December 20 - December 26, 2010 • MN Metro Vol. 36 No. 51 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

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AestheticsDespicable Me a delightful animated adventure

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LifestyleHoliday celebration etiquette 101

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EducationMPS sends 7,000 books home with students

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SportsThe NBA quarter pole assessment

WASHINGTON – With the clock ticking toward tax hikes for all Minnesota residents and a loss of benefi ts for people out of work for an extended period of time, the President is repeating his call for the House of Representatives to act quickly on a bipartisan package of tax cuts and an extension of unemployment insurance benefi ts. “This tax cut plan, while not

perfect, will help to grow our economy and create jobs in the private sector. It will help to lift up middle class families, who will no longer need to worry about a New Year’s Day tax hike. It will offer emergency relief to help tide folks over until they fi nd another job. And it includes tax cuts to make college more affordable; help parents to provide for their children; and

help businesses, large and small, to expand and hire,” President Obama said. “We worked hard to negotiate an agreement that’s a win for middle-class families, and a win for our economy, and we can’t afford to let it fall victim to delay and defeat. So, I urge Members of Congress to pass these tax cuts as swiftly as possible,” said the President.

The stakes are signifi cant for Minnesota. If approved, 3.1 million Minnesota residents will receive more money in their paychecks as a result of the payroll tax cut – something nearly every mainstream economist agrees is one of the most powerful things that can be done to boost economic growth. Minnesota residents also would benefi t

from the continued American Opportunity Tax Credit that helped 166,000 families across the state last year. Additional tax cuts in the legislation also geared at middle-class families include the Earned Income Tax Credit, that helps families to climb out of poverty, and the Child Tax Credit extension, that will make sure families don’t see their taxes jump by up to

$1,000 for every child. Additionally, this bipartisan legislation would strengthen the safety net for 103,032 residents who are at risk of having their unemployment insurance (UI) benefi ts evaporate without Congressional action. Across the country, this month alone, 2 million Americans will lose their UI coverage if Congress fails to act.

The holiday season is here, and people both are busy -- frantically searching for the perfect gift. As we look ahead to starting a new year, this is also a great time for individuals and organizations to re-commit, refocus and reignite our dedication to mission and purpose. Sadly, for far too many of us, this holiday season may be less than a joyful

time. For some, the month of December is associated with despair, stress, and mounting debt. Without question, the holiday season is meant to be yet another special time to create memorable moments with friends and loved ones, but when misguided value systems, low self-esteem, despair, underachievement, and internalized oppression make people think that gifts, trinkets or designer labels can soothe the emptiness that lingers in the depths of their souls, the true meaning of this season has become lost. The perfect gift for the Twin Cities this holiday season, as we anticipate the possibilities of 2011 is HOPE (Having Optimistic Perspectives

Everyday). Hope helps us to anticipate and expect better days ahead. Hope gives us the courage to look for genuine, actionable solutions that enhance the quality of life for everyone in our community. Hope changes things; sustained hope can transform people and places. Hope is the fuel, the elixir, that can diminish the long term impact of poverty. Since its inception in 1926, the Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) has been a symbol of hope, a champion of positive change. It is an organization committed to deriving solutions that foster sustainable human development for people of color and for all those in need of support as they strive to achieve career aspirations,

maintain wellness, and accomplish life and fi nancial goals. The MUL journey over the last 84 years has been one dominated by its unwavering mission to equip people with life and vocational tools that ignite both personal possibility and goal execution. The cornerstones and culture of the MUL as an organization, and the MUL staff who use their talents in service to others, is rooted in sowing seeds of hope. Our Big Step Program is poised to position participants for jobs in construction and highway repairs. Our career and college preparedness initiatives are readying youth for 21st century career

State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion represents District 58B in Minneapolis. At present, he is one of two members of the Black Caucus, the African American Caucus at the Minnesota House of Representatives. That will change next month when the new Legislature convenes. He will be joined by two more African-Americans, Rena Moran representing District 65A in St. Paul in the House and former St.

Paul Police Chief John Harrington in the Senate representing District 67 on St. Paul’s Eastside. Chief Harrington is replacing Senator Mee Moua, who retired. Rena Moran replaces Representative Cy Thao who chose not to run. Insight News: How do you analyze that Minnesota Democrats lost control of both the House and the Senate? How does the state picture look in the context of the whipping Democrats took nationally?

