Sen. Bobby Joe Champion of North Minneapolis has been named as the new Senate president, becoming the first Black person to do so. The Senate president presides over Senate business and ensures members follow parliamentary procedures.
The move came two days after
the state elected Black women for the first time to the state Senate and Democrats won back the upper chamber by a one seat majority.
During a media briefing Thursday to announce their new leadership, Sen. Kari Dziedzic, also of Minneapolis, announced she was elected as Senate Majority Leader while Sen. Ann Rest of New Hope will chair the Senate Tax Committee and Sen. John Marty of Roseville becoming the Finance Chair.
“I think one of our biggest things is ensuring that we’re talking to Minnesotans about what their needs are, so we can go to those events and we testify in committee or the floor we can say, ‘Here’s what Minnesotans are telling us’,” Champion said.
Champion has served in the Minnesota Senate Since 2012 after having served two terms in the House after he was first elected in 2008.
He is a practicing attorney and has previously served as an assistant attorney general under two Minnesota attorney generals.
“Even though I have the skills and qualifications, it was not lost on me that the Minnesota Senate has never had a president who was a person of color,” Sen. Champion said.
The City of Brooklyn
first Random Acts of Kindness
on Thursday, November 17, 2022. This recognition marked the city’s 26th year. Random Acts of Kindness are the expression of our empathy and compassion for one another. Although the daily acts of kindness of most Brooklyn Center community members often go unrecognized, this year we were able to celebrate the kindness of 34 recipients. A huge thank you to all nominators for nominating the following individuals and/or
One of the great joys of my life is teaching.
I’m fortunate to teach classes on social justice at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most respected schools in the country. Penn has a longstanding commitment to affirmative action, and I have seen first-hand how diversity in the classroom benefits all my students.
There’s just no question that diversity is a core piece of a vibrant academic community and a critical part of the learning experience – for all of us. Bringing together students with different lived experiences forces students to think critically about their assumptions, which is an essential goal of a university education.
That’s why I, like so many of us, am deeply concerned about two affirmative action cases argued at the Supreme Court just a few days ago. Opponents of affirmative action have been trying to destroy it for years. And now it looks like they just might get their chance.
Two universities, Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), are defending their admissions programs against opponents who want them declared unconstitutional. (The university where I teach, Penn, and the organization I lead, People for the American Way, have both joined briefs supporting the universities’ positions.) Considering race as one of many factors in admissions has been upheld by the Supreme Court for decades. The Court has said repeatedly that diversity in higher education is a “compelling interest.”
But today’s Supreme Court is different. It’s dominated by far-right justices who have made it clear they don’t share this view. Chief Justice John Roberts’s famous quote, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race,” sums it up: conservatives believe affirmative action is at best unnecessary and at worst just another type of discrimination. Some conservatives would like to retire affirmative action because they claim it’s accomplished everything it set out to do. But it hasn’t. Not even close.
In Texas and Michigan, applications and enrollments of Black and Latino students plunged after state politicians banned the consideration of race in admission to their public universities.
That’s a huge red flag.
Nationally, there’s a big gap between the percentage of white and Black students who earn a bachelor’s degree. And that perpetuates all kinds of harm and inequities in income, health, family wealth, and more. We still have a long way to go in building a fair society in which all our children can thrive.
And here’s an important point that often gets lost. All students—no matter their race or color or creed—benefit from affirmative action.
Having diverse classmates promotes a stimulating exchange of ideas and viewpoints. It prepares all students for living and working in our increasingly diverse society. The Supreme Court as a whole used to understand that. Today, I worry that only a minority of the justices do.
One of those justices is Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the Court and a person of profound insight and wisdom. Her questions in oral arguments got to the heart of the matter. Imagine two qualified students applying to UNC, Justice Jackson suggested: a white North Carolinian student whose family members had attended the school for generations, and a Black North Carolinian whose family had historically been shut out.
The white applicant might make the case that attending UNC is deeply meaningful to her because it is a family tradition. The Black applicant might make the case that it is deeply meaningful because her family was so long denied.
Jackson’s question made it clear what would happen if the Court adopts the Far Right’s position: the white student’s appeal to family history would be allowed to help their chance of acceptance, while the Black student’s would not. It would further institutionalize discrimination and the harm it has caused generations of Black Americans.
I am so grateful for Justice Jackson’s voice on the Court. I also know that the six right-wing justices expressed skepticism of affirmative action at oral arguments.
Many reporters are already writing its obituary.
I hope for the sake of our education system and our next generation, that they will be wrong. The “compelling interest” that led the Court to uphold affirmative action in the past still exists – in fact, it may be stronger than ever.
Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. A New York Times best-selling author, his next book “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free” will be published by Harper Collins in January 2023. He wrote this for the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) where it first appeared. NNPA is a trade association of more than 200 Black-owned community newspapers around the United States.
Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan have announced appointments to the Young Women’s Cabinet.
A statement from the governor’s office said his office and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota have partnered to achieve equity in opportunities and improve the lives of young Black and Indigenous women, women of color, and gender-expansive people. The cabinet is composed of 32 young leaders across the state who come from communities that experience some of the greatest disparities in opportunity and outcomes.
“Serving on the Young Women’s Cabinet is a unique opportunity to make an impact on the lives of current and future Minnesotans,” said Governor Walz. “I am grateful for this diverse group of leaders and excited to see them pave the way for the next generation of Minnesotans to thrive.”
“Over the years, the Young Women’s Cabinet has done incredible work to engage communities across our state, and as co-chair of the initiative, I am excited to expand our impact,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan.
“Young women’s and gender-expansive people’s experiences are invaluable, and the stories and ideas they share are powerful tools for action. We are so grateful to these appointees for sharing their talent and leadership to continue to move our state forward.”
“Young women and gender-
expansive people are at the forefront of movements for change in Minnesota and around the world. I am thrilled that the cabinet will continue leading in advocacy, grantmaking, and narrative change for the future we all want to see,” said Gloria Perez, President and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.
“Since 2016, the Young Women’s Cabinet has developed a legislative agenda, testified at the Capitol, and directed more than $3 million in grants to our state’s communities. We need their voices, ideas, and leadership in all spaces to create a Minnesota where all people have what they need to thrive.”
The Young Women’s Initiative centers the leadership and solutions of young women of color, American Indian young women, young women from Greater Minnesota, LGBTQ+ youth, and young women with disabilities, the statement went on to say. The initiative brings together nonprofits, businesses, government, philanthropies, and young women to promote equitable systems that benefit all, grounded in the belief that when young Black, Indigenous, and women of color in Minnesota thrive, families and communities thrive. The YWI MN’s statewide partnership and direct investments in young women and gender-expansive people are now being replicated across the nation through the National Philanthropic Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives.
The Cabinet:
• Rayaan Abdulkadir – Minneapolis, MN
• Sita Baker – Minneapolis, MN
• Monali Bhakta – Minneapolis, MN
• Kinzie Carlson – Owatonna, MN
• Achsah Dawson – Maple Grove, MN
• Reyna Day – St. Paul, MN
• Tam Chau Duong – Burnsville, MN
• Jennifer Galván-Bautista
– Burnsville, MN
• Grace Halvorson – Moorhead, MN
• Trinity Hanif – St. Michael, MN
• Kayley Hernandez – Rochester, MN
• Sophie Hoiseth – Mankato, MN
• Scout Holding Eagle
– Moorhead, MN
• Lanaya Hoysler Laurent
– Woodbury, MN
• Iman Ibrahim – Eagan, MN
• Sabrina Kubisa Wema – St. Paul, MN
• Riss Leitzke – St. Paul, MN
• Madisen Lo – Maplewood, MN
• Stephany Lopez – Brooklyn Park, MN
• Solana Madison – Minneapolis, MN
• Lori Martin-Kingbird – Cass Lake, MN
• Nora Miller – Cold Spring, MN
• Mariah Mirabel Nelson
– St. Louis Park, MN
• Gay Ka Mwee – St. Paul, MN
• Oluwatomini Ola – Rosemount, MN
• Oluwatomi Omiwade
– Woodbury, MN
• Jessy Palmer – Orr, MN
• Richnetta Parker – Minneapolis, MN
• Itzayan Rocha-Coronado
– Minneapolis, MN
• Amy Ruiz Plaza – Woodbury, MN
• Reauna Stiff – St. Louis Park, MN
• Amal Young – Bloomington, MN
By Mshale Staff
In advance of the holidays, Gov. Walz on announced a new round of free COVID-19 at-home tests for Minnesotans as state officials urges everyone to get tested before large holiday gatherings.
“Each of us can do our part to protect the health of our loved ones this Thanksgiving – taking a COVID test is one of the best ways to do that,” Walz said in a statement. “Thanks to this program, all Minnesota households have the option to test before gathering with friends and family for the holiday.”
“We’re doing our part to remove any barriers for Minnesotans to test for COVID before gathering this Thanksgiving,” said Lt. Gov. Flanagan in the same statement. “These additional tests are free, easy to order, and will be delivered to your doorstep. Testing for COVID is one simple way to stay healthy around the holidays.”
Minnesotans who have previously ordered tests are again able to receive four additional tests per household at order your free at-home rapid tests on mn.gov/covid19, the statement said.
Although new cases of COVID-19 have been flat in recent months, officials fear a winter surge as the cold months begin and people are indoors more and large gatherings happen for the holidays.
A federal program offering free at-home tests ended in the summer but Minnesota continued offering them. The state said back then it will continue with the program until funds run out.
Order your free at-home rapid tests. Food banks, local public health agencies, community groups, and other community health organizations may also have free tests available.
Anyone can walk in or schedule
an appointment for a test at one of the state’s free COVID-19 Community Testing sites or find a testing option near them through the state’s Find Testing Locations map.
Costs for over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests are now required to be covered by health plans offered by Medicare, insurance companies,
employers, and groups as a result of actions taken by the Biden Administration. In some circumstances, Minnesotans can receive free tests by showing their insurance card at a store. People should check with their health plan prior to purchasing at-home tests to ensure they are following the necessary steps to have costs covered.
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
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA
A new exhibition debuting next spring at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will celebrate Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther hero costume.
“Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures,” opens on March 24, 2023, and features the late actor’s iconic gear.
Black Panther counts as the first superhero of African descent to appear in mainstream American comics, and the film is the first major cinematic production on the character.
“Investigating Afrofuturist expression through art, music, activism and more, this exhibition explores and reveals Afrofuturism’s historic and poignant engagement with African American history and popular culture,” Smithsonian officials wrote in a news release.
“From the enslaved looking to the cosmos for freedom to popular sci-fi stories inspiring Black astronauts, to the musical influence of Sun Ra, OutKast, P-Funk and more, this exhibition covers the broad and impactful spectrum of Afrofuturism.”
Through the 4,300-square-foot temporary exhibition, visitors will view a variety of objects from Afrofuturism
pioneers, including Octavia Butler’s typewriter, Nichelle Nichols’ Star Trek uniform as the character Lt. Nyoto Uhura and Nona Hendryx’s spacesuit-inspired costume worn while performing with LaBelle.
The exhibition also utilizes select
objects to elevate stories that speak to Black liberation and social equality, such as Trayvon Martin’s flight suit from Experience Aviation, and his childhood dream of being an astronaut.
“Trayvon Martin’s flight suit tells the story of a dream of space flight ended
tragically by earthbound violence,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“We are honored to tell more of Trayvon’s story, exploring his love of flight and mechanics and his fondness for science and technology. Afrofuturism charts the joy of a rich, imagined future, often in the face of injustice.”
Since its opening in 2016, NMAAHC has supported conversations, collections and initiatives surrounding Afrofuturism.
“Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” will be on view in the museum’s Bank of America Special Exhibitions Gallery from March 24, 2023, through March 2024.
For more details about the new exhibition and to sign up for additional updates, visit the museum’s Afrofuturism website at https://nmaahc.si.edu/ explore/exhibitions/afrofuturism.
As of this Mshale edition’s press time on Nov. 25, Wakanda Forever which is currently playing in theatres and is the sequel to the original Black Panther has grossed over $380 million worldwide and has helped Disney to earn over $3 billion in box office revenue during 2022.
Thr original Black Panther made $1.382 billion globally during its run in 2018.
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s government has announced a ban on aid groups that are funded by France, the latest attempt by the coup leader in charge to distance the West African country from its onetime colonizer and former ally in the fight against Islamic extremism.
In a statement read late Monday on national television, the government said the decision was effective immediately and would apply not only to French non-governmental organizations but also those receiving “material or technical support from France.”
The move immediately raised fears for the hundreds of thousands of Malians currently receiving aid. The number of banned organizations is not yet clear but is believed to affect dozens including many Malian associations. They include groups providing emergency food aid and medical services, as well as those helping with water supply and agricultural issues.
Sekou Ahmed Diallo, a member of a Malian collective of non-governmental organizations, said members would soon propose “a diplomatic solution” to the government.
“I think that France has not been totally correct in its positions in Mali, but we must not take extremist positions,
because there are areas where the state is absent and only NGOs are coming to support vulnerable populations,” Diallo told The Associated Press.
The announcement came only days after the French government announced it was suspending aid to Mali. However, France still planned to provide humanitarian aid through NGOS until Monday’s announcement.
The French foreign ministry said in a written statement that Paris regrets
the decision “that unfortunately is to the detriment of the Malian population.” Since 2013, France had been providing a total of 100 million euros each year in assistance.
Mali’s coup leader Col. Assimi Goita has faced growing international isolation after he seized power two years ago and then failed to meet an international deadline for organizing a new democratic election.
