PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
To Subscribe Scan Here
THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934 May 21 - 27, 2026
Vol. 92
No. 42
Civil rights groups fight back as Trump policies target Black voters, Muslim communities By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
urging European banks to cut ties with companies that contract with Immigration and wo of the country’s Customs Enforcement. After leading civil rights opting out of a facial recogniorganizations are tion scan, she was stopped by litigating legal chal- Department of Homeland Selenges against Trump adminis- curity agents, who seized her tration policies they say dilute phone and dozens of books Black voting rights and sys- she had collected overseas. “If the violation of my First tematically target Muslims. CAIR-Minnesota hosted So- and Fourth Amendment rights mali American Solidarity Day in retaliation for my politiat the Minnesota State Capitol cal beliefs, organizing, and May 12, drawing speakers who identity was meant to inflict argued that President Donald fear and suffering, then it has Trump’s policies have made failed,” Corcelius said. “I am Muslim and immigrant com- unabated and undeterred.” Alec Shaw, a civil rights atmunities daily targets of suspicion and state power. The rally torney at CAIR-MN, saw the came as CAIR-MN announced seizure as part of a broader it is representing a Minnesota crackdown on political dislabor organizer whose phone sent. “American Muslims are and books were seized by fed- being targeted for the healthy eral agents upon her return criticism of their government, the most democratic action from Europe. Janette Corcelius, a com- a citizen can take,” Shaw said. munity organizer with OPEIU “We stand with Minnesotans Local 12, arrived at Minneap- and we stand with Ms. Corceolis-St. Paul International Air- lius today.” Speakers at the solidarity port on April 30 after a twoweek trip abroad, where she rally drew on history and curhad been promoting a Minne- rent events to argue that the apolis City Council resolution ■ See NAACP on page 5
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
Leaders condemn George Floyd joke on Netflix Special
Chris Juhn/MSR By Jasmine McBride Editor
Minnesota’s growing diverse activists movement showed up to the capitol rotunda to stand in solidarity with the country’s largest Somali community. Clint Combs/MSR
early six years after George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, a Netflix comedy special reopened wounds that community members say have never fully healed. During “The Roast of Kevin Hart,” comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made a joke referencing Floyd’s final moments, saying Floyd was “looking up” at the audience and “can’t breathe,” a reference to Floyd’s last words as officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020.
On May 13, Minneapolis grieve in peace, we have Netflix said. “We see the bigger piccommunity leaders, civil rights comedians making light of his ture… what can we do to creadvocates and residents killing. It is unacceptable and it ate meaningful change that gathered at the Hennepin is unconscionable.” will prevent another George Brandon Williams, Floyd’s Floyd.” County Government Center to condemn the remarks and nephew, spoke to the SpokesSpeakers pointed to what demand accountability from man-Recorder by phone from they called a clear double Texas. He said he did not standard. Jokes about MeHinchcliffe, Hart and Netflix. “When I saw the clip online, it watch the special but learned lania Trump were reportedly made me sick to my stomach,” about the joke through calls pulled from the special before said Nekima Levy Armstrong, and texts. broadcast, while remarks tar“Kevin Hart was at the ser- geting Black women, including civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, vice after George was killed. Cheryl Underwood and Lizzo, who opened the press confer- He spoke to us privately, were allowed to air. ence. “George Floyd was a saw the pain that we went “You can’t disrespect white member of our community. He through,” Williams said. “It women, but you can disrewas a father, he was an uncle, was shocking for him not to at spect Black women,” said and he was a man who should least say something.” Trahern Crews, co-founder of Williams said the family is Black Lives Matter Minnesota. still be alive. Here we are about to memorialize George on a healing journey. “We try “Kevin Hart was the producer Floyd for year six, and instead not to open up old wounds of the show. This is about of allowing our community to for our own mental health,” he ■ See GEORGE on page 5
Experts weigh in on hantavirus risk By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer antavirus, a virus carried by rodents most recently contracted by two cruise passengers, has raised concerns as questions of person-to-person spread linger in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Claudia MunozZanzi, a University of Minnesota infectious disease expert, emphasizes that the risk of a widespread outbreak remains low. A frontline nurse shares concerns in her field, and the Cultural Wellness Center director stresses the importance of cultural preparedness. “I think the concern nurses have right now is, just like COVID, we were under the impression it wouldn’t impact us,” said Lynnetta Muehlhauser, a pre- and post-operation nurse with the Minnesota Nurses
on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Twin Cities, said inconsistent information causes confusion Minnesota School of Public The pathogen behaves differ- and fear. She noted uncerHealth who studies rodent- ently from other viruses, mak- tainty about whether the virus borne infections, says there ing a larger outbreak unlikely. spreads only through rodent is minimal risk concerning “Clusters tend to be very de- feces and contaminated food, the hantavirus and Andes vi- fined and haven’t gone be- or through people as well. rus. The hantavirus is a family yond very close contacts, and “It’s the unknown, that’s of viruses with many strains. then the cluster at some point scary,” Muehlhauser said. The Andes virus is one strain is gonna die out.” “This is what happened with now drawing attention as it COVID; they’re like ‘this has spreads from human to hubeen around a long time.’” man. She also noted that as “We definitely “This disease has been 2020 moved further behind operate from around … there are cases that people, many stopped testa place of occur on a regular basis in ing or worrying about disSouth America and even here suspicion.” ease altogether. “Some peoin the U.S. Sporadic cases we ple still believe coronavirus can see regularly over the wasn’t really a big deal, then The slow spread also allows there’s other people who lost years,” Munoz-Zanzi said. There have been two hanta- for more in-depth contact family members and there’s virus cases “likely acquired” in tracing and time to prepare still people to this day that I Minnesota since 1999, and for a worst-case scenario. “I work with that test positive another Minnesota resident was surprised that it has been every three months and still Mikael Blomkvist who acquired a hantavirus in the news so much because get pretty significant sympinfection in the western U.S., again the risk is so low,” Mu- toms,” she said. Association. “What we’ve mation that we get is also very according to the Minnesota noz-Zanzi said. Muehlhauser, who is infound is that communicable limited or kind of varies.” Muehlhauser, who has 30 volved in the Commission on Department of Health. diseases aren’t the same as Transmission from one per- years of experience at the Nursing Practice and Education, Munoz-Zanzi, an associate they used to be and the infor- professor at the University of son to another is low, she said. bedside including working ■ See HANTA on page 5