Issue # 492
INSIDE
T HE
P.2
P.4
P.9
Target’s $100M pledge to boost Black communities
A F R IC A N
C OM MU N I T Y
N E W S PAP E R
US to donate 17 million Covid vaccines to the African Union
Didier Drogba signs on as WHO goodwill ambassador
Are religious vaccine resisters harming reputation of churches?
President Joe Biden, right, listens as Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, left, speaks during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021 after President Biden announced the donation of 17 million COVID-19 vaccines to the African Union. Photo: Susan Walsh/AP
By Aamer Madhani Associated Press
P.10
OCTOBER 18 - 24 www.mshale.com
WizKid to headline Afro Nation Puerto Rico
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta discussed financial transparency during their White House meeting Thursday, as the East African leader faces scrutiny over revelations that he and his family stashed millions of dollars in hidden offshore accounts. Kenyatta is one of more than 330 current and former politicians identified as beneficiaries of secret accounts revealed in recent reports known as the Pandora Papers. He and his relatives have some $30 million in offshore holdings, according to reporting by The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The consortium obtained millions of leaked documents that detail the hidden wealth of prominent world leaders, politicians, corporate executives and
celebrities. Kenyatta has denied wrongdoing. Biden did not directly address the Pandora Papers revelations in a brief appearance with Kenyatta at the start of the Oval Office meeting. The White House said in a statement following the meeting that the leaders “underscored the need to bring additional transparency and accountability to domestic and international financial systems.” “Our nations share a deep commitment to fairness and to respect and equity,” Biden said. “And I’m committed to further elevating our ties with Kenya and nations across Africa as a whole. But Kenya is key to this.”
meet with people you have disagreements on,” Psaki said. “We have a range of interests in working with Kenya and working with them on issues in Africa, in the region, and that will be the primary focus.” Biden announced at the start of his meeting with Kenyatta that the U.S. will donate 17 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine to the African Union. Africa lags behind much of the world in vaccinations: Only nine African countries met the World Health Organization’s goal of vaccinating at least 10% of the population by the end of September.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that Biden has been vocal about what he sees as “inequalities” in the international financial system.
The new donations, expected to be delivered in the coming weeks, are in addition to the 50 million doses already donated to the African Union by the U.S. A vaccine acquisition group backed by the African Union has already procured 400 million J&J doses.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t
Kenyatta thanked Biden for
helping Kenya and other African countries access the vaccine, and said further assistance from the international community would be “greatly welcomed.” Kenyatta’s visit also comes as a nearly yearlong war in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia continues to roil the region. The United States is looking to Kenya, long an ally on counterterrorism efforts in East Africa, to help wind down the conflict in neighboring Ethiopia that has left the area gripped by human-made famine. Biden has threatened to impose sanctions against Ethiopian officials and others involved in the conflict if the fighting doesn’t wind down soon. Idaho Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations
US-Africa on Pg. 8
2
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24, 2021 Issue 492
Target pledges $100 million to boost Black communities in racial equity efforts Mshale Staff
Minneapolis based Target, last week announced it will invest $100 million through 2025 to help fuel economic prosperity in Black communities nationwide. In a story posted Tuesday on the company’s corporate.target.com website, Target said it will support local Black-led organizations to ensure that resources are specifically designed for the communities they serve. “As one of the largest retailers in the U.S., we know we have the responsibility and opportunity to use our resources to help end systemic racism and accelerate economic prosperity for Black communities,” said Amanda Nusz, senior vice president, corporate responsibility, and president of the Target Foundation. “With this commitment, we aim to support the next generation of Black talent, expand the impact of Black-led movements and voices, and create economic opportunity in Black communities across the country.” Target described the commitment as an example of its Racial Equity Action and Change strategy, and an extension of an initial $10 million investment made following the murder of George Floyd in South Minneapolis last year. The company said it intends to spend $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025 as well. Target
pro-bono consulting to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color owned businesses and has committed to providing scholarships and ongoing professional resources to 1,000 Black students through its Target Scholars program. The company said it will expand “support of Black-led nonprofits doing groundbreaking work to advance racial equity and create economic opportunity in Black communities. One example: supporting the Minnesota Holistic Black-Led Movement Fund, part of the Philanthropic Collective to Combat AntiBlackness & Realize Racial Justice, helping provide grants that support the transformative procedures, practices and solutions that drive racial equity and justice.” Target said it will work to elevate Black stories and voices “to help build awareness and a greater understanding of Black experiences.” It said Target and the Target Foundation will support programs and events that more broadly share Black stories and voices which encourages national dialogue about racial issues in America.
