Feb. 2, 2023 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

Nichols killing fuels local demands for police reform

By Cole Miska

Contributing Writer

Footage of the police killing of Tyre Nichols, after a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee, was released Friday, Jan. 27.

Nichols died from injuries sustained from being struck dozens of times over several minutes by former Memphis police officers after he was already restrained. The bodycam and overhead

street surveillance footage show several officers striking Nichols’s head with a baton and kicking Nichols while he is held down on the ground. The five officers, who were all Black, have since been terminated and charged with seconddegree murder over the killing of Nichols.

Several Minneapolis organizations reacted to the news

on Friday and Saturday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called the killing “brutal” and hosted a press conference with representatives from Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB), Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence (FSFAPV), and other local organizations.

Jaylani Hussein, executive

Public safety requires a community united against violence

director of CAIR Minnesota, called the video of the killing “truly difficult to watch.”

“For America and here in Minnesota today we’re waking up to what we have always woken up to—sympathies, empty words, and nothing ever getting done to actually hold police accountable and to actually call out

An

interview with St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry

By Abdi Mohamed

Contributing Writer

As a 24-year veteran of the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD), Axel Henry (AH) has held various leadership roles in his career, which ultimately led to his appointment as chief by Mayor Melvin Carter last November. The new chief of SPPD enters the job at a time when the city has seen a rise in homicides and continues to battle gun violence.

With several challenges facing the department, Henry believes that a system solely reliant on the police will not succeed, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in solving crime but more importantly preventing it.

Henry has made a name for himself in the department, having led officer training sessions and recently commanding the Narcotics, Financial Intelligence, and Human Trafficking Division. When the department needed a leader to implement new programs and set an example for other officers, Henry was

■ See HENRY on page 5

Elders showcase artistry, share wisdom

By Travis Lee

Contributing Writer

“Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.”

— Unknown

Too often, the need of seniors to continue to grow and share their talents in their golden years gets overlooked or ignored. But

on Sat., Jan. 21, MPS Community Ed and the Magnet Program met this need head-on as families, friends, and City officials came together for a joyful afternoon of art and storytelling.

The occasion highlighted and celebrated the creativity and wisdom of elders across three Minneapolis communities—North Market (Northside), Sabathani Community Center (Southside), and Westminster Presbyterian Church (downtown). The “Sharing Our Wisdom” artist showcase is part of a larger project led by Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Community Education in collaboration with the Magnet Senior Program at Westminster.

Organizers recognized a need for older adults to have

social enrichment opportunities and reconnect with their communities after years of Covid restrictions and various degrees of isolation. Both programs collaborated to offer free, six-week

art and well-being classes at the three respective sites.

“Many older adults lost their social muscle during the pandemic. Their will to engage outside their home had atrophied,”

said Angelique Kingsbury, coordinator of the Magnet Senior Program. “This project allowed them to get out in the community again, meet new friends, and

■ See ELDERS on page 5

Concussions among many risks to Black men’s brain health Black Men’s Brain Health Conference during Super Bowl week no coincidence

By Charles Hallman

Contributing

Writer

The Alzheimer’s Association, the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University, the NFL Alumni Association, and the National Institute on Aging are among the sponsors of the second annual Black Men’s Brain Health Conference, scheduled for Feb. 8-9 at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. The two-day conference will examine how various risk factors contribute to Black men’s higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other brain disorders, and also will explore how the brain’s ability to adapt to significant sources of stress affects Black men’s cognitive health.

The in-person and virtual conference being staged during Super

Bowl week—in the Glendale, Arizona-area where the game will be played—is not coincidental, according to George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Assistant Professor Robert W. Turner II.

“We know that there’s no bigger event in the world than the Super Bowl, particularly in America,” Turner, a former pro football player, told the MSR. “Why is it that all of us who have played are not exposed to the same factors that can lead to CTE and other forms of neurodegenerative diseases, but others are?

“What can we learn from each

other by studying this group that will help protect us, will minimize our risk and help really focus on what makes us resilient. That’s why we decided to do this,” said Turner.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2022 Facts and Figures report, Black Americans are about twice as likely as White Americans to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

Because of missed diagnoses, older Blacks also suffer from this disease and other health issues more than older Whites.

Alzheimer’s disease is also growing in Minnesota and projected to

rise, according to the national organization’s fact sheet:

• 99,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in Minnesota.

• Almost nine percent of those aged 45 and older have subjective cognitive decline.

• 171,000 family caregivers statewide bear the burden of the disease.

• 156 million hours of unpaid care is provided by Alzheimer’s caregivers.

• $905 million is the estimated cost of Alzheimer’s to the state Medicaid program.

Black Americans and Alzheimer’s:

• Only 48 percent of Blacks report being confident they can access culturally competent care.

• Only 53 percent of Blacks believe that a cure will be distributed fairly without regard to race.

• Only 35 percent of Blacks say

■ See BRAIN on page 5

■ See NICHOLS on page 5

Toshira Garraway Allen speaking at the Jan. 29 rally

Photo by Chris Juhn

Jaylani Hussein at the Jan. 27 press conference

Photo by Cole Miska

Tommie shows off his artwork

Photos provided by Angelique Kingsbury

Teaching artist Esther Osayande

SPPD Chief Axel Henry

Photo by Jiahong H. Pan

Contrasting visions vie for the future of I-94

Land bridge, boulevard or business as usual?

By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer

plan by a Minneapolis-based transportation advocacy group to completely remove I-94 and replace it with a surface-level boulevard is not sitting well with those in St. Paul’s Rondo community seeking to reconnect their neighborhood that was severed by the highway.

Our Streets, a Minneapolisbased climate activist group, is calling on the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to completely remove a seven-and-a-half-mile stretch of I-94 between Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis and Marion Street in St. Paul and replace it with a surface-level boulevard, citing climate change and longstanding health and socioeconomic impacts the freeway has on surrounding communities.

The Twin Cities Boulevard proposal comes at a time when MnDOT is asking community members what to do with the same stretch of freeway along the Minneapolis-St Paul corridor that is nearing the end of its viability, and as Reconnect Rondo is engaging the Rondo community around building a Black cultural enterprise zone over I-94.

If MnDOT decides to go with the Our Streets’ plan, it would be the largest freeway removal project so far in the United States. Milwaukee, San Francisco, and Rochester, N.Y. have removed segments of freeways one to two miles long, with plans to do so in Syracuse, N.Y. and Detroit in the works.

The proposal affects the Cedar-Riverside, Seward and Prospect Park neighborhoods in Minneapolis, as well as the Merriam Park, Union Park, South St. Anthony, Hamline-Midway, Summit-University and Rondo neighborhoods in St. Paul. It calls for a bike trail, sidewalks, and fare-free all-day express buses similar to Metro Transit’s Orange Line on I35W that opened last December.

The surrounding land not used for a roadway could be given to a community land trust, which would guarantee affordable housing, retail, and office space for those historically impacted by the interstate, including Rondo descendants, regardless of whether it is rented or owned, as long as the trust owns the land.

Unveiled last February, the proposal is ambitious but vague by design, as Our Streets wants to work with local neighborhood organizations to further develop the concept. “This project provides the first opportunity that we, collectively, as a community, have the opportunity to ask ourselves, ‘Is [the environmental harm stemming from the freeway] something we want to perpetuate?’

“Or do we want to reconsider this infrastructure and build something that achieves better outcomes for the people that live here?” said Our Streets Minneapolis Transportation Policy Coordinator Alex Burns.

Our Streets’ proposal came about as a coalition of 28 organizations submitted a letter in 2021 to the Minnesota Department of Transportation to revise their I-94 project’s purpose and need to prioritize public health, transportation access, and climate outcomes. Although the agency did revise its purpose and need, advocates say it didn’t go far enough.

Opposition to Our Streets proposal

So far the biggest opponent

to the Our Streets proposal is ReconnectRondo (RCR), which over the past decade has developed and promoted a vision to rebuild a Black cultural enterprise district on a land bridge over I-94. They’ve accused Our Streets of subverting Black leadership and making decisions for the community without any local connections.

In an open letter, RCR wrote, “Your action are reminiscent of well-worn past historical practices—unilateral decisions to launch, drive and force decisionmaking on a community without the voice of owners who

Nonetheless, Our Streets and its allies hope they are able to work with ReconnectRondo to develop the Twin Cities Boulevard vision. “We want to work together to find a solution that repairs the highway’s harms in this broader corridor,” said Burns. Even those who collaborate with Our Streets do not necessarily fully agree with the proposal. Britt Howell, who runs an Indigenous health practice, lives in Prospect Park and organizes bike rides with Our Streets, does not think the proposal needs 24/7 bus lanes. “I’m not against

and 280],” said Pat Thompson, who chairs the neighborhood’s transportation committee.

Removing the freeway, which could involve removing the I-94 and Highway 280 interchange, could help reconnect St. Anthony with South St. Anthony. “That’s like five super blocks worth of land reclaimed,” said Thompson.

Thompson is joined by several others from St. Paul who spoke in support of removing I-94 at a Policy Advisory Committee meeting hosted by MnDOT in late September, where they discussed the revised purpose and needs state-

sidering what this 60-year highway project is going to look like,” said Josiah Gregg, who lives two blocks from I-94 in St. Paul.

Although the Our Streets’ vision is backed by some local elected officials, the project is not officially supported by any local jurisdictions, which could play a big role in deciding the future of I-94.

The City of Minneapolis Public Works Department, for example, did not apply for the federal Reconnecting Communities grant—made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—to study removing I-94 within the Minneapolis city limits, despite urging by Our Streets and climate activists to do so.

“We don’t have a project ready to go,” said Minneapolis Public Works Director Margaret Anderson Kelliher after a ribbon cutting in downtown Minneapolis in late September, adding they

Streets Minneapolis orga

owned by MnDOT.

“I think we are interested in working in partnership with either MnDOT or Hennepin County on future projects in that way,” said Kelliher. MnDOT anticipates releasing a list of alternatives on how it could rebuild the freeway — or not — sometime this year.

Although the comment period for studying transit options is closed, those who wish to comment on the website can either do so online at https://bit.ly/ RethinkingI94 or call Ricardo Lopez at 612-441-1928. MnDOT does not have an option to receive comments for this project by U.S. mail.

Those who would like to get involved with Our Streets Minneapolis in developing the Twin Cities Boulevard proposal can visit twincitiesboulevard.org.

Jiahong H. Pan welcomes reader responses to hpan@spokesmanrecorder.com.

have lost property and business, without the voice of descendants who carry legacy impacts in their everyday lives, and without speaking with the very organizations that have vigorously worked to assemble and re-stitch, as best possible, the fabric of a community torn apart by the construction of I-94.”

Reiterating that Reconnect Rondo has done numerous studies to conclude a land bridge is a feasible option to reconnect the Rondo neighborhood, Reconnect Rondo Executive Director Keith Baker suggests Our Streets should support RCR and their proposal.

“If [ReconnectRondo has] been here since 2009, and [another organization conceives of] another idea about an entire corridor that has the potential of impacting those African Americans leading a project that we’ve been working on a long time, it appears to me that you want to have a conversation [about the idea] before you announce something,” said Baker in an August interview.

it, but I haven’t been able to find the need for that,” said Howell.

Is MnDOT responding?

Meanwhile, MnDOT appears to be responding to Our Streets’ vision. At least one alternative plan MnDOT developed in deciding what to do with I-94 is to replace it with a surface-level boulevard. They hope to have a refined list of ideas available for public comment this fall.

They also had a 12-hourlong open house at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center in mid-October, soliciting feedback on how transit service on the I-94 corridor could look with some form of express bus service. But MnDOT is not exploring building any kind of rail line on the I-94 corridor, because they have already studied that when the Green Line was being planned.

They ultimately decided to put the Green Line on University Avenue. But if they anticipate transit ridership straining the express bus proposals they have, they will more closely look into building a rail line.

ment. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions has to be one of the number-one priorities when con-

can’t apply for money to study a project on land they don’t own; in this case, I-94 is on land

Read Part I of the series at https://bit.ly/MnDOTI94

Read Part II of the series at https://bit.ly/ReConnectRondo

Our Streets Minneapolis, which has had conversations with Reconnect Rondo about the Twin Cities Boulevard initiative, stated they have to refer to RCR in their outreach materials, because people keep asking about it. “One of the first questions we get whenever we present the Twin Cities Boulevard concept to anybody is ‘what about the land bridge,’” said former executive director Ash Narayanan last August. “We have no way of talking about our vision without addressing the land bridge itself.”

The Twin Cities Boulevard project is also supported by about 10,000 people along the corridor who think it should be studied, with about 800 signing a petition indicating so, according to Our Streets. It also has the backing of three St. Paul neighborhood associations: HamlineMidway and Saint Anthony Park Neighborhood Associations, and the Union Park District Council, which declined comment for this story but to say they support Reconnect Rondo’s land bridge proposal as well.

The St. Anthony Park neighborhood in St. Paul stands to benefit from the highway removal, in part because the southern part of the neighborhood has high traffic noise and air pollution from an interchange that handles lots of commercial vehicles. “The [South St. Anthony Park residents] live with the effect of it [being] much closer to, both the noise of it, and then the pollution…because they’re right at the intersection of [I-94

Our

nizer Alex Burns speaks about the Twin Cities Boulevard vision with bike ride attendees.

Photo by Jiahong H. Pan

A rendering of Twin Cities Boulevard. Courtesy of Our Streets

Passing GO just became more lucrative. See how you can win real money when you play.

By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD Senior Medical Advisor

“The greatest asset to any nation is the health of its people.”

William J. Mayo, M.D.

Health care is a basic need for everyone, but not everyone has easy access to the necessary services. Without proper access to affordable and available health care, many individuals and families suffer from a range of acute and chronic illnesses that can lead to serious health issues and even death.

It is well established and well known that still, not all people have the same access to health care. This gives rise to various disadvantages, such as unequal health outcomes, inequality in health care, and disparities in access to health care. Fortunately, many actions can be taken to increase access to health care and improve public health.

1. Increase Investment in Primary Care Providers

Primary care providers are the cornerstone of a high-

Increasing access to health care is good for everyone

quality healthcare system. They provide diagnostic services and treat a wide range of common illnesses and chronic conditions. By investing in primary care providers, such as increasing salaries and subsidizing training opportunities, states can make them a more attractive option for health professionals and, in turn, make them more accessible to people in need of health care.

monitoring. Prioritize the use of telemedicine to improve access to health care and services for all communities in need, including rural communities.

3. Expand Medicaid Coverage

Take steps to ensure that low-income individuals eligible for Medicaid in needy communities can access it. The goal is to ensure that people in low-income households gain access to quality, affordable health care.

4. Strengthen Community Health Centers

The appropriate use of midlevel providers plays an essential role in primary health care. Maintaining high-quality care is necessary when these providers develop care plans.

2. Increase Access to Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a rapidly growing technology that has stood the test of time when delivering quality health care conveniently and increasing access to health care for many. This includes improving digital health access. Support timely investments into digital health solutions that provide online access to health records, telehealth appointments, and remote

Support Community Health Centers and other clinics with the resources needed to provide better care to those in the communities most in need. Empowering local communities can also encourage self-reliance and ownership of healthcare initiatives, leading to better health outcomes.

5. Promote Health Education

Develop health education campaigns and programs designed to help individuals better understand the importance and impact of health care. With appropriate healthcare education, people can take personal responsibility for their health and the health of family members and community members to benefit from the healthcare system fully.

Personal responsibility for health includes making choices that are beneficial for health and well-being, such as following an appropriate diet, leading an active lifestyle, and avoiding

potentially harmful behaviors, such as drinking and smoking.

In addition, individuals must take responsibility for their own preventive care, such as receiving regular check-ups with their doctor, seeking treatment for illnesses and conditions at the earliest possible time, and adhering to prescribed treatment plans. Primary care providers should develop and review these plans and share them with family and community members.

Individuals can increase access to health care by taking advantage of available services and programs, such as enrolling in a health insurance plan, visiting a local community health center, enrolling in telemedicine services, and participating in health fairs. Additionally, individuals can use social media and other online platforms to stay informed about local and national health resources and take advantage of free screenings and other low-cost, highbenefit programs.

6. Increase Access to Affordable Drugs

Work to increase access to affordable and generic drugs to reduce care costs. The US government is the largest purchaser of drugs and should get a significant discount. This needs to be done and passed on to the people.

Increasing access to health care for citizens most at risk and least able to afford it is important for many reasons. These individuals are more vulnerable to health disparities due to un-

derlying conditions, lack of resources, and inadequate access to timely and quality health care.

Providing access to health care for those at risk and least able to afford it can lead to improved overall health outcomes, reduction of health disparities, and decreased overall healthcare costs in the long run.

Again, increasing access to health care for Americans is essential for a variety of reasons.

Access to health care helps ensure that Americans have access to the medical care they need to maintain health, prevent illnesses, and receive timely treatment for any medical issues that may arise.

Moreover, access to health care can help to reduce healthcare costs by avoiding medical emergencies, providing early diagnosis and treatment, and reducing the need for expensive interventions. Additionally, access to health care can improve quality of life by allowing Americans to be more produc-

WE ARE INNOVATING MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO DELIVER THE RIGHT CARE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

Our EmPATH unit – the first in Minnesota – offers emergency mental health care in a calming, living-room environment. We’re proud to be moving healthcare in a new direction.

Mental health is a significant – and growing – concern in the United States. That’s why we’ve taken an innovative approach to guide people safely through a current crisis while building skills that will support them through future challenges.

Want more details? Go here.

tive and active while positively affecting the national economy. Increasing access to health care is good for everyone.

Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a Benedict Distinguished Visiting Professor of Biology at Carleton College. He also has a private practice, Crutchfield Dermatology, in Eagan, MN. Dr. Crutchfield specializes in skinof-color and has been selected by physicians and nurses as one of the leading dermatologists in Minnesota for the past 20 years. He is the consulting team dermatologist for the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild and Lynx. Dr. Crutchfield is an active member of the American and National Medical Associations and past president of the Minnesota Association of Black Physicians. He can be reached at CrutchfieldDermatology.com or by calling 651-209-3600.

Individuals must take responsibility for their own preventive care.

Nichols

Continued from page 1

this existing license to kill and hunt Black people in this country unjustifiably,” Hussein said.

“We keep coming back and asking people to just treat human beings like humans, but we know in this country there is always going to be a Black America and a White America where Black people are treated completely different, and that has to stop.”

Johnathon McClellan, president of the Minnesota Justice Coalition, said DFL lawmakers did not have

hENry

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called on time and again.

Whether it was for training officers on the Blueprint for Safety initiative, which served as a coordinated response to domestic violence, or the time that SPPD required officers to wear bodycams, Henry came to mind.

Transparency and de-escalation training have become a national focus, with instances of police brutality being widely covered in the news—the latest of which is the killing of Tyre Nichols at the hands of members of the Memphis Police Department. His death, captured on camera, has led many to condemn the actions of the accused officers, including law enforcement leaders like Henry. He released a statement on Friday calling for justice in the police brutality case that led to Nichol’s death:

“On behalf of the Saint Paul Police Department, I want to extend our condolences to the family and community of Tyre Nichols. We have no words that could even begin to address how community members in Memphis, and all over our country, are feeling at this time. We also feel a deep

EldErs

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any of the Justice Coalition’s bills on their agenda despite having a trifecta in the state government. McClellan is hoping his team can convince lawmakers to support bills targeting police brutality.

Local civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong also condemned the killings: “It does not matter that the officers were Black, in that incident they were blue,” Armstrong said, referring to the “thin blue line,” a term that is often used to describe the position of law enforcement.

“That’s what we need to recognize— this is a part of a blue culture that is anti-Black that does not hesitate to discriminate against Black people because they know that typically

sorrow. As a community, we must come together to decry these acts and create a better future. It is a sacred honor to be entrusted to serve and protect your community. We also know that when this trust is violated and broken it is a betrayal of the highest order. No one is above the law, particularly those of us who have been entrusted to represent and enforce it.”

Now the longtime St. Paul native has taken the top job in the department with the task of solving the city’s most pressing criminal issues, at a time when the role of the police department in public safety is hotly contested.

MSR: You’ve held several leadership positions in the department and spearheaded the body-camera program in Minnesota, which provided city residents with more insight into police conduct. As chief, how will you continue to foster more transparency in the department?

Henry (AH): My path to this current job is unique and kind of unusual. There are a lot of different things that historically have been stopping points for people who are on this kind of trajectory. I’ve been very fortunate to stay in St. Paul, and I’ve been asked to do a lot of things for the department.

indulge in their creativity.

“We discussed legacy and the importance of taking ownership of individual legacy for the greater good,” Kingsbury continued. “Looking at three generations before us and three generations ahead, what have we learned, and what do we pass forward? What can we strengthen?

What must we do away with?”

Each site hosted a cohort of 12-15

BraiN

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they are concerned about Alzheimer’s or dementia.

• A reported 65 percent of Black Americans say they know somebody with Alzheimer’s or dementia, but 55 percent think that significant loss of cognitive abilities or memory is a natural part of aging rather than a disease.

Last year’s conference had nearly 700 people sign up for the virtual sessions and over 200 people attended in person, reported Turner. “This year we expect to exceed that number,” he predicted. The conference title is also intentional, continued Turner.

they will get away with it.”

Hussein, McClellan and Armstrong all called on State leaders to utilize the Democrat trifecta to pass bills to protect Black Minnesotans and prevent police brutality.

Several Minneapolis City officials released statements. Minneapolis Office of Community Safety Commis-

The primary driver behind that is me being an instructor and a trainer in different disciplines. I’ve been teaching and trying to coach and develop people my whole career. As a part of that you become kind of a salesman, someone that can affect change management by getting people to do new and different things and believe in that change.

The first one of those was the Blueprint for Safety, which I was asked to help with because there was a lot of conflict about “will the police officers buy into this and will they believe in what’s happening.” As a person who teaches the other side of the job—the tactical part—I was asked to sell or deliver the idea. We did that, and it became a very successful national—now international—model.

Part of our strategy was that we believe that if body cameras are supposed to create increased trust in law enforcement, then the community—we’re all members of the community—and the process we use for our program

older adults who met regularly with a teaching artist and additional Minneapolis Adult Community Education facilitator to share in storytelling, exchange knowledge, and work on individual art pieces representing life lessons they wished to share.

The teaching artists used different mediums at each site, with Esther Osayande leading painting on canvas at North Market, Taneka Graves teaching woodburning design at Sabathani, and Christopher Lutter-Gardella overseeing casting and sculpture at Westminster.

The unique program was made possible through a Community Wellbeing grant from the Minneapolis Health Department (MHD) and State

“We call it the Black Men’s Brain Health Conference, not mental health conference,” he explained.

“We say what is good for the heart is also good for the head.

We’re concerned about the long-term impact of head injury, both concussions in sports and then also folks that have been in the military that have been exposed to blasts, and how that might impact head injury.

“Do you know that Black men, older Black men suffer higher rates of concussions from falls than other groups?”

Turner asked. “Is there something about our physical makeup that makes it the case? We cover all of those issues.

“We’re doing it from the perspective of trying to understand by bringing together researchers, clinicians, doctors, practitioners, as well as members of the community and

sioner Cedric Alexander said he was “shocked and horrified” by the killings, which he called an “embarrassment to the first responders who serve this nation with honor and dignity.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara also released a statement condemning the killing. “The privilege to protect with courage and serve with compassion is sacred,” O’Hara said. “Violent abuses of authority, such as displayed in this incident, have absolutely no place in our profession.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released a statement on Twitter Friday evening calling the killing of Nichols “horrific and inhumane. We need every single officer in this country—including those serving in

should be equally powerful. What happened was that different groups came together and got to hear from each other. The group that didn’t want the [body cameras] heard from the group that wanted them. Not only did the community embrace the process, but they actually started to embrace each other.

MSR: There’s been a lot of debate around the vision of public safety and where police fit in. What’s your view on public safety and where do you see things going in the future?

AH: Probably the easiest way to answer that question is that law enforcement has been very reactive in the past. We drive around and we look for stuff that’s happening. What drives our behavior is someone picks up a phone and calls 911 and says, “Oh my God, there’s a creepy guy in my front yard,” or “My house is being burglarized.” I think the first iterations of communitypolicing has been feeling out our community, figuring out

Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP). Classes started with mindfulness and meditation practices and closed with healthful snacks.

our city and state—to insist their colleagues actively prevent injustice and meet the standards of the oath they take,” Frey’s statement reads.

One protest Saturday night in Southeast Minneapolis was met by a large police response before it could start and was dispersed. On Sunday, around 100 protesters also gathered at the Governor’s Mansion calling for justice for Nichols and for Gov. Tim Walz to end qualified immunity for police in Minnesota, among other demands.

Cole Miska welcomes reader responses to cmiska@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Chris Juhn contributed to this story.

what they want, and then seeing if we can deliver it. We have to look at ourselves as one big community. Then we all have to decide together where we’re going, so we’re not waiting for one side or the other to sign-off on something or say that’s a good idea. As a collective, we have to come together and say, this is the direction we want to go, and these are the kind of the rules we want to follow.

MSR: How will you go about implementing this public safety approach, not only within the department, but throughout the community as well?

AH: It’s one of the things that is in the traditional, transactional leadership, the paramilitary style leadership. The idea, the philosophy or the edict comes from the [top] and moves down through the organization. We want that baked into our officers from day one. In fact, we want it baked into our [police academy] candidates from day one. We need people who understand and believe in community philosophies right from the start.

It’s one of the things I told the mayor in my interview about the difference between transactional and transformational leadership. I am not interested in running a police

depression. This was the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”

“I want to keep my mind open and to keep learning,” said Carol R. from the Sabathani cohort. “During Covid, all I did was sleep, eat and worry. I couldn’t exercise or visit anyone. I liked coming to the project to be around people, learn something new and think about something new.”

Tommie (last name withheld), a participant in the North Market cohort, said, “This experience has been fantastic, just great. I stopped doing artwork, and I have had some

community organizations, so we can all talk to one another. What’s going on? What are the challenges?

“How can we conduct research on this together, build research together so that we can find solutions and work with funders to design interventions that are most-suited for our community, in our community. That’s the whole purpose of the conference,” Turner said.

The scheduled panel discussions include women talking about resiliency, current and former NFL players, and how the criminal justice and judicial system are risks for Black men’s brain health.

“It’d be the first conference that is dealing with those specific issues,” said Turner, who can also share his experiences with the disease as a scheduled

“In the last six weeks I have learned new skills, had to develop an idea, practice, produce a piece of art, and meet and work with new people,” said Sue Kolar of the Westminster cohort. “This was a confidence-building and freeing experience, much like

presenter. He currently is a caregiver for his father, who is suffering from dementia.

“When my mom recently passed, my dad needed care. So I moved back to my hometown, in the home that I grew up in, to be my dad’s primary caregiver,” the professor explained. “We have some additional resources, but my dad needs 24-hour

department by having a bunch of rule followers. I’m interested in having officers who believe in the department and our mission for the city, for our community, and with our community.

MSR: The retention and recruitment of police officers has been a challenge for police departments across the country. What are some of the factors affecting SPPD’s ability to recruit and retain officers and what solutions are you considering to address the shortage?

AH: Obviously, this is a problem that isn’t unique to St. Paul. I think you’ve got a number of things that are happening, not the least of which is the awareness around mental health has gotten better.

We’re seeing people leave [the police department] with PTSD. If people start to leave because of the stress of the job—even if they’re not experiencing PTSD—they’re starting to wonder to themselves, is this a good environment for me to be in?

We need to focus on the health of the organization internally, and that happens in different ways. The good news is that when you do it the right way, it helps recruit people. It certainly helps us

■ See HENRY on page 6

riding a horse.”

For the second half of the Sharing Our Wisdom program, participants and others who would like to join will meet monthly through May 2023. Each gathering will focus on work from a well-known artist and a small art project.

Registration for upcoming art meetups and other adult enrichment programs can be found at https://bit.ly/AdultEnrichmentMPS. Send inquiries to the Magnet Senior Program at akingsbury@wpc-mpls.org or call 612-540-2928.

Travis Lee welcomes reader responses to tlee@spokesman-recorder.com.

strategies to reduce cognitive health diseases among Black men, the conference will also seek to identify strategies for increasing Black men’s participation in dementia research and clinical trials. Black Americans currently make up five percent or less of all clinical trial participants, and nearly two-thirds of Blacks (62%) believe that medical research is biased against Blacks and people of color, says the Alzheimer’s Association.

they don’t have your medical history,” Turner pointed out. He added that without that personal history, “We don’t want to receive the same type of treatment that is designed for people…who don’t have the same health risks that we do,” he said.

care at home. We take him to an adult daycare, but we need professional help to help us manage his everyday care.”

In addition to identifying

“It’s a very complex issue,” stated Turner. “No question medical mistrust, mistrust of the whole healthcare industry, is a prominent factor in Blacks and Black folks’ health behavior. I also think that health literacy is really an important factor.

“If we don’t go to the doctor,

“I think it is very important, very influential in how we reach people, how we speak to people,” he said. “[We need] to bring people together so they can talk to one another, so they can hear one another.” Conference registration is free and is available for both inperson and virtual attendance. The public can register at www.mensbrainhealth.org/ conference.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“It does not matter that the officers were Black, in that incident they were blue.”

“This was the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”

“We say what is good for the heart is also good for the head.”

“…law enforcement has been very reactive in the past. We drive around and look for stuff that’s happening.”

Business

First ‘Black Entrepreneurs Day’ scheduled at State Capitol

MSR News Service

Black-owned small businesses will take center stage at the inaugural “Black Entrepreneurs Day.” A small army of Black entrepreneurs and small business owners will trek to the State Capitol on the morning of Feb. 3 for a first-of-itskind event designed to shake things up on their behalf.

The event is presented by Sheletta Brundidge, small business owner and founder of the SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com podcasting platform and production company. The half-day event seeks to highlight the needs of Minnesota’s minority-owned businesses and turn the owners into an energized and effective lobbying force.

“We got no eyes and ears at the Capitol; nobody been looking out for us. We hear about money we might have qualified for once it’s been handed out. We are an afterthought, and that’s got to change if we are to grow and prosper,” said Brundidge.

challenges facing small Blackowned businesses.

Among the speakers will be Dana Smith, a Black entrepreneur who founded and operated MinnyRow Market to showcase and sell local food, some produced by vendors of color. But after two years in business, her market in Hopkins had to be shuttered last November.

into start-up lobbyists for a day. Attendees will meet oneon-one with state lawmakers to have frank and informative discussions about their needs and barriers to their success.

“Our legislators can’t speak for us if they don’t speak to us,” said Brundidge. “If we’re not connected, we miss opportunities. We aren’t asking for a handout; we want them to listen and learn.”

While presented by SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com, “Black Entrepreneurs Day” is sponsored by Comcast, which has given $10,000 RISE grants to minority-owned businesses. Comcast will join Minneapolis Regional Chamber to sponsor lunch in the Vault in the basement of the Capitol building for all attendees.

“There’s a huge gap when you look for financing. Blackowned businesses are overlooked or invisible. We faced a lot of obstacles and could have used more support,” said

“The reality is, we all need to be engaged to make sure these businesses thrive,” said Jill Hornbacher, senior director of external communications for Comcast. “They are the backbone of the community and job creators of the future. Sheletta

viser in strategizing her plan for “Black Entrepreneurs Day.”

A prominent Republican and lobbyist with Hylden Advocacy and Law, McDaniel may seem an unlikely ally, but he’s become an enthusiastic backer of Brundidge’s plan for the day and vision for the future.

“Sheletta has a brilliant idea, and I agree with her that this is necessary,” said McDaniel. “I don’t know of a group representing Black entrepreneurs, and I don’t remember an event like this in terms of magnitude or intent.

“In this era of budget surpluses, a lot of decisions about how to spend money haven’t been made. It’s a pivotal time for communities of color to be aggressive.” McDaniel said.

The incoming Legislature is the most diverse in state history as Minnesotans elected a record 35 lawmakers of color to the House and Senate. Prior to this session, there had never been a Black woman serving in the Senate. Now there are three.

Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove, and dozens of state lawmakers have committed to attend, said Brundidge. They will hear first-hand stories of

hENry

Continued from page 5

Smith. “After George Floyd, people said they would do more to support Black-owned businesses. A lot of that has trickled away.”

Since Black-owned businesses don’t have a lobbyist to guard their interests, the event will turn Black entrepreneurs

retain people. It helps develop people. We want everyone to be invested in making other people better.

MSR: Community leaders have commented on the lack of diversity among your leadership team, even though there were Black officers who once held the role of chief. What can you do to foster an environment that develops officers from more diverse backgrounds so they ascend to leadership roles?

AH: One of the first things I did is I met with every commander. It was very clear to me that people didn’t know how to ascend, and they didn’t know what they needed to do and what experiences were necessary. We came up with a plan. Obviously, they have to be a part of the plan, but we came up with some ideas about how we could do that.

has mobilized them for “Black Entrepreneurs Day” at the Capitol, and we want to show we are proud to do our part,”

An unlikely ally Brundidge enlisted longtime Capitol insider Brian McDaniel as an informal ad-

There are only 12 appointed positions, aside from mine, that the mayor appoints. That’s the top two percent of the police department. Not everyone needs to have 12 years of experience to become a senior commander or a deputy chief. You are appointed to that job and that group is extremely diverse.

I understand the concerns about diversity. However, I have to stay true to what I believe is the right thing to do for the agency. I think every previous police chief has made that a priority, and yet we’re still in the development piece.

MSR: You’ve pointed to gun violence as a major issue plaguing the city and are focused on lowering the number of violent crimes in St. Paul. What are the different approaches that you’ve seen that have promise, and how does the community factor into this solution?

AH: Historically, there’s been a ton of different approaches and not all of them have been successful, but that depends on how you measure success. We have

McDaniel said that while these legislators of color will heighten the concerns of their communities, they can’t do the job alone. Other lawmakers of both parties need to understand what Black businesses need to survive and thrive.

“All lawmakers have to know about health care, education, public safety, taxes,” said Mc-

a new Office of Neighborhood Safety, run by director Brooke Bakey. We’re taking a very specific tactical approach and a really thoughtful approach on how we deal with it.

I break it down into three components: There’s the prevention. There’s the intervention. And there’s the enforcement. What I always tell the community is prevention’s the gold standard, where we can prevent a crime.

No one is happy if we catch the murderer of their family member, because their family member is still dead. Even if it’s a burglary, they’re not happy. We can catch the burglar, but your house still got burglarized.

I think that’s where the answer lies, even if this specific approach doesn’t work right now. The whole community coming together and deciding that the threshold for violence is [unacceptable] and we’ve gotta fix that. We got to do it together.

Abdi Mohamed welcomes reader responses to amohamed@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Daniel. “They all have to rely on constituent groups to keep them informed. It’s important they hear a lot of voices, and through Sheletta this group can have their voices amplified.”

McDaniel is putting his money where his mouth is. His law firm is donating a $1,000 grant to a deserving Blackowned business owner. In addition, both Gray Duck Vodka and the St. Paul Saints are also offering $1,000 grants.

Inspired by greatness

It’s no coincidence that Brundidge set up “Black Entrepreneurs Day” at the Capitol to be held as Black History Month begins. At the event, Brundidge will wear a shirt emblazoned with words from Nellie Stone Johnson, one of Minnesota’s great civil rights leaders. The quote reads: “I’m not going to quit. There is too much to do. Politics drives everything in life. Can’t stop now!”

“I’ve been studying Nellie Stone Johnson and I revere her,” said Brundidge. “She shook things up and changed the status quo.”

In addition to being a founder of the DFL party, the first Black person elected to citywide office in Minneapolis, and a legendary activist, Johnson was also a small business owner. For over 30 years she ran Nellie’s Shirt & Zipper Shop

and then Nellie’s Alterations in downtown Minneapolis.

“Nellie Stone Johnson fought for opportunities for Black businesses, and last fall they put a life-sized statue of her in the Capitol,” said Brundidge.

“I hear Black business owners say they don’t want to get involved in politics and I say, ‘You better change your tune, or you won’t have a business. Remember Nellie Stone Johnson’s wise words that ‘politics drives everything,’ and let’s take up her fight. We can’t wait for legislators to come to our house, we have to go to their house—the Capitol on February 3.”

Any Minnesota-based Black-owned business or supporter is welcome to join “Black Entrepreneurs Day” by registering at www.SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com.

“Black Entrepreneurs Day” kicks off on Feb. 3 at 10:30 am with speakers at the State Capitol’s Rotunda, (75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in St. Paul) followed by a meet and greet with legislators from 11 am to noon, and lunch from 12-1 pm in The Vault. The event is free. For more info, visit www.SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com.

This story was provided in part by www.SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com.

