February 28 — March 6, 2019 Vol. 85 No. 30 www.spokesman-recorder.com
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THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934
See more boxing on pg. 10
South Minneapolis Black history inspires Funky Grits
BLACK DISSENT VINDICATED Photo courtesy of Getty
Eric Reid (l) and Colin Kaepernick kneel during game
Colin Kaepernick triumphs over NFL collusion NEWS ANALYSIS By Jeffrey L. Boney Contributing Writer
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publicized protest of racial injustice and police brutality by “taking a knee” during the national anthem of each game during the 2016 NFL season.
ormer quarterback Colin Kaepernick has reached a landmark settlement in his collusion case against the National Football League (NFL) for a substantial amount of money. The settlement, announced Feb. 17, was the NFL’s answer He has not played a game in to a grievance Kaepernick filed back in October 2017 accusing the NFL since early 2017. It was also reported that NFL owners of working to deliberately keep him from playing in his former San Francisco 49ers the league because of his much- teammate, safety Eric Reid, one
of the only other players to consistently stand with him from the beginning of his initial protest, has also settled a collusion grievance against the NFL.
amount alone is somewhere in the ballpark of $60 to $80 million. Reid’s settlement is reportedly significantly less. The NFL and the NFL Play-
He taught the nation how individuals can use the power of the platforms they possess in order to be a true catalyst for change. While details of both settle- ers Association (NFLPA) rement agreements are undis- leased this statement regarding closed due to a confidentiality news of the settlement: “We continuously supported agreement, it has been reported that Kaepernick’s settlement ■ See NFL on page 8
Hamline’s Black Student Collective 50 years strong By Stephenetta Harmon Editor-in-Chief As the first student of color organization in the state’s oldest college, Hamline’s Black Student Collective (BSC) has served to empower some of the state’s most prolific Black leaders and activists — including Juanita C. Boyd, Washington County’s first Black judge, and Anika Bowie, vice president of NAACP Minneapolis and current candidate for St. Paul City Council. Now, the BSC is set to celebrate 50 years of service this weekend. Black student unions across the country have proven to be effective support systems for Black students entering higher education. Whether first-generation or part of a familial legacy, Blacks entering college face significant challenges and disparities in course-readiness and access to resources. Only 47 percent of Black students earn traditional “four-year” degrees within six years, while Whites graduate at a rate of 67 percent, according to the National Student Clearing Research Center. That’s in addition to other intangible social, mental and emotional issues that may arise while competing for grades within a population that does not always feel welcoming to them. The Hamline student of color population has doubled over the past 20 years,
“We’re still in the middle of a civil rights situation,” said Carlos Sneed, associate dean of students at Hamline. “Although our numbers are large for a private school in Minnesota, our students are still interacting in an environment that wasn’t necessarily designed with them in mind,” he admitted. “We’ve gotten better, as have most colleges and universities, but White supremacy is still real. White Ethnocentric European thinking is still real. Students of color — and White students — still come from high schools that didn’t teach about the accomplishments or the experiences of people of color or women or LGBT people.” Hamline’s students and alumni are quick to speak on the BSC’s impact. Carlos Sneed, Hamline Associate Dean Bowie, a Hamline 2014 alum, said the of Students BSC was her lifeline. Coming from a very diverse high school, she said, “Gonow boasting 30 percent students of col- ing to Hamline and being the only Black person in my classroom was a cultural or, nine percent of whom are Black.
“Black student unions serve as a trusted organization for Black faces and spaces.” While the look and landscape of the BSC have evolved over the years — changing its official name from P.R.I.D.E. (Promoting Racial Identity Dignity & Equality) to the Black Student Collective — the need for support is still there.
shock.” Having access to PRIDE, she said, “helped build community, promote African American scholars, and relating to other students… It had a real diverse ■ See HamLiNe on page 8
BLACK BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: By Jonika Stowes Contributing Writer The Twin Cities is enjoying a restaurant boom with unique eateries offering niche foods and dining experiences. Among them is South Minneapolis’ Funky Grits. The Black-owned restaurant boasts a menu like none other in the area, with soul food recipes based off of cheesy grits with a twist towards vegan ingredients. But don’t be mistaken — a visit offers something for all palettes, with burgers, sausage and shrimp also on the menu. There are also beer and wine offerings for those inclined.
Jared Brewington want to have my business here. That’s all I remember growing up is historical Black businesses up and down 38th street,” said Brewington. “My biggest fight is showing people there’s a resource and a consistency on this corner that’s full of beaming love, and this community is wide open in diversity, love and acceptance.” First starting out as a popup, the business took four years to open its doors. Brewington gained notoriety and a hungry consumer base with showings at venues like the 2018 Super Bowl. He also tried opening at a location on Lyndale Avenue, which led to delays. He experienced more delays dealing with plumbing and funding issues when he
All photos by Chris Juhn Entrepreneurship runs in owner Jared Brewington’s blood. His great grandfather was self-employed, and his father, Mark Brewington, owned Rib Cage in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s in South Minneapolis. He credits that legacy, along with his commitment to the community, for opening his storefront on the corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. He and his five siblings grew up blocks away on 42nd Street, where his father also worked in real estate at Bailey Realty Company on 45th Street and 4th Avenue. “This history means a lot to me,” said Brewington. “I’m from here, exist here, and I
finally found the current location, but he never gave up. He and his former business partner and chef Jordan Carlson pushed through, opening August of last year. With a ‘70s Tupperware vision, he hired Jim Smart of Smart Associates to design the restaurant’s bright interior, and he did the construction himself. Carlson assisted with the restaurant’s build-out and pop up locations. “I’ve always been the majority owner,” said Brewington. According to him, the partnership separation cleared the way for his new African American chef Portia, who brings cultural sensitivities to cooking that ■ See BBS on page 8
Black History salute: MARVEL JAMES COOKE
One hundred years after the birth of Minnesota’s first Black person, Marvel Jackson Cooke made her own history as the first Black birth in the city of Mankato. Her life was full of more firsts on her journey to becoming a pioneering journalist and
political activist. Born Marvel Jackson in 1901 to Madison Jackson, the son of a free farmer, and Amy Wood Jackson, a teacher, Jackson saw early on the effects of racism. Though her father graduated with a law degree from Ohio State University Law School, he could not get a job, ultimately working as a railroad porter. He soon moved the family to Minneapolis, where they were the first Black residents in the Prospect Park neighborhood, and Cooke became the first Black student to attend Sydney Pratt Elementary School. She went on to be one of five Black students to graduate from the University of Minnesota in 1925. After graduation, she moved to Harlem, New York, where she worked as an editorial assistant at the NAACP publication Crisis. In 1928, she became the Black-owned New York Amsterdam’s first woman reporter and helped organize its first union. In 1929, she married Olympic-champion sailor and sprinter Cecil Cooke.
In 1950, she was hired as the first Black person and only woman to work at The Daily Compass, a White-owned newspaper. There, she wrote a series of investigative reports on the “Bronx Slave Market” for the New York-based paper that earned her widespread recognition. “I was part of the Bronx Slave Market long enough to experience all the viciousness and indignity of a system which forces women to the streets in search of work,” wrote Cooke. The five-article series exposed the perils Black women faced in attempts to get hourly or daily work. This included standing outside in rain or snow, inadequate and unreliable wages, exasperated racism, and often unsafe working conditions. In 1953, she was elected as the New York director of the Council of Arts, Sciences, and Professions. One year later, she was forced to testify before the U.S. Senate’s Subcommittee on Investigations because of her communist beliefs. She went on to work as the national legal defense secretary for Angela Davis and as the national vice chairman of
the American–Soviet Friendship Committee from 1990 to 1998. In 2000, she died of leukemia at the age of 99. To learn more about Marvel Jackson Cooke’s journey, read jstor.org/stable/41889958. Read her five-part series here: http://dlib.nyu.edu/undercover/i-was-part-bronxslave-market-marvel-cooke-new-york-compass-0
February 16-22, 2017
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February 28 — March 6, 2019
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Money Matters
7 wise ways to spend your tax refund By Kay Robinson Contributing Writer
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his year’s tax season seems to be giving taxpayers one big headache. New tax guidelines coupled with the aftermath of the country’s longest-ever government shutdown has led to reduced refunds and even longer wait times. According to the IRS, refunds are down nearly 17 percent, with the average refund dropping from $3,169 to $2,640 as of Feb. 15. That is a significant drop from 8.4 percent reported just a week prior. The drop is a huge indicator of how the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes are affecting taxpayers who are expecting refunds. Now they are smaller or gone altogether (though an expected onethird will actually receive an increase. While tax refunds may be down, 80 percent are still projected to receive a little something back from the government this year. The best steps to mitigate any reductions you may receive this year are by filing early and plotting a game plan for how those dollars will be spent before you get them. That way you can make the most out of it, without it sitting in your bank, primed for an impulse buy or regrettable money decision. Read on for seven ways to get the most out of your (reduced) refunds.
