December 31, 2020 - January 6, 2021 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

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

THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934 December 31, 2020—January 6, 2021 Vol. 87 No. 22

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Why the U.S. needs Blacks to take the COVID vaccine

Caregiving during a pandemic Black nurses on the COVID front line share their stories

Whites alone cannot bring about herd immunity

News Analysis By Debra Furr Holden Contributing writer

sonal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 respirators, surgical masks, gowns and gloves surfaced as early as March, Black health care workers compounding the difficulty of have taken their place on the containing the spread of the virus front lines along with thousands in the early days of the pandemic. of others who, since the corona- Masks and N95 respirators help virus outbreak, have come to be minimize the spread of the virus known as “essential workers.” among health care workers. Both nurses said that even afAccording to the nonprofit Black Nurses Rock, the nation’s largest ter several months PPE still isn’t Black nursing association since in adequate supply, which adds By Charles Hallman Contributing writer

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r. Anthony Fauci and other national health leaders have said that African Americans need to take the COVID-19 vaccine to protect their health. What Fauci and others have not stated is that if African Americans do not take the vaccine, the nation as whole will likely never get to herd immunity. The concept of herd immunity, also referred to as community immunity, is fairly simple. When a significant proportion of the population, or the herd, becomes immune from the virus, the entire population will have some acceptable degree of protection. Immunity can occur through Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, was the first person in the U.S. to receive a COVID (Pfizer) vaccination. Courtesy of Northwell Health ■See Vaccine on page 5

Attacking racism from the inside out

How Children’s Minnesota is addressing workplace inequities

As part of our ongoing series “A View from the Top, CEO’s and DEI” this week we sat down with Dr. Marc Gorelick of Children’s Minnesota. The series seeks to follow up with Twin Cities metro area CEOs who signed onto pledges to step up their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The idea is to give our readers better insight into the companies, understand their struggles, and get updated on

Dr. Marc Gorelick

their progress in efforts to make their workplaces inclusive, diverse and equitable. MSR: Tell us about yourself and how you got to the Twin Cities. Gorelick: I grew up in New York City in Queens and then Long Island. Moved to Milwaukee in 2000 and was there for 17 years before coming to the Twin Cities in 2017. Pediatric emergency medicine was my specialty for a long time. MSR: How did you come to lead this large organization? Gorelick: My goal was always to see how I could have a bigger impact. As a physician I help people one at a time, very intense but satisfying. But it’s slow work and takes a long time to impact a lot of people. If I can get a system of care, I can impact a whole lot of people at the same time. MSR: How did you decide you wanted to be a doctor? Gorelick: I grew up in and

Courtesy of MGN 2014, 90% of its Twin Cities chapter members work in nursing homes and assisted care facilities, two places where the virus has done the most damage. The MSR recently interviewed two local Black nurses who agreed to speak on their daily work experiences on the condition that their identities or their place of work are not identified; they are referred to here as “Sam” and “Diane.” “Sometimes I feel overwhelmed,” admitted Sam, who has worked in assisted care fa-

champion the health needs of kids. We do that by providing outstanding clinical care as well as education, research and advocacy. We are the largest pediatric provider in the state. MSR: You signed on to a document with other health care providers to promote more diversity, equity and inclusion, which is now popularly referred to as DEI. Tell us why you signed on. Gorelick: Shortly after I

to stress among the medical staff. “We have to use [N95s] until they are soiled “as opposed to getting fresh ones when needed,” reported Diane. Sam said that he’s been ordered by his supervisors to use his mask for at least a week before getting a new one. “You were told this mask must last five days.... It was scary. There’s a chance the virus will get inside the mask.” “We just [recently] found a bunch of N95s,” said Diane. Sam revealed that the PPE

“I believe things happen for a reason and I accept things as they are.”

Courtesy of MGN around health care. My mother was a nurse. As far back as I can remember I wanted to be a doctor. It was a way of combining my interest in science and my desire to help people. MSR: What is Children’s Minnesota? Gorelick: Children’s is a pediatric health system. It’s one of only 35 health systems in the country that are 100% pediatric. We are not a part of an adult system. Our mission is to

“AS IT WAS SPOKEN ... LET US RECORD.”

cilities for four years. “When the virus started, so many staff took a leave of absence and quit.” “It was frightening in the beginning, something totally different than anyone has dealt with,” added Diane, who has been in nursing for nearly 20 years. Reports of shortages in per-

situation was worse at the previous facility where he worked. He said he felt the supervisors and others on site did not take the virus seriously enough. He still remembers a painful incident that took place in April in which two patients appeared to be very ill, prompting him to report it to ■See Nurses on page 5

■See Gorelick on page 5

Home ownership disparities a Minnesota blight MN Housing Finance wants to cure it In 2020 the national gap between Black and White homeownership was 26%. In Minnesota according to Minnesota has ranked among the worst states in terms of racial 2019 American Community disparities in homeownership. Survey (ACS) data, White/nonThe Minnesota Housing Finance Latinx individuals own homes Agency (MHFA) has made it a at a rate of 76.9% compared to priority to mitigate those inequi- Blacks who own at a rate of ties and close the gap. “Minnesota’s homeownership disparities between White households and Households of Color has been persistent and continues to be one of the worst in the nation,” stated Kasey Kier, the 25.3%, a homeownership gap of assistant commissioner at MHFA. more than 50%. “When we look at Minnesota “Currently, I believe that we are having one of the highest homethe fourth-worst in the nation.” The 2020 State of Housing ownership rates in the nation but in Black America report, com- one of the largest homeownermissioned by the National As- ship disparity gaps, we need sociation of Real Estate Brokers, to think about how to tackle it,” revealed that in 2019, 73.4% of Kier said. “The industry itself is White households owned their not doing a good job of getting own home. In contrast, the report there and closing that gap, so stated that only 42.1% of Black Minnesota Housing is really stephouseholds owned their homes. ping in.” By Amadulat Ajasa Contributing writer

“In Minnesota the mortgage industry is serving the BIPOC communities at about 15%,” said Kier. “Minnesota Housing is serving the BIPOC communities at about 35%, so more than the industry average.” One of MHFA’s goals for 2021 is to increase their percentage of

“Our programs are available statewide and we never run out of money.” mortgage loans from about 35% to 40%, which is almost three times the state average. MHFA has been helping people like Alexis Bolton achieve homeownership for over 45 years. “[MHFA] helped me in more ways than one,” she said. “For the most part, I didn’t know about [first-time homebuyer programs], and then somebody introduced it to me and then made it possible,” said

Alexis Bolton (center) with her daughter (left) and employees of MN Housing Finance after signing closing documents on her home. Bolton, a first-time homebuyer in 2017 using MHFA programs. Bolton, who is African American, was initially overwhelmed by the journey to homeowner-

ship because no one in her family had gone down that path before. “Without [the first-time homebuyers program], to be honest, I wouldn’t be in my house,” said

Bolton. “I would feel like I had to make a whole lot more money. I would feel like I had to put $20,000 down. No one has that type of money off the top.” “One of the things that we do at Minnesota Housing is, we have programs that are specifically tailored to households of color to help them enter the market,” explained Christina Akinola, the business development representative at MHFA. “There’s a lot of people who have the income to support homeownership but either have student loans or just don’t have the savings for the upfront down payment,” explained Kier. “Down payment and closing costs are the number-one reason why people don't get into homeownership,”Akinola said. “It would take [a typical family] an average of 17 years if they are saving 5% of their household income to save the typical down ■See Housing on page 2

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December 31, 2020—January 6, 2021

LISC Twin Cities appoints new leaders in pandemic recovery efforts we’re doing,” McLaughlin continued. “We were attempting to overcome” what happened in the initial round “by reaching out specifically to businesses and nonprofits and organizations that were operating in the community and didn’t have a good experience in the first round. We were trying to make up for that.” According to the outgoing chair of the Advisory Committee, Johnathan Sage-Martinson, Whitney-West and Bowman will bring a lot of experience and connections and will be a valuable contribution to the work of LISC Twin Cities. “They bring a wealth of expertise and connections to the work at hand,” said Sage-Martinson, “Stella and Trent will lead the committee during an important time as we continue to provide capital and new opportunities to the Twin Cities community.” Whitney-West is CEO of

NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, a multi-specialty medical, dental and mental health center that serves over 35,000 residents in North Minneapolis and Hennepin County. She has over two decades of experience working with governance and policy boards of nonprofit organizations, as well as extensive senior management experience in the Twin Cities nonprofit community. “I am honored and excited about my new position as committee chair for LISC Twin Cities’ advisory committee,” said Whitney-West. “I look forward to continuing to support local community organizations in creating vibrant and healthy communities with an intentional focus on equity.” Bowman is VP/CRA Business Development Officer at MidWestOne Bank. He has over twenty years of experience serving as AVP/CRA-Residential

Lending Officer at Associated Bank, VP/Community Development Officer at Old National Bank, and other roles at Wells Fargo, M&I Bank, and Centennial Mortgage. Bowman has an extensive history of supporting affordable housing initiatives. “I am honored to take on the role of vice-chair for LISC Twin Cities’ advisory committee,” said Bowman. “I am excited to further leverage my expertise in affordable housing initiatives and community building to support the Twin Cities community.” “The experience, commitment and passion for closing the racial prosperity gap that both Stella and Trent bring will be essential as LISC launches bold new initiatives to facilitate transformational community ownership and wealth building,” said LISC Twin Cities Executive Director Peter McLaughlin.

