State’s closure of housing program creates a ‘storm of instability’
The most vulnerable Minnesotans are at risk
By Lizzy Nyoike
innesota’s Housing Stabilization Services (HHS), a program helping thousands of residents with disabilities and housing instability, is set to end Nov. 1 following a state fraud investigation. The decision has left advocates, service providers, and residents concerned about widespread housing insecurity and what comes next.
“This is going to cause more homelessness. We’re going backwards if the state follows through with canceling it,” said Matt Traynor, executive director of the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless (MCH).
Launched in 2020 under Medicaid, HHS was designed to help eligible Minnesotans, primarily those with disabilities or experiencing housing insecurity, find and maintain stable housing. More than 20,000 Minnesotans received monthly support for rent, food, and supplemental services. By mid-2024, over 400 provider organizations statewide were billing for services. DHS announced the program’s termination, citing unsustainable costs and the need to redesign it with tighter policies. The move follows an MPR News investigation reporting that some providers submitted fraudulent claims for clients who didn’t exist or
were ineligible.
According to the investigation, the state’s Medicaid director said, “Investigators found cases of providers billing for thousands of hours of nonexistent work.” DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead told reporters that while “fraudulent actors must be held accountable, the agency faced an impossible situation balancing program integrity and continued access to services.”
Advocates warn that while trying to protect state funds, policymakers risk punishing the very people the program was designed to help. “Yes, we hate fraud and need to stop it, ■ See HOUSING on page 5
Photo by Kevin Dahlgren
Cuts threaten federal support for children with disabilities
By Jasmine McBride Managing Editor
he U.S. Department of Education is exploring relocating its special education programs, weeks after the Trump administration laid off nearly all staff in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), according to a department spokesperson.
How Black Minnesotans are responding to ‘No Kings’
By Scott Selmer Assigning Editor
n a gray fall Saturday in October, the Twin Cities streets echoed with chants of demonstrators carrying signs that read “No Kings.” For some, the phrase is a rallying cry against what they see as the creeping authoritarianism of Donald Trump’s presidency. For others, it blends into a political landscape that feels broken and exhausting.
Recent interviews with 10 Black Minnesotans from Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, and Bloomington revealed a mix of disillusionment, determination, and weary distance. While few denied that
America’s political terrain has shifted, their responses reflected a broader divide in how everyday people engage with power.
At a Cub supermarket, Raheem White sighed at the mention of No Kings Day. “It’s horrible,” he said. “We have a president trying to be a king. But what can we do? He’s been elected twice. For everyday people, it’s like no hope.”
His friend Boss Waite nodded. “It doesn’t matter what the people say anymore,” he said. “It’s what Trump wants. Every day it’s something new, and you can’t even be shocked anymore.”
Their exhaustion mirrored a mood among those who feel their political voice has been muzzled. For some, cynicism
is less apathy than self-protection.
“Before Covid, I used to be deep into politics,” White added. “Now I just try to be a good person and live my life.”
At 24, Hope Diamond embodies a generation shaped by pandemic shutdowns, the murder of George Floyd, and political upheaval. She joined the first No Kings Day march but missed the second due to work.
“I’m terrified,” she said. “As a young Black woman, I feel like nothing is set up for me. What little there was is being taken away. Everything feels like it’s falling apart, and I have little control over it.”
Diamond and her friends marched from a rally in
■ See NO KINGS on page 5
“The Department is exploring additional partnerships with federal agencies to support special education programs without any interruption or impact on students with disabilities, but no agreement has been signed,” Biedermann said.
According to USA Today, Biedermann also stated, “Sec-
broader effort to reshape the nation’s K–12 system, which officials have criticized as burdened by so-called “wokeness.”
A key element of this agenda, detailed in Project 2025, includes reducing the scope and influence of the Department of Education itself. If finalized, the shift could have sweeping implications for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),
retary McMahon has been very clear that her goal is to put herself out of a job by shutting down the Department of Education and returning education to the states,” she said. The move comes as part of the Trump administration’s
In a brief statement sent to the Minnesota SpokesmanRecorder’s media partner Word in Black, Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications, confirmed the department is seeking new federal partners for these programs but offered few details.
By Jasmine McBride Managing Editor
he Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is proud to welcome Scott Selmer as its new assigning editor. With robust experience in law, journalism, and community advocacy, Selmer brings a deep commitment to truth-telling and a lifelong belief in the power of Black media to uplift voices too often left unheard.
Born and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin, a small, predominantly conservative city near the Illinois border, Selmer’s early life shaped his understanding of resilience and identity. “I was about five when I was first called a racial slur,” he recalled. “That kind of experience leaves an impression. But it also teaches you the importance of finding community, of knowing who you are.”
The first in his family to attend college, Selmer went on to earn his law degree and later worked in media law, developing a keen awareness of fairness, accountability, and representation. “I’ve always believed that light should prevail,” he said. “But when you fight for that light, especially as a Black man in the Midwest, it can come at a cost. Still, it’s a fight worth having.” Outside of the newsroom,
Selmer finds solace in writing, walking, and spending time outdoors. “I walk two to three miles a day, sometimes five,” he said with a laugh. “It helps me think. Writing, though, that’s when I feel most at peace.” He also likes to ski with his best friend in Colorado, a retired teacher, during the cold months.
“I want to do a job for the community. I want people to know they’re heard and that they matter.”
Selmer’s perspective on the role of Black media is rooted in both history and purpose. “The mainstream media will never tell our stories the way they need to be told,” he said. “Black media is essential… It reminds us we’re not alone, that we belong to a community with shared values, struggles and triumphs. That’s what MSR has been doing since 1934, giving our people a voice.” As assigning editor, Selmer
aims to strengthen that legacy by mentoring emerging journalists and ensuring the stories that matter most to Minnesota’s Black community are reported with integrity and care. “I want to do a job for the community,” he said. “I want people to know they’re heard and that they matter.”
Selmer joins the MSR editorial team at a pivotal time for both the paper and the communities it serves, bringing a steady voice and a profound respect for the craft of journalism. “It’s an honor to work with an organization like MSR,” he said. “Because if we don’t tell our stories, no one else will.”
Scott Selmer steps into his new role as assigning editor, continuing to champion stories that highlight Minnesota’s Black community.
Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Duncan/MSR
Scott Selmer
Phyllis Wheatley Center names Tyner executive director
By Lizzy Nyoike Contributing Writer
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center (PWCC), a cornerstone of North Minneapolis for more than 100 years, has appointed Bryan Tyner, recently retired Minneapolis fire chief, as its next executive director, beginning in January 2026.
Tyner calls the opportunity a “full circle moment.” His connection to the center began in childhood, from playing basketball to sending his own children to the Mary T. Welcome Daycare.
“For me, it’s a great honor. I grew up on the North Side, and I’m a Northside kid. Service to the community is in my life’s work, so being able to come back to Phyllis Wheatley and serve in this way is just a great honor,” he said.
Tyner said his leadership experience in public safety taught him how to “move ideas into programs,” a skill he plans to bring to PWCC.
“I think the biggest thing I bring is leadership,” he said.
“Being able to get things done on a political level but also carry a project from an idea to an actual program.”
Founded in 1924 and named after Phyllis Wheatley, the first African American woman to publish a book of
poetry, the center has long served as a hub for children, youth, families and elders.
