PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934 September 24-30, 2020 Vol. 87 No. 8
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George Floyd street name draws praise and prejudice
“AS IT WAS SPOKEN ... LET US RECORD.”
Outspoken public defender faces ‘star chamber’ reappointment Will challenging the system’s fairness exact a price? “The board has never ever commented in public about any personnel issue whether it be the chief or any other position,” Mary Moriarty, chief public said Ward. In reality the board defender for Hennepin County, did not have to comment; putis up for reappointment by the ting the chief public defender on State Board of Public Defense paid leave is a statement in and on September 30. Many who are of itself. familiar with Moriarty’s work The head public defender has think this should be a shoo-in, received widespread support
By Mel Reeves Contributing writer
MSR News service A stretch of Chicago Avenue near where George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day has now been named "George Perry Floyd Jr. Place." The Minneapolis City Council last week approved a proposal made months ago by the Minneapolis City Planning Commission to add a commemorative street name in Floyd’s honor. The protests of the death of George Floyd at the hands of four (now) former Minneapolis police officers, represents a recognition of and a resistance to the continuous murder of unarmed Black people. When the history books are written, people need to know about this moment. This reckoning we hope will bring justice and accountability across our entire society. This
memorial naming will help accomplish that,” said ninth ward councilmember Andrea Jenkins. The council approved placing a commemorative sign along Chicago Avenue declaring the blocks between 37th Street East and 39th Street East "George Perry Floyd Jr. Place." The commemorative sign will not serve as a replacement for the current Chicago Avenue street designation, but rather will be in addition to it. The commemorative sign will be installed at the intersection of 38th and Chicago, which will mark the designation. Representatives from Mayor Jacob Frey’s office said he would likely approve the proposal as well. Residents of the area surrounding 38th Street and Chicago avenues had given overwhelming support for the idea of the recognition of Floyd. In June, supporters
of the idea of having part of the intersection where Floyd was killed named after him posted a sign saying George Floyd Avenue in place of Chicago Avenue. "I received the notice in the mail about renaming a portion of Chicago Avenue after George Floyd, and I just want to say that I ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT that measure, and probably 90% of my neighbors do, too!" wrote one neighbor to the city council. "We have been meeting on a weekly basis since the murder and we would be glad to testify that we wholeheartedly support this proposed change." But the majority of the responses to the proposal, posted in the Star Tribune online on Friday September 18 under an article titled “Minneapolis to name stretch of Chicago Avenue for George Floyd,” opposed the idea Some responses were down-
right nasty and mean spirited. Many of the commenters seemed to imply that because Floyd had a criminal record his killing was somehow justified. The comments were so negative that one commenter identified as ”psartman” even asked, “Why does the Star Tribune allow all these comments that amount to hate speech defaming the memory of George Floyd?” “What other former felons should we name our streets after?” wrote “Gary MN.” “Why are we memorializing George Floyd, someone with a criminal background? Why is there a double set of standards?” wrote “nppd03.” Another commenter, “FOHENAGH,” claiming Floyd had COVID-19, said, “The City of Minneapolis chooses to honor a man with a violent criminal record, three illegal drugs in his system at time of arrest for attempting to pass
Mary Moriarty a no-brainer to retain her position. But the fact that the public defender was placed on “paid leave” in December last year for reasons that have not been made clear to the public casts some
Courtesy of Macalester from colleagues, politicians, and the broader community. “We write as Hennepin County legislators to strongly support the reappointment of Mary Moriarty as Chief Public Defender,”
“We all play a role in holding each other accountable in the system.” doubt on the outcome. According to Minnesota State Public Defender William Ward, Moriarty was put on paid leave in December 2019 “based on information that came to the boards’ attention.” However, it’s not clear where this information came from or if it was solicited by the board.
■See FLOYD on page 5
wrote a group of state legislators representing Hennepin County, including seven senators and 17 representatives. “Ms. Moriarty has the trust of her community. We are admirers and supporters of her leadership on behalf of the most marginalized, and of her insistence that Minnesota’s institutions become better at serving ■See MORIARTY on page 5
Sabathani names new executive director By MSR news service Sabathani Community Center has named Tanessa Greene as its new executive director. Sabathani, a Southside Minneapolis institution and well-known African American legacy organization, was established in 1968 by Sabathani Baptist Church. Its mission was to mobilize people to effectively address issues of
Business Program for goods and services and procurement. Greene developed innovative procurement models, small business sourcing strategies, and best practices that significantly increased the funds spent by the county with small, minorityowned businesses. Prior to working for Hennepin County, Greene served as principal consultant for Signature Solutions Consulting, a company she founded and led for over 15 years. Greene's consulting achievements include the design of a workforce development model that led to over 600 living wage jobs for People of Color in the construction trades, including the largest infusion of women into the trades in over 20 years. Greene introduced community riods of change and growth. She health worker training programs recently led the planning, design to two North Minneapolis nonand countywide implementa- profits serving communities with tion of Hennepin County's Small the greatest health disparities in
“We wanted to focus on bringing programming back to Sabathani, and we want to focus on the community, which is now much more multicultural,” said board member Bill English. “We think Tanessa will make this happen.” Greene brings to the Sabathani community 20 years of turnaround leadership experience guiding mission-driven organizations through challenging pe-
“Since its humble beginnings, Sabathani has always been a trusted community resource and a beacon of hope during the best and worst of times.” systemic racism, poverty, inadequate housing, and a severe lack of programming for youth and seniors. Tanessa Greene
the state. "In Sabathani, I saw an opportunity to be of greater service at a critical time to a community I love and have passionately served for two decades,” said Greene. “Since its humble beginnings, Sabathani has always been a trusted community resource and a beacon of hope during the best and worst of times. “My plan is to build significantly on that rich legacy by strengthening program alignment with our community's rapidly shifting needs while amplifying Sabathani's voice as an advocate for our community's most vulnerable populations." Greene serves on the board of AEON, a local nonprofit developer, and on the Upper Harbor Terminal Redevelopment Project's City Planning Committee.
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September 24-30, 2020
Making your vote count By Mary Turck Contributing writer Misinformation about voting is everywhere this year. Despite that, voting has never been easier in Minnesota. Each state, not the federal government, sets up voting rules. Some states encourage voting by mail. For example, Oregon mails a ballot to every registered voter, as there is no in-person voting. Vote-by-mail has been Oregon's only voting for 22 years. Some states limit absentee or mail voting. In Texas, you can only vote by mail if you are unable to vote in person. If you are afraid of long lines and crowded polling places in Texas: tough luck! That's your only option. Registering to vote in Minnesota Minnesota has both voting by mail and in-person voting. The first step for either is to register to vote. To register, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old by Election Day, November 3. You must be a resident of Minnesota for 20 days before Election Day. If you have been convicted of a felony, you must finish any
probation, parole, or supervised release. As soon as you finish (once you are ‘off-paper’), you can vote. You can register to vote online, by mail, or at the polling place. If you are not sure whether you are registered, you can check your registration online. If you have moved since your last voted, you can update your registration online, by mail, or at the polling place. The Minnesota Secretary of State and county election offices administer voting and elections. Just go to mnvotes.org for official information from the Secretary of State. That website also has information about registering and voting in special situations: ● I'm a college student ● I'm in the military or living abroad ● I have a criminal record ● I'm under guardianship or have an impairment ● I'm in a nursing home or hospital ● I fear for my personal safety ● I'm in a residential facility ● I'm moving on or close to Election Day ● I’m living temporarily in Minnesota
You may also drop off your ballot envelope in person before Election Day. Each county has its own locations and rules for in-person drop-offs. You Voting by mail A mail ballot is the same thing may not drop your ballot off as an absentee ballot in Minne- at your polling place on Elecsota. Any voter can request a mail tion Day. Check your county's ballot online or by mailing an ap- rules to find out where to go. plication. There is a special application for military and overseas What if I make a mistake? What if you forget to sign voters. Minnesota began mailing ballots on Friday, September 18. the ballot envelope? Or if put your ballot in the big enveBy then, c Minnesota has 3,000 polling lope, instead of the smaller places and about 3 million vot- one? Take a deep breath. Miners. More people voting by mail nesota's goal is to count evmeans shorter lines on Election ery vote. Under a new law, if Day. Secretary of State Steve Si- a ballot is rejected, the voter mon announced that his office must be contacted and given will mail an absentee ballot ap- an opportunity for a do-over. Minnesota Secretary of plication to all registered voters. The application is not the same State Steve Simon told the as a ballot—voters still have to fill Minnesota Reformer: "Spoiled out the application and return it ballots do not equal spoiled votes; a majority of voters to receive their ballot. You can vote by mail as soon whose ballots were rejected as you receive your ballot. Your successfully do the do-over." If you want to change your returned ballot must be postmarked on or before Election vote, you can cancel your balDay—November 3, 2020. lot up to two weeks until ElecYour ballot must be received tion Day. Contact the election by your county by November office that sent your ballot to 10. Vote early to allow time for ask about canceling it. the ballot to get there! ● I'm homeless ● My home is in foreclosure ● My home was destroyed
Courtesy Pixabay/MGN Tracking your absentee ballot Worried about whether your mail-in ballot has been received? You can track your ballot on the Secretary of State's website. If your mail-in ballot is not received by Election Day, you can vote in person. After voting in person, the unique ballot ID number on your original absentee ballot will be invalidated. That means your vote will only be counted once.
voting sites in your county. Early voting sites are not the same as Election Day polling places. On Election Day, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. You can find your Election Day polling place through the Secretary of State's website. Still have questions? Just go to mnvotes.org for connections to voter information, sample ballots, and everything you need to know to make your vote count.
