Rep. Omar’s mere presence as the first Somali American, former refugee, hijab-wearing Muslim, woman in Congress evoked some visceral levels of enmity—Islamophobia, racism, and xenophobia.
Opinion
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Posted inOpinion
Coronavirus crisis is frightening for White folk, scarier still for Blacks
If there was any time for Black health professionals to step in and lend a hand, that time is now.
Posted inOpinion
Minneapolis burning should not come as a surprise
For those who choose to sit in judgement, this sign carried during a protest seeks to confront it: ‘Merchandise can be replaced. Black lives cannot.’
Posted inFeatured, Local & State, Opinion
The problem with the Minneapolis police has decades-deep roots
A look at Minneapolis’ decades-deep problem with police and the efforts to chronicle and fight bigoted misconduct.
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
The political and structural context of the police murder of George Floyd
George Floyd’s death represents the everyday inhuman racist treatment of people of color in the United States. This case is socially and politically explosive.
Posted inOpinion
MN DEED doing its part to help Communities of Color impacted by COVID-19
COVID-19 has impacted nearly everyone in Minnesota. But there has been a disparate impact on Minnesotans of color and Indigenous residents. Across state government, and within the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), we are working hard to address these disparities. The first step in addressing disparities is defining them. Since March 16, […]
Posted inOpinion
Our continuing terror: the murder of Ahmaud Arbery
For Blacks, the killing of Ahmaud Arbery it is another humiliation, a continuing terror.
Posted inOpinion
The gospel of Michael Jordan: thankfully the ‘Last Dance’ is the last chapter
I was talking to my son about the failure of Michael Jordan to speak out about issues that were important to Black people and human beings in general. My son pointed out that had Jordan spoken out it might not have mattered anyway. He also pointed out that Larry Bird, who once described Jordan as […]
Posted inOpinion
Open letter to the community about the recent Green Line LRT incident
A video has surfaced recently showing an unprovoked Asian woman kicked by a Black teen while waiting for a train on the Green Line in St. Paul.
Posted inOpinion
Why I resigned: an Amazon VP resignation letter
I quit in dismay at Amazon’s firing of whistle-blowers who were making noise about warehouse employees’ possible exposure to COVID-19.
Posted inOpinion
Re-opening the economy will doom many
Sending millions of people back to work without protection or testing would be a death sentence for thousands.
Posted inOpinion
A nurse’s warning
Without the shutdown, our already overburdened hospital system would have collapsed under the pressure of skyrocketing admissions.
Posted inOpinion
ESPN projection of NFL draftees amounted to racist propaganda
The message is that Blacks are different, they can perform amazing feats on the football field but otherwise live tragic lives.
Posted inOpinion
Detroit’s poor struggle to keep the water on amidst coronavirus crisis
When the coronavirus arrived, many of these households were simply unable to follow the oft-repeated directions to engage in regular hand washing.
Posted inOpinion
Stand with the Asian American community against hatred
Unfortunately, the rhetoric from people at the highest levels of our government seeks to fuel division by going back to their playbook of hatred and fear.
Posted inOpinion
Pandemic and protests
The fundamental reason to protest the quarantine regimen is the fact that people need income to live.
Posted inOpinion
Quacks, hacks, and sacrifice
The right-wingers took to the streets to defend the “American Way” which is defined by racism, sexism, patriarchy, xenophobia, Islamophobia,
Posted inOpinion
Coronavirus provides opportunity for real equity
Let us work together to not only recover from this pandemic but also to address the underlying issues that have made our community vulnerable in the first place.
Posted inOpinion
U.S./corporate COVID response a crime against humanity
The deaths and sickness of hundreds of thousands of workers in the U.S. were caused by what can only be described as criminal neglect at the least and at worst, crimes against humanity.
Posted inOpinion
Minnesota has two well-qualified Black women jurists to fill next Supreme Court vacancies
Minnesota boasts two prime candidates for Biden’s wish list: U.S. District Court Judge Wilhelmina Wright and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson.