Celebrating90yearsof Blackjournalisticexcellence.
MSR-hosted event honored George Floyd’s legacy Panelists reflected on what comes next
By Jasmine McBride Associate Editor
ommunity members, advocates and local leaders gathered Wednesday evening at the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) to mark five years since the murder of George Floyd, reflecting on the past and asking a pointed question: Where do we go from here?
The event, hosted by the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, featured musical and spoken-word performances, emotional testimony, and a panel discussion on justice and reform in the wake of Floyd’s death, which was captured on video and sparked global protests in 2020.
“As a community, we cannot afford to look away or pretend the work is done,” said Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO and publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, who moderated the forum. “This event is about truth, transparency, and imagining what justice and real accountability can look like — locally and nationally.”
The evening began with a performance by Known MPLS, a local youth and young adult choir, whose soulful hymns included lyrics such as “I know there’s hope in these waters” and “go easy on me.”
during a special fireside chat. Locke spoke about the pain of losing his son and the family’s decision to produce a documentary titled “No Knock, No Charge? The Amir Locke Story.”
“I created this group to spread love,” said Courtland Pickens, the choir’s leader. Andre Locke, father of Amir Locke — a 22-year-old Black man shot and killed by Minneapolis police during a noknock warrant in 2022 — delivered a powerful testimony
“His name wasn’t in your warrant, but his name is going to be in your law book,” a line from the documentary trailer declares. “We wanted to document everything from the beginning so that we had our own story,” Locke said. “We weren’t prepared for what we
Congresswoman on official business accused of unauthorized entry
were up against.”
Reflecting on the night his son died, Locke said, “When it all boiled down, I couldn’t teach my son how to survive while being asleep.” Audience members offered a standing ovation following Locke’s remarks.
The event also included a spoken word performance by local artist Kennedy Pounds, titled “It’s Been Five Years.” Her piece began with the lines “Knee on his neck, breath fading, hope slipping…” and concluded with the chant, “No justice, no peace.”
A pre-recorded video from
By Jasmine McBride Associate Editor
ember states of the World Health Organization voted overwhelmingly this week to adopt the first international pandemic agreement, a landmark treaty designed to strengthen global systems for preventing, preparing for and responding to future pandemics.
The vote took place at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 19, marking the end of more than three years of negotiations. No country opposed the measure. However, the United States — historically the WHO’s largest financial contributor — was notably ab-
Los Angeles radio host Tavis Smiley played during the event. In his remarks, Smiley criticized President Donald Trump, Black Republicans, and local organizations that have opposed diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“America has grown older, but not wiser,” Smiley said. The program concluded with a panel discussion featuring Medaria Arradondo, former Minneapolis police chief and current CEO of Optimus Sui Consulting; Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network; Dr. Yohuru Williams, professor and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas; and Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County attorney. Levy Armstrong recounted
Congress. McIver, 38, who won a special election in 2024 to represent New Jer-
sey’s 10th District, was participating in a May 9 visit to the Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center in Newark when the incident occurred.
“Today, my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1), for assaulting, impeding, and interfering with
■ See ICE on page 5
sent from the session.
The U.S. absence stems from President Donald Trump’s 2020 first-term decision to begin the formal process of withdrawing the country from the WHO, criticizing the organization’s early response to Covid-19 and alleging that it had been overly influenced by China.
Although President Joe Biden reversed that decision shortly after taking office in 2021, lingering political tensions and uncertainty over U.S. recommitment to global health frameworks have hampered full reengagement. As a result, the U.S. has not yet signed on to the treaty and remains outside the agreement’s initial adoption phase.
“The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration and commitment of our Member States to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus following the vote. “This agreement is a victory for public health, science, and multilateral cooperation.”
The 30-page treaty outlines a comprehensive strategy for managing future pandemics, including strengthening disease surveillance in animals to reduce the risk of zoonotic spillover, accelerating information-sharing among countries, and improving the distribution of personal protective equipment, vaccines ■ See WHO on page 5
Andre Locke (r), father of Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black American man who was fatally shot on February 2, 2022, by SWAT officer Mark Hanneman of
Spoken word artist Kennedy Pounds
Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., speaks during a rally at the U.S. Treasury Department in February 2025 in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn
Photo
Photos courtesy of Chris Juhn/MSR
By Aria Binns-Zager Staff Writer
On May 17, a group of anticircumcision activists gathered outside the Minneapolis Convention Center dressed in white with bold red stains around their groins — an unmistakable symbol of their cause.
The demonstration, led by the national advocacy group
Bloodstained Men & Their Friends, was part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about what they describe as the physical and psychological harms of nonconsensual circumcision, particularly in Black, Indigenous and other marginalized communities.
“We’re not here to judge culture,” said one local protester, megaphone in hand. “We’re here to defend bodily autonomy. What’s happening to babies in hospitals across this country is not medicine — it’s trauma.”
While circumcision has been normalized in many parts of the United States for decades, often promoted as a hygiene practice, activists say its racialized history and long-term impact are often overlooked.
According to data from the
cumcision alternatives is often lacking, and the procedure is commonly performed without meaningful parental consent or cultural context.
had been circumcised until he was a teenager. “I felt robbed,” Thompson said with a short laugh. “Angry. I didn’t consent to that.
“Nobody asked me if I wanted a part of my body removed. And when I tried talking about it, people laughed it off. But it’s not a joke — it’s trauma.”
A 2023 study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics found that a growing number of men report long-term emotional and psychological effects from infant circumcision, including anxiety, body dysmorphia, and distrust of medical professionals.
“Our people have long been experimented on by the medical system — from forced sterilizations to unethical research trials,” said Marie, an Indigenous rights advocate who attended the rally. “Circumcision without consent, especially when done under the assumption that it’s ‘just what happens’ in hospitals, is part of that legacy.”
For many Indigenous tribes, circumcision is not tradition-
“I remember asking my mom why it was done, and she just said the doctor told her it was necessary,” Thompson said.
“But when I started doing my own research, I realized it was never about necessity — it was about control.”
The Bloodstained Men argue that the trauma of circumcision is compounded in communities already grappling with medical mistrust, generational trauma, and systemic disparities in care.
Although circumcision has deep religious significance in
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 91% of non-Hispanic white males in the U.S. are circumcised, compared with 76% of Black males and 44% of Hispanic males.
But advocates argue the numbers don’t reflect the full story. In historically underserved communities, especially among Black and Indigenous families, information about cir-
ally practiced. The procedure’s introduction into tribal communities came largely through colonial influence and Western medicine, she said.
“This was never part of our ways,” Marie said. “But now it’s pushed onto us, and we’re expected to go along with it.”
Jamal Thompson, a Minneapolis native who joined the protest, said he didn’t learn he
Judaism and Islam, activists said their movement is not a critique of religious belief but a call to center consent and bodily autonomy.
“We’re not here to villainize anyone’s faith,” said a rally participant who asked to remain anonymous. “But we do believe any permanent, irreversible change to someone’s body should happen with that
person’s informed consent — religious or not.”
Even among some religious families, advocates say there’s growing discussion about delaying circumcision until individuals are old enough to decide for themselves. “It’s not
about taking away tradition,” the protester added. “It’s about making tradition fit within the framework of bodily rights.”
The Minneapolis rally drew several curious onlookers, many of whom said they had never considered circumcision
a civil rights issue.
“I came here thinking this was some fringe issue,” said Lisa Nguyen, a Minneapolis resident and mother of two.
“But then I started listening and realized this is really about consent. And when you think about it that way, it changes everything.”
Others, like community organizer Deshawn Carter, said the rally spoke to broader issues of medical ethics and autonomy in communities of color. “We’ve been told for generations what’s best for our bodies, our families, our communities — by people who don’t live like us, look like us or listen to us,” Carter said. “That needs to stop.”
Bloodstained Men has paired its protests with grassroots education, outreach and policy advocacy. Carter said that the same focus on bodily safety and consent needs to extend to circumcision.
“Whether it’s your life or your body, you should be the one who decides what happens to it,” he said.
As the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death approaches, some activists said the fight for bodily autonomy, especially for Black and Indigenous people, remains urgent.
“This is about dignity, history, consent — and the right to grow up whole,” Carter said.
Aria Binns-Zager welcomes reader responses at abinns@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Brother K, founder and CFO of Bloodstained Men, led demonstrators through an anti-circumcision rally in Minneapolis. Photos courtesy of Bloodstained Men
The Bloodstained Men argue that the trauma of circumcision is compounded in communities already grappling with medical mistrust, generational trauma, and systemic disparities in care.
By Jasmine McBride Associate Editor
More than 1.3 million Minnesotans who rely on Medicaid could see their health care coverage put at risk under a budget bill narrowly passed by the U.S. House of Representatives early Wednesday morning, May 21. The bill, which includes the largest proposed cut to Medicaid in American history, now heads to the U.S. Senate, where major changes are expected.
The budget — formally titled H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — passed by a razor-thin margin of 215214 after weeks of intra party debate among Republicans. The legislation, championed by President Donald Trump, includes billions in cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act subsidies, despite months of assurances from GOP leadership that these programs would be spared.
In Minnesota, where roughly 1 in 5 residents depend on Medicaid for health coverage — including low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities — the stakes are high. Rural hospitals, many of which are already operating on thin margins, could face closures or significant service
bursements decrease.
“This budget could devastate rural health care in Minnesota,” said Dr. Penny Wheeler, former CEO of Allina Health. “Hospitals that serve lower-income communities simply can’t absorb the loss in Medicaid funding. That money keeps the doors open.”
Nationally, the Congressional Budget Office estimated
care from more than 13 million Americans, while adding $2.4 trillion to the federal debt over the next decade.
The U.S. debt currently exceeds $36 trillion.
Democrats blasted the bill as a reckless attack on social safety nets.
“Republicans just voted for
the Affordable Care Act,” said Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), ranking member of the House Budget Committee. “At least 13.7 million will now lose their health care as a result. And why? To pay for tax cuts for billionaires and special interests.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-
would strip health care from 14 million Americans, including nearly 130,000 people in my district who rely on Medicaid. And it would rip food from the tables of at least 3 million Americans, including 115,000 folks in my district who rely on SNAP.”
While House Republicans justified the cuts by citing “fraud and waste,” although no concrete evidence was presented during the debates. Critics argue the bill reflects ideological opposition to social programs rather than fiscal necessity.
“Unbridled spending and failed fiscal policies sent our country’s economy into a tailspin,” said House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (RTexas) in a statement after the vote. “Cradle-to-grave wel
fare without work” and excessive regulation, he claimed, were responsible for the current inflation crisis.
But Democrats say the bill will disproportionately harm the most vulnerable.
“Over 13 million people are set to lose their health care coverage,” warned Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. “Over 4 million students are estimated to have their Pell Grants reduced or eliminated, and 18 million children may lose access to free school meals.”
In Minnesota, state officials have already begun contingency planning.
“We are deeply concerned,” said Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead in an emailed statement. “Cuts of this magnitude would not only harm families relying on Medicaid but could force the state to make impossible choices between essential services.”
The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate, where changes are anticipated. But with the 2024 election cycle heating up, partisan divisions over federal spending are likely to intensify — leaving Minnesotans who depend on Medicaid caught in the political crossfire.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@
Millions of Americans’ health care coverage is at risk.
Photo courtesy of PeopleImages
Business
By Aria Binns-Zager Staff Writer
On May 25, 2020, the world watched as George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin — a moment that ignited global outrage, historic protests and a longoverdue reckoning with systemic racism. Five years later, Selwyn Jones, Floyd’s uncle, isn’t just reflecting — he’s still fighting. Jones, who co-founded the civil rights organization Justice 929 — named for the 9 minutes and 29 seconds Chauvin knelt on his nephew’s neck — is on a mission to create safer, more just communities across the country.
up on a tobacco farm in rural North Carolina. Every day we had to fight like hell to survive. All I’m doing is listening to my mama. She told me if I had a good heart and a good mind, I could achieve anything. So I listened. And I didn’t give up.”
Through Justice 929, Jones has spent the last five years traveling the country advocating for families who’ve lost loved ones to police violence and confronting the systems that failed them. From wrongful convictions to racial profiling, the organization addresses a wide range of issues deeply embedded in American life.
One of its core initiatives
of just continuing to hold their knee on someone’s neck.”
Jones draws a sharp contrast between how crises are handled in marginalized communities and in those with more privilege. “During the crack epidemic, we got jail cells. During the opioid epidemic, they’re giving out beds and $8 billion in support,” he said.
“Now imagine if we’d had $8 billion to treat crack addiction in our communities. We’d have better neighborhoods, stronger families. But it wasn’t about health — it was about control.”
His work through Justice 929 takes on even greater urgency when considered alongside a 2023 U.S. Department of Justice report, which found that the Minneapolis Police Department engaged in a pattern of excessive force and ra-
“I am fighting like hell every day to create change,” he said in a recent interview. “Domestic violence, missing people, wrongfully convicted, murdered Indigenous people — I don’t stop.”
As the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s death approaches, Jones said the pain still lingers. But for him, grief has become a driving force.
“Grief is gas,” he said. “I grew
is pushing for a Medical Civil Rights Bill — legislation that would require immediate medical attention for individuals in police custody.
“How many people say ‘I can’t breathe’ and get ignored?”
Jones asked, referencing Floyd’s last words — and those of Eric Garner in 2014. “If we had a Medical Civil Rights Bill, those officers would have had to provide medical aid instead
cial discrimination.
Between 2016 and 2022, the report found, Minneapolis police stopped Black residents at a rate 6.5 times higher than white residents and Native American residents at 7.9 times higher. The disparities in use of force were even more severe: Black residents experienced force at nine times the rate of white residents, and Native Americans nearly 14 times.
The data was especially alarming for youth. Black youth were subjected to force at 12 times the rate of their white peers, and Native youth at 14 times the rate. Even banned tactics like neck restraints were still disproportionately used — nearly 10 times more on Black individuals and 12 times more on Native individuals than on white individuals.