Voting in person: early or on election day Mary Turck welcomes reader reEarly in-person voting began sponse to maryturck@gmail.com. on Friday, September 18. Each county has at least one early voting site. Call your county election official or go to the Secretary of State website to find the early
Legal Rights Center announces new leadership, initiatives The Legal Rights Center (LRC), a leading communitydriven nonprofit law firm, last week announced its new executive leadership team and legal rights initiatives in Minneapolis in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.
executive director; Andrew Gordon as deputy director for community legal services; and Lori Saroya as deputy director of advancement and operations. “I am deeply honored by the trust of our communities as I step into my new role, and am
history, the Legal Rights Center is bringing vital legal and restorative justice expertise to our community’s fight for racial equity and system reform,” continued Davis. “As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will continue our push towards a future that is
(l-r) Sarah Davis, Andrew Gordon and Lori Saroya The LRC provides community-oriented and client-centered criminal defense representation, youth restorative justice, and advocacy and leadership in the fight to reform the criminal justice system. The LRC board of directors has appointed Sarah Davis as
thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Andrew, Lori, and all of our staff to bring the community’s bold and compelling vision for the future of the Legal Rights Center to life,” said new LRC Executive Director Sarah Davis. “At this critical moment in
truly just.” In partnership with community organizations and activists, LRC has been at the forefront of providing legal support for protesters and those doing jail support, direct representation, and know your rights education. Additionally, LRC is providing
critical legal expertise to support community accountability for the prosecution of former Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane. Through the coordinated efforts from members of Black and American Indian activist communities, the LRC was founded as an alternative to the Public Defender’s Office in order to pro-
vide high quality representation for people who couldn’t obtain those services elsewhere. More specifically, Clyde Bellecourt from the American Indian Movement (AIM), Syl Davis - Northside Black community activist and executive director of The Way, and labor lawyer/human rights activist Doug Hall, worked together to found a law firm that was by and for the
people. The LRC marks its 50th anniversary this year with a renewed vision and urgent drive to meet the increased need for community legal services. For more info, visit www.legalrightscenter.org/newsandupdates. Information and image provided by LRC.
September 24-30, 2020
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Beware the politicizing of COVID-19
Let science be your guide through these perilous times
By David Hamlar, MD, DDS Guest contributor Politics has always been an essential aspect of public campaign or effort. Never so much more than this year with the lives of so many at stake, particularly those of color. It has long been documented that Black and Brown people suffer more from health inequities then Whites. That has been exacerbated with the outbreak of COVID-19, the morbidity and mortality among people of color far exceeding those of Whites. Consider consequences As a physician and scientist, I urge everyone to consider the consequences of all of the choices to be considered. First and foremost should be the health and welfare of you and your family.
Statements or guidelines from scientific sources such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) should be followed. Just as important is health information from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or local health agencies or your clinics and doctors’ offices. Information from these agencies is based on scientific study and treatment outcomes. This is unlike some elected officials, including those currently running for office, who have a specific agenda or narrative. My advice is to follow the sciences. This is extremely important when considering the release of an upcoming vaccine against the virus. I hope that science will guide us as it’s released to the public; but politics remains a factor, particularly if it builds the narrative that one political party “has the cure.” I remember in the 1970s when the swine flu vaccine caused multiple medical problems with some of those receiving it. More studies were carried out to improve that vaccine’s efficacy. As you may or not be aware, there is currently a phase three trial for a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford College instituted by HealthPartners. A phase 3 trial is utilized to determine a drug’s efficacy—if it helps people. That is done by giving half of the study’s participants the vaccine and the oth-
er half a placebo or no vaccine at all and then comparing the COVID-19 contraction rates. A problem with most medical studies is that persons of color rarely participate based on years of mistrust and deception directed particularly toward the Black community. I will tell you that this study, as constructed, will have to be determined to be safe. Black involvement crucial AstraZeneca just put their vaccine trial “on hold” while further clarification ensues. That said, Black and Brown persons’ involvement is crucial to finding out if the vaccine is truly helpful, especially for us. Complicating the COVID-19 pandemic is that we must be able to provide for our families both financially and to their education and livelihood. Again, let science be your guide. We need to continue to socially distance, wear our masks, and treat all of our other medical problems with doctors’ or dentists’ visits, taking our medications, and following as best we can our exercise routines. Returning to school is a big part of this. When I look at all options, the safest alternative is virtual, computer-based learning. But there is a need to ensure that our communities have all of the necessary hardware, software, and internet bandwidth and accessibility that all students in all communities have. Your school district is re-
Courtesy MGN sponsible for the reassurance you need. Remember, there is scientific data that shows our children have not been as critically affected by COVID-19, but they do become infected and consequently become spreaders of the disease. Then it can affect those in our households and subsequent communities who are at more at risk for disease progression, hospitalizations, and even death. Just as important is the need to continue to work and provide housing for our families. Black and Brown persons are often essential workers and on the front lines, and thus another risk factor for why this disease disproportionately affects us. We cannot afford to miss work. We are required to be at work. And to the other extreme, we may also be the
first to be furloughed or let go. To that end, our workplaces need to ensure safety for us. Again, science has led the way to the best protocols for social distancing, PPE use, work shifts, and of course medical monitoring and coverage if necessary. There are many resources available for you to help with what can be a complicated decision tree, including the CDC, FDA and MDH. I would include your work’s human resources department (HR) and your specific Minnesota public school district. Above all else, please do not let politics guide your decision-making for these important matters. Let science be your guide, not politics!
David Hamlar MD, DDS is an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota. He specializes craniofacial skull base surgery. He attended Howard University College of Dentistry (DDS) and Ohio State University (MD), and came to Minnesota for his fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Besides medicine, he is a retired Minnesota National Guardsman achieving the rank of major general. His passion today is empowering students of color to achieve their dreams of entering the medical professions as well as other STEM-oriented careers.
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Septmeber 24-30, 2020
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the MSR.
U.S. poverty is not ordained By Jesse Jackson
Trump skillfully uses ignorance and lies to advance racist agenda By Henry Giroux In what appears to be a blatant appeal to the White Supremacists in his base, President Donald Trump has made clear his attempt to both defend and rewrite the history of racial injustice in the United States while eliminating the institutions that make visible its historical roots. As Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for The New York Times, recently pointed out, “Not in generations has a sitting president so overtly declared himself the candidate of White America.” Trump has defended Confederate symbols and monuments and refused to criticize those right-wing groups that appropriate them in the interests of legitimizing racial bigotry and hatred.
what’s often found in authoritarian regimes—it’s a racialized politics of organized forgetting. At the heart of Trump’s attack on racial injustice is an attempt to replace historical consciousness with historical amnesia. This purging of history is endemic to totalitarian regimes. In these dark times, history is once again being rewritten in the interests of tyrants and oppressive groups that do everything they can to cleanse it of elements of resistance and truth. Trump’s condemnations are malicious in their disdain of criticism and their attempts to undermine the value of historical consciousness. He attempts to render invisible the historical understanding of critical social issues that lie on the side of social and economic justice.
“Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” He has attacked The New York Times’ 1619 Project, in use in California public schools, as being anti-American. The project analyzes the history and legacy of American slavery. Trump wants it investigated by the Department of Education and has threatened to defund schools that include the project in their teaching. As the presidential election gets closer, Trump is desperate to reassert his White Supremacist and White Nationalist views, even though they’ve never been hidden during his presidency. After all, his White Supremacist ideology is the cornerstone of his appeal to the reactionary and bigoted elements of his base. That explains why he’s issued an order to rid the federal government of programs engaged in racial sensitivity training, which he labels as “divisive, anti-American propaganda.” It explains why he’s condemned NASCAR for banning the Confederate flag. Some would argue that Trump’s latest investment in the logic of White Supremacy and historical amnesia is a product of his ignorance of history. But there’s more at work here than Trump’s power-drunk ignorance of the past. And it’s more dangerous and sinister than
When the calls and struggles for racial justice are labeled as unpatriotic or dismissed as unAmerican, the abyss of fascist politics is not far away. And to misread or deny history denigrates those who have fought the battles of the past and risked their lives for the promises of a substantive democracy. The great essayist James Baldwin stated perceptively in his 1972 book "No Name in the Street": “Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” Trump’s ignorance floods the Twitter landscape daily. He denies climate change along with the dangers that it poses to humanity, discredits scientific evidence in the face of a massive pandemic, claims that systemic racism doesn’t exist in the United States and mangles history with his ignorance of the past. Implicit in Baldwin’s warning is that the greatest threat to democratic societies is a collective ignorance that legitimizes forms of organized forgetting, social amnesia and the death of civic literacy. Under the Trump regime, historical amnesia is used as a weapon of mis-education, politics and power. Trump wants to erase the struggles of those who fought for justice in the past because they of-
fer dangerous memories and lessons to the protesters marching in the streets today. Efforts to erase the progress of the past, including emancipation, is a centerpiece of authoritarian societies. These efforts cause public memory to wither and the threads of authoritarianism to take root and become normalized. They are often accompanied by a broader attack on critical education, civic literacy, investigative journalists and critical media. But Trump’s defense of White Supremacy, obvious in his attacks on the Black Lives Matter movement—which he labels as a threat to White Americans and a “symbol of hate" —is particularly dangerous. As Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson recently wrote, “All of this is nothing less than undisguised White Supremacy. Trump wants White voters to fear the Black Lives Matter Movement. He wants them to see it not as a demand for justice and fairness but as a mortal threat to White privilege.” While some critics eschew the comparison of Trump with authoritarian regimes, it’s crucial to recognize the four years of alarming actions by this administration that echo the horrors of a fascist past. Rejecting a comparison to fascism makes it easier to believe that we have nothing to learn from history and to take comfort in the assumption that it cannot surface once again. Historical amnesia provides the conditions for the truth to disappear, conspiracy theories to proliferate and education to be stripped of its critical function. What should we all learn from Trump’s manipulation of racist fears as a political strategy? One crucial issue is that democracy cannot function without an informed citizenry; it demands constant attention, and must be reborn with each generation. This editorial was republished with permission from The Conversation. Henry A. Giroux currently holds the McMaster University Chair for Scholarship in the Public Interest in the English and Cultural Studies Department and is the Paulo Freire Distinguished Scholar in Critical Pedagogy. He also writes commentary.
