St. Paul native Winfield joins Hall of Fame plaza at Toni Stone Field
By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer
bronze statue of St. Paul native
David M. Winfield now stands at Toni Stone Field at the city’s Dunning Sports Complex.
Designed by Matt Glenn of Big Statues in Utah, the new Winfield statue joins statues of Stone, the first woman and Black female to play men’s professional baseball, who once lived in St. Paul, and three fellow city natives: Jack Morris, Paul Molitor and Joe Mauer on the field’s Hall of Fame Plaza.
Winfield spoke at last Saturday’s statue unveiling during a public celebration at Stone Field.
“It’s a wonderful honor,” he said during an MSR phone interview prior to the event.
Born Oct. 3, 1951, David Mark Winfield and his older
Twin Cities honored with JFK Profile in Courage Award for resisting Metro Surge
By Jasmine McBride Editor
hen
Sheletta
Brundidge walked into the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston on Sunday night, she carried two people with her.
brother Steven grew up in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, the city’s Black community that was virtually divided in half by the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1950s. The two brothers soon became known for their athleticism and played several sports, including baseball at Oxford Playground, located just minutes from their home.
David’s athletic skills grew along with his 6-foot-6 frame, which he carried into high school at St. Paul Central. He went on to the University of Minnesota to play baseball in 1969. The Gophers won the 1972 Big Ten championship, and he was named College World Series MVP the following year as a pitcher.
“I might have been the first African American to get a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Minnesota,” Winfield recalled. He
■ See WINFIELD on page 5
Larry Fitzgerald Sr. reflection through Charles Hallman
1955 - 2026
arry and I became collegues at the MSR in 1990. Prior to that we worked together at KMOJFM for several years during the 1980s and competed against each other of sorts when I was at Insight News.
We both were cut from the same cloth as strong advocates for Black athletes and coaches in that if we didn't do it, they might not get the proper attention in coverage as they should.
Larry was a regular fixture at Super Bowls, including in person to watch his son Larry Jr. play for Arizona. He was extremely proud
Larry
of both
Larry Fitzgerald Sr. 1955 - 2026
DOJ indicts 15 in $90 million Minnesota Medicaid fraud case
"They gave the ultimate sacrifice for their courage, and they should be in the room when that award is handed out," said Brundidge, host of The Sheletta Show on WCCO Radio and founder of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
The people of the Twin Cities received the 2026 John F.
On the back of a one-of-akind jacket were the faces of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen shot and killed by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis on Jan. 7, and a 37-yearold Minneapolis man shot and killed by federal agents days later. Both casualties of Metro Surge, the federal government's unprecedented immigration enforcement operation that flooded the Twin Cities with up to 4,000 ICE officers earlier this year.
Kennedy Profile in Courage Award on May 31 at a ceremony attended by roughly 700 people, honored for risking their lives to protect neighbors and immigrant community members during the surge.
It is one of the most prestigious awards in American civic life, first given in 1989 and typically reserved for elected officials. Past recipients include Barack Obama (2017), George H.W. Bush (2014) and Gabrielle Giffords (2013).
This year was different.
"When our politics are under so much pressure, we don't see as much progress in elected office, and we've needed the everyday people who are simply neighbors to stand up and defend these fundamental values of our democracy," said Rachel Flor, executive director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
The deaths of Good and Pretti cast a long shadow over the surge and the recognition that followed. Good, 37, was shot through the windshield of her purple SUV near 34th Street and Portland Avenue after an ICE agent stepped in front of her vehicle as she attempted to drive away. The Department of Homeland Security said the officer fired in self-defense, claiming Good used her vehicle as a weapon. Witnesses and video footage told a different story. State officials said federal agents blocked a doctor at the scene from performing CPR. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan called it "an unspeakable act of violence."
■ See COURAGE on page 5
By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
ederal prosecutors announced indictments May 21 against 15 people accused of defrauding Minnesota’s Medicaid program of $90 million, but the nation’s top law enforcement officer was absent from the Minneapolis press conference where the charges were unveiled.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche did not attend the event, instead appearing in Washington to defend a $1.776 billion fund that would compensate claims from allies of President Donald Trump, including participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Days before the press conference, the Justice Department released a memo stating the IRS is “forever barred” from investigating past tax returns of Trump and his family.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz joined DOJ officials at the Minneapolis event, where they alleged defendants billed for services never provided, exploited vulnerable children and adults, and used stolen funds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate.
“My message is this: eat, drink and be merry today, because your days of frolicking and freedom are numbered,” said Colin McDonald, assistant attorney general overseeing the Justice Department’s Fraud and Enforcement Division.
Court filings describe what prosecutors characterize as a multi-year Medicaid fraud operation. In one case, defendants Muhammad Abdulqadir Omar and Ibrahim Bashir Abdi allegedly operated two home health care LLCs as fronts to submit fraudulent claims and falsified case notes, bilking $3.8 million from the state Department of Human Services. Prosecutors
allege the two used the money to invest a combined $170,000 in Kenyan real estate and purchase a $60,000 MercedesBenz.
Oz referenced a 32-year-old defendant, displaying a blurry still photo of Omar, who allegedly jumped from a fourth-floor balcony before being arrested later that night. “Those people need our help because of that man,” Oz said. “This gentleman, this picture, is one of the reasons that the housing stabilization program in this fine state is shut down.”
DOJ officials also announced that the Health Care Fraud Strike Force will add 11 new prosecutors nationwide to combat growing Medicaid fraud. The expansion comes amid a wave of departures from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, with prosecutors resigning in protest over the DOJ’s refusal to investigate federal agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee
Winfield statue Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald/MSR
Viral conservative influencer Nick Shirley with former 2010 Republican candidate for Attorney General and right-wing lobbyist David Hoch at the DOJ press conference room in Minneapolis.
Sheletta Brundidge Courtesy
of him and his older son Marcus, both of whom I knew since they were little. And we watched how he worked tirelessly in honoring his late wife Carol, a precious soul in her own right. He was a regular fixture at NBA All Star Games and other major sporting events over the years.
rightfully earned the respect
the Twin Cities journalism community as well as nationwide for his dilligence. He will be dearly and deeply missed."
Charles Hallman MInnesota Spokesman Recorder columnist.
Pangea World Theater roots down near former Third Precinct
By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer
Following the murder of George Floyd, Pangea World Theater founders Meena Natarajan and Dipankar Mukherjee helped launch Longfellow Rising, an organization focused on healing the Lake Street area through justice, equity, and BIPOC land ownership.
Now, Pangea has acquired 3020 Minnehaha Ave., which will become its permanent home with a rehearsal space, community gathering space, props and costume storage, and offices.
The move from its leased space in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood will give the theater a space of its own and extend the vital corridor surrounding the former Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct.