Racial gaps in income and wealth are classified as primary contributors to the homeownership gap. Lower incomes and wealth levels result in Black buyers having less capacity to qualify for large mortgage loans and expensive homes, according to the SHIBA report. It was important for Bolton to buy a home because neither she nor her mother nor her grandmother ever owned homes. “If I can have this, how can I pass it down to my kids so that they can generate money in the future or give them a little bit of a leg up?” Bolton asked herself. Effects of systemic racism “Homeownership is one of “[Black people] don't have enough money in savings be- the best ways to create and build cause we also know that there's wealth and to build generational an income gap,” Akinola said. wealth,” Kier said. In order to “Our BIPOC communities typi- achieve homeownership, MHFA cally earn less, therefore they can acknowledges the historical barriers that have barred BIPOC inonly save less.”

dividuals from obtaining homeownership in the past and still have impacts today. “The systemic racism in the housing market and lending [institutions], redlining, and deed restrictions were placed on properties to prevent BIPOC communities from purchasing homes in certain areas,” Kier explained. “The number of BIPOC communities that own homes has not changed since the Fair Housing laws were enacted [in 1968].” “So we found that even where we have similar credit scores and incomes amongst the White people, in the Black community that same account profile would go to a loan and they would be denied,” said Akinola. “There's a disparity in the approval between our White communities and our Black communities, so at Minnesota Housing we find

that it's very important that we bridge that gap.” MHFA partners with lending partners, real estate agents and associations like the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Asian Real Estate Association, the Association for Gay and Lesbian Professionals to enhance their community engagement and reach as many marginalized groups as possible. “It’s such a blessing to have programs like this,” said Bolton.

and justice, quality education multi term Hennepin County and programs that connect peo- Commissioner and executive diMSR news services ple with financial opportunity. In rector of LISC Twin Cities spoke Local Initiatives Support Cor- order to accomplish its lofty goals to the MSR at the time about the poration (LISC) Twin Cities have it provides capital, strategy and organizations efforts. He said appointed Stella Whitney-West as its chair and Trent Bowman as vice-chair to its advisory committee. According to the organization Whitney-West and Bowman were chosen to lead efforts to develop strategic actions, make policy recommendations and oversee programs. LISC Twin Cities supports projects that revitalize communi- Newly selected members Chair Stella Whitney-West and Viceties and bring greater economic Chair Trent Bowman MSR file photos opportunity to underserved resiof the PPP’s first round of loans, dents in the U.S. The Twin Cities know-how to local partners. The non-profit was instru- “[There] was a bias against organioffice has channeled more than $2 million into the Twin Cities mental in helping several local zations that were not as well essmall businesses navigate the tablished [with banks], and that region for COVID relief. LISC Twin Cities and the na- challenging process of applying kept the loans from going out tional organization seeks to in- for Paycheck Prevention Pro- to smaller people-of-color businesses.” vest in affordable housing, small gram (PPP) grants and loans. “We feel good about the work Peter McLaughlin, former businesses, community safety

Housing Continued from page 1 payment amount at 20%.” Akinola pointed out that in Minnesota the median cost for a home is about $250,000, which, at a down payment rate at 3%, would be about $8,000-$15,000 needed for down payment and closing costs alone. MHFA combats the challenges of down payments and closing costs for first time homebuyers and the BIPOC community by providing down payment assistance programming. They provide up to $17,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance. Alongside their down payment assistance programs, MHFA has programs that drop the down payment percentage to 3% to make homeownership

First time home buyer Alexis Bolton Submitted photo more attainable. “Our most utilized loans are deferred payment loans. They’re structured as zero percentage loans.” Kier said. “Thirty year deferred and repayable at the end of the term or if the home is

sold or refinanced.” Providing funds to BIPOC communities to achieve homeownership is one of MHFA’s goals. During their last program year, the agency spent over a billion dollars in first-mortgage financing to help support 5,000 homeowners, said Kier. “Our programs are available statewide and we never run out of money,” Akinola said. This is in comparison to other loan programs that run out of money or force buyers to settle in the Twin Cities.

Amadulat Ajasa welcomes reader responses to aajasa@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Obituary

David Neal Belton

Sunrise, April 21, 1954 — Sunset, Tuesday, December 22, 2020 David Neal Belton died peacefully in his sleep from complications of COVID-19 on December 22, 2020, which was both poignant and ironic given the way he lived his life with the volume turned up. He was 66.

O R + ( S + T

After graduating from Minneapolis South High in 1972, David worked a variety of jobs before landing a position with Minneapolis Public Works Department. He loved that job because as a rookie in the department he would be laid off each winter, which left him free to collect unemployment while “looking for work” in the Caribbean. He loved to travel and would show up anywhere in the country (or the Caribbean) where there was family or a friend to offer free accommodation.

Coping with COVID-19

Are you or a loved one having trouble dealing with the pandemic? Free help is available

www.mn.gov/dhs/coping-with-crisis

In the early 80’s, David was attracted to the oil boom in Texas and moved to Houston where he was hired as a roughneck on an oil rig, eventually moving up to the top position of driller. David was a jack-of-all-trades: paint contractor, general contractor, carpenter, pipefitter, and cabinet refinisher—these were a few of the skills and trades he practiced at different points in his life. He also was a faith leader, ordained by the Unity Christ Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. He served in clerical appointments in Metairie, Louisiana and in Minneapolis. David led a Youth of Unity group for several years and provided spiritual virtues training for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. His true calling was as a family man. A middle child, fourth-born of Ernestine and Ossie Belton’s eight children, David enjoyed close relations with his three older and four younger siblings. He was a peacemaker and purveyor of kindness to each of them and to scores of nieces, nephews and cousins. He had four great loves in his life: Antuana, his wife of 35 years and their three daughters, Nedith (Nina), Taylor Michelle (deceased) and Aja, whose son Reece, age two, was David and Antuana’s only grandchild. When Reece was born, David began to dabble in astronomy and hypothesized that his grandson was the center of the universe. In his younger years, David was the life

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of the party. He loved music, especially jazz and R&B, and was a good dancer. Friends and family knew it wasn’t a party until David arrived and got things started. Without exception, he would be late but worth waiting for, because David brought the party with him. David had many interests and avocations including bicycling and playing bid whist (although he rarely indulged both activities simultaneously). He was an avid reader . Ursula K. Le Guin, Anne McCaffery, Langston Hughes and Toni Morrison were among his favorite authors. He assiduously read “Road and Track” and “Car and Driver” magazines. He had a passion for collecting and racing slot cars and spent many evenings and weekends dedicated to the hobby. He built a custom 54-foot, four-lane slot car racetrack in his brother’s basement which he modestly dubbed Belton Brothers World Raceway. David is loved and will be missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him. A Celebration of Life for David Belton is planned for 3 pm on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 via Zoom. Contact Davidbeltonmemorial@gmail.com to request the link.

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 31, 2020

December 31, 2020 —January 6, 2021

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COVID-19, stress and pregnancy

By Valerie Melson and LaPrincess Brewer, MD Guest contributors Welcoming new life into this world should be an exciting experience. For Black women, pregnancy, labor and delivery can unfortunately be stressful and lifethreatening experiences. Black women suffer from pregnancy-related complications (oftentimes heart-related) at significantly higher rates than women of other racial/ethnic groups. Leading University of Minnesota School of Public Health researcher and expert Dr. Rachel Hardeman found that Minnesota Black women are two times more likely than White women to die during childbirth. Add the challenges of 2020 from the COVID-19 pandemic, and Black pregnant women have several reasons to be concerned about their emotional and physical health. If you are looking down at your growing womb, scared and uncertain, rest assured that the medical community has learned a great deal over this past year about COVID-19. For Black women, who now must navigate race, racism, and COVID-19 while pregnant, information is both knowledge and power.

COVID-19 and pregnancy As of December 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Tracker indicates 49,036 pregnant women have contracted COVID-19. While this represents only 0.3% of all cases, pregnant women are at an increased risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. Additionally, Black pregnant women disproportionately represent 16% of these cases. While everyone should wear masks and practice social distancing, both the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) agree that pregnant women should also: • Notify their health care provider (obstetrician (OB/ GYN), midwife, doula) if they contract COVID-19. • Attend all health care appointments; discuss virtual options if there are concerns about in-person visits. • Ask about their care facility’s visitor and delivery room policy; plan virtual support options for those who cannot be physically present at the time of delivery. • Breastfeed, even with COVID-19. Mother-to-child transmission is unlikely. Breast milk is a great source of nutrients and antibodies for fighting off infections. • Have a conversation with their health care provider about the COVID-19 vaccine, as this will help them make an informed decision about whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There are limited data available on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women. We know that new (and changing) information on COVID-19 can be cause for anxiety. Contact your obstetrician (OB/GYN) about any concerns—they are there to help! Stress and pregnancy The mental toll of demands that are greater than our ability to handle them results in stress. Be it racism, finances, or home life difficulties, the impact of stress on health is clear. In January 2020, a JAMA Pediatrics study demonstrated that maternal stress during preg-

is their job to support you through this journey. Valerie Melson, BS is a second-year medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine (MCASOM) in Rochester, MN. Prior to coming to MCASOM, she completed a PostBac at the National Institutes of Health and worked as a volunteer EMT. She has an interest in women’s health and hopes to have a career working in minority and underserved communities. She has a strong interest in obstetrics, gynecology and plastic surgery (breast reconstruction and gender affirming surgery).

Courtesy of www.nappy.co nancy can affect the baby’s or strengthening spiritual brain growth and proper de- practices are a few ways to reset. Additionally, “getting velopment. selfish” (saying no, identifying triggers and avoiding Signs of stress during them) is key! pregnancy • Get connected. Family, Learning about signs and pregnancy complications of friends, spiritual communistress is the first step to be- ties, and others you trust can coming your best advocate! reassure you that you are not alone. Reach out to them by These include: • anxiety, rapid heart rate phone or video chat. Joining or palpitations, and mood a virtual fitness class or registering for an online workswings • high blood pressure shop may be an exciting and headaches (indicators of (and safe!) way to meet new people! Socially Distanced pre-eclampsia) • preterm (earlier than ≠ Isolated! (Please, confirm with your health care team normal) contractions • depression or loss of in- about safe options for connecting with others beforeterest in normal activities • increased blood sugar hand!) • Get help. It takes real levels strength to admit you need Stress management tools Often, the signs of stress can cause more stress, creating a vicious cycle. Concrete tools to manage stress and break the cycle are important! Here are a few favorites: • Get real. It is hard to acknowledge that we are not OK, especially after chronically being “strong.” We cannot be our best for those around us if we are not well, especially mentally. Owning this is the first step to change! • Get centered. Today, pressing pause does not always feel like an option. Taking a social media vacation, meditating, journaling,

help! Mental health days, therapy, psychiatrists, and peer support groups are all options to relieve stress. Seeking help for overwhelming work tasks, home errands, or child care can also reduce stress. Reaching out can change things! Post-delivery precautions Lastly, pregnancy-related complications do not end after delivery. It is important to continue these self-advocacy habits after delivery and beyond! Make a postpartum plan, and if something does not feel right at any point in your pregnancy or after, no matter how small, contact your obstetrician. In Latin, obstetrician means to stand opposite. It

LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH is a board-certified preventive cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine within the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She is passionate about community health and faith-based interventions to achieve healthy equity in disadvantaged racial/ ethnic minority communities. She is the founder of the first academic-community partnership program between Mayo Clinic and African-American churches.

