July 21, 2022 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934

July 21 - 27, 2022

Vol. 88

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

Inside this Edition...

Read more about 2022 ABFF on page 6.

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No. 51

tman Maiya Lea Har Photos by Nikhil Kumaran

Artist collective re-envisions MSR mural

T

By Nikhil Kumaran Contributing Writer

Like the previous mural, the new mural chronicles the history of the paper from its founder Cecil E. Newman to he BIPOC muralist art collective Cre- his granddaughter and curatives after Curfew rent CEO/Publisher Tracey spent the past Williams-Dillard, along with week reimagining nods to the historic Black and retouching the Minnesota Press and notable contribuSpokesman-Recorder’s signa- tors to the paper over the ture mural facing 38th Street years like photographer Gorat 4th Avenue in South Min- don Parks. “We are trying to go back neapolis. They’ve provided not only a new color scheme, but in, restore it, and bring more also a more lifelike approach life to the mural,” said Grover to the portraits of key CEOs Hogan, “especially for such an important cultural staple for and publishers.

Spokesman-Recorder is that the murder of George Floyd. they keep an archive of all of “Our murals, at that time, their original papers. There’s were a response to his murjust so much history in those der and police brutality,” said Leslie Barlow, one of the collective’s artists. THERE’S A “It was also a way for us to come together and make artwork to process everything that was going on, but also ON archive a moment and heal together.” “It seems like everything happened very fast during member Bayou Bay. “This paper recorded documents.” Most of the artists in the that time,” recalled Maiya Lea has been here since 1934. “One thing that people collective have been active Hartman, a painter who’s been may not know about the members since its birth after around since the group’s forthe area and Black journalism in general.” “There’s a lot of history on these walls,” said collective

LOT of HISTORY

THESE WALLS.

mation. “It was time for Black artists to recognize how much space was being taken up by non-Black artists and that it was our turn to share our voice and create a space of safety and joy.” According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, a growing body of research shows that the arts have a positive impact on health and wellbeing. The University of Minnesota has a variety of programs and studies that explore and research ■ See MURAL on page 5

Rep. Omar on why she deserves a third term ​Jai Hanson makes his federally in this country. The executive order that the president put forth is a huge step. Obviously, there’s more work that can be done, and the two pieces of legislation that we just passed can help get us there.

By Abdi Mohamed Contributing Writer Rep. Ilhan Omar, vying for her third term in Congress, points to her political record as to why she’s still the person best fit for the job. The Somali-born refugee rose to the national spotlight in 2016 as the first Somali American state legislator (District 60B) in the U.S. Shortly afterward, as former Congressman Keith Ellison pivoted towards the state’s attorney general’s office, Omar set her sights on representing the 5th Congressional District. That political ambition paid off as Omar was elected to Congress in 2018 and shattered multiple glass ceilings as the first woman of color from Minnesota to serve in Congress and one of the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress. In her time since being elected, Omar has gained a reputation for her progressive policies on climate change, health care, and a $15 minimum wage alongside some of her colleagues who have been branded as “The Squad.” In this interview with the Minnesota Spokesman-

Rep. Ilhan Omar meeting a constituent at a recent town hall Submitted photo Recorder, Omar (IO) discusses what she’s recently done in Congress so far to address the issues relating to abortion access, gun reform, ensuring voting rights, and more. MSR: What can people expect from Congress in the upcoming months to protect access to abortion at a federal level and what are the benefits and limits of the president’s recent executive order?

IO: Thank you for that question. There’s a lot that we can do on a federal level. Congress today passed two pieces of legislation. The first is the Women’s Health Protection Act, which codifies Roe into law. The second is legislation that helps people who are pregnant to be able to cross state lines legally and obtain an abortion. I think those two pieces of legislation are very much helpful, and there’s a real need for us to make abortion legal

MSR: With the spur of recent shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, Chicago and Minneapolis, what can you say about the efforts by Congress to curb mass shootings and pass gun control laws? IO: There’s obviously a lot more that we can do. It’s great to have voted for and supported the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This is a significant piece of legislation and will make a huge difference in communities like ours in Minneapolis and Chicago. Going forward, we need to ban AR-15s and other assault rifles, pass universal background checks—which will help prevent a lot of people who shouldn’t have guns from having access to them—and we should be doing a lot more to make sure that domestic abusers don’t have access to guns. There’s a lot more funding ■ See OMAR on page 5

case for Hennepin County Sheriff

Jai Hanson

Submitted photo

By Jennifer Cherrier Contributing Writer

from business finance to communications and began his 14- plus-year career in law enforcement. Hanson was born in India and came to Minneapolis when he was adopted at the age of two. His father is retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Sam Hanson, and his mother Mirja Hanson worked as a state employee, an educator, and is a dedicated nonprofit community advocate. They instilled in him the importance of public service. The MSR talked with Hanson to find out more about his experience and his candidacy for Hennepin County Sheriff.

MSR: What is your dayto-day like in your current Independent Hennepin role, and how has it helped County Sheriff candidate Jai you reimagine the criminal Hanson didn’t originally plan justice system? JH: I am the candidate in on a career in law enforcement. But after participating this race that has the most in ride-alongs in college and frontline experience. Whethat the suggestion of his father, er responding to 911 calls or Hanson changed his major responding to calls for service, ■ See HANSON on page 5

​​Mary McLeod Bethune statue unveiled at U.S. Capitol She joins four other African Americans so honored

D. Kevin McNeir Contributing Writer

The Mary McLeod Bethune statue replaces one of a Confederate general Courtesy of NNPA

After five years of struggles and negotiations that required state and federal approvals, included logistical challenges, and featured a fundraising effort that generated close to $1 million, a pristine, towering statue was introduced to the world honoring the late educator and civil rights icon Mary McLeod Bethune on July 13. The 13-foot-long block of precious marble now stands in the U.S. Capitol Building’s National Statuary Hall where family members, civic leaders and elected officials gathered for a moving ceremony. “Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s statue unveiling and dedication is historic as the first African Ameri-

can—male or female—to be honored in the National Statuary Hall State Collection,” said said Nancy Lohman, president of the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund, who attended the ceremony. The Bethune statue is one of two statues representing Florida in the Capitol, replacing a nearly 100-yearold bronze sculpture of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith. The Smith statue can now be found in storage at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee after being removed last fall. Bethune’s statue will be the first representing a Black person, male or female, in the state Mary McLeod Bethune with girls from the Literary and Industrial Training collection inside Statuary Hall. School for Negro Girls in Daytona, Fl in 1905. There are four other Black people MGN represented in other parts of the ■ See BETHUNE on page 5

2 July 21 - July 27, 2022

Metro Photo of the Week

Foreclosure prevention takes on MN’s racial housing gap By Mike Moen Contributing Writer An uneven pandemic recovery, along with inflation, is fueling concern about foreclosure activity. In Minnesota, there is a push to ensure households of color do not suffer the same fate as they did after the 2008 housing crisis. Nonprofits providing housing assistance say that crisis had a devastating effect on Black neighborhoods in particular. Catrice Williams, director of wealth development for the Urban League Twin Cities,

The homeownership rate for Black Minnesotans is now about 50 percentage points lower than it is for White residents. To help at-risk neighborhoods, the Urban League, along with groups like the Minnesota Homeownership Center, provide free financial counseling and wealth-building tools. The League also is developing a land trust to help more Black residents afford homes amid higher costs. Bill Gray, director of stakeholder relations for the Minnesota Homeownership Center, said promoting such efforts in

Causing a scene

households because they were more likely to have those jobs that were lower wages and public-facing,” Gray noted. “And so, they were impacted by the dangers of COVID, more than other households.” Gray added dispelling myths about homeownership also can help close the growing gap in Minnesota, suggesting it is not entirely out of reach, as some might think. “The fact is, if you’re paying full market rent, you can probably afford a mortgage,” Gray stated. “It’s just qualifying for that mortgage.”

