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Find Black History Month events on page 8.
Counting down to our 90th Anniversary
February 22 - 28, 2024
Vol. 90
No. 30
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
OMG Studios:
a cutting-edge addition to the Twin Cities recording scene
By Chris Juhn Contributing Writer
redesign has transformed the Vandalia Tower building into one of the more desirable retail and office locations in St. Paul. Located at the corners of Vandalia Street and Wabash Avenue, in what was once the old King Koil Mattress factory, fresh ideas, visions, and new life have been breathed into this historic building. OMG Studios, one of the Tower’s newest tenants, is a large part of that transformation. It shares space with a community theater, event venue, photo studio, film studio, brewery, distillery, cannabis dispensary, coffee shop, and more. On Feb. 1, the studio held its grand opening as the crowd for this invite-only event stood in anticipation. The music of Thomasina Petrus and Thomas West filled the room as guests conversed throughout the new studio. Monique Linder, founder and CEO, spoke about the studio and thanked everyone who helped make it a reality. As Saint
By Abdi Mohamed Associate Editor
was no agreement between the union and the district. In an online statement, SPFE t. Paul educators are President Leah VanDassor toutgearing up for a possible ed in a news release the union’s strike after several ne- wins in the past decade toward gotiations with the district for class size limits and student increased pay and additional mental health support. She fursupport for students failed to ther stated that SPFE’s goal is bear any results. On Feb. 15, to build upon their progress to two-thirds of the Saint Paul help educators meet the living Federation of Educator’s 3,689 costs to stay in the district. members voted on whether to State law mandates that the authorize a strike against Saint unionized employees and the Paul Public Schools. Over 92 district bargain every two years. percent voted to strike if there ■ See EDUCATORS on page 5
(l-r) Founder Monique Linder, Thomasina Petrus (background), Councilwoman Mitra Jalali, and Mayor Melvin Carter Photo by Chris Juhn Paul Mayor Melvin Carter crossed the floor, Councilwoman Mitra Jalali and Chad Kulas, Linder stood, waiting in anticipation for the executive director of the Midway Chamber ribbon cutting for OMG Studios, along with ■ See OMG STUDIOS on page 5
Author examines roots of
AMERICAN RACISM K-12 education system has played a large role By Al Brown Assignment Editor
this indoctrination. Yacavone is the author of nine books, including two cos Blacks were migrat- authored with African American ing from the harsh scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., labor conditions of who called “Teaching White Susouthern cotton fields to what premacy” “The most profoundly they thought would be an Uto- original cultural history in repian deliverance to anywhere cent memory.” else, many did not know the The contemporary headsickness of white supremacy wind of the anti-Black literature had already spread the world movement in our classrooms over, as if it were an airborne further highlights the need for
many Americans as possible, Black and white, because each analyzes problems from a completely different perspective, and I wanted to craft a book that people from diverse backgrounds would understand. I think this book is essential for everyone, regardless of background. In fact, I started this book as an accident. I was writing a different book. I had gotten some
Donald Vacavone’s “Teaching White Supremacy” is an overdue discussion. Photo by David Harris contagion. As alluded to in his book “Teaching White Supremacy,” author Donald Yacavone, lays out a stark roadmap into the complex phenomenon that has shaped world governments, their economies, educational standards and cultures. As other cultures pass down traditions like celebrations and religions, so too is whiteness, as a domineering aspect of existence, passed down in the teachings of white supremacy. No matter the economic positioning, nearly every child in America, as well as in other nations with a history of racism, have passed through a form of
Strike vote raises stakes in St. Paul Schools negotiations
continued dominance by the white racist culture over K-12 education, the main historic disseminator of white supremacy.