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December 31, 2020 —January6, 2021

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.

Local matters

Part I: A Soldier's Story: A father’s lessons about America's Class War shortcomings. But despite only a high school education, he was a voracious reader and the first What I remember is my father class warrior I ever knew. Even pumping gasoline at an India- to this day-- nearly ten years after napolis gas station while I waited his death-- his ferocity, brilliance, in the car with my mother and and humanity continue to shine two brothers. It was, as I recall, a on me, like the warmth from a summer weekend in the bicen- thousand suns. My Dad undoubtedly viewed tennial year, 1976, and from the car’s back seat, I watched as my the White gas station attendant father and the cashier, a White and the police officer as traitors to their class, no better than mariwoman, began to argue. He accused the woman of onettes on a string, manipulated cheating him out of the change by the oligarchs to fight a proxy he was owed; the cashier insisted war against their coworkers raththat he had given her a ten-dollar er than challenge their common By Jon Jeter

“They do not want the White man and the Black man to get together.” bill rather than the twenty my father said he’d handed her. In my mind's scrapbook, I can see plumes of smoke billowing from my Dad’s blue-black forehead as he flew into a rage, swearing and pointing his finger at the attendant who was behind the glass booth. “Sir, I am going to have to call the police,” I remember her saying over the loudspeaker. “ Go head,” my father said defiantly. I’ll be right he- ah.” When the police officer arrived a few minutes later, the woman told her story, my father his. The officer, also White, unsurprisingly chose the cashier’s version of events. Towering over my father, the police officer extended his hand to return the change that the cashier said he was owed from the $10. “**** your change, peckerwood,” my father said, simultaneously slapping the change from the officer’s hand. I remember the hollow sound of the coins pelting the concrete like tin rain, and watching the officer place his hand on the holster as though reaching for his gun. From the car’s passenger seat, my mother intervened, convincing her husband that this was not a hill worth dying on. “Cecil,” she said, “ C’mon. Let’s go. ” Born 89 years ago today to the son of a slave, Cecil Nathaniel Jeter did not suffer fools gladly as the saying goes. Yet to fully grasp the dire circumstances facing a nation in post-industrial free fall, you’d do well to consider that what inspired my old man’s rage on an afternoon 45 years ago was not some blanket loathing of White people, but rather his profound understanding of class struggle and the role that racism plays in undermining proletarian solidarity. My father was far from perfect: he let bitterness get the best of him at times, lost years to the bottle, and often unfairly blamed my mother for his own

enemy: the bosses. "They do not want the White man and the Black man to get together,” he would often say to me, like a mantra, long before I could fathom the full weight of what he was saying. “Daddy was my first lesson in the way the American system works,” said my sister, Karen, now 63. “He would always say that the White man and the Black man are like two rabbits chasing after a dollar bill and in the midst of chasing that dollar bill they start fighting each other. That’s why we never get anywhere.” Roughly six months after the gas station incident, on February 8, 1977, a 44-year old man of Greek descent, Anthony Kiritsis, walked into the office of his Indianapolis mortgage broker, and wired the muzzle of a shotgun to the back of the lender’s head. Much of the hostage standoff was broadcast live on television and while I don’t recall my father exhorting Kiritsis to murder his hostage, his sympathies clearly were with the blue-collar borrower whose exploitation by the financier underscored America's kleptocracy. The old man always sided with the underdog. We were at that off-brand gas station in 1976 because my father refused to buy gasoline from Shell Oil which supported South Africa’s barbaric, apartheid government. Writing to my mother in 1956 when he was a serviceman in the Korean War, he described his commanding officer disciplining him for asking why the U.S. was always picking fights with people who’d done nothing to us. “So today, I’m cleaning the latrines,” he wrote. His father, James Jeter, was born in Union, South Carolina, in 1884, two years before

state lawmakers prohibited Blacks from entering into collective bargaining agreements and created a militia solely to suppress labor organizing. Undoubtedly fleeing the racial terror that followed, my grandfather was part of the Great Migration’s first wave, arriving in Indianapolis sometime before World War I. When I was an adolescent, my father would shuttle me to a prewar gymnasium to play pickup basketball, and if we made that trip two dozen times, I swear he told me the same story 24 times, each time apparently oblivious of the previous trip, as though he was in a trance. When he was a child of maybe eleven or twelve, he had tried to play there, walking the nearly two miles from his family’s shotgun house to the gymnasium, only to be turned away by a White man not long after he had walked inside and began shooting baskets with the other boys, all of them White. As he trudged back home in the heat of a summer day, a few of the White boys who had seen him at the gym doused him in a bucket of piss as they whizzed by him in a pickup truck. When my father returned home from the war, he bounced around from job to job before catching on in 1965 at Chrysler where he quickly decided that he wanted no part of the backbreaking assembly lines and the dangerous speed-ups. He enrolled in training courses that would enable him to eventually become the plant’s first African American skilled tradesman, after first being denied a promotion despite scoring the highest on a qualifying examination. When he inquired about the promotion, my father recalled the White foreman’s response thusly: “Now Jeter, if I promote a nigger, we’ll both be fired.” But he persisted, and I was never so proud to be my father’s son than at his wake on a snowy, January day in 2011 when several of his Black coworkers told me that he was always encouraging them to enroll in the training courses for promotion to the higherpaying, less strenuous and safer skilled-trade positions like the one he held. Jon Jeter is a professional journalist, commentary writer and social media commentator who has served stints at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Washington Post among others. This is part I of a two part essay.

As elected representatives in Washington continue to struggle with passing a second aid package to address the ongoing economic impacts of the coronavirus, people continue to struggle. The political polarization of the past election cycle continues to challenge governance in Washington. Closer to home, however, Minnesota lawmakers this week ironed out a deal that will provide aid to local workers and businesses. Assistance from this spring’s federal CARES Act is set to expire in the coming days. Extended unemployment benefits are set to end the day after Christmas. Along with that aid, the temporary federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which provided aid for gig-workers and small-business owners who are typically ineligible for unemployment, is also set to expire. Moratoriums against foreclosures and eviction proceedings are also nearing their end. The

demand for food assistance is at an all-time high. New jobless claims continue at elevated levels as colder weather and increasing infections recently forced many states and municipalities to impose new shut down measures to staunch the spread of the coronavirus. While the U.S. House under Democratic control passed the HEROES Act six months ago, all branches negotiated towards an aid package leading up to the election in November, and the U.S. Senate under Republican control proposed their own smaller aid package in recent weeks, these proposals have been unpalatable to the opposing political parties. The lack of leadership in Washington failed to bridge the divide in order to do what was necessary for the American people and the economy at large. With the election behind us, there had been some hope that the parties could come together during the lame duck session to pass a much needed economic aid and stimulus package. So far that has failed to materialize. For the past week the news out of Washington each day has been about negotiations. Both parties are talking, which is in itself an improvement, but there are still significant differences ideologically about how to provide aid. Each side seems unable or unwilling to understand the importance of action, or even compromise, when so many lives are

in the balance. On a local level, multiple states have stepped in. The common thread among these legislative efforts has been to focus on small businesses and unemployed citizens. They have leveraged a variety of tools from repurposing state tax revenues to reallocating remaining CARES Act funds. In Minnesota, a divided legislature passed a $216 million aid bill for small businesses. The bill is designed to provide direct, targeted aid to small businesses and to extend unemployment assistance to state workers who have exhausted their benefits. State leaders realize it’s not enough, but they are eager to do what they can with their limited resources, and many hope that the federal government will strike a deal soon to provide more aid. The fact that some help is on the horizon for struggling Minnesotans is positive. Dr. Clarence Hightower is a visionary leader with more than 37 years of nonprofit experience in theTwin Cities. He is the current execu-tive director of the Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, one of the largest anti-poverty organizations in the area and the state’s largest Energy Assistance program. He welcomes reader responses to chigh-tower@caphennepin.org.

Let's invest in Black business By Jessica Winnie “The Movement requires you to shop locally, spend within your community, and support Black businesses.” This is not just a stanza from one of the poems in my 2019 poetry book, Everything I Am; it’s a call for action. I believe for Black-owned businesses to survive, we as a world community must financially support them. This was the motivation that led me to start my company, MN Black Box, a cooperative approach to creating employment opportunities for young adults and spaces for Black business owners to connect and build relationships. Communities of Color have long suffered at the hands of systemic racism, a lack of resources and economic opportunities. To make those communities thrive again, we cannot rely solely on government programs. We have the opportunity to use more than our voices to support the Black community; we can use our pocketbooks. MN Black Box was born out of inspiration and necessity in May 2020. The business was partially inspired by posts on a Facebook group I had started, MN Women Black Owned Business Network. I started the group in 2019 to create a resource hub for Black, female entrepreneurs across our state to build their networks, share information and seek support. I noticed the positive impact the businesses in this Facebook group were receiving from the promotion this platform was giving them, but I wanted to do more, which led me to MN Black Box. MN Black Box is a monthly box that features products from Black vendors including everything from health/beauty products to snacks and art. Each box helps support; approximately

ten families the five to seven businesses featured, the owner, the delivery driver and the consumer. The goal is to introduce shoppers to brands and to ultimately build a loyal following for these businesses, bolstering a diverse business ecosystem that serves us all. To date, our boxes have brought the products of over 50 Minnesota Black-owned businesses to the hands of over 200 people. Despite having started this business amidst the pandemic, I’m proud of how we’ve been able to propel it forward. Without the traditional resources or infrastructure available, we built our business online, set-up a noncontact delivery operation and learned how to utilize social media marketing tools. And to our delight, we have been successful. I am encouraged by the reception our business has received and I’m hopeful that this momentum continues to build and inspire sustained support for Black-owned businesses. The responsibility falls on us all, so let’s be intentional about

our spending. Seek out Black businesses by checking the Black Women's Wealth Alliance business directory or check local publications for lists. If you bought a product or service, write a review and share it on your social media. Supporting these businesses, at times, requires us to drive further, spend more and be uncomfortable with trying new products and services. But the investment is worth it. To heal from the pandemic, the events of summer, we must commit to bridging the gaps that plague us.The work we are doing is not transactional. Investing in these communities allows connection and healing.You cannot put a price on this. “Supporting Black businesses, one box at a time” is a small fraction of the work that lies ahead. Jessica Winnie is the owner of MN BlackBox, a gift box featuring products from Black-owned and operated vendors in Minnesota.