Plot a game plan for how those dollars will be spent before you get them. Start that emergency savings fund Sure, you may have been talking about it for some time now, but haven’t quite gotten it together. If you’ve received a lump sum, put at least $400 away for an emergency/rainy day fund. But, if you can put more, do so. Financial coach Jonathan Marcello of Marcello Solutions has previously advised that taxpayers put 50 percent of their refunds into savings. “Let this be the catalyst to get you contributing to your own safety net,” he said. “This
might be the biggest check you see all year, don’t let it go to waste.” Tip: Look for a high-yield savings account to get a better return on your dollars. Catch up on bills This should be a no-brainer, but just in case, this is the time to pay down those looming heating and energy bills. Assess your bills for the year and see what you can get ahead on, especially one-time or infrequent bills like tabs or car insurance.
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Pay down that high-interest credit card Even if you can’t zero out the entire balance, paying down on your highest-interest credit card is a win-win situation. Not only will it reduce your long-term debt, but it will also help increase your credit score (opening the door to better credit card rates). Make an extra (principal-only) mortgage payment Another way to beat the interest blues is to make an extra payment on your mortgage. “This alone is one of the best financial decisions to make when it comes to spending your tax money,” said Marcello. “You can reduce the life of your loan by months and even years, by adding a couple of hundred dollars each month. An extra principal-only payment will be a significant boost.” Just one extra mortgage payment a year can reduce the life of your loan by four years. Two extra payments can reduce it by up to 10 years. And, you’ll save tens of thousands of dollars in interest. Invest in yourself Before we even explore investing in any financial opportunities, look at investing in your career, education, and self-care. Use these monies to go back to school, get a new certification or even learn a new language to boost your professional career. You might even want to spend your windfall on that
physical trainer who’s been out of budget or a mini health and wellness retreat to help you refocus and realign. Max out your Roth IRA Contribute to your retirement life by maxing out your Roth IRA contributions — up to $5,500 or up to your taxable income for 2018. Roth IRAs are flexible, easy to open in minutes and since funded with post-tax dollars, they grow tax-free (as long as you follow guidelines). You can also withdraw during hardships without penalties or additional taxes. And, when you retire, your money (and its earnings) will remain tax-free. Splurge (a little bit) Understandably, getting a huge chunk of cash that you can’t have any fun with can seem a little depressing. Instead of putting yourself on total financial restriction, take five or 10 percent of your return and do something fun and frivolous (within reason) for yourself. This could begoing out on date night, buying a cool new gadget or adding a piece or two to your wardrobe. Kay Robinson welcomes reader responses to krobinson@spokesman-recorder.com.
February 28 — March 6, 2019
Cold weather can bring on acute bronchitis Chronic (longstanding) bronchitis usually occurs after longstanding irritation in the tubes (bronchi) that bring air into your lungs. Tobacco smoke and air pollution are common causes of chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is a type of a disease spectrum termed “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” (COPD). By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD This column first ran in 2015 and is reprinted here by popular demand. Dr. Crutchfield, my child was recently diagnosed with acute bronchitis. What is acute bronchitis?
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ronchitis is irritation and inflammation in the tubes that carry air to your lungs. It may occur suddenly (acute) or be present over a long period of time (chronic). Acute (sudden) bronchitis commonly occurs during cold weather or after an illness of the respiratory tract.
Signs and symptoms of bronchitis include: • Persistent cough • Yellow/green mucus when coughing • Extreme tiredness • Shortness of breath • Fever • Chills • Chest pain Long-lasting coughing is a hallmark of both acute and chronic bronchitis. In the case of acute bronchitis, the cough may last for several weeks. Treatment First, your doctor will make sure the bronchitis is not really a different disease, like pneumonia,
which may require a completely different treatment approach. Acute bronchitis normally gets better on its own in 10-14 days. The treatment approach is mainly supportive. Sometimes a doctor may provide a prescription for an inhaler if breathing is difficult. If the cough is disruptive, a cough suppressant may be ordered to help with both work performance and sleep. Most cases of acute bronchitis that result from infections are a result of a viral infection. In these cases, antibiotics are of very little help. If a bacterial cause of acute bronchitis is determined, then an antibiotic may be prescribed. In the case of chronic bronchitis, there are different treatment measures including wearing a mask during cold weather, discontinuation of the offending factors like tobacco smoke, breathing exercise routines, and the use of a humidifier. The treatment of chronic bronchitis was discussed in more detail in
a previous advice column on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As always, if you have a health concern, check with your doctor. For more information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic bronchitis, visit http://spokesman-recorder.com/2017/12/06/ copd-is- a-preventable- andtreatable-lung-disease/. Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He also has a private practice in Eagan, MN. He received his M.D. and Master’s Degree in molecular biology and genomics from the Mayo Clinic. He has been selected as one of the top 10 dermatologists in the United States by Black Enterprise magazine. Dr. Crutchfield was recognized by Minnesota Medicine as one of the 100 Most Influential Healthcare Leaders in Minnesota. He is the team dermatologist for the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild
and Lynx. Dr. Crutchfield is also an active member of both the American and National Medical Associations, and
president of the Minnesota Association of Black Physicians.
Opioid treatment for inmates could save many lives One-third of opioid-related deaths in Hennepin County in 2015 and 2016 occurred after in inmate’s release. A new collaborative study by Hennepin Healthcare and Hennepin County found that 71 out of 252 opioid deaths occurred within one year of being released from custody. Almost a quarter of those deaths occurred within two weeks of release, and more than half were within 90 days. Among people who died from an overdose after a jail stay, 81 percent were incarcerated for at least 24 hours. Across the state, 775 people died during the same period from causes related to opioids, an increase of 26 percent from 2011-2012. Hennepin County residents accounted for 33 percent of those deaths. African American and Native American people were disproportionately represented among the dead. Residents of suburban Hennepin County accounted for nearly half of the deaths. The findings, reached after an analysis of death and jail records, confirm County officials’ suspicions and point to opportunities for overdose prevention. Expanding treatment options The study highlights the need for a shift in how officials in corrections, health and human services offer recovery services, said Dr. Tyler Winkelman, a physician-researcher at Hennepin Healthcare. “Most people with an opioid use dis-
order will spend time in the criminal justice system,” Winkelman said. “This report shows that correctional facilities can and should play a critical role in the pub-
lic health response to the opioid epidemic. Expanding treatment options for this population could substantially lower opioid deaths in Hennepin County.”
In Hennepin County, embedded social workers currently connect people with behavioral and chemical health resources for follow-up after release. However, diag-
nosing opioid use disorder and beginning medical treatment while still in custody could have positive outcomes, including reducing the number of deaths and the
traumatic and expensive overdose-hospitalization-jail cycle that usually precedes them. “This report highlights exactly how local government should be operating, using data available to us to inform decisions and interventions that make sense in our community,” said Julie Bauch, the county’s opioid response coordinator. “The reality is staggering. But this data presents a real opportunity for us to make targeted and impactful change that improves the lives of our residents and improves the systems that create better longterm sustainable outcomes,” said Bauch. In Minnesota, treatment for opioid use disorder is rarely available during incarceration or immediately after release. “We can save lives by administering medical treatment to people who are struggling with an opioid use disorder before they are released from detention facilities,” said County Board Chair Marion Greene. “I am extremely pleased that Sheriff Hutchinson’s team and Community Corrections staff are moving forward to implement recommendations made in the report.” Information provided by Hennepin County. The study is available upon request; for more information, go to hennepin.us/news Image courtesy of Getty.