It’s a pivotal time for communities of color to be aggressive.

Sheletta Brundidge found inspiration for the event from Nellie Stone Johnson Submitted photos

(l-r) Dana Smith, Sheletta Brundidge and Anissa Keyes

Arts & Culture

Local theater legend Terry Bellamy leaves a powerful legacy

By Tony Kiene Contributing Writer

A local theatre legend has left us. Terry Bellamy passed away this past week at the age of 70 due to Covid, according to his family. Known for his intensity on stage, exceptional talent, and unyielding dedication to his craft, Bellamy was an original company member at both Penumbra and Mixed Blood. And he was so much more.

“The Black Arts Movement, which he felt a part of, had to do with calling out injustices and a lot of anger,” said Lou Bellamy, Terry’s elder brother and the founder and artistic director emeritus of Penumbra Theatre Company.

“He had the craft, the muscle, and the will to meet those roles head on. He tended to meld with them in ways that people, once they’ve seen it—we’ll just never forget it,” Lou told MPR News.

That has never been truer than when Terry fully embodied the characters of two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, who received his professional debut on the Penumbra stage with the world premiere of “Black Bart and the Sacred Hills” in 1982.

But there is perhaps no character that Terry is more associated with than that of Levee Green, the same role played by the late Chadwick Boseman in the 2020 motion picture production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In fact, you might say that Terry helped create that character himself while taking part in early readings of what would become Wilson’s first Broadway play.

developed, it became obvious that there was a connection between the actor and the character that was extraordinary.”

But Terry was more than an actor; he was a director, playwright, educator and dramaturg in his own right.

the Hudson Guild Theater in New York City, just to name a few.

Regarding his 2015 performance in “Two Trains Running” in Chicago, critic Emma Reubenstein wrote, “Terry Bellamy delivers a powerful portrayal of restaurant owner Memphis. His authority is grounding, and while each of the other characters seems to chase their dreams and their thoughts in opposite directions at times, his restaurant and his presence seem to unite them in the most salient of ways.”

Likewise, writing about the Cleveland production of “Radio Golf” for the News-Herald, Bob Ableman said, “No stranger to Wilson’s work, Bellamy does a wonderful job bringing out all the delicate comedy woven into this drama, and he uses Vicki Smith’s magnificent set—a decaying office space surrounded by the squalor of abandoned businesses, boarded up windows and graffiti—to full dramatic advantage.”

tributions to Penumbra Theater Company, and many others

Still, despite all the accolades, this work had such a deeper meaning to Terry. “Art is the pathway, the avenue, for Black people to show our humanity,” he told the Star Tribune’s Rohan Preston in 2021.

“It’s a way toward justice and healing of the gaping wound of slavery that America wants to dance around.”

places in the world where Black men could safely discharge their anger at a world that wouldn’t let them stand up in the fullness of their power and potential.

“That, too, is sacred… Terry defined much of the early aesthetic at Penumbra, a quality that simply isn’t replicated anywhere else. It was a style he created in collaboration with the early ensemble and his

Burris: *Africana Diaspora

History Crossword 2023

This includes Terry taking on the unforgettable roles of “Booster” in “Jitney,” “Memphis Lee” in “Two Trains Running,” “Gabriel Maxon” in “Fences,” and “Sterling Johnson” in “Radio Golf,” among others.

Meghan www.simonburris700.com

“Playwrights will need to hear their work and submit it to dramatic test,” Lou told MPR News. “The only way to do that is to put it in the hands of an actor and let them pour themselves into it, and as that play

Simon Burris: *Africana Diaspora

*Tennis champion Arthur

Black History Crossword 2023

Moreover, while performing for a multitude of theater companies here in the Twin Cities, he was critically acclaimed and beloved across the nation, gracing the stage at Harlem’s National Black Theatre, Chicago’s Goodman Theater, the Cleveland Playhouse, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Indiana Repertory Theatre, and

In addition to all of the critical acclaim, Terry took home a number of honors that highlighted both his brilliance as a stage actor and his indelible impact in the theater world. These include the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for stellar performances in “Waiting for Godot” and “Boseman and Lena,” The Playwrights’ Center Many Voices Fellowship, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center’s William W. (Billie) Griffin Award for Outstanding Con-

Of his indomitable legacy, Terry’s niece and Penumbra

President Sarah Bellamy exquisitely writes:

“As an artist, Terry was a fighter, his approach was calm, calculating, and clever. He would attack the work and sometimes in rehearsal the target shifted, maybe because Penumbra was one of the few

older brother, Louis, the two speaking sometimes without talking, a shorthand between them that was about growing up together here in St. Paul, about wanting to make the community proud.”

Tony Kiene welcomes reader responses to tkiene@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Markle, American Duchess of Sussex

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Terry Bellamy

Photos courtesy of Penumbra Theater

Terry Bellamy in a 1987 production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’”

By James Trice

The hate that killed Tyre Nichols

are and what they are capable of shape everything about how we live in this country.”

The recent brutal beating and murder of Tyre Nichols—a Black man—who died on January 10, at the hands of five Black police officers in the Memphis Police Department, underscores the fact that the pathology of antiBlackness is alive and well in the hearts and minds of some White folk as well as some Black folk in America.

Anti-Blackness is a byproduct of the false ideology of White supremacy and Black inferiority, woven within the fabric of America, so much so that even the victims of this deadly ideology—including some Black people—have internalized it.

James Baldwin said, “The reason people think it’s important to be White is that they think it’s important not to be Black.”

Anti-Black hate is as old as America and as American as apple pie and baseball. You don’t need to go back in our history to see evidence of this pernicious reality.

In 2015, Dylann Roof—a 21-year-old White man—walked into a church in Charleston, SC, and murdered nine Black people in cold blood. It was reported that the police officers who captured Roof treated him to fast food before escorting him to the police station.

In May 2022, a gunman—an 18-year-old White man—murdered 10 Black people in a Buffalo, NY, supermarket targeting Black people. There are other cases of anti-Black violence, but I will stop here.

In both notable cases, antiBlack hate was their motive which fueled their terror. In his book, “Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul,” Eddie S, Glaude Jr., wrote, “a host of assumptions about who Black people

Just being nice won’t change police culture

Chief O’Hara’s remarks (Jan. 25, Minnesota SpokesmanRecorder) disappointed me. While it’s very nice that he makes every effort to attend community events as well as crime scenes to communicate that he cares, I believe he was hired to be more than nice.

The George Floyd killing and subsequent trial revealed for all to see the need to overhaul the way police work is done, starting with a redefinition of what good police work even means.

The need for a thoroughgoing re-do of the workings of the MPD was made very clear by virtually all Minneapolis residents in the initiatives and elections that followed.

We need MPD to hire and train people to use their police powers differently than what we’ve seen.

To “change the culture” we need different job duties of all

After viewing the horrific video of the beating of Tyre, I heard news reporters and commentators, primarily White, question whether the murder of Tyre was a racial issue, pointing out that the officers were also Black. These questions reveal either a sincere ignorance or a willful indifference to racism in America. I submit that being Black does not preclude a Black person from subscribing to anti-Blackness and supporting racist ideologies.

They saw Tyre the same way, so many Americans— White and Black—see Black people—as interlopers in a society built by the forced labor of our enslaved ancestors.

For example, Candace Owens, a Black conservative, and anti-Black activist said, “Black Americans are the most murderous group in America,” in a 2021 Fox News interview with Tucker Carlson.

There is no evidence to support her assertion. However, this is what she—a Black woman— and other Black people believe about Black people. Do not be deceived. Anti-Black, self-hatred held by Black people does not negate the reality of racism. Race is a social construct, but racism is real and is facilitated by global White supremacy.

Black lives still matter, even when Black lives are taken by Black people. I believe the five Black police officers who murdered Tyre Nichols were acting according to the societal norm of racism and anti-Black hate.

In the “Myth of Race, The

Reality of Racism: Critical Essays,” Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati eloquently said, “Custom is more powerful than the force of written law. Habits and social conventions influence individual attitudes. A collective outlook, a collective myth, produces collective behavior patterns.”

It doesn’t make a difference how many anti-racism laws are passed or how much “racial sensitivity” training a person is forced to undergo to keep their job or even how many Black people are elected to office, lead organizations, or corporations: anti-Black sentiment is pervasive in American culture.

The Black officers freely and readily beat Tyre Nichols. They knew they were being recorded because of the body cameras they wore. They did it knowingly and without shame or fear of any consequences.

They treated Tyre as if his life didn’t matter and as if he was expendable. They wrongly believed they could do what White officers have done and still do to many Black men, women, and children with impunity, for far too long. They saw Tyre the same way, so many Americans—White and Black—see Black people—as interlopers in a society built by the forced labor of our enslaved ancestors. Anti-Blackness still prevailed.

In his book, “The Racial Contract,” Charles Mills writes, “We live in a world which has been foundationally shaped for the past five hundred years by the realities of European domination and the gradual consolidation of global White supremacy.”

Let’s be clear, the pathology of White supremacy, which produced anti-Black hate, murdered Tyre Nichols. I am not saying the five Black police officers are not responsible for his death. On the contrary, they are 100 percent accountable and should be punished to the law’s limit. They deserve whatever punishment they receive and probably more.

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submissions@spokesman-recorder.com.

