Candidate must be willing to adapt to a fast-paced work environment that is deadline driven. He or she must be attentive to details and adept at prioritizing assignments. This part-time position requires: • Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access • Well-organized, efficient, high-energy, able to juggle multiple tasks • Great interpersonal and communication skills • Attention to detail and problem-solving abilities • Excellent writing, typing and proofreading skill • Three years adminstative assistant experience required The individual filling the role of Administrative Assistant will be responsible for a variety of duties necessary for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder to run efficiently. Email résumé to: twilliams@spokesman-recorder.com. No phone calls please.
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Prep Continued from page 10
The Cadets, who boasted a couple of the state’s best in 6’7” senior forward Matthew Lee and 6’8” center Javier Collins and were ranked among the top teams in the state, were leading the defending state champions 65-64 with 5.5 seconds remaining in the game and a St. Thomas player at the free-throw line with a chance to increase their one-point advantage to three. By this stage of the game Lee, a future Bradley University player, who was at the freethrow line, and Collins, who
of them take care of themselves a little bit better or a little bit differently. I can’t say better, [but] Continued from page 10 a little bit differently because of the time they spend overseas. “I am a service to them, so whatever it is that they need, it’s impressed her: “I just kind of took an interest at that point… [By my responsibility to figure out my] senior year of high school, I from a health and safety standalready knew I was going to go point how to get them taken care to the local community college of and hopefully performing at [to study physical therapy],” she their best,” said Trotter proudly. Trotter was among the speakrecalled. But once in college, Trotter ers last month at the So You reached a crossroad. “I was able Want A Career In Athletics acadto walk on to the basketball emy via Zoom. She advised the team and also at the same time young Black female attendees had been offered a work study position with the athletic trainers,” she recalled. “I had to make a decision if I wanted to [play] Khalid El-Amin basketball or do the student asCourtesy Khalid El-Amin@ sistant position.” ELAminTraining She soon learned that the decision was made for her: “I was not welcomed back for my went on to Northwestern Unisecond year. I quickly figured versity and a career as an NFL out that I was not going to have defensive end with the Dallas a career in basketball or athletCowboys, had scored 22 and ics. So I just switched roles, and I 17 points respectively. was able to observe the two athEl-Amin was at 38, including letic trainers that we had at Jones not to be discouraged in seeking County Junior College. “It just really blossomed from a career in sports—even in a prothere,” said Trotter, with no re- fession such as hers that despergrets. Later, with her degree in ately needs diversity. “You have to just be intensports medicine and athletic Continued from page 10 training from Valdosta State tional,” she stressed. “If you want (2006), and her masters in sport something and if you really, really and fitness management from know you want it, then you have Troy University (2008), her AT ca- to put forth the work. Nobody’s “We are taking steps and being reer took off. Trotter was named going to necessarily just give it to intentional in moving forward.” athletic trainer of the year in Ar- you. Sometimes things just kind Taylor earned his law degree of happen and work in your favor. from Indiana University School of kansas in 2015. “I’m grateful for the two guys Law. Prior to joining the NBA in On her current position with the Dream, she said, “I must ad- that took me in and allowed 2013, he was president and CEO mit I’ve never had the aspirations me to…just sit in the corner and of the Foundation for Newark’s of being an athletic trainer in the watch them,” Trotter said, “be- Future and a vice president of proprofessional ranks because I do cause that’s where my love of grams at the W.K. Kellogg Foundahave a passion for collegiate ath- athletic training actually truly be- tion. letes. I worked in collegiate ath- gan. It happened for a reason.” Prior to his current role to which letics for 12 years.” She likes the he was named in January, Taylor Next in the series: a sports trainrelationship-building with college players as well as watching them ing entrepreneur progress in their maturity, she Charles Hallman welcomes added. There is a difference in pro reader responses to challman@ sports, Trotter observed. “These spokesman-recorder.com. are professional athletes. Most
“If you want something and if you really, really know you want it, then you have to put forth the work.”