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“The poor will always be with us,” say the cynics. No doubt, some will always be wealthier than others. We wouldn’t want to live in a society that forced all to be equal. But poverty isn’t inevitable. The 30 million people in America who lived in poverty even before the pandemic when unemployment was at record lows needn’t exist in that state. Too many myths and lies cloud our understanding of the poor. Most poor people are not Black. More are White than Black, female than male, young than old. More have a high school education. Some graduate. Poverty in America used to be far worse; about a third of Americans lived in poverty in the 1950s. Poverty was reduced, dramatically, by Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. The war on poverty was defeated not by poverty, but by the war in Vietnam, which sapped resources, attention and will. Most poor people work when they can. They take the early bus. They do the hardest jobs for the least amount of money. They bear the most amount of stress. They care for the children of others. They tend to the sick. They serve food in restaurants. They sweep the streets. They clean bedpans beneath hospital beds that they cannot lie in when they get sick. Many are essential workers who are at greater risk in the pandemic. When the pandemic forced the economy to shut down, millions lost their jobs—and their health care at work, if they had any. Over 30 million still draw unemployment, with over a million new applicants each week as companies continue to lay off workers. Many more children are hungry. Public policy—the “stimulus checks,” the enhanced unemployment insurance, the expan-
sion of food stamps (SNAP), the partial moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, the aid to businesses if they kept their employees on payroll—saved millions from poverty. Now those benefits have expired, but the unemployment remains high. Many companies are declaring bankruptcy. Many are slashing payrolls with permanent, not temporary layoffs. Again, public policy could help. The House passed another rescue package—the HEROES ACT. The bill would provide another round of stimulus checks, sustain enhanced unemployment benefits, continue the expanded food stamps, extend the payroll protection subsidies and provide aid to states and localities to avoid the layoffs of millions of public employees. The Republican Senate refused to act—and refused to compromise. Senate leader Mitch McConnell put together a $1 trillion alternative but didn’t even try to get his members to support it. Twenty Republican senators opposed doing anything. The nonpartisan Urban Institute noted that a second round of stimulus checks alone would keep 8.3 million people out of poverty from August to December. The extension of enhanced unemployment benefits would keep 3.6 million out of poverty. The continuation of food stamp expansions would keep about 1.7 million out. If all three were enacted, 12.2 million people would be kept out of poverty for the rest of the year. Mitch McConnell refused to act. Donald Trump, the great “deal maker,” refused even to get involved. After the benefits expired, McConnell finally decided to pass a bill out of the Senate, but his Republican colleagues would support only about $300 billion in new money for a bill that did not include the stimulus checks,or SNAP ben-
efits and limited unemployment assistance to $300 a week, half of what it was in the first rescue package. They voted to put millions of Americans into poverty. Public policy matters. We could eliminate poverty in this country with sensible policy. Raise the minimum wage to a living wage; empower workers to organize and negotiate a fair share of the profits they help to produce. Guarantee affordable health care for all. Provide affordable housing for all. Provide high-quality pre-K and quality education for all. Add a jobs guarantee, so that instead of forcing workers onto unemployment when the economy slows or their company goes belly up, they can move to a public job doing work that is necessary. This could include retrofitting buildings for solar heating, to caring for our public parks, to providing care for the elderly and more. Let’s not fool ourselves. America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty. People are in poverty because corporate CEOs choose profits and bonuses over fair pay for their workers. And because small-minded legislators are more responsive to those who pay for their party than those who are in need. This isn’t complicated. The recent decision to block action on a second rescue package is a decision to increase the number of Americans in poverty, the number of children who go hungry. The Bible teaches we will be judged by how we treat the “least of these.” We should shudder at that judgment. Jesse Jackson is the founder of Rainbow/PUSH long time civil and human rights activist and commentary writer.
Needed: common sense and real and immediate police reform By Wayne Nealis The unprecedented rebellion following the heinous killing of George Floyd marks a watershed moment for Minneapolis like no other in its history. To date, however, the mayor and City Council’s actions fall far short of meeting this historic challenge. City officials dare not wait until the next police victim lies dead. Council members’ pledge to reinvent policing via a vaguely worded charter amendment put the cart before the horse. Council members offered no details, no vision or models. About half the current council members were elected in 2017 on their commitments to tackle police reform and end police misconduct and brutality. Yet, following a historic crisis we find them unprepared to share their thinking on reinventing policing. While the council committed to a yearlong public discussion if the amendment were to pass, they balk at taking immediate steps to prevent another George Floyd. Such measures should begin with firing all the Derek Chauvin’s on the Minneapolis Police Department—those officers who have been involved in the death of unarmed people. To be clear, unarmed includes a person with a rock, a knife or a metal bar—objects that police have used as an excuse to use deadly force, even when nonle-
thal means and de-escalation tactics could have been employed. The City needs to do the right thing for those families who have not seen justice. Fire those officers who killed their loved ones still patroling the city. This can no longer be tolerated, nor should it have been in the past. City officials and legislators representing Minneapolis should also back the demand of these families that state and county officials reopen all the cases of those killed by law enforcement. Next, the City needs to terminate those officers with egregious records of brutality and those exhibiting overt racist behavior. Chauvin’s record suggests that these kinds of officers cannot be rehabilitated. Based on the MPD’s complaint backlog and anecdotal evidence, this could be several hundred, not dozens. Next, community members must be given a decisive voice in vetting officers’ records and deciding whether the officers are fit to remain on the force, especially if entrusted with deadly weapons. Anything short of this will fail to gain the public’s confidence. MPD officers’ support for Police Officers Federation President Bob Kroll shows there is little willingness to accept public oversight. City officials must take action now; if not, they will show the City is powerless in the
face of a political organization whose mission has been to protect those unfit to serve. Terminating officers would likely violate the contract with the Police Officers Federation. Injunctions would be filed. Court cases would ensue. However, city officials can be confident that Minneapolis residents would back them. The mayor and council also need to act on the community's demand to transfer money from MPD into hiring and training of unarmed public safety personnel. A good-faith effort of $25 million could put 200 such personnel on our streets over the next few years. Each officer terminated or who retires opens the possibility to hire well-paid public safety professionals, youth intervention workers, mental health and drug treatment counselors, and social workers. Preferably, people who live and work in their communities. No charter amendment change is required to act on these demands hailing from community leaders and protesters. Decades of traditional policing has failed time and again to create a safer city and neighborhoods. Of course, more is needed—jobs, health care and housing. Wayne Nealis is a writer and longtime peace and labor activist living in Minneapolis.
September 24-30, 2020
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Historic wrongs continue to curb social reforms Poverty, injustice and violence link past to present woes
By Charlene Crowell Contributing writer The August 23 police shooting of an unarmed Black man in Kenosha, WI triggered yet another round of community protests and national news coverage of a Black victim of police violence. Multiple gunshots fired by a local police officer were not fatal for 29-year-old Jacob Blake, but they may have permanently paralyzed him from the waist down. Days later, on August 28, the National Action Network served as a major organizer for a Commitment March rededicating the as-yet-unaddressed dreams of the historic 1963 March on Washington. The irony is that despite nearly 60 years between the original march and its 2020 recommitment, many of the issues that have plagued Black America remain the same. Black Americans and other people of color still cry for justice, equality and freedom. Yet noticeably, what formerly focused national attention on events in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham have now emanated from Ferguson, Kenosha, Minneapolis, Portland and other locales.
Moriarty Continued from page 1 the interest of justice. “Ms. Moriarty has gone above and beyond to make her office as effective as possible on behalf of their clients. The office is nationally recognized for providing high quality representation,” wrote the legislators. “She is a good boss,” said Matthew Jaimet, who has served as a public defender in Hennepin County for 15 years. “She is a public defender at heart, and that’s what’s most important. She is dedicated to her work, and she is dedicated to the cause, and that is all that matters. And that is the one thing you have to have to do that job well.” The reappointment process involves the board performing what is called a 360 evaluation, in which they talk to business partners and people who work actively in the criminal courts system including, judges, corrections, county attorneys, and county administrators about the candidate. The personnel committee of the board reviews the recommendation and makes a determination to reappoint or not. An ad hoc committee is formed, which usually involves
Floyd Continued from page 1 counterfeit currency at a local small business, who resisted arrest, who knew he had COVID-19 but was out in public exposing others to infection and an absentee father.” His statement garnered over 50 likes. Another popular commenter wrote, “Fentanyl Floyd Ave?” “Austinalum” wrote, “It hasn't been determined yet if he died because of drug abuse or if he was murdered. It is premature to act now on any kind of memorial, especially for a convicted felon who died while resisting arrest.”
