June 23, 2022 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

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

Inside this Edition

Read more about Sharon Smith-Akinsanya's journey on page 7.

THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA FOR 87 YEARS

JUNE 23-29, 2022

Vol. 88

www.spokesman-recorder.com

NO. 47

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Scenes from a hot and joyous Juneteenth

WORD ON THE STREET

All photos by Jyssica L. Williams

What does Juneteenth mean to you? As Twin Citians braved the heat to celebrate Juneteenth this year, the MSR was on the scene at several events to engage with community members. We asked, “Which do you prefer, one big Juneteenth event like in the past, or the present-day trend of several events at once?” We also asked, “What does Juneteenth mean to you?” By Nikki Love Contributing Writer

Kimberly Wiseman

James Mullins, We Push for Peace

start with self-love first. You can’t love or give in a meaningful way if you don’t have that deep love for self. If we love ourselves, we can love each other fully, totally, wholly, so we can heal as a society.

things ourselves or think it’s someone else’s responsibility, it’s not; it’s all of ours. It’s for everyone to pull together to serve our community. Sondra Samuels

Cordell Wiseman

you can lead the nation. I love Black people! I love our highly textured hair, our skin, our melanin, our swag, our spirituality. I love our we’re-going-to-keep-on-moving-no-matter-whatness!

to where we are now. Every day is Black history to me. We are doing a lot of great work here in Brooklyn Center. Juneteenth was just the beginning! Tish Jones

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott

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probably prefer multiples of Juneteenth. I remember back in the day when it was only one Juneteenth at Theodore Wirth Park, and it was a great celebration that everyone gathered to, but unfortunately violence was associated with those events. With multiples of Juneteenth, you get a chance to have a variety to choose from that you are more comfortable with, or depending on the neighborhood, the community, or the event itself.

like multiple Juneteenth events because of the creativity that comes with the events. People’s creativity has different aspects, gifts, and talents. To have one Juneteenth for a whole city or whole state of people, I think we would limit ourselves in experiencing those gifts. It shows diversity. All people of color have experienced the effects of slavery in some form or fashion. We are witnessing modern-day slavery today— even though the emancipation took place, we are still not free. We are still fighting to celebrate the beauty of our Blackness. The community needs to

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prefer multiples of Juneteenths. When you have multiples of Juneteenth events, people can choose to go wherever and learn the history of why we celebrate Juneteenth. The community needs to come together, ‘cause when we come together and gather all the resources, we can become a strong, striving community. When we try to do

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uneteenth means a combination of hope and hurt. To me, Juneteenth is the proof that no matter what we face, we are going to make it. It excites me, and I am thrilled. We need multiple Juneteenths in the form of history— history of the descendants of enslaved Africans in America. We need to understand the role that was played. We didn’t suffer for nothing; suffering created character for us Black people. When you have real character,

As recession looms, Blacks could be hardest hit By Jon Jeter Contributing Writer Sitting in her hairdresser’s chair on a recent afternoon, Veronica Ancrum noticed that she had never before seen her hairstylist in the Greensboro, North Carolina salon that she frequented. Striking up a conversation, she was thrilled to discover that the woman—who was also Black—was her homegirl. Both were from New York: Ancrum from the South Bronx, her hairdresser from Harlem. As her beautician continued to braid Ancrum’s hair,

she asked her what motivated her to relocate. “She told me that she worked as a stylist for years at a shop her mama owned on 125th

Street,” Ancrum told the Spokesman-Recorder in an interview, “but when the landlord suddenly raised the rent from $10,000 per

month to $26,000 they had to close the business. “And she had to come all the way down here to Greensboro to start all over again. It seems that everybody is scrambling just trying to survive these days.” The consensus among economists is that the U.S. is closing in on a steep recession, triggered by living costs that have not risen so high so fast since the early days of the Reagan administration. With the price of rent, food and gas increasing by nearly ■ See RECESSION on page 5

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rooklyn Center is transforming; Juneteenth represents the essence of that transformation. Here in BC, we celebrate freedom and liberation. It is now a holiday, but Black people have always celebrated Juneteenth. We have a long way to go in transforming our communities, and Juneteenth is an opportunity to see where we’ve been

uneteenth means many things to me in a contemporary sense; we’re talking the 2022 opportunity we have. I think it’s an opportunity for us to look back at what transpired at the end of enslavement of African in Americans, as well as the lag of when people found out that they were actually free. The opportunity we have is to look back at the truth and the painful, violent and oppressive history and think ■ See W.O.S. on page 5

Protecting youth from gun violence is a public health emergency More gun safety education needed Mike Moen Contributing Writer The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says gun violence is now the leading cause of death for all children and teens. While Congress continues to debate possible changes to the nation’s gun laws after the recent school shooting in Texas, efforts move forward in Minnesota to establish safer environments in schools and surrounding communities.

Ayolanda Evans Mack—director of community response and education for the group Protect Minnesota—said the problem goes beyond school grounds, pointing to incidents in places such as North Minneapolis where young children have been victims of gunfire in their neighborhoods. She said it doesn’t mean these areas are inherently violent, but they need help in reducing shootings. “We call it a public health emergency,” ■ See GUNS on page 5

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June 23-29, 2022

Metro

Photo of the Week: Royalty catches bouquet

Wedding season is upon us. The bouquet toss is a wedding tradition where the bride tosses the bouquet over her shoulder among single women. Whoever catches the bouquet is said to have good luck and will be the next person to be married.

At the June 18 wedding of Stephanie and Ronald Toussaint, the lucky lady just happened to be Ms. Black USA 2021 Jamila Toussaint (third from the right with bouquet) who is also a lawyer, yogi, model, and Ms. Black Minnesota 2020. Photo and text by Travis Lee

Metro Transit prepares big changes to Route 5 By Henry Pan Contributing Writer Another fast bus similar to the A and C Lines will start running on the Route 5 corridor later this year. As part of the agency’s efforts to move more people around—not just downtown commuters — in a faster, more reliable way, Metro Transit will start service on the D Line, which will run the exact same route as the Routes 5E and 5M branches, in December. The D Line will be different from the 5 in many ways. Like the A and C Lines, it will travel faster by making fewer stops, and riders will be able to pay before they board, and board through any door. The D Line will also use 60 foot accordion buses all day, which will be equipped with wifi and USB charging outlets, It also won’t operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which the 5 did pre-pandemic; its operating hours would be 4 am to 1:30 am. The agency isn’t

raine Smith is worried about what the D Line means for those with limited mobility like

herself. “Now with the 19 being cut [because of the C Line], I either have to get off on… Golden Valley Road and Penn, or Plymouth and Penn. Either way that's, like, seven blocks to my house,” said Smith. “So they said that it was convenient,