December 31, 2020—January 6, 2021

Vaccine Continued from page 1 natural immunity from personal infection and recovery, or through vaccination. Once a population reaches herd immunity, the likelihood of person-to-person spread becomes very low. Yes, it is true that African Americans will benefit from the COVID vaccine, but the full truth is that the country needs African Americans and other population subgroups with lower reported COVID-19 vaccine acceptability rates to take the vaccine. Without increased vaccine acceptability, we stand little to no chance of communitywide protection.

African Americans make up more than 13% of the American population. But if up to 60% of African Americans refuse to take the vaccine, as a recent study suggests, it will be difficult to reach that 70% threshold likely needed to reach herd immunity. Latinos make up just over

“Experiences of bias and discrimination fuel the problem of vaccine hesitancy and mistrust.”

18% percent of the population. A study suggests that 32% percent of Latinos could reject a COVID vaccine. Add the 40% to 50% rejection rates among other population subgroups and herd imDoing the coronavirus math About 70% of people in the munity becomes mathematically U.S. need to take the vaccine for impossible. Further exacerbating the probthe population to reach herd immunity. Whites make up about lem is that mass vaccination alone 60% of the U.S. population. So, if won’t achieve herd immunity, as every White person got the vac- the effect of COVID vaccines on cine, the U.S. would still fall short preventing virus transmission of herd immunity. A recent study remains unclear. Ongoing presuggested that 68% of White ventive measures will likely still people would be willing to get be needed to stop community the COVID-19 vaccine. If these spread. As the resistance to facts estimates hold up, that would get and science continues to grow, the need for credible information us to 42%.

Gorelick Continued from page 1 became CEO of Children’s Minnesota beginning 2018, I signed on to the CEO Action Pledge on Diversity and Inclusion, a national effort started in 2017 by a number of companies, I believe in New York. It was a way to get leaders of organizations, for profit and not for profit, to get those leaders to commit to actions that would increase the diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. It’s something I have been passionate about for a long time. At the time we were only one of about 100 organizations that signed on to that pledge; it’s now well over a thousand. We committed to promoting honest and difficult conversations in our workplace around equity and diversity and inclusion, to provide implicit bias training in our organization so people could understand how that contributes to issues around lack of diversity and lack of inclusiveness. And we share with each other best and worst practices. We ask, “What are we doing? What works and what doesn’t work?” We were one of the early organizations to sign on to that [pledge], so it’s been a part of our work at Children’s Minnesota for a long time. The statement you are referring to was an effort for us as health care providers, health care insurers, to understand how we could work together to address long known and now become obvious issues of health disparities and inequities within health care. MSR: For some, committing to DEI is a matter of doing the right thing. Explain why this seems to be personal to you. Gorelick: As a physician in the emergency department, you develop a very intense short connection with [patients] and you get to see what their lives are like. And having a front-row seat to the ways the disparity in our society affect the health of people and the way it operates within the health care system. I think people who come through that experience either get jaded or become more empathetic. For me it led to greater empathy and a greater desire to want to do something to fix it. It’s hard to spend time talking with people who are suffering from these inequities and not be moved by it. Early on in my career I was treating a little girl in the emer-

dissemination and trust-building related to vaccines becomes more important. Research offers some possible explanations for lower vaccination rates among Blacks. Historical wrongs, like the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments that ended in 1972, have played a major role

gency department about five years old. Nowadays we try to do things to make it a more pleasant experience; back then we just muscled through it. This five-year-old girl had put something in her ear and I was trying to get it out of her ear, and I got a couple of the nurses to help hold her down—naturally she’s five years old so she’s wiggling and struggling. She is yelling, “Get off me, get off me,” and then she yells, “Get off me you White people.” I thought to myself, here is a five-year-old girl. What kind of experiences has she had in her

in contributing to Black mistrust of the health care system. In another case, the “immortal” cells of Henrietta Lacks were shared without her consent and have been used in medical research for more than 70 years. The most recent application includes COVID vaccine research, yet her family has received no financial benefit. A study led by Dr. Giselle Corbie-Smith at the University of North Carolina identified distrust of the medical community as a prominent barrier to African American participation in clinical research. Another of CorbieSmith’s peer-reviewed studies that is another form of unsafe care. As part of our safety monitoring system we started in January, we implemented a new kind of report that people can file. Safety learning reports we call them. We encourage people to report errors or when things go wrong or almost go wrong. We ask, how did that happen? Why did the wrong medication get sent? What can we do to prevent that from happening in the future? We started a new kind of safety and learning report, a dignity and respect safety learning report. So if someone, either themselves

“We are being intentional. We want to change not just the rhetoric, but the results.” life that the worst thing she can imagine is not being held down by somebody, but being held down by a White person. That was more than 30 years ago in Washington, D.C., and it has stuck with me. There was something there that was deep and has affected her experience. I thought I need to learn more about that. It was very powerful. It was troubling to me, and it spurred me to think differently about kids like her and her family. MSR: What are your thoughts about Dr. Susan Moore, a Black physician who died recently from COVID-19 and complained of receiving biased and inadequate care at an Indiana University hospital? Gorelick: It is sad. It is shocking, but not necessarily surprising. We hear from People of Color and Blacks about their experience with different treatment from health care professionals. The fact that it takes a peer, one of our own, to draw attention to it, that alone is troubling. We see this all the time. We hear stories about this. There are studies that show there are racial differences in receiving pain medication for the same conditions. There are racial differences in access to certain procedures. There are differences in prescribing certain medications. The evidence is overwhelming. People are treated differently by the health care system based on their race. It’s true even when it’s somebody within the health care system. For a long time we [Children’s] had a focus on improving patient safety. What we recognized is if there are disparities in treatment and if people are not treated with dignity and respect,

or they witnesses someone being treated in a way that is not consistent with dignity and respect, they can report that. If someone is a recipient of a racist comment or hears a racist comment, they can report that. We can investigate and ask what are the contributing factors. It has become a very powerful way for us to address some of these unfortunately deeply ingrained practices. MSR: What is Children’s doing to make it a welcoming environment for Black people in particular and other People of Color? Gorelick: We talk about diversity and inclusion. We have set goals to try to be more diverse in our hiring. We still have higher turnover rates for Blacks than we do for Whites. We implemented implicit bias training throughout the organization. We try to understand all of the implicit bias that we bring to all of our interactions, starting with the senior leadership team. We want to know how we can be more appreciative of the value of diversity in our organization, not just as something we can say we have done. We have done diversity and inclusiveness coaching. Organization-wise we have rolled out implicit bias training. We have six employee resource groups. It allows people to find solidarity and support as well as being a place for the rest of the organization to understand the issues that are preventing us from being more welcoming of Blacks, Latinos, or whatever group that employee group represents. We have set targets for getting results. We have a target for diversity in hiring. We have a target for decreasing our turnover rate

cine acceptance in the African American community. Some ask why wasn’t such speed applied to vaccine development for HIV, which still has no FDA-approved vaccine? As of 2018, AIDS-related illness has killed an estimated 35 million people globally. It continues to disproportionately affect People of Color and other socially vulnerable populations. If African Americans were honored and acknowledged in these COVID vaccine conversations and told “we need you” instead of “you need us,” perhaps more Blacks would trust the vaccine. More must be done than pointing to the few Black scientists involved in COVID vaccine development, or making a spectacle of prominent African Americans receiving the vaccine. These acts alone will likely be insufficient to garner the trust needed to increase vaccine acceptance. Truth-telling will need to be at the forefront of this new narrative. There are also multiple leverage points along the supply and distribution chains, as well as Questioning the scientific in vaccine administration, that process Perhaps even Operation Warp could increase diversity, equity Speed has had the unintended and inclusion. What may help consequence of decreasing vac- is giving BIPOC and women-

found that distrust in medical research is significantly higher among African Americans than Whites. African Americans also disproportionately experience unequal treatment in the modernday health care system. These experiences of bias and discrimination fuel the problem of vaccine hesitancy and mistrust. Lower prioritization for hospital admissions and lifesaving care for COVID-19-related illness among African Americans was reported in Massachusetts in April 2020. Massachusetts subsequently changed its guidelines, yet across the U.S. there is a lack of data and transparent reporting on this phenomenon. The current messaging of vaccine importance may seem tonedeaf to those in a community who wonder why their health is so important now, at the vaccine stage. Black health didn’t appear to be a priority during the pandemic’s first wave, when race disparities in COVID emerged.

among Black employees. We are setting targets so we can hold ourselves accountable. We are being intentional. We want to change not just the rhetoric, but the results. We have to do some intentional things to drive those results. MSR: You helped craft a document calling for more diversity and inclusion, which 50 Twin Cities metro area CEO’s signed onto in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Realistically what can corporations do to make sure we don’t have any more George Floyd’s? Gorelick: There are a few things. Corporations are one element of the community. I think we need to take seriously our role as community members. That includes being willing to speak up when there are issues that are affecting our community. Business leaders have not always been comfortable with that, but more business leaders are willing to stand up and speak out about issues supporting policies that drive change. For example, many of the corporations that signed on to legislative reforms. MSR: How do we ensure that the next pandemic does not hit the Black community so disproportionately? Gorelick: Access to resources. Access to everything from personal protective equipment to vaccines to being able to work remotely and take other efforts to protect themselves… I hope that one thing we learn from this pandemic is that we need to prepare for the next one so we are not caught off guard as we were with this one. And

nurses Continued from page 1 his supervisor. Rather than take immediate action, his supervisors assured him the patients were okay. “I knew the patients needed help. I called 911 and they took them to the hospital,” Sam continued. “Unfortunately, later that night one of the patients died, and the following night the other patient [also] died of COVID.” “I had to stay home for 10 days” as a result, he added. When he returned to work, “They provided me PPE, but I felt they didn’t care.” Sam now works at a different facility. Both nurses were asked if they are afraid of contacting the virus and bringing it home to their fam-

in the course of preparing for the next one, we learn from the lessons from this one, in particular the disproportionate impact that a pandemic can have on different populations and communities, and incorporate that into the planning work. MSR: The Black community historically has been the victim of lots of broken promises. How will people know that Dr. Gorelick is not just saying what people want to hear? Gorelick: We need to be able to go out and say we used to have 25% of our workforce People of Color, now its 35%. We need to be able to say we use to have a 50% higher turnover rate [for BIPOC], now it’s only 10% higher. And we are working to get it to be equal. To share our progress with the community is probably the best way. As the saying goes, action speaks louder than words. MSR: What do you do best at Children’s? Or to borrow your expression, what does Children’s do that you would consider a “hit out of the park?” Gorelick: We are committed to treating all children and families. When we say our vision is to be every family’s essential partner in raising healthier children, we put the emphasis on every. I think we do that very well. We do not turn anyone away based on their ability to pay. This year we provided over $100 million in uncompensated care. We interpret over 70 languages of people who come to our facilities. Now what we need to do better is make sure the care we provide is equitable. MSR: Tell us about the comilies. “I love my job and I love caring for people,” said Diane. “I believe things happen for a reason and I accept things as they are.” Sam says he and fellow staffers are tested twice weekly. Yet his concern of bringing COVID-19 home is there on a daily basis, he noted. “Working in a senior care facility, being a health care provider, I’m going to try to do my best for the patient. “There’s nothing I can do to change the system, and that is the most hurting and frustrating thing about the COVID,” said Sam. “I feel that painfully every day, not [being] able to save patients. There’s nothing you can do but provide comfort and care, and wait for fate.” Two COVID-19 vaccines, one produced by Moderna, the other by Pfizer, are now available, and

5

owned businesses fair, mandated access to contracts to get the vaccine to communities. This includes procurement and purchasing contracts for freezers needed to store the vaccine. Minority health care workers should be equitably called back to work to support vaccine administration. These issues, not publicly discussed, could be transformative for building trust and increasing vaccine acceptance. Without a radical shift in the conversation of true COVID equity, African Americans and many others who could benefit from the vaccine will instead get sick. Some will die. The rest will remain marginalized by a system and a society that has not as yet equally valued, protected or prioritized their lives. It’s time to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. This article first appeared in The Conversation and is reprinted by permission.

munity organizations with which you are working/partnering. Gorelick: Every few years we are required to do a community health needs assessment. We bring together about 45 community organizations that we engage with to help us understand what are the most important issues affecting the health of kids in this community. What we have started to do is not only partner with them to identify the problem; now we are actually engaged with them to help us figure out how to address this problem. As a result we have been working with the African American Leadership Forum, which has been holding [virtual] town halls that we have been sponsoring. One of our clinicians, Adrien Thornton, has been a guest on that town hall often. MSR: How do folks keep from being overwhelmed and help them concentrate on the things that are important so we don’t wind up doing nothing? Gorelick: Knowing that there are so many terrific community partnerships that we can engage with is a helpful way of thinking about what we can do. Racism has been around for centuries. Racism is not going to go away tomorrow, and one organization will not get rid of it.

health care workers are expected to be among the first to receive vaccinations. Sam said he signed a form agreeing to take the vaccine as required by his employers, but he said, “Fifty percent of the staff didn’t want to sign, even after seeing so many patients die [from COVID]. Diane said she will take the vaccine when it is offered. “I believe that when I get [vaccinated] I will have antibodies, and my body will be able to fight it off. That’s what a vaccine does,” she said. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesmanrecorder.com.

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December 31, 2020—January 6, 2021

Business

Community spirit fuels thriving convenience store 36th & Lyn Refuel Station

Black Business SPOTLIGHT

By Ashley Lauren Contributing writer “There’s some value to be found here at the convenience store,” said local entrepreneur Lonnie McQuirter, owner and director of operations of the 36th & Lyn Refuel Station. The independent, community-oriented and Black-owned business is in South Minneapolis on 36th Street and Lyndale Avenue, as the name implies. Upon arriving at the store, customers will find surprisingly affordable BP gasoline, a charging station for electric vehicles, and an array of local products. There are healthy food options available, too, ranging from fresh bananas to organic beverages. The popular BP fuel seems to be the least expensive in Minneapolis, based upon various online customer reviews. Customers often wait patiently to refuel or recharge their vehicles and save money in the long run. “You’re going to keep more money in your pocket by coming here,” McQuirter said. He added, “From an economic standpoint— you’re going to be saving at least $350 a year.” The good news must have spread fast because there has been a consistent flow of business. The 36th & Lyn Refuel Station launched in June 2005. McQuirt-

tric bill. At least six years we have been doing that—What we operate on in our store is 100% windsourced energy,” McQuirter said. The money he saves is invested into the business to improve the property. The 36th & Lyn Refuel Station also hosted an event for electric

bright LED canopy lighting. The new lighting has illuminated the business and improved the overall curb appeal of the store. When customers check out the local convenience store, they’ll notice a wide variety of local products. McQuirter established local partnerships with Af-

“What we operate on in our store is 100% wind-sourced energy.”

er said, “My dad is involved in the business from a financial standpoint, but in terms of the day-to-day [operations], it’s always been me here.” McQuirter placed an em- vehicles that gained attention phasis on his father’s positive from the “Guinness Book of

roDeli, Big Watt Coffee, Cry Baby Craig Hot Sauce, Sebastian Joe’s Lonnie McQuirter

Courtesy of 36th & Lyn

Refuel Station influence and outstanding work ethic. “He’s been an entrepreneur since the early ’80s; he did commercial cleaning and had a pretty large number of contracts. So, entrepreneurship has always been in the family,” he said. He added, “When you’re not working, you’re not eating, and my dad instilled that.” In 2014, McQuirter began operating the store on wind energy. “We got a nice rebate on our elec-

World Records.” “In 2014, we made the world record of charging 85 cars—unofficially 100— technically, 85 vehicles here in 24 hours’ time. We broke the world record right now,” McQuirter said. In 2015, the Clean Energy Resource Team (CERT) in Minnesota helped 36th & Lyn Refuel Station become more energy efficient. The CERT organization assisted with the installation of

and many more brands. Customers also have an opportunity to order delicious food from the Cafe Ena food truck, from Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 am to 9 pm. The menu offers a tasty medley of “Latin American flavors blended with French technique,” according to the website. Although business is flourishing, there have been trials and tribulations along the way. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused

their business to focus on keeping everyone safe. McQuirter and his team work nonstop to ensure the place is spotless and sanitized. “Everyone has been affected by this global pandemic,” McQuirter said. As a result, he uses “hospital-grade disinfectant” to clean the store. Everyone is expected to follow COVID-19 safety protocol by wearing masks, social distancing, and utilizing hand sanitizer. McQuirter shared insight into the convenience business industry that may be helpful to aspiring and existing business owners. “I’ve seen some people squeezed out of business because they went and spent too much money.” In essence, he emphasized the significance of minimizing costs and focusing on the needs of all customers. Customer satisfaction is a top priority at 36th & Lyn Refuel Station. McQuirter said, “It's really about paying attention to what the customer wants and identifying with them.” The consumercentered approach has helped contribute to success and longev-

ity in business. McQuirter also placed an emphasis on Black buying power. “In terms of our community—we can build wealth a lot faster if we support people that support us,” he said. He also encourages individuals to shop at places that value and respect them. “People don’t have to come here and I’m grateful for that.” He added, “Go support the people who support you and are looking to see you do better. Just get started—right now you can drive around the area and see so much opportunity. Like right now if I had more time, I’d start a power-washing business.” The 36th & Lyn Refuel Station is located at 3551 Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis. The store hours are Monday through Sunday, from 6 am to midnight. For more info, visit www.36lyn.com. Ashley Lauren welcomes readers’ responses to alauren@ spokesman-recorder.com. Photos by Ashley Lauren except where noted.

December 31, 2020—January 6, 2021

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North Mpls music program offers youth refuge and opportunity By Tiffany Johnson Contributing writer Courtland Pickens is a local singer-songwriter with a powerful presence in the local community. In 2017, he released his gospel EP entitled “The Manifest Promise,” and he was also a top audition finalist on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016. Since then, Pickens has used his powerful gift of music not only to inspire audiences throughout the country, but also to give back to the next generation of musicians and influencers. In 2019, he was motivated to create a program that would allow him to mentor and teach music to a group of phenomenally gifted young people ranging in age from 13 to 23. “I had auditioned about 160 youth … My vision was to create an afterschool choir,” Pickens said. The name of his choir is Known, which is also estab-

lished as a non-profit. Pickens serves as both the founder and choir director. Composed primarily of youth from the North Minneapolis area, Known, in its infancy, has already opened up for a number of noteworthy names in gospel music including PJ Morton and Jonathan McReynolds. “For me growing up in North Minneapolis and going to Patrick Henry High School, I was like, listen, there’s no place I’d rather do this at then at Patrick Henry High School.” While the group was fortunate to celebrate their oneyear anniversary just this past summer, things undoubtedly changed drastically when the world shut down in March of 2020. “[The pandemic] made me realize how much community meant to these kids. So, pandemic or not, it was important for us to start meeting on a regular basis, and we just had to find a way to work around everything that is go-

Known at the Minneapolis Urban League Gala Photo courtesy of Courtland Pickens ing on,” he said. To mark their one-year anniversary, the choir also released an online virtual concert that received more than 100 individual logins. While Known is commonly regarded as a gospel choir, Pickens describes how it has evolved into so much more. Pickens shares a heartfelt moment that occurred during one of the choir’s out-of-town

concerts this past year. “We decided on Sunday morning that we’d set up in the conference room at the hotel, a small service where we could just like sing and maybe read some scriptures or something. “We did that, and it was beautiful,” shared Pickens. “One of the girls stood up and she told us all that there was a time where she would come to school just to come to my

choir class. She was going through a rough time in her life; her grandma had just passed and she was dealing with some illnesses…She said it was her coming to choir class that was the thing that helped her get through that hard time in her life.” Moments like these have allowed Pickens to realize his responsibility as a leader for this group of immensely talented youth, “There’s so many stories like that, that I could share about what it’s done to these kids individually,” he said. And while Known is often called on to be performers and ministers of music to lead audiences, Pickens beamed about the impact that the group has had on the youth themselves. “Music is just a tool. The space, and what we do is not just a choir for me. This is life skills and helping them to discover what they want to do in life,” Pickens said.

