| The Radical may resort to the sword, (in 2009: | | | | At that time, you refused this invitation. (No invite |
| the keyboard), but when he does he is not filled | | | | received) |
| with hatred against those individuals whom he | | | | As Trista has outlined in her e-mail to you today, |
| attacks. He hates these individuals not as persons | | | | the African American Leadership Forum does |
| but as symbols representing ideas or interests | | | | have a process for people who are interested in |
| which he believes to be inimical to the welfare of | | | | participating. Trista outlined the reasons for this |
| the people. (Alinsky 1946: 23) | | | | and offered you or anyone else you would like to |
| On Saturday, (11/21) I ventured to General Mills | | | | participate in a cascading group to do so. This |
| to catch a glimpse of the 170 African-American | | | | offer still stands. Other new members of the |
| “hand-picked” leaders for the | | | | Forum have participated in the same process. |
| African-American Leadership Forum. (Only two | | | | We appreciate your interest in working to |
| kinds of people can afford the luxury of acting on | | | | improve the lives of African American people. The |
| principle, those with absolute power and those | | | | members of African American Leadership Forum |
| with none and no desire to get any.) | | | | are also dedicated to this effort. As you may |
| Headwater Foundations Trista Harris and | | | | already be aware, the members of African |
| Northwest Area Foundations Gary | | | | American Leadership Forum come from a variety |
| Cunningham’s emails stating that there was a | | | | of backgrounds and have diverse views. The tent |
| process one could follow in order to be invited to | | | | is big enough for everyone. I have known and |
| the Leadership meeting were misleading. | | | | have worked with several of the individuals you |
| Rev. Jerry McAfee and Spike Moss were both | | | | have proposed to attend the Forum and have |
| invited on the insistence of Rep. Bobby Jo | | | | respect for them all. We would certainly welcome |
| Champion less than 24 hours before | | | | them into the Forum after they participated in the |
| Saturday’s meeting. This is not the | | | | cascading group process. The next meeting of |
| “process” detailed in the meetings. | | | | the African American Leadership Forum will occur |
| IBNN was later contacted by several participants | | | | sometime in the [1] spring of next year and I |
| at Saturday’s cattle herd. One of them said, | | | | hope to see you there. |
| “This was nothing but a breakfast and lunch | | | | With all the best Gary – |
| to get a bunch of names so the Headwaters | | | | Gary L. Cunningham |
| Foundation can seek future funding. Nothing got | | | | Vice President of Programs – Chief Program |
| done. The circus-like engagement was a dirty | | | | Officer |
| shame and disrespectful to all | | | | Northwest Area Foundation |
| African-Americans.” | | | | T: 651.225.3868 |
| After I had a 40-minute conversation with | | | | # # # |
| Northwest Area Foundation’s Gary | | | | [1] “The next meeting of the African |
| Cunningham, it seemed that we both wanted the | | | | American Leadership Forum will occur sometime in |
| same outcomes for Black people in Minnesota. | | | | the spring of next year.” |
| His statements were good – but the actions | | | | …By the spring of next year, you have no Black |
| that he took excluded the real Minnesota black | | | | leaders asking the City of Minneapolis about the |
| leadership and further delayed the attainment of | | | | Empowerment Zone dollars. No one to ask, |
| justice for all. | | | | officially, why hasn’t a Disparity Report been |
| You see Mr. Cunningham is not a radical. White | | | | completed? While Black Minnesota is stifled by |
| Minnesota feels comfortable working with him. He | | | | leaders that want to meet according to |
| will do what the master says, with little resistance. | | | | “Funding Cycles” while ignoring the real |
| (IBNN will look at Cunningham’s involvement | | | | issues, the average man should ask, “What |
| with Pilot City- now NorthPoint Health and | | | | kind of Bullshit is this?” |
| Wellness– and the African American Men’s | | | | It will be a cold winter. |
| Project in an upcoming story.) | | | | Several creditable institutions are already |
| Although I was not allowed to enter the guarded | | | | established with foundations in place to address |
| area at General Mills, while Gary and I talked, | | | | the disparities of Black people in Minnesota. The |
| several people that were not on any list were | | | | University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and |
| granted admission to this “private formal | | | | Outreach Center (UROC) has a presence in North |
| meeting.” Yet it was impossible for the | | | | Minneapolis with 10 resident programs to form a |
| interested public to become fully informed about | | | | coalition to address the issues of poverty, |
| the African American Leadership Forum. | | | | education, healthcare, foreclosures and economic |
| The sad thing about the African American | | | | development in a blighted area while developing |
| Leadership forum is, organizations | | | | solutions by models created from an academia |
| “self-charged” with the organizing of this | | | | influence, which in our opinion will be best for Black |
| model – Northwest Foundation; Headwaters | | | | Minnesota. |
| Foundation and the Stairstep Foundation recognize | | | | The Council on Black Minnesotans is available to |
| no limits to their authority and strive to regulate | | | | deal with laws pertaining to Black Minnesotans and |
| every aspect of Black engagement wherever | | | | can expand UROC’s mission as a formidable |
| feasible. | | | | ally. |
| The element of authoritarianism, according to | | | | When a group of organizations with a Totalitarian |
| which ordinary Blacks have no significant share in | | | | mission to rid the lower one-third of the |
| decision-making, helps to maintain these | | | | community the opportunity to participate, discuss |
| organizations in positions of political power by | | | | or criticize a process, using the same point people |
| means of an official all-embracing ideology and | | | | that have created “catastrophic” failures in |
| propaganda disseminated through the controlled | | | | all areas of Black life, it’s time to look at who |
| personality cults, along with regulations and | | | | the real leaders are, and not at the usual |
| restrictions of free discussion and criticism. This | | | | suspects, who have their hands out at the table. |
| is the definition of totalitarianism. | | | | I attest that the African-American Leadership |
| An e-mail response sent to me by Mr. | | | | Forum held at General Mills on Saturday, |
| Cunningham reads: | | | | November 21, 2009 is in violation of |
| Hello Mr. Allen, | | | | Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law. |
| It is clear that we have either a | | | | The folly the Black community had suffered at |
| miscommunication or misunderstanding. If you | | | | the hands of the same high-brow, stratified Black |
| recall, in August I invited you and Mr. Edwards to | | | | people must stop now. |
| participate in African-American Leadership Forum. | | | | |