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February 28 — March 6, 2019
We must stop criminalizing the poor
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Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor. — James Baldwin America can’t fix poverty until it stops hating poor people. — Arthur C. Brooks Beginning in the 1990s, the [United States] adopted a set of criminal justice strategies that punish poor people for their poverty. Right now in America, 10 million people, representing two-thirds of all current and former offenders in the country, owe governments a total of $50 billion in accumulated fines, fees and other impositions. — Peter Edelman
arlier this month, I had the opportunity to take a lunch meeting with Ramsey County Commissioner Trista MatasCastillo. During our time together, she shared a notion that instantly and undeniably spoke to me. Commissioner MatasCastillo, elected in 2018 to represent District 3 in Minnesota’s second largest county, told me that her mantra was “Poverty is not a crime. Therefore, we should not treat those living in poverty as criminals.” Mind you, this is not the first time such a sentiment has been articulated. The more significant issue, in my estimation, is that it is not expressed nearly enough. It is clear that America has criminalized poverty for some time now, and those penalties only seem to get worse as the years pass. Another individual who has eloquently sounded the alarm with regard to the systematic criminalization of poverty is author and anti-poverty crusader Peter Edelman. A native of Minneapolis, Edelman worked for Senator Robert F. Kennedy from 1964 until his death in 1968, and later famously resigned his position in the Clinton Administration in protest of the president’s welfare reform act of 1996. Much of Edelman’s latest research focuses on the community of Ferguson, Mo., where in response to the 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a
civil rights investigation. Central to the findings (beyond the shooting investigation) was evidence of meticulously biased policing and bureaucratic hurdles that “exposed exorbitant fines and fees for minor crimes that mainly hit the city’s poor, African American population, resulting in jail by the thousands.” Of course, mountains of additional evidence reveal that such corrupt behavior is not just happening in St. Louis County, Mo. but in cities and towns throughout America. “Nor is the criminalization of poverty confined to money,” notes Edelman. “School children are sent to court for playground skirmishes that previously sent them to the principal’s office. Women are evicted from their homes for calling the police too often to ask for protection from domestic violence. The homeless are arrested for sleeping in the park.” Additionally, these kinds of scandalous trends that target the poor, coupled with other systemic policies and practices, have helped to set the foundation for, and advanced the perpetuation of, mass incarceration in this country. American philosopher Jeffrey Reiman clearly foresaw this in his 1979 classic text The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison. And yet in spite of all this — from real jail cells to the piling on of petty fees and fines that have more or less consigned millions of Americans to
debtor’s prison — the criminalization of poverty cuts even deeper. Consider for a moment the bureaucracy and rolls of red tape our fellow citizens must sometimes traipse through to even access the programs and services they need and are entitled to. There are multitudes of institutional, administrative, cultural and personal barriers that can make their efforts exceptionally difficult. For example, there are quite often hurdles based on location; lack of access to transportation; language barriers; physical challenges for seniors, children, and the disabled; mental health issues; poor communication; and so many other impediments. Not to mention the indignity suffered by many who often have to jump through hoop after hoop just to apply for benefits, then being denied for reasons out of their control. It shouldn’t be this hard. We must do better. It seems to me that the only crime here is that we’ve allowed poverty to persist as the societal punishments for said poverty seemingly escalate. So, kudos to Commissioner MatasCastillo, Edelman and others who are calling out this travesty and standing steadfast in opposition to this systematic criminalization of America’s poor.
It’s time for the rest of us to follow suit by standing up and declaring that “Poverty is not a crime.” Moreover, the criminalized treatment of those living in poverty can no longer be tolerated. Clarence Hightower is the executive director of Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties. Dr. Hightower holds a Ph.D. in urban higher education from Jackson State University. He welcomes reader responses to 450 Syndicate Street North, St. Paul, MN 55104
A time for transitions is at hand them as attributes within someone so close to me in this work. So, although she is shifting positions, our work together has only just begun.
A monthly column in which various contributors from both sides of prison walls explore common ground for effecting change.
By Vina Kay and Kevin Reese Contributing Writers Vina I recently announced my plans to transition from my role at Voices for Racial Justice, moving to Race Forward as vice president of movement and capacity building. The work I have been doing with our team at Voices, including with Kevin, has been central to my learning and growth. Being able to share this learning, grounded in deep relationships and grassroots organizing, through a national organization also committed to building racial justice is an exciting opportunity for me. But I am going to miss the team at Voices. And what about my work with Kevin?
Vina One of my roles at Race Forward will be supporting a campaign called Mass Freedom, which builds on years of organizing to end mass incarceration and mass deportation. As Michelle Alexander writes in her description of Mass Freedom, “It aims to help us better understand how colonialism, the slave trade, and global capitalism have brought us to this moment in time. It shares the stories of people of all colors and nationalities who yearn to be free and helps us to see that many of the struggles that feel distant are actually inextricably linked to our own.” I believe that I am positioned to be in this role because of what Kevin has taught me about the experience and impact of incarceration. Without these last more than five years of working in collaboration, I would have little to contribute to this campaign. Now I can see that my role is to elevate those voices and stories, to the point that those who hold them are leading our vision and journey to a new reality. Kevin The amazing and talented Voices team is strong, energized, and ready for this moment. I’m excited to join the team in my role as director of criminal justice reform to carry on
“Our liberation is tied together.”
Vina Kay Kevin Our work has always been bigger than a moment. It has always been committed to the movement. So when the movement brought us to the moment when Vina was presented with the opportunity to have a national platform to amplify our work in the movement, my commitment to the work allowed me to instantly see the possibilities of what we can do. Over the years it has been such an honor to work alongside Vina, and I’ve learned so much. Her work ethic and integrity are things that I admire. I find great comfort in having
Kevin Reese the very sacred and pressing work that we all have lived and sacrificed so much for. The changing of positions only allows us to see more of the landscape and fosters the space to build with more communities both locally and nationally. The gravity of what Vina has meant to me and to this work cannot be expressed through words. It is the type of gratitude that can only be lived out in deeds, but if one day I can be to someone else 10 percent of what Vina has been to me, then I would consider my work a success. The beautiful thing about the movement is
that it is always moving and there is always growth and expansion. So, to all of our supporters, friends, families and colleagues, this change only means there are more of us, not less. Our BRIDGE is national now, and we will keep informing and connecting right here in our “Bridging the Gap” column. Vina The truth is that Kevin and I will always be colleagues and partners in the work. I look forward to continuing our collaboration, especially once he is in community, and even from different organizations. We share a vision in the movement for true liberation, and as we have always said, quoting an aboriginal activist, “Our liberation is tied together.” The grounding for that vision is a depth of relationship and trust that has come from going through a lot together. As we move
through our work and its many challenges, it is a great comfort that the soil of our relationship, supported by shared values and clear vision, is healthy. Vina Kay, executive director of Voices for Racial Justice, and Kevin Reese are participants in Voices for Racial Justice’s “BRIDGE Partnership.” Vina and Kevin plan to continue their dialogue monthly over the next year, culminating in Kevin’s release in February 2019. Reader responses are welcome to info@ voicesforracialjustice.org. To learn more about the organization’s work, visit www. voicesforracialjustice.org.
Obituary
Michael L. Reese
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February 24, 1953 - February 8, 2019
ichael Luverne Reese was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 24, 1953. The third or Seven children to Willie and Geraldine Reese. Michael grew up in North Minneapolis and attended Willard Elementary and Lincoln Middle Schools before graduating from North High School in 1969. After Graduation Michael worked at The Way and the Minneapolis Athletic Club, but soon he was hit by the “Entrepreneur Bug” and sought to go into retail for himself. And so he did!! In 1988 he opened “Michael’s Apparel” on West Broadway in North Minneapolis and did quite well. Yet in 1991 he sought to further his business scope and moved the business to Lake Street in South Minneapolis under the name of “Michaels Hip Hop Shop”. Where he was the only shop that sold Hip Hop apparel. His business continued to grow until in May of 2018 fire consumed the South Minneapolis building and he was forced to relocate. The new location in Midtown Global Market offered some challenges being that it took him out of his desired environment. But he persevered and was able to get things up and running and was soon settled in. Michael loved life!! Besides being a “pool shark” he enjoyed playing cards, skating and discussing Black History. But most of all he loved his relationship with Jesus Christ. As a result he joined with Open Door Church in 2007 and later united with Grace Temple Deliverance Center in 2009, where he remained a faithful member until his death.
Michael is proceeded in death by his Father: Willie Reese and Brother: Jerome Patterson. He leaves to mourn his passing, his beloved Wife and Life Partner of 45 years: Camille (Kandi) Finn-Reese. Mother: Mother Geraldine Reese. Brothers: Lonnie Patterson, Donnie Patterson, Jerry Patterson and Malik Reese. Sisters: Gloria Reese and Cynthia Patrick. Children: Davona Guilmont, Jatira Saunders, Matrece (Marla) Carter, Joe Williams, Michael (Christine) and Andre Reese. Grand Children: Camille Williams, Mia and Lorena Atlas, Tye Carter and a Host of other Family, Friends, associates and acquaintances.
February 28 — March 6, 2019
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the MSR.
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Could Jussie Smollet’s alleged hoax affect public perception of hate crimes? Reverend Irene Monroe By Rev. Irene Monroe Contributing Commentator
Four hundred years and we’re still teaching racism By Julianne Malveaux Guest Commentator According to some historians, African descendants first entered the U.S. in 1619, off the coast of Virginia. If we believe that narrative, “Afro-descendants” have been in this country for 400 years. If the people who were kidnapped and brought here had to tell the story, would they tell the same one? Would they say that we came before Columbus? That some of us might have been here even longer? There were captured Africans that came directly from the mother continent in 1619, but also, thanks to the transatlantic slave trade, Africans also had come from Bermuda, Jamaica, and other places in the Carribean.
Africa, including sugar, tobacco, manufactured products, guns and humans. Everyone in the triangle was affected and enslaved people were freely traded between the United States and other parts of the Americas. Put it in a book I am not sure what kinds of warped brains dreamed up the realities of enslavement and the ways that a minority in the South could control a majority. The laws that managed enslavement prevented literacy, ownership and much more. The laws often detailed the terms of punishment if restrictive conditions were breached. A North Carolina law said, ”teaching slaves to read and write, tends to excite dissatisfaction in their minds, and to produce insurrection
Our entire nation needs to go back to school to learn some history. Are you African enough? There is this misguided group of Afro-descendants, who are throwing shade at those who are not ”American descendants of slaves.” Their shade is an odd version of the ”Am I Black enough for you?” game that some folks ran against President Barack Obama, and are now running against presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Corey Booker. What is Black enough, when we, as Afro-descendants, all have enslavement in our background? Let’s make it plain. Europeans went to Africa, kidnapped people (sometimes with African acquiescence), brought them to the Western Hemisphere, and sold us. Goods and people flowed between England, the Americas and
and rebellion.” Disobeying this law was punishable by 39 lashes or imprisonment for a free Black person, or a fine of $200, then (equivalent to about $5000 now). People violated the laws, of course, but the warped sensibility that prohibited the dissemination of knowledge is the basis for many sick stereotypes, such as “if you want to hide something from a Black person, put it in a book.” We have been here at least 400 years, and our nation is not yet clear about its flawed foundations. There would be no house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which should not be called the White House, but the “house that enslaved people built,” were it not for the labor of kidnapped people and their descendants.
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There would be no banking system if enslaved people were not used as collateral for European devilment. There would be no insurance industry were it not for the enslaved. But our collective ignorance allows all of us — African Americans, European Americans, and others — to live in denial, pretending that there is fairness in a racist, patriarchal, predatory and capitalist society. And we’re teaching it to our children today. Teaching racism Why are teachers in Louden County, Va., forcing fifthand sixth-grade students to simulate enslavement with an obstacle course they called ”The Underground Railroad”? Why were many of these students Afro-descendants at Madison Trust School? Why are the school’s leaders silent about the discipline that was ordered on the rogue teachers who took it upon their ignorant selves to construct such an exercise? Why did the principal, David Stewart, send out a vapid apology for a ”culturally insensitive” exercise, and not a more strongly worded condemnation of the racism implicit in this nonsense? We have been here at least 400 years, and still, some folks aren’t clear about the ways enslavement has shaped our nation. In Virginia, where both the governor and the attorney general (two of the top three elected officials in the state) have admitted to masquerading in Blackface, albeit 30-odd years ago, teachers don’t see anything wrong with subjecting Black students to a reenactment of enslavement. Oh, they said they were teaching ”teamwork.” Really. We have been here at least 400 years, but we still aren’t clear about the nonsense and exploitation that affects and infuses our very foundation. Our entire nation needs to go back to school to learn some history. But there is a special place in hell for teachers in Louden County, Va. who think that enslavement is some kind of game! Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author of Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy. For more info, visit juliannemalveaux.com.
Actor Jussie Smollett has been charged with concocting an elaborate racist and homophobic assault against him. For those who don’t know, Smollet plays the gay character Jamal Lyon on the Fox TV drama Empire. In real life, Smollet is also an African American gay male. Smollett’s fan base, needless to say, is flummoxed. So, too, are many Americans trying to push through this deeply polarized moment. The big question now is how Smollett’s case will affect public perception of hate crimes, especially impacting people of color and LGBTQ communities? “Jussie has essentially set back the progression of both Black folk and the LGBTQ community all while playing right into the hands of MAGA,” stated one online commenter. At first, Smollett had a groundswell of support. Smollett said he was assaulted by two men outside of Subway in the wee hours of the morning, shouting “This is MAGA country!” and putting a noose around his neck.
”I can’t blindly believe Chicago PD. The department that covered up shooting Laquan McDonald over a dozen times? That operated an off-site torture facility? That one?,” wrote Selma film director Ava DuVernay on Twitter. “I’ll wait. Whatever the outcome, this won’t stop me from believing others. It can’t.” Smollett’s alleged hoax dredges up the country’s horrors of lynching and gay bashing. For me, three hate crime incidents came to my mind immediately as an African American lesbian. Emmett Till, James Byrd, and Matthew Shepard. Till was lynched in Money, Mississippi in 1955 and Byrd in Jasper, Texas in 1998. Byrd’s killing was called a “lynching-by-dragging.” Shepard was gay-bashed to death in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998. I give thanks to President Barack Obama for signing into law in 2009 the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act. Nonetheless, Smollett is innocent in the eyes of many American Americans — straight and LGBTQ — who believe that his chances of getting a fair trial are impossible. Smollett will be seen as another victim heading toward the country’s industrial prison complex, which disproportionately incarcerates Black and Brown men of color. There has been an uptick of bias-related inci-
Smollett may well have suckered us all. Further investigation, however, has disclosed the following: Smollett knew the two men, who are Nigerian-Americans. One has even appeared on Empire. Smollett gave the two men a $3,500 check, which police believe was payment for the attack. The rope to make the noose was bought at a nearby hardware store, and the bruises on his face and body were allegedly self-inflicted. Smollett has now become an unreliable narrator of his attack who intentionally made himself into a fictitious victim. I‘ve been asking myself the same question as Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson asked during his press conference, bringing the public up-to-date on Smollett’s case: “Why would anyone, especially an African American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make a false accusation?” Despite the many inconsistencies and gaping holes in Smollett’s story, there are communities of people of color in urban cities that have every reason not to trust the police findings — especially in Chicago, a city still recovering from the wounds of the cover-up shooting for Laquan McDonald. In 2014, McDonald, 17, was fatally shot 16 times by White Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke reported his life was in danger because McDonald was packing a small knife with a blade. Van Dyke’s report was backed up by his fellow officers. However, when the police dash-cam video of the shooting was released, McDonald was seen walking away when shot.
dents and hate crimes since Trump has taken office. We have seen a rash of White people calling the cops on Blacks, defaced synagogues, and church murders. Smollett’s hoax no doubt has tapped into our fears about our safety and our concerns of a country so polarized that we are imploding. Smollett’s hate crime may regrettably affect public perception of hate crimes, but it shouldn’t. All reports of hate crimes should be taken seriously. One hoax is no excuse for law enforcement not to do their job and see each case as a separate incident irrespective of the court of opinion. The belief that Smollett’s actions make it bad for people of color and LGBTQs to come forth in the future with their reports of hate crimes buys too easily into the notion that “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.” Such a belief, in and of itself, is biased, suggesting people of color and LGBTQs are a monolith, and all perpetrate hoaxes. When Whites call cops on Black people for “being Black,” each case is handled individually, although the police might have suspicions for the real nature of the call. Smollett may well have suckered us all. However, to not take each hate crime report seriously, because of his fraudulent actions, would be a crime, too. Rev. Irene Monroe is an African American lesbian feminist public theologian, sought-after speaker, and preacher.
