THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934
September 10-16, 2020 Vol. 87 No. 6
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Serving the Community for Years
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“AS IT WAS SPOKEN ... LET US RECORD.”
Labor Day highlights struggles of Black workers
Widespread demands for change could rejuvenate organized labor
News Analysis By Mel Reeves Contributing writer
Courtesy MGN
A
ugust Nimtz, professor of political science at the University of Minnesota, said, “Labor Day was a sobering reminder for all workers, especially those in black skin, of what it means to lack a government and political system that serves their interests. “Friday’s job numbers revealed what they already knew: The greatest crisis since the Great Depression is knocking at the door. While White unemployment was at seven percent, for Blacks it was 14 percent. For Black teenagers it was 25%, a bit less than twice that of White teenagers. The latter numbers go a long way in explaining what took place two weeks ago on Minneapolis’ Nicollet Mall. It won’t get better,” said Nimtz. Labor Day came in a year
The MSR recently took to the streets to gather the perspectives Since the police killing of of community members about George Floyd in Minneapolis on policing. We asked these quesMay 25, the issue of policing has tions: Are you in favor of disbeen a hot-button topic in Min- mantling the Minneapolis Police neapolis and across the nation Department? What’s your viwith calls to reform or dismantle sion for community policing? Read the reflections below the police. The uptick in violent crime this summer has only in- and join the conversation in our tensified discussions around the online comments. issue. By Nikki Love/MSR News
Courtesy MGN that has been filled with efforts by those who work for a living to get a bigger slice of the economic pie they produce for employers. This was especially true of Black workers, and this effort has been coupled with calls for racial justice on the job and in society, especially as it relates
to the police violence that continues to plague the Black community. While the U.S. has designated during the COVID pandemic that certain workers are essential because the nation could not function without them, there was no corresponding effort to protect
these workers. Nor were there offers to better compensate them until some took matters into their own hands and threatened and even carried out strikes. An outsized percentage of these “essential” workers are Black, which puts them at greater risk of falling ill from ■See LABOR DAY on page 5
St. Paul experiments with guaranteed incomes 150 families to be selected for 18-month pilot MSR News Services On September 3, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter signed Executive Order 2020-24 authorizing the creation of the People’s Prosperity Pilot, Saint Paul’s Guaranteed Income Demonstration Program. Led by the Office of Financial Empowerment, the People’s Prosperity Pilot will provide up to 150 Saint Paul families with $500 per month in guaranteed income for a period of up to 18 months. The projected budget of up to $1.5 million will be supported through a combination of the Mayors for Guaranteed Income national network, philanthropy, and City of Saint Paul CARES funds. Households will be randomly selected from CollegeBound Saint Paul, a college savings account program. Saint Paul families from the city’s most racially diverse and
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter MSR file photo lowest wealth neighborhoods. Cash payments to participants are expected to start this fall. “More than ever before, this economic crisis has pushed families into crisis, struggling to maintain basic necessities for their children,” said Mayor Melvin Carter. “This demonstration pilot is an exciting new approach to support our most vulnerable families while helping build the
case for permanent guaranteed income programs at state and federal levels.” “The divide between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ has never been more clearly on display,” said St. Paul City Council President Amy Brendmoen. “In our rich, developed nation, billionaire employers hire people at poverty wages and government programs are errantly designed to keep people stuck in lowwage jobs with no path upward. “I am proud that leadership in Saint Paul continues to create innovative ways to break cycles of poverty,” Brendmoen said. “The guaranteed income pilot program gives us an opportunity to directly impact our most vulnerable community members by leveraging private partnerships and non-local funding sources. It is my hope that this 18-month test will demonstrate a new approach that can be taken to a broader level.”
“A guaranteed income for Saint Paul families who are struggling more than ever is an essential step for the stability our residents deserve,” said Ward 4 Councilmember Mitra Jalali. “Our city has the chance to both help our residents in a crisis and contribute to national research that could restructure a more fair economy for all.” The Office of Financial Empowerment will randomly select from families enrolled in CollegeBound Saint Paul families located in the 55104, 55106, 55119 and 55117 St. Paul zip codes. Of the more than 1,800 families already enrolled in CollegeBound Saint Paul, more than 1,000 households are in these zip codes. These areas have been identified as neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, as defined by unemployment insurance claims and cost-burdened households from a report conducted
Aaliyah A.
We should defund the police because they are not protecting us. The money is for protection, but when the police pull up on the scene, we are not protected. I took criminal justice classes, and the police are supposed to come to serve and protect. The police instead are serving against us. When police start serving and protecting, we can then go from there. Fix how the police are being trained and check their
backgrounds. Make sure the new hires are actually coming to serve and protect, not coming to get power.
Tyrone W. All police officers are not bad, therefore I don’t think the whole department should be dismantled. I believe those who want to be police officers should have to go through a thorough background check, have more intense training and psychological evaluation. There are a lot of things that I am not in favor of dis- are missing in training the pomantling the police depart- lice, and we need to figure out ment. I do believe there needs what is missing. Stay strong! to be some changes.
Alicia S. I’m not in favor of defunding the police in this current state. Violent crimes are being inflicted upon my people by my people, I mean the African American descendants of the slaves. But I am in favor of transforming the police department.
■See INCOME on page 5
■See WORD ON THE STREET on page 5
Police ill-equipped to deal with mentally ill Too often police encounters with those in crisis end in death suffered from mental health problems, had run almost naked out of his Rochester, New York house into the snow. When offiWhen Joe Prude called the cers arrived, new video footage police on his brother, he was ask- shows, the March 23 encounter ing for help: Daniel Prude, who quickly turned violent. Prude died from asphyxiation under a hood officers had put over his head. Little more than a year ago, Kobe DimockHeisler was shot and killed by Brooklyn Center police. Dimock-Heisler was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time when police responded to a “disturbance call” that ended in his death. Two years prior, in 2018, Shukri Ali Said of Georgia also wound up dead after leaving her house during a mental health crisis on April 23. PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
By Jennifer Sarrett Contributing writer
Police, called in to help, found Said standing at an intersection holding a knife. Officers shot her five times in the neck and chest, killing her. That same month, in New York, officers answered a 911 call about a Black man waving something that looked like a gun. In fact, it was a pipe. But when Saheed Vassell, a 34-year-old father with mental illness who was well known in his Brooklyn community, pointed it at police, they shot him dead. Prude, Dimock-Heisler Vassell and Said are among the hundreds of people with intellectual disabilities or mental illnesses in the United States who are killed by police every year. According to The Washington Post, 197 of the 999 people shot by police in 2019 had a mental illness. A Star Tribune survey found that in Minnesota, out of 183 fatal
police shootings in the state from a mental health crisis at the time first responders in cases of men2000 until June 2019, at least 75 of of the shooting. tal health crises in the United Police are almost always the States, as they are in criminal and those shot had a history of mental illness or were in the midst of ■See MENTALLY ILL on page 5
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September 10-16, 2020
George Floyd’s death inspires a year of quilt exhibitions Schedule extended to allow safe viewing
When Minneapolis became the epicenter of the nationwide protest movement against police brutality and racism in America following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, the Textile Center and Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN) joined forces to create “We Are the Story”, a multi-venue initiative in the Twin Cities, September 10, 2020, through June 12, 2021. Under the curatorial direction of Carolyn Mazloomi, WCQN founder and member of Textile Center’s National Artist Advisory Council, “We Are the Story” opens in September with exhibitions at Textile Center and the American Swedish Institute. Due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Textile Center is extending the previously announced timeline for “We Are the Story” into June 2021, which will ensure that the quilts can be seen in person by as many people as possible in safe, socially distanced environments. Extending the timeline also allows the exhibition of quilts to coincide with the observation of the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Two juried exhibitions–”Gone but Never Forgotten: Remembering Those Lost to Police Brutality” and “Racism: In the Face of Hate We Resist”–serve as a centerpiece for “We Are the Story.” Given the urgency of these issues in America, quilters from around the nation worked under an extremely tight creative time-
Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota’s Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center in North Minneapolis, Homewood Studios in North Minneapolis, Studio 106in Burnsville, and St. Catherine University’s Apparel, Merchandising and Design Gallery. A series of Zoom talks, including We Are the Story: Let’s Talk about Race presented by TextileCenter, WCQN and Friends, will be announced soon. These Zoom presentations will focus on issues of police brutality, racism, and inequities in America in support of Black Lives Matter, as well as introduce the more than 100 quilters featured in these exhibitions. The Zoom talks will be open to the public. For more info, visit http://bit.ly/ WeAreTheStory The Textile Center is located at 3000 University Ave. S.E., Minneapolis. For more info, visit textilecentermn.org or call 612-436-0464. Submitted photo
“Cracked Justice” by Carolyn Crump line. The calls were open in midJune to all artists regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, race, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and 423 quilts were submitted by the July 31 deadline. Mazloomi selected 89 quilts for the two exhibitions. Textile Center and WCQN recently announced the quilts selected for these exhibitions below.
