December 20, 2018 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

December 20-26, 2018 Vol. 85 No. 20 www.spokesman-recorder.com

PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391

THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934

NATURE’S SYRUP Skin & Hair Care SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

MPLS FIRE DEPT CONTINUES DIVERSITY EFFORTS

Like many entrepreneurs, De’Vonna Pittman is a Jill of many trades, with one foot in the daily humdrum of a 9 to 5 and the other in a network of thriving brands and ventures. By day, she works in program and project management. By night, she is an author of two books, co-founder of the MN Black Author’s Expo, publisher and community strategist. She is also the force behind the organic hair and skin line, Nature’s Syrup Skin & Hair Care. Setting up pop-up shops at holiday bazaars around the Twin Cities, Pittman has routinely sold out of the line’s products as if she were hosting a going-out-ofbusiness sale. We caught up with the serial entrepreneur to learn more about her brand, which includes a collection of body butters, leave-in conditioners, and even deodorant.

DuJuan Williams (center) at Minneapolis Fire Department cadet academy graduation By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer

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uJuan Williams can finally say he is a Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD) graduate. Williams was among the 19-member firefighting Class of 2018 who graduated December 14 at the MFD’s Emergency Operations Training Facility in Fridley. Williams actually embarked on his firefighting career with a passion earlier this year. The longtime North Minneapolis resident didn’t wait for an opening in his city. Instead, he ap-

plied in January and was accepted as a cadet at the St. Paul Fire Department, where he trained, graduated and joined the force in May. He worked there for six months until the opportunity arose at MFD and he did it all over again. In all, Williams committed some 30 weeks of proven dedication to the profession. “I’m just really proud of myself,” said Williams. “I come for a very hard background — [with my] mom and dad not [being] there and I’m trying to show my kids what they can accomplish.” The average fire academy cadet program entails 12 to 14 weeks and 600 hours of prepara-

Photo by Chris Juhn tion. There is no accelerated program or other fast-tracking at the MFD. Mandatory qualifications include the ability to speak, write, and understand a second spoken language or be fluent in American Sign Language. “Everyone goes through the same training, has to pass the same tests, is held to the same standard,” said Deputy Chief of Training Johnathan Klepp, a 20-year MFD veteran. “So, when they [graduate], they are fully licensed [by] the State of Minnesota. That’s important. This is an extremely dangerous profession. People call us

■ See MFD on pg 8

Black woman incarceration rising at alarming, disparate rate By Stacy M. Brown Contributing Writer Missy Venable (not her real name) said she has trouble sleeping at night. It’s not the typical case of insomnia. It’s the after-effects of spending more than seven years in prison — which, incidentally, is where her fellow inmates began calling her “Missy,” and the name just stuck. She made up her last name for this article, choosing to hide her identity because her children are both of school age and she doesn’t want their classmates teasing them. It’s a similar story to the one shared by her friend, Tina Blackman — also a fictitious name. Blackman, who said she’s in her mid-40s, spent nearly nine years in prison. “When I went in, I left behind two teenagers and one child that was 8 years old and autistic and another child that was two,” Blackman told NNPA Newswire. While Venable was imprisoned for insurance fraud, Blackman was sentenced on drug charges. Venable said she thought she was referring people to get legitimate assistance with old, broken down vehicles and didn’t know the auto shop’s owner, who was once one of her closest friends, was committing insurance fraud. Blackman said her ex-boyfriend always denied being a drug dealer and she could find no evidence that he was. No bankroll, no fancy car

and certainly not a stack of cash, because she was often late on rent and utility payments. “Every day, I’d take mail to his friend’s because his friend didn’t have a reliable mailbox,” Blackman

house and he asked that I send him some clients and he’d pay me for it,” Venable said. Promised $250 per client, Venable said she turned a blind eye to what really was going on in the au-

An alarming trend After hearing their stories, one might wonder, why so much time? Blackman and Venable are part of an alarming trend: Black women represent a disproportionate rate of imprisonment in the growing popultion of incarcerated women in America. A 2018 report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) showed the number of incarcerated U.S. women overall has increased dramatically in recent decades — from just 26,000 in 1980 to 219,000 in 2017. And, while a recent NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet noted that Black people are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of Whites, the imprisonment rate for African American women is even worse — at twice that of White women.

The imprisonment rate for African American women is twice that of White women. explained. “They all looked just like regular mail, letters, and stuff,” she said. However, one of the envelopes contained drugs and she was charged for selling narcotics. Venable, a mother of two, had barely made ends meet when an opportunity of a lifetime presented itself. Or, so she thought. “A friend of mine was running this auto shop not far from my

Another report, “The Status of Black Women in the United States (SOBW),” echoed those statistics. Coauthored by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research in Washington and the National Domesto shop — insurance fraud. “The clients would be folks who tic Workers Alliance in New York, wanted to get rid of their cars and the 2017 report revealed that Black my contact knew just how to get rid women are more prone to being of them, get the clients paid and of jailed than White women, and that course pocket the insurance mon- tendency starts in school. Racial disparities in discipline ey,” she said. “I did time … hard time and I exist throughout the nation’s eduknow it was partly because I was cation system, the SOBW researchnaïve and mostly because I was stu- ers said. pid,” Venable said.

■ See IncarceratIon on pg 8

De’Vonna Pittman

Photo by Desireé Benton

MSR: Tell us a little bit about your company. De’Vonna Pittman: Nature’s Syrup specializes in creating and providing skin and hair care solutions for all hair types. Our products are made with healthconscious ingredients that provide healthy and organic alternatives to commercial brand products. Aluminum [a known carcinogen] is traced to deodorants people purchase and use every day. Body butter was the first product I ever made, and it remains my staple product. A close second is my deodorant, as most women are looking for organic alternatives that work. MSR: What was the inspiration behind the brand? DP: In 2012, I big-chopped [my hair] and sought out products that would aid in its growth and moisture. My tight, coarse coils needed intense moisture [and] I quickly realized that the market didn’t cater to my texture. I was inspired by all the amazing YouTubers who were experimenting with shea butter, carrier oils, and essential oils to show love to their hair. I began making body butters for people at my church. They loved it, and the rest is history!

■ See SBS on pg 8

See more volleyball Final Four coverage on pg 10

Stop The Violence By MSR Editors Community leaders, activists, and members took to the streets of North Minneapolis in a peaceful protest of violence in the community. Dozens marched along the West Broadway Avenue corridor Sat., Dec. 15, in response to the recent shootings of three men, including a 14-year-old who was caught in the crossfire. “Too many young people [are] getting people killed,” said one protester, explaining why he joined the rally. “You’ve got the NAACP, you’ve got members of Black Lives Matter, you’ve got members of the community who live here and who care about this space,” added Shvonne Johnson, NAACP committee member. “It’s our neighborhood; this is our community.” “This really hits home,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, activist and co-founder of the Racial Justice Network. “My son just turned 14 today… and it could have easily been him.” The march may be over, but leaders say the work has just begun. Shvonne Johnson at Dec. 15 “Stop The Violence” peace rally

■ See Stop the vIolence on pg 8

Leslie Redmond at Dec. 15 “Stop The Violence” peace rally

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December 20-26, 2018

It’s time to face the truth about poverty in America

Poverty is perhaps the most persistent of problems, with consequences that can span a lifetime, be transferred across generations, and loom in the minds of individuals and families living at the edge of poverty. — 24/7 Wall Street The problems with the official measure [of poverty] have long been recognized. Not only are the original thresholds too low but they are based on outdated assumptions about family expenditures. Food now makes up about one-eighth of an average family’s expenditure. At the same time, the costs of housing, child care, and health care have grown. Thus the official poverty level no longer reflects the true expense of supporting a family at the minimally adequate level. — Mark Levinson

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ust last month MSN ran a two-week series of online articles titled “Poverty in America.” Among the many news outlets MSN partnered with during this enterprise was 24/7 Wall Street, which you might

remember as the news organization ranking Minnesota as the “second worst state for Black Americans” for several years running. Coincidentally, as was covered quite nicely here in the pages of the Spokesman-Recorder, 24/7 Wall Street graded the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul as the “fourth worst” metro area for African Americans to live. There were a number of compelling pieces that made up the MSN series including the “against all odds” success story of C. Nicole Mason (akin to the likes of Wes Moore and Casey Gerald), and a narrative about living in poverty through the eyes of the Johnson kids, ages eight, six and four. What’s more, in addition to some of the more personal accounts, there were a number of quantitative studies presented that explored such things as the root causes of poverty; who it is that lives in poverty; and what it actually means to be poor in America today. To their credit, MSN and their news partners also discuss potential solutions to the problem of poverty. Among the topics they allot extra time is how poverty continues to be measured in the United States. This is a subject I’ve touched on numerous times over the life of this column. This is particularly important because as historian and economist Mark Levinson states, “The way we determine who needs help blocks many poor people from receiving the assistance they need.”