Roger Johnson rides the Route 5 bus to work at Chicago and Lake. sure if 24-hour service will ever [but] a convenience for who?” resume. Other riders remain skeptiBut longtime Northside resi- cal. “[The D Line] might be for dent, poet, and transit rider Lor- the better,” said Percy McKee,

who did not hear about it until Minneapolis-Richfield border at he was interviewed while riding 56th Street, where some trips the 5 after coming from a res- go now. Next year, the 5 may be cut back to run entirely within the city of Minneapolis, stopping at Osseo and 47th Street in North Minneapolis once a Hennepin County road reconstruction project and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s rebuilding of Victory Prairie Dog Park wraps up. Metro Transit planned to stop the 5 at 66th Street in Richfield, but abandoned the plan after the city of Richfield and Metro Transit could not find a place for drivers to park their buses to take their breaks. Additionally, the 5F branch on 26th Avenue North will also be eliminated, as will the nowschool-day-only 5K branch to 44th and Penn and 5L to Emtaurant job in Coon Rapids. “I’m erson and 33rd. The 5A branch not too sure until it comes into to 38th Street—which turned effect.” around at the Worldwide OutThe agency says merging reach for Christ parking lot those stops make sense, be- at 38th and Chicago before cause 75% of riders board George Floyd’s murder and within a block of where the the subsequent community stations will be. “As was true occupation of the intersection on the A Line and C Line corri- relegated buses to park next to dors, we expect nearly all riders Phelps Field Park—was elimito shift from the local Route 5 nated last December. to the D Line because it will be The changes go beyond the faster and more reliable with 5. The 721 and 724, which ran improved passenger amenities,” without stops on I-94 between said Metro Transit spokesper- Dowling and downtown Minson Laura Baenen. neapolis, will turn around at They plan to keep the 5 for Brooklyn Center at all times. a couple more years so the The 39 and 133, which providagency can better understand ed rush-hour commuter service how ridership will change and to South Minneapolis pre-panto ensure that people with lim- demic, will be eliminated. ited mobility still have a way to The D Line is expected to be get around. just as fast, if not faster, than But the 5 will be reduced to the nonstop routes it will rerun every 30 to 60 minutes, just place. It is expected to be one like the 16, 19 and 84 when minute slower to three minutes their respective Green, C and faster than the 721 and 724 A Lines opened. It will no lon- between Brooklyn Center Tranger go to the Mall of America, sit Center and downtown, and instead stopping short of the two to four minutes faster than

the 39 end-to-end. Travel time on the D Line between Chicago and 54th and downtown Minneapolis is expected to be the same as the 133, at about 30 minutes. Roger Johnson, who commutes from Brooklyn Park to a job at Chicago and Lake he has had for a decade, is so excited about the D Line and thought

it would open next month. “It would be a quicker ride for me. It would be easier for me to get to work,” said Johnson after transferring to the 5 from the C Line at 8th and Nicollet. Henry Pan welcomes reader responses at hpan@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $16.59-$24.15 per month and business services are $25.00-$48.66 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as defined by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be on either wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload or faster to qualify. A household is defined for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain a Lifeline discount can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program. If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-800-201-4099 or visit centurylink.com/lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program.

Success happens one step at a time. Let’s talk about your next one. In banking and business, relationships matter more than ever. Talk to a Bremer banker today. Understanding is everything. © 2022 Bremer Financial Corporation. All rights reserved. Bremer and Bremer Bank are registered service marks of Bremer Financial Corporation.

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June 23-29, 2022

Health & Wellness

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Choosing a Medicare Advantage plan

How to make a decision that best suits your needs

By Dr. Dionne Hart Guest Contributor The American population is aging. By 2040, the number of Americans aged 65 and older will reach approximately 80 million. Older adults are frequent targets of marketing efforts to encourage them to choose a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare pays a fixed amount for your care each month to the companies offering these plans. These plans are sometimes called Part C or MA Plans and are offered by Medicareapproved private companies

that follow rules set by Medicare (the federal government). Often, Medicare Advantage products include drug coverage or Part D plans. These plans advertise on TV, radio, and through direct mail to seniors. They market their coverage of gym membership, transportation, and additional vision, hearing and dental care benefits while intentionally refraining from mentioning the drawbacks. Before you select a Medicare Advantage plan, research the plan in depth, review potential plans with a trusted friend or family member, and/ or discuss the plan with your primary care physician (PCP). It is essential to understand both the benefits and the drawbacks. One in four senior physicians with regular Medicare insurance already have a Medicare supplemental insurance or Medigap policy. Some Medicare Advantage plans restrict your ability to use Medigap insurance for cost sharing. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan then decide to cancel your plan and return to regular Medicare, you cannot

• Understand the policy is subject to change each year. • Understand the out-ofpocket costs if you decide to opt out of a Medicare Advantage plan. For more information, visit www.medicare.gov/basics/getstarted-with-medicare.

Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com simply return to your previous Medicare plan. In fact, you may have difficulty securing a plan. Some plans also require you to provide medical information to qualify for coverage, and others are relatively expensive. Tips: • Check the plan’s impact on your Medigap policy. • Ensure the plan has ad-

equate coverage for routine care, chronic disease management, and emergency care. • Ask what are the out-ofpocket costs for drugs. • Ask what are the out-ofpocket costs for direct physician services and testing. • Ask what are the rules if you need to meet with a specialist.

• Ask if the plan requires a PCP to provide a referral prior to an appointment with a specialist. • Ask if, after electing to participate in a Medicare Advantage program, you are also eligible for a supplemental payment. • Ask if your current physician(s) is included in the Medicare Advantage network.

Dr. Dionne Hart specializes in psychiatry and addiction medicine. She was the inaugural chair of the American Medical Association’s Minority Affairs Section and the first Black woman elected to the Minnesota Medical Association’s Board of Trustees. She is a past Minnesota Psychiatrist of the Year. In 2020, the Minnesota Physician journal named her one of the 100 most influential healthcare leaders in Minnesota. She is the president of the Minnesota Association of African American Physicians.

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June 23-29, 2022

Opinion

The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the MSR.

Pay attention to the Jan. 6 hearings

Learning the truth is the first step in holding the guilty accountable back. They answered Trump’s call to come to Washington on the day Some extremely important truth- Congress would affirm Joe Biden’s telling is happening in Washington, victory. They gathered weapons D.C. right now. and body armor and trained in miliI know a lot of people are skep- tary tactics. And they smashed their tical about Congress. Sometimes way into the Capitol. that cynicism is well earned. But the They came way too close to pullbipartisan House select committee ing it off. And that means some of investigating the plot to overturn the 2020 presidential election is doing essential good work. All of us should pay attention to the public hearings the committee is holding this month. them will try again if they are not Let’s be clear. The violent crimes held accountable now. that took place during the Jan. 6, That is why it is so important that 2021 attack on the Capitol were Americans learn everything we can not just about an angry crowd get- about the scheming and planning ting out of control. that led up to the violent attempt The people attacking the po- to prevent the peaceful transfer of lice and hunting for members of power. And it is important that we Congress and Vice President Mike remain watchful about the steps Pence were part of a bigger crimi- they are taking now to give them nal conspiracy. They were out to a better chance at succeeding next overturn the will of the voters who time. elected Joe Biden to be our presiGetting the truth is the first step dent. It was an attack on our coun- in holding people accountable. It try—on you and me and everyone will be up to the Justice Departwho turned out to vote. ment, which has charged hundreds We believe the record reflects of people for their crimes during the that the criminal conspiracy started insurrection, to make sure that the at the very top, with former Presi- powerful individuals who plotted dent Donald Trump. It included behind the scenes face the same members of Trump’s staff and le- kinds of consequences as those gal team who pressured Pence to who rioted at the Capitol. break the law, ignore his constituAll Americans should be grateful tional duty, and throw the country to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for into chaos. creating the House Select CommitIt included members of Con- tee. We should be grateful for the gress and pro-Trump political and committee members and staff who religious leaders who continued to have worked so hard to get at the spread Trump’s lies about a stolen truth in spite of stonewalling and election long after the courts had defiance of legal subpoenas from rejected these false claims. Trump’s team. And it included far-right-wing acDefending democracy should tivists who were told their country not be a partisan project. Repubwas being stolen from them—and lican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam who planned for civil war to take it Kinzinger deserve credit for serving By Ben Jealous

on the committee. They deserve credit for insisting that the truth come out. They deserve praise for standing up to Trump and all the gutless or unprincipled Republicans who are trying to protect Trump by sabotaging the investigation, lying about the committee, and obscuring the

Defending democracy should not be a partisan project.