The area already includes live music venues, an independent bookstore, churches, and immigrant-founded restaurants and businesses.
“We want to make that a kind of arts corridor in that
space, and we feel like that will help people want to belong to that space,” Natarajan said. “We do so much work that’s around healing, so we want that space to be a place of healing, a space of justice, a space of equity.”
“For us, the arts are a space of healing, and artists are as much a part of rebuilding society as anybody else.”
The acquisition is particularly significant because Pangea will be one of the only immigrant-owned businesses to rebuild near the former Third Precinct following the 2020 unrest. Corporations such as AutoZone and Target in the area rebuilt immediately, Natarajan said, while smaller businesses were left behind.
“All the places that had cash
at hand and are bigger spaces were able to get their capital immediately and rebuild,” she said. “But none of us were able to rebuild. If you come back and look at the site, it’s still empty buildings around the area.”
Over the past six years, Pangea and Longfellow Rising have been doing healing work in the neighborhood, including theater on the land, story circles near where George Floyd was murdered, and poetry work.
“For us, the arts are a space of healing, and artists are as much a part of rebuilding society as anybody else,” Natarajan said.
The new space will be a place of belonging in the neighborhood, she said, a response to a community still processing recent trauma.
“I think people are at a very different place right now. People are confused. Operation Metro Surge just ended, and we want to create a space where everybody feels like they belong. That feeling
of belonging has been fractured, at least for many new immigrants.”
Pangea will work to be a welcoming space through community collaboration, inclusive programming, and partnerships with surrounding businesses such as Moon Palace Books and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The theater will bring in artists who Natarajan said truly represent the diversity of the United States.
“The minute people enter the space, they don’t have labels like ‘alien’ or ‘outsider.’
We want everyone to feel like they belong the minute they step over the threshold.”
The road to acquiring the Minnehaha Avenue site was not straightforward. Pangea’s project was originally planned for a plot of land next to a local post office, where the theater intended to co-develop a combined theater and res-
Pangea to purchase the existing building. In a final act of community support, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church sold the original post-office plot and voted to transfer the proceeds directly to Pangea.
“It’s been an amazing neighborhood with much reciprocity, much generosity,” Natarajan said. “As an immigrant, it’s very hard to feel a sense of belonging, and so it’s just been this amazing embrace by the neighborhood.”
Pangea is still raising funds for the $6 million project, having secured approximate-
taurant space. When Pangea lacked the immediate funds to secure the property, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s leadership and congregation voted to purchase the land and hold it in trust for one year. That plan collapsed when the restaurant partner backed out and the original plot was deemed too narrow for a standalone theater.
The project pivoted when the owner of Moon Palace Books offered Pangea a neighboring plot just as a nearby building became available. A grant from the McKnight Foundation allowed
ly $3.3 million from the McKnight Foundation, individual donor Katherine Hayes, the state of Minnesota, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, the Lake Street Council, and private individuals. The funding will support construction of the community gathering space, a 100-seat performance space, offices, and a building reserve fund for future needs.
For more information on Pangea World Theater, visit www.pangeaworldtheater.org/.
Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Twenty graduates complete Minneapolis Fire Department’s EMS Pathways Academy
By Clint Combs
Contributing Writer
Twenty people graduated from the Minneapolis Fire Department’s 12-week paid EMS Pathways Academy on May 22 at the Firefighters Hall and Museum, 644 22nd Ave. The graduates are now prepared to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam. Once certified, they are eligible to join the ranks of firefighters, EMTs, and emergency dispatchers.
“This is just an introduction,” Interim Fire Chief Melanie Rucker told the 2026 graduates. “That introduction is like when you’re in the community, and once you’re in the community and you understand that emergency goes to a whole other level, just being that first person on the scene changes things.”
The ceremony had its share of laughs. Coreen Pierson, who described herself as the oldest graduate in the cohort, was voted by her classmates as the “strongest clown.” For years, Pierson had put her dream of becoming a firefighter on hold.
“I wanted to become a firefighter for many years, but I’ve had my place being a single mother to my very smart, talented daughter,” she said.
She first learned of the Pathways program through Smokey the Clown, also a fire investigator for Minneapo-
The 2026 EMS Pathways Graduates and their families listen to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s commencement speech. Clint Combs/MSR
lis. Pierson has since joined multiple clown clubs with her daughter, mastering, as she put it, “the art of spreading joy and laughter.” Her classmate Andy Jimenez-Garcia was voted “person you’d least like to see in an ambulance,” a distinction he accepted with good humor.
tractive, or best dressed, or smart enough. This award goes to myself,” Jimenez-Garcia said to shrieks of laughter.
“He says, ‘Until you start believing in yourselves, you ain’t gonna have a life. So always believe in yourselves.’”
“I would reveal the details, but as a class we’re kind of struggling with what is and isn’t a HIPAA violation.”
“I personally think this person should have got most at-
For Jimenez-Garcia, the program represented a series of firsts. “I was the first person to graduate high school. I was the first person to go to
college,” he said. “I was the first person to graduate from this EMS program.”
Behind Pierson’s humor is a story rooted in loss. Four days before her sister’s graduation, her brother Erick David Pierson died on May 22, 2022, at age 34.
“We look so much alike. People asked if we were twins,” she said. “My brother E. He had the girliest eyelashes. I lost a piece of my heart that day.”
From that day forward, Pierson set out to do two things: make people laugh and make the world a better place. She carries a tattoo of her brother’s name on her
forearm as a daily reminder.
“I go to work every single day with the extra thought in my head: how can I make my coworkers sane?” she said.
Pierson spent a decade in construction before pursuing her dream, another maledominated field defined by long hours and high stress. She sees the similarities clearly. “Some days I’m balancing a shovel on my chin, some days buying lunch for the crew, and some days just asking quietly, one on one: how’s it going? How’s life at home?”
After being accepted into the Pathways program, Pierson asked her construction
boss for 12 weeks off. “He says, ‘All right, you better pass, and I’ll see you in 12 weeks,’” she recalled. “Through this program, I’ve become an EMT.”
She compared the EMT skills exam to the Rocky film series, and her daughter Lillian brought a Rocky Balboa poster to the front of the room during her graduation speech.
Pierson pointed to a scene in the 2006 film “Rocky Balboa” in which Sylvester Stallone’s character delivers a motivational speech to his son outside Adrian’s restaurant. “He says, ‘Until you start believing in yourselves, you ain’t gonna have a life. So always believe in yourselves,’” Pierson said.
Charlie Marks was voted “most likely to give out a halfeaten cake.”
2026 EMS Pathways Academy Graduates Rayna Alston, Daniel Carpenter, Shanyah Cole, EllisJean Gunter, Sumeya Hassan, Robert Henry, Andy JimenezGarcia, Namad Khalif, Charlie Marks, Ariane McKee, Brian Medel Bruno, Caden Nelson, Christopher Norbom, Hnin Phyu, Coreen Pierson, Jailen Ray, Roman Rivera-Reyes, Colin Shrider, Marquis Watts, Jacob Weinzettel.
Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at combs0284@ gmail.com.
Digital illustration for Pangea World Theater at its newly acquired location, 3020 Minnehaha Ave. Photos courtesy of Pangea World Theater
The former Minneapolis Police Department Third Precinct building, pictured here during demolition, sits near 3020 Minnehaha Ave., the future permanent home of Pangea World Theater.
Meena Natarajan
By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer
As children, Praise and Peace Olowokere followed their mother to the home of whoever in the community had just given birth. As Nigerian Americans, the sisters said this kind of care has always been essential in their culture.
The two grew older and their interests diverged, until 2020, when they learned of a situation that moved them deeply.
A woman harmed her infant triplets after an overwhelming postpartum experience, and the Olowokeres connected the tragedy to a lack of support.
“We came together and said, ‘We need to do something,’” Peace said.
Their business, The Purposed Parent, was born in 2022.
The sisters founded a support service company to help families navigate prenatal and postpartum journeys.
Along with the 12 specialists they currently employ, they work with families across the Twin Cities, providing support across birth, fertility, and postpartum care. The Purposed Parent offers education services at libraries, meets families where they are in
hospitals, birth centers, and homes for birthing support, and provides night and newborn care services.
Before birth, it is essential that mothers understand how to care for themselves and their baby and learn about the labor process, techniques, and tips, Praise said. During labor, The Purposed Parent is in the room to support, reinforce lessons learned in classes, and empower mothers. The support continues once the baby is home, with specialists available to care for newborns during the day, overnight, and through any specific challenges that arise.
“It is our desire to help preserve the family unit,” Praise said.
“When people are supported, they are able to stand firm in their roles as parents, as people.”
to those who may not be able to afford them.
“We don’t believe that people should not get a service like this because they can’t afford it,” Praise said.
Peace said. “We can’t be in this position and look at those statistics and say ‘we’re going to close our eyes to it.’ We create curriculum that is culturally competent. We take pride in that.”
a service at someone, but asking what they need.”
The program helped them build business literacy, guided them through transitioning from an LLC to an S-Corp, and helped them secure strategic partnerships with local hospitals, clinics, and community organizations. Growth they say would not have been possible otherwise, as neither comes from a family with a business background.
In the short term, the cofounders are focused on continuing to support one family at a time and identifying the issues each family encounters along the way.
“When we can see the issues and identify them, we can solve widespread system challenges,” Praise said.
Long term, the sisters want The Purposed Parent to become a leader in the maternal health industry.
“There are so many issues we see in the space [referring to the maternal health care space], but we want to lead to heal, to care, to love, and to see people have safe deliveries and even better postpartum experiences,” Praise said.
Along with support, The Purposed Parent prioritizes empowerment through classes geared toward individuals and by offering free services
That mission is especially critical given the current racial disparities in maternal health care, the founders said.
“The statistics surrounding birth and infant mortality for Black families are alarming,”
Tailoring information to address the specific challenges Black families face is central to their work, Praise said. “We study ourselves as Black people… what do we actually need? It’s not about throwing
One ongoing challenge is finding people who share their passion for the work. “It’s very sensitive, it’s very sacred, and it requires sensitive and sacred people,” Praise said.
“We want to see people informed, educated, and happy that their family is together… and ultimately reduce maternal and infant mortality.”
The sisters say they could not have scaled their business without their faith in God and the support of JPMorgan Chase’s business coaching program.
To learn more, visit thepurposedparent.com.
Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Peace (left) and Praise Olowokere
Damenica Ellis/MSR
also played basketball and was a member of the Gophers’ 1971-72 Big Ten championship team, the school’s first outright title in 53 years. He played two summers of baseball (1971-72) in Fairbanks, Alaska, helping the Alaska Goldpanners to the 1972 championship and winning MVP that season as a two-way player. A statue was erected in Fairbanks in 2024 in his honor.
Winfield became the only college player drafted by four professional teams in three
different sports. “There have been some great multi-sport athletes like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders,” he said, “but they weren’t drafted by four leagues,” referring to San Diego (MLB), Atlanta (NBA), Utah (ABA) and Minnesota (NFL).
Baseball ultimately became his choice. A first-round pick by the Padres, fourth overall in 1973, Winfield said his decision to attend college rather than sign out of high school proved wise. “I know I made the right choice instead of signing to be a professional baseball player out of high school,” he said. “They would have sent me with a tiny bit of money
lison said.
Pretti, also 37, was shot by federal agents days later. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension launched a joint investigation, but state and local investigators were physically denied access to the crime scene even after obtaining a court-issued search warrant.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed suit to preserve evidence.
"Federal agents are not above the law and Alex Pretti is certainly not beneath it," El-
Against that backdrop, Twin Cities residents took to the streets in Minnesota's coldest weeks by blowing whistles, making signs, running buses, hiding groceries behind dumpsters for immigrant neighbors to collect.
Brundidge led a prayer vigil at the Renee Good memorial and launched a GoFundMe for businesses affected by the federal presence.
"We were just doing what needed to be done," she said. "People were making sure immigrant girls had tampons, hiding groceries behind dumpsters that we knew people would come and pick up later, doing bus
in my pocket and a bus ride to Bluefield, West Virginia for the Baltimore Orioles, and I would have been a pitcher.”
The Padres instead switched Winfield from pitcher to outfielder because of his bat and strong throwing arm, and immediately after signing him, promoted him to the majors. He played 22 seasons, earning 12 All-Star selections, seven Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, the 1994 Roberto Clemente Award and the 1992 World Series championship.
Winfield played for six clubs: San Diego (1973-80); the New York Yankees (198188, 1990), where he signed what was then the richest contract in MLB history; California (1990-91); Toronto (1992), where he earned his only World Series ring; Minnesota (1993-94), where he collected his 3,000th career hit; and Cleveland (1995).
runs, and even moms were using Slack like corporate CEOs to galvanize and get people to places where they needed to be."
Flor described the response as remarkable precisely because it had no single leader.
His Yankees tenure was his most turbulent. The late owner George Steinbrenner regularly berated Winfield publicly and once accused him of mismanaging funds from his 501(c)(3) foundation, which Winfield had started during his rookie year in San Diego. Steinbrenner reportedly withheld matching funds he had promised to contribute. The matter was eventually settled in court but left a lasting rift between the two men.
Throughout his career, Winfield became equally known for his philanthropic work. He and his family founded the David M. Winfield Foundation and he regularly donated tickets to kids who could not afford to attend games in every city he played.
“I always was cognizant that I kind of stood on the shoulders of people that came before
For Brundidge, showing up came with real personal stakes. After the shootings of Pretti and Good, she said she had to prepare her children for the possibility she might not come home.
