PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
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THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934 Vol. 92
HIGHLIGHTS
No, the Target boycott is not over, activists say after claiming attempts at co-opting
METRO:
Renters Rally
2
Tenants urged leaders to expand eviction protections.
ARTS:
6
With Jamela Pettiford
7
EDUCATION:
News as Fashion
Kennedy High turn newspapers into fashion.
No. 33
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
March 19 - 25, 2026
Izzy Canizares Contributing Writer
Trump’s inauguration. “They don’t speak for us. They didn’t stand in the gaps espite news circu- for us when George Floyd was lating in national killed or when Operation Metmedia that the ro Surge happened; we stood Target boycott, for us and with the communow lasting more than 400 nity,” Armstrong said. Since the boycott began, days, ended March 11, organizers of the national boycott Target has seen a decline in in Minnesota say that is far sales and its stock price. Forfrom the truth. They claim the mer Target CEO Brian Cornell movement has been targeted stepped down, and the comfor co-opting by activists out- pany’s current CEO, Michael Fiddelke, said the boycott was side the state. State activists, including “one of the things” that hurt Monique Cullars-Doty and Dr. sales last year, according to Nekima Levy Armstrong, held the Associated Press. Now, out-of-state activa press conference outside Target headquarters Wednes- ists, including Pastor Dr. Jamal day to clear up rumors about Bryant, along with colleagues Tamkia Mallory and Nina Turnthe boycott’s status. “This target boycott is not er, held a press conference at over. We are asking people to noon Wednesday in Washcontinue to stand with grass- ington claiming the boycott roots leadership in the state against Target was over and Dr. Nekima Levy Armstrong speaks during a news conference outside Target headquarters adIzzy Canizares/MSR of Minnesota, where Target is that at least 75% of the de- dressing reports that the Target boycott had ended, March 11. actually headquartered, and mands had been met. In a statement to the Star Tri- donate millions to Black educa- of CAIR-MN, said. “We have CNN, The Breakfast Club and not clout-chasers trying to co-opt our work,” Dr. Nekima bune, Target said it is “pleased tion by Easter, organizers say seen boycotts before where other outlets, leaving leaders to be moving forward” and no immediate concessions have people claim to speak for the in Minnesota to believe the efLevy Armstrong said. Armstrong is a co-founder will “continue showing up as been made and the DEI pro- community, and all they do is fort was more about publicity. cross the picket lines.” of the national boycott that trusted neighbors while deliv- gram has not been reinstated. “The other reason that this Pastor Bryant led a 40-day is so important is because of “Nothing has changed today. began in Minnesota in Janu- ering results for ... team memary 2025, along with Jaylani bers, guests and the more than This is an effort to try to turn fast in Georgia last March, the historical erasure of black or use people. And we have calling on others to boycott women on the front lines,” Hussein and Monique Cul- 2,000 communities” it serves. While Target has reported seen that before in history,” the company during Lent. Armstrong said. “If you look lars-Doty, after Target quickly scrapped its diversity, equity that it will give $2 billion to Hussein, co-founder of the During that time, he partici- at what happened during the and inclusion model following Black-owned businesses and boycott and executive director pated in press interviews with ■ See TARGET on page 5
Mother says former teacher aided teen in unauthorized departures from home
Black press nears 200 years of telling our stories
Celebrating the 199th anniversary during Black Press Week
she took steps to ensure his By Jasmine McBride safety, including contacting Editor child services herself and participating in weekly visits from his year marks the crisis workers, therapists, and 199th anniversary case managers. of the Black Press in Despite those precautions, America, a powerful Binion says Ernest continued milestone that highlights nearto communicate with her son ly two centuries of journalism without her consent. She al- dedicated to truth, advocacy, leges the teacher picked him and the voices of Black comup from her home multiple munities. As Black Press Week times, provided him with mon- is celebrated across the couney, and encouraged him to try, journalists, historians, and leave without her knowledge. readers reflect on a legacy that Binion also shared a video began with courage and con- Founder Cecil E. Newman at his desk during the early years of the online where she shows Er- tinues today with purpose. Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. The desk is still used today by his nest returning Aveyon home The story of the Black Press granddaughter, CEO and Publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard, confrom a basketball game hours began in 1827 when two free tinuing the newspaper’s multigenerational legacy. Courtesy before he left on Feb. 28. Ac- Black men in New York City, cording to Binion, the two had Samuel Cornish and John B. Black newspapers provided aged Southern Black families argued that day and Aveyon Russwurm launched “Free- coverage of abolitionist efforts, to seek new opportunities had recently been on punish- dom’s Journal,” the first Black- shared information about edu- in Northern cities. They also ment for behavioral issues. owned and operated news- cation and employment, and exposed racial violence and After returning home, Binion paper in the United States. documented the lives and injustice at times when many says her son became upset again At a time when mainstream achievements of Black Ameri- white-owned newspapers reand left without permission. newspapers often ignored cans that the mainstream press mained silent. During the Civil Rights Later, she says she ac- or misrepresented Black life, refused to acknowledge. Throughout the 19th and Movement of the 1950s and cessed her son’s phone and “Freedom’s Journal” declared discovered text messages and its mission boldly: “We wish early 20th centuries, Black 1960s, the Black Press played Instagram communications to plead our own cause.” That newspapers multiplied across a crucial role in documenting that she believes show Ernest simple yet powerful state- the country. Publications protests, organizing communicommunicating with him af- ment became the guiding such as the Chicago Defender, ties, and amplifying the voices Pittsburgh Courier, and Balti- of leaders fighting for equality. ter he left. In one exchange, principle of the Black Press. Binion alleges the teacher arFrom its earliest days, the more Afro-American became While television cameras and ranged for a rideshare to pick Black Press served as more influential voices advocating national newspapers eventuhim up and advised him to than just a source of news. It for civil rights, economic em- ally covered the movement, Video provided by Vannatayie Binion shows a teacher return- avoid sharing his location. was a lifeline for a commu- powerment, and social justice. Black newspapers had been ing 15-year-old A’Veyon Binion home after a basketball game “She told him to disconnect nity facing slavery, discrimina- These newspapers helped fuel telling those stories long behours before he later left the house on Feb. 28, according to his location and lied to me tion, and exclusion from many the Great Migration by pub- fore the rest of the nation paid his mother. Courtesy ■ See TEEN on page 5 aspects of American society. lishing stories that encour- ■ See BLACK PRESS on page 5 By Jasmine McBride Editor
“I never had a problem with anyone stepping in if he was truly unsafe,” Binion said. “But ILWAUKEE – A the way this was handled, with M i l w a u k e e lies and secret plans, was commother is rais- pletely wrong.” According to Milwaukee ing alarm after a former teacher allegedly police, Aveyon was reported helped her teenage son leave missing after leaving his home home multiple times without near 62nd and Stark on Feb. her knowledge, sparking a po- 28. Authorities initially said he lice investigation and raising was not considered critically questions about child safety missing, but Binion said she remained deeply concerned and school accountability. Vannatyie Binion says her about his safety. Binion says the situation 15-year-old son, Aveyon Binion, ran away several times, some- escalated after her family times with the involvement of moved from Madison to MilEmily Ernest, a Lancaster El- waukee, when her son began ementary School teacher and spending time with peers Aveyon’s former teacher, who she believed were a negative she claims repeatedly misrepre- influence. After previous runsented her son’s whereabouts. away incidents, Binion says