With COVID-19 spiking in Minnesota in late 2020 and continuing to negatively impact arts and performance industries, there is no honest prediction for how Known will perform and operate post-quarantine. Still, Pickens considers it a necessity to keep the organization accessible for the youth, especially in this trying time. “When you have all this idle time, your mind just goes all over the place and you’re just not settled. This is what the kids have been longing for, they desire community, familiarity; something that is consistent.” To view their virtual concert and learn more about Known, go to www.voicezinc.org/ knownmpls. Tiffany Johnson welcomes readers responses to tjohnson@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Best films of 2020 giver for Olga (Lynn Cohen), an elderly Russian in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. She’s 2020 kept us on our toes. overstayed her visa, is terriAdapting became a way of fied ICE will deport her and life—especially for films and eyes an iffy solution: a marmoviegoers. Part of the ad- riage of convenience to Oljustment movie lovers had to ga’s grandson Alex (Eamon make was viewing films on Farren)—an ex-jailbird/drug VOD and streaming services addict. Part perilous immigrant while only a few enthusiasts ventured out to near-empty nightmare, part awkward love story and always fully theaters. compelling. As a director, Within that context, here’s Sandoval provokes strong a look at the best and the acting from her entire cast brightest in films—no matter and composes each scene impeccably. As a writer her where you saw them. Enjoy. story reveals the indignities trans women and immigrants Best Films face. As an actor, her interpre“The Closet” (***) – Bless tation of Olivia is one of the the demon children in this most textured performances atypical genre film. Better of the year. The sublime muyet bless the young actresses sical score is totally exquisite (Yool Heo and Si-ah Kim) and underlines Sandoval’s who play them for crying supreme taste. and screaming like they’d “Ma Rainey’s Black Botjust been told there’s no Santa Clause. Korean direc- tom” (***1/2) – The spirit tor Kwang-bin Kim gives this of playwright August Wilcautionary tale about abused son lives on in his American and neglected kids a home in Century Cycle series of plays. a horror movie that beats out This one gets a special lift all the other contenders (and from the strongest ensemble there were many) that graced acting of the year. Ma (Viola fright screens this year. A Davis) comes to Chicago to stormy cloud of reality, mys- record an album. The toughticism and intrigue presses all as-nails blues singer and her the right buttons and makes band (Chadwick Boseman, you scared in the right ways. Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts) are “Hamilton” (****) – Broad- having "creative" issues. Suway is not dead. It’s moved perb drama and electrifying to Disney+. This stirring film performances from all. It’s adaptation of Lin-Manuel a movie that still feels like a Miranda’s signature theater play, but the rewards are so piece reveals why so many abundant that it’s forgivable. think he is an artistic ge“Minari” (***) – The U.S. is nius. He is. That’s evident in the very original premise, a mosaic of various cultures, historic characters, vibrant mixing together all over the storylines, catchy songs and land. Case in point: A Korean enlightening dialogue. Dav- family moves to Arkansas eed Diggs’ fiery performance, in the ‘80s to start a farm— Leslie Odom’s smooth vo- with no previous experience. cals, Renée Elise Goldsberry’s They’re getting their hands dignity, Anthony Ramos’ in- dirty and playing out the nocence and Miranda’s in- American dream. The premise, telligence shine bright like by writer/director Lee Isaac they’re under a center stage Chung, plays out with surspotlight. Gorgeously written prisingly little culture clash and shot, with expert direc- but lots of friction between a pipe dream-loving husband tion by Thomas Kail. Jacob (Steven Yeun, Sorry to “Lingua Franca” (***1/2) – Bother You), his pragmatic This story has never been told wife Monica (Yeri Han) and before, communicated in this a doting grandmother Soonja way or created by such an (Yuh-jung Youn). This small astute and perceptive writer/ but touching family drama director/actor like Isabel San- perfectly evokes the times doval. Olivia (Sandoval), a and rural setting. The coutrans woman from the Philip- ple’s struggle is as distressing pines, is a paid, live-in care- as it is inspiring.

Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”); Sidney Flanigan (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”); Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”); Rosamund Pike (“Radioactive”); Isabel Sandoval (“Lingua Franca”).

By Dwight Brown

Best Supporting Actors: Eamon Farren (“Lingua Franca”); Caleb Landry Jones (“The Outpost”); Shaun Parkes (“Mangrove”); Keegan-Michael Key (“The Prom“); Glynn Turman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”).

“Never Rarely Sometimes Always” (****) – This is an odyssey no adolescent wants to go on, but if necessary, it would likely play out like this. Writer/director Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats) sensitively fathoms and realistically examines the journey of a teenage girl, Autumn (brilliantly played by Sidney Flanigan), who finds out she is pregnant, late. She’s making the biggest decision of her life on a trip from rural Pennsylvania to the mean streets of NYC’s Time Square. Hittman’s invasive filmmaking takes you through every aspect of the kid’s tough decisions. An enlightening script, expert ensemble acting and the most revealing film ever made about a young woman’s right to choose. “The Outpost” (***1/2) -- It was somewhere between a call of duty and a suicide mission. A small unit of U.S. soldiers cornered and outnumbered at a combat outpost in Afghanistan. This retelling of the Battle of Kamdesh, the bloodiest American engagement of the Afghan War, scrapes the sheen off war. It’s a true-life story, masterfully directed by Rod Lurie who instinctively captures the danger, risks and moments of desperation and humanity of the event. Heart-pounding action scenes. Memorable young cast (Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom, Jack Kesy). Completely believable and transfixing for 122-rivetting minutes.

Blue (****) – Grouping these three films, which are part of a five-part series, into one “Best Film” entry is an adjustment worth making. Their focus is on West Indian life in England from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. Director extraordinaire Steve McQueen helms them and co-wrote all. Lovers Rock is a party, Mangrove is a courtroom drama and Red… is about reforming the police. Actors Shaun Parkes, Malachi Kirby, John Boyega and Letitia Wright give searing performances. Illuminating on so many levels “Sound of Metal” (***1/2) – This very simple, cinema verité look at a drummer (Riz Ahmed) going deaf could have been a small observation on what it’s like to lose hearing. Instead, thanks to the lead actor, the audience can place themselves in his harrowing transition and feel his emotions in the most primal way. Not every actor could turn this role into a tour de force. But Ahmed takes it there and deserves an Oscar nom. Perceptive writing and direction by Darius Marder.

“Tenet” (***) – While other films were taking the streaming way out, this visually stunning espionage action thriller was playing to a few patrons in theaters with hundreds of empty seats. Seeing it on Imax is the way to go if COVID ever leaves town. Otherwise, TV screens will do. John David Washington steps into superstardom as a character out to thwart mass murder. Robert Pattinson, Small Axe: Lovers Rock/ Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Mangrove/Red, White and Branagh and Himesh Patel fill

Best Supporting Actresses: Lynn Cohen (“Lingua Franca”); Olivia Cooke (“Sound of Metal”); Loretta Devine (“Spell”); Talia Ryder (“Never Rarely Sometimes,” “Always”); Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”).

out a stellar cast. Special effects and cinematography are OMG-crazy. Director Christopher Nolan is at the top of his game. His sometimes-befuddling script and a not-easyto-discern audio track are Best Screenplays: “Lingua the wrinkles in an otherwise Franca” (Isabel Sandoval); smoothly cool movie. “Minari” (Lee Isaac Chung); “Never Rarely Sometimes,” Best in Class “Always” (Eliza Hittman); “King of Staten Island” (Judd Best Directors: Eliza Hit- Apatow, Pete Davidson, Dave tman (“Never,” “Rarely,” Sirus); “Sound of Metal” “Sometimes, Always”); Rod (Abraham Marder, Darius Lurie (“The Outpost”); Steve Marder). McQueen (“Small Axe: Lovers Rock, Mangrove,” “Red, Best Cinematography: White and Blue”); Isabel “The Forty-Year-Old Version” Sandoval (“Lingua Franca”); (Eric Branco); “Mank” (Erik Christopher Nolan (“Tenet”). Messerschmidt); “Mulan” (Mandy Walker); “The OutBest First Films: Chan- post” (Lorenzo Senatore); ning Godfrey Peoples (“Miss “Tenet” (Hoyte Van Hoytema). Juneteenth;” Radha Blank (“The Forty-Year-Old VerBest Animation/CGI: sion”); Heidi Ewing (“I Carry “Soul”; “Wolfwalkers.” You With Me”); Tayarisha Poe (“Selah and the Spades”); FloOther Great Films: “Bad rian Zeller (“The Father”). Boys for Life,” “Bad Education,” “Black Is King,” “Blue Best Foreign Language Story,” “Bull,” “Charm City Films: “Another Round;” “I Kings,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “The Carry You With Me;” “The High Note,” “Jingle Jangle: Life Ahead;” “Night of the A Christmas Journey,” “The Kings;” “The Traitor.” Last Tree,” “Mank,” “Mr. Jones,””Mucho Mucho Amor: Best Documentaries: “All The Legend of Walter MercaIn: The Fight for Democracy;” do,” “Mulan,” “Nomadland,” “Collective;” “There’s Some- “The Old Guard,” “The Phothing in the Water;” “Time;” tograph,” “The Prom,” “Ra“The Way I See It.” dioactive,” “Sorry We Missed You,” “The Trial of the ChiBest Actors: Riz Ahmed cago 7,” and “Tripping with (“Sound of Metal”); Chad- Nils Frahm.” wick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”); John Boyega (“Red, White and Blue”); Anthony Hopkins (“The Visit NNPA News Wire Film Father”); Steven Yeun (“Mi- Critic Dwight Brown at Dwightnari”). BrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com. Best Actresses: Viola

8 December 31, 2020—January 6, 2021

Reminders: Recycling BULLETIN Your input is needed! over the holidays Applications to join the METRO Blue Line Extension Business and Community Advisory Committees (BAC and BAC) are now open! These Advisory Committees were established to provide community-based input on light rail development. Learn more and apply by 1/3 at this link: bit.ly/METROBlueLineAdvisory

From shopping online to mailing more packages to loved ones, many are seeing an increase in cardboard at their home this year. The City of Minneapolis is encouraging residents to be kind to the collection crews and recycling facility staff by breaking down all boxes. Boxes that do not fit in your recycling cart may be placed next to your recycling inside one large box or bundled together with string or twine. To ensure safety and proper sorting, don't bundle boxes using wire or tape and keep bundles to less than 3' x 3' and under 40 pounds. Extra bottles and cans may be placed next to your recycling cart in cardboard boxes or paper bags. Recycling set next to your cart in plastic bags will be disposed of as garbage. If you consistently have more recycling, you can request another recycling cart at no charge by contacting our office.

