The Repetitive Exploitation of Black Minnesota: Here we go again…
African-American Men Project; Prostate Screenings; HIV/AIDS; Breast Cancer Screenings; Dairy Queen;Tires Plus; Siyeza, Inc; NRRC; Synergy…
“Good intentions have funded projects with the same point people that continue to fail Black Minnesota. When will Black Minnesota get tired of the blatant Exploitation of their Community?” ~Don Allen
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/IBNN
Several years ago, St. Paul Pioneer Press journalist David Hawley wrote a story titled “Minneapolis: Study Details Problems Facing City’s Black Men,” dated January 24, 2002.
The story details, the results of a two-year study in which Hawley stated the outlook for African-American men in Minneapolis is grim. In the article Hawley wrote: “If you’re an African-American man ages 18 to 30, the odds are roughly 50-50 that you live in one of the city’s poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhoods and that a single mother reared you. There’s also about a 50-50 chance that you didn’t finished high school and only a slightly lesser chance that you will be arrested in the next year, most likely for a minor offense. If you are arrested, the odds are greater than 50-50 that you will be charged again within the next two years.”
In response to Hawley’s “grim” article, Gary L. Cunningham, the former Director of NorthPoint Health and Wellness and the overseer of the African-American Men Project, an organization that once had the power and respect of the community to make meaningful change, but has now has been reduced to a glorified referral service, had only one thing to say, “This report deals with what people call “wicked problems’ in our society.”
Wicked problems” are still not solved today – even by the people who identified them 8 years ago despite an incredible amount of funding and resources. Read more
Rank Choice Voting BUST and Tainted Ballots – Get this: In North Minneapolis!
Watch the video – “If you don’t get angry, somethings wrong with you.
Today (October 27, 2009) at City Hall a hidden camera filmed Patrick O’Connor, Interim Director of Elections for the City of Minneapolis as he talked about mistakes the city made trying to inform voters about Rank Choice Voting. He also went on to tell us where the money came from and how much was allocated to educate the citizens of Minneapolis about the very new voting system.
The most interesting part of this dialog was the part when he mentioned the “tainted ballots” that come from North Minneapolis….
What?
Tainted ballots from North Minneapolis?
With this statement alone, IBNN and partners are requesting the Minnesota Attorney General’s office to investigate these “tainted ballots” and find out who in City Hall is responsible.
This video says more than I could ever write.
Chism and Community members petition Ward 5’s Don Samuels to HALT demolition of 2426 Plymouth Avenue (Uncle Bill’s) in North Minneapolis
On Monday, (8/10) IBNN received an email copied to over 20 people from Springboard Economic Development Corporation’s Lennie Chism. Chism and community members are asking Ward 5 council member Don Samuels to halt demolition of the site called “Uncle Bills.”
Read the history of Uncle Bills here.
“Milk and eggs – the minimum’s for our community are blocked with maximum resistance.”
….Lennie Chism, Founder Springboard Economic Development Corporation
Minneapolis, MN… Springboard Economic Development Corporation’s Lennie Chism and community members have officially requested the demolition of the building that once housed “Uncle Bills” be stopped.
Chism states, “Council member Samuels is not willing to listen to his constituents. Even if the building does not become a “store or café,” it still can be used and rehabbed as lofts or apartments. Mr. Samuels should use this opportunity to show his respect for the people of north Minneapolis’ Ward 5 residents. I know Uncle Bill’s was a troubled property in the past – it’s a new day, with better ideas and people that care. Tearing down the building is just a ‘bully tactic’ which is antiquated and not necessary.”
The following email with signed petition was sent to Samuels’s office today:
To: City of Minneapolis Councilmember Don Samuels (Ward 5)
I am requesting the demolition of 2426 Plymouth Ave North, commonly known as Uncle Bills be stopped.
The attached signed petitions are opposed to the demolition. Additional signatures are being obtained. Voices for demolition comes from a small group of activist not representative of the larger 5th Ward community.
The city of Minneapolis has refused to allow rehabilitation of this property which they are using federal stimulus dollars for demo. I am seeking to prevent the use of stimulus money to destroy a property that can and has been a viable commercial property since 1921. The federal stimulus dollars are to be used to build the community. I have 5 pages of a signed petition in support of “stopping the demo” from local residents.
Lennie Chism
Executive Director/Founder
www.sb501c3.org
lennie@sb501c3.org
612-861-6662
1901 Glenwood Ave North
Minneapolis, MN 55405
* * *
A phone call to council member Samuels, the Ward 5 councilman’s assistant said, “Due to his meeting schedule, he would not be able to make a statement – but go ahead with the story.” (IBNN will leave an opportunity open for CM Samuels to make a comment at his convenience.)
