Minneapolis Urban League elects new chair and Board, will this change be only self serving?
Dear Readers,
Please read this press release carefully. Remember, your opinion counts.
MINNEAPOLIS, September 3, 2008 — The Minneapolis Urban League is pleased to announce that Catherine Wassberg, associate general counsel for Northwest Airlines, has been elected chairperson of its 24-member Board of Directors. The north Minneapolis-based non-profit also has elected seven new members to its board: Kenneth Charles, General Mills, Inc.; Roxanne Givens, ethnicHome, Inc.; Peter Hayden, Turning Point; Al McFarlane, McFarlane Media; Billy Russell, Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church; Kevin Wright, U.S Bank; and Leslie Wright, Minneapolis Marriott City Center.
As board chair, Wassberg will serve a one-year term and must be re-elected each year to the position. The new board members each will serve a three-year term. Wassberg and the new board members, along with the rest of the board, assumed their responsibilities this summer and were charged with leading the search for the organization’s permanent president/CEO. The entire board, which includes the interim president/CEO, will convene on September 24 at the Minneapolis Urban League’s Glover-Sudduth Center.
“Our chair and new members bring a wealth of experience and a set of established relationships with many of the communities we serve,” said David Oguamanam, interim president/CEO of the Minneapolis Urban League. “Their leadership will be crucial as we tackle the upcoming year’s objectives and define the goals and strategies that will determine our organization’s course for the next several years.”
About the Minneapolis Urban League
The Minneapolis Urban League is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides human services and advocacy that will enable African Americans and other diverse group members residing in the greater Minneapolis metropolitan area to cultivate and develop their individual and group potential on a par with all other Minnesotans. The organization provides a continuum of more than 20 programs and services, which operate from seven facilities throughout Minneapolis, and serves approximately 20,000 individuals and families so they can have access to quality employment, housing, health care, education and social services.
For more information about the Minneapolis Urban League, visit www.mul.org or call (612) 302-3100. The Minneapolis Urban League is headquartered at the Glover-Sudduth Center, 2100 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411.
Nellie Stone Johnson School - Open House - Wednesday, August 27, 2008
On Wednesday, August 27, 2008 from 5-7 p.m., the Nellie Stone Johnson School will have its Open House titled, “Help our Students reach Destination Excellence”. Come and meet and talk to Principal Mark Bonine; Learn about volunteer opportunities; Greet Parent Liaison and VIP’s. Join the staff of Nellie Stone Johnson School for a very special evening to welcome the community and parents. School supply donations are needed.
The Nellie Stone Johnson School is located at 807 27th Avenue North in Minneapolis. For more information about the school or to donate school supplies, contact Ms. Nicole Randolph, Parent Liaison at 612-668-2947.
We look forward to seeing you at Nellie Stone Johnson School.
About Nellie Stone Johnson School:
Academic Opportunities
- Girls Engineering, Mathematics and Science.
- Guys in Science and Engineering.
- AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is an in-school academic support program for grades 4-12 that prepares students for college eligibility and success. It places average students in advanced classes.
- Get Ready Program is an early intervention and college awareness program preparing students with college planning information, academic tutoring, career and higher education opportunities.
- Gifted and Talented Program.
- Native Language Literacy Program.
- Robotics elective for 6th grade students.
- Extended Day Programs (Beacons).
- Math Recovery and intensive reading support.
Nellie Stone Johnson Community School Mission Statement.
“Destination Excellence”
The mission of Nellie Stone Johnson Community School is to ensure a safe inclusive learning community where all children successfully master academic and social skills preparing them to be creative and critical thinkers. “Smart isn’t something you are, smart is something you get.”
Who is Nellie Stone Johnson?
From Lakeville, Minnesota, Nellie and her six siblings grew up on a dairy farm near Hinckley, Minnesota. Her father was a member of the Non-Partisan League, a radical rural organization. Johnson grew up with a strong tradition of support for education. Her mother and grandmother were teachers with an interest in political philosophy. Her father was a school board member in Dakota County.