Racist academics demonize Black people By L. Tripp An insidious dimension of crime is its use as a political tool of control. Criminal laws are assumed to be impersonal and moral, but many are immoral and arbitrary. Government units define a crime. What constitutes a crime varies according to time and place. During the White conquest of American Indians, it was a crime to fight against genocide. During the enslavement of Black people, it was a crime to fight against slavery. During state-sanctioned segregation it was a crime to fight for civil rights, and at present it is often a crime to fight against anti-Black police practices. These examples illustrate how the U.S. government immorally used its definition of crime as a political tool to control Indians and Blacks. The myth of White moral superiority A tenet of the myth of White Superiority is that Whites are inherently morally superior to Black people. Many prominent White scholars have used their prestige and influence to justify and perpetuate this dangerous myth. I will present concrete examples and theories to show how academics maliciously attempt to criminalize Black people. The pseudoscience of Black criminality White racist scholars have deliberately laid a false foundation for the stigma of criminality on Black people. They have a long history of using pseudoscience to defame people of African ancestry. Robert Bennett Bean [1874– 1944], a professor of anatomy at the University of Virginia Medical School, attempted to provide sci-

entific support to the widespread view among psychologists that Blacks were innately brutal, vicious and stupid. He maintained that the "Negro brain" developed normally where perception, memory and motor responses were concerned, but logical critical thinking or the comprehension of abstract ideas was beyond its grasp because of its arrested physiological development. James Q. Wilson and Richard Herrnstein, Harvard University professors, in their book ”Crime and Human Nature” [1985], concluded that the predisposition toward crime has genetic elements. They claim that the average intelligence of criminals is significantly lower than that of noncriminals and suggest a relationship between race and crime. They reasoned that intelligence is largely determined by genetics, and people with less intelligence tend to

engage in criminal behavior at a higher rate than people with more intelligence. They noted that the crime rate among Blacks is higher than Whites and suggested that this reflects the alleged mental inferiority of Blacks. In sum, they argued that Blacks are more criminally prone than Whites because Blacks are less intelligent. David Wasserman, a lawyer and research scholar at the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at Maryland, organized a conference titled "Genetic Factors in Crime" [1992] for which the National Institutes of Health initially approved a grant of $78,000. Critics attacked the meeting as a promotion

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Psychopathic personality traits and Black crime White psychologist Richard Lynn [1930—] attempted to use psychopathy (psychopathic personality disorder) as an anti-Black weapon to criminalize Black people. His premise was that antisocial personality disorder is a condition found in all ethnic and racial groups. People with this condition are prone to disregard the law and violate the rights of others. He argued that the disease is found at different levels in different races, based on environment and genetics. He asserted that there is an association between

White scholars foster the false belief that Black people are innately prone to commit crimes.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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of inaccurate and racist views that branded Black people as genetically predisposed to crime. These are a few examples of White scholars fostering the false belief that Black people are innately prone to commit crimes.

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psychopathic personality and crime because the high aggression of psychopaths leads them to commit crimes of violence. Therefore, he expected racial and ethnic differences in psychopathic personality would appear in statistics on crime and imprisonment. He claimed that the prevalence of the disease is highest among American Indians and Black people. Finally, he used statistics showing racial disparities in crime rates, welfare dependency, and stable families. Flawed evidence for Black crime rates It is indisputable that the antiBlack U.S. Criminal Justice System racially targets and punishes Black people more severely than any other racial or ethnic group. To use crime data generated from racially biased sources (FBI and police departments) as a valid measure of racial crime rates is deceitful. Yet, White scholars use these flawed data as concrete evidence to argue that Black people are genetically the most prone to commit crimes, especially violent ones. Racist corruption in research on crime Many academics play a crucial role in reinforcing the criminalization of Black people in the U.S. and justifying the Black mass incarceration. Their research projects, in which racial bias permeates their hypotheses, data and theories, support and validate anti-Black stereotypes. Rather than being sources of enlightenment, these racist academics are propagandists of antiBlack demonization. Dr. Luke Tripp is a professor at St. Cloud State University.

truth. Rep. Jamie Raskin, one of the heroes of the January 6 committee, has called Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger “constitutional patriots” for defending democracy. We know that Trump’s Republicans have been plotting to undermine the committee’s work. They are counting on far-right media outlets to carry their propaganda. They want to prevent Trump from being held accountable by confusing and concealing the truth. That is a threat to our future. It could lead us away from a national commitment to transferring power peacefully to election winners. It could send us further down the road, as Rep. Raskin recently described, to “coups and insurrections and fascist-inspired political instability.” It’s up to all of us not to let that happen. I encourage everyone reading this to watch as many of the January 6 hearings as you can. Urge your elected officials to defend truth, accountability, democracy, and the right to cast a vote and have it counted. Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

Money in politics endangers our democracy spending by corporations, unions wealthy donors. and nonprofits violated the first Former Rep. Chris Collins (RThe January 6 hearings have amendment. NY) admitted as much when talkshocked the nation with disturbing This ruling opened the floodgates ing about the 2017 tax bill (that details about Trump and his allies’ for corporations and rich people to gave nearly $2 trillion in tax cuts to plot to overturn the 2020 election. It flood political discourse with their wealthy individuals and corporais clear that they actively worked to cash. Their ability to fund the cam- tions), saying: “My donors are basitear down the very foundations of paigns of politicians who support cally saying: ‘Get it done or don’t ever American democracy for their own their interests, not the people’s, has call me again.’” personal gain. resulted in the degradation of the I hope that he just forgot that his But while the nation’s attention average voter’s political power. donors are not all of the people he is fixated on these hearings, we Put simply, in an America where is supposed to represent, but it is shouldn’t pretend that January 6 money is equated to free speech, still scary to hear him admit that the was an isolated event. America’s the money of the rich drowns out threat of withholding campaign dodemocracy has been under siege the voice of average Americans. nations is a major influence on policy. for decades from a more subtle but The wishes of the American public have equally dangerous force, as many of the same far-right billionaires and little to no impact when compared to the legislators who supported Trump policy preferences of the ultra-rich. and the January 6 insurrectionists have spent years working to underSupreme Court decisions like CitiOur democracy is out of balance. mine the principle of one person, zens United v. FEC, Buckley v. Valeo, We’re rapidly approaching an oligarone vote. and SpeechNow.org v. FEC have chy, with a few wealthy individuals Thanks to their work, we now live asserted that spending money is an essentially running the show. in a system where money equals expression of speech and that multiWithout reasonable limits on power, and the wishes of the Ameri- billion dollar corporations can spend campaign finance, politics becomes can public have little to no impact limitlessly to fund the politicians of a competition where candidates when compared to the policy pref- their choice. scramble to gather as much money erences of the ultra-rich. They’ve done so with glee. Phar- from donors, corporations and speAcross the country, policies that maceutical companies give millions cial interest groups. Average Ameriare supported by an often vast ma- to block drug price negotiations. cans don’t have millions to spend jority of voters, from taxing the rich Firearm manufacturers make con- on candidates who support widely to raising the minimum wage to tributions to keep gun control laws popular policies, leaving them the marijuana legalization to restricting lax. Insurance companies pay to try losers when we allow unlimited the rights of teenagers to buy assault to prevent Medicare from expand- money in politics. rifles are ignored by lawmakers, with ing to cover vision and dental. CorThere are many dangers to our virtually no political change taking porations and the wealthy donate democracy, and not all are as obviplace to realize those goals. to lower their taxes, and the fossil ous as an angry mob in MAGA hats. Behind the scenes, the nation’s fuel industry blocks action against They may be dressed differently, but rich and powerful gain enormous climate change. the corporate lobbyists in thousandaccess and influence through politiAs a result, we’ve witnessed law- dollar suits pose just as much of a cal contributions that interfere with makers pass or block bills because threat. our representatives truly represent- that’s what their wealthy donors tell ing the will of the rest of the people. them is important, even if those bills Morris Pearl is a former managing This is all the direct result of the right- are contrary to what a majority of director at Blackrock, Inc., and is now wing crusade to undermine our voters want. A study by professors chair of the Patriotic Millionaires. campaign finance system. from Princeton and Northwestern Twelve years ago the Supreme University showed that support Court took a major step in the wrong by the majority of voters has virtudirection by ruling in Citizens United ally no impact on policy outcomes that legislation limiting campaign when compared to the demands of By Morris Pearl

