Vol 1/ Issue 4 BLACK WESTCHESTER -NOV 2017

VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 4

COMPLIMENTARY

Unapologetically Delivering News To Communities Of Color in Westchester & Surrounding Areas

BLACK WESTCHESTER

DEMS USE POOR TO ADVANCE PAGE 20

FEATURES

MAKING THE BLACK VOTE WORK FOR BLACK PEOPLE

BY BOB LAW PAGE 21

NOVEMBER 2017

SOUP KITCHEN LOSES FUNDING PAGE 8

CUOMO, SCHNEIDERMAN, SCARPINO & KIM WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

TONY DOFAT COUNCILMAN WALLACE CALLS FOR NYS & FED AUTHORITY TO BW ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT

BY PRISCILLA ECHI

PAGE 25

STOP POLITICAL & GOVERNMENTAL CORRUPTION IN MT. VERNON

PAGE 16

WESTCHESTER COUNTY PRESS PUBLISHER SANDRA BLACKWELL TO RECEIVE HARRIET TUBMAN AWARD

PAGE 7

MOUNT VERNON PUBLIC LIBRARY’S 1STPAGE ANNUAL 11 AUTHOR FAIR PAGE 11

KAEPERNICK, TRUMP, THE FLAG AND AMERICAN HYPOCRISY.

By Damon K. Jones

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Page 13

2 BLACK WESTCHESTER

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NOVEMBER 2017

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NOVEMBER 2017

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O END

RSED BY

The Mount Vernon Democratic Party

O END

RSED BY

The Westchester County Independence Party

DEMOCRAT FOR city council

Row A for Duarte LEARN MORE AT JDUARTE4COUNCIL.COM

Vote Row A November 7th, 2017 @JDuarte4Council

Contact us at: janiceduarte2017@gmail.com

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4 BLACK WESTCHESTER

REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

NOVEMBER 2017

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NOVEMBER 2017

Founded in 2014 by DAMON K. JONES AJ WOODSON Published by URBANSOUL MEDIA GROUP

BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

BLACK WESTCHESTER 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK As Publisher of Black Westchester Magazine (BW), I would like to thank everyone for their support of our efforts to bring information to the people of Westchester County. As we embark on a new chapter for BW, we hope to continue to empower the reader on issues in their communities.

Independent media like BW has become more than a mere institution; instead, the independent media acts as a direct participant in the traditional three-branch system of governance.

455 Tarrytown Rd., Suite 1318 White Plains, NY 10607 www.BlackWestchester.com

What many fail to realize is that independent media serves a fundamental role in making democracies run efficiently, even though there are frequent clashes. Independent media system thus often “reflects the political philosophy in which Democracy indeed functions”.

This being said, BW will not be disregarded as a trivial player in the responsibilities of being a check and balance system in the political process of the Black Communities of Westchester.

BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com

BW’s purpose is not only to address the political process that affects the everyday lives of communities of colour in Westchester County. BW’s mission has also been to shine a light on the brilliant culture, morals, values and elegant lifestyle of Black people. It’s time to change the narrative on how Black people are perceived in media.

Email:

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter: @BlkWestchesterM Instagram: @BlackWestchester Facebook: /BlackWestchesterMagazine

Publisher DAMON K. JONES @DamonKJones

Editor-In-Chief AJ WOODSON

@BWEditorInChief

News Reporters/ Writers AJ Woodson Damon K. Jones Robert Baskerville Ph.D Lorraine Lopez Cynthia Turnquest-Jones Rashad Bilal Priscilla Echi Tasha D. Young Jackie Ramos MSW Bob Law Paul Feiner Laura Case

Entertainment Feature Writer

Samantha Hunter Photographers AJ Woodson B. Alyssa Trofort Malachi Dofat

As Publisher of BW, our doors are open to the public. From the publication, the website, our radio show and now the newspaper; our doors are open to the people. We do not do this for any grander position or status; we do it for the people.

A WORDS FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF November 2017 - Issue 4 of the print edition of Black Westchester. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. First once again let me thank all our supporters, advertisers and all of our contributors; the writers, the editors, Lorraine, Cathlin G, and Brenda L. Crump for the extra pair of eyes.

Welcome to our newest columnist Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner who will keep us informed on what’s going on in Greenburgh (p7). Shout out to Cynthia Turnquest-Jones for her piece on the Hurrican Relief For Dominica, (p21). Everyone talking about the devastation of Puerto Rico, the media has barely mentioned Dominica who got hit before PR did. Lorriane Lopez has a powerful piece of the resilience of the people in Puerto Rico and her feelings on how the fedeal governement is failing when it comes to hurricane relief in Puerto Rico on her Latino Empowerment page - (p20).

Damon K. Jones has a powerful piece on Kaepernick, Trump, The Flag & American Hypocrisy (p13). The lengendary Radio talk show host Bob Law who blessed us with a article on Making The Black Vote Work For Black People (p21). Jackie Ramos discusses how Democrats Use The Poor To Advance (p20) and Laura Case tackles a topic many politicians and people do not like to talk about, Homelessness In Westchester on page 22.

Priscilla Echi does a great Entertainment Spotlight on producer Tony Dofat (p25), Samatha Hunter shares her man crush of the month on page 23. Rashad Bilal gives us tips on preparing for your retirement (p21), Cynthia does a great community spotlight on Ken Bright and LPS, Feeding The People One Bag At A Time (p22). Ths month we also deal with the Mount Vernon Soup Kitchen losing its funding but struggling to continue to be a blessing to the people (p8) and a great spotlight of the Mount Vernon Public Library 1st Annual Author Fair (p11) and a whole lot more.

For everyone who has asked how can they subscribe, we just started home subscription $25 for the year (12 months) to sign up go to BlackWestchester.com/Subscribe. Sign up to have Back Westchester delievered to your home or office. The October issue went fast, running out of copies fromy mid October from most of our pick up locations.

Once again thank you everyone for your overwhelming support, you could be reading anything else but you decided to pick up a copy of Black Westchester and we greatly appreciate you. Deadline for advertising in the December 2017 issue the deadline is Monday, November 20th, request ad rates and send your artwork to AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com. We are also looking for writers, photographers and folks interesting in selling advertising hit us at BlackWestchester@gmail.com.

Here it is the November 2017 print edition of Black Westchester, enjoy!

Graphic Designers AJ Woodson Paula S. Woodson

For Advertising Rates AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com Letters To The Editor

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BW NEWS

6 BLACK WESTCHESTER

NOVEMBER 2017

BLACK WESTCHESTER NEWS JUICES FOR LIFE IS FIRST BUSINESS INDUCTED GOTHAM FILMS IN YONKERS AGAIN INTO CITY OF YONKERS HEALTHY HALL OF FAME

(R-to-L) Mayor Mike Spano, Shawyn Patterson Howard, Festus Neufville (manager),Styles P and Cheryl Brannan

Juices for Life, a juice bar opened by rappers and Yonkers natives Jada kiss and Styles P at 211 Nepperhan Avenue in Yonkers on Tuesday, June 17, was honored for being the first business to be inducted into the City of Yonkers Healthy Foods Hall of Fame by Mayor Mike Spano & Yonkers Healthy Connections for LYFE, Wednesday, October 18th and the 2017 Access to Healthy Food Champion.

The intersection of Elm Street and Nepperhan Avenue which was previously known for it violent incidents is now home to the juice bar, Juice For Life. With a rough brick exterior and its colorful interior, they serve several smoothies and juice elixirs, custom-tailored to combat certain health problems.

Jason “Jadakiss” Phillips said at the ribbon cuttiing in June, one of the reasons he chose to put the bar at the intersection is to hopefully bring some of the violence to an end.

“We want to bring unity to the youth who are engaging in all of this nonsense,” he said. “Here, you pretty much know everybody. As I said before, love is love is our slogan. We don’t tolerate no violence. We’re going to try to settle them down, give them a juice, and help them rectify whatever differences they’re going through, because violence and juice don’t go together.”

David “Styles P,” Styles said a healthy community begins with healthy lifestyles and children. “It takes a village, they say, to raise a kid. So, it’s up to all of us as a community to make sure we do that,” he told BW. “We’re from here,” We care about the town, we care about this place. This is the place that made us big.”

The Yonkers Healthy Connections for L-Y-F-E is a diverse coalition of over forty (40) community stakeholders representing a cross section of the committee.

WCF COMMUNITY MATTERS VETERANS DAY CEREMONY AT THE FILM SERIES CONTINUES AFRICAN-AMERICAN CEMETERY The Westchester Community Foundation continues their Community Matters Film Series, Thursday, November 2nd at the Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Rd in Pleasantville, sponsored by the AfricanAmerican Men of Westchester, with the screening of the documentary, “Quest.”

“Quest” is a new documentary produced by Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Co-Chair of the Black Documentary Collective. The film is a sensitive and compassionate portrayal of the day-to-day lives and love of a working-class AfricanAmerican family.

“We selected this film for our program for precisely this reason,” WCF’s Executive Director Laura Rossi, Esq. shares with BW. “to show the lives of regular people who could just as easily be living in Yonkers or other parts of Westchester. Their struggles, their bonds, and the role of the local community in helping them be resilient in the face of struggle are portrayed.”

There wil be a post film panel discussion that will include New Rochelle City Councilman Jared Rice and Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, the producer of the film.

TO HONOR 24 KNOWN VETERANS BURIED AT THE SITE

RYE, NY -- The Friends of the African American Cemetery invites the public to participate in a Veterans Day ceremony to remember and honor those buried at the cemetery. The event takes place on Saturday, November 4 at 10:00 AM, (adjacent to the Greenwood Union Cemetery) 215 North Street, Rye, New York.

The land for the cemetery was donated to the Town of Rye in 1860

by Underhill and Elizabeth Halstead with the condition that it “shall forever hereafter kept, held and used for the purpose of a cemetery or burial place for the colored inhabitants of the said Town of Rye, and its vicinity free and clear of any charge therefor…”

This year the Friends will pay homage the 24 known Veterans buried at the site who fought in a range of wars spanning from the Civil War to the Korean War.

Contact David Thomas at 914-886-5710 or send an email to afamcemetery@gmail.com

The crime drama television series “Gotham,” based on the origins of Batman, James Gordon and other characters from the DC Comics was filming Wednesday, October 18, 2017 in Yonkers. The film shoot took place on Palisade Avenue and Shonnard Place.

“Gotham,” which airs Mondays at 8 p.m. is currently in its sixth season on Fox. This is not the first time the show has filmed in the city. Last year, the Yonkers pier was used. “Please tell me someone caught the scene in Yonkers from the show Gotham!...That’s by the pier,” one viewer tweeted last November.

The show has had multiple filming days in 2015 at Alder Manor, the historic mansion on North Broadway that was also featured in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” Other television shows that have been filmed in Yonkers include, The Following, Bar Rescue, The Blacklist, The Knick, Madam Secretary, Law & Order: SVU, Boardwalk Empire, Louie, Alpha House, Orange is the New Black, Billions, Blindspot, Unforgettable, Mr. Robot, Sneaky Pete, Comedy Central, The Affair, Forever, The Path, Ringside, The Real Housewives of NY, Luke Cage, Mozart in the Jungle and Red Oaks.

MOUNT VERNON DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY IN CITY HALL “Our horizon of clouds is filled with cynicism and false promise, tapping into anger, creating confusion and leaving us void of dignity and discourse,” says City Council Candidate and 2017 Democratic Primary top vote getter Janice Duarte.

After almost two years of Civil War in City Hall, cries of corruptions and a very adversarial atmosphere, candidates for office in the city of Mount Vernon took to the steps of City Hall, Saturday, October 21st, with just more than two weeks until the general election, calling for transperancy.

During a recent press conference turn midday melee, where the City Council attacked the Mount Vernon Police Department leadership or lack of, calling on the FBI to investigate what they call “top to bottom corruption.”

The Mount Vernon Democratic candidates informed that they are committed to changing the perception of transparency and corruption at City Hall.

“Distrust will be the only thing that will be manifested if we have no transparency,” said City Council candidate Delia Farquharson.

Current City Councilman Marcus A. Griffith, the incumbent running for reelection, says the council is not corrupt and it will take time to change residents’ perception of city leaders. “We are really going to do a good job of transforming the council into something that it has never been before because the constituents are begging for us to do that,” said Griffith.

The Democratic Westchester County Executive candidate George Latimer, a Mount Vernon native tells Black Westchester if elected, he would make sure Mount Vernon receives needed county assistance.

Duarte, Farquharson and Griffith the 2017 Democratic primary winners face, The New Vision Party candidates Robin Myers, Angela Neil and Steve Facendo, and Republican Butch Thomas for City Council in the November 7th general election.

Senator Latimer is running on the Democratic, Independent, Working Families, Women’s Equality and Reform ballot lines in an attempt to unseat two-term County Executive Rob Astorino. Democratic primary winner Deborah Reynolds who beat longtime City Comptroller Maureen Walker in the 2017 primary, will face The New Vision Party City Comptroller candidate Walidah Aime in the General Election.

The New Vision Party candidates recieved the endorsement of Mount Vernon City Republican Committee Chairman Thomas J. Keller said he regrets not knocking GOP City Council candidate Steven ‘Butch’ Thomas Woff the ballot at the Wednesday, October 11th City Council Meeting.

The future of Mount Vernon stands on the balance of the November 7th General Election, and while Black Westchester can not tell you who to vote for, it is important that every registered voter in the City of Mount Vernon come out to vote.

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESENTS NOBUNTU SHOW FROM ZIMBABWE ON NOVEMBER 18 “LET SMART ARTS INTO YOUR HEART… as you connect with dance, theatre, music, and more.

This intimate setting provides for the perfect cultural journey, as guests come aboard to enjoy lectures and displays, and depart by hob-nobbing with celeb artists. Where performance entertains, Smart Arts edu-tains.

This season discover Aquila Theatre Company’s Nobuntu (a Cappella vocal concert) that will take place on Saturday, November 18 at 8:00 P.M., in the Academic Arts Theatre on the Valhalla campus at Westchester Community College (75 Grasslands Rd, Valhalla NY). This captivating all-female a cappella ensemble from Zimbabwe is touring America for the first time. Enjoy this mesmerizing choral concert of epic proportions and exuberant energy.

This engagement of Nobuntu is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts

Smart Arts is just that: first-rate, affordable, and conveniently located with ample free parking and ticket discounts for children, students, and seniors. For more information about this performance or the many other exciting cultural events, please call the Office of Cultural Affairs at 914-606-6262 or visit us online at www.sunywcc.edu/smartarts

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NOVEMBER 2017

BLACK WESTCHESTER7

BW NEWS

BLACK WESTCHESTER NEWS MVPL RETAINS CENTRAL LIBRARY STATUS

WESTCHESTER LIBRARY SYSTEM APPROVES DESIGNATION FOR 61ST STRAIGHT YEAR The Westchester Library System Central Library Study Committee presented their report on September 26, 2017. Their recommendation is that Mount Vernon Public Library should continue to be the Central Library of Westchester.

“We would like to thank the citizens of Mount Vernon for coming forth to join us in the fight to retain our status,” said Oscar Davis Jr., President of the Library Board of Trustees.

“We are looking forward to many collaborative projects with the Westchester Library System in the future.”

At the meeting, Mount Vernon Library Board President Oscar Davis Jr. gave an impassioned plea at the meeting, challenging the Board of the Westchester Library System to work more closely with Mount Vernon. He shared,“Mount Vernon intends to expand its reach not only within the community but to other localities as well”.

The Mount Vernon Public Library has been the Central Library of Westchester County for 60 years. The library has the largest collection of research and reference books of all the Westchester public libraries and services patrons from throughout the county.

The Library Board of Trustees, Library Director Evania Thompson, library staff and community advocates had been on a mission to retain the library’s designation as the Central Library of Westchester County. Over the past year many new programs have expanded the organization’s reach within the community.

During the month of August, over one thousand new library patrons have been registered through an innovative program with the Mount Vernon City School District. “Our goal is to increase community participation in the invaluable resources offered through the many programs at the Mount Vernon Public Library,” said Director Evania Thompson.

Westchester County Jail in Vahalia at about 6:00 PM, Saturday, october 21st. It appears the side of the penitentiary.

Police said there was construction happening in the building where the fire started. There were no injuries or evacuations.

The County Jail has been plagued with an assortment of highly publicized issues recently like the multitude of assaults on officers by inmates, medical deaths like Rashad McNulty, the suicide death of Bassem Yousef at the jail in June, which was the second inmate suicide there this year, Alex Fusco was found in his cell having used bedsheets to hang himself in February.

In August, a prisoner was accused of attacking two correction officers in the Westchester County jail. Rawkan McKinnon, a 20-year-old New Rochelle man that was being held on first-degree robbery charges, placed a correction officer in a headlock, the Westchester Department of Correction confirmed. Also in August, an inmate tried to escape from the Westchester County jail.Let’s not forget the selfiegate scandal last October which led to a warden being suspended.

At approximately 7:50 PM it appears the fire has been extinguished and firefighters are packing up.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY PRESS PUBLISHER SANDRA BLACKWELL TO RECEIVE HARRIET TUBMAN AWARD AT MOUNT HOPE’S 72ND WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION

Thursday November 16th – Sunday November 19th 2017 the Women’s Ministry of Mount Hope African Methodist Episcopal Church (65 Lake Street, White Plains) where The Reverend Gregory Robeson Smith, EdD DMin MBA MDiv. is Senior Pastor will hold its 72nd Annual Celebration to Women; “Women Walking With Passion & Purpose in These Changing” Three tremendous events are planned: 2-Night Revival, 7pm nightly Thursday 16 th Dr. Frozine Smith, Bethel Baptist Church – White Plains, Friday the 17th The Reverend Keisha J. Agard, A young dynamic African-American Sister in Christ. Saturday November 18th 8:00am Prayer Breakfast, “Windows of the Soul” a short play about women in action.

Sunday 19th at the 11:00am worship honoring the 2017 Harriet Tubman Award Honoree: Sandra Blackwell, Editor & Publisher of The Westchester County Press - A woman of excellence grace and compassion Powerful, Dynamic Women of GOD Guest Preacher, The Reverend Kathleen Edwards, St Paul A.M.E. Zion Church, Great Neck, New York.

The origin of the Mount Hope African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church dates back to 1827, when the Quakers of Purchase, New York liberated the slaves and settled them on the rugged highlands in the Silver lake

section of White Plains, New York.

This section was then referred to as “Nigger Hill”, because it was the underground slave station and was located north of Horton’s Pond.

The history of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, its growth and development, is one of the extraordinary stories of American history.

In 1796, a handful of Black men, free and enslaved, along with James L. Varick, walked out of the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church to establish a separate Black church called Zion.

Throughout history, many of Zion’s early churches had schools attached. Zion’s commitment to Education continues today. Slaves, who escaped north to freedom, knew they could find refuge and assistance at Zion Church; therefore, Zion became affectionately known as “Freedom’s Church.”

Mount Hope and other Zion churches served as important stations along the Underground Railroad in New York State guided by Harriet Tubman and other illustrious members who were leaders in our historic fight for freedom. They include Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth; Paul Robeson, Madame C.J. Walker and many others who fought so valiantly to free African- Americans, socially, politically and spiritually.

MOUNT VERNON SCHOOLS A FEW WORDS FROM GREENBURGH PLACED ON LOCKDOWN TOWN SUPERVISOR PAUL FEINER DURING SEARCH FOR

Earlier this year a new development opened up in Dobbs Ferry---Rivertowns Square. It’s a major new shopping center, just across the street from the Saw Mill River Parkway.

The shopping center has a movie theater, restaurants, apartments and soon there will be a supermarket and hotel at the center. There is only one problem: no bus stop at the center.

The bus stop that is closest to the center is located along 9A but there is no shelter at the stop (only a place to sit). Not very customer friendly during the cold winter months. Also the current stop is located along 9A and pedestrians have to walk along an unsafe street (Lawrence Street) that lacks adequate sidewalks.

In 2014 a pedestrian lost his life crossing the Saw Mill River Parkway from Lawrence to older shops that had previously existed there. Without a bus stop a pedestrian will definitely lose his life sometime in the future. I have personally witnessed numerous cars speeding on the Saw Mill River Parkway and

have seen pedestrians scared while crossing this dangerous crosswalk.

Many cars don’t bother to stop when there is a red light, making the location very dangerous.

The Rivertowns Square Shopping Center in Dobbs Ferry is Westchester County’s newest open air shopping village. There are stores, apartments, restaurants, and a movie theater at the center. I can’t understand how a major new shopping plaza in Westchester could be allowed to open up without a bus shelter. BLACK WESTCHESTER readers should be outraged. Who are the people who are being hurt the most by the lack of a bus stop?

The poor. People who have no cars.

Employees who hold minimum wage jobs, many who are African americans and students.

The Greenburgh Human Rights Committee and I are giving priority attention to this problem. We have contacted the County Executive, Westchester County Department of Transportation and have asked a bus stop be located inside Rivertowns Square. We have also asked that the county provide bus transportation from Yonkers, Mt. Vernon and elsewhere to the shopping center. A suggestion: the bus routes could be an extension of the bus routes going to and from Ridge Hill or Stew Leonard’s, off of Jackson Ave. I hope that Westchester County will

give this their highest priority attention. Just because someone is poor doesn’t mean that they should not be safe. Public transportation is important.

FREE REFLECTORS BEING DISTRIBUTED –It’s getting dark out earlier. And, many pedestrians walk along busy streets wearing dark clothing. A few years ago a young many lost his life in the middle of the night on North Road in the town of Greenburgh walking down a busy street. It was a hit and run accident.

The pedestrian was not wearing bright colors. The town responded by installing a stop sign near the scene of the accident. And earlier this year we started distributing free reflectors to pedestrians. Phelps Hospital donated hundreds of free reflectors which the police are giving out to pedestrians. If you would like to obtain a free reflector you can obtain one at Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave, White Plains, NY 10607. When walking during the night wear bright clothing or a reflector.

We want you to be safe.

ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECTS

Several Mount Vernon City School District schools were put on lock-down around 11:20 AM, Tuesday, October 24th according to school officials. Rebecca Turner Elementary School formerly known as Longfellow Elem. (625 S 4th Ave), Benjamin Turner Middle School formerly known as Longfellow Middle School (624 S 3rd Ave,), Cecil H. Parker Elementary School (461 S 6th Ave) and Nellie A. Thornton High School (121 S 6th Ave) were the schools on lock-down, Tuesday morning. While very little details are available, Black Westchester was told it was a Mount Vernon City situation, not a school district situation.

Officials said it involves an armed robbery of a Verizon store in Greenburgh. The suspect’s vehicle tracked entered Mount Vernon.

Suspects came in from Dyer Ave onto South 5th Ave and crashed on South 5th and West 7th Street. Police officers could be seen outside Rebecca Turner with guns drawn. Detectives could be seen moving around inside Rebecca Turner and the other schools.

Around 12:30 PM the schools were downgraded from a lock-down to a lock-in status, where everyone could freely move around inside the schools but no one was allowed in or out of the buildings, BW was informed.

Two suspects have been caught I’m always available to help with government related problems. officials informed BW. How many more are Please feel free to e mail me at begin sought after is unclear? Pelham PD and County Police were also involved in the search. pfeiner@greenburghny.com.

At 1:05 PM the lockdown was officially lifted and the schools are back to normal PAUL FEINER operations. Police have several blocks blocked Greenburgh Town Supervisor off, few next few hours

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NOVEMBER 2017

8 BLACK WESTCHESTER

COMMUNITY SERVICE ASSOCIATES, INC. SOUP KITCHEN IN MOUNT VERNON LOSES ITS FUNDING REAL TALK WITH AJ WOODSON

WITH THEIR BUDGET CUT IN HALF IN 2016 AND NOW NO MONEY COMING IN IN 2017 THE SOUP KITCHEN STRUGGLES TO STAY ALIVE AND CONTINUE BEING A BLESSING TO MANY IN NEED

Mayor Richard Thomas told the press that he received a letter telling him not to release funds to the Soup Kitchen because it’s director Roberta Apuzzo is conflict of interest in her role as councilwoman!

As everyone prepares for the Thanksgiving holiday, spending time with family and friends over some really good food, when you bless your food, do not forget to pray for the less fortunate. Remember Jesus says, what you do to the least of them you also do unto me. So let’s remember those who do not have money to put food on their table and have to rely of the services of places like the Soup Kitchen to get a hot meal.

Welcome to Real Talk With AJ Woodson. I want to use this month’s column to addresss the Soup Kitchen of Mount Vernon. In addition to having their funding cut from $50,000 to $20,000 in 2016, The Soup Kitchen was one of several nonprofits that relied on the funds that learned that they would not be getting money this year. The funding was cut off for the Community Service Associates which for years has run a soup kitchen at the Mount Vernon Armory.

Hearing that hit home for me, because my mom, Patricia Henderson who passed July 2014 used to have me and my sister go to the church when we were younger and feed the less fortunate and to honest if not for the help from several angels that God has placed in my life, who believed in me when we were starting Black Westchester three and half years ago, I could very well be one of those who rely on the Soup Kitchen for a cooked meal.

When my mother passed, my sister and I were looking for a way to honor my her memory and we were looking for anywhere that was serving food on Christmas Day, So we could volunteer. It would be our first Christmas without her. Through our cousins the Roysters we found out Grace Baptist Church was serving food on Christmas and we volunteered. Don’t get me wrong I would rather have been able to spend the day with my mom, but doing something she was very passionate about made us feel good.

Mount Vernon has seen serveal cuts to many of its much needed services like the probabation office in 2015. There are a lot of people in need and personally I would hate to see the Soup Kitchen close. I do not want to get too much into the politics of it all, but Mayor Thomas told me he was instructed not to release funds to the Soup Kitchen since It’s Director Roberta Apuzzo was also the Council President and it was a conflict of interest. He said he recieved a letter which to this day none of us, the press, the Soup Kitchen, The City Council, no one has seen. Community Services followed up and found out no such letter existed. They gave Councilwoman Apuzzo a letter saying her sitting on the council was in fact not a conflict of interest when they looked into it. What struck me funny is she has been on the council for I believe close to 12 yeas and it has never been a problem with the Soup Kitchen recieving the money. I remember going to my first Board of Estimate meeting when Ernie Davis was still mayor and Roberta was Council president and she recused herself from a vote that had to do with the Soup Kitchen. Let me be clear, it is the mayor’s prorogative which programs he gives the money to but with the adversarial atmosphere in City Hall since he took office, it kind of comes off as retailation for Councilwoman Apuzzo not voting his way in both City Council and Board of Estimate meetings. If he has said I found a better use for the money, I would have respected his decision, not to give them the money but he said he was told not to by the feds, who provide the money to the city. Enough of that, right now my purpose is not to throw the mayor under the bus but to use my voice to help the Soup Kithcen stay open and continue to feed those in need. I want to encourage all reading this to make a donation https://www.csasoupkitchen.org/make-a-donation and or volunteer so they can stay open Tuesday-Friday and feed those less fortunate. Also call the mayor’s office 914-665-2360 and let him know just how important the soup kitchen is to the city. The cut in funding has already begun to be felt at the Yonkers Soup Kitchen that has seen a great increase of those coming from Mount Vernon to eat. Stop by the Soup Kitchen for yourself and see just how much of a bessing they are to the city. Black Westchester will be serving Friday, November 3rd to lend a hand and I personally want to get more involved. We have a growing number of working homeless, people who work, their kids go to school but they lost their home. We have many more who after finding a way out of no way to keep a roof over their families heads have no money left for food. I read somewhere recently that over 60% of the country is just one paycheck away from being homeless. I close by asking everyone who can, give what you can to the Soup Kitchen Sometimes we can not depend on the government and we have to do for ourselves. For more info about to Soup Kitchen or how you can be involved call (914) 668-1428 or just stop by 144 N 5th Ave, tell them Black Westchester sent you!