Grants
eight three-pointers. Then came the 5.5 seconds that changed everything: Lee missed both free-throws. After the second miss fell into the hands of Kavon Westberry, the guard passed it to fellow backcourt mate Ozzie Lockhart, who then gave it to a streaking El-Amin at mid-court. He pulled up and buried his ninth three-pointer at the buzzer for a 67-65 win followed by a jubilant celebration with fans, coaches and teammates. Two days later, El-Amin scored 17 points to add to forward Jabbar Washington’s game-leading 28 to help North secure its second consecutive state title. The shot against St. Thomas went viral via ESPN and put El-Amin and Minneapolis North on the national scene. He went on to lead the Polars to their third straight state crown the following year, winning Mr. Basketball, being named to the McDonald’s AllAmerican team. He then led UCONN to the 1999 NCAA men’s basketball championship in his sophomore year and embarked on a successful professional career. Now he’s back to lead the school he once faced as an opponent. Full circle. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.
was the NBA’s senior vice-president of player development and worked with players on continuing education, financial management, and mental health and wellness programs. “I feel like I’ve been preparing for this moment for 20-plus years in my work career,” he said on leading the NBA Foundation. “I feel particularly prepared.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesmanrecorder.com.
August 19-25, 2021
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Principal Vistex IT Business Analyst for Medtronic, Inc. in Mounds View, MN. Req. Master’s in Info. Sys., Comp. Sci. or related technical degree & 4 yrs. exp. w/SAP Sales & Distribution Module. Must possess a min. 4 yrs. exp. w/each of the following: SAP Sales & Distribution (SD Module) configuration, implementations & integrations; configuring SAP Sales Order Processing to incl. Pricing & Billing processes & functionality; conducting OTC configuration from end to end in the Sales & Distributions value stream; System Development Life Cycle; & SAP Sales & Distribution interaction w/ other systems & SAP modules, incl. Finance (FI), Material Mgmt. & Warehouse Mgmt. To apply, visit https://jobs. medtronic.com/, select Req. #21000KQ2 . No agencies or phone calls please. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.
Sr. Database Administrator - CRHF Medtronic, Inc., Mounds View, MN. Req. Bachelor’s or equiv.* in Info. Systems, Math. or Software Engr. & 5 yrs. exp. in Database Administration. *Equiv.: Employer will accept a Post-Secondary Diploma/Degree in Info. Systems, Math., or Software Engr. in lieu of Bachelor’s. Must possess min. 5 yrs. exp. w/each of the following: Software development life cycle & Quality Assurance Software testing; Database Admin. on Windows Platform, ETL (methodology supporting data extraction, transformations & load processing), Data warehouse, Data Mart, Web services & Client-Server apps. for large data warehouses (>75TB); database integration of data sources w/Multiple Relational Databases to incl. Oracle, SQL Server & Flat Files; Waterfall & Agile framework software development methods; Programming Languages to incl. C#, SQL & PL/SQL; Programming Database Objects to incl. Tables, Stored Procedures, Views, Rules, Defaults, user defined data types & functions; & backend testing for SQL queries. Will accept any suitable combo. of education & exp. as noted above. To apply, visit https://jobs.medtronic. com/, select Req. #21000KQ6. No agencies or phone calls please. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.
Business Analyst / Application Support: Cardinal Glass Industries, Inc. in Eden Prairie, MN. Req. bachelor’s in computer science, engineering, information systems or related field & 7 yrs of progressive post-baccalaureate exp in business analysis and JD Edwards Enterprise One exp. Req. 7 yrs exp working w/ JD Edward software; implementing JD Edwards at large multi-site manufacturing company; & JD Edwards Sales Order. Req. exp in 3 full project lifecycles of ERP Implementation. Must be willing to travel up to 100% to other Cardinal facilities. Perform business analysis tasks such as defining business needs, identifying current state/ future state, identifying and defining new business opportunities. For confidential consideration, please submit résumé to gbisker@ cardinalcorp.com. No agencies or phone calls please.