“Looking back now, you realize what a miracle it was that we showed the world what showing up for your brothers and sisters, your neighbors and the least of these looks like.”
"It was a robust response that was essentially leaderless," she said. "Everyone felt a responsibility and took the lead in their own ways."
“I had to tell my kids, if I'm not here when you come home from school, mommy may be in jail or worse," she recalled.
“It is an honor to receive this award,” said Brundidge.
me,” said Winfield. “I always thought if I ever made something of myself, I would always give back… giving them a hand up, not just a handout.”
The annual Winfield Awards were established in 1977 to recognize Black students and other students of color who excel in academics, athletics and community service. More than 550 graduating high school seniors have been honored since its inception. Last Sunday, Winfield was the keynote speaker at the 50th annual Winfield Awards Banquet.
“Time flies,” he said. “We wanted to recognize the young men and women who have done well coming out of high school in St. Paul. Minority student athletes that have done well … so we created the Awards.”
“I
acknowledges the weight of the weekend’s events.
“My family members that took such great care of me starting with my mother, Arlene Winfield, and my grandmother Jesse Allison, would be very proud,” he said. “My grandmother came to Minnesota from Arkansas over 100 years ago. She never could have imagined anything like this, but they would be very proud that I followed my dream and passion.”
For a man with two statues, one in Alaska and one in Rondo, Winfield remains grounded.
always was cognizant that I kind of stood
on the
shoulders
of people that came before me.”
Winfield was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 in his first year of eligibility and is the first Black player in the College Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class in 2006.
He credits his upbringing in Rondo as the foundation for everything that followed, and
“When God tells me to do something, sometimes I talk back, but generally I just get it done whether or not I understand it or like it.”
Accepting the award on behalf of the Twin Cities were Imam Yusuf Abdulle, co-founder of the Somali American Leadership Table and executive director of the Islamic Association of North America; Natalie Ehret, founder of Haven Watch; Carolina Ortiz, associate executive director of COPAL; and Zena Stenvik, superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell was also honored at the ceremony
“For a guy that came from very humble beginnings,” he said, “I’ve walked the Great Wall of China, swam the Great Barrier Reef, been to Africa six different times... These two days, the statue, the Winfield Awards, that’s very emotional.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com
Copyright © Charles Hallman
with a 2026 Profile in Courage Award for protecting the independence of the Federal Reserve amid years of political pressure.
Brundidge, reflecting on the weekend, framed it not as a celebration but as a reminder.
"Looking back now, you realize what a miracle it was that we showed the world what showing up for your brothers and sisters, your neighbors and the least of these looks like," she said. To view the ceremony, visit jfklibrary.org.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-reocrder.com.
Good during an immigration enforcement operation earlier this year.
While federal officials highlighted the fraud cases, a victim of the fraud’s ripple effects raised pointed questions at the press conference. Aaron Johnson, an independent photojournalist, suffered a stroke six years ago. A COVID-19 diagnosis combined with an autoimmune disease left him paralyzed from the neck down. He said years of Medicaid and housing assistance benefits were lost in the fallout from widespread fraud.
“I was approved for Housing Stability Services in Decem
ber 2023, which came after a four-year fight to get my disability benefits,” Johnson told the Spokesman-Recorder. “But between December 2023 and right now in May 2026, I just got my first assistance payment in the right amount.”
Johnson’s application for Group Residential Housing, a program that allows renters with disabilities to cap rent at 30% of income, was finally approved in May.
At the press conference, Johnson pressed McDonald directly. “I’m a victim of HSS fraud. I hear all these plans to prevent it… is there any course of action? Is there a plan to compensate victims like myself for damages?” he asked. McDonald offered few specifics. “The president issued
an executive order that relates to the establishment of a fund for victims of fraud. President Trump announced that around 60 days ago,” he said.
Minnesota officials pushed back on the White House framing, defending the state’s existing anti-fraud efforts.
“The investigators and prosecutors in Attorney General Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit regularly work alongside federal law enforcement to go after those who defraud Medicaid,” said John Stiles, chief of staff to Attorney General Keith Ellison. “The federal law enforcement agents based in Minnesota who work directly with Attorney General Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit have never once expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the MFCU, which regularly ranks as one of the most effective Medicaid fraud units in the nation.”
DHS Inspector General James Clark also responded on social media. “My office continues to use our administrative power to shut off money to these and other Medicaid providers as soon as we uncover credible allegations of fraud, which we’ve done more than 600 times over the past 18 months,” Clark wrote. “In fact, we stopped payments to some of the businesses connected to today’s charges more than a year ago.”
Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at combs0284@gmail.com. DOJ Continued from page 1
(Matt. 1:5) [**blues singer Brown]
Dave Winfield (left) shaking hands with the late Buck O’Neil.
Viral conservative influencer Nick Shirley with former 2010 Republican candidate for Attorney General and right-wing lobbyist David Hoch at the DOJ press conference room in Minneapolis. Clint Combs/MSR
Dave Winfield (left) with former Minnesota Twins great and “Hall of Famer” Tony Oliva. Photos courtesy of Winfield
Finance Understanding your paycheck: The first step toward financial freedom
Sponsored by
By Jasmine McBride Editor
For many young people, the first paycheck is a moment of excitement, until they look a little closer and realize the number on the check is smaller than expected. That gap between what you earned and what you actually received is one of the most important financial lessons a young person can learn, and it starts with understanding two numbers: gross pay and net pay.
John Hannah, a student and entrepreneur who coaches track and field, learned this lesson firsthand. Managing revenue for his track and field program pushed him to take financial education seriously.
“Seeking financial education is inspired by my dual role as a student and an entrepreneur,” Hannah said. “Managing the revenue for my track and field course requires a solid understanding of money to ensure I can fund the things that I need.”
His biggest takeaway? The difference between gross pay and net pay, and why budgeting on the wrong number can lead to financial stress.
Gross pay is the total amount you earn before any deductions. It’s the number listed in your job offer, on your contract, or what you calculate when you multiply your hourly wage by hours worked. Net pay, sometimes called take-home pay, is what actually lands in your bank account after federal and state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and any other deductions like health insurance or retirement contributions are taken out. The difference between the two can be significant. Depending on your income level and deductions, your net pay could be 20% to 35%
less than your gross pay. That means a young worker earning $15 an hour might take home closer to $10 to $12 per hour after deductions, a gap that catches many first-time earners off guard.
overspending and financial stress,” Hannah said.
“Learning that budgeting must be based strictly on net pay, the amount actually deposited after taxes and deductions, is essential to prevent
It’s a lesson that applies whether you’re working a part-time job, freelancing, or running your own small business. For self-employed workers and entrepreneurs like Hannah, the stakes are even higher. Unlike traditional employees, self-employed individuals don’t have taxes automatically withheld from each payment. That means setting aside a portion of every dollar earned, typically 25% to 30%, to cover taxes at the end of the year.