REAL

SURROUNDING AREA NEWS

NEWS ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA, LONG ISLAND & THE FIVE BOROS

FDNY HONORS JAMONI MERRITT, WHO WAS BADLY BURNED AT SLEEPOVER IN AUGUST Jamoni Merritt, the 11-year-old girl from the Bronx that was badly burned at a sleepover in August, was named a honorary firefighter, Thursday, October 26th.

“Thank you, Jamoni. Thank you for making an extraordinary recovery,” FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said at the ceremony. “You are a very strong and a very brave young girl.”

When the Vulcan Society, an association of black firefighters with a campaign against bullying, heard Jamoni’s story, they wanted to be there at her hospital bed to provide support. The Vulcan Society’s Regina Wilson of the FDNY’s said they didn’t know what to expect. But Jamoni was in high spirits. So Wilson said the society wanted to do something special for her.

“Thank you to firefighters and the commissioner for making me a firefighter,” Jamoni said. “Thank you, everybody.”

Jamoni’s strength and resilience make her story an inspiration to others. She is back in school and doing well in her recovery.

TALK

BROOKLYN NETS’ JEREMY LIN SUFFERS RUPTURED PATELLA TENDON; EXPECTED TO MISS SEASON

Nets guard Jeremy Lin is expected to miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured patella tendon of the right knee.

Lin was hurt midway through the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 140-131 loss at Indiana on Wednesday in their opener. He landed hard behind the baseline after a drive to the basket and was in tears as he clutched at his knee.

The former Harvard guard was hoping for a stronger second season with the Nets. He was limited to just 36 games in 2016-17, mostly because of a left hamstring injury, while Brooklyn finished with the NBA’s worst record.

“Jeremy worked tremendously hard during the offseason and in training camp and was excited for the prospects of the team this season,” general manager Sean Marks said Thursday in a statement. “We feel awful that the injury will cost him the season, however our entire organization will be there to support Jeremy in every way possible throughout his recovery. Jeremy remains an important part of this team and will continue to contribute in a leadership role.”

Lin scored 18 points before he was hurt while starting alongside fellow point guard D’Angelo Russell, the former No. 2 pick acquired from the Lakers in an offseason trade. Coach Kenny Atkinson had planned to start games with both players, then split the playing time, so he had one of them on the floor as much as possible.

“Jeremy worked really hard to get back from injury, so we hope everything’s OK,” Atkinson said after the game. “You never want to see somebody go down, especially someone who worked so hard to come back.”

Lin was hurt in the fifth game last season and missed more than a month.

He aggravated the injury about two weeks after returning and didn’t play again until after the All-Star break.

He had come to Brooklyn with a three-year, $36 million deal, returning to the city where he was a breakout star with the New York Knicks during his run of Linsanity in 2012. That lasted just 35 games before a season-ending knee injury.

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SURROUNDING AREA NEWS MARRIOTT TO LAY OFF 100+ STAMFORD EMPLOYEES Marriott International will lay off 107 Stamford-based employees in December, according to paperwork filed with the state Department of Labor.

NEW JERSEY POLICE OFFICER BRUTALLY ATTACKS TEEN GIRLS SUSPENDED, CHARGED WITH ASSAULT

About 330 local workers have been laid off since Marriott acquired Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide in September 2016, according to the Stamford Advocate.

Stamford’s economic development director Thomas Madden told the Advocate that the layoffs are part of Marriott’s consolidation plan which is reducing overlapping departments or moving workers to its Bethesda, Maryland headquarters.

New York State’s largest African-American Chamber of Commerce LIAACC (Long Island African-American Chamber, Inc.) is a shining example of chamber development and its impact on the regional and local area that it is chartered to serve in New York State. Since its inception in 2010; LIAACC has continued to grow significantly in numbers, along with increasing its impact on its service territory.

LIAACC has been featured on WABC Here and Now, NBC’S Positively Black, FiOs1 Push Pause, MY Long Island News, Long Island Business News, Newsday, and Black Enterprise.

ORANGE, NJ — Hanifah Davis, an African-American officer with the Orange Police Department has been suspended and is facing an internal investigation after he allegedly attacked twin sisters outside a New Jersey high school.

The incident was caught on video Thursday, October 12th and shows 17-year-old twin Nyasia and Kyasia Sorrells on the receiving end of an Orange Police Officer’s restraining hold. Nyasia and Kyasia were on the sidewalk across the street from their high school after dismissal when it happened.

“He grabbed me by my hair and swung me on the ground and started like bashing my head on the ground,” Nyasia told WPIX.

Officer Davis was immediately suspended after city officials saw the video.

“In a word, it was sickening,” said city spokesman Keith Royster. “It was not the best of the Orange Police Department, and the police director pretty much said that today.”

Kyasia and Nyasia as well as firefighters stationed across the street from where the alleged attack took place say this isn’t the first questionable interaction Davis has had with students and pointed to other videos circulating on social media.

Nyasia and Kyasia’s father Mike Sorrells is furious. “Anybody who got kids feel the same way right now,” he said. “They’re here to protect and serve.

Who they protecting? What they serving? Brutality?”

An internal affairs investigation into the incident is pending. The outcome of the investigation will determine whether or not Davis will be allowed to keep his job. Police Director Todd Warren said there were no reports of fights or other disturbances in the group.

Davis was working what Warren said is known as a “1073,” or a “park and walk” detail, meant to patrol and connect with people in the community. He apparently attempted to break up the crowd of students. The girls were charged with “aggravated assault, obstruction of justice and three other things.”

MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT UNDER 40 HONORED IN NYC

MOREHOUSE MAN, RANDALL WOODFIN, BECOMES MAYOR OF BIRMINGHAM, ALA

Randall Woodfin ’03 beat out seven-year incumbent William Bell to become the youngest mayor of Birmingham, Alabama’s largest city since 1893.

Woodfin, a Birmingham native, studied political science at Morehouse and was the Student Government Association president during his senior year.

“It’s hard for me to know where to begin to talk about what Morehouse did for me,” he said on his campaign website. “It’s a place where campus politics and student government has the kind of importance that football has at the University of Alabama.

An attorney, Woodfin has worked for various arms of the Birmingham city government, eventually becoming assistant city attorney. He was elected to the Birmingham Board of Education, serving from 2013 to 2015.

His mayoral platform centered on creating a Birmingham that was inclusive, safe and has a new sense of trust in City Hall.

Woodfin also was aided by a robo-call from 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who tweeted his congratulations.

“Congratulations to Mayor-Elect @WoodfinForBham for running a great grassroots and winning campaign,” Sanders said. “I look forward to working with him.”

THERE WILL ONLY BE 3 BLACK FORTUNE 500 CEOS WHEN KENNETH CHENAULT LEAVES AMERICAN EXPRESS

THE MANY FACES OF TRUMP

GRANDSON OF NELSON MANDELA, NDABA MANDELA, HOSTS THE EVENING WITH MIPAD CLASS OF 2017, ALONG WITH FAMED BRAZILIAN ACTRESS TAÍS ARAÚJO AND STEPHANIE BUSARI OF CNN AFRICA

Closing out the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly week by recognizing the Most Influential People of African Decent (MIPAD). MIPAD, a global civil society initiative, honored high achievers of African Descent under the age of 40 from over 48 countries worldwide.Notables and key power players came together from around the world in celebration at the prestigious, One UN Millennium Hilton Hotel in New York City.

In support of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent 2015 – 2024 the evening with MIPAD Class of 2017 recognized and celebrated the contribution of 200 high achievers, 100 inside Africa, 100 across the African Diaspora in four categories; Politics and Governance, Media and Culture, and Religion & Humanitarian

ACROSS THE NATION

BW WORLD NEWS

endeavors in-line with the 1st pillar of the UN international decade of recognition.

Selected based on their political clout, business acumen, social media following and humanitarian endeavors, 200 honorees made up the four categories. Well known African names such as Akon from Senegal, South African hiphop artist AKA, renowned actors like David Oyelowo (Nigeria) and Lupita Nyongo (Kenya), soccer star Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), super model Alek Wek (Sudan) and there are also those with ancestry links to Africa such as Olympic star Usain Bolt (Jamaica),

singing sensation Beyoncé (US), award winning movie actors and power couple Lazaro Ramos and Tais Araujo (Brazil), Ding Hui (China) who is notable as the first black athlete to be selected for a Chinese national sports team, and many more from around the world.

Keynote speaker, Honorable Timothy E. McPherson Jr., Minister of Finance, Accompong Jamaica and Chairman, International Door of Return Committee urged the honorees and African’s worldwide to return to excellence. “Today, we recognize individual excellence going forward, it is critical

that we all embark on the pursuit of collective excellence once associated with people of African descent.

As a leader within the maroon community from Jamaica and across the Diaspora, we are here to support with this movement MIPAD has started.”

Mireille FanonMendès, UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, in her speech titled, an international decade for people of African descent, so what? Emphasized the importance of everyone, governments, civil society, regional and international organizations, to join hands in making the decade a

The list of Fortune 500 CEOs has never been more diverse, but it was set to take a major hit in one key demographic after American Express Co. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chenault announced on Wednesday, October 18th his plans to leave his position February 1, 2018. By departing American Express, Chenault will leave behind just three Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

By the time of his, departure, Chenault will have led American Express for 16 years. success because there is no hierarchy in humanity, the success of the decade is our collective responsibility, she concludes.

The premium event showcased the achievements of the 2017 honorees who represented more than 48 countries crisscrossing the globe coming to New York to make a business and social connection with their counterparts. This power networking event between 100 of the best and brightest based inside Africa and 100 based in the Diaspora is set to ignite an extraordinary collaboration between Africa and the Diaspora.

The founder of MIPAD, Kamil Olufowobi

stressed the strategic importance of MIPAD as a “vehicle to build a progressive network of civil society actors who come together and support the implementation of the UN International Decade for People of African Descent”.

He further added that “this global initiative presents an opportunity for honorees to mirror their successes in new markets by connecting with their counterparts in the same sector with similar track record of success towards making Africa great again and o yes we can!”

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of MIPAD.

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NEW YORK HEALTH ACT S4840

By Tasha D. Young

Black Westchester, News for people of color for Westchester and the Tri-State area at every economic level. BlackWestchester.com is committed to be a platform to profile life, culture, economics, politics, sports and entertainment and those who are representing vision in these marketplaces and who can both encourage and provide role models to other men and women. Black Westchester through its newspaper, online news magazine, radio show and editorial content, will be a vessel of community information throughout Westchester and the Tri-State area. Our mission is to promote the concept of “community” through media.

New York Health Act S4840 has passed the State Assembly three years in a row. It has 31 co-sponsors in the New York State Senate-one more is majority support. There are nine targeted Senators who can support the NY health act and give it the votes it needs to pass.

The New York Health Act S4840 would save New Yorkers over $45 billion per year. Currently, our multi-payer healthcare system wastes BILLIONS of dollars in bureaucracy costs, while leaving too many of us without quality care. In addition to that our health care providers are burdened with red tape in order to provide medical care. We all see our doctors’ time wasted, billing insurance companies, calling for approval, and being generally jerked around by insurance company lawyers and red tape.

We can do better by simplifying and inefficient billing system and eliminating red tape, The New York Health Act could extend coverage to all New York Residents- all while saving us over $45 billion every year. Doctors waste two months of every year on billing our multi-payer system,

it is so complicated that there is now a discipline that people go to school and get certified for… medical billing! More efficient billing would shorten wait times for New Yorkers needing health related services. Doctors, and patients will be happier. Insurance companies won’t because we would cut their profit margin; therein lies the different philosophies… it’s that simple. If this act passes it will succeed in simplifying the billing process and increasing quality care. You see, insurance companies make money by NOT providing quality care, what we want as New Yorkers is affordable quality health care.

The New York Health Act is a comprehensive plan that would provide the same quality care your elected representatives get, to you, and EVERY New Yorker. There would be no gold choices for them and bad choices for us.

Under the New York Health Act there will be no “Out of Pocket” costs because the savings are enough to eliminate financial barriers to healthcare- as currently written there would be no co-pays,

or deductibles, no coinsurance or out-of-network charges! New York could afford to cover ALL medically necessary care, including dental, vision, ear, mental health, reproductive care and more.

Sounds too good to be true? Nothing is free.

The New York Health Act covers all New Yorkers, including those in currently on Medicaid and Medicare, so current Federal payments toward these programs will become part of the funding.

Much of the rest will come from payroll deduction similar to those now used for insurance premiums, except that they will be based entirely on income.

There is no personal or family plan, the current estimate (Friedman 2015) of how much will be deducted form each employee’s paycheck each month depending on annual income.

There will be similar progressively-graduated deductions based on other taxable income, such as capital gains, interest and dividends. These will affect people with high income from those sources. These payments will cover health care for all, with no deductibles, co-pays or coinsurance.

These payments will be paid by individual citizens, and NOT BILLIONAIRES! If this act passes we, the people, will take private

insurance companies out of the equation, the New York Health Act would end the nightmare of co-pays, unaffordable deductions and partial coverage that insurance company lawyers use to hide costs and increase profits at your expense.- Again, all while saving New York over 45 billion dollars a year!

The New York Health Act would provide us with the same quality health care our legislators get! No more gold plans for them and bad choices for us! It would eliminate financial barriers to healthcare: ensuring no out of pocket costs, not co-paus and deductibles, no coinsurance, and no out-of-network changes.

Also the New York health act covers ALL medically necessary care, including: Prescriptions and durable medical goods Physicals and Well Child visits Dental and Vision services Emergency room visits Pre-natal health services Office visits and in-patient care Mental Health and Substance abuse treatment Just as you overpay for insurance, so does your County, State, Town and School District, let us put the power back in the hands of the people, and money back in our WALLETS!

