As is often our practice, I invited Kevin into the space with me and he was able to participate by phone in the panel, which focused on Art as Healing, Justice, and Peace. We were joined by writing instructors and advocates in a conversation about art and its liberating role in our system of incarceration.
Opinion
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Posted inOpinion
U.S. response to Saudi crisis reveals greed, hypocrisy
Despite what willing recipients of U.S. propaganda and indoctrination have led folks to believe, morality is not a consideration in U.S. foreign policy. Nor, for that matter, is it a consideration in domestic policy…
Posted inOpinion
How come renters can’t get help, but landlords can?
Just 14 percent of Minneapolis landlords own 80 percent of the city’s rental units. These landlords are very wealthy, yet they will be the ones to receive the bulk of the huge property tax breaks (a 40 percent deduction) from this new program for keeping rents “affordable.”
Posted inOpinion
Kavanaugh’s confirmation shows power of White privilege and sexism
Voters in general, and women, in particular, can begin righting this ship by voting in November. Certainly, after this newest addition to the Supreme Court, everyone should realize that elections matter.
Posted inOpinion
20 years later: Was Matthew Shepard’s murder a hate crime (or a drug crime)?
Last week marked 20 years since Matthew Shepard’s death on October 12, 1998. Then 21, he was a first-year college student at the University of Wyoming.
Posted inOpinion
The less rosy side of our ‘robust’ economy
Not only are these trends not sustainable, but they continue to put tens of millions of Americans on a collision course with financial disaster. Moreover, this nation’s economic disparities are a threat to its very future.
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Elections have consequences
I know and believe that all life is precious, but not just pre-born life!
Posted inOpinion
Kavanaugh confirmation a disservice to America
In the weeks since then, the basis for my concern has been confirmed. Senate Republicans used raw power to rush an unfit nominee onto the Supreme Court when the American people have more questions than answers about Judge Kavanaugh’s suitability to serve.
Posted inOpinion
What happened to ‘innocent until proven guilty’?
Judge Brett Kavanaugh off the United States Supreme Court at any cost and by any means necessary.
Posted inOpinion
Vote as if your life depends on it (because it does)
We’ve seen the collective power of Black women impact key races for office in special elections and primaries. Black women, according to a recent NAACP poll which analyzed the 61 most competitive midterm races, are tired of feeling disrespected by the Trump Administration and have made it a much higher priority to voice their displeasure at the polls.
Posted inOpinion
The Black community is under siege
I am struck by the fact that five of the six people I am referencing seemingly died too soon. It begs the question of whether the environment that we are living in is killing us?
Posted inOpinion
Bill Cosby’s sentence isn’t just about politics
Let’s say this together: Bill Cosby, the sexual predator is the same person as Bill Cosby the actor/producer/philanthropist. Folks need to wrap their minds around that fact. Black folks, especially women, don’t have to support Cosby because he’s Black; behaving like race is the pre-determining factor in his conviction is vile.
Posted inOpinion
Dakota property extends beyond Hiawatha
If a Native renter was getting evicted and took their case to court asking the judge, “How can this White landlord evict me from property that is mine?” would Mayor Frey stand with the Native renter?
Posted inOpinion
Have things changed since Anita Hill?
This article was originally published on The Conversation. In 1991, Anita Hill accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Thomas was nonetheless confirmed. Now, as Brett Kavanaugh faces an allegation of sexual assault, observers are saying that “things have changed since Anita Hill.” Have they? As a scholar who studies gender dynamics in organizations, […]
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Stillwater prison conditions are perpetuating pain
Although the Department of Corrections has said it has returned to “modified operations” at the Stillwater prison, family members report hearing from their incarcerated family of still very restricted activity and limited access to nutrition, rehabilitative programs, and the social interaction that promotes overall wellbeing.
Posted inOpinion
What Kavanaugh’s confirmation would mean for Black women
With the confirmation process underway for Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, Black women have certainly been voicing our opposition. There’s no sugarcoating it: confirming Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court would be disastrous for Black women. To begin, Kavanaugh has made it clear that he doesn’t support the right to abortion enshrined in Roe v. Wade – though seven in 10 people in this country do, as […]
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Does ‘Sesame Street’ need to come out of the closet?
I realize, however, in a culture that constantly sexualizes the coupling of same-gender relationships as gay, we ignore our friendships with our “best friends forever” (BFF) – which is what Sesame Street’s producers are stating about Bert and Ernie.
Posted inOpinion
Injustice for African Americans: ‘business as usual’
Why is our constitutional guarantee of “checks and balances,” i.e. fairness also for the accused, too often absent in the county courthouses and city offices?
Posted inOpinion
Much-maligned immigrants help America live up to its promise
The debate over immigration in America, “illegal” or otherwise, is as old as the republic itself. The likes of Thomas Paine, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson addressed the virtues of immigration in the late 18th century, as would many who followed in their footsteps.
Posted inOpinion
Officials can’t target Nike just because they don’t like Kaepernick
Regardless of what officials may think about the protests, the First Amendment prohibits the government from discriminating against individuals and organizations based on the content of their speech and the viewpoints they express.