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Celebrating 90 years of Black journalistic excellence. April 10 - 16, 2025
Vol. 91
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
No. 37
Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities expands mentorship, strengthens child safety or school environments. BBBS employs structured check-ins, including monthly meetings during the first year and quarterly follow-ups, to encourage disclosures and provide support.
By Kiara Williams Staff Writer ig Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities (BBBS) continues to emphasize child safety while expanding its mentorship program, serving more than 2,000 youth across the region. With a structured safety framework and increased community outreach, the organization is reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding children and fostering meaningful mentor relationships.
Hallie Q. Brown Center’s 96 years inspire an ambitious vision college students are broke.’” For nearly a century, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center n April 1, Hallie Q. Brown has provided vital programs Community Center cel- and services to Rondo resiebrated its 96th anniver- dents. Its success, Roberts sary with an event that honored emphasized, has always been its history, highlighted its present driven by the urgency of comwork, and laid out an ambitious munity needs. vision for the future. Executive “This organization was not Director Benny Roberts delivered started with a business plan,” an impassioned speech about he said. “There were commuthe center’s role in Rondo, the nity needs and no time. You historic heart of St. Paul’s Black had to have action.” community, and called for continNow the center is preparued investment in its people and ing for its next chapter — a resources. 25,000-square-foot expansion
By Aria Binns-Zager Staff Writer
Incident response BBBS adheres to a Critical Incident Process, ensuring all concerns raised by Littles, Bigs, or parents are documented and investigated. If reports involve suspected abuse or neglect, BBBS follows mandatory reporting laws, escalating cases to law enforcement or child protective services as required. “This program is about Staff and volunteers receive more than just ongoing education in identifymentorship. It’s about ing and reporting abuse. “Transparency and accountcreating a foundation of ability are key,” Kisob said. “We trust and protection.” take every report seriously and Princess Awa-Ada Kisob, vice president of programming at ensure that all staff, mentors Courtesy Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities Courtesy and parents understand their Hallie Q. Brown Community Center (HQBC) Child safety protocols role in keeping children safe.” Ensuring the well-being of “I’ve dedicated my whole that Roberts described as long participants remains a corner- is wrong,” said Princess Awa- dardizing safety education life and service to community, overdue. stone of BBBS’s mission. The Ada Kisob, BBBS Twin Cities’ across all chapters. In 2024, Comprehensive safety but it’s different when you’re “I’ve been mapping out a organization provides training vice president of programs. BBBS Twin Cities reported that training for Littles (ages 8-13), Bigs “This program is about more fewer than 4% of participants BBBS integrates safety dis- serving the community that pre-capital campaign plan and (mentors 18 and older), and than just mentorship — it’s disclosed harm, with only one cussions throughout its men- gave you your first job,” Rob- designated a request for a parents to recognize and re- about creating a foundation of case involving allegations of torship process. Littles engage erts said. “It’s different when 25,000-square-foot expansion trust and protection.” port harm. sexual abuse — none of which in personalized safety sessions you’re serving the community to this building,” he announced. In 2023, the national BBBS were linked to mentors. during enrollment, where that says, ‘You’re going to col- “And why? It’s because of the “Our goal is to ensure every child feels safe and empow- network mandated Your Child’s Instead, reports primarily re- they establish boundaries and lege. Let me put some money majority of this room.” ■ See BBBS on page 5 in your pocket because I know ered to speak up if something Personal Safety Training, stan- flected concerns about home ■ See VISION on page 5
Conflicting priorities hamstring Mpls violence prevention
Minneapolis mayor one of nine in competitive race