At age 13, Johnson distributed Non-Partisan League flyers on her way to and from school. She graduated from Hinckley High School and left home at 17 to finish high school through the GED program at the University of Minnesota. After a number of years in the work force, Nellie continued her studies at the University of Wisconsin using the money she earned from trapping to finance her education there. For over 30 years, she has owned and operated Nellie’s Alterations in downtown Minneapolis. Johnson’s commitment to education continued through her work on the Minnesota Higher Education Board.
She has had a long and distinguished record…Read more about Ms. Stone-Johnson at http://nsj.mpls.k12.mn.us/Who_was_Nellie_Stone_Johnson.html
Minneapolis Urban League 19th Annual Family Day Saturday, August 2, 2008
Saturday, August 2 is Family Day, a day-long, fun-filled festival and parade your entire family will enjoy. Attractions at this year’s FREE festival will include a morning seminar from 9-11:30 a.m. featuring Kelvin Boston, the host of “Moneywise with Kelvin Boston” on PBS and best-selling author of Who’s Afraid to be a Millionaire? and Smart Money Moves for African Americans. Boston, along with several panelists from Freddie Mac, the FDIC and a financial planning firm, will discuss with the audience such issues as wealth building, investing and saving, predatory lending and avoiding foreclosure. The seminar is sponsored by Geico and will be held at the Minneapolis Urban League’s Glover-Sudduth Center, 2100 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis.
At noon following the seminar, guests are encouraged to enjoy an amazing Family Day parade sponsored by ClearWay Minnesota/QUITPLAN Services immediately outside of the Glover-Sudduth Center, at the corner of Penn and Plymouth avenues. Festival and parade-goers will be able to watch our 100-unit parade as it winds through the streets to North Commons Park, where the festival will be taking place. The parade will include beauty queens, zany clowns, antique cars and marching bands that step in time to a rhythmic beat. Within North Commons Park, located at 1801 James Avenue North, the festivities will include an inflatable slide, pony rides, a Double-Dutch competition, and more than 50 local vendors and information booths. On stage throughout the day, local R&B, rap and gospel groups will perform. At 7 p.m., POWER, the evening’s headlining entertainment group will perform their old- and new-school sounds.
The day also includes a 100-unit parade, games and rides, and a headlining live stage performance by POWER
“This year’s Family Day will definitely delight and entertain each person in your family!” said Clarence Hightower, president/CEO of the Minneapolis Urban League, which hosts the event every year. “We initiated Family Day in 1989 to promote the unity and resolve of the inner-city neighborhoods, and provide residents with a FREE event as an alternative to some of the more expensive festivals. This year we’re proud to be able to provide everyone in the community with a truly exciting, entertainment-packed day!” The Minneapolis Urban League Family Day festival, one of the longest- running festivals in north Minneapolis, will be held from 12- 8 pm in North Commons Park at 1801 James Ave N. The Family Day parade, sponsored this year by ClearWay Minnesota/QUITPLAN, is a 100-unit parade and the fourth largest in Minneapolis, is scheduled to begin at 12 pm at Washburn and Plymouth Aves. and will end at Golden Valley Road and James Ave., the entrance to the park.
The following is a list of the Family Day activity highlights:
• Seminar and discussion with Kelvin Boston, host of “Moneywise with Kelvin Boston” on PBS — 9-11:30 am
For the first time, this year’s festival will include a morning seminar featuring best-selling author and financial journalist Kelvin Boston, host of “Moneywise with Kelvin Boston” on PBS. Panelists will include representatives from Freddie Mac, the FDIC and financial planning firms.
• A 100-unit parade — Begins at noon
This year’s parade will feature zany clowns, antique cars, beauty queens, floats and marching bands. The parade will begin at Washburn and Plymouth avenues and end at Golden Valley Road and James Ave, which is the entrance to North Commons Park.
• Main stage entertainment — 12-8 pm
Teen and adults will dance from 12-8 pm to a wide variety of the local rap, R&B, gospel, jazz artists and African dance, which will be featured on this year’s entertainment stage.
Entertainment headlining group POWER—7 pm
Power is a Minneapolis-based vocal group that offers audiences both an old- and new-school feel. Their power-packed stage show and soulful sound is likened to The Temptations, the Whispers, and New Edition, and includes pop, jazz, funk and R&B selections.
• Inflatable rides/games — 12-8 pm
Youth will enjoy jumping and bouncing around in our inflatable obstacle course, bounce castle with slide, and bounce house.
