January 10-16, 2019 Vol. 85 No. 23 www.spokesman-recorder.com
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THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934
STATE’S NEWLY DIVERSE LEADERSHIP SWORN INTO OFFICE
(l-r) Angela Conley and Judge Pamela Alexander
Ilhan Omar
Irene Fernando swearing in
By MSR Editors
W
ith 2018 closing out as a year of history-makers, 2019 promises to be a year of change as outgoing elected officials pass the torch to the most diverse leadership in history across the nation and our state. In Minnesota, new leaders have challenged themselves to create a space for and give a voice to all communities. Among them is Rep. Ilhan Omar, who became one of the nation’s first two Muslim U.S. congresswomen during her swearing in on Thursday, Jan. 3. Angela Conley was sworn in by Judge Pamela Alexander on Monday, Jan. 7 as the first Black person elected to serve as a Hennepin County commissioner. Alexander took her oath of office in the same room 35 years ago as the first Black judge in Hennepin County.
(l-r) Angela Conley, Ilhan Omar and Irene Fernando
■ See diverSe leaderShip on page 5
Washington County’s first Black judge hopes to instill trust in justice Washington County history and sees great judges, leaders and people. It’s a legacy she Judge Juanita Freeman is said she strives to move formaking more than history. ward. As Washington County’s first Black judge, she is positioning herself to bring trust to the judicial system. Being the first, though, was a bit surprising. “I was interested at that barrier just being broken in 2018,” said Freeman. Governor Mark Dayton appointed her to the position last October; she was sworn in in late November. A few weeks later, she took a break from an annual judge conference at the Mall of America Radisson to talk with the MSR about her new gig. Though a newbie at the conference, Freeman looked perfectly comfortable, dressed down in a cozy settle-in-to-study zip-up hoodie. Juanita Freeman
ing no exception. “But [America’s justice system is] also a beautiful system, and we shouldn’t change it. It’s probably the best in
Her first weeks have been a learning experience, she said, “but it feels right,” adding that everyone in the County has been welcoming. That’s how she feels about the local justice system, the federal system, and any justice system — that each has its good and bad facets, America be-
the world, right?” Unfortunately, as Freeman witnessed and heard from family while growing up — in both Rock Island, Illinois until fifth grade, then St. Paul — the people most often going through the imperfect system are Blacks and others of color.
By Solomon Gustavo Contributing Writer
“It’s interesting around judges I appeared in front of,” said Freeman of the conference. “Now they are my colleagues.” Through framed, rectangle glasses, she speaks with a soft, steady voice and smiles often, but slowly. She embodies laser focus. Achieving her historic appointment before turning 40, Freeman looks at
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Submitted photo
■ See Judge on page 5
Photo by Chris Juhn
The radical power of self-care By Stephenetta Harmon Editor-in-Chief
been passed down. These are really horrific things that happened to us, happened to our people. That Self-care in communities of color has often been really is in our DNA and there hasn’t been a way to seen as selfish. This is especially true for Black heal from that or to release any of that.” women who are expected to be superheroes that She also noted programs that are doing all this push past, instead of addressing, trauma. That in- work “but people’s lives are not improving.” All cludes not just physical health, but also mental and these things add up, and not recognizing their efemotional issues stemming from the effects of such fects “is a way of dehumanizing us,” she said. oppressive forces as racism, sexism and classism. “And you’re like, ‘Why am I drinking?’ Or it “That’s why healing ourselves is so radical,” said might be drugs,” she said, while also revealing her Dr. Joi Lewis, life coach, self-care expert and author own battle with food addiction. “How do you deal of Healing, The Act of Radical Self-Care. “It’s put out with it? I needed a process for getting free in my there in a commercial way like self-care is some- own life, as well as helping others.” thing that is for people who have means, who have Her new book is a collection of these stories, money, as an extra thing that you do. Or it seems ■ See Self-care on page 5 like something that’s selfish. “No, we get to breathe,” she continued. “We get to stop. We get to take care of ourselves.” For those wanting a more concretized response, she said, “It’s really the intentional practice of attending to your mind, body and soul in ways that oppose the forces of oppression that want you to be exhausted and sick.” That healing, she added, is “connected to really interrupting and dismantling the system of oppression. And then, I think in a much more sort of simplistic way, because there is everything that tells us to put everybody else first, for us to start with ourselves is a radical act.” Lewis honed in on specific consequences of oppression like addiction, violence, and historical trauma that often affect Black and Brown and working-class communities. “Addiction is often talked about in a way that is very individualized, but it’s actually very systemic,” said Lewis. “People are trying to cope with heartbreak around things that are happening to [them] every day,” she added, listing additional issues like police brutality, job insecurities, sickness, death and lack of income. “Many of the conditions are also connected to Dr. Joi Lewis Photo by Stephenetta Harmon historical trauma [such as chattel slavery] that has
MPOWER FITNESS Nine years of personal training came together with a lifelong dream as Jacob Johnson opened the doors to his fitness center, MPower Fitness, in Eagan. The result was a personal vision of what success looks like. But it wasn’t a straight path for the South Minneapolis native. For most of his 20s, he worked as a recording engineer helping folks achieve their music dreams. Now, the certified personal trainer aims to help others achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. The MSR sat down with Johnson to learn about his own fitness journey and what inspired him to open up his new center.
Jacob Johnson
Keith Ellison
Within the last year, I decided to pursue that dream.
old. It’s one thing to lose weight and it’s another thing to teach others how to.
MSR: What services do you offer? JJ: We offer personal training sessions, group classes, and we do group fitness challenges. I’ve teamed up with a holistic self-coach, Teri Dale. I work with her on the nutritional component of the challenges.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to create a space to help people become healthy.”
