December 21-27, 2017 Vol. 84 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
— See more Ms. J. on pg. 6
Food Revolution transforming North Mpls Communication pro applies skills to food justice
Kindred Kitchen jumpstarts food entrepreneurs
By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer
By Paige Elliott Online Editor
Teen entrepreneurs grow cooking class into bakery business Photo courtesy of Kindred Kitchen
Tess Montgomery Photo courtesy of Tess Montgomery Younger generations are perennially rich with promise, which has prompted the old quip, “The young should be sued for breach of promise.” Not so, says one Tess Montgomery. Newly 25 as of November, Montgomery is well on her way to realizing her potential, having started what seems to be a strong
“My North Market is helping dismantle the food desert in North Minneapolis.” career in a field as solidly viable as marketing technology and social media, which are at the cutting edge, reaching international recipients as readily as local. Montgomery has made those tools her specialty. Further acquitting herself as a true, indeed singular, achiever, she applies her acumen to grassroots community activism. “We’re on the brink of another Black consciousness movement,” she says. “We’re starting to come awake to a lot of the systems ■ See Food Justice on page 8
Leensa Ahmed, chief financial officer
By Ivan B. Phifer Contributing Writer
I
t’s not every day you come across a dedicated group of teenagers who are interested in creating healthy snacks and engaging in developing business and marketing models. It’s not every day where a Black-owned North Minneapolis business receives funding to provide nutritious food in communities where they live. Green Garden Bakery (GGB), a group of young entrepreneurs from Heritage Park in North Minneapolis, recently won the youth division of the annual Minnesota Cup entrepreneur sweepstakes, earning a $10,000 prize plus an extra $1,000 for the best pitch to the judges. The Minnesota Cup is the country’s largest statewide new venture competition; it is powered by the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. The award did not come easily — it
Alfonzo Williams, CEO
Kindred Kitchen is advancing the possibilities of shared kitchen spaces. Billed as a “hub” for food entrepreneurs, the 24/7-access licensed kitchen facility has served the Northside community from 1206 W. Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis since 2010, when it launched under the urban development nonprofit Catalyst Community Partners. Since its beginning, the organization has offered affordable commercial kitchen space to new business owners. “We really want to serve our neighbors first — Northside residents who are interested in opening businesses,” says Katie Myhre, Kindred Kitchen Business Development ManagPhotos courtesy GGB er. “We also focus on diversity, so we want to work
involved a seven-month process requiring a 15-minute presentation, a 10-page business plan, and a video about the group. CEO Alfonzo Williams, 16, said the business has evolved from “a bunch of middle school kids” bowled over with the success of their first pop-up sale in 2014, to a more sophisticated-but-still-fun enterprise that has attracted many loyal customers, including a growing online business. GGB is supported by the nonprofit organization Urban Strategies Inc. Elana Dahlberg, community liaison for both Urban Strategies (the nonprofit for Heritage Park) and Heritage Park, says the group of students are connected to Heritage Park. “They all grew up together and are like a family. They are all accountable to each other. They all have one another’s back.”
“We are the only ones in the Twin Cities who are doing something like this. And we’re leading the way nationwide.” with people of color, women-owned business and minority-owned businesses.” Over the years, the business has had to adapt and collaborate to stay afloat and fit the growing needs of the community. Myhre explains, “In 2014, Catalyst handed over [Kindred Kitchen], and it became a social enterprise under Appetite for Change,” a community-led organization that uses food as a tool to effect social change in North
■ See Bakery on page 8
■ See kitchen on page 8
Racial equity the goal of new City division Community members encouraged to ‘push for results’
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Minneapolis will soon open a new office in City Hall to advance racial equity goals in City government. Earlier this month, on December 8, the Minneapolis City Council approved the new Race and Equity Ordinance. It establishes a Division of Race and Eq-
nent structure that will take seven council members to vote to change it. It creates more specifics on what to expect from departments throughout the City around [race equity] goals and their response to meeting these goals,” such as a Racial Equity Action Plan for all departments, she explained. Glidden, a former civil rights attorney and the council’s vice
“We need more resources to do the work properly.” uity that will include a city coordinator who will consult with all City departments on their racial equity goals. Outgoing Councilmember Elizabeth Glidden, who didn’t run for reelection this year, introduced the ordinance. She said in an MSR phone interview that passing it assures that the City’s race equity work will continue when the new administration takes over in January. It “establishes a very perma-
president, is well known for her progressive advocacy. Since her first election to the council in 2005, she has worked on several race equity measures, including the establishing of the City’s Office of Equity and Inclusion for supplier diversity and workforce inclusion in 2015, and the $15 minimum wage law among other issues. Glidden says her race equity ordinance proposal was based on a similar ordinance already
Courtesy of MGN online in effect in Oakland, California. The new Minneapolis race equity ordinance will “create more accountability,” including an annual reporting process involving the community, Glidden pointed out. The new Race and Equity coordinator “is not higher than police chief, regulatory servic-
es head, health commissioner — they all are on a lateral level, all peers. This is an attempt to ensure complete clarity [of] expectations and accountability for the departments around race equity.” Voices for Racial Justice (VRJ) was among several local organizations that publicly voiced support for the race equity ordinance,
the councilmember said. VRJ Research and Policy Director Brent Grant told the MSR last week that community engagement “has to be at the center” of the new ordinance. “In order for a way to show true commitment to race equity, and to the ordinance, they [the city council] need to have a
strong community engagement component and strong funding,” Grant stressed. He said that the City must also reach out to such organizations as his, Minneapolis Urban League and others “and not on a one-time basis, but an ongoing commitment to make sure that they are doing their job educating the local community about this ordinance,” said Grant. “Adequate funding” is very important, Glidden concurred. “We need more resources to do the work properly. I do think that the ordinance has more teeth than what existed before, and a lot of this is because of…the requirement and public reporting of the goals. “A clear next step that is needed is investment by the City in the work around race equity. I mean dollars, staff positions, and the level of the staff positions,” Glidden stated. Mayor-elect Jacob Frey announced in a published newspaper report last week that among ■ See equity on page 8
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December 21-27, 2017
Access to computer technology is crucial in our digital world Those left out are at a great disadvantage
It’s no longer a luxury. This is serious. It’s really a social justice issue. It’s a 21st century civil rights issue. — Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner Unless the digital divide is narrowed soon, the United States may be headed to the class warfare of a century ago, the last time the economy changed so fundamentally. It won’t be pleasant. — Jonathan Alter Bridging the gap between those with access to technology and those without is such an important equalizer in the world today. In fact, complete digital inclusion is an essential strategy in helping to lift people out of poverty and connect them to the world. — Madeline Tate, PCs for People In November 2000, the National Community Action Partnership (or the National Association for Community Action Agencies as it was known then) held a special Information Technology briefing regarding America’s digital divide. The digital divide had been defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) “as an economic and social inequality with regard to access to, use of, or impact of information and communication technologies.”
schools, small businesses, and community-based organizations. On the heels of three late 1990s reports by the NTIA under the title Falling Through the Net, the National Community Action briefing served as an early attempt to sound this rather disquieting alarm. In the 21st Century, not only would issues of employment, education, housing and transportation continue to serve as battlegrounds in the “war on poverty” and the ongoing struggle for racial justice, but so too would access to computer technology. Now, nearly three decades after the term “digital divide” first entered our national lexicon, a study from MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE) reveals that the problem has only gotten worse. The IDE refers to the nation’s digital divide as both “persistent” and “embarrassing,” adding that tens of millions of Americans, in both rural and urban areas, lack at-home broadband connectivity. Fortunately, there is an area nonprofit that is leading the charge to close the pernicious technological gulf that disproportionately affects the poor. Since 2012, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties has donated more than 100 of our gently used computers to the St.