June 23-29, 2022

Recession

catch pneumonia when Whites have a cold as the saying goes. Blacks lost more wealth following the 2008 colContinued from page 1 lapse of the real estate market than at any time since the 1874 failure of 10 percent year over year, the Fed- the Freedman’s bank and never truly eral Reserve Bank last week raised interest rates by three-quarters of one percent—the highest hike in its overnight lending rate to retail banks since 1994—in an attempt to cool down an overheating economy. Historically, however, raising interest rates causes side effects. In 1980, then-Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker raised the Federal Funds rate to a historic high of 21.5 percent, triggering what was at the time the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. In Volcker’s obituary, the New York Times wrote in 2019: “As consumers stopped buying homes and cars, millions of workers lost their jobs. Angry homebuilders mailed chunks of two-by-fours recovered. to the Fed’s marble headquarters in Wells Fargo bankers testified that Washington. But Mr. Volcker man- they peddled “ghetto loans” targetaged to wring most inflation from the ing “mud people,” which is consistent economy.” with an Economic Policy Institute It is with that history in mind that analysis that found that 53 percent of JP Morgan Chase’s CEO Jamie Dimon all Black borrowers were issued subtold reporters last week following prime loans, compared to 47 percent the Fed’s rate increase: “I said there of Latinos and a quarter of White were storm clouds, big storm clouds borrowers. In New York City, African [hanging over the U.S. economy.] American home buyers in 2006 were Now it’s a hurricane.” four times more likely than Whites That is particularly ominous for to be saddled with a subprime mortAfrican Americans who, in addition gage. to being the last hired and first fired, Another study found that between

2004 and 2008, only 6.2 percent of White borrowers with a credit score of 660 or higher received a subprime loan while the rate for Black borrowers with similar credit scores was 21.4 percent. In fact, lending disparities

of color were targeted not because they were credit risks, but because they weren’t. The result is that Black home ownership has plummeted to 43 percent even while overall home ownership nationwide has surged to an all-time high of 65 percent; more than 72 percent of White households own their own homes. Unsurprisingly, the racial credit gap today mirrors the racial divide in unemployment. According to a 2016 study, nearly half of all African Americans have bad credit, compared to roughly a quarter of Whites. In fact, Whites earning $25,000 annually are likely to have better credit than Blacks earning between $65,000 and $75,000. Nine of every 10 Black college students enrolled in four-year public universities rely on federally-subsidized student loans compared to six in 10 Whites. African Americans who earned their bachelor’s degrees from actually widened when households a four-year public university in 2012 with higher incomes were compared. owed an average of $3,500 more in That meant that an African Ameri- school loans than their White class-

“There are no more dollar stores, it’s all $1.25 now.” can family earning $200,000 annually was more likely to be saddled with a subprime loan than a White family making less than $30,000. New York University Sociology Professor Jacob Faber concluded that borrowers

mates. Regulators have fined lenders such as Toyota, Fifth Third Bank and Ally for overcharging Blacks and Latinos for car loans. African Americans, on average, pay between $300 and

$500 more for an auto loan than do White borrowers. Such heavy debt burdens have left Blacks in a precarious position as a financial downturn approaches. On social media, African Americans say they have been forced to sell purses, jewelry, cars, and even blood to make ends meet. At her neighborhood Dollar store in Greensboro, Veronica Ancrum told the Spokesman-Recorder that the number of shoppers on a typical day has doubled from roughly 10 to 20, including more Whites, even though prices continue to soar. “There are no more dollar stores, “ she joked, “it’s all $1.25 now… Some people can’t afford to buy but one roll of toilet paper at a time.” An accountant who hasn’t worked in her field in 20 years, Ancrum, an activist, says that Blacks in her community are so indebted that it even affects marriage rates. “No one wants to take on someone else’s debts,” she said. She and her husband are besieged with calls from investors asking if they want to sell their home. “The problem is that every aspect of our lives has been commodified,” she said. “Even if you date, you gotta do it online. Black folks have to find a hustle just to survive.” Jon Jeter welcomes reader responses to jjeter@spokesman-recorder.com. Photos courtesy of MGN

Guns

on their own. Protect Minnesota has worked to provide some preContinued from page 1 vention tools in underserved areas. Elsewhere, Ramsey said Evans Mack, “and there County has expanded its free is a disparity in the ways in gun-lock initiative. As for which we actually talk about schools, Stephanie Burrage, gun safety in Black communi- deputy commissioner of the ties.” Minnesota Department of Evans Mack said she feels Education, said even smallerthere’s not enough education scale incidents on campus can provided about things such have major effects. as trigger locks, safe storage, She recalled her own exor the consequences of straw perience while working in gun purchases. Instead, she the Robbinsdale School Dissaid, these communities are trict, and the response went simply told to end the violence well beyond helping students.

Burrage had to provide emotional support for a teacher when the school reopened. “I remember walking with her, and I said, ‘I’m gonna walk this with you because we do have to be here for the kids.’” She said the department is focused on hearing what districts might need in terms of support, including guidance on safety plans. Meanwhile, the Children’s Defense Fund urges policymakers to rid these environments of opportunities for shootings by adopting common-sense gun reforms. While the U.S. Senate is discussing a bipartisan package, broader partisan divides remain.

“There is a disparity in the ways in which we actually talk about gun safety in Black communities.”

W.O.S. Continued from page 1 about what we can do moving forward. Juneteenth is a day

to meditate and think about what we can do moving forward. Think about how we are going to continue to strive for our freedom and liberation, ‘cause we are still struggling. If we can work diligently

5

Mike Moen is a writer for the Minnesota News Connection.

“I love Black people! I live, breathe, eat and sleep everything Black.”

to get together, to be in one space, to collaborate and have a shared message or agenda that is pointing toward liberation as well as have a good time. Ensure to move forward within the community or tribe. I love Black people! I live,

breathe, eat and sleep everything Black. I believe in my people, and I am here for us. If I can, I will. Text and photos by Nikki Love.

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6

June 23-29, 2022

Business

Arts & Culture

June 23-29, 2022

7

One woman’s seven-year journey

to make Minneapolis ‘shine purple’

of the legendary Eduardo Kobra, who in addition to the Bob Dylan mural has painted hundreds of murals on five continents. He Conclusion of a two-part story submitted a design that both Smith-Akinsanya and Vorder‘Be bold!’ bruggen loved. As the entire world mourned Next, they had to find a locathe death of Prince, so did Shation and approached Art Space, ron Smith-Akinsanya. She also which designs and manages lamented the fact that he’d never more than 50 arts properties in get the chance to see Minneapothe United States, including 21 lis “shine purple.” But through all in Minnesota. Among those lothe tears and sorrow, she rememcations is the Cowles Center for bered something Prince often Dance and the Performing Arts. (l-r) Joan Vorderbruggen, City Council President Andrea told her: “Keep moving forward. You could see it from both Hen- Jenkins, and Sharon Smith-Akinsanya Never lose your momentum. Be nepin and First Avenues. It was bold!” close to the Dylan mural. ously opened quickly seemed to tended both junior high and high close. Lobbyist agendas at the school. The city was reeling. State Capitol started to get in the way as well, so there would be no The revolution begins in money from the legislature. Minneapolis There were other stumbling Minneapolis was now the cenblocks, including timing issues ter of the world for all the wrong with the artist. And then, Smith- reasons. And yet, despite all the Akinsanya and Vorderbruggen pain and despair felt by so many, began to contemplate another a citywide movement started important issue. The space adja- to build, gain traction, and bring cent to the location they’d settled people together in the call for juson was a parking lot, which was tice. not owned by the Cowles Center. People started to ponder what Thus, if the current proprietor sold Prince might say or do were he it, there was nothing to keep a still here to see what was hapnew owner from putting a build- pening in his hometown. Plenty of ing there, obstructing the Prince social media posts made declaramural and creating a PR night- tions such as, “Only Prince knew mare. the revolution would begin in Minneapolis. ” (l-r) Joan Vorderbruggen, Tyka Nelson (Prince's sister), Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, Norrine ‘Why would I ever follow Dylan?’ Smith-Akinsanya began to Nelson (Prince's sister), and Walter "QBear" Banks (in the background). With all these things now wonder if the mural might be part Even prior to Prince’s passing, lature, asking them to contribute She invited Prince’s sister Tyka gnawing at Smith-Akinsanya, she of such a process, “something for Smith-Akinsanya had started to $250,000 to the project. Initially, and her son President to visit began to wonder if Prince wasn’t all of us to get behind, something work closely with Joan Vorder- it seemed as though things would the space, both of whom really talking to her. She and Vorder- to look forward to.” As she started bruggen, who at the time was work out. “After all,” Smith-Akin- seemed to like it. Smith-Akinsan- bruggen decided that the Cowles seeing a spike in phone calls from director of Hennepin Theater sanya figured, “how could they ya was excited. “Something was Center was not the location, al- CEOs and owners requesting her District Engagement. She was not want to crown our Prince?” really happening. We’d found our though they still had Kobra’s de- DEI consulting services, she knew also the principal facilitator who When considering the artist, spot.” sign based on those dimensions. now was the time to do right by helped make the Bob Dylan mu- Smith-Akinsanya and VorderHowever, things soon started When they shared the design one of the greatest musical icons ral a reality. bruggen immediately thought to unravel. Doors that had previ- with family members, some loved of our times who was also a Black it but others hated it. man. “Everyone had to agree,” said So, Smith-Akinsanya took the Smith-Akinsanya. Moreover, she mural idea to U.S. Bank, who said started to ponder what Prince yes with a six-figure donation. would think if he showed her this design. “Why would I ever follow Dylan?” she could hear him say. So here they were again, SmithAkinsanya and Vorderbruggen, without a location and without an artist. Still, the duo remained Ultimately Target, Best Buy, the undeterred. But no sooner did McKnight Foundation and Thrithey begin to regroup and CO- vent followed suit, and, with the VID happened. Twins already on board, SmithSmith-Akinsanya thought the Akinsanya now had the major pandemic might be the time to sponsors she’d sought for years. start raising money again. “Most Additional contributors and people were home,” she rea- collaborators would come aboard, soned. “Maybe it would be easier including community and media to get their attention.” She and partners. Nonetheless, for some Vorderbruggen put a budget to- reason, there were entities that gether, guessing they’d probably seemed like a natural fit, yet didn’t need around $500,000 to get contribute a dime. this done. “This was the hardest money At that point, only the Pohlad I ever had to raise,” she revealed. family had given to the cause, “No disrespect to Bob Dylan, contributing a five-figure dona- whose impact is indelible, but he’s tion directly to Hennepin Theatre not from Minneapolis. And, aside Trust after the legislature said no. from a couple semesters at the No one else besides the Min- University, he didn’t live here. Yet nesota Twins stepped up to the his mural was commissioned and plate with any money. “Not a completed in a matter of weeks— cent,” Smith-Akinsanya revealed, with a single donor.” “I couldn’t understand. I’ve She continued, “I wish we raised millions and millions of dol- could account for the financial lars in this town for a variety of impact that Prince had on this causes, multiple ventures. Why city over 40 years… In a state this does this city not want to say rich, you’d think millions of dollars ‘thank you’ to Prince?” would have poured in for someDetermined, Smith-Akinsanya thing like this. It’s difficult for me and Vorderbruggen decided on a to take the time to analyze it all, public space and approached the because it still hurts. It still makes City of Minneapolis, which had me angry.” been considering ways to make Even though Smith-Akinsanya some of its downtown infrastruc- had the donors she needed, she ture “a little more vibrant, less of still hadn’t reached the mountainan eyesore.” top. She had to scale the budget Shortly thereafter, the City down by 20% and donate tons of agreed to donate space on Ramp hours to the project. “It's worth it A at First Avenue and 9th Street. though,” she admitted. “Anything After sharing the good news with hard is worth it. This was my baby. Prince’s family and his estate, the It has been for seven years. I had two of them still had a lot of red to see it over the finish line.” tape to cut through. Then, right on the heels of this A unanimous selection newfound momentum, George Now that Smith-Akinsanya Floyd was murdered just a few and Vorderbruggen had money blocks from where Prince at- and a location, they still needed By Tony Kiene Contributing Writer

“Vorderbruggen is the public art expert in the Twin Cities,” beamed Smith-Akinsanya. “She was my partner in crime through all of this and knows everything about the intersection of public spaces and city politics.” Smith-Akinsanya and Vorderbruggen both agreed that, indeed, a mural was the best way to honor Prince. Vorderbruggen emphasized that it must be in a public space where the world would see it, even if it were just an aerial view on television during a ballgame or other downtown event. Smith-Akinsanya testified before the Minnesota State Legis-

an artist. And having come this far, the destination had to yield a world-class mural from a worldclass muralist. They put together what they called the Prince Selection Committee, made up of family members, the estate, childhood friends, musical collaborators, and people who worked for him. Out of 60 artists, it came down to three finalists. “We gave each of them a stipend,” recalled Smith-Akinsanya, “and they all went back home to create their visions.” When the designs came back, the choice of the Prince Selection Committee was unanimous: Hiero Veiga. “His story is powerful all by itself,” added Smith-Akinsanya. “But he also possessed a profound understanding of how important this particular undertaking would be.” ‘He chose us!’ As the unveiling of Prince’s mural on June 2 inched closer and closer to fruition, Smith-Akinsanya gushed about just how perfect a location Ramp A has proven to be. “It’s like he’s looking out over his royal kingdom, you know. There are so many spaces down there that he’s inextricably linked to: First Avenue, Target Center, The Fine Line, Bunkers, The Dakota, and the Glam Slam building, the place I first met him that fateful night.” And, while they were at it, Smith-Akinsanya and Vorderbruggen decided they might as well get the street named after Prince too. Thus, on June 7 Prince’s 64th birthday, the stretch of First Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets was fittingly renamed “Prince Rogers Nelson Way.” “We chose his birthday for this,” Smith-Akinsanya explained, “so that it was not lost during the mural dedication. We were able to

“There’s no question that collectively, this town, this state took Prince for granted.” give it its own air, its own oxygen. Something both of these events deserved. What Prince deserved.” That thought still reminds her how challenging this seven-year quest has been. “I still have some lingering concerns,” admitted Smith-Akinsanya. “There’s no question that collectively, this town, this state took Prince for granted. We didn’t always treat him as we should have.” For example, save for KMOJ’s Walter “Q-Bear” Banks and maybe one or two others, there were not many that stood up for Prince when the Star Tribune’s C.J. constantly ridiculed him. “At least no one else I remember,” added Smith-Akinsanya. Yet there was always that insular community that loved and adored him. Or, as Smith-Akinsanya noted, “The people that waited in line for hours and hours at Paisley Park.” The same people that just had to see him perform every single time he graced a Twin Cities stage. “The message I think we must take from all of this,” said SmithAkinsanya, “is the cavalry is not coming. We have to have one another’s back, take care of each other. We have to save ourselves.” She concluded, “This is not just the simple story of a hometown boy makes good. Prince was a Black man that was born in Minneapolis, lived in Minneapolis, and died in Minneapolis. Prince could have lived anywhere he wanted to in this world. He chose us!” Tony Kiene welcomes reader responses at tkiene@spokesmanrecorder.com.