MSR: I understand you lost a significant amount of weight. Tell us about that. JJ: I was going to become a father, and that was the catalyst for wanting to lose weight. I lost about 150 pounds — going from 390 to MSR: What made you want to open up a fit- 240 pounds when I was 21-22. ness center, and did you want to be a busiMSR: Is that what got you into personal ness owner before this? JJ: It’s always been a dream of mine to cre- training? ate a space to help people become healthy. At JJ: I didn’t decide to be a personal trainer unfirst, it was just sort of a dream about doing. til about nine years ago, when I was 31 years
MSR: What were your biggest struggles while losing weight, and what kept you going when things got tough? JJ: Belief that I could lose weight. It’s interesting how our thoughts affect our bodies. Once I started to believe I could lose weight, I started to. MSR: What advice do you have for someone wanting to get in shape? ■ See SBS on page 5
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January 10-16, 2019
Local teacher receives national ‘Honors’ By Steve Drummond Contributing Writer “Ms. Evans is the most dedicated teacher I have ever come across.” With those words, Nilvia Brinkley nominated Artiera Evans for the Honored teacher of the month award — a teacher who, over the course of a year, had a huge impact in the life of her nineyear-old daughter. Evans, 31, is a veteran teacher with eight years’ experience and a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She teaches third grade at Emerson Spanish Immersion Learning Center, a public school in Minneapolis. And it was there, in the fall of 2017, that Evans met Zoë Brinkley. Zoë had a great year in kindergarten, her mom Nilvia Brinkley explains, but was coming off a couple of rough years in the first and second grade. She’d struggled to pay attention in class, and things didn’t really click with the teachers. Her daughter is a gifted and eager learner, Nilvia explains, with a great sense of humor and a voracious appetite for books. (Egyptians and mummies, Dork Diaries, The Baby-Sitters Club, “just about anything.”) But sometimes she has trouble focusing on her work. Nilvia Brinkley and her husband, Quince, felt that they weren’t really getting the help and support they needed. And so as third grade loomed, Zoë’s parents were watching closely. When Zoë landed in Evans’ third grade classroom, one of the first issues Evans noticed was Zoë’s focus. “Even from the very beginning, in September, I could see she was really struggling to pay attention.” This had nothing to do with Zoë’s intellectual capacity, Evans realized, just “her ability to stay focused and engaged.” And so, “I just started with both parents, but mainly with [Zoë’s] mom.” Emails, phone calls, notes home. “I suggested that we do some little experi-
Zoë Brinkley (l) and Artiera Evans Photo by Caroline Yang
ments,” Evans says. She’d been watching as Zoë sometimes got distracted by the goings-on in the hallway or other parts of the classroom. “I couldn’t tell if it was all the hustling and bustling that distracted her, or if it was sound.” So the teacher borrowed a pair of headphones, the kind that muffle outside sounds, from the school social worker and asked Zoë to wear them sometimes. “It really helped.” Nilvia Brinkley saw the difference, too, and eventually bought Zoë a pair to replace the borrowed ones. For the next experiment, Nilvia says, Evans set up a plan where she would give Zoë a “kind of a tracking system.” It was information that both teacher and parents could use to identify problems and try solutions. Of course, all this wasn’t some magic bullet: “It was a few weeks before I saw
any change.” Slowly, though, things started looking up. For Evans, the next big teaching challenge was Zoë’s shyness. “Even with a microphone, at the beginning of the year, you could not hear her. You had to be inches from her face. She would whisper just about everything.” To tackle this, Evans turned to one of the oldest tools in an elementary teacher’s toolbox: Show-and-tell. “It’s a great way for us to get to know each other, besides academics.” And, because Emerson is an immersion school, “it’s a great way to get everybody speaking Spanish.” Zoë took to it right off. “I remember when I brought my skateboard, and my violin,” Zoë recalls. Her mom saw B:10.9” the enthusiasm, too: “She blossomed T:10.65” then and took ownership. She wantS:10.65” ed to make her show-and-tells really
cool, and I could see her confidence was boosted.” But for Evans, show-and-tell is about more than just speaking up. “It’s super important that my students don’t leave any parts of themselves at the door. I want them to bring all of who they are.” For Nilvia Brinkley, this cemented her belief that Zoë had a teacher who was very special. Adding to that was Evans’ attention to yet another form of diversity: She is a co-founder, with another teacher, Arika Quintanilla, of an affinity group for African American students that’s now in its third year at the school. Emerson’s enrollment is about 12 percent African American — lower than the average in Minneapolis. And sometimes, Evans says, that led to adjustment problems. “We saw that [students] would be subconsciously reject-
ing Spanish, or having some kinds of behavior issues. Or some kids didn’t feel a sense of belonging.” And so, when some concerns arose from parents, the two teachers started the group with the goal of creating a safe space. “They could have said, ‘We’ll leave it to the district or the PTA,’ but they did it themselves,” says Nilvia. Gradually, Nilvia realized it wasn’t just Zoë who was getting this kind of attention. The day she decided to write to Honored, she says, was when she was talking to another parent of a struggling daughter, and realized that that mom, too, was getting intensive support. And so were other parents. “We’d joke that we get emails at 10 or 11 at night on a Friday or early in the morning on Sunday.” That kind of dedication, Nilvia realized, needed to be recognized, and rewarded. “I’ve moved around a lot,” Nilvia says, “and I’ve had my share of good and bad teachers.” Artiera Evans, she says, is the kind of teacher “I would have wanted for myself, and what I want for my kid.” For Evans, this all goes back to those days, even before kindergarten, when she knew what she wanted to do when she grew up. As a preschooler, she’d gather her stuffed animals and play ‘school,’ with them, with her, of course, as the teacher. “It’s something I always loved and could always see myself doing. It was my purpose.” Even so, it’s not something she can do alone: “What gives the power in my teaching is relationships. I don’t think you can accomplish as much without student buy-in, without them knowing that you care about them, as people and not just as students.” This is a truncated version of a longer story written by Steve Drummond, senior education editor, NPR News for Honored. Read the full article at honored.org/honoree/ artiera-evans.
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January 10-16, 2019
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Peanut allergies may become a thing of the past
By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD
Previously published January 18, 2017, reprinted by popular request
A
llergy to peanuts has been an increasing problem in children. It is estimated that the prevalence of peanut allergy is about 1.5 percent in children (about one child in every 65) under the age of 18 in the United States. Peanut allergy is one of the most common reasons for a severe allergy attack in children. In some cases, the attacks can become so severe that they are life-threatening. As a result, families have had to maintain peanut-free households, and schools have eliminated peanut butter from snack and lunch programs. Because even the tiniest exposure to peanuts can cause the severe (anaphylactic) reaction, restaurants disclose to consumers if peanuts or equipment associated with peanuts may be present. Even
many airlines have stopped offering peanuts to avoid a potentially fatal allergy in the air. If a child has peanut allergies, the parents must constantly monitor everything they eat, both at home and away from home, to prevent accidental and potentially catastrophic exposure. Having a peanut allergy is a life-changing diagnosis for a child. Additionally, children with a peanut allergy may also be allergic to one or more tree nuts, including pecans, almonds or walnuts. One can only imagine what a monumental and time-consuming effort avoiding peanuts and other nut allergies requires. Fortunately, the National Institutes of Health issued new guidelines in 2017 to help prevent peanut allergies. Doctors and researchers have come to understand that the immune system radically develops and “fine-tunes” its sensitivities during the first year of life. This provides a golden “window of opportunity” to work with and help educate the immune system that peanuts (and other allergy-producing foods) are OK, and the immune system should not develop an allergy to peanuts. Allergy prevention involves exposing the infant to peanut butter between four and six months of age. This early exposure somehow informs the immune system not to develop an allergy to peanuts. Researchers and doctors in Australia
report that exposing infants also to dairy, eggs and wheat can have the same allergy-preventing properties. Of course, these are general recommendations and guidelines. Every parent should carefully consult with their child’s pediatrician and, if indicated, a consulting pediatric allergist to determine if peanut allergy prevention should be initiated and exactly what timing and type of exposure should be employed in an infant to prevent allergies. In short, don’t undertake this on
your own. Talk to your doctor first. The good news is that doctors may finally have a handle on preventing or even eliminating life-threatening childhood allergies to peanuts and other nuts and foods. Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD is a board certified dermatologist and Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He also has a private practice in Eagan, MN. He received his M.D. and Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology and Genomics from the Mayo Clinic. He has been select-
ed as one of the top 10 dermatologists in the United States by Black Enterprise magazine. Dr. Crutchfield was recognized by Minnesota Medicine as one of the 100 Most Influential Healthcare Leaders in Minnesota. He is the team dermatologist for the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild and Lynx. Dr. Crutchfield is an active member of both the American and National Medical Associations.