There is no ‘national emergency’ By Cecillia Wang Guest Commentator After more than a month of threats, a government shutdown, and bipartisan action by Congress, President Trump has finally declared a national emergency to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on his border wall obsession. In response, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit earlier this week challenging this blatantly illegal executive action. Let’s get something straight up front: There is no emergency. Members of Congress from both parties, security experts, and Americans who live at the border have all said so. What the president is doing is yet another illegal and dangerous power grab in service of his anti-immigrant agenda. Trump’s declaration damages the rule of law and violates the constitutional checks and balances that protect us, the people, from a president’s abuse of power. The Constitution provides that Congress has the power to spend federal funds — our taxpayer dollars. And Congress has enacted a law that gives the president limited power to spend federal funds without a congressional appropriation when he declares a national emergency. That law lets the president spend taxpayer money on military construction when “necessary to support” the emergency use of armed forces. What Trump is doing is pa-
tently illegal, because there is no emergency. He even admitted it himself during his Feb. 15 press conference: “I didn’t need to do this, but I’d rather do it much faster.” And that’s the truth.
scapegoats of Trump’s border wall obsession — families seeking asylum — have a legal right under U.S. and international law to apply for refuge, which they do by presenting themselves to U.S. border agents.
What the president is doing is yet another illegal and dangerous power grab. Three weeks ago, Trump announced that if Congress didn’t give him what he wanted, he would declare a national emergency. Last week, Congress reached a bipartisan deal to avert another government shutdown and appropriated $1.375 billion for the border wall. President Trump disagrees with Congress’ decision and wants to spend more. That is not an emergency. It’s an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’s spending power by the president. The president’s action damages our democracy, and it also hurts our country and the American people in other ways. Security experts have pointed out that the irrational building of a border wall has done nothing to address the supposed “problems” Trump is worried about. Criminal cartels easily circumvent walls by tunneling under them or shipping drugs and contraband through official ports of entry. And the original
Americans who actually live, work, and visit at the border also stand to suffer from Trump’s border wall obsession. The president has indicated that he will target portions of the border in wilderness areas in Texas, where the construction of a wall will destroy national treasures — for no good purpose. Cooler heads have tried and failed to get the president to back down on his illegal and irrational threat. Trump has finally made his move, and he can be sure we will, too. We’ll see him in court. Cecillia Wang is deputy legal director for the ACLU.
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February 28 — March 6, 2019
2019 Oscars: Black filmmakers win big By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D Contributing Writer The 2019 Academy Awards have come to an end and #BlackGirlMagic and #BlackBoyJoy were in full effect as some of our favorites walked away with gold statuettes, some after a 30-year uphill climb. Black Panther was a big winner, taking home Oscars for Best Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter) and Best Production Design (Hannah Beachler). Both women made history. Carter, who thanked her 97-year-old mother during her speech, is the first Black woman to win the coveted category. Beachler is the first African American and only Black woman to be nominated and to win for set design. Their wins also marked the first-ever wins for Marvel Cinematic Universe. Carter thanked Spike Lee for helping to launch her career in the entertainment business while Beachler thanked Black Panther co-writer and director Ryan Coogler. “I stand here because of this man who offered me a different perspective of life,” said the Moonlight and Lemonade production designer. Ludwig Göransson won the Best Original Score category for Black Panther. He also thanked Coogler, his collaborator while the two were students at the University of Southern California’s film school. Regina King started the night off with her first Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk. Her role was small, but mighty and the decorated actress cried as she thanked her mother. Mahershala Ali became a historymaking two-time Best Supporting Actor Academy Award-winner with his win for Green Book. Ali thanked his grandmother for her sage advice and always believing in him. Peter Ramsey won for co-directing the Best Animated Feature Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse, making history as the first Afri-
Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson celebrate Lee’s 2019 Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlackKklansman.
Spike Lee took to Instagram to pay homage to Prince, his inspiration for the night’s attire, complete with necklace.
can American to win the award. Prolific filmmaker Spike Lee won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman after having been overlooked in the competitive categories. Lee literally jumped into the arms of actor and fellow Morehouse man Samuel L. Jackson in celebration of the win. While Jackson held the statuette, Lee went on to discuss slavery and the importance of finding strength from the ancestors, Black History Month, his grandmother, a Spelman College graduate, and his alma maters: Morehouse College and New York University. The filmmaker closed his speech with, “Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing.” The academy finally did the right thing by acknowledging the contributions of African Americans in front of and behind the camera. Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. is the entertainment and culture editor for NNPA/ BlackPressUSA. Follow her on Twitter @ Ntellectual or @TheBurtonWire.
Regina King accepts the Actress in a Supporting Role award for If Beale Street Could Talk.
Mahershala Ali accepts the Actor in a Supporting Role award for Green Book. All photos courtesy of Getty, except where noted
Rico Nevotion takes success and lessons in stride
Rico Devotion
By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Rico Nevotion’s bio reads like a “who’s who” of artists. The vocalist-songsmith-actor has traveled the world, opening for national acts, including Beyoncé, Celine Dion, KC & JoJo, Silk and Anthony Hamilton, not to mention packing in sold-out shows at Twin Cities hotspots like Myth Live. He’s also received numerous accolades and honors. He took home 2018 Best R&B/Soul Album honors for his latest offering, Bad Chapter in a Good Book, via Akademia Music Awards, which recognizes top music talent across the globe. None of which has gone to his head. In a field where egos typically run rampant, Nevotion’s outlook is that a person’s attitude — even more than aptitude — decides the altitude. “I’m grateful for everything God has given me because I know that as gracious as He gives it to us, he can take it away,” he said. There are, of course, countless cases of superstars to whom
Submitted photo that has happened — runaway success vanishing in the virtual blink of an eye. Also, in keeping with his perspective, Nevotion, instead of relocating to live the high life in the fast lane of a larger, glamorous city like New York or L.A., has chosen to stay put, comfortably ensconced in Maple Grove. “I was raised in Memphis — I love the blues — and since 14, have been nurtured in Minnesota.” The end result being a smooth combination of R&B and crossover hip hop. When he’s not traveling or touring, it’s about home sweet home. “I don’t need to move. I do love to move around, though,” said Nevotion. Experiences abroad have given him an outlook he’d love to share with others. “A lot of artists don’t realize just how well-respected we are [abroad]. “When I went to Dubai, I was treated like a real celebrity. It reminded me of that scene at the end of Cadillac Records when [Muddy Waters] was going to London and didn’t know what to expect. And I was shocked when they laid out the red car-
pet — a real red carpet.” Another lesson learned from hitting the big time came from a surprise encounter with Dion. “She is just one of humblest people you’d ever meet,” he recalled. “She was real kind. She said to me, ‘There’s something special about you, something gentle.’” He learned much of value from meeting other stars. “Opening for those heavyweights taught me [that] I should never get content, and that though I love what I’m doing, I should never forget that it is a business as well. So, if I don’t pay attention to my product, I can become a has-been overnight. “So, I’ll live by this code: Always work like you’re trying to get a raise and you’ll never disappoint your fans.” He added, “There’s no artist without an audience.” He has a most practical approach to holding onto his hardwon gains. “I release all my music [through my] Diamond Effect Publishing on Diamond Effect Records. “I’ve chosen to take this route
for many reasons. I keep complete creative control of my art without any interruptions. Going through a label is no different [than] going through a bank for a loan, just higher interest.” Nothing if not versatile, Nevotion has also carved out an acting career, which began by working with director Joe Dante on Piranha, an offbeat thriller in the wake of Jaws that John Sayles helped script. “I wish that I would have had the opportunity to interact with John Sayles, but the times I was on set were very intense and we didn’t really get a chance to socialize,” said Nevotion. He also starred on television in I’m Goin to Church, and in films Set in Her Ways and Bunny and Clyde, which just wrapped production. On-stage, Nevotion has acted in and directed several plays in Twin Cities theatre. For good measure, he
also danced behind Prince at Glam Slam and with Shaquille O’Neal. His road has had its share of detours through hard times, however, as part of a wayward youth involved in running the streets and ending up a gang member in prison. His older brother was with him behind bars and advised, “‘Sit on the side for a week and see if that’s really the life you want.’ I decided it wasn’t. They say once you’re in [a gang] you can’t get out, but that’s if you show fear. I just let them know I was making my choice. Then, no one stopped me.” Now he shares his time doing outreach work for youth in schools and at community centers. On the entertainment horizon, Nevotion’s plans on “taking my music to another level of success, then creating a platform
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to find artists that others never thought to search [for] to give opportunities.” He also hopes to do more movies, including writing and directing for his company Diamond Effect Films. Meanwhile, along with catching Rico Nevotion live and checking out his recordings, listeners can tune in to KMOJ spinoff, The Ice at 89.9FM HD2 or online at theicemn.org where hosts “The Perfect Blend,” Fri-days from 5-8 pm. Fans can also check him out as he hosts the Harlem Nights Theme Party on March 9 at Azul Night-club. For more info, visit @Offical-RicoNevotion on Facebook. Dwight Hobbes welcomes read-ers responses to dhobbes@spokesmanrecorder.com.