8

June 23-29, 2022

BULLETIN High schools students are invited to construction trades fair Lake Street Works is inviting families of current 10th & 11th-grade students to a construction trades fair on Sunday, June 26, from 1-4 pm at 3017 4th Ave. S., Mpls. Attendees will be able to learn more about careers in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and carpentry. Free food and entertainment will be provided. For more info, call 612-825-2271, or go to www.lakestreetworks.org.

Yard waste pickup switching to every other week for parts of Mpls. week of June 27 and every Beginning Monday, June 20, yard waste pickup will change from weekly to every other other week after that. week for some parts of south, southwest and northeast Minneapolis to adjust for a staff Solid Waste & Recycling shortage. customers can also call the Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling customers whose collection will change to every Solid Waste & Recycling ofother week live in: fice during office hours at 612-673-2917 for help find• South: east of I-35W. ing their yard waste collection • Southwest: south of Minnehaha Creek. day. • Northeast: south of 22nd Avenue NE; customers should check the map on the City Staff understand this is inwebsite to see if their yard waste collection is changing. convenient and are grateful for customers’ patience and Solid Waste & Recycling customers who live in those areas should: understanding while the City • Leave properly prepared yard waste at their curb or alley line until it’s collected if they works through staffing issues. Courtesy of the city of Minneapolis can. The goal is to always provide • Call the Solid Waste & Recycling office at 612-673-2917 if their yard waste has the highest quality service possible. not been picked up for more than two weeks. Collection will be every other week on regular pickup day, but for the most efLearn more about yard waste collection on the City website at bit.ly/YardwasteMpls. ficient routes it might not align with customers’ recycling week. They can find their yard waste pickup week in the map on the City website by scrolling down the page to Find drop-off locations for yard waste on the Hennepin County website at bit.ly/Hennepinfind their location in the map. yardwaste (There may be a fee.) “ABE” week is the week of June 20 and every other week thereafter. “CD” week is the

Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

Worship Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church

Bethesda Baptist Church

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

Rev. Arthur Agnew, Pastor

Rev. James C. Thomas, Pastor

451 West Central

St. Paul, MN 55103 651-227-4444

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

Wednesday 7 pm "Welcome to

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church"

At the Old Landmark 1118 So. 8th Street

2600 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.greatfriend.org Phone: 612.827.7928 Fax: 612.827.3587 info@greatfriend.org

Mpls., MN 55404 612-332-5904 www.bethesdamnonline.com bethesdamn@prodigy.net

Sundays 8:00am Sunday School 9:30am Worship Service

Sunday Service Times: Early Morning Service 9 am

The Friendly Church Where Everybody Is Somebody

Sunday School 10 am Sunday Worship 11:30 am Wednesday

Prayer Meeting, 6 pm Adult Bible Class 7 pm Children's Bible Class 7 pm

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

Employment & Legals STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF RAMSEY

DISTRICT COURT SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT

SUMMONS Cherrie Lenora Smith, Plaintiff, VS. Haweya Chafeh Djama, and Ahmed Awil Ashkir, Defendants.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of:

State of Minnesota Washington County

Alexandra Mann and Hanif Powe

District Court Tenth Judicial District Court File Number: 82-JV-22-198 Case Type: CHIPS - Permanency

PHONE: 612-827-4021 Termination of Parental Rights Matter

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: HAWEYA CHAFEH DJAMA AND AHMED AWIL ASHKIR.

Summons and Notice

NOTICE TO: Hanif Powe , Above-named parent(s) or legal custodian(s). 1. A Termination of Parental Rights Petition has been filed in the Office of the Clerk ofJ uvenile Court located at 14949 - 62nd St. N; PO Box 3802 Stillwater MN 55082,alleging that parental rights of the above-named parent(s) or legal custodian(s) to thechild(ren) named in the petition should be permanently severed.

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 21 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 21 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: Swor & Gatto, P.A. 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Paul, MN 55102

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS 2. NoticePLEASE is hereby givenCONTACT that the matter of said Termination of Parental Rights Petition will be called for hearing before the Juvenile Court located at 14949 - 62nd St. N; PO Box3802 ACCOUNTING Stillwater MN 55082, on July 26, 2022 atDEPT 10:00AM or as soon after as the Matterc an be heard. @BI LL I NG@SPOK ESM A N-R ECOR DER . 3. YOU ARE ORDERED to appear before the Juvenile Court at the scheduled time and date. COM

3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff's Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer.

5. If you fail to appear at the hearing, the Court may still conduct the hearing and grantapproLEGAL NOTICES priate relief, including permanently severing the parental rights of the above-named parent(s) or legal custodian(s) taking X permanent SIZE: 2andCOL 6 = 12custody of the child/rennamed in the Petition.

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff's Complaint against you is attached to this Summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons.

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 21 days, you will lose this case. You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the plaintiff everything asked for in the Complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the Complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the Complaint. 5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case. 6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute. Dated: April 11, 2022

SWOR AND GATTO, P.A. By: /s/ John Paul J. Gatto Marcus P. Gatto (#0391160) John Paul J. Gatto (#0387730) ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102 651-454-3600 marcusg@sworgatto.com jpg@sworgatto.com

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder June 16, 23, and 30 2022

STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN

FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PROBATE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION

In Re: Estate of Richard Duane Newstrom, Sr., Deceased NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS FILE NO. 27-PA-PR-22-598 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS: Notice is hereby given, that an application for informal probate of the above named decedent's last will dated 1/27/99 has been filed with the Registrar herein, and the application has been granted informally probating such will. Any objections may be filed in the above, and the same will be heard by the Court upon notice of hearing fixed for such purpose. Notice is hereby further given that informal appointment of Mary Kay Newstrom, whose address is 2654 Alabama Ave., St. Louis Park, MN 55416, as personal representative of the estate of the above-named decedent, has been made. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative and the personal representative are empowered to fully administer the estate including, after 28 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate, unless objections thereto are filed with the Court (pursuant to Section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders. Notice is further given that ALL CREDITORS having claims against said estate are required to present the same to said personal representative or to the Probate Court Administrator within four months after the date of this notice or said claims will be barred. Dated: June 16, 2022

Alonna J. Warns Registrar

ProSe

Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer District Court Administrator Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder June 23 and 30, 2022

4. You have a right to be represented by counsel.

RATE $17.08 PCI (1ST RUN) WITNESS, the Honorable Francis Green III SUBTOTAL: $204.96 Judge of District Court BY: Paul Patterson Court Administrator

RATE #11.38 PCI ( EACH ADDITIONAL RUN) 12 X 2Minnesota = 24 Spokesman-Recorder June 16, 23, and 30, 2022 SUBTOTAL: $273.12 State of Minnesota TOTAL: Hennepin County

$478.08

Continued from page 10

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

Tracey Williams-DillarD

cecil e. NeWmaN

Publisher/CEO

Founder-Publisher 1934-1976

Wallace (Jack) JackmaN Co-Publisher Emeritus

l auNa Q. NeWmaN CEO/Publisher 1976-2000

Vice President Emeritus

Dr. Clarence Hightower

Sports Writers

Charles Hallman

Digital Editor Paige Elliott

Stephenetta “isis” Harmon

Charles Hallman Dr. Mitchell P. McDonald

Robin James

Contributing Photographers

Jon Jeter

Onika Nicole Craven

Desktop Publishers Kobie Conrath Jim Handrigan

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Ashley Lauren

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Nadine Matthews

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Contributing Writers Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III Dr. Deirdre Golden