Five on-the-go dental health tips for busy professionals In a fast-paced business world, people often don’t have time to stop for lunch, let alone take care of their teeth. But dental professionals say it’s well worth carving out some minutes for your mouth during the busy day — every day. “No matter how crazy your days are, you deserve excellent oral health and a beautiful, healthy smile,” says Dr. Nammy Patel, DDS, author of Age With Style: Your Guide To A Youthful Smile & Healthy Living. “But consistently neglecting your teeth and gums during long days in the office can be very costly both from a health and a financial standpoint. “Many people don’t realize there are lots of ways to take care of your teeth dur-
ing the work hours, no matter how busy you are.” Below, Dr. Patel shares five on-the-go dental health tips: Keep water close. “Water neutralizes the acid in your mouth in addition to keeping you hydrated,” Dr. Patel says. “Too much acidity leads to enamel erosion, decay, cavities and gum disease.” She recommends drinking eight eight-ounce glasses per day, keeping a water bottle or water glass on your desk as a reminder.
Store oral essentials at your desk. This means keeping a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss handy in a drawer. “After any meal or snack, our teeth and gums require attention to remove bacteria, and keeping these dental tools on hand will ensure you’re readily equipped,” Dr. Patel says. “Too many people go an entire work day without any oral care.” Snack on naturally cleansing foods. Eating on the run at work
“Crunchy snacks like these help scrape away food or plaque stuck on your teeth.” can lead to sugary snacks that compromise oral health. Dr. Patel recommends packing healthy items such as apples, carrots, celery and almonds. “Not only are these foods full of great vitamins and minerals for your teeth and body, they also naturally cleanse your teeth,” she says. “Crunchy snacks like these help scrape away food or plaque stuck on your teeth.” Sip beverages thoughtfully. Patel says it’s not just what we drink at work that affects our teeth, but how we drink certain beverages. She recommends keeping a reusable straw in your desk. “Whenever you opt for a beverage, use a straw to help limit the chance of tooth decay and staining,” Dr. Patel says. “Place the straw toward the back of your mouth to keep the liquid from coming into contact with your teeth.”
Relax your face. The stress of a busy day causes tension in your head, neck and jaw. Consistent tension in the jaw can lead to TMJ. “Take time at your desk to relax your jaw and face muscles,” Dr. Patel says. “Use your fingertips to gently massage your jaw, open and close your mouth a few times, and stretch your tongue forward to the top front teeth, and then up to
the roof of your mouth.” “Taking moments here and there for self-oral care throughout your busy day can make a big difference,” Dr. Patel says. “It just means a little more planning, and taken individually they are small things that can prevent major problems.” Dr. Nammy Patel, DDS operates a practice called Green Dentistry in San Francisco
and is the author of Age With Style: Your Guide To A Youthful Smile & Healthy Living. A graduate of the University of California’s School of Dentistry, she is a leader in the movement to bring environmental sanity and well-being into the dental world. — Information provided by News and Experts
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January 10-16, 2019
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.
Will a more diverse Congress signal a more perfect union? By Julianne Malveaux Guest Commentator
The answers to these questions will shape 2019 Through My Eyes The Minneapolis Story Continues By Ron Edwards Contributing Commentator Future historians will identify 2019 as a year crucial to determining America’s future. Already, there is set to be a lot of volatility as the country continues to divide into opposing political factions attempting to control each other. It is too early to predict who will attain and hold the high ground. As we steady ourselves for the year, consider the following 13 questions, in no order. Their answers are crucial to our future. 1. How mild or severe will be the impact of Trump’s government shutdown? 2. Will the U.S. have a southern wall by December 2019 and, if so, will it be effective? 3. Will we have a strong economy, or will it turn weak? 4. What will America’s relationship be with China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran? 5. Will the aforementioned nations succeed in strengthening their positions against us in Africa and South America? 6. Will civil rights legislation provide equality of opportunities for education, jobs, and housing or will it lower results by stressing equality through redistribution to
achieve “equal” results? 7. Will Blacks show, by our own efforts, we can perform at the same level as Whites, and, thus, let future public and corporate policies be based on that demonstrated reality? 8. Will, as the late activist Nellie Stone Johnson would ask, the educated part of the Black community and churches stop their narrow concentration on those in the middle class and attend to the civil rights and the right to eat and work needs of non-middleclass Blacks in inner cities?
country’s war domain areas beyond the conventional cyber, environmental, financial, trade, cultural, legal, and narrative wars (none of which resemble the stereotypical warfare seen in movies, especially regarding North Korea’s denuclearization stalemate, Beijing’s expansion into the South China Sea, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the wars in Yemen and the anarchy in the Congo)? 12. Will Trump and the new Congress engage in bipartisan collaboration or continue their partisan confrontations? 13. Will America’s rainbow of great Black, White, Brown, and Yellow minds and experts correctly evalu-
Given the uncertainty in these questions, now more than ever is the time to offer help, hope, and prayers to each other for the stability of all communities in 2019. 9. Will Johnson’s concern for the partnership of Blacks and Whites finally allow Blacks who have been written off and left behind in urban ghettos be integrated into the middle class through education, jobs, and housing? 10. Where will America have a military presence in the world? 11. What will be the
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ate America’s path through 2019? Only time will tell what will succeed or fail. Given the uncertainty in these questions, now more than ever is the time to offer help, hope, and prayers to each other for the stability of all communities in 2019. This column will follow closely and report to its readers the issues of the day, and the consequences of daily actions regarding these issues. We will watch these issues, especially in relation to the seven central theme areas I have written about since 2003: education, jobs, housing, public safety, safe environment, governing, and local economic development, as well as the contests over the ideas presented on how to deal with them. We will also evaluate how communities of color deal with those seeking to either stabilize or destabilize our communities. It may sound complex, but really it is not. There will be patterns of success and failure based on events and conditions that we, in our various communities, already expect and already have solutions to propose for our problems, our issues, and our future. Stay tuned. Ron Edwards is an author and hosts radio and TV shows.
The 116th Congress is the most diverse our nation has ever seen. Sworn in on January 3, there are more women (102) and more members of the Congressional Black Caucus (55) than ever before. Indeed, a former Congressional Black Caucus intern, Lauren Underwood (D-IL) is part of the incoming first-year class. At 32, she is the youngest Black woman to serve. This Congress also includes the first Native American woman, two Muslim women, openly gay representatives, and others. Much of this diversity was displayed at the ceremonial swearingin of the Congressional Black Caucus, an inspirational event that preceded the official swearing-in on Capitol Hill. There, as I listened to speeches by the top Congressional Democrats, including incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA), incoming Majority leader Steny Hoyer (MD), and incoming Whip James Clyburn (SC), I was awash in hope and optimism. These leaders, along with outgoing Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond (LA) and incoming Chair Karen Bass (CA) spoke of challenge, struggle, and optimism with a focus on possibilities. It’s not about MAGA (Make America Great Again), it’s about MAF, or Make America Fair, shared Congressman Clyburn at the ceremonial swearing-in. He opened with the words of French historian Alexis Tocqueville, who observed when visiting this country: “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” Clyburn went on to list the many ways our nation has attempted to self-correct, from the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation to the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring “separate but equal” to be “inherently unequal.” Clyburn also talked about the Great Society legislation, another of our nation’s attempts at selfrepair, and he concluded by saying that, “America does not need to be made great again, she is already great. Our challenge is to make that greatness apply fairly and equitably to all of our citizens.” As I listened to him, I could not help but think of the late poet Langston Hughes, and his poem “Let America Be America Again.” Written in 1935, the poem was first published in Esquire Magazine in 1936. In it, he writes: Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. (There’s never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”) Though Hughes did not consider it one of his favorites, it captures the duality of our nation, the marked difference between our nation’s soaring establishing rhetoric and the stark reality that many experience. In the words of Malcolm X, it is the difference between the American dream and the American nightmare.