What I am saying is that anti-Black hate was the driving force and underlining cause of Tyre’s murder, as it was in the murders of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Harris, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Stephone Clark, Botham Jean, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Patrick Lyoya, Nina Adams, LaShanda Anderson, Deresha Armstrong, Kisha Arrone, Crystalline Barnes, India Beaty, Dereshia Blackwell, Jonie Block, Alexia Christian, Decynthia Clements, Monique Jenee Deckard, Cynthia Fields, Janisha Fonville, Korryn Gaines, and Francine Graham. And the list goes on. Until anti-Blackness is slain, there will be more Tyre Nichols.

James Trice is the CEO of the Public Policy Project.

the police, different hiring standards, different training manuals, and different expectations for promotion. We need MPD to hire and train people to use their police powers differently than what we’ve seen.

And as the recent outrage in Memphis makes clear, just hiring more “from the community” is not enough if the standards of good police work aren’t dramatically upgraded and enforced.

Minneapolis

Steven Mayer,

We must decide to do better

There will never be words to express the level of depravity inflicted by the former Memphis police officers upon Tyre Nichols. That these men, all persons of color, could in their own minds determine that their brutality should veer down that path toward another human being is unimaginable. But that the worst possible victim—another person of color—would be the recipient of these most heinous acts is even more horrendous. What, in all that is humanely sacred, has brought us here? Our society, and every single person in it, has a decision

to make. Who are we, as part of a civilized species, that we are a part of a society where this type of behavior is allowed to permeate its people?

Officers patrolling our streets cannot have an “us against them” mentality toward the civilians they are hired to protect and serve. No one can.

Officers must be able to, on a personal level, relate to any civilian they encounter, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Being an officer of the law must require that their actions are held to the highest of standards without any unspoken

nod or a wink.

No one should be afraid of being stopped, persecuted, abused, or killed by the police.

These last few years should give us all pause. From the reality of racial division and inequality, climate change, insurrection, global pandemics and war, we must decide to do better, and be better. We cannot continue to be unwilling to discuss and correct the unspeakable.

Together as one, separate as none.

Freddie L. Brown, Kenosha, Wisconsin

There are no safe places in the US

By Marian Wright Edelman

In California this week, hearts, families and lives were broken again by two mass shootings in two days. On Saturday evening, January 21, 11 people were killed and nine more injured at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, a community outside Los Angeles known as the first suburban Chinatown.

The neighborhood surrounding the ballroom was in the middle of a massive, joyous two-day festival celebrating the Lunar New Year and the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit. At a time when hate crimes have targeted Asian Americans across the country, for many people the Monterey Park community and gathering spaces like the Star Ballroom have long felt like a safe haven.

But as we have seen again and again, there are no safe spaces from guns in our nation. Instead, a place of fellowship and celebration that was especially beloved by many older community members turned into another site of tragedy.

Two days later, seven more people were killed and one was critically injured by a coworker at the farms where they worked in Half Moon Bay, a coastal city south of San Francisco. These two mass shootings were immediately unusual because both gunmen were older than 65; the man who killed fellow dancers in Monterey Park was 72, one of the oldest mass shooters in modern American history.

But there is no age limit to the way easy access to guns in our nation lethalizes anger and despair. The shooter in Half Moon Bay, who was taken into custody, allegedly told investigators he felt “disrespected” by colleagues. A former tenant of the Monterey Park shooter described him as

an isolated person who was “hopeless and desperate.”

These murders in California came just a few days after another mass shooting in the state’s Central Valley that left six people dead, including a 10-month-old baby and his 16-year-old mother. And the tragedies in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay were also far from the only gun attacks in America in those 48 hours.

Early Sunday morning a dozen people were injured at a Baton Rouge nightclub that had advertised a party celebrating the start of the new semester at Louisiana State University and Southern University.

Will we continue to stand alone in accepting our pervasive culture of gun violence and the insane proliferation of guns?

On Monday, the same day as the Half Moon Bay shootings, an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old were shot and killed at their charter school program for at-risk youths in Iowa, and the program’s founder was injured.

Soon afterwards Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, singled out those four attacks as examples in a social media post condemning the regular and relentless toll gun violence takes in our nation: “11 dead in Monterey Park. 12 wounded in Baton Rouge. 7 dead in Half Moon Bay. 2 students dead in Des Moines. 300 shot EVERY SINGLE DAY. Every time you vote for a lawmaker who opposes gun safety, you’re voting for policies that make it more likely your loved one will be

slaughtered.”

Her words were followed by a graphic from Moms Demand Action: We don’t have to live like this. We don’t have to die like this.

Just a few days into the New Year America’s gun violence epidemic is back under a harsh spotlight. The Gun Violence Archive, which documents the number of mass shootings in the US in which four or more people are shot or killed in a single incident, counted 40 mass shootings in the first 25 days of 2023.

This was 21 percent higher than in the previous two years and more than any January on record. Seventy-three people were killed and 165 more were injured in those mass shootings alone.

Every day on average more than 100 people are killed and more than 200 others are injured by guns in our nation in assaults, suicides and suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in our nation. This is American exceptionalism at its worst.

Will we continue to let these numbers escalate month after month? Will we continue to stand alone in accepting our pervasive culture of gun violence and the insane proliferation of guns by the millions that have no business in civilian hands?

Will we keep electing members of Congress who put their perceived political selfinterest and gun lobby profits ahead of the safety of our children and communities? Or will this be the year we finally find the courage, decency and will to change course?

Marian Wright Edelman is the founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

Black History Month Events – Feb. 1-9

The MSR celebrates Black history 365 days a year and enjoys a living legacy as one of the state’s oldest Black businesses. Below we’ve compiled a few events for this week to explore and celebrate Black history. Each week we will highlight free or low-cost events in the community. For even more events, visit spokesman-recorder.com.

February 1

TESTIFY: Americana from Slavery to Today

Minneapolis Central Library Cargill Gallery, 300 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.

6-8 pm (runs until March 29)

Presented by former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Famer Alan Page and his daughter, marketing and communications professional Georgi Page-Smith, the groundbreaking exhibit TESTIFY returns to the Minneapolis Central Library. The exhibit features more than 100 artifacts and works of art designed to foster dialogue and inspire justice.

For more info, visit bit.ly/TESTIFYHCL2023

February 2

Moving to Minnesota: The Migration and Immigration Experience City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100, 505 4th Ave. S., Mpls.

Noon-1 pm

This is the first of four City of Minneapolis Black History Month events to be held consecutively on Thursdays in February 2023. For more info, visit bit.ly/MovingtoMN

First Thursday Film: Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power The Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway Ave., Mpls.

7-9 pm

Join director Sam Pollard and MSP Film Society programmer Craig Laurence Rice for the Capri Theater’s First Thursday Film presentation of “Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power.” This critically acclaimed 2022 documentary features archival footage and firstperson accounts of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s (SNCC) voting rights work in Lowndes County, Alabama, and the birth of the Black Power Movement. Pollard and Rice will lead a post-screening discussion. Tickets are $5 (free for Northside residents) and are available at the door.

For more info, visit bit.ly/FirstThursdaysBlackPower

February 3

Black Entrepreneurs Day at the Capitol State Capitol Rotunda, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul

10:30 am-1 pm

Black-owned businesses will take center stage at the first-ever “Black Entrepreneurs Day” at the Minnesota State Capitol. Presented by Sheletta Brundidge, podcaster, publisher, and entrepreneur, this half-day event will spotlight the needs of BIPOC small business owners in our state to help to establish an “energized and effective” lobby. In addition to several speakers, state leaders including Governor Walz, Lt. Governor Flanagan, and DEED Commissioner Steve Grove are slated to attend. The event is free and lunch will be served. Register in advance at shelettamakesmelaugh.com

First Fridays Twin Cities: NOIR – A Black History Month Celebration Courtyard by Marriott, 1500 Washington Ave. S., Mpls.

8 pm-1 am

February’s First Friday is “an all-Black affair” that will celebrate Black excellence and honor, featuring among others the likes of Walter “Q-Bear” Banks, Tenelle Marie, Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston, and Calandra Revering. The evening’s music will be provided by Dee Jay Glenn. Upscale Black Attire is Mandatory (accent colors are encouraged).

For tickets, visit bit.ly/FirstFridayNOIR

February 4

Rondo Night

Landmark Center Cortile, 75 West 5th St., St. Paul

5-9:30 pm

The Saint Paul Winter Carnival presents Rondo Night. Learn more about the history of the Rondo neighborhood, sample foods from the Taste of Rondo Bar & Grill, enjoy performances by Rondo-based artists, and support BIPOC artisans, businesses and organizations. Rondo Night is free and open to the public.

For more info, visit www.wintercarnival.com/events/rondo-night

A Darker Wilderness Book Launch

Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Mpls.

7-10 pm

The Great Northern Festival presents a special book launch event for author and editor Erin Sharkey’s collection of essays titled, “A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars.” Hear live readings from some of the book’s other contributors including Katie Robinson, Michale Kleber-Diggs, and Tia-Simone Garder. A post-reading conversation will follow.

To get tickets and pre-order the book, visit the Great Northern Festival online.

For more info, visit bit.ly/DarkerWildnerness

February 8

Real Talk Systemic Racism: Black Roots in the Greater Longfellow Neighborhood Metro State University, Founders Hall Auditorium, 387 Maria Ave., St. Paul 2-4 pm

In May of 1863, the Black population in Minnesota doubled. Learn more about the journey of those enslaved in the southern US and at nearby Ft. Snelling into military service and segregated settlements in the Hiawatha and Longfellow communities from their direct descendants. This event, presented by the International Leadership Institute, includes the screening of a film and a panel discussion.