Nikki Loe

Marion III took the first ring and had an outstanding career at the University of Minnesota by pushing the Barber name more and more. I saw him before he got drafted in the fourth round by the Dallas

Norma JeaN Williams

Senior Editor Jerry Freeman

Abdi Mohamed Niara Savage Marquis Taylor

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history. Please proof, respond with11.email Park Center guard confirmation to10ads@spokesman-reContinued from page Braeden Carrington, who was In Re the Marriage of: Please with email confirmation to discorder.com Amy Lynn Dixon proof, respond Summons (Check one) PHONE: 612-827-4021 named the state’s Mr. BasketPetitioner (first, middle, last) x Without Real Estate play@spokesman-recorder.com quarterfinal and being named ball after leading the Pirates to and With Real Estate Please Note: New email address Matt Dixon Jr Minnesota’s Mr. Football. the Class AAAA state champiFOR BILLING Respondent (first, middle, last) The MSR handles billing digitally. for all future ads School is ads@spokes4. The Fridley High onship. INQUIRIES ThisOFmeans youTOwill get e-tears and e-mailed invoices THE STATE MINNESOTA THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: football team and Coach Jus12. Khalid El-Amin, the man-recorder.com & TEARSHEETS WARNING: Your spouse has filed a lawsuit against you for dissolution of your unless you specifically request a hard copy. marriage. A copy of the paperwork regarding the lawsuit is served on you with this tin Reese, who CONTACT led them to former Minneapolis North PLEASE summons. This summons is an official document from the court that affects your rights. The MSR handles billing the AAAA quarterfinals inDEPT the digitally. and UCONN star, who just Read this summons carefully. If you do not understand it, contact an attorney for legal ACCOUNTING advice. This means you will get e-tears andhis first year as head state football playoffs. finished @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM e-mailed invoices unless you specifi1. The Petitioner (your spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for dissolution of your 5. To Minneapolis North’s boys basketball coach at St. marriage (divorce). A copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this cally request a hard copy. basketball team who, under Thomas Academy. Summons. 2. You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the court a written Answer to the Petition for Hall DISSOLUTION of Fame CoachOFLarry 13. Tara Starks and the MARRIAGE Dissolution of Marriage, and you must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms are available from the court administrator's You must serve your Answer upon Petitioner within Fromoffice. Classified McKenzie, won their ninth Hopkins girls basketball team 1 WEEK RUN thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of straight City Conference service. If you do notDepartment/MN serve and file your Answer, the court may give your spouse everything FEE WAIVED PER COURTfor not only capturing the he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. Spokesman-Recorder championship and made it to Class AAAA title but finishing 3. This proceeding involves, affects, or brings into question the real property located at the following address m County, State of ____ , with the following legal description: the Class AA state champion- in the top 10-ranked nation4. (For a second property) This proceeding involves, affects, or brings into question the real ship game. ally as well. property located at the following address: __________________ in Please Note: New email address for all future ads is ads ________________ County, State of _____, with the following legal description: PHONE: 612-827-4021 6. The Park Center boys 14. The St. Paul Como spokesman-recorder.com OR [X] this proceeding does not involve real property. basketball team, who won the Park girls basketball team and NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS FOR BILLING Class The AAAA state crown un- digitally. Head Coach Yolonda Englund MSR handles billing Under Minnesota law, service of this summons makes the following requirements apply to both parties to the action, unless they are modified by the court or the proceeding is INQUIRIES ThisCoach meansJames you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices der Head Ware. for leading the Cougars to aunl dismissed: specifically request a hard copy. (1) Neither party may& dispose of any assets except (a) for the necessities of life or for the TEARSHEETS 7. Totino Grace’s boys bas- Class AAA state tournament necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (b) by an agreement of the parties ketball team winning the Class finish. in writing, or ( c) forPLEASE retaining counselCONTACT to carry on or to contest this proceeding. (2) Neither party may harass the other party. ACCOUNTING DEPT AAA state title under Head 15. The Benilde-St. Mar(3) All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continued without change in coverage or beneficiary designation. Coach Nick Carroll. garet’s girls basketball team (4) Parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute LL NG@SPOK E Sincludes M Amediation, N - R ECOR DE R . DeLaSalle boys bas- for making it to the Class AAA 8. The resolution pursuant to@BI Minnesota law.IAlternative dispute resolution arbitration and other processes as set forth in the district court rules. You may contact the court COM ketball team who, under the state tournament under Head administrator about resources m your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit guidance of Head Coach Tra- Coach Mike Swann. provider or a court program If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in vis Bledsoe, earned a trip to 16. Hopkins forward Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 518B, you are not required PROBATE to try mediation and you will not be penalized by the court in later proceedings. the Class AAA state champi- Maya Nnaji, who was named IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT. onship game. Gatorade Player of the Year 2 WEEK RUN 9. The St. Paul Johnson for the state of Minnesota and Dated: FLAT RATE $200.00 PREPAID County and State where signed Signature boys basketball team who Metro Player of the Year by Name: Amy Lynn Dixon captured the City Conference the Star Tribune, in addition to Please Note: New email address for all future ads is Street Address: 401 Plymouth Rd title, coached by Colin Moore. leading the Royals to a Class City/State/Zip: Minnetonka, MN 55305 ads@spokesman-recorder.com Telephone: 612-735-5032 10. Tre’ Holloman, the point AAAA state championship. E-mail address: amyldixon 15@yahoo.com The MSR handles billing digitally. guard who not only led Cre17. Future University of Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder June 9, 16, and 23, 2022 This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices tin Derham Hall to the Class Minnesota Golden Gopher unless you specifically request a hard copy. AAAA semifinals in the state Amaya Battle of Hopkins for tournament but also was leading her team to the Class named the Gatorade Player of AAAA state crown and being DONATE TO THE MSR TODAY! the Year award in Minnesota the state’s Ms. Basketball. VISIT WWW.MINNESOTA and Metro Player of the Year by the Star Tribune, finishing Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonSPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM as one of the Raiders’ most ald welcomes reader responses decorated players in school to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

Barber

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER

District Court Judicial District: Fourth Court File Number: 27-FA-22-928 Dissolution without children Case Type:

June 23-29, 2022

P.O. Box 8558 Minneapolis, MN 55408

Cowboys; it was so exciting to see him play in the Pro Bowl in 2007. Dominique Barber played for the University of Minnesota from 2003 to 2007. He made second-team All-Big Ten. He was drafted to the Houston Texans in the sixth round in 2008 as a defensive back; he showed his skills and made his family proud again.

In his four years, Thomas Barber was an outstanding linebacker from 2016 to 2019. He totaled 274 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles, and seven recoveries. Now Thomas is an assistant coach for the University of Minnesota. All three Barber sons have provided entertainment, com-

mitment, and inspiration to all who have watched them play for decades. Through the hard times and the good times, the Barber family is still intact, providing inspiration and leadership to all who need their help. Thank you for being the best at this time of profound grief.

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June 23-29, 2022

Congratulations are in order a few are missed here, but more congratulations are coming in future columns. 1. The football team at Minneapolis North and Coach Charles Adams for making their ninth consecutive state playoff appearance and winning the Section 4AA PreP Scene title. 2. The Robbinsdale CooDr. Mitchell per football team who, under PalMer McDonalD Coach Willie Howard, made Congratulations to the fol- it to the Class AAAAA semifilowing teams and individuals nals of the state playoffs. who accomplished quite a bit 3. Running back Emmett during the prep football and Johnson, leading Holy Anbasketball seasons. I know gels to the Class AAAA state ■ See prep on page 9

Hopkins guard Amaya Battle Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

Sports Title IX’s impact on women athletes of color and elsewhere, little is being said of its impact on Blacks and other underrepresented folk. “I would say…Title IX has not been necessarily beneficial to women of color,” said Madyson Roach, a former

“Title IX has not been necessarily beneficial to women of color.”

