Home for the Holidays concert with Kimberly Brown Sun., Dec. 16, 2:30 & 6:30 pm Fine Line Music Cafe 318 First Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-8100 or www.finelinemusic.com Tickets are $25 for seating and $15 for standing room only; for tickets, go to www.kimberlybrown.info. Tower of Power Mon.-Wed., Dec. 17-19, 7 & 9 pm Dakota Jazz […]
December 12, 2012
Posted inNews
Medicaid expansion: more insured at state-budget savings
ACA advocates predict uninsured Blacks will drop from 20 to eight percent By Charles Hallman Staff Writer The Greater United Way held a “community conversation” December 4 at the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how it can help low-income uninsured Minnesotans. Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson and NorthPoint […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Habakkuk Records spotlights emerging gospel artists
Label owner creates business plan through divine inspiration By Charles Hallman Staff Writer In today’s up-and-down economy, when music consumers opt for digital downloads rather than purchasing CDs, April Washington’s Habakkuk Records, which she started in 2008, has weathered the economic turbulence. A seasoned veteran music executive, Washington says she applied what she learned from […]
Posted inNews
United Theological Seminary seeks more diverse students, faculty
MSR speaks with United’s new president, Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes By Robin James Contributing Writer The United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is currently celebrating 50 years of service. Since July of 2012, Reverend Dr. Barbara A. Holmes has been the first African American woman at its helm. Her artist’s sensibility, imaginative approach to ministry, […]
Posted inNews
MN prison phones: high rates, dropped calls
By Tina McCabe Contributing Writer Shelly Martin handed her cell phone to her nine-year-old niece. On the other end was her father, who had been waiting in line to use the only available phone. They greeted each other and began to talk. Perhaps he asked how school was and she asked when she would see […]
Posted inNews
Who’s honing Twin Cities’ media focus? Blacks in management still a rarity in local television, radio news
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Blacks are barely represented on the air and in management at Twin Cities television and radio stations. The MSRrecently examined four local station websites — WCCO (Channel 4), KSTP (Channel 5), KMSP (Channel 9), and KARE (Channel 11) and found: WCCO: one Black female anchor, one Black anchor/reporter, one Black […]
Posted inOpinion
Minnesota: land of underused though highly skilled Black quarterbacks
There’s too much emphasis on White and not enough on win The elephant in the middle of the sports living room is back: another round of a decreasing number of Black quarterbacks (irrespective of RGIII, the phenomenal Black quarterback of the Washington Redskins). Sports columnists in this paper periodically hint at it in terms of Minnesota. […]
Posted inOpinion
Top issues for Blacks this legislative session
There are going to be a lot of issues on the table in the 2013 legislative session, and this columnist is going to be involved in and writing about issues that have a direct impact on the Black community. With regards to the issue of felons’ right to vote in Minnesota, Blacks are released back […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter to the Editor: Spike Moss: a true hero
I came to Minnesota when I was 16 years old. I am now 50. Spike Moss was in charge of the WAY when I was a teenager. While he never seeks accolades, I think it is important that people know that Spike Moss was instrumental in saving so many youth through his program at the […]
Posted inOpinion
Opportunity and diversity one industry at a time
By Benjamin Todd Jealous Guest Commentator There is a missing component to the national discussion concerning how to strengthen and rebuild the American economy. It is true that high unemployment, a weak national infrastructure, the need for stronger public education, the concentration of wealth and the deficit are all challenges to the nation’s economy, but […]
Posted inSports
Twins outdo Wolves as Whitest pro team in Minnesota
Unless things change, the Minnesota Twins won’t have a single African American player on its opening day roster for the 2013 season. In the span of a week — no pun intended — the team unloaded its last two Black players, outfielders Denard Span and Ben Revere, to National League teams. Soon after last season […]
Posted inSports
Top performers in boys’ hoops
The boys’ basketball season is off and running, and some of the state’s top players are already serving notice that they will be heard from before the season is over. Check out these top performances so far: QUINTON HOOKER (Park Center) — The leading candidate for Mr. Basketball dropped 26 in a 72-70 victory over […]
Posted inSports
Vikings lean on Peterson in 21-14 win
The Vikings ended a two-game losing streak with 21-14 win over Chicago before 64,134 fans at Mall of America Field Sunday while the first winter storm of 2012 was pounding the area with as much as a foot of snow on the Metrodome roof. The great Adrian Peterson continued his remarkable MVP-like season. His march […]
Posted inSports
Overall, hiring of Black college coaches has improved
But there have been setbacks; some still resist transparent coaching searches The Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA) recently released its 2011-12 “Hiring Report Card for NCAA, FBS and FCS Football Head Coaching Positions.” According to the BCA, there has been a 600-percent increase in the number of Black coaches at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Documentary confronts us with the grim realities of Black AIDS
By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Released earlier this year, Endgame: AIDS in Black America (PBS-DVD), produced and directed by Renata Stone for WGBH/FRONTLINE, is an important documentary for the subject alone, keeping up awareness of a medical crisis many choose not to think about, much less candidly discuss. Stone also is producer of The Age […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Media justice activists develop racial equity pledge
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Nearly 50 persons attended “A Gathering for Media Justice” held last weekend at Hamline University for community members and local non-mainstream media representatives. Sponsored by Community Action Against Racism (CAAR), Main Street Project and KFAI-FM, the December 8 half-day “conversation-based” event discussed media justice issues with an emphasis on local […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
When good people essentially do nothing
Power, politics, and policy and the influence they have over African American people According to Pastor Terrance Jacobs, former director with the Gamaliel Organization who was appointed to Africa, power is the concentration of “organized people and organized money” (taken from the Alinsky model). Pastor Jacobs went on to explain, at the Minneapolis Neighborhood Hub’s […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Enjoy your holidays in moderation, and stay motivated
The holidays are in full swing! Christmas parties at work, family gatherings, and a host of other events are filled with sweet treats — I love the holidays and the spirit that they bring, but my waistline doesn’t love the sweet treats (or maybe it loves them too much). Every year, the holidays present us […]
Posted inNews
Miss Black MN USA crowns two young queens
Krystle Igo-Ogbonna was crowned 2013 Miss Black Minnesota USA on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at the Hopkins Community Center Eisenhower Theater. At the same event, Shamerah Norman was crowned 2013 Miss Black Minnesota USA Talented Teen. Both young women will represent Minnesota at the 2013 Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant. Krystle is the daughter of […]