insight news ::: 10.29.12

According to the website, www.breastcancer.org, about one in eight U.S. women (just under 12 percent) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of a lifetime. For African-American women breast

cancer, it is the most common form of cancer. Kathy Phifer, an eight year survivor of stage 3B breast cancer, was careful to take precautionary measures and underwent regular check-ups.

PAGE 6

BusinessAngela Guy named a Top 2012 Infl uential Woman in corporate America

PAGE 8

LifestyleAvenue Eatery reopens on West Broadway

PAGE 11

Full CircleOpenness: A key ingredient to life

Voter IDRepresentative Rena Moran works to defeat voter ID

PAGE 3

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Seniors voice opposition to Medicare cuts

Breast Cancer Awareness: A survivor’s story

Romney supports many of Obama’s foreign policy positions

A group of seniors stood with several DFL leaders to tell Republicans, “Don’t touch my Medicare.” US Reps. Betty McCollum (MN-4), and Keith Ellison (MN-5) and DFL congressional candidates Mike Obermueller and Brian Barnes gathered at the State Capitol with a group of seniors to voice their opposition against the Republican and

It is critical that our community support the Saint Paul Public

School Referendum on the November 6 ballot, which asks Saint Paul voters to renew the $30 million levy that passed in 2006 and add a $9 million investment in technology for our kids.

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – What was billed as the third and final debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney on Monday night often featured the former Massachusetts governor agreeing with actions taken by the president on foreign policy. Unlike his acerbic performance in the earlier debates, Romney agreed with

at least a half-dozen actions taken by Obama, including instituting economic sanctions against Iran, wanting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down, increasing the use of drones, implementing a troop surge in Afghanistan, and supporting the killing of Osama bin Laden. At one point, Obama said: “What you’ve just heard Gov. Romney say is that he doesn’t have different ideas.” A CBS News/GFK instant poll of uncommitted voters

Suluki FardanKathy Phifer

U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (MN-4)

By George E. CurryNNPA Editor-in-Chief

By Harry Colbert, Jr.Contributing Writer By Melvin Carter III,

Saint Paul City Councilmember

By Ivan B. Phifer, Staff Writer

Saint Paul Public School referendum adds $9 million for technology

SCHOOLS TURN TO 9

PHIFER TURN TO 4

MEDICARE TURN TO 14

POLICY TURN TO 12

Suluki FardanMelvin Carter III

National NAACP President Ben Jealous was in town this past week to show his support for forces united to defeat two proposed amendments on the Nov. 6 state ballot. Jealous came to town to campaign against the proposed voter ID amendment and the proposed amendment against gay

marriage. Both were placed on the ballot by a majority Republican state legislature. And while the issues are not connected on the ballot, Jealous and others believe they should be connected when voters go to the polls. “After a century of using the state Constitution to expand rights we’re beginning to see it used

to restrict rights,” said Jealous, who spoke in a televised forum with several area political and community leaders. “Once you go down that road, our community and people of color will be hurt again and again.”

NAACP TURN TO 15

Jeremy DavesL-R: Scott Gray, Minneapolis Urban League president and CEO; Ben Jealous, NAACP president and Al McFarlane, Insight News editor-in-chief

NAACP’s Ben Jealous rallies Minnesota opposition to voter ID and marriage amendments

Make your voice heard

Vote November 6th

October 29 - November 4, 2012 • MN Metro Vol. 39 No. 44 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.comOctober 29 - November 4, 2012 • MN Metro Vol. 39 No. 44 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

INSIGHT NEWS

• October 29 - November 4, 2012October 29 - November 4, 2012 • Insight News insightnews.com

New architects for Vikings stadium laid out vision for new facility; minority subcontractors not yet identifi ed

With the selection of the architectural firm for the new Vikings stadium, one question still to be answered is how much work will be subcontracted to African American firms. HKS Inc., the architectural design firm that designed Cowboy Stadium in Dallas, Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts), the Olympic stadium in Brazil and architects of the new Vikings stadium promise the new

stadium will have a uniquely hometown appeal. According to the design firm, in addition to keeping with the hometown tradition, eight percent of the design work will be farmed out to minority firms. It has not been made clear what portion of minority contracts will go to African American firms. In addition to the eight percent minority participation, HKS said it will commit to 11 percent of its total $34 million contract to women-owned firms. Michele Kelm-Helgen, chair of the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority (MSFA),

said the authority is committed to minority participation in every aspect of the new stadium. “We have acquired the services of Wanda Kirkpatrick who has done the target business recruiting for Metropolitan Council and she and her staff are going to assist in identifying minority partners to work on the new stadium,” said Kelm-Helgen. “We also have a very specialized process to include minority and women workers.” MSFA was established by the legislature in 2012 and charged with the design, construction and operation

of the new multi-purpose stadium. Kelm-Helgen was appointed the chair by Gov. Mark Dayton. Kelm-Helgen said the MSFA’s goal is to have a 32 percent minority and female workforce on the stadium project. She said MSFA is working with Summit Academy and other community organizations to identify and train minority workers. Kelm-Helgen said the Vikings looked at the constriction of Target Field, home of the Twins, and the construction of the central corridor as models for minority inclusion. “Both had a very systematic way to go about the number of

jobs and ways to recruit those with skills for specific jobs,” said Kelm-Helgen. “One of the reasons we chose HKS as architect for this project is they were proactive in how they would work with the public and listen to what the people want.” MSFA, the Vikings and HKS recently held an open forum to get citizens input into the design of the new stadium. Many of the comments came from those with disabilities voicing concerns about greater access in all levels of the facility and better sightlines for those in wheelchairs. “When we’re talking about people with disabilities, we’re

talking about 20 percent of the population under the age of 65,” said Margot Cross, an accessibility specialist who also requires the use of a wheelchair. “Over the age of 65 the number jumps exponentially. (HKS) can do this right or (HKS) can design the stadium to minimum standards, which most builders do.” Several ardent fans voiced their hopes for an open-air or retractable roof stadium. Mark Williams of HKS said his firm is looking into ways to create an open-air feel with the new stadium, which when all is said and done will come with a price tag of $975 million.

An artist rendering of what the inside of a new Vikings stadium could look like. HKS Inc. won the right to design the new stadium. HKS offi cials say they will farm out eight percent of the design work to minority-owned companies.

By Harry Colbert, Jr.Contributing Writer

Prepared and paid for by Volunteers for Higgins, 1715 Emerson Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411. Bruce Center, Treasurer. [email protected] www.higginsforhennepin.com

LINDA HIGGINS for County Commissioner

DFL and Labor Endorsed Creative Solutions + Experience Focus on Healthcare, Jobs, Environment, Transportation North Minneapolis Advocate Collaborative, Creative, and Connected

www.higginsforhennepin.com

insightnews.com Insight News • October 29 - November 4, 2012October 29 - November 4, 2012 •

Representative Rena Moran works to defeat voter ID

With Election Day right around the corner, State Rep. Rena Moran (DFL, 65A) is doing her part to defeat the proposed voter ID amendment that appears on the Nov. 6 ballot. Moran recently held a fundraiser with about 50 participants at Arnellia’s, 1183 W. University Ave., St. Paul. Moran said all the funds raised are being put towards her efforts

to defeat the state’s proposed voter photo identifi cation amendment. The proposed amendment was passed by the majority Republican legislature, and if adopted, would require all state voters to show a valid state-issued photo ID card in order to cast their ballots in any future elections. The St. Paul legislator – and the only African American

woman in the state legislature –said the proposed voter ID amendment would do more harm than good if passed. “This is an unfunded mandate,” said Moran. “Based on studies, this thing could cost $50 million. It will affect property taxes, police, fi re – this is not a free law.” Moran believes race is at issue when the bill was proposed

by the far right wing of the state’s Republican Party. “This is nothing more than a 21st century Jim Crow law,” said Moran. “This is a clear case of people trying to silence the voices of people of color” Though Moran feels the ballot question is rooted in suppressing the minority vote, the affects will go far beyond. She said the voter ID amendment would stifl e voting for the elderly, military serving abroad, college students and more who do not currently possess a valid state ID. She also said the language that was presented to legislators is not the language on the offi cial ballot. “The language on the House fl oor was government issued ID, but the language on the ballot is state issued ID,” said Moran. “We don’t yet know what a government ID is. Would it be a college ID, a military ID – maybe, maybe not?” St. Paul city councilman,

Melvin Carter III, said the proposed voter ID amendment is scary proposition for Minnesotans. “This is the most dangerous, most damaging initiative in our state,” said Carter. Carter, who was a student at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla. during the infamous 2000 presidential election, said he knows what it is like to see people’s voting rights denied. He said a relative of his was told his name was not on the voting rolls and was denied the ability to vote, after standing in line for nearly 45 minutes. “I’m thankful that when I came home to a state with such a good history of protecting voting rights that I’m only one of a few people to have seen something so painful,” said Carter. “I want to make sure that no Minnesotan has to go through an experience like that.” Dianne Binns, 1st vice president of the St. Paul branch

of the NAACP said the current ballot question reminds her of a time in her life when African Americans virtually could not vote. “I know what it was like for my mother and grandmother in Arkansas who would have to save money just to pay a poll tax, and then wonder after they paid the tax if Mr. So-and-so would let them vote,” said Binns. Binns said she could have easily been one of the disenfranchised by the proposed amendment had she not gone back to Arkansas to get a birth certifi cate. She said she was born at home with the assistance of a midwife and for years did not possess a birth certifi cate. Moran said the funds raised at the event will go to pay workers to phone-bank and door-knock in opposition to the proposed amendment. She said she is paying workers $10 an hour for their work.