Why measurable forward strides in policing or economic progress have remained elusive after decades of calls for reforms may partly be explained by the findings of a new policy analysis by the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis. Using U.S. Census Bureau data, Ana Hernandez Kent, a policy analyst with the St. Louis Fed, found that America’s racial poverty gap continues to suppress social and economic justice. Wisconsin, not a southern state, claims the dubious distinction of having the largest Black-White poverty gap in the nation. Nationally the St. Louis Fed found that in 2018, Black households earned 61 cents for every $1 of White household median income. Further, the Black/White median household income gaps ranged from 87 cents per dollar in Maine and Hawaii, down to 32 cents per dollar in the District of Columbia. The disparity in median incomes translates into 22% of all Black Americans living in poverty, a gap of 13% compared to Whites who are poor. “In noting the socioeconomic indicators of median income, poverty rates and health insurance rates, I
a local chief judge appointing two ad hoc members to be a part of the board. They provide information to the board from people they have consulted about the candidate. However, the ad hoc members do not vote in the reappointment process. It is not clear if community members outside of the courts system or legal profession are brought into the process. In Moriarty’s case, that would likely strengthen her cause because she has ample community support. This year, four chief public defenders statewide are up for reappointment. If they fail to be reappointed, the job comes open and they can reapply for their job. “Ms. Moriarty’s heart for public defense is evident in her career of service to the people of Hennepin County,” read a statement from a petition that was circulated on change.org in the wake of her being placed on paid leave last year. “In particular, her advocacy around matters of racial justice is a model for all of us, and especially for those of us in leadership positions in other jurisdictions.” Valerie Castile, mother of Philando Castile who was killed by a St. Anthony policeman in 2016, has said of Moriarty, “She is an ally. She wants to make sure that
Someone identifying themselves as “spring12” implied that Confederate statutes are being taken down simply because of a bad choice or two. They wrote, “Due to demands from some, statues are being taken down because those honored individuals made questionable decisions in their lives. Mr Floyd made questionable decisions in his life, yet is being honored.” Someone calling themselves “getaclue” wrote, “Let me get this straight. The 'protesters' want to rename lakes, streets, buildings, etc and pull down statues of historical people who did a lot of good for this country, and by the laws of the time, did nothing illegal. “But now there's a plan
found that White people had more favorable outcomes than Black people in every state,” wrote Hernandez Kent. Poverty’s racial disparity extends to other key measures such as homeownership and retirement. Even with the enactment of the Fair Housing Act more than 50 years ago, today’s
Recession that heavily hit Black homeowners a decade ago, today’s Black homeownership rate has yet to return to pre-recession levels. With lower and lifelong disparities in median income earnings, the ability to prepare for retirement is hindered as well. Social Security figures each worker’s retire-
“I found that White people had more favorable outcomes than Black people in every state.” Black homeownership rate is dwindling. According to Ohio State University Professor Trevon Logan, “The homeownership gap between Blacks and Whites is higher today in percentage terms than it was in 1900.” Prof. Logan’s position is bolstered by findings from a 2020 report by the National Association of Realtors, “A Snapshot of Race and Homebuying in America,” that found: 62% of Black mortgage applicants were rejected because of their debt-to-income ratio, compared to only 5% of Whites; and 51% of Blacks are first-time homeowners, compared to only 30% of Whites. Moreover, since the Great
ment benefit on the basis of a taxpayer’s 35 highest-earning years. With lower incomes and a corresponding lack of money available for savings or retirement, Black Americans rely on Social Security more than other races and/or ethnicities. Now, for much of Black America, Social Security is a financial lifeline and often the major retirement benefit. In sum, it seems that in 2020, historic ills remain virtually unchanged. A key component of what continues is police violence against Black America. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy delivered a nationally televised address on
everybody is treated equally in the courts, and she makes sure that you get the kind of representation that you deserve.” Castile has become familiar with Moriarty and the public defender’s office through her own
people who are having trouble making court appointments or making it to court-appointed drug tests. In August, Moriarty’s office conducted a study that showed Minneapolis police stop Black
“She is an ally. She wants to make sure that everybody is treated equally in the courts. And she makes sure that you get the kind of representation that you deserve.” volunteer and community work. “Mary and her people do not go into court and plead you out and doesn’t just focus on what’s written in the police report,” Castile continued. “She wants the public defenders to get to know their clients so they can give them the proper representation. “And because of this, those folks are mad at her. When you get people in position who want to help People of Color, then they want to get rid of them.” Castile said that Moriarty has developed programs designed to help people on probation to keep them from reoffending, such as providing rides for
and African drivers at a rate disproportionate to the city’s population. Drawing from Minneapolis police data, the study was conducted between June 2019 and May 2020. It found that Black and East African drivers made up 78% of police searches that began as stops for equipment problems or moving violations. During the same time period, Whites who were stopped under similar circumstances had their cars searched 12% of the time. Many supporters believe that the Hennepin County public defender fell out of favor with the power structure when her office
America’s racial reckoning. “One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free,” he said. “They are not free from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.” President Trump and HUD Secretary Ben Carson coauthored a recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that portrayed mixed-income neighborhoods as “social engineering.” The redlining of Black communities, racial covenants, real estate steering, and restrictive zoning laws that together perpetuated segregated housing were never acknowledged in the guest column. In response, Nikitra Bailey of the Center for Responsible Lending recently spoke with ABC News saying that the suburbs “intentionally created opportunities for White families while holding back opportunities for families of color… What we are really talking about is opportunity in our nation.” With escalated violence in
a growing number of cities occurring just months before an election, everyday citizens and scholars are echoing community and national leaders on the connection between such violent eruptions and key policies like housing segregation. Last December, the Journal of the National Medical Association, the professional organization of Black physicians, published an article titled, “The Relationship between Racial Residential Segregation and Black-White Disparities in Fatal Police Shootings at the City Level, 2013–2017.” The authors concluded that “Racial residential segregation is a significant predictor of the magnitude of the Black-White disparity in fatal police shootings at the city level. Efforts to ameliorate the problem of fatal police violence must move beyond the individual level and consider the interaction between law enforcement officers and the neighborhoods that they police.”
called out the Minneapolis police in 2018 after disclosure that nearly all of the small-scale marijuana sellers arrested downtown that year were Black. The public revelation of the apparently biased enforcement of the law forced the MPD to end the practice. Moriarty spoke out after the killing of George Floyd, pointing out in a WCCO news interview that “The whole country is looking at George Floyd, but we see George Floyd often, unfortunately.” She revealed that what the world witnessed with Floyd is nothing new to her office. “It’s not just Minneapolis police,” Moriarty said. “For years, we’ve seen an environment of interaction with our clients that’s disrespectful. Rough treatment, like knees in backs and necks.” Moriarty said her office has raised the red flag to officials “for years.” Moriarty challenged others in the court system to take a more active role in calling out police violence. Now that the court system often sees video, she said she thinks it’s up to them to be part of the solution when they see bad behavior. “We all play a role in holding each other accountable in the system,” said Moriarty in remarks that may not have
endeared her to her “justice partners.” “It is usually not just one player in the criminal justice system, not just the police. It is prosecutors, it is judges.” Upon completing a fiveyear study of the Hennepin County Public Defender’s office for the National Center for State Courts, the director of the project, Brian Ostrom, wrote,” Mary Moriarty runs one of the best public defender offices in the country. Ms. Moriarty’s commitment to holistic defense has produced positive benefits in terms of client trust and satisfaction. “She is one of only a few leaders I have encountered in my 30 years in the business who appear truly interested in learning what is working well in their organization, where are the opportunities for improvement, and how they can make best use of their scarce resources,” Ostrom continued. “The State of Minnesota, and especially Hennepin County, are very lucky to have her.”
Thanks to Charlene Crowell and the NNPA for sharing this story with us.
Mel Reeves welcomes reader responses to mreeves@spokesman-recorder.com.
to rename part of a street for someone who has a documented criminal past [by today's laws] including pointing a loaded gun at a pregnant woman's stomach, had illegal drugs in his system, and maybe have been attempting to pass a counterfeit $20 bill? Sounds like a double-standard to me.”
“This reckoning we hope will bring justice and accountability across our entire society. This memorial naming will help accomplish that,” said Ninth Ward Councilmember Andrea Jenkins.
6
September 24-30, 2020
Business
Local brothers off to hot start with spicy chicken
The brothers are originally from Ethiopia and spent their childhood growing up in North Minneapolis. They valued their education, Black Business SPOTLIGHT worked hard and graduated from college. Kamal is an alumnus of the University of St. Thomas, while Arif attended St. Paul College By Ashley Lauren and St. Mary’s. They eventually put Contributing writer their collective education and life experience together and teamed up to On a warm, late-summer day, launch Nashville Coop. a diverse group of customers stood They were inspired to create the in line for the popular Nashvillebusiness in January 2020 after they inspired hot chicken. The alluring tried the Nashville Hot Chicken in aroma of freshly fried chicken greet- L.A. They decided to start creating ed the customers, providing a great their spicy chicken and were inspired first impression of the restaurant. to add their own heat. Ambitious brothers Arif and Kamal “It’s a blend of herbs and spices Mohamed opened Nashville Coop in that go up in different heat levels,” St. Paul on September 15. Kamal explained. “We start off with “Customers can expect good the Minnesota Nice, which actually vibes,” said Arif. “We did a little has no heat, for kids and people who
Nashville Coop
(l-r) Kamal and Arif Mohamed
yourself. Don’t worry about doubters. People have more talent than they realize. “Do something you enjoy; you’re gonna end up doing it very well.” Both owners emphasized the importance of being focused and compassionate, because that type of energy fuels their dream. “It’s always important to support Black-owned businesses just because of the struggles that we face,” said Arif. “Black people are very talented,
Hot stuff!
Photos by Ashley Lauren
research and nobody was really focannot bear the taste of hot.” cused on Nashville hot fried chicken.” “It goes all the way up to Cluckin The owners made a strategic move, Hot,” he added, “which has Carolina filling a market niche in Minnesota Reaper in it. It’s about two million by introducing unique, Southernon the Scoville unit, so yeah, it’s a style spicy chicken. 24-hour pain.” At the opening, everyone folThe owners emphasized how lowed state COVID-19 protocol the spices in Nashville are similar to guidelines. Customers also wore Ethiopian spices. “So, we combined masks and kept a proper social it with some of our back-home spices distance. The restaurant was immacu- and created Nashville Coop. It’s late, inviting and spacious. inspired by Nashville Hot Chicken, Although the restaurant was but some of the spices are from busy, the owners exemplified an Ethiopia as well,” said Kamal. “We impressive work ethic. They received were home-taught by our parents, our over 70 orders by lunchtime. The mom.” demand for the crispy, hot chicken The dream came into fruition increased as the minutes passed and during April when the owners sucorders were served up quickly. The cessfully rolled out Nashville Coop owners exhibited hospitality, grafood trucks. They pay homage to the ciousness, and managed to make time Twin Cities by having two trucks— for an interview. the notable red “Jersey” food truck The hot chicken can be ordered travels to Minneapolis while the in three different ways. Customers white “Away Jersey” food truck can enjoy the Hot Chicken Strips, a serves St. Paul and surrounding subHot “Sammich” made with a fluffy urbs. Having two trucks also enables butter bun or on a slice of Texas them to reach more customers. Toast. All orders come with small The journey hasn’t been easy. slices of pickles and Coop sauce that COVID-19 negatively impacted their has an intriguing coral orange color. business. “The festivals and events There are also four signature were the bread and butter, so it’s been sauces to choose from: MN Nice has a struggle for a lot of food trucks,” zero heat, Coop is mild, Growlin’ is said Kamal. blazing hot and Cluckin is known as The brothers never gave up and 24-hour pain. The Nashville Coop are passionate about cooking, sharalso offers sides like chicken strips, ing this advice for youth: “Anything fresh coleslaw and a variety of cook- is possible. Definitely believe in ies.