sure of the enormous impact that PCs for People is making not only here in Minnesota, but throughout the nation. Established in Mankato during the mid-1990s as a small, loosely-organized operation, PCs for People received its 501(c)3 status in 2008 and has blossomed into a social and digital justice juggernaut. It currently partners with more than 250 business, government and nonprofit agencies. Headquartered on Marshall Avenue in St. Paul’s Snelling-Hamline neighborhood, PCs for People has also opened an office in Denver, Colorado along with four Minnesota affiliates in the cities of Mankato, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, and on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Their mission “is to provide affordable PCs, internet, and repairs for people who have limited experience with technology due to social, physical or economic circumstances.” “The fact that so many highly qualified people are denied job and educational opportunities because they can’t afford a home computer and internet is distressing,” states PCs for People’s Steve “Wolfie” Browender. PCs for People is working to change that reality for many, and in 2017 alone it is on track to refurbish and distribute more than 12,000 computers, eclipsing the previous year’s record for the eighth consecutive year. Add in an additional 20,000 internet subscribers, and PCs for People directly serves an estimated 60,000 low-in-
“The fact that so many highly qualified people are denied job and educational opportunities because they can’t afford a home computer and internet is distressing.” In the United States, the NTIA noted that the digital divide refers primarily to technological inequities based on racial, socioeconomic, geographic, and other demographic categories that adversely impact individuals, households,
Paul-based PCs for People. These donations have helped scores of individuals and families, including school-aged children who now have computer access for the first time in their lives. Yet that is just a modest mea-
come individuals in all 50 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Nearly two-thirds of those served by PCs for People had never owned a personal computer before. In addition to specialty programs
such as PCs for Kids and PCs for Vibrant Communities, PCs for People also provides hands on experience through its comprehensive training, internship and volunteer initiatives designed to teach: basic hardware and software repair; computer recycling, sanitation, and refurbishment; and the inner workings of a nonprofit organization. The indelible impact that is being made annually in the lives of tens of thousands of people by a single organization with barely 40 employees is no doubt remarkable. Still, PCs for People must not only be celebrated, but supported at even greater levels. Moreover, their model and success must be replicated as America’s digital divide threatens to keep millions of talented minds on the technological sidelines. As Casey Sorenson, executive director of PCs for People, states, “A comput-
er and home internet access are absolutely necessary today. Whether it’s for job hunting or doing homework, those who cannot afford these devices are at a huge disadvantage in many ways. Organizations that donate pre-owned computers are critical to helping those with low-incomes overcome barriers to economic and educational equity.” To learn more about PCs for People, contact them at 651-354-2552 or visit them online at www.pcsforpeople.org. 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
Order YOur 2018 Minnesota spokesMan-RecoRdeR Black HistOrY calendar tOdaY! Celebrate the new year and support local Black business by purchasing the MSR “2018 Black History Calendar.” Included in the calendar are feature profiles on local news-makers and businesses, as well as notable figures in Black history. A perfect gift for family and friends!
Featured in this year’s calendar: Medaria Arradondo Shakeyla Barber Jacob Gayle Tonya Jackman Hampton’ Charles Snargrass, Sr. Dr. Sylvia Bartley
Walter “Q Bear” Banks Chanda Smith Baker Mike DeCole Kobie Boykins Timi Bliss Rose McGee
Call 612-827-4021 today or send a check or money order to the address below with $15.00 (plus a $6.00 S&H fee) Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Attn: Black History Calendar P.O. Box 8558 - Minneapolis, MN 55408-0558
December 21-27, 2017
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Eat fruits and vegetables of many colors for optimum health Evidenced-based studies show that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, fruits and vegetables are vitally important for maintaining optimal health. This healthy eating approach emphasizes more of a focus on plant-based foods rather than starch and animalbased proteins.
By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD
I
t’s that time of year when we reflect on and recognize our past year’s accomplishments and resolve to improve our performance in other areas that were less than stellar. As we all know, getting in better shape and better health are leading perennial candidates for most everyone’s New Year’s resolutions. The most important thing anyone can do for improved health and improving their family’s health is by improving the quality of foods that are eaten. There are new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for healthy eating, and the true superstars of the new plan are fruits and vegetables. Gone is the well-meaning, yet confusing and oftenignored food pyramid. Now the USDA has developed a “healthy food plate.” On this plate, half of the items should be fruits and vegetables. They are full of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber.
The problem With the modern schedule of eating on the run, fastfoods-a-plenty and superbusy schedules, eating more
fruits and vegetables can be challenging. It is not always easy, accessible or affordable to get fresh fruits and vegetables. The solution Make fruits and vegetables handy and readily accessible. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears, cherry tomatoes, grapes, and many other fruits do not require refrigeration. Keep a bowl filled with these out and handy. Sliced vegetables like carrots, cel-
ery, cucumbers, sweet peppers and zucchini also make great healthy snacks. So when hunger strikes, these fruits and vegetables can be ready to grab and eat. • Fruits and vegetables are rich in important ultrahealthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. • Fruits and vegetables are associated with a decreased risk of developing cancer and many chronic diseases.
• Fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories, yet filling. • Eating fruits and vegetables helps to maintain a healthy weight. • In addition to eating more fruits and vegetables, the guidelines also indicate increasing whole grains and the reduction of saturated fats, sugar-sweetened drinks, and sodium (to less than 2300 mg/day).
MAKING FITNESS FUN!
What are phytonutrients? These are nutritious compounds found in many plants including fruits, vegetables, beans and grains. There are thousands of different phytonutrients. The
ions and strawberries. 5. Isoflavones: found in kiwi fruit and many beans, including soybeans.
benefits of phytonutrients include increased skin, eye, bone, heart, immune system, lung, prostate and joint health. Phytonutrients also lower cholesterol, decrease the symptoms of menopause and inflammation, and decrease the risk of developing cancer and chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and arthritis.
complicated pyramid charts or counting how many grams of any particular food to eat, healthy eating is now made simple with the “halfof-your-plate” concept. At every meal, half of your plate should be composed of fruits and vegetables. Remember, the best combination of fruits and vegetables can be obtained by making sure they are fruits and vegetables of all different colors! Look for greens, reds, blues, purples and yellows. The bigger the selection, the more phytonutrients they will contain and the better they will be for you. And remember, it is important to eat the whole fruit. By eating whole fruits, you will get more nutrients (like in the peel of an apple) and fiber, which is vital for the slow absorption of the fructose sugar in vegetables that acts a fuel for the human body. The absolute key is eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including things like avocados, pineapples, and the many varieties of tasty melons. One-quarter of the plate should contain grains. The final quarter of the plate should contain lean protein. The protein can be of animalbased proteins, especial-
Where are phytonutrients found? Here are five well-studied classes of phytonutrients. 1. Lycopene: found in “red” fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, watermelon, red grapefruit and red peppers. 2. Lutein: found in fruits and green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, kiwi fruit and lettuce. 3. Resveratrol: found in grapes, peanuts and red wine. (Please see our article “How close are we to finding the ‘Fountain of Youth’?” December 8, 2016, on MSR News Online) 4. Anthocyanidins: found in blue-red-purple fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, radishes, cranberries, plums, red potatoes, red on-
Putting it all together Instead of memorizing
ly fish and other seafood, or other lean meats, or of plantbased proteins like beans, tofu, lentils, edamame, quinoa and nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachio, Brazil, walnuts and other nuts). Experts say start slow and do the best you can. Even using the half-plate strategy two or three times per week will have exceptional health benefits, and you can increase the intake of fruits and vegetables over time. Don’t forget to use food co-ops and the many wonderful local farmer’s markets in addition to your local grocery store. Remember, eat the widest variety of colors you can. When it comes to improving your health and the health of your family, fruits and vegetables are pure superstars! For additional information, see ChooseMyPlate.gov. 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 an active member of both the American and National Medical Associations.
Stay warm during the cold winter monthS Low-income Minnesotans can apply for energy assistance to pay heating bills
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As cold winter weather returns, the Minnesota Department of Commerce encourages eligible Minnesotans to get help paying their heating bills through the state’s Energy Assistance Program. Households that earn less than 50 percent of the state’s median annual income ($48,077 for a family of four) are eligible for the Energy Assistance Program. “The winter weather may be slow in arriving this year, but we know there will be plenty of cold days ahead that can pose a serious challenge for Minnesotans who struggle to pay their heating bills,” said Commerce Commissioner Jessica Looman. “Heating your home is a necessity in Minnesota, and energy assistance is essential for vulnerable Minnesotans, especially low-income families with young children, people with disabilities, veterans and seniors.” Energy assistance funds help low-income homeowners and renters pay for heating bills through grant money paid directly to utility companies and heating fuel vendors on behalf of eligible households. The funding also helps some homeowners repair or replace malfunctioning heat systems. In October, the Energy Assistance Program received over $102 million in federal funds, or about 90 percent of the total funds expected for the program this year. The program served over 126,000 Minnesota households last year, with an average grant of about $520. The Minnesota Commerce Department administers the Energy Assistance Program in partnership with 30 local service provid-
ers throughout the state. The program is part of the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How to apply Applicants have until May 31, 2018 to apply. However, energy assistance funding is limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Households apply through the local service provider in their area. To find your local service provider, call the Commerce Department toll-free at 800-657-3710 or visit the Energy Assistance Program section at the department’s website (mn.gov/commerce). — Information provided by the Minnesota Department of Commerce
February 16-22, 2017
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Small changes in what you eat can make a big difference
ot everyone is inclined to think about the global impact of their food choices, particularly when they are not in their own kitchens. But experts say that average consumers can learn more about what’s on their plate and how it got there no matter who’s doing the cooking, and use this knowledge to make responsible choices. When it comes to seafood, a recently released report may provide some useful insights. The second edition of the Sea of Distress report by Greenpeace found that some foodservice industry players — especially Sodexo, Aramark, and Compass Group — have taken important steps toward protecting the oceans and workers, reducing their plastic footprint, ensuring transparency, and advocating for better practices at sea. While the majority of the fifteen companies assessed in the re-
port failed the benchmarks set by Greenpeace, the report indicates that some of those companies are starting to work toward sustainable seafood, transparency, and advocacy for oceans and seafood industry workers. “It is a good sign that some key foodservice companies are moving in the right direction on sustainability for our oceans and the ethical treatment of workers,” says Greenpeace oceans campaigner, David Pinsky. “Unfortunately, there are still large companies holding back progress.” The U.S. foodservice industry represents approximately half of fooddollar spending outside of the home every day. With annual sales exceeding $700 billion, this growing industry has a tremendous impact on the environment and workers worldwide. Greenpeace’s foodservice ranking comes on the heels of major comPhoto by Andrey Popov/stock.Adobe.com mitments from global tuna giant Thai Union to provide more sustainable and ethical seafood. Greenpeace says that other foodservice companies can follow Thai Union’s lead, using their market and political influence to transform the industry for the better. Greenpeace says that individuals can make a positive difference in the following ways. • Know the facts. Check out the Sea of Distress report to see which are the best and worst ranked companies. To read the report and see the rank-
NoN-reusable clothes aNd liNeNs accepted at heNNepiN couNty drop-off facilities Got torn or dried-in stained clothing? Not a problem. Clothes and textiles that can’t be reused or donated now can be recycled. Hennepin County Drop-off Facilities will take them, diverting recyclables from the garbage stream. Reminder: If your used clothes can be reused, give them away, sell or donate them first.
