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THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934 April 2 - 8, 2026
Vol. 92
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
No. 35
No Kings rally draws massive crowd HIGHLIGHTS
By Izzy Canizares Contributing Writer
ore than 100,000 people gathered Saturday for the No Kings rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, marking the largest event of its kind to date. Headlined by artists such as Joan Baez and Bruce Springsteen, the rally became a platform for attendees to demand change from the current administration, express their anger, and honor Minnesotans who stepped up for their neighbors during the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Metro Surge. “I stand here because, as a child, I learned what it means when your life can be decided by a piece of paper, when your future feels uncertain,” said Carolina Ortiz of COPAL. “I carried fear, but I also carried something stronger, the belief that one day we would rise. And that day is today. So let me say this very clearly: We are not the problem to solve. A crowd of more than 100,000 people gathers at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul during the No Kings rally on March 28. ■ See NO KINGS on page 5 Izzy Canizares/MSR
Young women reshaping Women paving politics, art, and activism the path to a sustainable future in Minnesota By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer
of State, and works with organizations like Catalyst for Systems Change. Her work focuses on racial equity and aitreya Reeder As a senior at overdose awareness, issues St. Anthony Vil- she encountered personally lage High School, as a child. “I met a lot of other youth Maitreya Reeder is already involved in policymaking. Grow- that were very much like me ing up in Minneapolis, she … they wanted to do somewitnessed political turmoil fol- thing about the real problems lowing the murder of George that they saw in the world, Floyd, the moment she began and they weren’t content just participating in model governto see politics as a solution. “I started having this rec- ment programs.” Among her accomplishments is helping pass a bill through the House and Senate requiring overdose recognition, prevention, and response training in middle and high school health curricula. Reeder credits a strong circle of young women, including poets and artists, along with mentors in legislative spaces who support her. “It’s the learned confidence to assert that I belong there, because if I believe I belong there, then other people will believe it as well.” She said her generation Maitreya Reeder All photos courtesy increasingly sees political involvement as non-negotiable. ognition that the problems I After high school, she plans heard about on the news … to study political science and were moving to my home- pursue a legislative career. “I really can’t imagine doing town, and they were less political problems and more per- anything else with my life … I consider myself very lucky to sonal problems.” It wasn’t until high school have found my central purthat she recognized the pose very early on.” voice she could have in creating solutions. Reeder now Ankita Kumar Ankita Kumar’s passion serves as executive director of the Youth Voter Project, for policy and activism stems Minnesota Youth Secretary from her experience as a first-
By Jasmine McBride Editor s Women’s History Month ends, it is important to remember that it did not begin as the sweeping national observance we recognize today. Its origins are rooted in a much smaller, local effort, one that underscores both the power of visibility and the reality of who has historically been left out.
sustained advocacy, Congress expanded the observance to the entire month of March. March was chosen intentionally, aligning with International Women’s Day (March 8), a global recognition dating back to the early 1900s honoring women’s achievements and the ongoing fight for gender equality. At its core, Women’s History Month was created to highlight contributions long excluded from traditional narratives,
METRO:
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$38 million police training center
Minneapolis City Council members and community leaders opposed a $38 million police training center over budget concerns.
HEALTH:
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Activists to hunger strike over incinerator
Activists plan a hunger strike to push Hennepin County Board of Commissioners to close the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center by 2027.
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EDUCATION:
Macalester Athletic Director of the Year
Ankita Kumar generation immigrant. After moving from India, she helped her parents learn U.S. history and politics as they pursued citizenship. “This is where I first realized the civic literacy gap among marginalized communities and knew it would be my lifelong passion to bridge that gap.” The 18-year-old Wayzata High School student is involved in Model UN, Youth in Government, the Youth Voter Project, and her own initiative, School Board Spotlight. Through her work, Kumar In 1978, a school district in has focused on youth voter turnout, designing materials, Sonoma, California organized pre-registering students, and a “Women’s History Week” to mobilizing more than 20 peers coincide with International to attend school board meet- Women’s Day. The idea quickings, advocate for student ly spread, gaining traction in representation, and interview classrooms and communities candidates in the 2025 Way- across the country. Just two years later, in 1980, President zata school board election. “Young women are often Jimmy Carter issued the first not considered the ‘face’ of presidential proclamation recpolitics,” Kumar said. “Many ognizing National Women’s ■ See NEXT GEN on page 5 History Week. By 1987, after
Donnie Brooks of Macalester College was named Division III Athletic Director of the Year
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SPORTS:
pexels to recognize achievements across fields, and to inspire future generations through more complete storytelling. But even in that mission, gaps remain. While Women’s History Month is meant to elevate women broadly, it has not always fully captured the experiences, leadership, and impact of Black women and ■ See RECAP on page 5
2026 State Boys Basketball Tournament
Chaska & Totino-Grace capture state titles.