Minnesota’s African American Leadership Model–A fine example of Totalitarianism…The 2009 version of how our own will sell us back into Slavery
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/IBNN
The Radical may resort to the sword, (in 2009: the keyboard), but when he does he is not filled with hatred against those individuals whom he attacks. He hates these individuals not as persons but as symbols representing ideas or interests which he believes to be inimical to the welfare of the people. (Alinsky 1946: 23)
On Saturday, (11/21) I ventured to General Mills to catch a glimpse of the 170 African-American “hand-picked” leaders for the African-American Leadership Forum. (Only two kinds of people can afford the luxury of acting on principle, those with absolute power and those with none and no desire to get any.)
Headwater Foundations Trista Harris and Northwest Area Foundations Gary Cunningham’s emails stating that there was a process one could follow in order to be invited to the Leadership meeting were misleading.
Rev. Jerry McAfee and Spike Moss were both invited on the insistence of Rep. Bobby Jo Champion less than 24 hours before Saturday’s meeting. This is not the “process” detailed in the meetings.
IBNN was later contacted by several participants at Saturday’s cattle herd. One of them said, “This was nothing but a breakfast and lunch to get a bunch of names so the Headwaters Foundation can seek future funding. Nothing got done. The circus-like engagement was a dirty shame and disrespectful to all African-Americans.”
After I had a 40-minute conversation with Northwest Area Foundation’s Gary Cunningham, it seemed that we both wanted the same outcomes for Black people in Minnesota. His statements were good – but the actions that he took excluded the real Minnesota black leadership and further delayed the attainment of justice for all.
You see Mr. Cunningham is not a radical. White Minnesota feels comfortable working with him. He will do what the master says, with little resistance. (IBNN will look at Cunningham’s involvement with Pilot City- now NorthPoint Health and Wellness– and the African American Men’s Project in an upcoming story.)
Although I was not allowed to enter the guarded area at General Mills, while Gary and I talked, several people that were not on any list were granted admission to this “private formal meeting.” Yet it was impossible for the interested public to become fully informed about the African American Leadership Forum.
The sad thing about the African American Leadership forum is, organizations “self-charged” with the organizing of this model – Northwest Foundation; Headwaters Foundation and the Stairstep Foundation recognize no limits to their authority and strive to regulate every aspect of Black engagement wherever feasible.
The element of authoritarianism, according to which ordinary Blacks have no significant share in decision-making, helps to maintain these organizations in positions of political power by means of an official all-embracing ideology and propaganda disseminated through the controlled personality cults, along with regulations and restrictions of free discussion and criticism. This is the definition of totalitarianism.
An e-mail response sent to me by Mr. Cunningham reads: Read more
Ode to the Community “Spokespersons” – Hello. How are you? Won’t you tell us your “Game?”
True community leaders and spokespersons, Councilman Don Samuels and MADDADS VJ Smith hold vigil (on Sunday, January 18, 2008 in front of the abandoned house) for 15 year old Annshalike Hamilton who was seven months pregnant and found dead in a garage on the 22nd block of 4th Street North. No sign of the community “spokespersons” that cried foul at the Jordan Area Community Council press conference on Saturday.
Definition: Leadership: The ability to guide, direct, or influence people
Attention Community Leader(s), Spokespersons,“Frankenstein’s” and poverty pimps;
I don’t know if you’ve noticed that north Minneapolis especially the “City of Minneapolis – N ½ of Section 16-29-24” is suffering from the lack of leadership. Because we have no one to guide, direct or influence people, our community has fallen into a state of moral and economic demise. Members of our community are being killed and no one seems concerned; our homes are going into foreclosure and nothing impactful is being done to save the homes; our neighbors are moving to the suburbs, leaving our communities abandoned, and no one has taken a stand.