As part of “We Are the Story,” the American Swedish Institute will present the Minnesota premiere of WCQN’s “We Who Believe in Freedom” September 10 through November 1, 2020. Assembled in 2016 to honor the 55 th anniversary of the Freedom Riders, “We Who Believe in Freedom” represents works by members of WCQN that tell the story of the African American ex-
perience. “We Are the Story” also includes four solo exhibitions. “I Wish I Knew How it Feels to be Free” (Quilts by Dorothy Burge, Chicago, IL) will be presented at the Textile Center September 29 through December 24, 2020. The venues and dates for the following three venues will be announced soon: “Sacred Invocations” (Quilts
by Sylvia Hernandez, Brooklyn, NY); “The Protest Series” (Quilts by Penny Mateer, Pittsburgh, PA); and “Freedom Rising: I Am the Story” (Quilts by L’Merchie Frazier, Boston, MA.) Select quilts will also be presented with community partners later this winter and spring including the University of Minnesota’s Weisman Art Museum, Division of Indian Work in South
The ASI is located at 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis. For more info, visit www. ASImn.org or call 612-871-4907.
State offers free COVID-19 saliva tests for teachers, school staff, childcare workers Governor Tim Walz announced last week that teachers, school staff, and childcare providers across the state have received access to their free COVID-19 saliva test, totaling more than 250,000 tests. The saliva tests are part of the Safe Learning Plan for the 2020-21 School Year and consistent with Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan’s commitment to providing access to COVID-19 testing for Minnesotans working in childcare and prekindergarten to grade 12 schools. “As a classroom teacher for more than 20 years and a parent of a child in public schools, I know that a safe classroom is the foundation for learning,” said Governor Walz. “Those educating and caring for Minnesota’s next generation deserve the peace of mind that these COVID-19 tests will provide.” The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has emailed thousands of unique codes that can be used to request a saliva test, which schools will distribute to all staff currently employed by Minnesota’s school districts, charter schools, tribal schools, and nonpublic schools. Additionally, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has provided codes to all staff currently working in licensed childcare settings and certified centers. “All families in our state, including our littlest Minnesotans, want to know their teachers, school nutrition workers, and childcare staff are supported. This means if they are exposed to COVID-19 as a frontline worker, we work to make sure they have access to testing,” said Lt Governor Flanagan. “Our goal is to create safe in-person learning for as many children as possible, and saliva tests are one piece of the puzzle to support that plan.” The tests are provided through a partnership with Vault Health and Infinity Biologix (formerly RUCDR Infinite Biologics, a unit of Rutgers University Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey), the nation’s leading providers of saliva testing. Governor Walz
recently announced that the state would be partnering further with the company, to make saliva testing available to all Minnesotans. Providing testing to roughly 250,000 education and childcare professionals is estimated to cost the state $6 million. Insurers will first be billed for medically necessary tests and uninsured individuals will be covered via federal Health Resources and Services Administration funding. The state will act as a payer of last resort, backstopping the cost of tests not covered by other payers so that education and childcare professionals will not be responsible for payment. “A central part of our state’s COVID strategy is testing,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “Adding saliva testing to our testing ecosystem both grows and diversifies our testing capacity. Teachers, school staff, childcare center employees have a responsibility to get tested if they believe they’ve been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or are feeling symptoms themselves. We hope this test will provide a convenient, reliable, and quick option for them.” Teachers and staff are not required to take the tests before coming back to the classroom or to continue working in a childcare setting. State officials urge them to get tested when they need it, such as when they’re feeling symptomatic or when they believe they may have been exposed to someone who is COVID positive. The tests must be used by the end of 2020, though the state is exploring options to extend access for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. “Every single educator and school staff member across our state has worked tirelessly to prepare for the upcoming school year and we need to make sure we have their back,” said Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker. “I’m pleased we are able to offer this resource to every school district, charter school, tribal school, and nonpublic
school employee providing inperson instruction or support to our students, so they can have access to a COVID-19 test." “Childcare has remained open throughout this public health crisis ensuring that children have the nurturing and safe care they need while families need to be working,” said Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “They are heroes during these unprecedented times putting in the
extra time to implement the public health guidance. We must ensure that each provider has access to a test whenever it is needed.” School and childcare staff are currently limited to one test per person under this program. They will use the same process for anyone taking a Vault Health COVID-19 saliva test, which includes spitting into a funnel while connected with a Vault test supervisor over a Zoom video call. Education professionals and
childcare staff will still be able to seek testing at their regular medical provider, local testing location, or when the state offers community collection events. Home schools are not covered by this program. Vaulth Health is the go-to testing company for major Fortune 500 companies, sports leagues, and universities, including the PGA and Purdue University. State officials expect to open a saliva lab in Oakdale, Minnesota
by early October, which would be capable of processing up to 30,000 samples a day. For more info, go to http://bit.ly/ MNCOVIDtests. —Information provided by the Office of Gov. Tim Walz.
September 10-16, 2020
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Faith, worship and COVID-19
By Maarya Pasha, MD and LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH Guest contributors Religious leaders and faith-based organizations provide solace and a means to navigate the ups and downs of life while also fostering a strong sense of belonging and community. Regular religious practices and being a part of faith communities can improve one’s sense of well-being. Spirituality also can help individuals cope with illness and the suffering that accompanies it. This is perhaps most evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when many turned to their spiritual leaders and faith communities for guidance to adjust to a new normal. The constant news cycle, rising COVID-19 deaths, and social isolation left many of us in upheaval and despair. But it is often in times of great distress where we turn to a higher being and find comfort in belief in something greater than ourselves. COVID-19 has presented many challenges and disturbed weekly gatherings in places of worship. There were also conflicting guidelines
given the emerging uncertainty around the virus, leaving many local places of worship uncertain on how to handle the need to maintain their spiritual communities while abiding by safe public health practices. But these times also brought great opportunities. Our faithbased health and wellness program, FAITH! (Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Heath) at Mayo Clinic has been partnering with local African American churches in Rochester, MN and the Twin Cities area for several years. As the pandemic hit, many churches reached out to our program for guidance. Protective guidelines We worked with them to create actionable steps and easy-to-follow infographics as a guide for churches to use during the pandemic to protect their congregation members. This helped religious leaders including church pastors share important health information that was more acceptable and relevant to many
in the congregations than other media sources. National guidelines also emerged during this time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends limiting the size of gatherings, use of masks, and proper social distancing in all houses of worship. In addition, it is recommended to limit the sharing of frequently touched objects such as prayer rugs, prayer books and hymnals. Furthermore, physical contact such as hugging and shaking hands should be limited. This poses challenges for many faith communities, especially during religious rituals such as funerals. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) also released several documents geared toward specific faith communities giving guidance on safe reopening. MDH also dedicated staff to cultural, faith and disability communities during COVID-19 and has opened several testing sites at local places of worship. One mosque in North Minneapolis, Masjid AnNur, with a predominantly African American congregation, decided to delay reopening until the fall in order to keep its congregants safe. Mosque leaders are reassessing the situation in light of updated COVID-19 health information and rising infection rates in underserved communities of color.
Courtesy MGN
erings and sermons through Zoom and Facebook Live for the Christian holiday of Easter and the Muslim gathering of Eid-Al-Adha. This helped to maintain traditions and community togetherness while preventing spread of the virus. One thing remains certain: Faith is essential to the daily lives of many Americans and its importance cannot be overlooked. Dedicated health professionals, religious leaders and community members should continue to come together and create innovative ways to allow faith communities to stay connected while following recommended guidelines to stay safe from COVID-19. New opportunities Faith will continue to bring Despite the many challenges, the pandemic also people together and aid in brought new opportunities their ability to cope with illto attend spiritual gatherings ness and suffering. The belief in different formats. We saw in a higher being is what keeps livestream interactive gath- hope alive for many during these unprecedented times. How can you remain con-
nected to your faith community and stay safe from COVID-19? • Wear masks at all times during any gatherings. • Maintain proper social distancing of six feet as much as possible at events such as funerals, weddings, religious education classes, youth events, support groups and any other programming; consider virtual services as an alternative. • Take precautions to limit the size of social gatherings in accordance with local public health guidelines, and if possible, hold gatherings in wellventilated and outdoor spaces. • Avoid hugging, kissing or shaking hands during gatherings. • Properly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in places of worship and minimize the sharing of worship aids, prayer rugs, prayer books, hymnals, religious texts. Bring your own to faith
gatherings. Maarya Pasha, MD is an internist who recently completed a general internal medicine fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She is transitioning to a position at Hennepin County Medical Center where she will practice in the division of internal medicine and will hold a joint academic position with the University of Minnesota. She is interested in innovative ways to improve healthcare delivery and achieve health equity. LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH, FACP, FACC, FASCP is a preventive cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine within the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She is passionate about community health and faith-based interventions to achieve healthy equity in disadvantaged racial/ethnic minority communities.
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September 10-16, 2020
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the MSR.