Hannah said he now reviews both his business earn-
ings and personal income through the lens of net takehome pay. “This knowledge improves my lifestyle by providing a clear, realistic picture of what I can actually afford to spend on my track and field recovery habits, my music interest, and my savings for the future,” he said.
That kind of intentional budgeting, starting with what you actually have, not what you earned on paper, is the foundation of sound financial planning. Financial educators recommend breaking takehome pay into three broad categories: needs (rent, food, transportation), wants (enter-
tainment, hobbies, dining out), and savings. A common starting point is the 50/30/20 rule: 50% toward needs, 30% toward wants and 20% toward savings or debt repayment.
For Hannah, those categories include coaching expenses, music, and building toward a larger goal. “My ultimate financial goal is to build a sustainable business that provides financial freedom,” he said. “This would allow me to continue coaching athletes and pursuing my passion for track and field and music without being restricted by financial instability.”
That vision, moving from surviving to thriving, is exactly what financial education is designed to support. Hannah believes the benefits extend beyond individual households.
“When financial education is a priority, the community becomes more empowered and less vulnerable to financial errors,” he said. “Increased awareness leads to better long-term planning, more stable households and a stronger local economy as people move from surviving to thriving.”
The first step toward that future is simpler than it sounds: the next time a paycheck lands, look past the gross and focus on the net. Build your budget from there, and everything else follows.
This article is part of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s Youth Financial Education Series, a monthly initiative covering real-world financial milestones for young adults ages 18 to 25.
Tima Miroshnichenko
Arts & Culture
By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer
Esther Callahan learned to process trauma and find moments of calm through art. Adopted by a white family, she experienced the pain of discovering her parents were not her biological ones, and later survived sexual assault. The therapist she visited following these experiences used art as a catalyst to help her open up and express herself.
“The way that I leaned into care was through art.”
“The way that I leaned into care was through art,” she said. “Art always had a moment for calm, for quiet, for calming the spirit, for quieting the mind… and I saw the importance and the power that art can do in thought, in feeling.”
Growing up as the only Black person in many of her spaces also led her to a deep dive into Black history, art, and feminism.
Today, Callahan is a community cultural curator and “artivist” who works with companies, nonprofits, and organizations, predominantly BIPOC and Black-led, as an art con-
How ‘artivist’ Esther Callahan cultivates Black creative spaces
sultant and art director.
“I like to think about how we can present art in nuanced ways, both inside and outside,” she said.
Her personal journey remains the driving force behind her work.
“The opportunity to create spaces that lean into care and calm, that offer that, that help foster that, is literally the biggest joy of my life every single day,” Callahan said. “Something that was negative is now turned into a positive, and I get to use that as a driving force every single day.”
Callahan believes the Twin Cities and broader Midwest region is home to some of the most vibrant art spaces and artists in the country.
“We have Black spaces here that are leading into that creativity, so lean into that,” she said. “Everywhere you can go in the Twin Cities, there’s a spot that says, ‘I see you, I care about you, I honor you, and I welcome you in.’”
She encourages residents to support spaces including Roberts Gallery, Mudluk, and the Legacy Building, where she does much of her work.
“For me, the Legacy Building is a hub,” she said. “It’s an art center that allows the voice of the diaspora to exist in a way that doesn’t apologize for
existing. As a curator, art consultant, and art director, and somebody really interested in how we move to the next space of collecting art, being able to be in a space that is constantly inspiring, with the freedom to create… it’s kind of magic.”
While working at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Callahan and a colleague noticed
something missing: art owners and collectors who looked like them. In response, she and Keisha Williams, head gallerist for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Gallery, created BLK Collectors.
“We noticed that almost every name listed as owner, lender, or purchaser didn’t look like us,” Callahan said. Launched at the end of
2025, BLK Collectors is intentionally building slowly, focused on showcasing artists of the Black diaspora and creating pathways for Black people to buy and invest in art.
“It’s a slow burn because I’m really moving away from the tendency of white supremacy, which is the sense of urgency,” Callahan said.
This fall, Callahan will also begin teaching a class on critiquing racism in art at Metro State University. To follow Esther Callahan’s work and upcoming events, find BLK Collectors on Instagram at @theblkcollectors.
Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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Opinion
DevSecOps
By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper
The most dangerous bias in the media today is not necessarily partisan bias. Most Americans already expect that. Conservatives expect liberal slants. Progressives expect conservative framing. We have almost become numb to ideological spin.
What is far more troubling is a different kind of bias: the quiet, subtle, deeply ingrained bias that determines whose pain matters most.
Two recent stories brought that reality into sharp focus.
In San Diego, three innocent people were murdered in a shooting carried out by teenagers at a mosque. Yet much of the national coverage quickly pivoted toward understanding the perpetrators… their backgrounds, mental health struggles, online radicalization, family dynamics and warning signs. Certainly, understanding violence matters. Prevention matters. Context matters.
But somewhere in the coverage, the victims began to disappear.
Three human beings lost their lives. Families were shattered. Worshippers watched their sacred space become a crime scene. Yet too much of the storytelling centered on the shooters rather than the people whose lives were stolen.
Why does that happen so often?
Why do some victims be-
come secondary characters in their own tragedy?
The second example is global but equally revealing. The Ebola outbreak now spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has already killed scores of Africans and infected hundreds more. The World Health Organization has declared it a global public health emergency.
And yet many American headlines intensified only after reports emerged that an American citizen had contracted the disease.
To be clear: every life matters, including that American life.
tion of the attention. A disparity so well documented it has its own name: “Missing White Woman Syndrome.”
When wars erupt in Europe, coverage often emphasizes civilization under attack. Conflicts in Africa or parts of the Middle East are too often framed as perpetual instability, almost expected.
When addiction devastated predominantly White rural communities, media narratives shifted toward public health and compassion.
During earlier urban crack epidemics that ravaged Black communities, the dominant framing was crime, punishment and incarceration.
By Joseph Williams
When the National Endowment for the Arts unveiled the list of 24 titles for its “Big Read” program tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, the message was unmistakable. Although five white women, three Black men, and one Native American woman and one Latina woman made the cut, the list is dominated by 14 white men.
Black women, whose labor, activism, intellect, and creativity have helped shape every chapter of this country’s democracy story, were nowhere to be found
The omission was glaring and familiar. Rather than protest, Team Unerased has created its own best-books campaign centered on the pivotal role Black women have played in building this nation, before and beyond America’s Independence story.
Adversity and justice
Storytelling by and about Black women is more than cultural preservation. It is civic education, political organizing, and historical correction. Black women’s voices are critical to understanding America and the long quest for freedom.