As I participated in the vigil for Annshalike Hamilton, the pregnant 15-year-old who was found in an abandoned garage, I realized no one has stood up to question the death of this teen. If she were a young white girl, our city would be up in arms. Then I realized, no one has taken a stand to question the death of Quincy Smith, the young man who was tasered to death by Minneapolis police.
These are two significant events that have gone without an official word from the leaders or “spokespersons” of our community. This silence that seems to have infiltrated our community, has also affected the leaders of community organizations such as Northway Community Trust, Stairstep Foundation, Minneapolis Urban League, NorthPoint and many other organizations inside and outside north Minneapolis purporting to represent the North side. Many have written in the mission statements the words “to help or assist the community” – we know that is not the case.
This is not an attack, but a request for information on how such “spokespersons” have come to be called leaders in the community and yet have not stood up to decry the killings and the economic demise occurring in north Minneapolis.
In the National Black MBA Association-Twin City Chapter 2008 catalog for their Annual Scholarship Gala, held on August 1, 2008 – on page 22 the quote from Isaiah Reese at the top of the page says, “Our stance as a people should be to serve as one common denominator for all not as a separate unit.” For years some of the organizations “spokespersons” have been working as a separate unit not addressing the facts, concerns and issues of north Minneapolis, and discounting African-Americans. The local community organizations are in need of your unique expertise.
Many of the esteemed, distinguished organizations community members turn to you for leaders. But, where are your leaders? How can you lead a fledgling community when you have no history with the community? I must admit that I have not seen any of the people in gala brochure (for the NBMBA-TC) at any meeting or community gathering or making a public statement when an injustice happens to African-Americans in Minneapolis. I have never seen the President or the VP of the Twin Cities Chapter of the National Black MBA Association or the local chair and vice chair for the Urban Financial Services Coalition (based out of Wells Fargo) condemn the killings in the community cry foul the current economic state of north Minneapolis. In fact, in the past two years, I haven’t seen a single Black leader taking a stand against what’s going on in our community. But, our so called “spokespersons” will attend a party or the General Mills MLK Breakfast. I question the ethics behind the process of choosing a leader or “spokesperson”; I challenge theses spokespersons definition of Leader. Before you “flinch” remember I have some history with this subject matter.
I understand that Black people in the Twin Cities get comfortable being comfortable and maybe don’t think they need to address the issues and concerns regarding “those Black folks in north Minneapolis.” But soon, sooner than you think, the issues will directly affect you, your organization and your past actions, or inaction’s. Your inaction will hasten the continued redirection of funding streams, which should be directed toward north Minneapolis – to predominantly White organizations that should have no business conducting outreach in the underserved communities of north Minneapolis.
There is a reason for your inaction. Collaborating with point people and organizations in north Minneapolis could affect your status. With the corruption and lack of deliverables, your organizations could become “transparent” and fall into the same categories we have been speaking about. The “flip side” is that you could be helping the community and don’t want to tell anyone…if that’s the case, God bless you.
I would like to share an applicable piece from W.E.B. DuBois – “The Talented Tenth, from The Negro Problem: A Series of Articles by Representative Negroes of To-day” (New York, 1903), he wrote, “The Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. The problem of education, then, among Negroes must first of all deal with the Talented Tenth; it is the problem of developing the Best of this race that they may guide the Mass away from the contamination and death of the Worst, in their own and other races. Now the training of men is a difficult and intricate task. Its technique is a matter for educational experts, but its object is for the vision of seers. If we make money the object of man-training, we shall develop money-makers but not necessarily men; if we make technical skill the object of education, we may possess artisans but not, in nature, men. Men we shall have only as we make manhood the object of the work of the schools—intelligence, broad sympathy, knowledge of the world that was and is, and of the relation of men to it—this is the curriculum of that Higher Education which must underlie true life. On this foundation we may build bread winning, skill of hand and quickness of brain, with never a fear lest the child and man mistake the means of living for the object of life. . . .
In closing, if the north Minneapolis “Spokespersons” are truly a network of business professionals with a commitment to education, career development and promoting the economic wealth of the African-American community, where does the word and the work involving “community” fit in?
