Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/category/sports/page/11/)
Dog race event during James J. Hill Days celebrations.September 6, 7 & 8, 2013Along the shores of Lake Minnetonka the Wayzata area community gathered to celebrate the 39th annual James J. Hill Days. Combining community tradition with fun filled activities and events this festival provides something for the whole family. Continue Reading
A few weeks ago I met with the General Manager of the Midtown YWCA, Mr. Alex Aguilar. If you haven’t ever been to the YWCA, it’s located at 2121 East Lake Street, near the Hiawatha Light Rail, and across the street from where the Midtown Farmers Market sets up every Tuesday afternoon & Saturday morning during the growing and harvest season.My mom came with me to meet Mr. Aguilar. We first went to the front desk. Soon afterwards, he came out to meet us then we followed him down the hallway to his office. For the interview we all sat around a little table in front of his desk. Continue Reading
While there is much talk about possible delays in the construction of the “People’s Stadium,” it appears that the Vikings and MSFA are still confident it will be built. And according to a recent Associated Press (AP) article entitled, “Many already cashing in on Vikings stadium,” lots of white collar professionals have already profited from the proposed stadium.Incidentally, it appears at this point that the only people who may be left out of the benefits are people of color.Despite lots of compelling testimony last Friday at the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority (MSFA) meeting by several prominent African Americans and Somali leaders, it was all but ignored. Practically all of the media outlets in the Twin Cities were in attendance, but none reported [as of yet] or followed up with the testimony of the Black folks who were complaining that it appears that Blacks may yet again be left out of a major development project.Right: Abdizirak Bihi, at right in foreground with red tie, with others from the Somali Education and Social Advocacy Center and Summit OIC students in the background who hope to be included in the stadium construction project (Photo by Avi Viswanathan)MSFA Board Chair Michelle Kelm-Helgen, who seemed a bit annoyed by the testimony, did respond. She voiced her concerns that the public testimony part of the meeting was going on too long and that speakers were not sticking slavishly to their three-minute time limit.“I always worry when we have a process and we don’t follow the process,” said Kelm-Helgen.Ironically, speakers were complaining about the failure of the MSFA to follow a process that has already been mandated by the Minnesota legislature, which is to make sure that an Employment Assistant Firm (EAF) is hired to facilitate both the recruitment and hiring of minorities for the construction of the Vikings stadium.An RFP for this Employment Assistance Firm was issued in April, and the unified community response was submitted in May. Despite lots of assurances of commitment to employment equity goals, a contract has not been negotiated although construction is scheduled to start November 7.“We were assured that we would be intentionally included,” complained Alfred Babington Johnson. Babington Johnson’s Stair Step Foundation has come together with a conglomerate of other training, employment and outreach organizations to form one Employment Assistance Firm, ostensibly to ensure outreach and job training activities across multiple communities of color.“This hopeful narrative has become a sad story and has the potential of becoming a nightmare,” Babington Johnson said. Continue Reading
From kick boxing and yoga to nutrition classes, Running Wolf Fitness emphasizes community heatlh and fitness. Running Wolf Fitness Center’s mission is to bring health and wellness to the Native American community. It’s not a strictly Native fitness center, as anyone can sign up regardless of ethnicity. American Indians suffer from a variety of health disparities, including high rates of diabetes and heart disease. Running Wolf Fitness Center is among many individuals and organizations currently working to end these disparities and improve the health of the American Indian community.This video was produced by Migizi Communications First Person Productions Summer Media Interns (and South HS students): Miguel Mayen-Eagle, Hunter Mountain, Danielle Pineiro and Jevan Rasmussen Continue Reading
From: David Tilsen Date: 2:25pm, Aug 25
I see it a little different. Capitalism is much closer to feudalism from which it came then we are led to believe. We are the surfs, the peasants, and occasionally the merchants. We exist to feed the desires of the men in the castle. These people like their lives of pleasure with their sports teams, their private boxes, their private jets, their multiple homes around the world, their yachts etc. We come into their lives only when they want something from us, sex, a stadium, votes, labor, a war to protect their interests etc.
The Minneapolis City Council may see some significant changes in the coming election, as incumbents have been challenged strongly by newcomers. In the city’s 9th ward, neighborhood activist and Minneapolis Public Schools communications staffer Alondra Cano is running against five other candidates. She recently sat down with KFAI’s Janis Lane-Ewart, who asked about the most important issues facing the city. Cano put educational disparities at the top of her list. [Audio below] Continue Reading
The Olympic movement professes to be above politics; but politics has dogged the Olympic Games since 1936. Berlin won the bid for the summer Olympics; and then the Nazi regime came to power, in 1933.
More than a year has passed since the Minnesota State Legislature passed a plan to build the Minnesota Vikings a new football stadium. At that time HIRE Minnesota said in these pages, “If all the right steps are taken, hundreds of people of color will obtain jobs.”Today it looks like the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority is about to stumble. Big time.HIRE Minnesota, a community-based coalition, has fought for years to increase accountability, transparency and results from major public agencies that spend our taxes. The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) is managing the Vikings stadium project, an investment of $975 million over the next few years.As the MSFA finalizes plans for this mega-complex, the agency is suggesting it can throw a few hundred thousand dollars towards workforce development and think they can achieve “a lasting legacy of a larger minority and woman construction workforce.”We know from recent experience that big goals can be met so the construction workforce reflects the face of our community. But we know it takes commitment, a real investment, and an active and engaged public.The MSFA indicated initial commitment to a diverse workforce by issuing a request for proposals to assist the major contractors on the project in meeting state goals of 32 percent for people of color and 6 percent for women. Continue Reading
Where will you be at 8 o’clock a.m. the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 20? I’ll tell you where you want to be: You want to be at the Government Center in downtown Minneapolis, witnessing a little slice of history.Last month, Southside Pride reported that Minneapolis mayoral candidate Doug Mann and his wife, Linda, had a plan to petition for a writ of mandamus to force the city to hold a referendum on the use of city tax revenues to pay for the Vikings stadium. The mandamus petition, filed with the District Court on July 16, could have a huge impact on the city’s political landscape. Surprisingly (or perhaps not) the mainstream media ignored this event. Continue Reading