Wild turkeys stroll through the neighborhood near the intersection of 28th Ave. and E. Minnehaha Pkwy in South Minneapolis—catching the eye of drivers and stopping traffic in the process. Do you have a photo you’d like to share with other MSR readers? Send it to submissions@spokesman-recorder.com. Make sure to place “Photo of the week” in the email subject field. If your photo is selected, you will win a one-year subscription to the MSR newspaper. Photo by L.E. Thompson Terrance Emerson – stock.adobe.c said it was felt in such places as North Minneapolis and East St. Paul, and widened homeownership disparities in the region. “Even though the homeownership gap was quite large then, it was not as large as it is today,” Williams pointed out. “That, I believe, is a direct result of that foreclosure crisis.”

affected areas will hopefully prevent foreclosure spikes. Looking back on 2008, he recalled the market pushed many BIPOC households into unconventional loans. And today, he pointed to the onset of the pandemic, and its ripple effects on income. “During COVID, we saw a greater impact on BIPOC

Both organizations say their programs can help navigate qualification barriers, such as low credit scores. They agree doing this work can help to end generational wealth disparities in Minnesota, too.

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Mike Moen is a writer for the Minnesota News Connection.

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Health Controlling hypertension may require treating sleep apnea

By Dr. Inell Rosario Guest Contributor Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most treatable causes of high blood pressure, yet it is so often ignored and goes untreated with persons preferring to take multiple medications trying to manage their hypertension without addressing many of the major contributing factors. We all know that discipline is hard. Getting into a routine of exercise and healthy eating takes making decisions for health and wellness on a daily basis. Treating sleep apnea may need to be one of those decisions.

frame of reference called the apnea hypopnea index, or AHI. Generally we are familiar with the apneas as causing restless sleeping, snoring, morning and daytime tiredness, and behavioral issues such as decreased attention in both children and adults. But many people do not realize that obstructive sleep apnea also can contribute to and cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure is considered when the systolic pressure is greater than 140 mgHg and the diastolic pressure greater than 85 mgHg. Typically, treatment of sleep apnea will involve, for milder forms, lowering salt in the diet, weight loss, exercise and medications.

How does sleep apnea increase blood pressure? When an apnea occurs, think of it like holding your breath. You build up incredible stress on the inside of your blood vessels much like the stress you feel on a whole body What is obstructive sleep ap- level as you continue the act of not breathing while awake. nea? As the periods of involuntary By definition it is having five or more episodes in any given breath-holding repeat during hour where respirations are the night, the pressure buildup slowed by more than 30% for puts strain on the innermost 10 seconds or longer. Mild sleep lining of the blood vessels, or apnea would be considered intima, causing it to become having 5-15 of these events an thicker in response to the preshour; moderate sleep apnea is sure, much like the pressure of 16-30 events per hour; and se- weight lifting causes muscles vere apnea is having more than to become larger. Unfortunately, a thicker, 30 events an hour. These numbers give us a more muscular intima means

that the lumen or blood flow passage becomes smaller. This narrowing of the blood vessel flow is made worse by the effects of the oxygen breakdown products that occur because of lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide concentration when there is restriction in airflow. Blood flow then goes from meandering down a wide path to being pushed through a straw, thereby elevating the blood pressure. Therefore, if we can reduce the number of times there is a reduction in airflow both day and night, the “stress” that the inner lining of the blood vessels see is reduced, leading to a thinner endothelium or intima. More room for blood to flow leads to lower blood pressure.

There have been studies in particular using canine models that show development of thickening of the intima levels of blood vessels and subsequent development of hypertension when sleep apnea is artificially created in the animal. With reversal of the apnea, over time the intima lining thins and blood flow increases, reversing the hypertension. Untreated sleep apnea also causes the blood pressure in general to be higher both day and night. Generally during the night the blood pressure naturally lowers by 10-20%, a phenomenon called “blood pressure dipping.” In patients with sleep apnea, especially severe sleep apnea, the blood pressure dipping is

much less and may not occur at all. Therefore the body is seeing a much higher blood pressure for longer periods of time, which can cause more damage to organs such as the heart and kidneys. Treatment The American Academy of Cardiology recommends that persons with hypertension needing two or more medications to control be screened for obstructive sleep apnea. So if you are on two or more medications for your blood pressure, have a discussion with your doctor about getting a sleep study. Continue to minimize the salt in your diet, eat a balanced diet, and exercise, but now add treat-

ment of your sleep apnea to this regimen. Sleep apnea is most often treated with use of positive airway pressure devices, oral appliance therapy, positional therapy and surgery. Your sleep physician will perform a complete head, neck and lung exam and help you determine which option is best for you. Dr. Inell Rosario is a boardcertified ENT and sleep physician practicing at Andros ENT & Sleep Center in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. She has many times been recognized as a Top Doctor and Best Doctor in various Minnesota magazines and can be reached at drrosario@androsent-sleep.com or 651-888-7800.

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Business

How to protect your money while you travel Travel is back after being off the table for many people due to restrictions and financial challenges. It’s exciting to be able to hit the road or take to the sky again, see new places, and try new things. However, keep in mind that travel (especially internationally) can come with some risks. Losing vital documents or bags or falling victim to savvy thieves who spot tourists as easy marks can put a serious damper on your plans and cause headaches even after you return home. But you shouldn’t let concern over these pitfalls keep you from getting out and seeing the world. Instead, take some simple precautions before you leave and while on your trip to reduce your risk of running into trouble.

tions or those that appear fraudulent if your card is lost or stolen. You can also register with the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for international travel.

Have a backup plan One thing you definitely want to avoid when traveling is losing all of your payment forms, leaving you without any way to make purchases while abroad. To prevent this, make use of your hotel room’s safe and leave some cash and a credit card behind in your room when you go out exploring. This will offer you a backup method of payment in case your wallet or purse is lost or stolen. Additionally, you can give some cash to a trusted friend or family member before you leave with an agreement that they will wire you the funds, Spread the word Before you leave home, if necessary. especially if you’re traveling internationally or far from Keep it close to the vest When you’re out and home, let your financial institution know you’re trav- about while traveling, be eling and where. This is an smart about how you carry excellent idea for a couple of your money and documents, reasons. First, it will help you especially if you’re in a avoid an instance in which crowded area. Rather than a your bank declines a transac- big purse, carry only the estion on your card because it’s sentials in a small bag that coming from a vastly differ- you can hold close to your ent place. Also, some banks body as you walk. If you’re in will pay special attention to an area especially known for transactions while you’re pickpockets, consider a belt traveling to keep an eye out or vest to keep your valuables for especially large transac- hidden under your clothing.