ing, visit, greenpeace.org/usa/research/sea-of-distress. • Get involved. Join the #BreakFreeFromPlastic movement. Ask that foodservice companies immediately reduce their plastic consumption. • Inquire. Ask your local foodservice providers how they are working to stop forced labor, labor abuse, destructive fishing and protect workers’ rights. • Eat less seafood. Reducing seafood consumption now can help lessen the pressure on oceans, ensuring
fish and healthy ecosystems for the future. • Vote with your dollar. Use the Seafood Watch app to buy only greenrated “Best Choice” seafood. On a global scale it can sometimes feel like our small choices don’t make a big impact. But experts say that all consumers can make a difference with their words and their wallets. —Information provided by StatePoint Media
! i l e D Fresh
Guidelines for recycling non-reusable clothing at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facilities: What: clothing, linens and other textiles not suitable for reuse, including: • Torn or dried-in stained clothing • Shoes or accessories • Bedding • Curtains • Pillows • Towels • Tablecloths • Stuffed toys Note: Items must be clean, dry and bagged in plastic bags. More information can be found online at the Green Disposal Guide, www.hennepin.us/ green-disposal-guide/items/non-reusable-clothing-linens —Information from Hennepin County Environment and Energy
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December 21-27, 2017
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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.
Sixty-three percent of White Alabama women voted for Roy Moore By Oscar H. Blayton Guest Commentator
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Tired of being mauled by police dogs and the justice system It always seems that Black people are stuck in between a rock and a hard place in America. Lately, it feels like the whole mountain has fallen on us when it comes to the judicial system. What is it going to take for White people in charge of the justice system and politics to understand that they can’t continue to treat Black people as the Tuskegee experiment? How dare the St. Paul police say that it was a bad mishap when the dog attacked that innocent Black woman taking out her garbage. Don’t these police officers and their dogs go through a training program to assure the dogs and their handlers are in tune with each other commands? The kink in the chain of command should be handled during training and not out in the field. No one ever inherited respect, but lately it seems like the police don’t want to give us Black people any respect that we earned through deeds as American citizens, but more importantly human beings. An out of control crazed dog attacked a Black woman as if she were a doggy treat while the po-
lice, in my opinion, stood there in bewilderment, like a deer stuck in headlights. This only confirms what Black people have been saying all along: We are afraid of the police because we don’t know when we are going to get mauled by a dog or the justice system. I’m tired of trying to explain to my young Black children how the police are still using us as the Tuskegee experiment in this day and age. Enough is enough with the insults and lame excuses about why the police are getting away with brutality against Black people. The writing is on the wall: White people are deaf, dumb and crazy when it comes to the treatment of Black people in this judicial system. God, please hear Black people’s prayers. There are so many injustices that it always seems to add fuel to the fire. We are tired of the no-win situation in the White people’s justice system of tyrannical Lady Justice. Help! Willie Johnson lives in Minneapolis
Through My EyEs:
Will Robert Mueller be fired? By Ron Edwards Contributing Commentator The United States of America feels like a volcano is about to erupt. Thoughtful people remain hopeful that firing Robert Mueller will not happen without just cause. This column agrees that action without just cause would shake the very Constitutional foundation of America. So far, we see no just cause. Certainly, there have been seemingly tawdry and unseemly acts within the new administration, naïve about how to function within government procedures and protocols, committing misleading statements (knowingly and unknowingly), with the key issue being about statements under oath or not, and whether actions and statements took place before or after November 7. Regardless, we predict attempts will be made in the early
months of 2018 to remove Mueller and his team investigating Trump’s possible collusion with Russians to influence America’s 2016 national elections and/or post-election obstruction of justice. Trump has no fear of the response of Congress nor does he fear the responses of a majority of the American public. He marches to the drumbeat of his base. The most recent indicator of this potential Constitutional crisis was when President Trump signaled his support for Roy Moore, who lost a very close election in Alabama. The fight continues in the court of public opinion, with the President on one side and the General Counsel on the other. That the Russians attempted to interfere with the 2016 election is accepted fact by both sides. The unanswered question Mueller seeks to answer is whether or not President Trump was involved in the interference by the
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Russians. Clearly, Russia will again attempt to interfere in our elections of 2018 and 2020. This places the legislative, the judiciary and the executive branch under the greatest constitutional challenge since Richard Nixon and the fall out from Watergate. As the Republicans in Congress do not seem to have the stomach to defend and protect that which was crafted by our founding fathers, the question arises about whether Mueller will be fired. And if he is, the single question becomes whether it was the right action to defend the Republic and our democratic institutions. This is the tough question for all Americans who value the Republic’s democratic institutions. It seems quite obvious that Trump feels that only he, as President of the United States, can stop General Counsel Mueller. Doing so would not be the right decision of the President. So, again, we ask, how do we end this year and how do we begin the New Year going forward, in defense of the democratic institutions of this sovereign nation? America has never seen a crisis of this kind in the impending series of actions, which have already begun. The far right media and voices of rage against Mueller are being crafted as we craft this column. There are some who will stand in defense of the Republic, as we do in this column. Will the antagonists, the Trump base and the never Trumpers pull down the curtain of an America that has been in decline, that will betray all the principles of the founding fathers? We pray for the best, but we prepare for the worst. Stay tuned. Ron hosts radio and TV shows. To read his solutions papers, books, and archives, go to www. TheMinneapolisStory.com.
It is hard to understand why, in Alabama, White voters professing to be staunch Christians tried their best to send Roy Moore, a man widely believed to be a child molester, to the U.S. Senate. These evangelicals are the same people who, for decades, have asserted that they hold the moral high ground in this country. Yet, they believed that sending an accused child molester to Washington was God’s will. What is even more difficult to understand is why (as Newsweek reported) 63 percent of the White women who voted in Alabama supported a candidate who has been credibly accused of preying upon teenage girls when he was a prosecutor in his thirties? It is crucial to the political, economic and civic wellbeing of Black folk for us to understand the reasons for such insane political positions. Without this understanding we are unable to be fully equipped to force this nation to become truly the land of liberty and justice for all. The near success of Moore’s candidacy gives us an excellent window into the soul of many White Southern evangelicals, and we should not look away. The ”religious right” came to prominence in the 1980s, claiming to be the ”moral majority” of America. It soon found particularly fertile ground in the deeply red former slave holding Confederate states. The religious right raised its banner throughout the South in support of prayer in schools and against sex education, the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion rights and a host of other issues. But embedded in the social DNA of many of these Southern Christians is the soul of a White
supremacist. And in the White South, race still trump’s all else. White Christian voters in the South may have told exit pollsters that they voted for Roy Moore as a stand against abortion, but it is not credible to say that you want to support unborn girls at the expense of those who walk among us. During Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign a popular saying was coined. ”It’s the economy, stupid,” was said repeatedly to assure the nation that concerns about the economy were driving American politics. But again, the suggested motive animating Southern voters did not take race into account. Looking at voter behavior today it is clear, despite what the polls say, concerns about the economy are not the only motivators when ballots are cast. Southern White evangelical voters root for a Republican Congress that pushes for tax laws that reduce taxes for large corporations and the very rich while placing greater burdens on lower and middle-class Americans. These voters cheer the rising averages of the stock markets as a sign that the Republicans have the country on the road to recovery while they and their neighbors try to survive on stagnant wages. These voters fervently advocate the sanctity of life while giving full-throated support to the death penalty. These Southern White Christians are not simply ”voting their wallets,” nor are they simply drawing a line in the sand against abortion. They are also voting their hatred and fear of people of color, and of people they do not understand. Their arguments about economics and the sanctity of life
are not made absent considerations of race and diversity. Simply put, their votes are predicated upon the notion of White supremacy. They see America as a meritocracy, where Whiteness is the overriding merit. It was this worldview of White supremacy, not simply economics or Christianity, that allowed Pat Robertson, (who has been termed ”Christianity’s crazy uncle”) and the late Jerry Falwell to garner support and political power in the 1980s. It had nothing to do with any legitimate sense of morality. These same voters, who wring their hands over the rights of the unborn child, justified their attempt to send a pedophile to the halls of Congress to represent them by claiming that it would be better to have a child molester than a Democrat represent them in Congress. In the former slave holding Confederate states the term ”Democrat” has become a ”dog whistle” warning many Southern Whites that people of color are gaining too much at the expense of Whites. Just as ”liberal” has become a dirty word in conservative America; ”Democrat” is becoming a term of scorn. Liberal Democrats are the people most associated with civil rights and the progress of Black folk. Southern White evangelicals are willing to throw over their self-proclaimed moral superiority to secure Supreme Court justices who will interpret laws and the U.S. Constitution with a worldview that is close to theirs — a worldview that would bring a halt to the progress of civil rights for people of color. Thank you Oscar H. Blayton and NNPA for sharing this commentary with us.
Racism in the workplace and the Whitewashing of the #Metoo Movement By Julianne Malveaux Guest Commentator Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) was the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus to leave his job after the “MeToo” hashtag galvanized women to speak up about sexual misconduct, harassment and more. Too bad that impetus did not float up to the top, where an avowed grabber of women’s genitals occupies the White House. It’s also unfortunate, that members of Congress who have paid sexual assault accusers out of a taxpayer-funded slush fund have not been unmasked. We know some of the names. Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) arranged to have his former communications director paid $84,000 (a fraction of the $27,000 Conyers is said to have paid). Farenthold has not resigned, nor have Congressional Republicans called for his resignation, including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Farenthold said he will pay the money back. Yeah, right. As a woman, I am cheered by the #MeToo movement, although I am also annoyed by the myopia about women of color and sexual harassment, assault and rape. In 1944, Recy Taylor was viciously raped by seven White men, who never paid a price. Civil rights icon Rosa Parks was an NAACP investigator in this case, as chronicled by Danielle McGuire in her book, At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance – A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power. The first case in which the Supreme Court ruled that sexual harassment was a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was brought by Michelle Vinson, an African American woman, in the case Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson (1986). The highprofile, White women who are talking about workplace sexual harassment and assault really need to acknowledge the many ways that African American women have been systematically abused, and systematically ignored (and sometimes conspired against) by their White “sisters.” Perhaps I quibble, but this overwhelming stand against sexual misconduct and beyond (getting nude in front of your staff, forcible kissing, grabbing women by the you-know-what, etc.) makes me wonder when there will be a similar groundswell against racism and racial harassment in the workplace. Numerous cases of nooses being displayed in workplaces have been reported in the last decade, so many that a law journal published an article ti-
tled, “Does One Noose in the Workplace Constitute a Hostile Work Environment? If Not, How Many?” One isolated incident is not enough, the article opines. What about one unwanted kiss or one abusive grope? Why do nooses get to be seen as “jokes,” while unwanted kissing is seen as an occurrence of zero tolerance? I’m not ever, ever, ever going to excuse sexual perfidy (and more) in the workplace, but I do wonder why we can wink, nod, and grin about racial workplace misbehavior while we stand our ground about gender. I wonder why so many say accept the “just kidding” or “I didn’t know” excuse when people are racially insensitive; but, they are now willing to hold press conferences and speak out against sexism in the workplace. If you look at the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, the paucity of people of color as senior staffers is amazing, as documented by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Surely, there is no shortage of highly qualified African Americans and Latinos who could work on Capitol Hill. Why aren’t members of Congress calling each other on their racial myopia? Perhaps racism and racial harassment are a little more complicated than sexism and sexual harassment. Half of the population, after all, is female, and while women make the slow climb up the hierarchy in corporate America, politics, the media, and entertainment, the pace has been steady enough that powerful women are now able to call men out on their misbehavior, with women demanding resignations of (some) misbehaving men. However, too few White women and men have been willing to apply the same “zero tolerance” to employment matters regarding race. There should never be another noose laid on a Black employee’s desk or displayed in a workplace. There should never be another intimidating Confederate flag flying in a Black person’s face. There should never be another opportunity for an employee (or fellow student, or faculty member) to talk about picking cotton. There should never be another Blackface performance, anywhere. And there should never be another person who talks about zero tolerance around workplace sexism to accept any whisper of workplace racism. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and Founder of Economic Education. Thanks to Julianne Malveaux and NNPA for sharing this story with us.
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December 21-27, 2017
Introducing - Life Etiquette according to Ms. J. leadership roles in customer relations and staff/employee development, I found my passion — helping others embark upon a journey of learning business and social etiquette. I took the giant step to follow my dreams. In 1991, I founded Eagle Wings, LLC — a powerful platform for my training, consulting and speaking business where I currently serve as CEO. The core of my training is rooted in my educational background with a Master of Arts degree in human development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and my long-standing certification from the prestigious Emily Post Business Etiquette Institute. The name “Life Etiquette” was an inspired choice. After accepting the request to present social etiquette to a group of male inmates at Dakota County Jail, at the end of the pilot series one of the participants suggested, “Ms. J, you ought to call this Life Etiquette!” That young man realized that the
Juliet Mitchell aka “Ms. J”
W
hen it comes to relationships — whether family, community, the workplace, or in the larger world — I have witnessed countless situations that could have saved lots of time and money, headache and heartache, if only people had applied the principles of “life etiquette.” By using a unique blend of vivid stories, humor, along with warm authenticity, I intend to inspire and motivate Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
training series went far beyond social niceties. Although social niceties — how to use a knife and fork and say “please and thank you” — are core elements of social etiquette, life etiquette goes way beyond the
ing some of life’s simple faux pas, as well as some of life’s more complicated business and social interactions — from the handshake to the dining table.
True to its name, Life Etiquette is about “how to be” in any situation one may encounter in “life.” basics. True to its name, Life Etiquette is about “how to be” in any situation one may encounter in “life.” People often ask me why I do this work and why I believe it’s important. I simply say — because manners are memorable. People remember what you say, what you do, and how you behave. So always, put your best foot forward. I intend to help you put your best foot forward by sharing tips, strategies and techniques for address-
Look for Ms. J’s monthly Life Etiquette column in the pages of the MSR in coming weeks. If you have Life Etiquette questions, please submit your questions to jmitchell@spokesman-recorder.com. For more social etiquette insight, you can also visit Ms. J’s website at http:// mannersarememorable.com and read the profile entitled “Etiquette as a way of life” by Robin James on MSRNewsOnline. com.
Photo courtesy of Juliet Mitchell readers to apply simple life etiquette principles in everyday situations. My monthly Life Etiquette column will answer questions, share expert advice and offer words of wisdom. Allow me to share a little bit about my background. I was born and raised in Louisiana, and I currently live with my husband, Jim, in St. Paul, Minnesota. We are proud parents of seven adult children and 15 grandchildren. After years of working in various
The Journey of Little Charlie, rich storytelling for all ages Arts No Chaser Dwight Hobbes
Contributing Writer
Christopher Paul Curtis has the rare gift of being to effortlessly render a youngster’s reality readily accessible to readers of all ages. He did it beautifully with the multiple award winning Bud, Not Buddy, about a motherless boy in search of his father. He does it again with The Journey of Little Charlie (Scholastic Press), looking over the shoulder of a teenager consigned to help an unscrupulous slave catcher track down return-to-bondage fugitives who are living free. Disregard that it’s recommended for ages 9-13. This fascinating, image-rich masterwork of storytelling is for everyone, younger or older, who enjoys having your attention fixed by a captivating adventure from word one throughout. Little Charlie Bobo’s family — dirt-poor South Carolina share croppers — has two kinds of luck: bad and none at all. Proof of which, his dad Big Charlie accidentally kills himself in an even more freakish occurrence than being struck by lightning. He’s left with no choice when Cap’n Buck, a mean-spirited, thoroughly despicable, not to mention backward and boorish, has the likeable, easy going lad hire on to go north and supposedly reclaim stolen property. When the youngster realizes the property is living, breathing human beings — escaped slaves living a new life — it gives him pause but grudgingly goes along. Curtis prefaces The Journey of Little Charlie with an advisory. “As I began writing...I thought I’d be telling the story of a young man of African descent as he was captured in Canada...but the story had other ideas.” When a writer’s material takes things out of his or her hands and makes up its own mind about how it’ll be written, that’s a good sign of someone gifted in the craft is at work. Sure enough, The Journey of Little Charlie is finely honed. Curtis respects the intelligence and comprehension of young readers, instead of dumbing down to their presumed level. Not the least in the style, a narrative spoken in Charlie’s voice. In that way, this is reminiscent of Jump at de Sun, Twin Cities author A.P.
