PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934 July 29—August 4, 2021, Vol. 87 No. 52
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“AS IT WAS SPOKEN ... LET US RECORD.”
Being an outcast in the place you call home People of Color struggle with identity in Midwest small towns
By Jasmine Snow Contributing writer
B
eing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) in the Midwest can be a disheartening experience filled with discrimination, isolation, and a sense of otherness promoted by people both within and outside communities of color. For years, study after study has deemed cities and small towns throughout the Midwest to be some of the worst places for People of Color to live in the United States, if not the rest of the world. Rural Midwestern towns, often famous for their imagined or exaggerated images of mom and apple pie—in other words, Whiteness—have always been home to People of Color. While there are often common, timeless threads in their experiences, the last few years of navigating the Trump presidency, the murder of George Floyd, and the COVID-19 pandemic have created a unique environment for BIPOC in the Heartland today.
Life in a small town Stephen Escobin, 35, lives and works near Forestburg, South Dakota, a rural town with a population of less than a hundred people. Since immigrating from the Philippines when he was six years old, Escobin has lived in several small towns throughout South Dakota and Minnesota for the majority of his life. Escobin struggled to assimilate and fit in as a child, having experienced a great deal of “culture shock” while adjusting to the climate and culture of the Midwest. He said he spent years struggling to be accepted into the agriculture-and hunting-strong culture found throughout South Dakota, isolating him further. “I remember when I was in fifth grade I was interested in hunting, and I asked one of my classmates about deer hunting,” Escobin said. “He instantly said, ‘I don't want to talk to you about hunting, you don't know anything,’ and just walked away… I’ve just been looked at so differently and so ‘on the outside’ in
these places.” Escobin now works on a farm near Forestburg where he lives with his partner and their daughter. The Philippine native said that he feels his identity as an immigrant farmer has the potential to make him and his family targets for hate in the community. He said that animosity and a “weird pressure” was placed on People of Color in the area during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Though this has calmed somewhat, he feels little security long-term. “I'm probably the only Colored farmer for like 50 miles here,” Escobin said. “I know that once me and my girlfriend take over the farm in a couple years there's going to be a lot of competition and a lot of hate towards me because I'm Colored and I'm breaking tradition. “There's definitely going to be people that come after me. It's scary, but at the same time I have a drive
(clockwise from top left) Anna Kruse, Stephen Escobin, Dr. Terrion Williamson and Jazmin Newton Submitted photos
■ See Small Town on page 5
Rep. Thompson’s supporters rally to his defense They say he is under attack for ‘calling out racism’ By Mel Reeves, Community editor and Sam De Leon, Contributing writer
Rep. John Thompson appears with family members at press conference. Photo by KingDemetrius Pendleton
A motley group of supporters of MN Representative John Thompson (DFL 67A) organized a press conference on Monday at the Minnesota State Capitol to defend him. Thompson has faced calls to resign from several DFL leaders, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, amid reports of previous domestic violence abuse allegations. Thompson said once again that he will not resign. Standing beside his wife Lea Austin-Thompson, three children,
and supporters outside the Minnesota State Capitol, Thompson said he could not answer questions about the old allegations without his attorney present. He also would not answer questions about his city of residence, which is not related to the abuse allegations. He did, however, make one brief statement when asked about resigning. "If you're not careful, the oppressor will have you believe that they're the ones being oppressed," said Thompson. “One of the greatest quotes I've ever heard in my life is, ‘Your life begins to end when you remain silent about things that matter the most.’ I will not remain silent. I will not be resigning." Supporters insist the domestic vio-
lence accusations, dating from to 2003 to 2009, are not true. Thompson has insisted that police are targeting him and has accused St. Paul police of racially profiling him after he was stopped for not having a front license plate. He was criticized after he was elected for having a Wisconsin driver’s license when he was running for the Minnesota legislature. He updated his license in November. “Nothing happened,” said AustinThompson about the accusations of abuse. “My husband and I went through some things. I have never been abused. My husband did not abuse me. I am not a victim. I have never been a ■ See Thompson on page 5
MN legislature failed to address Experts urge quickest possible return to racial disparities COVID-19’s impact on U.S education
in-person learning
welcomed their students back to physical classrooms this By Niara Savage past school year, they were reContributing writer lieved. Finally they’d be able to interact with and educate Second of a three-part story on an in-person basis the stuEditor’s note: This three part dents they’d known only as series examines the pros and cons faces on a computer screen for of distance learning in the Black too many months. But as highly-anticipated community and what must be done to help those who have fall- as the return to the school building was for some, welen behind to catch up. coming children whose stillWhen teachers Edairra Mc- developing minds had been in Calister and Tiff Nunn-Clark isolation for longer than any-
Anisa Diaz
one expected did not come without its challenges. Though health experts and politicians once touted a twoweek fix for the pandemic if everyone abided by social distancing efforts and stayed home, taming the spread of COVID-19 proved to be a far lengthier and more discordant endeavor. For some children, the stretch of time spent away from brick-and-mortar classrooms has spanned more than 16 months.
Edairra McCalister
■ See Education on page 5
require that legislators work in tandem with communities that are most impacted, according to The 2021 Minnesota legisla- the analysis. Yet, the legislature tive session proved to be a bust failed to make racial equity a top when it came to advancing racial priority. equity in a state with some of the worst racial and economic disparities in the nation. “This legislative session, most of our racial equity policy and budget bills were not passed or even considered,” said Brett Grant, director of research and policy at The group addressed the legVoices for Racial Justice, during a “missed opportunities” press islation that did not pass during a digital press conference on July conference. “Even worse,” he said, “the 19. The failure to pass legislation most critical pieces of the legis- resulted in “missed opportunilative process happened behind ties” to improve the lives of all Minnesotans, especially Black, closed doors.” Grant’s organization and sev- Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Pacific eral other Minnesota nonprofits, Islander and People of Color. “Missed Opportunities” is a coalitions and community leaders worked together as a group frame that Voices has used in to outline and propose a method the past in its legislative report for identifying the racial equity cards to define bills that either impacts of legislation through did not become law or were only racial equity impact notes, re- partially adopted. Out of seven ported Minnpost. It was a means speakers, each stated what their to lay out policies and invest- legislation was and why it was a ments based on a community missed opportunity. “Our legislators chose to set analysis represented in Voices for Racial Justice’s Racial Equity aside this opportunity and politicize this bill, '' said Tawanna Impact Assessment (REIA). The note helps legislators Black, the founder and chief exmake better policies by asking ecutive officer of the Center for five key questions. It would Economic Inclusion. Black said By Sam De Leon Contributing writer
“Our legislators chose to set aside this opportunity.”
they partnered with Voices, employers, job seekers and racial and justice advocates throughout Minnesota to address and advocate adoption of racial impact notes. At least eight states have directed policymakers to assess bills for their ability to “widen or narrow” racial disparities in education, health, housing, employment and several other key areas that impact People of Color. Sandra Saucedo-Falagan, the tri-chair for the Core Steering Committee of the Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers in Minnesota, said the outcomes from the recently concluded legislative session are mixed for increasing Teachers of Color. While the number of Teachers of Color will increase as a result of the session, she said it’s unlikely the legislative decisions will increase the percentage of Teachers of Color and American Indian teachers in Minnesota. “The percentage of teachers of color has remained flat over the last decade at 5%, with students of color reaching 37%,” said Saucedo-Falagan. Among the speakers, Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera, the executive director for Common Cause Minnesota, spoke about ■ See Justice on page 5