Jordan Area Community Council Executive Director and Northside Marketing Task Force Chairman go on rampage at board meeting and assaults community members
In a rampage during the Jordan Area Community Council (JACC) Board meeting Monday night, January 12, the JACC Executive Director and Northside Marketing Task Force Chair Jerry Moore assaulted community members, Megan G., Dennis W. and P.J. During the meeting, the JACC Board was re-tooled with new members who were voted in by the community.
The new JACC Board includes David Haddy, Todd Heintz, Tyrone Jaramillo, Robert Hodson, Anne McCandless and Vladimir Monroe.
Keep in mind, wasn’t it the Independent Business News Network (IBNN) that first penned an article on December 8, 2008 stating that Jerry Moore should relinquish his position with JACC and the task force.
An eyewitness recounts what happened at the meeting: “Unfortunately, Jerry snapped and lost his mind Monday night. He started swinging punches at a man who had ‘pushed his buttons’ so to speak*. He didn’t really make contact with the man because the man was walking away to avoid a fight. A few people, including myself, ran over to get in between Jerry and the man to keep them apart. Jerry then turned his rage on me, pushing me back and swinging at me. Two other men saw Jerry putting his hands on a woman; they jumped in between Jerry and the woman to get control of Jerry. Jerry then turned his rage on one of them. At this point, Jerry really started throwing punches closed fist punches – that made contact with one man before people were able to get Jerry under control. Three people, including myself, were on the phone with 911. When Jerry realized the police were on the way, he ran out the back exit out of the building. Police came and took statements and will turn it over to an investigator.
*Pushing Jerry’s buttons means: A community member was asking tough questions of Jerry during the question and answer period of the board meeting.
(The woman that was asking the questions about where is the money going for our youth – she was Miss Champion – Bobby Jo Champion’s sister ( or so she claims) – she was asking these questions to elected officials – NOT TO JERRY – she was asking in a vague/general manner, not about specific money.) The community member’s questions focused on “where all of the money was going for our youth?” Another community member had written a note stating that the board must question Jerry Moore, the executive director, to find out what has been done with the money, and what does the community have to show for it. After the meeting was over, while people were cleaning up and milling around, a woman began asking Jerry about the money and Jerry was responding. Then a gentleman identified as the community member who began ‘pushing Jerry’s buttons’ walked over and joined the conversation. He then said: “Jerry, you are the executive director, why don’t you show this woman the financial records and show her where the money is Jerry?” As he asked the question, he patted Jerry on the back sarcastically. (I want to make it clear that it was not a sincere pat on the back; it was not an “atta boy” pat on the back). In fact, Jerry’s friends at the meeting were saying that this ‘button-pushing-man’ actually hit Jerry three times on the back. It wasn’t a “hit”. It wasn’t consensual but it wasn’t a hit. If Jerry had said “don’t touch me” and the man continued to touch him, that may have changed the outcome, but Jerry didn’t say that, he just started swinging.”
There has been growing commentary in the community for sometime about alleged miss-management taking place within the Jordan Area Community Council, as well as alleged financial payoffs (See http://ibnn.org/?p=393, Todd Barnes/Front Street Marketing) Jerry Moore has made to friends and colleagues for work that was never fulfilled for JACC.
Another JACC Board meeting will be held at Jordan New Life Church 1922 25th Avenue North on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. The community is invited and encouraged to attend.
The Current State of North Minneapolis heading into 2009 – “Shall we Overcome?”
Mr. Lennie Chism addresses the Minneapolis City Council, who has decided to “exclude” the Black community from dollars.
In view of the catastrophic failure of Minneapolis Urban League in 2008 as it pertains to service to people, programs, community engagement and bad internal decision making to include cutbacks and layoffs, does the Black social service agency have a contingency plan for 2009? With the layoff of the MUL’s marketing/communications director (A U of M triple major with a Masters Degree – probably the smartest person in the building), it seems that bad choices will continue to be the flavor for 2009. An old poet wrote, “To fear someone with education and a strong will moves forward the clock of your stupidity.”