—Information and photo courtesy of Metro.

Shovel snow around carts If the collection crew cannot easily wheel your carts to truck, they cannot service them. Remember to shovel a 36" wide path through the snow, including snow left by the plow, from your carts to the alley or curb line. Please do not shovel snow into the alley or street as it makes collection more difficult for our crew, it makes maneuvering alleys difficult for you and your neighbors, and it is not allowed per City ordinance (427.150).

Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

Worship

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER 3744 4th Ave. South • Minneapolis, MN 55409 Phone: 612-827-4021 • Fax: 612-827-0577

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cecil e. NeWmaN

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Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church

Bethesda Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Billy G. Russell, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Arthur Agnew, Pastor

Rev. James C. Thomas, Pastor

451 West Central

St. Paul, MN 55103 651-227-4444

Church School 9:30 am Morning Worship 8:00 & 10:45 am Prayer Service:

Wednesday 7 pm "Welcome to

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church"

At the Old Landmark 1118 So. 8th Street Mpls., MN 55404 612-332-5904 www.bethesdamnonline.com bethesdamn@prodigy.net Sunday Service Times: Early Morning Service 9 am Sunday School 10 am Sunday Worship 11:30 am Wednesday Prayer Meeting, 6 pm Adult Bible Class 7 pm Children's Bible Class 7 pm

2600 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.greatfriend.org Phone: 612.827.7928 Fax: 612.827.3587 info@greatfriend.org Sundays 8:00am Sunday School 9:30am Worship Service The Friendly Church Where Everybody Is Somebody

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Doctor Charles Gill 732 W. Central Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 Sunday Worship Service: 9:45 AM Sunday School: 8:45 AM

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December 31, 2020 —January 6, 2021

Legals

Employment

STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF WASHINGTON

DISTRICT COURT TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

IN THE MATTER OF THE CHILD OF: Debrea S. Chambers and Russelle Anthony Wech Parents. ORDER FOR HEARING AND NOTICE OF PUBLICATION Court File No. 82-JV-20-537 County Attorney File No. JV-2020-795 That Anthony Zdroik, Assistant Washington County Attorney, representing Petitioner, Washington County Community Services, has filed in this Court a Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of the father, Russelle Anthony Wech, seeking to permanently sever the parental rights of the Russelle Anthony Wech to the child, D.E.T., date of birth 9/4/2003. THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that said Petition for Termination of Parental Rights be heard by the Court at the Washington County Courthouse, 15015 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN, on January 29, 2021 at 1:20 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, and on any subsequent hearing dates set on this matter. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that notice hereof be given to the father of said child, Russelle Anthony Wech, by publication in Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, a legal newspaper, for three consecutive weeks as provided by law. Dated:

Classified Office ofFrom the Minnesota Secretary of State Certificate of Assumed Name Department/MN Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 333

Spokesman-Recorder

ASSUMED NAME: MN Mama Innovations PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: 4326 Xerxes Ave North PHONE: 612-827-4021 Minneapolis MN 55412 USA NAMEHOLDER(S): Name: Address: FOR BILLING Kathleen Hustad 4048 Lakeland Avenue North INQUIRIES PO BOX 22112 Robbinsdale MN 55422 USA & TEARSHEETS If you submit an attachment, it will be incorporated into this document. If PLEASE CONTACT the attachment conflicts with the information specifically set forth in this document, this document supersedes the data referenced in the attachment. ACCOUNTING DEPT By typing my name, I, the undersigned, certify that I am signing this document as the person whose signature is required, or as agent of the SUMMONS person(s) whose signature would be required who has authorized me FLAT RATE $200 to sign this document on his/her behalf, or in both capacities. I further certify that I have completed all required fields, and that the information in this document is true and correct and in compliance with the applicable chapter of Minnesota Statutes. I understand that by signing this document I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Section 609.48 as if I had signed this document under oath. SIGNED BY: Kathleen Hustad MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 22112 Robbinsdale MN 55422 EMAIL FOR OFFICIAL NOTICES: mnmamainnovations@gmail.com

Judge of District Court 82-JV-20-537 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 24 & 31, 2020 & January 7, 2021

Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State Certificate of Assumed Name Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 333 ASSUMED NAME: auxiliumCRM PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: 3456 33rd Ave S Unit B Minneapolis MN 55406 United States NAMEHOLDER(S): Name: Address: Chris Iverson, Inc. 3456 33rd Ave S Unit B Minneapolis MN 55406 United States If you submit an attachment, it will be incorporated into this document. If the attachment conflicts with the information specifically set forth in this document, this document supersedes the data referenced in the attachment. By typing my name, I, the undersigned, certify that I am signing this document as the person whose signature is required, or as agent of the person(s) whose signature would be required who has authorized me to sign this document on his/her behalf, or in both capacities. I further certify that I have completed all required fields, and that the information in this document is true and correct and in compliance with the applicable chapter of Minnesota Statutes. I understand that by signing this document I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Section 609.48 as if I had signed this document under oath. SIGNED BY: Chris Iverson MAILING ADDRESS: 3456 33rd Ave S Unit B Minneapolis MN 55406 EMAIL FOR OFFICIAL NOTICES: chrisiverson98@gmail.com Filed: 12/04/2020

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 24 & 31, 2020

Classified StateFrom of Minnesota Ramsey County Department/MN

District Court Second Judicial District Court File Number: 62-DA-FA-20-1346

Spokesman-Recorder PHONE: 612-827-4021 Notice of Issuance of Emergency (Ex Parte) Order for FOR BILLING Protection by Publication INQUIRIES (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8) & TEARSHEETS In the Matter of BEVERLY ANNE DAVIS OBO Minor Children vs PLEASE CONTACT Donna Vanice Louise Taylor ACCOUNTING DEPT FILE COPY

To Respondent:

NAME YOUASSUMED ARE NOTIFIED that an Ex Parte Order for Protection has been issued in this case. You may request a hearing if you contact the court administrator's FLAT RATE $150.00 office within 12 days of the date of publication of this notice. You may obtain 2 WEEK RUN a copy of the Ex Parte Order for Protection and the form to request a hearing from the court administrator's office at the following address: Ramsey County District Court

25 West Seventh Street with email confirmation Please proof, respond Paul MN 55102 to disStplay@spokesman-recorder.com Failure to request a hearing or to obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court's order. Dated: December 24, 2020

Donald W. Harper Court Administrator

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 31, 2020

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 24 & 30, 2020

State of Minnesota County of: Hennepin Court File Number:

District Court Judicial District: 4th Case Type: Dissolution without Children

In Re the Marriage of: Hasen Hagi Mohamud Petitioner (first, middle, last) and Nasra Ali Hade Respondent (first, middle, last)

9

Summons (Check One) X Without Real Estate � With Real Estate

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: WARNING: Your spouse 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 Jhe court that affects your rights. Read this summons carefully. If you do not understand it, contact an attorney for legal advice. 1. The Petitioner (yam spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for a 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 Court Administrator's office. 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. � Thi proceeding involves, affects, or brings into question the real property located at the at the following address City State Zip Code in County, with the following legal description: 4. �(For a second property) This proceeding involves, affects, or brings into question the real property located at the following address: at the following address City State Zip Code County, with the following legal description: OR X 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 foe 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 f01th 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 or 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. Dated: 10/20/2020 Hennepin, MN County and State where signed

/s/ Hasen Hagi Mohamud Signature Name:Hasen Hagi Mohamud Address: 2515 9th Street Apt. 2114 City/State/Zip: Minneapolis, MN 55406 Telephone: 612-232-3111 E-mail address:

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 24 & 31, 2020 and January 7, 2021

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder PHONE: 612-827-4021 FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT

DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE 3 WEEK RUN FLAT RATE $200.00 PREPAID

SOE From Classified

the recovery begins to take shape, that we don’t forget about those less fortunate individual folk who Department/MN Continued from page 10 Spokesman-Recorder have lost jobs and not leave them PHONE: 612-827-4021 behind.” seekingFOR large-scale events to BILLING come here, he added, “it is the Globe-tracking the Lynx INQUIRIES In last week’s action: Damiris workers are at the venues, & that TEARSHEETS variousPLEASE hotels and restaurants Dantas had another double-douCONTACT and our attractions. These hospiACCOUNTING DEPT ble performance (20 points, 10 retality industry professionals, men bounds) in her team’s championand women, keep NAME those prom- ship win (Paulista Final). Mikiah ASSUMED Herbert Harrigan hit 16 points ises.” FLAT RATE $150.00 Many of these professionals, in a defeat. Kayla Alexander’s 20 2 WEEK RUN Tennent stressed, are Blacks and points powered her club to a big other people of color. “I want to win. Herbert Harrigan’s,to Alexanmake Please sure that people underproof, respond with email confirmation display@ stand that a lot of minority and der’s, Temi Fagbenie’s and Erica spokesman-recorder.com immigrant populations have McCall’s respective clubs all are been devastated even more so in action this week. than the general population in Through last week, Dantas terms of unemployment from leads all Lynx players overseas the hospitality industry.” in scoring (21.6), followed by AlAs for the upcoming year, exander (19.7), Herbert Harrigan Classified “It wouldFrom be difficult to specu- (15.7), McCall (13.8) and Fagbenie Department/MN late when we will get back to a (11.4). sense ofSpokesman-Recorder normalcy,” said Tennant. “But we do see a glimCharles Hallman welcomes reader PHONE: mer of hope. I am612-827-4021 very inter- responses to challman@spokesmanested in making sure that when recorder.com.