Suluki FardanState Representative Rena Moran (65A)


Council on Crime and Justice asks Supreme Court to clarify felon voting rightsThe Council on Crime and Justice has fi led an action with the Minnesota Supreme Court asking to clarify the right to vote for individuals who have had their guilt withheld by the court on a felony level charge. At least one individual, who is also named as a petitioner, has been told by probation and election offi cials that she is not allowed to register to vote and vote despite the fact that she has not been convicted of a felony. In Minnesota, an individual loses the right to vote when convicted of a felony, but the right to vote is automatically restored when they have completed their

felony sentence. This may seem like a clear line between who can vote and who can’t, but thousands of Minnesotans fall into legal gray areas created by laws that make it less than clear when someone is actually “convicted.” These gray areas are primarily comprised of individuals who receive a stay of adjudication on a felony sentence or juveniles under the extended jurisdiction of the court past their 18th birthday. In 2011 alone, according to Minnesota court information, over 3,000 felony-level charges resulted in a stay of adjudication. These are typically drug charges, or fi rst-time offenses where the

legislature has found, by statute, or the judge and prosecutor fi nd it appropriate that the person not end up with a felony conviction if they successfully complete the terms of probation, which often lasts several years. In order to clarify this issue, the Council on Crime and Justice, a Minneapolis-based nonprofi t criminal justice research and advocacy organization, created an “advisory opinion.” However, the Council was concerned that even with their published opinion, people would be afraid to vote, fearing prosecution for voter fraud. When the Minnesota State Public Defender’s Offi ce referred

a client to them who had been told by probation and elections offi cials that she couldn’t vote, they decided the courts needed to answer the question defi nitively. The law fi rm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller, and Ciresi L.L.P volunteered to represent the Council and the individual Petitioner. The complaint was fi led by Partner and Council Boardmember Christopher Madel and Associate Attorney Emily Cowing. “We felt that in the absence of other clear legal guidance on this issue, we had to turn to the courts to ensure that the maximum number of Minnesota citizens who

are able to vote under Minnesota law know their voting rights. We hear from people all the time who think they can’t vote due to a discharged felony sentence when they actually can, and others who don’t know because they are under a stay of adjudication. Currently even criminal law attorneys do not know how to answer these questions. We hope this action will allow and encourage many more people who are contributing members of their community to take the next step and become more actively involved by voting in the upcoming election,” said Judge Pamela Alexander, President of the Council.Judge Pamela Alexander

“I was one of those women who always got a mammogram every year,” said Phifer. “I always went to scheduled

appointments for my physical by my primary doctor.” But one year Phifer forgot to get her routine check-up. “It just so happened that in 2004, I went to the doctor because I was feeling different. 2003 was when I was going

to school and working. Sometimes you are so busy doing things you forget about your health,” said Phifer. After receiving a letter of abnormalities, Phifer went in to get re-tested with another biopsy and ultrasound. After

the tests, she received the results and was told by her doctor, “You have breast cancer.” “To hear something like that is devastating, especially after I had just fi nished college,” said Phifer. “I was happy (to fi nish college) because it was a goal I have been trying to accomplish for a long time. At the time I did not know what to do.” When Phifer spoke with her surgeon, she was informed the surgery to remove her breast was also to see how advanced was the cancer. “Even though the breast removal was same day surgery, I had to stay another day because I was nauseous. If you are nauseous they won’t let you go,” she said. Thirty years ago, Phifer’s mother had stomach cancer. “When she was diagnosed she was in her 50s,” said Phifer. “It spread to her brain, which limited her to fi ve years of life after diagnosis.” In addition, Phifer had an older sister who died of breast cancer in 2003. “I know genetically it is in my family. You do not necessarily have to have a family member who has it, because it can skip a generation and I know my family is at high risk,” said Phifer. Breast cancer is designated in fi ve stages. The stage at which Phifer was diagnosed was stage 3B.

Three-B is an invasive cancer where cancer can be of various sizes, spread to the chest wall as well as spreading to auxiliary lymph nodes, clumped together or sticking to other structures. Infl ammatory breast cancer is considered stage 3B also, with signs including reddening of the skin, warm or swollen breast and cancer cells spread to lymph nodes and enter skin. “After I returned home, that’s when the real journey began,” said Phifer. One of the things that helped Phifer in her ordeal was the relationship she developed with her oncologist. “That is the person who provides the chemotherapy treatments, and takes care of you for the next fi ve months to make sure you do not become more nauseous, depressed and that your health is getting better, so you have to be close with them,” said Phifer, the eight year survivor. In addition to the oncologist, her husband was a key supporter in Phifer’s recovery. “My husband was there to support me. He had to be just as strong for me to even go through my chemotherapy treatments,” said Phifer. “When you receive chemo you are there for four hours or more. To see people there for that long all by themselves, it looks so sad. You need that

support.” Although there are fi ve stages – stage zero counting as a stage – an additional stage called triple-negative breast cancer is a lso highly dangerous. Triple negative refers to breast cancer cells testing negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors. About 10-20 percent of breast cancers – more than one out of every 10 are found to be triple-negative. “That is one of the more critical stages for Black women,” said Phifer. After surgery and chemotherapy, Phifer was placed on Remedex for fi ve years to keep the cancer at bay and make sure it does not return. As a high risk patient, she must return every six months to her oncologist, perform regular mammograms, and eat the right foods. “I have to stay happy and live everyday like it’s my last, because you never know,” said Phifer. “Enjoy people, and their company. Even though it may be hard sometimes, you have to take things as they come and love everybody.” For more information on breast cancer, causes, symptoms and treatments, visit www.breastcancer.org.

Writer Ivan Phifer is the son of Kathy Phifer.

PhiferFrom 1


EDUCATIONStudents and faculty unite against voter restriction

Minneapolis proposes 4% increase in school district levy

Students representing public universities, private colleges and community colleges from around Minnesota, along with select college faculty and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, gathered Tuesday in front of Coffman Memorial Union to hold a news conference and rally against the voter restriction amendment. Speakers included student representatives from Winona State University, the University Minnesota-Morris, the University of St. Thomas and several from

the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. “Adding a photo ID requirement to Minnesota’s state constitution will make it unnecessarily harder for students and young voters to exercise their right to vote,” said Alexandra Griffi n, President of the Winona State University Student Association. “This amendment may sound like common sense but it has serious consequences and costs for students and young voters across our state.” Should the amendment pass, students will be one of the most impacted constituencies in the state due to their frequency in changing residences on- and off-campus as well as address transitions from a parents’ residence at home to a new college address. As Election Day registration and vouching will both be eliminated under the restrictive new law, many students would be forced to vote provisionally, fi rst casting their ballot and then being required to return after Election Day to show

their government-issued ID. Taylor Williams, President of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Student Association, talked about the considerable costs to students, state and local taxpayers if the amendment passes. “Instead of investing in education and working to lower tuition, Minnesota will instead have to spend $50 million or more to implement this complicated new elections system. That’s taking away money from real needs at universities and colleges across our state.” Mayor R. T. Rybak was also on hand and expressed considerable concern about the impact students would feel if the amendment passed. “Students may be used to showing their student IDs or other forms of photo ID for all sorts of things in their daily life. The problem is, this amendment isn’t so simple and student IDs, especially those at private colleges, wouldn’t be allowed. We need to get out and vote against this harmful

amendment before it’s too late.” Evan Vogel, from the University of Minnesota—Morris campus, who is Vice-Chair of the University of Minnesota Student Senate and an Executive Committee member of the Morris Campus Student Association talked about how the amendment would set up a series of burdens for student voters, including new two-tiered system of provisional balloting and requiring students to drive long distances in order to vote from a home address in another part of the state if they lacked an updated address on the photo ID they carry at school. “I’m proud to oppose this amendment, because Minnesota leads the nation in voter participation.” University of St. Thomas junior, Alex Kopel, said she is worried that students at private colleges like St. Thomas would have additional hurdles to jump through since their IDs aren’t government-issued. “Private college students would have a tough time if this amendment

passes because our student IDs wouldn’t qualify.” Speaking on behalf of student organizing efforts to defeat the voter restriction amendment was Emma Wright, also a University of Minnesota student and Board Chair of the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG). Wright emphasized that “the more students learn about this restrictive amendment, the more they dislike it and are voting NO.” MPIRG has spent months organizing and educating students across the state to vote against the amendment and has been a key partner in the Our Vote Our Future coalition. University of Minnesota Chemistry professor Chris Cramer spoke on behalf of University faculty saying universities have a responsibility to encourage voting, promoting it as a civic duty of student life. “Facilitating voting, not restricting it, is fundamental to democracy.” Also on Tuesday, the Our Vote Our Future campaign released

its fourth television ad, entitled “Alex.” The :30 ad features Anoka native Alex Erickson, an Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veteran who served as an Army Cavalry Scout in during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the ad, Erickson encourages Minnesota voters to Vote No and send the amendment back to the Legislature: When you put it all on the line defending freedom, nobody should take a basic freedom away from you. The Voter Restriction Amendment might seem like a good idea, but when the Legislature put it on the ballot, they screwed it up. To them, military IDs aren’t valid IDs, which means this amendment takes away a basic freedom from people who gave a whole lot. Let’s send this back, and make them fi x it.Vote no. To view “Alex,” got to: http://youtu.be/1dcemcxUcBc

Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is deeply grateful for and humbled by the overwhelming support that the citizens of Minneapolis have given the school district. We believe that this support demonstrates that the people of Minneapolis value our work and have confi dence that we can make the improvements necessary to raise student achievement. One of our school district’s sources of support and funding is the property tax levy. MPS is committed to using its levy authority to meet the needs of present and future students and to only levy for what schools need. We are proposing a four percent increase in the school district levy, which would take effect for property taxes payable in 2013. The school district currently levies for about $165.7 million. The four percent increase would bring this amount to $172.4 million. The median Minneapolis home value is $171,000. If you own a home at that value, the school portion of your property taxes is expected to increase about $61 per year ($5 per month). The school board will

vote on the increase in December. The increased levy would enable us to prepare for growing enrollment by investing in facilities to maintain the physical quality of our schools and creating additional space for more classrooms, as well as managing class size. We began discussing the levy at our area meetings last week, created a website devoted to informing the public about the levy and are working with our community partners to host engagement opportunities from now through December. We recognize that even a small increase can be a burden on some taxpayers. MPS has the authority to levy for up to an eight percent increase; limiting the levy increase to four percent rather than using our full authority requires that we balance the pressure on property taxpayers with the needs of the school district. While this will require that we limit our capital renewal and capital improvement plans, it will enable us to: • Address increasing enrollment

and related requirements for increased programs, services and facility needs

• Manage class size, especially for schools with the greatest needs

• Fund much needed capital renewal for building maintenance

• Meet the needs of growing enrollment by creating capacity for building improvement

• Realign ‘pay-as-you-go’ levy and bo nds for capital improvements

• Pay for the employee retirement fund through the general levy over a three-year period of time, increasing funds available for educational program and services

Minneapolis residents have shown that they understand a strong school system strengthens the city for all of us. Again, we greatly appreciate this steadfast support. Please visit our website for more information about the proposed levy, to take a survey and to learn about opportunities to share your views.

By Bernadeia H. JohnsonMPS Superintendent

BuildingCreativeCapital

Insight News is publishedweekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-ChiefAl McFarlane

CFOAdrianne Hamilton-Butler

Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane

Associate Editor & Associate PublisherB.P. Ford

Vice President of Sales & MarketingSelene White

Culture and Education EditorIrma McClaurin

Director of Content & ProductionPatricia Weaver

Sr. Content & Production CoordinatorBen Williams

Distribution/Facilities ManagerJamal Mohamed

Facilities Support / Assistant Producer, Conversations with Al McFarlaneBobby Rankin

Receptionist Lue B. Lampley

Staff WriterIvan B. Phifer

Insight InternAbeni Hill

Contributing WritersCordie AzizHarry Colbert, Jr.Julie DesmondFred EasterOshana HimotTimothy HoustonAlaina L. LewisLydia Schwartz

Photography Suluki FardanTobechi Tobechukwu

Contact Us:Insight News, Inc.Marcus Garvey House1815 Bryant Ave. N.Minneapolis., MN 55411Ph.: (612) 588-1313Fax: (612) 588-2031Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC),Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

INSIGHT NEWSwww.insightnews.com

Great Transformations Make Great Schools

Breck School | 123 Ottawa Avenue North | Minneapolis, MN 55422-5189

Come see for yourself how a Breck education transforms young lives — and check out the progress of our amazing Upper Schooltransformation, too.

Grade 5 Information EveningTuesday, November 136:30–8:30 PM

Call Admissions Director Scott Wade at 763.381.8200 for more information, or visit our website: www.breckschool.org

Grades P/K Information EveningThursday, November 156:30–8:30 PM


L’Oréal USA Senior Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, Angela Guy, named a 2012 Top Infl uential Woman in corporate America by Savoy Magazine

Super Bowl moment: Are you ready?

Angela Guy, L’Oréal USA SVP of Diversity and Inclusion, has been named by Savoy Magazine as one of its 2012 Top Infl uential Women in Corporate America. A special issue will showcase a cross section of successful business leaders and executives who have made positive infl uences on their companies and surrounding communities. “The Savoy 2012 Top Infl uential Women in Corporate America issue is one of the most comprehensive and accomplished lists of African American Women executives ever assembled in a magazine,” said L.P. Green, II publisher of Savoy Magazine. “The executives showcased in this issue represent a range of expertise, industries, global brands and America’s largest corporations. Celebrating the diligence, leadership and success of African American Women inspires us all.” In her role, Guy is responsible for shaping the diversity efforts

for L’Oréal USA as a business imperative that ultimately contributes to the company’s success. L’Oréal USA, headquartered in New York City, with 2011 sales of $5 billion and 9,800 employees, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L’Oréal SA, the world’s leading beauty company. Prior to this position, Guy was the SVP, General Manager of SoftSheen-Carson, the #1 ethnic haircare brand in the world and part of the L’Oréal USA Consumer Products Division. “I am honored to be featured in Savoy Magazine’s Top Infl uential Women in Corporate America,” stated Guy. “In the offi ce of Diversity and Inclusion our goal is to add value to the divisions and business units of L’Oréal USA by identifying, developing and supporting role-modeling initiatives that position our company as a market leader, an employer of choice and a responsible corporate citizen.”

Guy is a fi rm believer in the “lift as we climb” philosophy and is committed to several charitable initiatives in her personal life such as Harvest of Hope Family Services, Network, Inc., Foster and Adoptive Family Services and Womanspace Inc. “We all have the power to make a difference” explained Guy. “I truly believe that all things happen for a reason and if you have the passion and drive you can achieve your dreams.” Guy has also been recognized as Savoy Magazine’s 100 Most Infl uential Blacks in Corporate America, a Black Enterprise Power Player as well as one of its 75 Most Powerful Women in Business, and one of The Network Journal’s 25 Infl uential Black Women in Business, to name a few. For more information about L’Oréal USA visit www.lorealusa.com. Follow them on Facebook at L’Oreal USA - Corporate and Twitter @LOrealUSACorp.

Sunday afternoons are famous for football. In our house, football weekends begin Friday night at the high school, continue into Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium and wrap up on the living room couch Sunday afternoon, where hollering can be heard throughout the neighborhood. Words fl oating out the front door include some which won’t be used here, a few versions of, “Are you kidding me?” and a healthy round of cheers once in a while. But my favorite is also one of the most common, “I can play better than that!” Really? Turn down the

volume; I think I hear an NFL recruiter knocking on your door. Actually, do not quit your day job just yet. Often, people take the same approach to work that they do toward their favorite teams: they sit around and complain, and then wonder why no one is banging down the door to promote them. Dante was the senior member of a department where there had been extensive change. He called it chaos. “These people need a leader,” he said. “But they are too cheap to hire someone.” Not having it in the budget is a good reason to not hire additional staff. Not having it in the budget this year means that next year things might be different and by next year maybe the money to hire a leader could be in the budget. But the team needs a leader now. I suggested to Dante that he try something I’ve seen work successfully for many people in his predicament.

“Just lead,” I told him. By the look on his face, you’d think I had tackled him at the one yard line. Lead. Without

a title. Without a promotion. And without being too obvious about it or alienating his peers. Leaders lead. They lead without hesitation. Leaders make decisions based on quality information and

solid experience. A leader constantly updates skills and knowledge to stay at the top of his or her game. And when the

budget cycle shifts and the HR team agrees to hire a leader, who will they turn to fi rst? The one who is already doing the work. Who drafts a quarterback and then teaches him to

throw? If you want to play pro football, you are going to have to get off the couch and prove that you can play. If you want a promotion at work, you are going to have to do the same.

Julie Desmond is IT Recruiting Manager with George Konik Associates. Follow Julie @mncareerplanner. Send your career planning questions and comments to [email protected].