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MOUNT VERNON PUBLIC LIBRARY’S 1ST ANNUAL

LOCAL AUTHOR FAIR SPOTLIGHTS AREA AUTHORS

BY AJ WOODSON

T he Mount Vernon Public Library in conjunction with

Mount Vernon Arts & Culture, Inc., sponsored the first annual Local Author Fair, Saturday, October 7, 2017 at the MVPL located at 28

South First Avenue.

Over 25 local authors

were featured including Mt. Vernon Historian Henry A. May, author of First Black Autos, which chronicles the little known history of the only African-American

company known to have manufactured cars in the early competitive days of a developing automobile industry, Attorney AudleySeymour Foster (Til Green Card Do Us Part), Kadian Thomas (Sparks Fly), Karen

Leahy (The Summer Of Yes), Lauren J. Wynn (Hugs Talk Fire Safety) which features members of the Mount Vernon Fire Department, Jennifer V. Mathews (For The Ghetto Child), Dr. John R. Howard (Faces), Malcolm Rowe (In The Beginning God Created New York), Peter Sherrill (Black to the Future), G.M. Mcdowell (Wake Up and Sing), Vanessa Richardson Bagby (Shattered In A Split Second), Rev. Leslie Booker (Psalms for the 21st Century), Elly Blanco-Rowe (Girls Can, Girls Do Coloring), Angela Bonavoglia (Good Catholic Girls), Mz. Brenessa David, Joseph Thompson, David Rocco (The Indestructible Man) and Dr. Robert Baskerville Ph.D. representing Black Westchester.

Following the registration of authors and assignment of tables, there was the welcome and introductions with Judy Williams, Nishan Stepek and Deborah Nelson.

The Local Author’s Fair featured a few author panels. Even though I was there as Editor-In-Chief not as promoting my book, Spiritual Minded Da Daily Devotion For The Hip-hop Generation which was released in 2008, I was ask to speak on panel ‘The Writing Life’ that took place in upstairs in the Fiction Room. Former Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson dropped in the panel discussion to offer all the authors a few encouraging words

Ten minute readings alphabetically by all authors who choose to read an

excerpt from their book.

Bones Malone gave a reading as did Robert Baskerville Ph.D. who read a portion of his latest article to give peole a taste of what to expect in Black Westchester. Even with the few growing pains you get with any 1st annual event, all in all I think it was a great and I can’t wait until the next one.

Congrats to MVPL for maintaining its Central Library Status

MEET THE AUTHORS HENRY A. MAY

JOHN R. HOWARD

KADIAN THOMAS

First Black Autos examines the life of Charles Richard “C.R.” Patterson, a slave who escaped from a West Virginia plantation, traveled to the “free state” of Ohio in search of freedom. C.R.’s blacksmithing skills brought him financial success He launched C.R. Patterson & Sons, that produced the first PattersonGreenfield sports coupe in 1915.

Dr. Howard retired as a Distinguished Service Professor from Purchase College, SUNY. He is retired also from the practice of law. FACES INTHE MIRROR: OSCAR MICHEAUX AND SPIKE LEE, his well-received book on African-Americans in film was published several years ago.

Available through SUNY PRESS

Author of the, Light in the Dark Young Adult trilogy series.

Her debut novel Sparks Fly is set to be released in 2017, (June 21st), Lightning and Fire (TBA), and A Flash of Darkness (TBA). Follow the Jamaician born, Mount Vernon resident on Twitter and Instagram @authorkadian

KAREN LEAHY

LAUREN J. WYNN

Karen Leahy, a Mt Vernon resident is the award winning author of The Summer of Yes, an ex-nun’s story, fascinating, beautifully told, memorable. A member of the International Women’s Writing Guild. She has taught Creative Nonfiction class for the MVPL. Available on Amazon & Kindle www.KarenLeahy.com

Lauren has authored and published two children’s books, I’ll Be There in 2000, which was a collection of short children stories and, in 2010, Hugs Talks Fire Safety. Hugs is the first in a series of books on the adventures of an imaginative bear.

Hugs and the Firefighters is available on Amazon, for more info email: wynnreads@aol.com

SEYMOUR HORATIO

ELLY BLANCO-ROWE

“Til Green Card Do Us Part” The Indestructible Man: The GIRLS CAN, GIRLS DO COLORING

introduces readers to a hidden comradeship united by fear of deportation or incarceration, and determined to remain in the US at all cost. Available for order from FriesenPress.com/ bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble & most book retailers. eBook on Kindle or Nook.

ANGELA BONAVOGLIA LAMONT ‘CURRY’ MUHAMMED Angela is an author, journalist and blogger who focuses on women’s issues, health, politics, film, television, and all things Catholic. Good Catholic Girls: How Women Are Leading the Fight to Change the Church (Harper-Collins), a fresh analysis of the role of women in the progressive Church reform movement at an unprecedented moment in American Church

DAVID ROCCO True Story of World War II Hero “Captain Dixie” By Don Keith & David Rocco. Dixie Kiefer was a true World War II hero. He was the first man to fly an airplane off a ship at night, Executive Officer on the carrier USS Yorktown at the battles of the Coral Sea

While coloring with this book, girls from age 6-11 experience the positive benefits of affirmations and learn about meditation.

The book is filled with images of girls from various cultures, speaking messages of self-love and acceptance helping girls become more confident

JENNIFER V. MATHEWS MZ. BRENESSA DAVID

Lamont (Curry) Muhammad, B.A., M.S. Ms. Matthews was a Library Black Mexico: The Greatest Media Specialist with the NYC Story Never Told opens the BOE before becoming the Library mummy’s tomb on the identity of the Media Specialist for Lincoln original owners of Mexico, the Americas, Elem. in Mt Vernon. She is a Asia, the Isles of the Pacific and Africa. member of the Academy of

The Aboriginal Black man American Poets, the American was the first to inhabit the Americas in large Library Assoc., United Federation numbers before other people knew the of Teachers. She has a Master world was round according to modern of Science degree in Literacy. archaeologists and anthropologist.

This is her first poetry book.

My writing is an extension of being a mother, a nurse, a friend, a sister, and an aunt to be encouraging, uplifting and giving people hope can be life changing. You want to motivate people to be the best of who they are. A kind word a smile and hug can make the world of difference in a person’s day...

“Don’t give up on your dreams”

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LUIS ANGEL FIGUEROA ANGELA MCDOWELL

RUBY TOLBERT

JOSEPH THOMPSON AUTHOR PANEL DISCUSSION

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THE ORGANIZERS

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AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN OF WESTCHESTER One of the County’s Leading Community Service Organizations WWW.AAMW.COM

Visionary

An event honoring four stellar business leaders.

This year’s honorees include:

Awards

VIKKI PRYOR

Managing Principal & Founder Change Create Transform, LLC

ALEIDA FREDERICO Senior Vice President TD Bank, N.A.

Saturday, November 18, 2017 7:00 P.M.

ROGER WOOLSEY

CEO Million Air Interlink

Glen Island Harbour Club 299 Weyman Avenue | New Rochelle, NY

ERIC YARBRO

Please visit www.aamw.com for more information

Executive Managing Director Colliers International Group, Inc.

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KAEPERNICK, TRUMP, THE FLAG AND AMERICAN HYPOCRISY

BY DAMON K. JONES

Black Law Enforcement hold power fist up in support of Colin Kaepernick at Brookyn Bridge Park [Black Westchester] Since the first game that Colin Kaepernick decided to protest, as a country we have failed to have an honest conversation on the reason Kaepernick took this position on a national platform like the NFL. When first asked Colin Kaepernick explained very eloquently on why he refused to stand.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Network’s, Steve Wyche. “To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Black men are nearly three times as likely to be killed by legal intervention than white men, according to the study, that was published in the American Journal of Public Health.

The report, entitled “Operation Ghetto Storm,” by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, an antiracist grassroots activist organization published a similar study showing that a black person is killed by security forces every 36 hours.

So, what does this have to do with the American Flag and the National Anthem? The constant killings of black men by the hands of law Enforcement have become more American than Apple pie.

Colin Kaepernick was right on time with his protest to bring light and awareness to what the American Journal of Public Health sees as a national health epidemic.

While campaigning for an Alabama senatorial candidate, President #45 urged his friends in NFL ownership to march onto the field and fire players who kneel during the playing of the national anthem. President #45 asserted that NFL owners should say, when faced with a player kneeling during the national anthem, “get that son of a bitch off the field.”

Unfortunately, for America and the world. President #45 statement, was followed by applause. This should give any right-thinking minded person

a glimpse of the President’s ignorance and the political base that supports him. Kaepernick who is off the field permanently due to his silent protest of police brutality and any other athlete that supports a stand for justice to an be a “son of a bitch”. Many Whites are dismissing our struggle in the frame of a false narrative.

Following the false narrative that taking a knee is disrespectful to flags and veterans, many police unions jumped on the narrative and dismissed the original reason for the protest; unjust killings of Black people.

Historically, police unions have opposed civilian-based police oversight initiatives and policies like Civilian Complaint Review Boards (CCRB) and body cameras. Out of the 43 municipalites of Westchester, there is not one active CCRB, because elected officials are afraid to be labeled anti-police by the unions.

Recently, Lohud reported that Police Unions were asking NFL agencies to sit at the table. It’s my opinion that Police Union Presidents should first allow members of the black communities that right. The same black community, that they claim to serve, that pays taxes that pay their salaries and benefits.

They should have the first opportunity to sit at the table before they think about sitting with NFL players or owners.

I do believe that it is time for an honest and open conversation. The fact of the matter is; the dialogue is long overdue. I give credit and respect to Yonkers PBA President Keith Olson for recently participating in a community forum hosted by WESTPAC. Other than Mr. Olson, there has been no real dialog from Police Unions Presidents and the Black community on issues of community police relations, police brutality, implicit bias, and oversight throughout the state of New York.

Unfortunately, even Black Law Enforcement Union Presidents have been AWOL on honest discussions of criminal justice issues with their own birth communities.

History has shown that Black People, the decedents of a slave can NEVER be unpatriotic to the flag. Black people had tried to prove their loyalty since the Emancipation Proclamation and stayed loyal like an old hound dog even when the flag wasn’t loyal to them. Black people’s sweat and tears built the White House and the US Capitol Building all for free! Decades later, the descendants peacefully protest and are called unpatriotic.

This is the mind of White Supremacy dismissing our unbound loyalty to a country that will never

SAVE THE DATE!!!! SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2017 AT 3PM VIGIL WILL BE HELD MARKING 6 YEARS SINCE THE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING AND SUMMARY EXECUTION OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR. AT THE WHITE PLAINS PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING 77 SO. LEXINGTON AVE; WHITE PLAINS, N. YORK

Damon K. Jones and Yonkers PBA President Keith Olson [Black Westchester]

really truly recognize us as Americans.

When Blacks protest peacefully in the Civil Rights Movement and were attacked by dogs and water hoses; that flag was there.

In the Black Power era when Blacks was hunted and killed because they wanted Freedom, Justice and Equality; the flag was there. When Blacks protest against Extrajudicial Killings of Black People and police use of military equipment used against them; the flag was there. When Black families found no justice in their local, county, state or federal courts; the flag was still there!

So, don’t tell us we are disrespectful to flag when the flag has watched our atrocities and said nothing, done nothing and has not lived up to the tenets of justice of its constitution that it represents. All along Black people have stood to a National Anthem that wishes death to our ancestors and was authored by Francis Scott Key who was a slave owner and racist.

Francis Scott Key, author of Star Spangled Banner, the National Anthem

America would never ask any other ethnic group to stand to a song of their oppressors. Would they chastise the descendants of the Holocaust if they didn’t stand for a song that was pro-Nazi?

If not, why do they feel they have the right to chastise the descendants of African Slaves?

Because there is no real respect for the descendants of the African Slave. We live in the illusion of inclusion of American Hypocrisy. When a President can freely call Black Athletes who peacefully protest “Sons of Bitches” but make excuses for white racist that violently protest, it should shock the conscious of America!

The Kaepernick issue has peeled back the onion on American civility that will NOT recognize and accept their role in the history of the continuous suffering of black people. Our plight to address these problems is not anti-American, anti-veteran or anti-flag; it’s our right! It is our history! Better yet, it’s American history, and we will not forget it!

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COVER STORIES BW COVER STORY

COUNCILMAN WALLACE CALLS FOR NYS & STOP POLITICAL & GOVERNMENTAL CORRUP

Mount Vernon City Council, clergy and community leaders express frustration with police leadership, call for Federal Oversight on the steps of MVPD, Tuesday, October 10, 2017 [Black Westchester]

M

embers of the Mount Vernon City Council held a press conference Tuesday, October 10, 2017, backed

by Black Clergy, residents and community leaders to share their disappointment with the actions of some of Mount Vernon’s police officers and their leadership. On the steps of the Mount Vernon Police Department, Councilmembers expressed they are aware that the fine men and women who serve the Mount Vernon Police Department are pressured by city leadership-inside and outside of the Police Department to engage in unprofessional and unethical behavior. Some of the actions taken by members of the police department violate the very Oath of Office they were sworn to uphold.

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The alleged assault of Councilman Wallace by the mayor’s older brother Steven ‘Butch’ Thomas, the actions of the police officer assigned to the Mayor’s detail and the inaction of the MVPD to properly investigate the incident fueled the presser and is just the lastest incident that has spawned the request for federal intervention of the MVPD.

Councilman Wallace demanded federal oversight after an altercation with Mayor Richard Thomas’ brother ‘Butch’ at Maggie Spillane’s – a local bar. Wallace says the police did nothing to help him.

“The mayor was standing 15 feet away. He said not one word and did nothing. When I called 911 to get help because he refused to do anything, they ran,” says Councilman Andre Wallace. “Picture that, the police running away from the police, this is what you have to deal with in the City of Mount Vernon.”

