‘The purpose is to give these children an outlet—give them a safe place.’
Ivan Phifer
Ivan B. Phifer is contributing writer at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. He can be reached at iphifer@spokesman-recorder.com
Posted inFeatured, Local & State, News
Advocates want teachers better trained to deal with dyslexia
Advocates gathered at the State Capitol to provide life experience testimonies about dyslexia and call for resources for teachers.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Community members gather to ‘take back our city’ from violence
‘I have kids that don’t want to go home some days because there’s no food in the fridge…’
Posted inLocal & State, News
Pioneering firefighter credits family of firsts to lots of hard work
‘We never set out to be the first Black of anything. We were just hard workers. Dedicated with hard work.’
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight, Featured
Black Business Spotlight: Urban 29 (updated)
Looking for comfortable but classy attire?Joyce Saunders’ Urban 29 may just be the clothing store for you.
Posted inArts + Culture, Theater
Children’s Theatre Company’s ‘Cinderella’— familiar tale gets pop makeover
The Children’s Theatre’s ‘Cinderella’ is a 21st-century take on the classic fairytale with Black main characters and Top 40 hits.
Posted inArts + Culture, Local & State, News
Putting art in service to community—and skate boarders
In collaboration with New Market—a coalition of black businesses hosting pop-up markets around the Twin Cities—youth visual art nonprofit Juxtaposition Arts created a new skate park.
Posted inGo Green, Local & State, News
Local youth join international climate protest
The Minnesota Strikes Back event started off with a rally at Western Sculpture Park in Saint Paul. The group then marched to the steps of the State Capitol.
Posted inLocal & State, News
North Side mourns yet another police shooting
Unanswered questions have surfaced as the case plagues the streets of North Minneapolis. One is whether Blevins had a gun as the police have stated in their reports. According to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), two 911 calls reported a man shooting a handgun, identified by one caller as silver.
Posted inLocal & State, News
North Side juice bar joins larger effort to ‘fix Black neighborhoods’
Got The Juice (GTJ) is the latest establishment to make a welcome addition to the North Side. The fresh juice and smoothie bar opened its doors last week on Lowry Avenue. It is the brainchild of New Rules founder and President Chris Webley and The Zen Bin creator Sierra Carter.
Posted inNews
Teacher of the Year finalist says, ‘The North Side made me’
As an adolescent, you often have dreams about how to plan your life for the best road to success. For many individuals from disenfranchised communities, the first and main goal is to simply “get out the hood.” One woman in particular, however, decided that it was not just good enough to graduate from North, attend […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
Black barbershop owner stays while buildings razed in Dinkytown
Old shop gets new start The historic Dinkytown district on the University of Minnesota campus will be making some major changes this summer. As of March, establishments such as Dinkytown Optical, Underground Printing, Blue Serge Alterations, and the Hair Shaft barbershop were told to vacate the building. This building also includes the first Black-owned business in Dinkytown: Milo’s Barbershop on 4th Street. “We […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
Workshop untangled knot of credit, wealth and race
Have you attempted to obtain a loan for a home or business, but you were denied because of where you live? Has your credit score been affected by paying a phone bill a week late? Have you found out that manager or executive position was given to a candidate who was less qualified? These topics […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
Northside Market gets government attention
Sen. Smith encouraged by inclusive vision for store North Minneapolis has “a nutritional gap” that has been getting more attention recently. With Appetite for Change, Green Garden Bakery and Kindred Kitchen, there is now a market that has healthy food with a deli and bakery, fresh produce and daily cooked meat. North Market also addresses […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
‘Jimmy Jam’ Harris and Terry Lewis big hits at North High
In case you missed it, over 67,000 people braved sub-zero wind chills to be part of the excitement of Superbowl LII. A host of celebrities were also present to watch the game and to entertain the crowd, chief among them hometown legends and international music producers James “Jimmy Jam” Harris and Terry Lewis, who served […]
Posted inBlack History Month
Late ‘60s drum and bugle corp preserves ‘historic sound’
The Sabathanites kept kids off the streets in a turbulent era The Twin Cities boasts some of the country’s top entertainers: Prince, The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and “Sounds of Blackness.” Every name is well known locally and worldwide. But there was another local group that, if you were raised in Minneapolis, was […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
Mayor-elect Jacob Frey meets the community
The newly elected Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, has wrapped up a slew of listening sessions ahead of taking office on Jan 2. According to press materials, the purpose of the listening sessions was to highlight Frey’s commitment to improving police-community relations, increase the city’s affordable housing, and build an inclusive local economy. The events were chaired […]
Posted inNews
Friends of Arnellia’s bid the club farewell (re-post)
Editor’s Note: This story originally ran May of 2017. We are re-posting it to honor the memory of Arnellia Allen, who according to family and friends, passed away December 21. For more on Allen’s passing and legacy, go here. Shortly after the one-year anniversary of the death of Prince Rogers Nelson, another bittersweet feeling resides in […]
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight, News
Teen entrepreneurs grow cooking class into bakery business
It’s not every day you come across a dedicated group of teenagers who are interested in creating healthy snacks and engaging in developing business and marketing models. It’s not every day where a Black-owned North Minneapolis business receives funding to provide nutritious food in communities where they live. Green Garden Bakery (GGB), a group of young […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
Arradondo stresses importance of honesty, accountability at community celebration
Mpls Blacks see cause for hope in new MPD chief On a typical December night in Minneapolis — low temperature and below-zero wind chills — the Urban League office at 2100 Plymouth Ave N. was filled with expressions of warmth and triumph as Northside residents celebrated and honored MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo. The Dec. 6 […]