By Julie [email protected]

Plan Your Career

Courtesy of L’Oreal USAAngela Guy

Often, people take the same approach to work that they do toward their favorite teams: they sit

around and complain, and then wonder why no one is banging down the door to

promote them.

BUSINESS


Avenue Eatery reopens on West BroadwayThe Avenue Eatery is back. As of Oct. 18, the coffee shop at West Broadway and Emerson Avenue N is open for business, and we couldn’t be more excited. Walk through the doors and one is promptly greeted by young men dressed in a uniform of black shirts and pants, crisp white aprons and warm smiles. From a display case, perfect pecan and sweet potato pies almost beg to pair them with a cup of coffee or Chai tea. And at $2 a slice, why not?

One of those young men working at Avenue Eatery is new owner Sammy McDowell, an active member of West Broadway’s Shiloh Temple and a man adored by many for his food and friendliness. McDowell has

been working in and managing restaurants for the past 18 years. Most recently, he has been focusing on his catering business, The Lilac, especially popular for its soul food. When McDowell learned that the Avenue Eatery space was available for lease, he decided to move on it. “This opportunity excited me because I wanted an actual space in North Minneapolis,” said McDowell. “The kitchen is small here, so I can’t do my big food plates like I like to, but I snuck in a few desserts and I want to do some light breakfasts, maybe waffl es, a single stove to make

eggs.” Food is not McDowell’s only passion. “I really want to infuse the neighborhood with great customer service. It’s been my dream, actually, to come over north and use what I’ve learned in the restaurant industry,” said McDowell. “Even if you’re busy, I think

it’s important to say hi and, ‘I’ll be right with you.’ People need to smile more, be happy to get up in the morning and get some coffee.” McDowell is dedicated to the surrounding community and

intent on making the Eatery a success. Aside from providing soul-satisfying coffee and food, McDowell knows that having a thriving coffee shop has a lot to do with ambience. The walls are already decorated with the work of local artist Norsha Roland (www.rebirthofeve.com), and soon the cafe will be equipped with wireless internet and smooth tunes to help customers really feel at home. “We want people to feel they

can come in and just chill,” said McDowell. “We’re thinking about getting some big mugs people can sit with. We’ll have soup for people to sip on.” As a chef, McDowell is creative and good at the basics. He is known for his soul food, but he also spent eight years with the sandwich chain, Jimmy Johns. McDowell will tell you many times, “I’m a food guy.” Avenue Eatery is serving up attractive baskets of freshly made

sandwiches for every palate, including hot grilled chicken, hot turkey melts, turkey pastrami, veggie clubs, turkey bacon clubs, tuna, chicken salad, and fresh garden salads. One customer we spoke to thoroughly enjoyed the veggie club, saying, “It’s so great to be able to get healthy vegetarian food nearby.” Expect soup starting in November, and if you’re having

an event, consider ordering sandwich trays and desserts off the catering menu. They’re happy to deliver, and encourage lunchtime customers to call ahead. Avenue Eatery is located at 1101 West Broadway Ave. Its phone number is (612)767-6278. People can also fi nd Avenue Eatery on the web at facebook.com/AvenueEatery.

Commentary By Shaina Brassard

Photos: Erin Jerabek HeelanSammy McDowell

Veggie Club

LIFESTYLE


National Urban League: Budget committee chair Ryan’s remarks on poverty inconsistent with his budget plan

Don’t let lies and suppression color the truth in this election

NEW YORK - A recent claim by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) that he is committed to strengthening the social safety net stands in stark contrast to the budget bill he proposed, which decisively dismantles it, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “If Rep. Ryan’s budget were to become law, it would sharply intensify the deep economic disparity hampering the recovery,” Morial said. “Ryan’s remarks are completely at odds

with his devastating plan.” The proposed $1.9 trillion in across-the-board cuts in social safety net programs that Ryan has proposed would gut critical safety net programs such as SNAP, Supplemental Security Income for the elderly, disables and poor, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, unemployment compensation, school lunch and other child nutrition programs. Morial called Ryan’s claim that existing anti-poverty

programs don’t work “baffl ing.” “Making nutritional food available to 18 million children who would otherwise go without is hardly a failure of mission,” Morial said. “More than three-quarters of the recipients of Temporary Aid for Needy Families are children, and half of those live in households where there are no adult recipients.” In his speech, Ryan again alluded to a false and widely condemned claim that the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services has weakened welfare work requirements. “In fact, quite the opposite is true,” Morial said, “Several states had asked the federal government for more fl exibility in connecting welfare recipients with jobs, and the Department of Health and Human Services granted it, on the condition that the changes produced 20% increases in the number of people getting work. “Why would Rep. Ryan object to an initiative that results

in 20% more welfare recipients getting jobs?” Morial wondered. Ryan also claimed that growth in the economy would benefi t the poor and middle class as well as the wealthy, but the fact is almost all of the growth in incomes over the last 30 years has gone to the top 1%, and almost half of the growth in the top 1% has accrued within the top 0.1% “Rep. Ryan’s budget plan would not reverse this trend, but accelerate it,” Morial said.

A part of me will not miss the end of this election campaign season. It’s been a long, ugly grind. I am grateful that Michele Bachman, Rick Perry and Herman Cain didn’t hang around for the long haul. Mitt Romney’s presence has more than fi lled

the void they left. My tolerance for posturing and outright lies seems to be decreasing with age. Yet, the largest part of me is worried sick about the potential result of Republican “Block the Vote” efforts to steal the White House and the Congress. Suppressing the vote is not how America likes to think of itself, even though it is deeply rooted in the country’s DNA. Back when “our” Founding Fathers were founding this Republic, and spoke of man’s inalienable rights, they didn’t even feel it necessary to mention that they only meant “white , male, property owners.” White men with jobs, who might

be saving up to buy property, couldn’t vote. White women didn’t have inalienable rights either. I need not mention people of color. Mitt, and his Tea Party friends look back upon those days wistfully. In fact, the Electoral College allowed those two groups, white women & landless white men, to be counted as part of the population that determined how many Electoral College votes the southern, (read “slave states”) states got. Five-eighths of every Negro, slave or free, was also counted as part of a state’s population. This compromise leveled the playing fi eld between the more sparsely

populated, agricultural South and the more heavily populated, industrial North. But, I digress. A scary part of the last debate, and this campaign as a whole, is that Republicans feel comfortable lying and changing their stated positions from day to day without fear that a knowledgeable, alert public and media will laugh them off the stage. Folks seem focused on how a candidate looked – did he blush, smile or frown – rather than what he said and how that squares with what he said yesterday. In the last debate, Mitt lamented the fact that our Navy has fewer ships than at any time

since 1916. True, but, in 1916 the U.S. had 11 percent of the world’s naval strength. Today it boasts more than 50 percent of the world’s naval strength. Mitt said Syria was Iran’s path to the sea. Way wrong. First, the two countries don’t share a border and second, Iran has its own coastline. How can a candidate, in this day and age, agree to a debate on foreign policy, and not familiarize himself with a map of the world? He can do it because large portions of the American public pay attention to fl uff instead of substance and, should he ever become president, someone – not Dick Chaney this time – will tell him

what his next lie should be. Today, Mitt’s masters are more than willing to have him say whatever they think women, gays and Latinos want to hear; even if it is diametrically opposed to their own views. Later, he can be directed to say he didn’t say it, or, the situation has changed or whatever. Please make sure you’re registered and vote. I fully expect the Nov. 7 news to be full of stories of vote blocking, stealing, losing, miscounting and worse. We may not even have a result when we awake on Wednesday. What state will be the Florida of 2000 this year?

Nobody Asked Me

By Fred Easter

Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Simply put, strong public schools are critical to strengthening our communities and building the best possible future for our children. While there remains much work to be done, our children in the Saint Paul Public Schools have made promising progress over the past six years which simply cannot be sustained without the resources this referendum generates. So, what is this progress? Since 2007:

• State reading scores for African American students have increased by 9.8 percent;• Enrollment in post-secondary education by African American graduates of Saint Paul Public Schools has gone from 57 percent to 70 percent and it continues to climb; and• The dropout rate among African American Students has decreased to eight percent - its lowest rate in recent history. While even this number is unacceptable, it shows that our schools are making great gains. These gains are the fruit of programs and resources funded under school levy passed in

2006 by Saint Paul voters. This work includes: pre-kindergarten, all-day kindergarten and Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) programs; increased math and reading staff in elementary schools; reduced class sizes for math and science in middle and high schools; and, more secondary guidance counselors for postsecondary preparation. Each of these vital programs is in jeopardy if our referendum fails. Seventy-fi ve percent of the funds in this year’s referendum will be used to maintain proven programs that are delivering results for our children. If the referendum does not pass, all of

these programs go away and the next generation of kindergarteners loses an opportunity for a great start. The other twenty fi ve percent of the referendum will fund technology and training upgrades designed to ensure our children are ready to compete in the 21st century economy. This portion of the levy will accelerate the district’s investment in classroom technology – ensuring Saint Paul students like my two girls are just as competitive and well prepared as students from other districts. It will make classrooms more like the workplaces our children will be entering, therefore allowing

us to better prepare students to master the skills they will need to compete and excel in the job market they’ll face as adults. State school funding has not favored students in our urban schools, and it shows no signs of getting better anytime soon. It’s up to us to see to it this funding gap doesn’t stand in the way of success for our students. Since 2000, Saint Paul’s voters have stepped up to pass and renew local funding to keep our schools strong. Superintendent Silva and other district leaders are continuing to work and partner through efforts like the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood to identify

opportunities to improve our schools in ways that will improve learning outcomes for our kids. As a graduate of Central High School, I am thankful that my public school education gave me a chance to win a college scholarship, earn a degree, and go on to serve on the Saint Paul City Council. As board chair of the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood, I know these resources are critical to our work in closing the Twin Cities’ nation leading achievement gap. Most importantly, as a parent of two students enrolled at Saint

Schools From 1

SCHOOLS TURN TO 15


Erectile dysfunction: A window to whole body health

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is the most common sexual health problem in men, affecting more than 1/3 of men during their lifetime. ED is defi ned as the inability for a man to achieve or maintain an erection of the penis that is suffi cient for sexual activity. Health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes can double or triple the risk of developing ED. ED can also be an early warning sign of underlying health conditions like heart disease as many individuals who go on to have a heart attack, often have a history of ED in the preceding years. However, you have the power to improve your overall health and a growing body of evidence suggests that healthy lifestyle changes can signifi cantly decrease your chances of developing ED and may potentially improve ED symptoms. ED is a symptom and not a disease (despite what the drug companies might want to have you believe) and the fi rst step in regaining one’s sexual health should is trying to identify and modify the underlying cause of ED. The causes of ED are not all fully understood and involve a complex interplay between hormones (chemical messengers in your body), existing health conditions, medications, dietary habits, weight and behavioral factors (like stress). This week I discuss some steps you can take to signifi cantly decrease your chances of developing ED and to potentially improve ED symptoms. As always, if symptoms persist, you should see

your healthcare provider.

Stop Smoking and if you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. If you needed yet another reason to quit smoking, here it is. Smoking and the chemicals and irritation produced by it are damaging to almost all of the tissues in your body leading to higher rates of many cancers, heart disease and smoking DOUBLES the risk

of developing ED. Similarly, excessive drinking (more than an average of 2 servings of alcohol per day) is associated with an increased risk of ED. It can be easier said than done to quit smoking (or drinking) if this has become a habit. However, there are many community resources that stand ready to assist you with this. You healthcare provider can help you.

Commit yourself to living a lifestyle that improves your blood pressureHigh blood pressure is a serious health concern in men and rates are even higher in the African-American community with over 40% of African American men having hypertension. Many people have high blood pressure and do not know it. So, if you are suffering from ED, get your blood pressure checked. Regular exercise improves heart health and

can lower blood pressure. Studies also show that regular physical activity makes you less likely to develop ED and may improve ED symptoms. In addition, if you have ED, research suggests that regular physical activity may increase the effectiveness of ED drugs. If you have high blood pressure, you likely are taking blood pressure medications. While it is true that a very few blood pressure

medications can contribute to ED, this is not a reason to stop your meds. A healthy choice is to really commit yourself to making the types of lifestyle changes that will allow you to regain better control of your blood pressure and may in time reduce your reliance on medication.

Make healthful eating choices and work on losing the fatOverweight and obesity are reaching epidemic proportions in our country and our community. There is growing recognition that the dangers of being overweight are not just related to the extra pounds that individuals carry around, but that carrying extra fat (especially around the middle) can set up a complex cascade of events that cause irritation and infl ammation in the tissues that may be a common pathway leading to many chronic diseases from eczema and arthritis,

diabetes, heart disease and ED. Eating a Mediterranean style diet (a diet high in vegetables, fruits, healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, and limited meat etc.) has been shown to reduce infl ammation, improve heart health and blood sugars, assist in weight loss and is associated with improvements in ED. (see my website for resources on Mediterranean diet) The effects may be even better if combined with regular exercise.

Keep the lines of communication open -fi nd ways to manage your stress and communicate openly with your partnerStress can impact sexual health and contribute to ED. It is important to develop and maintain open communication with your partner and fi nd ways to discuss feelings in a constructive way. If you are fi nding this diffi cult to do, see your healthcare provider and they can assist you with identifying resources.

Individual health is community healthED is a complex issue that often has a combination of underlying reasons that can be both physical and emotional. Applying the above strategies will not only assist in improving your overall health, but may also improve ED symptoms. Sexual health is part of overall health and individual health and the health of our communities are intertwined. As we prioritize our health and make individual choices to improve our health and function and our relationships, then communities in which we live also benefi t.

Dr. Winbush is a family physician practicing at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. She has a strong interest in wellness and patient education to help individuals feel empowered to optimize their health and functioning. For more information, to leave suggestions for future articles and for

additional resources as mentioned in the article visit www.functionwellmedicine.com. The information contained herein should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualifi ed and licensed physician or other health

care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only. In no way should it be considered as offering medical advice. Please check with a healthcare provider if you suspect you are ill.

OurHealth

By Nicole Winbush MD

ED is a complex issue that often has a combination

of underlying reasons that can be both physical

and emotional

HEALTH


Openness: A key ingredient to life

Twiss: Treatment of Native Americans as pagans and less than human

Openness is a key ingredient to life. It is the readiness and willingness to receive. It allows every person, situation, and circumstance to be our teacher. The way we receive information will be key in determining our growth and development. As we encounter situations and circumstances that do not line up with our expectation, we must keep an open mind. How we receive, respond, and process information will determine how open minded we are. First, we must be able to receive information. As you are evaluating the source, you must also be mindful of the information. Just because it is a child or a person that you do not like tells you the bridge is out, the bridge is still out. You must be open to receiving from others. “Unless God tell me himself” mentality will only result in a closed mind and missed opportunity. Many have passed on valuable information because they did not like the source. Secondly, before we respond to others, one of the most important steps to keeping an open mind is to assume good intentions. This requires us to think the best

before we think the worst. Preconceived notions, past hurt, and unwillingness to listen, all make it impossible to receive, learn and grow. Things look totally different if you already have your mind made up. It is best to just see what unfolds before making judgment. When information is fi ltered through the lenses of “good intention,” it makes

it easier for the receiver to keep an open mind. Openness assumes good intention before responding. Next, openness is communicated in our response. The need to been heard is necessary for positive

affi rmation. It does not mean we agree with everything said, but it does mean we processed it and gave it the consideration that it deserved. A predetermined response is created from a made up mind. Some people are so

close minded that their body language, facial expression, and response all lacks the key ingredients of life, hospitality, acceptance, and openness. When we are open, arms are extended, the face is relaxed, and words are supportive. Our

response can make or break a person’s spirit. Finally, openness requires us to process our actions. You can increase your openness by practicing empathy. Move outside yourself into another’s situation. Try to access the other’s feelings and ideas. Self-evaluation prepares us for the next experience. What did this experience mean for me?’ ‘How can I grow from this? Do you usually think you already know how things are going to come out? How available are you to others? How interested are you in people, especially those quite different from you? These are the questions that those with an open mind ask themselves. Openness allows both positive and negative experiences to be our teacher. Openness is a key ingredient to life. It allows unobstructed entrance and exit; and is not shut or closed. An open-minded person is hospitable, considerate, and responsive. Others are comfortable sharing, receiving, and being in the company of an open-minded person. An open mind allows to you receive information from unlike, and unlikely sources.

Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.

The dances of the tribal members on stage at the beginning of the CCDA convention Wednesday night was enough to get the hundreds of people present focused and attentive when a young lady approached the podium to introduce Richard Twiss. “Reconciliation is impossible with out the creators blessing,” said the tribal leader’s granddaughter as she recalled her family’s life of exile from Minnesota and how reconciliation has been on her people’s hearts since Europeans fi rst came to Turtle Island, U.S.A. Richard Twiss, a Native American educator, author, and pastor, told “stories” concerning reconciling and reconciliation, noting that God loved stories so much that he created humans. “There is brokenness in humanity with our God,” Twiss said, adding

that due to the fall, humans are sinful and separation occurs when they don’t stay connected to Him. Citing John 1:14. Twiss said Jesus wasn’t afraid of His ethnicity and that no one story in the Bible captures the entire world. Twiss reminded listeners of how stories connect us to our ancestors. He recounted the example of the Dakota War of 1862, with the mass hanging of 38 Dakota men near Mankato. The pain of that historical event and the disastrous history in this country around the treatment of Native Americans has resulted in their being caricatured as pagans and less than human. Such things will never be forgotten, he said, because “stories” live on and shape who we are. As a fi nal challenge, Twiss asked: “How do we hear stories as Christians?” Because the story of life never stops, he said, reconciling Christians are called “to redeem it.”

ManTalk

By Timothy Houston

By Katherine Kirby

Stock.xhcng

FULL CIRCLE


Bishop Blake: We are part of God’s bodyFriday night’s plenary session at the CCDA conference was dedicated to the empowerment of women and the transformation of Christ’s love. This year’s conference in Minneapolis was far travels for many, but seats were fi lled as 600-700 people sang together in worship and listened to speakers Cheryl Miller, Christina Harrison and Sarah Waters, introduced as strivers who work to “make beautiful things out of dust.” Miller is executive director of Perpetual Help Home, a housing ministry in Texas that helps women break the cycle of incarceration and homelessness. She also works as a volunteer

mediator for a victim/offender mediation program of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. There she has seen women who have been victimized sit down in front of their offenders and forgive them. “It is the most profound reconciliation opportunity I have ever seen,” Miller said. And in her programs, she says, “reconciliation is not an option.” Miller said she has seen women’s lives transformed before her eyes, she said, including those of Harrison and Waters who joined her on the platform to share their testimonies. Harrison, a middle-aged woman who comes across as meek but on fi re for Christ, said: “I came to Perpetual Home with a 12-year addiction, 89 pounds, and half alive.”

She added, “I lost my job, my home, and my son was taken away from me.” Harrison joined Center for Peace, a program through Perpetual Help Home designed to teach women skills in computers, business, offi ce work, and employment. “Center for Peace helps make major life changes,” she said with tears in her eyes. Now a full-time director of outreach ministries at her church, Harrison said she is excited to be able to bring “tangible hope to others and my community.” Waters, a dark-hair woman with a sturdy disposition, told the haunting stories of her past. She had a 20-year drug addiction to heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, had been in prison fi ve times, and has eight felonies. She recounted how

she was discharged from Navy boot camp for the use of heroin, and was a thief who stole any chance she got. But, coming to Perpetual Help Home and enrolling in the Center for Peace program changed her life, she said. With a crack in her voice, Waters told the audience that she was praying for reconciliation for her family. “I need prayer for reconciliation, because my brother, my mother and my father have not spoken to me in 13 years,” she said. Later, with a smile that was diffi cult to suppress, Waters proclaimed after 18 months at Perpetual Help Home and the Center for Peace program she is now the director of the Center for Peace, 32 hours away from a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a fi rm believer in Jesus

Christ. “As for me,” Waters said, “I know that the will of God will not take you where the grace of God cannot protect you.” The crowd clapped in affi rmation as Waters fi nished, “I am proud of the woman I have become – a woman of dignity and grace.” The night broke into songs of worship and a fi nishing message from Bishop Charles Blake, presiding bishop and CEO of the Church of God in Christ, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world. His message was about being “workers together” and how we are one body in Christ. “I need you, and you need me – we are members of the human race. We are a part of God’s body,” Blake said. This theme seemed to ring true with everyone attending

that night. The three women of faith affi rmed that they needed others to help them and now are sharing Christ’s love as they serve others. People from all over the country came for the CCDA conference and stood together and worshipped – different parts, but all within the same body.

Perpetual Help Home is a Christian-based restorative justice organization assisting women in breaking the cycle of incarceration and homelessness through making life changes, regardless of race, color, or creed. They help women become productive members of society with transitional support, new life-skills training and permanent supportive housing.

By Abby Ingalls

Lakota educator: Reconciliation is possible“Whose gonna take back those stories?” The challenge was simple. Who is going to take back the stories that have been entrenched in American culture about Native Americans for so long? Stories of how Native Americans are pagan, how they are less than human, and how Indian customs just do

not fi t with Christian beliefs. The solution, however, is not simple. The stories are out. They are in people’s minds, and it is our job, in this day, to put aside the old ways of thinking, and embrace reconciliation with the fi rst people of America. Richard Twiss walked onto the stage at the CCDA conference in Minneapolis last week with a message of reconciliation and a challenge and left the stage with the

deafening roar of an excited crowd at his back. Twiss, a Lakota Sioux educator and author, captured the CCDA audience right away and did not let them go until the last words had left his mouth. “A separation exists between a broken, fallen humanity and God,” he said, adding that another separation exists between God’s people. To most Americans, it has been years since the oppression

of Native Americans, noted Twiss, but for the Native Americans, the oppression never ended. “The story of oppression and colonization is still alive,” said Twiss. It is vital, for reconciliation and change, to redeem the stories that have been told for years. Then, with God’s power, restore relationships and fi nd change. Many Americans are committed to pursuing the “American Dream,” he said, but

it is a dream that is a nightmare to Native Americans who are isolated on reservations, where no one seems to lend a helping hand, and where poverty, alcoholism, and drug abuse destroy lives. “People don’t have time for us,” said Twiss. “They say that Indian culture doesn’t belong in Christianity.” But just because a culture is not conservative, doesn’t mean it is not Christian, he challenged his audience. And just because

Native Americans praise Jesus with song and dance and passion, does not mean they are doing it wrong. According to Twiss, reformation within the church didn’t end with Luther in Europe. Redemption will come when Christians learn to seek the least, listen like a brother, fi ght like a warrior and stand as a group, he concluded. Together, we can achieve reconciliation.

By Alex Kempston

showed that 53 percent thought Obama won the debate; 23 percent favored Romney and 24 percent called it a tie. During the 90-minute debate in Boca Raton, Fla., Romney repeated his charge that Obama had taken an “apology tour” around the world when he first entered office. The Washington Post fact checker stated: “…it is an article of faith among top Republicans that President Obama has repeatedly apologized for the United States and its behavior. Even more, the argument goes, he does not believe in American strength and greatness. The assertion feeds into a subterranean narrative that Obama, with his exotic, mixed-race background, is not really American in the first place.” It concluded, “The claim that Obama repeatedly has apologized for the United States is not borne out by the facts, especially if his full quotes are viewed in context.”

The Washington Post awarded the charge four Pinocchios, described as a whooper of a lie. When Romney mentioned that the United States has fewer naval ships than it had in 1916, “Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military’s changed. We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them. We have these ships that go underwater, nuclear submarines. And so the question is not a game of Battleship, where we’re counting slips. It’s what are our capabilities.” Obama repeatedly accused Romney of being “all over the map.” He specifically criticized the Republican nominee for saying he would have asked Pakistan’s permission before entering that country to hunt down Bin Laden. Obama made no such request before approving the mission that ended with the killing of Bin Laden. Summarizing his foreign policy accomplishments, Obama said: “We ended the war in Iraq, refocused our attention on those who actually killed us on 9/11. And

as a consequence, Al Qaeda’s core leadership has been decimated. In addition, we’re now able to transition out of Afghanistan in a responsible way, making sure that Afghans take responsibility for their own security. And that allows us also to rebuild alliances and make friends around the world to combat future threats. “Now with respect to Libya, as I indicated in the last debate, when we received that phone call, I immediately made sure that, number one, that we did everything we could to secure those Americans who were still in harm’s way; number two, that we would investigate exactly what happened, and number three, most importantly, that we would go after those who killed Americans and we would bring them to justice. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” In a shift of tactics, Romney tried to attack Obama from the left, saying the United States “can’t kill our way out of this mess” of religious extremism. Even though the debate focused on foreign policy, each candidate eased in references to domestic issues. On one, the bailout of the auto industry, the Washington

Post fact checker said: “In the tangled debate over whether the auto industry would have survived under Romney’s bankruptcy plan, Obama has the edge on the argument. This exchange is drawn from a headline — ‘Let Detroit Go Bankrupt’ — on an opinion article written by Romney for the New York Times. But he did not say that in the article. (He repeated the line, however, on television.)” It continued, “Ultimately, along with getting nearly $80 billion in loans and other assistance from the Bush and Obama administrations, GM and Chrysler did go through a managed bankruptcy. But many independent analysts have concluded that taking the approach recommended by Romney would not have worked in 2008, simply because the credit markets were so frozen that a bankruptcy was not a viable option at the time.” In one lively exchange, Romney again boasted that Massachusetts students led the nation in standardized test scores for math and reading while he was governor. The Washington Post fact checker stated, “He is correct, but many educational experts credit the scores to a comprehensive education overhaul that the state began a decade before the Republican presidential candidate became governor.” Turning to Romney, Obama said: “But Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies of the 1920s.” It is unclear how much Monday night’s debate will

have on voter preferences. In three battleground states, for example – Colorado, Virginia and Wisconsin – less than 10 percent of voters in each state ranked national security as their top priority. It was considered less important than the economy, the deficit and health care. Perhaps more important than the topic of the last debate is how each candidate is perceived as a leader. Vice President Joe Biden said at a rally in Florida over the weekend, “Presidential elections are about character and the character of your convictions, and my guy, he never tells you anything he doesn’t mean and he doesn’t do.” Various polls show both Obama and Romney with a small edge. However, it is important to remember that state figures are far more important than national numbers because that’s the pathway to victory in the Electoral College where the election is decided. An Ohio poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University/CBS News showed Obama with a 50 – 45 percent lead over Romney. “The good news for Gov. Romney is that he has sliced President Obama’s lead in Ohio in half in the last month,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “The bad news for Romney, and the good news for Obama, is that no Republican has ever won the White House without carrying Ohio and the challenger is running out of time to make up the remaining difference.” The New York Times’ popular “FiveThirtyEight”

column calculates that Obama has a 67.6 percent chance of winning the Electoral College. Romney is given only a 32.4 percent chance of upsetting Obama. It notes, “These estimates might seem to be incongruous with national polls that show a nearly tied race. But the FiveThirtyEight method is, principally, an Electoral College simulation, and therefore relies more heavily on state-by-state polls.” That simulation gives Obama 288 delegates to Romney’s 250. In the all-important battleground states, Obama is favored in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Romney has the lead in Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Virginia. Nat Silver, author of the popular New York Times column noted, “There remains an outside chance that the race will break clearly toward one or the other candidate, after the third debate on Monday or because of some intervening news event, but the odds are strong that we will wake up on Nov. 6 with a reasonable degree of doubt about the winner. For that matter, we may wake up on Nov. 7 still uncertain about who won. “Nonetheless, stipulating that the race is clearly very close is not an adequate substitute for placing any kinds of odds on it at all. And the central premise behind why we see Mr. Obama as the modest favorite is very simple: he seems to hold a slight advantage right now in enough states to carry 270 electoral votes.”

PolicyFrom 1

Please Vote NO onBoth Constitutional Amendments

on November 6!Prepared and paid for by: Committee to Elect Jeffrey Hayden, 4018 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55409;

Karen Clark Election Committee, 2633 18th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407; Susan Allen for 62B Campaign, 3505 16th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Sen. Jeff Hayden, Rep. Susan Allenand Rep. Karen Clark

YOUR DFL & LABORENDORSED TEAM


Twin Cities Unknown: More than meets the eyeIt is no secret that the Twin Cities is often the butt of criticism and outside jokes from comedians and individuals who believe the area’s only claims to fame are Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and the Metrodome losing its roof a few years back. Those who live here know that there is much more to the area than meets the media’s eye. Many here think it is high time these hometown secrets were given proper exposure so they can be viewed under the right light to those on the outside looking in on what most here know is one of the world’s best kept secret. Thanks to filmmaker T.J. Richardson, this prayer has been answered. “Twin Cities Unknown,” is a documentary that presents a close eye on the stories behind the Twin Cities legacy, its fallen heroes, and the many untold stories or mysteries that have been waiting for a platform like this to be heard. The film was created by Minneapolis filmmaker, Richardson – the same man behind the ever popular “All High School Reunion,” a yearly

event that brings generations of Minneapolis neighbors together to enjoy a flashback to their days of attending proms and homecomings. Richardson sort of stumbled into filmmaking, realizing he had a knack for putting together documentaries after weaving his family’s story together from vacations and holidays on his computer. This transitioned to him producing historic pieces on North and South

Minneapolis and St. Paul while also conduc ting interviews with the cities tastemakers in an effort to pull together the area’s story. Individuals like Spike Moss and Mahmoud El-Kati lent a voice to the Twin Cities are and are just two of those featured on this DVD. “We’ve seen the movies. We’ve seen the ‘Boys in the Hood,’ ‘The New Jack Citys,’ but the world has never seen us,” said Richardson. “If we

don’t support each other, who is going to do it? Atlanta and L.A. aren’t going to come to Minnesota and blow it up for us, we have to blow it up

ourselves.” In the documentary, Richardson also examines the Twin Cities music scene, something that he holds very near and dear to his heart. He examines many of the artists who have helped put the region on the map, and also some of its underground and up and coming artists who, as Richardson states, will be the best people to take the message of the Twin Cities global. “We need our artists to rep. the city the way they live it. Don’t get on a mic and talk about Jay Z’s lifestyle. We don’t live like that here,” said Richardson. “We need our own

sound again. When you hear a song from Atlanta or New York, you know that’s where the artists are from, just like when you hear someone from Minnesota rapping, you can hear their city in their music. We need our artists to take our message out to the world and that starts with having pride in where you came from which most of us do.” Richardson’s DVD is selling all over the world, and is already setting the foundation for a part two to this important piece. To learn more about Richardson and his filmmaking career, visit: www.twincitiesunknown.com.

By Alaina L. LewisContributing Writer

Courtesy of Alaina LewisT.J. Richardson

Cover art

AESTHETICS


COMMUNITYCalendar • Classifi eds Phone: 612.588.1313 Fax: 612.588.2031 Email: [email protected]

Send Community Calendar information to us by email: [email protected], by fax: 612.588.2031, by phone: 612.588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411. Free or low cost events preferred.

EVENTSThe Council on Crime and Justice is moving temporarily!While the current location at 822 S. 3rd Street is under construction, The Council on Crime and Justice will be working at a new location in Golden Valley and expect to return in approximately 6 months. Effective October 26th, the mailing address is: Council on Crime and Justice, 1109 Zane Avenue North, Golden Valley, MN 55422. The phone numbers and email address will remain the same. If you have questions, please contact us at 612-353-3000 or [email protected]

Register for Winter Term at Camden Music SchoolRegistration opens Monday, November 12 for Camden Music School’s Winter Term, January 7 – March 15. All ages, abilities and experience levels welcome. CMS offers vocal and instrumental lessons, Musikgarten early childhood music classes (newborn to age 8), ensembles, music theory, songwriting and more! Scholarships and family discounts are available. Scholarship application deadline: 5pm Friday, December 28. Classes in Camden: Luther Memorial Lutheran

Church, 3751 Sheridan Ave. N., 55412. CMS in Northeast Minneapolis: Grace Center for Community Life, 1500 6th St. NE, 55413. More information: 612-618-0219 or www.camdenmusicschool.com.

Open Auditions Oct. 29 and 30Auditions for Ruby! The Story of Ruby Bridges on Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 29-30, 6:00–8:30pm at SteppingStone Theatre, 55 Victoria Street North in St. Paul for Actors Ages 10 to 25+ – Also looking for adult female actors 25+ (one Caucasian and one African-American.) No Experience Necessary and No Fees to Audition or Perform. To schedule an audition time, please call 651-225-9265. Visit SteppingStoneTheatre.org for performance schedule.

Respectful Conversations Project Nov. 1A Respectful Conversation on the Marriage Amendment on Thursday, November 1, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Sponsored by Community of Christ, 4847 Emerson Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN. Pre-registration required. Online: www.mnchurches.org; By phone: Minnesota Council of Churches: (612) 230-3344.

NorthPoint Health & Wellness ART GALLERY Presents The Photography of Donald Sparks Now–Nov 2Covering multiple sports and other artistic and historical subjects, these rarely seen images include some of the great names in sports and the arts such as Jackie Robinson, Wilma Rudolph, Hank Aaron

and Duke Ellington. NorthPoint Health & Wellness 1313 Penn Ave N. Mpls MN 55411. Mon. & Fri. 8:30am–5pm, Tues.–Thur. 8:30am–7pm, Sat. 8am–12pm. Contact Helene Woods at 612.543.2549 for more info.

Loppet Ski Club Session begins Nov. 5thNew and lifelong skiers are encouraged to join this recreational skiing community. Experienced facilitators instruct both skate and classical techniques. Begins with fall dryland and moves to on-snow instruction in December. Club meets Mondays, 6:30-8:30, and Saturdays for longer distance workouts at Theodore Wirth Park. Session begins Nov. 5th. Visit the Loppet Adventures page at www.loppet.org for more information.

Our Vote Our Future Election Night celebration Nov. 6Our Vote Our Future, the statewide campaign to defeat the voter restriction amendment will host an Election Night celebration at the Saint Paul RiverCentre on Tuesday, November 6th. The event is open to the supporting public. Celebration to begin at 8:00 PM at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55102.

8th Annual Fall Recitals at Camden Music School Nov. 10Come see CMS students shine in a wide range of performances. Our Fall Recital Series takes place on two Saturdays, November 10 at 1pm and 4pm at CMS/Camden, and November 17 at 12:30pm at CMS/Camden and 4pm at CMS/NE. (Note that

the recital times are subject to slight changes. Please check the CMS website prior to attending, www.camdenmusicschool .com.) More information: 612-618-0219 or www.camdenmusicschool.com.

Ae Reverb at Hell’s Kitchen, Nov. 11Grab your favorite fl annel for a 90’s themed rock fundraiser in support of Altered Esthetics on Nov. 11, 2012 at Hell’s Kitchen Minneapolis, 80 S 9th Street, Minneapolis, MN. The night will feature live music, including original music and 90’s covers from Apartment 12J, Youth at Large, and Hart Lake Mystery. The event will also feature a raffl e and silent auction. Proceeds from cover charges and raffl e items go to support Altered Esthetics 2013 Exhibition season. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Suggested Cover $5 Doors at 6:00pm, Music at 7:00pm.

8th Annual Holiday Sing-Along, Craft and Bake Sale Dec. 1A FUNdraiser for Scholarships at Camden Music School 4pm, Sat., Dec. 1. CMS/Camden: Luther Memorial, 3751 Sheridan Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN. 55412 FREE. A simply delightful, neighborly way to celebrate the season! Proceeds from the craft and bake sale go to the CMS Scholarship Fund, a sponsored project of Our Neighborhood Works, www.ourneighborhoodworks.org. For more information: 612-618-0219 or www.camdenmusicschool.com.

Enrollment opens for 2012 / 2013 Saint Paul Citizen’s Police Academy Dec 19–Feb 27Classes begin Dec. 19 and continue through Feb. 27on Wed. evenings 6:30–9:30pm. 25 community members will participate in training modeled after the Police Academy program that police offi cers complete. No cost to CPA participants. The CPA is not intended to serve as accredited law enforcement courses but merely to provide insight to the internal workings of the police department. Applications due by Oct. 15 are available by calling CPA Coordinator Don Luna at 651. 266.5583.

PROGRAMS & SERVICESVolunteer as an English Teacher with the Minnesota Literacy Council. Help adult refugees and immigrants learn the reading, writing and speaking skills needed to thrive in the U.S. Morning, afternoon or evening classes are available throughout the Twin Cities. The literacy council provides training and support. Interested? Contact [email protected] or call Allison at 651-251-9110. Or visit www.mnliteracy.org/volunteers/opportunities/adults

The Mu Rho Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc at the U of MN is searching for former membersCurrently, the sorority is collecting historical information to add to it’s archives. This includes information pertaining to former Eta Chapter members

(1922-1964) and Mu Rho Chapter members (1979-Present).For more information please contact the Graduate Advisor, Peggye Mezile by email: [email protected]

Neighborhood Health Connection™ an Allina Health program activitiesThanks to Neighborhood Health Connection™ grant, McKinley Community CSA in northwest Minneapolis will have yoga classes Tue. nights in Aug and Qi Gong classes Wed. nights in Sept. Chef-in-the-Box events are planned for Aug 15 and Sept 15. Activities are expected to take place throughout the summer. Visit neighborhoodhealthconnection.org. or www.allinahealth.org

Hazelden Offers Free Educational Opportunity Concerned about someone’s alcohol or drug use? Addressing Concerns Together (ACT), Hazelden’s new outreach program, can help. Join us for a free event to learn more about addiction, intervention, assessment, and treatment. Hazelden’s St. Paul campus, 680 Stewart Ave., St. Paul. 2nd and 4th Mon. of each month at 6pm. This is an open event and there is no need to register. If you have questions, please contact Hazelden at 800-257-7800.

Free Classes for AdultsThe Minnesota Literacy Council, a non-profi t organization, has free classes for adults at our Lake Street Learning Center at 2700 East Lake Street, 2nd fl oor, above Denny’s. For classes and more info, visit: http://www.mnliteracy.org/

vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s proposed budget. The group said the Republican budget and presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, now commonly known as Obamacare, would be devastating to seniors who depend on Medicare. McCollum said the gathering at the Capitol was needed to combat rumors and negative ads claiming the House

Democrats plan to gut Medicare to pay for Obamacare. A Democratic House report concludes that over 60,000 Minnesota seniors will pay higher drug costs under the Republican plan to repeal Obamacare and reopen the prescription drug donut- hole. The so-called donut-hole occurs when Medicare recipients exhaust the amount Medicare pays for senior’s prescriptions. According to the report, seniors will pay more than $550 million in higher drug costs over the next decade if Republicans repeal the Affordable Care Act. The report also shows that more than 750,000 Minnesota seniors will lose the free preventative care benefi ts that they now have under Obamacare. “Democrats voted to strengthen Medicare in 2010 with our vote for Obamacare,” said McCollum. “And I like the name

Obamacare because President Obama does care.” McCollum said in her district alone nearly 7,000 seniors would be negatively affected by the Republican budget plan. Ellison said when it comes to Medicare, a lot of numbers are thrown around, but only one number is truly important. “That number is one,” said Ellison. “We’re talking about the life of one senior who will be affected by our policies. This is about how we are going to treat the people who cleared a path for the rest of us. The Republican Ryan budget is scary to me and scary to seniors.” John Martin, a member of the DFL senior caucus, said the Republican budget, authored by Ryan – which proposes turning Medicare into a premium-support or voucher plan – would hurt him directly.

“The big thing that concerns me is the donut-hole that would reopen,” said Martin. “I take a lot of medicines and I was going into the donut-hole in August.” Martin said his out-of-pocket costs for his prescription drugs was in the neighborhood of $1,000 a year. When asked if those proposing changes to programs such as Medicare and Medicaid understood the ramifi cations of their actions, Ellison said some legislators in the Republican Party are practicing Social Darwinism. “They get it, I think they don’t care,” said Ellison. “They tend to think the people who should have, have – people who don’t, don’t. They kind of think if you help low-income, poor people it will just breed more low-income poor people. This is no way to deal with poverty in this country.”

Harry Colbert, Jr.U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (MN-4) and Keith Ellison (MN-5) in front .

Behind stand seniors in opposition to the proposed federal budget cuts

MedicareFrom 1

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The civil rights leader likened the proposed Minnesota amendments to policies of Mississippi – a state widely considered behind the times on issues of equality. “Minnesota has a choice,” said Jealous. “It can become more like Mississippi, but with snow, or it can go the other direction.” Nationally, the NAACP came out in support of gay marriage – a move that sent some minor shockwaves through the African American community. But Jealous said the nation’s oldest civil rights organization sees gay marriage as a civil rights issue. He said the issue of gay marriage is being used to divide the African American community. He further added it is not by chance that voter ID initiatives and marriage equality questions appear on the ballot simultaneously. “With this issue (of marriage equality), the ultimate goal is to drive a wedge within the Black community,” said Jealous. “In 2004 the far right wing saw a window of opportunity when (Pres.) George W. Bush got the highest percentage of Black votes when Bush pushed against marriage equality.” Dr. Josie Johnson, a life-long crusader for human rights who was also on the panel, said she is shocked that some would seek to turn back the clock on voting rights. Johnson, who said she walked with her father in 1945 on the elimination of the poll tax law in Texas, sees the proposed voter ID amendment as a modern-day poll tax. “As an old woman, to know that we are fi ghting this same fi ght (as fought in the Civil Rights Movement) is troubling to me,”

said Johnson. “I never thought I’d live to see a Black man elected president. I also never thought I’d live long enough to see a segment of society that would rather see this county go down rather than work with our president.” Johnson noted that the many restrictive voting measures being proposed or implemented throughout the nation did not occur until after the election of the country’s fi rst African American president. Kevin Lindsey, Commissioner of Human Rights for Minnesota, said requiring Minnesota voters to show a government-issued state photo identifi cation card would cause some 200,000 Minnesotans to be denied the right to vote. “When you take a look at the voter ID initiative, it’s going to hurt our elderly, individuals with disabilities, members of our military,” said Lindsey. “About 10 percent of Minnesotans will be impacted because they do not have a photo ID. If we do not vote no, if we do not say this is wrong, then we are saying we do not care about democracy.” Lindsey said because of cost, there are currently nine counties in the state that would have to change their methods of casting ballots because they do not even have polling places and require voters to mail in their votes. “The cost of this unfunded mandate could reach $100 million statewide.” Democratic State Sen. Jeff Hayden said while many Republicans were elected on the promise of getting the state’s fi scal house in order, that has not been the case. “We spent most of our time on these (voter ID and marriage equality) issues,” said Hayden. Jealous said the issues of voter suppression and banning gay marriage are not indicative of the Republican Party as a whole. “Let’s be clear, these people

seeking to suppress the vote and deny the rights of those wanting to marry the person of his or her choice are not Democrats or

Republicans. They are the far right wing,” said Jealous. The civil rights leader pointed to Republican governors of Michigan and

Virginia who vowed to veto any such bills limiting rights if put before them. The forum was a part

of the long-running series, “Conversations with Al McFarlane.”

NAACPFrom 1

Paul Public Schools, I am as determined as ever to ensure that all children across our city have the opportunities that were afforded to me and others through a second-to-none public school education. This November 6, I ask that

you stand with me along with our parents and children in Saint Paul by turning over your ballot and voting yes on the referendum to ensure our children receive a fi rst class education.

Melvin W. Carter III serves on the Saint Paul City Council representing Ward 1. He is also the chair of the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood initiative and the co-chair of Vote Yes for St. Paul Kids.

SchoolsFrom 9

insight news ::: 10.29.12

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