Porter’s brilliant children’s biography of Zora Neale Hurston, which was also, it happens, written in dialect. Charlie reflects at one point, “Much as a surprise as it was to me, I was starting to get teary-eyed ’cause I was jealous of a darky! I couldn’t help but think, how’s this fair? “How’s it fair that these folk, who was right ’round my age, spent their days reading out of books and laughing and joking and whispering in each other’s ears whilst all I done in Possum Moan was have my face looking at the backside of a mule or pulling weeds and working from sunrise to sunset?” The tale moves along smoothly at a quick pace, immersing you in the mind and emotions of the youngster as he grapples and gradually comes to grips with what’s going on. Most revealing of his humanity is his growing capacity to see the humanity in people Cap’n Buck considers nothing more or less than mate-
rial objects the recovery of which means money in his pocket. “[When] I seent how my lies and tricks had worked so good on this colored boy, the only thing I felt was puny and low. Only other time I felt near this bad was when I’d
nist somewhat at loose ends. His journey nonetheless proves rewardingly worthwhile. The sole flaw of The Journey of Little Charlie is a presumptive, self-congratulatory author’s note by which Curtis, for the benefit of teachers
The Journey of Little Charlie respects the intelligence and comprehension of young readers, instead of dumbing down to their presumed level. come ’crost of the older boys, Tug Smith, as he was setting a booby trap for Petey the dimwit.” After that he is growing up faster than he’d ever planned on, coming to a life-changing decision that once it’s made, impacts everyone around him. Unalterably. Again to Curtis’ credit, remarkably so, Charlie’s adventure doesn’t come to a close by handing young readers an ending that wraps life up in a neat package with a bow. In fact, it’s fairly stark. Just like reality, leaving the protago-
who read the book, portends to be the definitive word on how to successfully put a story together — disregard that and simply have a fine experience enjoying the well told tale. For more author and book info, go to www. scholastic.com/kids/author/christopher-paulcurtis. Dwight Hobbes welcomes reader responses to P.O. Box 50357, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
Courtesy of Scholastic Press
December 21-27, 2017
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McCorvey Center YMCA has new branch director It was announced last week that Kari Davis will be the new branch director of the YMCA at the Cora McCorvey Center (formerly Heritage Park). Davis has served in a leadership role in various nonprofits and brings a wealth of experience in both youth development and nonprofit leadership. She is a longtime supporter of the local community and has established many community engagement and collaborative partnerships. Davis comes to the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities from the Sanneh Foundation, where she served as the chief administrative officer. Her duties included human resource compliance, coaching and leading staff, and
Kari Davis, new YMCA branch director
and director of diversity and inclusion. She recently participated in and completed the Amherst Wilder Shannon Leadership Institute and is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
managing the day-to-day operations of the foundation. Prior to that position, she was the chief operating officer at Bolder Options, where she led staff in executing the ongoing strategic vision and mission of the organization, ensuring the continued delivery of the awardwinning mentoring program and the growth of the healthy youth development programs. In partnership with Darrell Thompson, Davis worked to secure proper funding to achieve the programmatic and organizational goals. Davis was also a leader for the United Way, where she held positions of Children and Families Impact Team program manager
—Information provided by YMCA, Cora McCorvey Center
Proceeds from sale of high school senior’s Cuba photos go to good cause
emy of Dermatology sponsors six weeks of camp in five locations (Minnesota, Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Washington) where every child can experience activities such as fishing, swimming, archery, horseback riding, nature trails, and just plain summer camp fun. Camp Discovery is for young people ages 8-16 who have chronic skin conditions. There is no fee for camp. All fees, including transportation, are provided by the American Academy of Dermatology through generous donations from its members and other organizations and individuals
such as Olivia Crutchfield. Eligibility is based upon recommendation by the child’s dermatologist and approval by the camp director. The nomination process begins in February of every year. Camp Discovery is staffed with various medical professionals, including dermatologists, pediatricians, physician assistants and nurses. For additional information regarding Camp Discovery, email Janine Mueller at jmueller@aad.org. Information provided by Crutchfield Dermatology.
ARTISTIC EAR WEAR Olivia Crutchfield, right, presents a mock-up check for Camp Discovery to Dr. Neil A. Shah. Courtesy of Crutchfield Dermatology Discovery I wanted to be able to do a little something on my own to help out. “The mission of the camp is close to my heart; my little brother has suffered with alopecia areata for 12 years.” She was so inspired by the children attending the camp and the great work being done at the camp for the children that she decided to donate the entire $1,000 in proceeds from the sale of her Cuba photographs to Camp Discovery. The $1,000 check for Camp Discovery was ceremoniously presented to Neil Shah, MD, president-elect of the Minnesota Dermatological Society and director of the Twin Cities Medical Society, at a Timberwolves basketball game (see photograph). As Dr. Shah stated, “This is an incredibly generous and gracious donation made by Olivia Crutchfield. It demonstrates, leadership, character, concern
Olivia Crutchfield, a senior at Eagan High School, Eagan, Minnesota, visited Cuba in 2016 and took some spectacular photographs. They were so stunning that her father, dermatologist Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD of St. Paul, Minnesota, hung several of the pictures on the wall in his office’s reception area. The comments were so positive, and the demand for prints became so great from patients, that they started selling Olivia’s Cuba photographs to the tune of $1,000. Olivia volunteered last summer as a counselor at Camp Discovery, a U.S. camp for children with skin diseases. ”I was so lucky and proud to serve as a Camp Discovery counselor. The campers had a fantastic time, and the staff was amazing. I was so impressed with the work done for the kids by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and Camp
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for others, and a sincere and selfless contribution of her talent for the common good.” Her father Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, said of Olivia’s philanthropic efforts, ”I am extraordinarily proud of Olivia. She has always been intelligent, curious, ambitious, persistent, creative, caring and talented. Now I see that she is also considerate and dedicated to improving the well-being of others. Olivia is destined to be one of those people who will make a significant difference in the world.” Olivia Crutchfield is a talented senior at Eagan High School in Minnesota. She is a brilliant young photographer with several national recognition awards and a selected participant in a special Australian student photographic four-week expedition of the National Geographic Society. She is the editor-in-chief of
her school’s newspaper and yearbook. She is an accomplished pianist, near-straight-A student, member of the National Honor Society, and a black belt in karate. Olivia is also currently a photojournalist for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder newspaper, the state’s oldest African American publication. She is a member of Eagan High School’s State and National Championship team of the Young Business Professionals of America. Numerous colleges and universities have expressed a keen interest in Olivia’s collegiate plans. Her photographic work has garnered over 35,000 Instagram followers. Her Cuba photos can be viewed at www.OliviaCrutchfieldCuba.com.
Judith Clark your ear wear stylist 612-702-3457 Judy_digg@yahoo.com (title you message: regarding ear wear) facebook: artistic ear wear, leave a message there also
About Camp Discovery Camp Discovery offers kids living with skin disease a oneof-a-kind experience. Every summer, the American Acad-
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December 21-27, 2017
Food Justice
equity
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
that’re in place to keep us down. How it doesn’t have to be that way. How [it] was explicitly made to be this way to be a struggle.” Her principal focus — eating habits — is one that generally escapes broad notice but quite arguably should be front and center. After all, as goes the health of a people, so goes their well-being. Dick Gregory certainly knew it, and it’s far from lost on Tess Montgomery. Toward this end, she is communications administrator at North Minneapolisbased Appetite For Change (appetiteforchangemn.org), which uses food as a vehicle for health, wealth and social change, something she sees as a vital imperative. She notes that food deserts, where there is a lack of “access to fresh, organic [nutrition],” are a serious concern here and around the nation. “In North Minneapolis, specifically, there is a Cub Foods on Broadway and an Aldi’s on Lowry. And on Broadway, from the freeway down the three-mile strip to Robbinsdale, there are 38 fast-food places — processed, GMO. Not good for you at all.” There are also convenience stores at just about every other corner selling shelves and racks of junk food. “The question is, ‘Are we eating this food because we like it or because it’s what’s made available to us?’” Whether it’s greasy fries, chitlin’ and fatback, held over from plantation table scraps generations ago, or moms who were never taught any better than to ignorantly feed their kids barbecue potato chips and Kool-Aid for breakfast, addressing the is-
lic, the media and the policymakers to really review what is recorded and push for results to show progress” in achieving racial equity. The councilmember said she truly believes that community involvement can make a difference. “My experience at City Hall is [that] things happen when community is heard,” Glidden said. “To hear from community on specifics or general topics, that is going to keep the momentum in getting the work done.”