Using the acronym REACH – Racial Equity Action and Change – Target said it aligns four key areas of focus: ” Helping Black team members build meaningful careers and experience success at every level, creating an environment where Since the George Floyd murder, Target Black guests feel more welcome and see 5/13/21 finding 2:10 PM says it has202136_KL_HennepinCounty_Printad_Mshale_Hibo_4.875x7.125_RD1.pdf provided over 10,000 hours of themselves represented 1at Target,
DON’T MISS THE COVID-19 VACCINE. SAFE
TAKE
EFFECTIVE
EASY
Care
OF EACH OTHER. FIND YOUR VACCINE AT TAKECAREHENNEPIN.ORG
Target headquarters in downtown Minneapolis. new ways to support Black communities across the country, and working with policymakers on key issues that impact Black Americans.” Target pledged to increase representation of Black team members across all levels of its business by 20% over the next three years and joined the local OneTen coalition to train, hire and advance 1 million Black Americans in the Twin Cities over the next ten years.
Photo: Tom Gitaa/Mshale
The $2 billion spending commitment, Target said, includes spending 5% of its annual media budget with Black-owned publishers, beginning in 2022. “This investment will help our Black-owned business partners further compete in the advertising industry and extend their reach, while also creating a more vibrant media ecosystem for all.,” Target said.
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24 2021 Issue 492
3
Guest Commentary by Larry D. Ivory
Don’t raise taxes on the investments Black-owned businesses depend on 58% of Black-owned businesses reported being financially distressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From February to April 2020, Black business ownership dropped by a crushing 41%. And although the total U.S. unemployment rate fell to 5.4 in July of this year, it remained a staggering 8.2 percent for Black workers. Which begs the question of why then are politicians even considering instituting economic policies that would harm Black-owned businesses, as opposed to helping them? Across the United States, there are 2.6 million Black-owned businesses that account for over $138 billion in revenue each year. This innovative and entrepreneurial passion is what has fostered long-term economic prosperity and sustainability in communities from coast to coast. These businesses should be celebrated as pillars of our local communities and the backbone of our nation’s economy. Regrettably, just as we are starting to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, some members of Congress are proposing a misguided business investment tax (H.R. 1068 and S.1598) targeting carried interest that would make it harder for Blackowned businesses to receive the critical private investment they need to recover and succeed in the times ahead. The House Ways & Means Committee recently included this destructive tax increase in a proposal they are pushing to add into the upcoming $3.5 trillion spending plan. The Biden administration has marketed this proposal as an “investment in our economic future,” but it would hurt the very Black-owned businesses they proport to help. Despite the many hardships already faced by Black business owners during the pandemic, private investments have been a promising new source of growth for the African American community. In fact, in the first half of 2021 alone, Black business owners secured nearly $1.8 billion in investment funding, an increase of 450% from the same period last year and nearly double the total investments made in Black entrepreneurs in all of 2020. The numbers don’t lie, and the evidence is clear – now is not the time to impose restrictive tax hikes on one of the most promising avenues of growth for Black entrepreneurs. With all this being said, the economic devastation that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have on businesses across America, is far from over. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on businesses of all sizes in all 50 states, yet African American-
Join the Mshale Text Club: Text AFRICA to 24587 or follow us onTwitter.com/Mshale Community News, updated daily on Mshale. com © 1995-2021 Mshale Communications, Inc. Mshale – The African Community Newspaper Editorial & Corporate Office: 2 E Franklin Ave., Suite 1 Minneapolis, MN 55404 Mailing Address: P.O.BOX 80071, Minneapolis, MN 55408 Tel: 612-454-5648 Email: mshale@mshale.com www.mshale.com
President & Publisher: Tom Gitaa
Contributing Editor: Edwin Okong’o
Staff Writers: Kari Mugo, Bethel Gessesse, Cynthia Simba
Contributing Writers: Susan Budig
Design & Layout: Staff
Photographers: Richard Ooga, Bethel Gessesse
Distribution: Bluebird
Mshale is published weekly on Monday. It is available every Monday for free at most African stores , African restaurants and metro area county libraries. Mailed subscriptions are $60 per year. Memberships: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC) , Pan African Business Alliance (PABA).