“Chief Bryan Tyner is a home run hire for PWCC,” said Scott Allen Morris, PWCC board chair. “His multi-generational connection to the organization, combined with decades of public service, makes him the ideal person to guide PWCC into its next chapter.”
Tyner plans to focus on expanding partnerships across the Twin Cities to strengthen the center’s impact on community health and well-being.
“Phyllis Wheatley is already on the right track with programs around mental health and Covid-19 recovery. I want to talk to the community and see what other needs we can address,” he said. He emphasized collabora-
“I don’t want to mess up an organization that’s been around for 101 years. The goal is to build upon the foundation that has been laid and move the needle.”
Morris noted Tyner’s previous involvement as a board member and community advocate demonstrates his understanding of both PWCC’s history and future needs.
tion as a key strategy. “We don’t have to do everything ourselves. I want to make this an opportunity to partner with other organizations instead of competing against
each other,” he said.
Tyner’s vision centers on community engagement, accountability, and holistic wellbeing for all who turn to the center for support. “I don’t want to mess up an organization that’s been around for 101 years,” he said. “The goal is to build upon the foundation that has been laid and move the needle.”
He plans to engage residents directly to ensure programs remain relevant and inclusive. “We are here for you. If there’s a community need that isn’t being met, we want to know. PWCC has been here for 101 years, and we will be here for 100 more,” he said.
For Tyner, leading PWCC isn’t just another role. It’s a continuation of his service to the community that shaped him.
“I look forward to leading this jewel of the North Side, celebrating and preserving its legacy while engaging and serving the community,” he said.
St. Paul development corp celebrates its past, reimagines its future
By Scott Selmer Assigning Editor
Stage lights glowed warmly over the 825 Arts theater as longtime residents, former staff, and supporters gathered to mark a milestone few community organizations achieve: 45 years of the Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation (ASANDC).
The evening was both a reunion and a call to action, a celebration of endurance amid decades of change in the historic Rondo and Frogtown neighborhoods. Laughter and music carried through the venue, but beneath the joy was a clear urgency: the need to strengthen an institution that has long carried the hopes of St. Paul’s Black community.
“I really just want this event to reintroduce Aurora St. Anthony to the community,” said Tatiana Freeman, ASANDC’s new executive director. “We’ve been here 45 years, and that’s a tremendous accomplishment. But who we’re going to be moving forward may look different, and that’s okay. We’re still dedicated to stepping up, stepping in, and serving.”
ASANDC’s roots stretch back to the wreckage of the Rondo neighborhood, the once-thriving African American community torn apart by the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s. The displacement of hundreds of families gave rise to a movement for self-determination, and ASANDC was born from that struggle.
Former executive director Naida Pressley, who led the organization for years, said, “Aurora St. Anthony was there when the freeway destroyed Rondo. It served the residents who remained, and it has grown over time to meet the voices and needs of the community.” The event, she said, connects the past with the present and future.
ASANDC remains a pillar of
neighborhood advocacy, promoting affordable housing, local ownership, youth programs, and fair development practices.
The organization helped secure additional Green Line lightrail stops in Rondo, influenced federal transportation policy to give communities greater input, and co-developed Rondo Square and Western New Plaza.
wealth-building program helping residents save, invest, and build financial security.
• Workforce Forward: a pathway for Black and brown workers to enter skilled trades essential to neighborhood redevelopment.
• Legacy Scholars Institute: a multi-generational space for preserving Black stories,
said event coordinator Laila Orsi. “So, we wanted to host it somewhere that reflected who we are: rooted, accessible, creative. Tonight we’re unveiling new branding, new initiatives, and reaffirming that this organization still belongs to the people.”
For attendees, the space also served as a reunion
a staff of one,” Johnson said. “She’s carrying this on her back, doing it from her heart. What she needs is for the community to rally around her. We’re hoping for that magical donor, yes, but also for neighbors to show up, to clean the office, to give, to care.”
The organization’s board, made up entirely of women,
Freeman, who returned to ASANDC after teaching financial literacy and working as an entrepreneur, described the organization’s current focus as “unfinished work on the table.”
She is leading a period of reorganization, branding, and ambitious re-visioning, emphasizing multi-generational impact: wealth-building for renters, workforce pipelines for Black and brown tradespeople, and legacy storytelling that connects youth with elders. The new initiatives center on three pillars: • Prosper St. Paul: a renter
entrepreneurship, and family heritage.
“These are ways we can help our people thrive right now,” Freeman said. “Ownership is one piece of wealth, but so are savings, stability and stories.”
The choice of 825 Arts, a creative hub ASANDC helped make a reality, was symbolic.
While the organization’s office remains nearby at 360 West University Ave., the venue reflected ASANDC’s renewed focus on art, culture and accessibility.
“There aren’t a lot of event spaces in the community,”
“The goal is to ground Black legacy organizations so that they can survive.”
where former staff, neighborhood elders, and supporters shared memories of Rondo’s lost homes and ongoing resilience.
From the stage, Freeman fought back tears as she addressed the crowd. “There are challenges,” she admitted. “We’re rebuilding. We may not be doing the same development projects we once did, but our dedication hasn’t changed.”
Dawn Johnson, a leadership coach who mentors Freeman, emphasized the need for community support. “She’s
blends deep roots with new energy. Felicia Marie Wilson, a child of Rondo, said, “As an adult, being someone who benefited from Aurora St. Anthony, it’s a blessing to give back.”
Clara Lewis, a former staffer now with NEON in North Minneapolis, returned because she “believes in Tatiana’s vision.” Board member Ashley Oolman, chief equity officer for the State of Minnesota, added, “Tatiana doesn’t play when it comes to people. She’s relentless about getting them what they need.”
The evening highlighted Black women’s leadership as a sustaining force in community institutions often expected to “do more with less.” St. Paul City Councilmember Anika Bowie, representing Frogtown and Aurora St. Anthony neighborhoods, reflected on the organization’s impact.
“I’m here not because of my title, but because I truly believe in the leadership and vision of Tatiana Freeman,” she said. Bowie shared her family’s experience with ASANDC, recalling how the organization helped her mother navigate city processes and keep their home.
Freeman closed with the announcement of ASANDC’s Legacy Stabilization Collaborative, a partnership to help other Black-led institutions, such as Hallie Q. Brown and Pilgrim Baptist, build capacity and withstand changing philanthropic trends.
“The goal is to ground Black legacy organizations so that they can survive,” Freeman said. “Because if we don’t invest in ourselves, many of us won’t be here. But being here tonight, seeing you all, gives me hope that we will.” Her voice cracked slightly as the audience applauded.
The evening wound down with hugs, photographs, and quiet conversations about what comes next. Slides on display screens cycled through ASANDC’s new logo and mission statements, alongside images of old Rondo storefronts and smiling youth from past programs. Donation links scrolled beside them, a reminder that sustaining the legacy requires ongoing action.
“Show up,” Johnson repeated. “Just show up.”
For more information, visit www.aurorastanthony.org.
Scott Selmer
At the heart of Saint Paul’s African American history is the Rondo neighborhood, a history often excluded from mainstream documentation. The Aurora Saint
Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student with interest in community stories, investigative and multimedia journalism.