Furthermore, the exit this summer of the MUL’s Chief Development Officer and the agency opting to hire another grant writer versus someone with a solid direction, (which was the issue in the first place), put the once flagship Black social service agency in a tight competition for funds and the lack of procedure on how to fundraise in the private sector – a piece that’s been missing for a long time. It’s been reported that in 2009 local and national philanthropic agencies will meet to announce cuts in funding to Twin City agencies to include the MUL. These (White) philanthropic agencies have been conditioned to see Black agencies on television, radio and newspaper talking about successful measurable outcomes and current programs that reflect dollars given to local non-profits for programs to enact those programs. “Question: When was the last time you saw FOX 9 News or WCCO at the Minneapolis Urban League to promote a successful outcome that was purely Black focused and driven?”
The fact is; it has not happened. Now, with no fear of being called racists or unfair for not giving the usual dollars to the Black agencies in light of the current political atmosphere, the White philanthropic agencies are asking the question, “What are you doing with the money and what have you done.” With questions still unanswered regarding the $50,000.00 given away freely by Northway Community Trust to a firm outside of the community/state for a survey on Broadway Avenue businesses that was never done; to the alleged miss-dealings of the Jordan Area Community Council; and our favorite, Northside Residents Redevelopment Council (NRRC) lack of “development” makes us wonder if “change” is the operative word for 2009, local Black social service agencies must “step up to the plate” and play in the league of sound business practices; understanding policy, making policy and working with people from outside of their circle (but within the community) who might know more without being afraid of “change.” For example, if the Minneapolis Urban League gets money (again) to address the housing foreclosure issue within the community, we cannot let them “go outside the community and hire people that don’t look like us or don’t live in the community to address this very serious issue. That has always been the “easy-out.” There are knowledgeable people in the community that have technically solved the foreclosure crisis in their heads but have not been given the opportunity to step forward and apply the logics needed to create education, wealth and independence for North Minneapolis. If the African American Men Project needs a marketing plan or a website developed – they will not give a White firm $100,000.00 to complete a task and turn into a referral agency. Year-to-date, we have not seen a solid plan or website for AAMP. Part of this situation evolves from Black people that can make decisions, feel more comfortable doing business with White folks. (That’s another story…soon.)
Rather than just cutting the agencies off, meetings are being set up to announce a start from scratch approach with programs and plans that local agencies have to re-apply for funding – if they meet the requirements. Also reported today, NorthPoint Health and Wellness Clinic goes into 2009 with a half-million dollar deficit. Contacts for IBNN allege that a meeting was called between the NP board chair and a NP program director that had to answer some very “pointed” questions about his “process” or failure of. (It’s understandable why the U of M backed out of that deal.)
In University of Minnesota/Northside Partnership News…A concerned North Minneapolis community wise man received this email from the University of Minnesota’s Community Liaison, stationed at the Minneapolis Urban League. It reads, “The Urban Research and Outreach/ Engagement Center is working to create a time line of people who have been important or instrumental in the Northside and well as Minneapolis and in Minnesota – people who have had an effect in a positive or negative way. This will be used during the Future’s conference. Some examples include Jesse Ventura – Governor from 1999 – 2003, Sharon Sayles-Belton as the first African American and woman Mayor, Marcea Bland Staten Lloyd – Political strategist or Sister Jean of Ascension these are names to jog your memory. Names should cover the 1970s, 1980s,1990s, and 2000s up until now. Can you send your responses by the end of this week, Friday, January 2nd at 3:00? Please list names and year. Feel free to pass this on to others. Thanks for your help.”