Admission is free, but advance registration is encouraged at bit.ly/RealTalkBHM

February 9

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Makers Market + Music Fest 56 Brewing, 3055 Columbia Avenue NE, Mpls. Noon-11 pm

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is an exclusively Black-owned and Black-fronted musical event. Come help to celebrate Black-owned businesses, boost the vibe, and promote Black joy in the Twin Cities. For more info, visit bit.ly/RESPECTBHM

Bruce A. Henry Presents a Musical Celebration of African American History Crooners Supper Club, 6161 Highway 65 NE, Mpls.

8-9:30 pm

Bruce A. Henry and his all-star band will take you on a 400-year journey that highlights the history of Black music from West African folk songs to the early music of America, blues to jazz, and soul to hip hop.

For tickets, go to bit.ly/BruceAHenryAAH

February 6

Bridging the Faultlines: Stories of Racism, Resistance & Repair Breck School Auditorium, 123 Ottawa Ave. N., Golden Valley

6-9 pm

As a follow-up to the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Jim Crow of the North,” Twin Cities Public Television has a series of documentary shorts known as the “Jim Crow of the North Stories.” The first installment, “Bridging the Faultlines: Program One,” will receive its first public viewing at Breck School. It addresses how restrictive housing covenants have impacted neighborhoods in North Minneapolis and the adjoining community of Golden Valley. This event will also feature music, poetry and refreshments. Admission is free, but advance registration is required. For more info, visit bit.ly/BridgingFaultlines

Rebuilding Black Businesses: A Black History Month Conversation Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery, 1256 Penn Ave. N., Mpls. 5:30-7:30 pm

Small business owners Kenya McKnight-Ahad (Black Women’s Health Alliance), Teto Wilson (Wilson’s Image Barbers & Stylists), Tameka Jones (Lip Esteem), and Kevin Sullivan (Kevin Sullivan Films) will share best practices and tools for developing your own business, address economic inequities that plague Black communities, and explore strategies to build generational wealth.

For more, visit bit.ly/RebuildingBlackBusinesses

Visit spokesman-recorder.com for more Black History Month events. Submit your own event to submissions@spokesman-recorder.com.

Topic: Learn your Love Language

Speaker: Alex Merritt

“The Love Engineer”

We all express and receive love differently. Come and learn about the theory of love language and how to understand and communicate your needs in relationships.

The afternoon includes shopping with local vendors, networking, games, elite prize tickets, food, and music.

Location: LifeSource - 2225 W River Road N. Mpls MN 55411 @sisterspokesman

View

Continued from page 14

Kid Sports. Wimbush also points out that they don’t get a dime from the athletes they sign up.

“We’re excited about what we’ve done today and where this is going,” said Wimbush on MOGL.

Detroit Mercy lacrosse player Maddie Johnson is the first Black woman college lacrosse player to strike an NIL deal last year with MOGL. “That [story] went viral,” said Wimbush. “It’s stories like that that really make us excited.”

“We are serving athletes of color who have been marginalized. As an athlete of color myself, and now co-founder of a company like this, what I’m striving for is to provide opportunities, not just for

SOe

Continued from page 14

Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“He was a man who was way ahead of his time,” said McConnell.

Prep columnist McDonald

honored Tim Williams and Michael Walker are former Minneapolis City Conference players and coaches who nine years ago started the MLK Dream Classic, an all-day slate of boys. and girls. hoops that features city teams against suburban teams on the MLK holiday. They also honor community members at the contests. Last month, MSR Prep

Employment & Legals

athletes of color but businesses that are run by Black owners, giving them a resource to reduce costs when it comes to advertising and marketing.”

“We are excited to partner with MOGL,” said Winona State Athletic Director Eric Schoh in a published statement. “Our student-athletes… deserve the chance to work with an industry leader to monetize their NIL and promote their personal brand.”

Wimbush and others are hoping Congress will introduce NIL legislation to finally regulate it. He believes that with a new NCAA president coming on board later this year, “There’ll be a little bit more structure and regulations in place.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

columnist Dr. Mitchell McDonald was honored for his decades-long work in covering local high school sports.

“Growing up in this city,” said Williams, “there was very little recognition of those who paved the way for us. It was really important for us, as adults, to be in a position to have a platform to now honor those [folks].”

“I’ve come full circle,” said McDonald of the award. “Eight years ago, I accepted the same award for my father, [the late] Kwame McDonald. I accepted it not knowing that I would ever be honored in such a way. It’s kind of emotional.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

333 Washington Avenue N, Suite 300 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401

EMAIL FOR OFFICIAL NOTICES: sharon@raemackenziegroup.com

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder February 2,9, 2023

VITS Consulting Corp has openings for the positions:

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Phone: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

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given

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Registrar has informally appointed Greg Ruhland, whose address is 1014 Maple Hill Road, Newport, Minnesota, 55055, as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are filed with the Court (pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.

Any objections to the appointment of the Personal Representative must be filed with this Court and will be heard by the Court after the filing of an appropriate petition and proper notice of hearing.

Notice is also given that (subject to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred.

Yvette M. Andrade Registrar Sara Gonsalves Court Administrator Attorney for Personal Representative Steven H. Fink Farrish Johnson Law Office, Chtd.

From Display Ad Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

Client: The Rae Mackenzie Group, Inc. Size: 3.4167 x 5 Ad Run: 2/2/23 - 2/9/23 Ad Options: $100.00

Business Systems Analyst with Master’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering(any), Technology or related and 1 yr of exp to analyze, manage business and systems requirement and transform to functional & technical solutions. Preparetechnical reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends. Build interfaces with various IT, client and vendor business teams, manage projects and serve as intermediary between clients. Assist the developer and testing teams by providing additional information regarding new or existing systems.

Business Analyst with bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering (any), Technology or related to work as Liaison between the business units, technology and support teams. Analyze impact of proposed solution across the organization and develop use cases that explain/ demonstrate business requirements/specifications to develop the team.

Perform audit review for vendor provided system in order to validate if vendor is in compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 13485, European Union Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR) 2017/745, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and if the systems are in compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulation. Utilize Standard Query Language (SQL) to analyze database structure and develop Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD). Provide report to monitor operation efficiency dynamics after the implementation of new system solution. Perform UAT both in backend using Oracle Database SQL server as well as on User Interface (UI) level using Siebel application.

Work location is Plymouth,MN with required travel to client locations throughout the USA.Please mail resumes to 3350 Annapolis Lane N, Suite A, Plymouth, MN 55447 (or) e-mail : Jobs-p@vitsconsulting.com

Site Reliability Engineer II

Optimizely North America Inc. is seeking a Site Reliability Engineer II to work in its Minneapolis, MN office to improve the reliability of internal development environments and customer-facing application environments. Deploy tools in Kubernetes Node Clusters to help monitor our systems

Must have a BA/BS in math, computer science or engineering as well as a minimum of 6 months of experience in same or related field with use of mixed node Kubernetes clusters, including Windows and Linux modes. Telecommuting is acceptable. Send resume to kaylin.granado@optimizely.com

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @ billing@spokesman-recorder.com

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RUNNING FEB 2, 9, 2023

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Please Note: New email address for all future ads ads@spokesman-recorder.com

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Business Intelligence Associate

PHONE: 612-827-4021

The Minnesota Cancer Clinical Trials Network at the U of MN is seeking a Business Intelligence Associate. Provide technical expertise for reporting needs, guidance to develop a robust data infrastructure. BA/BS in a related field is required. Proactive, highly organized, and skilled at translating business needs into technical specifications. Apply for Job ID# 353550 at https://hr.umn.edu/Jobs/ Find-Job

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Please proof, respond with email confirmation to dis play@spokesman-recorder.com. For more exposure: We are also inviting our clients to advertise on our web site for 2 weeks for a flat net fee of $150 per position with purchase of print ad.

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

Tim Williams, left, and Mitchell McDonald

Photo by Charles Hallman

within the right of way herein to be taken, and to keep and have the exclusive control of the same and to acquire

in

cases which are herein particularly mentioned. It is the intention of the above-named petitioner to move the court for an order authorizing the Court Administrator to accept and deposit in

pursuant

Further, it is the intention of the above-named petitioner to move the court for an order transferring title and possession of the parcels herein described, prior to the filing of an award by the court appointed commissioners, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes §117.042. The petitioner reserves its right to recover costs of clean up and testing and all other damages arising from the presence of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous materials on the property described herein, from all potential responsible parties, including respondents herein where appropriate, in a separate legal action to the extent permitted by law. III.

That the following described lands in these proceedings taken are situated in Hennepin County, Minnesota; that the names of all persons appearing of record or known to your petitioner to be the owners of said lands or interested therein, including all whom your petitioner has been able by investigation and inquiry to discover, together with the nature of the ownership of each, as nearly as can be ascertained, are as follows:

All of the following:

s/Mathew Ferche MATHEW FERCHE Assistant Attorney General

Atty. Reg. No. 0391282

445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1800

St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2134

(651) 757-1457 (Voice)

(651) 297-4077 (Fax)

mathew.ferche@ag.state.mn.us

100905

MINN. STAT.

