By Donavee Chappell Contributing Writer More than 800 of the world’s top professional and amateur racquetball players descended on Minneapolis once again this October 4-9 for the 2011 US Open Racquetball Championships, the world’s largest and most prestigious racquetball tourney. The event was held at Life Time Fitness — Target Center. After 14 years in […]
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Posted inOpinion
Through My Eyes, by Ron Edwards—Mayor Rybak, Mpls officials hear private Vikings stadium pitch in Portland, Oregon
When the general manager of the Monaco Hotel in Portland, Oregon received reservation requests from Minneapolis for 90 guests for October 2-4, he may have thought a professional team was coming. Instead, it was the Select 90, the brain trust of Minneapolis’ professional urban design community, led by Mayor R.T. Rybak. They were there to […]
Posted inOpinion
Fred Shuttlesworth is gone—let’s hope he left someone his guts
We lost something last week, someone really great. We won’t be able to go to the store and replace what he gave to the world. While the loss of Steve Jobs was a blow, someone will quickly replace his ingenuity. But people like Fred Shuttlesworth cannot be replaced. Shuttlesworth never totally got his due as […]
Posted inOpinion
Something I Said, by Dwight Hobbes—Admiring Black women’s bodies sexist? Racist? Horseradish.
The beautifulest thing about Black women’s bodies is, well, indeed they are Black women’s bodies. In, literally speaking, all sorts of shapes and sizes. Which brings on this column wherein the author will get a piece of my mind if, in his zeal to wax appreciative of such gorgeously thick-hipped sistahs as mainstream media largely […]
Posted inNews
Protest follows firing of top SCSU administrator of color
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer The recent firing of a longtime St. Cloud State University (SCSU) top administrator has created a hostile climate for faculty and staff of color, some believe. Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management Mahmoud Saffari was dismissed on September 20. “He was fired out of the blue,” Dr. Semya Hakim, a […]
Posted inOpinion
A message from prison: We felons must do our part to end the violence
By Jeffery Young Guest Commentator While sitting in my prison cell reading the September 8 issue of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, I came across something that revitalized a call of action in me. In the article “Mpls streets a battleground for city’s soul” [Sept. 8], Mr. Ron Edwards scathingly denounced Minneapolis leaders for their silence and […]
Posted inOpinion
Little by Little, by Mathew Little—A new (Black) face in the presidential race
As if this year’s presidential pre-election scenario has not been topsy-turvy enough already, an entirely new face has suddenly joined the fray. Moreover he is grabbing national headlines and exposure away from existing candidates of his political party. His name is Herman Cain, and if you aren’t familiar with the name by now, you must […]
Posted inArts + Culture, Music
James on Jazz: Herbie Hancock performance an early holiday present
Where was I? Ah yes, Mr. Herbie Hancock. Last column, I mentioned his name. Imagine: It’s Christmas time, and you have this huge living room with a big black grand piano and enough money to hire Hancock to play for you all evening long. It’s just you (ok, maybe a few friends), Hancock, and he’s […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Eric Roberson: Soulful Grammy nominee sang at Dakota
On October 1, singer, songwriter, arranger and producer Eric Roberson introduced songs from his upcoming CD, Mr. Nice Guy, and delivered a crowd-pleasing performance at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. This two-time Grammy Award nominee started out his career as an underground sensation, which has allowed him to successfully remain on his own independent […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Movies, Media & More, By Dwight Hobbes—New online column takes on Hollywood’s Blackout
“Movies, Media & More” — despite the nice, innocuous title — is neither nice nor innocuous. I just call it that because Movies, Media & More is more economical and eye-friendly than “Raising Three Different Kinds of Hell About the Insidious, Ruthless Racism by which Hollywood Determinedly Propagandizes a White-is-Wonderful Agenda that Would Warm Adolf […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Film festival gives Black films a broader audience
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer As was the case in previous festivals, the 2011 Twin Cities Black Film Festival (TCBFF), held September 15-17, again opened with a feature-length film. Mooz-Lum, a film by Qasim “Q” Basir starring Danny Glover, Nia Long, Roger Guenveur Smith and Evan Ross, was shown at the Mall of America theater […]
Posted inNews, Sports
WNBA Fit clinic give youth practical ways to combat diabetes
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer The WNBA, NBA and the NBA Development League in February joined forces with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to launch the Dribble to Stop Diabetes national campaign. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2011 fact sheet, nearly 26 million people have diabetes, 8.3 percent of […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Ghettophysics: Film claims we all live in ‘pimps and hos’ system
A movie review By Mel Reeves Contributing Writer The creator of GhettoPhysics has tapped into something that is slowly seeping into American mindsets, and that is something is wrong, especially with our relationship to power. GhettoPhysics, which was screened on October 6 at the St. Anthony Main Theatre in Minneapolis, is a documentary that uses […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
School system collaborates with Kids 4 Health
Initiative helps fill the gap left by cuts in phys ed classes By Lisa Bryant Contributing Writer Elizabeth Drake and other parents who seek resources to help improve their child’s health and well-being are being referred by their physicians to the Kids 4 Health (K4H) Institute as a possible solution. “We are the solution,” says […]
Posted inSports
Fitz Beat, by Larry Fitzgerald—Put the blame where it belongs
GLENDALE, AZ — Every NFL team that fails this year to have a successful season has a built-in alibi. Blame it on the lockout — say it was because we just have not had enough time to work on this and that with our players. It’s true that many of the younger players are behind […]
Posted inOpinion
Finally we have the leadership needed to close achievement gap
By Louis King Guest Commentator For the first time in my 15 years of observing the leadership addressing the achievement gap, we finally have all that is necessary to move the ball. We must recognize, organize, mobilize and capitalize on the opportunity before us. We have no time to waste. First, we have district leadership, […]
Posted inOpinion
Through My Eyes, by Ron Edwards—Who’s in charge of 807 West Broadway — soon to be 1200 West Broadway?
The headline of this column reflects the soon-to-be-finished headquarters of Special School District #1 of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and the mystery surrounding its funding. This raises further questions about who will operate the building, who will control other activities in the building, and what other groups are expecting to benefit, perhaps even be […]
Posted inOpinion
Voices of the Village, by Lissa Jones—Resist the lies that are killing our babies
Critical thinking in the Black Independence Movement “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving those who are doing the oppressing.” — Malcolm X Wow! No surprise to my readers that I adore Malcolm and trust deeply in his wisdom. Thanks to modern technology, he […]
Posted inOpinion
Issues And New Perspectives, by Lucky Rosenbloom—Time to give up those 1950s arguments for the Black agenda
Blacks are growing in their frustration with Black organizations for their inability to move the Black agenda. Part of that problem is that no one can really define the Black agenda. This is a good buzz phrase to use in meetings, but what is the Black agenda? Ask this question of several Black agencies, and […]
Posted inOpinion
Unemployed corporate Blacks need a Jobs Act too
“Passage of the $447 billion American Jobs Act will put people on the bench back to work,” proclaimed U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood from the platform of the St. Paul’s Union Depot Central Corridor Light Rail project. He was joined by FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff, elected members of Congress Keith Ellison and Betty […]