Mayor Richard W. Thomas who came from inside City Hall and walked across the street to crash the presser says the argument between Councilman Wallace and his brother Butch was sparked by the councilman spitting in Butch’s face first.

“When you walk into a bar, something may happen. It appears that some amnesia was happening because the police wanted to arrest the councilman, they flagged you as the aggressor,” says Mayor Richard Thomas.

Another request from the council, clergy, and community was for the mayor to select a new and permanent police commissioner to the department. The MVPD has not had a police commissioner since the firing of Robert ‘Bob’ Kelly, three months into Mayor Thomas’ term. The mayor responded both salaries for the police commissioner and 20 patrol officers were eliminated from the budget by the city council.

This is just the latest request for federal intervention into the MVPD. Nazarene Duncan, mother of Wilbert “Junior” Francis who was shot 14 times and killed June 10, 2016 and Wilfred and Linda Dennis, brother and sister of Kyle “Skeet” Dennis who was murdered at the annual Arts on Third festival, Sunday, September 18, 2016 addressed the Mount Vernon City Council, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 to demand justice for their lost loved ones, whose murders remain unsolved.

As two of the organizing members of the Mount Vernon Families For Justice, Duncan and Dennis shared their experiences with the MVPD and informed the City Council and all those in the City Council Chambers that they will not give up in their quest for justice for their lost loved one. They also announced their upcoming rally for justice Saturday, February 11th at 1:00 P.M.

At the rally other family menbers of senseless gun

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BLACK WESTCHESTER 17

S & FED AUTHORITY TO RUPTION IN MT. VERNON violence in the city fo Mount Vernon spoke.

Naz spoke of her experience with the Mount Vernon Police Department, Mayor Richard W. Thomas, Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Spiezio and Roberta James.

“All I want is justice for my son,” Naz told the council, “and I felt disrespected by the Mayor and Commissioner Fatigate who was there from the beginning, but we haven’t seen him since, what he there for a photo-op?”

“Right now we don’t have any confidence in the police department, and I’m saying this because we don’t,” Wilfred Dennis speaks of his famiies experience with the investigation into his brother’s brutal broad daylight shooting.

One of the most memorable moment of the presser from from Kevin Shaw, father of 26-year-old Kevin Shaw Jr., of the Bronx, who was shot and killed in the passenger seat of a car coming from Sue’s Rendezvous, Wednesday, June 24, 2015.

“I’ve been quiet for awhile preaching that Black Lives Matter, but for the first time and I’m not losing the spirit of who we are, but it’s a fact to me Black Lives don’t matter in Mount Vernon, not at all,” a very emotional Kevin Shaw Sr said at the rally. “I haven’t heard from nobody, not one time, nobody, no police officer, nobody never called me, since my son was murdered up here in Mount Vernon.

I’ve been up here 15-20 times… I ain’t get one call, never since June 24, 2015 [18 months later]. Every time I come to Mount Vernon they say they are going to call… I can’t even get my son’s possessions from that night.”

Kevin Shaw Sr., died in a car accident, shortly after that press conference, without ever finding out from the MVPD what happened to his son. He died without answers, without justice for his son, he will never see the person who killed his son stand trial. These are just some of the stories from families of murder victims but almost all of them have the same story when it comes to their experience with the MVPD in the investigation into their family member death and all have called for federal intervention. Contacted the DA’s office, the AG’s office, all asking, “What the hell are you waiting for?”

Then there is the sitaution where a major campaign donor, who owns a very successful trash hauling company being made an honorary police commissioner and rumored to be running the MVPD. The same

indiividual, Joseph Spiezio previously threaten the life of Councilman Wallace in broad daylight knowing he was being recorded and hurls several homophobic slurs at the councilman, once again there was no investigation and calls for federal intervention.

Naz Duncan back in February at both the Council meeting and the rally for justice spoke about Robert James, the mayors former campaign manager showing up at her job and giving her a phone with Mr. Spiezio introducing himself as the police commissioner and asking her questions about her son’s investgation. When Ms. Duncan found out he wasnt an actual police officer, she reported the situation to both the AG’s office and DA’s office and she is still waiting for them to intervene.

There have been many who questioned Spiezio’s qualifications and the Journal News ran a big story asking was Spiezio running Mount Vernon.

Richard Thomas himself has been calling on federal intervention, first as a councilman into then mayor Ernest D. Davis and Comptroller Maureen Walker and now into the Comptrollers office. The calls have been made but seem to be faling on deaf ears.

The question has to be asked, does systematic racism play a part in the delay of intervention from higher authorities. In no other municipality would it be allowed for someone to run a police department and not official be a commissioner. The authorities would have moved in and taken them out with a quickness.

But because this is a black city.

There is no respect for black life. All the families that have suffered in the city are black, so why should the Governor care, why should the AG care, the US Attorney or the DA.

Kevin Shaw Sr., before he died came to the conclusion that Black Lives Don’t Matter in Mount Vernon. Was he right.? Is the delayed hesitation because this is the darkest city in Westchester. I sure hope that’s not the reason. But I am coming to that conclusion as well. Will there be federal intervention in Mount Vernon? Will I be proven wrong? Only time will tell.

This is the reason why Colin Kaepernick took a knee. There is no real value seen in black life and that’s why everyone is silent. Black Westchester will not be silent and we invite everyone else to join us in asking Cuomo, Scheiderman, Scarpino and Kim, What The Hell re You Waiting For?

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18 BLACK WESTCHESTER

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NOVEMBER 2017

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ASTORINO’S MOST MEANINGFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT IS KEEPING WESTCHESTER COUNTY SEGREGATED To the Editor: As a 20-year resident of Westchester County, I have seen our politicians come and go, and rise and fall, without being overcome by a sense of dread and disgust. Unfortunately, the campaign and subsequent election of Donald Trump as our president has changed all that, and the change is being felt by many of us at the local level, right here in Westchester. And you need to look no further than the County Executive’s office for the reasons, who are named Rob Astorino and his senior adviser, Phil Oliva.

Mr. Astorino has lashed himself to Trump ever since the possibility of being anointed Trump’s HUD chief was dangled before him, though he has always espoused uncomfortably out of touch right-wing views on key issues: anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ, anti-fair housing and anti-NY SAFE act. It was his success in obstructing implementation of court-ordered steps to permit fair housing in Westchester that endeared him to Mr. Trump, whose real estate family has its own sordid history of keeping out “the blacks” and others seen as undesirable by these bigots. In fact, Mr. Astorino’s resistance to the fair housing mandates earned him an unprecedented scolding from a Second Circuit Court of Appeals judge, who called him out on his obstructionism and forced our county to forfeit millions in federal government grants.

It also earned him unflattering press from progressive publications like Slate, which wrote that Astorino’s most meaningful accomplishment in Westchester County was keeping it segregated.

With the ascendance of Trump, Astorino grew more emboldened, as did resentful, bigoted, economicallydisadvantaged whites across the United States. Even before Trump’s election “victory,” Astorino played to that ugly section of Trump’s base whenever possible. When he overrode the majority’s veto of a gun show held on county property, he allowed it to feature Nazi and Confederacy memorabilia, combining symbols of hate and genocide with the promotion of the tools used by totalitarian regimes to accomplish such genocidal acts.

When Nazi-inspired graffiti appeared scrawled along the Bronx River Parkway in White Plains, Astorino adopted a Trumpian “both sides” approach. Because scores of earlier, similar acts had clearly been carried out by newly

emboldened supporters of Trump, many of whom had proudly let fly their White Nationalist allegiances, Astorino attributed the desecration to election-related tensions, tacitly acknowledging the possibility that the perpetrators were Trump supporters. But he also made sure to add that it was just as possible that the act was the work of Hillary Clinton supporters—as if any supporter of Hillary had ever engaged in similar acts.

When our county’s Jewish Community Centers and synagogues suffered through a rash of threats, it took Astorino several days, and several articles in local papers questioning his inaction before he began to even talk about the issue. As recently as last week, White Supremacist flyers were found hung up on bulletin boards at Westchester Community College which not only broadcast the expected hateful messages but appeared to be aimed at recruiting our college students to join up with a hate movement. To date, Astorino has not mentioned it and has certainly not condemned it.

This is not by accident. The story has been covered in numerous local TV outlets and newspapers. The silence is disturbing and shows that he is more concerned with appeasing his, and Trump’s base, than he is with showing moral leadership in Westchester County. Perhaps this also has to do with the sources of his funding. Robert Mercer and his various political action organizations fund racist, right-wing people and organizations—Breitbart, Steve Bannon and Kellyanne Conway, to name a few.

The Mercer family provided millions to Astorino’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign. Based on Astorino’s current abundant war chest, that funding likely continues to flow.

Astorino has the highest rating given by the NRA to politicians—a grade A. With generous cash gifts come clear expectations by the givers, and apparently, Astorino takes those obligations seriously. Clearly, one of them was to veto the Immigrant Protection Act, despite its bipartisan appeal.

But there is more going on at the County Executive’s office than meets the eye—of most county residents, anyway. Phil Oliva is Astorino’s chief assistant there. Phil Oliva has political views that are even more disturbing, and dangerous, than Astorino’s. Google Mr. Oliva’s name, along with terms like “Syrian Refugees”

AN EVOLUTION OF THOUGHT ABOUT NFL LED PROTESTS I have given a lot of thought to NFL led protests, taking a knee and so forth. I have gone through an evolution about it and have arrived at my opinion:

At first, I did not like the notion of people not standing for the national anthem. Frankly, it still bothers me. Yet there is a huge paradox here: The very flag we honor and the country it represents are special and worthy of honor and respect, because they stand for the very kind of protest intended. We live in the finest idea of a country ever conceived because of these freedoms.

I also respect that the owners of teams and other businesses have the right to set rules for employment. Bottom line? I don’t like it but I accept it.

As for the more specific issues of race and the president’s insistence and interference that these men submit, buckle under his will, so to speak. I am unequivocally in support of the players.

For 400 years black men have been forced to submit: They were told that even their wives and children were not theirs to have and to hold, if their masters wanted otherwise. They were told where and when and what they could eat. They were, according to the supreme court of the day, told that they had no rights a white man was bound to respect. They were compelled to accept beatings based on offenses determined by their owners with no form of redress, regardless of the legitimacy of the basis for it, with the full support of the government. They were told to accept that they would not be educated for fear it would breed in them independence of thought and action.

BY BOB MARONE

When slavery ended, they were told to accept and “KNOW THEIR PLACE,” to keep to their own schools, hotels and water fountains, and forbidden to marry out of their race. They were compelled to accept lesser jobs befitting of the limitations they were told they had. In my not so very long lifetime, they could not play in the major sports leagues, vote in some places or hope to have juries that did not find them guilty before they arrived in the court room. They were often forced to accept being lynched while the state looked the other way.

Four hundred years: “Submit”, “Do as you are told,” “Know your place.” “We will tell you what to do,” “Stand” “Sit,” Bend to our will.” This in a country founded on the antithesis of such tyranny. And, now, a president who thinks that it is his role to dictate how they should feel and what they should do.

The only sad irony here is that Nathan Bedford Forrest, the repugnant racist, KKK founding confederate general, had black men kneel before he shot them in the back of the head. For this reason, I wish black men would use the raised fist rather than a knell…but whatever. If it’s a knee, don’t ever get up. If it’s the fist, keep it in the air as long and until the president realizes he is not a king, or the interpreter of the constitution. More so, neither he, nor anyone else, has the right to tell a freeman, black or white to submit.

As the Jewish diaspora so rightly proclaims, never again.

- Bob Marrone, New Rochelle

Bob Marrone is a broadcaster, journalist, writer and business man. He won two NYSBA awards. Bob is the host of Good Morning Westchester which aires weekdays WVOX 1460 AM 6-9AM

SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR TO BWEDITORINCHIEF@GMAIL.COM LETTER MUST BE SIGNED AND PREFERABLY UNDER 300 WORDS

and “Poughkeepsie, NY” and you will come upon a videotape of Mr. Oliva speaking to New York State citizens, alongside a Breitbart personality, in which he warns of the lurking dangers posed by approximately 80 Syrian refugees that had been relocated to Poughkeepsie. It is base fear mongering at its best and is capped with an emotional plea to stop these subversive, job-steeling interlopers before more job-seeking veterans ruined by them commit suicide. Mr. Oliva, in a single videotaped appearance, proved his White Nationalist credentials beyond all doubt.

But just in case anyone harbored any doubts after seeing the tape, certainty is achievable instantaneously. Just go to the public area of Oliva’s Facebook page, where you will see his tribute to France’s far-right firebrand, Marine LePen, who has her own versions of Holocaust history that tend to absolve Nazis and the French.

Oliva is clearly under the same marching orders from the same donors as his boss. News reports show that when people raised objections to the Nazi items on display at the gun show forced through by Astorino, Astorino called it “fake news,” and disparaged residents who were bothered by it. Oliva took it a totalitarian step further. He claimed to have gone to the gun show himself and to have never seen any such thing. In fact, to Oliva, any complaints about such celebrations of genocidal regimes were the result of “politics.”

The bottom line here in Westchester is that vulnerable populations no longer feel secure. They know that county government will not support and protect them. And even those of us who aren’t as vulnerable as our immigrants, refugees and gays have now come to see that Nazism, White Nationalism and cruel, far-right policies are not only tolerated but welcome. This is not the Westchester I grew up in. And it is not a Westchester that I am comfortable living in. Something needs to be done, and voting out Astorino and his assistant, Oliva, would be a good place to start. But given the receptiveness to their stewardship by some citizens, we have a lot more work to do.

Deborah Bonner Sleepy Hollow

LARRY FAIR BREAKS SILENCE

My name is Larry Fair. I am a Day Skilled Laborer assigned to City Hall in the Department of Public Works. I have served the City of Mount vernon and its Community for 27 years in DPW. I am also the Founder/CEO of my own 501 C(3) Non-Profit Memtoring Organizatio: The Future Society, and we have partnered with the City of Mount vernon through their Youth Bureau and the Recreation Depaprtment for 9 years.