Bryan Tyner, recently retired Minneapolis fire chief, now executive director of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center City of Minneapolis
In my previous article, I introduced my “7 Modules of Vitality” and focused on the importance of sleep. This time, I want to shift our attention to another essential pillar of wellness: eating habits — not just what we eat, but how and when we eat.
With thousands of diets and just as many experts claiming to know the “best” way to eat, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. My view might sound controversial, but after years of practice, I’ve learned this truth: There is no one ideal diet. What truly matters is building healthy eating habits that align with your body’s unique needs.
As part of naturopathic medical training, we spend nearly 200 hours studying nutrition, how food is absorbed, metabolized, and used by the body. After treating thousands of patients, I’ve found it’s often more effective to start with how you eat before tackling what you eat.
(Note: The information below offers general guidance. If your health care provider has given you a specific plan, follow their advice, or at least share these ideas with them before making changes.)
How to eat
Eat with the seasons. One of the simplest ways to support your body is to follow a rotating or seasonal diet: essentially, eating foods that naturally grow during that time of year.
Rotating foods helps in several ways. It can reduce food sensitivities, support a healthy gut microbiome, and even improve metabolism and weight management. While some versions of rotating diets call for changing foods every few days, that can be difficult to maintain. I typically recommend rotating with the seasons instead.
For example, our metabolism tends to speed up in the warmer months and slow down during colder ones. Eating seasonally available foods provides the nutrients your body naturally craves during each period. Not only are seasonal fruits and vegetables more flavorful, but they also retain more nutrients since they’re fresher when harvested.
Eating habits are the foundation of lasting health
When to eat
Listen to your body.You’ve probably heard different advice about meal timing — some say three meals a day, others suggest multiple small meals. In naturopathic medicine, we take an individualized approach because no two bodies are alike.
There is no one ideal diet. What truly matters is building healthy eating habits.
Some people feel best starting their day with a protein smoothie, snacking lightly, and enjoying a large evening salad. Others do better with a hearty breakfast and lighter meals later in the day.
The key is consistency and ensuring your body gets the nutrients it needs every single day. Skipping meals due to busyness and then overeating at night is not sustainable — it’s often a sign of an imbalanced lifestyle. If that sounds familiar, keep simple, nourishing snacks on hand, like a mix
of nuts and dried fruit. They provide quick energy and longer-lasting protein.
If you thrive on three solid meals, stick with that routine. If smaller, more frequent meals suit you better, stay consistent. This regularity is especially important for those managing blood sugar, as steady eating patterns help regulate glucose and insulin levels.
Keep it simple
With all the conflicting advice about what’s “healthy,” eating well can start to feel complicated. The best approach is to simplify. Here are three practical ways to begin:
1. Set your plate for success. Aim for ½ vegetables, ¼ lean protein, and ¼ grains at each meal.
2. Try meal sequencing. Eat vegetables first — they’re rich in vitamins and minerals and easy to digest. Follow with lean proteins, which break down more slowly and help you feel full. Save grains or carbs for last. They provide quick energy but can easily convert to stored fat if eaten in excess.
3. Eat the rainbow. Each color of produce offers dif-
ferent nutrients: orange and yellow veggies are rich in vitamin A, greens in iron, and reds in antioxidants. To make it fun, challenge yourself to try a new color each grocery trip. You might find new favorites!
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be restrictive or complicated. By paying attention to how, when and what you eat, and keeping it simple, you create sustainable habits that nourish your body for
the long term.
Learn more about Dr. Ayanna Quamina and her practice at www.drayannaq.com.
Email her directly at info@ drayannaq.com.
Photo courtesy of Fresh Farm
By Dr. Ayanna Quamina, ND Columnist
St. Paul small businesses face uncertainty amid federal rule changes
By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
Small businesses owned by women and people of color in St. Paul are bracing for tougher times after a recent federal rule quietly changed how equity programs operate. Earlier this month, The U.S. Department of Transportation ended the practice of automatically recognizing women and racial minorities as “socially disadvantaged” under the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, a key pipeline for small firms seeking government contracts.
women-owned contractors amid national rollbacks.
Now, even businesses already certified will have to resubmit paperwork proving disadvantage on an individual basis. Legal experts say the move effectively pauses or dismantles key parts of the DBE system. For St. Paul’s Black, Brown, and womenowned firms, that means more paperwork, delays, and uncertainty about eligibility for city or state projects tied to federal funding.
According to a 2025 study analyzing over 7,000 city contracts totaling $2 billion, only
“That number you just described represents a doubling of the number we
housing for small business owners during a transition period, then we can get rid of a minimum wage,” she said.
Her added that she is reconsidering how the 2023 increases in minimum wage and paid sick leave affect small BIPOC-owned businesses.
“Sometimes it’s rare for politicians to go back and examine what they passed. It doesn’t mean we don’t care about justice or fairness, but we have to be honest about what’s working and what isn’t,” she said.
Forum moderators and business owners stressed that staffing requirements and compliance costs can be crushing for small firms.
“My competitors who are not as big as me are going to get crushed,” Hilborn said.
biophysicist
Yan Chen, and businessman
Mike Hilborn on how the city plans to protect minority- and
13.9% of St. Paul’s contract dollars went to minority- and women-owned businesses.
“That number you just described represents a doubling of the number we inherited.
We’ve doubled our spend with minority- and womenowned businesses. And I think
that’s something incredible,”
Mayor Carter said. He added the city is expanding outreach to identify eligible vendors and revising bidding requirements to focus on “lowest responsible bidder” rather than simply the lowest bidder.
Small business owners said government contracting can be intimidating.
“I don’t do any government contracts at all. It’s very intimidating,” said Mike Hilborn,
owner of RTF Services, a pressure-washing business that hires candidates with criminal records. “The way you get a contract is by writing the RFP so only your company qualifies.”
Rep. Kaohly Her praised the city’s new Permitting and Utilities, Licensing, Inspections Engine (PAULIE), an online platform designed to streamline permitting, licensing, inspections, and complaints. Still, she said bureau-
cracy remains a challenge.
“We still have a disconnect between what you need from PED [Planning and Economic Development] and DSI [Department of Safety & Inspections], public works,” Her said.
Biophysicist Yan Chen criticized the city for signing off on rent control without enough housing development, saying high housing costs hurt business growth.
“If our city can provide
The St. Paul mayoral election will take place on Nov. 4, 2025, using ranked-choice voting.
Correction note: A previous article implied Rep. Kaohly Her wanted to close the Rondo Library. Her office clarified that she supports extending library hours and improving efficiency, not closure.
Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at combs0284@ gmail.com
At a Small Business Mayoral Forum held at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, moderators R. Lynn Pingol and Robert Harper pressed Mayor Melvin Carter, Rep. Kaohly Her,
(l-r) Businessman Mike Hilborn, Rep. Kaohly Her, Co-Moderator R. Lynn Pingol, biophysicist Yan Chen, Mayor Melvin Carter, Co-Moderator Robert Harper, Pimento Manager Keisha Burke, and Owner Tommy Beevas Clint Combs/MSR
but the clients didn’t commit fraud. They’re the ones being punished,” Traynor said.
He also criticized the lack of transparency around the decision: “It’s hard to know who exactly made the decision to cancel this. There are confusing messages on whether it is a full-on cancellation.”