February 28 — March 6, 2019
BULLETIN
7
SHOVEL OUT YOUR GARBAGE, RECYCLING, AND ORGANICS RECYCLING CARTS
Mpls. issues winter parking restrictions through April 1 The City of Minneapolis has issued Winter Parking Restrictions starting Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 8 am. The restrictions ensure city streets are passable for emergency vehicles, buses and other commuters in the face of heavy snow accumulation this winter. Winter Parking Restrictions mean parking will be banned on the EVENnumbered side of non-Snow-Emergency-routes until April 1, unless conditions allow the City to lift the ban earlier. Parking is allowed on Snow Emergency routes, parkways, and the ODDnumbered side of non-Snow Emergency-routes, unless otherwise posted. For more info, visit bit.ly/SnowRestrictions.
If you’ve received an orange slip on your cart, this info is for you
MSR file photo
Are you a Minneapolis resident who has received a colorful notice this winter about a solid waste removal issue? If so, check below for helpful reminders from the City on how to properly shovel out your garbage, recycling, and organics recycling carts.
MSR file photo
HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY’S DIGITAL MUSIC PLATFORM, MNSPIN, OPEN FOR LOCAL MUSIC Minnesota musicians can join established acts and rising stars on MnSpin, the local music streaming and download platform from the library. MnSpin connects music lovers with the local scene, and Minnesota creators with new audiences. SUBMIT A SONG Minnesota musicians and bands of all genres are invited to submit one music recording by March 27. The song must have been produced in the past five years. A panel of local music experts and library staff will review all submissions and invite selected artists to make one album available through the online platform. MnSpin artists will sign a license agreement and receive $200. A DIVERSE COLLECTION Currently, MnSpin features more than 1,100 songs on more than 120 albums, covering 18 genres. Following this submission cycle, Hennepin County Library will add as many as 100 more albums. The collection captures the richness of music created in Minnesota and the diversity of Minnesota creators in all genres, including rap and hip-hop, classical, folk, pop and rock, world music and more.
Shoveling requirements: Clear a path 36” (3 feet) wide from your garbage, recycling and organics carts to the alley or street. Make sure they can be moved freely. Do not shovel snow from around your carts into the alley as it can make collection difficult for City crews and it is not allowed per City ordinance 225.680. It also makes maneuvering alleys difficult for you and your neighbors. Make sure your garbage, recycling, and organics carts are shoveled out the night before your collection day. A heavy snowfall within 48 hours of your garbage collection day may prevent you from shoveling out in time, but make sure your cart is shoveled out by the following collection day. If your carts are stuck in snow and ice on your collection day, and it has not snowed or stormed within 48 hours, the City will shovel out your carts and charge your account $30 per cart shoveled. Frozen garbage Bag your garbage. Unbagged garbage can freeze in the cart making it difficult to empty.
Curb pickup If your garbage and recycling are picked up at the curb, do not block sidewalks with garbage and recycling carts. A clear path between the carts/ bins and the street must be available on collection day. Keep lids closed Make sure lids are closed on your carts as snow and rain can easily fill a cart and make them overweight. Overweight carts may cost an additional service fee to empty. If you are unable to shovel the path around your carts, you will need to hire someone to shovel for you. Do a Google search or check your local yellow pages under ”Snow Removal Services.” Some community organizations can shovel out garbage carts for a fee. It will be cheaper than Solid Waste & Recycling shoveling them out.
St. Paul, Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park removal requirements The City of St. Paul requires residents to keep carts 2 feet clear of snow and other obstructions. Blocked garbage carts will not be collected. For more info, go to bit. ly/2Iwd8wj, call 651-266-6101 or email garbage@ci.stpaul.mn.us. For Brooklyn Center info, go to bit.ly/BrooklynCenterSnow or call 763-585-7100. For Brooklyn Park info, go to bit.ly/BrooklynParkSnow or call 763-493-8007.
For more info, visit bit. ly/2RUvdUp
Minneapolis requires a clear a path 36” (3 feet) wide from your carts to the alley or street. Photo courtesy of City of Minneapolis
CONNECT TO MNSPIN Anyone can stream from the platform, and Hennepin County Library cardholders can download songs for free. Connect to MnSpin on any device through hclib.org/arts-culture.
NEW BEGINNING
For more info, go to hclib.musicat.co/submit.
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February 28 — March 6, 2019
HAMLINE Continued from page 1
“I’m from here, exist here, and I want to have my business here.”
BBS Continued from page 1
supports the direction in which he wants Funky Grits to head. For Brewington, the major areas where he had to bring in expertise were in high-level finances and labor modeling. He admitted, however, that one of the challenges was labor management when the eatery opened. “Accountability is not the same across the board. A 17-year-old’s version of accountability is different than a 36-year-old’s, and they both could be not the ones you’d think,” said Brewington through laughter, speaking of employee call-outs and not showing up for shifts. He now successfully employs between 14 and 20 people. Jordan Brewington, Jared’s younger brother, has also come on to help in the kitchen. “He’s the rock — us Brewingtons have a work ethic,” said Jared. He also counts on support from his mentors: Brent Fred-
erick of Minneapolis’ Jester Concepts as his restaurant mentor, and the retired CTO of Cargill and Ron Christenson, former board chair of Compatible Technology International (CTI), is his nonprofit mentor. The restaurant business represents a major shift for Brewington, who has worked a wide range of jobs, including telecommunications as one of the first few hundred employees of Quest Communications. He then fell in love with start-up companies and the service side of high-end technology, and then found himself in real estate finances. It was then that he opened his own construction business building homes, which led him into renewable energy as a consultant and adviser to businesses. Brewington also sits on the board of CTI. The nonprofit provides African women farmers with access to innovative post-harvest tools for sustainable food production. “In the entrepreneurial world, you pick up many skills and often take that new skill and move on, not sit on
the line all day, and maybe be more on the macro side,” said Brewington. “The things I’ve learned along the way have combined for something else.” It’s also a stark departure from the 20-acre outskirt farm community from which he commutes daily into the heart of the Minneapolis Kingfield neighborhood. Brewington said he has longed for rural life since he was a kid with wide-open spaces, pastures and woods. This is his quiet space with his pets and family. Right now, he’s shaking hands with a first-time customer who’s raving over a Funky Grits dish he just enjoyed. Funky Grits is located at 805 E. 38th Street in Minneapolis. For more info, visit funkygrits. com. Jonika Stowes welcomes reader responses to jstowes@ spokesman-recorder.com.
December 25, 1943 - November 10, 2018
G
Glory had a prominent employment history in the Twin Cities, working with Control Data, Republic Airlines, Northwestern Bank, Beverly Enterprises, , the Harry Davis Foundation, the Minneapolis Spokesman and the United Way, her final employer. She retired after leaving United Way in November of 2005 and moved to Deltona, Fla., with her second husband, Arnester Winans. Glory and Arnester were married for 23 years.
to them about things that I struggle with that only Blacks or other POCs would understand.” Sneed said that the BSC also supports retention rates in “subtle unquantifiable ways” by putting members in key leadership roles, having people who look like prospective students of color, as well as providing resources and cultural opportunities to celebrate their identity. Boyd, a 2005 alum, will serve as keynote speaker for this Saturday’s planned PRIDE recognition. “She came in with a lot of academic and cultural capacity,” Sneed recalled of Boyd.