the new committees he is forming is an “allencompassing” policy committee that will take public input. The committee, co-chaired by Glidden, will soon begin work and continue into the first half of 2018. Grant reiterated, “The community is realcontinues, “but that was… ly interested in racial equity in Minneapolis. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses over 10 years ago. Since then We just have to maintain stronger relationto challman@spokesman-recorder.com it’s been a vacant lot, and ships between community and the city counnow we have this beautiful new community-led grocery store next to the new liaccident. We wanted to find a way to help her,” are the customers’ all-time favorite” brary. It’s a breath of fresh air Ahmed recalled. “We got help from master GGB has merchandise to brand their comcompared to what used to be Continued from page 1 gardeners who gave us an idea to sell green to- pany. Jy’Mar Mitchell, co-production chair there. Northsiders deserve mato cakes at a local farmer’s market festival.” and chief graphic designer, has made t-shirts, [this].” They ended up earning $500, three times buttons and belt buckles. “My mind just racWhen not fighting the fight Dahlberg told the MSR that Urban Strat- as much as they projected. The profit was in- es,” Mitchell said. “The ideas usually come up for food group justice, Tess egies was instrumental in hiring education vested back in the business. during the meetings while we’re brainstormMontgomery still works on specialists to assist the students in designing The menu includes beet brownie bites, car- ing.” social change as marketing positions for GGB. This was helpful in con- rot pumpkin bread, and jalapeno chocolate Mitchell reports they also travel and disdirector for the public forum necting the business to school work such as chip cookies (all vegan). They also sell glu- play their business techniques in other cities More Than A Single Story, en- class projects and presentations. “Their teach- ten-free zucchini muffins and the item that and communities through Urban Strategies. gaging communities to effect ers are recognizing their…work on class proj- founded GGB — green tomato cakes. “We went to Miami last summer and visited cross-cultural communica- ects related to their business.” “We purée the vegetables from our garden a community very similar to ours [Heritage tion. Park]. We spoke with the teens about business Pursuing her passion for and told them our story about who we are.” community empowerment, “A site in Sacramento wants to do the same she enjoys also acting in conthing,” said Dahlberg. “Another one of our cert with forum founder Carogoals [is] to do summits around youth leaderlyn Holbrook, her grandmothship and social enterprise.” er. “We work well together. I was [on many] panels, attendGreen Garden Bakery operates primarily GGB is a vegetable-based dessert opera- and cook them into the desserts. You usually ing the first few when it was tion that uses mostly locally grown produce. can’t taste [the vegetable],” Ahmed stated. online. For more information or for deliveries, basically all women — Afri- GGB grows vegetables in their urban garden Student workers sell products at farmers go to https://greengardenbakery.weebly.com. can women,” until Montgom- to bake into healthy desserts for various diets markets, community festivals and online. AfFor pick-up at Heritage Park (1000 Olson ery got the idea to expand to that are vegan, gluten free, and sugar free. ter wages and operating costs, a portion of the Memorial Hwy, Minneapolis), contact Green be cross-cultural. The venture began as a cooking class for gross take is donated to community charities Garden Bakery at 651-230-5255 or visit their “I’ve seen it from the be- the kids in the neighborhood and expanded. selected by the youth leaders. Facebook page at Facebook.com/greengarginning, understand the vi- “[In that class] they learned about healthy eatThe prices are reasonable as well. “You pay denbakery. sion, what she’s wanted, what ing and nutrition,” said 17-year-old Leensa what you can,” said Ahmed. “We allow peoshe’s going for. So I’m excit- Ahmed, chief financial officer. Ivan B. Phifer welcomes reader responses to ple to choose what they want to pay for our ed to share the message and It was also a way for a group of friends goods, and we actually make more that way. ivan.b.phifer@gmail.com. help coordinate these events to come together to celebrate and support a It’s creating accessibility and affordability to with really cool powerhous- loved one. “Our friend Amarya got into a car our customers. The lemon zucchini muffins es around the city — people the point that she is now lookfood, and NEON’s knowledge recipe development. like David Mura, who curates “Now we can see exactly ing to expand. “We’re actually of small business developsome of the panels, Arleta Litment. The thought was, we’re where the business is at,” says in the process of building a new tle; Bao Phi; up and coming Continued from page 1 going to offer a double wham- Fix. “We assess them thorough- kitchen with another company writer, Keno Evol. The age my of giving small business ly. We can provide support that also works [at Kindred], difference between them afowners the services and tools through affordable rates and all one of the food trucks. There fords, as it were, the best of both worlds. Minneapolis. The area is com- they need to grow their busi- the knowledge of licensing re- will be a little more room,” says Montgomery excels at com- monly referred to as a “food ness from a sustainable busi- quirements…and we can help Enrico. a lot more people. This model munication technology: “I desert” for its lack of fresh food ness model. “Kindred is an amazing “Even the incubator program proved more efficient in that it place to start a company,” conbring that expertise.” That’s offerings. In addition to Kindred has evolved drastically,” contin- catered to the business owner’s tinues Enrico. “As I’ve learned Kitchen, Appetite For Change ues Fix. “We launched our pi- specific needs.” in this process of trying to Fix adds, “A lot of places build a kitchen on my own — (AFC) is the parent organiza- lot in January, and now that that tion for Breaking Bread Café & cohort has come to an end in have started shared kitchen it’s incredibly expensive. We Catering, a youth-led social en- October, we’ve changed the en- space and they say, ‘Oh, we’re go off premise; we go all over terprise offering career devel- tire program because we found going to incubate. We’re gon- town catering large events. To opment and fresh food. AFC that in having a six-month co- na help you start your business.’ be able to do that, you have to something of an understate- also serves as an incubator for hort, we’re really only focusing But they don’t offer this level of have storage, you have to have small business assessment and equipment, and to just fund ment, maintaining Appe- Northside Fresh, a network of on a few small businesses. tite For Change’s online plat- organizations and businesses forms, including their website, committed to building a more and, at Krista Tippett’s Pea- sustainable and equitable food body Award-winning On Be- system on the city’s North Side. ing (KTPP), supporting proThe business model of Kinmotion for Tippet’s best-seller dred Kitchen “requires a lot of Becoming Wise. She devel- different businesses using the oped group sales and mar- same space in a lot of different keting strategy at the Iowa ways,” says Myhre. Forty-sevEvents Center. en clients or members currentIn 2015, Montgomery grad- ly use the space, not including uated from Drake University the staff of Breaking Bread Cain Des Moines with an adver- fé & Catering who often work tising account management side-by-side with new entrepredegree. Call it a one-two com- neurs. Among the amenities ofbination across generations: fered are three rooms, two sideHolbrook fosters arts as activ- by-side studio kitchens, and a Courtesy of Appetite For Change ism and Montgomery gets the food prep room with affordable “All these businesses were development that we have with that up front when you’re not word out. “So [that we’ll] have and flexible pricing. a brand, a theme, one source Kindred Kitchen recently re- coming to us and we saw that our partnership with Appe- sure if your concept is going to of information for all our vamped its incubator program the need is greater. So now tite for Change. We are the on- really fly is a pretty huge risk. events. [The website] is com- to better support the influx of we have people in an incu- ly ones in the Twin Cities who So, a place like Kindred gives ing along.” Pursuant to which, new entrepreneurs. “As of Jan- bator program rotating at all are doing something like this. you the ability to start a busiMore Than A Single Story is uary of 2017, we began offer- times. Whenever they come in- And we’re leading the way na- ness with the least amount of awaiting word on a grant. ing an incubator program with to the pipeline, we pull them tionwide.” capital risk.” Food Gallery Catering, a North Minneapolis, more Northside Economic Opportu- into the business development She adds, “We’ve grown to often not, bears the stig- nity Network (NEON),” says and services, and as they have family-operated business based the point where it’s no longer ma of dead-end ghetto life Myhre “to provide more devel- different success and reach an- out of Minneapolis, didn’t go enough space, but it’s given us characterized by thugs and opment for new business own- other level, they get deeper and through the incubator program three years to save money and drugs. By no means on the ers — everyone from an Italian deeper into the incubator pro- when it began using Kindred create a big customer base and Kitchen’s space, but owner Sar- get our name out there. It’s givoutskirts of civilization it- Ice food truck to a very tradi- gram.” To begin, prospective incu- ah Enrico credits the nonprof- en us the opportunity to do all self, the locale is also home to tional catering company run by such progress as Appetite For a family.” Myhre adds that the bator members fill out a free as- it for enabling her business to of that stuff without this enorChange and My North Mar- breakdown of Kindred Kitch- sessment, akin to a free health save money and grow. mous debt over our head. We “We started our company a still haven’t taken any loans out ket. en members is pretty evenly check-up for their business. As well as socially commit- split between catering and food From there, new business own- little over three years ago,” says or anything like that. It’s all selfers are linked to classes and re- Enrico. “In order to legally start funded, and I credit Kindred ted 20-somethings like Tess truck companies. Montgomery. “As a nonprofit organiza- sources, such as product and up a food business you have to Kitchen for that.” tion, we have to share resourc- menu pricing, marketplace op- have a commercial kitchen that Dwight Hobbes welcomes es and we have to collaborate,” portunities, and access to fi- you work out of, and there’s onFor more information about reader responses to P.O. Box says Ann Fix, NEON Food nancing and capital, to name a ly a handful in town — may- Kindred Kitchen, go to www.kinbe four or five when we started dredkitchen.org. For more infor50357, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Business Incubator program few. “Not every business needs out. [Kindred Kitchen] was the mation about Appetite for Change, manager. “Last year Appetite for Change and NEON collabo- marketing help,” explains Fix. most reasonable, and we liked visit www.appetiteforchangemn. rated for a grant — a true part- “Not every business needs fi- the mission of Appetite for org. nance help. Well, 99.9 percent of Change, so we ended up there.” nership. Utilizing Kindred’s afford“The incubator program com- businesses need financial help, Paige Elliott welcomes reader bines Appetite for Change’s but not every business needs able shared space has enabled responses to pelliott@spokesmanknowledge about everything help with their social media or Enrico’s business to flourish to recorder.com.