MStudioImages via Getty Images Know who to call Before you depart, write down the contact information for your bank so that you know who to call if something goes wrong. For example, many credit and debit cards have the bank’s phone number on the back. However, if someone steals your card and you need to report it to the bank, you

won’t have that option. Keeping a slip of paper with the contact number close by will give you a lifeline. Protect your documents Your travel documents should be as protected as your money. Your passport, any immigration paperwork you received at the border, and customs declarations

are all crucial to smoothly making your way between countries. Keep these items safe by leaving them in your hotel room, if it is secure, or carrying them close to your body. Before leaving home, you can take photos or make copies of things like your ID or passport and stow them separately in your luggage. These can be helpful if the

originals are lost or stolen. Travel is exciting, so don’t let worry take away from enjoying your trip. Be aware of potential risks and take steps to avoid them. If you plan ahead and exercise some caution, you can safely travel the world and have a wonderful time doing it. Source: JP Morgan

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Omar

IO: As we’ve been fighting to defend our democracy, I’ve also been able to introduce and pass legislation Continued from page 1 to help feed over 30 million children school meals in this country with my Meals Act that passed, and I continue to advocate to get resources to the district like the $17 million in commuthat we can pass in supporting mennity projects that we’ve been able to tal health services and substance use, more than what’s in the current legis- deliver. We continue to make a differlation that we just passed. We need to all look at those things and get them ence in the lives of our constituents passed in the Senate, and we’re not by doing thousands of constituent going to be able to do that if we do casework, whether it’s immigration not get rid of the filibuster and reform or supporting our veterans with the some of the undemocratic elements of resources that they need, or helping this system that is prohibiting some of our elders with their Social Security and disability checks, or just making these changes from taking place. sure people have access to housing with our federal housing program. MSR: Why is it important that we look back on the events of January 6 and understand what happened? IO: I know the hearings are traumatizing for us who lived through that day and feared for our lives. We have to remember that President Trump waged a deliberate months-long campaign to discredit the outcome of the presidential election and keep himself in office. That is a huge threat to our democracy MSR: On the point of defending our and our republic. I think the American democracy, we’ve seen an effort to chip away at voting rights across the people clearly need to see it. I’m one of the first people to intro- country. What can you tell us about duce a resolution to impeach Trump the work that is happening to defend for the insurrection. I literally wrote it voting rights? IO: Democracy and the love for as I was in hiding. I think our democracy is the thing that makes our country democracy is the reason I have orgaunique and revered around the world, nized voter turnouts [and been] an and we have to do everything that we advocate trying to get people to caucan to defend it by holding any and all cus and participate in leading. The first of these insurrectionists accountable. legislation that I held a press conference on was the For the People Act, which is HR 1, which strengthens our MSR: How is Congress working democracy. to ensure our democracy, but also I’m proud of the work that I’ve working to support Americans now?

done in fighting against Voter ID in the state of Minnesota. I’m proud of the background that I have in making sure Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District has a high voter turnout and that we continue to encourage people to participate. We are lucky and might be living on an island here in the United States with all of the things that we will have access to that others throughout the country might not. MSR: You’re one of the most visible members of Congress and have experienced harassment and threats of violence. With all of this divisiveness, much of it directed towards you, how are you doing? IO: It’s a scary time to step up and

with people.” Bay said that being in a collective has opened doors that its members may not have been able to open themselves. “As Continued from page 1 an individual artist, it’s great to go paint with folks that are BIPOC and speak up about issues that matter to us through art,” the benefits of art to one’s physical and Bay said. “If I didn’t have a collective, I’d be doing mental state. Bay said that he loves art because it it on my own, and it’s much better doing it allows him to tap into his spirit and the with people. It’s also great to work togethexpressive side of himself. “It’s playful and er so that we can pool our resources and joyful, and ancestral,” Bay said. “It’s some- make this a lot more possible for each of thing that lets my heart and imagination us,” said Bay. “Things like this collective actually help run free. It’s such a great way to connect

looks like. I don’t believe the media narrative that the gap is as big as the media is saying or portraying. I think both sides—the police, law enforceContinued from page 1 ment, and the community—want reform. They want the police, but they want good police officers and having that interaction with the com- they want police officers that are munity on a day-to-day basis really committed to their community. It’s what’s preparing me for this helps shape my view of what’s going on from the ground level, and what position in addition to responding to domestics and calls for service, in needs to be done. Currently, I am assigned to a spe- situations where people are in crisis cialty unit for the Bloomington Police and the worst spot in their life. Those Department, which includes the Mall are the times where we need to shine of America, the 494 corridor, and the and help them. businesses around the mall. It keeps us pretty active and busy. I am very proud of that frontline experience. Three weeks ago, I pulled a loaded handgun off a 15-year-old at the mall. My experience keeps me sharp and keeps me aware of problems that are going on in our community and on our streets.

Hanson

MSR: What are your goals when/if elected to this position? JH: One of my first initiatives is I want to have a satellite office in North Minneapolis where I would be based. The reason for that is because I believe North Minneapolis has been abandoned by politicians and public safety equally. If you look at any crime maps, it will show that North Minneapolis has a big red dot over it. Making North Minneapolis safe makes our whole city safe, and that’s why it’s a priority to me. Number two, we need to have more targeted enforcement units. The Sheriff’s Office needs to be more involved in that. Right now the Sheriff’s Office stays in their lane when it comes to their State-mandated state statute, as far as water patrol, the

Bethune

in regards to being involved within the community and knowing who’s around,” said Hogan. Hogan believes that another benefit of collectives is that they can pro- Continued from page 1 vide an outlet for artists to share opportunities with each other. The collective’s work on the MSR mural is still a work in progress they expect to Capitol: Dr. Martin Luther finish later this week. King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Rosa To learn more about “Creatives After Parks. Curfew,” visit creativesaftercurfew.com. Bethune-Cookman University Interim President Nikhil Kumaran welcomes reader responses Lawrence M. Drake II, who to nkumaran@spokesman-recorder.com. attend the ceremony at

courts and the jail. In other parts of the country, the Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. They have more of a patrol function as well. We need more deputies that are in front-line positions, where we can send them to communities that need help from law enforcement. I’m running as an independent. This is a non-partisan office. To get public safety accomplished for all citizens, we need to keep this a non-partisan office. I want to make sure we do this the right way and put citizens first. This is about public safety.

we’re not going to have the right candidates entering this profession. We will be in the same cycle down the road. Accountability is being quick and decisive when it comes to removing someone from the force. We need to have face-to-face interactions so that the community understands what law enforcement is going through and law enforcement better understands the community.