in Zone 2, a Northside area By Clint Combs that includes the historically Staff Writer high-need intersection of 36th fter decades of mis- and Penn. ayor Jacob Frey is Weeks earlier, Rev. Jerry seeking a final term trust between the in office, telling votMinneapolis Police McAfee’s nonprofit, 21 Days Department and the commu- of Peace, had its funding re- ers at the Northside Candidate nity, the City Council is invest- quest pulled after two of its Forum at Zion Baptist Church, ing in alternative violence pre- members were involved in a “I’m running for one final term vention initiatives. On March shootout off-the-clock. The to get the job done. I want to 27 the Council approved fund- sudden removal of 21 Days partner with you all to make ing for five organizations: Res- of Peace left Zone 2 without that happen.” Frey faces eight challengtoration, Inc. and A Mother’s a dedicated violence prevenLove, which provide services tion group, raising concerns ers in his bid for a third term, on the Northside of Minneap- among residents and local including Ward 11 Councilolis; and T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, leaders about potential gaps member Emily Koski; Rev. Sabathani Community Center, in service. DeWayne Davis of Plymouth In response, the Council Congregational Church; Jazz and MAD Dads serving the passed a resolution allowing Hampton, CEO of legal servicSouthside. es app TurnSignl; and Brenda Short, a former retail and corporate worker known for her criticisms of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). DSA-backed candidate Omar Fateh was absent from the forum due to state Senate deliberations running overtime. At the forum, Frey highlighted the Great River Landing Project as a model for criminal justice reform. “We should have wraparound services that make sure that people have T.O.U.C.H. Outreach is one of five nonprofits awarded homes, jobs, and a direct concontracts in violence prevention efforts. Courtesy nection to the community,” he said, emphasizing support for The Council also approved community groups to bid on those reentering society after a proposal by Councilmem- providing services in Zone 2, incarceration. Hampton, whose TurnSignl ber Jamal Osman to move but no immediate replacement $640,000 from public safety has been secured. “It really app helps drivers record interfunds to support violence was just helping Osman figure actions with police, criticized prevention efforts in the Ce- out his funding stream be- the lack of resources for fordar Riverside and Elliot Park cause the money was there for merly incarcerated individuneighborhoods. However, Zone 2,” said Councilmember als. Citing the case of Marvin these funding decisions follow LaTrisha Vetaw. Haynes, whose wrongful conweeks of debate, particularly “We had lots of conversations viction was overturned due concerning the loss of service ■ See HAMSTRING on page 5 to faulty eyewitness reports, By Clint Combs Staff Writer
(r-l) Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Brenda Short, Jazz Hampton, DeWayne Davis, and Emily Koski discuss public safety, criminal justice reform and worker policies at Zion Baptist Church in Minneapolis with MPR News host Angela Davis (far left). Officer,” dismissed the concept of reform entirely. “I don’t believe in reform. I believe in rebuilding,” she said. Frey also cited his administration’s initiatives, including the Office of Safety Commissioner and mental health response services, as commitments made in the wake of George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police. “I’m sure there are people now that say we’re not going to be able to set up a Safety Center, either on the South Side or the North Side, that has all these services under one roof,” Frey said. “Doubt it now. We’re going to do that too.” Candidates also addressed labor issues, with many voicing support for public unions. Short referenced a March 14 strike by workers at Providence Place in Minneapolis. have been very good at back- data transparency. Meanwhile, “Our workers have the right to ing people with good ideas Short, a self-described “Peace ■ See MAYOR on page 5
Hampton said, “He didn’t have a cell phone to put a number down on a piece of paper to get a call back for an interview,” referring to the challenges inmates face when transitioning back into society. “These are wraparound services that we need to provide.” Davis underscored the role churches play in filling financial gaps for entrepreneurs with criminal records. “If you have been convicted and incarcerated, no one wants to loan you anything. Churches
who just need someone to believe in them,” he said. Koski pointed to job opportunities within the city. “We have 4,000 jobs at the City of Minneapolis, over 3,000 part-time jobs,” she said, touting the Southside Community Center and the council’s funding of the Fourth Precinct as ways to bolster the Community Safety Department. Davis expressed optimism about the Neighborhood Safety Department’s efforts to increase public trust through
“I’m running for one final term to get the job done.”