“We’re on the brink of another Black consciousness movement.” sue calls for raised consciousness regarding what you put in your body. Counteracting ingrained behavior makes for hard work, but Montgomery sees progress. “A lot more people are becoming aware of circumstance and how it doesn’t have to be that way.” How said circumstance is part of what she calls a “capitalist, supremacy structure.” That said, it’s not necessarily about putting McDonald’s, Burger King or anyone else out of business. It’s about providing an alternative in consumers’ best interests. Enter, as Tess Montgomery urges, My North Market at 4414 Humboldt Avenue. She attests, “I and so many others are excited about My North Market, because before its opening, people in [that] area of North Minneapolis had to go to the surrounding suburbs to access a grocery store, or they could go all the way to the lows and go to Cubs, So Low, or Aldi’s. My North Market is helping dismantle the food desert in North Minneapolis by providing access to nutritious, affordable food for Northsiders and in a beautiful new establishment. “They have a butcher shop where you can get fresh cuts of meat seasoned in-house, a pharmacy and wellness center and community room to meet and hold events. They are planning to offer weekly exercise classes with Noir Fitness.” “Before North Market there was a Kowalski’s and then a SuperValu,” Montgomery
cil to push the mayor in the right direction.” Glidden said she believes the incoming City Hall administration, along with new council members, will continue the race equity work when they assume their offices next month. “I do feel really positive [about] the new council,” she said of her successor Andrea Jenkins, Jeremiah Ellison, Phillipe Cunningham, “folk who talked about issues of race and racism in their campaign. “I do feel hopeful. I’m excited to see how they will move it forward with their creativity and their connection to the community.” As she prepares to leave her elected office, Glidden advised, “It is the job of the pub-
Bakery
“We allow people to choose what they want to pay for our goods, and we actually make more that way.”
kitchen
December 21-27, 2017
9
Legals STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN WITHOUT REAL ESTATE
CASE TYPE: DISSOLUTION WITH CHILDREN DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL COURT
ORDER FOR SERVICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEANS In Re - the Marriage of: Saynab Ali Adan Petitioner and Omar A. Abdalla, Respondent THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: Warning: Your spouse (husband or wife) has filed a lawsuit against you for dissolution of your marriage. A copy of the paperwork regarding the lawsuit is served on you with this summons. This summons is an official document from the court that affects your rights. Read this summons carefully. If you do not understand it, contact an attorney for legal advice. 1. The Petitioner, (your spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for dissolution of your marriage (divorce). A copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this Summons. 2. You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the Court a written Answer to the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and you must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms are available from the Family Law Facilitator Program, Family Court Self Help Center located in the Family Justice Center, 110 South Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. You must serve your Answer upon Petitioner within thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of service. If you do not serve and file your Answer, the Court may give your spouse everything he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. 3. This proceeding involves, affects, or brings into question the real property located at the following address: 2605 W. 70th St.Richfield, in Hennepin County, State of Minnesota, with the following legal discription: E 1/2 of N 1/2 of that part lying S of N 30 ft Lot 9 Sabin Lake, Harriet Garden Lots. NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS: Under Minnesota law, service of this summons makes the following requirements apply to both parties to the action, unless they are modified by the Court or the proceeding is dismissed: (1) Neither party may dispose of any assets except (A) for the necessities of life or for the necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (B) by an agreement of the parties in writing, or (C) for retaining counsel to carry on or to contest this proceeding. (2) Neither party may harass the other party. (3) All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continued without change in coverage or beneficiary designation. (4) Parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute resolution pursuant to Minnesota law. Alternative dispute resolution includes mediation, arbitration and other processes as set forth in the district court rules. You may contact the Court Administrator about resources in your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit provider of a court program. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in Minnesota statutes, Chapter 518B, you are not required to try mediation and you will not be penalized by the Court in later proceedings. IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT. NOTICE OF PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Under Minnesota Statutes, Section 518.157, in a contested proceeding involving custody or parenting time of a minor child, the parties must begin participation in a parent education program that meets minimum standards promulgated by the Minnesota Supreme Court within 30 days after the first filing with the court. In some districts, parenting education may be required in all custody or parenting proceedings. You may contact the District Court Administrator for additional information regarding this requirement and the availability of parent education programs. Date: 11/29/17 Signed: Saynab Ali Adan 2731 17th Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55407 Telephone: (612) 513-8398
CASE TYPE: DISSOLUTION WITHOUT CHILDREN
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
DISTRICT COURT
WITHOUT REAL ESTATE
FOURTH JUDICIAL COURT CASE NO: 27-FA-17-2309
ORDER FOR SERVICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEANS In Re - the Marriage of: Wilter Asiago, Petitioner and Sidney M. Dishmon, Respondent THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: WARNING: YOUR SPOUSE (HUSBAND OR WIFE) HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU FOR DISSOLUTION OF YOUR MARRIAGE. A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK REGARDING THE LAWSUIT IS SERVED ON YOU WITH THIS SUMMONS. THIS SUMMONS IS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FROM THE COURT THAT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS. READ THIS SUMMONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT, CONTACT AN ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ADVICE.
1. The Petitioner, (your spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for dissolution of your marriage (divorce). A copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this Summons. 2. You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the Court a written Answer to the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and you must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms are available from the Family Law Facilitator Program, Family Court Self Help Center located in the Family Justice Center, 110 South Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. You must serve your Answer upon Petitioner within thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of service. If you do not serve and file your Answer, the Court may give your spouse everything he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. 3. This proceeding does not involve real property. NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS: Under Minnesota law, service of this summons makes the following requirements apply to both parties to the action, unless they are modified by the Court or the proceeding is dismissed: (1) Neither party may dispose of any assets except (A) for the necessities of life or for the necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (B) by an agreement of the parties in writing, or (C) for retaining counsel to carry on or to contest this proceeding. (2) Neither party may harass the other party. (3) All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continued without change in coverage or beneficiary designation. (4) Parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute resolution pursuant to Minnesota law. Alternative dispute resolution includes mediation, arbitration and other processes as set forth in the district court rules. You may contact the Court Administrator about resources in your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit provider of a court program. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in Minnesota statutes, Chapter 518B, you are not required to try mediation and you will not be penalized
MN Spokesman-Recorder, December 7, 14, and 21, 2017
STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN WITHOUT REAL ESTATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
CASE TYPE: DISSOLUTION WITHOUT CHILDREN DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL COURT CASE NO: 27-FA-17-8220
ORDER FOR SERVICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEANS In Re - the Marriage of: Wendy Georgina Albizu, Petitioner and James Albizu, Respondent THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: WARNING: YOUR SPOUSE (HUSBAND OR WIFE) HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU FOR DISSOLUTION OF YOUR MARRIAGE. A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK REGARDING THE LAWSUIT IS SERVED ON YOU WITH THIS SUMMONS. THIS SUMMONS IS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FROM THE COURT THAT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS. READ THIS SUMMONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT, CONTACT AN ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ADVICE. 1. The Petitioner, (your spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for dissolution of your marriage (divorce). A copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this Summons. 2. You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the Court a written Answer to the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and you must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms are available from the Family Law Facilitator Program, Family Court Self Help Center located in the Family Justice Center, 110 South Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. You must serve your Answer upon Petitioner within thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of service. If you do not serve and file your Answer, the Court may give your spouse everything he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. 3. This proceeding does not involve real property. NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS: Under Minnesota law, service of this summons makes the following requirements apply to both parties to the action, unless they are modified by the Court or the proceeding is dismissed: (1) Neither party may dispose of any assets except (A) for the necessities of life or for the necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (B) by an agreement of the parties in writing, or (C) for retaining counsel to carry on or to contest this proceeding. (2) Neither party may harass the other party. (3) All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continued without change in coverage or beneficiary designation. (4) Parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute resolution pursuant to Minnesota law. Alternative dispute resolution includes mediation, arbitration and other processes as set forth in the district court rules. You may contact the Court Administrator about resources in your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit provider of a court program. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in Minnesota statutes, Chapter 518B, you are not required to try mediation and you will not be penalized by the Court in later proceedings. IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT. Date: 12/15/2017 Signed: Wendy Albizu MN Spokesman-Recorder, December 21 & 28, 2017 and January 4, 2018
by the Court in later proceedings. IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT. Date: 6/6/17 Signed: Wilter Asiago
MN Spokesman-Recorder, December 21 & 28, 2017 and January 4, 2018
Only One Continued from page 10
months of August and September. Around 40 boys and girls ages nine through 13 took turns going down the park’s access ramp on a sled with wheels as well as other activities. The Only One attended one of the sessions that lacked diversity. “It’s open to anyone who wants to try,” USA Luge Junior National Coach Fred Zimny told us. “We’re happy to have anyone.”
luge.” Zimny, who in October was honored by the U.S. Olympic Committee for his dedication to luge, remembered, “I just saw it on TV during the 1976 Olympics. It looked cool, and [I] bugged my dad to take me and give it a try. Thirty years later here am I.” However, luge is hugely popular in Europe. “A country like Germany, they have four tracks. It’s really a European culture sport — they grow up with it,” Zimny said. “It’s tough to do luge in the U.S. It’s not an American sport. We have to get kids when they are 12 years old and teach them how to do it.”