Photos by Ashley Lauren
and we should be recognized.” Nashville Coop is located at 300 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul. The shop is open Monday through Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm. Customers can order take out or they can dine in with limited seating. Catering is available and the food trucks are also still on the move. For more info, visit www. nashvillecoop.com.
September 24-30, 2020
7
Local artist launches digital business in the midst of quarantine Shanell McCoy: redefining entrepreneurship By Tiffany Johnson Contributing writer Quarantine has proven a peculiar time, especially for artists. While the closures of many venues and organizations have been noticeable, there has also been the emergence of new businesses and endeavors, largely within the digital landscape. Shanell McCoy is a wellknown Twin Cities recording artist and songwriter. She released her debut full-length R&B album “Live and Love” in 2016 and is also the host of “Singlehood Podcast.” “I’ve always identified as an artist. That is the way that I got through life,” she said. As a multifaceted creative—a singer, songwriter, podcaster and poet—it is no surprise that McCoy has recently unfolded yet another layer of her pursuit to inspire others. Something she calls Entrepreneur Friday.
week to uplift someone else’s business on her channel.
McCoy took a brave step and launched a new initiative that she calls Entrepreneur Friday. “I was working for the State of Minnesota. Just through faith in God, in March, He told me to quit,” she recalled. “I was planning on staying there for a longer period of time. I ended up leaving at the end of March,” she added. “At the time, I was not aware [of the pandemic] when I left my job.” Her journey quickly became one truly directed by faith, and not by sight.
Entrepreneur Friday ‘Entrepreneur Friday’ is the primary platform for McCoy’s new entrepreneurial journey and can be found on YouTube. Each Friday, McCoy 1) launches a new product, 2) markets and sells said product over the weekend, and 3) returns the following week with business insights and findings that she shares with her audience. There are strict stipulations surrounding what types of A leap of faith In August 2020, in one of products she will sell across the toughest economic times her platform, including cost, that our country has seen, type, quality and more—as
Shannell McCoy well as giving herself the flexibility to refine her business structure (based on her weekly findings). Each week is both fresh and relevant. Altogether this structure proves not only profitable for McCoy herself but it also offers a diverse learning plat-
Submitted photo form for entrepreneurs in various fields. “There’s a difference between manipulation and trying to force things to happen versus taking the gifts that you were already given and cultivating them for people who need them,” she said. She also uses each
Challenges As with any new endeavor, McCoy has already met a number of roadblocks. “There were so many moments when I was like, this is stupid, I’m just going to quit,” she said. Aside from the universal struggle of quarantine, McCoy has also come against challenges like startup funding, garnering local support and even COVID-19. But like any bold pioneer, McCoy has turned these stumbling blocks into stepping stones and uses her challenges to inform the content on her platform. In her videos like, “How I Overcame the Feeling of Failure” and “How to Confront Friends Who Don’t Celebrate You,” McCoy continues to provide important resources to other entrepreneurs who are undoubtedly experiencing similar challenges. “As far as audience, I’m open to anyone who wants to start a business, grow a relationship with God, or anyone
who wants to be entertained by this girl trying to do something crazy,” she said. Clarifying business Aside from Entrepreneur Friday, McCoy has also launched a creative consulting business called Shanell McCoy Creative, helping startups clarify their vision for their own businesses. “The shift to entrepreneurship came from being obedient in what God was telling me to do… You’re not going to sit here and wait for an opportunity from the world. You have it in you to do this,” she said. For more info or to support Shanell McCoy’s work, subscribe to her YouTube channel at bit.ly/ShanellMcCoy. Learn more about her consulting services by visiting her website www.shanellmccoycreative.com. Tiffany Johnson welcomes readers’ responses to tjohnson@ spokesman-recorder.com.
‘Tenet’ offers thrills worthy of a big screen MOVIE REVIEW: By Dwight Brown Warner Bros. delayed the release of “Tenet” during the pandemic until it could open it in theaters. It was a wise decision. The film belongs on a big screen. In fact, for maximum effect, viewers should consider experiencing the movie in an IMAX theater. Director/writer Christopher Nolan is nearly unequaled when it comes to giving audiences unimaginable, spellbinding visuals: “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” and “Dunkirk.” He filmed “Tenet” in 70mm and IMAX, giving audiences a chance for a big picture adventure. Regular screens and TVs can’t do justice to the international espionage, sci-fi trickery and devious mayhem that unravels gorgeously (cinematographer “Hoyte van Hoytema,” “Dunkirk,” “Interstellar”) across seven countries. Go big and the visuals will make your head spin. A sinister group of commandos takes over an opera house, holding the audience hostage and preparing to blow up the place. A counter
As he tries to thwart mass murder, he notices a curious event. A hole in the side of a seat seems to refill itself with debris. At first, it seems like a minor occurrence. Then he realizes that it’s an example of a bizarre force. A reversing of the flow of time. Like a bullet reentering a chamber after it’s been shot from a gun. In the wrong hands, it’s a power that can become lethal. This “time inversion” phenomenon comes under the watch of a secret organization dubbed Tenet. Quickly Protagonist finds himself embroiled in global intrigue, a dark underworld that includes arms dealers, physicists, mad scientists and people eager to end humankind. His quest to save the human
Washington has crossed a bridge. He’s no longer just the son of a superstar actor. race takes him to London, Mumbai, Oslo, Southern California... Along the way he partners up with Neil (Robert Pattinson, “The Lighthouse”), mingles with a tall rich art dealer
"Tenet" offers big-fun on a big-screen group of combatants intervenes. One of the potential saviors is known simply as the Protagonist (John David Washington, “BlacKkKlansman”).
He meets a weapons trafficker Priya (Dimple Kapadia), connects with operative Mahir (Himesh Patel, “Yesterday”) and joins forces with a soldier named Yves (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, “Nocturnal Animals”). Is it enough to stop World War III? You decide. To get audiences in the mood for a mind-boggling spectacle, the production design (Nathan Crowley, “The Dark Knight”) and sets are never less than awe inspiring. The film rarely loses its rhythm (editor Jennifer Lame, “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”), and when it does it’s because the script with its occasional over-abundance of expository dialogue John David Washington is excellent in “Tenet” slows things down. The special effects wiz- times it is scary and energiz- ute, but brave enough in a secardry (special effects: Kevin ing. At times it feels like the ond to kill anyone. Her flirtacast is shouting over it, to the tions with Washington sizzle. point that you can’t always Branagh couldn’t be deadlier discern what they’re saying. as Andrei. The rest of the inThe same goes for the musical ternational, multicultural cast soundtrack, which is entranc- is a pleasure, and are dressed ing quite often, but loud at like they belong on a runway (costume design Jeffrey KurBitters, “Beasts of No Na- times when it shouldn’t be. Regardless, whether land, “Dunkirk”). tion;” visual effects Reetu As a director, Nolan is Aggarwal) involved in mak- they’re near a plane crashing cars un-crash, bombs un- ing, a building imploding or a both an artist and a visionexplode and characters eye gunfire in the distance, audi- ary. Whether you like or disthemselves from other time ences can hear and feel what like his movies, his skills and periods are graphic enough to the characters are experienc- taste in composition, lighting, ing in the most penetrating staging, segues, drama, action scenes and big dreams are imway. Washington has crossed a peccable. His ability to pull bridge. He’s no longer just performances out of his cast the son of a superstar actor that fit the canvas he’s cre(Denzel Washington). He is a ated is unapproachable. He superstar actor. Seconds after has few peers in the industry. he’s on screen, you get the The flow, choreography, timdeal. He is as confident, ad- ing—he approaches it like an venturous and acrobatic as engineer building a race car. Nolan’s scriptwriting is inTom Cruise in the “Mission Impossible” series. As cool novative too. The film’s conand debonair as any of the cept and his ability to wrangle the most absurd or obtuse noBond men. As his character becomes tions of physics into a plausimore poised and powerful, ble plotline is amazing. If anyyou become more assured that thing, it’s overly ambitious. There is no way audiences you are watching the blossoming of an actor who can will have a full understanddominate scenes that should ing of the science behind the have been stolen by veterans time inversion concept and like Kenneth Branagh and Mi- how objects can go backward or what “effect before cause” Courtesy Warner Bros. chael Caine. Pattinson adds a mysteri- can really mean. It’s too comous element. You’re not sure plicated. Even with Priya and drive you batty! The film’s sound (Angela if you can trust Neil, because others explaining its intricaAng) is a key and domineer- the actor adds a dubious twist cies, the details and data being element. Like the noise to his performance. Debicki come a blur. It would take a semester in “A Quiet Place,” it almost makes an alluring Kat who should get third billing. At plays it vulnerable one min- at MIT, and not a 180-minute
named Kat (Elizabeth Debicki, “Widows”) and exchanges bitter remarks with Kat’s evil, jealous, filthy rich Russian oligarch husband Andrei (Kenneth Branagh, “Dunkirk”).