“These numbers speak to the very structural violence that Justice 929 and I are trying to dismantle — one policy, one app, one conversation at a time,” Jones said. “There are 2.7 million men in prison in America, and over 1.7 million of them are Black. How can we commit 40% of the world’s crime,” he asked, “when we’re the smallest population in the country? We’re not. It’s corruption, and it has to stop.”
That’s why Jones is also pushing for reform around wrongful convictions — another key focus of Justice 929. “Between 2 and 22% of people in prison are innocent. Think about that. How many lives are being wasted?” he said.
Recently, Jones traveled to Boston to speak at the Massachusetts State House, urging lawmakers to act. “I don’t go just to talk. I go to push,” he said. “People in power need to look and understand the reality that we face every day as a society.”
“I don’t go just to talk. I go to push.”
Beyond policy, Jones is turning to technology to prevent future tragedies. He is a co-creator of the MYTH app, a safety tool currently in beta testing that’s designed to intervene during real-time emergencies. It features a panic button that alerts designated contacts when someone is in danger, transmitting live audio, video and GPS location data.
“Let’s say you’re on a date, and it starts going south. Or you’re at the park and notice someone shady watching you,” Jones explained. “You hit the panic button, and your people can see you, hear you and
come to your aid. It’s a tool to save lives before it’s too late.”
The app is expected to launch in Minneapolis in the coming weeks. “We’ve got one bug left to fix,” he said. “Then I’m going full throttle.”
Asked whether activism has always been part of his life, Jones didn’t hesitate. “I’ve always been a Black man. I’ve always been proud.
“Growing up in the South, being called out your name, getting paid less for working harder — I’ve lived that,” he said. “So this work, it’s not new. But George’s death gave me a louder microphone.”
And he’s using it. Every day, Jones said, he receives messages from people who’ve lost loved ones to police violence or gun deaths. That’s what keeps him going. “I don’t have a life in the way most people think of it. But what I do have is the ability to keep fighting. That came from the death of my nephew.”
Reflecting on the last five years, Jones acknowledges some progress — but not enough. “There’s been some changes,” he said, “but every year innocent people are still dying at the hands of the police. People are still losing their loved ones. It hasn’t stopped. We need to do better.”
As the world prepares to mark another anniversary of George Floyd’s death, Jones won’t be looking back.
“Nothing comes from staring in the rearview mirror,” he said. “You learn, and you try to change what you can. I’m going to keep fighting. For George. For all of us.”
For more information, visit Justice929.org.
Aria Binns-Zager welcomes reader responses at abinns@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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calling Arradondo on the day Floyd was killed. She said he initially believed the incident was a medical emergency.
“I picked up the phone and called Chief Arradondo and he picked up,” Levy Armstrong said. “He was told someone had died from a medical incident. I encouraged him to look at the footage because the community was saying otherwise.”
Arradondo said he was first notified that an individual had experienced a medical emergency while in police custody and was being transported to Hennepin County Medical Center. “That was the account relayed to me, until Nekima sent me the video,” Arradondo said, referring to the viral
footage captured by teenager Darnella Frazier.
Dr. Williams recalled his reaction upon seeing the video.
of power, not a response to danger. “In this instance it was like we were looking at a demon looking at us,” she said, referring to former officer Derek Chauvin, “with a knee on a Black man’s neck.”
“I
“After spending these beautiful summers in Minnesota, where Black lives mattered, I thought, ‘I escaped,’” he said.
Moriarty said the video was key in shifting public perception. “It was really the video that allowed people to understand what had happened,” she said.
“I thought that would be the opportunity for true racial reckoning. Right now, we’re going backward. But I thought that at the time.”
Levy Armstrong said the trauma continues because the incident represented an abuse
The free event aimed to honor Floyd’s legacy, acknowledge ongoing grief, and encourage community-led solutions for lasting change.
In conclusion to the overall question of the evening, “Where do we go from here?” panelists affirmed that heal-
ing was still well underway, and that accountability remains essential, even five years later, acknowledging recent rollbacks on DEI and constitutional rights battles led by President Trump.
“The question of ‘What does justice look like?’ is laughable,” said Locke, following a brief chuckle. “Justice is right in front of us, in unity — continuing to have these conversations — and holding our local leaders accountable to their roles.”
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.
law enforcement,” Habba said in a statement released May 19, hours after the House adjourned. “This office takes seriously any attempt to obstruct or interfere with federal officers performing their lawful duties.”
McIver sharply disputed the charges and denounced the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was briefly detained during the visit for what ICE called “unauthorized entry.”
“We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before,” Mc-
Iver said in a statement posted to social media. “Our visit should have been peaceful and brief. Instead, ICE agents escalated the situation unnecessarily and unlawfully detained Mayor Baraka, a sitting mayor in his own city.”
The incident has ignited a political firestorm and prompted comparisons to past clashes between branches of government. Legal experts say the charges against McIver are extraordinarily rare, especially given the constitutional authority members of Congress have to conduct oversight of federal agencies.
“Members of Congress have broad legal and constitutional protections when conducting official business,” said Dr. Caroline Fredrickson, former
president of the American Constitution Society. “Criminalizing a congressional visit to a detention facility sets a dangerous precedent.”
Joining McIver on the May 9 visit were Reps. Robert Menendez Jr. (D-N.J.) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (DN.J.), both of whom criticized ICE and DHS for what they called “intimidation tactics.”
In a joint statement released by their offices, the lawmakers said, “What occurred at Delaney Hall was a clear abuse of executive power. Oversight is not optional — it is the duty of Congress to ensure transparency and accountability, especially in facilities operated by private prison contractors like Geo Group.”
Delaney Hall, operated by the billion-dollar private prison firm Geo Group, has long drawn scrutiny from immigrant rights advocates for alleged inhumane conditions and lack of public transparency. Activists say the charges against McIver are part of a broader pattern of retaliation against oversight and dissent under Trump’s renewed immigration agenda.
Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, who previously served as a personal attorney and campaign surrogate for former President Trump, has faced immediate criticism for what Democrats call a conflict of interest.
“This is not justice. This is political theater,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) in a floor
speech Monday. “To charge a sitting Congresswoman for doing her job — protecting the civil liberties of detained immigrants — is authoritarianism, plain and simple.”
“I will not be intimidated into silence.”
A Department of Homeland Security statement released last week described the incident as a “breach,” claiming McIver and her colleagues “broke into Delaney Hall.” However, no video or independent verification of that claim has been released publicly.
McIver’s legal team has said the Congresswoman will plead not guilty and called the charges “legally baseless and politically motivated.” Her office confirmed she plans to remain in Congress and continue her legislative duties.
“I will not be intimidated into silence,” McIver said. “My constituents elected me to fight for justice, and that’s exactly what I will keep doing.”
The House Judiciary and Oversight Committees are reportedly preparing hearings on the incident and the broader question of executive interference in legislative oversight.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.
and treatments. Still, the agreement’s effectiveness remains uncertain. It lacks binding enforcement mechanisms and secured financial commitments. Analysts say the absence of the U.S. — a major architect of the treaty in earlier negotiations — weakens its global clout and complicates its path to implementation.
Also unresolved are some of the treaty’s most contentious components. Member states postponed decisions on how vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tools will be shared with lower-income countries in exchange for access to genetic data on emerging pathogens. Negotiations over these provisions are set to continue over the next year. The current draft sets a voluntary target: Pharmaceutical companies and governments should commit to donating or offering at reduced prices
at least 20% of all pandemicrelated medical products developed during a crisis. The details of how that will be achieved remain vague.
a step that could take well over a year. The U.S. is unlikely to reach that point in the near future given its current non-participation.
“This is a huge milestone, and the beginning of a much longer journey focused on building capacity, cooperation and trust.”
Before the treaty can go into effect, at least 60 countries must ratify it through their own domestic processes,
“This is a huge milestone, and the beginning of a much longer journey focused on building capacity, coopera-
tion and trust,” said Alexandra Phelan, a global health law expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “You don’t want to overstate what a single agreement can do, but it’s a glimmer of hope in a world that has been rocked by Covid-19. Countries had every chance to walk away from this process, and they didn’t.”
The treaty is the first legally binding international health agreement approved under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution since the Framework Convention on Tobacco Con-
trol was adopted in 2003. As part of the next phase, the WHO will convene an Intergovernmental Working Group in July to finalize a treaty annex that outlines the rules for sharing pandemicrelated technologies and to begin coordinating implementation efforts — an undertaking WHO officials say will be grounded in equity, transparency, and global solidarity.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty (l) and former Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo
Founder of the Racial Justice Network Nekima Levy Armstrong (l) and Founder of the Racial Justice Initiative Dr. Yohuru Williams
MSR publisher and panel host Tracey Williams-Dillard (l)
Local choir Known MPLS
Arts & Culture
Walker’s ‘Surface’ exhibition invites deep reflection
munities can engage with it.”
By Aria Binns-Zager Staff Writer
At first glance “Kandis Williams: A Surface” is visually striking — awash in mirrored textures, collaged images, and layered screens. But at its core, the exhibition is a rigorously intellectual and emotionally resonant excavation of history, visual culture, and the embodied experience of Black life.
Now on view at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, “A Surface” marks the first major Midwest presentation of Kandis Williams’ work. It is curated by Taylor Jasper, the Susan and Rob White assistant curator of visual arts, with support from Laurel Rand-Lewis, Walker’s curatorial fellow in visual arts. Jasper, who has worked closely with Williams for more than five years, approaches curation with an emphasis on co-authorship.
“I really like for our relationships to evolve over time,”
Jasper said. “What the artist brings is the work, and what the curator brings is not only spatialization but accessibility, creating entry points into complex work so that larger com-
Multidisciplinary and thematically dense, the show spans American filmmaking, theater, dance, Greek mythology, and racialized violence. Rather than overwhelm, it invites the viewer in — offering both surface and depth, immediate impact and layered meaning.
Collage, Jasper noted, is not only a visual technique in Williams’ practice but also a conceptual methodology. “It’s how she gathers information, constructs meaning, and moves between mediums,” she
archival materials. The result is a body of work that reflects and critiques the systems we live within — and against.
The exhibition’s title, “A Surface,” points to Williams’ formal engagement with materiality, but also to broader conceptual aims.
“She uses the surface as a space for critical engagement, resistance and liberation,” said Jasper. “It’s about what lies beneath and beyond what we see.”
Two years in the making, the exhibition also includes the forthcoming release of a
“We worked hard to make the language accessible, not overly academic,” Jasper said. “We wanted to meet people
said. “Each section of the exhibition is anchored by a major video work. Surrounding those videos are attendant collages, works on paper, mirrored plexiglass, lenticular prints — all responding to the videos’ themes.”
Williams’ practice is deeply research-based. As she cuts and assembles images, collaborates with dancers, or directs actors in video performances, she also draws from critical theory, online discourse, and
catalog. Jasper emphasized the collaborative process with Williams: “The floor plan went through multiple iterations,” she said, “but ultimately the vision had to coalesce.”
Centering the visitor experience was a curatorial priority, especially in making the show’s references — ranging from Black cultural memory to white femininity and classical iconography — feel accessible rather than abstract.
where they are.”
The feedback so far has been powerful. Several visitors, especially Black community members, have expressed a deep personal resonance with the themes.
“One person told me they could see their own lived experience reflected directly in the work,” Jasper said.
One piece, “Atomic Karen,” particularly resonated with a white woman visitor. The work
critiques the violence embedded in the archetype of the “Karen” — a white woman whose weaponization of victimhood can have life-threatening consequences for Black people.
“There’s a section interrogating the power dynamics embedded in white womanhood,” Jasper said. “That work really made it plain to her how the Karen archetype, while often dismissed as a stereotype, actually represents a structure of harm — and what’s at stake for people in Black bodies when that harm is inflicted.”
With six video installations, Jasper faced the curatorial challenge of spatializing media-heavy work without compromising intimacy or clarity.
“There’s always concern about sound bleeds,” she said.
“But some of my colleagues told me the layout not only mitigated that but actually used sound in intentional, dynamic ways. That was gratifying to hear.”
The resulting interplay of silence and sonic intensity be-
comes part of the exhibition’s atmosphere — a sensory echo of the fragmentation, embodiment and contradictions that Williams explores.
Though Williams’ work may appear niche or theoretical, Jasper insists it functions as a shared mirror. “We all live within a white supremacist society in the United States. Whether you’re a person of color or not, these are structures we all live under,” she said.
What makes Williams’ art so affecting is its openness. Rather than dictating a single interpretation, it creates space for recognition, discomfort and reflection.
“She’s not trying to tell people what to think,” Jasper said.
“She’s not trying to tell people what to think. She’s offering a foundation for reflection.”
“She’s offering a foundation for reflection — inviting people to look more closely and with more care.”
For those willing to look beyond the surface, the reward can be profound.
For more information, visit www.walkerart.org.
Aria Binns-Zager welcomes reader responses at abinns@ spokesman-recorder.com
New releases and rising voices
By Robin James Columnist
Contributing to the world of ideas is what I believe all musicians strive to do — jazz artists especially. It’s why I write: to share and discover ideas. It’s fun.
One artist boldly sharing his ideas with the world is Baltimore trumpeter, composer and bandleader Brandon Woody.
A Blue Note Records artist, Woody recently released his soulful debut album, “For the Love of It All.” Woody leads the band Upendo, featuring Troy Long on keys, Quincy Phillips on drums, and Michael Saunders on bass. The album also includes guest appearances by vocalist Imani-
Grace and Vittoria Stropoli on auxiliary synth. Among the album’s six tracks, my personal favorites are “Never Gonna Run Away,” “Perseverance,” and “Real Love Pt. 1.” Woody’s lyrical playing and rich tone complement his bandmates — especially Long on keys.
In a conversation with Blue Note President Don Was, Woody reflected on the album’s core message: love. “Love is something that sees no boundaries,” he said. “It’s truly what has brought this band together and where it’s gotten us to this title. It’s what’s keeping us on this path. Not only our love for each other, but for the love of this music, and love for the people that it impacts, and the communities that it lives in”
More good news from Blue Note
Labelmate Joshua Redman, the acclaimed saxophonist, composer and bandleader, is
set to release his second album with the label, “Words Fall Short,” on June 20. The first two singles — “A Message to Unsend” and “So It Goes” — are already available.
Redman is a seasoned veteran whose music offers precision, maturity and generosity. He plays with a clarity that feels like an invitation to the listener: Here is something beautiful — enjoy. His band shares a spark with him that keeps you listening closely and wanting more.
“Love is something that sees no boundaries.”
Jazz week highlights
• No. 1 for the fourth week: Artemis
• Most added: Kandace Springs
• Highest debut, biggest mover: Cyrus Chestnut
• Most reported: The Reid Hayson Project (See more at jazzweek.com.)
A happy heavenly birthday to the late, great Red Garland (May 13, 1923 – April 23, 1984). Garland, born in Dallas, was just 60 when he passed. He remains my favorite pianist.
I love his albums “A Garland of Red,” “All Kinds of Weather,” and “Red Garland’s Piano”
(Rudy Van Gelder Remaster). His piano trios, block chord style, and near-human voicings continue to inspire.
Congratulations to Monifa Brown, radio host and global jazz tastemaker at WBGO 88.3
(Newark Public Radio), on her new Monday morning show,
“The Hard Bop Café” (6–8 am).
“Serving up Hard Bop just the way you like it,” Brown closed
her first May 12 broadcast with a perfect groove by pianist John Hicks. I’ll be tuning in — Hard Bop is my favorite way to start the day. Brown also hosts on Saturdays, so check her out then, too.
Looking ahead Mark your calendars: The Messthetics and saxophonist
James Brandon Lewis will perform Saturday, Sept. 5, 2025, at The Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis.
To prepare, spin their recent release, “The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis,” out now on Impulse! Records. Released March 15, 2024, this album showcases Lewis’s ambition and originality. His tenor sax voice is bold and fresh, adding a new edge to a long lineage of jazz greats. He captures what it feels like to play jazz in the 21st century.
Robin James welcomes reader responses at jamesonjazz@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Kandis Williams, ‘Triadic Ballet,’ 2021
Kandis Williams, ‘Eurydice,’ installation view at Night Gallery, 2021
Photos courtesy of Walker Art Center
Brandon Woody’s.debut album “For the Love of It All” Courtesy of Blue Note Records
Education
Youth lead conversations on digital wellbeing
By Jasmine McBride Associate Editor
In a youth-led initiative focused on digital wellness and mental health, The Sanneh Foundation and LiveMore ScreenLess, a Minneapolis nonprofit, hosted an interactive community event Tuesday, May 13, at the Conway Community Center. The gathering united young people, youth leaders, and youth-serving adults to explore how technology impacts wellbeing — and how to build healthier digital habits.
Recent studies suggest that limiting screen time can have measurable mental health benefits for young people.
A 2021 study published in “JAMA Pediatrics” found that adolescents who limited recreational screen time to less than 2 hours per day reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and lower rates of depression and anxiety symptoms (Boers et al., 2021).
Participants, ranging in age from 9 to 17, engaged in facilitated discussions led by trained youth leaders. These sessions focused on selfawareness, digital balance, and mental health.
The conversations were grounded in research and data, including a recent statistic showing that 48% of teens report social media has a “mostly negative” impact on their age group.
“We promote digital wellbeing for and with young leaders,” said Katherine Myers, executive director of LiveMore ScreenLess. “The digital world is not all good, but not all bad. That’s really our framing — digital wellbeing, balance, and intentionality.”
Myers said the organization, founded in 2019, has worked with schools and youth organizations across Minnesota to prepare youth to lead discussions about digital health, and to equip adults to support them.
“The work is to equip adults who work with young people, so that the young people can lead,” she said. “If I have one tip [referring to her research], it is to ensure that devices are not in the bedroom at night.”
Tony Sanneh, founder of The Sanneh Foundation, opened the event by encouraging attendees to reflect on the role of technology in their lives. “This is an opportunity for us to further learn about how technology can be best used responsibly,” he said.
Frida, a youth leader from Lincoln International High School, emphasized that these conversations help young peo-
ple become more thoughtful about their own digital habits. “I believe it is important because kids are becoming aware of technology and how it affects their lives,” she said.
“They are starting to understand what works best for them through their experi
ences. Having these conversations helps us to identify the benefits and drawbacks of technology use, and we can help guide children to make better choices that support their growth and well-being.”
Teagan, a student from Central High School, echoed that sentiment. “It’s important because as the world develops more and more technology, it starts being introduced to youth earlier in their lives,” Teagan said.
“Having access to devices earlier and longer in life can lead to problems with tech-
Black author Sings raises awareness of bullying
By Tiffany Johnson Contributing Writer
Chantel Sings is no stranger to the Twin Cities. A nationally renowned R&B singer, longtime morning host for KMOJ — Minnesota’s leading Black ra-
dio station — and proud cancer survivor, Sings has long served as an empowering voice in the local community and beyond. Continuing her years of meaningful impact, Sings released her latest project on May 17: a powerful children’s
book titled “Billy Likes to Bully.”
The book aims to raise awareness about the realities of bullying, a pervasive issue that affects children and adults alike. Rooted in Sings’ own experiences growing up in Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes,
once one of the largest public housing developments in the country, the story carries a deeply personal message.
“I knew I wanted to start with bullying,” Sings said. “Because of some of the experiences I went through as a child — being bullied, which was really difficult for me — I thought, ‘You know what? I’ll begin by writing about bullying and create an anti-bullying campaign.’ I want people to understand how deeply bullying can affect someone, even well into adulthood.”
The book not only highlights what many children experience, but also reminds parents and caregivers that bullying can persist into adulthood.
“Bullying is never okay, whether it’s bullying of young people or adult bullying,” she said. “I feel like I’ve experienced adult bullying just as much, if not more, than I did as a kid.”
One passage in the book cites, “According to bullying statistics, 49% of children in grades 4 to 12 have been bullied by other students at school at least once.” Additional studies show that 31% of American adults also report being bullied, often with similar consequences — stress, depression, and challenges in daily life.
Though written for children, “Billy Likes to Bully” delivers a multigenerational message.
nology — whether that be addiction, not knowing what to do other than scroll, a sense of loneliness…that can largely affect youth when they should be developing and making friends.”
Survey data collected at the event revealed key takeaways directly from youth. Themes included time management, the value of stepping away from screens, and feeling less alone in their experiences Observations included:
“I don’t have to respond to
“Having access to devices earlier and longer in life can lead to problems with technology.”
everyone right away.”
“Knowing when to step away, and having things I enjoy off-screen, helps.”
“I will try to be more productive and do stuff I like without using my phone.”
“Being mindful of who I am online reflects who I am as a person.”
“It made me happy to have this discussion!”
“My wellbeing is important, and putting my phone down will help.”
Young people also said they planned to leave their phones
in other rooms, talk more with siblings, and be more intentional with screen time. One student drew a smiling face with hands up and wrote next to it, “I’m not the only one,” reflecting a shared sense of connection.
The American Psychological Association found that teens who engage in non-screen activities such as sports, faceto-face interactions, and sleep report higher levels of happiness than those who spend more time on digital devices (Twenge & Campbell, 2018).
“Reducing screen time, especially in the evenings, is linked to improved sleep quality and emotional regulation — both of which are crucial to adolescent development,” Myers noted, aligning her remarks with growing scientific consensus.
The event also gave youth space to just be kids — playing Simon Says and basketball in the gym, and enjoying frozen treats donated by Johnny Pops.
With support from the Allina Health Foundation and Google, organizers hope this model of youth-driven dialogue around technology can be replicated in other communities across Minnesota and beyond, as our society continues to integrate into this “digital first” concept.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Sings challenges adults not only to protect children, but also to reflect on their own actions and uphold values of kindness and respect.
A culturally centered approach
From a publishing perspective, “Billy Likes to Bully” also fills a critical cultural gap. A 2021 study found that Black children experience bullying at a rate of 40%, compared to 33% of white children. Sings’ book is one of few that portrays bullying specifically from a Black perspective, using culturally relevant illustrations and subject matter.
“When I wrote the book, I knew for sure I wanted the characters to be Black, African American — because we don’t see enough of that.”
“When I wrote the book, I knew for sure I wanted the characters to be Black, African American — because we don’t see enough of that,” Sings said.
To bring her vision to life, she partnered with local artist Nikki McComb, founder of the organization Art For Social Change.
“Nikki McComb has been doing a lot of great work. You can go to restaurants and see her artwork on the walls. She’s been doing exhibitions, and she is just amazing,” Sings said. “It was important for me that the characters were Black, and it was important that the illustrations were done by a local artist here in Minnesota.”
To celebrate the release of “Billy Likes to Bully,” Sings will host a free, family-friendly book signing on May 31 from 3 to 7 pm at Par 365, a Black-owned golf and lounge venue. The event will include live readings, a Q&A with the author, and signed copies available for purchase.
“Billy Likes to Bully” is available on Amazon. To order, search: “Billy Likes to Bully by Chantel Sings.”
Tiffany Nicole Johnson is a marketer, writer and musician based in Minneapolis. She is also the associate director of marketing at Saint Paul’s historic Penumbra Theater.
Youth and facilitators during a LiveMore ScreenLess interactive community event Photos courtesy of LiveMore ScreenLess
Executive Director and Cofounder of LiveMore ScreenLess Katherine Myers
Chantel Sings
Fans must do what the WNBA won’t — protect its Black players
By Dawn Montgomery
“You a monkey!” That’s what an Indiana fan yelled at Angel Reese as she stepped to the free-throw line at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Saturday — allegedly. And the league still hasn’t done a damn thing.
When Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark entered the league last season, everything changed. More people started watching women’s basketball. Viewership went up, but so did the hate — racist fans, nasty comments online, and an atmosphere that’s gotten hostile, especially toward Black players.
There should be zero tolerance for racism in this league. Period. Instead, the WNBA is willing to look the other way as long as ticket sales keep climbing. No one in charge seems worried about what these players are going through mentally or physically. That has to change, and it starts at the top.
During that Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever game, fans made monkey noises while Reese was at the free-throw line. After Clark’s technical foul on Reese, Fever fans kept at it. I’ve watched the footage. This behavior is flat-out unacceptable, and the league needs to step up — in a real way.
Let me be straight about WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. Yes, she’s helped the league grow, but she’s
failing these players now. The league has outgrown her. She needs to go. That might be the first real step toward fixing this mess.
These players deserve protection. I’ve been watching the WNBA since day one, and I’ve never seen this level of hatred, especially when Reese and Clark play against each other. The Sky and Fever will meet five more times this season. If nothing changes, this gets worse. Someone could get hurt.
The solution isn’t complicated. Fine or suspend teams when these incidents happen. Make organizations tighten up their security and crowd control. If the fan base cannot behave, then the team should consider playing without any fans present. Drastic? Maybe. But player safety comes first.
I don’t trust them to ‘thoroughly investigate’ anything.
I’ve loved this league from the beginning. I held season tickets for the Atlanta Dream from their first game. Back then, the arenas were packed with respectful fans, and players felt safe. That feeling is gone now.
This isn’t the league I fell
Trump’s
By Antjuan Seawright
You’ve probably heard about how Donald Trump’s tariffs are wrecking the economy, in addition to unprecedented delays and unnecessary barriers for millions of Social Security beneficiaries with the help of Elon Musk, and how his administration leaked classified war plans.
But did you know that, since taking office, Trump and his administration have laid off nearly 300,000 federal workers, including 80,000 VA employees? But that’s not even the half.
Here are some of the most outrageous things Trump has done since he’s returned to the White House:
• Shut down the White
House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
• Denied FEMA assistance to tornado victims in Arkansas
• Announced plans to start garnishing the wages of 5.3 million Americans who owe money on their student loans
• Stopped all Department of Justice civil rights investigations and police reform agreements. Those agreements include those made in Louisville and Minneapolis after Breonna Taylor’s death and George
of meat, poultry, and even milk
• Ended the program to limit salmonella in America’s poultry products
• Cut one billion for mental health programs in schools
• Signed an executive order to cancel “Sesame Street” Meanwhile, your grocery costs keep going up. Like the hip hop philosopher from the People’s Republic of Brooklyn The Notorious B.I.G. once said, “If you don’t know, now you know.”
“If you don’t know, now you know.”
Floyd’s murder
• Ignored a federal judge’s ruling
• Stopped USDA inspections
in love with. It’s become a place that doesn’t protect its Black players. It ignores the concerns raised by fans, players and reporters when they speak up.
Players and reporters have been talking about how toxic it gets in Indiana. Last September, a league released statement said, “The WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world.
“While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory or threatening comments made about players, teams, and anyone affiliated with the league. League security is actively monitoring threatrelated activity and will work directly with teams and arenas to take appropriate measures, to include involving law enforcement as necessary.”
A recent Women’s National Basketball Players Association statement reads, “The WNBA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport. Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
I don’t trust them to “thoroughly investigate” anything. They should have been ready for such an event a long time ago. So I’m talking directly to you, the fans. We have to be the change ourselves. If you’re at a game this season, do this:
• If someone says some-
VIEW Continued from page 10
Chicago with 15 points in 15 minutes off the bench.
Art Jarrett and other Blacks sitting around me unabashedly voiced their displeasure throughout the game. “The offense is not working for them. They have no clue, and they are not playing defense,” he said more than once.
Afterwards he complained, “The coaching needs to be better and needs to get their bigs involved,” said Jarrett, who watched the game with his wife.
Warning labels on social media are not the answer
By Ericka Jones
In today’s digital world, social media platforms serve as vital lifelines for young people, especially those from marginalized communities. While Minnesota lawmakers aim to protect youth through conference committee legislation that would mandate social media warning labels, this approach may harm many of the teens that it intends to safeguard.
These warning labels stigmatize crucial online spaces that serve as safe havens for LGBTQ+ teens and minority youth. Social media platforms can provide essential support and connection for these teens, especially in rural or isolated communities across the state since digital communities offer identity validation, cultural connection, peer support, and vital resources that are not immediately available to them.
The Center for Brain and Behavior Research at the Uni-
thing racist or inappropriate, try to record it and tell security right away.
• If you see a player or fan being mistreated, find security.
• After the game, email the home team about what happened.
• Then, email the WNBA with the same details. Copy a reporter if you can.
We need real documentation, not just tweets. Accountability starts with proof. Your
Last Thursday’s game was Chicago’s first since their May 17 season opening loss at Indiana, which featured a Caitlin Clark hard foul on Reese that set off a social media firestorm clearly along racial lines. It forced a league investigation on whether “monkey sounds” were played during the game directed towards Reese, and a “Conduct Advisory” card placed on every seat at the game. “Fans who act inappropriately will not be tolerated and may be subject to ejection from the arena and/or revocation of their tickets,” stated the WNBA Security placard.
“As far as the racist stuff, I hope it stays in Indiana and
These warning labels stigmatize crucial online spaces that serve as safe havens for LGBTQ+ teens and minority youth.
versity of South Dakota has demonstrated how supportive online communities significantly improve mental health outcomes for vulnerable youth — serving as these safe havens and offering peer support. Consider the message a warning label sends to a young teen seeking help or researching advice through a social media group during a crisis. Warning labels that broadly stigmatize social media use suggest that seeking online community is inherently unhealthy — potentially deterring vulnerable youth from accessing their only available support system.
voice matters. What you see and hear at games matters.
The league knows this. Its “No Space for Hate” campaign is just empty words if they don’t back it up. So speak up. Report what you see. Record it if you can. Tell the team, tell the league, and tell the media.
Instead of implementing stigmatizing warnings, we should pursue more effective solutions that protect youth while preserving the benefits of online communities. By investing in accessible mental health services and comprehensive digital literacy programs, we can better protect young people while ensuring they maintain access to the vital support networks and cultural resources that help them thrive in our connected world.
Ericka Jones identifies herself as an inclusion, diversity and equity leader.
Change won’t happen on its own, but we can push for it. This league has always been about fighting through adversity. But when players have to be resilient without protection, that’s not inspiration — that’s exploitation. If the WNBA won’t protect its players, it doesn’t deserve its fans. Protect the players. Believe them. Have their backs.
does not come here,” stressed “Michael.”
“As far as the racist stuff, I hope it stays in Indiana and does not come here.”
“John” pointed out, “It’s an issue that really shouldn’t be what it is. They make it a Black and white thing. It’s just basketball.”
“Michael” says most local Blacks support the Sky, which has an all-Black coaching staff. “It’s more important for the young people to see that, especially in the city of Chicago with our Black mayor. They need to see that there’s no limits.”
This piece was originally published in Black Press USA. Dawn Montgomery is a culture critic writer. For more information, visit www.blackpressusa.com.
However, Marsh and his first-year coaching staff have a ways to go to get Jarrett and other Blacks sitting in my section in their corner. “It’s no improvement over T-Spoon [former coach Teresa Weatherspoon, who was fired last fall after just one season as head coach],” bemoaned Jarrett.
“That’s not important to me,” surmised “Andre” on the team’s all-Black staff. “What’s important to me is winning. I don’t think he’s the right coach for this team. I think they did [Weatherspoon] wrong.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Employment & Legals
Attention: Vended School Meals Companies Career Pathways Public Charter School District is soliciting invitations for bid for vended school meals. The Vendor would provide meal services according to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and guidelines as well as State of Minnesota Department of Education policies and guidelines. Vendors and/or their representatives may submit bids to: Career Pathways School District via email to joan@cpathmn.org
The Career Pathways school board reserves the right to accept or reject any and/ or all proposals or to accept the proposal that it finds, in its sole discretion, to be in the best interest of the school district.
A pre-bid meeting will not be scheduled. A copy of the IFB will be available by email at joan@cpathmn.org by 5/19/2025. Potential bidders are asked to email their questions to Dr. Little by 5/31/2025. All bids must be submitted no later than 3PM due on 6/6/2025.
All bids should be delivered to the school district via email to joan@cpathmn.org and be clearly marked: Vended School Meals Bid. Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 22, 29, 2025
is up to date. Train and oversee the staff’s data collection and regularly review and collect and monitor the program data Provide support and oversight as needed. Develop skills in critical areas and develop these skills in staff as assigned by the Residential Service Administrator. Provide periodic training and oversight to the compliance-related task. B.A or B.Sc minimum required. Resume to harmonyhealth1@yahoo.com Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 29, 2025
Sr. Systems Engineer
Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.
SOE
Continued from page 10
the X’s and O’s.
“Black coaches specifically, and it’s not to say that they’re not,” stressed Wells, “but they need to fully embrace and immerse themselves in what is transpiring with intercollegiate athletics.
“It is important that these coaches…understand that becoming a CEO is no longer an option. It is a must when it comes to how you go about navigating your specific program. It’s important that you be proactive about
asking questions of the administrators and make sure that they have dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s to give you the best possible opportunity to be successful.”
The last-hired-first-fired axiom that has existed for Black coaches seemingly forever is putting Black coaches on hot seats quicker than usual. “The standard now is that you should be able to improve drastically from season to season,” said Wells. “For those that know a little bit about the coaching profession, it’s very difficult to build chemistry and things like that, which are so vital to the success of any
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entity let alone a women’s or men’s basketball program.
“I think it’s not a matter of [Black coaches] having to work twice as hard to be half as good,” concluded Wells. “I think everybody’s working
hard, especially in the college basketball landscape. Everybody’s working hard.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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Sports
Transfer portal, NIL add to the pressure on Black coaches
he double-edged new normal in college athletics today is the transfer portal and NIL (name, image and likeness). Since it was introduced in 2019, the number of men’s and women’s basketball players in the portal has increased each year from hundreds in 2019 to thousands in 2025. College football transfers also are up.
According to On3, which tracks portal comings and goings, over 40% of MBB players (5,607) and about 29% of WBB players (5,048) went into the 30-day portal window, which opened during March Madness and closed in late April.
In other words, the transfer portal along with NIL basically have become college sport’s free agency. Players come and
go for various reasons and not always about playing time or lack thereof.
AD Advisors, a group of former college administrators, recently produced two “white papers” on the transfer portal by collecting quantitative data through interviews with coaches, administrators, athletic directors, and players for their first-hand experiences.
The group also studied over 800 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football players dating back to 2020-21 and over 14,000 basketball players in the portal dating back to 2019.
The respective studies found that “a significant majority” of football studentathletes and basketball players who entered the portal transferred down from a Power 5 school to a non-Power 5
Edwards leads Timberwolves in Game 3
Timberwolves turned in record-setting performance
nthony Edwards scored 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out six assists — leading his team in all three categories — as the Minnesota Timberwolves, in an NBA Western Conference Finals recor-setting performance, defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 143-101 in Game 3 at the Target Center last Saturday evening at the Target Center. The 42-point victory, which
helped the Timberwolves cut Oklahoma’s best-of-seven series lead to 2-1, was much needed.
Edwards had plenty of help. Julius Randle had 24 points, Terrence Shannon Jr. added 15, Nickel Alexander Walker contributed 12, and Naz Reid chipped in 10 to round out the Timberwolves’ balanced scoring attack.
Shannon’s performance proved to be the most energizing as the rookie guard scored his points in just 13 minutes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell led the Thunder with 14 points each. Jalen Williams had 13, while Chet Holmgren and Dillon Jones chipped in 10 apiece.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.
school, or transferred down from other conferences or did not get picked by a new school.
Furthermore, both the portal and NIL are strange bedfellows of sorts, putting more pressure on coaches to succeed. An April 16 article in Minnesota Sports Fan pointed out that NIL ultimately did in former Minnesota coach Ben Johnson, who was fired in March after four seasons.
“When Ben was hired back in 2021,” the article said, “the wide-open NCAA transfer portal was still a very new thing. So was NIL. Every year under Johnson, they ran into
the same problem — not enough NIL money. Instead of improving the core of their team in the offseason, Ben and his coaches had to find underdeveloped talent in the transfer portal and use it to cobble together an underwhelming roster.
“They’d lose their best players. This is why Ben Johnson was fired,” the article said.
Kennedy D. Wells, the CEO of Achieving Coaching Excellence, told the MSR that coaches must become equally as adept at transfer portal and NIL matters as they are with
Sky fans assess new all-Black coaching staff
HICAGO, ILL. — It’s not often that when I am in a city covering a separate event I also take in a WNBA game, but this longtime reporter did just this last Thursday. Instead of my media row seat provided by the home team, I had a much better seat — third row up, center court at the Chicago Sky’s 2025 home opener against the visiting New York Liberty.
Sky games aren’t that much different from Lynx home games — nonstop noise provided by a loudmouth in-arena host, kooky contests, T-shirt tosses and staged video bits all under the heading of entertainment.
Before the game, I spoke to longtime Black ticket holders. All except one spoke on the condition of anonymity and we gave them fictional names.
“I grew up with women’s basketball,” said “Michael,” an elderly longtime season ticket holder at the game with his wife.
“John,” a young Black man, said he’s been a fan for four years: “I see improvement in the team. We’re down but on the way up.”
“Andre,” a longtime Black fan, is upset that his season tickets
went up “about 300%” from a year ago. “They raised the ticket prices and didn’t let the ticket holders know they were raising them that much.”
The Chicago Sky was founded prior to the 2006 season. They twice made the Finals (2014 runners-up) and won the 2021 title. Both finishes were led by Black coaches (Pokey Chatman and James Wade). The two were among four Black GMs in team history.
The 2025 Sky is led by second-year players Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, and bolstered by such veterans as Rachel Banham. “I just want to get a win,” Banham told me before the game. However, the home team lost to New York 99-74. Reese had a game-high 12 boards, but only made two free throws, and Cardoso finished with six points — the two combined for 3-for-16 shooting. Banham led ■ See VIEW on page 8
Pioneering broadcaster shows young Black women what’s possible
By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist
Second of two parts
lack females historically have been underrepresented in sports broadcasting. But Cindy Brunson as a youngster found a Black woman who would serve as an inspiration for her to eventually go into broadcasting herself.
“The first person I saw that looked like me on TV talking about sports was Jayne Kennedy,” recalled Brunson of Kennedy (now Overton), the first Black woman to host a national sports broadcast, CBS NFL Today in 1975. “I just thought she was stunning. Oh my gosh, she’s there and she’s talking about football,” Brunson recalled.
Then, after seeing Kennedy’s successor Phyllis George, a White woman doing the same job, that convinced her that one day she could do the same. Brunson talked about it with her father, and the two visited colleges that had a broadcasting curriculum.
The Seattle native said, “We landed at Washington State because Keith Jackson had gone there,” continued Brunson. “He was the soundtrack of my college football-loving youth. That’s going to be a good foundation for me.
“I graduated from Washington State [in 1996 from the Murrow College of Communications]. and within six months of graduating I had my first onair TV job in Spokane [Wash.] as the weekend weather person and working reporter.” Brunson moved on to a Portland, Oregon station to do
sports. “I got a call from ESPN in 1999,” recalled the veteran broadcaster.
She anchored the network’s famed SportsCenter as among the few Blacks to hold the nightly sports desk. “I was in the right place at the right time, and I was at ESPN for 13 years, met my husband there, and I had a blast,” said Brunson.
“I got to work with people like [the late] Stuart Scott. I was so blessed to have my cubicle across the office space from Stu. I did my first SportsCenter with my future husband — I had a crush on the guy [I was] sitting next to,” she pointed out.
Her broadcasting experience over the years includes playby-play for Texas Tech women’s basketball, TNT Sports, University of Arizona sports, Fox Sports, and Pac-12 Networks. She also is the first primary voice for Athletes Unlimited women’s basketball telecasts.
“Not very many people get to say they’ve had two dream jobs, and I have,” said Brunson. “I achieved my goal of being at
ESPN and SportsCenter, and when I left ESPN [in 2013] it was my goal of being the [WNBA’s Phoenix] Mercury broad
caster [2022-2024].”
“Not very many people get to say they’ve had two dream jobs, and I have.”
“I knocked on that door every single year,” she said. There aren’t that many Blacks doing play-by-play on a regular basis. Brunson is among a handful of Black women announcers.
know before they tuned in,” she stressed. Besides being the best she can be, Brunson wants to model for the next generation of Black females. “I always want to show them what’s possible. You’re the lead, you’re the voice that’s going to be heard the most, and you want to have that calm about you, but also the respect. I want to instill that anything is possible.” Brunson said she was taken aback that she also was setting a standard like Jayne Kennedy and Robin Roberts did for her decades ago.
“I had no idea the impact I was having when I was host-
“I built it through reps, because in play-by-play you just have to do it, to find your voice, to find your comfort level, and to learn how to work with a bunch of different people,” explained Brunson. “One of the most valuable lessons I learned at ESPN was to teach them something they didn’t
ing SportsCenter or when I was calling games for the Pac12,” she said. “People were really paying attention and they were looking at me as a role model.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
“Black coaches need to fully embrace and immerse themselves in what is transpiring with intercollegiate
Ben Johnson
Photo by Charles Hallman
See SOE on page 9
Photo courtesy of X
Rachel Banham
Photo by Charles Hallman
Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. drives against Thunder guard Isaiah Hartenstein.
Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald
Cindy Brunson Photo by Charles Hallman
Brunson, left, with WNBA legend and HOF Seimone Augustus Photo courtesy of X