In outrage and the feeling of being patronized and disrespected, the community wise man responded with this email message, “You continue to insult the community with the 1950’s “Ceremonial Negroes” mind set. STOP. What was successful yesterday can it be carried forward today? The major concern I have is the continuing unprofessional, lack of knowledge and lack of full discourse. Anyone engaging in your process that disagrees with your plan or ideas of mindset is made unwelcomed. This question is another example of limited discourse prior to posing such a question. “Successful people live in the future; unsuccessful people live in the past.”
To add fuel to the fire, the University of Minnesota point person sent this email to us, which read, (unedited) – “What is your most pressing question around PAR? Each Foundations of Participatory Action Research (PAR) training session will include both University faculty, students, and staff, as well as Community participants. The opening of the training will place it in the context of partnership and university-community engagement, highlighting the value of research in forming and sustaining these collaboratives. Each session will then introduce the concept of research as a continuum, with ‘traditional’/bench research on one end and PAR on the other. After brief descriptions of the different degrees of collaboration in research on the continuum, the training will offer a basic definition of PAR, noting that it is a form of engaged research through which all members are co-inquirers. The training will then move into a more detailed exploration of PAR. Topics to be covered will include: historical basis and theoretical underpinnings; assumptions; core values and principles; benefits; challenges; process and phases; and ethics. In addition to a general Q&A exchange, attendees will be given the opportunity to participate in “table-top” dialogues with their colleagues.”
Our response was, Dear Community Liaison for the Urban Research Outreach and Engagement Center/ University Northside Partnership University of MN – After receiving you’re very badly written email about Participatory Action Research and being totally insulted by the text in the body of the email – it is clear that the University of Minnesota has no clue what they’re doing and who they’re doing it with. You folks presuppose that just because you have some melanin in your skin you identify with the Black folks of North Minneapolis. Secondly, you asked the question in your email, “What is your most pressing question around Participatory Action Research (PAR)?” Did you forget you did not write any background information or provide a link so we “Neanderthals” can look it up ourselves?
The fact is the “research” aspects of PAR attempt to avoid the traditional “extractive” research carried out by universities and governments where “experts” go to a community, study their subjects, and take away their data to write their papers, reports and theses. Research in PAR is ideally BY the local people and FOR the local people – (Like the lost tribe of “Booboo”) lol! Research is designed to address specific issues identified by local people, and the results are directly applied to the problems at hand.
PAR proceeds through repeated cycles, in which researchers and the community start with the identification of major issues, concerns and problems, initiate research, originate action, learn about this action and proceed to a new research and action cycle. This process is a continuous one. Participants in Action Research projects continuously reflect on their learning from the actions and proceed to initiate new actions on the spot. Outcomes are very difficult to predict from the outset, challenges are sizeable and achievements depend to a very large extent on researcher’s commitment, creativity and imagination of which you and the University of Minnesota have none. (The players from UROC and UMNP have failed to demonstrate the skill-sets, in my judgment, to complete the necessary tasks to complete the PAR).
If you want a significant participation from the community for the U of M/UROC-Northside Partnership please stop the central localization of message distribution that only attracts the same participants with no new ideas; no creative solutions; and finally no results. I’ve seen what the U of M is trying to do in North Minneapolis work better in other cities because the point-people “got-it!” Your database reflects the U’s lack of outreach to a broader community base; therefore your list has become folly, a sham!
In closing Makeda, this is not a personal attack against you but an attack against the process that leaves “sound business practices and the correct process of community engagement” in the trash. Happy New Year!
As the University of Minnesota/Northside Partnership and UROC forge ahead with its impending commitment to research, it has again scheduled a series of meeting in the community cleverly sung to the tune of, “We want to know what you think” while offering no immediate answers to North Minneapolis about economic stimuli, employment, business start-up, addressing the Minneapolis Public Schools; or the Foreclosure issue. One reason no answers have been given is because they haven’t a clue!