The editor welcomes letters, opinion pieces and commentary on issues of interest to the African community in North America. Contributions must be typed and will be edited for clarity and space. Submissions can be mailed or submitted online at www.mshale.com
owned businesses have been disproportionately hurt more than any other racial group. In fact, 58% of Black-owned businesses reported being financially distressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From February to April 2020, Black business ownership dropped by a crushing 41%. And although the total U.S. unemployment rate fell to 5.4 in July of this year, it remained a staggering 8.2 percent for Black workers. Which begs the question of why then politicians are even considering instituting economic policies that would harm Black-owned businesses, as opposed to helping them? African American entrepreneurs and business owners have always faced immense structural and financial obstacles to grow their businesses and achieve the American dream, ranging from higher interest rates to lack of access to traditional banks. This ill-advised tax hike would only make it even harder for many of these businesses to receive the financial backing necessary to grow and promote innovation and economic opportunity. All of this is also not to suggest that African American businesses would be the only ones hurt by this proposal. More than 14,000 businesses across America that employ nearly 12 million workers depend on similar investments to hire workers, grow, or simply keep the doors open. At the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), we are dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and via interaction with the Black community. The success and well-being of our nation’s Blackowned small businesses is vital to the overall health of our domestic economy, in communities nationwide. This is why it is as important as ever that leaders in Washington are supporting policies that promote investments in Black-owned businesses and job creation across the country. America’s Black small business community is robust and strong, but now more than ever, it needs our leaders’ unwavering support. For this reason, on behalf of the NBCC, I am firmly urging members of Congress to oppose any and all efforts to include this misguided business investment tax in the upcoming $3.5 trillion Larry D. Ivory is the Chairman of the National Black Chamber of Commerce
4
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24, 2021 Issue 492
Football star Didier Drogba signs with World Health Org., as new Goodwill Ambassador UN News Mr. Drogba, from Côte d’Ivoire, will promote WHO’s top tips on how physical activity can lead to a healthier and happier life, and also highlight the value of sports, particularly for youth. The Ivorian striker is best known internationally for his long and recordsetting career at Chelsea Football Club, and for having been named African Footballer of the Year in 2006, and 2009. He is the all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team. He also has a long track record off the pitch, of participating in various campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles, anti-malaria campaigns, and HIV prevention and control. During the announcement of his new role, in Geneva, Mr. Drogba said he was honoured to team up with WHO and “support its work to help people reach the highest level of health possible, especially young people in all countries.” “I have benefited first-hand from the power of sports to lead a healthy life and I am committed to working with WHO to share such gains worldwide”, he said. WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, hailed Mr. Drogba as “a proven champion and game changer both on and off the pitch.” For Tedros, the athlete’s support can help curb the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through the promotion of healthy lifestyles. “We are pleased to have him playing on our team, and helping communities worldwide reach and score goals through sports for their physical and mental health and well-being”, Tedros said. According to the WHO chief, Mr. Drogba
Football legend Didier Drogba was announced as the World Health Organization’s Goodwill Ambassador for Sport and Health. Photo: Christopher Black/WHO will also support the mobilization of the international community to “promote sports as an essential means for improving the physical, mental health and social well-being of all people, including in helping COVID-19 recovery efforts.”
another US$14 billion to lost productivity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of physical activity. According to WHO, up to 5 million deaths a year could be averted if the global population was more active.
Regular physical activity helps lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and various types of cancer, including breast cancer and colon cancer.
Current global estimates show four in five adolescents, and one in four adults, do not do enough physical activity. Globally this is estimated to cost $54 billion in direct healthcare costs, and
Increased physical inactivity also hurts health systems, the environment, economic development, community wellbeing, and quality of life.
Mr. Drogba’s announcement as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador was made during a ceremony to launch the Healthy 2022 World Cup – Creating Legacy for Sport and Health.
The initiative is a partnership between Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health and its Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, WHO and world football’s governing body, FIFA, to promote sports during next year’s World Cup in Qatar. Mr. Drogba joins other WHO ambassadors including champion Brazilian footballer Alisson Becker and his wife, the doctor Natalia Loewe; Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term Mayor of New York; Cynthia Germanotta, President of the Born This Way Foundation and mother of artist Lady Gaga; and former UK Prime Minister and current UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown.
On it.
Ending racial injustice requires all of us to work together and take real action. What can you do to help? Educate yourself about the history of American racism, privilege and what it means to be anti-racist. Educate yourself
about the history of American racism, privilege and what it means to be anti-racist.
Commit to actions that challenge injustice and make everyone feel like they belong, such as challenging biased or racist language when you hear it. Vote in national and local elections to ensure your elected officials share your vision of public safety. Donate to organizations, campaigns and initiatives who are committed to racial justice.
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24 2021 Issue 492
5
Somali American says he’s the best candidate for mayor of Minneapolis as voting begins By Cynthia Simba Mshale AJ Awed says Minneapolis is a polarized city. But he thinks he has the solution. The Somali American, who once ran to represent Ward 6 in the Minneapolis city council now wants to be the city’s mayor. “The city is really going through a tough period,” Awed says. “These growing pains, I think we need someone who has the capacity to bring people together.” Awed says he wants to utilize his experience as a professional mediator to unify Minneapolis. In the past year and a half, the city of Minneapolis has received both national and global attention following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man who was murdered by police. The death of Floyd sparked outrage and sent the city into a series of protests that have largely left parts of it unrecognizable. Local businesses were forced to close due to rioting, as well as the effects of a global pandemic that has left some industries struggling to recover. Today Minneapolis is a city in recovery, as businesses and streets that were once closed are now open. The city is also in its electoral season for its next leader. “I believe having an African American mayor as a leader in our municipality would
Somali American AJ Awed who is running to be Mayor of Minneapolis says he is the solution to the city’s polarization. Early voting for the November 2 election is already underway. Photo: Courtesy Neighbors for AJ Awed
not only be great for our community, it’ll be definitely a great change from what we have in our community right now,” says Tola Vann, who has lived in Minneapolis for 10 years.
operations and development for the Cedar Riverside Community Council, a non-profit organization that disburses funds from the city of Minneapolis’s community fund to appropriate recipients.
Vann is the executive director of
If Awed succeeds in his bid, he will
TRAVELING INTERNATIONALLY?
Malaria can be just a plane ride away. Medications, repellent, bed nets, and more can protect you from malaria and other diseases spread by mosquitoes. Visit your doctor or travel clinic as soon as you know you are traveling. health.mn.gov/travel Image may not depict current travel requirements.
be the city’s first black male Mayor and the second person of color to hold the position after Sharon Sayles Belton’s 1994 victory as the city’s first black and
Awed on Pg. 6
6
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
October 18 - 24, 2021 Issue 492
www.mshale.com
Awed from Pg. 5 also first female Mayor. Although Minnesota is ranked highly for quality of life nationwide, according to US News and World Report, it also has one the nation’s highest racial wealth gaps. The state has the second largest wealth gap between white and black residents, second only to the District of Columbia. Awed wants to address inequality by increasing funding and resources for underserved communities.Since moving to Minneapolis twelve years ago, Awed says that he has seen tremendous increase in homelessness, chemical dependency, and political division. He also wants to address the problem of lack of affordable housing, increase community engagement, and fund rehabilitation services and public safety, which he says he will pay for by increasing taxes on wealthy Minneapolis residents. Among the issues that his campaign promises to address, Awed considers public safety to be the most critical. “My top priority is public safety,” he says. “Because nothing that I have envisioned for the city can actually manifest into reality and materialize when we have such high rates of crime and high levels of attrition from police officers.” If elected Awed vows to increase funding for the police department. He has publicly shunned the Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign which is a movement that wants the city of Minneapolis to create a Department of Safety that provides alternatives for policing. Minneapolis native Mark Wegmiller says he’s been disappointed with the city’s
Minneapolis voters line up to vote a day ahead of Minnesota’s Tuesday primary election on Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, at the Minneapolis Election and Voters Services offices. In the November 2021 city elections, the city’s voters will be voting to amend the city charter to place the police department under a Department of Public safety. Photo: Jim Mone/AP
leadership for decades and is looking for a fresh new change to move the city forward. “Minneapolis has been a very poorly run city,” he says. “I would like to see a real leader in our next mayor.” Awed’s journey to City Hall won’t be smooth. He is in a crowded race with seventeen candidates running to unseat Jacob Frey, the incumbent, who has a war chest of $384,000 in donations. But if the amount of money raised is an indication of how competitive a candidate will be, then Awed is Frey’s most formidable challenger. According to campaign finance data, Awed has raised
over $230,000 – more than any other candidate challenging the mayor. If Awed is to succeed, he needs to woo voters like Matthew Burandt, a resident in the city’s downtown, who says he wants to maintain the current leadership of mayor Frey, but is open to listening to what other candidates have to offer. “I would definitely change my mind if there was a compelling alternative,” Burandt says. Professionally, Awed is a mediator, and the executive director for policy and programs in the Cedar Riverside Community Council. He is also a fellow
at the American Arbitration Association and serves on the board of directors at Community Mediation and Restorative Services. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in Sociology of Law, Criminology and Deviance, and a Juris Doctorate from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Awed lives in the Marcy Holmes neighborhood with his wife Salma and their two sons. Early voting for the Minneapolis City municipal elections is already underway and will continue until election day on Tuesday, November 2.