Courtesy of Warner Brothers movie, to clear things up. The magic of the odd power is on view. The script should have explained it loosely, a couple of times, and then let the visuals do the hard work. Let the audience perceive what they wish to perceive. Also, it feels like “Tenet” has four acts and two endings. Certainly, during the last moments of its 2h 30min length, it drifts from thriller espionage story with plenty of action, to a finale that descends into a typical action genre film orgy fitted with timing devices, feats of desperation and a final generic lunge at saving the world from an apocalypse. It didn’t need to do that. Some movie fans are still skeptical about venturing into a theater to see gems like “Tenet.” Those fears are basic survival instincts kicking in during a very unpredictable pandemic. That said, the ideal way to watch Nolan’s extraordinary but flawed sci-fi/ action/thriller and Washington’s brilliant performance is on a screen the size of the “Titanic.” Dwight Brown is an NNPA News Wire film critic. Find more of his work at DwightBrownInk. com and BlackPressUSA.com.
8
September 24-30, 2020
Hennepin Healthcare announces new ‘people and culture officer’
Tonya Jackman Hampton
Submitted photo
Tonya Jackman Hampton has joined the leadership team at Hennepin Healthcare as the new chief people and culture officer (CPCO). In this role, she oversees all human resources functions, including HR shared services, talent acquisition, organizational development and employee engagement, compensation, labor relations, HR operations and diversity and inclusion. “We are excited to have Tonya join our leadership team at this pivotal time as our health system meets the needs of our workforce, while caring for our community during this global pandemic,” said Jennifer De-
Cubellis, CEO. “She brings a rich background and energy to the critical work we have in front of us to develop and support a world class workplace and sharpen our strategic focus on diversity, inclusion and engagement across our system.” Over the past 25 years, Jackman Hampton has led in global and national companies within the Human Resources operations of HealthPartners, Planned Parenthood, and Medtronic, as well as many other organizations. She founded and is now an adviser for Sequel Consulting Group and was the managing principal for an award-winning woman-
owned firm—Cook Ross, focusing on transforming organizations into inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible cultures by implementing strategies through organization development practices. Jackman Hampton earned a Doctor of Education in organization development and an MBA in human resources management from the University of St. Thomas. She has a B.A. in political science/ pre-law from Clark Atlanta University. She is currently a board of trustee for The Minneapolis Foundation, African American Breast Cancer Alliance, and co-chair for the Twin Cities Diversity and Inclusion Roundtable.
Obituary
Fletcher Lee Cornely Sr.
Sunrise, November 2, 1930 — Sunset, September 16, 2020
The family of Fletcher Lee Cornely Sr., sadly inform the community of his transition from Earth to glory. On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, he peacefully departed this life. A homegoing celebration will be held on Friday, September 25 from 5-8 pm at Estes Funeral Home, 2201 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 26 at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 2600 E. 38th St., Minneapolis. The visitation takes place from 11 am to 12 pm, with the service to follow from 12-1 pm. The burial (with full military honors) will be held on October 9 at Fort Snelling Cemetery, 7601 34th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Rebecca Lynch Obituary
Sunrise, February 20, 1945 — Sunset, September 14, 2020
The family of Rebecca Lynch regrets to inform the community that she passed from this world on September 14, 2020. She is surived by manyfriends, family, and loved ones. Rebecca worked at Metro Transit for 29 years and nine months. She retired in January of 2011. Services will be held on September 25, 2020, at True Vine Missionary Church, located at 2639 Thomas Ave. N. in Minneapolis. A viewing takes place from 11 am to 12 pm.
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She previously served on numerous other community boards and committees including the Bridge for Youth and as president of the National African American Association for HR Professionals MN/Twin Cities Chapter. She is a member of The Links Organization and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.—two international and community-based organizations. —Information provided by Hennepin Healthcare
September 24-30, 2020
9
More and more of us are goin’ fishin’
Women and people of color increasingly cast their stress away
Recreational fishing has reached new diversity milestones, according to a new industry study from the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF). The “2020 Special Report on Fishing” found that: • 3.7 million African Americans participate in fishing, an increase of nearly one million over the last 10 years. • Hispanic Americans are participating at a new record of 4.4 million participants. • Women are also participating at an all-time high of 17.9 million participants. • Overall, more than 50 million Americans participate in fishing, the highest number in 12 years. • The activity gained more than three million new participants last year, the highest in five years. "The outdoors belongs to all of us—not just those who fit a certain image,” said Stephanie Vatalaro, senior vice president of marketing and communications for RBFF. "Fishing is about enjoying nature, making memories, and bonding with the people you love. It's an experience that everyone should get a chance to have, which is why our work is grounded in the belief that the water is open to everyone."
Courtesy of https://www.takemefishing.org Fishing interest on the rise The new participation data comes as Americans overall take increased interest in fishing as a remedy for COVID19-related stress and anxiety. According to a separate study, one in five Americans are more likely now to try fishing than they were prior to the pandemic. Among parents, the statistic is one in four. "Social distancing has taken a sizable toll on our collective mental health," said Vatalaro. "But being on the water has been shown in studies to have a calming effect that can help treat stress and anxiety naturally. Fishing—and by extension, boating—are excellent ways to
practice self-care and recreate responsibly." To help further increase diversity in fishing and boating, RBFF has launched a new public service initiative called Get On Board in partnership with Discover Boating. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the ways people from all walks of life can support their mental health and wellness on the water. Outside Get On Board, RBFF's ongoing commitment to underrepresented audiences on the water, has made the organization an industry leader in diversity and inclusion. Launched in 2014, Vamos A Pescar is the organization's
Hispanic outreach initiative, the first of its kind in the fishing and boating industry. In 2018, RBFF launched its Women Making Waves social media movement to increase female visibility in fishing. While 43% of new participants are female, only 18% see themselves represented in the activity. Together with influencer partners and an online community, Women Making Waves aims to represent all women on the water. Additional diversity initiatives from RBFF include the Stories of Mentors and I Am an Angler campaigns. Through spotlighting the personal experiences of diverse fishing participants, RBFF is committed to challenging stereotypes and
empowering the next generation in fishing and boating. The Special Report on Fishing is created in partnership with the Outdoor Foundation and provides one of the most comprehensive looks at the state of U.S. fishing and boating participation. The full report, along with an accompanying infographic, is available at www.TakeMeFishing.org/SpecialReport. The website also features beginner resources including howto guides for getting started fishing and boating, an interactive map of places to fish and boat, as well as links to COVID-19 safety guidelines. —Information provided by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation
Neighborhood Development Center selects new leader
Renay Dossman
Submitted photo
Renay Dossman has been named president of the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC). Dossman joined NDC in September 2019 as executive director of NDC Twin Cities. Dossman’s background includes leading teams in merchandising, product development, and design for Target. She also served as vice president of bakery and vice president of category development for Southeastern Grocers. Dossman and her husband are also the founders of Affirmation House, a nonprofit for homeless men that provides housing and services to eliminate homelessness. In addition, Dossman is a certified professional and executive life coach and has been a busi-
ness owner herself. “Renay has been absolutely the next leader NDC has been looking for,” said Mihailo (Mike) Temali, founder and CEO of NDC. “Her combination of business, community, management and human knowledge, passion, life experience, leadership ability and connections is seriously off the chart. “So as not to embarrass her too much, I’ll just say that we are extremely fortunate to have Renay at the helm going forward, and where she and our entire outstanding staff and board take NDC going forward will be something to watch, I guarantee you!” NDC is a nonprofit community development financial institution. The organization provides integrated business
services so that entrepreneurs can start and grow businesses that enrich their economic and social fabric. It focuses on connecting with local entrepreneurs through a network of community-based partnerships, providing comprehensive, long-term training, financing and support while tying their businesses to the local neighborhood. —Information provided by NDC. For more info, go to www. ndc-mn.org.
September 24-30, 2020
BULLETIN How you can stop fake news from faking you out The term “fake news” gained traction during the 2016 U.S. presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and it has since become a familiar phrase in the American political vernacular. Could fake news factor into the current presidential election season? The QAnon movement has been seen by some media and political observers as an example of a politically driven group promoting fake news. Despite a lack of evidence to support their beliefs, followers of the QAnon movement believe that President Trump is fighting a satanic deep state of global elites. Facebook booted accounts promoting QAnon. David Dozier, a professor emeritus in the School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University and author of The California Killing Field, thinks QAnon’s origins and emergence into national news cycles symbolizes the intent of fake news: to influence voters. “We live in a world where it’s hard to believe almost anything you see related to
10
Drink in the fall colors this season
they already believe. To counteract the confirmation bias trap, try changing your perspective by taking the other side of the argument. Overall, be skeptical and think critically.” ● Pause before you share or retweet. “Some people have an emotional reaction to a piece of news and think they should share it,” Dozier said. “But it’s important to know that the people who create disinformation are designing it to do just that – trigger an emotional reaction. So wait and ask questions about the content. Who shared it or created it? Why was this shared? Do some investigating.” ● Go straight to the source. “The algorithms used by social media and news aggregator sites are designed to make sure we see stories geared to our interests,” Dozier said. “This makes it harder to identify if a story is real or fake, and who created it. Instead of following a link from the outlet that shows up on your social media, go online and head straight to the source. Inspect the poster’s
Time waits for no one and neither does nature. The first day of fall was Sept. 22— take a walk around your neighborhood and you’ll see leaves already starting to turn vivid autumn hues. “Overall color this year should be especially lovely if there are sunny days and chilly but not freezing nights as we get more into the season,” said Val Cervenka, the forest health program consultant at the MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR notes that aspens and ashes are turning yellow and maples are starting to show reds and oranges. Fiery red leaves are beginning to appear in the sumac and
understory shrubs, and the prairie grasses have taken on rich gold and red hues. Fall flowers such as goldenrod and cone flowers are in full bloom. To best map out your fall colors sightseeing, visit the DNR’s map which is updated weekly at www.dnr.state.mn.us/ fall_colors/index.html.