Good health care should be a birthright for all By Jewelean Jackson
‘We Charge Genocide’ revisited Osaka’s protest goes beyond strikes and boycotts By P. Khalil Saucier One could conclude that the sports activists of today, from the WNBA to the MLS, are continuing the work of Paul Robeson, Tommie Smith, John Carlos, Muhammad Ali and others by punctuating a need for change now. And yet, I beg to differ, and not because most of what we are witnessing is performative or an example of “woke capitalism” where dissent is socially managed and commodified. Rather, because the sneaker scribbles, league-approved social messages and Twitter rants often miss the conceptual analytical mark; that is,
es in length, documented the various forms of brutality, murder, and mayhem that Black people confronted in the first part of the 20th century in order to demonstrate that the government of the United States was in violation of the U.N. Genocide Convention. “We Charge Genocide” stated that “the oppressed Negro citizens of the United States, segregated, discriminated against, and long the target of violence, suffer from genocide as the result of the consistent, conscious, unified policies of every branch of government.” It charged that under Article II of the Convention, the United States failed to enforce its
George Hill’s exhausted refrain about being “tired of crooked a** cops.” For such a declaration presupposes that the police are typically good unless otherwise infected by the so-called disease of racism. Instead, genocide understands the spectacular violence of police shootings as a form of over -determined regularity, not unscrupulous illegality. To do anything less dangerously distorts how we understand anti-blackness in this world. Osaka stated that before she is an athlete, she is first and foremost “a Black woman.” This declaration would be surprising to the champions
“Genocide creates the imperative for radical transformation, not social reform, and leaves people with no other choice but to dismantle the conditions that spawn it.” they simply reproduce and therefore fortify the commonsense liberal reproach for racial justice and racial equality. However, all is not lost, for two-time tennis champion and former number-one ranked tennis star Naomi Osaka did something different. Following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Osaka did what many athletes did and announced that she would forgo her semi-finals match and concede victory to her opponent (only to play and win a day later). But unlike her colleagues throughout the sporting world, Osaka did more than boycott and strike; rather she charged “genocide.” She declared that she was tired of “[w]atching the continued genocide of Black people at the hands of the police...” Osaka’s charge of genocide is historically and analytically significant. First, to charge genocide is to recall when the great actor, activist, and athlete Paul Robeson along with William Patterson and other members of the Civil Rights Congress led a delegation to U.N. headquarters in New York on December 17, 1951 to deliver “We Charge Genocide: The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief From a Crime of the United States Government Against the Negro People.” This petition, over 200-pag-
own Constitution and must be punished under international law for its genocidal acts against Black people. While nothing came of this petition from a juridical standpoint—seen as merely the work of Black communist agitators—genocide as an analytical concept remained in critical circulation throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Thus, Osaka’s statement must be seen as part of and as an extension of a radical tradition too often redacted from sports history, a writing of history too often enamored with integration and representation matters. This tradition was emergent from and constitutive of the Black Liberation Movement at large. Second, and most importantly, Osaka’s charge of genocide has the potential to help people think beyond calls for equality, tolerance, and justice—dominant frames of the multiracial Left and the Black mis-leadership class. That is, genocide as a heuristic device affords us the analytical opportunity to think and act beyond what Tryon Woods has recently called in his seminal work “Blackhood Against the Police Power” the “justice contradiction.” Genocide is not conditional, but an ongoing process that is at once spectacular and unremarkable from a media standpoint. To charge genocide is to understand the limitations in Milwaukee Bucks point guard
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of identity politics, especially given that Osaka has affirmed in the recent past that she is both “Asian and Black.” But Osaka’s Black affirmation is about politics, not cultural identity. That is, to be Black, as Harry Edwards has stated, is to adopt a political stance and outlook, to manifest a disposition to act and think in a particular way where freedom and liberation is the goal. To charge genocide is to think and act Black without apprehension. Genocide creates the imperative for radical transformation, not social reform, and leaves people with no other choice but to dismantle the conditions that spawn it. Such is the imperative of freedom. In the end, “the charge of genocide is a touchstone for allegiance or rebellion.” Naomi Osaka’s conceptual analysis, albeit brief and unfortunately lost in the morass of racial liberalism, reminds that it’s time to make a decision and do something beyond the dubious rallying cries of the liberal left. Intentional or not, Osaka’s charge is a sine qua non of correct political intervention. We charge Genocide!
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that when it comes to health, Black people account for a disproportionate number of cases. Too often, we bear the brunt of dying on the front lines for America. As the first Black woman elected as board chair for the University of Minnesota Community-University Health Care Center, I am uniquely positioned in the healthcare world. This is my ninth year as board member director. I lead the charge for governing from the board’s perspective and am a patient representative first and foremost. Black women in leadership roles are routinely questioned, and yet, we pave the way for so many others to follow. Being in the medical field, which is dominated by White men, I walk into meetings where I am the only Person of Color. I get looks of, why are you here? No matter the discomfort, I find my seat at the table. I am often a cultural broker between the communities I serve and the people
who sit around those tables. I have to navigate the streets and the suites and frequently encounter friction from both sides. For Black communities, a history of medical distrust has led to strained relations with healthcare providers. People still remember Tuskegee, the medical apartheid and the use of slave labor, and as recently as the ’60s for medical research. As a result, many people postpone treatment until emergency care is needed. I have to teach people that the emergency room is not their primary source of health care. Earlier interventions are needed for preventative health measures. It’s an uphill battle. Part of addressing this historic distrust is that we need more young Black people in healthcare professions, and we can do this through education. Young people bring back what they have learned to their families and communities. The most important lesson is this: One's health is the most valuable asset we have. It’s in our best interest to take
care of ourselves. Community-University Health Care Center is a model for letting patients be in the driver’s seat. We also bring in interns of color and prepare them for medical careers. Something that I tell my scholars is to put things in place for the future, and this includes health care and health professions. At the same time, we have to remember not to forget the folks coming behind us. We stand on the backs of our ancestors. I have spent the bulk of my life volunteering and giving to my community. There have been many days where it felt like it amounts to little in the face of overwhelming obstacles; still, I’ve stayed the course. At some point, we've got to stick our big toe in the pond of trust. Change is coming. I realize I may not be around to see it, but does that mean I work any less hard? No. I’m planting seeds that will bear fruit. Jewelean Jackson is the board chair at the Community-University Health Care Center.
Open letter to MPD Chief and Hennepin County Attorney Dear Sirs, It has been widely reported that "Minneapolis police say 'Umbrella Man' was a White supremacist trying to incite George Floyd rioting." His window-breaking activities can easily be seen on YouTube. On July 28, the Star Tribune reported, "A Minneapolis po-
lice arson investigator said the act of vandalism at the AutoZone on East Lake Street helped spark a chain reaction that led to days of looting and rioting. The store was among dozens of buildings across the city that burned to the ground in the days that followed." Excuse me for shouting but THIS IS A KNOWN WHITE SUPREMACIST WHO SUC-
CEEDED IN HELPING TRIGGER DAYS OF ARSON AND RIOTING. WHY HASN'T HE BEEN ARRESTED? Some people get shot for such things, some people get arrested for such things and others—well, they just walk free Chris Cowen St. Paul, MN
Letter to the Editor Why armed security for antipolice councilmember?