Neither America nor her institutions could likely stomach adding tens of millions to the ranks of the poor. The measure of poverty that we use in this country was based on the United States Department of Agriculture’s 1955 Household Food Consumption Survey at a time when a typical low-income American household spent a third of its income on food. The federal government officially implemented this measure 55 years ago, and this model has never been updated despite the fact that the average family in the 21st century spends far less a proportion of its income on food. Instead, in 2018, the poorest 20 percent of Americans spend 40 to 50 percent of their annual income on housing and re-

Celebration of Life

Connie Denita Marie Hatchett Demmings May 2, 1952 — November 29, 2018

“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” — 2 Corinthians 5:8

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onnie Denita Marie Hatchett Demmings returned to God, her Creator, on Nov. 29, 2018. Connie has now taken the same journey as her loved ones before her. We are blessed to have Connie’s friends to be with us in our time of separation from her presence. We are a large, extended family and, in the days to come, we will continue to look to God, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Connie’s Memorial Celebration Life will be held

at Sabathani Community Center, 310 East 38th St. Minneapolis, MN 55409. Flower deliveries can be sent to High Praise Ministries Church or Brooks Funeral Home at 862 Concordia Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104. Thank you for all your cares, prayers and concerns for our family. on Sat., Dec. 29, 2018. Services will take place at 12 pm at High Praise Ministries, 1200 7th St., Minneapolis; the repast will follow

Obituary

William Scott Posten

March 10, 1931 – December 12, 2018 The Honorable Judge William (Bill) Scott Posten, age 87, of Minneapolis, passed away on Tues., Dec. 12, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. Bill was born on March 10, 1931, to Ike and Aquila (Clark) Posten, in East Moline, Ill. Bill is survived by Polly, his loving wife of 43 years; his children Scott, Elaine and Melissa; along with 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth, his parents, stepfather Vern Teague, his daughter Karen and son David. In 1959, Bill received his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. He worked in the Social Security Administration Office and advanced as head of the Hennepin County Attorney Office’s criminal division. In 1973, he was appointed to the county’s district court bench where he became the third African American district court judge in Minnesota. During his tenure, he adjudicated two of the most significant cases recorded in Hennepin County history: The State of Minnesota v. Leonard J Richards, 1991 and Hodder v. Goodyear, 1986. Bill’s creative and courageous judicial decision, allowing an older female victim to select the punishment for her male rapist assailant, garnered him national and international media attention. Over 400 people attended the memorial service held at St. Joan of Arc church on Thurs.,

Dec. 13, 2018. His colleagues described the judge’s personality and demeanor as “graceful, dignified, calm, patient, unflappable under pressure, and brilliant.” The Posten family is grateful to the good people at Fairview Hospice for their loving and compassionate care of Bill prior to his death. Donations may be made in honor of Judge William Posten to: Fairview Home Care and Hospice, Fairview Foundation, Riverside Professional Bldg. #119, 2450 Riverside Ave., Mpls., MN 55454 or Pathways, 3115 Hennepin Ave. So., Mpls., MN 55408.

lated costs. Other significant expenses that have risen during the last 45 years and continue burdening low-income families include health care, child care, and transportation. Moreover, America’s poverty guidelines still fail to take into consideration geographical variations in the cost of living (with modest exceptions for the states of Alaska and Hawaii). Thus, according to America’s official poverty measure, a family of four earning $24,000 per year in Eureka, California is the equivalent of a four-person household in Eureka, Kansas earning the same amount. And yet, the cost of living in the Cal-

ifornia town is nearly five times that of the town in Kansas. The official count of Americans living in poverty today is approximately 40 million. However, a multitude of alternative measures, including those proposed by the National Academy of Sciences, Economic Policy Institute, Brookings Institute, Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, and MIT, suggests that over 100 million more Americans are either low-income or economically insecure. In essence, half of the country’s citizens still struggle to meet their basic needs. Neither America nor her institutions could likely stomach

adding tens of millions to the ranks of the poor. Perhaps that is the reason that all of these alternative measures of poverty have failed to gain any meaningful traction outside of the institutions where they were created. But if we truly want to reduce poverty, we have to be honest with ourselves. In order to reduce poverty and economic insecurity, America must not only provide assistance to help its most vulnerable populations make ends meet at the end of the month, but also invest in resources and opportunities that help lift people out of poverty and chart a course toward financial empowerment. This means more money for education, job training, affordable housing, access to reliable transportation, and quality health care, among other things. As the late Nelson Mandela, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this past July, so famously said, “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” Clarence Hightower is the executive director of Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties. Dr. Hightower holds a Ph.D. in urban higher education from Jackson State University. He welcomes reader responses to 450 Syndicate Street North, St. Paul, MN 55104. Photo by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash

Rites of passage: creating liminal spaces for Black youth Transitions from one developmenhave been defined with involvement tal stage to the next are very challengof sexual activity and/or conception of ing periods for all human beings. Black a child. These are just two examples of youth, many of whom suffer from identhe major life events that have sometity crises caused by trauma, are partichow morphed into our current culturularly strained. al custom. Black youth face difficulty during When we become aware of our own critical transitional periods and the negliminality, most of us, if we’re honest, ative cultural implications precipitatdon’t know who to become or how to JEGNA ed by these difficulties. Youth develnavigate the transition. We often miss opment programs and initiatives that the real potential of “in-between” placserve Black youth have been adding es and either stand paralyzed in our Brandon Jones cultural paradigms (rites of passage) to current situations or flee to a place of assist with this development and tranunknowns. sition. As Black people who care about the future of There is a concept, liminality, that has become our future generations, we must deliberately cremore popular of late. This concept is defined as re- ate liminal spaces and opportunities that counter lating to a transitional or initial stage of a process. A the impacts of intergenerational trauma and proliminal space is the time between the “what was” mote the positive development and evolution of and the “next.” It is a place of transition, waiting, our community. and not knowing. If we approach the liminal spaces of Black This is a vital time for many Black people tran- youth intentionally and within community, rather sitioning in a world of high expectations and de- than staying paralyzed, running away, or going at manding high levels of responsibly, standards in- it alone, we can boldly approach it and confidentformed by a foundation of inequality. How do ly move forward into our futures with productivBlack youth transition without having prosocial ity and success. influences that focus on healthy identity, empowerment and healing? In anthropology, liminality is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rites, when participants no longer hold

Today’s society has not clearly defined the way our males transition to men and females transition to women. their pre-ritual status, but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold (adulthood) when the rite is complete. This is a concept that is not discussed in schools, households, or community organizations. However, it might be an important thing to understand for the healing of the Black community. We do discuss how Black youth have lost our traditions of rites of passage. Today’s society has not clearly defined the way our males transition to men and females transition to women. In fact, some may say the intergenerational trauma that plagues our community has vastly impacted our path into adulthood. It is often stated that the way Black males become men is defined by having to take to the streets prior to turning 18. Also, the rites of passage for many females transitioning to women

Rites of passage can take place in your very own home. However, to influence a desired result you must be willing to set an expectation of what is to “happen next.” We should prepare the next generations to meet the demands of modern society and set them up for prosperous lives. The generations to come desire that from you and me. Brandon Jones M.A. is a mental health practitioner. He welcomes reader responses to Brandon@jegnainstitute. com or follow him on twitter @UniversalJones. Photo by Jaclyn Moy on Unsplash.

December 20-26, 2018

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The 80 dirtiest things we touch This list will make you want to wash your hands

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By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD is no surprise that our world is filled with millions of germs. Some germs are both wanted and important. In fact, we have populations of germs that live on our skin and inside our bodies that are essential for life. This group of microbes and germs is collectively called the microbiome and will be the subject of a future article. Unfortunately, many germs are not essential to us and are downright dangerous for our health. The most important thing you can do for good health is to wash your hands on a regular basis. Many of these germs live on ordinary, everyday objects that we use all the time. Some of the items around us we would expect to be dirty. Some of the other things around us may be very dirty, and the list of them may come as a complete surprise. Even if you are not a total germaphobe, when we look at the list of 80 of the dirtiest things we encounter and touch every day, it should make us more motivated to wash our hands regularly.

The List 1. Armrests at public places like theatres 2. Appliance control knobs 3. ATM buttons 4. Banisters 5. Bar games (pinball buttons, video game buttons, darts, hockey game handles, etc.) 6. Bathtubs 7. Bathroom door handles (inside) 8. Bathroom sink faucet handles 9. Bowling balls (free loaners at the alley) 10. Car shifter knobs/levers 11. Car interior buttons (radio, climate control, touch screen) 12. Car seatbelts (insertion parts) 13. Cell phones

14. 15. 16. 17.

Chairs at the doctor’s office Children’s toys Coffee mugs at restaurants Coffee pot handles and all things in the office break room 18. Computer keyboard 19. Computer mouse

20. Copy and fax machine buttons 21. Credit cards 22. Crosswalk buttons 23. CPAP masks and keypad 24. Diaper-changing stations 25. Doorknobs 26. Door handles 27. Doorbell buttons 28. Drinking glasses at bars and restaurants 29. Drinking fountains 30. Elevator buttons 31. Escalator handrails 32. Eyeglasses 33. Gaming controls 34. Garage remote controls in our cars and on the garage wall 35. Gas pump handles 36. Grill handles 37. Hairbrush handles 38. Hearing aids

39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44.