The termination threatens to destabilize housing support programs across the state. Moses, 41, who asked that we use only his first name, attended an HHS rally with his teenage son. He said, “If we don’t speak or vote, we give him what he wants, power without limits.” For Moses, civic engagement is part of the solution: “The only thing we can do is vote so someone can say no to him rather than yes. HHS isn’t just a program, it’s part of how people can maintain their stability.”
The HHS cancellation comes as the federal govern-
ment shutdown enters its third week, further complicating assistance for vulnerable families. Kendra Krolik, chief strategy and advancement officer of the Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAP-HC), described the combined challenges as a “storm of instability.”
“The longer the shutdown goes on, the longer families with low incomes will wait for assistance grants due to delays in federal funding,” Krolik
said. The delay coincides with the start of the Cold Weather Rule and Energy Assistance season, when demand for help with rent, heat, and utilities spikes.
CAP-HC typically receives Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds in mid-November, but with the federal budget stalled, grants may not go out until Thanksgiving week.
CAP-HC is currently managing over 12,000 applica-
tions, 1,000 more than last year, but cannot issue assistance until funding arrives. “At best, families will stay afloat. At worst, they’ll fall irreparably
behind,” Krolik said. Traynor emphasized that the HHS termination will have ripple effects beyond individual recipients. “If you take
“This is going to cause more homelessness. We’re going backwards if the state follows through with canceling it.”
away one billable service to a program already at risk, you’ll see not only fewer people housed, but also more people losing housing and overburdening shelters,” he said.
“Organizations serving similar populations may have to turn people away because they simply don’t have the capacity.”
Even if HHS is eventually restarted, advocates warn the gap could take months or years to recover from, leaving thousands at risk of losing housing. “That gap could mean everything,” Traynor said.
As Minnesota faces the end of Housing Stabilization Services, advocates and providers continue to push for clarity, transparency, and swift action to prevent further instability for the state’s most vulnerable residents.
Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student with interest in community stories, investigative and multimedia journalism.
Minneapolis toward the State Capitol in St. Paul, but logistical hurdles, parking and crowds tempered the day’s impact. “We shouted, we made our voices heard,” she said. “But sometimes it feels like nobody’s listening.”
Tamra Dalton, 48, had heard of No Kings Day but did not attend. She supports those who do. “I support anybody’s right to protest,” she said. “I don’t think Trump’s bright enough to think about being a king, but he likes popularity and control. The people around him are afraid to disagree, and that’s dangerous.”
Dalton’s concern extends beyond politics to broader equity issues. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion … those values affect everyone who isn’t a white man. People with disabilities, women, people of color, everyone is impacted when those values get pushed aside.”
Moses, 41, attended a No Kings rally with his teenage son. (He requested we use only his first name.) “I was
there to support them,” he said. “This guy is using everything, the Justice Department, ICE, however he can. The Constitution says everyone has the right to due process. People shouldn’t be thrown out of the country without a hearing.”
For Moses, the solution isn’t just protesting, it’s voting. “Get out and vote,” he
“I’ve
OSEP has long been responsible for ensuring that states comply with IDEA, monitoring programs, and providing guidance and enforcement when students’ rights are violated. Advocates warn that without these staff members, students could face delays in services or lose critical protections.
“For those students who have grievances and need interventions from the federal government to enforce those protections, not having those
urged. “The only thing we can do is vote so someone can say no to him rather than yes. No Kings Day is less spectacle than civic duty, a reminder that democracy only works when people participate.”
For Ahmi Ahmed, 26, activism occurs online. “I support the protesters,” he said.
workers there to address immediate concerns is just another line of protection that students won’t have,” said Eric Duncan, director for P–12 policy at EdTrust.
The layoffs follow a temporary federal court block issued on Oct. 15, but if the government prevails in the next hearing, the absence of OSEP personnel could severely weaken IDEA enforcement. Transferring IDEA responsibilities to another agency would require at least 60 votes in the Senate, according to States Newsroom.
“I posted that there’s no king, power shouldn’t belong to one person.”
Born abroad, Ahmed compared Trump’s America to Middle Eastern monarchies. “In kingdoms, only the family lives well. Everyone else is ignored. That’s not what we want here.”
Mohammed, 35, echoed the value of peaceful expression.
“It’s good to go out and express yourself. I’ve seen places with kings … No freedom of speech, no freedom of expression. I never want that here.”
Not everyone finds energy for protest. Giovanni Sharr, who moved from Texas, once believed Trump might bring positive change. “I thought he would be good for the country,” he said, “but I saw the policies: tariffs, ICE … It’s tearing the country apart.”
Now he avoids politics entirely. “I focus on myself because outside of me everything is chaos.”
Another respondent declined to give his name but offered a philosophical view. “Everything in this country is political, you can’t escape it. I believe protests incite violence. We’re all carved from the same blood, Black
or white, so why be on each other’s necks?”
Across 10 interviews, a portrait emerged of a community divided by ideology. Some physically protested, some protested online, some simply watched. Yet nearly all agreed: America’s political temperature has reached a dangerous high.
“Trump isn’t just a politician,” Dalton said. “He’s a symbol of control. People are scared to tell him no.”
For others, like Moses, silence is complicity. “If we don’t speak or vote, we give him what he wants, power without limits,” he said.
Hope Diamond and her peers worry that “everything’s falling apart,” yet their participation shows a resilient belief that voices still matter.
The No Kings movement may not rival historic protests in size, but its energy runs deep. It reflects a question across Black communities na-
expressed concern about what the shakeup might mean in practice. Many rely on OSEP to intervene when schools fail to provide required services, and delays or gaps could have lifelong consequences for students.
tionwide: How do you defend democracy when democracy feels out of reach?
For some, the answer is to protest. For others, to vote. And for many, to hold onto hope in a political world that seems determined to test it.
“There is no king,” Ahmed said simply. “That’s why we speak.”
Scott Selmer welcomes reader responses at sselmer@ spokesman-recorder.com.
While the department searches for new federal partners, advocates emphasize that continuity in services must remain a priority. Any disruption could affect not only the daily educational experience of students with disabilities but also the legal protections that ensure access and equity.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats, and Democrats hold 45, making passage unlikely without bipartisan support. Experts note that moving the programs could disrupt federal oversight and introduce uncertainty for states and local school districts.
For Black students and other marginalized groups, the stakes are particularly high. Historically, students of color have faced greater barriers in accessing special
education services and often rely on federal oversight to ensure equitable treatment. Advocates warn that dismantling or weakening OSEP could exacerbate existing disparities.
Local impacts
Parents and teachers have
“Without federal staff to monitor compliance and respond to complaints, families will have to fight even harder to ensure their children get the education they are legally entitled to,” said Leticia Alvarez, a special education teacher in Bloomington. “I think it’s super unfortunate that our most vulnerable humans, which are children with disabilities, are even a part of a conversation where resources are being eliminated.
The Department of Education has not provided a timeline for finalizing the move or announced which agencies might take on these responsibilities, leaving families, educators, and civil rights groups watching closely.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Photo courtesy Kazim Yildiriml
Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Duncan/MSR
Fall into jazz: smooth sounds and star performances this season
By Robin James
By Robin James
The crisp, cool air of autumn is here, the fall colors are on full display, and soon some of jazz’s brightest stars will be too. Add to that a host of warm, colorful new recordings perfect for cozying up on chilly days ahead.