Continued from page 1
Gloria ‘Glory’ Winans
loria Winans was affectionately known as “Glory” to friends and family. The nickname was given to her when she was 12, and it stayed with her until she passed away on Nov. 17, 2018. Glory was raised in South Sioux City, Neb. by her grandparents, William Henry Crosswhite and Sereptha YoungCrosswhite. As a child, Glory demonstrated leadership skills and various talents through her association with the local 4-H Club. It was obvious at an early age that Glory would have a successful life with numerous achievements. She won awards with 4-H for baking, singing, and making clothes, and she was named president of her local 4-H chapter. Several of Glory’s accomplishments were featured in newspapers in the South Sioux City area. Glory graduated from South Sioux City High School. She married her high school sweet-
Founding PRIDE members, circa 1969
NFL
In Memoriam
heart, Thearie Downs, in Heidelberg, Germany in 1962. The couple’s first child was a boy, Thearie II, born on Sept. 17, 1963. They also had a daughter, Tonia Jean, born on June 15, 1968. Today, both of Glory’s children have developed successful careers in the Twin Cities. Thearie II is a sub-contractor; Tonia, now known as Dr. Bagby, has a PhD in psychology.
hub — there were students from Duluth, Chicago, or from out of the country, like Liberia.” She also noted the importance in creating safe spaces for Black people. “If you don’t have intentionality, then you’d find us marginalized in the corners of these primarily White universities,” said Bowie. “Just like the NAACP is a place that people to know to go if they have experienced any discrimination, Black student unions serve as a trusted organization for Black faces.” Current BSC president Shania Smith agreed. “[BSC] is a home away from home…[where] we can just celebrate our Blackness and be around other Black students” said Smith, who is now a junior. She added being able to talk about issues in the Black community is key. “I can talk
While living in Deltona, Glory joined Allen Chapel A.M.E Church in nearby Daytona Beach, Fla. Glory maintained her Christian faith throughout her life and was a devoted mother. She was also a member of the NAACP and was active in community groups that supported education and women’s rights. Glory loved to travel and had a wonderful sense of adventure, always taking pictures to capture special moments. Glory is survived by her husband, Arnester; son, Thearie II; daughter, Tonia J. Bagby; her sister, Cheryl Booker of Minneapolis; her brother, Tyrone Stevens of Mount Clemons, Mich.; and two granddaughters, Danyel Jean Downs and Patrice Nikol Downs.
“I remember those conversations we had about her not only wanting to be a lawyer, but being a judge. She became involved, intricate and important to the campus community. What she gained in PRIDE and what she gave to PRIDE still continue to serve the organization well.” Watching the BSC’s growth over the past 20 years, Sneed conjured images of Ghana’s House of Slaves. “There are doors that say ‘Door of No Return,’” he said. “I hope that this 50th anniversary will be a door of return for Black alumni. I want them to come back and tell their stories of being at Hamline and being in school, in high schools teaching, in the courtroom being lawyers. I want them to talk about working at 3M and Medtronic, and I want them to talk about being parents and partners. The time is right.” Smith said that the door is always open, whether alum or current students. “We just want people to feel supported.”
Photo courtesy of Hamline Hamline’s PRIDE Black Student Collective 50th Anniversary Gala takes place Saturday, March 2 at Hamline University Anderson Student Center and Forum. For more information, visit hamline.edu. Stephenetta Harmon welcomes reader responses to sharmon@spokesman-recorder.com. .
change in this country. Both civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and boxing legend Muhammad Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War and were deemed traitors to their country. They were even called communists while they were alive. After Dr. King’s speech in New York criticizing the Vietnam War, other civil rights leaders who once stood with him began to distance themselves and he was heavily castigated in local and national newspapers. Very few people stood with him. Ali was stripped of his heavyweight boxing title and sent to jail after refusing to join the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He ignored requests to be inducted into the military at the Armed Forces Induction Center in Houston, Tex., and was eventually arrested, convicted of draft evasion, sentenced to five years in prison, fined $10,000, and banned from boxing for three years. Interestingly enough, Dr. King now has a federal holiday in his honor and the legacy of Ali is revered today. As it has been with King and Ali, time will also be good to Kaepernick, and the history books will be even better to him for his bold and courageous act. Many publications have chronicled Kaepernick’s story and have been a part of ensuring he will be forever remembered for his legacy-defining act of strength and courage. He taught the nation how individuals can use the power of the platforms they possess, to be prepared to pay the price for the sacrifices they make, and to learn to endure the criticism they receive in order to be a true catalyst for change. In spite of receiving pushback from those who disagreed with his stance; in spite of being blackballed from playing the game he loved; in spite of being vilified by countless people, including NFL owners — and even the president of the United States; in spite of everything that was thrown his way, Kaepernick proved that when you stand up for what you believe in, even if you have to stand alone, you can win. More importantly, Kaepernick showed that you can motivate and inspire at least one other person to stand with you when the odds are stacked against you, and you can nevertheless make a major statement with significant impact. Now the real question becomes, will the NFL allow Kaepernick to come back and play the game he loves without further collusion? Time will tell, and the nation will be watching.
Colin and Eric from the start of their protests, participated with their lawyers throughout their legal proceedings, and were prepared to participate in the upcoming trial in pursuit of both truth and justice for what we believe the NFL and its clubs did to them. We are glad that Eric has earned a job and a new contract, and we continue to hope that Colin gets his opportunity as well.” If the NFL had been innocent of these charges and had the evidence to prove its innocence, it would have fought tooth and nail to crush Kaepernick and Reid. But Kaepernick and Reid came out victorious — not just because they received a financial settlement, but because they were able to stand up against the Goliath known as the NFL and show that you can’t silence the voice of Black people. There were several other NFL players who joined Kaepernick at the start of his protests, but the majority fell by the wayside. Reid not only stood with Kaepernick when he was his teammate, but he has also stood with Kaepernick after he got blackballed from the league. When Reid played for the Carolina Panthers during the 2018 season, he claimed that he was being targeted by the NFL via its performance-enhancing drug testing program. After his December 17 game against the New Orleans Saints, he claimed that he had been “randomly” selected to take a drug test for the seventh time since joining the Panthers the year prior. Reid strongly argued that there was nothing “random” about the drug tests he was being selected for and that he was being targeted simply because he joined in with Kaepernick to file a collusion grievance of his own against the league. In a statement last month, the NFL Players Association said there was “no evidence of targeting or any other impropriety with respect to his selection for testing.” Reid may not have proven that these drug tests were far from “random,” but he and Kaepernick were able to hold the NFL accountable for trying to bully them into submission, silence their voices, and make them compliant with its demands to stop their protests. Kaepernick isn’t the first Black person to have been vilified in this country for going against the Jeffrey Boney is an NNPA Newswire and Blackgrain, challenging the status quo, or taking a conPressUSA.com contributor and the associate editor for troversial stance on issues. If we look at the course the Houston Forward Times newspaper. Thanks to of American history, we see that grassroots adBoney and the NNPA for sharing this story with us. vocacy, like protests, has been around for a long time and has been used to bring about significant
February 28 — March 6, 2019
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Boxer Continued from page 10 Less than 24 hours before his 25th professional fight, the 6’-2” James stressed, “The fight is won in the gym. As far as I am concerned, I already won the fight. I put in the hard work.” Fight night It was the third fight card at the Armory, which reopened a couple of years ago; but it was the first time a world championship bout was held in downtown Minneapolis, the 12-round Dirrell-Yildirim WBC world super middleweight title fight. A fight is usually two shows at once: the fight itself, and the people there to watch it. Many arrive late, overdressed in formal wear. “Oohs and aahs” are interspersed with sounds of leather hitting flesh all night long along with in-fight commentary and “coaching” from the fans. It wasn’t Vegas or Atlantic City, two well-known box-
ing venues, but the place was packed with an announced crowd of 3,713. Michael Cole told us how glad he is that boxing has finally returned to the Twin Cities. “I have attended every boxing event at the Armory since the [renovation],” he said. KFXN’s Henry Lake observed, “The atmosphere at the Armory is off the charts.” James and Dirrell — a split decision winner to capture the WBC world super middleweight title — were among the Saturday night winners. “It feels great getting my WBC belt back,” said Dirrell, who first won the title in 2014 but lost it a year later. “The nerves are gone, but the adrenaline is still pumping a little bit,” a smiling James said afterwards. “I just stopped him in the seventh round in a packed house. It feels good. Thank you for showing support and giving me interviews.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
James’ mom, Sierra Leone Samuels Photo by Charles Hallman
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PreP
Hockey
Continued from page 10
Continued from page 10
Morrow is Minneapolis City Conference’s top player Minneapolis center Sierra Morrow was recently named Minneapolis City Conference Player of the Year. The senior averaged 21.7 points this past season, leading the Tommies to a 6-5 conference record. Roseville’s Ugass hits 1,000-point mark Roseville High School forward Tamia Ugass recorded her 1,000th point after scoring 20 in a win against Park Cottage Grove. The sophomore forward, who first played at the varsity level at St. Paul Highland Park as a seventhand eighth-grader, is averaging 10.5 points per game. Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.
hockey, similar to the NBA, which owns the WNBA. “I think eventually it will happen.” Ayala loves her role in helping to grow women’s hockey. “I’m energized by seeing athletes compete in women’s sports and that I get to talk to [women athletes] and to share their stories.” Furthermore… Augsburg (22-5) fell short last weekend in securing the school’s first MIAC women’s basketball title — St. Thomas won the league’s automatic qualifying spot in the NCAAs
next month. But the Auggies’ history-making season can’t be ignored, MIAC Commissioner Dan McKane told the MSR after Saturday’s contest. McKane said of the squad, primarily composed of women of color, “I think it is standing out in a positive way, and I know a lot of our other schools are taking notice. We have to [start] changing how we recruit and figure out different methods. There are young women and young men in the Twin Cities and across the country that are diverse… We want them here.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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February 28 — March 6, 2019
ANOTHER
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A boxer’s quest for a championship belt his opponent Janer Gonzalez, and super middleweights Anthony Dirrell and Avni Yildirim. While James and Gonzalez’s turns at the podium were pretty sane, the other two fighters had to be separated due to heated words: “He’s getting knocked out,” Dirrell predicted. Yildirim responded, “I will leave the ring with the belt.” Dirrell, who overcame non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma several years ago, told us afterward, “It was the hardest fight of my life. Coming back from cancer definitely has been a motivation.”
Charles hallman
The pre-fight stare-down
James in the ring Some guys try to stare you down and feel you out to see if you are scared. He [Gonzalez] thought he was going to do that to me. I think that was the wrong move for him.”
Photos by Charles Hallman, except where noted
James training at Circle of Discipline
T
hird-ranked Jamal “Shango” James took another step last Saturday toward a chance at a world welterweight belt. The 30-year-old South Minneapolis native’s impressive win, a six-round TKO over Janer Gonzalez, came after his opponent didn’t answer the bell for the seventh round of the 10-round bout. The MSR followed James during his final weeks of preparation for last weekend’s nationally televised fight. Here’s how it played out. The hometown favorite James mainly trains at the Circle of Discipline gym on the city’s South Side, his home away from home. “This is a lifestyle, and I have been blessed to have the Circle of Discipline in this community,” the boxer said. “They are like family. With these guys on my side…I can’t see how I can lose.” “I turned pro in 2009. I’ve been boxing since I was a little kid. I feel like a world champion already. I’m looking for my belt this year.” A mother’s concern “I’m fine after he is done fighting, but before
that I am a hot mess,” Sierra Leone Samuels said of watching her son Jamal since he turned pro. Samuels said that James had to make one assurance to her when he decided to become a pro boxer. “He has been with the Circle of Discipline since he was five years old. They have to be in your corner, co-manage you,
■ See Boxer on page 9
“As far as I am concerned, I already won the fight. I put in the hard work.” and have a say in who you accept as an opponent. Otherwise, you are not doing it. That’s the deal we have,” she recalled. Three days before the fight The scheduled press conference last Thursday at the downtown Minneapolis Armory featured the four fighters of the co-main event: James,
The mandatory weigh-in the day before the fight includes a nose-tonose performance by the fighters, each hoping that the other will blink first. James explained, “Some guys take it too far or take it a little too serious.
James after win
Photo by Onika Craven
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL AT ITS BEST The victory was CoIn the past few weeks, mo Park’s fifth consecutive girls’ basketball was cerTwin City Championship. tainly at its peak. There was the Twin City Girls rematch Campbell, Titus led St. Paul between St. Paul Como and Central to TC victory Minneapolis South, two Until she left the game players who took over the with an injury late in the TC junior varsity game, a PreP Scene second half, St. Paul Central seventh grader who helped Dr. mitChell guard Lay Lay Campbell her team to a C-Squad TC Palmer mCDonalD continuously impressed the win, the announcement of crowd with her court savthe Minneapolis City Conference Player of the Year, and a Ros- vy, exceptional passing, and timely eville player who hit the 1,000-point three-point shooting in her team’s 6156 victory over Minneapolis South. mark. What Campbell started, teamCheck this out: mate Sherynn Titus finished. The shooting guard drove the length of Youth dominated in Twin City girls’ the court as time expired to send the basketball championship It was a youth movement in St. game into overtime. She then proPaul Como Park’s 56-55 victory over ceeded to score eight of her team’s 10 Minneapolis South in last week’s points in the extra period. Twin City Girls basketball champiWalker, Chatman helped onship. Ninth-grade guard Ronnie Por- Minneapolis Roosevelt capture TC ter led the Cougars to victory with C-Squad title Seventh-grader Jaida Walker’s an 18-point performance. Fellow ninth-grader Jada James had 14, and overall floor play and outstanding eighth-grader Shania Nichols added three-point shooting from ninthgrader Na’Vaya Chatman led Min12. More on James later. Sophomore guard Jade Hill and neapolis Roosevelt to a 43-28 C-Squad sister Angel Hill, a seventh-grad- Twin City victory over St. Paul Harder, led the host Tigers with 22 and 13 ing. points respectively, while senior So■ See PreP on page 9 lana Cushing had 12.
Sports odds and ends By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer Erica Ayala hasn’t been a longtime hockey fan, but her enthusiasm for the sport is helping to grow it. The New York-based freelance sportswriter, columnist and podcast host recently wrote about her “journey” as a hockey fan for espnW. Ayala, in a recent MSR phone interview, said she began following hockey seriously in 2015. “Being an avid baseball fan, I think about my journey in coming from a fan where hockey was the baseball off-season sport for me.” Ayala played softball at Elon University, where she earned a B.A. in political science and a minor in African Ameri-
Jaida Walker
Tamia Ugass Photo courtesy of Dee Buford
Jade (l) and Angel Hill
Sherynn Titus Ronnie Porter
Sierra Morrow
Photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald except when noted
Photo courtesy of Storyline Photography & Design
Women’s hockey has enthusiastic advocate/analyst can studies. A 2006 Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar winner, Ayala has a master’s in public administration earned from New York University in 2016. When she isn’t a youth justice advocate, the West-
chester (NY) Children’s Association project manager also writes a weekly hockey column for The IX Newsletter and is a National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) analyst.
knows it does exist, especially when it comes to hockey players of color. “I hear players talk about it. I can’t say that I ever experienced anything negative because of the color of my
“I can’t say that I ever experienced anything negative because of the color of my skin.”
Erica Ayala
Photo courtesy of Twitter
“It’s a labor of love,” Ayala said. “What I am excited for is to bring these stories to life.” The young woman uniquely stands out as a person of color at a predominately White sport, whether played by women or men. “I’m Afro-Latina,” Ayala continued. She said she hasn’t faced overt backlash as a result, but she
skin.” A fan once mistook her as an NWHL player because she wore a team replica jersey. “[The fan] thought I was Blake Bolden. I thought it was funny and didn’t take offense,” she said. “The general population doesn’t see women of color” especially as hockey broadcasters, Ayala, who covered
women’s hockey in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, pointed out. She also has seen women’s hockey grow from one league (the Canadian Women’s Hockey League) to now two with the NWHL. “I think we are starting to see people raise questions to what the future of women’s hockey can look like.” Could a CWHL-NWHL merger be in our future anytime soon? “I think that’s the million dollar question,” Ayala said. “I do think there will eventually be one North American women’s hockey league. I think the word ‘merger’ might be the wrong word, but I do think there will be a unified women’s hockey league eventually.” Ayala believes that the NHL might be more involved in women’s pro ■ See Hockey on page 9