In our opinion, it looks like 2008 will carry into 2009 with the same Standard Operating Procedures and no results. What will it take for the community to stand up and demand a solid community benefits agreement with the University of Minnesota that will reflect a true partnership – “What I have; what you have and what we have together.” Starting over is not a failure but an opportunity to align yourself with the right groups to move the project forward.
Until then, there’s a lot to write about. Happy New Year!
A Dying Mothers plea to the Minneapolis Urban League falls on Deaf Ears
Part 3 of a 4 part series titled, “$103,770.00 Without a Trace”
Regina Edwards
Regina Edwards is a 40 year old Black woman with 6 children who has lived in north Minneapolis for the last 6 years. Regina is dying of Pancreatic Cancer. The doctors say they cannot operate. 2 out of 10 people get this cancer but by the time it’s diagnosed, its to late. In the mix of it all her furnace is not working, her house is cold, and she has no food in her refrigerator due to her electricity being cut off. As we speak, (during this interview) she’s getting ready to go to chemotherapy at North Memorial Hospital. There is no one but her 18 year old daughter to take care of the siblings. No relatives, no grandparents…no one.
Regina has been a political activist and worked at the Urban League of Greater Madison and the City of Madison. She also has worked for the International Culinary School in Burnsville, Minnesota and graduated from Minneapolis Community Technical College in May with a degree in Culinary Arts. Regina’s path to education, wealth and independence was tracking in the right direction.
But there’s a lot more to Regina’s story. Besides having her new home robbed by the people who lived there before, after the landlord gave her the key without changing the locks the day before Thanksgiving, there has been a list of events that have happened to Regina that she needs to let out. So let’s start with the Minneapolis Urban League. Regina says she knew things where strange at the Minneapolis Urban League when the leadership was like, “the Pink Panther,” says Ms. Edwards, “These people don’t want to address any issue other than their paychecks. They creep around as if they are invisible.”
Regina said, “I’m tired of fighting. From the social workers at the hospital to Section 8 – there was no one available at the Minneapolis Urban League to address, assist, or advise me on what to do and how a dying mother can get assistance for herself and her children in a true time of need.” As I talk to her tonight, her young daughter wants to use the computer to do homework – but Regina says to her daughter, “You can’t plug the computer in when the heaters are plugged in because the fuse will blow in the basement.” Regina, doesn’t like going in the basement that has flooded this summer and is filled with mold. She has 4 of the children sleep in the bed with her to keep warm.
Regina did go to the Minneapolis Urban League to seek help and counseling services from Dr. Brovada who has a “boot camp” at the Minneapolis Urban League that helps families. Because of Regina’s list of issues, Ms. Edwards says, “It was a laugh; we had so much going on that they never called back. I even called when I was in the hospital, still no response.”
Regina was first diagnosed with Cancer on August 2, 2008 and went through an unsuccessful surgery; she sought help from the Minneapolis Urban League for her and her children which fell on deaf ears. Meantime her 15 year old daughter took a liking to skipping school and hanging out at the Minneapolis Urban League. Regina’s 15 year old daughter, a runaway was allegedly welcomed into one of the men’s homes who operates out of the MUL. Now the 15 year old is 1 ½ months pregnant (allegedly) by a 19 year old that has told the mother (Regina), “She’s just 15, she can get an abortion.” Ms. Edwards says, “My daughter will not have an abortion! These people at the Minneapolis Urban League who smile in my face are the same ones responsible for my daughter getting pregnant. It’s a shame that the janitor at the Minneapolis Urban League knew my daughter was pregnant before I did. Where is the process for accountability?”
Regina goes on to say, “I have asked everyone at the Minneapolis Urban League to help me after my money was gone.” she asked, “What programs you have that I can be a part of to help keep my family together.” The only one that has shown any compassion or caring towards me was a couple of really nice ladies at the front desk. The men at the Urban League to include the local pastors that associate themselves with the MUL, Regina says, “I wouldn’t trust to bury me when I die.” Ms. Edwards was speaking about a fund that was to be set up to assist her and the children during this hard time. It has been alleged that there was monies collected that never got to Ms. Edwards.