—Information and graphic provided by the DNR
Fitness in the Parks extended in St. Paul Courtesy MGN politics on social media, and sometimes in the mainstream media as well,” said Dozier. “Our democratic process for electing political leaders has suffered great harm due to these disinformation campaigns. “Fake news is definitely an issue heading into this critical presidential election. QAnon is the latest example of how conspiracy theories on the internet can gain traction and build followings.” Researchers have suggested that false information presented as news fuels public distrust of political leaders and the media, influences people’s attitudes, and damages democracy. “We’ve never been more polarized as a country, and fake news is dividing us further,” Dozier said. “It’s become a phenomenon, but people still have the power to sort the true from the false.” Dozier suggests these ways to spot fake news:
profile and their post history. See if the poster has affiliations that are in line with spreading a certain point of view.” ● Inspect the content the account posted. Conducting a reverse image search can make it easier to authenticate an image by finding its source. “Fake news/disinformation often uses old images,” Dozier said. “With a reverse image search, you can search for previous instances of an image that appears online and to find if the image used is from a different story. You can also reverse image search the profile picture to see if that picture or similar photos are being used on other accounts. That’s a common practice to create fake personas online. “Getting to the facts is getting more difficult,” Dozier said. “We have tons of information coming at us from all angles and platforms. It’s more important than ever to think for ourselves.”
—Information from News & Experts. ● Don’t fall into the bias trap. People David Dozier is a University of San Diego can fall prey to confirmation bias, a tendency to favor information that confirms or Journalism professor and author. For more info, supports one’s prior beliefs or values. “Re- go to www.DavidDozierBooks.com. gardless of where you fall on the political spectrum,” Dozier said, “people lend more credence to information that reinforces what
Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Worship
St. Paul Parks and Recreation’s Fitness in the Parks has been extended through September 28, 2020. Classes are open to all fitness levels. No registration is required. Participants planning to attend class should adhere to following all CDC and State of MN outdoor recreation guidelines including:
● Not attending classes if you are sick or at a higher risk of illness. There is no registration required and classes are open to all fitness levels. All ages welcome and no experience is necessary. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates and cancellations. Classes will be announced as they are added.
● Staying at least 6ft apart from other park users. —Information and graphic provided by St. ● Wearing a mask when social distancPaul Parks and Rec. ing is not possible. ● Washing hands before and after your visit and bringing hand sanitizer with you to class.
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STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF RAMSEY Theresa Rowley, vs. John Washington,
PERSONAL INJURY DISTRICT COURT SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT
STATE OFMINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Case Type: Auto - Personal Injury Court File No.: 27-CV-20-11092
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Plaintiff, SUMMONS Defendant.
THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO: DEFENDANT JOHN WASHINGTON 1.YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff’s Complaint against you is attached to this Summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons. 2.YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: Swor & Gatto, P.A. 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Paul, MN 55102 3.YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer. 4.YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case. You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the Complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the Complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the Complaint. 5.LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case. 6.ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.
Jose Hernandez Martinez, Plaintiff, vs.
SUMMONS
Cassandra Modey (a/k/a Christina Mol'ely), and Quinton James Payne and Sara Bonorden, Defendants, THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT: 1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff's Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not tlll'ow these papers away, They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this summons. 2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: 2700 Snelling Avenue North, Ste. 460, Roseville, Minnesota 55113. 3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff's Complaint. In your· Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint, If you belleve the Plaintiff should not begiven everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer. 4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITI’EN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case. You will not got to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the complaint 5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer, If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case. 6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute. Dated:10/10/19
Aaron Ferguson (#387763) Scott A. Kruger (#397117) Jeremy Lagasse (#396834) Attorneys for Plaintiff 2700 Snelllng Ave N, Ste. 460 Roseville, MN 55113 (651)493-0426
I hereby acknowledge that sanctions may be awarded pursuant to Minn. Stat. §549.211. Dated: June 3, 2020
SWOR AND GATTO, P.A. By: /s/ John Paul J. Gatto Marcus P. Gatto (#0391160) John Paul J. Gatto (#0387730) ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102 651-454-3600
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 10, 17, 24, 2020
STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PROBATE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION
NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS In Re: Estate of James Victor Anderson. Deceased
FILE NO. 27-PA-PR-20--822
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS: Notice is hereby given, that an application for informal probate of the above named decedent's last will dated November 22, 2011 has been filed with the Registrar herein, and the application has been granted informally probating such will. Any objections may be filed in the above, and the same will be heard by the Court upon notice of hearing fixed for such purpose. Notice is hereby further given that informal appointment of Nathan Anderson, whose address is 2123 S. Norton Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, as personal representative of the estate of the above-named decedent, has been made. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative and the personal representative are empowered to fully administer the estate including, after 28 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate, unless objections thereto are filed with the Court (pursuant to Section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders. Notice is further given that ALL CREDITORS having claims against said estate are required to present the same to said personal representative or to the Probate Court Administrator within four months after the date of this notice or said claims will be barred. Dated: September 10, 2020
Alanna J. Warns Registrar
Attorney for Personal Representative: Brett Lovrien Cadwell Sanford Deibert & Garry LLP 200 E. 10th Street Suite 200 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605) 336-0828 License No. 0342622
Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer District Court Administrator
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 17 & 24, 2020
can still win the Central Division with some help. The White Sox have four Continued from page 12 games left with Cleveland and three with the Cubs. This is exciting stuff. MLB has and just 12-17 on the road. Sixteen teams will qualify for what they expected, tight racthe playoffs, eight in each league. es to the very end. That's the most playoff teams in Larry Fitzgerald is a longMLB history. Last year just 10 standing contributing columnist teams qualified for the playoffs. In the American League, at the Minnesota Spokesman-ReChicago, Tampa Bay, Oakland, corder. He can be heard weekday Twins and Yankees have clinched. mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 Right now the Twins are staring FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM at a potential Wild series with the 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold. New York Yankees. New York, 31-22, is chas- com. He also commentates on ing Tampa Bay in the American sports 7-8 pm on “Almanac” League East, just 3½ back with (TPT channel 2). Follow him on seven games to play. The Twins Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcurrently have the number-four comes reader responses to info@ Wild Card spot; the Yankees are larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit five. So hold your breath and www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com. buckle your straps—the Twins
Fitz
FromSr. Classified IT Developer-Mobile Development for Department/MNMedtronic, Inc. Spokesman-Recorder
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 10, 17, 24, 2020
STATE OF MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURT
FOURTH JUDICIAL PROBATE MENTAL
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN HEALTH DIVISION PROBATE From OF
Classified NOTICE OF INFORMAL Department/MN PERSONAL NOTICE TO WILL AND APPOINTMENT Spokesman-Recorder OF REPRESENTATIVE AND CREDITORS PHONE: 612-827-4021 FOR BILLING In Re: Estate of Annette Audrey Waugh Deceased INQUIRIES FILE NO. 27-PA-PR-20-1024 & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS: ACCOUNTING DEPT Notice is hereby given, that an application for informal probate of the above named decedent's last will dated 11-18 - 2013 has been filed with the Registrar herein, and the application has been granted informally probating such will. Any objections may be filed in the above, and the same will be heard by the Court upon notice 2 ofWEEK hearing fixed for such purpose. RUN
PROBATE
FLATfurther RATE $200.00 PREPAID Notice is hereby given that informal appointment of Thomas Waugh whose address 9300 Townsedge Road, Waconia, MN 55387, as personal representative of the estate of the above-named decedent, has been made. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative and the personal representative are empowered to fully administer the estate including, after 28 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate, unless objections thereto are filed with the Court (pursuant to Section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders. Notice is further given that ALL CREDITORS having claims against said estate are required to present the same to said personal representative or to the Probate Court Administrator within four months after the date of this notice or said claims will be barred. Dated: 9/10/2020
Alonna J. Warns Registrar
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Spetember 17 & 24, 2020
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applications on multiple platforms (iOS and Android). Masters’ degreeBILLING in Information Technology, Computer Science or FOR Computer Science Engineering and two (2) years of post-bachINQUIRIES elor’s progressive experience in all of the following: Mobile & TEARSHEETS Application Development with object-oriented programming PLEASE CONTACT and web application development for both iOS and Android; ACCOUNTING DEPT Agile Methodology using software and hardware platforms including Objective-C, Swift, HTML5 and Java; Enterprise SUMMONS mobile, cloud applications and Interaction design; Bluetooth FLAT RATE $200stack and connecting peripherals to mobile low energy (BLE) applications; Developing data intensive apps using SQLite; Developing web services and working with backend database systems; Mobile Platform to include Android SDK versions to include 2.3 (Gingerbread), Android– O and iOS SDK version 12; Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) process and methodologies to include Agile and Scrum; Version Control using Git and Tortoise SVN. Apply at https://jobs.medtronic.com/, Req.20000ENZ. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.
Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS): Volunteer Attorney Program Coordinator Located in Willmar. Duties include: interviewing clients; recruiting volunteers, placing cases with volunteers, community outreach. Excellent verbal and written skills; strong organizational, time management and administrative skills; paralegal degree or bachelor’s. Strong proficiency in computer applications – MS Word, Outlook and Excel. Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle. Salary: D.O.E. up to $37,364; Ex. Benes. Resumes, references, cover letter by 10/02/20 to Sheila Merriman, CMLS, 110 6th Avenue South, #205, St. Cloud, MN 56301; smerriman@centralmnlegal.org. No calls. EOE Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties is seeking licensed, bonded, & insured mechanical contractors to perform mechanical work for the Federal Department of Energy's low income weatherization program in Ramsey, Washington, & Anoka counties. Bidder's contact jgraf@caprw.org by 9/29/20. From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder HR -PHONE: PAYROLL AND ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST 612-827-4021 FOR BILLING Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. INQUIRIES More info at www.mylegalaid.org/employment. & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT
SOE PROBATE
claimed Zahui B during a Zoom media call that included the MSR. Continued from page 12 2 WEEK RUN The 2020 playoffs now are in RATE $200.00 PREPAID the best-of-five semifinals round. monthFLAT launched their “Voices” social justice series that focuses Minnesota will play Seattle on the teams’ personnel discuss- Thursday in Game 3 (ESPN2, ing social issues, among other 8:30 pm local time). topics. The two teams also have Although most of the playmet with local officials, includ- ers have now left the “Wubble” ing Minneapolis Police Chief for their respective off-seasons, Medaria Arradondo, to discuss Fowles told the MSR that their current issues. social justice efforts keeps going. Other teams such as the New “You will see a lot of individuals York Liberty players designed and teams continue to talk about special T-shirts for sale with pro- these things as we go our sepaceeds going to the Breonna Tay- rate ways,” said Fowles. lor Foundation. The team earlier “We are at a point where we donated $25,000 to the AAPF. know our voices have been A signature orange hoodie heard.” that players wore during warmups sold out on the league’s Correction: A photo in last week’s website. The W players also column misidentified another player worked on other issues, such as as Amanda Zahui B. The columnist voter registration, meeting virtu- is blameless for this error. ally with Stacey Abrams on this Editor’s update: Thursday’s issue earlier this month. Game 3 with Seattle will be postLiberty and former Minne- poned due to a Seattle player’s insota center Amanda Zahui B conclusive COVID-19 test. created a virtual book club for 13- and 14-year-old girls from Charles Hallman welcomes the New York area that meets reader responses to challman@ bi-weekly to explore the work of spokesman-recorder.com. Black authors. She and two other teammates in 2015 helped stage a post-game media blackout and Minnesota will play Seattle wore Black Lives Matter warm- Thursday in Game 3 (ESPN2, up shirts. 8:30 pm local time). “I’m not great with politics, but great with education,” ex-
12
September 24-30, 2020
Back-to-back Twins are in! was peaches and cream winning 101 games and hitting an MLB all-time record 307 home runs, the 2020 Twins have battled all season to get to this year’s playoffs. After 30 games, the Twins were 20-10 and suddenly hit a bump in the road, losing six in a row. They have rebounded, however, and clinched a playoff spot. This 60-game sprint shortened season has exposed them. Currently they are 33-22 after taking two of three from the first-place Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Twins are two games back of the first-place White Sox for the Division title. The Twins have five games remaining
Fitz Beat Larry FitzgeraLd
T
hey did again. For the first time since 20092010, the Twins are in the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. With no fans during a pandemic, playing just 60 games, the boys of summer did it.
I
against Detroit for two games and then the Cincinnati Reds for three, all at Target Field. The Twins are 21-5 in Minneapolis
settlement from the City of Louisville, Kentucky. “I still think justice has to be served,” said Minnesota Lynx forward Erica McCall to the MSR during a Zoom call last week. “I still think they need to arrest the cops that killed her.” Minnesota Coach Cheryl Reeve added, “I don’t believe that settlements are the path to [police] reform. I think it’s contrary to the idea of accountability. “I do believe that Breonna Former Gopher Amanda Zahui B Taylor’s family deserves every penny, but that’s not justice,” she settlements penalize the com- systemic change. State Farm and the WNBA pointed out. “Ultimately these munities, because it is taxpayers that will be responsible for that will donate $50,000 to the Afsettlement. The community rican American Policy Forum doesn’t deserve to be held ac- (AAPF), which created the #SayHerName campaign in countable. “Taxpayers pay it out, and 2014. The players promoted the police continue to police the campaign all season along with way they please,” noted Reeve. the founding of the WNBA/ For keeping alive the drive WNPBA Social Justice Council. The players at every opportufor justice for Taylor and others who died at the hands of nity during the season talked on police, the WNBA players were current issues: “We are paying honored last week in a historic attention to what is going on in move. All players are the recipi- the media,” admitted Lynx cenents of the 2020 WNBA Com- ter Sylvia Fowles. Every team was involved to munity Assist Award for their collective passion and collabor- some extent on social and racial ative dedication to social justice, justice issues. The Lynx and the Amanda Zahui B (fifth from left) with her New York Liberty teammates Photos courtesy of Twitter promoting racial equality and Minnesota Timberwolves last
■ See Fitz on page 11
■ See SOE on page 11
Courtesy of larry-fitzgerald.com With the final week of the regular season here, this team has persevered through lots of injuries. Unlike 2019 when it
As WNBA season nears its end, players say activism will go on t has been 189 days since Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her apartment by police. The officers responsible for her death have not been arrested. The Taylor family last week received a $12 million
“We are at a point where we know our voices have been heard.”
New Black Strib columnist promises ‘a platform for the voiceless’ That includes Duluth’s voices of dissent
Fourth in a series George Floyd's death sparked an unprecedented racial awakening in this country as the halfyear global pandemic still rages all around us. Day and night, demands to finally address racial inequalities and social justice issues took over U.S. cities and towns for several weeks. What was then out front and under the spotlight seems now to have returned to the shadows. The MSR sat in on numerous virtual discussions during the summer of 2020 where the panelists talked race unfiltered, uninhibited and reflective, looking at current events as well as toward the future. This multi-part series will examine some of the topics discussed on these Zoom sessions. This week: Are we still talking change? Now that fall has arrived and the leaves start turning colors, have we reached a moment like a Simon and Garfunkel’s song—the sounds of silence? It’s been quiet of late, as if the talking, the protesting, the open demands for change have taken a migratory turn and gone south. ESPN.com’s Myron Medcalf has noticed this, too. “I already see how many people who were talking in May [when George Floyd was killed] aren’t talking as much now about the things they were going to do after George Floyd,” he said last week in an MSR phone interview.
Myron Medcalf
“You don’t hear as much chatter [now],” Medcalf pointed out. “Part of that is we are in the middle of a pandemic and everybody’s life has gone haywire,” We talked with Malcolm McLin a couple of days after he was among an estimated several hundred folk in the Sept. 17 protest march at University of Minnesota Duluth.
Photo courtesy of Facebook Medcalf, a Milwaukee native and Minnesota State Mankato mass communications grad, still resides in the Twin Cities. In October he will begin writing a twice-monthly Sunday column for the Star Tribune metro section. He began his professional journalism career at the Minneapolis paper after an internship while in college, covering
“This isn’t my column. I hope it’s the people’s column.” He told us during a phone interview that it might have been the first of its kind on the UMD campus. “We want more diversity here,” said McLin, a UMD assistant football coach. “The [Black] students here faced racism and faced microagression. You go in places [and] you get the impression that you don’t belong.” Both men reiterated that it’s not time to stop demanding change, or talking about it, even if it’s uncomfortable.
ing about it, mediating and praying about it,” recalled the proud father of two growing daughters. When the Star Tribune folk approached him earlier this summer, he asked himself, “Do I really want to add anything more to my plate?” Then he thought about former Milwaukee columnist Eugene Kane, who for nearly 30 years wrote his “Raising Kane” column for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel focused on, among many other topics, race, politics and business. “He didn’t change everything, but he made people think,” said Medcalf of Kane, who died in April at age 63. “I met Eugene in high school. He inspired me and encouraged me” to go into journalism, he noted. Medcalf hopes his new Sunday column can do something like Kane’s, providing a platform for the voiceless. “I feel like in this moment, we got to keep talking,” he said. “We got to continue to keep the spotlight on some of these things that we cried about six months ago. “This isn’t about me elevating my voice. This isn’t my column. I hope it’s the people’s column,” pledged Medcalf, saying he will help keep the talking alive in Duluth, whether on campus or in the predominately White city. “We want things to be better for ourselves and everyone of color,” he said. “We want our voices to continue to be heard. We don’t want it to be a hashtag [on social media].”
the police, city hall, and eventually Gophers men’s hoops before leaving for ESPN in 2011. “I don’t believe minorities have a voice at the Star Tribune,” said Medcalf, the first Metro Black male columnist and second overall. Medcalf will add his new writing duties to his current Charles Hallman welcomes work at ESPN covering college basketball and hosting reader responses to challman@ two weekend shows on ESPN spokesman-recorder.com. Radio. “I was debating it, think-
A rare occasion: three assistant coaches honored
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player in the Class of 2021. Yazbeck has been coaching for the past 24 years and has been assisting for Head Coach Jerry Kline for the Raiders’ Hall the past eight years with the Raiders winning the Class 4A championship in 2018 on a team led by former Gopher great Daniel Oturu. In addition, Yazbeck coached in the prestigious Howard Pulley Basketball AAU program that continually boasted some of the nation’s top high school boys’ basketball players. Assistant coaches are the ones behind the scenes. They help the coaches and players achieve their goals and carry out the team’s mission, for which they are recognized on rare occasions. I remember watching a film about football and race relations called Remember the Titans. In one scene, Head Coach Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington) explains his role as head coach to Assistant Coach Bill Yoast (played by Will Patton). “I have never seen an assistant coach’s name in the newspaper for losing a game,” the character says to emphasize his final say on all operations as head coach. This column is to the contrary. Johnson, Sentell and Yazbeck are assistant coaches whose names ended up in the newspaper. And deservedly so.
Chris Johnson (Minneapolis North), Chandler Sentell (Minnehaha Academy) and Tony Yazbeck (Cretin Derham Hall)—fixtures in the Minnesota high school boys’ basketball scene—were honored in March as 2019-2020 Assistant Coach[es] of the Year by the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association. The trio were among 10 selected for the honor, which recognizes the work of assistant coaches. Johnson helped the Polars capture the 2016 and 2017 Class A state titles and also assisted Hall of Fame coach Larry McKenzie—the current head coach at North— during Minneapolis Henry’s four-peat championship run at the Class AAAA level from 2000-2004. The 2016 team included former University of Minnesota standout football receiver and current NFL player Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sentell, who starred in Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonprep basketball at St. Paul Highland Park, assisted ald welcomes reader responses to Head Coach Lance Johnson mcdeezy05@gmail.com. in leading the Redhawks to three consecutive Class AA state crowns on teams that had reigning Mr. Basketball and current Gonzaga freshmen Jalen Suggs and 7’0” Chet Holmgren, ranked as the number-one high school