It is incredibly irrespon- defense for having armed se- the city needs to take these sible to work towards abol- curity while she tries to get threats seriously. Just as they ishing the police, and Alon- rid of the police by saying, took the threat on Alondra dra Cano proves this...even “We take threats like this seri- Cano’s life seriously. though she herself is working ously.” We need protection withExactly! And that is why it out racism. to abolish the police. The City of Minneapolis is a necessary evil to have an has 420,000 residents and half armed police force—because Frank Erickson of them are women and girls. many women in the city will Minneapolis, MN These 210,000 women and be harassed or threatened and girls need and deserve adequate protectionbeyond mental health professionals. Councilwoman The MSR welcomes letters to the editors. Letters should be Cano is one of these typed, double-spaced, in 12 point font and must be signed. 210,000 female resiAnonymous letters will not be printed. A telephone number or dents of the city. As email address must be included for verification. Letters of 250 of recently, she has words or less are more likely to be published. The editor reserves the right to edit letters for length. had threats on her life. What then did she do? SEND LETTERS TO: Well, she did not hire Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder- Letters to the Editor social workers to proP.O. Box 8558 * Minneapolis, MN * 55408-0558 tect her. She got armed Or email your letters/commentary to security to protect her. mreeves@spokesman-recorder.com The audacity of P. Khalil Saucier is the direc- Councilwoman Cano tor and professor of Africana to work for the remov• Circulation Department/Billing Department Studies at Bucknell University. al of the police, which If you have any questions regarding your invoice He can be reached at pks008@ leaves all Minneapolis or subscription, call 612-827-4021. bucknell.edu. women high and dry if 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Thursday. they are being attacked • News Department or threatened—and To report a news event, call 612-827-4021 or then she turns around email to sgustavo@spokesman-recorder.com and hires armed security. • Advertising Department If you are a woman To reach our advertising departments call in the city and being 612-827-4021 or email to: threatened, don’t call display@spokesman-recorder.com Cano for help. Her advice will be to hire your own personal armed If we make an error, we want to correct it. If you believe that an security. error has been made email sgustavo@spokesman-recorder.com. Other council memIf a correction is warranted, it will be printed the next week. bers have come to her
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CORRECTION POLICY
September 10-16, 2020
labor Day Continued from page 1 COVID-19 while on the job. According to a study conducted by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, Black workers make up about one in nine workers, but about one in six of the frontline industrial jobs that have been designated as essential during the COVID pandemic. “While many Black workers have been deemed essential, our country continues to treat them like they’re disposable, even as a national racial justice movement has declared that Black lives matter,” wrote Tanya Wallace-Gobern, executive director of the National Black Worker Center Project, in a Labor Day essay. The National Black Worker Center Project launched its fourth annual “Black Labor Day” initiative, a week of webinars that kicked off on September 5 in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina. The group put forth a call to action for a movement that fights for a living wage, quality benefits, and equal pay and employment opportunities for Black workers. “The reality of the pandemic makes it all so clear why those who do have jobs, especially the so-called essential workers, need to be working in safe environments,” explained Nimtz. “But that means that the workforce needs to organize itself to make that possible. “Most workers do not have a union, but the need is more evident than ever. Only workers organized into a fighting union can ensure safe working conditions.” When the players of the National Basketball Association went on strike for a few playoff games, were joined by the WNBA, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer, and threatened to strike the rest of the season, the potential and power of unions was on full display. The unionized members of professional sports nearly forced their owners, all of whom all are comfortably a
IncoMe Continued from page 1 by Wilder Research and Family Housing Fund on the economic impacts of the pandemic. The median household income in these neighborhoods is approximately $35,000 per year. Once selected, households will be contacted to complete enrollment and must verify they have a COVID economic impact to be eligible. These criteria include demonstrating a COVID-19-related adverse financial impact, such as adverse financial consequences experienced by the applicant as a result of being quarantined, being furloughed or laid off, or having work hours reduced due to COVID-19. Other criteria for participation are adverse financial consequences experienced by the
Mentally Ill Continued from page 1 medical emergencies. But the police—who are trained to give orders and use force when they feel endangered—are generally ill-equipped to handle people with mental health challenges. For most of American history, people with mental health disabilities were locked away in hospital-like institutions, many of them state-run. Starting in the 1950s, the physical and sexual abuse common in these facilities, as well as other inhumane practices, spurred a decades-long effort to close them down and re-
part of the wealthy one percent, to advocate for an end to police violence and racial intolerance. In July, several mainstream unions joined in the effort by the Black Lives Matter organization calling for a strike for Black lives, which some saw as cynical. Some, including Black unionists, have accused mainstream unions of doing a poor job of advocating for Blacks and other People of Color who are members. In fact, union leadership did not organize most of the worker strikes during the early days of the COVID-19 pan-
New York with their own holiday. Twelve years later with the nation embroiled in one of its largest labor strikes, President Grover Cleveland made it a national holiday, purportedly to celebrate workers and gain support from the labor movement. In 1894 George Pullman of Pullman Palace Car Company lowered wages by 25% but failed to lower the costs of the rent he was charging workers in company-owned housing. Workers complained that the wage was not enough to feed their families. After Pullman fired the
5
from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which set minimum wage, and from the Social Security Act of 1935. Historians and legal scholars point out that southern congressmen wanted to leave Black workers out of the New Deal to keep intact their plantation-like agricultural arrangements enabled by Jim Crow segregation. Union membership reached peaked in 1950 with a high of 33%. By 2019 only 10.9% of workers belonged to My new form of policing is the slaves to keep them from unions. the community taking care of running away. “Because of the amount one another and holding each In a perfect world, some of of death and infection that other accountable. We’re talk- our men and women would they've had to witness, either ing about a transformation be walking around engaging. at the hands of police or be- unlike anything we’ve ever Engagement is not me telling cause of the lack of personal seen in this nation. you how to live your life, but protective equipment in their The relationship with the how we exist and coexist with workplaces, there's a lot of police and the African Ameri- each. We have a way of congrief that people are hold- can community is the most trolling ourselves and holding,” said Mary Kay Henry, strenuous and strained rela- ing each other accountable president of the Service Em- tionship there is given the fact when we are healthy. ployees International Union that the reason the police ex(SEIU). ist [historically] is… to control “But there's a lot of hope, because young people are in the streets demanding change, and working people “Defunding the police is a have either been in the streets broad concept. I am definitely or walking off their job, de- in favor of reform, reconmanding change. It's time to structing, and getting more rebuild America," said Henry. personal with the community. "But we've got to build it in We need police who are pera way that's brand new and sonal in policing, as opposed doesn't sow the racial and to police going to a nonviogender inequity that has ex- lent scene and looking at the sonal instead of generalizing isted since we were founded." victim as a criminal. every incident as the same. “Organizing and generalizDefunding the police is not Get specialized forces out to ing those local level fights will the answer, but it would get deal with different situations, make it possible for the next them to open their eyes and like mental health or domesessential step,” Henry contin- reform their thoughts, rei- tic violence. We need police ued, “for the working class magine the whole structure of who can deal with and speorganizing its own political the police. A change definitely cialize in different categories party. What was so striking needs to come with the police. to help make that change.” about both recent political Make policing more perconventions was the absence of any concrete plans on the part of either capitalist party to solve the jobs crisis.” not understand what’s going “Having its own party puts on in the community. the working class, in all its If it comes to dismantling skin colors and other identi[police], what would we do? ties as a party that comes out I heard talk about contacting of thousands of fights at the other police departments to local level, in a position to recome in, but we would need ally solve the jobs crisis—to to think about the time of how take governmental power,” long it takes for police officers said Nimtz. “It is indisputable to come on the scene. that this needs to be done.” My vision for police is to I’m on the fence about it receive appropriate training. Mel Reeves welcomes reader because we do need the po- It should be the community responses to mreeves@spokes- lice. We also need the police policing the community— man-recorder.com. to have the proper training that’s the only way we can to be able to work in the com- get people who are culturally munity. The police need to be sensitive and the equality that sota to minimize impacts on culturally sensitive, so if you we need in the community. public benefits. The budget don’t have that you would for the program is projected to be up to $1.5 million, with up to $1.35 million of the total budget designated for direct cash benefits to participants. A guaranteed income is a First thing we need to do monthly, cash benefit distrib- is figure out what does “disuted directly to participating mantling” mean. There are individuals. It is uncondition- rules and regulations that al, with no strings attached they want to take away or and no work requirements. A not take away. I’m against guaranteed income is meant dismantling. If you’re already to supplement, rather than having problems being proreplace, the existing social tected and the police departsafety net and can be a tool ment is not up to par, what do for achieving racial and gen- you think will happen when gain respect for ourselves, der equity. they are not there at all? It which we should have autoMayor Carter joined May- opens up for all the nonsense matically. We should not have ors for a Guaranteed Income and the gravity of crime and to look for someone else to along with a cohort of may- craziness to exist. tell us that it’s right or wrong ors from across the country We need to police our- when we already know the earlier this year to advocate selves; it’s a community thing difference. for guaranteed income policy within itself. We need to reat the state and federal levels.
Continued from page 1
Fredrick W.
Courtesy MGN demic, but rather watched from the sidelines as rankand-file members took matters into their own hands. However, the Teamsters and seven other national unions endorsed the July 20 Strike for Black Lives. Members of the Communications Workers in Memphis, Tennessee protested outside an AT&T Mobility call center where 10 out of 20 new hires had contracted COVID-19 after the company refused the union’s request to do their training remotely. The union pointed out AT&T’s hypocrisy in issuing statements supporting the Black Lives Matter movement while ignoring the safety demands of the disproportionately Black and female Memphis workers. Labor Day dates back to the 1880s, first celebrated in 1882 when Peter McGuire, a carpenter and labor union leader, proposed to the New York Central Labor Union that workers be honored in
leaders of the union representing his workers, the remaining workforce of thousands walked off the job and went on strike. It was at the time one of the largest strikes in U.S. history and paralyzed much of the country, which was heavily dependent on rail travel. U.S. courts taking the side of big business and the government granted an injunction calling for an end to the strike. Cleveland sent in federal troops to enforce the injunction, which resulted in beatings of workers and police riots in which 13 strikers were killed. Labor made progress with the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, which made union organizing less difficult, but the Act left out agricultural and domestic workers as a concession to southern lawmakers. In the southern U.S. many Blacks were mired in jobs as sharecroppers, farm hands and domestics. They were also exempted
applicant as a result of being unable to work due to the applicant’s COVID-19 diagnosis, or a spouse’s or dependent’s COVID-19 diagnosis; or other demonstrable adverse financial consequences experi-
Households will receive a monthly cash benefit through a U.S. Bank financial product called the Focus Card, which many public benefit programs and employers use to make cash transfers. Partici-
“I am proud that leadership in Saint Paul continues to create innovative ways to break cycles of poverty.” enced by the applicant due to COVID-19. The Office of Financial Empowerment will staff and support the demonstration pilot using a web-based platform currently employed for CollegeBound Saint Paul, which coordinates enrollment, logistics and program information between participants and staff.