First in a series Title IX turns 50 years old on June 23. The historic legislation, a section of the Education Amendments, was a set of changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965, is barely 40 words: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” “There are two words missing from that paragraph,” explained Mary Jo Kane, the director-emeritus of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota. “The first word that’s missing is ‘sports’. The second word that’s missing is ‘physical’,” she pointed out. President Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law on June 23, 1972 during his first term in office. It is mostly known for providing equal opportunities

are mostly focused on gender equity, not racial equity. Also, she noted, “Black women seem to be overshadowed” in their contributions, which she considers “hidden gems of history.” What also isn’t talked

Kiamsha Bynes Courtesy of Rutgers for girls and women in sport and less about education. But since its passage and signing, Title IX has been modified to include prohibiting discrimination because of pregnancy; gender identity and sexual orientation; sexual harassment and violence policies; and, of course, expansion of athletics, especially for underrepresented women and girls. It’s that latter focus that is not often discussed about Title IX. Is it really working for girls and women of color? William C. Rhoden wrote in 2012 for the New York Times, “Race is by far the most debilitating limitation of Title IX, yet you barely hear discussion of it.” In the number of Title IX recognition and celebratory pieces that have run locally

high school softball player in Portland, Oregon, to my question as she appeared on an April virtual event on Title IX hosted by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the University of Maryland. “I think I’m still learning to this day more information and details about Title IX that I never really knew…but I’m happy that I have an understanding now,” said Roach. “The biggest thing is access and accessibility,” added Rutgers doctoral student Kiamsha Bynes, speaking on what’s available for Black girls and girls of color in underserved communities. She wrote on her school’s Title IX recognition blog, “Although not perfect and far from balanced, Title IX has provided a foundation for Black women to enter sporting positions at the collegiate level.” But Bynes told the MSR that Title IX and its supporters

about in honoring Title IX’s half-century existence is that it almost never happened: Several Black legislators in Congress, including Shirley Chisholm and Charles Diggs, opposed the bill, not because of gender equity but because it seemingly did not address racial equity. We learned and wrote about this in 2012 (Another View, Sept. 26, 2012, which is being rerun on the MSR website). Title IX is enforced by the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education. Are all schools fully in compliance with the law? Next: Is Title IX being enforced, and if so how? Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Former Gopher star exemplifies ‘it’s never too late’ By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist “It’s never too late” is a timehonored axiom. Tommy Davis recently made those words a reality rather than a throwaway phrase. Davis, a Gopher men’s basketball player (1982-85), left school as its fourth all-time scorer (1,481 points), was a fifth-round NBA draft pick by Dallas, and played overseas ball. But he also left school without his degree. Now, decades later, Davis, a 2021 M Club Hall of Fame inductee, earned his bachelor degree in multidisciplinary studies. “You got a little bit of math, reading, a number of things all rolled into one,” he told the MSR by phone from his home in France, where he is a dual citizen. “I’m always preaching it…. never too late, no matter what

you do. I wanted to finish. I just wanted to do it, and I did. The hardest part of getting it done was finding the time, because

finding the time to meet all the requirements,” Davis pointed out. “We started in 2017. I didn’t take any classes

ish. Why, after all these years, after a successful playing and coaching career in France, did Davis choose to finish up and

and started talking to some of the people over there, and they were like, ‘Hey, man, you should do it.” “I did,” Davis said proudly. The former Gopher great, now a Minnesota graduate, works with former NBA great Tony Parker with his basket-

keep pushing, keep going, finish what you start, it gives me a little bit more credibility.” Will Davis return to the States any time soon? “I don’t know if I’ll be back because I’ve been over here for so long,” he said. “I was in France almost 30 years before I even

“When I’m talking to the kids to keep pushing, keep going, finish what you start, it gives me a little bit more credibility.”

Tommy Davis dunking and Tommy Davis drinking champagne once you’re working, you can only take a certain number of courses each semester.” Then throw in an unexpected pandemic. “The work wasn’t that hard. It was just

in 2019.” Also during that time, Davis was Minneapolis Washburn’s boys varsity coach for a season (2017-18). All told, it took Davis roughly three years from start to fin-

Courtesy of Twitter graduate from the U? He said the idea of doing this came when he returned to the States a few years ago. “I came back to the States with my son. I went by [the school]

ball academies. “I had known Tony before he started playing with the Spurs,” said Davis of the retired French native. He agreed to help Parker out if and when he started his basketball schools. What will Davis do with his degree? “It won’t really enhance what I’m doing because I’m still doing the same thing. But just the fact that now, when I’m talking to the kids to

came back to the States for five or six years.” But he offers this advice: “It’s never too late. It’s a matter of disciplining yourself.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Reflections on the death of Marion Barber III In my opinion, one of the most extraordinary families of all time brought their whole family to play football for the Well, son, I’ll tell you: University of Minnesota football team. Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. The Barber family, from 1977 to 1980, It’s had tacks in it, then from 2001 to 2020, have been on And splinters, a team. There was a genuine belief that And boards torn up, the University of Minnesota is one of And places with no carpet on the the best institutions for their sons. And floor— their parents cheered for their sons at the Bare. University of Minnesota football home But all the time games and away games. I’se been a-climbin’ on, This journey started with Marion And reachin’ landin’s, Barber, Jr. in 1976; during that time Mike And turnin’ corners, Jones, who played wide receiver for the And sometimes goin’ in the dark University of Minnesota football team, Where there ain’t been no light. wanted Marion to attend the UniverSo boy, don’t you turn back. sity of Minnesota. So at 17, Marion was Don’t you set down on the steps recruited by Mike Jones and another U ’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard. of M player, Kieth Brown who played Don’t you fall now— strong safety. For I’se still goin’, honey, Keith Brown said, ”He [Marion Jr.] I’se still climbin’, was one of the best recruits of that time. And life for me ain’t been no crystal He was quiet but listening to everything stair. we were trying to tell him about the University and what they can do for him —Langston Hughes once he graduated.” Keith also said, “The 1977 freshman

By Kenneth Foxworth Contributing Writer

class was the best class I’d ever seen, because they had running backs all over the country, linebackers and wide receivers that we needed like Glenn Howard and Chester Cooper from New Jersey. You had Gary White from Texas and Dana Noel from Chicago, running back Roy Artist in that freshman class. Those players were the best I have ever seen at the University of Minnesota. If we had not had those players, we wouldn't have had a chance to beat Michigan 13 to 0.” When he joined the team, Marion Barber, Jr. ( the hardest running back I've ever seen) was recognized for creating “ a whole different way of running through you and around you.” Marion Barber, Jr. was the Minnesota Gopher who scored the touchdown in a historical game. When Michigan was ranked number one in the nation, he scored the first touchdown and the only touchdown that helped win the game over the number-one ranked Michigan 16-0. He finished as the record holder for rushing 3,000 yards and 94 rushing touchdowns. He played 34 rushing

games, 12 in his career. Marion was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round and played for them from 1982 to 1988. Marion married a beautiful bride named Karen. They had three sons, Marion Barber III, Dominique and Thomas. Life as a Barber has not been easy. Some days it's like the crystal stair Langston Hughes wrote about. But, you have to keep climbing by doing jobs like working for Hennepin County Juvenile Center and working at Armstrong High School

to show other students the best way to be great human beings for this state of Minnesota and the country. We know it is so hard to lose a son. Marion Barber III saw his dad play football; he wanted to be like him. Like in the movie Rudy, everybody wanted him to be a football player, work, and go to school where his Dad went—the University of Minnesota. Marion Jr. told me,” This is the only place my sons wanted to go was the University of Minnesota.” ■ See Barber on page 9