“It’s tough to do luge in the U.S. It’s not an American sport.” It was reminiscent of the movie Cool Runnings (1993), which was based on the true story of the Jamaican National Bobsled team that featured track runners who competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Zimny quickly explained the biggest difference between bobsled and luge. “Bobsled is runners [who] jump on the sled. We’re looking for kids who are taller, a little bit heavier, and very strong in their upper body. Ideally…the kid will be maybe six feet, 190 [pounds],” the coach stressed. Just as the Jamaican runners were taught bobsledding, Zimny promised the same for luge. “If they participate in any kind of skill-based sport like basketball or gymnastics, those skills translate well to luge,” he continued. “We can teach them how to
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family and provided for us. As far as I am concerned, she has a master’s [degree],” although she only finished sixth grade. “I didn’t see myself with a lot of potential growing up besides sports. I knew I was gifted athletically, but I knew I had to work extremely hard in order to excel. I thank God for giving me Tourette syndrome,” because it pushed him to strive for greatness. His consciousness was sparked after he received a copy of Malcolm X’s autobiography from his college coach, Dale Brown, at LSU. “It’s hard to say because you never know [where] your life is going
Park City, Utah and Lake Placid, New York have the country’s only full-length, certified, Olympic-style luge tracks. The average luge run has a vertical drop of 30 stories or 300 feet, says a USA Luge fact sheet. I remember seeing luge on the old Wide World of Sport programs. “They have been televising [luge] the last two years [on cable], but it gets the most exposure in Olympic years,” Zimny said. USA Luge will use youth clinics around the country as primary recruitment tools to grow the sport. “I wish we had something like this when I was a kid,” said Zimny. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
to take you,” Abdul-Rauf told the MSR on the influence Malcolm X and other Black authors had on his adult life. “I can say this: Prior to reading his book, outside of sports I wasn’t much [into reading]. My comprehension wasn’t great. It was for me finally something that interested me. “Malcolm’s book was such that because of what I was going through internally…I wasn’t happy — he educated himself. That was something I didn’t have.” More on Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf will appear in a later “Greatness” installment. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
PreP Continued from page 10
all-state honors, and was a Mr. Basketball finalist after leading the Minutemen to a fourthplace finish in the Class AA State boys’ basketball tournament his senior year. From there he starred at Casper Community College (WY), New Mexico State and South Dakota State. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mcdeezy05@ gmail.com.
June 8-14, 2017
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December21-27, 2017
F
Vikings clinch nFc north!
irst things first: Win your Division, win as many games as you can, stay focused on what you can control and let everything else take care of itself. Sunday the Vikings played at U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time since November 19 and routed the Cincinnati Bengals 34-7. Quarterback Case Keenum was flawless, 20-23 for 236 yards and two touchdowns, while the Vikings defense declawed the Bengals, holding them to just 178 yards offense. For the second time in three years the Vikings have clinched the NFC North title and improved to 11-3. With two games remaining, they are very much in the hunt for a first-round bye. Running back Latavius Murray ran 20 times for 76 yards and a touchdown. Jerrick McKinnon had seven receptions for 114 yards, and linebacker Eric Kendricks returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown. Marvin Lewis, the longtime (14 years) head coach at Cincinnati, matched up Sunday against Mike Zimmer in an old-fashioned teacher vs. pupil matchup. Zimmer was defensive coordinator with Lewis from 2008 to 2013 in Cincinnati before getting the job as head coach here with the Vikings. Zimmer told his football team in July they were capable of winning the Super Bowl. No team has ever before hosted
the Super Bowl and played in it as well, but it could happen. Right now the Vikings are in position, along with a few other teams like New England, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, to realistically make that happen. This team has done a great job all year of staying on point and being healthy mentally, supporting one another, and more importantly staying in the moment. With two games left, one at Green Bay and at home against Chicago, the Vikings know how good they are. This team has great balance offensively and defensively and now they just need to stay the course. The Philadelphia Eagles are 12-2 and can clinch the home field advantage with a win this week. The Vikings are still in great position to get a first-round bye because of wins over both Los Angeles and New Orleans. Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 MondayFriday at 12:17 pm and 4:17 pm, 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 www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
Listening to Greatness: Hoops star Abdul-Rauf one of the first to take a knee Like Kaepernick, he too paid a price for his protest
Each of the 2017 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Sam Lacy Pioneer Award winners has a historical tale worth knowing about. The MSR heard them all at this year’s banquet during the NABJ’s August convention in Charles New Orleans. We will share them allman h with our readers over the next few months in our “Listening to Greatness” series. This week: basketball great Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.
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haquille O’Neal. Seimone Augustus. Sylvia Fowles. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. All four are former LSU basketball greats, but only three of them have been duly honored by the school. Abdul-Rauf, born Chris Jackson, starred at LSU from 1988-1990. He then became the third overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft and played for three NBA clubs in nine years, then overseas for six seasons before he retired as a player in 2011. But it wasn’t a loss of athletic skills that eventually forced the 6’-1” guard out of the NBA, but rather his unwillingness to compromise his values and beliefs. “He has never been afraid to speak up,” Morehouse Professor Ron Thomas said of Abdul-Rauf during his introduc-
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (l) with Morehouse journalism professor Ron Thomas Photo by Charles Hallman and Most Improved Player in Denver in 1993. But what happened in 1996” cemented his legacy, Thomas stated. He converted to Islam in 1991 and changed his name from Chris Jackson to his present name two years later. Abdul-Rauf’s refusal to stand for the national anthem before an NBA contest in March 1996 cost him over $31,000 and a one-game suspension. He later agreed to
“I knew I was gifted athletically, but I knew I had to work extremely hard in order to excel.” tory remarks at the 2017 NABJ Sam Lacy Pioneer Award ceremony in August. “He likely deserves a Pioneer Award just for being a two-time All-American (at LSU), the third pick of the 1990 Draft,
a compromise that he would stand while the song is playing, but with his eyes closed and looking downward while he would silently pray. But Abdul-Rauf was traded during
the off-season in 1996, and two years later he was out of the league and playing overseas. He did return to the NBA in 2000, but soon the guard went back to play several more seasons overseas before retiring in 2011 after two seasons in Japan. His silent protest, however, had a lasting effect on his career. “The fact that Colin Kaepernick is still unemployed doesn’t surprise Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf at all,” Thomas pointed out. Born in Gulfport, Mississippi and raised along with his two brothers by their mom, Abdul-Rauf was later diagnosed with a moderate form of Tourette syndrome, but not until he was 17. “I thank God for all I’ve been through,” Abdul-Rauf said. “I want to thank God for my mother. She loved her
■ See View on page 9
Tucker-Adams leads Johnson past Washburn
Luge: popuLar in europe, sLow to catch on in u.s. TRIALS OF AN ONLY ONE ...
PreP Scene mitChell Palmer mCDonalD
By Charles Hallman
This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. The 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, scheduled to take place February 9-25, will include an event called luge. Luge, or sled racing, first took place in 1883 as 21 participants from six countries, including the U.S. competed in an international event. It typically involves one or two people on a tiny little sled going down an icy track at breakneck speeds. It became an Olympic sport in 1964 and has four events: men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles, and team relay. The USA luge team is vying
Luge Coach Fred Zimny
for its first Olympic gold medal in South Korea in a couple of months. This country over the years has seen luge success in the Olympics — 30 World Cup wins since 1994 as well as silver and bronze medals, the latest a bronze in women’s singles in 2014.
Photo by Charles Hallman USA Luge this fall was in town September 9 and 10 looking for the next generation of team members and Olympians and held a youth clinic at Riverside Park in Minneapolis, one of 10 such clinics held during the ■ See Only One on page 9
St. Paul Johnson, led by Shamar Tucker Adams’ 21 points, defeated Minneapolis Washburn 83-81 in a nonconference boys’ basketball game that concluded in overtime. Charles Cook-Gordon led Washburn with 21 points. Charles Johnson had 18. Cade Haskins added 12 and Terrell Adams chipped in 10. The victorious Governors also got 13 St. Paul Johnson’s Dewayne Givens is guarded by Minneapolis from Jordan Mobley, 11 Washburn’s Charles Cook-Gordon. apiece from Nueadean Adam and Dillion Moua, and nine from point guard Kyle Lee. 1989, Hughes was one the best basketball DeWayne Givens, a 5’11” seventh grader, players to ever come out the school. added five points. A 6’-2” guard, Hughes had an outstanding two-year prep basketball career in which Sandifer participates in bowl game he was named StarTribune Metro Player of the Year, earned St. Paul Pioneer Press Brian Sandifer, ■ See PreP on page 9 a former St. Bernard’s High School football and basketball standout who recently completed an outstanding career on the gridiron at the University of WisconsinStout, participated in the 2017 D3 Senior Classic in MyrBrian Sandifer Photo courtesy of U of tle Beach, South W-Stout Carolina last week. After playing one year at the University of Sioux Falls, the 6’4”, 215-pound wide receiver emerged as the team’s second-leading receiver with 24 receptions for 330 yards, and a team-leading six touchdowns as a junior. This past season he caught 25 passes for 397 yards, averaging 15.9 yards per catch, and four touchdowns. Former prep superstar Hughes officiating Juriad Hughes refereed the ninth grade and junior varsity games at the Johnson Washburn game last Friday evening. By the time he graduated from St. Paul Central in
Former St. Paul Central great Juriad Hughes officiates. Photos by Mitchell Palmer McDonald (except where noted)