Boney James and Kirk Whalum, two of today’s biggest contemporary jazz artists, are coming to Minneapolis for shows at the Dakota. Jazz fans here are anticipating these performances with excitement that doesn’t come around nearly enough in the Twin Cities.
James returns to our stage on November 22 with shows at 6:30 and 9 p.m., while Whalum performs November 24 at 7 and 9 p.m. Both saxophonists are legends in smooth jazz circles, cultivating loyal fan bases who expect, and receive,
nothing less than an unforgettable experience.
For those unfamiliar, Boney James is a four-time Grammy nominee, and Kirk Whalum is a Grammy winner. James’ latest album, “Slow Burn” (Concord Records, 2024), features collaborations with Marcus Miller, Cory Henry and Rick Braun. Standout tracks include “A Little Romance” and “The Bounce,” showcasing James’ vigor and boldness. Whalum’s “Epic Cool” (Mack Avenue Records, 2024) highlights his signature warmth with tracks like “You and Sunday Morning” and “Through the Storm.”
Also coming to the Dakota this fall:
• Joshua Redman Quartet November 9 at 5:30 and 8 p.m. His latest “Words Fall Short” (Blue Note Records) features a bright, powerful tenor sound that will not disappoint.
• John Scofield’s Combo 73, November 12 at 7 and 9 p.m., featuring pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Vicente Archer, and drummer Bill Stewart Django Festival Allstars with vocalist Veronica Swift, No-
vember 16 at 6 and 8 p.m.
Turning to the charts, for the October 20 JazzWeek radio chart:
• No. 1 for a fifth consecutive week: Christian McBride Big Band, “Without Further Ado.”
Courtesy Nicholas
• Most added, biggest mover, highest debut: “Triune” from New Orleans trumpeter and keyboardist Nicholas Payton (Smoke Sessions Records), features longtime collaborators bassist/vocalist
Esperanza Spalding and drummer Karriem Riggins. The album blends refreshed classics with lively originals, with “Unconditional Love” and “Feed the Fire” (highlighting Spalding) standing out as bookend tracks that make this outing a vibrant, contemporary jazz experience.
In birthday notes, we celebrate:
• Trumpeter Roy Hargrove born October 16, 1969, in Dallas, Texas. Hargrove’s collaborations with singersongwriter D’Angelo shine on tracks like “I’ll Stay” from Hard Groove (Verve, 2003) and on D’Angelo’s Black Messiah (RCA, 2014).
• Wynton Marsalis, born October 18, 1961, in New Orleans, LA, now 64. Just back from a tour of Africa, he’ll bring the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, on November 1 with an all-new program. Expect mind-blowing skill and artistry.
For tickets and information, visit Dakotacooks.com and Minnesotaorchestra.org.
Readers are invited to share responses with Robin James at jamesonjazz@spokesman-recorder.com.
Ta‑Nehisi Coates talks race, power, global justice
By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
Last Thursday at St. Catherine University’s O’Shaughnessy Hall, awardwinning author Ta-Nehisi Coates, often called the modern-day Toni Morrison, delivered a lecture that went far beyond the usual literary reading, tackling race, power, culture, and global justice.
Coates opened with a stark challenge to elite institutions: “Y’all are punks. Y’all are cowards.” He criticized universities and TV networks for compromising principles for prestige and profit rather than standing up to political pressure.
“When leaders threaten lives or roll back rights, the media too often rolls over. By staying quiet, by not pressing the issue, they enable harm.”
“These institutions, rich, prestigious, cower rather than confront. They compromise their principles instead of defending justice,” he said.
Coates called out ABC for canceling the Jimmy Kimmel Show and CBS for softening coverage to help its parent company, Paramount, complete a merger with Skydance.
“When leaders threaten lives or roll back rights, the media too often rolls over. By staying quiet, by not pressing
the issue, they enable harm.”
Turning to politics, Coates argued that individual leaders cannot dismantle entrenched systems. He traced continuity in American conservatism to Barry Goldwater, noting that political projects and loyalties outlast elections. Reflecting on reproductive rights and the assumption that Black leadership would guarantee progress, he said: “The answer is, they were in the midst of a political project … loyal to ideas about how
the world was supposed to be organized.” Coates expanded the discussion globally, recounting a trip to Palestine, which he called “probably the most eye-opening trip I’ve ever taken in my life.”
going to be any of us.”
Culture, Coates argued, is central to power. “Culture decides who is human and who is not. Culture decides who can speak and who cannot,” he said, urging that meaningful change requires courage, vigilance, and a commitment to truth beyond casting ballots.
Reflecting on America’s historical inequality, Coates said Black Americans were repeatedly excluded from moments of national progress.
I know what that feels like.” He connected history to contemporary responsibility, framing justice as all-or-nothing: “For me to have so much of my work be rooted in the fact that … either it’s going to be all of us or it’s not going to be any of us… I have to be honest, I pulled the lever.
Drawing parallels between historical segregation in the U.S. and violence abroad, he said, “The same person that is murdering folks off the coast … is the same people sending troops into our city … the same people subsidizing the dropping of bombs on hospitals and schools. Either it’s going to be all of us, or it’s not
“So much of my work is about moments in time … where for a certain percentage of this country to have its happiness … we were left behind. We were left behind after Reconstruction. We were left behind while the country built its great middle class during President Roosevelt’s New Deal. I know what that is.
‘Why Teach’ event asks who’s missing from teacher pipeline, and why
By Scott Selmer Assigning Editor
North Hennepin Community College’s annual “Why Teach” event in a packed campus hall took place October 9 with students, educators, and community partners talking plainly about Minnesota’s teacher pipeline and the urgent need for more Black educators.
The Why Teach event, now a biennial NHCC tradition, combines keynote speakers, networking, and mentorship opportunities for students considering education careers. Educators said it’s one of Minnesota’s few events directly connecting two-year college students, many first-generation or non-traditional, with the state’s teacher licensure pathways.
This year’s headliners included Minnesota Education Assistant Commissioner Dr. Macarre Traynham, Tracy Byrd, the 2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, and Markus Flynn, executive director of Black Men Teach. It’s a student-led program that is held on NHCC’s Brooklyn Park campus.
Byrd, a ninth-grade English teacher at Washburn High School, said the profession must begin with clarity of purpose. “If a person doesn’t know why they do what they do, they’re more likely to stop or change course. But when you know your ‘why,’ those tough teaching days are easier and the good days are even better” he said. He said Black male students need to see themselves in the room and be able to aspire — “I can do that, too.”
Jamill Williams, 36, a North Hennepin student and father of five, said certain statistics cited by Flynn at the Why Teach event hit home and
made him realize why it was important for him to become a teacher.
He credited NHCC faculty members, Why Teach coordinator Dr. Susan Moore, and his cousin, Jeff Stovall, a principal in the Madison, Wisconsin school system, for guiding him toward teaching.
designed to keep candidates in the profession.
Research backs up the stakes. Multiple studies have found that having even one Black teacher measurably improves long-range outcomes for Black students, reducing dropout risk and increasing
“There’s a work ethic and an attitude you have to bring. The kids bring out a part of you only children can.”
Williams started as an educational assistant with no aspirations beyond that position. He has had the opportunity to take the helm and teach for six weeks in a program of aspiring Black teachers. “It’s not about to be easy. He said, “There’s a work ethic and an attitude you have to bring.” The kids bring out a part of you only children can, he said. Flynn, whose nonprofit recruits, prepares, places and supports Black men to become teachers, particularly in elementary classrooms, argued for earlier and deeper investment. The organization pairs mentorship and financial support with a cohort model
college enrollment.
Exposure to two Black teachers compounds the effect. Those findings, Flynn noted, are a key reason to strengthen the pipeline now.
Byrd said he intended to explore ways to connect Black Men Teach’s elementary- and middle-grades focus with high schools. He believes you’ve got to nurture Black students from beginning to end and equip them in elementary and middle school. Then telling them, “You’re on your own” in high school may not be fair.
He and Black Men Teach Executive Director Markus Flynn discussed possible next steps to extend sup -
port into secondary grades.
The conversation also touched on classroom realities prospective teachers will inherit.
If the policy landscape is shifting, Byrd’s core message was steady: model humility, keep standards high, and build relationships that stick. He emphasized that because teachers are human, they can
make mistakes even if they’re experienced teachers.
He recalled how a recent field trip he organized “got off to a rocky start” after he forgot pre-printed name tags and missed a few busroster names. Ultimately, all the preparation had been in vain and caused a significant delay in the field trip activities.
“I did feel great about it. But I think we now have an opportunity to do that,” he said, urging the audience to recognize that participation, courage and vigilance extend beyond a single election. Coates also noted that White Nationalism fueled Donald Trump’s rise and criticized performative opposition to it.
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“I told students: ‘This is 100% my mistake.’ You’re not defined by the errors you make, but by how you respond to them,” he said. “There will be good days and bad days. Own them, and move forward.”
Student organizers said the Why Teach event has grown into a touchstone on campus, part pep talk, part roadmap, for students considering licensure pathways, scholarships, and transfer options across Minnesota.
Williams said he left this year’s Why Teach event with practical next steps, and a sense of duty. “Everyone’s important in the building,” he said. “If people know the numbers and see the picture clearly, it changes how they act. Just having that thought can shift the way you treat the next Black teacher you meet.
“The kids are watching you,” he said.
Scott Selmer welcomes reader responses at sselmer@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Duchesne Drew (l), senior vice president at American Public Media Group, speaks with Ta-Nehisi Coates.
A packed crowd listens at O’Shaughnessy Hall in St. Paul. All photos by Clint Combs/MSR
Minnesota Assistant Education Commissioner Dr. Macarre Traynham
Tracy Byrd, 2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year and Washburn High School English teacher
Markus Flynn, executive director of Black Men Teach
Jamill Williams, a father of five All photos by Scott Selmer/MSR
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By Shavelle O. Chavez-Nelson
Allegations of sexual assault and humiliation continue to surface within the Minnesota Correctional Facility at Oak Park Heights. Despite the state’s claims of “zero tolerance” toward sexual violence, incarcerated individuals report that forced strip searches remain a routine and degrading practice.
Advocates and survivors are calling on Protect Minnesota, the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA), and Violence Free Minnesota to investigate and take a stand against what they describe as a form of statesanctioned sexual abuse.
body searches” are indescribable. Refusing to comply would likely have resulted in the use of chemical agents, handcuffs, and possible solitary confinement. During these procedures, incarcerated individuals are forced to expose and manipulate their genitals while guards look on, a process that, by any reasonable definition, constitutes a sexual violation.
scanners have replaced strip searches in women’s facilities like Shakopee. Still, at Oak Park Heights, men continue to endure these invasive searches under the justification of “security.”
A call for accountability
Forced strip searches are not about safety, they are about domination and degradation. The refusal to use available technology such as body scanners signals a willful disregard for the dignity and humanity of incarcerated citizens.
By Gwen McKinney
All skinfolk ain’t kinfolk. This admonishment came from novelist and folklorist
Zora Neale Hurston, one of the most prolific Black literary figures of the 20th century.
Tracy Chiles McGhee, a Zora Neale Hurston biographer, shares context, noting this reference is loosely drawn from Hurston’s 1942 autobiography, “Dust Tracks on a Road.” Zora unapologetically leaned into her lived experience as a Black woman born 25 years after slavery, infusing her storytelling with Black dialect and the hardscrabble realities of the South.
“Her actual words: ‘My skinfolks…but not my kinfolks’ was a reminder that racial identity alone doesn’t ensure shared purpose or principle,” McGhee says.
As if she had a crystal ball peering into the current political landscape, Zora offers a cautionary tale that Blackness and political interests are not always aligned. The upcoming Virginia election on Nov. 4 calls out Zora’s warning.
For the first time in history, Virginia will elect a woman as its chief executive. For decades, many Virginia civic leaders have advocated for more diverse candidates to better reflect the electorate. This year, the ethnic diversity of office seekers is historic on both sides of the aisle.
Virginia’s gubernatorial race, one of only two governors’ contests this election
season, promises to be consequential and closely watched. It can set the table for next year’s mid-term elections.
For the first time in history, the state will elect a woman as its chief executive, with a right-wing Black Republican immigrant facing off against a white, moderate national security specialist who served three terms in Congress.
Considered part of the “Old Confederacy”, the state is colored by contrast. Bordering the nation’s capital, it has one of the largest populations of federal employees and contractors hard hit by the government shutdown. It also claims three of the five richest counties in the nation, the world’s largest naval base, a robust Bible Belt, and a 20% Black population.
The candidates
The Republican pick is Lt. Governor Winsome EarleSears, 61. Jamaican-born, she immigrated to the U.S. at age six. A Marine Corps veteran, she is the first Black woman to hold statewide office.
Sears served a short stint in the House of Delegates, followed by two unsuccessful bids for the U.S. House and Senate. During the 2020 presidential campaign, she chaired the “Black Americans to Reelect the President” Political Action Committee.
Many have expressed concern about her positions on reproductive justice, climate change, and employment. In a recent interview, she was corrected by a Fox News reporter on employment data after disputing her lower estimate of statewide job losses.
When a CNN interviewer asked her about the purge of Virginia’s federal workforce, she replied, “If this is the way you want to go, then go ahead, but I’m just not going to participate, because I want to talk about real issues.”
A firsthand account
On September 22, 2025, while speaking with a loved one by phone, I was suddenly approached by two correctional officers. They ordered me to hang up and return to my cell for what they described as a “shake down.” Moments later, I was directed to remove all of my clothing. The fear and humiliation that accompany these “unclothed
A contradiction in policy
Minnesota’s Department of Corrections displays “Zero Tolerance” billboards against sexual assault throughout its facilities. Yet the policy rings hollow when forced nudity remains an accepted form of control. If the state truly upholds zero tolerance for sexual abuse, then these practices must be abolished.
Strip searches of youth were restricted under Minn. Stat. § 241.0215, and body
Minnesota’s prison administrators must be held accountable. The continued endorsement of these procedures represents a failure of policy, ethics, and basic human rights.
A real zero-tolerance approach to sexual assault in Minnesota prisons must include the immediate end of forced strip searches and the implementation of body scanners across all facilities.
Read more about this issue at: https://spokesman-recorder.com/2024/09/04/stripsearches-minnesota-prisons.
Virginia is conservative and liberal, often swinging from left to center to right over short, frequent election cycles.
It is Red, Blue, Purple, White, and Black, with a growing immigrant population. It produced the nation’s first Black governor, Douglas Wilder, who served from 1990 to 1994 (The state’s constitution limits gubernatorial tenure to a single 4-year term at a time).