My organization and I take pride in being part of the solutio when it comes to giving back to Mount Vernon community by mentoring the Youth and their parents by providing “Positive” activities and events. I always took pride in coming to work and working in City Hall, that as until January 2016 when the Thomas Administration came into office.

Since then I have experienced dicrimination, intimidation and retaliation from the Thomas Administration until November 3, 2016, when I was Humiliated and carried out of City Hall by the paramedics and hospitalized with heart related issues after beig threatened with bodily harm by Mayor Richard Thomas family members, just because I wouldnt drop my charges against the Thomas Adminstration. I COULD HAVE DIED that day!

Does someone have to die before anything is done to stop this ABUSE OF POWER. I am still out of work under my Doctor’s care.

Because of the Hostile Working Environment created by the Thomas Administration, Mayor Richard Thomas and members of the Thomas Family. I filed discrimination and harrassment charges with the Human ResourcesDepartment in April 2016. Since then I have been harrasses, retaliated against and disciminated against becausse of nmy race/color by a white co-worker and by white officials of the Thomas Administration.

I have followed all the protocols in filing charges from top to bottom and still nothing was done to help me. Not even one police officer assigned to City Hall or the Mayor’s Detail Oficer that was on the scene on November 3, 2016 did to help me.

Because of my current healt condition cause by the hostile working emvironment and the extremely hostile actions currently going on, I believe tehy are being condoned by Mayor Thomas, his family members and The Thomas Administration. It is with Deep Concern For My Life that I inform you; as stated by my Doctor, it would not be Healthy for me to return to work at this time with such a Hsotile Working Environment. No One should have to work under these conditions.

- Larry Fair, Local 456 Union Member, DPW, Mt Vernon, NY

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20 BLACK WESTCHESTER

LATINO EMPOWERMENT

NOVEMBER 2017

PUERTO RICO SE LEVANTA

By Lorraine Lopez

Puerto Rico was pummelled and devastated by Hurricane Maria on Wednesday, September 20th around 6:15 AM. Dumping over 20 to 30 inches of rain that also impacted several Caribbean Islands. The results were catastrophic with winds reaching over 155 miles per hour, causing widespread flooding and 100% power outage, leaving residents with no drinking water, food, utilities or cell service. As a result, Maria caused a total devastation of the Island’s infrastructure. Bridges collapsing, mudslides, roofs blown away, vegetation uprooted, roads closed due to down power lines and trees, leaving hundreds of thousands stranded and unreachable and 3.4 million Americans completely powerless, were just some of its parting gifts. The entire island was left without communication, life-saving necessities, children without school and workers without jobs.

What followed was more horrific than the impact of the storm itself. La Isla Del Encanto was left with a humanitarian crisis of unimaginable proportions. The response from the government was slow, to say the least. First, let me begin by stating that the President has shown his lack of empathy and his total disrespect to the Island. As of press time, Trump rates his performance a “10 out of 10,” describing his second-class response. He tweeted, “They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort,” he continued. “10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job.”

In addition to throwing in PR’s economic status in their face by saying it was “largely of their own doing”, and accusing San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of being a “nasty” woman. If that wasn’t bad enough he had the nerve to throw paper towels at the people and declared to the 95% of the population without power that they no longer need their flashlights, during his visit.

A look at the president’s response to the crisis in PR turns up the following; A disaster was declared which gave the people an opportunity to apply for 500 dollars in relief funds of which 2,335 have been approved. 16 Naval and Coast Guard ships including a Navy Floating Hospital that most folks can’t get to. Military aircrafts dropping off food and water to remote and isolated areas that there is no longer access to. 19,000 thousand personnel on the ground.

Power restoration to some parts of the island. Supplied generators to hospitals.

Working on the infrastructure and clearing roads for access. Supplying water and food for a day to several isolated towns. I can go on and on about the government’s efforts, but the truth is I would not be true to myself if I did not say that the response has been horrific.

Puerto Ricans are being treated like second-class citizens and worse.

The death toll that the government has not acknowledged is over 450 and counting. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands in the mountains and other areas that are not accessible. We don’t really know how many of them are dead or alive. What we do know is that they have been without the basic necessities to live, without contact and without access.

85% of the island is still without power.

40% still don’t have potable water. 92% of cell service is not working. Grocery stores are closed and those that are open have empty shelves mostly due to the wealthy occupants who brought everything so they could stock up.

1,395 Fema personnel on the grounds and when we see them on television its them having parties and living the good life in hotels powered by generators.

People dying due to lack of access to medical supplies, dehydration and drinking contaminated water. And Trump does not give a shit. There’s more, let’s not forget the local politicians stealing water, food and supplies for their own consumption and not distributing them to the people.

Meanwhile, food supply is rotting in bins in San Juan and ports because they are not being distributed. Schools are still closed. 67 hospitals are open running on generators. Folks are missing, stranded and dying. Tens of

thousands have left the island to the mainland once the airports opened. Some say the resources are not being distributed due to negotiating tactics being used by the unions, others say the drivers have no way to get to the sites and are taking care of their loved ones, while others say it’s just not reachable with the unsafe and destroyed roads. Supposedly, they are now hiring truck drivers to deliver those supplies. Fema is also hiring in PR.

But there is some good news and many blessings amongst this tragedy. Let me just say the coquis are singing again!

The good folks of Puerto Rico have taken matters into their own hands. They have banded together and have shown a solidarity and resiliency that I have never seen before, anywhere. They are building makeshift tubes to bring in water from the streams and falls in the mountains. They have thrown ropes across rivers to get across and deliver supplies to their neighbors. They are looking out for the elderly and sick. They are walking for miles just to get a day’s food rationing. They, Mr. President are helping themselves. And the outpouring of support from the mainland is something for the history books. Hundreds of thousands are raising money, donating supplies and volunteering in the island. Folks like a group of veterans who have been on the island for weeks now, infiltrating the mountains, bringing supplies, and holding the local government accountable. There are the nurses and doctors like Dr. Rabadi

from Yonkers who are there and bringing much-needed medical supplies and care.

There are the wonderful artists like JLo, Marc Anthony, Ellen, Ricky Martin, Alex Rodriguez, Jay Z, Mark Cuban, Fat Joe, DJ Khalid and hundreds of others who have raised millions of dollars so the help can get directly through to those that so desperately need it.

There’s a slogan going around in the mainland and the beautiful Isla which has become its mantra “Puerto Rico Se Levanta!”, when translated basically means Puerto Rico gets up in English. But its more than that for the Puerto Ricans. Those 4 words mean, WE WILL RISE AGAIN, we are resilient, we would never give up, we will rebuild. Those 4 words mean Puerto Rico is not gone, just temporarily closed while we rebuild better than ever! I don’t know much but I know this....Puerto Rico is on my soul, it is my heritage, my ancestors, my entire family living there. It is every paranda I’ve ever participated in , in every sound of the coqui, in every pastele I’ve ever eaten and damn it , in every “Puñeta” I’ve ever spoken. “La sangre llama” is often said and it means your bloodline calls you. We hear you nuestra gente. Hermanos y hermanas, we hear you and unlike the pos president, we will respond. We will stand in solidarity, we will help you rebuild. You will never be alone again, cause God will make it all well in the end, of that I am sure....Pa’lante mi Gente!

DEMOCRATS USE THE POOR TO ADVANCE

by Jackie Ramos MSW Since 1987, I have dedicated my life to help empower underserved Hispanic/ Latinos and African-Americans. I have seen first hand how Democrats pimp the poor to advance their corrupt political agendas.

Voters ignore that Democrats propagandize the concept of their party being for the poor and de-franchised.

They support policies that expand social welfare to secure the vote from those benefiting from the programs. People ignore that Democrats thrive on manufacturing problems by design to perpetuate needs.

They believe that people need government to control every aspect of their lives.

They use our tax dollars to keep those in the system oppressed. Hispanics/Latinos

have been their biggest victims. Many who come to this nation to escape poverty and corruption from their country of origin.

Instead of giving them a hand up to help empower towards self-sufficiency, they get sucked into a system of dependency.

Social Workers are the pawns used by social services to carry out this agenda.

Democrats are all about increase government services and taxes to fund all the layers of need they create. This is the tactic utilized to manipulate the masses into voting Democrat. Meanwhile those of us who believe in limited government intrusion in our lives are paying for their waste. As a person who has worked in social services my entire professional life, I can testify that many government

programs are created as a source of employment.

In 2009 when Barack H. Obama took office, 18.6% of the population was participating in at least one means-tested benefit program. (Program in which a person needs to qualify for, based on income) That number was up to 21.3% in 2012.

Obama being the first African-American president of this nation had the greatest opportunity to lift his own people out of poverty instead, in 2012, an average of 41.6% of African Americans received means-tested benefits each month. Compared that to 18% of Asians or Pacific Islanders and 13% of whites received benefits each month.

Thirty-six percent of Hispanics of any race received government assistance.

In the September 28, 2016 Pew

Research Center publication on “The State of American Jobs”, over the past 25 years (from 1990-2015) employment growth in health Care and social assistance has been 99%. Keep in mind these years were under the control of the Bush Senior and Junior, Clinton and Obama administrations. Their administrations created foreign and domestic policies that generated socio-economic problems to help increase the need for social services. The more needy people you have, the more demand for social services, which in turn creates more jobs in that sector. As tax payers flipping the bill for these services, we need to clean up government from these parasites.

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NOVEMBER 2017

HURRICANE RELIEF FOR DOMINICA

BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST JONES

In the light of the silvery moon villagers of Dominica passed cases of water, pampers, and soap. The middle of Tecumseh Avenue in Mt. Vernon was quiet but busy. You will find a container in the driveway with three-fourths of it was already loaded with water, food, medical supplies, juice, generators, and clothing. Everyone was smiling and jovial while focused as they emptied a moving truck. “We’ve been packing barrels and taping since this morning,” replied Ora Matthew. President of the Marigot Youth Organization which is one of the villages in Dominica.

Dominica officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is a sovereign island country. The capital, Roseau, is located on the leeward side of the island. It is part of the Windward Islands in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Everything changed after hurricane Maria. The day before Maria hit Puerto Rico it hit Dominica which was a category five. By the time Maria landed in Puerto Rico it was a category four. Wonders as to why many are unaware of the travesty in Dominica.

When researching the web you will notice that the news in the United States basically stopped reporting about Dominica after the storm hit Puerto Rico. Most of the emphasized broadcast focused on affiliations with the United States. “So it is up to us to help our people.”

The island of Dominica is struggling to recover, and thousands are trying to rebuild after losing everything. Dave Richards Vice President of the Marigot Action Group stated that both groups collaborated together to lend a hand in helping the people of Dominica. These are two groups that collaborated together. They were both in existence before the hurricane blew. One organization focused on culture and the other about the youth.

Both were originally formed in regards to the issues in Dominica such as development, education, economy, and the infrastructure situation.

According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the storm killed 26, and four weeks after it made landfall as a Category 5, at least 31 people are still missing.

Almost everybody on the island of 75,000 was impacted by the catastrophe – including the leader.

A sovereign island nation since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1978, Dominica has received some British help in the wake of the hurricane. The British Royal Navy sent a support vessel to the island, but the need is massive. This drive in the middle of a quiet block in Westchester is to help with the disaster. The plight to help started immediately after the hurricane which was approximately four weeks ago. Many who are from the Caribbean understand what it means to pack a barrel. It is customary to have a barrel in the dining room or basement of your home and fill it up with items to send “back home”. Items that we take for granted are seen as luxury items such as flashlights, batteries, and solar lanterns. Dave Richards shared, “The immediate needs is the current warrant. This is our first container which is going to Marigot. On Wednesday, October 25th the containers were shipped and will take two weeks to get there. Three to four will be flying down to Dominica to receive the container and lead the mission of serving the people.”

“Our future task is to fill another container.

The future is for building materials to get donated.

Lumber 84 states that they will be donating lumber for the mission. We will rally for items ranging from forks to plow the land, shovels to clear the land, furniture, tents, hammocks, insect repellent and fans.

Both organizations have been working effortlessly to secure the items in the container.

Neither is connected to any community leaders or organizations in Mt. Vernon or the Westchester area. These are ordinary people who set a goal and achieved it my word of mouth. I bumped into this mission on Saturday evening and returned with five cases of water. I then alerted the church I attend Sts. John, Paul, and Clement on South 9th Avenue. I Returned on Sunday in the afternoon with two cars loaded with items for the people of Dominica.

Thank You to the Marigot Youth Organization and the Marigot Action Group for putting together this Hurricane Relief Project for the villagers of Marigot located in Dominica. If you are interested in supporting the Marigot Youth Organization and the Marigot Action Group please begin to collect items for the next container. There will be future information to come. Contact: Ora (646) 247-7018 or Dave (617) 470-0147 and (917) 693-1257.

REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

BLACK WESTCHESTER21

BW FINANCES RETIREMENT PLANNING: HOW TO GET STARTED

BY RASHAD BILAL

Retirement is typically one of the top financial goals you’ll be working toward. It may be the furthest out, but any good financial plan starts with calculating how much money you’ll need to live on during your retirement years, putting a strategy in place to get there, and then addressing your shorter term needs.

Many financial professionals believe you’ll need approximately 80 percent of your peak pre-retirement income to maintain your current lifestyle in retirement.

If your peak income is, for simplicity, let’s say $100,000, then you may need $80,000 or more each year. Multiply that annual figure by your expected years in retirement and that’s your target. Given today’s longer life expectancies, you could be nearing the $1.5–$2 million range. Don’t let those numbers scare you. Again, everyone is different. Maybe you’re accustomed to living on $40,000 per year, in which case your goal is roughly $32,000 times your retirement years. That’s a big difference.

Envision the Retirement You Want Another factor in figuring out how much income you will need in retirement is envisioning how you want to spend your retirement years.

Do you want to travel? Own a second home? Leave a legacy to your family, charity or alma mater? Or maybe you just want to live a simple lifestyle with the primary goal being to cover your basic expenses. Now’s your time to think through the world of possibilities, because the sooner you start planning — and saving — the better able you are to reach your retirement money and savings goal.

Time Is Your Friend When Saving for Retirement Setting aside even a small amount of money each month can add up over time. One common and effective strategy is to use traditional retirement vehicles, such as an employee-sponsored 401(k) or Individual Retirement Account (IRA), and set up automatic contributions. While each of these types of retirement accounts has unique rules, all offer tax benefits that can add up over the long-term. Even if nearing retirement, it’s not too late. If you are 50 or older, “catch-up contributions” help pre-retirees stash even more money into their 401(k) or IRA than the basic contribution limits each year.

How Should You Allocate Your Money?

How you decide to allocate the money you’ve accumulated — and the goal-related products you choose — are probably the most critical factors when it comes to creating a retirement plan. As mentioned, there are IRAs for retirement goals, as well as guaranteed lifetime income products, but depending on your life stage you may want to consider other solutions as well. Maybe that means permanent life insurance to help protect your family’s financial security and as an effective estate planning tool.

Diversification Helps Balance Risk Diversification can be summed up in one phrase: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Regardless of what types of retirement product solutions you choose to buy, don’t bet your retirement nest egg on just one. The types of products you select will vary depending on several factors, including your risk tolerance and retirement time horizon. These two factors work hand in hand. The more years you have left until retirement, the higher your risk tolerance may be.

When it’s time to determine the products and financial strategy that’s best for you, you may want to consult with a financial professional who can help you map out a plan. In the meantime, make sure you have a clear vision for your goals so you’ll be better prepared to plan your financial future.

Provided by Rashad Bilal, a financial representative with The Bilal Group LLC, courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company For more information, please see https://www.massmutual.com/individuals/educational-articles/index FY1097 CRN201809-204992

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22 BLACK WESTCHESTER

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

NOVEMBER 2017

FEEDING THE PEOPLE ONE BAG AT A TIME KEN BRIGHT AND CHARLES SIMMONS ARE ALWAYS IN THE SEASON OF GIVING. GIVING OTHERS A FEELING OF SELF-ESTEEM. “CHANGE YOUR MIND SET, YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE” IS THE MOTTO

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KEN BRIGHT AND CHARLES SIMMONS [BLACK WESTCHESTER]

BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES

ou can ride up to a window and order a meal in five minutes. You can sit down and order a juicy lobster with melted butter to dip it in fifteen minutes. You can also place an order while driving home from work and meet the delivery man at your front door in thirty minutes. For many this is their normal way of living. Daily on the go.

But, for others, food insecurities are a nightmare.

I hung out with two gentlemen this morning who are well aware that food insecurities are a normal part of many people. Their routines were evident. Packing bags and making sure that each bag is equal. Fresh Vegetables including salad in the bag, frozen chicken breast, and a treat today frozen vegetable pizza.

Ken Bright and Charles Simmons are always in the season of giving. Ken Bright founded The LPS. Group. LIFE Progressive Services Group Inc. in 2009 his organization became a 501c3 and he started the food pantry about a year ago. Giving others a feeling of self-esteem. “Change Your Mind Set, You Change Your Life” is the motto that is written on the back of their hoodies.

Ken believes by changing your mindset you will change your life. By infusing men and women released from prison with preventive mechanisms: family, religious community involvement, community partnerships, clothing, food, housing, employment training, and jobs.

“Good afternoon my brother” is how they greeted each person passing. “Would you like a bag?” Many stopped and knew Ken and Charles by name. New people asked what was in the bag and once explained they smiled with, “Sure!” Ken said, “We started the displacement of food package for returning citizens who come thru this program. Part of our program is geared towards redemption; the act of making something better.” A pregnant woman approached disheveled and in need. ”

HOMELESSNESS IN WESTCHESTER – PART ONE:

WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS DENYING HELP TO ITS HOMELESS

BY LAURA CASE

While currently dysfunctional due to lack of beds, The New York City shelter system is supposed to be entered by walking into an intake center. The homeless stay there while being assessed by caseworkers and doctors who help decide which shelter or housing they will be sent to.

Westchester has full-service shelters,* and an intake/assessment center in Valhalla. But to enter our system, the homeless must be referred by the Department of Social Services. We fill out an application and talk to someone for as few as five minutes before it is decided whether or not we will be aided, and how. There is no streamlined process, sometimes accepted clients are sent directly to providers instead of the intake.

Homeless people outside of the shelter system have to stay at a drop-in. Drop-ins in New York City have case managers and activities, are open all day, and serve three meals. In Westchester, they open late at night and close from five to seven in the morning, even in the winter.

They are sometimes unsanitary, and have few services.

Another source can fund a day program, but this happens rarely, and the results aren’t always great.

Some of the homeless such as undocumented immigrants, are ineligible for government aid. But the county says that most other drop-in clients refuse help, and are allowed to stay at them out of kindness. This is a lie. As these surveys prove, many of us have either been denied placement by Social Services, or are unaware that other shelters even exist.

Out of 32 drop-in respondents, 12 were refused entry into the shelter system and given no other aid. Some were given no reason. 8 clients were refused placement, but given ($590) room vouchers. They cannot however, find rooms on their own, or for that price.

2 people were totally unaware that they could go to Social Services, 5 clients went there (for food stamps) but were never told that they could go to a full service shelter.

There are some clients who do refuse placement, the survey found 5. One works, and the intake shelter is over two hours away in an isolated complex near the county jail. Another was told he must participate in a work program, though he can’t walk properly. One was put in a shelter, but was kicked out for refusing to hand over his entire paycheck to the county.

The survey shows a common denominator among most of those turned away; lack of income. It is my allegation (and an open secret among the homeless) that these people are rejected to save Westchester money.

When someone is put into our shelter system, all their income is taken by the county, except for a $45

monthly allowance. New York City takes only thirty percent. This makes it very hard for even people in the shelters to get out of the system, with some staying as long as three years.

As of 2015, the state paid only 29% of our shelter costs, so when it takes in many clients without money, Westchester has to actually spend its own on the poor.

It is no secret that drop-ins are cheaper. This contract states that one of their benefits is that they cost $38 dollars per person, while a shelter costs $105–148 per night. This contract states the same but with different numbers.

Two survey respondents state that they were told they would not be placed because the county would not spend $4,000 a month on them.

Minutes of a Mount Vernon meeting for providers) from 2009 read “DSS is denying claims baselesslyi.e. reasons are provided but they are untrue/ baseless/ confused……” I believe they are speaking about temporary assistance (the $590), but it shows the general trend.

Even clients the county is willing to help have to go to drop-ins, Social Services asks many to stay at one for 10–30 days as proof that they are homeless before they will place them. This is done through a letter from the facility, although the county currently pays around $200,000 a year for a computer system used to store the data of homeless people, and a consultant to help run it.

In 2012, HUD said that this data could replace the letters, if the county fixed problems such as providers not actually using it. Guess they haven’t yet. Some drop-ins make getting letters difficult.

Because of this, most of the county’s drop-ins are over capacity by more than 30–60 people. For example, Oasis in New Rochelle has about 80 people or more, in what is supposed to be a 27 bed facility. The problem there has been made worse by the 2013 closure of the Mount Vernon drop-in due to community protests.

Even if the county relents, there may be nowhere for people to go. This year, it cut over half of it’s transitional housing beds for singles, as well as emergency housing for families.

The county just closed a shelter for employable single adult men, the Vaughn Glanton Residence, stating that there is not enough demand for its services. They turned it into a family shelter into which they put the families they took out of emergency housing. Westchester’s proposed 2017 operating budget states that they plan to cut even more units of emergency housing next year.

In 2014 the county closed it’s only shelter for

medically frail adults, claiming that it was not needed because 68 of the beds in its system were vacant.

Small comfort for the drop-in clients it won’t place in them.

As mentioned, the homeless are sometimes given a $590 voucher for a room, although there are few in our county for that price. There is an additional catch. Unless they have certain medical conditions or are in treatment programs, people receiving the vouchers must engage in Welfare to Work “employment activities” like other temporary assistance customers. Run differently this could be helpful, but while vocational training and searching for jobs are possibilities, people are usually placed in “community work experience programs” which require up to 40 hours of work a week for around $1,000 monthly in services.

Some customers go to work for nonprofits.

But the county uses many as substitutes for actual employees whom they would have to pay minimum wage. Previously, most of this was done in Mount Vernon through the parks department. The people you see picking up trash for hours every day are one example. But according to Westchester’s proposed 2017 operating budget, this year they are going to expand the program to “all district offices and other County departments such as Public Works.”

The worst part is that some of these people could be hired if the county paid employees to do the work. Many of them are men of color. While they sometimes have input, customers cannot choose which employment activity or type of CWEP they do.

If they refuse to “participate,” they are denied assistance.

Updates: The Proposed County Budget for 2017 increases spending on Social Services by 7 million dollars, which is great! But the department covers many areas besides homelessness, so it is unclear how much of this will reach my community.

The amount of money is also deceptive, since a single program can cost over a million dollars. I believe we still have a very low-spending budget for a county of our size and (areas of) wealth.

*Full Service Shelter: A shelter open 24 hours a day, with three meals, caseworkers, and activities.

They are supposed to find people housing. Clients are assigned rooms or beds, and have a place to keep their stuff.

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NOVEMBER 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

BLACK WESTCHESTER

23

SAMANTHA HUNTER’S MAN CRUSH OF THE MONTH: TOBIAS TRUVILLION

BY ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE WRITER SAMANTHA HUNTER - PHOTO COURTESY OF B. ALYSSA TROFORT

When he’s not commanding attention in the hit FOX series Empire as the character D- Major, former soap-opera actor turned writer, producer, director and community activist Tobias Truvillion is busy beefing up his resume with meaty roles like that of the soon-to- be- released film, The Products of the American Ghetto. Black Westchester Magazine caught up with Truvillion on the set of one of his latest projects to discuss how he balances his work life with his pursuit of success and happiness.

What has your experience starring on the hit TV show Empire been like? How has it challenged and grown you as an actor?

I really appreciated the opportunity to absorb a different kind of character that allowed me to make a strong impression on others. I’ve received such a great response.

Acting isn’t your only passion – you write, produce and direct as well. Can you talk a little bit about wearing all of those different hats and how it fuels you personally and creatively?

Unless I’m involved in all of these aspects of my life, I honestly would have a void, if I wasn’t involved in al of the above.

There are so many elements to what I do and what I want to do.

What do you think is the key to success and longevity in the acting and entertainment business?

You have to understand your (why) and remain grounded. There’s always 100% to an experience. The vast majority of the public sees when you are winning and thinks that’s what the whole experience is about but for most working actors, at certain points, 80% of that experience is filled with doors closed in your face, being told you can’t, multiple letdowns, etc. You have to believe in your “why” and stick to it.

You’re currently on location filming a new project for BET. What can you tell us about it?

I’m currently shooting a series with my boy Christian Keyes (Saints & Sinners, Supernatural), Erica Ash (Survivor’s Remorse, Real Husbands of Hollywood) and many more talented actors. All I can say is stay tuned for the new hit series on BET, In Contempt. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

What’s next on the horizon for you in terms of projects and goals?

I’m going to continue to work in front of the camera and when time permits, I will be behind the scenes producing.

Among a few other indie films in production, I’m also excited about my feature debut indie film that I starred in as well as produced, #lovedotcom.

You’ll hear more about it in months to come.

How do you strike the work/life balance?

I combine it all.

What do the holidays mean to you and how do you make it special?

I’m always about my family and friends. I always enjoy reconnecting.

Connect with Tobias Truvillion on Instagram at @tobiastruvillion as well as @thetalentconnect #incontempt

BW SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: BODY NATURAL

BY SAMANTHA HUNTER

Concerned with the amount of chemicals found in the products she put on her skin, Body Natural creator Leticia Edghill decided to take her health into her own hands and create her own line of products utilizing natural ingredients that beckon back to our ancestors. Since the line’s creation in 2015, Edghill has grown Body Natural to include over 10 products that contain no dangerous chemicals or preservations, and are made to order. Black Westchester Magazine caught up with Edghill to discuss her motivation for creating Body Natural and what makes her all-natural skin care line so unique.

What inspired or prompted you to create this line of skin products?

I was appalled at the amount of carcinogenic chemicals in everyday personal care products. Whether it’s shampoos, lotions, body butter or deodorant, all the products contained one or more carcinogenic chemicals. I didn’t want to use them anymore and I wanted to give people the opportunity to make a healthy choice.

Prior to creating this line, what were you doing for your occupation or profession?

I am a teacher by trade and I have been teaching for 15 years. I also enjoy writing and have self published two novels and a book of poetry.

What makes your product line unique or special? What does it offer the consumer that makes it stand out from all the rest?

I’ve seen a few homemade products out there, but none of them were as expansive as mine. I also do offer consumers the opportunity to select a variety of fragrances and have made products based on customer requests that aren’t available online. Body Natural products work on many different skin types so once you’ve tried them nothing else can compare.

Where are these products available presently and what is your plan for these products?

Body Natural products are available online at https://squareup.com/store/designs-by-het-heru-inc. I also have a few Groupon offers available for customers. I love Body Natural and will continue to use the products and make them available to everyone who wants to purchase them.

Have you received any feedback or testimonials so far from people who have used these products and experienced positive results?

I’ve done a few home shows and given out samples. People who have tried the products really like them. I have one friend – I gave a basket to her daughter for her new baby. She loved the Coco Van so much she’s used nothing else for her daughter’s skin since birth. Another customer purchased one product at a health fair. She uses the Butter Whip even on her face and said that she’s had compliments on her skin since she began using it.

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24BLACK WESTCHESTER

REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY

THIS MONTH IN BLACK HISTORY

NOVEMBER 2017

MAKING THE BLACK VOTE WORK FOR BLACK PEOPLE

By Bob Law

EBONY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME

The first issue of Ebony Magazine was published November 1, 1945 by John H. Johnson in Chicago selling 25,000 copies. After 71 years, in 2016, Johnson sold the publications to private equity firm Clear View Group.

November 10, 1960 Andrew Hatcher was named associate press secretary to President-elect John F. Kennedy. He was the first black man to hold the No. 2 communications spot in the White House behind his longtime political compatriot, Pierre Salinger.

In fact, according to a profile in Ebony in October 1963, Hatcher pinch-hit for Salinger “200 days … as the official White House spokesmen at press briefings, on the mikes and on the job,” including during “the Mississippi Meredith case.”.

Three years later he founded 100 Black Men of America, a men’s civic organization and service club whose stated goal is to educate and empower AfricanAmerican children and teens

November 3, 1987 Colin Kaepernick was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He will be 30-years-old this year.

In 2016, Kaepernick gained nationwide attention when he began Ebony has evolved over protesting what he viewed as the the years; in 1985 Ebony Man oppression of people of color in the was started. In 2010 United States by not standing while the United States national anthem it began a redesign was being played before the start of process to update its games.

Currently a free agent, who longtime brand. In the past, the magazine was has yet to be picked up by a team persistently upbeat, much widely believed due to his peaceful protest. However Colin has agreed to like its postwar contem- attend a meeting between a group of porary Life. Ebony has NFL players and the league’s owners African-American issues, in early November. personalities and interests in a positive and selfNovember 3, 1964: John Conyers, affirming manner. Its Jr. was elected to House of Repcover photography has resentatives from Detroit. He focused on prominent became the longest-serving African American public African American in the history of figures, including actors the United States House of Representatives and the United States and entertainers, and Congress. politicians.

November 5, 1831, Nat Turner was tried for “conspiring to rebel and making insurrection”, convicted, and sentenced to death. Turner was hanged on November 11 in Jerusalem, Virginia. He was 31 years old.

November 11, 1914, Daisy Bates was born. She was a civil rights activist, publisher, journalist, and lecturer who played a leading role in the Little Rock Integration Crisis of 1957.

November 19, 1964: The Supremes became the first all-girl group to reach #1 in Britain when “Baby Love” hit the coveted top spot.

November 4, 2008: Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President of the United States of America.

The 2016 presidential campaigns have revealed how entrenched and appealing racism actually is in American society. It has also revealed how dependent African Americans are on the good will of political power brokers, who from time to time have need of our unquestioned allegiance.

While the presidential candidates on the right, offer a return to white privilege, special advantages to whites and white supremacy under the guise of making America great again, blatantly appealing to those Americans that have grown up in a society where Jim Crow laws, along with policies rooted in inequality, and injustice have historically given them special advantages based on race, who now, while pretending to be angry, actually fear the possibility of having to compete in an America where recognition in society would be based on “intelligence, integrity, talent and the content of one’s character, instead of white privilege.

It seems that playing fair still terrifies many Americans. At the same time the other candidates offer broad ambiguous terms like making America Whole, or a Future We Can Believe In, none speak of real justice. None offer to change and improve the the condition of African Americans in this society.

African Americans are offered plans to make it a little easier to remain poor and powerless, rather then change the condition of the people, rather then raise incomes and education levels, rather then lift people out of poverty, politicians create low income alternatives, like giving away shopping bags of food on the weekend instead of securing an economically sound minimum wage.

The National Black Leadership Alliance urges Blacks to support a comprehensive strategy that use’s our strengths and significant resources to empower Black Americans. At this critical moment in time, as the nation and indeed the world is organizing to take account of the changes and challenges of this generation, Black Americans are still being systematically pushed to the sidelines. Our political and financial support taken quite for granted.!

Most alarming at the moment is the casual courting of the Black vote, even though the African American vote is reported to have propelled Hilary Clinton to primary victories, and continues to be the decisive vote in upcoming democratic primaries, both in New York and St. Louis, Blacks are not offered anything specific, or concrete in return for that oh so valuable Black vote.

It is time for a fundamental shift in how Blacks participate in the political process. Voting must produce goods and services for Blacks as it does for every other interest group in this nation.

For Blacks just getting the candidate elected to office has always been victory enough.

And that is precisely why the political and economic status of Blacks continues to decline while the number of friends in office continues to rise. It is what has been called “politics as spectacle” where you concentrate on voters and winning elections, instead of on politics as “organized combat” which focuses on power and policies.!

We are disappointed by our brothers, like Spike Lee, Danny Glover, Cornell West, John Lewis and others who endorse presidential candidates without securing anything more than a promise that they will be our friend once in office. For those so eager to endorse someone, here’s what we suggest: why not get a commitment that once in office “our friend” will ensure that Black developers will be given 30% of federal development contracts, up from the current 2%.!

In New York City, the site of the April 19 Democratic primary, the City comptroller has acknowledged that New York has a dismal record in granting contracts to minority contractors and developers. Of the 18 billion NYC spends on goods and services annually, buying everything from office supplies to school lunches and professional services, only 3.9% goes to minorities with only 1% of that going to Blacks. Ask the candidates to support or propose measures to increase minority participation to 30%: 1. Reestablish the community reinvestment act 2. Enforcing compliance of the CRA would serve to protect Black homeowners and small businesses from the unscrupulous tactics of the gentrification real estate agents and developers that are currently forcing African Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods.

According to it’s own literature, the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) provides a

framework for financial institutions, state and local governments, and community organizations to jointly promote banking services to all members of a community. In a nutshell, the CRA 3.

Prohibits redlining (denying or increasing the cost of banking to residents of racially defined neighborhoods), and 4. Encourages efforts to meet the credit needs of all community members, including residents of lowand moderate-income neighborhoods.Most banks currently ignore the CRA. Additionally, ask the candidates if once in office would they Establish a Special Environmental Injustice Commission that would not only investigate issues like the water contamination in Flint Michigan, but would also act to prevent what currently appears to be a race-based double standard in the way that local governments and corporations compensate victims of environmental disasters, evident in the Tert-butyl mercaptan chemical spill in predominately white Aliso Canyon California where all levels of govt. responded immediately and effectively, while the same leak in the black working class community of Eight Mile Alabama residents received minimal compensation and still suffer some 8 years after the spill from the slow pace of cleanup. !Most banks currently ignore the CRA. Additionally, ask the candidates if once in office would they Establish a Special Environmental Injustice Commission that would not only investigate issues like the water contamination in Flint Michigan, but would also act to prevent what currently appears to be a race based double standard in the way that local governments and corporations compensate victims of environmental disasters, evident in the Tert-butyl mercaptan chemical spill in predominately white Aliso Canyon California where all levels of govt. responded immediately and effectively, while the same leak in the black working class community of Eight Mile Alabama residents received minimal compensation and still suffer some 8 years after the spill from the slow pace of cleanup. !In another instance, BP oil has paid 20.8 billion dollars to the gulf coast states for redevelopment since the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the black residents of those states,( Alabama, Mississippi,Florida,Texas and Louisiana) must be assured that as that money is released to the states, that Blacks will receive the 25% federal goal set for minority participation. Blacks in the gulf states feel that if the candidates would call for the states to meet the federal standard, it would focus attention enough to compel the states to comply with federal guide lines.!Additionally, the National Black Leadership Alliance would like to see our friends in office support the call for making the police choke hold illegal. Currently, the choke hold is not considered police policy, but it is f!reely used by the police without consequence.!Of course, there are other critical issues that are essential to the growth and stability of the Black community, but this is a starting point for a people whose vote routinely earns them nothing in return. Lets be clear, if Black Americans continue to vote carelessly without making candidates earn our support, if Blacks continue to vote for symbols rather than substance, being satisfied simply by the fact that our candidate won, then we will have betrayed the voting rights movement. We fought for the right to vote so that the vote could be used to effect change and empower the Black community along side all other A!merican citizens. The movement never intended for African Americans to carelessly give that vote away. !!

Bob Law, @Law4Bob is a nationally syndicated broadcast veteran, for many years could be heard across the nation on his talk radio show, “Night Line.” In addition to being a Radio Broadcaster, Bob Law is also a Film Maker, Small Business Owner & National Political Activist.

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NOVEMBER 2017

BLACK WESTCHESTER 25

BW ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT

BW ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT: TONY DOFAT

BY PRICILLA ECHI

PHOTO BY MALACHI DOFAT

W hen it comes there aren’t many

to music, producers that can say they’ve transcended decades and created moments in hip-hop and R&B that are considered classic. I had the privilege of spotlighting one for the Black Westchester audience, Grammy Award winning producer, Mr. Tony Dofat.

The Mount Vernon, NY native is a top producer who still has the “it” factor when it comes to music and industry longevity. His music is the culmination of over 20 years of hard work and dedication and that’s only one facet of his life.

You can add another notch to his belt, I’ll get to what that is in a bit.

The name Dofat is as synonymous with hip-hop as seasoning is to food. Diddy knew back then, and still works with him till this day.

He’s had his hands in the music of the most intricate artists of our culture from Tina Turner, Heavy D, The Notorious B.I.G, Method Man, El Debarge, Mary J Blige,

How have you been able to maintain such longevity in this game?

The key to longevity with any profession is to always make sure to be an asset as opposed to a liability. As a producer, create a signature sound, be innovative and never be scared to try something different or think outside of the box. Another important factor is to always maintain a great relationship with everyone because you will possible need them for something, this industry is so small.

What do you think of the state of the industry now?

Today’s music is used as a tool to sell other products or brands. I feel a lot of new artists lack passion and are in it for the material things which lessens the integrity of hip hop.

Piracy is a huge obstacle today, labels are not really making money from sales like 1015 years ago due to illegal downloads.

If you could change one thing about the industry what would it be?

I would love for labels to get more involved in the creativity and not just think about making a dime, this would regulate the quality of music that this new generation is exposed to.

What do you believe is the greatest body of work you produced?

I feel my Waterbed Hev album was memorable. Considering the fact that we were very, very close friends, we moved to LA and shared a house during this 8 month process and went to the studio every day as if we worked a 9 to 5. There were no limits to creativity or our process of creating. So much fun and our fun reflected in the album.

Black Rob, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Carl Thomas, Monifah, Brian McKnight and many others, as well as producing music for movies such as White Chicks and Bad Boys II.

When your discography is as long as an Alaskan winter you don’t need to talk. When he does, it’s by giving back in the form of the greatest gift, teaching. The multi-platinum producer, songwriter and mix engineer holds production workshops at various colleges as a part-time professor, as well as mentors in private workshops at Diddy’s studio, Daddy’s House.

I asked Mr. Dofat questions every beginner or producer who’s been at it for a while would want to know. Some of his answers may or may not surprise you. One thing it will do is give you an inside look into the mind of Dofat and his blueprint to staying power, which has kept him very relevant to hip-hop culture.

How does one who’s passionate about production get started?

Nowadays you don’t need elaborate equipment or even major recording studios anymore, simply buy an inexpensive sequencing program or “DAW” and get to work, Learn and perfect your craft. If you’re truly passionate, you will succeed.

Who would you like to now produce that you haven’t had a chance to work with?

I think me and Aaron Hall would make some magic. I’d like to do some work with Drake, R. Kelly, and maybe Chris Brown.

What advice can you give youth that look up to you of how to stay focused on your craft?

You have to believe in yourself in order for others to believe in you! Make sure you’re passionate about whatever it is you’re attempting to do, art should be heartfelt and faking it will only get you but so far. We call ‘em one-hit wonders.

Awesome advice!

Lucky for us, Tony is also penning a book which I’m sure will be full of insightful information.One thing that surprised me is not only is Tony an incredible producer, but he’s also an amazing cook who’s equally as passionate about food! Yes fellow foodies, this is the other notch we spoke about earlier “Chef Dofat”! Seems like good music and great food go hand in hand! Not only does he share these incredible dishes with us, but he shows you how to do it the healthy way! Check out his Facebook page LovesGrub which is full of delicious dishes and recipes.

SUNDAYS 1:30PM

SATURDAYS 12PM

GOSPEL BRUNCH

BEATLES BRUNCH

HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR

STRAWBERRY FIELDS

thu nov

2

fri nov

PAUL MOONEY & MARSHA WARFIELD 2 SHOWS

fri nov

10

sun nov

3

5

8

WAR

OLETA ADAMS wed nov

MORRIS DAY & THE TIME

wed nov

15

sat nov

MUSIQ SOULCHILD

18

FREDDIE McGREGOR

wed nov

LOOSE ENDS

22

feat. JANE EUGENE

METHOD MAN REDMAN

dec

fri dec

15

sun dec

AARON NEVILLE

17

BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS w/ BO BICE

21 22 23 DARLENE LOVE

wed jan

10

DAVID KRAMER PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS An Evening with RICK SHEPPARD’S

THE DRIFTERS

LOVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

fri jan

19 sat jan

20

sat feb

TOWER OF POWER 50th Anniversary

BBKINGBLUES.COM

3

fri feb

BOB MARLEY

9

Birthday Tribute w/ CCB REGGAE ALL-STARS 4PM MATINEE + EVENING SHOW

/BBKINGBLUESNYC

wed feb

JEFFREY OSBORNE

14

Valentine’s Day with

MAYSA

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26 BLACK WESTCHESTER

NOVEMBER 2017

BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

ADVERTISING Vote for Democrat George Latimer for County Executive on Nov. 7th

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With Trump in the White House and Conservative Republicans controlling Congress, we need good Democrats here in Westchester.

We need someone who will represent everyone in Westchester We need someone who will keep our streets safe and promote affordable housing We need someone who will deliver sensible County budgets, create good-paying jobs, George and quality services for all

LATIMER

WeForneed someone who will reject Trump and County Executive his allies in Westchester

Democrat

George

LATIMER Democrat

For County Executive

On Tuesday Nov. 7 Vote for

Democrat George Latimer for Westchester County Executive

Paid for by Latimer for Westchester

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NOVEMBER 2017

BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM

BLACK WESTCHESTER 27

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