As we witness the dismantling of more than 60 years of racial progress, we launch Power Read 25, an initiative celebrating change agents through the ages. Stories of
Black women, both revered and under-acknowledged, remind us that the quest for justice has always been punctuated by adversity. Again and again, Black women transformed resistance into resilience and turmoil into triumph.
The initiative begins with 25 biographies that bring the past, present, and future of Black women into America’s unfolding story of democracy. The titles, geared toward both adult and young readers, enable them to engage with often overlooked narratives that reveal Black women’s resistance, organization, and the change they sparked in the face of abominable repression.
who have shaped our past and the moments leading up to our current circumstances.
Look deeper, read widely
The 2026 titles will be released in July, followed by a public convening in September and reading circles throughout the fall. We will focus on metropolitan Washington, D.C., for this initial campaign, although a nationwide Power Read will launch in early 2027.
Black women’s voices are critical to understanding America and the long quest for freedom.
Selected by a panel of civic, literary, and cultural leaders, Power Reads will illuminate achievement, resilience, social change, and intellectual rigor during the dark days of our nation’s halting march to racial equality. The featured protagonists will include widely revered and lesserknown historical figures, as well as contemporary voices
As the country looks toward the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Power Read 25 invites our audience to look deeper, read more widely, and examine history through the lives, labor, creativity and courage of Black women. History, after all, is not only etched in dates, monuments, or national milestones. It is found in lives. In choices. In stories.
What we read and whose lives we study shape awareness and inspire social change. Visit Unerased for more details.
This op-ed appeared first in Word in Black. For more information, visit www.wordinblack. com.
But so do the Ugandan nurses. The Congolese families. The African health workers risking death daily. The children orphaned before Western audiences began paying close attention.
If dozens of Africans die before America notices, what does that say about whose suffering the world has been conditioned to value?
This pattern is not new.
When missing persons cases involve attractive young White women, coverage often becomes relentless and wall-to-wall. Missing Black children and women frequently receive only a frac-
The question is not whether journalists care. Many do.
The question is whether newsrooms fully recognize the unconscious hierarchy that can shape storytelling.
Whose humanity gets centered?
Whose background gets explored with empathy?
Whose trauma becomes personalized?
Whose deaths become statistics?
Media framing matters because it shapes public compassion. Compassion influences policy. Policy influences resources, funding, policing, healthcare, and ultimately survival itself.
The press does more than report reality. It signals value.
This is precisely why diverse ownership and diverse newsrooms matter. Communities that tell their own stories are far more likely to fully humanize the people inside those stories.
For 133 years, the AFROAmerican Newspapers has believed that every community deserves not merely coverage, but dignity.
The challenge before American journalism is not simply to report faster or louder. It is to report more fairly, with equal humanity.
Because the measure of ethical journalism is not how deeply we understand perpetrators or how urgently we protect people who look like us. It is whether we can fully see the humanity of people the world too often overlooks.
This op-ed appeared first in Afro News. For more information, visit www.afro.com.
By Chief John Dixon (Ret.), Past President, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
After decades of working in law enforcement and a lifetime of community engagement and empowerment, I’ve seen firsthand what works to keep our communities safe and secure. A key aspect to building a community safety plan that works is making sure our officers have the tools necessary to respond when the call comes.
As technology continues to develop at a rapid rate, criminal behavior becomes more advanced and more complicated. It is critical that our officers are equipped with tools that can combat this crime. License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology is one of these tools. It has a proven track record in real-time identification, which helps our officers solve crimes faster and protect our communities more effectively.
The real-time alerts from LPR cameras allow us access to critical, time-sensitive data, helping to recover
stolen vehicles within hours, track suspects fleeing violent crimes, and generate leads on human trafficking and kidnapping cases far faster than what is achievable with only manpower. The success isn’t theoretical; it’s been proven in more than 5,000 communities nationwide.
means accepting that some crimes will go unsolved.
While there are legitimate conversations to be had about privacy and accountability when using this tool, these concerns should not be used as a reason to abandon the tool altogether. The answer is not to eliminate the technology, but to ensure it is implemented responsibly with clear safeguards, local oversight, and adequate transparency.
Despite these key points, misinformation around privacy concerns and officer misuse continue to undermine the very tools we need to combat crime. These concerns, while important, have been discouraging to see. Modern criminals don’t operate in neat boxes. Their actions span throughout multiple jurisdictions and are constantly evolving, making it harder for traditional policing methods to keep up. Choosing to reject a proven tool like LPR cameras threatens our ability to respond quickly and
Too much of the debate on this topic is driven by hypothetical fears rather than the real-world implications. While we continue to argue about what “could” happen, our officers are out responding to what is actually happening on the streets. The responsibility for public safety is not theoretical; it’s our sworn responsibility. Our community deserves to have every tool available to keep them safe.
This op-ed appeared first in Black Press USA. For more information, visit www. blackpressusa.com/op-ed-dont-letmisinformation-undermineproven-crime-fighting-tools/.
Employment & Legals
County of Hennepin Probate Division Court File Number: 27-PA-PR-26-257
Estate of: Manoj Bodke, Decedent
Notice and Order for Hearing on Petition for Formal Adjudication of Intestacy, Determination of Heirs, and Appointment of Personal Representative and Notice to Creditors It is Ordered:
A hearing will be held via Zoom at 9:00 AM on May 20, 2026 by this court for the formal adjudication of intestacy and determination of heirs of the Decedent, and for the appointment of Nayan Bodke, whose address is 3922 Thomas Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55412 as Personal Representative of the Estate of the Decedent in an UNSUPERVISED administration. If proper and if no objections are filed, the Personal Representative will be appointed with full power to administer the Estate including the power to collect all assets, to pay all legal debts, claims, taxes and expenses, to sell real and personal property, and to do all necessary acts for the Estate.
To join the hearing log into https://zoomgov.com/join and enter the Meeting ID 161 121 4047 and Passcode 429809. If you do not have the ability to join by internet, you may join by telephone by calling toll-free 1-833-568-8864. Enter the same meeting ID and passcode and press *6 to unmute. Visit https://www. mncourts.gov/Remote-Hearings for more information and options for joining remote hearings.
If you object to this petition, you must file a written objection with the court by 4:30pm on May 19, 2026. Written objections may be filed with the required filing fee the following ways: 1) Mailed to Hennepin County District Court – Probate/Mental Health Division, 300 South Sixth Street – C4 Govt. Ctr., Minneapolis, MN 55487-0340; or 2) Electronically filed using the electronic filing system.
It is further ordered that notice shall be given by: 1) publication once a week for two consecutive weeks in a legal newspaper in Hennepin County, the last publication of which is to be at least ten (10) days before the deadline for objections; and 2) mailing via U.S. Postal Service a copy of this Notice and Order postmarked at least fourteen (14) days prior to the deadline for objections to all interested persons as defined in Minnesota Statutes § 524.1-401and persons who have filed a demand for notice pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 524.3-204.
Any charitable beneficiary may request notice of the probate proceeding be given to the attorney general pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 501B.41, subdivision 5. Notice is also given that (subject to Minnesota Statutes § 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the court within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred.
Date: April 9, 2026 Judge Koch Judge of District Court
Self-Represented Petitioner
Nayan Bodke
3922 Thomas Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55412
Telephone: 612-229-9037
Email: NayanBodke@gmail.com
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 28 & June 4, 2026
THIRD
From Ads Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder
Continued from page 10
PROBATE
“They basically allowed you to submit everything electronically now, so I guess they’ve gotten a little smarter in how they want their information presented,” said Tennant in a MSR phone interview – he once told us that during the successful 2018 Super Bowl bid the league wanted reams and binders of paper to support their proposal that his group supplied.
tion, and that is clearly to promote the economic and social benefit of Minneapolis by promoting us as a tourism destination,” he reiterated.
– the hotel workers, many of which are Blacks and POCs.
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“Meet Minneapolis takes that role and responsibility very, very seriously, and one of the reasons why people tend to stay … Meet Minneapolis has a very long tenured staff, and it’s because everybody buys into the mission, and to me that is just a very gratifying thing.”
“I don’t think enough is said about that,” stressed Tennant. “Most of these workers that work in the hospitality (business) are people of color of minority populations and immigrant populations. These are the types of jobs that sometimes are gateway jobs to other jobs, but then there are also jobs where there is opportunity for growth.
nalists conference, WWE, the Savannah Bananas traveling baseball team, and the AFLCIO 30th convention among other planned events scheduled to be hosted in Minneapolis sometime this year. And Tennant and Meet Minneapolis stays busy drumming up convention and sporting events to come here.
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PLEASE CONTACT
But true to his nature, Tennant rarely blows his own horn in this regard: “I am really so proud of the team because in spite of the adversity, in spite of the obstacles, they remained steadfast on the mission of the organiza-
ACCOUNTING DEPT
Sports Business Journal in May ranked Minneapolis-St. Paul as the fifth best sports business city based on corporate sponsors, sports venues and other factors behind Atlanta (1), New York City (2), Indianapolis (3) and Charlotte (4).
Also not often discussed are the economic benefits to the so-called little people
BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM
VIEW
Continued from page 10
his ways around ups and downs, and all that,” explained Culpepper on Lewis.
“You just got to pick his brain and learn from him, have fun.
“He’s always smiling, he’s always in a good mood, so we get to build off his energy. It’s always electric, a great person to be around.”
It’s his electric energy that Lewis has displayed during his years with the Twins that the team hopes will return soon because he’s too tal-
Join the MSR Team
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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
COMPANY: Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR)
LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN
ABOUT US
Since 1934, the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder has served as a trusted voice for Minnesota’s diverse Black communities, focusing on community empowerment, education, and amplifying underrepresented voices.
POSITION OVERVIEW
We are seeking an Executive Assistant to serve as a strategic partner, trusted advisor, and operational right hand to the CEO/Publisher. This vital role requires a service-oriented, facilitative leader who will anticipate needs, clear pathways, protect confidential information, and connect priorities across the organization.
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● Operations & Collaboration: Partner with the Director of Operations to execute MSR Signature Monthly Programs. Train and mentor administrative staff to ensure cohesive office support.
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TO
ented, a career .262 batting average, 33 homers, an .801 OPS and four home runs in six postseason games in 2023. He has proven he can hit big league pitching.
Culpepper also wants to make and stick in The Show. We are rooting for both of them.
“We’re all in the same boat,” surmised Lewis. “We all want to be in the big leagues and make our dreams come true. Whether it’s me or Kaelen or whoever else on this team or in the organization or in any organization, we all want to be in the big leagues.
“So, working our butts off to get there, that’s the goal,
SOE
Continued from page 10
lot more patient with myself, with people around me be-
PREP
Continued from page 10
and Miles Robinson; Humboldt — Say Paw Htoo and Edward Chang; Johnson — Allyson Vue and Jacoby Wiggins; St. Agnes — Daniela Lopez-Moran and Evons Plamann; St. Paul Academy and Summit —
“You would be surprised at how many people of color are in management positions at our Minneapolis Convention Center, and that has been something that we’re very proud of.”
Finally, Tennant says it will be “a nice summer” for events in the area including USA Volleyball junior nationals, the Asian-American jour-
man,” he concluded, “and have fun while you’re doing it. That’s what I’m doing. I know that’s what Kaelen’s doing.”
Finding Black fans at the ballpark
It took nearly a couple of months into this season but we recently found a Black fan at a Twins game.
During a May 18 game, Carl (his real name withheld by request) was there along with friends. All were Black, sitting together at the Twins ballpark.
“It’s just very, very fortunate for us to have an organization that has the staff professionals that can support bringing in these major events, and it’s just an absolute pleasure for me to lead Meet Minneapolis,” he concluded.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Copyright © Charles Hallman
“I like coming to the game more than watching it at home on TV,” said Carl between innings. “I enjoy the atmosphere.”
cause this career is back and forth; it’s up and down.
“It’s a good getaway to enjoy quality time with the friends,” he added. “We’re always working and taking care of the family, so it’s a good way for us to get away. My brother-in-law, he’s the one who bought the tickets for us and treated us. He’s done it every year for the last three years.
“We sit in this section all the time,” concluded Carl as he went back to his seat.
Charles Hallmanwelcomes reader responses at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Copyright © Charles Hallman
“So, anyone in this league can tell you that in any professional sport honestly that is tough, and so just being able to have my spiritual life to lean on has kept me stable.” Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Lucia Gonzalez and Ezra Cunningham; Washington Technology — Charlotte Brown and Maverick Ward.
Major League Hall of Famer, World Series Champion, and St. Paul Central High School alum David M. Winfield, for whom the award is named, served as the keynote speaker. A day earlier, an unveil-
Copyright © Charles Hallman
ing of the David M. Winfield Statue took place at Toni Stone Field at the Dunning Athletic Complex in St. Paul with family and friends in attendance.
The Winfield Awards student athlete banquet was first held in 1977.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses at mcdeezy05@gmail.com.
Sports
The man who brings the big events to Minneapolis
THIRD STORY:
By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist
he NFL awarded its 2028 Draft to the Twin Cities a couple of weeks ago. Minnesota will host it in partnership with Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE) and the Minnesota Vikings. Tennant was an integral part in the local contingent that presented its case to the league officials, building upon the region’s record
of hosting major national and international sporting events over the years.
“As a community, we’ve shown time and again that we excel at executing major sporting events and welcoming people to Minneapolis and Minnesota,” said Melvin Tennant in a May 19 press announcement. “We know that hosting big events helps increase the number of visitors and visitor spending in our city … the NFL Draft, which will help showcase our city to the world, provide jobs for our tourism and hospitality workers, and positively impact the economic and social prosperity of Minneapolis.”