Willis Burks, II, who throughout his distinguished professional career was a widely beloved, highly accomplished actor of stage, TV and movies as well as being a highly devoted family man has died at the age of 75. Burks passed away last month November 21 in Las Vegas, NV. He was an actor for over 30 years. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Actors’ Equity Association and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. The fourth oldest of eight children, Burks grew up in Birmingham, AL. He left home at an early age to reside in Chicago, later moving to Minneapolis, New York and fi nally to Los Angeles. His career as a professional actor began in the 1980’s in Minneapolis. He had the opportunity to appear in numerous television programs, fi lms and theatrical productions. “Burks used his God-given talent to spread human understanding and joy through acting. He was part of arguably the most celebrated American drama at the turn of century. The Pulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson delighted in his work, as did his fellow cast members,” said Stephen McKinley Henderson friend and acting colleague. Burks appeared on stage in over 25 plays, 10 movies, and

40 TV series over his career. His big screen works include King of California (2007), Everything’s Jake (2000), Equinox (1992), Preacher’s Wife (1996), Row Your Boat (1999), Fan Addict (2010) and four August Wilson plays, Fences, Jitney, Piano Lesson, and Two Trains Running. Burks performed at many regional theaters in the US and abroad including: The Guthrie Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater, The Public Theater, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Huntington Theatre Company, Hartford Stage Company, Kansas City Repertory, Baltimore Centre Stage and

Obama urges tax plan vote

A tribute to Willis Burks, II

Champion: Finding opportunity

HOPE: The perfect gift for the Twin CitiesCourtesy of the familyWillis Burks, II

25 October 1935 - 21 November 2010

By Rashid Bahati

By Scott GrayMUL President/CEO

Gateway to excellence

BURKS TURN TO 5 MUL TURN TO 9

Lawrence JacksonPresident Barack Obama speaks to a joint session of Congress, Sept. 2009

CHAMPION TURN TO 5Suluki Fardan

State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, 58B

By Al McFarlane and B.P. Ford, The EditorsPart 2 in a series

Wishing the community the very best for the Holiday Season. From all of us at Insight News.

Season’s Greetings!

INSIGHT NEWSINSIGHT NEWS

insightnews.com Insight News • December 20 - December 26, 2010 • Page 5

AESTHETICS

Don’t let the superfi cial similarities to Shrek discourage you from catching this equally-delightful animated adventure. Yes, at fi rst blush, its ugly antihero is reminiscent of the much-beloved ogre, but it doesn’t take long for this variation on the theme to develop its own thoroughly-original persona. Gru (Steve Carrell) is a hook-nosed hunchback with a vaguely Transylvanian accent who has singlehandedly ruined the otherwise idyllic slice of

suburbia where he resides. Everyone on the block has learned to give the gruesome-looking misanthrope a wide berth; after all, his house is

not only painted black but surrounded by a dead lawn. Plus, whenever he ventures into town in his road-hogging, jet-propelled tank, he tends

to cause minor disturbances, like when he used one of his inventions to freeze everyone on line in front of him at the local coffee shop. But none of Gru’s neighbors have any idea that he’s secretly a megalomaniac poised to hatch an elaborate heist from his basement laboratory with the help of a loyal army of miniature minions. And why is he bent on world domination? Because he’s frustrated with being only the second most evil villain around, right behind the diabolical Vector (Jason Segel) who has just stolen the Great Pyramid at Giza and replaced it with an infl atable replica. Gru hopes to eclipse his competition and become #1 by using his latest invention, the shrink-ray gun, to make the moon disappear.

First, however, he meets his match the day that the most adorable screen orphans since Annie ring his doorbell. Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) are so desperate to be adopted that they manage to ignore the mean man’s gruff exterior, since all they see in him is the potential to be turned into a doting dad. He grudgingly lets the vulnerable girls move in, and their playful nature and wide-eyed requests to be read bedtime stories gradually melt his cold, cold heart. En route to the happily ever after fi nale, the plot thickens when the children are kidnapped by the vicious Vector, which affords Gru the opportunity to morph from selfi sh creep to altruistic benefactor. A fun-fi lled family

fl ick featuring an original soundtrack courtesy of Pharrell Williams whose mellow mix of hip-hop and retro R&B makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Excellent (4 stars)Rated PG for mild action and crude humor.Running time: 95 MinutesStudio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment3-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack Extras: DVD and digital copies of the feature fi lm, 3 all-new mini-movies, “The World of Despicable Me,” “Despicable Beats,” “Gru’s Rocket Builder,” “Miss Hattie’s Top Secret Cookie Recipes,” commentary with the director and the Minions, “The Voices of Despicable Me,” “Super Silly Fun Land,” and much more.