There may be no freedom in this “homeland of the free,” but this Congress offers freedom possibilities. There may be no freedom in this “homeland of the free,” but this Congress offers freedom possibilities. It offers the possibility of fixing the Voting Rights Act, even as the Supreme Court has attempted to erode voting rights and even as at least two elections were stolen in 2018: those of Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Andrew Gillum in Florida. This Congress offers freedom possibilities in resisting the insanity of a “wall” that the Great Negotiator (and purported author of The Art of the Deal) swore that Mexico was paying for. Not. This Congress offers freedom possibilities in its efforts to preserve the Affordable Health Care Act and to move us to Medicare for all. This colorful Congress (the pictures tell it all) offers a sharp contrast to the dismal (as in grey and navy suits) set of Republicans, overwhelmingly White and male, and staid. Can this diverse new Congress make our nation fair for many who have never experienced our nation in the way it is supposed to be? In the words of Hughes, “It never was America to me.” We’ve come a long way since he wrote his 1935 poem, but we still have so much to do. After these last two dystopian years under the leadership of President Genital Grabber (let’s just call him GG), this new Congress offers us many possibilities. May they manifest! Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest book Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy is available via amazon.com. For more info, visit juliannemalveaux.com.
Focus on the gov’t shutdown, not Israel boycotts By Kate Ruane Guest Commentator In the middle of a government shutdown, Senate leadership’s first order of business in the 116th Congress is not legislation to reopen the government. Instead, and incredibly, the Senate is trying to slip a measure intended to suppress protected political expression past public scrutiny. The bill is the “Combatting BDS Act,” which would express federal approval of state laws that place restrictions on boycotts of Israel and its settlements, as part of an effort to weaken the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. The bill is included in S.1, which the Senate plans to vote on this week. On Monday, Jan. 7, the ACLU sent a letter to senators expressing opposition to the bill. To their credit, Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) have urged the Senate not to consider any bills other than those that would reopen the government, until the shutdown ends. The ACLU agrees. The act would attempt to give legal cover to states that enact laws penalizing businesses and individuals who participate in boycott activities against Israel and Israeli-controlled territories. These state laws, dozens of which exist in many different
forms, generally compel state contractors and any entity in which the state invests — for example, through a state-run pension, retirement, or endowment fund — to sign oaths promising not to boycott Israel as a requirement of maintaining their relationship with the state. The act represents a covert attempt by the Senate to enact legislation that would burden fundamental free expression rights without proper consideration on the heels of a failed attempt last month to pass a different law criminalizing boycotts of Israel. But moreover, voting on it now, amid a partial government shutdown, would be, as Cardin noted, “a fundamental failure to govern.” While we take no position on Israel boycotts, the BDS movement or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we do maintain that states should not be sanctioning businesses on the basis of First Amendment-protected expression and association. The ACLU has consistently — and successfully — argued this position in situations where government entities have threatened to boycott a company based upon its constitutionally protected speech and associational choices. This is especially true where the ideological position has no connection whatsoever with the business relationship at stake. Math teachers in Kansas and
newspapers in Arkansas should not have to disavow participation in protected expression and association in order to do their jobs or engage in business relationships with the state. With the Combatting BDS Act, Congress would be approving state laws imposing such unconstitutional requirements. On Monday, Sen. Marc Rubio (R-Fla.), the lead sponsor of the bill, tweeted: “This is a lie. My bill doesn’t punish any political activity. It protects the right of local and state govts that decide to no longer do business with those who boycott #Israel.” However, as the ACLU responded, the government, under the Constitution, does not have the right to punish people for their views. The First Amendment protects the people, not the government. It is abundantly clear that the Senate should not be considering this legislation, or any other legislation, until it fulfills its first duty: maintaining a functioning government. The Senate should vote first to open the government and alleviate the pain of this interminable shutdown that disrupts people’s lives and livelihoods every second that it continues. Kate Ruane is senior legislative counsel for ACLU.
January 10-16, 2019
Self-care
Room. After the 2014 police shooting death of Mike Brown in Missouri, her healing circles grew from 20 to 30 peoContinued from page 1 ple to hundreds. Lewis soon received a call from the some personal, mixed with images Minneapolis Foundation to serve as a and anecdotes from her work span- lead facilitator between the mayor’s ofning three decades to help “activists, fice, local NAACP, Black Lives Matter artists, everyday folks” find their own and Neighborhoods Organizing for language for dealing with and break- Change. ing free of trauma. “Even when I was on campus, I was doing healing work,” said Lewis, referring to her 25-year career on college campuses as a dean, a vice president, and a chief diversity officer. “I was doing a lot of work around “They said, ‘We don’t want to be the social justice and liberation work and connecting to the community. I just next Ferguson. Well, I can’t really prevent a civic uprising, and if I could, I didn’t have the language for it.” She went from administrative work wouldn’t anyway. But, I can help peoto healing circles for students to lead- ple build authentic relationships across ing groups at her Frogtown home in St. differences.” After three months, she said memPaul and North Minneapolis’ Living
erence to the color of the energy chakra point located below the abdomen. “It’s really the center by which everything moves and transforms in our body. I really consider my work to be a body, [and] I am a bodyworker for the system.” She’s led major corporations, city offices, universities, and community groups through the process. “It’s really about reconnecting to our own humanity,” she said. “How do we find the places where there’s tension and shift and move where we can actually change systems? “It can be as simple as starting a meeting with meditation or two minget grounded; mindfulness for getting utes of silence. It shifts the atmosphere, present; emotional liberation, which is because everybody comes in with their about getting free; and then conscious agenda.” This language of healing, though, movement, which is about getting going,” said Lewis, explaining it’s both an isn’t new, she said. It’s just a reclamation of generations of family memindividual and collective practice. She named it orange, in part, to ref- bers, grandmothers, and aunties who bers petitioned to continue the group and even requested Lewis host an overnight retreat. “And then, three days later, Jamar Clark was murdered. Then there was the occupation of the Fourth Precinct and then this work.” Lewis also created the Orange Method, a four-stage process to help break the cycles of oppression one person at a time, including “meditation to
“Because everything tells us to put everybody else first, for us to start with ourselves is a radical act.”