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT administers, and barely eight ACCOUNTING DEPTpercent of players.

TEamS

When the MSR asked how Continued from page 10 the RAMSEY COUNTY new partnership will improve diversity, especially since the Twins will run all affiliates.” 1WEEK RUN minor league assignments, St. The Saints-Twins new partFLAT RATE $100.00 PREPAID nership will focus on player Peter responded, “We have a development and rehab, fan lot of work to do. We recogengagement, youth baseball nize some of the existing gaps and softball, along with a host and ultimately, over time, we of philanthropic initiatives will do better. across the region. “We are working more Twins President/CEO closely with Major League Dave St. Peter called the part- Baseball as it pertains to other nership “a critical milestone” ways of [creating] pipelines, during a Dec. 9 media con- and creating more opportuniference call that included the ties, or seeing African AmeriMSR. He pledged, “The Saints cans specifically, to advance to will operate as they [always] the major leagues, whether it have.” is players, coaches, managers, The Saints’ “Fun is Good” etcetera,” he continued. approach to marketing and Saints President and Copromoting the team on and off owner Mike Veeck added that the field has helped them lead baseball at all levels should be their league in attendance 17 more reflective of their comtimes in 27 full seasons and munities in its outreach efforts. drawn over two million fans “Kids have to look up and be over five full seasons (2015-19), able to see a Larry Doby, Jr. leading Minor League Base- or a Michael Jordan, people ball in perfect capacity in 2019. that look like them, that are in The zany between-innings ownership positions. That’s antics during games is some- the ultimate goal.” thing not seen in the Major Both clubs are in a unique Leagues or their top affiliates. position to do this and more, Unfortunately, both teams surmised Veeck. “We can over the years have demon- blanket the state, cover everystrated poor diversity on and thing,” he said. “That’s taking off the field. Minnesota on the ballpark and the game opening day this season had to the streets, and not sitting one Black player, one Black back and waiting for people coach and two Blacks as spe- to come in. To take it to them.” cial assistants in baseball oper“It feels like we are moving ations. St. Paul had three Black in the right direction,” conplayers and zero Blacks in its cluded St. Peter. “We have a coaching and front office staff. lot of work to do and ground The 2020 MLB Racial and to cover. We are committed to Gender Report Card by The that.” Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport found Blacks make Charles Hallman welcomes up 6.3 percent of MLB coaches reader responses to challman@ and 3.3 percent of managers, spokesman-recorder.com. 5.9 percent of team VPs, 5.2 percent of senior administers, 6.1 percent of professional

10

December 31, 2020 —January 6, 2021

My top pictures of 2020 PreP Scene Dr. Mitchell PalMer McDonalD

Augsburg U guard Aiza Wilson U of MN guard Gabe Kalscheur This week, for the MSR’s New Year’s edition, I decided to post five pictures published in 2020 that were among my favorites.

St. Paul Como Park guard Kaylynn Asberry

Hopkins guard Amaya Battle

DeLaSalle guard Kiani Lockett

All photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald, who welcomes reader responses to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

The Spencer Haywood story continues:

The 1968 Olympics showdown

COVID exacerbates Black-White graduation gaps

It’s also led to job losses for many Blacks in the hospitality industries

T

he overall academic success of college football players declined this year as the persistent graduation gap between Black and White players widened as well. The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) last week released its “Keeping Score When It Counts” annual report on bowl-bound college football

Third in a series The year 1967 was a transformative year in America, three years after the Civil Rights Act was passed. Tensions simmered in many urban areas, including Detroit, that would eventually boil over that summer. Despite being a senior at Detroit Pershing High School, Spencer Haywood’s Mississippi accent continued to draw teasing from the school populace. “The Black kids were really hard on me,” he recalled. “The White kids didn’t really understand why the Black kids were putting down this Black kid from the South. “I wanted to prove them wrong,” said Haywood, who was on a fast track academically with the extra help of teachers and others. “I had a B average. I got the last laugh.” On the basketball court, Haywood proved a dominant force in city hoops. Coached by Will Robinson and with such teammates as Ralph Simpson, the father of famed singer India. Arie, Pershing became the first city school in over 30 years to win the state Class A crown. “When I first got there,” remembered Haywood, “[Coach Robinson] introduced me to

Spencer Haywood and Will Robinson in the Olympic Village at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics Courtesy of Triumph Books points [scored] that stood for 44 years until Kevin Durant broke it. I still have the record for highest field goal percentage, 72% from the field, and second in rebounding to this day.” Haywood also was part of the growing Black athlete activism in this country. “[We] had a meeting before we got to the Olympics. Tommie Smith and John Carlos and Lee Evans were being pushed by [Dr.] Harry Edwards to make a stand and be vocal about it. Me and [boxer] George Foreman were 19 years old [and] weren’t going to say anything.” Smith and Carlos would later make their stand after their Olympic event during the medal ceremony, wearing black gloves and holding their arms in the air during the national anthem. “The U.S. Olympic Association marched them out of the Olympic Village, and then they threatened us” not to protest in any way, Haywood said. But the young man did a Haywood tried out for the 1968 U.S. Olympics basket- silent protest of his own: “I ball team because many older didn’t go to the closing cerBlack college stars boycotted emonies, and I gave away my the Mexico City games. “It was [Olympic] jersey.” the first time the Olympic team Next week: Haywood is lured allowed a freshman to try out,” said Haywood, who at age 19 back to Motown. was the team’s youngest player. Charles Hallman welcomes “I led them all the way to the gold medal,” he said proudly. reader responses to challman@ “I set the record for the most spokesman-recorder.com. Now 6’-8”, Haywood was a big target of big-time school recruiters from coast to coast. He first chose to go back south: “I signed with the University of Tennessee,” he noted, choosing the school on the hopes that his mother would finally be able to see him play basketball. “I wanted her to see me play when I’d go to Mississippi State and the University of Mississippi.” He would have been the Southeastern Conference’s first Black player, but Haywood felt uncomfortable at Tennessee. With Robinson’s advice and help, he left there and enrolled at Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado. “That [freshman] year I became Junior College Player of the Year,” averaging nearly 30 points and over 22 rebounds a game. After his first college year,

“I led them all the way to the gold medal.” the team. He said, ‘Listen, we have been playing like mules. Now we got a horse, and we are going to ride this horse into the championship.” Will Robinson was both coach and father figure to Haywood, whose father died just before he was born. “He would ride me around town showing me all the great sights of Detroit,” said Haywood.

Fitz Beat Larry FitzgeraLd

Larry Fitzgerald’s column will return next week.

89.4% in 2019) • 41% of bowl teams (23) had Black players’ GSR at least 20 percentage points lower than Whites’. This year’s top worst: Louisiana Tech (45%), San Jose St. and West Virginia (both 38%), Ole Miss (37%) and Arkansas

demic had an economic impact on the area in many ways. Nearly 770 meetings, conventions and sporting events were hosted in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities area in 2019, Meet Minneapolis reported. This year almost 400 events cancelled, including the

“It would be difficult to speculate when we will get back to a sense of normalcy.”

(35%) • Ohio State (30%) worst among the four CFP semifinalists to compete for national championship • Northwestern (100%) the only school with 100 percent Black graduation rate and highMelvin Tennant est (97%) graduation rate of all its MSR file photo football players As COVID-19 definitely afteams and their Academic Prog- fected this year’s college footress Rate (APR) and Graduation ball season, which resulted in Success Rate (GSR). The report 23 schools opting out of bowl found the following “troubling consideration, including Minnesota, and 17 bowl games canstatistics.” • Overall GSR for football celled, the 2020 TIDES report players down 1.1% (78% from duly noted, “The discrepancy between White and Black foot79.1% in 2019) • Average GSR for Black ball student-athletes remained a players down 0.4% (73.4% from significant issue.” 73.8% in 2019) • Average GSR for White Impacts on workers The 2020 coronavirus panplayers up 0.3% (89.7% from

NCAA wrestling championship at the Vikings stadium, because of COVID-19. At least 342 events were budgeted for 2020 to be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, which projected a 70% reduction in revenue this year and about 75% lower than last year. Executive Director Melvin Tennant told the MSR that “significant job losses” took place in the local hospitality industry as a result. “We can’t talk enough about the human impact of the workers in the hospitality industry,” he explained. “The hospitality industry workers are the ones who have to keep the promises that we make. “When we go and talk to the NCAA or any other [group]” in ■ See SOE on page 9

Twins and Saints cozy up

Twin teams for the Twin Cities

By Charles Hallman Contributing writer It is expected that, when approved, the St. Paul Saints will become the Minnesota Twins’ first Triple-A affiliate since 2002. The Saints, who have been an independent minor league franchise for 28 seasons in St. Paul, submitted its application earlier this month to become the Twins’ Triple-A club. This would create the closest geographic relationship between a par-

Besides St. Paul, Minnesota also invited Wichita (KS) Wind Surge, Cedar Rapids (IA) Kernels and Fort Myers (FL) Mighty Mussels to become Double-A, HighA and Low-A minor league affiliates, respectfully, all beginning with the 2021 season. Twins officials noted last week in their announcement that the four new partnerships are part of an enhanced Dave St. Peter player development model. MSR file photo “Quality player development is at the core of a winning baseball organization,” explained Baseball Operations President Derek Falvey.

“Kids have to look up and see people that look like them in ownership positions.” ent club and its top minor “We look forward to hopeleague affiliate in Major fully collaborating with the League Baseball, with fewer ownership group[s], manMike Veeck than 11 miles separating the agement and communities for each of our minor league two downtown ballparks. ■ See Teams on page 9