Assistant to the President University of Minnesota The Office of the President invites applications for the position of Assistant to the President. This position works collaboratively with the team to drive, facilitate, and support presidential strategic projects, directives, and initiatives. In order to effectively perform this role, the Assistant develops subject matter expertise in the areas of responsibility and maintains an open line of communication and partnership with the president, the rest of the team, and key stakeholders across the system. The Assistant provides strategic advice and counsel, possesses a high level of integrity, and demonstrates good judgment and discretion in sensitive and confidential matters. This position reports to the Senior Assistant to the President for Strategy & Communications. The priority deadline for the submission of applications is August 27, 2021. To apply, please submit a cover letter, current vita or resume, and three professional references via the University of Minnesota employment website as follows: https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/342397
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August 19-25, 2021
Sports
Dream’s athletic trainer took roundabout Local sprinter proud to reach Olympic finals career path
O
Third in a series The MSR recently attended a four-day virtual “So You Want A Career in Athletics” (SYWACIA) sports leadership academy for girls and young women of color in sports. Afterwards, several panelists and speakers agreed to share with us, as they did with the attendees, their individual career journeys and lessons learned in their fields. Coaching, executive leadership, sports medicine and entrepreneurship will be addressed in this multi-part series. This week: One door closes, a career door opens
riginally on the athlete track, Natalie Trotter got derailed so to speak and found a better track to pursue. Trotter is among a select few Black female athletic trainers (AT). Athletic trainers are licensed, certified health professionals. According to Zippia, 45% of all ATs are women but nearly 11% are Black females, the same percentage as in 2011. Both White men and women make more money than all other groups, about a $2,000-$3,000 difference. Trotter has been an AT for over 10 years, working mainly in college sport. She has since last season been the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream head AT. “Prior to moving to Georgia,” said the Shubuta, Mississippi native, “I worked at Arkansas State (2008-12), and then I worked at the University of Arkansas (2012-19).” While in high school, Trotter said her coach’s son, then the team’s athletic trainer, ■See View on page 9
Natalie Trotter
Submitted photo
J
oseph Fahnbulleh soon will be back at the University of Florida as the fifth-fastest man in the world. Fahnbulleh, affectionately known as JB, ran a 19.98 and finished fifth in the 200 meters at the Tokyo Olympics, just .36 seconds behind the winner. The 2019 Hopkins High School grad, who was among over 20 Minnesotans competing in the Summer Games, ran for Liberia. The 19-year-old was the youngest in the field. Upon his return to the States last week, Fahnbulleh was greeted as a conquering hero at the MSP Airport by an enthusiastic contingent of family, friends and other well-wishers. “I was just expecting my mom and my aunt Rita,” admitted Fahnbulleh in an MSR exclusive interview in the airport baggage area. “It feels good,” he added. “We’re proud of him,” said JB’s mother Charlotte Graham. Hopkins Track Coach Nick Lovas was among the greeters. “Words are hard to describe our pride,” he told the MSR of his former sprinter, who holds the Minnesota state high school record in the 200 meters and is a two-time state champ (2018, 2019). Fahnbulleh in June won the 200 in the NCAA championship and finished second in the SEC championships in May. Lovas said of JB, “Joe was a special kid as an athlete. Even more so as a young man.” He called Fahnbulleh “a world class kid. He’s still the same young man that he always was. He’s just doing it on a bigger stage.” What he accomplished in Tokyo in his first Olympics still hasn’t totally hit him, said Fahnbulleh. “If I could describe it in one word, it’d be crazy, from crazy good to crazy bad. It was just a new experience, and I was fresh.” “I’ve always told him he’s naturally talented,” said his mom, “so
NBA Foundation awards grants to local nonprofits By Charles Hallman Sports columnist
Jennifer Ridgeway Courtesy of MN Timberwolves
Gary Taylor
Courtesy of NBA
The NBA Foundation earlier this month awarded two local organizations, Summit Academy OIC and the Sanneh Foundation,