turn residents to the community. This process, called deinstitutionalization, was meant to replace institutions with local mental health centers that would provide community-based mental health treatment and assistance for those recently released from institutions. However, in 1981 Ronald Reagan cut most funding for these centers. Since other existing community services like schools, housing and health services were not adapted to meet the needs of these new community members, many were left jobless, homeless, and unable to get a good education. Today, the 15% of Americans with these disabilities still
pating households will agree to provide transaction information about expenditures on the Focus Card and will complete surveys about their participation to contribute to the evaluation of the program. The City is working to determine tax implications for participants and is pursuing an income and asset exclusion from the State of Minne-
have very little support. Some people are fortunate enough to live with their families or in one of the roughly 500 private residential facilities, places that can cost up to $60,000 a year. Others end up homeless, in poorly run facilities, or even in jails. But everyone with these disabilities is at high risk of interacting with police. Too often, these interactions go poorly. One reason police encounters can go wrong is that people with intellectual disabilities often struggle to comprehend spoken instructions, particularly in a high-stress situation. “People who don’t have [an intellectual disability] don’t have a hard time
Patti
Walter “Q Bear” Banks
understanding what the police are asking them to do,” one man complained to this writer. “It’s different for me.” Being overwhelmed can cause people with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities to shut down. If this behavior is interpreted as obstinance, it can lead to arrest, detention, or police aggression. Recognizing that they struggle to handle people in mental crises, many U.S. cities are making efforts to improve outcomes. New York City trains some officers in crisis intervention and recently mandated that a social worker must accompany officers to such cases.
Denver is looking to adopt a mobile crisis intervention program started in Oregon that ensures medics and crisis workers, not police, respond to mental health calls. These and similar efforts nationwide are a step in the right direction, but research indicates they may not go far enough. Police frequently encounter people with psychiatric disabilities when someone calls 911 about a person acting unusually in public. If police perceive that person as potentially violent, the situation can quickly escalate. Anthony Hill, a Black veteran who was found wandering around his Atlanta apartment complex naked after he had stop
taking his medication, was shot and killed March 9, 2015 by Officer Robert Olsen. Olsen was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Nov. 1, 2019 for aggravated assault and violating his oath of office. Unfortunately, proposed laws targeting police violence do not address the factors that lead people with mental health disabilities to need emergency assistance in the first place. Jennifer Sarrett is a lecturer at the Center for Study of Human Health at Emory University. Her story is reprinted from The Conversation with permission.
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September 10-16, 2020
Business
Offering a bit of luxury in a tube Black Business SPOTLIGHT
Lip Esteem
cially in these times, we need a little bit of joy, happiness. There’s personal meaning behind the business name Lip Esteem. “In 2002,” Jones said, “I found myself to be severely depressed. I was grieving the loss of my daughter, who was an infant.” Her family, help-
By Ashley Lauren Contributing writer St. Paul native Tameka Jones is the proud owner of Lip Esteem, an online business launched in July 2020. “It’s an esteem builder. That’s why it’s called Lip Esteem,” said Jones. The mission and focus of the Lip Esteem brand is geared toward building self-esteem. “I’m a Black business owner, but I’m able to touch people from all cultures and all ages,” said Jones. The unique rich, smooth lipsticks are meant to help customers feel confident as soon as it’s applied. Lip Esteem may serve as a mood booster, especially in the pandemic when selfcare seems to be a top priority. Lip Esteem offers an array of colorful and hydrating lipstick. All products are safe, gluten-free, cruelty-free and paraben-free. Tameka Jones There are 11 radiant shades available—Rondo, I Promise, Cafe Latte, No Drama, Lady, Customers can also check out Monet, Purple Reign, Living five lip liners named Curry, Golden, Aurora, Sunset in Jah Walnut, Eggplant, Brick Red and Pecan. and Peach Cobbler. The Lip Esteem brand is “Rondo” lipstick pays homage to the historic neigh- built upon a foundation of borhood Jones grew up in. self-acceptance and transfor“I’m a Rondo girl,” she said. mation. Jones is focused on The luxurious lipstick is en- helping individuals see beauriched with a beautiful fusion ty in themselves. “I have a of purple and brown hues. It’s passion to see people feel beta popular product right now. ter from the inside out. Espe-
ing with the healing process, surprised her with a makeup kit and she was instantly inspired. “Growing up, I used to get teased about my lips,” said Jones. The hurtful verbiage she endured had a negative impact on her self-esteem and self-confidence. As Jones became an adult, the rhetoric and narrative changed.
She grew up to love and embrace herself in totality. “Going from having insecurities to having none,” said Jones, was a transformative time in her life. The Lip Esteem business also incorporates a small butterfly logo that is symbolic. Jones said, “It represents change, coming from a place of insecurities and trauma, to a place of security. Transforming yourself, having hope for yourself, creating a life you want.” Asked what inspired her to start a business, Jones said, “COVID-19, because work was unpredictable. As makeup artists, we couldn’t do makeovers. I got furloughed.” In an effort to counteract job insecurity and uncertainty, she launched the Lip Esteem enterprise. Jones graduated from St. Paul College as an esthetician and worked on a B.A. from Metropolitan State University in youth development and business. Before she launched her business she researched virtually every aspect of lipstick, acquiring invaluable knowledge, especially about the process of building a beauty brand. She learned quickly that it requires time, dedication and patience. Although business has been challenging, she focuses on the positive. Asked about
a down place right now, but they want to spruce up.” Most recently, Jones said, Lip Esteem has been gener-
Submitted photos ating great feedback. “They say they love it. Most moisturizing, long-wearing beautiful lipstick… People aren’t gonna come back if they don’t like the product.” The ultimate goal for Jones is to have repeat customers. “When they purchase, it
“People have been in a down place right now, but they want to spruce up.” the most rewarding aspect of running a business, she said, “To see the beauty from ashes. If you’re gonna purchase lipstick, you’re gonna want the full look. People have been in
key parts of your life. Don’t put yourself on a time frame. What I’m saying is, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t hap-
makes them bloom like a butterfly.” Her advice for young entrepreneurs: “Trust the process. Take your time. If you rush it you may miss some
pen in your time frame. Keep going toward your vision. Period. If your vision changes, it’s OK. Relax.” Lip Esteem is open MondayFriday, 9 am-5 pm. Customers can place an order online 24/7 via www.lip-esteem-llc.myshopify.com.
September 10-16, 2020
7
Selby Ave. JazzFest goes virtual, offering weekly doses of music James on Jazz
lowable as we tamp down the virus. MSR: You have such
that come to mind and it really stems from the personality of the performers. I have a fond memory when Kirk
By Robin James Contributing writer
T
he Selby Avenue Jazz Festival, a virtual edition, begins the first Saturday of September and every Saturday after. Each Saturday will feature a new act. Traditionally, the festival has always taken place the second Saturday in September. The festival marks its 19th anniversary this year. Everyone from saxophonists Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright to vocalist Goapele (last year’s headliner) among other artists has performed as headliners. The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) caught up with Mychael Wright (MW), the festival founder and owner of Golden Thyme Coffee Café, for highlights of what’s happening at this year’s festival. MSR: Our current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is preventing a lot of people from physically attending indoor and outdoor concerts, so how are you planning to adapt to the alternative changes? MW: The technology of going virtual is a mighty tool. The State of Minnesota will give direction in what’s al-
MSR: In previous years, the three of us huddled in the Music House and prayed. typically how many people That was an awesome experi- attend the festival each year? MW: When I first began ence. the fest we drew approximately 500 people throughout the day. Now, 19 years later, we have drawn more than 15,000 throughout a 12hour period. MSR: How have you gauged interest for this year’s festival? MW: Gauging interest is easy thanks to the technicalities of social media. It lets us know from a number of platforms how many people are interested in the promotion. The numbers as of last week were heading towards 8,000. I understand from a virtual social media platform standpoint that is an excellent range.
Kirk Whalum at the Selby Jazz Fest, Sept 10, 2016 a rich history of presenting both local and national acts, what has been one of the most memorable acts to perform at the festival so far, and why? MW: There are several acts
and Kevin Whalum were getting ready to pray before they took the stage. I was going to give them their privacy to pray but Kirk grabs my hand and said, “Mychael would you pray with us” So
Photo by Steve Floyd
MSR: Usually there are many food and art vendors at the festival. Are you still planning to help promote them in some way? MW: With the Crowd Cast format we are able to promote our arts and crafters venders, which as with all vendors have been severely hit hard. We’re still trying to build more interest from our vendors to participate. It’s all new and may take a while for them to catch on. We will assist until they get comfortable going virtual.
ence this year’s festival? MW: To access the performances go to our Selby Avenue Jazz Fest web page. Once there you will see the countdown to our 2020 Selby Avenue Virtual Edition notification. Simply follow the direction to “Save My Spot." You will be logged into view the scheduled performances. This year’s Selby Avenue Jazz Festival includes the following acts streaming live in your living room each Saturday night in September at 7 pm on selbyavejazzfest.com: Charmin & Shapira Sat., Sept. 5 Solomon Parham Quintet Sat., Sept. 12 PJP Trio, featuring Patricia Lacy - Sat., Sept. 19 Nachito Herrera Sat., Sept. 26 The Selby Avenue Jazz Festival is presented by Golden Thyme Coffee Café and AARP Minnesota. 2020 sponsors include Move Minnesota, Metro Regional Arts Council, Xcel Energy, and US Bank.
Robin James welcomes readers responses to rjames@spokesOne of the classiest and man-recorder.com. laid back is Gerald Albright. He is a consummate professional musical statesman. Goapele took my breath MSR: Where do festivalaway with her beauty, style, goers go to virtually experiand angelic voice.
8 September 10-16, 2020
Legals State of Minnesota Certificate of Assumed Name Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 333 ASSUMED NAME: PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: NAMEHOLDER(S):
The Teaching Coach 1814 24th Ave N Minneapolis MN 55411 USA
Kendra Frances Shelby 1814 24th Ave N Minneapolis MN 55411 USA
By typing my name, I, the undersigned, certify that I am signing this document as the person whose signature is required, or as agent of the person(s) whose signature would be required who has authorized me to sign this document on his/her behalf, or in both capacities. I further certify that I have completed all required fields, and that the information in this document is true and correct and in compliance with the applicable chapter of Minnesota Statutes. I understand that by signing this document I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Section 609.48 as if I had signed this document under oath. SIGNED BY: Kendra Shelby MAILING ADDRESS: None Provided EMAIL FOR OFFICIAL NOTICES:
Kendrafwalker@gmail.com
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 3 & 10, 2020
State of Minnesota Ramsey County
District Court Second Judicial District Court File Number: 62DAFA20870 Case Type: Domestic Abuse
In The Matter Of Monique Pruitt Vs Barron Maurice Duncan Notice of Hearing by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8) To Respondent named above: An order has been issued directing you to appear to a hearing on September 18, 2020 at 8:30AM before Referee Christy Snow-Kaster for an Order for Protection Hearing and explain why the relief sought in the Petition for the Order for Protection should not be granted. You must contact the Ramsey County Court Administrator’s Office at 651-2665130 for hearing location details. You may obtain a copy of the Petition and any order issued from the court from the Ramsey County Court Administrator's Office. If you do not appear at the scheduled hearing, the Petitioner's request may be granted as a default matter. Failure to appear will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court's Order.
From Classified State of Minnesota Hennepin County Judicial District: Fourth Department/MN Court File Number: 27-PA-PR-20-965 Spokesman-Recorder PHONE: 612-827-4021 Filed: August 31, 2020 Probate/Mental Health FOR BILLING INQUIRIES Mary Louise Hoeschen Deceased & TEARSHEETS NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OF WILL CONTACT PLEASE � CODICIL � SEPARATE WRITING AND APPOINTMENT ACCOUNTING DEPT 0F PERSONAL
REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
TO ALL INTERESTED ASSUMEDPERSONS NAMEAND CREDITORS:
FLAT RATE $150.00
Notice is hereby given, that an application for informal probate of the above2 WEEK RUN named Decedent's:
�Last Will dated February 12, 2016
�Codicil dated Please proof, respond with email confirmation to �Separate Writing dated display@spokesman-recorder.com has been filed with the Registrar herein, and the application has been granted informally probating such will. Any objections may be filed in the above, and the same will be heard by the Court upon notice of hearing fixed for such purpose. Notice is hereby further given that informal appointment of Rachael L. Hoeschen whose address is 5243 180th Street West Farmington, MN 55024 as personalClassified representative of the Estate of the above-named decedent, has From been made. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to Department/MN appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of Spokesman-Recorder the personal representative and the personal representative are empowered to fully administer the estate including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate, unless PHONE: 612-827-4021 objections thereto are filed with the Court (pursuant to Section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders.
FORisBILLING Notice further given that ALL CREDITORS having claims against said estate are required to present the same to said personal representative or to the Probate INQUIRIES Court Administrator within four months after the date of this notice or said & TEARSHEETS claims will be barred. Dated: August 31, 2020 ACCOUNTING
PLEASE CONTACT DEPT
Julie Peterson Registrar
RAMSEY COUNTY
Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer District Court Administrator
1WEEKMinnesota RUN Spokesman-Recorder September 10 & 17, 2020 FLAT RATE $100.00 PREPAID STATE OFMINNESOTA COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
DISTRICT COURT FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Case Type: Auto - Personal Injury Court File No.: 27-CV-20-11092
Court Administrator Ramsey Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 10, 2020
STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF RAMSEY Theresa Rowley, vs. John Washington,
PERSONAL INJURY DISTRICT COURT SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Plaintiff, SUMMONS Defendant.
THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO: DEFENDANT JOHN WASHINGTON 1.YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff’s Complaint against you is attached to this Summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons. 2.YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: Swor & Gatto, P.A. 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Paul, MN 55102 3.YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer. 4.YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case. You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the Complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the Complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the Complaint.
Jose Hernandez Martinez, Plaintiff, vs.
SUMMONS
Cassandra Modey (a/k/a Christina Mol'ely), and Quinton James Payne and Sara Bonorden, Defendants, THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT: 1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff's Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not tlll'ow these papers away, They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this summons. 2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: 2700 Snelling Avenue North, Ste. 460, Roseville, Minnesota 55113. 3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff's Complaint. In your· Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint, If you belleve the Plaintiff should not begiven everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer. 4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITI’EN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case. You will not got to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the complaint 5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer, If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case. 6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute. Dated:10/10/19
Aaron Ferguson (#387763) Scott A. Kruger (#397117) Jeremy Lagasse (#396834) Attorneys for Plaintiff 2700 Snelllng Ave N, Ste. 460 Roseville, MN 55113 (651)493-0426
5.LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case. 6.ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute. I hereby acknowledge that sanctions may be awarded pursuant to Minn. Stat. §549.211. Dated: June 3, 2020
SWOR AND GATTO, P.A. By: /s/ John Paul J. Gatto Marcus P. Gatto (#0391160) John Paul J. Gatto (#0387730) ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102 651-454-3600
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 10, 17, 24, 2020
Fitz Continued from page 10 lose $75 million in revenue with no games. The Star Tribune virtually assaulted Warren in print, brainwashing hundreds of thousands of readers, claiming no transparency, honesty, etc. in the decision. Again the university presidents made the decision because ultimately they assume the risk and responsibility for student-athletes’ health risk. When 70% of the student athletes in revenue-generating sports like football and basketball are Black, suddenly White majority privilege turns racially biased. It's Warren's fault—don't blame the 14 university presidents that he works
for. It is sad and disturbing how so many could be so careless in their thinking about the wellbeing of these athletes. President Donald Trump was in Kenosha, Wisconsin last week, Big Ten Country, for political purposes and called Warren. I asked Warren what the President said. "He said what he tweeted out," Warren replied. Warren has taken criticism from some in the Black community for taking Trump's phone call. Nobody is asking the question of the universities why, with all the hundreds of millions of dollars they have made annually, suddenly the bank accounts are all empty. White coaches and athletic directors are making salaries ranging from three
SOe
From Classified the finals. Department/MN “I didn’t know that,” said Spokesman-Recorder Continued from page 10 retired Gopher coach Clem PHONE: 612-827-4021 own identity,” said Stanfield of Haskins. “I got him in the chamFOR BILLING the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Vir- pionship.” INQUIRIES ginia). “He was a presence. John Thompson and Haskins & TEARSHEETS didn’t care where he’d go in the were cut from the same fatherPLEASE CONTACT city. John went to where the ball figure cloth, taking their coachACCOUNTING DEPT
players were, not always the five- ing responsibilities beyond the star recruit.” court. “What he did with his PROBATE After retiring from coaching, players, I did with mine,” admitThompson successfully hosted ted Haskins. “I learned a lot from 2 WEEK RUN a daily sports radio show for Big John as a coach and a human FLAT RATE $200.00 PREPAID over a decade. “Everybody who being.” worked at the station just loved and respected the man,” said Stanfield, who worked as a veteran radio producer in the same building though the two men’s paths rarely crossed. “The only time I met him, John was standing in the corner [at an arena], and I went and introduced myself.” He recalled Thompson’s graciousness. “I met Mr. Thompson while covering the Coppin State women at Georgetown [women’s basketball game] on Dec. 22, 2010,” added Keith Henry, a Baltimore freelance writer. “I was taking pictures and Mr. Thompson was not too far behind me watching the game. “He was an intimidating presence in person. But he was a cool man to say hello to, which I did after the game. It was an honor to From Classified share the same space with a legDepartment/MN end of basketball.” Spokesman-Recorder Thompson had a 596-239 career record. One of those losses PHONE: 612-827-4021 occurred at Madison Square Gardens when Georgetown lost to FOR BILLING Minnesota 62-61 in the 1993 NIT INQUIRIESgame, the first championship & TEARSHEETS time in tournament history that PLEASE CONTACT two Black coaches led teams to
“Guys like Clem and John Thompson, it should be the norm, not a rarity,” said Stanfield. This reporter met Thompson only once, in the early 1990s at a basketball clinic in Las Vegas in my second life as a local high school basketball coach. I saved my nickels and dimes to go to Sin City and hear the Georgetown coach. I stood in line afterwards and got to briefly speak with him, asking a coaching question. He easily offered his advice, which I put to use as soon as I returned to the Cities. Thompson while alive was oft-criticized. But once his death was announced, some critics flip-flopped and offered glowing tributes, praising the man for his influence on sports and society in seemingly hypocritical tributes. “Thompson shattered preconceived norms,” wrote USA Today Columnist Mike Jones. “He went about business his way. He gave Black people hope and inspiration.”