Regina also says, “No one over north (Minneapolis) wants to be accountable for anything in the community. They all just worry about themselves. If the Minneapolis Urban League truly served the people of north Minneapolis, we would have more jobs, better schools, programs that worked and a future different than mine, which ultimately will be death!”
Doctors at North Memorial and Hennepin County Medical Center say that the cancer that Regina has in some cases can be avoided through exercise, healthy eating, nutritional education and a responsible community awareness of health disparities in the Black community. With all respect, this should be addressed by local social service agencies by partnering with local Universities and Hospitals to raise top-of-mind awareness to illnesses that affect the Black community more so than the mainstream; in some cases attributed to unhealthy diets, lack of food sources (food bank) and no money to make healthy choices. The Social Wellness Cluster at the Minneapolis Urban League has received dollars to address such issues on a monumental level but with the lack of leadership and process the message is muted to a quite whisper with no successful measurable results. “It’s not about catered parties at the Minneapolis Urban League to increase awareness about an illness; we need boots on the ground going door-to-door to engage the Black community. Those people act like they are too good to serve the people” says Ms. Edwards.
Is the University of Minnesota-North Side Partnership or UROC really the answer north Minneapolis needs? It’s been almost a year since a University and an Anthropologist ascended on north Minneapolis with all the grace of a Messiah. Still no one has address the high unemployment rates, no economic stimuli and the static feel of a blighted community. Also having the opportunity to meet with Dr. Robert Jones, D. Craig Taylor and Dr. Irma McClurin from the University of Minnesota we still don’t have a healthy source of food distribution like a co-op on the north side which they talked about with high hopes earlier this year.
The story continues. The Minneapolis Urban League has lost touch with the community. In a random survey taken on the corners of Penn Avenue and Plymouth Avenue in front of the Minneapolis Urban League, 20 people ages from 18 to 65 were asked two questions;
1. What does the Minneapolis Urban League do?
2. Who is the President of the Minneapolis Urban League?
Not one person knew what happens inside the piece of real estate sitting on the corners of Penn and Plymouth Avenue North or who the President was. Of course the people had an idea on what the agency should be doing – that’s a whole other story…soon to come.
What comes to mind is where are the leaders of the community? Furthermore, where are the civil rights leaders? Take note, on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 a 25 year old Black man from Minneapolis named Quincy Smith was tazered to death by Minneapolis Police at 1035 Knox Avenue North…no Black organizations said a word. Reports allege he had a bad heart.
No one deserves to die like that – no matter what the circumstances were.
Last Friday at a community meeting I was asked why I went after the Black social service agencies so hard and why don’t I attack some “White people.” My answer to this person who sits on the Minneapolis Urban League Board was simple. I said, “I don’t get thousands of dollars each year from the Minneapolis Urban League for advertising. I never got dollars from Northway Community Trust or NRRC. By the way – have you signed the Conflict of Interest statement yet?”
“Black people who work at social service agencies in north Minneapolis that have put themselves in the positions of helping people have to “step up.” No longer will the mainstream tolerate Black organizations that claim stupidity and having no money to complete missions but serve themselves at the highest levels, wanting for nothing.
The innocence of not knowing about what is going on in the Black community doesn’t fly after today.
There’s a Black president now!”
IBNNNEW- The Death of North Minneapolis… Donald Allen
- IBNN Exclusive Report: Youth with weapon attempts to enter funeral of Alisha “Lele” Neely (Captured on Film) Donald Allen
- WCCO 4 (CBS) Television fails in journalistic integrity with “edited and spliced” tape of the Minneapolis Police Beating of Ira Stafford…rating F- Donald Allen
- MURDERAPOLIS – Code 4, No More Donald Allen
- Minneapolis’ Star Tribune newspaper’s bias reporting causes defamatory speculation at Internet marketing firm (Updated) Donald Allen
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