• Double Dutch competition — throughout the day
Double Dutch competitions for ages 8-11, 12-15 and 16-18 will offer prizes to the winning teams of four.
• Pony rides — 1-5 pm
Young children will get a thrill riding ponies around the festival grounds and waving to family and friends.
Each pony ride is FREE.
• Face painting—12– 8 pm
Children from infant to pre-teen can have different designs and shaped painted on their cheeks and nose.
• Food and merchandise vendor and information booths — throughout the day
More than 40 local vendors and community organizations will have booths in the park to sell their products and services, and share their information.
Since 1989, the Minneapolis Urban League has been providing the residents of the north Minneapolis community a safe, fun-filled day that they eagerly anticipate year after year. Today, Family Day attracts nearly 4,000 people who reside not only in north Minneapolis, but are from neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis, as well as St. Paul. For more information about the Family Day parade and festival, please visit the Minneapolis Urban League web site at www.mul.org.
The sponsors for this year’s Family Day festivities include Comcast, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, AstraZeneca, Caterpillar, Prudential and the City of Minneapolis Empowerment Zone.
About Family Day
Family Day is one of the longest-running festivals in north Minneapolis, and the Family Day parade is the fourth largest in Minneapolis. Begun in 1989, by the Minneapolis Urban League, Family Day festival and parade was created to promote the unity and the resolve of the inner-city neighborhoods, and provide the residents with an alternative to the more expensive festivals. The day-long festival, held in North Commons Park, begins with a 100-unit parade, and includes more than 40 local vendors, pony rides for the kids, and entertainment on the main stage. Please visit the Minneapolis Urban League web site at www.mul.org for more information.
About the Minneapolis Urban League
The Minneapolis Urban League is a community-based organization that provides human services and advocacy that will enable African Americans and other people of color to cultivate and develop their individual and group potential on a par with all other Minnesotans. The programs and services that the Minneapolis Urban League offer operate from eight facilities throughout Minneapolis and help approximately 20,000 people each year access quality employment, housing, health care, education and social services. For more information about the Minneapolis Urban League or its programs and services visit www.mul.org.
Blue Business Racism on Pluto (A Science Fiction Story, close to Home)
The planet Pluto has been plagued by “same-race business racism”. Local established Blue business owners are not being used for soft services, with comments that their prices are too high, or I can do this better myself – as we all know, that’s never the case. The facts are local Blue residents are the poorest group of aliens on the planet and some of them own restaurants, spaceship repair shops and tech stands across the universe but their own race of people (Blue people) don’t consider them for work unless they have Purple bosses. The Purple business population does not have to qualify themselves when they do business with the Blue people in the community that hold positions like executive directors and presidents of local space companies and organizations, the Blue “muck-mucks” feel comfortable with the Purple’s simply because they are Purple.
Recently, a group of Blue financial services professionals came to Pluto and paid no attention to the local Blue community going as far as to exclude them from the big party, this is an ongoing issue that falls under the saying “all inclusive with exclusions.” There was an effort to address raising “space dock” crime in Blue youth ages 18-34, so the local Purple government started the “Blue Boys Better Battalion” to address issues and start work programs that will help create education, wealth and independence. What happened with the BBBB is they became a glorified referral service and did nothing but send Blue youth to some other planet where they were put in jail or sent to the Universal Ring of Nothingness (URN), to live out life with no chances of developing the greatness in them, dying or being used as batteries by the Borg.
Before I close there was one more example of Blue Racism. The Healthiest Man in the Universe came to Pluto to talk about space travel and the effects of worm holes on the human body. The local SMF (Space Medical Facility) decided that they were not going to give this person a day to talk to the Blue people, because he was more interesting then the folks at the SMF.
All fun aside some of our people need a wakeup call.
Breaking News…Minneapolis Urban League President Clarence Hightower Resigns!
Breaking News…Minneapolis, MN. June 24, 2008 - In a shocking turn of events Minneapolis Urban League President/CEO Mr. Clarence Hightower resigned from the Minneapolis Urban League as its President/CEO. Details are not known why the local icon has decided to leave his post at the Minneapolis Urban League.
As details are forwarded to us we will keep you informed.