diverSe
ly employed. It belongs to those of us coming out of our industrial complex and those that are still there. This seat belongs to our youth, it belongs to our elders, our taxpayers, our homeowners and our renters. Continued from page 1 “This seat belongs to the people who look like me that have historically been shut out of In her remarks, Conley thanked her thou- this very room. No matter who you are, this sands of supporters in the 4th District and seat belongs to you,” she continued. “It is an honor and a privilege to lead with you.” said her seat belonged to the entire district. Irene Fernando, of Filipino descent, joined “This seat belongs to our unsheltered, those in shelter, our unemployed and our gainful- Conley as one of the county’s first two com-
leaderShip
Judge Continued from page 1
She noticed a pervasive distrust in the system at a young age. “I never understood why and wanted to be part of bridging the gap,” said Freeman. Those who work toward bettering the system or beating down corruption tend to become defense attorneys, advocates for the system’s victims. Freeman counts those defense advocates as some of the best attorneys she’s seen. She noted that they are also limited to going to a prosecutor to ask for a deal or asking a judge for mercy. Even as a kid, Freeman said she wanted to be on the decision-making side — to be the prosecutor or judge, to become the system. After graduating from St. Paul Central High School, where she played basketball, she went to Hamline to pursue a degree in sociology and criminal justice and play a little more hoops. By her junior year, the power forward had set her sights on law school, eventually landing a spot at William Mitchell. Once there, she couldn’t have been more locked-in. At some point, Freeman was clerking with the Hennepin County Attorney’s office drug and poverty teams, volunteering, and working in the Ramsey Coun-
ty Juvenile Detention Center, sometimes overnight, which doubled as study time. She even spent weekends as a makeup artist. “It was crazy,” said Freeman looking back on her law school days. After graduating, Freeman continued at Hennepin County, where she’d been since 2008. “Private work is good, [but] it didn’t speak to me the same way public work did,” said Freeman of her post-graduate options. “I know I’m a public servant. I just know that’s who I am.” She stayed at Hennepin County until her judicial appointment, rotating through departments like violent crimes or gangs teams and prosecuting hard, violent felonies on her way to being promoted to senior attorney. Continuing her passion for the youth system, she also worked in child protection. Firmly ensconced in the system, Freeman’s journey as a Black woman attempting to enter its confines was unpredictably swift, but also predictably lined with barriers against her that continued to appear at the County Attorney’s office. “If I reached any issue of diversity, or ‘hateration,’ as I would call it, or anything along those lines, I used that as ammunition,” said Freeman. She said she hopes and prays that she gave something beneficial to the situation, and that her
hard work and passion would let someone “feel better about what they had to do.” “I’m not gonna just give up,” said Freeman. “For me, that’s a loss.” Freeman added that another reason she became a prosecutor is to change the misnomer that people of color and the poor are only defendants. “[They’re] are victims, [too],” she said. “I need to connect to those people, as well.” She added that earning trust from impoverished victims of color is just as difficult as earning it from defendants. “I met plenty of victims,” said Freeman, “that looked at me like ‘I’m not snitching, you don’t live my life.’” Freeman attributes her experiences sitting and listening to juvenile offenders as key to breaking down walls. Fittingly, her near-decade work as a prosecutor to build trust for victims and defendants alike also equipped her to take up the gavel. So does being a person of color. “I’m going to look at things and circumstances through a different lens than some of my colleagues,” said Freeman. Solomon Gustavo welcomes reader responses to sgustavo@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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passed down their wisdom. “Our grandparents had their morning rituals. They had their nightly rituals. If they were in a spiritual community, they came together, gathered, went to the wall, wailed, and you got that stuff out. This is a reclaiming of that.” Instead of running from the pain, her book’s goal is to help center and heal. “It’s an opportunity, it’s a tool and the practice for us to be able to hold the contradiction of… joy and pain and the heartbreak that we have,” said Lewis. “It’s a reminder that joy and pain do in fact run from the same faucet. You can turn [pain] off, but you’re going to miss out on the joy, too.” For more info on Dr. Joi Lewis or her new book, Healing, The Act of Radical Self-Care, visit joiunlimited.com.
missioners of color. She now represents District 2. Keith Ellison was also sworn in Monday, taking on the mantle as “the People’s Lawyer” in his new role as Minnesota Attorney General. As the first Black person elected to a statewide position, the former congressman said his office “will be the place where everybody counts and everybody matters.” Other emerging leaders in this new year include Minnesota Reps. Ruth Richardson, Mohamud Noor and Hodan Hassan, as well as Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott. Tune in to the MSR throughout the coming months as we follow their progress turning goals into realities. All front photos by Chris Juhn, except Ilhan Omar top center by Yasin Ozturk and Keith Ellison courtesy of Twitter.
Mohamud Noor
Submitted photo
Ruth Richardson
Hodan Hassan
Submitted photo
Submitted photo
SBS
of the other. I want to get this place up and running and then see what God has in store for me next.
Continued from page 1
MSR: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind, if any? JJ: I hadn’t thought about that. At my open house, it almost redefined success for me. I had an idea of what a successful event might be, and it really expanded it. It was almost like God saying, “Let me show you what success really means.” I had a lot of my elders from our community come that had known me since I was a child. My uncle came from California, my mother came from the east coast, and lots of people from Minneapolis and Saint Paul. They were able to tell me that they loved me and support me and they see what I’m doing. People that I haven’t seen in years came to be supportive. That was amazing for me. To be able to do what I do in front of my daughter and exemplify what I believe God wants me to do, in terms of loving and helping people, that’s the legacy that I hope my life can leave.
JJ: The power of belief. I have a few quotes I like to follow: “Fitness is a state of mind” is the first one. Just believing that it can be done and going from there is where it starts. The second one is “Transformation begins with seeing the best in yourself.” When we look in the mirror, we’re focusing on all of our flaws. It’s really important to see the best in yourself, and that will help bring it out. More practical advice is once you make up your mind that you can change yourself, you have to make a plan. I recommend going out and talking to someone in the fitness and health industry because we know how to help people [get in shape]. MSR: How has the planning process been for getting your business off the ground? JJ: I was very blessed to have a lot of good relationships — that was probably the most valuable thing I had. I had the elders that were in my community that had experience running businesses, and they counseled me quite a bit. They helped me put a good business plan together. I had tremendous help from my clients and the community as a whole. I could not have done this on my own.
MSR: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs? JJ: Just prepare yourself. Practice your craft. Relationships are the biggest thing I’ve learned in helping you accomplish your business goals.
MSR: Is there anything else you want readers to know? JJ: Just to seize the moment. Understand that transMSR: How did you choose your location? formation doesn’t really have a beginning and end. JJ: Eagan was the first place I got hired. I wasn’t We’re always transforming. It’s not always about working in 2010, and I started studying to become starting; it’s about taking steps in the right direca personal trainer. When I started to put out applition. “You don’t always have to see the whole staircations, the first place I was hired at was out here. I case, just take the right step,” in the words of Dr. had always dreamed that I was going to work in Martin Luther King, Jr. Minneapolis, but I ended up coming out here for my first job. MPower Fitness is located at 4176 Pilot Knob Rd. in Eagan. For more info, visit mindmusclemotivation.com or MSR: What are your future plans for your busitext “fitness assessment” to 651-321-3239 for a free fitness? ness assessment and consultation. JJ: My primary business goal is to help as many people as I can with their health and fitness. I’d —Interview and photo by Chris Juhn love to branch out to another location and to speak at workshops. Right now, it’s just one foot in front
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January 10-16, 2019
Family fun blossoms into family business game. He and I together then went out and started pitching it to different distribution channels. MSR: What are some of those distribution channels? ML: Right now, our largest distribution channel is the Games by James organization [all eight stores, including Air Traffic Toys and Games] that’s in a number of the malls here in the Twin
Pick Your Brain is a board game billed as fun for the entire family By Paige Elliott Digital Editor
F
amily gatherings have proved fruitful for the Lewises. With the launch of their Pick Your Brain board game, the Minnesota-based family has turned its love for trivia into a budding enterprise. The multi-category, knowledge recall game, created by family matriarch Celeste Lewis, was launched in the fall of 2018 and is now stocked in various stores in the Twin Cities. Below, Mark Lewis (ML), the game’s CEO, spoke with the MSR about its origins and inspiration.
MSR: What is the genesis of the Pick Your Brain board game? How did it come to be? ML: My mother (Celeste Lewis) who is 83 going on 84 — it’s her concept. We’d get together at her house and she’d want to play a game, but she didn’t have Monopoly or any kind of board game to play, so she came up with this concept. It started out as all of us sort of writing down how many TV shows we know. That’s how it all developed… We started playing the game at home. We’d come up with a topic and we’d see who could guess the most items on the topic.