Chism brings up a good point in his email to Samuels in stating, “The City of Minneapolis has refused to allow rehabilitation of this property which they are using federal stimulus dollars for demo.”
This leaves quite a few questions unanswered.
President Barack Obama’s intent was stimulus dollars would be used to build communities suffering across the United States. How did dollars for capacity end up as dollars for demolition in the City of Minneapolis? Also, did the City of Minneapolis supply a list of repairs needed on the structure?
IBNN has to ask the questions, “What local agencies ‘public or private’ know about the ‘use of stimulus dollars’ to tear down the community?” Secondly, on Sunday (8/9) IBNN discovered that a very small percentage of the Black community had read Mayor R.T. Rybak’s 2009 Supplemental Budget – for that matter never really have followed agencies like CPED (Community Planning and Economic Development) – an Minneapolis agency that bypasses most Minneapolis Departmentof Civil Rights Ordinances as it pertains to compliance.
With that said – who is monitoring local government to make sure that dollars meant to build capacity aren’t used for Gentrification?
Gentrification is a contentious issue in many U.S. cities, especially when it involves racial turnover; whites moving into previously segregated black neighborhoods leads to concern over the diminishing black community. The black community is discussed in the context of structural racial inequality. Racial boundaries are discussed as social processes of identifying with the neighborhood and one’s racial group.
This becomes a serious issue in the Black community, partly because self-appointed leaders have no interests in saving, rehabbing or even tracking dollars from the President Obama’s Stimulus campaign.
We (Blacks), are the first to be evicted; first to lose a job; first to get counseled by people that don’t look like us (foreclosure crisis), and still the first to end up with nothing.
If this is part of the City of Minneapolis’ plan for the Gentrification of north Minneapolis – to transform a run-down or aging neighborhoods into a more prosperous ones by using Stimulus dollars to tear down old homes and buildings, where is the plan to build and remodel though the use of stimulus dollars and private investors to assist in building capacity for the “land-banked” areas.
“A taking without just compensation has gone on too long in our community.”
Twin Cities Scene: “When bloggers get sued, Johnny Northside will face ex-JACC”
By Eric James on Fri, 07/03/2009 – 7:37am – Posted in the Twin Cities Scene
North Mpls has a reputation for hardcore politics and lawsuit happy politicos. The blogging Adventures of Johnny Northside will meet in court with an embattled former JACC — and everyone is watching.
No one outside of Northside likely knows the name Jerry Moore but local interweb followers will immediately recognize Johnny Northside. The vivacious blogger is a rogue journalist who has exposed politicians, criticized developers, and is known as a lighting rod of controversy for spilling the truth about the inner ugliness of North Minneapolis. He’s also a former Minnesota Daily columnist.
Viva la mercenaire, he says in a recent post.
Jerry Moore is the most recent target of Johnny Northside who’s IRL name is John Hoff. Hoff criticized the University Research and Outreach Center for hiring Moore as a contract worker to focus on mortgage issues. According to Hoff, evidence in Hennepin County Court has shown Moore was involved in a fraudulent mortgage transaction. Of course Moore is also well known for being a failed Jordan Area Community Council Executive Director.
Oops U of M!
Then comes the Independent Business News Network and one of the men named in the libel suit, Donald Allen. With a rather incongruent name, IBNN started in 2008 as, well, a soapbox and community voice of Allen and submitted contributors. It’s not easy to categorize IBNN other than reminding oneself of Rage Against the Machine and the satire of Dave Chappelle. For example they recently criticized Minnesota Public Radio having done no reporting of real Northside issues as part of their new article series called “Riding the Minority-Ethnic Train all the way to the Bank.”
IBNN has been a vocal critic of UROC, following its every step and posting private emails exchanged with University staff. So when Jerry Moore was discovered to have been secretly working at UROC for two months, the reaction by IBNN and Johnny Northside was outrage.
Read the full story on Twin Cities Scene at http://www.twincityscene.com/grapevine/360.
Don Samuels wins the Ward 5 DFL Endorsement. More importantly, where the hell was his opponent? And who stifled her campaign?
Mr. Don Samuels
Personally, I do like and do support Ward 5 Council Member Don Samuels. However, I thought his chances for re-endorsement were shaky, offering an opportunity for an opponent with a strong campaign message to unseat him. But, as a result of his re-endorsement, one thing was very clear: Samuels and his team were prepared for this win.
Since I bide my time as a political spin doctor, I decided to tell a group gathered in north Minneapolis that I did not support Don Samuels to see what kind of reaction I would get.
I wasn’t surprised. Samuels’ supporters rattled off a litany of facts and reasons why anyone should support the councilman. Those who opposed him offered no facts, nor did they prepare a strategy that would effectively engage and sway support for Kenya McKnight, Samuels’ challenger. Read more
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