GREAT COVERAGE. EXCELLENT BENEFITS. #1 choice for Medicare in Minnesota with access to 96 percent of doctors and hospitals 1
2
MEDICARE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT ENDS DECEMBER 7 — CONTACT US TODAY
Call
a Medicare advisor at 1-877-678-0536/TTY 711
Compare
plan options at bluecrossmn.com/medicareanswer
Schedule
an appointment at bluecrossmn.com/centers
Based on enrollment data from CMS May 2021, NAIC December 2020. Internal Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota data, 2021. Blue Cross offers PPO, Cost and PDP plans with Medicare contracts. Enrollment in these Blue Cross plans depends on contract renewal. Plans are available to residents of the service area. S5743_082521P02_C Y0138_082521P01_C
1
2
Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus® are nonprofit independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
October 18 - 24 2021 Issue 492
www.mshale.com
State opens monoclonal antibody clinic to expand access in Twin Cities
7
Mshale Staff The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has opened a new clinic in St. Paul to expand access to monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatment in the Twin Cities metro area. COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment can help qualifying patients get better faster. It is an outpatient treatment for patients with mild to moderate symptoms that started within the past 10 days, and who are at high risk of their illness leading to hospitalization or death “This clinic will strengthen the existing capacity of providers in the Twin Cities to give this life-saving treatment,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. “Patients and their providers seeking monoclonal antibody treatments can make an appointment at this clinic and other locations by using the state’s online tool, the Minnesota Resource Allocation Platform.” To receive this treatment, people who have tested positive for COVID-19 should contact their health care provider or visit the Minnesota Resource Allocation Platform (MNRAP) (https://www.health. state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/ meds.html#mnrap) to request an appointment.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm testifying at a past legislative hearing.
The newly opened site is not a walk-in clinic. MNRAP is an online scheduling tool the state created during the pandemic to
facilitate equitable access to monoclonal treatments. Patients or their caregivers can access MNRAP to find out if they qualify for treatment. The website will
Photo: Andrew VonBank/MN Legislature
also refer them to the nearest site with an available appointment, including the new St. Paul clinic. Mshale news QtrPgs_4.875 x
MDH is partnering with Matrix Medical Network to operate the medical clinic, located near Interstate 35E and Arlington 7.125_r1.pdf 1 10/7/21 Avenue West. 2:20 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 10 AM—2 PM
LIBERIANS IN MINNESOTA, APPLY NOW FOR A GREEN CARD
NEW USCIS DEADLINE EXTENDED TO
DECEMBER 20, 2021 C
The Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) program allows Liberians who have lived in the U.S. since November 20, 2014 to apply for lawful permanent resident status (a green card). Upon receiving a green card, some Liberians may be eligible to apply for citizenship!