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education minor. Her graduate focus will be on Black communities and media literacy and how it can be a social justice tool. “Specifically,” said Augustine, “how Black people and specifically Black youth view other people like them, and really explore how White privilege media messages affect the ideas and values that Black youth have.” “One thing that America does better than any other country,” Phillips said, “is to behave as if it cares about important issues, only to treat them like outdated agendas as soon as it no longer serves them.” Augustine’s Sports Disrupted “really wants people to realize that everything that happens in society happens in sport, and vice versa. Sports is not a separate entity.”
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SUMMONS FLAT RATE $200 Continued from page 10
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
justice committees, and even the NFL, historically resistant, has been outspoken about the never-ending police shootings of Blacks. Augustine calls this “performative activism.” “It’s easy to post a simple message on Twitter,” she explained. “You are trying to prove to other people that you are ‘woke,’ that you care about social issues. It’s an external presentation. It comes off very disingenuous. “It’s so easy to say Black Lives Matter, then walk out the door,” Augustine continued, adding that an element of White guilt could be a factor as well. But as Phillips earlier noted, this can be temporary: “When it comes to real activism, you have to be actively working yourself.” Charles Hallman welcomes Her website is her way of do- reader responses to challman@ ing her activist part, theyoung spokesman-recorder.com. lady declared. She has a degree in sports media and a sports and
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder September 10, 17, 24, 2020
MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER
Prep Scene Mitchell Palmer McDonald’s column will return next to 10 million annually and suddenly the money is all gone? Remember, student athletes don't get paid. They get scholarships, which amounts to receiving a book to take to each class. The non-student-athletes are already in the classes. The miscarriage of information and truth is why in 60 days we have to change the direction of this country. Truth, honesty, integrity and fairness have to be prioritized. Black people have to count in this country. Right now we don't matter. The police and privileged parents prove that they care only about themselves. All people are created equal under God. President Lincoln after
the 13th Amendment promised us 30 acres and a mule. It's time to pay up. Larry Fitzgerald is a longstanding contributing columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. He can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGYAM 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on “Almanac” (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@ larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit www. Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
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September 10-16, 2020
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Help for those with new job and behind on rent
Master Gardener applications open through Oct. 1
The application period to become a University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener is open through Oct. 1. Extension Master Gardeners bring sciencebased horticulture knowledge and practices to Minnesota, promoting healthy landscapes and building communities through volunteer efforts. Master Gardeners are respected as reliable sources of gardening information for Minneso-
As the federal eviction moratorium gives struggling Minnesotans more time to come up with back rent without fear of eviction, a local non-profit is also helping by expanding their program to provide free required work items for anyone behind on rent who is starting a new job. Small Sums, serving the seven county metro, has expanded eligibility to provide required work items (work clothes, work
“When times are financially tough, many people are offered new jobs but don’t have the funds for the things they need to start the job, like steel-toe boots, uniforms, or bus fare to get to work for the first few weeks. We can provide all that so they can arrive for their first shift with everything needed to get off to a good start.” “Our mission for the past 15 years has been to help homeless individuals who
of volunteering in the first year. After the first year, they commit 25 hours to annual volunteer work; many choose to devote more time to the program. “Now more than ever, people around the state are turning to gardening as a soothing, family-friendly endeavor and a way to serve
Courtesy of MGN
tans. What many don’t know is that becoming a Master Gardener gives volunteers a chance to expand their interests in areas including sustainability, local foods, pollinators and climate change. Master Gardeners also put their skills to work conserving green spaces, native plants and clean water. The University of Minnesota has trained thousands of Master Gardeners; each year, they contribute more than 140,000 hours of service in Minnesota communities. This year, the training will be all online and spread out over 14 weeks, making the program more student-friendly than ever. To become a Master Gardener, individuals commit to complete online training and 50 hours
neighborhoods and communities. Interest in growing food is high, as is commitment to addressing local issues such as water quality and preservation of native plants,” said Tim Kenny, statewide director, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program. Master Gardeners come from all ages and backgrounds. To learn more about the program and apply, visit z.umn.edu/ MG_info.
Want to help prevent gun violence? Protect Minnesota is recruiting volunteer board members. We use education and legislation to promote a culture of health and safety for Minnesotans. We know: ● Gun violence is a public health epidemic ● Black and Brown people are disproportionately affected by gun violence ● Suicide is the leading cause of gun deaths in Minnesota We’re not anti-gun. We’re anti gun violence. Learn more and apply to join our Board of Directors at protectmn.org.
Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Worship Bethesda Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Billy G. Russell, Sr. Pastor
Rev. Arthur Agnew, Pastor
Rev. James C. Thomas, Pastor
451 West Central
St. Paul, MN 55103 651-227-4444
Church School 9:30 am Morning Worship 8:00 & 10:45 am Prayer Service:
Wednesday 7 pm "Welcome to
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church"
are on a path leading back to stable housing with a new job. This new program, Keep Your Place, is a prevention step that should help hundreds of people stay in their places and prevent them from becoming homeless.” Eligibility requirements are a verifiable new job within the past eight weeks, at 25 hours/week minimum, and being at least one month behind on rent or homeless. For more information and/or begin an application, call 651-242-9441 or visit www.smallsums.org. Information provided by Small Sums.
—Information and photo provided by the University of Minnesota.
Become a Protect MN board member
Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church
shoes, tools, and transportation assistance) to any metro resident who is starting a new job and who is behind on rent. Traditionally, Small Sums has provided this critical back-to-work assistance to homeless individuals but now is expanding who they serve to include those who are behind on rent. Naomi Sadighi, Small Sums’ executive director, said, “Our goal, by expanding our free assistance to folks struggling with back rent who have a new job, is to step in with our practical, simple assistance and lift one important barrier that might be the difference for a person between staying in stable housing or becoming homeless.
At the Old Landmark 1118 So. 8th Street
2600 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.greatfriend.org Phone: 612.827.7928 Fax: 612.827.3587 info@greatfriend.org
Mpls., MN 55404 612-332-5904 www.bethesdamnonline.com bethesdamn@prodigy.net
Sundays 8:00am Sunday School 9:30am Worship Service
Sunday Service Times: Early Morning Service 9 am Sunday School 10 am
The Friendly Church Where Everybody Is Somebody
Sunday Worship 11:30 am
Wednesday Prayer Meeting, 6 pm Adult Bible Class 7 pm Children's Bible Class 7 pm
Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Doctor Charles Gill 732 W. Central Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 Sunday Worship Service: 9:45 AM Sunday School: 8:45 AM
Economic Opportunity Funders seeks nominees for new legacy award $10K award for organization that has contributed to improving low-wage workers' lives in the U.S. through law and social policy Economic Opportunity Funders (EOF) announced last week the launch of the Law and Social Policy Legacy Award, which recognizes an organization defending and advocating for low-wage workers' rights. EOF seeks nominees whose work is significant in improving low-wage workers' lives and advancing best practice in the field. The ideal nominee's work should be collaborative, engaged in concert with partners and impacted communities, and centered on efforts that will have a lasting impact, advancing structural and systemic change. "We are delighted to commemorate Public Welfare Foundation's legacy of support and to honor the vital public policy and systems reform work happening in the field," said Cema Siegel, co-director of EOF. "Now more than ever, it is crucial that we build an economy that works for everyone." The $10,000 award is open to any organization working in the field of law and social policy to advance low-wage workers' rights in the United States. Nominated
organizations may be of any size or budget and work may have just started or occurred over years. Individuals are not eligible. Anyone can make a nomination, and self-nominations are allowed. Nominators may make one nomination per year. Two references are required along with the online application. The awardee will be honored and recognized at the EOF Annual Budget and Tax Briefing in March 2021. The executive director of the selected organization will be invited to deliver a keynote address on their work. This award will be given by EOF with support from Public Welfare Foundation annually until 2030 as a part of their legacy investment into the Workers' Rights field. More information can be found at: eofnetwork.org/law-and-social-policy-legacy-award Nominations must be received by 11:59 pm ET on October 30, 2020.
