Collusion on the corner of Penn Avenue and Plymouth in North Minneapolis

On Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Minneapolis Urban League, I invite you to see corruption at its highest level as the community is presented with the two finalists for the position of President/CEO of the Minneapolis Urban League. Its time the Minneapolis Urban League employees take charge and speak up on this eventual “train wreck.”

The Minneapolis Urban League has identified two finalists for the CEO vacancy. Its alleged that one of the finalists has “paid” for his place at the table by interaction with a local non-profit director, his wife and the search committee.

The story goes like this…

On last week, sources via email contact and phone calls, tell IBNN that Stairstep Foundation director Alfred Babington-Johnson was in Madison, Wisconsin for the Villager Mall ground breaking on March 27, 2009. Phone calls to the Madison Urban League confirm that Mr. Johnson, was in fact the keynote speaker and was paid a hefty sum.

As reported earlier this week on The Adventures of Johnny Northside, (read: Don Allen calls Al McFarlane out and denies working for the CIA/FBI), there has been some collusion as it pertains to the players on the search committee, board and the Stairstep Foundation.

This “secret cooperation” is the same elitist crap that cost the Minneapolis Urban League to loose over $1 million in funding in 2007. The agency continues to loose funding and puts good employees on notice for possible job cuts do to the management and the boards lack of diplomatic and cordial relationships in the private and public sectors.  Again I ask, “How much money has Northwest Airlines or Delta contributed to the agency? If none, then why have the airlines general council as board chairman?  Furthermore with Congressman Keith Ellison’s office in the agency, why didn’t the MUL receive any 2008 Federal Earmarks? Will they get Federal Funding in 2009 or 2010? (I don’t have all the answers).

The real question when looking a Board of Directors is, “How many of the current MUL Board members can write a check for $5,000 to the agency.  Yes, my point exactly.  Then I ask, who is benefiting from being on the MUL Board or how do the current board members benefit the agency?  “A radio broadcast?”

Why, read on…

You see, right across the street, the University of Minnesota is building a LEGACY organization called UROC (The Urban Research and Outreach Center). I applaud the University of Minnesota for holding their ground and not “waffling” to the demands of the abrasive group of “has been’s” with no direction, process or use of sound business practices.

I hate to say it, but the Minneapolis Urban League is finished.  The University of Minnesota/UROC will archive higher numbers in programs, advocacy, service to people, community engagement, education, and more importantly follow-through. Personally, I think the employees of the Minneapolis Urban League deserve a better kind of “pro-active” leadership, one that is present!

When you continue to touch programs, people and community engagement and it turns to shit, maybe you’ve outlived your usefulness.

In an email intercepted by IBNN from the Minneapolis Urban League after a request for the email to be sent to IBNN was ignored by Minneapolis Urban League’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Sylvia Loveless-Amos (the email was the press release for the Saturday event), which reads (unedited):

Minneapolis Urban League Identifies Two Finalists for CEO Vacancy

Decision to be finalized following community forum on April 25th Minneapolis, MN

(April 13, 2009) – Minneapolis Urban League Board Chair Cathy Wassberg announced today that the

Minneapolis Urban League CEO Search Committee has narrowed its candidates down to two, both of which will appear at a community event scheduled for April 25th at the MUL’s headquarters.

Former President/CEO Clarence Hightower left the MUL in the fall of last year. Since that time, the Search Committee of the Board diligently has searched for a replacement.

Both candidates, Pamela Coaxum and Scott Gray, have been certified by the National Urban League.

South Minneapolis native, Pamela Coaxum, is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and the University of North Carolina. Most recently, she served as Local Office Director of Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. in St. Louis, MO. Enterprise Community Partners provides financial and program support to public and private organizations that develop affordable housing and deliver workforce and community development programs in a highly technology driven environment. Previously, Pam was Chief Operating Officer of the Metropolitan St. Louis YWCA.

Scott Gray is a native of inner city Milwaukee. He has completed degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and Goddard College. Scott is currently the President/CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, WI. In this capacity he oversees multiple programs in the areas of education, career development, housing, economic development and workforce development. Prior to joining the League, he was Associate Regional Director for Habitat for Humanity International in Chicago, IL.

Both candidates will participate in final interviews and a community forum on Saturday, April 25th at the Minneapolis Urban League headquarters at 1:00 PM CST.

The community is encouraged to attend and learn more about our finalist. The MUL Board of Directors will be soliciting community input as they make their final selection.

An announcement of the new President/CEO is expected before May 1, 2009.

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Get this…Insight News President/Editor-in-Chief and Minneapolis Urban League Board member Al McFarlane will host the event. Mr. McFarlane also hosts a sponsored show on KFAI-FM at the Minneapolis Urban League on Tuesday’s. (Mmm?)

Understanding that the Minneapolis Urban League has been without sound leadership and direction for a long time, gave local “puppet masters” the opportunity to manipulate, reprogram and redirect attention from vital issues and “process.”

I’ve been too angry to write a full story but have two more Commentaries in the “can” for next week. IBNN continues to receive calls from concerned community members about the obvious Conflict of Interest violations at the Minneapolis Urban League, involving certain Board members, search committee personnel and partisan politics.

A request for information sent to the Minneapolis Urban League last year has never been answered.