& Legals

ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER

Bobby Marshall: Minnesota’s first Black superstar athlete

efore there was Kirby Puckett and Kevin Garnett, there was Bobby Marshall.

“One of the greatest athletes of all time. He’s up there with the best baseball players, best hockey players, icons of sports,” said Terry McConnell in a recent MSR interview on his new book, “Breaking Through The Line” (Nodin Press).

newspapers,” said McConnell, “I got a lot of great information.”

He eventually learned that Marshall and his wife were active members of St. Peter’s AME Church in South Minneapolis. He also attended the U of M Law School, becoming one of the first Black graduates: “He worked his way through college,” said McConnell, as a waiter and working for his father’s construction company. Marshall worked for the State of Minnesota as a grain inspector for almost 40 years.

nesota, where he played football and graduated in 1907.

He was the first Black football player to make All-American for the Big Ten and helped lead the Gophers to three conference titles in 1903, 1904 and 1906. He later became the first Black coach in the conference in 1907, as a Minnesota assistant coach.

To call Marshall (1880-1958), who at the turn of the 20thcentury excelled in three sports, Minnesota’s first Black superstar athlete is not hyperbole. He is comparable to Jackie Robinson, McConnell added: “They’re both very intelligent men, two loving men who were such great examples of integrity. He [Marshall] was never about putting himself first and always other people first.”

Born in Milwaukee, Marshall moved to Minneapolis with his parents at an early age. He soon became a popular athlete, first in high school, then at the University of Min-

He also played hockey before the NHL, and played pro baseball before the Negro Leagues. Marshall played well into the 1950s. “He’s playing sports all the time,” marveled McConnell.

The author researched newspaper accounts, including the Minneapolis Spokesman and the Spokesman-Recorder, and talked to several of Marshall’s descendants. “By going to

“The reason he didn’t continue as a lawyer was the sports teams would draw him out of the area,” said McConnell. “He played for teams all over the Midwest.”

McConnell expertly outlines in his book that Marshall was the first NFL Black player—he made All-Pro in 1920 at the age of 40 and played until age 45. If Tom Brady plays next season, he will break Marshall’s mark as the oldest starting pro football player, added the author.

“People have forgotten an interesting story,” said McConnell of Marshall. Along with

Hundreds of collectives form to help college athletes market their name, image and likeness

inona State University in Winona, Minnesota, has selected MOGL as its exclusive name, image and likeness (NIL) representative. It is the first Minnesota-based school to choose the company co-founded by CEO Ayden Syal and Brandon Wimbush, the chief athletic officer. The two men are former classmates at Notre Dame and founded their company “for athletes by athletes” in 2020.

“We have roughly 10 [colleges and universities] right now— most notably Notre Dame.” They would love to work with more Minnesota schools, admitted Wimbush. He was the Irish QB who led them to a 10-3 record in 2017 and started 16 games overall.

He and Syal both are graduates of the Mendoza College of Business—the former in management consulting and Wimbush in accountancy. “I graduated in 2019,” noted Wimbush.

nearly two years and reportedly making NIL deals big and small, fewer than one in five US adults “have seen, read or heard about any of the 10 recent Division I NIL deals,” according to a new Morning Consult survey.

Submitted photo

posedly because the deal fell through.

Collectives are officially unaffiliated with the schools that they represent. The MSR wrote (December 29, 2022) about Dinkytown Athletes, a collective for Gopher players.

promoting his book, McConnell is on a campaign to raise $50,000 for a Bobby Marshall scholarship fund at the U of M, and to get Marshall into the

■ See SOE on page 10

There aren’t too many Black and POC-owned firms that are in the NIL business. “What we do specifically [is] we connect athletes to businesses and brands to promote their products and services,” Wimbush pointed out. “It’s a microinfluencer platform that allows athletes to compliantly, safely, and for free connect to these brands. [MOGL has] the ability to connect to these athletes [to help them] promote their products or services.”

Despite being around for

Nation’s assists leader ‘a true, true point guard’

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

ayla Reliford of New Hope, Minn. is leading the nation’s college basketball players in assists at 7.0 per game. The 2021 Robbinsdale Cooper grad, now in her sophomore year at Park University Gilbert [Arizona], is helping her squad compete for one of the top four spots in the Division II Cal Pacific Conference tournament later this month.

According to Preston English, Park University Gilbert sports information officer, the 5’2” Reliford came into her own when she became a starter last season due to team injuries and has thrived ever since. She has reset the Park team record book for assists per-game, and reset or tied the school record for assists five times this season.

If she keeps up this pace, Reliford will be the first Minnesota former prep player in recent memory to lead the nation in assists as a collegian.

“I didn’t even know about it,” Reliford told the MSR last week in an exclusive phone interview. Both she and English said that the MSR was the only media outlet to reach out to speak with her. “Preston told me just the other day. I had no idea.”

Park University is a NAIA school located in Gilbert, Ariz., about 25-30 minutes outside of Phoenix. It is one of two campuses, the other located in Parkville, Missouri, and conducts both in-person and online courses in areas such as business administration, criminal

justice, psychology, and information and computer science.

Reliford is studying to be a web designer. “I’m hoping to be able to travel for work and go outside of the country and work as a developer in IT,” she proudly told us. The sophomore pointed out that she chose Park for college, mainly for its western location and “to get out of the Midwest experience,” not to mention the harsh Minnesota winters at this time of year.

Unfazed by the sudden at-

tention, Reliford said, “I would say [I saw myself] being a point guard ever since I was young. It definitely taught me a lot of life skills that other positions I don’t feel teach the kind of life lessons as does being a point guard. [There is] a lot of accountability and you [are responsible for] a lot of direction for your other teammates.”

“I am a pass-first point guard,” she pointed out. “I like to get my teammates involved. My biggest goal on the court is to make sure my teammates are comfortable.”

Demondi Johnson said he isn’t surprised. He coached Reliford in AAU as Legacy Hoops Girls AAU director. “She has shown so much growth as a leader,” he said proudly. “Jayla

was a point guard for our first graduating class. She set the tone for our play. A true, true point guard.”

Johnson added that it didn’t matter what college level she would wind up at. “Her mindset isn’t or wasn’t to go to Division I or II or III, but to find the right fit. I’m super proud of her, a true representation of our program.”

Reliford credits her father Jerome and Johnson and Legacy Hoops co-founder Rahmeen Underwood among others as her mentors: “I had some great mentors who gave me a lot of the leadership skills I have.”

Besides her passing, Reliford is a scoring threat as well. She has scored in double digits in six Park University Bucs games this season.

Reliford said she and her teammates are squarely focused on finishing the season and making a second consecutive trip to her league’s postseason tournament on Feb. 25. “We’re shooting for fourth place,” she said. “We’re hoping that we get the fourth seed.”

Bloomington Kennedy grad honored

Jenna Smith, a Bloomington Kennedy grad who starred at Illinois from 1983-87, will have her jersey hanging from the school arena’s rafters Feb. 5. She finished as Illinois’ all-time leading scorer, rebounder and three-time All-Big Ten first team, and only the fourth Illini to receive this honor.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Recently, however, it was reported that 18-year-old Jaden Rashada was first offered a $13 million NIL deal by a collective if he signed with the University of Florida to play football. Rashada asked for and was granted his release from his national letter of intent to Florida, sup-

Global Sports Matter recently noted that there are an estimated 200 collectives nationwide, but that NIL is a “patchwork solution” featuring “disorganization and under-thetable dealings.” Collectives are “part talent agency, part extension of the school, and part rogue actor shaking up college sport,” wrote Alex Kirshner for Global Sports Matter on January 17.

In a press release, MOGL said that they are donating proceeds to local youth athletic programming through a philanthropic partnership with Every ■ See View on page 10

McKenzie comes home to help Illini defeat Gophers

niversity of Illinois basketball player Adalia

McKenzie seemed right at home as her team faced the University of Minnesota in a Big Ten women’s matchup Sunday, January 15, at Williams Arena.

The former Park Center High School girls’ basketball standout finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals in helping to lead the Illini to a 70-57 victory over the Golden Gophers. The 5’10” guard also led Illinois with four offensive rebounds.

“It was good to be back home,” McKenzie said after the game. “It was good to come back and get a win in front of family and friends.”

It has been quite the journey for McKenzie. She finished her prep career as Park Center’s alltime leading scorer with 2,573 points, led the Pirates to the 2020 Class 4A state tournament during her junior year, and

was named Minnesota’s Miss Basketball as a senior in 2021.

After numerous scholarship offers to big-time NCAA Division I schools, McKenzie chose Illinois because of her desire to be part of something special. I went to Illinois to help build the program,” the sophomore guard said. “I wanted to be part of something new.”

After starting 15 of 27 games as a freshman and averaging 9.4 points per game, McKenzie and her teammates have turned things around this season under new head coach Shauna Green. During the 2021-2022 season the Illini finished with a 1-13 Big Ten record and 7-20 overall. The team is currently sporting a 16-4 record, 6-3 in the Big Ten,

“People have forgotten an interesting story.”

Terry McConnell

Submitted photo

Bobby Marshall Courtesy of Wikipedia

“Our studentathletes deserve to monetize their NIL and promote their personal brand.”

Brandon Wimbush

“I wanted to be part of something new.”

Adalia McKenzie

Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

“My biggest goal on the court is to make sure my teammates are comfortable.”

Jayla Reliford Courtesy of Park University Gilbert Athletics