grants to support their outstanding work elevating Black communities through employment and career development. The grants are part of the Foundation’s third grant round, totaling more than $6 million to 22 organizations around the country. To date, $11 million has been awarded to 40 national and local nonprofits throughout the 30 NBA team markets. Summit Academy OIC is an accredited vocational school located in North Minneapolis with a 50-year history of work in the Black community. The Sanneh Foundation, located in St. Paul, serves the holistic youth development needs of Twin Cities youth, focusing its efforts on low-income urban and immigrant youth populations, and promotes in-school and after-school educational attainment programs. “Both organizations have a long history of being trailblazers…for the Black community,” said Jennifer Ridgeway, Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx executive vice president of social responsibility. “We are thrilled that they were selected from a national pool.” Ridgeway and NBA Foundation Executive Director Gary Taylor both talked to the MSR in separate phone interviews. The NBA Foundation was created in August 2020, a couple of months after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, as a firstever charitable foundation dedicated to driving economic opportunity for Black youth. Taylor is its
first executive director. “It’s been a great first year,” he declared. “We’ve set a vision. We’ve developed effective partnerships across the country, including Canada. I think I’m really pleased with the progress to date around our objective.” Added Ridgeway on the Timberwolves’ and Lynx’s local involvement, “We certainly champion the nonprofits in our community doing the groundwork. The Timberwolves and the Lynx are longstanding champions of equity in our community.” Wolves and Lynx principal owner Glen Taylor (no relation) pledged $10 million toward the NBA’s $300 million commitment to the NBA Foundation. “We work very closely with the partnership,” added Gary Taylor. On the selection of Summit Academy and Sanneh in the latest round of grants, he said, “We couldn’t be more excited about [their selection. “We do have a pretty rigorous decision-making process,” explained Taylor. “We want organizations that have a track record of preparing young people… That includes youth development and life skills and education and workforce development. It’s important that you have a track record of success.” Said Ridgeway, “This is one step… Over the last year, we learned we need to do more work” in the Black communities. ■See Grants on page 9
Family and supporters welcome JB’s return.
“He’s still the same young man that he always was. He’s just doing it on a bigger stage.” we should thank God for the gift that he has been given and not take it for granted, because it is a gift.” “It was fun racing against the top,” noted Fahnbulleh. “I was watching them on You Tube two years ago, saying, ‘Dang, I want to race [against them].’ I didn’t expect to be in the final. “Hard work does pay off,” said JB, “and with God’s grace as well.” Yet the young man refuses to take full credit for his recent feat, or his past on-track accomplishments for that matter, whether locally, domestically, or now internationally. “My mom has worked so much for me to get me here,” he said. “It’s been a long fight and knowing that I’m one step closer to making her happy. It means a lot, so I will continue to work hard and work my butt off.”
JB’s mother beamed ear-toear as her son received hugs and back pats from wellwishers. “I’m a single mom,” said Graham, “but we have a close family that also worked…raising him and keeping
parents emigrated from, are proud. “The Liberian community has welcomed him,” said Graham. “This is the first time an athlete has made it this far from Liberia, made
Joe Fahnbulleh and mother Charlotte Graham Photos by Charles Hallman him.” She also credits her Wayman AME Church family, many of whom were at the airport last week as well. “He’s been grounded in the church,” she noted. Fahnbulleh didn’t get the same local mainstream media attention as other Minnesotans at the Olympics save for a column of his semifinals performance in the Star Tribune and on Minnesota Public Radio. Nonetheless, both his native state and Liberia, where his
it to the finals. We’re all excited for him.” “I’m not saying I’m going to ride this hype wave forever,” said Fahnbulleh, “but the memories will be so etched in stone in me for life.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
El-Amin has come full circle
PreP Scene Dr. Mitchell PalMer McDonalD
When former Minneapolis North, University of Connecticut, and professional basketball icon Khalid El-Amin was named head boys’ basketball coach at St. Thomas Academy last month, basketball enthusiasts from the 1990s realized that he has come full circle. “How did this happen?” you might ask. It all started on a cool spring afternoon, Thursday, March 21,
1996 at the old St. Paul Civic Center located in the downtown arear of Minnesota’s capital city. El-Amin, a 5’10” junior point guard who had led the Polars to the 1995 state boys’ basketball title and undefeated season, had them back in the tournament facing a very good team in the quarterfinals. The team they were facing? You guessed it—St. Thomas Academy. ■See Prep on page 9