You can hear from the songs on the radio, the ads in the newspaper, and the commercials on TV that the holiday season has begun. This week Cyber Monday and Black Friday will have consumers opening up their wallets to grab the perfect present for their loved ones.According to USA Today, an estimated $12.3 billion in sales were brought in last Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend. But with store hours expanding and merchandise prices dropping, local small businesses have a hard time competing against large retailers.In order to keep up with the competition, local businesses have used this week’s hype to shop as a means of promotion. This weekend, local business owners in the Twin Cities will be celebrating Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday.Originally started in Oakland California in 2010, Plaid Friday encourages customers to wear plaid and shop at their local business rather than big box retailers. On Nov. Continue Reading
This December, you might notice people wearing more dresses than usual. For 31 days, “Dressember” ask participants to wear dresses in order to embrace the inherent freedom and femininity of all women, while fighting against crimes of sexual violence.
For Hamline University alumni Keith Edwards, rape wasn’t always a concrete definition. While at Hamline as an RA, he kept hearing stories from women of men hurting them. At first he resisted that rape was really a problem, but now Dr. Edwards is a national speaker when it comes to ending it.On Nov. 11, Edwards presented at Hamline for Men Ending Rape, an event that aims to raise awareness of sexual violence by specifically targeting men, and educating them in ways to better prevent rape and change rape culture. The event was organized by the Hamline student congress.“We talk about rape on who it’s happening to, but not who’s doing it,” Edwards said. Continue Reading
Updated: Watch KSTP owner Stanley Hubbard refuse to apologize during Augsburg #Pointergate protestKSTP’s report of Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges supposedly flashing a gang sign on camera sent the local news station straight into the national spotlight. Social media erupted in anger, demanding the station retract the story and apologize on air.But KSTP decided to stand behind their report, so protesters are now taking their chants off Twitter and onto the streets.Read more TC Daily Planet coverage of this issueAugsburg College’s Minnesota Public Interest Group (MPIRG) along with Neighborhoods Organizing for Change are planning to protest an Augsburg event hosted by KSTP owner and chairman of Hubbard Broadcasting Stanley Hubbard on Nov. 13.The protesters plan to rally before the event at 4:15 p.m. at Anderson Music Hall on 22nd Avenue South.“Last Thursday night, KSTP aired an outrageous and inflammatory story accusing MN Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC) organizer Navell Gordon of flashing a gang sign with Mayor Betsy Hodges,” wrote MPIRG organizers on their Facebook event page. “In reality, the photo snapped during the event shows them merely pointing at each other … We must show up in solidarity with Navell and demand KSTP issue an on air apology.”KSTP has been unavailable for comment but issued a statement on Nov. 7, standing behind the story.Augsburg College also issued a statement on their website, saying, “Hosting a speaker on campus is not an endorsement of a speaker’s comments or business practices … The College has communicated with student leaders who are organizing a demonstration before the event to establish a safe location for the expression of their opinions while, at the same time, ensuring a positive experience for participants attending the event to hear the speaker’s comments.”Hubbard’s speech, taking place at Sateren Auditorium, is now sold out.“This story is a prime example of how the Minneapolis Police Department Union is attempting to use the media to negatively influence public opinion,” said Filsan Ibrahim, co-chair at MPIRG’s Augsburg chapter. Continue Reading
Hamline Chapter of the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) wants to make voting less intimidating for those who have never voted before. The non-partisan organization works on informing and registering college students for Election Day.“In reality, all elections are important. It seems that people think that if we aren’t electing the president that means whatever is on the ballot isn’t going to affect them. That isn’t true at all!” said Lizy Busta, a second year at Hamline University and MPIRG co-chair.This election season, the state of Minnesota is voting for Governor, State House Representative, U.S. House Representative, U.S. Senator, Attorney General and school board members.“All of these people on the ballot have a huge impact on our state, so it’s important to go and vote for who you think will benefit Minnesota,” said Busta. “The President of the United States isn’t the only person that works in the government and it’s important for people to realize that.”In order to help inform college students MPIRG is hosting Voter Awareness Series, with several of this year’s candidates. Continue Reading
“Being naked should be fun,” said Mollie Wetherall, co-editor-in-chief of Carleton College student’s new nudie mag Skin Deep. “For me that idea is revolutionary.”
Today Minneapolis joins a short list of cities no longer recognizing the second Monday of October as Columbus Day.Earlier this year, the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Betsy Hodges signed a resolution recognizing the second Monday of October as Indigenous People’s Day. The decision places Minneapolis as just the fourth city behind Seattle, Berkley and Los Angeles to replace Columbus Day with an American Indian celebration.“The City of Minneapolis understands that in order to help close the equity gap, government entities, organizations and other public institutions should change their policies and practices to better reflect the experiences of American Indian people and uplift our country’s Indigenous roots, history, and contributions,” the city’s resolution states.Idle No More Duluth organizer Reyna Crow said she first heard of Indigenous People’s Day in the ‘90s. “I think that [Columbus Day] is an insult to not only Indigenous people, but all people of conscience who believe we need to tell our children the truth that a federal holiday celebrating a trafficker and torturer of women and children, and a murderer still exists,” she said.Crow said she plans to celebrate by attending Augsburg College’s event I am Not a Mascot, which will feature a panel discussion focusing on issues of concern to the Indigenous people of Minnesota, their allies, and a musical performance.“The event is being held to educate and network with people interested in, or organizing around a variety of issues with a common link, and to promote greater cross cultural understanding of the concerns that those of us working to confront racism and racial inequities are dealing with that might not be obvious to all audiences” Crow said.At the Minneapolis American Indian Center, the city is holding a community meal from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with indigenous foods from throughout North and South America provided by Native chefs Sean Sherman and Cheo Smith, a film screening, community speakers and cultural performances.Celebrations broke out over the weekend as well.Felipe Cuauhtli hosted Indigenous People’s Day Hip Hop Showcase at First Avenue on Sunday, Oct. 12. The event was originally known as Anti-Columbus Day, Cuauhtli said, but they changed its name in order to reflect the resolutions passing in Minneapolis. “The reason for doing this is to talk about colonization and how colonization has effected not just native communities,” Cuauhtli said. Continue Reading
Huddled around a bonfire in Como Park, eating s’mores, 14 college students sat and told each other a different kind of horror story — the story of the state’s achievement gap.The Minnesota Student Power Network’s “MN Fire Up” bonfire invited Minnesota students of color to come talk about the issues affecting their success at school and in the workplace.The student network was created to address issues affecting young students of color in Minnesota, and provide participants with resources and information to help increase their chances of success. The group held their first meeting on Sept. 27 at Como Park in St. Paul in partnership with Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and NAACP St. Paul Youth.“Our goals are to connect, support and empower young organizers in Minnesota, focusing on marginalized groups of students,” said Minnesota Student Power Network leader Dua Saleh. Continue Reading