MSR: So, how did it go from a family game to something you put on the marketplace? ML: Well, we saw how much fun we would have with it, you know, coming up with the topics and some of the ribbing and the teasing and back and forth between family members — all in good humor and fun. And we were like, wow, there’s really nothing out there like that! Let’s take a run at this thing and see if there’s interest in the marketplace. So, we did some research and Celeste Lewis figured out how we could market this, and have it distributed. And, I have a long history and background Cities, and one mall in Wisconsin and in demand creation [introducing new one in St. Cloud… One of the things that we wantproducts to the market]. A number of us family members ed to do, because of all the traffic in have a background in certain areas — the malls, is we’d go out and do demfor example, Erick, my brother, and his os in Games by James stores, introdaughter Sarai. She did all the artwork duce our game, and have people and designed the packaging that’s on play it. And every time that we went the box. She’s 18 years old and in college to a location [to do a demo] we’d sell and has been doing [graphic design] for out in a two- to three-hour window. a long time. And Erick is an entrepreneur and MSR: So how is the game played? is always coming up with ideas. He ML: The box contains various topic brought together a lot of the elements cards with 208 topics. You try to list as that needed to be done, working with many items of a chosen topic… The first the different vendors, manufacturers person [who gets] up to 100 points wins. and so on to produce the items of the It’s about 45 minutes to play a complete
game. It doesn’t tie up the whole day, you know, and you get a lot of laughter and teasing and all that; it is contagious that way. The topics can be something as simple as colors — because the game is for [ages] eight and up and for the whole family — to cartoon characters, periodic table elements, and state parks, to name a few. We also have one that asks you to name as many Prince songs as you can. It’s a game that we take a lot of pride in, and we list on the cover that it was created in Minnesota. MSR: What else sets this game apart from others on the market? ML: There aren’t games like this that we’ve been able to find — and we researched and sat down and talked with the marketing director at Games by James. There’s no game currently that is as inclusive for the whole family and age groups and range of topics. If you’re looking for a family party trivia-type game, there’s no comparison. MSR: Are there plans for a mobile app?
ML: We have an app [in the works]; it’s about 80 percent complete right now. MSR: So, what’s next for the game? ML: We have received an official email from Games by James to carry the game permanently. They told us it was a huge success. The other boutique locations where we’ve had the game [Heroic Goods and Games in South Mpls., Gathered Goods in Excelsior, and four Dreamers Vault stores] sold out during the holiday season, and that was without us doing demos… We have ideas; there’s always room to grow, so we can do the next iteration with different topics. We’d like to see it at schools, nursing homes and assisted living places to try to bring some joy there, and hospitals, children’s hospitals. We’re just looking to introduce people to the game and try to, you know, bring a smile to their faces. That’s the purpose and passion behind it. You can purchase Pick Your Brain games by going to pickyourbraingame.com or at various Games by James stores. Paige Elliott welcomes reader responses to pelliott@spokesman-recorder.com.
(l-r) Sarai Lewis, Andy (a Games by James manager) and Mark Lewis
(l-r) Rosann Stewart, Brandi Phillips, Tracey Williams-Dillard and Karen Blanchard
SISTER SPOKESMAN MAKES FITNESS FUN! Community members kicked off the New Year on a healthy note Jan. 5 at “Making Fitness Fun,” Sister Spokesman’s first event of 2019. Sponsored by NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, the afternoon was loaded with an array of fitness and nutrition tips and live demonstrations. The event featured expert panelists Karen Blanchard of NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, Rosann Stewart of S.O.A.R., and Brandi Phillips of The Wellife Method, who also shared healthy food samples. Candis McKelvy, a loyal Sister Spokesman attendee, said she enjoyed hearing about the stretching exercises demonstrated by Stewart. “Everyone talks about massages and exercises, but the stretches, that’s new and I’d like to try that,” she said.
During the event, Philips unveiled a new eightweek GET FIT challenge she is facilitating in partnership with Sister Spokesman. The free challenge measures weight loss for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate. Rounding out the afternoon was KMOJ’s Q Bear, who kept the room at the Cora McCorvey YMCA in Minneapolis lively with workout jams perfect for shopping and networking. Go to spokesman-recorder.com/sisterspokesman to see more photos and more info on the challenge. Sister Spokesman continues the focus on self-care with “Love Thyself” on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 12-4 pm at Thor Companies, 1256 Penn Ave. N. in Mpls.
Attendees participating in stretching exercises led by Rosann Stewart
Photos by Steve Floyd
F CLO INAL D SING AYS! JAN I Have Been to the Mountaintop. 21
The 1968 Exhibit
—Story by Paige Elliott
JOIN US FOR MLK WEEKEND! MLK Weekend Family Activities
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345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102
Brandi Phillips sharing healthy food samples with attendees
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BULLETIN Mobilize for a better Minneapolis The Neighborhood and Community Relations Department is hosting its 8th Annual Community Connections Conference. The yearly gathering aims to connect communities, neighbors and City leaders, focusing on best practices for community engagement. The free conference features interactive workshops, speakers, panel discussions and a catered lunch. The theme of this year’s conference is “Together: Mobilizing for a Better Minneapolis.” RSVP for the opening panel and lunch or sign up to volunteer and request accommodations or interpretation services, if needed, before January 25 at 4 pm. What: Community Connections Conference When: Saturday, February 2, 2019; 8 am - 4 pm Where: 1301 2nd Avenue South, Hall A, Lower Level, Minneapolis For more info, visit bit.ly/CommunityConference2019. —Photo and info courtesy of the City of Minneapolis.
Weigh
in on north Minneapolis park plans The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is hosting a public hearing on Jan. 16 for the community to speak to the board of commissioners about the North Service Area Master Plan (NSAMP). Based on the recommendations of an appointed community advisory committee, the NSAMP sets a vision for the improvement, operation, and management of all neighborhood parks in North Minneapolis over the next 20 to 30 years. It includes long-term plans for 31 neighborhood parks and three regional trails. The proposed plan comes after nearly two years of community-based engagement, planning, and design between MPRB staff and neighborhood members and organizations throughout North Minneapolis. After NSAMP’s approval, MPRB can move forward with several projects at Northside parks, including Cleveland Park, Farview Park, Folwell Park, Lovell Square Park and Perkins Hill Park, which have been funded through its 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan, a long-term initiative to transform the neighborhood park system. The final version of the NSAMP is available on the MPRB website for review before the public hearing. After the hearing, the Board’s Planning Committee will consider approval of NSAMP, and the full board could consider its approval at its February 6 meeting. — For more info, visit minneapolisparks.org. WHAT: North Service AreA MASter PlAN WHEN: WedNeSdAy, JANuAry 16, 2019 At 6:30 PM WHERE: MiNNeAPoliS PArk ANd recreAtioN BoArd heAdquArterS, BoArd rooM (2Nd floor) 2117 WeSt river rd. N., MiNNeAPoliS
NOTE: To speak at the hearing, you need to sign up beforehand. You can either call 612-230-6400 before 3 p.m. the day of the hearing or add your name to the sign-up sheet at the front of the boardroom before the hearing begins at 6:30 pm. — Information and photo courtesy of MRPB.