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On the Democratic side is Abigail Spanberger, 45, a centrist-leaning member of Congress who distinguished herself as a former CIA officer and national security expert. Spanberger was in the early push for Donald Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, centered around withholding security assistance to Ukraine.
She hails from a district that was a Republican stronghold since 1981, narrowly defeating her opponents during her three terms in the House (2018-2024) and demonstrating an ability to win conservative and moderate voters.
Drawing the ire of progressive members, Spanberger labeled the 2020 congressional contest “a failure” for candidates in swing districts, crediting Republicans with effective attack ads that portrayed their Democratic opponents who favored defunding the police as socialists. While the candidate has enjoyed double-digit leads in polling and fundraising, many predict the race is tightening as early voting in Virginia, from Sept. 19 through Nov. 1, draws an unexpectedly large turnout.
Penny Blue, program director of Red, Wine and Blue of Virginia, predicts that Black women won’t sit out the November elections. But she offers a caveat: “We don’t need to be fooled by the color of a person’s skin. We need to listen to how they stand on the issues.”
The video series “What
By Frances Murphy (Toni) Draper
Ever since I was five years old, walking to the polls with my mother, I wanted to vote. I remember watching her proudly cast her ballot, knowing it was both a right and a responsibility hard-won by generations before us.
So I proudly applied for my voter card as soon as I turned 18, and I’ve voted in every election since — never once taking it for granted. It is, and always will be, both a privilege and a sacred duty.
That’s why what’s happening today feels so personal. The right to vote — something so fundamental, so essential to freedom itself — is once again under threat. Sixty years after the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the crown jewel of the Civil Rights Movement that promised Black Americans full participation in this democracy, the very law that secured that promise is back on the witness stand.
On Oct. 15, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could determine how far the Voting Rights Act still protects against racial discrimination in voting. The justices have not yet ruled, but what’s at stake is clear: the strength of every American’s voice at the ballot box.
Let’s be honest: This fight isn’t about “color-blindness.” It’s about power — who has it, who keeps it, and who’s being pushed aside.
A familiar pattern
We’ve seen this play before. Wrapped in slogans about
“election integrity,” lawmakers have quietly made voting harder for millions of Americans. They’ve closed polling places in Black neighborhoods, purged voter rolls, shortened earlyvoting periods, and drawn districts that slice through our communities — dividing and diminishing our voice.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has stepped back from its role as the people’s lawyer, dropping cases that once protected voters from discrimination. That’s not neutrality. That’s abandonment.
And here’s the truth: This isn’t about protecting elections — it’s about protecting power. You can’t claim to love America while dismantling the very law that keeps it honest.
Why everyone should care
The cost of complacency
Black Americans pay taxes. We serve in the military. We educate children, serve communities, and help sustain America’s strength. Yet every generation faces new barriers to the ballot box.
After the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision ended federal review of voting laws in certain states, restrictive changes followed almost overnight. We remember the old tricks — from poll taxes and literacy tests to “how many jelly beans are in the jar?” — and we recognize their modern echoes today.
This isn’t just about Black voters. It’s about what kind of country we want to be. If one community’s vote can be weakened, every community’s vote is at risk. If the courts and lawmakers ignore history, discrimination will find new ways to reappear — quieter this time, but just as corrosive. Protecting the right to vote has never been someone else’s job. It’s ours. Whether by helping neighbors get to the polls, speaking up when we see injustice, or simply refusing to look away, each of us has a part to play.
The call to action
Those working to weaken the Voting Rights Act aren’t defending democracy; they’re redefining it to fit their comfort zone.
We’ve come too far to let them succeed. We won’t sit quietly while the right to vote — the heartbeat of this nation — is chipped away piece by piece. The Voting Rights Act was paid for with courage, sacrifice and faith.
I still remember holding my mother’s hand at the polls, watching her claim a right our ancestors fought to secure. That fight isn’t finished. The right to vote is sacred — and it’s up to each of us to keep it that way.
This commentary was originally published in the AFRO-American Newspapers. It has been edited minimally for style. For more information, visit www.afro.com.
Now Section 2 — the last major safeguard — is on the line. It may not look like the schemes of the past, but the intent feels all too familiar.
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come together as a team, because those are very, very challenging games for us.”
going through that I didn’t think he would remember.”
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Dinner with Haskins
Speaking of Clem Haskins, local basketball legend Khalid El-Amin and WCCO’s Henry Lake had dinner with the retired coach while in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League in June.
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El-Amin originally committed to play for Haskins at Minnesota during his junior year at North, but later decommitted and chose Connecticut instead. “The only regret I have is not being able to play for him at the U of Minnesota,” said El-Amin of Haskins. “We were able to talk about it and express our feelings.
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“It was amazing to talk to Clem Haskins,” recalled El-Amin, a three-time state champion at Minneapolis North and a national champion at UConn. “He’s so sharp in his mind — he still remembers a lot of meetings and different things that we were
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“I think we really have respect for one another. He was happy for me when we won the national championship. He’s just a class act. “I wish him the best,” concluded El-Amin. “I’m glad we had the time with him. It meant a lot. He’s a legend.”
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and hopefully do what I can to try and get the sport more welcoming.”
campus home. Each squad had a Black player — Andover, MN native Charlie Schoen for the hosts, and Donovan McCoy of Belleville, Ontario for the visitors.
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The latest NCAA demographics show that there were 36 Black men’s hockey players and 16 Black female hockey players in 2025.
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Wisconsin senior defense/ forward Laila Edwards from Cleveland Heights, Ohio helped the Badgers to the NCAA national title in 2025. She and older sister Chayla, both on UW’s 2023 national championship team, were the first Black sisters duo in Badgers hockey history.
“I think it’s important for the future of our game that it continues to grow, and it continues to be more inclusive and more available,” said Colorado College HC Kris Mayotte, who has recruited Mbereko and a couple of other Black players during his tenure.
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Laila Edwards also became the first Black woman to play for the U.S. Senior National team; she played on the U.S. team that won gold in the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships, the only Sistah on the squad.
Affordability, such as equipment, ice time, and youth team fees also remains an economic obstacle for some Blacks to overcome, said St. Thomas Assistant Coach Leon Hayward, now in his fifth season at UST. According to the NCAA, he is the only Black assistant coach in college hockey in 2025, while 354 assistants are white.
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Last month Edwards again will be the only Black player on Team USA for the 2025 Hockey Rivalry Series against Team Canada — the first two games at Cleveland Nov. 6 and Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 8, then in Edmonton, Canada on Dec. 10 and 13.
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“I think it’s definitely improved,” said Hayward on hockey’s diversity. “I think you’re seeing a lot of players of color all over the country and in Canada. I think hockey in general is still just so expensive for anyone that it’s prohibitive for some families to just get started.
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Last weekend at the new Lee & Peggy Anderson Arena, St. Thomas and Providence played a two-game series to open the Tommies’ new on-
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“I still think, just in general, for the sport, finding ways to lower costs and lower barriers of entry are really important to grow the game for everybody,” surmised Hayward. “But I think for players of color it’s a harder sell in other parts of the country just because of the access.”
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(NATA), for which she has chaired several committees.
“Black athletic trainers account specifically for about 4% of the athletic training profession.”
the higher ranks.