Despicable Me a delightful animated adventure

Syracuse Stage, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London) as well as performing at Penumbra Theatre, 2econd Stage Theatre, and Crossroads Theatre, just to name a few. Burks’ theatrical credits include: Driving Miss Daisy, Raisin in the Sun, Messiah Dance, Tradition (BBC Radio Play with Phylicia Rashad), Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Eight Ball, East Texas Hotlinks, No Place To Be Somebody, To Be Young Gifted and Black, Simply Heavenly, The Great White Hope, Saint Lucy’s Eyes (with Ruby Dee), Huckleberry Finn, Blood Knot and I Just Stopped by to See The Man. Burks’ television appearances include roles in The Shield, New York Undercover, NYPD Blues, ER, Without a Trace, Law and Order, Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey, Everybody Hates Chris, As the World Turns and Criminal Intent. His other

fi lm credits include: Row Your Boat, Greasy Money, The Gift of Love, Art School Confi dential, and Sunday. Voice-over credits include Chronicles of Riddick (voice of Ray Charles), and Celebrity Death Match. Burks received the following awards: Audelco (Best Actor - Saint Lucy’s Eyes); Drama Desk (Jitney); Obie (Jitney); Audelco (Jitney). He studied theatre at Columbia Liberal Arts College. “We both shared a passion for acting. While he never achieved the level of success he rightfully deserved, to me, he remains one of the most intelligent and intuitive actors I have ever met. Indeed, some of the most memorable moments of my career were the times I spent on stage with Willis,” said longtime friend and actor Ernie Hudson. “Willis’ compassion, his love, his generosity, his laughter are gifts he brought to every life he touched,” said friend and acting colleague Shabaka Henley. “Burks was a tremendously talented actor who captured the essence of acting through

his life experiences. He was a family man with a big heart. In fact, I admired his connection with his family...every city we traveled together, Burks always had family that he stayed in touch with,” commented friend and fellow actor, Anthony Chisholm. He is survived by his children, Willis Burks, III of Minneapolis, MN, Amy Burks-Jones of Fairfi eld, AL, Europe A. Burks of Minneapolis, MN, and Jessiah C. Styles of Philadelphia, PA; sisters Shirley A. Hood of Maricopa, AZ, Delois W. Rudolph and Barbara J. Davis of Long Beach, CA; brothers, Terry Hayes of Birmingham, AL and Isaac Daniels of Chicago, IL; grandchildren, Nashique, Korion, Jasauna, Paige, Tru, Emmanuel, Adonai, Alonzo and Jacodi; and great-grandchildren, Arianna and Alijah; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends. Two memorial services were held in his honor, one in his hometown of Birmingham, AL, on December 4 and the second in Los Angeles on December 11.

BurksFrom 1

By Kam Williamskam@insightnews.com

DVDReview

Courtesy Universal Studios

Bobby Champion: I think we still have a wonderful opportunity because being the opposition presents an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for us to crystallize our message. It is also an opportunity for us to see the other side’s inability to really think about our quality of life as Minnesotans. It’s not just about ideology or just about representing a certain party; it’s about representing the values of Minnesota. So there are big issues on the table: healthcare, redistricting, jobs, re-entry for ex-offenders and more. What’s important is the philosophy or the guiding principles. When we think about jobs, how do we include all Minnesotans, including hard to employ individuals that may have had some challenges on their

record? I think there could be some opportunity for Second Chance legislation that I believe is just redemptive policy that says if you made a bad decision sometime in your life but you’ve demonstrated that you’ve changed and that you want to be a contributing and productive member of society, then we should create an opportunity for you to do that. Think of the other Michael Vicks of the world that we haven’t given an opportunity to because of a felony level conviction or a plea to a felony level crime. We must give people an opportunity for redemption because we want everyone to be a contributing member of the community. We don’t want them just to be on government relief rolls, right? We want them to pay taxes. In education, some legislators say “Well, hey, let’s just cut 20% of every budget” without really understanding what that

means. Look at health and human services, or the Department of Health, where we get matching dollars. We put a dollar and then the Federal Government puts in 3 to 4 more dollars. What does that really mean for our seniors? What does that mean for our disabled folks? What does that really mean, you know, for those who are most vulnerable in our society? It’s one thing to say something in a general sense but is another thing to put real faces and families and people to those numbers. And so we have to think about these things. So this legislative session is going to provide an opportunity for Minnesotans to get clarity on the values that Democrats hold and the values that the other party holds. We must decide, whether we really want to be inclusive so that all of us do better. IN: The Republican Caucus, the new majority that will set the agenda in the House and