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September 10-16, 2020
Privilege distorts and damages truth!
Fitz Beat Larry FitzgeraLd
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ave you ever seen a colored-only water fountain, bathroom or section on a bus? These ugly reminders of our Jim Crow past have something in common with those who today continue to defy safety measures and spread the coronavirus: Privileged people who care about no one but themselves cause trouble for all the rest of us. It’s been confirmed that college towns across the United States have seen a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. College students have returned for fall semesters to campuses everywhere. It’s hard to gauge giving credit for wise decisions that save thousands of lives before you have the fatality rate. We know that 190,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus after over six million positive cases in the United States. Someone said a long time ago that everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die. The potential spread of the virus off campus has deeply affected
When ‘real’ activism becomes merely ‘performative’
workplaces, schools, government institutions and U.S. communities. The mighty Big Ten Conference, the nation’s largest college revenue generator with its enormously successful Big Ten Cable TV Network, decided three weeks ago there would be no fall sports. That means no college football. According to sources, the university presiSecond in a series dents in 11 different states voted 12-2 against playing based on the recommendations of science It's been nearly 90 days since and health professionals. George Floyd's death, which Gophers Football Coach P.J. sparked an unprecedented racial Fleck agreed with the decision awakening in this country as and polled 30 of his players; it the half-year global pandemic was unanimous not to play, in- still rages all around us. Day cluding pre-season All-Ameri- and night, demands to finally can quarterback Tanner Morgan. address racial inequalities and Not everyone agreed with the social justice issues took over decision. Ohio State quarterback U.S. cities and towns for sevJustin Fields secured a petition eral weeks. What was then out with 200,000 signatures wanting front and under the spotlight the Big Ten to reconsider. seems now to have returned to A New York Times survey the shadows. revealed at least 51,000 coronaThe MSR sat in on numervirus cases and at least 60 deaths ous virtual discussions during from COVID-19 can be traced the summer of 2020 where the to American colleges and uni- panelists talked race unfiltered, versities. Yet no Black man in uninhibited and reflective, lookAmerica has received more let- ing at current events as well as ters, phone calls, death threats toward the future. This multiand blame from the privileged part series will examine some majority than Kevin Warren, Big of the topics discussed on these Ten commissioner. Warren took Zoom sessions. over officially on January 2, 2020 This week: “Performative acas the first Black commissioner tivism” of a power five conference. We did not hear about the as Black Lives coronavirus until March 1. The Matter now beentire sports industry shut come a catchdown on March 11. The Univer- phrase as fall approaches? sity Minnesota claims they will According to public opinion
H
as long as they are at the forefront of the country’s collective consciousness.” Carron Philips wrote in Deadspin, “There’s an expiration date on the Black Lives Matter movement [because] this country isn’t governed by people who care enough about Black lives to keep this going.” Sydney Augustine expressed something similar: “We as Black people deal with this every day. We don’t get to be tired, even when you don’t feel like dealing with it anymore. It’s hard work.” Augustine, a 2019 Ithaca (NY) College grad, started her Sports Disrupted website “to foster an honest dialogue on social issues involving sport,” she told us during a phone interview. She will be attending New York UniverSydney Augustine Submitted photo sity this fall as a graduate student. “I want everyone—fans, polls, the protests against Whites is nearly 50% while racism and police brutality Black opposition ranges be- players, etc.—to think about that grabbed the nation by its collective throat all summer long may have waned after peaking in June. A June Civiq.com poll their involvement in sport found 49% of Americans tween 3-7%. “Without prolonged activ- and what they’re doing that support BLM, 38% oppose, and 12% neither. The poll ism and sustained media is detrimental to the culture, also found BLM’s highest attention, the impact of this and what they could do to support expectedly among year’s protests on White pub- change the culture of sport,” Blacks (87%), Black females lic opinion could evaporate said Augustine. The August 26 NBA walk(89%) and Black males (84%), entirely,” noted a Five Thirty and lowest among Whites Eight.com article. “The ef- off has been hailed as a his(39%) and White males (32%). fects of events on public toric feat. Both the WNBA Opposition overall among opinion tend to last only for and NBA have created social
“It’s so easy to say Black Lives Matter, then walk out the door.”
■ See Fitz on page 8
■ See View on page 8
Parting tributes to a basketball coaching legend
John Thompson towered as a larger-than-life figure in college basketball for decades, as
Four Blacks in Twins front office: How they got there By Charles Hallman Contributing writer
Baseball’s racial hiring pipeline historically has been a slow drip. According to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), Blacks account for less than 10 percent of team front office positions such as senior administration (directors, managers, assistant VPs) and professional administration (specialists, analytics and programmers). Blacks hold 5.2 percent of senior administrative positions, down 0.1 percent from 2018, the recent TIDES MLB Racial and Gender Report Card pointed out. Nearly 20 percent of such jobs are held by people of color. Six percent of team professional could use college basketball for them how to be men and administration positions are what it was intended to be, a showed them how they could held by Blacks, a 0.1 percent invehicle for them to get an edu- make men.” crease from 2018. Nearly 100 percent of his Minnesota Twins GM Thad players (76 of 78) who stayed Levine called baseball’s front and played for him all four years office racial hiring “flawed” graduated from Georgetown, during a June diversity virtual a small private college more roundtable hosted by the team. cation they wouldn’t normally known for political science and “Unfortunately, we’ve become have…an education that will law than sports. complacent,” he stated. The late Hall-of-Famer put help them be successful in life. Over 400 persons signed up “John Thompson made men,” D.C. on the national basketball for the June 21 one-hour Zoom continued Stanfield, a longtime map. “We don’t have a state… event, including the MSR. It radio producer. “He showed and we really didn’t have our featured four Black members of the Twins front office: Amateur Scouting Director Sean Johnson, Senior Scouting Advisor Deron Johnson (no relation), Advance Scouting Analyst Josh Ruffin and Pro Scouting Fellow Navery Moore. Sean Johnson joined the Twins in 2002 as an area scout and was promoted to his pres-
“I learned a lot from Big John as a coach and a human being.”
unabashedly Black as anyone could be in a sport and a time when Black coaches in Division I weren't in high demand. The first Black male coach to win a Division I men’s basketball title in 1984, Thompson transformed Georgetown from a moribund program into a national hoops power during his 27-year reign (1979-92). More importantly, Thompson’s Hoyas became Black America’s team, a majorityBlack team at a predominately White school. These Black players played proud and tough and disciplined with this big Black man on the sidelines leading them with his trademark white towel draped over one shoulder. “He established something beyond a good basketball program,” said Kevin Stanfield, a D.C. native, of Thompson, who died August 31 at age 78. “He established a foundation for these John Thompson and Patrick Ewing young Black men to be successful. He showed them how they
ent position in 2016, succeeding Deron Johnson, who joined the club in 1994 and was named senior advisor in 2016. Moore and Ruffin are more recent hires: “It was nice to see faces that look like me when I joined the club,” admitted Moore, who joined the Twins this past January. Ruffin previously did an eight-month internship with the Detroit Tigers in 2015, then worked as a data scientist for three years at a Washington, D.C. firm before landing his present position with Minnesota in January 2019. All four men played baseball before they embarked on their off-field careers. Deron Johnson played college ball, was signed by Pittsburgh undrafted in 1988, played three minor league seasons, then did a brief stint as a college assistant coach before he joined the Twins in the mid1990s as a West Coast scout. He later became baseball’s only Black scouting director (20072016). Before his 20 years in the Twins organization, Sean Johnson was a catcher at Wichita State (1996-98) where he earned an exercise science/sport administration degree. He became an area scout in 2002 and was promoted to supervisor (20072016) before becoming Twins scouting director, the second Black to do so in 2016. His first baseball job was as a scout for the then-Florida Marlins. His younger brother Ryan Johnson also is a scout for the Detroit Tigers. Ruffin pitched at Duke
(2011-14), where he earned a statistical science degree. Moore got drafted by Atlanta out of Vanderbilt in 2011 and played six minor league seasons (201116) before he returned to school and earned his MBA. Although analytics are a staple in sports, “You can’t have analytics all the way,” noted Ruffin. Sean Johnson added, “We challenge our scouts to use their eyes and use their scouting instincts to come up with the grades to put into the [scouting] report.” “You don’t need to have the most advanced degree possible to do a lot of what we are doing,” continued Ruffin. “You want to have those basic skills to be comfortable.” The Twins, compared to other MLB clubs in their diversity and inclusion efforts, “are one of the few that are actually doing something about diversity and inclusion,” said Deron Johnson. Levine concluded that his team and other MLB clubs must do better in connecting with Blacks and other people of color who are interested in pursuing baseball careers. “The first step in this is awareness, and so few people have a feel for how you get into a front office or scouting or player development,” said the Twins GM. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
Courtesy of MN Twins
Photos courtesy of Twitter ■ See SOE on page 8