Visit iimn.org/Liberia or call 651-647-0191
The International Institute of Minnesota can help you apply for a green card and citizenship! Remote citizenship services also available for non-Liberians
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Join us at our Health and Harvest Festival to celebrate healthy communities! MINNESOTA COMMUNITY CARE Farmington Clinic 19685 Pilot Knob Rd | Farmington, MN 55024
8
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
October 18 - 24, 2021 Issue 492
www.mshale.com
Liberian Community Center Fundraiser Photos by Jasmine Webber - Mshale Photojournalist
The Organization of Liberians in Minnesota continued its capital expansion fundraiser when it held an outdoor event on Sunday, September 26, 2021. Clockwise from bottom right: OLM executive director Kamaty Diahn (right) and board chair Abraham Brima Bah count some of the money donated. Board member Erasmus Williams speaks. Brooklyn Park Councilman representing Central District Boyd Morson (in cap), The inside of the expansion area of the community center. The executive director of ACER, Nelima Sitati-Munene. Top left is Rev. Francis Tabla of Ebenezer Church in Brooklyn Park. Learn more about OLM and the capital campaign at Mshale.com and www.olmn.org
US-Africa from Pg. 1 Committee, said the meeting with a strategic partner was “long overdue.” He called on Biden to address internal tensions in several parts of Kenya and the impact they could have on next year’s election. Risch also said he’s concerned about Kenya racking up debt with China, which accounts for about one-third of Kenya’s 2021-22 external debt service costs and is its biggest foreign creditor after the World Bank. The meeting was Biden’s first one-on-one, in-person engagement as president with an African leader.
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24 2021 Issue 492
9
Religion The pandemic has helped religion’s reputation. Do religious vaccine resisters put this progress at risk? By Kelsey Dallas Religion News Service merica’s favorite neighbor, Mister Rogers, once said to look for “the helpers” when you’re feeling scared. Amid a devastating pandemic and associated economic downturn, many Americans embarked on that search and, according to new research, got the help they needed from a church. The 2021 American Family Survey from the Deseret News and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University found that the share of U.S. adults who say houses of worship were helpful during the COVID19 crisis is higher than the share who say the same about employers or public schools. Only government officials at the local, state and federal levels received notably higher marks for helpfulness than religious institutions. The survey also showed that the group of Americans who feel helped by houses of worship is growing. In 2020, 23% of U.S. adults said churches were at least “slightly helpful” to their family, compared with 34% today, the American Family Survey reported. Another new study — this one from Lifeway Research — found that Ameri-
People line up for COVID-19 vaccinations outside Ebenezer Baptist Church in Oklahoma City on Jan. 26, 2021. Photo: J. Wiggins for Concepts Productions/Ebenezer Baptist Church
cans are more than seven times as likely to say local churches have been helpful during the pandemic than to say they’ve been harmful.
It’s clear that houses of worship are making a good impression on the communities they serve, said Scott McConnell, the organization’s executive director. “Americans are indicating that they’ve seen signs that people of faith were trying to do good and help others during the pandemic,” he said. These survey results are especially notable in light of the ways the pandemic interfered with churches’ work, McConnell added. Social distancing, volunteers’ health status and other factors made it harder for religious institutions to provide food, clothing and shelter to people in need.
Religious resistance has grown louder as employers, venues and schools impose vaccine mandates. Some pastors and faith groups are now publishing letters online that aim to help those seeking religious exemptions from vaccine requirements. “Unfortunately, it seems like churches are becoming the disinformation arm of anti-vax campaigns. There’s a lot of negative information that’s coming out from a small minority of religious organizations,” said Alison Gill, vice president for legal and policy for American Atheists.
“At least historically, charity is something that happens in person,” McConnell said. “COVID challenged those trying to show love in a practical way to their community.”
This trend is troubling to people of faith who support vaccination, including Dr. Francis Collins, who directs the National Institutes of Health. Last month, he told Religion News Service that he’s struggled to understand why many evangelical Christians have refused the vaccine.
At many churches, the pandemic also fueled a drop in donations, limiting the resources available for charitable aid. Nearly 1 in 4 churchgoers gave less to their congregation in 2020 than they did in 2019, according to a Lifeway Research survey from earlier this year.
“If we’ve all been praying to God to somehow deliver us from this terrible pandemic, and what happens is these vaccines get developed that are safe and effective, well, why wouldn’t you want to say, ‘Thank you, God,’ and roll up your sleeve?” he said.
Houses of worship offering pandemicrelated help also had to compete with religious institutions that viewed the crisis very differently. From the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, a small but vocal minority of pastors and churches has rebelled against safety regulations, fighting for religious exemptions to social gathering policies and mask mandates.
Because there are some people of faith who aren’t embracing vaccination, companies across the U.S. are struggling to respond to requests for religious exemptions to vaccine mandates. Several related lawsuits have already been filed.
For example, Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, has repeatedly criticized masks, limits on in-person gatherings and COVID-19 vaccines. There’s even a sign outside his house of worship that reads “This is a mask-free campus. Kindly remove them or stay in your car. We celebrate faith over fear,” as Religion News Service reported in August.