Senate, is saying there’ll be fewer committees. It’s promising to reduce the size of government. That will determine what the membership is with committees. What are the spoils of victory the Republicans will enjoy, and how do they affect, the mechanics of what you do every day? BC: Committee chairman-ships change. The person who’s holding the gavel decides what the agenda is going to be for the committee. What bill is going to be heard? What bill is not going to be heard? A chairman holds such an extraordinary amount of power. Now, that we, in the minority, we have to think differently right? Jeff Hayden and I can

help Democrats think differently because we always operate as a minority, right? We always have. IN: And they don’t have enough power to override vetoes by the governor. So in effect the minority still has considerable clout because of the relationship of a Democratic governor. BC: Absolutely, because it is the balance of power. And so the governor signs legislation. They can bring something to him but he has to sign it. If he doesn’t sign it, he is in a bargaining position to say “Hey, this legislation needs to include these things. This budget cannot do this because I will not do this.” Now, what it also does is that... the governor

still has the opportunity to set the tone for the state. The governor appoints commissioners and deputy commissioners and through his appointment, he can ensure that there is fairness and that there is balance. And there are the progressive values that improve all of our quality of life in the part of his vision and his administration. So there is still that power. I mean, think about it when Pawlenty was governor and we had the majority, the minority still had some clout because they knew that if they didn’t get their way or if they didn’t get all that they were looking for...

ChampionFrom 1

CHAMPION TURN TO 11

insightnews.com Insight News • December 20 - December 26, 2010 • Page 7

COMMENTARY

A few months ago a group of earnest and determined stockholders traveled together by bus from Washington, D.C. to Nashville, Tennessee, to attend a shareholders’ meeting. On the surface, it sounded like a fairly ordinary trip, but this was an unusual group on an extraordinary mission. The shareholders’ meeting was for the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the largest private prison company in the country; and the group of shareholders included ex-offenders who now each hold one share of stock in CCA to get an ownership stake in some of the same prisons that once held them captive. They attended the meeting in hopes of sharing their perspective on how the privatized prison industry can better serve society by rehabilitating inmates rather than just serving its own profi ts by perpetuating the prison cycle. The group, part of Washington, D.C.’s Church of the Saviour, is named Strength to Love, after the title of one of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon collections. Its members, who include ex-offenders, their families, and members of the wider community who are concerned about incarceration and reentry, explain their mission this way: “The privatized, for-profi t prison industry is particularly plagued by a confl ict of interest at its core: On the one hand, the industry is responsible to its shareholders to make money, and its income is determined by how many beds are fi lled. On the other hand, its civil responsibility to the inmates and to the whole of society is to help incarcerated people become their

intended selves, and to prepare them to succeed upon release. It is well established that services and programs like job training and education serve to lower the occurrence of re-offense. But it is better for the company’s bottom line to minimize staff and services, let the inmates succeed or fail on their own terms, and reap the fi nancial benefi ts of strict

sentencing laws and high rates of recidivism. It is this experience of exploitation, frequently referred to as a modern day form of slavery, that many members of Strength to Love have personally experienced, and which we have been called to dismantle.” The trip—or as they called it, mission—to Nashville for a CCA meeting was their fi rst test of participating in a shareholders’ meeting. It is a creative approach to dismantling an industry that is the endpoint of America’s Cradle to Prison Pipeline® crisis that is threatening the social and racial progress of the past 50 years. Reliance on punishment and incarceration too often as a fi rst rather than last resort has given the U.S. the largest prison population in the world. In 2009, the United States’ inmate population of 2.3 million prisoners exceeded China’s whose population is more than four times larger. John Jay College of Criminal Justice President Jeremy Travis, one of the nation’s leading scholars on prisoner reentry, documented in his book But They All Come Back: Facing the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry that preparing ex-offenders for a successful transition benefi ts not just ex-offenders but society as a whole. But most often ex-offenders who have served their sentences get little help as they return to their communities. For the estimated

650,000 federal and state ex-offenders who have gone to prison and are released each year, he says, “the odds against successful reentry are daunting. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, two-thirds of released [state] prisoners will be rearrested for one or more crimes, including felonies and serious misdemeanors, within three

years after they get out of prison. Nearly half will be convicted of a new crime.” Ineffective prisoner rehabilitation and unsuccessful reentry have dire consequences for children. A recent report by the Pew Charitable Trusts estimated that 2.7 million minor children have a mother or father behind bars. That is approximately 1.8 percent of White, 3.5 percent of Latino, and 11 percent of Black children. Pew reports that on average, incarceration is associated with a 40 percent decline in family earnings. Before fi nding themselves behind bars, two-thirds of male inmates were employed, and more than half were the primary source of income for their children. Improving the outcomes of ex-offenders will enable them to provide the stability that is so critical for their children. As Travis and others have noted, there are public policies that can improve the chances of successful reentry. Most start by preparing people for a positive, productive life after prison while they are still incarcerated. Producing fewer ex-offenders who become “churners” by returning to prison for committing new crimes seems to benefi t all of us—except, perhaps, those who profi t from the prison industry. The private prison industry is already a powerful,

fast-growing threat. NPR and other news organizations recently documented how prison lobbyists quietly helped write and pass Arizona’s strict immigration law, SB 1070, and are now trying to help with copycat bills across the country. Specifi cally, the Corrections Corporation of America saw an opportunity to profi t from building prisons for undocumented immigrants in Arizona, and drafted the bill with State Senator Russell Pearce at a convening of legislators, businesses, and associations in Washington D.C. in December, 2009. Five months later, SB 1070 was signed into law. A billion-dollar corporation like CCA has its own priorities—but we must stand for ours. We must reverse the trend that

has created an America with less than fi ve percent of the world’s population but over a quarter of the world’s prisoners. And we must dismantle the pipeline to prison that places one in three Black and one in six Hispanic boys born in 2001 at risk of incarceration in their lifetime. It is completely unacceptable that in our rich nation the only thing we will guarantee every child is a jail or detention cell after s/he gets into trouble. It’s time to guarantee all of them health care, a fair chance to get ready for and achieve in school, and safe and stimulating summer and after school programs with quality caring teacher-mentors. We need to end the galloping poverty that leaves them hungry and homeless and hopeless. We need

jobs in their future so they can see that school leads somewhere. It’s time for a critical mass of Americans to demand and work for a fundamental paradigm shift which prevents and breaks up the Cradle to Prison Pipeline and makes successful prisoner reentry a more likely by-product.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org.

Challenging the privatized prison industryChild

Watch

By Marian Wright EdelmanNNPA Columnist

“A billion dollar corporation like CAA has its own priorities—but

we must stand for ours”

Page 8 • December 20 - December 26, 2010 • Insight News insightnews.com

Thirteen years ago, after having just moved to the Chicago area, we met a couple at church and invited them over for dinner. Although I was a new mom, and not a great cook, I spent a lot of time and effort preparing the best meal I could for these new potential-friends. They were over an hour late getting to our house, so I started to worry. When we fi nally spoke on the phone a few days later, she casually said, “Oh, we couldn’t make it.” In my mind, I was screaming, “Why didn’t you have the decency to pick up the phone and call somebody?!” Right after that call ended, in my mind, I crossed her name off my potential-friend list.

Most of us usually don’t set out to be rude or inconsiderate to others, but truth is, it happens at times. Especially during the busy holiday season when many social gatherings take place, consider these helpful tips whether you are the host or the guest during the 2010 Holiday season.

Guest Etiquette:Don’t Come Too Early Or Too LateArrive no sooner than scheduled. If you show up too early, you may catch your host scrambling around, attending to last-minute details. Worse yet, she might still be in the shower (I would be). Is it a more formal, sit-down affair? If so, your late arrival may keep everyone waiting to eat. Having a good idea of the type of party helps you to be able to plan accordingly. Finally, if you accepted a party invitation and are no longer able to make it, please take the time to give the host a call or text. That way she won’t needlessly worry.

Bring A Hostess GiftWhile not required, it’s a nice way to express appreciation for a thoughtful invitation. Keep it simple, of course. It could be a nice bottle of wine or sparkling apple cider, a small plant, fl owers, a book, or a small do-it-yourself fruit assortment in an interesting container; tie a bow around it for instant cheer.

Be Friendly Put on a smile. If you don’t know many people, introduce yourself. Start with a safe question, “How do you know the host?” Work your way through the room and you just may discover a new friend before the evening is over. Lastly, if alcohol is being served, don’t overindulge and get too friendly (read: don’t get drunk and stupid).

Host Etiquette:Be FriendlyPut on a smile. After all, this was your idea, right? Relax and make guests feel comfortable right away; take their coats,

offer beverages, and make introductions.

Fully Stock The Powder RoomTo avoid the embarrassment of your guests having to come out and request more tissue, place several extra rolls in a pretty basket along with the Lysol Spray.

Don’t Expect Guests to Clean UpThe way I see it, it’s tacky to make guests feel as if they must help you clean after the party is over. Enough said!

’Tis the season to party! So keep good manners in mind while you partake in all the festivities.

May your holidays be seasoned with gratitude, grace, and good people. Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at low costs. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.

Holiday celebration etiquette 101LIFESTYLE

By Marcia Humphreymarcia@insightnews.com

Style on a Dime

stock.xchng / Mattox

insightnews.com Insight News • December 20 - December 26, 2010 • Page 9

opportunities and access to jobs in the workplaces of tomorrow. The array of fi nancial and housing services we offer provide the life-map for accomplishing a variety of generational wealth creation goals that can uplift families out of the pits of poverty. These are but a few of the strategies of hope, intentional gateways, which are the MUL’s social entrepreneurship gifts to our community. A scan of 2010 offers many other glimmers of hope. According to a quality of life survey conducted by Portfolio.com/bizjournals.com, the Twin Cities ranked third among 67 of the largest metropolitan areas based upon 20 key indicators, trailing only behind Raleigh, NC and Washington, D.C., ranked one and two respectively. The MUL’s commitment to the Twin Cities, as we move into 2011, is to continue working tirelessly; eradicating disparities within communities of color, so that this level of life quality can be widespread and transcend hue. There are big challenges ahead for Minnesota, but

there is also hope. We can fi nd hope in the fact that Minnesota has a new governor, Mark Dayton, who will bring new ideas and energy to our state leadership. While he is faced with a $6 billion budget defi cit, his ultimate victory has created a sense of hope for many. Future plans for North High School offer hope, as it appears efforts will be made to formulate strategic actions aimed at spurring educational improvement. Rather than the typical band-aid approach of shutting the school doors and parceling out students to other schools, these are actions that will benefi t the entire school district. So, as you think about the perfect gifts for friends and family, or as you look for the

perfect stocking stuffer, give some thought to giving gifts that inspire, encourage and give voice to the achievement of personal aspirations and dreams. Helping someone to feel valued, championing someone’s dream and other acts of thoughtfulness can remind people to treasure one of the greatest gifts there is, and that is the unique gift of self. Look deep within and make a personal vow that during this holiday season and in the New Year you will strive to expand your thinking and dispense more hope. Decide to challenge yourself as well, to creatively use your talents more intently. Strive to live a fuller life, persisting forward to the achievement of your true-life goals. This holiday

season, give the perfect gift; a gift that everyone needs; a gift that is a classic and never goes

out of style; the gift of hope. On behalf of everyone at the Minneapolis Urban League,

season’s greetings and best wishes for a joyous and hope-fi lled New Year!

Agriculture secretary brings hope for farmersA message of fairness and moving forward came from Tom Vilsack, secretary for the United States Department of Agriculture, when the former governor of Iowa was speaking Tuesday to the 68th Annual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference at Tuskegee University. His audience was a majority Black one and it wouldn’t be surprising if his remarks may have been viewed with skepticism. Vilsack admitted up front the USDA’s history in the area of civil rights was one that has to be improved upon. Many are waiting for payments from the Pigford II lawsuit brought against the USDA by Black farmers. Some

have been waiting years for their payments. In his remarks Tuesday, Dec. 7 to an audience at the Tuskegee University Chapel, Vilsack mentioned the Claims Settlement Act agreement by Congress last week that should speed up the lagging payment process. One has to remember that Vilsack’s comments and promise came in the same county where the United States Department of Public Health conducted the infamous Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male — the Tuskegee Syphilis Study — where from 1932-72 many men in Macon County were misled to believe they were receiving treatment for syphilis as the government studied the disease’s effects. The Study is one of the blackest eyes in U.S. history. It

is also a major reason many Blacks don’t trust the federal government when it comes to medical care. The same holds true for treatment from the USDA. But Vilsack seemed to offer hope that what he says can be taken to the bank as the truth. In the two years Vilsack has served in his capacity on President Barack Obama’s cabinet, many initiatives have been taken to address the needs of the nation’s farmers. Those initiatives have targeted to improve the plight of minorities and those considered disadvantaged. It’s not all about settlements. Vilsack talked of programs to make farming more viable. He spoke of improving schools, hospitals, infrastructure and communication in rural

communities so opportunities for the disadvantaged would be improved. It wasn’t so much what Vilsack said — which was impressive enough. It was the passion with which he made his points. That has to give people who will be most impacted a sense of hope. There hasn’t always been that hope for the audience Vilsack addressed. Hope exhibited through programs and initiatives is where the rubber meets the road. It appears Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture understands the importance of making his word his bond on behalf of the USDA, where more times than not that hasn’t been the case.

By The Tuskegee News

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

MULFrom 1

insightnews.com Insight News • December 20 - December 26, 2010 • Page 11

The Los Angeles Lakers have participated in the last four NBA Finals. With the additions that they made during the offseason, it would seem that they are well positioned to potentially win a fourth 3-peat for coach Phil Jackson. The Lakers are less dominant than Jackson’s former teams with the Lakers and Bulls, but they still have the same late game Zen to be able to pull out the close ones. For a Lakers fan such as myself, that approach is real annoying – I wish they would just whoop up on teams like the Bulls and Michael Jordan used to do – but at the end of the day, they have been to the dance before, and know where the bathroom is. On the other side of the country, the Boston Celtics have a bad taste in their mouth because of their loss to the Lakers in last years’ Finals. The Celtics have also added Shaquille O’Neal since last year, and Shaq is still Shaq when he needs to be. No matter what anybody says to me,

Shaquille O’Neal is the most dominant force on a basketball court I have ever seen. If Shaq were to concentrate on basketball completely, rather than brand building trips to Harvard Square and such, then I’m fairly confi dent that he could still perform close to the level of his past dominance. Shaq has been savvy about his body size, and thus staying healthy, so that he can extend his

playing career. It’s completely understandable that Shaq focuses so much time on his commercial presence, so I really don’t fault him – as the Bone Thugs and Harmony song says, “gotta’make that money man.” But somehow, I think that lack of focus will be a last second deal breaker if the Celtics were to face the Lakers in the Finals again in June 2011 (yes, we’re already talking about

2011. 2010 has been a good one…did I mention the Lakers won the Championship). Yes, I do think that the Lakers and Celtics will meet again at the end of this season, but the Miami Heat have certainly peaked everyone’s interest with their improved performance of late. It’s hard to imagine that three-star players on the Heat can beat fi ve-star players on a team with longstanding comraderie such as the Celtics. The addition of center Eric Dampier to the Heat has given them a veteran presence at center, but it’s harder to imagine Shaq not eating Dampier’s lunch if it comes down to it. Thus, the Heat’s supposed run at seven or eight championships (that’s what LeBron said, I’m just repeating) may have to wait at least one more year. After those three teams are a bunch of teams that are very interesting, and fun to watch – the NBA has a good product going this year – but they have little chance to knock veteran teams out of championship contention. The Oklahoma Thunder may head that list, with their combination of MVP candidate, forward Kevin Durant, and guard Russell Westbrook; who is playing well enough to get some sniffs of MVPness himself. The fact that the Thunder have a few other strong pieces in addition to their leading two stars, leaves them

only one “big dude” away from being able to take a serious run at the Lakers. But they are still one big dude away. The Denver Nuggets are out of the 2010 gate well. Carmello Anthony is handling his desire to be traded very professionally, but the fact that he has one foot out the door cripples a team that has a lot, but not enough, confi dence to beat the Lakers. And of course creeping up on every team is the new and improved Minnesota Timberwolves. Sure I’m slightly kidding when I say that, but the Timberwolves have some really good things going. One of the most important of those “things” is the fact that the Timberwolves have plenty of serviceable “big dudes”. Just because a team doesn’t have a Shaq or Dwight Howard at their center position, doesn’t mean that they can’t have a presence of big dudes in the paint. The combination of Milicic, Koufus and Pecherov gives the Timberwolves a steady

dose of “big dudes.” But the Lakers lead the league in quality big dudes, and if that element is healthy, then the fi rst quarter of the season suggests that a familiar script may unfold for the 2011 season – I hope. It will get very interesting for the Timberwolves when point guard Jonny Flynn comes back from injury. I think many underestimate Flynn’s ability. The Chicago Bulls, New York Kicks, and Indiana Pacers are interesting, as far as other teams in the Eastern Conference go, but only a few teams in any year are serious championship contenders. Those teams, and teams like the Timberwolves, have to settle with being very good entertainment, and works in progress. But if all those teams keep drinking milk, then Kobe Bryant will eventually retire and allow somebody else to wear the ring. For now, they must all kiss that ring. That Kevin Love is something else on the boards though.

The Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, the Minnesota Adoption Resource Network (MARN), the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and World Vision teamed up this holiday season to host the sixth annual “Holiday Shopping for Kids” event held on Thursday, Dec. 9. Thirteen foster children from MARN currently waiting

for adoption, and 10 children selected by World Vision, were invited to participate. The children met for a snack at SEVEN Steakhouse restaurant (700 Hennepin Ave.) to kick off the event. While at SEVEN Steakhouse, the children were told of the surprise holiday shopping spree at the Minneapolis downtown Target store. Wolves players

Sebastian Telfair and Anthony Tolliver were in attendance for the shopping event. “On any given day there are about 350 Minnesota children and youth in foster care waiting for adoptive parents,” said Lorenzo Davis, Outreach Specialist for MN Adopt, a program funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services that provides statewide adoption services. “Thanks to the Minnesota Timberwolves and this fantastic event, we’re able to highlight the need for adoptive families and continue our mission to reduce the number of waiting children to zero. These children, through no fault of their own, may not have holiday celebrations to go home to this year, and we’re proud to partner with the Wolves to make a difference in these young children’s lives.” Over the fi ve previous years, the Timberwolves have surprised a total of 93 children in foster care waiting for adoptive families

with a holiday shopping spree. This annual event has assisted county agencies and their partners fi nalize the adoptions of 32 of those children; but more families are needed to come forward. “Holiday Shopping for Kids” is the signature event of the FastBreak Foundation’s Season of Giving Month, presented by World Vision. “World Vision Twin Cities is extremely proud to partner with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the month of December. Together, we are building a better world for children and families who are caught in the cycle of poverty in the Twin Cities,” said Chris Brooks, World Vision - Twin Cities, Executive Director.

The NBA quarter pole assessment

Timberwolves surprise foster children with shopping spree

SPORTS

Mr. T’s Sports Report

By Ryan T. Scottryan@insightnews.com

Photos by Suluki FardanAnthony Tolliver and Naomi

Flickr / K1K0.comThat Kevin Love is something else on the boards...

IN: The governor has... BC: The governor just wouldn’t sign it. IN: Right. BC: The governor would back them up. IN: Yeah BC: Mark Dayton will be a great governor. But I think Mark Dayton is going to have to have the courage to be able to look the Republicans in the eye and tell them what he will or will not do, based on whether it will improve the life of Minnesotans Republicans are just going to say “No new revenue, no new anything”, right? They’re going to just want to cut, cut, and cut no matter how it impacts seniors or the most vulnerable in our society, education for our children. They don’t care about that. I believe Mark Dayton, will have the courage to look them in eye and say “There’s no way that I’m going to be known as the governor who destroyed the educational foundation for our children and who failed to prepare the next generation so that we can compete globally. I’m not going to be the governor who is not going to make sure that our seniors have the protection in care that they need as they live out their golden years.” He is going to have to look them square in the face and demand that we as a state, support guiding principles that improve our quality of life. I was just recently over at Paul Wellstone Center and saw this statement and it is so true. Senator

Wellstone said, “When we all do better, we all do better.” IN: And part of this Representative Champion is that we continue to encourage residents, citizens to be critical thinkers to look at and to demand more information and to weigh information and to use good information, good data in making their choices in forming their opinions. Let’s bring the conversation to what I call hyper local. Representative Champion, you are an advocate for education and a proud graduate of North High School. North High has been on the radar because Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson recommended closing North High School, then revised the recommendation to order closing the program in the building, but not the school. She said she wanted the community to help create a new program that would generate support and increase enrollment for the school. BC: Well, I think we’re going to start globally Al because North is just a part of the things that have been going on that have been problematic. But this situation also creates an opportunity. The global idea is that that no matter where kids go, they should be able to get a rigorous and appropriate education that prepares them for the future. I don’t think your zip code should be able to determine your future. I think that we have to be committed to that and we’ve been committed to having a robust public education. North represents the challenge that has been going on nationally in which districts have been given up when it comes to fi guring

out how we deal with urban education. How do we make sure that those folks who attend school in our urban corridors are getting the same level of rigor and high standards so that they too can be prepared for the future? And so North is our glaring problem, right? And when I say our glaring problem, I don’t mean that North is a problem. The problem is what are we not doing as a district that’s not providing our kids with the high standards or the rigor that they should receive. Why is it that people don’t have the faith or trust in our Minneapolis Public School District? Because guess what? The attendance challenges that the North High Schools have and the other schools have, is a district-wide problem because there’s a lack of trust and confi dence in the district. And so I think the district now also showed us something else that is a glaring problem, not just for the Minneapolis public schools but is a glaring problem for even the city of Minneapolis or even the County. And what is that? A lack of community engagement. There has been no intentional reach into our community so that we can be engaged around issues that affect us, so we are part of the solution as opposed to be considered a part of the problem. I think the only way that we grow is when we challenge each other, think through these issues critically. We have to think critically through it and develop solutions on every dimension or every place or space that we need in order to have impactful outcome.

ChampionFrom 5

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