By Stacy M. Brown Contributing Writer It’s a trend that many are hoping won’t just turn into a passing fad. Late last month, Essence magazine noted that after years of slow-burning idealism, #BuyBlack has seen a community-wide takeoff. And, as the holiday season moves into full swing, the #BuyBlack campaign has led many to imagine […]
Local News
V.J. Smith/MAD DADS honored
On December 3, VJ Smith, national president of M.A.D.D.A.D.S. Incorporated, received the Peace Ambassador Medal of Honor Award from the Little Angels during their national tour at the Manhattan Center in New York City, New York. The event was sponsored by the Washington Times Foundation, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, and the […]
North High victory Prep Bowl at Vikings stadium offered affordable look at facility
Prep Bowl offered an affordable look at the new sports facility By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Half the cost of the newly opened Vikings Stadium, known as the “People’s Stadium” before its corporate branding, has come from the people’s money — taxes and related public subsidies totaling more than half a billion dollars. Now is […]
Education
In-home and in-family violence affect children’s brain development
By Atum Azzahir Contributing Writer In examining our Black community’s expressions of pain and suffering, abuse, neglect and abandonment, we are finding that these expressions (which show up as impatience, intolerance, being short-fused, not being able to listen, slapping, name calling, hearing about and seeing murders or other killings) are affecting our children. We are […]
Holiday fun on a budget
By Tammy McIntyre Contributing Writer Managing your children’s expectations can be difficult during the holiday season, especially when many winter holidays involve giving gifts. As a parent, you may feel pressured to spend your last dollar to see a smile on your child’s face, but before you do, check out these Minneapolis and St. Paul […]
Go Green
Give an energy-efficient holiday gift that keeps on giving
This holiday season you can give a gift that keeps on giving for years to come with energy cost savings. All it takes is selecting appliances, electronics or lighting that carry the Energy Star label, a symbol that guarantees your gift meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). An […]
Bias hinders diversity in hiring for environmental organizations
By Anthony Advincula Contributing Writer Diversity at the leadership level in the environmental sector remains low despite a high proportion of well-educated and qualified people of color in the United States, according to a report recently released. The problem: systemic bias in the hiring process, but also environmental organizations’ unwillingness to mandate diversity when using […]
Health & Wellness
Outreach, collaboration are priorities for Southside health clinic
ADVERTISEMENT By Brandi D. Phillips Contributing Writer Southside Community Health Services is an organization with a long history of serving the community. Director of Development and Communications Autumn Chmielewski told the MSR, “We are a clinic that has been serving the South Side of Minneapolis and local areas for 45 years. “We actually started out […]
Opinion
What’s wrong with a Black Santa?
By Samantha Pree-Stinson Guest Commentator “Santa Clause is not a n***er!” This was one of many internet responses to the Black Santa at the Mall of America this year. The racist commentators were correct: He is an intelligent Black man who is giving his time to bring hope to children. There is nothing ignorant about that. […]
Race and class appear equally divisive in America
The disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or, at least, to neglect persons of poor and mean condition is the great and most universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments. — Adam Smith An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most […]
Where is the money going? The untold story of who really benefits from human incarceration
A biweekly column in which various contributors from both sides of prison walls explore common ground for effecting change. By Deon Miller Contributing Writer There are a lot of different companies who benefit from mass incarceration. It is not just the Department of Corrections (DOC) — some of your favorite companies pray on us […]
A challenge for the Black media
The new Kremlin in the West Black Media faces many challenges in 2017. Success or failure in Black America will depend on the following: Journalistic integrity (mainstream media still uses us as tokens). Hard research (not soft balls and puff pieces). Ability to stand against the domestic\White political elite and be heard. Ability to ignore […]
Sports
Outstanding 2016 prep highlights
This week my column will highlight five important accomplishments in prep sports for the year 2016. This includes a Minneapolis City Conference school that captured state basketball and football titles; another winning a championship in a St. Paul City Conference school making its first-ever state tournament appearance; a traditional Class 4A power capturing another state […]
2016 was the year of the upset
These events in sports were covered by me this year. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. The Timberwolves finished 29-53, missing the playoffs for the 12th straight season. They fired Sam Mitchell as interim coach even though the team improved from just 16-66 the previous year under the late Flip Saunders. […]
History of Blacks in NFL escapes young players
“Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” a traveling exhibit, opened at St. Paul’s Minnesota History Center in September. Over 200 artifacts, photos, film footage and interactive displays are featured. One of the exhibit’s 10 sections, “Pro Football’s Road to Equality,” uniquely caught my attention. It is billed as “an inspirational […]
2016 a busy year for our unique sports coverage
Once again this year, both our columns “Another View” and “Sports Odds and Ends” each week provided unabashed and often unprecedented coverage of women sports, Black coaches, Black players and Black people, staying true to our primary mission to provide readers news and information they can’t or won’t find anywhere else. “When are we going […]
Christmas Day NBA games preview
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Since its second season in 1947, the NBA has played on Christmas Day. The 1998 lockout was the last time without league games scheduled or played. Over a decade later in 1983, NBA Christmas Day telecasts became traditional as NFL Thanksgiving Day games and New Years’ Day college bowl games. Five […]