If battles over religious exemption requests drag on through the fall — and the relatively low vaccination rates for some faith groups fail to climb — religion’s reputation could suffer. But, at least in the short term, churches’ association with helpfulness seems safe, McConnell said. “I think people separate (anti-vax) individuals from the institution of the church,” he said.
10
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24, 2021 Issue 492
Art & Entertainment
Megan Thee Stallion & Wizkid to headline Afro Nation Puerto Rico Festival 2022 By Yohance Kyles All HipHop The Afro Nation Puerto Rico festival will make its debut in America next Spring Break. Houston-raised Hip Hop star Megan Thee Stallion and Nigerian singer/songwriter Wizkid were tapped to be co-headliners. Organizers also booked Shenseea, Koffee, Naira Marley, Patoranking, Rema, Tekno, Busiswa, Eddy Kenzo, Focalistic, King Promise, Omah Lay, Oxlade, Patrice Roberts, Ruger, and Tems for the threeday event. Afro Nation Puerto Rico is scheduled to take place March 24-26 at Balneario de Carolina, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Afro Nation brand was said to be founded on “good vibes” and “#BlackExcellence.”
Mshale Text Club: Text AFRICA to 24587 to join
WizKid, seen here performing during his ‘Made in Lagos’ tour in Los Angeles on September 25, 2021 and Megan Thee Stallion, right, will headline the Afro Nation Puerto Rico Festival in 2022. Photo: Getty Images
“We’re excited to welcome locals and people from different races and cultures to the beautiful Balneario de Carolina in San Juan for Afro Nation Puerto Rico 2022 to celebrate Black and African music. As with all of our festivals around the world, our mission is to unify and uplift and this edition will be no different,” stated festival founders SMADE and Obi Asika. Portugal hosted Afro Nation in 2019 with a return to the European country
His first football season, Isaiah told us, ‘Wear a jersey with my name on it. I want everyone to know you’re here for me.’ Darnell and Denna, adopted 16-year-old Isaiah LEARN ABOUT ADOPTING A TEEN YO U C A N ’ T I M AG I N E T H E R E WA R D
A D O P T U S K I D S . O R G
planned for July 2022. Afro Nation Puerto Rico 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The ability to bring Afro Nation Puerto Rico to fruition is a special achievement, as it is our first event post-lockdown. After I joined the team in 2020, we were forced to cancel our show in Puerto Rico at the last minute, to the disappointment of the team,” states Natasha Manley of Event
Horizon. Manley continues, “Afro Nation Puerto Rico 2022 is close to our hearts, as it is the culmination of the hard work and creativity of Event Horizon’s team to give the energy of Afrobeats back to a live audience. Gathering people together for the first time in over a year to celebrate the diaspora and support emerging artists is something we take great pride in.”
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24 2021 Issue 492
11
ATTENTION VOTERS:
ARE ON THE BALLOT. VOTE NO ON QUESTION 2
Question 2 asks voters to eliminate the police department and replace it with a Department of Public Safety for which there isNO PLAN. IF IT PASSES, QUESTION 2 MEANS:
FEWER COPS ON THE STREET CHIEF ARRADONDO'S POSITION IS ELIMINATED THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CITY COUNCIL HAS 30 DAYS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR POLICING
VOTE YES ON QUESTION 1
Question asks voters to fi$ our government structure to bring it in line with every other major city, including St. Paul. IF IT PASSES, QUESTION 1 MEANS BETTER CHECKS & BALANCES BETWEEN THE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MORE EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE & ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT LESS POLITICAL INFLUENCE & INFIGHTING
LEARN MORE AT ALLOFMPLS.ORG This is an independent expenditure prepared and paid for by AllofMpls, 310 S. 4th Ave. #9100, Minneapolis, MN 55415. It is not coordinated with or approved by any candidate nor is any candidate responsible for it.
12
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper
You
+ Fair Housing
www.mshale.com
October 18 - 24, 2021 Issue 492
A Better Community
The solution to housing discrimination starts with you. If you have been trying to buy or rent a house or apartment and you believe your rights have been violated, contact HUD or your local fair housing center. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, familial status or disability.
Fair Housing Is Your Right. Use It. Visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing or call the HUD Hotline 1-800-669-9777 (English/Español) 1-800-927-9275 (TTY)
SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO A public service message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the National Fair Housing Alliance. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. For more information, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing.