Archive for June, 2024
Jazz and Poetry Return
to the Historic Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
By PATRICK CABELLO HANSEL On Saturday, June 29 at 2 pm, the 4th Annual Poetry and Jazz in the Holy Ground returns to the historic Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery in south Minneapolis. The event will feature a jazz duo of Larry McDonough on keyboards and Richard Terrill on saxophone.This year, the event will also include the launch of the poetry chapbook “THE NATIONS UNDERGROUND: Writing With Our Ancestors,” featuring over a dozen area poets who have written poems to or from their ancestors. Poets will read from the chapbook, along with featured poets Margaret Hasse, Patrick Cabello Hansel and Dralandra Larkins. There will also be a hands-on lantern making workshop led by local artists from the Semilla Center for Healing and the Arts.“The desire to connect with our ancestors is as ancient as human history itself,” says chapbook editor Patrick Cabello Hansel. “Human beings consider cemeteries to be holy ground, where those who have gone are still present. The poems in [...]
Democracy and You
from the series Raise Your Voice! By PETER MOLENAAR Peter Molenaar Democracy is by one definition: “a system of government by the whole population or all eligible members of a state.”“All eligible members?” Note: the ancient Athenian democracy emerged in the context of the existing slave system. In the United States, democracy was initiated in the context of a developing capitalism in conjunction with the then modern system of chattel slavery.In our world, the influence of a small minority called capitalists taints democracy. For this reason, many of us don’t vote! Indeed, our bourgeois-democracy is a reflection of the capitalist system. Before too long, our ruling class will be unwilling and incapable of resolving life and death issues confronting the masses.Does the struggle within bourgeois-democratic institutions have any bearing on the realization of our socialist vision? I am not alone in answering: YES!And neighbors beware: Go online to contemplate the Trump [...]
What does it mean to be a socially responsible bank?
By AMANDA THEISEN, Sunrise Banks This content is sponsored by Sunrise Banks as part of a new Engagement Partnership with Alley Communications. Think about the relationship you have with your bank. What do you like about how they do business? How do they show up in your community? How are they helping your family members, friends or neighbors? Does your bank share your values or care about your goals?At Sunrise Banks, we think of ourselves as more than just a place to manage money. We strive to be a place where values and money meet. We want to be someplace where you can feel good about how your money is being put to work in your community. We strive to support those traditionally underserved or not served at all by traditional banks. Values-based bankingAt Sunrise Banks, our mission is to be a force for good through values-based banking. So, how do we do that?First, we focus on empowering financial wellness and inclusivity. This guides our teams in how they design our [...]