MSR: What place do the police have in the community, and what are your thoughts on the calls to defund the police? JH: Police play a vital role in our community, not only in the enforcement role, to make sure people are safe. They are a frontline for resources for people in the community. We need our police and we need good police. As far as the second part of the question, absolutely not. We have a very hard time with recruiting and retention. I’ve seen officers with MSR: What does accountability look five to seven years of experience who should be in the middle of their like to you? JH: Accountability and trust go careers leaving their jobs without hand in hand. What accountability even having another position. It’s just a family decision they’ve looks like for me is what I have been doing in my career. After George made to no longer be a cop because Floyd, I was quick to go on to social of what’s been going on in the commedia and say what I saw was hor- munity. I have been very vocal about rible and that officers should be held not defunding our police. And I’ve accountable for their actions in the been very vocal about supporting our police. murder of George Floyd. We need to be quick to call out the bad that we see in this profession. MSR: Are you looking into Nobody dislikes bad cops more than recruitment options from the good cops. That being said, you build community directly? JH: Yes. One of the things we can accountability through transparency. But also, we need to champion good implement if you look at my website is Cop Houses, which was designed cops. One of our biggest challenges is by the Department of Justice. What recruiting and retention. If we don’t it entails is buying foreclosed properstart supporting our law enforcement, ties in high-crime areas.

“We need to be quick to call out the bad that we see in this profession.”

MSR: What type of work have you done this past year to investigate ways of improving the correctional system? JH: Running for sheriff has been professionally one of the most humbling and honoring experiences. In meeting the people I’ve been able to meet, hearing their stories, and hearing people say they haven’t been heard in the public safety system. It’s something that really inspires me to get involved. I’ve continually heard that victims are getting revictimized by the system. They don’t have advocates. So [I am] talking to the community and talking to people that live in Hennepin County to find out what they want in their policing. Also, [I am] talking to police chiefs and police officers to see what is their view and their vision of what policing

remember I enjoy the support of leadership in the house. We’ve had the First Lady of the United States come into our district to celebrate the work that I’ve been able to do and the resources that I’ve been able to deliver to our state in regards to providing childcare access. And as someone who gets to enjoy and have sit-down conversations with the president, I wouldn’t categorize my relationship with our party and its leadership and the work that I’ve been able to accomplish as not being in line with the party. I think anybody that is making those assessments is truly out of sync with reality.

MSR: There was a large turnout in the Twin Cities for Somali Week in celebration of Somalia’s Independence. You were wellreceived at plenty of the events in the community but received boos from MSR: Is there an exact figure that we the crowd at the Suldaan Seeraar concert at the Target Center while can expect? IO: I don’t know what the exact presenting him with an award. What amount will be at this moment. I hope can you say about that moment? IO: It was a beautiful moment. it is significant enough that people are want to serve in public life. We deal able to feel the relief that it will provide. It was an opportunity to welcome Suldaan and it was a thoughtful geswith massive levels of death threats. ture from Kahin who designed an We have people who have been MSR: In a previous MSR article, Don award to present to him. I think it Samuels stated that your views imprisoned for threatening our lives. ended up being really meaningful to But I think there are many of our on public safety differed from the constituents that are dealing with the views of the majority of voters in the Suldaan to be able to receive an award, and I hope he does get the opportuthreats to their constitutional rights district and that your voting record nity to have many more concerts now every single day, so it is an honor and was out of line with the party. What a privilege to be able to utilize my is your response to how your view on that he is going to be a resident of the United States. unique voice to understand the kind public safety and your voting record of challenges that our democracy is is being characterized? This interview has been lightly edited IO: Changes are clearly needed to facing and advocating for the policies keep all of our communities safe. All for brevity and clarity. that I advocate for. that I think is important to many of our Abdi Mohamed welcomes reader constituents is to be and feel safe. MSR: Over the years, you’ve been a responses to amohamed@spokesmanI think it’s really important to recorder.com.​ leading voice for student debt relief.

“We are lucky and might be living on an island here in the United States with all of the things that we will have access to.”

Mural

What should people expect to come from Congress or the administration when it comes to the forgiveness of student loans? IO: We’ve asked for the readiness of the Education Department because in April, when I sat down with the president at the White House, we got an agreement that the president will move forward with student debt cancellation. That is soon to be announced, hopefully in the first week of August. We just wanted to make sure that the Department of Education is ready to roll out that cancellation when that executive order is signed. This has been an important issue for me and my constituents, and I wanted to make sure that we saw this issue through, because I know that it’s going to make a huge difference in the lives of many people.

5

the Capitol, described the dedication of the statue as a “pivotal moment” in the history of the university that Bethune founded. “It’s a special moment for this university, a special moment for America,” said Drake. D. Kevin McNeir is senior editor for the Washington Informer. Story provided by NNPA. This story was edited for space. Visit spokesman-recorder for the full story.

I’d like to purchase a number of these within walking distance of schools and partner with the private sector for donations and volunteers to fix up the houses. What it entails is basically having it be a community gathering spot within the neighborhood. It allows kids to go there after school. We can have them staffed at high volume times with volunteers to help out with tutoring, interview skills—services they may not have at home. And what makes me excited about doing this on the county level is we can partner with other county agencies, whether that be public health or social work or things that we can bring together and utilize all our county options and resources available to our citizens. Also, [I support] doing that with recruiting. I want to bring back the explorer program. Get these kids involved in law enforcement when they’re 14, 15 and 16, and teach them that this is a noble profession and good career. When they’re 18 years old, we’d get them into a cadet program at the Sheriff’s Office. We’d pay for their two-year college degree and get postcertified. In return, they’d commit to two years at the Sheriff’s Office. In that way, you would begin to have law enforcement that reflects what the communities look like. This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. To learn more about Jai Hanson’s candidacy for Hennepin County Sheriff, visit www. jai4sheriff.com. Jennifer Cherrier welcomes reader responses to jcherrier@spokesmanrecorder.com.

6 July 21 - July 27, 2022

Arts & Culture

Black life empowers 2022 American Black Film Festival ​By Dwight Brown Contributing Writer

most significant calls in American history: “My cousin was just murdered by a MinneThe 2022 American Black apolis police officer. His name Film Festival featured in-the- is George Floyd.” A suitably ater screenings and a virtual factual doc that needed to be component too. Issa Rae (“In- insightful and instructive too. secure”) reigned as the festival ambassador and introduced “Our Father, The Devil” (***) This isn’t a pleasant story. her new HBO Max series “Rap Sh!t.” Crowds watched feature It’s a revenge saga that traps films, docs and shorts and you and makes you feel queaparticipated in talk events, sy. With venom, writer/direcnetworking, and of course tor Ellie Foumbi tells a tale about a victim and perpetrator partied hard. To stay tuned to Black film of violent war crimes. Her muse is an African 24/7/365 go to ABFFPLAY. COM. Meanwhile, the follow- refugee named Marie Cissé ing distinguished films were (Babetida Sadjo). She’s the head chef at a retirement part of the programming. home in Luchon, a small-town in southwest France. On the “Civil: Ben Crump” (**1/2) Often, when there’s a crisis outside she’s cheery with her regarding police malfeasance co-worker Nadia and a café and concerning an African waiter named Arnaud (Franck American victim, attorney Saurel) who flirts with her. Her demeanor changes Benjamin Crump is near. Not as a prosecuting or defense drastically the day a charisattorney, but as the counsel matic Catholic priest, Father to aggrieved families who Patrick (Souléymane Sy Saseek justice through lawsuits— vané), comes to the home. the kind that hit negligent po- Others are impressed by him. lice forces and municipalities Marie is repulsed. This man where it hurts. In the wallet. Crump has established himself as a player, much like Johnny Cochrane. His client list is impressive beyond words: families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor etc. He’s a hero to many but does have his detractors. Some are rankled that his work is not pro-bono, at least not on the well-known cases. His law firm “Ben Crump Trial Lawyer for Justice” has amassed millions for their clients—and themselves. They was a murderous warlord. Foumbi’s script masterfully receive 500 calls a day seekencompasses human rights ing advice and service. Director Nadia Hallgren violations, social issues, and takes a balanced approach feminist leanings. Her unusuto establishing all Crump’s al storyline mimics elements personae: media-savvy attor- of Stephen King’s “Misery”. ney, savior, counselor, extend- It’s enough to keep the nared family member, spokesman, rative fairly engaging, but activist. Even as a young man possibly not in ways film fans he was on a mission: “Lead me. would favor. Credit Sadjo and Or follow me. Or get the hell Savané for making more out of the 1h-47m thriller than is outta my way.” And these days he knows on the page. The lead actress in particuhis value: “‘People seek me out because they want some- lar skillfully wears her emobody they can trust.” As the tions on her face, is quite footage rolls news clips and earnest and surprisingly diavideos of Crump, his ego is bolical: “You took everything front and center along with that was good from me and his noteworthy achievements. shredded it. You’re not leaving He has time-tested strate- here alive!” As a director, Foumbi has gies (make the press an ally) and big enemies (Fox News hates assembled an outstanding him), and he’s repped less visi- tech crew. The film’s look ble cases (Black farmers dealing (cinematographer Tinx Chan; production designer Philwith pesticide illnesses). Hallgren’s doc style is pret- lippe Lacomblez) is art house. ty routine. From a tech stand- Its sounds (composer Gavin point, nothing is extraordi- Brivik) are alluring. And the nary: editing, cinematography, pacing (editor Roy Clovis) is music… In fact, considering rhythmic. Though the increasCrump’s accomplishments as ingly unbelievable plot builds a lawyer and civil rights advo- to an improbable scene with cate, his deeds seem far more Nadia, Marie and Patrick, the impressive than this non-fic- drama does intensify up to a fulfilling ending. tion film. A perfectly acted and craftAfter all, he’s the trial lawyer who answered one of the ed modern-day thriller with

imperfect plotting. “Lovely Jackson” (**1/2) It’s a record no one wants. Ex-inmate Rickey Jackson was incarcerated for 39 years for a murder he didn’t commit. That’s purportedly the longest prison time anyone who has been wrongfully accused and convicted has ever served. Director/cowriter Matt Waldeck and co-writer and film’s subject Jackson retell this injustice using Jackson’s personal experiences and anecdotes. A cast of younger actors reenact important moments filling in the cracks. They portray participants in a Cleveland, OH convenience store robbery that resulted in the murder of a White money-order collector. Jackson was young when he was arrested, the police department railroaded him, a weak star witness accused him, and eyewitnesses didn’t have the courage to clear his name. Curiously, the filmmakers’ use of dramatizations neither helps nor hinders. The most riv-

eting part of this doc is Jackson himself. His metamorphosis from innocent kid to youngadult convict to sage older man is a wonder. He’s in an amazing state of grace, not embittered, and philosophical about his life. The black and white footage works as an artistic choice (cinematographer John Turk). Jacques Brautbar’s entrancing musical score keeps you focused. The questionable reenactments are helped by Dred Geib’s production design, Annin Geib’s art direction and the costumes by Inda Blatch-Geib and Sydney Dematteis-Geib. At 1h-44m many viewers will get restless, not with Jackson but with the pacing and overabundance of facts (editor Mark Andrew Hamer) that aren’t always vital. For those who stick with this long-winded but worthy doc, there are missives about the resilience of life, forgiveness, and suing those who’ve done you wrong that are worthy of examination. For more information about ABFF go to ABFF.com. To screen ABFF films all year, try ABFFPLAY.com. Visit NNPA Syndication Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

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Opinion

7

The struggle continues to transform U.S. public safety By Ben Jealous

White Supremacists want ‘their’ country back By Robert C. Koehler Is an insurrection percolating in the MAGA universe? A civil war? One thing I notice as I read the growing warnings that this is the case is the assumption that suddenly the USA has become a divided nation, a splintered democracy, when, in point of fact, it has always been deeply—and for much of its history, good God, legally—divided. Indeed, Jim Crow America was the prime model for a certain would-be European dictator. You may have heard of Adolf Hitler. In “Mein Kampf,” the biography he wrote before he came to power, he “praises America,” according to Alex Ross, writing in the New Yorker, “as the one state that has made progress toward a primarily racial conception of citizenship,” And history.com, citing James Q. Whitman’s book “Hitler’s American Model,” points out that two laws passed by Nazi Germany in 1935—the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, known collectively as the Nuremberg Laws, which laid the legal groundwork for the Holocaust—were inspired by U.S. law at the time. “America in the early 20th century was the leading racist jurisdiction in the world,” writes Whitman. “Nazi lawyers, as a result, were interested in, looked very closely at, [and] were ultimately influenced by American race law.” OK, the country has been changing over the years, but its blatantly racist history cannot be ignored. Excuse me, yes it can. Just attach some academic name to it—how about Critical Race Theory?—and start stoning it to death. The problem, from the MAGA point of view, is that this isn’t

enough, bringing up the point political scientist Barbara F. Walter made in a recent Washington Post interview. Walter, who has studied and written about the causes of modern civil wars around the world, cites several factors precipitating an attempted governmental takedown. One of them is the coming together of groups who begin organizing, not around complex issues, but “almost exclusively around identity: ethnic, religious or racial identity.” You know: We’re better than you. This is different from, for instance, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement, and the environmental movement, all of which were focused on complex institutional change— on inclusion and awareness rather than me vs. you.

Are we looking at the collapse of American democracy? Their aim was and is the creation of fairer, more sustainable social structures, and they have had an impact over the last half century or so—which is part of the problem, from, say, the Jan. 6 insurrectionists’ point of view. The goal of that insurrection wasn’t complex social change. The goal was getting Joe Biden out of the White House and reinserting the MAGA monarch, Donald Trump. America was born as a slaveholding, racist country. African Americans, whether slave or free, were three-fifths human. It was also sexist. Women couldn’t vote; their job options were lim-

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ited, keeping them financially dependent on men. They certainly weren’t allowed to choose to get a medically safe abortion if they got pregnant (they always had the back alley, of course). While these realities began changing politically and legally in the 1950s and ’60s, they remained psychologically embedded in part of the country. As I have previously noted, this remains the national divide, defined with a razor cut across the soul. White Supremacists fear their racism is being taken away. So it’s no surprise that an insurrection is brewing. The insurrection has already, seemingly, captured the Republican Party, whose members have either shrugged their shoulders at the Jan. 6 melee or participated in it. And while the Republicancontrolled Supreme Court has repealed Roe v. Wade, shattering women’s choice and reclaiming legal control over their bodies, the Court, along with Congress, has relaxed legal interference in gun rights and the availability of military-grade weapons. Civil war! Civil war! So are we looking at the collapse of American democracy? Well, ironically, those who are in the process of helping it collapse think so. The New York Times recently quoted none other than Donald Trump, who delivered the keynote address at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual Road to Majority conference last month. “The greatest danger to America is not our enemies from the outside, as powerful as they may be,” he said. “The greatest danger to America is the destruction of our nation from the people from within. And you know the people I’m talking about.” Uh, the Jan. 6 mob? Apparently, he meant the Democrats. And others tossed further big-screen glory at the situation: “The backlash is coming,” Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said. “Just mount up and ride to the sounds of the guns, and they are all over this country. It is time to take this country back.” His words conjured up not just the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, but also at least some of the country’s mass murderers, who have taken it upon themselves to make grocery stores White again, to start eliminating people of color, “illegal aliens” and such. As Katherine Stewart put it in the New York Times story: “Christian nationalism isn’t a route to the future. Its purpose is to hollow out democracy until nothing is left but a thin cover for rule by a supposedly right-thinking elite, bubble-wrapped in sanctimony and insulated from any real democratic check on its power.”

George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer just over two years ago. His killing sparked a movement to end unjustified police killings and racist law enforcement practices. Sadly, the killings have not stopped. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was blocked by Senate Republicans last year. The struggle continues in communities large and small. During racial justice protests that sprung up after video of Floyd’s murder spread around the world, millions of people spoke his name as they demanded accountability and justice. Now, a remarkable book examines Floyd’s life and death in the context of our history and what one of the authors calls the “complex, tangled web” created by racism in this country. “His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice” was written by Washington Post reporters Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa. It draws on the reporting of their colleagues and on intimate interviews with Floyd’s family, romantic partners, and circle of friends. At a time when politicians are making it illegal for educators to acknowledge that systemic racism exists, Samuels and Olorunnipa document in painful detail the ways in which racially discriminatory policies on housing, education, health care, addiction, policing and more contributed to “a life in which Floyd repeatedly found his dreams diminished, deferred, and derailed—in no small part because of the color of his skin.” “For example,” Samuels says, “you could not disentangle police departments’ disproportionate use of force against African Americans from the junk science that is still taught about Black people be-

ing more resistant to pain. “We could not ignore that those same instincts led to the inadequate mental health treatment in George Floyd’s life, nor could we separate that society both encouraged George Floyd to bulk up to pursue his athletic dreams and then stereotyped him as dangerous when he was off the field.” The book doesn’t try to make Floyd a saint. It doesn’t have to. He was a human being. He did nothing to deserve being murdered on the street by an abusive police officer who shouldn’t have been wearing a badge.

I am optimistic that we can end unjust police killings. “His Name Is George Floyd” is worth reading for many reasons. It gives us a fuller picture of the person George Floyd was. It introduces us to many people who loved him and sought a measure of justice for his murder. And it points to some important facts about policing in this country. One is the need for accountability. Chauvin had a record of violent behavior. When abusive cops are not held accountable, more people will be subjected to their violence. Another point is that policing is a local issue requiring local solutions. National policies, like those in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, can help. But holding violent cops accountable, getting them off the streets, or better yet, preventing them from getting hired in the first place, all require change at the local level. People For the American Way spent the two years since Floyd’s murder developing a road map for transforming public safety. We looked at the research. We talked to criminologists, public officials, clergy and other com-

munity activists, and members of law enforcement. “All Safe: Transforming Public Safety” is a result, a guide for public officials and community activists seeking to make their communities safer. Among the essential steps to make policing both more just and more effective are improving recruiting to weed out potentially dangerous cops, holding violent officers accountable, and getting unfit officers off the force. Also, importantly, restructuring public safety systems to reduce the unnecessary involvement of armed officers in situations where they are not needed and for which they are not trained is good for cops as well as communities. The authors of “His Name Is George Floyd” describe optimism in the face of our history as both a defense mechanism and a means of survival. I am optimistic that we can end unjust police killings. I am optimistic that we can build the uncomfortably large coalitions it will take. “Our book makes the argument that if we can demonstrate step-bystep how this country’s history with racism continues to shape people today, then we can continue the good work of dismantling systemic racism,” Samuels told me in an email. “We have to connect the theory with the practice.” That job belongs to all of us. We know what kind of changes will make our communities safer. Let’s organize, city by city and town by town, to make it happen. Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. A New York Times best-selling author, his next book “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free” will be published by Harper Collins in December 2022.

What the repeal of Roe v. Wade may mean for Black women By Lauren Victoria Burke

After the jolting decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, many women had to re-adjust their thinking regarding health care and personal decisions. For Black women already dealing with historic and systemic challenges around access to health care and an increased rate of maternal death, the decision was more than personal. “Black women tend to live in states hostile to reproductive healthcare—Roe’s overturn directly endangers Black women’s lives by exacerbating pre-existing access restrictions. “Forcing Black women to carry dangerous, potentially deadly pregnancies to term will worsen the ongoing Black maternal mortality crisis that sees Black women dying from pregnancy at three times the rate of White women,” wrote Michelle Webb, communications director of the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI). Additionally, many states have poor social services such as substandard prenatal care and high child poverty rates. The economic factors will become an issue immediately in states that have laws that are put into place as a result of the Supreme Court’s overturnRobert Koehler (koehlercw@ ing of Roe. gmail.com), syndicated by PeaceThe reversal was a stunning Voice, is a Chicago award-winning change of almost half a century of journalist and editor. He is the au- landmark law on women’s reprothor of “Courage Grows Strong at ductive rights. the Wound.” In an interview with Black

“So, this means that for Black women and Latinas, in particular, the poverty rate is likely to increase by another 15 to 20%,” Blount told Black Press USA. The 6-3 ruling by the court ended the constitutional right to an abortion and there is now no federally guaranteed right to an abortion in U.S. States. “The fall of Roe will also condemn Black women who seek abortions due to financial hardship to an inescapable cycle of impoverishment along with the poor health outcomes that accompany it. Roe was a significant step toward a more equitable society in which Black women had access “What we will see over to the autonomy and agency they the next few years have traditionally been denied,” is an increase in the Michelle Webb added. maternal mortality rates “By overruling nearly 50 years of legal precedent, the Court particularly for Black has turned the clock back on and Brown women.” decades of progress made by “We’re talking about another Black women in America—and two or three hundred Black wom- fanned the flames of a deadly en who will die every year simply public health crisis in the process,” because they don’t have access to added Webb hours after the deabortion care because they can’t cision came down. make that choice. All three of the Associate JusMost Black women live in the tices appointed by former PresiSouth and this is where it is go- dent Donald Trump, Neil Gorsuch, ing to be more felt the deepest, I Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Comes would say—but also, I’m thinking Barrett, voted to overturn Roe. about poverty. “The number one reason Black Lauren Victoria Burke is an indewomen—and all women—choose pendent investigative journalist and to have to get an abortion is be- the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. cause they can’t afford the child She is a political analyst who apat the time. Most people who are pears regularly on #RolandMartichoosing abortion already have nUnfiltered. She may be contacted children and they know they can’t at LBurke007@gmail.com and on afford to have another child. Twitter at @LVBurke. Press USA the day after the decision, Linda Goler Blount, president of the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI), spoke on how the decision by the court will impact Black women specifically. “I am worried about the internalization of that messaging and the trauma that it will cause in this next generation but more to the point right now. What we will see over the next few years is an increase in the maternal mortality rates particularly for Black and Brown women, but for all women, maternal mortality is projected to increase by 20 to 21%. For Black women, it’s 33%,” Blount said.

8 July 21 - July 27, 2022

Camp

Contunued from page 10

I knew when he was in sixth grade…and it’s just great to be able to watch [him now].” Bell has spent most of his post-NFL life working with youth, holding summer camps, and running after-school programs. He also helped Mattison get started running his camps, first in San Bernardino and now in the Twin Cities. Each camper got lots of swagz with the I AM GIFTED logo on them, plus a meal—all at no cost. “There’s so many players that charge for camps,” noted Bell.

Said Mattison, “Growing up, being able to have the opportunity to go to Greg Bell’s Athletes for Life camp was really life-changing, where I was able to see more than just football skills but life skills and combine the two, and

“He has the same passion to want to see kids live a dream.”

tion of ‘I am gifted. That’s how the brand was born. We want to make sure that we tell every kid that I am gifted, you are gifted, and hopefully they walk away from each camp believing that,” said Mattison. Mattison and Bell both declared that I AM GIFTED camp is here to stay. “We got a late start this year, but it’s a good start,” said Bell. “We want these kids to be able to look in the mirror and say ‘I am gifted’,” concluded Mattison. “I really believe it.”

understand how [to be] going through life, and understand that there’s a way for you to do that successfully and naviCharles Hallman welcomes gate that successfully.” Kids of color and all kids need reader responses to challman@ “those positive words of affirma- spokesman-recorder.com.

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Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder July 21, 2022

State of Minnesota Ramsey County In The Matter Of Alaina Averi Foster And Obo Minor Child Vs Marcus Lyddel Skinner To Respondent named above:

District Court Second Judicial District Court File Number: 62-DA-FA-22-30 Case Type: Domestic Abuse

Notice of Hearing by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8)

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brought to the forefront, it Devin to experience somemakes us all better,” said West. thing new. “I’m just hoping Contunued from page 10 Contunued from page 10 Veteran actor Leonard to get them to interact with enced the camp. Rikiee Ellis some different kids.” the day the film was being Searcy plays Donaldson. He Dana Abrams, director of starred in basketball at St. screened at the Capri The- told the MSR after the June screening at the Capri, “I alPaul Central in the early the Office of Family Engageatre in North Minneapolis. From Display Ad 2000s. She’s just happy her ment and Community for St. The clip was taken from ways believed that you got Department/MN son Adam Jr. and others Paul Public Schools, teamed a 1925 game in Fergus Falls, to know the role before you Spokesman-Recorder with Mattison to set up were able to participate. Minn. and remained un- know the words.” He said “I’m really excited that the free day camp. She exreleased for decades. “It’s playing the baseball great PHONE: 612-827-4021 pressed her impressions of they have this opportunity probably one of the rarest was challenging at times. “To be honest, a lot of for students and it’s free,” having the camp as she sat and oldest footages of any FOR BILLING those lines—actually all she expressed. “It’s a great with Alexander Mattison’s Black person playing profesINQUIRIES those lines—I didn’t learn way to get the kids out here.” mother Pearl Mattison and sional baseball [at that time],” & TEARSHEETS them until 10 minutes beFormer St. Paul Central wife Andrea Mattison. surmised the director. PLEASE CONTACT fore having to go [in front of “One thing I see coming basketball standout Jason The film has made the ACCOUNTING the camera],” Searcy said. “It out of this day-long footJett wanted this experienceDEPT rounds since its premiere @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM was an honor to play such to be part of his son Jack- ball camp is opportunity, a couple of years ago with a great, extraordinary person’s growth. “I just want opportunity for students stops at the Twin Cities EMPLOYMENT DISPLAY son who was almost forced in the inner city that would him to learn some discipline, Film Festival and one in X 3man,” INCHES = 6have the opportunity under circumstances to live never just learnSIZE: to be2aCOL young Kansas City. much more of an ordinary actually be on the field he said. RATE $42.08 PER COL.toINCH “The thing that drew me life. He was so big.” “I just TOTAL: want to$252.48 see him with a professional football into the whole project at Irmiter told the Capri grow up to be a success- player that’s using his talthe very beginning,” recalled audience during a postful young man, mentor to ents as a hook to help them Irmiter, “was really the hisFrom Classified film Q&A, “One of the bigsome of the younger ones, in the areas of leadership, tory… I like history, and so I Department/MN gest challenges is to really supporting mental health, leader in the community, Please proof, respond with email confirmation to just became fascinated. They dig down and be very, very understanding NCAA and Spokesman-Recorder be positive.” ads@spokesman-recorder.com. call it a movie about a basecareful about making sure Thomas Brown brought guidelines, social justice,” ball player, but then when I sheaddress said. “So, than his son Preston to the New camp.email Please Note: forit’s allmore future ads is ads@ started figuring out the his- whatever facts we put in PHONE: 612-827-4021 The former St. Paul Como just football.” torical significance, that’s there were as true as we spokesman-recorder.com can possibly make it.” In an interview with KSTP Park basketball standout what really pulled me in.” FOR BILLING He told us during our inEyewitness News days betalked about staying posiThe MSR handles billing digitally. Casting director Kevin D. INQUIRIES fore the and camp, Alexander means you “It’s will get e-tears e-mailed invoices West, who also appeared in terview that “39 Seconds” tive andThis giving back. & TEARSHEETS unless you request a hard copy. that emphasized about keeping themspecifically with a Mattison “39 Seconds,” added, “What I couldn’t be a straight talkPLEASE CONTACT positive mindset to let them football wasn’t the only fowant people to learn is the ing film “because we figured ACCOUNTING DEPT know that they can do any- cus. “It’s more than just a accurate history of Minne- out quite quickly that if we football camp, he said. “It’s thing@they want when they BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM sota baseball.” Donaldson just set all this stuff [talking see professional athletes out not just about stuff you learn played on Minnesota-based about Donaldson], people here that are giving back to on the field but the stuff that teams throughout his career, would fall asleep by 10 minRAMSEY COUNTY you can take in life.” the community.” on barnstorming teams that utes. It’s to entertain… That Former St. Paul Central swung through the state. was the key and it worked 1 WEEK RUN Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonfootball and basketball standWest wants viewers of the out really well.” FLATLangford RATE $100.00 We hope Donaldson out Alan wanted his ald welcomes reader responses film to “understand the hissoon will get his due recogsons Alan Jr. and grandson to mcdeezy05@gmail.com. torical contributions of John nition not just on film but Please Note: New email address for all future ads is ads@ and how he contributed to From Classified in Cooperstown as well. He the history of America. This spokesman-recorder.com Department/MN has been overlooked for far is just another American From Classified Spokesman-Recorder FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT STATE OF MINNESOTA too long. success story that has been COUNTY OF HENNEPIN DISTRICT COURT Department/MN PROBATE DIVISION suppressed for whatever Spokesman-Recorder Charles Hallman welcomes reasons. Estate of Court File No. 27-PA-PR-22-968 Ruth E. Menken, PHONE: 612-827-4021 “I think when all of our sto- reader responses to challman@ Decedent NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OFWILL ries are told, and they are all spokesman-recorder.com.