small grants to do a different book on the legacy of the antislavery movement and the way it helped form the modern Civil Rights Movement. I had gone MSR: Was this book meant through some historical records for a specific audience or and spent the better part of a meant to impact in different summer at a Harvard library. The first book I pulled out ways a white or Black audiof many was by Noah Webence? Yacavone: Most of the work ster, the famous author of the I’ve done is for an academic au- “American Dictionary.” And I was dience. Now, when I went to dumbfounded by what I read. work for Henry Louis Gates Jr., Like most of his colleagues who because of who he is and who wrote history textbooks before he writes for, and I’ve written a the Civil War, he followed a couple of books with him, I be- model, which was to focus on came accustomed to writing for the history of exploration, coloa different audience. nization, the American RevoluI had hoped to address as tion, the forming of the Con-
The G.I. Bill’s role in wealth inequality By Vickie Evans-Nash Contributing Writer
“The Second World War was the most significant shift in terms of how the country stitution, and each successive niversity of Minnesota so- thought about giving housing, presidential administration. ciologist Rose M. Brewer, education, and other resources That’s all there were—there Ph.D. has been research- to returning vets,” explains was no such thing as social history. There was no room in that ing inequality, racism, and social Brewer. This included policies model for the kinds of history justice since grad school. She that ensured educational scholthat we are now interested in. was on the board of United for arships, low-cost housing loans, It was very formal, very direct, a Fair Economy, a Boston orga- access to health care, and other benefits. nization where and relentless. she worked A c c e s s to these reMSR: Would you say the on wealth insources was attack on teaching Black His- equality. While she blocked for tory is simply a continuation serving, other Black veterans of white supremacy in our and board memby a provision classrooms? allowing states Yacavone: Absolutely. Be- bers focused to administer cause what these textbooks on wealth inbenefits. The revealed, what they taught stu- equality as it limited amount dents, was the essential domi- directly related of constructed nance and supremacy of people to racial excluhousing for of European descent and the sion. In 2006 them was in inferiority of everyone else. It’s this research Rose M. Brewer, Ph.D. Courtesy photo segregated aressential to them to continue culminated in eas with lower this model because this form of The Color of teaching is where true Ameri- Wealth: the U.S. Racial Divide, property values. And though detailing the history of the U.S. the GI Bill broadened employcanism is defined. racial wealth gap. ment opportunities, especially While Brewer and colleagues for those who received educaMSR: When would you say that white supremacy overtook have been writing about this tion and training, most Blacks the nation’s education system? persistent gap for decades, Ta- had to receive training from hisYacavone: Right from the Nehisi Coates’ 2014 article pub- torically Black colleges and univery beginning! It has never lished in The Atlantic, “The Case versities. “HBCUs were overbeen anything else in this coun- for Reparations,” brought new whelmed with the requests for try. You didn’t see a change attention to the subject. “Essen- admission. They just didn’t have in textbooks and approach to tially, I would say the core piece the resources to bring in hunteaching, relating to the history of the GI bill was a driver of the dreds of thousands of Black GIs of the United States, until the racial wealth gap,” says Brewer. for training,” Brewer explains. With WWII Some turned mid to late 1960s. ending, policy conto the more acNorthern MSR: So indoctrination versations began “Essentially, cessible colleges. Then, as has been meant for white and to center around I would say now, a college dehonoring returning Black students? the core gree was the surest Yacavone: Absolutely! Natu- soldiers for their rally it was meant to empower services. Approxipiece of the route to well-paying jobs, profesthe psyche of white students mately 1,000,000 GI bill was a sions African and occupawhile diminishing that of non- were driver of tions. “That could white students. Both affected, Americans whose the racial service during both move you not only but in opposite fashion. the First and Secin the middle class wealth but could actuMSR: Would you say that ond World Wars gap.” segregated ally make some of this “whiteness” is what Don- was by task and rank. those folk wealthy,” ald Trump has tapped into? says Brewer. Yacavone: You are right They included duties A limited number of Blacks on. And the importance of this like delivering supplies, driving book to me is that it explains delivery trucks, and serving as were able to move themselves the psyche drain that we are cooks. Just as they had during into prominent professional currently facing as a country, slavery, Blacks were doing the positions, but the vast major■ See WHITE menial tasks that fueled the U.S. ity were excluded. “Segregation, SUPREMACY on page 5 war effort. ■ See GI BILL on page 5