. The Rotary Club of North Minneapolis and the YMCA Equity Innovation Center recently held an event to further the discussion about unconscious or implicit bias and develop diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. Dr. Ramón A. Pastrano IV, president of ImpactLives, facilitated the “The Hidden Brain and Unconscious Bias” discussion held Dec. 20 at the Dayton YMCA in downtown Minneapolis. Other community leaders in attendance included V.J. Smith, MADDADS President, and Rotary Club of North Mpls. member, Tracey Williams-Dillard, MSR Publisher/CEO, Jim Hancock, retired Wells Fargo executive, Dr. Hedy Walls, chief social responsibility chair of the YMCA, and Henry Crosby, senior director of the YMCA Equity Innovation Center. The group aims to hold similar events in the future to work towards a more inclusive and equitable Twin Cities for all. For more info about the YMCA Equity Innovation Center, visit bit.ly/YMCAEquity.
(l-r) Tracey Williams-Dillard and speaker Dr. Ramón A. Pastrano IV, president of ImpactLives Photo by V.J. Smith
January 10-16, 2019
Legals
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Employment Contract No. 19-101 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Sealed proposals will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at 555 N. Wabasha Street, Suite 400, St. Paul, MN 55102 for Language Interpretation and Translation Services, Contract No. 19-101, until 4:30 P.M., Local Time, on January 31, 2019. Complete Request for Proposal (RFP) documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging, at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, public plan room under Language Interpretation and Translation Services, Contract No. 19-101. Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.
Community Relations Executive
Northern Star Scouting seeks FT entry-level exec to recruit, train & guide adults to run Scouting program serving African-American youth & families. Involves fundraising, volunteer mgmt, outside sales, marketing/PR. Qualifs include 4-yr degree or equiv., driver’s license & reliable transportation. Must enjoy working w/ volunteers, demonstrate passion for youth programs, & able to work days, some evenings & weekends. Exp. in Scouting or other youth program helpful, not required. For more details & to apply, go to https://northernstarbsa.workbrightats.com/ jobs/300065.html www.northernstar.org EOE
Proposals must be accompanied by an EEO-1 form. The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any informalities in the RFP process.
Only One Continued from page 10
AN EQUAL
MAI MOUA
OPPORTUNITY AGENCY
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT /COMMUNICATION MANAGER (651) 292-6086 Mai.moua@stpha.org
Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, January 10, 2019
Housing
players,” Williams explained. “I’m pretty sure that as time goes by my role will have more responsibility.” But becoming a coach, Williams pointed out, was never in her career plans. “To be honest with you, I never saw myself as a coach. The thought did not come to me until someone asked me to become a graduate assistant.”
Williams sits in the middle of the St. Mary’s bench during games, an unusual spot for coaches. “It actually was the head coach’s idea,” she admitted. “Once I did it, I like it because I get to talk to the players easily… I have their ear.” Her year with her hometown Sky, when her main role was primarily helping the team’s growth and exposure in Chicagoland, also gave Williams a worldview of the inner workings of pro sport. “I love women’s basketball. I love the WNBA. That is a dream job,”
LET ME HELP YOU! I can get you financed. If I can’t get you financed today, at least let me put you on the path to homeownership.
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. For details go to www.mylegalaid.org/jobs.
To place a classified ad, please call 612-827-4021
Sr. Software Developer Versailles Export Import, Minneapolis MN. Req. Bachelor’s degree & 5 yrs. progressive exp. Software Development; 3 yrs. exp. Delphi, C#, Java, JavaScript & Objective-C programming languages; 5 yrs. exp. w/ HTML/CSS, JavaScript & UI/UX design; 1 yrs. exp. w/ MS SQL Server & PostgreSQL relational databases, scripting & project management; 3 yrs. exp. using system monitoring tools & automated testing frameworks, & in Windows, Mac OSX & Linux operating systems. Position will produce and implement new functional software solutions for oriental carpet industry. Submit résumé to Sam Navab at snavab@me.com No agencies or phone calls.
SOe Continued from page 10
dedicated; must be flexible and adaptable to change; and must work a minimum of three four-hour shifts between April 5-8. If accepted, the Final Four volunteers will work at NCAA fan events. Two orientation and role-specific training sessions are scheduled for March 19 and March 24. These volunteers in essence will give “our inclusive hello” to an estimated 90,000 visitors to the Cities for the annual event April 6-8 at the Vikings’ downtown Minneapolis stadium, MLOC CEO Kate Mortensen declared. Tashonda Williamson and Clifford Morse are two of the volunteer “point guards.” Williamson told the MSR that she “jumped at the opportunity” to be part of the Final Four. “It is the Final Four,” Morse added. “It is basketball at its finest. I wanted to be a part of that.” A touring “Fan Jam” truck made stops all over the state last summer promoting this year’s Final Four. “The Fan Jam has been the heartbeat of our organization,” Mortensen said. “It gives us a chance to be very inclusive in communities large and small. We have engaged with a million Minnesotans through the Fan Jam.” NCAA officials are expected to be in town later this month to announce the Final Four schedule of events: “A lot of that is free and accessible for sports fans and non-sports fans,” said Mortensen. Submit on-line volunteer applications for the 2019 Men’s Final Four at www.finalfourminneapolis.com/volunteer. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesmanrecorder.com.
952-201-4077
NMLS ID 341222
LEGAL ASSISTANT - HOUSING
Todd.Williams@homeloans.com Natalie Williams
Fitz Continued from page 10 Five Black head coaches were fired on December 31, and eight head coaches in total were fired after the 2018 season. Of the 32 NFL teams, only two Black head coaches remain. One of those two Black head coaches, Anthony Lynn, led his Los Angeles Chargers to a 2317 win over the Baltimore Ravens. For the first time in NFL history over 90 years of pro
football, five Black quarterbacks started and led their teams to the playoffs: Kansas City, Baltimore, Seattle, Houston and Dallas. Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com or visit Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
Photo by Charles Hallman
“I was pretty active as a student manager,” Williams responded when told that being a student manager is good preparation for a coaching career if that’s what one wants. “Now that I think about it, it seems right that I wanted to be [in coaching]. “I love basketball. I love mentoring women. I love player development.”
she recalled of her front-office experience. Asked if she looks to one day become a head coach, Williams responded, “I don’t know. I like coaching. I’m just enjoying my time right now.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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Continued from page 10 Dix said, “HBCUs have been subjected to referee bias in multiple sports across both genders.” He said a former HBCU coach emailed him after his study was released and told him this was something he had experienced for years and years. The professor said that he couldn’t comment further on this mainly because he hadn’t studied it thoroughly, but this columnist over the years has seen first-hand referee bias at the high school level, especially when a city school plays a suburban one. “Anytime emotions come into a game like basketball where it is physical in the paint, sometimes referees don’t do a good job of managing the game,” Dix pointed out. “There might be some element of referees who call [games] differently based on the reaction of the African American player questioning
how a foul was called, or an HBCU coach questioning a foul call as opposed to a PWI coach or player. I think there’s a little bit of cultural bias on how people respond to these fouls.” This is Dix’s second HBCU study in three years. He also looked at 10 college football seasons (2006-15) and learned that HBCUs got penalized more than their White Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents. “Refereeing is a tough job, and it is tough to remove all their biases within the field of play,” Dix said. “On a subconscious level, I think it is fair that there are some referees [that] see these HBCU teams come into town and have a certain kind of idea what to expect of them. There is some element of unconscious bias operating.” Next week: Prof. Dix continues discussing his HBCU study. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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10
January 10-16, 2019
St. Mary’s asst. coach doing what she loves
NFL DIVISION WINNERS TAKE A BEATING
T
he Vikings’ 8-71 regular season has come and gone, and the disappointment and frustration will remain through July. This season was supposed to be so much more. Not that you ever take making the playoffs for granted. Seven teams that qualified for the playoffs in 2017 did not make it in 2018 — Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Buffalo, Carolina and the Vikings. The Vikings were Super Bowl favorites after signing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a three-year $84 million guaranteed contract. I wrote a column last year reminding you that there are no guarantees in the NFL. Some contract guarantees, yes, but not for making the playoffs. On paper, the Vikings are one of the biggest disappointments in sports. They failed for a lot of reasons. Number one was the death of Offensive Line Coach Tony Sparano two days before the beginning of training camp. The offensive line never jelled and was one of the team’s biggest shortfalls. The Vikings lost three games at home in 2018, one 27-6 to Buffalo, as a 17-point home favorite — they were 8-1 at U.S. Bank in 2017. The Vikings were 1-6 vs 2018 playoff teams. The team could not run the football consistently,
and defensively they slipped a notch. They could not stop the run consistently on defense. They ran for over 1,400 yards with running backs Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray, however, they allowed opponents to run for over 1,800 yards. They were not as physical. Eleven of the 12 teams that qualified for the 2019 playoffs ran for more yards than they allowed defensively. The only team that did not was Kansas City, the NFL’s highest scoring team with 565 points, led by quarterback Pat Mahomes who threw for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdown passes. The mental illness issues of defensive end Everson Griffin, who missed five games, can’t be overlooked. Nor can Mike Zimmer’s firing of Offensive Coordinator John DeFilippo. After 12 games, the coach was unhappy the Vikings were not running the ball enough. The Vikings had no identity in 2018. The vibe and thirst for winning that was present in 2017 was missing. They were simply not a mentally tough football team. Playoff news The NFL Wild Card weekend saw three Division Champions — Chicago, Houston and Baltimore — all lose playoff games at home. ■ See Fitz on page 9
Natalie Williams, center, joins St. Mary’s players and coach on the bench.
TRIALS OF AN ONLY ONE ...
By Charles Hallman
This column continues into 2019 the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene.
W
hat a week to start the New Year — in the MIAC! The first workday and the second actual day of 2019, we traveled to St. Paul, inside Hamline’s historic Hutton Arena for a scheduled women’s basketball game between the host Pipers and visiting St. Mary’s.
With 25 seconds remaining, St. Mary’s led by seven, but Hamline staged a Reggie Miller performance, knocked down three treys and won by one at the buzzer. The Only One had previously scheduled an interview with St. Mary’s Assistant Coach Natalie Williams for after the contest, win or lose.
Williams returns to her alma mater as first-year Head Coach David Foley’s top assistant. She was the only Black coach on either bench that night. Williams is fully aware of how competitive the MIAC can be. “I really appreciate what I learned here as a student-athlete,” the 2015 grad and Chicago native said. Now back in the league but as a coach, she added, “I enjoyed my four years here. It was an easy
After she left St. Mary’s, Williams became a University of Minnesota-Duluth graduate assistant women’s basketball coach, then worked for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky as an account executive before returning to the Winona, Minnesota private college last year. “My main responsibility as an assistant coach most importantly is to support our ■ See Only OnE on page 9
HBCUs consistently subjected to referee bias
Sports odds and ends
ANOTHER
VIEW
By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2018-19 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players. This week: Gopher junior gymnast Paige Williams
Charles hallman
Paige Williams Photo courtesy of U of M Athletics
then-sophomore also posted scores of 9.900 or higher on floor in five of her last six meets. She twice scored a season high of 9.800 on vault last season as well. Her goals this season: “Starting where I finished last year,” Williams stressed. “I had a pretty good score sheet going.” The Gopher junior scored 9.825 last weekend on floor at Arizona State, good for third
Minnesota hosts the Best of Minnesota meet with Gustavus Adolphus, Winona State and Hamline at Maturi Pavilion. Final Four preparations underway The 2019 Men’s Final Four is about 100 days away. The
Minneapolis Local Organizing Committee (MLOC) since December 10 has been accepting online volunteer applications (see below). The four requirements to apply are: must be at least 18 years old by March 1; must be friendly, outgoing and ■ See SOE on page 9
“I’m leading by example. I think I am getting better at it.” “I don’t think anything made it easy,” the soft-spoken Williams admitted on being a team leader, especially a vocal one. “I’m more, like, leading by example,” she said. “I think I am getting better at it.” At last year’s NCAA Regionals, Williams scored a career-high 9.950 on floor. The
decision to come back.” The first-year assistant coach was a St. Mary’s student manager for three years, then played on the team her senior year. She made the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team and graduated with a degree in sport management.
“I love basketball. I love mentoring women. I love player development.”
Gopher gymnast keeps her ‘good score sheet’ alive
Minnesota junior gymnast Paige Williams is applying what she learned during her first two seasons when she watched several upperclassmen helping newcomers get acclimated to being a collegiate gymnast. “I know it’s really difficult for [freshmen]” transitioning from high schools and clubs to adjust to the sport’s collegiate expectations, Williams recalls. Just like her veteran teammates who regularly checked in with her during her first year, Williams is doing something similar with this season’s six newcomers. This role, however, wasn’t something she envisioned, she quickly pointed out.
Photo courtesy of St. Mary’s Athletics
place. She also placed second with 9.850 on vault. Williams said she’s now settled on an academic major, business marketing. “I changed my major two times already,” she said. “I am in my college now and taking classes for my major.” This weekend, January 12,
A recent study shows that HBCU teams are penalized more when they play Andrew Dix White schools. Submitted photo Middle Tennessee State Communication Studies Coach DeWayne Burroughs reProfessor Andrew Dix published ported after his December 12 loss a study last fall that examined 10 at Minnesota. He told the MSR years of data (2008-17). It showed the official added, “‘That was that HBCU women’s basketball your warning.’ I knew where we teams are called for more fouls were from that point.” than predominately White inTwice out of eight non-conferstitutions (PWIs). He also noted ence games this season, Coppin that an average of 1.5 times more State was called for more fouls. fouls were called on 23 HBCUs The coach stressed, “I think the than were called on 310 predom- kids sometimes think they are beinately White teams. ing mistreated [by officials]. They HBCU women’s basketball feel like the officials are giving the teams also make up eight of the other team, [especially] a White top 15 most penalized Division I school, an unfair advantage. I tell teams over a 10-year span, hold- my kids I don’t expect any [favoring the top five spots, the study able] calls when I come in here. pointed out. They have to play through it.” “Referee bias is a real phe■ See ViEw on page 9 nomenon that occurs in sport,” Dix said in an MSR phone interview. “If you watch games closely, you can see that happening. There are a number of different reasons why this phenomenon is occurring.” “It’s legit,” Arkansas-Pine Bluff Women’s Basketball Coach Nate Kilbert confirmed after his team’s defeat at Minnesota November 20. APB was called for 22 fouls as opposed to 14 on the hosts. They were called for more fouls in two of their three nonconference contests. Dr. Mitchell Palmer “I spoke to one official about a McDonald’s column call, and his answer to me was, ‘I will return next week am not going to give you a dissertation on my call,’” Coppin State
PreP Scene
Final Four volunteers Tashonda Williamson (l) and Clifford Morse Photo by Charles Hallman