Hot tubs Keys Kitchen sink Kitchen sink sponges Kitchen towels Laundry (Use bleach on whites, hot water washes, and long hot, dry cycles)

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45. 46. 47. 48. 49.

Light switches Litter boxes Locker door handles Loofa sponges Money, both coins and paper 50. Mailbox handles 51. Microwave keypads

52. Office telephones and telephone receivers 53. Parking meters 54. Pens on a cord or chain (like at the bank) 55. Pet toys 56. Pet dishes 57. Playground equipment, inside and outside 58. Public bathroom inside stall latches 59. Purses 60. Refrigerator door handles 61. Restaurant table tops (especially if wiped down with a sponge or cloth from same tub of water used over and over, or the sponge or cloth is used repeatedly on all tables) 62. Restaurant utensils and dishes (Studies have shown that almost all restaurant silverware has detectable

63. 64. 65. 66.

amounts of norovirus, E. coli and Listeria.) Security door keypads Security system alarm programming pads Self-checkout stands at the store Soap dispenser buttons

67. Sports balls (basketballs, volleyballs, footballs, etc.) 68. Sports equipment at the gym (bikes, treadmills, weights) 69. Steering wheels (cars) 70. Stove and oven control knobs 71. Shopping cart handles 72. Shower handles 73. Toilet seats 74. Toilet flush handles/levers 75. Toothbrush and toothbrush holders 76. Touchscreens 77. TV remote controls 78. Urinal flush handles 79. Vending machine buttons 80. Wallets

ly or weekly with a commercial disinfectant spray or wipe according to directions. For cell phones, use a microfiber cloth and a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol solution. You can’t clean everything, so your best defense for good health is to wash your hands regularly — especially after touching the items listed above. For a great article on proper hand washing, please see our previous column, “Want to prevent illness and disease? Wash your hands!,” http://spokesman-recorder.com/2017/07/26/ want-prevent-illness-diseasewash-hands. Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He also has a private practice in Eagan, MN. He received his M.D. and Master’s Degree in molecular biology and genomics from the Mayo Clinic. He has been selected as one of the top 10 dermatologists in the United States by Black Enterprise magazine. Dr. Crutchfield was recognized by Minnesota Medicine as one of the 100 Most Influential Healthcare Leaders in Minnesota. He is the team dermatologist for the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild and Lynx. Dr. Crutchfield is also an active member of both the American and National Medical Associations, and president of the Minnesota Association of Black Physicians.

Many of the things listed above can, and should be, cleaned on a regular basis. Most things should be cleaned dai-

Debunking common fertility myths Studies show many American women are putting off pregnancy until their 30s, and even their 40s. This continuing trend is often driven by women’s career interests and their confidence in remaining fertile, medical professionals say. But while many women are trying to time their pregnancy, that can be tricky due to the massive amount of conflicting information about fertility. “Separating fact from fiction can be difficult, because there are many myths on the topics of ovulation, timing of intercourse, and charting fertility,” says Hethir Rodriguez, founder and president of Natural-Fertility-Info.com and a certified herbalist specializing in women’s health. “These myths have been repeated so often that we readily believe them. “The best time to get pregnant doesn’t always mean it will happen right when you’re ready, but there are basic things to know and intelligent ways to prepare your body for pregnancy.” Here, Rodriguez debunks some oft-discussed myths about fertility. MYTH: You can get pregnant only one or two days a month. There are six days of the menstrual cycle that a woman could possibly get pregnant. “Because a female egg lives 12-24 hours after ovulation and sperm lives up to five days in the female reproductive system, you can have baby-making sex up to three days prior to and the day of ovulation — even the day after,” Rodriguez says. MYTH: All fertility apps are inaccurate “The sheer numbers of different types are daunting, and there are doubters in the medical community,” Rodriguez says. “But a good number of apps get good results. There are numerous apps available to help chart basal body temperature, track their cervical mucus, monitor hormone fluctuations, and pinpoint the day of ovulation.” MYTH: Women can ovulate twice in the same cycle. “In about 10 percent of cycles, you may ovulate twice,” Rodriguez says, “but it is going to be within a 24-hour period. Some people think they can ovulate on week two of their menstrual cycle and then again on

week three, but that’s not possible.” MYTH: Your diet does not have an impact on your fertility. “Diet makes a huge difference and is one of the most powerful tools you have for your fertility,” Rodriguez says. She suggests nutrient-dense foods, as close to their natural state as possible. “The right diet can help regulate ovulatory function, increasing chances of pregnancy,” she said. MYTH: If you have a regular menstrual cycle you won’t have any problems getting pregnant. Rodriguez says that even with a normal cycle, there might still be underlying fertility health issues, especially if a woman has been trying unsuccessfully to conceive. “One such issue is Luteal phase defect, in which the period of time from ovulation until menstruation is too short, less than 12 days,” MYTH: Infertility is a woman’s issue. “This is a myth that is underlying our culture,” Rodriguez says. “There’s a 40 percent chance the fertility health issue resides with the woman and 40 percent it’s due to malefactor infertility. And, sperm health is equally as important as egg health, because these cells equally provide the DNA that will make up your future child.” “The dialogue on fertility issues is important,” Rodriguez says. “For a long time, it wasn’t discussed so publicly, and it can be a sensitive topic. But with so much information out there, it’s vital they seek the right professionals so they can make informed decisions.” Hethir Rodriguez is founder and president of Natural Fertility Info.com, a website focusing on many aspects of natural fertility, infertility, and reproductive health. She’s the author of the e-Book Fertility Smoothies: Elixirs for Optimal Fertility. Story thanks to News and Experts

February 16-22, 2017

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December 20-26, 2018

‘TIS THE SEASON: Five tips for reducing holiday waste T

his holiday season, many plan to spread joy and celebrate the season with traditional gift-giving. Yet, all those amazing gifts can lead to hefty environmental implications. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. households produce 25 percent more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. That’s one million tons of waste — and most of it comes from all that holiday cheer we’ve bought, including food, shopping bags, bows and ribbons, packaging, and wrapping. Thankfully, a growing number of people are becoming aware of our carbon footprint and want to do something about it. Here are some tips for green gift-giving that may help reduce your waste over the holidays.

Avoid impulse buys Zero waste holidays start with how we shop. Planning ahead makes it easier to stick to your gift list, buy fewer things and buy only what you truly want/need. In short, a list helps you buy less and buy smart. From stocking stuffers to “doorbuster” sales, consider making a resolution to stick to your plan and avoid impulse buys. You can even bridge the conversation with your family about a gift exchange instead of gifting something new to everyone. In fact, you don’t even have to gift “new,” which leads us to tip #2. Consider options beyond “new” Re-used and re-gifted gifts make sense for the environment. In fact, re-gifting used to be a widely-held practice and is coming back around as a green option. To avoid the ta-

of durable materials. You can also research product reviews for studies on the product’s durability. For specific gift ideas, websites like buymeonce.com and eartheasy.com are great places to start. Use eco-friendly gift wrap alternatives For gift wrap alternatives, first, see what you already have at home. Can you use any bags, ribbons or wrap from last year? Or, consider using grocer brown paper bags (inside out) with a simple piece of twine and evergreen. You can also use sheet music, cookie tins, or children’s artwork. If you need to buy paper, many major retailers now carry 100 percent recycled paper. Skip paper embellished with glitter and heavy dyes.

boo that can be associated with regifting, follow this rule of etiquette: only re-gift items if it is something you would have gone to the store to purchase for that person originally. Unopened wines, board games, gourmet foods, lotions, candles, and small household items tend to be well-received gifts. Re-used is another option: for instance, you might find a like-new book series at a used book store for

the price of one new book. Lastly, you can always make a gift or decoration instead of trying to buy more new items (especially plastic or short-lived items). Giving consumable gifts is a great way to keep short-lived, broken gifts out of the landfill. Spend money on quality Believe it or not, many modern products are actually designed

to become obsolete within a short amount of time so that we have to replace them. You can contribute to a zero waste culture by intentionally choosing the longest-lasting version of the gift you’d like to give. The longer the item can stay in use, the fewer items we have in the trash stream. Resist the urge to buy cheaplymade items (such as plastic toys) and consider if the item is made out

Save for 2019 Scoop up all the extra paper, boxes, bags and bows and store them for the next season. You can even use the paper holiday cards you’ve been sent as future gift tags. If you have ornaments for your tree, use a specially designed box to store them safely. You can also look for fix-it clinics that can help repair any broken items at the end of the season, saving them from the trash cart. With a good stash at home, you might not have to buy new gift accessories or décor for years. — Information and photo provided by Hennepin County.