After relocating to the city
in the late 2000s, Tennant became the second president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis, the city’s convention and visitors’ organization in 2008 after serving in similar roles in Charlotte, N.C., San Antonio, Texas and Oakland, Calif. He is a quiet, unassuming man who successfully leads a staff of nearly 60 people, and has overseen convention sales and marketing programs that bring a direct economic impact of $900 million to the area.
“We know that hosting big events helps increase the number of visitors and visitor spending in our city,”
His work helps lay the groundwork in the bidding process of such events as the Super Bowl, NCAA championships, two All-Star games (MLB and WNBA) and other big time sporting events.
Meet Minneapolis in 2014 launched Sports Minneapolis to market and sell the city for amateur and pro events, sports-related conventions and related activities. But rarely if ever does the local mainstream media mention his involvement, the Black Press has done so several times over the years. Tennant is probably the only Black person in a key role.
■ See THIRD on page 9
Royce and Kaelen: Working their way back to the show
oyce Lewis and Kaelen Culpepper, the St. Paul Saints’ only Black players are both working on a similar goal: to play in the majors. The former wants to get back there after he was sent down to the Triple-A club last month, and the latter is working to convince Minnesota Twins officials that he’s ready to be promoted.
Going into last weekend’s series at Louisville, the 6-2 Lewis has been tearing the hide off the baseball with five HRs, hitting .321 and has a 95.5 mph average exit velocity that puts him in the 98th percentile of Triple-A hitters, and up from his 87.9 mph average in the big leagues, where the 26-year-old infielder was since 2022.
After his rehab for a left knee sprain suffered early this season, Lewis has struggled at the plate, hitting below .200, and looking more and more uncomfortable at the plate with each at-bat. He reportedly accepted his demotion a bit upset as expected but hopes to find his groove again.
“It feels good,” said Lewis
Maya Caldwell: Right where she’s supposed to be
o player comes out of college having a stellar playing career, but such a resume doesn’t necessarily lock them to a WNBA roster, especially if you’re drafted past the first round.
“There were times when I prayed to God, and I was telling Him how upset I was and confused I was,” recalled Maya Caldwell, now in her first season with the Minnesota Lynx. “I needed to know … what His plan was.”
Caldwell is proof positive of what faith and perseverance can look like: A fouryear letterwinner at Georgia (2017-21), the 5-11 guard started all 28 games in her senior season, 72 career starts total, and the Charlotte, N.C. native left with a communication studies degree.
“I didn’t think I was going to be drafted,” she recalled. “I’ve always settled for the dream of playing overseas because I felt like anybody could do that. But God had another plan for me,” she gladly pointed out.
Caldwell was drafted in the third round by Indiana in the 2021 WNBA Draft in April of that year, signed a three-year deal three days after being drafted, then got waived the next month. This would be the start of her life as a pro hoopster, one of uncertainty and false starts.
After playing in Spain in 2021-22, Caldwell finally made her W debut with Atlanta in 2022, an 18-point, four assist performance
against Dallas. She remembers her “Welcome to the W” moment – “That first game in Atlanta when I had the huge assignment of starting. I had a great game on both ends of the floor,” she pointed out. “I remember backpedaling after the second or third time that I scored, and tears were coming to my eyes because I was just so happy to be in that environment, in the league, living up my dream.
“That’s when I realized I could do something here,” re-
affirmed Caldwell.
Caldwell returned to Indiana as an unrestricted free agent, signing a one-year deal with the Fever, and saw action in 30 games in 2023. But once again she was waived even after she signed another one-year contract, but Atlanta picked her up in June of the 2024 season and she played in all 25 remaining games that year for the Dream.
Last season Caldwell started 16 games and appeared 41 times for Atlanta, but the
as we chatted after an infield practice at the Saints’ ballpark, “to be playing with such awesome kids here, especial-
“We
all want to be in the big leagues and make our dreams come true.”
ly K.C. These guys dominate, man. I’m just having fun again, and so enjoying the game, it’s been great.”
The 23-year-old Culpepper, in his first season at Triple-A, is a top Twins prospect. He is hitting nearly .270 with
12 HRs and a .941 OPS.
We recently met again for the second time this season, our first meeting the 5-10 shortstop admitted he was getting used to being at the minor league’s top level after splitting last season between AA and A+.
“I feel like I’ve been transitioning pretty smoothly, getting to the routine of everything,” said Culpepper. “It’s going pretty good.”
Both Lewis and Culpepper said they are leaning and learning from each other now as Saints teammates.
“Obviously he’s been through it a lot and he knows
50th Annual Winfield Awards
team left her unprotected and she was selected by Portland in the 2026 Expansion Draft. She signed a one-year deal with the Fire.
Then last month, Caldwell was traded to Minnesota, her fourth W club in less than five years on May 6. We talked with her shortly after her arrival after a game-day shootaround.
“It was a quick turnaround coming from Portland,” said the guard, “but Cheryl (Reeve, Minnesota coach) and this team, the staff, they’ve made it a very smooth transition for me.
“I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” stressed Caldwell, who mainly comes off the bench for the Lynx. She scored a season-high 16 points, including four made threes – one short of a career high in a home win over Toronto May 21. At Chicago last Friday, she had five points
“I
feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
and four boards in a 79-58 road victory over the Sky.
“This game is 99% mental,” surmised Caldwell, “and I feel a lot of peace and stability in my career life, in my relationship with God. So as long as I’m leaning into that, I’m faithfully sound.
“I realize, and I’ve seen, and I felt good things come out of it,” she concluded. “I’m a
he 50th Annual Winfield Awards student athlete banquet, honoring 20 student athletes from 10 St. Paul high schools, was held Sunday, June 1, at the Intercontinental St. PaulRiverfront Hotel in St. Paul. Prior to honoring the student athletes, two important awards were presented.
W. Rayford Johnson was presented the Trail Blazer Award for his work and pro-
motion of music as an educator for the St. Paul Public Schools, as was the case for Arline V. Winfield Award winner and legendary SPPS educator Rhoda Stroud.
Following the presentations honoring two of St. Paul’s finest, WCCO Radio personalities Henry Lake and Vineeta Sawkar presented the Winfield Awards recipients.
The following student athletes, which include a female and male from each school, were honored.
Central — Vita Hochuli and Tesfaamlak Sturm; Como Park — Sofia Gonzalez and Jonas Tetevi; Cretin Derham Hall — Grace Kemp and Jo Jo Mitchell; Harding — Evalyn Xiong and Nasir Yeah; Highland Park — Ellie Pavlis
Melvin Tennant Charles Hallman/MSR
Kaelen Culpepper (left) and Royce Lewis Charles Hallman/MSR