“White individuals felt that race had no bearing on their opportunity. They said if you work hard enough, anybody can be a leader, right?”
“I’m in my 13th year. I haven’t had any direct experiences of discrimination or bias in my career,” said Harris. But as her study pointed out, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
“I think there’s 57,000 athletic trainers who are certified by our organization,” reports Harris, a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association
Locally, Ryan Dotson has been a University of Minnesota AT for men’s basketball since 2020, and previously the athletic trainer for women’s rowing (2008-11).
“We obviously acknowledge that there’s a lack of Black athletic trainers in the profession,” Harris said. “I think people are scared in the current climate that we’re in to even say the word diversity. I would say one thing is that I can’t say it enough.”
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a future MSR edition.
“I think people that just look like me in the sport in general have grown so much,” concluded Mbereko.
More on Leon Hayward in
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l-r) Khalid El-Amin, Clem Haskins, Henry Lake Photo submitted by Henry Lake
Cost cited as obstacle to hockey diversity
ports odds and ends bColorado College senior goalie Kaiden Mbereko is an established star in the nets.
member, including last season being named a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete by the conference in 2024-25.
He is one of four team captains on this season’s Tigers squad.
“We’re all going to have each other’s backs and obviously have our teammates’ backs,” said the 5’11” Mbereko, a business, economics and sociology major from Aspen, Colo.
One of the top goalies in the NCHC, Mbereko is a three-time all-academic team
“I think I only have two more classes and then my thesis,” he pointed out when the MSR asked him about his degree progress during the NCHC media day in September. He added that he’s “very, very grateful for the time here at CC, and for them to give me the opportunity to get a degree from this place.”
“I think it’s important for the future of our game that it continues to grow, and it continues to be more inclusive and more available.”
Additionally, Mbereko is a rare sight in hockey — a Black goaltender. “This game is bigger than me,” he said.
“There’s a ton of voices and tons of eyes watching me, but again I’m just trying to be myself through that, and just trying to inspire as many people as I can with what I do. Just share my voice and just share some words of encouragement,
■ See SOE on page 9
nother Vlcorn State assembled a “monster” non-conference schedule for its 2025-26 season that, according to their coach, will better prepare them for conference play and a tournament run later in the campaign.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to come up to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Gophers,” first-year Head Coach Jake Morton told the MSR earlier this month in Birmingham, Alabama at the SWAC Media Days. The Braves will play Minnesota Nov. 8, 11 am.
The Braves are one of three HBCUs, all from the same SWAC conference, that will visit The Barn this season. Minnesota are 10-0 all-time against SWAC clubs.
“I remember back to Clem Haskins days, so I can’t wait to go in that building and show my guys around,” said Morton on the legendary former Gopher coach, who regularly scheduled Black college teams during his tenure. Former coach Ben Johnson did the
Alcorn State takes on ‘monster challenge’ They play Minnesota Nov.
same during his four-year run.
Alcorn State was scheduled to play here in December 2022 but had to cancel due to travel-related complications. They earlier lost to the host Gophers in 2017.
“I’m looking forward to [a well]-coached game, a wellcoached team, a very disciplined team,” predicts Morton. “This is why I get my guys in position mentally to understand what we are up against playing Power 4 clubs like Minnesota.”
“Minnesota is our third game” after opening the season at Florida State (Nov. 4)
and at South Alabama (Nov. 6), stressed Morton, who was hired by Alcorn State in April.
The veteran coach “brings a philosophy rooted in accountability, discipline and excellence,” said a school release.
Morton most recently was an assistant coach under nowretired Leonard Hamilton at Florida State. Before that, he cut his coaching teeth at East Carolina; Jacksonville State; Miami, where he played basketball (1989-93) before playing overseas professionally in Israel; Western Kentucky; Coppin State; James Madison; St. Francis (Pa.); and Bowie State.
The Braves is Morton’s first HC opportunity. Alcorn State went 11-20, 11-7 in conference play last season.
“I’m
“We got 10 new guys and we return three guys,” said Morton. Soph guard Davion Williams and senior forward Nick Woodard, who both appeared with their coach at the SWAC media event, are two of the three returnees.
“We just got to get them a little together a little better,” said Morton of preseason preparations. He admits the non-conference slate is challenging — “It’s gonna be a monster’s challenge for us,” the coach stressed.
All total, the Braves will play 19 true road contests, including Minnesota; nine home games, and one neutral site game, the Louisiana Tech tournament in November. Alcorn State’s opponents also include Maryland, Howard, LSU, and Oklahoma State in November, then Iowa State, Baylor, and Ole Miss in December. Conference play begins on Jan. 3 at Jackson State.
“I have a good group,” sur-
looking forward to a well-coached game, a well-coached team, a very disciplined team.”
mised Morton. “We have to find a way to find some nuggets in all those games. We have to find a way to get better, to challenge our guys to get better, to improve, to
By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist
thletic trainers (AT) do more than just tape ankles and pass out water to players during practices and games. In essence they are the first responder to the athlete whenever needed.
“From a sports perspective, athletic trainers are servants,” explained Dr. Nicolette “Nikki” A. Harris, associate professor and director of student recruitment at A.T. Still University, a health sciences school.
“We are often the individuals that are behind the scenes.
The athletic trainer is always there, and we’re such an integral part of any organization regardless of setting. We are really serving as this bridge between the larger health
care system and the athlete.”
Harris is among the estimated 5% to 7% certified Black ATs nationwide working in sports in 2025. As a result, Harris was the lead author of a new study, “Perceptions of Leadership Opportunities and Effectiveness Among Athletic Trainers: A Comparison Across Racial and Ethnic Groups.” It was published in the September “Journal of Athletic Training.”
Its key findings included that Black ATs see race and ethnicity as a leadership barrier, while white ATs don’t; and POC ATs, especially Blacks, say current athletic training leadership is less helpful than do white athletic trainers.
“Findings from this study revealed an overwhelming percentage of African American
participants viewed race and ethnicity as obstacles to leadership, whereas most white participants did not share this
perspective,” the study pointed out. “These differing views may help keep leadership disparities in place as built-in sys-
temic biases such as informal hiring and selection processes, along with unconscious stereotypes.”
A total of 488 participants completed the survey, said Harris in a recent MSR Zoom call. She said that nearly 75% of Black respondents cited barriers to advancement as a key concern.
“I say the biggest thing for me is seeing the difference of opinion based on race.”
“This is the first research project that has ever made me cry,” admitted Harris. “I say the biggest thing for me is seeing the difference of opinion” based on race.
“There are a lot of differences of opinion…and it was very stark in this survey. To say the least, the first time that I’ve ever read through participant responses, and was really floored there are people that
are still out there that have these strong views against diversity, against inclusion, and don’t think it’s important or don’t see the value in it, and that really hurt me.” Harris has over a dozen years’ experience as an AT, beginning at a predominately Black high school in Miami for three years, then as AT coordinator at Florida International University for six years before joining A.T. Still in 2021 in her current roles.
Additionally, Harris said, doing research “I tend to find a problem, and I found out that research is a really fun way to being able to prove it with numbers. It’s been a really cool way to be an activist.
“It was an open-ended survey, and when it came back, some of the results were very striking,” Harris pointed out.
“We were able to see that everybody has equal desire, but for whatever reason, Black individuals aren’t making it into