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Donaldson gets on film, but still not into HOF ony Oliva and the late Buck O’Neil this weekend finally entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. They are part of a seven-person induction class who are being honored either in person or posthumously on July 24.

is considered by many Black baseball historians as one of baseball’s greatest pitchers who played in segregated leagues in the early 20th century. His career spanned from 1908 to 1940 and he then became a scout. His life has been researched by Peter Gorton

Kevin D. West (l) and Paul Irmiter

Photo by Charles Hallman

and others who have banged “I think when all of our the drum slowly and loudly for Donaldson and his exploits to stories are told, and be fully recognized. they are all brought “39 Seconds” is a 90-minto the forefront, it ute documentary/live action makes us all better.” film by Paul Irmiter. The title is from a barely 40-second film Sadly though, another year clip of Donaldson in action. will pass with John Wesley “It’s the only footage of John Donaldson still outside base- playing baseball,” said Irmiter in an MSR interview June 25, ball’s hallowed hall. Donaldson (1891-1970) ■ See SOE on page 9

Sports Black media still comes up short on W access efore PWM (primarily White media) took the league seriously and saw it as a viable product, Black-owned media (BOM) treated the WNBA right and spotlighted its players, teams, etc. For the record, the MSR covered the WNBA before Minnesota got a franchise. However, BOM mostly remains in secondary status behind PWM. This was the case pre-pandemic, and we’re afraid we are collateral damage as teams use the virus as a convenient excuse to limit media access. “As serious as COVID is, can’t keep using restrictions as an excuse to keep out Black press & press of color out of events & red carpets,” tweeted Nick Hamilton of Los Angeles-based Nitecast Media.

the WNBA is 80-plus percent Black?” said Hamilton to the MSR after the press conference. “And how Black-owned media and Black media have been able to keep the league elevated, having acHe and the MSR were her a question. tual real reporters that cover He wanted to ask the Com- the game day in and day out, among the small handful of Blacks at the recent WNBA mish how committed the W week in and week out, and All-Star Game and related really is to Black media in build relationships with these events in Chicago. However, uniquely telling their stories players.” Hamilton and this columnist and helping to continue growI paraphrased Hamilton’s were not approved to cover ing the league. “How are they question as we politely rethe All-Star Saturday events. going to be able to allow more minded Engelbert that legacy We were instead offered the Black media and Black media BOM, not mainstream meoption of watching it from the to be involved…seeing that dia, consistently covered the

Social Media got the courtside seats in Chicago

Parents grateful for football/life skills camp ast weekend, MSR columnist Charles Hallman and myself embarked on a journey to Hamline University for a story about the I AM GIFTED Football and Life Skills camp—for youth grades 1-12—brought to the Twin Cities by Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison. On the way to Hamline, we made a deal. Charles would write the story. I would take the pictures. I set up the interviews with parents of camp participants as my colleague worked his magic. There was one problem. Hallman called me the following morning indicating that he had no room for the interviews in his story. So I decided to write a column that includes the quotes. The parents had plenty to say about the importance of the camp. “I think it’s important to be involved in sports for our youth, especially right now,” said Gina Sullivan, a juvenile corrections officer who brought son Tyeton to the camp. “I think that it’s just important to get our kids involved in organizational sports to keep them busy and to do things that are constructive.” Monica Johnson, a longtime educator in St. Paul, brought her son Antoine to the camp to learn about lifelong skills. “I would like for him to see how cooperatively

media room. I chose to leave. Both of us were relegated to media seating in the rafters for the game, the first time ever I did not have a courtside media seat. I let my disgust be known on Twitter as I watched the game from my hotel room. “I know you weren’t happy,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told me during a halftime local media scrum at the July 12 Minnesota-Phoenix contest. “We’ll certainly look into what happened there [in Chicago]. I appreciate you letting me know.” Hamilton is a veteran sports and entertainment journalist who launched Nitecast Media a few years ago—and he is a proud BOM. We sat next to each other at Engelbert’s preAll Star press conference, but Nick Hamilton he did not get called on to ask

■ See Prep on page 9

■ See View on page 9

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

Alexander Mattison (l) and Greg Bell Photos by Charles Hallman the MSR between taking selfies with campers and others, Mattison reiterated his desire to be part of the Twin Cities when he’s not playing football “and let the kids know I’m right here in arm’s reach—and so are their goals, and so are their dreams and aspirations.” “He has a big heart,” declared Pearl Mattison, his

(l-r) I AM GIFTED Football and Life Skills Camp supporters Pearl Mattison (Alexander Mattison’s mother); Dana Abrams of St. Paul Public Schools; and Andrea Mattison (Alexander Mattison’s wife) at Hamline University. Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald “I like to keep my children active. It builds character,” he said. “We didn’t have this growing up, so I like to give him a lot of exposure to different camps, meeting new children, building relationships, all those things I think are important.” There were a few former prep student-athletes who made sure their sons experi-

W for years but still gets the short straw pre-and-post pandemic. Now we have “new media”—social media—to contend with, and the league is ballyhooing them more. Social media got the courtside seats in Chicago. “I don’t think there was any intention there,” said Engelbert. But moments later she praised social media: “Over 100 million impressions. That’s definitely a record all-time for the WNBA. Social media is helping us tell the stories, get the word out.”

At this football camp, everybody’s gifted lexander Mattison was the 102nd pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, but to 150-160 local youth, he’s number one in their eyes. Mattison, the fourth-year Minnesota Vikings veteran running back, last Friday held his I AM GIFTED football camp at Hamline University’s Klas Stadium. He, along with other current and former NFL players, worked with kids teaching football skills and techniques while also stressing mental health and awareness and other life skills. We first met Mattison a couple of weeks ago at St. Paul Public Schools headquarters. He told us his story of growing up in San Bernardino, Calif. doing his best to be the best student and person he can be. The 24-year-old married man, soon

working together can accomplish a goal,” Johnson said. “I want him to see successful African American men. I look forward to him having fun, making connections.” Danny Jackson, whose sons Danny Jr., Amir, and nephew Taylor were participants, wants them to stay active. “For me it’s just the structure and activity.

Courtesy of Twitter

Alexander Mattison coaching campers to be a father as he and his wife are expecting their first child in August, wants to give back to the community where he is now working and living. Speaking exclusively to

mother. “He’s always there to listen and to give advice, and not only giving advice but also speaking on his experience and how he overcame certain challenges and obstacles in

his life he’s been through.” Mattison played high school football, track and wrestling. He committed to play football at Boise State, where he starred for three seasons (2016-18) before entering the 2019 NFL Draft. Since becoming a Viking, Mattison has rushed for nearly 1,400 yards, grabbed 54 catches, and scored six rushing and two receiving touchdowns. As he reached his dreams, the player recognized that many others he grew up with didn’t. He wants to do his part to help this generation of youth reach their dreams and goals as well. “He’s like me,” said Greg Bell, a retired seven-year NFL player (1984-90) and Notre Dame graduate. Bell knows Mattison’s family and has been his mentor for most of his life. “We were raised in the inner city,” added Bell, a Columbus, Ohio native now living in California. “He has the same passion to want to see kids live a dream.

■ See Camp on page 8