The U.K. recently announced
it would be withdrawing its 300 peacekeepers from Mali, saying the country’s growing reliance on Russian mercenaries is undermining stability.
France, the one-time colonial power that had fought Islamic extremism for nine years in Mali, completed its troop withdrawal from the country earlier this year.
Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, contributed.
House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) has been chosen to again take the gavel when the 93rd legislative session begins Jan. 3.
House DFL caucus members elected Hortman during a meeting, their first since Election Day when they retained control of the House by the same 70-64 margin they’ve held for the last two years.
“I am honored to have the support of my colleagues to continue serving as Speaker of the House,” Hortman said in a statement. “The Minnesota House DFL Majority is looking forward to working with Governor Walz and the incoming Senate DFL majority to protect reproductive freedom, invest in our public schools, make health care more affordable, and to build an economy that works better for everyone. We are ready to get to work to build a better future for all Minnesotans.”
Hortman, elected to her 10th term Tuesday, has been speaker since 2019 and held several other leadership roles during her time in the House, including serving as minority leader from 2017-18, assistant majority leader and minority whip.
DFLers also chose Rep. Jamie Long (DFL-Mpls) to be the next majority leader, succeeding current House
Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFLGolden Valley), who did not seek re-election, and Rep. Athena Hollins (DFL-St. Paul) to serve as majority whip.
Long was first elected to the House in 2018. He currently chairs the House Climate and Energy Finance and Policy Committee and also serves as a member of the public safety, judiciary and rules committees.
“I am so honored to be serving in this majority leader role for our caucus,” Long said, adding that DFL control of the Legislature and governor’s office, presents a “tremendous opportunity” for his party to “deliver on the promises that we ran on in this last election and do big things for our state.”
Forty-seven new members are set to take office in January, pending recounts.
If the numbers hold, 25 Republicans and 19 DFLers will serve their first term, with former members Jeff Brand, Jerry Newton and Brad Tabke, all DFLers, also returning.
Election results are not official until they have been certified by the state canvassing board, which is scheduled to meet Nov. 29.
Shortly after Elon Musk officially took charge of Twitter last month, Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, joined a group of civil rights advocates for a meeting with the newly minted social media mogul.
Among advocates’ chief concerns: that Musk, a self-declared “free speech absolutist,” would reactivate previously banned accounts — including that of former President Donald Trump, a figure who rights advocates say both perpetuates and magnifies online hate speech.
Musk “committed not to replatform anyone, regardless of stature, until he installed a transparent, clear process that took into consideration the views of civil society,” Greenblatt told Religion News Service in a statement on Monday (Nov. 21).
But over the weekend, Musk not only reactivated Trump’s account, he appeared to do so after tweeting a poll asking whether he should — not by consulting a content moderation council he said he planned to form.
The move outraged Greenblatt, whose Jewish organization is one of two faith groups that serve on Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council, an assembly that helps moderate hateful content on the platform.
“For Elon Musk to allow Donald Trump back on Twitter, ostensibly after a brief poll, shows he is not remotely serious about safeguarding the platform from hate, harassment and misinformation,” Greenblatt tweeted over the weekend.
Musk appeared to mock Greenblatt in response, tweeting, “Hey stop defaming me!”
Representatives for Twitter, whose communications department is reportedly decimated in the wake of layoffs instituted by Musk, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Greenblatt’s remarks or to confirm his account of the Nov. 1 meeting.
Online harassment has long been an issue of concern among religious minorities in the U.S. A 2021 ADL survey found that 36% of Jewish respondents said they had experienced online harassment, and 42% of Muslim respondents said the same. The scourge of online hate includes Twitter: Religious minorities — alongside women, people of color, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community — have been cited among those most likely to endure harassment on the platform.
Musk has also reinstated the account of the Babylon Bee, a conservative Christian satire website banned from Twitter earlier this year after the account tweeted out anti-trans content. According to text messages revealed as part of a lawsuit, the ban played a role in spurring Musk to purchase the website.
Representatives with Muslim Advocates, which also sits on Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council, voiced anxiety about Trump’s reappearance on the platform
when news first broke in April that Musk could end up owning the company.
“Musk’s takeover threatens to make Twitter an even more dangerous place for Muslims and other marginalized people — and that includes the very real possibility of allowing Trump back on the platform,” Sumayyah Waheed, senior policy counsel with Muslim Advocates, told RNS at the time.
The group declined to comment on the reactivation of Trump’s account in recent days, although a representative noted the Trust and Safety Council still exists and is scheduled to meet again on Dec. 14.
But it’s unclear what ADL, Muslim Advocates or other groups can do to impact Musk’s approach to moderation, which appears to be in flux. Earlier this month, then-head of Twitter Trust and Safety Yoel Roth tweeted that the platform’s “core moderation capabilities remain in place.” Days later, Roth left the company.
“A Twitter whose policies are defined by edict has little need for a trust and safety function dedicated to its principled development,” Roth wrote in a New York Times editorial.
On Tuesday, footage emerged of what appeared to be Musk discussing the “content council” on a Zoom call with Twitter employees. According to footage obtained by TMZ, which RNS could not independently confirm, a person who appears to be Musk is heard referring to the council as serving only in an advisory role before adding, “I could choose who’s on that content council and I don’t need to listen to what they say.”
And while Roth insisted before he left Twitter that his team had moderated more hateful content than usual at Musk’s direction, Greenblatt argued the wave of vitriol has yet to ebb.
“ADL has tracked a surge of antisemitic tweets — and a drastic reduction in the takedown of such hateful content,” Greenblatt told RNS. “Alas, the direction of the platform has not created confidence that it will turn the corner. We came to this moment with optimism about what Musk could do at the helm of the company, but his decisions over the last month have
raised serious concerns.”
Greenblatt noted Twitter has also reinstated the account of rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, despite a recent tweet in which the musician declared a desire to go “death con 3 on Jewish people.” (Musk has previously said Ye’s account was restored before he took over
the company.)
As for Musk accusing him of defamation, Greenblatt was defiant.
“That’s absurd,” he said. “I simply pointed out that he didn’t do what he claimed he was going to do. One need only look at (Musk’s) Twitter account to see that.”
Eddy Kenzo doesn’t know precisely when he was born, a quirk of personal history that goes to the heart of how the Ugandan singer sees himself: a humble man who’s sometimes anxious about what happens next.
And yet Kenzo, who became the first Uganda-based singer to earn a Grammy nomination, keeps scaling heights that defy his expectations and those of his fans and rivals in this east African country where his work is sometimes questioned.
Some Ugandans dismiss his musical style as rather playful, saying he’s not that much of a singer. But others see in his experimentation the creative potential that marks him as an artiste with original gifts.
For Kenzo, any recognition of his work is a reminder of how far he’s come.
“Honestly speaking, I am so overwhelmed. I am so nervous at the same time,” Kenzo said in an interview with the AP, speaking of his nomination. “I thank God that we made it.”
Kenzo’s “Gimme Love,” a collaboration with the American singer Matt B that began with a fortuitous meeting in Los Angeles, is nominated for a Grammy in the category of best global music performance.
Kenzo, whose real name is Edirisa Musuuza, won a BET award in 2015 as the viewers’ choice for best new international artiste, the first and only Ugandan so honored to date. The accolade followed his breakout song “Sitya Loss,” accompanied by a video featuring dancing kids whose energetic performance captured the attention of global stars like Ellen DeGeneres.
That song was a nod to Kenzo’s own humble beginnings in a remote part of central Uganda, as a barely literate child who didn’t know from where his next meal would come. By his own account, Kenzo spent 13 years in the streets after losing his mother when he was only 4. He didn’t know who his father was, and he only discovered some of his siblings as a grown man.
He wanted to become a soccer player and even won a scholarship to boarding school based on his talent, but he later dropped out and returned to the hustling that he says made him a man.
“I am a hustler,” he told AP. “This is a
very huge step for me, my family and the ghetto people, the hustlers, the people who come from nothing. It gives us a lot of hope that anything is possible.”
He recorded his first single in 2008 and achieved stardom in 2010 with the song “Stamina,” beloved by politicians, lovers, and others for its praise of youthful energy. In addition to winning awards, Kenzo is frequently invited to perform across the world.
Three days before he found out he had been nominated for a Grammy, Kenzo held a festival in Kampala that was attended by thousands, including Uganda’s prime minister. It was a proud moment for a singer whose music is often ignored by local FM stations, which can make or break a song with the choices DJs make.
There’s a sense even for Kenzo that he’s more appreciated abroad than at home.
“My biggest fanbase is outside Uganda, because the world is bigger than Uganda,” he said thoughtfully. “Uganda is just a small country.”
Andrew Kaggwa, an arts reporter with the local Daily Monitor newspaper, described Kenzo as an enigma who “has disrupted the industry
in ways no one can explain.”
He spoke of Kenzo as the Ugandan singer “who refused to fail.” DJs may dislike his music, but he has a loyal following and he wins honors despite the odds.
“For some reason things happen” for Kenzo, Kaggwa said. “He just lets the awards, the accolades, speak for him.”
We live in a world where divisions and poverty affect everyone but when we unite as changemakers we can create a community where all people thrive.