A winter gardening checklist for springtime If you’re like most of us, you’re thinking it’s December and gardening season is over but, not so fast. There are still plenty of tasks for gardeners to do — even in this frozen tundra — to prepare for the new season. Here are seven quick items to check off your gardening to-do list to help make springtime a welcome breeze. Clean up garden debris If you have not already done so, remove spent plants from the garden since they can harbor disease, fungus and insect eggs. If you are sure old garden plants are disease/fungus-free and there are no insect eggs, you can dig a garden trench and

bury them, which will add some organic matter to the soil and actually improve its overall health. If you are not sure whether your old plants are free of disease/fungus and insect eggs, it’s best to bag, tie and discard.

year means they will have time to break down, enrich your soil, and become biologically active. You can cover the bed with plastic to prevent rain and snow from washing them below the root zone, then uncover and till the soil

piles will make way for more. To keep microbes working a little bit longer, build a fall compost pile with the abundant fall leaves, eggshells, coffee grounds, fruit peels, along with straw, or sawdust layered with kitchen scraps.

There are actually still plenty of tasks for gardeners to do, even in this frozen tundra, to prepare for the new season. Prepare your soil for spring Most gardeners wait for spring to amend their soil, but now is a good time to add soil amendments like manure, compost, and bone meal. In most climates, adding nutrients at this time of

in spring. Consider doing a soil test to determine just what your soil is lacking. Preparing soil now will give you a big head start next season. Make way for more compost Cleaning out old compost

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Replenish mulch You can get a head start on mulching, which helps reduce water loss, protect soil from erosion, and keep weeds down. Adding a thick layer of mulch to the soil’s surface also helps to regulate soil temperatures and moisture and make for an easier transition into the winter. While the mulch breaks down, it will incorporate new, fresh organic matter into your soil. Clean and sharpen tools There’s never enough time to tend to tools when gardening is in full swing in spring and summertime. Now is a great time to lengthen your garden tools’ lifespan. Begin by washing tools to remove dirt and debris. If there is any rust, remove it with a steel wool pad. Sharpen hoes, shovels and pruners and then oil up your tools to finish. Once spring arrives, you’ll be happy you took time now for garden tool maintenance! Repairs Now is the perfect time to get your garden repairs in order. Fences, trellises, other plant supports, cold frames, pots, and painted surfac-

es are all easier to see and gain access to when plants are dormant. Besides, some problems in need of repair are unsightly, especially with the lack of foliage in the winter. Dig into repairs now and fix as much as you can, well before spring madness. Plans and Plants Now that you’ve accomplished time-consuming tasks in preparation for the winter, it’s time to get to the good stuff: perusing garden plans and picking plants you’d like to grow next spring. Not sure where to start? Check out Bonnie Plants, which is the largest producer and distributor of vegetable and herb plants. They offer a plethora of gardening information, from growing techniques and information on more than 250 varieties of vegetable, herb, and some fruit plants to how-

to projects, as well as harvest and storage information. The weather outside may be frightful, but there is always something delightful that can be done to spruce up your garden throughout the winter season. By the time you finish off this checklist, map out new plans and pick out plants, you’ll be well on your way to a super simple spring garden. For tips to get your garden jump-started, visit bonnieplants.com. — Information provided by Green Earth Media Group. Graphic from Pixabay.

December 20-26, 2018

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.

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Kevin Hart is indicative of Black America’s toxic masculinity By Rev. Irene Monroe Contributing Commentator

OPEN LETTER

Mpls Must delay upper Harbor terMinal approval The members of the Minneapolis Community Environmental Advisory Commission (CEAC) are writing to urge Minneapolis Mayo r Jacob Frey and the city council to delay the approval of the Phase I Concept plan for the Upper Harbor Terminal (UHT) site until local communities can be inclusively engaged in the process and the plan has set goals for the project that align with those of the Northern Green Zone and the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan (CAP). The city council should require the inclusion of climate and resiliency goals in the concept plan and follow an inclusionary planning process, such as that outlined by the EcoDistricts protocol, and ask for additional time before approving any development plans for the UHT site. The current January 2019 deadline to approve the concept plan does not allow adequate time for review and collaboration with interested and impacted community groups. North Minneapolis has a deeply rooted history of strategic disinvestment and racial segregation. Most cities rarely have an opportunity to remake 48 acres of space, let alone a mile of riverfront in an underserved, disenfranchised community. The UHT site provides the City and the local neighborhoods with a unique opportunity to be visionary and incorporate the City’s goals around resident engagement and investment, Green Zones, and climate change with the visions of community members. Through engagement meetings over the last three years, residents asked to see a project and engagement process that hears the voice and incorporates the vision of community members and that the development team uses a racial justice framework and mission. However, community leaders have

strongly expressed to CEAC that the project’s engagement process has neither heard the voice of nor incorporated the vision of the neighboring communities in the concept plan and has not used a racial justice framework. As the City works to right past and current injustices, community engagement processes need to be made-over in order to hear voices that have often not been heard. Many community leaders are energized by plans to redevelop the UHT site and want to play an active role but do not feel that they have adequate time to engage in the process with the current deadlines. This is an opportunity to not repeat past injustices and change course before any development plans are considered by the city council. Community members should have a voice in the meaningful process of defining this space which will have a profound effect on their neighborhoods. The City passed a resolution in April 2017 that created the Northern Green Zone. Since that time, the newly formed Environmental Justice Coordinating Council outlined 12 goals and further considerations for a Northern Green Zone Work Plan based upon communityled planning, prioritization of homegrown development, and community ownership of the Green Zone initiatives. The UHT site is a special opportunity for the City to follow through on the values it has resolved to uphold within the Northern Green Zone; yet, the Northern Green Zone has become an afterthought in this process. For example, the first community meeting to focus on Green Zone goals in a comprehensive way for the UHT site was not held until September of 2018. The City should be working with community members,

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community leaders, and the City’s Sustainability Division to ensure that Green Zone goals are included in all relevant development plans. Community leaders have expressed interest in using the EcoDistrict protocol for this development process. As envisioned by community leaders, a development that is net zero or net negative in its energy use, incorporates clean water practices, and responds to the promises the City has made to North and Northeast residents better aligns with City environmental goals and the goals of the Northern Green Zone than the current plan. This is also an opportunity to ameliorate some of the historical and ongoing environmental harms Northside communities have faced. The City has many environmental goals, including reducing greenhouse gases by 80 percent or more by 2050, and from what members of CEAC have heard from CPED and consultants, this plan would not meet the goals as outlined in the Climate Action Plan. St. Paul set a goal in 2016 for the Ford site redevelopment to be net zero energy. The UHT needs a similar goal in order to meet the goals of the Minneapolis CAP. The development plan for UHT that comes before city council for approval should include comprehensive community engagement, use of Green Zone goals laid out by the Environmental Justice Coordinating Council, which include affordable housing and anti-displacement and incorporate the City’s climate change goals and environmental promises to Northside residents. These changes should be made before any concept plans are approved by the city council. In summary, we ask that the council and mayor require the inclusion of climate and resiliency goals in the concept plan and follow an inclusionary planning process, such as EcoDistricts, and ask for additional time before approving any development plans for the UHT site. We also encourage the formation of a Community Advisory Council comprised of Northside community leaders, particularly those from the McKinley neighborhood, and a Technical Advisory Council, comprised of both city staff and non-city staff technical experts. These teams can help organize and engage the collaborative and innovative development that the community and city both desire, especially if the EcoDistrict protocol is used. Thank you for your consideration. Erin Niehoff is the chair of the City of Minneapolis Community Environmental Advisory Commission

While I will continue to argue that the African American community doesn’t have a patent on homophobia, it does, however, have a problem with it. And, comedian Kevin Hart is another glaring example of the malady. Just days after taking the coveted post to host the 91st Academy Awards, Hart stepped down rather than offer an apology for his 2011 homophobic tweets. “I chose to pass, I passed on the apology,” Hart said in a home video he made for the public. “The reason why I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times... I’m not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old when I moved on and I’m in a completely different space in my life.” During a 2011 stand-up routine, Hart shared how he would react to his three-year-old son having a “gay moment”: “Yo if my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay.’” [sic]

Can the Black brotherhood also include the diversity of their sexual orientations and gender expression? Hart feels he has since evolved on the issue of LGBTQ sensibilities to the point where no apology is needed. Consequently, a forced and heartless one was offered. As one who has purportedly evolved on LGBTQ issues, Hart squandered his elevated profile to educate the public on how his evolution came about. Although Hart is now a crossover phenom, he still plays largely to a Black audience, a demographic group — of young, old, church and unchurched — that is still unevolved and not completely woke to the deleterious effects of trans/homophobia on its community. It’s not easy for any person of African descent to be LGBTQ in our Black communities, but our transgender brothers and sisters might feel the most discrimination. The Black trans death rate is as meaningless to the larger Black community as it is to the larger society. Many trans reside in Black and Latinx communities, and their lives are in as much danger in their communities for “walking while trans” as they are for “walking while Black or Brown” in America. And, the fact that these Black and Latinx communities, especially the churches, would fail to annually honor Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international event memorializing transgender people murdered because of their gender identities

and expressions, like they do MLK Day and Black History Month, highlights whose lives matter. While it’s troubling that Hart chose to walk away from hosting the 2019 Academy Awards as an aggrieved victim rather than offer an apology, it is also evident he gleaned very little, if anything, from a similar incident with his comedic pal Tracy Morgan. In 2011, Morgan, then actor on NBC’s 30 Rock, went on a homophobic rant during a stand-up performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Ten. Morgan’s “intended” jokes about LGBTQ people were insulting jabs. My son “better talk to me like a man and not in a gay voice or I’ll pull out a knife and stab that little N-word to death,” Morgan told his audience. Unlike Hart, however, Morgan publicly expressed his mea culpas as part and parcel of his forgiveness tour and he spoke out in support of LGBTQ equality. These homophobic rants are about a toxic hypermasculinity of Black manhood. Hart, like Morgan, and many of us who have grown up in communities of African descent, cannot escape the cultural, personal, interpersonal, and institutional indoctrinations in which homo/transphobia are constructed and viewed. The community’s expression of its intolerance of LGBTQ people is easily seen along gender lines. For example, sisters mouth off about LGBTQ people while brothers get both — verbally and physically — violent with us. I ask, in my brothers’ cultivating images of strong Black men, can the brotherhood also include the diversity of their sexual orientations and gender expression? Many feel there’s a double standard when it comes to homo/transphobic statements blurted out by public figures and artists versus racists statements. For example, let’s not forget about the racist rant in 2006 by Michael Richards, who played the lovable and goofy character Kramer on the TV sitcom Seinfeld. His repetitive use of the Nword in the context of supposed humor cost him his career. However, many Black comedians point out a double standard when White comedians make homophobic jokes with no backlash from the public. Actor and rapper Nick Cannon helped shed light on the double standard, reposting homophobic tweets from comedians Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, and Sarah Silverman in defense of Hart. Some of us who live at the intersections of these communities are left to choose between standing with our Black homophobic brothers and sisters versus standing with our racist White LGBTQ ones. I, however, choose to do neither in order to not only free myself from these “isms,” but to also give them the challenge to free themselves. Rev. Irene Monroe is a Huffington Post blogger and freelance journalist.

There are bigger issues than Trump’s impeachment THROUGH MY EYES The Minneapolis Story Continues By Ron Edwards Contributing Commentator For months, many in mainstream media have been giddy with joyful anticipation of the impeachment of President Donald Trump, as well as his potential jail time. Yet, impeachment is extremely doubtful unless what the media believes about Trump’s high crimes turns out to actually be true. We must remember, the House of Representatives, which Democrats will control in 2019, can only recommend impeachment. It is the Senate that votes “yes” or “no,” a vote that is controlled by Republicans. So, why does it seem that the Democrats’ major message is impeachment (which Rep. Maxine Waters has advocated since Trump’s first day in office)? It has been the nonstop message — not education, jobs, housing and the border. Black America’s bright intellectual heritage and writing seems to have dimmed, as the only issue addressed seems to be about impeaching Trump rather than the many issues plaguing its communities. Many leaders even feel threatened by Trump’s campaign invitation to Blacks and Hispanics to vote for him, because, as he said, “What do you have to lose?” And, given that Blacks and Hispanics have the lowest levels of poverty and highest levels of employment and wages in recorded history, leadership seems even angrier, as if they themselves will be “impeached.” Us older guys remember when Caesar Chavez and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. went to the border and pleaded to have the southern border closed in order to save education, jobs, housing, and welfare for Blacks and Hispanics that were going to lesser paid illegal immigrants, further driving down minority wages. Chavez actually ad-

vocated fire bombing and shooting illegals at the border. What drives this incessant drumbeat of “impeach, impeach, impeach?” What drives those in power to ignore crafting solutions to enable Black America to better change with changing times? What kind of thinking is it when Hollywood types call for a recession so Trump won’t be reelected in 2020, with claims that people need to sacrifice to get rid of Trump — even if that means they have to lose their jobs, their homes, and their future? How will stock and bond market fluctuations influence such an impeachment decision? What about the strained relationships between the U.S. and China as seen at the recent G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina where the president, on TV, seemed lethargic and not on top of his political game in his relations with the other 19 world leaders? Is he worried about impeachment? Will impeachment campaigns raise or lower the chances for riots, like in France and elsewhere in Europe, to occur in the U.S.? How will the atmosphere in America change in early 2019, when the Democrats, vowing impeachment, take control of the House? As Republicans maintain a slim majority in the U.S. Senate, impeachment rides on Robert Mueller’s report delivering a final bill of particulars against Trump listing offenses even Republicans cannot ignore, as with Nixon. And, finally, why is American media surprisingly silent about what that might mean for America? One of the “golden rules” of the Fourth Estate, i.e., press, is to be up to speed in searching out facts, not anger. We need to enable our communities to move closer to being on the inside of information flow rather than on the outside looking in. Stay tuned. Ron Edwards is an author and hosts radio and TV shows.

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December 20-26, 2018

Black Market Reads continues to amplify Black writers with new season

Sarah Bellamy and Lissa Jones on stage for Black Nativity at Penumbra

By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Black Market Reads (BMR), a prestigious offering from the renowned Givens Foundation for African American Literature, recently launched its fourth season of highlighting African American writers with a dedicated podcast series. Billed as a “menu for Black literary consumption” that explores the rich tradition of African American storytelling, the monthly podcast features conversations with Black artists to engage listeners in arts and culture. “I’m very excited about it,” said Herman Milligan, Givens Foundation Board chair and overseer of the project. “It’s an innovative program [that] has global reach.” Recently, iDream.tv president/CEO and BMR Executive Producer Edie French, host Lissa Jones, and writer-strategist-webmaster Maya Auguston sat down with the MSR at iDream. tv studios. Paul Auguston producer, drifted in and out, duties precluding his joining the exchange. With walls adorned by paintings from local artist Ta-coumba Aiken — who also provided the banner art on the BMR website — the setting was high-tech but laid back. All on-hand were upbeat, delighted to get the word out on the program. Jones enjoys a strong livelihood of connecting with the community. As executive producer/host of Urban Agenda on KMOJ radio station, she is well-versed in confronting social issues with candid conversation, spir-

itedly celebrating Black culture. Black Market Reads proved a perfect fit. “Duchess Harris, Ph.D., who inspired the movie Hidden Figures, was my inaugural interview and I was hooked,” said Jones in a press release. Other notables who have been featured on the show include celebrated local author Alexs D. Pate, Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati, Mary Moore Easter, Justice Alan Page and most recently, DeRay McKesson, activist, and author of On the Other Side of Freedom, and Sarah Bellamy, artistic director at Penumbra Theatre. Jones reflected on conversations with Pate, saying, “Alexs got me to thinking about the first time or last time I felt innocent as a Black person… about how we teach our children to be innocent.” “Alexs,” said French, “tells a powerful story during his podcast interview about an event in his life where he inexplicably questions his own fundamental innocence, simply because greater society makes an assumption of guilt about Black men.” Another memorable conversation involved Dr. Artika Tyner, author and associate vice president for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of St. Thomas. “Dr. Tyner made me think about ‘Justice,’ a little girl in a cape who goes around dispensing justice, a Black girl,” Jones recalled. “And I see…that Dr. Tyner wants to inspire little girls and little boys to want to seek justice. So, it was awesome to see her build her interview around that.” “My mark of a great session is when Lissa and the guest both cry,” said

French, who has produced documentaries for the University of MN, Minneapolis Public Schools and Walker Art Center and served as Minneapolis Arts Commission chair. “Generally, the conversations are so full of heart,” she continued. “Lissa does a great job of being in that space where people come in and afterward, are just surprised. [They] say

things like, ‘Wow, I thought this was just going to be an interview, but I’ve never said those things before.’ The joy of being privileged to sit next to those conversations as they

BMR guests have included seasoned and new faces in literature. Pictured (l-r) Mary Moore Easter, Patricia Smith and Danez Smith

DeRay McKesson (left) and Lissa Jones recording at Shir Tikva Synagogue during a recent visit Photos courtesy of www.idream.tv

happen has been really exciting.” Jones referred to French as “a magic maker. She makes sure we get to hear from the voices people want to hear from, [people] who otherwise might not receive that kind of amplification — especially early in their career.” She refers, as an example, to Julian Randall, who is a 2017 Cave Canem Poetry Prize recipient for his collection Refuse (University of Pittsburgh Press). Her appreciation is reciprocated. Jones gladly shared an autographed copy of Refuse that read, “Dear Lissa. What a wonder this space and this love…this podcast and the hands that made [it].” BMR has, as well, highlighted an aspect of veteran poet Easter’s career that may elude her followers. During her visit, Easter spoke about her mother, internationally noted composer Undine Smith Moore. French recalled, “In addition to the interviews, which were fabulous, Maya reached and found ‘go deeper’ information. She found a video clip of [Undine Moore’s] music being played by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.” Maya Auguston, content to mostly observe, didn’t say much. Jones noted that her contribution to the podcast is nonetheless noteworthy. “Maya and I sit together,” said French. “She listens

and asks questions from her perspective. She has the depth and discipline to know about the craft.” She summed up, “We have a remarkable team.” The growth of Black Market Reads,’ which originated in 2015, has been “one of the greatest joys of my life,” said French. “It gets better and better, a great collaboration. It inspires me.” She added that the website archives preserve invaluable exchanges, affording audiences in-depth access to authors’ careers and work via links and videos. “From a technical perspective, we’re always improving. Paul [Auguston] does just a great job of the recording, making sure we get good, clean sound.” She concluded, “Overall, it’s been a pure, unmitigated joy.” Visit BlackMarketReads.com for more info. Black Market Reads is also available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Libsyn and many other platforms. Dwight Hobbes welcomes readers responses to dhobbes@spokesman-recorder. com.

December 20-26, 2018

BULLETIN

St.Paul City Council awards $1 million for upcoming arts and culture programs

Step Up yoUth program iS accepting applicationS for SUmmer internShipS The Step Up Youth Employment Program is now accepting applications for 2019 summer internship placements. Eligible Minneapolis youth, ages 14-21, who are interested in participating in the 2019 class have until Feb. 10, 2019 to apply. “Step Up is smart for our youth, it’s smart for our business and it’s smart for our region. It’s an opportunity to invest in the next generation,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “At a time when we have an enormous equity gap and a regional workforce shortage, Step Up is a solution to both.” As one of the country’s leading youth employment programs, Step Up prepares historically underrepresented youth in Minneapolis for tomorrow’s careers by recruiting, training and placing nearly 1,600 young people in paid internships at more than 200 employers each year. The program also helps organizations diversify their workforce and build a base of young, skilled workers for the entire region. With a collective of partners spanning 15 industries and multiple sectors, the program unites businesses, schools, nonprofits, and the city together in a common goal: to build and strengthen the future economy and the talented youth who will power it. Once accepted, After Step Up applicants must first complete work readiness training certified by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber. They are then matched with employers based on their skills and interests and the employers’ needs. Interns work part- or full-time from June 17 to August 16, and may also participate in additional professional development opportunities throughout the summer. “Through Step Up, I learned that working is a learning process, and every day, I learned more about my job,” said Step Up intern Amanuel, who worked at Mind Foundry Learning last summer. “I also benefited from the support of the Step Up staff. I am grateful to have been a part of a program that was so supportive and was kind enough to provide so many young adults with a high-level job that they wouldn’t find otherwise,” “I’ve benefited from participating in the Step Up program by gaining experience as I get older,” said Ellis, who has completed three Step Up internships. “Each internship has moved me higher and expanded my career choices. Step Up has trained me to be independent and to be ready for my future.” Step Up is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis, AchieveMpls, DEED, and Project for Pride in Living. To learn more about the program or access the online Step Up application, go to http://bit.ly/StepUpProgram2019.

—I n f o r m a t i o n p ro v i d e d b y t h e Ci t y o f Mi n n e a p o l i s.

Ph oto

eb p U p /F a c y o f St e c o u rt e s

The St. Paul City Council recently approved more than $1 million in grants for 34 organizations to fund arts and culture projects as part of the 2018 Cultural STAR Program — an initiative created in 1993 to promote economic growth in St. Paul by strengthening the arts and culture sector. “We are proud of the diverse art and cultural organizations that bring so much vitality and energy to St. Paul. We are also thankful to the Cultural STAR board and staff for their outreach efforts and support,” said Dr. Bruce Corrie, director of Planning and Economic Development. This year’s wide range of recipients includes cultural and community festivals like the Twin Cities Jazz Fest, and performances, including TU Dance’s 15th-anniversary concert. “St. Paul is fortunate to have a thriving arts scene and opportunities for musicians, dancers, artists, cultural leaders, and others to create,” said Chris Widdess, Cultural STAR Program Board Chair. “These investments help organizations improve their facilities, bring unique events and performances to St. Paul, and strengthen their impact in our community.” The Cultural STAR Program is funded by revenue from a local half-cent sales tax, of which 10 percent is designated for grants

Dancers strike a pose as Ernie Banks’ painting “The Graduate” looms in the background during TU Dance’s 15th anniversary concert. Photo by James L. Stroud, Jr. and loans for cultural projects. Eighty percent of grant funds each year are awarded to projects within the Cultural District of downtown St. Paul, defined as an area bordered by Interstate 94 to the north, the Lafayette Bridge to the east, Harriet and Raspberry Islands to the south, and Chestnut Road to the west. The program also funds capital improvements or equipment purchases needed for cultural projects, as well as special projects and organizational operations. Grants awarded range from $5,000 to $370,000. Organizations and projects receiving funding this year include: African American Registry, St. Paul Street Team – If Not Now, When?; Brownbody, Trac-

ing Steps; Ka Joog, “Somalia: A Nation of Poets;” Minnesota Landmarks, “Not In My Neighborhood;” Northern Lights MN, Inc., Northern Spark: Rondo; Penumbra Theatre, The Brothers Paranormal, and many more. The next round of Cultural STAR Program funding will open on Friday, January 11, 2019, with applications due Friday, February 22, 2019. The program will host informational sessions for interested groups in each ward beginning in January. For a full list of the 2018 recipients and more information, visit stpaul.gov/CulturalSTAR. —Information provided by the City of St. Paul

ook

Peace of Hope, Inc. invites you to a

JPay Party! December 24, 2018, 1-4 pm @ NEON 1007 Broadway Ave, Mpls.

THIS IS A FREE EVENT FOR FAMILIES OF THE INCARCERATED! Featured guest speakers: Cecelia Viel, founder/CEO, Start Anew Annette Bryant, founder/president, Ohenewaa Healing Point Whitney Kozart, founder/president, Ride4Love This event is co-sponsored by Rotary Club of C-NH-R

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December 20-26, 2018

MFD Continued from page 1

because they are in great danger and need someone to help. We want to make sure all your firefighters, when they hit the street, are prepared.” Entering the facility, you immediately get a sense of that responsibility with a large wall plaque solemnly inscribed, “Dedicated to the memory of the members of the Minneapolis Fire Department who made the ultimate sacrifice and responded to their last alarm.” Klepp reflected, “In the fire service, it’s such an important responsibility to acknowledge those who gave their lives, to keep their memory alive, make sure they’re not forgotten.”

ly important that the people you have serving this population represent that population. “People who grow up in these neighborhoods are going to protect their own neighborhoods,” Klepp said. “We love seeing that, more and more with each class we hire, we look more like the community they’re going to serve than ever before. We’re incredibly proud of it.” As one of four Black firefighters who graduated last week, Williams did note that Minneapolis still has a long way to go when it comes to diversity. “Honestly, there aren’t too many African American in our fire department,” Williams said. “But, Minneapolis has been doing a great thing of bringing different minorities in.” In this interest, the Minneapolis Fire Department and Hennepin EMS

“There’s nothing better than to serve the community you’re living in.” The MFD, he underscored, is a principally homegrown organization. “All the classes we hire are truly for the future,” said Klepp. “We don’t promote from outside our departments. We don’t bring other chiefs in. So the people we’re hiring now will become those drivers, those captains, chiefs. The present chief of the department, John Fruetel, could have come from this class, today.” Klepp noted that in a city as richly diverse as Minneapolis, “it’s immense-

launched the EMS Pathways Academy in 2016. The 13-week Emergency Medical Technician training and certification regimen is designed to add diversity to the ranks. Qualification as an EMT is an entry-level step that can lead to becoming Minneapolis firefighters, Hennepin EMS dispatchers and, through continued training, paramedics. North High School students were among the first to participate in this program at a department that, as of Ju-

Jonathan Klepp, Minneapolis Fire Department Deputy Chief of Training ly 2017, was 71 percent White. The first EMS Pathways graduating class included 91 percent people of color and was more than half female. Klepp, an Asian American, added, “It’s also important those people are able to serve. Preparing so they’re ready from the day they step onto a fire engine.” Being a Black firefighter, Williams acknowledged, is also about more than

Stop the vIolence

the City filling affirmative action quotas. If you can’t cut it, you’re cut. “It’s hard to get these jobs,” he said. “It’s rough. It’s been hard to stay dedicated. Test after test, [physically] working out.” But the reward is worth much more than the sacrifice. “I’m just glad, being able to show the community where you came from that you can do anything when you put

Continued from page 1

MSR: How did the name Nature’s Syrup come about? DP: As an alternative to commercial brand lotions and hair moisturizers, Nature’s Syrup was derived from a passion to create products free of preservatives and made with quality natural To get involved, contact the ingredients. NAACP Minneapolis at mplsnaacp. The brand’s name definiteorg. ly describes the vision I have Photos by Stephenetta Harmon. “We’re asking elected officials to put some resources into jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in North Minneapolis,” said Levy Armstrong. “We don’t need more police — what we need are root level solutions.”

IncarceratIon Continued from page 1

Between 2011 and 2012, Black girls accounted for 45 percent of all girls suspended from K-12 public schools nationally, and they represented 42 percent of all girls expelled. They were also suspended and expelled at higher rates than Black boys, according to the SOBW, as reported by New American Media, which also noted that the “nation’s Black women are jailed at unfair rates.” The disciplining of Black girls appears to be influenced by school administrators’ stereotypes and racial biases, wrote SOBW researchers. Black girls are more likely to be seen as disruptive or loud, compared with other students. They’re more often punished for dress-code violations, talking back to teachers and “defiance” than other girls. What’s worse, Black girls with disabilities are more prone to being suspended from school than other Black girls. One of the many detrimental effects of incarceration is that it’s associated with higher odds of low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality. Stacey Brown is an NNPA Newswire corresponThe CAP report also noted that infant mortality and mass incarceration are major issues affect- dent. Photo courtesy of iStock. ing the Black community. But, while they are often thought of and dealt with on separate tracks,

Dwight Hobbes welcomes reader responses at dhobbes@spokesman-recorder.com

my greatest desire is to speak to the masses about the tragedies I have overcome to get MSR: How do you main- to this place of even believtain balance while having ing I could become an entrea day job and building your preneur. brand? DP: It is challenging to main- MSR: What do you wish tain a full-time job that is you knew before launching just as demanding as your your business? business. I spend at least 30 DP: I wish I had been encourhours a week managing Na- aged at a young age to start ture’s Syrup, in addition to 40 my own business. We were hours at my full-time job. encouraged to “get a good I love Nature’s Syrup, so job,” not recognizing that I spend a lot of time think- many of us were not created ing about how I can make to work traditional jobs on a my business better and about longterm/forever basis. This old-school idea of working a job for the rest of our lives until we retire doesn’t work for everyone. We are not conditioned to create or to be the boss, so I would definitely encourwhat products are still need- age young people to cultied for Black women and vate any gifts or talents they Black hair. There have been have. In addition, don’t be times when I’ve had to en- disappointed or disenchantcourage myself to keep going. ed when you get a “no.” I’ve Usually, when I have those actually gotten a “yes” and a feelings, I scale up in a way I “no” in the same day from the never imagined I would. same company and the “yes” prevailed. MSR: What is your vision for your business? Through the month of DP: I envision Nature’s Syr- January, Nature’s Syrup is up being widely available for offering all customers free distribution. I see my busi- shipping on purchases. For more ness as a catalyst to create op- information, visit naturessyrup. portunities for me to contin- com. ue to create light and life in arenas across the country. — Interview conducted by I was born and raised in Stephenetta Harmon poverty in [Ford Heights, Ill.], the poorest suburb in America. I was destined to be a statistic. As an [entrepreneur], author and public speaker,

“I wish I had been encouraged at a young age to start my own business.

for the company, as well as the accountability needed to stay true to my brand. Nature’s Syrup is the raw essence of nature unbridled, and it is my intention to keep it that way.

structural racism firmly connects these critical issues. Structural racism exposes Black women to distinct stressors — such as contact with the criminal justice system — that ultimately undermine their health and the health of their children, according to the CAP report. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the spike in female incarceration has disproportionately affected Black women, especially young Black women. While Black women overall are twice as likely to be imprisoned as their White counterparts, Black women ages 18 to 19 are three times more likely to be imprisoned than their White counterparts, the CAP report noted. Alarmingly, the report concluded that if current incarceration trends continue, one in 18 Black women will be imprisoned at some point in their lifetime. Such mass incarceration has exposed millions of Black women to dangerous stressors that threaten their health and the lives of their offspring, CAP officials said, while noting that lawmakers must act to put an end to this persistent form of structural racism. “As perhaps the United States’ clearest manifestation of structural racism, the criminal justice system is an important place to start,” wrote its authors.

your mind to it,” said Williams. “Sticking with it and staying positive. There’s nothing better than to serve the community you’re living in.”

most amazing blessing in my journey.

SBS

Continued from page 1

Protesters at Dec. 15 “Stop The Violence” peace rally

Photos by Chris Juhn

MSR: What has been the most rewarding part of owning your business? DP: The most rewarding part of owning a business is the “stretching” that occurs. Nature’s Syrup was a startup in 2012, and now we resemble commercial brands in our logo, packaging, representation, website, etc. I have learned so much since operating my business. Most of all, I have learned that I can do anything I put my mind to — that has been for me, the

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December 20-26, 2018

Legals

9

Housing

NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE THE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION.

State of Minnesota Certificate of Assumed Name Minnesota Statutes Chapter 333 ASSUMED NAME: PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: That default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage: DATE OF MORTGAGE: April 10, 2018 MORTGAGOR: Marla J. Stewart, a single person MORTGAGEE: Minneapolis Property, LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company DATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: Recorded in the Office of the County Registrar of Titles, in and for Hennepin County, State of Minnesota, on April 10, 2018, as Document No. T05522317 MORTGAGED PROPERTY ADDRESS: 720 4th Street North #503, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 TAX PARCEL I.D. NOS. 22-029-24-24-0703 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: Unit Nos. 720503 and G-155, CIC No. 1300, 710 Lofts, a condominium located in the County of Hennepin COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Hennepin

Mono V Mono LLC 1920 South 1st Sreet unit 1501 Minneapolis, MN 55454 USA

NAMEHOLDER: A Look Over Jordan & Co, LLC 1920 South 1st Sreet unit 1501 Minneapolis, MN 55454 USA I, the undersigned, certify that I am signing this document as the person whose signature is required, or as agent of the person(s) whose signature would be required who has authorized me to sign this document on his/her behalf, or in both capacities. I further certify that I have completed all required fields, and that the information in this document is true and correct and in compliance with the applicable chapter of Minnesota Statutes. I understand that by signing this document I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Section 609.48 as if I had signed this document under oath.

LET ME HELP YOU! I can get you financed. If I can’t get you financed today, at least let me put you on the path to homeownership.

SIGNED BY: Lee H. Jordan EMAIL FOR OFFICIAL NOTICES: leehjordan@gmail.com DATED: 11/26/2017 11:59 PM

ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $10,000.00

Minnesota Spokesman Recorder December 20 & 27, 2018

AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, IN-

952-201-4077

CLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID BY MORTGAGEE: $11,526.36 INTEREST RATE AND PER DIEM: Current interest rate is 8%, with a daily per

Todd.Williams@homeloans.com

ViEw

diem of $2.19. That prior to commencement of this mortgage foreclosure proceeding Mortgagee complied with all notice requirements by statute; That no action or proceeding has

NMLS ID 341222

Continued from page 10

been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage or any part thereof; PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described

FINAL FOUR WRAP-UP

property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows: DATE AND TIME OF SALE: January 9, 2019, at 10:00 am.

White [media],” Thomas remembered. “We talked about being mentally tough. We didn’t have the talent to play with the Lakers, but we could game plan, scheme and strategize. That won us basketball games. “We are going to embrace the [Bad Boys] label and make it work for us,” he continued. “We not only won on the basketball court, but we also won in the game of life.” Still, it was hard to call them “Detroit” since they played 60-75 miles away from the city, first in Pontiac, then in Auburn Hills. “Although we played in Auburn Hills or Pontiac, we always were back in the city,” Thomas pointed out. “We would go to schools…playgrounds and we would take the whole team and play.” “You can’t talk about basketball without talking about [Detroit],” Thomas concluded.

PLACE OF SALE: Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County Courthouse, 350 South Fifth Street, Room 30, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415, to pay the debt then secured by said Mortgage, taxes, if any, on said premises, and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law subject to redemption within from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or assigns. DATE AND TIME MORTGAGOR MUST VACATE THE PREMISES: July 9, 2019, at 11:59 pm. THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE (5) WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED. Dated: November 15, 2018 BERNICK LIFSON, P.A. By:

s/ Matthew S. Greenstein Matthew S. Greenstein (#392044) 5500 Wayzata Blvd, Suite 1200 Minneapolis, MN 55416 (763) 746-9227 Attorney in Fact for Mortgagee

Next: How the Pistons changed the NBA but were not given credit, and how Detroit got blamed for one of the NBA’s ugliest episodes.

(l-r) Courtney Gorum, Temitayo Thomas-Ailara, and Emma Ellis

Charles Hallman welcomes readers challman@spokesman-recorder.com.

SOE

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This communication is from a debt collector and is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, November 22,29 & December 6,13,20 & 27, 2018

Fitz

the West with a 20-9 record. There’s a long way to go — 82 games means there is time for the Timberwolves to develop the type of mental toughness and consistency to win anywhere. The puzzling thing for me is the dual personalities: strong at home and bad on the road. That has to change! The Timberwolves made the playoffs last year and were featured on Christmas Day. Not this year; they play Dec. 26 in Chicago vs. the Bulls.

Continued from page 10

And, with LeBron James now in the West with the Los Angeles Lakers, the toughest conference in basketball is deeper than before. Last year, Denver missed the playoffs, finishing ninth by one game. Today, they lead

Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald. com or visit Larry-Fitzgerald.com.

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players signed to play at Big Ten schools, beginning next fall. Afterwards, the MSR talked to Lauren Clark of Champlin Park High School; Emma Ellis (Charlotte, NC), Courtney Gorum (Chesapeake, VA) and Temitayo ThomasAilara (Chicago Heights, IL). “Penn State recruits a lot of diversity and I wanted to be a part of it to represent the African American culture,” Clark, a six-foot outside hitter said of the Lady Lions. “I think it is awesome, a huge example for young [Black] girls,” said Ellis, a 6’2” outside hitter who will play at Purdue noted. “I’m proud of it,” added Gorum, a 6’3” middle blocker on playing for Wisconsin. “I think it will bring awareness to our sport,” Thomas-Ailara, a 6’2” out-

side hitter said of Northwestern. Finally A three-match attendance of 35,921 — the second-largest crowd in NCAA history — watched the Final Four last weekend, but few Blacks were among the sea of red (Nebraska’s color), cardinal red (Stanford), orange (Illinois) and blue (BYU). A noticeable exception was Stanford AD Bernard Muir, one of the 15 Black Division I athletic directors. He told the MSR amidst the falling confetti after the Cardinal defeated Nebraska 3-2, “This is a great championship town. It was a hardfought match and both teams put on an exhibition.” Charles Hallman welcomes readers responses to challman@spokesman-recorder. com.

Staff Photographer Chris Juhn

Contributing Photographers Onika Nicole Craven Olivia Crutchfield Steve Floyd Travis Lee

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10

December 20-26, 2018

The curious dualiTy of The ‘You can’t talk basketball without talking Detroit!’ MinnesoTa TiMberwolves

O

bviously, since we got the new I’ve covered guys in, they are all sports long getting together with teamwork and we’re enough to have a feel seeing the results and for what’s good and it’s been great results.” what’s not. Right now, Though they’ve imthe Minnesota Timproved, they remain a berwolves have me in work in progress. Aflimbo. ter 30 games, the 14-16 They sent All-Star Timberwolves are next guard Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia after he de- to last in the 15-team Westmanded to be traded. In ex- ern Conference. They are 12change for the headache But- 4 at Target Center, 2-12 on the ler, the organization did a road, and 0-11 versus Westnice job of getting two veter- ern Conference teams. If this an players, Dario Saric and keeps up — winning at home while getting killed on the Robert Covington. “We needed the patience road — they should consider when Jimmy said he wanted changing their name to the Jeto be traded,” said owner Glen kylls, mirroring the duality of Taylor. “A lot of teams would Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. not offer us any good deal. ■ See Fitz on page 9 So, we had to wait about 10 games or so and then some teams became interested. “This was not the only good offer we had,” Taylor continued. “We thought Covington and Saric would fit in best and it looks like we were correct on that.” After starting 4-9, the Timberwolves are fighting back. They are deeper and stronger defensively and they rebound better with these two 6’9” veterans. “We had that difficult start because we had that issue with Jimmy,” said Taylor. “And I think it just Andrew Wiggins scores for the affected the team a lot more Timberwolves than we thought. But lately, Photo by Steve Floyd

Second of a multi-part series

F

or as long as I can remember, Detroit basketball has been tough and take-no-prisoners, symbolic of the city itself. “We are a blue-collar city. It reflects in our game, in the way we play,” said Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood of the city where he grew up. “We need more than three hours” to talk about Detroit basketball, said city native and former NBAer Steve Smith. Before they left town in the late 1970s, downtown’s Cobo Hall was where I and my generation saw the Detroit Pistons play NBA games. All city buses went downtown, and with a school ID and a buck, we had good seats. They were good games, not like today’s carnival-like, commercial-filled contests. “When you come and play at Cobo Hall, it was a fashion show,” said Haywood. He never played for his hometown team, but recalled fans coming to games at Cobo Hall dressed to kill. “Fans would walk around the court to [their] seats. Every player in the NBA always looked forward to playing in Detroit.”

(l-r) Stephanie Ready, Spencer Haywood, Steve Smith, Isiah Thomas, and Vincent Goodwill Photo by Charles Hallman “There was some emotion” over the team leaving town, said Stephanie Ready, who moderated the Detroit sports panel that Haywood, Smith, Goodwill, and Thomas all appeared on at this year’s National Association of Black Journalists conference. It was Dave Bing, who later was elected mayor, and Bob Lanier — two of the league’s greatest players — who

“We are going to embrace the Bad Boys label and make it work for us.” “Cobo Hall was Detroit basketball,” echoed Yahoo! Sports NBA Writer Vincent Goodwill, a native Detroiter. However, the Pistons’ late owner’s public declaration that his reason to move the team out of the city — a team largely supported by a Black fan base — was because he wanted a new fan base (call it White), was a collective slap to us.

led Detroit during its out-of-playoff years. Then came Isiah Thomas, the Pistons’ top choice, and second overall, in the 1981 NBA Draft. “I came to Detroit in 1981, originally from the west side of Chicago,” said Thomas stressed. He soon was embraced by the city, as we adopted him as our own. “This is home,” he said of Detroit.

Unlike today’s NBA players, who often show their impatience about waiting for a nucleus to form, Thomas played his entire 12-year pro career in a Pistons uniform through bad years and good. “When the city was struggling, he brought life to the city,” Haywood said of Thomas, a Hall of Famer who was also named as one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players. Haywood suggested that a statue be erected for Thomas in front of the new downtown Detroit arena. The Pistons road to greatness began in 1983 and cumulated with four consecutive NBA Finals appearances and back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990. But, instead of being lauded as other champions, they were mainly known as the “Bad Boys,” a team everyone outside of Detroit loved to hate. “We were being described by the ■ See ViEw on page 9

MY TOP PICS OF 2018

Sports odds and ends

With the holiday season arriving and 2018 coming to a close, here are three of my top prep pics of 2018. Happy Holidays!

Reflections on Lynx greatness PreP Scene

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes readers responses to mcdeezy05@gmail.com. All photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

Dr. Mitchell PalMer McDonalD

By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer Two longtime followers of the Minnesota Lynx — the Twin Cities’ most successful pro franchise to date — recently listed their favorite players in the franchise’s history. For the most part, there was some consensus between the selections of Lynx-Timberwolves broadcaster Lea B. Olsen (LBO) and original season ticket holder Debbie Montgomery (DM). Here, their top 20 choices are offered in no particular order: Maya Moore (2011-present): “She is one of the great athletes in the league.” (LBO) Lindsay Whalen (2010-18): “What she did for the Gophers and what she has done for the Lynx I think is exceptional.” (LBO)

She’s bigger than a role player.” (LBO) Katie Smith (1999-2006): “[When] she was with the Lynx, she didn’t have a supporting cast to get the team to the next level.” (LBO) Renee Montgomery (2009-10; 2015-17): “She’s just a hustler.” (DM) “She was a great bench player.” (LBO) Seimone Augustus (2006-present): “She is probably one of the most fun players to watch in the league with her style of play.” (LBO). “She’s my girl.” (DM) Candice Wiggins (2008-12): Wiggins gave Minnesota “a lot of spark and pizzazz.” (LBO) “I was mad when they traded her.” (DM) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (201112): “She was an integral part of the (team’s first) championship team.” (LBO) Svetlana Abrosimova (2001-07):

Lindsay Harding (2007-08): “I enjoyed watching her.” (LBO) Monica Wright (2010-15): “She wasn’t the most gifted athlete, but was hard-working in her role.” (LBO) Janel McCarville (2013-14; 2016): “She was such a great passer.” (LBO) Betty Lennox (2000-02): “I didn’t like it” when she was traded. (DM) Andrea Lloyd Curry (19992000): “She represented the old school because she played in both leagues (ABL and WNBA).” (LBO) Sonja Tate (1999-2000): “She had a lot of energy.” (LBO) Vanessa Hayden (2004-06; 2008): “She gave us all that she got.” (LBO) Damiris Dantas (2014-15) “I thought she was a player on the rise and getting to be real good.” (LBO)

October: Robbinsdale Cooper running back Nascier Borden scores a touchdown on this run during a section football playoff game against St. Louis Park.

November: Minneapolis North receiver Nasir El-Amin scores on this play during the Class AA state football semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium

Four of the 24 invited high school seniors who played in last Friday’s All-America Volleyball Match were Black. Sylvia Fowles (2015-present): “We finally got a center.” (DM) Rebekkah Brunson (2010-present): “The only [player jersey] I bought with her name on the back.” (DM) “She doesn’t mind her role on the team with other superstars.

“I thought she was a great player.” (LBO) Tonya Edwards (1999): DM liked the Lynx’s first WNBA All-Star in her only season with the club. Charde Houston (2008-11): “I remember the crowd liking her.” (LBO)

FINAL FOUR WRAP-UP Four of the 24 invited high school seniors who played in last Friday’s All-America Volleyball Match were Black. All four ■ See SOE on page 9

December: St. Paul Central fans and teammates rushed the floor after Dion Ford’s three-point buzzer-beater lifted them over Osseo 68-65 in a non-conference boys basketball game.